Progress Journal: We're Moving! I'm still here and in a much better frame of mind

First announcement:  I am moving this blog to a Word Press site by April 15.  I have some pretty exciting changes happening and the blog is just one of them.  

Spring Training 8 weeks down

This has been an interesting time.  My diet changed.  We've lowered my carbs and upped the fats for some days with carb cycling so my weight is up 7lbs from where I was last year.  I'm fine with that believe it or not because frankly the whole goal was to recomposition which means lose body fat and add muscle mass.  

Since my pants fit right again....I don't think I care all that much.

It's been a great 8 weeks.  I've really let go of some of my hangups in regards to food.

Perfectionism

A few weeks ago my coach posted a great article she had written about perfectionism.  I think one of my big problems last year was that I went into this with the attitude that it all has to come out perfect and I can't mess up or else it will all be over.  This kind of unhealthy mindset created a really unhealthy environment for me when it came to food.  You already know about the Teddy Grahams and Trail mix but I became anxious and just too consumed with food.  At one point I said if this kept on and I couldn't co-exist with Nilla Wafers then I was not going to continue on with my goal to compete in Figure.  It simply wasn't worth developing an Eating Disorder.

As a testament to this, I bought two boxes of Girl Scout cookies this past weekend and ate some during my free meal while I watched How to Get Away With Murder.  I still have two boxes of cookies in my freezer and have not touched them.  This is an excellent sign.

Yeah so about competing...

I am still pushing towards that goal but with a different attitude.  I am no longer in this to get onstage in a bikini and heels.  I am in this to become stronger, challenge myself, and develop some good habits for my life.  Competing is just a stop on the journey.

I see many people who use competing as some sort of means to salvation for their lives.  Whether it is to make them feel like they accomplished something or thinking that this will solve their problems.  It will not do any of that.  It will be something that you committed to and finished but it's not going to lead to riches (in fact it will probably leave you poorer because it is expensive) and it takes up so much time that you won't be having this booming social life either.

As I told my coach yesterday, I am going to continue working hard and then leave it to her when she thinks that I will be ready.  I see so many women who want to just jump into competing without putting in the time to build their bodies or even develop good habits.  They just want to get up in a bikini.  Not me.

Train Like an Athlete

Strength Test: 135 lb Deadlift for 5x5

With that being said, my training has evolved in a sense as well.  I'm still lifting heavy, doing cardio, but I've also started incorporating lots of flexibility training in as well in order to improve my performance, range of motion, and prevent injuries.  Since I have more energy due to the increased fat in my diet, I have been able to push it harder in the gym.

I have had a chance to work around a lot of athletes this year and one thing I've noticed with them is that they have to vary their training and having a game isn't an excuse to miss the weight room.  They have to constantly be working to improve their game.

Same goes for me.

I'm still alive

They say it's in the "offseason" that your stage body is made and the prep is just to uncover that hard work.  I've been putting that to good use and keeping in my head that as I am pushing it and getting stronger that this will also pay off onstage but that's not my only goal.

I want to be functional for life as well.  I even did a 5 mile jog/run and I was able to complete it without walking.  This was after not running distance at all for at least 18 months.  I thought I was going to have to turn around during the first 4 minutes because it got really real but I told myself to just keep on going and I made it! 

I attribute it to my high volume weight workouts for my legs.  As I tell my clients, "We get strong to run.  We don't run to get strong".

 I am really enjoying my workouts.  Plus I found a new source of motivation for my workouts and I am pleased to report that nobody was yelled at or tackled to the ground.  

Progress Photos

I am pretty happy with these.  No I am not lean but this is only the beginning AND I'm happy with it.  I like how I look.  I think it's great!  Peep the Wanna Be Women's Physique Pose.  I think that is my ultimate goal so I can get up onstage and do a routine.  I have a whole catalog of Madonna, Britney, and Beyonce that is just BEGGING to be choreographed.