Yes I once was a chub

I can't believe I'm posting this, but this reminds me to never give up on my passion for fitness and health. I'm also hoping that many can see that it is possible to totally change the shape of your body with hard work, courage, and discipline.

I'm bummed today is Friday, only b/c I dread my job on the weekends. I went into work last night for extra hours and didn't get off until after 2am. This morning my body was too exhausted to do fasted cardio so instead I'm going to do more cardio this afternoon. I didn't wake up until 11am and if I ran for an hour on an empty stomach I definitely wouldn't get in all my meals for the day. It sucks b/c I have to get up before 3am tomorrow for work, don't ask how I'm going to make it to bed tonight. I need to be working as much as possible in order to pay for school and a car next month. I'm starting to stress out about finances, making an A on my final exam in a couple of weeks,if I'm going to move closer to school and where exactly, and getting in all of the extra cardio. To tackle my stress I'm going to simply doing my best each day, that's all I can do and hopefully everything will fall into place.

Tony is "happy" with my pics, YAY I can breathe now! He said I don't have to start doing 2 hrs of cardio until next week and that we would probably start carb cycling at the end of this week. I'm relieved to start carb cycling 1)asparagus is killing my wallet 2)more definition coming my way 3)doesn't take much time to prep food! At night I've been having sweet cravings and no way to satisfy them, sucks to not be able have SF popcicles or SF jello even... and NO Tony, a thick protein shake is not going to kill the craving! I've considered posting some up to date pics of me, but I'm so nervous, we are always our worst critics...give me a week or two.

My inner thighs, hamstrings, and glutes are so tight and tender from Monday's w/o. I love how Tony combines just the right exercises to hit just the right spots. Right now I know I could squeeze a lemon b/w my thighs. I think I read a while back that Stacey leg presses 500# or over, Im trying so hard to catch up with her I'm at 450#X6reps right now...could this be why I can't get up without moaning and groaning?

Any of you watch Rock of Love on VH1? I love the show and love "Rodeo". She is in the latest issue of Oxygen mag and competes in figure. I just hope I can have her body at age 39. I'm also a stupid sucker for watching Age of Love. In the episode before last, Maria was making a shake and Isagenix was on the counter...and damn if she don't look good too. Lets see I also watch Big Love, Traveler, Army Wives, and my ultimate fave is So You Think You Can Dance. Call me a cheese ball if you will but I love my tv and DVR.

I've been super busy with training, school, work, and prepping meals every day. Other than having a peach yesterday the diet has been right on. It was either dig into the families Blue Bell Homemade peaches and vanilla ice cream or cure my craving with a icey vanilla/peach protein shake. I've since gone broke due to buying asparagus every other day, but in all the diet I'm on is working for me and with me.

Today I sent T today's pics I'm hoping he likes what he sees. My abs are becoming more and more visible and my legs look so much better this time around compared to my last show. Even though my diet for almost 2 months was a wreck, I believe continuing with the heavy leg w/o's and the sprints helped my legs progress.

From this week on 2 hrs of cardio are a must! For the first time in probably 5yrs or more I tried the step aerobic class at my gym. The class was so much fun and I discovered what great shape I am in...sounds silly I know, but I never really understand or see it. I'm still getting in my 1hr walk/runs every day that I don't work, but in the pm I'm going to mix up the cardio with step class, stairmaster, and gauntlet. Those are the only types of cardio that gets me sweating and the heart rate up, of course while being jacked up the green tea extract. I've been suffering with golfer's elbow lately and it kills me to do biceps or pulldowns. To heal, rest is recommended but I can't afford it, so instead I just pop 2 advil and ice my arm after every workout.

This time last week I got word from Adam that instead of coming back from deployment mid-October he won't be home until Nov 29th. I'm really bummed, but this is out of our control and there is no need to dwell on the matter. For the Christmas holidays we are looking at going to Jamaica. This will be a good time for us to have some alone time and enjoy being a married couple. I will have to make sure not to gain much fat during my bulking phase this fall/winter, don't want to be a whale on the beach. The trip will be perfect for me to catch up on all the summer alcohol drinks I've been having to pass up so far. Upon returning from the trip will be a great opportunity to start cutting.

I'll try my best to report here more often. Its time for gym visit #2 today. By the way my eggs have never been so beautiful thanks to yalls advice!

Eye on the prize

Why does peeling egg shells have to be such a big pain in my butt? Of course I'm jacked up on green tea extract when my patience starts running thin. Tony sent me my new meal plan that starts today and it looks like I will be shelling eggs every dang day. My mom says they shouldn't be so hard to peel if they are not as fresh as 1-2days from the grocer. Do any of you have any suggestions? Half the time mine come out pretty and smooth, but half the time they come out rugged.

For post-weights T suggested that I try "Jay Robb's Yammit" as my carb mixed with the PP. In the past I haven't been using a MRP, but PP +apple. I picked up "Jay Robb's Vanilla PP" to mix with the "Yammit" and OMG! When I mix the two in the blender, add pumpkin spice, sprinkle of cinnamon, 12oz H20, and lots of ice=tastes like a sinful treat! Now I simply can't wait to push some iron.

I've been "clean" for 4 days and it feels GREAT! Last night I really had the test put to me. My dad needed my mom to pick him up out of town since he had to leave his chopper in the shop. My mom hates to drive, especially in heavy traffic on major highways, so I had to accompany her. After picking up pops he had to have a margarita... I am a margarita lush well in my past exciting life! So we went to Pappasitos, sat at the bar, rents had their special margaritas, chips and salsa, and chicken & shrimp fajitas. I didn't have one chip, one bite, or one sip. Instead I looked up and down the bar,noticed no figure models, no fitness enthusiasts, nothing but overweight people. I imagined my trophy sitting across from me at the table. My dad asked if I wasn't hungry, I replied, "I have my eye on the prize!" I very well could have taken in the aroma, felt sorry for myself, or like last week could have told myself, "oh I'll start over tomorrow". No, I refuse to throw away my focus, my 3 days of clean eating, and definitely not my 2nd trophy. Its moments like last night that will get me a winning physique. I figured if my husband can't eat fajita and ritas right now, I can wait until he gets home. Right now I'm just going to keep making each day my best. I'm reminded of the video T sent out a couple months ago about giving your best, well I'm applying my best in every aspect of my life, one day at a time.

On the home front we are changing out computers and will be having to mess with our network sometime today. Hopefully I will be able to join cyberspace on Sunday. Yall have a great weekend and stay strong, remember "Time waits on no one"

Peace

Nap time

I just got in from work early, yippee! All of yesterday was spent studying for my woman's studies midterm. After the test was taken I still had to write reviews over two essays, which put me in bed at midnight so I could wake up for work at 3am. Needless to say I'm going to shower, take a nice nap, and hit the gym for today's leg workout.

Today I must send T my current photos that for some reason I keep putting off. I'm not going to lie, I have had my binging moments. I'm still getting in extra cardio and hitting the weights hard. I miss the Isagenix terribly and really want to integrate it into Tony's meal plan, but he says no. I still feel the Isagenix helped me deal with my cravings. After the cleanse I failed to keep my head on straight. Today is a new day and I can't change yesterday. I have a bad habit of jotting down my scale goals for upcoming weeks, instead I need to focus on making each day my best. A female trainer at my gym signed up for MsFit's challenge and would like me to join her, if its not too late I plan on signing up after my nap. The contest will end 2 wks after my last comp for the year, another reason to not binge following the show.

Friday I received a phone call from my husband!!! It is very rare he is able to call me and if he does call I better have my phone attached to me. He won't return from the middle east until late October :( He requested that I have some meat on me when he gets back, his actual word was "chubby"! Don't think I let that one slide, I told him to never associate my name with the words chubby, chunk, or plump! All my life I've been called thick, which I don't mind so much now, men like thick. As long as my body is tight and fit, I really don't care what you call me. My husband was out at sea during my May comp and never knew how tiny I actually was, he thought I was small enough in this pic taken March 31st.

Time to listen to my hypnosis mp3...

Lost 9lbs in 9 days!

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I finished my cleanse strong, 9lbs lost! I still feel good and want to continue the program. Tony feels like I shouldn't continue with the maintenance program until I'm done with competing for this year. I was really getting used to the shakes and I feel they definitely suppress my cravings or the urge to overeat. Yesterday for the 4th I brought along my own turkey burger with WW buns and big salad. The meat everyone else was eating was cheap and gross, all I could think about was how nasty and greasy the burgers and dogs were. I did indulge myself with moms homemade vanilla ice cream, but unlike times before I was able to cut myself off from it, oh and i couldn't eat all of my burger. So overall the 9day cleanse 1)helped me shed some of the weight gained back from my last show 2)made me more aware of ingesting toxins in the future 3)suppresses my cravings. During the cleanse out of a mindless habit, I stuck my head in the fridge just looking for something to stuff my face with, but I actually stopped and realized nothing sounded good and I wasn't really hungry. Also I mindlessly went after the Tostitos, only to eat just 3 and be satisfied, this is so not me I eat whole bags, hehe. I find myself not wanting to eat packaged cookies and candy, b/c of all the preservatives and junk they are made with. Now I want to eat nothing but whole foods, defintely no fast food. I'm still going to drink the Ionix Supreme, b/c its just too awesome to not take.

As for as competing goes, I'm just not going to be able to do the Europa. This is not only b/c of my current physique, but due to work schedule, my education, and my finances. Last weekend I worked 15hrs 2 of the 3 days. One of the days I had a paper to turn in online by 10pm, my brain just couldn't work with such little sleep. Have you ever been so exhausted and had so much to still do, that you just sit and cry? Well that was me. Prepping for a show means I must train 7 days... 4 days won't cut it. I'm still going to go to the Europa for fun and motivation. Instead I'm going to compete in the Heart of Texas Figure show sept. 15th. This will be the last show of the year in my area then I will go into my off season!!!! Although I put in for a job transfer within my job, my work hours should not be so long where I won't be able to train.

Right now I'm still training hard and getting in extra cardio. I haven't talked to Tony much lately, we keep missing each other. I realize he has a lot going on with his dad's illness, but I feel like he has been out of touch more lately, even before his dad's news...is this just me? Anyways I successfully conquered his challenge yesterday!!! I was worried I wouldn't be able to b/c it has been raining consistently here for 3 wks straight and my gym was going to be closed for the holiday. However I woke up early to no rain, power walked outside for 30min, walk/run for 1hr, and finished with a 30min power walk...first time ever to do 2hrs cardio consecutively, go me! I will try calling Tony tonight and see what the game plan is.

I have a midterm and a long assignment due this Sunday night, so if I don't get on here its b/c my head will be in the books and my butt will be in the gym.