12 Weeks Out.

          OK so time is flying and competition is in 12 weeks. I figured I better take some pics before the body fat starts melting off. It's gonna be all sorts of crazy awesome.  I started my prep diet on Wednesday and I am doing really well.  I gained some confidence by diving right in and even traveling overnight and PMSing during this first week.  I packed my food everywhere I went and prepared each night.  I even brought my measured chicken and rice to a pancake house!  Those pancakes looked delicious but being lean on stage sounds better to me and I am going to do my best to stay focused.  I can tell already that being prepared will be my savior.

     The diet is hard but it is going better then I thought. I pee constantly because of all the water.  I always assume it may get even harder and mentally prepare but progress is my best motivator so we shall see how it goes.  I am a green pea for sure and have no clue how I am going to handle everything. I only cried once and gagged about a hundred times.  It's weird,  I kind of like how challenging it is. Crystal light has quickly become my taste bud bff.  I am sitting here starving right now and counting down the minutes until I can have a shake. I am taking some fat burners from the nutrition store.  I am not used to anything stronger then coffee recently so I don't like the way I feel.  I know I will get used to it though. Just like when it only took half a scoop of Jack3d before I worked out and then before I knew it, BAM it turned into 3 scoops...I don't even think they are allowed to sell Jack3d anymore LOL!! Anyway, I'm just rollin with it. I can tell it raises my heart rate a bit and it helps me with hunger in the morning which is good. The way I feel is not so good for a couple hours but it's fine. You may catch me grinding my teeth and sweating for no reason the next few days though!!AHHHHHHHH!! HAHA!

   I know this pic is super ugly but my stomach is growling and I have cramps so just getting through this day without a murder charge is the goal.  No time for sprucing it up...

Positives of the week:  A massage that finally fixed my back!!  I have been looking for a person that really did a therapeutic massage for athletes forever!!  Found it!!! It is unbelievable how great I feel!! WIN!!!  It is not a relaxing kind of massage.  It's a get in there get all the junk out sweating and trying not to yell kind of massage.  It was amazing and anyone that really works their body to the max understands what I am talking about.  PURE BLISS!!! ( Cumberland Massage Therapy Center and ask for Dr. Lancaster)
Training is going well and as the volume goes up I am getting excited. GROWING BIGGER MUSCLES!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!! IT"S GO TIME!!!

Negatives:  I started cardio up again.  Booooooo.....but thank God it is nice and warm out!!!  I only had one newbie mess up on diet when I accidentally packed a chicken and rice meal instead of a chicken and broccoli meal.  I looked at the wrong days when packing to go away overnight but no biggie I am moving right along! :)   I am jittery in the AM and starving in the PM.  No worries, I am a big girl so I am gonna suck it up and kick ass.  Time to shine.  :)

Figure out what is on your fitness bucket list and conquer it!!!  Have a great week!!!

Eat More.

       

      So I have been sitting here pondering why I worked my ass off for a couple years but didn't get the results I wanted.  Conclusion:  I obviously didn't eat enough.  Yeah sure the types of workouts have something to do with it, but only eating a couple times a day killed any chance I had for the legs and ass I've always dreamed of.  I am so glad a good trainer finally came into my life and taught me different.

         So for well over 2 years I went to CrossFit day in and day out and heard nothing but Paleo this and Paleo that.  Yeah that is fucking great and all but what about eating it consistently throughout the day?  No one ever seemed to mention that little tidbit.  A bunch of people sure as hell came over and gave me advice on snatches and cleans even though most of them had no business doing so... but NEVER ONE MENTION OF EATING ENOUGH TO FUEL MY BODY FOR RECOVERY AND GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE DAY.  WTF!?! Maybe people think it is common knowledge but it wasn't for me. I always knew to have a protein shake after each workout so I didn't waste it....but I did waste my workouts.  That is because I would drink nothing but coffee in the morning and then go train my ass off and then maybe have a meal by 1 or 2pm. NO FUEL!!!! I would eat meat and almond flour bread in the evening like a savage and never enough greens. ( and pizza and cake or whatever too sometimes...duh)  I would go hours and hours without a meal but expect my muscles to grow and get stronger.  It can't work like that and now I understand why.  I have been on a diet where I eat 6 good quality meals a day along with protein shakes and in the last 12 weeks I have gained 10 pounds of gorgeous lean muscle.  I am stronger then ever and it feels great.


      My point is, I see women go to the box or gym everyday and not get results except for maybe a few PR's here and there.  They work  hard doing hero wods and benchmarks but still look the same.  Please don't waste it.  Eat more.  Way more.  Eat high quality balanced meals every couple hours and your body will change. It needs that fuel to grow beautiful, lean and strong. Buy a meal plan if you have to or do some research.  You already spend money and time on working out you might as well get the results you want. I just wish someone would of told me sooner because I am finally getting to where I want to be.

          Shout out to Deedee and all of Brier Creek CF for sending me some great new tees to rock at my globo gym.  I promise to strut around in there like a sponsored athlete!!!  Don't forget their awesome box will be hosting a garage games in the fall so sign up!!!! It would be a great goal for athletes who aren't quite ready for this years open and any one else that digs competing.  It is a great facility.  http://www.thegaragegames.com/events/throwdown-in-the-triangle/  You guys rock!!!! Thanks!!!!


Negatives this week:  I ate like DOO DOO getting the last couple days in!!!! My elbow has been bugging me a bit from my old bike accident ( yeah sounds super cool until I tell you it was a bicycle.) I see ortho again tomorrow.

Positives:  I ate like DOO DOO this week.  It was so yummy.  I get my new meal plan on Wednesday ( I still can't spell Wednesday, holy shit) I am ready to lean out and turn up the volume on training!! Time to start setting the alarm an hour earlier!!!  It's gonna be tough but I am ready!!!  Lets GET IT!!

Have a great week and eat lots of good for you meats and green veggies often!!!!

Sobriety Birthdays and Training.

               Let's face it without sobriety birthdays I would have nothing.  There is no way I would be comfortable, content and happy in my own skin.   I surely wouldn't have a great marriage to my best friend.  I wouldn't be able to take care of my daughter.  There is no way in hell I would of been able to take care of my dad with Alzheimer's all while training for a team going to the CrossFit games.  In fact, I would most likely be in prison or dead. NO joke.  So as this time of year rolls around once again, I am counting my many sobriety blessing and thanking the Lord for all I have.  It's incredible how much a person can change when they really want it.

       The best way I know how to wrap my head around my disease is to imagine it being almost like a cancer.  Left untreated it will surely kill me, but with treatment eventually I am in remission and although I will never be cured, because I will always be an alcoholic, I can get pretty darn close the longer I go without a drink. At first when I stopped I was violently ill and had to go to the hospital. Then I had to leave my family for weeks and head to Mayberry( ya no shit my rehab was in Mayberry LOL). I went more then once.... It's a process and at first and you are so fragile and immature it's hard to even function doing daily tasks.  Then as time passes you start healing and caring for others again.  I've done the 12 steps and I've had sponsors, in fact I'm sure I did step one a thousand times and 2,3,and 4 quite a few too. HAHA!! I believe in the Big Book and still read it very often.  No matter where you are in you recovery that thing knows you way better then you will ever know yourself and it helps me tremendously by keeping this ego of mine in check. I guess my daily path is a little different then most others. Some people make their AA meetings everyday or some head to their church groups,  I almost feel like the gym/box is my meeting and that barbell is my sponsor and it feeds that hunger and makes me happy.  It relieves my stress and makes me want to be better and help others meet their goals too.  It's turned into something more then just looking good for me for sure.  So whatever it is you do remember it only works if you work it ;)  No doubt. ;)

      Ok so I think I am finally ready for my diet and workouts to change. I have been eating up everything in sight and laying off cardio so I crave it now.  I am up for a challenge and excited to see what my body is going to turn into starting next week. I am sure I will be eating these words and kicking myself when I am hungry, tired and craving chocolate and pizza wanting nothing but to get off that treadmill and rower... Blaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggggghhhhh.....  Anyway, time for a progress pic :

     

                     I know, I know incredibly inappropriate and hot....right up my alley. DUH

Negatives of the week:  After that funky stomach bug I was still struggling at training until about Wednesday or so.  Also it just took me like four times to spell Wednesday even with spell check.  Holy fuck.

Positives of the week:  After I felt better it was GAME ON.   I killed it at the gym and got to work out with my buddy Amber nearly everyday in the warm and cushy globo!! It was great.  One evening we did a good WOD at CF with heavy farmers carry and burpees. I had a great time.  FYI:  I am the farmers carry queen. It must be my giant man hands.   I ate Phish Food and Mellow Mushroom so I was LIVIN IT UP this weekend!!! Whoooooohooooooo!!!!  Happy birthday to me!!! ;)

Have a great week and count your blessings!!!

You're Not A Selfish Bitch...

   

                       I hear this crap all the time, " I can't take my poor kids to the gym they won't like it." I have too much housework" "I can't take an hour for myself away from my home and family because I feel guilty or selfish." or "There is no child care there.".  Here's how I see it....You are not being selfish because you are practicing a healthy lifestyle. When your kids see you going to the gym and eating healthy foods they want to do it too. They may not like hanging out in the kid area or baby bucket at first but they will survive, then get used to it, then, probably even start to enjoy it and get involved.  You are teaching your kids the importance of staying fit and they will carry that lesson throughout their lifetime.  I mean if we don't have our health what do we have?

                  I understand that most peoples lifestyles do not allow them to train the way I do now. It is very time consuming and expensive but I didn't always do it this way. I remember starting AA for the first time and not having a drivers license.  I threw that little one year old in a bike seat and off we went to the gym everyday.  It cost 20 bucks a month. I got into really great shape and felt very accomplished and proud. You can totally do it too....I promise.  Later after a few more alcoholic bouts (you see we are very stubborn and it takes some of us a while...LOL) I got my shit together.  I started going to globo gym here and there but was bored.  I luckily found CrossFit a few years ago and I certainly was not bored with that.  It really helped ignite my fire for fitness again.  I took Emma with me when I had to and she was probably around 7 years old at the time.  Now that she was older and saw me lifting she got interested as well. We lucked out and found  Coach C and before we knew it she was ranked 2nd in the nation in Olympic weightlifting and travels all over to compete.  She loves gymnastics as well and I think it is a great combo.  She stays busy and it is very good for her.  She has learned a great deal about accountability.  She is responsible beyond her years. She understands that if you put a bunch of crap fuel in, crap performance comes out and you do not feel well. You see they are watching and they either see you sitting on the couch eating bon bons and watching Honey Boo Boo ( I totally watch that train wreck, just sayin) or they see you getting out and being active, feeling good and having fun.  It is NOT SELFISH to want to be healthy and have healthy kids. It is NOT SELFISH to want to be able and get out and do fun activities with your kids. It is NOT SELFISH to want to be around to play with your grand kids.  

            I only speak from my experience.  I know what it's like to lead an extremely unhealthy life full of incredibly bad habits and now I know what it is like on the flip side as well. I've been in a horrible place where I thought it was impossible to change.  I can't imagine going back there to the way I was. I feel amazing not only physically but mentally. I guess that is why I am so passionate about this.  I know what it is like to not feel good and it sucks.  It took some time and a ton of effort to change but it was so worth it.  I am certainly far from perfect but as long as I am taking more steps forward then I am back I am totally winning. Feeling good about myself and having energy to take care of my family rocks.  When mama bear is happy and confident, looking and feeling her best the rest of the family benefits for sure.

Positives of the week:  Honestly nothing that super great comes to mind this week. I know training went well at the beginning of the week then by Thursday and Friday I was struggling and coming down with something.  I have been off many days in a row and have the itch to get back at it.  I am just glad it is over and I am feeling better.  On to a new week full of goodness.

Negatives: I WAS SICK!!!!!!!!!! OMG I don't know what the hell I had but I HAVEN'T EATEN IN DAYS!!!  I felt horrible and just kept thinking, " I'm losing weight OH NO!!!  I'm losing beautiful muscle!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!".  I am finally feeling better.  Whew!!!

                     

Take some time for yourself and HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

CrossFit Shoes And Globo Posing...

   

        So a couple years ago when I was overly intoxicated on the CrossFit kool aid I had to have the "it" shoes of the moment...Duh.  At that moment it happened to be the now old school plain black Inov-8.  I just couldn't do the blue...ewww, had to wait for the black.  Anyways, I hated them after I got them.  I wore them a few times for WODS trying to convince myself but, no.  The balls of my feet would hurt from jumping off of high pull up bars or hundreds of box jumps.  I felt like my feet slid around and I needed my big girl weightlifting shoes but we all know you can't wear those for everything no matter how much we try.  They just weren't working for me so I went back to my old trusty combo of Nike Free Runs and Do-wins.  The Inov-8's have collected dust in my closet ever since.  Until one day recently I spotted them in my closet before leg day....


      I know some hardcore 2pood, Rock Tape, Rogue, Inov-8 covered freaks may not like this but THEY ARE THE PERFECT SHOES FOR GLOBO!!!! OMG!!!  They are light weight, with a super flat thin sole and just stable enough for leg day in there. Weightlifting shoes seem to be to much and runners are obviously shit for leg day (unless you are doing quarter squats then hey, wear whatever, it doesn't matter cause you blow) so these Inov-8 shoes are JUST PERFECT for any day!!   They are great for things like super sets of lunges and squats and really anything else in there. Then on the days I  WOD at globo or take it to the box they work ok for that too, I guess because my WODS aren't quite what they used to be. They are much more structured and more isolated to certain muscle groups on certain days with a lot of strict movements. The only thing I don't wear these shoes for now is just running days or if I want to match my outfit with cute shoes duh.  I am over the fucking moon about this. I plan on spreading the word every where I go. It's like hell just froze over HAHA!! CrossFit shoes all over the globo....It's awesome!!!! GET IT!!  


Positives of the week:  There was another posing clinic and it was great.  After getting the first one out of the way I feel better and a bit more confident.  I know I have a ways to go but feel on track.
                                                     

   

I did zero cardio this week.  Awesome.  I feel like I am holding out for show prep which is quickly approaching.

Negatives: My hubs had a little health scare but everything is turning out ok on that front.  A couple days this week I was a mess but don't worry he is fine. THANK GOD!! Whew!! Training wise I can't really think of any. I am beginning to realize prep is coming soon though.  It's going to be a much bigger work load with much more cardio and a super strict diet.  I am trying to mentally prepare.  I know as far as training, diet and exercise goes that this will be the toughest thing I have ever done and will take more discipline then I have ever known. I am glad a couple fine gals have decided to join me on this adventure.  The more the merrier :) March 13 is the day.  

Have a great week!! :)                            

It's Really Happening... BOOTY!!!

          If any of you know me the least little bit it is common knowledge that I have worked out for years but was having trouble growing that beautiful juicy booty that I desired while staying lean. It's finally happening and I couldn't be happier.  I have a few more months to keep working at it and that makes me excited.  I just wasn't blessed with the junk in the trunk genes so this ass that may seem small to some of you is not to me and honestly this is probably the biggest and definitely sexiest its ever been in my life.  I'm so proud of it and will not leave you hanging any longer....
                                             
                                                                BAM!!!!!!!!
                                                        10 weeks into training

Negatives of the week:  I missed a little cardio and one of my training days I really struggled.  I felt a bit dehydrated or something and it showed in my performance on thursday.  I didn't eat enough this weekend but I recognize that and I am moving on....tomorrow is a new day people so lets get after it.

Positives of the week:  I learned my pre judging routine and my posing routine( the one to music). I don't have the posing one down all the way yet but holy shit I have come a long way over the weekend.  It was a fucking train wreck the first hour or so.  I am going to practice some more tomorrow so I can show my trainer on Tuesday. He will be proud.  He is very encouraging and it helps a ton.  I did get a few great training days in that felt fantastic.  I went to a new ab class called CXWORX at my gym ( J's Fit Factory  http://www.jsfitfactory.com/ )  it was the kick off and I was happy to meet some new people. Last night was a party for my husband's work and I had an absolute blast getting all pretty and showing off my new beautiful arms. We laughed all night long. I also bought a gun today.  I never owned one before so that is cool.

          Quick shout out to my husband because I haven't done it in a while... He makes all this possible and I appreciate it.   He is so supportive and encouraging even though I spend his money like crazy on food, supplements, trainiers, Lulu, bedazzled bikinis....the list goes on and on... ;)   He is my biggest fan and I am his. I am very blessed. Thank you baby :)    

                                                         

Hope you enjoy your week!!!                                                                                                        

Week 10...PS I Am Allowed To Be Naked In Here!

         Ok so I can't believe it's my tenth post.  I feel like I have made a bunch of progress though so it  is cool.  Here's a pic from this morning that my husband took.  Off season, building muscle, my mid section is thinning out a bit and I'm feeling good.

                                                 

                                 


           It's obvious Greg was my photographer because the other pic I had to choose from for today was this:
                                               
   

                                             Thanks honey..... At least it is hot.


               Anyway, I was sick this week with a horrible sore throat and went to the doctor on Friday.  I'm on meds and feeling better.  I took Friday off and cut out some cardio on Thursday and today.  Back at it tomorrow.  Hopefully my voice will return soon because even my usual Mini Mouse voice sounds better then the spawn of Rachel Ray and Gilbert Gottfried that I am workin with now.  So for being sick this week training went pretty well. I think our training even made Amber puke a little in her mouth during these 4 sets of 75 leg things that J(our trainer) wanted us to do on Saturdays, so that was WAY AWESOME.  I didn't like the fact I only made it to the Fit Factory once this week but I will make up for it starting Monday.

       Ok so here is my little rant because I guess I need to write about something.  The women in the locker room that look at me like I am a complete idiot get on my nerves.  HEY DUMB ASSES ITS A LOCKER ROOM I AM ALLOWED TO BE NAKED IN HERE!! THAT IS WHAT IT IS FOR!!!!  I assure you these are the same morons that are talking about not lifting more then 5lbs because it will make them bulk up and look manly.  I CAN'T STAND THIS SHIT.  In my day dreams on the treadmill not only am I a hustler (thank you Jay-Z for some of the best workout music) but I am also punching these women in the throat. The end.

Positives of the week:  My trainer said I was making way more progress faster then he thought! Woooohooo!!  He also hinted that I could do the April show but no way.  I would like to go watch that one so I can kinda see what it is all about.   My cheat meal was delicious.  I made my knock off brown sugar chicken nachos from Fish House Grill in Wrightsville Beach.  I love that place and it will be my first meal after competition for sure.  My comp is in Wilmington in June so might as well turn that comp into a mini vacation! :)
                                                                       
                                                                     YUM!!!

                                 

Negatives of the week:  I was sick but no biggie.  Already feeling better and ready to get back to it.




Have a great week. :)