Christmas,Miracles, and Beginning Comp Prep……..

I hope everyone out there had a GREAT Christmas!!! I know we did!! We managed to have a white Christmas and then some, LOL!! We managed to break the December snowfall record with 24.1″ of snow this month alone and ended up snowed in on Christmas. It was good and bad. We did miss seeing all the family, but it was nice to be snowed in with not being able to go anywhere. We all played games, mainly Taboo, watched movies and baked sugar cookies. We shared lots of laughs and no one killed anyone!

Click on pics to see them larger……

MIRACLES!!!!!!!

Now after all the merriment and some thawing of the roads, my oldest daughter wanted to take my youngest daughter out to shop with some gift cards they recieved. This was yesterday December 28th. I get a call  from Sarah right as i’m preparing to leave for work that they are stuck in a snow drift and will need to be towed but they are fine…GREAT!!! I’m thrilled they are fine, and extremly relieved, but we had NO money at all , we were tapped out until pay day…meaning we have NO money for a tow. We(Jim and I) head to their location quite a ways out, and find the scene of the accident and find there is a van with a very nice older couple waiting with the girls who saw the accident and made sure everyone was OK…Well the news of an accident became a more developed story as we spoke with the older couple and our two daughters….Turns out they were in this HUGE/DEEP snow drift facing the opposite way of which they had been traveling. The old man told us, they spun several times and ended up in the oncoming traffic just missing getting hit/slidding into an SUV by maybe an inch at the MOST, and that he has NO idea how they missed hitting(I KNOW!!!!) also looking at their posiition atop this large/deep snow drift, they also and the old man agreed missed rolling the car by about 1/2-1″ as well..NO JOKE!!!, They had actually slid into this drift backwards, and happened to have the tired land precisely the the deepest part and stopped at the perfect spot….Some reading this may think it a coincedence, But i KNOW in my heart God had His angels around my girls..I know with every ounce of my being. In talking with my youngest daughter, Amanda, it turns out the SUV was headed right at her on her part of the car and she knows if they’d hit she’d have been hurt badly, if not worse. She’s shook up as is Sarah…even today.

Now for getting her out, well God sent an in person angel, so to speak…a man about Jim’s age, with a small 4 wheel drive truck, stopped and said he could get her out, to which Jim said, “Really?” This kind man proceeds to assist Jim is digging the back of this car out, which was no small task, and it’s bitter cold too, then happened to have a towing strap in his truck, hooks it up and after 2 attempt and more digging, manages to pull it out!!! His truck was moving while doing this and he managed to get it, with Jim working the gears and whatever else a guy does during such a situation as this! We were unbelievably thankful and sooooo wishing we had somthing to give him, but we had nothing. My prayer is and I hope those reading this will join me in praying for God to bless this man, some how some way, to really bless him and i know God will!!!!

So yes, God does work miracles still and is Oh so good!!

COMP PREP!!

It’s on!!! I’m 17 weeks out from The Southern States Classic in Liberty, Mo!!!

This is me currently. My eating had been pretty relaxed and my body fat is hovering around 16-17% approx. A bit higher than i would have liked, but it could be worse for sure.

My comp diet began yesterday and i’m already seeing scale movement. I went from 110lbs to now about 106-107lbs..so a good start for my first couple days, no doubt water as my eating has been worse since Thanksgiving through Christmas.

I am feeling really great about my prep and have a renewed vigor due to reasons I won’t get into, but God truly is my strength!!! I have NO doubt!!! I’m pursuing this prep with keeping my priorties in order as i spoke of last prep and as God honored and putting forth changes and trusting God for ones I can’t do myself to make this comp prep more balanced than ever. Competing is somthing I love doing, but it is NOT WHO I am,it is not my be all end all, but it is somthing I believe i have purpose in and if i’m to do this as God has allowed it’s going to be HIS way or not at all. May God continue to strengthen and speak to me through this prep and may i fully rely on Him! Does this mean i can take it easy…NO WAY!!!!! This woman is gonna give it my ALL, but doing so with balance!

Please follow along with me in this continuing journey! I believe this year will be a big one!!

So far diet and workouts are ON and I’m seriously stoked to the max for this prep and to compete again!!! What a fun privelage!!!

My current macros are 156 Protein
then cycling carbs          229 High carb day
                                               114 Med. carb day
                                                83 Low carb day
                                                25 fat

And with that, i want to say…Eye of the Tiger Baby!!!

AND>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Happy New Year to ALLL!!!!! Xoxoxoxo!

Feel free to leave me a note hear, i’d love to hear from you and let me know how your Christmas was!

Monday 11/16/09

Good Morning!

It is Monday and so much has been going on lately!

First I’d like to share some things from my heart, as God is really stirring me up and has been for a while now.

The following was a status update a Facebook friend had posted, and then my response after it………..

STATUS UPDATE- “You can do great and mighty things if you believe God can use you and if you will be daring enough to have an uncommon goal and vision.”

MY RESPONSE- This is true! This uncommon goal and vision is often a matter of taking God OUT of the Box and doing what you know He has said even though it makes no sense to many and even though people may not understand and come against you…There is a point in a person’s life when you KNOW as you KNOW God has called you and even when others don’t believe it’s  a calling from God because they don’t understand, that you know you MUST listen to the voice of your Father despite popular opinion..GOD’S WILL, after all, is ALL that truly matters.

Eventually others will see the fruit and maybe they won’t but you will KNOW, and be at perfect peace….Honestly if more Christians accepted this, really grasped what you just wrote here, we’d see God truly is the same God of the Old testament and that miracles and wondrous works would be done more…Many(and i WAS one of them) believe God has some how changed and not the God He was in the Old and even the New testament, when really it is us who have changed, NOT Him!

Expanding here now, for the purpose of the blog….

How do we really come to KNOW the voice of our Father? By spending time with HIM; In His word, in prayer, once you know the character of God and know His Spirit, you know His voice above all. We spend this time in prayer and in his Word, as well as general daily internal interaction with Him while at work or whatever else.  We also must not allow the worry of what others will think and say or do affect our decision to follow God’s instructions, direction and will for our lives. It requires sacrifice on our part and maybe ridicule and hurtful things, but if you KNOW God is telling you something, then we are to LOVE and desire to serve Him  above all else..It is our purpose here, to do His will, to serve and glorify Him and really it’s the place of utmost peace and contentment.

I’m speaking to myself as much here!

Yesterday was Sunday and we went to church and the Pastor gave a great message. It was one of those that you need to hear but it makes you shift uncomfortably in your seat multiple times! It was a GREAT message and although it was tough to hear, i’m so thankful God loves us enough to tell us not what we want to hear, but what we need to hear.

I had just restarted my Beth Moore bible study about “Believing God” and also am in pre-prep mode to compete again. I’ve been having some health issues as fatigue that’s been a distraction as well as a little something called Facebook….UGH!!! I started off well and then displaced God in my priorities. I started putting laziness and Facebook and other such things ahead of God and all while God has been good enough to allow my bosses to not schedule me until noon, so i have plenty of time to put God first and then the rest…

Pastor Syd talked about how if we’re feeling life is a little disjointed, it’s because we’ve got too many little “g’s”(god’s) ahead of the big “G”(GOD!) Boy was i heading that direction again! The Bible clearly states; “You shall have No other god’s before Me!” Yet we do this ALLL the time. The outcome is disjointedness and missing out on time with One who loves us more than ALL. What silly people we are, feeding the flesh which is dieing, instead of the Spirit within us that’s eternal and we wonder why life is SO hard to deal with at times.

So this brings me to today and I started off with Bible Study. I’m going through this Beth Moore Believing God study and will probably share here and there what i’m getting out of it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Other Going’s On….

My oldest daughter Sarah is a senior this year and we’ve done senior pics, she got her driver’s license recently and is driving! I’m so proud of her! She saved money up, bought the car herself, paid for her plates and insurance all herself. She has paidfor repairs herself and buys gas herself! It’s just so weird being a parent and seeing your child drive off on their own! Her senior pics came out beautiful. She had a friend take them for her, and her friend is very talented and did a GREAT job! Now we are prepping to put in her baby ad for the yearbook and get that as well and cap and gown and all ordered! WOW, time is flying by!

Here are my faves of her pics….

My youngest daughter Amanda just got finished with junior high volleyball and has moved on to basketball. She is so funny because she is doing everything and wants to, there’s no talking her out of any of it! She’s pulling A’s and B’s, playing sports, participating in the musical and also the after school recycling program.

After the Comps and back at it!

Finally the competition season is over for the 2 ladies in my midst and now they move into the off season.  Now I can spend some time as they move into the off season to get back to work analyzing it all and comitting the principles to paper to finish up the book which seems like will never get done, but I am working to finish it.

Dr. Mauro G. DiPasquale, I learned, released a 2nd Edition of the Anabolic Edge that is a majority re-write. It is by far one of my most favorite books regarding protein and amino acids defining their principle, role and function to maintaining an anabolic enviroment. This book takes advantage of 10 additional years of research since the 1st edition resulting in significant re-write of many if not most of the chapters.

Getting back into the gym finally to work to do my own workouts. Been tough with job, training, coaching, parenting, etc to take care of myself. I understand now why a lot of trainers are in lousy shape. Today I am blissfully sore in my bi’s, tri’s and shoulders

And to fill in my free time I am trying to fix the new forums. I am using more or less a beta version of SMF2.0 in particular RC1 and struggling with a few bugs that of course seem to be limited to my install so I hope to get that worked out. Might have to do a clean install of SMF1x.

If It Were Easy, Everyone Would Be Doing It…2/20/09

Good Friday Morning!!

I have to say this has been quite the week and I have a lot on my mind. Like my blog title says, if this were easy, everyone would be doing it!
Wednesday I had a rough day of the comp diet, all completely normal but I found i had REALLy forgotten about how much of a roller coaster ride competition prep is! It’s ALL coming back to me now! Wednesday I was just feeling the diet in a HUGE way. I was emotional, and cried a few times for no reason nas well as really silly reasons, I felt near tears off and on almost the entire day, at times it just made me wanna laugh and other times I found myself irritable and quiet. Comp prep takes SO much drive, discipline and commitment, meaning you commit to making it, not quitting even though you feel like it SO bad, and just taking a deep breath and pushing through. Believe me this day I wanted to quit SO bad! My mind starting messing with me. I was tired, emotional, and just wanted to go eat something in the bad food realm…Not sweets, not carbs, just fatty foods, Hu Hot, steak, Lazlos Fries, a huge juicy burger. I fought it with all my might. I took progress pics and freaked out, i thought there was no way on earth i’d be lean enough by comp day…I was again ready to just quit! I kept questioning why i was doing this. I knew deep down i wouldn’t and didn’t truly want to. I was on a mission to find pics where i was 8 weeks out before. Jim helped in my search by going through pic files on his old hard drive, until he found a whole set showing me 8 weeks out from the last time i did the Liberty show. They matched my current pics with the exception of my tummy being slightly flatter and tighter now. I needed that, i needed reassurance i was on track, and it put my mind at ease.
Later as Jim and i were driving back from somewhere, I remember God speaking to me that I had slipped back into relying on my own strength and in so doing was faltering badly, because my strength isn’t enough. I realized I needed to keep relying on God’s strength, and to remember what I know He spoke to my heart in the beginning when i was deciding whether to compete or not. I’m hanging on to His truth and relying on His strength. I continue on and with renewed vigor!

Well the ways things go, I ended up having to workout that evening, and it was leg day. I was feeling the diet and tired and still emotional, but was determined to give it all i had. It wasn’t a top 10 workout, i had to shorten it, but I know I strongly targeted every muscle i needed to and was exhausted afterward. I’m happy to say i’m still sore today!

Here is that Workout….
Leg Press-
190 x 20 feet together
280 x 15
370 x 12
460 x 10
460 x  8
280 x 20

Split Squat-
85 x 10
85 x 10
85 x 10

Ham Flexor-
10 x 10/10
10 x  9/10
10 x 7/7

Leg Extension-
90 x 10
90 x 10
90 x  7

Seated Ham Curl
75 x 10
75 x  9
75 x  8

Crunch Machine
35 x 12
35 x 11 or 12
35 x  9

Bicycles
10/10/9

Cardio
30 mins-Bike

Workout for Monday 2/16/09
Pull-Ups-Wide Grip
10
  4

Reverse Grip Bench
85 x 12
115 x 10
115 x   9
125 x  7

Close Grip EZ Curl
30 x 12
30 x 12
30 x 10
20 x 15

Rope Pressdowns/Lying Cable Drag Curl SS
20 x 12/25 x 10
20 x 12/25 x 10
20 x 12/25 x  8

One Arm DB Preacher Curl
15 x 10 + 1/2 reps
15 x  8 + 1/2 reps

Lat Pull-Downs
60 x 12
70 x 10
80 x  8

Cable One Arm Pulls On Incline Bench
40 x 12
40 x 12
40 x 10
45 x 10

Tricep machine
20 x 12
20 x 10
20 x 10

Dip Machine
90 x 10
90 x  9
90 x  8

Cardio- 20 min. HIIT

2/11/09 Rockin’ the Prep! 9 Weeks Left!

It is Wednesday and I have a cold and can’t talk so great but mangaed to get in two strong workouts and am on a rest day today with the exception of 30  mins of moderate intensity cardio. The timing is perfect! I’m making terrific progress and seem to be right on track with this prep, but gotta say this particular prep is messing with my head! The scale isn’t moving much right now around a pound a week, but according to my clothing and progress pics the progress is evident and obvious, so i keep focused on that. Yet I can’t help but feel worried based on that scale…it’s so silly, and somthing I know better about and am working through. I swear after going so long since competing this feels like the first time all over again!
Fortunately Jim’s plan is going great as i’ve been strong and even still hitting new PR’s, which is soooo beneficial in comp prep! I was finally able to wear my fave gym shirt yesterday without it being too tight and that rocked…so something’s happening!! My last BF% measurement taken early this week was 11.9% We are having to pinch the numbers and run through EXRX’s chart to get the percentage that way as our calipers need a new battery, so aren’t working right.

My suit is due to ship the 23rd, so i’l be ordering stones for it and decided for budget sake will just do all plain crystals. Dream Tan should be arriving today along with Amp and BCAA’s so it’s all becoming more real! I have also played around with my posing for my walk and will be doing an entirely new pose, that i’m super excited about!

Workouts-
Monday Feb. 9th, 2009-Legs-This was following 2 low carb days and was at the beginning of my cold.

Leg Extension W/U
75 x 10
75 x 10

Leg Press
190 x 20
280 x 15
370 x 12
460 x  8
460 x  8-The following sets went into strip sets with no rest after this set and then on…..
370 x 11
280 x  8
190 x 13
100 x 16

Backward Hack
130 x 10
150 x  8
150 x  8

Ham Flexor
10 x 10
10 x 10
10 x 10

Standing Calf Raise
115 x 15
115 x 15
115 x 12

Leg Extensions
90 x 10
90 x  8
90 x 10 + several 1/2 reps w 1 forced neg held for a while

Seated Leg Curl
75 x 10
75 x  8
75 x  5

Crunch Machine
40 x 10
40 x 10
40 x 10

Bicycles
10/10/10

Tuesday Feb. 10th, 2009- Back/ Bi’s

Pull-Ups
7/4/3/2

Reverse Bench Press
85 x 12
105 x 10
105 x  9
125 x  7
125 x  5 + 2  1/2 reps

Close Grip EZ Bar Curls
30 x 12
30 x 11
30 x 10 + sloooow final neg

Cable Lying Drag Curl
30 x 10
30 x  9
30 x  8

One Arm DB Preacher Curls
15 x 10/10
15 x 10/10
15 x 8/8
15 x 8/8 + several 1/2 reps

Cable lat Pulldowns
60 x 12
70 x 10
80 x  8
90 x  6
100 x  4

One Arm Cable Row On Incline Bench
40 x 12
50 x 12
60 x 10
60 x  8

Where is Jim?

I know I have been MIA for a while for that I apologize and thought I would leave an update.

On the health and fitness front: I have been on a no workout regimine for the last few months due to at least 3 bulging discs in my neck and severe tendonitis in my right shoulder and rotator cuff issues all stemming from a fall during an ice storm 2 years ago. Through good drugs and rehab I am doing really well and so far have avoided surgery. One of the side benefits of having good muscle to support the joints is that if you have an accident the muscle will support the joints. I hate to think of what it may have been like if this was 5 or 6 years ago.

I am currently getting back into the gym and can do so with caution. My days of trying to conquer a 500 lb squat are over and will have to settle for the 465 lb for 6 reps which was personal record. Now I have to live and practice the Alive and Fit lifestyle in it’s simplicity with a focus on health and overall fitness.

Meals are getting back on track as I know start to focus on getting back into the game.

Today’s meal plan is working out really good.

1) 2 Omega3 Eggs on 1sl WW toast, 1 sl ff cheddar
2) Turkey Reuben on Joseph’s Flat Bread (2sl turkey breast, sourkraut and 0cal Thousand Island).
3) Myoplex Carb Sense shake w/water
4) Lite Yogurt
5) Tilapia, Brown Rice and Veggies
6) tbd – I am thinking Yogurt and 1% Cottage Cheese

The Alive and Fit site will be coming back online soon so be watching for that.

More to come.

2/6/09 2 Workouts and some misc.

Well, It is Friday and I have 9 weeks left to be comp ready. I feel like i’m about 5 pounds behind, but Jim seems to think i’m doing just fine. I’m trying not to panic! One minute I feel very encouraged and the next, not at all! I had forgotten a little about the roller coaster ride of comp prep and how it can mess with your head sometimes! This is why it’s helpful to have an objective person who knows what’s needed to come along side and help. I’m fortunate that that person happens to be my husband. He knows so much and is really able to make decisions and knows what needs to be done and when! I love him so much and am truly so thankful and blessed by his help and support!

I’m watching that scale and it’s not moving as consistantly as i’d like it too, but Jim keeps saying he can see progress in my leaning out, and I am coming down steadily. I think the wildest thing is that my weight is coming down, i’m currently sitting at  100lbs. I lost another 1/2 inch of my waist(Ok, so my waist of my jeans is looser), but my jeans remain tight around the legs and butt, in fact slightly tighter than normal. Jim had me measure  my thighs and they are still at 18″. I was irrritated when i saw that knowing how hard i’ve been working, but Jim reminded me that if bodyfat is coming down, i’m leaning out and all, that that is a GOOD thing, it means growth…well duh! I don’t know why I didn’t realize that! LOL!!! Well we shall see once I’m a bit leaner! I did happen to see a bicep vein in my workout yesterday, however, so that got me all excited!!!

Onto workouts now…

Tuesday Feb.3rd,2009-Legs

W/U-Leg Ext/Seated Ham Curls
75 x 12/75 x 12
75 x 11/75 x 11 or 12

Smith Squat
115 x 12
135 x 10
145 x 10
145 x  8

Hack Squat
175 x 12
195 x 10
215 x   9
215 x  8

Backward Hack machine
135 x 10
135 x  8
135 x 10

Lying Leg Curls
50 x 10
40 x 10
40 x  7

Leg Extensions
90 x 8
90 x  6

Ham Flexor
10 x 10
10 x  7

Decline Reverse Crunch-keeping butt up
12
10
8

This next workout was a lot of fun. We had our friend Jen come down and we ran her through this brutal workout. I’m so sore now, and it’s always great seeing her! She rocked the workout and ooks terrific!! Pics and video to follow….
We also took a shake break and then followed the workout ith posing practice.
Pull-Ups
10
5 + 2 assisted

Reverse Bench Press thingy on the Smith
85 x 12
105 x 12
125 x 7
115 x 7

Seated Rows-wide low/DB One arm Row SS
60 x 12/35 x10
75 x 10/40 x 8
80 x 8/40 x 8

Barbell Curls
30 x 12
40 x  9
50 x 5

DB Shoulder Press
15’s x 12
20’s x 10
20’s x 10
20’s x   8

DB Side laterals
12 x 10
12 x 10
10 x  8

Cable Front and Side raise SS
10 x 10/8
10 x 10/8
10 x 8/8

Cardio-30 mins on elliptical

Posing practice

Catching Up!

Well it’s seems I have fallen behind on blog writing. There has been so much going on in our lives besides just comp prep. Obviously,lol!…and as it should be! If my life were only comp prep it’d be pretty empty. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, enjoy it and know i have purpose in it, but in enjoying this lifestyle and sport, I never want to lose sight of my priorities and the things that REALLY matter. I have already slipped into that imbalance in the past and fallen into influences of the wrong and dangerous sort, but have learned from those painful experiences and am forever changed. Even so my heart i guard and my priorities I keep in check.
What I get to do is a privelage, truly, and I don’t want to take the gifts i’ve been given in my life for granted, not ever again.

I had a week of conquering giants in my life , so to speak, and I did, and that victoriously. It took alot of emotional energy, but now, i have so much weight off me, and feel FREE!!!! The two things I took on this past week, were hard to do, hard on me, and not fun in the least, but both needed to be done and i’m so happy i did them!
The first one i won’t discuss as it’s personal, and the second one is too, so I won’t say too much on it either, other than my last day at my current job is going to be this Saturday. I love the store I work in, love the people, love my bosses, love the flexability in schedule, etc…don’t want to leave, but must, due to needing to get completely seperated/removed from a destructive person from my past, someone i don’t trust. I’m not even putting in to transfer to another store in the company, due to the possibility of facing this situation again.

Where do i go from here?…..frankly i have NO idea. I feel free, yet a bit lost at the moment. The timing is bad due to finances, but it is what it is and had to be done immediately due to excalation in the situation. I’m coming very close to my GED completion, so we will see what happens. Prayers would be appreciated!

Now on the comp prep front…..I’m sooooooooo excited!!! Things are coming together, I tried on my old posing suit bottoms and was actually encouraged, scale weight is coming down after stalling out all last week and despite comp dieting, my workouts are strong and i’m still hitting new PR’s!  It also looks like i will have several friends at the comps to visit with as well! It’s mostly made so much more encouarging just in seeing how I am working to keep priorities in order, so it’s been a different prep than ever and God is blessing! That just tickles the daylights out of me!!

Now for my workouts….

Thursday January 29th, 2009-Leg Day!
W/U-Leg Ext/Seated Curls SS
75 x 12/75 x 12
75 x 10/75 x 10

Smith Squats
85 x 12
135 x 11
145 x   9-new pr!
145 x   8

Hack Squats
175 x 11
215 x  8 or 9 NEW PR!!!
215 x 8

Split Squats
85 x 10
85 x 10
85 x 10

Deads
135 x 10
135 x  8
135 x  6

Backwards hack Squat
135 x 10
155 x 10
155 x 10

Ham Flexor
20 x 8/8 switched to…
Lying ham Curl
50 x 4/30 x 6
30 x 8 with several 1/2  reps…ouch!

Leg Extension
75 x 10
90 x  8
90 x  6

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Monday January 26th, 2009
Chest/Tris

Incline Chest HS
50 x 12
70 x 10
70 x 10
70 x 10

Wide Chest HS
50 x 12
70 x 10
70 x 10

Tricep Rope Pulldowns
30 x 10
30 x 10
25 x   8
25 x  8

D-Ring Reverse Pull downs
10 x 12/12
10 x 12/12
10 x 12/12
10 x 12/12

30 min steady state cardio-elliptical

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Friday January, 23rd, 2009

Shoulders
BB Military Press
45 x 12
55 x  8
55 x  8
45 x  9

Side Laterals
12 x 10
12 x 10
12 x 10
10 x  8

Cable Side and Front Raises SS
5 x 9/10
5 x 10/10
5 x 9/10
5 x 9/10

Rear Delt Pec Dec
35 x 12
40 x 12
50 x 10- new pr!
50 x  8

 

Cardio- 20 Min HITT Elliptical

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Thursday January 22nd,2009
Back/Bis

Pull-Ups
WG 8
WG 4

Lat Pull-Downs-Cable
60 x 12
70 x 10
80  x  8
90 x  5

Barbell Curls
30 x 12
40 x   8-slow final neg
40 x  8-slow final neg
30 x  8-slow final neg

Seated Rows
60 x 10
70 x  9
80 x  8
90 x  6

Cable Concentration Curls
10 x 12/12
10 x 11/11
10 x 10/10

Hammer Curls
15 x 5
15 x 4-DONE!!!

1/13/09-Leg Day and progress! :)

OK My sinus infection has improved although as shown by today’s Leg workout, it has affected my strength and energy levels slightly….but not too bad…It was a tough to push through day, but when i consider the sinus infection and the fact that i also had 3 low carb days…It still ROCKED!!! The right muscles were strongly engaged and form was dead on…according to Jim.

Weight-
 is down to 103lbs and i’m working to make 98 by the end of this month. I will be getting a cheat day for my 38th birthday which will be Thursday and we are hoping that awakens my metabolism just enough to drop a little extra in the days following…we shall see…but boy am i looking forward to it!!!

I’m 13 weeks out now, but 12 are actual prep weeks, since you don’t count peak week. I lost a week due to the sinus infection but trust God and am at peace.

Here’s the Workout from today….

W/U SS Of Leg Extensions and Seated Leg Curls
75 x 10/75 x 12
75 x 10/75 x 12

Smith Squat-LOW
135 x 12
135 x 10
115 x 10
115 x 10

Hack Squat
180 x 10
170 x  8
170 x  8

Backwards on the hack- Squat
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 10

That one sooooooooo rocked!!!!! It’s one i got from Monica Brants video and I felt that so strongly in my sweeps and butt…oh yeah!!!!!…a new fave for sure!!!!! Thanks Monica!!!!!

Ham Flexor
10 x 10
10 x   8
10 x   8

Leg Extension
80 x 11
80 x   8
80 x   7

Yep, guess those quads were fried!

Seated Leg Curl
80 x 12
90 x   9
90 x  5

Standing Calf  Raise
115 x 15
135 x 12
135 x 10

Phew that wore me out big time. I took a short nap/rest soon after, once i’d downed my post workout meal….gotta love it!!

1/11/09 Figure Clinic!

Good afternoon!

Thought i’d report on the figure clinic from yesterday. John and Beckie Arnold;promoter’s of the Southern States Classic in Liberty Mo. Were kind enough to host a free clinic Saturday morning and afternoon.  My friend Jen and new friend Lacey and myself made the road trip down there and had a BLAST!! Lots of fun laughter and conversation on the trip down and back.
The clinic had a session for bodybuilders in the morning, which we didn’t attend and then the figure session followng, which we did attend. I must say they and the others who were also involved did a terrific job with the clinic and we learned some new things. I was especially fun seeing friends who i hadn’t seen for a while.
The posing part is hat i found most beneficial, even being a seasoned competitor, I learned some things. For one the symmetry poses are stricter now, so they want them done a certain way and that’s it, any differentiation will result in us getting called on it and possibly down scored…PHEW!!! It was totally different than how it used to be and of course different than what i’ve been practicing as well. Also the rules of the walk are just slighly different, so that was good to know as well.
I enjoyed the long length of the quarter turns session as it really gave me a chance to work on holding the poses, which I manged to do the entire time and didn’t shake!!!! Thanks to Jim who keeps running me through them and holding them between sets when weight training. I was exited to see that i’d made progress in the conditioning department! What is funy, however is i wanted to relax and shake it out a bit at one point and one of the helpers reminded me, that i want to just keep holding it…nuff said, no whimping out and I am happy to say i am a little sore today in my hips and behind and calves.
I got seperated from Jen and Lacey, as Id started out in the line in back with them an Beckie pulled me out, put me at the mirrors and made me the example to follow! LOL!!! I was honored and a little embarrassed! It was cool though because i ended up being able to help a couple girls up front! And…it looked like Jen and Lacey were rocking it back there, so i’m so proud of them both!!!
We also made a couple new friends whose names i believe were Michelle and Megan. They are planning on doing the Southern States Classic so i look forward to seeing them there!!
We also went over our walks and I started thinking about the stage and started shaking, which was soooo funny…Gotta work those nerves out already! I guess that’s what happens when you haven’t competed in over a year and a half!!
Keri Yates was our groups coach and I just love her..she’s the best, and super sweet!! I learned some great things from her as well!!

I had found out Friday afternoon that i have a sinus infecion, and managed to make it through that clinic without any trouble, however on the trip home, the pain in my face kicked in with a nauseating vengeance!! I have been resting ever since…I HAVE to kick this thing asap…as i’m 14 weeks out now and there is much to be done! No training for me today..just working to get this better!

Thanks for reading and have a great rest of the weekend!!