Sunday, August 30, 2009

More pictures from the competition...




Karen, my coach through the whole ordeal, gave me a disk with these pics. I totally forgot that I took some pictures with my father. He was crying he was so proud of me. Which I find to be slightly hilarious because I have accomplished many things in my life and overcome some hard situations, but I've never heard him say he's proud of me like he did after I pranced around on stage in a bikini. Maybe it was because he's getting older and more emotional. Or maybe it was him realizing everything in my life that tried to keep me down, and as he saw me up there it all hit him. Maybe him saying "I'm proud of you." was a collective statement from everything that I have done. Hmm....I believe that was it. All I know is his words meant the world to me. Thanks dad!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Always Training....




This summer has been awesome because my son, Brandon, who is 12 decided on his own that he wanted to train CrossFit at least 2 days a week. On his own he gets a ride from his dad o the gym on tu and th while I have a gap of time between clients and he trains HARD! I am very impressed with his commitment and how he listens to my coaching. He even took one of my 5pm classes and trained along side other clients and push pressed 53# for 3 reps. What a stud!! He moves like an angel and does everything I show him correctly - hmmm.....I wonder who he gets THAT from?? Recently I took a video of him doing a WOD that involved tire flipping, dumb bell thrusters at 15#, and ball slams. He's got a set of lungs and more importantly he has drive!! If somethings hard instead of quitting or asking for a lighter eight - he pushes through!! That's MY boy!! Heres a pic of us wearing the t shirts from our friend Marcus out of Hawaii at Life as Rx'd----and me pre contest doing 400 meter walking lunges for time around my neighborhood. Yes, all the neighbors thought I was crazy - but maybe I motivated some to move with more intensity instead of just walking the dog in circles. Get out there and MOVE today - no excuses!!!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

2009 Muscle Beach Classic *First Place Womens Figure Short Class & Overall Figure




Me messing around backstage with daughter #2 Lulu......I think we were dancing to Boom Boom POW!

2009 Muscle Beach Classic *First Place Womens Figure Short Class & Overall Figure



2009 Muscle Beach Classic *First Place Womens Figure Short Class & Overall Figure





Max Muscle 2009 Muscle Beach Classic







The day started off with Karen coming over and painting my naked body coat #2- Friday night Gary and Karen stayed up until 11pm with paintbrushes and sponges just slathering on the fake tan. I was cracking up because it should have been erotic---a hot guy and a hot girl touching every inch of my body....but it wasn't at all.... :) anyway, that stuff is gnarley to say the least! Thick like shoe polish, and hard as hell to get even. But Karen did it and my tan was set. Headed down to Capitola with my daughter, my son, and Sarahs 2 friends Kiana and Lulu for support. They sat up in the front row to cheer me on. It was a gorgeous day in Capitola and little by little people started to file in. My best friend Chris, my cousin Jeff and clients Tiffany, Jen, Marian, Rachael and Katy were there. Also Mark and Brandon made an appearance. My father and his girlfriends were there as well. And of course my coach Karen was there giving me pointers every step of the way. We went backstage where she did the final touches on my tan and I watched the other girls pump up their muscles. I didnt do that. I just watched and thought what the HELL am I doing here - they are so much more muscular than I am....but I was there for the experience so I went with it.
I decided 2 minutes before I went on stage that I would compete in the Figure category and not just the Bikini Category. Literally 2 minutes before I went on, Karen was teaching me the poses. I was nervous as HELL!! Plus the girl that i was going against has won like every time and has competed often! So...when I went out there all I could see is my kids screaming for me and cheerng and all my friends and clients and family just freaking out for me!! I almost cried just because I felt so loved. I looked at Karen for pointers on what to do and followed what she motioned as best as I could....I WON!!!! I can't believe that I won!!!

Then the winner of the Figure Tall Class came out and we posed and the judges picked ME as Overall Figure!!! 2 TROPHIES!!! I just about cried because i couldnt believe it!!!

There were many highlights for me through this experience that i want to share. First I have to thank Karen. She is truly amazing! What she did to my body in just 2 weeks takes experience, expertise and patience! She was an outstanding coach and I think she should do this for a living for sure!! HUGE thanks to Karen!!! Second, after I won my dad came up to me and through tears he said "I am SO proud of you sis"......that right there melted my heart. My father has never said hes proud of me like that before....ever. He literally couldn't stop crying....that made it all worth it. Then watching my kids see me up there - following through on a goal I made for myself, seeing it through to the end....that was a life lesson that I was teaching them and it was worth every shitty day of those 2 weeks. They were proud to say that I was their mom. Sarah even screamed out when I won "That's my MOM!!!" NOthing is better than that!!! Nothing!! The only thing that made it sad was I didn't have anybody there that was my someone special that could be proud of me. All that hard work and it paid off, but in the end I am still alone . That made me sad.

After it was all over the first thing I did when I got in the door at home was to cut a huge slice of the chocolate cake the kids baked for me and poured a tall glass of cold milk and started to feast!! Man it tasted so good!!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

The Beginning Shots





This is what I looked like when I started just 2 weeks ago....do I look any different? I wasnt fat or anything to begin with.....compare and let me know what you see...

The Almost Final Product








I have 3 days to go when these were taken......Karen says I can have a little fat on Saturday morning and I just about screamed!! I also can have a lean cut of steak today at Meal 3. I dont feel like I look too different, but she assures me that I do. I guess we'll see if any of this starvation way of eating paid off come Saturday afternoon. I am sure that I dont get to eat too much Saturday. Wish me luck - Im almost done

Saturday, August 08, 2009

After Week One





Here are a few pictures after 6 days on the diet. As soon as I find the first pictures we took Ill post them. I started at 107 pounds, and when these were taken I weighed 102 pounds. My coach said that my waist has come down, my legs have tightened up as did my glutes. I can't tell, but if you put the pics side by side I can see more definition all over my body. Hoping the next pictures we take, probably Tuesday will look even more tight. My suit should arrive Tuesday as well..... this is a trip to me :) But it's an experience!!!

Thursday, August 06, 2009

August 6

Yesterday I started to really feel the depletion occurring in my body. I weighed myself at 4am like every morning and the scale said 101.5 - I told Karen I'd easily weigh less than 100 pounds by the time the 15th rolled around. She assures me I only have a little farther to go before we start putting glucose back into my body along with minimal fat - so just "hang on". She took pictures of me posing in the same bikini this morning around 6am, so I will post them as soon as she sends them to me. She said my legs and waist have come down, which is what we were trying to achieve - thank God - but I don't get any almond butter just yet. Hmmmpphh!! I was a little pissed when she told me that.

My son and I went to Whole Foods yesterday for lunch. I got about a cup and a half of spinach and 4 ounces of chicken drizzled with balsamic vinegar, while Brandon ate a protein bar and drank some root beer hey, hes a kid and it was his treat). I watched him chew every bite and drink every sip. He walked through the store with me and I touched every thing that I wanted to consume. Then it hit me - this must be what anorexics feel every day of their life with the disease. I got it. I understand that head space of wanting something but restricting it completely from yourself. Man, I tell ya it was an eye opener. I have to be careful to keep a grip on my reality and not develop an eating disorder....I can see how it would be extremely easy to do. My son is so rad - he understands that I am doing this with a goal in mind - short term, and that its for a purpose. I do not think I am fat. He let me touch the baked breads and squeeze them in their cellophane wrappers, open the bakery case and take a huge whiff of the warm cookies inside, slowly stroll every isle while in my imagination I ate everything that appealed to me. The mind is a powerful organ because I totally feel full when I do this little exercise. Sometimes I even feel like I have actually eaten everything I imagined, and feel compelled to call Karen to confess. SICK!! After about 15 minutes of this aimless wandering invisible food consumption, my sweet son took me by the hand and said "okay mom - thats enough. Its time to go now." And to the car we walked. Then the crying started. I just want to eat!!! Why the fuck can't I eat what I want to eat? Who the HELL is she to tell me I can't have what I want?! What does this fuckin competition mean anyways!? Its stupid! I probably won't even place - I'm not even a fitness model!! WHAT DOES IT MATTER!!?? My head rested on the steering wheel and I just let it out. I was furious, frustrated, exhausted, angry...I was HUNGRY!! I am not poor. I am not lost in the wilderness with nothing edible around me. I'm not on that damn show "Survivor". I have food all around me. My cupboards are overflowing with food. Delicious food. All I have to do is open the cupboard, pull something out, and stick it in my fucking mouth. That's it! Sigh ---except....... I don't do things half ass and I am NOT a quitter. I finish what I start, no matter how ridiculous it is to anybody else. I want to know that I put 100% in and tried my very best, no matter what it is. Sooo, I wiped my tears with my son patting me on the back. He told me "its okay mom - you're almost there. Stay strong!" That just made me cry even more :) But it gave me the support that I needed to pull myself together. I have never gone through anything so physically tough in my whole life. I went through drug withdrawals and they didn't feel this uncomfortable.

We continued on to the mall and went shopping. Everything I tried on didn't fit. The size 0 's in American Eagle I could pull the jeans off my body while they were zipped and buttoned. Shit! I asked if they had any Double 00's in, but they didn't. I cracked up as I asked because they must think I'm a freakin meth addict or something. Whatever -

Karen said that next Wednesday I get to add some fruit and some fat to my diet. Thank God....I haven't had any fruit since last Wednesday....a week ago.

Meal 1- 1/3 cup steel cut oats, 4 ounces chicken, vit b, multi, vit c, muscle strength

Meal 2- 4 ounces turkey, 2.5 ounces sweet potatoes, vit b, multi, Omegas, vit c

**fat burner on empty stomach, train 30 min after taking it**

Meal 3- 4 ounces chicken, 1 cup spinach uncooked, balsamic vinegar on top

Meal 4- 4 ounces Halibut

Meal 5- 4 ounces chicken breast, 1 cup asparagus

Meal 6- 4 ounces Halibut

Sound yummy?? I cannot use any oil to cook or on the veggies so everything is extremely bland. No sat. No oil. No flavor! The chicken is poached in a little water. The fish has a little of lemon juice on it for moisture. That's it. Yesterday I got to eat 10 almonds and I savored every crunch. My teeth feel like they haven't been used in a long time.

Here's the weird thing - I am getting stronger. I'm sure it's because of the extra protein I am taking in - 24 Zone blocks a day.

I performed 6 dead hang L pullups with zero kip, toes straight in the air with ZERO momentum. I did 7 handstand pushups with top of head to the floor and full extension at the top. We did "Lynne" today and as prescribed I bench pressed my bodyweight (who cares that its only 101#) and did chest to bar deadhang pullups. The highest number bench was 5 reps. My old 3 rep PR was 95#, today I did the whole workout at 102#. My energy level is a little low, but at least I am not loosing strength. Please wish me luck and I'll continue to write about my experience. I feel sorta like an undercover journalist in this whole adventure. I will NEVER do this again, that's for sure!! Thanks for reading :)

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Pre Contest Day 4

Today started to get difficult with this whole food restriction thing, that I started to do exactly what Karen said would happen - fantasize about Food Porn. I stood in front of the bakery display case in Whole Foods drooling over the cupcakes, cookies, chocolate dipped strawberries, delicious baked goods that looked like little perfectly wrapped presents. I imagined myself holding something tasty in my hands, how it felt as it touched my lips and tongue...the pleasure Id feel as it slid down my throat. People musta felt I was completely nuts! Watching this woman in lala land not saying a word, not ordering.....just staring. LOL! As soon as I felt full (in my mind), I left the bakery - walked over to the fish monger and ordered 1 pound of Halibut for dinner and 3 snacks tomorrow, loaded 2 sweet potatoes, a bunch of spinach, 2 bunches of asparagus , steel cut oats, and tons of water into my cart. I drove home and for a second I felt like I cheated on my diet! HOW SICK IS THAT!!?? Seriously, I have mad respect for these ladies who do this to themselves for months out of the year. They also scare me because of how much it tweeks with your self image. I consider myself to be a self disciplined woman, I have motivation, drive, and focus. When I want something - I get it. I was asked to compete in tis competition so I decided why not go for it 100% ?? Why do it half ass?? So, that being said, I am giving myself over to this diet even though I know its crazy. I figure I'll post about it so you all know what it feels like to be dieting like a fitness competitor before a show. I tell you - its absolutely crazy!

My daughter baked some brownies last night. As soon as I smelled the aroma in the house, I screamed at her. "What the hell are you doing??" I retired to my room around 7pm and there I stayed with a towel covering the opening under the door frame so I couldn't be tempted. I know its extreme - but I didn't give in :)

I understand that I am not fat, or need to loose any weight - trust me. But the goal here is to suck out all the extra in my muscles so that they show more. Its a little more scientific than that, but hey - without any extra fat in my diet I can't think too intelligently. :)

Here's my day in a nutshell:

weight at 4:00am 103#

Meal 1- 1/3 cup oats, 4 ounces chicken breast

Meal 2- 2.5 ounces sweet potato, 4 ounces turkey breast. Multi vitamin, vit c, vit b, omegas

**train CrossFit** 800 meter run, 30 sit ups, 40 double unders, 20 pushups x4 =32:58 (alt row w runs)

Meal 3- 1 cup asparagus, 4 ounces chicken breast

Meal 4- 4 ounces Halibut, more vitamins, Omegas

Fat Burner
** Walk on treadmill at 12% grade, for 50 minutes....covered 3.5 miles**

Meal 5- 3 ounces chicken breast, 1 cup broccoli, 10 almonds

Meal 6- 3 ounces Halibut

Bed at 8:45 pm.......now you see why Im having food porn?? lol.....

Gary turned me on to this book "Dialogue With Death" by Eknath Easwaram....if you get a chance, read it. This line stood out to me today, and I was reminded of several individuals in my life who have PRANA. Some in abundance.

"Fire is a perfect symbol for Prana, the fire of life itself, because where prana is abundant, there IS fire - intense enthusiasm, vitality, drive, resoluteness, the capacity to see something through right to the end without being distracted from the goal. Those who have this kind of fire can achieve anything they choose."

Sunday, August 02, 2009

My New Adventure Has Begun...

I have a new client, Karen, who competes in figure competitions. She is truly amazing and when she's show ready, she looks like an anatomy book! Every muscle is defined, her waist is teeny tiny, her legs are dynamic....she looks incredible! Last week out of the blue I was asked to compete in a figure competition myself....at first I said "No way! " But then Karen coaxed me into doing it, more on the bikini side than the figure side and she said she'd coach me through to the competition. I have 2 weeks to get show ready, so everything I have learned about eating for performance has gone out the window. I am now eating to shrink down fat, pop those muscles out, and basically starve!! :) I do NOT recommend doing this to anybody - its HARD and I swear I dont know how Karen does it over and over again. I will be blogging about my experience for the next 2 weeks, along with pictures so everybody can follow me on this crazy goal of mine. Karen took bikini photos of me on Thursday and sent them to her coach for advice on what I need to do to better my physique. The coach came back with "her waist and legs need to come down. She has abs which is great, needs to train more shoulders." WOW!! Umm, I weigh maybe at the heaviest part of the day 107 and I wear a size 0...smaller?!! REALLY!!?? So, over the next 2 weeks that is my goal - shrink the waist, tighten the legs up (I have the CrossFit thighs and ass - which I love...and don't want to loose) and get my muscles tp pop.

Heres the diet Karen has me on. Please dont e mail me with how bad this is, or how off balance it is. I already know that. Again, this is for a short time, 2 weeks, and its with a goal in mind.

Saturday: weight 107#

Meal1-2 hardboiled eggs, 1 cup strawberries, half cup blueberries
(this meal was before I had what Karen wanted me to eat...)

XFIT & RUN WALK 50 MINUTES

Meal 2- 1/3 cup steel cut oats, 4 ounces salmon

Meal 3- 2.5 ounces sweet potatoe, 4 ounces deli turkey

Meal 4- 4 ounces turkey breast, 1/2 cup spinach

Meal 5- 4 ounces salmon, 1/2 cup spinach

Meal 6- 4 ounces turkey breast, 1/2 cup spinach


SUNDAY weight 105#

Meal 1- 1/3 cup steel cut oats, 4 ounces chicken breast. multi vitamin, vit B, vit c, Omegas

Meal 2- 2.5 ounces sweet potato, 4 ounces chicken breast, vitamins

Meal 3- 1 cup spinach, 4 ounces turkey breast

RUN WALK 50 MINUTES (take fat burner before, run on empty stomach)

Meal 4- 4 ounces white fish

Meal 5- 4 ounces white fish, 1 cup asparagus

Meal 6- 4 ounces white fish , vitamins.

Its HARD to eat zero carbs pretty much, and ZERO FAT!!! Im on day 2 and keeping strong though.....Wish me luck! Ill post the pics...I lost 2 pounds opvernight and Im worried that Im going to weigh 100 pounds by the time 2 weeks is up!! Karen assurs me that wont happen. Especially with the extra protein Im taking in. She know what shes doing , so I choose to trust her. I gag down the fish though - fuckin GROSS-