Figure Girl World

No More Afternoon Snickers Snacks

2012-02-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of having your boyfriend as your trainer is the easy accessibility to his knowledge and fast responses to my zillions of questions. One of the downsides is random, unexpected suggestions and prep check-ins. I worked with an online trainer a few years ago, and it was relatively easy to omit information like unscheduled cheat meals, etc. Working with J keeps me honest and on my toes.

We were chilling at the gym the other night when suddenly he asked me how many carbs I'm consuming per day. Caught off-guard, I stuttered, "Um, a lot? I guess?" I didn't mention the fun size Snickers or Milky Way I'd eaten that afternoon at work. With a thoughtful look on his face, he said, "I think we should start cleaning up your diet now."

No more afternoon Snickers snacks?!

WHAT?? *Gulp. Oh boy. I thought I had until March before we started prep.

"Ok, sure. You want me to start tomorrow? Any reason we're starting earlier than planned?" In my head, I was hearing, "You're fat and you need more than 15 weeks to get into shape." What he really said was, "I just want you to be in your best shape ever this year." He then continued with, "Since you're leaner than you've ever been off-season, we may start with some carbs in your diet."

Um, excuse me. Did I hear the word "CARBS"?! Woohoo!!

The past few years, my diet started with a keto-type plan (zero carbs), so I was expecting to start that way again. Looks like this year will be different, though. Prep is always a learning experiment!

I'm happy with how my off-season went, and I'm excited to get started with prep again!

For those of you who compete, what's your prep diet like?

What Motivates You?

2012-02-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

Last January, I posted The Frog Story about a frog who beat out all the other frogs and climbed a very high tower. The reason why he was able to do it is because he was deaf and therefore didn't hear any of the negative comments from the crowd.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about positive vs negative motivation. I recently joined Pinterest (and you should too!), and although I haven't "pinned" many things yet, I've stalked boards of quite a few other people. And I've noticed a trend among fitness enthusiasts: there are a lot of photos with motivational sayings.

Latest trend in fitness motivation

Once I started looking for inspirational/motivational photos and sayings, I discovered I couldn't stop! I'd look at the clock and realize 15 minutes had gone by in the blink of an eye.

My favorite sayings are the positive ones. I discovered that I'm motivated by positive reinforcement, not negative reinforcement. I've just recently realized that I'm like the deaf frog in that I've very rarely heard negativity about my goals and decisions. I come from a very close family who supports everything I do, regardless of whether or not they agree with it. I've always been told that I can do whatever I set my mind to do. And I've taken that mantra and run with it. When someone says they can't do something, I ask, "Why not?" Apparently, this isn't normal for many people, but it works for me.

There are different ways to motivate people. Some people respond best to "Go for it! I know you can do it!" while others respond best to "You'll never be able to do that!"

What works best for you? Do you respond best to someone telling you that you CAN do it or that you CAN'T do it?

Do Unto Others

2012-01-30T12:55:00.000-05:00

When Al Gore invented the Internet in the early 1990's (ha ha), he opened up a world of possibilities and a source of information we never knew we always wanted. With the advent of social networks in the early 2000's, private conversations and lives suddenly became public information.

I realize when I post things on social networking sites and here on my blog that I'm opening myself up to comments and criticism. By making parts of my life private, I'm vulnerable to the opinions of friends and strangers. I should have a thick skin, but the truth is, I just don't. Things people write in response to my posts sometimes hurt me. But on the other hand, some responses lift me up and remind me why I live parts of my life publicly.

I've made some wonderful, caring friends online - most of whom I've never even met in person. I'm thankful for the connections I've made and the enrichment virtual friends have brought to my life.

It's the interactions from thoughtless, rude, and just plain MEAN people that I want to highlight here, though.

As some of you may know, I have many videos posted on my Youtube channel. Some are vlogs that I've posted on my blog, some are training videos, and some are silly videos of J and me. All of my videos are public and anyone is allowed to comment. Usually I'm excited when I receive comments on the videos; however, lately, my heart drops when I receive a comment notification email. Because for some reason, I've received several negative, rude, and hurtful comments. I've removed most of them, but left some of them in the interest of our 1st amendment right to free speech.

Since the comments are/were public, I figured it wouldn't hurt to call these people out on their rudeness.

TheAustralianMade has made a comment on Kari Keenan - Smith Machine Leg Press:

Nice range of motion... Not.

TheAustralianMade decided that he knows more about how to properly perform the Smith Machine Leg Press than I do. The point of this video was to show a different method and angle of leg press. My intention was not to do a full range of motion, as my feet were slipping on the bar.

AwestaKhalid has made a comment on Kari Keenan - Dumbbell Clean and Press:

I have nothing against cleaning w/dumbbells as opposed to a barbell but she doesn't have enough weight to do it right. the point of a clean is to generate force from your lower body to help get the weight up. The weight is so light that she can actually do the exact same thing w/o even using her legs, jsut her arms. And if that's the case either up the weight or the exercise is useless.

AwestaKhalid decided to critique my dumbbell clean and press exercise. This video was made when I was about two weeks out from the Arnold. I was depleted, had little strength, and still had some fat to burn. So J decided to add this exercise to my workout for some variety and to add a bit more movement in an exercise for fat burning purposes.

bettertroll has made a comment on Kari Keenan - Lateral Raises:

no tits, build like a guy. alex ill take $200 it has a penis

This was one of the more hurtful comments simply because I'm a bit sensitive about the fact that I'm small chested. Even off-season, I'm not all that big, so when I diet down during prep, there's really not much left. I've thought seriously about getting implants, but have decided that it's cheaper and easier to get a similar look with some magical VS bras (srsly, check them out - they're amazing!). The problem is, I don't wear those bras while training, so the sports bras I wear mash down what little is there to begin with. Also, this video was also filmed when I was two weeks out from the Arnold, and was very lean.

The other reason this comment upsets me is because Bettertroll (srsly - what kind of name is that anyway?!) assumes that I'm not natural. Maybe I should take that as a compliment because it means I can achieve an unnatural look without pumping illegal and dangerous substances through my body?? Bettertroll, sorry to tell you that you just lost that round of Jeopardy. Last time I checked, I'm still all female, baby.

ADZ01982 has made a comment on Kari Keenan - Cable Preacher Curls:

After spending three hours on YouTube how the hell did i end up here ?

This one actually made me laugh. Sorry, ADZ01982 that you spent three hours on youtube watching educational and highly informational videos and then somehow ended up on my preacher curls video. Hope you were at least entertained.

SexualStrat has made a comment on Kari Keenan - Cable Preacher Curls:

How about you "demonstrate" the anavar pills (STEROIDS) you swallow daily instead.
(I'm really starting to dislike these 100lb cocky juiced up American bitches who think they're special and call themselves "baby..." or "lil..." or "girly...". It's an out of control epidemic. You fuck and use a guy for steroids and then swallow/inject them. That is all. You're not special. Now proceed to block me and write "I can't believe anyone would accuse me of using steroids. I'm 100% natural")

I saved the "best" for last. From watching me train biceps two weeks before a show, SexualStrat has deduced that I am a steroid-popping, lying bitch who thinks I'm special. I'm not sure how he managed to make that assumption from a short video of bicep curls. First of all, I'll reiterate yet AGAIN that I'm natural. What others choose to take and do is their concern, not mine, and I don't judge. Again, maybe I should consider it a complement that he thinks I look unnatural? He's completely incorrect in every single one of his assumptions except that fact that I blocked his ass faster than you can say "What an asshole!"

And in case anyone is wondering, "babytatten" (which is my screen name most everywhere) actually means "baby kitten" because I love baby kittens. Yep, it means nothing more than that. I don't call myself "baby" or "lil" or "girly"; my username simply makes me smile because I think of baby kittens.

While I appreciate the fact that people spend some time reading and watching the things I post online, I wonder why someone would take the extra time to be negative and mean. What is the point? Do these people have such an inferiority complex that they feel the need to put others down in order to make themselves feel better? If so, the Christian in me pities them. At the same time, the Minnesota-nice in me wonders why they think it's ok to be mean.

It's ok to provide constructive criticism or to ask questions. It's not ok to be mean and disrespectful. It all goes back to the Golden Rule (which we all should've learned in kindergarten or before):

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

For those of you who have blogs or post videos, do you ever receive negative comments? If so, how do you handle them?

Getting to Know Me

2012-01-24T15:10:00.000-05:00

One of my blogger friends, Dani, posted these questions on her blog today. I thought it'd be fun to join in the game and answer them on MY blog!

1. What’s the most interesting or moving book you’ve ever read?
This past Fall, I read Unbroken by Laura Hildenbrand. It's the story of Louis Zamperini, and how he changed from a street-wise kid to an Olympic athlete to an Air Corps Lieutenant to a castaway stranded on a small liferaft in the middle of the shark-infested Pacific Ocean to a prisoner in a Japanese war camp to a free man. It's inspiring, motivating, moving, horrific, and utterly unforgettable. I can't recommend it enough! Check out some videos on youtube of his speaking engagements. Louis is now 93 years old. Simply an amazing man.

2. Which do you prefer: the book or the movie?
I always prefer books over movies, simply because I can use my imagination to "see" the characters and the setting. Also, books provide so much more description, dialogue, and backstory. I do enjoy seeing the movies of books I've read, though. Always interesting to see other people's perceptions of stories and characters.

3. If you could move to anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?
Some place warm! I'd be totally fine living on a tropical island, falling asleep to the sound of ocean waves every night.

Paradise

4. What’s the one thing in life you can’t leave the house without?
My phone. People tease me that it's glued to my butt. I also never go anywhere without my chapstick. Just say No to chapped lips yo!

5. What’s the furthest place you’ve flown to?
I think it's a tie between Honolulu, Hawaii and Madrid Spain. I remember the flights to/from Hawaii as being VERY long and boring with a touch of airsickness. I remember the flight TO Spain being awesome! Mostly because I somehow managed to sleep for most of the 7-hour flight. The flight FROM Spain seemed to take forever, though!

6. If you could be anyone for a day who would it be?
Me! But with more money so I could travel more often.

7. What is one word that best describes you? (ONLY ONE)
Stubborn. I like to do things MY way all the time. ;)

8. What’s been your greatest accomplishment to date?
I have two very different accomplishments.
1 - Two life-changing moves: Montana and Maryland. Both times, I didn't know more than three people who lived there, and I left a comfortable life and job. I learned so many things about myself both times; they've been fantastic growing experiences.
2 - I won the Overall title at the 2008 Contra Costa Championships and won a SWORD! It's one of my most prized possessions.

My dad made me a sword holder for it. How cool is that?!

9. What’s your favorite type of food?
Anything with sugar. Srsly, I have a sweet tooth that's out of control. I especially like frosted sugar cookies. Don't know why people think only kids like cookies.

10. What’s one nickname you have?
Karit

11. What’s the best thing you did in 2011?
Finally paid off my student loans and credit card. Talk about a huge weight off my shoulders! I like this whole being financially responsible concept! Does this mean I'm finally growing up?!

I want to hear your answers to these questions! Either write them in the comments or post a link to your responses on your own blog!

Keenan Family Vacation!

2012-01-23T15:21:00.000-05:00

HELLO!!! I'm back and I've missed you all!

This past week (Jan 13-20), I was in Cozumel with my family for a wonderful paradise vacation! J and I met my parents, brother, SIL, and two nephews at El Cozumeleño Beach Resort last Friday.

View from our room!

My family arrived a few hours before we did (did you know there's no direct flights to Cozumel from the DC area?!), so we immediately changed into our suits when we got there, and headed down to the pool!

J and Jeffrey announcing they're #1

The next day, we woke up to a light rain. After discovering that two of the treadmills in the gym didn't work, and the third had a speed max of 1 mph (srsly?!), I hit the beach for a quick run. It felt nice to run, and I got to explore the lots next to the hotel. After breakfast, we headed to downtown San Miguel to go shopping. The rain held off for awhile, but once it started, it came down in sheet! Rivers formed on all the side streets, and everyone's running shoes got soaked (except for me - I was wearing sandals). We bought rain ponchos and continued shopping - we're troopers!

The ponchos were totally worth the $4 a piece!

While in one of the malls, we took some pictures with Macaws.

Macaws!

The next few days were beautiful weather! We spent most every day lounging on the beach, reading, and swimming.

Jeffrey and me playing in the pool

J got food poisoning one day. Beware of the room service cheeseburgers! Luckily, he was feeling better the next day.

J and James have the same hair style!

We took the ferry to Playa del Carmen one day. We swam at the public beach, then walked down 5th Avenue and poked our heads in shops. The sand is so much nicer in Playa del Carmen! It's white and fine with fewer stones and shells. We had a great time jumping the waves!

Here are a few more pics of some fun times on the beach.

Love me my pink floaty!

James and Jeffrey looking adorable, as usual

Snuggling James at the pool

We dressed up for dinner every night. There was a buffet and a fancy restaurant. We ate at the fancy place one night, but mostly favored the variety of the buffet.

Keenan Family!

J brought a bunch of meal replacements and homemade protein bars, so we supplemented with those throughout the day or when we were in town and needed a healthy snack. Every morning, I went for a walk with my parents, or for a run by myself. I love that my family is also healthy-conscious!

My camera broke on the second day, and my brother's camera also broke later on in the week. We resorted to using my dad's camera as "THE" camera for the rest of the trip. I can't wait to get the DVD of photos of the rest of the week from him in the mail.

I'm so grateful I got to spend a whole week with my family in such a beautiful, relaxing place!

James, Aimee, Jeff, Jeffrey, Mom, Dad, Me, Jerry

A Countdown Already?!

2012-01-11T13:48:00.000-05:00

Last week when I was in the middle of my workout, J felt it necessary to inform me that we're 25 weeks out from our show. ONLY 25 weeks! If I stop and think about it for a minute, I realize that 25 weeks is almost a whole half a year away. But by attaching a countdown to the show, it suddenly gave the show much more urgency and imminence.

Last year, I did a 20-week prep. This year, since I'm maintaining a leaner physique, I'll do a 12-15-week prep. At 15 weeks out (mid-March), J will assess me and decide when I will start prep. In the past, I've usually done 15-week preps.

Some people will argue that no one should ever need more than 8-12 weeks to prep; however, those same people admit to looking their best at their 2nd or 3rd show of the year. Which means 8-12 weeks wasn't enough time for them to get in their best shape. So why not prep the extra time and look your best at ALL of your shows? It seems like a waste of money to do a show if you don't feel you're at your best.

While I'm looking forward to starting prep (it's exciting - like slowly unwrapping a beautiful present!), I'm also going to thoroughly enjoy the last 10 weeks of my off-season.

How long do you prep? What prep timeframe seems to work best for your body?

Make it Count

2012-01-04T10:54:00.001-05:00

This is a short, but powerful video. It clearly makes the point that top athletes don't subscribe to the "everything in moderation" school of thought. In order to be at the top of your game, you need to be focused and thinking of your sport and your competition at all times.

How will you make 2012 count?

No Resolutions?!

2012-01-02T21:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!

I feel like this is the part where I inform you about all that I accomplished or didn't accomplish in 2011, and then discuss my resolutions for 2012. But quite frankly, I'm kind of sick of hearing about resolutions. In my opinion (and I agree with my friend, Donloree), if you want something badly enough, you won't wait until the first of the year to start it. Every day is a clean slate, and a perfect time to start something new.

So with that out of the way, let's get on with life! What's going on in my world lately? Well, not a whole heckuva lot, to be honest. That's why I haven't been writing as often; I'm really not doing anything exciting! But here are a few (not-so-exciting) things in Kari's World.

I tried Greek food for the first time on New Years' Eve, and discovered I like it! J and I went out to dinner with some good friends who recommended the restaurant, and we had a wonderful time with great conversation and delicious food.
I somehow found myself in a Lululemon store this afternoon (I swear, I just happened to wander in! Ha!). I'm not really in need of any workout clothes right now (can you believe I just said that?!), so I just browsed around. And wandered into the Sale rack (hey, how'd that rack manage to step in front of me?). I walked out of the store with a new (very cute!) sports bra that actually accentuates (instead of flattens) my chest. Score!
Yesterday as I was eyeing the workout pants at Old Navy, J suggested I try on an "active" jacket. He reminded me that I don't have one, to which I replied, "It's not a LACK of a jacket; it's intentional. I don't have any because I don't WEAR them." I begrudgingly tried it on ... and lo and behold, I actually liked it! The cut was flattering and non-traditional, and I have to admit, I could use it to stay warm when I first begin my workouts. I wore it today. :)
I haven't been doing morning cardio on week days. For some reason, I've been staying up WAY too late (I blame J and the stupid, ridiculous 40" television in the bedroom), so I've been sleeping through my alarmSSS (I have 3 of them). Should I make a resolution to go to bed on time so I can get up on time so I can get my cardio in? Naaaww.
I weighed myself for the first time in awhile on Friday evening. I was about 5 lbs less than I'd expected. Woot! I'm not following a diet at this time (holiday snacks are SO delish!), but I haven't been overeating. It just goes to show that portion size actually does make a difference!

Well, that's about all that's new (and not-so-exciting) in my world. I hope 2012 is off to a great start for you!

Did you make any New Years' resolutions? If so, what are they? What's new in YOUR world?

Christmas & the Devil Machine

2011-12-27T21:44:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, J and I drove up to the Ocean State to visit his family for Christmas. Before we left, we came up with a plan of action for our cardio and training: we planned to train at a gym on Friday and Saturday, and get our morning cardio in by walking outside.

On Friday afternoon, we went to World Gym, where we usually train when we're up there. The first thing I noticed this time was that there were NO other women there. Zero. The gym was mostly empty to begin with, but I quickly realized that I was the only female. I shrugged and got to work. By the time I'd finished my workout and was on the dreadmill, I saw a few other ladies on the cardio deck (what is it with women doing only cardio?!).

While all the weights felt suspiciously heavier than usual, it was fun to train at a different place than my home gym. Plus, the lighting in this gym is the best I've ever seen. Everyone looks amazing while they're training! I may or may not have hit a few random poses in between sets. :P

Due to a case of the fleas (on our dogs), we had to head home two days earlier than planned, so we didn't go back to the gym or do our outside morning cardio walks.

Back at home, we both spent quality time with Mr. Treadmill at home, and got ready to head to our home gym to train on Monday. Except we didn't realize the gym closed at 4 pm! Instead of scrapping the workout, we decided to head to Gold's to train. Remember back in September when I got a pass to Gold's because I needed a change of scenery? It's still really nice to have the option to train elsewhere once in awhile!

I tried a new lateral raise machine and discovered that it's the devil incarnate. Srsly. It was a humbling experience as I knelt in front of it (literally), took the pin out of the weight stack and attempted to use the machine with NO weight. It felt SO heavy! After 14 years of training, you'd think I could use a lateral machine with at least some weight! Nope.

Me humbling myself before the Devil machine.

Completely dejected, I finished the set and then tried to raise my arms. Nothing happened. I tried again. I could move them an inch. Clearly the machine was effective. But I still maintain that it's the Devil.

Notice the full weight stack just sitting there while I struggle with NO weight.

It was fun to train at a couple different gyms this weekend, but it sure felt nice to be back in my home gym again today!

Did you train at any different gyms this weekend? How did your workouts go?

A Lesson in Preparedness

2011-12-20T21:21:00.000-05:00

Remember a few weeks ago when I forgot my gym shoes at home and had to work out in flip-flops? Well, yesterday, when I got to the gym and dug through my gym bag, I realized I'd forgotten a sports bra. And it was Plyo day. Yeaaahhh. Sigh.

I made it through the workout without any mishaps or wardrobe malfunctions (thank goodness!), but it wasn't the most comfortable workout I've ever had.

As I experienced the sinking feeling of realizing I forgot a major article of clothing, I realized that this was a good lesson in preparedness. In that I need to be more prepared, since forgetting clothing seems to be a trend with me.

Tonight when I'm packing my gym bag, I'm going to be adding in a complete additional outfit to keep in my gym locker. I already have some essentials in my locker: deodorant, wrist straps, wrist wraps, comb, jump rope, shampoo, and conditioner. But a spare set of clothes will be added this week so there will be no future "I forgot THIS" posts!

What do you keep in your gym locker?

My Christmas Wish

2011-12-15T16:02:00.000-05:00

An English major in college and a self-professed connoisseur of words, I have a deep appreciation for words and language. I believe in using the correct words to express yourself, and I believe that the same word can have various meanings and connotations to different people. I love learning new words and incorporating them into my vocabulary. Periodically, however, I get really sick and tired of hearing certain words or phrases.

My current phrase pet peeve is "on track."

I belong to several online fitness groups and forums, so I read comments from a lot of competitors and gym rats every day. People fascinate me, I'm nosy by nature (Facebook is an awesome way to be unobtrusively nosy, btw!), and I love to read, which means I spend quality time every day reading people's posts and thoughts.

What's with the obsession about staying "on track"? I continue to see this phrase over and over and over lately.

As in, "How are YOU going to stay on track this holiday season?" (Imagine the accusatory index finger)

And, "I had such strong cravings for chocolate yesterday that I broke down and ate half a pan of brownies. But I'm back on track today. Yay me!"

Or, "I plan to stuff my face at my office holiday party today, but I'll be back on track tomorrow! Yay me!"

Srsly, if "on track" means to stick to a pre-defined plan for meeting specified goals, why do I keep seeing comments about how people are continually falling "off track" or reading articles about how to "stay on track" during the holiday season?

Does it mean that someone's "track" isn't the right one for them?

Or does it mean that people are weak-minded? Or that they really don't want to achieve their goal badly enough to stay ON track? Why do they need a "track" anyway?

Are announcements of how "on" or "off" track people are really important in the grand scheme of things? By announcing they fell OFF track, are they looking for sympathy? Encouragement? Motivation? Attention?

The odd thing is, I don't see or hear men talking about this - only ladies. Are men not concerned about sticking to some arbitrary "track"? Do they not care? Or do they just focus on other things in their lives instead of constantly obsessing about how they look or whether they're failing as a person for not being "on track" at all times?

I admit that I'm totally guilty of using the expression myself.

I've even written a few blogs about being on or off track. But lately, the phrase has really started to grate on my nerves. There's so much emphasis on sticking to a diet or staying "on track" around the holidays, and while some information is helpful, there just seems to be an over abundance of focus on it lately.

Eating just 1 Christmas cookie instead of 15 just seems like common sense, no? So why do we need to talk about the "on/off track-ness" of it?

So festive!

My Christmas Wish

My Christmas wish is that we all take a moment each day to be thankful for all that we have. Instead of focusing on what we don't have or what we want, or worrying about staying "on track," take a moment to appreciate the beautiful things you DO have in your life. Take a moment to help someone out, or do a favor without expecting anything in return.

To me, the holiday season is about being present in the moment and about giving to those less fortunate. And in my mind, that's FAR more important than being "on track" with a diet.

Home Turf

2011-12-13T16:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I discovered some exciting news! The dates of the 2012 shows in Maryland are now official! Ever since the disappointment of Team U and the subsequent reconsiderations of my goals, I've been waiting to find out the dates of some local shows.

I'm not sure whether I actually shared this with you or not, but I realized that my dream of becoming a Figure Pro is just that: a dream. It's not a reality. Before you start lecturing me on the power of positive thinking, please realize that I've been in the industry a long time and I am a realist. I'm not an idealist, nor am I a dreamer. I set challenging goals that I know I can achieve if I push myself. And the goal of becoming Pro isn't something that I can do on my own - it also involves other competitors and a panel of judges. I can only do MY best and be happy about that. I've made my peace with this realization, and I'm content to simply compete for the fun of it. (That's not to say I don't want to WIN, though!)

I love competing and enjoy every second of being on stage. I can't imagine NOT competing. So this coming year, I plan on doing a few local shows in the DC area.

There are a few shows in Virginia that may be a possibility, but the 2012 dates haven't been released yet. So as of now, my first show of the year will be the NPC Met-Rx Maryland States/East Coast Classic on June 30 in Rockville, MD!

I've never competed in a home state before, so will be a whole new thing for me! It'll be exciting to look out in the audience and see a bunch of people I know. I'm ready for 2012!

For you competitors: have you started planning for your 2012 shows yet? Which shows do you have your sights set on so far?

A Keenan Family Christmas

2011-12-08T16:41:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, J and I flew out to Minnesota to celebrate (early) Christmas with my family. We celebrated Christmas at this time last year too, as flights are about half the cost earlier in December than later in the month.

After several adventures early Friday morning (distracting the dogs while J loaded the suitcases in the car, sneaking out of the house so the dogs wouldn't freak out, getting lost on the way to the hotel parking lot, getting a visit from a police officer for being stopped in the middle of an off-ramp, getting a police escort to the hotel parking lot, racing to park the car in order to catch the airport shuttle, over-tipping the shuttle driver for waiting for us, and waiting an extra 45 minutes for a "mechanical issue" on the plane), we finally arrived in Minnesota.

We spent most of Friday visiting with my parents, then hit up the grocery store, went to the gym to train, and met up with my brother's family for Family Portrait Night at J.C. Penney and then dinner afterward.

The Keenan Klan!

We celebrated Christmas on Saturday! That morning (after cardio), I took my nephew out shopping with me to pick up a few last-minute items (for some reason, airlines discourage carry-on items like snow shovels). Then we opened presents!

Jeffrey & me showing off our new slippers

The boys modeling their new matching Under Armour shirts

I visited a few friends on Sunday, and then we went out to eat for J's birthday, which is next week.

Jess and me - we've been friends since we were kids!

Krissy and me with her daughter, Kali. Friends since middle school!

J finally got to experience the epic Birthday Burrito!

On Monday, we hung out with my parents and nephews, and then headed home.

Chillin' with Baby James

Hangin' with Jeffrey

It's always so much fun to visit relatives and friends! I'm glad I got to spend some quality time with them. Hanging out with them always fills up my Emotional Tank.

A Keenan Family Christmas

Do you go home for the holidays? Do you live near your family? What's your family Christmas tradition?

The Case of the Fallen Tree

2011-12-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

We make no secret of the fact that Christmas is J's and my favoritest holiday. We both love Christmas decorations, presents (giving and receiving), and family time. This year, in our enthusiasm for the impending celebrations, we decided to put our Christmas tree up in November. BEFORE Thanksgiving.

This is J's explanation: We're adults, so we can set our own rules. We don't HAVE to wait until after Thanksgiving to put up our tree.

Okay, I can go with that.

So we put up the tree and got halfway through decorating it before we lost interest in decorating. (We still haven't finished decorating it and keep tripping over the decoration boxes in the living room).

Our animals, while curious, aren't destructive (unless you count Ginger's magazine shredding habit destructive). While we were decorating, they "helped" by sniffing the ornaments, tripping us on our journeys to and from the decorations boxes to the tree, and chewing on the fake pine cones attached to the tree branches.

Bruno, Nikko, and Ed "helping"

Once the tree was up, Ed decided to check it out further.

Pretending to be "casual" under the tree

Being "sneaky"

Pretending to "just sniff" the pine cone, with no intention of chewing on it. Yeah right!

Last week as I was pulling into our driveway, I realized I couldn't see the tree in the front window. With a sinking feeling, I unlocked the front door and discovered this:

Thank goodness the TV was off to the side!

Now let me be clear: the tree was solidly standing when I left the house earlier. Who tipped it over? It could've been any of the four possible culprits, or a combination thereof. They all looked guilty, if you ask me.

Surprisingly (and much to my relief), only two ornaments were damaged. Our tree decorating ADD actually came in handy, because we didn't have many ornaments on it yet.

This was the first time I've ever had an animal tip over a tree. I'm still wondering how it happened!

Back to its upright position

Have any of your animals or kids tipped over a tree? Were you there to witness it? Did anyone get hurt? (Hope not!)

I'm Thankful!

2011-11-29T16:30:00.001-05:00

Several months ago, I did a "Things I'm Proud Of" post. This time of year seems appropriate for a "Things I'm Thankful For" post. So here goes ...

I'm thankful for the wonderful, challenging, and fulfilling relationship I have with J.

Thanksgiving 2011

I'm thankful for my supportive, caring family. Although they live 1,000 miles away from me, we're still as close as when I lived near them.

My favorite people in the entire universe!

I'm thankful for the fabulous capabilities of video chat! My family and I just started using it, and we're so excited that we can actually SEE each other while we talk 1,000 miles apart!

My brother and his family on their web cam!

I'm thankful for my job that allows me flexibility and the ability to pay my bills on time.

Ed "helping" me work from home

I'm thankful for my health. I realized that since I've stuck to a mostly clean diet for the past year, I didn't get sick for 9 months! And when I did get sick, it was just a passing cold that was gone in a week.

Bringing healthy food with me wherever I go helps me stay on track

I'm thankful for my friends, both online and in person. They challenge, support, and motivate me.

Me with Krissy and her daughter, Kali

I'm thankful I have a platform where I can help others. I love hearing from people who've identified with something I've written, and then used it to make positive changes in their own lives!

FitnessRx Contributor

I'm thankful for the opportunity to travel and spend quality time with my loved ones.

Key West 2011

I'm thankful for my animals who bring so much joy to my life simply by existing.

Ginger

Bruno

Nikko

So often, we focus on things we don't have or things we want but can't have. This year, let's focus on the things we DO have, and take a moment each day to give thanks for all the wonderful things we have in our lives.

Improvising

2011-11-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

Have you ever gotten to the gym, opened your gym bag, and realized you forgot an essential item? It's happened to me more times than I can count. I pack my bag the night before as a precaution, yet I still sometimes overlook important clothing articles. (I can't even begin to imagine how many things I'd forget if I packed my bag in my half-asleep state in the morning!)

As a result, I've trained in the following conditions:

Without socks
Wearing a regular bra instead of a sports bra
In Doc Martins
In flip-flops
Wearing my hair down instead of in a ponytail (forgot my hair band)
In long pants for cardio (which I despise) instead of shorts
Wearing jeans
Wearing shoes from the lost and found (relax - I remembered my socks, which prevented potential foot diseases)

Do you sense a trend with the shoes and socks?

Last week, I opened my gym bag and searched in vain for my running shoes before I realized I'd left them at home. Since I'd slept through morning cardio time (it was THAT kind of day), I hadn't followed the routine of taking my shoes off and immediately putting them in my gym bag after cardio. All I had with me that day were my 4" high heels and my flip-flops.

Cardio Attire!

I donned my flip-flops and proudly flip-flopped across the gym. It was a cardio-only day, so I didn't have to worry about dropping any weights on my poor lil exposed toes. I headed for the recumbent bike because the combination of the dreadmill and flip-flops seemed dangerous.

I completed my cardio without any mishap, and happily flip-flopped back to the locker room.

Gotta do what ya gotta do!

Have you ever forgotten an essential gym item? How did you improvise and still get your workout done?

Under the Weather

2011-11-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

My latest FitnessRx article is about whether or not you should work out if you're sick. According to the research I did, it's okay to work out if your symptoms are above the neck. If they're below the neck, you should take some rest days out of the gym.

This past week, I've been battling a garden variety cold: sneezing, sore throat, coughing, and mild fatigue. I didn't have much energy (although that didn't stop me from doing some Christmas shopping!), and basically felt like pooh. After enthusiastically shopping for an hour or two, I was completely spent, and chilled on the couch for most of the day on Sunday.

On Monday, J had me do an Active Recovery workout because I still wasn't feeling up to par. Oddly enough, I left the gym feeling better than I did when I walked in. It seems like every time I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I have a good workout! Yesterday I did my regular workout, albeit apprehensively. But it went well and again, I felt better when I walked out of the gym. I'm glad I didn't skip those workouts!

Today is my normal cardio-only day, which allows my body to relax and rest a bit. I'm finally feeling better, so the weights better watch out because tomorrow I'll be ready to train hard again!

Do you still go to the gym when you have a cold? Do you feel better after your workout too?

A Dream Come True!

2011-11-11T14:25:00.000-05:00

"A goal is a dream with a deadline."

~ Napoleon Hill

Being of a practical nature, I've never been too much of a dreamer. To me, dreams aren't reality - they're simply dreams. I'm more goal-oriented, because I believe in deadlines and in reality. Most of my life revolves around goals and not dreams; however, that's not to say that I don't have any dreams.

One of my dreams has always been to be in a magazine.

This past summer, I joined a leadership group, and through that, I was encouraged to take on some challenges. One of those challenges was finally finishing the Future of Fitness application for Oxygen magazine. I'd started the application last year, but didn't take the time to finish it (it's long!). With a group of motivated women encouraging and gently pushing me, I completed the application and sent it off to Oxygen.

I received two emails from Oxygen, confirming facts and information about me, so I was cautiously optimistic that my application had been accepted.

Yesterday, I heard through a friend on Twitter that I am in the December issue!!

How cool is this?!?!

I immediately checked Barnes and Noble and a grocery store, but neither had the latest issue in stock yet. Turns out, only those with subscriptions have received it so far. The issue should hit news stands around November 20th.

I'm still on cloud nine and can't believe that one of my dreams has actually come true!

The column under my picture!

I realized that I needed to turn my dream into a goal and attach a deadline to it in order to make it come true. Now it's time to make some new goals and take action to achieve them!

Veering Off Plan

2011-11-10T12:19:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of having a trainer is that I have a set training plan that's designed specifically for me to help me reach my goals. I don't have to spend hours reading incorrect information on the internet and then using that misinformation to create a training program that may or may not be effective. My trainer already has all the knowledge I need in order to be successful.

Now the challenge is to actually follow that program!

I sat down with J and we discussed what happens when a client veers off a training program because she likes aerobics classes. We also discussed what happens when a client goes against doctors' orders and does an exercise she's not supposed to do in order to properly heal an injury just because she wants to "win" in class.

Do you find yourself adding extra things to your training program too? Are you guilty of taking some classes that aren't on your plan? Or of going for an extra run just because it's your favorite time of year to run outside? How does it affect your goal plan?

Could I Actually Do It?

2011-11-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

What was your turning point that led you to fitness?

The topic for this week's Fitness Blog World is about a turning point that made me choose fitness and a healthy lifestyle. I tried to write this blog last week, but struggled with it, because quite frankly, there really was NO turning point for me because I've always been active and athletic.

Growing up, I played tennis and softball in leagues, and in high school, I attempted track, and was on the cheerleading squad and the dance team. In college, I dabbled on the tennis team for a year, and was a cheerleader for three years. Post-college, I joined a gym and took fitness and aerobics classes, weight trained, ran a bit (srsly, this was a short phase), and then took adult ballet classes for several years.

If there's any turning point regarding fitness in my life, I guess it'd be when I started competing in Figure.

Ever since I discovered a bicep in my scrawny arm during my freshman year of college, I was hooked on weight training. Although I wasn't very consistent about going to the gym every day, I trained hard when I was there. In 2005, when several people began asking me if I competed, I decided to look into it. After my initial reaction ("I have to eat the same thing every day for three months?! And I can't have cookies?! What kind of crazy person do you think I am?!"), I was intrigued enough to see if I could actually do it. Could I actually stand on stage in 5" heels and win a trophy?

Turns out I could.

My very 1st trophy

The second I stepped on stage, I was in heaven. The exact words that went through my head were, "I LOVE this!"

That turning point in my life led to some of the most rewarding adventures. Through competing, I've gained confidence in myself, learned to gracefully walk in 5" heels, smile through heartbreaking disappointment, met the love of my life, made some wonderful friends, and won a genuine Excalibur sword.

One of my most prized possessions

I've also learned how food affects my body and that I can be in complete control of how my body looks at all times. When I feed it healthy foods, I look and feel better. When I consume too much Halloween candy, I look and feel worse.

I love knowing that I have the knowledge I need to live the life I want to live. I love having such a strong, solid support system: J, my family, my friends (both online and in person), and the BoB ladies.

I wouldn't choose any other lifestyle over a fit lifestyle!

FitnessRx Article: It's All About the Booty!

2011-11-03T21:27:00.001-04:00

I wanted to share my very first FitnessRx article! I've been writing blogs for FitnessRx for several months, but I haven't written any articles until now. Sometimes I have a difficult time coming up with general topics for the blog, so I often ask my friends what kinds of articles they'd like to read in fitness magazines.

This past weekend, my friend Ani said she'd like to read an article about how to get a great booty. Since this is a great topic for all of us fitness-minded ladies, I wrote an article about it.

********************************

Do each set of exercises three times and then move on to the next set.

Set 1
15 Kneeling glute kickbacks
20 Bodyweight squats

Set 2
15 Standing cable glute kickbacks
10 Bodyweight walking glute lunges (10 each leg)

Set 3
10 Adductor isolation (sit forward in the seat and really squeeze your glutes with each rep)
15 Bodyweight curtsy lunges (10 each leg)

If you need to add more reps to the plyos in order to increase your heart rate, add more. But remember to squeeze your glutes with each rep for all of the exercises.

When you’re finished with the workout, spend some quality time on the stepmill or the stair stepper. Both of those machines also target the glutes and will help shape your lower body to be tight, lean, and toned.

********************************

Give the workout a try and let me know how it goes! And check out the full article on FitnessRxmag.com!

I Don't Share My Food

2011-11-01T15:37:00.000-04:00

Although I still have the Minnesota tendency of beating around the bush instead of being straight-forward about most things, there's one thing I have no qualms about sharing with people.

I don't share my food.

Ever. For any reason. Doesn't matter if you're two years old and as cute as a button, get your fingers away from my cookies!

All mine! But I'm more than happy to bake you your very own batch!

Some people may find it offensive that I declare this so openly; however, I always follow up with, "But I'm more than happy to buy you your OWN food." And that's true! I will happily buy you your very own chocolate chip cookie or egg white omelet or Twix bar ... but you can not have even a taste of mine.

J finds this hilarious, as I'm a total hypocrite and always want just a "tiny lil taste" of his food. That's because his food ALWAYS looks better than mine! Whether he's dieting or not, I always want to know what his food tastes like, but I freak out like a banshee if he even comes closer than two feet away from my food. I realize this doesn't make any sense, so I'm not offended when he declines to let me taste his oatmeal.

Even my two cutest nephews in the world aren't immune from this. I'm not okay with JJ dipping his fingers into Auntie Kari's sweet potato pancakes, but I will gladly make him his very own pancake.

The same mentality applies to Girl Scout cookies. When it comes time to order cookies every January, I ask J which cookies he wants, and the answer, "Oh, I'll just have some of yours" doesn't fly. I ask him specifically which cookies he wants and how many boxes he wants, because once his are gone, my 20 boxes of cookies will still be off-limits to him. It's not my problem that he ate 18 Samoas in one sitting and now has no cookies left. I will gladly buy him 15 boxes of Samoas, as long as he doesn't swipe any of mine.

Samoas are not for sharing.

I have no idea what prompted this mentality, and quite frankly, I really don't care. It's just how I feel. So I make up for being selfish about my food by being generous and buying other people their very own food. That's fair, right? ;)

Do you share your food? Do you expect others to share their food with you? Do you get offended when someone doesn't share their food with you?

Intuitive Eating Fail

2011-10-27T14:35:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I got so fed up with following a set diet and meal times, I decided to just not follow ANY diet. After too many all-or-nothing diet failures, I just wanted to not feel like a failure anymore. I have a feeling this is more of a female thing than a male thing, as J totally didn't understand how I could feel like a failure if I ate a mini Snickers one day. He kept telling me to just accept it and stick to my diet the remainder of the day. After I smiled and nodded at him, I'd go home and eat whatever I wanted, because after all, I'd already messed up the diet that day, so why not enjoy some treats?

NOT the right mentality!

The "right" thing to do would be to follow J's advice: get right back on track. My mind doesn't operate that way, though. I take an all-or-nothing approach to most things in life, and while this results in some impressive successes, it also contributes to some equally impressive failures.

With failure weighing on my mind, I decided to just scrap a diet plan and just "eat intuitively." Easier said than done!

My Fitness Pal

A few of my friends are using My Fitness Pal to track their food and exercise, so I figured it would be a good opportunity to try it out with my new non-plan eating plan. The last time I tracked my food with an online tracker, it was 2006, and I was prepping for my first show. I didn't keep up with it because I felt it was a pain to have to be near a computer to log all my foods. My Fitness Pal has a corresponding phone app, which is oh so convenient!

After I entered all my information and goals into the program, it gave me a target calorie count. That calorie count is NOT for weight loss though; it's for maintenance - which was NOT my goal! And here's the really weird thing - for every calorie you burn exercising, it adds that calorie back into your daily caloric goal. Say what?! My Fitness Pal is NOT my pal anymore, since it's not supporting me in my weight loss goal; it just wants me to look the same!

With the caveat of disregarding the additional calories that I'm "allowed" to have, the program is actually rather interesting. I distrust the actual numbers for calories burned for exercises, but they're at least a semi-guideline. The coolest feature is the bar code scanner! I just have to activate the scanner, hold up a bar code in front of my phone, and it scans the item into the database. So slick!

Intuitive Eating Fail

So I was using the Fitness Pal app, and happily entering in all the various foods I was eating ... when I suddenly realized I wasn't making ANY progress. My weight was staying the same, and if anything, my arms were actually losing their shape! Not okay!

I decided to be really honest with myself. I was using "intuitive eating" as an excuse to eat whatever the heck I wanted to eat whenever I wanted to eat. That'd be great and all if I didn't have a goal of staying tight! Plus, some of the foods I was eating definitely made my body go into storage mode.

I discovered that I'm not very good at intuitive eating, and it doesn't really work for my stay tight goals. So, I switched back to keto for awhile (with the exception of last weekend) until I reach a target look, and then I'll add some carbs back in.

I'm still using the Fitness Pal app, but moreso for just fun now. Since I'm following a meal plan again (sigh), I don't pay much attention to the calories consumed count. I'll continue using it for awhile, since it's also fun to connect with my friends on it.

Do you use a food tracking app? Which one do you use? Have you tried intuitive eating? Does it work for you?

I'm Baaaaack!

2011-10-26T16:24:00.001-04:00

I've been a blog slacker. I'll be the first to admit it. A year ago, I was averaging about four posts per week. Now I'm barely averaging ONE post per week. What the heck happened?!

I didn't forget about you, friends! I just, well, I just haven't felt like writing much. Ever since the crushing disappointment of Team Universe, I've been in kind of a slump. After going back and forth and back again in my head about which direction I wanted to take with fitness, I wasn't sure I really wanted to document all the mood swings I was having. One day I was excited about the direction I was taking, and the next day I'd be all upset about the fact that I went up a clothing size.

And then I got really busy at work. After staring at a computer screen for eight hours during the day, the last thing I wanted to do at night was to sit in front of my computer and stare at the screen some more. But blogs don't get posted by NOT staring at the computer screen.

Numerous times, I'd log into my Blogger account with full intention of writing a blog ... and then I'd just stare at the screen. I keep a running list of topics to write about when I've got writer's block, but quite frankly, I just didn't feel like writing. About anything.

Even thought I didn't want to be in a slump, I just couldn't muster the energy to pull myself back out.

Things started to change when I heard that there are going to be TWO shows in Maryland next year! A new show is going to be added in June, which is a perfect time to compete. Since I won't be chasing the elusive Pro card anymore, I feel less stress about competing. Of course, I always taking competing seriously, but I'm not putting as much pressure on myself this time, which makes me feel so much lighter in spirit!

My workouts have also changed, and I'm really enjoying them. I've added plyos to every workout, and throw in the occasional cheerleading jump, just to see if I can still do them (I can, but I don't recover as quickly as I used to).

All in all, things are looking up again! I'm feeling more like myself: positive, energetic, and optimistic.

I'm baaaack!

In case I do get writer's block again, do you have any suggestions for topics you'd like me to address?

Crossfit, Keenan Style

2011-10-25T14:45:00.001-04:00

This week's Fitmas challenge involved four different options for Crossfit-type workouts. Since I didn't participate in Fitmas last week (the kettlebell workouts didn't fit into my training plan), I really wanted to try this week's workout. However ... as J and I looked at the different workout options, we realized I couldn't do any of them either.

Last week, I was diagnosed with Costochondritis, which basically means I have inflammation of the cartilage where my ribs attach to my sternum. Thankfully, it's nothing serious, but I'm not supposed to do any chest exercises for a few weeks. Since all of the Fitmas workouts included pushups, I had to get creative.

Here's the workout that J designed for me:

15 Box Jumps
3 minutes of cardio on the elliptical
25 Bodyweight Squats
3 Minutes of cardio on the elliptical
15 Curtsy Lunges, each leg
3 Minutes of cardio on the elliptical

Do the entire series as many times as possible in 60 minutes.

You know how sometimes you want to tell your trainer to shove it? When I looked at the workout, I wanted to say some not so polite things to J. But I just smiled and said, "You trying to tell me that there's a price to pay for eating all that Halloween candy this weekend?" The wise man just smiled and kept his mouth shut.

Did you attempt any of the Fitmas cross-fit workouts this week? If so, how did they go for you?

Not 16 Anymore

2011-10-19T18:15:00.000-04:00

I came to a startling and humbling conclusion yesterday: I'm not as young as I used to be. Before you roll your eyes and tell me to, "Be quiet, young lady!", let me explain.

I may have mentioned before that I was a cheerleader in high school and college (that's actually how I began weight lifting, but that's another story for another day). One of our conditioning drills in college was doing sets of jumps: toe touches, pikes, front hurdlers, etc. Not only does it help with cardio conditioning, it helps with jump form. (Plus I think our coach just liked to make us work hard for the heck of it.)

I've maintained my flexibility since my cheerleading days, and after stretching out, I can still sit in the splits. So I didn't think anything of throwing a few cheer jumps on Monday during my workout. I was doing a plyo workout that included step-ups, lunges, squats, and star jumps, among other things. On the third set of [my least favorite exercise EVER] star jumps, I decided to switch things up a bit. Since star jumps are almost kind of like toe touches, why not substitute a series of toe touches instead?

Why oh why did I think that was a good idea?

This is NOT me. My jumps are nowhere this good!

I got to about 7 toe touches in a row and then nearly collapsed. I gave myself a stern lecture about not being a wuss and finished 3 more jumps before staggering over to the bench to sit down. About 5 minutes later, my breathing and pulse were almost back to normal.

When I woke up yesterday morning, I discovered that not only were my legs stiff and sore, but my entire upper back was screaming at me! My right trap is so sore, it hurts to even touch the skin. About midway through the day, I realized exactly why I was in such pain.

My body is no longer used to doing toe touch jumps, and the arm motions of the jumps really worked my whole upper back and traps. I can't remember ever being this sore in high school or college! Does that mean that I might be getting older?!

I remember when I was 16, and 30 seemed practically ancient. Heck, I thought 25 was old! Amazing how perspective changes with age, huh?

While I still like I'm relatively young, I'm beginning to realize I'm not as young as I used to be. My body is sure letting me know that! No more toe touch sequences for me for awhile. Maybe the star jumps aren't as bad as I thought they were ... on second thought, nope, they're still awful. But I'll deal with them.

One Tabata, Two Tabata, Three Tabata, Floor

2011-10-13T16:53:00.000-04:00

When I was in 9th grade, I was recruited by my Earth Science teacher to go out for track. He'd remembered that I was a decent sprinter back in 6th grade, and he was looking for more sprinters for the track team. I informed him that I'd never had any proper runner training, but he was insistent.

The first day of practice, I thought I was going to puke and ended up having to get driven home in the paddy wagon. How embarrassing. After the first week of practice, I had shin splints so badly, I was immediately put on the Injuries List. I didn't mind, though, because it meant I didn't have to run as much as the other team members.

I ended up placing last in both races of the first and only meet in which I ran. Running is not my friend.

So I have no idea why I even attempted the 2nd Week of Fitmas this week.

This week's challenge was two tabata sprint intervals. We were given three options to choose from. Basically, a tabata is a series of exercises designed to increase in intensity, while decreasing in rest period times. I selected the "progressive hill / speed interval workout made for the treadmill." (Note the word "speed" in the description. I should've known better.)

Last week, I did the Fitmas workout at a fast walking pace because of asthma and knee issues. This week I decided to disregard both (major) concerns and give it my all.

I thought I was going to die.

Here's the workout.

Level	Speed	Reps	Work	Rest
0	6.0~~-7.0~~	1	2:00	:30
5 3%	6.0~~-7.0~~	1	1:30	:30
5 3%	7.5	1	1:00	:30
5 3%	8.0	4	~~:45~~ :30	~~:20~~ :30
1	8.5~~-10.0~~	4	:30	~~:15~~ :30
0	10.0~~-12.0~~	4	:15	~~:05~~ :15
0	6.0~~-7.0~~	1	2:00	DONE!

While I didn't completely fail, I didn't do the workout as it was written. Why? Because I thought I was going to die. What I actually DID is in red text.

My asthma kicked in when I got the 8.0 sprints. When I stopped sprinting after 30 seconds, my heart rate was up to 180 beats per minute. WAAAAAY too high! I took a longer rest period to get my heart rate back down to the 150 zone.

I have to admit, it did feel good to sprint again, even though I nearly flew off the back of the treadmill a few times (I'm totally not used to anything above 5.0 mph). I'm proud of myself that I even attempted the workout, even though I won't be doing another tabata, as the challenge suggests.

I'm not happy to say that my shin splints came back full force. I blame it all on 9th grade track.

Fitmas: Week 1

2011-10-06T16:30:00.000-04:00

I love challenges and I love things with deadlines. That's why when my friend, Donloree, introduced her new Fitmas challenge, I wanted in.

Basically, Fitmass is a 12-week program with different challenges each week. The first week of Fitmas was the Shredmill Challenge. It was designed to be a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout, with different sprint intervals on the treadmill.

My Shredmill at home

I was excited about the workout, but a bit apprehensive too. As a rule, I'm not a runner (although I've been known to do 5K's), so I was concerned about the sprinting aspect of the workout. I was also concerned about the "high intensity" part. Because of my asthma, I have difficulty doing anything with a lot of intensity for a period of time, and then I need more recovery time than most people. For example, instead of a 60-second recovery time for a 60-second sprint, I may require 90-120 seconds of recovery time.

I decided to try the workout, but to modify it a bit to be just IT (Interval Training). Instead of sprints, I did a very fast-paced walk for each of the intervals. The problem was, because I was only walking (albeit very quickly), I didn't need that long of a recovery time.

The lesson here? Modifying workouts does not achieve the goal of the workout. I kinda feel like I failed Week 1 already, but I'm excited to see what Week 2 brings.

Are you doing the Fitmas Challenge too? If you're interested in trying it, contact Donloree to get signed up!

Back and Forth and Back Again

2011-10-04T16:34:00.000-04:00

For the past couple months since my show, I've felt a bit lost. I knew the post-contest blues would strike, as they do every year after I compete. What I didn't anticipate was a complete re-evaluation of my fitness goals. Since getting completely blown out of the water in Figure at Team Universe, my head has been spinning in different directions.

My first thought was to add some size in order to be more competitive in Figure next year. Then I realized that I don't actually WANT to get any bigger. Although I may not have the amount of muscle necessary to compete at the National level, I don't feel that adding more muscle to my frame would actually look better. When I get bigger, I tend to lose my shape and turn into a little brick - no waist, straight up and down, and thick from front to back. Looking like a brick is NOT my goal.

My next thought was to try to lose some muscle and perhaps compete in Bikini. (Remember last year when I was tossing around the idea of switching to Bikini?) I went back to doing plyo-type workouts and changed my rep ranges on exercises. Nothing much seemed to change, except I lost some definition in my arms, which I'm NOT okay with.

Then while I was helping one of my friends pose and listened to her talk about her upcoming show, I realized that I really love Figure. While I think the bikini look is beautiful, I've worked too hard to build muscle for the past 14 years to just turn around and diet/train most of it off. Besides, I like the amount of muscle I've got right now.

Like I said ... my head's been spinning.

At this point (and that's not to say that things won't change yet again), I'm focused on retaining my upper body size, but bringing my legs down a bit. Since spot reduction isn't realistic, it'll be interesting to see how this plan actually works. I'll keep you updated!

Training with Friends

2011-09-29T13:45:00.000-04:00

This past Tuesday, my friend, Debi, came to my gym to train with me. Since she's only four weeks out from a show, we did her workout instead of one of mine. I haven't had a training partner since I moved to Maryland two years ago, and I just realized how much I miss having someone there to push me and for me to push them in turn. Sure, J pushes me when he trains me, but it's not quite the same as training WITH him.

Debi and I trained shoulders and did some light leg exercises. I thought my delts were going to fall off by the time we finished the shoulder circuit!

Debi and me

We had a fun time training hard, pushing and encouraging each other, and getting caught up on each other's lives. While it's not feasible for me to have a training partner all the time, every once in awhile, it's nice to get together with friends while still getting in a good workout.

Do you have a training partner or do you prefer to train by yourself?

More than One Adventure

2011-09-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

Now that J and I are finished with contest prep and can re-enter the world again, we decided to use one of the many Groupons I've purchased in the past few months (Yep, I'm a planner). On Saturday afternoon, we headed downtown to Madame Tussaud's wax museum.

The Rock - my dreamboat!

Most of the wax sculptures looked very realistic, while others looked ... waxy. It was fun to walk through the exhibits and read more about America's own brand of royalty.

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow ... be still my heart!

We thought the museum itself would be exciting ... but getting home turned out to be the biggest adventure.

Unbeknownst to us, there was extensive track work being done on the Metro system this weekend. Several stops were closed, and others were only operating on a single track. Meaning one side of the tracks was closed, and only every other train headed in our desired direction. We didn't think much of it ... until what should have been a half hour trip home took us nearly TWO hours.

We tried to board a train from two different Metro stations before we realized we needed to somehow get around all the track construction. We ended up walking out of a Metro station and taking a taxi to another Metro stop. (A tip for those of you visiting DC: every time you enter a Metro station, you get charged $1.60, regardless of whether you actually go anywhere, or whether you simply look at the 6-person deep line of people waiting to board a train and turn around and walk right out. Also, taxis can charge you $2.50 in addition to the fare if they have to cross state/district lines.) So, $20 and 2 hours later, we arrived home. I don't recommend using the Metro as your main means of transportation on weekends when they're doing track maintenance.

Maybe I should bring this issue up with my new friends?

Michelle and Barack

Time to Relax!

2011-09-21T16:49:00.000-04:00

Seven months ago, I started prepping for Team Universe. Six weeks after I started, J started prepping for the Maryland show. For the rest of the winter, all spring, and all summer, we sacrificed our social lives and focused solely on prep. Now that both of our shows have come and gone, we can relax and re-enter society. So we decided to go on a cruise!

Last Thursday morning, we flew down to Miami and hopped on board the Carnival Destiny cruise ship. I've been on several cruises, but this was J's first. I tried to prepare him for what he'd see and experience, but it's tough to describe exactly how big the boat really is!

We spent Thursday afternoon chilling on the boat, walking around, eating, and relaxing. When we woke up the next morning, we were docked at Key West!

Port of Key West

We walked around, poked our heads in a bunch of tourist souvenir shops, and then decided to hop on a trolley tour of the island. What a beautiful island! Palm trees everywhere and fascinating architecture. J and I decided we'd have no problem living there!

Trolley Tour

We drove past Ernest Hemingway's home, and also saw the southernmost point of the U.S, which is only 90 miles from Cuba!

Ernest Hemingway's Home

We left Key West in the afternoon and the boat headed toward Cozumel. While on the ship, we spent time relaxing on deck, soaking up some rays. It felt nice not to have to be anywhere or do anything at a certain time. After so many months of sticking to such a strict schedule, it was nice (and weird) to feel so relaxed.

Soaking up the rays

We docked at the Port of Cozumel on Saturday afternoon. We'd signed up to swim with the dolphins, so we headed to the Dolphinaris immediately after getting off the boat. I've swam with dolphins before, but this was J's first time. He had the biggest smile on his face the whole time - it was a wonderful experience!

The dolphins performing for us before we got in the water with them

After petting Nautica the dolphin, we hit up a bunch of tourist shops in Cozumel.

We got balloon hats at Carlos 'n' Charlie's

We re-boarded the boat that evening, exhausted from the sun and so much walking. Every night, we got towel animals in our room (which delighted J to no end!), and we got to eat as much food as we wanted (which also delighted J to no end).

Towel bunny

The next day was a "Fun Day at Sea" ... which involved lounging around all day. We went down the ship's waterslide, sunned ourselves by the pool, took a nap, and ate more food. When we woke up the next morning, we were back in Miami.

We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation, and are so thankful we could take the time to get away. Even though we both worked out in the gym in the mornings, it was nice to just simply relax and de-stress for several days. I feel refreshed and ready to work hard toward my new goals!

Port of Cozumel

Another 550 Miles

2011-09-15T12:00:00.002-04:00

Lately, I seem to have a slight obsession with shoes. I can't walk by a shoe store without noticeably slowing my stride, and I head directly to the shoe section in department stores. I've had to use strict discipline to not open the numerous DSW emails I receive each week announcing all the wonderful shoes I must have in order for my life to be complete.

I've come up with some perfectly reasonable (to me) justifications to warrant a few new pairs of dress shoes in the past couple months. When it comes to running shoes, though, I'm much more reluctant to part with my money.

Maybe it's because running shoes don't make my short legs look a mile long? Maybe it's because they don't give my calves that nice shape? Maybe it's because they all seem to kind of look alike? Whatever the reason, I always have a tough time spending money on running shoes.

According to most sources, running shoes should be replaced every 350-550 miles. I have no idea what that translate to in the gym since I'm definitely NOT a runner, so I replace my running shoes every 6-9 months or so, depending on wear. My current shoes were starting to hurt my feet, so I figured they must be within the 350-550 mile range.

I was surprised and elated when I discovered some Saucony shoes on sale at Marshalls and Ross last weekend! Last year, I stepped out of the box and bought black running shoes - a first for me! This year I found two great pairs of shoes: white and black to match every workout outfit!

Variety is the spice of life!

I broke in the white shoes today during morning cardio; it was so nice not to have sore feet when I stepped off the treadmill!

How often do you replace your running/gym shoes?

The Fastest Way to Get Blocked

2011-09-12T14:07:00.001-04:00

One of the benefits of social media in the fitness world is the vast network of other fitness-minded, motivated people. Most of my "friends" on Facebook are online relationships with people I've never met in person. I do, however, have the fitness lifestyle in common with these people. I value all relationships I've made with people, whether online or in person.

What I do not value, however, is the influx of communication from "creepers" - usually men (but sometimes women) who feel it's appropriate to "poke" me on Facebook or try to chat with me. I don't find this communication welcome nor appropriate.

I've noticed that the amount of creeper communication I get is directly proportional to the type of photo I have as my profile picture. When I had this photo up, I didn't get any creepers trying to chat me up!

Cuddles from one of my favorite nephews!

But when I had this photo up, I got quite a few creepy requests.

Even though I love this photo, it seems to attract the kind of attention I DON'T want!

This leads me to believe the creepers aren't really interested in getting to know Kari; they're interested in seeing girl-in-bikini pictures. Definitely NOT the kind of "friends" I want or need. A "poke" from someone I don't know is the fastest way for that person to be blocked. While the random "pokes" from weird men creeps me out, I also realize that unfortunately, creepers are inherent in the fitness industry.

Do you get weird communication or random "pokes" from strange men? If so, how do you manage them?

UPDATE: Facebook Pokes on 9/13/11. Who the heck are these dudes?! I don't know them, have never heard of them, yet they're "poking" me?! What the heck?! CREEPY!!

Nick & Kevin - you're now BLOCKED!

A Hot New Experience

2011-09-09T15:48:00.000-04:00

In another effort to try new things and have new experiences, I attended my first Bikram ("hot") yoga class last weekend. It was ... well, it was an experience. I finally recovered from it two days and five pounds of water weight later.

Check out my FitnessRx blog about my experience and some lessons learned.

FitnessRx Blog

Have you ever tried hot yoga? What was your experience?

Change of Scenery

2011-09-06T17:05:00.000-04:00

Lately, whenever I walk into my gym, I immediately feel crabby. Even if I'm just there to pick up J, I still feel crabby just pulling into the gym parking lot. My workouts haven't been intense, and I've been having difficulty staying focused and motivated. It's time for a change of scenery.

Last week, I bought a 10-time pass at the Gold's Gym down the street. I love Gold's and would get a membership there if I didn't know how difficult it is to end those memberships. (Srsly, I know some people who've been trying to get out of their memberships for a YEAR now. NOT cool.) It may seem cost-INeffective for me to pay for a gym when I have a free membership at my own gym (working the front desk has its benefits!), but I'm worried if I don't make some changes, I'm going to majorly burn out soon.

The best thing about Gold's, in my opinion, is the wide variety of group fitness classes. If I haven't already stated it, I adore group fitness classes! I've been lamenting the fact that my gym doesn't have them, so I was excited to take some of the classes at Gold's.

I used to take step classes all the time several years ago, but when I started seriously training for Figure, I focused only on the cardio I needed to fine tune my physique. Last week when I took the step class at Gold's, I felt like I'd reunited with a long lost friend! I'm a bit rusty on the footwork yet, but it's just like riding a bike - the skills will come back quickly.

Doesn't this look like fun?!

I also took the BodyCombat class for the first time. I didn't know what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be very similar to some cardio kickboxing classes I've taken in the past. There was a lot of punching and kicking, which was a great outlet for some hidden aggression!

I really enjoyed both classes and am glad I decided to take a look outside my own gym for some variety. When I asked a couple others if they experience the same feelings, and it turns out I'm not alone in needing some variety in my workouts and in my training environment.

Have you ever felt burned out or crabby every time you stepped in the gym? What did you do about it and how long did it take you to feel excited about working out again?

What are YOU gonna do today?

2011-08-30T13:00:00.002-04:00

The Concept of Productivity

In her latest blog, Ava Cowen posted a link to a motivational video that she claims she watches every day during prep. I checked out the video, and was immediately enraptured. The video is about the Concept of Productivity and what makes successful people so successful. It's not some magic pill or complicated formula. No, it's simpler than that. It basically boils down to this:

Apply the most amount of effort to the best of your ability in the time allotted time that you have.

Here are a few more of my favorite quotes for the video:

All successful people realize that time is the most precious commodity that's out there. It's the one thing that you can't buy or ever buy back. So these successful people realize that they have an allotted time to perform a given task, so that they have to give it their absolute all to doing that task.

Going through the motions is the most disadvantageous thing that you can do.

All successful people realize that they're gonna give it their absolute all and put in their heart and soul in any task that they do, no matter how small or how large it is. That they're gonna be the best person that they can be while they're doing it. That they're gonna do it RIGHT.

The major difference is that the successful people do every single task right, whereas the people who are not successful, do it WRONG.

The best bodybuilders in the world: "These people gave it their heart and soul throughout every single rep. Throughout every single set. Throughout every single gym session. Every single day. For weeks. For months. For years. For decades. To get to where they were. That they weren't just gonna go through the motions, but they were going to break through ALL mental barriers to get to where they wanted to be. And that's the difference between successful people and those who are not."

You could say to yourself, 'Oh, I went to the gym today, so I'm better off because of it.' But the question you have to ask yourself is: 'What did I do in the gym today?' And how did you do it?

It's really not about the genetics as much as it is about the effort, and about doing the activity RIGHT.

Successful people understand that they're gonna give it their all throughout every single task that they have to do. Because time is so precious. And that they're gonna do it RIGHT.

Ask yourself what are you gonna do today? But more importantly, you need to ask yourself, "How are you going to do it?"

This concept not only applies to the gym and how you train; it also applies to every aspect of your life.

So what are YOU going to do in the gym today?

Carpe Diem!

2011-08-29T13:12:00.000-04:00

One of my goals this year has been to pursue all opportunities I'm presented with. This may not seem like a big deal to some of you over-achievers, but to a psuedo lazy procrastinator like me, it's huge! It means going out of my way to look for opportunities and then to actually follow up with said opportunities. All in all, it takes some time and work on my part. It also means changing from, "Well, I probably COULD do that, but I just haven't pursued it yet," to "Yes, I just followed up on that!"

The mindset and resolve of finally taking ACTION, has been paying off! Thus far, it's led to a training video and weekly guest blogs on FitnessRxmag.com, which is very exciting for me!

This past week I finally took advantage of a couple other opportunities.

My good friend, Donloree, asked me to write a guest blog for her successful blog, Bikini or Bust. I wrote about the different experiences I've had at shows. Even though each show has some of the same similarities, the experiences can be completely different. I've definitely had some highs and lows at each show!

Bikini or Bust Guest Blog

A new site, Muscle Bombshell, contacted me regarding a feature interview. I responded to several questions, and the interview is posted on the site today! I'm honored and thrilled to be featured on this site!

Muscle Bombshell Feature Interview

I'm so grateful for these opportunities, and am happy I can show them the respect they deserve by following up and finally taking action!

Plastic-Lined Walls

2011-08-26T13:10:00.000-04:00

This past weekend marked the fifth bodybuilding show I went to as a spectator this year. (Have I mentioned how much I love living in a more central location where shows are accessible by car?) The big difference between the Maryland Championships and all the other shows is that J competed. As such, I was not just an interested audience member, I was a nervous audience member! I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of J stepping on stage. I kept feeling like I should've been backstage instead of sitting in the audience, because his prep was such a team effort for both of us. After the show, I did go backstage for a couple minutes, and seeing the plastic-lined walls got me thinking about the similarities of every show.

When we haven't been certain of the exact location of a show, we always tell each other to "find the orange people." In the sunlight, the spray tans of competitors always appear orange for some reason, although they look natural on stage. Most competitors wear black clothing so the tan stains don't show up as much. Every show will have orange people wearing black track suits and flip-flops.

Standard competitor attire: black track suit

Another common element are the large sheets of clear plastic or brown paper bag material lining the walls backstage. The spray tan gets on EVERYTHING so the plastic protects the venue walls and floors.

Speaking of the spray tan, there's a certain smell that exudes from competitors the day of the show. I can't really describe it, but it's a combination of pre-tan body scrub, 4 days without deodorant, and the spray tan formula. Some competitors also use a glaze that smells somewhat like icy hot. Whenever I smell those odors, I know I'm at a bodybuilding show.

The restrooms at all show venues also have one thing in common: orange stained toilet seats. Like I said, the spray tan gets on EVERYTHING.

Every show has an expo of sorts outside of the auditorium. And there is always at least one table that has protein bar samples. (Yum!)

As a general rule, competitors are nice people. At the point where we're ready to walk on stage, we're usually hungry, tired, and depleted. Yet, I've never seen anyone NOT help out another competitor. I've heard stories of ladies lending their shoes and suits to other ladies who had issues with their own. I've helped ladies glue their suits on, and have in turn, asked other ladies to help me with mine. (Yes, we do actually glue our suits on. How else could we get those tiny scraps of material to stay in place? No one wants to see a wardrobe malfunction on stage!) My friend, Tenecia, calls the assistance we all show to each other backstage the "Tan Rule."

Everything about bodybuilding shows is exciting to me, because I associate them with that nervous, excited feeling I get every time I compete. Next time you're at a show, take a look around and see if you notice the same things. What other things have you seen at several shows you've been to?

My Spartan

2011-08-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

The 2011 Maryland Championships were this past weekend. It was the weekend we'd been waiting for for the past 26 weeks!

On Friday evening, J and I went to the check-in location, where he weighed in at just under 208 lbs. That weight put him squarely in the middle of the Heavyweight class, which was exactly where he wanted to be. After 5 coats of spray tan (most of the other competitors only needed 3 coats), we headed home. By the time we got home, large portions of the tan had come off on his clothes, resulting in a minor crisis. Thank goodness we knew the spray tan company would be backstage at the show for touch-ups!

We were up early on Saturday morning and met up with several friends at the show. Our good friend, Brooks, competed again this year too. I didn't realize how nerve-wracking it'd be to sit in the audience and watch J on stage! I was literally shaking from nerves and excitement when his class was called!

J and me before the evening show

The quality of competitors was really good again this year! Both J and Brooks brought their absolute best to the stage. Both had great conditioning and had made impressive gains since last year. Unfortunately, both of them got out-sized by other guys in their classes. We don't know their final placings yet, but they didn't bring home any hardware this year.

J's favorite pose

Despite the placings, we all had a great time at the show! Jerry's posing routine to "Returns a King" from the movie 300 was phenomenal, and he got a lot of compliments on how well he posed. Read about his feelings about his prep process and the show on his blog.

Jerry's cousin and her fiancé drove all the way down from Boston to watch the show and to visit for the weekend.

J, Trish, & Steve

We all enjoyed some delicious food and had a fun time just hanging out.

We've been waiting 26 weeks to eat Yogi Berry again!
He finished off his $9 sundae in record time!

We also caught up with several other friends who came to watch the show. We feel blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. Thanks for all the support for J!

64 Weeks

2011-08-19T15:36:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting at home looking at my boyfriend's drawn face, his vascular arms, and his tired eyes. J slumps in the chair, barely able to keep his eyes open. It's the day before his show. He feels like crap, he's got no energy, and he fantasizes out loud about all the food commercials on TV. He's ready.

Tomorrow is the NPC Maryland Championships!

Tonight we'll head to the weigh-in, and then to the spray tan location. J is a mix of Irish and Portuguese, and while the rest of his family inherited the dark Portuguese skin, he was blessed with very pale, white Irish skin ... skin that somehow rejects all attempts at tanning. Thank goodness for spray tan services at shows!

The show begins tomorrow at 10:30 am. That's when the culmination of 64 weeks of intense training, 22 weeks of cardio, and 20 weeks a strict diet will pay off. He's ready to go, and I couldn't be more proud of him!

My Jerry

What's in My Supplement Cabinet?

2011-08-15T16:18:00.000-04:00

There are people on both sides of the supplement fence: people either think they're very beneficial or they think they're a waste of money. I used to sit directly in the middle of the fence because I didn't know very much about them.

J is very well-informed and knowledgeable about supplements, and has tried most of the free samples we get at shows. (Check out his supplement reviews!) When I started training with him, the first thing he did was to inform me that my favorite gummy vitamins did not, in fact, contain the necessary nutrients I needed, and furthermore, they contained enough sugar to keep my body out of fully shifting into ketosis. D'oh! After the switch to quality vitamins, he then had me try a few basic supplements.

Below is a list of the supplements I currently use, or have used within the past year. I switch some out periodically and substitute others. Some are rather similar with slight differences and flavors.

Supplements I use

Figure Fuel by MAN Sports: This is a pre- and intra-workout supplement. It's BY FAR the most effective workout supplement I've tried - it helps with focus, intensity, and fatigue without giving me any jitters. There are no stimulants in it, and it was designed BY women, FOR women. I discovered how effective it actually is when I ran out and tried a couple other formulas. I couldn't figure out why my workouts weren't as intense and I fatigued so quickly. When I went back to Figure Fuel, my workouts greatly improved. That's proof enough for me that it's a good quality supplement!

Vitamin D3: This is a great supplement for bone growth and health. I firmly believe all women should take this vitamin daily.

EVP by Evogen: Endorsed and used by several IFBB Pro bodybuilders, this pre-workout supplement helps with muscle growth and helps prevent fatigue. Although it's more expensive than other pre-workout supplements, it's high quality and actually works well.

HumaPro by ALR Industries: This is an amino acid blend designed specifically for humans. It promotes muscle growth. I've used this in my intra-workout drink to help maximize my workouts.

Biotin: This is a water-soluble b-complex vitamin that helps with nail and hair growth and strength. During prep, sometimes nutrients are missing from our restricted diets, so this vitamin is important to keep our nails and hair beautiful.

Xtend by Scivation: This supplement consists mostly of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's). It helps with training intensity and muscle growth and repair. I occasionally use this in my water bottle throughout the day, or in my intra-workout drink.

Micronized Glutamine: Glutamine is an amino acid that helps maintain muscle. This is a good supplement to add to your water bottle throughout the day or add to your pre- and intra-workout drinks. I believe every serious athlete should supplement with glutamine.

Multi-vitamin by Optimum Nutrition: Multi-vitamins are important for everyone, not just athletes.

Myofusion by Gaspari Nutrition: Not only does this protein taste good, it's good quality too! It's a complex protein formula that consists of whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, egg albumen (egg whites), and milk protein isolate. I either drink this mixed with some water, or I blend it into egg whites and make a protein pancake with it.

Pure Liquid Amino by All-American EFX: Also known as liquid beef aminos, this blend is a liquid that tastes like Hershey's Syrup. Srsly. It's good! Essentially, it helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles for increased stamina, faster recovery, and muscle growth. I mix a couple tablespoons with water and drink it immediately after any workout, including cardio sessions. I also periodically mix small amounts in my water bottle throughout the day.

So there's a sneak peak into my supplement cabinet! I do, however, use the term "cabinet" loosely. Since there are two of us competitors in the house, we have supplements stashed on top of the fridge, in a cupboard, and on free-standing shelves in the kitchen. If J had his way, we'd have all the cans and bottles lined up on the counters for easy access. But I informed him that since we're not in college anymore, we should try to have a somewhat "grown-up" looking kitchen. We ended up compromising.

Supplements on top of the fridge doesn't look very "grown up" but it certainly is convenient.

The Beginning of Summer

2011-08-10T16:05:00.000-04:00

Living in a two-competitor household has its benefits and its challenges. I've talked about how we make the trainer/boyfriend relationship work, and how it feels to watch J suffer through prep. Thankfully, due to our experiences last year and ultimate resolution of issues, this competitive season has been MUCH less stressful for both of us. (Whew!)

2010 Lehigh Valley Championships

It's still really difficult for me to watch J prep, though. He hurts. He's tired. He's sore. He's hungry. As his girlfriend, I want to make it all better for him, but that's not what he needs from me right now. I need to keep encouraging him to push past his limits and continue giving everything he's got and then give some more.

In exactly 10 days, he'll step on stage at the NPC Maryland State and East Coast Classic show!

If you're in the area, consider coming to watch the show and chat with us!

We're both excited for the show, and even more excited to have our competition season come to a close. Combined, we'll have dieted for exactly 26 weeks straight. That's a long time!! We've missed out on ballgames, boat trips, days at the beach/pool, sight-seeing tours, and good meals at restaurants.

We both made the decision to give our all for this period of time, and while we're disappointed we've missed out on some fun times, at the end of it, we'll both know that we gave our best.

Our summer will officially begin on August 21. It's about time!

Post-Contest Blues Be Gone!

2011-08-09T16:31:00.000-04:00

One of the most important part of prep is coming up with a post-contest plan. It's often over-looked, yet vitally important in order to avoid a bad rebound or the blues after a show.

As you may know, I also write guest blogs for FitnessRx. Last week, I wrote about dealing with the post-contest blues, which is a subject that has been gaining more and more attention the past couple years. When I first started competing, I had no idea what to expect during prep and no plan for post-contest. This grave error resulted in some severe metabolic damage that I just recently managed to remedy.

Last year was the first year I had an actual plan to follow off-season. Although I did gain some weight (which is inevitable when you're trying to build muscle), it came off very easily when I started prep for Team Universe. Not only is the post-contest diet and training plan beneficial for the weeks immediately following the contest, it also helps prepare you for shows the following year.

Do you have a post-contest plan? Has it helped you transition from prep into your off-season? If you didn't have a plan, did you get the blues or experience a frustrating rebound?

How NOT to Mess Up Your Tan

2011-08-04T16:57:00.000-04:00

For the first time, on my 10th show, I finally got my tan to remain perfect for the show. Not messing up a tan is quite an accomplishment and no small feat! Here's some helpful information to help you get the perfect tan for your show.

Skin Prep

Before getting tanned (regardless of the application method), you need to prep your skin. The week before the show, start using the exfoliating and pH balancing soap provided by your tanning product company. Jan Tana, ProTan, and Liquid Sunrays all have their own products, and for best results, I strongly recommend using the company's own products!

Jan Tana works best for me

A day or two before the show, start the hair removal process. YES, you need to remove ALL the hair from your entire body. This includes the peach fuzz on your arms, back, butt, shoulders, chest, and tummy - in addition to the areas you usually shave. No, it's not weird to ask your significant other to shave your back. Or your chest. Ha!

I recommend waxing for your underarms and a full Brazilian for your bikini line. I do NOT recommend using a depilatory cream (like Nair), for the simple reason that it BURNS YOUR SKIN. Many thanks to Katie for running to the drugstore to pick up some aloe lidocaine gel for the burns on my arms and back the night before a show.

Once you're all shaved and polished, it's time to apply the tan!

Airbrushing vs Painting

Painting the tan on yourself (usually with the assistance of someone else) requires a buff, latex gloves, a drop cloth, and lots of patience! The number of coats of tan depends on how pale or dark your skin is. If you're Casper pale like J, you'll need 3 to 5 coats. Each coat needs to be even and blended. The process gets really old really fast. Thank you to my good friends, Melanie and Katie, who have seen more of me than they'd ever wanted to see when they painted me for shows.

Airbrushing, on the other hand, goes on evenly, and the artist can apply the color thin or thick, depending on your skin color. The main drawback of getting airbrushed is that the whole process is FREEZING!! In order for the tan to dry, it needs to "freeze" on the skin, so anything that raises your body temperature will make the tan melt and streak. After getting sprayed, I stand directly in front of an air vent, crank the AC and literally shiver non-stop for 5 hours until the tan is completely dried on my skin.

What about water?

Once the tan is applied, you can NOT get ANY water on your skin! Water immediately removes the tan, leaving a mark. Wiping the water away will only make the streak bigger, so dab water very gently to prevent further streaks. Jan Tana lotion can be used to blend the tan around the water spot. Keep in mind that it won't be perfect by any means, but you can blend so the mark won't be seen on stage.

Before I learned that heat melt the tan and lotion can blend water marks, I had my friend Katie help me out. While she tried desperately to blend the tan using more paint, I aimed a blow dryer at the area trying to dry the new paint. Needless it say, it was a complete disaster, and Katie, I'm still indebted to you for your patience that whole trip!

Once the tan is on, I don't wash my face or my hands. It sounds kinda gross, but I don't want to take the chance of getting any water on me. I use facial wipes for my face and Wet Ones wipes for my hands. When brushing my teeth, I stand as far back from the sink as possible to avoid any water splashes, and I always make sure I've got a shirt on when near any water.

But how do you NOT pee on yourself?

This only applies to the ladies. Men, you wouldn't understand how difficult it is NOT to get any pee spatter on your legs. "Water spots" (which is the nice way of referring to drops of pee on your legs) are the fastest, easiest way to mess up an even, beautiful tan.

Here are a few methods that seem to work:

Put a couple toilet seat covers in the toilet to avoid any splashing.
Hold a Dixie cup against your body to avoid spatter.
Wrap towels around your legs before you sit down (note: your tan must be dry before trying this method).
"Hover" above the toilet seat; don't sit on it.

Take it from me - you do NOT want to have your significant other trot back down to the tanning room 10 minutes after you got sprayed and announce to everyone in the room that his girlfriend "peed all over herself," and then have to enter the room (in tears, natch) and have Ms. Jan Tana herself take you aside to fix the so-called "water spots" all over your legs. Get my point?

What should you wear after getting tanned?

Since the tan stains clothing, most competitors wear black clothes after they're tanned. I've seen quite a few track suits with team names on them. I prefer an oversize t-shirt because it touches the least amount of skin (and therefore decreases chances of streaking or smearing the tan). My trusty Geek Squad shirt has gone with me to many, many shows.

I substituted my Geek Squad shirt for my new Team Keenan shirt this year.

If you put clothes on before the tan is dry enough, the clothes will leave marks. You do not want to have to blend in elastic waist band marks around your waist (again, thank you, Katie!).

Sleeping with the tan on

I recommend bringing your own sheets, pillowcases, and towels to every show (if you don't have to travel, use old sheets on your own bed) because the tan WILL come off on fabric and the hotel WILL charge you for ruining their sheets and towels. I have a large flat sheet that I fold in half like a sleeping bag and put on top of the hotel sheets.

Keep in mind that just because you think the tan is dry doesn't mean that it actually is. Remember when I said it has to freeze on you? Well, even after it's dry, if you get warm, the tan will streak. That means, if you sleep with your arms bent, you'll have streaks in the crook of your arm. If your hands somehow end up on your stomach in the middle of the night, you'll have hand prints on your stomach in the morning. Hand prints aren't very easy to blend (thank you, Melanie!). Trust me on this one.

I've learned (from past experiences) to sleep on my back with my arms straight by my sides outside of the sheet. No streaks on my arms or hand prints on my stomach anymore!

If you've never competed or are preparing for your first show, all this information may seem overwhelming. Oddly enough, for all the time we spend in the gym preparing for the show, the week of the show, the tan is one of the most important things. Hopefully this is helpful for you to keep your tan perfect too!

If you have any additional tips or tanning horror stories you'd like to share, please do so! We can all learn from each other's experiences.

I'm Proud!

2011-07-31T15:51:00.000-04:00

My friends, Lisa and Tenecia, put up posts the other day about things they're proud of. I love this topic, since all too often, we're hard on ourselves or don't find ourselves appreciating everything we have. So here are some things I'm proud of!

I'm proud of my strong relationship with J. And our ability to diet for shows at the same time without killing each other!

Enjoying the NYC Skyline

I'm proud to belong to such a wonderful, caring family. I wish we could see each other more often.

My favorite people in the entire universe!

I'm proud of my sword!

2008 Contra Costa Overall. My dad made the sword holder!

I'm proud to be the auntie of two sweet little boys!

Me with Baby James and Jeffrey Jr.

I'm proud to write for FitnessRx online.

Article for FitnessRx

I'm proud of the decision I made two years ago to move from Montana to Maryland to be with J.

Roadtrippin with J & my 2 kitties

I'm proud to know that if I work hard enough, I can look like this.

Marc Thyssen Photography 2011

I'm proud to know that by sharing some of my stories and experiences, I can be a positive source of motivation for others to reach for and achieve their dreams.

What are you proud of? I'd love to hear from you!

Feeling Strong Again

2011-07-26T15:18:00.000-04:00

During the last few weeks of prep, it's inevitable that I lose a bit of strength. My body is depleted, tired, and slightly overtrained. The goal changes from building muscle to just trying to maintain it until the show.

Now that the show is over, I get to go back to training heavy again, which is exciting for me! I get bored with high reps and prefer training with heavier weights and lower reps.

Last week, I discovered a new machine in the gym! I'd never noticed it before, tucked between scary Mr. Leg Press and the Dip cage.

The horizontal leg press!

Horizontal Leg Press

I tested it out with no weight, then loaded it up for some sets of 10.

270 lbs!

Unlike regular Mr. Leg Press, this guy doesn't scare me at all! I don't feel like the whole platform is going to come crashing down on me any second, and if my knee gives out, I'm not worried about being crushed by hundreds of pounds. This machine may be my new best friend!

Do you have a machine like this at your gym? What do you think of it?

Treat Time!

2011-07-19T16:07:00.000-04:00

Contest prep is inherently strict: food, supplements, workouts, and cardio are all scheduled and timed. There's very little leeway or room for deviation, and while on the one hand it's nice to follow a schedule, on the other hand, it can feel restricting at times. That's why it's so much fun to look forward to treats and fun activities after the show!

Because I had a photoshoot the day after Team Universe, I didn't want to eat too many sweets or goodies after the show. That didn't stop me from collecting them to eat later, though!

My parents and I went to the famous Carlo's Bakery on Sunday morning. I was there last Fall, but this was the first visit for my parents.

Cake Boss!

Dad & Mom Keenan

We waited in line for an hour and a half, but it was worth it!

This is my Happy Face

All the treats we bought!

Can you believe I waited until after the photoshoot to eat this stuff?

After my photoshoot, we headed into NYC to see Times Square. It was so overwhelming and fabulous!

Being a typical tourist in NYC

J and me in Times Square

After I finished my Carlo's treats on Monday, I kept my diet mostly clean the rest of the week, as I've splurged in the past and it resulted in horrible misery for me.

On Saturday, my friend Debi and I took a trip to Georgetown Cupcake. We'd been planning it for awhile, so we were both really excited about it.

Georgetown Cupcake

I didn't eat all of these; I shared a couple

It's been fun to enjoy some treats and to have a bit more energy again. It feels so freeing to be able to put spices and seasoning back on my food again, and to train heavy without fatiguing quickly. But oddly enough, even though I can have gum and Crystal Light again, I've found myself not really craving either of them. Plus, I feel totally ok going back to eating clean again. I feel better when I eat clean and I actually still enjoy my diet foods (I'm STILL not sick of turkey!).

I'm about 5 lbs over my contest weight, and I feel good. I feel healthy and happy. I'm looking forward to a productive off-season!

So Now What?

2011-07-15T15:45:00.000-04:00

It's been a week since Team Universe ... I've had a lot of thoughts swirling through my head the past few days, so instead of writing them all out, I decided to make another video.

I had J join me to discuss our approach to the show - conditioning and presentation. I read a couple comments people made about my conditioning, presentation, and suit, so I wanted to address the reasoning behind the decisions we made, and our thoughts about how the show went.

I have to admit, I'm completely overwhelmed, flattered, and touched by all of the thoughtful, supportive comments I've received last week and this week. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support and belief in me. I was so worried I let you all down when I didn't do well at the show, but you've stood by me and reminded me that just because I didn't win a trophy doesn't mean I didn't win the journey.

I've made a lot of progress in the past few years. Here are the comparisons J and I talked about in the video: Jr Nationals 2009 and Team Universe 2011.

Front

Back

Model

It's time for another productive off-season, or should I saw Operation Grow?!

Winning

2011-07-13T00:14:00.001-04:00

Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.
~ Wilma Rudolph

As I've said before, I like to win. But sometimes, winning just isn't in the cards. That happened to me this past weekend at Team Universe.

A Year in the Making

I trained for this show for an entire YEAR. In early August of last year, I made the decision to stick with Figure and to compete at Team Universe. After that decision was made, my training style changed and I began to focus intensely on building up some lagging muscle groups. That was the start of Operation Pro!

Twenty weeks ago, I began Phase II of Operation Pro, and this weekend, we roadtripped up to New Jersey for Team Universe.

Last Callout

Although I felt comfortable and confident with how I looked, I wasn't what the judges were looking for. We filmed a short video after pre-judging, and I shared my thoughts about the show up to that point.

Champion Mindset

To be a champion you must act like one, act like a champion.
Lou Ferrigno

I've talked about choosing to be a champion during my workouts, but this weekend, I needed to apply it to a different situation. After getting last callout for the first time in my competition career, I was really disappointed. I have to admit, it was difficult keeping the smile on my face while all the other girls in my class were called out before me. I barely made it off-stage before the tears started to fall.

I know that disappointment can come quickly in such a subjective sport, but knowing that doesn't lessen the pain any. I'm still disappointed and just plain sad about the outcome of the show. I'm not upset or angry with anyone, and there's nothing I can do to change anything. I need to focus on my accomplishments and remember all that I've achieved.

Flex Wheeler, one of the most inspirational bodybuilders, talked about when he got second place to Ronnie Coleman at the 1999 Olympia. In this video at 6:26, he explained why he took the medals off his neck and held them up. He was saying to the crowd and to himself: "I feel like I look great. I feel like I won ... these [medals] are second, but I'm number one. Just because you put these around my neck doesn't make me second place. Just because they placed me in second don't make me a failure."

Flex also said, "What place [I get] doesn't signify me as a champion."

Just last year, Flex gave some priceless advice to Kevin Levrone's nephew when he didn't place as well as he'd hoped in a show.

It's a bit difficult to hear, but Flex told Antwaun, "You can't do nothing. You've got a lot of kids looking up to you; walk off like a champion."

Kevin Levrone then added, "A champion doesn't always end up in first place." He emphasized, "Never quit. Never give up. Never lose, no matter how long it takes. Stay strong and stay proud."

Taking the Advice of the Champions

I'm taking the advice of the champions, and I'm holding my head high. I'm proud of all that I accomplished this past year. I built some quality muscle, I stayed focused, and I stuck to my diet. I couldn't have done anything different, and J assured me that I did everything I possibly could do to bring my very best to the stage.

2011 Team Universe

This weekend was not filled with just disappointment; it was filled with pride and confidence as well. I'm picking myself back up and heading back into the gym to continue my journey.

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.
~ Babe Ruth

Thank you SO very much for all your support, encouragement, and belief in me. I appreciate all you more than you know, and am blessed to have you all in my life.

Road Trip to Team Universe!

2011-07-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

We hit the road for New Jersey this morning ... heading to the much-anticipated Team Universe show!

I just relaxed this afternoon, and visited with my parents. Tomorrow I'll relax too, and then I get tanned tomorrow evening. I'm all officially checked in to the show, and it was fun to get to see other competitors and meet up with friends!

Stay tuned for more updates!

Mountains Out of Mole Hills

2011-07-06T15:51:00.002-04:00

One of my mom's favorite sayings is "Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill." Meaning don't make little issues into huge problems! But I did exactly that this morning.

No More Caterpillar Brows!

Despite feeling prepared and confident last night, my mood shifted this morning at 8 am when I received a call from the salon. My beloved aesthetician is out sick today ... which means I need to see another aesthetician to fix up my unruly caterpillar brows and form them into works of art. This normally wouldn't be a big issue, as I'd just reschedule with her at a later date. But this time I can't. We're leaving for New Jersey tomorrow morning, so I need to see someone TODAY.

*Deep breath*

I don't give my trust easily when it comes to my brows, so I'm nervous about my appointment with someone else this afternoon. I plan to be very specific about my instructions. I may unintentionally scare the poor lady.

Getting Dark Enough

Then I got an email with my tanning appointment time on Friday. I was expecting two sessions, as that was the protocol in 2009, when I last worked with this company. I frantically read and re-read the email, hoping I somehow skipped over another appointment time. Nope. There it was: just one time. How is just one spray session going to get me dark enough??

*Deep breath*

I called the tanning company this afternoon, and the nice man reassured me that 2009 was "practically prehistoric" and their "precision and methods have greatly improved since then"! He also assured me that the team spraying at Team U is the same team that sprays at the Olympia, so I'm in good hands and I need to "just focus on your Figure body and let us handle the tan!"

Whew!

I recorded a video this morning, but was just able to post it now. Can you all SEE the stress written all over my face?! EEK!

Just Little Mole Hills

Would these things stress out any of you? Didn't think so. But since I'm only 3 days out from the biggest show I've ever done, it seems like mole hills rapidly turn into mountains.

The other night I broke down when I couldn't remember whether or not to put seasoning on a batch of turkey I was making. Luckily, J completely understood and took charge of the situation while I helplessly stood in front of the stove with tears streaming down my face.

Thank goodness for my strong support system! I appreciate every word of encouragement and support I receive. Just a few simple words can have such a positive impact, and can really help me re-focus and re-prioritize everything swirling around in my mind. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Only three more days! Stay tuned for some videos and updates this weekend!

Quarter Turn to the Right

2011-07-03T10:27:00.000-04:00

One of the unique things about living with your coach is having impromptu posing sessions at midnight.

The other night, while I was practicing my quarter turns before I went to bed, when J walked into the room. Usually when I'm practicing my posing, he gives me a cursory glance and goes about his business. But this time, he asked me to hit all my quarter and model turns, and adjusted a few things on some of the poses.

A half hour later, we'd made several changes to some poses, and I had some new things to practice.

Blinged out new shoes

I've gotten asked a few times how often I practice posing. The answer is ... it varies. In the weeks leading up to a show, I practice a couple times a week. The last few weeks prior to the show, I practice nearly every day. I practice the pose itself: arm and leg placement, and once I have the feel of it, I practice holding each one for a period of time. You never know how long you're going to be on stage, so it's beneficial to be comfortable holding the poses for several minutes.

This past week, I've been practicing a couple times a day ... or more accurately, pretty much every time I walk by a mirror. Hey, you can never have too much practice, right??

I know that all the time I spent practicing is going to pay off next Saturday when I'm on stage hitting every pose without even thinking about it!

Active Recovery Video on FitnessRX for Women!

2011-06-30T17:16:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, J & I went up to Bev Francis' Powerhouse Gym in New York, where I filmed a workout video for FitnessRx. I'm excited to announce that the video is now posted on the FitnessRx website!

Not only am I on the rotating slideshow, my other guest blogs are listed on the right-hand column too!

I'm thrilled that I had the opportunity to work with FitnessRx! I had a blast shooting the video, and feel fortunate to be associated with a great womens' fitness site!

I Accidentally Poisoned Myself Again

2011-06-29T14:18:00.000-04:00

Oops ... I did it again.

I accidentally poisoned myself again.

Not on purpose, mind you! But rather, accidentally ... with aspartame.

The first time we realized I was accidentally poisoning myself was last year, about two weeks before the Arnold. I began developing some stomach issues, and we narrowed the cause down to the artificial sweetener aspartame. When we pulled all the Crystal Lite and Diet Coke out of my diet, the issues ceased and my body tightened up.

After the show, I added the Crystal Lite back into my water bottle, cuz really, who wants plain water when it can taste like cherry limeade?! Not this girl!

Up until three weeks ago, I hadn't had any issues. And then suddenly, I did. We couldn't figure out why my body was depleted.

Then we realized I was poisoning myself again.

Crystal Lite in my desk drawer. EVIL yet so tasty!

It's been five days since I replaced Crystal Lite with flavored liquid Stevia in my water bottle, and surprise surprise! My body filled out and tightened up at the same time. *facepalm

All natural, liquid Stevia - the replacement for evil Crystal Lite

I'm back to feeling confident about prep, and on track to bringing my best to the stage in a week and a half!

Rollercoaster

2011-06-27T23:08:00.001-04:00

This past week has been a whirlwind of emotions. I've been up, down, and sideways. My emotions were swinging all over the board, mostly toward the negative end. While I recognized the negative attitude, I didn't know how to change it.

The Secret

During the past several weeks, J has been talking with me about a positive mindset, and the tremendous impact that positive thoughts can have on our lives. By thinking positive thoughts, we receive positive rewards. I compare it a bit to The Secret, which essentially asserts that you reap what you sow.

Positive thoughts = positive experiences, and conversely, negative thoughts = negative experiences.

So why, being only 3 weeks out from the most important show of my career, was I thinking negative thoughts and potentially jeopardizing my chances at achieving my dream?

This morning when I woke up, I looked outside at a rainy, dreary day. I didn't sleep well last night, and wasn't in the world's best mood when I stumbled out of bed. Since I'm not a morning person by nature, I decided to choose my attitude for the day.

Choosing My Attitude

Today I chose to be positive.

To be positive regardless of the weather, regardless of anything that happened at work, regardless of other people's moods. I was going to find the silver lining in every situation.

And it actually worked!

I ended up having a good day, despite some issues that may have previously caused my mood to slide into the negative zone.

I realized that last week's mood was a combination of factors that combined to form the perfect storm at a time during prep when emotions generally run high.

I've also chosen to face these next two weeks with a positive, confident attitude. Not to be confused with cocky and arrogant; simply confident. I know that I'm in extremely capable hands with J as my coach. I know that I'm bringing my best physique ever to the stage! I know that I've put in the hard training and diet and am proud of my accomplishments. I know that I have a strong support system both in person and online.

The next two weeks are going to be filled with only positive thoughts and a Champion Mindset. I can't wait to step on stage and shine!

Lather-Rinse-Repeat

2011-06-21T16:02:00.001-04:00

If you ask any competitor what their typical day is like, chances are they'll tell you the exact times they eat and hit the gym. Routine and consistency are key to the success of competitors. While some people may consider our lifestyle boring (doing the same thing day after day after day), I consider it a necessary element to achieving my goals and making my dreams come true.

My typical day looks very similar to every other day of the week.

Morning Cardio

I'm notorious at turning my alarm(s) off and falling back to sleep several times a week. Thankfully (?), our animals have loud morning routines of howling, scratching, and licking themselves, all of which prompt me to crawl out of bed and sleepily swat at them.

I stumble to the dreadmill while clutching a new bottle of Endorush, and catch up on Twitter or read my book. I used to complain about cardio a lot, but honestly, I really don't mind it. I use this time to wake up, to get my body warmed up and moving, and to talk myself into a positive mood.

Although morning is my favorite time of day, I'm not a morning person by nature. I usually don't wake up in a chipper mood; I have to consciously channel my thoughts in a positive direction every morning. I take time to notice and appreciate little things like birds singing, sunshine streaming through the trees, my kitties giving themselves baths in front of the treadmill, and the puppies sleeping with their tongues out. I firmly believe we are each in control of our thoughts, and we all have the power to choose how we want to approach each day. Every day, I choose to start the day on a positive note.

How Bruno does morning cardio

Work

I'm an eLearning Specialist, so I spend the majority of my day designing online training courses. I love the work I do. I'm always working on new projects, and I'm challenged often enough to avoid being bored. I have the luxury of being able to eat at my desk, so at various points during the day, co-workers find me hungrily digging into my Tupperware filled with turkey or brown rice.

Training and More Cardio

After work, J picks me up and we hit the gym. While I'm training, he's usually training clients. On the days he doesn't have clients, he trains me.

Relax and Get Ready for Tomorrow

When we get home from the gym, I eat and then get my meals and gym clothes ready for the next day. Since I'm usually running late in the mornings, having everything ready the night before eliminates a lot of additional stress.

I spend my evenings with J - talking, watching TV, or catching up online. We really appreciate the time we have together and just enjoy relaxing. Especially during prep, it's important to take some time to unwind and de-stress. Once prep is over and I have more energy, I'll be more active in the evenings, but for now, quiet evenings at home make me happy.

The beauty of my day is in the routine I follow. I know that the things I do day in and day out are setting me up for long-term success. And that's more exciting to me than anything else!

This blog entry is part of Fitness Blog World.

Operation Pro Week 17 Check-In

2011-06-19T13:10:00.000-04:00

As of yesterday, I'm exactly 3 weeks out from Team Universe! Where has the time gone?!

I filmed an update video and talked a bit about what happened as a result of last week's long road trip up to Bev Francis' Powerhouse Gym to shoot a workout video with FitnessRx magazine. We're trying to keep my weight within a couple pounds, and are making adjustments as needed.

Thanks for all your support so far ... only 3 weeks left!

Action Creates Opportunities

2011-06-15T12:09:00.000-04:00

Recently, I've come to accept that in order for things to happen, I need to get out and MAKE them happen. I can't sit around waiting for a sponsorship or an opportunity; I need to actively seek and take advantage of opportunities.

So I'm very excited to share that this new approach has led to some very exciting things for me!

This past Sunday, J and I drove up to Syosset, NY to Bev Francis' Powerhouse Gym - aka the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding - so I could film a workout video for Fitness Rx Magazine online.

My GPS prefers to provide the scenic route, so we ended up driving directly through downtown NYC on the way to the gym!

It was such a fun experience! I'm so thankful that recording my video blogs helped me feel more comfortable on camera.

Inside Powerhouse Gym - Just one of the walls of autographed photos

The video shoot led to another opportunity: submitting guest blogs on the website! I can't think of a better fit for me: it combines my love of writing with my love of fitness. How perfect!

Outside the East Coast Mecca

My first guest blog was posted yesterday! The workout video should be posted soon, and of course I'll post the link to it on here!

I'm so proud of myself for finally taking the initiative and following through with opportunities. In the past, I've been guilty of letting things slide and saying things like, "Yeah, I prolly SHOULD go after that opportunity," or "Well, I STARTED filling out the form ..."

No more of that! I'm going to take action, follow through, and finish things! Thank you to FitnessRx for offering these opportunities to me. I feel empowered and motivated, and am looking forward to even more exciting things to come!

Scary Mr. Leg Press

2011-06-08T21:18:00.000-04:00

There's a machine in the gym that scares me. He sits in the corner, lurking, sneering at me whenever I dare walk by. He taunts me and dares me to use him. We used to friends several years ago, but we've since grown apart, and now the distance between us is so great, I'm not sure we'll ever be as close. Because, quite frankly, I'm pretty sure he wants to hurt me. And not in an emotional way.

Meet Mr. Leg Press!

Scary, right?!

Why am I scared of the leg press?

I've got tendonitis in both of my knees from cheerleading in high school (yes, cheerleading IS a sport!), and my knees occasionally give out on me. I'm utterly terrified that my one of my knees is just going to randomly give out in the middle of a press, and the whole machine will come crashing down on me.

Is this fear reasonable or rational?

Meh, not really. There are safety catches that would stop it from crushing me. But the fear remains.

Despite all of the uncomfortable exercises I've had to do this year, I've been able to avoid the leg press for the most part. Until this past Monday.

Facing my fears

I approached the Mr. Leg Press with dread. He looked scarier than usual, so I gave myself the "I am a Champion" pep talk and started with a really light weight.

To my surprise, my knees didn't hurt at all, and I felt comfortable doubling the weight! By the time I was finished with all my sets, I wasn't so scared anymore. I'd made it through with no knee pain, and know that I can use even heavier weight next time. There's something to be said about that champion mindset.

While I still don't consider Mr. Leg Press my friend, at least I'm not as terrified of him anymore. And that's a start to rebuilding a friendship, right?

Boring? Or A Key to Success?

2011-06-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

Through the past few years, I've gotten quite a few questions and comments about my diet. I've gotten adept at answering the questions politely and briefly, because really, most people don't really want to know the intricacies of my diet; they're just wondering why I won't join them for Happy Hour.

The most recent question I got was, "Same food for lunch today? Doesn't that seem boring to you?"

My reply was, "No, not really. It's just my lifestyle now; I don't really know any other way."

For the most part, that's true. NOT bringing my food to work would feel very strange to me. Going out to eat with co-workers every day would feel odd. Travelling without my cooler feels abnormal.

I love the lifestyle I chose, even though it's not always easy, and it's not always fun. Sure, I'd love to go out for pizza every day ... but then my tummy would be all upset and I'd have to buy a whole new (larger sized) wardrobe. So I choose to eat healthier foods and to look and feel better.

Like I've said before, I'm actually quite lazy and would rather eat the same foods every day than waste time making different kinds of food. But every once in awhile, it's nice to have something different.

Fresh shrimp, crab meat, and vegetables. YUM!

I guess most people would call my diet boring. But I just look at it as something that will bring me one step closer to achieving my goal.

Do you like some variety in your diet, or is it "boring" like mine?

Uncharted Territory

2011-06-01T14:40:00.000-04:00

“The only thing constant in life is change.”

~ François de la Rochefoucauld

I debated writing this blog, but then decided that since I am a writer at heart, I need to express my feelings in writing sometimes in order to see things clearly.

I've been wrestling with some thoughts the past few days ... and some odd feelings I have about those thoughts.

Feeling good is bad?!

In my last update, I briefly mentioned some changes to my diet and training program. In essence, those changes have actually made my prep easier instead of harder. And that scares me! I've never had an "easy" prep before; I've always scrambled at the last minute to get lean enough or tight enough to look halfway decent on stage. Some years I've pulled it off, some years I haven't.

I'm used to feeling tired, drained, exhausted, crabby, hungry, and utterly depleted during prep. I'm used to doing up to 2 hours of cardio a day on a reduced calorie diet. I'm used to taking copious amounts of caffeine just to get through the day. I'm used to sitting in my car outside the gym, crying while trying to muster up the energy to just step through the gym doors.

This year, I'm experiencing NONE of those things! Granted, my energy levels are reduced compared to off-season, but they're nowhere near as low as they've been in the past.

To sum up ... I feel good most of the time, I'm not doing a ton of cardio, I'm not taking a ton of caffeine, and I have energy during my workouts.

So what in the world is the problem?!

The problem is, prep seems TOO good this year. And thanks to my ever-present Catholic guilt ...

I feel guilty for not feeling like crap. (I know - it doesn't make any sense.)
I feel guilty that other competitors are feeling like crap right now and I'm not.
I'm worried that I'll become complacent with my training and diet and somehow go backward instead of forward.
I'm freaked out because this prep is completely uncharted territory for me.

Let me be the first in line to slap me upside the head and shout, "Suck it up, Princess!"

I feel silly and stupid for even having these thoughts. And I feel even stupider for actually publicly admitting them and writing about them. But like I said, I'm a writer, and this is what I do.

I need to remember something that I've told a lot of people: every prep is different. This prep is so completely different than any of my other preps in the past six years! I need to relax and just enjoy the experience.

J's reminder to me last night was the most helpful: I've been prepping for Team Universe for a year. A WHOLE YEAR.

My diet and training have all been geared toward shaping my body and muscles into a Pro card-worthy physique. I've eaten ground turkey every. single. day since last February. I've changed my whole training program to focus solely on areas that needed the most improvement. I'm doing exercises I despise. I'm doing rep schemes that leave me wheezing and gasping for breath after each set. I did cardio every. single. day in my off-season.

My whole life this past year has been focused on this one show.

So just because I don't feel like complete crap, I'm not starving all the time, and I'm not living at the gym doesn't mean that I haven't worked hard to get to this point. I need to appreciate all that I've accomplished this past year and focus on just doing what I need to do. I have complete confidence in J and know that he'll bring me in to the show in my best shape yet!

Operation Pro Week 14 Check-In

2011-05-30T12:10:00.000-04:00

I know I saw this a lot, but time is really flying for me this prep! I only have 6 more weeks until I hit the stage at Team Universe in July. I feel like if I blink, those 6 weeks will be past too.

In the video below, I talk about what happens when you unexpectedly add more activity into a couple days while in prep. I went home to visit my family, and spent more time running around visiting people and setting up for parties than I did resting. We all got very little sleep, and were on the go most of the time. I didn't veer from my diet AT ALL - at only 7 weeks out, there's no room for error. So what happened last weekend? Watch the video and find out!

Thanks for following my journey and stay tuned for more updates!

And in case you're interested in seeing the world's cutest nephews ... here they are! I gave them lots of snuggles while I was home!

James and Jeffrey

A Birthday Celebration, Figure Competitor Style

2011-05-24T15:57:00.001-04:00

Some of you may know that my birthday was last week. Normally, I equate my birthday with the importance of a National holiday. However, I'm in prep this year, so I couldn't have my traditional birthday celebration (which normally includes doing something special and eating ice cream cake!).

Throughout the day, quite a few people asked me how I was going to "celebrate" my birthday. Since I needed to stick to my diet and training programs, any special outing or food was completely out of the question.

So how does a Figure competitor properly celebrate her birthday?

She insists that her boyfriend use actual wrapping paper to wrap her gift (newspaper or plastic store bags are NOT acceptable).

Ed helped.

She opens her presents!

A cake pop maker! Can you say Best. Present. Ever?!

She does morning cardio.

Mr. Dreadmill

She packs her cooler and goes to work.

The famous pink cooler

She goes to the gym and has a GREAT back workout!

Growing wings!

She hops on the bike ...

Getting older ...

And does her post-workout cardio.

Multi-tasking

She goes home and enjoys some delicious sweet potato pancakes!

Sweet potato pancakes - my favorite meal!

And that, my friends, is how a Figure competitor celebrates her birthday: doing the same things day in and day out that will get her one step closer to her goal.

In about 6.5 weeks, I'm going to step on stage, knowing that the choices I made these past few months have brought me closer and closer to my goal. My ultimate birthday celebration is going to be holding that Pro card high and knowing I worked hard to earn it!

Unexpected Support

2011-05-17T14:46:00.004-04:00

Earlier today, I posted a tweet about lacking motivation. I was referring to work, but apparently, no one else thought so. I received an outpouring of supportive and encouraging tweets ... all related to Operation Pro!

This is missing the #officelife tag!

Note to self: Add "#officelife" to all work-related tweets.

At first, I was confused by how people could think I lost some motivation for prep, because I'm more motivated than ever to compete! Admittedly, I have occasional doubts, but my motivation level has never been higher.

Then I made the startling realization that people associate me ONLY with fitness. What most people may not realize (or care) is that I have a desk job and actually spend the majority of my life at work ... not at the gym. Some days I don't even go to the gym! (Thanks to the treadmill in the guest room at home.)

Instead of getting upset or annoyed (which has been happening a lot lately - hey, I've been dieting for over 12 weeks! It's gonna happen.) at the misinterpretation, I decided to just thank people and let them know I appreciate their support. Because really, it was very thoughtful of people to send me support and encouragement! I'm touched that people took the time to send me a note when they thought I was losing motivation toward achieving my goal. It's so nice to know that there's a wonderful group of people - who I've never even met in person - cheering me on.

Thank you to everyone who sent me a note of encouragement this morning! I have since found the motivation to finish the Flash interaction I was working on. :) And you can bet I'll have a great workout in the gym later today!

Operation Pro Week 12 Check-In

2011-05-15T12:30:00.000-04:00

When I first began prep 12 weeks ago, 20 weeks seemed like a really really really long time! Now that I only have 8 weeks to go until Team Universe, it seems like time has flown!

I made a short update video and talked about how my prep is going: diet, training, sleep, mood, and energy levels.

I really appreciate all your support and encouragement! Stay tuned for more updates ... only 8 weeks left of my Operation Pro journey!

Believe in Yourself!

2011-05-11T15:33:00.000-04:00

Seven years ago, I made the decision to take a giant leap outside of my comfort zone, and entered a Figure competition. A lifelong athlete, the gym was nothing new to me. The degree of commitment, dedication, diet, and training WAS new to me, though! I approached it like I approach most things: I gave 100%. People at the gym thought I was slightly crazy, but I received a lot of encouragement and support.

My family, on the other hand, was slightly concerned about their baby girl. The competitive bodybuilding world was foreign to them, and when my mom asked me, "Why do you want to look like a man?!", I struggled to explain to her that I'd just look like a leaner, more muscular version of myself. My parents remained skeptical and concerned.

My first prep was difficult, to put it mildly. I did my own training and prep, and second-guessed myself throughout the entire 15 weeks. I starved myself, overtrained myself, and essentially wrecked my metabolism in the process. I had no energy, I looked gaunt, and I became extremely crabby and snippy with those close to me. Most days, it took all my energy and willpower just to drag myself out of bed.

When my mom saw photos of me during that time, she became very concerned and often told me that I looked "sick." My co-workers also expressed concern and told me I looked "skinny." People at the gym started to ask me if I was ok when I looked like I might fall of the treadmill.

Instead of relying on my belief in myself, I let the comments and concerns penetrate my outer shell, and I began to doubt myself even more.

Was I healthy?
Would I have any health repercussions after the show?
Was all the mental and physical anguish worth it?
Should I quit?
Was I just wasting my time?

While the comments and concerns weren't meant to discourage me (after all, they were made because people care about me), that's exactly what happened. My self-doubt increased exponentially.

I could've let my self-doubt get the best of me.
I could've given in to my severe cravings and shovelled copious amounts of cookies into my mouth.
I could've pulled out of the show for no reason.

But I continued to force myself NOT to give in and give up. I gave myself many positive self-talks:

"Other girls can do this and so can I."
"I CAN push through this workouts and finish the long cardio session."
"One bite of a Snickers bar could stand between me and first place."
"Yes, I CAN get out of bed."
"I BELIEVE that I can do this!"

Those self-talks kept me going the last few weeks, even though I still battled the perpetual self-doubt.

And when I stepped on stage after 15 weeks of pure hell, the first thing that popped into my head was, "I LOVE this!"

2006 Emerald Cup, tied for 4th place!

I realize now that my approach to prep was more damaging to my body than it should've been, and I understand why others were concerned about me. I now have a much healthier approach. My family understands how I need to feel and look in order to win, and my mom has even started armchair judging at my shows!

What I learned from this experience is how valuable positive self-talk can be. Sometimes our own worst enemy is not another person; it's ourselves! If there's something you WANT to do, the most important thing is to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

Believe that you CAN do it.

Believe that you WILL do it.

We all make choices every day. So what kind of mindset will you choose? Will you choose to doubt yourself and to give up? Or will you chose the mindset of a champion and believe in yourself? I encourage you to chose the latter and BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Check out how other bloggers stay motivated and overcome obstacles at Fitness Blog World.

2011 Pittsburgh Recap

2011-05-09T14:05:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, J and I headed up to what's becoming our annual trip to the Pittsburgh bodybuilding show. As I've mentioned before, J and I first met at the show two years ago, so the show holds special significance for us. We also have friends who live in Pittsburgh, and it was fun to get to see them again too.

After minimal sleep on Friday evening (3 hours for me and 10 minutes for J), I got up at 3:30 am on Saturday morning to do cardio before we hit the road at 5:30 am. Operation Pro doesn't allow for missing any cardio sessions. We made the trip in 3.5 hours and headed straight to Soldiers and Sailors for pre-judging. We'd missed a couple bodybuilding classes, but managed to catch our friend, Mario Tarquinio, on stage in the Middleweight class.

As always, the quality of the show was great! And there was a very high number of bodybuilders - some classes had up to 21 competitors! I've never seen a non-National level show with classes that large before. Also as always, the lighting of the show left much to be desired. Competitors were actually much more conditioned than they appeared on stage, where they looked smoothed out.

Like last year, I paid special attention to the Pro Figure portion of the show. J and I discussed conditioning, symmetry, suit design, and posing. We've decided to work on my posing and may be making a few minor changes to my stage presentation. Cheryl Brown brought her signature look, and took home top honors. Her conditioning was even overall, and had a fine balance between hard and soft.

Pro Figure Winner - Cheryl Brown

Bringing a harder conditioning was Heather Dees, who nabbed second. Kristin Nagrani edged out Gennifer Strobo this week for the 3rd place spot. Last weekend at the Europa Orlando, Strobo finished ahead of Nagrani. Candice John repeated her Europa 5th place finish, and Alea Suarez made her Bikini-to-Figure debut with a 6th place finish.

Pro Figure Lineup

Pro Bikini brought a different lineup than last year, and a couple of the placings baffled us. All of the ladies brought their best, and J and I agreed that the judges had a tough job. Perpetual bridesmail finisher Jaime Baird finally snagged a 1st place win with great stage presence and a slightly leaner physique than in the past.

Pro Bikini Winner - Jaime Baird

I noticed a couple things about the Bikini lineup. I have to admit that I've seen Jessica Jessie in better condition than she was at this show. She brought her trademark spunk to the stage, but wasn't as tight as she's been in the past. I would've liked to have seen Justine Munro place higher. She's got a smooth stage presentation, and brought an overall conditioned look to the stage.

The amateur Figure division seemed to favor a slightly harder conditioning again this year, which is rather disappointing to me. Don't get me wrong - the winners looks amazing! But (unlike many Figure girls), I'd been hoping that Figure conditioning will get a bit softer this year, with the introduction of the Women's Physique division. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of Jr. USA's in two weeks, which is the inaugural show for WPD.

Figure Overall Champion - Kristina Curci

I predict that the overall winner, Kristina Curci, will win her Pro card this year. She swept both the Masters and Open classes with overall victories in both.

Another new division, Men's Physique, was also rather interesting to watch. Men's Physique is similar to the Male Fitness Model division in other federations. The men aren't as big or as conditioned as the bodybuilders, and they wear board shorts on stage. Abs and calves are a must for this division!

Men's Physique

Not only was the show fun to watch, we also met up with several of our friends. A couple of ladies from the DC area were competing, so we chatted with them before they took the stage. Shanan Maynard, Christina Makosy, and Stephanie Kelley all looked beautiful on stage! I have to admit, I was so flattered when Stephanie recognized me from my blog! It was so wonderful to meet you, girl!

Stephanie and me

We hung out with our friend, Kevin Levrone, who even took J backstage to chat with some of the Pro bodybuilders who were there to guest pose.

After the show, we headed over to the host hotel with Kevin, where many of the competitors and media were mingling.

J and me at the host hotel after the show

Before we headed back to Maryland on Sunday morning, J taped some interviews with Kevin for his documentary we've been filming. Here's a sneak peak of one of the interviews, which J posted on his site: BioS3 Training.

Overall, it was a great weekend for both of us! We got to watch a great show, get re-motivated for prep, visit with friends, and make some contacts. I'm going back over the notes I took while watching Pro Figure, and am ready to rock the stage at Team Universe in 9 weeks!

Stepping Into the Limelight

2011-05-03T13:30:00.001-04:00

Last week at work, my managers requested that I facilitate a discussion during our bi-weekly department meeting. I was excited about the opportunity to do a trainer-type activity, and also a bit nervous. My official title fluctuates among "eLearning Specialist," Instructional Designer," and "Trainer." I've had ample opportunities to flex my elearning and instructional design muscles, but very few opportunities to actually lead any discussions or in-person training sessions. While I love all aspects of my job, I realized that I really do miss being a trainer. I also realized that if something as simple as leading a discussion of my peers could make me nervous, I've been living in my comfort zone for too long.

Comfort zones are exactly that: the place where we feel comfortable, where everything is familiar and safe. The problem with comfort zones is that they don't foster growth and development. And without growth and development, how can we improve ourselves?

I started thinking about how comfortable I've made my life. I very rarely get nervous or anxious about anything! While that seems wonderful on the surface, I have to ask myself, "Am I really growing as a person?"

When I was younger, I used to get nervous about piano recitals, sleepovers at friends' houses, babysitting, cheerleading competitions, and a plethora of other activities. It's not that those things wouldn't make me nervous now (because they totally would!), but I don't put myself in situations very often anymore that would make me nervous. I feel like it's a bit of a shame, because after all of those activities, I'd be exhilarated and proud of myself for performing well or for handling uncomfortable situations.

Because I'm not continually putting myself in nerve-wracking situations right now, does it mean I've become complacent? I gave this question some thought, and then realized that there are more ways to grow than to just throw yourself into scary situations (although this has been my inclination in the past). Stepping outside your comfort zone can be something as small as doing new exercises in the gym or trying to actually match your gym clothes for the first time ever.

Or stepping outside your comfort zone can be something as big as going after your Pro card. Deciding to do Team Universe was scary. Announcing that I was doing the show was even scarier! I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to do well, and am focusing all my energy on doing what I need to do in order to bring my best physique possible to the stage in 10 weeks.

So while I'm not constantly putting myself into nerve-wracking situations, I AM preparing for my most nerve-wracking experience ever, when I step outside my comfort zone ... and into the limelight on stage.

What things are you doing to step outside YOUR comfort zone?

Operation Pro: Back Day with Kari

2011-04-27T10:59:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I dread training my back. In fact, 3 of the 5 exercises I love to hate are back-focused exercises. The exercises are uncomfortable, awkward, and difficult for me (which is why I avoided them in the past).

In an attempt to motivate myself to continue training hard even when I don't feel like it, I decided to make a video of my back workout last week. The video follows me through one rotation of my workout; I did 3 total circuit rotations.

I gotta admit, after watching this vid, I'm even more motivated and excited about prep for Team Universe. I can't wait for all my hard work to pay off!

Date Night at Whole Foods

2011-04-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had a Date Night at the grocery store? What, is that weird or something? Last Friday evening, J & I didn't have to work at the gym, so we decided to go check out the new Whole Foods store in the neighborhood. I'd been in there briefly the previous week looking for sugar-free cough drops (which they don't carry), and thought it'd be fun to see if their huge buffet had any competition diet-friendly food.

We headed straight for the buffet section when we got there and started reading the ingredient lists for each item. Did you know they put canola oil in almost ALL of their food?? That ingredient alone effectively elimiated about 95% of the choices for us. Apart from the salad bar, we discovered ONE other food item we could eat: turkey mixed with peppers. Yep, that was the ONLY thing we could have out of the 5 huge buffet tables. Really??

The buffet looked something like this.

We were very surprised, as we thought Whole Foods was supposed to have healthy food choices. And last time I checked, my diet is extremely healthy! Yet there was only one item I could eat. What gives??

Apparently, their definition of "whole food" includes canola oil. They also didn't have boneless, skinless chicken, or turkey that wasn't baked in oil. Srsly?!

Disappointed, we both filled our plates with an epic salad and some cold brown rice to tide us over until we got home.

Notice the epic salad. Turkey mixture on left & brown rice on right. The only items we could eat in the whole buffet.

After we ate, we wandered around the store and checked out the make-your-own-nut-butters section (which I'm totally going to take advantage of after my show!), the bulk section (which I may take advantage of in the near future if the prices end up being cheaper than Safeway), the ice cream section (they DO carry Artic Zero ice cream, but it was out of stock - I will also take advantage of this after my show), and the flavoring aisle (where I bought some vanilla flavored Stevia liquid drops - YUM, btw).

We noticed a lot of gluten-free products, but no sugar-free products. Apparently, sugar is healthy?? We also noticed lots of interesting food such as "spinach nuggets" and "tofu fries." And people think MY diet is weird! Ha!

Fifteen minutes and 6 elevator rides after we left the store, we located our car. Note to self: Look at which parking garage level you park on next time.

All in all, we had a fun Date Night. I love the Stevia drops I bought, and I'm very excited to take advantage of not only the DIY nut butters, but also the scrumptious bakery section (cuz muffins, cookies, and scones are healthy??) after my show.

So if you like gluten-free things, DIY nut butters, canola oil in all your foods, and huge scones, check out this Whole Foods!

Max Muscle Virginia Show Re-Cap

2011-04-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, J and I went to watch the inaugural Max Muscle Virginia show. We were up early, as we both need to get our morning cardio and a meal in before we hit the road. At the show, we saw several of our fitness world friends and chatted with them. I also met a couple of my online buddies in person for the first time!

Online buddies Adriana and Debi

One of my favorite things about going to watch a show is how no one thinks it's weird to bring their cooler and a jug of water into the show, and then proceed to whip out Tupperware filled with cold food, silverware, and Crystal Lite at regular intervals. One of my competitor friends actually asked me if I wanted to smell some cookies her friend had brought for a competitor. Of course I wanted to smell the cookies - and so did she! How cool is that?!

For this being the first year for this show, the quality of competitors was good!

We'd only planned on going to pre-judging, so we headed home after the show. But after a couple more meals and another cardio session for me, we decided to head back to watch the evening show. We'd been looking forward to chatting with Peter and Jess Putnam, who were guest posing at the evening show, but we hadn't seen them at pre-judging. Plus, it's not like we had any other scintillating plans on a Saturday night. Ha!

Despite audio-music issues, the evening show was well-run. We were happy we got to meet up with the Putnams, and I also met another online friend in person!

Me with Jess Paxson-Putnam

Melissa and me - online buddies!

One of my online friends, Shawn Hektor, won her Bikini class, and J's former roommate, Mario Tarquinio, took 2nd in his stacked class. It was exciting watching our friends win medals!

Shawn is 2nd from the left

I feel so fortunate to have such a wide and varied group of in-person and online friends who share my love of competing and the fitness world, and it's always a fun time when we all get to meet up and cheer for our friends on stage.

I'm even more excited and motivated to step on stage in July! There's something about the smell of Jan Tana that gets me psyched to strut my stuff on stage!

I Want to Win

2011-04-22T21:41:00.001-04:00

One of my friends asked me the other day how I find the motivation to train hard on the days when I either don't feel well, or just plain old don't feel like training. I told her what motivates me is the desire to WIN.

"Winning" can mean any number of things - it can mean anything from losing a couple pounds to winning a trophy to just having the confidence to stand on stage. Or it could mean feeling good about wearing a swim suit, or eating clean for a week, or running a mile without stopping. "Winning" means something different for everyone.

For me, the need to win is my ultimate motivation. And at this time, winning means doing everything I can in order to look my absolute best on stage.

What motivates you to train hard? Is it running a race you signed up for? Is it fitting into a size smaller clothes? Is it competing in your first competition or your twentieth? What does "winning" mean for you?

Check out what motivates some of the other Fitness Blog World ladies:

Alli: http://wholesomefitness.wordpress.com/
Ashley: http://bluebikini6257.livejournal.com/
Jen: http://jenklimek.wordpress.com/
Dawn: http://www.bareitallfitness.com/
Donloree: http://www.bikiniorbust.com/
Colleen: http://www.thefitbee.com/
Liz: http://4amaven.wordpress.com/
Tiffany: http://passlakeprincess.wordpress.com/
Kendra: http://grindhardlivefit.wordpress.com/
Lisa: http://www.healthiestlife4me.com/
Tammy: http://tammysmirror.com/

The Sign on my Forehead

2011-04-19T15:25:00.002-04:00

Due to some unplanned and rather expensive purchases as of late, I've come to the realization that I must have a huge sign on my forehead that exclaims to all salespeople: "It doesn't take much to talk me into buying your expensive and completely unnecessary product!"

Last weekend while I was at the mall, I stumbled upon a Style show, which included opportunities to meet with a stylist and get a free makeover. Never one to pass up free stuff, I signed up for both. The stylist thing was fun, but other than "nude shoes make your legs look longer," I didn't get much out of it. The makeover, however, was much more helpful.

In preparation for my show (and because I think I look better with a tan), I've been going tanning. In an attempt to (finally) take care of the skin on my face, I cover my face while tanning. Which has now created a ghost-like effect against the tan of the rest of my body. So I've been looking for a light foundation/powder for my face that will match my tanned skin. The nice man who did my makeover suggested a couple products, and when he was finished giving me a whole new look (note to self: never attempt to wear coral eye color again), my face color matched the rest of me!

This past weekend, I decided to buy a couple of the products he used on my makeover. When I walked into Nordstrom, I was surprised to see a DJ pumping out Britney remixes next to a flurry of activity around the cosmetics area. Nordstrom was putting on their own free makeover extravaganza!

As I searched in vain for the Esteé Lauder counter (which I never managed to locate), I was accosted by a makeup artist at the Dior counter. I let her lecture me on the proper toning and moisturizing practices for my face, and then suffered through her soliloquy about how important it is for me to use eye cream "at my age" in order to "stop the lines from turning into wrinkles." (I do believe she suggested that I'm getting old.)

According to the label, this will make me more "radiant" and diminish my "imperfections."

When she was finished making me beautiful, I looked in the mirror and almost didn't recognize myself! My skin tone was even, the "lines that will turn into wrinkles" were gone, and my eyes looked luminously blue. I had no idea what an impact a good makeup application could have!

I was all set to buy most of the products ... until the nice lady told me the cost of each item. That eye cream that I so desperately "need"? $195. Yeah, srsly. The toner that cleanses and rids my face of all forms of ickiness? $90. I bout fell off my chair!

I did succumb to buying the spray foundation, because clearly, it worked well! I also got a liquid concealer that successfully concealed my laugh lines. I did, however, manage to resist all her pleas that I purchase the eye cream and other facial cleansers. I ended up spending twice what I'd expected to spend that day.

Fancy spray foundation

I had some fun playing with all my new makeup toys yesterday, and actually did a halfway decent job of applying it. I always do my own makeup for stage and photoshoots, and it turns out ok; however, I've never done a very good job of applying makeup for everyday looks. Although I wasn't planning on spending so much money, I'm thrilled with my purchases and am happy my face color finally matches the rest of me!

Am I the only one who's easily talked into buying things I don't need or spending more money than I'd planned to spend? Or have you made some unplanned impulse purchases too?

A Little TLC Goes a Long Way

2011-04-14T11:42:00.000-04:00

In the past 5 years that I've competed, I can't remember one time when I got sick during prep. It was usually after the show that my body said "enough is enough" and succumbed to germs. This year, however, I somehow managed to get some sort of nasty bug that's had me feeling sick for most of this week. My throat feels like a litter of kittens slid down it with their claws out, I ran a fever of 101.7, I have uncontrollable coughing fits, and my voice sounds like I've been screaming at a 3-day rock concert. So how is this affecting my prep?

Luckily, since I'm ahead of schedule, I've been able to let my body get some of the rest it needs. I took a compete "off day" on Tuesday - no cardio or training - for the first time in a year. I have to admit, it felt really weird NOT to do morning cardio! And it felt really weird to be able to curl up on the couch on Tuesday evening after work and watch Secretariat. I kept thinking I needed to jump on the treadmill and get my evening cardio in!

My body thanked me for the day off, though, because when I woke up on Wednesday morning, the fever was gone and I had a bit of energy. I've been drinking a lot of green tea, sucking on sugar-free cough drops, and going to bed early.

It's always important to take care of your body, but it's even more important to take care of it during prep, when you're putting your body through more stress with intense training and a strict diet. I still don't feel well, and I'm heading back to the doctor's office this afternoon, but I'm hoping that the extra TLC I'm giving my body has made this bug a little less intense than it could've been.

Thanks for all the well-wishes I've gotten this week. Hopefully I'll be back to feeling 100% soon!

Yam and Brown Rice Pancakes!

2011-04-10T21:46:00.001-04:00

With the introduction of carbs into my diet last week, I've been able to flex my creative cooking muscles a bit. Compared to several of my friends, I'm a complete amateur in the kitchen, so I need to add the following disclaimer before I publish any recipes:

This recipe is used in a contest prep diet and may not actually taste as good as I think it does. People who try this recipe while not in prep may not be as thrilled with the flavor and results as I am.

Ok, now that we got that out of the way ... I want to tell you about my latest concoction: Yam Pancakes and Brown Rice Pancakes.

For weeks, I've been lusting after J's oatmeal pancakes, even going so far as to stick my nose 1 mm away from the pancake and inhale deeply, as if by smelling the food, I could actually taste it. Now I don't have to live vicariously through my nose anymore! I realized that I could actually make pancakes out of my new carb meals!

Y.U.M.

Yam Pancakes

Ingredients:

Yams
Egg whites
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of Splenda or other artificial sweetener
Pinch of pumpkin spice
Splash of vanilla
Splash of sugar-free syrup

Method:

Bake yams (I bake them in the microwave, then wrap them in tin foil for a half hour before portioning them). Combine yams, egg whites, cinnamon, Splenda, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and syrup in blender (or the Magic Bullet blender, which is fabulous!). Blend and then pour into pre-heated pan on the stove. Flip when one side is cooked. Top with butter flavoring, cinnamon, and sugar-free syrup.

Notes: I didn't put amounts for the yams or egg whites because that depends on your diet. I use 4 oz of yams and 6 egg whites, which combines quite well and makes 2 pancakes. The consistency is not quite as firm as a traditional pancake, but it still tastes great! You could also add in almond milk, greek yogurt, or protein powder, depending on your diet.

Brown Rice Pancakes

Ingredients

Ingredients:

Brown rice
Egg whites
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of Splenda or other artificial sweetener
Splash of vanilla
Splash of sugar-free syrup

Method:

Cook brown rice. Combine rice, egg whites, cinnamon, Splenda, vanilla, and syrup in blender (or the Magic Bullet blender, which is fabulous!). Blend and then pour into pre-heated pan on the stove. Flip when one side is cooked. Top with butter flavoring and sugar-free syrup.

Notes: I didn't put amounts for the rice or egg whites because that depends on your diet. I use 1/2 cup of rice and 6 egg whites, which makes 1 pancake. The rice doesn't blend evenly, so it may come out of the blender in a clump. Just spread it evenly through the mix in the pan. The consistency of this pancake is closer to a traditional pancake or omelet. You could also add in almond milk, greek yogurt, or protein powder, depending on your diet.

Rice Pancake

I'm so excited to have these options in my diet. They taste so good to me that I don't even crave any treat meals! Let me know if you try these and what you think of them. Like I said in the disclaimer, they could totally not taste anywhere near as good as I think they do. But for me, they're heavenly!

5 Exercises I Love to Hate

2011-04-08T22:40:00.004-04:00

As I've mentioned before, my training style has changed a lot this past year. I'm now doing different exercises that I'd avoided in the past simply because they were either uncomfortable or there were other exercises I preferred to do instead.

In order to win my Pro card, however, I need to have a balanced, symmetrical physique. And that means I have a love/hate with a couple exercises in particular.

Pullups top my list of exercises I love to hate. I genuinely dread doing pullups, but at the same time, I LOVE how they make my back look! For the first time in my life, I actually have wings (lats)!

I finally grew wings!

We all whine about lunges, but I can't think of any successful Figure competitor who DOESN'T do them. They're pretty much a necessary evil in order to get a nice glute/hamstring tie-in.
I really despise dumbbell rows. I don't really have a good reason for despising them other than the fact that the row is an awkward, uncomfortable movement for me (which is why I avoided them for years). They do wonders in thickening my back, though!
I've been doing rear dumbbell or cable flyes quite a bit lately, but no matter how often I do them, the movement is still awkward and uncomfortable. Tell ya what, though. I finally have visible rear delts!
I used to hate squats for the simple reason that, if done properly (ass to the grass), squats are hard! But they're also one of the best overall exercises to do. I firmly believe that squats should be included in every serious competitor's training program.

Squatting plates on Monday

Well, there ya have it! My list of the top 5 exercises I love to hate. Check out the lists some of my friends compiled too! Donloree, Alli, Ashley, Dawn, Liz, Jen, Colleen, Lisa, Kendra and Tiffany all wrote their own lists, and I bet we have some of the same exercises on our lists!

What are some exercises YOU love to hate? Do you do them anyway or do you avoid them like I used to?

Operation Pro Training Approach

2011-04-06T13:57:00.000-04:00

I've gotten a couple questions about my training program, structure, and approach. So I thought, what better way to address this question than to talk with my trainer? J and I sat down yesterday after my workout and chatted about how we approached my off-season and this year's prep for Team Universe, the structure of my training plan, and some lessons I've had to learn this past year. We also chatted a bit about how and why we had to change my diet this past week.

Like I've said before, every prep is different and has its own unique set of challenges. It's exciting (and a little nerve-wracking for us planner-types), and I can't wait to get on stage again in 13 weeks!

Back to the Drawing Board

2011-04-03T14:41:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned last week, my keto diet has been working a lot faster than we'd anticipated. My weight is now within 5 lbs of my expected stage weight ... and I still have 14 weeks to go! I realize this is a GOOD problem to have. But it's still a problem.

Like every Saturday morning, we took progress pictures. I wore my suit for the first time, which makes the show somehow seem even more real!

Front post 4-2-11

Side Pose 4-2-11

Back pose 4-2-11

Model pose 4-2-11

My upper body is starting to look very flat and almost stringy, which means I'm just starting to lose some muscle. I worked so hard this off-season to build that muscle, there's no way I can afford to burn it off now!

J & I have had several talks about how to restructure my diet now so that I stay full, yet lean. Yesterday, I had clean carbs with all my meals, and let me tell ya - what a mental switch that was! After so many weeks of no carbs, actually eating brown rice and yams felt so ... weird! It almost felt like I was having treat meals instead of diet food!

We're still trying some different combinations and foods to figure out the best approach. I'm so thankful that J understands that every body is different, and takes such an individual and different approach for each of his clients instead of using a cookie cutter diet that may work for some but not others. If I had been following a cookie cutter approach, I would've just stuck to the original plan, and continued to get leaner and more stringy looking, burning muscle in the process. That's NOT the goal! The goal is to step on stage looking full and balanced. Figure is no longer a contest of who's the leanest; it's who has the most balanced, overall conditioned, aesthetically pleasing physique.

I have to admit, that since I'm a planner and like to know what comes next, I feel unsettled right now. But I know I'm in good hands, and that J will figure out what's going to work for me at this point.

So here's to the next phase of Operation Pro. The journey is starting to get even more interesting, so stay tuned for more updates!

Meal Prep with Kari

2011-03-30T21:16:00.000-04:00

As a competitor, I'm always curious about the diet structures and foods other competitors consume. I was one of those kids who actually liked school, and I'm always interested in learning new things. I'm always asking people what their diets are like, which foods they eat, and how they season their meals. In turn, I receive a lot of the same questions. Since tonight was Meal Prep night for me, I thought I'd share it with you.

As you most likely already know, I use a high protein, high fat, no carb diet for contest prep. I stumbled upon this approach a few years ago when a carb-cycling approach wasn't working for me. My diet allows me to eat a variety of lean proteins and fat sources.

I, however, am very lazy. So I basically eat about 4 different foods. And that's it.

My main source of protein is ground turkey. The fat content of the turkey, and the extra ingredients I add when I cook it vary, depending on how my body is responding to the diet. J watches how my body responds, and makes adjustments as necessary.

Turkey and a few extras

I cook all my turkey for the week, and then mix in some extras that keep life interesting for me.

Y.U.M.

Then I portion the batch into the amounts I need for each meal, using my food scale.

Weighing and portioning turkey

After I've portioned the batch, I seal up the baggies and put them all in the fridge, so all I have to do each evening is throw a couple baggies together to bring to work the next day.

I'm thinking of asking Ziploc to sponsor me ...

See? Told ya I'm lazy. :)

All together, it takes me about an hour to cook and portion my food for the whole week. Granted, there's very little variety in my diet, but I actually like it like that. It's very easy to figure out the root of any issues I may have, and my body is trained to process those foods like a machine.

In the off-season, I don't eat much differently; however, I do like to experiment with some different recipes. And I LOVE to bake!

For all you competitors, what's your diet like? Do you like to experiment with new prep-friendly recipes? What seasonings and spices (if any) do you use?

Treat Meal Issues

2011-03-28T15:16:00.000-04:00

Some of my Twitter friends may know that Saturday's treat meal didn't go quite as planned ...

As discussed in my week 5 check-in video, J determined that I was making progress too quickly, so it was time for a planned and scheduled treat meal (mind you, I'm saying TREAT meal, not CHEAT meal, because it's not cheating on my diet if it's planned and scheduled!). The goal of a treat meal was to fill out my muscles and slow my metabolism down a bit. Although being 5 lbs away from my target weight with 15 more weeks of prep to go is reassuring, we need to slow things down a bit so I don't start burning muscle.

OMG YUM!

My meal was GREAT!!! J's specific instructions were to "Just eat!" And eat I did! I made 3 trips up to the sushi bar, and ate for an hour! I was stuffed when we left!

Naptime followed the meal, and I was completely unproductive for the rest of the day. I ate a couple meals later in the day (back on the regular plan, because again, it wasn't a CHEAT meal). Then I started to feel kind of icky. And then I felt REALLY icky. Without going into detail, I'll just say that I went to bed with absolutely no food in my stomach.

The next morning, instead of looking fuller and smoother, I looked dehydrated and ... leaner?

Well, that defeated the purpose.

J determined that since the sushi meal hadn't worked out as planned, I would eat ANOTHER meal! Say what?! So unexpected, yet so exciting! I had my fingers crossed that my stomach wouldn't reject this treat meal attempt.

I enjoyed an entire Chipotle bowl on Sunday afternoon. Plus chips! And later in the day, I smoothed right out as planned. I'm definitely retaining water today, and my ab lines have all but disappeared. While that was the goal, I'm still a bit bummed to see them gone so suddenly, especially after they took so long to come out of hiding!

I anticipate the next few days being a bit rough as my body makes the shift back into ketosis. I should be feeling back to normal by the end of the week. So while the plan didn't quite work as intended at first, we got the results we were looking for AND I got 2 treat meals!

Operation Pro Week 5 Check-In

2011-03-26T11:31:00.000-04:00

I chatted with J last night about how my diet and prep is going for Team Universe. Turns out, I'm making progress too quickly! D'oh! But that's a GOOD problem to have. We talk about what his plan is to make sure I bring my best conditioning to the stage in July.

It's been 5 weeks so far ... only 15 more to go!

No more trips to the library!

2011-03-25T15:42:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, I'm an avid reader. Not just a weekend reader ... no, I devour 2 - 3 books a week. Because I'm also a self-proclaimed cheapskate, I have a very close relationship with the local library. I try to get to the library at least once or twice a week, depending on when books are due or when books on hold are available. Normally, running to the library wouldn't be a big deal. Except, when I'm in prep, EVERYTHING feels like a big deal.

Books I currently have checked out from the library.

I've been lusting over the NookColor ever since my mom got one for Christmas. But again, since I'm a cheapskate, I held off on buying one. And then earlier this week, my parents informed me they wanted to buy me a Nook as an early birthday present. Hooray!

Oooooh! Pretty Nook!

I'm so excited not to have to drag around big, heavy, hardcover library books anymore! I can just pack up my Nook and hit the cardio deck! I also discovered the Nook can hold music and videos.

Doing cardio never looked so appealing!

Do you read, watch videos or TV, or listen to music, while you do cardio?

Operation Pro Mindset to the Rescue!

2011-03-23T12:27:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was quite the day. I've talked before about making lemonade when life hands me lemons, but yesterday, I just couldn't quite get the bitter lemons to transform into sweet lemonade. I swear, they were rolling at me at an astonishing pace! Nothing was going right.

Waterworks

I've admitted that it takes very little for the waterworks to start up. I cry easily, whether I'm at work or at the gym. So I guess I should be proud of myself for holding off the tears until I got into the car at the end of the workday. I blubbered to J for a couple min, then wiped my face, squared my shoulders, and marched into the gym, ready to tackle my workout.

Operation Pro Mindset

Once I changed into my workout clothes (and tried on my new stage heels!), I was able to put the disappointments and frustrations of the day behind me and focus on my workout. J didn't have a client at that time, either, so he trained me and helped me push further than I would've if I had trained by myself. By the time I was finished with my workout, I was in a better mood.

My new stage heels. Aren't they purdy?! J'adore the rhinestones.

We decided to change my evening cardio from the treadmill to the bike this week, so I hopped on the bike, turned on my iPod, and buried myself in a new book. Lemme tell ya - switching cardio modes was interesting! I had to keep an eye on my intensity in order to avoid an unexpected asthma attack.

I'm thankful I was able to put my frustrations aside and really focus on doing what I needed to do for prep. I feel great about my workout, and it really did help improve my mood and outlook.

While prep can be difficult and tiring at times, it can also be a positive thing in so many ways. It's a tangible goal that provides an opportunity for focus and self-discovery.

For all you competitors and future competitors, how has prep helped you?

Right Where I'm Supposed to Be

2011-03-17T22:55:00.000-04:00

Have you ever taken a moment and thought about how you got to this point in your life? Have you thought about the things and people along the way that have influenced and guided you? Was there one event, or a string of events linked together that helped guide your journey? Or perhaps a person or several people who were an influence?

This afternoon, I was thinking about my own journey to get to this point in my life.

Eight years ago, I never would have imaged I'd be a successful Figure competitor living in the DC area. Heck, eight years ago, I'd never even heard of Figure! And although I had dreams of living on either the East or West coast, I didn't think moving away from Minnesota and my family was even a remote possibility. At that time, my life plans were to get a good office job (or as good a job as an English major can get in Central MN), get married, and start a family.

And then everything changed. And I had to reevaluate the direction I wanted my life to take.

After a series of events that I truly believe were supposed to happen, - some were happy and others were utterly tragic - six years ago, I moved out to Montana.

A couple months before I moved, I'd rediscovered my love of training regularly, so when I got to Montana and met others who competed, my life changed again. I focused all my energy on training for the 2006 Emerald Cup in Seattle, WA ... and the second I stepped on stage, I knew I'd found one of my life callings.

Three years later, I met J at the Pittsburgh show, and my life drastically changed yet again. I moved to DC in 2009, and I'm now training to win my Pro card.

Sometimes when I think about the vastly different directions my life has taken, I'm reminded again that I believe everything happens for a reason. Things happen at the time and in the place they're supposed to happen.

I have no idea where I'll be in five years ... but I do know that I'll be exactly where I'm supposed to be at that point in time.

'Tis the Season to Compete

2011-03-16T21:12:00.000-04:00

'Tis the season to be in contest prep. It seems like nearly every competitor I talk to (and I talk to a lot each week!) is in prep. Although there may be a couple shows before March, it seems like the Arnold is the official kick-off to contest season. Earlier this today, I was marking some shows on my calendar, and realized that there are quite a few shows within a reasonable driving distance from DC. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love living out here?)

Since I do talk with so many competitors, the only way I can keep up with their competition dates is to write them down. That's right - those of you with whom I talk regularly ... I've got your competition dates written down because you're important to me.

I love cheering people on and answering random questions about anything and everything to do with prep. Competing is my passion, one of my favorite things to talk about. Sometimes I'm guilty of talking about it TOO often, much to the chagrin of some family and friends.

I'm excited for those of you who have a show coming up soon, especially for those of you getting ready for your very first show. I remember all the emotion, excitement, and fear that surrounded my first show. And even after competing in 9 shows, I still feel some of those same emotions. I was a bit burned out from competing earlier this year, but when I went to watch the NPC Maryland in August, I was reminded again of how much I love this sport.

Although prep may sometimes feel like it's forever, time actually does fly by. I can't believe I'm halfway through my 4th week of dieting already! Only 16 more weeks until I step on stage again!

For those of you in prep right now (which is most of my online friends!), keep up the hard work, stay focused, and have confidence in yourself. We're all gonna rock the stage this year!

Levrone Report & Active Recovery Workouts

2011-03-15T15:41:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, IFBB Pro Kevin Levrone filmed J doing an Active Recovery workout at the gym. We're excited that Kevin decided to feature him on the Levrone Report this week!

Last month, J wrote a blog about Active Recovery workouts and when you can incorporate them into your training schedule. I've used this technique several times, usually after shows or right before I start prep. It's at those points when my body is depleted and worn down either from prep or from hard, heavy training before I begin prep. These workouts allow me to train without over-training.

Have any of you ever done recovery-type workouts? When did you incorporate them into your training schedule?

Operation Pro Week 3 Check-In

2011-03-12T18:19:00.000-05:00

Week 3 of Operation Pro is over! I filmed a short video last night talking about my progress and how prep is going. Seventeen more weeks to go!

New Mantra

2011-03-09T16:40:00.000-05:00

I'm back from the Arnold, and wanted to give you an update on my prep, and to share with you something that's been helping me remain positive when I feel like whining.

Week 3 Update
After only two full weeks of dieting, I'm already seeing some significant changes in my body. My clothes are fitting looser, or in some cases, not fitting at all. I always feel a combination of excitement and dismay upon discovered my clothes no longer fit. Excitement because - hey, progress! Dismay because now I don't have any black dress pants that fit.

The number on the scale is steadily decreasing, which is also exciting! As of Monday, I'd lost 9 lbs since I started prep. I was up 1 lb yesterday because I think my body is finally starting to recover from the dehydration of the Arnold weekend. Although I got all my meals in (100% on my diet, of course!), I only managed to drink about half the amount of water I normally drink per day. Although I've lost weight, I don't see any muscle definition yet - I just feel like a smaller version of my shape from three weeks ago. I just keep telling myself to be patient; the changes will show soon enough.

Stopping to eat a meal outside the Arnold expo hall

My overall energy level is still good. Although I've been tired this week, I don't feel like I'm dragging, and I had enough energy to make it through the Arnold expo for several days. Walking around the expo was definitely a higher energy expenditure, so my body is naturally still tired from a long, exciting weekend.

Because my body is responding so well to prep, we're going to add more food to my diet next week. (YAY!) We want to make sure my metabolism stays fast and doesn't slow down, thereby halting progress.

My New Mantra
One thing I've been repeating to myself since I started prep is this:

"Don't let the food control you."

That means don't let being hungry affect your mood or the direction of your thoughts. Don't focus on or whine about being hungry. Being hungry is a natural and expected part of prep; it's nothing new, and it's inevitable, so why whine about it? If you're hungry, you're hungry; don't focus on it and freak out because it's time to eat RIGHT NOW. Being late for a meal time is going to happen, so it's not a reason to panic or to get upset.

So far, every time I've started to freak out about being late for a meal, or started to whine about being hungry, I've stopped and reminded myself that the food does not control. I control me. I alone am responsible for how I'm acting and feeling. Yes, my body is tired. Yes, my body is hungry. But it's MY choice to put myself through discomfort, and other people don't need to hear me whine about it.

It's MY choice to respond either positively or negatively. And I chose to be positive!

2011 Arnold Expo, Days 2 & 3

2011-03-07T13:28:00.002-05:00

Day 2 at the Arnold was even more exhausting than Day 1! We arrived at the expo at 9:45 am, and stayed until 6 pm. We spent most of the day wandering around, checking out booths, collecting free samples, and meeting up with people. I was excited to meet a couple ladies I chat with online! It was cool to meet Alli, Carrie, Kendra, and Mandy in person.

We also took some time to sit and watch most of the Arnold Amateur finals. It was fun to just be a spectator this year instead of a competitor (although I had an absolute blast competing last year). I didn't have to worry about holding my conditioning for a day and a half or keeping my tan even. I could just sit back and enjoy the show.

On Sunday morning, we headed back to the expo for Day 3. We saw a lot of the pro Figure competitors, fresh off their show, which was on Saturday evening. It was fun to meet them, and re-introduce myself to several with whom I've competed in the past.

We hit the road back home at 1 pm, giving our friend and IFBB Pro Kevin Levrone, a ride back with us (he lives not too far from us). The trip home was ... well, it was quite the trip!

I'm glad to be home, although I had a great time this weekend. I do feel like I need a weekend to relax after the weekend, though!