CRAIG PRODUCTIONS LLC

I tried to get here last night to post day 2’s Science Experiment, but the site was having some issues and I wasn’t able to stay awake long enough to wait it out. So, here I am at 5:45am on Friday. I slept in!!! It’s my day off and I was ordered to eat my oats (darn!) before doing my cardio today, so I got the luxury of sleeping in.

Yesterday, Day 2 Carb Depletion: the morning started off pretty okay. I was starving, so I put down 2 dozen egg whites for breakfast and a bunch of veggies! I am fortunate that I work with a bunch of crazy, young, energetic dudes that help to energize me when I’m really sluggish. I managed to get through my client training without falling asleep on the gym floor. Although, I did have to take a Starbucks and Seattle Sun Tan break mid-morning…nap & coffee.

By noon yesterday I was a complete zombie. Brain function was in the toilet and my head was feeling really foggy. I ate the only carbs I was allowed at that point, went to the gym and did my depletion training followed by 30 minutes on the elliptical. Being carb depleted, for me, is like being drunk. But not “fun drunk”…like drunk to the point all you’re really good for is sleeping. You know, like, end-of-the-night-drunk. Imagine how crappy it would be to train and do cardio in that state….take care of 4 kids in that state. Not cool. Not fun. I managed to make it through the day without killing anybody. Although I’m sure my kids will be super happy this morning to wake up to a carbing-up mom!!

Speaking of kids…mine seem to have this heightened sense of awareness of when I get really close to a competition. My girls are 3 ½, meaning, they’re totally potty trained. Funny how it should happen that as I get close to a show everybody starts peeing their pants at the gym (well, except me, of course!) And, being blessed with twins, as soon as I finish dealing with one potty disaster and get back to my workout, those daycare people are hunting me down again to come back to deal with the OTHER child who just peed her pants. And in my frustration all I can say is…SERIOUSLY??!! After I tend to business and get everyone back in dry pants I have to chant to myself as I head back to my workout…”I love my kids, I love my kids, I love my kids.” And I do, I truly do, it’s just a very frustrating experience.

The good news is that the carb depletion worked fabulously! The depletion workouts were INSANE!!!! It was a totally different way of depleting and I can tell you, it was VERY effective! Not fun, but very effective. The workout on Day 1 was manageable, but yesterday’s workout was extremely challenging to push through. I wanted to stop…over and over again, I wanted to stop, but I had to keep reminding myself that I had to squeeze out as much glycogen as possible. Then followed the lift with 30 minutes on the elliptical which felt like torture. I didn’t think I’d make it 5 minutes, but I did. I pushed myself minute by minute until I got to 10 minutes after 10 minutes I knew I could make it to 15, then 20...etc. I went back for another round of 45 on the step mill last night. It took BSN Atro-Phex, Max Muscle’s Body Effects, 400mg of caffeine tablets (this is not a commercial, I swear!! And I should note this is not my usual stack, either. This was called desperate for energy)

Okay, so, that brings us to Science Experiment, Day 3...CARB UP!!!! I just finished my first big bowl of oats and I could easily kill another bowl. I am counting the minutes until I get my next serving. Sleeping in, day off, CARBING UP…I think I have died and gone to heaven…but the kids will be up in an hour and reality will set back in. J I love my kids!

And one last thing…I *might* get clearance for a cheat meal tonight!!! I won’t rub it in and post the meal details.

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand

Tags:

Read more...

I imagine I'm not the only competitor that thinks that all this manipulation of the body (carb depletion/loading, water and sodium manipulation, etc, etc) is really pretty darn cool! So, I'm doing a carb deplete today and tomorrow and loading on Friday as a trial run for the Vancouver show. It is mid-afternoon on day 1 of my carb deplete and I'm actually doing feeling better than I had expected. I love carbs (who doesn't?!) and the carb depletion is, by far, the most torturous thing I do to myself in preparation for a competition. I hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it!!! And it makes me really crabby. I was telling my friend yesterday about my upcoming 3 day experiment and he says..."So, basically, what you're telling me is that for the next two days you're going to be a huge pain in the a$$?" Yep, pretty much. The crazy things we do to ourselves...we've got to love and thank our friends and family for putting up with our crazy selves!

I did 30 minutes on the stepmill at work this morning and I'm getting ready to go to the gym to do an upper body depletion workout followed by more cardio. I'm hoping to hit an hour, but my energy is pretty low so we'll see. I managed to sneak in an indulgent 90 minute nap this afternoon and I've been drinking coffee for the last two hours, so I'm hopeful that will carry me through the workout.

At last mirror check I'm looking kinda good, if I do say so myself. Getting vascular and the abs are flattening out a lot. I love the meal by meal, hour by hour changes. Super cool! I'll check in again tomorrow and let you all know how the depletion workout goes tonight - it's a new way of depleting that I've not done before, so should be interesting to see how it feels. It's pretty intense and admittedly, I'm not exactly looking forward to it. Keeping my eyes focused clearly on Friday morning...OATS, baby, OATS!!! Lots and LOTS of oats!!!!

Julie

Fearless, with carb-depleted cape in hand

Tags:

Read more...

I was training a client this morning and she was having a tough time getting into the workout. It’s been like this for several weeks now. At our training facility, the clients rotate trainers, so my colleagues have also noticed this change in the client’s fitness level and ability to push herself and be pushed by us. Anyway, as I was training her this morning I realized how much of training (or anything else in life, for that matter) is 100% mental. I wanted to shake her and tell her to get out of her head and PUSH through it. But I felt that would be counterproductive so I restrained myself.

I realized in that moment how important that mental strength is, especially here in the final weeks leading up to a competition. I can’t tell you how many times I feel like I’m too tired to train, too tired to get up at 3:15 and do cardio. And sometimes, believe it or not…I’m too tired to eat! We have to tap into that mental toughness and strength to power through and keep going.

We’ve all set a goal to get on that stage in April and therefore, we must be committed to do whatever it takes to reach that goal as successfully as we possibly can. When we’re as close as we are I find that I constantly have to take measures to refocus and center myself. I remind myself why I’m doing this and why it’s important to me and what the ultimate payoff is when I reach my goal. When I tap into that energy, it helps give me the mental strength to keep going.

I also have noticed that being surrounded by people who completely support my goal and what I’m trying to achieve makes an amazing difference in my ability to forge ahead with as much energy as possible. Toxic people will drain you (those would be the people who are less than supportive or criticize you in any way) and positive, inspiring people will energize you like you wouldn’t believe. I am fortunate to be surrounded this time by so many wonderful people who want to help me along my journey to reach my goal. Last year it was quite the opposite, with constantly being reminded that my competing was dragging my family down. That negative influence just requires too much emotional energy and it’s not worth it.

Take some time to remember why you’re doing this - write it down. While this whole process is grueling and challenging and so much work than most people would ever imagine, it is supposed to be fun and give us joy. Refocus on your goal.

“To believe in yourself and follow your dreams, to have goals in life and a drive to succeed, and to surround yourself with the things and people that make you happy - this is success!” ~Sasha Azevedo

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand

Tags:

Read more...

Hey guys! Just wanted to take a minute to check in. I have to admit, I don’t have anything profound to blog about at the moment, but wanted to give you a little update on my training/contest prep status…

I’m finally feeling 100% healthy again, however, my oldest got the same flu on Friday and my son came down with it today. Never a dull moment. We’re 3 for 5 now…hoping the twins can manage to steer clear, although that seems unlikely at this point. My training this week was great, all things considered. Still managing to lift heavy and keep setting PR’s. Not too bad for 3 weeks out (from Vancouver).

I had my suit fitting with Christie Skelton tonight. The color is AMAZING and I’m super excited to see the finished product. She’s going to begin the BLINGING process this week!! Love me some bling!

This morning I knocked out 45 minutes of cardio at Gold’s then I headed into Bellevue to do Mike’s boot camp at work (Elite Fitness Training). Awesome kick-a$$ workout - I was drenched! A shout out to Geoff Melrose for the friendly competition to give me that extra push - nothing like hitting 190 on the Polar on an uphill sprint! Thanks Geoff and thanks Mike for a killer class, as usual!

No big changes this week with diet and training. Holding the cardio at 90 minutes a day right now (45-60 in the morning with 30 after my lift). Diet is holding until next week as well, so I’m hoping to have another great week with strong(er) lifts. Tomorrow is “build-a-butt” day (aka leg day) and I’ll be squatting 225 now that I’m back to 100% healthy…can’t wait!

I hope you all have a fabulous week! Keep training hard, be faithful to your diet plan and keep your eyes on the stage…it’s the home stretch!!!

Tags:

Read more...

If you’re anything like me, it can take extreme measures to be “taken down.” I’m not very good at listening to my body. Well, wait, that’s not true, I’m very in tune with my body, however, I’m very stubborn and push through until my body  makes it nearly impossible for me to keep going. About 1:00 yesterday afternoon it hit me - that nauseated feeling and suddenly VERY tired. I figured I just needed a little nap, so I hit Seattle Sun Tan for a tan/nap. Still felt crappy. Being my only day off this week and my kids I had a lot of things planned to get done - errands, household chores, training, etc - there was no time to feel sick. I decided to power through it and head off to Barnes & Noble (where I was picking up a book for my suddenly-insect-fearing preschooler), Target and then Costco. I made it through Barnes & Noble, decided Target could wait and headed for Costco. You know you MUST be sick when you’re a hungry competitor cruising through Costco and none of the samples looks remotely appetizing. Oh wait! The Dave’s Killer Bread people were in the house sampling all of their various bread - toasted with butter - can’t lie, that hit the spot and made me crave more. I wasn’t even out of Costco when it hit me - this was more than just nauseas - nobody talk to me, everybody keep moving, I gotta get home!

If you’re crazy like me, the biggest concern you’re having at this moment is: how am I going to train like this???!! Well, obviously, Stubborn Julie, you’re NOT!! It was a rough afternoon and I’ll spare you the details, but needless to say, my arm workout and second round of cardio were NOT in the cards yesterday.  I was sure that this morning I’d be able to get up and go to work and train clients. As I got out of bed at 4:30am to get in the shower my body disagreed - not happening. I feel indulgent just laying around today, in my comfy PJ Salvage pajamas, drifting in and out of sleep and still wondering…should I try to do cardio today? When my logical mind answers…”Yeah, that sounds like a REALLY fabulous idea!” I even have to go so far as to call my friend and ask for permission to skip cardio…”do you think I’ll be okay if I miss a day?”

It’s so important for us to listen to our bodies and to give our bodies the rest they require. I am still trying to figure out what my body can handle at this point in my life. Last year when I was still at home with the kids and not working I could pull off the insane cardio sessions and lifts, but now that I am functioning on 5-6 hours of sleep my body just isn’t liking it so much. I’ve had more rest in the last 24 hours than I’ve had in the whole week combined. It’s 2pm and I still want to just SLEEP. I am resisting the urge to do some “light cardio” - I can’t remember the last time I did “light cardio”, perhaps during a pregnancy. I am forcing myself to rest and not worry about the messy house that surrounds me right now and all the laundry that needs folding.

I am working hard to convince myself that this stomach flu is not a setback but that it will give me a renewed energy for my training (tomorrow, I hope!) and on the bright side, this depletion and dehydration has been a nice little forced experiment to see how I’ll look final week. Totally on target right now - just need to hold here for a couple weeks then tighten it up just a bit more for showtime!

A little mantra from my friend & fellow bodybuilder, Jon Blodgett (don’t know where he got it or if it’s “his”), but I‘ve been revisiting it a LOT lately…

"Remember: One life, One body, One choice. So Train Hard, Eat Often and SLEEP TIGHT!!"

Stay healthy and stay focused and most importantly, HAVE FUN!!

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags:

Read more...

So I got on the site to blog on Sunday night…wrote out a great blog (if I do say so myself) and then when I hit post, POOF, it was gone. Argh! And I hadn’t saved it anywhere so I lost my mojo and decided to hang it up for the night.  It happened for a reason - had I blogged on Sunday I would not be here blogging right now and let me tell you, it has been an AMAZING week and the best part, it’s only Wednesday! It can only get better!

I determined that I was really overtraining. While last year I could pull off an hour of cardio in the morning and another 30-60 minutes in the evening, this year I just can’t. As a working, single mom, I don’t get nearly as much rest as I did a year ago. I believe rest is critical - physically and mentally. If our bodies aren’t getting adequate rest, it’s easy to overtrain. I was doing about 2 hours of cardio a day, in addition to my lift. My body was too tired. I was losing focus and I was losing my desire to compete.

This is supposed to be FUN. Note: I did not say EASY. Just because it’s hard work doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. And speaking of fun, just when I needed it most was Elaine’s posing class at the Bothell Gold’s Gym. Being around Elaine and all the other girls who are getting ready to compete really lifted my spirits and renewed my enthusiasm to train hard. My dear friend and suit designer, Christie Skelton, also showed up at the class and she is so positive and always has just the right thing to say. A big shout out and thank you to Elaine, Christie and all the girls at the class on Saturday  - thank you for inspiring me and helping me get back in the game!

I’m still doing 2 cardio sessions each day, but they’re not as long. I’m fortunate that my diet is still pretty manageable and leaving me with enough energy for my job, my kids and my training. My lifts have been amazing - I’m continuing to set PR’s almost every time I’m in the gym. Tonight I was very pleased with myself for curling 30’s next to the little dude who was curling his 10’s.  Haha! There’s nothing better than lifting heavy and feeling strong - LOVE it!

I’ve gotten several messages from blog readers this week and I want to say thanks to all of you. It is really great to hear from you all and get feedback. Knowing that what I’m writing is inspiring others is also inspiring and motivating to me. You all make me want to keep training hard, continue to stay focused and push myself a little harder than the day before. Thank you for providing me that motivation!

I was reading an article the other day and the author (sorry, I neglected to write down his name) wrote the following which I thought was so spot-on:

“Successful bodybuilders are very careful at planning and are goal oriented. They know what they want and how to achieve it.”

So true of every bodybuilder/physique athlete I’ve ever met. Remember this and remind yourself when you need to - you know what you want and you know how to get there…so DO IT!!

Enjoy the rest of your week - keep training hard and give your body the rest it needs!

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand

Tags:

Read more...

Tags: tanning Seattle Sun Tan

Read more...

I had someone come up to me when I was leaving the gym tonight and tell me..."you make it look so easy", referring to single parenting, working full time, training, etc. I'm glad that it looks easy because the truth is, it's anything but!!!

I decided to blog about this not-so-sunny topic because I have a feeling that I'm not the only competitor who sometimes struggles with the question: Why am I doing this? I ran into Brenda Dixon in the locker room at Gold's tonight and we touched on this a little bit and when she said "I know exactly what you mean", I thought there must certainly be many more out there just like us!

There have been many days when it just seems like there is far too much on my plate and a competition is the last thing I should be doing. After all, to compete is a CHOICE, no one is forcing us to train as hard as we can and diet like crazy. We have chosen this path. I'm sure we all have a different reason for choosing to compete. We all have our own, unique force that is driving us to be disciplined and determined and striving to achieve the best possible physique we can. I can tell you that I do it to feel strong. I do it because it is the one thing in my life that is about ME and makes ME feel like I am doing something positive for myself.

I have questioned myself at some point during every contest prep since I started out in July of 2008. This is the first time that I question myself A LOT! I am always exhausted - mentally, physically and emotionally. Some days I just don't feel like I have it in me. Those are the moments when I really have to dig deep, adjust my attitude and remind myself to focus on the goal and know that I can achieve great things...whatever I set my mind to. I remind myself that I am strong and that getting to the stage is proof to myself that I can and WILL do anything! I remind myself that I am a CHAMPION in my own mind and champions do NOT quit, they dig deep and they push through.

The prize is in crossing the finish line and knowing that you gave it your all. The prize is not the tiara or the trophy. The prize is knowing that you can tap into that inner strength and turn your dreams in realities.

It's not always easy. If you ever question yourself and wonder "why am I doing this?", know that you are not alone. But know that you are a champion and you must push through!

I found this quote today and posted it on my Facebook. This one really spoke to me and I printed it out really BIG and posted it on my wall so I can see it all the time. I hope it inspires you as well!

"Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.” Denis Waitley

Tags:

Read more...

In the last two weeks I've managed to do a lot of "detail" work in preparation for the Emerald Cup (and Vancouver). I'm doing a new suit for this show, so I've got my colors narrowed down to two different options that I think will work well for me. Bright, vibrant colors - a big change from the black suit I wore last year. I'm VERY excited. I'm buying a plain suit through Shannon Gill and have a talented friend who is going to BLING IT OUT!!! This last week I got my hair cut for the first time in 11 months in preparation for the competitions. The last time I cut it was right before the Vancouver show last March, so needless to say, it was much-needed! I have never had long hair until now, so I was very nervous about getting it cut.

When I first met Tanji in the summer of 2008 she told me about her stylist, Rose, but due to budget constraints, I never ended up using her. Lo and behold, she happens to be a client at Elite Fitness where I train. Beautiful and dynamic, with an amazing reputation to boot, I decided that I wanted Rose to give me my first long-hair-trim. She cut my hair last week and she is nothing short of AMAZING with shears! I love the cut. I've got her booked to do my color in March before Vancouver and I'm all set for her to do my hair and makeup for both the Vancouver show and the Emerald Cup. You can see more of Rose's work at her website: www.rosalinehampton.com or just take a look at any of Tanji's competition pictures. Rose is responsible for glamming up Tanji for her shows. She will be on location in Vancouver and she's also taking appointments for Emerald Cup. If you need suit consultation, Rose can also help you with suit selection and choosing the right fit and color for your physique and coloring.

This week I'm also adding back in circuit training. At Elite Fitness, our training is mostly circuit-style and I like to add it into my training as I get close to a show for additional fat loss and because it is cardio based, I can swap it out for a 60 minute cardio session. I think we all can agree, those machines can get awfully boring. My coworker, Mike VanTassel runs a boot-camp style circuit class on Wednesdays at 1pm and Sunday mornings at 9am and 10:15am. It's only $20 and it's a kick a$$ workout. I'll be incorporating his classes into my routine next week to kick my fat-burning and cardio up a notch. If you want more information on the class you can hit me up on Facebook (Julie Michaelson) or Mike (Mike VanTassel). Elite is located on Main Street in downtown Bellevue: www.elitefitnessbellevue.com

Tomorrow is my day off from work which means I get to sleep in until 4:40am, then I'll hit the stepmill for an hour, come home get my kids off and do my errands and household chores before I head back to the gym in the early afternoon to lift. I started taking my thermogenics this week because, well, I'm dragging most days by mid-afternoon and I need that boost to get through my afternoon lift. Tomorrow is also my HIGH CARB day (I carb cycle), so I'm very excited about the extra oats I'm going to be eating tomorrow. Love me some oats!

Eat, sleep, train, repeat! Have a great weekend everyone!

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags:

Read more...

I don't know where it came from, really. I started my day at 3:15am today. I trekked off to Gold's Gym in the cold fog to bust out 45 minutes on the stepmill...to DOMINATE the stepmill! Came home, showered, ate, packed my foods for the day, packed the kids' foods for the day, greeted the sitter at 6am and off I went to work. I had tons of energy all morning, got through my first 3 clients with ease, even squeezed in my back workout but by about 11am I hit a wall. I knew I was going to need a nap this afternoon but wasn't going to get one. Stopped in at Seattle Sun Tan after work for a quick tan (gotta get our tans on people!!!), then the grocery store, home to eat, off to pick up my twins from preschool and take them to gymnastics. After gymnastics we made a quick stop at home to change into their pj's, pick up brother and off to Gold's for another round of stepmill domination! (Side note: I gotta be honest, as I was on the stepmill this evening I thought of all those people: friends, family, clients, who tell me they don't have time...seriously, please, save it for someone who will buy that garbage. If you want it bad enough, you will make the time. I'd certainly love to be sleeping at 3:15am, but I also want to bring my best physique to the stage this spring - more than I want to sleep.)

I was rather dreading Round 2 on the stepmill. I was dragging...big time! I got on the stepmill and set it to one of the programs for 30 minutes at level 15. It felt easy and I thought "this hour's gonna fly". A little phrase that I would think of when I was prepping for Emerald Cup last year while on cardio was..."when you got it, give it!" That phrase quickly came to mind tonight, so I hit the "up" button and proceeded to level 16. Still felt easy..."when you got it, give it!"...up to level 17. Finished my first half hour with ease, dripping with sweat and loving it. Cranked out my second half hour at level 16. I'm still not sure where this burst of energy came from, but...When you got it, give it!

As you know, if this is not your first show, there are many days where the energy is in the toilet and it's REALLY, REALLY hard getting through your training and your cardio. So, I like this little phrase because on those rare occasions when it feels good and it feels easy and it feels like I could go forever...I max it out! I give it everything I've got. I don't take it easy, I don't sit back and enjoy, I CRANK IT UP and I make myself work. You have to push yourself. If it feels easy, it's probably not giving you maximal benefits. If you're going to spend the time, make it count. If you don't push yourself to the limit, the only person that you're short-changing is YOURSELF!!!

I will never allow myself to stand on stage and think..."If only I'd pushed myself a little harder maybe I would have done better." When I stand on stage I always know that I pushed myself to my limit every time. I know that I worked as hard as I possibly could and that I challenged myself...I challenged myself on the days when I had no energy and I challenged myself even more on the days my energy was through the roof.

We are not in competition with each other, we're in competition with ourselves. Push yourself. Challenge yourself. Most of all: BE PREPARED!!!

We're coming up on 9 weeks out. If your nutrition and training isn't dialed in now, what do you need to get it done?

"The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare."

— Thane Yost

Tags:

Read more...

I love that feeling that I get when I'm totally dialed into my contest prep. That feeling you have when everything is precisely as it should be: foods are dialed in, training is intense, you're getting proper rest, taking all your supplements/vitamins and the anticipation of the upcoming competition is high! I like to call it "in the groove". It seems that it hits me right about 7-8 weeks out and that's about where I am, considering that I'm doing the Vancouver show 3 weeks before Emerald Cup.

I read an article on one of the bodybuilding websites awhile back about focus and unfortunately, I don't have the link to it, otherwise I would share. If I find it I'll come back and link it in to this post. But as a result of the article I never go into the gym anymore without a plan. I know exactly what I'm working and what exercises and sets/reps scheme I'm going to be doing before I even set foot in the door. I mentally "gear up" for my workout by VISUALIZING that body part and the shape I'm trying to achieve. I really believe that visualization is a very powerful tool and I have been using it in my training since right after my first competition in 2008.

For example, when I sit down to do dumbell shoulder presses, I set the dumbells on my knees and I close my eyes and I take a few deep breaths. I imagine that my delts look like that of a pro figure competitor...nice, round, cannonball delts. I hold that picture for a few moments and then I open my eyes and do my set. As I struggle for those last couple reps, I look in the mirror ahead and visualize the suit and those big, round delts on stage and I push through. This visualization technique really helps me with my mind-muscle connection and draws all my focus and mental energy to the muscle at that moment. I use visualization for every body part and every time I train. I believe if I can SEE it, I can BUILD it! (Okay, except maybe boobs) :)

As competition draws near, I like to make sure I'm as focused as possible when I'm in the gym. That means my headphones are on (as in: don't talk to me, I'm training!), my rest periods are strict and I am on task! As much as I love my friends at the gym, at this stage in the game, it's time to focus.

I'll share a quote with you that I write down almost daily in my training journal and post it around my house if I need reminding. If you've been reading my blog you know that I've had quite an "interesting" 6 months with a lot on my mind and often, the weight of the world on my shoulders as I adjust to my new life. It's been really important to me to have the gym be my place where I devote 100% of my mental focus to my training and my body, so this quote has helped me a lot.

"The first rule of FOCUS is: wherever you are, be there!"

And one last thing I'll share with you and you're welcome to steal it for yourself...my daily affirmation that I've been using everyday now that we're less than 2 months out...

MY BODY IS A MUSCLE-BUILDING, FAT-INCINERATING MACHINE!!!!! :)

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags:

Read more...

I'm going to piggy-back a little bit on Gerri's blog topic that she wrote last week. If you haven't read it yet, make sure you do so - it is a great post about what this sport has given to you. For the point of this post we'll simply refer to these as "gifts".

This entire last year has been a year of personal change and growth and reflection for me. I don't think it would have been possible for me to make it through the last 12 months withOUT considering what this sport has given to me. Let me put it to you this way: a year ago I was a very unhappy person, trapped in a marriage that was unhealthy on every level and I couldn't see any way out. I used competing as a mental escape. When I was gearing up for a competition, I was able to fully turn my attention away from my unhappy personal life and focus only on the stage.

After I did the Ironman in October of 2008 I was approached by a fellow gym member and bodybuilder, Jon Blodgett (gift #1). Jon is also a CPT, CSCS and he offered to help me out with my off season diet and was also looking for a training partner on occasion. Perfect! I wasn't sure how I was going to afford a trainer in my off season, so this was truly an amazing gift. Jon set up my nutrition and training programs. In December of 2008 he took me down to Tacoma to meet his coach, David Patterson (gift #2). Without even meeting Dave I had a high level of respect for him because Jon did and I greatly respected Jon and his expertise, so if he thought this guy was good, he must be good.

I remember vividly that first time I met Dave. A cold December day, wearing my shorty-shorts and sports bra in his cold gym. He circled me a few times, scratched his chin a little, then he poked at me a bit. "Did you lose these saddlebags last time?" WHAT??!! Did he just say SADDLEBAGS??!! Let's just say that first time he met me I could tell he wasn't all that impressed and I was still new, so I had a lot of growing (and yes, I mean that more than just from a physique standpoint) to do. Dave was brutally honest. He doesn't sugar-coat stuff and I instantly liked that. I'm not into the whole "beating around the bush" thing. There was something inside of me that wanted to please this man. Whatever he told me to do, I was gonna do it to the letter. I'm gonna show him that I AM made for this sport! I did everything he said. I never strayed from the diet, never missed a cardio session, never missed a lift. I was the perfect student. I spent several hours with Dave every Sunday last year and we became quite good friends and I became his sponge. Everything he told me, everything he emailed me, I soaked it all up. Even more of a gift than his competition coaching is the way he has mentored me and helped me become a great trainer myself.

One Saturday while we were in Renton working Elaine Craig (gift #3) popped in on us after visiting Tanji's group. Elaine and I workout at the same Gold's in Mill Creek, so she offered to hook up with me for a workout or to look at suits or whatever I needed. If you know Elaine, you know of her magnetic and inspiring personality. There is also something very safe and comforting about Elaine and for some reason without even knowing her very well I felt like I could let her in on the chaos that was my life. I don't remember exactly what or how I told her, but in same way I let her know that things at home were not good and so, after Emerald Cup when I filed for divorce, Elaine was very comforting and supportive. Elaine has been there for me whenever I needed support over this last year. I'm really good at putting on my "strong face" and Elaine has always been someone I could be very real with and let her see my tears. And when I couldn't compete at Ironman last fall due to everything that was going on in my life, she still put me on stage with a tiara as a trophy girl so I could be part of the action.

I'm no longer the same person I was when I started competing. In my personal blog I've written a lot of posts about how this sport has transformed me not only on the outside, but even more so on the inside. My self-esteem was in the toilet, I had very little self-confidence and all I could see in my future were more unhappy days. As a competitor, you know that getting to the stage requires a great deal of sacrifice and suffering. Dave told me over and over again last year..."Jules, you're gonna have to suffer. You haven't suffered before and you're going to have to suffer now." He was right, all around. And because of that suffering, I came out so much stronger last spring. I finished those competitions and I realized, if I can do THIS, I can do anything!

During the course of the last 6 months I've kept my diet on point and I've trained harder than I've ever trained in my life. Why? Because this sport is IN ME now. It's what I do, it's how I live. When I felt like I was emotionally weak I would go to the gym and lift weights and I would remember that I am STRONG. When I felt like quitting a cardio session or lift early I would hear Dave's voice in my head saying..."My Jules doesn't quit." This sport and the people of this sport have helped me grow in ways that I never imagined. I feel like a totally new, more powerful person. Because of this sport and these people I know that I really CAN do anything if I have the determination to do it.

I believe that it is our duty to give back. In that regard, I've chosen a path as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. I enjoy working especially with women who have similar feelings to what mine were. I enjoy teaching people that through physical strength one can achieve mental and emotional strength. Giving back has just added to the gifts of the sport - it has fulfilled me. So, think about it...if this sport has given to you, what can you do to give back? How can you "pay it forward?"

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tags:

Read more...

I hooked up with Shannon Gill and her team today for posing practice. I met Shannon for the first time last November when doing my photo shoot with Jim Wallingford (www.jimwallingfordphotography.com) after the Northwest Championships show. I really liked Shannon's personality. She's kind of edgy and definitely tells it like it is and I LOVE people like that. When I learned that she offers weekly posing practice in Redmond I was really excited and decided that I'd like to work with her for the upcoming season.

Today was my first time practicing with her. I left my suit at home because A) I'm getting a new one and so I figured that was a good excuse and B) the real reason being that I didn't want to wear a suit being "fat". Sidebar: I love how we as competitors are "fat" at what is, by society's standards, athletic level leanness. We're kind of warped that way. At any rate, Shannon had a bag full of suits for me to choose from and made it clear that I was putting one of them on for practice. Dang! I was actually pretty pleased with how I presented in a random suit.

It was really exciting and motivating to have the suit on, the heels and be with other figure girls who are in full contest prep mode. It really made it REAL for me that the contest season is upon us and we are all GEARING UP! It's always inspirational to be around others who are passionate about the sport and Shannon's enthusiasm was very much contagious. I'm definitely going to need a few one-on-one's with Shannon and I'll be attending as many Sunday Practice classes as I can - given my schedule with my 4 kiddos! Also, the class is very affordable at only $35/class. If you're interested in attending, check out www.shannongill.com.

Alright, so it's Sunday which means meal planning, food-prep and scheduling out my training for the week. It's a busy week with the kids and their activities, so it looks like I'll be shuffling some things around to get my workouts in. I'll probably train at work a few times this week rather than the Gold's by my house just to make sure I get all my workouts in. I've also ramped up my tanning the last couple weeks and am trying to go every other day right now to get as dark of a base as I can. Tanning in the winter = really dry skin. Body butter, here I come!

I'm excited for a great week of training - hard, heavy and intense! Here's a great quote for the week:

"I KNOW THE PRICE OF SUCCESS: DEDICATION, HARD WORK, AND AN UNREMITTING DEVOTION TO THE THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN." ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

Julie

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags: Shannon Gill | Posing | Jim Wallingford | Determination | Goals | Figure | Bikini

Read more...

After I did my first competition (Ironman 2008) my girlfriend came up with a new title for my personal blog..."Julie's Quest for the Tiara". I really wanted one of those pretty little tiaras. I had my heart set on it. I would visualize the tiara while I was forging through a cardio session - gotta keep your eyes on the prize, right?

I've done 4 shows since that Ironman and I've definitely learned a lot along the way. I don't think I really totally "got it" until this last November - it really isn't about the tiara at all. Being first place really isn't all it's cracked up to be. Although, truth be told, I wouldn't know because I've never been first place. Hah!

What I can tell you is that I was so proud of everything I had accomplished to stand on stage in November, personally, emotionally, physically, professionally...I had grown so much on so many different levels over the last 10 months. When it came around to trophy time at the night show I didn't place where I had hoped and for a while I was pretty bummed. After all, just like everybody else, I had trained my a$$ off and put all of myself into this competition. But after I had time to reflect on it I realized that I was really proud of the physique I presented that day. I liked what I saw when I looked in the mirror and considering that I was mid-way through a divorce, a stay-at-home-mom just returning to work...it was a minor miracle that I made it to the stage at all that day. And I didn't just "show up", I BROUGHT IT. I had made huge gains over 6 months.

Bodybuilding/Figure/Fitness is such a subjective sport. You put yourself up there on stage and have multiple judges scrutinizing every inch of your body. I've learned that I will build the physique that I like to look at in the mirror. I may reach a point where I"m not comfortable putting on more size and it may take me out of the "game". I figure as long as I can answer the question: "Why am I doing this?" I will keep plowing ahead. I reassess after every show and I do ask myself that question. What I can tell you now...I'm not doing this to win (although it sure would be a nice perk!), I'm doing this because I love seeing the results of my training and nutrition. I love seeing my hard work and dedication paying off. I love the way it makes me feel about myself. And I really love that other moms see where I've been and where I am now and realize that it really IS possible to achieve the body of your dreams.

Fortunately for me, Elaine has the trophy girls wear tiaras, so I get my time to be the princess. :)

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags:

Read more...

Ahhh, Sunday, my favorite day of the week. It's my one day off from work (I train mornings and am up at 3:30am every morning) and the one day I actually get to sleep in (that would be 7:30!!) I also love that on Sunday mornings I can make, and drink, a full pot of coffee!!!

On the weekends I don't have my kids I get up and do cardio on the stepmill when the gym opens at 7am. I'll usually crank out 45-60 minutes, depending on how my body is feeling. Today was 50 and my body was T-I-R-E-D. It was one of those cardio sessions where each step was a challenge. Happy to have that checked off my to-do llist for the day. I used to do morning cardio every day of the week, but with my current work schedule it's just not possible to get up any earlier than I already do. Hey, even Superheros need sleep!

Sundays are my days for planning for the week ahead for me and the kids: determining who has to be where and when they have to be there, grocery shopping for the week, scheduling my training sessions and doing my food prep so I have meals to take with me everyday to work. Not to mention, it's also my day to catch up on laundry and cleaning around the house.

I often get asked: "how do you do it, how do you find the time?" I don't very often have a brilliant answer to this question because honestly, some days I don't know how I do it either. And some days I am so physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day that all I want to do is have someone come in and take over for me so I can sleep for days. When something is truly important to you, you'll find a way to make it happen. I've always done this for ME: to stretch myself physically and mentally and somewhere along the way I found a part of myself that I thought I'd lost forever and that keeps pushing me forward, it keeps me motivated and determined and committed to this process, this lifestyle.

So, as I do every Sunday, I'll re-evaluate my diet and my training program for the week. If I need a little extra inspiration to get me geared up mentally, I will seek it out. That inspiration could simply be reaching out via email to my coach, a good friend who motivates me, positive affirmations in a book or on a website...there are various places to find inspiration to give you that extra push you need.

I wish you an amazing week. Eat well, train hard and make sure your body is getting that much-needed rest!

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags:

Read more...

Welcome to my very first post here on craigproductions.com! I was thrilled when Elaine asked me to blog my journey to the Emerald Cup on her site. I love blogging…I find writing very therapeutic and I also love sharing my passion for fitness with others.

So, I guess you probably want to know a little bit about me. I am 34 years old. I’ve recently become a single mother to my 4 beautiful and amazing children. My oldest child is 13 and my youngest are twin girls who are 3 ½. Our “man of the house” is a handsome 6 year old who is midway through his kindergarten year in school. We think he’s lucky to be surrounded by 4 beautiful women every day…haha!

I recently went back to work full time after being a stay-at-home-mom since my twins were born in July of 2006. I was so inspired by people that I’ve met in my competition journey that I chose to become a personal trainer. I can finally say: I am doing what I love and I love what I do! I work with 10 great guys at Elite Fitness Training in Bellevue, WA.

2009 was a HUGE year for me. I did 3 competitions. I filed for divorce and set out as a single mom. I went back to work full time. My boy started kindergarten and my “little girls” started preschool. When I was training for the Emerald Cup last year at this time, my focus was entirely different than it is this year. I was giving my contest prep my complete attention so as to distract me from the unhappiness I was experiencing in my personal life. As a result of the things I learned on my path to the Cup last year, I found the strength within myself to change my life and start down a new road to happiness for me and my children.

As I head into full contest prep mode for the EC this year, it is with a very different perspective. I’m not doing it to distract me from anything or anyone. This time around I want to, again, drive myself as hard as I can, push myself beyond what my perceived limits are and inspire other people to do the same themselves. It is my goal that my journey will speak, especially, to women who are suffering from low self-esteem and are lacking self-confidence. I know that there are so many women like me out there, who are quietly suffering and if my journey speaks to at least one of those women and inspires her to find her inner-strength (what I like to call your “inner Super Hero”) my mission will have been accomplished.

I am looking forward to sharing these next few months with you, with my clients, my family and my friends. Physique competition is not a team sport and can often be thought of as a selfish sport. But I disagree - I think we have a tremendous opportunity to use our passion for this sport to reach out to other people. Think about it…who can you inspire through your hard work, dedication and discipline? Who’s life can you change?

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand.

Tags:

Comments 1 | Read more...