WHOOO! So I am SOO happy because Winter Quarter is done and I actually finished strong. Although I didn't do AS much studying as I would have preferred, I left each exam feeling confident! So not only am I happy that it is all over (Thank You LORD!), but I'm pumped that I'll be on the Dean's List again! WHooo!

So now that I'm feeling fresh and way less stressed, I figured I'd jump back on here and reflect on my past couple of months because it has definitely been quite the journey...I cannot count how many times I literally got down on my knees and prayed that God would help me survive my crazy schedule over the past couple months. I of all people actually woke up dreading many mornings because I was feeling wayyy too overloaded! This was crazy for me because I am the kind of person who is normally always excited to get my day going and enjoy all the opportunities that I have been blessed with. So overall the last couple months were insane and it took all my mental and physical strength possible to make it through thanks to our amazing Lord's Grace, Love and Strength!

So what did I learn through all of this craziness..

First off - I learned the true meaning of the saying that you can determine someone's true character when times are tough. When I prepped for the Ironman I had a stress free summer to completely focus all of my energy on my prep! I was able to train when I needed, eat when I needed and I was working more hours, so I could definitely afford to make everything happen! It's easy to enjoy prep when the road is fairly easy. Well..this time around has been completely different. With a CRAZY school schedule I have had a very limited amount of time to focus on training and often found myself cutting my workouts short in order to finish a paper or study for an exam. I also had my hours cut at work, so affording everything that I would optimally need to compete has been tough as well! All of this mounded up to HUGE stress and it was a true test to see how I could handle it. How bad do I really want this? How bad do I REALLY want to compete at a National show? Although I had a rough start adjusting to the crazy schedule, I learned that if I want it bad enough I simply have to do whatever it takes to make it happen. I have to work with the time that I do have and make the most of it! Did I spend as much time prepping for Vancouver as I did Ironman? No. BUT I made the most of my time and that is what counts. I did what I could! So when the going gets tough...Real tough...Use this time to let your TRUE character shine! Be courageous and do what you can to still achieve your goals. It WILL get easier and when it does...It will feel SO good. That's where I'm at right now. Enjoying the fact that it has FINALLY gotten easier! WHoo! Makes the tough journey SO worth it!

Second off - I learned that God is truly so good and this was His way of showing me that I can't handle everything on my own. I do have an INSANE schedule and I just simply won't make it on my own. The Lord showed that I NEED to lean on Him because that is the only way that I will discover true strength to reach my dreams and accomplish everything that is on my plate. While I have always had faith in the Lord and trained for HIS glory, I have never had to rely on HIM for strength as much as I did over the past couple months and it was such an amazing experience. As many tears as I shed and as many nights that I spent endlessly frustrated with my work load, it was truly a blessing and it truly "stretched me" for the better. He has a reason for EVERYTHING and while this is a phrase that I've always believed "Everything happens for a reason", I was able to truly experience it and it was an amazing journey! So my lesson...He is there as a might strong tower ALWAYS and sometimes we go through tough situations as a reminder of His Grace and His Purpose for our lives!

So that's where I'm at. The last couple months were insane and looking back I am thankful for every single challenge that I endured! I'm now stronger than I was when the quarter started and I'm ready to challenge myself and grow stronger over the next couple months.

In the meantime I'm also going to be putting ALL of my attention on prep. I actually officially put ALL of my attention on prep as soon as I left campus today! My training session tonight was great! I had a lot of energy and my cardio was awesome as well! I felt like I couldn't stop and boy did that feel great! To be 1.5 weeks away from a show and feel that good...Gosh that is GREAT! So I'm off to watch some TV...what a concept for me! I haven't had a night to just do "whatever" in forever and I'm thoroughly excited!

Can't wait to kick off tomorrow strong! Chest and a couple cardio sessions! Gotta love it!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: focused | determined

Read more...

As I am sitting here eating my SF Popsicle, I'm doing my best to not lose my mind! I normally cut out artificial sweetners this close to a show, but I'm definitely really needing something to fight these stress-induced cravings that I'm having. I have my finals on Tuesday and my weekend has been EXTREMELY crazy and stressful. Let's just say I spent 2 hours studying at my house this morning after Church...then I spent a fabulous 5 hours at Starbucks doing MORE studying. Now I have officially "Given Up" for the night and will resume tomorrow. I figure that I could either stay up another few hours and study away OR get a good night of sleep and I'm definitely rooting for the sleep that my muscles need OH SO BADLY! Part of me is tempted to stay up late and study hard, yet I know that I'll be a miserable wreck tomorrow if I do not get my rest and that just won't work considering it is LEG DAY! Whoo!

So! Let's see where I'm at with prep..

My diet has been tough this weekend because I'm so stressed about school that I'm wanting to eat everything in sight. I'm the kind of person who wants to eat anything and everything when I'm stressed, so it has been a VERY challenging weekend. I hope that my appetite eases up a bit once I finish finals Tuesday afternoon because then my stress will be gone and I can focus on my passion: Competing and Training. I haven't been able to focus all my attention on training since school started, so I'm excited to really soak up the next couple weeks of Spring break and dive into my prep!

Yesterday I met up with the Snap Fitness girls to practice posing and it was great to see everyone. Since we're all on different work/school schedules, we haven't been able to train together as often! So it was great to spend time with them. Each girl on our team serves as an inspiration to me in their own way and it has been truly remarkable to witness their transformations over the past several months. Each of the girls look great and I'm excited to see them step on stage rockin' their strong and sculpted bodies! It's amazing how much progress can be made with several months of dedication and focus!

Whew so to be honest, my mind is buzzing like crazy right now and all I can think about are my exams on Tuesday...So instead of writing the rest of my jumbled thoughts down on here, I'm going to check back in with all of you on Tuesday evening when my mind is FREE ;)

So off to bed I go because I can't think of much else to write ;)

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

So I'm absolutely pumped about the next couple weeks. It is so crazy how fast time flies by! I feel like I was JUST on here writing about the 2009 Ironman and now we're pretty much two weeks out from Vancouver.

So where am I at?

Well my work outs have been awesome! My energy levels are pretty high (at least for being this close to a show) and I'm still lifting some good weight! My leg day this on Monday was GREAT and I have to admit that I really worked my hammies because they are still sore and it is Friday!! I've been taking Glutamine like there is no tomorrow and I've been getting my rest, yet they are still needing some extra time to recover. I guess those Romanians got me good!

As far as cardio goes, I'm actually not doing as much as I have in the past! I'm doing about an hour in the AM and then 30-40 min post weights. Starting next week I might bump up my PM cardio, depending on what both Pete and John think! SO we'll see! Either way, my cardio has been great and it has been a great feeling to leave the gym every single day knowing that I put in 100% to get myself one step closer to my goal! ALTHOUGH..I am struggling with the fact that our computer with iTunes on it is broken and I'm seriously lacking some new music! I've been listening to the same tunes for over month now and I'm really starting to get tired of them! It is kind of funny how much music can motivate me when I'm doing cardio and I'm seriously lacking some of the music I need to PUMP IT UP! But no worries folks! I'm still hitting it hard...No excuses!

My diet has been amazing as well! I never realized how much I had been doing WRONG until I started working with John and Roxana! My whole diet is so much more balanced now and I feel SOOO much better than I have in the past! It is such a blessing that I have been able to work with nutritionists who provide a HEALTHY prep plan! There is no point in working hard to get in shape if I'm simply going to abuse my body with a crazy diet plan! So overall it is going awesome and I've never felt as healthy as I do now! Thank You LORD!!!

So that is it for now. I just have to get through Tuesday and I'll be WAYYY more relieved! I had one final, one presentation and one paper due yesterday...Phew! Then I simply have two BIG exams on Tuesday and I'm done with school until March 29th! Whoo! My Spring Break at school worked out perfectly with the show because I'll have the entire week before Vancouver off from school so that can I focus 100% of my attention on competing!

Alright people. Keep training hard and I cannot wait to see all of you competitors in a couple weeks! I've seen several competitors over the past month and everyone is looking fabulous! Keeping up with all of YOUR progress is inspiring me to push hard! SO thank you all for INSPIRING ME and I hope that I can do the same for you!

**Nobody who ever gave their best regretted it** --George Hallas

Give all of your focus, drive, determination, soul and energy into these next two weeks!

I can promise you all that I will be putting 100% into the next couple weeks so that no matter how I place, I'll be happy with the package I brought to the stage! Knowing that you truly gave every last bit of you to this prep is what will make you truly SHINE when you step on stage! SO go get it!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

Whew! So I have been BUSY BUSY, but loving every single minute of it!

First off - I have officially launched my website: Saving Strength! This is something that I have been working on for the past several months in the midst of my work, training and school schedule and I'm so happy that it is officially posted! Of course if I REALLY want to make Saving Strength a success, I must continue to push forward and make constant improvements! Just because the website is published doesn't mean I'm done ;) I want to continue to brainstorm ideas to promote weight training within the Northwest and I'm excited to add more gals to Team Saving Strength! I've already had two other gals contact me who want to join and I'm just so excited about this! I'll continue to learn with each step I take and use that knowledge and experience to help others along the way!

Thank you to all the amazing people in my life who have inspired me to get this thing moving...Elaine..I'm so thankful that I had you to keep pushing me forward :) Each time you asked how the website was coming along it sparked a bit more inspiration in me to really go after my goals and dreams and get it finished! So thank you!

So make sure to check out my website and let me know what you think! www.savingstrength.org

Please feel free to email me or facebook me and let me know what you think! I'm open for ANY feedback because I seek constant improvement :)

Second off - Training is going fabulous! I hit it HARD last week and really enjoyed my recovery day yesterday! It felt so good! I actually spent most of the day sleeping and it felt fabulous! I was also in depletion mode this last week and yesterday was Day 5 of depletion - so that goes to explain my sleepy and lazy day! I have also noticed that I'm starting to get slightly more cranky! I can't tell if this is because of my prep as we reach 3 weeks out or if it is from school and the finals that I have this week and next....Or maybe a combination of the two?! That could possibly be it! Final Show Prep + 3 Finals and Presentations at School = Not so great combination! I realized that I was truly getting irritable last night when I couldn't find one of my favorite work out shirts and I was honestly getting really mad haha...I was scurrying around the house looking for it with a big frown on my face! Barry just looked at me and said "Are you really getting this mad over a shirt?" That's when I stopped and thought about it...Show time is getting CLOSE! haha I try and be as kind as possible 24/7, but sometimes a competitor just loses it right?! Well the good news is that although I did not find my shirt, I DID get a good night's sleep and I'm feeling fresh today! I hit cardio hard this morning and it felt great! Then I'll head back to the gym later for legs and cardio! LOVE IT! We're getting close folks and I'm ready to rock and roll!

So that's it for now! Keep on Keeping on! We're are TREMENDOUSLY close to show time and it's unbelievable! Put your heart and soul into these last few weeks so that you can step on stage SHINING from all your hard work! Trust me...That undeniable light that shines off competitors who have truly worked their butts off shows when they step on stage and it inspires me EVERY time! So keep at it! Stay focused...Stay ZONED in on your goal! No time to waste...Things should be RIGHT on!!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

So it's Monday and I'm feeling fierce, strong and ready to hit it hard this week.

I took a break from training this weekend and I think it did my body some good! By Friday of last week I was feeling pretty 'weak'...This was more than the typical "four weeks before a show lack of energy" Instead I was feeling seriously depleted and decided that I would take the weekend off to recover. I felt a little guilty missing my workout on Saturday, but let's just say that I woke up and jumped out of bed this morning with enthusiasm to get my week started. I did my AM cardio and I felt like I couldn't stop...I was feeling completely energized! So was it worth it? Definitely. Although I do my best to get 8 hours of sleep each night and although I always take Sundays off to recover, my body needed a little extra recovery and now I'm feeling completely rejuvenated and ready to hit it hard this week!

So speaking of this weekend...I took time this weekend to support Barry's passion: Motocross.  After 2 solid years of Barry supporting MY passion of competing, I spent this weekend support HIS.  I think that it is crucial to "give back" to those people who have supported you through your competition prep. As we all know, it's a 24/7 thing to train and prep for a show and it can definitely take a toll on those very special people around us as well. So I personally think that it is very important to give those people around us the same support for THEIR passion and THEIR hobbies! So that's what I did and boy did it feel great! We left EARLY Saturday morning and went to Horn Rapids in Richland so that he could ride his dirt bike. He has a race this coming weekend, so it was his time to prepare for his race! So I tagged along and made it HIS day. It was a very refreshing weekend and let me just say that it was BEAUTIFUL in Eastern WA! Sunny skies and 60 degrees! It definitely lifted my spirits and spending time at the track freshened me right up! So my advice...take a good look at those people around you who have given their support to you each and every day of your journey to the stage. Spend sometime helping them with their passion...Support them...Encourage them...I know that this is something that we should be doing anyways, but I think it is easy as a competitor to get completely involved in our little world as we train hard and prep for a show and it's nice to step back every so often and find ways to help the people around you.

I already finished my AM cardio and it felt amazing. I seemed to have an endless amount of energy and I definitely pushed myself hard. The stepmill and treadmill have never felt so good! Then after work today, I'll head to Snap and train with Pete and the girls. It's Leg Day Baby!!! Can't wait. As much as I used to hate leg day, I absolutely love it now. It's a true test of my commitment. It forces me to ask myself how bad I really want this and forces me to push through barriers! I'm ready to rock and roll ;)

I found this quirky quote and I love it:

"It is hard to soar with the eagles, when you're living with a bunch of turkeys!" -Author Unknown

Make sure to surround yourself with the best. Get to know someone who has reached a point in their life that you want to reach someday. Strive to be the best and this means surrounding yourself with the best. Surround yourself with people who will push you and stretch you. Take every moment possible to learn from these people and also take time to SHINE for them...to inspire and push them as well! Take a GOOD look at the people that you associate yourself with and ask yourself if you want to be like them...because believe it or not, you WILL become who you associate with!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: Determination | training legs

Read more...

So we are once again ONE STEP CLOSER to the stage! It's absolutely insane how fast time flies. I seriously feel like it was JUST Christmas and now it's pretty much March and the days until we step on stage are getting SOOO close! I'm in the midst of all my planning for the show... I just booked my hair appointments, scheduled tanning appointments with John and Roxana and scheduled make up with Jen Turnbull! Plus I had Holly alter my hot pink suit, so now it looks EVEN better for the show! Overall, I'm very excited and I love planning all of the little minor details. Make sure that you are carefully planning all of these details and try to get as much planned and done NOW as possible. The last couple weeks of training and prep will be crazy and the last thing that you'll need to worry about is how you're doing your hair etc. SO get planning...deliberate and careful planning brings results!

My lifting has been great for the most part. I had a slightly 'weaker' day on Wednesday...It was one of those workouts where I was just not feeling the weights...It was frustrating...especially since I KNOW that I can do it, but my mind tends to get tricky on me sometimes. It's easy to let your mind tell you what you can and cannot do and it's important that you realize that you can physically do A LOT more than you think you can! Physically lifting weights is the easy part, but mentally getting into the game is tough. That's why I think it is so crucial to "train the mind" just as much as you train your body! I know I've mentioned this before, but MIND GYM By Gary Mack is an AWESOME book! I read it while I was prepping for the Ironman and I absolutely love that book! I refer back to it constantly and it has helped me realize the importance of mental training.

One of my friends has a quote listed on his page...

**Everything you do, every single decision you make, either takes you one step closer or one step further from your goal. You either grow or you regress; nothing stands still**

It's so important to REALLY understand this when prepping for a show. Bodybuilding is a 24hr/7days/week kind of sport. You have to literally make decisions through out your entire day that will affect your progress as a competitor. Everything from sleep, water, supplements, food, training, cardio...EVERYTHING can greatly influence your progress and I think it is crucial to approach every single minute of your day with your goal in mind. Each choice you make is going to either move you ahead or move you backwards...Which way do you want to go?

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: Goals | Mindset | Mind Gym | Gary Mack | onstageimage@yahoo.com | vision | Visualization

Read more...

So it has been awhile since I've written on here...Again, I apologize! Life has been slightly crazy ;)

First off, I went to Elaine's posing seminar on Saturday and it was AMAZING! It is always so great to spend some quality time with other competitors...Each and every gal there inspired me in their own way and I have to say that everyone...everyone!...looks GREAT! It was great to see all of my fellow competitors friends that I had not seen since Ironman in October and it was also great to meet some brand new competitors. I think we had like 6 or 7 girls there who would be competing for their very first time and it's inspiring to witness their focus and determination to learn the ins and outs of competing! Overall it felt great to put on my heels for two hours and get practicing! With the show coming up VERY soon, practice is VERY important right now! All of you competitors, Figure, Fitness AND Bikini, really really really need to be practicing your walking and posing right about now! Make it second nature...You should feel SOOOO comfortable in those heels that you could hop, skip and jump in them ;) I say this because you seriously do not want to spend hours upon hours of training and prep to sculpt a killer bod if you're just going to step on stage and walk around like a penguin because you didn't practice your walk! I think I made my point.

So as far as my prep...Things are going fabulous! I've been kicking MAJOR butt during my training sessions and my diet has been great as well. I honestly think the only think that I really need to improve on still is my water intake. It's just not as consistent as I'd like it to be and I REALLY need to work on this! I actually just got home from doing my AM cardio and it felt amazing. That stepmill is becoming my best friend, if you know what I mean! I think that out of the 6 days that I do cardio/week, I do the stepmill 4 of those days. The other two days I spend either at the track doing sprints or doing an 'odd' cardio workout that consists of squats, walking lunges and other sculpting moves! Overall, cardio has been amazing and I'm so thankful that I've kept my mind sharp and focused on what I want to achieve. I start each cardio session with my "Theme Song" and then I begin to visualize myself the day of the show...I visualize my abs, my legs, my walk, my pose...I make sure that I'm visualizing EXACTLY how I want to look on the day of the show! Cardio is my time to do this and I find that it helps me get through my cardio session with unstoppable determination!

My diet has been great as well. I've actually been on a depletion for the last few days and it's been different from what I've done in the past, but it is definitely bringing the results that I'm wanting! So I'm thankful that John and Roxana have been helping me on my journey to the stage! They really know their stuff on eating right for a show and it's amazing how much I have learned about my own body since I've started working with them. Today is my last day of depletion and then I'll go back to 'normal' eating tomorrow.

Lifting has been going great as well. I've been meeting Pete at Snap and we've been kicking some serious butt! The show is going to sneak up VERY quick and I want to make sure that I'm making the most of every single second that I have with the iron! Plus it has been great to have Pete there to really push me when I'm starting to either doubt myself or feel tired. He always keeps me on my toes, that's for sure! The other girls are doing great as well! It's been amazing to see them learn how to train over the past several months and their transformations have been very inspiring!

So that's where I'm am! Getting lean, strong and staying more fierce than ever ;) I'm ready to rock and roll next month and I'm honestly SOOOO excited to step on stage!!

SO until next time...Train HARD, eat what you're supposed to eat, drink your water (that's more for me) and get practicing!! We have exactly 31 days until the show...So make the most of EVERY SINGLE opportunity that you have to better yourself! Stay strong...mentally and physically!

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." -Tobias Wolff

Push through these next 31 days...You have to truly persist in order to discover what you're truly made of. If you really push through, you'll find yourself breaking through barriers that you never thought you could break through. Give it your all. That's all you can do. Once you truly give it your ALL, you'll be able to see what you're really made of!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: Determination | Bikini | Posing | training | cardio | Visualization

Read more...

After being asked several times about today's topic, I decided to write about it on here.

I am someone who enjoys helping other people out.  I enjoy being of assistance to people because it allows me to see the "Bigger Picture" in life -- Even if this means I spend time helping out my competition.

As you all know, I trained with (almost every day) my friend Adrienne Emmel for the 2009 WA Ironman. She's a tall and beautiful gal and I did indeed spend a lot of time giving her advice about prepping for a show...I helped her pick her suit...I helped her with posing...I simply helped her whenever she needed it. What threw some people off was the fact that Adrienne was my direct competition at the 2009 WA Ironman -- She would be stepping on stage right next to me in the Bikini Tall Class! Even now, I spend time training with girls at Snap that will be in my height class at Vancouver and I have also helped some girls with posing over at Western who will be stepping on stage right with me at Vancouver! Some people ask "Diane, why do you do this? Why are helping the same exact girls that will be stepping on stage to beat you in a couple months?" Well, I do it because I've kept the BIGGER picture in sight! I've realized that the more that I help others, the more gratifying the journey! I've received tremendous help from many other competitors and I am forever thankful for all of their advice along the way, so WHY..please tell me WHY I would hold myself back from helping others? If this is truly about the journey and about experiencing as much growth as possible along the way, why the heck would I not want to help others girls?! Knowing that I did EVERYTHING possible to step on stage 100% ready AND knowing that I did EVERYTHING to help my fellow competitors reach their best is when I truly step on that stage feel gratified and ready to shine! Yes it is a competition, but to me the relationships that I build are FAR more important than any competition that I win....These are the relationships that last forever! So that's that. I urge all of you...No matter how long you've been competing, help other people out! Do your best to help others reach their best! This is where you will experience TRUE accomplishment. That way you can step on and off stage this Spring feeling that you put your best physique out there and also your best character -- For it is character that truly matters!

I expect to pass through life but once.  If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.  ~William Penn

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

Well, we are yet another week closer to both Vancouver and Emerald Cup!

Boy does time fly! This is why I ALWAYS emphasize making the most of every single day and hour that you have to prep for a show! It becomes easy to think that you have "so much time" left, but before you know it...It's SHOW TIME! To be exact...I have 40 days until Vancouver and 60 days until the ECUP! I CANNOT wait! As frustrating and exhausting as this prep has been, I ALWAYS enjoy the journey! It's amazing to see my body progress..both in measurements and performance! Every week I improve in one way or another and this is what keeps me coming back for more!! I've had countless people ask me why I don't just maintain...I just think 'Maintain? Maintain? Why would I want to maintain? There's so much room for improvement no matter how hard I train' and that's what makes the sport truly exciting! Why would I want to settle to maintain...Why should I be content with where I'm at? There's no reason. I hope that I am ALWAYS striving for improvement...Even when I'm an IFBB Pro with YEARS under my belt...I will continue to strive for improvement! As I continue to train hard and improve, I am filled with fresh air...a fresh outlook..it fills me with life and I become absolutely HUNGRY to make progress!

So as far as improvement goes!! My shoulders are definitely coming along!! This is an area which I have struggled with and it feels good to see that little cap begin to form as I hold a front pose! It has taken a lot of focus and hard work, but my shoulders are definitely coming along! Thank goodness ;)

As far as my prep...It's coming along wonderfully! I'm hitting it so hard during the week that I am sooooo truly thankful for Sunday to come around! By Saturday, after a morning track workout, I'm definitely ready to rest up for my upcoming week! I know that training gets hectic as the show is approaching, but please please take time to rest and recover!! There's no point is busting it out all "off season" to build if you're just going to do endless cardio with no recovery! So rest...your body needs it!

My diet has been great and I began a new phase this last week. Lots of veggies, a bit more lean beef than usual and more whole grain breads! So far it is giving me more energy, keeping me full and I'm staying lean! So no complaints there! The only thing that I'm really struggling with is my water intake! It's been REALLY tough with school! I sit in class for 2.5 hours at a time and then have a quick 10 min break to get to my next 2.5 hour class...That 10 min gives me just enough time to scarf down some food and run to the bathroom quickly! So overall, I would say that my water intake is my biggest struggle at the moment, BUT it will definitely be my goal for the week to focus on this and get my water intake up!

So that's where I'm at! Feeling great about my prep and I've thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with our other bloggers and other competitors as we all push through our last several weeks of prep! Stay strong guys and gals! Remember: Each day is CRUCIAL...each workout is crucial and I hope that each and every one of you are staying focused on YOUR goals for these upcoming shows!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

PS..contact me on facebook if we're not 'friends' on there already! It would be great to talk with those people who are following my blog!!

Diane Rudholm

Tags: Shoulders | Emerald Cup

Read more...

Wow. Let's just say that it is 9:00am and I JUST woke up. To me, this is absolutely insane because I consider sleeping in to be 7:00! I've gotten up at 4:00 every morning this week in order to squeeze in my cardio before I head off to work and I have to say that it feels pretty darn good to sleep in so late for once! I decided to not set my alarm because I have no work this morning and to just let my body wake up when it feels ready! So overall, I'm thankful that I did this because it allowed my body to rest up after all the hard work this week!

SO training! I'm officially COMPLETELY in my zone and my workouts have been AMAZING!!! I trained legs on Monday and to be honest, my hammies are still sore!! Then I met with Misty (she's doing Vancouver) and Pete on Weds to train chest and triceps! It was a great workout and it felt so great to workout with the both of them. Since my school schedule is a little crazy and with Pete's busy wrestling schedule (He's the coach at Bellevue Christian), it has been tough to coordinate our workouts together! So, it was great to work out with Misty and see Pete as well! They always push me to my limits and I think it is so great to have those kind of people in your life...

Which reminds me...When preparing for a show, who are the people that you chose to surround yourself with? Heck, not only JUST when prepping for a show, but through out your entire life? I strongly believe that you are who you associate with and I've witnessed this in my own life! I remember hanging out with the "wrong" crowd when I was younger and my parents would constantly say, "You are who you associate with!! Do you really want to be like them?" I HATED it when they would say that, but now I am so thankful because it truly taught me that I need to surround myself with strong, confident, optimistic people who are living their lives with shear determination to reach their own goals and dreams!! You see, it is their drive, focus and determination that will be contagious to those around them...Same goes for you..Keep shining because it is going to affect those around you more than you could possibly imagine. So anyways, I was just thinking how incredibly blessed I am to have made the decision to only surround myself with people who completely lift me up, or have the potential to lift me up! Don't get me wrong, if someone is having a tough time and are temporarily bringing me down, I'm not going to 'kick' them out of my life because I will want to help them! BUT! I will not tolerate anyone in my life who is going to waste timing bringing me and my dreams down with them everytime I'm around them! There's just no time for this - I've got BIG things to do and I'm not letting anyone step in the way!

So off to I got to the gym. I'm going to kick major butt during my cardio session and then head home to relax and prep my food before I head to Redmond to meet Pete for shoulders!! Oh yeahhh!! My shoulders are definitely making big improvements over this last year and I'm so thankful that both myself and Pete have been working hard to build that beautiful shoulder cap! Bring it on!!

"You don't concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done."

Tags: Determination | Goals | Mindset | training partner | Shoulders

Read more...

Today has been a VERY productive day and I'm feelin' gooooood!

Barry has been out of town since Wednesday and although I miss him like crazy, it has given me some free time today to get a bunch of things done since this is normally a day that we spend together. I went to church this morning and boy was it an AMAZING service. Pastor Kevin Gerald is talking about Bringing Honor Back and it has been a great new series on honoring everyone around you! Overall it has been great and a very friendly reminder of how far honor can go in a world that seems to be losing sight of honoring those people who are in our lives! After church I headed straight to UW Bothell and spent a torturous 5 hours on a big paper I'm working on for one of my classes. Whew! All that writing was brutal and spending 5 hours in my school's library on a Sunday, let alone SUPERBOWL Sunday, was not exactly what I would have loved to do...BUT! I feel so great knowing that I got so much school work done today!

Then after all that I came home and did some serious cleaning...I mean DEEP cleaning and now I feel AMAZING! As many of you know, my schedule has been absolutely insane and I've been stressed beyond belief! My messy house and that paper have really been dragging me down...You know...One of those things that is just whirling around in your head as something that just needs to get done.. Well, I FINALLY got both of those things done and I'm feeling a lot better. It's going to feel great to wake up tomorrow morning and start my week fresh with all my school work done and with a squeaky clean house ;)

So as far as training...Things are going pretty darn good! I've increased my cardio slightly. In addition to my normal morning cardio routine, I just added another 30 min of incline walking on the treadmill post weights for now. As far as my morning cardio - It is always changing around, both intensity and type of cardio.  For example, tomorrow I will do the stepmill for 15 min, then run on the treadmill for 20 min and then bike intervals for 15 min. In addition, I will also do one morning with 45min on the stepmill and then one morning at the track doing sprint workouts.  Overall, I'm really enjoying my cardio because I'm seeing results AND I'm enjoying the variety of cardio workouts that I'm doing. Variety is key. It keeps the body guessing and it prevents me from getting bored as well.

Lifting is going pretty well also! I had a somewhat "weak" training session on Friday, but I did the best I could and I'm thankful that I have such an amazing trainer to help me push through those types of workouts. I am so thankful that Pete De La Rosa cares so much about us girls because he is always able to find the perfect balance between being a great trainer and also a great friend/role model. He helped me through a personal issue I was struggling with and also helped me to push through my weights as I was trying to hold back tears! THANK YOU PETE :)

I'm also getting all the little things put together for the shows...I've filled out both of the registration forms for Vancouver and ECUP and I just need to send them in! Plus I met with Holly Peterson (PS...she makes amazing suits if you need one for the CUP!) this weekend because she's going to alter my suit!! I'm going to wear the same hot pink suit that I wore at Ironman, but I'm having her make some slight adjustments to make it look even better at Vancouver and ECUP!

Make sure that all of you ladies are planning ahead...Figure out your hair, make-up, tanning and suits NOW so that you will not have to worry about them during your last month of prep.  It is crucial that you can focus completely on your training and dieting during those last four weeks and it makes it so much easier to do that if you have all the minor details figured out!

My friend Jen Turnbull will be doing make-up at Vancouver and she will also be available to do make-up at the Emerald Cup as well! She does an amazing job and as a competitor herself, she knows exactly how to make stage make-up look amazing for the judges! You can look her up on facebook and contact her if you want to schedule make up times!

And of course John and Roxana Kreklo will be doing the tanning at both Vancouver and ECUP! They do an AMAZING job and I am so thankful that I've had the opportunity to get sprayed by them in the past. It allows me to focus on ME the day of the show instead of having to worry about my color. It feels great to have someone there to completely take care of your color so that you can step on stage completely confident and ready to rock and roll! You can email them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in having them do your color.

So that's it for now...I'm going to head to bed nice and early!

I have an amazing cardio session planned tomorrow morning and I cannot wait - I'm going to kick some major butt tomorrow morning!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

I'm fierce.

I'm strong.

I'm unstoppable.

This is MY time.

Bring it.

I'm lean.

Nothing is going to stop me.

These are the words that were running through my mind this morning while busting through my cardio session. Sometimes just repeating the words FIERCE, STRONG and UNSTOPPABLE give me that extra push to get through my cardio - And trust me...I needed that this morning.

I have to be honest and admit that this show prep has been a huge challenge for me. While I normally keep myself mentally strong and focused, I've had far too many break downs and let's just say that these past several weeks have been a HUGE test...I keep stepping back and thinking "Keep going...Keep going..." But I have to admit that it has been VERY tough. I'm in over my head with school work and I think the most frustrating thing is trying to balance what I love and am passionate about (competing) and what needs to get done (school). To me, the thing that I have been struggling with the most is the fact that I'm stressed beyond belief over my current school schedule and it is keeping me from putting as much effort as I would like into my passion of training and competing.  More than anything it has been tough to transition from training during the summer and training during the winter.  For example..My schedule during summer consisted of 40 hours of work and that's it. All of the free time I had outside of work was open to training, hiking and spending time doing what I love to nurture my soul!!! In contrast...my schedule now is completely insane. I work 35 hours..Then attend three classes at UW Bothell...Then spend about 2 hours a day ON TOP OF THAT on homework and studying. After all that is done, I squeeze in my training, prepping food and grocery shopping. Whew!

It has been a struggle to go from a schedule that allowed me to pour my heart and soul into my show prep for the WA Ironman to my current schedule that is making it very difficult to put as much attention and focus into my training as I desire! That's what is killing me...I have this burning desire to train my butt off and push myself to my limits with my training and prep, but I have this wall that is literally holding me back from what I want soooo bad. BUT!! It'll only make me stronger right?! That's what I keep telling myself...And I still believe that if you want it bad enough, you can make it YOURS! It won't be easy...The journey will be filled with blood, sweat and tears (many tears)...But it CAN and WILL be yours if you REALLY REALLY want it. So I continue to tell myself every day: "Diane..You want this...You need this...Keep that fire burning and push through each challenge with unstoppable determination to succeed"

So that's where I am at. I am indeed doing everything that I can with the time that I do have...So I'm definitely not cutting corners and I'm definitely putting in as much effort as I can - I just don't have AS much time as I did last time around to really DIVE into my training and that is causing a mental struggle.  Although I'm still putting forth as much effort as I possibly can, I FEEL like I'm slacking simply because I do not have as open of a schedule as I did when preparing for the Ironman! I'm telling you...the mind is tricky! I'm not going to let it get the best of me. I am putting 100% into my training and prep - So there's no way I'm going to let my doubts creep in and tell me otherwise!

I actually just started reading this great book called, "Be All You Can Be: A Challenge to Stretch Your God-Given Potential" and I think this has been a total GOD moment because everything that I have been reading is exactly what I've been needing to hear! This is something that really popped out to me:

"A friend of mine was discussing the implications of Micah 6:8 with his 7 year old grandson: 'What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?' The little boy, who was memorizing the verse said, 'Grandpa, it's hard to be humble if you're really walking with God' That's great theology coming from a 7 year old. When we begin to get a glimpse of the unlimited resources at our disposal - the power of God himself - then and only then will we sense the assurance tat we are fully equipped to do whatever it is that God calls us to do" --John C. Maxwell

Through HIM I will get through this crazy time in my life - With HIS love and HIS strength I will push through every single cardio session...push through every single clean meal...push through each day of class...each paper...each hour of work...each hour of reading! To be honest...this book reminded me that I CAN do it all..It won't be easy...But I WILL succeed. So that's that.

Be strong people and stay focused on your goals and dreams. Keep them in your mind at all times...Don't let yourself for even ONE second doubt that they can be accomplished.

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

So it has been A LONG time since I've been on here! Let's just say that is has been a CRAZY last week or two and I realized that I can only do so much! I learned that I have a little too much on my plate and this led to a huge amount of stress and eventually a breakdown on Monday!! Whew! BUT! The good news is that I really buried myself in scripture and this really helped me get back on the wagon.  In the midst of my breakdown, my fiance suggested that I read Romans 5:3-5...

**We must also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.**

By really diving into these verses, I was able to gather myself, stand strong and get motivated for my day! I'm so thankful that God ALWAYS finds the perfect moments to present perfect scripture. The Lord put this verse into my fiance's heart in order to help me and I'm always utterly amazed by God's ability to come through during ALL occasions - Even when it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

So let me tell you about my last couple weeks..

First off - I started back and school and this is what really fired up my stress levels. I can honestly say that I have NEVER in my life had as much school work as I have now. I literally do not have enough time in my schedule to complete all of my assigned work unless I drop hours at work and limit my training - And let me tell you...There's no possible way that I'm cutting back on my training! Training is what keeps me "sane" and focused, so I'm definitely not cutting back on that...and work...Well, I don't really have an option to cut back my hours! So we'll just see how all of this goes! So overall, I've been beyond swamped with hours and hours of school work and little by little that started to drain me of my motivation and energy over the past couple weeks.

Second - I was given the amazing opportunity to fly to Optimum Nutrition's headquarters in IL this last weekend for a photo shoot! This was sooo exciting and I was so nervous and excited to make a great impression! While this was an amazing experience and I cannot thank the Lord enough for this blessed opportunity, it was a tad bit stressful and this heightened my stress levels even more! More than anything, I was stressed because I really wanted to make a great impression and I wanted to make sure I was in great enough shape for a shoot with such short notice! I ended up having an amazing time! Everyone is so nice from Optimum Nutrition/ABB and it was truly a great experience to meet the people behind the amazing products.  I've been a loyal user of ON/ABB products for a long time, so it was great to find out that the people BEHIND the business are just as great as the product itself! Friday was our day to shoot and it was a very fun day! I was shooting with a fellow ON/ABB Sponsored Athlete, Cristina Vujnich.  She is such an inspiring competitor and it was great to meet another team member who is so kind, strong and inspiring! Overall, the shoot went amazing and I'm happy to say that I came in a bit leaner than I was at the 2009 Ironman! It was great to see the progress that I've been making! Although it probably should have put me at ease knowing that I was leaner than ever before, it really pushed me to keep working hard to make the changes that I need to make for the Vancouver show and ECUP! I REALLY want that six-pack and I'm determined to get it! So overall, Optimum Nutrition/ABB is such an honorable and respectable company and I thank the Lord every single day for the opportunity that He has given me to work with them! I'm proud of who I represent and this photo shoot really proved to me God's amazing love and blessings that He has for all of us!

So with school being absolutely crazy and more than I could handle and with a very exciting (yet stressful) photo shoot, I came home this last weekend exhausted and still pretty stressed. Plus since I missed class last week, I had double the work to make up this week.  So let's just say that I completely lost it on Monday...I mean I literally broke down and I felt like I had lost ALL motivation. I ate cookies Monday night in the midst of my breakdown and I even woke up Tuesday morning and said "Screw my morning Cardio!" So in general...I hit my breaking point and learned that I can only handle so much. I can only respond to so many emails, read so many chapters, write so many papers, take so many notes etc...This was tough for me.  I am normally so focused and I can normally handle anything and everything, but this breakdown was a big lesson for me.  It reminded me that as much as I want to be, I'm no super hero :) I'm human and need to really lean into the Lord in order to accomplish all that I have to accomplish. I do have a lot on my plate and this experience taught me more than ever that God is the ONLY way that I'm going to handle my insane schedule. Through HIM I will find strength...and ONLY through Him!

So that's where I'm at. Bummed that I ate those yummy cookies and missed my cardio, but at the same time happy that I'm back on track and found the strength to climb out of that seemingly dark and endless hole! So that also explains why I have not been on here! In the midst of endless reading and writing, I've lost a lot of time to write on here!

But I'm going to make a huge effort to continue to write as much as possible because the weeks are winding down until show time.

More specifically... 66 Days Until Vancouver!! That's NOTHING! Well...It's enough time to make great progress, but it will definitely FLY by!

I'm ready to get rockin' and rollin' and take complete control of my prep - Even with my insane schedule, I will put forth 100% effort, time and focus into prepping for Vancouver and ECUP because I'm determined to take Overall!

So that's it for now!

Make sure you are making the most of every day...and if for some reason you fall off the wagon - No worries. It happens to all of us at some point in time.  The important thing is to stand back up strong and focused ready to move forward and make the most of the moments ahead of you!

Tags:

Read more...

Alright so here we go! I started writing on here yesterday and then totally lost my flow :) For some reason I just wasn't finding the right words/topic to talk about! So here I go once again!

Well, this morning I got off to a funky start! My alarm "went off" at 3:45 and I definitely did not hear it AT ALL. I slept right through it and woke up too late to workout. So I jumped up out of bed and ran out the door for work! So I was very bummed to miss my morning cardio! I haven't missed my morning cardio in FOREVER! But no worries people, I'll make it up tonight after I lift! This is when I have to be flexible and remember that things do not always go as planned! Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and do the best that you can with the time that you DO have! So that's what I'll do! Once I get done with school today I'll be heading to the gym to lift and then get in my cardio as well! Whoo!

Which reminds me...today I start Winter Quarter...Grr.. Even though it is my second to last quarter before I graduate, I'm sooo not looking forward to my busy schedule this upcoming quarter! I have one of my main capstone Business classes and then two other 400 level business classes! What's even better...One of my professors emailed our class last week...Yes...Last week (during break) and assigned quite a bit of reading for the first day of class! Whew! So are the next couple months going to be a challenge? Yes! But I will stay strong, stay focused and work my little booty off! My goal is to train VERY hard to get into killer shape for Vancouver and ECUP AND also stay on the Dean's List this quarter! So here we go! Today will be day 1 and I'm ready to rock and roll!

I know I've said it a MILLION times, but everything is MENTAL! For example, I have a crazy schedule. Sometimes it almost kills me. Somehow I balance training and cardio 6x/week, a full-time job AND a full course load at UW! If I didn't keep constant tabs on my attitude, I could be in some serious trouble! I force myself to stay confident and excited to have so much opportunity instead of focusing on the negative and tiring aspects of my schedule.  The same goes for anything in life! Regardless of your situation, you have a lot of opportunity and it is up to you to SEE the opportunity and seize it! Life is not always easy, but there are always blessings that come out of EVERY situation!

**Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns.  I'm thankful that thorns have roses.** Allophones Karr

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

Alright Guys...First off, I have to admit that I did sneak in some treats on Christmas! My goal was to make it 100% clean through-out Christmas, but I didn't reach my goal! I tried some of my grandma's homemade Banana Bread and some cookies as well. Am I bummed out that I did not reach my goal for the holidays? Yes. BUT I'll continue to stay focused on what I can accomplish TODAY! The good news is that I trained hard through-out Christmas! I went to the gym Christmas Eve for a kick-butt cardio session and lifted heavy! Then I went to the gym with my mom on Christmas and did a killer cardio session.  This was not a typical cardio session - It involved hundreds of walking lunges and air squats...Overall I did PRETTY good over Christmas...I stuck to my planned meals and trained hard...Not 100% good, but pretty darn good considering all the tasty food that I was surrounding me :)

So that's that...Now I want to focus on my 2009 Wrap-Up and also go over my 2010 Goals...I worked my butt off this last year and I was blessed in so many more ways than I expected! I stayed focused on what I wanted to accomplish in 2009 and I did everything possible to give 100%...Plus I did it ALL for the glory of God and let me tell you...It is the most AMAZING feeling to put forth 100% of my effort to follow God's plan for my life! Of course I'm not perfect and I still have a lot of things to work on, but boy was it an amazing year!

In 2009...

-I was baptized on Easter and it was the most amazing experience. It was life-changing and I'm so thankful that I committed everything to the Lord

-I switched my focus for training...I was no longer training just to look good, but I began training to glorify the Lord and build the strongest and healthiest body possible - This new focus kept me strong through out the year.

-I was blessed with the amazing opportunity to blog on here! It has been so much fun to blog and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of Dave's blogs as well! THANK YOU ELAINE AND BRAD!

-I successfully started my senior year of college and managed to stay on the Dean's List while training and working full-time.

-I was able to experience and be a part of Snap Fitness' new team of competitors.  The team was created in 2009 and I feel so blessed to be part of the team and meet/train with such amazing girls! They truly inspire me each and every day!

-I won 1st place at the WA Ironman! This was such a blessing and such an amazing experience! It reminded me that all my hard work is paying off and also reminded me that I still have a lot to work to do in order to get to where I want to go!

-I signed on with Optimum Nutrition and American Bodybuilding! I have been a loyal fan of their products for the past couple years and I am SO excited to represent such a great company! Such an amazing blessing.

-I started working with John and Roxana Kreklo for my diet and I am so excited about my opportunity to work with them.  I've made great progress with their diet and I'm excited to see how I progress through 2010 with my new healthy eating plan!

-I've met SOOO many wonderful competitors! I cannot explain in words how much each and every person I meet inspires me...I am constantly learning something new from everyone around me and I feel so thankful to be surrounded by such uplifting and inspiring people!

-Barry and myself have brought each other closer to God and our relationship glorifies Him more than ever!

Ten Goals for 2010...

(1) To get my website up and running within the next couple months.

(2) To earn my NSCA CSCS certification.

(3) To build up my legs and glutes through persistent and focused training.

(4) To build more muscle...More specifically, I want to thicken up my back, bring out my shoulders and sculpt stronger and more defined abs

(5) To develop and build my organization - I want to do everything I can to promote weight-lifting to the women and teens in the Northwest

(6) To spend more time with my little brother - He is growing up sooo quickly and I need to soak up these moments with him!

(7) To better recognize God's will for my life and FOLLOW it! His way is the ONLY way!

(8) To promote ON/ABB to the best of my ability through informative helpful product demos and networking

(9) To help other girls compete - I want to help them get ready for their shows through constant support, help with posing and any other needs they might have.

(10) To win Overall for the first time and successfully proceed to Nationals to win my Pro Card

**I have MANY more goals, but figured I should stick to ten for now**

Well that's it for now. I urge you to write out everything that you have accomplished this year and also focus on what you want to accomplish in 2010.  This is a great time to review all of your blessings and also commit your plans to the Lord for the upcoming year!

Happy New Year and get ready to ROCK 2010! The opportunities are ENDLESS!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: Determination | Goals | focused

Read more...

So New Years is right around the corner! I still cannot believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve...Absolutely crazy! I cannot wait to spend some quality time with my family over the next couple days.  I always have a blast with all my aunts, uncles, cousins etc...So I'm very excited! So, I want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas! Soak up all the time that you can with your loved ones...It is truly such a precious time of year and Christmas Eve and Christmas ALWAYS flies by, so make sure that you're soaking up each and every moment.  These are the times that you will remember for the rest of your life.  Since I'm pretty strict on my dieting over Christmas, I'm going to focus my energy and attention on my family rather than all the tasty food! I have three weeks to get myself into amazing shape for an ON/ABB opportunity, so I'm definitely going to stay away from the tasty treats and instead focus on what matters most: Family :)

So anyways, the REAL reason that I wanted to write on here was to talk about New Years...Although it may seem cliche to make a New Years Resolution, I think that it is a very important time to really focus on your goals for the upcoming year.  There is SOOO much that can be accomplished in a whole year and I think it is very important for everyone to have a plan! When I look back over the past couple years, I am amazed at all the progress that I have made...And it all started with a New Years Resolution. On January 1st, 2008, I made the commitment to get healthy and in shape. It was a REAL commitment...One that I could not back out of. And Guess What?! Here I am two years later in the best shape of my life and healthy as can be. I am so thankful that I took that time to really plan out my goals for 2008 and 2009 because without a plan, it would not have been possible.  So I suggest that you get working on your goals...There will only be ONE 2010 and it is your time to SHINE! Make 2010 what YOU want it to be.  You have the power to make the changes necessary to live a strong and healthy life and I urge you to start making changes for the best!

Along those lines...I also suggest that ALL of us take BEFORE pictures at the beginning of the year.  I know that it is sometimes disappointing to take BEFORE pictures at the moment, but it is something that you can look back on at the end of 2010 and really SEE all of the hard work you put into the year. I don't care if you are brand new to working out or a seasoned competitor, I suggest that EVERYONE takes pictures AT LEAST once at the beginning of every year.  Sometimes it is difficult to really see the progress that you can make in a year, so the pictures serve as an excellent tool for you to really SEE what changes took place. So that's what I'll be doing this weekend..Taking my pictures. I will save them and look back at them at the end of 2010.  Once I take my 2010 pictures, I'll compare them to my 2009 pictures and I'm positive that it will be a great experience to see the transformation that has taken place over this upcoming year.

So that's all...ENJOY this amazing holiday! Christmas is such an amazing time of year and a great time for us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. God is SOOO good.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years!

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

There's nothing better than "The Zone". It's a place I reach a few months before a show. My focus is strong and my determination to succeed is unstoppable. Once I'm in "The Zone", I always strive for a better tomorrow. Each day I strive to beat myself and improve in every way possible. It is really an amazing feeling. There's something about putting my heart and soul into training that makes me feel amazing. It creates energy - Unstoppable energy. Yes..I do get tired...I do get exhausted...But it is my mental energy that is never-ending. Once I have that vision for my future, nothing stops me from doing everything possible to succeed. So that's where I'm at. I have both the Vancouver show and ECUP on my mind - All day. Every night I lay in bed and CLEARLY visualize the stage...I visualize every single aspect of the show..My posing..My walk...My hair...Check-in...Pre-Judging...If I don't visualize it, I cannot expect to reach my full potential. That's all there is to it - Strong, Powerful, Thriving Energy and Determination. If that's what it takes to succeed, I'm on it.

So my workouts have been amazing. Yesterday was legs! I'm still lifting heavy. Heavy Squats, Heavy Leg Press, Heavy Lunges, Heavy Sumo Squats...I love it and I hate it. Overall...My booty is HURTING today...My glutes are killin' me and it is only the 1st day. Tomorrow they will be worse. But I have to love the pain. It is amazing to know that I'm making progress and growing :) Little by little I'm putting on the muscle I need to gain!

Think About It:
**A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done. Once a man has made a commitment, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It's something we call heart power. Once a man has made a commitment, nothing will stop him short of success** --Vince Lombardi

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: Determination | Mindset | Thoughts | focused | drive | energy | vision

Read more...

Good Morning!!!

While in the midst of finals, I have not been on here as much as normal. BUT I'm officially done with Fall quarter and I am very excited to have a more open schedule now. I was actually able to get home before dark last night and it felt AMAZING! I have to soak this all up because before I know it, I'll be back at UW for Winter quarter!

Alright...So I have a lot of things that I am VERY excited about...

My training has been going AMAZING! I've really been kicking butt in the gym and I have an entirely new cardio routine that is kicking my butt as well.  I'm really mixing it up. For example, yesterday I did 15 min on the step mill, then went straight to the treadmill and ran for 20 min, then I went straight to the bike and did about 15 min.  I made sure that there was VERY little rest between machines and my intensity was kicked into high gear! Overall, it was great and I left the gym feeling great knowing that I put 100% into my cardio! With the help of Peter and John and Roxana Kreklo, I'm actually staying pretty slim in this "Off Season" (Although we all know that there really is no off season - There's always time to make progress). I'm about 10 lbs up from my weight at this last Ironman. So overall I'm feeling great because I'm eating a good amount of food and staying lean enough that I won't be SWAMPED with cardio as the Vancouver show and ECUP approach! Whoo!! It's been great to work with John and Roxana because there is absolutely no guess work...I simply measure out and eat exactly what they say! A lot of people are just fine doing their own diets, but for me I really need to work with a nutritionist because I constantly second-guess myself! So that's where I'm at...Training hard, building muscle, staying healthy - Everything is going amazing!

I've also had a blast working with Optimum Nutrition/ABB so far! I've done a couple product demos this week and I've had such a blast.  It is a great opportunity for me to meet tons of new people who have the same passion for health.  It is amazing how much can be learned by simply listening to people.  I spent several hours talking with gym-goers and customers at both Emerald City Smoothie and All Star Fitness and everyone has something to share.  I don't care how long you've been working out - Everyone has something to offer. Honestly, I'm constantly inspired by the people around me and I love learning from everyone - So the demos have been great! I've been meeting people who are just getting started on their fitness journey and others who are far more experienced than myself.

I'm also in the midst of a very big project!! In one of my classes last year I had to work on a quarter-long project where I came up with my own business/organization and wrote a long paper on it.  I did my project on an organization that promotes strength training and clean eating among teens/young women in the Northwest.  While it only started as a school paper - I've begun to work on this project more and more. I'm currently working on the website and my goal is to get my NSCA certification once I get out of school in the Spring! So I'm very excited and can't wait to get things rolling! I know it will be a long process to get an organization up and running, but I'm willing to put in the hard work and have patience!

I think it is important to give back to the community, so that is why I feel so passionate about starting this organization!

We all have something that we can offer to help other people out and I think that it is VERY important to make the most of what we can offer...We all have the ability to help other people - So get out there and help someone out! Use your gifts to assist someone else :)

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags: intensity | disciplined | training partner | vision

Read more...

Good Morning People!!

So although it has been FREEZING outside, this chilly sunshine is definitely giving me a boost that I've needed! I do not get 'depressed' once winter hits, but boy it sure does challenge me.  There's something about sunshine that really energizes me...The clouds...well, they tend to make me sleepy!! I know, I know! It's ALL mental, but all I'm saying is that I'm SOOO happy to have some sunshine back!!

Yesterday I had a great leg workout with Peter and the girls!! We have 10 girls competing at Vancouver and it has been so great to watch them morph into training machines ;) Seven of the girls will be competing for their first time, so it is exciting to watch them soak up the whole journey!! They are truly inspiring on so many different levels!! As I've said before, and I apologize for repeating, it is so important to surround yourself with people new to the sport - They are so 'hungry' to learn about training, competing and nutrition and it helps to keep my perspective FRESH towards competing.  Once you have several shows under your belt, it seems easy to get swept up in the motions of things and new people seems to bring the spark back to competing!!

So that's that... I'm sore as heck! My glutes and quads are killliiinnnnggg me!! Now it is time to recover and build!! I have one presentation, one exam and two papers due today...Whew! It's going to be a busy day, but then I'll be done for the day and can head to the gym for back! I really need to work on my lats in order to create that V-Taper, so I'll be heading to the gym after school to lift! Can't wait.

Go after your day...This is YOUR day - You can mold it, morph it - Make it what YOU wish.

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...

The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.  ~Benjamin Disraeli

I have to say that I have been working my butt off that last 14 months!! I've kept a very consistent training schedule and have continued to improve.  Improvement is key...I'll never be EXACTLY where I want to be, but as long as I'm getting closer every single day, I'm VERY happy!! There's no better feeling than looking back over the past year and observing all of the hard work put into training and to see all of that hard work really show and be worth it.  All of that hard work and goal planning is what makes me ready for opportunity when it comes..

SO....I am very happy to announce that I'm officially signed on with Optimum Nutrition and American Bodybuilding! I feel SOOO incredibly blessed to now be an ON/ABB Sponsored Athlete and I thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity! As I mentioned above, it means so much to me because I've been working my butt off every single day since I started this whole journey of competing and it is so great to feel ready for this opportunity! God is SOOO good and I give Him ALL the glory - Without HIM, none of this would have been possible!!

So overall, I'm very excited.  This is a great opportunity for me to get to know more people within the industry and represent a company that I truly admire and respect! ON/ABB have always had great products (100% Whey is my favorite!!) and they have always been on my list of goals.  I still remember talking to Peter a month or so back about the next year of competing...We were chatting about the team and how everything was progressing and I specifically told him that I would LOVE to work with Optimum Nutrition...I made it a goal...and guess what! I have accomplished that goal! Whoo!! So yeah...Thank You LORD and whooo!

In regards to my training and nutrition...Everything is going great!! I've been back on track since Thanksgiving.  John and Roxana's nutritional plan is working great! My energy levels are definitely high and I'm consistently losing inches around my hips and stomach..So I'm excited because as you all know...my stomach is my trouble area! So I'm very happy to see improvements in this area! I can't wait for the next few months of prep - I'm ready to rock it out!

Training...now that's going excellent as well! I haven't been training with the team or Peter as much because my schedule is a little wacky with school and Peter is the head wrestling coach at Bellevue Christian...So he's been busy coaching his team! But, I'm still training hard!! Peter lays out my workouts and I make sure to follow what he asks and kick major butt.  Now is my time to build some mass, so I want to make sure that I'm totally "ON" right now.  It might be the "Off Season", but that doesn't mean I can just kick back and relax.  I need to lift hard and lift heavy in order to make the progress that I need to make for the upcoming competition season! So that's what I've been doing!

So that's where I'm at! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season - CHRISTmas...can't wait :)

Stay Strong. Stay Focused.  Let the Lord's Light SHINE!

Diane

Tags:

Read more...