I cannot take credit for this. This is from Roger and Ally Baker of RAB Fitness over in Kennewick, WA. Truer words were never spoken of a competitor and Competition Coach!

"In case you forgot, here's the thing about being a competitor... you wake up every day knowing that you may or may not see changes in the mirror [or] on the scale... and this does not shake you.  It may be WEEKS before you see any changes. Some weeks will be awesome. Some not. Instant gratification is not in your vocabulary. You've heard this before and I'll say it again, THERE IS NO OFF-SEASON! That means that you REALIZE the dedication, sacrifice, time, sweat [and] tears that will go into this even in the dead of winter when no is looking or even paying attention. Now, this isn't something that I can just tell you and you will learn. Only time and experience will teach you this. So, if you are the one that is out there struggling today...take a deep breath, remove yourself from in front of the mirror, and get into auto pilot. Because this is just the beginning and if you stick to the plan.... you will be rewarded... "  Roger/Ally Baker – RAB Fitness

Roger and Ally NAILED it on the head with this one!  Look, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – if you wanna be a competitor – a GOOD competitor - then you’d better be willing to do what others won’t, don’t, and can’t.  It’s not about motivation.  It’s not about inspiration.  It’s not about the trophy or the glitz and glamour of the night show.  It’s not about size and muscularity and freakiness or anything else.  Competition is preparation, pure and simple.  Oh sure, we end up on stage looking our absolute best (or at least that’s the goal) but the contest is not about the end result.  It’s about the journey – it always has been about the journey and it always will be about the journey.  Several sayings that I’ve coined over the years and use on my website goes like this:

“Many competitors want to win.  Do work first.  Do not put the win before the work!” David “Dr. Buff” Patterson

“You’re not always going to win, but you sure as hell better train like a winner!” David “Dr. Buff” Patterson

“I don't believe in motivation. I believe in preparing oneself so that when you step onstage you will have the necessary confidence, conditioning, and stage presence to be competitive against your peers.  Motivation will not give you that.  Only work will." David “Dr. Buff” Patterson

Do me a favor – re-read Rog & Ally’s post one more time, this time with conviction and purpose.  Read it out loud!  Take every word to heart because, trust me, they both have!  You don’t get to the caliber of either of them without hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.  There IS NO instant gratification.  There IS NO easy workouts.  And there sure as hell IS NO OFF-SEASON!  Not an off-season, not an off-day, not an off-hour.

Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday, traditionally a day of feasting and festivities.  All I can say is, if you wanna put yourself in the best possible position to take first place, then you’d better enjoy the festivities without the feast!  Some of you will get this…many of you won’t.  And it will show onstage on April 20^th or 21^st, trust me.  Personally, I’m gonna watch the game, but all by myself, at home, in my chicken and salad and green beans and yams and potatoes and rice infested house.  No temptations.  No struggles.  Just me.  Is it worth it?  That’s the question each of you will have to ask yourself Sunday morning…”Is this worth it?”  What do you CHOOSE to do in two days?  Because remember, no one is holding a gun to your head.  It will be your choice – it always has been and it always will be.  If the choice is to ‘stick to the plan’, then as Rog and Ally said, “You will be rewarded…”.  Peace…

The Dr.

David "Dr. Buff" Patterson, MPE, CSCS, CSTS

253-576-4859 - Mobile

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"Tell me you will...tell me you won't...don't tell me you can't!"

Tags: Craig Productions | Emerald Cup | Bodybuilding | Figure | Fitness | Bikini | Dave Patterson | Determination | Goals | Mindset | Thoughts | training legs | setbacks | Dreams | Visualization | Journey | Posing | training | intensity | focused | disciplined | drive | work ethic | hard work | persistence

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The rapper-turned-actor, Ice Cube, once said in one of his songs from back in the day, “Y’betta check yo’self before y’wreck yo’self…”.  That’s my advice to many of you this coming Sunday – Super Bowl Sunday.  For the majority of the world, Super Bowl Sunday is a day of eating, relaxation, trash-talking, eating, watching the game, entertaining, eating, yelling at the guys, yelling at the refs, yelling at (and gettin’ your head knocked off later) your wife…and let’s not forget the most important thing…eating!

Ahhh yes…Super Bowl Sunday…having the guys come over, throwing some steaks or burgers on the grill, opening up the bags of Lays Chips, Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, and all the other O’s, along with nuts, dips, beer, coolers, wine, alcohol, and anything else your ethnicity adds in.  For many, it’s the life – the day that’s bigger than Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Mom’s Day, and all the others combined.  But for the competitor…nada…

Well…lemme rephrase…for the SERIOUS competitor – for the competitor who understands the task at hand and knows what he or she needs to do – for the competitor who has committed to achieving his or her all-time best look – for the competitor who understands sacrifice – for the competitor who has said over and over and over again, “This is MY show…”…nada -  Super Bowl Sunday is just another day.

Personally, I’m gonna watch the game, but I’ll watch it at home all alone.  I don’t mind.  It doesn’t bother me.  I haven’t watched a Super Bowl game with family or company in several years for a couple reasons.  One, I like to WATCH AND LISTEN to the game.  Do you guys know how hard that is with a room full of black people milling about?  We are LOUD!  Especially when we’re in a social environment!  Don’t believe me?  Just ask Elaine Craig or Tony Ruggiero what they thought the first time they came to one of The Dr’s house parties…they were like, “WTH…these people are CRAZY!”  That’s how we roll.  We have fun.  And we’re loud.  And because of that, I don’t want ‘em in my house when I wanna watch the game.  I love my peoples but I like peace and quiet when watching the Super Bowl so I can hear everything, especially the commercials.  I remember one year I had a bunch of people over.  The noise level was so intense I went into my bedroom, closed the door, hooked the headphones up to the TV, and watched the rest of the game in there.  That’s just me.  I don’t need the social interaction to enjoy myself.  If you can be kinda quiet and be into the game, you can come over.  If you wanna talk the whole game, I’m not the guy for you.

Two, the Super Bowl is a complete and total food fest.  Every time I either held a party or went to a Super Bowl party, it seemed to be more about the food than the game.  With 11 weeks to go this Saturday, there’ll be some of you who definitely need to stay home!  You know who you are.  Don’t think you can go over to your partner’s/girlfriend’s house and not eat or drink anything and just watch the game like a good little boy or girl…yea…right…

You know you’ll be in that dip faster than a pig in space.  It’s been my own personal experience and from talking with so many competitors that days like the Super Bowl are ‘traumatic’ to say the least, for many.  I know I want to eat.  I know I’m GOING to eat.  That’s why it’s easier for me to stay home.  Even when I took my own food I cheated.  To me it was like Thanksgiving…there’s absolutely no way I was gonna be around all of that food and not touch one single bite.  And once I started, I gave in to my Thanksgiving mantra, “I’m gonna eat ‘till I get sick…”.   Now there’s a select few of you that can tolerate the food and not give in.  Not me.  And if you know you’re in that category as well, then my recommendation would be to stay home.  It’s not worth it.  Once you go into the pool you’re gonna end up in the deep end real quick!

All joking aside, Super Bowl Sunday is a great day for friendship, camaraderie, and peace of mind.  We gather, we enjoy each other’s company, and we party.  Nothing wrong with that.  But know who you are.  And know what you will and will not do.  If your mental discipline is not that strong, my recommendation is to forego the fellowship and enjoy the game in the privacy of your own home.  I’d hate to see someone ‘blow it’ this Sunday by pigging out thinking they’ve got enough time to dial in when they were sitting on the cusp to begin with.  Don’t make your work any harder than it has to be.  But if you do choose to party like a rock star and eat like Oprah Winfrey, then be ready for one of two things…harder work or a butt-kicking at the 30^th Anniversary Emerald Cup!  You’ve been warned…peace…

The Dr.

David "Dr. Buff" Patterson, MPE, CSCS, CSTS

253-576-4859 - Mobile

http://www.TheDrBuffExperience.com/wordpress

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"Tell me you will...tell me you won't...don't tell me you can't!"

Tags: setbacks | training legs | Thoughts | Mindset | Goals | Determination | eating | Super Bowl | nutrition | control | focus | discipline | Dr. Buff | David Patterson | Bodybuilding | Emerald Cup | Craig Productions

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Last blog I promised to write on nutrition, so here we go.  Even though I’ve written dozens of blogs and probably hundreds of articles on nutrition over the years, and written quite a few on this site over the past 3 years, there’s always a new competitor who doesn’t know this game.  And I also know that one person’s way of saying something just might make sense to a reader over another person’s writing style.  What I’m saying is not new, not revolutionary, and definitely not the gospel on nutrition, but if it can help someone, then I’ve done my job. So lemme see if I can help that one person…and perhaps remind others of where they should be and what they should be doing in their own nutrition.

This past weekend we were 12-weeks out from the 30^th Anniversary Emerald Cup.  At this point, unless you’re roughly 12 lbs. or less out from your show, you should be 100% on task.  What does that entail?  Well…before I get into that, let me say that the number of ways to diet down are as many as the styles of Martial Arts…everyone has their own style, and they all think their style is the best.  I’m not gonna argue with anyone on what the ‘best’ way to diet down is.  I’ve said this many times, “All diets work, and all diets fail…”.   What I WILL say is, find out what ‘plan’ works best for you and stick to it.  Quit jumping from one competition diet to another.  That’s why you shouldn’t get fat in the first place – so you’ll have enough time to experiment with different plans until you find the one that works best for you.  Secondly, know your body type.  That will typically tell you what plan(s) fall in your diet-sphere.  Finally, if you need help, find someone who’s knowledgeable in ALL the ways of dieting down – not just the one way in which he/she dieted down.  That way, if/when you get stuck, your competition coach will know how to take the appropriate action to get you coming down again.

I’ve seen it too many times before…a trainer who does decent in a show decides to become a ‘competition coach’ and toss his/her hat into the ring.  I don’t have a problem with that as long as the trainer possesses enough knowledge and information to help ALL his/her clients – not just the ones built like him or her.  Otherwise the competitor client ends up on a cookie-cutter routine or an exact replica of what the trainer does.  Not smart.  Not good for the competitor.  Just last year I picked up 3 people whose trainers, although nationally qualified, didn’t have a clue on how to dial their people down.  Sometimes the most dangerous trainer is the brand new one.  As my professor, Dr. Hacker, used to constantly tell us, “A little bit of knowledge can be dangerous…”.  I’ve helped many a competition coach through the dieting down stages of their clients because they (the coaches) were lost.  The client stalled and the trainer didn’t know which way to go with him/her.  Heck, even I still get mystified over a client every now and then.  But this blog isn’t about trainers, so back on point…

We learned last blog that with 12 weeks to go, one could easily drop 10-12 lbs. of bodyfat on 1 to 1-1/2 hours of cardio and clean foods.  13 to about 20 lbs. would take around 1-1/2 to 2 hours with clean foods, while 21 or more lbs. probably would take at least 2 hours a day.  Now I know some of you are wondering or questioning this info…well…I’m a cardio person, so that’s what I do and teach.  But that doesn’t mean I don’t know the other ways.  If you’re not a cardio person, then you’d better be ready to drop those total calories, and especially those carb calories to lean out.  And if you’re a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) person and you’re pushing hard enough (and your calories are dropped enough) you can get by on one session of 30 minutes...but you’d better be ready to bust your butt, and I mean bust it HARD for that to happen.  So are we clear on the cardio/no cardio/long cardio thing?  I know em all, so if you need any explanation on whether you should use this or that method, holla.

Realizing that everyone is different, and this is just general information, I can’t categorically say where you’re at on the continuum and what you need to do unless I see and comp you.  So I’ll use me as an example and everyone can adjust accordingly.  I just cut my oatmeal to 25 gm wt with a slice of Dave’s Killer Bread as my starch for breakfast.  My protein is either egg whites with some turkey breast (that amount’s classified…) or chicken.  I eat what THIS body needs, realizing that I’m not a mass monster, and I know how my body works, and I know my timeline.  Since my cardio is still only 45 minutes in the morning, I’m s-l-o-w-l-y dropping my starchy carbs and replacing it with Parrillo Performance’s CapTri – a medium chain triglyceride that’s called the ‘fatless fat’.  It processes and acts like a carb in the system, making dieting slightly more tolerable.  I only take my starchy carbs so low up to 8 weeks out and then I up my cardio to one 60-minute session.  Then I’ll see how the body is responding and stair-step the carbs/cardio cuts until I achieve the look I want.  All of this is assuming this ole’ body will hold up to the rigors of contest dieting…

The rest of my meals are simple – protein, veggies, carbs, in that order.  I adjust as I need to based upon my timeline.  What you have to understand is how to manipulate your macros, meaning we’re all eating protein, veggies, and carbs…the question is, how much do YOU get to eat, and what’s your ratio compared to mine compared to Joe’s, Sally’s, Bertha’s and all the other competitors.  Another question you have to ask is HOW MUCH do I get to eat in relation to everyone else?  If Big Bradd gets to eat 750 cal/meal and I try to eat what he eats, I’ll blow up faster than your kid’s summer beach ball.  Now do you see why I don’t like and don’t do cookie-cutter diets?  If no two people are exactly the same, how is it possible for those same two people to be on exactly the same food plan…especially if one is a 5’4”, 135 lb. female and the other is a 5’10” 195 lb. male?  It’ll never work.  Either one will dial in beautifully and the other will look like crap, or they’ll both be off their macros and neither will dial in to their best look.

Every person I work with, I get as much detailed info on their life and what they’ve done in the past to give me clues into what ‘plan’ will work best for that individual.  Some are similar, no doubt, but some are totally way out there.  For example, last year I had Gerry Bernabe, the bantamweight overall winner at the Wash. Ironman pretty much doing what he wanted until the final 3 weeks or so.  His body was a genetic marvel so the best thing I could do for him was to get out of his way until the last few days and then dial him in.  Barb O’Dell, on the other hand, (the Most Inspirational Award at the Ironman for having lost 180 lbs. on her way to the stage WITHOUT surgery or drugs…) had to start doing double cardio sessions 18 weeks out as her body was stubborn in releasing fat.  I was wracking my brains trying to figure out how to keep her from stalling as her normally obese body was fighting her every step of the way once she got below 200 lbs.  It may seem easy, but it’s not.  When you’re dialing in a dozen plus competitors, let’s just say that good note-taking is highly recommended.  There’s no way I can remember everyone’s individualized food plans, and when I don’t keep track, it shows!

IN GENERAL, I can tell you that many of you will fall into the 3-8 oz. of protein/meal based upon size, muscularity, sex, lifestyle, etc.  Being off an ounce or two over the course of your diet doesn’t seem like it’s a big deal, but it can be the difference between 1^st and 3^rd come contest day.  That’s why it’s important to know your body and understand your macronutrient ratios and amounts.  Your veggies are easy – unlimited amounts for the majority of you.  If you need an amount, then go with 7-10 oz. (that’s 150-200 gm wt for you metric people).  The starchy carbs are the lil’ tricky creatures.  Some of you might do well with large amounts, some with literally none, and some dispersed in small amounts throughout the day.  Again, it would be unwise of me tell an entire readership what to do and expect it to work for everyone.  But I can tell you that once you find that magic number of carbs that YOUR body needs, you’ll know it within a week – guaranteed!  And once you find your numbers, then follow it!  Don’t be haphazardly changing things up thinking you know better than your coach or you read this or that saying this is what you should do.  FOLLOW THE PLAN!!!  If you’re doing your own diet, you HAVE to give it about a week to 10 days to see the effects of it.  You’ll know in that period of time if it’s working.  If not, make subtle changes.  If you’ve hired a coach, do what the coach says!  That’s the only way your coach can determine what’s working for you and what isn’t.

Well, that’s about it for this blog.  I’ve got just some chicken to eat for my last meal.  I might have half of a Parrillo Protein bar right before bed…don’t’cha just hate those people who can still eat literally right up to bed and still diet down…peace…

The Dr.

David "Dr. Buff" Patterson, MPE, CSCS, CSTS

253-576-4859 - Mobile

http://www.TheDrBuffExperience.com/wordpress

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"Tell me you will...tell me you won't...don't tell me you can't!"

Tags: Competition Coach | Foods | nutrition | Craig Productions | Emerald Cup | Bodybuilding | Physique | Figure | Fitness | Bikini | Dave Patterson | Determination | Goals | Mindset | Thoughts | training legs | Visualization | training | focused | disciplined | drive | succeed | Dr. Buff | David Patterson | The Dr. | The Dr. Buff Experience | competition | crossfit figure cardio contest prep | coaching

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12 weeks this Saturday.  That’s it.  That’s all the time we have.  It’s an eternity – 3 months – but it’ll fly by faster than the F-18’s that scrambled out of Portland last summer when President Obama was in Seattle and some idiot invaded restricted airspace…airborne and over Seattle in less than 6 minutes I heard.  That’s how fast these 12 weeks will seem to disappear.

If you’ve been on task then you have nothing to worry about.  If you knew your timeline and adhered to it, you’re in good shape.  But if you’ve been naughty…well…you’ve got some work to do.  Let’s take a look at where you should be on the continuum timeline…

If we’re looking at how much fat we have to lose, the formula is simple – we can safely and realistically shed 1.5 to 2 lbs. of bodyfat a week.  That should translate into .75 to 1% change in body composition.  It’s extremely difficult to drop more than 1% of fat/week unless you’re on the dark side. That’s a blog for another day.  But rest assured that a 1% change is quite a bit to change in 7 days…and to do that you’ll have to be literally perfect.  The formula is simple – lose 2 lbs. of fat a week with 12 weeks to go – 24 lbs. of fat loss with minimal lean mass loss.  If you have more than 24 lbs. to lose, well…you’d better plan on more cardio or even less calories or more drugs to get that fat off!

Even though losing the 24 lbs. is simple, it’s not easy.  You’ll have to be perfect – beyond excellent – to make it happen.  Losing 2 lbs. a week in my book means doing 2 hours of cardio a day (or expending the equivalent in HIIT cardio in a 30-45 minute period, which is DAMN HARD…) and probably dropping most of your starchy carbs out except for the oatmeal at breakfast.  Not fun.  Expect to suffer.  Expect to suffer hard!  As far as I’m concerned, cheat meals are a thing of the past.  I know many individuals and trainers will disagree with me, but time and time again, I’ve seen people who ‘cheated’ through their contest diet and people who held their diet, and in just about every instance, the person who held looked significantly better.  There’s a great short video out by Dave Palumbo and Kevin Levrone that says it all, in case you think I’m just stupid and don’t know what I’m talking about.  Start at about 3:40 and run to the end…it’ll open your eyes if you haven’t already seen it…and it’ll re-awaken you if you have.  I know it did and continues to do so for me every time I watch it.  It doesn’t ‘motivate’ me, but rather it gets my head on straight on what I have to do to accomplish what I said I wanted to do – come in looking my absolute best for my last show.

I’m not saying that when the time is necessary, you plug in some starchy carbs, such as yams, potatoes, rice, beans, etc.  But I am saying that the free-for-all food fest on a Friday/Saturday/or Sunday evening needs to fall by the wayside. Just humor me for a sec, will ya…if you have say, 30 lbs. of fat to drop in the next 12 weeks, why in the world are you taking in unnecessary fat every weekend?  I understand the Anabolic diet, the Paleo/Caveman diet, and all the other so-called ‘best-way-to-diet-down-for-your-show’ diets.  If you or your trainer wants to do that, and it WORKS for you, then you can click out and be about your merry business.  But if you’ve done that in the past and went in your show fat, and you’re wanting to do that again this time, that sounds like the definition of insanity to me…doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.

There will ALWAYS be a small percentage of the population for which ANY crazy diet will work – heck, it worked for the individual who ‘invented’ it…or did it?  How many times have you seen a current picture of the person who SWEARS by this or that diet and they’re in great shape because they’ve been following it for years?  Unless it’s lifestyle-oriented, I’d be willing to bet very few if any.  Diets in which you have to severely restrict calories or do really dumb, stupid things to diet down are setting you up for a tremendous rebound effect post-contest.  You’ve worked hard to get in the best shape of your life, and then two weeks after the show you look like a bloated beach whale about to deliver…doesn’t make sense to me.  But I digress…back on point…

The goal is to be at a point to where you only need to lose 1 to 1.5 lbs. of fat/week.  That makes the ‘suffering’ bearable.  If you’re at a point to where you only need to lose about a pound a week, then you’re sittin’ pretty.  At this point you still only need one cardio session a day.  It could be the 30-minute HIIT (and please understand that a true HIIT will leave you exhausted and dripping water on the floor…) or a 45-60 minute HISS (High Intensity Steady State – you’re working in a range of 80-90% of your VO2 max as opposed to going into your anaerobic zone on the HIIT – if you don’t understand, hit me up and I’ll explain in more detail).  Your foods are in order with no cheat meals added in.  The goal is to be at your contest look a couple of weeks out and just coast into the show doing the water, carb, and sodium (if you do that) manipulation thing.  In other words, you wanna make life easy for yourself.  I absolutely HATE to put people on more than 2 hours of cardio a day…all that means is they were behind the power curve by waiting too long to get serious about their contest diet or their foods are waaaay off which usually means they’re cheating.  Either way, they just increased their own misery and run the risk of either dropping out of the show or never doing another show again.

Personally, I prefer to stay within 10 lbs. of contest weight.  Part of the reason is because I’m old.  I don’t want to stretch out my skin any more than absolutely necessary.  Heck, in a few more years I’ll be saggin’, baggin’, and draggin’ due to Father Time gettin’ in bed with me…I don’t wanna have him visit any sooner that when he’s supposed to.  The other is because I’ve learned.  I learned 20+ years ago that as a drug-free competitor, my contest weight, regardless of what I do, is around 160-162 lbs.  As I’m aging it’s dropping a bit.  But at 57 years old, I don’t expect to ‘bulk up’ in the ‘off-season’ and miraculously gain an additional 10-15-20 lbs. of muscle.  C’mon…seriously?  If that were going to happen, don’t you think it would’ve already happened?

I’m at 5-6 lbs. to lose to make contest weight/look.  That’s assuming I haven’t lost any more lean mass due to aging.  Life is good right now.  Next blog I’ll go into a bit more detail on what foods you should be eating.  As I say to all of my people who are dialing down, “If it ain’t on the list, don’t eat it…”  Peace…

The Dr.

David "Dr. Buff" Patterson, MPE, CSCS, CSTS

253-576-4859 - Mobile

http://www.TheDrBuffExperience.com/wordpress

http://www.facebook.com/drbuff

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http://www.facebook.com/thedrbuffexperience

"Tell me you will...tell me you won't...don't tell me you can't!"

Tags: Emerald Cup | Bodybuilding | Dave Patterson | Dr. Buff | Determination | Goals | Mindset | training | intensity | focused | disciplined

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“Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal.” ~Vince Lombardi

It’s no secret: I am NOT a fan of the snow. For various reasons but the top 2 would be: being trapped indoors with 4 children for several days and not being able to work. For people without children a snow day sounds blissful. Come hang out at my house for a day with my foursome and you’ll probably wish for rain to come and wash away the snow STAT!!

I will say that the snow has been a nice excuse to sleep in the last couple of days. I should qualify that I use the term “sleeping in” quite loosely. I have been up by 5:45am every day this week. But it sure beats my usual 4am wake up time. The roads and the gym have been empty and it’s actually been kind of nice.

Something I notice among clients and gym friends and people in general…when the daily routine is thrown off by something like a snow day, not only does the workout often get sacrificed, but almost more importantly, the nutrition goes by the wayside. If you are preparing to compete in the Emerald Cup in just over 13 weeks, now is not the time to allow yourself to be derailed by a little snow! It’s really important to stick to your nutrition plan, eat all your scheduled meals and don’t use the snow as an excuse to “junk out.” This week feels a lot like a holiday…but it’s not. It’s important to remind yourself of that, stay focused on your goals and stay on track.

Have you allowed the weather to impact the quantity and/or quality of your workouts? You shouldn’t. Where there is a will, there’s a way! You might need to find a ride to the gym, you might need to find a way to do your cardio at home. But trust me, if you really want it bad enough you WILL find a way to get it done. What’s stopping you and more importantly, WHY?

Use this time to rest, while still keeping your nutrition and training on track. The next 13 weeks will be grueling if you’re doing it right so take advantage of a little down-time to get some extra sleep, sneak in a nap or just get more prepared for the days, weeks and months ahead.

A goal that you are committed to achieving will not allow room for any EXCUSES!!! Stay focused and recommit yourself if you need to…and if you’re heart’s not in it, give yourself permission not to do it!

~Julie~

Fearless, with cape in hand…committed to the GOLD Tiara!!

www.juliemichaelsontraining.com,

Twitter: @IrieFitGirl

Tags: Emerald Cup | Craig Productions | Figure | focus | Julie Michaelson | Goals | Mindset

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“The reason people give up so fast is because they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of looking at how far they’ve gotten” Author unknown

I’m having a hard time blogging this week. I’m in a funk (I know, way too early in the game to be in a funk). I’m pretty sure it was the 3 way mirror in the Nordstrom dressing room that sent me in a downward spiral.  I had a serious freak out moment! “16 weeks to go from this to BIKINI body” OMG!!!!!

To pull myself out of my funk, I decided to take a look at some old photos and walk down memory lane and how I got to this point. I needed something to show me HOPE of my transformation. Something to remind myself deep within, that I CAN and WILL accomplish my goals. Something to remind just how far I’ve come from my heaviest (1999 photo below), what progress looks like (2009 photo) and motivation to fuel my fire for the next 16 weeks to get in my best shape ever.

Back in 2008, I joined Gold’s Gym in Bothell, and started my journey once again to get in shape. I was doing great; I fell in love with spin classes, body attack, and lifting weights. The weight dropped off. I was 15 lbs. from my goal weight. Life was good on the outside. In 2009, my personal life hit what I can only describe as the “perfect storm”. The “perfect storm” which lasted several years sidelined my efforts with weight loss.  Instead of continuing with my diet and exercise, I buried and busied myself in other things as a way to deal with the grieving/healing process. I also buried myself in a nice juicy layer of fat!

In 2011, I’d finally had enough and decided I needed to meet with my dear friend and trainer, Julie Michaelson. I met with her in July; I decided it was time for me to finish what I started in 2009. This time I would far surpass my original goals and focus heavily on getting fit and dropping body fat.

This brings me to where I am today…. I’ve lost more than 20lbs of fat since training under Julie (even with a trip to France in there where I ate EVERYTHING). For the first time in a very long time, I feel in control of my health and my body. To have the whole process, diet and exercise dialed in, is AMAZING! Each morning I wake up and I can see changes, it’s like Christmas morning, minus the candy!

As to the dressing room mirror, it’s a reminder that for the next 16 weeks, I have to give it my ALL. Push myself harder, farther than ever and past the breaking point. This morning’s workout was awesome, I showed that mirror who’s in charge! In less than 16 weeks… me and the mirror, we’ll be tight J.

P.S. I dropped an entire size on those jeans!

Tags: Goals | Emerald Cup | Bikini

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It’s frustrating when you are waiting for results. I’m anxious and excited to get from point A to point B. Since July, I've revamped my whole way of life. It’s been a slow and consistent process. I appreciate that these new lifestyle changes will be here to stay…but I’m want see progress NOW!!! I’m so impatient.

When I first started this journey I couldn’t even visualize what I would look like at my goal. If you are familiar with the site Pinterest, I created an inspiration board just to house all the images of fit and strong woman to keep me motivated.  In my mind I created this imaginary ultimate body, one that I would be happy to own. There was only one problem, I couldn’t connect with the image, and it wasn’t me. It was a place holder until I could finally start to visualize myself at goal. It's one thing to set a goal, anyone can set a goal, but you have to own it and connect with it.

2 weeks ago I met with my dear friend Julie and my trainer (yes, fellow blogger Julie Michaelson). It was body comp day, and the thought of walking out in my short shorts and a sports bra was all a bit scary (haha, going to have to get used to wearing a lot less).  Something amazing happened when I looked in the mirror. I could see how far I’ve come in this journey. Instead of focusing on how far I have to go, I thought to myself “I’ve got this”.  For the first time I could see a full body image of me at my goal! It was definitely one of those "AH ha" moments.  I could visualize myself wearing a sexy little bikini stepping out on stage!

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Tags: Goals | Visualization

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Anyone else's mind do this to them?  I know mine does, and I've been reading, and journaling to overcome it.  I have always loved training my body, have put to much focus on that and not enough on my mind.  Take a minute to think about your strength not physically but mentally.  What do you do to defeat the naysayers of yourself and others?

Dreamer:  Check it out, Emerald Cup 30th Anniversary!!  Jen do you know what this means...You could finally make it to the stage and your first competition could be at the 30th anniversary of the Emerald Cup!!  Its a coincidence, I'll be 30 next year in 2012...2012 is the year of 30!!!  Ok, I need to start training now, I have a lot of work to do and need to take it slow.  I just started the Isagenix 30 day system and am feeling GREAT!  Were on the right track, now a coach!!

The Fear:  Haha...right Jen.  Here you go again, the thoughts overtake you with excitement and I will crush you!  You have looked for coaches before, remember how expensive they are?  How are you going to pay for that, supplements, suits, music, dance classes, choreography, plane tickets, you see the list doesn't end.

Dreamer:  If I have not shaken this dream yet I will not let it go.  The fight in me is more than I can explain I will do this I WILL!!  Ok, lets find a coach...

The Fear:  See I told you...your looking for coaches, nobody near here, nobody that is going to put the time into you and stay on your back every step of the way.  And do you see those price tags...sorry Charlie just not gonna happen.

Dreamer:  Ok, ways to come up with competition funds?  *Thinking*...I will find a way, I have come to far to not find a way and will not let this stand in my way.  I wonder if anyone would be willing to invest their time in me to see me succeed?  To know where I'm coming from and help me blossom into what I am about to become?  Prayer and passion can take a person a long way, and I am digging deep into both right now!  Stay positive Jen, it will work out.

The Fear:  Your hillarious...who is going to take the time to help you, nobody knows who you are, your not a known competitor.  If they do know you its because you have tried to start with them and then your body shuts down and they see you quit.  No way are they going to reach out and push you!  Its not time Jen, its not time.

Dreamer:  I am tired of hearing its not time.  When is it time?  So many things in life are never "in time".  What I feel in my heart, in my soul, that is what is time.  And I know I feel different now, I know I feel strong.  My mind strength is growing and its carrying my body further as well!  I am a strong woman with motivation and drive out of this world!  Some can't believe at what I have done and will do to achieve a goal, to live a dream and inspire others along the way!  This is the time!  Patiently waiting for my green Emerald Cup bracelet to arrive, I will wear that puppy day in and day out!  And one lucky audience member will catch it when I chuck that baby off the stage during my debut!!  Check it fear, you are dead, I will catch you and tear you apart!

The Fear:  Right...to be continued...

Tags: Figure | Bodybuilding | Washington Ironman | Emerald Cup | Craig Productions | setbacks | Journey | Thoughts | Mindset | Determination | Goals | goal setting | Fitness | Visualization | Dreams | focus

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I sit here tonight, ecstatic over the opportunity to be blogging with www.craigproductions.com.  Today has been something a bit surreal for me.  Small accomplishments in the big picture though steps I have put off for fear of rejection.  I sit here tonight ecstatic, yet unsure.  I want this to be big, I want this to be real.  For me, Jen, to be blogging on the website for Emerald Cup and Washington Ironman feels as if my dreams have come true.  To some of you this may be cheesy, well even to me it sounds a bit silly.  We are not to idolize, but  I am obsessed!  The fitness industry has intrigued me for over 11 years now.  Sitting on the couch after midnight flipping through cable when I stumbled on a fitness show on ESPN.  A former cheerleader, wanna be dancer, and in athletics my whole life I was hooked.  These woman were on national television, they had to be of some weird and famous breed.  I set them on a pedestal, something unattainable by an average girl like me.  At that time I was 17, young and naive.  Though our thoughts lead to our actions and our actions lead to our destination.  Eleven years later I'm still in the audience, dreaming of standing center of that stage, head high, shoulders back, to close my eyes for a moment and feel the feat of accomplishment.  Though the road has not put me on stage yet, I will not be defeated, I will not quit fighting until I am on stage.

So I guess this is where it gets a bit personal.  I've been a gym rat since high school, loving the smell so stuffy and stinky.  Cold hard floors, cardio machines buzzing, weights clinking...paradise.  It is not difficult to get me to the gym, its not difficult to get me to push myself.  This is where the issue comes in.  I might be a bit hard on myself...well ok...I said I was going to be honest, I am very hard on myself.  I will take myself to the gym, roll myself up like a back alley cat fight and love every second while I'm there.  I am very good at over training, if it was a good technique I would be famous!  Several years of this, committing to this show or that show, working with this trainer or that trainer, I always got the same result.  I was on cloud 9, pumped and ready to go.  Two weeks in I would get sick, I would start having anxiety attacks, weakness, and foggy brain.  Yup...aren't those right out of the training manual for OVER TRAINING!  Well I never caught on to this, I fizzed out, felt defeated, tore myself apart emotionally and became angry.  I tend to live life in black or white, so if I couldn't do it overnight with intense training then I would not ever reach this goal.  5 years or so of off and on choosing shows, starting to train, my body freaking out and me giving up I have thrown my endocrine system into a fit!  Now dealing with much more sensitive issues such as major hormone imbalances, adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, 20lbs weight gain, on and on.  Turning from doctor to doctor looking for the magic pill.  I haven't found it yet but I am starting to realize my body is different, I can't jump into a competition training regiment overnight, cardio has to be done at a lower intensity, sleep is not negotiable, and nutrition is HUGE!  So...maybe I'm not that different.

I'm rambling on, wondering where to take this blog venture.  I am going to take you on my journey through adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, and more and right onto to center stage where I promise win or lose I am going to take a moment to stand still, eyes closed, and breathe in the drive, motivation, blood, sweat, and tears of many years fighting my way.  Right now my doctor has me laying low, I'm listening for once, trying to be patient.  Its hard to look in the mirror and not recognize the body that encompasses such a fit and strong soul.  With time and patience, and the grace of God I will be an inspiration to men and women alike.  Those that believe that they couldn't do something like that, or that are dealing with physical ailments interfering with their training.  It is possible, even for a regular girl like me! :)

Jen

Tags: Ironman | Craig Productions | Emerald Cup | Washington Ironman | determined | WA State Show | setbacks | Goals | Determination | Weakness | persistence | goal-setting | illness

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Big Things Coming...I am incredibly excited to start the next chapter in my life.

13 Days Until My Last Day Of Class

13 Days Until I Can Start Studying To Get Certified As A Personal Trainer (if not earlier)

19 Days Until I Graduate From College

66 Days Until My First National Show in Vegas

Woot Woot! So to say the least...I have some exciting things coming up! I cannot explain the joy that I feel about my life right now. It is kind of funny actually because there are a few things in my life that are not going well at all, BUT I am choosing to focus on the the GREAT things coming up and I am choosing to focus on all the amazing things/people the Lord has blessed me with over the past couple years! That's really what it is all about people...Perspective and attitude. You ultimately decide how to live your life...You decide upon your outlook and your attitude and how you react to the things thrown at you. It's your choice...Turn around and avoid the challenges in your life or soldier up and be strong...Meet those challenges straight on. Sometimes you have to roll with the punches and do so with a big thankful heart and a big happy smile. Cliche...I know. But it is SOOO true! So that's where I'm at.

I actually just got home from the gym and had a fabulous workout...I mean KILLER workout. I started off somewhat slow and then that fire in me started burnin' something fierce and I finished weights very strong and then my cardio was even more fierce. It made me think of Julie's blog AWHILE back about giving it your all when you have that burst of energy...Heck if you're feeling energized and strong, THAT is your time to truly push your limits. So that's what I did. My 25 min on the stepmill and 10 min on the treadmill left me absolutely dripping in sweat and it felt so refreshing. Nothing feels better than building up my body...Making it stronger, healthier, faster and just BETTER!

So I'm pumped and can't wait for my cardio tomorrow AM! Then I'll be heading to work...then to LA Fitness for a Chest/Bi/Tri workout + cardio. Busy day, but as always it will be absolutely FULL of opportunity and I better be ready to rock and roll!

Bless you all and please please please spend some time tonight planning how you can get one step closer to your goals/dreams tomorrow. Life is so short and you've got ONE life to live...I hope you are all pushing forward through your life achieving all that you are meant to achieve. We each have something truly special to offer to the people around us and it would be soooo silly for you to not grasp that tight and make the most of it! DREAM BIG! ;)

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

Diane

Tags: Determination | Goals | training | energy | posingfocused | determined

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Alright so I found something that I HAVE to share with you guys!

I was going through all of my old emails!! I have a terrible (yet sometimes useful) habit of saving all my emails so I have MANY pages of old emails. Well, I figured it would be a good time to go through and clean out my INBOX. Well, I came across a powerful email that proves the importance of goal-setting and WRITING down and reviewing your goals frequently. The part of the email that I'm going to share with you was written September 4th, 2008, a month before my first show.

So here it is...

3.
My long term goal for a year from now is to compete in the Washington Ironman 2009 and place 1st...More specifically I want to really improve my abs and legs for next year's show.

This goal is important to me because I think I have finally found something that I can/want to do for myself that I really enjoy doing. I tend to get very caught up in doing things for other people ALL the time and I tend to neglect myself. I feel that if I keep training, I will be able to finally spend time doing what I want to do and be able to accomplish what I want to accomplish.  

I will achieve this goal by...
training hard over the next year
staying organized in order to balance school, work, my social life and training
surrounding myself with positive people at all times
sticking to clean eating through-out the year
staying focused on each task at hand
Overall, attitude is everything and I feel like if I have the right attitude and work hard over the next year, I can place 1st at the 2009 Ironman.

This amazes me because a year later I DID accomplish my goal -- I placed 1st at the 2009 WA Ironman!! My old trainer, Brent, made me write out my goals on a consistent basis and he taught me to stay focused on these goals. So that's what I did. I wrote out my goal for a year down the road and I specifically stated HOW I was going to achieve that goal....and guess what?! I accomplished exactly what I wanted to accomplish. Boy was all that goal-setting worth it! This shows precisely the power of setting goals and writing them down!! Put together an online file or a journal of all of your goals...Write them down SPECIFICALLY! Write down exactly what you will do to make those goals come to life! Setting a goal is not nearly enough. You must put yourself into action and determine HOW you are going to make it happen. Then focus on that each and every day until you finally achieve the goal.

So I've been staying focused on my training/prep. My cardio the last few days has been awesome. I'm busting my butt right now and continue to improve as each week passes! I'm still dreadfully sore from my back session on weds! Let's just say it hurts to lift up my arms because my lats are so sore!! I think this is the most sore that I have ever been -- I'm most definitely taking all of my glutamine and needed protein right now to help my back muscles recover! Today I'm meeting Peter at Snap for shoulders!! Little by little, I'm building that beautiful CAP.  So that's about it for now...

I'm excited for Tanji's workshop tomorrow -- It should be a BLAST and I cannot wait to see all the girls! It's always so great to meet all the women competing and hear their story! Everyone has their own journey and their own reason for competing and I love getting to know where everyone is at in their journey.

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

Diane

Tags: Mindset | focused | commitment | goal setting | Goals

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Well, let me start off by saying that I am SORE...I'm beyond sore...

I took the last week off. Some people jump right back in and other take even a couple weeks off....I've found that taking one week off is the perfect amount of time for me. It's enough time to give me that much needed break, yet it's not too long. By Sunday, I was itching to get back into the gym!

Last week was great. I spent A LOT of time with my family and my fiance. They were all so supportive of the time I spent away from them training over the past 4 months, so it felt GREAT to spend time with them. Plus my cousin from Nevada and her family came into town last weekend, so it was great to sit back and relax with everyone...and enjoy some tasty food!! I think that I actually ate everything that was on my "list". I had pancakes, Burgermaster, Red Robin, Mexican...Ice cream..A variety of things. The good news is that by Sunday, I was sooooo ready to get back into clean eating. I actually started to crave brown rice, chicken, fish, broccoli etc...Overall, it was a great week of relaxing, but I'm also very excited to be back on the workout/clean eating train this week!!

Yesterday was my first day back in the gym and it felt amazing. I did AM cardio and never felt so happy to jump on the treadmill. I then went back to Snap Fitness after work for an awesome leg workout. I'm going to be busting my butt over the next few months to really add some mass. We stuck with the basic leg movements and lifted HEAVY! I always love the transition to real heavy lifting. I love the mass-building phase...there's just something that I love about lifting as heavy as possible. Yeah, I do like the higher reps to sculpt the body right before a show, but I'm telling you...I LOVE heavy weight and low reps!! So, I'm very excited to get training this week. That's also why I'm so extremely sore. After taking one week off and then jumping right into a heavy leg workout...boy are my legs cranky this morning. But it's all good...It's all worth it!

My schedule is a little funky, which bums me out, but I'll just have to make it work. For those of you who don't know, I go to UW Bothell full-time and work about 30 hours a week...and train...so my schedule gets a little crazy once school starts. So for now I'll be working during the week, and taking a full load of classes during the week as well.  After work/school, I'll head to the gym to lift.  I'll also continue to do AM cardio before work to save time later in the day. The most tricky part about this schedule is the food!! I leave my house at about 4:15am for the gym, then don't get home until 7:00 or 8:00 at night. So I have to pack food for ALL day.  Not only that, but I have to make time to prep food in that little bit of time I have in the evenings...Whew..A little hectic, BUT I'm determined to make the most of every day ahead of me. I want to make some big changes for the Spring shows, so I need to buckle down and do work :)

This will be my week to write out all my goals for the next 6 months. I want to get them all down on paper. I do this so that I can review them on a daily basis and look back on them to see all that I have accomplished! I also need to pick a new "Theme Song". As I mentioned in one of my first blogs, Bryan Clay spoke at my church and mentioned how he had a "Theme Song" that he listens to every morning when he gets to the gym to train for the Olympics. I took his advice and picked "My Deliverer" by Mandisa and boy did that song help me out. It kept me focused on what I wanted to accomplish right as I stepped into the gym. It reminded me of my goals and also reminded me to stay focused on the Lord for strength to achieve my goals. So I'll be picking a new song sometime this week...I just have to find the perfect song!!

Well, that's it for now. I'll keep everyone posted on my training.

For all you competitors doing the Olympa show..I'll be there to cheer you on!! Stay Strong and Focused...You're ALMOST there. Finish strong so that you can step on that stage feeling 100% confident in the progress that you've made and the physique that you are bringing!!

**The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them** -Denis Watley

For all of you enjoying your time off...Still make time to plan your future. Get out a pen and paper and write out your goals...They need to be so clearly defined that you can literally visualize yourself achieving them. Dream BIG...Everything is possible!!

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

Diane

Tags: Goals | Dreams | Visualization | legs

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I haven't  been on here in several days...

I had a VERY busy weekend. I got a lot done and trained hard, but boy was it exhausting!!

Friday was a tough day for me. It was one of those days that tests how bad you REALLY want to train for a show. It was my day to load up on healthy carbs and I was VERY happy to finally eat my sweet potato! It tasted so good after several days of very low carbs. While I was so happy to finally eat a good amount of carbs, I was soooo tired. I honestly didn't think I'd make it through my day of work.  My whole body felt weak and tired and normally I can push through it, but Friday was a whole different story. Since I was feeling more exhausted than ever, I really didn't want to go to the gym. All I could think about was my bed. BUT of course I still went into the gym...But let's just say I didn't have too big of a smile on my face when I got there. Pete could tell that I was really not feeling the gym. When we were about to start training I told him that I wasn't going to be able to train. I couldn't believe it. I actually wanted to quit before I had even started. This is VERY unlike me. Thank goodness for Pete. He reminded me of the bigger picture. He reminded me that I'm doing this all for God and God will give me the strength. In the end I DID finish my workout and even finished up with cardio. I was so thankful that he pushed me to keep going. It's not like me to give up so easily, so that's when it's crucial to have a great support system and also remind yourself WHY you train. As I mentioned in a previous blog, the REAL reason why you train is something that you constantly need to remind yourself of to keep yourself moving when you really don't want to.

It's easy to look at those tough days as bad days. I mean realistically I didn't train 100% because I was so darn tired and so darn negative. I didn't even give myself a chance to train before I decided I wanted to quit the workout. Doesn't make much sense does it? BUT! I think it's important to look at those days as good days. As long as you don't give up, it's a good day. Even though it wasn't my best workout and even though I was a tad bit grumpy the whole time, I still did it. I still pushed past what I didn't want to do and did what I NEEDED to do. It's those moments that really allow you to shine and learn. It allows you to fully realize how amazing the journey really is. Without struggles, it would be so boring.

So overall Friday was tough. I seemed to be somewhat of an emotional wreck...But I pushed through it and had an amazing workout on Saturday. I woke up Saturday morning and did my cardio.  After cardio I went home and cleaned cleaned cleaned! I've been so busy lately and it's really starting to show in our house. None of the laundry was done...None of the dishes were done...etc. So I kept myself busy and got a lot done. Then it was back to the gym!! I went to LA and lifted. Once again, it was not that busy. I was very thankful because sometimes it can get PACKED in that gym, making it difficult to get everything done. I finished up with more cardio and REALLY kicked butt on my cardio!! I've started drinking Chain'd Out through-out my day, especially before and during cardio, in order to prevent muscle breakdown. Chain'd Out is a ALRI Amino Acids Supplement. It's a drink mix that tastes DELICIOUS!! I have the Strawberry Banana and Appletini...Tasty and packed with Amino Acids! What more could I want ;) Oh the simple things in life that make us competitors happy!

After the gym Saturday I headed to the Mariners game with Barry and some of his friends. His best friend is in the Marines and has been stationed in Hawaii since coming back from his tour and so it was fun to see him and his family and gf. I kept my will power strong at the game. All the garlic fries and hot dogs sure smelled delicious!! The tough thing about sporting events is that there is good food EVERYWHERE. Ha! There's no way to escape it. There's always someone sitting/standing/walking near me that has delicious smelling food. But I'm happy to say that I snuck some good food into the game and stuck to my water and protein!

Then Sunday...What a great day. Sunday is always my favorite day of the week. It's my time to go to Church and celebrate God with my family. It is always awesome to see my family. I have been blessed with such amazing parents and siblings and I'm the happiest when I spend time with them and Barry. It was my day to rest and trust me, I thoroughly enjoyed my time to rest. I ate VERY clean and just enjoyed the day. Simply Wonderful!

Today is legs and I cannot wait!! It's nice to know that each week my thighs, glutes and hamstrings get a bit tighter. There's nothing better than seeing the results from all of your hardwork!! The results WILL come eventually if you put in the time, that's the wonderful thing about training. There's no maybe. If you do the work, you WILL see results!! So I'm excited to go the gym and work my booty off, literally ;) I'll finish up with cardio, of course.

We're getting closer. Before we know it, the show will be here!! I cannot wait!!! Everything is coming together and I could not be more thankful for the way things are going. Plus the team is doing excellent. All the guys and gals at Snao training for the show are kicking butt.  It is everyone's first show and they are all SOOO ready!! Can't wait.

For all you country fans out there...Tim McGraw's song, How Bad Do You Want It? is great!

Some lyrics from the song...

People always ask me, "Son what does it take to reach out and touch your dreams?"

To them I always say..

Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?

Is it a fire that burns you up inside?

How bad do you want it? How bad do you need it?

Are you eating, sleeping, dreaming with that one thing on your mind?

Cause if you want it all, you've got to lay it all out on the line.

I think that says it all. If you want it, you've got to go after it. You CAN make it happen, but only if you put your goals/dreams into action.

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

Diane

Tags: ALRI | Goals | Mindset | disciplined | legs | persistence

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The topic at my Church, Champions Centre, has been VISION BUILDING.

Last week, clarity was discussed and how important it is to know exactly what you want.

The point was made that people who know exactly what they want push past fear.  When you are focused on your vision for your life, you will be more willing to push past fear to get exactly where you want to be. People who know what they want are ready when opportunity knocks.  Basically when you know exactly what you want, it keeps you focused on what must be accomplished and helps you to be ready for anything. That in itself was an amazing message.  This week, my pastor went even further to say that in order to build your vision for your life, you MUST be confident.

"God does not sponsor confusion" - Kevin Gerald. Overall, confidence is key in accomplishing your dreams and goals. God will not bless those who are lacking faith; confidence is faith.  Every single person will meet opposition while trying to accomplish their dream, yet those who are confident in what they are doing will push past the opposition. Confidence is what gets you through opposition.  By losing confidence, you're walking away from what is planned for your life. Don't let that happen. Stay strong and decide that you will not sway once you have your vision for your future and your life. As I always say, you've got one shot down here.  Don't let your vision go to waste because you fear a little criticism or a little opposition....Just fight through it. There's always going to be something trying to push you down...It's simply a test to see how bad you really want it.

So anyways, my weekend was amazing!! I trained my butt off on Saturday! I had an amazing back workout and kicked booty at cardio. Then yesterday I left Church feeling pumped up to start my week.  The show is so close and Church always keeps me focused in on what really matters. I don't have time to waste, especially when it gets down to being 5 weeks out...So every little bit of inspiration from God and my family helps!

Today is Day 1 of NO CARBS...I'll be lowering carbs until Friday.  As I've said before, I do this once a month.  It seems to be working out very well for me...So I'll stick to it :) Today is also Leg Day!! Whoo! I always get excited to start my week off with Legs! I also have a massage scheduled after my workout today...So it's going to be extra good!! The massage always helps me to recover and it prevents me from getting stiff and too sore! Overall, it will be a great day. It is what you make it right?

Well, off to work I go. I'm anticipating a busy day in the store...Thanks to the sunshine!

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

Diane

Tags: Visualization | Determination | Goals | focused | legs

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My mom recently found several boxes filled with tons of my notes/pictures/fun stuff from my middle school days.  After middle school, we moved to a different house and many items I packed away were never unpacked.  It was great to go through all of my stuff and “re-live” those days. 

In middle school, I took TONS of pictures and made many collages…I put all of these around my walls, covering almost every inch of wall space.  When we moved, I simply took down all the pics/posters/collages and put them in boxes. Anyways…When I was going through the boxes recently I found my “Dream/Goal Pictures”.  These were printed out pictures of my goals, including the vehicle I would plan on owning in high school/college.  I pulled out a picture of a lifted red Silverado.  When I was younger, all I wanted was a lifted truck and I loved a red Silverado that I once found online. So I printed it out and put it on my wall.  So when I found this picture, my jaw dropped, as I had forgotten that I had this included in my “Dream/Goal Pictures”. I was amazed because my senior year of high school I bought a lifted red Silverado.  To this day I still drive the same truck. Crazy isn’t it?  With days and days spent looking at my goals in Middle School, I actually ended up with a truck VERY similar to the one in the picture.  By having the picture on my wall to look at every day, it allowed me to frequently visualize myself owning that truck.

Finding that picture and examining how closely it resembled the truck that I drive today, I realized how important it is to have a “Dream Journal” or “Dream Board” or even just pictures in odd places around the house of things you want to own/places you want to go/a house you want to buy/things you want to accomplish etc…

Not only will these pictures serve as reminders to keep your dreams alive, but most likely they will force you to visualize yourself in the future with that goal/dream accomplished.

So my plan is to make a Goal/Dream Journal.  This notebook will have all my goals and dreams written out.  I will include my game-plan for achieving each one and will fill it with pictures that represent my goals and dreams.  This will be something that I can reference back to when I’m lacking motivation or feeling discouraged.  All I’m sayings is Dream Big and NEVER lose sight of what you want…Why not? You’ve got nothing to lose J

Well, I just finished my protein shake and my oatmeal. Yumm…I tossed ¼ cup of blueberries into my oatmeal and it tasted SOOOO good.

Today is chest.  I’ll be pushing my intensity to the limits….WHOO! Time to make some progress.

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

Diane

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Tags: Goals | Dreams | Visualization | Chest

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So today is Day 1 of our new program.  We’re starting a new lifting schedule. I love starting a new schedule…As soon as we start a new schedule my body starts to make more drastic changes, so I’m super excited for the great changes. Monday-Friday we’ll lift one body part per day. Saturday will be a circuit followed by posing.  Although I’m not competing in Figure at the Ironman, I think it’s important to practice posing.  It really helps me to focus on activating each muscle and it’s great way to see my progress.

I feel great because I went grocery shopping yesterday and prepped all of my food for the next several days.  This time around I bought a lot more veggies than normal.  I’m making it a goal this week to double up on my veggie intake.  I’m going to make bigger salads for lunch filled with spinach, bell peppers, green onions, broccoli, and cucumbers etc….tasty!! I just feel so much better when I eat a meal like this.

Speaking of goals…Every Monday I will try and remember to share my goals for the week with everyone and follow up at the end of the week with results.  One of my goals, as I already said, is to double up on the veggies.  Veggies serve as an excellent way to stay full and healthy while dieting.  I find that if I prep the veggies and store them in the fridge, I’m more likely to eat them when I’m in a pinch with cravings.

A second goal of mine is to up the intensity of my morning cardio.  I have a difficult time getting myself pumped up and intense for morning cardio since it’s so darn early.  It’s tough to climb out of bed at 4:00am and start cardio at 4:30 without being a little sleepy still.  I know that I CAN physically handle high intensity morning cardio, but my mind tends to get in the way. I need to remind myself that I can do high intensity work in the AM and my body will follow.

My last goal is to keep my water intake high during the weekends.  For some reason, my water intake drops on Saturday and Sunday.  It might be the lack of routine.  I have weekends off from work, so I tend to lose the scheduled routine that I have during the week.  When this happens, I tend to forget about my water. So that’s it.  I need to keep my water at a little over a gallon EVERY day during the week, even Saturdays and Sundays.

Today is leg day!! Whooo!! I’m very excited to get back into the gym for lifting after being so sick.  I have to keep my mind strong since I tend to assume that I’ll be super weak after a week of being sick.  Although being sick took a lot out of me, I know that I still have the physical strength that I did last week….So again, I’ll push the intensity!

Someone emailed this to me and I think it’s great…

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-- Marianne Williamson

Let your light shine today!!  Don’t be scared to let your talents show.

Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord’s Light Shine!

Diane

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Tags: Mindset | Determination | training legs | Goals

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