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 Dr Buff
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| Get Into Auto-Pilot |
| 02.04.2012 07:18:00 | |
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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
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 20th or 21st, 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 http://www.TheDrBuffExperience.com/wordpress http://www.facebook.com/drbuff http://www.facebook.com/TeamBuffedBods http://www.facebook.com/thedrbuffexperience "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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| Dr Buff
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| Super Bowl or Super Feast? |
| 02.01.2012 13:24:30 | |
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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 30th 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 http://www.facebook.com/drbuff http://www.facebook.com/TeamBuffedBods http://www.facebook.com/thedrbuffexperience "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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| Dr Buff
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| If It Ain't On The LIst, Don't Eat It! |
| 02.01.2012 00:10:03 | |
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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 30th 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 1st and 3rd 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 http://www.facebook.com/drbuff http://www.facebook.com/TeamBuffedBods http://www.facebook.com/thedrbuffexperience "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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| Jen B |
| Check me out on YouTube |
| 11.11.2011 00:02:43 | |
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After working for hours trying to figure out how to embed a YouTube video into the blog here I have realized I cannot figure it out...or maybe my patience has just worn out! So here is a link to a YouTube video I did explaining a bit about where I'm at and where I am heading. Its a history of my journey thus far and a precursor of so much to come! Please check it out HERE. But be aware, I am a goofball and have a very dry sense of humor...hahaa ;) Tags: Figure | Fitness | adrenal fatigue | isagenix | Emerald Cup | Craig Productions | fitness routines | competitors | mind | strengthFigure | Ironman | training legs | setbacks | energy | vision | discipline | focus | training partner | disciplined | focused | night show | persistence | commitment | choice | challenge | personal training |
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| Jen B |
| Doubt Will Kill Your Dreams |
| 08.23.2011 03:38:13 | |
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Coming to this site, looking around, I am so grateful to be here writing to you. I look at the photos, I read the articles of those in the industry and I wonder what am I doing here? Who wants to hear about my challenges when you see all this success? I posted my first post and then hid, wondering if I should continue, let alone blog on one of the top competition sites! I want to thank Elaine Craig Wright for pushing me, she didn't do much. A simple post on my Facebook page. (New friends welcome) Short and sweet "Missing you on the blogs!" That simple post made my day and pushed me to face the self doubt and open up to this journey. How am I going to grace the stage if I'm already hiding from the computer screen? :) Good news!! The doctor has given the OK to run, yup, thats it. But check out my new running kicks!
No more than 30 minutes a day, try not to break a sweat or get out of breath. Really? To hear that as an athlete, a fitness competitors soul is not an easy pill to swallow. I try to look forward and not backwards, though at this moment I have to look back. I was on a no activity order from the doctor. 30 minutes is a long time from nothing! So here I am 7 weeks later finishing up the 5k training program and running a steady 28 minutes with no breaks! I know, doesn't sound like much but from where I was this is GIGANTIC! Bad News!! My body is in a recovery mode, still not super excited over my exercising and putting extra demands on it. It is holding onto the weight, actually I have gained another 2lbs. Though I do have to say my husband was checking out the tone in my legs the other day! It is so hard to understand how 7 weeks of running and I gain 2lbs. For those of you that have dealt with adrenal fatigue and hormone imbalances you know the frustration, for those that haven't it is close to absolutely impossible to push weight off while in recovery. As I need to improve my nutrition and trying to learn as a runner now, or runner in training. Resources and recommendations gladly accepted! So where am I now? Where am I headed? I am fighting the doubt and the fear. I am fighting and keeping my eye on the prize. I am running a 5k in October, I know not the stage but even the title holders started somewhere. I have talked with a few amazing competitors with very big hearts that have gone through what I am going through and successfully manage it and compete. It took them a long time too. It is hope and motivation to hear stories of those dealing with the same conditions that I am. It can be very lonely out in the world and when we isolate ourselves it may seem as if we are in it by ourselves, that nobody could possibly understand. No matter your situation that is wrong! There are people out there that want to love you, support you, and help you succeed. Thank you to Elaine for dropping a kind reminder that somebody does want to hear about the girl that isn't on stage YET. *smile*
~Jen B.~ Tags: Emerald Cup | Figure | Fitness | Bikini | Mindset | Thoughts | training legs | Dreams | Visualization | illness | goal setting | Dedication | desire | sacrifice | motivation | inspiration | succeed | crossfit figure cardio contest prep | nutrition |
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 Diane
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| Don't Live With A Bunch Of Turkeys! |
| 03.01.2010 23:57:31 | |
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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 |
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| Diane
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| Great Weekend With Inspiring People |
| 11.23.2009 23:40:09 | |
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Well, I had an amazing weekend...For the most part :) The bad news is I pulled a muscle in my right arm pretty darn bad and could not straighten my arm. It was literally stuck at a 45 degree angle!! So this interfered with my lifting Friday and Saturday. But! The good news is that it is all healed up now. It's a tiny bit tender, but definitely won't get in the way of legs today! Overall, it's basically all back to normal and I'm ready to rock and roll this week! Other than that, I went to Tanji's workshop on Saturday and had an AMAZING time!! There were 30+ girls there and it was great to meet everyone. The great thing is that the majority of women that were there have never competed before!! That means that we could possibly have 20+ girls brand new to competing in the Spring!! It's exciting to see the sport grow! But anyways, I learned a lot on Saturday and it was definitely worth my time and money! It is always great to spend time with people energized and motivated towards a similar goal. I'm sure she'll have another workshop next Fall, so if you missed this year make sure that you check it out next year! Even for the seasoned competitor, she always shares very helpful information! So that was my weekend...I worked on school work, did cardio, went to the workshop and hung out with my family. I missed being able to lift, but I'm glad that I took the time to recover otherwise my arm would probably still be hurting pretty bad! It's always tempting to jump right in and workout anyways, but it is always a better idea to play it safe and relax in order to prevent further injury. So today will be legs and I'm sooooo ready to lift!! Each week my legs are getting more and more strong and I cannot wait to make more progress today! Each rep counts and I'm excited to go after it! Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that,but the really great ones make you feel that you too, can become great. Be careful of the people around you. There are those that are going to support you 100% and then there will be people who will discourage and belittle your progress and your goals. Do not waste time with those that bring you down!! Now is your time to FOCUS and the only way to do that is to surround yourself with successful and inspiring people!! Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE! Diane Tags: legs | training legs |
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| Diane
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| Focus...It's Almost Show Time! |
| 09.14.2009 23:02:11 | |
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Wow! 19 days until the show (not including Saturday) Absolutely crazy. I mean this is really it. Time flew by!! I still feel like I JUST started blogging on here...when really it has been a few months! This is why I always say to make the most of every single day. Prep goes by a lot faster than most competitors usually expect and if you don't make the most of every day, the show will creep up and you will wish that you would have. It's easy to think "Wow, 12 weeks until show time...I don't need to clean up my diet too much right now", but then 12 weeks turns into 4 with the blink of an eye...I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. Well, I'm happy to say that I've made the most of 99% of my days of prep. Sure I've slipped up here and there, but that's normal. I feel confident in the effort that I have put into my prep...I've trained harder than ever...stuck to my cardio VERY consistently and my diet has never been so clean. Now I just need to focus in and finish out the last 19 days strong!! I'm going to be more focused than ever for the next three weeks. I mean FOCUSED...I've kept myself very organized so that I can enjoy these last three weeks. I have everything in budget..I have all my appointments booked...I have my suit...Now I just need to train and mentally prepare myself for the stage. I'm going to be pressing more and more into God these next three weeks. It's only through Him that I will be able to push through the rest of my prep 100%...He gives me strength and He carries me when I don't think I can make it. So, I need to keep my eyes on Him...I'll need all the energy and focus I can get ;) The radio in my truck has not moved from Spirit 105.3 and it will be the only station on up until the show. Spirit's music keeps me grounded...It reminds me to stay focused on Him and to not get too caught up in all the selfish aspects of prepping for a show. When prepping, it's easy to think "me, me, me", but it's not all about YOU...That's why I love to focus on God...He reminds me that it's not all about me. It's all about Him...and that's that! So I kicked butt this weekend. I trained hard and even did some extra cardio and abs yesterday (Thanks Elaine!!). I weighed in this morning and I'm right on track!! Whoo!! Weekends are usually the toughest time for me to stick to eating/training/drinking water 100%, so weighing in Monday morning keeps me focused over the weekend because I want that weight to drop ;) I even got to bed pretty early last night, so I got a good night of sleep and I'm ready for my day today!! There's nothing better than waking up refreshed and ready to start the day. Each day is such a blessing and holds so much opportunity, so I love being well-rested and ready for everything ahead of me. Today is legs. Can't wait. When I think about the fact that I only have a few leg workouts left before the show, I really want to push myself HARD. So that's what I'm going to do!! Plus Elaine showed me a great way to tweak my form for squats...It's amazing how a little tweak can change everything! Thanks Elaine! I'm excited to get my booty in shape today, literally! Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE! Diane
Tags: training legs | Visualization | focused |
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| Diane
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| Start Now - There's No Better Time |
| 08.11.2009 23:42:11 | |
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This rain is really cramping my style...Well, not really. BUT! It sure does make it even MORE difficult to get out of bed at 4:00am. It's so much easier to get up and moving when I know it's warm and dry outside. The good thing is that I DID get up on time this morning and I had an excellent cardio session! It was my first time back at LA so early in about two weeks, so it was nice to see Brenda, my friend at LA. She's there every single morning during the week getting her cardio in! I think she's probably missed 3 mornings in the past year!!! AND she's not even training for a show or anything. Now that's committment! It's hard enough to do cardio every morning at 4:30am, even with my narrow focus on the show....To get up every morning at that time without the motivation of an upcoming show is really a committment. Overall, my cardio rocked this morning...and so did Brenda's :) This is so true. For people beginning to prep for their first show, it's easy to get discouraged. Especially when seeing the seasoned athletes who are already in excellent shape, it's easy to think that you'll never be able to compete at their level. BUT if you start today and make the most of every single minute you have, you will be competing at their level...Even at a higher level, IF you push hard enough and start now. Don't wait for the perfect body BEFORE you ever try to compete...Train hard and start competing. With each competition, you'll get leaner, stronger and more muscular...But you have to start first. Keep at it. Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE! Diane Tags: training legs |
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| Diane
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| Every Minor Detail Counts! |
| 07.28.2009 23:05:51 | |
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So I attempted to get back on here last night to go over my thoughts about the USAs, but I was soooo dang hot!! My computer is up in my bedroom and I swear it was like 100 degrees in my room. I got on the computer to start writing my blog and I couldn’t focus because all I could think about was how hot I was. I love hot weather and the sunshine, but oh boy…It sure does make it difficult to fall asleep. I even had cold and wet towels covering me and I still couldn’t sleep. I think I got about 2 hours of solid sleep…not good. Anyways…The USAs!! So I have to say that I’m very impressed! The overall Bikini winner, Kristal Marshall, looked GREAT!! I can’t wait for the day when I have a body like that…I’ll just keep plugging along till I get there. I think she had an excellent balance of muscle and femininity for the bikini look. Her abs were BY FAR my favorite!! I also really liked Jamie Baird…Her overall look was great and I loved the suit color on her. Those were two of my favorites who received their Pro Cards. Another gal that caught my attention was Mary Jamalowich. Her front poses were awesome. She truly looked beautiful. I think if she did a different back pose, her booty would have looked a little better. Posing makes such a HUGE difference. That’s something I’ve learned from Tanji and from looking at countless pictures. You can have an EXCELLENT body, but if you aren’t posing just right for the shape of your body, it can make your shape look completely different. I noticed this with myself at Vancouver and Emerald Cup. My back posing at Vancouver was not that great…It really made my butt look flat. After Vancouver, Tanji helped me come up with another back pose and my butt looked a lot better at Emerald Cup. It is crazy how one little tweak in how you’re standing can completely change your look. Lastly, another gal that caught my attention was Diana Dalghren. I think she had an excellent “look” as well. Her hair, tan and suit color looked great. Although it’s crucial to train hard and diet 100%, I think it’s also crucial to pay attention to all the minor details like hair, jewelry, suit choice, make-up etc…It all has to come together for a win. Well, I could go on FOREVER about things I noticed in pictures/videos from the USAs. Overall, I think the bikini division is doing great so far! Class winners are bringing in toned, lean and muscular bodies. Of course this is less muscular than bodybuilding/figure/fitness, but it’s still enough muscle to show that many of these girls worked hard to get on stage in Vegas. I’m happy to say that the Bikini Division seems to be off to a great start. So yesterday was legs! Let’s just say it was A LOT of work. Our whole workout consisted of walking lunges, Smith Machine squats, walking double lunges, Romanians, leg extension, close stance bench squats etc…We did supersets and kept our heart rates up. Let’s just say that Adrienne and I were SWEATY!!! I was basically soaked head to toe! But it was great!! I love squeezing every bit of juice out of my legs. That way I can go to bed that night knowing I did everything that I could to make the improvements that I need to make. Today is my second day of hardly any carbs. So far, I’m still feeling great. I’m able to handle such low carbs because I know it brings results. If it brings results, why complain? So yeah. I’ve been drinking tons of water, eating lots of chicken and I’ve been keeping up with a good amount of carb-free protein shakes. I’ve got a lot to do today…I leave for vacation on Thursday! I cannot wait!! It’s the only time that I take off all year long, so I’m very excited to spend time with my amazing family and my hunny without work or school to worry about. I’ll still be training hard down there, but with the beach in our front yard, this won’t be difficult. Off I go to work. It’s going to be a busy day! Yesterday we were swamped with this hot weather. As soon as the sun comes out, everyone wants smoothies. I have to agree that Emerald City Smoothie is the place to be with the sun shining (well, year-round in my opinionJ ). **Plan your progress carefully; hour-by hour, day-by-day, month-by-month. Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord’s Light SHINE! Diane
Tags: USAs | training legs | Posing | Bikini | review | Vancouver | 2009 Emerald Cup |
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| Diane
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| A New Routine: A New Chance to SHINE! |
| 07.20.2009 22:43:17 | |
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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. 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 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Tags: Mindset | Determination | training legs | Goals |
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| Diane
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| Leg Day: It's a Love/Hate Thing |
| 07.14.2009 10:57:19 | |
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Well today was excellent. I try and focus on the hour in front of me. My goal is to get everything done 100% each hour. By doing this, I'm able to stay more consistent. I drank more protein shakes than usual today, which is weird for me. Most of the time (besides right after lifting) I'd rather eat real food because it seems to keep me more full. I also got in almost two gallons of water. Drinking all my water isn't too much of a struggle. I seem to get in one gallon by about 2:30pm. I feel so much better when I'm drinking this much water. After work I headed into the gym for my leg workout. Training legs is a love/hate thing....I hate doing legs, but I love the results! I think over the past year I've made the most improvements with training legs. My legs were so weak when I started a year ago that it was very discouraging to lift. I kept at it though and now I've learned to enjoy the pain :) Today we did high reps!! It was hard, but nice to have a change. We started off with squats on the Smith Machine. We did 4 sets of 30 reps. Boy were my legs burning! Then after the 4 sets, we superset walking lunges with leg extensions. We again did 30 reps for the leg extensions. After this we did the leg press followed by step-ups. We did 30 reps of leg presses and then went straight into 15 step-ups on each leg. We finished up with a few other exercises and then cardio time! Today was a real treat because I got a massage right after my workout. Trina, the massage therapist at Snap, really worked out my legs and it felt AMAZING!! I really need to make more time for massage...I put 100% into my training and diet, yet don't always allow myself the time to recover and relax. BUT! I'm getting better at this. My plan is to get a massage about every other week for now. It's super helpful for my legs because they always seem to stay sore for a long time! Well, that's it for now. It's almost 8:00pm and I really need to get in bed. I need to get up bright and early...My alarm will be going off at 3:45am and I need to be ready to go after my day! **Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed** Proverbs 16:3 I'm going for the gold - HIS gold. Stay Strong. Stay Focused. Let the Lord's Light SHINE! Diane This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tags: training legs | Bikini | Goals | Determination |
