So I suppose somewhat inevitably I’m starting a log of my training and diet.
Up until a week ago I was preparing for my third NGA Figure show on September 18th. After some serious soul searching however, I have decided that I need to be honest and put my competition plans on hold until the family’s financial situation has improved.
I’ve spent a week mourning and trying to find a place mentally where this is all ok for me and I can still commit to the diet (my nemesis). I had a blow out of epic proportions this weekend and felt so unwell that I think I can now settle down to this new longer term goal and show some restraint in the kitchen again.
About me: 32, 5’4.5" (yes I AM including that half inch!) currently 132lbs, bf unknown, probably around 14%. Mother of two under 7, married 10 years. Husband works out of state between 6 days a week to 3 weeks at a time. I stay sane by training hard.
2 years ago I was knocking on 200lbs. I was comfort eating and regularly ate two bags of Dove chocolate in a day. I walked a lot with the kids and therefore justified my gluttony somehow. In essence I was 30 and miserable. One day I walked up our stairs and was out of breath before I reached the top. That and popping the button off my size 16 trousers was the final straw.
I was watching tv late one night crying because I was so unhappy. I saw an infomercial for ‘Yoga Booty, Ballet’ which for some reason appealed to me. I ordered it on an impulse whilst thinking in the back of my head I’d never do it, but when it arrived, I did try it and discovered I liked it enough to carry on. At that point I quit chocolate and sweets cold turkey and almost immediately lost close to 10lbs. I began slimfast and along with the mild exercise I started to feel better about myself and the weight continued to drop off. Eventually I hit 145lbs and my husband and I decided we’d move up to p90x. I’m not sure why, but it never occured to me to join the gym at that point. Fear of embarassment possibly.
We did p90x religiously for 6 months at which time it became obvious it wasn’t going to be enough. I was hooked on weights and the clean eating, but mostly on feeling strong and lean. I joined a local gym February 2009 and within a month the gym manager approached me and asked if I’d be willing to compete and represent the gym for free training. I had no idea what that meant but jumped at the chance. I’ve been training and dieting for a figure show ever since either on or off season. I love this life. It has given me the kind of confidence I have never experienced before. I’m still working on my self image…mostly self acceptance.
I’m going to use this log as a way to motivate myself while I have this long term goal. Typically I do much better with more immediate goals, but needs must.