Wednesday, May 16, 2012

CLOSING IN...

TWENTY FOUR DAYS LEFT...and about a MILLION things on my mind.

1. TRAINING
Well, I knew it was coming...with just over 3 weeks left, I knew I was bracing myself to be slapped with a ton of changes for my cardio/training and nutrition and it's pretty simple to predict what that's going to be at this point...So I'll be chugging away at the gym at all hours of the morning AND night while everyone's fast asleep, chomping on my tilapia (stinking up the breakroom at work) and doing absolutely everything in my power to get my body to freakin' RESPOND and drop this fat it's clinging to. I wanted to be closer than this at this point and that's just not happening.

2. COMPETITION PLANNING
I can't even begin to explain to you the complexity of prepping for all the "extras" outside of diet and exercise that go into each and every Competition...these are just a few of the things I've been dealing with in the last few days...
HAIR: booking a cut/color for the week before the show, investing in some legit hot rollers and searching desperately for a hairspray that will last, not to mention trying to learn how get a good hair tease to stay up all day/night.
MAKEUP: hitting up MAC for some dark(er) foundation and other stage makeup essentials and having makeup artist girlfriend teach me how to do it on my own for the show day :)
SMILE: teeth cleaning & whitening to make sure I sparkle on stage :D
HAIR REMOVAL: booking a bikini "sugaring" appointment, shaving/using cream to remove arm/leg hair, and going in for the usual threading for eyebrows.
TAN: booking my tanning appointments with JanTana, buying glaze/posing oil and spray for touch-ups backstage.
SUIT: finalizing the material and connectors for my suit and planning on driving down to SD for a couple more fittings.
JEWELRY: ordering earrings and bracelets to match my suit connectors
PACKING: probably investing in a luggage set, making a Competition Trip packing list, including a separate day-of list of things to bring with me to the show venue.
HOTEL: booking a hotel in SD for the night before and night of the show, buying/bringing my own bed linens, towels, etc. so my show tan doesn't stain the sheets :P
ENTRY FORMS: sending in my entry forms to the show promoter AND getting my NPC Card.

The sad part is, I'm SURE there are things I'm missing on that list, but that's all I can wrap my head around at this point!!

3. POSING
I've been practicing every day, but still do NOT feel 100% comfortable with my posing routine. Still feel like it's missing that smoothness and "pizazz" I need so I've been scouring youtube for videos of IFBB Bikini Pros to pick up on the nuances of their routines...I know I have to nail down my own routine ASAP so that I can just repeat, repeat, repeat and get the muscle memory going so that I don't have a major freak out on stage...

4. FOOD
HANGRY- "when you are so hungry that your lack of food causes you to become angry, frustrated or both"...yeah, that's me. LOL...honestly, the constant hunger is something I've gotten used to. Today I even did an experiment to see if I could survive without sugarfree gum and guess what, I'm still alive and kicking!! I've officially cut out diet soda, artificial sweetners and condiments altogether to try and reduce the bloat and excess water. The only thing I'll have is a tablespoon of salsa (basically serving as my "dressing") with my salad at dinner and that's it! I'm on all whole foods now (no protein shakes) and am 100% on plan...it's rough but it must be done in order to get to where I want to be in 3.5 weeks...

5. SLEEP
Yeah, it hasn't been going too well in this department as of late. I try EVERY NIGHT to knock out as early as my training schedule will allow because I know my body needs rest, BUT what sucks is that my training sessions last so long that by the time I come home and get ready for bed, my adrenaline is still pumping (not to mention the fact that I have a million things running through my mind ALL.THE.TIME.) and I can't get any shut-eye...and of course, I still have to drag my bootay out of bed at 4:30am to get in my AM cardio...which means I've been averaging about 5-6 hours of sleep every night--talk about running on empty :-/

4. TRAINING
No, this is not a typo...it's literally the FIRST and LAST thing on my mind every single day. Feeling "behind schedule" is no bueno, especially with the days slipping away...

SO off I go...pushing through the chaos and madness that is "Contest Prep"--June 9th will be here soon!



Friday, May 4, 2012

the SWITCH.

So I've come to this (long overdue) revelation about my training, my competition, my goals, my whole "fitness world" so-to-speak...It's MINE. Yep, that's right, it's ALL mine--it belongs to me, it's up to me, and at the end of each and every grueling day, it's FOR me. Once I snapped out of the "woe-is-me" funk I'd been in for the past few weeks, I realized that it's about time I took ownership of this whole damn thing and remember that I chose all this.

No one made me do it. No one had to tie me down and force-feed me clean foods or crack a whip and make me buy a gym membership and spend 2+ hours a day there....Nope, that was ALL ME. I wanted this. I wanted to be in the BEST shape of my life. I wanted to have a body I was proud of, that I could admire when I passed by a reflective surface. I wanted a body like all of those Fitness Models and Bikini Competitors I always envied, so I went out and worked for it. I put in the time, the effort, the energy, the sweat and I'm almost there..So tell me, what was with all that complaining? Geeeez, enough already!! Time to grin and bear it! Time to open your eyes and see that all that hard work is paying off big-time!! Time to STOP stressing it and START enjoying it!!

Once I exhaled and let go of all of that nervousness, insecurity, and anxiety I'd been holding on to all this time, it literally felt SO FREEING. I can stop obsessing over the scale and just focus on my training, let my body do it's thing and not "freak out" about how many days I have left until the proverbial "crunch time" approaches. I have to keep reminding myself over and over that I hired Kimbo for a reason--he trains the BEST and I want to be the BEST I can possibly be. Homeboy knows what he's doing and how to get me there, so I have to trust him completely. MY job is to eat my meals on time, train my booty off, and chill. Simple enough right? (Man, when I write it all out like that it makes me laugh at how crazy I've been over the past few weeks for worrying at all.) To be honest, I think the reason this all seems so much easier to me now is that I'm REALLY starting to see the changes in my body. Everything's leaning out and tightening up nicely...and the truth is, I'm STILL 5 weeks out and I don't want to PEAK too soon...In life, as in sports, you have to get HOT at just the right time ;) ...I've gotten to the point in my diet and training that feel like I'm in a "groove"...meals are like clockwork, training isn't such a chore (except on leg days because that shit KILLS!) and overall I feel like I can hold it down, whereas before I was so worried about messing something up that I was anxious ALL. THE. TIME...no bueno.

So, I've flipped the "switch" and am finally totally dialed in to my training...I realized that if I can dedicate 16 weeks of my life training and sculpting my body, I can do ANYTHING. So I did something I never in a million years thought I'd be able to do...which I will hereby label a "surprise" and reveal in the coming weeks ;)

36 days to go...

Friday, April 27, 2012

ups and DOWNS...



this week has been ROUGH, to say the least.

It started off with me being just physically and emotionally EXHAUSTED on Monday...I had to drag my butt out of bed and somehow made it onto the treadmill for a cardio #1 session that seemed to last FOREVER, but afterwards I felt nice and energized and was good-to-go to start my day...and then it HIT. Approx. 9:30am (after just finishing Meal #2) the debilitating EXHAUSTION set in and I could barely keep my eyes open and I honestly felt like I could've fallen asleep face-first on my keyboard. The day wore on and on and I decided that I needed to "listen to my body" so I used it as a "rest day," which really just means a cardio-only day for me (no lifting session tacked on to it). I went to bed early with the hope that the extra "rest" would pay off and I'd be re-energized on Tuesday morning--which sadly, was NOT the case--at all. I felt WORSE during Tuesday's early AM cardio and all throughout the day I just felt sluggish...sigh...but I trucked on through and miraculously made it through my PM cardio AND a brutal leg circuit.

Unfortunately, I didn't snap out of this FUNK that I was in until Thursday morning after I'd taken my second (and last) "rest"/cardio-only day on Wednesday...maybe I was just that behind on sleep/energy? I have no idea what it was...but thank GOD it's over and behind me and I'm finally feeling "normal" again. Although, I should clarify--"normal" for me still includes being tired and achy, with the regular energy dips throughout the workday (usually around 10am and then again after lunch at around 2pm)...BUT at least on my "normal" days I still have my wits about me and can make it through the day without a struggle...

I can't even put into words the frustration I feel when I'm at the mercy of my body. The constant hunger pangs, the debilitating exhaustion, the mood swings, the energy dips--I feel like they're these 200 lb. weights dragging my entire body down, and as I much as I work to shake the feeling off, it lingers....I know I haven't been the most fun person to be around lately--D can definitely attest to that (sorry babe!)...and I know that I can do a lot better job in the future of managing my emotions and keeping my crazy in check...I know the pressure and stress of this competition is only going to continue to build as the next 6 weeks flies by, but when it comes down to it, it's up to ME to control how I react to it. I have a lot of exciting stuff in the works to keep me motivated and focused on the goal. The ultimate motivator lately has been the MIRROR as I see everything tightening up and those "problem areas" finally starting to melt away (HELL YES!!)...

So here's to pushing for more UPS than downs and making it through the next 43 days (eek!) ;)

Monday, April 23, 2012

GO ME!

It's been a ROUGH road so far, not gonna lie...and I KNOW without a doubt, there are many more struggles ahead of me, but let me tell you--I'm DAMN PROUD of myself. I know there are things we're not supposed to say out loud because of course it makes us seem self-absorbed, conceited, over-confident, etc....but there is something to be said about taking a step back after a long, hard workout and thinking F*** yeah, I destroyed that! There shouldn't be anything wrong with being happy with yourself for making good choices, proud of yourself for pushing through tough training sessions--that should be encouraged--celebrated!

All too often I'm self-depricating, self-loathing, altogether negative in my critique of my own physique and progress (or lack thereof), but the second I remember that once upon a time (not too long ago) I was an unhealthy 5'2", 165 lbs. and squeezing myself into size 11 jeans...I stop all that nonsense and can't help but APPLAUD myself for coming as far as I have already...an almost FIFTY pound weight loss is something I should be proud of! It's a damn shame that it has somewhere along the line become "unacceptable" for us (especially as women) to be proud of ourselves and celebrate our personal achievements.

On the flip side of all of this, truth be told, this weekend has been a rough one for me mentally. I feel time slipping out of my hands all too quickly as I stare down the calendar and realize that 7 weeks isn't nearly as long as it seems. I honestly feel like I'm under the wire and behind schedule...and it SUCKS! I'm still about 10 lbs. away from my goal stage weight and it's KILLING me having the scale stuck at the same damn place for weeks. So I knew I had to tighten things up in order to "trim the fat"...Coach flipped the switch and has me strictly doing RUNNING with HIIT sprints for my cardio from now on...and after 3 days of it, man oh man, it's kicking my bootay (and I mean that in the BEST way possible)...I'm trying my best to keep my head in the game and really just take it one workout at a time--otherwise, I'd just be completely overwhelmed/defeated by my lack of "progress" in the body weight department...

Reminder to self--there are ALWAYS going to be ups and downs, but if I take a second to look back and see how far I've come, where I'm going doesn't seem too far away.

Friday, April 20, 2012

HIGH gear

GYM. Meal. Work. Meal. Work. Meal. Work. Meal. Work. Meal. GYM. Meal. Sleep.

Repeat for another 50 days...then COMPETE!

You're SO jealous of my life right now aren't you?

It's really strange writing it out like that, but on the real, that's what every single day looks like for me at the moment, not to mention that I've been eating the same EXACT thing for the last 9 weeks and will continue to do so for another 7....BLAHHHHH!

Yes, it's been difficult and pretty frustrating at times--especially with my bodyweight not coming down as fast as I need it to. I've been waking up before the sun to bust my butt (literally) at the gym, hauling ass to work, coming home to scarf down dinner so I can head BACK to the gym for another 2 hours and then knocking out just to do the same thing 6 hours later...It's discouraging to step on the scale and not see progress. I look in the mirror on the daily basis and see changes, and I know that the judges will NEVER KNOW how much I weigh...they're scoring based on what they can see and only that...BUT weight is still an indicator of my progress and it's been taking way too long for me to drop those excess pounds.

So what now? Well, I step it up. I switch to running only (bye, bye stepmill!) and increase the sprint intervals. I cut down carbs and fats and add in a tad more protein. I leave myself to the mercy of my coach and just continue to push myself as hard as humanly possible to get the most out of every drop of sweat and every single second I'm hustling on that treadmill. I work--NON-STOP in the pursuit of my goal.

I've worked too hard to get to where I'm at now to let my foot off the pedal, even for a moment. I have to have tunnel vision and not let anyone or anything deter me from getting to where I want to be--standing on that stage looking my absolute BEST. Nothing less will do.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

the LONG haul...

SIXTY-FIVE days....

When I stare at that number it seriously makes my head hurt. Somehow my laboring mind can't seem to wrap itself around how I'm going to survive another 65 days and retain any sense of sanity.

Today is a tired day. Yesterday was a tired day...and tomorrow will most likely be a tired day.

Coach stepped me up to two-a-day cardio, aerobic lifting, and added another leg circuit into my split...add all of that on to working full time, constantly doing Costco runs and grilling, baking, cooking, weighing food and trying to have some shadow of a "life" outside of contest prep and work--let's just say this girl is a little SPENT...

I know there are probably women out there who do the same thing with a lot more on their plate, so I can't really complain about my situation. I had heard time and time again that Contest Prep is one of the most all-consuming things one can put themselves through, and that is absolutely true! The best I can do at this point is take a deep breath, suck it up, and push through those sprints like there's no tomorrow, because really--there isn't. As overwhelming as 65 days sounds, it'll breeze by and before I know it, I'll be getting ready to set my clear heel onto the stage for the first time. I don't want to be standing up there knowing that I let the "process" get the best of me and failed to prepare the way I could have...

So I'll just press on, eyes on the prize--50 days down, only 65 days to go!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

it's OFFICIAL.


As of yesterday, I decided to move up my show a whopping 2 months and 2 days to compete in...

The NPC Southern California Bikini Championships!!


After meeting with Coach and going over my progress over the past 6 weeks, we decided that I'm ready for the challenge of a full-blown Contest Prep and I'll be able to get there in the next 10.5 weeks. So here goes nothing! As he so wisely said, only I decide how I'm going to look onstage. So all of the choices I make in the coming weeks are going to determine where my body is at the end of it all. If I thought the last 6 weeks were challenging, I'm in for one hell of a ride because from this point on, my training & nutrition are going to be kicked up a notch...or ten.

In related news, I survived and absolutely LOVED my first day of HIIT! The intervals break up my workout and make me feel amazing and accomplished once I finish the cardio session. I've read so many fitness gurus and competitors rave about the benefits of sprints/interval training, but so far I'd been confined to LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio aimed at burning fat...I had a feeling Coach was going to start mixing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio into my program and I was right. At first I was hesitant about it, but after my first interval I was revving to go! Yay!!

I hope last night's workout was an indicator of how I'm going to approach this next phase of my training. I'm so motivated to push even harder than I have over the last 6 weeks and just tune everything out, focusing in on the prize at the end--stepping on stage and showcasing the best body possible. :)

Thursday, March 22, 2012

it's the little things....

- walking into a wide-open gym and being able to move freely between each piece of equipment, bench, barbell, dumbbell and treadmill as I please...something I appreciate even MORE after having to resort to working out in the jungle (aka 24 Hr. Fitness) last weekend while visiting D's parents.

- changing it up and making my morning egg white-oatmeal muffins in a mini muffin tin this morning--let me tell you, those little bits of goodness were absolutely yummy and tasted even better with the knowledge that I had TEN to munch on!

- realizing that jeans that I bought 2 months ago are HUGE on me now--bummer because yesterday was my very first (and last) time wearing them, awesome because I was literally swimming in them--yay!!!

- staring down at my freshly painted bright pink nails as I type this ;)

- watching posing videos online, getting in contact and scheduling posing sessions with one of the QUEENS of the IFBB Sonia Gonzales, and preparing to order my first pair of Ellie's :)

- looking in the mirror and being so damn proud of how far I've come and knowing I'm only halfway through--wow...imagining how much better I'm going to be a month from now gets me so pumped!


...46 days until the End of Phase 1 :)




Tuesday, March 20, 2012

REMINDERS

Note to Self:

1. You've already made progress--keep working hard!
I know you've spent hours obsessing over pictures of IFBB Pros, wondering to yourself when the hell you ever got the delusional idea that you'd ever look remotely like those girls. Well, believe it or not, you CAN. Tiffany Boydston and countless others started right where you did and look at them now, tearing up national stages everywhere. Don't think for a second that you're any different or that it's impossible for you. It's entirely possible and I think deep down you knew that when you started. As a matter of fact, I'm entirely sure that that's why you started this in the first place--you KNOW it's possible, in fact, it's inevitable--if you put in the work. Now get your butt back on that treadmill!

2. Ignore the scale--I know YOU know it's working.
The terror, the dread, the hesitant toe-touch to warm up that damn piece of glass. The double zeros appear...deep breath. here goes nothing....and...aaaand...UGH! Yeah, it goes a little something like that...It's so easy to get caught up in that number, to beat your pretty little self up about it for weeks on end. I know it sucks, slaving all week long in the gym, dragging yourself out of bed and out the door towards hours of lifting and cardio, only to find your efforts have been wasted the moment you step on the scale. Well, my dear, that's life...and that's how it's going to be for a while. I know you look to your right and see the boy celebrating a 5-week, 20 lbs. weight loss, but you know that should not be getting you down. First off, he's a BOY and second, he had further to go than you. Now he's on that last 15 lbs. and the playing field is even! Just look in the mirror, dude--I know you feel yourself leaning out. Don't get down on the number and just keep working hard. You'll get there too.

3. You've been overweight for 26+ years, it'll take more than 5 weeks to lose it all.
I know you want to be an overnight success. I know you wake up every morning secretly hoping that the mirror will magically reveal a 100 lb. tight, lean little you, but alas, you're not there...YET. Calm yourself, it's only been a month and a half and you're doing just fine. For years upon years, you were perfectly content pigging out and being overweight...don't forget that just 3 short years ago you were at your heaviest and since then you've shed 10 (yes, TEN) dress sizes and roughly 40 (yes, FORTY) pounds. You're in the home stretch and you knew this part was going to be the hardest--hang in there.

4. You're not really hungry.
It's been an hour...ONE hour since your last meal. Remember back like 3 months ago when you only ate every 4-5 hours? Yeah, you can stick this out for another 90 minutes.

5. Reward/Cheat Meals will taste that much better once you've EARNED them.
I know all that food looks so damn tempting. I know you obsessively Pin pictures of gorgeous, mouth-watering food that it feels like you'll never be able to eat again. But you know as well as I do that the moment you're able to sink your teeth into that juicy bacon cheeseburger (with a side of Tums, of course), it'll all be worth the wait. You'll have accomplished something you never in your wildest dreams thought possible, and yes--victory will be sweet. :)

6. You're HOT!
I've seen you. Those passing glances. Those brown eyes lingering in the mirror for 4, 5, 6 seconds. Yeah, that's right. I've seen you checking yourself out in the reflection of that store window. Go ahead, girl! You look damn good and you know it!! So yeah, you're not at your goal weight yet. You're not in "competition shape" but you and I both know you've worked damn hard to get to where you're at today and it shows. Take it in, you deserve it!

7. Even if NO ONE ELSE does, I believe in you.
I know there are those days when you feel like no one understands, no one "gets it" and even though everyone feigns excitement and offers up their words of "encouragement," you feel like no one really honestly believes that you can do this. Well you know what? Who the eff cares? I believe in you, ok? I believe that you can get there, that you can power through that last 20 minutes of cardio, those last 4 sets of your circuit. I believe that you're going to look so ridiculously good on stage. So there. Forget them--this is about YOU.


8. You're training with the BEST!
Why did you hire Kimbo? Because he's the best. He trains the best...and YOU will be the BEST.

9. You're not alone.
So I know you feel like you're completely on your own sometimes. Your family and friends can listen and try to learn about what you're doing, but they'll never really "get it." Even D--walking beside you every day, training with you, eating with you--well, there are just things that he'll never really understand about what it's going to take to get you on to that competition stage, and that's okay. When you feel lost and alone, just remember--there are thousands of Pro and Amateur Bikini Competitors out there who've been exactly where you are today--who've struggled and stalled, who've been sore and achy and tired, who've fought through the ups and downs and somehow found it in them to pick their sweaty selves off of the floor and power through those last 20 minutes of cardio. They've been there, they've done it, they've faced it, they've conquered it--and so can you. You're never, never, never alone.

10. Enjoy this.
I know it seems crazy to say this now, but one day, not too long from now, you're going to be on the other side of this mountain. You're going to be an NPC Bikini Competitor. You're going to have one National Qualifier under your belt, 12+ weeks of Contest Prep behind you, and the bikini, tan, and clear heels to prove it...You only get one First Competition, only one First Prep...so enjoy it. Enjoy the struggles, the challenges. Learn from it, grow from it so that one day you can look back at it and have something real and tangible to be proud of. Take a deep breath in and soak it all in--you're almost there. :)

<3

Friday, March 16, 2012

where I'm at...

It's approximately 11am on Friday, March 16th and I am currently:

...hungry.
...tired.
...in desperate need of  nap.
...achy.
...hungry.
...exhausted.
...ready for the weekend.
...in danger of falling asleep at my desk.
...counting down the days until my next check-in with Coach Kim.
...dreading weighing myself tomorrow.
...dreaming of my first cheat meal.
...nursing a tweaked neck.
...tired.
...did I mention hungry?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Hmmm...

decisions, decisions...



Food for Thought...

Fascinating article from Muscle & Strength:

The Hormone That Keeps Us Fat

Ever wondered why you get to a certain level of body fat and no matter what you do, you just can't lose any more weight? This article explains why!



Ever wondered why when going on diet to cut body fat that you get to a certain level of body fat percentage and then no matter what you do the body just won’t allow you to lose that extra bit of fat. This may be down to a phenomenon that has been identified called the Set Point.

Set point, quite simply put is the body’s way of physiologically regulating your bodyweight at a certain level. There are various internal processes our body has that make a coordinated effort by your body to adjust the intake and expenditure of energy so that a specific amount of body fat is maintained. Any attempt to deviate from the pre-determined level will be actively resisted. Looking at the set point in more detail tells us that a regulatory system exists in our body that is designed to maintain our bodyweight at a fixed level.

This is similar to other systems that we have in our body that regulates our blood glucose levels, and our body temperature at a certain level. The body will attempt to protect against you being too heavy or your becoming too thin by a mechanism in the hypothalamus in our brain called the Adipostat.

The Adipostat

The Adipostat establishes a set point for a fixed amount of fat in our body. The brain attempts to maintain this set point by regulating our expenditure and storage of energy until our fat stores meet the level determined by the body.
A person who has been dieting for many months will have their efforts undermined by the body working to restore the bodyweight to its set point. The Adipostat does this by activating the sensation of hunger so that we feel the need to increase calories or by slowing the body’s metabolism which will cause a weight gain.
Just because our body will maintain this stable amount of body fat at a certain level doesn’t mean that we can’t change this level. We can change our body fat levels by a combination of the type, and also the amount, of physical activity that we perform, and the level of nutrients that we eat.

The Hormone Leptin


Although a negative energy balance from either fasting or exercise causes a fall in the levels of an important regulatory hormone called leptin, while a positive energy balance with glucose metabolism is important. Leptin is a hormone that is secreted by fat cells that influences energy expenditure and food intake through neuroendocrine pathways. The most important lifestyle factor that can lower this set point more than any other is by performing regular exercise.

The lifestyle changes that should be made should be of long term changes and not just short term such as just trying to lose a few pounds for a holiday or some other event. As already mentioned above, our eating patterns are regulated by feeding and satiety centres located in the hypothalamus and also by the pituitary gland that responds to the bodies signals indicating high fat stores and hunger. Substances that are critical to this process include glucose (sugar), insulin and leptin.
Rising levels of leptin appear to suppress the appetite and falling levels stimulate appetite.

Overweight people tend to have higher levels of leptin and these leptin levels fall as bodyweight is lost. This system works as a self balancing biological mechanism, particularly to prevent starvation by stimulating the appetite as bodyweight is lost, and to reduce the appetite as weight is gained.
When leptin levels fall this sends a message to your brain that you are in a starvation mode, which then sets off a reaction which will decrease your metabolism thereby burning less body fat, breaking down your muscle mass and starts storing body fat and increasing your appetite. These normal responses are necessary to keep us alive even with severe calorie restriction, but make it harder to keep losing our body fat.

Leptin levels are affected by several factors. Leptin is secreted by fat cells and the more body fat we have, the higher the leptin levels, but as our body fat stores decrease, leptin levels also fall. Leptin levels also correspond to your calorie intake, when you cut calories the leptin levels also decrease. Leptin levels will fluctuate along with insulin, the hormone that is released by the pancreas that works to keep your blood sugar levels stable. When your insulin levels are low, such as when someone embarks on a low carbohydrate intake, the leptin levels decrease. So you can see that when calories are cut aggressively to lose body fat and/or you reduce carbohydrate intake the harder it becomes to lose the body fat which means that body is working against you.

Lowering and Maintaining Low Body Fat


Method 1: The Cheat Day

There are ways of lowering and maintaining low levels of body fat. One of these methods requires one day of the week as a cheat day where you can eat virtually anything you want including your favorite foods that you have left out of the diet. Anything within reason can be eaten including sugars and fatty foods. This cheat day serves two purposes. One, is it helps you to stick with a certain eating plan due to the fact that you know on this day you can satisfy any cravings or temptations that you may feel on the calorie restricted days. The second purpose of the cheat day is that it stops the normal dieting plateau which normally occurs with calorie restriction. The dieting plateau is brought about from the set point mechanism that is mentioned earlier in this article that physiologically regulates your bodyweight by adjusting the intake and expenditure of energy so that a specified amount of body fat is maintained.


The main problem with calorie restricted diets is it puts the body into a starvation mode which invokes hormonal processes mentioned above, to slow the metabolism and increase hunger to maintain current body fat levels which in turn leads to the dieting plateau. Once this happens, getting rid of that last bit of body fat is very near impossible.

You will find that when first starting on a new dieting phase that bodyfat is lost quite quickly along with water weight, but as more body fat is lost the body will initiate the starvation response which in turn lowers leptin levels to drop sharply which increases the appetite, and a reduction of energy expenditure. The cheat day will curb the starvation response by tricking the body into thinking that more food is now available and bring the body out of the starvation mode. This will allow a continued loss of body fat over the next few weeks or months.

The increased leptin production brought on by the cheat day elevates the metabolism and keeps hunger at bay for longer periods of time. To get the most effect of the elevated leptin production plenty of carbohydrates are needed particularly the non fibrous carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, cereals etc. This is one time that the high glycemic foods that you have been strictly avoiding are the best foods to eat; you can even eat your favorite sugary foods like pastries, biscuits and other glucose laden snacks.


But as mentioned previously above you can “virtually” eat anything that you want, but not in massive amounts. Protein intake should be kept at 1g per pound of body weight; fruit should be kept to a minimum. An increase of calories of 50% of your current dietary intake is the maximum that you should go to as any increase over this amount may increase bodyfat levels. You may find that as fat levels get low that a more regular refeed day is required due to the lower the bodyfat level the more the body will resist further fat loss by further reducing leptin production. In this situation a cheat day may be required every five or six days.


Weight training is very important in increasing and maintaining your muscle mass. The reason why we lose muscle tissue when dieting, even though protein intake is high, is hormonal and the reason why we can’t gain muscle without overeating again is hormonal. And it is leptin that controls these hormones with the exception of insulin. Both insulin and leptin are both affected by glucose. Increased leptin also results in preferential liver glycogen resynthesis; it also increases testosterone levels and increases in growth hormone, and blunts cortisol release.

Method 2: Calorie Cycling

Another method that is used to achieve low levels of body fat and eliminating dieting plateaus is by cycling the intake of calories. Calorie cycling will also keep leptin levels high and again confuse the body into not allowing the normal starvation mode dieting plateau.


This type of dieting requires effort in the planning of food and calorie intakes, but never gives the body chance to get into the starvation mode. There is a limit to the amount of extra calories you can ingest, and should remain at approx 300 more or less calories than the normal daily intake.


An example would be that if your required calorie intake is 2000 calories per day then a 3 day cycle would give; day 1 would be a reduced intake to 1700 calories, day two would mean an increase up normal levels of 2000 calories, and day 3 would be an increase up to 2300 calories. The cycle would then continue for the next three days, day 4; 1700 calories, day 5; 2000 calories, day 6; 2300 calories. The average intake over the three day cycle is still the normal 2000 calories. This cycle would continue until your desired body fat level is reached. When coming off this type of dietary manipulation it is recommended that increase in calories is in small increments only to stop any hormonal reactions.



References:
Effect of Fasting, refeeding, and dietary fat restriction on plasma leptin levels.
Weigle DS, Barton D, Connor WE, Steiner RA, Soules MR, Kuijper JL.
The Role of Leptin in Regulating Neuroendocrine Function in Humans.
Susan Bluher and Christos Mantzoros
The stimulatory effect of leptin on the neuroenocrine reproductive axis of the monkey. Endocrinology 1998 Nov; 139 (11): 4652-62
Finn PD, Cunningham MJ, Pau KY, Spies HG, Clifton DK, Stiener RA.
Leptin regulates pulsatile luteinizing hormone and growth hormone secretion in the sheep. Endocrinology 200 Nov; 141 (11); 3965-75
Nagatani S, Zeny Y, Keisler DH, Foster DL, Jaff CA.
Evidence that glucose metabolism regulates leptin secretion from cultured rat adipocytes. Endocrinology 1998 Feb; 139 (2): 551-8
Mueller WM, Gregoire Fm, Stanhope Kl, Mobbs CV, Mizuno TM, Warden CH, Stern JS, Havel PJ.
Leptin levels in human and rodent: Measurement of plasma leptin and ob RNA in obese and weight reduced subjects. Nat Med 1995 Nov; 1 (11): 1155-61.
Maffei M, Halaas J, Ravussin E, Pratley RE, Lee GH, Zhang Y, Fei H, Kim S, Lallone R,

CRAVE.

 


ENOUGH SAID.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

RESISTANCE.

Phase 1: 29 days down--55 to go...

So at this point, just about a month into my Training, I wish I could say I'm going strong and making leaps and bounds. In my head, after the first month I'd be flaunting around a tight, fit little body, well on my way to the stage. I'd be rocking every training day, pumped up by every cardio session, totally accustomed to the food (or lack thereof) and straight-up OWNING the program...but that just isn't so...

I find myself suffering through constant cravings. Staring longingly at pictures/recipes of delicious, cheesy, sugary, not-at-all-"good-for-you" food on Pinterest all. day. long...with no hope of a Reward Meal in sight for a long, long, looooooong time.


And that's where it hits--the DOUBT. Can I really do this? Can I honestly survive 8 more (technically 21.5 more) weeks of this? Is my body EVER going to change?

I knew before I started this journey that I'd have good days and bad days, that it would get A LOT harder before it got any easier, that I would need patience and trust and focus if I was going to get there...and yes, it's all true. And consider yourself warned: there may be more bad days than good, especially when you're just starting off. Every single day I have to RESIST--the urge to take just one bite of that snack, the urge to skip out on the gym, the urge to GIVE UP ALL TOGETHER.(gasp)

You know, resistance is a funny thing. Sure, I think it takes tons of will power to say no to all the things I wish I could eat, but deep down I have realized that it's all mental. I have been the one resisting this process, this change. It takes a lot more than some sweat and protein powder to make a once chubby girl into a bikini competitor. When I decided to TRANSFORM my body, what I really was doing was transforming my life--my daily routines, my eating habits, my workout program, my cardio schedule, my priorities--the bangin' body that I get out of it should just be icing on the cake! (damn, cake sounds so bomb right now) ;)

I know this isn't a "forever" thing. I'll cycle in and out of this intense level of training and nutrition based on the competitions I choose for as long as I choose to compete...but this way of life, of living--clean eating definitely has to be something I stick to FOREVER. Sure--I could indulge myself in every single craving and eat every single greasy, sugary, fried thing in sight, BUT then I'd have to trade in my current body for my old one--heh, yeah...that's NOT happening. So yeah, it's hard and I feel somewhat deprived at the moment, but that beats the hell out of being fat.

So here's how I rationalize all of this:
1. Bust my ass for the remaining 20 some odd weeks and surrender myself to the expertise of my Coach.
2. Compete, compete, compete.
3. Indulge in some long-awaited Reward Meals (finally)
4. Transition to simple, clean eating long-term.

Simple enough--right? ;)

Monday, March 12, 2012

the MYTH of DISCIPLINE

Stumbled upon this on Natalie Hodson's page and it really spoke volumes to me...

The Myth of Discipline http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/161/The_Myth_of_Discipline.aspx
 
There is no such thing as discipline. There is only love. Love is the most powerful creative force in the universe. You are the result of what you love most. You either love finely etched muscular abs more than donuts or you love donuts more than wash board abs you could do your laundry on. It is as simple as that. Don’t beat yourself up that you have no discipline or further drown yourself in a sea of refined carbs. Admit that you like crappy food more than you love strength. Or ask yourself this, what do you really love? Self-esteem is the reflection of self-judgment. One of the best ways to raise self-esteem is to make truly loving choices that lead to increased strength of body and mind. For example, if you truly love yourself in the gym, you choose the full squat with chains over the leg extension machine. At the restaurant, if you truly love yourself, you pass on the heavenly smelling basket of bread and creamy butter, and ask for some more limes for the water. Limes alkalize your body which in turn helps your bones, muscles and your ability to deal with stress.

When you are faced with difficult choices, ask yourself, in context of course, what would a loving expert recommend? For example, when working chest, would a loving strength coach recommend the pec deck, or full range dumbbell presses. When choosing desserts, would the loving nutritionist recommend a bowl of berries or the triple decker brownie submerged under melting vanilla ice cream. How to free yourself from the outdated concept of discipline:
  1. Accept that all your choices are reflections of what you truly love.
  2. Love is the greatest creative force of the Universe. Use it wisely.
  3. Choose to love yourself more than external things.
  4. Treating yourself well accelerates the growth of your self-esteem.
  5. When people comment on your results and say things like “Wow you have a lot discipline” answer “No, I just make loving choices for myself". Reinforcing your own positive behavior will help you grow in strength.
  6. What you appreciate appreciates. Whenever you make a truly loving choice, say to yourself ‘Thank you for taking care of me in a loving way”. The more you talk to yourself like a loving parent, the faster you will grow. Let’s say, for example, you just did a single on the squat with a load you didn’t feel like doing. Say: “Wow! I am impressed with your strength of mind, that’s why you are a champion”. By documenting and rewarding your successes, they will grow in magnitude and frequency. Whenever I meet a goal, I reward myself with positive things like a vacation or a new piece of equipment. When I get something better, I make the choice of giving away the old piece to someone who will appreciate it. Living a clutter free life allows for more growth.
  7. The more you believe in yourself, the more objectively you will be able to take the advice of authority figures.
  8. “Use your faults” was French singer Edith Piaf’s motto. I don’t like to stretch athletes. It is too time consuming and requires too much energy. Using that fault, I developed the Poliquin Instant Muscle Strengthening Technique (P.I.M.S.T.), which is a system that uses a myriad of body work techniques such as acupressure points that instantly give increases in flexibility. No wonder it’s always the fastest selling course we offer in the PICP!
There is an old Hindhu saying: “The World is as we are”. Are you tired of seeing the condition of the world around you? Start by changing yourself- be the change you want to see in the world.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

the ESSENTIALS

My first month of Contest Prep has been a learning experience (to say the least) and although I'm really just starting off on my Clean-Eating, Intense Training journey, I've picked up a few little tricks along the way...

So here are a few of my CAN'T-TRAIN-WITHOUT-IT favs...

#1 Polar FT40 Heart Rate Monitor
Ol' Faithful has been by my side (well, on my wrist, technically) for every single grueling training session. I cannot stress enough the importance of monitoring your HR during cardio, lifting, and circuit training. Heart Rate Monitors are great training tools and are a great way to gauge how effective and productive each session is. I compare my calories burned between my Polar FT40 and the cardio equipment at the gym and for the record, I burn roughly 50MORE calories per hour (according to my FT40) than I do on the machine counters. I personally recommend HRM's with chest straps for the most accurate readings.

#2 Food Scale(s)


So...I have a couple of these bad boys and I would be absolutely LOST without them. The top one (Taylor Digital Black Glass Food Scale) is my at-home scale. The surface area is great--I can see the measurement with just about any size plate on it. It has an 11 lb. weight capacity (although I rarely ever weigh anything over 4 oz. at a time) and tare capabilities (essential for weighing food in order to subtract the weight of plates/bowls). The little guy (Taylor Mechanical Food Scale) is my travel buddy and fits right into my purse or cooler for measuring on-the-go. Bonus: the white container on top doubles as storage for the scale itself (awesome!).

#3 SmartShake(s)


In case you didn't already figure it out, the Black/Gold Jay Cutler version is D's, the Pink is mine ;) These SmartShakes are awesome for packing shakes/supps to take to the gym, work, trips, shopping--you name it! The bottom portions twist off for protein/supp storage. Just add water into the shaker, twist and pour in your protein and shake! Comes with a funnel that mixes protein perfectly as well as a carabiner that you can clip to your purse/cooler or even attach your keys to at the gym!

#4 1/2 Gallon Water Jug


So, I know most "normal" bodybuilders carry around full gallon jugs, but this cute little 64 oz. jug is perfect for me! It's nice and compact, easy to refill and WAY easier to drink from than those huge ones. May not be for everyone, but I'm definitely a fan! ;)

#5 6-Pack Bag


6-Pack Bags are a bodybuilder's DREAM and mine was a Valentine's Day present from my love <3. These coolers are perfectly constructed to carry all 6 meals for travel. The tupperware containers that come with the 6-pack snap on all 4 sides for a tight seal. The side compartments are insulated and have PLENTY of room for shakers and I usually keep my ziplocks of dry foods (oatmeal, flax, nuts, etc.) in there too.

LOVE all this stuff and I'm sure I'll come across more in the future so I'll keep adding on :)

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

a letter to the weak me

courtesy of Rachel Mac:

Dear Weak [enter your name], 

I get it. You're dying for a piece of candy. Maybe it's not the candy (or the pastries, or whatever), maybe you're bored, you're hungry, you're tired of thinking about the candy all day and you're just saying screw it. One bite, one piece, one serving/helping, and then i'm done, I'll go to the gym, I'll go home for the night, I'm still on track.

You're bored.

This is absolutely the stupidest reason imaginable to throw yourself off track, feel disappointed in yourself and your lack of self-control, give yourself a belly you'll have to work off for four days, screw up the carb deficit that I work hard every single day to create, feel cranky, avoid plans with friends or your boyfriend, dread the weekend, add stress to your already stressful life, etc. Remember, you never get bored of accidentally discovering how slim you are, whether it's in the fitting room, when lining up progress pictures, in the locker room at the gym, when you catch a glimpse of yourself in a window as you walk down the street, when someone calls you "slim" or "toned" or "fit". THOSE THINGS never get boring. Focus on how fun and exciting that part of the process is and ignore the rest. For my sake.

You're hungry. 

Go drink four glasses of water right now. Back? OK. Are you still hungry? If so, email someone you can confide in. Or eat a protein bar, or go microwave some broccoli. You know that will fill you up and do good things for your body and your goals. You don't want the broccoli? Then you're not hungry. 

You're saying "Screw it."

If you want to quit this journey, decide to quit and then you can eat pizza and drink beer every night. You an go out with your friends and eat hors d'oeuvres all night long. you won't feel good, but at least you will be free. 

So...is it the freedom that you really want? No. You're having a momentary lapse. Well, think about me. The one who preps all her food for the week on Sunday night, the one with abs, the one who's going to stand up on stage in front of 10,000 people and turn her back and stick out her butt. I'm the one who feels awesome in her clothes, the one who prances around the gym like she owns the place, the one who drags herself out of bed to do early morning cardio, the one who inspires her family, and friends. Think about what you're doing to ME, Strong [enter your own name], when you let a momentary "oh screw it" overtake and overcome all of the hard work I put in every single day, every time I go to a bar and wave off the waiter when he asks what I want to drink, every time I skillfully assemble a healthy, trap-free meal at a restaurant while everyone else orders fries and a third (or fourth...) beer or regular Coke.

And you know very well there's no such things as "Just One Bite."

Every single time you tell yourself you can handle having one taste of something, you're wrong. Is it because you're literally powerless in the face of sugar, is your insulin really swinging that hard that you can not resist? You know that you have a ton of self control. EVEN YOU (I obviously do). This isn't about saying no; by the time you've had the first bite of sugar, you've given UP on saying no. You're saying "yes," and you will continue to do so until it's time to go home or there is no more freakin' candy left in the bowl (did you REALLY want a Mounds yesterday? They're VILE!) So don't ever let yourself cross over into saying "yes" to junk. Say "NO" for HEAVEN SAKE!!

A message from me to you. 

I love you (even though you are the weak version of me) because we are the same person. You have a ton to be proud of and you should love the process and love how far you have come. You can go even farther, and you will be around less and less as time passes, you won't have to read this letter as often. You are strong inside, this is only temporary, and it will pass. Now go get a cup of water and get back to kicking ass. 

Love,
Strong [enter your name]

P.S. I'll be back tomorrow morning when you wake up. 

the GRIND.


"Looking cute ain't easy, and it don't taste good either."

Yep, sounds about right...

well, here I am...right in the thick of my training. Some days are good--I'm energized, excited and feel like I can take on the world...others, not so much. This past week has been a challenge, to say the least. As much as seeing my progress week after week uplifts me, there are times when I can't seem to shake  the exhaustion, the cravings, and I just feel overwhelmed.


Contest Prep is NOT for the faint of heart. It takes hard work, dedication and A LOT of sacrifice...You trade hours of sleep for hours of training and cardio. You trade the freedom to eat anything your heart desires for weighing out ounces of protein and veggies, caramel macchiatos for protein shakes, bacon cheeseburgers for oatmeal and egg whites...and all that restriction can start to tear away at you after a while....BUT I constantly have to remind myself--I'm also trading in the body I have for the body I've always wanted.

Yesterday, Coach told me he wants to get me straight to competition shape, then we'll have leeway later on...So in a nutshell, no cheat meals, no wiggle room for the next 62 days (or longer)...sigh. Yeah, I know I can do it. I know it's worth it. I know that at the end of it all I'll be happy with the results and I'll know deep down that I got there the right way. I know that if I were to trip up along the way and my progress slows, I'll only have myself to blame...and that simple thought is enough to keep me honest.

I know there'll be ups and downs along the way, just like there have been over my first month of training, but I know I can do it. In my moments of weakness, I tend to look to my fellow Angels and other IFBB Pros. These girls are my FITspiration and they remind me why I started on this journey in the first place...they did it and so can I!! :)


Tiffany Boydston
Sonia Gonzales
Amanda Latona
Jamie Baird 
Nathalia Melo

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

"progress"

Ok ok ok...so I'll admit it. I'm IMPATIENT. I know, I know...I'm only technically 2 weeks into my program, but I want results, damnit! I want my BIKINI BODY now!!!

Sigh...I have been following my Nutrition and Training program to a T...dutifully chomping on my flax seeds and sipping on my protein shakes while staring at all the morsels of chewy, sugary, cheesy, breaded, fried goodness longingly. I've been doing my walking lunges like a good little girl, practically living on that damn Stairmaster!! Not one cheat meal, not one missed day of training. My progress pics after the first full week of training were a bit discouraging, to say the least. As much as I scrutinized each little pixel of that photo, I could barely pick out any changes...I looked the SAME. And of course, D lost 10 freakin' pounds!! Ughhhhhhhhhhh!! Talk about frustration!

Now, I know real change "doesn't happen overnight," it's a "marathon, not a sprint," blah blah blah blah....but come ON...there has to be some kind of payback for the hours I spent prepping food and sweating out that cardio, right? I mean, I feel different. I feel tighter, more toned...I felt it but I couldn't see it.


So I gave it another week. I kept truckin' on through the workouts, the same meals day in and day out...my next meeting with Coach Oddo is still 2 weeks out, so I figured I could push myself and hopefully my hard work would show...whelp, last night, exactly 1 week after my first set of "progress" pics, I decided to bust out the good ol' digital camera and ask D to take a few pics. These were just for me, no official submission to Kimbo...just to see if there was any little glimmer of hope, some miniscule change to be noticed...

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!! yes, I did a dance, jumped up and down, squealed like a 6 year old little girl on her birthday...PROGRESS!!! FINALLY!!! A little lift here, a little tighter there, smoother lines all over...YES!! ...aaand...I have a whole 'nother week to get my ish together and push even harder before my check-in with Coach Oddo!!! Now, that's the motivation I needed to help me re-focus and re-energize for the long haul, the 24-WEEK long haul. I know it's not going to get easier, but I'm just going to have to get better and train harder.

The moral of the story: change takes time. It's really easy to get down on yourself when you're not noticing any dramatic transformation after a few weeks of sacrifice, but I had to remember to trust the process. I hired the BEST coach in the biz to get me there, and I really have to put 100% faith in him and his expertise. He's brought countless girls into the spotlight and whipped them into shape--I'm not going to be any different! I just have to put in the work...my bikini body is already starting to take shape...I'm well on my way!!

Bikini Bound

So let's play a little catch up...

A few months ago, my eyes were opened to the wonderful world of Bikini. Now, like everyone else, I had the misconception that if a woman were to lift heavy, she'd bulk up like the She-Hulk and look super masculine...boy, was I wrong. The Bikini Division is overflowing with gorgeous women who are the exact opposite of what the general public would envision "female bodybuilders" to be. These women are lean and have curves in all the right places. They're fit and defined while still soft and sultry...everything I long to be, and WILL be soon enough ;)

I didn't always believe it was even remotely possible for me to get to that level...but then I learned about Tiffany Boydston, an IFBB Pro who is bound for Olympia 2012. Tiffany posted her before and afters on her fan page and all I could think was WOW...her body looked a lot like mine...and damn, look at her now!! Tiffany is an absolute inspiration to me and was sweet enough to respond with some great advice:

"I was 138 when I first started! I started doing the diet on my own after I learned about nutrition in school and had to clean things up because I have Hypoglycemia ( which has been fixed with foods and exercise). It was all going great losing the weight 12 lbs to be exact! I was doing Crossfit, kickboxing and training on my own. I wanted another goal because 125 was still a bit high for my little self and I couldn't lose the last 10 lbs. I was asking a friend who does shows I want to do one because I always loved her physique! Cute, little, around 110 lbs, full of curves, and yet toned! She said I should and I started doing my homework and then decided to contact my good friend/trainer/ Papa Kim Oddo! Best decision I EVER made! Not only does he do show competition diets but lifestyle ones as well to help you get down and if your wanting more after that and want to compete then he is phenomenal at being the BEST coach in shows!(Oddo's Angels)...... Patience is key girl! I struggled with it but to be honest didn't see in the mirror (because I'm mental and I know most agree with this) everyone else would comment and say I look great, but till about 6 weeks out from my goal date when I had been training for 3 months prior to that. It took me 18 weeks before my first show before I was ready. My advice is keep training hard! Jamie's program is perfect for what you are trying to achieve and be PATIENT, follow it to the T and the results will show!!!!!!! ;0) Hope that helped some girlie. :0)"

Well, that about told me everything I needed to know...Tiffany made me realize that it is possible for someone like me to get to that level, with the right training, hard work, will power and determination. That's what got me to where I am today, two weeks into my off-season program with Kim Oddo and dead-set on competing in the OC Muscle Classic in T-minus 165 days...

Monday, February 27, 2012

where to START...

Well, here I am at the beginning of what I anticipate to be one heck of a journey in my life...from pain ol' me to Bikini Competitor.

Now, I know this may seem like completely RANDOM goal, but hear me out...

Unfortunately, I was NOT blessed with the coveted metabolism of my little sister, who could eat every cupcake and cheeseburger that her little heart desired and not gain a fraction of a pound. Oh no, I grew up with the dreaded "thicky-thick" curse (you all know what I'm talking about)--just the SIGHT of a french fry would instantaneously add unsightly rolls along my waistline--yeah...not cute.

Now, just to clear things up, I didn't have an dangerously negative body image by any means. To be quite honest, I didn't really scrutinize my weight that often, and looking back, I'm sure that's what led to me putting on so much weight in college and ballooning up to my heaviest after graduation. I resigned myself to the belief that I just wasn't "built" that way, that I was always going to be a heavier girl. I "gracefully" accepted that. My justification? I was never obese, there were always girls who were bigger than me and I guess I took comfort in that fact...Sad, but true. I look back now at all the things I used to eat on a daily basis and it's no wonder I was as heavy as I was. Fast food for almost every meal, snacking constantly...and of course, that's the "norm" in college so it never dawned on me that I was making horribly unhealthy choices.

My weight fluctuated over the course of 6 years (college + post-grad) as I went through my "healthy" phases. I worked at Jenny Craig for a whopping 6 months and dropped down to about 135-140 for that length of time. For what it's worth, it did work for me while I was in college because it gave me "healthier" alternative for my meals and snacks, and gave me some sort of structure for my workouts, but it was nearly impossible to truly integrate into my lifestyle long-term without the ease of buying those pre-portioned entrees. I never did quite learn how to do it on my own and as soon as I got off the food, I ballooned right back up and stayed that way for a couple years. I was content that way until a boss of mine decided to issue a challenge to me and my co-worker and bff--first to lose 25 lbs. would win a gift certificate to the restaurant of her choice. The buddy system worked wonders for me. We'd eat our Lean Cuisines together at lunch, challenge each other not to snack during slow days at the office and share our gym routines on a daily basis. Accountability got me results. I'd managed to shed 35-40 lbs. and keep it off by just making simple changes--cardio 5-6 days a week, trading my Jack in the Box for Lean Cuisines at lunch, nothing too crazy.

But one day, the "progress" came to a screeching halt. I sentenced myself to months upon months of death-by-cardio, said NO to all the "bad-for-you," fried, breaded, sugary, rich, delicious foods and the scale refused to budge. I began to wonder if I would ever be able to have the body I wanted my whole life. I had this deep-seeded, desperate desire to finally break through my "plateau" and lose the last 10-15 pounds that I just hadn't been able to work off over the past 2 years.

I would spend hours longingly gawking over pictures of these stunning bikini competitors and fitness models, admiring their pristine physiques and envying their superior genetics. One day, while drowning my sorrows in more fitness pictures, I stumbled upon an album posted by (the incomparable) Jamie Eason entitled "Transformations" and was completely floored. All these brave souls posted their before and afters for the world to see...30, 40, 50 lb. weight-loss stories from people who started out way worse off then I ever was and ended up with these amazingly sculpted physiques. WOW...but HOW?!

This fascination motivated me to dig deeper, to read further into their stories, testimonials and uncover this "secret" that I had been oblivious to all these years. Had someone been holding out on me? I was determined to find out if this was actually real or, like everything else, too good to be true.

Well, turns out it's not a hoax, it's not a fad, it's not some myth or miracle pill being marketed to the masses...it is indeed, 100%, certifiably TRUE...and actually realistic and doable for "normal" people like me...EATING CLEAN.