The Secret of My Success

How do I stay motivated? 
 

Well, to put it simply, I don't.
 

Motivation does not wake me up at 4:00 every morning.  Setting my alarm wakes me up.  Motivation does not help me get dressed and get out the door.  Setting my clothes and gym bag out does that.  Discipline is what helps you succeed.  Motivation is merely what gets you started.  It doesn’t last.  Looking at ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos on Facebook is great, but only works for a moment.  Inner drive—wanting it so bad that failure is not an option—THAT is what will help you succeed.
 

If you are counting on motivation to get you in shape, you will fail.  Motivation is an emotion, and emotions are fleeting.  Our society, unfortunately, is one that is ruled by emotions.  We do things because we feel like it, or avoid doing things because we DON’T feel like it.  I haven’t been successful in life because I’ve done the things I’ve felt like doing.  I’ve been successful because I’ve done the things I really didn’t want to do.  I’ve done the things I was afraid to do.  I’ve done the things that I knew I just might not be able to do. 

I am writing this because if I said it to everyone who said, “I lost my motivation” or “I just can’t get/stay motivated”, I’d pull my hair out.  And I’d never stop talking because I encounter those people ALL the time.  Heck, I’ve BEEN one of those people!  I lost motivation so many times and quit that I just got sick of myself, got sick of quitting, and finally said ‘enough is enough’.  I still fail, but I don’t quit.  I still backtrack, but I don’t quit. 

I KNOW that I will reach my goals only because I refuse to give up on them; I refuse to quit trying.  If you’re reading this and you’re looking to all these Facebook pages for motivation, please do yourself a favor and stop.  I’m not saying to stop looking at them—after all, I love seeing before and after photos as much as anyone else—just please stop looking to them to keep you motivated.  Have a heart-to-heart with yourself about what you want and why you want it.  And how badly you want it.  And what you’re willing to do to get it.  I have some pretty lofty fitness goals, but I know that my relationship with Christ comes first, and my family comes second…everything else comes after that, including fitness. 

So make a pact with yourself to quit quitting.  Quit looking for external motivation.  Decide what you want, and then go after it.  Don’t be motivated.  Be disciplined.  You can do it, but will you?   

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I started this as a mere status update, but it quickly morphed into an essay.  Then my computer froze and I lost it.  But it was good (in my opinion), so I'm typing it over again.

Here is what you probably don't know about me.  I like fasted workouts.  Cardio, weightlifting, doesn't matter.  I like intermittent fasting.  I like the paleo diet.  I love when my muscles are so sore I can barely move.  I don't eat much dairy--other than the protein, I think it's worthless.  Delicious, but worthless.  As my husband so eloquently states, I would rather lift weights for three hours than run ten feet (It's true!).  However, I have learned to love HIIT.  My husband taught me how to sprint last summer and you know what?  I'm a good sprinter.  Not great, but good. 

So what?  Well, those things are not popular in the fitness community.  At all.  Sure, they've gotten some attention, and some of them have a sizeable following, but for the most part, they all go against the mold of what you're 'supposed' to do to have a nice physique.  I no longer eat six small meals a day.  I rarely eat starchy carbs.  They make me feel weighed down and heavy and bloated.  Bleh.

It has taken me years to muster the courage to do what I know is best for my body.  Dr. Sara Solomon, Layne Norton, Ashley Horner, Kris Gethin, and of course Jamie Eason, have all shaped my way of thinking.  I've taken pieces of what I've learned from each of them and applied it to my own workouts and nutrition. 

So what's my point?  YOU know your body better than anyone else.  God created us all differently.  We look different, we act different, and our bodies react differently to food and exercise.  What works for me might not work for you.  You don't have to try to squeeze into someone else's mold of how you should be eating or working out.  Of course, you can't eat crap and and lift 5-lb. dumbbells and expect to have a killer physique, but you get what I'm saying, right?  If something is working for you, stick with it?  Are you only losing a pound a week?  GREAT!  That is a POUND a week!  That means what you're doing is working!  If you're stalled out, that means what you're doing is no longer working.  So do something different. 

I am in several fitness groups, and this is what I read EVERY TIME someone posts progress photos.  "What are you eating?"  "Where do you have your macros?" "Which program are you doing?" "Can you tell me what foods you eat?"  It's painful for me to read that because I know how damaging that is.  People are still looking for the secret--still after that perfect diet that will give them the perfect body.  Guess what?  There isn't one!  But the good news is that if you listen to your body, and pay close attention to what it is telling you, you will figure out what works best for YOU.  If you have too much sugar in your diet, though, it won't work.  Sugar speaks way louder (and it LIES!).  Eliminate the sugar--even fruit--for a couple weeks, and start listening to your body.  It speaks loudly and tells you exactly what it needs.

You may have to go through a lot of trial and error, but if you persist long enough, you will get there.  It's not easy, and it's not quick.  If it was, everyone would look like a fitness model.

Superhero Saturday: Megan (MEE-gan)

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” (1 Cor. 9:24)

 

It’s an early Saturday morning in Spring of 2005. I love the smells, the sounds the feeling of newness, of the world waking from its slumber. I hop out of the truck. I’m at my favorite place to run. The local lake, otherwise known as the city’s water supply, has a jogging trail, places to fish and toys for kids to play on. Once on a run, I found two baby turtles. They were the size of quarters. So cute.

 I proceed with my mental pre-running checklist. If you run, you know the list. Check the watch, music, shoes, adjust clothing, make sure hair is tight, put on sunglasses, bend over to do a worthless stretch of the hamstrings and off you go.

 About 20 steps into my run, my legs get completely numb and tingly. It was that feeling legs get when they are asleep and you move them. That sensation, it’s almost a burning feeling. After a few minutes they wake up and the tingling is gone. On this morning, just moving my legs, just planting my feet sent that sensation from hips to toes. It was extremely painful.

I went home.

 
“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.” (1 Cor. 9:25)

 

It’s a hot August day in Oklahoma in 2009. My husband, my mom and I are sitting in a little room of a neurosurgeon. We are making small talk. The kind of talk people do when they are nervous. The Doctor comes in, starts talking and I stop listening. I just wanted him to say, “Yes, you have MS” or “No, you don’t have MS.”

Four words later, I’m driving home in complete shock. I have Multiple Sclerosis. I cry so hard the tears stop flowing. Part of me was completely scared and part of me was relieved. I had been searching for so long for a reason I was unable to run or even walk fast. Soon after my diagnosis, I began my medicine. Every day, I inject myself with what I call liquid gold, due to the cost. After three months, my issues were gone! We had been waiting on a diagnosis so that we could see what we were up against because we wanted to have more children.

It was after the birth of our third child, that I got extremely sick. For me, I get better while pregnant. My energy is up, my symptoms disappear, and I feel great. After I have the baby, my body revolts, it turns on me big time.

 

I resumed my meds and this is where things get good.

When our third child was 10 months old, I did my first race. I competed AND completed the Warrior Dash. I was able to run again! My life, every step became a mission. I was running to win. I was running to show everyone, including myself, God is Good.

 

 

Then we got pregnant with our fourth child. (I promise I won’t write that anymore.)

 

 

All throughout the pregnancy, I was working out. I didn’t do that with the previous pregnancies. After our son was born, I got right back on the liquid gold to avoid any relapses.  As hard as that was because I had to stop breastfeeding, it has been the best decision.

 In January, I competed in my first sprint tri. What an emotional day that was.

 

I ran five miles a few days ago! FIVE! I haven’t been able to run that far since 2005.  

 

So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. (1 Cor. 9:26)

 

Some days are hard as I deal with immense fatigue. I might get dressed to go to the gym and that’s as far as I get. I deal with dizziness and mild tingling, but have learned some of the triggers. The summer is really hard. If I get too hot, I get really sick. I also have to monitor my body heat while exercising, but I get my body. It speaks loud and clear at times. Then there are days where I have bouts of energy and I run five miles!  One thing is certain, when my feet pound the pavement or the treadmill, I run differently. I don’t run because I feel like it. I run because I can. I run because it is a gift. I run because it is a miracle.

Superhero Saturday: Tannis

My story begins in Beautiful British Columbia. My biological father wanted me aborted, and as far as I know, he doesn’t know I am alive. My mother had thought about adopting me out, with my grandparents approval. When I was born, and they saw me, well, they fell in love and chose to give me life with them… Boy do I thank God for THAT! My “Real Father” is in the Navy. (That saying “Any man can be a dad, it takes a REAL man to be a father”… I believe that’s true. My father is the most amazing, loving, hilarious, honest, God fearing man I know. And I wouldn’t ever trade that for a million years!) We moved around throughout my childhood... ALOT. We moved from British Columbia all the way to Nova Scotia when I was 5yrs old. I spent my childhood moving every 2-4yrs, adjusting to new surroundings, making new friends, only to pack up and leave them. Once I hit middle school I struggled with leaving my friends behind. I was a typical girl, full of dramatic tizzy's.

My family loved to eat. My dad is an incredible cook. However, when he would be away with work, the most convenient thing for my mom was "fast food". My little sister and I used to LOVE when my dad went away, because we knew we'd get McDonalds, or Burger King, or something of the sort. I went to high school in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. When I turned 16, I started working at McDonalds. I wore a size 29 inch waist pant when I started there, only 6 months later I had to get a new pair of pants, a size 34. By the time I was done working there (when I was 18), I was wearing a size 36waist. (Please note these pants are MEGA unflattering and built bigger). I ate at McD's EVERY day. We kept track of all food that went in the garbage. However, if food made it into my mouth, I pretended it went in the garbage, and just wrote it on the sheet!! I ate McDonalds thru my shift, on my breaks, and then whenever I got the chance when I was not working. I was very unhappy in high school. I felt like my parents didn’t trust me and they didn’t like my friends.  I felt fat, and frumpy. I only wore jeans; baggy, unflattering jeans. I never dressed up. When I graduated, my mom took me out to buy my “grad dress” (Most places have “proms” we had a “grad” – lame excuse of a prom). I found a pink dress that was cheap enough that I felt like I wouldn’t break my parents bank. It was long, and puffy on bottom, so my legs wouldn’t be seen at all.

After I graduated, I moved out on my own. My main source of food was Kraft Dinner, Hot Dogs, and of course Fast food. I started to drink casually when I was 18. By the time I was 19, I was probably borderline alcoholic. I was drinking daily, and barely making it into work on time on a regular basis. I was tired, and unhealthy. I was unhappy. In 2001, my parents were posted back to Nova Scotia. They asked me if I wanted to go with them, I said no. I felt like I was where I wanted to be, with my friends, able to party as hard as I wanted, whenever I chose. In September, when 9/11 hit, I realized that life was just too short, and you never knew when would be your last chance to tell your loved ones that you love them. When my parents offered me the chance in November, to move to NS to be with them, they’d look after my plane ticket, and shipping my stuff, I jumped at it. I decided it would not only be better for me to be close to them for the comfort of having them there, but also for my health. I knew that my drinking had gotten out of hand. My parents flew me home just a couple days before Christmas 2001. We surprised some of our family over the Christmas season with my home coming. It was a very happy time, even though the fact that I didn’t have any gifts for my family made me feel bad. The fact that I was there with them made that ok. I found a job at a local pet store chain. And, much to my surprise, touched base with a childhood friend of mine (friends since we were just 7yrs old, kept in touch early in our friendship, but had lost ties over the last years). We made plans to meet, and hit it off like there was no time in between us seeing each other last, to this day, she is still one of my best friends, forever!! Thru her, I made some other friends, and began going out partying in NS. It was definitely less than my party days in SK, but it was still a little out of hand. One night, I met a guy at the bar. We had a great time dancing and chatting, I drove him (drink free night that time) back to where he needed to go… The military base. This was NOT in my cards. Being born and raised military, I vowed to myself I’d NEVER put my children thru that. I gave him my phone number and went on my way. A week passed, he never called. So my girlfriend and I ventured out again to our usual hang out, and sure enough, he was there again. He approached and I gave him the cold shoulder for not calling me. He gave me his excuse, and we danced away. After that night he DID call me. And we started hanging out regularly. We hung out a lot for about a month, then he finally asked me to be his girlfriend. That guy I speak of has been my husband for almost 9years now!! Yes, I married military. You can not argue love!! We loved to party, and we loved to eat. In the early years of our relationship, it was normal to eat out 5-7times a week, and to drink every weekend. We had a great time together, we were young and in love, and that’s all that mattered. My weight was up to 180lbs. I was self conscious, and still felt ugly and fat. When we’d go to a pool or beach, my wardrobe consisted of shorts and a tank, on top of my bathing suit. I wore the ugliest tank and shorts to bed, every single night (just ask him how ugly this attire was!!). We got married in 2004. Preparing for the wedding we both regularly attended a gym, he did his weight stuff and I did cardio. I managed to lose a few pounds, but we still ate horribly, so we were completely voiding out any workout activity we included.

We welcomed our first pregnancy that December. I lost about 10lbs in the first few months with being sick,  but then gained 20lbs. When I had my 9lb1oz son, I was 194lbs. When we got home 2 days later I had gotten down to 175 (water weight and a 9lb baby). I breastfed my son for 1full year, and I managed to lose a decent amount of weight. I went down to 150lb, which I was so excited about. I was still tired and unhealthy, and was definitely what you would call “skinny fat”. In 2008 we welcomed our 2^nd bundle of joy. My weight jumped to 200lbs! I am not going to lie, thru my 2^nd pregnancy, I ONLY craved fast food. I was working retail in a big mall, in a location right beside the food court!! I ate fast food at every shift! It was all I wanted, morning noon and night! When I delivered my little 7lb4oz baby I went back to 180lb. In August of 2008, I started having severe stomach pain. I went to the ER where they did testing, and performed an ultrasound. They found that I had gall stones. I saw a specialist within the next few weeks, and was on the operating table in October. They removed my gall bladder and the stones.

In 2010 my husband was tasked to Haiti to help with the earthquake aftershock. When he was gone I decided that I had to do something to my body. I wanted to have a great body when he came home. So my friend offered me a copy of her Jillian Micheals 30 day shred. I loved this workout!! I did it religiously 5 days per week for 2months. I started “counting points” with weight watchers. I managed to lose 20lbs and got myself down to 150lbs. I was happy with my body, and I was getting lots of compliments. For the first time, I felt comfortable wearing skirts and shorts! Thing is, I got stuck at 150 because I wasn’t eating healthy. I was counting points, but I was not getting the correct nutrients. I still ate far too many sweets, I still ate fast food, I still ate things I knew weren’t healthy. I yo-yo’d up and down. I was skinny fat, but thought I was healthy. I made “healthy” changes in my diet, like eating a salad from McDonalds, instead of burgers, eating frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, eating low fat, or fat free items, eating “smart choice” pre packaged items. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why my running for 30mins 5times a week, and my so called healthier eating wasn’t changing my body. I went to the gym and would pound out an hour on the treadmill. Or I’d go for a late night run for 30-45mins. If I “over-ate” I would make it up by doing extra cardio. This is what I now consider a “cardio queen”.

In 2011, we moved to Moncton, New Brunswick. In November of that year my husband was looking into Bodybuilding.com and looking at some supplements and such. I was curled up in bed one night, and caught a glimpse of a Jamie Eason 12week Live Fit Trainer ad. I asked him to click on it, and it immediately sucked me in. The next day I looked into the trainer, and read up about her weight training program and nutritional information. I joined a 12week Live Fit Facebook group, and creeped the wall for as much information as I could get, to educate and prepare myself for my January 1, 2012 start date. I had hyped myself up and was determined to finish that program. I took those 12 weeks seriously. I trained hard. The first 5-7weeks were good for food, the last 7-12weeks were iffy, but still decent. Once those 12 weeks were over, I was estatic with my results. I had lost weight, and inches, all over my body! I was lean, I was healthy, and I was strong. I felt good, and full of energy. Over the remaining months of the year, I gained a few pounds, and definitely grew a few inches, but I still felt great and thought I looked pretty good (coming from all the compliments I was getting). I had no fear in wearing a bikini at the beach, or pool. I loved wearing summer dresses and skirts. I loved wearing tank tops that showed off my new muscular arms.

In November I had arranged to have a photoshoot done, one that I had won. I was so excited for it, and kept my body tight and toned for it. I went to the town the shoot was at, and stayed with friends. The morning of the shoot I received a message from the photographer saying she couldn’t do it, as she had some family health issues. I was devastated. Then some personal stuff happened and I went from devastated to angry. I started a sugary downward spiral binge. One day of binging turned into 2 days, which lead to a week. Then, it was Christmas. Christmas brings potlucks, and chocolate, and sugary deserts, and friends, and family. I decided that I would enjoy Christmas, and every single yummy treat. I decided that I’d clean myself back up in January.

 

Bodybuilding.com announced that they were doing another 100k Challenge for January 2013, and that it would be open to Canadians! I thought this was a great opportunity for myself to whip myself into tip top shape. Also, the trainer I’ve been following for the past several months, James Wilson, was offering a challenge of his own.

January 1, 2013 rolls around. Here I was, coming clean off a year of an awesome body, damaged again by my terrible binging habits. When I took those first measurements and pictures, I had no idea I had done so much damage in such a small amount of time. My body was “fluffy”, the muffin top was pouring out over my pants. I was not happy with that image. I spent the next 12 weeks working hard in the gym(I workout 100% at home, we have a little set up in the basement that allows me to get my full workout in). The thing is, the first 5weeks, again, were great. I allowed myself a “treat” and it never went back to that perfect first 5weeks. My results were decent, I’m proud of where I got. But I know, KNOW, that it could have been much, much better with more control over my nutrition.

 

I describe myself as living in the Garden of Eden. Sugar is the serpent. A lot of people tell me to “Allow yourself to have one bite, and then you won’t crave it”, “Allow yourself to have it once in a while, and then you won’t start binging”. I have come to the conclusion, after attempting those suggestions, that I simply can not have just one bite. Once I have that first bite of a treat, be it chocolate, cake, cupcakes, muffins, cookies or anything like that, there is no stopping me. I have actually talked out loud to myself as I reach for another cookie, “Tannis, you don’t need that, they are for the kids snacks, you have your own”, and I’ll pop it in my mouth. Let me tell you that it is not as simple as “eating more healthy foods”, or “make sure you have the right complex carbs in your diet”. I make sure my macronutrients are where they should be, and I am in no way hungry when I go for those treats! I compare my sugar addiction with that of a crack addict. It has an insane hold on me. I know that it does terrible things to my brain, and even worse things to my body. My sugar addiction has really held me back in all that I want to accomplish with my body.  I have a lot of work to do on this brain of mine, to master this addiction, and get rid of it once and for all. I know I can do it, and I will do it.

For anyone who is looking for change, remember- lifestyle change. There is no quick fix. Be ready for people to talk negatively about any changes you may make, but don’t let it get you down. Remember that you are changing yourself for good, for better. Remind yourself daily what you are trying to achieve. Surround yourself with positive support. I have an amazing group on Facebook that I’ve been a part of since my original run thru Jamie Eason’s program. We’ve developed an incredible friendship, in fact, one of those members is sharing my story right now. Make sure you have someone you can call or text in a time of need, when you feel as tho you are about to fall off a cliff into a big chocolatey binge; I found this in my best friend who finally decided to listen to me and join in on a lifestyle change. We all have our struggles, no one is perfect. Educate yourself, you will find yourself thinking “If I knew then, what I know now”; I would not have been in this predicament. I plan on raising my children, as best I can, to know that hard work, exercise and eating good, whole foods, is what will make them grow big, strong and healthy. Also, women!! Don’t be afraid to lift weights!! You will not turn into Hulk or Arnold. Share your knowledge with those around you, a lot of people do not know healthy/unhealthy. Over the next few weeks I’ll be concentrating on detoxing my life from sugary treats. Out of sight out of mind, if they are not in my home I cannot eat them. I plan on praying for support and guidance from God, I can do all things thru him. I pray that my challenges will influence others, who maybe have the same challenges I face, to make those changes necessary. I got this, do you??
 

Superhero Saturday: Wendy

This is long, but worth reading. We all have challenges that we face, some more than others. I am in a fitness group here on Facebook that has women who deal with bigger obstacles than I can imagine. I will be asking them to share their stories on my page periodically to help the rest of us motivated. These gals really have to work hard for every positive change in their bodies. If you have a... big obstacle you're working to overcome, please let me know so I can share it on my page!

First up is my friend Wendy at www.facebook.com/tweakmyphysique. She is 35, in surgical menopause, and fighting an uphill battle to improve her physique AND overall health. Here is her story--just read the first three lines--you will want to read the rest.

It all began on November 19th, 2010. On that day, my life forever changed when I found out my mom had stage IV ovarian cancer. She died 19 short days later. Three days before her passing, we found out that she carried the BRCA 1 mutation. It turns out that her testing two weeks prior would be the biggest gift of life she has given my sister and I, aside from giving us life of course. BRCA 1 is a genetic mutation that gives you an 87% chance of breast cancer and 50% chance of ovarian cancer. But she passed away from ovarian cancer you ask? Yes, and her mother died at the young age of 38 from breast cancer. My precious mom was only 8 years old when her mommy died.

So back to the BRCA 1 test. As soon as my sister and I could pick up the pieces of losing our mother suddenly, we tested for the mutation. In January of 2011, I found out that I also carried this mutation and my sister does as well. This is when you hear about women making drastic measures to removed their breasts and ovaries before they get cancer. At first, I chose the path of surveillance. I felt like I lived my life in 6 months increments. After a scare on my ovaries, I decided to take the plunge and remove them. On July 8th, 2011, I had surgery that removed my tubes and ovaries thrusting me right into menopause. No if's, no and's, no but's! Full fledged menopause with hot flashes and everything that can accompany menopause like insomnia. If you know me, you know I'm a researcher! I researched how to combat the risks I now face. See, I reduced ovarian cancer from 50% down to a small chance of peritoneal cancer. However, I gained the risks of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, weight gain and much more. My mom had osteoporosis with her ovaries so I knew the chances were even greater for me. My solution: LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS and CHANGING MY DIET! Health and nutrition was already important to me but I still had a lot of work to do!

In the process and journey of lifting heavy and eating clean, I fell in love with weight lifting and the fitness industry! Everything is much more challenging for me than the average 35 year old female who has her ovaries. But I'm up for the challenge. I would be remiss if I didn't mention another life altering surgery I endured. On November 16th, 2012, I underwent a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Once again, I threw myself into the researching process and ended up traveling to a renowned surgeon in San Antonio, TX who did an amazing job! Any bit of estrogen that I had residing in my breast tissue was suddenly gone. I wasn't prepared for a further emotional roller coaster but I got it. I'm still working through it all! If I can inspire one woman to get fit and healthy then it's all worth it! If I can help one woman find out she too has the same genetic disposition I face, then I have done my job!

In April 2013, I had a couple of set backs. I found out that I have osteoporosis. What?!? At 35?!? Needless to say, that was a tough week for me but once again, I am pulling up my boot straps and getting mad. Mad enough to fight even harder. The following week, I went to a naturopath doctor. I knew with hashimoto's, mast cell syndrome and now osteoporosis, all had to be related somehow. I was right. I'm not really absorbing nutrients that I put into my body and have many food allergies. This could be it! The reason I have been so frustrated in the gym! It is very common with people who have auto-immune diseases (hashimoto's). Yet again, my mountain just got bigger. But also the way I look at it, I'm that much closer to figuring it all out! In fact, I think I am getting the pieces to the puzzle put together and it's going to show me an amazing picture of success! I will be working closely with my doctor to treat all of this over the next 6-12 months and I actually couldn't be more excited. It's all coming together now! Hashimoto's coupled with mast cell syndrome and osteoporosis. I have full blown celiacs disease! It just took me 35 years to figure it out! The strict gluten free diet is going to be hard but I can do it. With the help and support of you! It's often that I will get a message from a follower telling me how inspiring my story is and how it's helped them personally and touched them in some way. WOW, now that inspires me!

 

BSN Photo Shoot

So, this morning was my long-awaited photo shoot with BSN. I was supposed to meet them at 9:00 a.m., so I got up at 5:15 to give myself plenty of time to get ready and not feel rushed. I made the decision to curl my hair, and if I had known it was going to take TWO HOURS, I might not have done it. However, I was thrilled with how it turned out, and I'm glad I did it.

Here is how it looked right after I finished curling it:

 

 

 

And after I finished messing with it:

I grabbed some breakfast, then went back to put on makeup, grabbed the things I thought I might need for the shoot, and headed over to the pre-arranged meeting place with BSN. They took us over to a gym for our photo shoot, and EVERY OTHER SUPPLEMENT COMPANY ON THE PLANET was doing a photo shoot there today, too. That may be a slight exaggeration, but the place was packed. We were getting ready to shoot, and in walks on of the fitness personalities I most admire, Amanda Latona. She was shooting with the same group I was in (she is sponsored by BSN), so I introduced myself to her and asked her if I could get an autograph later.

Anyway, We proceeded with the shoot. The photographer was amazing. He made me feel so comfortable from the get-go, and I was so glad that I wasn't feeling tense or nervous. Just enjoying the experience.  This are the two outfits I wore during the shoot:

After we finished, I got Amanda to sign a poster of her that I had brought with me just in case I was able to meet her. AND she took a couple of photos with me, too! I was so honored to meet her and discover that she is so likeable...a ham, really. :-)

Now I'm back at the hotel, coming down off the emotional high that I've been on all day! Enjoying a cup of coffee, uploading a few pics, and trying to keep you all informed!  Oh, and look how well my hair held the curl--this is about eight hours later.  I have NEVER had curl stay this long!   

 

Heading to the Arnold!

Oh, my goodness! The Arnold hasn't even started yet, and I'm already having an amazing time!
So, this morning I got to the airport in OKC, and made it through security. They confiscated my very threatening jar of peanut butter, which didn't make me very happy, but they didn't fuss about my chicken, almonds, or sweet potatoes, so I just let it go. I figure God knows I have very little control around PB, so He is probably just protecting me from myself. :-)

I snapped a pic of myself, traveling in my bb.com hoodie.  This shirt is so comfortable.  I'm trying to decide which is better, the hoodie or the sweatshirt.  It's a toss-up.

The flight went smoothly, and while waiting for my bags at baggage claim, I happened to meet Helga, the lady who is coordinating tomorrow's photo shoot. She was so sweet and it was great to finally meet her.

I got a cab to bring me to the hotel, and the driver was from Ethiopia. I talked to him a bit about his country, and he asked about supplementation for weightlifting. I told him about protein powder, BCAAs, and pre-workout supplements. The awesome thing is that I had a bunch of the samples from bodybuilding.com that come in my orders, so I gave him one of each to try! Hopefully he will become a new bb.com customer soon!

The hotel I am staying at is BEAUTIFUL, the room is awesome, and I even have a fridge to store my food so I don't have to eat out all the time. It is literally across the street from the convention center!

This is the view of my hotel from INSIDE the convention center.  That's how close it is!

After I left the convention center, I decided to go for a little walk to see what was else was nearby.  I spotted a place called North Market that looked interesting, so I headed over.  It was quite possibly one of the coolest things I've ever seen.  It's a huge building, and instead of just being a store, it's actually a MARKET.  Lots of tiny little shops (40 or so, if I had to guess), filled with awesome local goods. 

Here is a view from inside the market:

 

There is a little shop in there called Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.  They had several unique flavors, but this one really grabbed my attention.  I'm avoiding sugary treats, BUT I had a little taste of this one and I will definitely be going back for a scoop on Saturday or Sunday evening.  It was delicious!

 

And on the way back to the hotel, look what I found!  I had to snap a pic; I was so excited to see something familiar in an unfamiliar place.  Kinda made it feel like home.





And finally, a view of the convention center from my hotel room.  Think I could just jump over there in the morning?  Hmmm...probably not. 

 

 

When things don't go as planned.

Last week, I had a cold.  A sneezing-my-head-off, stuffy-nosed, sore throat cold.  The last thing I wanted to do was drag myself out of my nice, warm bed at 4 a.m. and head to the gym.  But I knew that 1) I'd be mad at myself if I didn't go, and 2) I would feel better if I got up and got my blood pumping.  So I went.  And I had some of the best workouts I've had in a long time and felt pretty good all day long afterwards.

Yesterday, I weighed in the morning and discovered that I haven't lost ANY weight in the past four or five weeks.  Still 136.  I've been eating as close to perfect as humanly possible and working out consistently.  I don't usually let the scale bother me (see previous blog posts), but was honestly quite surprised that it hadn't moved AT ALL.  I also found out that something I'd been working towards that was supposed to happen in February (four weeks away) had been postponed.  When I have a goal in mind, I am really focused and work hard until that goal is realized.  When things change, I feel lost and deflated. 

As with most people, the negative self talk began.  Why am I working so hard for the number on the scale to stay the same?  And if things are being postponed, maybe I should just take a break, eat what I want for a few days and then get back to it.  But here is the reality.  I had my body fat tested when I got to the gym yesterday morning.  In the past five weeks, I have packed on an amazing FOUR pounds of muscle.  I didn't even know my body was capable of doing that.  And although my fitness goal has been postponed, it hasn't been cancelled.  I still have a certain physique I am trying to achieve, and whether or not I have a deadline I'm working towards, I still need to keep my long-term goals in mind.  Long-term, 'big picture' thinking is not my strength, but something I know I need to work on.  This is a perfect opportunity for me to grow.

So when you encounter what you THINK is a setback, consider it from all angles.  Is it really a setback?  Or is it an opportunity?  Each time you ignore the negative self talk, it loses a little more control over your life.  Eventually, it will be nothing more than a whisper.