So, as someone pointed out to me, it's been a long time since I've posted. And part of the reason was vacation: planning for it, packing for it, taking it, and trying to recover from it. Another big part of it was that my recent hip injury made it very uncomfortable to sit - so I've been avoiding anything that requires being at the desk!
But probably the biggest reason of all was that my thoughts have been all over the place....which, of course, is a great reason to just post more often...I'll work on that!
The training: Things have been going as smoothly as can be expected, all things considered. I have been limited on squats, deadlifts and core training thanks to an SI joint sprain, a hip flexor strain, and all the related aches, pains and muscle spasms that have gone along with those 2 injuries. I get asked a lot around the gym, "but what are you doing here? shouldn't you be resting?" And the reality is that movement feels much better than rest...sitting and sleeping have been the worst of it! So, I've had to swallow my pride, cut waaayyy back on my squat and deadlift weight and continue to kill it in the gym.
There was also the matter of vacation to deal with...I was away from home for a total of 11 days. As a trainer, one of the number one causes I see of people falling off their routines in the summer is vacation...and I always say, "but whyyyyyy?!?!?!" You don't have to abandon your fitness goals just because you are not at home or near "your gym". In my case, I did my homework. I knew where the closest gyms would be to both of the places that I was staying. I knew what hours they were open, what their guest policies were, and had my workouts planned BEFORE I left home. But if your goals are simpler...just to maintain fitness or stay in a routine...use what you have around you. Stairs, sand, benches, a local park, or pack a resistance band or some light dumbbells. If you plan ahead, you can succeed!
Speaking of vacation....how do most of you eat when you're away? Don't answer that...I already know. Here's the thing about contest prep dieting...there IS NO vacation! There is no way of knowing who else is going to share the stage with you and how they are going to look. All you can do is look your absolute best. Which means 100% on, all the time. Again, it comes down to planning ahead. I won't go into the details here - but I will share that I ate one meal out of a baggy in my purse, while my family enjoyed burgers, fries and milkshakes!
So I made it through vacation without missing a workout. I suffered through my workouts despite being injured - and yet the thing that was stressing me out the most was that I wasn't sleeping. At all. No really, for 2 weeks, I couldn't sleep thanks to the pain from my injury! And you start to worry. "If I don't sleep, I can't lose fat." "If I don't sleep my muscles can't grow" "If I'm not sleeping, my lifts will suffer." "I can't get on the treadmill at 5 if I'm still wide awake at 3:30!" But I kept repeating the words my husband always says to me..."Just stay on the diet and you'll be fine". And you know what, he was right. I'm finally sleeping again - and I'm happy to say that things still look like they are on track. (although I send my weight and pictures to my trainers tomorrow - so we'll see what they have to say about it;-)
So, now I am almost half way there. 10 weeks down, 10 to go, and I've lost 24 pounds. The difference in my body is really starting to show, and I am coming to realize that the weight I am sitting at RIGHT NOW is the weight I'd like to maintain during my next non-competitive season...but that's another goal, and a whole different blog!! Because, while the compliments on my body are rolling in daily - I'm still only about half-way to where I need to be to show my best physique on stage. The first few weeks of this were really tough because the weight just didn't seem to be coming off - but I know that it's going to get a lot harder as that show date approaches! BUT, at this point, you almost go on auto-pilot with the diet and training, because there are other things to focus on...suits, posing, music, posing, tanning, posing, registration, posing, hotel, posing. Have I mentioned that I need to start working on my posing?!?!?! Yes, posing practice is another whole element of your training and helps to improve your conditioning and your presence on stage. You can have the best physique up there, but if you don't know how to show it, and make it look effortless while you're doing it, then it doesn't matter! So that will have to get added into my weekly routine.
AND - I ordered my suits this week. Do me a favor ladies...the next time you look at a swimsuit price tag in horror, look up bodybuilding or figure posing suits, take notice of how much LESS material is involved, and then take note of the price tags...you'll feel better about your last swimsuit purchase, I PROMISE!!!
Well, I think I've ranted long enough for one night. I promise I won't stay gone so long this time! And I'll leave you with a parting thought:
Your obstacles are what you make of them. You can decide to let them slow you down or even hold you back, or you can decide that you are up to the challenge and keep plugging along until you find a way around them, over them, or under them if necessary. Victory is even sweeter, when you know you have fought for it!
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