5 weeks left

Things are trotting along quite nicely, there are ups and downs as usual, but on the whole I am quite happy with my progress.

I had a workshop today which was awesome. For the first time I actually felt like i had accomplished something and looked like i belonged at a workshop with the aim of getting on stage in a couple of weeks! For the first time ever, i have had baout as much body fat as everyone else and that is a moajor acheivement!!

I was actually praised by my original coach, he is at every workshop (being head judge) and each time I go, i am eager to here some form of praise or compliment from him, today i received it!!! I flew home on the wings of joy! finally!!!!!!!

I actually wore a crop top to the workshop today with the intention on taking off my t-shirt for posing! This is the first time ever a group of people has seen my middle!! I figured that if i didn't start now, i would be a nervous wreck by the time i have to put on the bikini! I was realy pleased i did, as the response was all positive. I have to say, it was one of the best workshops i have ever attended.

So motivation is at an all time high, the end is in sight and i think i may just be able to pull this off.

5 weeks left

must take some more photos!!!
All is going well and to plan which is great. I had a meeting with my trainer last friday which was very encouraging, she is pleased with progress which really helps my mind!! I am struggling to overcome the mental battles associated with the competition at the moment, i often doubt my progress and can't see the little changes that happen, so it is very encouraging to have someone point them out to you. I have to work on appreciating my body and my changes, not to compare to others, after all, this is me getting ready for comp, with my body shape and muscle definition, not someone out of a magazine or who has already competed. Once i accept this, i think the journey will become easier.

I found the perfect shoes last week, 75% off and white (okay so not so perfect there, but they have sprayed up well!!) so have been wearing them around the house, grocery shopping and even in the home gym!!! It is all about feeling confident in them!! I had a spray tan (faded now) which looked nice, shame they aren't permanent, I plan on having another before i meet with the trainer again as we are going to have a "dress rehersal" with hair, make up and bikini!!! then there will definately be new photos!

I have been really tired the past week and have struggled to train, but i am forcing myself back into it this week, i only have 5 weeks left, so there is no time for sitting back doing nothing just because i don't feel like it, i have to really listen to my body, if it is truely tired i will rest, but if it is just being lazy.... well no more excuses!!

Diet has changed for the next couple of weeks to allow some more fat to drop off and i have to be really careful with sodium, so i am now rinsing my tuna!!! have noticed changes in just the past couple of days on the new plan, so that is encouraging. Just need to keep the momentum. I definately won't be eating chicken, tuna or egg whites for a couple of days after the comp!!

Monday 11th

Well, 6 weeks and 4 days left to go!!!

Had a bikini fitting on sunday and it was much more encouraging than te first one!! The top was made out of my material so it was really nice to see what it is going to look like. I even had a slight tan thanks to a spray the day before which made things look alot better.

Nutrition has been spot on, Friday was hard as I had my 6year old's birthday party with the best looking rocky road cake, and then tea at a friends house. tea was great, she cooked mexican, so I just took plain chicken and ate her salad, worked well, they all knew what I was doing aswell. I even took my posing music and did a quick routine at the end of the night, must practise in front of people as I get so nervous!!!

Cardio was upped last week, but some of the weights seems to be a bit lacking (notably abs!!) so this week my challenge is to keep both cardio and weights up there on the best workout ever level!

No photos yet this week, will sort those out towards the end of the week and post on the weekend.

W

8 weeks to go

One of my favourite poses today!!!

Took all my phots this weekend, but wasn't really happy with my posing, somedays it all looks good, and others it just falls flat, lets hope by the time March 29th comes, I will be well practised in the art of posing and can hit a good one each time!

I allowed myself a weak moment today, we went blackberry picking and for some reason I made blackberry & apple crumble for the rest of the family. It smelt too good so I indulged in a small bowl with yoghurt (chose to have yogurt instead of ice cream to make it healthier!!) Man was it tasty!!!! but now I realise why I am not to eat things like that. It has been really hard to stop there, it is like flood gates have been opened and now that I have cheated I have given myself permission to eat anything I fancy (tonight there is left over crumble and lollies in the house!)It is really hard to find the strength again to go back to my normal eating. However, it is fighting against this urge to eat everything that will ultimately make me stronger and teach me that foods can be enjoyed in moderation and there is no need to binge on everything in sight, have one reward and then move back into the healthy mode, afterall, this is to be my lifestyle after the competition, I am not going to revert back to old habits, otherwise the old body will soon follow!

Have managed to increase my cardio efforts this week, although the ab work has fallen behind, so the plan for next week is to up both of them, the girls are back at school now so I have a couple of days back to myself to fit in longer sessions adn possibe multiple sessions. Hard work and fantastic eating for the next week as I have a bikini fitting on the weekend, am also going to try a spray tan (not too dark) so see how that helps the muscle definition. Watch this space!!!

Another week down, only 8 weeks to go and many people have said that is ages away yet, it seems so close to me!!!

This week has been tough, I had my first fitting with the bikini on Tuesday and it looked terrible!!! It was made out of any material that was available, and was basically to give the seamstress an idea of what shape, size, coverage etc I needed. So put a too small bikini on a white, bloated body and the results are not great!!!

I am assured that the real thing will be much better and I have a fitting for that in another week, maybe I need to work on the tan between now and then!

Nutrition has been okay this week, although with it still being school hols, we have had later starts in the morning so i have only been fitting in 5 meals rather than 6, I have given into a cappacino craving this week, but sometimes at least I stopped there and didn't add the muffin! Diet coke has been popular this week aswell, so that is something I need to work on again.

Exersice is plodding along, I am trying to get my cardio done, and have decided to mark on my white board the weeks worth, so I can see exactly how many times a week it is getting done, other than that no real news.

Am planing on doing photos this weekend to compare to the last ones taken, and fingers crossed there is improvement, even if it is just in the way I hold the poses.