The Smell of Progress Is In The Air!

I will admit that it's hard for me to acknowledge the amount of progress I have made since I started this journey in January of 2010. I see myself in the mirror every day and truthfully, to me, I look the same as I always have. Tom is constantly telling me that I have made some really great progress over the past year and to embrace it and be proud of it. I'm hard-headed & don't listen very well :)

Anyway, this morning I started to look at my progress pictures from my past preps and BAM! There it was! The realization that I have done some serious work on my physique and I had the pictures to prove it! I'd like to share with you the following pictures. Each was taken 7 weeks out from competition date.

 6/5/10

 9/18/10

2/26/11

Thank God my posing has improved....lol!!

 6/5/10

 9/18/10

2/26/11



 I'm quite pleased with the work that I've done!!  

 6/5/10

 9/18/10

2/26/11

Seriously, my posing on 6/5/10 was just outta control :)

 6/5/10

 9/18/10

2/26/11

As you can see, more has changed than my hairstyle :) My body has changed a lot and I know that there's no way I could have done it without my Coach aka Da Monstah and my trainer/hubs/partner-in-crime Tom.

Seven more weeks....I'm psyched to see what happens during that amount of time....LET'S GET IT!!!

Diggin' Deep

The last couple of days have been dramatic and overwhelming, to say the least. I'm physically and emotionally exhausted. I'm very aware of what stress can do to one's body and have been trying to keep my stress levels to a minimum (I'm pretty sure I'm doing a sh!tty job).

Anyway, I remembered an email I received some time back about a blog Jaime Baird had written for Muscle & Fitness Hers (I just received the newest issue yesterday! I'm seriously in love with this magazine!). The title of the blog is I Am Winning The Day! and I think Jaime is onto something. "Winning the day" is all about realizing that every day is not your best day but you will do everything you can, in the current moment, to continue moving forward.

So, in the light of what's going on in my personal & work life, I'm going to do the best I can with what I have - I am going to win the day!

OOOOWWWW!!!

This is what I looked like at the end of my workout yesterday. I was sitting at the leg press machine and whimpered as I bent down to pick up my phone to take this picture. The workout was, in a word, brutal! I sent the above pic to my coach - subject was "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" - written message was "You are a b-word! :)"

My body is incredibly sore from the workouts I've done this week and I'm EXHAUSTED. But you know what....I love it! I love that I woke up this morning and I had abs without even flexing! I love that I have veins popping out in my shoulders which is new to me! I love that I feel like a machine!

I just might whoop some ass on April 16th....

New Release Tuesday

I posted this song on Facebook a couple of weeks ago....the video hadn't premiered yet...but I fell in love with it as soon as I heard it. I'm not in love with the video but it's cool...I want the top Rihanna's wearing...maybe for a date night with Tom?? :)

Whatever your opinion is about Kanye West as a person, you can't deny that the man has the magic touch when it comes to making music!

Hope you enjoy this week's new release!

As always, if you have any song suggestions - send them my way!!

Through The Eyes Of My Blackberry

I had today off....Tom was working at the fire station (I did stop by to visit him before I hit the gym!)...and The Princess had school....so here's what I did with my day through the "eyes" of my Blackberry!!

After getting back from the gym, I put on a pair of Lucky jeans I haven't worn in over a year!

Can I get a "woot woot"?? :)



 My attempt at lookin' sassy...lol..I'm a dork!

 My version of heaven on Earth ;)

 I love leaving with these bags full of goodies!!!

The item I'm most excited about - my new WonderWoman lipglass!!

Isn't the packaging so cute??



 WonderWoman!!

I also treated myself to a movie...I'll admit it...I have a crush on Liam Neeson!

I also stopped by a cupcake shop and bought some cupcakes for my Mom. I dropped them off at her work and hung out with her for a bit. I didn't get any pictures of that because I'm a knucklehead and I left my phone in the car!

All in all, it was a really nice day off!!

Cue the Eighties Rock Band!

Hey y'all! How goes it??

It's cloudy & windy here in Tucson....they've been predicting rain for the past 3 days and yet...nada!! Guess that's what happens when you live in the Sonoran Desert :) I spent yesterday doing cardio, cleaning my house, prepping meals for next week, and watching the U of A Wildcats cement their #1 spot in the Pac-10!! Go Cats!!

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It's an unspoken rule that if you live in Tucson, you are a Wildcats fan. If you're not, you must turn in your Tucsonan card and leave the city immediately! I'm kidding but you will be subjected to dirty looks and will not be invited to any social events :)

The scale has not been kind to me this week...Genie asked me if my bones are made of titanium because the number on the scale doesn't correspond with what the pictures are showing....I told her my bones were made of adamantium (if you're a nerd, you know exactly what that is without Googling it...lol). I did notice that I'm a bit more vascular and on Friday, I was able to wear a pair of jeans that had been stowed away in the closet for a good minute. So, I'm going to keep weighing in but not read the number on the scale - Tom will be doing that for me :)

When I saw today's progress pictures, the song "The Final Countdown" started playing in my head. I'm crazy...I know! Here's a couple of pictures from today....

I'm super excited because weights have been added back into my workouts! I've missed being on the free weight floor and adding some estrogen to that area of the gym :) New workouts for my bottom half are inspired by a recent video posted by Ava Cowan on the FitnessRX website - you can find it here.

Eights weeks left.....cue the music....."It's the final countdoooooowwwwwwnnnn"....

I Put My Foot In Cardio's Butt!!!

Happy Saturday everyone!!

I typically schedule my workouts and cardio sessions so that I have Saturday as a rest day. Well...I slept through the alarm on Monday morning so I decided that I would make up for that missed cardio session this morning. I told myself that I would still sleep in (cuz Lord knows I was not feelin' cardio at the butt crack of dawn on the weekend!!) but would need to do my cardio after I made The Princess her breakfast. I also told myself that if I did my cardio session and really killed it, I would treat myself to a gift from MAC.

With MAC on the brain, I threw on my cardio clothes and hit the treadmill. I decided that instead of doing a set pace at a set incline, I would keep my pace at 4.0 but change my incline after 2 songs. I thought I would share with you the great songs my ipod picked for me today (I absolutely LOVE when that happens) with a note of the incline I was at.

Ass On The Floor - Diddy Dirty Money feat. Swizz Beatz         *2
Remember the Name - Fort Minor                                           
We Takin' Over - DJ Khaled                                                    *4
Rich Girl - Gwen Stefani                                                          
Hello, Good Morning - Diddy Dirty Money                              *2
Ring-A-Ling - Black Eyed Peas       
Magic - B.o.B. feat Rivers Cuomo                                            *6
Bleed It Out - Linkin Park
Heartbreaker RMX - Mariah Carey                                         *2
Turnin' Me On - Keri Hilson
Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys                         *8
Damaged - Danity Kane
Swing Ya Rag - T.I. feat Swizz Beatz                                       *2
Money Honey - Lady Gaga 
Fire Burning - Sean Kingston                                                   *10

I chose to change my incline using a certain number of songs because I've learned that if I use the time on the treadmill, I get fixated on how much I've done, how much time I have left, how I tired I think I am, etc. So, I cover the time with a towel and just focus on my music!!

One last thing...I show a preview for a movie called "Beastly" with Vanessa Hudgens....umm....am I strange because I really want to see it??  :)                                  

That's What's Up Thursday

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Dear Booty Gods,

Please make my nalgas look like her's.

I promise to do my cardio & eat my protein.

Amen.

I mean, really?!?!? Do I need to say anything else?!?!

Alicia Marie - now that's what's up!!

Gratitude + Recipe + Reminder

First, let me thank all of you for your positive feedback about Monday's post!!! I know that I still have time to get myself ready for the show but there are times when it seems like it's right around the corner and I won't be ready!! I need to calm it down! LOL!! I sincerely appreciate each of you that commented and please know that your positive words mean a great deal to me.

I am not a food blogger....I'm a food lover...lol...but I don't spend a significant amount of time cooking fancy meals or taking pictures of my food :) With that said, I made the decision last weekend to plan a dinner menu for Tom and The Princess for the upcoming week. I feel like their meals don't need to be boring just because mine are! I found a crockpot recipe "book" (it's really a bunch of pages that I printed and have clipped together...) that I had stashed away and I chose a couple of receipes to try out this week.

The recipe I made last night was Chicken Paella. I didn't eat it but Tom & The Princess gave it a thumbs up and said I should definitely make it again. It was simple and there were minimal dishes to wash - who doesn't love that!?!

Chicken Paella

1 lb chicken thighs    *I used breasts since we didn't have thighs

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves minced   *I was lazy and used minced garlic from a jar :)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp turmeric   *I didn't have this so it was omitted!

1/3 cup frozen peas     *peas are not welcome at our house so I left them out :)

2 cups cooked white rice    *brown rice was used

Put chicken, broth, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, and turmeric in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Add peas and rice. Cook uncovered until peas are tender, about 15 minutes.

And before I sign off, I want to remind you to enter the Win A Jeff Binns Photo Shoot. The last day to enter is quickly approaching so get your entries in!!

New Release Tuesday

So...in this video David Guetta kinda looks like a creepster....lol....but every time I see Rihanna I'm reminded of how much I love MAC and I want to go spend my whole paycheck on eyeshadow! I should tell you that I attempted to recreate her look this past weekend & I just looked like a hot mess :)

Great song for cardio! Hope you like it!!

Progress...??

Here are some progress pictures from yesterday....am I in love with them? No...I actually want to set my computer monitor on fire when I look at them! With that being said, Genie was nice enough to remind me that I have two months and a week (can't forget that week! lol) until my show when I was whining this morning. I was sharing with her how I have this mental picture in my mind of what I should look like and when I see my progress pictures, I'm so far from what's in my mind. I also whined shared that I don't want to come in last place AGAIN...I don't think I can handle that...but hey...when you compete, that's the risk you take!

So, my plan for the week is just to take one day at a time...grind it out....and remember that this process takes time....let's see how well I do with that...lol!!!

She was also kind enough to send me some motivation in the form of my girl crush Courtney West. I don't care who you are, you can't tell me that this woman isn't smokin' hot!!! My body wishes it could transform into her's!! :)

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Mash-Up!!

My brain is full of stuff today so I'm just going to list some of the things I've come across this week that I wanted to share!

Here we go.....

I've been mandated to do fasted cardio in the am. Now, I am not a fan of getting up early (4:30 am folks!!) and often find myself asking the question "What the f#$k is the point of fasted cardio?!?!". I read an interesting blog post on this topic on Jamie Ambler Fitness. The post is entitled When Is The Best Time Of Day To Do Cardio For Optimal Fat Loss - check it out and let me know what your thoughts are.

Kellie Davis of Mother Fitness is a fellow figure competitor that I initially met online at Siouxcountry prior to my first NPC show. We finally had the chance to meet each other face-to-face when we competed in November and she is a badass!! Don't believe me?? Check out her post entitled How To Pick Up Heavy Stuff and after you watch the video of her deadlifting 275lbs, tell me she's not a beast! :)

I am a HUGE shoe lover! It is amazing to me how a new pair of shoes can change not only your outfit but your mood! I saw these Rachel Roy pumps and I seriously considered using the money I've saved for my NPC card to buy them. Don't tell Tom but he might buy these for me...ok...I'm buying them for myself but I'm telling him that he bought them for me because....uhhh...not sure the reason yet but I'll come up with something :)

There are times when I really really really really HATE being on a diet! One of those times was today when I accidentally on purpose went to the How Sweet It Is blog to see what new recipe this wonderful woman has come up with. Today's recipe is for Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies. Oooohhhheeeemmmmggggeeee!!!! Why do I have to be on a frickin' diet?!?!? That.is.all.

I read an incredible book this week. I started it on Monday and finished it Tuesday night. That's how good it was - I couldn't put it down. The book is entitled The Other Wes Moore. It's the story of two young men...with the same name...growing up in the same city...and the different path each man took. I highly recommend this book. It was powerful, heart-breaking, eye-opening, and inspiring all at the same time. Read it!!

That's all I have for now....I'm taking my progress pictures tomorrow so I'll be sure to share those with you and update you on any changes to diet and workouts.

Enjoy your Saturday!!

That's What's Up Thursday

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I'm lactose-intolerant but I swear I would deal with the bloating, gas, and stomache

that comes with having dairy

for a body that looks like this when I'm over 40.

Dara Torres - now that's what's up!

Mid-Week Motivation

My bony wrist!

In college, I discovered the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley. From the moment I started reading it, I fell in love with it. I loved the fact that the word invictus is Latin for unconquerable or undefeated. It spoke to how I felt about my life and the experiences I had been through. I chose to tattoo the word on my wrist as a constant reminder that no matter what I'm faced with, I am unconquerable. I love that at times during my workouts...when I feel like I don't have any more to give...I look down at my wrist and am reminded that I do have more to give and I won't be defeated.

Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

I also love to listen to the song All the Above by Maino. This song is about fightin' for your success (whatever that may be) and not letting anything hold you down! I love the chorus of this song and I have been known to sing it loudly while grindin' out some 4:30 am cardio :) My favorite verse of the song is

How the hell could you stop me?
Why in the world would you try?
I go hard forever
That's just how I'm designed.

What about you? What motivates you?

New Release Tuesday

I'm lusting after all of the cool outfits, kick ass shoes, and her nail polish :)

I'm reminded of Lily Allen...just a little bit....when I listen to this song...

Your thoughts?

10 Weeks and Counting....

Yesterday was the 10 week mark! I'm getting more & more nervous as the countdown to the show continues...I'm a little queasy actually..lol! This will be my first out-of-state show and my understanding is the California shows produce some really great competition.

Anyway, my check-in on Saturday went well. I was pleased to step on the scale and see a drop in weight. Since I'm one of those people that lets the number on the scale dictate my mood (I really try not to let it but it does!! I can't lie!), I haven't been weighing myself during the week. I'm hoping to lose about 2 pounds a week...I have a particular "show weight" in mind...but I haven't really been told to shoot for a set weight...I think it would be nice to arrive at the April show 10 lbs lighter than I did at the show last November...we shall see! I'm not posting pictures from Saturday because I really don't like them...I looked like a hot mess...but I will post the next ones.

For those of you who visit siouxcountry, did you see me on the banner?!?!? If you're on Facebook, be sure to become a fan of the site if you haven't already. Anyway, I always look forward to the status update on Sunday that let's you know the new banner photos are up. Jason Lannigan always does such an awesome job creating banners! Yesterday I saw the status update that the new photos were up so I went over to the website and there I was!! I squealed...ok...more like screamed...in surprise! I feel incredibly honored that Jason chose to feature me on this week's banner which highlights different members' photo shoots!

I also received some Facebook love from Jason Adams on the Promoting Women in MMA, Fitness and Bodybuilding fan page. He called my photos "beautiful" and provided a link to the AZ Photo Shoot with Tenecia post on siouxcountry for his fans to visit. I'm definitely honored and grateful for the kind words from everyone!

I leave you with a pic of me after today's plyo workout....yep...I'm a sweaty mess...thanks a lot, burpees & jumping lunges ;)

Rockin' Red!

Hi guys! Today I'm rockin' my red dress pin to support of the Go Red for Women Campaign from the American Heart Association. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about heart disease among women. Heart disease claims the lives of almost 500,000 women a year! That's a huge number!! Let's be heart healthy, no matter what your age! Please visit the Go Red For Women website and share the valuable information you find with the women in your lives!

For those of you who like to shop, here's some sale information I received this week!

Snaz75.com is offering 20% off of everything. Enter the code "LOVE" at checkout. This offer is good until 2/7/11.
*this might be a great time to purchase your shoes for your show if you haven't already...or maybe purchase a "back-up pair" if you already own a pair! Or if you're not competing, they have some great sassy shoes just to have....because who can ever have enough shoes?!?! :)

Champion Apparel has A TON of great workout clothing on sale! Not only for women but men and kids as well. I'm going to buy myself some workout clothes and throw in a couple of items for Tom....just so he won't scold me for buying things I don't need ;)
Check out their Sale & Outlet page!

It's Friday....join me in doing the happy dance!!

That's What's Up Thursdays

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I stand in awe of the beauty, poise, and physique of this competitor.

She has been overlooked by the judges in the past and I really hope that changes this year!!

IFBB Pro Rosalind Vanterpool - now that's what's up!

A New Look...and A Contest!!

As you may have noticed, I've changed the appearance of my blog last night :) When I started my blog last September, I just went with the basic set-up and was content with it for awhile. But I'm one of those individuals who is easily bored and so I decided I was ready for a change! Tom was great in helping me create the new look and the photos are from my photo shoots last November. If you would like to see more shots from my shoot with Ana, see my Photo Shoot with Ana C! post. Please let me know what you think of the new look....even if you dislike it! I would love to receive feedback!

For those of you who may be interested, Jason Adams who writes the Promoting Women in Bodybuilding, Fitness, and MMA blog (which, by the way, is so much fun to read! I love learning about all of the different female athletes featured!) is currently hosting an incredible contest. The Win a Jeff Binns Photoshoot is currently taking place and prizes include a ninety minute photo shoot with Jeff Binns, an 8 week contest prep with Jack and IFBB Pro Ann Titone, and $200 in Species Supplements! This prize package makes me drool and it's so easy to enter! Definitely do it!!

Have a great hump day!!

Protect Your's!!!

I love this video! Every time I see it I want to train harder, run faster, and stomp on the competition!

Nothin' like a little motivation to get your day started!!

I'm protecting mine....what about you??!?!

New Release Tuesday

I was watching MTV or VH1 (can't remember specifically which one) when this video by P!nk came on. I instantly stopped everything I was doing to focus on the story she was telling in this video.

This song and video...I can't describe it....it's like it was sent to me or something. That may sound cheesy but I'm really struggling with the physical changes I'm going through this prep.

The verse that stuck with me is "Change the voices in your head....make them like you instead." Talk about a simple but powerful concept!

Anyway, I wanted to share this with you...especially those of you who are prepping for a show....we get so caught up in the number on the scale...how lean we are...how tight our abs look...if our hamstrings are tight enough...etc...and you know what....that's important for show purposes....but keep in mind, we're all God's creatures and as my Mom always told me, "God doesn't make mistakes."

I hope you enjoy this week's new release - it's "F*ing Perfect" by P!nk.