How it all got started.

At the start of every new year, I have a history of making new goals for myself to be completed throughout that year.  Some call it New Years Resolutions; I just call it goal setting.  Over the course of the past 4 years I have gone through a lot of personal, internal growth.  I have challenged views that I was raised with, worked on bettering my communications skills and boundaries, and being more assertiveness in my life.  By the end of 2010, I felt great internal strength.  As the new year was approaching, I decided that this was the year to make the outside of my body appear as strong as I felt mentally and emotionally on the inside.  So unlike all the other weight loss goals that I have set before, this one was different.  I wasn’t in search of a specific number that I wanted to weigh or a certain size I wanted to be, my goal was work hard until “I could SEE my muscles”.  Then I started thinking.  I wanted to go about this in a healthy and positive way and started contemplating competing in a bodybuilding competition.  I wasn’t sure exactly what the final goal was going to be, but thought I would begin working hard towards the fitness goal of “seeing my muscles” and see once what would develop from there. 

In January 2011, I set off on my journey towards building a stronger body.  I knew my past struggles with losing weight and staying consistent, so I decided to give a trainer a try to help keep me accountable to my fitness goals.  On January 24, 2011, I signed on at T. F. working with D & M.  Three days/week they would put me through a solid weight routine and I would get in my cardio 3-5 days/week for 20-30 min.  I initially started at 136 lbs and approx. 25% body fat.  I worked out with D & M until June 17, 2011 when I stopped because I felt like I was reaching a plateau and we were doing the same weight/cardio routines.  It was also about this time that the idea of really competing in some type of physique contest continued to be intriguing to me and I had a friend who’s husband had done some bodybuilding contests before and had the knowledge to make my goal/dream a reality.  So I met up with Mark, who is the owner of Personalize Fitness and Nutrition on June 17^th and we discussed the potential of entering into a bikini competition or a figure competition depending on my level of muscle tone.  The idea of competing was intriguing to me and he helped me to see the possibilities of this goal coming to fruition.  The other part of this goal that appeared so attractive to me was that I could embark on this process with a good friend of mine, and Mark’s wife, Katie.  We would be able to train together and support each other throughout this process.  From my history of weight loss, accountability and having a partner to encourage me is what I always find helps me to be successful.  It appeared that my lofty goal at the beginning of the year could possibly come true. 

On July 26, 2011, I weighed in at 135 lbs and my body fat was 19.6%.  I had made some progress throughout the first part of the year and looked forward to making even more.  It was decided that I would shoot for entering a bikini competition and at first I looked at entering The Rocky Mountain Classic in Denver, CO on 11-12-11, but as time went on, I didn’t feel that I would be ready in time.  A new contest was identified and I have registered to compete in the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio, March 1-4^th, 2012. 

Let me share a bit about what a bikini competition is about.  A bikini competition is not considered “bodybuilding”, but rather a physique contest.  Bikini competitors are judged by a panel of judges who score the physique by assessing overall muscle tone with shapely lines, overall firmness and small degree of muscularity with separation, and a healthy appearance (face/makeup/skin tone).  Competitors should NOT display excessive leanness and should have NO visible striations within the muscles.  Competitors will complete and individual walk in front of the judges and then will be compared amongst the other competitors in a tasteful 2 piece bikini (no thong bottoms are allowed).  Hopefully that gives you a better idea of the competition. 

I am now 3 months into my training, and I have made great progress, but continue to struggle in many areas.  Let’s talk progress first.  Most bikini competitors on contest day average approximately 10-12% body fat.  My goal is to reach 12% body fat by March 1, 2012.  Currently, as of October 29, 2011, I weighed 137 (including workout clothes & shoes) and was at 16.7% body fat.  My approximate lean weight was 114.1 lbs and my approximate fat weight is 22.9 lbs.  I am close to being on track with losing a percentage point of BF each month, but this past month I only lost ½%. 

My struggles:  One area that has mildly bothered me throughout the year is that I have dropped approx. 8.3% body fat throughout the course of 2011 and I have not lost hardly any pounds on the scale.  I mean seriously!!  I am very aware that muscle weighs more than fat, but it’s just frustrating to not see any changes on the scale.  It messes with me mentally at times.  Another struggle that has emerged throughout this process is that I had no idea how mentally challenging this goal would be.  I have no troubles doing the actual physical workouts.  I really enjoy them and love challenging my body in that way.  However, when it comes to the eating and sticking to the nutritional plan, it is by far the HARDEST thing I have ever done!!!  It takes a lot of mental strength to talk yourself out of various food cravings and remember why I am doing this and recommitting to the process each and every time.  Unfortunately, I can’t say that I am able to do that every time.  I wish I could.  It’s hard to say no to the temptations all around me.  The times that are the hardest for me are when I am working and creating and sticking to my eating schedule.  At my jobs (I work 2 part time jobs), the one has so many candies, cookies, cakes, potluck lunches, and etc sitting around ALL THE TIME!!!  My other job is at a golf course where we sell candies, chips, donuts, and etc.  I constantly have to challenge my internal strength when I’m working. 

Another area of struggle is support.  What I find is that there are a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about bikini and bodybuilding competitions.  Most people around me don’t understand what I’m doing and why and therefore find it difficult to understand it.  People fear what they do not know.  I have had close friends and family member question if I was throwing up my food or concerned that I was not eating at all.  People have commented “you are looking so skinny” and I take that in a negative way.  My goal isn’t to look skinny; it’s to look STRONG!  And just to be clear, I can’t get to the place where I look STRONG if I’m not eating to fuel my body or if I’m throwing up my food.  That will do too much damage to my body and it won’t make it possible to reach my goal.  I have definitely had to do a lot of teaching to others on nutrition.  One of the really cool things that have emerged from this is that I have become a fitness role model for people that I work with.  They have been my BIGGEST supporters for me.  They ask a lot of questions about what I’m eating/not eating, how my training is going, struggles I’m having, and I’ve been able to educate them on fitness and nutrition.  They help keep me accountable more and more when I’m there.  My family doesn’t quite understand what I’m doing and why and my friends are supportive, but what I find is that the training & nutrition schedule isolates you some from activities that I’m used to doing with friends.  It’s really tough to balance it all and I continue to work on this.  Any ideas?

This blog is going to be about my journey to the competition with all the ups and downs that come along with it and I hope that you all will ride along with me.