This past week or so has been so killer hardcore (which is great!!!) I've kept my eats clean, my workouts insane, and have been really proud of my efforts. Only problem is that I'm not seeing my progress visibly too quickly this time. Usually as soon as I clean up my diet I drop fat instantly... but not this time! I know I've been on-and-off a bit since January, but I'm so used to it being a little easier than it is this time... I don't know what's wrong, but I'm trying to take my own advice that I give my students about not worrying so much about what the scale says and judging more from how you look in the mirror each day or week. I also tell people that sometimes you reach a sticking point and you need to just be all the more stringent in your diet and keep on trucking and then all of a sudden big changes will happen if your patient! So, I'll be staying strong in my competition prep and waiting for some terrific results to show up soon I hope! I also just started Crossfit (aiming for 2 times/week) to mix up my training a bit, shock my body, as well as learning a whole new work-out mode! It's awesome and I love the feeling of being a beginner at something rather than the expert or teacher. That always humbles me, makes me work harder, and helps me better understand beginner students who come to me! So, my first competition of the season is in less than 4 weeks - UFE Spring Bash, too soon - getting a little worried about reaching my goal weight/look for that show, but staying positive as that's the only way to be! I'm also very excited to have made the decision to compete in IDFA's Novice Classic after that on May 15. I'll be competing in the Fitness Model Division and plan to be at my very best by then!

I'm taking a cue from my usual Wednesday mornings (I teach a 7am workout class at the studio, so I decide to be even crazier and get up at 4am so I can run or walk to College & Dovercourt to squeeze in a weight workout at the YMCA before I teach). I figure if I can do this every morning or at least maybe 3 or 4 a week, I can fit in even more workout time before my family wakes up. I usually go down for when my condo gym opens (5am), but I have a new plan for the next month (as I have to go to extreme measures to get ready in time for UFE Competition - April 10)! I got up at 4am this morning to get out and running, sprints, jumping, stairs, etc. outside until the gym opens at 5, then I do my normal weight workout, plus 40 - 60 minutes cardio in gym. And my plan is to get more cardio later in the day as well by either going back to the gym when Zak naps or running to/from studio on nights I teach (like tonight). I realize I will totally be over training, but I have to lose at least 20 pounds within about 4 weeks (5 lbs/week - eek!) now so whatever does it does it! Mainly I realize it will be my consistent clean eating , but I'm ready to do whatever I can to speed the process! Priorities have been elsewhere for the past few months, but I'm taking this time to re-focus on fitness! Once I've done this competition, I plan to have a competition each month so I don't yo-yo and just stay strong at anice fit feminine 130 pounds (which is totally realistic and not an unreasonable ideal I don't think). That's what I like about my switch from Figure to Bikini or Fitness Model category... it's a more natural shape that you can totally maintain year-round if you're fit and eat right. Insanity for a month, then just maintenance!

Oh my! It has been FOREVER since I last posted here! I have been really swamped lately with dance stuff! But one big dance project has just come to an end, and even though I do have another on the go to take it's place(as usual), I feel I will have to make a bit more time for fitness-related stuff as it's a huge priority to me! I have been keeping up with the hardcore workouts, but lately have been falling off the clean eating wagon every few days and I think it has a lot to do with stress and being too busy to really visualize and daydream about my fitness goals and dreams! I was planning on competing March 27 for Fitness Star, but it's too late now to get my body the way I want it to be for that, so I will prep just for UFE April 10th. Still a real stretch, but I feel I can do it as long as I stay totally strict and strong for this month leading up to it (and I think I need that stress to make me make these changes)! Then I plan on doing a comp on May 22, IDFA in July, Neutron in August, then the big finale of the Flex Bikini Model Search at Olympia in Vegas in September (if I can talk my husband into another trip!) I am very excited about bettering my body and presentation with each competition and photo shoot I do this spring/summer!

I plan on doing my early morning muscle and cardio workouts as well as an additional cardio later in the day, and I want to add crossfit once or twice a week to mix things up! The most important element will be my eating. This month will be lots of lean protein and very minimal carbs if I want to lose at least 5 pounds/week. Then I will alter things to incorporate more carbs once at my goal. I think having so many competitions (1 per month) will help me stay focused on my healthy eating and not yo-yo so much. I'll definitely keep you posted!