Feb. 22, 2013

This week has been going great and the scale was down a bit (didn't expect much due to my way-bad cheat last Thursday and then a night out at the movies with too much popcorn on Sunday - Oh dear!) I'm back in the zone and have vowed not to cheat anymore... if it's time to have a cheat meal, I will just have a bit more clean carbs than usual, but NO buttery popcorn, big macs, or sweets!!!!!! They just turn me into a carb-crazed madwoman - lol! I am 11 weeks out from my competition tomorrow - WOO-HOO!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy (late) Valentine's Day to everyone!!! Hope you all had great days with loved ones! Valentine's Day is really one of my very favourite holidays because it celebrates love! Luckily yesterday, I had completed two weeks on my plan strong with no cheat-meal and I got the go-ahead for a mild cheat meal yesterday... It was a bit more than a mild one... enjoyed some carbs and sweets with my best friend and a fancy lobster dinner later with my husband. Had a great day in general with lots of love around me! Today I woke up feeling really really sick to my stomach from the stuff I ate yesterday and thought why would I ever eat that stuff? ugh. Back on track today, went to the gym, did some groceries as my diet is switching up a bit now. Tomorrow I will be exactly 12 weeks out from my first competition and I am already getting a little nervous about getting to my goal for it! My body really does not respond as quickly as it used to to everything... I remember when I used to just moderately clean up my eating and workout a bit more and the pounds would fly off... gone are those days! But I just keep visualizing the greatness I will achieve, thinking very positive thoughts about it all, and getting EXCITED!!!!

Eating Clean through Tough Times!

Well, last week I was feeling that high, awesome state where you don't crave any bad foods or wanna take a rest day, etc., was losing about a pound every two days, and just in a state of bliss!!! This weekend was a bit of a turn-around from that... it was a little rougher, with a little more of emotional craziness and stress around my house/family so it was challenging for me as I usually just automatically run for the Haagen Dasz when I have stress or trouble (I'm totally an emotioanl eater!) Sunday I was having a totally hard day emotionally and I was in a mall passing that totally tempting Cinnamon bun smell and my husband (bad boy) told me to just have some cake so I would feel better... I totally didn't!!! It even surprised me that I just chugged my protein shake and then met my family for a fun time ice skating instead! I feel like if I can get through that, I can get through lots!!! I feel stronger than ever - yay! Food is such an easy crutch through times like those and you have to work a bit harder and actually deal with stuff head-on when you take that crutch away. Went to my dad's for dinner, he's a chef and makes amazing creamy creations, but he knew I was in competition prep so last night he made me delicious clean beef and veggies - yum! I'm still feeling a lot of cravings now, but feeling like I am strong enough to overcome them! Eating clean is always the hardest part of prep for me, but also the most rewarding!


me & my boy skating!

Today I blasted my legs and did some cardio while my son was in school. I have had to figure out how to only workout Monday - Friday while he's at Kindergarten as me and my husband are both so crazy about gym-time that a lot of our disagreements are 'you got to workout today and I didn't', lol! I think I've got it all figured out now so I don't miss a workout I'm supposed to do!

Rest Day!

Today is my rest day from the gym... I love working out so much that I don't like my rest days except that I try to look like a normal lady on these days - blowdry my hair nice, wear jeans instead of workout wear, etc. Everyone can always tell when I have a rest day from the gym, Tae Kwon Do, and work at my studio - usually Wednesdays and Sundays! Everything is going so smoothly with my plan so far, I've lost 10 pounds within the last 2 weeks, and have already reached my goal weight for this Saturday - yay! I'm trying to stick to 3 lbs/week, but I know it will get harder as I get closer to the competition so I'm grateful for a few extra at the start here! I am not noticing too much difference in the look of my body, but my students and my family are so that's definitely motivating! I think I tend to just do the ab flash in the bathroom mirror every morning to see how it's going and for me, that's usually the last place I lose... I tend to lose in my upper body and hips/thighs/butt first (which lots of women think would be great, but I think it just makes you look boyish with a belly - lol) Anyways, I'm gonna fill my day off with lots of positivity, visit with my dad, spend time with my son, and get a little bit of cooking done - yay!

BIKINI BOUND - time to compete again!

I have competed in figure, fitness, and fitness model on and off throughout the years mainly as a personal goal to stay fit and to challenge myself. My last stint of competing was just after having my son (who's 4 years old now) - I needed to prove to myself and everyone else I could get an even better body after having a baby. I feel I did that, placed top five in a few competitions, kept doing them every season for a bit, then life got busy and I was concentrating on my business (http://www.fiercefitness.ca & http://www.mayada.ca) so I took some time off. In that time off, I have really thought long and hard about my fitness goals and dreams and came to the decision that I am ready to compete again and this time I am ready to work harder than ever - I don't want to feel like I could have done more come competition day. I'm also ready to start competing with OPA finally!!! I started out competing in Fitness which I feel is the most interesting and entertaining category, it went well with me as I am a dancer and choreographer so I could use my talents in the routine, but like many other competitors, it became too much for me training-wise... I'm not a gymnast so that aspect was always weak and it was just so much of an undertaking (eeewww, I sound so lazy!)  My goal is definitely to work on my moves and work on a long-term plan to get back into Fitness. But one step at a time... First I'm gonna get my body to a level where I can be competitive in the Bikini category and try that out! In my mind I'm a little too small for Figure and a little to muscular possibly for bikini - that's why I enjoyed competing in the Fitness Model category with other associations in the past. So, I am a little apprehensive about Bikini, but from following the sport for years, I see winning Bikini girls have very differing looks... some look very slim with little muscle, while others have a bit more of an athletic look. I started training two weeks ago (15 weeks out) with the help of an awesome prep coach, PJ Braun for OPA's O'BRIEN LUCHKA MISSISSAUGA CHAMPIONSHIPS on May 11! I cannot wait and I am very excited to bring my very best package ever to the stage this season! I will update my blog here regularly if you want to follow my journey!

Committed: got my OPA membership card in the mail today!