Decisions During Chemistry Class

I couldn't pay attention at all. I propped my bag on the desk so the professor couldn't see me sitting there on my phone.  I had far more important things to do. I thought the thermodynamics lecture was the perfect time to look up the NGA show calendar and find a date range that is going to be appropriate for me. I narrowed it down to TWO shows.  I will let you know which of the two I decide to compete in as soon as possible. I am JUMPING OUT OF MY BONES with excitement. 

I've also decided that I am going to hire a prep coach this season.  While I am BEYOND PROUD of myself for all of the research and hardwork that I did completely on my own, I am in the "business" of improving who I was last year on stage.  A coach is going to allow me to focus my energy into a whole system, whereas when I prepped alone, I had to dedicate time to researching and testing several different faucets of my training. I have someone in mind. I will announce that information when I finalize the contract, etc. 

THIS IS SO MAJOR FOR ME. 

I'm going to try to look into what I can do about wearing a KNOCKOUT suit. I really want to represent my *Mum* and her fight with cancer.  I've got a couple of design ideas in my head, and all of them involve a bright pink suit.  I hope to find someone that can help me create my vision.  

ONE LAST "DECISION" MADE TONIGHT:  I put the word decision in parentheses because I'm being decisive in an indecisive manner.  In several posts, I've talked about whether or not I wanted to compete in the same classification. I am going to let my coach decide for me. If my coach decides that physique/bodybuilding is where I need to be, then I'll be making further decisions on hiring a choreographer.  In the physique and female bodybuilding class, competitors have to put together a ~60 second posing routine to music.  

That ABSOLUTELY scares me.  But, I thought I might be able to find a student willing to help and add to their portfolio.  I don't know. It's just a thought. 

Wish me luck in trying to get some sleep tonight! 

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Clumsy Mumsy

***UPDATE ON TRAINING BELOW***

But, first!  Tonight's lab was awful. So awful that I had to include it in my blog. We had a Gas Law lab where we measured partial pressures of H2(g) and titration. 

Our stopcock (YES, that is a real word) fell into our concentrated solution. The instructor was able to jerry rig our burette to fix it and not contaminate our results. As we were titrating the solution again, it completely fell apart and NaOH went everywhere all over my hands, book, lab notebook, etc. The professor was kind of mad at us, but what happened is he didn't put the tip back on properly. He didn't even want us to redo the experiment, so he told us just to copy someone else's work. I don't know how many times something has gone wrong with our experiments. Our "Possible Sources of Error" description in our reports is always long and should probably be called "Definite Sources of Error" with my name listed first. *sigh*

WHAT WAS I THINKING?: I miscalculated my prep time by almost a month!  By starting too early, you risk losing all of your gains that you've made leading up to the show.  Everyone has a unique "formula" for how your body reacts to prep. While there are general norms most bodybuilders follow, it is important to find a game plan that will maximize your vascularity, without compromising mass. You've got to understand how your body can be manipulated by your macros and water intake to produce dense muscles with a vascular overtone. 

MY NEXT THOUGHT:  I'm almost wondering if I want to do a different show than Mr. and Mrs. Steel Valley Classic. It would give me an excuse to travel to somewhere new. I really need to have a show date in mind before I start prepping. It's too hard to know when to cycle carbs, increase cardio, protein intake, etc. So, I really need to figure this out first and foremost. 

AFTERTHOUGHTS:  I think it might be best to look for a show later in the year than August to accommodate a prep that would start when I finish this semester. My time is completely limited when I'm in school and I start softball this Sunday. 

IN SUMMARY, I need to find more time to setup my gameplan and get all the right pieces in place. I want to be in the best position possible to train and impress myself with the work I put in. I need to remove the distractions that I can and push through the ones that I can't. 

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Bourbon Will Put Hair On That Chest...

I WANTED TO share some of my pictures from the RunTheBluegrass Half Marathon in Lexington, Kentucky this weekend.  I beat last year's time by 3 minutes which is highly impressive considering last year was 60s and sunny.  This year, it rained the entire time, and there was SIDEWAYS RAIN from Mile 7 on.  SIDEWAYS!  What.the.fuck.

OF COURSE, I got my beer AND bourbon after the race at the Buffalo Trace Distillery.  Carlee and I went around to a couple different breweries and hung out.  Our favorite was Country Boy Brewing.  We drank beer and played cards.  They had a beer called "Cougar Bait" and it was really good!  If we would have been older, we could attest to it working.  We got hit on awkwardly by the same guy three different times.  When he was leaving with his friends, he came up another time and wished us luck with our "prison card game."  Exit Stage Right.  Cue the studio audience. 

 

 

IN SUMMARY, I had a great time and I already signed up for next year's race in 2015!  Speaking of races, I actually have a 10K Trail Run tomorrow morning at Allerton.  A friend of mine wasn't able to run, so she asked if I'd be interested in running in her place.  I ran this race last year and it was pretty fun.  the only thing I didn't like about the course was that it was really hard to see the course paths.  I remember passing a lady who was in the half marathon event and accidentally ran a good portion of the 10K course.  I felt so bad for her!

 

WELP, it's Friday night.  I am getting organized for the start of prep on Monday.  I CANNOT wait for the first few weeks.  That shock to your system causes me to lean out so hard.  The only part of the process that I am less excited about is carrying around my water jug.  YES, I feed into that stereotype.  The thing is, it's the best way to track your water with the smallest amount of effort.  I did see a female bodybuilder advertising this "fanny pack" kind of holster for your water jug.  It made it look less...douchebag-esque. 

 

UNPACKING my scale is important.  I also am thinking about buying a second one.  I would like to have a back-up scale available--especially packed in my 6Pack Bag that I got for Christmas.  I am going to change a couple of things in my routine for this prep.  I am absolutely 86-ing bread in my diet for the next 5 months.  I held on to "bread" last year for too far into my prep.  I really don't have anything against bread (Of course not; I'm a runner!), but I want to lean out as much as possible.  I feel like last year, I could have been leaner.  I could have had that peek-a-boo rib cage shot if I cut out bread.  I also want to increase my water intake by half a gallon. 

CURRENTLY, I am still debating on competing in Figure or Bodybuilding.  I guess it depends how lean I get in the beginning.  I am not sure I want to compete at the same show.  I think it would be exciting to compete in a different state.  Well, I'm going to finish my grocery list planning and my training schedule.  It's going to be rough while I am still taking a class this semester, but I think it is doable.  I just need to put my head down and stay focused. 

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Civil War Day

Apparently, today is Civil War Day--meaning the Kentucky v Louisville game. :)  I'm running a half marathon tomorrow. My friend Carlee sprained her ankle last weekend, so I'll just be running it myself. I'm not too excited about the weather though. It looks like it's going to be cold and rainy. I might need to drink some bourbon before I run.

I moved out of my ex-boyfriend's house yesterday. Hauling all of that furniture was not a good idea when I have 13.1 miles to run tomorrow!  I also fell down the stairs when I was carrying a TV. I don't know how, but I managed to not break the TV...even though it fell on me and then tumbled down the stairs lol. 

I have a gnarly bruise on my thigh, so I'm hoping it won't give me too much trouble tomorrow!  

I ate this delicious pimento cheese and ham sandwich with slaw today when we arrived in Kentucky:

It's from Wallace Station which was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. We sat outside and enjoyed the 70 degree weather. We are back at the hotel now, being lame and studying...lol Well, I'm blogging because I'm too tired to look at my chemistry notes. 

Getting ready to watch this Civil War go down. I've got Louisville winning it all in all of my brackets, so I am rooting for them, but I'm also a fan of UK. Let the battle begin! :)

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What I Need Most:

Through these past few months, I've come to realize that the hardest thing about this situation is that I'm still in the process of moving on, whereas he has moved on.  I don't want him back. That's one thing I do know.  I just don't understand how someone can wipe their hands and call it a day.  I guess it helps when you are seeing someone else already.  

So, I started wondering how I could crawl out of this empty-heart kind of feeling. When I thought to myself about what consumes all of me, the answer was bodybuilding.  In all actuality, bodybuilding had a lot to do with the demise of my relationship. Instead of working on "us", I was more interested in working on "me".  Was I selfish?  I'm not sure how to answer that, but what I do realize is that I found valid happiness during that time. I found a direction to follow that provided a purpose in my life that aligns who I am with what I am passionate about.  

Recently, I admitted to a friend that I started feeling lonely and that it scared me to call "it" that.  I don't have a problem being alone; it's living in a state of loneliness that scares me.  The gym is the place where I face myself. The iron is always there to witness all of these self discoveries from the mirror's reflection.  My successes and failures are always there for me to pick up on.  The gym provides me with an opportunity to self evaluate who I am from the inside out.  

In simple words, it's where I need to be at this point in my life. It's what feels like home. It's what makes me feel whole. 

It's time to get serious about competing again. :)  

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Mustering Up The Perfect Words To Say...

Well, my blogging has slowed to almost nonexistent due to my 7 year relationship ending recently. Ummm...I'm not really sure what to say other than the fact that I know I'll be alright. You know, when things come to an end--whether it is a job, friendship, or relationship--we think there's going to be this black hole that will exist in it's place or sometime in place of ourselves. But, people move on, and we eventually move on. 

Maybe this is unique to me, but I am the type of person that needs to have alone time. I have to push others away when I'm going through something painful like this because it's what works for me. It's hard when friends don't understand that and think what I need is to be in constant contact with people. I do my best thinking when I'm alone. So, that's where I'll be for awhile. Alone at home, alone at the gym, alone anywhere I feel like being alone. 

Bare with me, guys. I'll be back to me soon. :)

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If you IF...

Yes, I can understand your confusion. 

"But Stevie, you said 6 meals a day is the way to do it..."

I fully believe in the 6 meals a day model. But, I realize that making the time for your meals can be complicated. If you're not married, no kids, have a flexible job schedule, etc, then 6 meals is easy!  That was me. No obligations to hold me back from eating when I need to. HOWEVER, this is not a normal life for people. As I've been going back to school, I've realized that eating every 3 hours is becoming a challenge. 

I've decided to look into Intermittent Fasting (IF). I was introduced to the concept by Sara Solomon. She's one of the major supporters of IF in the bodybuilding community. 

Needless to say, her body is flawless. She actually really funny and silly. She has a down-to-earth quality about her that I really like. 

So, IF can vary in how you approach it. Some people do 24 hour fasts/cleanses, and others follow a block schedule of some sort. Sara follows a 16/8 schedule, where she fasts for 16 hours and has an 8 hour eating window. It's helpful to use a portion of those hours sleeping. 

One of the positives is that you can create your window of feasting to be anytime that's convenient for you. One of the major drawbacks from 6 meals a day was that my eating schedule didn't always jive with everyone else. I spent a lot of days sitting there with no food while everyone else is eating. It was awkward, but you get used to it and people stop asking you questions about it after awhile. 

With IF, you can set it up so that your eating times are near "normal". So, I started Monday and did the 16/8 model. I stopped eating Sunday night at 9 PM and didn't eat my first meal until 1ish. So, I can eat between 1 PM and 9 PM, which covers the most social meals for most people--lunch and dinner. 

Your first meal should be after exercise, and it should be a fairly large meal. You still have to hit all your macros though, but feasting days are a little more forgiving. So, I'll post my schedule after I'm done with my first week. 

I'm currently on my 24 hour fast that I built into my schedule. Water is allowed, but nothing else. It wasn't hard while I was at work. I can usually dive into something and ignore hunger pains. But, I will say coming home is much harder. I know I'll survive, but I feel like if I caved, this is what I would look like:

EASILY. :)

There's a lot of science behind IF. I'll post some articles at another time. 

Oh, and a lady from my worker gave me a sample of some protein powder that she bought. It was really good, actually. 

It's flavor is Orange Creamsicle. She got a tip to mix it with orange juice and I loved it!  And yes, chopsticks are really good stirrers when your blender balls are dirty. 

Well, let's hope that I don't get too many urges with this fast! :)

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I'm Back, Bitches! (I wish I sounded as cool as I feel when I say that)

WHOA, Nelly!

It's been so long since I've blogged.  I recently went through ALL of my posts and realized the following:

1. I miss competition prep.
2. I never wrote a summary of my experience.
3. I think I'm a pretty funny.

So, I'm going to keep this short and sweet, but here's my synopsis:

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT AM I PROUD OF? I'm proud of training even when I was tired. I'm proud of eating clean even when my mind was craving junk food. I'm proud of that last rep I didn't think I would finish. I'm proud of not listening to negative people who doubted me. Above all, I'm most proud of what I've achieved and for being humble enough to know that there's no perfection and there's always room for improvement.  I did not come here to win or place. I came to beat the person I was 15 weeks ago.

I really didn't know what all of this entailed when I started.  I didn't know that competing would become much more than walking from one side of the stage to the other.  This experience made me love who I am and who I've become. 

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?  Absolutely!  HOWEVER, I have to say when I compete again, I will probably compete in the female bodybuilding category, rather than Figure.  For three reasons, really.

1. I met an amazing woman named Rhonda Shereda, a female bodybuilder competing at the same show.  She took the time to explain things to me as a newbie, and was just all-around friendly.  She was the only person that I bonded with.  The other girls in my division were unfriendly in a friendly way, if that makes sense.  They did not care to talk about our impending epic cheat meal, how exciting this was, etc.  NOTHING!  This was a major disadvantage for me because I'm all about the experience.  I'm not trying to compete against anyone, but myself.  Rhonda is stunning, genuine, and meeting her is one of the top highlights of my experience competing.
   
2. Body-structure wise, I was not as lean as the other girls.  I don't claim to be "big boned" or anything like that, but my muscle structure was just more dense than the ribs sticking out of the other girls' torsos.  Although, one Figure competitor gave me a piece of advice that has stuck with me.  She said, "Don't compete for the body type you have; compete in the division you want to compete in--the one you enjoy."  That is true!  While I have nothing against Figure, I just feel like bodybuilding is better suited for me on all levels (physically, mentally, etc).
3. In most organizations, the bodybuilding category requires a 60 second posing routine.  It's...soooooorta a dance, but not really.  Rhonda talked to me a lot about the routine portion.  I told her I would love to compete in that division, but the routine scares me.  That's when it clicked...I MUST do it, because performing on stage is a fear of mine that MUST be conquered. 

SO, this leads me to why I'm here now.  I will begin my prep in a couple of months...Yep!  I said it!

 

WHAT HAVE I DONE SINCE THE SHOW, YOU MAY ASK?

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I learned shortly after the show, that my mother was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer.  She kept it a secret from me because she knew that I would have fallen off-track with my training and contest preparation.  My whole family knew, except me.  It was a MAJOR shock.  While I realize she made the decision to keep this secret from me for my own benefit, it hurts to know she was going to appointments all by herself.  Ever since, I've been by her side at every chemo treatment, doctor's appointment, and her surgery.  I wouldn't have it any other way!  Before I get all teary-eyed from my mum's selfLESSness, I better move on...

In the past few months, I have:

• consumed many margaritas and beers with my friends
• competed in a Triathlon (only a sprint, but I loved it!)
• been surprised on my birthday by an amazing group of ladies
• ran the Denver Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon with a 7.5 month pregnant woman
• set a PR at the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon a week later
• signed up for a full marathon in my hometown
• gone back to school, took two classes in the Fall, and got A's in both of them (taking only 1 this Spring)

MAN, I feel like I've done so much more, but I can't think of anything else...Anywho, I'm flagging the wagon down and I'm jacking whoever's in it.  Call your neighborhood watch; I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!

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Dark As Night

Whoa, baby. I look like I'm from Africa. I would take a picture, but I am so tired.  I didn't get to pick the color...there's only one color for bodybuilders and it's called Black Out. Hahah...

Basically, I look like I rolled down a muddy hill naked. No lie. 

All this black stuff will come off when I take a light shower tomorrow morning. Then, they apply another layer of it and go through with some contouring. She said she will watch me pose (yep, naked...) and then see where I need some emphasis. 

They did spray my face. I had the option to go lighter or as dark as my skin. I decided lighter would be best and I'm glad I did that. 

Earlier today, I got my nails done. Due to a mishap and possibly the whole language barrier, I didn't get fake nails. The whole time I thought to myself, "I should say something..."  But, I started thinking that there's less of a chance for me to break a nail if they are my real nails. 

(Before tan...)

I've been cut off of all water as of 1 PM today. I'm feeling ok about it. Choking down chicken with no water is not fun, but the bell pepper's natural juices make it better. 

I added to my suit bottoms; however, I'm not finished yet. I haven't done the back yet. I need to find some energy and get it done!  I also wanted to lay around for a bit since I feel sticky. 

I haven't even packed yet. I'm currently cooking all of my food and making a checklist. Maybe after I have my baked potato, I'll have some energy from those carbs. 

I'm still pretty calm. Every once in awhile, the nerves flair up, but I'm more excited than anything. I'm just ready to EAT THAT WAFFLE!!

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Last Workout = Sad Day!!

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I have some of the greatest friends of all time and you should be jealous. ;) I met up with my friend Jennifer for lunch at the park. It was good to catch up and the weather held up for us. She gave me a card that nearly made me cry. She just...gets who I am.

She got me a gift certificate for chips/cheese/salsa and alcohol. She is such an amazing friend and I'm so lucky to have her in my life!  

I spent the afternoon buying last minute supplies like travel mirrors, exfoliators, and sweatpants.  I also finished the top of my suit and I'm really happy with it. It just needed more sparkle. :) 

I worked out for the last time before the show. It was bittersweet. I've spent every night in the gym. It's my home away from home. I have gotten to know a lot of the staff and it just felt somewhat sad that I can't go to the gym tomorrow.  Walking out of the gym, I saw the "Welcome sign" that is always sitting outside the locker rooms. It was very inspiring. 

Another thing that I'm super stoked about is...CARBS!!  I get to have them tomorrow. I'm so excited!!  I better go to bed so I can get to those carbs faster!!  

Everything is coming together!!  

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Dizzy Up the Girl

I am feeling so strange.  No carbs in your diet = a stupid you.  That's what I've heard at least.  I don't know how many times this week that someone has asked me a question, and I have to respond with "I don't know."  I know I have the answer, but my thought process is all screwed.  Trying to think about what to do just hurts...It could be worse.  I think I'm getting along just fine.  Day 3 of no carbs!  I'm really tired all throughout the day though.  My irritability comes and goes. 

Everything just feels kind of dream-like. 

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Whoa, Baby...You're Salty!!

Wow!!  I consumed salt for the first time in almost 4 months. It was the strangest thing I've tasted. I put some on my egg whites and it made it taste like popcorn--not in a good way. 

My tongue feels spicy or something. Today, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, I cut all sources of sodium. Today, is day one of no carbs.  

More on this later...I'm going to snooze for an hour or so until I need to start getting ready to meet up with my mum. 

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Beautifying Myself

In order to get my knee back to normal, I took today off the gym. Since tomorrow was a pre-planned rest day, I thought this would work out. I started off having a bad day. I woke up with a bunch of fluid in my knee still, even after icing/heating it last night. I went to Schnucks and bought an icy/hot knee sleeve to help with the swelling. I live and die by IcyHot and Tiger Balm. LOVE THAT STUFF!!

So, I'm pulling into the parking lot and SPLOOSH!!  My gallon of water (yes, it was completely full) flies onto the floor of the passenger seat and is dumping all the water on the floorboard. I threw it in park (still crooked) and got out of the car to pick it up. I swear every person in the parking lot was hard staring. Haven't you people ever seen when someone spills shit in their car? They were probably staring because of the motherfuckcuntbitchassshit I was saying. 

After leaving Schnucks, having to purchase not only the IcyHot, but a brand new jug of water, I was happy to go have some sister time. My sister did my makeup and it just felt like we were little kids. Too bad when we were little we would punch each other if we ever got that close!  

She did a really good job!!  It's dramatic, but that's what I need on stage. Of course my skin will be a lot darker too. 

So, after that, I came home and had lunch: 4 oz of chicken with 1 oz of cheese melted on top (oh ya, I'm getting craaaazy) and a green bell pepper. I sat on the patio and worked on my suit again. Here's the finished product:

I like the simpleness of the top. I should add a lot more crystals, but I just don't want to be that flashy. I started to do more crystals and then decided against it. I scrapped off most of the glue. You can't really tell. There's a little bit of a residue, but barely noticeable. I still need to figure out the bottoms. I'll probably work on those tomorrow. 

I successfully figured out how to put on false eyelashes. It helped to cut them in sections then apply them. I feel more confident about putting them on myself. AND, I re-pierced my own ears tonight. I haven't worn earrings in like 6 months. My ears will close if I don't have something in them (even for one day...and I've learned that I'm not the only one who has this problem). So, I look all dolled up in my fake lashes, sparkly studs, and nowhere to go...except the bathroom because peeing 2 gallons of water is all I do these days!  :)

I scheduled boarding for my dogs and my mum's dog. I think they will be ok at the place I chose. They seemed clean and very friendly. The girl I talked to on the phone owns 3 pitbulls so she was happy to meet Lexi :)

Tomorrow is a busy day, actually. Peak Week is in full force--high intake of protein, veggies, and more water. No oatmeal, no carbs, low sodium. It's going to be hard, but well worth it in the end. I just need to trust the process. I'm doing pretty well with my water intake, but the one thing I'm not doing well with is looking at my belly. I know it's just a water belly, and once I start the dehydration process, I'll see my abs again. I googled water belly and found the perfect picture to represent how I'm feeling:  big and green. 

I read a good article about Peak Week that I'll share tomorrow. I'm meeting up with my mum tomorrow to get some clear swimsuit hooks for my suit. I also need to buy a large, comfy pair of dark sweatpants and a dark zip up (for my tan to set). I have to do all of this while also going to work for a couple of hours to clean out my desk and wrap up some last minute things since the new girl starts on Monday.

Time to eat...and pee again. Good night!!

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Shot Right In The Kneecaps!

Look!  I don't know what happened!  My knee is completely swollen. I couldn't lift anything at all. Tonight was supposed to be legs. I tried, but it was so painful. I tried to do some cardio instead...that hurt worse!  So, with my head low, I went home. I know I don't need to be pushing myself if it means I can't walk on stage. 

I have tiger balm on my knee with an IcyHot Back Patch on top of that, and a bag of frozen edamame on top of that. That's all I can do. There's so much fluid in my knee. :/ I'm hoping everything is better tomorrow. 

On a better note, I came home and got to work on bedazzling my suit!  I just started when I snapped a picture so I'm not done yet. 

I have to admit, I want to bedazzle everything I own. It's so sparkly and fun!  I sat out on my patio with my dogs bedazzling away until it got too dark to see. 

In other sad news, I got worried that my blog disappeared because my gmail got hacked like 20 minutes ago. It sent out an email to everyone I've ever sent an email to. Luckily, I think Google caught it and stopped it. I had to change my password and everything. 

Lastly, tonight was my last chance to have bread as well as almond butter. My 9 PM meal consisted of just that (plus some egg whites). It's going to be a hard week without Ezekiel bread and almond butter. I'll survive though. 

8 MORE DAYS! 

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Friday Before Peak Week Starts...Eek!

I forgot to talk about my experience with Moira and learning how to do my makeup.  I met up with Moira and her cousin after work and we laid out all kinds of makeup on my desk.  She first showed me how to do a smokey eye with winged eyeliner on her cousin.  It was good to see her doing it, rather than watching her do it on myself.  Then, she did a bronzy smokey eye on me.  I really liked it...she did an AMAZING job!  I didn't want to take it off when we were done.  She gave me a bunch of samples and things to use...so now it's up to me to practice this weekend!  Eek!

Yesterday, I went to BJ's to get my bangs trimmed.  I needed it really, really bad.  The girl that I usually go to moved to Chicago, so she recommended I go see a guy named Josh.  The thought of a guy doing my hair is really weird to me.  I decided to go for it because I trust her judgment.  He was very nice, and very friendly.  He cut my bangs pretty good...I'm happy with them.  The only thing that worried me is that he was very gentle...almost too gentle with touching my hair.  It was like my hair was precious or something...but over the top.

He didn't charge me anything.  I thought that was really nice of him.  It made me leave the salon with a smile.

I went home and ate a turkey burger patty for dinner.  I'm getting super low on food, so I have to go to grocery store today after I leave work. 

I'll post another blog later on my drop sets that I've added into my workouts.  My shoulders and back are on fire today, but I had a massive pump at the gym and I couldn't stop looking at myself in the mirror. 

This competition is sooooo close!  Tomorrow will be 7 days until showtime! 

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Walnut-Sized Bladder

I've been working hard at getting the 2 gallons a day that I need. Yesterday, I didn't drink enough during the day which made me end up drinking a whole gallon after 9 PM. I had a terrible night's sleep. The constant getting up to pee is already old. 

Oh, and I also started my morning with spilling a full Solo cup of water all over my desk. Luckily, my keyboard and laptop were fine. Refilling my jug with 12 oz made me sad. My morning dragged on and I found myself zoning out. I think it was from the interrupted sleep I got. 

I have to admit...I find drinking the water straight from the jug (like a douche bag at the gym) is way easier to consume the water. I feel like I drink more than when I take sips out of a cup. None of my coworkers have said anything about me carrying around a jug of water. I wonder if they just chalk it up to the unusual things I tend to do. 

I went for a run at Lake of the Woods again. I put in a little over 4 miles. I didn't see hardly anyone out on the trails. I was supposed to go grocery shopping afterwards, but I was so gross from sweating that I decided to just drive home. 

I'm going to finish up the last bit of water I have to drink and try to sleep until my bladder says otherwise. Good night!

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Don't Ever Let Anyone Dull Your Sparkle...

I spent an hour at Michaels looking at crystals. They didn't have a very good collection. I also realized that it is very unrealistic for me to buy swarovski crystals. A small pack of 22 tiny ones were over $5!  It would have taken me at least 15 packets to do anything. 

So, I bought the next best thing...AB Crystals. With glue, glitter, and a sparkly ring I found, the total was like $34. I think I have enough crystals to do the job. 

We had to forfeit our championship softball game tonight because I was the only girl that could play. That's kinda crappy, but more time to relax on this beautiful Sunday. :)

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KELLY CLARKSOOOOOON...

No lie...it wasn't that bad. The girl was really nice and explained everything to me. She talked to me the whole time which helped take my mind off of things. She actually gave me a discount too. I thought that was really nice of her to do. I'm going to book an appointment in about a week to have my eyebrows waxed too. 

I've been taking it easy most of the day. I got my chest workout in this morning and spent the day worrying about the Brazillian wax. Come to find out, that was a waste of time!  :) I took this picture outside the gym because it was absolutely beautiful outside. 

My glutes are still really sore from those kettlebell curtsies. AND, my chest is very sensitive right now. I think I overworked both muscle groups. 

Starting tomorrow, my diet is going to be very restricted--only the essentials. I'm also foing to be working harder on the water consumption. Oh, I weighed myself today and I finally broke into the 140s. I should be another 10 pounds lighter, but I have to work with what I have. I was so excited to see a loss of 3.2 pounds. So excited that this lady at the gym saw me smiling as I stepped off and said "Man, I wish I left te scale with a smile on my face!"

I didn't get to Michaels/Hobby Lobby today, so I'll be doing that tomorrow. I've also got a softball championship to play in tomorrow night. 

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Getting Creative!!

Today was a long, long day at work. It felt like it was never going to end!  But, it finally did!  4:30 on the dot, I logged off and walked to my truck.

I had to eat dinner somewhat earlier because I was trying to fit in going to the grocery store and working out. I had a decent dinner:  plain piece of tilapia, fresh green beans, and a serving of egg whites. My total calories for dinner were 135!  I was surprised because it filled me up!  

This is somewhat embarassing, but I have a habit of dancing in the kitchen with socks. I cant help it. It's so much fun!  While I was cooking my beans, I was playing around with my T-walk poses, and I created a sequence that I LOVED!!  It shows off my legs and triceps and it allows me to transition into walking to the next posing spot on the stage.  I danced even harder when I felt this click! I've been feeling so awkward lately with the posing routine, so I'm happy with what I've come up with!  Now I need to figure out the other side of the T, and my final pose. No sweat!  ;)

I went to the gym and got to work on my leg day routine. I added these kettleball curtsies that made my buns feel on fire!  I found a video of the exercise today, so I'll post it when I find it again. I put in some cardio time as well. 

I left the gym and went straight to the grocery store. Managed to spend $115 worth of food...which will be gone in a few days. But, once I put everything away, I couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat at 9 PM.  I got creative and decided to make a smoothie. 

I've got to brag here.  Sorry, I'm not sorry!  It was AMAZING!  Here's what I used:  1 banana, 1 serving of frozen strawberries (halves), 5.3 oz of Vanilla Greek yogurt, and 8 oz of milk. This made a lot!!!!  I put the rest in a container for tomorrow.  It was a tad bit thick, but I liked it that way!  I'm really impressed with myself. If I had some plain protein powder, I would have added that to make it even more amazing!  :)

We're getting dangerously close to show time!!  Jenelle sent me her meal plan for peak week, which I can't even describe to you how amazingly helpful she's been!  I can't wait to meet her!!  I'm thinking about getting her a gift certificate or something special. 

Tomorrow is a new day!  I plan on working out early and hitting up Hobby Lobby/Michaels for some crystals to start the bedazzling process. Then, it's facing death at 4 for the bikini wax. I'm trying not to think about it. Anyways...I'm just overall a very happy girl tonight!  :) 

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PURE AWESOMENESS.

Where to start?  I'm feelin' the LOVE, yo!  I have some amazing friends, family, and coworkers!  I just can't thank you all enough for being so...awesome!

Last night, I met my friend Moira at Ulta to do some make-up shopping.  It makes me wish I had a million dollars though.  I'm very much a novice when it comes to make-up, and get scared at the thought of doing my own!  I bought some brushes and stuff.  We're going to meet next Wednesday to do some practice runs with the make-up.  I seriously can't wait! 

I had a good workout last night.  There's a new guy who works the gym floor.  He came up and introduced himself to me.  He's friends with Phillip, the older guy that I mentioned in another post.  His name is Kevin.  I think I like that fact that the people who work at the gym know who I am.  It's this weird commraderie that I feel.  I can't really explain it, but I just feel respected at the gym.  Sometimes there's a D-BAG that tries to intimidate me, but it's very rare.  Earlier this week, some middle-weight Asian guy did curls right infront of the dumbell racks.  I stood there waiting.  Most people would move over so others can take dumbells as needed, but NOPE!  This guy enjoyed me watching him curl with pain in his face.  Get over yourself, dude.

I'm also very excited to announce that the hotel accomodations have been set in stone!  I started to worry because the hotel that was recommended by the show promoters had sold out, and another had returned our reservation due to not enough room.  SO, we're staying about 20 minutes away from the show in a nice Holiday Inn.  Everyone gets their own bed, so it'll be as relaxing as possible.  There's a pool, so my sister and nephew can go swim if they want to.  I made sure there's a Denny's nearby too!  I can't wait to sink my teeth into a beautiful Belgian waffle.  MMmmmmm.

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