Taking Things To New Heights...Literally

For my 33rd birthday this year I decided I wanted to try new things, accomplish new goals, and face my fears. I did all those things in one day and decided that that mindset would set the tone for the 33rd chapter of my life. The first activity I did was rock wall climbing. I hate heights, but I wanted the challenge of getting to the top. I also faced this challenge with my mom hoping it would also be a bonding experience. When we first got there my mom took one look at the wall and said, "No way". I of course talked her into it and off we went. It truly was a process and an experience. Three and a half hours later I had been to the top multiple times and my mom had made it almost to the top several times. It was a workout, a challenge and exhausting on several levels. As we gathered our things to leave my mom looked defeated and mentioned she felt that she had failed both of us. I took one look at her and told her she was missing the big picture. Her whole mindset had changed from what she walked in thinking to what actually happened. She went from refusing to do it, to scaling the wall multiple times and becoming comfortable with the free fall. And truth be told had she not spent hours climbing almost to the top, there is not a doubt in my mind that she would have been to the top. I honestly can't wait to do it again, with her. It brought us even closer and was a memory I will never forget. My point in this whole story is take chances, face fears, overcome obstacles, an never lose sight of the BIG PICTURE.

Goodbye 32....Hello 33

When it comes to health and fitness I feel much better at 32, ALMOST 33 then I did in my 20's. I am in much better shape, I take care of myself and I truly understand the value of good health and fitness. My hope and wish for 33 is that I continue on this path and even take it to the next level and get in the best shape of my life so I can proudly walk on a stage and finally compete in a figure show. I also want to continue to be an advocated for fitness and pay it forward. I know it is my duty to use the platform I have been given to help others and that is what I love doing. Getting older is a struggle for all, I def have issues with it but then I think I truly am getting better in all areas...with age...and that is what its all about... So goodbye 32...and HELLO 33!!!

Three Weeks Into OFF Season Training

Well I have officially been following an off season training for about three weeks. The first few days were the WORST!! I had non-stop headaches and was always starving.. Then the headaches subsided and the crabbiness set in. Add to that cardio that I am not used to doing at an intensity I could barely handle and I was on the brink of giving up. I even broke down crying and thought if this is day two, how will I ever make it almost SIX MONTHS?! Then something amazing happened.. My body started adjusting. Headaches gone. Crabbiness minimal. Energy up. And cardio was finally doable. Not enjoyable but I could do it! Now here I am on my new phase...different diet choices and I can't wait to see what progress and changes my body makes. The first two weeks were a strict diet to shock my body. I half joked and said IT SHOCKED MY LIFE!! It truly did both. But when it shocked my body it jump started my metabolism and prepped it for the journey it is about to experience. I am so focused now. Do I have moments of weakness? Yes! And now my biggest complaint is boredom in my diet. But hopefully that will come in waves. I will say I am learning a lot and really excited to see what my body can do!

The Journey Starts Here

Well it is official!! After talking about it and talking myself out of it for quite some time now, I am finally ready to do a show. My friend said it best (he has done several shows) when he said, "it is as much mental/emotional as it is physical. You must be MENTALLY ready." I feel like I am finally at a place where I am mentally ready. Am I scared? Heck yes! But I am ready to face my fears, put in the hard work, and take my place on that stage to display what months of discipline and focus can do. I need this experience. I want to feel accomplished and I need the structure in my life that training for this will require. I am ready to take my personal fitness to the next level and watch my body transform and to grow as a person through this experience. This is gonna be a huge commitment and a test of my ability to commit. The next six months or so will be about me being committed to competition prep. I have already warned some people close to me that I will be eating, sleeping, and breathing this competition until stage time. I have attempted the initial stages of setting up some sort of support system. Although I am a highly motivated individual, I know I will need the people around me to understand that my lifestyle will change and be restricted for a while and I need their support for these changes. Finally today I met with my posing coach, who will also be doing my diet. I know if I'm gonna do this, I want to do it the right way and not go into blindly. This was a scary move and when I agreed to work with her that is when it became REAL. I'm doing a show...Wow..I can't really describe how I feel right now besides nervous, excited, scared, and a little intimidated. I feel it is an attainable goal but there is definitely work to be done!

Lift, lift, LIFT!!!!

Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but in all honesty I can not say it enough nor stress the importance of lifting weights. All too often women associate weights with men. Like only guys should lift, or if you lift over 5lbs you will turn into this muscle bound person that is depicted in comic books. I realize that I have talked about this before, but after seeing a picture on a certain social network (which I will include in this entry), I felt the need to discuss it again! So beyond the health benefits of lifting (as if thats not reason enough), maybe this will appeal to women. Muscle will appear more compact in appearance versus fat. Meaning even though an individual may weigh more as far as the scale is concerned when it comes to muscle, they will visually appear more compact, tighter because of the structure of muscle versus fat. This could mean smaller dress sizes ladies!! So if the health benefits are not inspiring you to grab some dumbbells, just think about the possibility of shopping for smaller sizes!!! Happy lifting!

Getting My INSIDE To Match My OUTSIDE

I have gone on and on about working out and eating right, all the reasons "why", the benefits, the changes that can take place by doing these things. but what I rarely talk about is taking care of your spirit, mental and emotional health. These are all really important to ones well-being. And I will be the first to admit I haven't always been consistent with this one. I get so into working out, fitness, eating right, that I end up putting my internal health on the back burner. I mean, one can only take care of so much, right? Well the problem is that eventually it all comes to a head and can hit you like a semi, and if you are not careful it can throw everything you HAVE been taking care of on the outside out of whack and leave you very unbalanced. I for one REQUIRE balance, in all areas of my life, so when this situation occurs it really messes me up. A few months back a very good friend spoke some very profound words that have replayed over and over in my mind since she said them but it wasn't until recently that I decided to HEAR what she was saying. She said, "I am exceptional at taking care of my outside, but always neglect my inside". This was so true!!!! Such an "ah-ha" moment for me. With that being said, here recently due to a more than chaotic chain of life events, I have decided to take care of my inside and attempt meditation. I want to strengthen my spirit, regain my focus, and just feel more calm...So my inside can compliment my outside...

A Family That Juices Together....

A family that juices together stays healthy. Period. That is my thought when it comes to my family. I have been juicing for quite some time now, and anyone that knows me knows that I am a huge advocate for juicing. My family is no exception. They have to hear me rave about its benefits almost daily and listen to me hound them about getting on board with juicing. Well finally about a month ago my mom got a juicer. She juices daily and swears that it has changed her life. Her skin is glowing more now, she is full of energy, and she just feels overall better. Remember that these feelings and changes are being noticed just after one month of consistent juicing. Then this past Father's Day, my sister, my mom, and myself went in on purchasing a juicer for my grandpa. He loves fruits and veggies, but he doesn't always exclusively eat the fresh kind. We have gone round and round since I have been juicing on the benefits, the difference between juicing and consuming fruits and veggies by eating, and everything in between. Literally every time we got together I was giving him a speech about juicing. I also felt very strongly that he needed to attempt juicing because he is fighting cancer for the second time, and has reached the point where radiation and chemo are no longer options. I am anti-meds for the most part, and feel strongly that doctors over medicate this country. There is something deep within me that believes that the body can heal itself and juicing can definitely be beneficial to that process. I am proud to say that my grandpa has also jumped on board and juices every day. He really seems to enjoy the process of juicing and discovering how much each vegetable or fruit juices, and mixing and matching for different tastes. On top of that, I can not wait until he goes for his check up in three months to see what the doctors say and I am praying for a miracle. Afterall, I do firmly beleieve that a family that juices together, STAYS HEALTHY!