Spin Class

I love working out and I love spin class.  I have been teaching class for the past 5 years and was finally Spinning certified in December.  It is a passion of mine and I enjoy sharing my love of spinning with others.  Even during the crazy storm yesterday, where the tornado touched down less than a mile from my gym and the beginning of the class started with a power outage, I still was able to deliver a great workout.  I am happy that I have been been given the opportunity to instruct.
I have toned down my cardio a little over the past few months, but still burn between 500 and 600 calories in an hour.  I have set a goal of burning 3500 calories a week so that I might be able to change my physique slowly and still be able to achieve my goal of putting more muscle mass on at the same time.  I am more motivated now than ever.  It's almost time to head off to the gym.  The link below is to yesterday's workout.

The Ocean Club - Spin by djaime at Garmin Connect - Details

"Don't dream it, be it."

The real journey begins...

I haven't posted on here in a few months.  I still haven't given up.  I am still pushing forward and working hard on my weight.  I struggle just like everyone else, but I have not and will not give up.
Since starting this blog, I have changed my mind a little on what my goals are.  I still want to lose weight, but now I am very motivated to try to compete.  It has been a dream of mine for the past 6 years...almost since I started working out!  In 2009 I was very close to being able to make that dream come true, but a series of unfortunate things happened and put a stop to it very quickly.  I have put a time frame on it now and I have begun my journey to the stage.  This road will not be easy and I am sure that I will want to give up A LOT along the way, but I am determined to get there.  Brian thinks that I can, so as long as he believes in me....I can do this.
The goal that I have set is to be stage ready by next spring/summer.  My main focus right now is to gain back the muscle mass I have lost over the past few years.  For the most part, my strength has not gone away, but I have lost some considerable size since 2009.  I know my weakest points are my shoulders, biceps and triceps, so I am going to need to focus on those closely for the next few months.  I have finally decided to not worry about the fat loss so much right now, since I can't necessarily cut my calories AND gain muscle mass at the same time.  Fat loss will come, I just need to be patient.
I found out not too long ago that I was severely under-eating for months!  I have not really mentioned this in my blog, but I am a part of Hard Core Nutrition, a supplement store in Manahawkin, NJ.  We recently invested in the BodyGem, a medical device which tells you your resting metabolic rate.  Well my RESTING METABOLIC RATE was 1820!  That is really HIGH!  And I was eating anywhere between 1400 and 1600 calories a day, that's what the calorie tracking programs told me I needed.  That's really anywhere from 600-800 BELOW what I really need for fat loss, which means I was stalling the process.  This was a big life saver, I am now less hungry and feel so much better because I can eat the amount of food my body REALLY requires.  I am so excited I did the test, it has made me a happier person because I am no longer starving!
I am sitting down today, after I type up a myriad of meal plans for people from the store, to work on my own meal plan AGAIN and to map out my workouts for the next 4 weeks.  A notebook will be in tote at the gym again.  It's time to get down and dirty and really get myself conditioned for this dream.  I had the opportunity to meet a few more pro's in the industry recently.  Universal Nutrition made a pit stop at the store a few weeks ago and a friend invited my to Diamond Gym with her to meet IFBB Pro Physique Competitor Dana Linn Bailey too.  We have also been to the NY Pro this year and went to Jason Arntz's NPC Muscle Beach last night.  Those are the things that are making me even more motivated!  Especially seeing a friend of my aunt's competing after having 3 kids AND being close to 50 years old.  She looks amazing and has done an awesome job of transforming her body.  I am both envious and motivated!
This post is soooo long today, but there is so much on my mind.  I can't wait to watch my body once again transform and start showing those muscles.  I am ready to start.  I will try to post an update at least once a month, if not once a week.  If you chose to follow me, you will not regret it.

"Don't dream it, be it."

Honesty, Sincerity, Integrity

So, last night I realized something.  I am honest in my words, I am sincere in my actions and I have integrity.  Those things will get you pretty far in life.  I am surrounded in an industry in which people find it ok to lie, cheat and basically steal.  It sucks.  Some people lie about little things, others lie about big things.  It doesn't really matter what you are lying about really, because in the end people will find out what the truth REALLY is.
I can think of a about a half dozen people, right off the top of my head, that have lied to me about doing a bodybuilding, figure or fitness competition.  Men and women.  I am commend these people for trying to sculpt their bodies and get on stage almost NAKED, dieting the whole way and being miserable while doing it.  It is not an easy feat, it is a very difficult lifestyle and challenge.  BUT, what I don't like is when someone LIES right to my face and says they placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd OR EVEN 4th in these competitions.  If you are only competing against 1, 2 or 3 other people, BY DEFAULT YOU WILL PLACE!  WTF?  Really???  I have been disappointed by numerous people over the years who have looked me in the eye after I asked them how they did and they have said with PRIDE, "I placed 1st."  Never followed by, I was the only one on stage.  I have said congratulations to these people, have looked at them in AWE, because I don't think I could get over being half naked in front of a crowd of people I didn't know, while people were JUDGING ME and THEY WON.  But I was disappointed after doing a little recon to find out these people were competing against themselves OR a limited amount of people who weren't anywhere near competition ready.  How is that a competition?
I guess the only way to end this rant is to just say what my fiance always says, "The truth will come to the light."

Keep pushing forward...

The past few weeks haven't been easy at all, particularly last week. My fiancé has been sick and running the store is not easy for one person. I got to the gym ONCE but for the most part was able to control my eating. Even though it was crazy busy, I was able to make it through the week. I even slept in today, I missed yoga, which hasn't happened in weeks. I am not upset with myself. I think my body needed a rest from the daily beating in the gym. I just need to wake up in the morning and start my week out right, getting to the gym. Sometimes you fall off track, you just need to pick yourself up and get right back on. With that said, it's bedtime for this one! Goodnight!

Eating healthy...

Trying very hard to eat healthy every day. Pizza & pancakes, yum!

Consistency

I have been TRYING to be consistent with this blog, I have not been doing very well with it.  What sucks is I have time during the day to get my thoughts out, but haven't remembered to do it.  I am still holding strong with my diet and my workouts.  At least I have been consistent in that part of my life!  I am going to try to make my best effort to continue writing on here.  Off to the gym in a few!

"Don't dream it, be it."

Never quit.

So, today is the first day in about a month that I have felt like I am fighting a losing battle.  I have been on point with food and exercise and suddenly my body decides to retain a ridiculous amount of water pretty much OVERNIGHT.  I am frustrated to say the least.  How can I possibly continue to eat right and get to the gym everyday if my BODY is fighting my mind?  My fiance says to make an appointment with the doctor; I am not sure what good that will really do.  Honestly, he wants me to go to a doctor who uses mainstream and homeopathic treatments.  I still think that the doctors think I am crazy.
I know my body.  I see what is going on.  One week out of the month, I am leaner looking and not retaining an ass load of water.  I know I am losing too, but the scale has not budged since I started a month ago.  I was in tears this morning and I am trying to choke back the tears as I type this now.  I don't want to have my efforts go to waste.  I know that internally I am doing my body good, but I want it to reflect externally too.  Have I messed up my metabolism and hormones so much from the years of horrible eating, that my body is rebelling?  Seriously, what do I have to do?
I am weighing all my food for the next week or so.  I don't know what else I can do to change the way I look.  I estimated my food, maybe I was still overeating? I have no idea.  I don't know what to do.  I want to crawl under a rock and hide.

One thing I do know, is regardless of what my body is deciding for me, I am not going to quit.  I will win.  I am not going to let this drag me down and knock me off my course.  I have a serious goal in mind and I will get there no matter what I have to do.

"Don't dream it, be it."