Giving Thanks

I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday this past weekend. Lets not forget what we were thankful this past holiday, and continue to carry and pass on the love and thanks every day of the year.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

the spread

appy table

D and I relaxing, waiting for dessert

the sweets

pumpkin cheddar muffins

I am thankful for my loving family. My health and wellness. The job that I love. My dearest friends. I am thankful for many more tomorrows. Making and achieving goals.
#blessed

A week later...

   It's been a week since the competition. It felt weird, not training not being on an eating plan, not going to group posing class on Sunday. There was no routine, no plan. It just felt weird. While I did enjoy the first couple of days, I honestly....couldn't wait to get back on a schedule! Now starts my "off season". Which doesn't mean relax and slack off on training or eat whatever I want (I've already done enough of that this week). My training has switched back over to a more heavy strength movement, with some accessory movements and usually finishes with a "crossfit" inspired workout. I'm really enjoying the change and the intensity of the new programming, I actually get nervous when I see the new workout email come in my inbox everyday (a good nervous). Goals are to continue to build more muscle where needed; glutes, shoulders and lats. I would still like to one day try the figure class (probably take a year at least), but for now I'm going to stick to the bikini class and let my physique decide as we get closer to a show, I'm not going to force anything. 
Since its off season I will also get a weekly cheat meal!! YAHOO!!! Time to finally start checking off restaurants on my huge growing list of places I want to check out. And it couldn't be perfect timing for a off season....its the HOLIDAYS!!! Thanksgiving is my favorite, and I'm going to enjoy every bite if it!! =)

   The show was AWESOME! I had such a blast. It truly was such a great experience. I'm looking forward to continue working with Jason and doing my next one in March. 

5th place

I couldn't be more proud of placing in my first show. And also still very shocked at the same time. Every single competitor in every class brought their A game and looked stunning.

Class "E" top 5 line up

I would like to thank my friends, family and co-workers for your kind support. My sister for flying in from CO to come watch. Thank you to everyone that attended the show (especially Mom and Amanda for attending both long, late nights). A BIG thank you to Jason Phillips for all his hard work and dedication over the last year. I can't wait for our next show!! He is truly amazing at what he does! I also couldn't of done it without Joe Valdez and his wife TJ Kelly, along with the rest of Team PT Joe V for all your help with posing and day of show prep, they all made the weekend so effortless. And much love to all my new friends I've made at the show!

96 Hours and counting...

We had our last Sunday group posing session . I'm going to miss the weekly posing crew. It was so cool to watch all of our bodies change week to week and have people to talk to that could relate to the experience we were all sharing.
I also had fun watching the physique women and body building men pose. Its a workout in itself for them to pose! One of the girls was practicing her routine to "Gundam Style". It was pretty freakin cool. She did the exact dance moves, then would morph into the required posing (think bicep curls and ab flexing) for the physique category. Definitely something to watch if you are going to the show.
4 more days....thats it! Just 4 days! HOLY. COW! I'm so thankful that I took most of this week off from work. I can focus on the remainder of my prep and relax. Turns out, I will be lifting until Thursday. No complaints here, it will keep me busy and my mind occupied. My split will look like this:
Monday- Back
Tuesday- Shoulders
Wednesday- Chest/Bis/Tris
Thursday- Upper Body (Pump up workout, light weight/fast reps)
Should be a fun week of workouts! Thursday will also be my carb up day (I like the sound of that), so the workout is more full body to get the carbs into my muscles to finish filling me out.
Today I meet with Joe for some more one on one posing. My body is coming in perfectly, but gotta nail down the stage presence! There was a girl in class yesterday that had it down pat! For the first time, I saw my competition. The girl in the pink bikini. She is my rabbit for the next four days.  Nothing is going to stop me.
#eat #sleep #train #work #hustle #kill

My post show stash. Can't wait to dig in! Feel free to add to it. =)

**Christmas bread, baked goods from clients, fun size candy, ice cream, treats my dad brought from Canada, Cadbury Mini eggs (my FAV, I will NOT share these)**

Final countdown

Its actually here. The final week of prep. I can not believe that in 7 days I will be stepping on stage, in a bikini, wearing heels, with a super dark tan and a smile on my face!!! And I couldn't be more excited for it!!! No matter what the final outcome is, I know that I have worked so hard, and learned so much from this experience. There's nothing I would take back, or wouldn't do all over again.
A lot of people have asked me if there is a prize, or prize money if you win this type of competition. There is not, at least not at the novice (local) level. I was never doing this for the prize. I've been doing it for ME! Yep, selfish right. ME!!! Its been close to  a ten year goal of mine to do a show, and as approach 30 years old, I'm finally doing it. BOOM! Theres one prize. The new physique I've achieved....BOOM...another prize. The knowledge in nutrition and training.....theres a 3rd and 4th prize. The pride, will power, determination, the work, the hustle.....the list goes on. All prizes in my book. And I'm taking it all home. =)
The final week of prep is super important. I will meet with Joe (posing) everyday until the show. I will continue to lift until 2 days before the show. Cardio will still be done fasted for 30  minutes everyday, but I can only WALK on the treadmill with an incline. Its normal for the body to fight a little at the end with the body fat drop, which is exactly what mine was doing, so we had to turn the cardio down a notch. I'm ok with that! Its actually kinda relaxing to do something less intense for a change.  I have all my appointments set up for the next week; nails, hair, waxing, tanning and of course a massage!
Jason changed my diet for the final week as well. Guess what......MORE CARBS!!! GASP!!! I don't fully understand it, but I guess we are "carbing" me up, or "filling me back out". So every meal has a protein (tilipia, chicken or egg whites) paired with a carb (cream of rice, white rice or yams). Doesn't sound to bad does it? I know most of you think that all a bikini competitor eats is air and water. Its so not the case here, and I actually get pretty defensive when people make silly assumptions. (I'm sure there are plenty of other girls on a zero carb, miserable eating plan, and I feel bad for them) I've said it before and I will say it again...Hired. The. Right. Trainer. =)
Halloween came and went and not only did I not eat one piece of candy! I really didn't even want any!! Thats huge for me. I love Halloween fun size candy. I did freeze some. Act like. 
Feeling really good about everything entering the final phase of prep. Getting lots of sleep and drinking plenty of water. Dreaming about my post show meal and treats! Who's buying?!? =)

Thanks for following my blog! It means a lot.
Keep you posted on the next 7 days!! =)

Need tickets? Click here