I had a revelation this weekend.  Last week, during the entire week I was up by over 3lbs!  It was tickin' me off because I was doing "everything" right.  Obviously not, right?  Well, I kept wanting to blame it on TOM, but I couldn't bring myself to accept that.  Just my gut speaking to me.  Ya know, all this time I've thought I trusted myself, but it turns out I don't.  Yeah, go figure, right? 

I was finally able to quiet myself and listen to myself - really listen.  And what I came up with was, I'm not eating enough.  So I raised my calories!  Then it dawned on me last night that I didn't get any help figuring this out.  And I usually mull over it, ask for opinions, try to analyze, etc.  This time I didn't do that (as much).  I just listened to myself and acted.  So now I can see what everyone is always talking about with me - too much thinking but no action.  That's never been the way I see it, but I did this weekend.  A moment of enlightment for me.  Very interesting. 

Oh, and I was right.  I raised my calories and I've lost every day.  I'm back down to 170, with 1 more lb to go to reach last week's weight.  I'm also putting trust in Mark.  He's told me that losing 50lbs in 2 months is nothing.  He's done it plenty of time preparing for competions.  I don't like that idea at ALL, but my point is that these little "set backs" of 2 lbs here and there won't leave me with 50lbs to lose in 2 months.  They may be small amounts that Mark will have the tools for me to catch up and help me meet my goals.  I will put this worry in Mark's hands when the time comes, if necessary.  It's water anyway.  It shouldn't be hard to get rid of when I AM doing everything right.

Completing Week 32 of 35

• Target: 50lb loss 125lbs (ish)
• Starting Weight: 174.2
• Starting BF% (OmronHH): 27.5%
• Current Weight: 171.4
• Current BF% (OmronHH):25.9%
• Total loss: -2.8 (47.2 to go - Avg. loss 0.7 per week)

Routine:

• Sunday - ST bi/tri
• Monday - 20 min. HIIT (AM)
• Tuesday - OFF
• Wednesday - 30 min. cardio, ST Chest, 20 min. cardio
• Thursday - 20 min. HIIT (AM)
• Friday -ST quads/glutes, 30 min. cardio
• Saturday - OFF
• Sunday - ST shoulders/arms, 30 min. cardio

As you can see my weight is up.  I'm a little upset about that, but I'm trying to be real about it.  Sodium is down, ratios are right, calories are good.  Nothing else makes sense right now.  Although, I hate pulling the TOM card, but in this case it also might be a cause.  My gut is telling me I need to raise my calories though.  I'm moving them from 1500 to 1700 while keeping my excercise relatively the same.  This seems to already be helping, as my weight is back down to 170.8 this AM.

On the non-scale side of things, I was noticing my quads looking or feeling bigger.  I thought it was just me, because my measurements are the same - no loss, no gain.  But when I saw my MT, she commented on my quads being "bigger".  When I told her my measurements were the same she stated, it wasn't that they were bigger, they were more developed; the outer portion was more pronounced.  So, I guess this was what I was noticing as well.  That made more sense.  I've noticed this sort of thing from time to time with other body parts.  I think the muscle is gaining size and losing fat, therefore there is no measurement change.  There is obvious shape change though.  So even the tape measure will lie from time to time?

Which brings me to something Jillian Michaels said on the Biggest Loser last week, did anyone see that?  She totally had me wanting to jump through the T.V. at her.  She commented, when one of the contestants only lost 2lbs in 30 days, that it is what it is and the scale doesn't lie.  What a crock a doo.  She said she hates how trainers will tell their clients things like "oh, you are gaining muscle that's why you didn't lose anything."  Or she said her favorite was, "But you're losing inches."  I can tell you from experience she's full of it.  Don't listen to her.

I've lost inches and nothing off the scale.  I've also lost off the scale but nothing in inches.  I can tell you though, when I got very serious into lifting weights my muscles became very dense.  Not BIG.  They leaned out and filled with nothing but muscle.  It was a very enlightening experience.  There really is more to it than the scale. 

Anywho... I got a nice Precor elliptical this week that will come in handy for a long, long time.  I'm very happy about that.  I love my toys!

Here's to another week!

I found an article the other day on prepping for a figure competition. Although the information in the article was very vague, it served a purpose in refreshing my memory to some advice I had once heard. Smiling and making eye contact with each judge was important. It seems this is an area I can start practicing now.

I notice when someone looks at me I look away. There's something uncomfortable, almost intament, about looking someone eye to eye. I've never thought of it as a confidence issue, just more of an invasion of privacy issue. I have NO idea if that made sense, and hell... it really doesn't make sense to me.

I've decided to work on this eye contact hang up I have. I have plenty of time to make looking people in the eye and smiling as comfortable as shaking someone's hand.  In the end, I'll be able to portray an honest sense of confidence to each judge I smile and make eye contact with on stage.

And the growth continues....

Completing Week 33 of 35

• Target:  50lb loss 125lbs (ish) 
• Starting Weight:  174.2
• Starting BF% (OmronHH):  27.5%
• Current Weight:  169.4
• Current BF% (OmronHH):  25.6%
• Total loss:  -4.8 (45.2 to go - Avg. loss 1.6 per week)

Routine:

• Sunday - OFF
• Monday - 20 min. HIIT (AM), 30 min. cardio (PM)
• Tuesday - 30 min. cardio
• Wednesday - 20 min. HIIT (AM), 30 min. cardio (PM), ST Chest 
• Thursday - ST back 
• Friday - ST quads/glutes, 20 min. cardio
• Saturday - OFF (Happy 11th Anniversary to Me and DH)
• Sunday - ST bi/tri

Mark is now guessing my comp. weight will be more like 125-130, instead of 110-120.    Time will tell.  He's also commented that my legs will separate me from others - they will stand out on stage.  I guess I have these negative thoughts in the back of my mind that tell me since I've been larger and most I compete against have probably always been fit, I don't stand a chance.  I'm working on crushing those thoughts.  Comments others make help reassure me I can compete with the best.

Today I'm admiring my GLUTES I've never ever had!!!   NICE!

Week 34 of 35

This week my trainer spent more time on taking my shoulders and traps out of my workouts.  I can tell a huge difference.  Why he didn't spend more time on this before is a mystery to me.  We've both been aware that I have a tendency to allow my shoulders to take over.  Maybe it was the way in which he finally got his point across on HOW to take them out and I finally was able to make that connection.  Either way, my back workout was very effective.  I could tell that it would be right away.

Routine:

• Sunday - 20 min. run/walk with daughter and 30 min. playing tag with family
• Monday - 30 min. elliptical (PM), ST calves/hams
• Tuesday - 20 min. HIIT (AM), 30 min elliptical (PM)
• Wednesday - 20 min. elliptical, ST abs
• Thursday - 20 min. elliptical, ST back
• Friday - 20 min. HIIT (AM), 30 min. elliptical (PM)
• Saturday - ST shoulders, 30 min. elliptical

Completing Week 34 of 35

• Target:  50lb loss 125lbs (ish) 
• Starting Weight:  174.2
• Starting BF% (OmronHH):  27.5%
• Current Weight:  170.4
• Current BF% (OmronHH):  ?? (forgot to take measurement)
• Total loss:  -3.8 (46.2 to go) (avg. loss 1.9 per week)