My journey

[Philia2]

Okey, I think you need some girls in here writing down things about their training, diet etc so I'll start:

I've always been very active (that's in my blood, I cannot sit still for long or I'll explose) so lots of different sports for me ever since I've been able to stay on my feet.
I started to weight train now 9 years ago (geez, that makes me feel so old!! I'm 28 years today....) and continued in different gyms on and out ever since.
I've always liked weight training but it has always been next to other sports so I've never really put on any big muscles or anything. I guess I didn't really understand the nutrition needs of the body and how the muscles work, but I just felt fine with what I did so I continued without thinking more about it.

Today weight training is my world. I'm a certified Fitness and aerobic teacher and Personal Trainer and I own a small gym in South western France. It's quite hard but I must admit that I just looove what I'm doing!

Anyway, before opening the gym I was busy doing world cups in fencing, but since the gym took all my time then I had to stop doing this sport. This was okey for a while (I bought a big dog to run with me and also went crazy trying to get rid of all my energy playing squash four times weekly) but after a while I still started to miss something. I missed a new challenge in life so I said okey why not try to do some competitions in fitness?!!.....

From knowing lots of things about muscles, training, different cardio etc I now went over to something that I was completely new with; nutrition!!
Well, I have never been fat or anything, but as we all know then the nutrition in body building is quite different from anything else. Now I had to learn all over as well.
After some rather miserable results I finally succeeded in the end and I'm now happy to say today that I (think I!!)know my body and know its needs and how I react to different kinds of food (this is not easy thou).
I was now able to put down a diet who worked for me.

Four months after I did my first competition and I won..... I didn't really believe in myself so winning came as a big surprise. I did three more comps and got first again twice and second once. All those contest I did in 2 1/2 months. No surprise that I was veeeeery tired and rather fed up right after.

Now I got another quite important competition coming up in Nowember (in Paris).
I'll try to write down everything about my diet, my training and about how everything will go. Hopefully then I can help or learn something to anybody who's interested (or from, because all comments are very much welcome!!)

Right now I'm just desperately trying to put on a little muscle errrrr which is not that easy for me..... (I'm 5'11 tall and being that tall and female (with way too much estrogen in the blood!!! (-; doesn't seem to help me..... )

Anyway, I'll give you my stats, training etc

It's a long travel. /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

[Philia2]

By the way if anybody wants a face to those words (and haven't already seen the pics) then I'm here http://home.att.net/~fighterspub/nina.html

Those pics where taken to the French finals in May.

[Philia2]

I did a nice work out this morning and I feel now calm and great.

I'm still into circuit training and this one took one hour:

5 mins of warm up on the elliptical trainer + 2 mins of skipping (+ another 3 mins of skipping in between the sets).
Now I did three sets of pull downs, standing barbell rows, hyperextensions, seated bench presses, pull overs, standing lateral raises, barbell curls, lying triceps extensions, lots of abs and then the hardest part; free sumo squats!
(please forgive my English.... I hope I got all the right names to the exercises....)

I took heavy this morning. Keeping the upper body part with a range between 8-15 and my legs at 50-70 reps (yes, I know I'm crazy with this one....)

I took a protein shake (and an ECA stack) before this work out and glutamine and 1 gr of vitamine C straigt after.
After some stretching and calming down I finally ate my morning oats (with soy milk).

This is the 6th week I do circuit training and I must admit that I got some absolutely great results. I got nice muscles but I'm not looking to bulk any more, but getting more cut and defined. Doing all those endless reps for my legs have really given me a nice shape. I can only recommand that to everybody. Just one quite important thing; you need to already HAVE quite large muscles before doing this...... Why? Because you need to have a nice foundation to work the shape or definition.

[Philia2]

First, I'm sorry but I've had some probs with the link to my pics. I'll give you a new adress very soon.

Secondly, I realized something yesterday..... Well of course I already know it, but it didn't keep me from wondering about it again. The fact how much your thoughts, your mood, your health (talking about "small" things) etc well your total daily life, how much that interfers with your training and your ability to recover....

I did another nice work out yesterday morning (again circuit) and even though that this one was almost like all the other ones then I still experienced a major changing. I had some very bad news coming later to be that morning. This was completely unexpected and it hit me right in the face like a violent tornado. Bum. Take that.

Now what happened to my body? Well first of all (something that NEVER ever happens, and actually I got quite worried about it) I lost my appetite...... For the first time in maybe in years, I had to force myself to eat. Next came the head ache, the tummy ache and suddenly all the soreness from the muscles came back ten times stronger. No more energy and difficulty of smiling and talking (of course I had a journalist calling me for an interview right at that moment!!!)

The "bad" thing has happen, so now I can only try to make things better.
I'm also quite angry. Why this? And why does this have to ruin my work out, my smile (not to mention this darn interview!).

Ah well. I just needed to let it out.

I've slept really bad this night (and woke up with head ache... grrr) It's early Saturday morning, I just did my cardio, ate my oats and protein, need to take a shower and then put on a big smile and open the gym......

I'm lucky to have a special friend here today (she's European vice champion in Bodyfitness!!) and we'll be talking about training and diet the whole day....

I'll write again later. xxxxx

[Philia2]

It's Sunday morning and I'm offering myself a day off today.... (normally I do HIIT Sunday mornings...).
I'm still recovering from the news last Friday. Things are better now thou (I've only kept the head ache from too much thinking I guess).
Okey, for 6 weeks I've been doing three weekly circuit trainings. I've had absolutely great results. I just weighed myself yesterday (67.9 kg that'sss.....around 150 lbs -I'm 5'11 tall!!) and even though that I don't really count much on what the balance tell me, I was happy to see that I haven't gained any weight. Instead I've lost fat and put on more lean muscle mass.
Now I don't really know if I should continue my circuit training or not...... I mean after 6 weeks then maybe I need to change routine. The only problem is that I don't really feel like changing anything at all...... I absolutely love my "crazy-fast-and-hard" circuits, I'm still getting results and (if that would change anything) I'm still sore from every single work out.... That means that my muscles still respond from the stimulus I'm giving them right?!!!
Anyway, I'll give it another week or two. If I then stop getting results, then I'll change.

About the diet. I'm not dieting now, but I still do follow certain guidelines:
I eat carbs early in the mornings, and at the meal after work out (and sometimes at the third meal as well). The three last meals it's only proteins with veggies or/and proteins with essentiel fatty acids (nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, omega 3s ....) No fruit juice, ice cream (except the one I make myself with fruit and protein powder!!) no junk food, no diary products, fish or meat (I'm vegetarien! Errrrr but only because of the taste.... I just don't like fish or meat!!! I do eat sooome white chicken thou) No alcohol, butter, pasta, pizza etc etc

I doooo have a sweet tooth thou so once in a while I attack some candies....... (not good I know, and the worse thing is that I'm very insuline sensible so I'll always turn out rather shaky and extremely tired after the dear little insuline spike has left me...... ):

[Philia2]

I just spend three whole days with some Body builder friends..... Well maybe for you guys this is not something special but for me it certain is!! That has been sooooo weird to be with somebody else (for so long) that shares the same passion and life style as you (the most genius thing was that we ate all the time lol well they eat 7 times a day as well so we eat, go for a walk then eat, go out shopping, come back home and eat....).
I've always been use to be alone. People around me here don't really understand this "eating-so-often or pushing-yourself-to-the-limits" etc thing...... So they always make fun or laugh a little (thinking that I'm completely strange...)

That was a nice weekend.

My and this friend of mine have a competition on excactly the same date (the 9th of Nowember) but my contest is just a small one in Paris while she's going to the WPF World Championship. Hmmm not the same goals. She's also way more muscular than me.

I did my cardio this morning thinking about all the things we've talked about. It's really great to be able to learn from somebody else. It's also great that we have forums like this one.
Thanks to you all for letting me write my thoughts and thanks for reading.

I'll be back.

[Philia2]

I got a new adress for my pics.
http://www.jamesfle.dsl.pipex.com/showcase.html

I did my work out this early morning with tummy ache....... Geez that's no fun at all. Okey, I did what I wanted to do but everything seemed and felt a lot harder.

I hate that. Hopefully it'll be better tomorrow.

[Tbone3336]

Good job there. You look like your in great shape. All that work and your job seem to have paid off, congratulations on winning 1st place in your contest.

[Philia2]

I did my cardio this morning while watching a French music channel. They were dancing and I was on the stair master imagining my way up the Eiffel tower.....

Anyway what I thought about those singing and dancing chicks was "noooooo way I would ever want to look that way!!!!" I mean they are sooo skinny with those sticky arms and legs waving around. And also they cannot eat anything...... Well, they don't have much lean muscle mass and I imagine their metabolisms being way down. Geez they must eat around 1000 calories daily or they'll put on a gut..... (and get fired by the music industry...)

I like shapes on a female body. No I'm not a lesbian or anything, but I'm also a painter and I've always loved to paint or draw naked bodies (later I discovered how handsome a muscular male body can be and I got lots of drawings of big BBs!).
Their shapes, their curves. Female bodies can be so beautiful then whyyyyyy get so darn skinny and ugly looking?!!!! (a big woman with fat placed "nicely" (!!! lol) looks ten times better than those hungered ones)

(When I was 16 years old a famous photographer stopped me on the street wanting to make me into a big model..... First I was flattered but then I said no..... I've never ever regret my decision)

It's just a shame why so many women are afraid of lifting weights...... I hear that every single day in my gym.

Ah well, I guess it's their problem, it's their lives after all.

Just my thoughts this early Friday morning.....

[Philia2]

Hi Tbone, thanks for your words.

Oh, I'll try to do my very best in Nowember..... I just need to. I gotta get out.....

[Philia2]

I'm slowly getting ready for my competition preparation.
I did ketogenic diet the last time but I just went way down and I was never able to loose the last stubborn fat on my inner thighs. Also I had problems controlling the carb up days. No I didn't eat whatever but I just had great trouble stopping to eat my grains, fruits, bread whatever.
I had head ache, felt sooooo tired, dizzy and it took ages for me to recover after a work out (so my weight training got very bad as well).

Okey, I tried it and appareantly it just doesn't work for me.

I don't eat many carbohydrates but I definitely need some. I'll try an ISO diet (or 1/3 1/3 1/3) this time (I'll show you my diet when it's ready!).
Right now I'm eating more carbs than the needed fat, but I haven't gained any weight (and I feel fine). I eat carbs and protein in the first three meals and then one with fat/proteins, the dinner with proteins and veggies (carbs) and then finally a protein shake with omega 3 oils before bed time.
Luckily I don't have a lot of weight to loose before the competition (only around 3 kgs) so I still got enough time (my comp is the 9th of November) I guess I'll start the first of Sept (at the end of the French holidays) Right now I'm just being careful NOT to put on any weight.

I did try one thing thou (to loose the last fat on the thighs) I've been putting on yohimbine cream/powder for the last two-three weeks and it works. My legs are a lot leaner today.

[Philia2]

I just finished a work out that I knoooow I'm gonna regret tomorrow morning...... Sore muscles on their way!!! Ai ai aiii (did you ever notice that the French people always say that? "Ai ai aii?" lol or "Oh la laaa!!")

I changed my work out. Okey I like working in superset/circuit too much so I'm continuing that, but instead of working the entire body three times weekly I'm now doing it twice: One day chest, back and arms (this morning!), and day two is leg, shoulder and abs.
Two day work out, one day off and then two day work out.
Let's see how this will work.

It's so cool to be able to work out in a closed gym...... I put on the music (Janis Joplin this morning) and I can do as much nice and funny faces (!!) without having anybody around to bother (Okey, I love doing weight training alone but I really hate to do my cardio alone..... the time always seem soooo long!!).

Now I'm drinking tea, calming down, haven't had time to take a shower yet. I need to clean the gym, open the gates, smile to the people....... Another day is arriving.

Talk to you later. xxxxxxx

[Philia2]

The music from the Pink Panter movies is following me around in my head and especially when I'm trying to sleep..... "Da da dada, da daa, da dadadadada dadadadaaaaaaaa dadadadam!" lol it IS quite annoying but also rather funny. I guess it's gonna be the music for my choregraphy for the contest in November. Well at least for the first around 20 sec and then I'll switch to another music with either salsa rythms or screamy rock guitars..... Don't know yet.

The choregraphy has also started to get created inside my head. I get the ideas and then I try it for real. (I did it this morning in between my triceps and back exercises...)

Something quite important thou with this 1 - 1 1/2 min of free posing/choregraphy is to dance, smile and PLAY with the audience!! Don't be afraid to give the very best (or feel stupid), just DARE to do funny faces, twist your body and jump like a rabbit.

I must admit that I love to be on stage. I've never been afraid (which actually surprised me the first time) but I'm sooooooo impatient. I just hate the waiting before (and after).
Of course I'm dead serious about it all (and I'll be strongly looking for a sponsor!!) but all this competing thing is still just a game. If I could make it for a living, then it would be different, but today I just keep on challenging myself and playing like a 10 year old.
Even if I loose, I've still succeeded in getting on stage (Hmmmm it's easy to say right now, but I wonder if I'll think the same thing on the D-day....)

Ah well, still training here. Getting closer to the comp prep but now I'm just enjoying that I'm able to eat an ice cream without feeling guilty...... /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Philia2]

Okey, I want to write down a diet that I'll try for a couple of days. No I don't expect to loose weight, but I just want to see how I'll be eating like this (trying to find something for the comp prep)
It's not really a ketogenic diet, but still very low in carbs. Carb up days will be needed.
Here it goes:

7am: Protein shake + ECA stack
7-8am: Training
8am: Glutamine and 1gr of vit C
9am: 40gr of whole grain oats, 250ml of soy milk
vitamines, calcium, chondroitine and iron caps
11am: 6 egg whites + 1 yolk, 40gr of cheese
2pm: salade, 1/2 avocado, 200gr of chicken, 50gr of nuts and almonds
5pm: Protein shake + spirulina caps
7pm: 200gr of fish (I hate fish but I'm gonna eat it!) and veggies

That's it.
Let's see how this will go.

[President Wilson]

Excellent journal there! Keep up the great work. It must be cool to run your own gym too, I think thats every bodybuilders dream!

[Philia2]

By the way the diet gives around 1700cal, 197gr of proteins, 58gr of carbs and 65gr of fat.

I'm 28 years old, 5'11 tall, 149lbs and 14% bodyfat.

[sta63bmx]

1700 calories! /forum/images/icons/shocked.gif I think my body would go into shock, and only an injection of red meat could save me. /forum/images/icons/smile.gif THen again, you're cut and tight everywhere, and I'm a sloppy sack of crap. /forum/images/icons/smile.gif

[Philia2]

Uuuuuh I got some news for you!!!! (I'll tell you how my body likes the diet in another post)

I got a very important guy coming to my gym this afternoon. well this guy is looking for a sport teacher doing short training programs on TV!!!!! Lol, he called me but I said that I cannot move (since I'm working) so that's why HE is the one driving to come to visit and talk to me.
Errrr imagine me on TV, smiling and saying "come on ladies, move your tush, it's gooooood for you!!!" lol

(I don't think I have ever told you, but I'm not French...... Well I'm married to a small Frenchie and I have lived here for the last 4-5 years but in fact I'm Danish. That's why I think it's rather funny that I'm French fitness champion and now all this TV thing.....)

Hmmmm lol I'll write later and tell you how it went!

[Philia2]

Well I'm back.

First bad news is that the TV guy just never showed up...... Errrr ah well life goes on, I think it was just too good to be truth.

Secondly about my diet. I really have a problem. I think it's actually a little scary how sensible I am with the food.
Okey, I followed the diet for two days. I was hungry all the time but that's not really what worries me the most. What really doesn't work is that I was also feeling really tired and my second day morning work out really sucked...... I cannot have that, I need to have enough strength to work out!
I also started to shake three times. After the two morning work outs and again yesterday just before the 2pm meal (this "shaky" thing is quite normal for me -I've always done that when my blood sugar is too low or when I haven't been eating for hours. No, I don't have any probs with my thyroid and I'm not diabetic!)

Now what can I do? I can put in 10gr of more oats in the first meal and also take a fruit straight after the training. BUT I desperately need another meal. This diet actually only has 5 meals (when I take the morning shake with my oats, which I do every non weight training and cardio days) but I'm use to eat 7 meals daily!!
But what sort of meal can I include?!!!!! I think I have enough proteins (200gr!!!), but if I eat more carbs or fruit I'm afraid of getting carb craving.... More fat?
I'm a little lost here, you got any brilliant ideas?!!!!
(Maybe a Gin Tonic?!!!!! Hmmm just kidding, I meant Gin Tonic LIGHT of course!!!! /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif )
I don't eat any diary products so that wont do either......

If anybody could help, I really would appreciate it!!!

[Philia2]

Okey, I'll try my diet again. I've changed some small things. Here it goes:

7am: Protein shake + ECA stack
7-8am: Weigh training
8am: Glutamine and 1gr of vit C + CREATINE!!
8.30am: 50gr of whole grain oats, 250ml of soy milk
vitamines, calcium, chondroitine and iron caps
10.30am: 6 egg whites + 1 yolk, 40gr of cheese
1.30pm: salade, 1/2 avocado, 200gr of chicken, 50gr of nuts and almonds
3.30pm: protein bar
5pm: Protein shake + spirulina caps
7pm: 200gr of fish (I hate fish but I'm gonna eat it!) and veggies. Vitamines, calcium, potassium and magnesium
9pm: Glutamine

Hmmmm okey now this will give around 1850 cal, 216gr of proteins, 82gr of carbs and 71gr of fat.

The only thing that worry me, isn't that just too many proteins?!!! Should I eat more fat and less proteins?

Let's see how my body will react this time. I just hope that I'll have a better recuperation after the training with the creatine..... (but maybe it's not enough time to see. Well yes and no, since I could feel the diet changings right ahead from the second meal the first day....)
I shouldn't be shaking this time since I'll eat more often.

This is for Monday and Tuesday (let's see if I'll get grumpy this time as well!!! lol).

[Philia2]

I just did another two days of dieting and I finally found out what was wrong. It's all simple I just need some carbs at the second meal and then it's okey for the rest of the day. Funny thing though.

I've decided to stick to the diet for a little longer to see if I can loose a little fat. I still got three months before the competition but I feel a little fat (?!!!) so I'll cut out the sweets and eat healthier for a while (I actually already eat very healthy since no junk food, no really carbs but my home made bread, no diary products, no alcohol, no cookies, ice cream, pizza, cheese or whatever, it's just the candies..... I know I know, the worst thing of all. The darn thing is that it got sooooo many calories and it's sooooo easy to eat /forum/images/icons/mad.gif /forum/images/icons/mad.gif )

I also started to like my salad, chicken, nuts and avocado meal...... It's pretty tasty, you should all try it!!! Clean healthy food, lots of proteins and good fat.

Bon appetit!

[President Wilson]

Your meal plan looks really good to me. And you arent panicking which is great, because you still have quite a bit of time. Sometimes our minds play tricks on us. Perhaps your muscles are just a bit flat from dieting, which makes it appear like fat. I'm not sure whats more difficult, the dieting or the mind games /forum/images/icons/shocked.gif

[Philia2]

Well my diet started out absolutely fine this morning, but then this grand mother came and gave me a big back of niiiiice delicious fruit so....... Hmmmm say that I just ate around ten prunes and four abricots...... My tummy feels like explosing!!! lol but I guess it's better to eat the fruit than candies (pink marchmallows!!!).

The competition in November will decide if I'll be able to get to be one of the paid athletes to the biggest fitness/boby builder forum we have here in France every year.....
As I said, I'll never be able to compete international so that's why winning this comp and become more known will change everything for me....
I cannot afford to screw up my diet or my training and that's why I'm trying different diets and training routines now to NOT feel lost 4 weeks before the contest.
I don't really have much weight to loose, but what's ten times more important is that I just cannot afford to loose any lean muscle mass as well.

I just want to do this, and I want to do it good.

Thanks to you all to give me great motivation!

Just read thru your whole journal, shoulda done that ages ago but oh well. Anyway, you sound a lot like me, with the can't sit still, have to stay active, must have challenges and goals, things to focus on. Also the way you are very thorough and play around with your diet, same things I was doing. I think if we lived close to each other we'd get along well and make great workout partners! Anyway, interesting journal, I think I'll learn a lot from it, so I'll be paying closer attention now. http://www.plauder-smilies.de/scatter.gif

[Philia2]

I have never been able to find a work out partner...... That's really a bother but in the same time I'm use to it now (so I don't know if I would be annoying to work out with)
I always work out when the gym is closed (yes, I'm lucky to be able to do that) but before when I worked out with the clients, they
1) always want to talk (and I don't talk when I train...)
2) they want to do the same thing as me (and I don't have time to train anybody else when I'm training) or
3) simply they keep on staring at me and comparing my dumbells with theirs....... Errrrrr lol OR I make them afraid or tired because they see ME running around and working out like a crazy.

Krypto, I would sooo much like to try to work out with you, maybe I'll be travelling to your country one day and then you could show me how to keep standing on my legs on those skate things!! /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

I'm happy that you like my journal. Honestly I don't always know what I writing down in here, but I simply just write how I feel with it all. If I can help anybody with anything, I'll be more than pleased.

[Philia2]

Two weeks ago I changed exercise program, I wanted to see if I could have new gains.
I now work out like this:
Monday: chest, back, arms and abs
Tuesday: Shoulders, legs and abs
one or two days off (depending on how I feel, I normally do slow cardio on these days) and then
Thirsday and Friday I redo the same.

In this week I work my body completely twice, but I never use the same exercises (to avoid over training).

I got in total 5 diff exercises for the chest, 5-6 for the back and legs, 4 for the arms, and 6 for the shoulders.

Number of reps is 10-15 for the upper body and from 10 to 70 for the lower body.
I like jumping and doing all explosive movements.

I work my muscles a little deeper with this program (and I got sore muscles!!! auch!) I feel great, my muscles look great, I got energy and my six pack is still showing, my legs look leaner and the shoe horse on my triceps is ligthly showing it's face......
I got big probs of getting my back larger though..... It's a big bother, but I'm a long girl and maybe that's my problem.

[Philia2]

Uuuuuuh I just did a baaaaaad thing!!!
I ate a big bag of candies AND some bread (to get rid of all the sugar in my teeth) Hmmmm sugar with more sugar.... Nooo good!

Okey, but for ten long days I have been soooo serious with my diet (only eating far too many prunes the other day!) so I guess it's not THAT bad about the sugar today. I mean yes it's bad, but I guess it could be worse?!! no? **** it /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif

Ah well, I did force myself to do a tough 25 mins of HIIT this night. Not, if that would ever burn away all those nasty calories that I ate, but at least it made me feel a little better.....

Ah well, life (as well as my insulin) goes on.... /forum/images/icons/blush.gif

[Philia2]

This post is totally dedicated to CARBS!!!!

Last night instead of getting my beauty sleep, I was lying thinking about carbohydrates.....

Why do we like those things so much? I mean why do we get carb cravings? Because that most tasty food is made of carbs? It's just sugar after all.

I hate the side effects of too much sugar:

1) feeling bloated like a whale
2) water retention and the very worst:
3) I get sooooo tired after the insulin spike has dropped.....

Now with these (and a lot many side effects) whyyyy do we still get this urged feeling to eat carbs once in a while? Of course sugar attracts sugar but it has been excactly ten days the last time I ate lots of sugar and it wasn't before yesterday I felt like eating something sugary again.

Weird thing.

It's true that I really like my home made bread or my pop corns (made without oil or salt) but I got absolutely no probs living without pasta, rice or potatoes..... My main carb source is veggies and some fruit and I'm feeling fine.

Ah well, just wondering. Now when will I feel like eating sweets again (by the way I've had no psycological changings, so that's not the excuse....)

[Philia2]

It's early Thirsday morning and it's holiday today in France so everything is closed.
I woke up this morning with the thought of jumping on the eliptical trainer, watching another stupid thing in the TV and feeling every minute as one hour..... No, don't misunderstand me, I like doing cardio but just not alone.... I feel too bored (I still do it though).

Anyway, this morning, eyes open, the sun raising, my dog waiting for it's meal, not thinking but quickly grapping my rollar blades, the surprised dog, everything in the car and off we went. Nobody on the road, all quiet and beautiful.

It's gonna be a very warm day today but this morning it was rather chilly. My dog and I did 45 mins of fast rolling (around 15kms).
We are now back home, had our meals, my dog is sleeping on the couch, I'm drinking tea and I'm feeling quite happy with what we have done.
It feels soooo good to change work out once in a while.

I'm actually a little surprised that I am NOT feeling tired. We went out last night to a great Mexican restaurant (and I had too many Margaritas!!! /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif ) so bed time hour was quite late this morning. I haven't slept many hours, but I guess that I'm just so use to wake up so early so I couldn't stay in bed.
I'll take a snooze later this afternoon.

A great "yes, I'm gonna stay lazy" day is beginning to wake up and I'll enjoy every minute.
The normal daily life will start again tomorrow....

[sicily1962]

Nothing like a day off....
do enjoy it and get some rest.

Tell me, how were those margarita's??? Obviously, something i enjoy very much....actually Mango margarita's are incredible!
But for now, i must refrain! /forum/images/icons/frown.gif
Glad you could enjoy them!!

Have a terriffic day.
margie

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by sicily1962:</font><hr /> Nothing like a day off....
do enjoy it and get some rest.

Tell me, how were those margarita's??? Obviously, something i enjoy very much....actually Mango margarita's are incredible!
But for now, i must refrain! /forum/images/icons/frown.gif
Glad you could enjoy them!!

Have a terriffic day.
margie <hr /></blockquote>

But the problem with those Margaritas wasn't the delicious sweet and strong taste but the alcohol....... I'm nooooo longer use to drink anything (but water, tea and protein shakes!!!) so when the waiter politely asked us to wait at the bar before getting a table, I already saw dangerous flashing lights warning me that "ooooooh no, is THAT a so good idea?!!"
Hmmmm but how could I say no to this cute bartender?

Anyway I had my Margarita and since the weather was hot and the Margarita sooooooo nice and cold, I drank it a little bit too fast (I stayed away from the tortilla chips &amp; salsa though!!).
Okey, after this first drink I started to laugh a little louder. My hubby was busy talking with his nephews and I was left alone with another friend (who's actually from New Zealand AND homosexual!).
Anyway still no table and sooooo hot inside so there came another Margarita!!!

Errrr well, what can I say except that me and Ben (the kiwi friend) started to pick out all the good looking guys in the whole restaurant (we DON'T have the same taste, I'm afraid...) Lol it was just too funny.......

The rest of the night I remember eating a great chicken fajita (with salsa running down my fingers), tasting red wine from Chili, and dancing in between the tables......

Hmmmmm lol I do feel tired tonight, but I guess this day out cheating was extremely necessairy..... (it has been two months since the last real cheating meal -well except for the candies.... WHICH of course I knooooow isn't good at all.... /forum/images/icons/frown.gif )

I now got less than three months to my competition so it's getting serious. No more jumping around, I'll promise to stay on the line!!!

[Philia2]

I was thinking about this journal thing.... I mean it's great that we are able to write down our training, diet etc but how useful is it really?
How many of you read this? Is it of any interest? Can it really help anybody? Or is it just empty words (not saying empty journals)....

No don't misunderstand me, I love to write and I'll continue but I was just wondering if I'm not writing more for myself than for anybody else.......

Yesterday was a "do everything to avoid supermarkeds" day...... I was eating good and well, but I could have died for some licorice or marshmallows....... **** it. I need to stay serious. I'll need to be in shape for some photo shots that I need to have taken in September.

Okey, I'm quite satisfied with my body EXCEPT my inner thighs!!! lol my dear hubby says that it's only me who can see it, but see it I can!!! Why, but whyyyyy is that area sooo difficult to loose?!!! Huh?!!!!!
Ah well, I guess we all have some last stubborn fat that just wont melt away BUT it's still rather frustrating.....

Oh by the way, I need to tell you a new hamstring exercise I did yesterday. It's rather amazing and I think I'll be doing this one instead of straight leg dead lift for a couple of weeks. Okey, I'll try to explain. Lie down on your back, your legs straight up in the air, your feet against a barbell (I use the Smith machine) Now raise your body with your feet, keeping your shoulders and neck on the floor. Do it with one or two legs.
Nice and slowly. I tell you it works!!!! Aaaaall the way up the hamstrings and buttocks, an absolutely brilliant stretch and work out (I can feel it today!!).

It's nice to change once in a while. /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

[Philia2]

Yesterday night for the first time I put on some veeery tiny little shorts, it was steamy hot outside so everybody was sweating.
Anyway, the reactions of my thighs (!!!) was amazing....... Geeeeeez I never expected that.
Not, "oh this really suits you" but more "wow, how big thighs!!!" and the worse one: "hmmmm Nina I think that you have put on more leg muscle and you know that you don't need that!!!"

Hmmmmm I could have exploded...... **** it, I'm not a small little Bimbo and my legs are not fat!!!!!!! At least that's what I think...... (well what I try to think....)

Now am I supose to hide myself just because that I'm bigger and more muscular than the other girls around here?!!!!!

Okey I love France and I like the place where I live BUT I would REALLY not mind anything at all to mooooooooooove away to another country (or another planet!!)

I hate to be alone with this (luckily I got you guys).

I'm mad but also a little sad (I just finished a leg and shoulder training that could have killed a bull!!!).

Ah merde alors.........

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr />
Anyway, the reactions of my thighs (!!!) was amazing....... Geeeeeez I never expected that.
Not, "oh this really suits you" but more "wow, how big thighs!!!" and the worse one: "hmmmm Nina I think that you have put on more leg muscle and you know that you don't need that!!!"

Now am I supose to hide myself just because that I'm bigger and more muscular than the other girls around here?!!!!!

Okey I love France and I like the place where I live BUT I would REALLY not mind anything at all to mooooooooooove away to another country (or another planet!!)

I'm mad but also a little sad (I just finished a leg and shoulder training that could have killed a bull!!!).

Ah merde alors......... <hr /></blockquote>

I have to tell you, the reactions here are no different!

Just last Thursday, i was in the gym training Back and two people who I had not seen in for about 3wks came over to me (speaking at the top of their voices!! /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif ) and began commenting on how big i'd become and how much more mass i had put on !

"I was huge!!" (their words to be exact!)

The first thing that came to mind was, "do i look bad?" I mean, i've put on nearly 10lbs since i the week after my comp and I do feel bigger, have better definition and look better all around, I think.
But, I believe we spend so much time working on getting rid of the bodyfat and sculpting new muscle, that it would be nice for others (ignorant or not) to appreciate our physics as much as we do.

Not only that...them having some tact would be a great thing, don't you think? /forum/images/icons/confused.gif

Truly, people are intimidated or even envy what they don't know or understand, i suppose we'll forever be looking over them.

Look ~ if you wanna wear whatever, wear it proudly (and i know you do if you are anything like me /forum/images/icons/wink.gif !!)
You can't help but look awsome!
Some things are just worth working for!
Margie

[TheIcon]

Dear Lord ladies there is nothing wrong with either one your thighs. The things I would do to.. um nevermind. /forum/images/icons/wink.gif Just wanted to say you gals look great! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif

Nina, girl, keep posting in your journal! I definitely enjoy reading it especially about your trials and tribulations as I can relate so well! It's nice to see I'm not alone and see that someone else is going thru the same dilemmas! And yes, I learn from it as well, like with your new hamstring exercise. So keep it coming, I'm enjoying!

And let me tell ya, if you think YOUR legs are too big, then mine DEFINITELY are! I've been told more than once that I'm a genetic freak for legs since all I do is speed skate, I don't weight train them yet they are pretty big and muscular, measuring 22.5 inches and nope, not fat either as I have some good quad separation. Anyway, definitely don't let them get to you, I've learned to be proud of my quads and so should you! Rock on girl! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

[Philia2]

Thanks guys, I really needed your words.
I like what I'm doing but it's just not a very BB friendly (or understanding) area I live in. Not many people train here seriously I'm afraid.

I called a female friend of mine yesterday (who's way more muscular than me and does competition as well) and talked a little with her (complaining and opening my heart!!). What she does is simply to avoid training when other people in the gym or she hides her body in clothes......
Geeez, I never want to do that. I mean, we are proud of what we are doing so why not show it? It's true that we can be a little obsessed but still we care about our bodies!! Our diets might seem a little weird but is in fact ten times healthier than the neighboor next door......

Now why hide yourself?!!!!

People are just stupid, that's maybe the conclusion. When you are different, people always walk on you. Strange thing actually.

I still want to move though. Okey, I'll be doing the competition in November but then I'll do every darn thing to find a sponsor (or a job) so I'll need to move to another country....... (Canada? Brrrrr too cold up there!! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/wink.gif )

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> ......

Now why hide yourself?!!!!

...When you are different, people always walk on you. Strange thing actually.<hr /></blockquote>

I agree! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

[Philia2]

Okey I'm getting closer to the competition (and I need to have some photo shots taken soon as well) SO I need to get serious with my diet (not helping much that I'm going to a wedding this weekend.... I'll be forced to bring my own tupperware anyway, but it's still difficult to follow a strict eating schedule if you are not at home...)

I want to try something different this time. I just ordered a three week suply of Animal Cuts. So let's see what this one will do for me.

My stats now are 28 years old, 5'11 tall, 150lbs and around 14% body fat. I need to get down to 11-12% (not necessairy to get any lower) for the competition.

I'm sort of fighting my own body here. It's like that it doesn't want to drop the last fat (hormonal fat on the darn thighs!!) so I'm just fighting back.
I'm convinced that everything can be done, so here I go.

[Philia2]

Why Animal Cuts by the way?

Because I like the fact that It's a package with lots of different stuff in it. The only prob with me and fat burners is that I cannot take the "normal" daily dosage.
I now got Thermonol from GEN and it says to take four pills daily. Well, I take one pill once in a while and this one pill makes me jump for the rest of the day........ (yep, you can call me a bunny!! lol /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif )

[Philia2]

This is a pathetic self complaining post, so if you don't like it then don't read it!

I just feel like complaining, tired of every darn thing, feeling that I want to dig a hole or just immigrate to another planet, seeing nobody, listening to nobody and doing absolutely nothing!!

I'm tired of doing the same thing day after day. Wakening up, doing my exercises, eating my oats, cleaning the gym, smiling to the customers, eating my egg whites, preparing my protein shakes, putting on the self tanner, doing another mile on the treadmill, washing the gym towels, explaining again how to do another ab exercise, heating up the sauna, lightning on the sun bed, trying to figure out what sort of music people want in the gym, closing the doors, emptying the water bottles, showering again, putting on cream and then finally back to bed just to wake up to another morning, another same day with the same faces, the same smells and the same routine......

Okey, I'm more than lucky owning my own gym, being my own boss, doing what I always wanted to do. Okey, I'm happy with my body, the results from the last competitions, I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful dog, no family around to bother me (except my mother in law!! /forum/images/icons/frown.gif ) all alone, can do what I want to do, say what I want to say. Just shut my ears and eyes trying to follow the little voice inside telling me how to breath and to live......

Now why do I feel so desperate?!!!! (and don't you dare say it's a hormonal thing!!!! /forum/images/icons/mad.gif /forum/images/icons/mad.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

I hate that.

And now I also desperately feel like eating something that I shouldn't.

I hate that even more!!!!

Oh bugger it all!

And my car is broken, people think I got fat thighs, my dog is annoying me, I got way too many bills to pay and now my wrists are starting to hurt because I'm banging too much (or too hard?) on the computer key board!!!

Oh zut, saloperie and merde alors!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Philia2]

I just finished my morning work out....

I hate doeing leg extensions but I just did 4 sets of 50 reps, and 2 sets of 100 reps on the leg press.......

I didn't take heavy but huuuuuuuuuhhh it really starts to burn after a while.
It's decided; I gonna kill those legs. I want them to be more cut, more defined, gonna loose the last fat and I'll show them all!!!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif

Now I'm just sitting here drinking my tea trying to cool down (not very suceeded with hot tea!! lol).

Tomorrow it's weddingsday...... Gonna smile and small talk all day long. Hmmmmm they have promised rain and thunderstorm so that's nooooo good /forum/images/icons/frown.gif

Ah well if just the soon-to-be-married couple are happy......!!

You're not alone! I think we all go thru that, "ugg, same old routine over and over again, I'm so sick of it!" Trust me, I go thru that too. Seems like it happens every once in a while and when it does I tend to get depressed. Luckily it doesn't last too long then I'm out of it and happy to go about my business again. But I know EXACTLY what you mean! Sometimes you just need a vacation, even just a weekend getaway will usually do the trick, at least for me. Sometimes you just need to get away from your same routine for a few days, take some time off from working out and being in the gym, splurge a little on your diet, have that dessert you've been craving. After all, we work our butts off in the gym almost 365 days a year so that we CAN afford to splurge a bit once in a while! And we've got enough muscle to burn it off! So take a break from everything once in a while, forget about working out, forget about your diet for just a few days and I really think that would help. It works for me! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif

[Philia2]

Just came back from the wedding...... Geeeez it can feel long sometimes BUT it still was rather funny to look at people, do a lot of empty small talk and trying desperately to dance walz....... ("walzing Mathilda, go walzing Mathilda"..... da da daaa daa etc /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

Lots of people and a very beautiful couple (now married!!)

Of course I couldn't eat anything...... Errrr they served me salad and veggies at the restaurant /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif Luckily I had brought my protein powder with me!!

Anyway I wanted to tell you that I have just figured out my music for the competition in Novmember. I've done a mix between the theme music from the Pink Panther and Zucherro's "I got the devil in me"!!!!!
Lol grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr what a mix!!!! Anyway it works pretty well and I'm already starting to figure out my choregraphy (I only got one minute!!).

This morning I only did cardio. I'm still too tired from the wedding so no weight training before tomorrow (if I foce myself it'll just be baaaad anyway...)

By the way, did any of you try my hamstring exercise?!!!!!

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> Anyway I wanted to tell you that I have just figured out my music for the competition in Novmember. I've done a mix between the theme music from the Pink Panther and Zucherro's "I got the devil in me"!!!!!
Lol grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr what a mix!!!! Anyway it works pretty well and I'm already starting to figure out my choregraphy (I only got one minute!!).

This morning I only did cardio. I'm still too tired from the wedding so no weight training before tomorrow (if I foce myself it'll just be baaaad anyway...)

By the way, did any of you try my hamstring exercise?!!!!! <hr /></blockquote>

I for one have done this Hammie exercise, but it has been quite a while. Nearly a year.
I enjoy reading your journal. You always write the things i think in my head. It;s funny to think you, me Krypto and the rest of us are so alike!
Hey ~ try this Hamstring exercise too: either hook or feet from behind or have someone hold your feet down while on your knees and begin to lean forward to an angle 90 degrees or so and then contracting the muscle pull yourself back up.
At first you may need to push yourself back up from the floor, but as you get stronger that won't be neccessary.
It's a killer!

Your music sounds fun! I know how relieved i was when i finally got mine picked.
I spent more than an hour last night fine tuning my compulsary routine and mandatories. I swear it just wears me out! I was sweating pretty good! As if i'd just run a few miles!
Your comp will be here b4 you know it. For me, 8wks and counting. Unbelievable that this journey has almost come to an end!!

I did want to say though ~ you may still have time for one more cheat! lol! You could get one in for me! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif
Have a great day!
Margie

[Philia2]

Oooooooh don't say that I can still be able to cheat!!!!!!! Lol nooooooo good for me to hear!!! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif

I did eat too many sugar almonds this weekend though..... (in France a tradition is to all weddings and all other big parties you eat almond dragees -almonds covered in sugar and/or chocolate)

I'm waiting for my Animal Cuts to arrive so I'll start with that. Now I'm trying another thing. I don't know if I told you but I had a (terrible) salesman coming to the gym last week trying to sell me lots of weird products. Anyway he gave me this herbs whatever thing that should be sooooo good for you (and you are suppose to loose weight as well). You have to mix it with water and drink it during the day.
Well, that's what I'm doing. It got an awful brownish color and it tastes rather bad, BUT down it goes!!!

I have to take this witchy blend for ten days.

Margie, I know that hamstring exercise and yes that's a killer one too!!!

[Philia2]

It's funny how the scale can play with your mind......
I mean we knoooooow that it's only a stupid scale with stupid numbers and the important thing is your body fat % and nothing else.......

BUT when those stupid little red numbers on the scale get a little too high then we still start to freak out. Now why?!!!!

Off get the clothes (in all directions!) and we stare at ourselves in the mirror trying to find that extra pound who has wickely sneaked on somewhere and somehow.
Okey, you can still see those abs and your clothes don't feel any tighter but still haven't you got a liiiiittle bit more fat on the lower left rib?!!!! Hmmmmmm been eating too many sweet candies (not to mention the brownie last night!!!)

We should all throw away those stupid scales anyway, no use for anything or anybody.
Maybe I should create a support group for victims addicted to scales...... /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Philia2]

Okey I give in, I must admit that I'm feeling tired......

I've have now been working for 14 months (since the gym opened) without a day off and I now desperately need to get away a little.
I'm also getting a little stressed by my fast coming competition in November.

I wanted to take the plane and come to the States (to see you guys!!) but my car broke and the bill was rather nasty so I guess all I can do is to go out camping for 3-4 days (I like camping anyway!!)

A few days off will probably make wonders. I just have to be careful with my diet though.

Honestly I don't know if I can allow myself to run away like this..... Am I not too close to the competition?
Ahh now I'll start to feel all guilty...... /forum/images/icons/frown.gif

Still I just need a break, lots of work, lots of hours....
During the summerholidays we have had lots of turists here training but in late September and October all the "old" customers will come back, so lots of work and hours again.
If I need to "get out" well then it's now or never (at least not before X-mas)

Next week.....

As I said before, I think you NEED a break Nina! Take it girl, you DESERVE it! I really think it'll help you in the long run. There is no reason to feel guilty. November is still quite a ways away, plenty of time. It takes a lot longer than you'd think to lose any gains, at least that's what I've found. Get away for a bit and have some fun! That's an order, hehe. /forum/images/icons/wink.gif

[Philia2]

The funny thing about this competition is that it's so much different from what I'm use to. It's an non federation independant competition so no "normal" rules or demands.

The fitness is "American Style" (that's what's written on the poster!!) so no real BB posing but only back, front and side (with a big smile of course!), around 1 min of dancing (I love that one!) and then I'll need to jump into a sexy little night dress and say hello to everybody using a microphone (lol they'll love my accent!!)

Prejudging in the morning and show in the night.

Actually what worries me most is how NOT to put on tan on everything and everybody while changing between bikini and night dress...... Hmmmmmm I'm not too smart for that I'm afraid /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

Yes I know, I'm driving myself a little nuts with all the work, diet, training etc I definitely need some time off so I think that going out camping for three days wont make me any harm. Trying to think about something else and NOT to train for so long (three days!!!) will be something completely new...... (Hmmmm I'm sure that I'll go out morning running with my cutie of a dog though....)

I need to have some pics taking in September so I'll show you all how I look today!!! lol if anything has changed much anyway.......

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> The funny thing about this competition is that it's so much different from what I'm use to. It's an non federation independant competition so no "normal" rules or demands.

The fitness is "American Style" (that's what's written on the poster!!) so no real BB posing but only back, front and side (with a big smile of course!), around 1 min of dancing (I love that one!) and then I'll need to jump into a sexy little night dress and say hello to everybody using a microphone (lol they'll love my accent!!)
<hr /></blockquote>
<font color="blue">That's all you do? That seems a little odd seeing how i have a few more compulsary poses, (front and back double bi, side chest, side tri, front and rear lat spread, abdominal and calf) no dancing...unless of course i can incorporate that into the routine without music in the prejudging. don't need a sexy black dress, but have a great night time bikini!! And i don't use a mic! </font color>

[ QUOTE ]
Prejudging in the morning and show in the night. <hr /></blockquote> Same with me here


Actually what worries me most is how NOT to put on tan on everything and everybody while changing between bikini and night dress...... Hmmmmmm I'm not too smart for that I'm afraid /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif
[ QUOTE ]

Yes I know, I'm driving myself a little nuts with all the work, diet, training etc I definitely need some time off so I think that going out camping for three days wont make me any harm. Trying to think about something else and NOT to train for so long (three days!!!) will be something completely new...... (Hmmmm I'm sure that I'll go out morning running with my cutie of a dog though....) <hr /></blockquote>

<font color="blue">I think this will do you a world of good! You need that rest, to rejeuvenate you and help bring you back to your trianing even more focused! Krypto is right, take the time ~ you have more than earned it!

Before you know it, the weather will be cooling off alot more and you will be stuck at the gym, so take this time now for you and your husband. /forum/images/icons/wink.gif
Margie</font color>

[Philia2]

"That's all you do? That seems a little odd seeing how i have a few more compulsary poses, (front and back double bi, side chest, side tri, front and rear lat spread, abdominal and calf) no dancing...unless of course i can incorporate that into the routine without music in the prejudging. don't need a sexy black dress, but have a great night time bikini!! And i don't use a mic! "

But yes that's what I'm use to do as well -all those compulsary poses!!!
But this comp -as I said is completely different! It wont give you any points or make you go any further BUT you can win money, get some new contacts AND maybe get a sponsor......

The "real" competitions will start in April 2003.

Another great thing about this comp is that they have special categories for the men:
1) Those athletes who have NEVER done a competition before
2) Athletes who have never been in between the three first in another comp and
3) all the rest.....

Everybody gets a chance and I like that.

I haven't been able to find a bikini yet (I can always use the "old" one though) Tell me in the States does it need to be a G-string? (here yes!)

[Philia2]

I liked my work out this morning.... I know that tomorrow I'll leave (and go out camping) so this morning work out was harder and a little longer than normal (I'll do my legs and shoulders tomorrow morning before leaving though. Yes I know, I'm a little addicted lol cannot help it!)

Okey this is what I did this morning:

Back:
4 x 10 reps of pulling to the neck (hmmm sorry my English...)
4 x 12 reps of pulling but with one hand (this one hurts!!)
3 x 12 reps of straight arm cable push down (standing in the middle with a cable in the hand on each side)
2 x 10 straight arm cable push down but with both arms together
3 x 12 lower back extensions

Chest:
3 x 12 Standing cable cross overs
1 x 12 Sitting bench press with one hand
1 x 20 Sitting bench press with one hand

Triceps:
5 x 10 reps of close grip bench press
2 x 12 reps of dumbell behind back with one hand
2 x 12 cable push downs

Biceps:
3 x 12 reps of cable curls
1 x 12 of barbell curl (and then my lower back started to hurt so I changed exercise.....)
2 x 12 reps of machine curls

And lots of abs......

Hmmm funny to see how my exercise routine is rather messy..... I have been weight training for so many years now so I simply just do what I feel is best (I keep changing each time though). I'm not saying that this is the best way to work, but I really do get a greater work out when I listen to my body and give it what it needs.
I did a lot more back exercises this morning (than chest) but I don't worry too much, I'll work my chest more the next time.

About weight, well there I really ache.... I do take as heavy as possible and every single time. If I haven't taken enough heavy and I feel that I can continue to do another one or two reps, well then I just continue.

I constantly have sore muscles..... I know it's a sign of great work but it can also be a little bit annoying since I always got a part of my body aching (telling me that the muscle excists!!).

For the moment I work my entire body twice a week. This works fine so as long as I keep seeing results, I'll keep on working this way.

[Philia2]

It's Saturday evening and I just came home from all my camping fun the last three days.....

I feel quite tired. Pheeeeew it's hard to be on holidays!!!! (I forgot all about that!!)

The island was beautiful (but I was a little bored from doing nothing), the weather was okey (a little cold and windy but it only rained a little bit so no swimming pool in the tent!) and it has truly been nice to get away and think about something different for three days....

Now what did I do that I'm going to regret?!!!

Hmmmmm okey okey I DID eat on restaurant twice (Tex Mex -nooooo Margaritas but green tea! seriously!! lol and huge salad bar on the way back home today) I DID eat some licorice (sugar! Bad bad bad girl!!!), I stole some green grapes from a field next to one of the many beautiful beaches (nobody saw me!!) and I DID eat way too much fresh bread (and those delicious crispy bread cubes on the salad!) = waaay too many carbs!!
Ohhhhhh not to forget the bottle of local red wine...... Good one, I tell you!! /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

Well I did all that but I also trained legs two hours before leaving (Wednesday early morning) and I went out running with my dog twice as well (she hurt her paw! /forum/images/icons/frown.gif )

Hmmm is that good enough? (or did I just gain three pounds?!!) Naaah. Niet. Ah well, too late anyway.

Tomorrow starts the darn diet (yes, Sunday!). I received my ECA Stack (and Animal Cuts) so down goes the pills, the brocoli and egg whites again. Yummy.

Let's see if I'll feel less tired this time.
I think that I'll go to bed very early tonight though. Gotta get ready for two months of strict comp prep. I had my fun (my licorices and marshmallows!!) and now it's back on the road again. Keep on jumping, keep on smiling, keep on feeling motivated and YES no prob, I'm gonna win this darn thing!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif /forum/images/icons/blush.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

[Philia2]

Okey it's early Sunday morning (8am) it's grey and rainy outside /forum/images/icons/frown.gif and I just finished my morning work out (upper body work out this morning. Funny how I hate to work my biceps but I did a lot of back so I guess my biceps do get a nice work out after all...)

As I said yesterday, my diet starts today.

<font color="purple"> Stats:</font color>

Height: 180 cm - 5'11'
Weight: 70.4 kg - 155 lbs (I was 66 kg -145,4 lbs at my last comp but I have gained some new nice muscle AND I'm holding a lot of water from my "carb camping weekend"!!)
Body fat: my calliptor says 14.8% I'm terrible to read those things but I guess it's not all wrong. I need to get down to 11-12% in two months.
Waist: 68 cm - 26.7 inches
Hips: 96 cm - 37.8 inches
Thighs: 58 cm - 22.8 inches

Hmmm I need to loose some fat (and get a tan!!)

I took two ECA pills this morning (I'm still shaking all over) I'll take two more at 2pm (hoping that I'll still be able to sleep tonight)

I'll write down my diet later today, but now I'll just need to calm down a little, drink my tea and eat my oats!

By the way my fat burner is Thermonol from GEN. The plan is to take two twice a day for one week, then switch to Animal Cuts for two weeks, and then final one more week of Thermonol.

[Philia2]

Hmmm it's NOT very easy to use Fitday.com when you don't know how much is a slice or a cup....... Anyway I got my diet together and it sounds:

<font color="purple"> 2307 cal, 222.5 gr of proteins, 178,2 gr of carbs and 59.2 gr of fat. </font color>

Too many carbs? Yeh maybe. I don't have much in the fridge today so I'll eat what I have and then go to the supermarked Monday morning.

1. meal: shake prot, whole grained oats and soy milk
2. meal: home made bread (my morning carbs...) with three egg whites
3. meal: two medium chicken breasts and veggies
4. meal: 4 egg whites with 40 gr of nuts and almonds (that's a lot of nuts!!)
5. meal: 100 gr of tofu, 5 egg whites and veggies
6. meal: half protein shake and salmon fish oil

That's it for today. Bon appetit!

[Philia2]

I just couldn't stand still yesterday...... No matter what I did I had to move, walk back and forth, dance, jump, flex the arms or legs or play "you cannot touch me!!" with all possible poor victims next to me......
Even though my body felt a little tired then I couldn't stop.

Of course I couldn't sleep tonight either. I took the last two magic pills at 1.30pm but that still wasn't early enough for me to calm down (or shut down my brain who kept going on thinking about the most incredible things!!)
I woke up at 6am this morning and started training 30 mins after. It wasn't a great work out though. Even with the pills I did feel a little tired and I got a head ache (I did a "long forgotten" shoulder exercise -laying on the side on an incline bench doing lateral raises with one arm. I tell you that hurts and I could only do my sets with a pathetic 4 kg (8.8 lbs) dumbell......).

A new feeling for me yesterday was that I didn't feel hungry at all..... I did force myself to eat but I guess that I only ate around 2100 cal instead of 2300. It's okey though since I did put high the total daily calorie amount.

Another thing about those thermogenic pills is that they weaken my immune system <font color="orange"> (Oooooooh I think I figured it all right now!!!! I mean those fat burner selling companies are quite smart!!! You'll take their pills (more the better 'cause the more they will sell - without getting the risk of a heart attack!!! Hmmm they will just put smaller doses in each pill....) Anyway you take the pills and you'll catch a cold....... Hmmmm and when you are feeling ill you really don't feel like eating that much so of cooooooouuurse you'll loose weight!!! Ahaaaa!!!! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/wink.gif </font color>

Anyway (back to serious /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif ) my experience in the past is that I always get a cold since my metabolism is burning way too fast so my body doesn't seem always to follow (does that make any sense? lol) SO my daily intake of vitamin C is at 2-3 gr.

<font color="purple"> (Conclusion from all this: I'll just nicely shut up, swallow my magic pills, do my weight training and cardio with a smile, eat my delicious egg whites and I'll win that darn competition in November!!!) </font color>

Oh I had another (nice) surprise yesterday as well; I finally got my night dress for the competition. It's actually my "after wedding big party" dress lol so it's great to use it again (after now almost 4 years) It's a golden orange sexy thing and I'm quite happy with it (pictures to follow later!!).

I haven't figured out my daily diet yet (I know it's bad but I really don't have anything left in the fridge!!) so I'll write that down later.

[Philia2]

Oh by the way I did weight myself again this morning (yes I know I know you shouldn't be weighting yourself everyday!!) and I just lost 2 lbs (I weight 69.5 kg - 153,1 lbs) !! lol Water out you go!!!!

[Philia2]

I became a cleany maniac yesterday..... lol The gym is open now (no more holidays!) and since I have to stay there but cannot train the whole day long then errrrr I simply just had to clean every darn little thing!!! (it's not that bad a thing though - I actually wish it happened more often!! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

I feel a lot better today. I had a nice night of sleep and no head ache. I really feel like training this early morning so I'll make this day into a cardio day (doing cardio with the clients when the gym opens and again tonight)

My diet causes me a little bit of prob. It's not what I eat but how much ......

I never ate those 2300 calories as I wanted last Sunday but only around 1900-2000 (I was wrong with the cal number of the chicken I ate..... Hmmm it's NOT really easy to find excactly what kind of chicken etc you eat when you got 20 different ways of cooking, broiling (don't even know what that is!!), roasting, steaming etc etc and with ot without bone and skin (cooked with or without) etc etc etc!!!)
Yesterday I weighed my food, trying again to calculate the best I can and I only found no more than 1900 calories.......
(With the pills I'm taking I don't feel hungry at all so I have to force myself to eat...... This is kinda strange BUT one veeeeeeery good thing is that I don't crave any sweets at all. Well lol now I just remember a dream I had this night..... I dreamt about licorice and marshmallows!!!!!! True!!!!! lol /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif Now what would Freud get out of that one?!!!! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

<font color="blue"> I get around 160-70 gr of proteins, 150 gr of carbs and 45-50 gr of fat. </font color>

Hmmm I don't think that that's enough.

I normally need around 2400 calories daily just to maintain my weight so 500 less calories (and with an ECA Stack really isn't a lot). I simply need to eat more or I'll loose lean muscle mass...... /forum/images/icons/frown.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif

[Philia2]

I'll decided to stay with my 1900 calories..... I feel fine with it so that's how it'll be.
But i've also decided to take a break or cheat day Sunday (and get in around 2500-3000 calories!! Hmmm or something like that.... I really don't want to know..... Also since I started to ECA Stack last Sunday then I'll NOT take any pills next Sunday but then attack my Animal Cuts from Monday morning)

Okey, it's cool to know that you can cheat a little, but the very worse thing is that I don't even know what to cheat with?!!!!!!

Errrrr I'm not a extremely big fan of pizza, pasta or the French crepes...... Candies (or other white sugar) just goes in, gives you a heck of a lot empty calories and makes you tired afterwards, so that doesn't sound too appealing either. Now what do I got left?
Actually I thought seriously about cheating by eating fruits!!!! lol cannot really say that that is very baaad cheating but it's still different than the diet I'm following now.

It's Wednesday morning and I just finished my morning work out. It wasn't that great a work out since I was feeling a little tired...... (Hmmmmmm I don't know how YOU guys can do the diet, hard training, tons of cardio etc and NOT feel tired..... Oh my mind is still racing because of the ECA Stack but my body is a little sore and doesn't really seem to be able to follow my rythm..... Of course I can force myself but would that be such a great idea?!!!)

I'll do some cardio tonight, maybe take a day off tomorrow (or probably just do cardio again) and then save energy for some better weight training work out!

[Philia2]

The ECA Stack is starting to worry me a little bit.....

Okey I know that I only got 3 1/2 days more (and then I'll switch to another type of pills) so I should be able to keep on.

I got tummy probs, head ache and nausea. It's especially bad in the mornings and in the nights.
I haven't thrown up yet but sometimes I feel a little bit toooooo close...... /forum/images/icons/frown.gif

Maybe I'm just being too stupid since I continue.......
Ah well, just until Saturday.....

The weird thing is that it's not the first time I take those pills, but it's surely the first time that I feel so bad..... Hmmmmmm /forum/images/icons/confused.gif /forum/images/icons/confused.gif /forum/images/icons/confused.gif

[Philia2]

This morning work out:

Legs:
1 x 100 reps two legs press
4 x 20 one leg press (I took heavy on that one)
2 x 50 two legs extension (I hate this exercise..... BUT I still do it with a smile!!)
3 x 30 cable one leg inner thighs pull outs (is that the right word for this exercise?!! lol!!)
3 x 30 cable one leg outer leg pulls (hmmm or let's say it simply works your butt on the side of the abductors)

3 x 20 Calf raises

Shoulders:
1 x 15 and 3 x 12 lateral raises
3 x 12 inclined one arm raises
1 x 15 and 4 x 12 behind the head barbell push ups (auch!)

Abs:
4 x 20 Oblique twists
3 x 20 leg raises on incline bench

Hmmmmm no lower back extensions this morning since my lower back doesn't seem to like me after the speedy squash section I did yesterday..... (I won!!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif )

I could have done more for my abs and I definitely should have done more for my little pretty a$$, but I'll do that tomorrow with the clients ("come on girls, a little bum-tighter work out!!!!! and with a smiiiiiiile!!! Noooooo it doesn't hurt, what makes you think that?!!!" lol)

I did 7 mins of cardio warm up and 5 mins of after work out stretcthing ( yeeees , I know it's not enough!!)
Everything took around 55 mins and I only stopped to zip of my water bottle.

Now I just try to calm down a little and I'll soon be eating my oats!!! Bon appetit!

[Philia2]

For a week I've been eating around 1900 calories daily, only clean food and around 40% protein 35% carbs and 25% fat

I've lost a little more than 2 kgs (5 lbs, I weight 150 lbs now)

I'll take my measurations tomorrow and tell you if I already have a difference. I look a little leaner though so that's a good thing.

My training for this week has been:

4 times one hour weight training
3 times 35 mins slow cardio
1 time HIIT 25 min and
one exhausting hour of squash!!!! (lol does that count for another HIIT?!!)

Next to this; a lot of walking, dancing, cleaning, jumping etc etc

I feel a little tired and I suspect the pills to keep me up.

I'll take a day off tomorrow and then I'll start with Animal Cuts Monday (for at least 2 weeks).

[Philia2]

I'm starting to get impatient..... No good. I hate that. I always do. Merde alors.......

Getting impatient to loose the last fat, impatient for the competition and simply impatient show everybody what I've been working so hard to achieve.....

(I'm both lucky and unlucky when I do comp..... I'm never scared or nervous to step on stage and show myself, but I'm sooooo impatient and waiting is what kicks the legs away under me..... Okey I can wait for a little time but when it turns to several hours I get tired, grumpy, head ache etc and that's NO GOOD when you then FINALLY step on stage....

I really need to work on that......!!!)

I cheated on my diet yesterday (and I'll do it today as well) Well it's not "cheat cheat" but more like eating MORE clean food and NOT having to calculate every darn little thing.
Yesterday I still kept my total calorie intake at around 2000 but I ate a lot more carbs and a lot less protein...... (not especially good by any means) I made one of my favorite dark crunchy only whole grained no fat but more protein home made bread!!!! Hmmmmm it smelled soooooo good!!!! I wanted to eat half and put the other half in the freezer. Well I actually DID put it into the freezer BUT I also took it out 3 mins later and ended up eating it all (while watching Invisible Man in the TV).....

Geeeeez, my tummy had a major problem stocking all that bread AND of course I felt all bloated etc after.

My fault, yes I know.

Anyway, I cheated by eating bread and some fruit (but NOOOOOO sugar -even though I really felt eating some!!).

Today it's Sunday and I don't feel like weight training (tomorrow!) I'll go out rollarblading with my dog later this morning. Not a real cardio session but it'll still make me get out and move a little.

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr />
I cheated on my diet yesterday (and I'll do it today as well) Well it's not "cheat cheat" but more like eating MORE clean food and NOT having to calculate every darn little thing.
Yesterday I still kept my total calorie intake at around 2000 but I ate a lot more carbs and a lot less protein...... (not especially good by any means) I made one of my favorite dark crunchy only whole grained no fat but more protein home made bread!!!! Hmmmmm it smelled soooooo good!!!! I wanted to eat half and put the other half in the freezer. Well I actually DID put it into the freezer BUT I also took it out 3 mins later and ended up eating it all (while watching Invisible Man in the TV).....

Geeeeez, my tummy had a major problem stocking all that bread AND of course I felt all bloated etc after.

My fault, yes I know.

Anyway, I cheated by eating bread and some fruit (but NOOOOOO sugar -even though I really felt eating some!!). <hr /></blockquote>

How do you talk about that bread and not pass on the recipe?? You know i'm on the downside of all this dieting and w/ less than 6wks to go...i'm going to need to have something at the end of the rainbow to munch on when it's all over with!
Sharing is nice!! lol!
Margie

[RagingChick]

This is my first post on the abc site. You were wondering if your journal was useful and if people even read it. Yes, I have been reading your journal this morning and I feel it is VERY useful. It shows that you are a real person with real struggles. This will help me and others very much. You also show how you keep moving forward towards your goals daily.

Please never think it's not helping people because it is.

Good luck with your competition and thanks for being an inspiration.

[Philia2]

Wow, thanks a lot Ragingchick! You help me to keep on going strong here! I'm happy to know that I can be an inspiration and help others. /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/laugh.gif /forum/images/icons/blush.gif

Margie, hmmmmm lol I'm baaaaaaad at recipies....... I truly am!!! Well, what I do is that I open the fridge and simply take what I got......
Okey first of all the wheat I use for my bread is kind of special; I buy it at a healthstore and it's full of different sort of whole grains and it's dark...... (not rye) Errrr is that a good enough explanation? lol
Then I put in other funny things like whole grained (always the most unprocessed and biggest grains I'll be able to find!!!) oats, anis, fennikel, cinnamon etc (I even sometimes put in a scoop of vanilla protein powder) Some egg whites, water and yeast and then hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm fresh niiiiiice terrible great smelling bread on your way!!!!!!!

I eat it with other egg whites and chicken slices.

(By the way, I can make protein ice cream as well!!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif )

[Philia2]

This morning was quite funny...... I woke up (I've put on the alarm clock to wake me up at 6.30 am...... I always wake up around this time, but never with an alarm clock so it was kinda weird.....) I took my Animal Cuts (geeez, that's a lot of pills to swallow!!!), mixed my protein shake (strawberry powder with water) and jumped on the elliptical trainer.
7 mins of warm up and 7 mins to visualise all my exercises in my head (I always do that).

Now that's nothing new, BUT I kept on yawning........ Hmmmm I know about your body and muscles needing oxygen etc so you yawn but I never do that normally!!! lol it went on for a half an hour; yawn yawn yawn!!!! (I thought it might be psychological that fact of having put on the alarm clock this morning...... I mean when the wake up wasn't "natural" so one just HAS to be tired!!)

Anyway, the work out is over, I had my glutamine, vit C and iron pill (I'm a good girl!) and I'm getting ready for a new day. The diet is back on track and I'm feeling nice (with the beautiful sun wakening up outside).

I'll keep you guys with more info about my reactions to the Animal Cuts (comparing to the ECA Stack).

Morning hugs to you all xxxxxxxxxxx

[Philia2]

It's early morning again and sitting here drinking my tea and eating my oats as always (and the sun is slowly rising outside!!).

My diet yesterday:

<font color="purple"> Around 1800 cal, 170 gr of protein, 130-40 gr of carbs and 50 gr of fat</font color>
<font color="blue">
1. meal: Oats, soymilk and protein powder
2. meal: A pear (not really a meal huh?!!)
3. meal: A little bit of bread (you know "WÄSA"?)with 80 gr of chicken and 2 egg whites
4. meal: 200 gr of chicken and veggies AND a tortilla bread (hmmm no good I know, but it sort of called me out...)
5. meal: 4 egg whites and 40 gr of nuts
6. meal: 100 gr of tofu, 3 egg whites, 40 gr of chicken and some salad
7. meal: half protein shake and fish oil caps </font color>

I kept the calories a little low but Sunday I ate 2500-3000 cal so I thought it would be a good idea with a restricted Monday......

About Animal Cuts; it doesn't give me any tummy probs, trouble of sleeping, head ache or make me jitter as the ECA Stack so that's good. I can still feel it though.
It's a lot of pills to swallow....... 9 in the morning and 9 in the afternoon (and with all my vit etc pills it gives me around 30 pills daily!!!! Geez you can call me a pillaholic!! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )
One major change from the ECA is that I'M HUNGRY!!!!!! Errrrr it definitely hasn't cut my appetite so that, I guess is the most difficult part.

I still stick to my diet (I know what I want!!) but it's annoying to feel hungry...... (maybe I should put up my total calorie intake a little bit as well though).

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> 3. meal: A little bit of bread (you know "WÄSA"?)
About Animal Cuts; it doesn't give me any tummy probs, trouble of sleeping, head ache or make me jitter as the ECA Stack so that's good. I can still feel it though.
It's a lot of pills to swallow....... 9 in the morning and 9 in the afternoon (and with all my vit etc pills it gives me around 30 pills daily!!!! Geez you can call me a pillaholic!! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )
One major change from the ECA is that I'M HUNGRY!!!!!! Errrrr it definitely hasn't cut my appetite so that, I guess is the most difficult part.

I still stick to my diet (I know what I want!!) but it's annoying to feel hungry...... (maybe I should put up my total calorie intake a little bit as well though). <hr /></blockquote>

I love that stuff! WASA..i keep some in my cabinets all the time....you know ~ with some hazelnut butter or almond butter...yum! There is a cheat in my future, just not for the next 39 days! /forum/images/icons/shocked.gif

Hey, tell me why you have to take so many of the animal cuts at one time and if they don't have a thermogenic response, what's the purpose of them? I take about 16pills w/ each meal, not counting my breakfast vitamin pack...an add'l 14, so believe me, i know about the pill popping!
do we ever get used to it???
not!
Your diet looks good....all the things i cannot have right now. Mine is so cut and dry.
what i wouldn't do for a pizza and beer right now! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif
I know, i know....39 days.

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by sicily1962:</font><hr /> Hey, tell me why you have to take so many of the animal cuts at one time and if they don't have a thermogenic response, what's the purpose of them? I take about 16pills w/ each meal, not counting my breakfast vitamin pack...an add'l 14, so believe me, i know about the pill popping!
do we ever get used to it???
not!
<hr /></blockquote>

But I just take the packages!!! That's the difference with those Animal Staks, they are not like other "normal" supplements. They already come in small plastic bags with a special number and mix of different pills. Not only thermogenic complex but also lipotropic, metabolic, herbal diuretic, thyroid ETC complex!!!

Not a typical fat burner but that's excactly what I wanted to try. I don't need to burn too many extra calories (as with a typical ECA Stack) First because of that I don't have too much weight to loose but secondly because I keep the weight loss in control with my diet and training.

[sicily1962]

I see, i see. Is this the guy who came to the gym? Did he sell you this stuff or something else?
I've heard of animal cuts, but have never used the product.
Right now, i'm just using a stack of L-carnatine, argenine, and some other amino's..bcaa's. They give me a boost and i load them 4x's a day.
good luck and let us know how you do with them
margie

[Philia2]

I'm HUNGRY this morning!........ Is it because I didn't train? (no weight training today but only cardio BUT I didn't do anything this early morning, but will do it later...)
It's true that training control my appetite.......

I had my oats, my protein powder etc (I even ate a half apple) I'm drinking soooooo much water and herbal tea but I'm still hungry!!!!

Errrrrr no fun at all.

Should I take some sea weed (spirulina) to fill out my grumpling tummy?!!! Oh I ate all my magic pills (by the way go to Universalnutrition.com if you want to know more about Animal Cuts) I just opened the gym (but no people here yet) now WHAT can I do to keep myself occupied (and NOT think about food!!)?!!!!!
I already cleaned the sanitary, passed the vacuum cleaner, took away the dust and washed the main desk....... Now WHAT?!!!!

Hmmm I think I'll make myself some more green tea... or jump on the stair master..... Or maybe I should skip? Huh?!!! keep up the heart rate (and the thoughts down?) Skip, climb the stairs, play with the dog, drink my tea or pass the vacuum cleaner a second time?

Of course I could work on my dancing for the November show.....

Hmmm I just put a chewing gum into my mouth.... at least then my TEETH stay occupied!!

Geeeeez, is it only ME who's THAT freaky restless?!!!

[Philia2]

One and a half hour later...... I did 10 mins of skipping, 15 mins on the stair master, showed some new exercises to a customer, drank another liter of green tea AND had my second meal (WASA with chicken and egg whites -242 calories, 29,1 gr of protein, 25,4 gr of carbs and 1.8 gr of fat!!)
Okey, you think that I've calmed down now? Nooooo way, I'm still as restless as before (and then I feel like eating something sweet!! )

I know my cardio isn't the best since it's rather short but I still think that I'll do another 15-20 mins (depending on if I have clients, the telephone ringing etc etc)
It's better than nothing huh? I'll still be able to burn some extra calories.......

I just need to keep myself occupied with something!

Kick me with a brick and then maybe I'll calm down /forum/images/icons/grin.gif

Oh gosh, I so know what you're going thru! I absolutely HATE being hungry! Grrrrrr! I get very irritable when I'm starving and can't eat. Cutting just plain sucks especially when you have to starve just to get to 15% body fat like I do. Anyway, I'm with ya girl, it sucks. Seems like every trick in the book doesn't fool your body into thinking it's NOT hungry. Good luck to ya. Soon it'll all be over! Right? You're competing soon right, then you can take a break from the serious cutting. Hang in there! I know EXACTLY how you feel! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/wink.gif

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> One and a half hour later...... I did 10 mins of skipping, 15 mins on the stair master, showed some new exercises to a customer, drank another liter of green tea AND had my second meal (WASA with chicken and egg whites -242 calories, 29,1 gr of protein, 25,4 gr of carbs and 1.8 gr of fat!!)
Okey, you think that I've calmed down now? Nooooo way, I'm still as restless as before (and then I feel like eating something sweet!! )

I just need to keep myself occupied with something!

Kick me with a brick and then maybe I'll calm down /forum/images/icons/grin.gif <hr /></blockquote>

<font color="purple">That's definately the worst part, keep yourself occupied while you are starving....am i talking from experience?? lol! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif
Your comp is in November? What day?
Where are you now as far as body composition? You have to be doing great. Have you picked your music yet?
37 Days now for me....every day goes by faster and faster.
I'm up early for cardio, it's so boring so early in the morning.
At this point i think i'll only need to tan 2x's a week now, my base is in and more would be overkill.
Do you have tanning beds in your gym?
Talk to me girl!! lol! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif
Margie </font color>

[Philia2]

You guys are the best!!!

Luckily I have you to keep me smiling. Right now I'm just feeling a little frustrated about everything...... I hate following this darn diet and taking those even more horrible pills!!!! AND I don't want to give my body four weeks more to lean down but I want to get rid of that last ugly stubborn thigh fat NOW!!!!

That's how it is!!!

Why but whyyyyyyy do we women have more fat on the lower part than the upper body part? Huh?!!!!! That's something cruel and it's just NOT fair!!!

Geeez. Okey I'm stubborn, I train hard, I follow my diet (even when I feel more eating a whole cow!) and I massage and put on expensive cream on those stupid thunder thighs /forum/images/icons/grin.gif lol BUT WHY don't they not just do what I want them to do?!!!!! Huh?!!!! Silly things, silly life and way so silly me. Hmmmrrrph!!!

Ah merde! It's my choice.

Yesterday I only ate around 1700-1800 calories. It wasn't enough of course and I started to shake and about to faint after having done another 30 min of elliptical trainer..... Hmmm no good at all and I had to get some fast sugar (dry raisins!) 10 mins after I felt better so I went out rollar skating with my dog........ (had to burn away the sugar I just ate!! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

I honestly thing that we must be all mad doing what we do! /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif /forum/images/icons/shocked.gif /forum/images/icons/wink.gif Are we normal?!!! lol naaaahhh nope nada nix and niet, don't think so! How CAN you be normal and prepare yourself for a body building competition?!!! Everybody else who has ever done this would know........

/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

[Philia2]

Ooooooooh I cheated on my diet yesterday!!!!!! Oh la laaaa nooooo good at all!!!!! Well, I have been one grumpy woman for the last three days (and NO it's not that time of the month yet!) sooooo errrr well you see hmmmmm I sort of needed errrr I ATE CANDIES!!!!!

Hmmmmm /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif (shame on me!!)

I didn't eat anything else though...... I mean I ate those delicious terrible sticky sugary pink marchmallows, funny licorice whatever cartoon figures AND green (I don't like the green ones..... they taste of artificial apple!!), red (strawberry), yellow (banana, I would have prefered lemon...) and blue (TUTTI FRUTTI!!!! lol my favorite!!!) sweet acid yummy gummy things with planet, star and fusil shapes...... (those sort of candies you put inside your mouth saying "oh la laaaa, mais ça piiiiique!!!" /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

Hmmmm no wonder I wasn't feeling any hungry afterwards..... I DID drink a half protein shake before going to bed, but that was more my brain telling me that I probably needed some protein (and not only sugar) and not because I really felt like one.......

Errrrr okey where am I now?!!!

I got 7 weeks before my competition, I still weight around 150 lbs, my body fat measure whatever that's called plastic thing says that I'm at 13.5% (but i don't know if I'm doing it right), I like what I see in the mirror (of course my upper body looks ten times more cut than the lower one..... /forum/images/icons/mad.gif /forum/images/icons/mad.gif ) and I only need to be at around 11-12% body fat for the comp (I told you, it's NOT a really body builder comp but more a "Serge Nubret Show with beautiful male and female athletes, dancing around smiling on stage!!!").

SO, after all it cannot be that bad.....

The weird thing about my cheating is that I honestly feel better today......
Now what is the conclusion of that one?!!! Okey, my total calorie intake was probably too low (I need to stay at at least 2000 and not go down to 1800) AND maybe I need to put in some carb up days......

Today I'll keep my carbs a little bit low though...... I'll up the proteins and do some extra cardio tonight (I just did my legs this morning).

To be continued....... /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

[sicily1962]

I think the cheating thing will just fix itself as you get closer. I'm sure it was nothing to worry too much about.

wow..you are right on my heels with your comp. I'm 5wks out tomorrow w/ my first and then 7wks from the second. (Nov 9th) It sounds like we'll both have something to talk about that weekend!

Good luck girl, you'll do just fine. I don't know why you're so worried about the leg thing ~ remember, they get better every time you do a comp and you definately had them inline the last time.
worry wart! lol! Hey ~ i can relate, that's all i seem to worry about these days.
Well, share your w/o's with us...let me see if i'm missing out on anything! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif
have a good day ~ and NO CHEATING!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif

Margie

[Philia2]

You want another leg work out? lol okey this morning:

1 set of 100 reps leg press (I like starting out with this one.... I don't take too heavy but it starts to burn after the first 50 reps)
3 sets of 12 straight leg dead lift
3 sets of 12 lower back extensions (works my bum as well!!!)
3 sets of 30 very low and feet wide apart squat
3 sets of 10 jumping with feet together on a tall step (45 cm. This exercise really is a killer but it's great to wake up the fast fibres...... /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )
3 sets of 10 climbing up the step with heavy dumbells in the hands, one leg at a time
3 sets of 20 on the floor bum exercise with angle weights, legs straight
3 sets of 20 on the floor bum exercise with bend leg and weight (you know the exercise when you look like a dog who pees?!!! lol)

Errrrr that was it BUT I worked my shoulders and abs as well!!!

Margie, I'm the silly one and you are the hard working strong one. You'll do marvelous at your competition and I just cannot wait seeing your beautiful pics!!!

You are doing sooooooo great!!!!!!

[sicily1962]

Ok girl, I'm all about that workout...I love the 100rep scheme...definately up for that tomorrow.
I usually do step-up at least every week, but the jumping thing...gotta try that. Inner/outers, that's one i have added in the past 2wks to help tighten things up.

Something has happend to me today.... I'm MELTING!!! OMG!! Since i left for work this morning, my jeans began to sag in the butt and legs and my vascularity is really pronounced in my arms and chest. Amazing! Wow, it's like overnight things are coming together.
I don't see my trainer until next Saturday, but i think it's going to be VERY good!
I'll have to keep an eye on all this and keep you posted. I guess my body is agreeing with my new carb cycle i'm doing. The first couple of days were a little rough, but i've adjusted very well.
I will talk to Tiffani when she gets home from school and find out exactly what her destination is, I would love for you to meet her!

Hang in there woman, you are doing great!
Did i tell you the desinger making my suits got a call last week after Lenda Murray got her new suit and hired her to do 2 more for the Olympia???? wow! I can't wait to get into my suits, i have to say, i will feel amazing in them! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif

ciao..margie

[Philia2]

I only ate around 1600 calories yesterday...... Yes I know it's quite low but I thought it was a good idea after my "sugar party" the day before. (I wasn't even feeling hungry with only 1600 cal..... I must say that I didn't let myself alone more than 5 mins WITHOUT drinking any water or one of my favorite herb teas..... It kept my tummy full and my mouth busy!)

Today I'll get in around 2000 calories and I think I'll try to stay with that.

I'm feeling a little tired and down today. It has been a hard week, not only diet or training wise but work as well.
Ah well, I'll keep going strong (and smily) and I'll take a nice long day off tomorrow. /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif /forum/images/icons/smile.gif /forum/images/icons/ooo.gif /forum/images/icons/ooo.gif

[Philia2]

I had a new experience last night, well it's not something weird or unatural, but for me it was the very first time:
I woke up in the middle of the night to drink a protein shake!!!!!

Hmmmm I mix the shake with water and it's "mixed" protein powder -not pure whey.

Well, I sort of liked it...... Well it's like that I felt my tummy digest during the night and not just go in coma (since I don't eat for around 10 hours) It wasn't uncomfortable and this morning I felt less "empty" BUT as hungry as always.

I wonder if this night shake is a good idea or not. Calorie wise I'll just put the number of calories to my daily intake so that's not a problem.

Anybody got experience with this?

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> I had a new experience last night, well it's not something weird or unatural, but for me it was the very first time:
I woke up in the middle of the night to drink a protein shake!!!!!

Hmmmm I mix the shake with water and it's "mixed" protein powder -not pure whey.

Well, I sort of liked it...... Well it's like that I felt my tummy digest during the night and not just go in coma (since I don't eat for around 10 hours) It wasn't uncomfortable and this morning I felt less "empty" BUT as hungry as always.

I wonder if this night shake is a good idea or not. Calorie wise I'll just put the number of calories to my daily intake so that's not a problem.

Anybody got experience with this? <hr /></blockquote>

<font color="red"> It's really a good idea. your body is already low on food because you havent' eaten in several hours past your last meal. this will actually help to feed the muscle and i know alot of people that do it regularly.
I feel it is beneficial to the body and also do it. Not only that, they are lean calories with limited fat and carbs.

I'd make it a habit. You may notice some really good changes!
Margie </font color>

[Philia2]

Well, I'm afraid that I feel a little bit blocked..... (it's also true that I'm not the most patient person on this earth!)
I've been taking Animal Cuts for 1 1/2 week now and instead of losing weight I have actually GAINED almost 2 lbs...... No, I don't look any fatter but not any leaner as well and my measurations are the same......

Hmmmm, I now only get 6 weeks left to loose the last 2 % of bodyfat and I'm starting to freak out a little.....

I keep to my diet (45% protein, 35% carbs, 25% fat) but cycle the carbs a little from 100 to around 150-200 gr daily.

Honestly I feel a little bit lost. I weight train 4 times a week for one hour and cardio around 4-5 hours as well. Of course I could try more, but everytime I try to push myself further (training when I feel tired or more HIIT) well then I overtrain and feel dooooown.

Should I eat more or less?

My MB is around 2400 cal and now I eat around 1700-2000 calories daily. 6-7 meals but only slow burning carbs in the first two (I train in the mornings).

Hmmmmmm /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif

[sicily1962]

I've always heard that taking a couple of days off helps with breaking a plateau. When was the last time you did that?

Also, have you thought about just eating fibrous carbs for a few days and then cycling in 3-4 days later 3 times that amount in add'l starchy? It might actually trick your system.
At this point, being so far out, you can afford to give it a try.

You'll be fine girl, don't panick now ~ you're sounding like me! lol!
That added 2lbs could be new muscle. The way you are eating, i would doubt it would be anything else.
But, i would definately change up your nutrition. That could be the key.

Don't panick! I need you sane to keep me straight! lol!
Margie

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by sicily1962:</font><hr />
You'll be fine girl, don't panick now ~ you're sounding like me! lol!
That added 2lbs could be new muscle. The way you are eating, i would doubt it would be anything else.
But, i would definately change up your nutrition. That could be the key.

Don't panick! I need you sane to keep me straight! lol!
Margie <hr /></blockquote>


Hmmm Margie, did I ever tell how much I love you?!!!!!! /forum/images/icons/smile.gif /forum/images/icons/smile.gif

Lol, I guess we both are a little weaker now because of the stress from all the diet etc

Thanks girl, you really saved my day (no nothing has changed but giving me this big smile just made me feel a lot stronger!!!) /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr />
Hmmm Margie, did I ever tell how much I love you?!!!!!! /forum/images/icons/smile.gif /forum/images/icons/smile.gif

<font color="blue">It's ok honey, i'm a good woman! lol!
</font color>
Remember, The only difference between a rut and a grave ~ is the depth...

Lol, I guess we both are a little weaker now because of the stress from all the diet etc
<font color="blue">Yea..i feel the stress by the end of the day...don't even look at me funny! I seem to have NO patients! </font color>

Thanks girl, you really saved my day (no nothing has changed but giving me this big smile just made me feel a lot stronger!!!) /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif
<font color="blue">Well, thank you! I'm here to help!
With 31 Days left to go myself, i'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel! I swear, it's amazing...one day you're thinking
"Well, i have 12wks till that competition. The next minute you are scrambling to make sure no stone goes unturned...tannning, posing, diet, workouts.
Countless hours of planning.
I know in the end, we will have accomplished what most only dream of doing.

That's what sets us apart... and we'll wake up after it's all over with and think ~ Wow, i can't wait to do that again!
It just gets better everytime. </font color>

<hr /></blockquote>

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> Well, I'm afraid that I feel a little bit blocked..... (it's also true that I'm not the most patient person on this earth!)
I've been taking Animal Cuts for 1 1/2 week now and instead of losing weight I have actually GAINED almost 2 lbs...... No, I don't look any fatter but not any leaner as well and my measurations are the same......<hr /></blockquote>

Oh my gosh! And I thought *I* had very ODD things that happened to me and ONLY me! Nina, I got really discouraged when a similiar thing happened to me. I was cutting, started taking a fat burner and a few weeks later had hubby caliper me and do you know what?! My body fat actually read HIGHER than it had BEFORE I started using a fat burner! I'm serious! You can proabably even find that somewhere in one of my journals. For sure I know I posted it somewhere here on Abc, that I'm the only person I know that can be on a cutting diet, start taking a fat burner and actually put ON fat!!!! At least according to the calipers I had. Then of course those few weeks I went on the Beverly diet, finally I started losing body fat again but then I was suffering with feeling like crap, getting weak and dizzy, feeling like I'd pass out if I didn't eat something. So after all that, you know what that told me? That my body was rebelling against me. That's a good reason why you should never cut for too long, never keep your calories below maintenance for too long is my belief as your body catches on and then it only rebels. This may be what is happening to you as well. I realize you're getting ready for a competition but it sounds to me like it might be time to actually stop the fat burner and increase the calories a bit. Sometimes this helps. Go off the fat burner and eat more calories for several days, seriously, it might work. I really think your body is rebelling against you as was mine. This is one big reason I finally decided to stop cutting and trying to be something my body clearly doesn't wanna be. I've found that my body, I guess my genetics, doesn't want to be lower than 18% body fat. So I decided to stop fighting my body and just be happy at where I'm at now and actually feel good as well. Altho I'd LOVE to be able to maintain at 15% body fat, apparently I can't without starving, without fighting my body. So now I must learn to be satisfied where I'm at and realize I still look good even if I'm not as lean as 15%. Anyway, that's just something I've personally come to grips with recently but I also don't have a goal of competing so I realize your goals are gonna differ. And that's the best advice I can offer to you is that your body probably needs a break, it's probably rebelling against you. I really know how you feel! I've been thru that same frustration and discouragement. So keep your chin up and relax. I hope everything works out for you. http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/wink.gif

[Philia2]

Krypto, you're so right, but honestly I'm too afraid to let myself go since I'm that close to the competition.

SO, I'm just trying my very best to keep those calories down and cycle my carbs every 3-4 days..... (I just managed to do two days of 1650 calories..... That's almost 800 calories under my maintance so YES I'm hungry!!!!)

Now why is this competition that important when it's NOT really a "real" competition?!..... No, winning this one will not get me any closer to any national prize BUT it'll be able to get me closer to the "porte de sortie" -a door out, a way of moving, getting on with life, doing something else, quitting my job, moving country etc etc...... (maybe I'm just stupidly dreaming...)

Soooo many important people will be at that competition and I'll need desperately somebody offering me something (a sponsor!!) so I can start earning some money!!!!! I need to get on with life, I want to do something else than what I'm doing today.
No, don't misunderstand me, I love my job and what I'm doing here in France, but as I said before, well then I'm starting to feel a little bit alone...... I live in an extremely beautiful area but also a very closed place and I simply starting to feel like needing more air to breath......

Maybe I'm just being stupidly naive of thinking that I might can find somebody who can help me BUT that's all I got for the moment.

I'll see my doctor later this morning. I need him to give me some other pills (calcium, iron etc lol nothing funny there! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif ) AND I need to have another blood test taken (I have one every around 6 months just to see if everything is allright.....) I really HATE having a blood test taking, but I like to know that my body got everything it needs. (Here in France, those supplementary pills and blood test is covered and paid by the security system and your insurrance so nope, it'll not cost me a dime!!! Say that they like to help you prevent the illness instead of curing...)

Anyway, I'll keep you informed. Good morning to all! xxxxxx

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> Krypto, you're so right, but honestly I'm too afraid to let myself go since I'm that close to the competition.

SO, I'm just trying my very best to keep those calories down and cycle my carbs every 3-4 days..... (I just managed to do two days of 1650 calories..... That's almost 800 calories under my maintance so YES I'm hungry!!!!)

<hr /></blockquote>

Nina,
I think you have the right idea here. Your carb up will get you thru the next 2 or 3 days and then back up again. I know it's hard, but you are strong....
we girls gotta stick together!
I think Krypto is the lucky one right now....i envy her, but then again, when i get onstage in my new teensy weensy gorgeous bikini...
well then ~ i'll know it has all paid off!
Definately worth the sacrifice to work towards getting my National Qualifier.
See ~ we all have dreams...some similar i see!
You'll do it girl, time flies you know....when we're having fun! /forum/images/icons/confused.gif
have a great day!
Margie

[Philia2]

I went to my doctor yesterday morning.

Well he already knows that I'm not like his other typical clients (who? me? lol) so normally he never asks any questions but just give me the products (micro nutrition) I need (and then shakes his head. He knows that I know......).

Now yesterday I asked him about the x2 receptors (the fat cells on our beautiful legs) ...... <font color="green"> "huh, Nina what's that all about now?</font color> <font color="red"> "Well, dear doctor, you know us women and or thighs right?!" </font color> <font color="green"> "Err yes?" </font color> (not looking very reasured...) <font color="red"> "Hmmm and you know that we got more fat on the thighs because of our female hormones okey?...... Now don't you have a brilliant wonder product who can melt away that annoying ugly terrible last stubborn fat?!!! You know, something that sort of can controool the hormones (and give me more lean muscle mass in the same time -why not? /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif )" </font color> Now this normally quite calm doctor got all red in his head and he said <font color="green"> "But Nina you look sooo good without a beard and I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY ILLEGAL PRODUCTS!!!!" </font color>

End of that discussion.

I got some good news though and that is that my diet finally has started to show it's signs on my body. I'm finally beginning to get leaner. I did two very low calorie and carb days Monday and Tuesday, then I ate a little more yesterday (otherwise I know that I'll feel too ****ty the rest of the week.... /forum/images/icons/frown.gif ) and two more low calorie and carb days today and tomorrow.

Sort of cycling my carbs and calories but in the same time not to be TOO strict about myself (I don't want to become too skinny after all.... Hmmm not always easy to find the right balance huh?!!)

I'll have the blood test taking next Wednesday.

[sicily1962]

I'm glad your carb up went well.
One book that helped me alot when i was learning about contest prep was:
"Sliced" by Bill Reynolds and Negrita Jayde
She goes over in detail 2 carb cycling diets and how they work. You can probably pick it up for a really good price on Barnes and Noble's website.
www.b&amp;n.com
or books for less.

Yea, your doctor did the right thing...we don't need to be growing any extra body parts! lol!

Hang in there girl! You are doing so good!
I'll check up on you later, time to sweat!
Margie

[Philia2]

Uhhh it feels good FINALLY to see that darn diet is working..... I had to lower my calorie intake (and I'm always hungry) BUT I lost some fat and it looks good!!!!!

My diet:

1. meal : Whole grain oats, soy milk and protein powder
2. meal : some whole grain crackers, chicken and egg whites
3. meal : 5 egg whites, one yolk, tofu and veggies
4. meal : egg whites, chicken and some nuts and almonds
5. meal : chicken, egg whites and salad
6. meal : protein shake and some fish oil

Around 1650 calories, 170 gr of protein, 110 gr of carbs and 55 gr of fat.

I had another absolutely great news yesterday that made me smile for hours.......
In France we got a BB magazine called "Monde de Muscle" and in the October version you'll find me on one of the first pages (picture and small article). That's soooo cool lol
Now yesterday I had somebody sending me a fan letter asking me for a photo!!!! lol you imagine?!!!! woooooow lol tell me about making me happy there!!!!

Anyway when I saw the magazine, I just kept thinking, that I'm gonna do it better for this soon coming comp!!! This is great motivation (and I needed that!) Now I cannot wait....... I'll show them (yes I will! Hmmmmm at least I'll try my best!!! /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif )

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> Uhhh it feels good FINALLY to see that darn diet is working..... I had to lower my calorie intake (and I'm always hungry) BUT I lost some fat and it looks good!!!!!

I had another absolutely great news yesterday that made me smile for hours.......
In France we got a BB magazine called "Monde de Muscle" and in the October version you'll find me on one of the first pages (picture and small article). That's soooo cool lol
Now yesterday I had somebody sending me a fan letter asking me for a photo!!!! lol you imagine?!!!! woooooow lol tell me about making me happy there!!!!

Anyway when I saw the magazine, I just kept thinking, that I'm gonna do it better for this soon coming comp!!! This is great motivation (and I needed that!) Now I cannot wait....... I'll show them (yes I will! Hmmmmm at least I'll try my best!!! /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif ) <hr /></blockquote>

You go girl!!
Don't they have a website that we can take a peek at your pic????
That's so cool!
I'm really glad to hear that you are enjoying some great results. I know that really makes the difference, just about the time you want to scream! lol!

I really had a feeling switching things up in your diet would make the difference for you. Hey ~ tell me, what are those crackers you had for your lunch???
NO MAN MADE STUFF!! /forum/images/icons/shocked.gif
lol!
Keep up the great work woman! I can't wait to see the pic with you holding your first place trophy!
Margie

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by sicily1962:</font><hr /> Hey ~ tell me, what are those crackers you had for your lunch???
NO MAN MADE STUFF!! /forum/images/icons/shocked.gif
lol!
<hr /></blockquote>

But I tooold you that's those smart crunchy WASA things!!! lol I eat 4 small pieces and they give me excactly 120 calories, 3.6 gr of proteins, 24.8 gr of carbs (but 7 gr are fibres and NO sugar!) and 0.8 gr of fat.

I need some carbs in my second meal. I tried to eat only protein and fat but then I start to shake and I wont be able to make it till the rest of the day.....

I miss my home made bread though....... /forum/images/icons/frown.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif /forum/images/icons/frown.gif

[Philia2]

It's early Saturday morning, the sun has just woken up and I'm sitting here feeling soooooo hungry lol since I'm waiting for my bread to be finish baking...... (and it smells sooooo good!!! It's finish in around 30 mins!!)

I did another leg training this morning, and I did something I want to tell you all about; 3 sets of 20 jumping squats!!!!! Geeeeeeez, if you want to boost your metabolism and get some more explosive strength in your legs, well yes then jumping squats is THE exercise! (get somebody to help you, watch your knees and NEVER take heavy!)

It's not the first time I've been doing this but the first time I've been doing that many (20) in one row (normally I just do 10). I can tell you I was tired after..... BUT it felt soooo good!!!!

Yesterday I took a day off. It was more out of necessity than my choice. I was feeling soooooo physical weak the whole day long....... Okey maybe it was because of my daily calorie which was quite low (1600) but it still wasn't a very nice feeling (that's why I'm carbing up today).

I like to see the changings in my body but I still need enough strength to work out.

The weird thing about yesterday was also that I didn't really feel hungry. I felt weak and tired yes and I know it's because of the diet but it was more like "oh, it's time to eat again" than my tummy making funny sounds.
Maybe my body has just got use to the dieting?.....

Anyway I still got 5 weeks and I don't want to loose much more than maybe 2-3 more lbs. It's weekend and I'll eat some more carbs (and fruit!!) and Monday I'll turn down the calories again.

[Philia2]

Oh la laaaa it's now Saturday evening and I really don't want to know how many calories I ate today......

Hmmmmm bread, fruit, candies, sweet chili sauce...... you name it. Wow I feel bloated like a whale from all the carbs.

I think I'll do an hour of slow cardio tonight while watching TV. Nope, it wont burn away all the extra calories but it'll might make me feel less enormous!! /forum/images/icons/blush.gif

I didn't really eat that much in quantity but when your body is use to eat all those small portions (and not many carbs) well then it's like your body reacts ten times faster when you change.... Anyway, my tummy feels like a water melon.

Tomorrow it's Sunday, but I'll start the diet again.
Promise!!!!!! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/wink.gif /forum/images/icons/wink.gif

[sicily1962]

Honey ~ are you PMS'ing or what??
lol!
too funny, i would have been right there with you eating all of that, trust me.
Enjoy it. Tomorrow is another day!
Margie

[Philia2]

I got two things to tell you this morning.

First of all something that it's quite logical but that my little mind didn't manage to realize no sooner than yesterday..... /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif
Okey, my parents (among others) think that I'm soooo skinny, but when they see me with clothes on, apparently it's not that bad.
I'm at 13% body fat right now so comparing to all other female creatures around here where I live, well then YES I'm quite skinny after all BUT they don't knooooow 'cause you don't SEE it!!!
I don't feel skinny at all, that's the most weird thing, but I don't!
I have never before in my life (before starting to compete) been so low in total bodyfat, but today it's sort of HARD to realize me with a higher fat % and NOT looking fat.....

Errrrr, you get it? I mean this fact of having lost all that fat BUT put on muscles has changed sooooo much the whole aspect and look of my body. I'm NOT skinny 'cause I'm muscular (and for my parents I just need to keep on my clothes!!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif ) but I'm still a lot lower in body fat than this nice looking "sticky" model living next door....... (I've always thought that geeeez, those models must really not eat anything...... I mean they don't have any lean muscle mass at all so the smallest thing they'll eat you'll see on their tiny little bony hips!!!)

Ah well this skinny-muscular-not-looking-fat or fat-skinny or no fat-skinny-muscular etc thing kept my mind boiling for a couple of hours yesterday......

The second thing is about stretching.

Everybody knows that stretching is necessairy to keep a great and strong body. Stretching has proven to help your give nicer looking muscles, stronger joints and ligaments etc etc BUT why the heck is stretching soooooooo incredible boring??!!!

Okey I stretch (even though that I would love to be a LOT more flexible than I am!!) but I'm honestly a little ashamed to say that I DON'T LIKE IT!!!! (when I worked in Paris as an aerobic/fitness teacher I always hated to give the stretching lessons. Why? Because from doing HILO and Step classes the whole day, well then those stretching classes just simply completely broke my fast jumping tempo and made me sooooo tired for hours afterwards...)

And it even hurts...... /forum/images/icons/mad.gif /forum/images/icons/mad.gif I mean if stretching could be something more comfortable then mayyybe I'd like it a lot more!

(Okey, it doesn't really help me being one of those terrible annoying "never-sit-still" persons so just the fact of sitting there keeping the streth for 15-30 sec is enough to drive me nuts....!!!)

[Philia2]

http://www.photosapiens.com/com/00001546/photospetites/8dee2213aaa3_1989.jpg

Just want to show you my baby dog..... (she's the big one to the left!!)

[Philia2]

Okey as a conclusion to this fat-skinny-muscular whatever thing I talked about earlier:

Girls, the more muscular you get, the less fat you should have on your body (or you'll just look too big...)

No, I'm not talking about 10-12% of total body fat, but more like max 16-18%.

Look at this one: http://www.photosapiens.com/com/00001546/photospetites/8dee7215af20_1989.jpg

It was taken last January AND I'm around 24% bodyfat!!! (of course I'm not showing you my hips either!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif ) lol seriously, I don't really look that fat do I? No, but with my muscles today and with the same fat % as 10 months ago well then I miiiight look a tiiiny little bit FAT!!

Hmmm we (beautiful strong) women got cuuuurves but not curves made of fat. That's the whole deal, that's what it's all about. AND that's excactly WHY we are weight training and watching so closely our diets. We like our muscular but no fat strong curvy tony call it what you want BODIES!!!!

AND the very best darn thing is that we can eat a lot more food than those skinny sticky winny girls you'll all find in the fashion magazines!!!!!

Ahhhhhrrrr, just another strange thinky winky thought from over seas...... /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr />AND the very best darn thing is that we can eat a lot more food than those skinny sticky winny girls you'll all find in the fashion magazines!!!!! <hr /></blockquote>

YEAH! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif http://www.plauder-smilies.de/biglaugh.gif

And I'm with ya Nina, on everything you're saying. Yep, when you're muscular, you NEED to have less bodyfat otherwise you just look BIG. See now, I think this is what so many women get confused about. They start lifting and don't like how they are looking just plain BIGGER so then they come to the wrong conclusion. They think that the LIFTING is making them too bulky when in reality, it is because they are not EATING correctly! They are putting on muscle but not LOSING the fat and in that case, yes, they will look bulky.

Oh, and you're not the only one who hates stretching, TRUST ME! I REALLY hate stretching too! I've actually gotten SORE from stretching! It takes too long and it's really boring. I'm with ya! /forum/images/icons/wink.gif

[Philia2]

I'll write again later today (I need to clean the gym now! /forum/images/icons/tongue.gif ) but I simply wanted to tell you that I just had the answers from my blood test and EVERYTHING IS OKEY!!!!!!

Geez, not that I was suspecting anything dangerous but it's still great to know that even though I train like crazy, eat a lot of proteins, no diary products etc that my body does't miss anything important (vitamines, iron, calcium etc) My thyroid is okey as well. I'm all happy and sane!!!! /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif /forum/images/icons/grin.gif

I hate having those blood test taken but I can only recommend it. We only got one body and we need to take care of ourselves!!!!!

[Philia2]

I just ate lunch (my third meal) but I'm still hungry...... I once read somewhere something about lift heavy, stay strong, and stay hungry!!!! AND that's excactly what I'm doing! /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif

Everybody likes (or dreams about) having a beautiful toned, muscular shaped and very lean body but I don't know many people who actually LIKE the diet...... The training and needed discipline is okey but the literally diet sucks......
Always watching the slightest little food, calculating everything, always eating the same thing etc etc No real fun there.

But then again this strong feeling of being able to control and how darn proud you are of yourself when knowing that you're on the right way and you finally see the changings on your body in the mirror......
Is that really worth all the "suffering"?!!!

It's tough to do competitions (and my comp prep is nothing next to Sicily!!) but then again why do we do it?!!!

A personal challenge? To show who?
Because we like to (suffer) be in that much control of our bodies? (sadomasochistic behavior?!!! /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif )
or because we all got small innocent dreams of going somewhere else, reaching some far out shiny little stars and living new different excotic lives?......

Do we really know what we want, or do we just try desperately to follow the books?

Hmmmm I'm on a darn diet, I'm hungry, it bothers me you don't know how much AND I'm getting all philosofical here!!!! lol

I guess this is not a "typical" work out journal but more about all the thoughts, feelings, dreams, suffering, yawning, grumpling, smiling and sensations about all this whole fitness/bodybuilding competition, training and diet world!!

Ah well, I'll make myself another liter of herbal tea and make my mind forget hooooooow much it could be nice to eat a biiiiiiiig fat vanilla and cherry ice cream, some goood salty licorice, one or two crusty pita bread with sweet chili sauce, small yummy pink marchmallows, delicious pop corns or SOMETHING completely different like some egg whites with brocoli...... /forum/images/icons/crazy.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif /forum/images/icons/smirk.gif

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> I just ate lunch (my third meal) but I'm still hungry......<hr /></blockquote>

I know THAT feeling!!

[ QUOTE ]
The training and needed discipline is okey but the literally diet sucks......<hr /></blockquote>

Word. http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Do we really know what we want, or do we just try desperately to follow the books?<hr /></blockquote>

Good question. I know I certainly don't always know what I want. Seems like I'm always changing my mind!

[ QUOTE ]
I guess this is not a "typical" work out journal but more about all the thoughts, feelings, dreams, suffering, yawning, grumpling, smiling and sensations about all this whole fitness/bodybuilding competition, training and diet world!!<hr /></blockquote>

That's okay, you're making others who are going thru the same thing not feel so alone. And you're teaching those who haven't "been there" yet what it's like. And showing others just how difficult it IS to have a dream body and then they can understand why EVERYONE isn't gorgeous! Rock on Nina! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

[Philia2]

I just had another "what the heck am I doing here and I'm sooo bored and tired of everything" crisis....... I wonder if it's something to do with my diet.
I mean I'm never ever depressed or something but now this is the second time in a little bit more than one month that I'm so sick and tired of everything that I can explode (or just run away!!!).

It's not a nice feeling (and I really don't like myself like that). Oh I can still smile and pretend that everything is going smooth but inside it's just a big chaos.
It's not that I don't like what I'm doing, but it's just like something stronger than me is tearing me from all sides, telling me to jump in the sea, run on the fields and move to another planet. AND then I feel boooooored !!! It's rather awful /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif I read some magazines, go long walks in the forest with my dog, drink gallons of tea, clean the gym, write on the net ( /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) and have loooong interesting conversations with my clients /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif BUT I still feel this darn emptyness inside me.

Another thing I have noticed is that I've started to live to eat....... (and no longer eat to live). Hmmm I know the excact hours where I have another little meal and in between well, then I'm just waiting (I'm not even feeling very hungry any longer) I eat what I have to eat (don't take any real pleasure out of it), train when I have to train (and smile when I have to smile....)

Hmmm something is wrong there...... Ah well, it's just a stupid thing from a silly me. I'm sure that everything will be okey tomorrow....... /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif
_______________________________________________

I just finished my last weekly weight training, this morning it was legs and shoulders. I did lots of jumping squats again and even though that I started to shake in the end, it felt sooooo good ( ya know, you feel a little tired and lazy and you don't reeally want to do it, but then you give yourself a big kick in the behind and do it anyway, and after you just feel soooooo good and HAPPY because it's OVER /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm still following my diet ( lol honestly, everytime I feel like cheating I think about Sicily!!!! SO I stay on the track!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) and this week I did 1600 calories Monday and Tuesday, Wed 1900 and Thirs + Friday 1700 calories. Today I'll carb up (and I'll probably get in around 2500) All the gym's customers are starting to give me compliments ("Nina tu as vraiment sechée!!! wow!" /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) so that's the good thing. My scale on the contrary is giving me a hard time fooling around with the numbers and I weight somewhere between 149-152 lbs. I don't really care as long as I like what I see in the mirror (but it's still rather strange! /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif)

I got four weeks left for the competition. I still don't want to loose a lot more weight but I also don't want to destroy everything now so I'll stay a good girl!!!!!

[sicily1962]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr> I just had another "what the heck am I doing here and I'm sooo bored and tired of everything" crisis....... I wonder if it's something to do with my diet.
I mean I'm never ever depressed or something but now this is the second time in a little bit more than one month that I'm so sick and tired of everything that I can explode (or just run away!!!).

I'm still following my diet ( lol honestly, everytime I feel like cheating I think about Sicily!!!! SO I stay on the track!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) and this week I did 1600 calories Monday and Tuesday, Wed 1900 and Thirs + Friday 1700 calories. Today I'll carb up (and I'll probably get in around 2500) All the gym's customers are starting to give me compliments ("Nina tu as vraiment sechée!!! wow!" /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) so that's the good thing. My scale on the contrary is giving me a hard time fooling around with the numbers and I weight somewhere between 149-152 lbs. I don't really care as long as I like what I see in the mirror (but it's still rather strange! /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif)

I got four weeks left for the competition. I still don't want to loose a lot more weight but I also don't want to destroy everything now so I'll stay a good girl!!!!! <hr /></blockquote>

Girl hang in there!!! I need you!!!! /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
<font color="blue">I've got 20 days today....you are right behind me!!! Don't let the negative thoughts creep in, it will all be over with before you know it and then you can relax and enjoy the holidays....add some more mass...eat some wonderful homemade bread!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Just think...even after i'm done on the 26th, i've got another one just 2wks later!! You'll be done in 4!
Don't you feel for me honey? lol! /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
You are doing so well with your diet cycling, that must really make you happy.
I'm glad it is working for you.
Be strong, eat to live, not live to eat and think about how awsome you will feel when you walk off with that huge trophy and smile on your face!!
/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Be strong!!!!!!
Margie </font color>

[Philia2]

Oh (before I forget it) I need to tell you all a smart way to trick you sugar cravings!!

You know those hard licorice roots? (you can find them in health shops) Well, you can chew on one for hours and it'll give you a delicious licorice taste in the mouth but NO CALORIES!!!!

Gooooood thing!!! /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr> I just had another "what the heck am I doing here and I'm sooo bored and tired of everything" crisis....... I wonder if it's something to do with my diet.<hr /></blockquote>

It's the diet. I think so anyway, cause believe me, you're not alone with those thoughts! I can remember going thru that several times as well and just feeling bummed out for no apparent reason. I do think it's the diet cause I'm not normally like that either. And I haven't had that happen now since I stopped cutting.

Just hang in there til after your show then you really need to give it a break. Slowly go back up to maintenance calories, your body NEEDS and will appreciate the break.

My thoughts are with ya! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/wink.gif

[Philia2]

A HUGE thank you thank you thank you to you both!!!! I really needed that! /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif

You know even though that you got many people around, you can still feel a little alone with the dreams, thoughts and goals. AND sometimes you really just don't know if you are all well in your head or not since you're feeling so weird and just cannot share or talk with others (beacuse they will simply think that you are an alien!!!)........

You really think it's the diet?

Maybe I should upper my daily calorie intake then.

I've stopped doing a lot of cardio as well. Why? Because I feel physically tired. Maybe if I started to eat more, then I would have more energy to do cardio AND I'll still make a calorie deficit and continue burning fat..... (BUT feeling happier!! /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

I want to have some pics taken to show you.

The bikini, night dress, shoes etc, the chorography, music and poses are all ready (I can jump on stage tomorrow if you want! /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) Now I'm just still training, dieting, trying to make my everyday rich and not dream/hope too much..... (I got so many hopes about this competition so it almost scares me. What if I do so bad, and what if all those silly hopes are just made of water and air and nothing is gonna be?!!!! Hmmmmm?!! )

I can only wait (patience is NOT my strength!!!).

Oh a little training update:

I'm still weight training 4 times a week, every body part twice.
Cardio 4 times 30-45 mins.

My weight is still a big mystery but I've definitely lost some fat, my abs stick out, you can see the blue vein on my biceps, my shoulder seperation is deep and my thighs looks a lot leaner.

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr> You know even though that you got many people around, you can still feel a little alone with the dreams, thoughts and goals. AND sometimes you really just don't know if you are all well in your head or not since you're feeling so weird and just cannot share or talk with others (beacuse they will simply think that you are an alien!!!)........<hr /></blockquote>

Yep.

[ QUOTE ]
You really think it's the diet?<hr /></blockquote>

Yeah, I really do.

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe I should upper my daily calorie intake then.<hr /></blockquote>

I'm sure it wouldn't hurt as long as you do it slowly cause the way it sounds, your body is rebelling against you now with the losing fat thing. I think it's being stubborn and holding onto it especially when you tell me you just feel physically tired and stopped a lot of the cardio. That tells me your body has figured out what is going on and most likely it feels like it's in trouble and has now kicked into the survival mode.

[ QUOTE ]
I want to have some pics taken to show you.<hr /></blockquote>

That would be great!

[ QUOTE ]
Now I'm just still training, dieting, trying to make my everyday rich and not dream/hope too much..... (I got so many hopes about this competition so it almost scares me. What if I do so bad, and what if all those silly hopes are just made of water and air and nothing is gonna be?!!!! Hmmmmm?!! )<hr /></blockquote>

Oh my. You have to stop thinking that way. You're setting yourself up for trouble. You cannot base your whole feeling of self worth on some competition, definitely do NOT do that! You cannot rely on things like that for your happiness, the happiness has to come from inside. So what if you don't do well? First off don't even think negatively like that, think positive, you CAN and you WILL do well. And if you don't, well then you chalk it up as experience gained, just another competition. There will be many others, no biggie in the huge scheme of life, and just work on what needs improved for the next one.

[ QUOTE ]
My weight is still a big mystery but I've definitely lost some fat, my abs stick out, you can see the blue vein on my biceps, my shoulder seperation is deep and my thighs looks a lot leaner. <hr /></blockquote>

Now that is WAY cool! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif Wish I could see my bicep veins again! And shoulder separation, gosh I would LOVE to have more of that!

[Philia2]

I've decided to take some days off...... No I'm not going to eat junk food and do whatever, I'm still following my diet, but if I take one egg white more than usual then I really don't want to worry.

I weight trained yesterday morning. I felt tired and the only thing that kept me going on was my ECA Stack...... I DID succeed in having a nice work out though.
This morning I normally train my legs and shoulders, but nope nada nothing niet no training at all, but just a long walk with my dog. I'm too close of over training and I think it's a good idea not to push the devil any further.
My body needs rest, well I rest (and try not to get bad concience!!)

My diet is at around 1900 calories and I'll leave it like that. Now let's see how my body will be in the end of this week. I know that I cannot let myself rest the whole week but I guess instead of working each muscle twice, I'll just give them once.
I'll listen to my body. I gotta work with it and not against or I wont get any results at all....

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr> I'll listen to my body. I gotta work with it and not against or I wont get any results at all.... <hr /></blockquote>

There ya go! Now you're talking! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

[BB1]

I really like your journal. Gets to the heart of things.

I am glad you are listening to your body. That is one thing I am stubborn on and I pushed myself way too far.

See I was trying to get back to where I was 14 years ago. I ran track the 800 and 1500m. My Chief (he is a body builder and pretty ripped) told me I needed a break. I was overtraining. I kind of ignored him. I kept my protein intake high but ate more carbs.

My body needed that but it also needed a break from the cardio and weights too. This is why I think I got sick back to back. My body said enough. Stop it!

For one thing I am older, have a family and a high stress job. Yes, we are in the yards right now but soon the ship will be floating. Probably right into the thick of things in the Middle East. /forum/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Patience is a virtue that I need to work on too. /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif
You will get there but if things are getting a little crazy maybe it is time to step back and re-evaluate.

Although I am not at the level you are physically, mentally sure does come into play. That I can help with. Treat yourself right and the rest will come. Then you will be telling us about your 1st place finish. /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hope this helps.
/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gifMelissa

[Philia2]

Errrrr huh..... hmmmmmm Shame on me!!! lol okey okey I did it anyway...... I mean we ARE Body builders after all so training is the air we breath errrrr rite, you know what I mean?!!!!

Okey, I just finished my morning work out...... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

AND of course I did cardio (and stretching!) last night as well...... Oh yes I was feeling tired but I thought a tiiiiiny little cardio couldn't do me any bad (but I was so tired after so I went straight to bed at 9.30 pm sleeping two mins after putting my head on the pillow...)

My leg and shoulder work out this morning was okey after all ("thank you Mr. ECA Stack!!!! " /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) I didn't do that much (just 5 sets of 20 lunges for ex lol)

I know I shouldn't but does it make any sense if I say that I just need it?!!!!
(I wont do any cardio tonight though (except walking with doggy) and I'll take a day off again tomorrow)

I don't feel sad any longer though. I guess you were right about the low calorie (and carb) thing playing tricks with the mind 'cause I feel a lot better with 1900 calories than with 1600. I'm still losing weight though. More nice compliments from customers last night and my ($$£%#µ$$) scale said 147 lbs this morning..... (too little weight for a "muscular" 5'11!!!! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

It's Wednesday morning and I don't open the gym before this after noon (in France kids don't go to school at Wednesdays SO no peeps in the gym anyway) SO this morning will be full of "non diet hours!!!" /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I think I'll go out and get some fruit and become a fruitaholic!!!! (I don't eat fruit on this diet and I miss it!!! It's better than candies huh?!!!! Trust me the thought of bying some delicious yummy licorice has indeed crossed my mind!!! /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

Oh by the way, I've eating a lot more glutamine and vitamine C for the moment. I guess when I'm being so "unfair" to my body I need to give it something back...... (a rather stupid argument lol I know I know...)

[sicily1962]

Nina, you are doing great!!
One thing though, even i have fruit on my nutrition. I have 1/2 grapefruit mid morning and also 4oz strawberries w/ my afternoon protein shake w/ flax oil. These both act as antioxidants and help rid the body of excess water.

There are a lot of good fruits you can take advantage of in moderation, don't limit yourself. Also, remember to get enough potassium, i know you are in your nuts, so i should not worry about you there! lol!

Hang in there chick...time is flying for us!!
I am sooo excited and i know you have to be.
It's true you know:
WE ARE BODYBUILDERS!!!
/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Ciao,
Margie

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: sicily1962:</font><hr> i know you are in your nuts, so i should not worry about you there! lol!

<hr /></blockquote>

LMAO!!!!

I hate those darn nuts!!!!! BUT I slowly suffer agonies and force down the buggers!!!! I honestly don't like to swallow my fish oil in the evenings as well but the nuts and the fish oil is the only fat I really get (except for the little fat you got in white chicken breasts) SO I continue (knowing that it's GOOD for me).

About the fruits. Yes I know that I can still eat some BUT my problem is that eating fruits just give me sugar cravings SO to stick to my diet I've cut out the fruits.....
It's a choice.

I just came home from the supermarked and I actually DID take some candies and kept them in my trollye until I came to the checkout BUT then I still didn't have any candies with me when I left the supermarked...... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Hmmmmmm I looked at the candies saying to myself that it's only (evil) empty sugar and it'll give me absolutely nothing so what I actually did was that I never took them out of my trolley......

I didn't get any fruits either, but that was more because that the supermarked didn't have what I wanted (no *****ly pears!!! /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif ) lol and if they don't have what I want, then I don't want any!!!!!

Now what did I eat? Well I just had my second and third meal in one row with a biiiiiig nice crunchy dark cereal bread with two chicken slices!!!! (no mayo, butter or whatever else).

Okey, I did save myself for a big bunch of stupid useless calories but I still ate all that bread and now I'll just feel all bloated for the rest of the day....... (vengence!! lol keep out of my way 'cause I'm gonna faaaaaaaaaart!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

It's actually quite funny how fast my body reacts when I eat something else (or more than usual) I get all bloated AND I'll put on 1-2 lbs of water. It'll take a day and then it's over, but still...... (okey I wouldn't have the same effect if I had cut up the bread and eaten it in small portions...... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

[sicily1962]

Yea, i know what you mean about the bread.
This time around on my carb up tomorrow, i'm going to try white rice for a change. I was thinking about getting some rice flour.
I didn't realize that is has no fiber, so i won't get that bloated feeling i normally get w/ grains, etc. It should be interesting to see how it affects my carb load and how i look the next day.
I had been using brown rice and oats, and even though i like it very much, maybe the absence of fiber in the white rice will have a better effect on my look. I'll let you know.

Sorry to hear about how fruit affects you. It doesn't do that for me, it does however, crave my sweet tooth.

It's all nearly over now...won't be long. 16days for me. Unbelievable and just about 4wks for you?
Well honey...food will always be an issue for us. But one thing is for sure,
we've got great taste in it and it will be a treat to enjoy some of the finer things in life once this is all over with!!
Have a great day!
Ciao,
margie

[Philia2]

About the missing vitamines from not eating any fruit (and I don't eat that many veggies as well) That's excactly one of the reasons why I just had a blood test taken -to make sure of getting all the needed micro nutrition to my body.
I'm taking 20-30 pills every single day -vitamines, minerals, iron, calcium etc etc and on the paper from the blood test I'm doing fine BECAUSE of all those pills I'm taking (and luckily my body accepts and assimiliate those "fake" vitamines!!)

I'm NEVER saying that it's a good thing taking those pills, one should always try to get all the needed vits etc from real food!! BUT this is a comp prep and it'll only last for a short time.

Another thing I experienced yesterday.... Okey you know about my "candy adventure" (about taking the candies but leaving them in the trolley) well I didn't eat the candies and had all those baaaad sugars BUT I unfortunately still managed to get an insuline spike (from the craving and thought of eating those darn buggers!!) and this insuline spike chased me all during the day making it sooooo much harder for me to follow my diet..... /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif

SO watch out folks, even thinking hard about those "cheat foods" can give you trouble!!! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[Philia2]

I cheated on my diet yesterday....... BUT I don't even feel baaaaad about it!!! /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I still watched my total daily calorie intake though, I didn't want it to get too high after all BUT I DID eat some licorice and again some niiiiiice crunchy dark cereal bread.... Yummy yummy yum!

Well after my sugar boost I had so much energy so for two hours I decorated my gym in all different horrorfying Halloween disguises!! It's all <font color="orange"> ORANGE </font color> here now lol and bats, spiders and evil witches are hanging down from the wall everywhere.
It's rainy and grey this morning so I also got niiiice pumpkins candles burning on the desk next to me.

Last year we had a big Halloween party in the gym. That was so cool. Around 100 people and 30 liters of blooddy Sangria.....
Unfortunately I cannot afford to do that this year. The summer (especially September) has been a little bit tooo quiet so too many bills to pay. /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif

My job is cool. I'm lucky to have my own gym BUT that's all I got as well. I'm as broke as a tramp!! (even thou you got some quite rich tramps walking around out there!! /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

It's the 11th of October today and I got excactly 29 days to my competition.

[Philia2]

I just cannot believe it...... French Chaos?!!!!

Oh me? LOL I'M NOT EVEN FRENCH!!!! (I'm a big Dane trapped by some cruel frog eating Frenchies!!!)

[sicily1962]

Wow...Less than a month to go!
What an incredible feeling!
I'm routing for you honey!
Don't buy any candy for those little gobblins!! Candy bad!! lol!

14days for me........and counting....down!! lol!
Have a wonderful weekend, train hard and eat for me, will ya? lol!
Ciao,
Margie

[Philia2]

It's annoying how hard weekends can be..... I'm talking about the diet there. Okey it COULD have been worse (and I always kept an eye on the calories) and I definitely haven't eaten enough to PUT on any weight BUT also not to loose any......

I wonder if it's because of the daily routine suddenly stopping....

I've been alone all weekend and I must admit that I have been a little bit bored..... It has been raining (it still is!) so that's no particular fun either. I've still been out for several long walks with doggy but that's all.....
I've been working at home, sending out letters for potentiel sponsors, been training my German (I speak German as well but it IS a little bit rusty now) SO I've been eating my own home made bread and prepared at least 3 lbs of chicken breasts for this week's diet.

I had a great work out yesterday morning though and it did me really good. This morning was a little bit of a killer, but I guess it's my own fault. I didn't really eat anything but a protein shake (with water) and a tea spoon of fish oil last night so I guess my body simply was a little bit hungry and tired (I DID take another protein shake before the work out this morning).

Today I'll be working on my routine, keep smiling and just follow my diet.....

[BB1]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr> Errrrr huh..... hmmmmmm Shame on me!!! lol okey okey I did it anyway...... I mean we ARE Body builders after all so training is the air we breath errrrr rite, you know what I mean?!!!!<hr /></blockquote>

Awww, thanks for including me. At least thats what I hope you meant. /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I caught the BB bug. /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
I am sitting here all restless ready to hit those weights again! ummm no I did not stay away entirely from the gym, did some cardio. Not much anyway! I promise. /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I really cannot thank you enough for the help and inspiration. Thank you sooooo much! /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Keep writing and staying strong. I cannot wait to hear your results from your comp!!!

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: BB1:</font><hr>
Awww, thanks for including me. At least thats what I hope you meant. /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I caught the BB bug. /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
<hr /></blockquote>

No problem, my pleasure!! /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

For me everybody who seriously cares about their bodies -big or small, people who are lifitng weights, eating correctly, resting enough etc (you know what I mean!) When weight training has become a major factor in life (deciding if you are going out tonight drinking or not..... "No sorry I can't, I got training tomorrow morning!" /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) and your life is totally dedicated to what you do: creating a beautiful body, well then for me you are a body builder. (nothing to do with your total muscle mass!!)

Anyway, I wanted to tell you two things this morning. First of all my diet. I've stopped writing everything down from a simply reason that I always eat the same!! lol Easy!

Here's what I eat:

1. meal: 50 gr of whole grained oats, vanilla protein powder and soy milk <font color="red"> all mixed together with some cinnamon; 2 mins in the microwave and it's delicious!) </font color>
2. meal: a little bit of brown bread with some chicken and egg whites <font color="red"> (I need the "hard" carbs in this meal -or I'll not able to stand the whole day. However the total amount of carbs change -I eat a little bit more if I've been morning training or not!) </font color>
3. meal: Veggies and chicken <font color="red"> (With a little bit of non sugared strong chili sauce!!!) </font color>
4. meal: 5 egg whites with 40 gr of mixed nuts <font color="red"> (walnuts, almonds and sun flower seeds. Actually I mix it all in a bowl and cook it in the microwave, then add a little bit of cinnamon and a tiiiiny but of non sugared cocoa powder) </font color>
5. Salad, tofu and some chicken or egg whites <font color="red"> ((with a little bit of vinegar sauce) </font color>
6. Protein shake in water with a teaspoon of salmon fish oil <font color="red"> (yuck! but down it goes!) </font color>

Et voila, my diet!

About the second thing who happened last night, well then it's rather funny. I have been invited to do some shows in sexy underwear!!!!! lol imagine me with all those skinny girls!!! Ah well I said no to one just before my competition (since I only want to concentrate about that one right now!) BUT why not after?!! (it forces me to stay lean and tanned!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif )
No, I'll never be naked and yes, it's professionnel so why not?
Okey, I want to try just to get the experience but then, no way I'll gonna do it for peanuts! -what can I earn?!!!

Ah well, I'm still hoping to find something better at the competition in 3 1/2 week!!!!!

[Philia2]

Morning work out:

Upper body.

7 mins warm up on the elliptical trainer

1x15 + 4x10 lat pull downs
4x10 straight arm cable pull downs
2x10 one arm rowing
3x12 lower back hyper extensions

1x20 Peck dec
4x10 Pull overs

4x12 inclined one arm biceps curl

4x12 Triceps cable push downs
3x10 Dips

4x20 Twists
3x20 Crunches
5x20 Leg raises

5 mins of stretching <font color="orange"> (I knooow it's not enough!! /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif ) </font color>

That's it and it only took 55 mins.

I just had my glutamine, vit C and iron, sitting here drinking my tea, listening to the rain. I'll eat my oats soon, take a shower, go down town (the gym is closed this morning so NO work for me!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) I need to buy more whome grained oats and wheat for more delicious bread to make!
Nice work out and in spite of the rain, nice day as well!!

[sicily1962]

Hey girl, why don't you share that bread recipe you are always talking about????
I'd really like to see what's in that, since i enjoy baking so much i think it would be a nice addition to my diet. Plus i may need it since i'm using Nov-Dec to bulk up.

We're almost there!!!!
Keep at it!
Margie

[Philia2]

I went to a huuuuuge discoteque last night <font color="purple"> (MaCumba it's called!!!!)</font color> We have been invited there to see a fashion show (girls wearing sexy underwear!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) Well, what can I say......
First of all I discovered that mineral water is MORE expensive than a Gin Tonic and secondly that soooooooooo many more people REALLY have to do some more sport!.....

I'm not a discomania and I haven't been to one of those places since Christmas 1999 in Auckland, New Zealand.
I really don't like all the smoke and the music is too loud..... BUT I sure like to dance!!!!!!

Of course I've put on a mini skirt and small top as well and for hoooooouuuurs I was moving tchatchatchaa on the dance floor. Oh that was the very best from that evening!!!

About the models, well I really liked that they didn't really seemed to care much about their cellulite (or fat a$$!) but showed themselves with a big sexy smile in all different kinds of beautiful lingerie.
Not many women really dare doing that.

The director of the fashion show still wants me to model and I just said, yeh why not but AFTER my competition.

I cannot earn anything BUT I can get some free advertising for my gym AND I can have a great time.

Ah well let's see.

[Philia2]

This is one about FOOD BINGENING

I'm tired this morning (probably from all the dancing last night!!! /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) so I've been doing some reading in different BB forums and fitness sites AND it made me think of something.
Sooooo many BB's, fitness stars and all those other sportsfreaks got or have got eating disorders..... I mean we NEED so much to STAY in control of our bodies and what we eat so it sometimes goes way out on the other side and completely out of control.
Always dieting can really freak up the mind (as what happened to me two weeks ago....) and it's almost scary.

I'm lucky that I have never had an eating disorder BUT I have noticed something; when I do allow myself to have some sort of cheat well then very often I tend to eat too much. Why? Because I feel like "I better have to eat NOW since tomorrow it's back to the diet again".......
You got it? I mean it's like you tend to eat MORE -not because that you are hungry, but just because that you know that you cannot eat THAT special food tomorrow (or not before a long time)
And then you just eat.....

My diet has starting to become tough.... I'm so close to the competition now and I'm beginning to stress myself more and more.
Okey, the poses, the suits etc are all ready but now I'm confused about the whole getting enough or too cut thing...... I know that Serge Nubret doesn't want us to get too thin but then again I don't want to be too fat either. Where is the limit?!!!

I like my body today and I guess that I don't really need to loose any more fat but then when I see myself in a special light, or early in the mornings when still feeling half asleep, well then I still think that I'm really too fat and I desperately NEED to loose some more fat....

Again my mind is probably just playing tricks with me <font color="orange"> (but I just so desperately want to do my very best for that competition!!!!!) </font color>

Only three weeks more.....

[Philia2]

Morning Workout

Leg and shoulders

1x100 reps of leg presses
3x20 one leg presses <font color="orange"> (my right leg thinks it's a joke but for my left it feels like true torture!! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ) </font color>
3x20 JUMPING SQUATS!!!! <font color="orange"> (Jiiiiiiepie!!!!!) </font color>
3x20 Standing one leg abductions
1x20 Standing one leg kick back <font color="orange"> (my lower back doesn't really like that one.... /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif ) </font color>

3x12 Lower back extensions

3x12 Two hands cable frontal raises
3x12 Lying incline one hand side raises
3x10 Bent over cross cable
2x12 One hand cable side raises

4x20 Twists
3x20 incline bench leg raises

Nice work out. I really enjoyed my shoulder exercises. I didn't feel like doing any lunges this morning BUT I guess I could have done a little bit more for my legs though (calves?!!) No crunches (my abs are still sore from Thursday's dancing!!)

It was <font color="blue"> cooooooooold </font color> this morning so for the very first time I had to wear shorts (my cheek butts were horrible <font color="blue"> icy!!!!! </font color> /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif )

It's now 8.28 am and the sun is slowly raising. The gym doesn't open before 10 am so I got plenty of time (maybe I'll use the sun bed!) Everything is still wet outside (it has been a baaaaaaad week with LOTS of rain!!) but they have promise a little bit of sun this afternoon so I'll go out runnning with my dog.

I need to stick to my diet today because tomorrow we'll go to a restaurant. I'll only take the salad bar (and drink a protein shake in the car!!) The salad bar is great BUT even though I take no sauce (or anything really bad) then I still need to take the extra calories in consideration (hmmmmm life's tough!!!! lol but only three weeks more!!!!).

[Philia2]

I don't really miss all those "bad" foods that I ate before...... I did a choice last Christmas, I wanted to try competing. Why not? A new personal challenge.
Can I do it? Am I strong enough? Got enough discipline? Will I be able? Come on!!!!

I did a choice.

I went seing this quite known sport nutritionist. He himself has been competing in bodybuilding so I thought that he would be the very best person to ask.
I was wrong.
Anyway this guy told me
1) that my a$$ was huge
2) that I was going to loose my boobs completely and
3) after succeeding the diet my body will "fight" against me for the rest of my life trying desperately to put on more fat than normally.....

Then he told me that I'll never gonna loose any weight if I didn't follow everything he said or his diet, and took my check.....

Of course I got afraid but honestly I got so freaky angry as well and I just had one mega thought in my head "I gonna show that $£µ@#% what I'm able to do!!!"

I DID follow his diet though..... for two weeks and then I broke down. No, not mentally but physically. I became like a living vegetable not being able to move, talk or eat..... No energy at all. Nada. Nothing left. Couldn't even walk with my dog....

Now I really started to freak out (not even talking about the reaction of the people around me!) and I went straight to the book store and ordered all the most complicated scientifically and accurate books about all the nutrition, body functions, diets, digestion, insulin etc etc I could find (on the French marked!!)
Now I wanted to learn, I wanted to know by myself how all those funny nutritions do and work when we eat, sleep, train, diet, fast etc etc I JUST WANTED TO KNOW EVERY DARN LITTLE THING so I wouldn't get so sick and terrible weak again AND to be able to do what the nutritionist said that I couldn't do without his help.......

Oh I learned. Of course I did some other mistakes but I finally learned (and still learning) how MY body works (I became my own nutritionist).

I never regret what I did those four months after before my first competition last April BUT I can tell you it was nothing but fun.
I was always feeling tired, grumpy, constantly those big dark shadows around the eyes, slept 10 hours daily, feeling hungry, not always very motivated for the training BUT I did it and when I won the competition I was feeling soooooo proud and tears were in my eyes.

I completely changed my body, not only did I loose 10% body fat but beautiful shapes and curves appeared everywhere on my body. Nice toned shoulders AND a rear behind to be proud of and not having to hide (on the beach!).

People today tell me that I don't eat normal. Well for me it's normal. I don't feel like eating junk food, cookies, pizza, ice cream etc any longer, I just don't.
(But uuuuuhh I remember those gallons of vanilla ice cream I could eat last summer or those hard cookies with anis..... I could finish the entire bag in ten minutes!!)

Today I don't feel all those negative things as when I dieting the first time. My diet is so much more under control and I guess it was just the time for my body to addapt (I even think my body has become a little bit too sensitive since I'll have tummy cramps for hours after having tasted anything fried or anything else completely unusual).

Okey I'm being even more strict with the diet now because of the (very soon coming!) competition but my food isn't really that different.

It's a choice but it has to be a lifestyle as well.
One thing sure that I've learnt from all this, is that everybody can do it. Not saying that it's easy but everybody CAN do it..........

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr>
I went seing this quite known sport nutritionist. He himself has been competing in bodybuilding so I thought that he would be the very best person to ask.
I was wrong.
Anyway this guy told me
1) that my a$$ was huge
2) that I was going to loose my boobs completely and
3) after succeeding the diet my body will "fight" against me for the rest of my life trying desperately to put on more fat than normally.....
<hr /></blockquote>

By the way talking about this guy,
1) he was right!!! lol
2) I did loose one chest size but not more than that. I really like my boobs today lol so no real suffering there!
3) wrong!!! Why? Because I've put on so much lean muscle mass so my metabolism has increased by four since that time.

Now another thing I only got 18 days left!!!!!

I'm starting to freak out.......

That's right, let it all out girl!!! You tell him!! I like your style!! Big thumbs up!! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gifhttp://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gifhttp://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxthumbs.gif

That was a good choice you made, going out and learning all you can on nutrition, human metabolism, fitness etc! I feel the same way! You are so right, so smart in going after that knowledge for yourself and figuring out how your body works! Big kudos to ya!! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/biggthumpup.gif

[sicily1962]

Nina!! Good luck to you honey...you are very short right now!!!
i'll be thinking of you at your comp...and then i'll have yet another one after yours.

It's almost over and think of that sexy dance you'll be doing honey!! The guys will go nuts!!! lol!
I'm with you honey!
Ciao!
Margie

[Philia2]

Thanks for your kind words!!!! It's difficult here, not any longer the diet or the training but I'm beginning to feel a little unsecure about everything. I don't know what will happen. Yes of course it's exciting but still......

Morning work out, legs, shoulders and abs:

3x100 Leg press (auch!)
3x20 jumping squat (more auch!!!!)
3x20 wide leg deep sumo squats
3x12 straight leg dead lift

3x20 standing calf raises

4x10 inversed peck deck
1x15 1x12 3x10 power lifting over head dumbell pushes
2x12 cable side raises

5x20 twists
5x20 leg raises
3x40 crunches

That's it, I'm tired now!! /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

With warm up and stretching it takes around one hour. I'm still training alone and very early in the morning so not a sound and nobody around.
Right now I'm sitting here drinking my tea waiting to calm down a little before eating my oats.

Yesterday I realized another thing and that is that I'm NOT suppose to loose any more weight. Why? Because I saw the girl who won my competition last year. Okey honestly it looks more like a nicely shaped Bimbo (!!! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ) than a body builder...... BUT that's excactly what Serge Nubret wants to his competition so well I guess that's what I'm going to give him...... (I told you the real BB/Fitness competitions are not starting before April next year!!! Hmmm well that depends...... There is a contest in Belgium in late November that I'd like to go to, but I don't know if I got money enough to pay the travel!!!)

SO I guess I can calm down with my diet and just stay the way I am for the next two weeks. That's the good news.
(The bad news is that I'm too afraid of NOT being able to meet all the important people to the contest..... You know those people with lots of serious contacts and words, wanting a tall athlete (ME) to work for them....... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif )

[sicily1962]

"The bad news is that I'm too afraid of NOT being able to meet all the important people to the contest..... You know those people with lots of serious contacts and words, wanting a tall athlete (ME) to work for them....... ) "

What is that? why should you even worry about that? Why wouldn't you be able to meet them?
You just make sure you put that at the top of your priority list.
Honey you are doing fine.
Remember...worrying makes you produce cortisal which makes you hold water!! lol!
Your time is coming and you will be fabulous!
This will be a great time for you, enjoy it and don't think of anything that will get in your way.
Train hard and go get what you want!!

Caoi,
Margie

[Philia2]

I got 11 days left....... Still training still dieting and still going strong.

I'm working a lot on my free posing and I've even made my husband filming me to see if I need to correct something.

I'm confident, I know that I'm the the right shape for Nubret's competition so I guess I could calm down a little.

The days are passing so fast now, I cannot always seem to follow.

I'm happy for the lean muscle weight I have gained during the last 6 months (since the last competition and the pictures you can see of me) I guess I've put on 4-5 lbs. The funny thing is that I weight almost the same BUT no longer the fat..... I've changed so much and I feel good about the result.
But I really need to change my training schedule. Now I train each body part twice a week but after the comp I'll go back to only once. I'm no longer looking for more muscle mass but I just want to stay toned and in shape.

I'm not sure about the date of the next comp yet. I really want to do that one in late Nov, but that really depends on the comp in 11 days (AND if I can find the needed money!)

Let's see what'll happen now. Patience..... (I hate that! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

[Philia2]

Count down....... 8 days left!! . Another weekend is beginning and everything is closed today since it's French holidays.
We got a lot of work to do in the gym so I wont be able to go out much.

I've been using the last two days watching some old video tapes of me from my last preparation 10 months ago. Funny to see how much has changed (I keep saying that!! lol)

I also saw the tape that we made last Sunday. It's okey, I look okey but I discovered that I need to change one small thing about my posing. We'll tape me again this Sunday.

I had a nice work out this morning. So quiet everywhere, no cars on the road and the sun has just showed its' rays.

The diet has become easier. I still cycle my carbohydrates but it's easier because I'm eating more carbs more often; Now it's only 1-2 days of 1500-1600 (with very low carbs) followed by one day of 2000-2400 calories.
All clean food though. No sugar, fruit or anything unusual. My extra carbs is just my bread. That's all.

About the sugar lol I think it must be a personal record!!!! I haven't had any sugar for almost three weeks (and still one more week to go!) I cannot remember tha last time that happened (if it ever has!).

I did have some sugar cravings the other week but I calmed it down with some clementines!!!!
I really like what I see in the mirror so I don't want to screw up things now! I stay serious, I know what I want! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I've had some other unexpected problems this week though. Nothing to do with my diet or training but with my monthly period...... Auch. /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif
I think my body is somewhat against me...... You know this thing about being quite low on total body fat% but still forcing your body to produce hormones by taking the pills......
I promised myself that to the next comp prep I'll do, I'll quit those darn pills!!!!! Let's see then if life would be so much easier!!!??

Just one more week. I can do it.

[sicily1962]

Hey girl, we must have a comp on the same day because my 2nd show is on Nov 9th.
It sounds as if everything has come together for you!
I am so excited to see how things go for you. You have trained hard and you know what you want, no go get it!!

I will be thinking of you and hoping your last week into the show will be a quiet one.
Take care sweetie. Can't wait to hear of your resuts

[gordmcfarling]

Nina,

When you train hard, especially Les Femmes, your body will do funny things. All my athletic female friends have missed their "friend" or have had spotting or some cramping followed by a short visit. The doctors say this is normal in a dedicated female athlete. THe hormones released by training are male hormones, and will interupt your estrogen release cycle. All the "pill" does is guarantee your hormone levels are high enough to get your "friend" to start its cycle on time. When you go back to a non competition diet and training you should be normal again at least in that department.
Oh yeah one more thing, you have to post the pics of your competition for us. It's nice to see the trophies of people who are competitive in this forum. I know we can add some more to the collection. /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif We'll be cheering for you when you win.

[Philia2]

Merci beaucoup gordmcfarling.... I had so much tummy and lower back pain, head ache etc this time so I've promised myself to stop the pills as soon as I can. /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I'm too afraid to stop taking the pills just before my competition (I just don't know how my body will react) but as I wrote somewhere before, then I'll try to get some other contraceptive method called Implanon (no oestrogen but progesteron -hmmm I don't think I spelled that one right! /forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif).

Then I'll see how my body will react and then hopefully not be suffering that much next time my body fat % drop that low.

I went down town with a girl friend today and since she was so greatly dressed, I changed to something else than my usual sports clothes..... Wow that was amazing how I was swimming in my jeans!!!! I didn't really expect that so it was actually a rather big surprise (I'm always dressed in sports outfits, shorts, tights etc but they are all made of "elastic" tissue so I don't really feel the difference from when I'm fat or skinny-skinny!! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

I got excactly one week left now.
Next Saturday I'll be all tanned, hair done, make up and probably quite tired and veeeeery impatient to step on stage again in the evening (the pre judging will be done in the morning)
After the competition (which will stop around midnight) Serge Nubret offer dinner and dancing until the very next morning..... Hopefully I'll be able to stay up (and not just dream about a shower and my bed! /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
I'm sure it's gonna be great fun (Sunday morning we have to drive 6 hours again to go back home....)

This last week I'll not be "playing" with my carb or water intake. It wont be necessairy for this competition.
I'll do my last work out Wednesday morning (light circuit training) some cardio and of course LOTS of posing.
I've already started using the self tanner, my waxing will be done Tuesday and make up, jewels and of course the bikini and night dress are all ready.

Count down.

[gordmcfarling]

Serge Nubret? Cool, Sounds like a blast. Well we'll be waiting to hear from you. Bonne Chance!!!! Ahh what am I saying? You don't need luck, your competition will.

[Philia2]

Today it all sounds so stupid, but last night it was just soooooo funny!!!! A friend came over, he's a body builder and I haven't seen him since last summer. Anyway he has been on a diet as well (for other reasons than mine) so when I saw him last night it was just like "ooooh wooow you look so darn cut!!!" /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif
He really looked good (he knows it too!!! /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) SO him and I started to compare our six pack!! lol a male and a female version!!! /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hmmm everybody knows that dieting sucks BUT when you finally see the results, you feel soooooooo proud (and the memory of the many weeks of suffering suddenly vanish..... /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

[Philia2]

I just did my last training. A light circuit, working all muscles and with 12-20 reps (I even did 60 reps of leg extensions!!)

I feel tired...... /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I just had some very low calorie days and even though that I didn't weight train, but only cardio, well then I still feel rather exhausted......

No fun.

I wanted to do some more cardio today and tomorrow, but I think that I'll let my body recover so I'll be nice and fresh for the competition this Saturday.
I'll also eat some more...... (I'm a little afraid of feeling bloated and holding water!! /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif )

I had the waxing done yesterday (aie, aie aie!!!! /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ) and today I'll start with the tanning creams.

I cannot wait..... Only 3 days!!!

I'm impatient. I want to go, NOW!!!

[Philia2]

I'm bored today..... It's all grey and rainy outside and the cold is eating my bones....... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif Brrrrrrrr no fun with a "wet cold"......... and low body fat.... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Tomorrow I'll be taking the car and drive the 6-7 hours to go up to Northern Paris. Luckily we can stay in a friends appartment (so no need to book hotel) I'll bring my own sheets though or I'll mess up with tan marks all over the place. /forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I don't know if it's the cold who's making me that hungry but I'm sure hungry!!!! I just had lunch (veggies, chicken and 3 egg whites) so normally I should feel okey now...... I can still eat though...... Dunno excactly what, but sooomething......er not sweet, not salty....... but something crunchy!!! Yep that's it, something hard and crunchy!!!! Hmmmmm lol my bread maybe?

I'm not going to eat any bread though. I tend to feel a little bit bloated after (no wonders with the amount of bread that I'm able to eat in almost no time!!! /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif ) so no bread but my chicken, tofu and some few veggies.......

I didn't do any training today at all. Not because I didn't feel like it, but I got a little head ache and my sinuses are bothering me. No I haven't caught a cold yet, but it's just around the corner so I don't want to let it in........ SO rest, glutamine and loooots of vitamine C so I wont end up feeling miserable on stage Saturday.....

[Krukker]

Hey Nina -

Jumping in to say GOOD LUCK in you competition!!

Also, I've been away from teh board a bit so catching up on journals and was very facinated from a bit ago when you wrote about binging:

"I'm lucky that I have never had an eating disorder BUT I have noticed something; when I do allow myself to have some sort of cheat well then very often I tend to eat too much. Why? Because I feel like "I better have to eat NOW since tomorrow it's back to the diet again"....... "

I too am the EXACT same way in that I've never had an eating disorder, have stuggled with weight but lost 50lbs and kept it off, but when I "cheat" I have the exact same mentality! My all time weakness is cereal w/milk. Not surgary kinds but whole grain/high fiber. I have one bowl then think, two is okay, then I figure okay messed up might as well just eat the box!! It's such viscious cycle and makes no sense!

Anyway that was my 2 cent rant /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

GOOD LUCK - I enjoy reading your journal - as all the fellow women BB'ers!

Krukker

[Philia2]

Hi Krukker, nice to read your comment!!!! /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Another problem I've noticed with those cheat days/meals is that when the diet suddenly stop staying "strict" then it's ten times more difficult NOT to keep on feeling hungry and nibble on food -even thou it's "clean" food.......

Sugar gives sugar cravings and cheating gives more cheat cravings..... It's a vicious cycle.

Today I'm feeling a little bored, tired, lonely and cold AND of course then I feel like eating as well.....

I got my competition in two days so I'm no longer afraid of putting on any weight (haven't got time enough for that) but I can still loose some definition if I don't start to be careful (I'm lucky that it's not a body builder contest but only fitness..... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )

Hmmmm my main thought is that I simply just need to survive this day and then I'll be fine! /forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[gordmcfarling]

Nina,

We know you'll win, You are very focused and only a little jittery, so get some pics and post them, we want to see you Serge and all those medals and trophies standing together. Don't forget us when your on stage, we're with you in spirit, and we know you will win .

[sicily1962]

Hey girl, good luck!
Let us know that you won on Sunday morning, k?

xoxo,
margie

[BB1]

Go get em girl! Best wishes on your comp. When you have time read my journal, you'll have a good laugh. /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif Melissa

[HarleyChick]

Wishing you the best! You will do GREAT, I'm sure!
Good Luck!! /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Destinado]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr>
I went seing this quite known sport nutritionist. He himself has been competing in bodybuilding so I thought that he would be the very best person to ask.
I was wrong.
Anyway this guy told me
1) that my a$$ was huge
<hr /></blockquote>

Well Nina, after looking at your pic's, you certainly proved that guy WRONG ~ big time /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif

<font color="blue"> All the very best for your comp </font color> ~ don't forget to post the new pic's.

And just out of curiosity, what BF% did you get down to?

[Destinado]

<font color="red"> WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLL ~ ~ ~ ~ </font color>

How did ya get on???

C'mon Nina, the suspense is killing me

[Philia2]

Hmmm what can I say...... except that I just had a new experience....... I'm sorry to disappoint you guys but the competition of Serge Nubret 2002 was one big disaster. No, this is not my words, but I truly think excactly the same thing......

I'll explain. Nothing was as appointed.
No big luxury changing rooms (as said so many times.... /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ), one shower for 80 athletes, no dinner or dancing, two hours late for the prejudging, the wrong given trophees to the wrong athletes (changing trophees on stage in front of all -geez I'd be ashamed!!), judges not in time and problems with the judgement, no expected primes in $, and athletes not being prepared or serious, no tan, no diet, no competition suits and more unexpected free posing and the fitness changed into aerobic..... No presentation in microphone AND almost the very worse; Nubret angry yelling at us on stage...... Hmmmmmmm /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif NOT very nice!!!

I knew that this was not a normal competition BUT I still expected a little bit more.....

We were only four girls (last year they were 13! -but I found out later that there was a reason why.....) only one category (I was one head taller than the others!! lol) and since I've had bad information well then I wasn't prepared in aerobics but only in fitness...... SO my free posing was wrong...... /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Now the rest of the "tests" I was following BUT they still judged me as the very last...... Oh, I wasn't prepared for that and the most funny thing is that the audience got sooooo mad /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif lol Apperently they didn't agree as well...... (I'll show you the pics as soon as I get them so you'll see for yourself!)

I wasn't the only one who got treated unfair, lots of problems with the men as well (now I cannot wait to read the critic in the magazines!!!!).

Oh yes I'm disappointed. Of course I am. I had so much hope for this competition (and I thought that Serge Nubret was a little bit more serious!) I'm sad that the few athletes who were serious got hurt in that way...... /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Ah well now what good did I get out of this? Well I did manage to loose some more bodyfat (and I feel goooood lol) and as I said, I got a new experience.
Of course I tried to get in contact with some "important" people and I got two who'll contact me.
What else that really made me smile was the audience...... I had sooooo many nice words coming from them and that was really worth it all.

Now personally I need to determine some new goals. What do I really want? The "real" competitions will start from April but now I need to find out what federation I want to join (I don't want to stay in the same as this year, but that's because of some other reasons...) I also need to find out if I want to put on more muscle mass or just stay in fitness......
I got lots of questions and lots of thoughts running around causing a chaos in my poor little brain /forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif lol so I need to settle down and find the solutions.

One last thing though that I want to say to you all is thank you so much !!!!!! It's so good to have you guys around!!! /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

[Philia2]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: gordmcfarling:</font><hr> Nina,

You are very focused and only a little jittery <hr /></blockquote>

Lol now what does that mean?!!!!!!

[Destinado]

Oh Nina, I'm so sorry, you put so much work in for it, but never mind - just put it down to experience /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif there's always the next one /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif right???

[sicily1962]

Hey girl, you're a winner in our book no matter what!
Congrats on great preparation for the show and we will be right here cheering for you in april no matter where you choose to go!
I'll be right there with you..
Margie

Oh man! That friggin sucks!! I'm so sorry to hear that and mad right along with you! /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif I would have been VERY disappointed as well! Gosh, I hope the next one is better for you! I'm glad to hear that the audience was so good to you though! So at least you got something out of it! That alone can make it all worth while! Good luck with your next goals and competition, we'll be right here to support ya! /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[BB1]

awwww I am disappointed right along with you. Hopefully something good will come out of this.
I am glad the crowd made up for it. They should have been the judges from the sounds of it.

I will be looking for your new goals. I am sure it will be exciting as always.

/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gifMelissa

[gordmcfarling]

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Philia2:</font><hr> <blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: gordmcfarling:</font><hr> Nina,

You are very focused and only a little jittery <hr /></blockquote>

Lol now what does that mean?!!!!!! <hr /></blockquote>

Nina the focused part is your dedication. The jittery part was about your nerves showing in your writing. So I combined the two for some comedic relief, you know a double entent (no accents on this keyboard). It sounds like your weekend was a fiasco and a let down. I am surprised you did poorly, I guess the judges buried their heads in their derrieres. Just remember what ever your decision is for competition your friends will be here to back you up. Don't let this be a setback for you, but a chance for improvement. Take a few and make up your mind and then whatever your decision is follow it up. Just remember L'adace, tojours L'adace! ( I hope I got that right /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

[Philia2]

Now I'm trying to put my pics on a web site BUT you can see this small one while waiting........ /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

http://www.photosapiens.com/com/00001546/photospetites/aa00bf7abd0_1989.jpg

[gordmcfarling]

Nina,

that thumbnail is a "little" hard to see.

[Philia2]

I wanted to inform you that I just received the official reason (almost 6 months after!) why I had such a bad position in this competition last year in November.......

The reason was my size...... /forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I know it's ridiculous but we were only one group, one category with 4 girls and I was so much different since I'm 5'11'' and the other girls were more about 5'3''

It's true that now when I look at the pictures from the competition, it looks rather grotesque and completely out of order lol seeing me standing there with my head higher up than anybody else...

Ah well, I would lie if I say that I don't care 'cause I do. I'm still happy to know that it has nothing to do with my general shape BUT to punish somebody because of his or her size is really not fair play (but as I said in one of the former post; I wasn't the only one having problems at that competition).

Ah well, life goes on. I had a new experience and after all that can only make me richer! /forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Geesh! That is MESSED UP!! Wow, how retarded! Well, I definitely think that was a bogus competition now! You hold your head up high girl! You obviously did just fine, it was just a retarded competition! You have MUCH to be proud of!

And btw, where are those pics you promised? /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[kiwi girl 1]

Hi Nina

I have been following your journal with interest - being the newbie and all.

What you went through was appalling - after all that work.

I really feel for you.

You are in great shape anyway - from what I can (barely !) see from your photo.

What are your forward plans? Do you think you will refocus on another competition, or just cool it for a while.

You are great anyway.