Journel # 4/ Dec. 17th -9 weeks out!

So here I am 9 weeks out. Feeling good but Christmas is next week and no yummy Christmas cookies for me. :( It's okay though. It's my choice to be this disciplined. I actually don't mind dieting at all it just takes a lot of time and money to eat fresh food all the time. It is just sad that our society makes it HARDER to eat healthy. No wonder 50% the population is over weight.....

Enough complaining, (I must be hungry) I feel good but the weight lose has slowed down a bit so I am adding more cardio to my program to keep the body changes going. I had a great dinner last night that I got to enjoy with a few friends that are all understanding of the whole "dieting" thing. I find having postive people involved in similar interests helps you stick to your goal better. I haven't once this prep been all that concerned with what I was missing in the the "party" scene. I just feel so much better when I am working towards a goal to better myself. Next goal is get my finances in order. :) -V

Journal # 3 / Dec. 3

Sorry I missed last weeks journal. I have, however, been very busy.
To start, the diet has been going well. Since I have been so busy I have had to structure my meals ahead of time so they would be availible to me throghout the day. This makes it easier to stick to, even though it takes me about an hour every night.

I felt like I just should have moved to L.A. or O.C. this week since I just spent 4 out of the past 5 days there.

First I went to Anahiem for a Max Muscle nutritional certification and training course. It was really informative and actually tons of fun. I am really glad I work for the company because everyone is knowledgable and really wants to open everyones eyes to the benefits of proper sports nutrition.

I feel you can never know enough or stop learning when it comes to nutrition and sports performance. I hope to take what I have learned and not only apply it to my own diet and supplementation, but also be able to further help anyone that purchase a nutritional program from me. I have always been a believer in being ethical when it comes to sales and I would never offer a program to someone if I truley believe it wasn't helpful and positive.

After 3 days of training in Anahiem, I went to Culver City to test judge the Exaclibur. This was also a wonderful learing experience. I always enjoy watching shows but I wanted to find a way to get more involved and see the show from a judges point of view. As with nutrition, you can never know too much about what you want to excell in. The show had close to 300 competitors and it was cool to see the sport growing. Especially all the figure girls. 170 to be more exact!

Kim Oddo, who also trains myself, had a few very impressive competitors. There was also a rather gigantic man that won the overall bodybuilding class as a Super-heavy weight and he is rumored to be only 21! The show got me excited for my show in February. Now all I have to do is train hard. Talk to you soon. -V :)

Journal Entry # 2/ Nov. 20 -12 weeks out

It's officially 12 weeks out from the Ironman on February 17th, 2007 in Pasedena. I decided to unofficially start my diet 2 weeks ago to get a bit of a head start and hopefully come in better the day of the show. These 2 weeks were pretty easy except I am relativley lower carb then I have been in the past this far out. I have a bit less energy, but I think as my body adjusts to using more fat as fuel I should be feeling more energetic.
This week is Thanksgiving and I will be bringing my own rendition of turkey and sweet potatoes to the table. Thanksiving isn't going to be as bad as Christmas because I can modify some of the same foods everyone else is eating to fit my needs. I am just a tad bit bummed that I will not be sampling the pumpkin pie this year. :(
I have been feeling a little weaker during weight workouts but I am still able to get through them. I am eating enough but I just think, again, it has to do with my body trying to convert it's glycogen stores into energy. Cardio is still managable and overall I am feeling good. More to come as the weeks leading up to the competition draw nearer.

Jounal Entry #1/ Week 1/ Nov. 14

I stated in previous posts that I would be journaling my diet leading up to the Ironman on February 17th in Pasedena. I started my diet last Thursday but it wasn't "official" until Monday because I went out to dinner on Friday for my boyfriends birthday and even though I still ate pretty clean I let myself have one more glass of wine before the long 14 weeks began.
Every time I start dieting for a show I have a different feeling and a different form of motivation. This time I was ready and I wasn't as scared as I have been in the past because I have a better idea of what to expect. I actually couldn't wait.
This time I started off a little leaner then in the past but still at around 135 lbs. So I hope that means I have put on more muscle which was my goal during the off-season. I also tried to tapper down my cardio during the months leading up the contest prep and mainly just tried to eat a little cleaner without depriving myself. So this time I don't have to start off doing SOOO much cardio. I know it will increase as the weeks go on but it is definatly bearable now.
I also find that lower carb diets work better for me. (That doesn't mean NO carbs) I carry a lot of excess water weight so right off the bat I lose that when my carbs are lower. I also think I have become a little more efficient at utilizing stored fat for energy with this method. I do, however, start to feel a little weaker and not as mentally sharp. But that could just be the decreased calories, or maybe I am just not that smart. ( No, that can't be it :0) )
I am hoping that starting out a little earlier and with a little bit more mucsle, I will come in looking a little more dense. But we will see as these weeks progress. Feel free to ask me anything else that you would like me to cover or that you are curious about. I will be writing a journal atleast once a week to chart my progress and changes. -V

New Poster!

If you are a fitness model or competitor you should contact Joe. He did an awesome job putting together this poster for me. Come on everyone should have their own poster! :) -V
Contact him by clicking on the link below.....

VV-Fit Boot Camp

Date: Saturday, November 4th
Meeting Time & Place: 9:45 a.m. Max Muscle P.B. 1096 Garnet Avenue

• Group workout will include: ( starts @ 10:00 and ends around 11:30 a.m.)
• Plyometrics
• Sprints
• Body weight toning activities and more!

- Post workout: We will be returning to Max Muscle Pacific Beach for a FREE protein shake, a special discount, and a FREE t-shirt compliments of Nua Brazil.

• Cost:
• $10 ( for registered participants)
• $15 ( for walk-ins)

-To register: E-mail me @ vvanovermeer@gmail with the name of all participants.

See you there! -V :)

Real People in a Industry with False Hopes....

I mentioned in the previous journal that I will be journaling my contest prep...but that doesn't start until November. So I decided to tell you a little about what is on my mind as of this moment, and trust me it changes frequently.....

I have decided to give this next show and year ALL that I have. I don't have a lot of support from a lot of people but from the one's that matter, mean the world to me.

First person on that list has to be my boyfriend, Brian. I have always struggled with relationships in the past and not because I was difficult but just because I never saw them as much of a priority or cared enough to compromise to make it last long. Brian has been one of the only people to support me and understand why I put a lot of time into competing and knowing all I can about fitness. He also makes a healthy lifestyle a priority. I feel to make a relationship work you need to share some main opinions and morals. This helps you get through the little things when the big things are in place.
Second I have a great trainer who knows how to deal with each of his clients in a professional way. Kim Oddo can bring out the potential in anyone who is willing to try hard enough, but won't make it easy by any means. It's because of his direction that I have seen changes in myself that I never thought I could achieve. I think it may be in his ability to say lets bring the cardio up another 5 min. when I am already doing over 100, without flinching.
Lastly, but certainly not any less important, are the few friends I have made in the industry. First we have Michele Cogger. This girl works harder then anyone else I know and can over come the toughest obstacles. This inspires me to do the same, with no excuses.

Next we have Ms. Gina Aliotti. This girl has created quit a name for herself and has done it with hard work and never once compromising who she is. I have gotten the opportunity to be good friends with her and she is a perfect combination of hardworking and driven person without neglecting the important people in her life.
Be sure to check out Gina's site by clicking HERE!
We just finished shooting a workout sequence that you can find in her very interactive member's area.

Thanks to everyone mentioned for their support! -V

The Benefits of Journaling

After competing in April I needed a break from the scheduled meals and three a day cardio sessions. I felt like my life became immersed in when my next meal would be....
With that said, I took some time off of logging my meals and my workouts.
I found that I began to have less control over my weight fluctuations and I thought it was only due to the absences of the hours of cardio. This feeling just left me tired and confused.
I decided to take my OWN advice that I give to clients and I began to keep track of my calorie intake. I used to see this as a tedious task but in actuality if I wanted to be in control of my body, I needed to be aware.
Once I did this I cut the cardio back and just keep my calories at a point that allowed me to add muscle without adding unessisary fat......
....This is why I will be journaling my progress during this contest prep as I prepare for Ironman in February. By making this info available for public viewing I am more likely to stick to it. I recommend making your OWN journal to track where you were and where you want to be.

Thanks for ALL your support!

Competing costs tons of money, takes you away from friends and family , makes you drag your lifeless, sore, depleted body for yet another cardio session. It is a JOB in itself just making food for the next day. You watch your friends talk about how much fun it was dancing at the new club and how drunk they were and remember what that was like.......so why the HELL do I compete? No one has ever PAID me for ANYTHING. My mom thinks I am crazy, she thinks I should take my degree and get a JOB that will pay me enough to buy a house and car and act more like my friends who are making over $50,000 a year. My friends think I am crazy for bringing food everywhere I go and reading Muscle and Fitness. So why do I do it..............I do it because I shock myself each time by what I put myself through and how rewarding it is to be incontrol of my own body. I do it because my view on life changes making me think that I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to. I do it because I practice what I preach and it helps motivate those I train. When people tell me that "I" am motivating then "I" am motivated to be the best I can be in everything I do.
The things I used to think I missed out on I don't seem to miss anymore. With that said I try and balance my life between friends, family, and fitness. You can't shut everything else out, just prioritize. There is always room for improvement in all aspects of life but as long as I keep moving foward I will keep going.
If I can find a way to do what I love for the rest of my life I will be happy. And competing makes my happy. I haven't won big money or lots of fame, I do it for myself, so I know it's for the right reasons. I want to thank all of the support from friends in the industry, photographers, and American Physiques. I want to thank anyone who has believed I can achieve the unachievable. I hope to move foward in the industry and help others reach their goals also, whether big or small. We all need something to move us foward. :) -V

Articles to come...

In addition to daily recipies and fitness tips I am putting together articles to answer frequently asked questions. If there is a certain topic of question that concerns you please feel free to enter a comment and bring the subject up. I want to make this site as updated and inertactive as possible.

I have always respected magazines such as: Oxygen, and Fitness RX that provide useful information to the health concious gym goer. I use these magazines to keep me motivated by reading about others that have similar fitness goals. I hope that the articles to come will do the same for you.

The articles written in this site are going to be researched, tested, and tried. They are going to discuss workouts for certain Muscle groups, Cardio, Nutrition, and Supplementation....just to name a few. I would LOVE to have your input. Thanks! -V

We all want to achieve the physique of our dreams. But how?

There are a myriad amount of diets telling us what we CAN'T have and how restricting ourselves from certain foods and things can lead to a quick fix in changing our body.....The problem with this is that it RARELY lasts.

The only way to truley change your physique for the better is through a healthy balanced diet that is designed to give the adequate, yet nutritionally dense, calories. But how many calories should we all take in?These numbers are determined through proven combined calculations that factor in weight and body composition in finding your personal Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). After finding these numbers you can better determine the amount of calories you need to lose fat or gain lean muscle. Then adding in the amount of physical activity can give us a more precise idea of what is going on in our body and how we can control its outcome.But who has time to calculate all this info?

Well, I did and added it to my website and all you have to do is enter YOUR info and you can view a general break down of the calorie amount and macronutrients that you should consume. These amounts are spread out through 6 smaller meals a day to keep you full and energize.
no one wants to FEEL like they are on a diet. It should be a lifestyle and one that you enjoy!-V :) Check it out!

Vanessa Van Overmeer's BLOG

So....this is my first blog. I will be using this info to update my website when it is up and running.
So a little bit about me. My goals in life are simple. I want to find a way to be as happy and content as possible. I plan on doing this by sorrounding myself with the things and people I love the most. I have found that these things that make me happy include fitness and nutrition. I feel the best when I am in great shape and eating healthy food. However, I also enjoy times with friends at a great resturant with a glass...or maybe more :) of wine.
I want to make a postive mark in the fitness industry and help others reach their fitness goals. More info to come on the site.....-V