Journal #6/ less then 4 weeks out!

Okay, so this is the point where you start to get a little, how do I put this lightly, crazy! I found that in my dieting phase I tend to go through emotional cycles that force me to push through uncomfortable feelings. Many athletes talk about their diet, training, splits, cardio, etc. but we rarely get to talk about the mental strongness that you have to endure on contest prep as you get closer. Some questions start to float around in your mind like, "Why am I doing this to myself?", "Why do I spend EVERY pay check on vegetables and protein?" " Why is that other people can sleep in past 5 a.m.?".....
So then I wake up the next day still asking these questions it's just this time they don't bother me. I remind myself that challenging myself and pushing myself beyond what I thought I could accomplish is WHY I compete in the first place. My negative feelings pass and I wake up more motivated then before. :)
Just 3 weeks to go and I am not at all worried that I will be at my best and feeling good. -V

Journal #5/ 7 weeks out

The holidays have come and gone. I have to say that I am some what glad. Staying away from holiday food isn't such a big deal but it's just the switch in routine that makes contest prep harder to follow. I feel good and can definitally start to see the hard earned muscle that I put on in the off-season, but for now it's all about getting as lean as I can.
I am approaching this prep a little different though. I want to find a way to improve my physique as well as live my life so I don't feel deprived during the on-season. Some girls feel that they need to isolate themselves and just train and eat super clean. This may be seen as disiplined but I want to live fitness as a lifestyle and not a season. I still want to come in the best I can but I just feel that on and off seasons don't need to be sooo drastic. I get to learn more about how my diet and training can be tweeked to reach a certain look without spending hours on the step mill. Well maybe a few hours. ;)
Some people make New Year's resolutions but I think if you know you aren't living your life the way you want then you should just change it. You don't need a resolution or the end of the year to do it. However, it is a good time to make some goals for the up coming year and maybe clean out your closet....
Here are my goals for 2007:

• Bring my best physique yet to the IronMan stage in February.
• Utilize my awesome new Nutritional Certification and program to help others reach their goals.
• Compete in a National show.
• Continue to teach my boot camp classes and improve them.
• Try to make the move in with my boyfriend work. No matter how different men and woman are. :)
• Make enough money to continue to compete along with having enough time for friends and family.

...I think that's it. Happy New Year everyone! -V