Video blogs - 5 days out

So i decided to put a few vids together as someone mentioned it would be a good idea. Ok, i'm struggling typing here..i just got my nails, pedicure, and eyebrows done today. I don't usually wear nails, so this is going to get time to get used to...lol. Just for the record, i know i look skinny in the vids and i don't really like it. I want to gain about 10lbs after comp to something more comfortable for me. That won't take long to gain...hehe. I didn't manage to really stay off my feet today like my trainer wanted me to, opps! Just been busy with stuff around the house, will do better tomorrow. Alright, here ya go and yeah i'm really not this boring. I'm just not used to doing video blogs :P

Posing vid and my assessment on it

Yeah, its kinda blurry and dark. I can see where i need work, at least from what i can see. I have improved though on some areas and i’m practicing everyday now as i know time is running out! I’m DETERMINED to get this posing down! Its like a art i tells ya! Here is what i need to improve:

• Keep legs together and remember to flex on front pose.
• Keep legs together on back pose.
• Transition between quarter turns with smaller moves.
• Maybe flex lats better on front pose?
• Bring arms back more on the side pose to not hide the lines.

So let me know what you think and let me know about that back pose, it looks almost perfect to me, but i may be wrong. I am really sticking my booty out, the little bit i got…lol. Oh and i’m looking around, because I’m imagining being on stage and looking at the crowd (yeah i look like a cheese head), probably just need to focus on the judges right? Give them a little wink wink here and there..lol. 9 DAYS OUT!!!

Less than 2 weeks out...

Here i am and its i’m less than 2 weeks out for a NPC show that i’m doing on May 10th. I’m excited about it, yet all these crazy things are racing through my mind that COULD happen. You know, the malfunctions or goof ups. I keep a positive outlook on things, but come on i gotta be realistic too…hehe. I pretty much have everything i need, just the final touches and confirming things such as the tanning, what color face makeup to use, shaving, jewelery (i just need to see if i have the earrings, i have the bracelet) and i need to start putting everything in baggies ready to be packed this week. I want to be READY. I’m using Jan Tana for my tanner and noticed when i tested it on my tummy and took a shower, most of it washed off…hmmmmm. Just trying to figure out whens the best time to start tanning, like that Wednesday or Friday as i need to get 3 good coats on and then another coat in the morning of the Jan tana show tan.

I have yet to book a room near the show. My husband doesn’t think i need a room and that I’m over exaggerating. He thinks that prejudging determines if you go to the "next round". LOL. Oh lawd! I try to explain it to him, but he is hard headed. I need to purchase a few tickets for him and my oldest daughter this week as they are going to attend. Sucks that my other kids won’t be there, you would think it would be free for kids or something. We just can’t afford it right now. I will be sure to have someone take vids and pics to share with them I will have them there in spirit

Training is right on track, I’m adding extra exercises to my lagging body parts to help bring them up some if possible. I want to do my best! I know, its my first show, but still! I have an appointment today with a trainer at the gym to get by body fat checked again. I just got it checked like last week so not sure if it will be any different. You know what they say "you can’t be too lean for NPC". Alrightly, just wanted to update everyone as to what was going on. I’m feeling alright for the first half of the day, but the other half (when i’m really low carbing) is not that great. I WILL survive though!

Here is the checklist i got from my trainer:

Check List for Show

Make up

Toner

Bronzer

Lip gloss

Eye brow

Eye liner

Eye shadows

Mascara

Glitter!!!!

Vaseline

Blush

False Eyelashes (?)

Nail care,

Polish,

Toe stuff

Nail glue/glue for suit too

Rhinestones for suit (God forbid) just incase

Hair Stuff

Bobby pins

Safety pins

Hair spray

Hair wax

Dryer, but hotel might have one

Curling iron

Flat iron

Comb/brushes

Misc

Toothbrush

Tooth paste

Face cleaner

Mouthwash

Sweatsuit

Tennis shoes

Flip flops

Pillow case/sheets

Extra underwear/socks

Long sleeve shirts

Blanket

Pillow

Little bag to carry around for back stage

Hand towels to have for messy stuff

Plastic gloves

IF going out of town

Cooler

Ice pack

Chicken/fish, sweet pots, and veggies in zip lock bags.

Food

Granola

Dried fruit

Nuts

Rice cakes

Peanut butter

Raw honey

Potassium for cramps

Bottled Water

STAGE

Posing shoes

Posing Suits

Grips for bottom of shoes

Extra heels

Pro-tan/gloves/sm.towel

Oil/Pam

Bikini Bites

Jewelry

Gum

Plastic bags, for dirty sheets or clothes so everything you take home doesn’t stink!!!

Anyone care to add anything that she missed?

Interesting article on food cravings...

Cravings have nothing to do with willpower!

http://www.womentowomen.com/symptoms/cravings.aspx

An enormous percentage of women crave sugar, carbohydrates, or alcohol. In most cas
es, these food cravings are not true eating disorders, but instead are signs of hormonal imbalance caused by a lack of healthy nutrition.

Your personal issue may be the afternoon snack (often chocolate or candy or a food that’s also heavy in carbohydrates), too many potato chips, the extra glass of wine at night, or a hundred other variations. But the underlying mechanism, and the way to curb cravings, is the same. And it has nothing to do with willpower, or your lack thereof!

Food cravings mean that the body has its signals mixed up. When we are exhausted or blue, we have low blood sugar and/or low serotonin, and the body signals the brain that it needs a pick-me-up. This signal causes a sugar craving or carbohydrate craving.

Serotonin is our basic feel-good hormone. If serotonin is low, we feel sad or depressed. And hormonal imbalance or weak digestion can lead to low serotonin. Unfortunately, sugars and simple carbohydrates release a short burst of serotonin — we feel good for a moment, but soon return to our low-serotonin state — then crave more sugar and simple carbohydrates. It’s a downward spiral.

If you eat a low-fat diet in the hope of losing weight, you unintentionally make the problem worse. If, like millions of women, you have eaten a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet for many years, or followed fad diets, the odds are good that you have become at least partially insulin resistant.

Insulin is responsible for maintaining stable blood sugar levels by telling the body’s cells when to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. Being insulin resistant means your body stops responding to insulin, and instead grabs every calorie it can and deposits it as fat. So no matter how little you eat, you will gradually gain weight.

At the same time, your cells cannot absorb the glucose they need, so they signal your brain that you need more carbohydrates or sugars. The result is persistent food cravings.

Even worse, insulin resistance leads directly to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Many experts believe it is the root cause of the epidemic of those diseases in America today. And a low-fat diet makes it far more likely you will suffer from this condition.

Millions of American women are now trying the Atkins Diet or the South Beach Diet. While these diets are an improvement over the conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, they can worsen your metabolic problems, because dieting itself is stressful to the body. So many women need to heal their metabolism first before even considering weight loss.

Another cause of food cravings is adrenal fatigue. If you are under a great deal of stress, or suffer from insomnia or sleep deprivation, you are probably exhausted much of the time. This leads to adrenal fatigue or outright adrenal exhaustion, which in turn signals the body it needs a pick-me-up. You may resort to sugar or carbohydrate snacks or coffee during the day and carbohydrates or alcohol at night, all of which exacerbate the problem.

How to curb cravings

Women who blame themselves for their food cravings only worsen their mood and increase their need for serotonin. That’s when a pattern of emotional eating can develop. Remember, there are biological causes of sugar cravings, and your carbohydrate craving is rarely just a behavioral problem. The root problem is more likely inadequate nutrition.

How to break this vicious cycle? To reduce food cravings, the body needs real support — and lots of it. We have seen over and over that eating healthy foods, adding pharmaceutical–grade nutritional supplements and moderate exercise can almost miraculously curb cravings. Your metabolism will heal itself when provided with the necessary nutritional support. If it has been damaged, the process can take some time, but it will happen. The good news is — you don’t have to give up chocolate!

WOW, no wonder i have bad cravings here lately :P Is this normal for someone 2 weeks out?? I'm about to start a new diet starting tomorrow (Saturday) and i have a feeling its going to get WORSE.

My thoughts on my current progress pics and stats

Well, i had my husband take my progress pics last night. Now he is not all up for the comp thing as some of you may already know, but when i put on that 2 piece, he said it turns him on...LOL. I know TMI! Just funny. ANYWAYS, so far i'm impressed with some of the muscle gains i have kept and the continued definition i'm getting on most of my body. The part i dislike is my abs and how "skinny" i look in my mid section. I know i have abs cause i see them at times. Some say that they come out for some during the whole water depletion stage. i really hope this is the thing that is going to happen for me cause i don't want to be the skinniest chick on stage :P Also my weight, what is up with me losing weight still?? My body fat is already below what i was hoping for. Can i just maintain this body fat from now until May 10th? Geez! Sometimes i feel like eating a freaking hamburger or something to not let my body fat go down anymore and do something with those bones showing in my mid section. Mine seem to be showing a good bit.

I'm waiting for my trainer to consult back on my progress so far and my weight. Now i do eat and do my workouts like i should be doing. I have only been doing cardio 2xs a week (30-45mins sessions) so its not like i'm doing crazy amounts of cardio like some. I don't miss any meals, as a matter a fact i take bites of stuff cause i have this "you are going to be too skinny" mentality. Is this normal? I have turned into a fat burning machine! I feel so freaking skinny! After this comp, i'm either going to keep prepping for a SNBF show in July as initially planned or i'm going to bulk for another later show. I may be brave enough and do another NPC show this year since i'm purchasing the card for the year. I will just have to see. Sometimes i still feel like the "old" Sandra and having self doubts if i'm capable of doing this and if i'm just going to make a complete fool of myself on stage. I know, stop thinking negative, but you want to do your best after all the hard work and heart you put into your training. Just some thoughts. I know the weight i want to be is around 125-130lbs with a good bit of mass. Since this is my first comp, i know i will learn from this experience. If anyone has anything to share that you have learned or experienced from your first comp and what you did to overcome it (fears). please share! Thanks for visiting my blog!

Skinny me!! Life of a figure competitor??

Thats all i have been hearing lately, "God, you are so skinny!" "Are you eating??". Man, SHUDDUP!! Then you explain what your goals are and all and they are looking all with a puzzled look. I’m now referred to as the skinny bitch in my neighborhood per one of my neighbors, you know the one you love to hate (she was joking when she said this though ) Whats so sad, i used to be like her, a skinny bitch hater! HAHA! I haven’t been big all the time, but one of those YO YO dieters and size 12 is a number that has stuck with me. Some of my neighbors are actually curious in how i will do in my show and want to show up. Kinda cool, but geez they are going to see me in those tiny suits, opps!! My husband seems cool with it though even though he is already tired of hearing about all this figure comp stuff. Just funny how i’m a "skinny bitch" now. Never though i would be referred as that. Then my neighbor that lives in front of us that is pretty blunt and kinda hates asked me awhile ago when i was just a bit heavier at one of the PTA events in a smart alec tone "What are you now, like a SIZE 2?!" I tell her "No actually, i’m a size 4 ". Thats ok, as i’m working on staying healthy and accomplishing a goal that many other women will never try or overcome, they are still in limbo with their weight issues. I have tried to instill those values i have learned in my fitness journey onto them, but they are like "Uh, i couldn’t just eat that, i can’t give up blah blah blah, don’t have time to workout with kids, blah blah blah…" yeah, those kind of excuses, you know the kind. Oh well, all you can do is try to help them out and if they can take any of your advice, then awesome! If not, i guess its not their time.

P.S. I’m a size 2 right now and weigh about 120lbs. I’m now an ULTRA skinny bitch!! LOL.

What a crappy week so far! WARNING: Vent!

So it started it off with the weekend when i wasn't able to go to the SNBF bodybuilding show on Saturday (too many issues, husbands fault!). I was SO FRUSTRATED that day i just wanted to bust a window or something! UGH!! Just when you are fuming, everyone is getting in your way too (this happened to me while on the way home). Almost ran out of gas, running late to the show, husband giving me crap...the list goes on. Well, i calmed down and just took a deep breath. Then i think, why is this happening?? Is God trying to tell me not to compete or something?? Anyways, i went back home with my daughter (she was with me) and we just chilled the rest of the night. Well, i did my workout later that night, can't skip that or i will be really moody and threw some extra cardio in there cause i was really feeling the music at this point!

SPEAKING OF MOOD SWINGS...I have been having those a lot more frequently lately. BITCHY!! I'm trying not to take it out on people around me. Yesterday was a bad day too, hubby supposedly forgot to pay the light bill and the cable bill so i get home with groceries and my damn lights are cut off. Can you say NERVOUS BREAKDOWN?? LOL. He needs to let me handle the dang bills. His ideas just don't cut it, then my stupid cell phone is intermittently turning off so i had to go drop it off to have it checked out. Well, it has to be replaced....NICE. They are shipping one to me and i should get it in a few days. Today is just a SLUGGISH day for me. I get in my meals, but its less carbs for me and i am not functioning or thinking the same. Still trying to be superwoman over here taking care of stuff around the house (just got done cleaning my carpets, tired as heck!) and dealing with my screaming kids. Noriana decided to write and color on some walls today. Such a lovely week right?? I know its just ONE of those weeks and it will go by, only a little less than 4 weeks of this torture to finally get my rewarded moment (so we hope :P). I'm anxious, yet excited to get on that stage. Getting in the final stages and checking my list to make sure i'm ready. Going to start applying the Jantana on just part of my stomach to see how it looks and what it does to the stretch marks (coverage, may need Dermablend). yeah, those things really annoy me and could affect my confidence on the stage. Then i'm like F**K it, those are my MOMMY BATTLE scars and shows that i'm a MOM :) SO WHO CARES RIGHT?? Well i do sometimes more than other times.

Yeah, its going to be one of those nights....CALGON take me away (in the bath tub of course) and before that i will get some posing practice done, cause i know my competitors are probably full speed ahead while i'm over here all sluggish and stuff. HA!