Tomorrow is the BIG day!

I'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow and if you have been following my blog you know what surgery i'm getting ;) Mommy makeover - tummy tuck! I'm looking forward to it and excited yet a little scared. Please say a prayer for me that everything will be ok. The first week should be pretty rough so don't know if i will be on the computer, just depends on how i feel. I will try to keep my blog updated soon to let everyone know how it went and share some pics later on. Surgery is at 7:30am tomorrow and will probably last around 2 hours. My sister is going to be with me all day tomorrow, thank God for a great sister :) She is awesome!

MAKING SOME GAINS, OH YEAH!!!

Just wanted to share my progress since being on Scivation's CHA modified diet

Differences noticed - quads are getting better and yes i'm flexing in that first set of pics. I think it really depends on what i eat to really make them pop. Leaner, not sure...seems like the veins are showing up more on the first set of pics. Need to work on my posing as you can see. I get practice taking the progress pics though. My very first pics for Scivation i was obviously leaner since i just got done doing a comp so i won't post those Lord knows i don't want to be skinny like i was at my first comp. I was just looking back at those pics and thinking "what the heck was i thinking competing looking like that!" LOL. Each comp should bring a better physique so you see why my i want to give my body more time to build. Still lots of symmetry to work on. Please give me some honest feedback, i won't bite I am definitely pushing A LOT more weight than i ever have since joining Team Scivation. I stay pretty active too, you have to with 4 kids and a husband. The CHA diet has been pretty point on since the holidays have passed so there is no problem there.

The first set of pics were taken on 12/8 and that was a hellacious month as i was adjusting to the CHA and not being very strict (holidays). I didn't think i would ever get adjusted and was about to KICK the CHA to the curb. I was being a big baby. I then later on (without me asking) got switched over to the modified CHA to where i could have startchy carbs on M1, M2, and M3. The pics show 8 weeks worth of progress. I really did want those shoulders to have grown some more.

Some stats:

12/8/09 weight (first set of pics): 139lbs

2/3/09 weight (current progress pics): 139.5lbs (1 inch off waist, 1/2 inch lost on hips, 1/2 inch increase on chest, funny quads and calves are the same in measurements)

When i first started with Scivation, my weight was 136lbs. My waist measurements are the same as now, quads are an inch bigger now, hips an inch bigger, chest a half inch bigger, and calves a half inch bigger. Oh yeah, started off with shoulder measurements of 39.5 and now its 42 inches around. I took my BF measurements and came up with around 14% which is hard to believe. I am retaking it next week per Derek/Scivation trainer. I pinched the 3 sites as hard as i could to get a reading. My digital Accumeasure calipers average out the pinches.

So this is what i have now :) Training is going AWESOME and the diet is SPOT ON. I get a weekly cheat so i'm hitting the sushi this week :D Thanks for reading and commenting ;)

Ms. Future FITNESS/DIVA!!

My daughter Vanessa. I was doing some plyometric stuff and she wanted to join along. I had no idea she took this video. I saw it and thought it was the cutest thing. This is my daughter that loves healthy food, can you tell? She used to always want some of my tilapia meals when i was dieting down. Too funny. Sorry its kind of dark, the lighting was not great.

Holding off from doing the June competitions and mommy makeover

I have decided to hold off from doing any competitions in June or anytime soon. I have given this some thought and have discussed it with my husband. I have high standards this time around, i want to bring up my upper body the way i want and have better overall conditioning. A year should do the trick hopefully. I will know when its "GO" time. I want to be COMPETITION when i get on that stage and not have a doubt in my mind. Not necessarily win (although that would be NICE!), but have a high ranking and be proud that my hard work came through. I want to shine on stage and be proud. I love competing and just the journey you go through to make it to that stage is something that is so different from anything i have done and very rewarding to me. Is it a struggle with a family? YES! Is it worth it? YES IT IS! Is it easy? NO NO NO! If you love a challenge and something to look back onto and say YES I DID IT and have some cool stories and pics to share..something that many do NOT do and go for it. I was unique in that way then do something like this. I don't mean necessarily in bodybuilding for someone, but just something unique and mind blowing ;)

On another note, i have also decided to go ahead with the surgery i discussed in my earlier blog. yes, the tummy tuck. After contemplating on it and researching it deeply, i have decided that i do want it done. I want to feel better about myself and think i deserve this after having 4 kids. I want to feel confident in my clothes and walking on the beach without worrying about all the stretch marks and loose skin that plague my stomach. So many reasons, i really want to do this for ME. I know its costly and all, but hey i only get to live once and there are risks to everything in life. Also in my current situation, this opportunity will not come up again anytime soon. My husband supports my decision although at first he was not sure about it. He realizes now that it really bothers me and that nothing will help it. I was going to make a video or post pictures of the REAL stomach i have so you guys can see what i'm talking about but to be honest i'm EMBARRASSED. This pic i posted is a older pic when i was prepping for my last comp and trying out some Jantana so it just makes the stretch marks look worse. I am just praying that this is the right decision for me and that the surgery will go by smoothly. Like i said before, i wasn't going to rush into the surgery until knowing for sure that

1. Loose skin is not going anywhere even after maintaining weight/good body fat for over 2 years has not helped.
   
2. Stretch marks remedies have all failed.
   
3. Done having kids.

SO yeah, this is it! Mommy makeover and being REBORN :) I know everyone will not agree with this decision, but in the end is what is going to make ME happy. I have yet to schedule the procedure. I have consulted with 2 surgeons so far, going to consult with a few more before making a final choice. I want to have this done next month.

My body is FINALLY adjusting to the CHA diet! Gaining momentum :-)

Feeling like Wonder Woman over here! WOOT! Feeling great and excited that i’m in the ZONE with the clean eats and the hard ass workouts. Staying motivated by coming on here and chatting with my friends and team mates. Holding yourself accountable and discussing your experiences with other like minded people makes a big impact. Although my weight is higher, i feel LEANER. It also helps that my husband has been doing a diet for the past 3 weeks too. He gets to cook for me every now and then, you know how we get tired of our own cooking and he can be a creative cook too. He knows what he can use for my meals cause i will go OFF…HAHA, ok not like CRAZY off, but i will be pissed. He is reading labels more and just being more aware of stuff. He doesn’t even want to take a cheat meal a week. Hope he hangs on to this lifestyle, he is getting pretty hooked already and reading up a lot on fitness. Anyways, my workouts have been very productive. Hitting higher numbers just about every week. I’m currently sore from my leg workout i had on Friday. OUCHIE! My shoulders were burning throughout my workout today, but it was a GOOD burn ya know? I was DETERMINED to hit new numbers today in the gym on shoulders as that is my lagging bodypart that i REALLY need to bring up. I want my shoulders to match my big quads. Oh, my husband bought the Iron Gym pull up bar cause he knew i wanted it and he is using it too. My back needs to be brought up too. Every time i walk by it now, i want to jump up and give it hell. Chin ups i can do, pulls up…NOT YET. My goal is to be able to do at least ONE unassisted pull up within the next month. Is that a realistic goal? I’m going to do my damndest to STOMP IT. Alright, that is all i have to report for now. My ramblings...

Progress pics - still in a building phase

Alright, don't get blinded. Remember i'm bulking :D I took some current progress pictures today just to see where i'm at. I'm feeling a bit frustrated because i don't see too much of a difference in muscle growth. I feel "fluffy" although i don't really see that in the pictures. My legs make me look chunky...lol. Anyways, i wanted to get some HONEST feedback from everyone on my progress and heck maybe some suggestions. I have just started hitting my shoulders 2xs a week (one heavy day/low reps and one day lighter weight/high reps). I'm going to try this and see what happens. I'm at 139lbs in these pics, my calipers at home say i'm about 18%. Funny thing is that i weigh the same as before i started the CHA, but i have lost inches in some areas.

• Diet - Scivation CHA diet (low carbs/high fats) Pre and post workout carbs allowed on strength training days. I range around 1900-2300 calories on this plan. Started this around 5.5 weeks ago. My body is finally getting adjusted to the diet.
  

• Training - Antagonist training (strength training 4xs a week)

• Cardio - Moderate to LISS (low intensity steady state)

• Supplements currently taking: Vasocharge, Xtend, glutamine, multi vitamin, vitamin C, fish oil, Sesamin, CLA, ZMA (just started taking this yesterday), Alri Hyperdrive, whey protein

Weight: 139lbs
Waist: 30
Hips: 37.5
Chest: 37.5
Arms flexed: 12
Forearm: 9
Quads: 22
Calves: 13.5

5.5 weeks into CHA (3 weeks on track, remember the holidays were around...lol):

Weight: 139lbs
Waist: 29
Hips: 37
Chest: 37.5
Arms flexed: 12
Forearm: 9.25
Quads: 22.375
Calves: 13.5

The plan is to start prepping for the NGA June show at 17 weeks out. I'm not so certain if i should go for it if i don't build some more on the upper body. What are your thoughts? I don't want to get on stage looking the same. Just not worth it to me, i want to present a better physique. I'm still trying to learn still what works for my body and what triggers growth in certain areas. I know this is probably something a lot of us deal with in the bulking stage.

LOW CARBING SUCKS!

Yeah, i said it! I'm in a bitching mode about it. I'm doing a low carb bulk type diet right now and i'm in the "transitional phase" where the body has to switch from using carbs as fuel to using fats. I don't like the side effects of it, but i'm really doing my best to stick with it and at least give it a chance. It's the CHA (high protein, high fat) diet which is supposed to help you build, but you are able to stay somewhat lean on it (minimal fat gain). I started a journal over at bodybuilding.com so i can hold myself accountable. Some great people that follow my journal so i want to do my best. I have been on it for like 4 weeks almost, but with the holidays well...ya know it wasn't a consistent diet. Now i'm basically starting over and here we go with the weak feelings and just losing strength. I really hope this is worth it. Everyone who has tried it raves about it so yeah that is why i'm hanging in there. Kicking and screaming over here....lol.

For example, here is Sunday's stats on my meals. Anything under 100 grams of carbs, i'm pretty worthless.

Calories - 1902 Carbs - 72 grams Fat - 83 grams Protein - 217 grams

I get to have post workout carbs (complex) after my lifts on lift days so those days are GOOD. I get one cheat meal a week. I have been pretty good with the diet this week, no bites of anything unauthorized or nothing like that. So i just don't get why i feel so crappy even though i am getting in enough calories and fats. Sheesh, my body is picky.

The good news is that i'm looking leaner and my waist measurement went down by half an inch :D I'm about 24 weeks out right now. If this diet doesn't work out, going to do a moderate carb bulk diet. I just feel so much better with more carbs and i feel like i can lift so much more...STRONGER! Don't know what the plan is for the comp diet yet. Scivation offers a free comp diet and advice on the comp prep, i may try that for a little while and see how it goes. If not, then i have a few trainers in mind to get me going. Just hope the money situation gets better by then. Trainers can be expensive, BUT i don't want to work hard and look the same on stage. I would just cancel then. So something has to give. That is all, that is my rant of the week...hehe.