3 Days Out

Good Morning!

This was Monday.

These are the positive notes I have around the house.  A constant reminder.  THEY WORK!

When I walked in the door from training with Tionna, these were waiting for me.  One for me and one for Tionna!  Justin is the best!!

I spend the evening at the karate school where I used to train.  Man, did that feel good.  Not only did I get a warm welcoming by everyone, I had forgotten what a loving, energizing place it is.  I had the biggest smile plastered on my face the entire time.

I was just a spectator this time, but next time I think I’ll jump in!!

This was Tuesday.

Yesterday was Rough (with a capital R!).  I was emotional, sensitive, hateful and CRANKY!

Tionna did everything she could to keep me laughing! Our training session turned into a one hour pep talk.  I needed it more than the weights yesterday.

My Mom dropped by and brought a box of goodies in the afternoon.

It was such a fun surprise!!

I slept so good last!

And today is Wednesday.

The WBFF US Central Fitness Show is Saturday.

It’s time to start shedding the water and I am READY!  I feel so full and puffy.

I started this day with 45 minutes on the spin bike.

Today is my brazilian wax, tomorrow is nails and toes, friday is tanning and athlete’s meeting.

Let the fun begin!

8 Days Out

Happy Friday!!

Yesterday started with 45 minutes on the spin bike. 

Then I ran the girls up to their grooming appointment so I could hustle home and eat some egg whites with gluten free oats.  I still can’t believe I like mixing those two things together now.

After getting everyone up and out of here for the day, I ate a chicken breast with some brussel sprout, spinach and kale salad and headed down to train with Tionna.  Last back and biceps workout.  It’s crazy that we are entering into the phase of prep of “lasts”.

Back at home, I ate another chicken breast with brussel sprout, spinach and kale salad with some quinoa and then crashed on the couch.

It was kind of a weird feeling yesterday. I felt happy and my mind was ready to attack my to do list, but my body was tiiiiiired!  I would do little tasks in spurts but just didn’t have much oomph.

My fourth meal

was a chicken breast with roasted brussel sprouts. Yum! Man. I love brussel sprouts.  I never get sick of them!

I did have enough oomph for yoga though. 

It was a powerful class too.  It was ashtanga and the room was full and Marti was fired up!  The music was awesome and I found myself in my own little yoga groove.  I was moving with the music and my breath and Marti’s voice. It was fast paced and sweaty.  Everyone and everything else slipped away.

Tionna and I were all smiles after that class. (I look like I am in pain! ha!)

And then we ate tacos.

I feel great this morning.  Refueled and ready for the last 8 days!

4am bathroom pictures in my panties seems normal now.  I’m sure a year from now (or 2 weeks) I’ll look back and think…how embarrassing!

Enjoy your day!

10 Days Out

Here we goooooo!

10 days!

This was taken some time last week. Relaxed.

Not flexing.  SERIOUSLY?!!!  I am so excited to have abs for the  first time in my life!

Tionna has turned my body into machine.  She challenges me, pushes me and supports me. LOVE HER!

Here are some pictures from the past week.

I got my pictures back from the Boudoir shoot and here is one I can show you.  Most of the other pictures are a little too HOT for this blog.

Hmmmm, what else…

Vann and her husband, Matt, welcomed Gabriel Allen Benson into the world!

He is perfect in every way.

Got my figure suit…

My oh my, it’s been a long time since I put a suit that small on and pictured myself walking across the stage!  eek!

Mother’s Day

Obviously, this is not what I ate.  I brought tilapia and veggies.

And this happened.

My step dad, Tom, needed to test my strength after seeing my arms!  Too funny. I did not win. Hmph.

And that brings us to today..

The morning started with a total melt down and good cleansing cry in the shower.  I felt so much better and had an awesome workout with Tionna!

19 Days Out

Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day.  I woke up feeling full of energy!  I did laundry, cleaned the floors, the kitchen and got started going through stuff to take to good will.  We need to DE-CLUTTER in a bad way!

By early afternoon, I was feeling restless and cranky.  Tionna told me to go do some cardio! 

She knows what I need.  Can’t hide my feelings from that girl!

I went to the track for some sprints, but there was a Lacrosse game going on. GAH!  Don’t they know that’s MY track?!

So, I ran hill sprints in our neighborhood instead.

I thought I was going to die.  Hill sprints are so hard but feel so good! 

Then I went home, stripped off my shirt in the bathroom and took a bunch of pictures of myself.

Totally normal behavior.

Don’t act like you all didn’t do that too!

For the first time in this prep, Tionna is having me do some steady state cardio this week.  I did 45 minutes on the spin bike (probably won’t be able to walk tomorrow!) and feel amazing! I love early morning sweat sessions.  I feel so refreshed and ready for the day!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I know one girl who did….KARI KEENAN!!!  She competed this weekend and took home 1ST PLACE!  So excited for you and proud of you!  I’m sure you are waking up one happy girl this morning.

Melissa also competed and I have been on the edge of my seat waiting to hear how she did and see some pictures, but she hasn’t surfaced yet!

Happy Monday, Friends!

Happy Sunday!  The beginning of a new week!

Yesterday started off with a yoga class with my friend, Kristen.  It was perfect.

We started and ended the class with mantras.  I love chanting in yoga.  I love the energy it creates in the room.  I love the vibrations my own voice creates in my body.

I didn’t always feel this way.  I used to be a afraid to let my voice out. I was “listening” to hard to myself and judging what I heard instead of “feeling”.  Now, I just close my eyes, inhale deep and let go.  When you get a room full of people all doing that, the energy it creates is indescribable. My heart starts beating faster and I feel electric, like my whole body is buzzing.

The rest of the day I spent resting and prepping food.  I wasn’t feeling so good due to that time of the month.  It was a weird month for me.  A little crampy, super tired, not really sure if I was starting or not starting and cranky.

I woke up feeling GREAT this morning though.  Tionna wants me to rest one more day.  I feel like I have a lot of energy so that’s going to be hard.

I guess I could use that energy to clean.  I think our wood floors are going to pick themselves up and walk right out of our house if I don’t give them some attention soon! Yikes!

Never Say Never

I say NEVER quite a bit.  Sometimes I think it’s a personal challenge to myself.

Tionna told me….and as I type this I am thinking I may have already told you this story, but now I can’t remember, #compprepbrain…that she ate a lot of tuna and green beans with mustard during prep and I was like, “Nope. Gross. NEVER going to be that desperate.”

Well, I wouldn’t say I was desperate, more like lazy.

On the days when I don’t feel like cooking something, I open a can of No-Salt Added green beans, drain them, dump them in a container then top with a can of drained tuna, add some mustard. Chow down!  Super easy. Surprisingly tasty!

Another thing I said I would NEVER eat.

Plain oats mixed with egg whites.

I said that is disgusting.  I will make a little pancake.

Then I started missing the warm oatmeal.  And I started not feeling like grinding the oats into flour because that was just one step too many that day.

So I caved.

And it is delicious!

The end.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Eat some chips and salsa for me! And while you are at it, go ahead and put some refried beans, taco meat, nacho cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo and black olives on them!

Thanks!

21 Days Out

Good Morning, Friends!

I’m 3 weeks out from the show.

This past week was crazy busy and I was in bed most nights and asleep by 9pm!  Exhausted.  I’m sure the fact that I started my period this morning has something to do with my exhaustion.

None the less, still got my training in with Tionna and cardio in the form of HIIT.

One of the days last week was nice, BEFORE IT SNOWED, so Tionna, Justin and I went to the Parkville Nature Sanctuary and ran around and walked up that damn hill!!

And took some pictures!

Thank you Justin for being so patient and taking a million pictures of us!

Tionna and I both love taking pictures so just about any time we have a few minutes we start posing! ha!

I struggled a little with my diet yesterday. Hmphf.  I haven’t had any cravings or issues with my diet at all this prep until yesterday.  Stupid hormones and I was ALONE in the house.  Oh, hi….peanut butter, and a rice cake and a slice of gluten free bread.  I realize it could have been worse and I could have gone to town on a bag of chips or baked myself a cake, but I really can’t afford any mistakes right now!

I’m 21 days out!

I have to stay focused.

I want this.

Today, I am going to yoga and then have posing practice with Tionna and the other girls she is training for the show.  I wish I had my suits.  Les, with Vizion Couture, is making them and should be shipping them today. 

We had to take our Flex Friday picture for Instagram and Facebook!

Hope everyone had a great week!  I did make it to yoga one time last week so I am definitely looking forward to it this morning.

A Letter to Myself

Dear Stacy,

I am so proud of you.

You wake up every day with your heart filled with happiness.

You truly feel a zest for life and excitement toward each new day.

You are so grateful for everything and everyone in your life.

You do not take your health for granted, instead you are thankful for your body.

You are in control of your thoughts so you speak kindly to yourself first thing in the morning, knowing this will set the tone for your whole day.

You are silly and playful.

Your laugh and smile are contagious.

You are hopelessly optimistic.

You start the day by looking in the mirror and smiling because you are beautiful.

You set your intention to be strong and kind and gentle to yourself and others you might meet during the day.

You strive for goals that leave you exhausted but stronger.

You love others with your whole heart.

You love watching others chase their dreams and succeed!

You are willing to give to others for as long as they need, however much they need.

You are willing to sacrifice your own feelings so that others may feel good.

You are a good listener.

You are a loyal, genuine and honest friend.

People are drawn to what you do because you are willing to share everything with them.

But sometimes………………the negative talk creeps in.  You whisper to yourself that you are not a very nice person.  That you feel chaotic.  You are not doing enough. You are selfish. You could be more to others.  You could be stronger.  You are not enough.  You are a failure, a disappointment.

Listen to that whisper.

She’s a piece of you that needs a little more attention and love in that moment.  Do not brush her off.

She needs you too.

And when the tears come, know that it is because you are taking the time to love yourself.  Let the tears soothe and comfort that little whisper.  Hug her.

Love her and nurture her and fill her back up with all the joy that you have in you.

You have everything you need right inside of you.  Take it. Use it.

You are the most important person in my life.  I am so thankful I know you.

You are less than a month out.  Hang on tight.  I AM HERE FOR YOU.  You have come so far and work so hard. KEEP PUSHING.  You are becoming the BEST YOU!

I am so proud of YOU!

Love,

Stacy