I am pleased with my progress so far, but looking at the pictures of the women who are winning the contests makes me realize that I have a long way to go to achieve the shape & definition I need, especially in my legs & back.

So, knowing I have a limited time before I step on stage, I feel I need to squeeze the most from every workout & every rep, & of course–the best nutrition program possible. So while working out this week, it hit me: instead of thinking how I have to ‘get through’ my prescribed number of reps set by my coach, I wanted to make each rep count.

So my new philosophy is that every exercise I approach, I look at it as ‘X-number of opportunities for improvement’. For example, if I have 12 reps of wide-grip lat pulldowns, that is 12 opportunities to stimulate my lats into growth, carve deeper definition & cuts, improve my strength, & widen my lat spread. Wow! It is amazing how much more energy I have & how intense I feel each rep now that I am looking at it like that! Instead of getting through 15 squats, I now focus on each rep as a singular opportunity to get my legs in to the best shape possible by the time I step on stage!

When I am getting near the end of an exercise, have about 3 more reps to go, feeling the burn, & the muscles are wanting to give out on me—I think to myself—”3 more to go! ONLY 3 more opportunities to get as much out of this exercise as I can! It’s now or never, or the opportunity is lost.” Those last 3 reps, when you think you can’t go any further, is where the real growth & progress happens.

This has been so powerful for me already, I just wanted to share it. Maybe it will help motivate you when you start dreading an exercise, or just wanting to get it over with. Hey–we’ve all been there! I know I have!

There’s no points (i.e. Pro Card) for second best!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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I am reprinting this article that was featured on www.NaturalNews.com. If you are not receiving updates from this website, you are missing some of the most important information out there about your health, and one of the few honest reporting sites of the atrocities forced upon us by the FDA, Big Pharma, Big Food, etc etc. THIS is why I say you have to FIGHT FOR YOUR HEALTH, folks! If you think the FDA’s motive is to protect you, the innocent consumer, then you are sadly disillusioned.

A note here: My family owns a beef cattle farm. I am in NO WAY slighting the hardworking people who labor to bring us food for our tables. This is not an organic family farm we are talking about here–it is a huge monstrous company that operates very mysteriously. My parents know each & every cow, calf, & bull on our farm. They are named, checked twice a day, roam freely on lush grass pastures, are never injected with ANYTHING, & are treated like pets. We do sell the calves at auction, but many of them do go on to become brood cows, stud bulls, etc., so it’s not always a death sentence. I choose not to eat red meat anymore, but if I did, I would choose meat from a local, organic farm.

When I beg you to choose organic, it’s not only because of what is IN it–higher nutrition, more minerals, better taste, etc. But it’s also because of what is NOT in it!   Some have argued that with depleted soils organic isn’t much better. There is a certain validity to that, BUT (and it’s a big BUT!) if the farm is truly organic, they will begin by building the soil with compost & organic nutrients to provide a rich growing environment for the crops without synthetic fertilizers which leach the soil of its nutrients. So, TRUE organic should be vastly superior in nutrition, and there are studies that do prove that.  I.E.  Study from the JAFC & Rebuttal to the Flawed British Study.    And a GREAT one from Rutgers:  Mineral Content of Organic Food.   Just Google about research on organic food–lots of good information.

The following article will shock and disgust you.  I am not making any kind of moral judgment on eating meat or not, but the point is–if you DO eat meat, DON’T eat it at a fast food joint!  Support your local, organic farmer.  Yes, it costs more at the cash register.  But what does the cheap meat cost in sickness, disease, & death?

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Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat

By Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, Editor of www.naturalnews.com.

(NaturalNews) If you’re in the beef business, what do you do with all the extra cow parts and trimmings that have traditionally been sold off for use in pet food? You scrape them together into a pink mass, inject them with a chemical to kill the e.coli, and sell them to fast food restaurants to make into hamburgers.

That’s what’s been happening all across the USA with beef sold to McDonald’s, Burger King, school lunches and other fast food restaurants, according to a New York Times article. The beef is injected with ammonia, a chemical commonly used in glass cleaning and window cleaning products.

This is all fine with the USDA, which endorses the procedure as a way to make the hamburger beef “safe” enough to eat. Ammonia kills e.coli, you see, and the USDA doesn’t seem to be concerned with the fact that people are eating ammonia in their hamburgers.

This ammonia-injected beef comes from a company called Beef Products, Inc. As NYT reports, the federal school lunch program used a whopping 5.5 million pounds of ammonia-injected beef trimmings from this company in 2008. This company reportedly developed the idea of using ammonia to sterilize beef before selling it for human consumption.

Aside from the fact that there’s ammonia in the hamburger meat, there’s another problem with this company’s products: The ammonia doesn’t always kill the pathogens. Both e.coli and salmonella have been found contaminating the cow-derived products sold by this company.

This came as a shock to the USDA, which had actually exempted the company’s products from pathogen testing and product recalls. Why was it exempted? Because the ammonia injection process was deemed so effective that the meat products were thought to be safe beyond any question.

What else is in there?
As the NYT reports, “The company says its processed beef, a mashlike substance frozen into blocks or chips, is used in a majority of the hamburger sold nationwide. But it has remained little known outside industry and government circles. Federal officials agreed to the company’s request that the ammonia be classified as a ‘processing agent’ and not an ingredient that would be listed on labels.”

Fascinating. So you can inject a beef product with a chemical found in glass cleaning products and simply call it a “processing agent” — with the full permission and approval of the USDA, no less! Does anyone doubt any longer how deeply embedded the USDA is with the beef industry?

Apparently, this practice of injecting fast food beef with ammonia has been a well-kept secret for years. I never knew this was going on, and this news appears to be new information to virtually everyone. The real shocker is that “a majority” of fast food restaurants use this ammonia-injected cow-derived product in their hamburger meat. It sort of makes you wonder: What else is in there that we don’t know about?

“School lunch officials and other customers complained about the taste and smell of the beef,” says the NYT. No wonder. It’s been pumped full of chemicals.

There are already a thousand reasons not to eat fast food. Make this reason number 1,001. Ammonia. It’s not supposed to be there.

You can get the same effect by opening a can of dog food made with beef byproducts, spraying it with ammonia, and swallowing it. That is essentially what you’re eating when you order a fast food burger.

It’s almost enough to make you want to puke. If you do so, please aim it at your windows, because ammonia cuts through grease like nothing else, leaving your windows squeaky clean!

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News from Defiant Health!

Great news!   I have found several local gyms that will let me train as an independent personal trainer!  Yay!  And they are all wonderful facilities.  If you live in the Downtown/NE/SE Columbia area, I am now training at Brickhouse Gym on Huger St–an awesome, truly hardcore gym with the best array of equipment in town.  The only gym I know with sledgehammers & tractor tires!  Many elite athletes train there.  Great atmosphere.  My latest photos were taken there, so you can see how cool it is!  They also offer $10 per month discount on your new membership if you join as my client–awesome!

Closer to my home in Chapin, I am now training at Back in Shape Fitness Center in Chapin, SC, on Columbia Dr, just off Exit 91 on I26.  Also a super hardcore-style gym with a nice array of equipment.   Owned by a chiropractor/powerlifter, Dr. Ed Bull, who is a lifelong ‘gym guy’ and great at supporting overall health and wellbeing.

And I am also going to be training at Crooked Creek Park, if all goes well.  Final details are being worked out.  They don’t have a lot of weight equipment, but they have wonderful cardio, an indoor track, basketball, etc, as well as outside trails, ball fields, tennis courts, etc.  I don’t need a lot of equipment to whip you into shape, anyway.  I can give you a good workout in a 10-foot-square space with just your bodyweight!

I love all 3 of these wonderful facilities, and am so excited to be training there!  And I appreciate each of them for being so willing to work with me!

I am offering 1/2 hour & 1 hour sessions, as well as the monthly fitness plans & nutrition plans, or a combination thereof!  For example, I can work with you in person 1 day a week, & provide you with a plan for the other days to work on your own.

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Important!

I HAVE A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!  It is DefiantHealth@gmail.com. If you wish to contact me, please use that email address.

Be Defiant!  Fight for Your Health!

Christy

“Aging Disgracefully–and Proud Of It!”

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Really, New Year’s Day is just another day. It’s only man’s assignment of the calendar to it that gives it the incredible importance it has assumed. It is a symbol of rebirth, of cleansing, of hope, and the feeling of getting a great big “Do-Over”. It’s not only a new year, this time it’s a new decade! How will this decade look for you in the future when you look back on it?  Write your history now, while you have control over it!

In last year’s post, I shared some of my Revolutions with you. My biggest goal and revolution was to win a ‘natural’ Figure contest this year at the age of 40. Well, I went one better! I won a contest, but it wasn’t a small, ‘natural’ show. It was a full-fledged Level 5 Regional NPC show–the big time, baby! And I even went on to compete and place Top 15 in the biggest NPC National show of the year–something that was way beyond even my wildest dreams a year ago today.

I accomplished this because I not only set a goal, I revolutionized that goal with some WHYs that were so big and powerful that they changed my life. Then–and most importantly–I made a plan and TOOK ACTION. A goal without a plan of action is a pipe dream. Some of the actions I took didn’t create the results I wanted, but in my darkest hour when I had just about given up, the brightest light shone into my life and I met the coaches who guided me to the heights I never expected to achieve. If I hadn’t taken the actions that ‘failed’, I would never have been in the place to meet Shannon & Team Bombshell. Don’t be afraid to fail, make mistakes, fall down, or get hurt. It may be that so-called mistake that launches you to new heights.

So for this year, my Revolutions are even loftier. My Revolution is to win an NPC National Figure Championship and be awarded a pro card in Figure. To be an IFBB Figure Pro would truly be my lifelong dream come true. Ideally, I would like to accomplish this in August at the NPC Jr. USA’s in Houston, TX, because my husband’s family will be there with us. It would mean the world to me to win with them there in the audience! They are wonderful and so supportive!

I have many other Revolutions, too. I won’t go into them all. But I do want to take this opportunity to thank you for reading my blog, visiting my website, and giving me so much love and support over the past year. This website has really become a labor of love for me, and learning that I am somehow touching people whom I have never even met, who are thousands of miles away, has literally brought me to tears of gratitude more than once. I love you all, and I wish you the best year EVER in 2010!!!

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And here is last year’s blog again:

OK, I am a woman of my word, and I intend to keep my promise. I mentioned the other day that we were not going to do New Year’s Resolutions, because those are too weak and easy to break. How often do they last until Valentine’s Day anyway? No, we are going to rise above that. We are going to create real, deep, sweeping changes from a place of passion and commitment. We are going to REVOLT. We are going to make New Year’s REVOLUTIONS!!!

In typical Defiant Health style, we will refuse to bend to the status quo. We will misbehave and change our future history. We will defy convention and cause profound shifts in our lives, souls, and consciousness. Are you with me? Are you ready? Let’s do this!!!

First, get a piece of paper or create a Word document on your computer. Revolutionary Goals mean nothing unless they are written down. Write down everything that comes to your mind, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem at the time. Edit it later. Keep the Revolutions in a place where you will see them every day. Review them before you go to bed and first thing when you wake up in the morning.

A technique I have used with much success is to write my main goal every single day at the top of my daytimer. For example, in 2005, I set the very lofty goal of reaching Double Centurion status with Century 21, who I used to work for. You have to sell a whole lot of real estate to do that, and usually have to be in a market where the average home price is much higher than here. Every single day, when I got up, I wrote “I am a Double Centurion” at the top of that page of my daytimer. And I was Double Centurion by October, two months ahead of schedule!

It all starts in your mind. Thoughts become things. Visualize your revolutions. Imagine what your life will be like once you have revolted against your status quo. What can you now do, that you’d like to do, that you aren’t doing? Why? Do it!

Now, this step is very important. For every revolution, write down WHY you would like to revolutionize that area of your life. Let’s take the most common Revolution as an example: Releasing body fat. (Notice I didn’t say losing weight. We are not losers–we are winners. We will release the bodyfat that is holding us back from optimal health.) Everybody wants to get into better shape, eat better, release excess body fat, and tone up, right? Hey, even I do! So WHY do you want to do that? What will change in your life if you accomplish your goals and revolt against poor health? Your WHYs have to be bigger, badder, stronger and more intense than the challenges you will face. Your WHYs have to be able to kick butt. If your WHYs are weak, your revolution will fizzle and the enemies will win.

Here’s how this works as an example:

Revolution: To lose weight (how most people phrase it)

First, this is too general. A goal must be specific and stated in a positive affirmation. What is positive about losing? Your subconscious mind doesn’t respond to negatives by creating positives. It rejects negatives, so by framing your goal in a negative, your subconscious mind is going to work against your goal.

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: My bodyfat is 18%.

OK, good. Now let’s make it better. A goal is just a dream with a date attached. Set a time limit for your goal. And write your goal in the present tense, as if it has already happened. Writing it as a want or a wish will keep it in that state of flux. It needs to be concrete and in the moment. Your subconscious mind cannot distinguish between that which is imagined and what is real. By stating it in this way, your mind will perceive it as real and will become your ally instead of your enemy.

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: It is June 1st and my bodyfat is 18%.

Excellent! Now let’s really bring in the heavy artillery. Act as if the goal has already happened, and BE GRATEFUL and HAPPY for having it. Having an attitude of gratitude will cause you to vibrate in a highly positive frequency, which will attract your desires to you at a greater speed. “There are no happier people on this planet than those who decide that they want something, define what they want, get hold of the feeling of it even before it’s manifestation, and then joyously watch the unfolding, as piece by piece, by piece it begins to unfold. That’s the feeling of your hands in the clay.”–a quote from Abraham-Hicks.

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: It is June 1st and I am so happy and grateful that my bodyfat is 18%.

Now we have something to work with! You have your clearly defined goal. It is very specific. Notice we didn’t mention scale weight, inches, measurements or anything else in this goal. Those are separate goals. Keep each goal very specific and don’t be afraid to create many sub-goals on the same goal. Now, let’s look at WHY you want this goal.

It is June 1st and I am so happy and grateful that my bodyfat is 18%. WHY? What will be different when I reach this goal and revolutionize my life? Why is this goal important to me? What will it do for me?

–I will feel better about myself
–I will be happy to see myself in the mirror
–My clothes will fit better
–I can buy new beautiful clothes for my new physique
–I will be happier
–I will be healthier
–I will be in better shape

OK, good. You have some WHYs. None of these are really earth-shattering, though. And certainly not strong enough to resist that offer of dessert that looks so delicious. ‘Just this once won’t hurt’ will easily beat any of these whys. So what to do? Go back and dig deeper. Take each of these and ask WHY again.

Example: I will feel better about myself—-WHY?

–I won’t feel embarrassed at how I look
–I hate trying on swimsuits and I want to love it
–I will have self-confidence
–I won’t be ashamed to go to the beach
–I will be proud of myself and my accomplishments
–I will feel sexier and more desirable to my spouse/significant other/etc

I will be healthier—WHY?

–I will have enough energy to accomplish all my daily tasks
–My family has a history of heart disease and I don’t want the same fate
–I want to be here to enjoy my great-grandchildren
–I want to be able to play with my great-grandchildren and not be exhausted
–Heck, I want to be able to play with my children NOW and not be exhausted
–I want to enjoy life to the fullest, without sickness and pain
–I hate being out of breath just walking up a flight of steps
–I am sick and tired of being sick and tired

OK, are you getting the idea now? To really drive this home, take one or two of each of the whys and explore them in depth. Ask yourself why this WHY is so important to you. What is really behind it? What is the deep down driving force, when you are completely open and honest with yourself?

Example:

WHY:  “My family has a history of heart disease and I don’t want the same fate”    Why is this so important? (From the perspective of a fictional 40-something man)

“My uncle, cousin, grandfather, and father have all had heart disease. I dearly loved my uncle and I lost him when he was only 48. And look at what it did to his family, how crushed they were. I miss him so much. And almost losing my father to a heart attack–that was awful. Seeing him struggle for life in the hospital, knowing I could lose him at any time. I almost didn’t get to tell him how much I love him. And the hospital bills—horrendous. We are all still helping my parents dig out from under that. And seeing how devastated my mother was broke my heart. And it makes me angry. He refused to eat any of the healthy food my mother offered. He refused to give up smoking and never exercised. He would sit in front of the TV and eat potato chips and candy every night. And he would just laugh and make fun of us if we said anything. And my uncle was the same way. Why did he have to be like that? Why did he make fun of anything healthy and say he didn’t want it if it was healthy for him? It makes me so angry! I never want to do that to my family! I love my family and I don’t want to put them through that kind of horror. I am not going to make the same mistakes. I know that heart disease doesn’t run in families—recipes run in families! Right here, right now, I am going to stop this family history and rewrite a new one. I am heading down the same path, but I know I can change direction. I will be an example to my children, and I will eat food that nourishes my body.”

OK—NOW we get down to the real WHY. This man is angry and scared. He lost his uncle and almost lost his father to heart disease, yet both refused to take care of their health. He is angry with them for not caring enough about themselves and those who depend on them to take care of their bodies. And he is afraid of suffering the same painful fate, and causing pain and possible financial devastation to his loved ones. Now, we have some WHYs that will be strong enough to stand up to cravings, temptations, and challenges. You see, the real WHYs behind most of our goals really boil down to a few strong emotions: Fear, Anger, Love, Pride, Vanity, etc.

When you really get down to the essence and examine why you want something, you may find that you are surprised at why you want it. When the guy in our example said he wanted to lose weight, what he really wanted was to ease his deep-seated fear of dying from a heart attack. Often, when someone says they want to lose weight, what they really want is love—to love themselves and to get love and affirmation from other people. Many people deeply need approval from others, and it’s important to acknowledge and admit that. Then reframe your thoughts to love yourself and approve of yourself. I struggled with that for years, because growing up I felt I never could get complete approval from my mother no matter what I did. Everything I accomplished in school was an attempt to gain her approval, and therefore her love. Now I understand she loves me very much and was just trying to push me to achieve my full potential. But it took years to gain that understanding.

So when you examine and analyze your goals, simply by asking WHY? until you reach the deep emotion driving each goal, THEN you will have found your burning desires. You have to know what you REALLY want and WHY you really want it. It has to be something so important that it is in the forefront of your mind every day. And it has to be such a strong desire that nothing can defeat it. Of course, not all your goals will be this earth-shattering. It’s important to have fun goals, too. We’ll touch on that in a moment. But for a real REVOLUTION, you have to have a burning desire for change.

Other goals

It’s important to set goals in many areas: Family, Health, Financial, Travel, Spiritual, Personal Development, etc. A few of these will be the burning desires that lead to real REVOLUTIONS in your life. But set tons of other goals too! I love Dax Moy, who has a program called the Magic 100. He sets 100 goals at a time and tries to check one off the list each day. It’s awesome.

Some of the greatest goals seem small–maybe you want to spend more time with your children and spouse. Well, make it into specific goals! Examples: 1) Two nights every week I turn off the computer at 8pm and read bedtime stories to my children. 2) Every Friday night I hire a babysitter and take my spouse on a date to dinner and a movie. 3) Eat meals as a family two nights per week.

Check out Dax’s new list here: http://www.magichundred.blogspot.com/. You may even be inspired to do this for yourself. I am working on my goals now. I don’t know if I will reach 100, but I will definitely have quite a list!

Do it. Do it now. Grab that paper or Word document. Write down all the goals that come to your mind. Don’t edit. Just write down anything that pops in your head no matter how crazy or silly. Then go back and reframe each one into a specific, positive, time-sensitive statement with gratitude and joy. Then start asking your WHYs. Some goals will just evaporate, as you realize it’s not what you really want. Others will stay on the list as great goals to achieve. And a few will become revolutionary.

I will share my goals with you as I complete my list. I know a few right now. My burning desire is to win a natural Figure Competition at age 40. Why? To prove it can be done. To prove age is no barrier to health and beauty. To promote the raw lifestyle. To be a positive role model to mature women. To help my fitness business be more successful by providing the credibility of a winner. And, honestly, to help me overcome my fear of aging, my fear of the heart disease that killed my grandmother and almost killed my mother, my fear of the cancer that killed my grandfather, my fear of someday not being desirable to my husband, and for my vanity. Yes, I have the same fears and insecurities that everyone else does. We all have them. But fears only exist in our mind. They are not real.

Will winning some competition protect me against these things? No, of course not. But to achieve that goal, I will be forced to achieve many smaller goals of gaining muscle, releasing bodyfat, perfecting my posing techniques, enhancing my stage presence, eating a highly nutritious raw diet, etc. etc. And all those things add up to a healthy happy lifestyle that provides me with excellent nutrition, great exercise, and optimal body composition. And those things do protect from sickness and disease, as well as manifesting a beautiful physique, great skin, a clear mind, and healthy organs.

Just do it.

Be Defiant! Start your own personal REVOLUTION today!

Love and light,

Christy

P.S.  Did you get that paper yet and start writing?  What are you waiting for?   Yesterday you said you would do it tomorrow.  Tomorrow is TODAY!

P.P.S. If you need some motivation, Defiance-style, check out my online coaching & motivation program at http://defiant-health.com/team-defiance-personal-training-and-nutrition/. I will personally design your fitness program & be there for you to help you every step of the way.

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Team Bombshell holds a vote at the end of each season for a nice list of awards, including: Bombshell of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Bombshell, Breakout Bombshell, etc. We were each sent an email with the list of awards and asked to respond with our choices for each award. No names were suggested or lists given. Each was free to write in her personal choices.

I enjoyed voting, and took it very seriously. Some choices were excruciatingly difficult, as so many women deserved to be honored. There are over 100 Bombshells! After I sent in my vote, I didn’t give it a second thought.

Until today.

My dear Bombshell Sista Angela called to tell me that she and I, along with our dear friend Rene, had all tied for the award of Most Inspirational Bombshell! I was shocked, and felt like I just won the lottery or something big! I just joined the Team in August, and since I live hundreds of miles away from Florida, where most of the Team lives, I haven’t met as many athletes as I would like.

The real honor of this award, to me, is that it was voted on by the Team Bombshell Members–not judges, photographers, etc. But by the very girls that are training and dieting hard right alongside me. We need each other. We prop each other up. We can call a ‘Sista’ and tell her things that nobody else in the world would understand, but she will be nodding her head and saying that she struggles with the same issues. There is a bond and comraderie that is hard to explain. This lifestyle is not easy. It requires deep dedication, and our families and friends who don’t live the competition lifestyle just can’t empathize, even though they do everything they can to be supportive. Having the ‘Sistas’ is a godsend.

Here is the link to the Bombshell website and the awards.  Scroll down a bit to see me!   http://www.bombshellfitness.com/index3.html

I just wanted to share this with all of you. I get so much love and support from my Defiant Friends and Team Defiance, and you just don’t know how much that means to me. Thank you so much, each and every one of you. You are a blessing in my life!

Be Defiant!

Christy

Aging Disgracefully–and Proud of It!!!

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This weekend was just wonderful. It was a great experience all the way around. We were never rushed or panicked. Everything was very well planned and organized, down to the last detail. That’s a great testament to Shannon and Rob. Backstage, all I had to do was get a glaze put on by the tanning people, and wait my turn. No problem!

I know deep in my heart that there was nothing else I could have done to get any more ready than I was, given the time I had to prepare. Am I as ready as I NEED to be? No WAY! But considering I just started this journey in August, with the plan of training for a small regional show, and then ended up at the biggest, most prestigious NPC Nationals show–and PLACED!!!–I am absolutely thrilled with my progress.

If you haven’t seen it online, I placed 12th in my class. That may not sound very impressive, but it was a big accomplishment. First of all, none of the judges had ever seen me before, didn’t know me from Adam’s housecat, and had not seen me progress over a series of shows. That’s a big deal. Human nature dictates that when you see a girl over and over, and she improves every show, and there a million good physiques on the stage in front of you, you tend to gravitate toward those you know have been on the circuit and working hard for a long time. Rob told me before the show, that even though I looked great, to expect to not even be called out, and certainly not to place in the top 15. He said it was just a matter of unfamiliarity, and that next year, when I am on the circuit, I would be a recognizable face and stand a much greater chance.

I was perfectly OK with that, so I went on stage with no pressure, just wanting to pose my best. And I ended up in the third callout, and I DID get noticed! Considering half of the girls in the top 10 have been in all kinds of magazines, websites, etc, and I held my own against the best bodies in the business–I felt great! Rob and Shannon were thrilled with the results. I didn’t even hit my back pose well , and I still made top 15! I am going to GET that back pose, if it KILLS ME!

One reason I screwed up one of my back poses was a bit of a mishap on stage. When we are doing our quarter turn comparisons, when we move from our side pose to our back pose, we are taught to step out a bit with the left foot to make the turn to the back. Well, when I stepped out, the girl beside me stepped RIGHT, and put her clear high heel right into my left foot! It hurt, and bled, and we both tripped a little. So I was way late on even getting turned around to pose! Oops! But you never know when something like that is going to happen, so you deal with it, and we both laughed about it back stage afterwards.

I definitely need to add size to my shoulders, back and legs. But then again, that is what I have known all along. I have come so far, and feel very confident that given the next 6 months to work on them, I will present a totally revamped package next season. I will be focused on adding size for the next few weeks, not dieting down for a competition, so it will be much easier to gain the muscle I need. Plus, I have all the faith in the world that Rob and Shannon will put together the perfect plan for me to make the gains I need to make. I just can’t wait to see it, and get rocking!

Shannon told me not to work out for an entire WEEK. Arrrggghhh!! That is SO hard for me! I actually feel really rested and recovered, since my final prep week was very laid back, and I am raring to go.

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The Westin Diplomat Resort was the host hotel and venue, all in one, for the Nationals. Wow! What a gorgeous place! Our room was the corner with a balcony overlooking nothing but miles of the beautiful turquoise waters of the ocean. Our room was very well-appointed and comfortable. The convention center was attached, and a simple elevator ride and short walk from our room. So convenient. The hall was HUGE–both the contest and the Expo were all in the one big room. They had big screens up and we could even see the contest while we were backstage on the screens.

The Expo was awesome, and star-studded. I saw one of my heroes, Jennifer Nicole Lee, who is just as gorgeous in person as in her pictures, and taller than I expected. Miss Figure Olympia, Nicole Wilkins-Lee was there, as was the current Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and last year’s Mr Olympia Dexter Jackson. We met Dexter’s fiancee, Gail, in the fitness center, and she was one of the sweetest, most outgoing people I met during the whole time we were there. What a great lady! We scored some great deals at the Expo, and I even made some great contacts with VPX Sports, and hope to be hired to represent them soon for modeling in some shows and booths at various places.

I met the awesome owner and creator of my FAVORITE supplement Sun Warrior Raw Vegan Protein, Nick Stern! He is a fireball in person, as I knew he would be. This new product is so amazing, and really needs to be more well-known in the marketplace. We discussed some possible strategies, so look for some cool new videos and things coming out soon featuring me and the awesome Sun Warrior products. They have some really cool things on the horizon too, so stay tuned for more muscle-building foods to come! You can order Sun Warrior by clicking the link to the right of the page. It’s an absolute MUST in my nutrition program, and I highly recommend it!

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I want to also thank my incredible husband and Soul Mate, Michael, for all his support, encouragement, and unwavering love throughout my journey. He is my rock, and I appreciate him so much. He was by my side the whole weekend, helping me any way he could, the entire time we were there. Many of my Bombshell ’sistas’ commented on how great he was, and I am so proud to be the one on his arm. He is a true treasure, and the answer to my prayers. If I lost everything else, and still had Michael, I would still be the luckiest, most blessed woman in the world. I love you, My Baby!!!

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So now begins my new journey, through “Improvement Season”, to next year’s competition circuit. I hope each of you will join me on this great adventure of self development, and self-discovery. Your friendship, support and encouragement means the world to me! You can support me even further by joining Team Defiance, and I will support YOU in turn with great workouts and superior nutrition plans! See the Team Defiance tab at the top of the website page.

Have an incredibly blessed Thanksgiving, full of love and laughter, and be grateful for all your blessings. Your health is your greatest gift! If it’s not where you want it to be, Be Defiant! Defy all the forces keeping you down, and let’s get going on YOUR new adventure to vibrant health!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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Sun Warrior really is a godsend, and an incredible product. I highly recommend it. I use it several times a day! Even if it weren’t raw vegan, it is still far superior to whey or other proteins out there on the market.
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And the incredible Raw Beauty, Lauren Michelle Kinsey, also known as Sweet Raw La-La on her VERY popular blog, Awakening Raw Beauty, was kind enough to include me in her “Raw Built Body Project”. Her site is wonderful and extremely informative. Here is the link to my post:

http://laurenkinseynaturalbeauty.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/an-update-from-christy-duffell-seguin/

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Today was a three-workout day, but comparatively very easy. Rob and Shannon said they want me to recover and rest this week, as I have done all I can do to prepare my physique, and they want me rested and on my A-game come this Saturday. I did really bust it on back and arms, though. I was jelly by the time I was done. The cardio was a piece of cake!

We leave for Florida on Thursday morning. I will keep you as updated as possible!

And THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! To all of you who have shown interest in Team Defiance and have sent me some incredible comments. My heart is filled to bursting with gratitude for each and every one of you, and just knowing that I somehow make a positive difference in the life of others is the best gift I can get. I am humbled and honored to be a part of your life. And I promise to keep working hard and hopefully inspire others to be the best they can be.

Be Defiant!

Christy

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Here is a video that Michael took while we were at the photo shoot yesterday. This was the first part of the shoot, and it was a LOT of fun!

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Check out my brand new page for Team Defiance! Click on the link at the top of the page! This is the information for the customized personal training and nutrition plans.

I have great new products available very soon–including one that will blow you away with how effective it is for reducing your waist size! Stay tuned–I am working hard on getting the website updated! (If you want info on the waist reducer, just email me! Cduffell@sc.rr.com)

Be Defiant!

Christy

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As you all know, unless you have been under a rock or don’t have cable, the real estate market is, well……not what it used to be. The reality of that situation coupled with the realization that I am now the happiest I have ever been, has made me want to pursue my true passion–fitness and nutrition.

Now, I am not by any means abandoning real estate! I just have a lot of time now that I didn’t have before, and have put it to good use in the gym. And in studying holistic nutrition. If I had the funds, I would pursue a PhD in Holistic Nutrition, and I do plan to someday. But I study nutrition passionately, and learn as much as I can every day. With what I learned in my studies, and with the consistent workout schedule, that led me back into competition. Which then led me to Team Bombshell, and the rest, as they say, is history.

My friend asked me last week if I was happy. It only took me a second to stop and realize–I am living my dream. I told her, truthfully, that I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. I am so grateful for everything I have—my incredible husband and soul mate, Michael; the ‘bestest’ kitty in the world, Jukebox; a wonderful family; fantastic friends; and I finally had the guts to step out there and really pursue my dream of competing in Figure. People come into our lives for a reason . ‘When the student is ready the teacher appears.’ I was ready, and Shannon and Rob appeared. And my life has changed.

The only thing missing right now is a consistent source of income. I am still working and have been blessed with much more business than most agents have in this market. And I do feel positive that good things are to come. But when I really sat down and thought about what it is I really want, I realized that I really want to work in the fitness industry and positively affect people’s lives through better health and nutrition. Basically, I want to get paid for working out!

I have been working on a recipe book for a while, although I have been very intermittent and not committed enough to it. That is going to change. I am going to work on that with a vengeance. With what I have learned, I really feel I can help guide people to health through Living Cuisine.

But the big thing right now is this:

I just became re-certified as a personal trainer! I had let my certifications slip after I moved here and got so busy in real estate. But I realized I wanted to train people again, especially because I get so many requests from this site and people that I meet in every day life. Plus, with training, I can have a flexible schedule that allows me to also work real estate. So it’s the best of all worlds!

A BETTER WAY:

But with the economy the way it is, the number of people paying 50 bucks an hour for someone to stand over them and count reps has dropped dramatically. I see the trainers in my town suffering the loss of many clients, and the gyms are letting many of their in-house trainers go. So, there has to be a better way. A way to provide excellent services to many people, at a very affordable cost.

I think I have found that way. Inspired by the way that I am trained by Team Bombshell, which works so incredibly well, I realized that this model of training could be applied to ‘regular’ folks–not just us gym bunnies in sparkly swimsuits! Come on–you know how to count. You can count your own reps! What most people need is a plan.

So here is what I am now offering:

Nutrition plans and workout plans emailed every four weeks, with unlimited email support throughout the month.

Everything will be detailed and spelled out for the client, on a daily basis. Each plan will be customized to the client, based on a thorough initial consultation. The initial consultation can be in person or on the phone. I will create the programs and send them to the client. The clients’ responsibility is to simply FOLLOW THE PLAN! Print out the plan, tuck it in your workout journal (you DO have one, don’t you?) and take it to the gym. Have your meal plan with you, and you won’t even have to think about what you are eating every day–it will all be spelled out for you and relieve all that stress!

I want this to be accessible for EVERYONE, so the fee structure is as follows:

–4-week workout plan: $100

So, basically, you get a comprehensive, customized nutrition or workout plan starting at $100 per month! That’s the equivalent of only two private training sessions! If you are serious about your health, you can save $100 per month just by following the nutrition plan and eliminating a lot of unhealthy things that are also costing you money. Heck, $100 is just one decent dinner out anymore.

This would also be on a month to month basis–no contract, no obligation. Your success will depend on the level of your commitment and motivation. 50 percent effort will be a disaster and you will say that the plan didn’t work. So don’t go there. But if you are really committed and self-motivated to achieve a healthy lifestyle, then this would be perfect for you. And remember, it is customized to you, so you don’t have to fear the plan. It will challenge you to achieve a new personal best, but will be very achievable.

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If you are interested in working with me, please contact me through this site, or email me directly at cduffell@sc.rr.com. I am so excited about this new venture, and already have been working with some wonderful clients. I can work with anyone, anywhere in the world. I am even talking to a wonderful lady who lives in Dubai who will hopefully become a client after recovering from surgery. What a cool place to live!

One big thing!!! If your goal is to compete in Figure, Fitness or NPC/IFBB Bikini—then I will refer you to Team Bombshell at www.bombshellfitness.com.

Team Bombshell offers so much more than just the plans–it’s like having your own PR or modeling agency, coaching you in every detail for competition. They own their own magazine, and just do so much for the Bombshells. It’s a comprehensive, incredible program and they have so many connections in the industry to help launch their athletes. For example, Bombshell Cheryl Brown just was awarded a sponsorship by GNC!!! Wow! (What I would give for something like that!!!) I cannot offer that kind of environment, and the serious competitor needs to be in a place that can maximize their exposure and career. So I will send you directly to Shannon and Rob, do not pass Go, do not collect $200!

I am looking for the person who wants to be in their best shape and health. I especially want to work with people who want to explore the Living Foods lifestyle in more depth and still be fit, toned, and not stick-thin and gaunt like so many people perceive vegetarians to be. But I can work with anyone–you don’t have to go raw vegan for me! I promise! I WILL teach you about the power of whole foods, though. It’s your choice what to do with the education.

So here is my pitch–I want clients! I am available and eager to get you on the road to beautiful health and a gorgeous body! Please contact me, and I will go right to work for you!

Be Defiant! Fight for your health–and I will be right there fighting for it with you. I got your back!!!

Christy

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Thank goodness the competition is split up into two days! Men’s bodybuilding and Women’s Bikini go on stage Friday. Then Figure (me) and the Women’s bodybuilding compete on Saturday morning. A cool tidbit: The winner of the Bikini overall title gets to be on the cover of Muscle and Fitness HERS magazine. How awesome is that? A magazine cover would definitely be an item on my Bucket List!

I feel I am as ready as I can be, physique-wise. I still stink at posing, and am practicing as much as I can. I don’t know why I just can’t seem to get that mind-muscle connection in my back, but my hard head and my lats just won’t communicate! I received some excellent guidance today from two wonderful NPC judges who live here in my hometown, and Michael took a video as they taught him exactly what to look for, so he can help me practice. That is a godsend! I can’t see my back when I practice, and Michael didn’t know what I was doing wrong. So now, we should be able to make some progress! Hopefully by this Friday, I will ‘get it’. Shannon said I will have an “A-HA” moment when it just clicks. I am waiting to hear that click!

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I had a photo shoot this morning at Brickhouse Gym, which is a local ‘hardcore’ bodybuilding gym, kind of like the gym where Arnold worked out in Pumping Iron. By hardcore, I mean it is bare-bones basic, no fluff, no girly-stuff–just serious iron and other tools used to build the best bodies in the world. I love it! Too bad it’s so far from my house. I would love to train in an environment like that. I am a LIFTER, and I like to be on the weight floor busting out reps. I don’t care if I am the only woman in a 20-yard radius–I like the iron!

Scott Krause, who has done many of my photos before, was kind enough to get up and come photograph me on his Sunday morning. He is so good, so fun to work with, and just a genuinely nice person with a good heart. I cannot recommend him highly enough–his website is Scott Krause Photography. He does all sorts of photos, including some of the best children’s photos I have ever seen. If you are anywhere close, give him a call. You will be so glad you did.

I only have a couple photos so far, and I copied these off Scott’s Facebook page:

Brickhouse Shoot 11 15 09

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My "Rock Star" pose--haha!

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Brickhouse Gym Shoot

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These were just the first outfit that I wore. We got the swimsuit stuff out of the way first, and then went into the workout shoot. That was fun. I did a hardcore, military theme, complete with combat boots! Brickhouse has a climbing rope, so I got to play on that for a while, and they even have all these sledgehammers which I just had to work into the shoot too. Michael was wonderful as Scott’s little helper and my personal assistant. He is always so helpful and organized. He especially liked spraying me down with the water spritzer between shots, so it would look like I was sweating and working out hard. It was cold, so I didn’t like it so much. Now if someone would do that while I was REALLY working out with the Bombshell sweat sessions………

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BIG NEWS!!!!

I don’t want this to get lost in this post, so I am going to do another one solely dedicated to my newest project. I am very excited about the possibilities, and want to share it with you all! Stay tuned, and definitely check out the next posting!

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GREAT quote I saw this week:

“If you want to have legs for days, you have to train for hours!”

Be Defiant!

Christy

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I just had to share my experiences from today, as I felt I made a major breakthrough on overcoming fears and being intimidated by false obstacles.

First of all, this morning, I shocked myself. Remember back when my big goal was to do 3 full sets of 10 pullups at full bodyweight? I got that goal one time, but only once. And I was using a ‘neutral grip’ where my hands were just slightly wider than my shoulders. I found that I was far weaker on the wider grips, and couldn’t complete many reps, even though I need to work wider to expand my lats. Anyway, I have been doing these really wide-grip pulldowns that Shannon calls “Billy Jacks” 3 times a week to work on widening my back. They are named for the guy who invented them, and they said his back is freaky wide. Plus of course, I have been doing all the other back exercises, but no pullups. They just aren’t in our regimin, so I haven’t attempted any in a while.

This morning, I got a wild hair and decided to try my Billy Jacks as pullups instead of pulldowns. I just wanted to see if I could. Not only could I—but I busted out 5 full sets of 10 reps each! No spotter, nobody around, just me and the bar. And this was using the widest grip possible on the apparatus! The first set was so easy I was amazed. The fourth set was tough, and I did struggle on the last 3 reps of the fifth set, but by golly, I got them!

A similar thing happened last week, as I was able to do 10 sets of 10 Dumbbell Presses for chest at a weight that, prior to Bombshell training, would have been difficult for me to even do three sets. Michael spotted me on that one, though. I tend to fail quickly, without much warning because my muscles just don’t get much of a burn, and I didn’t want to drop a heavy dumbbell on my face.

I was so proud of that accomplishment, but not nearly as proud and happy as I was this morning! Pullups are a big deal to me, especially because so few women can do them. I encourage each of you gals to get thyself to the pullup bar and just do what you can. Work up to it! Start with one, then two, and so on. Believe me, I started out barely able to get more than two!

This just goes to show how wonderful this training is! Since we move so fast, we don’t use very heavy weight, so I had no idea that I would gain this much strength. I am continually impressed by how effective Shannon and Rob are with their training routines and diet.

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The other thing I wanted to tell you was that when you have a big obstacle in your way, face your fears and just bust through it! I had received my pre-contest workouts late last week, and when I read the first one–today’s workout–I was so intimidated. I had to start off with a giant set of four tough exercises, back to back with no rest, and three times through the sets. And then (cue scary music here) I was supposed to do a ONE-HUNDRED-REP set of Leg Presses (yes, 100!), followed by a set of 50 Smith machine wide squats, then 30 step ups on each leg, and then 50 plyometric jump squats. I was seriously dreading this workout, and I usually look forward to legs. I just was so doubtful of being able to get through 100 straight reps, and really had a fear of it. I had heard of pro athletes using 100-rep sets, and it makes grown men cry. Even Terrell Owens does them, thinks they are brutal, and he is an animal.

Well, I didn’t load much weight on the leg press, because I knew it is much more important to get the reps in, with good form, than how much weight we use. Shannon always says it’s not how much weight, it’s how you are working the muscle. I found a thumping motivational song on the iPod and unracked the weight. The first few felt great. I got through fifty without too much struggle, then started counting down by tens. I kept telling myself, just get through the next ten, and then I would stop for two deep breaths and start the next ten. And by the time I got to eighty, my legs were burning but I knew I had it in me to finish strong. So I pushed through the final 20 without stopping. Boy, it felt amazing to be counting 96…97..98…99…100!!!!

I racked the weight and realized I could probably have done more. I could have pushed myself harder and gotten more benefit out of the exercise. But I still had all those other high-rep exercises to go, so I didn’t feel it was a good idea to have nothing left after the first one. Plus I had NO idea how much weight I could push for 100 reps, so I guessed. I then made it through the 50-rep set on the Smith with excellent form, squatting deeply, and really felt each rep. But it didn’t kill me. I wasn’t puking or laid out on the floor, as I was afraid I would be. I made it through the step ups well, and then got through the plyo squats, although those just about got me. The last 10 on those, I couldn’t feel my legs! They had just gone numb, but I was still jumpin’!!

The moral of the story is: don’t let your fears stop you! You may have an intimidating task or obstacle in front of you. The fears are most likely blowing it up to be a much bigger monster than it really is. When I took that deep breath and plunged into that 100-rep set, I was so afraid of failing, of not finishing, of not being strong or good enough, of hurting myself, of losing my lunch on the gym floor, and of embarrassing myself if I dropped the weight or something. (I had no spotter, so I was on my own.) But those fears simply turned out to be mirages; misty ghosts that dissolved into wisps with each passing rep. As I realized I was actually doing it, I then felt stronger and stronger, and finishing the drill was complete elation!

Now, I wish I had pushed harder. I wish I had challenged myself more. I am not only not afraid now, but I am looking forward to doing it again and challenging myself! I don’t know when I will have that opportunity, but I know I am ready. This was such a rush, and an amazing feeling, and I couldn’t believe how fearful I had been. I had a real break through today. I shattered that paradigm of limitations that I had subconsciously placed on myself, and I broke free. What a feeling!

Talk about being defiant! Defying your own ghosts, demons, and fears is probably the hardest thing of all. Defy your fears. Look them in the eye, grab them by the throat, throw them down, and use them as a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block. After today, I will be less fearful, because I can look back at this experience, and say, “Hey, if I can do that, I can do anything!”

I just had to share this with you. First, to show you I am totally human and not some workout machine. I have fears and insecurities just like anyone else. I am not trying to brag here. In fact, I am a little embarrassed to expose my silly fears to you. I hope you understand what I mean by the elation I feel. And second, to show you that your body is capable of much more than you give it credit for! Go out there and challenge yourself. Be better than the best you thought you could be!

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And now I have to go do my second cardio session, while watching my Atlanta Falcons try to beat the undefeated, awesome Saints. I don’t think it will happen, but ‘Bird is the Word’ tonight! Go Falcons!

I want to close with a great quote I just saw:

Today is the time of your life, to have the time of your life.

Think about that one for a few minutes!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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