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 have another rant that kind of got dumped in my lap this week, because of something that happened to a dear friend of mine. I won’t give out names because I just don’t want to go there, and you’ll understand why in a few moments.

I have a dear friend who is an absolute guru in raw foods, and I consider a mentor. His advice has been invaluable to me over the past couple of years. I know his deep dedication to the raw lifestyle, and complete adherence to his principles of avoiding the dangerous toxins in processed foods. He has a beautiful baby girl, now a little over a year old, who has only had the purest raw organic food all of her little life. She has never been exposed to sugar, flour, sweets, etc that so many people start giving babies at an early age, which then sets them up for sugar cravings and diseases for the rest of their life.

When I ran into my friend the other day, he was incredibly upset. After much searching and screening, he and his wife had chosen a day care facility to take care of their daughter. They had to jump through tremendous hoops because they wisely do not believe in childhood vaccinations, and of course have not subjected their child to vaccines. Her health is beyond outstanding, due to her nutrition and lack of exposure to toxins through vaccines, etc.

One of their big concerns was what their daughter would eat while she was there. So they signed everything in the world that they could, stating that she absolutely could not eat anything unless it was provided by them. He said they stretched it a bit, saying she had allergies, they had religious convictions, etc, so that every single reason they could possibly use as a deterrent to her being fed the Standard American Diet (SAD) food was in force. All this was in her file, with the strict orders that she was never to be allowed to eat anything unless provided by the parents.

The VERY FIRST DAY she stayed at this, supposedly outstanding and highly recommended, child care center, when they picked her up, on her chart it read that she had eaten a ‘turkey sandwich and canned peaches’. And of course, this was a processed lunch meat turkey, full of nitrates, nitrites and who knows how many hormones, antibiotics, etc. And it was on white bread, made of toxic refined white flour. For a great article on why bread–even the ‘healthy’ whole wheat ones–is so dangerous, read THIS ARTICLE.   And canned peaches are full of all kinds of toxins, pesticides, etc. Not to mention that they are cooked, & the cans contain very harmful chemicals. The beautiful meal and smoothie they had provided for her for that day was still in the day care center’s refrigerator, untouched.

Naturally, my friends had a fit. They hadn’t even tried to explain their lifestyle and food choices to the center.  They had stated that she couldn’t have the food because of allergies, religious beliefs, etc., which are more socially acceptable to the ’sheeple’ who mindlessly believe in the fallacy of the food pyramid and think that marketing lies are solid food science.   So for all these people knew, this child could really have had a deadly allergy. Do they just feed peanuts to any child, without checking the file to see if the child is allergic to peanuts, or do they just roll the dice and see if they asphyxiate? They fed the child their own food, ignoring the food the parents provided, and without looking at her chart. How dangerous is that?

Their response to the fury of my friend was, “It’s just a turkey sandwich!” You see, to them, that nasty fake processed meat on white bread is perfectly acceptable, or even considered healthy, as a food choice. What they don’t understand is that a child like this, who has never been exposed to those kinds of toxins, can have a very serious reaction. A ‘clean’ body will violently react to an ingested toxin and vehemently work to purge itself of the intruder. Even someone who has in the past partaken of toxic foods, will find after cleansing their body on raw foods that when they eat the foods that they formerly enjoyed, they will have nasty reactions now. It’s not fair! Like me, if I have even a half glass of wine now, I get a splitting headache and get so sleepy I can’t function. But it’s because my body is clean, and it clearly sees the alcohol for the toxin it is. (Sorry folks–it is a toxin! I am not judging anyone, but the truth is the truth.)

I don’t know if she did get sick from the SAD food or not, as I have not had the opportunity to talk with my friend since I saw him the other day. I felt so sorry for him, as he was clearly heartsick over the treatment of his daughter. And he is paying big money for her to attend this day care center, too. Those things aren’t cheap!

And you know the sad thing? Those people probably think my friend is a nut case, because they are so blinded by marketing and by their own addictions to processed food. They think children are ‘deprived’ if they don’t get cake and ice cream. Another dear friend of mine who is a raw foodist, has taught her sons well. Although only about 6 or 8 years old, they will reject a food offered to them by an ignorant adult, educating that adult by telling them that the food has ‘hydrogenated oils’ in it, or whatever the toxin may be. And as vigilant as she is, she has caught her babysitters giving her children candy at 9 o’clock at night and insisting they eat it, since their own children were eating candy. And these people think they are being kind. It’s so sad–the food extended by a loving hand is often the food that will send you to an early grave.

And the schools…….where do I start? The absolute crap that they serve to children as ‘food’ is criminal and reprehensible. And they wonder why they have behavioral problems, ADHD, hyperactivity, etc? No mystery there! It’s so hard to protect a child, even an older child. But when your baby is only a year old, they have no defense whatsoever. They are at the mercy of whatever an adult feeds them.

Even if you throw the raw food completely out of this scenario, it’s still alarming! That a day care center would ignore a child’s chart and blatantly disregard a parents’ wishes, even refusing to feed the child the food the parent had lovingly provided, is absolutely unbelievable, reprehensible, and downright dangerous. There could definitely be lawsuits or criminal charges as repercussions from that sort of negligence. That is why I don’t want to name which center this was–I am not opening that can of worms! But just know that even the best ones may not be a very safe place for your children, at least if you truly understand what good nutrition for your children is.

This made me very angry as well, and I hurt inside at seeing the pain and anger my friend was suffering. I wanted to pass it along to warn others of the dangers! I have done a lot of ranting lately, and I like it! I am sick of the travesties being foisted on people. The only saving grace is education. We have to share information, help educate others, and most of all educate ourselves. Do as my friend did–Be Defiant! Stand up against the mainstream and fight the current of ignorance. Fight for your health, and the health of your precious children.

Remember, well-behaved women rarely make history! And well-behaved people do little to change the course of history. Today will be tomorrow’s history, and you have the pen in hand. Write it like YOU want it to be! If you just make the changes within yourself—make yourself healthy, remove yourself from the juggernaut of conventional sick care, and become free of pain and disease—then you will make a little ripple which will influence others to follow your enlightened path. And the little ripple will become a splash, and then a wave, and then a tsunami as it gathers momentum, powered by truth. You literally change the world by changing yourself first.

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On a fun and positive note, I want to thank the awesome Bob Garon for featuring an interview with me on his excellent blog, Bob Garon Training. Bob is an expert with kettlebells and has a camp called Synergy Kettlebell Kamp. It sounds like a blast! I work out with kettlebells whenever I see them, but very few gyms in this area even know what they are. It’s a big trend that is gaining steam. Please check out Bob’s website at Synergy Kettlebell Kamp, let him know you visited, and give him some Defiant Love! You may even discover a great new workout!

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I also was interviewed this week by the incredible Shea Lynn Baird, who is coming out with a book on raw athletes.  I am honored to be included in her book!  I will be offering it here on the site when she releases it.

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And I got to have some fun today.  The owner of one of the gyms I train at, Back in Shape Fitness Center, is a successful chiropractor and a powerlifter named Dr. Ed Bull.  He has blended the gym with his practice, and offers great rehab for patients, as well as a really fun and hardcore workout environment.   Today, he shot a commercial for one of the local TV stations about his unique practice, which he is expanding to include a Medical Doctor who believes in natural treatments and rehabilitation.  And I got to be in the commercial!  You guys know me–I have never met a camera or a stage I didn’t like!    In the commercial, I am playing one of the ‘patients’ who is rehabbing her knee and shoulder on the weight machines, under Dr. Bull’s supervision.  I had to do about 5000 seated leg curls before the cameraman was satisfied with the shot–and I had already worked legs for the third time this week!  My hamstrings sure did get an extra workout today!

I will see if I can get a copy of the commercial for here so you all can see it.  I hope it turns out well!  I am probably only going to be in there for about two three-second shots, but it’s still fun!

I am offering personal training at Back in Shape in Chapin and also at Brickhouse Gym in downtown Columbia.  If you are local, give me a call and let’s get you started on a program to create a fit, fabulous, fierce new you!

If you don’t live in the area, check out my online training and nutrition programs on the Team Defiance page! I can work with you no matter where you are!

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One more thing, I have launched a fun new social network for my clients and those who are interested in building muscle, releasing bodyfat, and becoming ridiculously healthy and energetic through the power of organic living foods. The site is www.Defiant-Health.ning.com. You can also click on the link on the upper right of the page. Please join us and share your knowledge and insight, and feel free to ask any questions you may have. Invite others–all are welcome! And I am posting a Defiant Tip of the Day every day, so you can get a little dose of Defiance every morning!

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Until next time–Be Defiant!  Start that ripple, and make some serious waves!

Christy

Aging Disgracefully—And Proud of It!
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Exercise or Else!

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I don’t think I need to say anything further….this says it all!  (Quite unusual for me, huh?)   

Thanks to my awesome client Janelle Komnick for such a creative and poignant picture, and allowing me to share it with all of you!

Be Defiant!

Christy

Aging Disgracefully–And Proud of It!!!

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Watch this video! You get to meet two of the owners of Sun Warrior, and Matt & Angela Monarch of The Raw Food World test out the amazing new Ormus Greens from Sun Warrior. Wait until you see what they do to a light bulb!

My greens are on their way, and I am totally psyched! I can’t wait to try these. It sounds like the energy rush will make one of those toxic ‘energy’ drinks look like flat soda!

The Ormus Greens are available NOW on the Sun Warrior website. Click any of my Sun Warrior links to visit the site (like the one flashing to your right!), and you will find it on the Products page, along with the protein and the awesome Activated Barley.

This company is poised to explode. Sun Warrior has some new products in the works that will blow your mind, in addition to what they have already. I am so proud to be associated with them!  Quality, integrity, and earth-shattering products—truly a rarity in the market!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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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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I have been running so hard (literally!) the past week I haven’t had much of a chance to update you. Things are going well in my training. My calf is MUCH better, and I have been able to return to some of my plyometrics and even some treadmill work, such as walking lunges, side lunges, walking backwards, and that type of thing as long as it doesn’t involve running. Dr. Renick hasn’t released me to run or do any weighted calf work yet, but I should be able to get back pretty quickly. Honestly, the step mill FEELS much more difficult than the treadmill, from an intensity and exertion standpoint to me. But I know my coach, Shannon, wants me on the treadmill for specific muscle-building reasons, so I am looking forward to being able to get back to my prescribed routine. She has been great through my injury, always stressing that health comes first, and that it is better to substitute than to risk a worse injury. She always says that I am in this for the long haul. I sure hope so!

I must tell you how invaluable the A.R.T. work was for me. I talked to two different people, one man and one woman, who had the same injury I do. They both said that it was three MONTHS before they could get back to doing any kind of running. I was distressed when I heard that, of course. But I have made incredible progress in less than two weeks. I asked Dr. Rennick, and he said they probably didn’t receive any kind of soft tissue therapy, and that I had been smart in getting therapy within 24 hours after the injury. I am continually amazed by the difference the soft tissue therapy has made in my body. So many of the chronic pains I had just come to accept as part of my life are now non-existent. My flexibility is so much better. And the obvious speed in healing after what I thought was a debilitating injury is incredible. (I do think my raw diet has a LOT to do with that, too!)

I have to say that I am SO glad I got the therapy, but it HURT! You know in the Western movies, where they have to cut a bullet out of someone, and they give him an arrow to bite down on? I was wishing I had an arrow when I had that first session! Whew! But considering I could barely hop into the office on one leg, and was walking normally within 48 hours afterward, I would say the pain was definitely worth the gain!

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Nationals is now three weeks from yesterday. I have a new set of meals, cardio and diet. I was supposed to start tomorrow, but I already got a bit of a jump start on it. I jsut want to be the best I can be!

We worked out yesterday in The RUSH! Fitness complex in Knoxville, at the East location in Knoxville Center Mall. That is one of the most radical gyms I have been to! We really enjoyed it. The people were all so nice, and when they found out I was competing, went out of their way to make sure I had anything I needed. One thing I really liked was that all the weight equipment was arranged according to bodyparts–a ‘Legz’ area, ‘Shoulderz’, etc. (Everything has a ‘z’ on the end, which was cute.) I was doing cardio and didn’t get to really test it out, but it seems to me that would be great for the superset and giant set type of workouts I do. Michael did work legs, and he loved it. We did go to the ‘Abz’ area and did a great circuit, one of the best I have ever done.

RUSH! had so many off-the-wall features, too. They had this ‘Dunk-oline’ thing which was a trampoline with basketball goals and curtains around the side so you could jump ridiculously high and dunk basketballs. Awesome! And the coolest feature was this big tall rock-climbing wall rising right out of the middle of the gym. Oh, how I wished I had time to tackle that thing! I LOVE climbing stuff!

So if you are traveling in the Knoxville, TN or Asheville, NC area, definitely stop in at a RUSH!. They are great, and very reasonable on the fees. I just wanted to give them a shout-out in appreciation for a great workout and exceptional hospitality!

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Another shout-out must go to my FAVORITE place in the entire world–Litton’s Market in Knoxville, TN. Michael and I have eaten at many fine places in great cities, including a restaurant rated in the top 10 in the world in the Bahamas–the Greycliff. But I wouldn’t trade fifty of those places for one meal at Litton’s. It’s just a down-home ‘burger joint’ that is so relaxed and fun, but has the best of everything. I don’t care what we get there, it’s always the best I have ever had. Even the coffee! You know how you just drink coffee and may say, ‘Oh that was good’? This is like, Wow, every sip has to be savored, holding it on my tongue as if it were a fine wine. It’s just that delicious. And that’s just the starter!

How good is Litton’s? Well, it has been featured in Southern Living Magazine, among many others. It gained national notoriety as one of ‘Todd’s Taste of the Town’ Features on a ESPN football game a couple of years ago. And, as luck would have it, when we were there Friday night, Todd Blackledge, Erin Andrews, and the rest of the ESPN Game Crew had just left from having dinner. Darn! I would have loved to meet them! Eric Litton, son of Barry Litton the owner and founder, talked with us for a long time, and is always delightful and a good friend. Barry is recovering from rotator cuff surgery, so best wishes for a speedy recovery to the man who makes many thousands of people blissfully happy! I told Michael as I took my last bite Friday night–It will be a year before I am this happy again! I was good, though. Yes, I had my ‘cheat meal’ but I didn’t blow it out like I normally would have. Hmmm…….maybe we should drive back after the contest. It’s worth a four and a half hour trip!

They now have a website where you can order their incredible desserts. Visit Littons Mail Order to have their incredible treats delivered to you, wherever you are. I cannot recommend their desserts highly enough. Your taste buds will think they died and went to heaven! Definitely try their Red Velvet Cake, if nothing else. Put it on your ‘Bucket List’—it’s that good!!! The Italian Cream Cake is a close second. For you chocolate lovers, the innocent-sounding ‘Cream Cheese Brownie’ is a chocolate explosion with a shot of Almond that sends you into the stratosphere! OMG! I am making myself hungry!

Come to think of it, I think I may do that for Thanksgiving. Having a Litton’s cake would be out of this world, and since Thanksgiving is a few days after Nationals, it would be perfect! Although, I may still have to give the nod to my Mom on the German Chocolate Cake contest. Mom’s is the best!

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I did put a house under contract last week, so please pray that inspections go well this week. My client is a first-time home buyer and we need to close before the end of November to get him that $8000.00 tax credit. (And for me to continue to make a living!)

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Michael took a big step last week, and resigned his position with his current company to take advantage of a wonderful opportunity as the Major Accounts Manager for Digital Office Solutions. His role will be expanded also, to include implementing a new printer program and software programs. He is very excited and so am I. It’s a great company with dynamic ownership, and has been growing, even during the recession that has hurt the office equipment business so much. So, to my Soul Mate and Best Friend—I love you and support you on this exciting new adventure!!!

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I am so ready to kick this week into high gear on my pre-National workouts! I am raring to go! I am going to work harder than ever before, and just be the best that I can be.

Blessings to you all, and always remember—you have to FIGHT for your health! Be Defiant! Stand up to the forces that conspire to keep you down. YOU are in control, not the fast food joints, Big Food companies, Big Pharma, your cravings, and even your family. Only you are in control of every bite that goes in your mouth, and you are also in control of whether you make the time to put your health first and get to the gym, or at least get in some good exercise. You can do it! You are worth it! Fight!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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P.S. Watch for a big announcement coming from me very soon!

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Wow, sorry I have been so long between posts lately.   I am really trying to get more sleep, especially because I have been reading up on how important sleep is to building muscle.  Getting home after 9:30 every night and then trying to get in bed at a decent hour is tough.  I am usually up by 6am or so, and if not, Jukebox will make SURE that I am!   He starts ‘Wowing’ ,wanting his fish, very, very early.  so to get 8 hours sleep, I need to be in bed by 10PM.  It never happens.  It’s after 11PM now.  Sigh.

I have decided to go for it and do a big competition next weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, in Charleston, SC.   I am competing in the NPC JR USA Championships, and I am entering the new ‘Bikini’ division.  The guidelines as to what the judges will be looking for in our physiques is completely nebulous–clear as mud.   It says, balance and symmetry, facial beauty, poise and stage presence.  Uh…OK.  Do they want cut or soft?  Ripped or just defined?  Striated and veinous or smooth?  Who knows?   

But I love competing, and here is my logical thought process: 

The NPC is the amateur division of the big professional bodybuilding and fitness league, the IFBB.  It’s the one in all the magazines, through Weider Enterprises.  Believe me, there is no drug testing in this league!  It is SO not natural, and doesn’t pretend to be natural.  So my thought is, since the Figure women in the IFBB are very big and muscular, almost indistinguishable from the bodybuilders, then the new Bikini division is meant to be more mainstream.  Which is what Figure was supposed to be.  But the same judges judge the entire show, from the biggest male bodybuilders right down to the Figure girls, and I assume they will be judging Bikini as well.  They are human.  They are trained to look for muscularity in the bodybuilders, and I have seen time and time again that they just can’t shift gears out of the muscle mindset when judging Figure.  So I think they will still be rewarding muscle in the Bikini division, just not as much muscle as the Figure division.  So I am thinking that I should come in very lean and showing muscle.  A natural Figure competitor should theoretically do well in Bikini in the NPC. 

But they may just be looking for T&A with the soft, skinny-obese model look in the fashion magazines.  Who knows?  I doubt it, but everyone is coming in blind.  So it will be a great trip, a wonderful experience, and a great vacation.  Michael is taking our little fishing boat, the ‘Once Bitten’, and we are going to fish the Intercoastal Waterway the two days after the competition.  Charleston is so gorgeous and charming.  It’s a great opportunity to go and have some fun, plus I love having the goal to work toward.

That is important to me–to have a goal.  If I was just going to the gym every day, with no goal, I tend to get complacent, not work as hard, or even blow it off.  Like yesterday, I felt very tired and drained.  I wanted to take a nap instead of work out, especially because it was chest day and I just don’t like working chest very much.  But my goal was forefront in my mind, and I challenged myself  by thinking that some other competitor is working harder than I am, so I jumped right in and had a great workout.   I started with pushups alternated with plyometric jumps on a bench, and my legs are sore from that today.  So I accomplished alot with the workout, and I probably wouldn’t have even done it without a goal–my big ‘WHY’.

What’s your WHY?  And if you don’t have one, find one.  Set a goal, and then ask yourself WHY is this goal important?  And keep asking until you get to the real root of WHY the goal is important.  And then you have something that can ignite a burning desire.

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Side note:  I found the perfect shirt for me the other day!  It’s a black tank top, with a white pirate skull and crossbones, and it says “Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History”  Whoo-hooo!  Defiance, itself!  I love it. 

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Meals:  I am already into contest prep this time, having started this past weekend.   I started earlier, feeling that I didn’t allow enough time for the last contest.  I just love how I feel on the precontest plan, although it is difficult logistically.  I am focusing on high protein, while trying to keep the fats low, and avoiding as much natural sugars as possible–keeping it low carb by eating vegetables and greens instead of fruit.   I do miss my fruit.  That is tough!

I am writing a recipe book that will detail the exact foods I am eating to achieve the rapid bodyfat and water retention loss for the contest, as well as awesome muscle-building foods for the ‘off-season’ where a competitor like myself concentrates on gaining muscle by taking in a lot of good quality calories and nutrition.  I will let you know when it is ready.  I hope to have it out soon, and am working on it every day. 

As always, Be Defiant!  Misbehave, and make some history today!

Christy
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I can’t believe how great I feel, and how much energy I have!  I noticed the phenomenon last night when I had a big salad for my post workout meal along with a simple shake of water, Sun Warrior vanilla protein, cinnamon and L-glutamine.  No sugars at all, and very little fat, just what was in the tiny bit of salad dressing.  And I had energy to burn last night!

Today, I feel almost elated.  I am in a great mood, and feeling very positive.  I think this high-protein and high-fat diet is agreeing with me.  I don’t think I could continue long term, especially with the percentage of fat being that high.  But so far, it is working well for me for the goal of depleting carbohydrates and muscle glycogen.  

Today I have had a spirulina smoothie, two ‘Muscle Mousses’ of avocado, chocolate SW protein, greens, and stevia, a big salad with a handful of almonds, some creamed jicama, Thai cucumber noodles, and some Spicy Cilantro Soup.   Pretty darn tasty if you ask me!  

When I competed before, I was of course on the SAD conventional bodybuilding pre-contest diet.  It worked, no doubt.  But I felt awful.  I was irritable, exhausted, nervous, enduring maddening cravings, had a constant headache, and just generally felt really bad.  I couldn’t WAIT to get off of it and gobble up a cheat meal.  Can you believe that my cheat meal used to be a whole pizza and a whole ‘grocery store birthday cake’–you know, the kind in the bakery with all the buttercream icing?  I could eat both at one sitting.  That used to freak my husband out.  He thought it was so gross.  And it was!  (Looking back anyway.  At the time, it was wonderful.)  No wonder I ended up in surgery having tumors removed, and was fighting diabetes every day.   But I thought I was doing the right thing, especially because my body always responded well to the cheat meal tactic.

Funny, but I am not dying for some kind of cheat meal right now.  In all my previous contests, I had a cake waiting for me immediately afterward, and then it would be pecan pancakes at Cracker Barrell the next morning.  I just don’t have that desperate craving for sugar now.  I will definitely have a good time on Easter Sunday, and will probably eat some of my Mama’s good cooking.   But I don’t think I will blow it out.  I just don’t want to go back to that old way of eating, where I felt and looked so bad.  My face and skin used to look awful too.  But now my skin actually looks better than it has, and several people even commented on that tonight.  Since I have been tanning, it improves my skin alot.  I do struggle with acne, but it goes away when I get good sun exposure. 

Today I had a posing session with Harrison Greenlaw, who coaches the USC bodybuilding club.  He was very helpful, and surprisingly, very complimentary.  My friend who hooked me up said he was very critical and would tell me what my weak points are.  Which is fine, and I was actually looking forward to it, because you can’t grow unless you know what to work on.  I figured he would really nail me on my legs and shoulders, but he said instead that he thought I was pretty symmetrical and had good leg muscle.  (I did measure yesterday and I had gained an inch on my quads over the last couple of months.)  So I walked out of there feeling awesome!

I then picked up some supplies, got my nails and pedicure done, and then had a spray tanning session called Mystic Tan.  I had never done that, and it was weird.  I felt like I was going through a car wash, and I smell funny.  But it worked!  I definitely have a good base to start the ProTan application tomorrow evening.

I worked chest and triceps tonight, in the high rep low weight style.  This is to deplete my muscles of glycogen as much as possible, so hopefully they will be very hungry and ready to soak up some carbs come Thursday and Friday.

Someone very near and dear to me said something very interesting to Michael this weekend.  This person, and their spouse, are wonderful friends who I love dearly.  And I worry about their health so much.   They look like ticking time bombs to me–very overweight, lots of health issues, eat terribly, and drink a lot.  It hurts to see people you love damage themselves like that, knowing what lies down the road.  Anyway, they pulled Michael aside and asked him if I was sick.  They said I was ‘too skinny’, had lost ’so much weight’ and had ‘all these veins showing’.  I had to laugh out loud.  It is amazing that the average person wouldn’t recognize health if it bit them on the butt!   Granted, I am thinner than I would normally be, and when someone is in contest shape they may not look so great in street clothes.  But still, how can someone who is so unhealthy think that I am the one who is sick?  This blew my mind.  For the record, I am so happy ‘all these veins’ are showing!  I love my veins, especially the one on my biceps. 

It is dangerous that our society views someone who is lean and muscular as being ’sick’, but think someone who is overweight is healthy.  The average person is very overweight now, even obese, and yet they are ‘average’.  How scary is that?  Remember when there was a ‘fat kid’ in your class growing up, and everyone else was thin?  Now, it’s probably at least 60% of the kids in any class are obese.  I was one of the bigger, heavier ones in my class.  I was muscular in high school from all the sports, but also a bit overweight due to my country-fried diet.  I weigh about 20 pounds less now than I did in high school.  And all the other girls seemed so thin and pretty to me.  And by today’s standards, they were certainly tiny!

It’s time to take my sick, skinny, veiny self to bed!  HaHa!  I need to keep good sleep up.  Which is hard since I am drinking a lot of water.  I can’t stay out of the bathroom!  I am actually looking forward to water restriction on Friday.  I don’t like drinking water, and prefer to get my hydration from fruit and food. 

Be Defiant!  Challenge the status quo–look lean and strong!

Christy

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My mother is the survivor of a massive heart attack.  She is a walking miracle to begin with.   Her heart is operating on only about 30% of its capacity, but she has the energy of a teenager and has never let it slow her down.  So ANY surgery or procedure is touch-and-go for a woman who literally died and was shocked back so they could do emergency open heart surgery.  And now they have to put her through it AGAIN!  When the device was implanted last week, the doctor sung the praises and said everything looked great, went great, and was a complete success.  Psych!!!  Guess not, huh?

She said tonight that it was so upsetting, because she was doing so well.   Then she went in for a checkup, they ran their little tests, and said that some number had dropped and they scheduled this ICD to be implanted right away.  Granted, with her history, having the defibrillator is probably not a bad idea, but still the surgery is stressful.  Plus they pump her full of antibiotics and other drugs, and of course there is the anesthesia–all of which is very rough on the body and hard to recover from, even for the healthiest person.  She was really out of it last week when she came out of the surgery.  She didn’t remember talking to us in her room when we first visited.

Now she has to go through it all again.  She can’t raise her left arm, because she is still so sore and bruised.  She can’t resume normal activities for six weeks, which will now be six MORE weeks, instead of being well on her way to recovery.  The surgeons aren’t gentle putting these things in.   They make a 3-inch incision between the left collarbone and shoulder, and then reach in with their hands and ‘hollow out’ a pocket for the device.  They just ream it out by scooping a space out of the flesh.   Well, that’s not particularly pleasant!  And it leaves the patient very sore.  Mom has bruising reaching all the way from her left shoulder down her left ribcage.

I guess you can tell I am upset.   As anyone who knows me is well aware of—I don’t trust conventional medicine, doctors, drugs, and hospitals at all.  And I refuse to see a conventional doctor for anything.  This is another example of why I feel this way.  I have observed the idiocy, arrogance, and incompetence all my life, starting with my grandmother’s heart attack when I was 11 years old.  (That’s an entire blog story in itself.  I will have to share that sometime so you can understand where all my skepticism and distrust of doctors stems from.)

Allopathic medicine is great for crisis management.  If I am in a car wreck, then the emergency room and surgeons are the best thing in the world, and the things they do to save people’s lives is truly astounding.  God bless them.  But conventional medicine is not only completely ignorant and horribly inept at promoting and maintaining good health and preventing disease, they actually CAUSE much suffering and needless pain, sickness and incredible expense in terms of outlandishly expensive treatments & drugs, lost time, lost wages, etc.    You get a six-minute encounter with someone in a white lab coat, quickly tell them your symptoms and POOF!  They magically diagnose you and write a prescription for the latest and greatest drugs with the best kickbacks, perks, and golf vacations to Hawaii.  Many doctors DO care about their patients and truly want to help, but the system is so broken that it just can’t be fixed.  It needs to be scrapped and a new paradigm arise in its place.   A paradigm of partnership, where physicians are trained in holistic nutrition and treatments, so they can help their patients achieve and maintain vibrant health, before resorting to toxic drugs, unnecessary surgeries, and especially ‘treatments’ (term used extremely loosely) that make patients sicker, like chemotherapy. 

I feel so powerless.  I want to rip someone’s throat out, but what can I do?  What recourse do we have?  The thing is misfiring and needs to be fixed, and the only way to fix it is to reset it through another surgery.  Now that the cursed thing is implanted, there’s no going back.  I just wish it had never been done in the first place.   But if it isn’t there, and she does suffer another defibrillation in her heart, then she could die before she receives treatment.  They live an hour from a major town or medical facilities.  So what do you do?  It’s too late.  She already had the heart attack.  The prevention wasn’t done and so the consequences have been suffered. 

The price for the years of poor nutrition is brutally high.  And it’s not just the person who suffers.  The ones who love them suffer deeply, as they hurt when they see their loved one suffer.   We have all heard of people with emphysema and lung cancer who will take off their oxygen mask to smoke a cigarette, because the ‘addiction is too strong’.    How selfish.  They are hurting the ones closest to them more than themselves.  It’s the same with food.   People know they are sick and yet refuse to give up the very things that caused the sickness to begin with. 

Is it really that the addiction is so strong, or the will to live is so weak?  Are most people so unhappy that their very instinct to survive is lost?  Is it that the addiction provides so much relief from the pain of life that they are willing to accept the suffering of disease and degradation of their bodies in exchange?  Is it that life isn’t worth living to them, so the greatest joys they have are destructive habits of food, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs?  It has to be.  It has to start with emotional breakdowns.  No other animal on earth purposely destroys its own body, taking in substances that it knows are harmful and toxic, and yet continues to do so despite the known consequences.   Only humans seem to enjoy destroying our bodies, defending the toxins vehemently and refusing to stop the behaviors, making jokes about it and knowingly continuing to ingest processed foods, chemicals, toxins and pure-out poisons. 

Life is so precious.    Yet the world today treats life with no respect, no value, and no love.  Someone very dear to me recently lashed out at me for my eating habits, saying that I could get hit by a bus tomorrow and that what I was doing was stupid.  That I should ‘enjoy life’ more.  I responded that if I do get hit by a bus, that I would die in the prime of my life, free of pain, free of disease, fully functioning in every aspect of my physical body, in vibrant health and boundless energy, enjoying life and love.  To me, enjoying fabulous health beats the heck out of the transient pleasure of toxic foods that lead to disease and suffering.  Been there, done that, got the surgery scars.  No thanks.  I choose a vibrant life.  Nobody controls the length of their life, but they certainly control the quality.  This person responded that they didn’t wantto live very long, and that they were going to enjoy theirselves while they can.  How incredibly sad.  Do most people feel this way?  That life isn’t worth fighting for, isn’t worth living?  

I could go into a diatribe here about how to create meaning and purpose in life, but many people go before me who are much more articulate and educated than I am.  Seek them out.  Learn from them.  Apply what you learned.  I just feel that to have a great life, you have to have a great purpose.   Otherwise, what is life but mere existence?  Maybe your purpose is enjoying your great-grandchildren and being able to play with them as well as you did with your own children.  Maybe you want to reach out in love and generosity to help those less fortunate.  Maybe you want to accomplish great things and change the world.  Maybe you just want to relax and spend time soaking up the sun enjoying the fabulous beauty of nature.  Whatever it is, your purpose is the key to a life worth living.

And remember, when you are the most down, focus on others.  There is no better way to feel better than to help someone else.  Never look down at anyone unless you are helping them up.   

So many people are hurting right now.   They are losing their jobs, their homes, their possessions.  I can certainly understand why they feel life is a painful prison and isn’t worth living.   Life is full of challenges, and some of those are horribly painful.  I wasted many years of my own life focusing on the pain and negativity, before I learned that it was my choice.  By changing my focus, I began to attract beauty, happiness and love into my life.  If you haven’t seen or read  The Secret, get it  now.  It’s so true.  You get what you focus on.  Focus on your strengths.   Focus on your power, your freedom, your unique qualities, and most of all the blessings you have now.  Be grateful.  Every day look for things to be grateful about, and focus on those. 

I am grateful I still have my dear mother here with us.   The last three years have been a miracle, and I am grateful for that.  I am also grateful that nearly losing her shocked me and forced me into the mindset of treasuring every moment.  Loving without boundaries.  Spending truly quality time.   Being fully in the moment, every moment we are together.  Having the opportunity to be of service and to help her when I can.  These are all blessings that have arisen from near tragedy.  This is what I choose to focus on.

And as for the ’sickness’ industry, watch out.  I am going postal on you.  I am fighting for my health, and for the health of all those I can reach.  I will not stand by quietly.  I will misbehave, I will cause a ruckus, and I WILL defy you.

Fight for your health.  Be Defiant!

Blessings, love and light to you all,

Christy

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I even had one fellow order the same food on the spot for pickup next week.  So that was great!   Many of the people who sampled were initially very resistant to the idea of raw vegan cuisine, so they were shocked when they loved the food so much. I served Mexican ‘Quiche’, a gorgeous organic mixed-greens salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette and Spanish Avocado Dressings, and an Apple Cobbler for dessert.  I made up the quiche on Friday, and was pleased when it turned out so well.  It was really creamy and delicious, and several even commented they couldn’t believe it didn’t have any meat in it.  They were really surprised to find out it didn’t have any eggs or dairy in it, either!

I have managed to get in some good workouts in the last few days.  Friday, Michael and I had an excellent shoulder workout, very heavy.   Michael was caught up at work yesterday, so I had to do legs on my own.  Since I didn’t have a spotter, I decided to do a plyometric workout with high intensity intervals, to burn some bodyfat as well as work legs.  My show I am planning to compete in is April 11th, so I am starting now to work on losing the bodyfat and get ripped!  In a couple of weeks, I will get really serious about diet and probably go on a green smoothie cleanse for about a week.  Then I will start to cut down on fruit (    ) and eat more vegetables, especially things like asparagus, which are great cleansers and diuretics to help shed any excess water.

I have to have a costume for one segment of the contest, which is kind of like a modeling segment and we are supposed to wear a costume that represents a sport or hobby.   I had to think on this a while, but with my background, it wasn’t too hard of a decision.  I used to be BIG-TIME into basketball.  I mean, I lived and breathed basketball in high school.  I practiced hours a day, and was really good at shooting and ball-handling.   I just wish I was six feet tall instead of 5′4″.  Believe it or not, I was not the point guard.  I was the ‘power forward’ even at my height.  First of all, our team was small–I was third tallest.  And secondly, I have always been blessed with great jumping ability.  I have an impressive vertical leap, and always won the long  jump in the track meets.   So I could get up and get rebounds pretty well.

So I have decided my costume will be a very sexy Harlem Globetrotter outfit.  The judges are still wanting to see our physiques, so it won’t be the big baggy shorts and tank tops like the real Harlem Globetrotters wear.  It will be more like hot pants and an athletic bra-type top.  But I plan to decorate a basketball as a prop and actually do a routine with it.  Let’s see if I can still do all those cool tricks and dribbling exercises like I used to!  I can spin the ball on my finger, and I was always good at the behind-the-back dribbling and all that.  So I thought that would be a lot of fun, and something different to stand out in the crowd.

Speaking of vertical leaps, in my workout yesterday, I really challenged myself on a couple of plyometric exercises.  We have several platforms that can be used for jumps, step-ups, etc.  They are metal with a rubber top, and I have seen a couple people miss on them and scrape their legs pretty badly.  I don’t want a big scar on my leg, so I had never really tried to jump on the higher ones until yesterday.  I sucked it up, faced my fear of busting my butt and hurting myself, and jumped. The first one I didn’t get it.  But then the second one, I did.  Then I made it through the first set of ten.  And then my mind was finally on board with me, instead of holding me back, (telling me it was too high, I was too old, I would get hurt, I couldn’t do what I used to do in high school, etc.).  I gained the confidence, and realized ‘I can do this.’  So the next two sets, I did really well and got twelve good reps each.   I really had to ‘Be Defiant’ and defy my fears and the negative self-talk from my mind.   And then once I did it, after that it was fine.  Still challenging, but achievable.  Face your fears, push yourself, and break through to new levels of achievement.

I was still kind of beating myself up for not being quite as ‘good’ as I wanted to be when a very tall gentleman walked up to me and commented “That’s impressive.  I know a lot of guys who can’t jump that height.”  I thanked him and said I was still feeling a bit wimpy, and then he told me he played college basketball, so after that I felt pretty proud.  It just showed me that sometimes we may not think we are doing much, but to other people what you are doing may be really impressive and inspirational.  That’s why it’s so important to be yourself, do what you can, stretch yourself to go farther and farther, and don’t worry about how you stack up.  You never know who you are inspiring. 

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Shoulder Workout (Friday):

• Hammer Overhead Presses
• Free weight Barbell Military Presses
• Standing Upright Rows
• Lateral Raises with Dumbbells
• Reverse Flyes with Dumbbells

Leg Workout (Saturday):

• Warmup with intervals on recumbent bike for 10 minutes
• Vertical jumps on platform, giant-setted with kettlebell squats on the balance board & stiff-legged kettlebell deadlifts, still on the balance board, 3 circuits
• High Step-ups holding kettlebell, supersetted with Kettlebell Squat Swings
• Giant Set of Squat Jumps, one-legged squats, and one-legged wall sits (30 seconds), all at bodyweight, 3 circuits
• Crunches on exercise ball between circuits
• Finished off with isolateral hamstring curls on the Hammer machine

Post-workout smoothie:  Apple, banana, kiwi, celery, kale, honey & Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein.

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This leg routine took a while to do, and I am very sore today.  My heart rate was really high during the intervals, so I feel like I ignited some fat-burning.  I am going to have to do more cardio now.  I have not been doing very much, because I am concentrating on gaining muscle.  I still won’t do long sessions.  High-intensity intervals are the best way to go!  These burn much more fat, over a longer time, while preserving muscle, and only take 15-20 minutes to do.

I don’t want to make this too long, so I will sign off for now.   Have a fabulous Sunday, and remember “To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world!”

Be Defiant!

Christy

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