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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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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On the way home from the gym, my favorite radio station played a tagline that said “Aging Disgracefully—And Proud of It!” I laughed out loud!  Immediately my mind started thinking of all the ways that could be applied, especially to you Defiant friends of mine.   This is going to be part of my slogan from now on!

HOW CAN WE INTERPRET AGING GRACEFULLY?

How can we interpret this ‘Aging Disgracefully’?  What is aging gracefully, anyway?  Does it mean simply sitting back and graciously accepting the ravages of time?   Does it mean meekly succumbing to the degeneration of the body, mind, and spirit without a fight?  Does it mean never lifting a finger to hold off the effects of time–if indeed it is time that is our enemy?  Is it?  Or is it what we do–or don’t do–to our bodies?

Or is it more positive?  Does it mean that we have to accept that youth is ephemeral and that nothing remains the same?  The only constant is change.   Does it mean that you love yourself no matter if you are ‘of a certain age’ or at the prime of your life?  Does it mean that you accept yourself despite a few lines and wrinkles here and there?

My thought is it could be either positive or negative.  As with anything in life, the ‘thing’ is neutral.  It is how you interpret and respond to it that makes it bad or good.  But in the way that the term is consistently used, I interpret it to mean that you accept the inevitable without resistance.

THE MARCH OF TIME

The reason the idea of Aging Disgracefully struck such a chord with me is my own natural Defiant nature. I don’t intend to grow old gracefully–I intend to fight it every step of the way! But by ‘growing old’ I mean old in spirit, too weary to fight the damages that occur to us every day of our lives through our environments, foods, chemicals, stress, and even the natural processes of our bodies. I don’t mean in terms of years. We can’t stop the march of time. We can only make the very best of the time we are given. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed, or how many years we have lived. I bet right now if I asked you to think of the youngest 80-year-old you know, you could think of someone immediately that inspires you. Now, think of the oldest 50-year-old that you know. Not such a pleasant thought, huh?

There are people very close to me who just frustrate me to no end with the age thing. They are so old–but not in years! They are old in spirit and their mental outlook. They couldn’t wait to hit a certain age so they could finally draw social security and get senior discounts. And all they talk about is how many maladies they have, how much they hurt, how old they feel, and how they wish they were younger so they could do things they want to do. In my eternal optimism, I have tried to help by demonstrating exercises–but they refused to try them. By making delicious healthy food for them and teaching them how to replicate it–but they just go though the nearest drive thru. I have been so frustrated I wanted to pound my head against a wall. But I decided to accept it and just be an example by my actions, and not try to force it down their throats. Nobody wants anything forced on them–THEY have to WANT IT for themselves. If your biggest goal in life is to get your AARP card, there’s nothing anyone can do to help you!

AGING DISGRACEFULLY

Here’s how I am aging disgracefully:

There’s nothing graceful about my workouts. Huffing and groaning under heavy weights in contorted positions is definitely NOT graceful. Jumping around like a frog or using cardio machines in ways that the manufacturer never intended is definitely not graceful, and I get more than my share of strange looks. But every one of those exercises keeps me young, healthy, strong, vibrant, and energetic. They are building the muscles, shaping them, forging them in the fire of battle.

Sweat is not graceful. Soaking wet clothes and hair plastered under my ubiquitous baseball cap is not graceful. But that sweat is burning off the fat that stores all sorts of nasty toxins, and makes us look older and feel tired and sick. That sweat is cleansing every pore and excreting toxins out of the body. I read recently that we all need to sweat an hour a day to help the body shed its load of toxins. Don’t go sit in a sauna for crying out loud! Get moving! (Although I must admit that my favorite way to sweat is lying on a float behind our boat in the hot summer sun, getting my tan and Vitamin D on!)

Eating like a horse isn’t graceful. Keeping my kitchen in a perpetual mess through constant food preparation isn’t graceful. But that beautiful, wholesome, raw living food is the key to supple skin, shining hair and fewer wrinkles. It holds the key to brighter eyes, smooth skin, and rosy cheeks. The food is the fuel that builds the full round muscle tone that gives a body a sexy youthful shape. And that food is so pure that it cannot be stored as toxic waste in white adipose tissue, better known as ‘fat’. Instead it is broken down and nourishes every hard-working cell in our bodies.

Being different isn’t graceful. No, I don’t eat like everybody else.  I smile and talk to everyone at parties, without touching the food.  I turn down the offers of alcohol and toxin-laden processed food.  I bring my own food wherever I go.   I irritate the crap out of servers at restaurants.  I stand up for my health and try to educate others to do the same.  I don’t agree with everyone, and I let my opinions be known.   Going along with the crowd and avoiding taking a stand will get you exactly the same thing the crowd is getting.  Is that really what you want?  Don’t get me wrong–I am not contentious, and I try not to call attention to my lifestyle choices, but everybody wants to ask me what my secrets are.  And then they don’t like the answers!  They want the results without the work.  Sorry–life doesn’t work that way!

Being Defiant isn’t graceful! I will not go gently into that good night. I am definitely the one who will be raging against the dying of the light. I am on a mission to prove that we can all be in better shape in our 40’s than in our 20’s, when we didn’t know anything or care, because you could eat pizza and drink beer every day and still look relatively hot. But a few years later, we pay the price for those youthful indiscretions. We know better now. Science is so much better now. We have weapons available to us in the fight against aging that no other generation has had. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT SURGERY OR MAGIC PILLS! I mean the internet, books, studies, videos, and all the other media that provides us with an overwhelming amount of information. We were not born with an owner’s manual. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves on how to take care of our bodies. Yes, there is conflicting information. Yes, it is confusing. Keep studying. Find what’s right for you and your body. The path will illuminate if you keep shining the light of knowledge.

Being selfish isn’t graceful. What??? Why Christy, whatever do you mean? Society wants us to put ourselves last. Wanting to be healthy, attractive and vibrant is often looked upon as selfish, because you have to spend time exercising, eating right, and focusing on your inner needs and desires. Especially mothers–the more you focus on your family and the less you take care of yourself, the more you are lauded and praised by society while you wither away inside. If you take time for yourself, you run the risk of a lot of disapproval. I feel for you. But remember what they tell you on the plane before you take off—put the oxygen mask on yourself first so that you will be able to help others. Put the ‘oxygen mask’ of exercise and nutrition on yourself now, before it is too late! How can you serve others when you are so sick that you need someone to take care of you?   It is NOT selfish to hold your health in the highest regard, to want to be beautiful inside and out, and to strive to build the best body that you can. What better example can you set?

Shopping in the juniors section isn’t graceful (i.e. appropriate for someone my age).  But if the clothes fit and look great, then who cares how old I am?  A beautiful lady, exactly my same age, commented on the fact that I was wearing a really wicked-cool Bulzeye shirt, denim Ed Hardy miniskirt (with my favorite skulls of course) and funky glittery boots.   She said, “I thought I was too old to wear things like that, but it looks great on you!”  I told her I didn’t see an age limit on the clothes, they certainly weren’t Garanimals, and that as gorgeous as she is she should wear whatever makes her feel good.   She headed out to the mall.  My point–do what makes you feel good, and look good.  Wear the bright color instead of grey or black.    Wear the cool shoes or the racy cocktail dress.  Dress for how you feel, and how you WANT to feel.  Push the limits.  Have some fun.  After all, what do the young do?  They PLAY!!!  Don’t take age seriously, for crying out loud.  Have some fun with it!  Your assignment for today is to GO OUT AND PLAY!!!

BE DEFIANT!

So, in closing, my dear friends, I want you to start ‘Aging Disgracefully’!   And be proud of it!  Fight the good fight.  Take up the weapons at your disposal and defend your one and only body.   Feed it right, keep it moving, and maintain it to perfection.  Fiercely guard your precious health!

Stand up, misbehave, play, have fun, get moving, and most of all–change your history today!

Be Defiant!

Christy

“Aging Disgracefully–and Proud of It!”

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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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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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I hit a big bump last night. As you know, I have been training at least 3 times a day. In the week before the contest, because I was supposed to be getting in my best shape to be in the team picture (which turned out to be stage time too!), I had some extra cardio workouts to do. A couple of them included some interesting uses of the treadmill, such as side skips, walking lunges, side lunges, etc, and a lot of walking and jogging backwards too. The Thursday before I left, I was jogging backwards at 3.5 MPH and I felt my calf ‘lock up’ on me. I couldn’t put weight on it for a few minutes, but after stretching, I was able to walk and jog forward, and WALK backwards, but not run.

After the contest, it was still bothering me so I went to see my ART practitioner, and he said it was a strained soleus. I took a few days off from running-type cardio (stepper or bike instead), rested it, and religiously stretched it exactly as he showed me to do. I thought it was all better. Wanting to get back on my whole program, last night I went to the rec center to do my sprint work on their indoor track. Sprinting is one of my favorite things! I am an ex-track-champion, and I still just love an all-out sprint.

Well, I warmed up, stretched, and did everything like I was supposed to. But on the very first sprint, when I dug hard out of the ’starting blocks’, I only took about 3 strides and I felt my calf ‘pop’. It just went, and I just about went down. I hopped to the wall on my left leg and couldn’t put weight on it. I did a Quasimodo-type shuffle back to the bench, with the help of a couple of trainers who were standing near me. I was scared I had hurt it really badly.

I had a hard time getting out to my car, and then pressing the gas and brake was tough as I drove home, fortunately only 5 minutes away. The second I walked in the house, Michael knew something was really wrong. I was almost in tears. Partially from pain, but mostly from concern over how this would affect my training, especially with Nationals coming up. I was SO upset!

I wrapped my calf in ice packs and laid on the couch with it propped up. I called my dearest Bombshell Sista Angela and we commiserated. She told me that it was possible for me to take it easy for a day or two. I am so obsessive about the training and I very rarely stray at all from my program. But I don’t want any permanent damage–that would really be bad! So then I soaked in a hot bath for a while, wrapped it up and went to bed.

This morning, I couldn’t walk on it very well, and have limped badly all day. I just can’t flex that foot to push off in a normal walking stride. Fortunately, both Dr. Renick and Shelley were able to see me on short notice–God Bless them both! I do have some bruising on the calf, so Dr. Renick thinks there may be a partial tear but most likely a severe sprain only. Whew! Last night, I just knew I had torn it. The ‘pop’ scared me to death. After the therapy, I am better, and definitely have more flexion.

I iced it again for an hour when I got home from my weight workout. I had back and biceps today so that was no problem, except I was limping around the gym and everybody was asking what was wrong. No cardio, though. The thought crossed my mind to try to ride my stationary bike upstairs, but Michael told me I was crazy. He’s right–better not to risk it and let my body heal.

I am very lean right now, so missing some cardio won’t kill me if I keep my diet very strict. I am waiting to hear from my coach to see what I can do for cardio, since running is out of the question for a while, possibly months. They have a specific reason for each exercise we do, so I want to be sure that I don’t miss out on what they intend for me to work on.

I am determined this will not derail me. I have worked too hard and come too far to let an injury get in the way of my dreams. I defy it! It will not stop me! There is a way around it, and I will find it. I ask for your prayers for a quick healing. I need all your positive energy–healing energy–right now.

Blessings, love and light to you all!   I love you, and appreciate you more than you know!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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And that brings me to the big news! I AM SO EXCITED!!! MY DREAM FINALLY CAME TRUE AND I WON AN NPC FIGURE COMPETITION!!! I was so fortunate to win the Overall Title of the Masters Division at the Fort Lauderdale Cup last weekend. In Masters, I am competing against women my age–35 and over. But in the BIG SURPRISE of the evening, I also won my class, Class B, in the OPEN Division–where I have to compete against EVERYONE!!! That blew me away. I won everything I entered, except the Overall posedown for the Open Title. My teammate, and great friend, Andrea Lyons won that–and deservedly so. She is awesome, and has been top 10 nationally for at least the past couple of years.

Explanation: In Figure, you compete according to height (and also age in the Masters). I am exactly 5′4″, so I am in either Class B or C at each show, depending on how they have the classes broken down. This one had 4 classes, so I was B. In the National Shows, they have 6 classes, so I am C.

Check out info and pics at www.BombshellFitness.com. You will have to scroll down INSIDE the window at the center of the screen. Look for results from the Fort Lauderdale Cup.
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This was a whirlwind and totally unexpected, because I went down to the show ONLY to be in the team picture and to watch and learn, since I was getting ready for the November 14th show. Michael didn’t even go with me, because I had no plans to compete yet. I didn’t think I was even CLOSE to ready!

When I arrived and saw Shannon, my coach, she gave me some of the highest praise I have ever received in my life. She is a tough cookie! Not easily impressed. But the second I saw her, she grabbed me and said that she was so impressed with my work ethic and the amazing improvements I have made in such a short period of time. She took me up to Rob, her husband and my diet guru, to be evaluated. They both said they wanted me to get on stage and compete. I was shocked, and said ‘No way, I am not ready yet!’ They said ‘Yes, you are, and at the very least it would be great practice and a learning experience. Get on stage and let’s see what happens.’

One thing I have learned is to trust Shannon and Rob’s judgment implicitly. So I agreed. I did have my suit and heels with me, because I was scheduled to attend a posing seminar, so all I really needed was a tan. So they sent me to the spray tan people–which is a Godsend! WAY better and tons easier than painting myself with Pro Tan! They sprayed me down, greased me up, and put me out on stage. I practiced like a mad woman at the posing seminar Friday night, because I totally was not any good at posing my back lat spread. Several pro competitors worked very diligently with me to help me, and they were such a blessing. I finally ‘got it’! And lo and behold, I won both my classes, and the Masters Overall! And I even heard comments about my back looking really good–whoo hoo!

Poor Michael was so upset that he wasn’t there to see me win my first show. But even when I called Friday night to tell him that I was going to compete, I had no inkling of winning, so we didn’t think much of it. I really was only looking at it as practice, so I wasn’t stressed at all. Maybe that was for the best! I was totally relaxed, joking around and having fun with the ladies backstage, and just really enjoyed all of it. But when I called him to tell him I won, he was so happy but so upset he wasn’t there to see it. I feel horrible, but who knew?

I even had to ship all my trophies home by Fedex! I couldn’t carry them, as I flew by myself. They just arrived here on Wednesday.

If it were not for my dear ‘Bombshell’ Sista Angela Firkins, I wouldn’t have even been there. With all our travel and facing a long lean winter of probably very low real estate sales, I didn’t think I could justify spending the money to go. She said she was going, and that if I could just get down there, I could stay with her and save money. So I wouldn’t have even been able to be there for the team photo or anything if it weren’t for Angela, much less compete. So I wanted to give her a big shout-out, and a heartfelt ‘thank you’ with my utmost, humble appreciation. I love you, Ang!!!!

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There was also a Pro Figure and Fitness competition at this show. That was awesome. I was able to meet some of the amazing women that I admire from the magazines all the time. For example, Erin Stern. Her recent 6-page spread in FLEX magazine was awe-inspiring and so motivational. I told her I had her picture in my office for motivation! She was SO nice and gracious. Truly beautiful inside and out. Two of my teammates, Gennifer Strobo and Cheryl Brown, placed in the top five of the Pro Figure–and it was both their debuts! Yay for them! I was so thrilled for them–in their first Pro Show, too. Wow!

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So now even more big news—by winning the two titles, I qualified to compete at the National Shows!!! Shannon has entered me in the upcoming NPC National Figure Championships, held in Hollywood Florida on Nov 21st. So it’s a big ‘wham-bam, thank you ma’am!’ and I am now in training, not for a regional show in November, but a full-on National showdown. Whoa! I can’t wait to see what that entails–I will probably have to work out 6 times a day! It’s all so sudden, but I am going to give it all I have.

I cannot take any of the credit for my success. Shannon and Rob tell me what to do, and I do it. And I trust that the results will come. I will say, however, that when I stepped on stage Saturday night, I knew deep down in my heart that I had done absolutely everything to the best of my ability. I never slacked or skipped workouts or cheated on my meals. I do have to substitute in some exercises for ones I can’t do due to injury, but I always make sure my substitutes are just as hard if not harder. For example, my knees won’t tolerate hack squats, so I substitute Smith machine squats. But I go heavier with the Smith. And you know that I do a good bit of rearranging on my diet to keep it as raw as possible. I am certainly not vegan anymore, but I do eat probably 40% vegan proteins and keep it as raw as possible with sushi and sashimi otherwise.

So I didn’t have any nagging feeling of “I wish I had tried harder” or knowing deep down that I didn’t give 110%. I KNOW I did, and that is the one thing I can take credit for. And it was such a good, calming feeling to know that I brought the absolute best I could be at that point in time. The outcome is subjective and out of my control. But being the best I can be is ultimately in my control and that’s what I did. It is certainly not the best I WILL be, because I am getting better and better! So my goal for Nationals is to add size on my shoulders, lats and thighs and come in even better and leaner than I did for the regional. Will it be enough? Who knows? But I will know that I did all I could, and that’s all I can do! Getting in better shape takes time and patience. And especially persistence and consistency. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.

Blessings to you all!!!!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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At the end of last week, I finished my first 4 weeks of Bombshell training. I am thrilled at the changes in my body so far. I can really tell a difference, and now I am getting comments from a lot of other people as well. This is definitely the best my abs have ever looked–by far–and I am still 8 weeks out from my show. My shoulders have really come up and are starting to actually have nice delt caps. And I am proud to say I have built some booty!!! The only thing I am frustrated with are my lats. They just don’t seem to be spreading out like I want. They are strong–I can lift crazy weight, but they aren’t giving me the V-taper I need. I told Shannon how I felt, and she told me to be patient, but also suggested I add a certain exercise 3 times a week that is specifically designed to build lat width. I know it works–I can really feel it!

OK, here are the progress pics for this week:

Can you tell a difference?

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Well, I am proud of the progress, but the party is now over. It’s time to get serious. I received my new diet and cardio workouts from Shannon this week. Whoa. Good news, bad news. The good news is I get to eat more food and the cardio is pretty much the same type of routines, just changed up a little bit. The bad news is that the ‘more’ food is a lot more broccoli and added mushrooms. OK–I just hit a wall. I think mushrooms are fungi that taste like dirt. Yuk. And the cardio got doubled up on me. Now I have to do cardio TWICE per day, once in the AM and again in the PM. Plus the weights, of course. Wow, that is going to be hard to fit all that in, just in terms of time. I am going to really have to work on my scheduling, especially with all the stuff I have going at night.

But the worst, for me, is that the ‘cheat meals’ now are very specific, and I can only choose from 5. And since 3 of them are red-meat-based, that leaves me with a choice of two—2 slices of pizza or 3 pancakes with 2 eggs. Two slices of pizza for me is a joke–a mere appetizer. I can easily eat a whole pizza and still have plenty of room for dessert! So that leaves the obvious choice for me–PANCAKES!!! I have always said that if I had to choose a ‘last meal’ it would be pancakes. And I can make pancakes fairly healthy–not raw of course, but with some great whole grains, etc. And I can add blueberries, peaches, apples, etc etc. Yum!

In fact, I have all my stuff laid out right now to make my first batch of pancakes this evening! I have a very healthy stone-ground 7 grain pancake mix, blueberries, and Grade B maple syrup which is much healthier and has tons of vital minerals in it. And since it is a cheat meal, I also have real butter and molasses! And I am going to scramble my eggs with Soy-rizo, which is a wonderful vegan version of Mexican chorizo sausage. It’s great protein and not very high in fat. YUM! I can’t wait!! I have to eat another couple meals of fish and vegetables, and then I am going in on the pancakes, right before the Bulldawgs kick off!

You know, I didn’t crave sugar at ALL when I was on my high-fruit raw diet. Even then, I knew I had to cut out fruit before my shows. Now I am on several weeks of almost no fruit. My 1/4 grapefruit was cut out on the new diet. And suddenly, now all I can think about is sugar! I crave sweets–and not the healthy kind either. On the regular raw diet, I didn’t miss cakes, pancakes, all that stuff, at all. Now it’s so tempting to me it’s ridiculous! I have heard many people say they eat a raw diet with little to no fruit or sugar–no dates, honey, etc. I don’t know HOW they do that! I think my body runs well on good healthy fruit sugars. It is definitely letting me know it misses the green smoothies and spirulina pies and puddings!

Now is when I really have to Be Defiant! I am having to defy my own body telling me what it needs. That’s not easy, let me tell you. I am not craving unhealthy things. I would kill for a banana! But I know that the competition is not real life, so although many foods may be very healthy, they are just not conducive to achieving my goals. And my goal is to WIN the Gold Cup on November 14th!

Would you believe my breakfast consists of 12 asparagus spears & 3 prunes? I also get oatmeal and egg whites. Here’s how I make it raw–I use the raw egg whites (totally safe–don’t even start with me on that one!), and blend them with my sprouted raw oat groats and barley, with pumpkin pie spice and stevia. It makes a nice cake-batter-type blend. I really enjoy it, actually! I eat the asparagus spears first, so I save the good stuff as a reward. That’s how I do all my meals–I eat the things I don’t like first to get them out of the way so I can eat the things I do like. Works for me!

Several of the girls from Team Bombshell are in NY for the Team Universe Championships this weekend. Shannon has been very busy helping all the girls get ready for this BIG show. So she hasn’t gotten my new weight workouts to me yet. So I got a little bit of leeway this week to make my own workouts up. I went back through all I have done so far at camp and my first workouts, and picked out the exercises that I felt were the most effective and targeted the areas that I want to work on the most. Wow–I think my versions were actually harder and more intense! Especially Booty last night–I was sweating my booty off, and boy is it sore today!

Tennessee is holding its own pretty well right now. I am eating one of my tastiest meals, with my little 1/4 apple as the high point. I do love the sweet potatoes. I cut them in sticks, put them in a baggie and shake with cinnamon. Yummy. It’s almost time to get ready to make pancakes and then settle in to watch the Dawgs kick some Razorback butt! I am also following the results of the Team U Championships on www.Siouxcountry.com as well as Shannon’s very timely Twitters right from backstage! Go Bombshell Sistas!!! I hope we take down several more pro cards tonight!

Be Defiant!

Christy