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

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

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

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

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Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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News from Defiant Health!

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

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

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

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

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

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Important!

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

Be Defiant!  Fight for Your Health!

Christy

“Aging Disgracefully–and Proud Of It!”

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

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

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

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

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

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And here is last year’s blog again:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s how this works as an example:

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

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

Reframed in Revolutionary Format: My bodyfat is 18%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I will be healthier—WHY?

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

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

Example:

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

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

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

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

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

Other goals

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just do it.

Be Defiant! Start your own personal REVOLUTION today!

Love and light,

Christy

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

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

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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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I am going to be working harder than ever, with an eye toward improving my lat spread and continuing to carve out shape and definition overall. And I get to eat a lot more, though still very controlled and an excellent nutrition plan of whole foods. You can’t grow muscle and lose bodyfat unless you are feeding your body plenty of the right kind of fuel!

That’s one thing people just don’t get. They want to keep cutting calories and eating less, and many times the answer is the opposite. But the food intake has to be balanced with the workout routine, and if the workouts aren’t proportional then either fat gain or muscle loss can result, neither of which is desirable.

The Eleven Percent

So what are you doing during this holiday season? Are you defying all the foods laden with toxins and chemicals that are health-destroying? Are you working toward improving for the future? Or are you giving in to all the temptation around you, your willpower laid waste by the stress of the season? Be Defiant! Damage done now in the wink of an eye will take long hard workouts over a long time to undo! Of course, enjoy yourself and some treats, but keep it in moderation.

Let’s be honest, how many holiday parties will you actually go to? Three or four? Ten? And then the family get-togethers on the actual holidays? Let’s estimate high–say 20 holiday meals and parties. There are 31 days in this month, and you should be eating at LEAST 5 or 6 meals a day, so that’s 150 to 180 meals. An average would be 170. Twenty divided by 170 is 11 percent. How do people gain so much weight over the holidays on only 11% of their meals? Come on, be real. Most folks are eating badly ALL the time, not just the special occasions. Keep that other 89% of your meals full of great whole foods chock full of living nutrition, and the measly 11% won’t do that much damage.

A few other tips:

1) Eat BEFORE you go to a party! Don’t go hungry, for crying out loud! That’s a recipe for diet disaster. Keep up your regular schedule of 5 to 7 meals. Don’t skip any meals!

2) Workout HARD the day before and the day of a party or big family dinner. Set your body up to use as many of those extra calories as possible on actually building muscle! Do big, full-body movements that incorporate all the biggest muscle groups, and use weights that really challenge you.

3) Do short, high-intensity cardio sessions with added plyometrics and intervals that set your fat-burning thermostat on high, and help your body incinerate fat and build shape and muscle definition, even through the holidays. Not sure what to do? I can design a plan for you! See Team Defiance! for details! I will also give you plenty of support to get through the season.

4) Keeping your nutrition very strict except for the 11% can actually set your body up to lose even more fat. Having a ‘cheat’ meal after a few days of strict dieting will replenish your hormone levels, especially leptin, and help you burn fat! And many people report that their workouts the day after a big meal are awesome, when the muscles are fully loaded with glycogen and get really pumped.

5) Keep your carb choices to mainly green veggies the day or two before a big dinner or party. That will help with the ‘cheat’ meal cycle previously mentioned. Avoid starchy carbs, sugars, refined flours and breads. But you do that anyway, right?

6) Avoid alcohol as much as possible. There’s just nothing good I can say about it from a physique standpoint. Sugary, fatty drinks are the worst—a doubly-bad diet ding! (Yes, like eggnog!)

7) Enjoy yourself. This is a time of love and celebration. Love yourself enough to put your health as a top priority. But if you fall prey to temptation, no biggie! It’s just part of the measly 11 percent! DON’T beat yourself up and get caught in the trap of feeling guilty and then eating to comfort yourself. It’s what you do in the 89% of the meals that really counts.

BE DEFIANT!!! BE AN 89-PERCENTER!!!

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Rough Weekend With a Sick Kitty

In case you don’t know, my ’son’ is a precious white and orange kitty named “Jukebox”. I know I have mentioned him before on here. It’s just not right how much I love that cat! I probably need therapy. But he is so loving and precious, and just has the best little personality. He tries so hard to talk to me. He doesn’t really meow–he “wows”. And he “wows” a lot! Thus the name Jukebox–he sings all the time.

Poor Jukey got very, very sick last Thursday night. He was pitiful. I won’t go into the details, as it was not pleasant. I only got about 3 hours of sleep, and even ended up laying down with him on the bathroom floor to try to comfort him. It turned out to be a UTI, which was upsetting his stomach terribly and causing him great pain in his hind end. I was so worried it was more than that. He is better now, and today began eating again. He didn’t eat from Thursday night through yesterday (Monday). But the antibiotics seem to be helping and he is much more like himself again.

Juke is 16 years old. I know the inevitable is coming. I just hope it’s many years from now. He has been doing so much better on his raw fish diet. He used to weigh over 20 pounds, and this weekend he weighed 12 pounds which is a much healthier weight for him. The vet was pleased. I didn’t go into why–vets hate the idea of raw food diets. I guess it doesn’t pay their mortgage like the prescription food does. Going to the vet is highway robbery anyway. Absolutely unbelievable!

I can’t bear the thought of life without Jukebox. I can’t really think about it or I will start crying. I know a pet is not the same as a child or family member, but for me he is, and he is as close to human as a four-legged creature can be. He gives so much love so freely. He is my shadow, and absolutely has me trained–I have to sleep on my back with my left arm (not the right arm, only the left!) out so he can curl up in my arm. If during the night I roll up on my side, he will paw at me and “wow” until I assume the proper position. He is not ‘my’ cat: I am ‘his’ human!

How many of you have a pet that you love so dearly it will rip your heart out to lose them? Have you lost one in the past? I have lost two: my horse ‘Bee” that I had for 27 years, and my first cat ‘Dooger’ who lived to be 18. I still cry over their graves (and even now I have tears rolling down my cheeks–I can’t help it). Both were heartwrenching losses, but the joy and love that they brought to my life for so long is worth it all. Leave a comment and tell me your story about your babies.

I am just so thankful I have Jukebox and all the joy and love he brings to my life. May his precious little soul continue to live in health for many years.

This is Jukebox. It's an older picture, when he still weighed 20 pounds!

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I have been making some changes to the Defiant Health site. And more changes are in the works. Soon you will be able to order many of my favorite products directly from the site, which will make things much easier. Please explore around the site, especially the Defiant Tools page, and keep checking back for new content. I am getting some help from people who know far more than I do about web design!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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I am so thankful for my husband, my family, and our beautiful farm that provides so many wonderful foods, animals, and lots of opportunities for great exercise through hard work. And all of my ‘most thankful fors’ were right there, enveloping me during the whole holiday. It doesn’t get any better than that!

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FOOD TRIGGERS

We drove over on Wednesday evening, after Michael finished work. My food struggles started that night. I had been pretty good leading up to the holiday, even though I was instructed to NOT work out for a week (that was killing me!) and there were no food restrictions. I didn’t want to destroy what I had worked so hard to build, so I stayed 90% on the diet, allowing myself a healthy treat meal every day. I was back on my beloved green smoothies, with lots of bananas! Oh, how I missed those. I also ate an Amy’s pizza–my favorite version: spinach with vegan cheeze and rice crust. I also had an Amy’s burger, and things like that. Not bad, just not things I can eat on a precontest diet. And lots of raw food! On Monday, I HAD to make healthy pancakes! My best bud Angela nicknamed me ‘Flaps’ last week because of my love affair with pancakes.

I planned that I was going to eat the heck out of my mom’s incredible German Chocolate Cake. I was dying for some, and figured I deserved it. One day won’t hurt, right? (Well, one and a half days. We started on it Wednesday night.) My body completely rebelled against the stuff I was eating! Wow, I was shocked at how bad it got. That’s the dichotomy of eating very clean for a long time–the things that didn’t cause any problems before suddenly become very toxic and make you miserable. For example, if you used to drink a lot of coffee or alcohol, and you eat mostly raw and abstain from those things, then when you allow yourself a little bit, very often the negative reaction is brutal. I used to enjoy a glass or two of red wine with dinners, and since Michael is highly knowledgeable about wines due to his former job as a wine distributor, we were part of a couple of vintner’s clubs before I started my raw food lifestyle. Now, if I have even a few sips of red wine, I immediately get a headache and want to go straight to bed. I just can’t handle it at all.

So, just one day won’t hurt, right? Well, it hurt me. I swelled up like a balloon and felt miserable. But the worst part was the cravings it triggered. I was amazed at how powerful they were. I was frantic wanting more and more cake and sugary things. It’s like it takes over your brain and it’s all you can think about. But I was feeling so miserable that my conscious mind was desperate to get back on my regular Bombshell diet. Which is just about impossible in the middle of nothing but Thanksgiving food. I definitely melted down on Thanksgiving, but the next day I didn’t touch any of the ‘trigger’ foods at all. I ate green smoothies, lots of salad, and didn’t touch cake or the sweet potato souffle (which was one of the best ones I have ever eaten.) That was hard–I was really struggling with the brain cravings. But my poor body kept me in line.

Foods like sugar, refined flours, etc. often cause negative reactions that end up manifesting as cold-like symptoms when the ‘detox’ starts. Both Michael and I came down with ‘colds’ after Thanksgiving. In my past life, I would have thought I caught a cold and taken a bunch of medicines. Fortunately, now I know enough to realize that our bodies were throwing out all those toxins and that we had to support our immune systems through the detox–yet not stop the detox, which is so necessary. I had some convincing to do with Michael, as he was ready to take a bunch of decongestants. Instead, I fixed up some great concoctions to support the cleansing process. The most successful potion was Apple Cider Vinegar, juice of 1/2 lemon, and raw unfiltered honey (that still has all the propolis, pollen, etc in it) That is amazingly cleansing.

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MY PUNISHMENT

My body really punished me! On Saturday, I conveniently reasoned that it had been a week since I last worked out, so I headed up to the rec center intending to bust out a very intense cardio session and hopefully sweat out the toxins and the huge amount of water I was retaining. I did my warmup on the Stepmill for five minutes, and felt great. I hopped off to do my first round of plyos, started my walkout pushup jumps, and after a few my quadricep muscles started to cramp up. No biggie, I thought. I stretched for a few seconds, and started another plyo jump exercise. My quads LOCKED UP. I mean, they cramped up so bad I couldn’t walk. I have never had a cramp in my life–ever! I was not prepared for the intense pain and complete loss of mobility.

It was all I could do to get down to the front doors to leave. I literally couldn’t walk very far, and the only relief was kneeling on my knees with my feet tucked under me, which seemed to help them release a bit. I had to kneel three times just to get around the track and then going down the stairs was pure torture. I finally made it to the couches and it was a good 30 minutes before I could even consider driving. My friend had to go get my stuff for me, because I knew I couldn’t walk back up to the cardio area.

I finally made it home, and immediately started looking for cramp remedies. I tried a few and then got in the tub in hot water, which was recommended to help relax the muscles. After an hour or two, I was OK and able to walk normally. But my quads felt like hard rocks and were so sore–some of the worst soreness I have ever felt. Only my quads cramped. Nothing else did, and other than my quads I felt just fine.

I didn’t try to work out on Sunday. Monday morning I tried cardio again, but this time upstairs in my house so I would be home in case it happened again. It did happen again, but not to the same extent. The foods I had been eating had obviously helped. In reading about cramps, I found that they are often caused by the body being extremely acid from–guess what–refined sugar and flour. Wow, talk about causing myself pain through food.

The detoxing has been hell. The cramps, the bloating, tortured intestines. Yuck! I am not exactly back on my diet yet because I have been eating a lot of foods to support myself through the detox. Not that they are bad–for example, honey is wonderful, but it is a sugar. No sugars are part of our diet, no matter how healthy they are. Same with fruit, which is also sugar, but oranges and bananas really help clear out the mucus that the body uses to help expectorate the toxins. But right now, my poor quads and my body need the help, so I am going to continue those things until I am back to normal. I still don’t know why only my quads are cramping. Weird.

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THANKSGIVING STORIES

OK this is already WAY too long, so I will save these for next time. We did have some interesting adventures.

Also, I am thinking about doing something very unusual, and I will share those thoughts as well.

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is coming on! I gotta go!

Be Defiant!

Christy

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

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

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

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

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

Be Defiant!

Christy

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

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

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

Be Defiant!

Christy

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