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

_____________

Exercise or Else!

____________________________

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!!!

____________________________

I just wanted to share this with you! (I like to share!) As you know, I am a huge fan of Sun Warrior Raw Vegan Protein, and I sell it right here on my site–just click on any of the links.   I use it every single day and just love it, and what it does for my physique.    It’s very new on the market, having only been introduced a little over a year ago.   Apparently I am not the only one who likes it, as it just received a prestigious award.   I posted a snippet below. The link to the full article is here: Natural News Reader’s Choice Awards

Snippet from the article:

(NaturalNews) The votes have been cast: It’s time to announce the results of the NaturalNews Reader’s Choice “Best of 2009″ Awards!

These awards are given to the top companies and products in seven categories: Best Health Products Retailer, Best Herbal Product Line, Best Natural Protein, Best Skin Care Line, Best Superfood Powder, Best Multivitamin and Best Food Bar.

Reader’s Choice – Best Natural Protein = SunWarrior
SunWarrior protein was in the lead from the very start of this survey, and they never let go of their top position. SunWarrior is a raw, fermented rice protein that’s taken off among the raw foods community over the last 18 months or so. It has also been well accepted among the “natural” bodybuilding community (as well as with extreme athletes).

The top five winners in the Best Natural Protein category are:

#1 – SunWarrior
#2 – Nutiva
#3 – Vital Greens
#4 – Ruth’s Hemp Foods
#5 – Living Fuel

______________________________________

Give the Sun Warrior a try!

I’ll be back with some interesting new developments when I have a little more time.  Right now, I have to run to the gym to blast my legs and booty! 

Be Defiant!

Christy

____________________

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?

______________________________________

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!

_______________________________

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.

___________________________

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!”

______________________________

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!”

_________________

_______________

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!

_______________

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

_______________

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.

______________

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

______________

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

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

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

___________

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

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

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

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

________________

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

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

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

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

___________________

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

_______________

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

___________________

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

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

Be Defiant!

Christy

_____________

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

_________

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

________