Throwback Thursday!

I am sitting her in the kitchen writing this. Listening to my relaxing playlist on SPOTIFY, and enjoying the surreal feeling of having just finished my last workout before my first bodybuilding competition. I can't even describe it.

My senses are heightened, colors are brighter, smell, touch, and sound are all new to me as an infant seeing things for the first time. Much the same feeling as falling in love, but this is a new love. Loving myself, my accomplishments, and taking a moment to cherish my hard work. No matter what happens Saturday I am proud of myself for what I have accomplished and learned through this journey.

2008-2013

I graduated high school in 2008 with a budding love for fitness. THEN aerobics, running, and swimming were my drugs of choice. I would pick up the occasional dumbell only when forced. (Thanks Mrs. Posey for putting up with my lazy butt in weight training class!) Dieting meant not having thirds and avoiding eating the whole cake. Skinny was in, and minimal effort was needed to maintain that in the teenage years. 

2008

120 lbs

body fat 20%

THEN apples were always best with candy or caramel

On my journey I discovered a challenge in cycling and yoga. I began taking a Hatha yoga class at Lifetime Fitness in Tempe AZ. For the first time in my life I was able to touch my toes! Adding cycling to my swimming and running, I soon went on to triathlons where I took 3rd place for my age group in 2011. (This was after months of sickness, weight gain, hospitalization, and being bedridden for weeks.)

2011

143 lbs

body fat unknown (Highest I ever measured was 25% in 2012)

 

yoga on the beach of Half Moon Kay

Post win of the Rio Salado Sprint Tri

I began seriously weight training a year ago to help myself become a stronger yogi. NOW I am rocking confidence and direction in life that I never knew I could posses. I am a full time personal trainer, student, and friend to many. I am loving life and loving my body! I am able to enjoy the payoff of my hard work and discipline today because God has blessed me dearly. Dieting to me now is a lifestyle change. Watching my macros, consuming a gallon of water a day, taking supplements, eating clean, and the biggest change of all was learning food prep. Exercise is a way of life, strength along with cardio and stretching is all part of my weekly routine.

2013

120 lbs

body fat 10%

You too can change your body and achieve all your dreams! Doing research, hiring a trainer, and putting away your excuses are all pieces to the puzzle. Hope this post inspires you, please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this! Don't forget to subscribe, follow, and share!

7 Steps to Overcoming Food Addictions for the Christian Bodybuilder

Food addictions are no joke. I don't want to take the time to explain what it is or the science behind it. If you want a good information read then click on the below photo for a bodybuilding.com article on food addictions.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/eating-compulsion-refined-food-addiction.html

I have personally noticed that with more dieting and restrictions associated with bodybuilding and competing. The risk to develop and eating disorder is increased.

I also want to note that some of us are at higher risk than others. Many of us just have an addictive personality that gets triggered by different addictions. Those could be anywhere from drugs, alcohol, food, sex, gambling, dating, social media, excessive exercise, shopping etc. You can get addicted to anything that causes pleasure in the brain. 

Being a bodybuilder and being put under a large amount of pressure with your diet. You might find it increasingly difficult to maintain healthy eating as well as a clear mind. I have written up 7 helpful steps to take for you to gain a hold over your overeating.

Muscle Yogi @ Dead Horse Point

1. HAVE A YOGA MEAL: You can read back on an older post of mine about mindful eating.  HERE but the main point I want to highlight on specifically for the bodybuilder struggling with food addiction is to slow down. When you take a bite, put your fork/spoon down, chew, swallow, and then pick up your fork/spoon and prepare your next bite. 

2.SUPPORT: The first time I made myself throw up after a cookie binge I was embarrassed and a little frightened that I might now have an eating disorder. Two days later I was getting fitted for my stage suit and confided in the lady I was renting from on what I had done. Her advice was to talk about it. Be open and acknowledge that this sport is risky. Many many many girls competing will develop lasting food disorders and self image problems from this sport. So talk about it! Find a support group and let your friends know what you are going through. Ask your friends to help hold you accountable. See if you can spend time with friends who are understanding and will not tempt you. To expound on this I want to say that finding and attending OA (over eaters anonymous) meeting can be a HUGE blessing. I was so nervous to go to my first meeting, but was met with a comfortable and non judgmental environment full of people who understood and cared. If you want to find a meeting group near you then click HERE.

3. REMOVE: What are the foods that trigger you the most? For me it is peanut butter and chocolate. Even just typing these words makes my mouth drool and dream about my last binge on the stuff. If you can, then try to keep them out of the house or at least out of reach. If you don't see it, then your brain won't get triggered with thoughts of pleasure this item will bring. 

4. SURRENDER: Admitting that you have no power to control yourself when you get into a feeding frenzy is a major step to take. Pray to God that he will lead you from temptation and have faith that the moment of crazy food obsession will pass. 

Nicole Wilkins Figure Pro and  3 time Olympia winner

5. BREATHE: When I get that crazy feeling of hunger and emptiness that show dieting brings on. I close my eyes and practice deep breathing. Yoga is a deeply spiritual practice and must be looked at with caution as to not be led into false idols or pursuit. I have, however, found the practice of pranayama and zen breathing to be extremely helpful in controlling emotions, cravings, pain, and maintaining mental clarity in all situations. 

6. WRITE: Journalism is one of the most therapeutic things you can do. Pick up a pen or a keyboard and just let your thoughts start to flow. I guarantee you will discover a lot about your addiction and yourself in the process. 

7. FIND A MANTRA: Fill your pinterest, scrapbooks, and mind with quotes that inspire you. Listen to positive music like Mandisa "Overcomer" this is a song written by a Christian artist about her journey fighting past a food addiction. Just know that every time you fall down, you have the chance to stand up stronger than before. 

You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round 
You're not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

Find peace in knowing that God is in control of your life, even if you feel out of control sometimes. 

Dirty Dash 2013

This all started on a Friday. It was girls night and I had a handful of my girlfriends over for treats, movie, and classic girl talk. It is around 11pm when my friend Riki ask me if I want to run the Dirty Dash with her........ the following morning.

My response. "Is it free?" 

it was

Ricki and I pre race, getting pumped up

So we continued to party through the night, I took a detour from my strict diet and ended up having some sort of sugar overdose that ended about the same way as a 21 year old birthday party. 

With less than 3 solid hours of sleep I drag my miserable body out of bed, pump up my spotify playlist "YEAH BUDDY" and got myself a talk black coffee.

The Dirty Dash is a non competitive 5-10K obstacle course of sorts. . This consisted of trail running, climbing up and down muddy trenches, jumping hay bales in stacks of 1-3 high, climbing over A frames with ropes, crawling under pipes, running across boards over muddy trenches, a segment of a wooded run (over or under fallen trees), and did I mention mud? Lots and lots of mud.

Post race victory dance

C4 pre workout  shot 15 minutes before the race started

The mud was one of the more intense aspects of the race, many contestants lost shoes, were blinded, injured, slipped, or became discouraged from it. My friends shoes were proven to be less than ready for the job of staying on her feet after the first obstacle... The trenches.

Now these trenches were solid walls of mud that slid down into puddles of untold depths of cold water. Many contestants were able to climb over, but found themselves crashing into the puddle below.

I somehow was leading the charge for our group. The funnest part for me was being so charged with energy that I easily leaped out of the water onto my conquered mound. Then reaching back and pulling the others up who would not otherwise be able to climb the mound on their own.

It was really a beautiful metaphor for life.
but this gets better, I am still leading the charge of my army and we have crossed the first obstacle. I turn back for my friend and she is nowhere in sight.

So I see that the trenches had weighed her shoes down and she was struggling to go on barefoot with shoes in hand. I retreat back and help her, then we get her shoes cleared out. From there running eagerly to the next obstacle, wherever it may be.

As time goes on Ricki I noticed was falling further and further behind me. I was continuing on with a light jog and a constant "Come on Ricki. You got this babe. Keep pushing. Dig deep. Don't quit."

Together we get to the next obstacle. This is where my fear gripped my heart like ice. The A frame.

You have to climb up this frame, cross the top, and use the slippery rope to complete the transaction safely. I have a fear of heights and falling. On top of this I am very uncoordinated and awkward with some movements. Transferring weight when in small high places is probably one of my weakest places. Thankfully my friend was able to support me and gave me words of strength to conquer this fear.  

After jumping off the second A frame, hands shaking, feeling like a champion for conquering such an intense fear of mine. We continue on. through winding muddy trails. 

Ricki in the meantime is having a harder and harder time keeping up, my drill sergeant motivation can only go so far. I run to her and grab her hand. On we march together, I refused to let her momentum no matter how slow come to a halt. 

Then an uphill climb did her in. Ricki was fatigued and unable to catch her breath. I was feeling great so I decided to pull a Sam and Frodo maneuver. Up on my back she went and I marched on. All the while I was coaching her to breathe deep and repeat after me.

I can do all things.

Through Christ.

Who strengthens me. 

Phlippians 4:13

Luckily our prayer was heard. She recovered her strength enough to climb the last hill, pass the slide obstacle with enthusiasm, and sprint with me hand in hand through the finish line. 

What a great experience it was to do this race with friend and have the opportunity to inspire someone!