And I thought motivation was high before...

Since my last entry, the light has really shined on me!! I started my diet 4 days ago, which is 24 weeks out from the NPC Natural Ohio, followed by the NPC Natural Indiana 2 weeks later. Not only have I done more homework this time during contest prep that's helped me tremendously with my nutrition, supplements, and training, but the biggest gift was a new training partner who's been incredibly helpful!! She's a figure competitor training for the same shows, so being able to train with someone who possesses the same goals and can relate to every aspect of it, is just an amazing and motivating gift to have! I'm looking forward to many, many days of training together!

Just recently, I heard from a long lost friend, and icon to the sport of bodybuilding! This girl is so full of inspiration, it's just unlimited. When you have friends like this who believe in you more than you believe in yourself at times, failure is no option. I'm not letting anyone down, including myself!!!! It's game time!!!

Kristina (paramedic I work with, and pretty much my sister), is still making huge progress dropping lbs and getting in awesome shape! It's been 10 mos, and she has not lost an ounce of motivation. I'm surrounded by very encouraging friends and family!! It just doesn't get better!

...off to bed

Playing catch up...

Wow, it has been so long since I've posted on here! Anyways, life has been really good since I've last been on. Decided against competing again this year due to my selfishness of wanting more size especially with my back and quads. Looking through pics from my show, those were my weak areas that need help to be more proportioned in the challenge of symmetry. So I will be back on stage in the spring! Motivation is high, as is my goal setting! I can't wait!!!

So since I've been on, I've met so many great people. Not only in my favorite sport, but in general. I've learned everyone you meet in life has a spot and plays a role. Friends mean the world and a smile says it all.

Stereotyping has again proved me wrong! I know its not a good habit, but it can easily become of one. I have a new friend that before talking to, just seemed super anti-me. Lol. Little did I know I guess I seemed to have the same affect. Word to the wise, just say hi. 8)

Well, I'm in bed typing from the phone and really need to catch some zzzzz's before am cardio and work. Hope everyone is doing well! Stay fit!

Paying it forward...

Just a few pics of some very close people who stood either beside me during my journey, or behind me to provide the swift kick I sometimes needed to get motivated! ha

Ray is a great friend and coworker who knew my training program better than me. For instance, one late night at work, knowing I still had another hour of cardio to do, but was extremely tired, Ray followed me around the firehouse, not letting me rest until I hit the treadmill. It didn't stop there, he then followed me into the weight room, and sat on the bench talking to me the entire hour I was on the treadmill, making sure I didn't sell myself short. What a guy!

These two deserve their own success story! Kristina and her husband Dwight have both been so motivating to me! She's my paramedic I work with, and pretty much my sister. Both her and her husband are so interested in the fitness scene, they've made huge progress since january with their own goals! I couldn't be more happy for them! This is the girl who put up with me and my dieting/training/and not always so happy 'tude when it came to late night calls. Getting up in the middle of the night never really bothered me until it involved very little carbs in the tank. haha. But anyways, I owe her a huge thanks for helping me!! Not sure yet if she knows I'm back to preparing for another show, but I'm sure she'll catch on as I break out the chicken and green beans next day we work together!

And then there's mother! What more shall I say? Wonderful parent indeed!


These are only a very few of the people I owe appreciation to, but very, very important people in my daily life who have each played a tremendous role in my transformation to where I am today! It couldn't of been done without them!

Quit talking, started walking...

So it's been a month since I've posted, but quite a productive month! I realized as cool as the sound of bodybuilding was, and how much I loved talking about it, I found myself doing just that, talking about it. I'll be the first to say, life isn't perfect, the journey from fat to skinny isn't easy, or everyone would be doing it.

From the time of my last post to my first bodybuilding show, I went through some of the toughest times I've yet to experience in 26 years. Jumped some of the biggest hurdles, and so many times I wanted to give, but yet in my mind I knew the harder the journey got, with the biggest obstacles yet, the more rewarding this had to be! AND it was! Here's a couple pics, and I'll post more later. A million words couldn't describe this experience. I'm gettin' it lean and comin' back in 12 weeks to the OCB Natural Indiana Pro Qualifier!

16 wks out from OCB Circle City <242 lbs.>

6.18.11 OCB Circle City <188 lbs.>

Carb day...

Today is known as one of few major party days amongst my friends, and the rest of the world at that! ha. So, being the sober partier I am, I wanted to just hangout at home after my training, but thankfully, I was saved! I was invited over to some good friend's house for their after-party, which I was pretty sure being the only one carrying a water bottle, I wouldn't quite fit in the crowd. lol. As I arrived, I was instantly greeted by many I knew, and overly flattered by the abundant amount of compliments, questions about my journey, and interests towards healthy living. I really don't think a single one of them understands just how inspiring they are to me! AND their food, ooooooohhhh it smelled so good. I got my junk food 'fix' by just inhaling the whole table full of stuff! ha.

Big smile as I got a phone call this evening from a long lost best friend that I thought disappeared off the edge! Talking to her brought back so many funny, crazy, and sincere memories! (Pepto please)--inside joke!!

I knew I'd attempt to visit my friends, so I flew through my day without a nap, but as planned, still finished up totalling 2 hrs cardio, 700 reps on the 'hidden' abs, and shoulders. I had a couple clients in between my training, but I wouldn't trade the world for my people! So needless to say, I finished up my cardio about 2 hrs ago, and definitely need to sleep before I repeat!

Tomorrow is a big day, as I get to train with a great friend of mine, and a successful competitor in the sport. I could never be thankful for this, as he wants to help as much as possible! I know my posing is weak, pretty sure we're gonna hit that hard! YES, I'm training to be a poser. Well, off to bed, goodnight.

Up in smoke...

These past few days have been quite interesting. Sunday was my birthday, so what better way than spend it training, relaxing, and hanging out with my folks! That was the idea anyways, until breakfast time was interrupted by the fire in the upstairs apartment! I'll say it again, Happy Birthday to me.

As I've been so upbeat and living in dreamland lately, I've experienced a couple reality checks that brought me down to earth! I have learned to use the negatives with the positives to feed the motivation, so keep it coming! Now I feel more focused and building my walls higher and higher. The invites were there, very few RSVP'd.

I'm now 3 wks and 4 days out, feeling tired, grumpy at times, but it's gonna be worth it! It is weird going into my first show alone, but I've learned that's just part of the game. I've gotten some words of wisdom from some, but they seem to be fading. I can't let that stop me one bit, it's "headphones on, back to the world" time!

As the World Ends...

Well, I thought the world was suppose to end at 12am this morning, guess I didn't have my facts straight. As I've been told, we have exactly 1 hr and 45 min until? Hmmm...let's see, what would you do? After a long day that's almost over, I believe I'm going to eat 'THE LAST MEAL' and take a nap right into the end! ha. I was really looking forward to my parents visiting tomorrow, but I forgot about the world ending tonight. They are only about an hour away, but by time this gets posted, I don't think they'll make it:(

Ok, enough critisizing. Anyways, yesterday was a very special day, as it was mom's birthday! She's quite the amazing person, seeing as if she's the only woman that's ever put up with me for longer than a week!

Today marked 4 wks out from my first bodybuilding show, and I have sooo much to get done! I'm loving the motivation from everyone, and the help from the experienced! I could never begin to show just how thankful I am for this. Anyways, I'm to the stage of dieting that's starting to make me a little tired, and it will get worse as I'm told, but diets are temporary, accomplishments last forever.

Oh wait, here I am talking futuristic, forgetting we're down to the hour. Hmmm...nice knowing everyone!

Another day, another rep...

After my carb load meal last night, I woke up to a suprising 195.2, and for only being awake 2 minutes into my day, I felt accomplished already! ha. I haven't seen any numbers under 200 since around 4th or 5th grade, so this is huge for me! The bodybuilding show I'm competing in doesn't divide up by weight classes, just short and tall divisions, so weight is of no importance to them, but it's a milestone for me, and even more motivation.

As I absolutely enjoy doing, I trained shoulders before training an outstanding client today, and hit the stairmill afterwards at which I'm becoming more fond of than any other piece of equipment. It's just the bond we've created I think! lol

Everyone seemed to be a little quiet today, which is good in the focus aspect of things, but yet, I'd like to hear from a certain fitness 'icon' that I consider a great friend, and a HUGE bundle of inspiration to my everyday actions. She's an amazing person with powerful words that really make you understand the importance of being passionate about anything you put your mind to. Truly amazing person to talk to and learn her story! Maybe one day, I'll be lucky enough to train with her!

Well, I don't know what's so hard about falling asleep, but when it comes bed time, I'm wired! Since sleep is out of the question, I'm looking on to my next priority....you got it! Packing my bag and heading down the street for some cardio over looking Penn and Maryland!
Goodnight!

Here's to the first...

Ok, just noticed it's 12:33am, cardio in 6 hours, gotta get to bed....to be continued. Just joking!! Not only to my suprise did I learn how to blog, but from my phone at that, so yes, I'm already in bed. Lol.
After meeting a really great friend with such a similar day-to-day life as myself, not only has she inspired me to follow my dreams, but gave me the idea to blog so I can share the journey to those dreams with everyone! I'm so lucky to be surrounded by such inspiring and encouraging friends and family!
I really do need some sleep to recover after intense leg and ab training today, so I'm off here for now, but maybe I'll attempt to write from the stairmill in 6 hrs.
Goodnight!