offseason 2007-2008, the plan... in detail
there is a natural bb pro by the name of layne norton. who has his BS in bio chem and is currently working on a PHD in nutritional science. his area of specialty is skeletal muscle protein metabolism. i've been reading his posts, listening to his webcasts and his online guest appearances.
he has a very interesing idea in how i might make the best use of my offseason. by cycling your total caloric intake you can put yourself into a state of growth by elevating your natural hormone levels. you can put on more lean muscle mass, stay leaner, avoid the pitfalls of the bulk (tiredness, the bloat and the mental mind game of having more bf).
he does a 4-6 week cycle of maintenance + 500 cals/day followed by a 2-3 week cycle of maintenance - 300 cals/day. he claims its like continually coming off of a post contest diet and starting the offseason. a time when you are typically stronger, add muscle easier and you still tend to be somewhat lean.
this sounds interesting to me. i like the fact that i could stay leaner and could be in a better position to control any bad rebounds, (although george is convinced my last years rebound was more about my mental state than anything i did). however going 500 cals per day over maintenance scares me silly... so im going to adjust that a little bit. if you know me, you know i tend to err on the side of caution.
my under maintenace caloric intake will be 2100 calories. during my show prep diet i was still setting pr's at that caloric intake. there will be a 500 calorie defecit between my over and my under maintenance. which means during those two weeks that im under i should drop a few lbs of bf. as the main difference will be the carb intake i shouldnt lose muscular size.
the actual macro's are still the percentages that george calls for me. i want you guys to understand that i am merely modelling my offseason diet after layne's but that my guys still very much are george and b!!!
the plan for my workouts this offseason are simply a 4 week cycle of training more geared towards strength. heavy deads, heavy squats, push presses... during that 4 week cycle i will do the same workouts, each week trying to get more reps or more weight up. the next 4 weeks is more like the offseason cycle i did last offseason. every week there is a different exercise, the idea being to keep the body in a state of shock and hopefully growth.
the rep counts for most exercises will be 6-10. and NOTHING under 4 reps!!! the exceptions; my weak areas, my calves and my middle delts. i dont think either of these body parts respond to the heavy weight lower rep scenario. thus i am keeping the rep counts high here. as well callisto turned me onto an online article that suggested the real key to calf growth was aggressive stretching between sets. thus i am currently holding a 60+ second stretch post-set.
and finally cardio. it continues... but i will incorporate a more hit-like sprint into the standard 20 minutes on my over maintenance days. i will likely stick with my regular high but constant intensity for 20 minutes, on the under maintenance days.
i did my photoshoot a week ago saturday (no, i do not have any pics yet) and i've spent the better part of the week with less than stellar nutritional habits. thus, i start tomorrow a.m with 2 weeks of under maintenance.
i think this should be an interesting little experiment.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
playin catch up... again
it was an interesting week. i wanted to start sharing some pics from the ride last sunday. speed racer, another friend, (to be named later), and i took our bikes out for a ride. it wasn't the longest of rides as i had a family obligation... but it was fun while it lasted. we even had time to get a little silly.
why do i bother going to family things? it's not that i grossly dislike my family. it's just, in my head my family is my mother, father and two brothers. but there is the sister-in-law, her two sisters, two brothers, step parent, step parents best friend, all the assorted children, and so on...
my brother and his wife were having a bbq on sunday. my mother was adamant i attend. or as she put it, show my face. so i did. the backyard was full of some people i knew, some i didn't and the place was littered with kids.
so how was the bbq? well the food options didn't really excite me. i tried a few things but mostly i just gave up and filled up on bread. as for conversation i mostly ended up talking to my brother. no, not that one... the one who lives here in this house.
i originally intended to stay an hour but i only made it to the 3/4 mark. if i did not get out of there right quick i was likely to have some sort of breakdown. gillian, one of the sister's-in-law gave me the verbal gears for eating and running. i did not respond. i was attending under duress and wasn't entirely sure i could rebut without mentioning that. to add insult to injury my brother's developmentally challenged nephew wanted to discuss the dangers of motorcycles with me. he was standing in front of me asking me if i knew that 'motorcycles cause all of the accidents on the road'.
the aforementioned sister-in-law asked me to let them hear me leave... and i gotta tell you i was more than happy to oblige. headed down the street a little bit, turned around, spun the throttle and gave them a symphony in hindle* minor.
*hindle is the after market pipe that is on my little girl. gives her a very throaty rumble. (insert big azz grin here).
things got a little stupid on the board this week. the long and the short of it is, there was a portion of the board that splintered off and formed their own board. which is fine, or at least would be, if people wouldn't be so inclined to act like they were still in high school. somehow it has become this an 'us' and 'them' thing. which is retarded frankly, especially when you realize that many members are active on both boards.
i've been speaking my mind a bit more actively on my board of late. what i didn't realize is that the moderators were paying attention. i tend to live my life under the radar. i am not the type to command attention as i come into a room. i think after a while you just be come aware that i am there. so when i was asked to join the ranks as a mod... well, i still can't put into words how that felt. of course i said yes... quite emphatically, in fact. i grew up as a fbb on that board, i've made some fantastic friends, i've learned a lot and i welcome the opportunity to do what i can to make sure it remains that way for others.
okay i gotta jet... i'm late. more later... i promise
why do i bother going to family things? it's not that i grossly dislike my family. it's just, in my head my family is my mother, father and two brothers. but there is the sister-in-law, her two sisters, two brothers, step parent, step parents best friend, all the assorted children, and so on...
my brother and his wife were having a bbq on sunday. my mother was adamant i attend. or as she put it, show my face. so i did. the backyard was full of some people i knew, some i didn't and the place was littered with kids.
so how was the bbq? well the food options didn't really excite me. i tried a few things but mostly i just gave up and filled up on bread. as for conversation i mostly ended up talking to my brother. no, not that one... the one who lives here in this house.
i originally intended to stay an hour but i only made it to the 3/4 mark. if i did not get out of there right quick i was likely to have some sort of breakdown. gillian, one of the sister's-in-law gave me the verbal gears for eating and running. i did not respond. i was attending under duress and wasn't entirely sure i could rebut without mentioning that. to add insult to injury my brother's developmentally challenged nephew wanted to discuss the dangers of motorcycles with me. he was standing in front of me asking me if i knew that 'motorcycles cause all of the accidents on the road'.
the aforementioned sister-in-law asked me to let them hear me leave... and i gotta tell you i was more than happy to oblige. headed down the street a little bit, turned around, spun the throttle and gave them a symphony in hindle* minor.
*hindle is the after market pipe that is on my little girl. gives her a very throaty rumble. (insert big azz grin here).
things got a little stupid on the board this week. the long and the short of it is, there was a portion of the board that splintered off and formed their own board. which is fine, or at least would be, if people wouldn't be so inclined to act like they were still in high school. somehow it has become this an 'us' and 'them' thing. which is retarded frankly, especially when you realize that many members are active on both boards.
i've been speaking my mind a bit more actively on my board of late. what i didn't realize is that the moderators were paying attention. i tend to live my life under the radar. i am not the type to command attention as i come into a room. i think after a while you just be come aware that i am there. so when i was asked to join the ranks as a mod... well, i still can't put into words how that felt. of course i said yes... quite emphatically, in fact. i grew up as a fbb on that board, i've made some fantastic friends, i've learned a lot and i welcome the opportunity to do what i can to make sure it remains that way for others.
okay i gotta jet... i'm late. more later... i promise
Sunday, July 22, 2007
a lot to cover... hope you brought a sandwich
on one hand i want to dive in and talk about yesterday. while its fresh and current in my mind but on the other hand i think it makes more sense to lead you to yesterday. thus i will force myself to be brief. if you've been reading my blogs for a while you know i do tend to suffer from hyperbole at times. and if you've been reading along for a while you will also know, that too... is part of my charm.
saturday past was the annual gym charity bbq. it's an all hands on deck kind of affair. thus your's truly was working that day. which is fine but working at a bbq when you have been dieting for 31 weeks is really not that much fun at all. mother nature thought it might be even more fun to alternate between a light summer shower and pissing rain. and to add insult to injury the game of the day was 'torment the dieting miche'. i'd like to tell you coach b was exempt from this type of behaviour but i'd be lying. part way through the bbq the call came in. we had a photographer and a shoot date!!!
coach b only approved 1 outfit from my last shopping trip which meant miche was going shopping... again. i went with one of his clients as i likely would not have been able to co-ordinate a trip out with my friends sappho and nene. i have not been on a shopping excursion quite like that one in a long time. it was reminiscent of the way my mother shops... and there are reasons why i will NOT go shopping with mom's any more.
we were in the first store for a long time. d parked me in the fitting room and her and the sales girl kept running more suits to me. most of them had 3 digit price tags. wtf!! one piece bathing suits for $215??? i mean thats more than i spend for a posing suit. i tried on a jillion suits... some repeatedly. she put some on hold and we went to another store where the process was repeated. the difference being the stuff in that store i could afford! so i tried on another jillion suits... some repeatedly. we made a choice and we went back to the first store. where again i tried on everything that we had put on hold. she rejected every last one of them. d went digging for a bunch of new suits she eventually found an $80 suit that we both liked so finally the trip was done.
i had two conversations with photographer john butler, prior to meeting him on saturday. he sounded like a great guy and he has shot for musclemag in the past. his hair and make up stylist of choice is a very interesting man by the name of gig (jee-shj). they both came with a different slant for b's initial concept. this shoot was more of a character shoot than the one i did with glen last summer.
my hair and make up was quite wild and we played with the 'lone wolf' personna. yesterday the red wolf was born. we shot in the aerobics studio at my gym, with sheets placed over the windows for privacy. the shoot itself took 5 hours. the aerobics studio has a lot of mirrors, it was interesting watching the only reflection that could have been me. it was even wilder looking at some of the shots john took.
i can honestly say i don't know half of what b has in mind . but i do know he investing a lot in me. i pray that i will somehow be able to pay him back. for now i will have to take pleasure in the joy that this journey seems to bring him. i mentioned in posts earlier how happy and how proud of me he was after sudbury. well during the shoot yesterday, i got this feeling so i went with it and i tried something. i can't describe it, it was a look, an attitude a feeling. whatever i did worked john was enthusiastic and b did what can only be described as a one man high-five with a controlled victory dance.
not all of the shots were character shots. there was a complete change of make up so i will also have some more traditional stuff as well. either way it was a great experience... and a whole mess of fun. i look forward to working with both men again in the future.
some of the boys from the skatepark days were having a party last night and i was invited. i didn't remove my hair pieces or my make up after the shoot. i figured for kicks, i'd go like that. well with my baggy jeans and cropped t-shirt im sure i made quite the visual oddity. in fact, i stopped in at tim horton's and the looks i got there were pretty priceless.
i had a pretty decent time at the party. my buddy ian has a pull-up/dip station in his living room that eventually we started using. but mostly it was fun to see some of the old faces again... and of course reminisce about my 'fruit booter' days. i think i may have also agreed to skate at the 'hoof' next sunday morning. ack!!!
this post is way too long but i have one more story i want to share. there were two women at the party last night who were obviously a couple. it was amusing to me because i've never seen anyone who went to such extents to be that obvious. there were a few trips to the bathroom together. there was a certain way they went about it, to ensure that we all noticed. i don't know who these women were, none of my friends introduced them to me... like they did some of the other guests. eventually the makeup started to degenerate and get into my eyes and i knew it was time to head home.
it so happened that the couple and their other friend were all leaving the same time i did. they caught up to me at the elevators. i jokingly said, 'timing was everything', when the elevator doors opened just as they all walked up. my comment was not acknowledged. since i didn't know any of them i did what all people do when they get into an elevator with strangers, i looked up and watched the numbers change.
the girl in front of me said to her partner 'what ARE you doing?'. her partner replies 'im making an already uncomfortable situation more uncomfortable'. it occurred to me that since they all came together... that comment was made for my benefit. my right eye was so full of eyeliner and god knows what else that it was seriously trying to jump out of my skull to freedom. so i didn't really have any interest in playing games. i continued to watch the numbers change... with my one good eye.
while still trying to get a rise out of me, the partner then says 'do you know how much testicles weigh?'. her girlfriend didn't answer so eventually she said, '2 ouunces'. the partner shot a look at me... i guess she was still trying to get a reaction out of me. i just kept watching the numbers.
all i can assume is that these women were young and i guess still in a militant phase? its funny... i know a lot of loving couples both same sex and not and i don't ever recall such a 'hey look at me' approach. oh wait that's not entirely true. the dark side to 'fbb' is very much like that... and i choose not to acknowledge that behaviour either.
happy sunday!
saturday past was the annual gym charity bbq. it's an all hands on deck kind of affair. thus your's truly was working that day. which is fine but working at a bbq when you have been dieting for 31 weeks is really not that much fun at all. mother nature thought it might be even more fun to alternate between a light summer shower and pissing rain. and to add insult to injury the game of the day was 'torment the dieting miche'. i'd like to tell you coach b was exempt from this type of behaviour but i'd be lying. part way through the bbq the call came in. we had a photographer and a shoot date!!!
coach b only approved 1 outfit from my last shopping trip which meant miche was going shopping... again. i went with one of his clients as i likely would not have been able to co-ordinate a trip out with my friends sappho and nene. i have not been on a shopping excursion quite like that one in a long time. it was reminiscent of the way my mother shops... and there are reasons why i will NOT go shopping with mom's any more.
we were in the first store for a long time. d parked me in the fitting room and her and the sales girl kept running more suits to me. most of them had 3 digit price tags. wtf!! one piece bathing suits for $215??? i mean thats more than i spend for a posing suit. i tried on a jillion suits... some repeatedly. she put some on hold and we went to another store where the process was repeated. the difference being the stuff in that store i could afford! so i tried on another jillion suits... some repeatedly. we made a choice and we went back to the first store. where again i tried on everything that we had put on hold. she rejected every last one of them. d went digging for a bunch of new suits she eventually found an $80 suit that we both liked so finally the trip was done.
i had two conversations with photographer john butler, prior to meeting him on saturday. he sounded like a great guy and he has shot for musclemag in the past. his hair and make up stylist of choice is a very interesting man by the name of gig (jee-shj). they both came with a different slant for b's initial concept. this shoot was more of a character shoot than the one i did with glen last summer.
my hair and make up was quite wild and we played with the 'lone wolf' personna. yesterday the red wolf was born. we shot in the aerobics studio at my gym, with sheets placed over the windows for privacy. the shoot itself took 5 hours. the aerobics studio has a lot of mirrors, it was interesting watching the only reflection that could have been me. it was even wilder looking at some of the shots john took.
i can honestly say i don't know half of what b has in mind . but i do know he investing a lot in me. i pray that i will somehow be able to pay him back. for now i will have to take pleasure in the joy that this journey seems to bring him. i mentioned in posts earlier how happy and how proud of me he was after sudbury. well during the shoot yesterday, i got this feeling so i went with it and i tried something. i can't describe it, it was a look, an attitude a feeling. whatever i did worked john was enthusiastic and b did what can only be described as a one man high-five with a controlled victory dance.
not all of the shots were character shots. there was a complete change of make up so i will also have some more traditional stuff as well. either way it was a great experience... and a whole mess of fun. i look forward to working with both men again in the future.
some of the boys from the skatepark days were having a party last night and i was invited. i didn't remove my hair pieces or my make up after the shoot. i figured for kicks, i'd go like that. well with my baggy jeans and cropped t-shirt im sure i made quite the visual oddity. in fact, i stopped in at tim horton's and the looks i got there were pretty priceless.
i had a pretty decent time at the party. my buddy ian has a pull-up/dip station in his living room that eventually we started using. but mostly it was fun to see some of the old faces again... and of course reminisce about my 'fruit booter' days. i think i may have also agreed to skate at the 'hoof' next sunday morning. ack!!!
this post is way too long but i have one more story i want to share. there were two women at the party last night who were obviously a couple. it was amusing to me because i've never seen anyone who went to such extents to be that obvious. there were a few trips to the bathroom together. there was a certain way they went about it, to ensure that we all noticed. i don't know who these women were, none of my friends introduced them to me... like they did some of the other guests. eventually the makeup started to degenerate and get into my eyes and i knew it was time to head home.
it so happened that the couple and their other friend were all leaving the same time i did. they caught up to me at the elevators. i jokingly said, 'timing was everything', when the elevator doors opened just as they all walked up. my comment was not acknowledged. since i didn't know any of them i did what all people do when they get into an elevator with strangers, i looked up and watched the numbers change.
the girl in front of me said to her partner 'what ARE you doing?'. her partner replies 'im making an already uncomfortable situation more uncomfortable'. it occurred to me that since they all came together... that comment was made for my benefit. my right eye was so full of eyeliner and god knows what else that it was seriously trying to jump out of my skull to freedom. so i didn't really have any interest in playing games. i continued to watch the numbers change... with my one good eye.
while still trying to get a rise out of me, the partner then says 'do you know how much testicles weigh?'. her girlfriend didn't answer so eventually she said, '2 ouunces'. the partner shot a look at me... i guess she was still trying to get a reaction out of me. i just kept watching the numbers.
all i can assume is that these women were young and i guess still in a militant phase? its funny... i know a lot of loving couples both same sex and not and i don't ever recall such a 'hey look at me' approach. oh wait that's not entirely true. the dark side to 'fbb' is very much like that... and i choose not to acknowledge that behaviour either.
happy sunday!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
what a week continued...
my strength is starting to come back. granted all the calories aren't back in yet, but i think with the reduced cardio activity i'm just not as worn out. don't get me wrong i am not breaking offseason records but i am definately lifting heavier and for more reps each workout. but with the increased strength comes an increased need for calories... so currently i am always hungry.
my sleep pattern has hit the skids. although the upside is that it has yet to really affect my mood, (yesterday at the gym bbq withstanding... more on that later). i think the sleeplessness is a mixture of a few variables. as we all know i am a worrier, tis what i do, and to quote an old carly simon song 'nobody does it better'. the monatary situation continues to be a challenge. granted i went from one job right into a freelance contract but i have yet to collect my first payment. this is not uncommon in the freelance game, which is why it is always smartest to have a bankroll going in.
in order to make the money last i have been doing without a lot of things, but i do owe a lot of money and it would be nice to start working my way back out of debt. my contact lenses clearly need to be replaced, i've had them for years, the prescription is fine, but they no longer respond to weekly cleaning. and if that weren't enough on friday the 13th i knocked my glasses off and broke the arm off. so as i sit here and type this blog i have my glasses balanced quite precariously upon my nose.
besides being hungry and worrying about my finances i have also returned to my previous habit of planning my day, week, month, workout... in my head when i should be trying to relax and fall asleep. the planning, i am told, is something i can control but i have yet to figure out how to actually do it.
i have to go into the gym a little later this morning. one of my friends is prepping for a show. her boyfriend is still trying to learn how to support a competitive athlete and all that entails. thus, to help her out i offered to shoot her progress pics and today we will be shooting again.
its interesting how very difficult it is for competitive athletes to find supportive partners. the upside is, the one's who are truly supportive, more than make up for the rest... and sometimes they can even give a big ole pessimist like me a sliver of hope.
of course then i wake up LOL. have a great day!
my sleep pattern has hit the skids. although the upside is that it has yet to really affect my mood, (yesterday at the gym bbq withstanding... more on that later). i think the sleeplessness is a mixture of a few variables. as we all know i am a worrier, tis what i do, and to quote an old carly simon song 'nobody does it better'. the monatary situation continues to be a challenge. granted i went from one job right into a freelance contract but i have yet to collect my first payment. this is not uncommon in the freelance game, which is why it is always smartest to have a bankroll going in.
in order to make the money last i have been doing without a lot of things, but i do owe a lot of money and it would be nice to start working my way back out of debt. my contact lenses clearly need to be replaced, i've had them for years, the prescription is fine, but they no longer respond to weekly cleaning. and if that weren't enough on friday the 13th i knocked my glasses off and broke the arm off. so as i sit here and type this blog i have my glasses balanced quite precariously upon my nose.
besides being hungry and worrying about my finances i have also returned to my previous habit of planning my day, week, month, workout... in my head when i should be trying to relax and fall asleep. the planning, i am told, is something i can control but i have yet to figure out how to actually do it.
i have to go into the gym a little later this morning. one of my friends is prepping for a show. her boyfriend is still trying to learn how to support a competitive athlete and all that entails. thus, to help her out i offered to shoot her progress pics and today we will be shooting again.
its interesting how very difficult it is for competitive athletes to find supportive partners. the upside is, the one's who are truly supportive, more than make up for the rest... and sometimes they can even give a big ole pessimist like me a sliver of hope.
of course then i wake up LOL. have a great day!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
what a week!!
talk about busy. i am still freelancing at the same place. partway through monday's work day they realized that they would need me for the rest of the week and likely most, if not all, of next week. there were a brief couple of minutes wherein they thought they would be sending me home early and at best i got out of there one day 30 minutes early. and i am now officially freelancer of choice... the name plate went up outside my cubicle on tuesday.
tuesday and wednesday i go straight from one job to the next. which tends to earn me a couple late nights. particularily wednesday as i train after my shift ends. had an interesting experience on wednesday with a new member.
seems the little woman came in and bought him a membership for his birthday, and he was required to come in and have his picture taken and sign his release form. when i handed him the release form he balked. then he poured over it, which is fine i don't expect anyone to sign anything they haven't read. but then he says that he isn't signing the release and that he wants his money back. i inform him that i don't have to power to do that and that he would have to call the gym the next day and speak to the club manager. well then he really gets his knickers in a twist. tells me that he isn't going to sign a piece of paper that says it's not his fault if he gets hurt. if the equipment malfunctions and he gets hurt it is our fault. then he tells me his wife was kind enough to put up the money up front and he demands the refund just as quickly. so i phone the club manager and captain sunshine continues his ranting.
i am on the phone with the manager and i am outlining the situation, when he leans in and announces that he would 'like to speak to someone in management'. i pause briefly and explain that i am currently on the phone with the manager. he again says well 'i would like to talk to them... myself!'. i pause... and without much in the way of acknowledgement i return to my conversation with the club manager. which is probably what prompted mr charming to say 'and tell them they need better help!!'. when i was done outlining the situation i told the manager that happy and smiles was demanding to talk to him, and then i handed chuckles the phone. they worked out a deal that made goofy happy and i let him in to go train.
now his mood has changed, now he is my very best friend. 'sorry about all that business before, i've had a bad experience with waivers'. fair enough sir, enjoy your workout (which is miche for go fawk yourself!!!). he takes two steps away and leans back and says 'don't mind me... i don't get out much'. not minding him would have been easier had he simply fawked off like i had asked. i probably said did appropriate like smiled.
now here is the best part. he comes out after his workout and i am stationed behind the juice bar. he of course would like me to make him a shake. still being all sweetness and light. calling me honey and sh!t like that. thinking he is making it better i am sure... but how do you make miche see red? talk down to her and call her honey, baby, sweetheart or any of that sh!t. i make the shake and get this he insists on leaving me a .75 cent tip.
since when does .75 cents make up for being a total azz hat??
late for the gym... more to post to this thread later.
tuesday and wednesday i go straight from one job to the next. which tends to earn me a couple late nights. particularily wednesday as i train after my shift ends. had an interesting experience on wednesday with a new member.
seems the little woman came in and bought him a membership for his birthday, and he was required to come in and have his picture taken and sign his release form. when i handed him the release form he balked. then he poured over it, which is fine i don't expect anyone to sign anything they haven't read. but then he says that he isn't signing the release and that he wants his money back. i inform him that i don't have to power to do that and that he would have to call the gym the next day and speak to the club manager. well then he really gets his knickers in a twist. tells me that he isn't going to sign a piece of paper that says it's not his fault if he gets hurt. if the equipment malfunctions and he gets hurt it is our fault. then he tells me his wife was kind enough to put up the money up front and he demands the refund just as quickly. so i phone the club manager and captain sunshine continues his ranting.
i am on the phone with the manager and i am outlining the situation, when he leans in and announces that he would 'like to speak to someone in management'. i pause briefly and explain that i am currently on the phone with the manager. he again says well 'i would like to talk to them... myself!'. i pause... and without much in the way of acknowledgement i return to my conversation with the club manager. which is probably what prompted mr charming to say 'and tell them they need better help!!'. when i was done outlining the situation i told the manager that happy and smiles was demanding to talk to him, and then i handed chuckles the phone. they worked out a deal that made goofy happy and i let him in to go train.
now his mood has changed, now he is my very best friend. 'sorry about all that business before, i've had a bad experience with waivers'. fair enough sir, enjoy your workout (which is miche for go fawk yourself!!!). he takes two steps away and leans back and says 'don't mind me... i don't get out much'. not minding him would have been easier had he simply fawked off like i had asked. i probably said did appropriate like smiled.
now here is the best part. he comes out after his workout and i am stationed behind the juice bar. he of course would like me to make him a shake. still being all sweetness and light. calling me honey and sh!t like that. thinking he is making it better i am sure... but how do you make miche see red? talk down to her and call her honey, baby, sweetheart or any of that sh!t. i make the shake and get this he insists on leaving me a .75 cent tip.
since when does .75 cents make up for being a total azz hat??
late for the gym... more to post to this thread later.
Monday, July 09, 2007
i made the right decision
a lot of times we play the 'shoulda, coulda, woulda' game and all we really end up doing is making ourselves crazy with the 'what ifs'. i always recommend that friends make a decision, stick with it and not look back. sometimes i even manage to take my own advice.
well my friends, the official stage shots came in the mail today. and since i've been home i have been pouring over them quite intently. i am proud of myself, i did what i set out to do... i was vastly improved from last years condition. i can also see that i made the right decision to sit out the canadian naturals this year. although i still believe i would have done well... it's obvious to me that my physique is not yet of the calibre of the women who won the respective weight classes. don't get me wrong i would not have embarrased myself being on stage with them, but i believe next year i will be more competitive. and after all is that not the true goal of our sport?
in many way's i am glad that the pictures came when they did. i believe that after we diet, as many weeks as we do, we tend to get a slightly distorted view of our conditioning. often i think we credit ourselves with being in better shape than we were. i can honestly say that i thought i looked better than the pictures clearly indicate. is that a bad thing? no, not really... quite the contrary, i can see what i need to improve on for next year.
i have been thinking that the target for 2008 is 8-9% bodyfat. i am not sure how hard it will be to get down there, but based on what i see when i look at this years pictures, i could have still been a bit leaner. my quads could be a bit more defined. unfortunately there were no shots taken of my hamstrings an area that i focused on for 2007.
i hope this post does not come across as sullen, depressed or defeated. what it is, is inspired. i am the kind of athlete who doesn't blow smoke up her own azz and i don't expect any of you to either. i am a work in progress. i am not yet done... but if there is one thing i learned in 2007, it is... that i can do anything i set my mind to.
well my friends, the official stage shots came in the mail today. and since i've been home i have been pouring over them quite intently. i am proud of myself, i did what i set out to do... i was vastly improved from last years condition. i can also see that i made the right decision to sit out the canadian naturals this year. although i still believe i would have done well... it's obvious to me that my physique is not yet of the calibre of the women who won the respective weight classes. don't get me wrong i would not have embarrased myself being on stage with them, but i believe next year i will be more competitive. and after all is that not the true goal of our sport?
in many way's i am glad that the pictures came when they did. i believe that after we diet, as many weeks as we do, we tend to get a slightly distorted view of our conditioning. often i think we credit ourselves with being in better shape than we were. i can honestly say that i thought i looked better than the pictures clearly indicate. is that a bad thing? no, not really... quite the contrary, i can see what i need to improve on for next year.
i have been thinking that the target for 2008 is 8-9% bodyfat. i am not sure how hard it will be to get down there, but based on what i see when i look at this years pictures, i could have still been a bit leaner. my quads could be a bit more defined. unfortunately there were no shots taken of my hamstrings an area that i focused on for 2007.
i hope this post does not come across as sullen, depressed or defeated. what it is, is inspired. i am the kind of athlete who doesn't blow smoke up her own azz and i don't expect any of you to either. i am a work in progress. i am not yet done... but if there is one thing i learned in 2007, it is... that i can do anything i set my mind to.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
rambling...
so i stopped by my friend paul's place today. basically, he has printed up some posters that we are going to display in the gym. he wanted to hear what was going on with me and when i told him about the photoshoot snafu, he came up with a suggestion that i think could work. i can't wait to talk it over with coach b tomorrow and see what he thinks.
today's workout was pretty inspired, i blame it on the extra calories... carbs truly are a wonderful thing. it was not a workout up to my offseason standards but it was nice, to say the least to start to push a bit more weight.
alot of us like to document our workouts. it's just a handy tool to track improvements in strength and condition, or when things are going south... it can also point out what needs to be adjusted, corrected, or changed. well over the year's i've had a variety of training logs. my favourite was the weider log, unfortunately it has since been discontinued and nothing on the shelves now... seems to come close. some of us prefer to use a regular notebook but i prefer the log book.
i find myself in need of a new book, smack dab in the middle of the year. well it finally occurred to me, why not take the best bits of all the books i've enjoyed and design one specifically for me. so i did that today. i picked up a small 3-ring binder, (with a 5.5 x 8.5" sheet size), at a clearance store. and i created my own log pages... why didn't i think of this sooner??
today's workout was pretty inspired, i blame it on the extra calories... carbs truly are a wonderful thing. it was not a workout up to my offseason standards but it was nice, to say the least to start to push a bit more weight.
alot of us like to document our workouts. it's just a handy tool to track improvements in strength and condition, or when things are going south... it can also point out what needs to be adjusted, corrected, or changed. well over the year's i've had a variety of training logs. my favourite was the weider log, unfortunately it has since been discontinued and nothing on the shelves now... seems to come close. some of us prefer to use a regular notebook but i prefer the log book.
i find myself in need of a new book, smack dab in the middle of the year. well it finally occurred to me, why not take the best bits of all the books i've enjoyed and design one specifically for me. so i did that today. i picked up a small 3-ring binder, (with a 5.5 x 8.5" sheet size), at a clearance store. and i created my own log pages... why didn't i think of this sooner??
Saturday, July 07, 2007
a dose of reality
well it wouldn't be interesting if it was easy.
i guess that is the mindset that attracts to me to each and every challenge i face. be it skiing, ski racing, rollerblading, ramp skating, snowboarding, bb... the list is endless. so i guess i shouldn't be too deterred by the realization that i may not instantly land upon my feet like a cat.
what in the hell am i talking about?
on friday the production manager, where i am currently freelancing, had a talk with me. regardless of the fact that i have been set up with email and have a pass card to the building. there just isn't the workload to keep me on indefinately. bummer! oh well... eye of the tiger, i will survive.
friday, while i was at work i got a call from my father. he wanted to know if i was expecting a package. i am expecting 3 shipments; the overall trophy, the official show pics and a copy of the video. he told me that a package was waiting at the house. he didn't tell me anymore than that and i didn't ask. my parents still do not know that i compete. since i don't compete, it might be a tad tricky to explain the trophies and whatnot. so i spent the entire afternoon wondering what was waiting at the house.
it was the trophy. here is a picture of the overall trophy and since i don't remember showing you the first place trophy, here she is too. the heavyweight 1st place trophy is currently in two pieces. since the overall trophy is made of glass you can bet your bottom dollar it's NOT going to the gym!!
today was the day i had set aside to have my cheat meal. it was my belated mother's day celebration. the plan was to take mom out for lunch and a movie. she knew i was dieting on mother's day, she just didn't know the real reason behind the diet. i have been planning these cheat meals with some of the same attention and diligence that go into planning a naval air strike or a recognizance mission.
the restaurant of choice jack astor's bar and grill. from the online menu i chose the rigatoni with grilled chicken. the last pasta dish i had was december 8th i started dieting the next day. the dessert menu had a chocolate cake called the avalanche that i thought sounded interesting. well the pasta dish was okay at best... not particularily tasty and decidedly unfulfilling. no need to fear there was always dessert right? well... the cake was good, i enjoyed the cream sauce that was drizzled over it, but in comparison to the hunks of cake i have enjoyed with my cheats in weeks past... well this was reminiscent of an marginally overgrown cupcake. *sigh.
as i sat in the theatre wading thru endless commercials and coming attractions i started to do some soul searching. i thought about how uninspired i have become of late to 'hold my condition'. i need a specific date to focus on. i thought about how unfulfilling my cheat meal was. i also realized that at 4 weeks post show, i have essentially been dieting for 31 weeks!!! thus, much like george gave me the weekend off after the show, i have decided to give myself the rest of the weekend off. so basically i am now eating whatever, until monday morning when i will return to clean eating and clean living.
next weekend i am having pizza with julie. that cheat meal is guaranteed to rock!!
finally i have recently shared my blog addy with 3 more friends off of the boards. welcome... i hope you all enjoy the ride.
better get my azz to bed!!
i guess that is the mindset that attracts to me to each and every challenge i face. be it skiing, ski racing, rollerblading, ramp skating, snowboarding, bb... the list is endless. so i guess i shouldn't be too deterred by the realization that i may not instantly land upon my feet like a cat.
what in the hell am i talking about?
on friday the production manager, where i am currently freelancing, had a talk with me. regardless of the fact that i have been set up with email and have a pass card to the building. there just isn't the workload to keep me on indefinately. bummer! oh well... eye of the tiger, i will survive.
friday, while i was at work i got a call from my father. he wanted to know if i was expecting a package. i am expecting 3 shipments; the overall trophy, the official show pics and a copy of the video. he told me that a package was waiting at the house. he didn't tell me anymore than that and i didn't ask. my parents still do not know that i compete. since i don't compete, it might be a tad tricky to explain the trophies and whatnot. so i spent the entire afternoon wondering what was waiting at the house.
it was the trophy. here is a picture of the overall trophy and since i don't remember showing you the first place trophy, here she is too. the heavyweight 1st place trophy is currently in two pieces. since the overall trophy is made of glass you can bet your bottom dollar it's NOT going to the gym!!
today was the day i had set aside to have my cheat meal. it was my belated mother's day celebration. the plan was to take mom out for lunch and a movie. she knew i was dieting on mother's day, she just didn't know the real reason behind the diet. i have been planning these cheat meals with some of the same attention and diligence that go into planning a naval air strike or a recognizance mission.
the restaurant of choice jack astor's bar and grill. from the online menu i chose the rigatoni with grilled chicken. the last pasta dish i had was december 8th i started dieting the next day. the dessert menu had a chocolate cake called the avalanche that i thought sounded interesting. well the pasta dish was okay at best... not particularily tasty and decidedly unfulfilling. no need to fear there was always dessert right? well... the cake was good, i enjoyed the cream sauce that was drizzled over it, but in comparison to the hunks of cake i have enjoyed with my cheats in weeks past... well this was reminiscent of an marginally overgrown cupcake. *sigh.
as i sat in the theatre wading thru endless commercials and coming attractions i started to do some soul searching. i thought about how uninspired i have become of late to 'hold my condition'. i need a specific date to focus on. i thought about how unfulfilling my cheat meal was. i also realized that at 4 weeks post show, i have essentially been dieting for 31 weeks!!! thus, much like george gave me the weekend off after the show, i have decided to give myself the rest of the weekend off. so basically i am now eating whatever, until monday morning when i will return to clean eating and clean living.
next weekend i am having pizza with julie. that cheat meal is guaranteed to rock!!
finally i have recently shared my blog addy with 3 more friends off of the boards. welcome... i hope you all enjoy the ride.
better get my azz to bed!!
Friday, July 06, 2007
everything and nothing
so it looks like i have officially stopped journalling my workouts on the sc board. i've been feeling less like posting lately, i'm not entirely sure why. it could be as friends have noticed, an excess of drama on that board right now. the reason that attracted me to it in the first place, was the feeling of comraderie and support that emanated from it. alot of other athletes have since moved on or stopped posted journals all together. the upside is, i should have more time to post in here.
training has been going well. as well as can be expected considering my caloric intake is still about 500 calories shy of offseason. currently my weight is about 138-140lbs. i am happy to report that even my coach has lost his patience with the photographer and he has now started placing calls to source someone else. the photographer has just been too busy with his regular job to even have the time to, as he puts it, 'pick up a camera'.
the one thing that i am, is pretty dayumm sore. i noticed last year that the first real squat workout post show kills you! i'd say it takes about a week for the muscular ache to go away, just about time to do it again ironically enough. so far i've squatted twice and i've had a similar reaction. it really shouldn't continue for much longer.
things are going well at my freelance assignment. i've been putting in a fair number of hours and i think its going well. i've worked for this company in the past. if i remember correctly i was placed there by an agency back in 2002. i was only supposed to do a 2 week week contract... i left sometime in the summer of 2004! i'm hoping for a similar situation this time round.
if you know me, you likely know that i am a modest individual. so at the gym when asked 'so how did your show go?' or 'how did you do?' i tend to reply either with 'it went very well, thank you' or 'i did very well, actually'. when i am uncomfortable i will often end sentences with the word 'actually'. i've been in conversations with gym members who have told me that i should not be like that. that i should share the results with the folks of the gym, so they can celebrate with me and that i should learn to 'toot my own horn'.
as many people at that gym who think well of me, there are probably just as many who don't for whatever reason. i can't help but think that those people are just waiting for me to do something that they can hate on. i don't want to hear that people think i am acting like i think that i am the sh!t. part of me knows you can't control how people think. part of me knows that people are going to talk sh!t no matter what. but i am trying not to give them any additional ammunition.
why am i like this? why do i care so much what people, some of whom i don't even like, think of me? i think it goes back to my formative years. i think if you end up running home from school with the entire grade 4, (or was it grade 5), class hot on your heels, itching to kick your azz... you learn a thing or two about self preservation.
oh... and for the record, the angry hothead didn't develop until much later. my own little ying and yang i suppose. love me, love my quirky azz!!!
until next time...
training has been going well. as well as can be expected considering my caloric intake is still about 500 calories shy of offseason. currently my weight is about 138-140lbs. i am happy to report that even my coach has lost his patience with the photographer and he has now started placing calls to source someone else. the photographer has just been too busy with his regular job to even have the time to, as he puts it, 'pick up a camera'.
the one thing that i am, is pretty dayumm sore. i noticed last year that the first real squat workout post show kills you! i'd say it takes about a week for the muscular ache to go away, just about time to do it again ironically enough. so far i've squatted twice and i've had a similar reaction. it really shouldn't continue for much longer.
things are going well at my freelance assignment. i've been putting in a fair number of hours and i think its going well. i've worked for this company in the past. if i remember correctly i was placed there by an agency back in 2002. i was only supposed to do a 2 week week contract... i left sometime in the summer of 2004! i'm hoping for a similar situation this time round.
if you know me, you likely know that i am a modest individual. so at the gym when asked 'so how did your show go?' or 'how did you do?' i tend to reply either with 'it went very well, thank you' or 'i did very well, actually'. when i am uncomfortable i will often end sentences with the word 'actually'. i've been in conversations with gym members who have told me that i should not be like that. that i should share the results with the folks of the gym, so they can celebrate with me and that i should learn to 'toot my own horn'.
as many people at that gym who think well of me, there are probably just as many who don't for whatever reason. i can't help but think that those people are just waiting for me to do something that they can hate on. i don't want to hear that people think i am acting like i think that i am the sh!t. part of me knows you can't control how people think. part of me knows that people are going to talk sh!t no matter what. but i am trying not to give them any additional ammunition.
why am i like this? why do i care so much what people, some of whom i don't even like, think of me? i think it goes back to my formative years. i think if you end up running home from school with the entire grade 4, (or was it grade 5), class hot on your heels, itching to kick your azz... you learn a thing or two about self preservation.
oh... and for the record, the angry hothead didn't develop until much later. my own little ying and yang i suppose. love me, love my quirky azz!!!
until next time...
Monday, July 02, 2007
jade hath spoken!!!
seems with all my careful planning i forgot to ask jade what she wanted. well she found a way to let me know.
i was out today with speedracer when we stopped at a gas station. while speedracer filled up her tank i looked down and low and behold my right signal light was hanging from the fairing by the wires. it would appear that the plastic weld on that side has finally given out. so it was back to speedracer's house for a quick patch job.
yup, jade wants the facelift!!!
pics to follow... courtesy of speedracer
enjoy!
i was out today with speedracer when we stopped at a gas station. while speedracer filled up her tank i looked down and low and behold my right signal light was hanging from the fairing by the wires. it would appear that the plastic weld on that side has finally given out. so it was back to speedracer's house for a quick patch job.
yup, jade wants the facelift!!!
pics to follow... courtesy of speedracer
enjoy!
untitled... thus far
its 6:30 am holiday monday. for those of you not canadian, july 1st is canada's birthday, our 'dominion day'. i can honestly say this was the first three day weekend in quite some time that i wasn't desperately looking forward to. could it be that i am currently in a happier place right now? i do hope so. people at the gym seem to think so. there have been more than a few comments of late about how nice it is that i have my smile back.
we have three trophies at the gym. one was won by a basketball team we sponsored and the other two are mine; last years 2nd place and this years first. one of my clients has always said that there should be a trophy case installed. he even went so far as to say he was going to get one and bring it in. i am fairly certain he was joking.
yesterday while at the gym waiting my client to show up. i happened to look up at where the trophies were the figurine on the 2007 trophy was sporting a pimp lean that i didn't quite remember. i asked the staff guy what was up with the trophy and he went over to where she was to pick her up. she came up but the base didn't. rob set about trying to fix her with duct tape. rob's got a big heart... and he is a bit of a character in his own right.
my client came in, in the midst of operation trophy repair and he was pretty upset. he has taken the pieces of my trophy to his 'plant' where he intends on fixing her. he then told my coach that he WILL be also be bringing in a trophy case!!
i am still having my one meal a week cheat, it is still a gorge fest at this point. saturday night was with some of my friends from the old skatepark days. and i even got to meet a couple of the new girlfriends. both kathleen and kerry seem very nice... but mostly it was just really nice to see rog and jamie so happy. we went to casey's where i polished off another 3 cheese bison burger, sweet potato fries, 2 roses from my cookie bouqet and heidi's mile high chocolate cake. i was STUFFED... i am amazed really, that i didn't hurl in my helmet on the bumpy ride home.
speaking of jade, there is news on the bike front. i recently burned out my headlight bulb and on saturday morning i replaced it. working on a bike is not an easy thing to do. everything is so close together and the space small and confined. you can only really either look at what you need to do or put your hands in there and do it. that brings my bike maintenance/repair skills up to three. i can bleed the gas from the carb to unblock any dirt deposits, i can remove and replace the battery and now i can replace a bulb. i must say i really do enjoy learning how to take care of jade.
i joined a ex 500 bike forum and its helped me understand my bike a bit more. its also cool because a lot of those guys have modified or restored their bikes and it has always been something i've toyed with the idea of doing. in the past everytime i have mentioned it i have been talked out of it. i'm told not to waste my money as i will eventually be moving up to a bigger bike. i'm not sure about that, there are a lot of happy ex 500 owners on my board. and i'm not sure i'm going to be putting THAT much money into her. basically i want to do this all myself... just to see if i can.
so my plan is, to store her maybe a month early (like i did last year). and then take off her 'plastics' and her seat. before the 'winter' comes i want to try to do some fiberglass repair on the two really bad spots on my front fairing, (by the signal lights). over the winter i will go to a fabric store and purchase vinyl and a thin cushion and reupolster my seat. in the new year, when i am too 'stoned' from dieting to ride, i hope to touch up the paint on the plastics and when i can 'ride' put the bikey back together. i think it will be an interesting challenge... and if you have been reading this blog for more than a minute, you will know this is one girl who loves her challenges!!!
better get going, training back with my coach this a.m and i need to squeeze in another meal before we deadlift.
we have three trophies at the gym. one was won by a basketball team we sponsored and the other two are mine; last years 2nd place and this years first. one of my clients has always said that there should be a trophy case installed. he even went so far as to say he was going to get one and bring it in. i am fairly certain he was joking.
yesterday while at the gym waiting my client to show up. i happened to look up at where the trophies were the figurine on the 2007 trophy was sporting a pimp lean that i didn't quite remember. i asked the staff guy what was up with the trophy and he went over to where she was to pick her up. she came up but the base didn't. rob set about trying to fix her with duct tape. rob's got a big heart... and he is a bit of a character in his own right.
my client came in, in the midst of operation trophy repair and he was pretty upset. he has taken the pieces of my trophy to his 'plant' where he intends on fixing her. he then told my coach that he WILL be also be bringing in a trophy case!!
i am still having my one meal a week cheat, it is still a gorge fest at this point. saturday night was with some of my friends from the old skatepark days. and i even got to meet a couple of the new girlfriends. both kathleen and kerry seem very nice... but mostly it was just really nice to see rog and jamie so happy. we went to casey's where i polished off another 3 cheese bison burger, sweet potato fries, 2 roses from my cookie bouqet and heidi's mile high chocolate cake. i was STUFFED... i am amazed really, that i didn't hurl in my helmet on the bumpy ride home.
speaking of jade, there is news on the bike front. i recently burned out my headlight bulb and on saturday morning i replaced it. working on a bike is not an easy thing to do. everything is so close together and the space small and confined. you can only really either look at what you need to do or put your hands in there and do it. that brings my bike maintenance/repair skills up to three. i can bleed the gas from the carb to unblock any dirt deposits, i can remove and replace the battery and now i can replace a bulb. i must say i really do enjoy learning how to take care of jade.
i joined a ex 500 bike forum and its helped me understand my bike a bit more. its also cool because a lot of those guys have modified or restored their bikes and it has always been something i've toyed with the idea of doing. in the past everytime i have mentioned it i have been talked out of it. i'm told not to waste my money as i will eventually be moving up to a bigger bike. i'm not sure about that, there are a lot of happy ex 500 owners on my board. and i'm not sure i'm going to be putting THAT much money into her. basically i want to do this all myself... just to see if i can.
so my plan is, to store her maybe a month early (like i did last year). and then take off her 'plastics' and her seat. before the 'winter' comes i want to try to do some fiberglass repair on the two really bad spots on my front fairing, (by the signal lights). over the winter i will go to a fabric store and purchase vinyl and a thin cushion and reupolster my seat. in the new year, when i am too 'stoned' from dieting to ride, i hope to touch up the paint on the plastics and when i can 'ride' put the bikey back together. i think it will be an interesting challenge... and if you have been reading this blog for more than a minute, you will know this is one girl who loves her challenges!!!
better get going, training back with my coach this a.m and i need to squeeze in another meal before we deadlift.
Friday, June 29, 2007
the state of fbb
you know i was all set to blog yesterday morning about an alarming trend ive noticed within the sport of fbb. but an errant squirrel took a careless step, did the high-wire free fall and subsequently took out the power on my street. i put pen to paper and proceeded to record my thoughts the old fashioned way. interestingly enough, this morning while i still have the same bee in my bonnet, i no longer wish to express myself the same way. thus 3 and half pages of note pad scrawlings have been scrapped for whatever comes out of this.
there are a number of established fbb's and by that i mean, either with years of nationally level competition under their belt or even newly turned pro's with nary a trip to the pro-stage, who are disillusioned and losing interest in the sport.
basically, they have noticed as have i, that the sport is changing. not uncommon, sports do change and evolve. but it's more about what bb is morphing into that is of a concern. both sides of the sport seem to have lost the enthusiasm for the classic physique with the pleasing lines. bodybuilding was about human sculpture, it was about art. currently we have a lot of athletes, again male and female, who want to be pro's today!
how often do i hear on the boards, of some person who has yet to even do a show talking about having a pro-card in as little as 2 or 3 years. some of them haven't even been training for size for that long and they want to be pro's. so usually in order to play catch up, these athletes have to go a little wild on the drug side.
okay now this sounds like an anti-drug rant and it's not. i am well aware of the use in the sport and although it's not for me i harbour no ill will towards those that do. all i am trying to point out is that alot of bbers, who are already 'established' have years of natural lifting and competition behind them prior to turning on the 'gas'. and when they add it, as i understand it, it's not added sporatically. so you have to figure that a newbie with barely a year's training under his/her belt is going to have to dig pretty deep into the drug well to be competitive.
the end result are physiques that are either just freakish expanses of muscle or a physique without the classic, pleasing lines.
well it looks like there are more than a few fbb's who no longer like what the competition has to offer. and sadly for me, as a fan of classic bb, instead of staying in the game and giving the fans an option these women are giving up the sport. retiring from competition and climbing aboard the nearest stepmill to burn off the years of hard fought muscle.
the very bodies that we need to save fbb are the very ones looking to quit... and that my friends, is a very sad thing indeed.
there are a number of established fbb's and by that i mean, either with years of nationally level competition under their belt or even newly turned pro's with nary a trip to the pro-stage, who are disillusioned and losing interest in the sport.
basically, they have noticed as have i, that the sport is changing. not uncommon, sports do change and evolve. but it's more about what bb is morphing into that is of a concern. both sides of the sport seem to have lost the enthusiasm for the classic physique with the pleasing lines. bodybuilding was about human sculpture, it was about art. currently we have a lot of athletes, again male and female, who want to be pro's today!
how often do i hear on the boards, of some person who has yet to even do a show talking about having a pro-card in as little as 2 or 3 years. some of them haven't even been training for size for that long and they want to be pro's. so usually in order to play catch up, these athletes have to go a little wild on the drug side.
okay now this sounds like an anti-drug rant and it's not. i am well aware of the use in the sport and although it's not for me i harbour no ill will towards those that do. all i am trying to point out is that alot of bbers, who are already 'established' have years of natural lifting and competition behind them prior to turning on the 'gas'. and when they add it, as i understand it, it's not added sporatically. so you have to figure that a newbie with barely a year's training under his/her belt is going to have to dig pretty deep into the drug well to be competitive.
the end result are physiques that are either just freakish expanses of muscle or a physique without the classic, pleasing lines.
well it looks like there are more than a few fbb's who no longer like what the competition has to offer. and sadly for me, as a fan of classic bb, instead of staying in the game and giving the fans an option these women are giving up the sport. retiring from competition and climbing aboard the nearest stepmill to burn off the years of hard fought muscle.
the very bodies that we need to save fbb are the very ones looking to quit... and that my friends, is a very sad thing indeed.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
getting a few things off my chest
it's probably well past time for an update. my apologies.
the week immediatly following my show was the natural canadians or the world qualifier as its officially known. and just this past weekend we had the OPA provincials (the untested tier). in the past few weeks i've really had the opportunity to observe the behaviour of other competitors. this observation has helped me to further learn the type of athlete i wish to be and be known as.
first of all allow me to state the obvious... we all want to win. any athlete who tells you they don't want to win is either a dayumm liar, or not much of an athlete. however, there is a difference between wanting to win and some of the sh!t i've been seeing lately. in any sport there are things that improve your chances for success on the playing field, in bodybuilding some of those things are; diet (you have to STAY on one and stay true to your diet), cardio (see diet), training (see diet) and sleep.
i almost seems like some athletes feel they are owed wins, wether they have done all of the work or not. you are also not owed a win if you are bigger than your opponent, especially if you are bigger because your bodyfat percentage is higher. our sport is judged on symmetry, size and conditioning. sometimes people seem to forget about that final requirement.
you should be judged on how you show up THAT day, and as an athlete you should go into the show knowing that. you can't expect the judges to score you higher because you've been in better shape in the past and they 'know' you can do it again. show them you can do it again by showing up in shape!!!
don't make a habit of slipping off your diet, training or cardio schedule and then put yourself into the situation where you have to try dangerous techniques to 'catch up'. there is no glory in dying on a high school gym floor because you were trying to win a $10 trophy.
and finally, for most the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a pro-card. well the 'pro' in pro-card is an abbreviation of the word professional
suffice it to say i've seen a lot of athletes, those who already have pro-cards and those still in pursuit of one who have failed to exhibit professional behaviour.
you don't turn the bodybuilding stage into an episode of 'girls gone wild - spring break'. if you are beaten by another competitor, learn to suck it up and lose with grace... allow yourself to be disappointed, but take that disappointment and use it to fuel your next trip to the stage... next time come more prepared. i'm not saying this sport is not without politics and i'm not saying that it is alway fair... but what i am saying is we all need to take responsibility for the times when we step on stage and we were not prepared.
/rant
have a great day.
the week immediatly following my show was the natural canadians or the world qualifier as its officially known. and just this past weekend we had the OPA provincials (the untested tier). in the past few weeks i've really had the opportunity to observe the behaviour of other competitors. this observation has helped me to further learn the type of athlete i wish to be and be known as.
first of all allow me to state the obvious... we all want to win. any athlete who tells you they don't want to win is either a dayumm liar, or not much of an athlete. however, there is a difference between wanting to win and some of the sh!t i've been seeing lately. in any sport there are things that improve your chances for success on the playing field, in bodybuilding some of those things are; diet (you have to STAY on one and stay true to your diet), cardio (see diet), training (see diet) and sleep.
i almost seems like some athletes feel they are owed wins, wether they have done all of the work or not. you are also not owed a win if you are bigger than your opponent, especially if you are bigger because your bodyfat percentage is higher. our sport is judged on symmetry, size and conditioning. sometimes people seem to forget about that final requirement.
you should be judged on how you show up THAT day, and as an athlete you should go into the show knowing that. you can't expect the judges to score you higher because you've been in better shape in the past and they 'know' you can do it again. show them you can do it again by showing up in shape!!!
don't make a habit of slipping off your diet, training or cardio schedule and then put yourself into the situation where you have to try dangerous techniques to 'catch up'. there is no glory in dying on a high school gym floor because you were trying to win a $10 trophy.
and finally, for most the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a pro-card. well the 'pro' in pro-card is an abbreviation of the word professional
pro·fes·sion·al (pro-fěsh'i-nul)
- Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people.
- Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior.
- Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career: a professional writer.
- Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football.
Having or showing great skill; expert: a professional repair job.
suffice it to say i've seen a lot of athletes, those who already have pro-cards and those still in pursuit of one who have failed to exhibit professional behaviour.
you don't turn the bodybuilding stage into an episode of 'girls gone wild - spring break'. if you are beaten by another competitor, learn to suck it up and lose with grace... allow yourself to be disappointed, but take that disappointment and use it to fuel your next trip to the stage... next time come more prepared. i'm not saying this sport is not without politics and i'm not saying that it is alway fair... but what i am saying is we all need to take responsibility for the times when we step on stage and we were not prepared.
/rant
have a great day.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
no, the the victor goes...
so there i am at work and my father calls. he wants to know if i am expecting a package. well i was... could they have shipped my overall trophy already?? then he said something about it came from speedracer. well that's not the OPA and it took me a second or two to realize what was going on.
my buddy speed racer sent me a congratulatory bouquet of 'flowers'. here is how they looked and of course since i am back eating clean... i had to put the 'roses' in the refrigerator for safe keeping. since i am allowed one meal per week that isn't clean i am guessing these 'roses' will last about 6 weeks.
i have said it before i will say it again... i have the BEST friends!!!
my buddy speed racer sent me a congratulatory bouquet of 'flowers'. here is how they looked and of course since i am back eating clean... i had to put the 'roses' in the refrigerator for safe keeping. since i am allowed one meal per week that isn't clean i am guessing these 'roses' will last about 6 weeks.
i have said it before i will say it again... i have the BEST friends!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007
and to the victor goes...
the 3 cheese bison burger, sweet potato fries and heidi's mile high chocolate cake!!!
this will be a short and sweet blog entry. you might be interested to know that i weighed in at 134.4lbs. there were 6 of us in the heavyweight class and i won. and i won the overall. that alone is a lot for me to wrap my head around... but there is more. i am now qualified, i guess beyond a shadow of a doubt to compete at the national level.
that's where i am i right now. trying to absorb the fact that after 2 years of competition and only 2 shows i now have the right to compete at the natural nationals. i don't know... somehow it almost doesn't seem real?? it feels somehow like it should have taken longer???
anyway the letter of resignation is complete and sitting on the desk in front of me.
shots taken before prejudging at the hotel
Friday, June 08, 2007
the end of the road...
i am sitting here in my room waiting to eat before i head out on the road. that's right today is the day i drive up to the contest. i weighed myself at 135 this a.m. i still have a day of water drop and other activity before weigh-in's tonight. either way i will definately be a heavyweight... which was the plan.
on sec... the microwave beckons.
so what can i say that hasn't already been said? i am coming to the end of 26 weeks of dieting... dieting without cheats or treats. i think throughout that 26 week run i had two 'sick' days where i was unable to complete my training. but otherwise i have done the dayum thing. i look, in my humble opinion and the opinion of others who were along for the ride last year, much improved. my coach went as far as to say that i look this year like a completely different person.
which brings me to my next point. i AM a completely different person. well in the sense that i have grown alot this prep and i have learned alot about myself. first of all i am stronger than i knew. the diligence to the diet, all that fawkin cardio, and this last week without benefit of sweetener. okay the sweetener thing is huge. i have a sweet tooth... nah fawk it all of em are sweet. i am so very proud of the fact that in order to get what i want i was able to forego sweetener in my coffee, tea and oatmeal. i went without sugarless gum and i did not drink any crystal light or diet sodas. i realize now... within reason there is nothing i can't do. which is giving me the courage to do something else.
i am going into work on monday after the show and i am giving my 2 weeks notice. my current job in advertising enables me to enjoy some economic freedoms but it does nothing for my soul. due to the nature of the 'business' as they like to call it, (fyi you can even hear the fawker pronounce it with the quotes around the word), i am unable to really train clients. training clients at the gym provides me with much needed balance. regardless of how much i might b*tch about unfocused clients... there is a part of me that very much enjoys helping people or fixing things. that part of me is never satisfied with just making money. i guess my displeasure at my situation is part and parcel of why i find myself so depressed at work and so disgusted with my co-workers. i realize now more than ever that i do not fit in there.
so the plan is to go back into freelance computer graphics. i have contacted my agency of preference already and put out a few feelers to some friends. im really going to try to stay closer to home as well. a 9-5 existance will work well with training clients before and after work and more importantly will keep my own training on schedule!!!
the risk is... it generally takes 8 weeks before the cheques start rolling in from the freelance agency. the smart thing to do would be to stay at my current job and bankroll some cash and then make my move (fyi, show prep financially wipes ya out), but staying would surely have me kill somebody... i kid... maybe.
besides if this show prep has taught me nothing it has taught me that i am a survivor. i can and i WILL rise to any challenge.
ok time to hit the road. sometime saturday evening this journey will all be over.
i can honestly say i look forward to my next challenge.
thanks to those of you... who've been following along. i appreciate the support, perhaps more than i could ever express.
cheers
on sec... the microwave beckons.
so what can i say that hasn't already been said? i am coming to the end of 26 weeks of dieting... dieting without cheats or treats. i think throughout that 26 week run i had two 'sick' days where i was unable to complete my training. but otherwise i have done the dayum thing. i look, in my humble opinion and the opinion of others who were along for the ride last year, much improved. my coach went as far as to say that i look this year like a completely different person.
which brings me to my next point. i AM a completely different person. well in the sense that i have grown alot this prep and i have learned alot about myself. first of all i am stronger than i knew. the diligence to the diet, all that fawkin cardio, and this last week without benefit of sweetener. okay the sweetener thing is huge. i have a sweet tooth... nah fawk it all of em are sweet. i am so very proud of the fact that in order to get what i want i was able to forego sweetener in my coffee, tea and oatmeal. i went without sugarless gum and i did not drink any crystal light or diet sodas. i realize now... within reason there is nothing i can't do. which is giving me the courage to do something else.
i am going into work on monday after the show and i am giving my 2 weeks notice. my current job in advertising enables me to enjoy some economic freedoms but it does nothing for my soul. due to the nature of the 'business' as they like to call it, (fyi you can even hear the fawker pronounce it with the quotes around the word), i am unable to really train clients. training clients at the gym provides me with much needed balance. regardless of how much i might b*tch about unfocused clients... there is a part of me that very much enjoys helping people or fixing things. that part of me is never satisfied with just making money. i guess my displeasure at my situation is part and parcel of why i find myself so depressed at work and so disgusted with my co-workers. i realize now more than ever that i do not fit in there.
so the plan is to go back into freelance computer graphics. i have contacted my agency of preference already and put out a few feelers to some friends. im really going to try to stay closer to home as well. a 9-5 existance will work well with training clients before and after work and more importantly will keep my own training on schedule!!!
the risk is... it generally takes 8 weeks before the cheques start rolling in from the freelance agency. the smart thing to do would be to stay at my current job and bankroll some cash and then make my move (fyi, show prep financially wipes ya out), but staying would surely have me kill somebody... i kid... maybe.
besides if this show prep has taught me nothing it has taught me that i am a survivor. i can and i WILL rise to any challenge.
ok time to hit the road. sometime saturday evening this journey will all be over.
i can honestly say i look forward to my next challenge.
thanks to those of you... who've been following along. i appreciate the support, perhaps more than i could ever express.
cheers
Thursday, May 31, 2007
i am not dead!!!
forgive me friends i realize now it has been quite some time since i last posted any updates, thoughts or what have you. if it wasn't for dannie sending me some offline 'are you alive messages' there would likely still not be any new posting.
first of all i have a few friends who are causing me some worry lately. i had a friend 'crash' at a bodybuilding show last weekend and i took it upon myself to race to the drugstore for the help she needed. i've had a friend recently text me that he and his lady were breaking up. a bad situation, don't get me wrong by my friends level of depression and how he chooses to express it have always been of concern to me. thus the day without 'contact' was unnerving for me to say the least. and finally my friend with the serious health issue is having more than her share of challenges bouncing back this time. there are frequent periods of days on end without updates. i try not to worry... i don't always succeed.
we are however in the last 9 days of stage prep. 'we' being myself, my coach and george my diet guy are all quite pleased with where i am sitting at this point of the prep. i am about a 1lb heavier than at this point last prep, yet a 1% point leaner in bf. small changes on paper but the difference in physique is remarkable. i have managed to lose in 25 weeks of crystal clean eating 35lbs. i hope to still lose a smidge more before we cut my water next week.
i need to get my azz to the gym for a.m cardio. i currently have 6 more days of a.m/p.m cardio... and frankly i can't wait for that to be over.
i leave you with a pic from may 21... enjoy.
first of all i have a few friends who are causing me some worry lately. i had a friend 'crash' at a bodybuilding show last weekend and i took it upon myself to race to the drugstore for the help she needed. i've had a friend recently text me that he and his lady were breaking up. a bad situation, don't get me wrong by my friends level of depression and how he chooses to express it have always been of concern to me. thus the day without 'contact' was unnerving for me to say the least. and finally my friend with the serious health issue is having more than her share of challenges bouncing back this time. there are frequent periods of days on end without updates. i try not to worry... i don't always succeed.
we are however in the last 9 days of stage prep. 'we' being myself, my coach and george my diet guy are all quite pleased with where i am sitting at this point of the prep. i am about a 1lb heavier than at this point last prep, yet a 1% point leaner in bf. small changes on paper but the difference in physique is remarkable. i have managed to lose in 25 weeks of crystal clean eating 35lbs. i hope to still lose a smidge more before we cut my water next week.
i need to get my azz to the gym for a.m cardio. i currently have 6 more days of a.m/p.m cardio... and frankly i can't wait for that to be over.
i leave you with a pic from may 21... enjoy.
Friday, April 20, 2007
the new 'fad' diet
there is a new 'fad' diet out there. the new atkins, the new south beach... its called the 'show prep' diet.
as you probably know i am an active member on a few bodybuilding boards. and by my nature i am a supportive individual who wants to see everyone around her live up to his/her potential and rise to any and all occasions. sounds pretty good right? well maybe not.
you see the bodybuilding forum is home to a few different types of personalities. simply; the fan, the weekend warrior and the competitive athlete. on one of my boards, the environment is very supportive and the competitive athletes are championed by, for the most part, the rest of the board. from time to time a weekend warrior will catch the 'fever' and throw his or her hat into the competitive ring.
well the latest trend has me concerned. concerned because i realize now that my natural inclination is doing people more of a disservice than a service. in the last little while we have had a lot more board members who are in excess of 40lbs overweight throwing their hat into the competitive ring. now allow me to fully qualify the severity of that decision. i am not talking, in most cases, about 40lbs to stage weight... but rather 40lbs above where they SHOULD be starting their contest diet.
these people are trying to lose 60-80 lbs in 20+ weeks. standard show prep is not a healthy way to lose a few pounds. we are talking about, some pretty extreme measures in order to get down to the level of conditioning that competition is about. so we have these people crash dieting and its got to be even more unhealthy for them than it is for the rest of us.
okay im not liking where this sounds like its going. now it sounds like maybe i think i am all of that. don't get me wrong i am not all of that... i know my faults, i am aware of my shortcomings. but im also aware that i am indirectly setting these people up for failure. they, for the most part, emulate the focus and determination of the competitive athlete. which is great... except when it gets them to step on stage when they clearly aren't in contest shape. so far the audiences have been well behaved and forgiving... but we have all been to shows where there are people who heckle... and believe me it isnt pretty.
its not only unfair to the out of shape competitor, who for the most part should be applauded for getting into the best shape of their life. but it is also unfair for the competition who have struggled to come in shredded to the bone. all that hardwork and they have to get compared to someone, who for all intensive purpose, looks as though they did not diet.
now it would appear that some of these people on the board, or this board in particular, respect my opinion. and thus i realize now, i have to be a bit more responsible in my actions. i have to learn how to be supportive of their desires to lose weight... but also how to tactfully steer them away from the stage, when they aren't ready.
of course the other reality is... at this point in my prep. i really should be responsible for no one's actions but my own.
as you probably know i am an active member on a few bodybuilding boards. and by my nature i am a supportive individual who wants to see everyone around her live up to his/her potential and rise to any and all occasions. sounds pretty good right? well maybe not.
you see the bodybuilding forum is home to a few different types of personalities. simply; the fan, the weekend warrior and the competitive athlete. on one of my boards, the environment is very supportive and the competitive athletes are championed by, for the most part, the rest of the board. from time to time a weekend warrior will catch the 'fever' and throw his or her hat into the competitive ring.
well the latest trend has me concerned. concerned because i realize now that my natural inclination is doing people more of a disservice than a service. in the last little while we have had a lot more board members who are in excess of 40lbs overweight throwing their hat into the competitive ring. now allow me to fully qualify the severity of that decision. i am not talking, in most cases, about 40lbs to stage weight... but rather 40lbs above where they SHOULD be starting their contest diet.
these people are trying to lose 60-80 lbs in 20+ weeks. standard show prep is not a healthy way to lose a few pounds. we are talking about, some pretty extreme measures in order to get down to the level of conditioning that competition is about. so we have these people crash dieting and its got to be even more unhealthy for them than it is for the rest of us.
okay im not liking where this sounds like its going. now it sounds like maybe i think i am all of that. don't get me wrong i am not all of that... i know my faults, i am aware of my shortcomings. but im also aware that i am indirectly setting these people up for failure. they, for the most part, emulate the focus and determination of the competitive athlete. which is great... except when it gets them to step on stage when they clearly aren't in contest shape. so far the audiences have been well behaved and forgiving... but we have all been to shows where there are people who heckle... and believe me it isnt pretty.
its not only unfair to the out of shape competitor, who for the most part should be applauded for getting into the best shape of their life. but it is also unfair for the competition who have struggled to come in shredded to the bone. all that hardwork and they have to get compared to someone, who for all intensive purpose, looks as though they did not diet.
now it would appear that some of these people on the board, or this board in particular, respect my opinion. and thus i realize now, i have to be a bit more responsible in my actions. i have to learn how to be supportive of their desires to lose weight... but also how to tactfully steer them away from the stage, when they aren't ready.
of course the other reality is... at this point in my prep. i really should be responsible for no one's actions but my own.
Monday, April 16, 2007
just under 8
yup that's right just under 8 weeks out. sitting at around 16% with best guess a good 12lbs still to go.
the routine production has begun in earnest and already, two weeks in, the music and choreography has changed entirely. i know my coach... he wants this years routine to blow the doors off of what we did last year. and if you know me... you know thats exactly what i want too.
the prep has started to get challenging. my day routinely begins around 5:30 am with a trip to the gym, most days for a.m cardio. unfortunately my day is also routinely ending around 11 pm. i am definately not getting the rest i need. work has been insanely busy and i frequently find myself still at work at 7 pm. i have been cancelling more evening appointments with my clients than i make. i am still getting to the gym to do my workouts but that is also contributing to the late nights.
in order to take my body where it needs to go we are currently running 3 no carb days per week. since i'm frequently asked if that is really no carb or if i get vegetables allow me to address that now. first yes, i do get vegetables however there is a ceiling on the carb intake from those vegetable sources. secondly i would like to know who exactly is out there running a pure protein, no carb diet and what fawkin roto-rooter type laxative program are they running to keep the plumbing moving smoothly????
interestingly enough, my training has not suffered as much as i feared it might with all the no carb days. perhaps its more about my tenacious nature than anything else. i've been having more workouts that end with me feeling completely spent and in desperate need of a power nap in the ladies locker room. but even from last time things are looking better. the hams are coming in nicely, i finally have both sides of the horseshoe on my triceps... and i'm even happy with the definition showing in what little calves i have.
work is a bitter pill and that is a situation that HAS to be addressed as soon as this show is over.
i have so much more i want to share with you. i hope i can find some more time this week to post up. time... its one thing i just can't seem to find enough of. hey isn't that a song lyric??
have the best day you can!!
the routine production has begun in earnest and already, two weeks in, the music and choreography has changed entirely. i know my coach... he wants this years routine to blow the doors off of what we did last year. and if you know me... you know thats exactly what i want too.
the prep has started to get challenging. my day routinely begins around 5:30 am with a trip to the gym, most days for a.m cardio. unfortunately my day is also routinely ending around 11 pm. i am definately not getting the rest i need. work has been insanely busy and i frequently find myself still at work at 7 pm. i have been cancelling more evening appointments with my clients than i make. i am still getting to the gym to do my workouts but that is also contributing to the late nights.
in order to take my body where it needs to go we are currently running 3 no carb days per week. since i'm frequently asked if that is really no carb or if i get vegetables allow me to address that now. first yes, i do get vegetables however there is a ceiling on the carb intake from those vegetable sources. secondly i would like to know who exactly is out there running a pure protein, no carb diet and what fawkin roto-rooter type laxative program are they running to keep the plumbing moving smoothly????
interestingly enough, my training has not suffered as much as i feared it might with all the no carb days. perhaps its more about my tenacious nature than anything else. i've been having more workouts that end with me feeling completely spent and in desperate need of a power nap in the ladies locker room. but even from last time things are looking better. the hams are coming in nicely, i finally have both sides of the horseshoe on my triceps... and i'm even happy with the definition showing in what little calves i have.
work is a bitter pill and that is a situation that HAS to be addressed as soon as this show is over.
i have so much more i want to share with you. i hope i can find some more time this week to post up. time... its one thing i just can't seem to find enough of. hey isn't that a song lyric??
have the best day you can!!
Monday, April 02, 2007
in the land of a.m cardi-uggggh
a scant 10 weeks out. starting to feel the effects of 16 weeks of dieting. tired, cranky, weak and easily irritated. a virtual pleasure to be around.
i have an appointment on wednesday with my diet guy to make the next series of changes to take us in the final approach. currently sitting at 151lbs and 3 weeks ago i was 19% at 155. best guess i am currently in the neighbourhood of 17%. the mirror is starting to be my friend.
a couple of pics for your viewing pleasure. the first march 11 at 155lbs and the second march 25 at 152lbs.
sorry to have been such a stranger.
i have an appointment on wednesday with my diet guy to make the next series of changes to take us in the final approach. currently sitting at 151lbs and 3 weeks ago i was 19% at 155. best guess i am currently in the neighbourhood of 17%. the mirror is starting to be my friend.
a couple of pics for your viewing pleasure. the first march 11 at 155lbs and the second march 25 at 152lbs.
sorry to have been such a stranger.
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