I'm still here!

So it's been a couple months since I've updated my training....

I've been really focusing on some fitness moves, very much dedicated to doing a fitness show next year. I'm done competing in figure. It's just a dead-end road for me. At 40yrs old, I can't compete with the "beauty" of younger girls; skin, hair, etc... And I'm def more muscular than the girls who are winning. Plus, my conditioning leaves me much more vascualar than the younger gals. And being in Japan, I refuse to pay all the travel expenses when i know there is so much working against me.

In fitness, I will get judged 50% in Physique and 50% in a routine. The routine must include a 1 arm pushup, 2 straddle holds, high kicks and a split. As of today, Nov 23, I have about 5 more inches to go in the split.

I've been HARD CORE working at strength moves, and the workouts are FUN. 1 arm pushups, handstand pushups, pullups, and plyo jumps are all helping me stay fit and build on a routine.

So.... if all goes well, I may try to military-fly it back to Seattle in April for the Emerald Cup. I'll start training my girls for Figure again in January here in Japan, so my training (dieting) officially starts in Jan 2010.

I'll post some videos soon. For my birthday next month, I'm making a video of a crazy 40 yr old woman doing 10 pullups, 8 one arm pushups and some walking on her hands :)

1 month post show

Hi all, thanks for keeping up with me..

I'm back in Japan now, back to work and the boys are at school most of the day. I've been trying to find my motivation again... so hard after a show when you didn't do as well as you'd hoped.

I am REALLY considering trying fitness. I'm just so disenchanted by the physical fitness levels of the girls I stand next to on-stage - the actual strenth and athleticism of these chicks. It's disturbing to hear that the girl who beats you, has been drinking chocolate shakes and just doing cardio weeks before the show. Esp when i can do 10 dead-hang pullups and shoulder press 40lb dbells with ease.

I know that i'm strong and would love a chance to show it. However, i'm not FLEXIBLE and i'm going to be FORTY years old in a couple months. Nothing like trying to pretend you're young again???...

The only thing i do know is that i cannot do figure again. Even after looking at the Olympia - PROFESSIONAL FIGURE GIRLS - it's clear to me that they are looking for softer, young bodies. That AINT ME. So insted of complaining, i'm back to the drawing board. Stay tuned and LOVE TO ALL!@!!

Photos below from a shoot I did with Dan Ray..

It's over!

Back from the show...

i placed 3rd in Masters, and feel pretty good about how i looked. I think i could have eaten too much in the last day, which left my midsection HARD to hold in... but it did smooth me out overall - so i'm still trying to figure it out :)

I'm going back to the drawing board... thinking about what's next. 2 years in Japan makes it hard to get back and compete, which makes it hard for the judges to remember me. If they don't see me, it hurts me in my next show...

For now, it's back home to get my boys started back to school, time for my hubby and back to training for me.

Thank you for all the kind words and support. It really makes this all more worth it :)

Much love~ xo

2 days out!

Adding one more post here, before the big day.

I've been upping my carbs over the last couple days, and my weight has stayed THE SAME?! I'm as veiny as ever and know that if i go into the show this way, i'll be marked DOWN. Sandy, the head judge, is on a rampage about the girls looking too hard.

The only thing that might help me is that i'll be competing in Matsters too. They sometimes allow the masters to be a bit more hard b/c of our age.... nice :(

Anyway the plan is this; add all my sweet potoatoes in today, along with another bag of rice cakes and PB. i have 2 meals of orange roughy to spread out tomorrow, along with my bacon/cheeseburgers. I have 2 photo shoots lined up tomorrow, so i'll asses how i look during those. Prob have to keep eating shit all day long.

If i'm veiny-weird before bed tomorrow night (fri) i'll have a milkshake and find the saltiest junk food i can find in a hotel (chips or pizza) and eat the crap out of it. I'll also NOT be cutting my water at all.

Then, Sat i'll just pose very loosely, not flexing at all. Hopefully, it's good enough.

if they don't like me, i'm ok with that. This is THE BEST SHAPE ive ever been in at almost 40. I like everything about my body right now (everything that i can control/change). So this is me at my best, happy no matter what!

love and appreciation to everyone supporting me. it means everything. THANK YOU! xoxoxo

FINAL WEEK

So i'm back in Ohio for my last week. Just went tanning to get the last little bikini line off my butt, and wouldn't you know it - i got burnt! Hopefully it will go away with no peeling :(

I'm feeling very lean and pretty good for a week out. i'm going back and forth of whether or not to start eating some carbs NOW, or wait till about Wed.... OR just keep doing what i've been doing and eat junk the day before.

i'm really leaning toward doing less protein this week, more carbs (like oats 2X and rice cakes 2X) and then cardio until Wed evening.

Either way, i feel the BEST i've ever been. I'm hoping to shine in Masters, but either way, i'm happy with ME.

10 DAYS OUT!!!

Am up visiting Jims family in Michigan till the end of this weekend. Hitting the gym twice a day. For the rest of this week, going to go pretty low carb, high cardio. The gym here has some TRX bands hanging from the ceiling, so i've been torturing myself with them for "fun" :)

I feel good, so hopefully that isn't bad? Looking forward to driving up to Cleveland next weekend! I'm really excited about this show and very hopeful to do well in Masters.

If you dont' mind, pls say a little prayer for me. I could use it - THANK YOU! xoxoxo

Back in Ohio!

So we just flew in last night, i went to bed at 3am and Brady came to get me up at 7am. That's called "forced time-change"!

I was pretty shredded before i left, so i used the flight as my one last cheat meal, at 2 weeks out. No worries about it, i'm still veiny as crap this am.

Now to find the gym here at my moms house - she lives on a farm. I'll run her hills for cardio and go to the local YMCA. I'll be making a trip up to Michigan in a couple days to visit Jims parents and stay with his sister. She's got a rockin gym by her house. Dieting there won't be a problem.

Then the last week - next week - i'll come back down to my moms, and drive up to Cleveland on Friday am to check in. My prejuding is on SATURDAY and will be at 9am. I'll be doing Open and Masters so 2 chances to wow them :) I have 3 friends coming to watch me, my sister in law and niece and hopefully my dad and son Gabe will drive up that morning too. So cool to have people there for the FIRST TIME! Really makes a difference :)

The best place to find local coverage is www.siouxcountry.com, go to the NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Somewhere on that post, will be callouts or pics.

I prob wont get any other pics up on my blog, my momma lives on a farm, remember?! :) AND her camera/phone/computer is not picture friendly :(

Going to the grocery this am! CANT WAIT to just walk up and down the isles, drooling at all the choices.... and then to find coffee.... and then to take a nap and get up and workout :)

p.s. Miss my hubby already :( if it weren't for his support, i would never be able to do all this. He lets me follow my dreams and I love him dearly ~ xo