The NPC competition I went to

I had a chance to go to the NPC Maryland/East Coast classics competition yesterday (8/20/11).  I went to support my good friend Panny Powell.  This was her first competition and I know how hard she worked so I wanted to be there to support her.  It's been a while since I've last been to these competitions.  I used to be a regular when Monica Brandt did her Bodyrock shows at George Mason years back.  I went to every single one of them.  I really didn't know much about the bodybuilding world until I met my friend Kevin.  (For you WWE wrasslin fans, you know him as "Alex Riley", but he will always be Kevin to me).  I also went to the Arnold back in 2008 and that's when I decided to jump back into the working out craze that I am in now.  Here is Panny winning second in her class.  Again it's her FIRST show!!!

I got a chance to talk to some of the figure competitors there and they were very friendly and gave me some good insight.  I also have friends who compete and let me tell you that I KNOW all the blood, sweat, and tears they put into to get competition ready.  It's not easy.  Most of them have to give up a social life due to the rigorous amount of training they put into.  Most of all, the diet.  That's my weakness.  I'm sorry, but I love food too much.  =D  Then I saw Panny (who I KNOW loves food more than I do) make the sacrifice and disciplined herself to win second place in her class in her FIRST competition ever.  That just motivated me ten folds to get my ass in gear and get to it.

I have always talked about wanting to compete.  NO ONE took me seriously.  I don't think I even took myself seriously.  Or I got the giggles and smirks and even had people say things like "Pshhhh, you can't do that.  It's too strict!"  I've even had people tell me that you already have to be in a lean state to compete!  Um hello????  Did you forget that I stuck to my diet and worked out everyday to lose over 80 pounds????  Did you forget that even with a bum knee I kept working out?  Did you forget that even after knee surgery I was in PT two days after and back in the gym 2 weeks after?  Did you forget that there was a time in my life where I thought I was gonna die but working out actually saved me?  And now you're saying I don't have the dedication or discipline?????  THAT right there just fueled me more.  I even got looks at the competition when I said I was serious and wanting to get back into hardcore to get to where I need to be to compete.  Geez!  Oh ye of little faith?  That just motivated me MORE to prove them wrong.  You guys know me.  When people tell me I can't do it...I DO IT!  SO....countdown begins....BRING IT ON!

I also want to give shout outs to Lindsay Sollers and Pam Jaeger for also being my inspiration.  I see them daily in the gym working so hard and even when I was going back and fourth they would still give me advice and tips and tools to use to try and lean out.



Now instead of talking about it, it's now MY turn to give the blood, sweat, and tears.  I know I have a long way to go to get competition ready.  Whether it takes me 4 months or 4 years (Gawd, I hope not 4 years haha) I WILL get on that stage at least once.  Whether I place first, second, or last is not what is important to me.  What's important is that I do it and prove that I can do it and once again shut those doubters up!  Life is too short to always wonder.  I'm not wondering.  I am going to DO!  I know a lot of you will be along with me on this journey!!!!!  =D

Jeanie

Paleo? Please!

I'm not against any "diets" and I always tell people to do what works for them.  Some swear by the Paleo, south beach, Dukan, etc...etc.  That's all fine and dandy, but what irks me is people who belittle me or "condemn" me for not eating a certain type of way.  WHen it comes to diets I am the QUEEN BEE of them all.  Why?  Because I have tried them all!  From low carb to vegan to south beach to atkins to diets to go....yeah...you name it, I have tried it.  But experimenting and tweaking I know what works for me and what doesn't.  Perfect example comes from today when having a conversation with a couple who swears by the Paleo eating methods.  This one lady literally went postal on me because I was eating grains and dairy and said that I was being toxic to my body.  Um, seriously????

Then they continued to "school" me on how the "primal" eating is the way to go and how that's how the cavemen ate blah blah blah.  Ok, first of all.....we have all evolved!  We are NOT in cavemen time anymore.  So I simply and politely told them that if we were to eat like the cavemen did, then I guess we would have to train like them too.  Meaning no gym memberships, no cardio machines or classes and certainly no free weights.  Afterall, back then they [probably used heavy rocks as weights and ran for their lives when big beastly creatures were chasing them down, right?  =)  So if we were to clearly eat like them, then we should train like them too!  Needless to say, that shut them up real quick!!!

I've said this in my previous blog.  Don't go with "mainstream" all the time.  You need to find what works for you.  If what you are doing is working, then great!  Keep it up.  If not, then obviously there needs to be tweaking and adjustments.  I am constantly working on my training and eating.  As I said before, I think I finally found what is working for me.   This is still in the works.  We shall see.  So if ANYONE ever tells you you are doomed for life for not following a certain "protocol diet" DON'T LET THEM!  The choice is yours!  =) 

Kettlebells. Who would have ever thought???

One month of a different approach of training.  I can't believe it!  For the past two years I have been following the "mainstream" approach to fitness and health.  You know.....eat 5-6 meals a days, limit starches, no sugar, weight life, cardio, blah blah blah!  Though for that first year I got PHENOMENAL results, but I'm not gonna lie.  I kind of hit a stall.  A Plataeu.  A sudden stop.  Whatever you want to call it, I hit it.  Not to mention the knee surgery that totally put me a few steps back. 

Let me just say that this month of training alittle differently, changing up the way I eat, and talking to lots and various coaches/trainers.....I think I found what works for me.  Let me tell you, I had to pick brains on a LOT of people.  Some criticized me.  Some told me I was nuts.  Some told me I was going into information overload....some even told me I had way too many teachers.  My thoughts on that?  Pshhhhhh!  My opinion on that is, fitness and health, like medicine or any other field, requires a lot of information.  There is always the "new".  I mean when fitness first started it was all about cardio.  then it was all about weight training.  then it was all about "muscle confusion."  Then it was all about crossfit.  Yeah, no wonder everyone is so confused.  The way I feel is that the more you learn and the more you soak in, the more you'll be educated and the more you'll know what works....especially for you!  I wanted to know more about functional movement training, and learn about TRX training (which by the way wasn't for me), and other methods that will improve ME!

It's always good to try new things.  With trying new things, I am also allowing myself to get out of my "comfort zone".  My new training regimen is now doing kettlebell workouts.  I knew what they were.  I just never thought much of it.  I always looked at it as big ball things with loopy handles.  I figured I can always do stuff with heavier dumbells.  I mean who needed stupid kettlebells?  It wasn't until I met someone who is a nationally ranked kettlebell champion.  At first I was like "what the hell?  They have that?"  Oh yes they do.  The more I spoke with this individual, the more intrigued I became.  Little did I know that there is a kettlebell sport.  With the knee getting better, I wanted to try it.  I even talked to my trainer about it and he just kind of shrugged it away.  Then I figured here I am training with one of the best trainers I've ever worked with who knows so much, but if he is shrugging it away, then why should I care?  But something kept me interested.  So much that I contacted a friend who lives in another state that owns his own kettlebell gym for some guidance.  He has competed in many bodybuilding competitions and he was actually one of my mentors and I still go to him for advice.  He said now a days kettlebell training is pretty much the only type of training he does of course with functional training.  I wanted to take that next step.  He actually knew of someone in my area and told me I should check it out.

I have been meeting with my new kettlebell coach for two weeks now.  It's only been two weeks so I am still VERY raw.  The first day I was all over the place!  He probably had a few good laughs when he went home.  Because i looked and felt ridiculous, but let me tell you....it was probably one of the hardest workouts I've ever done.  It looks so easy!  But it's NOT!!!!!  I have committed myself to this new trainer (yes I am cheating on current trainer).  For those who know me know how impatient I am.  I wanted to perfect the form and learn this like yesterday.  Two weeks later and I am still struggling to get the right form.  This is a new task for me.  I am going to stick with it until I perfect this!  Thank God I have such a patient coach.  He probably gets so frustrated with me.  haha.  But I will make him proud!  Probably going to step it up a notch and add more days to train.  I can't wait! 

Also, another thing I wanted to add is that I think I am at my leanest now than I've ever been.  ONE MONTH of totally different approach!  I'm going to give it a few months and see how this goes.  You have to find what works for you.  DOn't always listen to the "mainstream."  I think I finally found what works for me.  Though I may not be as "cut" as i once was, it's exciting that a lot of my smallest clothes are fitting loose.  Maybe that's a female thing.  haha.  More updates to come. 

Good girls TONE, bad girls LIFT!

So I hear this time after time and it just plain pisses me off and I wanna smack these "chicks" who just have NO FRIGGIN CLUE!!!!  "I wanna tone!"  "I don't like to lift heavy because it makes me bulky..."  wah wah wah!  shut up already!  It's not the lifting heavy that makes you look "bulky" but it's the FAT layered on top the newly built beautiful muscle that makes you look bulky!  To look lean you have to also burn FAT but cardio alone will NOT shed all the fat!

Now, I'm no personal trainer....nor am I a fitness expert, but I know what works and I know that you females will NOT become Mr Olympia by lifting weights!  Yes to shed fat, you do need cardio, but not as much as people make it seem or THINK.  My trainer has been saying this over and over and over again.  And for the first time....I listened to him.  For the past 3 weeks I have limited cardio and actually increased in my lifting and included more functional movement training (thanks Joe for helping me out there).  I think I have leaned out faster and more in these 3 weeks alone than the year and a half I spent on hours of WASTED cardio and most important wasted TIME!  "Jeanie you finally LISTEN!"  was my trainers response.  Now I know. 

I have conversations time after time with a lot of females who always say "Weight lifting makes me bulky."  Well, yes it does....at first.  I had that same problem.  But it's because of the FAT.  To lean out, you need the muscle to help shed fat more efficiently.  Cardio alone will NOT lean you out.  I mean it might, but unless you are including weight training, you will always have that "squishy" look.  "Skinny fat" is what my trainer calls it.  I agree.  I do cardio maybe only twice a week.  Tues nights when I teach my spin class and maybe on thursdays if I feel like it.  Mon and Wed I train with Satan and all we do is lift heavy.  If you see me training you KNOW how we do it.  The only form of "cardio" is the first 5 minutes he has me on that damn Jacob's ladder.  The rest of the days on my own I will do a functional training that Joe sends me or on my own do heavy lifting again.  Oh lets not forget the diet.  Just get rid of the processed crap and you're good.  I will blog about that another day.

Just as the title says...."Good girls tone (gag), but the bad girls LIFT."  The reason why a lot of women (like the ones you see on oxygen magazine or fitness magazine...hell even the celebrities) look "toned" is because they LIFT!  You don't get muscle tone by "toning".  So challenge yourself and get off the stupid ellipticals, get out of your comfort zone, and try something out of the oridinary.  Try lifting heavy and actually try something like HIIT or functional movement training and I guarentee you WILL get results!  It took me over a year and a half to figure this out and actually listen.  lol!  =) 

I am including new training methods to my regimen and actually working with new coaches.  Let's see what the next 3 months brings!  =)  I am going to give it 110% and push ten folds!  =)