20 Weeks Out

My Competition Prep - 20 Weeks Out 

I started working out quite some time ago.  In 1998 after I had my first child I knew my body wasn't just going to bounce back to the way it was before.  I purchased my first piece of workout equipment - A Bowflex Home Gym.  While I have always been in decent shape I really had the desire to take it to another level.  In July of 2013 I started my journey with Team Bombshell.   When I began this journey I had no desire or intention to compete – EVER!  Three months into the program I was shocked by my progression.  Thoughts of ‘maybe I can be good enough’ began to enter my mind.  Well, since then I have committed to doing my first competition in New York, New York on April 12th, 2014.  I am also committed to doing a second competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on May 3, 2014

My coach, Rebecca, is amazing.  I feel so blessed to have her, She has taken me from this ‘sheepish’ individual to a ‘confident’ woman.  Without her I never would have imagined I could step foot on a stage.  In December I will be traveling to Daytona Beach, Florida for a Bootcamp.  At the camp I will get the opportunity to meet my coach, exercise with the team, and learn more about posing.  I can hardly wait!

The more I see results the more driven I am.  I must admit though I thoroughly look forward to my cheat meal every single week.  Pre-competition prep indulgences are so much fun, but I know they aren’t nearly as important as getting my head in the game.  Everything has become about planning for me.  My husband hits the grocery store for me every Thursday morning.   He also spends every Friday prepping my food for the following week.  I am so thankful to have his full support!

Getting my head right so far has been the hardest part.  There is a quote I’ve come across recently that I have saved for moments of weakness:

There is inside you
all of the potential
to be whatever you want to be,
all of the energy
to do whatever you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be,
doing what you want to do,
and each day, take one step
towards your dream.
And though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find
that you are the person you dreamed of,
doing what you wanted to do,
simply because you had the courage
to believe in your potential
and to hold on to your dream.
-Donna Levine

So far, this has been such a huge learning experience for me.  I am learning more about myself everyday.  I am beginning to understand that there are going to be moments that I will feel hungry, I will feel tired, moments of physical and psychological weakness, times that I may slip up, times that I may feel down, times that I may feel angry, but through it all I can and I will persevere.

I’m excited to see my body change from now until the time I step on stage.  I know there will be people that judge me.  I have already encountered criticism about my age, about the food I eat, and about bikini competitions being nothing more than a beauty pageant.  What I have realized is the amount of hard work and discipline required is tremendous, and not something just everyone could understand.  I know the only person standing in my way is myself.  This battle is a battle that is within.  And the feeling of conquering myself makes me feel like I am truly capable of achieving anything.

It’s GAME ON!