The end of summer is drawing near and Labor Day weekend is just about upon us. What do most of us do for Labor Day? Yes we get together with friends and family and BBQ, grill, or have picnics. Take lots of picture of each other and family and kids playing, cooking or eating. Yes we all enjoy this quality time to relax and be with people we care about most.

And in each of our minds is a picture of how we see ourselves. We imagine ourselves to look a certain way, to be perceived by others a certain way and to behave a certain way, all from the perception of our own eyes(mind). So we get dressed and are wearing what we think is a flattering outfit or at least a pleasing one that we look good in if not great in. We imagine ourselves to be, therefore, pleasant to look at if not great to look at and imagine everyone sees the same thing in us. Right?

The family time arrives and we enjoy ourselves tremendously, eating all the good food, enjoying all the good company and imagining we are looking healthy, maybe fit and at the very least very presentable. Rremember in our minds eye we are very nearly great looking and needing very little improvememts. Or if we need improvement, then nothing losing 20 pounds wouldn’t solve. But so what, so does everyone else need to lose at least 20 so….

The following day, week comes and you get the opportunity to see pictures of your great time over Labor Day. You take a look at the pics and see what? OMGosh who is that fat chick, dude in the picture? That can’t be me! I don’t look that bad..I just need to lose 20lbs…ok well maybe 50-70lbs. Wow, I did not realize how bad I looked. In fact I thought I looked great for that picnic, BBQ or grill party.

Well, welcome to reality. Sometimes there is nothing better than a good, undeniable dose of reality. Nothing gives you reality better or more accurately than a picture of yourself. Preferable with a minimum of clothing on. Yes all women have sneaky ways to hide the pounds of fat. So now ,you are face to face with what everyone one else really sees when they look at you, not what you always thought they saw. And what do you do?

This was my dilema just two weeks ago when I had my husband take my before photos. Yes I was aware that most of my clothes no longer fit and that I had muffin top in the ones I crushed myself into. I knew that I had gained weight because I did weight myself. ( The SCALE) will be topic of next entry. BUT I did not imagine it quite the way it really is. So there I was looking at these pics of a fat chick (yes I am fat) saying HOW did this happen? I can’t believe how thick I am…wow this is going to take alot of work.

At that time, I made a decision and that decision was to no longer stay fat, overweight, chuncky or thick…however you want to describe it. I was going to go to work to get fit again. Not only so my photos change but so that I change…so I feel better, feel healthier, feel confident in myself and my abilities again. Set a goal and achieve it. And I am hoping in the process I will take a few of you along with me for the ride. Because believe me if this “born to be fat chick” can do this then the sky is the limit for everyone.

What is your decision going to be? Will you set a goal to overcome your health limitations? Will you give it 100%? Will you do whatever it takes? Or will you say it’s OK…I am happy with myself. There will be more pictures in your future, you will make the decision of what you and others will see when they look at you.

Always interested in feedback…that means comment and/or email me with your thoughts, beliefs…

God Bless You,
Evey

So I’ve decided to train for a figure competition and in making this decision I’ve had to get my head together and wrapped around what I will actually have to do today and everyday to get this done and done to the best of my ability(no half measures allowed…or else why bother…besides aren’t you tired of failing or doing just OK?). This wrapping my head around it and doing it to the best of my ability is my mindset. Seeing the big picture of competing and then breaking it down into manageable daily steps that I will follow through with to the completion of my goal.

Most important part of this challenge is my belief that I CAN DO THIS. In working with all kinds of people over the past eight years in our personal training studio I have found that the biggest stumbling block for most people is unbelief in themselves. Unbelief that they can have that fit, healthy body. That they can wear that size six again. That they can feel young and energetic again. That they can do what everyone around them says they can’t.

So I decided to blog all about my transformation in the hopes of showing many, many people following this that they themselves can do this too. And for everyone watching me don’t be so surprised, it could be you with all these great changes. So here is the blueprint in real time just for you. If you are thinking I can’t do what Evey does, she is special…not so. In fact I am very much just like everyone else…look at me I”m 27% @ 133lbs and believe me that is just about as average or even fat for a fitness person so….In fact I personally know several people who are where I am at or very close and if I can do this, you can to…so let’s do this together.

 I will have struggles and temptations and situations just like you and just about everyone trying to accomplish anything has to deal with. Always there will be problems and situations to deal with just like real life everyday. Yes birthday parties will be part of my life, labor day is coming up, maybe a long weekend vacation and if I do my competition in December then I will have to eat strict and exercise through Thanksgiving. What do you think about that. Are you saying NO WAY…I can’t, won’t do that…Give up my Thanksgiving dinner? Well, guess what I am saying…that’s right I can and will do what it takes to complete this challenge to the best of my ability.

So let’s take a day in my life. I am going to set myself up for success everyday on this challenge. I write down what I am going to eat and what exercise I am doing either first thing in the morning or the evening before. Now in the course of the day, stuff might come up that prevents me from maybe eating or fitting my exercise in(meeting runs late, kid gets sick/hurt, stuck in traffic) where I planned on and so what will I do? Throw the towel in and say “I can’t do this? See I really just don’t have what it takes.” Well my mindset does not say that today or any day “I CAN’T” anything. There is a saying that my husband and I always say even to our children…”Can’t never did a damn thing.”

Remember the first step is your belief  “THAT YOU CAN DO THIS.” Even when crap comes up that makes it hard. You have to have the mindset that I am going to do this, I am going to do this, I am going to do this…no matter what, no matter what, no matter what… So this is what I want anyone reading this who is of the “I CAN’T” family…when you go to say “I CAN’T, instead say I AM GOING TO DO THIS, I AM GOING TO DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS…..NO MATTER WHAT. Change your mantra today!

Start focusing on what “YOU CAN DO” Pay attention to what the dialogue in your head is saying and change it, if  it isn’t FOR YOU and FOR YOUR SUCCESS then turn it OFF.

Always interested in feedback.

God Bless You,

Evey

So I made a decision awhile back; that I would start training for my next figure competition after our recent vacation. It is going to be a challenging goal because I have gained some weight since my last(and first competition) last August. After my competition last August my husband got really ill. As in near death ill. He was in the hospital for three weeks while they tried to figure out what was wrong with him. At the end they did find out what was wrong and it was and is very serious(in fact, it’s a miracle he is still alive).  I am not going to go into it in this blog entry but he MUST take care of himself to prolong his time here on this earth, with quality nutrition, exercise and medication.

So while he was in the hospital, I closed our business and focused on helping him….forget anything with fitness during that time. In fact, once he came home I still focused on him and slowly worked my way back to making the business go again. And of course our children required alot of attention…so my health took about 4th place and well I just put it on the back burner till another time. A year later and it is finally another time. I am getting back into this health and fitness thing with a vengeance. I have to drop about 15% Bodyfat in the next 12 weeks or -hopefully 15 weeks depending on which competition I do. As for scale weight I have to drop about 25 lbs of fat and put on a couple pounds of muscle. Will be posting my current (before) photos this week. My current stats are: 133lbs and my bodyfat is 27%. So you and I know exactly WHERE  I am NOW. My goal is to be 110lbs @ 12% Bodyfat for this competition (WHERE I am GOING).  

Although I do have alot of changes to make, it is doable if I go strict(very clean eating) and hard(intense cardio and weigh training) at it. Also I didn’t entirely give up on working out and eating somewhat healthy or the damage would be alot worse than it is. I just wasn’t consistent enough with it over a long enough period of time. So here I am ready to put it all on the line…

I sat down a few days before starting my training and wrote down exactly HOW I planned on achieving this goal.  What is it going to take daily for me to succeed at this endeavor?

Well, I have to clean up my eating…no more processed carbs I and everyone else loves so much. So cereal, bread, crackers, cheezits(my fav), ice cream, candy, soda, alcohol, pasta and the list goes on. Basically everything in the snack aisle at the grocery store is a no-no. Must start eating natural, as GOD made it food. Lots of veggies, fruit and lean meats. Must limit anything processed. If it is processed it probably has had most of the nutrients processed right out of it and lots of chemical that are not good for my health or metabolism added to it. So it’s a no-no. In fact I really have to limit anything that is not natural because of all the chemical crap they put into most food nowadays. Really messes with anyone’s metabolism and well I need my metabolism to hum from the getgo. Small clean meals through out the day…that should do it. Will make changes along the way as necessary.

Must get my daily cardio in…will alternate between steady state and interval…steady state on weight training days and interval on non weight training days. Will weight train 3 – 4 times a week. This time I also have a training partner, Chrystal, one of our trainer’s at our studio who is also going to compete in the figure competition. She is currently much fitter(less bodyfat) than me so….her challenges will be different from mine.

So WHY am I doing this? My answer…because I can. When I decided to compete in last years competition I had let it go for awhile then as well. At the beginning of the year my mom passed away very unexpectedly and it sent me into a not so healthy situation where I just was not that interested in working out or pretty much anything for quite some time. I did realize that at some point I would get back into it and I did…and I did pretty good. I set a date and I followed through with it. Just like I am doing here. It is a mindset and it will be the topic of my next blog entry.

Sometimes life does get in the way of your health and fitness…and that is OK but when the crisis or situation has passed then it is time for you to move on and think about your future and your health. Get back into that routine that made you feel alive. Made you feel like you could do anything. Made you more confident then you ever felt before. Helped you have the stamina to overcome major challenges…helped you become a better you.

As always I am interested in hearing any feedback…

God Bless You,

Evey