So tomorrow morning is the day of reckoning. I’m excited. I have not lifted weights for a couple of days now. Only cardio. My water intake has been on a tapering schedule for days. Today I only get 1 liter. Tomorrow only 16 oz. And I had to buy distilled water to keep the sodium levels low. I’ve done my treadmill for the day. I will lay in the sun for a while, as having a tan is desired to help show off the muscle better. I will also practice my “posing” in the mirror. I get only one front and one side pic to be shown to the judges. I need to be able to effortlessly nail a muscle defining pose, and smile, for the camera on command. I think I’ve got it down. I bought a great bathing suit. My body looks fabulous. It’s only the competition, and what they’ve achieved, that is in my way. Did someone want it more than me ? Did someone work harder ? I’ll know soon enough.

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Keith has given me my final instructions for the days leading up to the picture day. I have been given a list of supplements to take. I have begun a sodium depletion process that includes boiling the salt out of the chicken, no seasonings on it or the broccoli, and large quantities of water to flush sodium out of the cells. I take water pills also, to aid in this process. The last two days before the pic, I am switching from broccoli to sweet potatoes to load up on carbs. I don’t really understand all that is behind these directions, there certainly is a science to it, but I feel I have a huge advantage over many of the other contestants because of my trainer. He is giving me all his competition knowledge. It can only help.

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I think my time off might actually have done me some good. I’m very energized this week. My body feels strong and fresh, too. I’m lifting heavier than ever. I love working with my trainer. I enjoy those days so much more than when I train alone. I love the joking and laughing we do as I train, and I learn much every day about exercise and fitness. I am physically pushed to limits I would never reach on my own. I wish I could train with him all the time. Maybe some day soon, I will be able to.

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One thing I am proud of; that bump in the road is the kind of event that always ended my previous get fit attempts. Once I got out of the routine, it was easy to stay out. This time is different. I think because of the contest. I have a goal, and a time frame. And there is that accountability. I’m back on track and more determined than ever.

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The weight has been falling off me now. I started this contest at 140 lbs. I am now at 127 lbs. Because I have had almost zero fat and sugar intake, and very low carbs, the fat cells in my body have atrophied. Muscle definition is clearly showing now. The weights I’ve done have helped to build that up some, but there is only so much you can grow in 12 weeks. The most dramatic change is coming from shedding the fat so the muscle stands out. This is going to be the transformation that I hope will impress the judges. Once this contest is over, I will continue to train heavy with weights, as I would like to put that 15 pounds back on in the form of muscle.

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Another wonderful benefit of joining up to a gym is the camaraderie and sense of community. Once you start making regular workouts a part of your life and routine, you will find that the same people are generally at the gym at the same times that you are. You begin to see familiar faces every day. I have picked out certain women that I see regularly that I think just look amazing, and I have talked with them about their training and eating disciplines. They inspire me greatly. Their work ethic and dedication is obvious. It helps to bring home the notion that to achieve and maintain a truly fit physique is a lifelong commitment. I often get angry at myself for letting so many years go by that I just sat and wished better for me, but never made the effort. I often thought it was too late for me to ever achieve the health and fitness that these women enjoy. But, it appears, it’s never too late. I started at the age of 42. I now look and feel better than I did when I was 25.

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There are mental, and emotional, components as well. Just sticking to a program, and achieving goals you’ve set for yourself is very powerful. If you’ve tried in the past, and not achieved what you set out to, you know the disappointment you feel. Of course, just the opposite is true when you persevere and succeed. You have every right to feel proud and bask in the inevitable compliments that come your way.

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After the excitement of a new exercise program settles down, that is when the real challenge begins. Obviously, you’re not going to transform overnight. Or even over a couple of weeks. Or even a couple of months. This is a long, ongoing process, and that concept needs to be embraced. How many times in my life have I started an exercise program, made some gains, and then slowly slacked off and returned to my old habits. Many, many times, is the answer. And always, months later, I would sit and wonder where I would be had I only kept going. I had started to see results after 3 months, and then stopped. 3 or 4 months after that, I would think “What if I had been training all these months. Imagine what I would look like now.” It’s that thought that has helped to keep me going this time. And I will stress again, the crucial diet element. I don’t care how much weights or cardio you do. If you are not eating a clean diet, your results will fall far short of your potential. You may lose some weight, or tighten up a little, but if you’re going for a fit, muscular physique, diet is key. Incorporate those 3 elements, along with commitment, and the sky’s the limit.

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Went in today for the halfway measurements. I had a most amazing, encouraging surprise. While I could see that I was definitely tightening up, and trimming down, I wasn’t prepared for the numbers. My body fat percentage, which was at 21.5% when I started, was at 18% after six weeks. Almost 4% in that short time. I was shocked. And that happened during a time period that I was still trying to adjust to the workouts and diet. I have nailed down these components now, so I can only imagine what will happen in the next six weeks. I wonder if the last bits come off harder than the first. I know with weight loss, there is usually a dramatic loss initially, then the final pounds are so stubborn. I’m excited to see. Its results like this that will keep me motivated and determined. The other measurements showed changes as well. I could feel all this happening even before seeing the numbers. My clothes are really beginning to get loose on me. I guess that means I’ll have to buy new ones!

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Trying very hard to maintain this eating plan. I am at the halfway point in the competition. My trainer, Keith, has now cut back my portion sizes, and eliminated the sweet potato. The only carbs I get in my diet is from the oatmeal in the morning. That serving size has been cut back from 1 cup, to ¼ cup, which is fine. I wasn’t really enjoying that without brown sugar and nuts and dried fruit, anyway ! I really have had to program my brain to view food as merely fuel now. I haven’t been out to a restaurant for many weeks. The fact that I have been eating like this every day, for almost 2 months, is a wonder to me. I have cheated a little bit here and there…….glass of wine, piece of chocolate, some steak instead of chicken one night, but for the most part, I have been consistent. The motivator, of course, is the results. I can see a dramatic difference. I can feel it. I have much energy every day. I feel strong. Everyday tasks are much easier. For example, I needed a pan out of a low kitchen cabinet the other day. I easily squatted down and reached in to pick the heavy pan up. I could feel the muscles in my thighs engaged, and felt the weight of the pan on my shoulder and bicep, then easily pushed up through my quads to stand up. Sounds like a no brainer, but when you’re out of shape, that simple action is a serious strain. Mostly on your back, as you use that, instead of the other muscles. That’s one of the reasons so many people have back pain and injury.

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