This is the end, my friend.

So much has been happening, but here it is past midnight AGAIN. I wanted to make sure I did a post before the big day. After 7 months of intense eating and training.....it's almost over! I still need to re-pack my bag tonight and research what to eat right before going on stage. I have what my trainers have said....I just want to verify it so I can feel good about it. Because what they have said goes against everything I have done these last few months. I get to eat carbs, sugar and fats a few hours before I go on stage. Anything easily digestable - no fiber or fibrous veggies. I'm thinking egg whites and sweet potatoes for breakfast - salmon for lunch and subway for my next meal but two hours before I hit stage. Then I have rice cakes, banana, peanut butter, almonds, granola bars and a protein shake while I'm there.

I went to the gym with my friend Melonnie and she video taped me posing and doing the T-walk. Here are some snapshots of that day.

 

I met with Nanette just the other day, which was super helpful. She made some necessary tweaks to my posing and it will look much better. Front pose especially. NOT liking the picture. The tweaked pose is much nicer looking. I was kinda stoked about my back - I never get to see it so I'm glad it's coming along.

 

I had my first 'salon coat' tan done yesterday night and my first 'competition tan' done tonight. I look dark. Note to self: I can't do dishes anymore. My tan comes off with water. Better watch how I pee. Ha ha.

 

It's funny how my nervousness is. I am nervous, but there's a little bit of a 'whatever' feeling because it is what it is at this point. I pushed myself so hard every workout. I can count on one hand how many workouts I missed in 7 months of training and I was stellar on my food. So it really is what it is. I also realize genetics play a HUGE role in it. I can defy my genetics - which I am doing by building. But some people just grow muscle like it's nothing.

 

I'm pretty bummed - John had to go out of town for work and will miss my competition. It's sad because obviously he's my husband and I want him there....but because he was my workout partner, he had to see first hand the sacrifices made, the achievements gained....etc. BUT on the flip side - I have been SO SO blown away at all the friends and family that are coming to support me in this. I'm amazed.

 

One of the top questions I've been asked is: "What is going to be the first thing you eat?" The first thing I am going to eat....will be cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. What I am most looking forward to? - is waking up Saturday morning and eating a bowl of Fruit Loops. Okay, more like 3 bowls AND I am NOT going to measure it! ha ha.

 

It's been a busy week being a single mom and this week has had a ridiculous amount of events happen. So I am off to pack my bag and get some much needed sleep. These 4-5 hours a night are killing me.

All people hear is blah, blah, blah....

I think I am ready for this to be over already. I am tired of it being on my mind 24/7....I'm pretty sure my hubby and my friends are sick of it too. I'm not going to lie - it's been really cool to see the changes in my body, especially while cutting. Veins and muscles are popping out everywhere! BUT I sure miss the ignorant days of eating whatever I was in the mood for without KNOWING what was in them. There are some foods that I will never be able to look at the same again. ha ha. BUT I do love the satisfaction of knowing that I am giving my body what it needs and that I am eating real food so I'm healthy and doing it right - the way we should be doing it - before processed foods became the norm. Not to say I don't love me some pizza and cereal - but it's a treat when I have it.

I actually went to see Reid last Monday and I decided to cut even harder than I had intended to on my last post. He said when he cuts he goes down to 50g of carbs a day! Wow. So that's what I have been doing. I do 2 days of carb cutting and 1 day back to my 2300 calorie carb and protein packed diet. I have had 2 rotations of it already and holy crap I am leaning up FAST! Some days were ok and others were really hard. I've been trying a few different recipes like protein pancakes and these egg/spinach muffins. John called them Leprachaun poop. ha ha. They did look a little...interesting. I liked the pancakes and they only had 4g of carbs and 54g of protein! Then I put my no sugar syrup on them and it puts them at 11g of carbs. But they are really filling and I still stayed under 45g of carbs for the day.

 

This is my friend Naomi that helped me bling my suit. We did this over 3 days so the glue could dry and it's a bit time consuming adding hundreds - yes hundreds, of little crystals.

This is the end result. I LOVE it! It sparkles like no tomorrow. The pattern is perfect for me - it's just.... me!

 



I've been really bad about taking progress pictures. Here's one my daughter took on a whim. The lighting isn't great - but this was two and half weeks out.

Oh man! I hope I'm ready! I am really nervous....and I know this because I have already started packing my bag....and I'm a procrastinator!

This last week I took the poly graph test and passed - whew! ha ha. I got my NGA card and registered for the competition. I really only have one and a half weeks left because then the tanning starts and things start to happen! Two maybe three more sessions of carb cutting and then I will go back to my regular food until competition to help the glycogen storage in my muscles keep full. Ahhhh -