New figures...

This is going to be short and sweet.

Ok. I have some new figures that I'm very proud about. A few blogs ago, I was feeling a little discouraged about not seeing the results I felt I deserved given the work I was putting in. Well people, persistence is the key because I am finally starting to see my body change. I stare in the mirror everyday. I look at my body all the time and that activity alone makes it difficult to see any changes in your body. I'm not stage ready yet, but I'm getting there definitely.

I of course had to take new pictures with Beast and this time I was not as nervous I had been that first time. As soon as I started to do my quarter turns, he immediately began pointing out features that have changed since our last pictures. My legs and stomach are smaller. I'm starting to get some D'Angelo action going on "How does it feel?"!~) My back is wider and my arms are bigger. I asked him if I needed to weigh myself, but he said no which I knew he would. You see in the fitness world the judges don't really care about your weight; It's more about symmetry and your physical appearance. But with Beast's comments in my head, I had to see if my weight had changed. IT DID!!!! I've lost 4% body fat and 6 pounds gone.

WOO-HOO!!

NapturallyFit

Trying to do Right....

So its summertime. After choosing to do a show in October, I didn't factor in all of the things I would be missing out on in doing so, especially summer. Now because I work for the school system, I have the summer off and everyone knows what that means, VACATION!!! Yes, glorious vacation. It's what we all look forward to through the year. Let's get to the point.... training is HARD as HELL in the summertime. I am literally missing out on all of the things I look forward to: fresh fruit, ice cream, salads, smoothies, SUGAR. I can't have any of those things. I did not realize this until my coworker, CC, made that statement after showing her my "diet". Guess what, I've been pretty consistent. I say pretty because as long as I'm home and can control my environment, I'm straight. I don't buy the stuff I can't eat and so I'm fine. This gets a little tricky when you add that glorious factor we all covet...VACATION!!!

Twice already, I've left the comfort and sanctity of my home and have had to make due with what I could. The first time was last month when I travelled to Dallas to complete a Residency for school. The second time came when I went to VA Beach for the Fourth. I remained consistent and was even teased a little for my dedication. When I went to Dallas, I was without transportation and I knew this going in, soooooo I prepared like crazy. You should have seen me in that kitchen preparing protein powder, vitamins, oatmeal, almonds, peanut butter, protein bars, and tuna. I even found a ride to WalMart to get more stuff when I got there (Thanks LW). I went, ate as clean as I could, and did my workouts. I felt great when I returned home and did not feel as though I let myself down. I even found my colleagues supporting me and looking out for me. It was nice to have people encourage your choices rather than question or discourage them. Virginia Beach was no different. Hubby was all on board with my schedule. I did the same packing, and by this time, I had increased my workouts to twice a day. Guess what? Ya girl was in the gym twice a day, ON.....VACATION. I woke up and went to the gym and when we returned to the room after out daily outings, I went back. I was proud of myself and found it funny that I was looking forward to going to the gym just so I could write and say that I had done so.

Moral of the Story....Working out and eating right on vacation is completely doable. There's no need to use your vacation as an excuse to let yourself get off track. So, I am going to share with you my tips on planning a vacation and staying true to your fitness goals:

1. Look for a hotel with a gym. Every place I stay, I look at the photos and hotel description to verify whether or not there is a gym. I WILL NOT stay at a hotel without a gym (if I can help it; so far so good).

2. Think about your transportable foods. While I could not take everything I usually eat, I made sure to take the ones I could as well as take dry foods that would substitute for something that I could not take. For example, I eat egg whites daily. Well, unless I smuggled a hot plate (freshman dorm style), there wasn't anyway I was having eggs daily so instead I subbed my eggs for tuna. Tuna has about the same nutrition as the eggs especially the protein.

3. Take your workout clothes. That's always the first excuse "I didn't bring anything" or "Wow they have a gym, I should have brought clothes". Along with packing your bathing suit, sandals, etc, make sure to pack your sports bra, exercise clothes, and sneakers.

4. Research the gym and your exercises. For each day I workout, there are specific body parts that I work on and therefore use specific machines. Unfortunately, the hotel gym is not your local gym. Therefore, I make sure to know some exercises to do without the use of machines or dumbbells (DB's) that will give me just as good a workout as a machine or DB's. There are many apps on the iPhone that can help with this. I use iFitness.

5. Eat out like you're eating at home. Just because you go to a restaurant doesn't mean you have to go Willie Nillie on your eating. Whichever meal you would have eaten at home, choose a restaurant that will give you a selection as close to that meal as possible. Besides, most restaurants have a "Low Calorie" or "Light Portions" section of the menu, so NO EXCUSE.

6. Have fun. Hey, you're on....VACATION!! You're allowed to treat yourself once. Just don't go crazy or you'll be living with cheaters remorse !~) Don't tell Beast, but I did have some ice cream but I shared it with the Hubby and we walked the entire length of the boardwalk, return to finish (If you've been to VA Beach, you know that Boardwalk is hella' long).

Hopefully these tips will help you. I have to complete another Residency in a few weeks and this one is much longer than the first. So, I'm already planning in my head how i will do this. I'll keep you informed on how I'll do...

NapturallyFit

Dynamics of the gym...

It's really interesting to sit back and just watch the dynamics of the gym. Today at the gym, I really found myself paying attention to the male ego. I've put the guys into categories that I've been noticing for awhile. I often try to pay attention to people I feel have great form, are in great shape, and are not playing around. It helps to push me and keep me "Focused". While the following groups are describing the guys I've seen, ladies can fit into these categories as well. Let's get started...

The first group you have are the "Arnold's". These are the guys that are so insanely in shape, you have to worry whether or not they've been adding a little extra to the punch (if you know what I mean).

The second group is a step down from Arnold, we'll call them "Buff's". These are the guys who are in really good shape that move around the gym like they're walking on water. They share their time: working out, chumming it up with the ladies, and staring in the mirror.

The third group, you'll always find with the Buff's. These guys are the "Groupies". They worship the ground that the Buff's walk on and wish they could one day be an official "Buff" member. These are the guys that are always giving hi-fives, laughing it up, do anything they can to distract everyone from their lack of self-confidence and/or muscle.

The fourth group I call "Focused". The Focused are super serious about working out. They don't come to the gym to socialize or to make friends. They are there to workout and get 'er done. They come ready to workout and have an exact plan of how to do so.

The fifth and last group are the "Fakers". These are the guys who come to the gym just for the sake of saying that they came to the gym. They really may start with good intentions of working out but once they get there, they are either clueless about what they need to do OR they are too out of shape to do what they see everyone else doing. Sometimes they become intimidated and instead of focusing on bettering themselves, they are worried about how they look to everyone else. These guys are also sometimes intimidated by the Buff's and the Focused.

Now, I'm not saying this is true of all gym's or that it represents everyone that's in the gym but in my experience since I've been training, these are the groups I've seen. You may come up with your own categories. See if you see the same. The next time you go to the gym, see if you can notice who goes into which group.

NapturallyFit

Seeing results...

I'm officially a month into training and eating. I have my supplement schedule down and am very faithful to eating my meals. What I've noticed is that when you are not doing the right thing i.e. eating, exercising, you stay as far as you can away from the mirrors. Makes sense right? If you're feeling "fat", you avoid all contact with the mirror. It's as if the mirror becomes your Kyptonite and with any glance or speck of light in the mirror, we immediately become weak with self-defeating thoughts and behavior. This of course what happens when you aren't doing those things. This is a completely different experience when you are doing those things.

When you are doing the right thing, you can't keep your neck out of the mirror. Any mirror you walk by, you start sashaying around like Sandra from 227 screaming "Maarrrryyyyy". Or at least this is my perception of what has been happening to me. For me, I have noticed that I can't keep my little self out of that mirror. Not being vain, just trying to see the change I want to become. And you know what, I can't see it, that's another thing that happens when you start doing the right thing. Because I see myself everyday, I can't see anything different. I'll be honest, it is so frustrating. I want the muscle tone and blah, blah, blah but I just don't see it. It's very discouraging. I've been working and I mean working hard for a month and I can't see it. This gives me a little doubt that I will be able to make it by October.

Then, you hear that one thing you've been longing to hear..."You look good" or "Wow, have you lost weight?" or "Man, look at the guns?". The hubby is amazing at giving me that motivation and combatting my self-doubt. So as I move into another workout, another week, another month, I'm ready to attack it and when I'm down, which I know I will be, he'll be there to pick my pitiful, self-loathing self right on up.

NapturallyFit

Smile for the Camera

From Day One, Beast has been telling me that he needs to take photos of me and I think "Uggghhh" (just like Charlie Brown). While I'm fit, I've never been tight and toned. This is because while I'm healthy, I do like to eat. I don't have as much definition as I would like. A lot of "working out" to me was doing cardio and rarely lifting weights. This year, that changed. I got a trainer and he worked me out pretty good but I wasn't taking in nearly enough protein so my results were small if any. Side note....too much cardio will hurt you in the end. Your strength will be minimal and while you will look skinny, your body can cannabilize on your muscles. Don't believe me, look it up !~).

Anyhoo, back to the pictures. Beast and I finally got our schedules right and the day finally came for "dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnn (piano keys)....the pictures". I'm working out and Beast strolls in the gym like Goliath and asks me if I'm ready. I have to take the photos in a sports bra and shorts (which I had to buy because I don't have shorts). We go into the fitness studio and I get my first dose of posing lessons. He shows me what the four quarter turns are and has me practice them. This was so awkward to me and much harder than I thought it would be. After practicing for about ten or so minutes, the last go around, he takes my pictures from all corners.

Not as bad as I thought it would be. I have to believe in myself more and know that I look pretty good. As we're leaving, Beast tells me that I am fine but now its time to start competition diet and exercise regimen. He tells me how much I need to lose and that I should get that new training stuff next week. I don't know what the diet will be but I know I'll be working out twice a week which I can totally do because I'm in education and "Schools out for Summer"!!

NapturallyFit

Hair, Exercise, and the Big stage...

As you can tell by my name, I'm a natural girl. I transitioned for a year and with the kind encouragement of well we'll just call her KD, I did my big chop last summer. No regrets, I've been taking the year to learn my "new hair" and like McDonald's "I'm lovin it"(singing, of course). I wanted to take a moment to talk about hair.

Before I went au naturale, I was a perm wearing sister. This never stopped me from going to the gym though. I can't understand why someone would compromise their health for the sake of a hairstyle. This is not about to be a bash against anyone. I don't care how you wear your hair. Like I have said repeatedly, it's all about being healthy. This issue is such a hot topic, it was even on the news. Of course the content focused on black women but it would have been anyone who forsakes going to the gym until right before they are going to see their hairstylists again. I even heard a lady say that she usually works out twice a week, the two days before her next appointment. Let's get serious ladies, get in the gym.

On another note, I fro'd the hair out this week and unfortunately forgot my head band for the gym to turn it into a puff. If you know nothing about natural hair, let me give you this equation: hair plus sweat/water plus heat = hugeness. This is exactly what my hair was halfway through the workout. During lunges, the guy that introduced me to Beast cam to speak. You know what, let's give him a name. Let's call him "Diesel". During my rest between sets, we are chitchatting about Beast's upcoming show but while we are talking, he's not looking at my face, his eyes are fixated on the fro. Now I am totally aware that the fro is completely out of control but you would think that I was Medusa and had snakes on my head. Then he asks, "What's up with the hair?" My first reaction is to go sister girl on him but I remain reserved, after all we are in public. I politely ask "What do you mean?"(If you know me, you can hear my sweet little voice). He's like, "I'm not saying it doesn't look good but are you going to have it like that for the show?" ......................What is THAT supposed to mean? I've already detoxed from the creamy crack an have come into my own as a natural woman. To this date, I have not straightened my hair since my chop. Am I supposed to straighten my hair now for the sake of looking like everyone else on the stage? I am completely aware that sisters are a minority in this arena, I'm cool with that, but am I going to be deducted points because of my hair? That's not right.

The first show I went to had a natural sister on the stage, and i thought it was amazing to see her natural hair up on that stage. I don't know how I will wear my hair for the show but it is quite unsettling that I have to even think about it now...

NapturallyFit

Eating is interesting

Beast gave me my vitamin regimen and my exercise routine. When I saw the amount of vitamins I had to take, my eyes bugged out of my head like the cartoon characters do when they see something extreme. On a daily basis, I take about 15 pills including Calcium, Vitamins C & E, prenatals, etc. Yes, prenatals. They include everything a woman needs in her body times two, of course. Not to mention, healthy hair and nails. To keep myself organized, I bought two pill organizers: one for day and one for night. One of my co-workers laughs at me when I pull it out for lunch but its necessary because it helps me keep all of my pills organized day and it keeps me from opening twenty bottles twice a day. On to the meals...

As I mentioned earlier, I am a pescetarian, meaning a veggie with fish. Beast is excited about this little quality because I'll be his first veggie competitor. My regular regimen included beans, Boca, ad fish every now and then. I at five to six meals a day like they suggest. Hold on, let's back up. About five years ago, I was about thirty pounds heavier. Love and being comfortable is one helluva drug. After seeing a photo of myself on New Year's Day, I could not believe what I had let happened. I was athletic in high school and college unfortunately I kept those same eating habits but forgot that it was the movement and exercise that kept me fit. So I made an appointment with a nutritionist at my gym and BOOM... thirty pounds gone and I'm feeling great. I've been able to keep it off ever since.

I became a veggie while fasting during Lent. Me and hubbie gave up meat and after 48 days, we kept it going. Two years later and here we are. Who knows, maybe in some years we'll incorporate back in but we will definitely have to be completely organic. Yet I digress, back to Beast. Beast has me eating the exact schedule that I'm used to but with a WHOLE lot of protein. Eggs, oatmeal, fish, protein powder, brown rice. Ahhh, but the thing that keeps me sane is my "cheat meal". One day a week, excuse me, one meal a week, I can have anything I want. This is my sanity and treasure.

Let's fastforward three weeks. I'm entering into my fourth week of this routine and my body has adjusted to the increase in food daily, the vitamins, and the workout. I'm finding myself stronger each week as I increase my weight. Next week in week four, we'll see what happens.

NapturallyFit