Recommit...day in, day out!

One of the greatest challenges in the prep process for a fitness competition for me is sticking to the plan day in and day out. Some days I'm on point and feel like a rockstar and some days I feel like a slug who is constantly making excuses for herself. These sluggish days can be vastly detrimental during these vital weeks leading into a competition and I've had to work hard to find a strategy that helps me stay the course.

Just this week I realized the importance of recommitting to my goals every single day. Every morning at some point before my workout in the wee hours of the day, I think about all that is to be. I remind myself of what my ultimate goals are and then strategize in my head how I can stick to the plan all day long. I create a mantra in my head that I can go to when a weak moment strikes (i.e. birthday celebrations in the office...sweet tooth=major weakness!)

Reminding myself of my lofty goals, the progress I've already made and all those who are rooting for me...it makes it a lot easier to shake off the nonsense and stick with the plan when I hit a snag or a needless temptation.

11 weeks is going to fly by and every little bit counts! I believe in the beauty of my dreams and nothing is going to stop me from getting there!!




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Mind Over Matter

I'm sitting at my counter post-workout, sipping my coffee thinking about the next 12 weeks and all that they will hold on this countdown to my first REAL fitness competition. There is definitely a strong element of uncertainty and insecurity present; but, it is also accompanied by a calm sense of assurance. I've come to learn over the last few weeks that trust and faith that everything will somehow be OK is a huge part of managing my stress with such a huge goal ahead of me.

I get up at 5:00 am every morning and hit the gym. I pack my meals for the day and send my weekly check-ins (complete with photos) to my coach...I am doing everything I need to be doing to prepare myself to achieve this goal. I won't pretend that there are moments when I look in the mirror and wonder, "how is this going to happen?" But that's where my new-found confidence and trust in the process has to kick-in. My fiance said to me today, "Rome wasn't built in a day honey." At first I got upset because I felt like that sweeping statement discounted all of the progress I've already made. But then I stopped myself and looked back at my old check-in pictures. He's right...Rome took a little while to construct and anything that is worthwhile takes time, including the transformation of my body. This is such an important part of my journey and it's all about controlling my mind and the way it processes the bumps in the road along the way...the important part is that I keep striving and pushing through.

So far, so good. Stay the course. Have faith and trust in the process!

"If you're going to win any battle, you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up." George S. Patton.



Me and my wonderful coach Janelle Nicolo at Camp Savage 2011

The Myth of Discpline...MUST READ!

This article is tremendous...definitely a MUST read.

http://charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/161/The_Myth_of_Discipline.aspx

"Ask yourself this, what do you really love? Self-esteem is the reflection of self-judgment. One of the best ways to raise self-esteem is to make truly loving choices that lead to increased strength of body and mind."