Yesterday I was so lucky as to be able to meet one of the women I admire most in the fitness industry, Pauline Nordin. She is an IFBB Pro and a fitness model, a native from Sweden (so we are both Scandinavian, maybe that’s why I like her? 🙂 and currently resides in LA. She was visiting NYC this weekend and agreed to meet me for an in-person consultation. I am at a stage where I have completed my first fitness challenge, and need to get to the ‘next level’ when it comes to building muscle, continuing my diet to maintain the lower body fat percentage I’ve achieved, and also have to find ways to stay motivated. The best way I know how to do the latter bit, is to surround myself with like minded people that will support and inspire me. I’ve certainly had my share of people who have commented negatively on my bodily changes, or at the least been somewhat ‘skeptical’ and utter comments such as “well, don’t lose anymore, you are really thin now,” and “do you want to look like a man?” , etc. What I am trying to communicate to these people, is I don’t want to be an ‘average’ person who is just trying to shed a few pounds and be ‘thin’. Anybody can do that.  I want to challenge myself physically and see how far I can get strength wise, shaping my body by maximizing the effects my work outs can give me and finding better ways to eat to nurture my body in the healthiest way possible. Bodybuilding has become a passionate hobby of mine, much like knitting or playing chess can be a passionate hobby for others. Somehow when it comes to diet and exercise, people wrinkle their noses and think I shouldn’t “deprive” myself of fatty foods and excess alcohol. I’d rather not deprive myself of a fit, healthy body thank you very much – to each his own!

Back to Pauline… the hour and a half I spent with her was very informative and she is a glowing example of how a fit lifestyle looks. She talks the talk, and walks the walk, which is why I respect and admire her so much. In her short life of 28 years, she has achieved so much already having won many competitions and has her own business and consulting/personal training firm. She was also featured as one of the trainers on Scandinavia’s version of “The Biggest Loser” and has been nicknamed by many the “Swedish Jillian Michaels.” In my mind she is even tougher, and I love Jillian! 🙂

After the meeting I realized how far I have to go physically and was also corrected in many ways on how I train and do my exercises.  I also realize I may have taken on too much by registering for a half marathon and hoping to gain optimum muscle simultaneously – those are opposing goals, pretty much because too much cardio affects muscular growth (more about that in a later post). That didn’t make me feel overwhelmed or tempt me to give up, rather I have a new fire under my a** now and ready to rock! My goal is to go out to LA sometime this spring to train with Pauline and if I can combine it with work, perhaps go out once every other month so she can be my trainer on the west coast and I can take ‘homework’ back with me to NY and continue working from here. She has an ‘online coaching’ option on her website which I will take advantage of in the mean time. I have always been attracted to nutty, focused, obsessed and extreme personalities because I am one myself, and therefore I feel that I’ve found my match in Pauline. I’ve been lucky to have found a mentor in all my areas of life where I have needed one, and Pauline is definitely someone I look up to and am glad I met! Check out her website and you can join her fan group on Facebook under “Fighter Diet”.  Warning: it’s not for everyone, but for a small group of people who are really serious diets, work outs and about getting and staying in shape!  Photo of Pauline below: