It’s time to start really focusing on my diet and work outs – although I always do, it always takes me a goal to kick it up that “extra notch”, especially since I’m around food and wine so much. Sure, I will not be able to live not tasting here and there but that is still different from indulging and EATING, although I’m very aware that small samples DO add up. Hence: time to get serious and pay attention to every detail!  I’ve eyed out a few shows this year that I would like to aim for; the first is in the late part of June, which will give me a few months and enough time to really narrow in on what I need to improve on. My back and shoulders, as well as my butt is where I need improvements! My back is getting very strong and I can see it shaping up and I’m even forming a small “V”! 🙂 I hope to be able to post some pictures soon – below you will see my very unshapely (and shockingly pale!) tummy from last month (January),  besides my crazy disorganized bucket of workout clothes, following some weeks of not ideal holiday eating and too much wine. This is what bloated for me looks like, whoa!  I definitely have improved since  that photo but still working on tightening up. Here are the shows I’m considering – I won’t be doing them all – I have neither the time nor the money to do them all, but will do 2 or maybe 3 of them:

June 25:

Hercules Championships. New York City, NY.
Super Pro-Q**

July 2nd:

NPC Hudson Valley Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Men’s Physique Championships
Tarrytown Music Hall
13 Main St.
Tarrytown, NY  10591

July 8-9:

NPC Team Universe Bodybuilding, Figure, Bikini & Men’s Physique Championships
NPC National Fitness Championships

Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
100 Frank W Burr Boulevard
Teaneck, NJ 07666

July 9:

Doc Brown, Natural East Coast. Tarrytown, NY.

Sept. 17:

Naturalmania, Best Body & Mr. Fitness Contest. New York City, NY.

October 22:

New York State Bodybuilding & Figure.
Poughkeepsie, NY.

These are all mixes of NPC and INBF shows – I am currently only a member of the INBF and am not familiar with NPC yet, I hear the girls are way muscular (which in a way would be a welcome experience from the first show I did where they were too soft for my liking), and most likely many of them on drugs, but I think I would still like to just do one for the hell of it.  Everything is an experience!

As always, I’m being assisted by the wonderful Pauline Nordin, who is helping me with both my diet and work outs, I feel like I’m in safe and super competent hands with her, and have no desire to look elsewhere for advice or guidance. She helped me get to where I am now – a huge step up from my doughy days of 2009, lol! I am happy with the diet, as it’s as healthy as it can get when trying to lower your body fat to extreme lows, plus I never go hungry on her plan. I am a big eater, and am not one that can just “have one”… So to everyone reading this, if you are READY and WILLING to commit to the extreme lifestyle of bodybuilding – I highly recommend Fighter Diet!  Pauline has a way with words as only the Scandinavians do – she is a straight shooter and tells it like it is – many people can’t handle the way she presents her facts – but you can’t argue with her that this lady knows what she is talking about and has done a TON of research to back her comments and she lives the way she speaks.  I respect that, in addition to the fact that she is so passionate and committed to what she is doing – this is hard to find these days! I feel blessed that I have found a mentor in this field, and someone I can look up to and ask for assistance or motivation whenever I need it. I hope to be able to give others the same thing!

If you have a goal this year – plan it out NOW and set a timeline and decide what you can do every hour, every day and every week to make it happen.  A lofty goal like “I need to lose weight” or “I want to tone up” is just not going to cut it. What are you going to do to get there? Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Be consistent – don’t be impatient – this is my best advice!