After having been in limbo practically all year due to several issues, but most importantly my knee injury, I finally received good news this week! I was able to get my MRI done (I’ve got insurance back, yay!!) – and after going over the results with my orthopedic doctor, he cleared me to do anything I want weight wise with my lower body.  I don’t need surgery, and although I don’t have a “great looking knee” and may need knee replacement (!!) in 20 years, I’ve got nothing to really worry about a this moment. There was only a tiny splinter of a meniscus tear, and I’ve got some arthritis around the knee cap, and apparently my meniscus is protruding off the bone/side of my knee but nothing that needs a procedure.  The only thing I should absolutely not do, is run – which is a shame, because I do enjoy my runs outdoors, but then again, not a major loss since running is not really going to help me with my muscle gain anyway.  I guess I’ll have to become REALLY good friends with the stair mill at the gym.. sigh… My new favorite actually is to do cardio in the “cardio cinema” room at Gold’s –  I quite enjoy watching a movie while working out – and it’s also super cool in that room since it’s dark and it feels great to escape from the 100 degree weather we’ve been having lately.

So what does all of this mean? First of all, I’m getting a new program from my coach Dana, who will include 2 x a week legs in addition to the 4 x a week upper body workouts she currently has me on (and believe me they are GRUELING!!). I am starting to diet this week for real – but easing into it.  That means, for the next 2-3 weeks or so I’m allowing myself some fruit as well as alcohol (wine only) once or twice a week in moderation. After that, I take it out, and just continue eating normal otherwise.  I do have two potential show dates that I’m looking at (NPC)  here in NY – the first one is October 16th in Poughkeepsie but I doubt I will be ready for that, and the second one November 3rd in NYC.  They are all coming up a bit sooner than I’d like, and I wish I could have started to prep sooner, but such is life this year. Sometimes life throws you curve balls, and you’ve just got to make the best of it. I do want to shed about 10-12 lbs because I feel a bit heavier than I like to be, so definitely accumulated more fat than normal this year but nothing major.  I am incorporating cardio 5 times a week for now, just until I get down in weight, then I will continue with 3 x a week as I’ve done in the past.  I will have a look at myself in late August and determine whether or not I will compete this year or not.  Regardless – it’s game on and I’m getting a kick ass body for my 40th birthday on December 20th!! 🙂

All around good news this week – and I’ve got some exciting prospects on the work front too, so life is starting to look a bit better the latter half of 2012! Hope you all are enjoying your summer and training hard!