Two Weeks to Go, and T-2 Days until VEGAS!

Ahhhhh!!! I can’t believe there are less than TWO WEEKS until I hit the stage at my first bikini competition! Time has really been flying by, and I know the next few days will be a blur too. After last week’s update, Layne increased my carbs, and as a result, I was up in weight this week (cue hyperventilating!). Seems I’m panicking more than Layne, though, and I have to trust his advice, especially these last two weeks. I was kind of expecting (and almost hoping) for a drastic diet change this week to really kick my butt into gear for the comp, but I’m keeping on the same path as of now. Next week (termed peak week by those prepping for competitions) will be different, however, and I cannot wait to see the changes that happen over that last week!

This week is going to be so full of good stress, I almost can’t stand it! Tomorrow, I’m getting my hair and nails done, and Wednesday, I’m leaving for VEGAS after work! I’ll arrive late (for me), and the next morning, I have a photo shoot bright and early at 10! And then another one at 3! (These are other reasons I’m a little panicky; I want to look my BEST for these shoots!) And then it’s OLYMPIA time! I know I’m going to be all smiles and nerves at the expo on Friday and Saturday, meeting all of my fitness idols (and Layne!). I’m excited to see the bikini competitors and see how I stack up against them! (And I’m beyond excited to watch my first bikini competition on Friday night! Then, I’ll know what to expect at my show!)

This week, I’ve been hearing one comment that is frankly starting to make me quite angry (even though I know it's not intended to make me mad). I’m hearing a LOT of people say “I couldn’t do it. I don’t have your discipline, and I love food too much.” While maybe meant to even be a compliment (yes, I exercise willpower and self-control with respect to food), there’s nothing special about dieting down for a competition. Anyone can do it if he or she really wants to; the fact is, most people don’t want to (and this is not just in regards to competition dieting; most people are unwilling to change their unhealthy habits in general). It’s not a matter of discipline; it’s a matter of wanting something and working toward it. I’m neither training an insane amount (30-90 minutes every day) nor am I starving myself or on an extreme diet. And the “I love food” comment has always irked me. I’m human too, so of course I also enjoy food. But healthy foods can and do taste delicious when prepared and spiced the right way. I have no desire to stuff my face with cake (we had an office pot luck last week, and people were so convinced that I was dying to eat corn dogs and sugar-laden desserts), and that’s not just because I’m on my contest-prep diet. Of course, in the off-season (when I’m not training and dieting to increase muscle and not lose fat), I’m sure I’ll have the odd indulgence, but I refuse to let food control me, not just for my physique’s sake, but for my own health.

Sorry for the ranting in today’s post, but it’s something I really had to get off my chest. If I can make these changes in my diet, anyone can!

I’ll end with links to two articles that I found really powerful about self-discipline. They’re written by Pauline Nordin, the inventor of the Fighter Diet (which is not a “diet” but a way of eating) who is one of the few women able to stay in competition-ready shape year-round. If you’re into these articles, I highly recommend her ebook Fat Loss by Mind Power. (Her other ebooks are also great, but I think the diet is a bit too extreme for many people.) I love her tough-love approach and how she doesn’t sugar-coat anything for anyone!

http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/blogs/pauline-nordin/it-takes-discipline
http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/blogs/pauline-nordin/master-your-mind

(And if anyone’s interested in hearing my advice about sticking to a healthy diet, let me know. I’d love to blog about it!)

I can’t wait to write my next post, which will be all about VEGAS!!! (And there will probably be some bonus blog posts too in the days leading up to the big event!)