chomping at the bit!

Here we are nine days out and I am chomping at the bit - to lose that last little bit of bodyfat without sacrificing the tremendous gains I've made in the muscle department. So basically, I'm just hanging out, enjoying a splurge meal or two this week, training hard and getting plenty of rest.

Got the hair done - cut and coloured today, eyebrows waxed and facial booked for early next week. I am very fortunate my sis is a hairdresser and she will do my hair for the show and she has a make up artist friend who will do my make up. This is terrific news for a tomboy such as myself.

What else - looking forward to meeting up with Alicia and Andj at RPM on Saturday, have been enjoying teaching the new release quite thoroughly! Bodystep again Tuesday, RPM on Wednesday and I am officially done and dusted for classes.

Techno dork

I have decided I'm a technology dork. I've just charged my new mobile phone up and it's asking me for a SIM pin. Do you think I have a clue what that is - nope - and think I'd best be off to Telstra in the morning. This happens right before I text Lia to wish her all the best for her comp. Arrggghhh. I've been thinking of you all day, Lia!

I am reflecting that at the start of last week, I am stressed about not being lean enough - now suddenly I'm stressing about getting too lean. As soon as I came into Brisbane, whammo, metabolism picked up and I'm down at comp weight. So now it is just a case of maintaining the weight, chowing down a few more calories and being steady.

I saw Jo today, who agreed not to get too much leaner, especially considering the Nats are on in 3 weeks. That is a long time and I know that from last time, I stayed at comp weight for a month post comp whilst eating like a horse so I've upped the calories (by an extra meal) and will adjust day by day.

The bikini Jo has created for me is nothing short of amazing - many more crystals than bikini number one, which I still love, but I am really taken with all of my new bling from Jo. We went through posing and routine, which has improved but still could be better. One step at a time!

Shout out to Lia

Thinking of you Lia -- all the best for Monday - I know you are going to rock the place!!!!

GO LIA, GO!!!!!

I'm OK

Have arrived in Brisbane and am feeling much better. Quick post as preparing for RPM and Bodystep launches and will update more next post. WAves to all :)

The shit hits the fan....

Arrgh. I am currently caught up in a vortex of being blindsided by the Woop Woop Warehouse, where I've decided to take indefinite leave of absence. It's going to be fun now actually training without a gym to train in. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, right?

I'm also having major leanness issues. Even though I think I look good for real life, I am simply not competition ready and stressing out big time. The above photo I took this morning. At least I still have 17 days to make a few changes, but I think I will be too soft on comp day. Where is my cry baby emoticon when I need it?

Anyway, I'm going to train on my bike this morning and do shoulders. I have enough weights/resistance to put together a decent effort so it's "hi-ho, off we go"

Carry on!

Three weeks to go and hanging in there :)

Training:
Run 40 mins
RPM32 practice 20 mins
RT 40mins (back and triceps)

Still a little tender in the neck and only did close grip pull ups today.

Have put the cake down and have the foot firmly planted on the accelerator.

Avoiding the Food Troll

Today has been a day spent avoiding the Dreaded Food Troll - yes he is an "entity" in my life as well as my "Inner Gollum" (but thankfully I haven't heard as much from him lately, only the echoes of "you gotta get leeeeeaaaannnner my precious").

We started by celebrating Georgia's birthday and having in true Nelo tradition, birthday cake for breakfast. I had a small piece which was fine, but I do believe the simple sugar/fat combination seems to switch on something in me that says , "troll, girl!"

The neck and shoulder are beginning to feel much better and it's almost a comedy how something seems to happen to me just before a comp - last time it was having to move out of the house (DH flooded it) and being in a position where food prep was very precarious.

Training today: BOSU/elliptical/rower circuit 45 mins - did some leg drills for the first time this week and felt much better.

Will be leaving for Brisvegas on Thursday just in time for the RPM launch at Indro on Saturday with Julia - cannot wait. Apart from that my mission is to shave off another 0.25 kg by Wednesday - if I don't, Coach Dave gets 100.00 US dollars to donate to a charity of his choice. So as I look around for what sweet treats I can pick away at (picking doesn't involve calories, right...wrong!), I bring the leverage into focus and here I am....

For Lia

Photo of my first bikini. It actually has a hot pink thread running through it!

Sorry I've been AWOL - birthday yesterday and trying to deal with the neck/shoulder pain. I was lucky to catch a physio to give me some treatment and it's feeling much better today, though I am nowhere near full tilt.

Workout today:
Run 30mins
Teach aero class 45mins
Biceps only: 10 mins

Ouch

I didn't want to make this picture any bigger. Horrifying isn't it?

Today I tore something in my lats whilst doing some chin ups. Hope I pull up OK tomorrow, I've been in pain all day.

Quick update.
Training
45 mins run

Chin UPs varied grip 4 x8
Chin Up/Lat Pull Giant Sets - 4 chins, Lat pull down to failure (about 8 reps) 4 sets
Seated Row 4 x10
Hyperextensions with glute focus
Leg Curl 4 x20 fast
Tricep Dips 4 x6 with 4kg dumbbell
Tricep French press 3 x10

Trained 5 clients today. Busy, busy busy. Next step is to learn all my LMI choreo! Arrgh! I think I'm building the other side of Sam's pyramids!

Kangaroo Mad!

This weekend has been, shall we say, Skippy dominant as we went to Rocky yesterday to do some shopping. I bought a fantastic skirt from Lorna Jane for twenty bucks (yes, we are going slowly into "is that my freaking size now?"mode )- I buy one size up so when I am a bit heavier, it fits nicely. Here I was with a size Small hanging off me, so rather than have to deal with not fitting an XS later on, I'm happy to be back in my "smalls"...hee hee.

I also bought one hundred dollars worth of kangaroo (Jodi, you would be proud of me :) ) - Naturoo sausages, steaks and the marinaded steaks that Rae mentioned. I've just tried the Naturoo sausages - per serve they are 2.5 sausages 31.2 g protein, 2 g fat and no carbs...wowsa! They taste fantastic too. Now all I have to do is ask Naturoo for a sponsorship and I would be seriously set!

As we have just hit the four week out mark, I'll give a quick update. I am tracking OK. The biggest surprise has been being about 1.5 kg/3 pounds heavier than I was at this stage last time and I'm going to take the leap of faith and suggest that most of it is muscle. I've been wrestling with my thoughts a bit, wondering if I have been pushing it hard enough but when I was posing yesterday I can definitely see more leanness, so A-OK there. I would estimate I have between 1 and 1.5 kg to lose now to get onto the stage, so my plan is to keep training hard and hammer away at the nutrition for the next two weeks and see what Jo thinks when I see her 10 days out. Then I can make some minor adjustments where necessary and hopefully have enough time not to stress.

This week will be filled up with learning LesMills for the Brissy launches and sorting out all my PT clients before I go. Miss Georgia's birthday on Friday and I have to make her a cake shaped like a lion. We girls have to have talent in so many areas!

Dessert time!

Tonight I enjoyed a splurge of pecan pie for my DH's birthday. I actually counted out some pecans and chocolate to eat whilst prepping it as well and I must say I really enjoyed my treats today!

With all of those extra carbs and fat I am going to be on fire when I train tomorrow..yeehah!

Just did cardio today - 20 minute steady state run, taught aerobics class 60 mins and went for a walk.

I'm feeling really good - despite the splurge being rich, I enjoyed my fill and am going to bed happy.

Roof is on Fire!

Today I was thinking of Sam and decided to do some plyo work - tuck jumps, side to side skiers etc. I am sure I cannot jump as high as Sam, but it was fun trying :)

Taught a spin class today and did plyo work and trained my back as hard and heavy as I could go. I even lifted a PB which surprises me this close to competition.

RT
Close grip PD 4 x 8-10 (heavy)
Plyo tuck jumps 4 x 5
Rope high pull 4 x10
Dumbell row 4 x10
Skiers 4 x 1 min
Tricep dips (bodyweight +4kg ) 3 x8
Tricep Kick backs 2 x10

Weight has irritatingly stalled a little this week and looks like I may have to make a few changes next week, but not before I enjoy a little pecan pie and icecream that we are having for hub's birthday tomorrow. Then my birthday on Tuesday (I'm sure I will get an oats and protein birthday pancake) and Georgia on Saturday. Yikes! Everyone in our family starts "relaxing" around Christmastime >>>>>

Kick butt!

Today was very busy for me! Firstly it was teaching an aerobics class, which made me dredge up the memories of my freestyle teaching days - I haven't taught freestyle classes for a year or so and it is fun deciding to do the choreo my way sometimes. On the flip side, it's great to rely on Les Mills to do it all for you.

After class I had a PT client, then payment of loads of bills and then back to the gym for a run and shoulder/ab training as well as another PT client.

Soon after I arrived home, I received a phone call from the lovely Lia. Lia, it was great to "meet" you in voice and I'm looking forward to meeting you in person. We had quite a long chat...about guess what? Competing of course!

Training:
Run (FOTA) 20mins (that is Foot on the Accelerator!)
Elliptical 20mins
Teach class 45 mins (but not dreadfully intense)

Shoulders:
Shoulder Press on BOSU - 4 x 8-10
Upright Row on BOSU 4 x8
Ab roll backs on ball 3 x 10
Free range alt shoulder press 3 x 6-8 (the "free range" bit sounds like I was training with the chooks) + lateral raise to failure

Inspiration and passion

Today's photo is of Andre Agassi, who has just retired from top level tennis. His sportsmanship was second to none and he gave 100% to every match he played. Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter, who tragically lost his life in a freak marine accident is another wonderful example of someone that "lived their life with passion" as Kimmy would say.

On the bodybuilding front, check out my link to the Club Lifestyle blog. David has done an amazing interview with a remarkable gentleman named Pocha Neal. It teaches us that anything is possible if we are willing to take the reins and give it a shot.

Training yesterday:

Elliptical 20mins, teach spin class 30 mins (I was on and off the bike yesterday!)
Strength training:
Chest/Legs
Incline Bench Press: 4x 12/10/8/8 (got a PB in here..woohoo)
BOSU defensive squats: 4 x20
Bench Press: 4x 10
BOSU 180 degree plyo jumps 3 x10
180 degree plyos on the floor 2 x8
Decline Chest Flye - 4 x 8-10
Leg Extension 2 x20 explosive

OK, that's it for now!

This one is for Rae!

I honestly didn't know what picture I was going to put up today and then I thought of Rae and thought, I'll put my big mug up here!

Actually it's a good reminder to keep going - I still have a bit to go!

Recapping the weekend - had cravings for chocolate all day Saturday after waking up feeling very depleted and tired. I tried to work my way around the cravings, but to no avail - I tried Nutella (not a good move) , extra carbs/protein and eventually shared half a bar with hubs and immediately felt much better. It meant that Saturday was a day where I ate much more than I wanted but I try and learn from these experiences and move on. What I learnt out of it is to have some chocolate if I really feel like it, simply because I crave it so rarely and I must have been very much out-of-sorts to have such a craving.

Sunday was a complete rest day which meant I got to see the effect of all of those carbs in the mirror today - my muscles looked pretty full and I took full advantage of the extra glycogen and put in a kicker of a run this morning as well as a pretty heavy training session. I still end up a little over food budget today, and weight is up, but all good things come down in my case so I'll keep pressing on.

Hmm, what else? The dump trucks actually turned out to be quite interesting. At full tilt, they are 20 metres high and take 3500 litres of fuel to fill the tank! Yikes.

Training today:
Run - 45 mins -took about 20 minutes to warm up and then I put the foot on the accelerator.
Elliptical- 15 mins

Strength Training:
Chin ups: varied grips 4 x6 (the wide grip was assisted...youch!)
Lat PD to front: 4 x8
Hyperextensions: 4 x 10
Seated Row: 4 x8
Leg Curl: 3 x20
Tricep Dips + 2kg dumbbell: 4 x 8
Dumbbell DeadLifts: 3 x15 bent knee, 3 x 15, stiff
Tri push down: 3 x10

Weekend's here!

Today's shot is of Cathe Friedrich and crew. Cathe makes fantastic fitness DVDs for home use, which are a Godsend up in Woop Woop. She is filming four new workouts which should hit my desk in late October. I'm looking forward to doing them after the comps!

Training today:
walked (and yes, the heavens opened up on me)

Taught step class 45 mins, run pm 30 mins and chest and biceps training.

Chest/Biceps:
Incline DB Press 4 x 8-10
Pec Deck 4 x 10
BOSU pushup with arm placement variation 3 x12
Barbell curl 3 x 10

I felt pretty fatigued today and decided to go short and sharp on the training rather than let things drag on too long.

Onto the weekend, which I find the hardest in terms for trolling for food - the trolling occurs because I'm bored (and a little hungry) and if I am to succeed on weekends, it means putting activities in place that don't involve the kitchen!

We are off to see these massive dump trucks in Moura tomorrow and I will pack my snacks, drinks and probably some extra veggies. Sunday is more difficult - Father's Day - but we may have a BBQ in the local park, so that gets me out of the house there as well. Just keeping on with the forward planning!