Wednesday, June 6, 2018

20 Weeks Out

Saturday my journey officially began with Chris Goodman of GPS Coaching for the NGA Natural Peoria Championships on October 20th.

I am so excited to learn from Chris and prep in a different way.  She has started me off with a caloric reduction and varying days for carb/protein/fat amounts.  I will have two high carb days, two medium carb days and three low carb days.  Kyle is having me weight train five days a week.  Allowing 20 weeks for the prep will give us time to play around with the numbers and see what best suits my body.

With this prep I do have a "new to me" challenge.  My body seems to continually be changing, not sure if it is my age or what.  My menstrual cycle has changed dramatically which led to me talking with my doctor.  I have multiple fibroids and will be meeting with an OBGYN to discuss treatment options.  Having just had surgery to have my right thyroid removed last November I am hoping we can find a solution that does not involve surgery.  Regardless I am going to give it my all throughout this prep and deal with the not so fun time of the month and just get through it.

My weight starting off is 149 pounds.  Chris is not concerned with my body fat, she goes off of measurements and pictures/check ins rather than checking body fat.  That is a big change for me, I can still have Kyle do it because I am going to be curious about that number, it's just the way I am.

So here I was two weeks out from my last competition which was in May 2014.


Here I am currently, 20 weeks out from my next competition.


My weight training over the last four years has not been consistent the entire time.  I would have time frames of taking a couple months off due to health issues both physical and mental.  Even with that I am happy to see the growth in my back, my lats are much wider which helps to make my waist look smaller.  I really have been trying to grow my "wings" and what Kyle had me doing has definitely worked!

Since January I have been very consistent with my training and nutrition.  To see the pictures and know I have 20 weeks of cutting, it just gives me butterflies of excitement to see how I end up for the competition.  Now as I go through this journey I know there will be voices questioning why and judging me, it has already begun.  Even those closest to you sometimes cannot understand the journey you choose and will view you with eyes of judgement.  But this journey is for ME and I choose to compete because I truly enjoy it.
Even though comments can sting, and they may not be made with that intention, I will move on from them and remember I am not doing this for anyone else but myself.  My biggest piece of advice for anyone that considers competing is to know that there will ALWAYS be someone who judges you but as long as you are doing it for the right reasons you can move past it and ignore the haters.

This is going to be a fun journey for me and I am so pumped to see the changes in my body as we go along.  It is fascinating to slowly lose the body fat and see all of the muscles hiding underneath.  So here we go, a journey that may seem crazy and silly to some, but one that I choose to undertake with joy and love for myself.


17 comments:

  1. Well, I'm excited to follow your journey! I don't really know anyone who has trained for a competition like this, so this will be a learning experience for me, too. Best of luck!!

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  2. I'm always in awe of the people (you!) that can train for these competitions. Can't wait to follow along!

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  3. I don't know much about how to train for this type of competition. Sounds like you are on such an exciting journey look forward to following along.

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  4. How cool that you are doing this again! I haven't done a competition myself, but I've interviewed figure and bikini competitors and the amount of discipline they have is unreal. Can't wait to root you on these next several weeks!

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  5. That's amazing! You are going to do so great! Best of luck to you in this journey!

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  6. Good luck! I love the quote you shared about believing in yourself

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  7. I am going to the stage around the same time. I look forward to following your journey and know you'll beat your old self.

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    1. Thank you and that is awesome we'll be stepping on stage around the same time! Have fun with your prep! :)

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  8. It's pretty amazing to see the transformation that weight training can bring! I had a friend do competitive bodybuilding in her 20s. Truly awesome.

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    1. It really is amazing what the weight training and nutrition can do, the human body is seriously awesome!

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  9. I am SO excited for you Stephanie! you are going to rock this!! As for the judging - no matter WHAT you do, there is always someone who can turn it into a negative. like when I get comments "YOU run marathons?" You do you!!! Good luck and looking forward to following the journey!

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