6 Weeks Out!

Well, I'm six weeks out from the Pittsburgh Pro show & I'm feelin like I've made some progress this week. Stepping up my cardio (excuse the pun, tee hee :) has really helped & I'm finally starting to feel in touch with my inner figure girl, lol. The diet is not hard per se but it has been the biggest hurdle this week. I'm a little grouchier than usual as I'm craving no-no foods & can't have them. It doesn't help when Adela eats a Snickers right in front of me!! Just you wait Chica, payback is a bruja :P Having a lot of fun helping Adela get ready for the NPC Adela Garcia Classic. It's going to be an epic event! If you can make it happen, enter to compete, sponsor or come & see the show on June 25th. Go to www.adelagarciaclassic.com for info. At this point I'm taking it day by day just trying to focus on just getting every meal in & getting the workouts in & still able to keep up with the kiddo's school & activities. My plan of action this year is getting my cardion in the am done before they get up & then I get my workouts in while their in school (except for the nights I teach class at the gym) so as not to take away from our time together too much. My amazing hubby has been cooking their dinner most nights so I won't be tempted to indulge in their food. I am so blessed to have a supportive team. Thank you family, Adela & O.F.F. Challenge, FMG & friends!

OT- Getting Confirmation

I want to share an experience I had Monday afternoon. This is off topic but in my opinion pertinent to part of the why I do what I do. In between the kids, teaching classes at the gym, my workouts & cardio I've been trying to fit in getting my business off the ground. I have a vision of working with women (with a focus on moms) to help them help themselves have a better quality of life starting with fitness and integrating several other key components that I won't go into here. So anyway, I met with a potential client who is a working mother of four for a consultation. As she began to explain why she had called me and what she wanted me to help her with she became emotional. I could hear the frustration and feel how desperate she was for a change in her life. As a mom, I have been there and I see how prevalent it is in our society. Moms so often put themselves last on the list and give so much of themselves until they have nothing left to give. What they don't realize is that in the end everyone suffers as a result of their martyrdom. Starting an exercise regimen can be such a stress reliever and when your body changes you start to feel better about yourself.
I was starting to get discouraged about putting more into this business right now and then out of nowhere I got this call from this mom whom I've only met once before through my daughter's school and just happened to have given her my card. She called me after looking at my website and after having our consult together I knew it was God sending confirmation that this is what I need to do.

8 1/2 weeks out

This is 8 1/2 weeks and they will be the last photos taken before my cutting phase starts. The suit is not right but we're working on that and I feel pretty thick but then I haven't started cardio yet so this is where the fun begins, seeing how the body transforms with both proper nutrition and workout plans provided by my wonderful coach Adela. Thank you Adela for all of your guidance, encouragement, knowledge & support. I am very blessed to have a husband, coach, and friends who support & encourage me. It makes the journey more meaningful and it helps to give me that nudge I need to get to the gym sometimes when I think I'm too sore to workout or to stick to the nutrition plan when people around me are eating pasta. lol, THAT'S hard! You can have a great support system around you and purchase a plan from the best coaches but they can't control what you put in your mouth or how many workouts you get in. There is sooo much self-discipline involved on my part & what drives me are 2 things: I am representing my family, coach, manager & team and don't want to let them down, AND my contest photos will be posted on the internet. :P

My Dedication to Mommy Glenda

My Pittsburgh Pro competition on May 7th is dedicated to my Mother-in-Love Glenda. She was always sooo supportive of my competitions & loved to talk about my training & experiences at different shows. She would call me 'Superwoman', lol. She and Dad Lito, as well as the rest of their family came to Culver City last March to cheer me on for my first Pro show. Mommy you are an inspiration to me and you are truly the superwoman I want to be. I often draw upon your many words of wisdom you had given me over the years. As I go through my training for my competition I will think of how courageous you were in your life. Your ability to be so loving & so positive in difficult situations inspires me to be a better person. Thank you for all the gifts you've given us with your just being you. We miss you so much already...

Gettin 'Sophie' with it!

My hubby always makes me laugh. Here in this video we're goofin at the gym where I'm trying to get thru the end of a back workout & I'm tired & sore. I always tell my class members to get mad & growl if you have to to get thru it, lol. So here Aziel is reminding me to "Get Sophie with it" to finish the exercise. Sophie is our little Pom Pom & when She is playing tug-o-war with a toy or the kids are teasing her, she growls & gets all crazy-eyed like a crazy fox. This is my imitation of her & it helps me finish the set with laughter :D

11 Weeks out- Posing practice

These are a little dark, sorry, but you get the idea. These were taken 2 weeks before the Arnold Expo during a posing practice with Adela & my teamies Shelsea & Emily with O.F.F. Challenge. Posing for figure is sooo different than Bikini (duuuuh, Alea!) I am such a perfectionist & I just can't stand it when I can't do something great right away. I have always been a stickler for proper form. Ever since I was little I used to try my hardest to do every move perfectly to stand out from the rest & impress my teachers. This day of posing was very frustrating for me as I couldn't get the feel for how to get my lats out. My hubby Aziel & Adela would encourage me that I was getting it but I wasn't feeling I was in control of it yet & that to me wasn't getting it. We are usually our own worst critics but then if we weren't we wouldn't push ourselves to be greater, would we? I could practice my Bikini posing all day long with confidence but this time it was my turn to feel what it was like to be out of my element. On that day I learned that I wasn't gonna get it perfect in one day but don't think I didn't go home & practice for 4 more hours! lol! Determination is my best friend right now :)

17 Weeks Out From Pittsburgh Pro

So Here are some pics taken 17 weeks out in January. The suit is a little off & just learning how to pose. :)