Introduction to my journey

Today I decided to start writing about my journey to my first figure competition. I don't really even know how I got into the idea of competing in a figure competition. I've always been an athlete, I played softball from the age of 4 years old and had planned on playing in college, then the misfortune of me needing total rotator cuff reconstruction came about. After my first surgery I attempted to play softball again, 3 months into being back into the game, I tore something else in my shoulder and decided to call it quits. As I went through college I did the partying, drinking and eating massive amounts of junk foods and still found time for the gym at least every other day.

After my graduation, I started working full time at a desk job; always being concerned about weight gain, I started working out on an almost daily basis. I did minimal cardio and a decent amount of lifting, basically not pushing myself all that hard, but enough to get a sweat in. I realized that the job I had chosen was not very accomidating to my life, the drive was about 3 hours round trip every day. I switched companies which then provided me with more time for the gym and I had also met one of the most influential people in my life changing ways...My workout buddy JP.

I originally started working out really hard this past year to get in shape for a trip to vegas, I knew I would be in a bikini more than half the time and didnt want to look like crap. I started my workout kick in April 2008, at that point I was about 22% body fat and 125 lbs. Vegas came and went, and I was satisfied with what I had looked like. Post vegas, I had this great idea to get into figure, come into picture Bea Fox. Bea has been helping me with my crazy figure competition idea and has been my training and diet coach.

Now the good stuff...
My diet is currently a NO carb, high protein, high fat diet which consists of lots of lean meat, and healthy fats (nut butters, olive oil, mayonaise, nuts), and endless amounts of low carbohydrate high fiber vegetables.

My workouts have been harder than I could have ever expected. I workout almost daily, but not to forget that rest is VERY important to growing and recovering. I have a 4 day isolated split lifting schedule, 1 day off and 2 days of circuit training (1 upper body, 1 lower body). I try to get in cardio on a daily basis except for 1 day off for the week; my cardio consists of a mixture of low impact long duration cardio and high intensity short duration cardio.

Today was a back training day along with 20 mins of step machine cardio. I feel a little like crap today, just a little more tired than usual, I think it's just my body catching up from this week of working out. It's getting a little tough without fruit, I dream about fruit daily. It's okay, it will all be worth it in the end. I'm hoping to at least place in the excalibur (Dec. 6, 2008). I will continue to post my daily blog and training and diet starting tomorrow.

Follow me and my journey to the finish...just 92 days away! wish me luck!