Finding the Energy!

I'm tired...I'm hungry...I'm excited...I'm nervous...and, sometimes, a little edgy.

Each day I keep telling myself to keep going...put down the spoon and don't eat anymore peanut butter.  I know you are hungry, but get through it and reap the benefits when you see your body making the changes you are working toward.  What gets me through?  I know this is not forever...in fact, we are 3 weeks away.   I also keep telling myself that all this hard work, in and out of the kitchen, will be soooooo worth it.

My meetings with Christine are going well.  My body fat is where it was before my last show and she feels it will continue to drop a little lower.  She has changed up my eating and weight training schedule for the next week.  I will now be adding cardio blasts into my weight training circuits.  I've been lifting higher reps with short rest breaks the last couple weeks, so adding in high cardio bursts will definitely challenge me.  But, for those that know me...when have I ever backed down from a challenge? :)

I'm still carb cycling and will be eating high carbs this weekend (Yay!!).  However,  they are limited to a certain "kind" of carb...rice, potato, yam, cream of rice...no more fruit...only complex carbs for this lady (that started last week!).  I then go to "0" carbs for a couple days~which, I've been doing for the past couple weeks.  I've gotten through it.  My head feels a little fuzzy and I am usually pretty careful about making big decisions on those days.  (If I show up driving a convertible, or, a tattoo on my body-you know I probably did it on a low carb day!).
 I don't really feel that I've gotten cranky, I usually get quiet when I'm hungry, or, as my TRX class peeps know, I usually talk about food :O).
 When I teach class, I  tell myself to KEEP GOIN!  Don't slow down!  Find those fat cells and make them shrink down to a raisin!!   I've also notice that when I'm on lower carbs, my heart rate doesn't go up as high, which results in fewer calories burned.  But, I'll take a 550 calorie burn in a 60 minute exercise sessions any day!!   On Sunday's, I typically do a 5 mile walk ( at about a 4.5mph pace) and based upon my body weight, that's only about 377 calories burned.  I am a sweat junkie.  Getting a good sweat while walking is tough (usually doesn't happen), but, put me in my ZUMBA class and within 20 minutes I'm drenched!!  Liquid Awesome everywhere!

A good friend of mine is doing her first competition this weekend.  I'm so excited for her.  I LOVE watching people follow their dreams, and sometimes, having the dream find them and pull them toward it.  This young lady has shown perseverance and strength over the last 6 months.  She kept going and believing in herself.  I am ready to watch her put all her hard work into play!!

That's the key to anything you want in life.  How bad do you want it?  What are you willing to do to get it?  How will it impact your life (if negative~throw it out!)?   When it gets tough and you want to quit, what/who will keep you going?  Do you have the support you need to encourage you when you are ready to stop believing in yourself?   I go through these same feelings...but, believing in yourself, trusting your journey and knowing that you will be stronger, more confident and SO proud of yourself, makes all the sacrifices worthwhile.