Strong is Beautiful!

I would label the 7th week of competition training as an "adjustment" period.  I literally could not walk straight for three days after our intense leg workout... massage therapy, epsom salt baths and Ibuprofen to the rescue!! I had been lifting as heavy as I could every day and was doing cardio 6 days per week from 20 to 60 minutes. Over doing it? Um, yea, a little bit. Monday, right after work, I wandered right into bed and sleep for 10 hours. (Note to self: Always wash your face even when you are about to pass out or you will break out. Ugh!) Although a bit run down, mentally my mind was still very 'fired' up. I admit I did get a little cranky at the beginning of this week... I think a few of my personal training clients may have suffered from this. Hahaha! (I was in the "No, Mercy" mode.) This crankiness was mostly due to my attempt to find the right balance in my nutrition plan. I convinced myself more calories were needed and after consulting with a fitness coach we agreed I should eat at least another 200 calories per day. I found out that she eats 3,000 calories per day, while I had landed at 1,500. Grant it, she can bench press over 280 pounds to my measly 100 pounds. Holy Cow! All that to say, by the end of the these two weeks of focus, I lost 5lbs... which made me a little sad for fear some muscle may have been waisted, but leanness was quickly noticed.

To keep mentally 'tough' and 'entertained', I took in a lot of influence from my surroundings.  A funny resource came from my dear friend Cheryl, Awkward Gym Moments. Busted me up... Here's the link if you want to check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJIwJ990Cx8.

On another occasion at the gym, I saw a young girl (mid-20's) wearing a t-shirt that said, "STRONG IS BEAUTIFUL!" Right on!! I loved it and used that thought in my next workout set. It reminded me of a time from lifting days in my early 20's... so long ago, hummm. :) I recall thinking, as a young girl, that a certain weight lifted was enough. "Oh! I don't want too get too big." A statement I once said and hear frequently from clients when I ask them to lift heavier. Oh how I wish I could erase this kind of thinking from every person who has ever thought this. That very thought is limiting a potential. It comes from a 'fear' versus a 'discovery' of what's possible. And, I truly believe, if that thought barrier is broken that literally anything is possible. My answer to that statement is.... "Well, WHEN we get TOO big then we'll cut back."

The truth is muscle is like gold! It does take work to keep it. Often times, beyond what we think we can do. I always say, "When you feel like you can't do any more reps, do at least three more!!!" :) Okay, off to the gym I go.