First Posing practice - Accomplished!

Let me just say, I am glad to get that first practice in and under my belt.  I am so glad that I went, even though I was close to having an anxiety attack over it!

When I pulled in the parking lot, I noticed a LOT of cars.  I didn't think much about it because I knew there were a lot of girls competing this spring.  Only, when I walked in the door, there were a ton of people in the gym training.  Not just normal people...  Huge muscly guys!  Probably bodybuilding prep guys, I would assume.  I thought "Ah hell" and then remembered a comment that Shawna had told me before about practicing in front of others and getting used to people looking at your body.  Then her tag line...  "Welcome to Prep!".

Bye Bye scale...

So...  I couldn't even take my own advice from my last post.  I couldn't just follow the plan and let things take its course and just trust in the process.  I put up a good front on the outside, but inside, I was freaking out.  I don't even know why. 

I am new to this whole process.  I let the thought of a certain 'stage weight' get to me and assumed things that I shouldn't have.  My instructions were clear...  eat the food per plan, get your workouts in, add cardio 4x a week.  Easy enough, right?  Why I feel compelled to step on the scale EVERY SINGLE MORNING I don't know.  I am sure I am not alone.

My trainer made some posts on Facebook about his frustrations with prep clients weighing in too frequently and obsessing over whether or not they had lost any weight.  BAM!  I felt completely exposed...  I was doing just that.  I wasn't sure what was expected of me at this phase of things...  am I supposed to be losing?  I have even amazed myself at how well I am following the meal plan and I haven't missed a workout since the first of November.  I take my 2 rest days a week and work hard in the gym on weight training days.  I have only had cardio added since last week, but I get those in and spread out during the week.  I weigh/measure all my food and if it isn't on the plan, I don't eat it.  I am doing everything that I can...  So, why couldn't I follow the simple instruction of weighing only on Friday?  I know better then to expect immediate results.  It turns out that his posts weren't even about me specifically, but it hit so close to home, I figured I better fess up, face the music and move forward.  I would rather move past this now then closer to the contest date.

So, what now?  I am having my husband take the scale away.  My trainer will be taking pictures to check progress when needed.  Keep doing what I am doing, follow the plan.  Trust in the process and quit sabotaging myself.  I can do this!

Oh, and it is going to be a banner week!  My next worst fear of all of this...  Being able to do the posing and walking!  Posing practice starts this Saturday for clients that compete in March/April.  It isn't mandatory for me yet, but I figure I need all the lessons and practice that I can get.  I have no idea what I am doing in that department, that is for sure.  I don't know why I am so freaked out about it, but I am kind of a nervous wreck.  I am hoping by getting this first session in (and getting past how great some of these girls will look, because they are close to their show date) I can calm down a bit and walk away with some knowledge so that I can practice on my own as well.  I have added it to my calander and plan to be there every week, unless Trinity has a dance competition.  I need to get this down and feel comfortable with my own body.  This is so hard for me...  but I can't let it get the best of me.  I can do this!

Let's hope this little reality check/wake up call hits home this time.  Anyone else want to join me in ditching the scale??? :)

Take a chill pill, Mel...

So...  I actually started working on my next post yesterday afternoon.  I hadn't posted it yet, because I was waiting on a few things to add, but now, I wanted to scrap it and start over.  After looking at it again, I realized that I didn't have the best attitude...  I was kind of freaking out over something that I shouldn't have and I need to just calm down, trust the process and keep working hard.  I am doing everything on my end of things to make this successful and that is all I can ask of myself to do.

Start of Prep

18 weeks!
OMG!
New meal plan...
Let's go!

I am a little excited, I know...  Bear with me, because when I post at around 5 weeks out or so, I may be a cranky bitch and these won't be near as fun and light hearted! :)

Happy New Year (Now get to work!)

I can't believe that I am going to say this...  But, thank God I am going back to work tomorrow and getting back into a schedule/routine!  The last 10+ days away from work have been so incredibly busy that I really didn't have much time to 'enjoy' that time off!  I learned some things about myself that will hopefully better prepare me for what is to come in the next couple of months as I enter prep season.