Stephanie Terry Diva Fitness!

Cinnamon Apples!

2010-03-16T09:03:00.002-05:00

I got this recipe from one of my Figure friends. If you like green apples, you will love this sweet recipe that is super-good-for-you!

1 Granny Smith green apple
Ground Cinnamon

Cut the apple into pieces, place on plate and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Place in microwave for approximately 1 minute (depends on your settings on your microwave). Let cool and enjoy!

If you aren't training or worrying about your sugar/calories, you can also sprinkle with brown sugar splenda for extra sweetness.

Enjoy!!

Coffee Heaven

2010-03-06T13:49:00.003-06:00

On the forever quest for yummy goodness while competing, I have discovered a great way to make my black coffee taste like a Starbucks latte with ZERO calories or fat or sugars. Take your regular, black coffee and add a teaspoon of Walden Farms Caramel (0 Carbs/0 Sugars/0 Calories) to it, stir. Delicious!!!

Protein for the Sweet Tooth!

2010-03-01T11:34:00.002-06:00

Every competitor struggles with that sweet tooth every now and then. I'm no different. I stumbled across some yummy goodness out there and thought I would share. As most of you know, my favorite protein powder is ISO Dymatize 1000. It is super-clean and mixes well with water (I am not a paid endorser). Zero carbs, Zero sugars and Zero fat which is also a happy. I ordered their Pina Colada flavor for the first time, just to experiment with some new flavors. I put a scoop of that and a teaspoon of my Walden Farms Marshmallow Whip (also zero carbs, zero sugars and zero calories), 1/3 Cup of oats and water/ice cubes in my blender to mix it up. YUMMY! 206 calories. I must warn you, it is really sweet. Like that's a bad thing. Ha! Enjoy!!

Happy March!

2010-03-01T08:47:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone! Wow, it has been awhile since my last post, I am sorry about that. Managing 4 active kids and a busy hubby while working AND training for a competition is a bit crazy but I wouldn't trade a minute of it. Just bear with me as we finish up winter sports in our house, my postings will get more frequent. How is everyone?

I woke up this morning with a smile that it is now March. Winter here in Kansas this year has been grueling, kind of like your training diets!! Ha! Like all of you, I am ready to take my cardio/interval training outdoors. I think I have worn grooves in my treadmill. My hubby is also glad because my treadmill sits right next to his side of the bed and those early morning cardio sessions are getting really old while he tries to sleep!

So today marks 8 weeks out until my competition. I was really worrying because I had hit a plateau and wasn't making any changes. I made some changes to my diet and my cardio and now I am movin again! Leaning up time is officially here!! I am extremely proud of my online clients who are posting some incredible changes as well!! The girl power around me is awesome!! Keep it up all of you!

It is also that time to begin thinking about my competition suit. I'm excited because I just put in an order for a new, custom made one last week. I can't wait to see it! If you all haven't worked with Tamara at www.bikiniguru.com yet, you should. She's really great with measurements, colors, style, etc. Reach out to her and let her know I sent ya. She has done my trainer's suits for years.

Send me emails and tell me how you are doing. I love to hear from everyone. We are in hard core training season now, so I know EVERYONE is working hard and eating super-clean. It will all pay-off as all of you beauties hit the stage to show off that hard work. Keep the thoughts positive and lean on your competition friends to get you through the rough days. I posted the above picture as a reminder to keep going. It's a magnet that I have on my fridge. Love ya! Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!

Muscles over Skinny!!

2010-02-17T11:52:00.004-06:00

In honor of the Olymipic Winter Games that are currently on, I thought I would post this article. I actually came across it through HardBody.com/news (great site by Isaac Hinds to check out).

This is an article about Olympic ice skater Tanith Belbin and how going from super-skinny to muscular and eating correctly made her a better skater. She talks about the weight issues that she has experienced that a lot of us have and how she made the change to an "Athletic Body". It's amazing what some weight training and inteligent eating will do for ya!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/sports/olympics/17icedancers.html?ref=nutrition

Fitnes Universe, 2010 in Miami, Florida

2010-02-16T13:50:00.000-06:00

Great Butt Workout by Zuzana

2010-02-16T13:11:00.003-06:00

If you all haven't been to Zuzana's site (www.bodyrock.tv), you really should. She hosts a daily fitness show where she does some of the best workouts I've seen. She has a great way of coming up with new ideas that keep your cardio fresh and interesting. Another great thing about what she does is it is all "outside" of a gym setting so people who don't have gym memberships can do the workouts from home. So here is a really fantastic butt workout that is also a fat-blaster because she keeps the heart rate up. You can do this at home or at the gym and I am always telling everyone to work those butts!!! This is an easy one to do...well...maybe "easy" is the wrong word :) Go get it!!

Pepper Crazy!

2010-02-11T18:22:00.004-06:00

I spotted this yummy find at my grocery store today (Hen House). Most familiar with competitor diets know that peppers are a "freebie" food. I get tired of cutting them up though. So...today I found these "mini peppers" and brought them home with me. Yumm-o!! I am really excited about these and how handy they are. They are very sweet too. Yes, I realize that it doesn't take much to get me excited (peppers, really??), but if you compete, you totally understand!! Hopefully you can find them too. If not, ask your grocery store, I bet they can get some for you.

I have also noticed that as I get closer to competition, the longer it takes me to get through the grocery store! I find myself lingering in the chip aisle, the cookie aisle, the candy aisle, etc. I just stand and stare. People probably think I'm crazy!! Love it!!

11 Weeks Out

2010-02-09T09:19:00.006-06:00

I'm starting to feel the panic! 11 weeks out from my competition and worrying about the end result. Will I get lean enough? Will my shoulders have developed more than last time? How's my back? Quads? I have been working really hard in the "off season" to add more muscle. Will it be enough? I'm going up against some pretty tough competition in April. My carbs have been higher up until now, so I'm not feeling as lean as I would like either. This is the story of most figure girls during competition season. My friends and family roll their eyes. They don't understand. In their eyes, I am in amazing shape. Why do I need to lose more? Tone more? "Are you kidding?" I am sure you all get the same feedback, however we are pretty Type A in our sport. Runners too. We are very goal-oriented and perfectionists. Heck, when you put your rear end up on stage in a tiny little bikini and turn to the back, you MUST be a perfectionist! I do know in the end, it will all come together. It always does. This is a very tough sport that requires the highest level of self-control and discipline. Knowing that, I stay true to my diet and workouts. I trust my trainer. I know she will get me to "stage day" perfection.

My favorite workouts right now are ladders. You can do them for your back and chest and of course, legs/butt. If you have access to a cable machine, that is the best way, but of course you can improvise too. Be prepared to work hard and breathe heavy!

I'm beginning to feel the effects of the heavy training. I am more tired and sore these days and that is to be expected with the heavier weights and the high intensity. It is only going to get harder! So...I put my game face on and keep my eye on the prize and focus on the stage. It's all worth it to see the amazing changes that take place in our bodies.

Everyone hang in there. Focus. This is the time. Make the most of your workouts, get massages, eat right and take your supplements. Oh, and thank your loved ones for helping you get through it too. I have a great support system around me, which makes all the difference in the world. Thanks for reading, I love each and every one of you! We really are a Figure Sorority. Rock the Girl Power and Go Figure!

Some Days I Don't Want to Work Out Either!

2010-02-03T21:18:00.003-06:00

I woke up today very tired and very sore. All-over sore. Between traveling with 4 kids to the Bahamas and back, working legs super-heavy on Monday and then my trainer giving me an incredible back/bi work-out on Tuesday, I woke up today feeling really tired and every inch of my body aching. I have those days too, where I am just not "feeling" the excitement of going and pushing myself AND doing cardio. Guess what? I went anyway and I worked really hard and I was really glad I did afterward. Oh sure, I could have made the easy excuse of feeling over-trained and needing to take a day off but let's face it; excuses suck and you end up feeling worse afterward for not going. It would be different if I was injured, but I'm not. I'm 12 weeks out from my competition and I pretty much have to live in the excuse-free zone for the next 12 weeks. There's something about the idea of having to wear that tiny little suit on stage that keeps you honest to your workouts!

For those that are following, today's workout was legs. Legs, legs, legs. That includes the butt. I am pretty focused on getting more definition in my quads and building my butt. I finished with abs and then 30 minutes of steady-state cardio. I then took my BCAA's and Glutamine and made sure to have my protein shake right after. My protein shake, post-workout is water, ice, 1 scoop protein powder, 1/2 cup of oats, 1 banana and some coconut flavoring. No fats in my post workout meal. I want everything to absorb into my muscles quickly and fats slow that process down.

So now I am off to bed. Sleep/recovery is critical right now since I am training so hard. It will help me to wake up feeling more rested and less sore.

Hang in there on your workouts and training! It's all worth it afterward! Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!

Walden Farms Products

2010-02-02T15:18:00.002-06:00

I did a previous post about how in love I was with the Walden Farms BBQ sauce. Yum! I recently ordered the "sweets" products in hopes that it would be a saving grace for any sweet tooth attacks that I have in the next 12 weeks. I ordered the marshmallow whip, caramel dip and chocolate dip. I would say that all three are "eh". They will do in a pinch, but none of them are the same as a cookie!! I did find that putting a little bit of one of the flavors in my protein shake was really good. I also put a little bit of the marshmallow in my sugar-free jell-o and that was good too. I will continue to experiment. Much love!

Today's Workout, 2/2/10

2010-02-02T14:54:00.002-06:00

Today's workout with my trainer was working back and biceps. We did ladders for a large portion of the workout. For those of you not familiar with ladders it is an extremely effective way to hit different angles in your muscle you are working For example, back. We started with 40 lbs on the cable machine. We used the handle that is in the shape of a W. My hand position going down was overhand. We started with the angle up high and did 12 reps. After each set, we dropped the angle a notch until we finally hit the bottom notch. I felt this in each muscle set within my back. I was working! Once we hit the bottom, we worked our way back up, this time my hand position was underhand. We also did pull-up plyos in-between my other exercises. Other exercises consisted of bicep curls, hammer curls, rope extensions, etc. It was a great workout!

Post-workout, I took my BCAA's and glutamine to help repair and build and followed with a protein shake that consisted of water, ice, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1/4 cup of light orange juice and 1/2 c oats. Yum!

12 Weeks Out!

2010-02-02T10:31:00.003-06:00

Hi Everyone! I've returned from the Bahamas (ahhhh...yes, it was SO warm!!!)and now 12 weeks out from my competition. I packed all my food and took it with me and amazingly, I stayed true to my competition diet while down there! I even came home a pound lighter on the scale. Yippee!

So right now I am doing 20-25 minutes of HIT cardio about 5-6 days/week. I'm not wanting to do too much more than that for fear of dropping weight too soon and losing precious muscle. I meet with my trainer today, so we will see if she starts tweaking my diet and my cardio. In her opinion, I can be "show ready" in 6 weeks, so hopefully I get to continue on my current calorie plan.

My treadmill workout this morning was 5 minutes warm-up then 20 minutes of 1 minute fast, 30 seconds rest. My speed on the treadmill is set at 8.0. Each treadmill is different, so do what works for you. I was breathing heavy at the end! Pump the music and get into a groove and you might actually enjoy it!

Yesterday I lifted heavy legs and they are sore and tired today. I'm also obsessed with pull-ups (starting position from the lowest hanging position) as I can see a big difference in my back and my biceps from doing them. They are tough to do, but try to get better at your pull-ups every/other/day. Even if you can only do 1 right now, that is still great! Hang and pull yourself up as opposed to jumping up and only going down part of the way. You gain more from the pull at the very top. Make a goal to master 1, then 3, then 5, so on. You can do it and your back will be beautiful by summer!!

Love you ladies! Rock the Girl Power and Go Figure!!!

Yummy Tuna Salad

2010-01-26T15:07:00.005-06:00

Here is a new favorite of mine. I found the Bumblebee tuna steak the other day in the grocery store. Yum!

In a bowl add:

Fresh spinach leaves (salad bag kind)
Chopped cucumbers
Hard boiled egg whites (minus yolk)
Tuna steak
Avocado

For salad dressing I use red wine vinegar and I sprinkle with sea salt. It's really filling!

Food

2010-01-26T14:45:00.003-06:00

Hi Ladies! I get asked A LOT about what I eat. During competition mode, my diet differs than when I am in maintenance mode. Right now I am in the early stages of my competition diet. My competition is about 14 weeks out and I can be "stage ready" in 6 weeks. So...we are focusing on putting more muscle on me. I have a really hard time gaining muscle mass since I was an endurance runner for so many years and also because of my build. I have to work REALLY hard to get my muscle :) This means that right now my calories are about 1800-2000/day and I am higher in carbs (the good kind ladies!) than I will be as the competition gets closer. I have an overall macro nutrient goal for the day that is broken out per meal that I try to hit. I like this method better because it gives me more choice on what I eat. There are different plans out there and honestly it just takes trying different ones to see what your body responds best to. I also phase my carbs out as the day progresses so that by dinner time, my only carbs are from my green veggies.

As far as supplements, I get this a lot too. My supplements are BCAA's, Glutamine and Whey Protein Powder. Again, this is what works for me and not for everyone, so definitely check with your trainer before you copy what I am doing.

Today my cardio consisted of 20 minutes on the stair climber, doing intervals and sweating and building my hiney! I always do cardio following my weight training since I am already in fat-burning mode. My sets today were Back/Bi's/Abs. Lots of pull-ups!!!

Good luck to all of you. Rock the girl power and Go Figure!!!!

The Importance of Interval Workouts Ladies!!

2010-01-26T14:38:00.002-06:00

I'm forever telling ladies to not spend so much time doing steady-state running (I was guilty of doing it for years) and to focus more on intervals that require less time but burn more fat. Here is an article from Oxygen Magazine, Feb., 2010 issue that reinforces the concept.

Love This Picture From Oxygen Magazine, 2/10

2010-01-26T14:36:00.002-06:00

Carb Cycling for Women

2010-01-25T10:32:00.000-06:00

This is a great article on carb cycling. A lot of girls use this type of diet to get ready for a competition. There are a lot of different opinions on how to do it out there and this one is straightforward with easy to follow examples. Enjoy!

Carb Cycling for Women

WBFF's Online Magazine, Jan., 2010

2010-01-22T14:42:00.000-06:00

WBFF FIt

Dream Big!

2010-01-19T21:56:00.001-06:00

Believe in your dreams ladies. Dream big and believe in them!

BodyRock.TV Fast Death Workout!

2010-01-18T20:04:00.002-06:00

This is one of my favorite sites for hard-core, cardio workouts: www.BodyRock.TV. She is amazing and has really cool cardio workouts that are quick and get the heart pumping!! Good luck!!

Turkey Scramble Recipe

2010-01-18T19:33:00.004-06:00

I don't know about all of you, but I get really tired of chicken, broccoli, sweet potatoes, repeat in the heart of competition training. So...I've become creative with my food. This is one of my favorites right now. I'm sure I will make myself tired of it since I eat it 4 times/day. Ha! So here you go:

Ground Turkey
Brussel Sprouts
Fresh Spinach
Chopped Cucumbers
Jalapenos
Seasoning
Sweet Potatoes
Top with Avacado for good fat
Portion out according to your diet

I also use Walden Farms BBQ sauce. Zero cals, Zero carbs, Zero sugars. Yum.

January, 2010

2010-01-12T09:53:00.005-06:00

I'm a week into my new diet & training and feeling great. My trainer has me doing it a bit different this time and I really like it. Instead of the same meals, over and over, she is giving me more freedom in my choices by counting out my carbs, proteins and fats for each meal. I start higher on my carbs right now and phase them out through the day. I sure feel nice & full in the morning and lots of energy! This will change as I get closer to the competition. We will take my carb count down overall to lean me out.

I am doing cardio as intervals right now and for 20/25 minutes. This will probably change also! My knees are really bothering me, so it is helpful that I am not pounding away for an hour on cardio right now. Need to get a Dr. appointment to get them looked at :(

Attended a seminar on Saturday that was put on by the promoters of the show that I am doing in April. I really enjoyed it. It got me fired up to get going and of course, taking an early look at my competition! Ha! We practiced posing and of course all of the information for show day, etc. Good stuff! Here we go!!

Diana has also mentioned a show in Chicago, in September that has Bikini & Fitness Model. I'm thinking about that one as well, but not sure yet if I will do it. Stay tuned!

Working on my ACE certification as well. Week 5. Ready to have that done and off my plate.

Well make it a great day people! Get some cardio & weight training in, it will warm you up. Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-07T13:06:00.003-06:00

Welcome to 2010! So far, January in Kansas has been covered in snow and sub-zero temps. No outdoor running for cardio, it's all gym time for now. I started back with my trainer, the one and only Diana Chaloux. She is awesome and I missed my workouts with her. I do not push myself as hard as she does, so it's nice to be back into training mode. We took my weight and measurements and they are not good. I really "indulged" my last two weeks of Christmas/New Years, so now I am going to have to pay for it in cardio, cardio, cardio. Ugh. I have a new diet to go along with my training. Competition is April, 2010, so here we go! To go along with the training, I will be working in a trip to Atlantis, Bahamas that my hubby won through work. We are plenty excited, but you know vacations in paradise are tough on a competitor! Off to the gym I go for now! Stay warm and stay focused! This is your year to do great things. Believe it! Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!

Bring on the New Year!

2009-12-28T18:34:00.003-06:00

Here it is again. That time of the year where people make their resolution to lose weight or get into shape or both. I LOVE this time of the year. Why? Because when you live a healthy lifestyle EVERY day, you don't have to stress about gaining weight over the holidays and then try to frantically lose it when January rolls around. In fact, I am coming into January with the goal of another Figure competition in April. This means that I will lean out and look fantastic going into the summer. I'm excited to begin back with my trainer in a few weeks and have her kick my rear into high gear. I didn't eat perfect over the holidays, but I did that on purpose so that I am ready to buckle down now. I'm ready. Bring it. Those of you with competitions this year know exactly what I am talking about. Good luck to you in your training and share your workouts & diets with us. We are here to keep each other motivated. Happy New Year and Go Figure!! Stephanie

Bicep Exercise

2009-12-14T15:32:00.001-06:00

I came across this article, the wording is "tailored" toward the boys, but works for us girls too!!

The Top Two Bodybuilding Exercises For Biceps- Neglect These And You’ll Have Wimpy Biceps Forever
by fitness on December 3, 2009

Nearly all guys that spend any amount of time at all in the weight room would like well developed and muscled bi’s. You can show them off in a t-shirt and they cause you to appear strong. There are so many Muscle Building Exercises for arms that the majority of guys do way too many and simply over train their biceps entirely. This is often why nearly all guys can never make their arms get bigger. In a world where people assume that more is better I can tell you that the rule will not apply with bodybuilding and biceps work. Too many muscle building exercises and sets and your biceps will not be able to recover in between workouts plus they will never get bigger. To make your arms grow all you really need is 2 bodybuilding exercises. These two Muscle Building Exercises can make your arms pop if you employ them together.

Shut Grip Reverse Chin Ups

The 1st of the muscle building exercises that you have to use to grow big bi’s is the close grip reverse chin up. Yes, this is simply a pull up along with a reverse grip plus your hands only about 6 to eight inches spaced out. Anytime you are doing an exercise where you physically have to move your body through space your muscles adapt quicker because it is a functional strength exercise. That is why exercises like squats, deadlifts, chin ups, plus dips are so valuable at gaining muscle mass. Do four sets of six to 8 reps of reverse chin ups. Pull your body up as quick as you can and lower yourself down slower along with a count of about 2 seconds. Rest about two minutes in between sets and then do another set. If you are able do more than just six to eight reps it is time to add some resistance. You’ll need one of those belts with a chain around it to strap weights on. If you do not have 1 of these you can cross your feet and place a tiny dumbbell hanging from them. Or get a cable and tie a 5 to ten pound plate around your waist. Add just enough resistance so that you are hitting the six to eight rep range.

Standing Bicep Barbell Curls

This isn’t fancy at all, simply a straight or cambered curl bar with some weights on the end. The perfect bodybuilding exercises are generally the easiest movements with free weights. Strict form is the necessary part of a barbell curl if you want them to make you grow. Keep your back straight together with your elbows fixed to your sides. Don’t use momentum to get the weight started up. If you need to swing the weight up then check your ego plus lower the weights. You want your biceps to be burning at the finish of the set instead of your lower back and delts. Do four sets of this for 6 to eight reps. Don’t forget that the form is actually the key here since you are looking for max biceps stimulation. Once you get to 6 or seven really strict reps you can cheat on 1 to get to number eight but that’s it. Don’t raise the bar until the reps are all strict.

Increase the Resistance

Don’t let the simplicity of this muscle building routine fool you. If you stick to this for six weeks your arms can get bigger but you need to make sure you’re consistently increasing the weight plus the number of reps you perform. If you are doing the actual same quantity of work every time your body will have no reason to respond with new gains in new muscle mass. Push it harder each workout plus watch those biceps bulge up with these 2 bodybuilding exercises!

Website Finishing

2009-12-14T15:21:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately. I have been working hard on getting my website, www.FigureSorority.com up and running and caught up in the craziness that the holidays bring. I'm really excited about my website and my goal is to offer tips for those newbies getting ready for a competition as well as have those more experienced folks chime in with their advice, opinions as well. I will also begin to document my workouts, diet, etc. to keep me on track! I will begin back with my trainer, Diana Chaloux the first week of January. I'm excited to get back into a schedule with her. Diana provides my diet as well as pushes me harder than I would push myself twice/week. If you haven't heard of her, check out her site at: www.dianachloux.com. She is a WBFF Pro and just placed 2nd this last September. Oh and she's also a really cool chick on top of having amazing abs. :) I find more cool chicks through the FigureSorority. I love that there are so many of us out there just trying to get better at what we do while promoting and helping each other at the same time. So cool. On top of it all, we get to be role models for what a beautiful, healthy female should look like. How inspiring!!

So right now, I am working on building muscle, which is really hard for me. I am long and built like an endurance runner, so I have cut my cardio way down (very tough for me to do) and added higher weights as well as creatine to my diet. I can see a definite difference. Muscle is so beautiful isn't it? My daily diet currently is not super-strict, but not that far off from the clean season. Since I am "off season" for a few more weeks, I am still enjoying some guilty pleasures but that will all go away here soon and I will be ready.

Much love to you all and happy holidays. I love hearing from the Figure Girls, so chime in anytime! Rock the Girl Power and Go Figure!!

Power in Numbers

2009-11-24T14:41:00.002-06:00

Do you work out w/people or alone? I go in phases and it really depends on the day. When I ran distance, I loved having my running friends along with me to pass the time and catch up on our lives. Training in the gym, hitting weights is a little different. Most people want to get in and get out and not stand around and chat. However, I have recently teamed up with a few other friends that are gearing up for an April competition as well. What I am finding is that we push each other harder than when I train alone and we run some crazy cardio too. We each bring new things to the table as far as ways to train or mix up the cardio. I LOVE that! I also cherish the friendship that develops between people with similar goals. We are different, yet the same. Our goal is to be the best we can be! That doesn't suck. How many sedentary people can say they hang out with people that push them as hard as they can? It's really a bummer that more people don't get what we do. Having training partners is not a new concept, however it is a refresher to try new things and venture outside of your comfort zone. Take the headphones off and try it. Have a great day! Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!

Figure Only

2009-11-20T10:03:00.002-06:00

A weight has been lifted. Ha! Literally. To people that lift weights, that phrase takes on a whole new meaning. After a lot of feedback from my trainer, husband, supporters and myself :), I have decided to drop the marathon training during the off-season. The marathon completely contradicts what I want to do for my April figure competition. I had to decide which one I wanted more. I couldn't do both. The truth is, I love my physique from weights and proper diet. I don't get that same physique from running 18 mile training runs. Yes, I was able to eat more and be less strict with my diet, but that just makes me look like a skinny fat girl. I don't want to ever look like that again. I like looking strong and toned. I like my hamstrings and abs and shoulders and biceps. Training for a figure event is hard. Very hard. It is a 24/7/365 commitment as I have stated before. That is why I have created my site (look for it in December) so we have a place to go and seek advice and stay on track. For all of you that are training and love your muscles keep it up! We are sexy! Have a great day! Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!

When Doubt Creeps In

2009-11-18T11:13:00.002-06:00

The mind is a powerful thing. It can talk you into doing things and talk you out of doing things. Today I am in a struggle with my mind. As athletes we struggle with mind over matter all day long. Actually, if you are a figure athlete or a bodybuilder, you struggle with mind over matter 24/7/365! As I have said before, I am in the "off season" for my figure training. I still hit the gym 6 days/week, but my diet isn't insane right now so I decided to train for a marathon. The diet is different and the workouts are different. The two definitely contradict each other. I am a runner by nature. I absolutely love to run and run far. I would much rather do a 1/2-marathon over a 5k. Sounds weird, but it is true. I love to run far and get into a groove and just fly. This morning I woke up with extreme self-doubt about my personal goal of qualifying for Boston in January, 2010. Even though I am the fastest I have ever been (thanks to all of my figure training, which has made me stronger and the intervals that have made me faster)I am questioning my ability to hit my goal. Wow. It doesn't happen to me often, but it does and it is happening to me right now. When I was training for my first figure competition, I had several waves of self-doubt. Can I get lean enough? Am I too old? Will I come in last? I overcame all of those doubts and finished strong. It is not unfamiliar territory for athletes, it is just how do you overcome it? Today I am struggling with dropping my marathon training and hitting it hard in the gym instead to set me up for a strong April competition. What if I drop the marathon training when I could have qualified?? Tell me how you overcome the negative thoughts when they enter your mind. I'll keep you posted on what I decide. Right now, I need to head to the gym for a leg and plyo work-out. Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!

2009-11-17T10:01:00.003-06:00

Is there anyone out there that loves track workouts? By the definition of track workouts, I mean hard, all-out, lung-burning pace, repeat after repeat. I don't like them but they are a necessary evil for training for a marathon and/or for blasting fat off in preparation for a figure competition. In my case, that would be both. Since my immediate goal is to qualify for Boston in Jan. 2010, the track workouts are 7x800m repeats that cannot be missed. Today the alarm went off at 4:50 am and there was snow falling. It was dark, cold and wet. Normally to casually run in that is not a big deal, but running a fast clip on the track is slippery when wet & icy. So, I have to take it indoors over lunch. I'm not a fan. I'm either going to have to do the repeats on a treadmill or on a indoor running track that would require 6.5 laps for just one, 800m repeat. I'm pretty sure I would rather someone hammer wood planks under my fingernails. I will let you know which one I decide to do. Either way, I'm not excited. On another note, I got word last night that a wonderful uncle of mine was in ICU for a heart attack. He is in his 60's. One of his arteries was/is 100% blocked. This is a blessing in disguise. Call your dad, uncle, brother, husband and ask them to schedule a check-up with their doctor. You can just never be too sure. Everyone make it a great day and do something active. Even if you just go for a quick stroll in the snow. How beautiful. Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!

2009-11-16T15:00:00.005-06:00

This morning, when my alarm went off at 4:50 am, I remembered why I do not like training for a winter marathon. Our winter, so far, has been mild in Kansas, but today it has arrived. Dark, cold, sleet and my training schedule says 6 miles. It does not care what the weather is like. Luckily I have my good running friends to meet me and hold me accountable. It's true what they say about training with a friend/friends. You are twice as more likely to get your hiney out of bed on a cold winter morning if you know there are three other people standing (and a dog!) out there waiting for you. It really wasn't too bad though, once we got started. Oh! I came across this timely article today too in regard to the "Runner High". http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32573781/ns/health-fitness/ Ahhhh yes. Many people ask me if there really is one. My answer? Call a buddy, set a time to meet and get out there and see for yourself :) Report back to me on what you find out. Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!!

2009-11-14T14:08:00.003-06:00

18 miles yesterday. The biggest challenge of marathon training is to not break down all the muscle that I have built for competition. Since I am in the off-season, I figured I could train to do a January marathon then pick back up in figure training for an April show. This means I will have to beef up my protein intake to maintain what I have. The biggest difference between training for a marathon and training for a Figure show? I get to eat carbs and also have my glass of wine! Enjoy it while it lasts sister, come January, it's back on with the competition diet. That is a good seguay into this article that hit my inbox today, "What Is My Ideal Weight?" Ceck it out. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160316.php Have a great day & do something physical! Rock the Girl Power & Go Figure!!! Stephanie

2009-11-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

So many changes going on! My FigureSorority.com site is a few weeks out from being ready to launch and learning the whole social media world that involves Twitter, FB, Blogging, etc. is a daunting task. In the process I am training for a marathon in January where I WILL qualify for Boston at the age of 42. All while being a career woman, wife and mother of 4. One of my running girlfriends told me yesterday that I love chaos in my world. I think she is right. In fact, I found a quote that relates to me: "If everything is under control, you are going too slow." --Mario Andretti (1940-) Hmmm...yes. I might get a shirt made that says that and wear it during the marathon. Speaking of which, I will be getting an 18-mile run in later today. Tell me how you Figure girls do it because I know there are a lot of you out there that manage just as much in your world. Rock the Girl Power and Go Figure!