[laurafelicity]

Where can I begin? Well, I'll start off by saying that I sincerely hope there is someone out there who can read my log, watch my transformation, and get inspired somehow. You see, I am a figure competitor and fitness model who had truly, truly fallen off the wagon. I competed in my last show in September of '07 and, shortly after, modeled for a Vyotech ad. I felt like I was on the top of my game, only to fall victim to the vicious cycle of partying that comprises the overall lifestyle of my peers. What do I mean by that? Well, no, I wasn't out there gorging myself with cake and pizza, but I was destroying my body with alcohol in ways that I'd rather not think about. I got a job promoting high end NYC private parties at nightclubs and other venues and found myself living like a rockstar, only minus the sexy rockstar body. In 3 months I gained 20 pounds. Yeah, that's pretty hard to do! I mean, you have to make a concerted effort to put on that kind of weight. I was hardly eating much at all- by the time I would wake up after a night of partying I would be gearing up to go out and party again, until the wee hours of the morning. And I definitely wasn't exercising. It took me nearly five months to actually realize how cruddy I felt and how disallusioned my life was. I thought I was enjoying myself and having a good time, "living the dream," when in reality I was destroying my body, my health, and my confidence, not to mention shattering all of the hard work I'd done in the past. I'm glad to say, however, that I don't have any regrets. I learned a lot about myself, put it all behind me, and thank God for allowing me to use the whole ordeal as a means of better understanding life, the concept of morality and values, and blessing me with the gift of wisdom. But above all things, for the first time in my life, I have discovered the true value of health and have learned to appreciate it more than anything else in this world. If you don't have your health, you don't have anything, take it from me!!

So what's my point in all this blabbering, you may ask...My point is, that I would like to share my journey with all of you, and ask for your support as I take the steps I need to take in order to become the best, healthiest me possible. I'm already moving forward with a renewed sense of strength, and have established goals for myself. 10 weeks, back to the good, old, healthy me. Time to melt away these 20 pounds, put a smile back on my face, and a hop back in my step. Someone once told me that if life ain't hard, then you ain't livin'. I hear that- And I'm ready to take on this challenge with everything I've got!

[cpr003]

good luck on your journey back to feeling great! i'll be keeping an eye on ya., i am also trying to get back to the shape i was in back in November '07. I am not a fitness model but i was very happy with the results that i had achieved. Then came the "holidays" Little too much of them, really. now i am trying to get back on track.

Good Luck!!!

[laurafelicity]

Ah, the joy of spinning...No, I'm not talking about break dancing or spinning on my head, I'm reffering to Spinning, the marvelous concept of being on a stationary bike in a class full of people, sweating your butt off as you push through your aerobic threshold and feel those endorphins coarse through your body! Oh my gosh, I don't think there's a drug out there that can produce a high like that! I feel faaaan-tastic!

Yesterday was a hard day for me. I kicked a habit that's been with me for a long time because I know how unhealthy it is. That's right, I gave up my beloved Sprite Zero. I just can't do the soda thing anymore. I remember seeing a slide of how a live blood cell reacts to soda, and I have to say, it made my stomach churn. I cannot honestly tell myself that I have committed myself to true health knowing that I was downing what seems to be the equivalent of pure acid on a daily basis. Call me crazy, but I'm convinced that diet soda is addicting, because I'm feeling the withdrawl!

I went to bed early last night and woke up refreshed this morning. I drank some warm water with fresh squeezed lemon, downed my supps (a multi, high potency fish oil, a digestive enzyme, some BCAA's, probiotics) and madea pancake with oatmeal and egg whites (my favorite breakfast!) Speaking of addicting, I'm also convinced that cinnamon is addicting. I put it on and in everything. Mmm. Looove cinnamon.

I trained my shoulders and triceps at the gym, had a protein shake, took a gram of L-carnitine and went to spin class for an hour. Even though the class is only an hour, realistically it's probably about 30 minutes of intense excersise. If any of you are yet to try a spin class, I highly recommend it. It's actually empowering!

I feel great now- about to eat lunch (some sole filet and a mound of veggies- brocoli sauted in about a teaspoon of olive oil with garlic and red pepper is my favorite), and plan on heading back to the gym two more times today for two 35 min. bouts of cardio.

Why so much cardio? Because I'd much rather keep my calories on the higher side, with less of a deficit, so that I can have sustained energy throughout the day and don't need to resort to using synthetic forms of energy like caffeine. I'm not looking for adrenal burn out here. So basically I'm looking to excerxise to melt off the fat rather than being stupid and cutting cals way low.

I have all my meals ready to go in tupperwear containers (7 meals in total for the day), and for once it's actually decently nice outside here in Jersey, which is a nice change from the cruddy weather we've been having. Maybe I'll go for a run if the weather holds up.

Here we go...Another day, another opportunity to take control of it.

[carpediem12]

Originally Posted by laurafelicity

...Why so much cardio? Because I'd much rather keep my calories on the higher side, with less of a deficit, so that I can have sustained energy throughout the day and don't need to resort to using synthetic forms of energy like caffeine. I'm not looking for adrenal burn out here. So basically I'm looking to excerxise to melt off the fat rather than being stupid and cutting cals way low..

Good plan! And good for you to break out of that cycle & get back to #1 goal of health.

Cheers
Dave

[Broccoli Princess]

Hi, laurafelicity! I totally feel what you're feeling... I have kind of a similar story, except I didn't party - just ate wrong for my body after competing in figure. Way too high calories... and only because I didn't trust my own instricts and decided to listen to other people who were supposed to know more. So, now there's quite a way to go.

I'll be following your progress! You can check out my blog here.

[aluschka]

Hi LF

Sweet shape in that pic and well done for doing work for Vyotech

We all fall of the wagon at some stage of our life. I went crazy after winning National BB Champs. I used to be health freak and I turned into total junkie..could not believe at all what was happening to me Took me a while to get back into healthy lifestyle....

Good to hear you dropping soda

BTW I used to be Spinning instructor back in South Africa.




Totally agree with you..the best kick butt cardio workout out there. Peopel were sweating buckets in my classes LOL!!! Missing it like crazy!!!

Hey can you share what's your calories and macros right now

All the best on your quest

Ciao

[laurafelicity]

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your support. You know, I noticed that this forum differs from other fitness forums in that the people on here seem to be genuinely interested in supporting and encouraging one another, rather than being out to prove ones health expertise and critically point out where others are failing in their approach! Arrgh! That drives me nuts!

Anyway, so thank you. Today was a good day. Not a GREAT day, but a good day. I would say today was an 8 as far as training goes. I made it to the gym twice to do cardio, although my initial goal was to train my legs and add in a quick 30 min. run tonight. What can you do- sometimes life gets in the way of our best intentions I suppose. My brother needed me to be there for him today emotionally, and frankly there's nothing more important to me than my family (except God), not even my fitness goals. So we went out to dinner and had a nice long talk. Thankfully we both love sushi, so I didn't have to be a total dinner ruiner with my strict diet! I had some yellowtail sashimi (my favorite!) and actually brought some steamed broc. and roasted brussel sprouts with me (my favorite!!). I usually love edamame with my sashimi but I'm staying away from soy for the next few months. Extra soy= extra estrogen. Not too consistent with my fat loss goals. Now I'm settling down for the night, gonna do some reading and go to bed early. Tomorrow is a new day, and an opportunity to make it a 10!!

One more thing...about those roasted brussel sprouts. I remember when I first started eating clean a few years ago, eating clean meant eating plain and bland to me. Of course I found it nearly impossible to stick to me diet because the food was booooorrring. Through sheer trial and error I've learned to make my food taste awesome, so dieting is so much easier for me now than it was back then. I mean, I love my food. And I especially love roasted veggies. What I'll do is I'll steam them lightly (broc. asparagus, b.sprouts, zuccini, whatever) and then throw them in the oven for a few minutes drizzled with some olive oil and salt and pepper (sometimes some lemon juice or orange juice). I now looooovvee eating my veggies cause they're yummy! I wish people knew how much easier it is to stick to a diet when ya actually LIKE your food! What a novel concept!!

Aluschka- Spinning IS the greatest! Woo! And by the way, I love your quote!! My calories and macros vary from day to day. I'm cycling my carbs right now going three days low and one day high to kick start initial fat loss. I'm eating fish twice a day, chicken twice a day, egg whites, and two protein shakes a day, all with a ton of veggies during low days and throwing in extra oatmeal, some rice and sweet potato on the high day. But even on a high day my carbs aren't that high, I'm at around 1700 cal. with 40% pro, 35% carb, and 25% fat. My maintenence is actually 1800 cal. so I'll start gradually dropping cals as I take the weight off with excercise. =-)

[aluschka]

Aluschka- Spinning IS the greatest! Woo! And by the way, I love your quote!! My calories and macros vary from day to day. I'm cycling my carbs right now going three days low and one day high to kick start initial fat loss. I'm eating fish twice a day, chicken twice a day, egg whites, and two protein shakes a day, all with a ton of veggies during low days and throwing in extra oatmeal, some rice and sweet potato on the high day. But even on a high day my carbs aren't that high, I'm at around 1700 cal. with 40% pro, 35% carb, and 25% fat. My maintenence is actually 1800 cal. so I'll start gradually dropping cals as I take the weight off with excercise. =-)

Cheers

I believe attitude is what makes you or breaks you

Thanx for your breakdown..always nice to see what makes others tick

Glad you had good time with your Bro

As for clean eating..the longer you do it more natural it becomes. I used to love rich food (I still do-but only from time to time) and all would be drenched in sauces etc. Now I drool over steamed veg with flax oil LOL!!! Just as you..love,love my vegies

Keep sweet and talk to you soon.

Ciao

[laurafelicity]

Today is a great day. I mean, really great. It is flippin' unbelievable outside! 60 degrees and sunny! (Am I still in Jersey???)

I woke up this morning and hit the gym for 40 min. of cardio before breakfast. Started taking Power Drive again- I think it really helps my concentration. I'm also taking a Cortisol Complex to help regulate stress hormones. Nothing fancy, just good old natural ingredients.

I got to train my legs today (something I wanted to do yesterday) so I'm really happy about that. I usually tend to go real heavy with my legs to keep that mass on there, but decided to do lighter weights today, 3 sets of each excercise in the 20 rep. range. Ya know, burn some extra cals. I had intended on doing 35 min. of cardio afterwards but only managed to pull off about 20 min. My legs got too woobly after that. Didn't want to embarrass myself and fall off the stair climber!!

I think I'll go for a run after dinner tonight. 35 min. should do it. Even if I fall a little short of my cardio goal today, I'm okay with that. My momentum is excellent- don't want to wear myself out too much!

Decided to re-vamp my diet a little bit. In case anyone's wondering what I'm eating, here we go: (In case anyone's not wondering what I'm eating, at least I have somewhere to record it for myself! lol )

7am: Protein pancake!! Woo! (oatmeal, egg whites, cinnamon, a little coconut extract, made in a crepe pan with a spritz of canola oil spray)

9:30am: grilled chicken with fresh squeezed lemon and a little salt and pepper/ roasted brussel sprouts

12pm: grilled tilapia (made with lemon and thyme and some chopped onions, a little bit of evoo), steamed cauliflower, sweet potato (on high carb days)

2pm: whey protein shake with a little bit of Garden of Eden Super Seed (a fiber supplement)

4pm: grilled chicken with fresh squeezed lemon and a little salt and pepper, steamed broccoli (is that how you spell it? idk ) sauteed with garlic and red pepper

6:30pm: CHILEAN SEA BASS!! MMM! I treated myself to a pound of it this week! (At $25 a pound at Whole Foods it's not exactly cheap eats!) Marniated in a dill and lemongrass mixture I bought that has no preservatives or additives (yuck!). Also some spinach and tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, and some more broccoli.

Before bed: a little bit of casein protein to hold me over 'til morning.

I'm also taking fish oils with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (2 capsles each time). I'm a die hard Nutrigenics fan. Since I started taking their fish oil my hair, skin, and nails have NEVER been healthier. Now that's quality!!

[Danw1million]

Originally Posted by laurafelicity

Today is a great day. I mean, really great. It is flippin' unbelievable outside! 60 degrees and sunny! (Am I still in Jersey???)

I woke up this morning and hit the gym for 40 min. of cardio before breakfast. Started taking Power Drive again- I think it really helps my concentration. I'm also taking a Cortisol Complex to help regulate stress hormones. Nothing fancy, just good old natural ingredients.

Hi Laura,

Wow interesting story !!!! I was kind of the same with the whole partying drinking thing........until i started recording / doing the "metrics" and found out how much it was hurting my progress.

Most of my friends drink to excess every weekend socially, clubbing going to parties etc etc and it can be difficult to be the different one..... I think now most of my friends understand that i dont want to drink and get wasted it is better though.

Its really great to see other people getting in shape and following their goals who have had perhaps similar experiences or hiccups along the way!!!

- can you tell me the ingredients to your cortisol (reducing!!!!) complex???
Could do with one of those myself lately !

All the best with training / nutrition

P.S. it 95F here today..... (35 degrees C for any Aussies reading this)

-Dan