The Countdown Continues...

I want to start with something that's been plaguing me for the past couple of weeks, competing at the national level in the figure division. I chose not to compete at the national level this year despite earning a national qualification twice last year because I wanted to improve certain areas of my physique and I didn't feel that I  was ready. Here's what's bothering me, someone planted the "maybe you should do Nationals at the end of the year if you qualify" seed in my head. Now I can't stop thinking about the possibility of competing for a pro card before the year ends!!

I'm still not sure that I'm ready and I know I still have areas to improve but I still keep thinking that maybe I should stop waiting and give it a shot. Nationals last year had over 1000 competitors and I'm sure there will be more than that this year. I would need to be amazing, to say the least, in order to stand out. I guess we'll have to see what happens. Decisions...decisions...decisions!

Time to focus on the show at hand! The 2012 NPC Terminator! Last Saturday marked 9 weeks out from the show and I feel like I'm slowly making progress. As I stated in my last progress update, I am the Tortoise. Slow & steady will win this race!

Diet - My diet has remained relatively consistent. I am doing keto and truth be told, there is nothing too exciting to share about it. The one meal of the day that makes me do my happy wiggle is meal #5. Meal #5 consists of salmon, brussel sprouts, and ghee. It's not a sonoran hot dog from El Guero Canelo but it does fill my tummy and stops me from repeatedly saying "I'm hangry!" (yes, hangry is a word! lol)

Cardio - There has been an increase in the amount of cardio I am doing. It's not a crazy amount but I cringe each time there's an increase. I wish I was one of those competitors that doesn't have to do one minute of cardio during their prep but alas, I am not :)

Sleep - I've been soooooo tired and I have been struggling to get out of the bed in the mornings. It's natural to be sleepy during prep but my near exhaustion this past week had a lot to do with TOM I think. I have been lucky that there have been very few of those days where I'm extremely tired but the second I crawl into bed, I can't fall asleep.

Training - Well, I knew it was coming but I didn't know exactly when. What am I talking about? I'm talking about The Boss saying that I would need to stop lifting as heavy & often as I have been. The look of figure has really changed recently and I have to be careful that I'm not putting on more muscle. I don't want to move up to the Physique division right now so I have to do what's necessary to make sure I'm fitting in the current figure "box".

Scale & Mirror - I'm not paying attention to the number on the scale because...well....it's just better for me psychologically if I don't! :) I only weigh in on the day that I check in with The Boss and that's what works for me. I'm also avoiding the mirror because it's that time of the month where I'm holding water like a camel, there's a pimple on my chin, and I swear I have a Buddha belly - thanks a lot, Mother Nature! :)

Countdown -  9 weeks until the Terminator and 10 weeks until the AZ Open! It always feels a bit more real when the number of weeks shifts from double digits to single digits.

One week closer - let's do the damn thang!