Moving into week 4

I had my week 3 check in with my coach on Friday. He's very happy with my progress, which is great motivation for me. There is room for improvement with my eating, but I'm smashing all of my gym sessions which is great. I'm feeling good!

I think back to pre kids Tina and laugh at how I thought I was too busy for everything. Ha! Not a chance! I'm the busiest I've ever been at the moment, and life is just going to continue to get busier as I move forward with off-season coaching into pre-comp phase and with Alice growing every day. The difference now is that I'm motivated, disciplined, and goal-orientated. I have my mind on that stage (even though it's still 8 months away) as every day is a chance to progress. It's going to go so quickly no doubt.

Today was hard. Alice was unsettled for hours last night which meant lack of sleep and then she hardly slept today. Add in the fact that Jack is fill of energy and it has been go-go-go from the time we woke up. My husband suggested a walk to the park this morning to which I jumped at the chance. But come the time for me to go to the gym I was exhausted and emotional! There are no time for excuses, however, so without thinking about it I just got dressed, put my shoes on, grabbed my things, and off I went. Of course, I instantly felt better once I got into my session.

I will be sharing a progress photo on Friday so stay tuned.

2 weeks in

Long time no update! I just had a realisation that I hadn't updated for a while so whilst the kids are occupied I thought I'd write a blog (instead of stacking the dishwasher!).

As of Saturday I am 2 weeks down. I've smashed every training session, however my food has been a little off here and there. Just a couple of off plan meals really. But all in all I'm actually getting good at tracking my meals and it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Sometimes it's still a little tedious, and I don't expect that I will enjoy tracking my food all the time, but it's made me realise a few things.

1. Prior to tracking I was eating too little protein, too much fat, and possibly not enough carbs.
2. I'm learning about food, which I didn't think was still possible haha. Sometimes I am surprised by what macronutrients a food has.
3. I thought I was eating enough fibre. No I wasn't.

I'm following flexible dieting (or IIFYM) for this prep. It's great being in charge of my own food choices! I have a lot of fat to play with, so I make sure I fill most of my fat with healthy choices and then fit in a little treat if I feel I need one. That's the other thing with tracking my food - now that I'm eating enough of what my body needs I'm finding my cravings have decreased dramatically. I still really feel like chocolate or whatever sometimes, and I usually leave my treats for those times. Before I started I found myself craving sugar every single day. I'm feeling so much better for it! Another reason I think I am craving less is because I decide what I eat. I'm not limited to a meal plan from my coach. He gives me my macros and off I go. I don't have to eat only foods considered "clean" so when my body is happy my mind is happy, and vice versa!

I'm happy with my progress so far. I will take my measurements and check in with my coach tomorrow morning.

Ok, the kids have seen that I'm occupied elsewhere and have let me know that is not on lol. My time blogging is up for today!

One Step Closer

I had a chat to my coach yesterday! Every thing is in place and now I await my training plan and macro split. I'm getting really excited about getting back into a lifting routine. I've been lifting regularly, but I have been feeling like I just need that little extra. A goal to lift my game!

Not looking forward to tracking my macros again but it's definitely needed. My eating has been a bit out of whack lately so I'm sure it's going to be the kick up the bum I need.

I will be keeping my upper/lower split but consistently lifting 6 days per week. I'll be in off-season prep for the rest the year and then pre comp will begin early next year.

Nine months to go until comp time!

Photos and measurements completed

OK.... this is the nervous bit. I have sent off my before photos and measurements to my coach. There is so much to do over the next 9 months. You can see my before photo on my Instagram (@thefitmumma_) as I'm too lazy to get it off my phone and onto my computer! I might post it on here later.

9 months... the length of a pregnancy. Considering how LONG 9 months feels when you are pregnant, I am confident I can achieve what I have to in that time. Not saying this is going to be easy. I've done enough research over the past few years to know that competition prep is far from easy. I'm sure there will be good times, but I'm sure there will be crap times too. Like when I really don't want to do some cardio, or I can't be bothered tracking my lunch, or I can't be bothered going to the gym because I've had a long day or I've gotten up during the night with the kids.

BUT this is a goal I've had for three years now, and it's something I just want to do for myself. I may do it once and decide it's not for me, or I may love it and continue. Who knows...

So it's August...

Long time no update! There is a good reason for that, and it's because I haven't been doing anything! I've been a bit busy this past week at least, so I've taken to doing quick little workouts at home.

But this morning I look at my phone and realise August is here, as it has been for a few a couple of days now haha. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. Coaching starts this month. Half of me wants to just head to the gym right now and the other half of me wants to go to the toilet (what I do when I'm nervous..haha) and go hide under the covers. I assume the latter won't get me on stage though..

Plodding along..

Nothing really to report this week so far. I'm really just plodding along. I couldn't get to the gym this week so have just been working on my nutrition and doing what I could at home. It's been a full on week as my cold that I now has seems to suggest!

I've probably mentioned this before but I've been enjoying a bit too much sugar lately, so I've been concentrating on minimising my intake. I'm doing well! I'm not avoiding it completely, just ensuring I don't have it every single day or in large amounts.

Thinking of starting with my coach earlier than I originally thought.. will have a think and update when I've decided!

The day has finally arrived!

Well, I use the word "finally" loosely. It's not as though it's been months and months, but it still feels like it has.

I have sent my paperwork back in to my chosen coach. I'm really quite nervous and there is always thoughts in the back of my head of "what if I can't do this?" and "should I be doing this?". A bit of background: I have been wanting to compete since 2012. I did have plans to compete in season B 2012 but it was clear I was not ready. I did not leave myself enough time and I look back and cringe at the thought of it. Plus I know so much more about nutrition, training and body composition now than back then. I've come a long way and so has my head space! I won't lie, though. There have been plenty times in the last month where I have thought I should just not start prepping. I'm very good at shying away from a big task. so much so, that in the middle of labour with my son (the pushing stage to be exact) I decided I couldn't do it anymore and it was too hard and he was just going to be stuck there forever haha! I quickly realised what a ridiculous thought that was and continued pushing. I mean, there was only one way he was getting out by then so I couldn't just give up! And I've just gone way off topic..

Anyway, back to my negative thoughts above, I am assured these thoughts are normal and I had some lovely past and present competitors give me some pointers for handling comp prep. I should add, I'm not even in "comp prep" yet.. the prep I will be starting with my coach is off-season prep, but I will still treat is as though it is just as important as on-season prep because it really is. What we can achieve in these few months before official prep starts will help a lot. I start mid next month! This gives me just enough time to finish my 4 week challenge.

Even though I'm nervous as anything, I'm confident that I can do this. I've seen enough before and afters to give me the confidence that anyone can do this. I'm confident in my choice of coach too. Make sure you stick around for posts once the coaching starts; I'm sure it will be a hoot!

Mixed week

My 4 week challenge has started and it's going pretty well! I haven't been doing the eating plan so far, as I just really haven't had a chance to sit down properly, look through it, and plan my meals accordingly. I'm just going to go through until the end of this week doing my own meals then sit down properly and have a look and plan. Also made tonight a rest night so I could get our tax returns done (oh the joys!). I worked hard the last two nights, though, so I'm ok with that.

However I am still coach-less! I'm still waiting on replies so it's getting me a little down. I know I have a long time to go but I feel like I'm in limbo, and the longer I don't have a coach locked in, the more time I feel I am wasting. Strange, because I wouldn't be officially starting until August or September, but I'd like to still have them chosen in the event I decide to start sooner.

It's been a long day so off to bed I go! Will update again soon x

4 Week Challenge

What a boring week! I took this whole past week (yes, all of it) off from the gym as I was getting sick and it was the last thing I needed. I think I mentioned that in my last post. I thought instead of training and possibly being kind of sick for goodness knows how long, I'd just ride out the cold and then I'd feel better and carry on. I'm finally at that point of feeling better so back to the gym I go this week. With a few changes :)

Two of the coaches I spoke to were unfortunately not the ones for me. There's only one so far that I'd be happy going with so I will await their next response and go from there. Even though I'm enquiring now I wouldn't be starting with them for another 2 or 3 months.

That brings me to my 4 week challenge. Even though my motivation levels are high at the moment, I feel I just need a little 'kick'. A little something extra to focus on. I've known about this challenge for a while now and I was curious to know what it was like. I always feel a little silly doing these things; I'm a Personal Trainer so I do know what I'm doing. But sometimes we all need a little push, and with all I have on my plate at the moment it would be nice just to have someone do all the thinking for me. I get to just eat what I'm told to (I've actually never been good at this, so this will be a challenge in itself!) and rock up at the gym and do the workout that is prescribed. I'll be sure to update you as I go along!

Hope you all had a great weekend x

Coaches

So I skipped my workout yesterday. I'd felt a sore throat coming on all day and I thought if I get an early night it would help. It hasn't gotten worse BUT it hasn't gotten better. I know I can do light exercise with a cold but I'd really rather not at the moment; I just want to be 100% to get on with life. Tonight has been a rest day (no choice on that tonight) so hopefully back into it tomorrow!

I've been researching coaches since last week. I met with one on Friday, and have sent a couple of email enquiries today. Narrowing it down!

Hopefully I will have a more exciting update for you later in the week!

First week down

One week down! I completely forgot to take starting photos last week so I have a reminder set for tomorrow morning to take them. Same with my measurements.

I will be taking a step back from counting macros this week. I want to concentrate getting back into fitness and the gym, so this week I'll set some targets around food but won't be counting as such. There's plenty time for that as I get further into prep ;-)

I met with a coach last week and I have sent an enquiry to another. I have a couple of issues that need addressing before I would start prepping so I need to see what they say regarding this. No biggie if the response isn't ideal; it just means I'd postpone my comp until season B 2016.

So, this week:

Mon - Lower body strength
Tues - Rest
Wed - Upper body strength
Thurs - Lower body strength
Fri - Rest
Sat  - Upper body strength
Sun - Walk

I usually throw a bit of core/abs into my lower body days. I don't tend to do much specific core work as I try to target my core during other exercises anyway (e.g. when I engage my core during squats). Again, I'm sure this will change as the weeks go by, but for now I'm happy doing it this way.

I hope you are all ready for a great week!

Mid Week Update

Three sessions down this week. Today was lower body day again and let me tell you my glutes were not ready! Still sore from Monday!

There were about five  different excuses I could have used NOT to go. Trust me, in the past I would have easily used any of them and put my jammies on and stayed at home. A lot has changed since then. Sounds cliché, but having kids has made me realise my strength and determination. These days I can accept that things take time, something that I couldn't get through my head previously. Last time I was thinking of stepping on stage (which was a good 4 or 5 years ago now!) I was willing to do it at any cost and never researched things properly. I'm so glad that I never did a comp back then!

In other news, it might be a bit overkill, but I will be meeting with my future coach soon. I've been following them for a while now and I'm happy with the competitors they get on stage and their nutrition principles. Very excited, if not a little nervous! I figure that I may as well start talks now, rather than in six months time. This way it gives me a starting point and the opportunity to do some off-season coaching if deemed necessary.

Upper body tomorrow night, some cardio on the weekend,  and then the week will be done!

July goals and being back at the gym!

It was my first session back at the gym last night. It was magical. I can't believe there was ever a time where I didn't lift weights! My legs and glutes are definitely sore today! My session included:

* Squats
* Lunges & curtsey lunges (Superset)
* Weighted glute bridge (did my reps then held a bridge for as long as I could for each set)
* Leg extension (could have gone a bit heavier on this one; noted for next time)
* Split squats
* Plank

I tried not to be too disappointed as the weights I was lifting was not much, for me anyway. But I'm lifting what is realistic for me at the moment considering I've been away from the gym for a bit. Not to mention I'm only 4 months post partum so I'm taking each day as it comes so I don't hurt myself.

So my goals for the next month are to be consistent with training and tracking my food. I will try to stick to my macros of course, but if some days I can't as long as I'm in my calorie target that's ok. I am doing 4 lifting days and 1 cardio day, which will be a walk or a circuit. I'll be focussing on progressive overload for weights and food.

Upper body session tonight.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Fit Girl.

This blog has been an idea in my head for quite some time now. I finally decided it was time to bring it to life!

What is this blog?
Some of you may remember I had this blog a few years ago. Now that I have reignited The Fit Girl, it's going to be more of a personal blog. This is going to detail my journey to stage. You will get to learn what I eat and how I train to get me to the INBA stage in May 2016.

Who am I? I'm a wife, mum of two, animal lover and health and fitness nut. I'm a qualified Personal Trainer and I'm aiming to complete studies in nutrition. Although I've had a passion for health since I was a teenager, I feel it's only now that I'm really starting to know what being healthy is all about; it's about fuelling my body with its appropriate needs, eating a vast variety of food and focusing on nutritients. Even more so now that we have started our family!

I don't follow any set 'diet'. I'm not sugar-free or carb-free. I'm not paleo. I'm not this or that. Whilst I do pull certain aspects from these lifestyles, my lifestyle is about my own kind of balance. I like to eat pasta. I don't say no to dessert (within reason, of course!).

So that is me, that is my blog and I hope you stick around!