Link to Pics

http://http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=131395&id=684543835


Enjoy! We sure did!!

Honeymoon in St. Lucia

Q and I just returned from our honeymoon in St. Lucia last night. We loved St. Lucia so much that neither one of us wanted to leave there!! That island is absolutely beautiful! We had so much fun, did so many things, made new friends, and totally fell in love with the people there! It was hard to get used to driving on the left side of the road...and the crazy driving there! We thought we were going to die at least 3 times on our way from the airport to the resort! The only speed limit sign we saw was a hand painted sign that simply said, "Slow Down." hahaha We did survive though!! We stayed in an awesome rondoval casita, complete with outdoor shower, hot tub, pool with waterfall, hamock, fully stocked bar, beautiful room, huge tub, great shower, big flat screen tv....the works! We even had a butler(actually 2...1 on each shift.) We enjoyed a jeep safari tour around the island and through the rainforest, went whale/dolphin watching, a heliocopter ride/mini tour, and shopping! We ate at several different places within our resort, in another resort, and in town once! We also had a candel light dinner on the beach! We had plenty of time to relax on the beach, at the pool, and in our room. One night they had a big bbq. There was lots of yummy food, performers, music, and limbo...which of course I participated in!! On Christmas Day, we relaxed at the spa:) Q and I had a couples massage. Then Q had a man facial, and I did a moroccan mud wrap:) It was wonderful!!!!

We left there with a new appreciation for life and everything that we have! The people there have so little. Many don't even have running water in their homes. Yet everyone there is so happy! They are always smiling and making others smile! They are just high on life there! We have decided to be more like them. Here, we have absolutely NO reason to be discontent or unhappy....EVER! They have a motto over there: "No pressure, no problem!" We are going to live by that motto from now on as best as we can! We seriously do not need to stress over so many unimportant things in life! Those people are living proof that true happiness does not come from earthly possessions. It truely does come from within!!

We both love that place so much that we are most definitely going to visit there again..and again..and again, whenever we can!! We may even adopt a child from St. Lucia!

Ok, so, anyway, I posted lots of pics on Facebook! Enjoy!

Radio Interview

A few weeks ago, I was asked by my friend, Diana Stanbeck(IFBB Pro) to be a guest on her radio show...DiFit Radio! Of course, I said I'd be happy to let her interview me! So anyway, she interviewed me this evening, and already has it posted on her website! Log on to www.DianaStanback.net and have a listen!!!

I'm a Fatty

So, in March when I competed, I was 106lbs. Eight months later, I am now nearly 160lbs. My clothes don't fit, and I hate what I see in the mirror. I have been battling hypothyroidism, fatigue, mild depression, and an injured knee which prevents me from training. It totally sucks! I am now working with a naturopath to get to the bottom of these issues, as well as an orthopedic doctor to treat my knee. I am also back on an "off-season" diet, trying to get my eating back on track. Even though I am totally digusted with my body, my husband has been extremely supportive and seems to love my extra "fluff." I am really hoping to get this knee of mine healthy again so I can do what I need to do in the gym! I am also hoping that being back on a good meal plan will help get rid of some of my fluff. For now, there's just more of me to love, but hopefully soon, there will be less of me!!!

Wedded Bliss

Our wedding, on Sept. 26, 2009, was beautiful!!! We had about 25 people show up, which is pretty awesome considering we were in Vegas!!! We stayed at Caesars's Palace and were married at the Mon Bel Ami Wedding Chapel! Aside from the minister being an idiot, everything went off without a hitch!!! We will be going on our honeymoon to St. Lucia in a few weeks, during Christmas time! We are very excited about that!! When we return, we will be discussing some very important decisions about our life! We are totally loving being married! Q has been the best husband in the world; I am really blessed to have him! He is also a top notch dad to my boys! They love him and respect him! My older son even came to me and said he wants to call him "Dad!" He is a strong rolemodel for them, and is teaching them how to be young men!

Anyway, I want to share a few pics from our wedding before I go!

Wedding

Our wedding is in exactly 2 weeks!!!!!! We are very excited!! It's going to be Saturday, Sept. 26 @ 11am @ the Mon Bel Ami Wedding Chapel!
607 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Las Vegas, NV 89101
My mom and I went today to get our dresses fitted, but the seamstress was out of town for her birthday. So, we have an appointment to go again on Monday!! Q will pick up his altered suit the same week we leave for Vegas! I still don't know who's gonna walk me down the aisle to give me away!! I was thinking my mom should do it, but Q said it should be a man. My grandpa can't...he says we can't both fit on his motorized scooter. LOL I could ask my brother or my uncle. I also thought I could have Mandi and Kelly(2 of my best friends) do it! Neither one of them are men either! haha Who knows??!!! Maybe I'll just walk myself??!!
Anyway, we are excited to see everyone!! We are blessed to have family and friends who will be there to share in our joy on our wedding day!!

Well, the "Big Day" is getting closer and closer!!! Q and I are getting married in 17 days!! We are both REALLY excited!! He has been getting very "mushy" and sentimental lately...it's pretty cute and just makes me love him even more!! I am very blessed and happy to be marrying such an awesome man!! I'll be MRS. Thomas before ya know it!!!!

Contest Pix!

See?? I told you I'd be back soon!! I thought I should post up a few pics from my competition,,,in March. First place, baby!!!

Contest Pix!

See?? I told you I'd be back soon!! I thought I should post up a few pics from my competition,,,in March. First place, baby!!!

Catch-Up

Wow!! I didn't realize it has been so long since I updated my blog!! Thanks, Marcin for pointing it out to me! I thought I had at least posted up something after my competition! I do apologize!!

First of all, I did quite well at my competition in March! I lost 37lbs, and my bodyfat was down to about 7%, which was the leanest I have ever been!! I brought home a first place trophy, too!!!!! There were a few glitches, though. My tan was the first issue! I kept sweating it off! i was a streaky mess! Then I brushed my teeth, and dribbled toothpaste somehow down my leg. I was off to see Mary AGAIN to fix my tan. Then I needed to take my pills, and dropped the water bottle..on my tan ofcourse!! I had to run down to the tanning room about 4 or 5 times! I was definitely their problem child!

At pre-judging, I was the first competitor on the stage. It was just my luck that the music dude didn't realie that he had the speed turned way down! So, I REALLY struggled through my routine, trying to do everything much slower than usual and adlibbing several times. It SUCKED!!!

Regardless, I took 1st place. So, my plan now is to compete next year at Jr. Nationals, along with my fiance(he'll be my husband before then though!)

Right now, I'm back on the diet and cardio wagon due to the fact that I've put all my weight, plus some back on, and I'm getting married in September!! I want to still fit into the weding dress that I bought:)

I'm looking forward to my kids starting back to scholl in 2 weeks! WooHoo!!!

Someone asked me what my hair is like now bc it's so different in all my pics. WELL, I am attempting to grow it long again. So, it's in one of those ugly in-between stages. It looks horrible 99% of the time! I'm hating it big time! It's also a reddish color right now. I celebrated my bday last week, and we took a few pics. I'll post one up so u can see fat me with bad hair! LOL

Q is waiting on me to finish blogging so we can hit the gym together. So, bye for now. I'll be back soon...promise!

Counting Down!!!

Show time is just around the corner! In 4 more days, I'll be on stage, doin' my thang in Lubbock, Tx at the West Texas Classic!! I feel very ready! It has been a rough road getting where I'm at today., and that's putting it mildly!!! In almost 17 weeks, I've lost 36 lbs and have gotten my body fat down to around 8%!!! This diet kicks my ass! The diet, combined with low body fat, has sent my emotions into a tizzy. It has been the worst emotional and mental rollercoaster that I have EVER experienced. I haven't had carbs since my last cheat meal 4 weeks ago, and I'm definitely showing the signs. I'm always exhausted and feeling totally drained, my emotions are up and down like crazy, I have CRS, and my brain just can't function!!!! The good news is that on Thursday, I begin fat loading. That should pep me up a little and make me feel a little more satisfied. I'm looking forward to that!!

I am very excited to compete on Saturday and show off the results of all my hard work!! I am also extremely excited to go EAT...real food....after the show!! I think what I'm most excited about, is that Q gets to go with me! It means soooo much to me to get to have him there, have his love and support, and a short trip...just the 2 of us!! I plan to take a break for about a week afterward. My body and my mind most definitely need it!! Hopefully, this show will qualify me to compete at Jr. USA's and Jr. Nationals, which means I'll have to jump right back into my diet and contest prep after my short hiatus.

I've pretty much decided that this will be my last year in the competition circuit. I feel like this lifestyle....always dieting and prepping for shows...is taking a toll on not only my body, but my family and realationship with the man I love. This past 17 weeks has been extremely rough on him and my kids, and I hate to see that. My family, and my future husband, are far more important than bringing home trophies. I'm a winner in their eyes, and that is all that truly matters.

The attached pix were taken this morning after my cardio, when I was practicing posing with my trainer and friend, Mary:) I KNOW I'm very white right now, but Protan will take care of that on Fri!!

Kickin' Up the Cardio

Cardio....what can I say?! I REALLLLLY don't like it, especially this low intensity bullshit that Dave has me doing. I feel like I have no endurance any more! So, I decided to take matters into my own hands(or feet in my case.) I'm kickin' it up a notch, making it fun, challenging, and a little higher up on the intensity. Dave can't be too upset...I'm doing some fun things...in intervals, so my heart rate has a chance to drop a little in between. Ofcourse, unless he reads my blogs(and i doubt it), he won't know. hehehehe.
I've been starting off with my usual, low intensity stuff...walking on the treadmill at a snails pace..anywhere from 2.8 mph - 3.2 mph(because that is an order from you know who.) Then I get bored as usual and take it up!!
After I've strolled along for about 30 minutes, I take the speed down to 1.5 mph. I do walking lunges(yes..on the treadmill) for 30 seconds(about 20 lunges) and then walk for 30 seconds. I repeat this for 10 minutes and change it up again!
I take the speed back up to 2.9mph or so and side shuffle! I'll turn to the left and shuffle for 20 seconds and walk for 20 seconds. Then turn to the right and do the same. Some of the shuffles, I'll stay up on my toes(makes my calves burn) and some I squat low, keeping all the tension on my quads. I continue this for 10 minutes. I LOVE it!
For my last 10 minutes, I take the speed down to 2.5 mph and raise the incline to 5.0mph...or higher. I've gone as high as 12.0mph on this one! I safely step off the treadmill, turn myself around and jump back on. Yep! I walk(sometimes I jog a little...bringing my knees up and steppin it back) uphill, backwards for the final 10 min!!
This is more fun and the time goes by so much faster! I'm sure I'll think of some other crazy stuff to do on there. I'm already wondering if I can skip or do kareokes on there!! :0) I'll let ya know how that goes!!
Hmmmm.....I think I should send the link to this blog to Dave:) He likes my sense of humor. At the very least, maybe he will laugh a little! Yes, I'm kinda crazy...so is he. That's why we get aloing so well!!
Now, go find a treadmill(or dreadmill, as I call it) and try my stuff out! You too Dave!!! hehehe

7 Weeks Out

So, I am now a few days less than 7 weeks out. My weight on Saturday(my check in w/Dave day) was 121.4 lbs. That's 23 lbs from where I started! My body fat was 10.8%!! I still have a ways to go, but I'm on the right track! My face is looking lean and chiselled. It's not yet to the ugly, sunk in look...give me a few more weeks. LOL. I don't have pics to post this time bc they were taken on Q's cell phone. My routine is also coming along nicely! I also got some new music! I need to start working on some choreography so I can have a new routine for JR's. That's all for right now on my progress!

Getting Closer

So, today when I was at my chiropracter's office, he let me get on their fancy-dancy scale. This thing asks your sex, age, height, athlete/non-athlete, etc....... It tells you your body weight, total body water, lean bosy mass, lbs of fat, etc. I was kinda scared to step on that thing today because I kinda fell off the diet wagon last night in a big way. I'm so mad at myself for that...and I took my anger out on the elyptical machine for an hour this morning...and heading back tio repeat that in a few minutes:) ANYWAY, that high-tech thingy made my day because it said my total body weight is 124.8 pounds(that's a 20lb loss thus far), my lbs of lean body mass is 110 lbs, my pounds of fat that I'm luggin' around is 14.8lbs. I had 80.6 lbs of water in me, which is well above the recommended 60%, and my impedence was 445(I think)..and I have no clue what that means.
When I left, I called up Dave to tell him! He said those aren't always accurate, especially the more muscular you are. However, since I don't carry an extaordinary amount of muscle, it's probably pretty accurate, is what he explained. He was pleased! My goal is to drop about 14 more lbs, but he said I only need to drop about 10-12 more!! YEAH!!! Besides that, I have 8 weeks left! I guess I'm doing better than I thought!!!
Ok, now I'm off to the gym again to sweat my ass off!! LITERALLY:)

I'm Hearing Bells

I'm excited because Q and I went ring shopping again yesterday, and we bought rings...BEAUTIFUL rings!!!! I fell in love with a particular ring....it's a 1 carat emerald cut diamond on a thin white gold band(classy) and we found a gorgeous wrap/guard to put with it(when we marry ofcourse) that has pretty round cut diamonds on the sides. It's a gorgeous combination!!!! I was totally thrilled that he let me get the one I really loved, even though it was more than he planned on spending. What a great man:) My ring will be displayed on a 16"shiny kinda thick snake chain around my neck(for the obvious reason.) Q's ring is also white gold with beautiful round cut diamonds all the way around the middle of the band. GORGEOUS!!! We are both very excited and giddy:) Now I'm just waiting to see how he proposes!!! EXCITING!!!! I'll keep you posted!

Cheat Meal

It was YUMMY!!! There was 1 problem though.......my stomach has shrunk, and I couldn't eat half of what I ordered!! I ordered 3 delicious sushi rolls, but could only finish 1 roll plus 2 pieces of each of the other 2. I guess that's a good thing, but it ws a little disappointing because I LOVE sushi, and I can usually pack it away!!! For those of you who have been out for sushi with me, y'all know...I'm not kidding about packin' it away! iIm like a bottomless pit! Not tonight:( I did go 2 doors down after my food settled a little, and I made room for an ooey-gooey waffle bowl sundea at Ben and Jerry's.
I had the obvious..a waffle bowl....with a scoop of CoffeeCoffeeBuzzBuzzBuzz and a scoop of Phish Food, topped with a little hot fudge, a little caramel, and oreo cookie crumbs! It was GREAT! However, I think I'm falling into a diabetic coma now from all that. So, good night!

M.I.A.

I KNOW, I've been MIA for a few weeks. The holidays were very busy in my household! I now feel like, everything is back to normal again.

I must say, it was extremely difficult to stay focused during that few weeks around Christmas and New Years. I managed to stay on track with all my workouts and cardio sessions. I even managed to get most of my meals in! My downfall was all the holiday goodies, eating out, and going non-stop everywhere! I would eat my meals, that I always brought with me when we went anywhere, BUT then I would pick at all the other food. I hate to see good food go to waste. LOL. We were at McDonalds because all the kids(mine and my "sisters" kids) wanted to use their gift cards(Arch cards?) I ate my 6 oz of chicken and 1 c. of green beans, but those damn chicken nuggets were crying out for me to taste them, and someone couldn't finish his second double cheeseburger. So being the non-wasteful, nice mommy that I am, it's, "Oh, let mommy have a bite of this, and let mommy try one of those,"etc...... I don't know how I did it, but I did lose 1 lb during the 10 days of having company, Whew!!!

Anyway, now I have 11 weeks to go. I'm down to 129 lbs. I'd lie to still drop about 20 lbs more.

I practiced my fitness routine this week, for the first time since August(or July??) I was hurtin' after that! It wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. usually the first practice is brutal. My endurance is down a little. i wasn't able to practice the entire routine all at once. I did it in bits n pieces and halves. Next week will be better!

I've gotten a few comments that my legs look leaner, or my abs are starting to show. Q said my butt is shrinking. I DO NOT see it, but I'll take the compliment! I just sent my pics to Dave. So I have no idea yet what he thinks. He's been very kind and encouraging thus far.

I get a cheat meal tonight! I cant wait! I didn't get one last week due to the fact that I didn't stick completely to my diet the week before. Tonight, I want some yummy sushi rolls and Ben and Jerry's ice cream! YUMMMMM! i'll let y'all know what I ate!

Stay tuned!