Whoever said, "Pain is weakness leaving the body," is full of $#!&!!!!

I am a week into my first week of training, and today is officially 90 days out from my competition.

The holiday weekend was spent here:

Family's Lake House

It was so nice to return to my family’s lake house. However, it wasn’t too nice for my diet. While I didn’t cheat except for my allowed cheat meal (I even passed up cheesecake!), it was hard to remember to eat. With boating and kayaking and just hanging out, I really didn’t want to spend all my time in the kitchen.

Waking up at 4am to catch my flight back to Florida on Wednesday, I skipped my night class (I’m getting my Master’s in Oriental Medicine) and spent the evening prepping meals for the rest of the week.

It’s a good thing I like fish!

I will be back on the diet-track in a matter of no time, and I will have a pretty strict day-in, day-out routine up until competition day. (Whew! Don’t you hate when your routine gets messed up?! It’s throws me completely off!)

As far as the exercise goes …

It’s really not that difficult. ... Well, the exercises aren’t complicated. However, I am trying to build muscle, so I am lifting pretty heavy, not a lot of reps, with 30 second rest periods. So it’s exhausting. The workouts are a lot shorter than what I was previously doing, but it just goes show hours in the gym doesn’t always mean you are working harder.

As for cardio, four times a week I am doing a 20-minute cardio interval on the Elliptical. I’m sure runners are well acquainted with cardio intervals, but I’ve never done them. I would spend 45 minutes busting away at the Elliptical, when I should have kicked ass in intervals, and in half the time!!!! And my cardio is done at the end (#sadface). So right when I think I am through and exhausted my little muscles …

But once a week, I have to do a 300 workout. It’s a series of timed exercises and they kicked my ass. Here is the gig:

~ 25 assisted pull ups

~ 50 deadlifts (65 lbs. ... yeah right. I tried 40 and hurt my back, so I settled for 35 lbs.)

~ 50 pushups

~ 50 box jumps (Surprisingly, I LOVE these!)

~ 50 laying leg raises while holding 20 lb. dumbbells

~ 25 single arm clean and presses with 15 lbs. dumbbells on each arm (another fave)

~ 25 assisted pull ups

Even Simon says "Thumbs Down!" on the 300 workout

I suck at it. I’ve only done it once, but I am not looking forward to it (I thought I would like it since I HATE cardio! I much prefer this “hidden” cardio type of routines … thank you Jillian Michaels).

Though my measurements haven’t changed in the first week, I think I look a bit more toned. I just picked up some of my supplements, so hopefully those will help with a noticed progression.

Bikini Time in 90 Days!

What else have I learned this first week:

~ I need to find new fish recipes.

~ I need to look like a gym-pro and buy me some gloves … Calluses = PAIN!!!!

~ I really need to hire a chef. I’m tired of cooking already.

~ Preacher curls are the Devil’s work.

~ AmiN.O Energy Grape Concord is amazing!!!!

(Everyone should have some for the afternoon pick me up. It tastes like grape soda, and probably better for you than Red Bull)