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)

…. And a little bikini

Yes. A bikini. But this ain’t your beach-bunny bikini. This bikini require hours of reps and sets. It requires food prep and dietary restrictions. It means craving cupcakes but settling for a piece of gum (sugar-free, of course). One must earn this bikini.

I hope to just the one.

Tomorrow starts my first day of training prep for a NPC bikini competition. What is a bikini competition?

Take a look at these lovely bikini pros:

Amanda Latona (she's one of my faves)

Jessica Putnam (she's from Dayton!)

Justine Munro

Nicole Nagrani (She's 19, and one of the best!)

Sonia Gonzales (A shorty like me!)

And yes, you do have to look that orange (seriously, if you aren’t it counts against you.) It’s like Miss America on steroids (well, let’s hope for no ‘roids).

So, why do I want to do this?

I’ve never been a star athlete. At the risk of sounding poetic and cheesy, there is something about weight training that just fulfilled me. And while I enjoy working out, I’ve always wanted to push a little harder, go a little further. I enjoy a good challenge.

At this time in my life a lot of my friends are having babies or advancing their careers. I am doing neither. And while I’ll be graduating in a year and a half, my future is very uncertain. I needed something to ground me, and competing in a fitness competition has always been on my list. With no kids, no job and a husband who is gone a lot, I figured why not now?

I hired a trainer, who has already gotten me my eating (abs are made in the kitchen) and workout plan (Assisted pull ups? Push ups? Lord, help me now). At least my Dite Rite is allowed (though I was hoping a restriction would help me kick the habit) and so far I get three cheat meals (yeah!)

I hope you’ll follow me on this spray-tanned, buffed-up, teeny-bikini journey.