Welcome to the Jungle!

I had an awesome workout today. It was tough! I should have known it was going to be hellish when I heard my trainer say "Welcome to the Jungle!" At first I thought it was a joke ... until I was hanging from the pull-up bar kicking my legs like a monkey! Even though I entered like a lamb at the beginning of the workout ... I came out like a PANTHER! Why a panther and not a lion? Well it has a lot to do with my very first tattoo I got in 2000. I wanted a BLACK panther because ... well ... it's black ... and sleek ... and one of the sexiest animals in the jungle ... full of strength and power! I think that's something pretty cool to emulate ... not just in the gym ... but in life. My second tattoo? A yin yang sign ... balance ... something I continue to strive for. Still thinking about getting a third ... hmmmmmm

Workout: chest and back

No CRAVE cupcakes were used in the shaping of this body

It has already started. I'm 13 weeks out from my competition and I'm having mini food cravings. They're not hugely overwhelming. But I find myself commenting whenever I see some of my favorite "bad" foods. It started with one of my funniest co-workers ... and self-proclaimed food snob, Bob ... I caught him eating a brownie, twice. I accused him of eating it in front of me on purpose. He laughed. Then another co-worker was eating a banana about 2 desks away and I could smell it. All of sudden I was craving a peanut butter and banana sandwich. And this morning my camera guy Paul was eating a sausage McMuffin in the truck we share everyday. Who knew Rotten Ronnie's could smell so good? But the biggest temptation? I was offered a CRAVE cupcake. If you know me at all, you know CRAVE cupcakes make me weak. There they were. Free for the taking. But as my trainer Paul Anthony said "A Crave cupcake is not free. It has a cost". So much for that sweet dream. Of course I refused the sugar-filled offer and promptly headed to the gym for my cardio session. 45 minutes of endorphin pumping exercise with a soundtrack to go with it! A much better high than any CRAVE cupcake could give me. That's right! No CRAVE cupcakes were used in the shaping of THIS body!

The Dean of Bootology

Today I learned that my trainer Paul Anthony has another title. He's the Dean of Bootology. Ha! Okay so maybe he gave himself that title. For leg day today he put on his Dean of Bootology hat. So what does the D of B do? He helps you get that booty up ... jack that junk in your trunk ... accentuate your ass ... hahaha! Now I'm lucky ... genetics has blessed me with a pretty decent derriere ... but there's always room for improvement. And improvement is what I REALLY need when it comes to my leg workout ... and my confidence. My strength is not where it used to be but it's better than when I started. I still have a long way to go though. The self confidence always takes a hit on leg day. And though my trainer said I had a good workout today ... I still had my doubts ... my own insecurities. This is one thing I need to move on from. So I'll focus on the good stuff ... and use that to boost my confidence. I'll keep training hard ... and I know the results will come. What do you do to bring yourself up after your confidence takes a hit?

Workout: Legs!

Get out of your comfort zone

Intense cardio 6 days a week takes its toll on my little legs. And I have a leg workout with Paul Anthony tomorrow. Today I asked myself if my gams will make it through the next 13 and a half weeks of training. And if training isn't challenging enough, how about adding a dance class on top of that! Yes, I took a dance class today and it's all for a good cause. I'm taking part in an annual fundraiser put on by Arthur Murray Dance School. It's called Spring Fling and it's a gala event that raises money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I'm part of the "Dancing with Calgary Celebrities" portion of the event. (apparently I'm a Calgary Celebrity ... ha!). I've never taken dance lessons before ... besides learning the chicken dance and fox trot in high school. But I decided to get out of my comfort zone and go for it!
Today was lesson one and I'm learning the "slow and sexy" Rumba. Now don't do what I did and go to Youtube to see what the Rumba looks like. I saw 2 sexy, tight professional dancers practically having sex standing up with their clothes on. That's not the Rumba I'm doing. I've got some work to do ... but I hope ... after all these lessons ... I'll at least look a little bit sexy. Hmmm ... maybe I'll wear a short skirt to show off my well toned legs.
What have you done to get out of YOUR comfort zone?

Workout: Cardio 25 spin bike, 20 treadmill walking incline all the way UP!

DANCE PARTY WORKOUT!

As much as I love training with Paul Anthony (mainly because he pushes me hard ... and usually makes me laugh about something) I do love working out on my own from time to time. Today was one of those days where I was in my own world at the gym ... thanks to my iPod of course. It was a DANCE PARTY WORKOUT. Once I really get warmed up and into my first set or two, I tune out. I actually was "shaking my booty" between sets. That's right ... I did a little dance (make a little love ... get down tonight - KC and the Sunshine Band) in the middle of the gym. That's when you know I'm really into the workout. But it didn't stop there. I was even "getting down" on the elliptical ... shaking it to Micheal Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough ... and I admit I was singing a little bit too ... ha! And maybe you'd hear the odd "Woo!" in between intervals on the treadmill. Yep .. today was a DANCE PARTY WORKOUT! Isn't that how it should be all the time? Woo Hoo!!!

Workout:
Arms and shoulders
Cardio: 25 minutes running intervals
20 minutes elliptical

Running, running, running

What a crazy week. I feel like I've been running, running, running. Besides work, training, and dog sitting ... I've had all kinds of appointments that got me home later than usual ... wiped out. I feel good though. Energy is going up. Recovery is improving. And I'm sleeping better. Life is really good right now. But there are a couple of people in my life who are going through some rough times. And it's hard for me to come down from my high and say the right words to help them. So as I was running, running, running on the treadmill this afternoon ... it came to me. Sometimes when you don't know what to say ... you have to use someone else's words. Today I'm going to use lyrics from my second-wind song ... Jully Black's .. Sweat Off Your Brow. Read these words and remember: Life is what you make it!

Sweat Off Your Brow - Jully Black
Give thanks to Almighty
For all the little things
Sometimes we give up on the little man, too quickly.
We have food in our bellies
Even when the phone don't ring
Our roof ain't leaking
And so it's time for us to sing

And even when it ain't going on
You gotta still keep being strong
Just believe ...

Workout: Cardio - 25 minutes run, 20 minutes walk at highest incline

My meditation room ...

I've got a lot going on in my life besides work and the gym. It's all good stuff ... but it's a lot of stuff. So to de-stress in the past I tried traditional meditation. But I don't think I'm ready for that. There's something that works better for me now. My meditation room is the gym. Seriously. I'm not just making this up. When the sweat begins to bead on my forehead and my heart starts to beat in my chest ... that's when I start coming down from my day. In fact, yesterday when I went to train with Paul he asked me how I was doing. I was very frustrated about something I was dealing with and I told him so. He said "I'll make you forget about that quickly." Well, within 5 minutes of the workout I forgot all about it. I was focused on my training. And by the end of the workout ... I was smiling ... I had a bounce in my step ... and the frustration was gone. And I carried that into today's workout ... and hopefully ... the rest of the week ... in fact it better carry on for the next 15 weeks!!!

Workout: Chest and Back
Second-wind song courtesy of Maestro Fresh Wes: Drop the Needle ... here are my favorite lyrics from that song:

(yo Maestro, tell 'em what you wear)
I wear a black tuxedo
Black tuxedo
Black-black-black (oh my God)
A black tuxedo with the cumberband damn

Beware of Killer Bunnies!!!

OH EM GEE! What a fun workout today! Paul Anthony (www.dreambodyguaranteed.com) really knows how to work it! He introduced me to a new ... hellish ... exercise today. And all I have to say is BEWARE OF KILLER BUNNIES!!! Let me explain. Grab a couple of dumbbells (I used 5 pounders). Find a nice long unobstructed walkway. Do lateral raise with your dumbbells and as your raise your arms ... jump forward. Continue this until you reach the end of that walkway. Turn around and do it all the way back. At first Paul called them bunny hops. But after one set I renamed them to Killer Bunnies. It reminds me of that scene from Monty Python's Holy Grail when they come across the killer bunny ... RUN AWAY RUN AWAY!!! Paul and I had a laugh about that ... then I had to start another set ... and I couldn't run away ... because according to Paul he locked all the windows and doors so I couldn't escape.

But talk about timing. As I grit my teeth to finish the last few hops from hell ... a second wind song came on ... THIS IS WHY I'M HOT by Mims. Come on ... sing-a-long: THIS IS WHY I'M FLY ... YOU AIN'T 'CAUSE YOU NOT. THIS IS WHY ... THIS IS WHY ... THIS IS WHY I'M HOT.

Workout: arms and shoulders

This ain't no fashion show ...

When I workout, if I don't sweat ... lots ... then I haven't worked hard enough. So I'm not that worried about what I'm wearing because this ain't no fashion show. It's not that I'm pulling on an old stained t-shirt and shorts full of holes. But I'm not wearing full makeup, perfume, fruity lip gloss, and matching lulu from head to toe. Come on. We've all seen those ladies at the gym. I'm not hatin' on them. It's cool. They look cute! I wish I could look that cute and still train the way I do. But that won't happen. I buy my workout gear at Superstore, I wipe off any trace of makeup off my face before hitting the floor, and the only thing that touches my lips is lip balm. And some days I even sport a baseball cap. Because I'm going to get my sweat on! Where's my towel? But I do have one girlie confession ... now that my hair is extra short ... I wear earrings in the gym .... just so people don't think I'm a curvaceous boy.

Workout: Cardio
20 minutes skipping
25 minutes spin bike

Gotta love the second wind

Cardio day is often dreaded by many fitness competitors. I don't mind it as long as I have some good tunes. And you gotta love the second wind. You know ... when the right song shuffles to the top of the play list ... and you get this burst of energy because you remember "back in the day" when you used to "work it" in the club to this song! The track that got me fired up today was really old school. Square Biz by Teena Marie! Me and Lady T pushed out that last few minutes on Trey the Treadmill ... with feeling! Yes!

So what song gets you going on cardio day?

Workout:
25 minutes elliptical
20 minutes treadmill

The word is out!

Everyday is the same. The gym bag is packed. The lunch pail is stuffed. The extra large water bottle is filled to the brim. And now ... the word is out. The word is out at work that I'm training for another competition. And some of my closest co-workers are ... excited? Yes ... Leslie actually said "Yay!" and clapped her hands. (Clearly they forgot about the "carb depletion" phase.) Then I got nervous because now I can't back out. Now, I'm going to get questions about my food. Now, they'll be asking advice about exercise and nutrition. Now, people are going to say "You've already got a fit body. How can you get in even better shape?". Now, some will think I'm too skinny. Now ... I'll have more people cheering me on! Yay! I'm clapping my hands! :) That makes me smile ... even though every ... muscle ... in ... my ... body ... is screaming right now ... but I'm not complaining! Because that means I'm getting stronger, and more fit, and closer to my goal.

Today's workout:
Arms and shoulders
45 minutes cardio

I'm not complaining ...

It's kind of hard to complain about things like sore muscles or too much to do ... when Haiti ... the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere ... is devastated by a massive earthquake. This is a country that is already severely impoverished. I could not even come close to imagining what the people of Haiti and their loved ones are going through. Sure I had a "tough" day today. I struggled at work with fatigue and wow did my legs ever hurt! But ... I'm not complaining. Big deal. A couple of days ago when I was doubting my abilities after my leg workout ... one of my FB friends said "take it one day at a time and thank your blessings that you can do it...". I'm thanking my blessings today .... I'm thankful for the basics food and shelter ... I'm thankful for my health ... I'm thankful for having choices ... I'm thankful for living in Canada ... I'm thankful that I have goals and can plan for a bright future.
What are you thankful for?

This is a story about control ...

Cabinet Shuffle = yawn. iPod Shuffle = Woohoo! The details of this upcoming cabinet shuffle is the worst kept secret. But when you put your iPod on shuffle you never know what you're going to get! (It's like a box of chocolates ... mmm ... chocolate). And that kept me motivated in the gym today ... cardio day! This is a story about control though. And while we may not think we have control over our shuffling iPod ... I actually think we do. I believe the Universe sends us messages when we need them or are ready for them. Sometimes that might be through the songs on our iPod. Today, Janet Jackson's Control shuffled up to the top during my workout. That song has always made me feel strong and independent ever since I bought the cassette tape back in high school. But over 20 years later, the lyrics mean more to me. They mean I'm in control of my own success. I'm in control of how hard I train in the gym. I'm in control of what I eat. I'm in control of the final product that appears on stage in the spring. Not my trainer, not my job, not my work hours, not my friends ... just ME. So let me leave you with more lyrics from the song and after you read them, think about what you need to take control of to realize your dreams.

CONTROL - JANET JACKSON
This is a story about control..
My control.
Control of what I say.
Control of what I do.
And this time, I'm gonna do it my way.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.
Are we ready?
I am.
'Cause it's all about control.
And I've got lots of it!

Workout from HELL had me asking some tough questions

Now that's the way to start the week. A LEG workout with Paul Anthony Neil (www.dreambodyguaranteed.com). Holy crap! That workout from hell had me asking some tough questions of myself. The first one was ... why the hell am I doing this? The next question ... can I really do this? Let me tell you I had to dig deep ... but by the end I couldn't dig deep enough. I was so dead at the end of the workout my ears were thumping. I almost felt like I wanted to be sick. And as I walked back to my car I felt like everyone was watching me because I felt like I was walking funny. I couldn't get to the car fast enough. It was like when you're trying to run in a dream and you just can't run fast enough or you keep tripping or falling ... that's what it felt like walking to the parking lot. I was DONE! But before I let those negative thoughts consume me (I can't do this ... I've lost my strength and will never get it back ... I'm too old ... I don't have want it takes anymore ... who am I kidding?) I thought back to all those times when I struggled in the beginning. Like my first job as a TV reporter. All alone in Grande Prairie with an office, camera, and a phone ... and no experience. I remember crying in that office thinking I'd never get out of there ... I'd be working in small town Alberta as a VJ for the rest of my career.

Then there was that time when I was asked to be in a play ... The Vagina Monologues ... an opportunity I didn't want to refuse because it was a fundraiser for a very worthy cause. But I had zero acting experience. I had to recite two "controversial" monologues off by heart ... with feeling ... I had to "act"! To add to the pressure, I was doing this alongside professional actresses (Cathy Jones of This Hour Has 22 Minutes) and playwrights. We even had an award winning executive director running things. Well I dug deep then and I got a standing ovation and a glowing review in the paper the next day.

I can think of many other incidents where I doubted my abilities in the beginning ... but persevered ... and in the end ... it was worth the struggle ... it helped me grow as a person ... and my confidence went though the roof. So here's to sucking it up ... working my butt off ... and rocking that leg work!

No time like the present! Here we go!

There's no time like the present to start my new FITNESS FOCUS! Here we go! I hit the gym today with one of my favorite trainers, Paul Anthony Neil (www.dreambodyguaranteed.com). I've told you about him ... the trainer with three names ... so you know he means business! Ha! And it was all business today! What was supposed to be an assessment ... turned into an intense upper body workout. It was awesome! You see I've decided to enter a figure competition in the spring. That's my new FITNESS FOCUS to kick off 2010. Woohoo! I've hired Paul Anthony to train me. He wants me training for 4 months .. instead of the 3 I assumed. (You know what assuming does? Makes an ASS out of U and ME!) Anyway, that caught me off-guard ... because I didn't plan on starting for a couple of weeks. But now that I think about it ... I've seen his clients on stage and WOW ... I'm convinced he's going to help me get to where I want to go ... TOP THREE BABY! Here we go!!!

Workout: Bi's, Tri's and shoulders ... FEEL THE BURN!!!

Out with the old/negative ... in with the NEW/POSITIVE!

Let the cleansing begin! Happy New Year everyone! It's out with the old/negative and in with the NEW/POSITIVE! That's my mantra for 2010. I'm about half an hour from heading to the gym for my first workout of the year. I'm a little anxious because I'm thinking of all the unhealthy food and drink I consumed over the holidays and the fact I only worked out 3 times. Yes I know ... I vowed not to abandon my health during the holidays. I still ate good healthy meals. But couldn't resist indulging in Mom's Jamaican sweets! And yes I was going to workout more when I was in Jamaica. My parents have a treadmill, bike, and weights. But with the pull of a full house of relatives ... most of the time I chose to hang out with them. Who knows when I'll see them again. So if I'm going to follow my new mantra (out with the old/negative) ... I'm going to move on from all the things I should have done over the holidays ... that's in the past now ... I can't change it. And I'm going to look forward (in with the NEW/POSITIVE) to brighter, healthy days ... and a NEW fitness focus. What is it you ask? Stay tuned! It's going to be an exciting year!