A stay-at-home mommy of two!

Which style should I go with??

2008-01-27T21:05:00.001-05:00

Ok.....someone had a thread going in bfltracker.com about going dark or blond.... well, I joined a website a while back called makeoversolutions.com and came up with the below styles..which ones do you like???? I can't decide!

The suits before Stef starting blinging them up :-)

2008-01-27T15:13:00.001-05:00

I had started adding stones on the top portion of the suits, which you'll see in Stef pics in her blog but she added stones on the bottom, going around the edges, it looks nice!

For my next show, probably 2009, I want to be leaner and slightly more muscular.

A small video of me and Katherine

2008-01-20T21:18:00.000-05:00

A year has gone by....

2008-01-12T22:57:00.000-05:00

It's been a year since I've last posted, where did the time go? Life has been crazy for me in 2007 and I'm still not back into a workout routine :(. I'm dissapointed that I spent the year doing nothing but I'm a slow adjuster when it comes to being a SAHM.

As for family life, my husband has relocated in Ohio while me and the girls are still in NC trying to get our house sold so that we can reunite with hubby. I'm currently in Lebanon OH with him but going back to NC on Monday and I'll start working out again, doing light easy stuff for now, get a good eating plan together and do my best to lose as much weight before I see hubby again :) I'd like to pleasantly surprise him when I see him again probably mid February (once a month till house is sold).

The plan is that I'm going to start working out slowly so that I can get my body geared for weight lifting and HIIT training. There's a kickass YMCA here in Lebanon OH which is HUGE!!! My oldest daughter will be able to start soccer, gymnastics,..whatever she wants to do as far as sports, it's there! :-) She's getting old enough to get active (4).

Well, I better get going but if anyone wants to get in touch, I can be reached via email at cfingram@gmail.com

Hugs, Carole

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2007-01-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

Thank you for all the wonderful emails wishing me Happy Birthday (December 28th), it was very nice! My husband however forgot all about it, I had to remind him *LOL*, I didn't even get a card! *LOL* hahaha...the joy of having a birthday after Christmas... it really doesn't bother me anymore, it's sorta expect "not" getting anything on my birthday *LOL*.

So, I asked what everyone was doing as New Year resolution, so, here's mine:

1. Getting Out of Debt following the Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.

2. Make $500 to $1000 a month with my home-based business.

3. Save $75.00 a month for Christmas Fund

4. Save $75.00 a month for "Vacation" Fund

5. Also.... get back into a workout routine :-)

My birthday is tomorrow...bitter sweet...

2006-12-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is my birthday and I'll be turning 27. I hate that it's only three days after Christmas, it makes it hard for anyone to get me anything due to Christmas! *lol* I'm seriously thinking about changing my birthday to June! :-) I never had a birthday party when I was a kid (still haven't to this day other then going out "clubbing" when I turned 21....drank way too much alcohol that night!).

Tomorrow, I'll probably be thinking about my father a lot, he was notorious for forgetting my birthday, he couldn't remember the day... I'm not any better, I couldn't remember his either! I didn't make the effort to remember his since he couldn't remember mine *LOL*. Anyway, last year, he didn't forget. I guess he didn't want to take the chance of ever not telling me "Happy Birthday" on my actual birthday....well Dad if you can hear me right now, I LOVE YOU and MISS YOU so very much!

By the way, Thank you Tracy and Stef for the Christmas cards!

Now that I'm thinking of it, what is everyone's New Year resolution?

MERRY CHRISMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2006-12-23T18:14:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!!!

It's been so very long since I last posted! I have been soooooooooo busy during the first few weeks of Christmas filling in orders for my business! My business has done so good the past month or two, it's really up our finances, especially since my husband was out of work for his second job for about two months now and we have been struggling a lot.

ANYWAY, now that business has slowed up, I can finally post more frequently !!! YEAH FOR ME.

BTW, I don't know if any of you use the Entertaiment Book or not, if you've never heard of it, it's a coupon book where you can save from Dining, Services (oil changes, hair cuts, etc.), online shopping, etc.

Being that I'm a stay-at-home mommy now, if I get five of my friends to purchase the book, I get $250.00 gift certicate from Target (That's A LOT of diapers!!) *LOL*

Here's the email I sent to my family/friends...

Hello everyone!
THIS IS NOT A PRANK EMAIL!!! If FIVE of you purchase the entertainment book, I get $250.00 gift certificate from Target! Being that I'm a stay-at-home mommy, I could certainly use this gift certficate to buy some diapers!!! *LOL* I already used about 5 coupons out of my entertainment book, it's an awesome saving tool, a great buy! I'm extending a personal invitation to my friends and family. To see your invitation, click the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser's address field:

http://friends.entertainment.com/r/7cd7b06ee42910298b39

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

2006-10-18T15:18:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I last posted but it's no surprise I'm sure since I have a newborn to take of...can you believe it , she's already 2 months old! She's growing so fast and she's already cracking up some smiles for us, simply adorable! So much has happened and I have little time to get all into it but here's the bottom line... I'm going to be a stay-at -home mommy! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! My husband has found himself a part-time job, he works on a as-needed basis, enough to get us by.

As for exercising/dieting : I started dieting about a week and a half ago, I went from 153 lbs down to (as of this morning) 146.5 lbs. I haven't started the exercise part yet, I had full intentions to start on Monday but last Sunday, I injured my foot somehow, I have no CLUE how I did it but I'm limping *lol*...yeah, walking like I duck, trying not to put too much weight/pressure on it since it's my "bad" foot and I would HATE to hurt it even more. I should still workout my upper body some,... but for now, I'm just getting the diet going and getting use to that first... My husband has been working out and started dieting too! It took about two years of me telling him that he needed to eat 6 times a day and convincing him that "WHAT" you eat DOES matter! Jezzzzzzzzz.... he's a hard headed. It took him going to Myrtle Beach SC and seeing all these "HARD BODIES" (men and women) and he got a little concerned about his look *lol*, AND doesn't help that when he visited his family about a month ago, a LOT of people pointed out his little gutt *lol* , asking him "What happen man, you gained some weight!? " *LOL* HA!

As for my business, it's picking up RAPIDLY! I've been doing a lot of custom orders and I LOVE IT! My handcrafted items are selling well and I'm loving it. I even added some personalized lightswitches, check this out!! They are so cool and so much fun to make!!! I only sell them for like $6.99 each, and that includes shipping cost! I finally got them onto my website yesterday, took a little bit since I had to refresh my memory (HTML coding, etc.).

Anyway, now that I've probably put everyone to sleep with my blah blah blah..I will get going.... I do promise some before/after pictures!!! So, keep in touch with me, I'll start full blown very soon, heck, I already started but just the dieting part.... may be another competition in 2007!!! Just need to hire a good trainer to help me out !!

I miss working out!!!!

2006-09-22T13:26:00.000-04:00

Wow, do I miss working out and that awesome feeling of "well-being" after a kick ass workout! I'll surely be at it again soon - I've got about 20 lbs to lose, I'm currently at 154 lbs in size 10 jeans. I really don't feel bad about being a size 10, even after being a size 2 just 10 months ago. I may decide to lose 30 lbs, but it'll all depend on how I look and feel. I wanted to do a BFL Challenge this year, but I missed the deadline! There was no way that I could start working out only two weeks after giving birth to Katherine, my bottom was still pretty sore from "ripping" (ouch!). Also, my back was giving me some problems due to the lovely epidural I got, I regretted it but when my water broke at 8 cm, the contracted seemed like they tripled in strength, needless to say, I wasn't quite thinking of the "future" but more about the present and what I could get to take the edge off of the pain.

Along with being a mom of two, I've been working more hours towards my side business of personalized books & handcrafted kids room decor items. I'm selling them on ebay, pretty cool! Check out my cute little items I've crafted and selling right now:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZpersonalizeabook2QQhtZ-1

I'm not sure if the above link will work so I'm including some pictures... I absolutely LOVE doing these! I get a lot of custom work requests too.

Fairy Jewelry Box with mirror

"Baby" themed Winnie the Pooh Peg Boards Disney Princess Wall Scalloped Shelf

The Backyardigans - 5 drawer Jewelry Box

Being a Mother of Two - A Challenge!

2006-09-15T13:50:00.000-04:00

First and formost, thank you all for posting in my blog and all the congratulations! It's greatly appreciated.

It's been almost a month since my last post, I've been really busy with taking care of my little Katherine (breastfeeding, diaper changes, etc.). It seems like she's doubled in size already, she's so adorable and cute! Cassandra still calls her "her baby" and occasionaly says "She's a cutie mommy" :-) My heart just melts when she says that to her little sister.

Here's a few new pictures of them!

Welcome Katherine Elizabeth Ingram

2006-08-25T16:31:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to announce the birth of my daughter, Katherine.

Born: August 20th, 2006
Time: 10:35 pm
Weight and Heigh: 7 lbs 12 oz , 21"

I started having contractions around 4:30 pm Sunday afternoon, after several hours of shopping and walking around. My contractions were approximately 12 minutes apart, at around 6:30 pm, they were anywhere between 5 to 8 minutes apart, I then decided to take a warm bath to help me relax and prepare for the birth. By 7:30 pm, they were 3 to 5 minutes apart. I then prompted my husband to start getting ready to head out to the hospital as they were getting closer quickly. We were on the road by 7:45 pm and by 8:15 pm, my contractions were 2 minutes apart...there was no doubt in my mind that I was now in active labor. We checked in the hospital by 8:45 pm and I was in the delivery room at about 9:10 pm... they then checked me and I was already at 7 cm. The nurse then coaxed me into going without the epidural...I was all for it but then the doctor came in, checked me again and asked me if I wanted the epidural BEFORE proceeding with breaking my water... at that point, I was still coping witht he pain very nicely and said No. Well, I quickly changed my mind when she broke my water... I was already at 8 cm ... Doc ordered the epidural but they barely got to me on time, at this point, they were not suppose to give it to me but she was able to talk him into it! THANK GOD! It didn't take the pain completely away but it certainly took the edge off. The urge to push came quickly after the epidural... I only had to push 10 minutes and she was out!

Thje birth of my first child was 10 1/2 hours long (water broke), this one was only 5 from the time of my first contraction. What is very interesting is that both of them were born on their due date! They say only 5% of women actually give birth on their due date but to do it twice in a row is practically unheard of, I felt like I won the lottery ! *LOL*

No Baby Yet!

2006-08-18T11:06:00.000-04:00

Went to see to the doctor yesterday for my weekly visit, no real changes since last week (or the week before for that matter). I’m still 50% effaced and 2 cm dilated. My due date is August 20th, but I honestly think that I’ll surpass that due date by at least a week; they determined my due date via ultrasound and since I’ve measured smaller for the past several weeks, they may be off by a week or so. My belly yesterday was measuring at about 38 ½ weeks. They did another ultrasound yesterday to ensure that the baby wasn’t in a breach position; he had difficulty telling if the baby was head down due to having a hard time picking up the heartbeat, you could hear it but just not loud enough to say “it’s definitely coming from here”. They say that if they hear the heartbeat above your belly button, the baby is more then likely in a breach position…well, she’s heads down, so, no scheduled C-section for me! OUF!

Anyway, my mother is arriving tonight, which is GREAT! I was so worried about going into labor before she got here, I really wanted for her to go through the entire birth experience this time around. I’m hoping she will be there to see everything; I’ll leave it up to her. As for my 3 year old daughter, I’m undecided if she will be in the room or not at the time of delivery, it all depends on how she/I react and I don’t want to traumatize her. I know someday this question will arise “Mommy, how did Katherine come out?” *lol* Oooooooh, the hard questions that I will have to answer someday! I want to be truthful and honest but there’s a proper way of answering a child’s curiosity questions, especially when it comes to “how” babies are made, etc. How awkward!

Hopefully, I’ll have this baby over the weekend? It would be nice but I seriously doubt it, just a feeling I got. If by my next appointment, I haven’t gone to labor, my doctor will talk to me about “inducing”…not sure if I’m willing to do that, to me, that’s unnecessary intervention, especially if there’s nothing wrong with the mom and the baby? It may just be that they have my due date wrong? Anyway, anything that increases my risks of having a C-section is OUT of the question, so, no “castor oil” for me *lol*…I’m going to wait and let nature takes it course, isn’t it more exciting that way anyway? Hell, I didn’t want to find out the sex of this baby but my husband insisted, I think he doesn’t like “not knowing”, that’s why he’s so “stuck” on this due date and driving me nuts!!!!!!! He’s sooooooooooooooooo overly anxious to see this baby, it’s unreal, and he checks on me at least 2 or 3 times a day at work… I keep telling him, “You’ll be the 1st one to know if anything happens!” Some people think it’s very sweet that he’s so anxious, but the “sweet” part is starting to wear off and getting to be quite annoying.

Well enough ramping and raving for now… I’ll definitely keep you all updated about the baby.

Oh, here are a few pictures of the baby shower they had for me at work. I’ve never had a family baby shower on my parents’ side since I’m just simply too far away from everybody.

Last Friday’s Doctor’s Visit

2006-08-07T08:57:00.000-04:00

Went to see the doctor on Friday afternoon last week and he told me I was about 50% effaced, a fingertip dilated and that the baby was very “low” at approximately +1 station. He said that he doubted that I would make it to my due date (August 20th). I’ve been having some cramps on a daily basis now but they mostly come in the middle of the night, when I’m trying to sleep. My husband and I have a bet going ($50.00), where he thinks I’ll be going to labor before August 10th…and I told him it was going to be after. My thinking is that it may be this weekend or earlier next week…we’ll see! As per the statistics, 95% of babies are born within 2 weeks of their due date (before and after). Either way, she’s coming soon!

Anybody ever tried castor oil? I wouldn’t even try it but always wondered if someone tried it and what it did to them? I hear it works ONLY if you are “ready” but that it can also be quite risky if your not. My husband may try to talk me into taking it this weekend, if my doctor’s visit goes well HA! Just a little feeling I’m getting… he’s more anxious then I am.

Anyway, that’s my doctor’s update, no baby yet …

Baby Update :)

2006-08-04T08:35:00.000-04:00

Only have but 16 more days to go until my due date “August 20th”. No signs of progression so far (no dilation, no effacement). I’m going to the doctor this afternoon; hopefully I’ll have some news to share! Last week they told me I was measuring smaller then they wanted so they checked the baby’s size (ultrasound), they said everything looked great and that she weighed approximately 6 lbs.

Currently, I weigh approximately 172 lbs, sounds like a lot but it’s not too bad when last time, I was at about 195 lbs! I’m retaining some water but not too bad, at least, I’m still wearing my wedding ring. It seems lately that the baby has the hiccups everyday; in fact, she’s got them right now as I’m typing! I’m also getting contractions on a daily basis but not very strong, just the type that last about 45 seconds that feel like a bad menstrual cramp…they seem to happen a lot at night when I’m trying to sleep. *lol* They also happen a lot when she’s very active and moving around, it just provokes contractions. I’m starting to feel very anxious for this baby to come but I’m also nervous about how Cassandra is going to react and how ethic my life will become with a newborn, a 3 year old, a dog (trying to find him a new home), a cat, and a husband that may be working longer hours or traveling in order for us to have a roof over our heads and food on the table.

On a good note, my mother will be coming down to visit us from Canada on August 18th and will be staying for a full month, so, she will be a great help! She is practically my personal maid when she’s there (cooks, cleans, does my laundry, etc…that woman can’t sit down for 5 minutes!) I do have to say that I wished we lived closer to each other, because she’s the best! She had me at a very young age and practically raised me on her own, I give her a lot of credit for that…my father was also very thankful for her, the last few years of his life, he has told me and my mother over and over again that he was grateful for her, that he took no credit for my upbringing and that she couldn’t have done a better job at it. My mother and I haven’t talked much about my father recent passing just a month and a half ago, she hasn’t really said much about how it affected her….all I know is that ever since the day, when we talk over the phone and before we hang up, she now says “I Love You”, something she’s NEVER done. I think she wants to reassure me that she really does love me, but hearing her say it is very strange to me *lol* but I really do appreciate her effort in expressing her love, but it’s just one of those things that she doesn’t have to say anything, I just know that she does!

Well, I better get back to work, hopefully I’ll have a good update to share after my doctor’s visit today. :)

Abusives Stamps

2006-07-17T12:01:00.000-04:00

I need to share this with all of you as I find it very funny! You can actually purchase these! CRAZY!! I find it amusing because I have to deal with an incredible amount of BS (commercial real estate negotiations can tend to become “interesting” at times). HA! Anyway, perhaps some of you can relate to this a little bit…

More Wedding Pictures

2006-07-14T14:43:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd share some of these with you. Sorry about my "hair" color *lol*, I can't color it until baby is born! YUCK!

Belly Shot!

2006-07-09T20:20:00.000-04:00

This picture was taken today, we went to a park (pinic, waterfalls, etc.). As you can see, my legs are starting to retain water, which soon my ankles will be "kankles"... I've only got but 6 weeks to go... afterwards, I plan on getting "in shape" again :-).

Cassandra's Birthday, she's now 3!

2006-07-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

My daughter turned 3 on July 1st! Here's two pictures of her with her Butterfly Cake that I made for her... simple and easy! (found on www.kraftfoods.com).

Funeral Service Today

2006-06-26T08:59:00.000-04:00

I greatly appreciates everyone thoughts and prayers. I'm still very emotional over his passing, especially at such a young age, 46 years old! To think that my grandmother had him at that age “46” and she is still living today just blows my mind. He was the youngest of a family of 13 and the first to pass away. Today is his funeral service and I’m not attending for many reasons. His funeral is in CT, which is approximately 11 hours away. I’m also 32 weeks pregnant and cannot afford a “last minute” flight ticket. Also, the company I work for only provides with “one day” funeral pay and I’ve only got 3 days of vacation left for the entire year which will be used up this week and next week due to a one week closing at my daughter’s daycare. Anyway, I would really wanted to be there for my young siblings but circumstances are that I will not be able to be there.

My father passed away on Saturday June 17th, after battling cancer and defeating it! His last visit to the doctor had confirmed that he was cancer free; he was finally gaining weight and feeling better each day. It was a bit of a shock to all of us when we heard that he had passed, we were optimistic that he was going to make it through. He passed away “on the job” and he was alone…a co-worker found him but it too late. An autopsy has been performed and we should find out the cause of death within the next couple of weeks (my uncle said a couple of months, but don’t know why it would take that long?!?). I’m not even going to start stipulating what happen to him, too many possibilities and why worry about it?

One thing that I’m thankful for, I did get to speak with him two days before his passing. We had about 15 minute conversation, we got to say our “I Love You’s”, we did talk about the name that we picked out for the baby of which he loved, and he also got to speak to his grand-daughter for a little bit. He was in the middle of eating his favorite meal when I was talking to him, so, I had to let him go but I had promised to call back by the end of the week, which I would have called for father’s day…I didn’t get the chance to do that.

Today will be a hard one for me; I’ll make it through, but probably not without a few tears and prayers.

Again, I do appreciates everyone’s thoughts and prayers, I surely do miss you all.

Father passed away

2006-06-19T14:10:00.000-04:00

I haven't checked my blog for a very long time but I did want to put a quick note today to say that my father passed away last Saturday at his work place. He was finally regaining strength and weight but his treatments got the best of him. I will give more details in the near future, I'm just too tired to type right now, too much on my mind and too much to do.

Hope everyone is doing good.

Here's a new photo of my daughter Cassandra, she's turning 3 July 1st!

P.s. We have finally decided on a name for our baby girl, it will be Katherine Elizabeth.

I'm such a stranger!!! Jezzzz....

2006-05-15T14:09:00.000-04:00

WOW! Time flew by so fast this past month! I feel horrible since I haven’t been keeping up with my blogger friends! A lot has happen since the last time I posted.

I’m still doing the handcrafted items and my garden seems to be growing (somewhat slowly though! Ha!). My husband finally started working last week, he’s now working for Lowes Home Improvement and delivering Domino’s Pizza at night. We have yet again managed to get ourselves into more debt because of him being out of work for a month but it’s ok, we’ll survive… with his second job, within a year and a half or two, we should have everything paid for except for the house. We won’t be eating out, won’t be traveling, and won’t be buying anything but the basics…etc.

As for “baby”, I’m now 26 weeks pregnant and only 14 more to go! We have yet to figure out a name...the only name that came to mind thus far is “Emily”. Got ideas??? Argggg! I’ll have to take another belly shot soon, it’s grown quite a bit since last time! HA! As for my little Cassandra, she’s definitely looking forward to having a baby sister, but I do expect her to be a little jealous…she shows her jealousy when her mommy and daddy try to have some snuggle time together, she always wants to be part of it, and sometimes will push me away and say “No mommy, it’s MY daddy!” *lol*

Also, I’m going to Las Vegas this Sunday on a business trip, I’ll be traveling back to NC on Thursday morning. I’m looking forward to it but I’m also dreading it. At least, I’ll be going to see Celine Dion in concert Sunday night (a dream of mine since the age of 10! She’s quite the star in Canada!).

I’ll give you all an update when I return from Vegas!

Hope you all had a great Mother’s Day!

The Pleasures of Gardening & Crafting

2006-04-16T18:36:00.000-04:00

Here's the "by product" of my so called green thumb (Mesclun, Spinach and Carrots):

(below picture shows my "peas")

Some of my recent "crafts", which are Sets of Painted Decoupaged Wood Plaques

(of which I'm going to be selling):

For those of you that have young children and have their room decorated in a specific theme, what is it? I'm asking only because I need to know what parents/kids like so that I may concentrate on those theme. :-)

Just a very quick update for everyone..

2006-04-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

Been very busy the past couple of days, I’ve been brewing some ideas of stuff to add to my website such as Kids Room Décor items, hand crafted items and drop-shippers (very cute wood chairs, stuffed rockers, etc.). Mostly, I’ll be concentrating on doing hand-crafted wood wall hangings and such using decoupage techniques. I think there’s a market for it, just a matter of making it work for me! I really want to kick my business and get it going.

Here’s my business website again and PLEASE do visit and tell me what you think, I need SUGGESTIONS on how to make it better!?! :-) . WWW.PERSONALIZEABOOK.COM

Also, seems like my vegetable garden is already coming in! I got sprouts of carrots, lettuce, spinach, peas, beets and squash coming in! I still haven’t planted my green beans and tomatoes since they won’t tolerate frost, but I’ll be planting them this weekend! I also have to do a few successive plantings as well, more spinach/carrots/lettuce/peas. It’s amazing how much vegetables you can grow in just a 4’x4’ area (which is enough to feed one person during the growing season!). I’ll take some pictures when my veggies have grown a bit more. For someone that hasn’t ever done gardening before, this is pretty exiting stuff! HA!

On another note, our family is back down to “one” income only…I’m yet again the sole income in our family and hopefully this will change VERY soon. This has just happened yesterday and my husband is simply waiting for a call from a company to say “You are officially hired and here’s our offer”…. They practically told him he’s got the job but there HR department is moving very slow… ANYWAY, we may fall behind a little bit but I’m very confident that everything will fall into place soon.

P.s. Did everyone get their photo? If you haven’t received yours please let me know!

Baby Update!

2006-04-06T19:14:00.000-04:00

I got my ultrasound done today and guess what "IT's A GIRL!!" Wahooo!!! I'm sooooo sooooo sooooooo HAPPY!! My daughter is going to have a little sister! How exciting! Dont' get me wrong, I would have loved to have a boy but deep down, I was hoping for a girl :-). I'm smiling from ear to ear. I can't wait to tell my mother, I think she's going to be shocked since I kept telling her it was a boy! I'll be sure to scan some of the ultrasound pictures tomorrow and post them.

On a different note, I'll be sending out all of the promised photographs tomorrow!! I already sent a few but had yet to send all of them. FINALLY!!!!! Sometimes, I'm the biggest procastenator there is around...but quite honestly, I felt as if I let everyone down by taking in fourth position and I was embarrased by sending these photographs out...now, looking at the damn picture, I'm like "DAMN CAROLE, You Looked Good, why be such a whip, just send them out!" HA! Perhaps, just perhaps, one of my picture will get to someone that is in need of motivation and the timing will be just right?!? You know, I always feel like there's a reason why we do things, and may be, I've been procastenating because someone needed me to be ?!?!? HUH? Weird strange way of looking at it but WHO knows!!!! :-) Anyway, as I have said many times before, I really appreciated all those donations and can't wait to compete again in 2007!!!!!!

By the way, I'm now up to 147 lbs... at the rate I'm going, I'll probably be at about 165 lbs at the time of delivery! I'm going to start walking next week so that I can keep my weight gain under control.. Right now, I have a big passion for cooking and LOVE eating! Gaining 1 to 2 lbs a week is NOT uncommon for me! :-) AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I don't feel guilty about it at all ! The end results will be a little miracle! Also, I'll have all the motivation in the world to get right back into my very fit pre-pregnancy body back! WATCH ME !!

BIG HUGE HUGS TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!! C.

Photo - Week 19

2006-04-01T15:11:00.000-05:00

Hello All! Many of you have requested a "pregnancy" belly shot....here it is at 19 weeks. I'm not as big as I though *lol*, I was already imagining myself as big as a house!

Blogging…

2006-03-30T11:42:00.000-05:00

I’ve been thinking that since I’ve been so quiet for the past couple of months, I’ve lost a lot of people in the “blog” world. I’m wondering if it’s time for me to hang my hat for a while and stay low. I realize that my blogging may be boring now since, I can’t relate to most of you that are dieting and exercising, since mine is pretty much out of the window for the following 20 + weeks.

I guess what I’m saying is… not many comments = boring and uninteresting Carole HA!

It’s cool though, I’m ok with it since, I’ve kind of done it to myself anyway.

I’ll lay low for now….

The Cost of Rasing Children!

2006-03-29T13:58:00.000-05:00

I copied this email that I have received from a friend, it's a really nice read! A great and positive way at looking at the cost of raising a child :-)! ENJOY!!

I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice. The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down.

It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "wealthy." Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last.
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day

For $160,140, you never have to grow up.

You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watching Saturday morning cartoons,
* going to Disney movies, and
* wishing on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to
be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So, one day they will,like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!! Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!!!!!!!

Debt Snowball - Baby Steps

2006-03-28T10:19:00.000-05:00

Dave Ramsey – Baby Steps – My Total Money Maker Over
Some of you probably read my post back in early January talking about my finances and how we were going to tackle our debt. Some of you may have already heard of Dave Ramsey and applying his Baby Steps…but for those of you that haven’t and would like to get a good handle on your debt, I highly suggest buying and reading his book. Many of us complain about being broke all the time, and when you look at the overall picture, we get sort of depressed and say “it’s impossible” to live the debt free lifestyle. I use to think that way, but not anymore. I’ve started the Baby Steps and although we haven’t paid off half as much as we wanted to thus far, we are still plugging away at our existing debt.

Here’s what we have done during the past four months:

Save $1000.00 in Emergency Funds
Switch Cell Phone Carriers to save $60.00+ dollars a month. Termination fee of $350.00. OUCH!
Paid off House Security System Service, $200.00
Paid off first credit card debt, approximately $950.00
Paid off second credit card debt, approximately $1,500.00
Recurring $250.00 doctor’s payment (maternity - for the next four months).
Next task…tackle $2,800 credit card debt

My husband is actually in the process of looking for a new and better paying job. Currently, he’s working 50+hours a week, never has a weekend off and barely makes minimum salary (not counting his commissions, but those are few and far in between). The current job has potential but it’s been almost a year now and we can’t live off of what he’s currently making, we are paying stuff off but at “turtle” speed. I has already interviewed twice for “Lowes”, and it’s seems like he’ll be hired at corporate level, which means, a normal 8 to 5 job, with weekends off, paid vacation, excellent benefits and paid at almost twice the amount that he’s currently making right now. This means, after careful review of our budget, we’ll be able to put $500.00 more on our debt each month. I’ve also “STRONGLY” suggested to my husband that he pick up a second job at night to help us on our debt snowball, at least, until all credit cards and equity line of credit are paid off (which is about $8,000 total). I won’t push for the second job until he’s enjoyed several weekends off, he deserves it and there’s a lot of stuff that needs to get done around the house and inside that I need his help on! Right now, I feel like I’m doing it all alone, the cleaning, cooking, etc. I, personally, would love to do a second job, such as cleaning houses on weekends, etc. I could easily pull in an additional $200 a week but it’s impossible with being pregnant and taking care of a toddler. My job is to be at home with my kids at night. :)

Anyway, here’s a summary of the “Baby Steps” for those of you that need a refresher (a kick in the ass! *lol*) and for those of you that are curious:

1. $1,000 in an Emergency Fund
After you do your first budget, save up $1,000 as fast as you can. Just take care of the essentials (housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing) and make the minimum payments on your debt until you get the $1,000 saved up. An Emergency Fund will help you keep your head above water while you're getting out of debt. As soon as you start this journey, life will happen. Murphy's Law goes into effect. Murphy might even move in with you. For example, your refrigerator might break down but guess what? You have an emergency fund to take care of that so you don't have to stop your debt snowball. Always replenish your Emergency Fund when using or depleting before continuing with the debt snowball.

2. Pay off all debt (except the house) utilizing the “Debt Snowball”
The debt snowball is simple, yet effective. First, list all your debts smallest to largest. Next, make minimum payments on all the debts except the smallest one. Put as much money as you possibly can on that debt. Once the smallest debt is knocked out, carry the money you were putting on your smallest debt up to the next smallest debt and attack that one. Over time, you'll knock out debt after debt until they're all gone! Don’t tackle the credit card with the “highest interest rate”, just pay off the smallest and work your way to the biggest (there’s many reasons for this, just no time to get into them, get the book!!! *lol*).

3. 3-6 months expenses in savings for emergencies
Once your debt is gone, build a larger emergency fund of 3-6 months. This emergency fund is important as it will serve you in case loss of employment occurs. This fund allows you to continue living the way you are without stress and fear. It gives you time to choose your next step and place of employment.It allows you to stay on the plan.

4. Fully fund 15% into pre-tax retirement plans and ROTH IRA, if eligible
Once you've reached this point, it's time to put a little away for retirement! Take advantage of your company's 401k if they have one, put money in mutual funds...whatever it is, just start putting away 15% of your income.

5. College funding
You have kids? Guess what...high school graduation comes before you know it! What better gift to pass on to your children than a college education. They might not understand now, but they will someday!
6. Pay off home early
It's time to own a home! On Baby Step 6, you pay off your home as fast as you can. Put as much extra money as possible toward your house payment. Once that house is paid off, you just gave yourself a raise because you have NO PAYMENTS, BABY!

7. Build wealth!
Keep socking away money and making it work for you so that you can retire with dignity.

Gardening, anyone!?

2006-03-25T08:51:00.000-05:00

Interesting title huh? *lol* Actually, I'm tackeling a new little learning project, VEGETABLE GARDENING!! Wahoo! I've never planted a thing in a my life so, this is going to be quite interesting.

My husband has just put together a permanent raised bed, measuring about 4' wide by 16' feet long, it runs along one side of my house. Sounds small but I'll be doing a thing called "Square Foot Gardening", where you plan your garden by "square foot" and depending on what you are planting, you can put "so many" vegetable per square foot, ie: 16 carrots, 16 radishs psf, 16 onions, 1 tomato plant, etc. I was so excited about this project UNTIL I discovered that my NEIGHBOR'S outdoor cat has decided to use it at a KITTY LITTER BOX! OOOOOOOH the frustration! Pregnant and Cat Poop don't get along (toxoplasmosis, if I'm spelling it correctly!).....Anyway, when I thought this was going to be a fairly not too pricey project is now doubling in cost since I have to make it so that my neighbor's cat doesn't use it! I had to purchase a Scarecrow Sprinkler (motion sensor), that thing was about $80.00. I also tried to trap the cat in a cage at night but he didn't get in it, so now I'm having to return the cat trap to the Animal Control shelter today... WHAT TO DO!?!? *lol* Me and my bright ideas! *LOL* Anyway, I'm going to go talk to my neighbor this morning and see if she can be "kind enough" to keep her cat indoor, I just don't have a good feeling about this. I don't talk to my neighbors since, I don't want to create any problems...but this time, I'm put in a situation where I have no choice to say something. If she doesn't fix the problem and her cat still comes in my yard to poop, I'm going to sling all of my dog's crap onto her porch and see how she likes it! HA! :-) One thing that works for me is that in the county that I live in, it's very much illegal for a pet owner to have their pet litter in someone else's property. The neighbor can catch the pet, bring it the the animal shelter, the owner will receive a call to come and pick up their pet and will get fined... with each offense the fine is more.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes with my first garden and the cat problem.

Anybody that has a garden, feel free to comment and share your tips and tricks !!!! I dont' have a green thumb! HA!

Lack of motivation..NO MORE!

2006-03-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

I have been reading a few blogs the past couple of days and it seems that some of you are having food and motivational struggles, either to eat right or get into a normal exercise routine. This is what brings me out today to “Write” to you all (and you KNOW I’ve been very quiet lately but I can’t be any more! Need to RE-MOTIVATE you all!)

One quote that comes to mind for my struggling friends "When you say "I will" with conviction, magic begins to happen." When you’ve been “out” of it for a long period of time, getting into an exercise routine can be quite a challenge, but mostly, it’s a mental one. You simply have to “kick” yourself in the rear and get it done! After approximately one month, more then likely, you’ll have a routine established and you’ll actually start enjoying it vs. dreading it!

I, for one, haven’t been the best “example” the past couple of months. Mostly because I have been mentally abusing myself, destroying my self-confidence a little each day and would drown myself into sugary foods. I was actually dreading my pregnancy vs. enjoying it, knowing that looking “big and fat” was inevitable. What the hell was I doing to myself??? Why??? I’m going to have a beautiful little miracle in my hands in less then 23 weeks and I’m worried about getting FAT? What a crooked and weird way of thinking! I should be enjoying every day, every hour, every minute and every second of this pregnancy! The problem is; we always find excuses to make our “actions” justifiable, especially when you know what you are doing is not the best thing or the right decision…hmmmm….well no more excuses for me!! Anybody else exhausted of being “sick and tired” and feeling pitiful for themselves???? I for one certainly am, and I’m DOING (not “going”, but DOING) something about it, started this morning. I’m going to look myself in the mirror each morning, NAKED, with my beautiful round belly and say I FEEL and AM SEXY!

So, I repeat "When you say "I will" with conviction, magic begins to happen." Be positive, optimistic, realistic, and patient and surely, your motivation will come back to you and good things will start happening.

Instead of eating to lose weight, just reprogram your thinking and say “I’m eating right for good health!”

A recipe I want to share with you all:

Breakfast Oatmeal Medley
½ cup of Oatmeal
1 tbsp of Natural Peanut Butter
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
Pinch of cinnamon
1 to 2 tbsp of Splenda (the kind that measures like sugar)

Mix all together in a bowl and cook as you would scrambled eggs. EAT UP!

HAPPY ST-PATRICK's DAY!

2006-03-17T09:03:00.000-05:00

To all of my friends, wish you a HAPPY ST-PATRICKS DAY!

P.s. I'm now 17 weeks pregnant..going for a second ultrasound in 3 weeks, on 4-6-06... I've got a pretty strong feeling that it's a boy!!

P.s.s. MISS YOU GUYS!!!!

Going to NY/CT today & Baby Pictures!

2006-02-24T08:28:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!! I haven't posted in a while, partly because I'm LAZY but also because I’ve got a lot of stuff going that’s either got me worried or busy.

I unfortunately have to keep my update short as I’m at work. Tonight, I’ll be starting my travel up to Connecticut to see my father. His last chemo/radiation therapy is today, which he is absolutely thrilled about, he’s feeling very sick and is anxious to start feeling better. He is still working a couple of hours a day (against his doctor’s wishes), but he tells me he does so only because he can’t afford not to work, he needs to pay for his treatments, etc. Financially, he’s struggling, but he doesn’t have a lot of debt (no car payment, no house payment, no credit cards, etc.). I asked him yesterday if he remembered the commercial of the guy that said “I got a house, a home, a pool…want to know how I do it? I’m in DEBT up to my EYE BALLS!”…well Dad, that’s the life I’m living! He started laughing but he also completely understands, he’s been there before and unfortunately, he learned the hard way and lost everything….now, he can’t even have a credit card since his credit is horrible…BUT THAT’S GOOD! It always shocks me when someone tells me that they’ve accepted the fact that it’s the American Way to be in debt…..I use to think that way but not anymore! I want people to learn that it’s the AMERICAN WAY to live DEBT FREE! :-) I got a LONG way to go but baby steps will get me there.

Anyway, I’m really excited about visiting my father, and he is too…he’s just nervous about how Cassandra will react to him since she’s never meet him….she does talk to him every week on the phone and calls him “Daddy” *lol* I keep telling her that “he’ s my daddy” but then she gets really mad at me, and says “NO, HE”S MINE MOMMY!” It’s just too adorable!

I will also get to see my mother; she’s actually visiting us from Canada. She’s left this morning from Presque Isle Maine by bus and should arrive in Hartford later on tonight – she’s very anxious to see my daughter and mentioned to me that she will not leave her sight! I then proceeding to tell mom that she needed to be considerate of my father and “share” Cassandra with him. I also forewarned my father about my mother being very attached to Cassandra and may be a little selfish but he said that was totally OK with him, which made me feel a lot better.

On another note, I had an Ultrasound yesterday and I’m 14 weeks pregnant (which I thought I was 13)…my due date is now August 20th vs. Sept 6th. It also may be a BOY! We may have a Joshua Jr in our hands! I’m including baby pictures below!

p.s. I still have my moments of nausea and fatigue, however my real struggle now is getting back into a routine because lack of motivation and due to laziness.

Indication of a boy? Look at the picture on the right, focus on the middle

where you see a dash ( _ ) ....is that a wee wee?

Tired, Cranky and Feel Out of Touch.

2006-02-02T11:25:00.000-05:00

Ok, I haven’t blogged in almost a month and part of it is because I feel like I have nothing to say or share with anyone…I can’t relate to anyone since I’m not following BFL, exercising or even eating right… I still feel tired but my energy level seems to be picking up. Perhaps I’ll be able to talk more about fitness and proper nutrition soon!

So far, I’m approximately 10 weeks pregnant and already gained 5 lbs. Why? Well, I eat every 2 ½ hours to keep the nausea at bay and it’s mainly carbs….oh did I mention I sleep a lot?! Sometimes I wonder if I’m having twins! Jzzzzzzz. Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to regain control of myself…I just need a good kick in the ass! Estimated Due Date: September 6th.

I do have to mention about my father. He’s currently in this third week of chemo and radiation therapy. The doctor told him that he’s got about 80% chance of coming out of this… My father battled ulcers since the age of 20… the bacteria that caused him his ulcers also caused him his cancer. Approximately 3 years ago, my father started feeling worse and worse but still wouldn’t get checked, it took a “hernia” to send him to the hospital and that’s when they found his cancer. He seems to think that he had it for quite sometime (probably over 3 years)….he had it so bad that it went to his Lymph Nodes, which causes the cancer to be even more difficult to treat. Once the Lymph Nodes are affected, your cancer can spread anywhere in your body. On my father’s side of the family, thus far, Cancer is the ONLY killer….no one has yet to die from any other condition. Scary to think about! I’m actually going to visit him by the end of the month.

For those of you that are going to the Arnold Classic, Have Lots of FUN! Perhaps I’ll have better luck next year…….

How’s my “Bun the Oven”?

2006-01-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

My bun in the oven is about to kill me *LOL*… no puking, but just “overall” nausea that lasts all day long. I’m still eating plenty healthy (and sometimes a little too much), but if I don’t eat every 3 hours, I feel extra nauseous! When I first wake up in the morning, it’s the worse! They say that being “nauseous” is a good sign and means a pretty strong pregnancy, of which risks of miscarriage is greatly reduced (don’t know how true that is)…however, that even if you don’t feel those symptoms, it doesn’t mean that you are at risk of miscarriage.

Anyway, I’ve been ordering/eating “out” a lot, especially for meat… I cannot handle raw meat or fish, they smell horrible to me! Oh, and talk about being sleepy all the time… I’m more tired now then when I was training for my competition! (If that makes any sense!?!?!?!?!). Protein is not very high in my diet, I eat a lot more carbs since my stomach can handle it a whole lot better….again, I’m told this should subside at about 4 months, where my normal appetite for food should come back, I HOPE SO!

My face is breaking out due to hormone changes (which is totally normal, from what I can read). Also, my waist is also already expanding since my uterus is already growing (I feel extremely bloated)…. What the hell, am I having TWINS!? (Again, I’m told it’s perfectly normal, especially for child #2, you start showing a little earlier). Not that I’m showing a lot, but I got a small “bump” (as if you are bloated, ready to have your periods). My breasts are now “full B” and still slightly more sensitive…they are getting geared for breastfeeding!

Also, when a woman is pregnant, her body is programmed to slow down her digestive system, to ensure that it absorbs every nutrient that it can from food, of which; us pregnant women have to deal with CONSTIPATION! (ohhhh the dreaded word!). This is why it’s so important to eat extra healthy when pregnant, since your body really works overtime to absorb those nutrients, why not give it the best?

As for my working outs, it’s still at a halt…I worked out Sunday (legs), walked on Monday and walked yesterday during lunch time. I feel a tremendous amount of guilt but I know where my real priority is at and that’s having a healthy mommy and baby….if my body says, go to sleep…well call me lazy but I’m taking a NAP!

I still need to find a good OB/GYN doctor, it was on my list to do this week and I have a few leads but just prospecting right now. :-)

I was told that I was approximately between 6 to 7 weeks along….babies due date will be somewhere in the beginning of September. Hopefully near my mother’s birthday (she’s on the 5th).

Monica Brant's Book - I'm published!

2006-01-11T09:01:00.000-05:00

Yeah guys! I know I have been super quiet lately, but, please bare with me...just been extremely tired and have no desire of getting on the computer at night. :-).

Here's some exciting news, I'm published in the new Monica Brant's Secrets to Staying Fit & Loving Life! book.

Check it out! You can buy the book on her website or via amazon.com

I was quite thrilled when I got my book yesterday! :) Now, I just need for her to sign it!

Photo Ordered!

2005-12-31T09:27:00.000-05:00

To all of you that have donated for my first competition, I have finally ordered my photo!

I couldn't fit it on 8"x10" due to bad resolution, however, I was able to do it on 5" x 7".

Here it is.... I should be getting them in about a week or two, after, I'll be able to ship them out!

Again, THANK YOU!!!! I can't wait to compete again in 2007!

p.s. Sorry for the delay, was extremely busy at work and at home (with my small business)..now that the Holiday Season is over with, I can finally take care of a few things!! :-)

It's Confirmed!

2005-12-30T18:57:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note before we go out to eat (we are going to Smokey Bones). I went to the doctor today at 4 pm...they also confirmed that I'm definitely pregnant! :)

Since it will be difficult to determine the "due date" (since I just never had the chance to have one cycle since July! *lol*), they took my blood and will determine how far along I am.

I've started taking my vitamins and I can FINALLY start exercising again! WAHOO! I had completely put a stop to my workouts since I needed a long rest and we wanted to get pregnant.....

Problem that I will be facing with exercising again is battling fatigue and nausea. I'm tired all day long and during the weekends, I find myself taking a nap during the day (sometimes two!) ........Have any of you ever experienced extreme fatigue during your first trimester? This happened to me while I was pregnant with my daughter Cassandra.

I've already told my husband that I didn't want anymore after this one...I'll be very happy with just two, no matter if I have a boy or a girl.... he wants at least a boy and a girl but I'd be happy with two girls *LOL* Although I believe I'm a great mother and love kids, two is really enough for me (for now....I may think differently later on in life *lol*).

A Christmas I won't forget !

2005-12-26T16:02:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, we travelled to Ohio to visit family for Christmas. Friday early morning (1 am), I woke up feeling awful...I dosed off and on, but my belly was rumbling and I knew I was getting a stomach virus of some sort! YUCK! This time, there wasn't "puking" involved but I did feel like I was going to all day! I felt horrible, but it also prompted me to "get checked", to see if I was pregnant....well my husband went to the store for me and bought two pregnancy tests....

Well, I'm definitely PREGNANT and I have the morning sickness to go with it! YUCK! This means that if everything goes as planned, I'll be able to compete in 2007! Probably be on stage 6 months after baby is born! *LOL* It's going to be a challenge but I can do it! I have my great friend and trainer that will help me the whole way! He's terrific!!

Anyway, just wanted to share the news with you all!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Where is Stone Oak?

2005-12-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

Has anybody heard from Jim (Stone Oak)…he simply disappeared! He’s such a great supporter and I’m really wondering where’s he is at? I’m actually really WORRIED! Anybody got news from him? Is he ok?? The last time I heard from him was when he visited his grandmother.

Step #1 - ACCOMPLISHED!

2005-12-19T14:39:00.000-05:00

As discussed in my post of December 15th ("The Total Money Makeover"), my first goal as been accomplished! We now have $1000.00 saved for Emergency Purposes!

Tonight, we will sit down and figure out what needs to happen next. We are going to put all of our “ducks” in a row, which recurring bills we can eliminate to give us “extra” cash each month that will be put towards are credit card debt.

I’ll confess, for Christmas, I really wanted to buy myself a set of SelectTech Dumbbells ($399 + tax + shipping), but because of our new goals, this will definitely not happen! Instead, one pair of 20 or 25 lbs dumbbells will be purchased ($20.00) and the “Original Club Step” ($80.00) for cardio…I’m in serious need of a change of pace when it comes to cardio, cause there’s only so much “biking” a girl can do! I’ve burned myself out on that bike when I was prepping for my Figure Competition. Also, there’s a method to my madness, the stepper will hopefully help with my glutes, and they need serious toning up (cause I sit on my “ass” on day long at work!). My husband already got me a “exercise ball” that will help with certain exercises such as back extensions, ball crunches, chest press (which utilizes your small stabilizer muscles), etc.

I’ve been in a “runt” for the past month, barely working out but may be once or twice a week, my scale keeps going up and up and I keep telling myself “I’ll start again next Monday”, anybody with me on this one?? HA! Vicious cycle! I need to regain control of my workouts and eating habits; however, I’ll start with the working out aspect of it and then fix the eating habits by the New Year!

Protein Waffles

2005-12-18T19:07:00.000-05:00

For Christmas, I got one of my many "wants" (notice I didn't say "need" *lol*). My husband got me a "waffle maker"! I was thrilled! He gave it to me early since we are travelling for the holidays and he wanted to be sure that what he got me was what I wanted.

I just finished eating my first batch of waffles and it's 7:00 PM at night! ooooooooooooh, I don't want to hear it, it was completly an "authorized" clean recipe!

Here's the recipe for you! (sorry no pictures, I ate them too fast! *LOL* I'll make them again soon and will post photos then).

HIGH PROTEIN WAFFLES
3 egg whites
1/4 cup of oat flour
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 package of artifical sweetener (I used Splenda - made for cooking)
Dash of Cinnamon ( to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Spoon batter (or pour) into a preheated waffle iron (add some non-stick cooking spray). Cook until golden brown and serve with sugar free syrup or cut strawberries.

NOTES:
- If you don't have oat flour... all you need to do is take some regular oatmeal and blend in blender till "flour" like.
- My waffles cooked real quick! I made two big round waffles with this batch.

CALORIES (without syrup): 375
PROTEIN: 59g
CARBS: 25g
FATS: 5g

The Total Money Makeover

2005-12-15T23:53:00.000-05:00

With Christmas only but several days away, many of us with be left with maxed out Credit Cards and debt that will take about all year to pay off. I'll admit, we used the "credit card" quite a few times the past couple of weeks, only because we didn't have the "cash" to buy the presents that we needed to get before Christmas. My husband is getting a commission check very soon but it wasn't soon enough...so, we relied on our lovely Credit Cards! BIG MISTAKE!

Alright , I've come to a realization that our family is on the road to "failure" when it comes to finances and money. We are the "typical" american family, with a house payment, two car payments, about $10,000 of credit card/equity line of credit debts and daycare cost (this doesn't include other misc. monthly recurring bills). With this being said, we have "no" savings what-so-ever! OUCH! How stupid can we be?!? Well.... we are changing our lifestyle! 2006 is going to be the year where we pay off most of our debt (for the exception of our house payment and perhaps one car)....yes, we will pay off about $30,000 to $35,000 of debt for 2006!

To live like "no one else", you have to live like "no one else"....OH BOY, say that a couple of times, you'll get yourself confused! *LOL*

My husband and I are reading a book by Dave Ramsey (christian radio talk show host and financial advisor) called "The Total Money Makeover". Thus far, the book has been a good investment, a lot of "motivational" quotes and uses a lot of "real life" stories! He explains in simple details how his program works,...it's simple and easy to understand. In many ways, it reminds me of "Body for Life", how you must use goals and take baby steps....that the road to success is "no short cut"! It's when you have hit that "wall", where you are sick and tired of being sick and tired....

So far, by reading this book, we have the following goals to achieve for 2006.

1. Save $1,000 in emergency funds (for TRUE emergency purposes only, and DO make it HARD to get !).... this is a must before you start paying off any debt!!!
2. Get caught up! (if you are behind on any bills).
3. Set up a budjet, assigned every dollar earn towards your budget!
4. Start with the smallest debt first (this is important - helps keep you motivated since you achieve your goals faster and it's also creates a "snowball" effect!).
5. The money that you save from paying off the smallest debt should be used for the next debt..so on and so forth.... hence, the snow ball effect.
6. Save 3 to 6 months worth of savings (what you would normally earn).
7 . Pay off House.
8. Invest and Give :-)

He also recommends that if you are very tight in money and it seems impossible to even save $1,000 in emergency funds...START WORKING A SECOND JOB! SELL STUFF AROUND THE HOUSE, etc.

Oh... and dont' use credit cards anymore, don't rent/lease...... BUY CASH! :) So, if you want that nice big screen TV, this twice about financing, cause at the end, you'll pay twice what it's worth.... so, let's say you are buying a TV that's about $1,500.00 , just think that it's actually $3,000 if you put it on credit! :-)......sounds less appealing doesn't it!

I'm not getting into this topic cause I want to depress you or get you to buy the book....but I just want for those of you that are in debt and think that you can't get out of it...there's hope!! :-) We all can live a debt free life!! I'll prove it too you!!! :-) ... ( I like challenges!).. AND I will become RICH! not because I won the lottery or found out a long lost relative of mine has left me TONS of money....I will earn my living the hard way. :-)

There will be a lot of sacrifices, but in the long run, they will be worth it! Can you imagine no car payment, no house payment, no credit card payments, no student loans....just your misc. monthly recurring bills and plenty of CASH FLOW coming in each month cause you got NO DEBT! hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm NICE!!!

DREAM BIG PEOPLE! IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT BEING HEALTHY AND FIT, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT FINANCIAL FREEDOM, LIVE HEALTHY AND ENJOY LIFE!

Christmas Tree

2005-12-11T10:14:00.000-05:00

We put up our Christmas Tree this week and here it is :) This is my first "artificial" tree.

Personalized Books - Huge Sale!

2005-12-08T22:39:00.000-05:00

I was BLESSED with "Buying out" a local competitor and was able to get a great deal just on time for Christmas! I'm passing on the savings to my customers and thought that I should pass it down to you! (if any of you are interested!).

I'm doing a "3 Books for the price of 1" Sale!

You can send me an email at personalizedbooks@earthlink.net if interested.

Books can be shipped via USPS Media Mail for $4.00 or via USPS Priority Mail for $6.00.

Hello!!! I'm back!!! :)

2005-12-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

After stuffing my face full of food for the past month, I have done lots of damage that I must now “repair”. After the competition, I went into a state of “gloominess” and my comfort was sweets and junk food! For about a month, I have been eating anywhere between 2,000 up to 4,000 cal a day! I’m now up to 131 lbs, NOT GOOD! Off-season weight, according to a good friend of mine, should be anywhere between 130 and 132 lbs…but the problem is, I gained the weight too fast and with not a whole lot of hard training. The goal was to gain my weight back slowly, eat clean and train real hard – work on my weak spots and add some muscle.

Monday, I started fresh! I’ve got my diet/workout programs in writing, and I’m ready to shed back down to 125 lbs! The whole “bulking” idea isn’t meant for me! *lol* I used it for an excuse to eat, eat, and eat! I have been very bad, and now I’m paying the price. A few competitors had “pre-warned” me about the “contest blues”, of where you mentally play a game with yourself and say “Well, I worked my butt off so hard, it’s time to reward myself, have another huge chocolate bar, muffin, bagel, bag of chips, etc.”…but honestly, there’s a fine line between rewarding yourself and being “unintelligent” and stuffing your face till you about cause yourself a stomach stroke! (If there’s such a thing! HA!)

I now officially weigh-in at 131 lbs (this is after a few days of clean eating), I now have to shed off 6 lbs of fat! Doesn’t sound like a lot you say? Well, how does a month and a half sound like? Sure, I could shed it off in about 3 weeks, but I’ve been dieting for so long, to slash my calories back down to 1400 cal a day, increase cardio to 4 to 5 sessions a week may not be the best thing for me to do at the moment…my body is still trying to adjust! Still no monthly visit….haven’t had my periods since the end of July! WOW! That’s almost 6 months ago…and NO I’m definitely not pregnant.

I’m still working on my cookbook, but I have been putting this program aside for the past two weeks since my Personalized Children’s Books business has kicked off for the Holiday Season and I have to say this is the best year I’ve had for my Online Web Store…it keeps getting better and better each year, I just need to hang on for a few more years before I see a lot more traffic and becomes more profitable…for the past two years, the profits have been strictly invested back into my business, no pocket money (except for a few occasions where I had to use my business for emergency purposes, daughter getting sick and having the pay for the doctor and medicine!). Shipping books everywhere in the USA is building my business up! Also, on the very last page of the books, there’s a list of “available titles” and my website address, so, I’m sure I’m getting some “word of mouth” advertising this way…Anyway, I don’t have a major in Marketing but my efforts thus far have proven effective. I’ve had a few bad investments but that’s ok, I learned from them, and it’s not like they were “risky” investments.

Ok, enough about “business” talk. *LOL* Running my little business is so much fun, but I’m sure “reading” about it can’t be as exciting as it is for me to write about it!

Anyway, still no pregnancy yet, and I’m starting to get a little anxious. I want to compete again, and I want to start soon! I don’t want it to be five years down the road, I want to compete again like yesterday!! *LOL*

I’ve got the motivation, determination and the discipline to do it….what I don’t have that is so important while competing is a great supporter “in your household”. I’ll be COMPLETELY OPEN and HONEST and NO, my husband will tolerate it but he’s not the best supporter……..he is supportive of me working out for good health, but he doesn’t want to see me take it to the next level (which to him, is EXTREME) and compete. ….. as for me, I’ve had this “competition” bug in my head before I even meet him!!! I just never really “voiced out” my desire to compete cause he always said that the girls were not “normal” and looked “horrible”. ...so I had a fear of him not loving me so, I just never told him for years…. NO MORE HIDING! Love for me what I am and WHAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH :) He can learn to deal with it! :)

2005 Carolina Clash Photo

2005-11-21T15:21:00.000-05:00

Here's another photo...

Wish everyone a good Thanksgiving!!! Sorry been very "short and sweet" lately but been extremely busy at work and home! Hardly no time to even weight train (but this is only going to be like this for the next three to four weeks).

P.S. I haven't forgotten the 8" x 10"...but what I do keep forgetting is bringing the photos back to work to "rescan" ! *LOL* They came out terrible the first time I scanned them , perhaps I'm better off going to Walmart and enlarging there? :-) I may give that a try!

Disregard this post...

2005-11-19T16:05:00.000-05:00

I'm using my blogger as a "host" for this image that I have created as a marketing tool for Christmas :)

FYI: I've been extremely quiet since I've been hard at work with my personalized book business (holiday season is my busiest time of the year).

2005 - Figure A - Carolina Clash Score Sheet

2005-11-18T09:52:00.000-05:00

Here's the Judges scoresheet for the Carolina Clash Show! I didn't expect them to post it but they did!

I got 4th place by 1 point *lol* :-) Go "FIGURE!" Honestly, we all looked great and it was a tough class,...the lady that took in 1st place in my class actually won "overall".

My Personalized Books!

2005-11-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

Hey! Just wanted to post this lovely picture! Christie has sent me this picture of her kids reading the personalized books that I have personalized for her (she was suppose to give them as Christmas Gifts but I guess she couldn't wait *lol*). Aren't they adorable!!! I'm going to eventually add this picture into my website in the near future! :-) It will be a great marketing tool, especially during the Holiday Season (i'm already getting tons of book orders! OUF!).

Thanks Christie for your testominial and photo!!

My website is www.personalizeabook.com (in case any of you have are interested in purchasing books for Christmas). :) They are CUTE!!!! Won't be dissapointed!

Carole's Tuna Cake's

2005-11-12T14:52:00.000-05:00

I ate these for lunch, they were good, thought I'd share the recipe with you (I just kind of threw in some "crunchy" stuff into my tuna, that's what I was in the mood for).

Ingredients
1 can of tuna (or salmon!)
3 tbsp of chopped celery
3 tbsp of chopped water chestnut
1 tbsp of chopped onion (I guess you could also use dry onion if you want)
1 tsbsp of low-sodium soy sauce
1 large egg white
1/4 cup of traditional oatmeal
pepper
1 tbsp of canola oil (for frying tuna cakes)

Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp of Fat Free Miracle Whip
1 tbsp of Relish
Mix two ingredients together. Once tuna patties are cooked, top with sauce. YUM! This makes the dish!

Use hand-held blender (or regular "big" blender) and blend oatmeal till desired "texture". Blend all ingredients into a bowl. Eat frying pan with canola oil. Form two patties with mixture and cook like you would a crab cake. Top with 2 tbsp of Tartar Sauce (preferrably made with fat free miracle whip and relish). :) Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bowl

2005-11-12T11:22:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup cottage cheese (I use 2%)

1/2 of a medium sized cooled baked sweet potato (approximately 3.5 oz)

1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein (optional, for extra protein!)

2 packets of sweetener (I use Splenda)

Optional Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spices, etc.

Blend together on high in blender. Eat, or chill and then eat! You can also substitute canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) for the sweet potato.

NOTE: You can add raisins (keep in mind, this would be extra carbs).

I found my source of motivation!

2005-11-09T09:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, while communicating back and forth via email with Tracy Jeffries, I expressed to her that I was a little bit at a “lost” the past few weeks, trying to find goals and sources of motivation to keep from falling in the ‘runt’. You see, within the next couple of months, my life will take a drastic turn! We are going to try for a second child…I’m not really ready to get started again but my daughter is already 2 ½ years old and I want her to have a sister (hopefully) or a brother (that she can torture *lol*, I’m KIDDING) without having too big of an age gap. I’m an only child, and the past couple of months, I’ve been feeling very lonely since I have no one (near by) to really talk too aside from my husband. I have no family/no friends that live near by me. So many of us have someone that we talk to on a daily basis, to talk or goof around…I don’t have that…Don’t get me wrong, I like to talk to my husband, but I miss that “girl to girl” talk. I miss going out shopping, I don’t like going alone and I certainly don’t like going with my husband since I always feel “rushed”. Well, I’ll admit, I don’t buy/shop much anyway (we are in chronic broke/dust in our pockets mode *LOL*), but window shopping and dream shopping can be fun right? *LOL* Anyway, with this being said, I’m sort of hoping that things will be different for my daughter, that perhaps her sibling(s) will be her closest friend(s).. I don’t know how that’s like but I’m sure it’s better then feeling alone, knowing that you’ll never have a niece or nephew to spoil *lol*. Also, I want to be surrounded by lots of people when I grow old. When I think about the present, I could be selfish and say, “No kids yet”, but I cannot do that for the sake of our daughter. I do have a small concern though, I don’t want for my daughter to feel like I love someone else more then I love her! I know the thought will cross her mind someday, only because it’s our nature to second guess our parents love for us when there are other siblings involved, but I can’t see how it would be possible to love one more then the other(s)… I may love them for different reasons/qualities but I can’t see how I would prefer one over the other? Anyway, that’s a concern, a fear if you want to call it that, I don’t want her to feel like she’s “second best”.

Now, let’s talk about my “source” of motivation! Since my “big” plan is to get pregnant, I have decided that I will document my pregnancy and how I was able to maintain a healthy lifestyle through Body-for-Life. I will also work on a cook book, this project will take me several months to complete as it’s time consuming! I’m aiming to add 5 recipes a day in my cook book, and with this being said; it will take a minimum of 2 months to have 300 + recipes on hand. I will taste-test most of the recipes but not all, I would definitely look like a blimp if I did that! *LOL* Also, my third project is to create a website of which will list many transformations (before/after) pictures, essay’s, contests, etc….this will take me probably a good 3 months to put together as well, but may be longer depending on how $$ I can invest towards it..perhaps if I speed up my cookbook project, I’ll be able to sell a few and that money be used towards my motivational website.

Well anyway, these are my big plans for the future….some of you may think that I’m getting way ahead of myself but, I honestly think that in order to make a achieve a goal, you have to “set” yourself up for it and MAKE IT HAPPEN! :) You don’t beat around the bush and you don’t second doubt yourself, you just set small goals, do it one day at a time and eventually, you’ll get to the end looking back and say “I DID IT!” :-) and that’s what it’s all about folks!

Christmas Gift Exchange - Sign Up!

2005-11-07T16:44:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon fellow BFL Buddies! I got an idea and I want to share it with you all!

Anybody want to participate in a gift exchange for Christmas? We all have so many friends here and although I’d love to get everyone a gift, I surely can’t! *LOL* So, I figured that perhaps we could do a “drawing” of some sort and exchange gifts??

Value of $10.00 or $20.00? I’m putting a minimum value but if you’d like to spoil your fellow body-for-life buddy with a bigger gift, that will be at your own discretion!

If you are interested, please send me a message via tracker and I’ll put your name in the list! Just be sure to put in the title “Christmas Gift Exchange Buddy”

If you all don’t mind, I would like to take the responsibility of matching everyone up with a “gift partner”…I will put your name into a bucket.

Homemade Yummy Protein Bar!

2005-11-05T21:44:00.000-05:00

Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Bar
Recipe Yields 10 Protein Bars
Cost per serving: $0.50 to $0.75 (cheap!)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups oatmeal (traditional, slow cook)

1 1/2 cups powdered non fat milk

1 cup sugar free syrup (I used Log Cabin)

2 egg whites

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 c. natural unsweetened applesauce

4 scoops whey protein powder

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl and blend well. In separate bowl, combine egg whites, orange juice, applesauce and the sugar-free syrup. Blend well. Stir liquids into dry ingredients until mixed. The consistency will be thick and similar to cookie dough. Spread batter in a 9” x 12” baking dish. Bake until edges are crisp and browned (approximately 20 minutes). Cut into 10 bars and store in an airtight container or freeze.

NOTE: Before eating, spread 1 tbsp of Natural Peanut Butter mixed with Splenda (for cooking) to taste. This protein bar by far is much better then store bought! You could also use Sugar Free Fruit Preserve of your choice!

P.s. Do not add additional protein powder to this recipe, it will not work very well. You could eat a protein bar for breakfast along with a few egg whites on the side (for a well-balance carb/protein breakfast).

Fool Yourself Apple Pie

2005-11-02T11:34:00.000-05:00

Fool Yourself Apple Pie
1 medium sized apple, skin removed (medium size, approximately 3 apples per lb)
¾ cup of Cottage Cheese (2% tastes best)
2 to 3 packets of sweetener (Splenda, Stevia, Equal, etc.)
Ground Cinnamon (to taste)
Butter Buds (optional – to taste)
Handful of Traditional Oatmeal (optional, for texture)

1. Cut up small apple into small pieces (about ¼” pieces), cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, until nice and soft.
2. Mix 2 to 3 packets of sweetener in the cooked apples.
3. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon (or lots!)
4. Mix ½ or ¾ c. of cottage cheese
5. Optional: add Butter Buds and Oatmeal to taste
6. Optional: ½ scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (to make it “Apple Pie a La Mode!”)
ENJOY!!!

I swear this taste just as good as a piece of pie, but it’s a lot better for you!

You could probably add ½ scoop of vanilla whey protein to make it a “Food Yourself Apple Pie a La Mode”, which will increase your protein intake!

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (¾ c. Cottage Cheese, apple)
Calories: 216
Protein: 18g – 34%
Carbs: 30g – 49%
Fats: 4g – 18 %

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (¾ c. cottage cheese, apple, ½ scoop protein)
Calories: 276
Protein: 30g – 43%
Carbs: 32g – 41%
Fats: 5g – 16%

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (¾ c. cottage cheese, apple, ½ scoop protein, 1/8 c. oatmeal)
Calories: 314
Protein: 31g – 39%
Carbs: 39g – 44%
Fats: 6g – 16%

I'm back at it!

2005-10-31T13:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I started exercising and eating somewhat clean again. My legs are sore today, and it feels GREAT! I was itching to start working out last week but I forced myself to not give in and give my body some time to rest and recuperate from the hard training that I’ve been doing the past 13 weeks.

Here’s a sneak preview of what I ate yesterday, approximately 2100 calories, 47% protein, 36% carbs, 17% fats.

Meal 1: 1 c. Go Lean Cereal, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 T. Natural Peanut Butter (unmixed), 1/2 cup of soy milk.

Meal 2: 1 scoop whey protein, 5 strawberries, 1/4 cup oatmeal.

Meal 3: Turkey Meatball Sandwich (Nature's Own Healthline Bun, 80 calories), Coleslaw (Eating-for-Life), 1/2 c. Brussels sprouts

Meal 4: 3/4 c. cottage cheese, 1 tbsp FF/SG Butterscotch Pudding.

Meal 5: Chicken Parmesan, 1 serving Barilla Plus Pasta (Eating-for-Life recipe)

Meal 6: High Protein Cookies (bef. workout), recipe posted in yesterday’s blog.

Meal 7: 1/4 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese, 5 egg whites, 1 T. Miracle Whip, 1 tsp Ms. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning. (after workout)

As for my leg workout (I workout from home now)

Leg Extension: 4 sets of 15
Leg Curl (one-leg at a time): 3 sets of 15
Squats: 3 sets of 25
Single-Leg Leg Press: 3 sets of 25
Plie Squats: 2 sets of 15
Kickbacks: 3 sets of 20
Abs Decline Crunch, 3 sets of 15 to 20
Abs Reverse Crunch, 3 sets of 15
Calf raises, 3 set of 25

I could have done more but I didn’t want to overdo it after one week off, kind glad I didn’t cause, I am sore today! I’m not training with heavy weights as of yet, I don’t have the equipment to do so. I’ve only got my crossbow machine and a few dumbbells sets (5 lbs, 10 lbs, 15 lbs, and 40 lbs).

Working out from home takes some serious discipline for me, I’m always tempted to do other house chores…Sometimes, I do house chores in between my sets *lol*…I empty the dishwasher a little and do one set…empty it some more, do one more set..etc. It doesn’t always work out that way though. I sometimes superset my workouts especially when doing two muscle groups at a time, I may do a set of pushups and immediately after do dips.

I haven’t really focused on setting myself new goals as of yet, and this is a must! My present goal is to set myself goals *LOL* HA!

Well, got to keep this short so that I can get back to work (lunch hour is done and over with).

Carole's Weekly Recipe! Oatmeal Banana & Peanut Butter Cookies!

2005-10-30T19:20:00.000-05:00

I got another recipe that I want to share with my BFL Buddies! These are delicious and addicting! This recipe is authorized but should only be "eaten" when you are craving chocolate and something sweet. :-) This recipe calls for half of a banana, this is a high glycemic fruit.

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup of Traditional Slow-Cook Oatmeal
1/2 banana (I weighed mine, it was 1.6 oz)
1 tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter (lower fat version)
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (choose whatever flavor you want!)
1 teaspoon of powdered unsweetened cocoa (optional)
1 tablespoon of Splenda (for cooking)

1. Preheat oven at 300F.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.

Yields 4 Cookies.

Nutritional breakdown according to Fitday (if you eat all four cookies):

Calories: 358
Protein: 32 g - 35%
Carbs: 40 g - 39%
Fat: 11g - 26%

Eat these with warm cup of coffee! YUMMY! Do not overinduldge in these! *LOL* I will NOT be held responsible !

What an Awesome Week!

2005-10-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

What an incredible week am I having, the time off has truly been deserved. In less then a couple of days, it will be time for me to get serious again. This weekend, I will reflect on the past, the present and future. So many choices to do, so many goals to accomplish and so many friends to catch up with.

Also, to all of my friends that have supported me for my 1st Figure Competition, I haven’t forgotten about you! I will rescan my pictures (they came out dotty looking) and will be sending your 8”x10”soon…just be patient with me since I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. Make sure you hold on to that picture as a memento as you are all Master’s of “practicing the law of reciprocation!” You have invested in me, and some day, I’ll reward all of you with getting my Pro Card!! Ain’t that the ultimate goal of competing, to become a Pro!? I will compete again, no doubt! I’m guessing probably in 2 ½ years from now, my daughter wants a buddy to play with (hint!)! HA! It’s getting that ‘first experience’ that is really stressful and hard, but once you do it, it doesn’t seem so bad. My next challenge ahead is to fix my problem areas… my legs seem to be my strongest features, but I have some serious work to do on other areas. According to the judges (had a good friend talked to some of the judges for me), my poses were right on tract, it’s definitely not the poses that got me bottom last…it’s my symmetry! I have kick butt quads, but I need to work on my back v-shape to balance everything out, and need more muscles in my glutes (lightly put, I need more ASS! So, I envy those that have J-Lo butts!)

Also, THANK YOU FOR THE CARDS!!!!!!!! I was so surprised, humbled and emotional that day! You know, you guys surely know how to make me feel like a million bucks!

Ok…so, now that I’ve completed and accomplished many of my lifetime goals, which were to complete a 12-week BFL Challenge, to compete in a Figure Competition…what else can Carole do? I’m brewing some ideas but they are not what I would call “fitness” related goals. I need for you all to give me ideas of what I could do next, to help me stay motivated? HELP! *lol* I thought about doing a 5K run, but this may not be the best idea for the next several months (Ok, if you didn’t get the hint a while ago, you won’t know why I’m saying this!). I’m working on a “book” project that will probably take me a couple of months to complete, this book is related to Fitness/Nutrition in general. I also have another “big” idea/project in mind, that will require lots of thinking and time…this idea could be a hit or a flop so, I’m not sure if it’s worth exploring or not.

Another subject that I’d like to talk about and that’s 2005 Body-for-Life Champions…how many of you wished that they had more prizes to be offered, instead of “1” Grand Master Champion that wins $1 million dollars? Don’t you think that the other 14 Champions would deserve more then $5,000 worth of products? I know they probably get other gifts/incentives but, what happen to $25,000 to each Champion and one $100,00 to each Female/Male Grand Champion? Also, don’t you think that the contest should be “National” v.s. “International”? In my opinion, each country should have their own contest, that’s always been my thought since they started this new format. Interesting to think about!

More Photos

2005-10-25T20:11:00.000-04:00

It seems like I'll have more and more pictures popped up of the show *lol*, I'm getting these from other competitors.

Comparison Photos! WOW!

2005-10-25T11:44:00.000-04:00

Pictures of the Show!

2005-10-24T21:31:00.000-04:00

Photos!

2005-10-24T11:17:00.000-04:00

Question for you all...

2005-10-24T09:06:00.000-04:00

I have a question for all of my body-for-life buddies.... what would you rather be?

Jack of all trades and master of none OR be a Master?

As for me, I'm definitely a "Jack of all Trades" but no master. I often wonder if one is better then the other? I’m very versatile, adapt easily, and love to learn new things, but I don’t really exceed in one particular area. It’s not a bad thing, I’m just curious if it’s better to be a Jack or a Master? *LOL* I pose the question…

What do you consider yourself to be?

P.s. I know a lot of you are waiting on pictures...I will be posting some later on today.

The Results! 4th Place - Figure A Division

2005-10-23T00:41:00.000-04:00

What an incredible experience! I had a blast! I got 4th place in the Figure A division....but I was also last. There was only four of us and I had strong competition! I was a bit surprised as this is a small local show that started just a few years ago, but they had TWICE the amounts of competitors compared to last year! I'm still in awe with all the beautiful/fit bodies I have seen tonight, both in men and women!!!

Am I dissapointed about placing dead last in my class? Of course, but would I do it all over again? I say this with a big HELL YEAH!!! Are you kidding!!!! I've done what most people never do in their lifetime! I will never look back and say " I should have..." but instead, I can look back and say "WOW! I did 12 weeks of strict dieting and I looked great!" I still got a trophee in my hands! HA! I also purchased some pictures that they took immediately after getting off stage with our 1 pc. and 2 pc suit.

Some of you probably are a bit shocked that I placed 4th...but let me tell you, I was also the "new kid" in the block. A few of the girls travels from different states to get to this show. The logic behind it (this is my opinion) since this is a fairly small show, they see it as a great opportunity to compete at a level that they can win first place. Many of them have competed in several shows, both small and big. Also, about 90% of them have implants, I was the less gifted of all of them (and this includes bodybuilding ladies!).

Ok...here's my honest and brutal opinion, this is me assessing myself ....my poses were NOT great. I was so darn nervous that I had a hard time remembing to smile, pose correctly, etc...I honestly think it would take me several competitions to really get at ease and comfortable on stage. I didn't practice my poses as much as I should have...I did have a few setbacks that didn't help my situation either, I struggled the past several weeks with a few personal challenges and road bumps (not trying to put blame on those, but they surely didn't help me). Also, I probably needed to get leaner (oh yeah baby, I'm one of those "lucky" ones that has to get real lean to get the right look, when the person next to me may only be at 14% BF and look fabelous...ohhh that's great, more work for me but I'M MOTIVATED!!!). Also, since I'm soooooooo flat chested, if this was to become a sport of choice for me, I would need to do many shows, be at the right place at the right time, with judges that don't really care about implants and don't let implants influence their decision, at the local level, implants are very "influencial" (sorry, it's just a fact!).

So, with this being said, I may have placed last but I was the proundest of them all! I look back when I started training, January 31st, at 32% BF and now today, October 23rd at 13% BF. WOW! That's something to be pround of!

Once again, THANK YOU to all of my Body-for-Life friends and supporters that have helped me make another dream come true!!!!

What's next for Carole? Hmmmm I've got some ideas that I'm brewing in my head. Figure Competitions is definitely something that I'm going to do again! I don't know when, but I'll do more!

So now, 1:20 am, I'm sitting at my computer desk, finishing up some Domino's Garlic Breadsticks, stuffing my face, looking at my trophee with a big huge smile, wanting to yell on the top of my lungs, " I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!!!"

Last Post until After The Show!!

2005-10-21T16:44:00.000-04:00

Less then 24 hours away from stepping on stage and I’m getting really nervous. I’m counting the hours till the “big moment”. Even though this is a small local competition, it still nerve racking. Today is going to be a real “mental” game. I’ve stopped drinking water today at noon; I will only sip on about 8 oz of water for the remaining of the day and another 8 oz tomorrow. I’m only 2 hours into it and I’m already wanting a nice tall glass of cold water :-)…ironic how you can get so fed up with drinking your 1 gallon a day, but take that forbidden and you want it even more! It’s very much “mental”.

After I have completed this competition, I will be taking a week off of training…no weight training and no cardio…I’ll be spending lots of good quality time with my family. Enjoy the art of cooking healthy meals each night (many from the Eating-for-Life book, if you haven’t purchased this book yet, I HIGHLY recommend it – I already got dozens of recipes picked out).

Another mental challenge that I’m facing and that is to “get out” of my pre-contest diet mode. Everything that I will start eating again will feel like a “cheat” to me, when in fact, it’s really not…such things are: cottage cheese, low-fat cheeses, whole-wheat bread/pasta, low-fat milk, high-fiber cereal (kashi), barley, beans, natural peanut butter, occasional protein bar, shrimp, lean ham, baked potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, etc. Eating these foods weren’t necessarily forbidden during my pre-contest diet, they were simply not part of my eating plan :-). There may have been a reason why I was only eating this and that, but to know all the reasons why and the logic behind it, I do not necessarily know all of it…I’m just one of those people that if you give me a particular program to follow such as Body-for-Life, I will follow it to a “T” and not try to make any adjustments unless told so or required. Although I was eating the same foods, week after week, the foods that I were eating were very nutritious and good!

Here are some interesting facts about my diet:

- Eggs eaten in 13 weeks: over 600! Over 500 yolks discarded!
- Chicken Breast eaten in 13 weeks: 30 lbs!
- Weekly cost (including supplements): approximately $70.00 (not too bad for eating 6 times a day! Lots of people here at work spend that much on eating out just for lunch!)
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg are a blessing, a pleasure to your taste buds, they smell good too!
- I have learned to enjoy tomatoes and onions (two food items that I totally disliked before) I don’t think there are any fruits or vegetables that I would dislike, I like them all!
- Don’t eat everything fat free, you’ll starve! An egg yolk, natural peanut butter, olive oil/vinegar dressing, etc are all allowed in a good diet plan, you don’t have to cut all fats out! They are necessary for your body to function properly!
- Eating one tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter half hour before an intense workout will give you the necessary energy to make it through! A good post-workout meals before an intense workout is a MUST in my book!
- This might be TMI for some people…but I haven’t had a “monthly visit” since the end of July!
- You will lose strength as you get leaner, this is normal! Don’t panic, just keep working at with the same amount of intensity and you’ll be fine!
- Lifting heavy will NOT make you look like Arnold!!! So, with this being said, if you want to workout like a power lifter, GO AHEAD LADIES!! (of course, don’t get yourself hurt!) Unless you have some type of hormonal problem or taking a form of steroids, you will NOT become and look like Arnold… but what you will become is lean, strong and SEXY!

3 Days Remaining!

2005-10-19T14:44:00.000-04:00

Before I start talking about my upcoming figure competition. I wanted to mention a few things first.

Me and Stef meet last Sunday at Gold’s Gym for an awesome leg workout! She’s very sweet and a caring person! I sure hope we will get to meet again! We talked about BFL and a little about my upcoming competition. Stef has been a great supporter throughout my journey and I truly have enjoyed getting periodic motivational cards from her! She’s unquestionably a BFL Champion and a GREAT friend! Thank you Stef for taking the time to drive 2 hours out of your way to meet me. I had a blast and I hope you did too.

I also talked with my father this past Friday and he doesn’t have cancer! However, he does have a tumor (non-cancerous) and he will soon get it removed. He will have a very similar surgery to those getting a gastric by-pass surgery (for obesity). We still do not know when this will take place but I’m guessing it will be very soon. I’m putting my second competition on hold for now and hope that I will be able to go visit him in CT before his surgery. I haven’t seen my father for 3 years, and I would like for him to see my daughter.

Figure Competition Update
I have started to watch my sodium intake…I have also purchased a Nail Kit for my nails and toe nails, I’m not going to get them manicured, way too expensive (I’m on a budget! *lol* I do what I can with what I got, I’m been tremendously blessed thus far!). Also, tonight, I’m will start applying my self-tanner tonight, hopefully get two coats in (need to be 3 hours apart), I will need to apply 3 or 4 coats of that within the next two days and can’t forget the Pro Tan on Friday! I have also ordered more crystal rhinestones to put on my suits but I doubt they will arrive on time. I have approximately 50 crystal rhinestones remaining and those will be applied tonight. I will also continue practicing my poses as I am having extreme difficulty mastering them, they are very awkward to me since I unfortunately have the tendency of lifting my right shoulder up and it just doesn’t look right…mastering poses are so critical and hard…I truly believe that it would take several competitions to master great posing! That is my personal opinion and experience. Although I would love to place relatively well, stepping on stage will be a reward in itself…it may be just the beginning to many more competitions.

Although I have said many times over and over again that I was to do “two” figure competitions back to back…at this moment, I’m unsure if the second one will take place. This is NOT due to “lack of motivation” as I have plenty of it but more due to personal family related issues that I must focus on. As I have stressed in the past before in one of my blogs, competing doesn’t only pertains to you but everyone around you, with this being said, you must keep a good balance. It’s very difficult for some people to understand the amount of dedication it takes to stick with strict diet and workout regimens, to some, it’s unimaginable (and perhaps a little “out there”)…So, with this being said, I’m going to give time to a few of my family members to adjust to my new found lifestyle and make it an enjoyable experience for them as well.

9 days count down!

2005-10-13T08:35:00.000-04:00

My official weigh-in day and I’m at 123 lbs and approximately 13% BF. My abs aren’t popping out like I had in vision, but that’s because I had unrealistic goals *lol*. I simply don’t have enough muscle mass built up to really have the blocked out abs like Margaret Diubaldo! Check her abs out on this picture! WOW!!!! Nice huh? Having Role Models is so inspirational. However, my stomach will be nice and flat, and toned!

Anyway…here are the stats compared to when I started:

Since I started back in the end of January:
Comparing Challenge #1, Week #0 to Challenge #2, Week #12, cfingram started with a lean bodyweight of 96.0 lbs and 46.0 lbs of bodyfat. If cfingram's measurements are accurate, she currently has a lean bodyweight of 107.0 lbs and 16.0 lbs of bodyfat. This is a change of 11 lbs of muscle and 30 lbs of bodyfat if the measurements are correct. These figures are only as good as the accuracy of the weight and bodyfat measurements taken.

July 25, 2005
Weight: 139.5 lbs
BF: 22.3
Muscle Mass: 108.11
Body Fat: 31.39 lbs

Weight: 123 lbs
BF: 13 %
Muscle Mass: 107 lbs
Body Fat: 16 lbs

Muscle Mass: - 1.11 lb
Body Fat Lost: - 15.4 lbs

10 days count down!

2005-10-12T11:21:00.000-04:00

Only 10 days to go till my first show AND I’ve got a cold/sinus infection! *lol* I’m just going to have to take it one day at a time, I can’t stress about this since I’ve been stressing enough. I want this to be an enjoyable experience, and I will make it so!

I skipped my cardio this morning since I was tossing and turning all night yesterday; I was hot and was running a low grade fever. I even woke myself up a couple of times snoring (never done that before! HA!), I was having a little bit of a breathing problem. So, I opted for the extra sleep and if weather permitting, I’ll just go for a walk during lunch time and do my cardio tonight. I’ll make it a HIIT session, if my body allows me too!

I’m maintaining my weight at about 124.5 lbs, I haven’t really dropped on the scale for the past two weeks, but that’s what we want. I’m physically “ready” for the show, just a few adjustments needed and we are good to go. You only get that contest “look” the day of the show; I’ll have a different look next weekend v.s. this weekend! *lol*

I’m also very excited about meeting Stef this weekend, I’m definitely looking forward to having a kick butt workout, I haven’t had a workout partner in a long time!! I’ll have to ask her what she would like to workout…legs or back?? Want to follow my workout routine?

Anyway, I need to make this short since I’m blogging from work. :-)

Wish you all a great day!

Let’s talk about food! (pulled from the Reader's Digest "Foods that Harm Foods that Heal, An A-Z Guide to save and healthy eating). Great Book! Highly suggested!

Beneficial Oils (Omega-3 fatty acids & GLA {gamma linolenic}) Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, halibut and other cold-water fish. GLA can be taken in capsule form or in primrose, borage, black currant and hemp seeds.

Asparagus: A good low-calorie source of folate and vitamins A and C. High in fiber.

Avocados: A rich source of folate, Vitamin A, and potassium. Useful amounts of protein, iron, magnesium, Vitamin C,E, and B6. Drawbacks: very high in calories, 85% coming from fat!

Beets: a good source of folate and vitamin C. The greens are a rich source of potassium, calcium, iron, beta carotene, and Vitamin C.

Blackberries: Low in calories and high in fiber. A good source of Vitamin C and bioflavonoids, also contain folate, Vitamin E, iron, and calcium. Contain anticancer chemicals.

Blueberries: A good source of dietary fiber. Provide some Vitamin C and iron. May protect against some intestinal upsets. May help prevent some urinary tract infections.

Broccoli: An excellent source of Vitamin C. A good source of vitamin A and folate. Significant amounts of protein, calcium, iron, and other minerals. Rich in bioflavonoids and other plan chemicals that protect against cancer, and may be helpful in lupus. Low in calories and high in fiber.

Brussels Sprouts: An excellent source of vitamin C. A good source of protein, folate, vitamin A, iron and potassium. Contain bioflavonoids and other substances that protect against cancer.

Pictures of my 1 pc suit

2005-10-09T11:33:00.000-04:00

I took some pictures yesterday, after I did my hair highlights.... I had to see what I was going to look like in my 1 pc suit.

I need to work on my smile, but yesterday, I wasn't in the mood to smile, as I was very sadden by my father's news of his possible stomach cancer. He sent me some pictures of what it looks like, and he's obviously got something going on in there!

Family Member & Cancer

2005-10-08T10:55:00.000-04:00

At around 9:00 am this morning, I received a phone call from my father. He rarely calls and I knew immediately there was cause for concern. He then proceeded to tell me how his surgery procedure (hernia) went yesterday. When they operated, they found another more serious problem; half of his stomach is black from the outside (something they normally only see internally)! They have taken a sample and sent it for testing…it could be cancer. He’s been complaining about ulcers for a long time, but they wouldn’t go away, he’s always had stomach problems without any signs of relief. Perhaps he will finally figure out what is wrong with him.

He should get the biopsy results next Friday; it may or may not affect the upcoming of my second show in November. Although my father was never played a big part in my life (he left my mother and I when I was 4, and would only see him once a year), in the past 6 years, we have been building a better relationship.

My father is a “workaholic”, so much so that he’s the only grandparent that still hasn’t seen his granddaughter that is now almost 2 and a half years old! Perhaps it’s the Lord’s way of telling him “Hey, you need to slow down and enjoy your family a little bit more”. It’s very upsetting to me that he still hasn’t seen her.
Anyway, my day is not going so good, I had planned on morning cardio but my plans changed when I received the phone call. During the entire conversation with my father, I was able to keep my composure together with a few moments of tears, but once I hung up that phone, I let it all out.

The timing is not the best, but when is the time right to receive bad news? Do I let it drag me down and throw the towel…NO! I can’t do that! I’ll keep trucking away with my diet and workouts…if I’m blessed with being able to do both shows, GREAT! Currently, all I know is that I’m definitely doing the Carolina Clash Show…I’ll still meticulously plan in competing in the Elite Show but if my father is diagnosed with cancer, my plans will be to go visit it him with my daughter.

He’s also in a terrible financial situation that would be way too long to get into…his past is catching up with him. He didn’t have an easy life, but a lot was due to him making the wrong decisions! He’s changed a lot and has come a long way, and for that, I’m grateful. I miss him a lot, haven’t seen him for over 3 years. I was trying to give him a chance to prove himself to me by putting forth the effort of coming to visit us in NC… that plan backed fired on me!

Anyway, I must get going now, got a few things to do around the house…I have highlight my hair, do my cardio, my leg workout, do laundry, personalized books, cook, etc. It’s constantly doing something, non-stop….in some ways, it’s good cause it keeps my mind busy and focused (I’m able to stick to my strict diet this way).

Recipes - Authorized

2005-10-07T13:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't tried any of these yet, but by the looks of them, they look pretty darn good!!

All Purpose Dressing
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon hemp oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon liquid stevia
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Blend together and use on salads or chicken

Breakfast surprise
1 cup egg white
¼ cup oats
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
2 serving of stevia (natural sweetener)
cinnamon or pumpkin spice

Mix all together in a large non-stick frying pan at medium to low heat. Scramble together like scrambled eggs till fully cooked

Chicken Heaven
Fully cook 4 oz extra lean ground chicken

Mix in
½ cup red kidney beans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon powder stevia

Cook together for 5 minutes.

My Suits ARE in! Got to work on my posing! YUCK!

2005-10-04T18:44:00.000-04:00

Ok, here's a few pictures of my 2 pc suit!!! I SERIOUSLY need to work on my posing, it's terrible, I'm always leaning towards one side, :( No matter how much I try, I can't get it right :(.

At my heaviest...

2005-10-04T09:33:00.000-04:00

I found this old picture of me (taken about 2 1/2 years ago). I wish I had a full view but this is all I got.... I can't remember how much I weighed then, but you can definitely see that I wasn't thin! My face was nice and round! *lol*

Fresh New Week! Time to Increase the Intensity Level!

2005-10-03T08:54:00.000-04:00

I only have 19 days till my first show, and I have to admit, I haven’t been working as hard as I would like. I’m going to really focus on cranking the intensity of my workouts and cardio sessions for the next three weeks, if that means I need to start running again, I will! The past two weeks, I’ve been backing off a little bit, my right knee is starting to feel a little “off”, wanted to give it some rest and recuperate…as of the past two days (cross fingers) no knee pain!

I’ve also been busy with my small business and re-organizing the house, I really can’t stand my house to be in a messy state. My daughter is also in a “fast learning stage”, I really want to start sitting down with her for a minimum of 30 minutes each night and teach her French. She knows most of her facial body parts. This week, I will start communicating with her in French…it’s an absolute since 90% of my family speaks the language.

Going back to my “prepping” of my upcoming show, here are a few things that will need to occur in the next three weeks:

Hair Color, blond streaks (probably will do myself, I have always done my own coloring, much more affordable this way).
Suits should be arriving this week!
Start applying twice a day, my 30-minute teeth whitening kit (two week supply)
Yearly Eye Doctor’s visit on Wednesday
Start moisturizing my entire body on a daily basis
Facial weekly treatments (facial masks, exfoliate, moisture, etc.)
Cardio increased to 6 times a week, in the morning, on an empty stomach.

I know you all want to see my suits when they come in, so although I did say I wasn’t going to post anymore pictures…I’m going back on my words and WILL be posting new pictures when my suits are in!

The reason why I've been so quiet

2005-09-30T15:52:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update as to why I’ve been so quiet these days. I’ve been really busy with the prepping of my upcoming Figure Competition but also with my small part-time business from home. I do Personalized Children’s Books and I have to cater to the early Christmas Shoppers.

If anyone is interested in viewing my little business website, here it is:

http://www.personalizeabook.com

It’s a cute little website and very I’m very proud of it. I hope that someday I can generate enough business to create a small business that my daughter can someday take over for me! It’ll be her little part time job that she can do from home, making enough income to buy the “stuff” that she wants when she’s a teenager! *lol* as they get older, they get more and more expensive! I want her to learn to be sufficient and independent, to be a business minded individual to hopefully someday, be a successful business entrepreneur! I always wanted to have a business of my own, but it’s not easy, takes a lot of work and effort, and like everything else, it takes some serious dedication and persistence. Starting a business from scratch and to build it is not an easy task, you cannot give up and although you may see some of failures (or may be not!), you learn from past experiences and keep going. My ULTIMATE dream would be to open a fitness facility, one of a kind, not your typical gym where you go to lift weights and leave…I want it to cater to nutrition, general health, etc…When I think of it, I think of a small Eating-for-Life restaurant (OH YEAH!), a swimming pool, a basketball court, weights, a on-site massage therapist, a on-site nutritionist, professional well-rounded personal trainers (oh no, not your typical trainer, but someone that’s got experienced, and that practices what he/she preaches!), etc.

I haven’t been able to frequent the bfltracker.com website as much the past few weeks and I feel a little bummed out about it since I really love to offer my support and help to all of the Body-for-Lifers out there. I will eventually reappear there when my time allows it. Keeping up with everything has been a little bit of a challenge. I find myself working out and in the middle of my 1 min break between sets, I empty out the dishwasher (a little bit a time), fold clothes, cook dinner, etc. Yeah, I’m doing lots of multi-tasking to be able to keep up with everything.

I’m definitely looking forward to at least one week break after my competitions, it’ll give me time to get my house re-organized, cleaned up, spend some good quality time with my daughter, etc. Also, this off-week will give me time to prepare myself for my bulk up stage, but done in a slow steady healthy matter so that I can gain more muscle mass without regaining too much body fat. I do realize that I won’t stay this low in bodyfat forever, nor do I really want to,…it’s nice to fit in a size 2 but realistically, healthy weight for me would be around 130lbs, 18% BF at a size 6.

25 days count down!

2005-09-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

Only 25 more days till my first Figure Show…talk about time flying by! I have to stay strict on my diet, which means, no more “cheats” (although last weekend was TOTALLY approved, emphasized, and authorized!). After having that Black Tie Mousse Cake, I have been craving sweets like you wouldn’t believe, it’s subsiding day by day and I’m not giving in…my savior is Hazelnut Coffee with only 1 tsp of low fat powdered creamer (which is only worth 10 calories). I really can’t give up the powdered creamer, black coffee is AWFUL! If I have to do 2 extra minutes of cardio so I can have a coffee, so be it! *lol*

Ever sine I started my pre-contest diet, I have been measuring every morsel of food that I eat and let me tell you, it’s been a tidiest task but a necessary one! I cannot emphasize how important it is to weigh and measure everything while prepping for an upcoming competition; “eying” is definitely no-no. Portion control is so critical, you could easily eat more then you actually need, etc. If I’m really starving, I always eat more green veggies, never more protein and/or carbs. Sometimes, I feel a little bit of a rabbit, perhaps I should dress like one for Halloween! *LOL* Eating is strictly fuel for your body while prepping for a show; you learn to eat at around your workouts to ensure you have plenty of energy to make it through. However, it doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy what you eat…you find ways of making your food less bland and be “taste” bud friendly. Tabasco/hot sauce, cinnamon, artificial sweetener and/or Stevia (all-natural sweetener), nutmeg, vanilla essence, etc. Also, low GI fruits is very much authorized in moderation! In general, Hi GI Foods are unauthorized and most of them aren’t good for you anyway (for the exception of bananas, etc, but in moderation), they make your blood sugar peak way up and down fast…ever noticed how tired you are after eating a full plate of pasta?!? I fell like a lump after my cheat meal on Friday night *LOL* - very sleepy and tired.

Anyway, a lot of you have been asking about my top choices in supplements, and I will provide you with my list in the coming days. There are so many great products out there, it’s hard to narrow down, but perhaps I can come up with a “Carole’s Top Ten Choices” soon!

P.s. No pictures until the shows!!! :-) Surprise Surprise!

What my cheat meal consisted of!

2005-09-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

Alright! Yesterday, me and my husband went out to Olive Garden for my 4-weeks out cheat meal. I induldged in some sampler appertizers, bread sticks, salad, Tour of Italy (ate almost all of it) and finished it off with the Black Tie Mousse Cake (which I had to share with my husband and daughter). Sharing my dessert was NOT COOL! *lol* I wanted ALL of it, but I was soooooo full, that I didn't put up much of a fight *lol* - NEXT TIME, I'll be sure that I get a dessert that my husband doesn't like, so this way, I won't have to share with him...He eats whatever he wants when he wants, so, I thought it was a little bit unfair of him asking me to share my dessert with him, ARGGGG!

Anyway, I don't even want to jump on the scale nor do I even want to think about the amount of calories and fat that I ate last night. Also, I felt soooooooooo terrible last night, I was swearing up and down that I was NEVER going to eat like that again HA! But it was SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!! It was definitely worth the hurt and pain *LOL*.

Anyway, I woke up this morning and started rigth back into my workout routine and diet program. I also need to drink about 2 gallons a day this weekend to wash out all of that sodium intake and such.

Anyway......my cheat meal was awesome and I don't regret it. My diet will be super strict for the next 6 weeks.

Carolina Clash - it's Official!

2005-09-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

I'm sending out my entry fee and my registration form for my first Figure Competition to occur on October 22nd, 2005. This is for the "Carolina Clash" show in Gastonia, NC!

http://www.morrisonproductions.net/2005CarolinaClash.html

My plan for the week.

2005-09-19T09:08:00.000-04:00

My workout plan for the week:

Monday
#1: 30-min morning cardio bike session (done!)
Day 2- Chest/Tricep/Abs/Calves (light/high rep) (done!)

Tuesday
#2: 30-min morning cardio bike session (empty stomach) (done!)
Day 3 – Back Day/Abs (at the gym – light/high rep)

Wednesday
Day 4 – Shoulders/Bicep/Calves (light/high rep) (done!)

Thursday
Weigh-in day (126lbs) - #3: 30-min morning cardio bike session (DONE!)
Day 1 – Leg Day (heavy/low rep – at the gym)

Friday
#3: 30-min morning cardio bike session
Day 2 – Chest/Triceps/Abs/Calves (heavy/low rep)
PLANNED SPLURGE CHEAT MEAL! (or Saturday)

Saturday
#4: 30-min morning cardio bike session
Day 3: Back/Abs (heavy/low rep – at the gym)
#5: 30-min night cardio session

Sunday
OFF (if I miss a morning cardio session, it will be done on this day).

Saturday - Wow, I'm feeling bad!

2005-09-17T15:41:00.000-04:00

I'm sick and I think my "monthly" visit is about to occur! So, needless to say, I'm a little "out" of it today and having cravings out of this world (not giving in though)*lol*... Exercising is the last thing on my mind but I got to get it done. I did go for a 45-min walk with my daughter in her stroller today, up and down hills...my glutes were feeling it and they need it bad! I have two major trouble spots and those are my back and glutes!

Here's a few changes in my exercise routine and diet:

1. Peanut Butter only 3 times a week - post workout (leg and back day, since those are my hardest days).

2. Adding one (1) additional 30 min cardio session, of which, 3 of them will need to be in the morning on an empty stomach (and HIIT!!!). I will also try to fit a few walking session, either at lunch with my co-worker or at night with my daughter.

3. Drink massive amounts of water, closer to 2 gallons a day - having "slight" problems, this should cure them! *lol*.

4. Start praticing my poses and walk in my shoes!

5. Eat super clean, limit condiments, coffee and diet sodas!

Well, this is my thoughts for the day, I'm going to head out cause I need to start preparing super for my family..and perhaps fix some Chocolate Chip Cookies for my daughter & husband.

Big Hugs,
C.

Location, time and date

2005-09-15T11:04:00.000-04:00

I just realized that many of you are probably curious about which shows I'll be competing in. Here are the links to the "advertisements" of the shows.

1st Show
http://www.morrisonproductions.net/2005CarolinaClash.html

2nd Show
http://www.qrelite.com/ELITE%20MUSCLE%202005%20INFO.htm

I got my 45 seconds of fame on the radio!

2005-09-14T09:01:00.000-04:00

So this morning, on my way to work, the topic was “Do online dating really work?”…My husband and I meet online back in 1996 when “chatting” was just starting to be known. Well, I picked up the phone and after a dozen attempts of getting through over a half hour timeframe, I finally got through. Well, I got to share my story with the “Triad” for about 45 seconds, it was really cool! A few of my co-workers heard me this morning and they were all excited and giggly about it, they said that I sounded calm and relax, not nervous…and I truly wasn’t nervous.

You know, the “old” Carole wouldn’t have dared picking up the phone and call a radio station and share her story for thousands to hear, I was too darn self-conscience about myself and my self esteem was to the floor… by me picking up that cell phone this morning and sharing my story with everyone listening to the radio this morning, really showed me that I have come a long way!!

I’m proud of myself this morning… a small event but I’m proud!

May be next time, I’ll get my 45 seconds of fame on TV? How about that!

Self Doubt?

2005-09-13T14:49:00.000-04:00

I just went to bfltracker.com and just saw averismommy’s transformation; I’m so impressed with her transformation! She looks really good and I’m proud of her accomplishments. With this being said I now look back at my 12-week transformation and want to kick myself in the butt for not working harder. However, I really did the best that I could with the little knowledge that I had at the time about proper nutrition, supplementation and exercise. I had no help and learned as I went on. My decision to “whip” myself back into shape was made within a week’s time, I was absolutely fed up with my out of shape body and wanted to do something about it “immediately”…so, there was no real planning done before hand, I just “did” it! However, looking back, I wish I could have planned ahead of time, get myself mentally ready to really kick butt for 12-weeks and focus on a good nutrition plan. However, considering how I was before and what I am now, I’m still very thankful for what I have accomplished…perhaps putting it off for the purpose of better “planning” would have been a bad idea at the time, cause I might not have followed through with my 12-week challenge.

I may or may not be completely “ready” for the Figure Shows but I keep reminding myself, “Carole, you’ve only been training since the beginning of February, give yourself a break, you’ve come a long way”. I have my moments where I look at myself and say "Can I really do this? Is this for me?"... Don't get me wrong, I won't give up, the OLD Carole would have a long time ago but not anymore... I just have my moments of doubts and concerns. Just makes me thing, does every competitor have doubts like I do?

Also, I spoke with Stef about the use of steroids at the pro-level. There’s definitely some Figure Ladies that use some “lighter” durative version of steroids, that’s what gives them the “edge” over everyone else….Is it ok you ask? Well, depends how you look at it. I think that its “ok” to some point, BUT if you really want to compete and have a level playing field, consider only competing in “Natural Tested Bodybuilding Competition”. If they are not tested, you are going to be at an unfair advantage, it’s a matter of “Are you willing to go ahead and compete against that”…Not all of them “use” steroids, but I wouldn’t be surprised if 90% use some type of chemical enhancement/steroids durative. I still think that you need to be genetically gifted and have a kick butt body to compete in the pro level, steroids or not!

6 weeks out!

2005-09-11T16:35:00.000-04:00

Only 6 more weeks to go till my first figure competition! Time flies when you are working hard and having fun! I've ordered the suits and the lady said that they should be shipped in the beginning of October. I've attached a picture showing style and colors chosen (1 & 2 pc suits on the left are the styles, pictures on the right are the colors). They will both be decorated with rhinestones, but I'm not sure of the designs yet, I paid a "set" amount for each suit and she will decorate them with a unique design. I wanted her to "surprise" me ! Can't go wrong either way.

I've decided to start counting my days from tomorrow till my first show...to help me mentally since somedays I feel like I'm about to "crack" and lose it! 6 weeks is very short, only a month and a half from now...I can "hold" it all together if I mentally think about it being short term... I MUST keep FOCUS! This is very challenging, especially with having to do most of my workouts from home (which I HATE doing! I got too many things that I could get done at the house, and during my entire workout, I'm thinking "I could wash this, cook this, do that etc". I admire those of you that are able to make time and workout from home and keep focus on your workouts! How do you all do it?!?!?!?!?

Anyway, tomorrow is a new day and LEG Day at that! I'll be going to the gym tomorrow, WAHOO! The dreaded leg day....OUCH, I'll be sore yet again!

I'm also adding another pictures (that I'm not posting in tracker!)... I "attempted" to put on some dark tanner but little did I notice that I'm still "peeling" from the nice sunburn from two weeks ago, so, it looked like CRAP (temporary wash away tanner and not the "pro tan"). Either way, this might show you my progress, small changes but my upper body is "Finally" starting to come out and my legs are not "sticking" out as much now! I'm starting to be a little bit more "balanced" and again, I got 6 more weeks to go!

Another Recipe - BFL Approved

2005-09-11T10:58:00.000-04:00

Sweet Cinnamon "Sweet Potato" Chips

Ingredients:
Olive Oil Spray
3 sweet potatoes
3 egg whites
Splenda, to taste
Cinnamon, to taste

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil. Peel potatoes and slice into quarter-inch rounds. In a bowl, lightly beat egg whites. Pour into a large Ziploc bag, add potatoes slices, then zip and shake. Place potato slices on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle each slice with Splenda and cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes.

These are very good and worth making! Just be sure to not cut your slices too thin or too thick (cause they will either be "burnt" or just not as crisp as you'd like). Also, "DO" spray your cookie sheets really good, otherwise, your slices WILL stick to your cookie sheet!

Enjoy!!!!!!!!! :-)

Weekly Stats are in!

2005-09-08T10:57:00.000-04:00

This past week, I have added Peanut Butter back into my diet, as I was dropping weight slightly too fast and needed energy for my workouts. I’m now having one “heaping” teaspoon of peanut butter approximately 30 minutes before my workout, and what a difference it is doing! I’m very happy that I’m eating PB again! (Natural Unmixed Peanut Butter of course, low in sugar!)

Also, I will be mainly working out from home (due to the spike in gas cost!). I cannot afford traveling back and forth to the gym, which is a good 20 minutes out of my way (total of 40 minutes travel time spent in the road just to go to the gym). I was putting over 100 miles on my car each day, I cannot afford it; therefore I have to adapt and focus on getting most of my workouts from home, for the exception of “Leg Day”, which is way too complicated and intense to do from home *lol*. I will need to invest in some free weights dumbbells, as I only have but a few sets (5 lbs, 8 lbs, and 15 lbs). I also have a stationary bike (for cardio) and a cross-bow machine (with I can do my cable work on).

I will also be ordering my suits this weekend, a little earlier then anticipated. This is due to high volume of suit orders that Lidia is anticipating within the next month or two. I was hoping that I was going to get closer to my pre-contest weight but she reassured me that my suit will fit me nicely. There was a slight change of plans in my suit selection – but my choices have been made (in color and suits), I will not change my mind anymore! DONE! *lol*

Ok --- now for the promised stats!

Comparing Challenge #1, Week #0 (January 31, 2005) to Challenge #2, Week #7 (September 8, 2005), Carole started with a lean bodyweight of 96.0 lbs and 46.0 lbs of bodyfat. If Carole’s measurements are accurate, she currently has a lean bodyweight of 107.1 lbs and 20.4 lbs of bodyfat. This is a change of + 11.1 lbs of muscle and - 25.6 lbs of bodyfat if the measurements are correct. These figures are only as good as the accuracy of the weight and bodyfat measurements taken.

7-25-05:
Weight: 139.5 lbs
Waist: 28”
Hips: 35”
BF%: 22.3%
Muscle Mass: 108.39 lbs
Body Fat: 31.1 lbs

8-25-05:
Weight: 130 lbs
Waist: 26.5”
Hips: 33”
BF%: 17.4%
Muscle Mass: 107.38 lbs
Body Fat: 22.62 lbs
Fat Lost: - 8.5 lbs
Muscle Mass: - 1.01 lbs

9-8-05:
Weight: 127.5 lbs
Waist: 26”
Hips: 32.5”
BF%: 16.0%
Muscle Mass: 107.1 lbs
Body Fat: 20.4 lbs
Fat Lost: - 10.7 lbs
Muscle Mass Lost: - 1.29 lbs

Body-for-Life Approved Recipe!

I haven't tried this one yet but I promise I will once I get done with my contests!

Spicy Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips

• 1/2 cup finely diced celery

• 1/4 cup finely diced onion

• 1 1/2 tsp garlic seasoning

• 8-oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce

• 1 medium can diced tomatoes

• 1/2 package whole wheat pasta (Barilla Plus Pasta would work great!)

• 1/4 cup jalapenos

• 3 slices fat-free or low-fat cheese (optional)

Instructions: Fill a large pot halfway with water and add the first 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Allow chicken to cook fully and vegetables to soften. When chicken is cooked, remove and cut into smaller pieces, then place back in the pot. Stir in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Lower to medium heat and simmer. Meanwhile, prepare pasta separately according to package directions. When sauce thickens slightly, stir in jalapenos and cooked pasta. For a creamy taste, stir in the cheese slices and allow them to melt. Serve piping hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2005-09-07T10:47:00.000-04:00

Three important notes (click on the image for a larger view):

Do not cook more then 10 minutes! Trust me on this!
Do not make them larger then suggested, golf ball size is perfect!
I'm NOT responsible for those that over-indulge! *lol*

Cinnamon Roll Recipe!

2005-09-06T21:51:00.000-04:00

You can freeze these! For those of you following BFL, PLEASE do NOT eat more then one per week, you will RUIN your diet *LOL* (I'm serious!!!! These are at least 600 cal each! It's nothing but EMPTY Calories (perfect for cheat day dessert! haha). I will NOT be held responsible :-). If you want to impress family/friends, this is a kick butt recipe to do so! They will LOVE you!

I have AWAKEN the cook within!

2005-09-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

Ok this is absolutely, without a doubt, to some people TORTURE! Read at your OWN risk! This weekend, I have cooked the most unbelievable desserts! Of course, I didn’t eat ANY of it, as I’m not allowed. However, it doesn’t mean that other people can’t enjoy it! Here’s the list of sweets that I cooked over the weekend: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (yup, just as good as the real thing), Cinnabon Rolls (Oh yeah, to die for!), Chocolate Chips Cookies (made from scratch, comparable to Mrs. Field’s!) AND Banana Bread Loafs with Cream Cheese Frosting…. and YES, I have resisted ALL of them! I don’t know what got into me, but all I want to do is COOK! Perhaps those are things that I really want to eat but since I can’t have them, I make them for others to have OR perhaps it keeps me so busy, that it distracts me from going “out of my mind” since I’m so strict on my diet…either way, it’s helping me cope with all of it! Do I mind all that sweet stuff around the house? NOPE, not at all, cause my will-power is STRONG! Perhaps I’m “testing” myself?!? Who knows why I’m doing this!? All I know is that my family, friends and co-workers LOVE it! HA!

For those of you that would like the following recipes (for your cheat day), let me know, I’ll gladly share them with you! You won’t be disappointed.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies (clone recipe)
Cinnabon's Cinnabon Rolls (clone recipe)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (clone recipe)

The banana bread recipe is not what I would consider the "best" banana bread out there, I'm still searching for a good one! My mother makes a kickbutt version of it and I might have to break down and ask it from her *lol*. The frosting is the same as the Cinnabon's Rolls Frosting.

Stef sent me this card! I look at it everyday! LOVE IT!! I wanted to share it with you all! Thanks sweetie for the card!!!!

A Day At the Zoo!

2005-09-05T13:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was goergous! Lot's of sunshine and WALKING! *lol* Here's some pictures of us at the Zoo! Cassandra absolutely loved it!

Soon...very soon!! Exciting News!

2005-09-02T13:07:00.000-04:00

I’m so excited! Next weekend, I will be ordering my suits! I talked with the lady that will making them and she gave me great information about what type of suits would look best on me because I’m now down to a size 34A! Also wearing a size 4 (some 2’s!)My chest is pretty flat, it’s depressing! So, the 2 pc suit that I originally wanted is out of the question, it will not look good on me. She also gave me a quote and unfortunately, my suits will not be as decorated as I would like them to be. Both suits undecorated will cost $320.00 (incl.), she suggested that I add an additional $50.00 per suit for decorations; she will decorate my suits according to my budget. This is a grand total cost of $420.00 for my suits! Oh, and this is only “basic” – lots of women at the competitions will probably spend a lot more then me, but guess who’s going to look best!? She also mentioned that, since these will be my first competitions, in the future, if I want to do more competitions, I can send her the suits back for “additional” decorations, this way; it will look like a completely new suit (but really not!) ha! Clever!

Anyway, on top of purchasing the suits, I still need to get my hair colored, my nails done, my teeth whitened (crest whitening kit), pay for my registration fees & NPC Card ($40.00 each show + $70.00 NPC Card), tanning products, etc.

For those of you that are thinking of competiting, SERIOUSLY thinking about it, START SAVING YOUR $$$$$$. It isn’t cheap AND you won’t win money, all you get is a title and trophies……however, the rewards that you will reap for yourself will be worth a lot more to you then the title and trophies.

Another great idea, if you workout at a gym, try to get your gym to sponsor you by paying for your entry fees and NPC Card…get them to give you free T-Shirts or anything type of clothing article that has their logo/town on it and when you go to compete, you will be advertising them! I haven’t tried this but I need to talk with the gym owner (my personal trainer told me to do this! It worked for him in the past). Sometimes, it’s hard to convince them to sponsor you when you are “just starting” – they want you to “prove” yourself to them before they take the “risk” of investing any type of money on you, but be persuasive! It simply doesn’t hurt to ask!

Another great note! I CAN EAT PEANUT BUTTER!!! *LOL* How exciting! I’m more thrilled about that then buying my suits! HAHAHAHAHA!

Day 37 - Wow, I'm tired !

2005-08-30T16:18:00.000-04:00

Today, I’ll be honest, I’m exhausted and moody. I’m starting to feel like “crap”, but I was told that it was going to get this way. It’s not going to get easier; it’ll probably get very hard during the last four weeks! Hard training, dieting, posing, frustrations, people, etc…some days, I might start feeling like I’m in over my head and want to start screaming. What keeps me going? Goals and support from my BFL Buddies/Friends/Family/Co-Workers, etc! The drive and desire to reach my goals and dreams! I can’t emphasize it enough, to ANYONE that wants to start a challenge (of any sort!), you MUST write down your goals…they are your guide to your success. Make them challenging but also make them achievable. In the beginning, it might be hard to write down goals because you are unsure of your true potential. For example, you might want to be able to run 2 miles under 16 minutes, but you barely can run 1 minute without having to stop and take a breather… Ok, well, still keep the 2 miles under 16 minutes goal, but write down smaller achievable goals along the way that will bring you to your ultimate true goal, which is to run those 2 miles! Small goals lead you to your bigger goals and give you motivation and self-confidence to reach your highest potential! Make sense? Look around you, take a good look at those that have reached and succeeded where a normal person wouldn’t and ask them what they have done to get where they are at…most of them will tell you, they had a road map, which consisted of GOALS!

Be consistent, don’t give up, and when you feel like giving up, reach REAL down inside of you and ask the question “What do you want the most?” …chocolate or chicken? Trust me, somedays, it would be so much more easier to reach for that chocolate..but I simply don’t! The next day, I pat myself on the back and say, “Job well done Carole for such a great day yesterday, now, try do the same today, if not better! You can do it!”

As Promised ! New Pictures!

2005-08-27T13:59:00.000-04:00

First Month's Stats are in baby!!

2005-08-25T09:26:00.000-04:00

Day 32 – Thursday August 25th.
It’s been exactly a month already since I started my pre-contest programs and here’s a brief summary of my stats:

7-25-05:
Weight: 139.5 lbs
Waist: 28”
Hips: 35”
BF%: 22.3%
Muscle Mass: 108.39 lbs
Body Fat: 31.1 lbs

8-25-05:
Weight: 130 lbs
Waist: 26.5”
Hips: 33”
BF%: 17.4%
Muscle Mass: 107.38 lbs
Body Fat: 22.62 lbs

Fat Lost: - 8.5 lbs
Muscle Mass: - 1.01 lbs

These stats are as accurate as the person taken the measurements (which would be myself!). I will be taking new pictures this weekend, be in the look out for those.

Wow - what a weekend!

2005-08-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

QUICK SIDE NOTE: As of 8-22-05, a total of over $230.00 has been donated! A big Thank You goes out to all of my supporters! I still got 9 more weeks to go till my first competition, but only 4 weeks to go till I order my expensive suits ! Feel free to share my blogger link address to any of your Fitness Buddies to help me out ! I need all the support that I can get! I'll be posting New Pictures this weekend!

Well, had our friends visit and we had a blast! Friday, we dropped our daughter at daycare and we decided to go watch a movie in the afternoon (since that's the only time we were going to have available without the little one) - we watched "Skeleton Key"... overall, it was a great movie! Definitely not your typical movie, I loved the twisted ending! This is a must watch! In my opinion, I would wait till it came out in DVD to watch :-). We had not watch a movie at a theater in over 2 years!!!!! It was NICE to do!!!

As for Saturday, we went to local water park called "Wet N' Wild", my daughter was with us, she had a blast and I got a terrible sunburn on my shoulders! I didn't THINK about putting any sunscreen lotion on me, but I sure plastered it on my daughter! She looked like a clown by the time I got done with her! *lol*

As for my training and diet, well, I'll admit, it wasn't the best! I didn't "cheat" persay, but I did not follow my diet as planned on Saturday, it was a little off. However, no major damage done, just some cleaning up to do.

I also got someone interested in starting the Body-for-Life program this weekend! WAHOO!!!

Anyway, new stats (and perhaps new pics) will be coming this Thursday (or weekend), will keep you posted!

Official Weigh-In Day & Stef!

2005-08-18T11:59:00.000-04:00

Challenging Weekend Ahead

We are having friends visiting us this weekend, this will be quite a challenge for me since I will need to stick with my diet and do it in a fairly diplomatic way – we may go White Water Rafting tomorrow and I have no idea if I can carry around a cooler or not. It’ll be quite interesting and I’ll have to post a report on Sunday.

Today “WAS” my official weigh-in day and I’m actually down to 130.5 lbs…ok, so that’s 1 lb lighter then last week. I’ve been steadily losing 1 lb a week, which is good! This should mean that I’ll be ready in about 8 weeks right? We will soon find out! I also took my measurements (AGAIN) at http://www.bblex.de/en/calc/navy.php and with my waistline at 26.5” and my hips being at 33”, this shows me at 17.4 % BF… what happened between yesterday and today?!? Well, I won’t be too descriptive BUT when you eat lot’s of protein, things tend to get a little “backed up” *LOL* and you tend to have a bigger waist line and are heavier on the scale! THAT’S WHY YOU SHOULD ONLY WEIGH YOURSELF ONCE A WEEK PEOPLE! The same day, in the morning, on an empty stomach and NAKED! Yeah, you heard me NAKED!

Talking about being butt naked, has anyone checked out Stef in her thong?!? WOWZERS!!! Hope she wins that trip, she surely deserves it! She worked her buns off (literally) – she looks GREAT! You can go and vote for her at http://www.qfm96.com/ , she’s “Diane” and wears a white tight tank top and white thong to go with it (high hell white shoes too), you can’t miss her, she’s the best looking one in there! You’ll have to register but, don’t worry, your email address will NOT be sold to anyone - just be sure to remember your login name and password, I hear there will be several rounds to this and you’ll have to visit on a weekly basis to vote. VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! It’s our duty to be supportive to our fellow Body-for-Life Buddies!

My bike is FIXED!

2005-08-17T14:04:00.000-04:00

SIDE NOTE: Anybody that wants to be added to my blogger, please let me know, I'll add you to my list!

SIDE NOTE #2: There's another wonderful way of supporting me and that's from ordering Personalized Children's Books from my website! Please visit www.personalizeabook.com They are adorable and perfect for birthday gifts, Christmas (approaching really fast!), or just to say I LOVE YOU! I personally personalize them myself and provide very quick turn around on all my orders!

Today, I decided to weigh myself a day a head of time! As suspected, no movement on the scale – however, I’m definitely showing signs of “shrinkage” – my pants are fitting loser in the hips/thighs area. I measured my hips and waist line, and according to the “navy” bodyfat online calculator, I’m down to 18%...so even though the scale says I’m the same, I’m really NOT! I’m losing body fat and gaining muscle mass! I’m thrilled! Still got 6% to go! Feels like I’ll never get there! Trainer says to stick to the diet and be consistent, have faith and I’ll get there. I’m venturing into unknown territory and although I have faith, it’s hard to believe that I could accomplish that low of a body fat since I’ve never done it before. I can’t rely on the scale too much since I’m training so hard and my nutrition diet is consistent and on tract, it’s very possible for me to continue losing fat and gain muscle.

Well my bike is FIXED! It was a screw that wasn’t tight enough, that’s all it was! I’m very happy that it’s been taken care of and that it wasn’t a major problem. I was a little worried about it, I love it too way too much to give it up.

So, I’ll be doing my cardio from home again, I did Taebo on Monday and biked at the gym yesterday after my workout (which I wasn’t suppose to, I’m to separate my cardio and weight training). Got to be flexible right? Can’t stick to the schedule 100% of the time, it’s almost impossible! Doesn’t mean you can’t give your 100% when you’re training though.

Soon I’ll be starting to practice my posing and walking around in my high heel shoes at the gym! They have hard wood floors there and I will need to carry around my stripper shoes with me (as most of my body-for-life buddies call them haha!). Got to love those!

Well, got to get going…till next time!

Today is Day 23! :-) only 67 more to go!

2005-08-16T09:05:00.000-04:00

Wow – I had a great back workout yesterday! I had so much energy when I got back home and ate; I did over 2 hours of cleaning! Laundry, folded clothes, cleaned the bathroom, etc. After all that, I was going to do 30 minutes of biking, but after 2 minutes on it, it started squeaking really LOUD! What an AWEFUL noise that was to my poor little ears! Well, no despair, I got TAEBO! I don’t consider it Cardio really, but it was better then doing nothing! Hopefully I’ll be able to get my husband to take a look at my bike tonight (he’s slow to fix stuff!), something is seriously wrong with it! Argggg! There’s NO way that I can tolerate that awful noise! I didn’t want to do my weights and cardio back-to-back, each sessions takes all my energy and I’d be soooooo exhausted by the time I’d get done with both, you’d have to carry me out of the gym! ALSO, I don’t want to take the risk of overtraining, I want to preserve my muscle mass. I drink my shake about 1 hour before I workout, eat again about ½ hour after, wait another hour and do my cardio. I generally try to get my cardio in at about 9:30 PM and then go to bed.

People are starting to see a difference at the gym; they say that I’m starting to be more defined. Yesterday while working out my back, a gentleman that has been casually talking to me since I started BFL back in the beginning of February commented on how I was starting to show signs of definition and muscle in my back! I was THRILLED! I’ve NEVER had anyone comment on my back before…my legs and arms always got the attention, but now my BACK!!! WAHOO! I guess my hard work is paying off!

I may soon need to add more cardio in my routine, or perhaps morning 2 mile walks, depends if I’ve hit a plateau or not, I have a feeling I have, won’t know for sure till Thursday!

Tomorrow is a New Week!

2005-08-14T22:01:00.000-04:00

Well, tomorrow will be Day 22 – almost a month since I started my new challenge. Some days are good, some are harder. Today was a good day! Although I couldn’t quite fit in all of my meals (I woke up too late), I had great workouts! I went to the gym, did Chest/Tricep/Abs… I didn’t focus on my abs too much as they were still sore from the day before. I’ve had some interruptions in the middle of my workouts but that was partly my fault, a friend of mine showed up at the gym and I was in the mood to talk – his girlfriend just won a Fitness Competition and she’s now NPC qualified to go for her PRO Card. I’m always so focused and serious at the gym, and since its SUNDAY, I made myself relax a little bit. After my weight workout, I came home and ate. After about 1 hour, I decided to do my 30 minute cardio session. After 5 minutes, I was ready to get off the bike! My legs were burning and screaming! I didn’t want to quit so I worked through it. It’s always hard to do cardio the day after my intense leg workouts! I also went for a casual night walk with my daughter, dog, and husband…we walked may be 1.5 miles but by the time I got home, I was breaking a sweat! The humidity always gets me; it’s very humid here in NC. My husband kept complaining about how he gained so much weight lately. He’s never been above 200 lbs until last week! He eats way too many cookies; I ought to call him “COOKIE MONSTER!”.

Some of you are probably wondering what my personal battles are during this very interesting challenge of competing! Well, it’s not as easy as people think, this is more difficult then some of you may realize. Here’s my list of battles:

Having to cook two separate meals each night for me and for my husband. While I eat my chicken breast, sweet potato and green beans…I’m whipping him some pizza, cheeseburgers, home baked cookies, etc…he eats what he wants but I cook it! HARD!
My Day Time Job! I’m a Real Estate Coordinator that is prospecting to sell or lease our available outparcel/land to restaurants users such as Applebee’s , Ruby Tuesday’s, Starbucks, IHOP, etc. With this being said, I talk and think about FOOD all day long!!!! Talk about having to battle my evil twin each day! HA!
Missing my cheat day! Don’t get me wrong, I wont’ give in and binge, but what I will say is this, I will certainly learn to appreciate the freedom of eating what I want as long as it’s authorized! Being on strict diet that you cannot deviate from is hard! I might feel like eating one thing but I can’t have it, even if it’s BFL authorized. Do I miss my sweets such as chocolate, etc? Sure I do, but not as much as I miss my freedom to eat and cook what I want each night! *lol*

I had promised that I was going to write my weekly goals and here they are:

Stick to the program and do my four 30 minute cardio sessions! (NO, not three but FOUR!) *lol*
Eat 6 meals a day, even if it means waking up earlier on the weekends! HA!
Be Patient! Not weigh myself every other day, but only ONCE a week!
Be sure to spend quality time with my daughter, and make the effort to talk to her in FRENCH so she can talk to her grandmother someday :-). Most of you probably don’t know this but I’m Canadian French!
Go to bed by 10:00 PM each night….and with this being said, I’m 20 minutes late! Got to go to bed!!

Till next time!!!

Hugs,
Carole

Day 20 - Figure Suits of my Dreams!

2005-08-13T14:11:00.000-04:00

Some of you have already seen this in my bfltracker.com profile, however, I thought I'd post them here so I could get some feedback on them.

These are the suits that I have been thinking about getting...what do you think? The 2 pc suit won't have the rhinestones strings on the bottom sides, although very cute, I feel like it's going to be uncomfortable for me.

My 2 pc suit will be in Red and my 1 pc suit will be in Dark Blue (or Black). Definitely want lots of sparkles! *lol* Depending on how much money I raise and save (again, thanks for all of you that have made donations!), I may get the suits decorated or not..if not, this means I will have to do them myself which will be time consuming. These suits have over 500 stones each! Yeah, doesn't seem like it but they do!

WOW - this is day 20 already! Can you believe it !?!?! Before you know it, I'll be on stage!! I'M SO EXCITED! I feel like "Tigger", BOUNCY BOUNCY BOUNCY! *lol* (Sorry, I've been watching Winnie The Pooh way too much with my 2 year old daughter!)