No..its Not ALWAYS easy!

Happy Holidays everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying time with family and friends this season! Well, the winter months have finally hit us and holidays are among us with good foods everywhere! I was thinking today after some people have mentioned to me that they think it's easy for me to stay in shape , compete and stay motivated, on a clean eating program and exercise! I always hear "well, it must be easy for you...you dont have kids, you have time, you must have always been skinny! " I CRINGE when i hear these words from people! Truth be told, i have NOT always been skinny...i was once 142lbs...and NOT 142 GOOD pounds either! Yes, I dont have any kids, but I DO have a family with step children, a husband, a dog, house, job(or 2) ,the MANY daily activities that come along with it all and I crave all of the sugary, junk foods that everyone else does!
After my last competition, I was a little bummed about my placings and kinda' thought and questioned whether it was all worth it! (im NORMAL, y'know?) But the fact remains, that even if i never competed again, i wouldnt feel good about myself if I just quit working out, let myself get fat and threw in the towel. Even with all of the daily chores, activites and people that demand my time, I will ALWAYS make time for exercise and my health. You see, only YOU can do that and only YOU can control what you eat and whether or not you exercise. I dont care how busy someone is, you can make the time if you choose to! Is it a little selfish???Of course it is, but you have to make time for YOURSELF. The other piece of the puzzle is the clean eating. Listen, if you dont get your food on track, then dont expect major (if any) results. Ive currrenlty been put in a position where i am unable to work out for several weeks...kinda made me depressed a little and I havent been so great on my once totally clean diet! Even though the scale hasnt risen too much, my body composition has definately changed. SO, just remember, DIET plays a huge role in your results! Its not always easy and it wont be for anyone...just know that you will have good days and bad days...its when you you dont let the bad days turn into weeks, then months that you will begin to see real results.Understand that its not rocket science! Changing your body is about moving and eating good, whole foods!!!! It will never come in the form of a pill, liquid or potion. SO, next time when you think its "EASY" for someone, perhaps question where they started from and exactly how they make it work in THEIR busy life....maybe you can too! I KNOW you can!

Remember, NOW is the time to take control of your health...

not JAN 1! :)

Stay Fit & Safe and Enjoy the Season!

<<OCTOBER 2009!

Improvement season & Derailment!

Hello everyone! Well, Im 2 weeks into my "improvement season"(as my Bombshell trainer calls it!)...and im not doing so well. Last weekend, I did my cardio on Saturday and that night my back decided to show me that it had had enough! As many of you know, i severly injured my back about 2 years ago and I have had to work around my injury for quite sometime. Well, Saturday night, it felt like I had totally re-injured it and was back to square one! I couldnt sleep at all for 2 nights in a row and was in excruciating pain as sciatica set in on my left side and my right side felt like I had been hit by a baseball bat! OUCH! So, i decided and knew the best thing for me was to take off a whole week from training. My knees have also been screaming for some mercy lately...all of the intense cardio and training I was doing for my last show has taken a toll on my body and its time for a little R & R now. Today was the first day in a week that i actually was able to do 30 min walking on the treadmill and got in a light leg/booty workout! We will see how my back reacts later tonight...ive been getting treated w/ chiropractic care and doing everything I know to take care of my injury. The body has a way of telling you when ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!! I guess mine is telling me! LOL....

This is my first "off "season and it feels a bit odd...Im supposed to gain some weight while trying to get my back and shoulders bigger but the funny this is..Ive spent the better part of an entire year trying to get smaller and tighter! Its tough to just shift the mind and start thinking "ok, i have to get a bit bigger now" and not feel guilty about seeing the numbers on the scale rise. BUT, thats the way it goes in the world of figure competing, so Im trying to come to terms with it and as the saying goes "JUST DO IT". I will take it easy for about another week to prevent any more injury to my back and knees and then see how I feel. I hate taking any time off from training but if I dont, I know my injuries could really derail me from any improvement later on. SO, better safe than sorry!

I hope everyone is enjoying the fall season and looking forward to the holidays!

Remember, the avg person gains 10 lbs from thanksgiving to Christmas..dont be AVERAGE! Keep training hard and be careful with your diet! You dont want to have to work EXTRA hard come January!

Remember to stay safe, live, laugh, love and stay fit!

Chat soon!

Shannon

Ft. Lauderdale Cup Results!

Hi to ALL! Well, I finished up my VERY first season of competing this past weekend at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup! This show was AMAZING and was an all girl PRO/AM show with fitness, figure and bikini. Everything was gorgeous from the host hotel, to the stage to the trophies. The competition was tough and the classes were big. I placed 2nd in Figure class B and 3rd in Masters Figure. Not too bad, but Im coming back with a vengeance and kickin' some booty next year! LOL....

I was really excited to meet all of the girls, J.Manion, and Isaac Hinds. The Bombshell Team also had our Team photo taken and its going to be hot!

I have learned so much this year about competing, diet, and training. The best part of it all was finding and joining TEAM BOMBSHELL. They are fantastic people and I could not have made it this far without them. Shannon Dey and Rob Rosetti ROCK and Im so thankful!

SO, now I am entering my off season where I will be focusing on gaining some size in my shoulders, arms and back while trying to keep my legs lean. We will see how that goes. My next competition will be next spring so I plan on working hard until then.

In the meantime, the BOMBSHELL team will be embarking on their very first TEAM CRUISE to the Bahamas and Im sooo looking forward to that one! Definitely will be FUN!

Hope everyone is having a fun fall/holiday season. Remember to live, love, laugh AND stay fit through it all! NO HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN! Got it?

Back from Cruise ~ Getting Ready For FLL Cup

Hi Everyone~ Well, im back from my week long cruise! Although I had fun with the family, it feels good to be back home again and back on my regular diet/exercise program. I managed to get in all of my workouts on the cruise ship...they have an amazing gym on that ship! Who says you cant workout while on a cruise!?? The food is another story...the food was VERY salty and of course in abundance! It was tough to stick to my normal diet but I did the best I could given the circumstances. I dont know how people eat that way all of the time. It was apparent by the looks of things that many of the visitors on that cruise ship never set foot in a gym, or lifted a weight...except a fork! Im not judging, I just wish more folks were concerned about their health! Seriously though, how can anyone feel good eating all that food!??

Im currently preparing for the Ft. Lauderdale Cup on Oct 10. Its going to be a super fun show and I just hope im ready. Im going to give it all Ive got..training wise..and just hope its good enough!

Catch ya later....hope everyone is training hard! Here are some pics from my cruise!

Labadee, Haiti

Cruise Ship~ Disco Time =)

Im in Amercian Body Plus!!

Hey All! Just thought you would like to check out a little article about me in American Body Plus! Go to www.americanbodyplus.com to check out more articles and fun info!

Also, I saw a great quote today by Lucille Ball!

" One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself"

How appropriate is that?

I Love it!

NEVER SET YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE!!!!! Prove to yourself that you are worth it all and can accomplish whatever your goals!

RESULTS & FUN!

Hi Everyone! This past weekend was my very first NPC Figure competition and it was a BLAST! I was in great company with many of the beautiful girls from the Bombshell team(www.bombshellfitness.com)and I met some wonderful women and made some great friends!

I competed in the NPC Coastal USA's in GA put on by none other than Ropeman. It was a big fantastic show filled with lots of photographers and competitors from everywhere! I was pretty nervous as the competition was very tough...I placed 3rd in Open Figure B class and 1st in the masters class(over age 35)!!!!! I was ecsatic with the results and got some great feedback from judge Linda Wood-Hoyte as to what I need to work on for upcoming comps! SO, I will definately come in better at my next comp making the improvements suggested and working hard!

Reg Bradford, photographer, made me feel like a movie star with all of the photo shoots=) gotta love that!

I just want to thank all of my family and friends for their support and encouragement. It really helps to know that I have the love and support from those around me. It keeps me going on the days when I dont feel like working out..and YES, i have those days. The difference is that even when i dont feel like working out or cooking my food or eating differently than those around me...I still do it! I find the energy from somewhere and "JUST DO IT". That is what Im trying to preach to others....even when you've had a tough day, are tired or for whatever reason ...and there is a million reasons to not do something....you just have to keep on going. It will pay off in the end and help you reach your fitness goals!

Next comp on the calendar is the Ft. Lauderdale cup October 10!

Until then, i will be training harder than ever and you should be too! =)

My DESIRE is Stronger than my DOUBT!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I am currently exactly 6 days away from my first NPC Figure Competition!! YAY! Im nervous and excited all at the same time. I just spent the weekend at the Bombshell Bootcamp in Daytona Beach Fl...it was a booty kickin' bootcamp for sure! It just fueled the fire I have in me to compete and be the best I can be..competition wise..with all of the Bombshell Team's help! I met some wonderful women who are all at different parts of their competition and fitness journeys! It was great and I cant wait to compete with some of them this weekend! I also had the opportunity to shoot some great pics with "musclepapa" aka Rob Rosetti and they turned out fabulous! Thanks Bombshell!

On a serious note, I wanted to say that no matter what your goal in life..your desire to achieve it and be the best you can be HAS to be stronger than the doubts you have or the doubt others try to give.....You have to give it your ALL, 110% everyday, until you reach your goal!!! We all have our doubts and want to give in, give up, question ourselves and wonder why in the heck we are doing this.....these thoughts are only temporary and will pass.....Just keep pushing yourself no matter what! Its all worth it in the end! Nothing good comes easy or without effort. So keep training hard..and remember,

Your DESIRE has to be Stronger than your doubt!

You can do it! ;)

See ya next week with the results of my comp~ or come see me this weekend!

log onto http://www.npccoastal.com/ for ticket info!

Another Year Older...

Well, another birthday came and went yesterday! Yep, Im officially 37 yrs old..I mean YOUNG now! I cant even believe it! I never thought in a million years that I would be 2 weeks away from competing in a figure show at the age of 37! So, there was absolutely NO cake or ice cream or any of the traditional "birthday" foods in my house. That will have to wait until after Aug 15 when my comp. is over.
My mom & step-father gave me wonderful card that I want to share with you all.

Love yourself. Make peace with who you are at this moment in time.
Listen to your heart. If you cant hear what its saying in this noisy world.
Make time for yourself. Enjoy your own company. Let your mind wander among the stars.
TRY. TAKE CHANCES. MAKE MISTAKES.
Life can be messy and confusing at times, but its also full of surprises. The next rock in your path might be a stepping stone.
BE HAPPY. When you dont have what you want, WANT what you have.
Make Do. That is a well kept secret of contentment.
There arent any shortcuts to tomorrow. You have to make your own way. You know where you are going is only part of it. You need to know where you've been too.
And if you ever get lost, dont worry. The people who love you will find you.
Count on it!
Life isnt days and years. Its what you do with the time and with all the goodness and grace thats inside you.
Make a beautiful life....THE KIND OF LIFE YOU DESERVE!!!

This advice can be applied to many different parts of life but especially to being fit and healthy! NO one else can do it for you! You have to want to be fit and healthy and know that this will lead to a better YOU! Take time for yourself and create better eating and exercise habits! This WILL lead to a better YOU in all areas of your life!

People that truly kow me know that I love motivational sayings...So, i leave you with this one until next week:
You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore!
STAY STRONG....TRAIN HARD!

Fit Diva of the week~ Aleina McCarver brings down the HOUSE!

In case you havent noticed, I will be featuring "fit divas" of the week. I love supporting people who are trying to achieve their personal goals....whatever they may be!

This week, I am featuring a personal friend of mine, A'leina McCarver. Last night, at the age of 44, she entered and won her very first figure show. A'leina McCarver won 1st in her division (Open Tall), Won overall SNBF Figure Show and received a Pro-Card all in the same night...her first time competing in a Figure show. She got to this point physically by eating 6 meals a day (every 2 to 3 hours). With at least
4 to 6 oz of protein and 2 cups of veggies, doing 1 hour of cardio 6 days a week, and resistance training 6 times a week.

She owns and runs her own business, teaches 8 fitness classes a week on top of preparing for this Figure Competition. All I can say is...pick a goal, understand the obstacles that will come up in reaching for your goal and Never, ever give up until you have made the mark.

Aleina says...
"A Strong focus, Tenacity, diligence, persistence, planning, accountability, support and love from friends and family will help you meet your goals! I am no different from any of you, I just choose to stay focused and let nothing stop me from reaching my goal. The work outs were the easy part, the tough part which was 90% of how and why I reached my phyiscal goals was my meal plan. I love red velvet cake, I just choose to eat it after July 18th. It didn't mean I couldn't have it, I just had to wait to have it AFTER I met my goal. I set another goal to compete in a Figure show Sept 26th, 2009. My Trainer (yes...a trainer needs a trainer too) has allowed me one week of eating what ever I felt like eating....and now I am back on the program. REMEMBER, my utlimate goal is to live a life of health and wellness as an example to you all that you can If you live a life of balance...you too can: "HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO! "

Aleina brought down the house with her pirate dance routine and looked totally fabulous! She worked very hard and with much dedication and determination followed her dreams and achieved one of her goals. Im SUPER proud of her! .
I wish her much success on her life's journey!

Yet another perfect example of a true FIT DIVA!
YOU GO GIRL!

Busy Week~

Ok, so this has been a pretty busy week for me! I went to Florida for 3 days to train with my new Bombshell fitness/figure coach(www.bombshellfitness.com) and practice my posing. Much needed....but they were happy with my progress so that makes me happy. Im so determined to be the best I can be for my upcoming show in August. Im doing everything they tell me! I even had a little time for some putt~putt golf while in Florida. Gosh, havent played that in years! LOL
This week, I have been training hard, personal training , trying to launch my clothing and will get the clothes posted on the web soon. Hope everyone had an awesome week!
Remember, things worth having never come easy! Keep training hard!
See ya next week! ;)

Welcome to my BLOG! My goal is to give you a peek into my busy life. Perhaps you can relate, be inspired, laugh and know that above all else..if I can stay fit in this busy life..YOU can too! Good luck and thanks for following me on this wonderful journey we call LIFE!

06-27-09
I want to give a shout out and props to my FIT DIVA friend,
Dana Yarn. She just ran the Iron Girl Atlanta Triathlon and I was lucky enough to help be her sponsor. She sported the imafitdiva.com logo proudly!
She placed 79th (top 8%)out of 1000 racers! WOW!
Way to go Dana!
You are definately a FIT DIVA!

more info on Dana: Dana has been on a training program for about 12 weeks to get ready for the triathlon racing season. She will have her big race of the year in September, Ironman Augusta 70.3. The Iron Girl was a sprint distance and her first race of the season. She used it as a training race to get ready for the Olympic distance race on July 12 and then ultimately the 1/2 Ironman on September 27th.
Dana has been competing in triathlons since 2001 and she is ready to take it to the next level.
Dana is also a registered dietician, certified personal trainer, wife and step-mom to 3 growing boys!