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 Making_A_Change By: ChickenTuna
The BodySpace Member of the Month for May 2009 is Making_A_Change. She was chosen because she is using nearly every applicable feature of BodySpace, and making it look very impressive!
 Check Out Making_A_Change's BodySpace Profile Here.
  Click Image To Enlarge.Kassandre, Making_A_Change.
I worked out intermittently during my twenties. It was not until my daughter was about three that I had grown tired of the body that I was in. I wanted to make a dramatic and permanent change, thus the username, Making_A_Change.   Click Image To Enlarge.I Wanted To Make A Dramatic And Permanent Change. When I created my profile in March 2007 I wanted to be a size 10 and 150 pounds. As far as I was concerned, those numbers meant I had reached the mountain top. That was going to be my 'After'. I began to read a lot of articles on Bodybuilding.com and I read hundreds of profiles. I saw people who had very similar lives to my own. They made being fit a priority. Then I began to see that the women with the physiques that I previously thought were unattainable were not just models. They were, again, women like me. They did not spend 8 hours at the gym, they spend a couple of hours and, in many cases, less than that.  Click Image To Enlarge.I Began To Read A Lot Of Bodybuilding.com And I Read Hundreds Of Profiles. I was working out on my own for about 6 months when my trainer approached me. I watched him train another woman and I liked his methods. I figured with my newfound dedication and his routines we could build a new body. My body began to transform weekly. I began to take great pleasure in finding articles about pre and post-workout nutrition, carb cycling, protein intake, etc. I wanted to push myself.  Click Image To Enlarge.My Body Began To Transform Weekly. The moment I saw that I had capped deltoids and a v-taper was the moment that I knew that I could compete someday. I wrote a blog committing to a show the following year. Then, I received a comment that I believe helped set the course that I am currently on. Paraphrasing, it said not to wait for 'perfection' but to take a risk. I looked for a local competition and found one about 6 months later. My trainer, Billy Washington, was up for the challenge of getting me ready. I stopped 'working out' and began to 'train'.
Changing one's body takes time and a lot of effort. Having a long-term goal and a vision is important, but it is the small things that you do daily that add up. The day that I switched my focus from the scale to changing my daily habits, everything became 'easier'.  Click Image To Enlarge.Changing One's Body Takes Time And A Lot Of Effort. I no longer became preoccupied with being 150 pounds. Instead, I focused on getting to the gym 4-5 times per week and eating to support those workouts. I had to be a problem-solver. One of my big challenges was finding the time to workout. When I really thought about it, I knew I would have to do it in the morning. I started waking up 10-15 minutes earlier, then 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, and so on. Today, I wake up at 4:00 a.m. for my pre-workout oatmeal.  Click Image To Enlarge.One Of My Big Challenges Was Finding The Time To Workout. To help myself get used to eating every few hours I set the alarm on my Outlook Calendar. After a while, my body began to tell me. I keep peanut butter in my car. I carry a cooler to work. I purchased The Forman Grill to cook chicken quickly. I looked at my lifestyle and made fitness an everyday part of it. I looked at my challenges and tried to create solutions that were sustainable. Were there times when my planning did not work? Of course. But those times become less frequent and you reap the benefits. Being honest with yourself is critical.
Often someone who is starting out will go to the gym and then 'reward' themselves with fast food or some other counter-productive snack. It is common for someone to do a program or workout for 3 weeks and claim that it does not work. I have seen people eat well in public and then binge in private. To see lasting and dramatic change you have to look at your actions, critically.
 Click Image To Enlarge.To See Lasting And Dramatic Change You Have To Look At Your Actions, Critically.
Someone took notice. It was my current trainer, Billy Washington. I had been watching him train someone else for months and I really liked his training style. He had been watching me put a lot of effort into my early morning workouts.
 Click Image To Enlarge.I Had Been Inspired To Lift Heavier, Improve My Form, And Not Be Afraid To Sweat.
He is knowledgeable and passionate about fitness, but he also humble and is not to proud to say, "I don't know. Let me do some research." He knows I will give 100% and he does the same. I definitely would not be where I am, physically, without his guidance.
 Click Image To Enlarge.I Definitely Would Not Be Where I Am, Physically, Without My Trainer's Guidance.
I may train 5-6 times per week during my off season, lifting 3 or 4 times per week and mixing in some plyometrics or posing practice. I am in the gym for a little over an hour during the week.
While preparing for my second competition, I decreased the number of days that I was lifting to 4 days per week and did cardio sessions in the evening. I suppose preparing for a competition could be considered extreme. The day to day maintenance is minimal, by comparison. The bulk of the work is outside of the gym. Having a whole, healthy diet is the key to lasting results.
 Click Image To Enlarge.Having A Whole, Healthy Diet Is The Key To Lasting Results.
I knew as soon as I stepped off stage that I was going to do another show. It is amazing to watch the weekly changes that your body goes through. You develop parts that you did not know you had. You lift weights that you previously thought you could not. It is a test of will and strength. The best part is that if you are patient and committed, you only get better with each show.
  Click Image To Enlarge.I Knew As Soon As I Stepped Off Stage That I Was Going To Do Another Show.
I think they have seen that I truly love living this lifestyle. I have debunked some misconceptions. For example, I am seen eating regularly. I am not hungry and my food is delicious. I think my daughter's reaction to the change has been priceless and the most important to me. She appreciates female muscle, is learning human anatomy, and can do quarter turns in the shoes. She is extremely proud of me and likes to tell people that I compete and that her mommy is fit.
Sometimes, I will go through my progress pictures to remind myself of how far I have come over the last two years. I have become a competitive athlete and feel so much better about myself. I have found something that I am passionate about. That is enough to keep me going.
 Click Image To Enlarge.I Have Found Something That I Am Passionate About.
I was a bit nervous, but like my first figure competition, I was up for the challenge. I came with four ideas for outfits and he was drawn to the brown body suit immediately. He has a very calm demeanor. I immediately felt comfortable.
 Click Image To Enlarge.I Looked At Myself In A Completely Different Way.
 Click Image To Enlarge.I Would Like To Eat, Get My Strength Back And Train.
Check Out Making_A_Change's BodySpace Profile Here.
ChickenTuna Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here!
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