Pre-Contest Update - The Final Blog!

Here I am, early Friday afternoon, relaxed as ever and practicing my visualization exercises for tomorrow. It almost feels like tomorrow is just like any other day and I am just doing what I love to do. Later today I will be applying a couple of coats of protan, doing my nails, and pinning my hair up.
The peace that I've felt inside through this entire process has been life-changing for me. I usually feel anxious, jittery, moody, displaced, angry, etc. but not this year. This is by far the healthiest I've ever felt in my 28 years of life (I am older but no one needs to know).
Feeling this great has created room for me to grow as a person and to meet more people and get out more.
It wasn't until I saw photos of myself from New Year's and then again in February when I realized something looked very odd about me. It wasn't just my weight gain, but I felt and looked "off"...like "off balance" with everything. I didn't feel good about my relationships or about myself. I suffer from asthma and I had to make an appointment to get my medications and I was dreading getting on that scale. Whoooha....127lbs! It might not mean much to you but on my 5'0" frame it just wasn't that good. That and the medications made me look completely bloated. I wasn't eating right, I was traveling back and forth between seeing my now ex-boyfriend and spending time with my children, I was losing control of my body and at times, my mind.

Taken Th. night

About 13 weeks out

I had begun dieting for a show I wanted to do in April but I wasn't feeling it deep in my heart just yet. The month of March I ran into IFBB Pro Fakhri Mubarak at the Arnold. I spent some time with him and some of his team members and the rest is history. Fakhri had seen me compete for a few years now and always offered to help but I hesitated to open up to anyone. Considering that I have pictures up on the web you'd think the least bit of my concerns is having to open up to someone to do my diet and training (and coach me) but to me it wasn't just about that. It was about trust. I am very good about picking up energies from people and places. The energy flow from Fakhri was extremely positive and encouraging and I felt like a magnet. It was easy to trust him. And I am glad I did.

About 13 weeks out

I followed every inch of my plan as outlined. I ate the meals he listed, trained the way he wanted me to, did my cardio, etc. I had questions, he answered them. I texted him, he would reply. Detailed emails, no problem. I had suggestions, we would go back and forth and come to an agreement. It has been great.
And now I am a day away from what I consider to be my BEST year as a competitor. Not only has this been extremely peaceful and stress-free, but the clarity about life and people in and out of my life is astounding.

Taken Th. night

Needless to say, I dieted and trained for 13 weeks with my heart and soul. I felt great the whole time. I didn't even feel like I wanted to chew my own fingers (seems to be a trend now...you know, cannibals and all that). At the end of the day we all want to go home with something that proves that the hard work paid off. My proof is right here...in my photos, the comments that are left from family, friends and fans, and the way I feel inside. I will continue growing as a person and getting better and better physically, emotionally and spiritually.
I look forward keeping you guys updated tomorrow with photos via FB and Twitter so stay tuned.

Side note - to those who wanted to know how much weight I lost: These last few days I'm fluctuating between 95 and 100lbs, with 95 pretty steady as of this [Friday] morning. You do the math!

Love you all from the bottom of my dehydrated heart! :-)