Explanations

Well, it took me a while, but I thought I'd make some explanations as to why I'm doing this bodybuilding thing. When I was in college, I took a couple of weight lifting classes, but never did much with them. Then Jeff and I did "body for life" after I had my second baby, and I learned a little more. Jeff has always pretty seriously trained and I wanted to learn more about it. I've always exercised, but there are some ways that are more effective than others apparently. Still I've always felt pretty strong, a pretty strong person. When Kai was just a baby, I was training for the Salt Lake marathon(by the way, why is that more acceptable than bodybuilding in the mainstream? ) and all of a sudden, started to feel awful. I went from running 11 miles one Saturday, to not being able to run down the block the next week. After all of the tests came back, I was diagnosed with Graves disease. I was floored. I didn't feel I was the type of person who GOT a serious disease, a chronic lifelong disease. I was too strong and healthy right? I guess not. It was really hard not to exercise and garden and stuff through the next few weeks while they checked out damage to my heart, and got my medication all stabilized. I didn't get to do the marathon. When I moved here, I got into the Tae Bo thing, and MAN --that blew away running (at least how I run) as a workout. I got a new passion. Then a weight class started at the same place I was Tae Bo'ing and I did those too. Pretty soon, in my stake a girl taught an exercise class, and said she was doing a fitness competition, and kind of got me interested. I liked the idea of being really strong, and being that disciplined too. Kind of to prove the Graves isn't in control you know? When an attack hits, it starts eating up your muscle. I hate the idea of that. Jeff bought a book, kind of for me too (at least I've read more of it than he has) last year "Get Lean" by Lee Labrada about bodybuilding and competing. I talked to all of my friends in the neighborhood about maybe doing a competition together, and nobody was up for that restrictive a diet, but we all did "Body for Life" together last spring (maybe 10 of us). I didn't really make much progress, I still felt I needed something more --a real goal, something a little out there to shoot for. Just to clarify, this is all just natural bodybuilding --no steroids or bad stuff. So this time around, when I had a little personal money saved up from the last few catering jobs (ironic isn't it? food payed for this--) I booked the personal trainer and told her I wanted to do the NGA Natural in Sept.

Some LDS friends and family might wonder about the modesty issues. These bathing suits aren't modest, (although hardly anyone does a thong anymore Dad), the idea is to let the judges see your body and judge fitness, proportion etc. In my mind though, it wasn't like I was going out in public in this suit. (From some peoples' point of view maybe it is more public though than just going to the beach or pool, I see their point, I just didn't feel that way.) I didn't feel it was a sensual type thing either, I still don't think that. However, I probably won't do the show now. I guess I've decided that if people might question where I stand on modesty because of it, or if I might be seen as something I'm not, I probably shouldn't do it. I guess I can't imagine Sheri Dew ever did a fitness competition. I just wanted to get there, for once, to that lean, strong, physique, and this goal was how I planned on motivating myself. You have to admit, thinking a panel of judges will look at the cellulite on your thighs would make you think twice about cheating.

I'm looking for a new goal. I'm sticking with it still, paying a trainer is a motivator too, but I need something to shoot for. I'm thinking of sending in pictures for a "Labrada fitness challenge" or bodybuilding.com fitness challenge. Any ideas? Jeff says just schedule with my trainer a "private show" and ask for her critique on how well she thinks I would have done. That seems a little cheesy to me. Any ideas?

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