Today is the official start of “Operation Figure Stage Comeback!"
I have allowed myself 12 weeks of rest and it’s been wonderful. I haven’t
worried about what I was eating or stressed about not getting in a work out and
yet I’ve managed to lose all but 3 pounds of my pregnancy weight gain. It’s
been a truly fantastic experience! But now that we are in a routine of daycare
and work, I feel like it’s time for mommy to refocus. A happy mommy makes for a
happy baby!
As you know, prior to becoming pregnant I was a competitive
figure athlete. My last competition was in October of 2011 where I placed 9th
out of 10. Coming off a winning show in July of that year I was very
disheartened. I had gotten so wrapped up in the idea of winning that I had lost
focus of why I compete in the first place. It isn’t all about winning. It’s
about challenging myself and pushing my body to its limits! I loved the way I
felt after a really solid workout; every time I hit a new personal record on an
exercise I would feel a sense of accomplishment. However, after that show in
October I became bitter and resentful toward the sport. Here I had just spent
12 months of my life working up to that show, busting my butt every day,
altering my social life to fit in my macros and missing out on events because
of workouts and practice only to place second to last in my class. I can’t even
tell you how many days I cried for or how many pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice
cream I consoled myself in. It took me a good 6 months before I was really able
to swallow what had happened. I looked back at pictures and video (yes it’s out
there somewhere) of the show and realized I wasn’t on point. I was holding
water in my lower half, my posing was way off and ultimately I just wasn’t
ready for that day. Once I accepted this I was finally able to move on. I committed
to taking 2012 off as a competitor and to use that time to rebuild but remained
active within my “fit fam”… I attended posing practices and shows; I supported
my teammates in their prep and backstage and celebrated in their wins. It truly
reaffirmed my love for the sport. When I decided in June that I was ready to
prep for the INBF Monster Mash in November 2012 my coach was thrilled. We
immediately started talking strategy and plans, but just a few short months in
I found out I was pregnant for the first time. And I won’t lie, while I was extremely
happy to be pregnant, I felt a slight twinge of sadness at knowing an entire
season was going to pass by without me stepping on stage. After my miscarriage and
surgery and before getting pregnant with L, I decided the best thing for me
mentally would be to take the 2013 season off as well. I knew I wasn’t going to
be in the right frame of mind to diet down and having just had surgery I was
told I couldn’t workout for at least 6 weeks at the intensity I had been.
So for the last 12 months I have been focusing on me, my
family and being the happiest I’ve ever been. I continued to support my team
and keep my connection with the sport alive. I attended multiple shows and
watched as some of my closest friends reach their ultimate goal of winning
their pro-cards and landing sponsorships! With every accomplishment my heart
swelled. I realized that was what it
meant to be a true competitor. To love every aspect of the sport, whether you’re
on stage yourself or just cheering on friends from the audience! On November 9th
I took Lucas to his first bodybuilding show – the WNBF World Championships in
Worcester, MA. It was so great to be with my entire team, including my two
coaches and their families, taking pictures and screaming names and numbers. As
I sat there with one of my teammates’ husbands I felt the itch. I wanted
nothing more than to run backstage, throw on a suit and my shoes and strut
myself across that stage. Luckily for everyone
I swallowed the urge – what a horror show that would have been! But I knew at
that moment, I was ready. I was ready to recommit to this sport as a
competitor, to train with a goal in mind, to throw out the “junk” and clean up
my eating and to love every minute of it. I vowed to myself that this time
would be different; there would be no complaints, no whining and no
self-loathing. If I wanted to do this it was going to be with my head in the
right place.
I leaned on my teammates for support in my decision. I knew
it was going to be hard to do with Lucas needing me so much and working full
time but I also know if I can organize my life then it’s all doable. I had a
long heart-to-heart with my coach; we talked about dietary needs since I’m
going to continue to breastfeed and also my workout schedule being consolidated
to three days rather than 5. He assured me that it was doable. Our agreement at
this point is that he will make the ultimate decision. If, come 16 weeks out
(February 15th) from the INBF Northeast Classic on June 7th
2014, he thinks I can be ready then I’ll officially start prep … if he thinks I
need more time then we’ll continue “off-season” diet and workouts with a plan
for me to compete at the Monster Mash in November. Either way, here and now, I
am putting it out in the universe … you WILL see me on stage for the 2014
bodybuilding season!
I know it’s going to be an interesting road, my body is
changed forever and more than likely won’t respond to the same sort of
training/diet it used to and I’m ready for that. I’m ready to see what this new
me can do and what changes I can make in the next 6 months! Get ready because I’m
coming!
I’ll be documenting my journey here along with the other
aspects of my life – mainly Lucas – but I am hoping to show other moms out
there that even with limited time you too can get the body you want!
Stay tuned!
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