Sunday, June 29, 2008

My Denial With Artificial Sugar Consumption





My overdue update is finally here, I have been going through some pretty crazy experiences last week and would love to share it with you now that I have my senses back!

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa to get my measurements taken and give her all the details she required in order to put my report together. My goals are to add size this year so that is the focus for me when it comes to eating the right foods at the right times it's important I know what i'm doing with Lisa's guidance.

Prior to receiving my report from Lisa I promised myself i would take on board everything she suggested no matter how big or small those changes may be. So when she told me how important it was to remove the artificial sugar from my diet I really didn't think much about it but made a promise to myself to follow everything she suggested so I knew what I had to do, stop using them!

My consumption of these lab made sugars were high and I really didn't notice that until I had to write down everything I put in my mouth for three days.
The funny thing is I don't have a sweet tooth and I didn't consume Extra Drops for the sweetness, but rather I think I just needed something for my mouth to do, like a nervous energy or something along that line. If it wasn't a sugar free drop it would be sugar free gum. It became very habitual and that is where it became a problem but I wasn't aware of it until now.

I have read about the dangers associated with the consumption of artificial sugars but never let it worry me because I was using it and I had no side effects, I ignored it because i was the exception, so I thought.

Day 1: I stopped adding equal to my oats, stopped buying Extra drops and went through my day without any artificial sugars without a problem. It was easy and I couldn't understand why I was consuming so much of it in the first place. It was not for the sweetness, it was just a habit and I could tell by how easy it was not to have them.

Day 2: Still cruising nicely and have no desire to have the sugars. Once I knew it was just habitual I knew it wasn't going to be a problem to change that habit. All was good.

Day 3: This day started bringing me some weird headachy feeling on and off throughout the day, it wasn't really painful but enough to make me notice they were there.
Starting to feel very emotional, very sad and I didn't know why I was feeling so down.

Day 4: Lisa emails to see how i'm doing, I tell her i'm feeling down and emotional (this was in the morning). Things go worse through the day. I'm now feeling so down, so sad, so alone and in a very dark place I didn't like being in because I had no reason to be in such a miserable place. Headaches are still coming and going.
That night my sadness turned to anxiety, anger and tension. It was like a volcano inside of me ready to erupt at the slightest tap. I had a very difficult night trying not to erupt at my innocent Hubby and son, I had to go to my room to be alone before I erupted. (This was not PMT as I had just finished TTOTM a day before seeing Lisa)

Day 5: I went to the gym in the morning still feeling that anger, I trained like a crazy mad man and throw my weights to the ground when i finished each set with anger. This is so out of character for me as I hate bringing attention to myself. I finish my training, get in my car and then started balling my eyes out, it was Niagra Falls for a good hour on and off. The tears poured out of me and if you asked me why I was crying, I couldn't have given you an answer.
Today I am extremely sensitive to sugars. What I mean by this is when i have my protein shake (same brand, flavour, amount etc) it tasted sickly sweet to me, even a carrot tasted so very sweet, I am highly sensitive to anything with the slightest sweetness.
I spoke with Lisa and she told me this was the effects of detoxing from the artificial sugars.
Later that day I started feeling better. I think after the big cry it felt like I cried out the evil that was within me and now I feel relieved and better. Sounds crazy I know but i'm trying to express how I felt.

So today is Day 8 and I am not longer emotional and my sensitivity to sweetness has returned to normal. I know for a fact that the only changes i made to my daily food intake last week was the removal of these chemicals known as sugar. I wanted to implement Lisa's report on my nutrition slowly, one thing at a time so that I could make sure I got everything right.

Basically I am only having one can of Pepsi-max a day (if that) and that is it. I used to go through a packet of Extra Drops a day, plus two packets of equal added to tea or oats, at least 4 pieces of sugar free gum and an Eclipse mint (1-3), and this was in just one day! Add that up over a week, a month, a year, no thanks I don't want to think about it.

It's funny how we think that these things aren't effecting you just because you have no symptoms of it while you taking it. And because I started on them at a small amount per day and gradually increased my intake (blindly) over the months I didn't notice it doing anything to me until i stopped.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

The Bodybuilding Academy





This will take place throughout the year at various venues (to be advised).

The next day for the Academy is: Saturday July 5th, 2008

Venue: BeachHouse Southport (at the Southport Sharks)

Address: Cnr. Musgrave & Olsen Avenues, Southport QLD 4215

Time: 12pm - 2:30pm

Cost: FREE :)

Please register your details by sending an email to: info@wnbf.net.au

The aim : To help athletes achieve a World level quality physique.

Why not learn from the BEST? What are the PRO NATURAL athletes doing that YOU are not?

What are your strong points, weak points & what to do to make sure you present your best package onstage.

Don't just guess what the judges are looking for, know for sure BEFORE you step on stage.

Have all your questions answered BEFORE you step onstage.

Trainers & their athletes are welcome.

For more info, please email info@wnbf.net.au



I'm going for sure!! If anyone else is interested please let me know so we can catch up :-)
I really think this is a great way to find out exactly what this federation is looking for when you stand on stage. Also to get much needed and wanted feedback. It's all free for now and I feel it is priceless for the information that you will get from attending.
Hope to see you guys there!

Debs

Sunday, June 15, 2008

My New Journey Starts Soon



As most of you know I have been so completely lost in relation to my nutrition since making the decision not to compete this year.
I have been suffering mentally and it has been really stressing me out which is the last thing I need right now.

Well I now have two people who are going to help me achieve my goals for the off season and I am so lucky and happy to have them both as they understand me and they know what I need to achieve my goals.

Lisa is taking care of my nutrition and Michael Landy (he prepped me for the Asia-Pacific Championships) will train me.

Between these two amazing people i now feel so much better already and I haven't even started with them yet lol. Just knowing that I will be under the guidance of two very knowledgable poeple is so reassuring to me :-)

I am seeing Lisa this Sunday. Seeing Lisa will give me crucial and important information to then give to Michael. I hope to start training with Michael next week or the week after depending on time.

Michael and I discussed my goals and he asked me some important questions about those goals. Obviously I want to add size, he mentioned that I need to be prepared mentally for that transformation. He "really" wants me to understand this. I will get bigger and poeple will comment on that, my jeans will feel tighter and the scales will go up as that will be the plan.

I guess I will really need to blog alot over this period as I feel this is going to be the biggest challenge I have taken on. But I really want this in order to cut for my next show and have a noticable improvment on my physique.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Lisa on Sunday and starting up a daily nutrition that I know I won't second guess, or if I do she can set me straight!

It's also time for me to start recording my progress as of Sunday. I will start weighing myself, measuring and use skinfolds as I really don't use any of them. If I want to see progress then I will need to document my hard work.

It will be nice to have something to blog about again in the coming months as I start my new off season phase.

See you soon,

Debs

Monday, June 9, 2008

Eat, Train, Eat, Work, Eat, Sleep, Repeat!

Since I increased my food intake I noticed I feel heavier! Weight is going on good and bad I think, not sure.
I'm training really hard and really heavy in hope to use up the extra calories i'm consuming these days.
Last week was hard as I felt full all the time and had to force myself to eat each meal that comes around so quickly.
This week I am finding it a little easier as I think my metabolism is starting to adjust a little more.

I can't get over how different and challenging the off season is, but it's exciting too and I feel just as motivated as the prep season.
It's a really big learning curve for me and I am going to learn so much about myself and my body by trying out different things that will help me to gain lean muscle mass.
My aim is to compete next year with a bigger, fuller physique. I just need to stay focused on this goal from now until stage time :-)

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Attempted Self Portrait LOL





Okay laugh your allowed too :-)
I had to take these pictures with my mobile whilst nobody was watching lol, I had to be quick or people would think I was really vain taking pictures of myself hee hee.
They aren't the best but I will try to muster up the courage to ask someone to take a few pictures of me while i'm training. There is no shortage of people who would do it, it's just kinda weird and i'm shy ;-)

I really do want to try and take regular pictures even if it kills me as I put on weight for the bulking season! No bikini shots off season, that would be way to scarey.

Those pictures were taken on Monday, it was cold that day. Today the weather is glorious as the sun is shining. I am nursing really sore legs and glutes from yesterday's big lower body workout.

See you soon,

Deb xx

Monday, June 2, 2008

The Year Ahead




Today was like Christmas when i received a huge box containing 2 x 3kgs of protein and a tub of glutamine from my new sponsor International Protein. The protein tastes insanely delicious LOL.

Anyway, training is great and I have my full motivation back. You know when it's back after you finish a session and can't wait for tomorrow so you can come back and train again.

I have cut back on cardio and increased my food intake in particular my protein intake to help gain lean body mass. Carbs are also important right now so I have added in some wholemeal bread, fruit and good fats in addition to my lean meats and vegetable meals.

On Sunday I did more work placement hours at Goodlife gym, I can't tell you how much I love being there, the hands on experience is wonderful and I really love talking to the members.
I am really taking my time in getting my qualifications due to just not having enough time to fit everything in at the moment. I am hoping to complete Cert IV by this year and start working in the industry my early 2009. I have a job waiting for me already :-)

This year is so busy and I have so much restructuring to do, so many things happening, some very stressful but I am trying to take things one day at a time and that's something that I learnt from prepping, just take it one day at a time.

Deb