Vegetarian Apparently Doesn’t Mean Vegetables… November 30, 2010

Being a Business Consultant and Coach by day and a Figure Competitor by night makes for some interesting experiences! This evening I went to a fancy schmancy networking supper. I decided that I could be ‘normal’ and eat the supper. Heck, I even went for the vegetarian option, after all, that would mean vegetables galore? Right?

Wrong. SO WRONG.

It’s really hard to appear normal when you are sitting at a table full of hungry men when you don’t eat any of the meal. Luckily I have refined the art of cutting food up and moving it around on the plate so it appears as though I have eaten quite a bit of the meal…I only got 17 or so questions about my weird eating which was way less that usual.

As soon as the event was over, I ran home and made an EPIC salad so I didn’t die from hunger.

Apparently I can’t pronounce ‘ravioli’ when I am in near starvation mode! I would have made the video again, but my stomach demanded that I eat the Epic Salad NOW.

Am I the only one that didn’t know that vegetarian meals don’t come with vegetables?!

Twitter Dee, Twitter Dum! November 29, 2010

I never knew that 140 characters would be such an integral part of my training for a Figure Competition. When I decided to start my blog to share my journey from being a woman that thought she had a round face, but was in actuality was just fat to wearing a skimpy, bedazzled bikini in a Figure Competition, I thought to myself “Hey, I should start a Twitter account!” And so I did just that.

Turns out I *heart* Twitter . Through this somewhat strange and random place, I have found fabulous competitors and people that share their lives, tips, recipes, and workouts and help you to know that you aren’t the only woman in the world that can tell you without blinking that 100 grams of cucumbers has 4 carbs.

These are my people!

Every day I ‘meet‘ someone new and get to share in their story, learn about them, or be challenged by who they are.

Today I was challenged to think about all the ‘What If’s’ by Kara Silva and her blog.

So what if indeed?

• What if you believed in yourself enough to admit your dreams out loud?
• What if you stopped listening to the naysayers?
• What if you just went for it?
• What if you lived like failure didn’t matter?
• What if you’re worth it?
• What if its hard, but you did it anyways?

Now that’s a life I want to live!

If you want to follow a fabulous group of women who live this way, check out the Bikini Or Bust Competitors.  They inspire me to live past my ‘What if’s’ and step more fully into who I am every single day.

What if you got past some of your ‘What If’s’?  Would you train for a Figure Competition?

Figure Competitor Shopping Woes November 28, 2010

The only reason I can still wear my jeans is because they are a tapered fit and my thighs are rather muscular. The jeans are hanging on by the thighs, nothing else. Oh and my belt that is cinched to the max.  If it weren’t for my thighs and that darn belt I wouldn’t have anything left to wear on my bottom half.

I am down to two skirts, one dress, one pair of jeans, and one pair of dress pants. My wearable wardrobe has shrunk to almost nothing. Thank goodness for stretchy Lululemon pants; they are my saving grace!

With this problem, you would think I would be shopping like a mad woman, but I am not. Whenever I buy something it only fits for a small amount of time, so unless it’s $5 it really doesn’t make sense to purchase it. I just need more belts!

I can’t even justify buying more shoes…and I can’t believe I am saying this…but I think I have enough…

This is just my boot collection...I have other 'collections'....

My shopping muscle is about to atrophy. This is serious folks! Grocery shopping just is not the same as clothes shopping. Purchasing a fabulous pineapple just doesn’t do the same things for you as purchasing a sexy little black dress or a stylish winter coat.

Luckily for me, I think I found something to strengthen my shopping muscles. A Figure Competitor gym bag. Currently I use reusable grocery bags as my gym bag.

Things fall out and I can't find my keys when I throw them in the bag on my way into the gym. Living in the arctic, this can quickly end up being a matter of life or death!

As much as I like grocery shopping, I don’t need to constantly be reminded of my vegetable-aholic tendencies.

It’s time to find myself a cute, stylish gym bag that gives me added panache each and every morning.

I think I have found a solution! The Core.

Sturdy but cute - just like me! 😉

And it’s on sale this weekend…AND it’s my birthday in a few weeks. So in an effort to help my husband out, shouldn’t I just purchase my own birthday present? I mean, he has to buy TWO gifts in one month for me.  That’s enough to cause the bravest of men to cringe.

The inside is fun and sassy. Women totally get this. It's the same as wearing fuchsia underwear with your sensible black power suit.

I have the bedazzled suit and the clear heels and have had three coats of spray tan applied to me….yet I haul my workout gear around in a reusable grocery bag. It makes perfect sense that I purchase myself a kick-arse gym bag, a Figure Competitor worthy gym bag.  Right?

After all, April 9th is just 133 days away and I need to be prepared! Is it time for my to get my shopping muscles in motion again?

If The Grocery Store Was a Man, He Would Think I Was In Love With Him! November 27, 2010

I go to a grocery store almost every single day of my life now. I just can’t get everything I want at one grocery store AND it won’t all fit in my fridge at once. We live in a condo and there is no room for a second fridge to house all of my vegetables. In my Figure Competitor brain, it all makes perfect sense.

• Safeway has the tastiest bread for the least amount of carbs and the low-fat butter that still tastes good.
• SaveOnFoods has the best coffee and the 10 calorie ginger salad dressing that I adore.
• Costco is the mother of all grocery stores and is my source for egg whites, greek yogurt, chicken, mushrooms, and low-fat cheese.
• The italian market has scads of veggies at ridiculously low prices, but you have to dig and do a thorough review of the veggies before you buy them…there is a reason the bag of 8 cucumbers is 99 cents…

The list goes on and on…Hella’s, Planet Organic, Superstore…

I think I may eat more vegetables in a week than a family of 5 consumes in a month!

Not only do I spend tons of time looking at these kinds of sights in my week:

I can buy a whole grocery bag filled to the brim with vegetable for $20 at the Italian Market. I *heart* the short Italian man that moved to the arctic and opened up this store! God bless his soul!!

When I get home I have to spend time chopping, slicing, and dicing

My fridge is burgeoning with veggies that can be taken on the run at any time. I am always prepared!

If you open up your friend's fridge to get a drink of water and Ziploc containers filled to the brim with vegetables accost you, she is training for a competition. No questions asked!

Please tell me that I am not the only one that has a fridge that looks like this. If I am then I am officially worried that I am a vegetable-aholic. Is there a 12 step program for this?

135 – A Little Or A Lot? November 26, 2010

Numbers are just numbers until you assign them to something. For example 135 elephants would be a lot of elephants, but 135 grains of sand is a very little amount of sand. To complete 135 man push ups in a row is a lot, but to walk for 135 seconds on a treadmill is a little.

It’s all about your perspective!

Today I am 135 days out from my second competition. Today that does not sound like a lot of days. Somehow four and a half months or a third of a year sounds way better than 135 days. I am officially freaking out on the inside just a wee bit. I thought I was past all this panicky, “what the heck am I doing?!’ internal chaos. Apparently not.

When I look in the mirror I see a chubby woman with big blue eyes filled with fear staring back at me. Where they heck did she come from?! I am not fat and I can do this! I mean, technically I have done it before.

What’s changed? My perspective and my drive to compete.

When I competed in October my goals were to:

• Look like I fit in and not have people wondering what the fat chick in the purple suit is doing backstage
• Live out a dream that had been hiding in my heart for years
• Show the fat woman in the mirror a thing or two
• Not fall over while wearing my 5 inch clear heels and bedazzled suit

I am proud to say that I accomplished every single one of my goals!

Now I am competing again and I have new goals, goals that I hadn’t even fully admitted to myself until today. On April 9th, I want to:

• Be lean and strong, the strongest I have ever been in my life
• lose 5% more bodyfat
• Rock the posing like a superstar
• Place in the top 3 for my class (ok, deep in my heart of hearts I want to win, but I don’t think I can admit to that yet!)
• Have a fantastic time with the other 4 Bikini Or Bust competitors that will be competing with me on that day

It is time to believe in myself again and start the next journey. The journey of competition, not just completion. It is time to compete against myself even single day. To get up without complaint, choose to see all the fabulous aspects of my life, and train, work, and love like today is my only chance.

The icky and panicked thoughts may not go away and I am probably going to see that fat chick in the mirror now and again, but I am not going to give myself the luxury of wallowing in self pity. It’s time to carpe the diem like there is no tomorrow! 135  – a little or a lot? Heck as if I know! It’s merely the length of my next journey and it is going to be exciting!

And So It Begins… November 25, 2010

Tomorrow is American Thanksgiving and the the official start of the Christmas season, at least according to me! I love Christmas, but with it comes the dreaded f-word.

Food.

Food is everywhere you look! Just last night I was tempted beyond belief by a table of decadent desserts.

There was another table full of crackers, cheese, and wine. Holy temptation!

I did well, I merely had one bite of Jon’s carmel fudge torte and stopped at that. I barely made it though.

I am working on why I over indulge on food and I am learning a lot good things about myself and my emotional eating, but I still have a long way to go. So for now I have plans in place to keep me on track.

Here are a few things I do:

1. Enjoy the people that come with the event rather than the food. All the food I shouldn’t eat usually shows up at parties and peoples’ homes over Christmas. I went to see them, not to grow my muffin top. So instead of indulging on cookies and wine, I try to indulge on great conversation and laughter while sipping my black coffee or water with a slice of lemon.

2.  Have a reason to eat healthy. When I was 8 weeks out from my Figure Competition, this was EASY. Putting on a teeny, tiny, bedazzled suit and wearing it in public is motivation! But if you aren’t around the corner from a competition having a reason in mind to not shove 5 shortbread cookies into your mouth is very helpful. Before you eat the cookie ask yourself, “Does this cookie help me reach my goal of being a well balanced and healthy individual?” If the answer is no, put the cookie DOWN and walk away slowly.

3. Indulge now and again. You can’t give up everything all of the time, but choose your indulgences wisely. Pass on the potatoes and gravy and choose a small, fabulous dessert to eat. While you eat it, enjoy it! And after you’re done, be happy for your treat. As my nutrition coach says, “Is this the last time you’re going to be able to eat mashed potatoes? If not, choose to indulge on something worthwhile!”

Hopefully this helps you while you battle the f-word this Christmas. What tips and tricks do you have to keep yourself on track?

A Year Ago Yesterday November 24, 2010

A year ago yesterday I started on the journey towards my first Figure Competition. I finally admitted to myself that I had a dream in my heart to compete and hired a personal trainer.  I did not have a glorious beginning. I nearly passed out during my first training session with Peter, but it was a start nonetheless.

A year ago yesterday I was a shadow of who I am today. Sure I had 20% more body fat, was not in fantastic shape and couldn’t have done a chin up or man push up to save my life; but more than that I was barely living. I struggled to get out of bed in the morning, hated who I had let myself become, and was on the verge of giving up on everything in my life. I was afraid and felt like I had to constantly be someone who I was not. I pretended to be confident and have it all together, but when no one was looking I was sitting alone in the dark too sad to even put up a Christmas tree.

Through admitting I wanted to compete in a bodybuilding competition and choosing to work towards something,I found myself. I found a woman that is powerful and strong and a life that is rich and full. My journey to my first competition was not just about gaining physical strength. It was about learning to be me, fully me, the way God made me. To become strong emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

Today I am thankful for a year ago yesterday because it marks where I have come from and shows me how far I can go. It reminds me that there is hope even in the bleakest of times and that every person is worth fighting for. And it is more than ok to fight for yourself. YOU are an amazing creature and deserve the opportunity to live life to the full. It may not be an easy journey and cannot be done alone, but it is worth the sweat and sore muscles.

Today I have a Christmas up. Today I am not pretending. Today I am me.

There are no presents under the tree yet. There is only so much one woman can do in a week!

Where are you in your journey? How can you be you today?

**This post is dedicated to Faith Keith who reminded me that embracing your yesterday makes you a better woman today.

Why I Love Bodybuilding November 23, 2010

I get asked a lot why I like bodybuilding or why I do it. There are tons of stereotypes out there about bodybuilders, especially women bodybuilders. Being an all-natural athlete, I promise there is no way I can have arms the size of tree trunks nor am I suddenly going to develop a man voice from doing too many leg presses.

So to answer the many queries, my top five reasons I love bodybuilding this week are:

1. When the skinny 19 year old boy at Costco can’t heft the epic reusable bag into the cart, I can do it with ease using only one hand.  I LOVE saying, “No worries. I’ve got it. I’m a bodybuilder.” Then I bat my eyelashes for good measure. The shock and awe on his face makes me giggle and I am on cloud 9 for the rest of the day.

2.  There is no ‘we‘ in bodybuilding. I despise team sports. I grew up reading books for goodness sake! I have no idea how to strategize a play or how man to man defense differs from zone defense. I just run around on the field and try to avoid crashing into people whenever I am forced to play soccer, baseball, basketball, or ultimate frisbee. If you’re looking for a person to play summer league this year, you aren’t going to want to call me!

3. I feel like if there was a huge accident that I could leap over tall buildings, heft cars off people, or perform some super human feat to save someone. I have embodied the Boy Scout’s mantra to ‘Always Be Prepared‘, so much so that I am looking for ways to display my super woman powers throughout the day. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to pry open a car door with my bare hands to save a small family from a near death experience.  Maybe one day….one day soon…

4. My name is Donloree and I am totally quirky. My name shocks and surprises people about 78% of the time. It’s just nice to have something NEW to shock people with.

5. If I can do this, anyone can train, compete, and be a bodybuilder. Don’t tell, but this is my favorite reason. I want the world to know that if you put your mind and heart into something it CAN be achieved. If the woman that used to think she just had a round face and wouldn’t go swimming due to complete awkward shame can rock a bedazzled suit, you can do it too!

Why do you love being a bodybuilder?

Thanksgiving Bikini Or Bust Style November 22, 2010

I am a Camerican. Yup, I am an American AND Canadian citizen. Let me tell you one thing, this being Camerican makes border crossing rather complex some days! Then throw in having 12 almonds discovered in a ziploc baggie lurking in your purse and before you know what’s happening a surly woman in a blue security outfit is giving you a pat down!

The Bikini Or Bust Competitors are putting on their game face for American Thanksgiving, even the ones that aren’t American OR Camerican!  In order to stay focussed over the holiday, we have all set some mini-goals.  All of us have committed to working out hard and watching what we eat, just as you would expect. But what I love about this group of women is that the focus isn’t just about working out and eating; it’s about the whole person. It’s about living a healthy and balanced life and not forgetting to be thankful.

So here are some of the goals that the women have set that completely inspire me!

• Be thankful for everything in my life, my hubby, kids, family, friends, and health. I’m not going to complain once. Not even about myself or how I look!
• Being here to lend support to the other team members.
• Find one thing to be thankful for every day and write it down.
• Wake up and think positive thoughts, in regards to myself, my marriage, my kids and my friends – new and old.
• Not overeating on my Thanksgiving meal, stopping at satisfied!
• Turkey Day Burn – 800 calories will be burned on turkey day!
• Start a daily journal or blog.
• Thank God daily for the opportunity and capacity (physically, financially, emotionally) to pursue such a big goal of competing in this challenging sport!

The Bikini Or Bust competitors are kicking it into Super Sonic mode, as Susan would say, for the Thanksgiving week! How are you going to make this week amazing? Join us in the Super Sonic Thanksgiving by letting us know what you are going to do to make it amazing!

What a Woman Really Wants November 21, 2010

The other day while I was letting all of the penguins escape from the fridge and contemplating what food to cram into my mouth, I asked myself “Hmmm…what do I want?”

Usually I come up with things like ice cream, peanut butter M&M’s, chocolate cake, Zesty Doritos, or some sort of pasta dish. This time a weird thought came into my mind. A thought that seemed clearer than most of my thoughts so far that day.

Companionship.

Yup, that’s right. I wanted someone to be with me. The reason I probably had this very clear and honest thought was the fact that I had just finished eating a gallon sized salad. There was no actual way I could put another thing in my stomach and live to tell about it. You know it’s a big salad when it takes you a solid hour to eat it!

With this information in hand, I decided to label my food with what they mean to me when I eat them outside of my allotted food for the day. I’m obviously not eating peanut butter out of the jar because it’s part of my eating plan, I must be looking for something else.

I learned some interesting things when I asked myself, “What do you want?” when I looked at each of the foods I was likely to indulge on.

You know you are eating really clean when your 'bad foods' are bran buds. rice cakes, and quinoa!

Apparently I don’t want food at all! I want things like control, satisfaction, fulfillment, comfort, and to be entertained.

It's really bad when I decide I want 'comfort' AND ' satisfaction'!

So now what?

Now I can choose to do something different than eat when I want one of these things. I need to come up with a list of things I can do when I am looking for these things. For instance, if I want satisfaction I could knock a bunch of items off my task list, clean the bathrooms, or encourage someone else. There are tons of things I can do to get the same result that doesn’t involve hiding in the kitchen and eating the peanut butter straight out of the jar.

Any great ideas out there to how to fill the emotional void with healthy activities instead of food?