Best Shape Of My Life~2wks Out

This Journey has challenged me MENTALLY and PHYSICALLY!

I have worked harder than I have ever worked in my life, and I could not be happier with the package I am bringing to the stage in just 2 short weeks!!!!!!

Ahhh, I cannot believe than in just 2 weeks I will offically be known as a Figure Athlete- that is a HUGE milestone for me, and my fitness! I absolutely LOVE working out, and love the gym, love the challenges, and love learning how to live a healthier lifestyle. Most of all I LOVE living by example!!
Here are some photos too show my progress! The first 3 photos are from June 2011!!!!!

These 2 photos are from the photo shoot we recently had a few weeks ago!!

I have been working towards my goals, and I never give up! I cant wait to share my photos from the competition, and show you my best package yet!!! No matter what happens at my competition, I know I have given this everything I have!! ~2 weeks left~

xo

3 Weeks Out!

OMG! Only 3 weeks left! I am soooo excited to step on stage!

Posing is getting better and I am feeling more comfortable in heels! This is taken a lot of practice because I am always in running shoes, we hardly ever get dressed up, so I have no reason to wear heels! To get myself comfortable in them, I obviously practice in them, but also when doing house chores and cleaning- I wear them....with doing so, my walk has improved greatly! :)

No major diet changes have happened, but I did get a cheat meal yesterday!! My coach handed me a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! OMG- I was in heaven, I haven't had chocolate in 9+ weeks!!!!!! (And I am a serious chocolate lover!) When all you pretty much eat is eggs, chicken, and fish- you can imagine how divine eating candy was for me! hahaa It was a fantastic surprise though, and I am happy my hard work is paying off in her eyes as well!

I have also picked up a cold-defiantly not something you want to catch when your so close to competition. I woke up Friday morning with a terrible sore throat and a runny nose. I had to train legs+cardio+posing practice that day, and although I felt ill, I was able to get enough strength to get through it all, there is nothing stopping me from training as hard as I can, especially so close to stage time!

Everything is slowly falling into place, I am so happy with my physique, our hotel is booked, my entry form has been sent in, only a few more things before we are completely ready. I am still eagerly awaiting for my figure suit to arrive though, I am hoping it will be here this week! I picked a aqua blue suit, with a gorgeous rhinestone design, I just cant wait too see it!~ 

More updates to come soon! Along with our photo shoot pictures! :)

Make the Time

Everyone is always too busy to workout, or eat healthy. Its the BIGGEST and WORST excuse I hear!

We all have the TIME to make this work, its about becoming a PLANNER!
You need to have a plan and put it into action, that's all it takes! Way too often I hear, after working, or the kids, or class, or whatever- there just isn't time to workout or eat clean... There is time you just need to make the time and stop being lazy. Yes, I said it, LAZY!
With the convinces of today's world, IPhone, TV, Computers, Jobs, School, Kids, Drive-through's, carryouts, and delivery. Its so easy to just call your pizza place, watch TV, and sit after a long day and stuff your face. But that will fill you up with more that just pizza- how about regret, disgust, and unhappiness with yourself when you try and fit into that dress! We all have those moments of temptation and exhaustion, but it shouldn't be a regular activity. If this is you, look at your lifestyle, what is stalling you from being the person you picture yourself being?? Take a real good look, you can change it! You can be whatever you want!

We Only Get 1 Body, why not make it the Best Body?

I am not saying you need to give up everything you "love" I am just saying you need to change. Change is good, and with change may come sacrifices. In the end you will be a stronger individual. Making changes has helped me develop a stronger relationship with my fiance, god, school, and even with work! I am an overall a better and harder working individual!

So are you ready to look at your lifestyle and see what should change?

• Maybe your job is too stressful, stress levels can increase cortisol release in the brain which makes us want to replace energy(eat) and may be attributing to that extra 10#- If you aren't happy with your work, figure out what does make you happy, maybe rewrite that resume and do what you love!
• Are you physically active? How often do you workout? What are your workouts? Are you only doing cardio? Maybe its time to pick up an Oxygen Magazine instead of Cosmo, and start learning new ways to become more active and inspired! Or you can meet with me and I can get you started on a plan that will work for you and your schedule!
• Join a Gym
• Sign up for a Boot camp or Personal Training
• Try Bodyrock.tv for at home FREE workouts
• What are your goals? Are they obtainable? Have you put them into action? You need to have a plan of attack before beginning any battle! Write down or make a vision board of what your goals are, then start planning out when you will reach those goals by. I like setting an overall goal for the year, then go in months by 3, then I also have smaller goals to get me through the week, and sometimes even daily goals! Do what works for you!

Start with these 3 bullet points and get on track now! :)

Make your BODY, your TROPHY!

:)

~4 weeks out~

Today is exactly 4 weeks out from my Figure stage Debut! Sooo excited, & I was able to fall in love with the sport all over again yesterday! This has been quiet the process of ups and downs. I have learned so much about myself these past 8 weeks, and I am happy to say my self discipline, control, stamina, endurance, and mental power have all been put to the test, and I have grown a better person overall from this!

Falling in love with this sport all over again happened yesterday. I have been training a lot at work and it has been making it feel more like a job, rather than a hobby I love. I was able to go workout in Racine last night, my home town, and it brought back the memories of why I started doing this and where I want to go with it! I remember first stepping foot into World Gym and feeling so lost....wow, I have come a long way~!

TIP to all Woman: Do not be afraid to ask questions, and DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE WEIGHTS!!! They can change your physique is more ways than you may think!

I trained legs at Xperience Fitness in Racine, WI yesterday afternoon. After a full week of sore legs, I don't know how, but I pulled out a FANTASTIC leg DAY!! I absolutely love training legs, I can focus so well on the individual muscles in my legs. My mind to muscle connection with my legs is off the charts! I was able to walk in the gym, with no written plan and do what my body told me to do. I don't always recommend doing this, I usually have a plan and a workout written, but sometimes you just need to listen to what the muscles want. It turned into almost a 2hr workout, and I felt fantastic! I only have 2 more weeks with leg training, so I am going to thoroughly enjoy my last few leg days.

After seeing my coach in the morning, I was able to have steak last night!! Yummmm!!!! It was probably my last and only my 2nd cheat meal, and I enjoyed every second if it! Feeling full and rested today I am going to get in another great workout.

"Staying Determined, Focused, and on the road to Victory"

Train Hard!

xo,

Nina



Home Stretch! Becoming an Athlete Part 2

5 weeks out!
Photo shoot Done!

Becoming An Athlete Part 2~

I am leading up to the home stretch now, with just 5 weeks to go! :) Minor changes for this week, I dropped 1-35min cardio session! Whooo hooo!! Thats spectacular for a girl who HATES doing cardio! I have also reset my training schedule to Monday-Saturday, with Sunday now being my rest day. This began today, and boy ohh boy am I tired! I work 10-7pm Mondays and Tuesdays, so that means I wake up at 6:30am to get my am fasting cardio in, then eat breakfast, and on too lifting by 9am. Everything is scheduled and timed out! I eat about every 2-3 hours too keep my metabolism burning! Then, I don't leave for my "lunch break"- I stay at work and get my Round 2 of cardio in! Today it was HIIT Training, which I am finally really beginning to enjoy!

HIIT Training stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It's meant to help get your heart rate up, increase endurance & stamina, and blast away that FAT! It works something fierce too!! When I first began, my first 2 wks of HIIT training, I was literally punching the treadmill, and may have shed a few tears....It isn't meant for the weak hearted, I pushed through it week by week, seeing spectacular results and ultimately beginning to LOVE it!

Our Photo shoot was a ton of fun! Nate looked great, and is actually a really good coach for photography! I cannot wait to see and share our photos with you! We have both been dieting and working really hard on our physiques for this! I hope to inspire others with what I am doing, and get more and more people active! In today's world its way to easy to sit on the couch and become sedentary, I want to get people moving any way possible! Before I got into Figure, I used to do a lot of at home workouts. I was hooked on Bodyrock.tv for awhile, and those workouts helped me train for my 1/2 marathon I completed in December 2010. Check out Bodyrock.tv if you need to get some at home advice/inspiration!

Over half way!

I have made it OVER HALF WAY now!! I began posing practice last weekend, and couldn't be happier with my physique! It has taken its ups and downs the past 6 1/2 weeks, but all the hard work is totally paying off!

Cravings have diminished, energy and motivation are up, and I have been feeling strong again! Work outs are still the same, no major changes in that. Still hitting the gym 6 days a week 2-3hrs a day! The biggest difference is I think my body has finally accepted the punishment! I am still constantly sore, but the pain has proven it works!

We (Nate&I) are getting ready for our first photo shoot this weekend! Nate's has also been dieting the past few weeks with me.(He is made for this sport, it doesn't really bother him at all, and he leans up so quickly, it isn't fair! lol)

Our photo shoot will be at the gym I currently work at, Nova Gyms LLC., in Oak Creek. I can't wait to share our photos with you! I am so excited to get all beautified! Getting hair cut and colored tomorrow, and nails done! Finally, something to show off this work! :)

Show is coming up quick now, only 5 weeks left and still a lot to be done! I have yet to register for it- I cant wait to find out how many girls will be competing! I plan to compete in the Novice and the Figure Open divisions! So hopefully I'll be bringing home some trophies! Need to book our hotel as well!
I have my suit ordered, but hasn't come in yet, I hope it gets here soon, I want to be able to practice posing in it!!!

Well thats all for now! I will keep you all updated and post pictured from our shoot soon!

xo

Pain of Discipline

Forgot to Post this:)


"Suffer the pain of Discipline, or suffer the pain of Defeat."

This is my quote of the week!!!!!! Discipline is painful, but I don't want to feel the pain of Defeat!

I am in week 7 of my prep, and let me tell ya, I can't wait until these next 6 1/2 weeks are over!! I have been dealing with some depression this week....When you work full time, are training 2.5hrs a day, and eating the same thing day in and day out-it gets overwhelming, and boring! I found it hard to find the fun in it all this week....then I thought of the quote above, and remembered, if it were easy anyone would do it! Well I am not just anyone, I am Nina! Nate Olsen's fiance, a role model, determined, smart, healthy, and happy! I have been working for this moment for the past year and a half! I cannot throw in the towel now! I have to keep pushing hard, give this everything I have, and step on that stage knowing I gave this my all!!!!! Yes, I could totally go for some delicious ice cream, or chocolate, anything sweet- but I will not cave to temptation, I will stand strong and overcome this!