I can’t believe The Arnold Sports Festival and Fitness Expo is coming up so fast! This will be my 2nd year, and I have a better idea of what I’m doing and how genuinely huge it is! I’ll be sharing the experience with my husband, & I have a lot to thank him for with helping me plan this trip! Oooo I’m getting excited just thinking about it!

As much as I’ve trained lately I’m definitely kicking myself for not getting more training in, & feeling like I haven’t gotten enough done pre-event. With being there among my fitness tribe, the female competitors I look up to and role models at every turn, I want to look as good as I can! It’s quite a bit of motivation! Just somehow it didn’t fully sink in kick in until this week… I’ve been training well before that of course but it’s kinda late to make any real noticeable changes I can’t explain why I didn’t snap-to earlier or what I was thinking. All I can do now is stay focused on keeping a tight schedule, get in lots of cardio, lift heavy, drop all the treats & booze, drink lots of water and make sure what I eat is super clean! All good things and valuable to my goals weather I pack on 10 more pounds of muscle or not! I hope I’m not too hard on myself later…!

This will be my sophomore year at the Expo, and I just can’t wait! I’ll be in shape, re-pink my hair, nails, lashes, some tanning, special outfit, the whole deal! A lot of people wear jeans and tennies, but there’s also a LOT of beautiful bodies gracing the floor~ some are beefcake muscle guys, some are Expo girls that run the kiosk for a brand/company, some are competitors, performers, some are just fitness fans like myself. To me it’s a very special event that I’m so proud to be part of! Not to mention you really don’t know WHO you’re going to meet, and with so many photos to take it just makes sense to get dolled up!

This year I need to be a little more prepared to meet some of the faces I’ve only ever seen in magazines and the internet; last year I saw people I was very impressed to meet, but was so star struck I could barely ask to take pictures! This year I’ll have prepare a few questions; general but important ones that I can help with my own fitness path. I’ll definitely want to put some thought into these…..

Man… It seems like the more I try to eat the less it appeals to me. if I can’t get more protein into my diet I’m not going to get anything more out of all my hard work, and bust through this plateau. Hm. It’s harder than it sounds apparently. Maybe I can just work on getting 2 blitzs in a day instead of one, then try 2nd lunches. I’ve been trying to get in 2 breakfasts and even that is a strangely a struggle, lol. Baby steps, I guess.. It would be nice to have some tips from a pro!

I’m feeling it’s that time again, to revisit goals and stoke the fires of my motivation! It always makes me feel good to see where I want to go and what I want to do with myself. It’s all up to me and it’s all possible!
I like focusing on my nutrition and making tweaks with it. This goal has to do with upping my nutritional intake: I need to add more complex carbs and protein. Since I’m not making the gains I think I should be, I believe this particular change will benefit me.
Another facet is supplements. In this goal is to take them properly and on time. Sometimes I waffle with that, as there is a schedule and it can get tedious at times! But this one is easy, so moving on!
The next goal is all about my training. This is big~ To train every day EVEN IF IT’S NOT PERFECT. I will very easily get hung up on thoughts like, “that set wasn’t good enough” “I’m not focused enough” “I’m not improving”. I often think, If I’m not 110% present and giving it my all, I feel like it’s not moving me forward. Because, does anything less really get you there? Whatever the answer to that is, this goal is to accept my efforts, and strive to improve my focus. Every workout I need to practice my mind-muscle connection, which is my gateway to that all important focus for one, and two, to the results I so badly would like to see: bringing up my hamstrings, calves and glutes, and an overall gain of muscle and super sexy definition!
It’s all about commitment. Every day looking at these positive words and putting them into action. After outlining all that, I’m feeling quite pumped!! Excited about the power I have to do this for myself. It is so very vital to me to do this work. It drives me.. and I love it.

The only time you burn less calories than when you’re sitting down is when you’re laying down. -Paul Plakas

Meet Caithleen Heffernan!

http://www.simplyshredded.com/wbff-fitness-and-bikini-model-caithleen-heffernan-talks-with-simplyshredded-com.html

Need I say more?