hahhahaa thanks, stalk away!!! You have the same crazy hours my husband once had. It’s a pain in the butt I know! I work late too, but not overnight.
Bread isn’t really that bad, [I haven’t had it in almost a year though] I don’t eliminate carbs, just do not have anything processed. If I wanted bread I’d make my own…. It’s a pain I know, but on my one day off I feel it’s easy to spend the day prepping all of my meals for the week and setting it all up so it’s right there when I need it.
Sometime in June 2012 I snapped. Literally something in me shifted and I realized that if I didn’t change, it was never going to happen. I turned 29 that month and just made the decision to reach for my ultimate goal (to set foot on stage and compete). Once I consciously made the decision, I had tunnel vision and was completely focused on my goal. I said “no” to anything in my way and just kept at it. For me it was easy since my husband basically did it with me, so the food in our house changed dramatically and any and all temptations were gone. But I never felt tempted along the way because I knew what I ultimately wanted, and I knew how to get there. Once I started changing physically, it became even easier since I knew it was working. I also feel a lot better so that’s a huge part of it too. Turning 30 next month and I am in the best shape of my life- both mentally and physically.
Was one of the best decisions of my life.
thank you, seriously thank you so much!!!
oh my goddddd throw away the scale it’s so pointless!!!!! I’m happy you’re embracing those thighs! It’s an exceptional feeling to love your physique!! Keep pushing!
Details details… doing my daily inspection and dissection of where I’m at and what needs work :) feeling good with 43 days to go.
2.28.2013
(via buffyshot)
I recieved a private ask that I answered, but I am publishing it without revealing the name of the user, because I feel like a lot of girls are where she is now…
“Hi Michele! I wanted to tell you that your site is incredible and you are just so inspiring and amazing. I am a 17-year-old girl who is trying to find herself right now… The media always has thrown freaky-skinny models at us as beautiful, but I hate how they look like they’re going to break at any second. But they’re so glorified by the media that I find myself wanting to look like them sometimes, and I’ve just never liked my body. I’ve always built and retained muscle very easily (I can get up to a defined 8-pack and I naturally have a 4-pack without exercising, even when I’m eating tons of junk food) but I’ve always felt fat and my family always makes fun of my muscley-ness. Lately I’ve become more lost and less motivated to work out because I’m starting to question my own physical traits and goals. Can you please help me and give me a little advice? Thank you so much in advance!”
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My response:
First off, thank you for your kindness, it never ceases to amaze me just how many people are in the same boat as I once was so I am happy to offer any advice that I can. Before I was in this mindset that I am in now, I found that I compared myself to women that are smaller or society’s definition of feminine. The truth is, I have always felt a bit masculine in that I have always had significant muscle and I thought that meant that people perceived me as being less feminine because of it. I couldn’t be more wrong. Although I have a lot of genetic muscularity, I do have a feminine build. Anyway, I never received any negativity or teasing from my family, or really any from anyone else growing up. It was all in my own head and if anyone commented on say, my gargantuan calf muscles, I’d perceive it as negative since I hated them and was self-conscious about them. I still don’t work out my calves, and I still get the same eye-popping disbelief when people see my calves, but now I have a different relationship with my body, so I don’t perceive it as negative. What to do want to do? Do you have any intentions of sport training, or competing? There are COUNTLESS people that are busting their butts to have what you have, I promise you!! It took me a long time to get my mentality where it is today. When I was your age I was starving myself. I wish I could go back and smash myself over the head for being such an idiot. You have to embrace who YOU are and what you like about yourself. It seems society is obsessed with weight loss, trying to obtain the coveted “6-pack” while doing virtually no work. Everyone wants that ‘magic pill’…. Maybe you’ll find solace in knowing that you already have it. You already have what they want. I for one, think it’s a hell of a lot more attractive to see a woman who is muscular. Someone with shapely arms and legs in my own mind is more attractive than that tiny movie star/model look. I wasn’t able to embrace my body fully until I started to treat it right with food. Once I cleaned up what I was eating, my body changed to what I have always wanted, and it was enough for me to fall in love with it.
Be well, I’m here if you need to talk!
-Michele
Thank you so much! It’s been a hell of a journey, but I am genuinely so happy I decided to change nearly a year ago… I spent way too long hating my body and wishing it were something I just physically could not achieve on my frame. It’s mind boggling to me that once I truly embraced who I was, I was finally able to go after what I really wanted. I am so excited to compete again. (Next month will be my 2nd show). Having said that, you can understand to some extent just how much competing means to me. Just to be up there was enough, I never expected to place, it was just icing on the cake. The girl that won was actually one of the people I met 3 weeks prior to the show in a training workshop so I knew her on some level and knew how far she came in yer years of competing. Such an awesome girl and I’m really happy she won.
Thanks again!!! :)
