ONE HELL OF A ROLLER COSTER RIDE

First things first. I’ve had one friend receive some devastating news and I want to let him know that I’m thinking of him and this family and I hope to god that everything will be ok and treatment is successful.

Working, Training, Dieting, Working Dieting Training. This is my life at the moment and I’d compare it to a roller coaster ride and this week I’ve been on the big dipper. Training and dieting to compete as an athlete (this is what I will call myself because I can) is different to your average person wanting to lose a few pounds. Timing, nutrition and rest are of paramount importance if you want to be the best that you can. Last week I was riding on the high and thrill of the slow journey of getting higher and higher but at the start of this week came the big drip. On a roller coaster you’d be screaming with excitement but I was screaming because I wasn’t seeing the changes. Then mid week BAM! I went to train with Dave Lewis at Upfitness (www.upfitness.co.uk) put on the usual attire came out did a couple of warm up reps and then I looked at myself in the mirror and fuck I was looking lean on the upper body. Even Sarah Lindsay, one the trainers also at Upfitness (Sarah is a three time Olympian, representing Great Britain for over a decade in the highly competitive sport of short track speed skating) also said that I’m looking awesome. There you have it, proof that if you follow the plan, stay true to yourself and don’t let anything, and I mean anything in your life get in your way.

Training is great and the 5 day split I love. Training at my local gym is still the epitome of my week due to the amount of muppets that seem to be coming through the doors. Now don’t get me wrong there are some good and great people in the gym, people who actually work on their physique, train hard, lift with good form. There is still only one man who squats with good form and that’s with his arse to the grass and can you believe it that every other person in the gym tells him that his technique is wrong. Skinny twerp hasn’t been too bad this week, he’s still rather annoying trying to chat to me but I think I shut him up when I started doing wide eccentric pull ups with extra weight round my waist. I actually sent a text to Dave to thank him for putting the chin up’s back in the program as I love them, not because I’m good at them, I’m ok but it’s because I’m not good that I want to get better and plus they are the king of exercises for building upper body strength. The most annoying twat award this week has to go to the man in the sauna trying to chat to me about his boxing career. This conversation actually started because I asked him to take his plastic bottle outside as opposed to having it in the sauna where it was melting in the heat and realising toxins which I really didn’t want to be breathing in. Mind you I think there are worse things in that sauna that I was breathing in! He proceeded to tell me how he was a champion boxer 7 years ago and blah blah blah I just turned off until he said that I must run loads to look the way that I do. I laughed hysterically and said yes that’s right I run to look the way I do and that he must be a champion boxer to look the way he did. He looked quite proud until the penny dropped that I was being sarcastic.

Dieting is coming along a treat. I thought I would find it harder this time round but I kind of know what to expect, the only things that Dave has me doing differently is having wild meat in the morning and the wave cycle of carbohydrates which are in the form of brown rice or brown rice pasta. I am very military about my eating so it’s not that hard. I have split my meals up into 6 portions and eat every 2.5 – 3 hours. Even off season I still clean I just increase my carbohydrates and I have cheat days. I have my next set of photos and biosignature on Monday and here Dave will be able to tell if he needs to change my diet and I will be able to see if all that body brushing is paying off.

Morning cardio is.............well it has to be done. I’ve brought the new Lady Gaga album as it has a good beat because first thing in the morning I need something. I’ve not only just woken up I’m also leaving the house with no makeup on and this in its self is a challenge. I will say towards the end of the week I’m actually starting to enjoy it. I’m thankful this is during the summer months.

My major task is to really get on with posing and getting my bikini sorted. If you want to compete its not cheap but well worth the roller coasters ride.

If you have any questions please email me and thank you to everyone who has messaged me, complemented me so far and who is reading this blog. I have said that you don’t need to follow but if you could I’d be grateful. This week is picking up and I can’t wait for the next set of changes, plus I have my PICP Level 1 course at the end of the week (www.charlespoliquin.com) and I get to see my favourite strength coaches Derek Woodske www.derekwoodske.com/Poliquin_Strength_Inst.html  and John Conner www.isipersonaltraining.com/strength-trainers-ireland bring it on!!