Progressive Pictures

Dear Jon,
Are you working tomorow? If you are, I need to find a babysitter and train (Again) this week with you.

Why, yes he was working. He has a few wives. The beautiful Shawna, the gym and all us girls who compete.

I needed some time with Big Jon today. I was jumping out of my skin this week again. I was not supposed to be weighing myself, which for some reason translates into "Teri, go ahead and cheat on peanut butter twice a day. No one will know. You can't step on the scale."

Uhhhhh... hello idiot?

You know. And the guilt is overwhelming. It feels like a tight rope inching closer and closer to the middle of my throat and at any given time it could just cut my breathing off altogether and I could potentially die of suffocation all because of some freakin peanut butter.

Really?! Is it that good? Do I love it that much? Is it worth feeling the suffocating? Is it worth the guilt? Is it worth worrying I won't be ready because I can't keep the dang spoon out of the jar?

No, you are right-- it isn't.

Thank goodness Big Jon had time for me today. I went in, practiced posing for 45 long minutes. Posing seems like it would be the easy part of the whole training regimin maybe. But, it is not. The goal is to look natural, buff, and beautiful all at the same time... while in a small swimming suit with tall heels.

Not much about that sentence is "natural" for me. But I can practice and I can get better. I will practice and I will get better.

I was sad to report that my weight is up 2 lbs from last week (Jon didn't care, but I did because I know the 2 lbs is from the dang peanut butter jar). My body fat however (most important number) is down from 15% to 13%.

I needed to hear that number. I needed it like a mom needs to hear a crying baby after child birth. I needed it like a diabetic needs insulin. It has been a flat week, workouts feeling blah, diet not so great (first cheat unapproved since August 1), and since my kids have been sick... I feel my body thinking about it as well. Even though I kindly tell my body everyday it is healthy and strong and it feels AWESOME! Dude, I need a hair cut. Side note.

Jon is happy with my progress pictures, happy with my body fat percentage, not too angry with my cheats, or atleast he didn't seem too angry. Although he DID change my diet this week, so I don't know maybe he was more angry than he let on.

Back pose is hardest for me. The goal is to have my lats pushed out, while having my shoulder blades flat, not pulled together like in the picture to the left. You wouldn't believe how difficult of a process this is for me. Especially while trying to remember to suck my stomach in, push my butt out, hold my heels together, and hold my hands in the specific spot. It's like, SO many things to remember. I'll get it. I'll keep practicing.

Front pose is probably the easiest and most natural pose for me. I can remember it fairly well and seem to do it right most of the time. It is amazing how much goes into each pose. I have basically only 7 to remember and they are all mirrors of each other (front and back), (left side, right side), (resting left, resting right), and (Curtsy). The curtsy is perhaps the most fun because I get to engage my sassy attititude in it. I also have to remember how to walk sexy, but not too sexy, and not too fast.

I practiced posing for my hubs after my cheat meal at Olive Garden tonight. (Last cheat for two weeks.... wowzers!) He was impressed. It is nice to hear him say how good I look and how happy and proud he is of me. I feel like it has been a long time coming for me to look like I deserve that hot sexy hunk of a man who married me.... so his support means a lot. And the recongnition that I have worked my booty (literally) off.

Did I mention I am eating fish every day for dinner now? That is one of the changes effective or is it affective? I don't know. Anyway, starts tomorow. Wow, I am not a big fish person so this shall be interesting. But I am 7 weeks away, which is 42 days. That is not a lot of time to finish opperation make Teri a figure competitor.

So I really feel the burn this weekend. I feel ready to buckle down, tighten up the belt and rock this like a hurricane. I am ready to eat a little stricter, lift a little heavier, and cardio train a little harder. I am ready for this. I saw a comment once from another competitor that said "Your desire to compete well must be stronger than the desire to eat any ______whatever food."

My desire was there the first six weeks I had no cheating, and after a rocky week, my desire is back-- stronger and more determined than ever. Nothing is going to stand in my way of being my personal best on that stage Oct. 29th or Nov. 19th.

Rest day tomorow, and Monday it is hit is hard baby. Come jump on the train with me or back the heck off the tracks baby!!!