Confession Session...

Ok....so the official countdown to Bikini madness is FIVE DAYS! Whoo~hoo!!!

OMG! How did three months of blood, sweat and tears go by so quickly. Okay, I exaggerated just a tad. Technically I didn't bleed (unless you cound the scabs on my forearms from endless planks on the turf), but there were definitely a few tears (exhaustion will do that) and a TON of sweat.

So, with almost all of the training behind me and the INSANE diet almost done, I thought I would take some time to write a little confession of the things I did wrong during my training. My loooooooooon history of Catholic guilt compels me to do this once in awhile. :-) "Bless me, trainer, for I have sinned", or something like that.

Starting with my accomplishments will make me feel better, so let's start there:

Rule #1 - NO ALCOHOL - CHECK!!! I am not going to count the ONE glass of champagne that I had on my wedding anniversary. Three months with no booze actually feels pretty good, though it did put a tiny damper on the social life.

Rule #2 - EAT 6 TIMES A DAY - CHECK!!! I followed that crazy diet exactly, even with a road trip to Vegas in the mix. Next week, I might break up with Chicken and broccoli for awhile. It's not you, it's me.

Rule #3 - DRINK LOTS OF WATER - CHECK!!! 1 Gallon of water everyday will melt pounds off like magic! I resurrected my size 28 FAVORITE jeans thanks to all that water. I think I have forgotten what soda even tastes like.

Rule #4 - WEIGHT CLASSES 3 TIMES A WEEK - CHECK!!! I came, I saw, I lifted. And when I got home, I whined, complained and stretched. Pushing myself there was a definitely a good choice. Welcome, buns of steel.

Now for the good stuff....

Rule #5 - 6AM CARDIO - I'll give myself a 1/2 a check here. Yes, I went to the gym many mornings at 6AM and yes, I was on that blasted stairmill/incline treadmill, but the effort could have been better. Most mornings I was there half asleep and completed 30 minutes instead of 45 due to boredom and my "I'm not a morning person"-itis. It's clearly incurable.

Rule #6 - PM CARDIO - I'll give myself 1/2 here as well. I will blame Thanksgiving (lack of gym while travelling) and my lazy arse for hitting these sessions only 90% of the time.

Ok, so maybe my confessions really aren't all that risque afterall. Maybe I just suck at cardio. I play soccer which requires quick thinking and lots of sprinting. It's a far cry from walking for 45 minutes on a treadmill pretending that 6AM shows are riveting enough to amuse me. I tried books, my Ipod and every TV show known to man. It did give me energy in the morning, but it was very difficult to get through. A buddy would have been a better idea, but then again they would probably would have made me get out of bed on those days when I wanted to sleep forever. Maybe next time around.

With this bikini competition right around the corner, I am feeling pretty good. My bikini is cute, I feel good about the work I have put in and I feel healthy. Did I mention that I am wearing my old jeans?? There really is nothing better than having a tangible reward for months of dedication and hard work and those jeans are my reward. I can't wear a trophy and feel good about my body, but I can put those jeans on (which no longer threaten to cut off my circulation or make me look like a sausage) and remember why I took this journey in the first place. I wanted to feel better about the way I look and challenge myself physically.

Rule # 7 - CHALLENGE MYSELF PHYSICALLY IN WAYS I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE AND ROCK MY FAVORITE OUTFITS AFTER...

CHECK!!!!