Embrace your "You"ness

I am asked often about training tips and nutritional guidelines. I get messages from people who have seen pictures (thank you Stacey Cooper and BootyCampSB) and read articles about the journeys of my amazingly empowered fitness peers. People want to know the magic formula. How do I lose weight? How do I gain muscle? How do I train to be an athlete?

Most of the time, I laugh because I am not a fitness professional at all. I am just a girl who happens to enjoy the process. I don't love the gym and I certainly don't love the effect an intense 3 month training program has on my social life, but what I do love is the family dynamic that we have built and the strength I have gained from my time in this program.

My strength isn't about weight lifting, training or the journey to attain my ideal physical self. It's about taking chances, leaving my comfort zone and feeling out of place. The road to strength wasn't always aided by fitness professionals and nutritional guidelines. Often times, it comes from putting ourselves in new situations and taking chances. I admit that my fitness journey has inspired me to rekindle my innate sense of adventure (hello fashion shows!!), but it's really the mental process that is most rewarding.

When people ask me how they can boost their confidence or improve their physical appearance, I tell them to first think about taking risks and finding their spark. To do this, you may have to break some rules and leave that comfy, cozy bubble...and that's where the magic happens.

Need ideas?

**Browse a book store for hours reading about all the countries you want to visit.

**Take a language class or a pottery class or an auto shop class.

**Participate in a speaking forum where you can hone your skills as a linguistic genius.

**Sit alone and write poetry.

**Volunteer

**Join a new group.

**Go to the movies alone. (and eat ALL the popcorn! Whoo-hoo!)

**Go out to dinner alone.

**Enjoy your time alone and bond with yourself.

Depend on yourself.

Boosting confidence is a process, much like muscle-building. It takes time and sufficient self-discovery to really uncover the strengths and passions that exist within us. Strength comes from the most unexpected places...don't forget to notice.

Road Trip!!

This girl has the routine down!! Now can I have a break? Please??

Welcome to Bikini Competition Training! Here is your life for the next 12 weeks:

~ Wake up.

~ Cardio.

~ Eat.

~ Work.

~ Eat.

~ Lift Weights.

~ Eat.

~ Cook/weigh/plan meals.

~ Eat.

~ Eat.

~ Relax.

~ Eat.

~ Sleep.

~ Repeat again and again and again.

Sunny San Diego

Bikini Competition training isn't easy. It takes tons of planning and lots of patience for the grueling schedule that depletes all sources of energy. Each day can be a struggle of timing meals, reminiscing about your fading social life and trying to adhere to the workouts you committed to at the start of the program.

But...there is a bright side! Hello abs!! This is the time in the program when the body is making drastic changes. Fat is melting, muscles are building and stamina is increasing. Flexing in public mirrors is totally acceptable at this stage in the game. It's a little reward for all the skipped office cupcakes, missed happy hours and all those delicious ice cream dates that mysteriously turned into "Greek Yogurt with 1 Cup of Blueberries" dates.

So this last weekend, I decided to reward myself for all of my hardwork. I skipped town and landed my happy arse in sunny San Diego!! I packed my meals and gallon of water in the car and off I went in search of some quality time with the BFF and some sun for my pasty behind.

BFF, Paul and I in San Diego

Can you sprinkle a little fun into the uber demanding training schedule? Absolutely!! It will take some planning, but it can be done! Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for that waning dedication that was so vibrant 5 weeks ago.

Health isn't only about muscles and time spent on the treadmill. It's also about taking some time out to relax and enjoy your life and laugh with the people in it.

My timeout is over and I am READY to jump right back in! Week 5 is underway!

A$$.

Posterior.
Bootie.
Butt.
Ass.
Arse.
Rear.
Tush.
Keister.
Bottom.
Behind.
Fanny.
Tail.
Seat.
Bum.
Rump.
Posterior.
Badonkadonk.

How many songs have you heard about someone's read end? Chances are you have probably had the opportunity to shake what your mama gave ya a few times to catchy tunes like Rumpshaker, Baby Got Back, Bootyliscious or even Honky Tonk Badonkadonk. Why is it so fun to dance around to these ridiculous songs (guilty as charged) and why are we so fascinated by junk in the trunk?

A few people have asked me how I got connected with Stacey Cooper and her training program. I was checking out Facebook one day, as I have been known to do way more than I probably should and I came across these pictures on Stacey's Facebook page. Stacey owns a company called Booty Camp SB and delivers on her promise to "Raise Your Fitness Level and your Booty to New Heights". The results are awesome and the girls (and probably their significant others) are very satisfied.





This training program requires that we send progress pictures to Stacey for evaluation and yes, these pictures are of the SAME GIRL (not me). Stacey uses these pictures to tweak our diets, add extra cardio days, increase weights, etc. It's all science and Stacey has the plan. The training is hard, the diets are clean and the results are awesome.

These pictures are of one of Stacey's clients. You can peruse more pictures of satisfied clients on her Facebook. Click the button below to take a peek!



If you are looking for a trainer and a fun group of girls to train with, call Stacey Cooper. She is your woman. She will whip your Booty into shape in no time!


Stacey Cooper - www.bootycampsb.com - 805-284-3688.

DO IT!