The Big Day

http://www.anb.com.au/Competitions/AustralianFitnessModelChampionships.aspx

So this is the big event that I am competing in.....

13 Weeks Out

So, I knew it would happen but last week the doubts started to kick in.  I'd had a really busy week the week before and my usual Sunday where I cook my meals, hang out with the kids, catch up on the housework etc didn't happen because we had a Zumba event.  I picked up two gorgeous friends from the airport on the Saturday night, drove them to the event on the Sunday, did 5 hours of Zumba and drove them back to the airport.  I didn't realise how important that rest day was until I didn't have it and it took me the whole week to feel better.

Monday of this week was my birthday so I swapped my cheat meal to this day and went out with Paddy and the girls for dinner.  The food was amazing but much richer than I have been used to and I ended up with a sore tummy and feeling sick!!

I trained hard this week usually when I look at photos of other girls who have competed in similar events to this, I get motivated and inspired but this week the photos made me feel depressed and as if I am deluding myself.  Can I really get to that point, do I even want to?

I chatted to Miki and Chris and both reassured me that these feelings are completely normal and encouraged me to keep going.  I feel that I have made great gains in the 8 weeks since I decided to compete and even though I have been eating a lot of great food with high daily calorific intake I have managed to lose 3 kilos and have built muscle.  Many people are commenting that I look as though I have lost weight so I guess my body composition is changing which is fantastic.

My session with Chris on Thursday was funny as he was trying to rev me up and focus my anger and negativity on training hard but it just made me laugh....I am not fuelled very well my anger, I like praise and encouragement I think!!

Anyway, I am now 12 weeks out and this is where it starts to get serious.  My food plan has become more simple, still with high calories.  I still get a cheat meal once a week and am enjoying a coffee most days.

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My Typical Week

I am 35 years old and have 2 young girls, Grace aged 7 and Beth, 5.  The two girls are away of what I am doing and come to many of my Zumba classes both the kids and adults classes.  They are aware that I am on a special food plan and that once a week I get to have a cheat meal and we usually make this a family event so we all get to enjoy it together.  The girls have been a big part of my motivation to become the best version of me I can be.  I am very aware of creating a healthy lifestyle for my girls with a balance of clean, healthy food, occasional treats and plenty of exercise and outdoor activities.

 

I currently teach Zumba Fitness and Hot Fusion Fitness full time which I balance between family and studying for my Cert III and IV in Fitness.

My current teaching timetable is as follows:

Monday 1 x Zumba Fitness class

Tuesday 2 x Zumba Fitness class
              1 x Hot Fusion Fitness class
              1 x Zumbatomic (kids) class at a pre-school
              4 x music lessons

Wednesday 1 x Zumba Gold class in a Nursing Home
                    1 x Zumbatomic class in a pre-school
                    1 x Zumba Fitness class

Thursday 1 x Zumba Gold class with adults with special needs
                1 x Zumbatomic class in a primary school
                2 x Zumbatomic class in a pre-school
                1 x Zumba Fitness class

Friday   1 x Zumba Toning/Fitness class
             1 x Zumba Gold class in a retirement village
             1 x Zumbatomic class

Saturday 1 x mini boot camp
               1 x Hot Fusion Fitness class
               2 x 1 hour music lessons

I train at the gym 5 days a week with one session being with PT, Chris Hujber

14 Weeks Out

Felt strong and determined this week.  Seeing some great results and returned to PT sessions with Chris Hujber of Body Culture.  Did a massive legs session which I suffered from for 3 days and still feeling a little tender today, 5 days later.

Had a remedial/sports massage on Saturday afternoon which was very painful as my whole body was a mass of knots and spasms.  The massage helped a lot and I had a bath with Epsom salts that night and have added magnesium to my daily supplements to help with muscle soreness.

Took a couple of photos to show my progress.  Pretty happy with how my shoulders, back and arms are looking although I would like more definition in my abs and legs.  I struggle with the jiggly bit low down on my tummy but know that once the comp gets closer and I start shredding that the excess body fat will go to leave lots of muscles I hope!

 

Made the decision this week to go back to lighter hair having been dark for over 10 years.  Am hoping that by the time the comp comes around I will be pretty blonde.  Even my girls have never known me without dark hair so its going to be a bit strange!

 

 

Decided to save my cheat meal to Sunday this week and we had a beautiful family day out down the south coast.  Had a great pub lunch at Robertson and a pot of tea with a chocolate brownie in Berry.  Was great to spend some time with Paddy and our two gorgeous girls.    Got home and bagged up all my food for the week!

 



15 Weeks Out

Monday Trained hard today....shoulders and abs and 20 mins HIIT.  Love being able to take myself to almost vomit point! Going well with food, enjoying it all and not hungry at all. Developed a sore throat tonight which sent me to bed early.

Tuesday Took myself off to Dr for sore throat, prescription for anti-biotics.  Advise from friends on honey and lemon tea with ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon.  Had a couple and spent the day in bed.

Wednesday  Slept through the alarm.  Back and abs at gym.  Upped wide and narrow lat pull downs to 40kg.  Shrugs to 12.5kg.  Hammerhead row at 40kg.  Upright Row at 35kg.
Taught 2 Zumba classes with combination of Sentao and Zumba.  Feeling much better thanks to medication and magic tea.

Thursday Crazy day of classes. Sylvanvale Gold class, Nursing home gold class. Gym for arms and killer HIIT 10 mins. School class with 125 kids, preschool class, Zumba at Bonnet Bay only 4 people which is hard on the energy but awesome cardio workout with some toning thrown in.
Ate two meals after 9pm..need to organise meal times better so I don't run out of time.

Friday  Throat infection went to chest having decided not to take all of the anti-biotics because I don't like taking them!!

Good illustration of the different categories for competition.  I am aiming for Fitness Model category at this stage

 

A Bit of Background Info

 

My name is Emma Payne. I am almost 36 years old and this blog starts halfway through my journey from fat to fit.

 

I have 2 young girls, born in 2006 and 2008 and as a result of having kids (usual excuse I know) my weight increased to 81kg which was the heaviest I have ever been. One Monday morning I decided to go back to the gym and tried a Zumba Fitness class.  From that point on I was hooked and went to as many classes as possible.  In late 2010 I decided to do the instructor training which I did in December 2010.  Here is a photo of me soon after the training in January 2011.

 

January 2011 (around 82kg)

 



 I started teaching Zumba Fitness classes in January 2011 with just 2 classes a week.  I now teach 15 classes per week including regular Zumba Fitness, Zumba Toning (with weighted maracas), Zumba Sentao (using a chair for resistance), Zumbatomic (for kids) and Zumba Gold (in nursing homes, retirement villages and in centres for adults with special needs including brain injuries). My life has changed and been enriched through this amazing program.

 

During the first year of teaching Zumba Fitness I lost approximately 10kg and then decided to go on to do some Personal Training Sessions with Chris Hujber of Body Culture Australia.

 

I have gone on to become a Hot Fusion Fitness instructor and am almost completed my Cert III in Fitness and will go on to do Cert IV to become a Personal Trainer.

 

I had a photoshoot earlier this year, in April which was an amazing experience and I had to diet hard in the weeks prior to prepare for the shoot. 

 
 

 

 Soon after my photoshoot my amazing trainer, Chris Hujber and his equally amazing partner Miki Phillips competed in a body building comp and I was blown away by the awesome transformations in their bodies through dedicated diet and training hard.  At the back of my mind a little voice was asking me if I could do it.  I ummed and aaahed for a few weeks and then spoke to another Zumba Instructor and Zumba Jammer extraordinaire, Olivia Carrasco, who had decided to compete in Adelaide in October and her encouragement and words of support helped me to make the decision to go for it.  Life's too short to die wondering so here we go...15 weeks out from the comp which is on 12 October.

 

I started my food program an weight training under the guidance of Miki and am feeling fantastic.

 

The purpose of this blog is really for me to document my journey so I can look back and see what I have achieved but if I can also inspire just one person to take control of their food and or training and become a better version of themselves that is even better.

When I step up on stage the only person I am really competing with is myself, I would have proved that I can do it and that is the biggest battle.

 

So readers, please feel free to comment but I do ask you respectfully to keep your comments kind in manner and constructive.  I am my biggest critic and I know there will be days where I look tired, drawn, and may feel like giving up but by being accountable here I feel I have to prove myself to you all as well as myself....