Xmas & New Year 2010

Training during the new year - Hamstrings, my favourtie exercises - single 45 degree leg press... Here I have 45kgs each side but knock out 12-15 reps. I like to do 55-60kgs each side and really feel it in my hamstrings and inner thighs.

Well lots of news to tell. As I got turned down from competing at the Arnold, which incidently I am very happy about now as I have had time to sit back and reassess things and take a look at my life and where it was going. I have now refocused and made a few other decisions in my life.

Firsty as you all know, this time last year I separated from Mark by moving into my own place. However we did not live separate lives. We continued to live separately but we would train together each day and see each other at least once a day. Not often did a day go past that he wouldnt arrive around here or call to see if all was well and to basiclly just see if everything was ok with me. He knew that I love and crave time by myself (daytime and early evening) but actully living lone between the hours of midnight and 6am did not sit good with me. In the year that I have been here, there wouldnt be one night I have been here alone ( when Jordie is with Mark), that I havent slept without the lights on, or the computer playing some tv in demand series beside my bed for sound, or that I have even slept the whole night through without thinking there was someone opening the gate or trying the windows.. This comes from my protective Dad constantly reminding us girls that there was always a boogie man outside or somebody out there to get us somewhere. So I may be an ok bodybuilder, but a big scardey cat in my house alone. So that has been one way that Mark has looked after me even when I constantly pushed him away to be by myself..

He has also kept me doing what I love best, and that is bodybuilding.While trying to push him away I would try to get out of training, often walking out on him at the gym but I knew that he made me train hard and he was the only one who knew me inside out.. sometimes I would find it minipulative but now I know it was shewdness. He knew when to push me and when to not - and would leave me for day knowing that I would be back to the gym to make up for a missed workout or I would cardio twice as hard to make up for it.

He kept at me day in and day out over the 12 months of our broken relationship, so our broken marriage ended up meaning that we may not of been living together but we were still very good friends. Alot of people couldnt quite understand our relationship, as we got on so well, and it was always questionable as to whether we were still a couple or not.. But at the time we were a training couple only and parents of our child together ( Jordan). Somehow over the last few months we ended up going out. The first official time was at one of my clients early Xmas parties where we were both invited. I was also invited to a wedding the same day which I asked Mark to go with me to. I ended up loving the afternoon with him and the whole evening which made us decide to go out again. Not straight away but the dating started round about then. Anyway after lots of soul searching and the realisation that we have strong feelings for each other still Plus our son together we are now dating seriously and its going awesome..

Mark has never given up on me. You have to think hard and seriously when you know that the person you have hurt has kept up the dream of getting back together for 365 days plus, that the same person has secretly written a love letter 10 years before declaring his total love for you even though you have been together 15 years,, that "that" person had brought a piece of jewellery for you and kept it hidden away for 6 months in the hope that one day you would accept it. That the person would do anything you asked of him, even if it meant huge sacrifices to himself.

To cut a long story short, Mark came to ChCh with me & Jordan to have Xmas with my family. My family loves him and it did seem very complete with him there. Although I love being by myself, I dont love being by myself, single. He is a good partner for me, and we do suit each other. I think the bad and nasty NZFBB days are behind us, where everything we did was judged by the general public and criticised buyt now we can just get on and do what we want to do - and how we like doing it... its very cool.
So now you will be seeing regular updates with Hubby involved and Im really happy about it. It gives me so much more to write about and is so much more interesting for you lot to read about.
So as a conclusion, we are training hard out for the New York Pro, focusing on working as couple again in the gym and out of the gym, and although still living apart, making plans for later on in the year to getting the perfect home for us to run our business from home and training heaps more people. Life is good... !!!!
PS, I thank all our friends who have supported us throughout our separation and now through our reconciliation, and we hope that everybody respects our decision to stay together and be happy as family once again.. Now HAPPY NEW YEARS 2010!!!!!And Sheta Swinerd, you have led by example you gorgeous thing although Im not following you and having the baby...


Our night out 2nd Janury 2010.

Changing the Damn Plans!!!

Oh well the best laid plans dont always go to plan.... I had entered into the Miss International amongst god knows how many other Professional
competitors but just found this morning that I didnt get in.. Its one of those situations where you want to something but are shit scared anyway but it really had me motivatated every minute of the day. I truely didnt expect to get in, but hoped that somehow some miracle would happen like half the girls who put in pulled out and I would be asked to make up numbers.....lol. So here I am, bang smack in the middle of dieting, and loving it I must say to find no competition.. So this afternoon I shall sit down with Mark - over a wine or two and work out a couple of comps to do over in the states one of which will hopefully be the New York pro...And now I can even have some treats on Christmas day without feeling guilty.... But apart from that I was really hyped for that..Oh well we cant always get what we want.. And it does give me more time to put on some size that I need... training has been going awesome. Loving the cardio, the dieting and the training so that has been a big bonus. I find that while everyone else is moaning about hungovers, feeling fat from too many xmas parties etc, that Im feeling better and loving all my clothes which all seem to fit nicely..So anyway I shall keep you posted on new dates and goals etc of course....

Oh just to let you know about training. I have been training 5 days per week, some days 2 workouts per day, but I have been doing cardio everyday which includes my running or stepper. My run today was awesome. I felt floaty and it was good speedy one. But I have quad training tonight so the next couple of runs will be hideous again.. lol.

I have had some brilliant Christmas pressies from client. One of my clients the other day gave me a gift bag containing four tins of chop chop chicken and some chocs so that was nice of her. Another client arrived with 2 x 5kgs of Kumara - now that was awesome cos I am such a kumara addict. Lisa my friend from the states sent me the most beautiful lil Red & Black Dress which is hot hot hot and a banana replublic bracelot... Its definately not a dress to wear just anywhere and I did have it on the other night but was told I had better get changed... Mmmmph will have to find suitable occasion for that. Lisa had actually purchased it for me to wear to a photo shoot which we had intended on doing together over in LA so that is another thing to be postponed now. Well this is abit of a quick update.. Xmas time is busy for everyone and I have the other girls updates to get done so will fire this one through. I am off to chch on Christmas day, so I will be spending half the day here with my older son Brad, then we fly to chch to have 4 days down there to spend with my sisters... Cant wait to run around the hills in chch...
Take care everyone and I shall write again soon.xxxxx Merry Xmas to you all.

Getting Closer to Xmas
29.11.09

3 months to the arnold - and going strong.

Gosh the time ticks along just too damn fast. Last Xmas only just seemed months ago and here we go again. This year I am spending half the day here in Auckland and the other half in chch. The joys of flying. We did that another year or so ago and I really loved it. This time I will have breakfast with my son Brad in the city then travel to Chch around 2.00ish and have a xmas dinner with my two sisters, brother and husbands, wifes and kids. It will be nice and big and relaxed then we will will spend another 2-3 days there afterwards...
I havent done any shopping as yet.. Im so hopeless but have the ideas in place and will be all sorted, meaning most people will miss out lol. No its not all that bad..
The saddest thing about Xmas is Mum and Dad are no longer here with us and it does make a huge difference at our family get to gethers which are getting less often now of course but we girls are stll close, but all busy in our own lives...There have been a few other changes in my life lately but I will get round to writing about that during the new year..

Its been a busy couple of weeks... I had a client here for a day last week. I think she is remaining kind of anoynomous so I wont add her pics, which are hilarous with her being almost passed out at the stadium, and balancing on the stump at One Tree Hill which of course has only got the stump left. But if she gives me permission then I can put them up next time. She came from the Wellington area and is now doing follow up sessions with Mandy Matheson of Les Mills Lower Hutt. I trust Mandy immensly to work with my clients as Mandy and I know each other very well. Our first session of the day was at 7am and I trained her upper body, next session was at 10.30am where we did the stadium - running the track, racing the stairs, and doing abs. Tne next session was walking One Tree hill which was windy and just spitting slightly and the next and final one was 6pm on Friday night to train her legs.. Inbetween that we cooked, ate and chatted and had a really good time. Although Im sure she was only too keen to leave that night and go to her sisters house.

Me in my little garden. trying to get "Ash" to fall in love with the catnip. I put the bread and wild bird seed out every morning and the area if full of birds.. I love it!!! Crazy bird/cat lady.

Training is going awesome although I have had a really bad back for 3-4 weeks now, which has forced me to stop running and cycle instead... I love my running so muh and went for a good one on Friday despite the pain in my back, but I paid for it Friday night and saturday. Yesterday I finally got in the car and drove to the chiropractor who had been recommended to me and what do you know, shut on Saturdays, so I will have to force myself to go again in the next day or two. Im abit of a procastinator about things like that.. Anyway I need to get sorted,

Now how motivating is this? If an 11 year old boy can get abs like this then why you cant you? Brahm is very sports orientated with both his parents being very sucessful in the fitness industry. And no they dont push Brahm into thi!. He excells in wrestling and judo and a huge selection of other sports. Where Brahm has it is he is mentally tough as well as physicall - a trait I can relate to. This boy is a NZ Champion Sportsman in the making.. He already has titles far above mine. Well done Brahm, I hope I dont annoy you by asking you every time I see you to lift your shirt..

Pushed out some PB's last week with training. It was very motivating as we had a new guy start with us, Quincey, who trains very very hard ( a rugby guy not a bodybuilder) but he will compete one day, even if he laughs it off at the moment, He keeps me on my toes and makes me train hard out to stay in line with his weights or just under adn of course Mark never lets up, so it is hard out every time. .We I havent done legs with him yet and I'm sure he will blitz me in that but I almost had him in biceps and shoulders.... hehe....
We trained twice a day some days last week so my body was hammered at the end of it and have had this weekend off despite saying we would train today - it just has not happened. This week things really kick in.... Im sending my Bodyscience order away this evening so will get restocked and ready to go. No excuses, cardio will be done every day so less time on facebook which is highly addictive and more time on my stepper and the Mother F...... bike.
Did I tell you I have the perfect music so I will be off to Stebbing in a few weeks and get that cut well before xmas, As it is I play my music all the time, as it is so motivating and reminds me that the contest is just around the corner.
Oh have got the most brilliant new camera.. It is a video camera, Kodak Zx1 which is amazing. Takes fantastic video which can be put straight onto YouTube etc, and you take pics from the video once it is uploaded on to the computer. so much better than trying to pose shots etc.. Ive been trying to get used to it and have used it a far bit today posing around, and chasing Jordie and my cat around recording. It is all part of the plan to began video uploads on here of my training for my comp so Im looking forward to getting it all sorted properly..
Well I have promised before and Im promising again for more updates and I will. There is so much to talk about once we get into contest prep. So I shall chat to you this week, record my weight for you and also do some training vids.. xx

"Age is a high price to pay for maturity"
15.11.09

My gosh, tomorrow I turn 49 years old. I dont think it is too early to start planning the big 50 party but it is kind of is hard getting the old head around the fact that I will be half a century old next year..
I dont feel old - yet. I definately still act like a school girl pretty much most of the time ( and still have the uniform to prove it), but phrew, it is abit scary thinking that maybe I should start acting and dressing my age soon so I have done abit of internet shopping tonight to try to change my look more fitting for my aged bod gradually..

I am going to change my look voluntarily before people start giving me the hint also as I would hate to hear that people are saying horrible mutton dressed as ham things about me....

So lingerie ( that is my love) I will be going from this kind of pink frilly thing to the more sensible (and very handy for looking really skinny full length corset thing. Much more appropriate and will stop my fatty bits from jiggling when I wear them under my new more conservative runnning clothes., No more bouncy bumps.

For swimwear - well I am always worried about having nipple slip in costumes like this one but it was perfect for getting the breasts out for a quick suntan when people werent watching,but now Im going more practicle suit but one which will still allow the sun to colour me cos it is virtually see through PLUS I can still look "nipply" so people who are with me can gauge if I need a foil blanket to warm me up if I start to get cold and risk hyperthermia. They say as we get older you can confuse being cold to feeling very hot... dangerous for the aged on the beach obviously.

For going out wear, and I have been known for dressing a little slutty when feeling exceptionally hot( in contest shape only) so it is time to tone it down - big time. I think I will love actually love having a dress that I am acutally having to try to pull up all the time to show abit of leg instead of pulling one down all time to stop showing my cheeks or whatever. And of course I do need longer fuller clothing to accomodate my new underwear which you will read about and Im damn excited about. I havent been able to decide on the two outfits as it was too tough when I am feeling so excited about change so I have ordered one of each.. Cant wait for that courier package....


The underwear has had to change. See my underwear here is tiny and had to be very carefully aligned and I can never fit my incontinence pads in them
but now I can get these new incontinence pants which are absolutely perfect for squatting in or leg pressing as you can insert fresh incontinence pads in between sets ( Love that bonus) Plus they dont ride up and you have no VPL.. but I must admit you do get abit of a camel toe effect but just explain to people it is the pads fault... This is the most exciting........................

Incontinence pants for men which are even better for woman
I thought that I may invest in 3-4 pairs of these as well, as they have that handy lil front pocket where I can keep my
mobile phone safe... when Im out running and I can feel it vibrate when I have the sound off.. Perfect for many reasons obviously... .

and lastly and Im really excited about this is I dont have to use the parrallel dip frame any more at the gym
cos will have the my frame, and I can do triceps on it whenever I want. It comes in these gorgeous patterns too so I can coordinate my slacks and blouses etc. The world of design is just to good to me.....

So there are definate changes to be made with my 50th birthday approaching this time next year
but in the meantime I think I will just ease into my changes slowly so my family and friends dont notice the quick downturn of my mobility and looks.
Any other tips then let me know - Im all ears - oops I forgot about the hearing aids.. Back to google .

Training as a Pro
30.10.09

My BSc order has arrived this week and Im ready to kick into hard out training. On monday I will tell you how and why I take them
click here for Bodyscience

Training has been going really well. We have only been doing 4 days per week lately but start kicking in again from now in.
It has been brilliant having some down time and I feel so motivated to go hard out now for an event next year. Actually I feel next year is going to be a brilliant one. I have my home life settled - love my home which is getting more like a home now rather than a flat, and I am trying to sort out a few things workwise. I am looking so forward to heading away internationally next year and believe it or not looking forward to the challenge of going even harder this year to prove that - well to prove that I can.

I have been really enjoying things clientwise lately but trying to sort things a little in that dept so that I am working mainly with self motivated people who are willing to put in the hard yards. So I have a few plans which I need to get going to help my clients in abit more. More about that another time. As you know, everything on my site is written about my own personal experiences. I dont cut and paste from other websites and I use my own personal opinions on alot of things concerning me. The diaries on her of other people are the same. True down to earth writing on the ups and downs of our sport so I hope that that helps you gain some motivation and understanding of your own ups and downs in the process and to help you realise that the problems you strike along the way are not yours alone.
I dont write gossip, although I would love to have a whole column on gossip such as
" Who in the world of bodybuilding has just shouted herself a trip to Italy using money given to her by her sugar daddy which was intended for breast implants?"
or
"Which prominant male bodybuilder was seen at "Family", dancing topless /cheek to cheek with another male bodybuilder?" haha wouldnt you love to know.

There is alot going on out there in the NZ bodybuilding that does concern me that I choose not to write about, and alot that I know about which doesnt concern me but still interests me. If I dont write about it, it is not that I dont care or dont have an opinion, its just that I dont want anybodies opinion to be swayed by my own. So I leave topical subjects alone and just stick to the important stuff. You can catch up on the gossipy stuff on the forums. Which reminds me of my favourite forum www.siouxcountry.com
I read it daily. It is a fantastic positive forum for females.. luf it..

So anyway, we have some awesome diaries coming up. You would of ready already Helens Blog. I love her blog and look forward to the daily updates she has been sending through. She is so interesting, such a bubbly lovely person and a role model to the many people who love her classes. I wish I could go to one of them. I have been working with Helen for a few years now and have so much respect for her. Its nice when I look in my appts diary and see Helens name written in.. Its like goodie - I have Helen today. I used to see her more when she was living in Auckland but she is now in Wellington and started today working with Mandi Matheson.. They would of had a few laughs today.

Then we have Karen Montague who will be writing for us - Now that I will love cos Karen's (known as Monty) life has always interested me. She is a mum, a business woman and a champion competitor who has proven herself time and time again. She does her own housework, runs her own business along with husband Grant, and is the strong and silent type. Meaning she trains her arse off, gets into incredible shape and yet I never hear her moan - never.

Another blogger who is coming on board is someone you will love. Im not naming her at the moment but seeing how her mind ticks is going to be very interesting. She is married to somebody very heavily into our sport, and she herself has competed. She has a hot hot bod and has big goals for next year so having her on board here is going to be a benefit to us all. She is very very strong mentally so all in all we have a good mix, a Pro Bodybuilder (me) , a Champion BodyFitness competitor ( Monty) a new comer who will be on stage at some time next yea ( Helen), and the "Surprise" writer who won her very first competition in physique and may cross over to Bodyfitness.
If anybody out there wishes to give the girls any form of supplement sponsorship them please let me know as you will be well advertised as the bloggers pages are well read by NZ and international readers.


Me with posing client - Vini. Easy to teach and a pleasure to be with.

Steve Williams half tanned up for tomorrow's NABBA event, and Vini before spray tanning. - good luck for tomorrow from me

Now to get onto my stuff. From now on I will start my proper training diary/blog once again. So I am leaving this one for now and will get started on Monday. Enjoy your weekend. I'm working tomorrow and spending sunday finishing potting plants etc round the place.
There is a NABBA show on tomorrow and I wish Steve and Vini all the best. I have been helping Steve with his diet and he has lost 10.7kgs and
gained 3 kgs in 5 months. He has had his fair share of health probs along the way with having Swine flu which set him back weeks and to suffering hernias and having alsorts of problems. Vini is trained by Michael Kingsnorth and is gorgeous... she is in fantastic shape and I have loved teaching her posing etc. She is going to look incredible tomorrow..

Ok I will be back in a few days. Enjoy the sun over the weekend xx