Tag Archives: fitness

No Carbs No Clue

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No Carbs, No Clue!

Sept09-2So I am once again getting ready for my next competition.   This one is the Fitness Nationals next weekend in New York City.  Still trying for that pro card so I can be a professional athlete.  I know it takes time and experience so I am trying to get as much exposure as possible.

Once again, the focus was getting my glutes down.  In other words, goodbye sexy black girl booty and hello cute white girl booty.  I wake up every morning, turn sideways and see if my curve has deflated any more.  I see the changes, but still have some way to go.  In order to try to decrease the fat faster, it was suggested that I give up all carbs every other day for the eight weeks I spend training.  When I say ALL carbs, I mean ALL carbs.  Carbs are the foods that give you energy.  They help keep you alert and moving.  Lack of carbs makes for lack of enthusiasm.  My bed/tv/and I have become very good friends. I’ve seen one too many Lifetime movies and re-runs of Project Runway and Real Housewives.

Lack of carbs also causes a lack of common sense.  One morning I was ready to take my supplements.  I opened the bottle.  Instead of pouring the supplements in my hand,   I poured the bottle of water in my hand.  (Not a good feeling first thing in the morning). I will ask you a question, get an answer and then ten minutes later not remember if I really asked the question or just thought about it.  Sarcasm is not allowed at a time like this.  Any jokes that I’d usually catch on it are now just not worth the effort in figuring out.

I miss my carbs oh so much.  A slice of supreme pizza for Za’s.  Some pasta from Macaroni Grill.  A burrito from Qdoba.  All the food from Dinner is Done.  Dessert from Homemade Pie and Ice Cream Kitchen.  Cheddar bisquits from Red Lobster.  Breakfast from anywhere.  Me and all of these foods will be reunited in just 10 days so I can be patient.

Just know, though, when you see people that are in great shape, there is a lot of sacrifice that comes with it.  I’ve missed a long of social gatherings either to rest or simply because all people there would be doing is eating.  I spend every morning doing cardio and every evening at the gym.  The way I look this week with 10% bodyfat is not the way I look throughout the year.  My weight is actually down to about 110 pounds, but by the time you see me at the end of the month (and after I stuff my face with the above mentioned foods) I would have probably gained at least 6-10 pounds back.

If you set a goal, you should dedicate yourself 100% to achieving that goal because you never know what blessings you could receive.  I’ll have that bag of Oreos real soon, but I have a fitness routine to rock out in NYC first!

M.Y. September 2009

It’s All in the Numbers

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It’s All In The Numbers

May09-5So this past weekend was an interesting one.  Saturday was my first National fitness competition.  I was nervous about it.  I also had all of these other emotions running through my head because the weekend represented so much more.

May 23, 2009.  This day represented the 3 year anniversary of my mother’s death.  When my mother passed away in 2006, it was exactly 3 days before my 30th birthday (May 26).  If both of my parents would have been alive then, it would have also been 3 days before their 33rd wedding anniversary. (Yes, I crashed their 3rd wedding anniversary by being born a month early).

So here it is 3 years later on May 23.  This is the anniversary once again.  Now, it’s 3 days before I turn 33.  Yeah that’s a lot of threes!  If you caught up and understood all of it, you’re doing good things this morning.

While training for my competition, I continually wore a teal bracelet that says “OverCome” which represents Ovarian Cancer.  This competition was dedicated to my mother and I wanted to do well.  I didn’t know how I’d be emotionally on that day, but wanted to do my best.

The morning judging started out well – until my music skipped in the middle of my routine.  Although the crowd encouraged me to keep going and clapped at the end, I was frustrated that I wasn’t able to perform it the way it should have been.  Luckily, the judges let me perform it again at the end of the other competitors.  By the end of judging, I had no idea how I placed.

Since this was a National contest, there were many talented women there.  I was amazed at some of the routines and found some moves I will try to incorporate into my future performances.  Awards were given out that night.  I set a goal for my placing and accomplished it.  I walked away with a great National ranking and thought it was pretty interesting that my placing went right along with the same number that represented that entire weekend! pics/video here

(thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!)

M.Y. May 2009

Mental Block?

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Mental Block?

May09-4Have you ever gone through something in your life that you just can’t seem to resolve?  Maybe you’ve wanted to break up with your mate, but those words just stay on the tip of your tongue.  Maybe you’ve thought about joining a gym but the thought of seeing yourself in shorts prevents you from making the trip.  Or maybe you keep telling yourself that this drink will be the last.

Recently I experienced a mental block of a different type and it drove me crazy.  I mentioned my last competition the first week of March and how upset I was at myself for putting my hands down on my roundoff backhandspring backtuck tumbling pass.  It’s a skill I’ve been able to do since I was six so why would my first stumble be in front of an international crowd?

Well, I let the fall get to me and stay in my head.  My next competition (the big one) is this weekend and for the past several weeks I have not been able to throw that tumbling pass.  When I’d get to it in the routine, I’d tell myself that I was too tired and would just skip it.  Other times I was yelling at myself in the practice room mirror “Come on Yeager, you can do this.”  Sometimes I would dread getting out of bed at just the thought of doing it.  A skill that I’ve been able to do forever, was now a skill in which I became nervous and feared.

I went and met with my trainer a couple of weeks ago and shared with her my thoughts and struggle.  She suggested to no longer do that skill and do something similar, yet different.  I didn’t automatically agree with her.  Part of me felt as if I needed to conquer my mental block and see my way through it. If you don’t face your fears, they will always remain fears.  So, for the past two weeks I practiced the initial skill and the suggested skill.

Then it happened.  Last Thursday night I was just sitting at home watching tv.  This feeling shot through my body that said ‘go through your routine – NOW!’  So I threw on some workout clothes, grabbed my boombox, put on my performance shoes and drove to the gym.  Without stretching or anything I threw my entire routine – with the ‘feared’ skill!  It felt wonderful to throw and let me know that I still had the ability to do it.  I went on a recorded both skills in the routine and went home that night to watch them.

In the end I ended up switching to the skill suggested by my trainer because it actually looked better.  I was happy with that decision because I know I wasn’t doing it to avoid a fear, instead I was doing it to improve my routine.  This weekend I’ll be in Charleston, SC trying to improve my rankings on the National stage.  Wish me luck!

M.Y. May 2009

We All Make Mistakes

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“We All Make Mistakes”

Mar09-3So, I had been preparing for an international Fitness competition.  There were competitors from over 40 countries, many of which brought their interpreters.  It’s called, The Arnold, and is named after The Terminator himself.  Although I was sidelined with a neck injury, I felt ready to compete and to start making a fitness name for myself.

I was #10 and the last competitor in the short class for fitness.  We were all back stage and there was a television so that we could see everyone else’s routine.  The first routine was last year’s overall winner, and she had an amazing routine.  However, I watched the rest of the girls and realized that my routine was pretty comparable, if not better, than theirs.

As I went on the stage, the crowd was impressed with my opening, I became excited with my routine and my facial expressions were in full swing.  And then the first thing started happening – my shorts started riding up the crack on my buttocks.  Yeah, at first I said to just leave it, but they were really up there.  So – I picked them out.  And then I picked them out again.  And then I picked them out one more time.  My butt was already bigger than the other women on stage and the last thing I wanted to do was expose its entire package to the watching audience.

I was stoked to get through the strength moves in my routine with ease and just had my last tumbling pass to complete.  I had plenty of energy and couldn’t wait to end the routine.  I did the tumbling pass – a roundoff, backhand spring, backtuck.  As my feet touched the ground for my backtuck, so did my hands.  I was SO MAD at myself.  Since I was six years old, I don’t ever remember falling on a tumbling pass.  I was disappointed with myself and although I talked to other people, I didn’t talk to myself for the entire night.

Although I wanted 3rd or 4th, I ended up placing 5th in the competition.  It taught me a lot of lessons as I prepare for my next major competitions in several weeks.  Most importantly, I learned to recover and keep going when something doesn’t go as expected.  I also learned that a mistake will only make you stronger.  This competition was supposed to be preparation for the Pro Card qualifier that matters, so know I can fix the cracks (literally) and perform a stronger routine.

Mistakes happen to us all. Even sometimes in front of people.  Even sometimes in front of thousands of people.  Even sometimes in front of several websites that post unpleasant pictures of your backside.  Even sometimes on videos on sale to hundreds of people.  But, hey, it’s all good.  It should just give you the drive to try again and this time come back with a better package!

M.Y. March 2009

I Heart My Neuro

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I Heart My Neuro!

(below photo is my MRI)
Feb09-4

I am messed up!  A normal person’s neck curves to the back, mine curves to the front.  This has given me unlimited visits to the chiropractor.  Although sometimes uncomfortable, it’s always been manageable – until recently.
On January 26, the day before the Ice Storm, my neck became sore.  I had spent the entire weekend moving furniture, painting and organizing.  I thought nothing of it and knew my chiro would fix it as soon as I could shovel my driveway and make it to his office.  After two visits, I was still in some pain.  No problem, I thought to myself, I’ll just go to the physical therapist and she will make it better.  After a week with her it was still not getting better.  Let me describe the pain – when I wake up each morning and am lying on my back, I try to sit up, but can’t.  Everything moves (my arms, my legs) but not my neck.   I must roll over onto my shoulder, then slowly turn my neck to that side to push myself up.  Yeah, that type of pain!  I continued to work out during these two weeks because I have a major fitness competition on March 5.
After returning from Boston, I decided to go to the gym and throw my entire routine with all of my skills.  Although I felt some pain, I was still able to get through it.  But that night, my neck completely cramped up.  I cried because it was so uncomfortable.  It hurt to do anything.  In my words, “life hurt”.  My friends all suggested I go to the Emergency Room.  After some resistance, I went around midnight and it was completely a wasted visit.  My doctor gave me some type of shot in both arms and my buttock for pain, but I guess the medicine never reached my neck.  I woke up around 3am to use the bathroom.  I was unable to walk and felt completely nauseated.  I tried to crawl back to the bed, but couldn’t.  So, I just stayed in the crawl position with my face resting on the floor and cried some more in pain.  Without lifting my neck more than 5 inches from the ground, I crawled the rest of the way back into bed and prayed to God to be released of this agony.
That morning (Monday), the physical therapist sent me to my regular doc and he suggested I get an MRI.  They fit me in that night.  At first the MRI women didn’t want to give me an MRI because they thought I was in too much pain and wouldn’t be able to make it through.  I told them I was fine once I was in one position, I just needed help with the transition.
On Friday (2/13), I was called with the MRI results.  I was told that I have a central disk protrusion in the C-3/C-4 area, moderate canal narrowing and central chord flattening.  My doctor said I was being referred to a Neurosurgeon.  A what?  Isn’t that a brain doctor?  Isn’t that what McDreamy does on Grey’s Anatomy?  Yeah, that’s a little serious!  The major thing about all of this is that I am supposed to compete in a couple of weeks and didn’t know what I should do.
That weekend (Valentine’s  Day) I went to the gym for the first time in over a week.  On Sunday, my neck was stiff again so I decided not to compete in the division where I have to perform a routine.  I emailed my trainer to tell her.  She was supportive.  Monday morning I called the promoters to see if I could switch divisions.  He said yes.  I told him I’d let him know for sure after I saw my doctor on Wednesday.
Monday (2/16) I also visited my physical therapist.  She worked wonders because my neck felt better.  I went home and threw my routine in my living room.  I knew I wouldn’t do it at the competition, but it felt good to at least be able to do it.  I emailed my trainer Julie to tell her it felt good and that I’d mail in my application for the other division in the morning.  She emailed back on Tuesday morning and said that I should consider still doing fitness.  What?  I’m going to see a Neuro the next day and you want me to do fitness?  This is crazy, I thought.  So, I decided to once again hold off on my decision and leave it all in the hands of my Neuro.
Wednesday (2/18) was the visit to the Neuro.  He looked at my MRI and pretty much said I will be messed up for life.  My reverse curve means that forward movements could bring me pain.  The bulging disk means that backwards movements could cause pain. However, because it is only intense pain at most once a year and physical therapy improves it, he told me to enjoy life.  Then I asked him the million dollar question – “See, I have this competition in just two weeks where I will be flipping on stage.  I open with three standing back tucks, can I still enter?”  And Mr. Neuro, my neuro said “Go For It”.  I heart my Neuro!  I heart my Neuro!  I heart my Neuro!
I floated out of the office with so much excitement!  I am now focused. I am only two weeks away from my biggest competition thus far.  It’s called The Arnold and it is an international competition where Arnold Schwarzenegger gives awards to the winners.  The women in my division are from places like Canada, Belgium, France, Russia – and Louisville, KY.  Although behind in my training, I know that I was meant to compete here. I know I was meant to represent the minority women of the world!
Here I am a week out from the show with the ability to lift, tumble and dance.  Less than two weeks ago I was stranded on the bathroom floor.  If I hadn’t received the email from Julie I would have switched divisions.  Her email made me stall.  And, although my Neurosurgeon delivered the wonderful news, I know there was someone much higher up that gave me the blessing.  God is so good, so good, SO GOOD!

M.Y. February 2009

Room for Improvement

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Room For Improvement

Feb09-2When I was a teacher, we would receive a summative evaluation every 1-3 years.  You could receive markings like “Consistently Meets”, “Adequate Meets”, “Inconsistently Meets” and “Does Not Meet”.  I always received great markings.  One of my principals told the entire staff that she never gives all “consistently meets” because she always believes that there is room for improvement. Regardless of how wonderful our classroom and teaching ability may be, we should always strive to motivate ourselves to do more.  That made complete sense to me!

I was excited to recently celebrate one year of my figure/fitness training.  In order to work with my trainer in Cincy last year, I had to first email her my photo so she could see if I had ‘potential’.  I thought my photo was decent.  My elbows were a little pointy (I call them my daggers), but I thought I fit into the two piece well.

So, here it is a year later and I take another photo.  Same bathing suit.  Stood in the same place in my house to take the pic.  When I put the two photos next to each other I was amazed at the differences.  Although my weight was about the same, I had gained a lot of muscle.  My butt (which I’ve discussed previously) last year was a little droopy on the sides.  Squats perked it up a bit.  My legs are fuller and my shoulders more rounded.

Seeing both photos reminded me that there really is always room from improvement.  I was content with the 2008 Yeager model, but further enjoy version 2.0.  So often the changes in our life our small.  I look in a mirror everyday, so I don’t really feel like I am making changes in my physique.  However, once you’re able to take a step back and look at the big pictures, you’ll see that change is coming.  Small steps can make a tremendous difference.  If you’ve been trying to accomplish something for some time, stop and think about where you are now with your goal.  Now, think about where you were when you first started.  Although you may not be at your final step in the process, I think you’d be amazed at how far you’ve come thus far.

M.Y.  February 2009