Friends + Goals = Success!!!

Love, Love, Love the holidays!! The road trips, family, friends and even the food, but excited to have the "food temptations" behind me. I feel as if I can justify eating anything if I am around my friends and family. What happen to my will power??? Where did it go??? How can cookies make me crumble??? Well, they did and now it is time to clean out the pantry and grill up some yummies. I definitely didn't do as bad as I have in the past, but the scale reminded me on Monday morning that the word "bad' is irrelevant when I am still up a few pounds.
Ok, so the title of this blog entry is "Friends + Goals = Success!" I have to give a huge shout out to my girl, Koren. She has been pushing me everyday to hit the gym for crazy cardio interval workouts, stepmill workouts, and total body lifts. It is so awesome to have someone to hit the gym with, who shares your similar goals and fitness level. Koren is a certified trainer and an amazing nutrition counselor. And an even more amazing friend. Between her and my girl, Erica, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have someone to share my struggles with and help me reign things back in.
So, this was the first time that I can EVER remember going to the gym on Christmas EVE, and I felt great. So accomplished and determined. I want to not only continue that in 2011, but push past it!!!!! I am excited for an amazing new year and new competition season. May seems like a long way off, but I have some legs that I need to build up and some winter "warmth" that I need to burn off. So let the party begin!!!!!! Grab a friend, your Ipod or an E-Reader and hit the gym, ladies!!! Let's do it!

When is Enough - Enough?

Ok, so I love Pizza, Chips-n-Salsa, French Fries, Onion Rings, anything chocolate and claim to be a fitness competitor. How is that possible? A little difficult, especially around the holidays. My husband is currently working 6 days a week and on his one day off we try to plan something special to do, but occasionally, like today we veg-out in front of the TV watching football games, Christmas movies, and playing the Wii. Now, this is another on of my equations for disaster, because time goes by and you start to get hungry, but not for healthy food, nope --- you crave carbs, salt, and sugar. All at the same time. UGH!!!!! Train wreck.

Today was that day! I have never felt worse......my stomach is rumbling and I am sweating. My body is like a furnace. It doesn't know what to do with this nasty fuel. YUCK!!!! It is like sludge trying to move through my body. So, enough is enough. No more talk. I don't care if my family is coming in for Christmas next week or if I am traveling to see my husband's family for Christmas in 2 weeks -- there can be no more excuses. If I have to get on here one more week and write how miserable I am and how miserable I am making those around me, I am going to pull my hair out. Lesson for today -- Stop being self destructive. Know when Enough is Enough!

Boredom = Diaster

Ok, so it's Sunday afternoon and I have had a crazy, busy, hectic weekend. Friday, was awesome. I had a super leg day with my girl, Koren, who killed me on the friggen' stairmill. Came home and could barely walk. Was going to go to the Miss Arlington Pageant Rehearsal, but was soooo tired. Instead, my mom came down and we went Christmas shopping and out to dinner at one of my favorite restuarants, Blue Ridge Grill. I had a great chicken salad, with no cheese, bacon or croutons....just chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, and cuccumbers (I even brought my own Walden Farm Dressing), however we did order an appetizer -- chips and homemade salsa. It was delicious! So, I walked away feeling pretty good. Then I went to my husband's store for their mid-night madness sale and didn't get to bed until 11:30 AM.

Saturday, I was up early to do hair and makeup for a photo shoot in Warrenton and then off to the Miss Arlington Pageant- so no gym for me on Saturday. So on to today, I got off to a good start with a great breakfast and snack # 1, then Adam tells me he is going into work for a few hours on his day off, and you would think that I would be like "GREAT, I will go to the gym." But, no I started watching TV and snacking on unhealthy snacks - chips and cookies!!!! UGH!!!! Then I tried to control it by making a protien pizza (whick is about a 3 on a scale of 1-10), but that didn't help. I am bored and watching football. Ok, so I just finished that last sentence and realized I have to get out of this house. Going to the gym. Bye!

Back On Track (And This Time It Is Not A Roller Coaster Track)

Ok, so I am going to be totally honest my "best laid plans" for my birthday and thanksgiving were a bust. I must have ate my weight in mashed potatoes. They were soooo yummy. I don't like pecan pie or pumpkin pie, so I did not indulge in any sweets, however when I got home I sort of forgot how to get to the gym....I took four days off. Unheard of!!!! UGH!!!! And I also had to bake cookies and cupcakes for my husband's MIDNIGHT MADNESS SALE at his store, and of course I had to sample them as they came out of the oven. I could hear Nicole's voice in my head - "NO SWEETS AND NO ALCOHOL!!" Fortunately, I do not like alcohol, but I LOVE SWEETS!!!!

So, I am back on track as of Monday Nov. 29th. This is the end of my second day eating clean and working out and I am down 4 lbs (funny how that works.) I usually fall off track after the second day, not sure why, but I am excited to see what tomorrow brings. I have to get rid of this fluff. I HAVE TO!!!! My sanity rests on it! So, just checking in. Hope to be in the mid 140's by Saturday. :) Just being honest!!!!

Birthday's + Holiday's = Disaster

Ok, so my birthday is in 3 days and Thanksgiving is in 4 days. I have a few invitations for dinner out with my friends and family and I am headed to Hickory, NC to enjoy Thanksgiving with my Brother and his family (whom I haven't seen in a year.) I don't want to ruin it by trying to find a gym and packing my food, but I have to stay on track. So, I will start my week off right with clean eating, and my normal workouts (and lifts) and try to plan my days off from the gym on the days that I am away. I plan on packing my jump rope and outdoor running clothes (I am glad I am starting to enjoy running outside) because you can truly run anywhere.
So, my tips for making it through the holidays or any special occasion that is either planned or unplanned.

1. Try to plan ahead or prep enough food for unexpected events.
2. Have a backup plan for your workouts (either a workout you can do indoors at your house or hotel, or pack something to take with you - an Exercise DVD, jump-rope or bands.
3. Don't change your eating schedule - if you eat every 3 hours stay on track and use a small plate for your holiday dinners.
4. if you must have some sweets let it be something you can't get everyday like your grandmother's fudge (not chocolate chip cookies).
5. Drink plenty of water. When you get thirsty your body sends out hunger cues, because there is water in our food.
6. DON'T OVER INDULGE!!!!
7. REMEMBER YOUR GOALS AND HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME!

Where To Start?

My name is Lisa Lutz, and I am an IFBB/NPC Amatuer Bikini Competitor. I started competing this past May and won my first show and placed 7th in my height class at NPC Team Universe in July and 3rd at NPC Nationals in Cleveland, OH in September. It has been a roller-coaster of a ride, including losing almost 30 lbs, and tackling 3 shows in 6 months (both first time achievements).

I am currently in my so-called "off-season," but for me that means building up my lower body (glutes, quads and hamstrings) and learning how to eat clean and enjoy it. See -- there really isn't an off-season for figure, bikini, or fitness competitors. To maintain your physique you have to maintain the diet and the training. I currently feel like I am stuck in a vortex, do I indulge (knowing that my next show isn't until June) or do I reign it in and stay focused so that I don't undo what I have accomplished with my physique thus far. UGH!!!! Such a mental mind struggle. I have decided to cronicle my up's and down's on this blog as I try for my pro-card in 2011. So, stay tuned!