5 Weeks out....What?


Well, it has been awhile since I have updated this blog, I have been doing a lot of writing in my journal, lots of introspection has been taking place.  I am back and ready to share the happenings of my contest prep.  As my title indicates, I am 4 weeks from my show date of April 19th.  I am excited and really feel I will be ready to take the stage.  The scale has been a funny thing, I have been slimming down tremendously but the scale has moved 1 lb over the last week.  It goes to show that the scale does not always represent all that is happening during fat loss, I am losing inches like crazy in my waist, hips and butt (FINALLY!) but still need to lose some more, but I am on my way.  What I have learned this week is the importance of sleep in weight loss.  Without a good night's sleep, it can really impact the hormones, cortisol in particular, here is a great article that discusses the pros and cons of cortisol http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm.  I am learning on this journey that when I overschedule my day or the kids activities or saying "yes" to different opportunities, sometimes it can be overwhelming and if something comes up last minute, it really can add stress to the day.  As a wife of a military pilot who is gone half of the month, and in the midst of preparing for a bodybuilding show, I need to say "no" more right now, and keep my schedule with larger margins.  This philosophy can apply to anyone who feels constantly overwhelmed and stressed, examine your schedule, do you have moments of downtime in your day or is it booked solid until you collapse at home at the end of the day?  Stress is not a bad thing, it helps push us to move and get things done, protects us in times of risk to ourselves or loved ones, but when our bodies are not allowed to relax, stress can be counterproductive and harmful to our bodies.  So this week I am focused on getting a good nights rest, I make sure that I have some downtime before bed to unwind, and get myself and the kids to bed at a decent time.  This Saturday, we were free from team sport commitments so we were able to sleep in and get a great night's rest.