April 27, 2015

I am 4 weeks out which is SO CRAZY. Between graduating, prep, and starting work full time, these weeks are going to fly by. I went to the Natural Southern States Classic on Saturday with Luke and Caitlin to watch Men's Physique and Women's Figure. I had never been to a show before, so it was a really valuable experience. It really reiterated how important presentation and listening is. Some of the competitors on Saturday looked great, but you could tell they were scared shitless. Their blatant nervousness took away from their physique, and that's something I don't want to happen with me. Obviously everyone up there is nervous, but it's important to not show it and to own what you are doing. That being said, with school winding down I really want to hit my posing even harder than I have been. Caitlin and I got together to practice posing on Sunday and we are going to make it a weekly thing which I am super excited about. It's nice to have another set of eyes on you and to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Plus Caitlin is the bee's knees. 

My mom still needs to finish my suit bottoms, so hopefully we can get that wrapped up soon. I also decided that I want to bling the shit out of my suit. The blinged out suits on stage looked so amazing on Saturday!!! 

Nutrition is being changed up this week. Dairy has been eliminated and I am starting to carb cycle. I am excited to see how my body responds these changes. 

Week 15 Check-In Pics

Thanks for reading and for the support. This whole experience has been such a huge blessing. My quality of life has been drastically improved, and I have never been more at peace with who I am and what I am capable of. I have met so many inspiring people and have made so many wonderful and quality friendships. I can't wait to see what the future holds. 

Much love and lifting, 

Leah

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April 6, 2015

Just wrapped up Week 12 of prep. Met with Luke this past Saturday & am still making the steady progress that I need to be. Body fat is down to 13.7%, and weight is still staying constant. My weight is currently at around 128.5lb and I started prep at around 131.5lb. For the most part my weight has stayed around the 128-130lb range throughout prep. Definitely shows that the scale does not tell the whole story. People, especially women, put too much emphasis on that number and get easily discouraged. Fitness and health are so much more than a number. It's how your clothes fit, how much stronger you are, and most importantly how you feel.

Overall, bikini prep is very glute focused, but I have also been making a very conscious effort to be hitting shoulders and lats pretty hard. I want to  put on some upper body mass so I am not a total noodle on stage :).

Other than that, not much has changed. School and work have been pretty busy/stressful, but it's nice to have an outlet for that stress. Being able to channel my energy, whether it be negative or positive, into my lifts has been really great for my mental health and overall well being.

 Midway through Week 12

Left pic is from the end of Week 3. Top & right pic are from the end of this week (Week 12)

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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