In 3rd Place, Number 329...

It's still a little surreal for me: I placed 3rd in the NPC Easterns USA Championship Open Bikini Class C.

I was thinking the odds were against me considering Open Class C are some of the average height women, and women who have several competitions already under their belt. This is my first one.

I thought to myself, "Just have fun with it, Jam".  Little did I know I would be nervous as I stepped center stage with these bright lights on you and 6 or 7 serious-faced judges staring at you. I almost toppled over at one point so I rushed through a pose, practically skipping it althogether. My smiles were shakey because I was that nervous. Also, when I made first call outs, I didn't know until the lady on stage working the show had to tell me to step on the line. When I was told to move so that judges can do their comparisons, I again didn't move until I was told by the lady. Thank goodness for this lady and I swear I have the brains to follow instructions.. just not while I'm in a daze and the mic is slightly muffled.

I've been asked, "What's next?".
Answer:  To have this really awesome blessing settle in, celebrate my birthday in a few days, and prepare for the holidays and other celebrations with family and friends. I answered the one question that got me started with this competition: "Can I do it?".   I sure did. God is so good.

Some more pictures on my IG (@jfrondos) and FB accounts.


A motivational message from me:
Don't Quit.  Keep driving towards you goals - family, career, education, fitness, etc. Whatever if is, don't stop, take it (literally) one day/challenge at a time, be grateful, and keep doing non-average things. Someone said happiness doesn't come in the things you acquire, but in the physical/mental challenges you face, accept, and conquer. All things are possible through Him. Learn from the struggle and know it's worth it. Keep a razor sharp focus in the present because you know greater things will come. They always do.

NPC: Learning Experience

What I've learned from this whole NPC/prep experience:

I learned I'm mentally stronger than I thought I was - my work ethic and discipline can't ever be questioned. I learned what my mind/body loves, hates, needs, tolerates. 

• Love that God gave me this opportunity, both the chaos and the rewards
• Love that I am one determined mothafu--
• Love that we can conquer anything as long as we take it one step at a time. Literally. 
• Love that everything is good again after a good weight training session - it's the solution to my exhaustion and bad moods. Plus, I love what comes with it: strength, the muscles, the "cuts"
• Love how I look in leggings and sports bra - no shirt necessary. 
• Hate cardio that lasts more than 20 mins and is steady state. 
• Hate peak week.
• Need a support system; need my JVA.
• Need (clean) carbs several times a week for brain food. I don't look / crave for it often off prep mode, but I noticed my brain and body function A LOT different without even just a little carbs. 
• Tolerate 6am workouts because at the end of an exhaustive work day, I get to go straight home or hang out if I want to.

 

 

 

Philippians 4:6-9

Attended Mass a few weeks ago. Haven't in a looooong time. Needed to read this:


Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Secrets

The little things I did during prep that I didn't tell you, until now (fully aware my coach could read this, yikes):


I have eaten 3 (or was it 4?) quest bars in one sitting. Let's blame it on a mental/emotional melt down that led to no self-control.

I have online shopped to kill food cravings. Killing my wallet wasn't the smartest alternative.

I would savor my flavored tums/sugar-free throat drops because it was the closest thing to sweets (if I was craving sweets). Or I chewed flavored gum like crazy because it was the closest thing to a sweet treat I could have when I craved it.

I would go to the "good-bad" aisles at Target (cookies, chips, candies, etc) and look at the items I couldn't have at the moment. Just look. No touch.

Peak Week

In peak week and less than 1 week out. This is when shit gets real up in here. It's when competitors are tested and tried. When we are expected to keep it together and rise above the hunger pangs and say "fuck you hunger I'm almost there". There is light at the end of this tunnel. (No, it's food you see at the end of my tunnel). It's when the excitement kicks in that there's only a few more days!! But....
Not in my court.

I'm not dealing with peak week the way I wanted or expected to. I'm a little disappointed in myself actually. It is prob lack of carbs WHILE keeping the beast mode turned on and up in the gym. No more protein shakes (gasp!) 'til after show time.

What I want to do is sleep through the week and not wake up until Friday, when I get my spray tan on. I feel like my brain went on vacation and my eyelids are heavy despite having good sleep. Someone at work notices I lost some "sparkle" in my eyes. I even have dreams of "oh shit I wasn't supposed to eat that". 

Oh and I'm 114lbs. I think I was heavier in high school!


Update: Coach D told me to eat carbs today because I couldn't help but bitch to her about my 'blahs'. But that's why she's there as a coach: to tell you how it is (good and not so good), what you need to do, and for her clients to tell her how they are feeling. It's an awesome two-way street. With this brain fuel now coursing through my bloodstream, the pep in my step and the excitement are back. Heck, several genuine smiles re-surfaced today.