The First Meet

Well, well, well.

Training pays off. In gold. Traveled to south Florida last week and came home with 5 gold medals and 2 new records.

New York is 56 days away and I'm right on target to bring home 5 more. I think I'll go for a swim.

Booyah!!

The Lifestyle

Thank you, Jillian Michaels.

It's been several months now and my body has changed significantly. Today, I grabbed a pair of jeans from the closet and slid them on. A little snug--I thought, "this isn't cool...", until I took them back off and looked at the tag. Size 8. They weren't my jeans. They were my girlfriend's.

Wow.

I'm past the point of no return now. My lifeSTYLE is completely different. My eating habits, sleep schedule, exercise regimen, attitude. I approach situations so much differently--with a balance of mind that I never possessed prior to this undertaking. I'm so grateful for little things now---I think I'm a full-on grown up.

I'm all signed up for the World Games, got my plane ticket, hotel and access badge--oh--I"m Athlete #3933. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, thrilled and downright happy to be back in the realm of the athletic and alive!

One more note---at the pool this morning, a triathlete (female, 6'2", 130 pounds) asked me if I competed in triathlons. I laughed and told her 'no', that I'm not much of a runner. She countered with, "Oh, well, you look athletic." Ok---THAT was the most amazing moment I've had in a while. That said, I'm going to train her on how to improve her stroke and she's going to help me with endurance. How's that for a win-win?

Movin'.

The Challenge

Wow.

Sometimes things just fall into place, don't they? I've read two books this week (Unlimited by Jillian Michaels and Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins), written 15 years apart and they essentially say the exact same thing: YOUR LIFE IS YOUR CHOICES. You choose to become a part of something spectacular or choose to sit on the sidelines. That's it. End game.

Both Michaels and Robbins practice what they preach, as does Dara Torres, my other model and pseudo-mentor. The message is simple: find out what people you admire do to acquire success and model yourself after them. Find out what you can about their habits, lifestyle, hard work and dedication and then just freaking do it.

This journey has been about so much more than taking first place in a swim meet. It has changed my life. I have learned so much about myself--and how truly unlimited we all are and how we place SO MANY limitations on ourselves every minute of every day. We must break free of those chains and learn, one step at a time, how to maximize our individual potential. Not everyone can be a nuclear physicist or discover the cure for cancer, but the potential for greatness resides inside every one of us.

Tap into it and find out how amazing you really are.

The Gym

I'm pushing more weight at the gym than I ever thought possible.

Tonight, I was doing lat pulldowns with 150 pounds for 12 reps/4 sets. Pretty soon, I'll be doing pullups instead! The pounds are coming off and I'm feeling really strong. This is easily the best thing I've ever done for myself.

I read a post by Jillian Michaels today about goal setting. It said that in order for a goal to be achievable, it has to be 1) attainable, 2) cut into manageable pieces, and 3) be written down.

Ok.

1) Win 5 gold medals.

2) Train week to week with breaks for muscle rehab

3) Done.

The Uniform

Just got my team USA uniform in the mail! Nothing has ever inspired me more--I am so ready to kick some ass!!

The Changes

Express had an amazing sale on jeans last month. Good thing--they were normally $75 and I paid $50. They are HUGE! I tried them on this morning and they are, effectively, unwearable. Only a month ago, they were a little snug in the bootie. Unbelievable.

Also--I tried on a pair of army green pants that I have had for...10 years? I love those pants and they have been hanging in my closet, patiently waiting for my butt to shrink enough to slide them on. This morning? Ooooh, yeah baby. They're back in the wardrobe!

The Motivation

I've been hitting the gym hard for the past two weeks. Dieting---well, "eating clean" as they say. It hasn't been easy. There are so many temptations out there, the least of which is Starbucks. Let me tell you--not going for the venti vanilla latte and opting instead for a grande brewed coffee with no cream has been....well....a bitch. But, I've found that replacing a few things has made a huge difference. Instead of cream, I use some skim milk and a dash of cinnamon, which actually sweetens it a bit. I've never used sweetener of any kind in my coffee. so I guess I'm ahead on that front.

I've cut out ALL white flour, sugar, starches and most gluten. This has, by far, been the most difficult part of this venture. I had no idea how much CRAP is out there! Being a Type A (+++, ha), I've read nutrition books by Tosca Reno, Jillian Michaels, Timothy Ferriss, you name it. They're all basically telling us the same thing--cut out the crap. Okay....but where do I start? When I cleaned out the cupboards and actually read the ingredients in some of the stuff I've been shamelessly cramming into my gullet, I was really shocked. It's disgusting. Hydrogenated oils? Partially hydrogenated, refined, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated--hey! I've taken chemistry classes and I don't need these words to make their way from my table into my bloodstream, thankyouverymuch.

Start with what you're eating. Knock it off--plain and simple. Find the strength within yourself---and love yourself--enough to quit eating shit. Seriously. I'm a sugar JUNKIE and I've given it up. I quit smoking, cold turkey, on November 3, 2003. I quit refined sugar on March 13, 2011. Give yourself some credit for being strong. You don't need it--it wreaks havoc on your system and keeps you from performing at your best. I feel like a different person after only 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS, PEOPLE. Don't you have 2 weeks in you to give it a shot?

The Weight

The WEIGHT. I have a minimum of 30 pounds to lose if I'm going to have a prayer of competing the way I want to in August. I keep thinking---August, that's 5 months away! And then I think--August. Shit! That's 5 months away!

30 pounds. That sounds so daunting to a woman who has been at a fairly ideal weight most of my life. I gained it so fast while I was in school--not working out, not getting sleep, working too much in an exhausted state. Truth be told, I think I drained my adrenals to the point that they finally told me to kindly go fuck myself and started pumping out cortisol like nobody's business. Now, I have fat stores in places I didn't know I had places. I've been reading a lot of books (Jillian Michaels, Tosca Reno, pros in the fitness biz) and I think I have a pretty good idea of where to go with this thing.

My diet for the past several days has been FLAWLESS and I'm not minding as much as I thought I would. I've noticed my energy levels jump through the roof and I've actually wanted to go to the gym and pool to workout. Hard. I mean, push myself like crazy.

I seriously hope that this energy burst lasts, because I'm loving it right now. I feel lighter and my clothes are already beginning to feel a little looser. Not that I have the money for an entire new wardrobe, but it won't hurt my feelings if I never see a double-digit pants size ever again!

The photo symbolizes the fog I've been living in for 2 years while I worked on my advanced degree. Now that I've accomplished that goal, I've planted the seed for another one.

The Beginning

I have decided, perhaps against my better judgment, to get my ass back into the pool (along with all of my other major parts) and train for the 2011 World Police and Fire Games. Might not sound like much, but 20,000 elite athletes from around the globe, competing in 70 Olympic-style events might argue with you. That's right. This thing is second in size and competition only to the Olympics.

What in the hell am I thinking??

I've set my sights on the one sport I have known throughout my life and the one sport I have turned to for high-powered competition, stress relief, relaxation, peace of mind and good, old-fashioned fitness: swimming. I have been at home in the pool since I swam my first race at 6 years of age. I lost miserably, but I went home with a pink 6th place ribbon. I lost and I still got a ribbon! That single spark lit a flame that still burns brightly today and I still harbor the competitive spirit I grew up with back in Maryland in the 70's and 80's. Just thinking about cramming my hair into a swim cap and pushing goggles into my eye sockets whips up my competitive side like nothing else on earth.

So.....that said, I've started a training regimen that is going to push me to my outer limits. Granted, I have to work 40-50 hours a week and still have outside commitments to attend to as well, but my plans are grounded in a foundation seated long ago. I've always pushed myself in every aspect of my life. I obtained my bachelor's and master's degrees, magna and summa cum laude respectively, while working full-time investigating violent crimes and homicides and acting as the training coordinator for the crime scene unit of the 10th largest police department in the nation. If I can do all of THAT, winning gold at the 2011 games is definitely doable.

There's my goal. In black & white. 5 gold medals. 3 individuals (50 free, 50 back, 50 fly) and 2 relays (200 free, 200 medley).

No luck necessary. It's all in the pool and in the gym.