Rockin' the Bikini

Happy Labor Day weekend, friends!!

Hopefully, this weekend finds you celebrating with friends and family.  For me and my little family, it's going to be very laid-back.  Homemade ranch dip with Greek yogurt, sliced garden-fresh veggies, turkey brats, and some yummy grilled shrimp are on the menu for us tonight while we watch UFC 164.  Tomorrow, I'll be poolside...inflatable 24-inch poolside, that is, with my little girl!

Maybe you're going to be poolside, too, or even better, relaxing at the lake or the beach.    This holiday weekend closes out the summer season for many of us, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about something that has been on my heart for a while now:  the bikini.

At the beginning of the summer, my FB newsfeed was bombarded with Christian blogs and articles about swimwear.  I think the one that stuck with me the most was one that referenced a verse in Matthew:  "But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  (5:28 NLT).  This particular blog went on to emphasis the use of the word "with" and say that while the man looking a woman in bikini is responsible for his sin - lust -, that by wearing a bikini, a woman has committed a sin as well - that she had sinned with the man.  The author said she found bikinis cute, but that she didn't wear one because she didn't want to be a stumbling block for others.

While I respect her opinion and convictions, I have to be honest.  I wear a bikini every time I get in the water.  I have a long torso, and one piece suits just creep up in all the wrong places on me.  Tankinis are never long enough, and monokinis just aren't my thing.  It's a matter of comfort, but also of fashionable preference.  I feel better about my presentation in a bikini - not more attractive, just simply like I have a more put-together, flattering appearance.  And in the interest of truth, ladies, let's be real:  if we don't feel good about the way we look, we don't feel good about ourselves.   So today, I'm taking a minute to take an approach some Christian women are going to shake their heads at:  I'm encouraging my female audience to ROCK THAT BIKINI this weekend.

Over the course of the summer, I've thought about the afore-mentioned blog several times.  Each time, I got increasingly irritated.  Not once did I feel convicted to wear a one piece or, even better, a full length scuba suit, to the pool.  I just felt condemned for my personal choices.   I also began to think about that use of Matthew 5:28...if a woman wears a slim fitting, sleeveless dress that covers her from neck to knee at church, a man can still look at her with lust in his heart.  Does that make her sinful?  I can wear jeans and a tee shirt and a man can look at me with lust in his heart.  Does THAT make me sinful?   Where do we draw the line?  Why does a bared tummy make a woman sinful but a fully clothed woman is free from that sin when either is capable of creating lustful thoughts in the mind of man?   I was perplexed by this...and angry.  I shouldn't feel ashamed of my body simply because I might cause a man to sin.   By insinuating that one is sinning simply by being the source of a man's lust - something a woman may or may not have intended and may or may not have control over - the author creates undue shame and self-reproach in Christian women everywhere.

I think the core of this matter is intention.  When a woman wears a bikini to the community pool with the intention of catching the eye of men and creating lustful thoughts, that is completely different than a mom wearing a bikini to the community pool with the intention of playing Marco Polo with her kids.  In 1 Timothy, Paul writes that women should dress modestly, with decency and propriety.  I've had this verse thrown at me more times than I care to count...and as a result,  I've spent some time researching this within the context of the social circumstances and customs at the time Paul wrote the letter.  I believe, ultimately, that what Paul was saying was that women should dress in a way that prevents division and shows respect for the feelings of others.  Don't dress in a way that shows you're wealthy, don't imitate prostitutes (which some of the women in Rome were doing), and don't dress in a way that shows you're of better social stature than others.  Essentially, dress in a way that prevents believers from judging one another when they come together.  Dress nicely.  Take care in your appearance....just don't offend others with your attire.  Take that for what you will in today's society.  Pray about it - talk to God, and act upon your own personal convictions, not the condemnation or feelings of others.

Don't wear a skimpy string bikini to the youth ministry's end-of-summer pool party.  Don't wear a g-string to the family barbecue this weekend.  Don't wear a bikini to the lake if your intention is to create lust in the heart of men.  But girls...don't be ashamed of your bodies because you fear it will create lust and don't feel condemned because you don't feel convicted to wear one piece.   If you can do it with a pure heart, if you're dressed appropriately and have good intentions...wear what you're comfortable in, whether that's a tankini, a high waisted bikini, a one piece, a monokini, scuba suit, a gunny sack, shorts and a tee shirt, or even a good ol' bikini.

Tomorrow, I'm going to catch some sun and splash some water with my little girl, and I plan on rocking a bright pink and orange lace bikini while I'm doing it.  If it's what you decide you want to wear...rock that bikini!

Until next time...

TRAIN HARD - LIFT HEAVY - FUEL YOUR BODY - FEED YOUR FAITH

F

Lunk Alarm: Take 2!!

While the sport of physique competitions is not extreme in the sense of putting yourself in dangerous situations (think Shaun White at the X Games), it is extreme in that the individuals participating are working to achieve unnaturally lean physiques.   The look you see on stage is not only an extreme in that sense, but also unsustainable.  That look is generally achieved with a week of careful preparation after an extended period of dieting, and it lasts only a few hours.

The Basics

Well...with a title like "lunk alarm", you have to know we lift heavy things.  And we put them back down.  

I weight train 5x a week.  I have done more or less in the past, and it depends on the type of programming I'm doing and what my goals are.   Weight training is an absolute pillar in physique competitions - it builds and shapes the physique.   For many women, it's through weight training that they decide which division they are best suited for. 

Cardio is also a big part of training for shows.  Unfortunately, it's become widely accepted that doing an hour or more of cardio each day is the only way to get lean enough.  Some people do as much as 2.5 hours a day.  I do not.  My coach - Layne - is incredible.  I currently do cardio 1x/week, and including warm up and cool down, it lasts 22 minutes.   Seriously - who has 2.5 hours EVERY DAY to spare?  Not this momma.  Not now, not ever.  That's not living, it's not balance, and it's not healthy.  

Obviously, a physique competitor follows a nutritional protocol.  This varies widely from competitor to competitor.  Generally speaking, competitors eat a high protein diet and practice great control in carb and fat consumption.  Again - 'broscience' has permeated much of society, and it's generally accepted that in order to compete, one must eat little to no carbs.  That's absolutely not true.  Portion control is necessary, absolutely - but carbs are not the enemy.  Carbs are fuel.    During offseason,  I work to maximize my carb intake.  When I'm dieting, I have lower carb days and higher carb days.  I never go without carbs!   

Some coaches and competitors believe in ketosis diets - no carbs with fat as the primary muscle-sparing fuel.  I don't recommend those diets to my clients, nor anyone else.  

Some coaches write out "meal plans" for their clients, and some allow them to diet flexibly.  I follow flexible dieting.  My coach sets goals for my daily intake of protein, carbs, and fat, and I can eat anything I choose to each day so long as it is within my guidelines.  (This approach is also referred to as "if it fits your macros" or IIFYM.)  I weigh and measure my portions and keep track of everything that goes into my body.  You may have heard someone talk about "clean eating".   This refers to the practice of eating whole, "good" foods and avoiding processed, artificial items.  I eat everything.  Seriously!  Food is neither good nor bad.  I do eat a lot of healthier, whole foods - veggies, fruits, lean meats, etc., but I indulge, too! It's all about moderation.   I recently came across an article that I found very informative regarding "clean eating".  You can read it HERE. 

Supplementation and PED

Physique athletes make up a big business...we're a group of people who buy supplements like they're going out of style.  Want to know a secret?

Most of the supplements out on the market today are JUNK.

I use creatine for muscle growth, whey protein to help me meet my protein needs without eating a boatload of chicken, XTEND for recovery and to help with my sweet tooth, and if I really need a boost, occasionally I'll use Cellucor C4 for a little extra stimulation before a workout.  I also take fish oil and a multivitamin.   

If you want to see changes in your physique, the only thing you really need is to follow proper nutrition program and exercise regularly.  Some trainers and coaches recommend a laundry list of supplements.  That's expensive, and unnecessary.   If you want an in-depth discussion of supplements, you can watch THIS video.  It is a blog from my coach, Layne Norton.  I consider him the absolute best in the industry.

Now to the sensitive subjects: drug use.  Bodybuilding is most often associated with illegal steroid use.  I've even been asked if I am natural.  For the record, I am.  In the early days of my training when I might have considered using a performance enhancing drug or anabolic steroid, I had no idea how to get something like that.  Now that I'm older, I'm sort of infatuated with seeing just how much I'm capable of accomplishing on my own, and I'm proud of being a natural athlete who works hard.  Plus...my husband is not a fan of the side effects in women.  (Google that one.  Not discussing it here!)  If you decide you want to use them, that's great.  Everybody is entitled to their decision.  I don't pass judgement one way or another. 

There are many different drugs used in bodybuilding.  Some drugs promote muscle growth, some help you get lean, some help you shed water.  There are, of course, many reasons besides muscle growth to use - enhanced recovery and improved performance instantly come to mind.   My rule is this:  if you want to assume someone is natural, compete in a natural federation.  Even then, it's a possibility they aren't.  Otherwise, anything goes.  I will say it is more pervasive and widely used than most people realize - it isn't just the bodybuilding division anymore.  Physique, figure, fitness, and yes - even bikini - women in these divisions are using, too. 

At the end of the day, use is a personal decision.  If you're thinking about it and fairly new to this sport, I encourage you to train without drug use for at least a year, just to see what you can do on your own.  Drug use, in my opinion, is something that is best used to augment what you've already achieved.  

So that's it.  The down and dirty basics of physique competing.  I hope it answered some of your questions, and maybe you learned something.  At some point in the future, I'll be bringing an entry about some of the things people don't like to talk about: the nasty side effects of bad coaching and extremism.  Until then...

TRAIN HARD - LIFT HEAVY - FUEL YOUR BODY - FEED YOUR FAITH

F

Lunk Alarm!

Have you seen the Planet Fitness commercials about bodybuilders who don't have an ounce of intelligence but tons of muscle?  What about the commercials with the air-head fit girls who think everything is "hot"?  Nothing irritates me more than one of those commercials...except, maybe, someone who believes that is what all physique athletes are like.  

This is a meme that was pretty popular last year, and occasionally, it resurfaces in social media.  Unfortunately, it really couldn't be further from the truth for me!

Sadly, it is also a pretty good representation of what different classes of people think I do.  Since my hobby - bodybuilding - is well stereotyped, I thought I'd take some time this week to break it down for you.  A "women's physique competitions 101", if you will.   Most people truly believe the Planet Fitness ads about women's fitness competitors and bodybuilders.  There are some people who fit the stereotype mold, but isn't that true of anything?   Most of the time, a few 'bad apples' ruin the perception of an entire group of people.  Most people hear "Christian" and think "religious nut".  People hear "southerner" and think "hick".  Don't even get me started on racial stereotypes!

I've started with a few visual examples of the different classes of women's physique competitions.  I will refer to the NPC/IFBB as it is the most well-known federation, but there are other natural and open organizations with different rules, classes, and guidelines.  At this time, there are generally 5 different categories a woman can choose to compete in (in descending order of muscularity and conditioning):

Bodybuilding

Iris Kyle

This is generally what most people think of when they hear "bodybuilding"!

The most muscular women's division;  typically also the driest and most conditioned (lean); no heels worn; mandatory poses plus quarter turns; plain suit at prejudging and adorned suit at finals; 60-90 second posing routine

Physique

Jillian Reville

The newest women's division in most federations.

The seond-most muscular women's division - rules in NPC/IFBB specifically state no striations, ripped, or grainy competitors, but conditioning varies; no heels worn; mandatory poses plus quarter turns; 60-90 second posing routine

Fitness

Oksana Grishina

The fitness routine performed by these ladies is very high-energy, high-impact, and they are incredibly talented. Fitness was the first division introduced after bodybuilding for women.  

Looks very similar to figure, although usually harder/more muscular due to the routines performed; heels worn during 2-piece round with quarter turns; fitness routine with mandatory fitness moves included 

Figure

Candice Keene

This is arguably one of the most popular divisions for women competitors.  It emphasizes shape and development over conditioning and mass.

Less muscular than physique and softer; heels worn during quarter turns

Bikini

India Paulino

This is also arguably the most popular division.  There is no set "look" for this division - muscularity and conditioning varies widely.

The least muscular of all divisions; heels worn; front and back pose only (although often you see "transition poses") with no true "mandatory" stance - anything goes

DISCLAIMER:  For anyone familiar with the IFBB, I have not chosen my favorite athletes nor athletes that I think employee healthy prep methods to represent each division; instead, I chose women who tend to place well each time they compete (for whatever reason) or women that have won recently. 

In each division in the NPC/IFBB, there is a prejudging and a finals show.  For larger shows, prejudging may be one day and finals the next; for smaller shows, they may be separated into morning and evening.  At prejudging, class winners are selected.  At finals, the show is definitely more glammed up for the audience, and class winners are announced and awarded and then judged against one another for overall winners.

The women come out individually initially and present themselves at prejudging.  This is called the "model walk" for figure, fitness, and bikini.  Physique and bodybuilding have the opportunity to present their poses.  Competitors are then brought across the stage in groups to compare physiques.  The judges then "call out" the top competitors (typically 6 women, sometimes more or less) and compare the women during quarter or half turns for symmetry and conditioning.  They will move competitors around to compare them side by side.  (If you're in the audience, it is a good rule of thumb that the women in the center of the first call out have placed first and second.)  Additional callouts will be done until all women are placed.

Group comparison prior to callouts - Battle of the Bodies 2012

Symmetry refers to balance from front to back and top to bottom - is your backside as muscular (developed) and conditioned as your front side?  Is your top as conditioned and developed as your bottom half?  In figure/fitness, physique, and bodybuilding, an "X frame" is sought - wide back/lats, small/narrow waist, and full, developed quads/thighs  (see the two-piece fitness photo of Oksana G. for an idea of X-frame).  In bikini, the shape is much more bottom heavy but curvy - the booty is the star.  At top levels and bigger shows, where physiques are often comparable and incredible, details such as presentation, posing, suit cut and color, jewelry, makeup, tan (yes, TAN) and hair come into play.  The total package - the details - will make you or break you.

Now that I've brought it up...I know you're wondering about that tan!  The stage lights are incredibly bright and can wash out the details of the physique you've worked so hard for - striations, lines, shape, all gone the minute you step under the lights.   Darker skin shows off the cuts, lines, and striations much better.  Competitors apply special tanning products (it ain't your average spray tan, that's for sure) in the hours and days leading up to a show.  (Yes, that's right - days!).  Application processes vary, but each athlete usually applies between 2-5 coats of competition formula tanning product.  You'll also notice some athletes look shiny.  Some of the methods used to prep for stage, combined with a tanning product, dry the skin out.  A glaze or sheen is applied to make the skin look vibrant, not leathery, on stage.  A "shiny" or "oily" appearance isn't desired, but is often seen because of poor application or poor product choice (think cooking spray or baby oil).

Look at that brown girl!! I make my full-blood Indian hubby look like a white boy.  

Hair, makeup, and presentation could be a separate blog entry! I'll give you the quick and dirty for now.   For bodybuilders, hair is worn up.  For everyone else, it's personal preference.  Generally, it's whatever looks best on you and is healthiest looking.  That's what's most important.  Makeup is specialized, too - it must be for stage so it reflects light instead of absorbing it, and you have to be careful about color selection because of the tanning products.   The more, the better.  If you look like a drag queen up close, you probably got it right! It is definitely OVER DONE!  Posing is also crucial.  You can have the best physique on stage, but if you don't present yourself in a way that emphasizes your strengths and downplays your weaknesses, you won't place.

Finally - how do we keep that tiny suit in place?  Well, glue of course!  Most of the time a product called "Bikini Bite" is used to glue bottoms and tops in place.  I have also used Elmer's Fabric Glue for a better staying power...but that stuff removes skin when you unstick it!  I stick with Bikini Bite nowadays.

Preventing "nip slips" nationwide!

So now that you know what we look like on stage and what is ideal for competing, aesthetically...how do we get there?  Those few seconds on stage aren't the norm.  Most competitors grind regularly and celebrate rarely.  The "glam" only lasts for a few hours, but the grind is constant.  Obviously, you don't just wake up ripped to the bone and muscular.  Training and nutrition - particularly NUTRITION! - is crucial to this sport!   The fitness industry has seen a rise in popularity lately, especially with photos of stage-condition physique athletes popping up all over the internet as motivation for every-day fitness.  These competitions are becoming increasingly popular, but this sport is an extreme - if not done properly, it can be hazardous to your physical and emotional health.  The truth is, the look you see on stage is generally unsustainable, and it's achieved by manipulating water, sodium, and sometimes, yes - drug use.

My next blog is all about the journey to the stage!  No holds barred, all truth - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  If you have questions you would like to see answered, please comment below!

I hope you found this informative, and I hope I've piqued your interest enough to have you come back to learn more!  Until then...


TRAIN HARD - LIFT HEAVY - FUEL YOUR BODY - FEED YOUR FAITH

F

Keepin' It Real

I find myself using the phrase "let's be real" quite a bit.  I hadn't really noticed until I started proof-reading blog posts, but once I noticed it...man, it irritated me.  I spent some time thinking about that phrase - "let's be real" - and why I use it so frequently.  In short, I've decided it's because most of the time, we aren't.

People put a lot of effort into being something other than what or who they are.  They conceal themselves behind clothing, possessions, makeup, hobbies, careers, children, spouses - the list goes on and on.  I used to be one of those people.

I didn't have many long-lasting relationships because I didn't want people to know me.  I didn't think they'd like me, and I didn't want to be vulnerable.  Getting to know people meant you could get hurt.

I was dishonest, more than I'd like to admit.  I didn't want to be deceptive.  I just wanted to be whatever you wanted me to be, even if it meant lying about who I was or what I'd done.  It didn't matter if you eventually found out, because we wouldn't get close anyway.  See the paragraph above on that one.

I hid myself behind lots of makeup because I was insecure and felt ugly inside.  I thought if I was pretty on the outside, and I didn't let you get to know who I was inside, then I would be accepted.  I used my job - an employee of the OCC, a division of the US Treasury - as a badge of honor.  I was an Associate National Level Bank Examiner -  really nothing more than bank police, but people thought working for the US Treasury was some big deal.  I was a number-crunching paper pusher.  But it made me feel important and worthy, and I found myself hiding my identity behind the title.  

It took me a long time to be "real" with myself and with other people.  It has both freed me and anchored me.

I will always keep it real with this blog.  I will say things that you don't agree with and maybe, if I'm feeling really sassy, I will even offend you.  I will reveal more about my life - how it's been less than roses and rainbows, the mistakes I've made, and the lessons I've learned.  I don't know if you understand this, but putting yourself out there like that, exposing skeletons and showing just how messed up and in need of mercy and grace you are...that's scary stuff.  That's the fear-inducing stuff that prevents us from being "real" with one another.    You may not like me.  You may not like the pictures I share, the views I have, or the points I make.  You might criticize me, you might inwardly make hurtful jokes about me, you might talk poorly about me, and you may even think less of me.

I'm okay with that.

If I want others to be real, I have to be real, too.

I call myself a Christian.  What I mean when I say that is literally this:  I believe Jesus Christ is the risen Messiah, and that he died on the cross so that I might be saved.  The Jewish law condemned me, but faith in Jesus Christ saves me.

What that means about how I act is that I should be "Christ-like".  I should be merciful, loving, slow to anger and quick to forgive.  My self-centered flesh forgets that sometimes, but I really strive to embody those traits.  Will I ever fall short?  Of course.  If I was capable of living a perfect life, Jesus wouldn't have died on the cross.

At this point, I know you're wondering what any of this has to do with being real.   Everything, actually.

Loving Jesus is easy.  It's loving people that's hard.  We are flesh, selfish, self-centered, and sinful.  We will make mistakes and miss the mark.  We are all fallible.  Being around people who are missing the mark and screwing up makes it easy for that knee-jerk "judge" reaction to take place.  It's only when we remember how Jesus would deal with us - mercifully, patiently, slow to anger and full of love - that it becomes easier to be real with one another.  I love to show mercy to others because I know desperately I need it in my own life.  I love to be patient because I know I need people to be patient with me.

If you're struggling with being real, remember - ultimately, it isn't about what any of the people on this earth think about you anyway.  It is between you and God.  It always was and it always will be.

If you're struggling with dealing with another person - someone you know well or intimately who has disappointed you, let you down, or missed the mark - remember that you've been there, too, and show them some mercy.   Try not to judge them - Jesus himself said, "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?" (Matthew 7:3 NLT).   I often find myself praying that I would see these people as God does, not for their mistakes and brokenness but for all their goodness.  In the New Testament, Paul writes, "Always be humble and gentle.  Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love" (Eph 4:2 NLT).   I think that in these moments - when people have allowed us to be close enough to see all their faults and imperfections - that we should love them more BECAUSE of it, not IN SPITE of it.

Ultimately, being real with people freed me from loneliness and saved me from wandering.  It has given me lasting relationships with people who love me when I screw up and who aren't afraid to let me see them stumble, too.  I have embraced me for who I am, and I'm okay with the people who love me for that and with the people who don't.  I have roots, and I'm growing into the woman God created me to be, one day and one learning experience at a time.    It is scary, it leaves me vulnerable, but it also allows me to enjoy life to the fullest.  You should give it a try.  ;-)

Until next time...

TRAIN HARD - LIFT HEAVY - FUEL YOUR BODY - FEED YOUR SPIRIT

F

My Incredible, Unbelievable, Phenomenal, Magnificent Split-Second Transformation

Ahhhh, transformation.  That’s a word that’s thrown around very loosely these days.  I see it used to caption pictures on social media and to market and sell fitness-industry products on a daily basis.   It’s used so frequently now that the word no longer makes an impactful statement.   Transformation is a noun, defined as the “act or process of transforming” (dictionary.com).  

trans-form: [v. trans-fawrm] 

1.  to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose

2.  to change in condition, nature, or character; convert

It’s one thing to change your form or appearance.  It’s another to change your condition or nature.  When you change the latter, the former will follow.   It really is that simple.   Your mind/heart must change before your body does...and if you want lasting change, your mind/heart has to make a permanent transformation, too.  Unfortunately, with incredible "transformations" we see each day, we have lost sight of that part.  Transformation has become all about changing our form with little consideration to our nature.

 People boast of their incredible 12-week transformation and companies push their amazing 90-day challenges with such enthusiasm that you can’t help but get caught up.  Photos float around the interwebz showing miraculous changes, pounds lost, and inches removed to reveal a more vibrant, seemingly more happy person.   You see how easy it was for Jane to lose the weight and how quickly Susie toned her whole body, and before you know it, you’re hooked.  You buy the product or the program or contact the trainer, and you’re a whole new person in less time than it takes for a woman to conceive and deliver a baby.  Right?  Well….not so much.

Let’s be real.  If these products really worked, wouldn’t we all be walking around as a size 4 with 36-26-36 measurements?   The truth is, it’s not the product that works but the consistency and commitment with which we dedicate ourselves to the process.  And when that 12 weeks is up, well, you might find yourself back at square one, and sometimes even with a few extra inches and pounds you didn’t even have before.   

So what’s the problem, then?    The problem is we never addressed the REAL problem in the first place.  The “transformation” only masked or changed the symptoms of the real problem.  Anyone who has ever undergone a TRUE, LASTING TRANSFORMATION (of any kind – spiritual, emotional, or physical) will tell you change always begins on the inside.  Do those products work?  Some, maybe.   If they work for you, that’s great.  If you swear by product X or Coach Z, great.  But what about all the people that didn’t find success?  They got suckered into purchasing pre-packaged, pre-portioned self-control, knowledge, and accountability.  That meal replacement you see in your newsfeed provides pre-portioned self-control.  That DVD from the infomercial provides you the knowledge, and that nifty little 90 day calendar that came with it?  Accountability.  You gotta mark those days off as you do them, right?   But these finite programs end, and when they do, we lose our accountability, our self-control, and our knowledge (if we haven’t already lost our interest), and we find ourselves, again, searching for the answer to our problems, never realizing we didn’t address the biggest one:  our mindset.    We never learned about exercising simply for the health benefits and not for slender thighs, or eating to fuel our bodies instead of NOT eating to make them smaller.  We never set seemingly-impossible athletic goals and felt the empowerment of achieving them.  We never learned the truth about nutrition and instead continue to rely on the marketing that supplement companies are selling.  You never realized that the weight you carry on your body is often an indicator of the weight weight you carry in  your heart.   And so…the vicious cycle continues.  

As a Christian, my true transformation began when I accepted Christ as my savior - when I became a new woman in Christ.  That’s where I got my clever little title – in a split second, my life was forever changed, not by anything more than making a decision to accept Jesus as my savior and surrender my life.  (For those of you who are interested, I've included my transformation in pictures below, too, although my physical transformation is far less impressive than my spiritual/emotional one.)   But what if you’ve already accepted Jesus as your savior and you’re still struggling with a physical transformation?   Well…it won’t be easy.  Anything worth having is going to require work on your part, and it’s going to require you to be patient, consistent, and committed.   If it's going to challenge you, it will change you.   If you’ll keep reading, I’ll share with you the scriptures I lean on to continue my transformation - physically and spiritually.

One of my favorite scriptures (and I’m pretty sure a staple for any Christian athlete) is Philippians 4:13 NLT – “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Notice that it doesn’t say that Christ is GOING TO DO IT FOR ME.  It also doesn't say that Christ is going to make it easy.  I’m going to have to put some effort in and work for what I want.  God can do the impossible, but we have to show up and put up if we expect Him to.    I have also relied heavily on 2 Timothy 1:7.  In the Amplified, it reads: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning and fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and WELL-BALANCED MIND and DISCIPLINE and SELF-CONTROL.”  (Emphasis mine).   God has placed these things in my spirit AND yours, and we have them within us already.   It’s a matter of exercising these things in our day-to-day lives that makes transformation, both spiritually and physically, possible.   In Matthew 19:26 NLT, Jesus says “Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But with God everything is possible.”    Through Christ, I am well-balanced, disciplined, and self-controlled.  I’m able to follow a nutrition plan that helps me reach my goals and consistently exercise.     Am I perfect?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  But each day I do strive for progress and remind myself of who I am in Christ, and each day I am closer to my goals than I was before. 

Remember earlier I mentioned patience, consistency, and commitment?  Those are also crucial components of any transformation.  We live in a society where people want what they want and they want it NOW.  We want Grandma Margaret-quality, made-in-the-oven mac and cheese, but we want it from the microwave.  We want the ten-year veteran’s corner office and VP title at the office, but we want to have it in 2 years.   We want the results of 3, 5, even 10 years’ worth of hard work in the gym to manifest itself in 12 weeks.  That desire for instant gratification comes from our flesh, and it is deceptive and destructive.    We have to make decisions in each moment that reward us in the long-term, not in that moment.  Sure, going home after work instead of the gym sounds nice and relaxing. Sure, indulging in rich foods tastes good.  But those are INSTANT gratification decisions that provide NO long term satisfaction.   We have to plant today what we want to harvest later.  Galatians 6:7-9 GW says “Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.  If you plant in the soil of your corrupt nature, you will harvest destruction. But if you plant in the soil of your spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life.  We can’t allow ourselves to get tired of living the right way. Certainly, each of us will receive everlasting life at the proper time, if we don’t give up.”   We each have to be willing to put in the work, spiritually and physically, on a daily basis, while concurrently accepting that we may not reap the rewards instantly.  I know if I exercise consistently, I will improve.  I won’t see the results of today’s workout today, but over time, I will reap the benefits of better health and longevity.  I know that if I choose to eat in moderation each day, I will reap the rewards of a body that performs for me and that I feel comfortable in.   As my coach says, the journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.  I know I must take a step each day to continue on my journey.  I can’t grow tired of living the right way.

I want to stress to you that your "transformation" will probably never end.  You will never be where you want to be.  You will probably never reach a point where you think, "I'm finally where I want to be in my faith."  You will more than likely never look in the mirror and think, "Man, there isn't a thing I'd change about this body of mine."  And that's okay.  Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6 NLT  "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until he is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."  We were created to be perpetual works in progress.  I believe this applies to all aspects of our lives.   

One of the things I do in my day-to-day life is pray the Scriptures.  It is the only truth I have to stand on.   In fact, I have shared with you some of the very verses I pray frequently.   As you go about your day and the rest of your week, I encourage you to pray about your own transformation, both spiritually and physically, and I’ll leave you with this verse as a prayer starter:

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I please with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable.  This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  Romans 12:1-2 NLT

Until next time…

LIFT HEAVY – TRAIN HARD – FUEL YOUR BODY – FEED YOUR FAITH

F

October 2009 - Red River Classic 

Second show I'd ever entered!!

June 2011.  First progress pics post delivery.  I was too ashamed to wear a bikini.

September 2011.  Still too embarrassed to wear a bikini.

October 2011 - OKC Grand Prix

2nd show after having Kenna.  I competed in figure 5 weeks before this.  

July 2012 - NPC USA Championships

July 2013 - Team Universe

Progress to date.  Nearly 5 years of training in the making. 

fit+faith

Hi there!  Welcome to my very first fit+faith blog post!  Actually, this is my very first blog post EVER.   I like to keep it simple, so today is a little introduction to who I am, what I believe it, and the drive and purpose behind this blog.

My handsome hubby, Kenny, and I at the NPC USA Championships last July.

My name is Felicia, and I'm a faith-filled wife, mom, personal trainer, sports performance specialist, fitness nutrition consultant, and bodybuilder.  I also lead a women's fitness-based ministry and have a huge heart for women, and lately, teen girls and young women.    Right away, you're thinking - wait, what?  A ministering BODYBUILDER?  It's crazy, I know.  I'm like the ultimate anomaly.  I love Jesus.  I lift weights.  And yes, every once in a great while, I get tanned to the max, paint on more makeup than a drag queen, and rock an itsy-bitsy bikini on stage.  In front of people.  In clear 5-inch heels.  There's this huge misconception that women who have accepted Jesus as their savior and surrendered their lives as disciplined followers of Christ must wear frumpy clothing, minimal makeup, and either exercise very little or accept overweight as a way of life.  Well, let me tell you - I don't know where that came from, but I've had many personal, private conversations with God about what I do.  Not once has He convicted me that I shouldn't be doing it.  In fact, He has shown me quite the opposite.  I'm using my fitness hobby and passion as a platform to reach and empower women, to change their lives for the better both physically and spiritually.

My beautiful daughter last Halloween

See, I lost my mom at 23, when she was just 47 years old.  She was unhealthy, and she did NOTHING to change it.  That's a huge story in and of itself, and another blog entry for another day.  I, too, have been unhealthy.  I've battled eating disorders, drug addictions, and unhealthy body image.  In my short time on earth, I've experienced both a failed marriage and a blessed one.  Again...all that is a blog entry for another day!  I have emerged victorious through Christ in each and every trial, heartbreak, and valley.  As a woman who has discovered who I am IN CHRIST, I am hungry to help other women come to know who they are in Him, too.

I stepped into the church I now call home a little over two years ago.  I was spiritually immature, just a baby feeding on spiritual milk.  I had grown up in church but failed to grow up in my relationship with God.  Almost immediately, I could feel God working within me - asking me to step up and step out in faith to do things.  The first thing He asked of me was to serve - so I began by serving in our infant and toddler ministries.  He began a deeper work within me, and let me tell you, I was grateful.  I love babies but usually from a distance.  My own child is one of very few exceptions to that rule!  I began to step out further - ushering, helping where ever I was needed...as long as it wasn't in that 2 year old classroom!  Around the same time, I had a business concept - basic fitness and nutrition seminars coupled with small group workouts.  I thought I would approach local gyms to market myself, but every time I sat down to work on it, I just didn't feel right...and finally, one day after prayer, I felt compelled to go to my Pastor and ask to start a small group for women.   one620 was born - we meet weekly, and we share a workout together and then have a Bible study or similar message.  We are women who are real with one another, who share our trials and triumphs every week together.  We've broken down social boundaries and our own protective walls and become FRIENDS.  We're in our second year, and we just had our first annual retreat, the fit+faith retreat, in June.  I am eternally grateful to Pastor Rick for trusting me and allowing me to dive in, headfirst, into something I was obviously not ready for!!  Sometimes the best way to get good at something is to simply do it.   Who knew?  Nike had it right alllll along.   (I'll let you in on a little secret...fitness and faith are so very similiar.  You may not be good at it now or even ready for it, but the best way to get good at it is to JUST DO IT.)

The women of the 2013 fit+faith retreat

I am still growing as a faith-filled woman, and I know that God has even greater things still planned for me.  In fact, this blog is one of them!!! It has been on my heart for several weeks now to do something bigger - something different.  Over time, I intend for this blog to be a place for workouts, health and nutrition information (no fads, no quick fixes - real, TRUE facts and data!!), recipes, devotionals, and my random thoughts.  It is, essentially, the place for fit+faith!!  I hope to post at least once a week, and sometimes, twice.  Thanks for stopping in and taking the time to read my crazy thoughts.

Until next time...

LIFT HEAVY - TRAIN HARD - FUEL YOUR BODY - FEED YOUR FAITH

F