blacKandi Fitness

So I went to get some reinforcements this past weekend. I ordered the entire Hardcore Series 11 DVD set from Cathe Friedrich (expensive!), her high step that I really wanted (and I also need) and Cathe’s “Butts and Guts” dvd. That B&G DVD is crazy!!! The Hardcore series is mostly a strength program mixed with some cardio premixes (step, kickboxing, circuits) to put in with a weight lifting program. It focuses on building muscle and leaning out which is what I need. I love Cathe’s style…so professional and well coordinated and her cuing is great! She’s the only home workout instructor that I can stand besides Jillian Michaels (my idol).

I have two months to get into tip top shape and to get some kind of “real” definition going so I’m putting all of my eggs into Cathe’s basket. I saw the results of a three week Hardcore Series mixed in with Slow and Heavy program from a Cathelete (a Cathe Fan) over on Cathe Nation so I know that if I really clean up my eating and bang out in the home gym then I’m going to be good! UPS status says I receive my High Step today and all of my DVDs on the 26th so I’ll be ready in time for March 1st…2 months exactly from my trip departure. Woot! Let the games begin! I’m also going to invest in her Intensity Series, Body Blast series and get her Slow and Heavy DVD in the coming months. Eventually I will buy her STS too, but I’ll wait until the end of the year for that one.

I’m going out either tonight or tomorrow and getting myself a new barbell set…one that goes up to 100lbs and that I can add to whenever I get stronger. I want to go for an Olympic barbell…not sure how much it costs, but it doesn’t matter at this point because I am in need of one. I currently have a 55lb aerobic barbell set (cement and plastic) that does the job for now, but I think I should really get the 100lb one for deadlifts because 55lbs is not heavy enough. I also have an old barbell set that has a lot of old plates, but I need to get some clips for it because the current clips scare the hay of me because I think that when I drop the barbell that the plates will fall off on my feet. Ouchy! I’m also going to pick up that one 25lb dumbbell that I’ve been needing to get for a while – I ended up with one hand me down 25lb dumbell, so odd. I also need a medicine ball…I really don’t want one – but you know who uses one…Cathe! I just don’t want to pay for it…seems like such a waste. Maybe I can use a dumbbell in place. When the time comes I’ll test it out and if I really need a medicine ball then I’ll pony up the doe and get one.

My home gym is coming along nicely and though I thought it would be too small of a space to workout in it’s totally not. I cleared the place out and I need to take measurements. I still have three old mattresses to get rid of that is in the space, but that’s OK because I workout around it. I have them laying on a wall. I want to put down some rubber flooring and mirrors and I’ll be purchasing those sometime at the end of March and I’ll need to get some hooks and a locker (I really want that one from Ikea that costs 100 bucks). I also want to mount my TV and DVD player to the wall. It’s a slow process, but I’ll get it all done. My home gym’s progress pics coming soon!

Good news! I’m at a point where I’m about to move into a new decade. I am shifting between the low 173lbs to the low 171lbs so that means that 169 is not far off. I’m going by my weight loss trend from the past two weeks. I could have been down to 163lbs by now, but I’ve been messing around in January and most of February (take a look at my nutrition tracker) so it’s all my fault. Speaking of that 163, I changed my weight loss final/ideal weight goal from 153 to 163. I didn’t do it because it’s hard to lose 20lbs because it’s not, but because I will look like a crack head in the 150s if I do. Ha! I am skinny now, but I still have a lot of body fat (especially belly fat) to shed so I’m going to work on that, hence the title of this post, so I’ve change my goal/ideal weight to 163 where I will look and feel my best…so that’s about 12lbs away and I’m going to make that happen. I’d like to buy my bikini as soon as possible, but only when I get around 165 or lower.

I am beautiful no matter what!
I also wanted to address this issue today in my blog. It’s about self-image. I have never been ashamed to post my “fat pics” ever. In my mind, I was beautiful then…not so much as desirable on the outside, but I was beautiful overall – mind, spirit AND body. I was very happy being me at that time in my life.

What changed me was all the drama with being fat that made me change my life. To tell you the truth, if I had not suffered from medical problems I think I’d still be fat. But what I feel now is off the heezy fo’ sheezy. I feel like a new person. I even think I am more beautiful. I think that I can conquer the World right at this moment. When I look in the mirror and see the new me versus the old me and I will NEVER go back to the old me again. So, post your fat pics because they are beautiful and keep posting them. Show others, who were in the same boat as you, that you were able to lose the weight and as your progressed you became even more beautiful and more importantly, healthy and well. If you are ashamed to post your fat pics still do it because when you reach your goal you’ll start posting your skinny pics and when you compare the two I guarantee it will make you so happy. I know because I’ve done it!

Love yourself. No matter how big or small you are. YOU are beautiful no matter what.