I said YES to PREP!

4 weeks ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed munching on a protein bar when BOOM...

I GOT BIT BY THE COMPETITION BUG. A fellow co-worker posted a status asking the book of faces whether or not he should do one last show before her gets too busy with medical school. I got to thinking... "Man, I wish I would have been more prepared b/c I would love to rock out my first show... I mean I workout and eat clean almost ALLLL the time." I simply commented saying how insanely jealous I was and then the magic AHA! words... "The contest is 16 weeks away...plenty of time to prep if you decide to be about it!" he replied.... say whaaa?!

ahhhh 16 weeks? Is that enough time? Am I physically ready? SHIIIIT, am I MENTALLY ready? And then for some reason in a millisecond, I immediately said, "yes...yeahh, FUCK YAH I'm doing it!" I felt as if immediately after those words slipped from my lips, every second mattered!

I.......WAS..... GOING.......TO........CRUSH.....THIS........SHIT... YO!

Why did I say yes? I mean I was perfectly content just being the "fitness girl/guru" seen by friends and family... but then I realized that was just it, I didn't want to be JUST "content." I've always been a competitive athlete growing up and bodybuilding has given me a way to be constantly competitive against yesterday "me" on the daily basis.

Playing softball my whole life, I always had a team of girls to rely on and use each other's strengths and synergy to win ball games, even championships! Whenever asked how I personally did in games, I always included how I couldn't have done it without the support of my team having my back and helping make spectacular plays.
......well bodybuilding competitions are an INDIVIDUAL sport. If I slacked off a little in a softball game, we could still win the game... if I hit a freaking bombbb and made a diving catch, we could still lose the game.

but.. THIS?! This sport is all about pushing myself to my ultimate limits in the gym, in the kitchen, in my social life, and my mental game. Every choice I make on the daily affects my "homerun" package on that stage August 16th. I crave that euphoric feeling of being on stage, all eyes on me admiring the human physique when pushed to it's ultimate peak with strategic planning to manipulate aesthetics. I love the idea of science, nutrition, mental reconstruction, hitting goals and killing it in the gym all balled up and combined into one. Plus that "tight" and "shredded" feeling of having no fat surrounding your muscles is the greatest feeling everrrrrr!

Just typing all of this is getting me PUMPED and I promise you all that I WILL bring my A+++ game and that next level shit on stage.

I guess moral of the story is: Never settle on breaking the boundaries. Complacency surrounds us daily and it's up to you if you want to surpass "average". Sometimes... making a spur of the moment decision that makes you nervous, excited, doubtful, determined all at once is the sign of a GREAT decision that will shape your future self.

This was one of those decisions.

Amanda
The Buff Swan