NEW PHOTOS BY SECONDFOCUS

Dominate Machine- clothing by dennisdennis bodywear These photos were taken in November 2009, right before the NPC Excalibur, where I placed 5th in Figure Class C

7 1/2 WEEKS OUT FROM THE NPC LOS ANGELES FIGURE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Wow, almost 7 weeks out is crazy! I am so excited and I think 2010 will be a good competition year.
One thing I have been doing is just taking it one day at a time and not worrying too much about yesterday or tomorrow, but just what I can do today. I am not worried about my competition, because as we all know, this sport is subjective and it's anyone's to win. I will be my best and work hard until showtime. All my 4am cardio sessions will be worth it. The only thing I can do is ME! And, maybe I am biased, but I think "ME" is pretty damn good ;)

Happy Wednesday Readers and keep working it.

-ali

Here with my sister-in-law, Jackie. She is expecting her first baby! Everleigh Corrine will be here any day now.

Below are some shots taken at the LA Fit Expo in January. I did promotional work for dennisdennis bodywear and ended up doing an impromptu shoot with talented photographer, Jason Ellis. This was right in the middle of my post Excalibur pig out! Ha! Had I only known we were going to be shooting all day! Luckily, as you can see, I don't pig out that much post competition.

I have some advice for you...

Sometimes in life, we look at where we want to go or what we want to be and it's like looking up a long hill. It is easy to look up that hill and wonder how will I ever get there? How can I make it happen? Or we might think, I want it so bad, but what if it is unrealistic?

If you want something...a certain kind of life, to accomplish something you have never accomplished, you can do it. I think the problem with many people or situations is that limits are put on them- mostly by the person himself! No limits should be put on anyone. If you want something, go for it! For me, I never thought I could run a marathon. Well, I ran 4 in above average times! I never thought I could do a Figure competition...I have placed in the top 5 in all 3 National Qualifier shows I have done and am now qualified for the National Level Competitions. I never thought I could be a fitness model...I have been published in 3 magazines. I never thought I could move to Los Angeles on my own...I drove by myself in 2 days and have established a pretty good life in LA LA Land :-) Point being, you can do a lot of things if you have a plan.

Write it down! Step by step, goal by goal.

Visualize yourself doing it!

Believe you can do it.

Don't listen to nay sayers, they are only jealous that you are driven and motivated to achieve your goals.

Practice! For example, you can't run a race without training!

Organization of thoughts and tasks, I have found to be quite successful when trying to reach a goal. Stay focused on what you want to do and think about how happy you will be when you finally reach it. Also, record your progress. This is a great way to stay motivated and on track.

When it is all said and done, it is up to you. YOU are the only one in control of your life and it is up to you to make yourself happy and keep yourself accountable for the goals you wish to achieve.

-ali

2010: nEw BeGiNNinGs

Happy New Year! I can't get over how it is already 2010! It really seems like only a short time ago when I was celebrating the turn of the millennium during high school.

The photo to the left makes me laugh...it looks as though I am lost in the desert and "in search" of something. But, then again, aren't we all in search of something whether it is love, knowledge, work, acceptance, happiness, money, even a house or car...or something deeper (or lighter, like your car keys). It seems like we are always searching for something. I, for one, don't see that as a negative. If we were never searching for anything more than what we have already, we could never grow mentally or spiritually.

Search for a way to accomplish your goals. Search for the right way FOR YOU (because we should know by now that everyone is different and the same thing doesn't work for everyone). Many times, especially in fitness (and within people who compete in fitness, figure, bikini, or bodybuilding), people want to tell you how to achieve your goals by telling you what has worked for them. While this is great and I am sure the person means well, what you need to do is take it all in...but, ultimately follow your heart and do what you know works FOR YOU. If you are unsure of what works best, it really is trial and error and that is where a coach or trainer with a large knowledge base is extremely important. It really takes a lot of the guess work out when you can rely on someone you trust to assist you with that "trial and error." The most common mistake I see is when a person takes in too much information and advice from too many sources and almosts overloads herself. My advice is to listen to only one person whom you trust. And that person should have a positive track record. In my experience, anyone who talks endlessly about how "good" he is, how he "always" wins and then proceeds to speak negatively about others is a CLEAR sign to run in the opposite direction. I believe this can be applied in all aspects of life as well.

Another thing, it is always a great thing to set goals, especially "new years" goals. But, one thing to remember is that you can set a new goal any day of the year. You can embark on a new journey in life...and guess what, it does not have to be "in the new year." I totally understand why people get caught up in the "New Year" business, but its not the end all be all. If you have a goal you want to work towards in November, DO IT! Why not make a "New Years" resolution to not wait until the "new year"...every day is a new day and a new start.

In case you are curious....
my breakfast was: 1 whole egg with 5 egg whites mixed with a 1/2 c. brown rice
I will eat about 5 more times today, stopping carbs after meal 3.

My workout today will be:
20 min of moderate cardio and 25 min of intense cardio (with intervals)
Lifting BACK and UPPER CHEST today :-) HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY!!!

Everyone enjoy the day...if you are in the Midwest or East Coast- stay warm! But, if you are lucky, like me- Enjoy the 80 degrees and undying sun!

-ali

'Tis The Season To Be Merry!

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! I hope everyone is in the Holiday spirit and speaking of spirits, enjoying them in moderation. I know, I know, not everyone is lucky enough to have a family that gets along ;-)

The photo is my sister, Angie, and I from last Christmas Day, which was spent in Los Angeles. Quite a different experience compared to what we grew up with, as my mom mentioned. For example, while it was raining and overcast Christmas morning (it cleared up as it usually does), we still went to Will Rogers State Park in the Pacific Palisades and hiked the trails. It turned into a gorgeous day while those on the other side of the country were enduring snow and freezing temperatures. And while where we grew up, the entire place pretty much shuts down on Christmas Day (because just about everyone is Catholic)...here in Los Angeles things are almost as normal because there are so many different religions, but diversity is what makes LA "LA" and I mean that in a positive way.

This week has been crazy for me as I am sure it has been for all of you. I actually got sick last week and have not really worked out since then. I really believe in rest when not feeling well. I know it is difficult because of the fear that all of our hard work will be in vain, but if our bodies are not able to get well, they will continue to get worse- hindering your training and metabolism and making your cold or flu linger on. The gym is also probably the worst place to be when under the weather...think about all the germs that lurk! Point being, if you don't feel well or are sick- take a few days totally off and get extra rest, vitamins, and water. Get better before you begin training again and take it a bit slower at first. I don't believe you will "get out of shape" in a matter of a few days. If you are feeling like you can't do as much as you could before you got sick, take a look at the obvious- you were sick!! It will all come back and more. Things happen for a reason. Were you run down or stressed prior to your cold or flu? Hmmm, something to think about. I have been doing short amounts of cardio the past few days (nothing too strenuous) and lighter upper body lifting. The next few days I will start to ramp it back up (funny thing is, I guess I am such a 'staple' at my gym because my gym friends have been texting and calling all week to see if I am "okay," like what happened to me! haha!). My light workouts have been as follows...complete with "light" music like The Corrs, Ani Difranco, and Michael Buble (seriously makes a mental difference).

• Treadmill speed walk 45 minutes- 10-15% incline, speed of 4.0-4.4 (daily)
  
• shoulder press- 6 sets of 10 reps starting with 15lb dumbbells in each hand and going up to 25lb
  
• front and lateral raises- 4 sets of 15 reps, 15 lb dumbbells
• reverse flys- 4 sets of 10 reps, 15 lb dumbbells

Remember, do not lift the same body part on consecutive days. While not being able to do my full workout, I want to make sure I maintain my shoulder and back development and strength while also giving my legs a workout on the treadmill. Any figure competitor knows its all about shoulders and back with streamlined gams ;-)

Tonight I will attend mass at St Monica's in Santa Monica...attempting to get there early because as I realized earlier this week, I am always late to everything no matter how much I seem to try. Afterward, I will celebrate the evening at the Genova's. I believe they are doing a traditional Italian theme, so that will be fun...and different from the Macedonian Christmas Eve's we spent growing up with my mom's family eating delectables like Zelnic. I was thinking about posting the recipe, but any master chef- especially any Macedonian one (like my mom) -will not divulge the recipe in its entirety until she is on her death bed, no kidding. God forbid someone makes it as good or better than she does.

So everyone enjoy the next few days. But, as I always say do so in moderation! Remember, people who don't quite "get" our lifestyle will always try to get you to indulge a little more. They think it is no big deal, just have a little more... What they don't know is how much you sweat and sacrifice to feel (and look) the way you do and that you still have major goals to accomplish. Health and clean eating is a lifestyle that not only makes you look great on the outside, but makes you feel great on the inside, too. Until someone embraces the "lifestyle," they will never fully understand. I advise you to not try to "make" them understand, instead, show them. Others will notice how you act and if they see a truly happy person who doesn't feel obliged to gorge themselves and sabotage all the hard work, hopefully they will be inspired. And, that is what we strive for, to inspire. I never try to push this "health nut" stuff on anyone, but trust me, when people see the results they will come to you. You are what you attract.

So, with that I leave you with a clip from my all-time favorite movie, Rocky IV. This is the clip where Rocky just informed Adrian that he will be fighting Ivan Drago. Like Rocky, we have no easy way out. If we decide to eat the entire pie...and all of the cookies, and drink those 2 bottles of wine- trust me, there is no easy way to burn it all off! Enjoy!
Rocky IV

-ali

Post Excalibur...Hello Holidays!

We are all enjoying the holidays, in moderation, I hope. This can be applied to almost everything to do with the holidays, not just edible consumption. But, since this is a fitness oriented blog, I will touch on just that topic!

The holidays are filled with parties, celebration, and family. This is all great, but when you have a goal in mind, it can prove difficult to stick with it and not give in to the pressures of egg nog, cookies, wine, fruit cake, or whatever you traditionally are around during the holidays. I am a firm believer in indulgence (in moderation), but you cannot go overboard. Once you do, it is so hard to get back on track. The key is to find the balance. Have a treat, but go right back to your healthy way of life.

This is difficult, I know. When we finally reach our goal and want to maintain after all those months of hard work, it is not easy to remember that one cheat meal does not mean all our hard work is sabotaged. In fact, since we have more lean muscle and higher metabolisms, the cheat meal will be burned off even faster than it was before we were in such great shape. Just remember, just as it is important for us to maintain our workouts and healthy living, it is vital to our sanity to enjoy the treats we crave (in moderation). We don't want to regret not enjoying a glass of wine with our good friends. Regret feeds into resentment and before we know it, we say "to hell with it" and out the door goes all the hard work and dedication. This is why its so important to find the balance and to trust ourselves.

This past weekend, I placed 5th at the NPC Excalibur Figure Championships! It is always one of the largest national qualifier shows in the country. Meaning, the top 5 qualify for national competition. This was the largest Excalibur in recent history with over 200 competitors and over 70 Figure competitors alone! The girls came in from all over the world including Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Italy and all over the US- Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Texas as far as I know. It was a long day! I woke up at 530am for hair and makeup at home and then arrived at the venue in West LA around 8am. Prejudging started at 10am and lasted until 2pm. The finals began at 630pm and womens Figure did not go on stage until around 11pm. Not only were there figure competitors, but also mens and womens bodybuilding and womens Bikini. There are divisions in bodybuilding for novice, open, and masters so you can imagine how long it takes to get through all of them! But, it was a lot of fun and placing at the Excalibur is a pretty big deal given the size of show it was. The reason I didn't place higher was that I simply was not lean enough for the judges liking. The winners were all very lean and a bit more muscular than I am. While my look may be more appeasing to the "normal, everyday" eye, in Figure a leaner and tighter physique is rewarded.

What did I enjoy post competition? Hmm, besides sleep- sushi, Italian food, wine, cookies, and my favorite holiday special peppermint ice cream (half fat).

Enjoy your holidays,

ali