Well OK, I kinda suck… looking back at my last blog entry at 9 weeks out, I had said I would have weekly updates. It was a nice idea, yet not very practical! I hope most of you have followed my journey via Facebook and Instagram where I update regularly. So time for an update!

Sitting at exactly 2 weeks out… wow! Where did the time go? I was looking back in my training journal to the very first day of my off season prep for this in January, lol… amazing how things have progressed.

This has been an amazing journey – I have learned so much

At the 5 week out mark, I had to make the decision to change coaches. It was one of the hardest (and riskiest) things I had to do, but I had to take the emotion out of it and look at it as a business instead. As the saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat (but you should never skin cats!)… and my body needed to be “skinned” differently. I wasn’t responding the way I should have been, my body was anticipating what was happening. So I need a different approach. I started working with Shelby Starnes at that point and my prep took a very different turn. My mind and my body went to a completely new level that I couldn’t be happier with, a level I didn’t think possible. I’m forever grateful to my previous coaches for all of their love and support, I wouldn’t even be doing this had it not been for them. The decision was not easy, but I am glad I listened to my inner voice, trusted myself and did what was best for ME. Not easy to do!!!

Anyway… things have been AMAZING!!! I feel fantastic, look fantastic and am LOVING every minute of this prep! I don’t want it to end! I never in a million years thought these things were even possible. Prep to me had always sort of been… torturous, lol. There are aspects I always enjoyed, but I was always looking forward to it being over. Not this time. I think this is how prep should be… only took me 18 shows to grasp the concept, lol. The training, cardio, food, lack of sleep, all of it I am enjoying.

My suit is on it’s way, made by the wonderful CJ’s Elite, I can’t thank her enough for her support and sponsorship. Routine is done (SASSY!), now just to polish it. Posing is always a work in progress as the layers peel away.

So… where’s my head at?

That’s interesting, lol… it’s all over the place! I’m excited. VERY excited. I’m also nervous as most people would be. But I’m also strangely calm and confident, very much how I felt going into my last show. I know I am bringing my personal best and have made some massive improvements. I know I belong on that stage with all of the other amazing athletes… and that’s the thing that blows my mind still. That I belong up there.

7 years ago when I stepped away from the sport, I thought I was done… so to come full circle is still hard for me to grasp. I don’t know when it will sink in, but I plan on absorbing every second of it.

Thanks for reading,

Jamie