Just when I thought my life couldnt get better...BAM! :)

Hey Everyone!!

A little surprise I got on Monday when I went to the gym. Nothing like a little added motivation!

2 weeks down...15 to go until I step on stage again. A lot has changed in the past week that I am excited about! The exciting news of being in Gold's Gym advertisements was an exciting moment for last week. This week I was asked by a Wisconsin based athletic apparel store to model for their website and advertising. The company is called Oppermacher and is based out of Stevens Point (small world!). They sent me a lot of awesome clothes, and I am excited to try them out and promote a great, local business. Please go on their Facebook page and LIKE it. I appreciate the support!!

Clothing that I get to model for Oppermacher

My body is responding well to the diet, and I have already made a few changes in it. I am leaning out, and still hanging onto  my strength.

CARDIO

I am continuing my two-a-days for cardio, and I am still enjoying it. I created another "Cutting Playlist" that helps get me through every session. It amazing the difference meaningful music can impact your workout.  A lot of the songs I listen to are from my good friend and lifting partner, Corey, from last semester. He made me some CDs to download onto my ipod with songs we use to lift to in the gym.

Some of you ask what gets me through my workout...so here is my current playlist:

All I do is Win......DJ Khaled

Black and Yellow....Wiz Khalifa (this one is for you Mo baby!)

Look at Me Now....Chris Brown

No Hands......Waka Flocka (My lil nacho burrito, April!....here's out fav dancin song!)

Pursuit of Happiness....Kid Cudi

Teach me How to Dougie....(haha this one is for you, Corey! No one can dougie like you! cracks me up every time)

Transform Ya....Chris Brown

Up and Away....Kid Cudi

Wake up and Fight....Shinedown

Hips Don't Lie...Shakira

Shake.....Ying Yang Twins

Waka Waka....Shakira

Gasolina......Daddy Yankeee (Can't forget the lil Zumba in me)

SOS....Rhianna

Evacute the Dance Floor.....Cascada

Push it...Salt n Peppa (haha Diana....this is only for the sexy people)

Sometimes I go to shuffle and listen to other random songs to mix it up, but these are the main ones that have been keeping me fired up. For cardio I am still sticking to the treadmill maxed out to an incline of 15 walking 3.5-4.2 miles per hour. In the morning I do it until I have burned 500 calories (which takes me about 35 minutes on average) and in the evening I do another 30 minutes after I lift. I also did a lot of shoveling this week, and did it with a smile on my face. Nothing I like more than a reason to burn more calories...natures free cardio. THANK YOU! Life is all what you make of it so I take every situation and turn it into a positive.

LIFTING

I am still killing it in the gym during my lifting sessions. I have my days split into: Quads and abs, Chest, Back, Shoulders/Traps, Hammies and abs, and Arms. I am still hanging onto my strength and feeling satisfied after every workout.   I am lifting heavy and sticking 5 set of 10 right now (it's workin', Oz!). It is nice to work out at Gold's, but I am excited to go back to the Strength Center where they have more than one squat rack (haha) and the little things that I like...the chains I wear when I do lunges or the chalk so I can have a better grip when I lift heavy.  The Strength Center will always be my favorite gym. That is where I have spent the most time and have the most memories.

Since I have been home I have also been training my mom and teaching her more about lifting weights since it is more beneficial then just doing cardio on its own. She is doing a great job also, and I am very proud of her! Go, Mom, go!!!! :)) xo

DIET

I have already switched it up since last week. I am experimenting a little and I am doing lower carbs with higher fat. My diet is currently made up of egg whites, chicken, green beans, almonds, and the occasional salt free gluten-free plain rice cakes. For how little carbs I am consuming, and for how many hours I am spending in the day, I am not hungry between meals. I eat a ton of green beans (literally almost a pound a day to be exact!) and that keeps me satisfied. 

There is is...favorite meal! Egg whites and french cut green beans seasoned with Mrs. Dash seasoning: table-blend

I am still loyal to my Extra Dessert Gum: Strawberry Shortcake flavor. I chew it every single day in the gym (it helps me get through cardio!). I am doing a good job, and staying on track. Today I had a "cheat" meal since it has been two weeks since I have had one. It wasn't so much as hardcore cheating, just mixing it up. I made grilled Caribbean Citrus salmon with green beans (of course!) for my mother and I after our workout this afternoon and she made me some homemade rice krispy treats (one of the only treats that is gluten-free without buying special ingredients). The salmon was amazing...not going to lie. I enjoyed every single bite. The rice krispy treats were good but unfortunately I got a headache after eating them. I am not use to consuming sugar, and when I do, it makes me sick.

Overall, I would say the diet is going well, and I am staying positive and not letting it negatively affect me in any way. I am in control :)

BODY

15 weeks 1 day out

 I am feeling great with where my body is currently at. I am leaning out as planned and I am seeing changes each day...nothing too drastic yet but enough to keep my motivation levels high.

Here are my measurements:

Chest 33.5 inches (same)

Waist 26.5 inches (down .5 inches)

Hips 34 inches (down .5 inches)

Biceps 11.5 inches (same)

Quads 22.5 (down .5 inches...they are huge...they can afford to shrink a lil haha)

Calves 15 inches (same)

I am making changes  for the better, and I am happy for where I am at with being 15 weeks out.

LIFE

I am still enjoying winter break and the opportunity to spend time with my family and friends. I only have a few more days left back home and I will return back to the apartment on Wednesday the 18th. It will take a few days to get settled and prepared for my 18 weeks of student teaching. I will want to get a schedule together for work, training, prepping meals, posing, and of course school work. I am going to miss seeing my mom every day, and all of the people who have surrounded me this past month. I always enjoy making new friends at the gym and gaining more support. There are always opportunities to look forward as I continue on my journey.

Tomorrow I will wake up and go to my best friend, Brooke's apartment so she can do my hair and makeup for my photo shoot for Oppermacher tomorrow. She also did my hair for the FCS last April. It means a lot she is always there to help me out. My iron sister, Diana (Diana Marie Photography) is going to be helping me accomplish this task as well and go to a gym and a few other locations with me to capture some good shots for the company. I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends!

Have yourself a wonderful, evening.  
Remember...train like you're in 2nd, Compete like you're in 1st!
<3 SJ XO

1 week down...16 to go...but who's counting :)

Hey Everyone!

I hope that your 2012 is off to a great start and you are sticking to your resolutions! I have added motivation after seeing myself on a few more advertisements for Gold's Gym. You never know when you are going to be rewarded for the work you put in.

On January 1st I began my contest prep which means: two a days, lots and lots of chicken, water and green beans....oh and goodbye to my social life (outside of the gym).

CARDIO

I took some time off from doing cardio while I was trying to build muscle because I know that my body has a tendency to lean out quickly so I started doing it regularly again on the Sunday, January 1st....2x a day. I am  not going to lie...the first few sessions were never ending and I was not looking forward to it. Now, with being a week in, I hop on the treadmill, max out the incline, and off I go without even thinking about it. I am back to the point where if I am not hitting cardio twice a day, I feel guilty...so I always make sure I get it in. I walk 3.5-4.0 mph at an incline of 15. I do this for 30 minutes each session, and I am going to do it 6-7 days a week. Last spring, I did my morning session of cardio on an empty stomach, but this year my schedule is different so I am eating one meal before I go (usually 1 cup of egg whites).  Since I started my contest prep early, if I do not see the weight loss changes I want to by the end of the month, I know I have time to switch it if needed. I also do not eat any carbs before my cardio session. I'm already starting to get looks from some of the other members and even workers at the gym thinking I am the crazy person who comes to the gym twice a day...little do they know :)

TRAINING

My training is going well. I know that as my prep continues, I will lose some strength. I still have a fair amount of energy in the gym, and I am satisifed with my work done. I still had had my strength for my big lifts...squats (185#), deadlifts (150), military bb press (90#), and bench  (135#) this week, and did not have to decrease the weight which made me very happy. I will not be discouraged once I have to drop down though because I know it is part of the process and my energy is exerted elsewhere. I am have a 5 split during the week, and then on Saturdays I will do a full body circuit as well.

DIET

Ahh..the dreaded diet :) This can be the biggest struggle during contest prep, but mine is going surprisingly well this time around. I remember last year I did not have as good of will power in the beginning and found myself upset over the foods I was watching everyone else eat. This time around, I could care less about food. I am getting my meals in and not letting it negatively affect me. It might also help that I now have celiac disease, and I am allergic to mom's cookies and treats around the house, but there are still other options I could easily "cheat" on, but I simply chose not to. If I cheat, then I have to do more cardio, and I definately do not want to do that :) I'm in the right mind set, and no one can influence me to make a mistake. I always tell myself....you will be beat by the one who doesn't cheat. I am not going to let that happen.

BODY

I am slowly leaning out and noticing more abdominal definition and striations in my chest and delts. I know I made choices this fall that were not wonderful for my physique, and I am paying for that this time around with cutting, but I know I will be back in no time :) I have faith. Last year I was ready for Gopher State in less than 8 weeks...so in retrospect I could have that  body (except with 10 lbs more muscle this time around) by the end of February. Pretty exciting if you ask me :)

Here are my current measurements. I will take them each week as I progress in my prep:

Chest 33.5 inches

Waist 27 inches

Hips 34.5 inches

Biceps 11.5 inches

Quads 23 inches

Calves 15 inches

Am I happy with these numbers? Some yes, and others not so much. Well the beauty of it is, that I can make the changes I want, and that is definately what is going to happen.

NOTE: I will get bodyfat percent measurements done when school starts up again and I have access to those resources.

LIFE

Since it is still winter break and I don't have much going on besides planning my gym schedule and meals, I have had some time to spend with my family and friends. For those of you that were not close to me last spring, or who forgot....once I am in contest prep mode...I basically do not have a social life. I suppose if I really want to, I could. It is just easier for me to stay in my own little world focusing on my workouts, posing, and prep. I have limited free time, and do not like to be around those who will negatively influence me. I will not go out on weekends to the bars or stay up late in general...weekends are spent doing extra cardio, cooking, and practicing in those 5 inch clear heels. When I do have free time, I usually just like to spend it alone...sometimes with family or close friends but I cherish the quiet time...and this spring with student teaching I am sure that will be limited. Please do not be offended or upset if I do not answer my phone the next few months, or if I seem distant. I will be back once I have met my goals and I am satisfied with my accomplishments.

Well that's all for now. I hope you have a wonderful day :) Stay tuned for updates on the following week!

Thank you for the support!!!

<3 SJ



::Another Year of Opportunities::

Hello Everyone! Happy New Year!!!!

I hope that everyone has enjoyed time spent with their families during the holidays- I know I have. With New Years Eve in mind, everyone has their plans of celebrating with friends and family tonight, but I would like to take the time to reflect on the accomplishments of 2011 I have done, and the goals I have for 2012.

At the end of January 2011 I started my contest preparation for my first NPC competition: Fox Cities Showdown where I would compete in the bikini class, and my brother would compete in body building. My social life came to an end, and my priorities revolved around the lifting, cardio, constantly improving my body, cooking, posing practice, working two jobs-oh and being a full time student.

In Feb I started this blog. It was my sister, Amanda's idea for me to do this. She thought it would be a good way to record my thoughts and emotions during the prep for my first NPC show. It is almost a year and I am still writing, and people are still reading. I like documenting my success and struggles with being both a college student and competitor. It is also nice to have so many supporters and followers. Thank you!

I continued to work hard every single day, and by the time April came along, I decided to compete early, in NPC MN Army National Guard Gopher State where I took 2nd place and qualified for nationals at my first NPC competition. I'd like to thank my good friend, Jerome Dinh who supported me along the way and encouraged me to do this show. Another thank you to my partner in crime, Sara Lynn who guided me through my first show and helped make it a memorable experience. GO TEAM SARA!
At this show I also made some more great friends. {Lori, Mo, Tasha, Lucy, Willie, Tina....thanks for the memories<3}

Jerome at I after I earned my 2nd place trophy at Gopher State

Just four short weeks after that, April 30th came along and I made it to my goal of competing in the Fox Cities Showdown with my brother. We both earned a 3rd place trophy in this show. This was an unforgettable experience that I was able to share with my brother and I will never forget it. I am so proud of you, Joshua. Thank you for believing in me. Another shout out to Demetruis for putting on a kick-ass show!

My brother, Josh and I
3rd Place trophies

At Fox Cities Showdown, I made a life long friend, Diana Kersten. I am so thankful I met her. We have shared so many memories together already, and she has been there for me though the great times, and struggles. She is an amazing individual, and I am looking forward to continuing on our fitness journey together.

Diana and I at Fox Cities Showdown

In June 2011, another successful semester wrapped up for me in college. I did well in all of my classes, and was excited to only have one more year of schooling left. I had a few more weeks to complete my last NPC show for the year, NPC Army National Guard MN State which took place on June 4th. Diana and her daughter also came to this show for support.




MN State: 2nd Place Bikini B

SARA JEAN Bikini Princess shirt custom made from Ken and Miss Fit clothing :)



I took 2nd place at MN State and I knew that it was time to give my body a break from competing, and to focus on other things in life. I moved home for summer to live with my mom. I had the opportunity to spend more time with my family. I always enjoy summer time and being able to reconnect with family and friends back home. I worked as a nanny for the summer for 2 great kids as well.



Inside WI Sports magazine article



In July, my brother and I were featured in our first magazine, Inside Wisconsin Sports and they wrote a story called Building a Bond about our relationship and shared passion for bodybuilding and fitness. It made me feel very proud to see myself in print.

Quad progress: July 2011
I added 3 inches to my quads

I still went to the gym everyday and worked hard...you know me...NO EXCUSES ALLOWED. I made some great gains in the summer, and saw noticeable size added on my quads, and also started adding more to my upper body.

Roomies

Summer came to an end, and my final year of college would begin in September 2011. In this this semester of college, little did I know, I was going to have the time of my life and I was going to make some amazing, life long friends. I made friends a priority this semster, aside of school, and decided for the first time in 5 years of college, I was going to live a little.

Halloween 2011

I went out on the weekends, and went to hockey games with my friends. Thank you to my room mates: April, Brenda, Grace, and Candace showing me what it is like to experience college.

Emily and I...we love going to our hockey games!!!

I also had the opportunity to train every day with my good friend Corey. I learned a lot more variations to exercises and increasded not only my strength, but also added a substantial amount of mass to my upper body. I was very proud, that by the end of the semester I was successfully benching plates-something I never would have imagined myself doing. Thank you Corey for believing in me! You will be missed!

In October 2011, one of my photos was featured in a newspaper in Ohio titled: 5 Exercises to take the Gluteus to the Maximus. That was quite a surprise to me, and I was excited to see myself in print again, especially it being in a different state.



(Note: Date on photo is not correct)

At the end of October I began my 8 week placement in a classroom teaching 2nd graders. This was an amazing experience where I was able to apply so much that I have learned from my education professors and my own peers. I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with this same group of students in the spring for 18 weeks for my student teacher placement.

Thanksgiving project I did with my second grade students.

Just as the year was wrapping up, I was surprised with being featured in a Golds Gym advertisement. I had no idea this was happening and I was very proud when I saw it. Never in a million years did I ever think that I would be doing this. If someone would have told me two years ago that I would be in a Golds Gym ad, I would have laughed in their face. Heres to show....never say never!

Golds Gym advertisement

I also ended the year with purchasing my very first "real" car. For those of you that know me, I have never had a reliable car that lasted more than a year. Knowing that I have freedom again is unexplainable. I am very, very thankful.

Looking back on the year, I am very proud of everything I accomplished. I am enjoying the journey that I am on, and all of the wonderful opportunities I have been given. I am looking forward to what 2012 has to bring for me. I have one more semester left of college and then I graduate, hopefully some competing...maybe at the national level, and looking for a full time teaching job. I am going to continue working hard in every area of my life, and hope for the best. I have so much to be thankful for. Thank you everyone who believes in me.

-Remember to :NEVER: settle for good enough-

Have a safe, and very Happy New Year!!!!!! I am staying in tonight so I can start the new year off right with my two a days :) Super excited!

<3 SJ

{Looking Ahead}

Hello Everyone!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your families. I was so happy to spend quality time with my loved ones. You cannot ask for a better gift than that!

I have a lot coming up and I am planning everything out so I can accomplish all of my goals for 2012. I will be spending 18 weeks for my spring semester student teaching in a second grade classroom. That is going to be my #1 priority. I am really looking forward to learning from my cooperating teacher and touching the lives of children every day. I am hoping after I graduate I can find a job teaching summer school right away, and then look at a full time teaching job for the upcoming school year.

It has been going back and fourth in my mind about competing again. I know how much I love doing it, and the feelings it brings to me are unexplainable. I had just been given some recent news late last week that I have Celiac disease which means I cannot have gluten anymore. For those of you who are not familar with it, there are a lot of foods that contain gluten in it (the doctor gave me a nice 5 page list of DO NOT EAT). My body has a difficult time digesting it and it makes me feel sick. When I got this news I was sad because I only looked at the negative aspects. I just thought about all of the foods I could not eat. I looked around the kitchen and knew I was not going to be able to enjoy any of the delicious holiday treats my mom made, or the Christmas dinner at my grandparents. On Christmas day I  packed up my chicken, green beans, and sweet potatoes so as my family enjoyed the delicious meal prepared for the holiday, I was going to have to eat what I brought because I knew it was safe. We live in a society today where so much of our lives are based around food and eating. I know I continue to face challenges with it every day, but if I continue to plan my meals ahead like I have learned to, I will be just fine.

I then thought about the positives about making this permanent lifestyle change. I am going to feel a lot better, and I am going to be making better choices for my body. A lot of the foods I am allowed to eat are similar to the way I eat when I am getting ready for a show. Since I will really have any temptations when dieting because my body will no longer let me eat those foods anyway, I thought how hard can it really be? I know they make a lot of gluten-free products but I am probably not going to tempt myself with those for the time being.

Everything happens for a reason, and God gives you obstacles to test your strength.This is just a little bump in the road, and if anything it should push me a little further in the right direction to meet my fitness goals since I have one less disraction.

Keep pushing forward. Write down your goals, and make yourself accountable for every single one. If you truly want something, you will make it happen!<3 SJ

::She's BACK::

Hello Everyone!

I am sorry that I have not posted in so long. I have just about finished another college semester. One more to go and then it is graduation time! I had 18 credits this semester and an 8 week placement in an elementary school teaching second grade. I learned a lot these past 16 weeks about what it takes to be a great teacher, and the opportunity to apply it as well. I am looking forward to touching lives and making a difference this spring in my 18 week student teacher placement.

This semseter was a complete change from spring. Instead of having the constant stress and worry about my body in prepping for shows I was able to focus more on school, learning, my students, rebuiling old friendships, and creating new ones. Don't get me wrong, I was still killing it in the gym every day, but I had a different outlook on everything. I had the opportunity to train with some of my good friends and learn more about reaching my goals. Thank you Corey for kicking my butt in the gym everyday and pushing me futher that I knew I could go. (Good Luck with your internship....the SC won't be the same without you!) I have put on a lot of muscle since summer, and continued to increase my strength weekly. I am lifting more than I ever thought was possible.

For the first time in the five years of college I had fun, went out with friends and partied, and had experiences that every college student should have. I made and learned from my mistakes, and contitnued to grow into the person I am today. These experiences gave me a dose to fill in what I thought I was missing out on. I had an amazing time with my four wonderful roomies April, Brenda, Gracie, and Candace. Thank you girls for teaching me how to live life a little more, and shared so many unforgetable fun memories together.

As fun as this semester was, a part of me was missing. I miss being on stage and working towards my fitness goals. I have a lot of plans for the future in that area of my life, and I am ready put that foot foward again taking it up another notch. I am not committing myself to another show that I will annouce, because I know my #1 priority this spring needs to be student teaching. This does not mean I am not going to try my best to make it happen. I know I can do anything I put my mind to, as I have said and demonstrated so many times previously. The fire has been ignited inside me again, and I am going to keep pushing forward and not look back. I am looking forward to spending my weekend nights doing extra cardio in the gym, prepping meals, and making sure my posing is perfect for my next stage appearce. Stay tuned for my upcoming plans as I continue to move forward to Nationals.. I am very excited to see what happens next!

I am looking forward to moving home on Wednesday to see my family and spend a month with them. Have a blessed holiday with your families as well!. <3 SJ

Hey! Someone forgot to mention that part...

Hello Everyone!

Hope that you are all doing well! Sorry I have not posted in a while-life has been crazy with the start of another semester. I am in my final year of college, and my final semester of classes before I start my semester of student teaching. This is a very intense semester but after each day ends I am that much closer to becoming a teacher. It is very exciting and I know that I am going to learn a lot this semester.

After dieting for 22 weeks this spring, I am now taking a year off to gain strength back and make some big changes before I go on stage again. I am in my first 'off season' right now and it is a lot to get use to. I spent so much of my semester last spring leaning out, and watching my body make improvements each week. Everyone always talks about what an accomplishment it is to do a competition-which it is, and how proud you will be of yourself for how far you have come-which I was, but no one tells you that you are going to have to watch your hard work disappear as your enter your off season.

I understand that I need to put on size in order to grow, but I have been having a very difficult time with that realization. I cannot wrap my mind around not looking contest ready. Last year at this time I had a high level of confidence and never doubted myself or the way I looked. Right now I am really struggling with this, and I am hoping to gain back the confidence I had and know that I cannot worry about what other think because those that are not in the sport do not fully understand what a body goes through from being 'on' season and 'off'.

It is very frustrating also because I have been eating clean and started doing cardio again now that I am back at school and have access to a gym in more easily...but no matter what I do the scale does not move and my body does not let me lean out again like it did in the past.
I just want to give a heads up to my fellow first time competitors that this may be something you will go through too- and it is okay because many, especially females that I talk to have battled these same feelings. You cannot think about how you look right now, you have to think about the changes you want to make for future competitions and what you need to do in order to get there.

I hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend and just remember- Do your best, forget the rest :)

Back to homework...Xo SJ <3

Pick one thing..and do it WELL!

Hello Everyone!!

I hope that you are all having a wonderful summer. I apologize for my lack of posts and updates this summer. I have been staying very busy the past few months.  There have been lots of obstacles that have been pushing me back which have resulted in a new plan to follow. My summer has been filled many wonderful things such as spending time with my family, having the opportunity to work out at Gold's Gym{aka my second home...I LOVE it there), and visiting my college town a few times. On the other hand, my car died, i'm not getting as much as work this summer as I was hoping for, and I have been having a lot of medical problems the past 3 months that made me realize that I only have one body and putting my health first is the most important thing I can do if I want all of my dreams and goals to become a reality.

I made the decision that I am not going to commit to doing another competition anytime soon. I plan on taking a good year off at least so my body can regain strength. As much as I love being on stage, it is not worth it to me to put my body through so much to continuously do regional level shows when qualified for nationals after my first show.  I learned the hard way that dieting for 22 weeks and doing 3 consecutive shows was not a very nice thing to do to my body. I was in my own world and only focused on my fitness goals so I was not able to how my choices were going to impact my future.

Looking back on the past year, one of my professors said it best when he told me to, "Pick one thing, and do it well." He sat down with me and listened to my hopes and dreams and was very impressed by my drive and passion. He also made me realize that I am a college student right now, so therefore I need to make sure my priorities are straight. If I want to shoot for the stars in the fitness world, then I should go ahead and do that, however if I want to do well in school I should really put my energy into that. If i put the same burning desire I have in the gym as I did in learning I could do the impossible with my knowledge. I agree completely with everything he said and I am now looking back on it as a good lesson learned.

I would never take back this past year, but I know that I did some things that I wish I would have done differently.This past year I lived and breathed training and prepping for my upcoming competitions. I barely saw any of my friends or family, and I wasn't willing to make time for something if it was going to take away from my training. All of my goals on my "goal wall" were fitness oriented with nothing else in mind. I did not think there was anything else to life, and I shut out the rest of the world. I know I can do the unthinkable and I shouldn't put all my eggs in one basket when the sky is the limit.

In doing Gopher State, Fox Cities Showdown, and MN State this spring, I gained a lot at each show whether it was more experience learning how to get my body where I need it, being on stage, or making lasting memories with new friends backstage. I am so happy I was able to accomplish so much this year, and I am very proud of myself for being able to manage a full course load in college, working multiple jobs, and being able to place top 3 at each of the shows.

With my final year of college approaching at the end of the month it will be time for me to create another "goal wall" to hang up while I reside at school. I am going to keep my health at the top of the list, making sure I kill it in the gym everyday and get my meals in, but I am going to make sure that I also kick ass in school. I will graduate Spring 2012 with a major in elementary education and a minor in environmental education. I want to open more doors for myself so the thought of grad school is in the back of my mind. I have a lot of energy and passion and I want to change lives. I believe I can do more than I would be able to inside the four walls of a classroom. I would really like to study health, fitness, and nutrition so I can combine it with helping children who are obese. Obesity is a rapidly growing problem in America, and I want to find solutions to help those children in need. I know that I can make a difference, so now the wheels inside my head are turning for the next big step.

As far as my competition schedule goes, I am going to keep training and making the changes that I want to see before doing another show. I will do either Junior Nationals or USA'S as long as I am still qualified when I feel that I am ready. I really want to work on adding some size to my upper body and improving all around as a competitor as well. Even though I am not going to set foot on stage for a while, that does not take away from the fact that I am still going to be going in the gym everyday with the desire to succeed. I will stay healthy and get all of my meals in so that I can be ready to come back with unannounced with a BANG! :) This new plan is NOT me taking the easy way out....it is simply me adding new goals to the list that require a plan B :)

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the summer and I will be sure to update as school is approaching. I am looking forward another year. This year is going to be even more amazing because I now have my best friend there to share the journey with me. No one can make me smile or laugh the way you do, Mitch:)) Counting down the days to see you again <3

Stay tuned for what's next :)) Have yourself a beautiful day!
<3 SJ xo