12 days and Counting!

Hello Everyone! Happy Monday to YOU!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I was happy to have my first weekend without worrying about school.  I was fortunate enough to get quite a few hours working up until I leave for MN State Championships. My co-workers are understanding that I need money for the show and they are more than happy to take a break starting their summer hours. Teamwork :)

A few days ago I was sent the one of the pictures of my brother and I that is going to be in our feature story in the July issue of Inside Wisconsin Sport magazine. I am very excited to see the issue when it comes out!!!



Josh and I from 2011 Fox Cities Showdown: watch for this picture in July issue of INSIDE WI SPORTS magazine!!


12 days until NPC Army National Guard MN State Championships! I am really looking forward to the experience of this show. I get to see so many of my friends both on and off stage and spend the weekend with my boyfriend, Lee. It is going to be a blast! The Wednesday before the show my good friend [Iron Sister <3] Diana Kersten is driving to school to do a photo shoot with me in the gym I workout in on campus. I am really excited for it because this is where I trained all year and it will be nice to have pictures in that special place. After the shoot she is helping me pack up my life and move out of my apartment and bring me home too my mom. My mom has off that week so I get to to spend Thursday with my mom and sister which will also be wonderful. I hope the weather is nice so we can go on some nice long walks together. Thursday night I am getting my hair cut/highlighted again for the show, and they have appointments as well so it will be nice bonding time!!

Friday morning Lee will pick me up by 10am and we will head to MN!!!! Once we arrive at the venue we have to check in and receive all of our info for the weekend. My good friend Jacque Combs is going to be doing my spray tan for the show. {Cant wait to see you Mizz Bling!!!!!<3} My  bikini <3 friend Lori Schopf is coming over to practice my hair and makeup for the show as well. It is going to be a very busy day, but a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!!

Before I get too far ahead of myself I need to focus day by day on my diet and training so I can make sure to come in my very best Saturday morning for pre-judging. I had a bit of a scare last week because my body was not cooperating with the changes I was wanting to make. I was holding onto a lot of water and had a constant bloat. With some advice from Lee I was able to make some small changes that had a big impact. I cut my carbs down for a few days and increased my cardio [that was not fun...haha] and this morning when I hopped on the scale I was at 125.6 which is pretty close to where I was for my last two shows. I feel much better now that everything is coming together!

I wanted to share a new product with you that I tried over the weekend [thanks Angel for the amazing suggestion!!]. In the same aisle where you buy Crystal Light there is a product called MiO. It has no calories/sugar/carbs and it is amazing. I didn't think a few drops added into my water would have the impact that it does! I have the Strawberry Watermelon flavor and I am really enjoying it. Angel likes the Berry flavor best! I add about 4 squirts of it into a shaker cup size of water. It is convenient because I can carry it around with me to work or the gym and it is easier than having all of those individual packets to worry about!!! Try it out and let me know what your favorite flavor is!!

MiO Water Enhancer: Strawberry Watermelon

I hope everyone has a GREAT day!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for stopping by-
<3 SJ xo

And That's a Wrap!

Hello Everyone!!




What a beautiful day!!!!



I hope that you all had the opportunity to take advantage of the sun enjoy some of this beautiful weather we have been having. It is so nice to see the sun shining every day, and hear the birds singing. Summer will be here before we know it! Sorry I have not posted anything in a while, but I was very busy finishing up my semester. I survived my 17 credit semester!!! Yesterday I completed my last final exam [in a class I thought I was going to have to drop because I was unsure I could pass it and now I think I will end up with AT LEAST a "B" in it]. What a great feeling!! :)



PS: These are for you Mom <3 Thinking of you and I am excited to come home in 2 weeks and 1 day to see you! XO



This morning I had the opportunity to sleep in if I wanted to, but of course I hopped out of bed at 5:40 a.m., got dressed, and headed over for morning cardio.  I packed my meals so I could be ready to be productive after working out as well! I did the Stair Master for 30 minutes and then decided I could not let the beautiful weather go to waste, so I went for a walk outside! After that I came back into work to use the extra office computer [since my internet got shut off yesterday] to finish my last assignment for the semester. 9 pages later I completed it! My semester has officially wrapped up! Now I get to anxiously wait for grades to be posted so that I can see how I did. I have a feeling I mostly A's, maybe a B or two coming my way. I will be sure to keep you updated :) What a great feeling to complete 17 credits, my environmental education practicum hours, work approximately 20 hours a week, oh and train for two NPC National Qualifier shows....on my way to the third one! See...ANYONE CAN DO ANYTHING :) You just have to work your butt off and really want it! Remember: ::Excuses are the bricks used to build the house of failure::



Tulip I saw while on my morning walk :)

I am 2 weeks and 1 day away from 2011 NPC Army National Guard MN State Championships and I am so ready!!! Training is going great, and I am basically maintaining again between shows. My training has not changed except I sometimes have more cardio because I cannot resist going for an extra walk to enjoy the sunshine! My diet is also staying the same as it was between Gopher and Fox Cities Showdown.

I cannot wait to be on stage again. I work extremely hard, and it is very rewarding when I get to shine on stage. It is also very cool because this is the third show in a row that I am participating in with my great friend, and mentor Jerome Dinh [Thanks for being a GREAT role model to me!]. A special thanks ahead to Lori for doing my hair and makeup for the show!! I am very appreciative that you are helping me and I am very excited to see you!!! Also a special thanks to my iron girl Diana and lil Maria for driving all the way to from WI to MN to support me on stage!!!!! Love you both!!! <3

Future Plans: I am going reach my goal of competing in all 3 NPC Minnesota shows in my first year of competing after October 1st when I step on the stage for the Northstar. A lot of my close friends are going to be doing this show as well...always makes for a fun time!!! I am very excited about this show because my very own best girl, Angel Sigman is going to fly in all the way from Idaho to step on stage with me!!!!!!!  She is amazing and I am SO BLESSED to have a friend like her in my life. It is going to be an amazing experience and I cannot wait to finally be on stage with her!!!!!!! Less than 20 weeks to go!!! We can DO IT!!!

Keep your eyes pealed for JULY issue of INSIDE WISCONSIN SPORTS, where my brother and I are going to be featured. We were interviewed and photographed for competing together at 2011 Fox Cities Showdown. It was a wonderful experience to share with my brother, and I am excited that others are going to have the opportunity to read more about our experiences, training, and goals.

Back to work :) aka back to adding to the bikini fund!

<3 SJ xo

*Game Plan*

Hello Everyone!!!

It is just a little less than 4 weeks away from NPC Army National Guard MN State and I am getting all of the kinks worked out so I can come in even better for this show. When I was done with Fox Cities Showdown I let myself eat off diet for a few days to give my body a break since I was dieting for 14 weeks. It was nice to get a break but also scary how much your body can change when you do give it proper nutrition. A few days after the show I weighed myself back in the gym at school and I weighed 10lbs more than I did on stage (granted a lot of it was water etc.). It was still very scary!!!  I started doing cardio twice a day the Monday I got back to school. Even though I was letting myself take a mini break from the diet between shows, I was not going to take a break from my training.

I got paid last Thursday and I was able to go to store and load up on tuna, tilapia, rice cakes, and sweet potatoes so I would be back on track for the show. I haven't even been cutting again for 5 days and I am already only 4 lbs away from contest weight and I still have a lot of time to go. It is really reassuring to me that I am on track and so in tune with my body. It makes me proud to know that I know what I am doing and alter my own diet to fit my competition goals. 

Rice Cakes, 24 packets of Tuna, 6lbs sweet potatoes, oats, water, Smuckers Natural PB, Truvia Sweetener, 4lbs Tilapia, and bananas (I let myself enjoy fruit for 5 days after Fox Cities)

I have never been so focused than I am right now. The diet and training just comes natural now and I do not even think about it..I just do it. Even if I go to bed at midnight, when my alarm clock goes off on my phone at 5:25am my feet hit the ground, I get dressed and head out the door. NEVER thinking "Wow I wish I was still sleeping"...instead I have a smile on my face and look forward to walking back to my apartment afterward so I can watch the sun rise. I am also staying on top of my meals like it's my job :) When I leave in the morning I count out the tuna packets and rice cakes I need for the day and I head out the door ready for anything.,

This next week is going to be a long one with it being the last week of classes. On top of finishing last minute projects, and studying for finals, I picked up a ton of extra hours this week at work so I could save for the bikini fund :) I think I am working every night until 10pm or later and after that I will still have homework to finish. I just keep telling myself...One more week...One more week :) Next Monday I only have one final and then all I have to worry about is training, getting my meals in, posing, and working. It will be very nice to not have to focus on school for the remainder of training for this show.

Well I have to work now. Have a wonderful day! If the sun is shining please go enjoy it for me..and for you!

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!! IT MEANS A LOT!!!!!!

<3 SJ xo

Written by: Captain Cox:

Recipe for Success:

It’s hard to believe we met just 3 months ago. I am blessed to have shared in part of your journey.

Captain Cox and Me at Fox Cities Showdown

I’ve gotten to witness the ups and downs of Sara’s journey. Now when I think of Sara’s journey one word comes to mind, “shun” but not shun like outcast or excluded but 'tion' as in the ending of a variety of words that describe Sara’s Journey.

The first 'tion' word that describes Sara’s journey is motivation. Motivation is what got Sara up on those early 5:00 a.m. mornings. Motivation is what got Sara started on the walk across the vast expanse that is Parking lot Q on her way to the Cardio Center where she often works out for her morning cardio. Sara has made it clear that she has this key ingredient of success. Where Sara gets all her motivation is a bit of a mystery. For some of us we find it tough to get motivated to get up and turn the TV on if we can’t find the remote but Sara doesn’t have that problem. Motivation is what gets Sara going but what keeps her going is dedication.

Dedication is training full time, working out 3 times a day while going to school full time and working 2 jobs. Dedication is when Sara is allowed to have a cheat meal and for her cheat meal she has an apple. There is no doubt that Sara is dedicated. Now that we have our second ingredient of success that brings us to the third ingredient and third 'tion' word, which is perspiration.

There is no question that as some point during Sara’s 2 cardio workouts a day and numerous lifting sessions there was some perspiration going on. Another word that I couple with perspiration is perseverance, which is another quality that Sara has been a shining example of. You can count on the fact that when the going gets tough Sara gets going. Don’t let her fool you, Sara has had her share of rough patches in the road, like when she broke her foot last fall but continued to train through the pain and doctor’s orders. Sara didn’t let these rough patches get her down though. Now we have 3 ingredients of success that bring us to our next 'tion' word, destination.

A destination is an end result or a goal. It is clear that Sara has arrived at one of her destinations but it surely is not her final destination. Sara has a bright future ahead and I know that she has many goals and dreams for herself. Now we have heard the fourth and final ingredient in the recipe of success for Sara’s journey.

After seeing Sara display all of these 'tion' words it leaves me with one final 'tion' word resonating in my mind and that word is inspiration. Sara thank you so much for being an inspiration to us all. Inspiration leads to motivation and so on goes the cycle. 

Congratulations Sara on your great success and good luck at Nationals and on your continuing journey!

2011 FOX CITIES SHOWDOWN

Hello Everyone and Happy Monday!

I just had the most amazing weekend sharing the experience of competing in the 2011 Fox Cities Showdown with my younger brother, Josh. It was a lot of fun, and definitely something I will never forget.

I was very happy I actually slept the night before the show (for about 4 hours) as I did not get any sleep due to excitement and nerves when I competed at Gopher. I woke up at 5:30am to eat before my best friend Brooke came over to do my hair for the show. She came over by 6am and we got to work right away. She did an an amazing job curling my hair! I felt like a princess. After she did my hair Josh and I had to run back to the hotel where Josh would get his 3rd coat of tanner applied and I would get touch ups. A BIG THANKS to Jacquie Wabel from Liquid Sun Rayz for doing an amazing job on my tan. She was amazing to work with and made sure both me and my brother's tans were perfect. I hope to work with her again at a future show!

THANK YOU BROOKE FOR DOING MY HAIR AND MAKEUP!

After tanning we drove back home where Brooke finished doing my hair and did my makeup. We were just about read to head out to register before prejudging. I was getting very excited!! At registration we were given huge goody bags full of supplements and a sweet t-shirt. {Thanks D!} We also received our numbers. I was 24 and Joshua was 25. I ran into my buddy Jerome and his wife which was very cool. It is my second show competing with Jerome and I am very thankful to have him as a friend and a mentor. {Thanks for always having my back!!!} I also met my friend Lee:) and Josh and I went to the athletes meeting together. It was very exciting to be sitting in the room with all of the competitors. It was also a really good feeling knowing that back stage I would have the support of my brother Josh, Jerome, and Lee. {Thanks Guys!!!!}

Josh and I waiting for the show to start

Prejudging went good and I definitely felt like I improved on my stage performance. I was very confident and felt even better walking around in my heels on stage. The Bikini B class was very competitive and after prejudging I was unsure with where exactly I was going to come in at the end of the night. The suspense was killing me :) Josh did a really nice job during prejudging and hit all of his poses. I am so proud of you bro!!!

Me with HIDETADA!!!!!!!! :)

Brandon Curry, Me, and my brother, Josh!

During the afternoon Josh and I did a shoot for a magazine that we are going to be featured in. The magazine is called Inside Wisconsin Sports and we will have a 2 page spread in their next issue!!!! VERY EXCITING!

Me with the #1 Show Promoter, D!!!!

The night show was amazing because so many people came to watch and support both Josh and I. It was so amazing to see my family and friends there for me. Thank you to everyone who came!! It meant the world to me!!!!!!

3rd Place Bikini B

The results of the show ended up with both Josh and I taking 3rd in our classes. (Middle Weight BB for Josh and Bikini B for myself). I am very proud of both of us and we will always be able to share these memories that we were able to experience together. I Love You  Bro!!!!!!

 

After the show I went out and celebrated with my friends and I definitely ate way more than I should have :) I was able to enjoy a lot of food that I have missed out on the past 3 months, but I am already back to eating clean. I felt miserable and still kind of do today from all the sugar I put into my body.  It is amazing the impact the food we put into our bodies has on the way we feel both physically and emotionally. I am glad I got to treat myself for a while, but I feel even better being on track again :)

 

So what's next for me? Well I was going back and fourth on a few ideas and I decided I AM going to be competing June 4th in NPC MN State. I hear it is a very big show and I think it would be a wonderful experience for me to have before doing a national level show.

Josh: 2010 Fox Cities Teen 1st Place, Sara 2011 Gopher State Bikini B 2nd, Josh: 2011 Fox Cities Middle Weight 3rd, Sara: 2011 Fox Cities Bikini B 3rd

Thank you everyone for your support. I wish I could write more about the show but it all went so fast and just feels like a dream now :)

Captain Cox and Kavalar came to my show and surprised me with this AWESOME poster :) "Sara Jean The Bikini Queen!" LOVE IT!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

<3 SJ

**Home Sweet Home**

Good Morning Everyone!!!

I am 1 day away from the 2011 Fox Cities Showdown and I am so excited! Yesterday I arrived at my house [for the first time this semester] around 2pm. My mom was still working and my brother was not home from school yet, so I unpacked and started my laundry.

My mom had this note waiting for me which was very thoughtful of her because she always has delicious treats around the house and then I was reminded to stay out of the cupboards hehe

It felt SO good to be home! I had a few hours to finish a few show prep things [shave spot check, exfoliate again, give myself a pedicure] before my family came home. My mom came home first and I greeted her with tuna packet in my hand and gave her a BIG hug. It was so great to see her!!! I love my mom and I am so blessed that she is so supportive of both me and my brother. I ran in my room and put on my bikini and heels and was so excited to show her the progress I have made. She was very proud of me.

About 30 minutes later my brother Josh came home and of course the first thing we do is have a pose off  [typical Lindbom brother:sister greeting:] and show off all our hard work and progress.  He looks fantastic and I know he is going to do very well tomorrow!!! I am so proud of you Josh and I am so excited to share this experience with you! Who's Da Bomb? Da Lindbom :)

It was then time for my mom to take me to my hair appointment with Jen for my cut and highlight. I have not seen her since before I started cutting so I was definitely overdue. It was really nice catching up with her and sharing my excitement for the upcoming weekend. It was nice to sit and relax for a few hours. Oh and yes I did have chicken in my purse and whipped it out when my color was processing. I can now say that I had chicken in a hair salon haha. It was a really good night, and it only just started. Jen did an AMAZING job on my hair :) THANK YOU JEN MILIS AT SALON CTI!!!! <3

Got Chicken?

After the hair appointment we went back home where Josh was waiting for us. We ate some chicken together and cooked more for the rest of the weekend. We spent the night watching Talledaga Nights and then started watching a season of Will and Grace [our favorite...next to the Office]. It was really nice to spend quality time with my brother and talk about our excitement for the big show. I think I finally fell asleep around 1:30 am [this has been a common theme the past week haha] and I woke up wide awake at 5am. Luckily my mom was awake also so we went for a nice walk this morning in the sunshine. When I am home in the summertime we go on a a lot of walks together so it was nice to finally be able to do it again.

Well it is time for me to do some dishes...I promised mom I would do them while I am still spray tan free because after I am orange there will be no dishes washing :) My sister and niece are also coming over shortly so I will get to spend the morning with them. It is going to be a very wonderful day!!!!!!

Safe travels to everyone heading to the Fox Cites for the competition :)


SHOUT OUT TO MY WIFEY, ANGEL!!!!! TOMORROW IS YOUR BIG DAY ON STAGE TOO!!!! I WILL BE YELLING GOOOOOOOOOOOO #105  FROM WI :) SO PROUD OF YOU!! MWAH!!!

Enjoy the sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SJ Xo

!!!!!!!!!!!!! T Minus 3 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Everyone!!!

I am 3 days away from 2011 Fox Cities Showdown NPC National Qualifier. I am very excited and I cannot believe how fast it is coming up. I have been happy all week and in good spirits with the anticipation for Saturday. I have been working for almost a year for this, and this weekend I get to show off all of my hard work and shine on stage. I am so proud of myself and a year ago I would have never thought I would be doing this. I am also VERY proud of my younger brother, Joshua who is competing for the second time as well. It is going to be an amazing experience we get to share together. I am also happy to share it with my supportive family and friends who will be with me to share my special day.

This week I did cardio both in the morning and in the evening after lifting. To finish out my training before the show I did:
Monday: Upper Body
Tuesday: Lower Body:
Wednesday: 1 exercise/muscle group
Tomorrow morning I will do my last cardio session before the show, and then I am heading home!!!!

I have not been home all semester so I am extremely happy that I get to see my family! Tomorrow when I get home I am going to visit my sister and my niece and then when my mom gets out of work she is taking me to get my hair cut/colored so I can be fresh for the show. I am looking forward to spending time with my mom. I have also not been to the salon to see Jen all semester so I am over due :)

Good things to come. I will try to do a better job keeping everyone up to date with all of my show prep!
Tonight after work I get to exfoliate again and continue prepping my skin for the spray tan :) Lots of fun stuff :)

Have a wonderful evening!!!!!!!! SMILE!!!!! :)

SJ xo