Nobody is Too Busy; It's a Matter of Priority

We all have the time we need. We always have. We simply have to decide how we want to use it. I decided last fall that I wanted a new challenge for 2018. I wanted to transform my 43 year old post baby body. My daugher would be turning three in April, and I would be turning 44 in August. No time like the present!  As someone who already worked out four-five days a week, stayed active playing sports, ate relatively healthy, and meal prepped, I knew that I'd have to make drastic changes. I hired a coach. Not just a coach. I hired a seasoned figure competitor who has competed in over 13 competitions starting when she was 40.

On January 8, 2018 with 14 weeks out, I started an intense training program that put me in the gym twice a day: one session of cardio for 30-60 minutes a day, plus one 60+ minute weight lifting session a day. I also followed a very strict meal plan --weighing to the ounce my foods. I get bored fast with food, so this was a challenge. (There are only so many different spices for chicken, fish, and eggs.) I continued to meal plan and prep, cooking everything from scratch for myself and my two year old daughter. We only ate whole foods: fresh veggies and berries, bananas, egg white omelettes, chicken, fish, quinoa, brown rice, and once a week early on, I was allowed one RX Bar... the only pre-packaged food I ate (although they are 100% whole food protein). Towards the end, however, the carbs were cut, the fruit was cut. I was left with canned tuna fish--which actually excited me. 

What did I need to give up for this to happen?
Alcohol.
Chocolate.
Work/Personal Travel. (except for one short biz trip to NYC)
Eating out. (except on a few rare occasions, see above)

I continued to go out with friends, but I didn't eat or drink. It's a challenge to eat out when on a strict meal plan. All the money that I normally spent on eating out went towards protein shakes, supplements, vitamins, and grocery shopping. I was at the grocery store and fish market almost daily.

The result? After 14* weeks of training, I competed in my first National Figure Committee competition, dropping over 20 pounds, and losing 8% body fat -- without compromising other aspects of my life.

Oh, did I mention that during this time I was a single Mom, and an entrepreneur running a successful business?  Since all my family lives back on the East Coast, I had no help. *And for nearly two of those 14 weeks I was in bed (yes, actually in bed for 20 hours a day) with the flu--only up to take my daughter to/from school. 

So next time you say you're "too busy to make your own chocolate cake," remember this: We all have the same number of hours in the day. How do you choose to use yours?

"Every once in awhile we need to challenge ourselves; set crazy goals, and fulfill them. When you say you don’t have time to make a cake— I say we all have the same amount of time. What you chose to do in that time, is up to YOU". -- A.Cannistraci