The Emotional eater!

Who else can relate to this topic?
Had a bad day… Eat! Tired …. Eat! Bored…Eat! Sad…. Eat! Happy…. Eat! Screw life….. Eat!….
Find a reason... EAT!!!!! Yep that can and has been me and the more people i talk to, mostly women open up about this can to relate.
Why talk about this well simple cause this is something i have struggled with for a LONG time my passion for exercise v's my passion for eating. One would think in the past that the more exercise i do the more i can eat….. what a joke i was telling myself!
Lets go back to the beginning…. Where does the emotional eater stem from? Well for me it was something i would say over and over to myself "I am an emotional eater" When you repeat something to yourself over and over again you start to believe this. It was not until one day not so long ago (post USA trip) i addressed this with myself, probably after a nice big binge session. "Hannah honestly why did you do this and how do you feel" Answer was "Because i have allowed this and i actually feel like shit" next question… What did it achieve? Answer = Nothing but the start of that harsh circle of negativity spiralling through my head! How do i fix this? make the decision to 1) stop telling myself I'm an emotional eater and 2) channel this energy into something more constructive that will make me feel better.
After my trip to America in May/June 2013 i found myself starting to get back in that headspace above and that was then when i made a commitment to myself instead of eating when i was feeling emotional i would save that emotion for my training and put it into my workouts, i worked with Layne post trip with a mini cut to get my weight back down to a place i felt more comfortable this is where i too addressed my issue with picking a number on the scales that i wanted to reach, for years i had a number in my head that is my "happy weight"! I went into this mini cut just enjoying the process and not being tied down by  thoughts of the decrease in food, or what the scales were saying! Not once did i feel like i was missing out, not once did i really care what the scales were saying and for once i accepted me for me, not what i was eating, not what i was weighing. I realised how much energy i had put into what when and how i was consuming food, what weight i was….. I was the only one that truly cared.
Once mini cut was done and i was feeling in a much better head space we started a reverse diet where we increased my intake for the past 7months.
(the above was written last thursday…. that night i let lose)
Why did this happen as always i allowed it and didn't address the usual questions of am i actually hungry or am i doing this to try satisfy an emotion?!?! The excuses i gave myself were * i am tired, *i am hormonal *  i am unorganised * i am out of routine. EXCUSES. I am much better at letting go and moving on and that is what i have done.
I think it's really important to have a supportive network you can turn to i am blessed to work with an amazing coach and a wonderful team as well as very supportive and encouraging friends. And to know that there are others out there that feel alone and battle this tough moments and days.
Remember at the end of the day the choice is yours, stop and ask yourself those questions and really take the time to answer yourself honestly. Find a nutrition plan/coach that offers you support and options, don't restrict yourself, don't be so hard on yourself. We all human we all have good and bad days yet some people are afraid to admit it.
Your journey is your own, enjoy life and remember that everything in moderation is good for you :)

And so it begins… Season number 4.

The time has come again to prepare for my next lot of comps… and I'm hoping to document my journey along the way. I am currently 23-25weeks out from the shows i am aiming for.
Since i last stepped on stage (March 2013) life has given me a whirl wind of events i've had to deal with that have made me a stronger, happier person and i am grateful for the fight i've put in to get to where i am mentally, physically and emotionally.
I have had a very productive offseason with my training and nutrition, there is always room for improvement but i feel the balance i have found has gotten me to a great spot right now.
My training has been very consistent and i am feeling the strongest ever. My nutrition has been the best in this offseason to date. Since i started competing i have always followed IIFYM in this off season i was able to get my numbers to 145g Protein, 315g Carbs and 78g fat a day roughly a lil over 2500 Cals and keep in mind i did have days i strayed from the plan.
My training consists with:-

Monday : Lower Power
Tuesday : Upper Power
Wednesday: HIIT + arms
Thursday: Back & Shoulder Hypertrophy
Friday : Legs Hypertrophy & HIIT
Saturday: Back, Shoulders &  Chest Hypertrophy
Sunday :HIIT + Arms

 I also teach 4 group fitness classes through the week

25 Weeks Out
Training = Same
Nutrition =
5 Days week -155g Protein, 165g Carbs, 50g Fat
2 days week 140g Protein, 300g Carbs, 55g Fats

Starting weight 65.55kg

Let the journey begin!

A special shout out to my Coach Layne Norton and the Team for constant support and amazing friendships.
A special menton to my sponsor Nutrition Warehouse thank you Grant Mayo and the Team for your help with my supplements all year round and the great friends i have made in this great community.
And to all the awesome people i meet, train, work with at Murwllumbah Fitness thank you for the awesome times and making what i love to do so much better with you all in it.

LETS ROLL!!!!

Start of comp prep 2012/13 vs Now… 1.5kg weight difference!

Holiday reflecting!!!

Yes again i have been missing but i have been busy planning, and on my first real overseas holiday which i went on my own :)
I left on May 22nd from Brisbane, a quick stop over in LA and first actual stop for the Trip was New York City. This is where i meet up with another Team Norton member Ebony who i had never met but planned via Facebook/skype, being another fellow Aussie in the big smoke we had a ball from Training in various gyms our Favourite was Bev Frances Power House Gym, we did the tourist stuff, attended the New York Pro and also experienced out very first Broadway show which i must say was still one of my highlights on this trip. I could have spent a month in New York it was great after 5-6 days next stop was Washington DC.
I trained it to Washington and finally arrived at my destination, the hotel i was staying was like a room from a horrer movie lol (I watch way too many scary movies)! Thankfully i was not their for too long! I enjoyed the sight seeing and riding the bike around the city. I was able to enjoy some nice meals i could fit to my macros as i was nice and close to a Whole Foods Supermarket!
From Washington i flew to Mobile, Alabama where Ebony had me there for a few days. We trained, went and viewed a BattleShip and headed to movies. Then our road trip to Clearwater was up next.
We didn't have great weather there but we did get in a good day at the beach and i got roasted ( i never learn) Another cool gym experience we trained Downtown Tampa at The Powerhouse Gym, there was great energy and we also saw Ifbb Pro Erin Stern training amongst the crowd. I can't thank Ebony enough for her hospitality and company and i hope to be able to return the favour next time you are home in Oz :).
The reason this holiday came about was that i was heading to attend Layne Norton's Natural Bodybuilding VIP camp as most know this incredible man is my coach and i was lucky enough to meet him in Australia in April this year, the camp was planned in December 2012 so it was a long time coming and something i was super excited for. I arrived in Tampa on Wednesday June 5th were i also meet up with some other Aussie team members and co. Getting settled in hear the following day we woke to tornado warnings.
Not only this trip was happening at this point in time my partner was about to become a dad, (This is the hard times i was dealing with through my last prep - but we have come through fighting and are stronger then ever) A very overwhelming moment to say the least, thankfully i have had some incredible support leading up and going through all this and this camp was just what i needed to be doing for myself.
There are really no words that describe how amazing the camp was getting to train with pros and experts in the industry left me speechless, also the knowledge these people shared was just mind blowing. I left camp feeling smarter hehe!! I now feel like I'm truly part of the Team Norton Family Layne and Isabel are wonderful people and all the people they brought to us campers were an amazing bunch i can't thank them enough for this opportunity. I still feel like i have post camp blues!!!
Next stop was Miami and everything that went wrong pretty much did not the best trip there but we live and learn i stayed here with a great group of Aussies, Joey, Courtney, Evan and Tom. After our lil adventures there next and final stop for me ... Orlando!
Got to meet up with Paul( from the camp) and his wife Misty and trained at Golds Gym another awesome gym! I attended Disney World which to be honest i was a lil let down by i guess I'm not that big kid i thought i was... Maybe it was the 35 degree heat or the 6hrs and only 3 rides bit.
And today my final day of holiday and i have decided to just put my feet up and hang out!
I have loved my trip the only thing that didn't go to plan was me hitting my macros I'm guessing i have put on 3-4kg which i am really not happy with as i had set a goal of not getting above a certain weight in the offseason and this would put me above that goal. So as of now i have set a goal to hit my macros and see where i am at on Saturday 22nd and Layne and i will decide whether i do a mini cut to get back to that weight again. I will report in next Saturday to see what happens.
Let the journey of balanced offseason body begin!!!!
Thank you for reading!!! xo

Time slips away when you are easily distracted 20 Weeks, 3 shows and Life in between!

Well blogging my journey to the stage 2013.... What the hell happened! I got through week 1 and then..... NOTHING lol so here is a lil recap on my 3rd  journey to the stage!

I started with a 20 week prep and starting weight was my heaviest to date 67kg!
My nutrition and exercise was probably the easiest prep so far i got to the stage eating more, doing less  cardio and the happiest i have felt with how i looked considering all the hiccups i faced along the way!

The hiccups:
At about 17 weeks out i finally took some time off work with my partner to just chill as it had been way to long, we had a great time went to a concert, spent time hanging out on the beach and we also got robbed while we were a sleep at home! 2 laptops a camera and my wallet :( first thing i was mostly worried about was the fact i couldn't track my food on my computer and then i realised 3 years of unsaved photo memories were also gone.... Devastated to say the least! But continued to push through this little challenging time.

Christmas approached fast which made me nervous as my previous preps always ended around christmas and this is where my blow outs usually happened post comp i saw this as a great way to look if i could get through Christmas sticking to the plan i could just about get through any event. It came, i saw i conquered!!!! And i even managed to fit my refeed on Christmas Day :)

Between Xmas and New Year i had some devastating news that involved my partner and has changed my life forever, here we are at about 11/12 weeks out this was when i just wanted to throw everything i was working towards out the window. I think having the focus of my goal to compete was what kept me sane to be honest in this hard time. I had (and continue to have) amazing support from family and friends who without them i don't know how i would have dealt with things the way i have. Also having the support from seeing a councillor previous to this situation arising and then continuing on to see her has also been a major factor for me to be able to keep my head held high. What has happened still is with me to this day and some that a close to us both know about it and im sure as time goes by others will find out about it. But with Mick and i working through it we have become stronger and such an amazing team. (This can all be left yet for another blog i am sure)

Back to the shows.....First up was Fitx in Melbourne :) I had never travelled for a competition before which made me a lil nervous in itself, will i forget something, how will my body respond with a flight? Will i be ready in time, how do i stop stressing?.... the list goes on. But what a great experience it was We arrived on the Thursday and got ourselves to the motel, organised food and then pretty much relaxed. Mick had his very first Men's Physique show on the Friday and we just wanted to be settled and relaxed for that. Getting to see him on stage for that was incredible i was so extremely proud of him to have followed through and make it to the stage with all that he and i were going through. This was the very first time Men's Physique was at an Australian event and we were not sure how the judging was going to go with what thy were looking for, in my eyes (non biased) i though Mick brought an incredible look and that he suits this division very much so. He placed 5th in a line up of 16/18 men.

Saturday was my turn this was my second IFBB show my first in 2011 where i think i placed 4th, i once again competed in Novice short class and i placed 2nd at this huge event. When i look at the pics i feel i was a little fluidy and not as hard as i was hoping to be im not sure if it was a combo of, stress, flight, to much walking around the day before as well as being  hormonal. But i was extremely proud of myself and had a great crowd of friends out there supporting me :) Thanks to all that came and cheered me on. The whole FitX experience was awesome, from the competition to the expo and meeting some of the awesome pros who kindly spent time to chat and encourage me to follow my goals and dreams. I love Melbourne it was a fun filled weekend :)

My second show was a week later here on the Gold Coast The IFBB All Female classic, this was an exciting event to be apart of as it was the first to be held :) after the weekend before i thought i may as well step up into Open class i had now done 4 shows and thought it would only help me see where i kind of stood in an open line up, unfortunately my line up only had 3 competitors including myself where i placed 2nd, still over the moon about this i was happy that i could see i had brought a tighter package to the stage and that was my goal for this show. It two was a great show which was run very well and i made some new friends out of it :) The day after this show i had a blast with a photo shoot with Dallas Olsen i can't wait to purchase some of those pics :)

2 weeks 2 shows and 2 second places i thought what the hell lets just do one more.... this one i planned to do purely for the experience The IFBB Australasian show held in Sydney, where Mick also joined me again in stepping on stage this season. As nervous as i was i took the stage in Open short class again and got totally smoked by the amazing girls on stage with me it was so cool though to be up on stage with new and old friends in the industry and to see just where i need to prove my physique, bring on a thicker, bigger upper body!
Once again i was happy with how i looked i feel each show i came in better and better. Mick was quite unwell on the day and still managed to get up on stage and do an awesome job :) It was an extremely long day for us both but a wicked experience.

I love competing and i already can't wait to do it all again. Thats it for this year though i have a lot of other things coming up which i am looking forward to.

A few people i'd like to give a huge shout out to that helped me get to the stage :)
My coach Layne (and his beautiful wife Isabel) he is always there through the ups and the downs and always believes in me! Thank you.
Mick through the darkest moments and the uncomfortable times you have propt me up and encouraged me to never give up, you have made me a stronger person, Thank you.
My Family - you guys are there for me no matter what... Thank you!
My friends - You guys rock there is just to many of you and I know when you read this you will smile and know who you are :) Thank you
Team Norton - What can i say you guys are frigging UNBELIEVABLE :P Keep up the awesome job Guys!
Nutrition Warehouse - my sponsors who without them i'd not get through my workouts lol! Thanks for your ongoing support and amazing supplements :)
IFBB Australia - for the great opportunities to step on stage at your wonderful shows

And last but not least i'd like to thank MYSELF for never giving up, for picking myself up after i fell and looking deep and believing i can achieve anything i put my mind to!!!

Foundations have been laid.

The time is now and my mojo has returned to me just in time. :)
Week 1 of a 20 week prep done and dusted... and this steam trains momentum is moving along quite nicely!
I am feeling in much better head space then i was say even 6 months ago just by not taking on board a lot of negativity and it's really helping.
Like i said in my last post i have a lot of work ahead of me due to the weight gain in the past 12 months but i am a determined person and will put in my all to get to the place i want to be.
My exercise - Weights and cardio are still the same as pre prep the only thing that has change so far is my calorie intake. Working with my coach in the offseason has help boost my metabolism ( still something in the future i am aiming to nail - offseason v's on season = balanced lifestyle) Just before starting prep my calorie intake was just over 2000 calories with out putting on any weight.
I am now sitting just below maintenance a lil over 1400 calories.  I work with Macronutrients (Proteins, Carbs & Fats) with the macro numbers my coach gives me i am able to put together a diet plan using a software program that i put my food into,  basically Monday to Friday i eat the same things due to easier planning and preparation. Weekends i tend to experiment with my numbers.
Something i get asked all the time is.. "What should i eat?" , "What is the best diet?", "What's your thoughts on this diet?".  At the end of the day you have to discover what works best for you. And what is likely to help you get the best results and keep you sticking to the plan... Most diets work (some are quite extreme) But as an individual its your responsibility to work out what "diet" plan works for you. Counting my macros works best for me :)
Educating yourself what is in your food (check out the nutritional panel) your eating has definitely helped me, would you feel fuller after a kilo of vegetables or a slice and half bread???
Anyhow the journey to the stage is underway more then just a journey to get my kini & heels on but i know this journey is a process of a lifestyle change for me.
i am hoping to blog on a more regular basis :)
Bring on Week 2....  BOOYA!!!

The come back!

We all make mistakes and from these mistakes its whether we choose to let go and move on or hold on and do our heads in.... For me, I'm going to be honest not letting go of some of my mistakes has not allowed me to move forward in the direction i am wanting to go. And for me being able to admit this is one of my first steps of letting go.... YAY ME!
The only thing that is getting in my road of where i want to go with my goals and dreams is me and i am really going to put the effort in to change things around. The past 12 months have been rather stressful and upsetting but i know the things i have been through and are getting through are obstacles to make me stronger, braver and will help me with more trials and errors life will throw my way.

It is almost 12 months since i stepped on the stage. I am a lil disappointed in the position i have put myself (as in weight gain) But i am not going to let that stop me from getting back up on that stage come 2013 i have already planned which shows i really want to do and am working my butt off currently to put myself in a better position. I am extremely happy to be working with my coach again and i have an amazing and supportive network of people that have been there to encourage me through all my ups and downs. I am currently 6.5 weeks from starting prep so the plan is now to really knuckle down and fine tune my lil hiccups.

Let the journey begin.... 2013 i am coming for you!!!!

Fighting for what i love!

What an interesting year so far i can't believe over half of it has gone already! 4 months since i last blogged too haha I'm a shocker.
I have no idea where this blog/rant may go but anyway here i go.......

I knew coming into this year it was going to be a year of finding balance and reevaluating things in my life. This year to date has been one interesting  roller coaster but finally i feel like I'm seeing that light at the end of the tunnel. Completion of studies i had put off for some time has lifted some stress, learning to say no to things and people in my life gives me that sense of control again, not being afraid to ask for help when needed is helping me with acceptance so there fore i do feel like things are starting to move in the direction i want. I am starting to finally believe in me again :)

People have blamed post comp blues for my headspace that i have been in the past few months, i know in myself it was more then that my headspace began before comp was over due to things in my life i was not happy with, since then slowly i have made those changes and tada my headspace is starting to turn around. (Still a few things i have to work on).

One thing i have learnt but still working on is.... Food is not the solution to ones problem lol. I'm back working with my coach again, i stopped working with him post comp due to my silly head which was probably the least smartest thing i ever did i was so worried i would fail in front of him. Hmm won't ever be doing that again. He has been amazing support and i am so grateful to be part of an inspiring, motivated and genuine team.

Currently i am 14 weeks from starting prep for my next show (34 Weeks out) Food has improved HEAPS, Training is great my biggest goals coming into this next show is fuller shoulders, arms and upper back to balance out my thicker framed legs, I'm also hoping to be leaner so i do have my work cut out for me :P The challenge is on! I'm finding having these goals to work for has lifted my intensity in my training, my passion to compete has been reunited with me and i am willing to put in the hard work to get what i want.

Mindset is everything, and i can't thank Mick enough for the encouragement and belief he has and shows for me :) You have taught me how to start to believe in me again!

I'm ready to work hard each and every day to be the person i really want to be!
My journey to the stage season 3 is underway.... this is where i will keep you updated with where and what i am up too : )

THE TIME IS NOW