O.K.....O.K........Monday.......

LOL - you guys are simply the BEST!!!! You all mean more to me than you know!!!! I came back yesterday and found ALL my emails personal - IBO - peep you name it - all "in boxes" were simply filled with well wishes, inquiring minds - just so many fuzzies for me!!! THANK YOU!!!! And all the positive comments that you guys have left on my blog for me this past week - my gosh - you have no idea how touched I am!!!!!! And you all wonder where I get my motivation from - LOL! How could I let all you guys down?

So - I think I'm finally caught up with the business stuff - let me steal a couple of minutes to fill you all in at once. The photographer was simply AMAZING!!! His studio was simple, he was personable, and so much attention to detail - WOW! He was exactly all that I had hoped for - and more!!!! I went with 5 different outfits - just in case the colors didn't work with my "tan" and the lighting/back drops. I figured I'd be there for an hour - tops.

Nearly 2 1/2 hours!!!!! And he was disappointed when we ran out of outfits - he was suggesting combinations/poses. He was hoping I had brought "props" like an exercise ball or dumbells or something - if only I had known! I'm new to this. Honestly thought I'd get there and he'd see me and be like "sure - she does online training - whatever!!! Who is SHE to think she needs her pics professionally done." I couldn't have been more wrong!!!

He told me that after talking to me he was worried that he wouldn't have anything to work with - some of those magazine before and afters just aren't that impressive. Once he saw me he was commenting on how I have more muscles than he does - that he was FLOORED that I didn't compete - that this was an "easy" shoot - how he felt guilty for drinking regular sweetened tea and not diet in my presence - LOL!

He has some great ideas. Lots of pics were taken. One idea that he shared that I can't wait to see is he took a bunch of closeups of each muscle - ie/ abs, bi's, back, etc. He wants to do these in high contrast and create a collage of just my parts - cool!! But I have to wait about 2 weeks for the proofs. So you must all wait for pics. I know - this will be a long 2 weeks - LOL!

I did my "modified" carb depletion/dehydration - no water after 8 the night before. By the time I was done with the "shoot" it was 12:30 - I was SO thirsty!! And HUNGRY - WOW! I was surprised at how exhausting flexing can be!! I gotta hand it to you competitors - I was sore this morning from my little "musckle" show!!

And my idea of carb depletion was NOTHING like what you competitors do. I had a pancake for breakfeast Friday morning! An apple on Saturday! And veggies every meal but meal 5 on Sunday!!!

I was a ball of nerves!!! Lucky for me XBF predicted this and had voluteered to be my driver!! The photograher is about 50 minutes away. I had 3 oz. of merlot Monday morning - the photo shoot prep says it will help with dehyrdation - and Lord knows I was all a flutter! But there was so much adrenaline pumping through me - I never even felt the effects! I don't even remember the last time I had red wine - been months. In the Summer I'm a reisling girl - with LOTS of ice so it's kinda watery and super cold. And even then it's only one glass - all I can stand before I get loopy - LOL! And that's when I'm fully hydrated and fed! On an empty stomach and slightly dehydrated.........I should've been stumbling! Yet I felt nothing! Told you I was nervous!!!

So after the shoot I had cold chicken and green beans with lots of water waiting for me for the car ride home - sound familiar Sue? I didn't want to shock my system with restaurant food right away. Later on last night we did hit the local microbrew for a couple - literally 2 - that was all I could handle - I'm such a lightweight! - and I of course - had a grilled chicken salad!

Such a binger - LOL! If it wasn't for the beer I probably wouldn't have slept at all last night! STILL so excited about the shoot and anxious to see what he does!!

I wasn't 100% this morning so I passed on cardio first thing, and instead used the time to get caught up with my IBO stuff. BUT - in true Michelle fashion - I hit the gym straight after work for my first lifting session on the new program!!!

I picked an "easy" one - F.Y.I. there is no such thing as an "easy" program if it comes from Sue. Shoulders and abs - WOW!!! Me likey!!!! They're already pretty achey! Long hot shower with my sugar scrub - I DO like this stuff - will be getting more!!! I didn't have a shake for dinner though - I was TOO hungry - went straight for - you guessed it - more chicken and a HUGE salad!

I keep telling you this is my way of life!

Tomorrow - glutton for punishment that I am, I think I'll give the leg program a try. I'm off from the "real" job - so if I train myself into a coma all I have to do is stumble up my 3 flights to Heaven and snuggles down for a long afternoon nap.

Now THAT sounds like the perfect day - too me!!!!