When did Mike Tyson come in here and sucker punch me????? I thought I would write a few lines while I am lucid (between doses of pain medicine)......the surgery went very well, I was in and out in no time at all. No puking, which is always a bonus- especially when you have had hernia surgery:)
I have had a really weird sensation of "referred" pain for most of the day today. Most of my pain is in my right anterior shoulder- no where near the surgery site.....go figure. I have heard of this phenomenon, but have never felt it before now. My mom made me potato soup (a family tradition for anyone who is sick.....gotta love mommys:) My chest and shoulders are SO sore from my lifting workout last night.....feeling that makes me feel better about sleeping like a slug all day today...ha ha ha. Well, I must go take some pain medicine, I am starting to hunch over sitting here. I will be good as new in no time....and I will try to keep you all updated till then:)
Aren't you proud of me "D"? I even wrote in my journal the night after surgery.......hee hee hee- all for you darlin', I know how much you love my insanity:):):)
Take care everyone, train hard- no excuses! (well, unless you have had surgery...LOL) Love ya,

Tam

Yes, I know it's late.....I sit here, in front of my computer, on the eve of my surgery......with insomnia:) I have to be up in 5 hours so that I can report to the hospital for my hernia surgery. We spent the weekend at the sand dunes and I slept nearly the whole way home, so now I can't sleep. I got one last lifting session in tonight- I did shoulders and chest- it was awesome! I love lifting heavy....and I won't be able to for the next however many weeks.....sniffle, sniffle:) My husband thinks I am crazy- his thought on the matter, is that I shouldn't be lifting at all until my hernia is fixed.....I even wanted to go for a run before my surgery in the morning, but he really had a fit over that:) So, I am going to appease him for now:) I figure it wouldn't be good to have a hard cardio session, and then not be able to eat anything afterwards. Not good for the whole "trying to get bigger" thing......

I took my belly ring out for the first time in 8 years....my stomach looks so weird without it....not to mention, the whole lump of a hernia hanging out beside where the ring usually is....ha ha ha. I am going to ask the surgeon if he can put it back in before he bandages my belly. I don't want anything happening to that piercing...that was the most painful sucker I could ever imagine!

Well, I must try to go to sleep.....everybody say their prayers for me:) I will try to write soon to tell you all about my recovery:) Train hard everybody- no excuses! Love ya,

Tami

I just got home from the Seven Feathers competition (aka The Northern Pacific States Classic), in Canyonville, OR. My guest posing went really well, I had a blast! I have a special place in my heart for this contest, because I won the fitness and figure their 3 years ago as an amateur. I love the promoters, Ron and Susan Smith. They are the greatest people, and wonderful role models in the sport of bodybuilding.

I was SO impressed with the quality of competitors at this contest. They seem to just get better and better in the amateur ranks....I met some really great ladies. My friend/client, Allison Malone placed 2nd in her height class in figure....(which if you ask me, she got robbed:) but I could be a tad bit partial...ha ha ha. She did a fantastic job, and I am really proud of her! You should all check out the pictures of her on the contest website. I will try to remember to put up a link for it when they are posted.

I had the good fortune of meeting Todd Scott, a national level bodybuilder from Moses Lake Washington.....Trent and I had a great time talking with him. He is an all around great guy, and I want to wish him the best of luck at Nationals in 5 weeks! He is a top contender for a pro card. He placed 3rd at the USA's in July, and many people say he should have pro carded there!

I was able to hang out with my friends Michelle and Trish, who I have not gotten to see since April. The 4 of us all shared gigantic cheese burgers together late last night:) They had friends and clients in the show....Michelle's client won my client's height class....which I had to give Michelle crap about:) Michelle is also 9 months pregnant (and gorgeous as always). She's gonna have a future little fitness competitor!!!!

I am SO happy to be home, I missed my little monkeys:) I did go down to the gym tonight and lifted shoulders as heavy as I could. I have to get as many workouts in this week before my surgery next Monday. I am all about putting on muscle in the next 3 months....its nose to the grind stone now! Well, I have to work at the hospital tomorrow- so off to bed with my tired butt:) Take care everyone- train hard, no excuses. Love ya,

Tami

Carb deplete day 3 is almost over!!!!! I am really proud of myself for not going "postal" on anyone today:) I was actually surprised how good I felt....I performed my routine start to finish- hit every strength move- totally carb depleted!!! Tomorrow I start carb loading.....I never thought I would be this excited for yams...hee hee hee.

Yesterday, just for comedy's sake, I decided to keep a tally of how many times I pee in a single day (while drinking 2 gallons of distilled water). When I went to bed, the tally was 17.....but by morning time it was 19! I think I just about know where every single public bathroom in my county is.

Have you all seen the new holiday Oreos??? Get this....dulce de leche caramel OREOS!!!!!! Needless to say, this OREO freak has a package waiting for her...(for after the contest on Saturday:) I never eat this kind of stuff in the off season, it just amazes me how much I crave it while I am dieting! I cannot wait to get back to a healthy off season diet.....I miss oatmeal, salad, and fruit more than you can imagine! Well, I must go eat more tilapia.....yum, yum, yum!

I will try to write before I go this weekend, but if I don't- I will have a full report for you all on Sunday. Take care- train hard, no excuses! Love ya,

Tami

Hello friends!!! I am sitting here in front of my computer eating tilapia that I grilled on my George foreman grill....I can't believe I didn't think to use the grill for fish before now!!!! I am on day 2 of carb depletion....yuck! I am preparing for my guest posing this weekend, and I like to try out "week of contest" experiments on the week of guest posings. That way, if I mess up...no big deal:) This week, I am trying a 3 day carb depletion with a 2 days load. So far so good, I am beginning to look really cut today. I just can't seem to get rid of that last little bit of butt fat! Not that I need to be ALL that lean for a guest posing- I am not getting in a swimsuit:) It just feels really good to be "contest lean". It has been so long since I have competed....I really miss the tight and lean feeling.

So, what were everybody's feelings about the Olympia?? I was SO excited for Tanji!!! She has never placed higher than 8th (I think), and she was ecstatic about achieving 4th place! I am SO proud of her! She sent me a text message at 1:30am the night of the Fitness finals- and she was over the moon about her placing. Not to mention, she won $6,000 for 4th place! I have to also give props to my friend Heidi Fletcher. She is a great person (inside and out), and even though she placed last...you have to think of it this way: last at the Olympia is still the top of the fitness ranks!!! I could only hope to someday make an appearance on the Olympia stage!
I was a little shocked that Monica placed 3rd in figure.....In my opinion, she has never before had such a balanced, symmetrical physique as the one she showed this year. I thought it was a toss up between her and Jenny, but I was surprised by Amber's placing above Monica....but, I wasn't there- so I can't judge the judges:) Sometimes, a competitors presentation can be the difference between 1st and 3rd....some competitors have a charisma that really comes across on stage. The night of the contest, I sat here in front of my computer hitting the "refresh" key every few minutes to read the play by play on bodysport.com. It was great- I felt like I was there:)
Well, I must go....lots of routine practice tomorrow (while carb depleting- so pray for me....ha ha ha). Take care everyone, train hard- no excuses!! Love always,

Tami