The Beat Goes On

It's Monday, first day of the training week two-weeks post show, the comment from Hubby, "I'm not used to doing abs"......after I picked my jaw up off the ground and began to giggle on the inside (don't wanna mess up our flow) "exactly" was all that I could come up with.  Mr. Matthews has been blessed, as the girlie's (two eldest kids) like to say, by the 12 pack gods.  I believe he just likes to humor me and my religious ab repertoire......one word, genetics.  Yes he does train abs, 6-8 weeks out of contest he will throw in 4-6 sets of abs in any given week -  yes I did say 4-6 sets.  Seriously. After all these years I can only say "whatever" and just suffer weekly consequences of knee raises, planks, rope crunches, etc.

The envelope also arrived on Monday.......after roughly 8 years of competing Bill has crossed the threshold and has earned money for his hobby, or what I like to call our lifestyle.  We can finally say, yes he does make money at the sport.  He is shopping this weekend for a new gas grill, his Sunday past-time, and perhaps a new air compressor!

First week back in the gym....

This past week has had as many challenges as there have been highs.  It's been six months since the end of Yorton Cup, let's just say enough time passed to where I forgot just how difficult the re-entry is.  Not sure of Hubbie's weight........but the cuts are all coming back into view.  Patience in the gym is key, the weights seem a little heavier than two weeks ago and somehow a change in scenery becomes necessary.  The outpouring support from the members of Gold's Gym Arlington helped keep up the mood despite the stop-watch ticking off breaks in-between sets too quickly!  One particular member, whom we call Jack (82 years young), sent us this email that I just had to share:


Thanks for the informative Fitness Newsletter. I will look forward to future issues. Along with more happy congratulations on winning FIRST PLACE in Richmond here are  a few Biblical references to high respect for our “body”: Philippians 1:20 My deep desire and hope is that I may never fail my duty, but that at all times I shell be full of courage so that Christ would be magnified  in my body. (Body here refers to our “whole being” including the physical. The early non-Greek  Christians did not always follow the Greek concept of  mind, body, soul.)

I Corinthians 6:15 ....your bodies are parts of the body of Christ.

I Cor. 9:24-27...every athlete submits to strict discipline...hard body to win the prize...

Romans 12:1...by the mercy of God present your bodies a living sacrifice to God.

Paul also talks about our having a new body following the event of death..

Best wishes for a good day.

I will see you at the gym,

JT

It never ceases to amaze me how the universe sends you messages, even though we are not highly religious, I've learned to stop and appreciate the random act/gestures that shape our souls, thank you Jack.

Time for some R&R!

8 days post contest, Bill's weight is hovering around 165 but should drop back to 155ish by end of this coming week (contest weight 149).......After all these years of competing we're pretty close to getting him dialed in for peak performance at shows.

This past week has gone by so quickly it doesn't even seem like there was a competition last Saturday.  A mandatory week of rest (from the gym) makes for a not so happy Team Body Shop, however, this is the time where we re-group and do our game plan.........we are 24 weeks out of Yorton, time to hit the weights with a slow progressing conditioning program that will hopefully put a couple of pounds of muscle on him.

The biggest compliment Bill could ever receive, is that of his peers.  He has received an over-whelming show of support and props from his fellow competitors, I have never seen him so content and have such a sense of belonging to a sport that he still hails as his "hobby".......

Extreme Dieting.....

The beginning......it's been 101 hours since Bill won his first IFPA Show (Richmond Pro Bowl 2012). He is still floating and trying to put it all into perspective, I, as always, begin preparations for the next show as he exits the stage.  We are a team and together we strive for perfection.

As I was getting ready to train a client this am, I received a text from my hubby with a picture of a McSkillet wrap with a hash brown in his lap (and a side of ketchup).....seriously, and is the inspiration for this new blog.  Since Saturday I can account for the following food consumption done by him not in any particular order:

1/2 payday candy bar
several brownie's (his daughter's contribution)
crackers
2 beers
1/2 bag of Garden Sun Chips
Carnitas Super Burrito at El Paso, along with chips and a mondo Cadillac
one slice black forrest cheesecake
6 slices of pepperoni DiGiorno pizza
pecan turtle
a row of oreos and milk
Starbucks Lemon pound cake
Belgian waffle w/strawberries, 4 slices of bacon, 3 eggs over easy (real butter and real syrup)
banana with a large helping of almonds
3 Nathan's hot dogs with buns and a side of pringles
home-made lasagna, garlic rolls, salad with chunky blue cheese dressing
large chocolate shake from Jo Jo's
2 chicken biscuits from Chick-fil'a
Payday candy bar
Stuffed beef potato at Dixie Bones, pecan pie a'lamode
finished off cheese cake

By Tuesday he is starting to taper and get back to his regular meals, although there will be several additions to his "in season" diet for the next couple of weeks.  Now to start prep for Yorton Cup, to be held this year in Phoenix, AZ October 27, 2012........