In less than three months, my goal is to step foot on stage to compete in my first figure competition.  YIKES!!!

I guess it’s normal to be nervous, anxious and even doubtful, but all I can do is try my best through sticking to my diet, and following my fitness coach’s orders when it comes to training and getting the proper rest.

As of today I weigh 138 lbs (5’4″ tall if you’re curious)

My goal is to start losing 1 lb per week by sticking to an 1200 calorie diet and exercising.

Below, I’ll brief you on what my workout days are looking like, as well as what my meals are consisting of.

So let’s start with my workouts! (designed by Coach Lenny Graham)

I only work out three days a week for up to 90 minutes and rest the other days.

Mondays: Legs HARD

Wednesdays: Shoulders/ Back / Biceps

Fridays: Legs/ Chest/ Triceps

You are probably wondering where my cardio sessions are…. Well, so far, my body is transforming and coming along just like we were hoping, and per my coach, I luckily don’t have to do cardio yet. We will re-evaluate my progress in another week or so, and decide if we have to then. But so far, so good!

As far as my ab work out, I try to do them on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays on my own or after a workout if I’m not too exhausted. I always want to give 100% to my workouts, so if it means switching my schedule, then I will. Every work out counts, so being well rested and feeling motivated, definitely makes a difference in my effort and outcome.

What about Diet?

Eating clean is a key factor to achieving that sculpted physique that is needed to be noticed and even win a figure competition. To make sure I stay on track, I keep a food journal on www.Dailyplate.com.

Here’s an example of what some of my days look like:

Meal 1:

Oatmeal protein pancakes

(1/2 cup oats + 1/2 cup egg whites) Mix and cook on low heat in a pan.

I love them plain, but sometimes I’ll add some stevia and coconut oil depending on how I spread out my calories that day

Meal 2: Pumpkin Pie Shake 

1 scoop of Egg White Protein + 1/2 cup of Pumpkin Puree + 1 cup of ice + 2 cups of water

I can drink this all day long!

Meal 3: Grilled or poached 4oz  salmon +

1/2 cup steamed brown rice & lots of non-starchy veggies

I like to season my salmon with lemon juice and dill

 Meal 4: Grilled or baked 4 oz herb chicken with a medium sweet potato 

I love, love, love sweet potatoes! I like them baked or mashed with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top!

Meal 5: Lemon pepper 4 oz Flounder + 1/2 cup Fava Beans & Brussel sprouts

Yes, I adore these little cabbages!! I used to despise them, but after learning how to properly roast them, I can’t get enough.

I also grew up eating Fava beans and they trigger such happy memories with every bite.

See… my meals aren’t so bad I bet you thought I had to eat bland broccoli and chicken all day. I truly enjoy eating healthy and still allow myself a yummy cheat meal once a week. Believe it or not, I typically opt for mixed nuts or more brown rice lol

Oh! And I also keep steamed and cut veggies in the fridge at all times to munch on whenever I get cravings. I typically buy sweet red peppers, english cucumbers (small yummy ones), broccoli, mushrooms, eggplants, green beans, spinach and artichokes.

I hope you enjoyed my little update

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment under this post.

If you’re a competitor or fitness expert, I would love to hear you tips to help get me to the finish line!

Thank you for stopping by my little Ol’ blog!

Love you!

Ghada

Burger King has announced this week that they will be offering a delivery service which means that fast food will be even more accessible to people and their families.

Most people might be puzzled at why I would even promote their menu on my blog, but I am a realist when it comes to the average American’s diet.

Personally, Burger King would be one of the last places that I order food from, but I also understand that so many individuals LOVE them some BK! I also acknowledge that fast food is here to stay for a long time, so why not give my junk food lovers better options.

Trust me, I was once a BK lover back in my junk food-loving days so I know how delicious and addicting those value meals can taste….

Hypothetically…. If I was to call up Burger King to order some food, I would order from the following 5 options that are all under 500 calories.

These items should be ordered as a “cheat/ treat” meal on your Dirty Couch Day, because they may contain excess fat, sodium and preservatives. 

Tender Grill Garden Salad = 230 Calories

Dressing: Make your own at home. Lemon juice, Red wine vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar or even Mustard.

4 piece chicken tenders+ Side Salad = 230 Calories

Make your own salad dressing at home.

Fruit topped Oatmeal + Black Coffee= 270 calories 

Add skim milk and skip the cream. 

Cheeseburger + Side Salad = 340 Calories

Make your salad dressing at home.

Whopper Jr + Side Salad = 380 Calories

Make your salad dressing at home.

Whole Grain Ciabatta w/ Ham, Egg & Cheese = 380 Calories

Ask for no cheese and make this an even better choice.  Or Just turn it into Egg & Cheese.

Since I’ve started training, I have been submitting a weekly food diary to my trainer and coach, Lenny.

A few weeks ago, Lenny noticed that my fiber intake was a little low and asked me to add more fiber to my day whether it’s with whole grains or fibrous veggies.

Most people overlook the importance of fiber in their diet and only average 10-13 grams a day.  For great health, Lenny suggested I keep my fiber intake from 30 – 40 grams.

There are many benefits to having a fiber-filled diet including maintaining overall bowel health and normalizing movement, aiding in lower cholesterol, stabilizing blood glucose levels and my favorite, boosting weight loss efforts!

After Lenny brought the fiber issue to my attention, my next concern was to research my fiber options.

For the last few weeks, Lenny has asked me to maintain a 1400 calorie day which can be consumed pretty quickly throughout the day if I’m not keeping track.

To most people, a calorie is a calorie. But personally, I like to think of my calories as “quality” calories. If I’m going to eat protein, then I want it to be the leanest, high quality, most available protein for my body. The same goes with carbs, fats and now.. fiber!

Fiber can be found in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and even seeds.

OK… so after doing a little research on high fiber foods, I decided to add the following items to my daily menu.

1. Avocados: 2 oz of this creamy healthy fat is packed with 6 grams of fiber and only 100 calories.
2. Black beans: 1/2 cup of this antioxidant rich legume contains 7 grams of fiber and only around 110 calories. It’s also a great source of plant protein
3. Raspberries: 1 cup of this low calorie tart berry contains up to 8 grams of fiber! I started adding this to my greek yogurt and making it into a delicious mini meal that’s under 200 calories.
4. Broccoli. I always eat broccoli but Lenny asked that I add two more cups to my day. 1 cup comes to 4-5 grams of fiber, so two cups makes it 10!
5. Whole wheat pasta. After reading the labels, I noticed that certain enriched pastas contained up to 7 grams of fiber compared to 4 grams in brown rice.

To read more about fiber and its benefits, click here to visit the Mayo Clinic site.

If you’ve ever watched Basketball and watched the NBA commercials that end with 

Well, that’s exactly how I feel every waking morning.

If you’ve been following me, I have been training with my fitness coach/nutrition expert, Lenny Graham for the last few months to prep for my FIRST fitness show.

OMG…The reality of this whole thing hasn’t even kicked in yet!

Everyday, I take a few minutes to browse through my favorite fitness mentors’ blogs and sites to follow their progress, admire their physiques and maybe pick up a few tips and suggestions to help with my training and diet.

Then I take a look at myself in the mirror and freak out! Ha ha.. not really, but I feel that I’m far from where my body should be to even compete among all those gorgeous bodies.

Just when I start doubting myself, my coach will say something to boost my confidence level.

“If we continue to go the way we are going G, you’re gonna be Killer!“

To hear words like that, come out of Lenny’s mouth definitely gives me a new found boost of motivation to take it to another level. As crazy as it sounds, I feel like his cheering words somehow recharge and fuel me with more muscle powers and somehow I am able to lift harder and heavier. I’m such the shy and timid girl outside of the gym, but Lenny definitely brings out my strong woman alter ego, which he calls SUPER G. I love Lenny this BIG!!!!

For the last few months, I have been reporting to Lenny Tuesdays and Thursdays around 7:30 am.

My session starts with a 5 min warm up on the treadmill, then I grab my large bottle of water and gum and head to the weight room to get served the intense Lenny treatment.  On Tuesdays, we usually concentrate on lower body, my curvy hips and sometimes core. On Thursdays, we usually workout my upper body like shoulders, chest and back, biceps and triceps. The workouts are never consistent and depending on my progress and what needs improvement, then Lenny will decide on what we’re doing that day. So far, I am beyond pleased with every muscle and tone in my body. On the other days, I usually workout at home or with my little brother Yousef in Lancaster, PA when I stop by to visit my parents.

“Dude… your arms are getting jacked! And your butt is huge! In a good way. Now, you’re making me want to compete with you! You’re gonna do awesome.” 

Those were the words that Yousef blurted out at the gym during our session.   I was really taken back and touched when he said that. Just like Lenny, Yousef has been my support system cheering me on every step of the way. He’s definitely my little BFF when it comes to sports and business. I can call him at any minute of the day and freak out about an amazing idea or deal that I just made, and he genuinely gets excited back! OMG!!!! 

A little bit about my little bro Yousef, or you can call him Jo, he’s a fitness freak like myself and he’s constantly at the gym. He trains at Power Train Sports in Lancaster, PA where a lot of professional athletes train. So, he’s pretty knowledgeable when it comes to getting in shape or even helping me prep for a fitness competition. He’s actually joining me this weekend for my Sunday Bootcamp that is also run and instructed by Lenny.

This will be the first time that they both meet one another so I’m really excited! I love to introduce people I love to other people I love Sharing is caring.

“So how much cardio do you do?” I get asked this all the time when talking about training and my answer is “NONE” 

The only form of cardio that Lenny allows me to do is a light warm up at the beginning of each workout and Boot camp on Sundays. Since we are trying to build muscle on my body, cardio can counteract all our hard work and even shred down more muscles and we don’t want to do that. Lenny prefers that I lose body fat through my diet, and that’s exactly what I have been doing.

Ready for my diet? 

If you’re thinking that I’m eating bland chicken and broccoli all day, then you’re wrong. Check out the pretty picture below! This is what my counter typically looks like after an afternoon of grocery shopping.

 I usually prep my food for the week on Sundays. I like to create cute little tupperwares with the perfect portions for my days to come.

Here’s what my recent days have been looking like: 

6 am: Pre-workout meal: Oats + egg whites + 1 egg and coffee

7:30 am WORKOUT

9 am: Post workout meal: 4 oz grilled fish + 1 cup brown rice + 1 cup veggies

11 am : Non-fat Plain Green Yogurt + 1 cup veggies

1 pm: 4 oz grilled chicken + medium sweet potato+ 1 cup veggies

4 pm : 4oz grilled chicken + 1 cup veggies

6 pm: 4 oz fish + 1 cup salad/ green veggies

Everyone is different when training and dieting, so my diet may not be suitable for other bodies. Depending on your goals, I suggest consulting with a nutritionist or trainer. Remember, my goal is to build muscle and get lean for my contest and Lenny has been guiding me week by week. When it comes to competing, diet is just as crucial as training. Fueling your body properly will help me get to the finish line looking amazing like all the other pros. Well, I’m going to be an amateur for the first show lol but I’ll take it!

As far as the next 4 weeks, Lenny and I are meeting 3 days per week plus sneaking in some sprints on the off days. As far as my diet, the only thing I have to tweek is to add a juicy lean steak for breakfast to prevent any possible muscle loss, and add a few more cups of fibrous vegetables to up my daily fiber to 25-30 grams to maintain healthy bowel movements.

So that’s my latest update for you guys!

Overall, I’m in love with this whole journey and I can’t wait for what the next month is going to bring. I am two months out right now, so I definitely feel crunch time and I’m so determined to win! Winning for me, just means competing period. Whether I place first or last, being on stage is going to be a huge prize in itself. Yay!

Thank you all for following little Ol’ me and for all your support.

Love,

Ghada Abuhakmeh.

My father was already dealing with insulin shots every morning to treat his Type 2 diabetes, blood pressure pills, prescription diuretics to reduce swelling and even prescription probiotics to treat his lack of good bacteria in his intestines.

Just when we thought that we had every health issue under control, then comes the worst health news of all!

After a scheduled stress test and some other check ups, the doctor informed my parents that four of my dad’s arteries were 90% blocked and that bypass surgery was necessary.

Of course my parents tried to downplay the health issue and my dad even tried to decline the surgery completely, and started munching on salad in hopes that it would reverse this mess.

My brothers and I teamed up and convinced both parents that going through with the surgery would be the best decision for his health.

Even though the doctors warned that the surgery was going to involve weeks of recovery and pain, the payoff would be so worth it. Post surgery, my dad should expect to see improvement in breathing and blood circulation, and many more added years to his life.

My mom had to think about that last one, but then agreed that the surgery had to be done.

My mom and I admitted my dad on August 17th at 5:30am to Lancaster General Hospital, one of the top heart surgery programs in Pennsylvania.

After checking in, the administrative lady walked us to the elevator and escorted us to the first floor where my dad would get suited up and ready for his scheduled surgery.

At 7:30 am, a cute and calming anesthesiologist walked in to give us the run down on every pill, prick and pain killers that my dad would receive prior to surgery. Of course, he then followed with the disturbing possible outcomes, and one of them included “loss of life”.

My mom didn’t like that one too much and asked him to retract that statement and promise her that he would stay alive. His response was “I will do my best”… It also didn’t ease my mom when he introduced himself as Dr. Keller, which sounded like “Dr. Killer” in my mom’s ears.

If anyone knows my mom personally, her head always envisions the worst scenario! I had to be the positive voice in the room to counteract the death visions she was creating in her worry-wart mind. Geez…

At 8 am, Heart Surgeon Dr. Jeffery Cope walks through the curtains dressed up in a nice brown suit and jacket and initialed his name on my dad’s chest and legs, similar to how farmers tag the cows before butchering. Yup, and there goes my mom’s head churning again… “Chill out woman!”

By now, reality of what was going to happen was definitely kicking in, and my only choice was to breathe, calm my mom down, and trust and hope that all will be OK.

At 8:15 am, the heart team that would be assisting Dr. Cope came in to introduce themselves and explain more details about the surgery. They mentioned that the surgery was scheduled to start at 9:30 am and probably end around noon.

Since he was going to be heavily sedated, they gave us a rough estimate on his waking and that was going to be around 6 pm that evening.They also warned that he was going to be hooked up and plugged up to so many tubes and IVs and that he was going to look a bit scary and not to worry because it was normal. They assured us that he will be under great care in the Intensive Care Unit where he will be placed for a few days.

When the heart team was done with their disturbing run down, they gave my mom and I a pager that would go off/vibrate when the surgery was completed.

My mom and I kissed my dad and waived him goodbye as the team wheeled him to surgery.

My mom and I found a comfortable area and lounged around and talked about life. Finally around 11:30 am, one of the cute nurses on the team came up to us to deliver the news. She said that the surgery went very well and that they were in the process of cleaning him up and moving him to ICU. She then asked us to report to a private room where the main surgeon would personally give us more details.

About 15 minutes later, Dr. Cope walked into the room in his medical scrubs and congratulated us on my dad’s surgery. He said that he did really well and that he was already up in ICU and being taken care of. He did say that he still had a breathing tub in his mouth and that it wasn’t going to be a pretty scene and that we should probably wait a few hours until they pull it out and he starts waking up.

My mom and I decided to run home and freshen up and return a few hours later before he wakes up.

My mom quickly showered, made some food, vacuumed, did her hair, packed her overnight clothes and beat me to the hospital.  I decided to wait for my younger brother Yousef to get home from work before heading over. Yousef got home around 5:30pm, ate a few bites of dinner and then we he to Lancaster General to see dad.

My mom met us at the Elevator and walked with us to the room and there her was..

My heart dropped to the sight of my dad hooked up to a breathing mask, heavily sedated and hooked up to IVs. All the beeping monitors and high tech devices didn’t ease me either. I could see that he was somewhat aware of his surroundings so I said hello and stood at the edge of the bed and massaged to let me him know that I was there for him.

If anyone knows my dad, he loves to be rubbed and massaged. Yousef also stood on the front end of the bed and rubbed his hands for extra support.

The next morning, my dad started to speak a little more and by day 3, the staff had him walking around the hospital. According the the ICU crew, my dad was recovering very well and fast.

My dad spent a total of 7 days in the hospital and then sent home to recover there. The hospital arranged a daily nurse visit for the next few weeks to make sure that his wounds are healing properly and help him with his overall recovery.

I’m actually sitting next to my dad now as I’m writing this and asking him questions about his status.

It has been 10 days now since the surgery and his complaints are typical. His chest feels very sore and tight, but that’s because they sawed his whole rib cage open to get to his heart so I would assume that’s a normal healing pain.

As far as his energy level, he’s definitely feeling very drained from all the pain killers that he has to take, and he can’t wait to stop taking them so he can have more stamina.

Since the surgery, my dad’s appetite was drastically decreased but yesterday was the first time that he felt hungry, craving quantities of food. And yes, some junk food too but it’s way too soon for that.

Overall, he is doing amazing! Of course, now he’s so against fatty foods, smoking and anything that is unhealthy. He’s even talking about going to the gym with Yousef and I when he feels more mobile.

So……….Now that I told you about how well the surgery went,  let me back track and tell you a little about how my dear father’s lifestyle habits lead him to four blocked arteries!

Below, I have listed a few of the many lifestyle habits that may have contributed to my father’s heart surgery:

BAD HABIT #1 : SMOKING

Happy Independence Day!

Growing up, I was lucky to have such open and worldly parents that embraced all their friends’ traditions and celebrations.

So if there’s any day off andor holiday scheduled.. then you bet ya that this Middle Eastern bunch is joining in on the party somehow.

For this 4^th of July, my brothers and I went against the typical park BBQ and picnic and decided to keep it cozy and local at our parent’s house. I guess we were just not in the mood to lug all the food, chairs, and cooking supplies, and not have access to a clean bathroom and comfy couch to lounge on after.

We started our cookout around 11 am and my mom and dad had already prepped most of the meats and side dishes, and all we had to really do is get the grill going and start cooking!

When it comes to grilling meat on the grill, I am far from skilled so I passed the responsibility on to my two younger brothers Khalid and Yousef.

While the boys got the flame going and started the grilling, my parents chopped up the salad and finished prepping the side dishes, and I got on my laptop to call my older brother on Skype!

My older bro Mo lives in Kuwait and runs a design firm, and since he couldn’t be with us in person, I Skyped him to enjoy our gathering via webcam. Yay for Skype!

While Mo and I chatted, the aroma from the grill started to flow in the house and was definitely causing me to get hungry and distracted. If only Skype can invent a scent application so that my brother could smell what I was smelling or even taste the food.. maybe one day

After talking for a while, Khalid and Yousef started bringing in the finished grilled items that they were devouring way before it made it to the table.

Unlike most cookout menus that feature the typical hot dogs, burgers and potato salad, my family likes to put a Middle Eastern twist to ours.

CHECK OUT OUR FAMILY MENU!

Grilled Lamb & Beef Kebabs.

Spiced Yogurt Chicken thighs

Peppered Liver Skewers

Roasted Grape Tomatos

Roasted Vidallian Onions

Fresh Garlic Hummus

Chopped Middle Eastern Salad

OTHER SIDES

Pita bread, Pickled Vegetables & Yellow squash

Dessert: Fresh Juicy Watermelon

Everything on the menu was homemade and prepared with love.

In addition to the food being so delicious, most of the menu was figure-friendly, protein and fiber-packed, low carb, and full of vitamins and minerals

Tune in next week when I reveal my parents’ special

KEBAB RECIPE

I promise that you’ll LOVE every bite of it!

Now that I showed you what I had for my cookout, I would love to hear about your menu!  Did you have a special dish that you like to prepare for others? Do you have a delicious, healthy dessert that you offer?

Mmmmmmm… I Love good food!

The older I get, the more I realize just how much I love and adore my girls!

I can’t help but feel a sense of empowerment when I watch other beautiful and successful females do their thing.

Songs like Beyonce’s new female power anthem “Who run the world. (Girls) just gets me so fired up and motivated to go after anything I feel like grabbing from life.

I revealed in my last few posts that I have decided to finally take on a personal goal and compete in my first fitness competition.

My excitement is beyond what I can even put in words and I am enjoying every minute of it so far.

Realistically, I know that as competition time gets closer, training is going to get tougher and the diet might even get unbearable, so I am getting myself mentally and physically prepared starting now.

Mentally, I have to stay motivated by surrounding myself with positive individuals, images and thoughts. Physically, I have to take care of my health by eating right, sleeping enough and reducing most stress out of my life.

To become like the greats, I feel that I must learn from them whether it’s studying and applying their winning traits or avoiding their mistakes.

For the last few years, I have been following some of the most inspiring female fitness competitors online via their websites, facebook, twitter and even reading their interviews in fitness magazines.

Being the little sweet harasser that I am, I actually had the honor of sharing some facebook conversations with a few amazing fitness Pros like Alexandra Porshnikoff, Chady Dunmore, Michelle Hanson and Tianna Ta!

After telling them my story and that I have decided to take on my first competition, they were all so sweet and offered their words of advice.

Alexandra Porshnikoff wrote: “Congratulations! How exciting Hang in there, keeping being the sweet, personable, friendly Ghada! I know you will kick ass! feel free to email me anytime you want to talk, bounce ideas, share or vent!”

Alexandra is a 38 year old Beauty who has competed and placed high in the NPC Nationals, NPC Team Universe and NPC USA Competion.

You can read more about Alexandra by clicking here

If you don’t know the Bikini Pro Chady Dunmore, then now you know!

Chady wrote: “ Good luck with your training and remember to never give up… Sincerely, Chady”

Chady is currently gracing fitness magazine covers (Fitness RX & Oxygen), various video and print product endorsements, while still competing internationally and is the 2010 Arnold Classic Bikini Champion and the 2010 WBFF Pro Bikini World Champion. With a diverse fitness background, incredible beauty, combined with her acting ability and being bilingual creates a vertically and horizontally integrated marketing machine for a wide range of products.

You can read more about Chady and her business ventures by visiting her main website. Click here

The next email was so sweet and touching. It came from Michelle Hanson, another gorgeous bikini and figure Pro.

Michelle Hanson wrote “I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. You will do wonderful and remember you are competing against yourself so always be proud of what you have transformed your body into and you will never be disappointed. My advice for newbies “if you are happy with your transformation don’t worry about your placing in the show and just have fun with it and show off what you have done for yourself and it will show and shine on stage” Everything about a healthy lifestyle is the choices we make, “do you eat to live or live to eat”! keep me posted on how you do and if you need any help let me know sunshine”

Michelle has so many winnings under her built! She has earned the titles: overall figure winner at TX Shredder in 2010, 1st place in NPC Bikini contest in California state championships, overall bikini at the Red Stick Classic 2010, 6th at JR USA 2010, 3rd at JR USA 2010, 7th at Nationals 2010

That’s just impressive! Visit Michelle’s site by clicking here

Aww and then comes the cutest Vietnamese Beauty, Tianna Ta!

Tianna wrote: “Best of luck in your new show! Just have fun with it and enjoy the journey!”

Tianna is an IFBB Pro competitor who also models. She has been featured on MTV, Maxim Magazine, Muscle & Fitness and more.

Learn more about Tianna Ta by clicking here.

I can’t even tell you how touching and motivating these beauties’ responses have been to me.

I can’t wait to continue on my fun journey and maybe even have them cheer me on at a future event.

Thank you so much ladies! I truly appreciate your kindness and words of support.

When it comes to success in anything, there is enough room for more than one winner!

Instead of radiating feelings of hate, envy and jealousy, try sending out more support and encouragement. Plus, it’s just easier and more fulfilling

I love you all and thank you so much for following me and keeping me on track with your emails, facebook messages and tweets!

Please continue to harass me!

Love,

Ghada Abuhakmeh

Your future Fitness Competitor

DAY 1 OF TRAINING.

To fully prep for my first day of training on Tuesday May 31st, my new Coach Lenny Graham asked that I show up fully rested and fueled and ready to work at 7 am.

At 5 am, after 8 hours of great sleep, I stretched out of bed and started getting ready.  Since training was at 7 am, I timed my breakfast to be between 5:30 am and 6 am so I can properly fuel and have as much energy for whatever Lenny had in mind for me.

For breakfast, I brewed a cup of strong black coffee, and cooked up some 5 grain oat/bran cereal with 1 whole egg and 1/4 cup egg whites and a little bit of unsweetened almond milk. The protein, complex carbs and fat should be ok to get me through this first day and wake me up but I guess I’ll better gauge my energy after I get through the training.

After munching away, I had to prep my post workout meal too. I had made an eggplant casserole the night before so I scooped some in tupperware with 4oz of grilled chicken and a medium sweet potato. Lenny requested that I have a carb-loaded meal after our workout since my carbs/glycogen will get depleted. Replenishing my glycogen will fuel my muscles to help build and repair them better.

6:15 am, I loaded my car with what I needed and drove to The Gym and Tan-Line Studio in Trooper, PA where Lenny and I were going to train.

6:50 am, I pulled up to the gym and walked to the back where I saw Lenny finishing up his workout. Lenny asked that I head to the back so we can first analyze my physique so he can better customize our workouts for best results.  We also had to take pictures (front, side, back) so we can compare them every two weeks to measure our progress.

7 am, Lenny took me to the back to scrutinize my body! I was really curious to see what he thought, but what he was about to tell me really surprised me in a good way.

Lenny said I had a great shape and tone and that with training and staying on track with diet (which I have been), we can definitely get results. Surprisingly, Lenny was most impressed with my legs!!!

What! I thought I had the worst legs and chunky cankles! Lenny laughed when I said that, but he disagreed. He said that I had great muscle tone and shape to my legs and it will be easier to sculpt and build than having skinny legs.

“I knew there was a reason I was chubby Lenny!”

After our pictures and him studying my trouble spots, Lenny told me to get warmed up on the treadmill while he brainstormed on what he wanted me to do.

Since my legs are a large muscle group, he wanted to start with that first.

After 5 minutes of warming up, I grabbed my large water bottle and headed over to the leg extension machine where he wanted me to start so I can get the blood flowing in my legs and knees to prevent injury.

After that, all I can say was intense lunges, side squats, back extensions and calf raises! Holy crap! lol My legs never shook and wobbled like that! It was painful but so amazing!

What was even more fun, was that Lenny was actually getting loud with me! ha ha…

“Come on Ghada! Work! Get down lower and push. Give me 5 more!”

Damn… I felt like I was in boot camp,  but you know what, I operate best when someone pushes and motivates me so I’ll take it!  I will never take anything personally because I know that ultimately, Lenny just wants me to succeed.

The purpose of our first few times of training was to determine my threshold and stamina, and how well I can train. Within a few weeks, Lenny will reassess my progress and follow how my body transforms and then truly determine when the perfect time for me to sign up for a competition is.

Every  body is different, and depending on where you’re starting from, it could take 2, 3, or even 6 months to a year to fully prepare for a fitness competition.

I’m going to be patient and listen and follow everything that Lenny suggests because I really trust him. He just knows his stuff! I’ll trust that he will guide me to success I also promised him and myself that I will give it my all and make him proud.

After our session, Lenny walked me to the front where we discussed our next meeting. We both decided on Friday morning at 8:15 am and that we would work on Back, Shoulders and Triceps.

In the meantime, Lenny asked that I workout like I do on any other day. So, I’ll plan to work on abs and chest on Wednesday, and some leg work/ plyos on thursday and rest up for another intense workout Friday.

After that fun and crazy workout, I headed to the beach with one of my bestest girlfriends, Melissa to relax and recover under a little bit of sun.

Later that day, I received a text from Lenny while I was laying out.

Lenny: ” Great work today!”

Me: “Thanks Lenny! So excited to work with u! I’ll make u proud!”

Lenny: “I already am G!”

Wow… I really love and appreciate my coach! Just a simple text was getting me more excited to work harder and toghether.

I’m assuming that Lenny is pleased with my work ethic but I hope to continue to impress him with my dedication and persistence.

Realistically, I’m sure I’ll go through some days where I’ll feel overwhelmed, exhausted and even wanting to quit, but I’ll just keep surrounding myself with positive influences and consulting with my friends and fitness mentors to help me push through those tough moments.

To many, my story might be inspiring, but at the end of the day, I’m just an average woman that wants more in life whether it’s achieving optimum happiness and love, financial stability,  personal success or all of the above!

I truly feel that most things in life are attainable if you put your mind to it and go after it! As far as I believe, I have one chance on earth and I’m going to make every day count!

Stay tuned…

So in the last few years, I have been going back and forth about signing up for a fitness competition either bikini or figure. Now that I reached my goal of health and weight loss, I would love to challenge myself to get to the next level of fitness and that is to compete among other professionals.

My reason or “excuse” for taking so long to sign up was because I always felt that I just didn’t have enough time. I was working a full time job, working out, spending time with family and friends and most time-consuming of all, was running my own business. If you’re curious to how my mindset has changed, then keep reading and I’ll tell you

I have been following fitness competitions for the last few years, and buying all the figure competitor magazines like Fitness Rx and Women’s Muscle & Fitness. With every flip of the page, the articles and images just kept luring me in more and more. I couldn’t help but want to attempt and achieve what these strong beautiful women have accomplished.

Most people might think that I’m doing this as an ego booster to attract attention, but no. If you know me personally, you will know that I am far from an ego maniac. Everything I do to enhance my body, mind or image, is strictly to feel better for me and only me. At the same token, feeling my best also helps me be the best for others around me. Competing in a figure competition would be such an accomplishment for me as a woman who struggled with weight most of her life.

I was once a size 16, now I’m down to a 4 and why not take it to my ultimate goal and prove to myself that anything can be done with determination and persistence. A few weeks ago, I set out on a business trip to Boston where I met up with one of my favorite girls and bikini models, Kyra Williams aka “The Get in Shape Girl”.

We had such a great night out together catching up on life and discussing her recent bikini fitness competition that she had just competed in a week prior to our meeting. Kyra looked amazing!!!

(Btw guys, don’t get too excited. She didn’t show up to dinner like that! This is a photo from her competition day)

And similar to my story, she too struggled with her weight growing up. By the end of our night, I was convinced and excited that I really wanted to finally sign up and compete.

Kyra is already signed up for another contest in June and asked me to join her, but I felt that was too rushed for me and told her that I would look for another one a few months down the road so I can be best prepared. Kyra was really what I needed to give me that extra push to confirm that I truly wanted to do this.

At the end of the night, I gave Kyra a hug and thanked her for the great time and new found inspiration. When it comes to things I want to accomplish in life, I like to move fast before I lose interest and talk myself out of it. So the next morning, I picked up my cell phone and sent a text to my friend Lenny Graham, a personal trainer that I had met five years ago at an LA Fitness while working out.

Below is the exact conversation via text:

Me: “Good morning Lenny! It’s Ghada. I’m considering a figure or bikini contest and was wondering if u were experienced in that to train me?”

Lenny: I think that’s great Ghada! What a success story you are! I do everything except design a posing routine for you”

Me: That’s perfect! Can we meet this week for a quick talk?

Lenny: How’s Monday 12:30 pm at LA Fitness?

Me: Perfect!

Lenny: See you then! Looking forward to FINALLY training you Ghada!

Now that the ball was in motion, I started to get really excited but naturally nervous since this would my first time doing this. Before I tell you about my meeting with Lenny, let me just give you a briefing on how we met and what attracted me to him.

I had met Lenny over 5 years ago when I signed up at a local LA Fitness gym. The first thing that attracted me about Lenny was his muscular build. Lenny looked to be in his med 40’s, short, stocky and boy was he stacked like a brick house. Of course his physique attracted me, but what mostly impressed me with him as a trainer was his professionalism with his clients, his fun personality, and the plethora of knowledge that he had when it came to fitness and nutrition. (You can read more about Lenny by clicking here). Turned out Lenny was also an educator and nutrition professor at a local college. I loved that he was certified and educated. Whenever I could sneak in a few words with Lenny, he was always there to listen and advise me. Lenny was also kind enough to give me one of his newest nutrition books to read and study from. When I started my business venture, Smallworld Beauty Protein bars, Lenny was also one of the FIRST friends to taste them. Lenny also supported me by purchasing a few boxes here and there to give them to his clients to supplement extra protein to their diet. Aww, I just LOVE Lenny!

Ok, so a week went by and my schedule got a little crazy and we had to push back our meeting, but not by much. Lenny and I both found a mutually fitting time on Thursday May 19th at 5:30 pm at another gym that he worked at in Trooper, PA. Lenny had advised me to keep a food journal for the week prior to meeting so he can see what my diet consisted so he can better guide me on what needs to be added or changed. Our first meeting was just going to be going over the process and training and giving me a few things to do before the second meeting.

When I arrived at the Gym, Lenny was just finishing up with his last client and he waived me over and we gave each other a big hug and kiss hello. Lenny gave me a quick tour of the gym and showed me where we would be training, and then took me towards the front where we sat to start our meeting. Lenny began with complimenting my physique and telling me that so far, I looked great and ready to start. He also went on to tell me that we are going to meet twice a week for training but he would also give me more exercises to do on the other days. Lenny emphasized that we had to time this training perfectly and that he didn’t want me to “peak” way before the contest. Peaking means that my body would be competition ready and if I peak too early, then it would be too hard to maintain before the actual competition date.

Lenny and I looked at his calendar and decided on our second meeting when the training will officially start. The date is the Tuesday after Memorial Day. My homework was to find a 2 piece suit for our before pics and that we will be taking them every two weeks to measure my progress. On that day, Lenny will also take a caliber to measure my body fat percentage so he can better prepare a more customized fitness and nutrition plan for me. After going over everything, Lenny asked to see my food journal.

Here’s what one of my days from my food journal looked like:

7 am Black coffee + non-dairy creamer + 1 sweet n low

8 am ½ cup oatmeal dry + ½ cup egg whites

10:30 am: Protein shake

12:30 pm: Baked flounder + sweet potato medium + 1 cup spinach

3 pm: Smallworld Beauty Vanilla Apple Fudge Bar

5:30 pm: Baked chicken + 1 cup spinach + 1 oz avocado

8 pm : Protein shake

Lenny nodded his head and liked what he was saying but he definitely had some suggestions and changes he wanted me to make. The most important thing for competition diet prep was to eat as natural as possible and eliminate all processed foods, and even protein shakes and bars.

For breakfast, Lenny wanted me to add a whole egg because of the good fats and nutrition found in the incredible egg (folic acid, b vitamins, lecitihin etc) .

When it came to my coffee and beverages, Lenny asked that I start cutting out the sweeteners and stick to as natural as possible. If I needed sweetness to my coffee, then he suggested add 1 tsp of sugar instead because my body will recognize it faster, and in turn will burn fat better.

As far as carbs, Lenny wanted me to add more complex carbs and grains like whole wheat pasta, quinoa, and brown rice to my day and I was allowed to have it with all meals even for dinner. For now, he asked that I stay around 1 cup and then we’ll start reducing it as we start training.

Carbs are my body’s main energy source and I need it to burn fat better and have more energy for intense training. Another thing that Lenny asked I add, was more healthy fats like olive oil, hemp seed and coconut oil to my meals.

“Your body needs fat to burn fat”. In regards to tweeking my diet, that’s a piece of cake for me. I can cut out anything cold turkey with zero withdrawals but Lenny wanted me to do it gradually so I’m enjoying the process.

Last but not least, Lenny felt strongly about reducing any distractions and stressors from my life in order to have a clear head and focus on what we were going to start doing.

He also advised and demanded that I get my rest. “I want you to fit in 7-8 hours of good sleep a night and come in here well rested in the morning and be ready to work!”

My meeting was exactly what I needed to keep my motivation going. After we were done, I had to say good bye and head out because, I had already scheduled to go work out with one of my favorite friends and workout partner Lisa. I couldn’t wait to tell Lisa about my meeting and possibly convince her to join me on this new journey!

My lovely Lisa is also a certified personal trainer and physical Therapist but when it came to fitness competitions, she always advised that we hire an expert to guide us through it. As of right now, Lisa is really considering competing with me, but I will know for sure in the next few weeks.

Yes, I’m truly excited but naturally, I am very nervous too. So if you’re curious to why I’m nervous, here’s the honest truth

• I am human and I tend to doubt myself from time to time.
• I’m sooo shy! And I hate attention, so getting on stage and “owning the stage”, is going to be such a scary challenge lol
• Even though I have lost 12 dress sizes, I still feel like my body is not at its optimum form and physique, but I know that with dedication, persistence, Lisa’s support and Lenny’s guidance that I’ll trust I’m in good shape and on the right track.
• I hope that my body will cooperate, transform and sculpt the way that we plan for it as long as I follow the diet and stay on schedule with training.
• Esthetically, my body is not perfect but has character. I am a shapely, curvy girl with hips and thighs . (picture Beyonce or Kim Kardashian).
• I also have some cellulite dimples and stretch marks that most women can agree they suffer from. Even though I have these flaws, I refuse to let them stop me from competing even though admittedly, they make me a little self-conscious.
• Cost wise. Signing up for fitness competitions is not a cheap event. I have to figure in the cost of Lenny’s training services, grocery shopping, travel and mileage to the gym, fitness wear for the show and even fitness beauty prep like tanning, hair and nails because the judges will also be looking at that.

Like everything else I do in life, I am not going to look too far ahead because that will only intimidate me and cause me to chicken out. Instead, I’m going to try to put in 100% every day and take it one day at a day, and hopefully I’ll end up at the finish line! Since this is my first competition, I will be more than happy to just be competing, but the competitor inside of me of course wants to win a trophy and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to win in life as long as I’m fair and honest while doing it.

If you’ve never competed and considering, I hope you enjoyed my article and that it will inspire you to do the same

If you HAVE competed, I would love to hear your story about your first time competing and any advice that you can throw my way to help me reach my goals. Thank you again for reading my post since this one really means a lot to me.

In the following post to this, I’m going to introduce you to all my favorite mentors who I will be harassing a lot during my new journey! I can’t wait for you to meet them and invite them to your world too!

Love, Ghada

Even though I love the comradery that I feel among my gym friends, realistically, my time has been getting tighter and tighter, and I have been finding it easier to just work out from home.

There are endless at-home workout options and unlike a gym, I can switch it up as much as I want to keep it fun and non-monotonous. Besides, here on the East Coast, the sun has been shining more and being outdoors just seems to be the right thing to do.

Here are some of my favorite at-home workouts and accessories:

Weider Power Switch Adjustable Hand Weights

These babies are definitely scary looking but I love them!! You can find them at Kmart, Sears, Kohls and even Amazon.com. They range from $70-$80 depending where you get them.

Depending on the exercises I do (bicep curls, triceps kick backs etc), I can adjust the weights as light as 5 lbs, to an intense 25 lbs. If you’ve never attempted resistance training, I highly suggest it ladies! Don’t worry about transforming into the incredible hulk. Lifting weights will boost weight loss and help you sculpt a sexy, tone body.

Stability Ball

As simple as this balloon ball is, I’ve learned to do so many body sculpting moves on it.

I typically use it for abdominal training, but I also like to use it for lower body sculpting and even sitting on it and doing bicep and hammer curls.

You can find these everywhere! Target, sears, or even discount stores like 5 Below.

Jump Rope

This exercise accessory is so simple, cheap and perfectly portable. I can always count on stuffing this in my purse and taking it anywhere I travel to.

10 minutes of jumps, hops and skips are sure to get my heart pumping and boosting my metabolism.

YouTube!

If you’re reading this, then you probably have internet access so why not utilize it to lose weight and get fit!

I’m always on a constant search for then next best workout video. YouTube is a great site that offers free short clips of fun and challenging workouts from fitness experts from all over the world. Exercise TV is another excellent online service that offers lengthier, more complete videos that can help any individual get fit and healthy.

In conjunction with all my helpful home accessories, I also love to go for walks and runs and I also make sure my nutrition is on point to optimize my health and fitness goals.  Nutrition is a major key player in weight loss and overall feeling at my best.

If you work out at home, what are your favorite workout accessories and activities?

Love,

Ghada