Thoughts on a Thursday

Hello everyone and welcome to the first installment of my blog....finally. I am slowly catching on to all the cyperspace has to offer. First I want to introduce myself. My name is Suzanne Williams and I am an ACE certified personal trainer in Pelham, AL--that would be Birmingham to you non-natives. I have been lifting myself since 1983 and became certified in 1998 when I started my own training business. I have been a competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter but think I'm done with that. However, I LOVE being onstage so I never say never... Competitive anything is extreme and trying to find a balance is hard for me--not knowing how to be "normal". I mean, I know what to do with myself to get ready for a show but living that way 24/7 is both unrealistic and unhealthy. Being a competitive bodybuilder is anything but normal. Maintaining that "look" is impossible AND live a normal life. Bodybuilding is a very selfish sport. It really is hard to compete and participate in everyday living. It is all about the look you are trying to achieve for a specific day--minutes actually--a day that you spend months getting ready for. The amount of time you spend onstage after all those hours of cardio, diet, working out, practice--discipline--is miniscule compared to the time you spend getting ready. It is a powerful feeling though...walking out onstage for the world to see. Putting yourself out there. The feeling of accomplishment that you did it--or not. Yes, you have help along the way but ultimately it is all about you--you did the cardio, you did the diet, you sacrifice. It is all about you. And for what? A trophy if you are lucky. But the satisfaction that you get is more than words can say... "I did it", but until you have been up there--you have no idea what that means.

So, here I am at almost 44 trying to have balance. I like to eat ice cream sometimes, pizza and beer and love a glass of wine--or two. But, you can't eat like that and look the way I want to. That is where the balance comes into play. How much crap can I eat and cardio do I have to do to maintain the desired look? I struggle with it daily. I'm older now, it is more effort--more cardio, more strict diet. Just how much am I willing to do or not? Yes, I have to admit that getting older does suck in some ways. Everything is harder. When you are young, it all comes so easy. Now I know what my clients have been talking about--this 40 stuff. It just happens. Stuff appears on your body that wasn't there before and you have to work much harder to get rid of it and make better choices to keep it at bay.

This is what my blog is about...making choices, changes and adjustments to be the person you want staring back at you in the mirror--for those of you who dare to peek... Change your body, change your life!

Stay tuned for more and thanks for reading.

Suzanne