Living the Right Life

Seal sings a great song titled, "Living the Right Life"......it is a song I listen to when I am working out or taking my cardio walks.    It expresses where I have been these last couple of months. Sorry for my absence with writing this blog.  I find it difficult to express my thoughts on here and communicate a life to you that is somehow more interesting and different than anyone else's.  That is just how I am........

So I am working full-time in Physical Therapy again.  I work for a small private practice for a wonderful woman, Amy Flick, who has an amazing gift of treating Lymphedema.  I am her assistant and am so grateful to be helping her help many others.  Amy also works with children which is something new for me as well, so my days are filled with me helping others toward improving ones health and well-being.  I've worked at several different types of Physical Therapy settings and I am really enjoying the positive energy that Amy and now I can give off.   

I am moving into a nicer apartment in August.  I am very excited about this!!!  It has taken me several years now to get myself back on my feet with my career and my finances.  That is another major thing that has me pre-occupied from writing this blog.  I finally can have pets at this apartment......so my "Little Kitty" can come back and live with me.  I miss her so much :(

The ammendities of this apartment are great and I am looking forward to moving into a much nicer place.  

As far as competing goes for me this year, I was thinking of competing in the Tampa show in August but that is held the exact same weekend I am moving.   The Atlantic City Pro show is in Sept, which would be 15 weeks from today, so.  I am pondering that one.  I have been dieting and training as though I am doing it.  I just haven't made it definite yet.  Things are going too well at work and with my life that I don't want to jeopardize anything at this point.  

So there you go.....That's what's going on in my life.

I still go on web cam with herbicepscam.com and Fitvidz.com.   Thanks for all who support me there and from my members on BodybuilderBeth.com

Yours Truly,

Beth

Happy 2008!!!!

It's been over a month since I last posted. My apologies...... I'm not good at opening up my feelings and thoughts in person, let alone on the internet! It's how I am..... confusing for the people that are close to me I'm sure.....It's a fault of mine.....we all got them.
The holidays came and finally went! I've eaten and drank plenty, tired of not being on a regular schedule of training and eating healthy. I do enjoy the holidays with making Christmas cookies. I love to get together with family or a girlfriend (or two) and make cookies to give out at Christmas time. People do appreciate cookies.....and it brings such a smile to one's face....I love it!!! Another thing I enjoy is holiday get-togethers. Makes me think that if Christmas wasn't a special day, if people would really take time out for each other? I saw how much I really thought about that special someone I was buying each and every present for, and how special that was in itself.

My training is coming along VERY well! I am pleased with my training and the results I am seeing. I was able to get to they gym to train over the holidays which makes me feel good about that. I have decided to spice up my training one more knotch by adding another personal training day with Chris, my trainer, for legs. Chris knows alot about Plyometric training and I would like to see how my legs will respond to this type of specialized training. My first leg day with Chris will be on Friday, I'll have to let you know how that shocks my legs.

I am looking forward for a great 2008! Thank you my members and fans for a wonderful 2007 return to the stage! Look for a better than ever BodybuilderBeth.com

Yours truly,

Beth

Everything I'm not, made me everything I am....

I'm back from the wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday I had. It was filled with wonderful food, time with friends, and a hangover or two. It's good to be away from the daily routines of life, but I do enjoy being back on a regular schedule with eating and working out in the gym.
During a conversation with a friend, I was reminded how the events of my past make up the person I am and to not live in the past, but realize how it has made me a stronger person. I was thinking of this conversation today and realized I still have issues with past drug addiction and that I get down on myself alot. One of the ways I cover my insecurities is with make-up. I use face make-up everytime I leave my apartment. So today I was looking in the mirror and decided I would go to the grocery store today without make-up. Now I know this may sound ridiculous to you, but it is a big deal for me to do this. So of course today must of been Employee training day at Wegmen's, because there was A TON of employees there dressed up and walking around all over the store. However, you know what? I made it home, ok, and I don't believe I was looked at anymore than anyone else. So that was my story for today of where I am at in personal life. I do have issues like everyone else, writing these down in this blog is one way to express them, however small and ridiculous the matter is.

My training is going great! I trained with Dena for Back, Rear Delts, & Triceps and loved it! I learned alot from her special techniques she uses during each exercise. Thanks Dena for your expertise, you are an awesome person and knowledgeable bodybuilder! It was made aware to me that there is going to be a IFBB Women's Division next May at the New York Pro Show. My head is now considering doing this show, and now am gearing my thoughts toward Pre-contest prep. I wasn't thinking I would compete next year until August sometime, however this could change, stay tuned for more thoughts on this subject.

Check out my Huntress video at http://www.awefilms.com/. It is up running.....yeah!!! I had a great time filming this and think they did a great job with the editing. Look for another video clip I shot featuring a big & buff boxer-girl. This should be up in the near future! I added some videos to my profile on http://www.herbicepscam.com/ and http://www.fitvidz.com/ check these out and chat with me there. Keep supporting www.bodybuilderbeth.com it has all the great shoots from the contest season and the shoots with Dena done by Dan Ray. Thanks again for all the supportive comments and emails. It truly helps to have people believe in you as a bodybuilder and as a person!

Yours in good health,

Beth

Waiting to Exhale....

The weather here in PA got very cold all of a sudden, so as I was digging for some warm clothes I decided to clean my closet out and organize my fall/winter/summer clothes. For some odd reason, I love to clean and listen to music, and let my mind relax......I guess you could call me a "home-body." As I was rooting through all the things in my closet, I was reflecting on how my life has come full circle, finally, after 4 years of living one day at a time, being patient, and working very hard toward getting my personal life back on track. Without going into detail about my personal life and the events that led toward a downward spiral, I can honestly look back now & let out a tremendously grateful exhale on where I am in different aspects of my life. Although I may have not placed as high as I wanted to this past year, the reality of me even being able to get back on stage is in itself a blessing. I've been thinking a lot about how to open up with how I am feeling lately. I want to express this somehow to the people that want to know a little bit more about me personally than how large my biceps are or how much I can lift.

On a brighter side, the photo shoot with http://www.awefilms.com/ went very well. We did two different video clips which I had a lot of fun with. Keep posted....I am hoping they will be out soon for your viewing pleasure!!! My training is going great! I am feeling strong, rested and motivated for each workout! Chris, my trainer, really put me through a great shoulder workout yesterday... I'm still pumped! I am so glad that I hired him to help me with hitting my muscles differently and with pushing me till failure!!! I love it!

Other than that things are nice and pretty much hectic-free, which is how I like it! Thanks again for my new members of http://www.bodybuilderbeth.com/ I am keeping updates going bi-weekly. Also check out the new http://www.fitvidz.com/ I appear on web cam there and http://www.herbicepscam.com/ I am currently in off-season condition and love being big and strong! Come check me out!!!

Yours in good health!

Beth

Igniting the fire

I honestly have been in my own little slump with my weight training in the gym. It's funny how little "igniters" (that's what I call them)... happen that can assist you in getting out of these damn ruts. I had one moment this past week in the gym that was a REAL igniter to get my ass focusing on my weight training and pushing some heavy weight around. Hopefully you'll get a kick out of this little story....


The gym I belong to is notorious for people not putting their weights away. The dumbbells are always a mess...... what I call "Sudoku of dumbell training"! I was training legs that day and before I even started squatting, I had to clear off someone else's weight of 315lbs, which I'm used to, but for some reason that day I just had had enough! As I was working my way up to the weight that I had just taken off the dang thing, I felt the many eyes of college students looking at this muscle chick push some weight!!! I completed my last set with 315lbs and feeling the spark of strength I know I have deep inside....It is something I just have to believe and have faith in! Not only was I finished with my set, I even put those weights AWAY with a sense of accomplishment of the set I just performed. All this was accompanied by a song on my IPod that was perfect for the moment.......can't even remember the song, but ya gotta love it!!! I knew after that set and feeling what it is like to be strong again, I was now ready to start focusing on my training and gaining some muscle!!!


I have discussed the areas of my upper body I would like to build with the manager at my gym, Chris Ankeny, C.S.C.S. Certified Strength & Conditioning trainer. I am training with him 2 days/week for Back & Shoulders. I've been my own trainer for years and looking back I know there is a certain regime that I always fall back too. I thought it would be nice to have someone else that knows more about this kind of training to help me out for this off-season. Especially while I'm not dieting for a contest! So far so good, we trained back together and I like the areas where I'm sore! Plus it is something I really look forward to and am interested in other training tactics.

Tomorrow I am shooting with http://www.awefilms.com/ for video work of an idea I've had in my head now for a while. I am praying for great weather for it is going to be in the woods with these beautiful fall tree color. Stay tuned for more details on how the shoot goes...I'm excited!!! Can you say....mysterious muscle hunter girl? ??? Haven't really done anything like this and am very excited to see how this gets portrayed.

My website is coming along and it has been updated recently, thanks for all the feedback from my members and webcam fans! I am still receiving shots and video work from photographers I've shot with this past bodybuilding season. The one posted is from a shoot with Tom Nine back in July. Lot's of good stuff!

Yours in Good Health & Mind,

Beth

Diversity

My grandmother sends me readings that I enjoy with my first cup of coffee. One of them had to deal with how at times we get so set in our own ways that we don't allow ourselves to step out of our own comfort zone and enjoy something that might just be fun for a change. It goes on to say how it gets worse as we get older. Reflecting on this I see how I can be that way at times, so since my last post, I have tried to be a little more diversified...... I took my first golf lesson from Kate Rogerson former LGPA Pro. Now the lesson was very basic, since I have never even held a golf club, however, Kate did a wonderful job and I actually may like to go hit some balls and practice my Grip, Aim, & Swing. Now that I am not doing 2+ hours of cardio that I was doing for the past 2 competitions, maybe this is something that I can do that I actually might like.....hmm we will see. The other thing I have recently tried is called Guitar Hero by Playstation 2. Now, two of my friends here have asked me several times to come over and try this fun game. I haven't played much Playstation in the past, but what the heck, they seem to have a blast, so step out of my comfort zone and give it a shot. It was kind of fun.... My fingers weren't really good hitting the notes, but oh well, we had a ball laughing!!!

My training this past week has been focusing on preparing my joints and muscles to handle more weight for next week when I begin training with a trainer from my gym. I love this type of training because it is less time consuming and I don't do as many exercises as I would preparing for a contest. That has enabled me to do the activities mentioned above, as well as really enjoying spending time with friends and family eating WONDERFUL meals.

I do want to thank my sponsors & supporters in my Members Section. I have updated it with some really cool shots from all the photo shoots I've recently done. I also want to thank my webcam supporters, on both herbicepscam.com and ftultracam.com, who I am having a lot of fun with and will be looking forward for the new FTwebcam/FTUltracam site.

Yours in Good Health,

Beth

enough is enough!!!

Ok, enough time has past since the Atlantic City Pro and I am finally making it back to the gym today. I've spent the past several days with friends mostly eating and celebrating! I usually give myself a week off from the gym after my contests. Mostly for the mental break from it all. In that time period I like to look at the pictures from the competitions and analyze my physique and where I can approve upon for next year. Analyzing the two shows from this past year, I see that my upper body could use overall size. Which is attainable, hence gearing my training the next 6 months toward that goal. I plan upping my training for Shoulders, Chest, and Back. I'm actually psyched, because I usually don't strength train and I know it will be a shock to my muscles! Stay tuned for the results.....

It's been nice to not "have" to do all that cardio. I was out on my new mountain bike today for the fun of it and I plan on riding it to the gym today. Bike riding is something I enjoy and find it is a great form of cardio exercise, plus it is outside! I'm such an outdoor nut, which I'm sure is from my upbringing on the farm. We used to ride bikes all the time as kids.

Right now I am going through all the different photo shoots I've done so I can update my members section with some recent shots. I'm not very computer savoy, therefore, this process takes me forever...The one posted here is from a shoot with GeneX on the top of the Taj Mahal after the Atlantic City Pro. Thought it was a pretty cool silhouette of myself. Enjoy!!!

Yours in Good Health,

Beth