Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I feel like this a lot too! Sometimes it sucks being a woman. We are always very critical of our bodies. Anyway I wish I could get rid of the last five pounds or so, and that results of my workouts would be seen, we just have to continue being patient. At times it seems that I see progress, but it is definitely slow, I wish it would be faster. I'm sure that one day soon you will notice a big difference, and everything will start coming together for you.

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The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible.

VP, you are such a beautiful woman instead AND out. To me that is what is really important.
You inspire many of us here on the board and are always encouraging and supportive.
YOu should feel REALLY REALLY good about that.
What would you tell a client if she was feeling how you are now? Many times we KNOW what we need to do but we don't listen to ourselves. We can be really hard on ourselves.

Keep up the hard work, don't back down and I know you will get to where you want to be, I guarantee it.

Ahhhh, but here is the difference. As a Personal Trainer (and model) we are expected to be the ideal and not "human". Even though in the back of clients minds they know we are but human... it's not what they want to see. Those who don't like what we stand for (health and fitness) are looking to find "the one" flaw. So if we eat something that makes us bloat, put on a few pounds during a cycle etc.... they have their ammo. It is a REALLY, REALLY, tough business to put yourself out there on body image daily. So, I KNOW where she is coming from!

There are many many days where I want to go back to the skinny fat cardio queen .... ribs and all. Those models just maintain with low cal diets and some cardio. Keeping & building muscle while being low BF for shoots and appearances is so much harder! Are we healthy? Darn right we are! It's the daily mental fight we have with ourselves on the image part of it all.

****before the lecture begins... we KNOW being healthy is the point. However, our image pays the bills in our chosen field. We either stay in and deal with it or get out of this business. In this case VP and I both will be around for many years to come

VP: Got your message (tag, I'm it, lol).... will phone you back this afternoon!

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I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true.

God knows how much I hate plateaus! Why? Why? Why?

Though, when we plow right on thru them. Figure out what we have to do to change our bodies once again. The feeling of victory is oh so sweet. When I peak (I am trying again for the second time to reach my comp weight as a vegan) it will be sweet. I will probably smile inside and outside all the time.

Wow, thanks for all of the wonderful words of encouragement ladies. Very wonderful to get all of this support.

Dani... I hear ya, but I guess the problem I face is that there ARE little tricks to make it go away faster, so its hard for me to be patient when it just creeps along.

Having said that, I have noticed some things I'm doing different this time around and I have to incorporate some good 'ole tricks that seemed to work for me.

Now, these are little things that worked for ME, so it doesen't mean they will work for everyone, but I'll keep you posted if it starts coming off quicker now. I don't care about my upper body, that always gets toned in time with just the gym. But the lower half hangs on for dear life, so that's where the lil tricks come in.

1) I'm not consuming as much protein as I used to. Because I'm struggling a bit financially at the moment, I've cut back on the powders and so I only have two in my cupboard, both of which made me gag, so I'm investing in at least 3 new powders that I know I like the taste of.

2) Speaking of powders, I'm going back to taking in more of them as my protein source. The fake meats have been nice and all, but I've been using them more and seeing slower progress and I really think the more powders I can use as opposed to other proteins, the quicker my progress is. Then I'll incorporate the fake meats that I love later.

3) Invested in a strong fat burner. I really trust my Supplement guy. I send him alot of business and he always cuts me a discount and never recommends that I take anything I don't need so he reminded me of the one I was taking last year and it was falling off faster with that fat burner come to think of it. So I bought it.

4) Water intake. Been lazy about the water so I've got to go back to a gallon a day. PERIOD. No excuses, no exceptions.

That's about it. Training is good, cardio is great. I never EVER mindlessly do an exercise and give it all I've got each and every rep as far as form, so that is spot on. Hopefully these littel tricks are exactly what I need.

Okay, now off to look at the Cox cable listings to see if any of my fave shows start soon so I can blast out a good hour or more on the stepmill and some upper body.

Ciao... and thanks again everyone for the support.

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I feel that I should be doing more.

I have been in a real funk lately. I am just discouraged how slow it is to see changes in the mirror. I am working so hard and I really see nothing. Now I know everyone thinks I'm being hard on myself because of the photos I just took, but you have no idea how good lighting, standing just perfectly and the right clothes can camoflauge your flaws. I promise I know the different in my body between when it is really fit and when its not... and right now, the tone is just non-existent compared to what it was a year ago. This makes me feel anxious all day long. I know I need to be patient but I want to see SOME progress. I want some of my old pants I wore last year to fit a little bit. And they just don't. I WILL be patient. I will continue tweaking cardio and working my ass off and being tight with my diet until I get there, but PLEASE GOD just throw me a little bone for all of my efforts. Give me an inch off the hips and butt... pretty please? Then again, I doubt God grant frivolous wishes such as that.

That's it for now. Just trying to keep my spirits up despite the fact I've seen zero changes in a month.[/quote]

You're starting to sound like someone else I know You're beautiful and you work your butt off...I'll tell you what you told me...PATIENCE...easier said than done I know...I had a binge day today so you know how I love to beat myself up about that

thanks Holly Just don't drastically cut your calories/carbs after your binge.... force yourself to go right back to a moderate calorie plan, otherwise it's a vicious cycle.

So Kim just told me that the contract is FINALLY HERE. She's driving back from Cambria now, so hopefully tonight or tomorrow I will know how much we get paid, what our start date is, etc. We've been working on this project a year and now we finally have a contract in our hot little hands. All thanks to her. Kim's work ethic and drive has been such a huge inspiration to me. She just sent me a text reminding me that almost exactly a year ago today, this was just an idea in her head with NOTHING put in motion yet and now we have a contract from a major production company with HOPEFULLY a fairly large budget!

To give you guys a little more background on the project.... 1 year ago, I only knew of the Vegan Vixens but had never officially met them, when Kim found me through myspace and told me of this idea she had for a workout video where Moms get in shape with their toddlers and kids to live bands and with silly dances and themes to keep the kids entertained and strength moves for the moms, and she asked me to be the Personal Trainer/choreographer of the project. We met at Native Foods... and she had basically hired me before even meeting me because she said she had really good instincts about people and just felt I was perfect for it.

So she got Susie Feldman to host, some Vegan friends to do the music and write songs, me to choreograph it and instruct it... AND when she found out I had a daughter she thought it would be great if we were both working with our kids in the project too. So we filmed the pilot which was great, and she began aggressively cold-calling every single person she knew or didn't know to fund it. Then we landed a bigger fish than we could have ever imagined when she found to big named producers to back it. They said everyone would make more money if we turned it into a Webisode online series, along with the DVD's, so she said "sure"... and been kind of in limbo ever since. So today we have a contract... and that is very exciting, and I'm so proud of her. It just goes to show you how tight-knit the Vegan community is. She used all of her sources that she had met through the Vixens... and this person would know this person, which would lead her to another person, etc, etc. I would have NEVER had this opporunity before I became Vegan. It really makes you believe in karma and the more good you put out in the world... eventually it all comes back around.

I think I will vomit if the contract says we start in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking March though. I just need her to tell me a START DATE. I care about that more than the money. I need solid, concrete things to train for and focus on otherwise I feel like a lost ship. Man, I'm so anxious right now! I should go to the gym to work off the anxiety

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Congrats!!!!

So exciting!

you mean susie feldman from the two coreys?


Hopefully your shoot will go better then the one on "Workout" when they made their DVD.

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If I am "the man", then where is "the woman"?

A 'work of love' journey has been blessed upon you! May you have the wisdom to make choices that will keep on benefiting you and the world!

Shine on VP! And may all see and feel it.

How exciting, Veggie P! Congratulations to you, and I'm sure you are perfect for this project. I can't wait to see it!

How exciting!!!! I can't wait!!

HA - you know me well...my binge was ing...I won't even mention how much I ate...but you know me pretty well because I did drastically reduce calories or at least plan to for a few days to counter it.

You both are so very beautiful

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Robert wrote:
My knee muscles look totally sweet where I'm holding my weiner.

I know I still need to reply to you via PM about some things.....and will soon....Hey, I'm coming to Anaheim for nearly 10 days, or likely at least 10 days in March....around the 2nd-12th.

We should do some training, photo shoots, etc. I'll be pretty swol by then too.

I hope all is awesome! I'll be in touch.....keep on working it!

Oh...we'll be in L.A. for Vegan Vacation too....the AR Conference will be an incredible place to network! It's a better networking place than the other veg festivals you've been to with me in L.A. or San Fran, so it's something to look forward to in July.

Take care,

Rob

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Check out my Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Bodybuildin ... 497&sr=1-1

Hey there, just wanted to respond to this post of yours, VP:

"I have been in a real funk lately. I am just discouraged how slow it is to see changes in the mirror. I am working so hard and I really see nothing. Now I know everyone thinks I'm being hard on myself because of the photos I just took, but you have no idea how good lighting, standing just perfectly and the right clothes can camoflauge your flaws. I promise I know the different in my body between when it is really fit and when its not... and right now, the tone is just non-existent compared to what it was a year ago. This makes me feel anxious all day long. I know I need to be patient but I want to see SOME progress. I want some of my old pants I wore last year to fit a little bit. And they just don't. I WILL be patient. I will continue tweaking cardio and working my ass off and being tight with my diet until I get there, but PLEASE GOD just throw me a little bone for all of my efforts. Give me an inch off the hips and butt... pretty please? Then again, I doubt God grant frivolous wishes such as that."

I don't want to be an annoying "amatuer" but I HAVE TO share with you, that I am getting the most frickin' amazing, and I mean AMAZING, and fast, results with some tough high rep, low weight (like no more than 3 pounds) workouts.

check out the tracyandersonmethod.com, and tracy effinger's workouts and amy bento for cardio. I know you like gym workouts, and these are home dvds, but they are completely changing my physique in only a few weeks and they are REALLY challenging. Tracy anderson is Madonnas only trainer now, and she says those workouts have changed her physique, and we all know how good she looks...anyway. Thanks for letting me share!