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Pro Prep Diaries: Bodybuilding Makes Me Better

By 105 Comments


I’m often asked how and why I got my start with bodybuilding. To tell the truth, it’s not the most interesting or heartstring-tugging story, like a diagnosis or the end of a relationship that made me overhaul my lifestyle. I simply started bodybuilding because I wanted to. I joined a tiny little rec center weight room that only cost $75…PER YEAR (#dealofthecentury), and started picking up weights (and then putting them back down, natch). I changed my diet – I’d been vegetarian for years but I started eating meat again. And my body started to change rapidly.

Besides the obvious aesthetic changes, the benefits of bodybuilding are many.

I’ve become an early bird. My whole life I’d been a night owl, but there is something that feels so productive about getting the day off to an early start. (Even if the first thing you have to do is hell-cardio.)

Ailments like high cholesterol and high blood pressure run in my family. I don’t worry so much anymore about whether I will succumb to them because I know I’m taking care of my body as best I can. Plus, weight lifting is proven to help improve bone density and prevent osteoporosis. (source)

Gym selfie

Bone gainz

My lifestyle overall has become healthier. Like many of us, there were a couple years during which I partied. I mean PAR-TAYED. Like it was 1999. I was drinking often and eating bar food whenever I felt like it. Today, while I enjoy beer, wine, and the occasional cocktail, I don’t partake often because the sluggishness that follows interferes with my training, which is more important to me. Again, priorities.

Swole cocktail

(Angrily?) enjoying a cocktail with a friend last summer

My body image has greatly improved. I’ve struggled with body image issues my whole life (and of course, I still do sometimes) but since I’ve begun bodybuilding, I feel stronger, sexier, and more confident than ever.

I am more organized now. I am forced to be organized in order to get all my meals, lifting, and cardio in while still having a career and maintaining relationships. When your health isn’t quite a hobby yet, it feels like you don’t have time to make it one. But there’s always time – it’s just a matter of priorities.

Grocery haul

Prep your food, beast your week.

I was having a conversation recently with a new friend about how productive I feel when I wake up early, do cardio, and then get started at kicking ass for the day.

I thought about the other ways that participating in this sport has changed my life for the better and decided to write about it. Partly just to share, and partly to inspire others to follow their passions. Because I don’t think that these improvements to my lifestyle are exclusively benefits of bodybuilding; it could be another sport or it could be a new hobby that makes you reassess your priorities and make a positive change.

Whether you’re a bodybuilder or not, get out there and do some badass shit!

Here’s my latest progress comparison. Despite holding some water (that time of the month) and being 4 lbs. heavier according to the scale, this week I look a little leaner and my shoulders are fuller. ONLY A MONTH TO GO, HOLY MOLY!

Pro Prep Diaries 5-4 weeks

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Comments

  1. I absolutely love reading about your progress and all of your blog posts. I am not a bodybuilder but I am trying to lose some fat and tone up since I absolutely hate my body now. You’re a huge inspiration! xoxo

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  8. I admire your determination and you look amazing so keep it up. I should do more work on my own body but I’m a wuss, when my back is aching, I tend to baby my injuries and body and slack instead of work out.

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  9. you are so fit and i adore your hard work! i really want to start going to the gym and start getting back to being more fiT! MEAL PLANNING part is a great idea! motivating post!

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  15. You look in great shape & I can see it is a lot of hard work behind which has been routine to the perfection. Bodybuilding definitely has lots of benefits, if done with dedication & you are an inspiration to many

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  16. ive been doing a lot of food prep these days and hitting the gym. it definitely makes me feel good about myself

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  17. You mentioned that you have to get your meals organized. Do you pre-make all your meals for the week?
    We have started making overnight oatmeal and that has helped us be more effective but I am not sure how I can pre-make dinners for 5 for a week and make sure we actually eat it.

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  21. Seems like you are doing bodybuilding the right way. I have a friend who partied and then decided to stop and be a bodybuilder, but he eats like six cheeseburgers and a pack of oreos on his cheat days.

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  22. Bodybuilding certainly has its benefits. I have heard many people say that it is a great way to let stress or other things like that out. I agree that starting the day off early makes me feel much more productive for the rest of the day.

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  29. I would love to try prepping my food for the week. I have been trying to eat healthier this year. Meal planning and prep would help me a lot.

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  31. I love it. I was expecting some detailed story about why you started bodybuilding and I laughed when you said “because I wanted to”. As good a reason as any, I guess. Good on you.

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  37. You are amazing and look amazing. Your very passionate in what you do. I may get into bodybuilding some day too.

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  39. My friend is a bodybuilder. She enters Miami pro every year. It’s so hard. She’s dedicated her whole life to it. I could never do it. Good for you.

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  43. Wow! That’s amazing! It’s great that you have found your thing and are pretty much an expert at what you do. You will inspire so many even if you don’t have a back story to it, just the fact that you have done it, is enough.

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  45. You look great! It’s a good day for me when I take a walk. I do try to eat a high protein, low carb diet and I cut out the junk.

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  46. O wow! That’s very inspiring. I am too lazy, I don’t even exercise but my baby makes sure I stay fit as he lines up so much work for me.

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  47. You look so incredible. I wish I had that much dedication for ANYTHING at this point!!! So wonderful and inspiring as always.

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  51. It’s amazing what a lifestyle change can do to you, not just your body but everything else. I am sure you’re also loving the perks that came along with being healthy, like being organized, getting to sleep right, stuff like that. I had no idea it all started as simple as that awesome gym deal!

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  61. You should be so proud of what you have achieved so far and I think that it is wonderful that you literally transformed your whole life just by taking up fitness.

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  62. Wow, body building! I’d like to lift weights to build my strength. It would take a lot of organization for you to master all you’re doing. Great job!

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  63. I’ve always thought body builders had insane self control. You get to the gym, you eat what you should, and the cutting. Oh man, I can’t even imagine the cutting phase.

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  65. Your dedication is so commendable. I love how you have become so disciplined- that is a hard thing to do.
    Congrats to you and your mom on your new site as well! 🙂

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  66. I wish I could make it to gym like I want to… However lately it seems one of the kids is always sick and if its not them it me. Hopefully soon I can make it back in although Im just trying to lose the leftovers from having two babies.

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  67. You look so good! I don’t lift but I really want to get into it. I hate the attitude of “ew, you’ll look like a guy”. I have many girl friends who are into body building. They’re not masculine but sure as hell are fitter than the nay-sayers!

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  68. I’m glad that bodybuilding has helped you so much! I had no idea it can help prevent osteoporosis. That runs in my family as well.

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  69. Oh my days, yes! You are the woman I’m looking for. This is the exact blog I need to be following as I go on my weight gain, body building journey. It’s so difficult looking for information from women instead of men! Keep up the good work!

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  71. You look amazing. Maybe if Istart getting up earlier I will stick to my routine better. I do good for a couple of days and the other days not so much.

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  72. I’ve started exercising and lifting because I need to lose a lot of weight and I’m sleeping better and waking up earlier and being more productive. While I won’t ever be a pro body builder, I can see how many benefits it has!

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  73. Wow! I’ve really loved following along and seeing how you’ve progressed over the past year. Those arms! And those legs! 4 weeks will fly by!

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  74. Good for you that you are motivated to do this! I would not be able to get up early and become an early bird. I find it tough to even wake up for work lol

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  75. It sounds like bodybuilding has really benefitted you in so many ways. It’s not my thing, but that is the best thing about life I find, we all have to find that one “thing” that makes it work for us. I love that you have found yours! H x

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  76. I am not into fitness but I do love reading–but lately I don’t even have the patience for that. I’m hoping it is because of the meds I was on (am now off mostly thankfully)–and that I will ultimately bounce back to my prior wide awake and mostly healthy self.

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  78. It sounds like body building has been great for all aspects of your life. I’ve pretty much always been an early bird and agree that I feel like I can get so much more done in a day when I start early.

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  79. LOVE that you are doing this simply because YOU want to! Not every good thing has to have an amazing crazy, heart string pulling story behind it. I love waking up early, and when I can I go for a run because that’s what I enjoy.

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  82. Wow, just wow! I do not have the discipline to be a body builder but I have a cousin that does and she is very disciplined. Congrats on being in amazing shape!

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  83. Bodybuilding has a lot more benefits then i realized. You look like you are in amazing shape. I do not think i have the discipline to do it.

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  84. I need to start meal planning. It would make meal time a lot easier and i would be more likely to stick to my diet. You look amazing in these photos.

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  86. Looks like you are making great progress!! I love the idea of prepping food for a week out- I’m sure that makes it much easier to stay on track!

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  87. You look great! Sounds like bodybuilding is working out great for you. That’s so great to hear. Great to hear about you achieving your goals. That’s always a great thing.

    Reply

  90. Wow, you are incredible. I have loved following your journey and am so impressed with you. Thanks for sharing.

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  91. You look amazing! It’s so true that how you start your day sets the tone until you go to bed. If I’m productive right from the start I’m often amazed at how much more is accomplished.

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  92. I never competed but I was serious about body building for a few years in my 30s. That experience really changed my life for the better. As much as I enjoy working out though I just haven’t been able to get into it as much since I became a dad with all its extra responsibilities. I know I could make the time if really wanted to but have been really lacking on the dedication aspect of making that happen. Good for you on making this part of your everyday life style.

    Reply

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