Hannah\’s Blog

I did early morning cardio with ‘hatton’ dvd and treadmill for 30 mins.  Posing session that went very well with Simon and body is great. Phew!

Saw Tamsin today at ‘Boho’ and had my hair lightened, its lovely and blonde.  Next stop was to have ’sugaring’ a form of waxing, but it is more gentle and acts as an exfoliator on my skin, which is what I need.  My skin gets scored with its texture and it needs to be right to show the tan off!

Back to Winners for my last weight session, it was the same workout as I have been doing since Tuesday.  I found it harder today as I have less calories in me and also the diretics are every 2 hours, so blood pressure and lethargy is kicking in.  Still not a problem, I battled around the gym in a circuits style of a ‘machine’ (as one member pointed out!)  Dean spotted me for the last circuit of 8 reps, sorry, he coached me, I did all the work! I had to really as it was my last chance to squeeze the muscle glycogen out of my muscles through the weights.

This evening Helen and I had a make-up lesson for our eyes, just to be able to create a more dramatic look with Vanessa Osborne (make-up artist).  It was great, what Helen and I were doing before was good, now we can be a little bit more professional.  Helen is really good with make-up and she is going to do my eyes for me before I leave for London (then all I have to do is touching up on the day and evening).

So the day has gone well, apart from feeling tired due to the directics, everything is great.

Tomorrow is my last day of 30 min cardio before the show.  I am really looking forward to it.

Now, to any of my clients reading this tonight, I hope you are still training hard without me and not getting lazy, I have seen a few of you working out and have heard from a few of you keeping me updated on your progresses, so keep up the good work!  I am always watching you!!!

4 days to go!  Nails are done, visit to the dentist for a lovely scale and polish!  Trained early morning cardio on the stairclimber with Helen this morning, nice to catch up and hear how things are going with her.  Helen competes in the Europeans next weekend in Macedonia, her costume and routine are all finished and she starts her diretics and water on Friday. 

Today is half carbs on all meals and last day of heavy salting my food and water.  Been a little hungry today but nothing crazy, suppose with all the water I am drinking it kind of fills you up.

Went back to the gym this afternoon and trained the same routine as yesterday and hit all the weights the same, which I was pleased at.  Lesley (my weds morning client) gave me a spot on my free dips which was great, as it meant I could get really deep into this exercise.  Thanks Lesley (hope your hamstrings feel good today on your romanian deadlifts?!?)

My black 2 piece is now ready to wear.  My amazing friend Claire came round (she sewed my New York suits for me and did a great job).  I rewarded her with a lovely pre-contest dinner of chicken and sweet potato with avocado and salad,she loved it, my portion looked small next to hers.  Never mind, 4 days to go…..

Tomorrow is last weight day.  No salt and my potassium increases to every 2 hours with the dandelion root staying at 3 servings.  Bring it on!

This morning was cardio 30 mins to the brilliant dvd ‘hatton v mayweather’.  9 litres of water today and the same diuretics.  I am finding it hard to have an appetite with all this water and I looked ‘huge’ today posing, I am blowing up!

I went back this afternoon to train upper body in 30 mins, I did a circuit style workout that Simon has set up for me.  It was a tri set for shoulders, presses, raises and rows and then chest, pec dec and vertical chest press.  Back was pulldowns and seated row, my pulldowns were strong and I found the 45 kg easy on my own for 8 reps, a superset for biceps and triceps  and then to finish it was incline db curls superset with dips (that was the hardest exercise of the lot!)   JOB DONE!!!

TOMORROW MY CARB MEALS ARE CUT IN HALF, should be easier tomorrow and the water goes down to 6 3/4 litres and my diretics go to every 3 hours with BCAA’s thrown in. 

Feels strange not to be working and training clients, but I must make the most of this as I only have 5 days to go. 

CONCENTRATE AND FOCUS……………….

6 days to go.  Went in this morning and did 30 mins cardio split between the stair climber and treadmill.  I have finished training clients and work for the rest of the week to focus on competition.  I have set cardio and weight routine until friday and all the little things that go into competiton, like hair, nails, skin appointments etc.  

Today I have drank 10 litres of water and started my potassium and dandelion root, the water has begun and I have been a little light headed at times due to the potassium, it can lower your blood pressure.  Made it through the day though and felt a little tired. 

The PUMP class tonight was a good one, we only have 2 classes left before I change the routine, so the ladies worked hard tonight on their weights.  Their standing military shoulder presses were superb tonight, none of them giving up.  Poor Rebekah spent a whole set trying to tie her hair up, so we made her do her extra set at the end and the class gave her a big clap at the end!  It was nice to see they all support each other.

Tomorrow is cardio for 30 mins in the morning and then weights in the afternoon with calves.  The routine is designed for the upper body and its intended to push water out of my muscles and to deplete my glycogen stores so that by the end of the week I am flat and tired, but when I eat my Saturday night meal, I will fill up those muscles with the carbs and glycogen and look full and pumped, but ‘dry as a bone’ (Simon’s terms) for the Sunday.  So you will have to keep reading to see how I am doing.

Today I trained clients this morning.  I took Alison up Muscle Hill and we did her weight workout out in the sun and fresh air.

After lunch Helen and I went to support Winners 2000.  We hired the Torquay girls grammer school astro-turf pitch and we had another of our Serious Fit Event.  It was football with Torquay v Paignton.  It was the hottest day of the year so far and they guys played really well with Torquay winning 4-3.  It was a great event with lots of supporters.  I was in charge of the camera and took a few good shots for the next issue WT 31.

No training today and see what happens tomorrow.  I have drank 8 litres of water today and tomorrow my potassium and dandelion root starts and I am to drink between 2-2.5 gallons (9-11.25 litres).  So I am feeling so full of water at the moment it is crazy, but after tomorrow the water starts to go down and gets flushed out with the potassium and the dandelion root.

Rest day today and my traps are sore from yesterdays workout, Gladiators on in an hour!

Simon has given me my final 8 days pre-contest dieting notes.  I have been and stocked up on my water and bought my food to see me through.  Everything is so meticulously planned from food, cutting down on my carbs through the week, to the amount of water I shall be drinking, to the supplements and diuretics that i will be taking and how much.  I have put it all into my ‘covey’ planner working back from the day of the show.  I need to do it now so that I am organised.  Job done, let the 8 days commence!

Trained shoulders this afternoon.  Great workout and I was really strong. My shoulders also looked great pumped up.  did 11.75kg either side of the olympic bar for 8 reps, (started at 5kg either side for 12 to begin with and worked down).  Next up was dumbell lateral raises with strip sets twice of 8/8/8, felt so strong, worked from 10kg/9kg/7kg single arms.  Tremendous, needed 11kg!!!  then barbell upright rows 12/10/8 with 25kg.  Jon coached me through the workout and gave us both a buzz!  Then it was standing calves andthe plank, followed by 30 mins incline treadmill walking.  Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather? was on dvd from the 24/7 series that was on before the big fight in dec.  It was really good, something different to watch.

Gladiators back on tomorrow!  Can’t wait, dying to see the show and to look at the girls physiques.  A few american ‘figure’ girls are in Americas Gladiators, would love to be on the show as one, must find a way……………

This time next week, will be tanning up………

Today my suits from America are here.  They look great, fabulous and sparkly and I am really pleased with them.  Helen’s should be here next week as Crys Corner has made hers as well. 

Had a busy morning training clients after a successful posing session.  Rebekah was great in her session this morning, we did legs, back and bi’s.  We did a personal best for her today in the power room on the squat rack.  40 kg for 20 reps.  Strong girl!  Another success story for today was George, she has lost 7 lb in 4 weeks following a new program and a better diet, cutting down on the usual quick fix of sugars and carbs and having more protein and fresh vegetable in her diet.  She looks great, skin is clear and fresh and this is only the beginning, well done girls!

10 days to go……………

Had a posing session this morning with Simon and he is pleased with how my body looks considering the rest I have had, so I am on course (thank god!)

My suits should have left the states, (thank goodness!) 

Back at work today and ready for action, almost 100%.  Trained clients in morning and then got an M.O.T for my body by our resident sports rehabilitator Richard Long.  He is based in our club and is excellent.  He knows how the body works and what to do, his knowledge is amazing and you know you are in good hands.

Worked in the gym in the afternoon and we are interviewing for an apprentice, so interviewed a very potential young man,

At last, i was ready to take on CARDIO.  Simon suggested a run out to my favourite track and just to get out in the fresh air should get me back on track.  It was great, the sun was shining and it was warm and I did 30 mins of cardio, did a lot of coughing from my cold, but got it off my chest!  The running and sprints were easy and it was a great, great thing to do today to get me back in the game!

Back in the gym in the evening training clients.  My 3 ladies who I train, Dot, Bernie and Gill are so into their training,  tonight we focussed on legs and abs, they were doing full cleans and presses for the cardio side, these ladies are aged between mid 30’s to 50’s to its great training them together.  They have even started to take over the gym equipment now when training and the men know to wait their turn - quietly! 

Back to double cardio tomorrow - not long to go now!!!

I have been hit by a cold virus for a few days and have been ‘ordered’ to take a few days off work and clients.  Better to have it now than in 14 days!  I find it incredibly hard to rest but I have been getting myself in check for the competition.

My suits should be leaving the States on Monday, so I am really excited about having them soon!

I have found some great inspiring pictures of figure girls that I have been collecting and laminating over the past few years, so am going to put them up over the bank holiday weekend. 

Training is due to start again on Tuesday and the countdown is just getting nearer all the time.  I am nervous and excited but this is only the first stage qualifier with the October finals to come.

Thanks for all your text messages wishing me better, I am getting there and the rest will have done me good.  My body is ready for the fight ahead!

Bring it on, 14 days…………….