Carla's Online Web Journal

I am back from my wade through the IFBB pro waters...it was not a SPLASH but rather a wade. It was a totally awesome experience. I had a blast. My routine was totally on target and my mom loved it!! That was the biggest goal achieved for this show was having my mom be there and to do a special routine for her , which I did. I choreographed a routine to "Big Spender" from Sweet Charity in typical Bob Fosse style and she loved it. I had a chair and a hat and heels. I knew the minute I stepped onto the stage for it that it was ON! It was very special to have my mom there with me since she hasn't been able to come to see me compete since 2001 due to being on O2 24/7. She is my bigest fan and has bought herself a gold bangle bracelet for every win culminating in a bangle with diamonds for my pro card win. She displayed them so proudly all weekend and told anyone who was willing to hear about them. I have to say...she was really the hit of the weekend. The athletes, promoters, photographers all loved her and made of her all weekend. It was so cute to see these big guys flirting with her, wheeling her around in her wheel chair, kissing her hand and posing for her!! She was the lady of the hour for sure and I was sooo happy.
My girl NIcki came in and I am soo blessed she did. She took over for me catering to my mom while I was backstage and competing so I dind't have to worry abou that. Plus I felt such a sense of releif when she got there. I just caa't imagine doing it without her. Tim and Brandie came in on Friday too. It was soooo good having them there with me. And then to top everything off Maggie and Dave made the trip all the way down that Saturday just to see me. I am soo blessed.

As far as how I felt I looked....well today I saw a couple prejudging pictures and I have to say I am a bit embarassed that I didn't beat myself! I looked good but not great. I weighed myself on the scale ther and it said I was 112. Before I left home I was 110 so I am not sure if that is acurate but if it is that means I was up 6 pounds from last year. I don't think I nee to weigh more...I think I should have been tighter. Becasue I am so small I need to be shredded to make an impression. That willb e the game plan next time! In retrospect I guess I didn't work hard enough along the way and I am on a mission to do better for next time. I am committed to eating cleaner and revving up my cardio to a higher intensity even in the off season so that I am always ahead of schedule. I know how I should look and it didn't happen this time. NO worries..live an dlearn. I am not comparing myself to the other girls but to myself...
My interim game plan is to be somewhat loose this week although I will keep the cardio up but once I get back form Vegas it's on! I will be back to double cardios and clean eating. I have 2 guest posing appearances to make and I want to maintain my condition as I have it now. There is absolutely no need to do otherwise!!
It's absolutely so crazy that just 2 days post show I look at myself and I look great but I certainly don't look competition ready (already). I look about 2-4 weeks out...so I will strive to maintain that for as long as I can and as I get closer to the appearances I will tweak things a bit to look sharp for the appearance. So hopefully the next time I compete I will be making a BIG SPLASH in the IFBB!!!

As I looked around backstage and saw the different little groups of ladies or the ones that were alone I decided that I would make friends with as many of the women as possible and have fun. So...I shared wine and introduced myself to as many of the women as I could and had a great time. That is really the point anyway. These women are from all over the US and the world. It's very interesting. There is supposed to be a vote for 2 weight classes comng up at the O. That would be just awesome..hope it goes through.
Lisa Aukland won the show and she should have...she was perfect. She is muscular, totally shredded and still really pretty. She is such a great representative of the sport. She is smart, articulate, feminine and pretty. She hung out in my room in between prejudge and the night show as the hotel wouldn't honor her late check out as planned. It was fun having her and her husband Tom visiting with us! She is awesome and on her way to make a splash at the O!
Luke Wood spent a lot of time with us also as I helped him with his color. He had just flown in form Sydney...such a long flight to compete!! He looked great and I believe was in the top 10. I cna't imagine what he would have looked like if he had dieted for longer than a couple weeks and dind't have to be flying so close to the show!?? He is a very sweet Big Aussie..he surprised his girl Kim Perez. She didn't know he was ocming until she saw him there so they must have had a nice time catching up. He is heading out to be with her after the O. Nice peeps!!
Marcus Haley took a 4th. He was clearly disappointed as he had been called out as 3rd all day. He was able to rebound form the disapointment after talking with Mr. Manion. WE all went out and had an awesome time. He was a total comedian the entire time. ME and Nicki were laughing so hard we were getting ab cramps!!!!! Anyway...if he can just stay focused he will be fine!!! It was pretty cool cuz during the pose down the guys came into the audience and he posed for my mom right in front of her!! She was hyped!

On Sunday I shot with Paco Gutierez at the beach. It was an awesome shoot and I am sure I will have some great artistic shots form what I saw. They will all be in black and white so I am anxious to see them. He is still trying to get his site up and has some financial backign to do so so he is on a roll. He is great. Another guy named Alex gave my mom a picute he designed of me and that is asesome. Its a fantasy picture and it looks futristic with me in it. It's just great and I need to get it up on the site. I emailed him today to ask him to email it to my webmaster to get it up. It's really , really cool!
OK...so true to my word...I am off to do cardio!!!
Stay fit and be postive
Ciao
C

Carla's Online Web Journal

4DAYS TO GO!!!!

It's almost here! The last few days have been a bit rough but that goes with the territory. Working the day job is really the problem!!! If only....
Just trying to keep everything organized is crazy!!! Plus I have to be in Vegas for the O, 3 days after my show!!! Anyway...the good thing is that I didn't have to get up and do cardio this morning for the first time in MONTHS!!!! I still got up early and practiced my routine...figured posing was good while I had a little energy! Who knows...maybe I will crash after I train. The game plan is to train onmy lunch hour so I am not totally crashed. If I waited till after work??? I am not sure if I could get through it. Every muscle I have is sore from posing...you would think I am not in shape...how crazy is that!?

I've made a couple calls to favorite photographers regarding shoots to try to get that organized and I have started packing ...there is sooo much stuff to bring. I will cook tomorrow night once I know the carb up schedule. I send Tim more pics tonight!! Oh yeah!!! The best news ever is that
Tim and Brandie will be in AC!!! At the last minute they found a resonable flight! I never expected them to be able to make it with their show the following weekend and all. My debut will be complete for sure!!

You know..it's very interesting to see who is around checking up on you before a show. Some people you think would be holding you up aren't around and others that you would never think of to be there are? This show I have felt really alone..I haven't been down to Tampa like normal and NIcki is gone and no one in the gym is getting ready really...it's wierd. It's such an individual sport but it's so much easier with a good support team. My room mate Damaris, has been awesome and so has my friend Sue and of course my parents...they are the absolute best. My mom and dad always go to the wholesaler to get my chicken and clean it and bag it for me. Just little things like that are soo helpful!
Anyway...the journey seems to always hold something different!

I would love a big light latte with carmel!!!! Soon....

Carla's Online Web Journal

TGIF!!!!!

Yeah! 8 days to SHINE!!!! WOW...I am psyched that it is the weekend and all I have to do is get my routine straight, finish up the last of my cardio sessions (on Sunday!), do laundry, start packing, and not think about being hungry!!! I am psyched! I just don't have the gas to be working!!!!

I feel pretty relaxed, actually, except maybe that is cuz I am a bit tired?? Not sure? Either way, I am starting to shape up. I just love how I look lean! I can see a big vein on my left bicep and little ones on my shoulders. I can also see the veins in my lower abs but they come and go. I am not sure if the glutes are tight yet but they sure feel it. As a matter of fact the joints are feeling creaky too! All that goes with the last minute territory.

I am trying to keep the day job work load kinda light where possible cause thinking is sometimes a chore. Other times it amazes me how much I actually have gotten done?? MIND OVER MATTER, right??

More pics to Tim tonight so he knows where I am at. I will have Berto take them cause he has a good camera and they will come out clear.

OK..see what I mean..ran outta gas...I have these littel bursts of energy..this one is over!
Check ya out later
C

Carla's Online Web Journal

Hello all!
WEll...I got back yeterday from my photo shoot with Reg Bradford. We shot in the gym and his studio in New Jersey on Sunday! He always makes me look sooo good. I am not sure if I look like a bodybuilder but I love the look I have none the less. We are gonna shoot again in Atlantic City...I will be a totally different body by then..only 1 1/2 weeks away.



I wished I could load a picture on here but my program won't let me!?? I tell ya what...I really don't care what type of call out I get..I am very happy with what I look like right now..it's a really pretty look.




Shooting with Reg made me be able to see how pretty my body is right now. There is no way that people could pssibly say FBB are too big and ugly and manly...no way! I just hope that someone in magazine land or int he industry can embrace this look and help out FBB!

I am coming along pretty good..my glutes need tightening so Tim has me doing step ups and lunges daily for 5 days. I will be carb depleting on Sunday so we are really coming into the home stretch. Istill don't have my music done ihich is giving me an excuse not to work on my routine but I know what I want to do so I will just get it done!! With all this ephedra I am taking I don't feel as tired at night so I should be able to get it done! I also amnot as hungry!!! Finally!! It's just crazy how every prep is different!! Things in your body change, your taste buds change, you look different ...it's crazy. I have gotten over my ice cream dreams and now am just craving a sandwich!? Wierd, huh? A nice grilled painni would be nice!? Who knows?? Life is crazy!!!

OK all...I gotta fly back to work...I am gonna send off a pic to my web master so maybe he can log it on here!!!
Ciao Bellas

Carla's Online Web Journal

WOW!!! I think I have had an epiphany? Is that what it is called when all of a sudden you see a vision...get goosebumps and it's like a light bulb goes off???

OK..so I amin the gym training on my lunch hour...LEGS! I am functioning on about hlaf a cup of rice for carbs and am feeling lazy. One of those days you wished you had someone there with you to put the weights on and off the machines! OK...so I am doing this superset workout that I happen to like at this stage; extensions and leg curls, hacksquats and dumb bell stiff legs, leg press and one leg seated curls (all sets of 15-12 with moiderate wieghts, little rest in between and 4 sets. I finish off this crap shoot with one leg step ups (10 each leg) and walking lunges (50) superset. I get to my last set of everything and am feeling pretty spent...CD is blasting "sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake and I am sucking wind. i think..."maybe 2 sets of this is enough?"...then all of a sudden I had this vision, goosebumps and my hair was tingling. I saw Iris Kyle..I thought.."there is no way she is not doing her last set of ANYTHING!" I don't know why she popped into my head cause I have never really even aspired to be like her but all of a sudden she was there and the realization that I would be stepping on a PRO stage hit me like a ton of bricks. I AM A PRO! I almost started tearing up with emotion...I was overwhlemed!
Need less to say...I not only did my last set but I added reps to it too!! THERE!!! If Iris can do it so can I. I am the MIGHTY LIGHTWEIGHT! I know that moments like that don't happen often...WOW!!!! Thanks Iris!

Carla's Online Web Journal

Hard to believe that the summer of 2006 is gone!!!
Labor Day is over and the nights are already cooling off. East coast fall weather feels to be in the air! Now ...I love the fall but it has been rainy and cloudy for days and I just am getting the feelinglike the damn winter blues are gonna be here toooo fast!

Nicki left on Monday...she is officially living in AZ with Dave Henry..her going away party was Sunday and she and I spent a few hours on Monday saying goodbye. She said.."people are treating me like I am dying, I am jsut moving!" She is right but I had to tell her that life will forever be changed now and people are just mourning the loss of the life they have had with her. Having her around is like the sun is always shining ...that is hard for people to give up! She is living my dream and I am sooo happy for her. Godspeed my dear Leo sister!

I had a cheat the other night..ribs and salad with dressing..the good ol fat and protien cheat..well I didn't even finish the whole thing and a few hours later was woken from my sleep throwing up! Guess my body was telling me something!! NO more ribs for me! could I get a bagel though??? he-he All I realy feel like having is a big bowl of Kashi cereal with a protien shake over it!! Been dieting too hard!

Feeling pretty tired, even with Ephedra! I have to get more posing in! Gotta go train for lunch!! Might as well doing something since I really can't eat! lol
Trying to get up on my space too but having some technical difficulites..figures, right?!

If only I didn't have to go to a day job...I would have soo much more time!

WEll..gotta go get psyched up for legs!!!
Peace
C

Carla's Online Web Journal

I can't believe that tomorrow I will be 3 weeks away from my pro debut!!
I definatley have the foggy brain syndrome of a dieting BB! That's for sure! Multi-tasking isn't the easiest thing right now!

I finallyhooked up my new printer this week!!! I havne't figured out how to rpint off pictures yet but...it's an awesome machine so I think it will be easy!

I also got my pics back from Vegas from my shoot...they came out pretty good. My body has changed so much since then..I love the look I have right now!!! I wished I could keep this all year!? I wonder if I could? I guess double 45's would do the trick!!! WOW!
My waist is tiny and so my shoulders look bigger, I dont' have any back fat (just alittle sharpae puppy skin on my glutes), you can see definition buyt not super dry fine lines and my face still looks good, not like a cancer patient.
I set up a shoot with Reg Bradford for next Sunday so I hope I keep my face and don't look too flat for that! he is awesome to shoot with and we will be able to get some gymshots in as well as studio!

I have to work for Vyotech doing 2 demos this weekend. I didn't want to do anymore cauze I knew I would be too tired if I did/ I am meeting with my suit lady, Maggie Blanchard, on Saturday in NH so she can get the fit perfect and to pick out a prejudge fabric! Then I will crash at my aunt's. That's isn't too taxing cause Auntie Donna will hook up the organic chicken on the grill...it's sooo good!

Sunday night is NIcki's going away party....I hope I can hold up OK. It's times like these I wished I had a little more comfort...it's gonna be like not having a right arm once she is gone. Even though we don't see each other everyday..we go have coffee or sushi or she stops by to take pics for me. I just know that if I callher she is there! I am gonna miss her terribly...my Leo sister. Dave comes in tonight and they go to the Cape for the night...Ok not thinking about it!!!!

3weeks till AC and 4 till the O...I will see her then...no big deal, right?


XO