2013 NPC Maryland State/East Coast Classic

Funny, you'd think after I actually won my show and the overall I'd actually update this journal since that was a huge part of my journey! So I guess better late than ever. The ironic thing, I hated, HATED my pictures from my first show. Then this show I wanted pictures and the photographer was awful! I was smiling on stage but he took no pictures like that, none of me with my class win and only one with the overall. crazy! See below:

dawnn cannata

Here are a few pictures friends and family and afew photographers from the audience took from that day.

Trophies!

Waiting backstage for the night show

Right before second coat of tan

Post Cheesecake...

I'd also like to say I am thrilled that my coach Colette Nelson

added me to her client page. There should be an updated testimonial and pictures within the next week or so too. She currently just has my before and after. 

Offseason Begins

Now where am I today?Well I am up more than I want to be, to put it in perspective I am still a size 6 but I was a 2 on stage and 6 is my max pants size. So I am going to lose about 10 that will keep me closer to stage weight then work on building and have an even better package for next year. And I'll start to keep this updated again!

No turning back

I'm in, I've committed and there is no turning back. I did my best, is there room to improve? Yes, do I know my trouble areas? Yes, but that being said, I am excited to do it. I'll annonce the what, when, where after it's done... Still keeping a low profile. But here is a good side by side of my past and current!

Picture on the left was in 2000...

xxx weeks out

I am xxx weeks out now and feeling good so far. Before I know it I'll be enjoying doubles. I am currently loving the Striiv app and pedometer. It counts your steps and estimates calories etc but it's really fun to use and challenge myself daily.

It has challenges throughout the day and since I am competitive I pretty much always say yes. You can compete just against yourself or add friends. I am quite interested to see how many steps I take when I am doing the doubles. Since they say 10,000 is optimal. Yesterday I actually hit 15446 and that was with a little over an hour of cardio and just cleaning and prepping food for the week.

Ready Set Go...

Monday I am starting to get much more regimented with my diet, and training. I'll be checking in with her on a regular basis and I can say I am very very excited. I am ready to accomplish the best me possible this year. Shows not my focus now, just the body I want is. The shows will come just not publicly declaring  which ones anymore. 

Below is me at my heaviest, then me at my best last year... 2013 is the best to come. 

gonna post all my food today... everything!

8 weeks out

First this is how I looked last weekend, I'm under 8 weeks to my show so I really need to tighten it up! I have to make it this year so I'll fight till the end...Now on to the food

Blueberry Green Tea

Egg whites with Spinach and hot sauce. 

water

Pro-Tech Protein Pudding with cinnamon and a pack of Stevia

   

really cuts my appetite

with stevia

cucumbers and vinegar

Miracle Noodles/4 oz chicken and vegetables ( hot sauce/soy sauce)

   

Tilapia with vegetables and hot sauce

I was NOT in the mood to eat this 

egg whites/spinach sprinkle of turkey bacon bits and cucumbers with vinegar

Here are the miracle noodles, they are shockingly pretty good!

Miracle Noodles

ah the big meat traps I seem to grow! I thought it was cool lighting for sure.
I start strict prep January 16th for spring. While I am not the weight I want to be right now if I work hard I can achieve the two springs show I am debating. One or the other that is... But if I work hard give it my all and still now how I want to look, I'll wait for summer. At this point I want to look the part, the show isn't as important as my comeback...

Off-season

Had a lot going on this year so obviously no shows, but I am going to start a pretty strict off season soon. I took almost 8 weeks off from training and up a few pounds but nothing major. Here are some current pictures of my starting point. I'll post real shots soon.

hole in my mouth?

Tried drinking some pre-workout supplement out of a glass measuring cup... FAIL!

End of Season

I planned on doing shows this year but a few glitches in the Matrix stopped me. Not upset, I know next season I will come back even better. I'm taking some time off from the gym. Most of July so my tendonitis in my arm ( see pic to the left ) can heal and just to have some fun. I've been dieting on and off a very long time.

Plan is to maintain and/or add a little size then cut and hit the stage. My trainer Joe Franco suggests that I weigh no more than 135 in the off season which is where I am now. But will hopefully add more size and not that much fluff. I am wondering what my magic number on stage will be I keep thinking it may be around 117? I hold a decent amount of muscle. Here is a back shot to end the season too. I plan to update more though.


Also I have a new PR with dumbbell chest press 45 lbs I think I did 4 reps. not too shabby...

Sorry so long...

The holidays kept me away from here.. not the gym though but partially away from my diet. I'm maintaining though. I told Joe Franco that I'm holding on for dear life until next Monday then full steam ahead.

Photo time-line
No cheats
Will do spring shows, not an option not to.

Yes, the cakeballs sidetracked me. One thing I've learned, you can not bake constantly and realistically diet at the same time. Impossible... So it likely knocked me out of April 9th but I can't allow stupid set backs that include frosting to not let me compete this year.

I'll start posting PR's, workouts and diet soon.. Stay tuned!

21 weeks out

1.5 lbs behind where I wanted to be today but I think on Sunday I will be able to hit that goal... Stepmill is back 4 days a week too.

PR
35 DB Chest press 2 sets x 6 then 5

Cake Balls

Slightly obsessed...I can't stop making them. I didn't eat any though!

I'm back and decisive

Once again floundering on what shows I want to do. But I made a final decision on one show. Yes, it's likely I'll do more but zoning in on April 9th Eastern Regionals. I'll be dieting through the holidays but that's a good thing.



Got my first container of All in ONE by Beyond Nutrition
Pre workout supplement. I only tried it once and took too much so I had a supercharged niacin rush! I'll try again tomorrow with a shake in my stomach and the correct serving.


Halloween I went to the Adams Morgan Drag Queen Pagent. Now that was interesting! LOL Here are a few pics.

The biggest loser was my favorite costume! We also went to a hookah bar. And you can see my trying to smoke. LOL

Charm City Classic 2010

Shoulders today, nothing crazy... taking it easy this week.

Macros on today and goal is all week including the required cardio. I really want to shed about 5 lbs although Joe said he isn't so focused on the scale right now. I am ....


No PR today.

28 weeks out

Looks like this video is pretty poor form so I'm not going to push it again like this for a while. I don't want to reinjure myself. That would be devistating... I think my ego is getting in the way.

102 lb one arm row...

Scale didn't move and I ate several things off plan today. However I created an awesome spread sheet and am very motivated to keep things 100% this week.

Last week I didn't do all the cardio, ate over the carbs I was suppose to eat.

EDIT - I take it back form isn't that bad. Just the few jerky moves in the end.

frustrated

Not gonna lie, I'm very frustrated. The scale is not moving and I am almost on the diet for two weeks. I would say I'm on the diet 90% the 10% is just a little more carbs. I guess I need to be exact and drink more water. I am lagging there.

Weight Training
2 x 4 x 35 lb flat bench press PR

Back Day

Well the scale didn't really move this week but being truthful I didn't really start until Monday so that gave me 5 full days. Yesterday I was a little off plan but not terrible.

Weight Training
100 lb single arm row today. 1x 8 PR

Day 2 dieting and the butterfly

So now I'm famous my tattoo is featured on Tattooed Heart's website.

Diet Day 2
Hit all Macros today! I think I finally found my mojo, it only took a year. Hey considering I'm thrilled...Just cardio today. Tomorrow is leg day, plan on lunging till I cry.

DAY 1

Diet Day 1... looks to be a success. Once I'm on I'm on, there is nothing that can make me stray. I just need to make it past the first few weeks and see the scale move.

I plan to weigh and take some photos this Saturday...

Delts today
30 lb DB press PR 2 x 6

I rule