Changes are good

I believe that when things are not going the way we want them to, we have to do something. You cannot expect to achieve something special by doing the ordinary. You have to look for ways while keeping your eyes on the goal. And that is what I am doing these days.

Awesome Life Tip

For the past months, my body has been acting weird. It goes from upset stomach to headaches, including exhaustion and difficulty in breathing. I changed my routine, took extra rest days, slightly adapted my meals, however, without success.

When things are like that, the only solution is turning routine upside down. 

The time has arrive to question everything, go back to the draw board and restart from scratch. It is not easy to get out of the comfort zone, mainly for a Taurus like me. We move our buts only when there is no other way. I love routine!

One of the changes I am slowly implementing is going gluten free together with adding bio veggies and fruit to my diet. I have been eating 'real food' for the past year and it has already major changes in my body (not only what meets the eyes). Now I am taking a step further into this healthy lifestyle of mine.

Bio fruit and gluten free muesli

Today, I went to a local bio farm and got some fruit and gluten free cereal. Afterwards, I got some hormone free meat. The substitution will be gradual. As I need to buy new items, I will looking forward 'cleaner' alternatives.

There is a lot of information on the internet about the subject, including recipes. I am not the most skilled in the kitchen (that is my shy way to say that I cannot cook), but I am looking forward testing my skills soon.


And you? Have you introduced new habits in your life recently? Thinking about it? What would you like to change?


Whatever it is, if it is where your heart is pointing to, go for it! 

It has been longer than I remember

Time flies, doesn't it? I thought I was just a month or two behind with my entries... Shame on me AGAIN!!!

Anyways, a lot happened in the meantime, but I will not drop everything here just like. Let's catch up little by little.

So far this year, I have participated in 2 competitions. They were my first under the umbrella of Team Bombshell. And even though the results were not I expected, I am extremely happy and proud of the progress I have made in the past months.

LEFT : October 27th, 2012

RIGHT : April 6th, 2013

Of course that everybody wants to win (or at least, I hope so...), but the final result, the medal, the trophy, is not something we can control. It depends a lot on what the judges want, how other competitors look (odd ones rarely win shows; and if they are not first, last they will be), promoters expectations, etc. 

However, against all odds, you win every single time you go on stage knowing that you did EVERYTHING you had to do in order to place 1st!

Knowing oneself, doing what it takes and being in peace with things you cannot control are the keys to your success. And if others don't see it right away, no sweat... Your time will come!

June, 2013                                 August, 2013

No, I don't write plans

It is interesting how many people have been asking me about help with their diet and/or training. I understand their reasons. I am a regular, full-time, working person who despite the odds, is slowly achieving the figure of my dreams.

The thing is: I do not write plans to anyone. And my reasons are very simple.

The tips I give are based on my own experience and they never go further than "watch you sugar intake", "don't exaggerate with supplements", "watch your form" etc. To go any further than that, I would have to know the details about your goals, habits, general health (chronic diseases, high blood pressure, heart problems etc) and understand your level of commitment. Without one of these items, any further attempt to get you in shape would be irresponsible.

When wanting to transform your body or improve your condition, the most important thing is to look for professional advice. I cannot stress it enough! When you go the gym, there are a lot of people who look fabulous and that have been working out their "whole life". Still, believe me or not, that does not per se suffice to give you qualitative advice. They might even do it out of friendship or to help you out, however, remember that they do not always have all/enough knowledge to provide the guidance that you really need.

It is true that hiring a Personal Trainer is not cheap and that it does not always guarantee that they more than just a certificate. The thing is that each person is unique and it is imperative to your health that you work with someone who sees the big picture (not just your winning about wanting to get big).

Why is their knowledge not free? Because it takes months of studies and years of experience to acquire basic information and a life-long learning process to develop oneself as a Personal Trainer. New techniques and products come out every day. There is always something new that can be incorporated in traditional methods. Real Personal Trainers know they are worth their fee and that is why there is a price for their services.

I am not saying with that you should not listen to anyone anymore. The same way that there Personal Trainers and personal trainers; there are also a lot of people out there with much more knowledge and experience that you may first think. The tip here (yes, I'm giving you one) is becoming a sponge of the game. Use and abuse of sites like http://www.bodybuilding.com, http://www.fitnessrxwomen.com, http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com and others, to learn about nutrition, training and supplementation. Do not waste your money with the new big thing just because you have heard some big dude/gal has been using it. Understand your body: What is your ultimate goal? What is your body type? What is your lifestyle? What is your diet? How many times a week do you train? And the questionnaire goes on and on...

Remember, you are unique. Your body is unique! What works for a person, might not have the same effect in you. Or even worse! Be realistic about your objectives and work step by step to achieve them. There is no finish line and the only adversary you have in this race is your own limitation. Learn, put your knowledge into practice and shine!!!!

Erase & Rewind

Since my time is limited, I generally plan my weekly blog entries in advance. This way I can do some extra research if necessary etc. The idea for this one was writing about supplementation, but some questions I have been receiving the past days made me change my mind.

Probably it is the time of the year. There is this whole pressure about "resolutions" and it gets to people (see also My 2013 Commitments). Suddenly everyone wants to lose weight, exercise, stop smoking and whatever they can think of. It is EVERYWHERE! Gyms get packed for a couple weeks and that is it. Yeah! After the first obstacle, all the enthusiasm is gone. No one talks about it and they all have excuse (good or not) for why they went back to their old habits.

The point is: you cannot expect that suddenly, like magic, an old habit of yours will vanish and everything is going to be perfect. Forget it!!! It takes time, consistency and hard work no matter what your goal is.

Many times, I have the impression that people are hoping that I can say: "I took this magic pill and all the fat disappeared". If it is your case, I am awfully sorry to disappoint you but reality is way far from that.

And you know why I can be so hard about it? Because I have been there and done that! I may not know the details of your story, but I myself have denied certain facts that cost my progress before.

In my blog Getting Started, I wrote about the steps I consider mandatory if you sincerely want to transform your body. Unless you are sincere with yourself and with your goals, there is no angel on earth that will help you achieve your objectives. At the end of the day, it is YOUR life, YOUR choices, YOUR attitude and YOUR results. Nobody else's...

No athlete is born in one day. It takes YEARS of hard work; of working out even when one does not want to; skipping parties; being laughed at for not drinking or for bringing your own food; missing a TV program because you need extra rest; getting up before sun rise to get cardio done; you name it!

Nathalia Melo: 2009 Ft. Laud Cup NPC - 2012 Olympia

Probably your "reasons" are very good ones and if you believe it, they are. However, one cannot expect to achieve anything with excuses. Stop blaming your partner, your friends, your job, the parties; and face yourself. You do not have to tell it to anyone, but you must be sincere to yourself. Unless you do it, whatever your goal is, achieving it will be a very tough task.

I wish everyone health and success in everything you do!

My 2013 Commitments

Here we are! The new year has started and it is time to get things going. Maybe you found the title of this entry a little odd. Why "commitments" instead of "resolutions"?

Well, words are what we make out of them. I associate "resolution" to a short-time effort that people drop down when facing any adversity. This idea scares me and that is why I prefer the word "commitment".

Happy 2013! This year I will...

For the first time, I wrote down a small list with my plan for 2013. I feel attached to it already and that is why I want to blog about it. Since then, this list grew a bit, but even if I need to update it here and there, these are the my main objectives for the next 12 months (no specific order):

• Get competition ready by the beginning of April: I am looking forward participating in the Limburg Open, so... ;)
• Keep on improving as an athlete: including stage presence, marketing and all other aspects involved in getting myself known in the sport and  in the media. I have big dreams and having a strong brand is a very important part of it;
• Give the first steps towards a pro-card: the amount of shows in which one can get a pro-card is REALLY limited in EU. Adding to that, I haven't seen any Masters competition for Bikini. I'm not backing down though;
• Finish the Personal Trainer course: there is so little information and support for girls who want to get lean and fit here. I love helping and motivating people. It would be great if I could aid them get in shape too;
• Progress professionally: once a workaholic nerd, there is no salvation for you. I will be assuming a new job position soon and I am really excited about its future possibilities;
• Become a more patient, organized and relaxed person (=zen): as a perfectionist and a control freak, I ended up adding extra unnecessary pressure to my shoulders. I seriously need to start working on that;
• Sleep more: even though it may sound the easiest one, I still haven't been able to find the best solution to achieve it. I'm still struggling with the limited opening hours from all gyms here and my working schedule. I will find a way though;
• Embrace a natural lifestyle: my intake is already based on whole foods, and I already exercise regularly, but there is more I can do to achieve the balance I mentioned some points before by taking a next step towards a healthy life style.

These are my short, medium and long plans for 2013. They are very simple, but require consistency and hard work. I am taking one step a time to avoid creating useless chaos and confusion that could hinder my progress. Like a friend of mine always says: "Life is great!". And it really is, but one has to live it day after day in order to be able to appreciate and enjoy it.

2013

So these are my plans? And yours? What are your commitments for this new year? 


I want to hear from you too! Let's support each other along the way and celebrate together our accomplishments!