Feeling Green

Ok People

Home stretch....HOME STRETCH?! ALREADY?! Had my progress pictures in the SUIT and I have to say I was happy. I like the way I looked from the front and side (as my nutritionist concurred) but he also mentioned to me that the back/butt area didn't look so hot....

So, now what? Do I still go ahead and compete? I WANT TO I really do... Even though technically I know I wont look as great at the other women? What do I do? I know I still have 2 weeks, but will that be enough? I am feeling a bit sick - to my stomach that is. :S Maybe a bit GREEN to be exact! I am going to give the last leg my all. Closer to competition date I will make my decision...

Going with the green theme, a while back I decided to make Kale chips. In theory a great idea. In reality - well t o me it tasted like dirt. And yes I did wash the kale thoroughly and I seasoned as well I could (lemon salt and pepper and paprika)....They looked great, but tasted awful. Any tips from my fellow Kale Chip makers?

That's my Sea salt you see on the cookie sheet.....

Going with my Green Theme, Time for my Outfit....Wore this a few weeks back - I haven't taken pictures recently but Let me know what you think!

What I am Wearing
Jewellry - Coach
Dress - borrowed (Auntie R)
Shoes - DYNY Flats (outlet shopping) 
Sunglasses - Michael Kors 

Lady in Red

Fitness Prep has taught me a lot about myself. For one, I alone hold the key to success in whatever I do - Whether it's training, my job, life, family etc.

Learning how to control yourself, your thoughts emotions, and outlook are factors. I have learned that I HAVE CONTROL. That I can say no. That its ok to say no and still be polite.

I am constantly looking for the silver lining, to help me get through. I find that usually around 2 PM though I hit a lull....its the ebbs and flows of hormones, eating only white fish and knowing that the next two to three meals will be more of the same ;)

In my last post I wrote 4 weeks, but I meant to say 3 weeks (I have since corrected that error). As of today I am 18 days away...wow! Does that even seem possible?

So today my inspiration is THE SUIT.  This is the suit I will be wearing for the SAF Competition - the AM show. I am so happy with the colour! Just what I needed to get through the rest of the day to stay on track, and eat the fish!

And to top things off a bit more, Thought I would post an outfit I wore to work on one of our warmer days :) Notice the theme?

What I am Wearing

Dress: FCUK

Shoes: BGBG Girls

Necklace: Aldo

Belt: Costa Blanca

       What inspires you? How do you get through your "moment(s)" of weakness?

Khakis, Cream and Green

Cupcakes (any idea whats on the brain right now ;)),

I am literally 3 weeks from competition day! So excited! I thought that today I would just post a work out fit. I had a fabulous day. I worked, picked up my car (its broken still but they didn't charge me for looking whoo!), went to Wal-Mart, Grocery shopping and cooked!

I have to say that its been an all round productive day. I also want to thank EVERYONE who has been commenting on the blog and providing me with the encouragement I need to continue through the home stretch.

LOVE YOU ALL!

Background on the picture. It was chilly. But Kat took these photos of me in G-town, and made it as quick as possible haha.

What I am Wearing:
Skirt: Hand me Down from Auntie R (its a good 25 years old!)
Blouse: RW and Co. Auntie R was feeling generous so I have borrowed indefinitely... :)
Bangles: Given to me by the woman who had the most style and grace (my Grandma!)
Shoes: DKNYC (I bought these shoes in an outlet in NYC and they were 1/3 of what I paid for my black ones in Toronto grrr.) 


I hope you are all enjoying your Saturday as much as I am...eating my egg whites, spinach and peas

yummy!

Florals, Friends and Finding the Balance

Recently I have come to realise that participating in this fitness competition has and is raising a lot of eyebrows for many people. And many people have questioned my reasons for doing this and the misconceptions that have followed with it.

Please let me assure you that this has NOT been for weight loss, but to work towards a bigger goal of testing myself - my mental and physical capabilities and to challenge myself to something I have thought was unattainable.  Just like any sport, athletes must train for months at a time, have strict regimens, and eat certain foods. Of course there is an "off season". But the next 3 and half weeks are critical for me. This is the last leg of the contest prep.

I have been EVER SO LUCKY to have both silent and vocal cheerleaders in my corner. My true friends and family have upped the ante so to speak and have rallied against me with the last amount of strength I need to see this through. You all have been so wonderful. The constant emails, phone calls, messages and tweets have left me speechless from the support I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. And please note I will need it now more than ever :P

As for Foes...I have come to battle my own inhibitions. I have learned to silence the negative voice in my head and look ONLY at the positives. The past 8 months have not been about a "Bikini", but about achieving something bigger. 

I learned that its about MOTIVATION. And an inner strength to get to that ideal condition - for most, its not about being a figure competitor but maybe something else, maybe to be a ballerina, or a hockey player, or even Olympic athlete. Its 90% ATTITUDE.

I thought it was time to also share some pictures from the Angie's Fashion Show I attended almost a month ago now! 

What I am Wearing:

Floral Dress: Frou Frou (designer - local)

Shoes: Nine West (these KILLED me by the end of the night)

Jewelry: Bracelet (bought in India on my Travels)

Belt: BCBG

You Say Goodbye and I Say Hello

I am my own worst enemy.  Yes.  There. I said it!

And all of you who are nodding your head saying "I told you so" well….I'm finally admitting it : )

Many new friends have been hitting it right on the money when it comes to my feelings, my personal inner voice and I have decided that if was finally time to let go. Let go of the negativity with my attitude towards the competition, towards my diet and towards the negative energies I have let stay in my life for far too long.

I'm taking myself back and channelling all that time spent on negativity towards positivity (ok yes I sound like a bad magnet but bear with me : ) ) I am shedding that negativity, clearing out closets, dumping things that make me feel bad. Whether its clothes, food, emails, texts, thoughts, people. Out the window you go (some mentally and others literally)!

This past week has been a week of learning life lessons. I refuse to let myself get in the way of realising my potential and my goals. I am going to kill the next 29 days with this crazy ass diet. I am going to kill my workouts no matter how tired I am feeling and more importantly I am going to focus on the positives of where I am rather than the negatives.

I 100% believe in visualising and I can see myself rocking that stage, kicking my fears aside and letting the best possible me shine.

#1. I am doing something that makes me happy! I love training and I love pushing myself to a goal I once though was unattainable.
#2. I AM WORTH IT. Though there have been some obstacles along the way, I have found a great community of friends and family who are there to support me and help me realise my potential how wonderful is that?
#3. I am not letting fear get the best of me. Fear of the competition itself, fear of being on stage, fear of post competition weight gain NONE OF IT. I am going to work at one goal at a time and come post competition, I am going to work hard at looking at food in a positive way and not binge eat. Learn to enjoy food and work with a coach who understands.

SO in closing I am saying goodbye to the old me and all that kept her down and saying hello to the new Nini who has so much potential and is not going to let anything get in her way.

Aloha.

Pearly Whites

Friends

As you know I really don't wear pants because I find them constricting and have a hard time finding something that fits my butt and waist without alterations 

well have now fear JEGGINGS are here. I love my jeggings. Leggings and jeans in on. They are snug comfy and have a little "give :)

And I am wearing this and posting this for my friend at Coco and Vera :)

Yes that's a phone booth....

I do my own nails!

Jeggings: Seven Jeans

Blazer: Dynamite

Pearly Necklace: Aldo

Bracelets: Aldo

Shoes: Nine West

31 Days...

Ok Friends.

The next 31 days are going to be challenging so please bear with me as my posts are going to become a bit more Contest Prep related. I will throw in outfit posts where possible but I feel its important to document and discuss some of the things that I have been battling this week. I want to go through this process again so it will be important for me to look back on.

1. Blogs.
I have been reading a lot of blogs. Many of people who are going through or have gone through contest prep and it must be my luck or something, but I find every one so chipper and happy (or maybe I am just in a pessimistic mood?). Where are the ups and downs people? Were there none? I have become this constant pendulum of emotions. One minute I am happy as a Duck swimming in her pond, and the next I am a blubbering idiot. Am I just going through these emotions on my own? Did any of you who have done competitions feel this way?

2. Food
I have been battling myself with food. I am 99.9% on track but I wonder if the condiments are making me keep the pounds on. I have been eating salsa with my meals, maybe a pickle, mustard, hot sauce and gum. All staples and I think I would go mental if I started removing all of these things from my diet and I already feel VERY restricted in my meal choices. The Food one of the most important aspects of training should be fun. I am NOT enjoying it.

3. Progress pictures.
My Progress Pictures were taken this week. I wasn’t impressed. I feel like there wasn’t a significant improvement this week if any at all. I feel like Bridget Jones. Remember the part where she rewinds and fast forwards her butt coming up and down the fire hydrant? I keep flipping back and forth from picture to picture lol (flip, flip, flip, flip, flip).

4. Suit
I got my posing suits yesterday! I am so happy with how they turned out. But I feel like I have MAJOR work ahead of me to be ready to showcase myself in those itty-bitty suits….it really emphasized my flaws…hmmm.

5. Loving Contest Prep.
As much as I complain about it, or feel down, or sometimes worry about not being ready, NOT ONCE have I felt like this wasn’t something I WANT to do. I am Hooked people. I love training. I love that I have found something that makes me happy. I am not athletic. I don't play sports. But I love lifting weights, being in the gym and looking GOOD. I am proud of what I have accomplished so far. In fact I haven't been happier with myself. This is a challenge - mind, body and soul and at times is trying, but I'm smitten.

: )

XOXO

Hair Horror

Thursday night I decided to get my hair cut because my layers had grown out and my bangs were non existent. I love my hair. One thing that some of you know is that my hair takes FOREVER to grow and I finally had it at a length where I wanted it. 

Well Mr. Hair Dresser for some reason decided NOT listen to what I wanted (and he was my regular guy!) and went scissor happy. He gave me really weird layers which makes me feel like I have somewhat of a mullet and my bangs? Well lets not go there. I came home, cried and ate a ton of green beans (would have preferred chocolate mind you). and Mr. Hair Dresser has been CUT.  I am not going to let you see the horror either.

Next week Saturday I will show you what I am going to do with it, because at this point I just put it up in a pony tail....34 Days out from competition and now I have another expense to deal with. NOT impressed. 

I am also going through another lull. I feel my body has plateaued this week. I see NO changes and it's freaking me out. Just thought I would try and take my mind off things. So....OUTFIT time...lol. 

Back in the day when I ACTUALLY had bangs...and glasses. Sigh.

The Locks WERE getting long....Now? grrr...

Part-time job at Coach has its benefits.

What I am Wearing

Top: Zara

Jewelry: Coach (Bracelet and Rings)

Boots: Nine West

Full Skirts and Florals and Fifties

Lately I have been inspired by vintage looks, classic looks, full skirts and of course florals. Since today is a good day (I am all carbed up) I thought it would be time I had an outfit post. My friend Kat (she also gave me my first blog award! What an amazing week this has been : )) so graciously took these photos of me.

I love skirts, and dresses and rarely ever wear pants (unless you consider yoga pants at the gym) . I know most people find skirts and dresses annoying, but personally, I find them free-ing, flowy and comfortable.

I am going to keep it short today and let the pictures speak for themselves, but the skirt I am wearing if my first ever online purchase from ModCloth. Absolutely love it and cant wait to remix it over and over again.

What I am wearing:
Skirt: ModCloth Top: Old Navy (Last Year)
Belt: Rudsak
Shoes: Expressions (The Bay)
Lipstick: MAC (Cyndi Lauper's Colour)

Not So Shabby

Warning: This is a long one ;)


One of my Favourite Get up and GO Songs right now is by Jazmine Sullivan - Dream Big

I have always been a go-getter, but in the silent way, like I am going to get my degree, or I am going to travel or I am going to get my Masters and publish even if it kills me. Yes life goals of education etc are important but in that pursuit, I put aside some of my passions. Painting, writing, being creative and dreaming.

I let other people dream big and watched as they got to where they wanted to go and be who they wanted to be but somehow my dreams were not being realised and then I decided to make one of those BIG DREAMS a reality. I was going to compete in my first ever fitness competition. One thing you have to know about me is if I make up my mind to do something there is NO turning back. And yes that can lead to stubborn moments but almost always its been positive.

And while this Dream of mine has made me more focused and determined (I have never wanted something so bad in my entire life), I have learned to let go of stressors who are not willing to be there with me and to help me to achieve my goals. I had a hard time letting go and believe me - my closest girlfriends were there to console me with tissues, ice cream and bad movies. I loved every second of having them there.

When I was left alone though, I realised I needed to do SOMETHING, and make a change for the better.

I began blogging. I set out on this journey and I told myself I would make this important that it would be a GOOD thing and it has ALL OF IT.
I am dreaming big, not only in fitness but in myself. Being invited to events, fashion shows and NOW...my first ever Affiliate!

SHABBY APPLE recently contacted me to become apart of their affiliate program and I just could NOT say no. I Love their clothing, their style, and their prices. SO if you have time take a look at some of their more classic retro, vintagey looks, or even some of the gear to rock to the gym!

Ending off with some of Jazmine's Lyrics from Dream Big
There's nothin' here for me so I gotta move fast
And I'm gettin' on the road and will never look back
I gotta dream big
(Dream big)
'Cause when it happen
It's gon' happen real quick
I gotta move fast
'Cause when it happen
I can't let it go past
(Only get one chance)

I hope Today's post has given you the courage and push YOU need to get to your goals. And things are not looking so shabby, not so shabby at all.

Ottawa Beauty Blog

As many of you know, there are fabulous and talented photographers in Here is a bit more on the Ottawa Beauty Blog and Boudoir style Photography.

For more information Make sure you check out the Ottawa Beauty Blog for more information, pictures and details!

1. Please tell us al little bit about how you got into photography? 

Photography started early for me. Most of my family including my father, brother, sister, and a few cousins were all avid amateur photographers so I was constantly exposed to mountains of photos and the act of taking them. By the time I was 8 I was taking my own and collected cameras from then on. While I worked in government and private industry my passion for the craft grew to the point where I needed to work on it full time. I started slowly and worked my way up to the point where I now have a full time studio.

2. What makes you stand out and above the rest from other boudoir photographers?

I'll try to keep this neutral and avoid phrases like "above". Boudoir photography has a huge variety of style and influence from other areas of photography. The styles that dominate in boudoir are the 70s-80s style with lots of red silk and lace and mottled back drops, to fashion and editorial styles that are much more slick and modern. My style leans towards the latter but with a heavy dose of personality and life. I'm not a fan of lifeless posses where the subject could be replaced by a mannequin so I like to pull out my subjects personalities and make the shoot unique to them. They can pick the location and under-lying style and I make sure it's about them. From what I have seen, most boudoir seems to be shot with a specific image in mind and the subject is just dropped into the scene. There are some great exceptions to this of course.

3. What is the most important thing to keep in mind when doing a boudoir photo shoot? 

There are 2 sides to this question. 

From a photographers point of view, the most important thing to keep in mind is your client's comfort. A photographer should never shoot a boudoir without being honest about their level of experience. By being open about everything, the photographer and client can enjoy the experience without trying to fake it. This is why if you don't have much experience, you should shoot with people you know. An experienced photographer will know that a client feels comfortable when you are confident, and completely yourself during the shoot. If you are not an experienced photographer to begin with, you can get caught up in the technical details and make the client uncomfortable if you get stressed out.

From a client's point of view, you should choose a photographer with plenty of experience and a good reputation. Never choose a photographer by price or gender since anyone can claim to be a photographer and the inexpensive ones are for sure inexperienced. It's a a good idea to meet with the photographer prior to the shoot to be sure that you get along very well since if you don't, you will not have a successful shoot. This also gives you a chance to discuss your expectations and ideas.

4. Do you do these types of shoots in peoples homes? 

On occasion yes when it is suitable, otherwise in studio or in hotels. This is up to the client and what they are most comfortable with and what environment suits their requirements.

5. What have you learned from your clients in the past? 

That's a great question. I have learned that there is a fantastic variety of people from infinite back grounds and cultures, shapes and sizes. They all have one thing in common and that is that they are all beautiful in one way or another. For some it's mostly physical, some mostly personality, but the majority are gorgeous when they are being themselves and feeling confident.  I have also learned that no matter how beautiful someone is externally, they are no more confident or happy than anyone else.  We all have our issues to contend with and are essentially the same.  That's a valuable lesson for every day life since it affects how we all treat one another.

6. Why is having a male boudoir photographer better than a female boudoir photographer? 

I would never try to label one as "better" than the other. This all boils down to personal preference and my personal favourites are male. These photographers all excel at bringing out the personality in a beautiful image. There are great photographers of either gender but males do tend to see things a little differently from women. You should not consider the gender when choosing a photographer but look at the style and the personality.  Of course there are women who just prefer to shoot with women for their own personal reasons and that is their business.