Yesterday marked 17 weeks out from my 2nd figure competition.

I’ve finally, in the last couple of weeks, relocated my motivation.  Winter is a mentally rough time of year for me. I abhor gloomy mornings, grey evenings, and the bitter cold!

It’s still frigid and pitch-black outside by 6 pm. But, my resolve somehow felt its way around in the ice covered night and found me.

This prep is going to be a little more difficult because I don’t have a trainer or coach and because “I know what I’m in for.”  But, this prep, will also be a little easier because “I know what I’m in for. ”

I did everything I told myself I wouldn’t do. I ate “all the food” and gained back more body fat than I wanted to.

I’m trying to be positive by by pretending the fat gain makes my prep a little more dramatic and more of a challenge! Whatever!

For the last couple of weeks, though, I’ve been more or less, “Back in the New York Groove” with my diet. Every day I’m feeling a tiny bit lighter and I’m getting back to my old (diet) hacks/tricks.

It may sound strange but there are a number of things I really enjoy about the challenge of losing fat.

1.) I love it when my clothes start to loosen up.

2.) I love it when I start to become conscious of how my food tastes.

3.) I love the challenge of coming up with healthy meals I actually look forward to. Meals that are satisfying but also fit into my calorie and macro goals.

4.) I love it when I start to notice the sweetness of vegetables.

5.) I love learning and understanding how my body responds to different foods.

6.) I love knowing how to lose body fat correctly (so that I retain as much muscle as possible). (I’m not an expert quite yet. But, I’m on my way!)

7.) I love that diet and exercise fascinate me (that wasn’t always the case).

8.) I love learning new things about diet and exercise.

9.) I love the automatic confidence losing a few pounds of fat gives me.

10.) I love seeing physical progress because it bleeds over into the mental.

Here’s to the next 17 weeks!