Sarah Kinney Column

Well, it's been quite a while since I've written here. Once a week entries turned into bi weekly, monthly, and then just went totally by the wayside. That's how life goes, though! Things that I enjoy often take a back seat to real life. Hopefully I can be a little better at keeping up to date this time around. I'm excited to be back and writing my thoughts for all eyes to see once again.



I'm sure there are a ton of new followers since my last series of posts. So, I guess I should start off by re-introducing myself... Here are the Cliff's Notes:



Age: 26 (almost 27)

Profession: Mechanical Engineer designing food packaging machinery by day, total and complete gym junky/nerd the rest of the time.

Hobbies: Working out (duh?), going on day trips to the beach, driving all over so cal, spending quality time with friends and family, playing with my puppy (even though he's 8, he's still my puppy), riding my street bike, ninja style, dressed in black leather from head to toe. Ok. Maybe the last one was a lie. But it sounded cool.

Status: Single *sigh*

Years working out: Nine

Years Competing (Figure): One



A lot has changed the last few months. Last I wrote I was bulking. And boy, did I bulk! Let me tell you, when I put my mind to something I definitely go all out. I've officially decided that bulking is not something I ever want to go all out on ever again. I gained far too much weight for my own good. A lot of muscle, sure, but a lot of fat, too. Not. Fun.



Another thing that changed is my nutrition/training coach. I absolutely love my new style of dieting and training! It's very no-nonsense, straight forward, smart eating- very balanced, very effective. I weigh in twice a week now (as opposed to never) and take progress pictures once a week. This has kept me SO on track, it's almost ridiculous. Lately I've been into comparing my progress pictures by year. I recently did one that compared June '09 to June '10. WOW. What a difference a year can make. I'd have to say that even though my bulk got a bit out of hand, it was effective. I'm extremely excited to see what the fall brings, physique-wise. I will post pictures as that time nears.



Lastly, I'm no longer planning on competing this year. The original plan was two shows, one in August, one in September. My goal for these two shows was to place top 5. After such a huge (and by huge, I mean me getting huge!) off season I soon learned I would not be able to diet smart to get lean enough for the two shows. So, plans were re-arranged and I'm starting to think smarter and more long-term. Right now I'm dieting down until fall, then doing a metabolic repair/maintenance program, followed by a long prep for a spring show in 2011. My new goal? ... Qualifying for Nationals, baby!