Competitions 2013

I have not written anything about the competitions yet, so maybe it is time for that now. Better late than ever, right?

My first competition this year, took place in Jyväskylä at 10^th of August. That was a Saturday. I had my summer vacation before that competition, so I left to Tampere already on Wednesday that week. I picked up my competition bikini at Biancaneve and then I had a massage. After that Nuppu, my team mate called me and asked if I wanted to come to her family home for some relaxing days before our competitions. I went there and totally relaxed, I have not relaxed that much at least in four years. It was really strange being able to just lie in the sofa, without a single thought of what you have to do next. Thank you Nuppu for a really nice time!

On Friday we went to Minna’s place and left from there by car to Jyväskylä. During the journey I started to feel really sick, had to grab a plastic bag in case I would start to throw up. When getting out from the car I felt better. At the evening we had our competition meeting where the competition program for Saturday was went through.

At the night before the competitions I did not sleep at all, was not tired at all. My stomach also got totally mixed up, do not know why. Maybe it was because I was nervous.

My competition was at the afternoon, so we had plenty of time for makeup and hair.  Minna made my makeup. My hair I started to make myself, but the result was horrible. Luckily Umppu saved my bad hair day J

Below are some pictures from the competition, I finished third and got my ticket to the Finnish championships 1^st of September.

Relaxing at the hotel

Between Jyväskylä competition and Finnish championships were three weeks of hard work, trying to be in better shape in the next competition. These weeks were the worst during the whole competition diet. At Monday after Jyväskylä competition I returned to work and at same day my girl started daycare. That was a big change for my girl, which resulted in her waking up every single night. When my wake up watch rang at 4.30 am every morning, it felt like waking up in the middle of the night.

One and a half week before the competitions my girl got the flue. And surprise, surprise, I also got it in a couple of days. Luckily the finalizing week started at the same time, which meant that the cardio workout got lighter, only 30 min walks in the morning. I told myself that I was not sick, and did every single cardio and workout I had in my diet and workout plan.   

At Friday I and my boyfriend left Vaasa for Lahti. In the evening we had the competition meeting and on Sunday my competition would take place.

I felt more confident for this competition and I was satisfied with myself. But on Sunday morning I got the periods! And at least my body immediately react on that, I get soft. In my wildest dreams I could not have imagined to get these at the day of the competition, after following a strict diet for so long time. I was expecting them to be totally left out. But well, at least my hormones worked.

Backstage I still felt quite confident and happy; I was waiting to get at stage and shine. But when I finally got at stage I felt really bad, felt like I was not getting any air. I was sweating and just waiting for the prejudging to be over. When it was over and I returned to backstage I knew that this was it. I would not get to the finals, and so it was. I finished eight, with same points as the seventh.

The disappointment was BIG. But this was not my day, and I do not think that I would have made it in the finals. I would not have been able to get at stage one more time that day.  Maybe it would have been best to listen to my boyfriend, not to take part in the competitions due to the flue. But this was what I had worked for half a year; I did not want to give up only a couple of days before the competition.

We left home immediately after my competition. In the car I told my boyfriend that I will never get up at that stage again. But during the long drive to Vaasa my mind changed, never say never J

In two weeks it is competition time

It have been a while since my last post. I am still heading for the competitions, eventhough it during the road sometimes have felt like it would just be much more simple to give up. I am still on Keto diet, but during the past weeks I have had one day when I was allowed to eat a lot of carbs (and you can beleave I did!) and even birth day cake. I think that cake was the best I have ever tasted. Additionally I have had two cheat meals when I was allowed to eat what ever I wanted and also have a dessert.

I ate a BIG piece of this

This week I went for my first photoshoot, it was a lot of fun and I really liked standing in front of the camera. The photographer was Sami Pulkkinen from Vaasa. In his blog you can se some pictures of me:  http://spulkkinen.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/johanna-jafs-body-fitness/


At wednesday me and my doughter and my mother went to Tampere to spend the day at Särkänniemi. We also met with Minna Pajulahti (my coach) at Biancaneve to have a look at my competition bikini. We were all really satisfied with the bikini. Some small changes will still be made and then it is ready to wear in Jyväskylä.

Picture taken by: Sami Pulkkinen. Make up: Katja - Beaty Face Vaasa. Hair: Bea - Salon Peter o Jina

Picture taken by: Sami Pulkkinen. Make up: Katja - Beaty Face Vaasa. Hair: Bea - Salon Peter o Jina

Keto diet

Now it is only 7 weeks out from the Jyväskylä figure competitions. This morning I did not get my morning porridge, that I love so much. In stead I ate a protein pancake made in the microwave, not bad that either. Just feels like you are starting the day with forbidden food, pancakes for breakfast. But being on an diet do not mean that you have to eat dull food or as some people believe, starve yourself and feel hunger all the time. 

So far there have not been any problems with my hunger, I usually feel hungry a couple of days after Minna have made some changes to my diet, but then I get used to it and the hunger is gone. For a couple of weeks now I have had calorie changes in my diet, meaning that I have been eating carbs for 3 out of 7 days a week and no carbs for 4 days. It have felt okay for me, and I have almost had more energy the days without carbs.

From this week on wards I will get my only carbs from vegetables. Do not know how long the Keto diet will last or how it will affect my body and mind. One day at a time with my coach Minna's professional advises. 

Food

One more week of diet life have passed by, nothing to complain about. This week was a bit different in that sense that I went to the gym two mornings this week to do my morning cardio. At 6 AM I was there, only one person there except me. That I like, to have the gym all for myself. I usually go out for a walk or do the morning exercise at my stair climber at home, then I take a shower and after that I wake my daughter up and we get us ready for work / daycare. Going to the gym in the morning, making only myself ready and after that going to work felt almost like a holiday, holiday from the motherhood. You need that sometimes too, thank you Toni for that.

The energy is totally back, the workouts at the gym are normal again. I love them. What comes to the food, I am now in the stage that I want to try new things with what I am allowed to eat. Yesterday evening I finally succeeded in making protein pancakes in the frying pan (without burning it or just getting a bunch of small pieces).

I made these out of approx. 5 egg whites, 30 g SCITEC NUTRITION casein protein chocolate flavor, 10 g wheat bran, 10 g soya lecithin. Then I filled them with some cottage cheese. 

One more food picture, below is zucchini, cold smoked salmon and some tomatoes and cottage cheese. Fish is my favorite food and this is just so good. I fried the fish on both sides just so that they got color. Fast food.
The zucchini is also fried in some olive oil and a lot of spices and salt. 

The weekend is now coming and I guess it will involve some barbecuing, can’t wait.

Hope you all get a relaxing weekend, when I relax I always get this cat on my chest:

I am a live

There have not been much action from my side on this blog lately, I have just not had the energy to open it. May felt really though. For the first time the motivation to go to the gym, that I usually love and wait for, was very low. Some days when I went there all energy just ran out of my body at the moment I stepped into the gym. That was really frustrating, not being able to do the thing you usually love.

Do not know why I ended up in this situation, feeling slightly depressed, one reason might be the tropic climate we had for a couple of weeks, having 30 degrees during day time and around 20 degrees in the nighttime. Resulting in an office climate of 28 degrees, who would cope whit that 5 days a week for 8 hours, not me at least. My angles were really swollen when getting out from work every day, and totally no energy left. Luckily the whether  have gotten more normal now, I have my normal energy back and working out at the gym is just great!

Now it is only two months left until the tryout for the Finnish Championships in Body fitness that are held in Jyväskylä 10th of August. I just announced that I will take part in this tryout, now it feels real. 

Will try to keep this blog more up to date now, guess there will be a lot to write about now when it is only two month left to competition.

Johanna

Too much action for an old lady

Yesterday laying on the couch n the evening I could not stay awake even though I tried. On Thursday last week I drove to Tampere directly from work. I met Minna Pajulahti (my coach) at Wolff fitness club. Shortly after I had arrived another girl from our team arrived, Oona. Minna had us doing leg workout, it was a really good workout and all my leg power was used up. When trying to run up the stairs to get some more water, I just couldn't run. Quite funny feeling when your legs do not move as you plan. That feeling is quite hard to achieve when doing theworkout alone. I was soaking wet and red as a tomato leaving the gym in the evening.

Next morning me and Minna were at the gym before 7 am. We went to Go Go gym where they had a stairmaster. I just fell in love with that machine, it was great! I did 20 min on it and thought I would die. What a machine, I would like that one at home. Maybe some future investment, when my stepper brakes down.

After the morning cardio just shower and breakfast and after that to Wolff again with Oona and Minna. Oona first practiced some fitness routines, what a girl! She was really talented, and I am sure she will shine on stage when she attends her first competition. I practiced my T-walk and got some improvement suggestions from Minna. Then it was time for the gym and some back workout. The workout was a success, since my back is still hurting. Directly from the gym we went to Biancaneve where we had a meeting to decide what fabric and color to be used for the competition bikini. I am quite surprised with my own choice, but I am confident that it will look good on stage.

When everything was taken care of at Biancaneve  I drove back home, watching the wipers going up and down on the windshield for three hours. It almost made my head spin and I had headache when arriving at home.

On Saturday there were no rest either, then I did a four hour promo work for Wellneteus. Giving away protein drink and protein bar tastes at Prisma in Vaasa. In the evening my friend had her 30 years birthday party. It was nice to meet all friends that I do not see so often anymore, sitting there it came up that we have been together for 20 years already. Oh, how old we are J. Talking old memories and spending quality time with them all night long was really nice Saturday entertainment. My friends continued to the Vaasa nightlife when I went home for some sleep. I am  happy I went home. Cannot even imagine how I would have felt yesterday if I would have drunk on Saturday. Guess I would have been totally dead.

Now is a new week, and only four days of work. That is great, hopefully I will get some extra rest.

I want to win...

New week with a new attitude. Past weekend I went to see Fitness Classic 2013 in Helsinki. It was an amazing event and I was so happy to see so many friends on stage. I am so happy for all of you, you were really great! Our team, PRO ELITE TEAM got a lot of medals, as you can see from the picture below.

Melina Koivula, Eveliina Tistelgren, Piia Pajunen, Minna Pajulahti, Kimmo Rautio, Jelena Alona Malone and Laura Telemäki

On Friday I met Minna and Kimmo to show where I am with my diet, if my shape have progressed. They were satisfied. For a couple of weeks I have been really stressed up with this, if I will get in shape because I do not see the progress myself and my weight have been going down – up – down. During my last diet I did not watch my weight, think I will stop with that now, since it only get me stressed up.

This weekend was the first time I said it loud, I want to win the next competition I take part in. I have got the advice to aim high and have many people believing in me, but to believe in myself have always been really hard. I do not want to get disappointed, and saying I want to win among all the amazing girls in my class feels like a trap for big disappointment and sadness. But if you do not believe in yourself no one else will. I know that I am not the only one aiming for the gold, everyone are working hard and everyone is doing their best. I will forget about the rest and focus on myself, do my best and see where it takes me.

Wishing you all a nice week!