Monday, July 25, 2005

July 25, 2005

Another weekend past! Can you believe the summer is almost over. It is scary...when you think about it. Time passes way to quickly. THE NPC USAs is upon us. My dear friend Amanda is competing and I am getting excited. She has put her heart and soul into this show and I am proud of her. People don't realize the many sacrifices that go into competing in a bodybuilding competition. It almost seems "crazy" when you think about the extreme measures we go through to get on that stage. And for what...............not the money or hopes of a supplement contract. It is more about the personal journey that it takes to get there. It is an incredible sense of accomplishment when you make it through a 16 weeks diet and training regime to create a work of art worthy of display. You become the artist and the weights become your brushes. Maybe we do it for self-estreem issues, the desire to be the best, a reason to escape from REAL LIFE, or other underlying reasons. But one thing is for sure.............we all have our own seperate set of reasons for why we do what we do.

Bodybuilding is more than a sport. It is a way of life. You have to live this life-style 24/7 in order to be successful. It isn't like any other sport in the sense, you don't go and practice for a few hours a day and then go on with your life. Bodybuilding is strategic.............eating, drinking, sleeping, training, dieting, off-season, on-season, supplements, etc.................

Well..............anyway. Not sure why I am rambling. But, in 1 week there is going to be another IFBB PRO FEMALE BB crowned..................who will it be?

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

July 20, 2005

Hello everyone!
Good luck to all my ladies competing at the MASTER's Nationals. This is going to be one hell of a competition out there in Pittsburgh. I was supposed to go....take care of Debbie Pattan, Robin Parker, Denise Odar, and Tracy Beckman. But... My sister has some complications with the birth of her baby girl and I am needed in Detroit. I am very worried about her...as she struggles with Post Pardon depression. She is easily overwhelmed... and I was worried about this while she was pregnant.

The next weeked...Las Vegas. My best friend, Amanda Dunbar is competing. She is giving it her ALL this year. She looks incredible....is more ready than she has ever been and I am just excited to see her go through this process. She is going to kick some major ass this year. It is going to be a busy weekend........lot's of photo shoots scheduled and I hope to just be able to fit it all in. I am going to need a long nap after it is all said and done.

I am looking forward to seeing my dear friend Malea Jensen....she is coming to Vegas to cheer on her friends and hopefully get in a good workout with me too. She is also going to be coming to NYC the weekend of the Team Universe.

Dave is home. It is just wonderful to have him home. He is a more enlightened person and has one of the most positive outlooks on life.........he is just amazing. He has been through a lot and while he was away........he chose to make the best out of her experience. When you are faced to look at yourself...........you learn about who you really are and what is really important to you.

I am having a great time interacting with my fans via web cam. Thanks for all your support. As you know.. I never answer my IMs, I just don't have time. So, this is a great opportunity to interact with you all.

I made changes to my PHOTO GALLERY page. Please check it out. I added new pics and tried to include some of the new photographers that I worked with. So, ENJOY. I also added more galleries to my members section..........now there is more than I can even count.

Love you all

Colette

Saturday, July 16, 2005

July 15, 2005

Hello everyone.....

This has been a crazy month. My sister just had a baby....on my fathers B-day or all days It has been a bit overwhelming for her. She is suffering from post-pardom dispersions. I have to get home to DETROIT. She is simply beside herself. She feels completely overwhelmed and doesn't feel confident in her abilities to be a MOM. I feel so powerless here in New York....I want to be able to her help her. I have been a bit overwhelmed myself.

My lease is up Sept. 30th in NYC. I am going to be moving back to Long Island to be with Dave and I don't know what to do about my Roommate or the apartment. I am so stressed out about it. She has no where to live............And with the escalating rents in NYC it is hard to find anything suitable to live in. I am debating on whether to sublet the apartment or just let go of the lease. It is a big decision.....and one that I have to make very soon. I have been interviewing viable candidates...but, taking on a $2400 a month lease it a big commitment. Again.. it is always nice to have an apartment in the city. So, I am going to have to figure this out.

I have decided not to compete the rest of this year.... I need time for other professional goals in my life. I just started a new job at NY Diagnostic as the chief dietitian for an HIV/AIDs clinic. I love my job and have developed a wonderful relationship with my patients. Again, if the nutritional status of patients with HIV becomes compromised, no drugs in the world can save them for wasting. It is my job to see to it that we take the necessary steps to keep them from developing any vitamin/mineral deficiencies or weight loss. I am also moving back to Long Island...and moving is just difficult in it of itself. Dave and I are also starting a nutritional / personal training business out of TITAN FITNESS here in MERRICK. We have a lot of work to do in terms of setting up SHOP...but, I know it can be very successful.

Dave and I are also working on a nutrition book and he is finishing up a prisoners training handbook detailing his experiences in Federal Prison. Lot's of projects......

Although I absolutely love to compete...as a female BB you have to realize that you are not going to become rich stepping on stage 2-3 x a year. In reality... you put a lot of goals, family, friends, etc... on the back burner. I am going to try and stay lean all year round.....be more marketable. I can't look to a competition to be my only motivation for getting lean. I wish that we as female bodybuilders could make more money competing or even with the dream of a supplement contract. The truth is... the magazines, supplement companies, etc.... still find female muscle too intimating for the main stream. I disagree....with FBBS that look like Gina Davis, Elena Sieple, Amanda Dunbar, Jodi May, Vicki Nixon, Rhonda Dethlefs, etc...the list goes on and on....they should be able to start marketing us more. But..they refuse to take a chance. With that said....we as FBBs have to find our own nitch for making a living at what we do.

With all this said, I am helping several girls at the USAs 2005. I am very much looking forward to this competition. I think that we are going to see some of the bright new females on the scene. Let's hope the judges take note and maybe we can start to make some changes as to the direction of female bodybuilding. I am pulling for my best friend, Amanda Dunbar to go kick some ass. I am so proud of her. I love to watch and listen to her intensity, drive, and determination. It keeps me motivated. We help each other.... stay grounded, with eating issues, training, reality, etc.... We have become very close over the past two years. She was there for me during a very difficult time in my life.... and I appreciate that more than ever. Now.. it is her turn to show the world what she has accomplished. Bodybuilding is deeper than that...it is your own journey.....your own destiny. She is better than she was last year....and that is winning. So- win or lose.....she has already won in my book.

Thanks again for all your support. I hope you come visit me on Ftwebcam.com and www. herbiceps. com .... I don't get a chance to answer my IMs.... I do a lot of work on the computer nad just don't have time, so this is my only opportunity to interact with my fans.

If you are going to be at the USAs or the Team Universe.....please come over and say, HELLO. I always try to take time out for my fans. Without you.....the future of FBB would be lost. We need people to continue to support our efforts to look the way we do. There is something about female Muscle.....if you artistic beauty in a sculpted physique....you must be very close minded. A female bodybuilder is a work of art....what is not beautiful about that.

Colette

Sunday, July 03, 2005

July 4th

Happy July 4th!!!!

I am spending time with Dave....who was just released from 5 months in Fed. Prison. It has been a very relaxing and exciting weekend. He looks amazing and managed to maintain his weight after finding strategic ways of eating 8 meals a day, each consisting of 30gms of protein. The food in prison is very high in starch and low in protein. They actually rarely served eggs.....just the old standbys such as corn flakes and whole milk. That doesn't do much good when someone is lactose intolerant.

Since you can only spend $260.00 / month, your only options for survival were cans of tuna or mackeral. Dave had to find very interesting ways of eating TUNA. It is amazing what a microwave oven can do when that is the only means for cooking.

We went to a wonderful BBQ today where the host was health conscious and we had grilled chicken breasts, SIRLOIN burgers, and low-fat chicken sausage. The food was out of this world. Dave and I love movies....so we have been spending almost every night going to the movies. In just a few more days Dave will have to where an ankle bracelet which he will have to where for 5 months.

The nightmare is almost over.

I am going to be adding a TON more photos to my members gallery. I also have a great deal of mpegs from my training sessions leading up to the NY PRO show. So, rest assured.....there is more to come.

Thanks for your continued support. You all have been so supportive.