Lean Bodies - Jen Hamilton

Im often asked how I do it. How I am able to stay on track despite challenges I face and the busy schedule I endure. I want to share with you all that I have learned from my journeys, so that you too, can be successful! Don’t be mistaken, I am not writing about a magic diet, ultimate training program or a secret pill. I want to talk to YOU about the psychological side of reaching your ultimate goals.

To reach your goals, first you must firmly establish what your goal is. Define it, be detailed and dig deep within yourself. If there were no obstacles in your way, what do you want to achieve? Take a moment; clearly decide what your goal is. By thoroughly defining why those goals are important to you, the more likely you will succeed. Don’t generalize to say just gain muscle, lower body fat, eat healthier, etc. Where, how much, by when? Goals are very specific things you have decided to accomplish; they can be measured, which allow you to know that you’ve achieved them.

Now ask yourself what it is that you need to do to reach your goal. Is it getting up earlier to make it to the gym? Cooking food ahead of time? Carrying a portable cooler with you? Getting to bed earlier? Hiring a coach? Open your eyes; you set a goal because you are not where you want to be. Whatever you are doing now, whether it’s your diet, your training or your mindset, has not worked. CHANGE! You must change and be receptive to it; be willing to step beyond your normal means. Wait, did I say change? Stop! Don’t go back and start adjusting your initial goal yet. Set a solid, clear plan of action and stick to it. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.

What are your values? Real, genuine values are the foundation for success. Not just for fitness and health but everything in life. They never fail, and are the basis of the outcome - if you reach your goals or you fail. Values are the disciplines in life you set for yourself; they come from habits that form your lifestyle. Your lifestyle defines your character, which becomes your destiny.

This brings me to my next section - your character. It’s the product of your values. A person who reaches the goals they set for themselves, who dares to dream and accomplishes them, has a strong value system. At the top is integrity. It’s about being honest with yourself and doing what you have to every step of the way, 100%, regardless of the struggles you may face. Integrity is thinking every step through and putting up what is required of you – the obligation to stay on the path, the plan outlined to reach your goals. Intent is NOT the same. You have to work for what you want. Success is earning it, not just owning it. There is no value in your accomplishments if you didn’t have to work hard and make sacrifices.

Are you committed to reaching your goals? Not just trying, adhering to your plan for a while, but 100% effort and full concentration to what you clearly defined when you set your goals. Often times, the more committed you are, the more you sacrifice, the more inconveniences you will face and more often your perseverance is tested. But when a successful person clearly commits to their goals, it provides the determination and strength to do the unbearable. To CHANGE! Your commitment allows you to push past those hard times, and when you don’t think that you can give it anymore, you dig deeper, and push past those barriers. You will never succeed if you are not willing to change, to grow in character and prove yourself. NOTHING in life comes just because you want it! Failure is a lack of commitment. Press on! Nothing can take the place of hard work and perseverance.

Lastly, you must make your goals a clear vision of what you desire to accomplish. Start each day as a fresh opportunity to prove to yourself you are strong, you are capable to change and you have a visual image of your goals. Believe in them! Vision, coupled with a strong foundation of values is the key to success. You achieve what you see. Without a daily vision, you will stumble and wander aimlessly away from where you want to be. People who successfully reach their goals know what the future can hold, what they want and what they have to do to get there. They don’t give up. They take the obstacles they face, grow from them by being better than they used to be; not being better than someone else.

The journey to success is not easy for anyone, but I promise you that when you take the proper steps, build a solid foundation within your character, it will make the road to success more rewarding! Remember your success is giving others around you hope that they too, have the power to change!

So what do you want? Go ahead, define it! Don’t put it off for another day. Your future depends on it!

Am I ready to step on stage?

Mindset? CHECK! - so deeply focused

Physique? CHECK! - I was in the gym by myself yestarday hitting poses, and I have to say this was the best workout since last year. I did a full body down to earth assessment…not focusing on negative, but rather figuring out where I stand. I feel lean!! I feel like I am where I was about a week out from last years first comp. I have striations in my delts, vascular during my workouts, legs leaned down great, nicely seperated, abs popping out (just a lil water around belly button when I bend over but its water).. my butt and hamstrings… well WOW how far they have come from 3 months ago.. not a fold, sag, dimple or anything on my hiney! what a wonderful feeling again!!! After the long bulk this offseason, I wondered if I would ever see my tight tush again! haha  

anyways, the checklist…

Suits? 50% check. I have them but NO stones… ekkk this is the setback and the other $$$ issues with entry fees and npc card. THIS is my holdback.

I would love to step on stage with my husband at the Rivercity championships on July 10th.. we did that one last year, it was so much fun. And then the MS State champs on July 21st.  If I can make ithappen, thats where my goal stands!

P.S- weight is as 139lbs this morning. Start cutting weight was 161lbs. I will post before and current measure comparisons and pics later this weekend when my husband gets home.

:) All is good!

This week I have been ravenous!!! Lots of veges and hot tea have helped, as well as keeping busy!

 My abs are coming out, they are visable without flexing somedays, and my legs are really leaning down. My hip measurments are finallyyy going down some more.  I havent been able to take any pics in the past couple weeks due to the move and not having cables… hoping to take some pics this weekend!

First off I still do not have the internet at our new place, so I apologise for not making daily updates.

Yestarday Will, my husband, competed at the NPC Southern Classic. He won first in jr heavyweights and overall!!! SO very proud of him!!!!! it was the first time ever he competed in an NPC show without me.

I did have the honor to work backstage in the morning with the woman and hand out trophies in the evening. A couple good friends of mine competed at this show. Them both took first in their class and one won the overall!! There were 4 figure class heights and they were big!  The girls were very lean and in top condition, this show is a national qualifer and really brings in some hard competition on stage. I was so proud of the girls. Deep inside I wished so bad I would have been on stage but I was glad to help! It was a true eye opener for me that I am not even close to being ready, if I am going to do the MS State champs and try to hold me 1st place from last year, then i have 6 weeks to realllyyy push it and get in condition!!!! I am going to try!!!!!

We have reached a new low, 141 lbs. My abs are reallyyyy starting to show, what a wonderful feeling, it was a well insulated winter! HA HA! Hunger has been ok lately, despite being busy. When you are busy you dont have time to think of food, you think of it as fuel and health. Daily I am faced with people who spend far too much time day dreaming over food, either what they can or cannot eat. I truly feel if you take the emotional and control part our food, see it as it is- a source of our life to fuel our bodies and be healthy, your relationship will change with food and much less stressful day.

I tried on some clothes from this past winter that I wore for work clothes, and they hung off of me!  Clothes really are a great measure for progress!

Everything has been 100%!! Updated pics soon!

Ok well, I just feel great, a better way to put it! Water retention days from last week has subsided, weight has been consistant at 144 this week and I have come to realize that I dont have that “bulky” thick feel anymore… I took some time to reflect exactly how far I have come since we started the dieting phase, a total over 14 lbs, 16 if you count water weight..  My advice today is for everyone to take time to REFLECT on your progress. Give yourself credit and acknowldge you accomplishments to date. Dont focus on the negative or spend time picking yourself apart. If any goal were easy to get to, why would we even need to set goals?  Be proud of all you have done, and use that as motivation!! You CAN do anything and reach any goal you set your mind too!! So take time today, and smile inside for all you have reached to date!

This week has been challenging–I started holding a ton of water wednesday for a couple days, perhaps..that time..anyways… Will (my husband) wanted to take pics of me in my suits, so he could start designing the stone pattern…. well the water retention REALLY showed in those pics, I was slightly horrified at first glance. 2 days later, back down and feeling leaner. What kept my spirits up? KNOWING it was water weight, temporary and having my husbands encouragment and support.

This week has been soo busy with a crazy schedule, staying with my inlaws while we get things moved into our new place… yet not ONE deviation to my diet or training. Life can throw you curve balls, but if you stand firm in your goals, it doesnt matter what you are faced with.

Ok for those that wanted a quick comparison pic…this is from the offseason, first pic in Nov. was at 146lbs, 2nd at 152lbs in Jan, and then now at 146lbs.

Quick update, my husband and I are in the process of moving, our internet will not be hooked up until later in the week, so Ill do my best to keep yall up to date.

I started my new workout plan last week! All I have to say is OWE!!! my entire body has been SO sore since! I did legs on saturday, and actually had a “butt bump” it hurt so bad when I left the gym..since then its been hard to even sit! :p  All good though!

I am feeling especially lean! Comparing pics to where I was at this weight in the earlier months of my bulk, the added lean muscle shows and bodyfat less. I hit a new low before my refeed on monday of 145lbs!! Ill post some comparisons later in the week of 145 now and 145 last fall.

All is great!!!

Another great day in the gym! Strength great, energy great and ive dropped the water weight from refeed on monday, yet still look full at the gym!

I was reading on the leanbodiesfitness forums woman who were having a hard time accepting where they were physique wise and the mind games they were battling. These comments came from woman with killer phsyiques, above the average. Happiness should not be based on what your phsyique looks like. Happiness comes from within and other things in life. Its important to live in the moment!!! Focus on all the positive things in your life today, not what you dont have or nit picking over the slight flaws in your physique. The future should motivate you and inspire you to work hard, not bring you down. Be MINDFUL of all the progress you have made already, the achievments you have accomplished, and pat yourself on the back for dedicated hard work. Everyday make the concious choice to change your attitude when you start feeling down, your self percieved appearance should not control your life and happiness. Remember that you look better than average, you work hard, you are fit and healthy. YOU have the chance everyday to decide how you will live that day…. and you have the power to motivate and inspire others around you by your attitude. Choose to be positive!!

Now for the fun posing pics, just playing around with them before we left for the gym…the lighting is poor so you cant see the cuts in my quads and delts like my husband could.

It was a great day. I was only up 2 lbs from yestardays refeed, and while I am holding a little water, I love seeing the full muscles!! During complexes this morning I had such a crazy full pump! I think I scared the girl training near me   Lots of energy for cardio (15%incl treadmill is my steady state of choice, great for the booty and legs).

I played around with my posing tonight, having full muscles helps me see things in a more real view (vs flat).  Here is a back pose from tonight: … my husband was getting pretty frustrated with me trying to perfect it, my left trap is much more taut than the right…which tends to throw off the pose. Anyways, here it is: