Sometimes when it Rains it Pours...

I should have taken my 3rd picture by now for my personal documentation of my new implemented plan, I have yet to fully start due to being stuck in "Shit Creek"! I'm sure many of you can relate- during that off season, as I'm sure many of you have even felt the same way, even if your not a competitor. We've all felt that way at some point. You're eager to get back on schedule, work on improvements, get back to training hard, eating clean with only one weekend cheat treat, yet somehow you find yourself up shit creek? Well, for me between being terribly sick last week, to going away for the holiday weekend, to the kids bringing home yet another nasty stomach virus.....UGH!!!! I can't let this damn creek get me down..."life is life" after all... I just have to start me new plan and stick to it as soon as I can. I have a new goal and I want to reach it. I'm not afraid of hard work or determination. I will however admit to suffering from severe frustration when I'm unable to stick to a plan and that is also something I need to work on.

Which brings me to another topic: The topic of off season indulgences! Why do we competitors feel the need to over indulge during this time???? I feel like so many of us do that, and I have even talked about it with my fellow competitors? It's like so many people tell you that it's ok to take time off and eat shitty, be normal and that it's good for the body....Yet, why is it we feel so incredibly disgusting when we eat what people call normal food? All the more reason for me to just stick to the once a week cheat year round when not competing...I think I've learned my lesson. Right now, I feel like a water buffalo, swimming through the skies of cottage cheese! I'm eager to get back on track and begin my new plan. Starting with my first picture. My plan has been written out and printed on my refrigerator. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm sticking to my plan come hell or high water.

Bring on the sunshine! I'm heading to the river of success....

On to My Next Plan...

I'm not giving up but it sure has been a rough week to say the least...another set back with illness. UGH!!!I swear next year I plan on getting a flu shot. My kids get it and every year they manage better than me. I was so incredibly sick with I think the flu..it started out with what I thought were allergies but quickly went right to my chest. I felt like all my bones had been shattered. All I could do was listen to my body and it did not let me out of bed on Monday. I didn't even get to the gym until Thursday... Even though I still don't feel 100%, it was great to be back! Finally, I could begin my new plan.  I had just spent last weekend writing up a new diet and workout plan for the next 8 weeks. As with any new plan, I was eager to start! Instead of getting down for not being able to start because of yet another set back, I just spent my days envisioning my end results and put my focus on this weekends workshop.

It's my 2nd workshop and I'm just as excited as I was for the first, yet not 1 person has signed up yet? I've sent out emails to those I feel might benefit or just overall interested. I've posted my fliers up at my gym (someone keeps taking them down..) I've driven all over North Jersey to promote (Vitamin Shoppe's, GNC, etc.) I've posted my fliers up on Goggle+ and even started a Facebook account. Yet, still nothing???A few that are very interested can't come because of scheduling. I can't let this get me down. I know I have something great to offer...This will take time. I have to remain positive. I live for this and hope one day someone will come up to me and say "because of you, I didn't give up!" Until then, I'm going to keep plugging away and trying to figure out how to get people to attend. I've made some delicious "Clean" Mango BBQ Sauce and Crispy Cinnamon Chick Peas as my healthy giveaways for attending the workshop. Each and every workshop I give will include an example of a healthy "Clean" treat. Most people don't even know that healthy food taste amazing. I'm always trying new clean recipes and part of my new plan during the off season is to have my kids help pick out a new recipe each week to try. If they are a hit, I will certainly be posting them on my blog and my Facebook page.

I've decided to not compete in a few weeks as originally planned. Instead I will go and watch and support my friends. I'm also going to observe and learn. I'm even thinking of doing a photo shoot at the end of my 8 week plan. Its something I've always wanted to do and it gives me that push to work extra hard. At the end of the day, I just have to push these setbacks away and focus on the plans ahead!! Life is always about improvement. I'm eager and willing to do everything I can in all aspects from being a better Mom, building a better body, getting my workshops up & running smoothly, etc. With a positive mind you can do anything you set your mind on. I really truly believe that with my whole heart!

Stay Strong, Make a Plan, Believe in It and Work Hard...It's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, & to make your "Happiness" a priority...It's necessary! Plain & Simple...

Don't Give Up on Your Goals...

Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat!Boy, that is how I felt two weeks ago  after my show, but only for a few days...Thank god! I'm back to setting and reaching new goals. I just can't quit, after all I am hoping to be a role model to my kids and what would that teach them, if I quit? There are so many benefits to doing what I do. I'm teaching my kids the importance of living a healthy life, I'm teaching them that just because I'm older you can still dream & set goals, I'm showing them that hard work pays off and when you set your mind on anything...that mindset will get you there just by shear determination! I'm also showing them how to pick themselves up after they've fallen and to keep at it. Because, I fell, and I fell hard... After all, your children will become who you are, so be who you want them to be! 

I grew up the 2nd oldest of 11 children... My Mother never had time for herself nor did she ever really desire it & if she did, she certainly never showed it. God Bless her! Making time for yourself doesn't have to be for everyone but I feel like it makes me a better Mom. It gives me more patience and certainly helps keep me more organized. Now, I didn't start making time for myself until I had three kids but that doesn't mean you need to wait. The most important thing is, is to have support. Even if your not a busy Mom, its still very important to have that person to keep you in check, someone to say "Hey, you look great!" or "keep it up, it's paying off". That is why I started my workshops, to be that support and to share my knowledge thus far. Everyone has to start somewhere...right? It's my goal to create a network of support for like minded individuals. You get to workout and learn what it takes to get to your healthiest body. My next workshop will be on Sunday May 19th from 1p.m.-3p.m. at Edge Lifestyles Gym in Oakland, NJ. Hope you can make it or treat someone special (Great Mother's Day gift...) It's $35 for the workshop and limited to 25 people.

Now, that I'm back to setting new goals and even more driven than before! I took some time to change up my workouts and clean eating diet. It's about improvement and working harder to reach my own physical expectations. I've got only 28 days before the kids are out of school and when they are my gym time will either come even earlier or I will be at my hopeful maintenance point and won't have to go as often. My plan is to document this new plan by taking weekly progress pictures and staying true to my exact plan.  Staying true to the diet I wrote out for myself and if I need to make little tweaks to make note of it. I'm hoping this plan gets me the results I desire. Life is all about learning and if I have to go back to the drawing boards than so be it....I will keep you posted. Check out my Facebook Page...Sonia Ryan Fitness

In the meantime...HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you MOM'S out there...hope to meet some of you at my workshop. I will be handing out some clean treats...Clean BBQ sauce and Honey Roasted Chick Peas! Summer is right around the corner...

Clean Recipes...

Mexican Sweet Potatoes...

4 Sweet Potatoes

1/2c plain greek yogurt

1 can black beans rinsed

1 can corn rinsed

1/4c cilantro

1/4c red onions

1 Tbsp red chili flakes (optional)

1/4c pepper jack cheese (optional)

Bake sweet potatoes in oven for 30-45 minutes at 350*F. While potatoes are baking in a sprayed sauce pan with olive oil cook red onions, black beans and corn. Roast for 5-10 minutes. Once sweet potatoes are fully cooked  take them out of the oven and slice in half. Scoop out the middle leaving a thin layer on the skin. Mash the inside of sweet potato with plain greek yogurt, cilantro and red chili flakes. Add roasted corn, black beans and red onion to sweet potato mixture. Mix well and scoop back into sweet potato skins. Top with pepper jack cheese and bake until cheese is melted. If you decide to leave the cheese off bake for 10 minutes. Another option is to add chopped avocado or fresh salsa as a topping once baked.

Smudgies...

These aren't 100% clean because of the graham crackers but they are a great (heathy) verison of an ice cream sandwich and the kids love them too!

3-4 bananas

1/2 c natural peanut butter

low fat graham crackers

Mash bananas and natural peanut butter together and spread in between two low fat graham crakers. Place in zip loc freezer bag. Once frozen enjoy. Super easy & quick to make.



I will be making some clean BBQ Sauce and Honey Roasted Chick Peas as my little give aways  for my next Workshop to be held on Sunday May 19th from 1-3 at Edge Lifestyle Gym in Oakland, NJ

Hope to see you there. Happy Mother's Day to all you Mom's out there.

Not sure what my next plan is as far as competing goes but I do plan on trying and posting new clean eats each week. A good family plan for Sunday Dinners...

1 week Post Show...

One week has passed since my show...ugh!! Talk about roller coaster ride! The show itself was very long, exciting! Overall ,I had a really great time ,especially with all my friends backstage.  It's funny how one minute your on top of the world and the next you find yourself wiping out and landing at the bottom. For me that's exactly what has happened. Needless to say, I didn't place and I've always said at the end of the day it never mattered about where I placed and this still holds true- yet this time, I found myself disappointed?? Why was it different this time? Was it because this time I really thought in my heart I would've done better than coming in dead last in my category???? Ugh!!! Did I choose the wrong category? Was my posing not up to par? Was I not proportioned enough? These are all questions that filled my mind this entire week. I had promised myself I wouldn't get myself into a funk post show, like I had for all my previous shows. This has been a long, emotional and exhausting week, to say the very least. So, now I'm feeling like now what? Deep down I really want to figure this all out so bad. Why am I struggling with this? I'm sure we all feel this way from time to time?

Guess I'm still learning and will I ever stop? No, I never want to stop learning...I need to learn how to improve, how to maintain, and how to move on from disappointment. So it's back to the drawing boards for me. Time to pick up the broken pieces and put that puzzle back together again until I can do it with my eyes closed. Throughout all this I've learned and realized that this isn't something I can just quit or put on the back burner. I've got to pull myself out of that funk and figure it out. For me, my break is over. Back to working on improvement. I've only got a month and half before the kids are out of school. YIKES!!! I can do this!!! I need to do this!!!

Now onto the positive. At this show, I was so incredibly proud of my friends. They all looked gorgeous and some of them had placed. We all had our ups and downs for sure, yet being together in that dressing room- it was all about celebrating our own journeys that had got us there! I made my clean treats to share. It was like we were one big family down there. Helping each other out and cheering each other on. That experience is what keeps me in the game. Way to go GIRLS! Lets keep each other strong!

and so I'm going to try harder! It won't be easy but it will be worth it... Congrats again to all my friends and to all the competitors I competed with. See you at the next show.