...from MyLeanBody Boot Camp 
Greetings!   

It is the fourth of July!  I love the fourth of July.  It is one of my favorite holidays!  Beautiful weather.  Family picnics.  Fireworks!  I love it!
 
We are now in crunch time for the competition ladies!  Thirteen days from today, I will be up on stage.  How have your competition results been?   Are you losing fat?  Are you gaining strength?  Do you have more energy?  Can you believe how great you feel after a good, hard workout? 
 
Some of us feel like we are sacrificing so much to lose weight.  Having to make sacrifices every day of cookies, cake for a retirement party, rolls and pasta at lunch, no more fried foods or drinks at dinner.  Ladies we need to embrace what we are doing for our bodies and our lives.  This is a journey to health.  We are on the path to fitness, endurance, and the bodies of our dreams.  Journeys last a life time.  This journey to health and fitness will make that life time so much better.  Energy, enthusiasm, zest for life - these can all be yours.  You, feeling amazing in your skin.
 
I had a talk with myself after I left the workout yesterday.  I revealed that I don't like to have people look at me, and I don't like to draw attention to myself, so I don't wear cute little dresses.  I am sure you all can tell that I don't walk around wanting people to look at me, but I also have some self confidence issues that I deal with.  I need to change that.  We always talk about saying something positive about ourselves.  No more negative.  I have changed the negative thinking over the last few years, but it is hard to take the next steps to smile at yourself in the mirror and really believe that you are beautiful.  I know that better than you might think! 
 
I put on my suit and my heels this morning to practice my posing, and I smiled at myself.  I am so proud of what I have done with my body!  I have less than two weeks, and I look like a figure competitor.  I am going to be proud of myself up on stage.  I am going to make you all proud of me too!  My hard work has paid off.  The journey to my first show is almost completed, but my lifetime journey of health and fitness has only just begun.  Get on the bandwagon with us.  You might need to shift you thinking from "sacrificing so much when you don't eat the donut that your co-worker brought in, so the candy bar was justified and OK because before you would have eaten both"  Neither are good for your body.  Neither are good for you.  Neither will take you closer to your goals.  Think about your goals and tell yourself that you are worth achieving them.  Your life and your health is worth the healthy food that you are eating.  That healthy food is going to give you the energy that you need for your life.  The junk is going to take away from that.  Eat for health.  Eat for life!
 
Here are some comments that I have gotten in the last few days from some of you about your new healthy lifestyles.  Thank you for your hard work.  Thank you for your motivation.  Thank you for your dedication.  I am so proud to be able to go with you on your journey!  I hope that I make you proud as well, not only in my competition, but in my competition preparation.  I have been working hard to make you proud as well.

"I wanted to tell you I have been running every morning and only had one drink with dinner last night. It doesn't even feel like an obligation or sacrifice.....it's just my life now! Love it and love you for helping me sustain it!!"
 
"I love every minute of class and can't wait until I receive emails from you.  You have completely changed my life, I make such better choices with everything and I am even more conscious about my son's meal/snacks/activities!"  
 
"I am great today Emily!  I actually went walking yesterday during lunch -25 minutes-and felt so much better in the afternoon.  I also jogged the trail the other night and went pretty far without stopping....I can feel the change and I love it.  I actually looked at my booty in the mirror and can already see a difference.  I am also eating tons of veggies for my meals....last night was cabbage, zucchini, and sweet taters with some grilled chicken for dinner! It makes it easier when veggies are in season. I have started practicing planks at home.....I am getting there...."
 
It is a lifestyle ladies.  Embrace it.  Once you start drinking from the fountain of youth, you won't be able to get enough.  Smile at yourself in the mirror tonight and really believe that you are beautiful.  Tell yourself that you are worth it.  Ladies, set your mind to it, and go get it.  I believe in you.
 
Have a wonderful evening!  Emily 
Super Emily is on the blog...

 
I have posted some of my contest prep workouts on the blog.  Check them out.  Also, Super Emily will forever live in infamy on the blog as well.  I posted the video so if any of you missed my appearance, you can see it there.  I know I am crazy, and I cannot believe that I put it up...but it still makes me laugh, so if you need a pick me up one day, you know where to go!  :)
 
Appreciation and Competition Picnic
 
The Boot Camp appreciation and competition picnic will be on Sunday, July 25, 2010, 1-3 P.M.  We are going to meet at Tipton Park by the water park.  Please bring your families.  I will have sign-up sheets so that we know what you are all bringing.  Please bring a healthy dish to share and the recipe.  I will put them all together and post them.  I hope that you can come!!
 
Recipe of the Week
 
Marinated edamame, cucumber, and red bell pepper salad

½ c. Rice vinegar
4 t. Reduced sodium tamari
1 T Sugar
Salt and Pepper
2 t. Sesame oil
1 bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 ½ english cucumber
2 red bell peppers
1 small red onion
3 T toasted sesame seeds
Whisk vinegar, tamari, sugar, 1 ½ t salt and pepper until the sugar dissolves.  Slowly whisk in the sesame oil until well blended to make the dressing.
 
Pat edamame dry and place in a large bowl.  Dice the cucumbers the red peppers, and the onion and add them to the edamame. 

Drizzle the dressing over the veggies and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Toss well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to one day.
Drain and discard any extra dressing before serving. 
9 Timberview Dr
Bloomington, Illinois 61701
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Saturday morning workout is on for July 10.  This will be the last fat-blasting Saturday workout before the competition ends.  If you have not made it to a Saturday workout yet, get there!!  We have been burning over 500 calories weekly and having so much FUN!!  You will not regret it!  We will meet at 8 AM at the track at Illinois Wesleyan (Shirk Center).