You cannot continue to offer the same energy that got you to where you are, and now to get someplace different.

You have to do something different with your attention, your focus, and with your energy.

Tomorrow begins a new energy to defend my title at Nationals.

Lisa

To all you Figure lovers out there, check out the revamped Muscle with Attitude site, now called Figure Athlete . This is the "sister" site to T-Nation and you will see articles by some great authors including Krista!

Enjoy

Where's Liz?

If you are looking for fabuous Liz Nelson she wanted me to tell you that her computer when "kaput", ad she will be back on line ASAP.

Photo by Dallas Olsen

Coach Rod's interview is up on Lindy Olsen's web site. He talks about my training, committment and recovery.

Lisa

Photo by Dallas Olsen

Tired and fatigued

The past months of change and competition have taken their toll on me, and for the past week I have been struggling to keep my energy and balance. I am doing a lot of recovery protocols, keeping my supplements up but I have to admit my training and nutrition has suffered.

I am feeling like a phony Wonder Woman right now and am waking each day with the hope that my mojo will return soon. I know it won't be long until I am unstoppable again, but I thought you should all know that everyone has bad moments...or days.

Lisa

I am very happy to announce that I have a consultation room at Sun and Earth Whole Foods, 845 Brunswick St New Farm. This is a sensational partnership for me, as it means that all my clients (on-line as well) have immediate access to purchase supplementation, herbs, tea and organic food and produce. Sun and Earth have a number of practising Naturopaths that I will work with when clients present with food sensitivities, adrenal and other hormonal deficiencies, giving my clients a holistic service.

For a face to face consultation e-mail me lisa@lisastokes.com.au

Have a great day!

Lisa

On Monday I did a web cast interview with Lindy Olsen and it is on her site today. Go and have a look and you can hear me talk about a few things that are important to me. Just scroll to the bottom of her home page.

Lisa

How much do we love Dallas Olsen and his amazing photographic talents? These pics are a sneak preview of a photo shoot for an upcoming issue of Ultra Fit Magazine; so keep your eye out for me!

Lisa

I am not on a diet

The Rules

1. Post a photo of one of your favourite healthy meals.

2. Title the post "I'm not on a diet"

3. Link back to this post

4. Tag 3 other people

I tag Magda, Kristy, Charlotte

Photo by Dallas Olsen

Super Hero

We all need hero's to provide inspiration, motivation and dreams. We all need to know that greatness is possible, dreams can come true, and that good things happen to good people.

It is even more humbling when you find some super heros that are selfless and dedicated to good in the world.

Lindy Olsen is once such hero. Given that Wonder Woman really is an Amazonian Princess (pretty much like Lindy), I am happy to pass over the boots and the arm bands for a while.

Lisa

Photography by Dallas Olsen

Evolution of WonderWoman

Do you recall that moment when you were a young girl and you were so inspired watching the Olympics that you immediately jumped into the back yard pool and swam twice as many laps as you ever thought possible? With every stroke you dreamt of glory and gold medals, and when you crawled out exhausted and starving you proclaimed to your family that you were going to be an Olympic athlete? My Mum told me I could be whatever I wanted to be, so I would go to bed at night happy and full of expectation. Then the next day at school the sports teacher points out that you will need to lose the extra puppy fat on your tummy and for the first time the smallest shadow of doubt darkens your dreams. We all know what happens from there with the world full of people adding their own well intentioned advice that makes your dream so cloudy that it disappears. After all adults know best right?

Well I can tell you two things, a small chubby child can become an international level athlete, and secondly most adults don’t know shit! Unfortunately it took me 15 years of adult life to work these 2 things out, and I am still tearing down the misconceptions society insidiously permeates into your brain to keep smart, ambitious young girls from growing into inspiring female role models.

It is one thing to wake up one day and realise that you have listened to too many negative people and you have allowed your own beliefs to mirror theirs, however it a totally different task to change your beliefs and find the right people to surround yourself with to support you. Where do you start? What information is right what is wrong, have you done so much damage that it can’t be reversed? I took me about 15 years to get myself to an unacceptable body composition position, and initially it took me 5 years to struggle out and another 3 years to gain entry to the Australian Powerlifting team.

Lisa

PS Turns out my Mum was right, I can be anything I want to be!

Photo Dallas Olsen

The tension is obvious just a few minutes before the first squat. This is one of my team mates Alex, the QLD State Titles 60kg champion. Alex went away last year, and this was her first comp back after 9 months. She returned with a gold medal win and cracking increase to her PB. Go Alex!

Lisa

INBA Figure 2003

What is my background, where did I come from?

Some people have been asking me these questions lately, so for those of you are are new to my blog here is the beginning of my story........

I remember swimming laps in my family’s seven metre above-ground pool when the Olympics were on, thinking that I could be an Olympic champion. My relatives used to say I was a chubby kid; I used to hear them but I never really listened.

I grew up in a small town and I always wanted more than it had to offer . . . I wanted to achieve great heights. Somehow I always new I would. My mum was a major influence; she used to always tell me I was beautiful and intelligent and I could do anything I wanted . . .I am not sure who first called me "Wonder Woman", but it was quite a few years ago now as someone looked at all the things I did and wondered how I not only got them all done, but how I also maintained a successful career. The answer to "how" is massive amounts of energy, an unstoppable desire to make the most of my time in the world, precision timing and sacrifice. However, it wasn’t always like this.

In the late 1990s, I remember watching Demi Moore in GI Jane and “those abs”. I wanted that fabulous six pack and to be strong, tough, yet still feminine like Demi. However, at the end of each day after working in my stressful IT sales job and picking the kids up I was so tired that I sat on the couch had a few drinks and nibbles and “relaxed”. The next morning I would look at myself naked in the mirror and say today was the day I would gain control of how I looked. I did regular exercise, I even did a few corporate triathlons at one stage, but on the weekends or at night I still had those few drinks and other treats. I deserved it right? After all, I worked really hard, I looked after the kids, I was only a few kilos too heavy, and well, I’m sure there were plenty of other justifications and excuses.

Then one day I woke up and realised that at 32yrs old, 63kgs and 30% body fat, Demi’s abs were never going to magically appear for me. I was going to have to make some drastic changes. I am not sure if there was an incident that inspired the change, but I do remember that day like it was yesterday. Something had lit a fire inside me and I knew that I deserved better than what I was giving myself. I finally understood that all the responsibility to change was with me.

Over the next 4 months I trained weekly with a PT, I read books and magazines; I talked to people about fitness and health, and did a 12 week challenge and successfully dropped my body fat to 22%. The journey had begun. My self esteem increased, I became more successful in my job and life was getting better. At that time I was training in a bodybuilding gym, and around comp time when the girls were leaning down I came face to face with Demi’s abs. That was it for me, I decided that to gain my long term desire of the six pack I would become a figure body builder!

So two years after getting into pretty good shape for a 30 something mother of two, I decided it was time to “get serious”. We had made a move from Melbourne to Brisbane, so I did some research and found myself a trainer who could take me from what I was to figure competitor. Nunzio was a former Mr World, and he created amazing changes in the first month of training with him. As I had been weight training for two years I had some muscle to work with, and being the focussed type I embraced the nutrition changes with open arms. Within the first month I dropped 3kgs, and I had a visible 4 pack – a little soft but it was there. GI Jane was on her way.

The secret to success....

In the past few months my decision to focus on my athletic & wellness career has been far more successful than I ever could have imagined. My lifting is improving and I am off to World Masters soon, I have some great clients, incredible business opportunities in the next 3-6 months, I have been asked to do some writing and will be published on a US based web magazine shortly amongst some other Australian publications....there is so much happening for me that I can barely remember it all.

It seems that everything I attempt is coming to fruition and then some. I am so blessed right now! I was thinking why that is, and I am pretty sure the reason is that I am surrounded by a group of incredibly supportive talented people. People who also want to excel and have no end of energy to offer in a selfless way. All this positive power is infectious!

I wish you all happiness, balance and success.

Stay strong

Lisa

I am going to .......

2008 World Masters Powerlifting Championships - Palm Springs, California, USA!

This was my major goal this year and it is about to be realised! Rod and I will be off to the US for World Masters in late September. It all feels a little surreal right now, and I have some tough training to do. Once again Rod will be a coach on the Australian Team.

While we are there both Rod and I will do our Biosignature certifications (there is a course 4 days before the comp - co incidentally). Incredibly Krista will be there coaching a Canadian lifter.

Our paths are just meant to cross at every step!

Oh yeah!!

Lisa

Some pictures from my competition.
Photography by Dallas Olsen

warm up

Nerves before the first lift

Resting during the bench

successful last lift

Team Bodyworx

I am changing my hormonal profile?

Charles Poliquin says that after 18 months of modulation with Biosignature you can have a completely different hormonal profile. I have been using Precision Nutrition for 9 months, and working with Krista and Boisig modulation for 4 months and have had some great changes to date. I have waited 2 weeks post-comp to write this, as I have had a training rest week, and a food flex week so I get a real view on how my body and hormones are responding. Normally after dropping weight for a comp, then resting and eating off plan I would see a 2-3kg weight increase in 2 week. The GREAT NEWS is that I am back to the weight I was 1 week pre comp!!!

In January I started at 16.5%bf and 61.9kgs, I am now 58kgs and about 12%bf (same lean muscle mass). I used to have PMS with headaches, fluid and breast tenderness (plus being cranky). I wouldn't even know it is due these days. My weight use to spike day to day for no apparent reason and this has disappeared too, and it is a relief to know that my body is happy and calm. I am eating more calories than ever before and don't need to worry about extra HIIT sessions to drop weight. People have commented on how great I look, how clear my eyes are, and I have heaps of energy.

I am 11 weeks pre comp (Nationals) and I am 1kg above weight. So this prep is all about getting stronger and leaner. In fact my program (both training and nutrition) is focused on building upper body size, and decreasing lower body fat. This next phase will see more hormonal change and we are targeting permanent change in the lower body. When Krista gets back to Australia in July I am going to blow her away when she sees me.

It has been 4 months of a combination of sugar detoxing, lean and green, organ detoxing, calorie cycling, carb and fat cycling and supplement rotation. I am sure the next 11 weeks will have their challenges too, but I am targeting to be able to live all year round at 9%bf - DO YOU THINK I CAN DO IT and still eat heaps and enjoy my life?

Lisa

PS The picture above is Power Girl -that is Krista (and she seriously looks a lot like this, wonderwoman has some catch up to do)

Where have I been????

I know, I know I haven't posted in a few days now. I am very busy with my PN work, which is kicking off really well, and my new training schedule for Nationals. I am sure Krista is either trying to kill me or turn me into her (how cool would that be?). Rod is away so I am covering some stuff for him, and I am back working 2 days a week in IT.

My goal these next few weeks is to get my average calorie consumption to about 1700 per day, while dropping body fat. It is going to be fun, and I am making easy work of it the first 3 days back in training. I am doing a modified Lean and Green Nutrition Protocol till May 31st as well to move a little more body fat. My goal is to be under 10% bf by then.

I should have time to update tonight, and I have some very exciting news about my lifting!

Stay Strong

Lisa

What is your limiting factor? Nutrition!

Whether you want to lose fat, gain muscle, live healthy or compete in sport, assuming a good exercise program, the limiting factor is always nutrition.

Poor nutrition is what holds you back.

Good nutrition is what will move you forward.

Good nutrition is what will feed muscle and shed fat, it's what will improve health markers and drastically improve recovery. Good Nutrition is what will give you the body you want.

We all are here today with preconceived notions and strongly held beliefs about what nutrition is (and I was no different), however have these beliefs achieved the lasting results you want?

Precision Nutrition (PN) is a systematic re-education of your nutritional habits to allow you to achieve your health and body composition goals.

As a licensed PN practitioner the service I offer is has the following components;

Initial assessment

• Detailed lifestyle, training, nutrition and supplementation questionnaire
• Body composition assessment
• PN education - eg 10 habits, nutrient timing, post work out nutrition, supplementation
• Menu guides
• Cooking tips
• Nutrition plan
• Supplementation recommendations
• Recovery/Rest protocols
• Goal setting

Ongoing assessment

• Formal Bi weekly review
• Continued education of PN principles
• Nutrition plan tweaking
• troubleshooting
• unlimited e-mail contact support

I also have access to the PN Network of experts to assist with specialised requirements and potentially complex situations.

In addition to these services, I am offering a distance BioSignature Service through Krista Schaus which compliments the PN methodology.

For pricing or further information, you can contact me by e-mail at lisa@lisastokes.com.au

Have a great Sunday.

Lisa

You know you love your sport when the gear is so unattractive!! This is my 3rd squat of 117.5kgs and unfortunatley I didn't get back up. I just received my new program from Kirsta and there will be no excuse at Nationals. Oh yeah I am going to GO BIG!

The past month has changed my world, and I am so honored to have some amazing people in my life. People who live their lives with integrity and passion and bring a positive life force to my world.

The next phase of my training is designed to take me to the next level of competition, and the intensity steps up. Krista has set the following goals for me.

• 130 kg squat
• 150 kg deadlift
• 80 kg bench press
• Tighter more focused / controlled form and execution in all 3 lifts
• Strengthen structural balance weaknesses
• Think bigger ("you are a 130 kg squatter and are simply underachieving - do better!")
• Continue to improve body comp and sugar management / carb tolerance

I am adding the following for myself

• add 3kgs of lean muscle while maintaining 57kgs

I'd better get to bed as I will need my sleep.

Lisa