2011 Looking Back, 2012 Looking Forward

Happy New Years to all my friends!! Today many people will be posting resolutions but I do not believe in New Year's resolutions. I believe in making changes and choices when the time arises not waiting for a specific day. When I quit smoking years ago I did not wait to make it a resolution. I woke up and said no more and quit that day. When I decided it was finally time to do something about my weight I did it. Everyday we have choices we can make to better ourselves and our lives. Do not wait for New Year's or next month or Monday or tomorrow. Always work on being the best you can be each and every day.

2011 had some struggles but was mostly very positive. 

I would say the greatest struggle was that my contest prep started off very badly with no progress for several weeks. My original plan was to compete at USAs but at 7 weeks out I had not really made any progress. I had a choice to make my trainer suggested I try lower calories and increased cardio for 10 days then decided if we should change to another show.  I gave it a lot of thought since I really wanted to do USAs but when I thought about it I realized I did not want to push my body that way. I thought if we were doing this at 7 weeks out what would i be doing at 5 or 2 weeks out and how would my body react after the show. I talked it over with Chase and Jeremy, my trainer, and decided to not do USAs but to focus on North Americans which was 14 weeks away.  Jeremy Minihan ( Size & Shape Fitness ) and I made changes and it turned into my best prep ever. I was in much better condition further out than ever before. We learned that I did not need tons of cardio. I ended up doing lees than half the amount of cardio each day yet was my leanest ever.  In all my previous preps I had gotten up to 2 or more hours of cardio but for this prep I did 60-75 min and it never increased those 14 weeks.   We actually cut it back started 2 weeks out and that was never done before.  I believe what we learned by completely changing the approach was the best thing that could have happened.  At North Americans I placed 1st in Middle Weight in both open and over 35 my best placing at a pro qualifier.  My body also responded the best ever after the show.

Many wonderful new people came into my life in 2011: My new coach and friend Dusty Hanshaw, and so many others from House of Fitness fit/physique club that have become our friends. I teamed up with a wonderful supplement company, my sponsor, iForce Nutrition and I hope 2012 brings them great success with their new products. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by such positive and supportive people.

2011 ended with being able to enjoy my entire family over the holidays.  I had not seen my mother, who lives in Maine since 2008. Everyone was together for the first time in years.

I plan on bringing lessons learned and the successes of 2011 into the new year and continuing to grow and improve as a person, friend, wife, mother, daughter, sister and body builder. My physique goals are to continue to maintain a leaner physique this off season and to add some muscle where it is needed.  I plan on bringing the very best Suzanne to the stage at the USAs in July with the help of my wonderful supportive team especially my best friend, soul-mate and love of my life - Chase.

May 2012 bring you health, love and success in all that you do!