Enjoy the Ride!

Hello World!

Good Grief! It has been a whirlwind week!

Okay, first and most importantly, tributes to my newest sponsors!

Rakett Brothers Lawn and Weed, specifically Wayne Rakett!

Wayne is in incredible person.  I was fortunate to meet this inspiring individual on my journey to compete in the Total Package Fitness Competition back in September.  Wayne worked very hard and won 2nd place in the Men's division of the same Hot Body Fitness Modeling Contest I competed in.  He also placed very high in the bodybuilding divisions he competed in, winning the masters division.

One great thing about Wayne is that he has confidence and therefore...SWAAGGGGG!!! 

Another is that he is a hard worker (clearly!) and I know that that hard work is reflected by Rakett Brothers Lawn and Weed, Inc.  Call these trustworthy guys for your next landscaping venture! 

Thanks Wayne and Julie! :)

Another new member of the sponsor team is Total Fence Solutions, LLC. in OKC! My new friend Jim was kind enough to contribute to my cause so I am very happy to promote for his superior fencing services in OKC! Licensed, Insured, and Bonded, Total Fence Solutions can help you with virtually any fencing project you face including

Stockade

Vinyl

Chain Link

Decks

Swimming Pool Enclosures

...and much more!

For more information contact Jim @ 405-313-0502

And lastly, Aspen Athletic Club!!! Woot woot! Can I get a heyy yaaaahhh for the home team?!?! I specifically represent the Aspen located on Rockwell and Northwest Expressway in OKC.  This establishment holds a special place in my heart because it is truly where my dreams began to take flight! I  have found such rich encouragement and support among my fellow trainers and the rest of the staff at Aspen, I consider them all my second family!!! 

This sense of family has been instrumental in my fitness success and will continue to be there while I chase my dreams! Support like that is essential in taking those steps towards a healthy lifestyle, and I am so grateful to be a part of such a encouraging group and business.  Thank you Rob, Caithlin, Mark, Sheron, trainers Darrell, J Nev, Drew, Sam, Drew, Travis, Mallory, Donita, other employees Brittany, Joey, Gabe, Henry and everyone else not mentioned (there are a lot!!!) that have given my the confidence and opportunity to come as far as I have, as well as giving every single member of this revolutionary gym the great gift of fitness daily! 

With some of my awesome Aspen Family, on our Think Pink

Day to fundraise for Breast Cancer Awareness!

I am proud to report that Aspen Athletic Club is the featured sponsor of the week! Check back shortly for your FREE 10 Day Pass available on my site shortly.  Until then, take a look at the website and see why Aspen is the perfect gym for you!

http://www.aspenathleticia.com/

Go ahead "Luv Ur Body!" And don't forget to tell them Brittany sent you ;)

So today was my LIVE Television debut!!! Omgosh so much fun, I am so grateful to the wonderful producer, Kelie Steele for imparting upon me this experience.

Last night, I did not sleep a wink I was so excited!!! Probably not the best idea before a morning interview, but I did my best, lying in bed trying! (Got to work on that before the pageant FO SHO :) 

A testament to the fact that we rely on technology a liiiittle too much these days, my gps took me down a road that didn't exist on the way to the studio this morning! I got so turned around I actually was a little late to my 7:30 am appointment even though I left 30 minutes early!!! Luckily, Kelie and the rest of the staff was so understanding, so again thank you!

When I arrived I was ushered into the studio and told I'd be on in less than five! Yikes! I actually had no makeup on and had just finished drying my hair because for some silly reason I thought it would be done or would be given a little prep time in studio.  I probably should have asked Kelie about this earlier, but I was too consumed with the opportunity to get my platform on air to reach people than aesthetic details! I know for next time, right Kelie?! ;) 

Right before going on, I was introduced to the morning news anchors, Matt Austin and Angie Mock.  These are a couple of incredible devoted, hardworking individuals as they host the 3 hour in-depth Fox 25 Morning Show every day! Wow!

I was interviewed by Angie, who is as stunningly beautiful in-person as she is on the tube! She eased my nerves greatly, and I went from shaking at the beginning of the interview, (give me a break, first time LIVE!) to feeling like I was just having a friendly chat with her on a couch.  We talked a little about my personal journey to a healthier lifestyle, what that exactly entailed as well as a little bit about the pageant and my working to build a strong sponsor team to compete! If I am lucky enough to win the prestigious title of Miss Oklahoma USA 2011, I want to continue reaching more and more individuals and hopefully inspire them to achieve their own fitness goals! The full interview can be viewed at the link below.

http://www.okcfox.com/newsroom/morning_news/videos/vid_1633.shtml

THANK YOU to all of Fox 25 for this incredible experience! If you are interested in joining the Miss Greater OKC USA 2011 Sponsor Team, please feel free to contact via the site, Facebook, or my business email britttL@hotmail.com.  Thanks Again, Kelie!

Afterwards, caught up on some SLEEP (hence the fact that I am still awake now! LOL) and had the opportunity of reunion with a bunch of old friends and teammates at the SNU vs. OBU volleyball game. I got to go with a fellow former SNU athletes, a couple of my favorite Chris's, one of whom will be abandoning us for New Mexico in a couple weeks! (Just Kidding!) The Bisons took it in 4 tonight, but both teams looked great and it was so good to see and catch up with everybody.  Good luck to both squads in the remainder of their seasons :) 

That's all for now...I am on a weird sleep schedule due to my sleepless night last night! I hope everyone has a Happy, and SAFE Halloween!!! Or in other words...

Halloween, have a HAPPY one you must!

Chose my favorite Geek-O-Lantern of all time because the all knowing Yoda is the source of my weekly quote of inspiration!

"Do or do not, there is no Try."

Okie Dokie! 28 days means Crunch Time...Let's DOOOOO IT!!!!!!!!!!

-xoxo-

Britt

My Gosh...I'm REALLY Doing This!!!

Hello World!

So it hadn't hit me until just now, I really, REALLY am competing in Miss Oklahoma USA 2011! I am absolutely brimming with excitement tonight, at my favorite wi-fi hotspot, Starbucks.  I can't keep still, if I try to my foot starts tapping inadvertently, LOL! They have some pretty catchy tunes to boot, currently a jazzy version of "Hey Senora" with maracas.  I remember hearing that song for the first time at the end of Beetlejuice when I was younger, and it used to make me uneasy because the movie scared me so much! I love it now though ;)

So as you all know, I have been having some evening gown woes! Luckily, I had a VERY productive day in that department... Upon my venture to the adorable dress boutique, Southern Charm, I met a wonderful woman who is clearly beautiful inside AND out, Anita Gately! We hit it off right away, I ended up staying at the boutique for 3 hours (!!!) trying on dresses, flipping through catalogs, giving my opinion to the very sweet Miss Oklahoma City Teen USA (see you in November!) and chatting up a STORM with Anita! I can't wait to go back down next week and work with Anita and Warren too! Anita just makes you feel so welcome and is fantastic at helping you find gowns you feel absolutely beautiful in! (I actually went to Southern Charm right after a workout, so if I feel good in a gown looking like I do after an hour of cardio, I know that it is a good one!) Thank you Anita, see you soon!

Okay to the before and after part I promise. Whoooo, deep breath, this is pretty emotional for me! If you have read my original post, my platform is based on the immensely positive impact a commitment to a healthy lifestyle, through proper nutrition and physical fitness, can have on ANY INDIVIDUAL's life! I speak from experience, having always been an athlete but NEVER happy with or proud of my body and then committing to train for Darrell Terrell's Hot Bod Fitness Modeling Contest in conjunction with the NPC Total Package Bodybuilding Show and losing 30 lbs in 5 months.  You know the story, or can guess, this drastic physical and, equally important, mental makeover has opened so many doors for me and allowed me the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss Oklahoma USA 2011.  With this prestigious title, I will work my tail off to share my experience and knowledge in hopes to inspire others to take the steps necessary to get on the path to their own healthier, happier lives! Even now, I am doing my best to reach as many people as I can with this POSITIVE message, but I hope and pray God wills me to become the next Miss Oklahoma USA so that I may reach so many others.

Recently, I interviewed for a prospective feature in a "Before and After:  Amazing Transitions" magazine article.  Part of the process was to dive into my dusty photo box and retrieve some before and after pictures that the publication might use.  I had no idea how emotional this would be.  All of my before pictures were from a time that I thought so poorly of myself and did not even know it! I had NEVER understood what it meant to have true, positive self-esteem until I took it upon myself to be the best ME, physically and mentally, I could be.  I honestly believe this is a consummate process, there is always ways to improve, new things to learn! The standby mantra "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is soooo FALSE!!! I have literally proven this to myself though didn't adapt it to my own life until this year.  I taught my sweet chocolate lab, Shima Lady Mocha, to bark to "Who Let the Dogs Out!" Kids Bop Version when she was 11 years old, (that is 77 in dog years!)

So here they are folks, my submitted, emotion-bringing pictures, all of which have been taken within the last three years, most within the last year, but real quick, some disclaimers!

***There is no, I repeat, NOOOO ideal beauty! Everyone should "Be their OWN kind of beautiful!" (Thanks Tiffiney and Dana!) I finally made a commitment to a healthy lifestyle change and worked my TAIL off for 5 months to change the way I looked and felt about myself because I was UNHAPPY before! I am so, SO thankful God gave me the strength and courage to make this change! Through Him, all things are possible and I have never been so happy, or lived so happily and GRATEFULLY in my life!!!

***They were sad but mostly HAPPY tears last night.  Sad because it joltingly reminded me of a time that I did not think I was beautiful and thought others didn't either, happy because I worked so hard the RIGHT and HEALTHY way to change that!!!

***NEVER HAVE I EVER had any work done! Hahahahaha! That is laughable to me or that people spread those silly rumors, not even about myself but others!!! I am struggling to paying for the pageant with the help of sponsorships, you honestly think I could afford a nose job or lipo?!?!? Come on now people...

***Photo credits: (afters of course, I never had the self-esteem to allow folks to take my picture before I made my transition,) go to Josh Hamon, Leland Tucker (Leland Images,) John Hazelton (Sooner JH,) Andrew Vargo, Doug Jantz,  and John Fullingm.

***You may notice, there are a ton

***THANK YOU, THANK YOU (!!!) for taking the time to look/help! xoxo

Before: October 2008, After: September 2010

Before: April 2007, After: September 2010

Before: June 2006, After: October 2010

Before: February 2008, After: October 2010

Before: March 2008, After: September 2010

Before: February 2008, After: August 2010

Before: April 2006, After: June 2010

Before: September 2008, After: September 2010

(This one is crazy to me, I honestly do not recognize myself!)

Before: February 2008, After: October 2010

And my personal favorite (because my fit, BEAUTIFUL Mommy is in it!)...

Before: January 2010 (seriously!), After: September 2010

Please tell me your favorites! Whether it be on this site, Facebook, email, shoot if you have my # text it, I truly value your opinions!!! Thank you!

To close I would like to thank the newest members of the Miss Greater Oklahoma City USA 2011 Sponsor team!!!

J.E. Cope of JEC PRO

Monte Turrentine (Individual Contributor)

Jeff Powell of Bob Moore Cadillac

My computer is dying and I think Starbucks is closing soon, so a little more about these wonderful individuals and businesses, who are helping me chase my dreams, in the next post.

Before today, it has been a tough week on the sponsor front so I will leave you all with this sweet little ditty:

When the world says, "Give up..."

Hope whispers, "Try it one more time!" 

-Author Unknown

Hope, keep whispering!!!

xoxo

Britt

Hello World!

Can’t start with anything except the story of 33 Chilean miners rescued this week! What an incredible story of perseverance and faith!!! I was particularly moved by the quote by 19 year old Jimmy Sanchez, “There were actually 34 of us down there, God never left us.” 69 days 2000 feet underground did not shake their faith! INCREDIBLE!!! Maybe its my hormones or even sweat in my eye, but when I heard that during cardio yesterday, I definitely teared up.  Let’s take a minute to THANK GOD that these brave individuals are finally home safe with their families recovering from this potentially tragic ordeal.  Thank you for the technology to rescue them and instilling unwavering faith in these brave men to make it through.  We can all learn so much from their example.

I would like to throw a special shout out to NPC competitors and friends competing at NATIONALS in Atlanta, GA this weekend!

The ridiculously beautiful NPC bikini competitor, Jennifer Baker:

And the gorgeous, infinitely kind NPC figure competitor, Chazz Gorzek Anderson:

Chazz was also Mrs. Oklahoma 2006 so she has been helping me out with pageant questions as well.  I first saw both girls at NPC Oklahoma 2010 and was personally inspired by their hard work and dedication, not to mention rockin’ bods!!! You both are amazing, thank you for inspiring me to chase my own dreams, and most of all

KICK SOME TAIL THIS WEEKEND!!!

Kudos to my buddy Lyndsee Gray Hargett for hitting the gym this week! It is a BIG step getting back in there and into those healthy lifestyle habits, and I am proud of you!

I am really excited to announce that I started an extensive training program with my good friend and Former roommate, Amy Brooks.  She is tall, blonde, and beautiful! I think we have been mistaken for sisters twice at the gym this week, countless times together on our volleyball team at UCO.  I am so excited to take this journey with you and can’t wait to help you along the path to reaching your personal fitness goals! Amy came and supported me in my first fitness competition, and I am happy she gleaned inspiration and drive from the experience to begin on her own path to a healthier lifestyle! You go girl!

Amy and I before the Total Package Fitness Competition and NPC Show 2010, gotta LOVE that ridic fitness tan!

With the remarkable convenience that is Facebook, I continue to meet more and more contestants for the state pageant ever week! I am so excited and honored to have the opportunity to compete with such an outstanding group of women! Regardless of results, I believe this will be a truly rewarding weekend for all of us.  It has already been a life-changing experience for me this far, and we are still 6 weeks away!

A special thank you to my fellow TALL GALS who have already enjoyed commendable success on the Miss Universe circuit, Kelsey Moore, Miss Texas USA 2010, and Katie Whittier, Miss Maine USA 2010.  Though we have just begun networking, I am so personally inspired by these former athletes that have made a flawless transition from jerseys to bikinis and court shoes to heels.  Tall girls rock and it makes me so happy to see how other girls have embraced their height and reflected their true beauty with it, inside and out.  You make me believe that I too can do it :)

Coming up for me this week:

First day on the new job tomorrow at 6! Come see me at Dan O'B's!

Fun studio shoot with CD Photography on Monday!

First commercial audition in over 10 years on Saturday! It's been a while, and certainly a lot has changed from my "Mom's like you choose Jiff!" days! 

Meeting with the lovely Laci Scott Sunday again for pageant prep.  Have I mentioned she is amazing?!

My goal is to have ALL pageant expenses and budget COVERED by October 25th, so I can take the full month to prepare myself mentally and be the best ME I can be come November 26th! If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the Miss Greater Oklahoma City USA 2011 Sponsor Team for the Miss Oklahoma USA 2011 Pageant, please contact me asap!!! We are getting down to the wire people! Thank you all so much for your continued support, could not do it without you!

Working on finding a gown that is LONG ENOUGH this week! Haven't had much luck yet, but I am totally open to suggestions!!!

Stumbled upon this "Thinker" quote on my latest stroll through the Quote Garden:

"I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders." -Anonymous (www.quotegarden.com/adversity.html)

Powerful!

Stay tuned for next week’s featured sponsor coming up this weekend!

xoxo

Britt

6 weeks and counting....LET'S DO THIS!!!

How do YOU enter the arena?

Hello World!

I just concluded a delicious sushi lunch at In the Raw, Bricktown with the fabulously inspiring and down to earth, Bethany Gerber, Miss Kansas USA 2010.  It was a fun, and extremely constructive lunch meeting! She imparted to me her personal pageant experiences as well as answered any questions I could think of.  Bethany is beautiful inside and out, and I look forward to getting to know her more.  Completely appropriate to the "Everyone knows Everyone" mantra in Oklahoma, I will see Bethany again tonight when I drive southbound 35 to support my teammates and friends in the NPC Red River Classic in Norman! She is doing a promotional job down there...small world! Just received a text from my teammate, friend, and fellow bikini competitor Jillian Taylor that the preliminary show went really well! I can't wait to see her strut her stuff in the finals tonight! Here is a picture of our division at our first show, Darrell Terrell's Hot Bod Fitness Modeling Competition in conjunction with the NPC Total Package Bodybuilding Show.

She is the pretty girl in the green! Can you tell we go to the same posing practices? LOL.  Here is another one of us with our coach and trainer Darrell Terrell.  It was at his encouragement and urging that I even began to believe I could achieve success in fitness and fashion modeling.  I know I speak for Jillian and all of Darrell's other athletes in saying "THANK YOU DARRELL" for teaching us to believe in ourselves and helping us chase our dreams!

I am proud to say that I took home 3rd at Hot Bod and equally proud to say that Jillian rocked it and took home 1st place! Sounds like prelim's went the same way today, Jillian needs to place Top 5 to qualify for nationals in Atlanta next week! I have full confidence she will do just that! Keep working hard Jillian, it is such an honor to have a teammate equally motivated and driven to succeed :)

More pictures from NPC Red River Classic to be posted shortly!

I am also writing as promised to recognize my second featured sponsor of the week, Lush Fashion Lounge! I had the honor of walking in the Sunset at Sapphire Fashion Show for Lush and Jen Austin Designs back in September.  Owner Carrie Boevers' collection is eclectic and FUN featuring designer clothing for both men and women! Here are a couple shots from the show at Sapphire featuring pieces that are in store NOW!

Featured models:  Cherisse Miller, Shannon Green, Cory Nolan, and that's me at the end! Yes I am holding sparklers...like I said, super FUN show!

Absolutely ALL men's merchandise is currently 50% off! Come see me for a coupon for 20% off anything in the store! Lush and Carrie are absolutely fabulous and I have no doubt you will find everything you are looking for to express your individual, funky-cool style.  

Hurry in to LUSH FASHION LOUNGE today! 

They are also on Facebook :)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1706029390

I leave you today with a Harry Potter quote.  Albeit cheesy, this is without a doubt my favorite quote from any of the books and I read it when I need that extra little boost of confidence and help keeping my eye on the bigger picture:

"It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high.  Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew -- and so do I, thought Harry, with a fierce rush of pride, and so did my parents -- that there was all the difference in the world."

39 days until the premiere!!! Eeek! (Yes I just counted on my phone's calendar, LOL.)

Until next time, and in the true British sense, Cheerio Darlings!

xoxo

Britt

Terry Fox, The Ultimate Inspiration

Hello World!

It is now 12:50 (AM!) and I just got home from the gym.  I think it is safe to say I am dedicated!!! My home gym (and employer!) Aspen on Rockwell and Northwest Expressway is now open 24 hours Monday through Thursday.  Pro about the new, extended hours:  I no longer have any excuse to not get all of my cardio in on the dreaded stair machine.  Con about the new, extended hours:  I no longer have any excuse to not get all of my cardio in on the dreaded stair machine!!! LOL! It is certainly a love/hate relationship I have with that particular piece of cardio equipment, but you can’t argue with results and there really is no better machine on which to get your cardio done on, because not only does it get your heart rate up and get you sweating something fierce, but it also firms, tones, and shapes the hamstrings and the ever elusive glutes with the constant “stepping up” motion.  If you are intimidated by this miracle-working machine, it is okay! Start out with shorter intervals such as 20 minutes and work your way up in resistance and speed.  Once you can handle it, switch up the kind of exercise you are doing.  I take turns going at a constant speed for an allotted time, speed intervals, and the fat burning programs.  And try to have fun with it! Bring along your iPod set on your favorite, motivating playlist or embrace your inner nerd like I do with your favorite Harry Potter novel ;)

One thing in particular got me through my borderline grueling full hour of cardio tonight.  ESPN was showing a documentary entitled “Into the Wind,” directed by Steve Nash and Ezra Holland.  Being an avid basketball fan, it was Nash’s name that caught my attention, but I was soon captivated by one of the most inspiring stories of determination I have ever heard.  (Anything that makes me put down my book has got to be LEGIT!) The documentary followed the tragic to triumphant journey of Terry Fox.  After losing his leg to cancer in college during his athletic prime, Fox set out to run across Canada to raise money for the cause.  I’m not sure if it was the pain from a killer leg workout yesterday courtesy of Jason Neville, or the story itself that reduced me to small but actual tears 20 minutes in, but I gained inspiration from every minute of the program I was able to watch.  If Fox could average 10-14 miles per day running the expanse of an entire country, I could certainly knock out this next forty on the silly stair machine.  I was so inspired by Fox’s courage, I couldn’t even wait until I got home and started looking up additional accounts of this incredible story using the internet on my phone.  Nash was personally inspired by Fox as a boy.  His personal recollection of Fox’s Run can be found here:

http://30for30.espn.com/film/into-the-wind.html

Although Fox did not reach his goal of actual distance when new tumors appeared, and took over his body, his story of perseverance inspired a nation and raised new awareness.  Keep an eye out on ESPN for “Into the Wind,” I am sure a story like that will air more than once.

As always, thank you so very much for stopping by and I leave you with a quote that makes me work harder when I am tempted to quit, just like “Into the Wind.”

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act.  It is a habit.” -Aristotle

Take a minute to think about that…

Until next time, sweet dreams! Dream well, Dream BIG!!!

xoxo

Britt

PS. Check out my dear friend, Lyndsee Gray Hargett's blog, Mrs. Payne County, and follow her journey to Mrs. Oklahoma in January! Find her under my followers ;)

Life is TOO short!

Hello World!

Although healthy eating habits are extremely important, life is just TOO short not to indulge once and a while! I say this while I sip my last Panera Frozen Caramel and munch on their Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and whole wheat baguette, my last cheat meal until December!

YUMMMMYYYY!!!!!

Better BELIEVE that Bad Boy was finished in about 5 minutes! hahaha!

A couple tips about when you do indulge in a cheat meal:

1. As far as burning it off goes, it is best to have your cheat meal midday or before, but there is a catch to that! The problem with eating those yummy sugary/fatty/salty DELICIOUS foods earlier in the day is that it triggers your hormones and it is 10x more difficult to resist further cravings! So it's basically a pick your poison kind of thing, LOL!

2. I'll admit, I went waayyy off course with a FROZEN CARAMEL...I'm not even going to bother looking up the calorie, sugar, sodium, etc. for this devilish delight...otherwise I might cry myself to sleep tonight (ONLY KIDDING!) When you do have a cheat meal, and if you are going to with something like...THAT...try to balance it out with something a little more on the healthy side! For instance my personal fave and complex carb Whole Wheat Baguette.  With this combination, you are getting something (semi) good in, while pleasing your inner rebel ;)

3. Portion Control...fairly self-explainatory.  I'm not saying eat a crumb...buutttt try as much as you can not to eat the WHOLE cake either.  Your tummy will thank you!

4. Have your cheat meal, enjoy it, and then do not make it an option to cave a cheat again! If that means really going all out on your cheat, do it! Make the commitment though, that after it is said and done, you are back on track for whatever your allotted time is. NO EXCEPTIONS.  The toughest thing about making the transition to healthy eating is not hunger itself, (your body will sustain itself on healthy food longer than junk AND you are eating more regularly than before to speed up that metabolism,) it is the mental factor.  If you do not put in your head that cheating is NOT AN OPTION, you will do it and therefore might not reach all of your set goals.  

Looking for a diet and workout plan to jumpstart your transition to a healthy lifestyle? Contact me ASAP at britttL@hotmail.com for personal training and nutrition help! It has and will keep working for me, let me help find something that works for you!

I'm off to finish my delicious CARB LOADED baguette...mmmm...thanks for checking back and until next time-

xoxo!

Britt

PS!!! Sending yet another birthday wish to my B E A uuutiful sister Courtney who turned 21 yesterday! She is currently driving the vast expanse of Kansas to see me here in the great OKC! Love you Boo :)

We are prittaayyy!!!