Well this blog has been sadly neglected, for that I am sorry and apoligise those who like to read it.

2009 was a difficult year, with work and training, other outside influences creating stress I was unable to handle as well as usual. It all got to me and effected my preparations. Stress can strip you of energy and it shows on stage in your over all condition.

Pent up anger of issues from my past kept coming back to bite me. Though  resentment had grown for what others did, and while it is one thing to forgive, you never forget. I kept going about my life, trying to leave it all behind me, thinking it was over with, then something would bring it all flooding back.

Then just 2 days ago while Bev_Lee and I were out on our morning cardio session it hit me. It isn't them I have to forgive, it is me I have to forgive. I kept letting them in, taking them back even though they used and abused me in many ways, only to have it rub back in my face again and again. I was humiliated and I was angry. Angry for not being strong enough to say "No", "Go away" and "don't come back" and it was all because I so badly wanted to be accepted. I compromised myself, my selfesteem, I got lost.

My how much I have learnt that to be accepted, you have to first follow your own path. It's taken 12 years of being single ( apart from one short relationship that went down the tubes faster than it started as I won't be taken for granted or lied to again) to find me. To learn that I can't please everyone and that I don't need everyone's approval. What I do need is to be happy within myself and this is something I have to learn. Fact is, no matter what I do, or in competition win, lose or draw, someone is going to have an issue with it. Too bad, so sad, it's my life, my win, let me have it. I applaud my fellow competitors all the time.

As I get older, yes wrong side of 45 now, I know I don't have forever to do the things I want to do.

2009 I competed 3 times, if you've kept up with my website you can see for yourself by the results how I faired. http://sharpcurves.webs.com/competitionhistory.htm

Towards the end of 2009 signs that my body was having trouble dealing with certain foods, mainly starchy and wheat based carbs sending me into heavy water retention was apparent. It was as though my body was reacting to a toxin. The December show took a lot of work and alot out of me.

I blew out pretty badly after the show and spent the rest of the month trial and error with carbs to try and find out what the go was. I spent the first half of 2010 trying to get ready for the NABBA Southern Hemisphere, but carb days my body went nuts. I'd have my carb load and within 2 hours my lower legs would swell so badly and my belly would bloat out so tight due to anything up to a 6kg gain in water retention. It was shoking, uncomfortable and effected my prep so bad I had to pull out of the show.

I had a 9 week window to prepare for the 2010 Country Classic Invitational, a Hardcore Aussie Muscle  a production held down in Bendigo, Victoria. Di Shipway to the rescue again!!!! and 8 weeks of  keto dieting. No carbs right through, but the high protein, fats and leafy greens were alot easier to handle. It was a race to clean out and catch-up. It worked and I was happy to step out on stage and win the Masters Figure. I wasn't to my usual hard condition, but thank goodness to years of training and mature muscle.

At the moment I'm giving my body a little nurturing, I'm seeking advice and assistance from a naturopath (hard guy to see I can't get in until early October) to try and get things back in sinc so I can step out on stage next year at the 2011 NABBA Southern Hemisphere stronger and more clearly defined.

While awaiting my appointment I'm gingerly trickling in different carbs to see which ones are effecting me and which ones are safe.  I'm still in the gym twitching things up with my training and still keeping some cardio in so I stay cardiovascular strong.

Thankyou for all the support I have received, I am most grateful. I will endevour to be more active with the blog.

I've grown in more ways than just physically in the past couple of years. I'm finally finding me and I don't have to and can't please everyone, but putting a smile on someones face is a nice thing to do.

Coral xo

No Matter How Hard It Is , NEVER Give Up because one day in your life you will thank yourself for not giving up !!!

Contest preparations along with travel and accommodations expences can be costly. Contributions made by fans and subscribers really do help out and I so appreciate them.

I've already had discusions with my coach the beautiful Di Shipway about my competition plans for 2009.

I've already received a promotional booklet for the NABBA 26th World Championships to be held in Slovakia and was considering doing this show. But Di painted a bigger picture for me and it does make alot of sense.

Yes I could do the Worlds next year, but this would mean repeating this years long haul of 5 competitions and it did take alot out of me over 10 months of dieting and training, though I wasn't realising it at the time. I was just head down and bum up going hard to the line each time. With the muck up with getting to the Universe in the UK I had nothing to fall back on and the stress took it's toll. Not to worry. Plus the expense of travelling OS twice this year did kinda flatten my finances.

So, with much talking and weighing up, it's been decided that I'll rest up a tad between now and New Years, and just concentrate on letting my body fullt recover and regrow. Training is still 4 times a week and get some good food into me.

Then in 2009 the work will begin to get ready for 3 competitons in September and October 2009. While the Worlds in June would be nice, getting in better condition for the Universe and placing higher if not to win it is the goal. This also gives me more time to raise funds needed to get there.

To Quote Di Shipway:  Make a plan. Choose a competition that is some way in the future and make a good plan. Then your training and nutritional goals can be reflected in this bigger goal, in short term goals that are more easily achieved.

The bigger picture might look great but it can also be daunting, too much to take in. But with smaller pieces the picture is more easily assembled.

It's easier to walk the steps than try and scramble up the face of the mountain.(That one's mine)

Well I hope you are all fine and looking forward to the Festive Season.

Thanks for popping by and by all means if you feel like leaving a message, please do. I love hearing from those who read my journal.

kind regards

Coral x

Contest preparation and travel are very costly. Contributions made by fans really do help out, and I so appreciate them.  

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Ok so here's what happened.

There I was sitting in Southport UK, with just the clothes on my back, fretting over my missing luggage which contained all I needed for the competition I had worked so hard for.

The Universe was a disaster from the start.

First my Virgin Blue flight on the Tuesday from Brisbane to Sydney was cancelled the second I checked in. The next one wasn't for an hour which made me late for the connecting flight with Etihad Airways.

 With much sweet talking and 45 mins to play with, I was able to make the connecting International flight, but only just.

On arrival to Manchester Wednesday morning I was to discover my luggage was still in Sydney and wouldn't be in Manchester to the following night (Thursday) and they guaranteed me my luggage would be delivered to me in Southport by 8pm that night. Well it didn't arrive until 1pm Friday and I was beside myself with stress and the competition was the next morning.

It was very hard to hold my chin up and hide my disappointments. Di Shipway, my coach and Felicity, my mental mentor, were trying every trick in the book to get emergency costumes, shoes and tan to me, they were amazing. Di even hit up a friend in Scotland (Avril of RippedGluttes. net) to see what she could rally up for me. I was floored by the response from complete strangers willing to help me out.

Without my luggage, diet changes had to be made, I wasn't sleeping and all the stress stripped me so quickly. An oversight had also seen me over charged for my accommodations, I'm talking like 4 times more than the other competitors. I addressed this with reception and the lovely Laura Prescott soon rectified this for me and I was reimbursed the difference. Laura went above and beyond in my mind as she tried her hardest to try and track my luggage over the web. If you're ever staying at the Prince of Wales in Southport UK, be sure to say hello to Laura, she's a beautiful person.

On the day of the comp I was exhausted as I spent another sleepless night up doing tans, nails, fixing crushed costumes from my now broken suitcase (they must have thrown it from the plane as it flew past Manchester). I hadn't eaten much, so had a whacking slap up english breakfast early before the show to try and get the calories into me. I then proceeded to graze all morning on anything carb and fats but it wasn't enough.

I was marked down and told I looked thin and small by the Aussie judge who had judged me 2 weeks prior at the Nationals in Perth where I looked in her opinion, much fuller. She knew the stress had stripped me and was most kind in her advice.

After the prejudging myself, Gaylene the judge and Irene who did class2 went back to the hotel for a rest, stopping along the way for a meal of fish n chips. As much as I tried I just couldn't eat it all and had to bolt to the ladies and throw up. When we got back to the hotel I slept for 3 hours, then we went back for the night show.

I bombed, (I've since been informed I placed 8th) and felt so ill I nearly threw up again once I got off stage. After the show I went back to the hotel had a shower and tried to do some socialising with people over drinks. By 1am I felt hungry so had some pizza then went to bed. The next morning my muscle was full and hard... ha, all too late.

I then travelled back to Manchester where I was told where I had booked and prepaid for 2 nights accommadations that they didn't have a room for me. That was the icing on the cake. I was tired and now really pissed off. I threw my booking voucher at the reception person and demanded to see the manager and I was not going to give a nice review through hotelclub.net.

Amazingly a room was suddenly available to me. I spent the next 2 days walking aimlessly around the city of Manchester. On checkout from the hotel, I had to stow my luggage and kill 10 hours till my flight out of Manchester. Thankfully trains to the airport were easy to get, and I was aboard my flight back to Brisbane 16 hours and 45 mins to Abu Dhabi and then more flying to Singapore and then finally home tp Brisbane, 25 hours in all, what a haul. I arrived back home swollen and very tired. The welcoming I got from Bev_Lee when I got home was priceless, I missed my lil' cardio buddy so much and seeing her happy face and waggy tail melted me.

I'm now more rested and rid of the water retention from the flights. I'll be backing off on the training a little bit so my body can recover, then in January 2009 I'll start to make plans for the Worlds in June which are being held in Slovakia. Though this could change as my coach and I have been talking and think a bigger plan to go back to the UK for the Universe taking a new package would be more beneficial.

I won't be travelling alone again. I've been made to promise by the President of NABBA Australia to make my future plans align with his so he can keep a watchful eye on me. Bless his lil' cotton socks.

Hope you are all well and happy.

Coral

Contest preparations along with travel and accommodatipns expences can be costly. Contributions made by fans and subscribers really do help out and I so appreciate them.

WOW, I did it, I won the NABBA Australia Overall. I'm so stoked , the long haul journey was worth every drop of sweat and hard yards.

Do I get to rest after the NABBA Nationals

Um, no  On the 30th September 2008, I fly out to Manchester in the UK  for the NABBA 60th Anniversary Universe being held in Southport, on 4th October 2008. This will be my second International event and I'm really looking forward to it.

Coral x

Contest preparation and travel are very costly. Contributions made by fans really do help out, and I so appreciate them.  Sportfund Website 

I'm very happy to say I’ve retained my Overall Figure State Title at the 2008 NABBA Queensland Championships, which were held on the 14th September 2008.

After coming back from the Worlds in Greece earlier this year, there was little time to relax as I had my sights set on the NABBA Queensland State 14th September 2008 to qualify for the NABBA Nationals being held in Perth, Western Ausralia on 21st September 2008.

I can't thank Di Shipway of Making Shapes enough for sticking with me and keeping me on track.

The new friend I have found in Karen Jeffrey is priceless, this Masters Legend is making great improvements in leaps and bounds. We share so much in common from our past and now current lives, she's always able to get me laughing.

This weekend on the 21st September, both Karen and I will be competing at the NABBA Australian Natioanls in Perth, it's going to be a fun and exciting trip. We had a ball at last weekend's NABBA Qld, and were both back in her gym the very next day hitting a super leg session.

Coral

Contest preparation and travel are very costly. Contributions made by fans really do help out, and I so appreciate them.  Sportfund Website 

Well I'm home safe and sound, jet-lagged but good.

What an adventure! 33 hours of flying, sitting in transit lounges, more flying, more tansit lounges and a lil' more flying. Got to Athens and flaked it across the road from the airport at the Sofitel Hotel.  Early start the next morning to catch another flight up to Thessaloniki, then a coach to Katerini and then a cab to Paralia. Got to Hotel Kymata and hit the shower then the shops for some groceries. The hotel room was small but pleasant and right on the beach. Beautiful place, with heaps of shops and stores to browse. They have shops selling fur coats and leather jackets like we have shoe stores, they're everywhere. The usual touristy stuff for miles.

The next day the team grouped and we went to the Mediteranian Hotel to register. Everyone had to register alphabetically by Country, so Australia was in and out of there pretty quick. 2 of the male team members had been struck down with food poisoning for 2-3 days prior to registering, but they pulled through ok, poor buggers, they were really sick.

On the day and it was a hot one at that, competitors had an outside dressing anfd pump up area, good in one way, stifling in another. But we had plenty of room.

I was first up for the Figure Class1 and during the judgeing and comparisons I was called up twice out of the 3 call outs. It was looking pretty good for me.

Once the morning show was out of the way we had a few hours to relax, the heat was starting to knock a few of the competitors being dehydrated.

The evening show kicked off a lil' after 7:30pm but the running order was changed so I didn't get back on stage till midnight. I tell ya, my tongue was hanging out, I could have sucked moisture out of an old sock, lmao.

Getting into the top 6 was great, placing 3rd was the bonus for my first International competition. Could have knocked me down with a feather and it wan't just from being so thirsty either.

Unfortunately I was the only member of the Australian team to make the top 6. The guys still put in a gallant effort, considering 2 of them had been bed ridden with upset stomaches for 2-3 days prior to the show. They still got up there and gave the boys a run for their money.

Lucky Hatzipantelis, was upgraded from juniors to Class2 on a technicality with his birthdate, but was certainly not disgraced and held his own against the older more experienced competitors of that class. He's made himself known now and they others know he's coming up in the near future. I was talking with a couple of the judges the next day and they were very impressed with him as a young up and coming. They'll be keeping an eye out for him.

While I was talking with the head judge the following evening he gave me great encouragement and want to see more of me on the International circuit. Yes I'll do it again for sure, just where and when is the next question.

So to bring you up to speed,

I've just competed in the 2008 NABBA Southern Hemisphere...1st June

So what happened at the 2008 NABBA Southern Hemisphere.

I placed 3rd, which I'm happy enough with, but my condition was further off than I would have liked. Congratulations to Angela Thomas from Western Australia for her win, she looked great.

I had planned to come in a lil' under done, coming in right on the mark would have made the following 3 weeks going into the NABBA Worlds pretty hard trying to hold condition. So the plan was, a lil' off the mark and I'd have room to make adjustments for the Worlds in Greece. What happened though is I spilled over. Hmm, ok we have the reason there sorted now, but at the time I was a bit disappointed, more in myself.

 1st June 2008

I also tried a new finishing colour, unfortunately it wasn't for me and left me looking a bit flat as my definition didn't show through so well. Well you have to try these things to see if they work. I'll be going back to my usual product which works a treat. Mind you, the new product is great for the face, it's just a bit too dense for the body.

What's next?

I'm off to Greece, for the 2008 NABBA Worlds being held on June 21st in Katerini. Hooly Dooly, I can't believe I'm finally at a level where I can step out on stage with International competition. So much is going on right now, I'm excited, scared, toey, skitish, I got a bumble bee in my tail. OMG, the adrenaline is going to hit the roof, someone better hold me in. Heck, it's going to be a whirl wind and I'll be busting at the seams.

So I've been working like a trojan the last week and a half, made a slight adjustment to diet, and will do a conservative trial run on a carb load tomorrow to see how things are going, from there my coach can gauge how best to get me to carb up in Greece. I've dropped a lil' weight, mostly water, but holding still around 66.5kg which is good.

10 days out.   10th June 2008

I fly out of Brisbane  Tuesday 17th June. From there it's a 7hr 55min flight to Channgi-Singapore  where I have to wait 3hrs 15mins for a connecting flight to Heathrow . After another 13hrs 20mins flying I arrive in Heathrow and have to wait another 6hrs 20mins for a connecting flight to Athens.  Another 3hrs 55min flight to Athens  where I'll crash for the night at the Sofitel for a much needed sleep . That part of the trip killed 33 hours. The next morning I have to get up early and jump on a flight to Thessaloniki, luckily it's only a short flight of 50mins, then grab a cab to the train station and catch the train for a trip of 1-1.5 hrs to Katerini. Hale another cab to my accommodation once in Paralia and check in. Then I can go for a walk, buy my food come back, flake it and wait for a friend to arrive. Di Hunt, you're a legend.

I'll have nearly 2 days to rest up, tan, register for the comp, then it's show time on Saturday 21st June.

After the comp I'll be staying in Katerini for a couple of days to have a look around, then go back to Athens for another coupe of days before coming home to Brisbane. The flight back is just as long but with the time changes I'll be jetlagged to the eye balls hahaha.

The closer departure date gets the more exciting and scarey it feels. I've never travelled so far and I'm doing it alone, sure wish I had someone coming with me to share the experience with.

If I don't get back to here before I leave, I'll be sure to post up all my news of adventures of Greece when I get back.

Hope life has been treating you all well

Coral x

Contest preparation and travel are very costly. Contributions made by fans really do help out, and I so appreciate them.  Sportfund Website 

MySpace Comments & MySpace Backgrounds

I hope you all have a safe and happy Easter with familly and friends.

I'm 10 weeks out from the NABBA Southern Hemisphere, where I placed 2nd last year. Looking to do better this time round.

Taking on the task of creating posing costumes for other competitors is going good so far, lol. Music editng is a lil' slow this year, but I have a dreadful feeling I'll be flooded with work as first of the competitions get closer.

The hardest thing being, getting the idea into the competitors heads that their's is not the only ones I'll be doing. These things take time and it's not just a matter of slapping some music together or sprinkling a lil' bling.

I s'pose they're just in their own lil' space right now which is understandable, I'm there myself, but things like costumes and music need time to complete and they need to get in now so they're ready on time.

So people's, if you are considering seeing me about your posing costume and or music for your routine, I suggest you contact me now and come  for a fitting, or, if you already know your sizings from last year, gimme a call and lets get you organised.

Stay safe over the Easter break

Coral

2008 is off to a great start.

I've moved house, now living in Deagon Qld, where I'm embarking on a new venture within the bodybuilding industry.

Sharp Curves was originally started in 2001 as a community group with msn. As these things always do, interest petered out and the community site... http://groups.msn.com/SharpCurves   ...has all but stagnated to a waste of space, though all info is still very much available.

In 2007 I started editing music for other competitors, this has gone well and continues in 2008.

New for 2008 I am now venturing into costume designing competition bikini's. Sharp Curves is rising up into bigger and better, bring something you can see and hear onto the stage.

It's only early days yet, but orders are coming in and this can only grow into something better for me and competitors. I'm still getting materials and resources together to make this a real deal and not just a fly by night pipe dream.

If you or some one you know is interested in having music edited or a bikini made just for you, please contact me by email or visit my website to view a sample of one of my designs.

Email: sharp_curves@hotmail.com   
Website: www.geocities.com/chynas_nic

Take Care
Coral Moody

I'm back from Melbourne after competing in the NABBA Australian Championships.

What a busy 3 days it was. Friday after a 2 and a half hour flight from Brisbane to Melbourne, I was met by the lovely Melita Jagic who had a warm smile and a tasty meal of bbq chicken breast and pasta waiting for me. She kindly drove me to my accommodations where I quickly unpacked and later went grocery shopping for my meals over the next 3 days.

The next day, Saturday, Melita and her partner Matt picked me up and drove me to a location for a photo shoot with Gary Phillips. This was my first real photo shoot and Gary was great in directing me, as the time went on I relaxed more. We all had a few laughs, it was fun. I was later dropped back at my accommodation to relax and decide what I was going to devour for my pre contest load. Yes some of you know already, it was goumet pizza and cheesecake again. I was stuffed half way through it, so left it aside knowing full well in a couple of hours I'd be hungry again and could finish it all off through the night.

Sunday was the day of competition. I was up early giving myself plent of time to get ready, have breakfast (no, the pizza and cheesecake didn't survive the night). By 11am I was set and awaited Melita and Matt. At the venue I couldn't have asked for a better support crew, Melita and Matt were fabulous, they knew when to be there and when to give me room. Melita even did a crossant run for me, how nice is that, I made short work of them too, I was starving. I wasn't to be on stage till late in the afternoon, so spent alot of time resting, chatting with familiar faces, meeting new ones and watching parts of the show. During this time my right hip and knee became very tight making walking rather difficult. I think being dehydrated for so long contributed to this. Luckily my physio was there and we made arrangments for the next day to fix things up, he has magic hands.

I placed 2nd, I was lean and very dry. I thought I had it, but the judges saw different. That's ok, I now know I am good enough to be up there with the countries best. Plans are being made right now, to get me to the international stage next year. I'm going to get there, because I have friends who believe in me and now I believe I can do it too.

Many tanks to Melita and Matt for looking after me so well while in Melbourne.

Huge thankyou to Di Shipway www.figuregirl.com once again for bring out some amazing things in me.

Thankou to Glen Putell for your advice as always

Thankyou to Paul and Janet, great friends and landlords

Gerdy, thankyou, your efforts helped me so much. You're always going to be greatly appreciated xo