Day 18 of 25 Days of Fitness: Camie
By Kate Horney
My friend Camie Guerrero is superwoman. Not only is she a busy single mom, but she’s also a full time engineer who somehow still manages to balance everything and make time to life the BeyondFit Life. (She’s even an award winning Bikini/Figure Competitor!)
If you’re a busy mom who needs inspiration, here’s her story…
For those reading the blog who might not know you, or your background, can you give us a little background on yourself—how did you get into the fitness industry, where did you begin?
I’m a single mom to a handsome 5yr old boy and I’m also a full time engineer for an oil and gas company. Growing up I played sports and basically ate whatever I wanted and it had no effect. When I went to college I kept up those eating habits but didn’t keep up the activity. Needless to say I gain my freshman 15 plus another 15 because I’m an over achiever… When I graduated and started working I wanted to lose weight but I had no idea where to start. I did some research and started eating clean and working out with the help of a trainer. I transformed my body and started feeling good. I was even able to regain my pre-pregnancy body rather quickly after giving birth to my handsome son in 2007.
Before my 30th birthday I decided that I wanted turn the big 3-0 in the best shape of my life and I entered the Fitness NM Pageant. I also recruited the help of the Iron Divas Coaches for a bikini completion diet and work out. I won the 2011 Bikini Medium division and I was hooked after that. I went on to compete at the Fitness America Pageant and was top 10 in the bikini Division. I switched gears, diet and with the help of my Iron Divas Coaches I began competing in Figure in 2012. I took 2nd in figure at the Fitness Universe Pageant and top 10 in bikini. I plan to continue competing as long as possible.
Where do your priorities lie now? Family? Training? Both? Other? Etc. How has your focused changed over time?
My family is my number one priority. I work my training around my son and his schedule. That means I wake up 30minutes earlier to get cardio done before he gets up, I have a cooking day where I get ahead and have food ready to go so I can pack it and eat on the run if I need to. The older and busier he gets the harder it is but I also realize that having a little “me” time is important and I need to make sure that momma is taken care of too. When I’m healthy and happy it’s easier for me to try and be super mom.
You have had a lot of success in staying fit while being being a busy mom. How would you advise the busy mom who wants to leverage their time better? What’s the first step?
The first step is looking at your schedule and look for 3 things:
- See where you have time
- See where you are wasting time
- See if you can multi task.
If something is a priority you will find the time and you will give up things that aren’t so important. For me, I don’t really watch tv. It’s a huge time waster and instead I’ll do things around the house, cook, get a quick work out in or play with my son. I do record shows and try to catch up on my days off but tv isn’t a priority. Like I mentioned before, I do cardio before my son wakes up in the morning. Its when I have time so I fit things in. When my son was younger I used to hold him in a baby sling and do cardio on my elliptical, multitasking is important!
What about moms who say they cannot achieve their goals because they don’t have time?
If you have time for TV, face book, pinterest or other time wasters you have time to work out. I workout a total of 6hrs a week, that’s less than an hour a day. You just need to learn to work out smarter, eat better and get organized.
For moms who are frequently exhausted and worn-out by the end of the day, how would you advise they manage their schedules/energy/time so that they have the energy/motivation to start on the path towards reaching their goals?
To me nutrition is #1. If you are really worn down and tired at the end of the day you’re probably not eating right. Take a look at your diet and make sure you’re feeding your body properly and giving yourself the proper fuel for the day. If you’re eating right you’ll feel better and have the energy to do more, like work out. I would be lying if I said that I always wanted to workout but I do it anyway. I feel better when I’m done and it actually gives me more energy.
What is ONE THING these moms can start on today that will not overwhelm them?
Try cleaning up your eating first….
- Eliminate sugar, processed foods, and simple carbs.
- Try adding a veggie to each meal, eat more good fats.
- Try to eat 5-6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones.
When you eat better you’ll feel better then it will be easier to start working out.
Take us through a typical day for you. How have you “created your life?”
I wake up at 5 am and do 30minutes of HIIT cardio. Then I wake my son, make breakfast, and get him ready and on the school bus. I finish getting ready for work and make sure I have food for the day and all my bags then I head to the office. I work from 8 to 5-5:30 then pick my son up from his after school care. When we get home its homework time, then I cook dinner and clean up the mess after. My son goes to bed at 8pm everyday and once he is in bed I pack my food and bags for the next day. I lift weights Monday, Wednesday and Friday so on those days I don’t do cardio and I lift as soon as I get off work.
It has taken time to get organized and figure out what’s the easiest way to fit everything in to my schedule. I made a choice to do it and I wasn’t going to let myself make excuses not to.
How do you personally channel your energy and get focused on your goals? In other words, how do you manage “everyday stuff” getting in the way? Any hard & fast rules?
There is lots of everyday stuff that comes up and when it does I ask myself “is this bringing me closer or farther from my goals?” If the answer is farther I don’t do it and I don’t worry about it. I have a clear vision of my priorities and goals and I know what needs to be done to get there.
How do you maintain a positive outlook, or do you? Are there times of doubt, insecurity, fear, etc? How do you deal with them?
We all have times of doubt and insecurity. I go thru that a lot. When you compete in fitness competitions you’re putting yourself out on a stage to be judged solely on your appearance. It’s tough! You need a thick skin. I try to just set personal goals that don’t involve others approval or opinion. Like this season I want to add some muscle to my shoulders because I think they look skinny when I’m on stage or another goal is to stay within 7-8lbs of my competition weight in the off season. It makes me feel accomplished and good when I achieve those goals.
What are your top 3 daily practices to stay focused, perform at a high level and get stuff done?
I have a to-do list everyday. It includes everything for the day and approximate times I think things should be done. That way it helps keep me on track. The next thing is eat! I don’t skip meals and I make sure I’m prepared with meals. Eating properly keeps my mind clear, my mood up and my energy high. The last thing is scheduling some me time everyday. After my son goes to bed I have about 2 hours to myself to prepare for the next day, read a little or just relax. It’s important to have that after a busy day.
Want more inspiration from Camie? Check out her Facebook Page!