Bikini Bites: Who do you look up to? What keeps you going? And how about post-competition depression, how do you cope with that?

Lately I have been thinking a lot about motivation. What is the force that keeps me going, who do I look up to and where can I find the strength to go on with this project after the competition season is over.

Mr Nyyssölä, which has a very inspirational blog about a bodybuilder's life in Finnish, wrote about post-competition depression a couple of days ago. Mr Nyyssölä's blog
This reminded me of my very mixed feelings last autumn, after I had been on the stage for the first time.
I actually at that time had no idea, that it is even quite normal to feel down after competing, and I was terrified, felt so alone and wondered what was wrong with me.

So what went differently this year? Well, many things to tell you the truth. I must admit I felt a little down after the entire competition process was over, yet again I felt amazingly good I did better than in the year 2011. Of course this time it was also easier to carry on, thanks to my amazing support groups of which I will tell you about a little later. But I think the most important thing is to just keep on going. I think one should see fitness as an ongoing journey rather than a short trip. After all, this is the kind of sport you can ALWAYS do better! And people, listen to your coach! They probably have seen it all dozens of times before, and they know what is best for you.

So, motivation then. A funny word which people tend to use, when they "Just don't feel like it". -I've lost my motivation, some people say. I would like to ask them: What is that? What does it look like? Is it something you can eat? Sometimes it feels like motivation is the thing that people keep looking for, like that crazy old man was looking after his marbles all the time in a children's story. Here's a thought, instead of wondering if you are motivated or not, make sports an everyday thing like your job, or sleeping in the night time. You don't need any special forces to do sports. Just Do It. (and no, I do not have a sponsorship with Nike, at least not yet)

And finally let me get to the people who I look up to. The people who have given me strength, faith and a lot of laughs as well.

Mom
I know this is a sort of a cliche, but yes I do look up to my mother. I can't remember how many hours I spent at the gym lobby, too young to train myself, when she was WEIGHT training in the 80's. To most people this was completely shocking at that time, but I thought my mom was the superwoman, and she still is. A couple of years ago she survived 14 blood cloths in her lungs. The doctors said it was a miracle, and said she only survived because of her super strong heart. The same heart that was doing weight training already in the 80's.

Minna
I met this girl in a work related environment many years ago, and I must admit at first I thought that girl is one tough cookie. Through the years we worked together I started to appreciate her "No bull shit" -attitude, her courage to do her own thing and the fact that she was always keeping herself fit.
Minna has now lived a couple of years already in NYC, and everyday I admire her courage to just leave everything and pursue her dream. Minna's Facebook page
I was so flattered when she once told me I am the person that keeps her going. Motivates her to go to the gym and helps her when she is feeling down. Well, Minna, it goes both ways! Remember the slobby, lazy girl I once was? It was your awesome company at the gym, that made me come there day after day. So I definitely wouldn't be me without Minna.
Funny thing: Last spring I visited Minna in NYC, and of course we had to go to the gym as often as possible. It was about the second day at the gym that they gave us the nick name "Crazy Finns". So you can imagine the amount of (pardon my french) ASS WHOOPING that was happening at the Crunch Gym.

This is me and Minna a couple of years ago.

And me about 12 kilos ago.

Jari "Bull" Mentula

So "The Bull" is my coach. Lot's of people make funny faces when I tell them this. Some of them say things like "oh my, he must be so tough on you" or "he is scary". Well, in my opinion there is nothing scary about him but to me it is very important that your coach has credibility, authority and he tells you things exactly the way they are. Jari has that "cut the crap" attitude, and he sticks to the facts. He has never yelled at me, never said anything inappropriate and he has always been very supportive. Even the times I had some serious thoughts about quitting my fitness career after a bad break up, he kept me standing. So yes, you will see me in the Fitfarm team in the year 2013 as well.

Of course this is also the perfect place to thank all the other people and companies who supported me in this years Bikini Fitness competition:

- My boyfriend

- My Family

- Satu "Stu" Horne, for amazing make up, support and just being there for me

check out Satu's cool new store Co.Stu&Me to be opened soon in Kalevankatu 26 A

- My co-workers

- Minttu from Hius Magia

-Jani from Revolution Hair

-Armi Mähönen, for my AMAZING competition tan

- Bianca Neve, for my NOT blingy bikinis

- Emma Reunanen, for helping me with my last week supplement problems

For without all of you I would not have looked like this in the Expo