The first company I would like to honor is Construction Zone.

Pete and Apple Grubbs have been my nutrition team for the past 10 years. Right away, we built a bond and level of communication that has allowed us to work closely together in my competition goals and our respective businesses. As a professional, I have learned plenty about nutrition and competition diets and tried most of them. My relationship with Construction Zone is special. It can take years for someone to truly know WHO you are, the good and the bad and all the funny stuff in between. I know, from experience, that most competitors do not stay with the same nutritionist or trainer for more than a few years before moving on to try new things. I know that everyone is not always blessed to find the right connection.

Every year, every season, every show Pete and Apple have been there for me in each prep. They are always honest, always believing in me and always challenging me to my utmost potential. I enjoy going in to see Pete and having that accountability in my progress. I also appreciate that when I’m struggling, I can be honest about how I’m feeling or my shortcomings. I am a natural athlete and one who performs at high levels of intensity. I am fortunate that Pete understands my needs as a Fitness athlete and Apple has often been the one to film me running my routine in my final days before a show!

Winning my first Arnold Classic Europe made me smile and I felt great pride in representing not only myself and God, but my close friends and nutrition team, Construction Zone. To Pete and Apple, you know how much I love you and how much you are family to me. Thank you dearly for your service and friendship to me.

There will also be a sponsored Goody bag, informational packets, envelope of business cards for local resources, and prizes given out throughout the workshop. Space is limited for this workshop b/c it is a classroom environment.

Contact joyce@joycevanseters.com for sign up.

I am back from Spain and finally in relaxation mode.  Really, I am always working;)

I feel BLESSED to have won the Arnold Classic, and thank EVERYONE for their wishes!  So now I’m home and back to work!  As the season for my Save Fitness Team comes to an end, the new season begins!

Stay Tuned…

I am keeping my fans up to date with Everything that I am doing…I’ll be posting my daily inspirations and tips to keep you living your best life!  Enjoy;)

I don’t know about you, but in my youth, I fell into the need to be successful in EVERYTHING I did. It fulfilled me and made up for the lack of affirmation in my childhood. Drive and ambition are notable qualities, but if they lead you to be without GRACE for yourself as you walk through life, then it can become very unhealthy.

When you fail, how does your discouragement affect you? For example, the way we look is often a reflection of the lifestyle we live. It’s easy to feel guilty when we get out of shape or look a hot mess because we feel bad about the choices we’ve made or are making. We know how we should be living, what we should be putting in our bodies and how we should honor it with exercise and living a life of great health and energy. But sometimes…  we just don’t. Sometimes we get lazy; sometimes we just want a break from the discipline, focus and motivation required to do the right thing. And many times, the guilt of our decisions drain us of our strength and confidence. In a positive way, guilt can convict us to make better decisions and live better. But shame carries a weight so heavy that it keeps us down. Living in guilt can become a habit; a familiar place to retract to. We allow ourselves to be discouraged and place our identity in our actions and past. This is the quickest way to death. To live in freedom is to walk in the light and believe that God has not forsaken but set forth great plans for you in your life!

Why are we so surprised and condemning when we know that Adam and Eve left behind in all of us, an inclination to sin? (Romans 5:12, 17) The beauty of our salvation is that Christ’s sacrifice is the ultimate and final payment of our sins (Hebrews 7:27). We have been set free from our past, even the past of “yesterday”. That is why there is freedom in Christ. The price has been paid. We no longer have to be slaves to sin living in darkness. Acknowledging this grace and this freedom is what being a Christian is about. Living a life of gratefulness and knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for our souls allows us to live in joy and abundance. Therefore, we should never give up on the pursuit of excellent living. Accept grace and renew your faith in the God that empowers us.

If you are struggling in your fitness program, relationships, personal issues….don’t give up! “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” 1 Timothy 1:7.

Stay encouraged, my friends, we all fall short of the glory but we are all one in Christ.

Love

Tanji

This blog is inspired by my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ and everything he has taught me and also the hottest song that keeps ringing in my head right now…..Ugrade U by the lovely Beyonce!

Anyways, I will be referencing this song and also the WORD of God, so please excuse my “ghetto”ness if you can’t appreciate the combination.

As women, we must know our worth and ACT LIKE IT, especially when it comes to men. We have all been played or mistreated or even chased an undeserving fool.  No worries, mistakes serve a purpose in all of our lives.  So as we grow in wisdom, we can trust that the Lord is fully capable of finding us a mate who will be true and know how to honor us as women.  ”She is worth far more than rubies.  Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value” Proverbs 31:10-11  Lacking NOTHING of value my sisters!  That is so encouraging!  God loves us as he loved the church.  We should be treated by men according to our value to God as a child created in His image.  We have an essence that should be honored and protected.  Eph 5:25-33.  We are so COMPLETE in Him!  That alone ignites a fire in me and gives me such confidence that I know that God is going to bless me with an amazing man to be my husband and also that I will be quite the upgrade for him also.

As Beyonce puts it so passionately…

“I hear you be the block, but I’m the light that keeps the streets on”

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished” Luke 1:45. My trust in the Lord is so rich. This is why my light shines. Everything good in me comes from Jesus! Straight up! If God  uses me to lift others, to be encouraging, forgiving, gracious, nurturing….my life serves an awesome purpose and I will always have joy!

“I’m known to walk alone, but I’m alone for a reason” God has given me discernment over the years. He knows His plans for me and I simply seek His will. Ultimately, He is the driving force in all my decisions. Sometimes, when I am tempted or weak, I will guard my heart and  ”walk” purely and make myself one with Christ.

“Come harder, this won’t be easy. Don’t doubt yourself, trust me you need me. This aint no shoulder with a chip or an ego”

This is to the men….step up to the plate. When you’ve found the woman that God is trying to bless you with, don’t doubt His plans for you. Just pray for the courage to be her hero.

“You need a real woman in your life, taking care of home and still fly”

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord” Proverbs 18:22. God intended for us women to be man’s helpmate.  We are here to support them and lift them up. We must complement our men in their weakness and respect them. Men need us, deeply! God made it that way. That is an awesome responsibility, not to be taken lightly. We must honor our husbands and love them fully. They won’t want to admit it, but they’re delicate too and we have the power to crush them. Let’s not. Oh and let’s remember to stay in shape as it is important to keep the flames burning, esp when married. Let’s not make it easy for them to lust outside of the marriage. As sinners, we are weak, but we must take responsibility and show that we care about these weaknesses by doing what IS in our control. Stay true to fitness.

“I can do for you what Martin did for the people, ran by the man but the women keep the tempo, its very seldom that you’re blessed to find your equal, still play my part and let you take the lead role, believe me. I’ll FOLLOW, this could be easy! I’ll be the help whenever you need me. I see your hustle with my hustle, I can keep you focused on your focus, I can feed you”

God has taught us that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Cor 11:3. If the man is fulfilling his role to love me as Christ loved the church, he’ll be unselfishly seeking my best.  His expectations will be reasonable and I will trust him.  This was a huge relief for me to come to this understanding.  I have always been an aggressive, strong and independent woman.  But deep down, I crave a man that I can follow with the security and peace that his final authority is also the God I love so much.  Men, if we are controlling….it is because we do not trust you. Doesn’t make it right, but it is what it is….

“It’s that little glimpse of light that makes a diamond really shine, and you already is a star, but unless you’re flawless, then your dynasty aint complete without a chief like me!”

We must allow our God given gifts to surface and play its role in our relationships. Our gifts can bring incredible gifts to a marriage.  So ladies, do not suppress your essence.  Be you and be vibrant in the Lord Jesus!

“Partner, let me upgrade you!”

Keep your heads up ladies, let God lead you to your prince and always know that you will be the upgrade in his life that makes it all GOOD!  We’re gems in the making!

Just my take on things at this time in my life…..

God Bless you!

Tanji

So, I am competing in the upcoming April 14 – 17 FIBO 2011 in Germany.  I am very excited to be a part of this as many of you know, I was born in Germany.  I have maintained contest PREP, and will keep you posted on my performance;)