Trish's 2011 comp prep, week 10- Say hello to my little friends!

This has been an interesting competition prep season for me. Last season I lost so much weight during my prep (about 25 lbs) that I got really used to seeing the scale move every week. It was an expectation because of how much I needed to lose. But this season, since I didn't gain as much weight off season, I haven't really seen see the scale move at all! It's a real mind trip to look in the mirror & see new veins and muscles popping out but then I step on the scale and....nothing. Thankfully, the scale at our gym does measure the weight of your body fat, water, and muscle, so I can see some sort of progress (losing tiny bits of fat or water). But for those of you who don't have that nifty machine I definitely feel for ya. It really can be frustrating to work so hard and not see that dreaded number go down.


I've talked about how pictures can do a world of good in tracking your progress but taking the time to pose & look at yourself in the mirror is another good way to see progression. I haven't even had the time to take my own pictures these last 2 weeks, but you bet I have time to pose in the mirror! It was during one of those moments that I flexed my bicep & saw a bundle of new veins in my shoulder that I didn't have last year! Seeing my new “little friends” made me really excited (I even had to show my husband) and motivated me to push through this week’s workouts and diet with a vengeance! It may seem trivial to anyone else, but to a dieting competitor it’s like an instant high. Knowing that your hard work is paying off works wonders for your mental state and your motivation.

I know that I must be getting as lean, or am leaner, than I was at contest last year. I tried on a pair of jeans that I never was able to wear because they were too tight and they fit! I noticed that I’m also more vascular throughout the day, not just during my workouts. Now, since my weight’s not really changing, but my body is, I can only hope that I’m preserving muscle and only losing fat (which has been my intention all along). Now, if I can just get that last bit off of my thighs and butt I’ll be stage ready!

Trish's 2011 comp prep, week 9- "Does my neck look fat?"

Starting weight: 113, current weight: 106.7


I can't believe that I'm on week 9 of my competition diet already. It's been flying by and I'm glad for that. I think that going into the 3rd month totally reveals how hard you've worked in the previous months. At this point, you're either really glad that you started early because you're going to cruise into contest shredded or, you're freaking out because you've got to squeeze yourself into a teeny bikini in no time at all....As for me, I'm going to glide into contest ready to win!

This week I actually had 6 different people tell me that I look like I've lost a lot of weight. Earlier this week, a guy at the gym said "No offense, but you didn't look like this a couple months ago!" and a lady at the gym tonight said "You must compete because you're the only one that looks like that here- except for the guys". I wasn't sure how to take that one...

But, almost every person that's made a comment also said that my neck and face look thinner...so were they fat before? I think it's funny, because my weight has only changed about 6 lbs since I started by diet 9 weeks ago- and 4 of those pounds were from the first week of water loss! The comments people make are pretty flattering for the most part and this is about the time I get people coming up to me left and right (at the gym especially) asking me questions about my diet, workouts, and supplements. It like I should carry a list, containing my diet and supplements, around with me to hand out to people! Usually, I wear my headphones to prevent the questions during my workout. But, many times that doesn't work because they'll either just stand in front of me or even tap me on the shoulder to get my attention...really? Is it that serious?

It's funny because about 95% of the time, people who come up and talk to me always think that there's some Magic pill they can take to fix their weight loss issues and boy are they bummed to learn that it's only hard work and discipline that produce my results! Anyways, for those of you who are also dieting I feel your pain, hunger, tiredness, and ultimately your excitement!

It's about this time that I start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I have 7 weeks until my May 7th contest and I'm getting that familiar jittery excitement to get back up on stage! There really is no feeling that's been able to compare to the satisfaction I get from showing off my hard work and dedication to fitness. That's what I keep in mind when I'm losing my motivation or am just plain tired. I never want to be one of those competitors that just show up to a contest (like they had nothing better that night to do so they decided to compete at the local bodybuilding show). I want to be the competitor that people see backstage and makes them wish they'd worked a lot harder in their contest prep!

Trish's 2011 comp prep, week 8- "Back off cookies!"

Sitting here at my “day job” I’m wishing I could just take a nap. A short nap would work- maybe 15-20 minutes? Maybe if I shut my office doors, put the phone on Do Not Disturb, & turn out the lights they’ll forget I’m here? I can’t believe how bad I’ve been sleeping the last 2 nights. My poor husband is having allergies or sinus problems and can’t breathe at night, so his snoring has been awful. I find myself waking up in the middle of the night to go sleep on the couch. I wake up exhausted, feeling like I haven’t sleep at all- and that makes for a worn out wife, step-mom, and dieting competitor!


Getting enough sleep & recovery during competition prep can be tough, even without a snoring husband or wife, but it really is crucial to my success. I find that when I’m tired, I’m not only grouchy, I’m starving! Right now I’m craving pretty much any sugary thing that will give me the quick fix or sugar rush, but that’s when my common sense training competitor side has to come out & tell me “NO!” There’s no way in hell I’m letting a couple of sleepless nights ruin my 8 weeks of completely clean dieting! I know that if I take a bite of something sweet, I’ll eat the whole thing, and then push back my contest ready date. I’ve worked too hard to let myself down like that. Plus the fact that I’d probably have a terrible stomach ache and be on the toilet all night- to make for a 3rd sleepless night…

Needless to say, I’m going to bed early tonight! Maybe I’ll invest in some ear plugs or some Tylenol PM, but either way I’m determined to keep myself on track and reach my goals. I’m not going to work this hard for nothing!

Trish's 2011 comp prep, week 7- Is it nap time yet?

Starting weight: 113 lbs, Current weight: 106.8 lbs


I must say that finishing up week 7 of my competition diet feels pretty good. I’ve stayed on track, I haven’t strayed at all from my food plan, and from the look and feel of it I should be ready on time- if not early! As good as it feels to see the inner buff chick finally coming out; my attitude doesn’t seem to be reflecting that.

Yesterday morning my husband told me that for the past 3 days I’ve been pretty bitchy (he said it as nicely as he could…). The worst part about that remark is that I didn’t even realize it! I admit that I haven’t slept well the last week and it must have caught up to me. So last night, I took a Tylenol PM & woke up feeling really good. I just needed a good night’s sleep- one where I’d wake up feeling rested instead of worn out! I finally felt like that this morning. I work long days where I wake up at 4:45am, get home around 8:30pm, and then crawl in bed around 9pm. Granted this is not the best schedule for a dieting woman to be on, but you do what you gotta do.

As focused as I am on these upcoming competitions there are some very important things that I’m gonna remember to do:

1.Pay attention to my husband and step-kids- and try not to get so easily annoyed by any of them J

2.Get plenty of sleep & rest my sore muscles. I'll switch around body part workout days when needed, especially if I’m still sore from a previous workout

3.Remind myself that competing is not a requirement, it is a choice!

I think that's the most inportant thing for me to remember. No one is forcing me to be a bodybuilder/figure competitor. It's my choice to stay on a strict diet while everyone around me pigs out on fast food. I choose to get up at the crack of dawn to do my cardio while others sleep. I choose to give max effort in every workout while others stand around and talk for the duration of theirs. That’s part of the competitor’s lifestyle and therefore it’s part of mine…and I love it!

Trish Comp prep, week 6- Come on scale, move!

Starting weight: 113, current weight 108.2

I feel like I’ve turned a corner this week. The last couple of weeks were rough to say the least, but this week has been much better. It’s nice not feeling like I’m ready to rip someone’s head off for no reason! Although I still haven’t seen the scale budge, I do feel and look different. If you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ve noticed that I take photos of myself every week. I figure that since the scale’s not doing much, it helps me to see some progress!

Taking pictures on a weekly or bi-weekly basis is a reliable way for me and my husband/coach to judge how I’m progressing in my dieting and workouts. Every month I’ll put those pictures side by side and evaluate if I’ll be ready for my contest in time, if I need to increase my cardio, change up my workout split, calories, etc.

When it comes to dieting down for a contest, I have a number in my head at which I think I should compete. Since I know what weight I competed at last year, I have this need to get back down there again. But, I have to keep reminding myself that as long as I’m losing body fat, it doesn’t really matter what the scale’s saying. I’m learning to pay attention to the details…seeing progression in photos, feeling my skin’s “thickness” (it’s definitely feeling thinner!), and also looking for new striations and increased vascularity (especially during my workouts).

I’ve actually read articles that discourage people from dressing to see their muscles during workouts! As a trainer & competitor, I think that it’s important to make the visual connection between mind and muscle. Watching my muscles contract helps me feel the flexion not only in gym but also up on stage where it really matters! Time to eat…

Trish's 2011 Comp Prep, week 5- Stay focused!

Bodybuilding and Figure competitions are one of the toughest sports around. I’ve trained for a triathlon before and played various sports, but I’ve never had to be as disciplined and as structured as I am with contest prep. As with any sport, the diet is key- whether it’s to fuel up for a race or to recover from workouts, it’s the diet that will make or break you. Last week was rough to say the least.

My calories are normal for a female my size, but I’ve had a really hard time watching my husband eat 5000+ calories a day. His cheat day is on Saturdays and not surprisingly, that’s the toughest day of the week for me. This Saturday I came home from training my clients to fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, then it was Chipotle for lunch (picture me there with my lunch bag in hand), then more cookies, and don’t forget about the chips or cereal, then Dickie’s BBQ, and finally frozen yogurt for dessert…Holy cow!

I never realized how tough it would be to have one person in the house that’s trying to lose weight; while the other’s trying to gain weight (I’ve never had that problem!). So I guess the point to my ranting is how do I stay focused? Bodybuilding is tough enough without fattening food being sat in front of my face, but where do I find the will power to stick to the diet and not give in to temptation?

Here’s a list of my top 5 distractions:

1. I look at my past competition photos and photos of people whose physiques I admire.
2. I clean up, organize, and keep myself busy to take my mind off of wanting to eat.
3. I shop! Buying clothes or searching online for something I want is always a great distraction.
4. I walk my dog around the neighborhood or just get my heart pumping a little (nothing strenuous  though  because I don’t want to over-train).
5. I curl up and read a book or magazine and sometimes will sip on a hot tea with calorie free sweetner to curb my appetite.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, spend some time trying different things to get your mind off of food and on to winning that trophy! It’s just like they say, out of sight, out of mind…

Trish's Comp prep #4- good days & bad days

Starting weight: 113, Current Weight: 107.4

I thought that I'd write about the struggles that I, as a competitor, go through in dieting for a contest. There are several phases in contest prep & right now I'm still in the 1st month or the "excitement phase" as I'd call it. My workouts are still going really good, I can see that I'm getting leaner, I just ordered my competition suit, and I'm ready for a fake tan!

It's in the excitement phase that I feel really motivated to lose the weight but it's also when my are hormones seem to start to acting up...

Then, I end up going to a restaurant with my husband & step kids (In-N-Out Burger, Chipotle, just to name a couple) and there I am, lunch bag in hand, watching them order things I could scarf down in minutes, and smelling the food that could easily sabbotage all of my hard work! It's on those days that I have the hardest time sticking to my meal plan. It has occured to me that my clients (especially the dieting competitors) probably feel the same way as I do. Now in my 4th competition season, I've found that being around food temptations doesn't bother me nearly as much as it used to, but it can still be a struggle. That's when I call on my support team for the extra motivation I need to get through the bad days.

My husband has been my biggest fan. He's not only my coach and trainer, he's the voice of reason when I need to hear one. One day last week, I was in a terrible mood. I didn't sleep well the night before and I was feeling really irritable and down on myself. After sending him a text that said something like "I'm grumpy :-(", he made a special picture for me. It had 4 of the top girls in the figure industry, on stage, looking their best, and it was titled "Come and Beat Me!". That was all I needed to turn my mood around. That picture is still hanging on my fridge & I use it as motivation to stay on top of my diet & workouts.

What's your motivation? Who's your "go to person" for when you're feeling down? If you don't know, then you'd better take a step back & think through your competition season a little more. This sport is one of the hardest around- both physically & mentally. No matter how strong of a person you are, you're going to need someone to lean on. Notice I said someone, not something! Trainers, spouses, friends, and fellow competitors are examples of the typical support teams a competitor needs in his/her life. If you don't have anyone close to you to lean on, get on forums (bodybuilding.com, siouxcountry.com, and facebook to name a few) and find one!!! You'll be glad you did!