Trish 2011 Competition prep #3- posing suits

This past weekend it really hit me that competition season is getting close! I ordered a suit from my designer, Elite Stagewear, on Sunday. She designed the blinged out red suit I wore for the IFPA Pro Show in Sacramento in July & I got tons of compliments on it, so I decided to work with her again this year.

That purchase made me think about the importance of buying a great suit. Many competitors, especially starting out (myself included), tend to wait until the last minute or try and skimp on their suits because they are costly. A good quality suit will cost anywhere from $250-$1800 depending on the designer and the level of competition you're entering.

Just behind perfect posing & a great body, the suit we wear in figure is one of the most important ingredients to a solid win. If your suit doesn't fit, your physique won't look as good as possible- in fact it can become a distraction instead of an enhancement. It's important to get the help of an experienced competitor or suit designer that will help match the right fit to your body type. Getting up on stage in a suit that's too big in the bottoms will make your butt look huge on stage! And having one that's too small will create that awful muffin top & make you look bloated and unconditioned! I've been to several competitions where if a girl just had a more flattering suit (whether it's the cut or color), she could have won or placed much higher. How disappointing would that be?

Whereas bodybuilding is a more cut & dry sport, the judges are looking for the total package in figure. The suit isn't nearly as important in bodybuilding as it is in figure because they are just looking at your symmetry & muscularity. But in figure the judges want it all- symmetry, muscularity, femininity, poise, & beauty. That's right- hair, makeup, suit bling, shoes- it all matters and creates the ideal package.

Where do you begin???

I suggest starting to think about your suit early on in the season. Give yourself plenty of time to get the perfect one, find a local seamstress that can help you with alterations if needed, and don't skimp on the bling! There are several places to look for suits to help you pick the right one. If you're trying to decide what color or cut, check out www.musculardevelopment.com. They have tons of photos on their site of figure competitors & bodybuilders. See which colors and designs catch your eye. Find a girl with a similar body type, look at what type of cut she has, and how her suit fits. If you're on a budget and have some time before your show, check out www.divaexchange.com to get a used suit. I typically sell my suits on this website (after I've used them for a season) and put that money towards my new one. But be careful on this site as many girls have had their suits altered. So, get their measurements and make sure you're close to the same size! Lastly, ask around where other competitors get their suits made, call & talk to the designer to make sure you get along with her. I called a designer last season & realized during our conversation that she was NOT for me...

Questions or comments? Feel free to email or post!

Trish's 2011 competition prep #2

In training for competitions, one of the most important lessons I've learned is that patience really is a virtue. Whether dieting for a show or just to lose weight in general, the process can be seem like it takes forever! When we first start the diet or plan, we're excited and can't wait for the changes to occur & be visibly noticeable. Even at my level of fitness, I still am impatient & ready to see some changes- NOW!!!

Unfortunately that is not reality. The first week of my diet I lost all that water weight- about 4 lbs. That got me really motivated and excited to push myself in the gym, stay strict on my diet, and drink all my water. And this week, the scale only moved .2 lbs (yes you read that right)...yikes! I'm determined to go into the show in my best shape ever and I did worry (only for a moment) that at this rate I won't make it!

But today, I had to put myself in check. I reminded myself that losing fat, not muscle, is the most important thing- not how quickly I can make it happen. Chances are, the faster you're losing the weight, the more muscle you're losing in the process. That is not my goal at all. I want to maintain as much of my muscle as possible, so that when I take the stage (or even wear a tank top or swimsuit at the pool) that I don't look like I've been starving for 4 months! I don't want to be the sucked up chick on stage who looks like she's ready to pass out any second. I want my body to look hard & well conditioned & look like I was made for the sport!

Being patient can be really tough when you've got a goal that you're striving to reach. Whether you want to compete or to just look better, watching the scale slowly change can be torture! That's why I make sure to weigh myself only once per week. Water and food levels can make your weight fluctuate so much that daily weigh-ins can sabbotage your confidence and make you feel like you're spinning your wheels! Weighing once each week or two is a more accurate measurement of what you're body is doing and also holds you accountable for what you are eating and how hard you're working in the gym.

Want a better way to tell if you're body is changing? Try some clothes that used to not fit very well or take pictures every month like I do. Those are the best ways to see the changes that are occuring with your body. The scale is not the only way to measure your success and this week's weigh in definitely proves that!

2011 Comp prep- entry #1

I can't believe that January is here already! It seems like yesterday that I competed in the IFPA Pro USA in Sacramento & placed second to a totally ripped Chrissy Z. I vowed after that competition that I'm going to tear up the 2011 stage! I let myself gain 25 lbs last year in 2009 & that was a terrible idea. Getting that weight off for the 2010 season was torture and made for some grueling cardio sessions.

So, this year I decided to stay within 10 lbs of my 103 lbs contest weight. I've sat comfortably at 110 lbs for my off season and was able to enjoy a cheat meal (well a cheat day really) once a week. I think having those cheat meals helped me to stick to my diet for those 5 months. Now that the "dieting down" process is upon me again, I must say that it feels much less daunting than it did last year!

My wonderful husband, Mike Wood, writes up all of my competition diets and really knows his stuff. He's planned my competition diets for each season I've competed- and this is going to be my 4th competitive season. It's amazing how much your body can change in such a short period of time! My first planned competition for the season will be the NPC Contra Costa, May 7, 2011 in Hayward, CA. I placed 2nd there last year & really want to take home the overall trophy this year.

I usually give myself a minimum of 4 months to get ready for a contest (this season I'm giving myself 5 months) with the expectation that I'll be ready early enough to start adding food back into my diet and play with the peaking strategies that Mike has in his head already.

So, starting off my competition diet on 1/2/11, I weighed 113.8 (I had one last hoorah before the cheat day went away). After having been on the diet now for 1 week, I'm down to 109.2 & I'm assuming that almost all of the lost weight was water. I'm sure the weight will start creeping off from here on out- which is a good thing!

I feel great this week and my workouts are going really good. I feel strong and hunger hasn't really set in yet. I lft heavy all the way up to contest to ensure muscle rentention and enhance my muscle definition. I'm determined to keep as much muscle on as possible!

I'll be writing a blog every few weeks- journaling my progress, giving tips and helpful hints, and uploading photos of my progression. So check back if you're interested!

Wondering if you should you compete?

I always used to look through magazines like Oxygen & Muscle & Fitness Hers & admire the women on those pages. I always wanted to look like them, but I had no idea what it would take to get there. The models in those magazines make it seem so effortless to look that way. Catch phrases like "Just workout 3 times a week for 6 weeks and get these abs!" lure us into thinking that it should be simple to achieve that fitness model look. I never thought about the fact that those models are paid to make themselves look like they stay that way all year round & are never hungry or grouchy...but that is not reality!

Granted, getting that look is attainable, but not necessarily sustainable for a long period of time. Our bodies need rest from the hardcore dieting & cardio sessions it takes to get that lean & ripped! Fitness models, figure, and bodybuilding competitors eat clean for months on end (no cheat meals at all!), they do hours upon hours of cardio, and train with an immense intensity in the gym 5-7 days a week for as long as they need to get their bodies sculpted to perfection.

So, why do people put themselves through all of this season after season?.......

The answer is simple- The Love of The Sport. There really is no feeling like the one you get when you're on stage presenting all of your hard work to crowds of cheering people. It makes every sacrifice you've made all season long seem validated.

But, how do you know if you should compete? There are several common factors in all of the competitors I have talked to on this subject and here are some questions you should ask yourself:

1. Are you a competitive person by nature? Does the thought of someone else putting in the work while you're watching TV get you moving?

2. Do you need a goal to motivate you to get in the best shape of your life?

3. Are you willing to sacrifice your social life in terms of eating out, drinking alcohol, and staying out late to attain your physical best?

4. Are you willing to put in all the hard work (dieting, training, posing conditioning, & cardio sessions) and still be sweet to & make time for your significant other, kids, family, and friends?

5. Lastly, does your family support you or do you have a support system in place? It's essential that you have encouragement from your loved ones & even your co-workers because temptation really is everywhere. One slip-up during your competition prep can set you back weeks!

If you answered yes to all the questions above, then the sport of bodybuilding & figure could be a perfect fit. Keep in mind that if you answered "maybe" or "no" to any of them, it would be in your best interest to wait & compete at a later date. This sport is gratifying & fun, but if your mind isn't there, then it will just end up being a miserable punishment for everyone involved!

For more advice, check out my other blogs.

Iron Addiction- your source for training, nutrition, & motivation!

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It's mind over matter...

I never really seemed to struggle with weight as a kid. Unlike most kids nowadays, I was always outside playing and was active in one sport or another all the way through high school. It wasn’t until I began my college education, that I stopped exercising and started eating…

Like most students, I spent the most of my college days partying & eating out with friends. I pushed the need for exercise to the back of my mind- behind all the tests I had to study for, the projects I had due, and the part-time job I was working to pay for my “extracurricular activities”. I gained the “freshman 10” pounds almost immediately and kept on gaining weight throughout my college career. It wasn’t until I saw my graduation photos that I decided to make a change and lose the weight.

I ran out and did the easiest thing I could think of…I joined Jenny Craig. At the time I was out of control and I needed someone to tell me what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat it. Having pre-packaged meals was simple (costly, but simple). Over the next 8 months or so, I did lose the weight, but only to gain a lot of it back within the next 2 years.

Looking back, there were a few problems that hindered my goals of a slim, sexy body. The first problem was that I didn’t understand how my body was responding to the food (or lack thereof) that I was eating. The second problem was that I was only running and doing lots of cardio. I thought that lifting weights would make be bulky- and I definitely didn’t want that! The third and most important problem was that had yet to understand my unhealthy relationship with food.

You may not think that you have a problem with food, but if you’re reading this blog and relating to anything that I am writing, then you could be mistaken. I’m not saying that I had an eating disorder, but I didn’t make the “mind to food connection” until a few years ago when I started dieting for my first competition. It was when I had to restrict calories, and count every last morsel of food that I consumed, that I began to understand how much I depended on food. We, as a nation in general, depend on food for all types of things: celebrations, rewards, group activities, fund raisers, boredom busters, and consolation to name a few.

After following such strict diet and exercise program, I found that every time I was bored or stressed I began craving all types of food. But with these cravings came the understanding and acceptance that I didn’t need food to fill my time- I needed something productive to keep me busy! In my case I began working a second part time job and filling my down time with things I’d been neglecting to do- like housecleaning, organizing, drawing, and spending quality time with my husband.

Some important things you can do in your fight with the scale are to first understand why you eat. Are you really hungry? Are you bored or stressed out? Are you just trying not to offend group of people ordering the super fatty entrees? The second thing you must do is break your bad habits. I no longer get the extra buttery popcorn at the theater or run to the pantry when I’m upset. Once you begin breaking some of your most destructive habits you’ll create a new outlook on food. It will no longer be a comfort, a time killer, or a stress reliever. It will be a source of nutrition and the pathway to your goal of a great physique!