Here today, gone tomorrow!

Unfortunately that's how many of us competitors feel about our ripped "in shape" bodies.  I am one of those people right now.  I have a little over 16 weeks to prep for my first IFBB pro physique show here in Sacramento.  Honestly part of me couldn't wait to start my competition diet today and part of me wasn't quite ready to give up the cheat meals.  I've really enjoyed being able to go out to eat with my husband and kids without having to bring my own food.  Honestly its a good thing that I went ahead and got back into my competition dieting phase because my cravings have gotten a little out of control lately.  Hunger has been my enemy and my stomach issues were just making the situation worse.  I started thinking that I may as well eat if I'm looked bloated and fat anyways! 

So, starting off this week fresh, I'm physically feeling a little better and my stomach issues have gotten a little less intense.  But, mentally I've got to wrap my head around the next 4 months of dieting for this show. I just remind myself that the earlier I start dieting, the earlier I'll be ready for the show.  To me that means less cardio and more time to spend with my family and personal training clients.  Those competitors who waited too long to start their diet understand what I'm talking about when it comes to being ready early.  I refuse to be in the gym for 2 hours of cardio, starving, and brain dead just to be able to show my face on stage.  To me, that's not bringing my best package to show.  So in honor of my early start to the season, I've created some goals for myself:

1. Don't get hooked on the scale's # because it doesn't tell me the real story about what's going on with my body.

2. Do Yoga once or twice a week to help with my mental blocks and stiff muscles.  It'll lengthen, strengthen, and guide me back when my mind wants to wander off the path.

3. Give my all at each cardio session.  No half-a*%ing it!  I gotta get those calories burned asap.

4. Be good on my cruise in December!  Yep, you read that right.  I'll be competition dieting while on a week long cruise in the Caribbean...it sucks but oh well.

5. Stay true to myself and my beliefs. I am a natural competitor and am determined to stay that way. I use only natural, holistic training and nutrition principles.  They are key to my success!

There you have it.  Make your list of goals-  It will put things into perspective and create a home base for when you lose your way.

Need help with your diet or training plan?  Message me or visit www.ironaddictiontraining.com

Get me my mojo, asap!

So after looking at the 2012 contest schedule for the Pro Physique division online and I actually felt a little sick to my stomach.  While I had that familiar excitement and energy, I also had a small bout of nausea that quickly followed. I've competed on the pro level in the natural divisions, but this just seems like a totally different league.  I know that there's a possibility that I could be the only natural competitor on that stage.  And while that makes me feel good inside, it also scares the crap out of me.  I don't know much about what women in non-tested shows take to get ready for a contest but I do know that it'll probably take me twice as long to lose the same amount of fat.  That's the sacrifice that natural competitors make to look their best on stage, but I must day that it does stress me out a bit.  Gotta love those sabotaging thoughts that your mind can produce!

One of the reasons I felt a little sick to my stomach are the issues I've been having with my digestive system (to put it nicely).  I've been a bloated mess for weeks now.  I have this huge distended stomach (looking like I'm way pregnant), have terrible cramps, and awful irregularity.  So immediately I start looking for resolutions.  I ordered some probiotics and enzymes which are helping a little, but I've now had to revamp my diet to see what the culprits are (I'm guessing vegetables?). 

Needless to say that with all of these physical issues come the mental ones too.  I need to get my mojo back asap!  That March contest will be here before I know it so I decided that it's time for a fresh game plan.  The first thing I'm doing is changing up my diet.  I've gotta figure out what's bothering my stomach so the diet change is imperative.  Second thing I'm gonna do is change up my workouts. I think that giving myself a new schedule and body part split will help a lot.  The last change I'm going to make right now is my cheat day meal plan (or lack thereof).  I currently eat whatever I want on Saturdays, but feeling sick and nauseated all day is no longer cool with me.  So to remedy this I'm going to eat clean all day & pick something special for dinner.  Lets see if that will fix me up...

Jiggly butts and flabby guts do not a winner make!



Bodybuilding- Never once have I said that this sport is easy.  In fact, I guarantee it's one of the toughest sports out there (aside from maybe an Iron Man race).  When you choose to prepare for a contest, you have just committed your body and mind to months of dieting, cardio, and heavy lifting- even on the days where you're feeling like a complete zombie. Then, you have all the sacrifices that go with this contest preparation which may include- missing parties (because you can't drink or eat so what's the point?), opting out of going to the movies (the smell of popcorn is just too much to handle!), ignoring the fast food restaurant you so often would visit (who really wants to watch other people eat hamburgers and fries while you're eating fish and asparagus?), and then trying to ignore the Starbucks on every corner (this is not easy cuz that caramel latte is calling my name!).



Me and my team at
the Sac ABA show



We do all of this to look our best on stage and ultimately to prove something to ourselves.  I've been competing for a few years now and after taking a look at myself, my team, and fellow competitors, I've come to the conclusion that many of us have issues with our body image or just food in general.  After all, getting up on stage in a teeny bikini leaves little to the imagination and will definitely show any lapses we've had in our diets or workout discipline.  I was at a contest this last weekend with my team and I was shocked at how many girls and guys got up on that stage when they truly weren't ready.  I mean jiggly butts and flabby guts do not a winner make!  But for those of us who stick to the plan 100% and come in on point...what happens after the show when its time to look like a "normal" person again?  I always see people I know at these shows (its a very small community) and this last show proved no different.  I saw a girl that I've competed with in the past and she said to me that I must not be competing because I'm "usually way more ripped than now". I wasn't quite sure what to make of that comment so I just reiterated that it was my "off-season" and that I had until next year before I had to be stage ready again. Gotta love people that put in their 2 cents...



I realized last night while talking to my husband that I have my own body image issues.  Unlike the skinny anorexic chicks of the world, my issue is what some may call Bigorexia.  Although mine's not an extreme case by any means, I do see myself as a much smaller person (muscle wise) than I really am.  My loving husband pointed this out to me last night when I compared myself to another figure girl that I competed against in the under 5'2" category.  I honestly thought we were the same size or that she was more muscular than me, but it turns out that I'm wrong- really wrong.  The picture above is a great example.  There I was, thinking that I'm close to the same size as the girls on my team, that is until I looked at that picture.  Triceps anyone? Even the photos from Oxygen and Flex magazines below show that my eyes don't see what's really in the mirror.  Having that person (whether its your husband, wife, or trainer) be honest with you and snatch you back into reality is crucial in this sport and lifestyle.  I must say that I'm thankful to have my husband's support and (sometimes brutal) honesty, because without it, I probably wouldn't be able to see what really standing (or flexing) in the mirror.  So...Who's gives you your reality check?



Oxygen magazine



Flex magazine





Oh cheat day, how I miss thee...

I went almost 8 months without a single cheat meal or deviation from my contest prep diet, yet now after only 1 week without my beloved cheat day, I'm ready to rip someone's head off!  It's amazing how if you don't have something for a long period of time your body doesn't really miss it that much. Getting into a routine is tough at first, but once I do, I find comfort within that. The idea of getting up on stage when I'm not looking or feeling my best really freaks me out.  I've seen some competitors get up on that stage knowing that they should've stayed home and given themselves an extra couple of months on the diet, and I really don't want that to be me!

I must say that I have iron-clad willpower when it comes to my contest diet, but dieting for a photoshoot doesn't really have the same urgency as getting up on stage does.  I know that these pictures will last FOREVER and are important, but unlike the upcoming contests, it doesn't seem real to me.  But honestly, it would be hard to ever forgive myself if I ruined the opportunities that this shoot could bring.  Great pictures are not only awesome for my website, but a woman needs some Sponsors to afford this sport/ lifestyle!

I went to a store last weekend to look for some outfits for the shoot (bikinis, athletic wear, etc) and was totally bummed out when I went into the dressing room to try the stuff on.  The lighting was awful (at least I hope it was the lighting) and I could see every dimple and imperfection on my butt and thighs.  If you ever want to deflate a woman's ego just take her into that store!  Talk about a reality check.  That afternoon I decided it was time to change up my workouts and add back in that 2nd leg day that I had quickly eliminated after my last contest.

So this week has had some challenges, but I'm actually feeling comfortable getting into my old routine, even if it is sans cheat meal- at least for the next couple of weeks.  So as of today, I'm within 3 lbs of my contest weight which is a relief.  I've never been able to keep my weight off for this long after my contest season has ended (notice I've omitted the term "off-season"). But I will say that I'm looking forward to being done with this shoot so I can have some chips and salsa, or maybe some Chinese food, or maybe yogurt with toppings, or maybe....I could go on and on but I think I'll stop while I'm ahead.

Off-season? What's that?

I've been competing for a while now (going into my 5th season!) and every competitor looks forward to their "off-season".  It's usually a time for us to become more relaxed with our diets, cut back on the cardio (or sometimes eliminate it completely), and rest up for the next season of competitions.  The questions I get a lot from new clients/competitors are: When do I take my season? How much weight should I gain? Do I have to do cardio?  To answer that question I will say only this: What off-season? 

I used to be a firm believer in living it up in my off-season.  I loved eating those carb-filled meals and not having to do the stepmill for 45 minutes at a time, but I hated trying to get all that weight off when it was time to start dieting again.  That's when I decided to change my habits from the "gotta eat to grow" mentality to my stay lean and win reality!  I've found that having one afternoon a week to eat whatever I want while following my "competition diet" the rest of the week works really good for me.  It gives me something to look forward to and feels like a reward for eating the right foods all week.  

Since I started doing this last year, I found it much easier to keep the weight off, therefore making my dieting down phase a lot less intense.  I noticed that while I only gained 8 lbs last year in my off-season, I still looked bigger and more muscular than the year before- last year I competed at 106 lbs and this season I ended at 101 lbs. I've posted a comparison photo from my contests in 2010 (left) and 2011 (right). 

The biggest difference I see is in my hamstrings and glutes.  Like most women that's the hardest area for me to lean out, so seeing the difference just in that area alone is motivation enough for me to keep the fat off this season!  That, plus the photoshoots I'm scheduling through out the year...

In a little less than 3 weeks I have a photoshoot with a couple of girls from my Iron Addiction team down in LA.  So, I've cut out my cheat day to harden up for those pics.  Man, I really enjoy those Smash Burgers and Barbeque, but it'll be worth it to have some awesome pics :-)  Plus, it'll feel good to not have to lose 5 lbs of water (at least I hope it's just water) each week to maintain my weight!  You read that right, I actually put on about 5 lbs after my cheat day.  It makes me sick to know how quickly I can put weight on!  Weighing myself before and after that cheat day keeps me in check.  Lord knows that weight sure does creep up on ya!

Better check yo'self b4 you wreck yo'self!



Me with my family after I won my IFBB Pro Card at the USA's.



If any of you reading this have ever dieted for a prolonged period of time (for me it was 8 months) you will understand my feelings over the last couple of weeks.  As a competitor, I dieted for 8 long months to get to the pinnacle of my conditioning.  I normally give myself 4 months so that I can get there in a heathly way and this season I ended up needing to tweak some things to get my conditioning perfect for the USA's.  While it really paid off in a big way, I now am sitting here with a sort lost feeling.  It's difficult to describe, but when you put all of your energy into something and seek perfection from it, the result can be bitter sweet.  I exceeded my own expectations this year by getting my IFBB pro card, and now I want to gear up for the 2012 season...but transitioning into my "off-season" is a little scary for me. 



My goal is to stay within 5 lbs of my competition weight- (and bummer for me) that includes water weight gain that you get immediately afterwards.  If I can stay right where I am now, I'll be fine.  I've decided to help me stay motivated I'm going to schedule a couple of photoshoots for Sept/Oct/Nov time frame.  I won't know when my first pro show will be until October so I figure having someone take photos of me in tiny outfits before then will surely keep me in shape!  It really can be hard to keep yourself in check when you don't have something coming up for a while.  It's so easy to have your slip ups and not really worry about them until you get on the scale and you're 10 lbs up!  I've decided that I'm not gonna let that happen to me this year.  Here's my game plan:



1. Eat clean all week long.  Basically I'll stay on my competition diet during the week and then have one day (Saturday) to eat pretty much whatever I want for 1/2 day. 

2. Keep up my cardio, but less than competition season.  This is more for the mental aspect of it than anything.  Cardio keeps my mind in check and just makes me feel good :-)

3. Schedule photo shoots farther out from contest to keep my motivation to stay in shape.  Shoots are easy right after contest because you're already in shape...its the ones set farther out that keep your eating in check!

4. Only eat cheat meals that are really "worth it".  I'm not gonna just eat crap because I can.  I'm working hard for those meals so they better be the most amazing things I've ever tasted! 

5. Weigh myself every week whether I want to or not.  I need the accountability and it'll help me to control myself on my cheat meal days.  It's amazing how many foods you start to crave after you've had a "taste".  Sugar and fats really are addictive- that's I leave them out completely during my competition prep.  I rather not even have the temptation!

So this weekend after my cheat day, I actually weighed myself for the first time since contest.  I haven't had that much anxiety in a long time.  But thankfully, I'm staying within 5 lbs of my contest day weight still.  It's like I have to re-train my brain after every competition season.  In my head I know it's not healthy to keep really low body fat all year round, but my ego wants to...Therin lies the issue. 

OMG, I won!....Now what?

Last month seemed like a huge whirlwind.  I had 3 contests in July and looking back it all seems like a blur.  The first contest of the month was the San Jose show where I placed first in my class in figure and bodybuilding.  Then it was on to the natural IFPA show in Sacramento.  I placed 2nd there again to Chrissy Z. but I was happy nonetheless because I'd shown up in great condition.  I had a hard time this season with bloating the day of the show.  For some reason I kept retaining a lot of water throughout the day and by the time I went on stage I felt like a bloated mess and my suit was tight!  Talk about frustrating.  But thank God that my hubby is a genius and he came up with a perfect peaking plan for my last show in Vegas- the NPC USA's. 

The USA's was really important show to me for a couple of reasons.  The first being that I was ready to move away from the figure division and into either the new NPC physique division or natural bodybuilding.  I was tired of "the heels" and not getting to really flex my muscles.  The second reason is that I knew I needed to make a choice between the IFPA or the NPC as they had sent out letters to some fellow competitors warning them that they needed to compete in either one or the other division.   So in my head I was already debating on which organization I should choose.  I knew that if I won my class at the USA's and earned my pro card in the IFBB that the decision would be so much easier for me.

I went into the USA's without any expectations.  I just focused on nailing my poses, making eye contact with the judges, and tried to keep my nerves in check.  There was a huge crowd there and it included my parents from Oklahoma as well as my sister and her boyfriend from Texas, so the pressure was on!  I wanted to do well for myself but also for my husband who had put up with me for all those months while I was dieting and kept tweaking my diet and workouts until I hit my perfect peak.  I went into that show without any bloating, Liquid Sunrayz gave me the perfect color, and Saleyla had fixed my suit for me last minute while in Vegas.  Everything was working out for the best and it all fell into place when I was moved to the center during the first callouts. 

Talk about an amazing feeling!  Hearing my name being called out for the 1st place trophy and IFBB pro card was surreal!  I can't even explain how I felt except that I wanted to cry and throw up all at the same time.  I went to IHOP after the contest and got my long awaited pancake platter and then realized that my off-season had just started....There aren't any pro shows for physique until next year...so now what?  I guess I'll just try not to get fat.