Prep Time

[cdmuscle]

Well... I'm not too sure about doing this, but I've been keeping up with other competitor's posts and I'm impressed at the support and information everyone here gives.

I'm going to apologize up front for anything I may say during this dieting process! I am VERY critical of myself and have dropped from two previous competitions at around 8-12 weeks out.

I guess I'm hoping that by making a commitment to journal, it will carry over to competing. I did a natural competition 2 years ago and took overall, so I know I CAN do this!

Current stats/diet:

height: 5'4"
weight: 152 lbs
bf%: 18% (yikes!)
time out: 17 weeks

I have been doing a keto diet and taking weekends off, but as of this week I am going to take out the free days and begin a moderate carb cycle. I am very sensitive to carbs, so they can do a lot of help/damage depending on type and timing. This is something I need to really look at before competition for muscle fullness on stage without bloating.

breakfast: 4 eggwhites, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp salsa
snack: Pro 42 bar
lunch: 4 oz chicken, 3/4 c green vegetable
snack: 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 oz peanuts
dinner: 4 oz lean ground beef, 1 cup green vegetable
evening: 2 scoops pure whey protein w/creatine

I am an endo/meso, so although I gain muscle easily I also hold fat. Cardio time is around 30-40 minutes and I alternate with HIIT.

That pretty much covers the basics. Any comments/suggestions are welcome! Wish me luck!! :)

[blonde_diva]

Cool! Looking forward to reading your logs.

I have learned so much from reading lots here :).

I'm also very sensitive to carbs. I've been doing a few weeks of cutting...increased fats and protein to work with cycling carbs to 25-100 grams/day and I have seen great results!! I lost bodyfat and also put on lean mass...which I was not expecting to do.

Do you tend to have to keep your carbs fairly low to show any gains?

[cdmuscle]

The range that seems to show me the most fat loss is the one you indicate (25-100 gms). As you can tell my carb level during the week is around 25-35 gms. This keeps my hunger manageable and protein high. On the carb-up days, I will add some oatmeal or brown rice so I don't trigger an insulin rush.

My big concern is maintaining muscle. During my first competition I lost a lot of mass because of drastic dieting measures. Hopefully I have gotten a lot smarter in 2 years!!! :/

[bufchk]

I would like to see a picture because you seem very similar to myself and past experiences. I'm getting to where I really don't care to compete anymore. I'd just like to stay lean and maybe work on it in the future. I too bloat from carbs easily and people can tell when I cheat on things!! Anyway, look forward to reading your journal even if I don't make it to my competition.

[buffyd]

Take this advice from someone who has had experience with keto and muscle loss. Save it for the last few weeks. 25 carbs a day is way too low at 17 weeks out. Where are your post-workout carbs??? You NEED them! Being carb-sensitive should not mean cutting them out all together. Have your majority of carbs in the a.m. and taper off during the day to end your last meal with zero carbs. OR you can choose to continue with the keto for 17 weeks and end up looking emaciated. Don't take offense to any of this. I just hate to see somebody end up like I did last year. I have a competition in three weeks, and I just started a "modified" keto this week. My body was starting to plateau with the diet I was on, so I switched it up for these last few weeks, and I am very happy with the results so far! "modified" meaning I still have my 65 grams of post-workout carbs. I couldn't function without them. But the thing is, they are put to use immediately, so your chances of storing them as fat are slim to none. Hope this helps you out some! Personally, I would rather up my cardio than do keto for 17 weeks.

B

[cdmuscle]

Thanks for the info! I have to agree with you, I think too much carb depletion so early in the plan is too drastic. I am going to change it up a little and have a few recup. carbs in the morning and after workout.

I think it will also help with this TERRIBLE fatigue! I can hardly work out. Cardio is almost out of the question, I barely squeeked out 20 minutes yesterday... Way too soon to be so darn out of it!

As for competing, I have to tell you that I commend any woman who can stand on that stage. It is such a struggle to build and then maintain muscle if you don't use anything! I tested out a few enhancements after my natural competition and the side effects were way tougher on my system than any gains I received so I had to give myself at least 2 years to clean up. One thing I realized after trying this stuff is that it kind of threw me into no-man's land. What I mean is that I am too big for figure/fitness (and I can't do a flip to save my life!) but I am too small to ever compete with girls who use hard cycles. All natural competitions are where I do best, but using anything that is considered "against the rules" will put you out all together.

Anyway...

I just had to splurge yesterday! My daughter's birthday cake was just too tempting :) But I feel a lot better today and ready to hit it again--besides, I still have a little play time.

Workout plan for now (I change programs frequently) is:

Day 1 - Chest/Tri
Day 2 - Back/Bi
Day 3 - Quad/Ham/Calf
Day 4 - Shoulder/Trap
Day 5 - Off
Repeat

More to follow...

[missmuscle]

CD-
so glad you're posting
I'm 20 weeks out now and I am stepping up my cardio intensity and lifting intensity- no more cheat days either
This will be my first competition (figure) and I am really excited. My goal is to come in around 7 % bodyfat. I am planning on eating heathy w/o cheats until August when I will start the super strict 12 week diet. Right now I am still eating small amount of fruit and some ww pasta and ww grains right after workout.
I'm hoping that this forum will keep me going- I have been inspired especially by bufchk's journal. I look forward to posting and discussing our strategies- this being my first show, I haven't really developed one and I won't know how my body will react to ratios of carbs etc. Good luck!

[cdmuscle]

Had a much better work out yesterday! I'm so happy :) Did back and biceps. Even though I didn't get much of a pump, the weights are going back up.

My body weight has stabilized at 152. This seems to be my sticking point... I am going to really buckle down on my calories and salt intake. I won't start boiling all my meats until I'm around 8 weeks so at least I still can look forward to a little flavor even though I'm eating the same things every day.

I am using the www.fitday.com website to help me keep track. I just love that site! You guys have it together with these website links.

I will probably begin doing to cardio sessions at around 10-12 weeks depending on how the weight is coming off.

I am going to try and stay as positive as possible this time. Usually when my weight stabilizes, I get frustrated and then I go to the gym and I can still see alot of flab (yuck). I also work in an office - Have you ever noticed that everyone who works in an office has candy on their desk??? Or that EVERYONE just has to eat popcorn all day long...

By the way guys, I don't know if you've ever tried this, but my last competition I actually had to bribe myself to keep going. Have you ever noticed that their is always something you just love on sale while you are dieting? Well... you can freeze some things and save them for after your comp. as a treat. Now I'm not talking about sitting down with a pile of goodies and going nuts, but it sure is nice to know you will be able enjoy all those things you missed. Of course this doesn't work for everyone, I am very obsessive and controlling so this helped me out.

Good dieting!

[missmuscle]

Hey !

Bribes- yes very familiar with those!!

Sounds like your diving right in CD!

Don't worry about your sitcking point- I'm at one right now too- I'm hoping that cleaning up my diet and only doing interval cardio will jump start me!

As for your sodium- I've done A LOT of research (in fact my degree is in research) and you really needn't start watching that sodium until you are very close to competition. Your body has a natural defense mechanism that you can't outsmart for more than 2-3 days that releases a hormone that causes sodium to be retained if you go too low. Try to keep it at 2000 mg and you should be fine and you shouldn't be bloated. If you are there may be another culprit- suprisingly if you keep sodium at or below 2000 yoiu shouldn't be bloated! Good luck and keep posting!

[cdmuscle]

Have annual inventory at work this week so I have to show up at 4 a.m. for two days. This is really going to put a challenge to my workouts. I don't plan to slack one bit on my diet or workout effort!

I had forgotten just how hard dieting hits me. I have this silly "restless leg syndrome" and it gets BAD when my body's chemistry is off even a little bit. So combining the stress at work, diet, workouts, and extra cardio - I felt like my legs were wanting to "dance all night." This is another reason why I am trying to lose weight a little slower. Once I get around 8 weeks out, my average sleep per night drops to around 3-4 hours. I could never understand how my body could work so hard and then not sleep for 2 solid months!

Breakfast - 1/2 c oatmeal, uncooked w/6 eggwhites
Snack - pure protein bar
Lunch - chicken breast/green beans
Snack - 2 boiled eggs
Dinner - extra lean ground beef/green veggies
Snack - 2 scoops whey protein

Trying to find an appropriate song for my routine. I'm really picky about music so this will be a challenge. I'm not a jump around the stage kind of person, so it will have to be moderately paced yet not put everyone to sleep. Hum... have to think on this more!

[cdmuscle]

Well we managed to get through inventory in one day so this morning I didn't have to come in so early (whew! Thank Goodness).

I am going to try an alternating workout schedule. Seems that if I hit a hard-gaining bodypart every third day, it works best for me. So... I am going to put a floating leg day in my routine. Basically what happens is this:

Mon - Back/Trap
Tues - Chest/Shoulder
Wed - Quad/Ham/Calf *
Thurs - Bi/Tri

Fri - Back/Trap
Sat - Quad/Ham/Calf *
Sun - Chest/Shoulder
Mon - Bi/Tri

Tues - Quad/Ham/Calf *
etc. etc. etc.

So I hit legs every third day and all other bodyparts every fourth. Seems confusing, but it really works. I also realize that most people don't agree with not taking any "off" days but I never have unless I hit a point where I'm still sore, too fatigued, ill, etc.

Diet is going better than I thought, it's almost scary but I think I've finally found my breaking points. (1) The weekends - because my fiance loves to eat pizza and have cocktails on Saturday nights. This is also our special time together, so I really miss it. I have a nice salad and diet soda with him instead. Also, if I eat every 2 to 2-1/2 hours instead of 3 hours, I don't get as hungry and the "just shove anything in your mouth" cravings don't hit!

**** :) ****

[cdmuscle]

Training and dieting is still going well. I'm surprised I lasted the weekend. My fiance has decided to lose a little weight too so he's dieting w/me (not very good at it though! :) ).

My weight has stabilized again at 150, I'm very sensitive to any changes and am trying to be as careful as possible. An example is that I had one of those new salads at McD's. It's one of the few salads I can eat w/o dressing because of all the other stuff they put in it (i.e., cheese & bacon!). Well, the small amount of cheese & bacon was enough to hold my weight up even though I trained just as hard as any other day (not to mention all the salt).

Just a note, if any one of you goes out to eat - be aware of all the SALT restaurants use in their food. There are even a few places that soak meat in brine to make it tender! My mom worked in a restaurant and told me that they just pour the salt in things to make it taste better. Also, there is a lot of fat no one tells you about!!!! Sometimes if you ask for steamed veggies, the restaurant has pre-packaged veggies stored in butter that are later so-called "steamed." I found out about this the hard way, I am lactose intolerant and couldn't figure out why my stomach was giving me so much trouble when I ate the steak and steamed veggies. Well, the manager was the one who told me about the butter!

Diet modification:

Breakfast - bodybuilder pancakes (yum!)
Snack - Biochem Ultimate Low Carb Bar
Lunch - 6 oz chicken/veggies
Snack - 1 boiled egg
Dinner - 4 oz xtra lean beef/veggies
Post-workout snack - 2 scoops whey/1 sm orange

Calories: ~1480
Cardio: 50 minutes, moderate intensity alternate w/HIIT days
Supplements: same - more glutamine
Training: same - 1 hour

Dropped my calories by about 100, we'll see how this works! I don't want to start doing more cardio if I can help it. I don't lose weight easily so this is going to get rough!

[cdmuscle]

Started losing again. Hit 148 today, but I need to be very careful. This is the moment when people who have eating disorders can get carried away!

If I allow myself to get wrapped up in dieting, I can easily fall into the undereating/overtraining scenario, then I lose muscle. If I go off my diet too much, I will start binging like CRAZY! So... hopefully I can keep my sanity and continue with the slow steady weight loss for the next 15 weeks (Seems like a llooonnnnggg time!).

Fitday calculator said that I need to lose 1.82 pounds per week to reach my goal weight. I really LOVE the way it keeps track for me. I'm continuing the same program for a while to stabilize weight loss.

[missmuscle]

I'm so happy for you CD! I totally know what you mean about obsessing about food- once you go on the diet for a while, you tend to become a little preoccupied with dieting perfectly - I am the same way and, I too eat everything if I go off my diet! I am allowing myself a few drinks tommorrow night and I am taking off 2 days when I go to Vegas in July, but then when I return I will be about 16 weeks out. But I realize that having fun and enjoying life is a necessity for my sanity and if I am too strict with myself for the whole 20 weeks I'll crack or be very hard to live with! I hope that through this process I will find a happy medium that I can follow for the rest of my life.

[cdmuscle]

I appreciate your dedication, missmuscle, by starting out so far in advance. That way if you do have a few cheat days it won't ruin your goals.

I'm starting to have a hard time with the "hungries." I just hate never feeling full! This is when I usually eat something I'm not supposed to - but I am going to keep trying to find ways to fool myself (filling up on water helps a lot).

I need to put a chart together (like I don't have enough already). This one is going to track my moods - 1 for crappy and 10 for great. Can you imagine the rollercoaster ride that would be - HA!

I already have several going (measuremnts, calories, weight, etc. etc. etc.). I am a bit obsessive so this keeps me sane. I guess what makes us bb's is our obsession!

[missmuscle]

CD- We are cut from the same cloth! I can't tell you how many notebooks, excel sheets, and binders I have going right now on various charts, measurements, lists etc!!

Unfortunately, The mood chart will probably be seeing a few lower scores. I know that from past experience, I can get quite testy when I don't get my food! I haven't been on a low carb diet in a long time- and I probably will be doing a cyclical diet closer to comp., but you definitely loose that great personality and ability to have patience! Talk about everyone in the world totally annoying you! Don't feel so bad- I have to live with my mother-in-law all 12 weekd!!! Ha Ha

[cdmuscle]

Well, I gave in this weekend and splurged a little on Sunday. Must say that I feel a little better. My energy is shrinking and even the thermos aren't keeping me awake!

My strength is still good and my body weight is dropping steadily but I feel like the living dead most of the day. So I had a carb-up afternoon yesterday and it helped me get back on track. Did it at the right time too since it was leg day!

My flexed measurements right now are:

chest - 41"
waist - 29"
thighs - 38"
quads - 23"
calves - 16"
biceps - 15"

Have to tell everyone that my butt has gone down from almost 41" to 38".

I am 38 years old so dieting is getting harder to stick with. The body is an amazing thing, just when you think you have it fooled - it will adapt and you have to start all over again! Save any of those hard hitting diet tricks to the VERY end!

Okay, back to dieting this week! I am going to stay clean from this point on and if I need a carb load day, I can do it without the cheerios (ha ha).

[cdmuscle]

I need some advice with a decision, maybe you guys can help me. I am shooting for a non-tested show at the end of Sept. But I don't want to kill myself and walk into a show that is won before it begins if a juicer shows up.

There is a tested show on November 1st that I could do instead. As you can see by my stats, I'm not a small girl and I have tried a few non-conventional (DHEA and andro/nor-andro) supplements (I qualify for NPC natural status) but I don't know if this is very fair to the girls who are life-naturals.

I don't use anything right now and my diet is good. I'm still playing around with clean/non-clean days, but I can lose the fat easily so that isn't the problem. Just not sure which way to go...

Any opinions?

Thanks!

[cdmuscle]

Well I still haven't had a chance to get some photos done. I'm getting some help w/posing and a routine so I will have my trainer take a few.

Can't believe time is going so quickly! I am already on the down slide of the 14th week (YIKES) and I am just beginning to really buckle down on diet and cardio.

There weren't any comments regarding my last post... Hmmm, I guess it doesn't matter as long as I have fun. I'm more concerned with being in better shape than my previous contest rather than worrying about everyone else there, so it really doesn't matter what competition I do!

[missmuscle]

Hey CD!

Well, in response to the tested v non-tested shows-
keep in mind that if it is non-tested there will be a greater likelihood of people taking steroids(not like they aren't taking them anyway at the tested ones!) therefore, there will be women that have an advantage and could be leaner and more muscular. The important thing to ask yourself is "will I be happy if I come in second or third to women who have done steroids as long as I know that I did my personal best all natural?"

If you will be happy knowing that you looked the best out of any natural women than go for it- no matter what happens, someone could always beat you- that's why its a contest. You have to be happy with your personal best- be happy with your results, not the person next to you.

Personally, I chose to do a tested show so that I would have a better chance, but that doesn't mean that I would never do a non-tested show either.

Keep your positive mindset going and you'll do great!

[cdmuscle]

Thanks mm - I think I'm going to do both competitions coming up. They just changed the dates so the Natural will be in early October and the other will be on November 1st.

This is going to be a long ride ladies so stick with me and we'll travel it together! You all are so great and I love the info I've been getting. I hope this journal can be a benefit to anyone dealing with dieting and contest prep as well.

Well, I saw my PT on Saturday and he thinks I can do well as either a middle or heavy weight and he took some pictures! As soon as he e-mails me some, I'll post them for you (just no laughing!) :)

Diet has been going ok, I had a little splurge this weekend so my weight is still the same but that's ok since I have a little extra time now.

New training schedule (again!):

Day 1 - back/traps/abs
Day 2 - quads/calves/triceps
Day 3 - chest/shoulders
Day 4 - hams/biceps/abs
Repeat

Needed to split leg work out a little better, I like doing quads and hams separately that way I can really concentrate on each area.

[cdmuscle]

ok, here goes. I hope these come out - I have such a long way to go and I am just mortified at my slabs of fat... I'll have to put these on the fridge as a diet tool - lol

[cdmuscle]

second of three...

[cdmuscle]

oops! one more time...

[cdmuscle]

last one

[cdmuscle]

Let's hope I can get through this 4th without binging! Everytime I see those photos, I lose my appetite so that should help.

It's been hard cutting calories after eating to bulk for 2 years, now I know why they always say you should compete at least once a year. I bulked so much that I am having a very hard time staying on this diet. Photos add about 10 pounds, which doesn't help one bit.

My calories are at around 1480-1500 and my weight stabilized at 148, so that's pretty good since I have 13-14 weeks after they changed the competition dates. As you can see I'm really thick and could use a lot of leaning down. Just hope I can cut as well as the last time without losing all the mass too!

I've been eating a lot of salad lately trying to stay full but that doesn't help for long. I have my cardio up to 55 minutes already and I don't want to add any more so far out, so I will be cutting 50 calories or so each week.

I am also coming down with a cold or something, my throat is all scratchy (doesn't that figure?). :(

Anyway, 'til next week! Have a great holiday everyone. Think about us dieters when you're eating all that wonderful picnic food!

[cdmuscle]

Well the fourth was a total bust for my diet... I ate like a pig and now feel like one - of course. My fiance and I love to splurge on the weekends so it has become a habit that I need to break. Thank goodness they changed the dates because now I am going to need every day! As of today, I need to lose 1.83 pounds per week to make my goal weight, which is still manageable - but not if I continue to binge!

We were looking at my photos and noticed how bloated and smooth I am. Then I realized that it was because they were taken of my reflection... lol... I can tell because my engagement ring is on the right hand. SOOOO, be a merciful in your critisims and realize that I was given an extra 10 pounds by the mirror and probably another 10 from the camera! I am bigger than some girls but not THAT big!

Anyway! Critique and let me know your opinions (and realize that I know I need to diet - hahaha).
:)

[missmuscle]

Hey CD! Its your fellow cheater! Stop being so hard on yourself - you look great and remember that you are a ways out! I know exactly what you mean about going out on the weekends! My finace eats pretty healthy along with me during the week and we are used to going out to our fav restaurant on the weekends, but no more during prep time. I had my last cheat last night and i felt so bad after I ate it. But today I am on track and hopefully will post some pics tonight. What weight class are you doing? when is your comp?

[cdmuscle]

Hey mm - I saw your pictures and you look great! I plan to do the mid or heavy class and the competition is either October 4 or 11th. They are having a hard time getting everything organized so we aren't sure of an exact date. This is really getting to me, because I don't want to diet any longer than I have to. I lose muscle easily and so the longer I diet, the more mass I will have to make up for later! I try to hit it hard for a short amount of time and then go right back to eating for gains after the show.

Then I got some bad news, my blood pressure is off the charts. 154 over 105!!! Almost hit the floor when they told me. SO, no more thermos and no more prohormones! I may have to go off the low carb all together as well and losing weight is a MUST. I've been getting really bad headaches and I can't keep enough momentum through my leg training to go to failure. I usually get winded before I even get 8 reps out so my legs are not getting worked like they should be. I was so upset last night when we got done doing quads because I didn't even get a little pump and wasn't weak or anything!!! I even walked on the treadmill for 40 minutes without any problem at all.

Now I have two goals! Get the blood pressure back under control and diet for the competition. Hopefully I can get this done without the assistance of prescription drugs. My whole family takes bp medication and it can get to be a real nightmare.

[missmuscle]

Sorry to hear about that CD!!

I can't take thermos anymore either- they really did a number on my body! So I am totally sympathetic. I too have been getting headaches (I think tension headaches from lifting) and my cholestorol(sp?) was high!!! How does this stuff happen!! Don't worry, it took me a little time to get back to my regular workouts after I stopped the thermos, but you can do it- October huh- that's a few weeks before mine. I'll be competing Nov 1st. so I'll be 16 weeks out Sat. Do you have a trainer or a partner to workout with? That always helps :)

[cdmuscle]

Stopping the thermos helped! My bp is down some so I feel a lot better and now I am able to work out a little harder. I still need to find out why I get so winded when I do squats. I do a lot of cardio and can't imagine why this affects me so much. Maybe when some of this weight comes off it will be easier.

Time to buckle down guys! I've been really lax on my dieting and this is the time to stick to the plan and workouts. The following is my current and I am going to do this 7x a week:

Weight: 150 lbs
BF%: 17%
Time out: 12-1/2 weeks
Goal weight: 130
BF Goal: 8%

Training:
chest/shoulders + 30 min HIIT
quads/abs + 40 min treadmill
back/traps + 30 min HIIT
hams/calves + 40 min treadmill or elliptical
bicep/tricep/abs + 40 min stairclimber
repeat

Diet:
1500 calories
low carb ~20%

We'll see what happens!!! :)

[bufchk]

Hey girl, just saw your pics and it'll be interesting to see you cut. My weight is at 148 right now and I'm sure it's close to 17-18% I hope you do really well and in a few weeks I'll post new pics. I'd like to see your progress and I guess the real question with competing is how bad do you want it? Bad enough to not cheat for 12 weeks because I know now no matter who you are you CANNOT get away with cheating pre-contest. Hang in there and be strong.

[cdmuscle]

Too right buff! It really comes down too just how much we want to do it. I have someone to help me with posing and tweek the training/diet if needed. That helps a lot too!

I love bulking (but then who doesn't?), so the dieting is not something I am very good at. I get crabby and that's not fair to others (so well stated by my trainer!).

Another person at work had a birthday today, with the cake I might add... It could have gotten real ugly, but thankfully I work with a lot of supportive people. They like to tease me so you can imagine the comments. I just sat and ate my PurePro chocolate bar (I came prepared :) ).

[cdmuscle]

I'm into the 12th week, so I have to stay on track now. I am slowly losing and hardening up a little so the incentive is getting better and the longer I diet the better I will be able to stay on it. One thing I can't stand is starting over, so that usually helps me not to binge. I have more pictures that I will post soon, hopefully these will be a little better. My trainer took them straight on instead of at an angle through the mirror, I hope they are more proportionate. I hate looking so bloated...

The cardio is going well, I have been able to drop down to 30-40 minutes. I don't want to spend hours and hours in the gym to lose so I am going to be extra careful of calories and hidden calories.

Workout schedule:

Day 1 - chest/shoulders
Day 2 - quads/abs
Day 3 - back/traps
Day 4 - bicep/tricep
Day 5 - hams/calves/abs
repeat

Diet:

breakfast:
2 eggs, 4 eggwhites, 2 tbsp salsa
snack:
Ultra low carb bar
lunch:
3 oz beef, green veggies
snack:
4 oz chicken, salad, 2 tbsp italian dressing
dinner:
(preworkout) 1 serving whey protein
post workout:
4 oz chicken (orange or apple if too fatigued)

splurges: 2 hard boiled eggs & 1 cup porkrinds and full packet of prepared sugar-free jello (yum)

**Pet peave for the day**
I have to say something here. I am sincerely sick and tired of the groupies in our gym with their boobs and asses hanging out. Too much of everything - makeup, hairspray, cologne (GAG). I realize that everyone wants to be their best, after all that's why we are in the gym but COME ON ALREADY! Leave that crap in the bars...

Ok, I'm better... whew... :)

[missmuscle]

Hey CD- Glad to see you are on track!
I'm 15 weeks out now and I am waiting to see changes. I almost thought about giving up for a second this morning when I saw 2 of my competitors and they looked awesome even this far out. Man, I'm not sure I know what I'm getting into. I really do want to do this and I will follow through, but that image is stuck in my head and keeps bumming me out!

Anyway, so far today the diet is on point - I am hectic at work so my workouts need to be earlier and now I am on a 3 day split so its very hard for me to take that 4th day off- I'm used to 6 days in a row... Can't wait to see your progress

And I agree with bufchk- you can't not cheat a little on your diet- There must be like 1% of the population that doesn't!

[Hibiscus09]

Looking good! :) You have a lot of muscle so stick with the dieting & you'll do great!

[cdmuscle]

Good Morning All!!! Looking good today, I've been strong on my diet and not having too much trouble. By the way, a little tip for you - when I have a hard time staying full (especially low carb dieting), I have found that Fiber One cereal helps A LOT. I munch on 1/4 cup as a snack. It's a little sweet and like cereal so I get stop the craving for sweets and carbs plus it fills my tummy! HA, gotta love that. And this little 1/4 cup has only a few calories, it's calorie and macronutrient list is on the fitday.com website so check it out.

Everything else is the same.

Hib - Thanks for kind words - everyone here has really kept me a lot stronger.

MM - don't fret lady! One of the things I was taught right from the start is not to "peak" too soon! If you do then you risk losing your prime appearance and will look drawn and tired, maybe even a little too skinny. It also will make you lose muscle faster if you try to stay peaked too long. The other girls look great FOR NOW but will they look all that great later?? Maybe and maybe not. You will get there at your own speed and then strut your stuff knowing that you peaked properly and can be proud of yourself!

[cdmuscle]

Counting Down! I'm on the down side of the 11th week now and doing well on the diet. I only have a few occasions when it gets really bad (usually in the afternoon). I get through it by just eating a little peanut butter (1 tsp max!). Otherwise, I haven't cheated and cut my calories to 1500 for the week. Eating every 2 hours helps a lot.

My weight is down to 146 now and I've started posing every night for approx. 10 minutes. Still need to get a night suit and come up with a posing routine. I gave my trainer the CD's I would like to use for music, so hopefully he will have some ideas next time I see him.

They still haven't set a date or place for the competition and it's really getting frustrating. Maybe it's just a mental thing, but having a set date really helps in prepping.

Hope everyone else is holding strong! Keep posting!

[Hibiscus09]

Glad things are going so well!! :) I would definitely want a date for the contest too -- tell them to get it together! :D

[cdmuscle]

I received some bad news today and just needed to write it down. My fiance decided to move out. He says that I am very selfish with my bodybuilding and that I put it before him. He also has a hard time with the attention I get in the gym. I sincerely don't understand why this has come up. He knew that I was a workout fanatic before we even started dating.

I'm not too sure what to think about this just yet. I am saddened but am angry too. My financial situation is a difficult one and I had planned on his assistance with the basic bills. Now I'm not sure if I can afford to compete in October and may have to put it off until November.

I'll keep you posted! Keep training everyone and don't ever let anyone sabotage what you work so hard for. Nothing is worth that.

[Hibiscus09]

cd -- I'm so sorry!! I don't know your fiance or what's going on in his mind but you definitely want to marry someone who will support you in the things you are interested in -- don't give these things up for anyone! I hope things work out for your competition. It's hard enough to get ready for a competition without having other things upsetting you.

[missmuscle]

CD- don't give up- I know that having someone who is supposed to be loving and supportive walk out on you because of something that you are passionate about can be so dissappointing. My fiance also struggles with my hectic workout schedule and is dissappointed that we can't stay out late or eat with others. Keep your faith, in yourself and your beliefs and know that no matter what happens, the very best thing that you can do is keep on the diet and working out- it will give you strength and something to stay focused on when dealing with tough times. I'm sorry and I hope that you will stay positive- please post or email if you need someone to talk to!

[cdmuscle]

Well, this is the last time I can post until August 1st. Just wanted to let everyone know that they finally set the date for the competition, October 18th. Can you believe they did that???? I am now RIGHT BACK at 14 weeks. I feel like I'm living in the twilight zone...lol.

ANYway - Since the date is now only two weeks from the second competition, I'm not sure if I want to do both or just hold out and do the second. I guess I'll let my finances decide.

As an update re: my fiance - we've decided to see each other but it is very guarded. I told him to take the next month to decide whether he can handle this or not because I'm not going to stop what I'm doing and we'll just end up in the same situation. What I don't get is that he bodybuilds too and has goals of his own. Just a control thing, and I can't stand that. I'll keep you posted.

[missmuscle]

It sounds like he may be jaelous of the time that you spend with your competition preparations. Its hard to switch from spending all your time with someone and then changing your focus to something else. Not that this is an excuse for that kind of behavior! It sounds like he has a lot of maturing to do and maybe he needs to work on his own independence and self esteem- I am a firm believer that people who are unhappy that other people don't want to be with them 24 hours a day are afraid to be alone with themselves b/c they feel like they aren't good enough.

Anyway- keep up the hard work- and that is irritating when you plan for one thing and another comes up- if it makes you feel any better, they moved my competition up by 3 weeks and I had to cancel my annual trip to Vegas!

[cdmuscle]

It's been a while so I figure I'd update everyone. I'm back up to 150 - AGAIN - lol. Vacations can really throw off a diet. But I knew that would happen so I'm not too concerned.

The date is set for October 18th, so I am 10-1/2 weeks out and need to lose approx. 2 pounds per week - which isn't too bad. I will be seeing my trainer this Saturday and hopefully can get those photos.

Diet:
meal 1 - 4 eggwhites, 1 egg, 3 tbsp salsa, 1/4 c Fiber One
meal 2 - Biochem ultimate low carb bar
meal 3 - 4 oz chicken, salad
meal 4 - 4 oz beef, green beans or broccoli
meal 5 - protein & peanut butter balls (mmm good)
meal 6 - whey protein & MCT oil
meal 7 - 4 oz chicken

Calories: 1700
Protein: 53%
Carbs: 9%
Fat: 38%

I went to the doctor last week and he said I'm doing very well! He gave me a medication for my restless leg syndrome and it works GREAT. I also have a blood pressure medication that helps me with panic attacks (I get them on-stage). All else was A-OK.

:)
Feelin' strong! T/T you all later...

[Hibiscus09]

What medication did he give you for panic attacks? I have such stage fright! It's so weird. I feel really confident & know I'm right on track with what I'm talking about but still get the shakes when I have to get up in front of people to talk. I hate it!

[cdmuscle]

I must tell you all that my first competition I walked off the stage because I was shaking so bad and the head judge kept calling my number and asking if I was going to be okay... After about the third time, I just put on my sweats - got in my car - and drove away.

My trainer at the time was a judge also and she called me about 8 miles back to my apartment. She was laughing and asked what I was doing and why did I leave, I told her that I couldn't hold a pose because I was shaking so bad and that I couldn't breathe. I kept thinking that if I couldn't do mandatories in the morning, how in the hell was I going to do a routine at night with all those people.

And the saying about the lights blocking your view of ALL THOSE PEOPLE is a lot of crap! I could see the whites of eyes in the top row!

Anyway, there is a blood pressure medicine that blocks serotinin when stress sets in. It sort of keeps you balanced - I will look up the name when I get home and post it tomorrow. I used it for the competition I actually completed and it worked fantastic.

That's about it for now - diet and workout is pretty much the same as before.

[Hibiscus09]

I shake like that when I have to give a presentation or if I'm teaching a class or something. I go ahead & do it anyway, but I hate that feeling! :)

[cdmuscle]

Sorry it's taken so long to post. Things have been hectic with work and training, not to mention the kids are starting school this week! I'm trying to get funding to go to college also (quite a step for a 39-year old). Thinking about pharmacology or medical field. I like helping people and want to learn more about medications and supplements.

Anyway, I saw my trainer yesterday and he said I am still holding too much fat for 10 weeks. This is very true. So I'm going to try to used HIIT a little more intense. I did my first session yesterday and it kicked my butt big time! In a 45 minute session - heart rate up to 154bpm and holding for 5 min and then down for 5 min. My weight has started to go down again a little - 149 this morning. So it did help me off the plateau.

My calories are down to 1483 now. I'm hoping to hold off until the end of the month to do 2 cardio sessions per day. If I can keep the weight coming off slowly then I will hold out. The sooner I start 2 sessions the harder it gets.

Diet was great over the weekend! No splurges at all and I stayed on schedule. Training was also on schedule and intense so that was a plus.

Diet:

meal 1 - 4 eggwhites, 1 egg
meal 2 - peanut butter balls (made with flax/whey/pb only)
meal 3 - chicken and salad
meal 4 - 2 boiled eggs
meal 5 - beef and vegetables
meal 6 - whey protein w/creatine
meal 7 - chicken

Supplement change: added CLA 3x day, andro 1x day, all others the same.

[Hibiscus09]

Looks good CD!! :D

I went to college as an adult and graduated at the age of 40 in 2001 -- I'm so glad I did it!!! I also have 2 kids, one is in college herself now -- a rising sophmore -- and a son who is in 8th grade. You can do it!!

[missmuscle]

Don't worry CD- I'm right there with ya on the body fat thing for 10 weeks out- I can't believe that we're 10 weeks away!!!
I too am hoping that I can put off the double cardio sessions for a while- right now I only double it 2x a week which seems like too much for me!! You're doing great! What is your goal bf%? Have you picked out your song yet?

[cdmuscle]

Hey mm - good to hear from you. I read your journal and am glad you are doing well. You are a very strong person and it shows in how dedicated you have been to your diet (to the point of almost passing out... lol).

It's so hard being hungry all the time. My meals are so small that I know before I even start eating that it's not going to fill me up. :(

The HIIT cardio sessions I do are helping a lot, but I have to tell you that I don't know how I am going to keep them up for another 9-1/2 weeks! I only do 50 minutes and I am shaking all over when I'm done. I know I'm not burning much muscle, because my training intensity is still up and I've actually gained in bench press and bicep curls. My goal is 8-9% and I'm still holding at 17% right now so it's going to be really close! The low carb diet is fantastic for burning fat, but I never realized how SLOW fat burns!!!!!

Thankfully I am still losing so I don't have to do the second session... Yet.

Competition is getting a lot closer - time will start going by much quicker now (that's a curse and a blessing).

[missmuscle]

CD- you do HIT for 50 minutes????!!! Oh my God! Right now I am doing 7 intervals getting heart rate up around 175-180 and then I do the rest of my cardio around 130. I can't imagine how you have the energy. Right now I do cardio after my lifting which will soon change, but I don't have the energy to keep up that 2nd hour of working out. By the time I have put in 45 min to an hour of weights I lack the energy and will power to keep high intensity up for another hour!! Plus I am not taking any thermos either!

My trainer is reccommending that I try thyromel, but I am really hesitant to try something that may or may not permamantly change my thyroid function. I have seen peopl who have gone on the real stuff and they lost all bodyfat, but gained it all back rapidly after stopping. I really want to do this without any extra "help" to prove to myself that I can overcome all of these obstacles. I know that I won't be the best body on stage or the lowest bf, but at least I can say that I worked really hard, and maybe even sometimes harder than the others...

[cdmuscle]

Believe me, the cardio SUCKS! I am so weak afterwards that I am in a daze which I know isn't a good thing. It does get a little better each day but the first couple were so hard. I'm not sure where the energy comes from. I think what happened is that when I first started working out really hard and wanted so much to bodybuild, I would work myself into the ground every day. I also ran a lot (which I had to stop because of my knees). Now I think I am so used to it that I can't lose any weight unless I work myself almost to death. The saying "adapt or die" really applies to your body's ability to get used to things!

After an hour of quads (squats, lunges, leg extensions, etc.) I still managed to squeek out 50 min of HIIT. I definitely couldn't get my HR up to yours though! OMG! 178!!!!! I can hardly breath at 154! You have one hell of a pulmonary system (HA!).

I can also relate to the thyroid thing, my trainer has been asking me to do a "dermal" cream. The only problem is that I have a friend who has permanent thyroid problems because of some of the stuff she did. That stuff can really mess you up! I am going to hold out and see how a more natural approach can go.

BTW - MsFit has a newsletter that introduced a cutting gel she said would help release stored fat by applying to the spots where you hold fat the most. I think I am going to spackle that stuff on my a** and stomach... lol.

[missmuscle]

Honey - I don't want to hear about your butt!!! That's been my problem area forever!!!

What kind of intervals are you doing for your HIT? I have never really done any kind of program, I usually just do 1 min:1 min from one lower level to a high level- Any tips would be appreciated.

I am with you on trying our hardest to get to a low bf level without pills, etc. My calories are around 1500 right now and I have started to see some small changes and my strength has gone way down.

However, I did get my new Oxygen in the mail yesterday, so that will make my day a little better!

[cdmuscle]

Cardio has been the hardest part of my prepping. The diet is hard but at least I have my meals timed so that I don't get overly hungry. I usually start w/5 min warmup on stationary bike, then crank it up to level 8 (hr 154 bpm), hold that for 5 min, then back down to level 3 (hr 124 bpm) for 5 min. Keep this up for around 50 minutes and then crawl to my car and go home to eat my measly chicken breast. Weight is down to 148 lbs (slow but steady). Bf% is still up there in the 17+ range so I don't know if I'm going to make the timeframe I've set up for myself. I should have stuck to my diet a lot further out. If all else fails, I can skip the first competition and do the one on November 1st. That would give me an extra 2 weeks to get the weight off.

Diet has been the same, will cut 50 calories starting this Saturday and add another 5 minutes to my cardio. I'm not too sure how long I can do the HIIT every day, but I'll keep trying!!! Last night it got so hard that I had to lower my bpm to 150 instead of 154.

Added in: CLA and yohimbe for an extra fat boost.

[missmuscle]

CD- are you sure that 50 minutes of HIT is good for you every day? You still have 10 weeks, and I really don't know anyone who does an entire 50 minutes of intervals- I know that I can't do more than 30 on a good day- maybe if you scale back a bit and keep up a continuous level for the rest of the workout you may see more results- I know that my advice probably won't change anything! I know how people like us are!!

I am dreading my double cardio days- I have 2 days in a row Fri/Sat. Oh well, I guess I'll get thru it somehow!!!

As for bf, I'm not sure if mine has budged, but I think that my weight has stayed the same. My trainer told me that Saturday she may tell me if I can have a cheat day to try to shock my system- I can't wait until Sat! I am praying that she says I can!!!!

[cdmuscle]

Yea - seems excessive to me too. If I feel like I am overtraining or losing too fast I will cut back whether my trainer likes it or not. I know that it was too much on leg day, so I will only do the moderate cardio then for sure!

I'm glad you are doing well and can have a cheat day! I don't think I'd trust myself with one right now! It would be too easy to give up since I am struggling financially and with relationship problems looming over my head all the time. I am going to talk to my trainer on Sunday and let him know that I am only going to do the Nov. 1st competition this year. With my finances, it would not be a good idea to do too much.

Besides, if all goes well I will start school sometime this fall and that is my priority right now. Just have to wait for funding!

:)

[missmuscle]

Applause for getting back in school!

I can relate to the financial situation- I am in a commission job and it takes forever to get paid! I also have to buy my posing suits in 2 weeks which should be around 400$ :(

What ever ended up happening with your boyfriend? Did he ever get his head out of his a**?

Send me some good luck that I get a cheat day! However, it's kind of funny how you go on a diet and get into the mentality and then when presented with the opportunity to cheat, it's almost like you don't want to b/c you've been good for so long!

PS- what did your Dr give you for your stage fright??

[cdmuscle]

I'm so tired of not having money! I am a secretary right now and the pay stinks! Besides I work for a school district which doesn't help. The benefits are fantastic but pay lacks a lot.

My boyfriend is working very hard with his jealousy and control issues. I have to work on mine as well. He is really a good hearted person, just insecure as he**.

I can't remember the name of the blood pressure medicine my dr. gave me but it's pretty common. There are a few other things they can give you as well but I believe they are controlled substances which may interfere with natural competition rules. Most doctors don't have a problem prescribing medications for panic attacks. A lot of singers and actors take the same thing so at least you know you're not alone!

Hope you get your cheat day! Even a cheat meal would be nice right now! Unfortunately I've had so many "cheat days" that I won't be seeing another one until after the competition. LOL

[sabreman]

Hey, I think you look absolutely great in your pics. I'm sure you're still a work in progress...but, you've done a lot of progress already. I've always known that you are your own worst critic, in everything you do, too. Other people say they really like the way I look...but, I'm not really OK with how I look. It's just the way it goes. But, you do look great...keep up the good work!

[cdmuscle]

Thank you so much for such nice words, bodybuilding is a very time oriented sport. So many people don't realize that we don't just DECIDE to bodybuild and are instantly muscular and defined. Bulking requires a lot of bodyfat (if you are natural) and then you have to diet like crazy to get it off in time for a competition without losing all your mass on top of it. Then there's the eating plans and supplements, etc. etc.

I love weight training and have enjoyed competing, even the dieting - which is a true test of character and mental strength. Anyone that has the courage to do what we do is a TRUE bodybuilder regardless of how they look now. It will take many men and women YEARS of very hard work and watching everything they eat and take before they will look and feel like they have accomplished something.

It is our love of the sport that drives us all. God Bless You!

My calories are down to approx 1400 now. Under nine weeks away!!! My trainer has taken some more pictures but hasn't had the time to send them. My weight is at 146, slow but steady.

Ketosis has finally set in and I'm not as tired any more which makes the cardio sessions a lot easier and my hunger is more manageable - even though I still have times.

I've changed my diet ratios to 60% protein, 10% carbs, 30% fat which really has my ketosis high but I hold my weight well as you can tell. Even the HIIT for 1 hour every night doesn't make me lose muscle. Did chest and my bench press was still at 145 for 8 reps.

I'll post pictures again ----- if I ever get any...

:)

[missmuscle]

Hey CD!

So, I have been meaning to ask you what your recipe for "pb balls" is...

I wish I had your drive to do HIT for an hour. I realize that I need to bring up my cardio for these last 8 weeks! Approx how many intervals do you do? Would you mind posting a sample workout?

By the way- my cheat day was definitely NOT worth it- I still am not the same yet! Hopefully by Wed I'll be back to normal and not retaining so much fluid!

[cdmuscle]

Hey MM!!!

My HIT is on the bike doing:
5 min warmup at level 2
5 min at level 6
5 min at level 3
5 min at level 7
5 min at level 3
I repeat the levels 7 and 3 until I've hit 50 minutes total
Cool down at level 2 for 5 minutes

My weight training is:

Day 1 - Quads
warmup w/light one-leg extensions
4 sets smith machine squat
4 sets leg press
3 sets walking lunges
1 ab exercise (I do 3 sets of 1 ab exercise each night)
Cardio

Day 2 - Chest/Shoulders
warmup w/db flyes
4 sets flat free bar bench press
4 sets cable crossovers
3 sets incline bench press
3 sets db shoulder press
3 sets lateral cable raises
3 sets reverse pec-deck
1 ab exercise
Cardio

Day 3 - Bicep/Tricep
warmup w/bench dips
4 sets standing bar curls
3 sets supinating db curls
3 sets hammer incline curls
4 sets skull crusher & close grip bench combo
3 sets press down
1 ab exercise
Cardio

Day 4 - Hams/Calves
warmup w/seated leg curls
4 sets stiff deadlifts
3 sets lying leg curl & standing curl combo
4 sets standing calf raise
3 sets seated calf raise
1 ab exercise
Cardio

Day 5 - Back/Traps
warmup w/pulldowns
4 sets cable rows
3 sets pull ups
3 sets straight arm pulldown or pullover
4 sets db shrugs
1 ab exercise
Cardio

Repeat

If I am sluggish or sore, I will do a light day but pretty much stay on schedule.

I realized today after going on our local website that I am not going to be able to do the natural show after all. They want the competitors to be clean for 2 years and I am little over 18 months.

I couldn't compete knowing that I am comparing myself to girls that never used, it's just not fair. Anyway, that gives me an extra 2 weeks. The last competition of the year is November 1st.

BTW - I found the PB Ball recipe on another BB website and it is fantastic but I use sparingly since the calories are high.

2 scoops chocolate whey protein
2 scoops flax meal (health food stores have this)
2 tbsp aspartame or any sweetner you like
4 tbsp peanut butter
1/4 c water (add a little at a time)

Mix above ingredients, when you begin adding water be sure to add slowly! You want the consistency to be like a cookie dough. Shape into 2 bars (or roll into smaller balls - which I like to do for small snacking) and refrigerate.

Per BAR serving:

380 cals
23 g fat
38 g protein
15 g carbs (6 of which is fiber)

Flax meal is omega-3 which is very healthy and filling. I rolled up 8 balls per batch instead of making the bars so I only had to count 95 calories per ball. It helped a lot with my sweet cravings and I like the fact that they didn't have a lot of fillers, sugar alcohol, and soy byproducts like the company made bars do.

[missmuscle]

Thanks for posting all your info!

We are both competing on the same day!! What's the name of yours and where is it?

I'll be thinking about you on the big day! It's like we'll be competing together ( or suffering together:))

How long were you not "natural"? Did you think it was worth it? Did you suffer any repurcussions and/ or bad/permanent side effects?

I know that I can never make this my lifetime dream and continuing on b/c I would have to become non-natural, but I am just curious and I have no ill-feelings towards those who use anything responsibly and knowledgeably.

[cdmuscle]

It is really so sad to see what so many women are willing to do to themselves for this sport. I am so addicted to bodybuilding and have been training very hard to get even a little extra mass.

I didn't know much about AS when I started training, just had a LOT of people telling me that I HAD to if I wanted to get anywhere. Which unfortunately, is the truth.

So I tried a cycle (4 weeks). The guy who was helping me is a complete moron and talked me into using Eq, Deca, and Test in a cocktail. Well - as you can imagine - I started growing like crazy. Every day I was a pound or two heavier. My training shot through the roof.

BTW - it takes about 3 weeks for the the oil based AS to "kick in" so I didn't realize the side-effects until then.

I had uncontrollable panic attacks - my hair started falling out (I have very fine blonde hair, so this was a nightmare) - my moderate acne turned into boil-like cysts all over my back, neck and around my face - and of course I now have the lovely face "fuzz". It is very fortunate that I quit before I got the actual beard and chest hair - lol. Learned my lesson well! I am scared out of everything now.

Don't ever let anyone talk you into this stuff, especially if you look at family photos and most of the men are bald. You really don't know what is going to happen and most of the cosmetic effects are irreversible.

The show I am doing is called the Rocky Mountain (in Denver). It's great you are doing one on the same day! It's a good karmic connection (HA).

[missmuscle]

Yeah- I don't plan on it, but it's too bad that someone told you to mix all of those together esp. for your first cycle- those are pretty hard core by themselves.

I was taking Xenedrine for 6 years without a break and when I went off of them I had uncontrollable panic attacks. I am actually going to see my doctor about that tommorrow- I think that maybe if I knew that I had something to alleviate them then mentally I would stop myself from having them. I only have them once in a while, but when I do it screws up my mental game b/c I fear the next time- especially sucks while you'rr in the gym. But staying strong and saying some prayers has helped tremendously.

My family lives in Fort Collins and I just visited this past April. Wish the weather was more like where you are! I'm in AZ with 115 degrees and we have no gas so our lines at the pump are about 1-4 hours long IF you can find one with gas!!!

[Hibiscus09]

I started having panic like attacks on Xenadrine also. Now, I can't handle anything as far as supplements go -- I even freak out & feel like my heart is beating out of my chest on Phen Free and Beta Lean.

When I was preparing for a contest, the trainer I was working with told me to take "CB" and that you couldn't get it here in South Carolina but he could get it from a guy in North Carolina. I asked what it was & he said it was just a really good fat burner called clenbuterol. I know a lot of people consider it mild but when I looked it up it came up under steroids & I sure don't think someone should hold this info back when offering it to a person! LOL Anyway, I de-trainered him. :D

[missmuscle]

yeah CB doesn't speed up your metabolism really, it just allows you to preserve your muscle while dieting and exercise which gives you a leaner "look" from what I've been told, however I had heard that some people feel like it does speed you up..

[Hibiscus09]

I think something must have happened with my body as I used fat burners for about 5 years on and off. Everything speeds me up now. I can barely drink over 2 cups of coffee. I asked the doctor about it & he ran tests & said everything's fine. The last time I tried something, it was the Phen-Free which had me laying on the couch in my house with major heart palpitations about to pass out. I just decided no more! I miss that nice rush I used to get from fatburners -- really had some great workouts taking them! :)

[sabreman]

What's CB? I'm interested in the supplements...but, not sure which ones I can and can't take. (The AF has rules for its pilots)

[cdmuscle]

Clenbuterol is an asthma medication - bronchodialator. They have found through research that people who took it burned fat more efficiently.

Unfortunately, the effects last for a only few weeks. Once your body adapts to it, this wears off. That's why you have to cycle it (2 weeks on then 2 weeks off). It is illegal w/o a prescription but bb's manage to find it EVERYWHERE. It is also banned by all bb orgs.

I took it for a little while also, and it did NOTHING for me. This person also tried to talk me into doing ephedra, yohimbe and clen at the same time. I just laughed at that one. At least I was smart enough to know better than that!!!

I'm a lot wiser now on most medications so I don't play around with illegals and haven't for 16 months, but it doesn't do me any good now since I have to wait before I can compete in a natural again. Then there is the fact that I have completely nixed myself out of the "lifetime drugfree orgs."

[sabreman]

I can't really do any of the drug types of thing. The AF is a little strict on what they allow their pilots to take. Although some things are approved (but those are normally to help the sleep cycle and then stay awake during the long missions, etc). I'm interested in losing fat faster, but in a safe manner.

On a better note, you look great! Keep it up! I wish I'd met you when I lived in CO now! LOL.

[MsFit]

Hey CD. I don't visit the journaling section much, but you have an impressive physique. You could certainly do some damage on stage. I'd probably enter another division if I was in your weight class. :D At 5'4", I'm only 115 on stage. I can make middle weight if I'm holding water. :D

I read bits and pieces through your journal. Can you give me a quick update? How far out from the contest are you and how are you coming down bodyfat wise?

[cdmuscle]

Hey MsFit! Glad to hear from you. I'm doing fairly well but am not used to losing fat w/o losing a lot weight so that's a little freaky for me. I have a voracious appetite so I've been doing CKD, but it's still difficult.

My weight is at 147.5 now and I need to lose 1.8 pounds per week by November 1st in order to make weight (shooting for 130).

My training is going well, I can still lift heavy and cardio isn't too bad. I've been able to avoid doing 2 sessions a day.

I've just increased my calories to 1700 instead of 1430 by hitting the CKD a little harder (no more veggies or peanut butter). My carb level is around 7g per day so I'm heavy into keto at this point. I'm planning to skip the carb up day this weekend since my weight is being so stubborn. Hopefully if I can have a carb day next Saturday!

I'm still planning on going to school, but the funding is taking forever so I don't think I'll make classes until the spring.

That's about it for now. Hope everyone else is doing well. I've been keeping up with missmuscle's progress and she looks fantastic! Looking forward to seeing other's compete as well, it's really exciting! I love keeping informed on everyone's progress.

Good luck all!

[cdmuscle]

Ok here are a few new photos I got back from trainer. Things are getting better and I am trying to hold onto as much muscle as possible so losing the fat is VERY SLOW. Any feedback welcome!

[cdmuscle]

This one is mid August, around the 2nd week or so.

[cdmuscle]

I'm not sure what order these go in. I had more taken this weekend, so I should be a little harder than these show. My weight is finally at 145 which is the lowest so far, hopefully I can hold on to that! The diet is going pretty well, it's hard to call one piece of meat a "meal" but that's pretty much it.

[cdmuscle]

Oops! Forgot to add the photo... lol.

[cdmuscle]

Last one I'll torture you with!

[Hibiscus09]

That wasn't torture -- you're doing great!! Wow on the lat spread! Your legs are coming in and your abs are looking great! Nice biceps, also! Good luck! :)

[sabreman]

Looking great! Don't call it torture, we love looking at pics! I'm certain you will have continued success!

[missmuscle]

CD- we've missed you! Where have you been? I haven't been able to commiserate with anyone for a few days!

The pics look great - ditto on the huge lats!!! Too bad that the women bodybuilders can't do the lat spread or crab pose! we'd have em beat then for sure!

How's the diet going? Have you picked out your music yet?

[TrishB]

CD...you have really done a great job. You are looking super!
Looks like you will be right on track to compete in November.
Best of luck to you!

[Gator]

Lookin great CD..
Keep at it, the best is yet to come..

Good luck !

Gator

[egoatdoor]

Originally posted by cdmuscle
Last one I'll torture you with!


This is torture? I guess for your competition...You look great!

After the show, can I buy some of those lats? LOL.

[cdmuscle]

Still hanging in there guys! I've been on the low-carb diet for 3 weeks so the initial "shock" is over. It's hard to stick to sometimes but I know I won't ever make it if I give up now. I did my first posing with a suit on. I still can't believe how BIG my butt is :(

Women generally lose weight from the head down, so as you can imagine - my upper body looks pretty good. The other half is still trying to get there! I've also lost some lat size which is a real bummer because that's one of the hardest bodyparts for me to build. My weight is now at 142.5, so I've beat the stagnating point. I'm trying to be at 140 by this weekend. I've added walking lunges to every other workout and am tanning 3x a week now. My diet is:

breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 eggwhites, 1 oz cheese
snack: 1 can tuna, 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tsp mustard
lunch: 4 oz chicken
snack: 2 eggs
dinner: 4 oz beef
pre-workout: 3 oz chicken
post workout: 1 scoop whey protein

Approximately 1590 calories, 50% protein, 45% fat, 5% carbs

Training is the same. Cardio is: treadmill w/heart rate at 145-150 for a minimum of 45 minutes. Walking lunges 15 count for 5 sets.

I've cycled back on 19-nor andro for muscle retention during cutting.

Stats:

chest/lat span: 39.5"
waist: 27"
hips: 37"
quads: 23"
calves" 15"
bicep/tricep: 14.75"

I'll post pictures soon! :)

[missmuscle]

ditto on the butt in the posing suit CD!! I literally got in my car after I bought it and cried my way home!!! what torture! I am kind of glad that I bought it early b/c then it is a bit more motivating! Fear is the greatest motivation!!!

Good job on your diet- have you been able to stick to it strictly or have you had a few "moment" :)
I'm sure you'll be awesome in the show- I can't wait to see more pics and of course those from the show!

[cdmuscle]

Ok here are a few photos I promised. My weight is around 143, I'm now at 141 (YEA!) :D

Still have a LARGE behind to get rid of but I'm hopeful!!!!

This photo was taken the last week of August

[cdmuscle]

Another from the end of August...

[cdmuscle]

Ok, no laughing... This is my first try at wearing one of my outfits. As you can see the top doesn't fit well (I have NOTHING left to fill it with). My butt looks enormous because the bottoms are tight still. Gotta love those genetics, it's the last thing to go for me.

Any way, here's the first one as of last Saturday (weight 143).

[cdmuscle]

Second one.

[cdmuscle]

Last one for this week...

[Hibiscus09]

I think you look great in your suit -- :)! I have the same genetics & the bottom would be the last to go for me also -- I'm assuming of course -- I've never worked hard enough to make it go. LOL

Anyway, you are looking great -- can't wait to see the competition pics. I know you'll do well!!!

[sabreman]

Looking great! (and a lot better than you're giving yourself credit for as well!) I'm sure you'll do fantastic. Still a month and a half to go (right?)...keep up the good work!

[Gator]

Wow, u look great !!!
Nice calves and the hammys are starting to come in as well..Great back !!!!
Relax about the bottom, it will all come into place CD..

Keep it up, yer well on yer way..

Gator

[cdmuscle]

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. There's been a LOT going on in my personal life. I have a teen-aged son that is ALWAYS getting in trouble (his last escapade is going to put me back $250!) and it is such a headache!

I finally called it QUITS with my boyfriend and don't even want to be friends at this point. Of course, he decided to make sure I didn't have a DIME before he moved out.

There's a lot of politics at work and so the stress is unbelievable!

My weight went back up because of water retention!!!!! :(

My a** still looks like the Goodyear blimp in my posing outfit and with all the stress from all the other issues, I am having a hard time not diving into a tub of icecream and eat my problems away.

I can safely say this week has sucked big time. At least if I wasn't dieting I could drown my sorrows in a margarita or SOMETHING!

Sniff... Ok, enough of the pity party. I guess this is just reality and I'm not giving up!

I cut my calories down to 1400 and I'm still doing 1 hour cardio with as many sets of lunges possible at the end of the hour (I usually get out 4 sets of 12 before collapsing!).

Weight: 142.0
Chest: 39.5
Biceps: 14.75
Waist: 26.5
Hips: 36.5
Quads: 22.75

Starting to lose some strength, but still averaging about the same.

Say a prayer, I need it!

[sabreman]

Sorry to hear about your troubles...I know we can be jerks sometimes. I hope you start feeling better. But, don't get down on yourself! You are looking great, though! Just put all the nastiness behind you and focus on what's really important to you. I'm sure you'll make it through and be better than you were before!

[cdmuscle]

Well, I'm trying to get on track again. I had one big splurge this last weekend and put on 2 lbs. but I'm ok with it since I still have 6 weeks to go! I have to stay on track now since my weight has to drop by almost 2 1/2 pounds each week in order to make the weight I want.

My trainer says I look a lot leaner, which helped my ego a LOT. THANK YOU! I'll post some pictures as soon as I get them.

Diet:

Calories: 1350
Cardio: switch to elliptical for 60 minutes - lunges every other day
Bodypart split: same as before
Weight: 142.0

[missmuscle]

Hey CD- don't feel down about the splurge- I was allowed a cheat meal after low water and high carbs for a week and I have never felt so bloated and water retentive in my life!

Don't fret- you will change drastically in the last 6 weeks as long as you stay on track! I can't wait to see your final pics!

BTW- have you picked out your song for your routine yet?

[cdmuscle]

Hey MM - well my weight went back down to 139, so I know it was just the water weight from so many carbs...lol. Funny how that works!

I haven't picked my music yet, thinking about using a song from my Paul VanZant cassette. I like the instrumental jazz sound with a little dance beat.

I need to get started on a routine, but just don't have the energy after working all day and then working out. But, I know I need to get my butt in gear!

[cdmuscle]

It's a sad day for me. I am going to have to drop out of the competition. My car needed repairs and my son decided to do some damage I now have to pay for so I don't have the money to compete.

I've also decided that I'm not going to do any competitions for a while if at all. My age is against me as well as finances. I also plan to go to college next spring and I'm sure that's going to take most of my time.

Good luck everyone with your goals. Stay on track and focused.

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally posted by cdmuscle
It's a sad day for me. I am going to have to drop out of the competition. My car needed repairs and my son decided to do some damage I now have to pay for so I don't have the money to compete.

I've also decided that I'm not going to do any competitions for a while if at all. My age is against me as well as finances. I also plan to go to college next spring and I'm sure that's going to take most of my time.

Good luck everyone with your goals. Stay on track and focused.

That is horrible - so far in to your preperation too!.... Are you sure?

Well, good luck anyway. I hope your studies go well :)

[missmuscle]

CD- you can't give up now- we've come so far! How much do you need to compete? Let me know and I'm sure I'll come up with an idea- Please don't give up! First Bufchk gave up and now you're talking about quitting! Rethink this before you get too catastrophic- remember this is for you and you'll feel so much better about yourself if you do this show!

We're all here for you!

[bufchk]

Yea, please don't give up like I did. I psyched myself out and I totally regret it. You learn from each experience and I hate to hear your emotional struggles. I haven't been posting here in awhile and I miss all of you. You're pics look very nice and your booty will of course get smaller. Don't give up!!! Take care and you really do look great. I wish we were competing together

[cdmuscle]

Well the competition is this weekend! There are SO many people I know doing this one. I am so excited for everyone.

I found out that my funding has been approved for college. I just did my assessment testing and am going to start classes this spring (YAY!). It is completely paid for plus some left over. I guess struggling financially has it's bene's after all! :D

I am working on a nutrition degree (AAS in dietetics right now, then transfer to CSU for the bachelors). I CAN'T WAIT!!

I decided to keep this journal going. Don't count me out of the competition ring yet! I may not have time or money to work with a trainer, but I think I know enough to do it solo. So I've decided to concentrate on college this spring and then work on a competition during the summer or fall depending on time and finances.

My training has been slow and I've taken a few days off here and there to spend with my kids. There's so much going on this time of year at their schools and the holidays! My money is so tight that Xmas is going to suck big time, but I have a great family and they always make up for what I'm lacking.

My weight is back up to 145, I'm going to try and get down to around 135-140 and just stay there. That way when I decide to compete, it won't be such a struggle. Losing 30 pounds in just a few months was the worst! Besides I won't have the time for a lot of cardio, so my diet will need to be clean.

That's pretty much my story. I'm staying on track now and more positive than ever. I have new goals and plans for the future and will keep everyone posted if I learn of ways to better yourself with nutrition!

:)

[Hibiscus09]

Congratulations! I went to college when I was 36 years old and graduated at the age of 40. :) I loved it!

[Emma-Leigh]

Good to see you back!!

:)

[cdmuscle]

Thanks guys :)

I want to put the following info here so I don't forget! I'm going to be doing something new (in addition to the bodybuilding). I will be keeping you all posted on my new marathon goals! I will be attempting to do the Bolder Boulder next year. So here's the info so far:

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 1 hour
Warm-up Time: 10 minutes, 3.5 mph, 8% grade
Run Time: 50 minutes, 5.3/5.8 mph (intervals)
Cooldown: 5 minutes on bike, stretch
Calorie Count: 600

Whew, I haven't done that in 3 YEARS! LOL

I need to get to 7.5 miles by May 24th. I want my speed time up to 6.5-7.0 mph. Got a way to go, but it's a pretty good start!

I LOVE CHALLENGES!

[Hibiscus09]

Looks like fun! :) My hubby is doing the Kiawah half-marathon in early December. He's training away. I shoot for smaller goals -- LOL -- the Cooper River Bridge Run (6.2 miles) in early April. I'll start training in January.

[missmuscle]

CD- so glad you're back in the game! If I can make it anyone can! I thought of you while I waited backstage- I almost fainted I was so nervous and i had to sit down on the ground for a minute before I went on- but I made it and I can't tell you what a life changing experience it was. The weirdest thing is that all the junk I have been eating since Sunday hasn't even tasted that good- I think I'm finally over with my food struggle! I'm so glad you're back and can't wait to see your pics one day!

[cdmuscle]

Thanks MM - it was great to see you made it! I remember doing the show a few years back. What a rush! It can be very addictive, but you have to remember that staying on a diet all the time isn't good either. I've dieted SO much that it's hard for me to lose any weight now. My metabolism is all screwed up.

I have found that the low carb diet seems to agree with me. My skin has started breaking out and I'm carrying a lot of water since I've introduced more starchy carbs. Of course, Halloween didn't help one bit! :D Gotta love these winter holidays...

Anyway, I'm cleaning up again and am going to start hitting it harder than ever. I am going to try an all natural competition next year, so that gives me a lot of time to get my lagging bodyparts caught up!

Parts to concentrate on are: Abdominals, inner quadricep and adducters, with special attention on biceps and hamstrings (for thickness).

I have been hitting my legs so hard lately that they are sore for 3 days straight! I've also added 1/4 inch on my upper quads so I'm sure that all this work is paying off. My biceps are still at 15" but I need to work on a better peak so that will be a priority. My hams are also a little flat so I will be doing a lot of pumps to build a "hamstring peak."

I will still be running occasionally, I'm going to shoot for 3x a week but I did quads the day after running the 4.5 miles which was NOT a good idea (ouch). My knees are still buckling...LOL.

That's it for now. My current diet plan is:

breakfast: 3 eggs, 2 tbsp salsa
snack: 1 flax muffin
lunch: beef stew
snack: 1 can tuna; 1 tbsp mayo
dinner: 3 oz chicken, 1 cup green beans
snack: 1 flax muffin, 1 small apple or orange

That's it for now! I'll be registering for classes this month. Very exciting!!!


:)

[sabreman]

CD! Where have you been?! We miss you! I hope everything is going well out in good ole CO!

[cdmuscle]

Hey Sabre -

I'm still around, just getting set up for the holidays! I'm going to start a new journal at the new year to start tracking my jogging and weight training as well as give some info on what I'm learning in school.

Keep up the great work and stay in touch!