INBF/WNBF Amatuer - preping for 2010

[Jayd56]

After learning through my first season in Body Building competitions and making many mistakes along the way, I felt it would be beneficial to share my journey of weight loss and prep for 2010. I've come away from the off-season with a stronger, more muscular frame and with a little more knowledge that should give me an edge this time around.
My last competition was on September 19, 2009 where I won the INBF/WNBF Naturalmania Novice Title. Since then, I have tried to eat clean with more calories to try and add muscle mass but got carried away at times and was prone to trays of brownies (complements of my wife), peanut butter and ice cream binges. I need to make better decisions if I want to compete in the open division for a Pro Card.
On Monday March 8, 2010, I started the process of losing the excess fat to hopefully be ready to compete in the first week of June. I set my first goal of 185 pounds by April 30, 2010 to be close to competitive weight (175-180lbs.). I feel if you make a short term goal, it makes the long term goal much easier to attain. I'm working out once a day through lifting or cardio and abs for now. As the weather gets better, I'll do 3-4 morning runs per week to help with conditioning.
For now, the diet consists of 5-7 clean meals per day with no more than 500 calories per meal. I'm tracking what I eat and when on an excel worksheet. I track 3 macronutrients, protein, carbohydrates and fats. My ranges are 150-225 grams in carbohydrates, 200-225 grams of protein and 40-50 grams of fat. I will monitor and adjust to make sure my energy level remains high (which was a problem last year).
I started out the week at 205 pounds which was further than I wanted to go. In three days, I lost 3.2 pounds and have my mind set on breaking 200 by the end of the weekend. The goal is to lose 2-3 pounds per week while having a carb-up meal (post-workout) once a week to keep the metabolism spiked.
I will try to share as much as I can in regards to workout regimen and meals.
So far, I did an Arm workout Monday, 30 minutes of light cardio on Tuesday, Back and Traps on Wednesday and Chest and Shoulders on Thursday. If you want to see the exercise routines, all my workouts are in the "Workout Tracker" on my profile with time, calories burned (Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor), maximum and average heart rate.

[Jayd56]

It could be the digital scale or the way I drop weight but since Monday, Tuesday 205, Wednesday 205, Thursday 201.8 and Friday 201.8. I expect a drop in the next day or two but I also recognize I could go up every once and a while. I won't get too hung up on the scale because I know the way I'm eating and pushing my workouts, the fat will burn off. Sodium levels can effect water retention from day to day and I found you can't control every factor in your diet. My mother-in-law made a delicious potato and string bean in red sauce on Wednesday. I know she loves to cook with salt and oil, both with more quantity than I would have liked but she made it. Thursday, we had it for dinner and there was only chicken cutlets left for protein in the meal. The calories and fats were well above my normal meal but kept me in the good graces with the wife and M-IN-L. This is something I couldn't do last year because I didn't know what the imbalance would do to my weight loss goals. A clean boost in calories can do wonders for weight loss down the road.
Meals are packed for the day and there is a strong leg workout planned for after work.

[Jayd56]

During the last six months, I was focused on adding size and didn't keep up with my cardio sessions. I have a Polar F6 watch with heart rate monitor to keep track of my exercise time, heart rate and calories burned during workouts. My workouts are designed to get me through the routine in about an hour with a 10 minute cardio warm-up. It's important to stay focused to keep the heart rate in a zone to maximize efficiency and calorie burn.

I also track my weekly calorie burn. In the off-season, I would burn between 2500-5500 calories per week with an average of 3500 calories. My first week netted 4662 calories burned with only one cardio session (5 lifting days and a kick boxing session). Over the next 12 weeks, I need to get 3-4 cardio sessions with 5 lifting workouts per week. Monday (Arms), Tuesday (Abs and cardio), Wednesday (Back), Thursday (Chest), Friday (Abs and cardio), Saturday (Legs) and Sunday (Shoulders). That leaves 2-3 morning runs now that it's almost spring. Last year, I noticed a big difference with one day of interval training on the track at the local high school.

It's time to kick it up a notch now that I have a meal plan in place and a new workout plan to get me through April. It's getting easier, now I just have to stay focused!

[Jayd56]

I went straight into a strength workout following the September 2009 show and noticed quick gains but also suffered from joint pain from a flawed plan design. I wanted to keep pushing hard but listened to my body and recognized I needed time to rest and recover. The next workout plan, started in January, was designed on strength (6-12 rep range pushing most sets to failure) one week and endurance (10-15 rep range with shorter rest time) the next. This design gave my body the rest it needed by allowing 2 off days per week.

It's time to kick it up a notch! I've designed a 7 day a week program to help get me down to weight while holding on to the new muscle I've gained over the last 6 months. The rest days are replaced with cardio and core. I may realize I need to use those days to rest but my focus is to workout every day, even if it's just a quick morning run. The other 5 days are heavy lifting with a focus on form and calorie burn.

I'm starting mid-week so the plan will go something like this:
Wednesday: Back
Thursday: Chest
Friday: Abs and Cardio
Saturday: Legs or PowerLifting
Sunday: Shoulders and Traps</p>
Monday: Biceps and Triceps</p>
Tuesday: Abs and Cardio

The first week through the program is a test run to make sure the workout flows quickly and to concentrate on form and muscle memory. If you're looking for more information on the actual workouts, I log them in the workout tracker on my profile and will attach the excel speadsheet once I've worked out any flaws.

[rich55]

Hey Jay! You will be missed at the Buckeye, but I look forward to seeing the journey to June.

[Jayd56]

Hey Jay! You will be missed at the Buckeye, but I look forward to seeing the journey to June.

Rich,

I'm glad I waited until now to start the cut but I really would have liked to be at the Buckeye! I'm sure you'll have some amazing athletes there this year. I've been to your website www.naturalbuckeyeclassic.com several times for motivation. Thanks for checking in.


Jay

[Jayd56]

The balance between family life, work and bodybuilding is a delicate balance. Each day I fight with TIME. Time to eat, time to prep meals, time to get to the gym, time to spend with the family, time to deal with the chores that need to get done and work. I feel as though I'm a little different than most bodybuilders as they tend to be personal trainers and single or have a significant other who loves the sport. So, with this delicate balance, there are hurdles at every corner. A mother-in-law who comes over with a bowl of pasta or the wife decides to make a tray of brownies or a friend that comes by with an ice cream cake for my daughter or not having anything ready to eat when the time comes to eat. The most important one for me seems to be prep. I fell into a good habits last year by cooking on Sunday for the week, not everything, but most of what needed. During my first off-season, I became relaxed and not as focused on my eating habits and gained too much weight.

This weekend, I had enough time to get things right. I got the food needed for a healthy diet and cooked brown rice and sweet potato for my carbohydrate, diced up mushrooms and onions and got on the grill with steak, pork tenderloin and chicken breasts for my protein. I find if you dice up all the meat, it makes it easy to weigh and cuts down on time for making meals at night or in the morning. I don't like to cook my greens too far in advance but make sure I have plenty of string beans, broccoli and spinach on hand.

This morning, the scale wasn't too kind (200.6 lbs.), a good 3-5 pounds behind where I wanted to be at this point. There's time, but my window is closing if I want to be ready for Nancy Andrew's show (Northeast Classic) in June.

I'm getting up earlier (5AM) and getting a better grip on the schedule as the biggest obstacle will continue to be TIME! Spring is almost here and with the days getting longer, morning runs will help with conditioning. The new workout is challenging and guarantees to burn a few calories! This week, the goal is to break 200 lbs and be smart and prepared every day. Wish me luck.

[Jayd56]

My brother just sent me a text to say he's under 195! I've got some catching up to do! It's really amazing to have a twin brother who makes the journey so much fun. He knows so much, since he's been competing for 7 years, has a personal training license, is going for his 3rd masters and has the same body composition as me! We share meal ideas, mental and physical challenges daily and keep each other locked onto our goals.

We also had an interesting conversation about a potential twin routine on stage. I don't want to give way the surprise but it should be very entertaining!

[rich55]

Rich,

I'm glad I waited until now to start the cut but I really would have liked to be at the Buckeye! I'm sure you'll have some amazing athletes there this year. I've been to your website www.naturalbuckeyeclassic.com several times for motivation. Thanks for checking in.


Jay

You must do what's best for you. Just wait till this year's gallery. Competition is looking to be STIFF!

Time is always tough to balance when competing or even in offseason mode. The fact that you have the perspective to keep balance with your responsibilities and loved ones is commendable. Trust me, it's not easy. I know from my own personal experience, but at the end of the day you need your family's support. If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it.

[Jayd56]

By preparing and cooking most of the food for the week, it makes meal planning a snap. It takes me about 30 minutes to package 4-5 meals which helps me avoid poor choices the next day. Today's meal's were quick and easy.

Meal 1: 7:30AM - 7 jumbo egg whites, 1 serving part skim mozzarella, 2 campari tomatoes, and a slice of rye bread with a coffee (one serving low-fat coffeemate).

Meal 2: 10:15AM - 1/4 cup quick oats (1/2 serving), 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition's 100 Whey Protein(strawberry flavor), 1/2 serving wyman's frozen blueberries with crushed ice and water.

Meal 3: 12:30PM - 3.5 oz. Basmati brown rice, 2.5 oz. sauteed onions, 2 oz sauteed mushrooms and 3.5 oz. grilled pork tenderloin.

Meal 4: 3:30PM - 3.5 oz. sweet potato, 4 oz. grilled chicken breast and 2 oz. steamed spinach with grated cheese.

Workout: Gaspari SuperPump 250 blue raspberry 1 scoop 4:00PM
Intra-workout: Gaspari SizeOn pre contest fruit punch - 1 scoop - 4:30PM

Meal 5: 6:30PM - Chobani Greek yogurt plain 1 serving, half scoop BSN dessert lean protein chocolate fudge with strawberries.

Meal 6: 9:00PM - If needed - Optimum Nutrition 100% Casein Protein - 1 scoop with water

I drink a minimum of a Gallon of water a day.

[Jayd56]

Having a good week so far with the weight loss! Three pounds came off the scale today. More than I anticipated, so I'll have to watch the calories and make sure I'm taking in enough macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats).
It's my anniversary and Karen and I have been married for 9 years! We have a beautiful little girl and many great memories to show for it. Tonight we're having sushi with edamame (green soy bean) with a glass of wine.
I've prepared for it by stretching out my meals and cutting back on the calories. With this style diet, you are supposed to have a carb-up meal or carb-up day once per week. This will have to be that day. I'll go to the gym this afternoon for a quick cardio and ab routine, if there's enough time.

[Jomyra]

Having a good week so far with the weight loss! Three pounds came off the scale today. More than I anticipated, so I'll have to watch the calories and make sure I'm taking in enough macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats).
It's my anniversary and Karen and I have been married for 9 years! We have a beautiful little girl and many great memories to show for it. Tonight we're having sushi with edamame (green soy bean) with a glass of wine.
I've prepared for it by stretching out my meals and cutting back on the calories. With this style diet, you are supposed to have a carb-up meal or carb-up day once per week. This will have to be that day. I'll go to the gym this afternoon for a quick cardio and ab routine, if there's enough time.

Congratulations!! I too feel very blessed to be this in love after 15 years! We are so lucky Jay we really are! Wow a whole carb up day...Ive never done that since p90x I only allow myself one carb up meal a week..am I wrong in doing this? Why an entire day?

[Jayd56]

One week through the new program and it has to be one of the best programs I've ever written! I found most of my weak points and attacked them with the different exercises.
Today's back workout was pretty intense! When I was up in Massachusetts for Nancy Andrews camp, Sean McCauley, a personal consultant with thedietdoc.com, put me through a grueling back workout. We did Sumo dead lifts (toes pointing out at a 45 degree angle with feet beyond shoulder width) and I was determined to get them into my new workout. After a warm-up set with 135 pounds for 15 reps, I increased the weight for 4 sets. Next was 3 sets of behind the neck pull-ups for max reps. I've done bent over rows with a barbell, in a smith machine and reverse grip with a barbell. This workout, I used dumbbells with elbows out and boy it was tough! One warm-up set for 15 reps and then 3 sets increasing weight to 4-6 reps on the final set. I was pretty fatigued at this point, so the next two exercises were with cables. First, there was 3 sets of straight arm pull-downs standing in front of the lat pull down machine, then 4 sets of cable rows. I'm going to sleep well tonight! With 30 minutes of basketball (2 on 2) before the workout, I burned over 1200 calories. That should help make up for that carb up day on Wednesday! Chest in the morning.

[Jayd56]

Congratulations!! I too feel very blessed to be this in love after 15 years! We are so lucky Jay we really are! Wow a whole carb up day...Ive never done that since p90x I only allow myself one carb up meal a week..am I wrong in doing this? Why an entire day?

Jo, You're right. It's one carb-up meal a week but you have to listen to your body. If it needs more, give it more in moderation. The toughest dilemma when cutting body fat is trying to hold onto valuable muscle. Cutting too fast can cause excess muscle loss. There's also the effect on your metabolism... Thanks for checking in on me!

[Jomyra]

My brother just sent me a text to say he's under 195! I've got some catching up to do! It's really amazing to have a twin brother who makes the journey so much fun. He knows so much, since he's been competing for 7 years, has a personal training license, is going for his 3rd masters and has the same body composition as me! We share meal ideas, mental and physical challenges daily and keep each other locked onto our goals.

We also had an interesting conversation about a potential twin routine on stage. I don't want to give way the surprise but it should be very entertaining!

So this is how hard it is to train for competition. Wow! I pray you win and that someday you and your brother can become household names known for outstanding achievements in the bodybuilding industry!

[Jayd56]

I belong to Rotary International throught the local Rotary Club in North Haven. Rotary International is the world's first service organization that "combats hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace and eradicate polio. We do community service work, social events (Tuesday morning breakfest every week) and fundraising efforts for charities and scholarships. I believe in giving back to the community and this international organization effects peoples lives.
The fundraiser "Carnivale" is a dinner event tonight where they are serving plenty of food and open bar. If I don't eat or drink, it becomes difficult to network, so it will take proper planning and a few tricks to pull it all off. First off, I won't drink. Club soda with lime always passes for a vodka and soda, my normal off-season low calorie drink. Meal planning is the toughest part. I don't know what they are serving and I can't just pile greens on a plate and pass it off for a meal. Since the style is buffet, I'll have options but the low-calorie will be tough to come by in an Italian Resturant. I've already had my carb-up meal earlier in the week, so this will definately be a challenge if I'm to stay on track!

Here's what I've planned on so far to keep me on track:

7:30AM - 8 Egg White omelete with one serving reduced fat cheddar cheese, two campari tomato's with a slice of rye toast (dry).

10:30AM - 1/2 serving of quick oats, serving of wyman's frozen blueberries and a scoop of Optimum Nutrition strawberry blended with crushed ice and water. (I nuke the water and quick oats for 1 minute on high then let it stand before adding everything else).

1PM - 3.5 oz. Basmati brown rice, 4 oz. home made tomato sauce, 2 oz. sauteed onions, 2.5 oz. sauteed mushrooms, 4 oz. chicken with grated cheese.

3:30PM - Chocolate rice cake with 1/2 serving of Power Butter
3:45PM - one scoop Gaspari SuperPump 250 blue raspberry ice
4:30PM - one scoop Gaspari SizeOn Pre contest fruit punch

5:30PM - Worldwide Sport Nutritional Supplements - Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe 50g bar.

Dinner will be around 7:30 PM. I'll keep it light and balanced.

[Jayd56]

I made out well over the weekend. They had enough variety at the dinner Friday night that allowed me to piece together a vegetable plate with Sicilian cheese and chicken. The club soda and lime worked as a good cover and everyone had a great time.
Saturday was an abs and cardio day where I jump rope in between sets and managed to burn close to 900 calories.
Sunday was going to be a leg day. I help manage a softball team and our season starts in a month. We've really tried to make it a point this year to have the necessary practices to hopefully come into the first game in mid-season form. Sunday, we practiced and scrimmaged for 2 1/2 hours. I took batting practice, ran the bases and played left field in a 4 inning simulated game and was 3 for 3 with 3 home runs (I know, its softball). I was sore afterward and decided to take the rest of the day off to recover.
The plan was to go after the leg workout first thing in the morning (6AM). I woke up at 7AM (slept through the 5AM alarm) after a good night sleep and still felt stiff. I've got strong, developed legs and feel its okay to skip a leg workout every once and a while, when my body needs the break. It's important to listen to your body. I don't want to miss another day but know I'll be disappointed if I even attempt the leg workout.
The next workout after legs is shoulders and traps. I start off with Clean & Press for 5 sets, increasing weight each set. You have to use your legs with clean & press so it's not a complete loss. Arms will fall on Tuesday and abs & cardio on Wednesday.
Going to try and get under 195 by Sunday.

[Jayd56]

We'll, it was another successful week so far. Down to 195 and getting lighter by the day! I've got my weekly calorie burn up to 4500-5000 calories for three straight weeks and am feeling strong. I really like this new workout and feel good with the current eating habits. I'm avoiding most junk and am bending to the needs of those around me.
Life is a balance but I know, as I get closer, I'm going to have to tighten up the loose ends. I'm not doing the extra cardio just yet because I don't want to abuse my body or lose weight too quickly.

Easter is coming up and I'll have to find a way to not gain any weight back over the weekend.

Today's diet:

8AM: 8 egg white omelet with tomato and part skim mozz with coffee

11AM: Protein shake (1/4 cup oats, 1/2 serving frozen blueberries and 1 scoop ON Whey)

1PM: Basmati brown rice 3.5 oz, sauteed onions 2.5 oz raw, sauteed mushrooms 2 oz. raw, grilled pork 3.2 oz and edemame 45g (1/2 serving).

4PM: Sweet potato 3.5 oz, chicken cutlet 2.4 oz and 5.2 oz steamed spinach

7PM: Chobani plain greek yogurt 227g (1 serving), BSN Dessert Lean Protein ch. fudge (1 serving), and fresh sliced strawberries.

1-2 gallons of water, 2 cups of coffee and 1 can Rockstar zero carb blue.

[sjschumaker]

Keep at it!! What show are you shooting for? Hey didn't I see you at Nancy's camp in Boston???

[Jomyra]

We'll, it was another successful week so far. Down to 195 and getting lighter by the day! I've got my weekly calorie burn up to 4500-5000 calories for three straight weeks and am feeling strong. I really like this new workout and feel good with the current eating habits. I'm avoiding most junk and am bending to the needs of those around me.
Life is a balance but I know, as I get closer, I'm going to have to tighten up the loose ends. I'm not doing the extra cardio just yet because I don't want to abuse my body or lose weight too quickly.

Easter is coming up and I'll have to find a way to not gain any weight back over the weekend.

Today's diet:

8AM: 8 egg white omelet with tomato and part skim mozz with coffee

11AM: Protein shake (1/4 cup oats, 1/2 serving frozen blueberries and 1 scoop ON Whey)

1PM: Basmati brown rice 3.5 oz, sauteed onions 2.5 oz raw, sauteed mushrooms 2 oz. raw, grilled pork 3.2 oz and edemame 45g (1/2 serving).

4PM: Sweet potato 3.5 oz, chicken cutlet 2.4 oz and 5.2 oz steamed spinach

7PM: Chobani plain greek yogurt 227g (1 serving), BSN Dessert Lean Protein ch. fudge (1 serving), and fresh sliced strawberries.

1-2 gallons of water, 2 cups of coffee and 1 can Rockstar zero carb blue.

Great work Jay! Wow how can you consume soooo much water, lol. The amount of calories spent are mind boggling! Your on fire Jay!!

[Jayd56]

Keep at it!! What show are you shooting for? Hey didn't I see you at Nancy's camp in Boston???

Thanks Shawn! Yes, you did see me there. I'm shooting to be ready for Nancy Andrew's show INBF/WNBF Northeast Classic on June 5th followed by Robert Fulton's INBF Natural CT on 6/19 and then the super pro qualifier Hercules Championships in NY on 6/26/2010.

[sjschumaker]

I will see you at Nancy's show and maybe the Hercules too. My wife and I are starting our season with the Buckeye Classic here in Ohio in two weeks and plan on finishing with Nancy's show and then maybe the Hercules too. Best of luck to you! Hopefully we will share the pro stage later this year or early 2011!

[Jayd56]

I will see you at Nancy's show and maybe the Hercules too. My wife and I are starting our season with the Buckeye Classic here in Ohio in two weeks and plan on finishing with Nancy's show and then maybe the Hercules too. Best of luck to you! Hopefully we will share the pro stage later this year or early 2011!

The goal is a Pro card! All or nothing! Good luck at the Buckeye! I'll be gearing up to see you at Nancy's.

[Jayd56]

I've been eating pretty clean and burning around 5000 calories a week for the last 4 weeks. This weekend, the wheels came off! I guess it was time to rotate the tires My daughter received 4 Easter baskets and my hand was found in ALL of them. By the end of Sunday, I found myself throwing out a ton of junk and sorting thru the rest. I'm down to 8 weeks of dieting and have several pounds to go! It's going to have to be 100% clean the rest of the way if I plan on making it in time.

I've set myself up for success and have all the pieces in place to make it happen! I've got my meal plan adjusted and ready to go. I've got a workout plan in place that is definitely working with morning runs starting this week. Now my head is on right and I'm focused on the finish line!

I know the mental battle will be the toughest obstacle. I'll get there; I just hope I have enough time to make June 5th.

[Jayd56]

The weight has been coming off slowly and I've noticed a few things along the way. Most notably is the size I've picked up in my back this off-season. I was positioned in the side relaxed pose and noticed how much wider my lat was. I practice posing for 5-15 minutes a day. I work on form and squeezing certain body parts. Positioning my feet and locking down the legs is the first part of posing. Even the chest, legs and glutes look bigger! Everyone has there own ideas but knowing what the judges want to see is critical! "Lat Spread" was my weakest pose last year, partly because they weren't big enough, but I have more confidence with the pose because of the practice. When I get down to 185, I'll be at Fulton's Fitness in Milford, CT on Tuesday and Thursday night's for real prep! Robert Fulton puts a group of us through a posing workout (buckets of sweat are collected) and I always leave there with more knowledge and feeling better prepared! The key to posing practice is to squeeze the excess water from your body and get more comfortable with the proper positions.

I'm curious at what my competing weight will be this year? I look bigger and stronger! How that translates will be the true testament.

[Jayd56]

The toughest part of getting ready for a show is locking in on eating clean with the right balance of macronutrients every day. With a wife that loves to bake and a mother-in-law that likes to cook the Italian way, every day is a challenge. I'm done with the cheats, mental break downs and bad eating habits! It's time to step up or go home and I'm focused on a 1st place trophy and Pro Card!

My workouts have been strong and intense and I'm still seeing muscle gains, so I want to be careful to not loose too quickly. I need to keep my energy levels up at work and at home, so I need to eat right. At 195, the mistakes I've made haven't killed me, but I have some way to go to be ready for a show. Cardio will be the key. I'm going to start running 2-4 days a week. It's always been the quickest way for me to loose weight. Posing classes at Fulton's 1-2 nights a week will start when I'm at 185 pounds.

My brother just got back from Florida, so we're both at the point where we need to bring it. Mike Paccione is also starting to cut, so we're all communicating and keeping each other honest the rest of the way! It's great to have this kind of support group!

Get 'er done!

[Christian20]

The toughest part of getting ready for a show is locking in on eating clean with the right balance of macronutrients every day. With a wife that loves to bake and a mother-in-law that likes to cook the Italian way, every day is a challenge. I'm done with the cheats, mental break downs and bad eating habits! It's time to step up or go home and I'm focused on a 1st place trophy and Pro Card!

My workouts have been strong and intense and I'm still seeing muscle gains, so I want to be careful to not loose too quickly. I need to keep my energy levels up at work and at home, so I need to eat right. At 195, the mistakes I've made haven't killed me, but I have some way to go to be ready for a show. Cardio will be the key. I'm going to start running 2-4 days a week. It's always been the quickest way for me to loose weight. Posing classes at Fulton's 1-2 nights a week will start when I'm at 185 pounds.

My brother just got back from Florida, so we're both at the point where we need to bring it. Mike Paccione is also starting to cut, so we're all communicating and keeping each other honest the rest of the way! It's great to have this kind of support group!

Get 'er done!

It looks like your on track in all aspects. I want to compete one day, but I dont know where to start and I am not sure if I have potential. Im 20 years old and I have been lifting a little over 3 years now. I hope one day I will have more knowledge of the sport so I can compete.

[tdinh]

good luck on your cutting. I am doing the Natty Mr Wisconsin one week from tomorrow, and is pro qualifier-- hopefully I have done my home work for that elusive card.

[Jayd56]

It looks like your on track in all aspects. I want to compete one day, but I dont know where to start and I am not sure if I have potential. Im 20 years old and I have been lifting a little over 3 years now. I hope one day I will have more knowledge of the sport so I can compete.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's a difficult balance between work, life, exercise and eating right but it can be done. I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you'll get there sooner than you think!

[Jayd56]

When I competed in my first competition last year at the Mid America Pro AM in Indiana, my biggest downfall was my comfort level with posing. The judge would call a pose and I would have to think way too much and took too much time getting into position. By the second show at Naturalmania in NY, I took first with ease. I was comfortable in the positions, I knew what I wanted to do and I showed that confidence on the stage!
The biggest difference was the amount of practice from the first to the second show.

This year, I've taken a different approach to preparing for a show. My workouts remain a constant with more Yoga X and cardio to get leaner, increase flexibility and strengthen the small stabilizer muscles. My diet is getting more strict and precise, cutting out the cheats and being disciplined and timely with my meals. Posing is something I make time for every day. Taking 5-15 minutes before a shower, after I get home from work, getting ready for bed or after a quality workout! Work can sometimes consume days or weeks, but making time for something that can be done almost anywhere is easy. I may not always like what I see and use that as motivation to push harder!

In my business, tax season makes for long, busy days. Yesterday was no exception. I started the day at 6AM and didn't get home until 8PM. It left me no time for a workout and exhausted. After a good night sleep, I got everyone ready for the day and went to take a shower. Fifteen minutes to pose and fifteen minutes to shower and dress for the day. In those 15 minutes, I noticed I need a tan LOL, but my legs are huge! I can't wait to bring these monsters to the stage! I've still got work to do, but look out. I'm not that far away and feel really solid about my chances this year.