Considering competing in the future... not sure if I can even do it

[danaflava]

For the past year or two I've been following a lot of bikini and figure girls on IG. Not only have I admired their determination and dedication, but they look beautiful and confident in their own skin. It's something I've thought about often lately but never quite sure if I should even try.

I take my training seriously and workout 5x a week. Sometimes 6, but usually 5 to get adequate recovery since both my part time jobs are fairly to very active (sales at a vitamin store, and a trainer at a popular gym). I'm always trying to learn something new, improve my form, get stronger and more fit overall. My coworkers know I'm dedicated to getting my workouts in and ask me from time to time if I want to compete in the future since I'm always excited about when the Fitness Expo comes to SoCal. However, one of my coworkers who used to compete warned me that steroid or other drug use is rampant in competitions, and usually only those who do use actually win. That makes me a little put off. I also hear that prep is isolating and brutal; you can't do anything fun and every moment is focused on prep.

I have a friend who coaches me with nutrition and gives me set macros to hit each week. Since I was new to this and started off with a fairly highish body fat (not really high, like 23/24%) we started off aiming to cut down fat before bulking up to build muscle. Once I hit 131 I could. not. lose. anything. I couldn't lose anymore fat, especially in my legs, despite doing HIIT cardio almost every day, eating about 1400-1600 calories, lifting, trying to be active and walk as much as I could, I just couldn't lose any more fat at that point. I have tons of cellulite on my legs that never go away no matter how low I got. Even when I was a cross country runner and 125 pounds I still had tons. And so this is another reason I'm a little iffy about even attempting to compete; I just can't lose fat at a certain point. I was 132/131 for almost two months with that deficit and cardio. I tracked meticulously. I was exhausted. And I'm afraid that if I did sign up to compete I would never be ready. I don't want to feel that crummy again.

I'm bulking right now, and up to 139/140lbs since November. I'm putting on muscle, though I'm not quite sure how much. I'm hoping that the extra muscle will help me get leaner than I was last year with a little extra calories. But i'm just worried I might never get lean enough for and entry level competition standards.

So my main questions are
-Is it possible for someone who struggles to lose fat to get lean enough naturally to compete in an entry level show?
-What are/were your experiences as a beginner?
-Is prep really depriving and exhausted 24/7? Did you have energy to focus at work?
-Can you have any type of fun life during prep? I go to raves every once in a while and occasionally have a drink or two. I don't like to get hungover or do anything else. Would that be possible to do early on in prep?
-If legs were your problem areas, what was the best way you found to tone them up? Go moderate-heavy for hypertrophy, or high reps moderate weight?

Thank you

[danielweisman]

Hey Danaflava! I’m actualky a Prep Coach and design programming for people to get on stage and I’ve had tons of great clients who did it naturally. Truth is, there are shoes meant for natural competitors, and other stages that don’t have rules of any kind. Do not worry about offsetting your health and using drugs to prepare if that is not the route you’re wanting to take. I always advocate people staying natural

So to answer your questions:
1) yes it is entirely possibly and likely easier than you think. I already have several ideas of why you stopped dropping fat. I had a lady come to me not that long ago with similar circumstances.

2) We all have different beginners stories. It just took ME a long time to learn what worked for my body. Whah works for someone else usually won’t work for you due to all the biological differences and variety in genetics.

3) There are days where you’re very, very fatigued which is typically when I’ll have a client do a “high carb refeed day” to boost leptin production and concentration this way we don’t plateau in lipolysis (fat loss) and we regain energy stores. Most of my competitors have been fine working while on prep

4) it is possible to do that during prep and diet breaks are physiologically and psychologically necessary too so there are times I would tell you to have an untracked free meal of your choice. Prep does require ALOT of focus and dedication but some people blow this way out of proportion.

5) “Toning” your legs comes down to doing a successful recomp where pull down the calories, bump the cardio, and make sure we’re implementing progressive overload (low reps, higher weight) and also implement cellular swelling mechanisms for
Growth and typically I do supersets/giant sets for my programs in this area but it varies person to person. Best advice I can provide on this is to mix high weight/low rep with lower weight but still heavy and high reps (minimum 15). But again, this varies on the person.

Do you need a coach to help you get through prep or at least prepare for it? I’d love to discuss the details with you and see if you’re a good candidate for it!

[danaflava]

What are your ideas as to why I stopped losing fat? I'm curious.

And I actually have a friend who sort of coaches me right now. He gives me my macros for the week and advises me whenever I reach out. But when I was trying to lose fat I never got a "refeed" (thought to be honest there was occasions I would cheat, but only for special occasions like holidays or a special persons birthday). My carbs got pretty low, not like sub 50 low but pretty low regardless. And my protein was pretty high, I felt like the only thing I COULD eat was protein. Could that possibly be why I stopped losing fat?

Hey Danaflava! I’m actualky a Prep Coach and design programming for people to get on stage and I’ve had tons of great clients who did it naturally. Truth is, there are shoes meant for natural competitors, and other stages that don’t have rules of any kind. Do not worry about offsetting your health and using drugs to prepare if that is not the route you’re wanting to take. I always advocate people staying natural

So to answer your questions:
1) yes it is entirely possibly and likely easier than you think. I already have several ideas of why you stopped dropping fat. I had a lady come to me not that long ago with similar circumstances.

2) We all have different beginners stories. It just took ME a long time to learn what worked for my body. Whah works for someone else usually won’t work for you due to all the biological differences and variety in genetics.

3) There are days where you’re very, very fatigued which is typically when I’ll have a client do a “high carb refeed day” to boost leptin production and concentration this way we don’t plateau in lipolysis (fat loss) and we regain energy stores. Most of my competitors have been fine working while on prep

4) it is possible to do that during prep and diet breaks are physiologically and psychologically necessary too so there are times I would tell you to have an untracked free meal of your choice. Prep does require ALOT of focus and dedication but some people blow this way out of proportion.

5) “Toning” your legs comes down to doing a successful recomp where pull down the calories, bump the cardio, and make sure we’re implementing progressive overload (low reps, higher weight) and also implement cellular swelling mechanisms for
Growth and typically I do supersets/giant sets for my programs in this area but it varies person to person. Best advice I can provide on this is to mix high weight/low rep with lower weight but still heavy and high reps (minimum 15). But again, this varies on the person.

Do you need a coach to help you get through prep or at least prepare for it? I’d love to discuss the details with you and see if you’re a good candidate for it!

[marinevet63031]

I am a natty pro and I will tell you that - without good diet then all the drugs in the world wont help at all. I won an IFBB card in 1994 so there is that. Anyway, the thing is. Getting on stage for the first time is like going to the gym for the first time. Total, what the hell and lets go, but can i do it mentality.
my advice, just calm down and try it.