Hey guys! Hope this finds you all well and enjoying the summer!
Since I’m so close to my show (just 1 week out!), I wanted to share some of my tips for success with Contest Preps. I’m by no means an expert on this stuff. This is only my 4th prep and my first National show, and I’m obviously not a Pro, however, I do feel like my experience has given me a lot of insight into what helps make prepping for a bodybuilding competition easier! I love to mentor first-time competitors and newbies in the sport because this can be REALLY overwhelming. And honestly, you learn best by experience, but it’s so helpful to have all the advice you can get! Here are my top tips for making your Prep as enjoyable and hopefully successful as possible.
1.) Have a good coach! This is a no brainer. You can’t get stage-ready flying solo. Ideally you want to be working with someone for several weeks or months prior to dieting for a show so that they get to know your body and it’s responses to various types of training and dietary changes. Ask around! You should feel comfortable with this person. Yes, it’s a business relationship, but you need to feel like they support and encourage you and that they are truly knowledgeable about the sport.
2.) If you can’t go 6 weeks without a cheat meal, it’s not time to Prep for a show. I can’t stress this enough. You REALLY need to be in a place where you have a healthy relationship with food, and you can have the self-control and discipline to stick to a VERY structured diet for several weeks. Give yourself a test run before even thinking about picking a show date. If you can’t go several weeks without pizza, wine, dessert, tacos, donuts, brunch with your girls, etc., you really need to reevaluate why you’re doing a show.
3.) Prioritize SLEEP and REST!! This will become more and more important the further you get into a Prep. You get more and more depleted, and rest and sleep become more important. If your schedule is crazy and you’re only getting 4-6 hours of sleep a night, or are super busy running around every day, you may need to reconsider if prepping for a show is right for you.
4.) Get comfortable eating vegetables. Lots and lots of green vegetables. Sometimes I think I’m part rabbit. I’m not talking about eating boujie salads and broccoli covered in cheese sauce. Carbs and fats will get cut in a Prep. End of story. That leaves pretty much green stuff and proteins. If you can’t handle that, you’re gonna be riding an even strugglier struggle bus.
5.) Try to stay positive. You will get hangry. You will get tired. You will be sore. You will be emotional at the drop of a hat. You will question your will power and sanity more than you every have in your life. The good news, every Prep gets easier because hopefully you’re getting stronger. Just like with anything in life, your attitude and mindset can determine how you view your circumstances. If you think it sucks, it’s going to suck more. The cool part, staying positive in a Prep makes it easier to stay positive in other shitty situations.
5.) Enjoy the journey. Prep will teach you so so much about yourself and life, but only if you ALLOW it to and embrace the highs and lows that come with that journey to the stage. At the end of the day, it’s not about winning, it’s about become better and becoming stronger inside and out. Take pictures of your shredded self! Journal, post on social media, take videos. You’ll be glad you did when you look back on your ride!
So that’s it! I’ve got a ton of other posts here on “Prep Hacks” and am always here to answer questions.
Thanks so much for being part of my journey! Another post coming soon before we head to Vegas next week!
Hey y’all! I cannot BELIEVE I’m already over halfway through this Prep! As of this upcoming weekend I am JUST SIX WEEKS OUT from the stage!! If you’ve been following my Instagram and social media posts, you’ve seen how much fun this Prep has been! Honestly, it’s my 4th one, but hands down my best and easiest to date. I think a big part of what made this one so much smoother from the beginning is that I had a GREAT almost 8 month offseason from my last show in August 2017, before starting this Prep in early April. As you know, I like to take at least 6-8 months to grow in between competition seasons. It helps me have balance, helps my body recover, and most importantly gives me TIME to grow muscle and sculpt my physique. This was my first full offseason with my coach Joe, and boy did we do work! I started this Prep about 15 pounds heavier than the start of last year’s Prep, but LEANER!!! You can’t ask for better than that! I stayed on my nutrition plan, trained HARD, enjoyed my treats and drinks, etc., but made some major improvements!
I’m super excited because this will be my first National competition. This is where you can earn a Pro card (IFBB Professional—the elite of elite bodybuilders) by placing in the TOP TWO of your height class. It’s a big deal, and I’ll be competing at the NPC USAs in Las Vegas July 29th. I’m freaking stoked!! It’s hard to say how big my class size will be, but probably somewhere between 15-25 ladies. To qualify for a national NPC show, you have to place first or second in your height class at an amateur or local show, which I’ve done the last two years, however, I didn’t want to compete at the national level until I felt like I was where I needed to be with my size and conditioning to be able to really compete for that Pro card. A lot of people ask me why I want to go Pro, or what that means. For me, it means being able to compete with the best of the best, and being able to compete internationally. There are IFBB shows in so many countries and locations, it’s amazing! There are also a lot of sponsorship and networking opportunities when you compete at that level, and of course, the opportunity to compete at the Olympia if you win a show as a Pro, or qualify with enough points—that would be the ultimate dream come true!!!
So to catch y’all up on the last 9 weeks. Honestly the first few weeks were pretty much normal for me. Minimal cardio, no cheat meals (at least for like the first two weeks), no drinking, no sweets. Those are pretty much off the table during Prep. HOWEVER, I did get sushi three Saturdays in a row per Coach’s orders last month, which was AWESOME!! I wasn’t even doing any post-workout cardio until about 10 or 11 weeks out, and I started at 16 weeks out with just 30 minutes of fasted. That’s a breeze with our AMAZING Stairmaster that lives upstairs—IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!!!!!!! (insert all the praisehand emojis here) My strength has been pretty stable and good in the gym, a little tired, but cravings really haven’t been that bad.
The diet for me is pretty much the same foods year around, just different amounts of carbs and varying amounts of fats, but I eat the same foods in and out of season. Luckily I love green leafy salads and vegetables because those are always staples in Prep!! What gets me through it? Crystal Light, sparkling water, diet sodas, cucumbers with Truvia, sugar free jello, lots of coffee, and naps 😊
Last week we started depleting me pretty hard, so very few carbs and lots more cardio, but I’m honestly okay. Like I have with every other Prep, I take it one day, one meal, one workout at a time. The meals and cardio sessions and workouts turn into days, which turn into weeks gone by and before you know it it’s show time! It’s been a lot of fun comparing pictures from last year to this year. I’m really proud of the work we’ve put in so far—it takes a village for sure. My Coach, Shane, our amazing squad of awesome friends at our gym, and the support of friends and family near and far, it all makes this so much fun and rewarding.
Sadly, we did lose our sweet Corgi, Camden, Memorial Day weekend. After a tough battle with prostate cancer, he let us know that it was his time to go. It was awful and so very very sad. He was the best dog. We got him when we were engaged, and losing a dog that you’ve loved and raised together for 12 years is just gutwrenching. We were heartbroken, but thankful that we could spend time loving on him and making memories with him until it was his time to go. We love and miss you Camden!!!
Other than that, we’re just enjoying life to the fullest! I’m a firm believer that Prep is what you make of it. I choose to see the positive, embrace the struggle, have fun inspite of bringing my own food and saying no to other food at events, etc. and just make Prep as fun as it can be!
I’ll definitely try to post more often as we wind down the last few weeks of this Prep—it’s gonna be a fun ride to Vegas!
Hope you all are doing great and enjoying Spring!! This time of year is when a lot of people take some time to go on VACATION!!! It’s one of our absolute favorite things to do! Getting away for a while is a great way to relax and unwind, but as many of us know from experience can often lead to coming back with a couple of extra pounds that AREN’T from your luggage! It can also be tough to get back in your gym routine after a few days of R&R. I thought I’d share some helpful tips I use when we’re on vacation 3.that help me balance my fitness and nutrition goals with having some fun too! We took an amazing Caribbean Cruise vacation last month, and these points helped me enjoy myself and stay on track.
1.) Realize it’s all about BALANCE!!!
One of the best parts of any vacation is relaxing and spending time with loved ones, having fun, and eating yummy food! Focus on enjoying the experience and not what you can/can’t eat, and realize that it’s okay to tone down the crazy workouts some. BALANCE FRIENDS!!! Eat dessert, order the wine, enjoy yourself! I try to make healthy eating choices for breakfast, snacks, and lunch or dinner, but allow myself to enjoy a few bites of desert and a drink or two every day. It’s all about moderation! More on the workout piece in a bit.
2.) Drink alcohol in moderation
It might be fun to toss a few back, but the hangover the next day will NOT be fun! I love a fruity drink by the pool or beach just as much as the next girl, but I don’t love the bloated, gross feeling that comes from over indulging or the horrible feeling a hangover gives you! Enjoy your alcoholic beverages in moderation while on vacay, and you won’t have to worry about missing out on fun from not feeling well, and it will also save you THOUSANDS of calories! Those delicious fruity/ frozen drinks can add-up quickly, so again, try to enjoy those in moderation when possible. This tip will also save you some cash too!! Drinks can add up quickly leading to a hefty bar tab!
3.) Enjoy some ACTIVE-ities!!!
My husband and I love to gallivant and sightsee when we travel. Exploring is the name of the game! We also like to do fun things like hike if there are caves, architectural sites, or natural tourist points to trek to and explore. While we were in port in Falmouth, Jamaica on the cruise, we spent the day climbing the beautiful Dunn’s River Falls in Ochos Rios. It was so much fun! We also love theme parks and ziplining! Other great activities could be snorkeling, skiing, mini-golf, sports at your resort, whatever your heart desires! These are all great calorie burners that get you moving and are sure to be a fun time for all!
4.) Plan to workout
At least pack some workout/gym clothes in your suitcase! Even just a quick 20-30 minute lifting session, some cardio, or a circuit workout will keep you somewhat in your routine and easier to get back into the swing of things when you get back home. My rule of thumb: 3 workouts if I’m gone for a week, one if it’s a shorter trip like a weekend. This is easy to do if you have a gym on your ship or your hotel! We worked out every day on the cruise, but when we were abroad for three weeks in Japan last year it was much harder to find gyms (they literally DO NOT exist there. Thank god for the Ritz!) so we only worked out like three times. Just make it a priority and make it fun—you won’t regret it!
5.) Pack some protein focused snacks and get as much protein as you can!
I love this one. Our favorites: Protein powder and Quest Bars! I never worry about carb intake on vacay, but really try to eat as much protein as I can. Snacks can help you in a pinch if you get stuck in an excursion or in the airport too! Protein is key. It’s easy to get the fat and carb macros you need eating out on vacation, but the protein will keep you full and will help curb overindulging on some not so healthy foods. Aim for grilled chicken, seafood, or fish when you can, and don’t be afraid or embarrassed to order a salad!
I hope these tips are helpful if you’re planning a fun trip anytime soon. You’ll be so proud of yourself for sticking to your fitness and nutrition goals that it will make you want to take another vacay to put them to use!
I’ll shoot you straight. There’s no “short cut” to weight loss. It takes consistency and hard work! One of the questions I get asked most from clients is “What are some easy things I can do to lose weight?” You’ll still need to work hard in the gym and stay consistent with a clean diet to really change your physique, but here are some simple ways you can “cut the crap” and make minor changes that will save you hundreds of calories that can add up to some major pounds dropped!
1.) Rethink your coffee—did you know that most flavored coffee creamers have 20 (up to even 50 calories!) per a 2 tablespoon serving? Not to mention that they’re packed with sugar and fat too! Most coffee drinkers probably use more than two tablespoons (basically a shot glass) in just one cup of their morning joe! That adds up quick—upwards of hundreds of calories and a day’s intake of sugar! I’ve mentioned in previous posts that a typical Starbucks latte has upwards of 300 calories! Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE coffee, and I love mine with a creamy delicious flavor to it! Your better option is to get the SUGAR FREE coffee creamers—unfortunately they don’t come in a ton of flavors, but they save you lots of calories and (hooray!) have no sugar!! I love Coffeemate’s Sugar Free French Vanilla, Caramel, and Hazelnut flavors and it is a HAPPY HAPPY DAY when the sugar free seasonal flavors of Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Mocha come around!! You can also opt for fat free half and half (20 calories per 2tbs, no fat, no sugar) and some Splenda or Stevia instead of real sugar. That’s my other go to! You can also use the Torani sugar free syrups too! You can find those at World Market or Amazon, and they also are great in egg whites or oats or plain Greek yogurt!
2.) Juice and “regular” soft drinks and sweet tea are NOT your friends— read the nutrition label, pay special attention to the sugar content and the ingredients. SUGAR is the enemy here. Absolutely no nutrition value, and those calories add up super quick! Fruit Juices are laden with added sugar—you’re much better off just eating an orange or an apple instead of drinking the juice of them! Coke, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Root Beer, etc. a large fountain drink of one of those will easily put you at close to 500 calories and 50 grams of sugar!! That’s two days worth of sugar and easily almost a third of an average female’s daily caloric intake. NOT WORTH IT FRIENDS! If you have a die hard soda habit, cut it down as much as you can and swap it for sparkling water or tea (unsweet, but you can use Stevia or Splenda). You’ll feel better and will be more hydrated too! Those bottled and fruit smoothies can go in this category too—tons of sugar in those too!!
3.) Candy, cookies, cakes, JUNK—If you’re not around it, and it’s not in your house, you won’t eat it! I can guarantee that if you portion out these sweet treats and enjoy them once or twice a week in moderate amounts, you will ENJOY them so much more! A sugar craving is hard to kick, but you’ll never truly be successful with weight loss unless you can get it under control. Pay attention to how you’re feeling when you reach for candy or chips or cookies—ask yourself if you’re eating it out of hunger or cravings or because of your emotions. If you’re truly hungry, try to pick a more healthy, satisfying option!
4.) Fruit—I love fruit! Especially when it’s fresh and in season! Honeycrisp apples are my JAM, but I also love bananas and berries and pineapple! Fruit is GOOD for you! It’s packed with vitamins and nutrients, and even fiber! But it also has a lot of natural occurring sugars, which can make it high in calories. Try to keep your fruit intake to 1 or 2 servings per day. If you’re really serious, keep it to half a serving to one serving per day.
5.) Alcohol—I LOVE wine, and margaritas, and craft cocktails just as much as every other lady out there. BUT, when it comes to weight loss, alcohol is the absolute enemy. Yes it’s delicious, it helps you unwind, and it often leads to fun times and good memories, but that comes at the expense of hundreds (even thousands!) of calories! A bottle of wine easily packs a 500 calorie punch—that’s three large glasses! A frozen drink? You’re looking at 400 – 600+. Even just a light beer comes in at around 150. It adds up! And most alcohols have tons of sugar too! That’s where the calories come from! If you consume several alcoholic beverages a week, you’re without a doubt offsetting the work you’re putting in in the gym.
Nothing worth having comes easy. Like I tell my friends and clients all the time—this “being healthy” thing is a lifestyle. It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy treats or sweets or wine any more at all, but it does take being cognizant of your intake! 3,500 calories burned equals one pound of fat. Small changes that save calories add up to big results! You can do this!!
Hi friends! If you’re like 90% + of women out there, you want a nice, round, perky butt! Believe it or not, the glutes (butt) are one of the hardest muscle groups to work, and one of the top body areas both men and women want to change in their physiques! Most of us have either a.) alot of fat in the butt area or b.) have really underdeveloped glute muscles leading to a pancake or flat butt! When I first started training several years ago, my booty was really lacking muscle development, and was one of my weakest body parts on stage. I’ve spent the last few years training glutes at least twice a week, and they have improved SO much thanks to alot of repetitions of these exercises below. Here are my favorite exercises to train my glutes that will help you build that booty just in time for summer!
1.) SQUATS!! Bottom line (Ha! Pun definitely intended!) this movement is the KEY to really developing that round, booty shelf look that comes with a great butt! There are SO many types of squats!! Mix these up every time you train legs– plie squats (feet wide toes out, using either a dumbbell or body weight– these will target your inner thighs more), jump squats, hack squats, front squats, sissy squats, Bulgarian split squats, pistol squats, air squats, bosu ball squats, heavy barbell squats at the squat rack or on the Smith Machine, and high rep lighter weight squats too! The great thing about squats is that there are so many variations with equipment, foot placement, intensity, etc., that you can incorporate several versions of them into every leg workout. Here’s a great link to a bodybuilding.com article on different versions of squats.
2.) Leg Press- Leg Press, ooohhhhhh Leg Press. I have a love hate relationship with this machine. It literally kicks your ass. And hams, and quads, and can get your heart pumping SUPER fast when you go really heavy with it. It’s one of the oldest machines around, and looks really intimidating, but it’s not. Most gyms have both a plate loading version and a pin weight version. Personally, I prefer the plate loading type. Foot placement can really change which muscles are doing the work in the movement. If your feet are higher on the platform, you’ll feel it more in your upper hamstrings and glutes. Wider feet will incorporate more inner thigh, narrow feet more outer thigh, and lower feet more quads. Easy, right? Try moving your feet around next time you’re on the Leg Press. Be CAREFUL not to lock your knees out when you’re pushing the sled back up–you can break a knee that way dude!!
A traditional Leg Press
3.) Glute Kickbacks- These are AWESOME. Personally, I love to do high volume repetition sets of these at the end of a workout as a finisher. They’ll give you a great pump! You can do them on either the glute kickback machine, or on a cable with an ankle band. If you go the cable route, be sure to keep the weight low enough to keep good form.
One of my very first progress pictures taken in October 2014! No butt at all here!!Took this last week after a crazy leg day!
4.) Lunges!!! I’ve done a bazillion of these over the years. They’re not easy, but I’m convinced that next to squats, they are the building blocks of a great ass! Like with squats, there are so many variations of these that you can really change it up. Some of my favorites– weighted walking lunges with a barbell or dumbbells, uphill lunges (outside on a hill or ramp), lunge jumps, split lunges with foot on a bench and dumbells, curtsy lunges, and reverse lunges. Change it up and do a few different versions in your next workout! A tabata (HIIT session–try the tabata timer app; 20 seconds all out effort, 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds) of lunge jumps and squat jumps will definitely work your legs! Try it as a finisher!
5.) Glute bridges. You can do these with our without weight, banded, etc. I prefer them with a barbell and a squeeze/hold at the top. You’re gonna feel the burn for sure!
Amanda Latona- She’s the “Booty Queen” and is known world wide as the Queen of booty moves and glutes! #glutegoals
I hope that these exercises and ideas encourage you to experiment more with your typical workout routines. Remember that muscles take YEARS to develop. If you keep working hard, and you eat a clean diet consistently, you WILL see results!
I’m always here to answer questions, help, and encourage you, so feel free to email me at meredithlynchfitness@gmail.com, or DM me.
I can’t believe we’re already coasting through January! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and your 2018 is starting off well! We’ve all heard it. New Years comes with a ton of promise. January is full of resolutions—people wanting to do better, feel better, get better, etc. The number one New Year’s resolution? You guessed it—losing weight! Here are my top tips on how you can get your year started on the right track to make some major changes and lose those last few pounds for good!
1.) Awareness. The first step in making changes in diet and fitness is being AWARE of what you’re eating. It means paying attention to portions, labels, skipping meals, behavior patterns, etc. The first thing I typically make new clients do is keep a food log or journal for EVERYTHING they ate and drank for at least 7 days, including times and amounts. Most people don’t really pay attention to what they’re eating, and that’s where problems start. If you don’t know where you start point is, then it’s really hard to figure out a gameplan. Pay attention to emotional eating, alcohol intake, eating out, even those little handfuls of snacks here and there at the office and at home add up, sometimes even to hundreds of extra calories a day.
2.) Activity. Not every gym rat came out of the womb a gym rat. It sometimes takes years to develop behavior patterns that result in spending multiple hours a day in the gym. What I always tell my clients is to find a form of activity that you ENJOY and ultimately you will be more motivated to do it! It’s NOT going to be easy, especially when you’re first starting out or have a lot of weight to lose, but every bit of activity is a step in the right direction. Maybe it’s just a walk around your neighborhood, or a yoga class at the Y, or just parking a few spaces futher out at the mall. Aim to be active as much as you can every day. Make a list of active things that you enjoy— I promise you that you will look forward to doing those activities! It doesn’t even have to be the gym (although obviously that’s what I recommend the most!!), it can be hiking, the zoo, running, bicycling, dance lessons—you name it, there’s a TON of ways all around you that will give you an opportunity to be active and burn calories! You can even go with a friend and it will make it that much more enjoyable! Just get out there and get moving!!
3.) Consistency. There’s a saying that it takes 4 weeks for YOU to see your body changing, it takes 8 weeks for your close friends and family to see, and 12 weeks for the world to see your changes. Rome wasn’t built in a day! True weightloss and transformation comes from being CONSISTENT with nutrition and exercise day after day for several weeks. Can you have pizza or a cheeseburger every now and then, OF COURSE! But at the end of the day, it comes down to making healthy choices on a daily basis. You can’t expect to see major changes in just a couple of weeks. In fact, most doctors and nutritionists advise against losing any more than 1-2 pounds per week! If you have 20-30 pounds to lose (which is most people just starting out) then do the math!
4.) It’s a LIFESTYLE. Newsflash: There’s not a pill, a 21 day fix, a pink drink, a wrap, or a shortcut that will help you have true, lasting, successful weight loss. It may work in the short term, but unless you truly begin to understand what it means to have a healthy lifestyle, I guarantee you’ll succumb to a lifetime of yo-yo dieting. THOSE THINGS DON’T WORK!!! You can’t expect to do the “whole 30” for thirty days, or eat clean for 21 days, or drink a pink drink or Shakeology when you remember to, and go right back to your old habits and not gain the weight back. You have to make true changes in how you approach choices in what you’re eating and the activity that you’re doing.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m here to help! I love working with people to educate them on how to be healthy and fit! We all start somewhere. I’m taking clients on a part-time basis right now and would be honored to work with you and help you start your fitness journey. Feel free to email me at meredithlynchfitness@gmail.com, or message me for more information.
Thanks for spending a few minutes with me reading this post today. Cheers to a wonderful 2018!!
Hey y’all! It’s hard to believe my 2017 contest season just finished! It was AWESOME to say the least. This was the first year that I have done two shows back to back. Tricky, and difficult, yes, but I’m so glad I stuck it out another three weeks to do a second show! I also had a new coach, and so everything leading into Peak Week (and now reverse dieting into off-season) was and is totally new and exciting. I’ll catch you guys up on what happened at both shows, and what the plan is moving forward!
The NPC Texas Legends Championship was my first show of the year, and it was held August 5th in Dallas. Although it hasn’t been around that long, it was promoted by Branch Warren and has always been pretty good size. I went into it excited, and confident, and honestly my only goal was to get Nationally Qualified at one or both of my shows this year, so that was it. Although I came with my absolute BEST package to date, and I was super excited to see how things played out. Peak Week went off without a hitch, and my body responded (like it had all Prep) right on target—we were ready to roll! Long story short, there were six ladies in a very competitive Class B. The top three were SHREDDED. It was a super stacked class! I ended up being placed right at the end in prejudging, so honestly I had no clue until finals where I stood, but we were pretty sure it would be in the bottom three. I unfortunately ended up coming in in last place (6th out of 6). It sucked. I mean really sucked. I knew I likely wouldn’t make top three given the conditioning of the other girls in my class, but I really wanted that top 5 for the NQ, especially given that there were only six in my class. Being the only one in the class to walk off stage without any hardware or trophy after working SO HARD for 16 weeks was so disappointing. You can’t go into expecting to win or to walk away with an NQ, but when you don’t understand why someone who was less conditioned and smaller than you places two spots higher, it’s really disheartening. But either way, we learned from it, and like I mentioned in previous social media posts, I chose to be positive about it and be thankful for the experience. So many great athletes and champions have been in similar situations, and the best thing you can do is to learn from it, and take it with grace and a smile. Like I’ve said before, bodybuilding is a VERY subjective sport. It’s difficult to do, but if you can keep the focus as much as you can on YOU VS. YOU regardless of whether you win or lose at a show, as long as you’re constantly improving (inside and out!) then it’s always a win. Luckily I was able to talk with one of the judges who was super nice with feedback, and he basically said I had a great package (specifically a well developed back and shoulders) and a lot of potential, but that it really came down to (as we know) conditioning in my lower body, specifically my hamstrings and quads.
I LOVE my suit from T-Marie!Still super proud of this package!
Fast forward through some much needed pizza and breakfast at our favorite breakfast spot, it was back on plan and back to work for another three weeks (really two weeks plus peak week) until the next show, August 26th. This was harder than I thought it’d be. I was physically and mentally exhausted, and could feel the depletion and the toll all of the cardio and training was taking on my body. I ended up only training 5x a week (instead of my usual six) and taking two rest days both weeks after Legends. I needed it! The last thing we wanted was for me to get sick or hurt. I can’t stress how important it is to listen to your body and know when you need rest! It was a challenge every day to push through my cardio, and keep giving 110%. The mental demons and self-doubt were non-stop too because of what happened at Legends. I was so fearful and scared of coming in last place again. It really messed with my head! I’m so thankful though that I have such an amazing support system around me. Shane, my friends, my coach, and my gym family rallied around me and I was ready to CRUSH that stage for the Johnnie Jackson. It was a long two weeks but Peak Week finally came!
As we all know, bodies do weird things. Especially when they’re under stress, or are dehydrated, or are dropping or gaining weight quickly. All of which happen right before and right after a show. I held a few pounds of water weight (totally normal) from the post show goodies and rehydrating process, so we knew going into the 2nd show that we’d need to make some tweaks to my diet and I would need to take diuretics sooner to help dry me out. No biggie. It makes your joints feel weird when you rehydrate, but getting “dried out” isn’t so bad until the last 36 hours or so before show time and the day of the show when you get like NO WATER. It sucks!! But, Joe also completely changed my diet and I basically was eating tons of cod, asparagus, and red potatoes for two weeks straight. It tightened me up a TON, but needless to say I am on a sabbatical from those three foods until further notice!! Hashtag I was sprouting gills and turning green!! LOL!! It was finally time to get tanned up and glammed up to hit the stage again. I was READY! Peak Week went by without a hitch, and we knew that I was going into this show tighter and better than I had been at Legends three weeks before. I even got a burger and fries the night before the show!! Woohoo!!
Pumping up backstage with my Field House squad!
Fast Forward to show day. I knew it would be a smaller show, but there were 5 girls in my class this time, and they all still looked pretty good! I was calm, cool, and collected, and had a blast getting ready and pumping up backstage with my girlfriends from Field House. It was so much fun to be there with our squad! We truly encouraged and supported each other through our Preps, and it was so sweet to be able to share the journey with each other. It was finally time to go on stage—with where I was in the lineup of 5, I ended up being right in the middle during comparison rounds. We went through all of our quarter turns—the judges moved a couple of the girls around, and one of the funniest most surreal moments was when I had to double check my number to make sure that I had to stay and the middle! Apparently my face said it all and I had an ear to ear smile on stage! I could see and hear my friends, and Shane, and my family cheering for me—prejudging was over, and yours truly was front and center. It was AMAZING!!!
Best package yet!
As I got of stage—I felt just a rush of adrenaline! Holy shit. I was in the middle! I WAS IN THE BOX THE WHOLE TIME!!! I knew that I would either be in first or at worst second place, and getting NQ’d for next year was a given since there were only five in my class. So I could rest easy in that and just enjoy the rest of the day without a care in the world! I couldn’t wait to find Shane and my coach and celebrate!! I found my crew and we were all THRILLED! Although you don’t know anything until Finals are over, we were all pretty confident that I was in a really good spot. We had burgers and fries at Chophouse Burgers (gotta keep the muscles full yo!) a few bites of sweet treats, and came home to rest until it was time to head back to the venue for Finals. We finally got to Figure judging, and it was time to go back on stage! I didn’t believe it until they called my name, but I CAME IN FIRST PLACE AND WON MY CLASS!!!!!!!!! It was truly an amazing feeling—I can’t even put it into words. Everything had come full circle, and I finally knew what it felt like to EARN what I worked so hard for for so long. I loved competing before– the process of Prep, the discipline, the rush of the stage, the sparkle and tan and the attention and everything that goes into it, but MAN winning takes it to a whole other level! I was so excited and so so happy that all of my hard work paid off—especially after being at the bottom in last place at the show just 21 days before. Ultimately I came in second overall, which just blows my mind! I was THRILLED!!! The girl that won Figure Overall looked incredible and was so sweet! The judges even moved me and the Overall winner around, so to even have some comparison there was just awesome! After lots of hugs and pictures and smiles and cookie cake, we left Will Rogers and headed to a delicious Mexican feast at Pappasito’s. It was such a fun night, and one that I’ll remember forever!
AMAZING!!!Could NOT do this without this guy right here. So blessed to have him!!
I’ll end by saying this. It’s never just about the trophy for me. Competing for me is and will always be a competition of me vs me first and foremost. Of course I have goals and aspirations of how I want to continue to shape and mold my physique and where I’d like to go in the sport, but it’s a journey and it takes time to build muscle and get that kind of conditioning. Joe and I have decided we’re absolutely doing at least one National show next year, which is SUPER exciting, and depending on the schedule and how I look/feel, we might even shoot for two. Honestly I’d really like to do another bigger Texas show like Europa or maybe the Phil Heath again to see how I do in a larger, more competitive class. I’ve got several months of growing to do, so for now we’re focusing on making the most out of my post-show anabolic stage—the first few weeks after being stage lean when you load up on food and start to fill up your muscles again are where you can really make some major gains and progress! In just three weeks, I’m already seeing some major strength increases and just like my other preps, I put on some pounds quickly, but make gains quickly too. Hooray for off-season where you get to eat all the food and lift all the things!
This cookie cake was AMAZE-BALLS!!
It’s all about the growth inside and out, ALWAYS. Thank you all so so so much again for following and supporting me in my bodybuilding journey. I’m so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life, and I’m so happy to be able to share my love of training and fitness and nutrition with you all. Here’s to crushing more goals and getting even better!
I can’t believe I’ve never done a post on this before! You’ve probably guessed it by my Instagram, but I am a TOTAL makeup junkie! Lipgloss is probably my favorite particular product, but I love eyeshadow, blush, and mascara, and skincare and everything else too! Sephora and I are besties—Shane loves it. HA!!
At any given point I probably have at least 8-10 tubes of lipgloss or lipstick in my gym bag or purse. Never a bad thing and never too many!! I might be a gym rat, but I am rarely seen without lipgloss, blush, and mascara. Here are a few of my tried and true favorites!!
Just a few of my collection!
Anything by MAC. ($16-$25. maccosmetics.com) Duh. I love their Lipglass glosses— Prrr is probably my absolute fave. A great shimmery nude. Their Mineralize Glass is also awesome—very buttery and great sheer color! Be Nice is a pretty coral, and I have another one that’s a punch pink I love. MAC’s Cremesheen and lipsticks are awesome too. I love the way their products smell, and they come in so many colors at a great price! If you didn’t know, they have a recycling program where you can turn in 5 empty cases for a free lipstick!
Dior Addict Ultra Glosses. $30, Sephora.com. These are pricier, but worth it! They’re not sticky, and have a plumping effect but no tingle! Personally I hate the tingle most lip plumping products have—super annoying! I love the pretty sheer shades with super shine! Dior’s lipsticks are excellent too!
NARS Lipgloss in Orgasm and Super Orgasm. ($26, Sephora.com). Forgive the lewd names for the shades, but these are cult classics that look good on damn near everyone! The matching blushes are super pretty too. Orgasm is more nude, Super Orgasm has a bit more pink in it. These have just the right amount of shimmer, and I love that the consistency isn’t sticky or tacky!
Perfect amounts of shimmer and color!
Other Brands I Swear By: Chanel, Bobbi Brown, Sephora (excellent quality at an excellent prices!), and Anastasia.
For lipbalms and chapstick—I absolutely LOVE Smith’s Rosebud Salve (also at Sephora) and Chapstick’s (yes Chapstick!) new Total Hydration. It REALLY hydrates!!! I’ve bought it in almost every flavor, but love the Soothing Vanilla and Acai Berry ones!
I’m so glad I changed things up this week with a beauty post! Maybe I should do this more often!! Do y’all have any favorite lipglosses or products you absolute love? I’d LOVE to hear about them!
…now I really just want to go to Sephora and play with all the makeup!!
Hey y’all! I cannot BELIEVE we’re this far into summer and I’m only 4 WEEKS OUT from my next show! It went by sooooo fast! You know how it goes—you just kind of get in robot mode and your days go something like cardio eat, work, eat, work, eat, work, eat, gym, cardio, eat, sit on your ass, eat, sleep, repeat. I’ve been bad at updating all of you on the blog, but honestly things are going so well! I love my new coach, and it has been so awesome to have my body respond perfectly this go around, especially compared to last year. Yes, I’m a little tired, a lot hungry, but all in all, my energy levels have been really high all 12 weeks into this thing! I’m so ready to crush these last few weeks and strut some tanned muscles on that stage! I’m 100% confident it will be my absolute best package to date and I can’t wait to see the final results of all my hard work!
I frequently get asked and approached by girls (and guys) picking my brain about what it’s like to compete, and what advice I have for those thinking about competing. I’ve put a lot of thought into this, considering this is now my third Prep and it’s almost complete, and have compiled the list below. I’m by no means an expert at bodybuilding or competing, but there’s not a whole lot of information online from experienced competitors to first timers or those thinking about competing. Again, this list is by no means all inclusive, and comes totally from my perspective and experience, but I will start by saying that even considering competing is a huge decision in and of itself. It’s not to be made lightly, and anyone looking to compete in a bodybuilding competition needs to really do some soul searching and research before making a decision. Here we go:
Be in an established fitness/nutrition routine. I cannot stress this enough. If you are not in place in your fitness journey where eating 5-6 meals a day, and training 5-6 times a week in a gym is your “norm”, Prep will be even more difficult for you. Wanting to lose a bunch of weight? Don’t do it via a contest prep—you’ll very likely gain it all back and then some. Ideally you should have a healthy relationship with food, and be in an established pattern (honestly, I’d say at LEAST six months) where you are eating to macros (specific protein, carbohydrate, and fat amounts each day) and having 1-2 “cheat meals” per week. Binge eating or unhealthy eating patterns—snacking, junk food, heavy drinking, etc., are all a recipe for disaster too. Prep demands a very specific structured diet and workout regimen. If this isn’t your usual routine, give yourself more time before deciding to compete. I would also recommend that you start a Prep at a bodyfat percentage that is on the leaner side. Most contest preps are roughly 16 weeks—if you’re new to working out and “eating clean” give yourself enough time to be in a good spot physically so that your body can respond better to the demands of a contest prep. Trying to do too much too soon can be catastrophic to your adrenal system and metabolism, and will make reverse dieting (a topic I’ll touch on later) even more difficult.
Go to a bodybuilding show!!! I’m amazed by how many first timers I meet who are IN PREP and have never even been to a bodybuilding contest or show. I remember very vividly the first show I attended in September of 2014. I knew I would either be amazed and it would confirm that yes this is something I wanted to do, or I would run for the hills! I think we all know what happened there 😊. There are a lot of bodybuilding federations, but the National Physique Committee (NPC) is the most well respected and widely recognized one. All of my shows have been NPC shows, so I can’t really comment on other federations. Google is a great resource though! Visit npcnewsonline.com to find out more information about shows in your area or state. Instagram and social media are also great outlets to find out more information. There’s tons of valuable information out there on the various categories, judging criteria, and shows. They’re typically $20-$40 to attend, and will definitely give you an idea of what to expect.
What is your why? Everyone has a different reason for wanting to compete. For most, it comes down to a personal challenge, or because they thought it’d be fun, or to “take things to the next level”, or because they wanted to be in the best shape of their life. These are all great reasons! If you’re doing a show just because your friends are all doing them, or you need/want to lose a significant amount of weight by a specific time, it may not be the right time for you to compete. Getting ready for a show requires a lot of structure, consistency, and dedication, so your why really needs to be something you’re passionate about!
Take a life inventory. I’ll give it to you straight. I don’t know how people compete with crazy work schedules, kids, and crazy travel schedules. The kids thing is understandable, but if your life is pretty chaotic, and you don’t have a pretty set schedule/routine, Prep is going to be an absolute nightmare. Part of me really loves the structure of it though. You get into a very predictable routine, and the days and weeks fly by. You’ll undoubtedly have to do fasted cardio (typically 30 minutes to one hour 5-6 mornings a week), plus your gym workouts, plus cardio after you train. It takes A LOT of time. If your work schedule is inconsistent, it’s going to be even more difficult. If you don’t get a lot of sleep, it can wreak havoc on your cortisol levels and metabolism making it even harder to lose weight and lean out. Then there’s meals and prepping your food. Can you stay on top of eating your specific meals every day for 4 months straight? Do you have to wine and dine clients? Have a lot of weddings or special events coming up that you want to be able to really enjoy and let loose at? Any big trips or vacations scheduled? Cheat meals will likely be dictated by your coach, so you’ll maybe have to sacrifice social gatherings, holidays, etc. Think very hard about the timing of a prep before you pick a show. This third time was easier for me, but I’d be lying if I said not having cake or champagne on my 11th wedding anniversary when I was 10 weeks out this year, and not having a great meal and cake on my husband’s birthday yesterday (4 weeks out) weren’t tough. Right along with your schedule and routine goes your support network. Prep can be really isolating. It’s very important that you surround yourself with people who love and care about you and understand what you deciding to compete really means. If you’re married or in a serious relationship, it really needs to be a decision you make together. One partner’s habits absolutely affect the other and Prep WILL have an effect on your relationship. You may lose some friends in the process that don’t understand the “lifestyle” but I absolutely guarantee that you can make some amazing friendships in the bodybuilding world as well. Bodybuilding has without a doubt widened my circle and strengthened my relationships. People really, really love you when they still love you and want to be around you when you’re hangry and exhausted, and mentally physically and emotionally spent. Don’t doubt it for a second—PREP WILL DO THIS TO YOU. MULTIPLE TIMES. It makes you question every iota of self-discipline and motivation. The best people in your life will help wrap their arms around you when you hit these rough spots and push you through it. You also have the added blessing of being able to bless and motivate and encourage others in your journey. Hands down, this is one of my favorite parts.
Find a coach. If you’ve done steps 1-4 and you really want to compete, I cannot stress enough that you need to do some research and find a coach that can guide you and direct you. Getting ready for a bodybuilding competition is serious business, and there’s a lot that goes into it. A professional can make it seem much less overwhelming. Don’t do this alone!! Talk to other competitors, ask around in gyms, good coaches are without a doubt found through word of mouth. That’s how I found both of mine. There’s also the decision of whether or not to go virtual and do online coaching with someone, or do face to face. Personally, I’ve only worked with coaches close to me, and now that I’m working out/training with mine 3x a week it has made a WORLD of difference in this Prep. Having someone customize your workouts makes it so much easier, but this comes at a price. Which brings me to my next point….
Competing is expensive. Coaching and training for an entire prep will likely be several hundred dollars. Supplements, vitamins, and protein etc. also come at a cost. Registration and entry for the show/s will be another several of hundred dollars. Your competition suit, heals, and jewelry—cha ching—several hundred dollars there. Throw in hair, and tanning, and makeup for your shows and you’re looking at shelling out even more cash. Don’t skimp there though, because if you work so hard on your physique, how you present it on stage REALLY MATTERS. You don’t want to be the girl on stage that looks super washed out because of a DIY tan, or that looks like she’s not wearing any makeup at all because you had someone do your makeup that has no idea what a “stage look” should be. Bodybuilding competitions are really like a beauty pageant for girls with muscles. Crazy, but oh so true! Posing classes and a photoshoot to document your amazing results are optional, but I absolutely recommend them. Posing for sure!!! All in you’re looking at a $2,000 MINIMUM for one show, and that’s on the low end.
I’m going to do another post that is geared towards first time competitors, but I hope this list really helps those of you that are just wanting to explore and find out more about competing. If you decide the journey to the stage is one you want to take, it’s a difficult one, but it is absolutely worth it. Not only will you physically look incredible at the end, but the mental and emotional accomplishment is even more awesome than what happens on the outside. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions—I’m more than happy to answer them! Check out the other posts on my blog—I have several others from my first two preps that could be good reads too!
Man you guys—it’s been a while since I’ve posted on this thing! Life gets BUSY and awesome and then before you know it several weeks just whoosh on by! Can y’‘all believe summer is just about here?!
If you’ve been keeping up with my Instagram / Social Media posts then you’ve probably figured out I’m prepping for my next Figure competition! Several months ago (January) Shane and I joined an amazing gym here in Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Field House. It has just been awesome and was exactly what we were looking for! The environment, people, and atmosphere are just awesome and just what these gymrats needed. We LOVE training there! It was a difficult decision, but I also decided to find a coach that was closer to me and someone that I could train with several times a week to help me get where I want to be with my next season. Luckily, I crossed paths with Joe Cortez, the owner of Field House. Not only is he a Bodybuilder himself, he’s an awesome trainer and contest prep coach too! We hit it off, and I’ve been training with him 2 to now 3x a week for the past several months and it has been AWESOME. Shane comes once a week to train too! I’m seeing some major results and it has been so great to have someone pushing me in the gym! Joe’s training style is a lot different than my last coach, so it took some getting used to, but I always know he’s going to challenge me and push me in the gym, which was exactly what I was looking for! There are also several girls and guys there in the gym who also compete, so I’ve been able to get to know fellow competitors and other fitness minded people which has just been awesome too! Honestly, I didn’t know how much I was missing out on by not having this before, but I’m 4 weeks into my Prep for this season and feel like I’m mentally and physically in the best shape. It feels really good, and I’m super excited about the next few weeks and to see how things continue to play out!
My first show will be August 5th in Dallas, the NPC Texas Legends, followed by the NPC Johnnie Jackson August 26th in Fort Worth three weeks later. If all goes as planned and I (and my coach) feel like I’m where I need/want to be and wouldn’t come in dead last, I’m shooting to go to Pittsburgh for Nationals the last week in August. I qualified last year and really want to go for the experience and feedback— so we’ll see!
Now that I’ve caught y’all up on what’s been happening these past couple of months, I thought I’d share some goals I have for the next 12 weeks. Every Prep is different, and even though I’m only one month in I can honestly say that this one has been really awesome so far! Here we go:
1.) I want to LEARN. If y’all remember, my first Prep in 2015 was awesome well, mostly because it was the first one. I’d never done anything like that before, and everything was new and fun and exciting. I felt awesome because I was so proud of myself for pushing that hard, and felt like at the end of it all my body showed how much work I had put in. YAY! Last year’s Prep was AWFUL. Complete opposite. I pushed and pushed and my body would just not respond. Low carbs, and ultimately an hour and a half of cardio a day for about half of the entire Prep, I lost six pounds in 12 weeks. To make it worse, I let my nerves and anxiety get the best of me right before the show, and although I did fine placing wise (there were only 5 girls in my class) I was extremely disappointed because how I felt and how I looked (puffy, bloated) did NOT reflect the effort I know I put in. Super super frustrating. I know now that it was mostly because of some major hormonal and metabolic imbalances due to my birth control/ IUD and polycystic ovaries/ PCOS. What did both have in common? A girl who busted her ass and gave 110%, and LEARNING EXPERIENCES. Every experience good or bad in life will teach you something if you allow it to. I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to compete again and can’t wait to see what I learn on this journey back to the stage.
2.) I want to maintain my positive energy and attitude! Remind me of this in like 6 weeks when I’m depleted and hangry and digging deep to finish a workout, okay? Last year it was honestly probably not the best “season” of my life to be in Prep mode. We were house hunting, work was a little crazy, I had a lot of family drama going on, and I was driving an hour and half one way to go see my Coach. Although he was awesome, I wasn’t getting what I needed and I felt like most of the time I was just going through the motions of the process. Because of how frustrated I was with my lack of progress, the battle against myself in my head was just non-stop the entire time. Not exactly in the best spot mentally or emotionally to commit to the added stress of contest prep. My first Prep I was excited and motivated pretty much the entire time. This Prep feels a lot like the first but better— my physique has improved considerably, and I’m doing this for a third time, which brings an added level of confidence. My routine is predictable, I’ve got an awesome gym and the most amazing people to help support me, and that feels so awesome! I want to maintain my positivity and excitement through this process. That’s me at my core, and I want to stay true to that!
3.) Have fun and ENJOY the process! This is FUN! It’s FUN to push yourself. It’s FUN to see results. It’s FUN to razzle dazzle and strut your tan muscles off in front of strangers and your favorite people. It’s FUN to be proud of yourself and look amazing after three months of meticulous nutrition and training. If you view it any other way, I promise it’ll be pretty miserable!
4.) I WILL DO MORE THAN ONE SHOW!!! Big mistakes from before, I didn’t take full advantage of doing one more than one show after going through an entire Prep. Whomp whomp whomp. This year I’m doing at least two shows, potentially three! More importantly, I want to EARN being nationally qualified, not just get it because there were only 5 people in my class and the top 5 get NQd. I have something to prove to myself. I’m in this to crush it.
5.) Be an influencer and motivator to those around me. This goes for competitors and non-competitors! I want to be able to use my experience, my discipline, and my struggles to influence and encourage others, as an athlete, as a trainer, and as a person! I have such an opportunity and a platform to use this, and I just want to use it to be a blessing to others.
6.) Regardless of the outcome, I will be proud of myself and happy with my results. No further comment necessary 😊
That’s it! These next 12 weeks are going to FLY by. Once we get to 8 weeks out it’s like things are on fast forward! I’m really going to try to have more posts up to not only share what’s going on with the gearing up for the shows, but also to help share fitness and nutrition tips and tricks.
Thank you all again for coming along again for the ride!
