FigureAngel21’s BodyBlog

Last weekend I competed in the U.S.A.G. Stuttgart Bodybuilding & Figure Invitational.  I took 2nd place in my 2nd show & I am absolutely happy with the way things turned out.  I came to the stage this time out with much improved posing, poise, and stage presence not to mention added mass to my shoulders and back.  I worked really hard in the 3 months and 13 days between competitions in order to prove to myself and the judges (some were the same from last show) how much I had improved as an overall competitor from my debut in May.  I met my short-term goals of placing higher and displaying a better overall package on the stage.  It took a lot of hard work, dedication, and help from others along the way.  The help and encouragement from others on this site and those I met from my previous show really made a difference.  Thank You!!!!!

Since the show, I have joined Team Scivation & will begin their plan for me next week when I will hopefully feel better!  Speaking of that, people…check your mayonaise expiration date BEFORE eating!  Normally I do not eat mayo, but since I was coming right off of competition I figured a 1.5 teaspoons wouldn’t hurt with my tuna.  Well…now I have been sick for 4 days since & it has not been fun.  I looked at the expiration date and it was a little over 2 months ago. oops….  I went to the doctor today & he said there isn’t really much he can do except give me anti-nausea pills so that I can semi-eat like normal again.  It got so bad that I had to sit down and explain what my client should do when performing the exercises (don’t worry, no spotting necessary, I’m not a bad trainer).  I’ve been dragging this week and I’m only now starting to be able to eat a little bit more but def. not like normal yet.  I’m hoping to be able to do some sort of lifting in the gym tomorrow because this is frustrating! 

I hope I get back to normal soon! *Sigh*  I really want to hit the stage again for a show in October & I would like to add a little more mass. 

So over the past two days alone I have encountered some really rude behavior at my gym.  On Sunday’s my gym offers an ‘open gym’ basketball session.  This is fine & dandy however, all the guys that play basketball decide to lift for two sets and leave all their effing weights on the machines!!! I come in to an empty area to get my workout on and every single machine is littered with weights & the benches have nasty sweat marks all over them.  The boys are just having a good ‘ol time playing BBall & I’m left cleaning up their shasta that they were too distracted to clean up themselves.  Grrrr…

Then today I was performing lying cable curls and this man (only other person in the entire room mind you) decides he ABSOLUTELY NEEDS the other side of the cable machine to do his rope curls.  In the middle of my set he just goes to the other side of the cable (1/2 ft away from my feet) adds his attachment, and practically steps on me to get his set in.  He couldn’t have waited the total of 3 minutes that I needed to complete my supersets. I was pressured to finish my sets faster for fear of being stepped on or injured by the weight plates & I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing. 

Proper etiquette is waiting for someone to either finish using what equipment you would like to use OR doing an alternate exercise for the same muscle group!  Also proper etiquette is racking your darn weights and cleaning up after your sweaty self!!! 

Please don’t be one of those rude impatient people!  Be friendly, helpful, and patient! We are all working towards the same goal!

~A~

I am currently in preparation for my second contest at the end of August and one of the major pieces of advice that keeps coming back to me is that I must intake between 129-194 grams of protein per day.  Do you know how hard that is for a vegetarian? I mean I am making it work but darn… I’m going to be spending half my grocery money buying more whey protein every 2-3 weeks if I have to keep this up!  I do use other sources of protein to compliment the whey like eggs, soy products, & casein but the majority of it comes from whey. 

Sometimes I find, especially recently, that if I have a 48g or 2 scoops of whey with water the typtrophan makes me really sleepy if I am not working out after ingestion & I want to take a nap.  Any ideas on how to mitigate that effect?

I’ve been working with some wonderful people since my first show & I have learned a great deal from them.  I continue to seek advice on figure competing, posing, nutrition (especially pre-contest dieting) from as many sources as I can.  I am in a perpetual learning process about what it takes to build and present a ‘figure’ body which is great for me because I love to learn! 

Since May, I have added some quality mass and definition while utilizing new exercises that are bringing my ‘weak’ spots up to par.  I’m really excited for my next show.  I know I have a lot of practicing & lifting yet to go but this is one of my passions and I am determined to give it my all! 

Hit it Hard & Have fun!

~A~

Recently since I have begun contest dieting for this season, I realized that eating out with friends who do not quite grasp the concept of what I am doing has become more difficult.

For example, I was bowling the other day with one of my dearest friends.  The bowling alley offered light ‘pub grub’ fried foods & then of course salads.  Instantly my friend assumed that since I’m vegetarian I would be game to eat a salad.  Where’s the protein? Is the salad iceberg? No I don’t want a ton of cheese or croutons! I politely passed on the sad option.  I mean of course this was a bowling alley but I don’t want to settle for garbage just to eat something.  I knew I had quality food in a container I had left in his fridge.  We then proceeded to a very cute cafe` that also had light food offerings.  When he read the menu, he pointed out that they had various breads covered in cheese & other toppings.  Naturally he said, you’re vegetarian, make a compromise!

This of course is not the first and most likely not the last incident I have had with my friends trying to find something for me to eat at a restaurant and telling me to compromise my diet.  I try to explain my goals and my passions for eating the way I do but I just don’t think they will ever understand it.  I never stop them from eating what they want, I never make a hissy fit over the lack of offerings, I never put on an attitude & say ‘no I can’t eat here’.

For all of you out there that feel like me, I’m glad you are out there.  For all of you that push food on Bodybuilders and health enthusiasts alike, please stop…take a moment to try and understand our goals, and support us!  We are in ultimate control of what we put into our bodies and the results that come afterwards.  Yes, that one little eclair, that one bread slathered with melted cheese, that one protein-less salad, will all add up to destroy the foundation that was so hard to build.  I have a goal and I am so determined to reach it!

Let’s stick together and help our friends help us achieve it!

~A~

Oh wow… where to start?  So in the past weeks things have been shaping up quite nicely (pun intended).  My gains in muscle & losses in body fat have been wonderful.  My back concentration over the past few weeks has been paying off & I am showing a nice V-taper.  I want it to develop a little more in the short time I have for extra insurance!  My abs have been developing phenominally as the increased cardio & weighted exercises have been doing wonders.  I realize that I do not have the genetic linea alba to produce a six pack but the lines I do have are really getting there.  I also have gained some nice lat development to compliment the top of the abs on the sides. 

I haven’t posted any recent development pictures on here since I want it to seem like a ‘revelation’ of all my hard work & cutting in the past weeks.  I’m so absolutely excited about my competition in a little over a week & a half.  My suit is a beautiful blue crushed velvet with silver sparkles & the 5" heels are wonderful leg compliments! 

This past week I have entered the cutting phase eliminating pastas, leafy greens, breads, & foods considered to be in the bloating category.  I did however consume some whole wheat bread on Sunday and Monday to kick up the glycogen for the week.  I have also upped my cardio levels to make sure I keep lean. 

I have been practicing my posing techniques in the mirror as well as my walk.  I have a natural knack at walking in heels…just hope I don’t trip on stage! 

It has been a wonderful journey thus far & I would not change any part of it for anything in the world!  It was said to me in the gym on Wednesday of last week that:

 "If you aren’t in the gym training hard everyday, someone else will be….& they will beat you in the end."

Totally motivational phrase at the right time!  Although I was only in the gym for 5 days this past week, the sixth day I was hiking and spent 3 hours waxing my car.  Yesterday I spent a good 2 hours walking on my ‘rest’ day!

Wish me luck & keep me in your thoughts!  I’m almost there!!!!

I’m 12 weeks out from competition.  I’m so excited!  This past week I Squat 200, leg pressed 400, Benched 100, & saw some great bicep development. I am very happy with my gains so far & look forward to enhancing myself for my first competition. 

I need to order a suit… I’ve been totally slacking.  New progress pics coming soon…..

I’m 12 weeks out from competition.  I’m so excited!  This past week I Squat 200, leg pressed 400, Benched 100, & saw some great bicep development. I am very happy with my gains so far & look forward to enhancing myself for my first competition. 

I need to order a suit… I’ve been totally slacking.  New progress pics coming soon…..

I have set some new stats. Some of you have been asking about my progress sooo…

These are my recent numbers, keep in mind that this is my 3rd or fourth set, all are at least 10 reps & I am not including sled or bar weight. 

Bench Press - 95 lbs

Leg Press - 370 lbs

Squat - 200 lbs

Abductor & Adductor - 125 lbs.

Leg Extension - 65 lbs

Pull-ups - self

1 Legged Calf Raises - hldg 25 lbs

Roman High Chair Knee-ups - 20 lbs in between my feet

I do a lot more exercises but I thought those stats people would be most interested in reading about.  I am super excited about my competition in May but in the mean time, I’m having a blast setting new personal bests & carving out my figure. 

Thanks for all your motivation & support! 

Keep the Iron Spirit Alive

~A~

So far February has not been so nice to me personally.  I’ve been so busy!  I still have been making progress in my workouts however.  Yesterday, February 8, I was able to Leg Press 370lbs on my 3rd set for 15x! 

I had a great leg day yesterday & greatly improved my poundages from last week by doing less reps in the initial set & adding more weight in the 2 successive sets.  I felt good about this methodology & I think I will continue it in the future. 

I also helped this lady & her son in the gym that was absolutely clueless about anything to do with working out.  This was obviously her first attempt at weight lifting & it felt good to share a little bit of my knowledge (& to make sure she didn’t kill herself). 

I’m about 13 weeks out from my first competition!  I’m exciiiiited! I have to order my suit really soon!

Also, yesterday I saw someone wearing a bodybuilding.com T-Shirt in my lil’ gym.  So I know you guys are def. out there along with me! 

Let’s keep the iron spirit alive! 

‘Till Next time,

~A~

Hello!  I haven’t written in a few weeks…I’ve been super busy between teaching a class, taking a class, & working out that I finally now have time to breathe!

Some noticible improvements/adjustments over the past few weeks:

• Extra Calf Work paying off (doing every other day now)
• Wishing Gym had donkey calf raise machine
• Back development continuing!  Sooo happy I can do pull ups on my own!
• Leg press 360 lbs as of Monday! 
• Abs leaning out well. I need to keep challenging them in different ways!
• Diet - wasn’t eating enough during stressful period but when I did eat it was well
• New Supps. decreasing recovery time & help to keep HR up during workouts!
• 5K Run in great time but can still challenge myself to improve.
• New Progress Pictures on the way!

Areas of Needed Improvement

• Need to Drink More Water
• Need to consistently take supps. when I’m supposed to
• Need to eat more
• Increase Cardio for contest prep (I’m 15 weeks out!)

I need to read some articles to see what I should be doing 15 weeks out from competition to be ready.  I think I need some posing practice & some leaning out advice. 

I really need to order my competition suit & stuff really soon…now if I could only get my paycheck… *sigh*

I hope all is going well for you in the New Year so far! Keep Pumpin’ Iron!

:) ~A~