Tobfitisit’s BodyBlog

Well…I can’t believe it’s almost here.  Less than two weeks OMG.  I must say I am really excited, a bit nervous as I won’t have a mirror to check myself but I feel pretty confident in my look.  I’ve prepped since 14 weeks out and I was ready on a physical appearance level 3 weeks ago.  I now must maintain which I think is harder than to go somewhere with my body.  It certainly has been challenging balancing my own workouts and dieting while teaching fitness classes and training my clients and being a mom and a wife.  But I must say, I will most likely feel a void after the show is over.  I am looking forward to biting into a fresh piece of fruit (haven’t had any in three months) and eating more fats and sticky carbs!!  Since I eat clean all year round, the dieting wasn’t as hard for me as it might be for others but oh dark chocolate here I come….I’m thinking of doing another one in November and I think this time, I won’t start prepping and dieting until a bit later next time around…Keep you all posted!!!  Thanks for all of the kind words of encouragement…Blessings..Jill

Well..I just finished my second day of low carb…not as hard in some respects but not as easy either…I already see results which is my ONLY motivation here.  I’m doing it for two weeks and my mentor said..let’s see how your body responds..I have never restricted carbs before…always have eaten good healthy, clean carbs and I miss my cream of rice and fruit for sure…I don’t eat red meat but I am eating 1 slice of bacon in the morning..it’s organic, no nitrate..it will have to do…I made an interesting thing in lieu of my protein shake…I took the appropriate amount of my chocolate rice protein powder, 2 heaping tablespoons, 1 TBSP or natural PB, added 1/2 tsp ground flax seed, made a paste with water, rolled it into three separate balls and put a hazelnut on top..put them in the freezer and ate them an hour or so later…I did add splenda but i will buy xylitol and see how that goes…I don’t like splenda’s aftertaste…  I  miss my protein shakes with soy milk, protein powder, 1/2 banana and blueberries    Some day soon….again…good luck my fellow BB

Hi Everyone.  Well…it is time to begin dieting.  I have never dieted before, ever!!  I will be on hardly any carbs except vegetables for two weeks and that is so scary but I’m going to put up and shut up.  Just do it!!  I love my fruit and rice bread, I don’t eat dairy, gluten or junk foods but I will miss my rice cakes, raisins and apples for sure.  I feel I failed at putting on enough mass over the last several months but there’s nothing I can do about that.  I don’t feel my body has really changed that much either…not in the way I was hoping so it will be interesting to see what the dieting will do for my body.  I hope it improves it greatly.  I regularly eat clean and healthy but this is something so very new, that I am ready and willing to dive right in.  I just hope and pray I have enough energy to continue to teach my classes and train my clients.  Have a great night everyone!!!

Hi Everyone.  Well…it is time to begin dieting.  I have never dieted before, ever!!  I will be on hardly any carbs except vegetables for two weeks and that is so scary but I’m going to put up and shut up.  Just do it!!  I love my fruit and rice bread, I don’t eat dairy, gluten or junk foods but I will miss my rice cakes, raisins and apples for sure.  I feel I failed at putting on enough mass over the last several months but there’s nothing I can do about that.  I don’t feel my body has really changed that much either…not in the way I was hoping so it will be interesting to see what the dieting will do for my body.  I hope it improves it greatly.  I regularly eat clean and healthy but this is something so very new, that I am ready and willing to dive right in.  I just hope and pray I have enough energy to continue to teach my classes and train my clients.  Have a great night everyone!!!

Well, I have to confirm the date with the show promoter but I think my first figure comp will be June 13.  I haven’t gained any weight but I have gotten more defined and vascular, however, I don’t feel my muscles are fuller or more round.  I was told by my mentor, we will be getting more into the nitty gritty in a week or two, that to cut back on my cardio, so I went from doing 30-45 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week to only teaching my spin class 3 days a week but I’m being told that, that it’s still too much and is derailing me away from gaining muscle mass.  I am so afraid of doing no cardio.  I dislike a soft mushy body as I am so short at 5′2 that even 3-5 lbs of weight gain looks awful, IMO.  If it is an issue of eating more, which I eat a lot probably at least 2200 calories a day, eating 5-6 meals a day and eating a lot of healthy fats, do I up my calories with carbs, protein or a combo of both?  I’ve never dieted before so I have no idea how my body will respond and my mentor said we will do carb cycling for comp. since I’m fairly lean as it is at 12.7% BF.  I’d love to here from other female figure competitors about their cardio regiment while gaining muscle mass.  I know for bodybuilding, most competitors stay away from it until contest prep but for figure, I wonder if it’s any different.  Feel free to give me your honest opinions and take a look at my pics…thank much…and good luck in the off season to ALL

Well, I’m pretty sure I’m aiming for a show June 13.  My first ever.  The suit is all set, the shoes have been ordered, now it’s time to learn how to pose.  This is so out of the box for me.  I’m actually quite modest but I figured…I’m 40 now and it’s not going to last forever..might as well go for it.  I will start to manipulate my macronutrients late February/early March..that’s the part that scares me.  I have no idea what that’s going to look like.  I have no worries about the workouts..cardio, weights, etc..that’s the easy part for me..it’s my sweet tooth that’s the killer…When I really sit and think about it..I ask myself…can I really do this?  I sure hope so..

Well, my mentor thinks I should do my first show in the beginning of April.  She thinks dieting down for 10 weeks before the show would be appropriate…I can’t believe I’m actually going to do this.  YIKES.  I currently eat very clean and have been for many many years..thinking about giving up my fruits and rice bread is a bit heart-breaking but I know it will most likely have to go.  Giving up my soy milk in my post workout shake will be missed as well.  I don’t know what my pre-contest diet will look like…I am a bit scared for sure.  I don’t know how my body will respond.  I changed my workouts from one body part per day (which I’ve done for years) to full body Mon, Wed and Friday.  I felt too fatigued lately and the change will do me good…I will see how that goes for a couple of weeks and then I’ll get back to my usual routine.  So, let the games begin soon

Well, I’m quite a ways off from my first comp in Spring..I’m getting a lot of mixed messages, some pros in the field are telling me to go bodybuilding and others, figure.  So, I’m a bit confused.  I’m still planning on figure but I’m not 100%.  I feel as though, I may be overtraining.  I am logging my weights and reps and they are going up but very little.  I have been really tired lately and for the last few workouts, it’s been difficult to get through.  Today’s lift was quite pathetic.  I feel like I’m hitting a wall a bit.  I’m eating about 2,000-2,100 calories a day, which for 5′2 and 106 lbs is adequate..I eat very clean but for the last week, I feel drained.  I teach 3 spin classes a week and 3 other classes that don’t require a huge effort, 1 Pilates class and 2 Hot yoga classes and I lift 5-6 days a week.  I hit chest, back, bis and tris once a week and legs and shoulders twice a week.  I hope this is a lull that I will get over soon…I drink a Post workout shake with creatine, protein powder, take my vitamins, etc…so…maybe just a little more rest…

If anyone has any suggestions or can relate…send me a note…Be well to all

Hi Everyone.  Well, I just purchased my comp suit for what I hope to be my first figure competition in May/June 2009.  I know I have so much work to do.  I have been passionate about fitness for so long that the work outs won’t be as challenging as taking away my fruit when it gets closer to the date.  I eat quite clean all year round but I do love my dark chocolate at night and I am a huge fruit eater.  I have a decent base of muscle to start and I stay fairly lean but since I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s not a big deal for me.  The world of bodybuilding/figure is something entirely different for me.  As a trainer, I know how to train a variety of clients from young athletes to seniors with a multitude of physical limitations, but training myself for a competition..well, I’m a bit in the dark.  I have a mentor where I work at the gym who just got her pro card.  She’s awesome and will help me, especially when it starts to get close.  It will probably be the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.  My biggest weakness is my hamstring/glute connection..it just ain’t there…and my shoulder caps will have to come out more.  I welcome all of your suggestions and comments (both positive and negative) and I’d love to hear from other figure competitors on your journey and experiences and more specifically..hind-sights after the competition and what you learned along the way.  I will be posting pics in my comp suit soon…God Bless