fitnessprincess’s BodyBlog

Two years ago I attended my first bodybuilding/fitness show in Boston.  It was an NPC event at which Jay Cutler, a local legend and hero, was guest posing.  I went in with no idea what the experience would be like and ran face-to-face into Cutler who was standing at a table with some booklets by Chris Aceto and posters which he was autographing.  I was stunned - he was SO nice.  Like I said I had no idea what the show would be like and so I hadn’t thought to bring any cash with me.  I desparately wanted one of the booklets on nutrition.  I asked Jay if he took credit cards - nope. I think he saw something all I know is he offered to just outright give it to me and autograph it, I was dumbfounded and said no.  I couldn’t believe how kind/nice he was.  Anyway I went on in and shortly thereafter the show opened with the fitness routines.  I was so impressed with the beauty, poise, and athleticism of the fitness competitors.  THAT was what I wanted to do - still do truth be told but I don’t have the muscle or athleticism of those women - amazing!!  Anyway, next the figure competitors were introduced and I remember thinking - I love the look and maybe, just maybe I could do that.  LOL!  Still working on this as you know!  Anyway that’s when my dream was born. 

Yesterday I went to the Jay Cutler Classic Bodybuilding & Fitness Competition in Boston as it has been rightly renamed in honor of Jay.  He was there and LOL!  I got an AUTOGRAPHED!! copy of his book "CEO Muscle:  Jay Cutler’s No Nonsense Guide to Successful Bodybuilding"  He was every bit as nice and as big:) as I remembered.  LOL! 

One thing that made the show especially nice yesterday was that I knew Fern (SmartAssard) was competing in the masters Figure.  I met her at my first competition in RI - she was really nice to me and a number of the other women who were competing for the first time at the show and supportive afterward, too.  Anyways, she WON!!!  I was soo excited for her.  She looked absolutely gorgeous up there - the total package - beauty, poise, nicely muscled with wonderful symmetry - wow!  and what made me so happy was seeing all her hard work rewarded.   What she has done in transforming her body and her life is so inspiring to me (as a forty-something woman) and I guess that’s the message I wanted to communicate today.  If you look at her blog you will see that it has taken her about 4 years to transform herself.  If you are struggling, feel frustrated right now because the results aren’t coming as quickly as you might like, remember that it takes time to develop a quality physique and a great deal of effort in and out of the gym.  Fern works very, very hard if you read her blog.  She works out consistently and she doesn’t lift pink dumbells - LOL that’s for sure! 

If you any interest at all in competing, then this is pretty much the beginning of the competition season which runs through early November.  So, look around and find a competition in your local area - I am certain that there is at least one - and GO!  You will be inspired, encouraged, uplifted and gain new respect for those who do choose to compete. 

Competition is not a last minute decision.  A lot goes into competing - more than simply diet and exercise, too.  If you are competing in fitness, you have to prep a routine that includes a series of mandatory moves that aren’t easy either.  You need a costume, music, etc.  If you are competing in figure don’t think that this is the easy way out.  LOL! You have to learn to walk in 4-5" heels, do the mandatory quarter turn poses, perhaps a T-walk (also called model walk), etc.  And if you choose to compete in bodybuilding you really need to learn how to pose, prep a posing routine (you need music, too), etc.  If you attend a competition be sure to speak with the competitors and the judges (preferably at the end of the show) and ask them any questions you may have.  Could be the beginning of a new life!

I am writing today in response to a post Rebecca Slatt made recently (5/14) and DVSNESS’s blog today.  In her blog, Rebecca Slatt announced her retirement from competing in figure.  Her blog entry explained that she wants to live a healthy life and she has been struggling with the competition lifestyle.  I left her a comment but I think it is worth expanding on it and decided to focus today on the associated issues.  Dvsness featured an article entitled "No Apologies" by Charles Peeples.

The issues associated with the competition lifestyle aren’t new nor are they any different from those associated with dieting in general.  The problems I see arise because figure and fitness is a sport for young people and young people tend to believe that they are invincible.  Young people have little sense of time because time for them extends forever.  Consequently, they don’t take the time to ask the questions you really need to think about before beginning any venture, specifically:

• What is your ultimate goal? (where are you going)
• Why do you want to achieve this?
• What do you really want to get out of this?
• What will you need to do in order to achieve your goal? Be specific.
• How long will it take to achieve this goal?
• What are you willing to do to make it happen?

Too few people truly count the cost with an eye toward the long term (life) and even fewer stop periodically to reassess and reevaluate their answers to these questions.  As a consequence being short on time and patience, lacking the appropriate temporal perspective they make dumb decisions such as using diet pills, taking steroids or other drugs, eating an excessively low caloric intake, exercising excessively, and restricting in unhealthy ways the variety of food they eat.  Some competitors jump from coach to coach believing that this will allow them to "win."  Many think that they will be the next "IT" girl in figure/fitness winning the Olympia, getting a modeling, TV, or supplement company contract that will net them big bucks.  The truth is that few will ever reach the national stage and even fewer will ever receive any financial remuneration of any significant import for their efforts.  The bottom line here is:  Folks, wake up!  Don’t quit your day job.  (And the lessons here apply to your day job, too!)

OK so is the Figure/fitness lifestyle unhealthy?  It can be but it doesn’t have to be.  It all depends on you and what you do.  I think figure/fitness can be a fun and healthy hobby - and I emphasize HOBBY - but I think you need to count the cost and develop a long term perspective on your health and fitness.  If you are overly concerned with your bodyfat %, your bodyweight, measurements, your diet (calories, etc.), or your placing in one or more figure/fitness competitions then I submit you have a problem and I would encourage you to seek help before your problem becomes more serious even life threatening.  I agree with Rebecca and cannot say this strongly enough.  There is no shame in seeking professional help if you need it.   Each of us has been given one life and you have no idea how long it will be.  You do have some control over its quality - make sure your life is a life filled with health, love, and fitness!   Now I will climb down off my soap box.

Thinking about competing in a figure competition?  Have you done your research?  Do you know what training and dieting for a figure competition entails?  Have you counted the costs?  You should it is a considerable investment!

Personally I think it is vital to count the costs as best you can when you make a decision so you make the right one.  I think it is critical to do this if you are thinking about competing in figure or fitness.  It is an expensive sport and the costs I am talking about are more far reaching than financial.  You will have to commit a significant amount of your time and effort to your competition preparation and the time you will actually spend on stage is very brief - about 5-10 minutes total if you compete in a single category such as novice, classic, masters, etc.  I have never seen anyone share this information so I thought I would give you a rundown on what it cost me to compete April 19th.  If you have any questions, please write me and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Immediate Financial Costs
NPC membership $80 (annual)
Event Registration - variable depends on your competition and how many events you compete in - I did novice at an NPC competition and it cost me $50; thee may be additional fees depending on the organization in which you compete such as lie detector tests and urine testing.
Competition Suits - original one-piece and two-piece from Lidia Conti totaled over $500 (and not worth the money or the aggravation!) new one-piece and two-piece with extra crystals from Maggie Blanchard almost $800 (and well worth it!!)  This is one area in which you don’t want to cut corners!  It is vital that your suit is attractive and that it fits you snugly so make sure you work with a reputable suit maker!  I cannot emphasize this strongly enough!
Tanning Supplies - JanTana foundation, two bottles of JanTana scrub, two bottles of JanTana OnStage, and one bottle JanTana moisturizer approx. $150 (along the way I realized I could save money and buy stuff through Bodybuilding.com more cheaply so be sure to check there!)
Protan Bikini Bite $6 - glues your top and bottom temporarily into your figure suit so you look great (and nothing pops out) on stage
Hair coloring and hair cut - $150 I did this about 2 weeks before the show
Manicure - french tip $50 (did this Tuesday the week of competition - nails looked great on Sat. competition day) by the way imho no need for a pedicure unless you have the cash to spend and really want to do it.
Makeup - I bought mostly MAC products because part of the services CSF provides its competitors is a show look which provides an outline of what makeup you need to achieve the specific look they suggest; total cost >$300
Travel costs - I used commuter rail $15 round trip and stayed overnight Friday (evening before) in a local hotel $110

Longer Term Financial Costs
Coaching - I work with Cathy Savage Fitness (CSF) through the SOS program monthly cost $45 - excellent investment provide nutrition and training - these folks KNOW what they are doing and they want YOU to succeed and be happy
Posing workshop - CSF half-day workshop $70
Savage Camp - CSF two day event that explains the basics you need to know if you want to compete; Cathy and Jodi look you over and provide advice on everything from which federations and competitions your physique is best suited for to advice on suit color; participation also allows you to meet other women with the same interests and that is invaluable!
DVDs - I purchased two through CSF one that provides an overview of fitness/figure and what you need to think about/do if you want to compete (”Ready, Set, Show”; $60) and a second that focuses on posing (”Strictly Posing”; $40).  Both are excellent investments if you are a beginner; I also purchased a posing DVD “The Art of Figure Competition” produced by Mary Bell $43 - excellent investment and a NPC DVD discussing judging in figure/fitness total costs $200
Food - you are going to be eating whole foods (meat, fish, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit) if you decide to compete and they ain’t cheap!
Gym membership - $200 annual (this is relatively cheap as I work at a university)

Other Costs
Hunger - there will be days you are hungry and sick of eating fish or broccoli or tuna
Pain - if you are pushing yourself in the gym it is inevitable that you will have some muscle soreness
Exhaustion - if you are working out five to six days a week there will be days even weeks where you are tired mentally as well as physically

Time
Workouts - typically 3 1-h+ weight training sessions each week and in my case 40 - 50 min cardio 5x a week; functional fitness on 6th day each week; one day rest
Posing - practice walking in hooker heels began 4-mos out, wearing shoes daily in the office the last month before my comp (LOL! people at work thought I was CRAZY!)
Makeup - about three weeks out, a day of shopping for supplies and then practiced several times a week learning to apply makeup, eyeliner, fake eyelashes; took me 1-h each time to apply all my makeup
Tanning - three practice sessions lasting several hours each learning how to apply the JanTana I used

Tomorrow I will share a list of resources that have been helpful to me as I prepared for my first competition.  Have a great day!

This is for a new friend of mine on the O2 boards (Heather who goes by FitnessRunner) who has a similar story to mine and who will be competing in her first competition on Saturday.  Heather this is for you!

Suggested List of Supplies to Bring on Competition Day
NPC card - need for registration
photo ID - need for registration
your competition suits packed in resealable plastic bags (so they won’t get messed up!) - put your suit on at the competition not before you will have plenty of time I promise!
your hooker heels (competition shoes)
bikini bite - to seal your butt and boobs in place in your tiny figure suits - if you are using a new bottle open it and make sure the track ball is primed with bikini bite glue
tanning supplies (JanTana, applicator, disposable gloves) - you may need to touch up; at my comp a number of the ladies had to apply several coats because they had only done one coat and weren’t dark enough
disposable gloves - good to wear when handling your suit, applying tanning solution, doing makeup, etc.
your makeup supplies - you should already have this on but you will probably need to touch it up
mirror - to check yourself backstage; don’t expect to find mirrors!  Some folks brought huge full length mirrors to my comp - honestly don’t know how they did this
resistance band - so you can pump up before going out on stage; don’t expect to find weights or anything else back stage!  There was nothing at my competition
towel - you never know what you will need this for, indispensible
small sewing kit including safety pins and scissors - the plastic connector on one ladies suit broke so she had to sew the string on her suit in place
vaseline - this one is up to you; some ladies apply this to their teeth so they can smile on stage; it did nothing for me but get lipstick stuck on my teeth
flip flops - so you can rest your feet; honestly I put my shoes on and wore them all day and had no problems with them or my feet that day or afterward.  I did use Insolia inserts and I practiced a lot! the month before my comp wearing my shoes daily at work so that may have had something to do with it
camera - essential if you want to get photos; the photographer only took one individual shot of me so if I hadn’t taken photos I wouldn’t have any
cell phone and charger - so you can call your friends and relatives and so you can take photos backstage to send to friends
kleenex and baby wipes - good for all sorts of things
hair spray
stage oil - controversial some girls bought it but no one used it; admittedly my comp was a local level show so I suggest asking around before buying this stuff as you may not need/use it

Deep breath, ready smile, relax - you got it all!  Now go get ‘em Tiger!

I competed in the NPC Ocean State Natural in Providence RI as a novice figure competitor last Saturday.  I had the time of my life.  Over the next couple days I would like to reflect on my experiences and share some insights I have gained.

First, I was truly blessed in that I met some absolutely amazing women with whom I shared the stage last Saturday.  I am so thankful that when I went to my competition I went focused on enjoying the competition rather than on "competing" per se.  All three of my new friends were novices, too, though one was brave enough that she had decided to compete in the Masters class rather than doing novice (you can’t do both at least at our competition).  One was two years older than me and a tall, poised, confident mom who had set up a Harley Davidson franchise.  Another was a personal trainer who had competed in novice here before.  The third had a similar history to me though she was much younger - she used to be overweight, lost the weight, discovered weight training and is now moving out of state to begin a new life and career in personal training - wow!   Truly inspiring! women!

Makeup - I used MAC NW45 foundation.  It was way too dark and didn’t match the JanTana On Stage.  I think I would have done better to have used the JanTana foundation I purchased.  I did 3 coats of the JanTana and I think that was about right in terms of how I looked on stage.
Make up - I am glad that I used stage makeup.  I think my makeup worked well on stage though I have to say I felt overdone off stage.  I used a very light color as a highlighter under my brows and it really lit up my eyes and face.

Suit - wise investment.  Lidia Conti’s suit would have looked cheap and horrid compared to the suits of the other ladies.  My suit a creation by Maggie Blanchard looked gorgeous, fit me perfectly and most importantly made me feel like a winner! and that’s what this should be about.  It wasn’t cheap but I am so glad I went with Maggie!

Pedicure - don’t waste the money unless you really want to have a pedicure; the judges can’t see your toes on stage and neither can anyone else.  Manicure on the other hand is essential - french tip looks great and you will feel great too!

Costume jewelry - essential as I found out everyone had the same basic stuff a ring, tennis bracelet and earrings.  Go to your local hooker store and get the jewelry there - it’s cheap and practical and they will have exactly what you need  My ring and bracelet stretch to fit and the whole look cost me $20.

Post competition eating - this has been my downfall and I will admit it upfront.  I was warned about this but I have to say head knowledge isn’t heart or in this case stomach knowledge.  When I left the competition venue last Saturday, I had every intention of eating clean and sticking to my program but I had to wait at the train station and I ended up devouring a ridiculous amount of junk food from the vending machines - honestly just about anything and everything and I am being quite honest when I say that.  When I got home after showering (I hadn’t bathed since Thursday night - pu!),  I had pizza and ice cream.   I haven’t eaten consistently well this past week but I am not going to cry about that.  I have been dieting hard since just before Xmas and I am LOL! very human.  I did workout last week.  I think the important thing is to get back on track and that’s what I did this morning.