jcorbett’s BodyBlog

I am still not totally confident as a competitor so I was really nervous. There were approximately 20 competitors at the masters level. I didn’t make top five, but did make 9th place. My post comp meal of hummus of pita bread  and stuffed grape leaves; along with a good nights rest has given me the fuel for devising new fitness goals. I am tired after 16 weeks of figure comp prep and plan to rest 3 days before beginning a new training routine.

I want to gradually increase calories over the next three weeks and maintain a healthy balance of complex carbs, healthy fats (20 - 30%), and lean fish (a little chicken). I will return to the gym on Wed. and begin working on legs. I will re-institute the two day leg routine that targets hamstrings one day and quads another day. I am going to start working out with a partner the end of the month–this will be a welcomed change. I still need help with new weight training routines. I want to continue shaping my quads and glutes. I also want to continue developing my upper body, but will focus on maintaining a balanced frame.

Five weeks out, five pounds & two inches to go, it was nice to hear that my muscles look sexy this morning considering that I haven’t been feeling on point as of late. I was grateful for the compliment.

I took a week off and just did cardio last week b/c I haven’t been losing. It did make a slight difference–I lost 2 lbs. last week and I’ve upped the cardio from 30 min. 4 days weekly to two hours, three days per week, one hour, two days per week. I also changed my training routine: Quads/hamstrings/calves; chest/back; bi/triceps; and shoulders. Supersetting with each routine.

I’m in too deep to quit so it’s crunch time….

A friend shared some contemporary soul/house music with me. It’s refreshing and the perfect tempo for the cardio burn. I’ve been out of town for two weeks, my diet has been compromised, I still feel a little bloated from restaurant food, but I have new found hope–the music inspires me and I work harder. It will probably take a week to detox from being out of my element, rest broken, and taking in a few toxins (e.g. tequila shot, bbq chicken, 1 T mac & cheese, 1 T potato salad). I was talking to my former trainer yesterday saying, I’m not sure if I’ll lose the pounds necessary to compete. I’ve lost inches, but my weight keeps fluxuating–need to cut more calories, but I’m sooooooooo hungry. Anyhow, still training like champ (LOL).

The suit has been ordered so I really need to get back on track and drop 8 more lbs., and 1/2" off the hips, 1/2" off the thighs, and 1" off the waist. There’s still hope:), but I’ve got so much work to do………

Thank goodness for photos and old blogs. They serve as a reference point and a source to keep me going. I have lost about a 1/2" thighs, 1/2 hips, and 1/4" in the waist, but the scales are not showing much difference. It’s time to give up dairy–I don’t do much anyway so it’s not a big sacrifice. I’ll have to drop the unsalted mixed nuts sooner than later–I didn’t give them (salted) up last time until 2 weeks out. I’m going to Nashville, then Ohio so my daily food intake will suffer some, but not a great deal, b/c I will have a car and be able to buy most of my food from the grocery store–I hope.

Training is going well since I dumped the split schedule. I was able to get in a split on Thurs., but for the most part I am trying to get a sufficient amount of sleep (6.5 to 7 hrs). I’ll be able to train at the hotel in Nashville and will buy a week long pass in Ohio. Someone stopped me at the gym last week. She said she saw me compete last year and was inspired to lose weight. She was 200 lbs and lost a great deal of weight since Nov. It was quite a heartwarming experience. Now that I am aware folks are watching me I can’t give up and must accomplish my next goal.

My rhythm was thrown off today from the time I stepped into the gym. I didn’t warm up with leg extensions b/c someone was nursing the machine so I stretched a little. Then I forgot that I was supposed to be super setting. When I finally moved to the second exercise someone started talking to me in the middle of a set. About mid-way during leg lunges I began looking at the clock as if it could expedite my work out. I needed the training fairy today. I was tired from the weekend, disappointed that my weight loss is not going according to plan, and annoyed by the fact that I am carrying a little water weight.

Thank goodness the bodybuilding angel showed up and gave me a pep talk. After torturing my quads and shoulders, I did cardio and was on the machine next to Will. When he asked how I was doing, I told him so he shared a few words of encouragement. It was just what I needed to get thru cardio and also what I needed to shift my attitude for the week.

I am still fumbling with my training schedule. Decided that I’d rather not do split training on Mon. & Tues. b/c of alternative parking. It’s frustrating to go to the gym @ 6, rush home, and can’t find parking. I’ll have to train and do cardio in the afternoons on M & T. By doing this I will be able to resume my walk to work routine (1.5 miles each way).

Carb loaded unintentionally this past weekend and must compensate nutritionally for this action. I’ll have to decrease starchy carbs & overall cal intake by 100.  

The Bad: I paid to use the gym at work before examining the "training room"–what a big mistake. It has nautilus  equipment from what looks like the 70’s–stuff that Arnold used back in the day. There aren’t any free weights and the cable station is lacking a seated row section and a seat to do lat pull downs (I can do them on my knees). I need to train two days in the afternoon at work b/c of my children’s school schedule. Now I am stuck with the task of modifying my training program and need to figure out viable alternatives for back, chest, bicep and triceps. Well, the best plans are made to be changed.

The good part of last week was the fact that I was able to do three 6 a.m. cardio sessions and one afternoon cardio session along with four days of weight training  I had to train three days back to back because my son was sick one day. I was sore from my traps to ankles, but got done;)

Here are my pre comp stats from the fall:

Bust: 34.5, Waist: 27, Hips: 36, Thighs: 21 and weight 148 lbs.

My current measurements are the same, but my weight Is 153 lbs.

My competion prep goals are:

Bust: 34.5, Waist: 25.5, Hips: 34.5, Thighs: 20.5 and weight 139 or less

I need to make a few modifications to my daily food intake–cut mixed nut serving in half and cut out the evening Myoplex. I hope to drop 2 lbs this week, but will be looking at measurements more than weight these next couple of weeks.

I must order my suit within the next two weeks. I am going to order another plain two piece from Lidia Conti Bodywear again and decorate myself.

Hopefully, I will get the swing of using the old equipment at work so that I can continue to make progress. Some of the male students are more than happy to interpret the machine use.

As I hit the snooze button @ 4:55 a.m. and thought, "ah just sleep in", I awaken shortly after thinking of Kai Greene’s success story–congrats. His words to me, "be encouraged" and "you can do it" flowed through my mind and provided the much needed inspiration to get up for a 6 a.m. cardio session. I decided a.m. cardio is the best for fat burning and suits my schedule (even though it’s a great sacrafice to get up, like many of you).  This afternoon I did shoulders and quads. I have changed to a 4 day workout routine that hits legs  and shoulders twice weekly. I will do arms with chest and back.

My diet hasn’t changed drastically, but I have to stop the extra after dinner carbs (i.e. cereal or peanut butter).

It’s hard to believe that I am dieting once again, but I am feigning for a leaner body–my pants are starting to get tight around the thighs (LOL). Looking forward to seeing a "better me".

I am pleased with my overall progress, but most of us who are not Greek gods or goddess have areas that just won’t budge. For me it’s the delts. I want rounded shoulders, and have achieved a bit of progress in the deltoid region, but they just don’t seem to want to raise up. These next few months as I prepare for the next figure competition, I am going to have to hammer the front and rear delts until I achieve the desired results. Genetically, I may be at a disadvantage, but let’s just call it another of one of the transformation challenges. 

It’s funny that I finally understand why those who seem to have "perfect bodies", critique themselves; it’s because you can always build a better you. I am looking forward to the up and coming months as I diet. I can’t wait to see the changes,,,,

Send me your delt tips…you know I train hard:)

I will compete in a NPC Figure competition June 6, 2009 so I plan to start my cutting diet on 3/9/09–just about 12 weeks out. I want to compete at 138 lbs and drop 1.5 inches off my waist and 1.5 inches off my hips. I will begin training 4 days per week for 4 weeks, then increase to 5 days. I will start with upper body two times weekly and lower body two times weekly. I will split legs quads one day & hamstrings the other. I will also try hitting delts twice weekly. I like super and tri-sets b/c I can accomplish more in a shorter period of time. Additionally, it’s time to start training the abs. I will also increase cardio (stair climber) to 30 min. 4 times weekly along with my 12 to 15 miles of walking.

I haven’t figured out the fine details of my nutrition plan. I know I have to reduce my starchy carbs. I’ve tried carb loading every 3 days, but my sugar spikes and I feel yuck. I may experiment with increasing starchy carbs on training days only and cutting them out at dinner altogether. I may also replace one of my snacks with a protein drink or meal replacement drink instead of my Luna bar & fruit –I like to eat food so continue to search for food alternatives. 

I need to order my suit by 3/13/09. I decided on plain again and will decorate myself–it saves a little cash and gives me an opportunity to develop my creative side (LOL).  I will have to practice posing at least 3 to 4 times weekly (or more).

That’s all for now, but it’s a start. Got any cutting tips? Please share.

Thanks.

BTW: My weight is 152 lbs today so I have probably gained 4 pounds of muscle in the past 5 weeks. I enjoyed a starchy carb weekend along with a shot of tequila. I can see the water retained in my abs, but it’s okay. I’ll get back on track this week. I also missed a training day last week–probably needed the rest.

A friend gave me a guest membership to a gym that starts with an "E" and ends with an "X". It is quite lavish, 4 floors, a snack shop, and child care. What else could one ask for? It was so boring. It was a quiet, clean, and sterile atomosphere where towels are provided. The clientele had no heart. I missed being in an environment where the weight training is intense. These people seemed to flock to classes and enjoy being trained by folks who didn’t represent the industry well. Cardio equipment was also a popular.  The sales woman didn’t even give me the pitch–she saw the whey protein drink and didn’t even gear up. 

Oh, well, it was free, but not like my home gym.

I will probably do more gym visits to get a sense of the industry and maybe I will be able to meet some other figure competitors–just need to know where they "hang out".