High on Life

I feel so good it should be illegal! I know it's because I have a new goal, and changes always excite me. The thrill of feeling like I am in total control of my future is a powerful and  exhilarating feeling.


If you are starting out, or feel like you are not getting anywhere, I urge you to assess what you are doing and make sure you have a specific and realistic goal. Then decide what tools you need to reach your goal and take action. 


I took Sunday off from training after my competition, and Monday had the day off work so I slept in then trained with Roy in the late afternoon. Dinner out with David and then a good night's sleep. 


Tuesday I was off work again but set the alarm for 4:00 am to get back on schedule, I like my routine. Shoulder's, my favorite body part to train!


I chatted with a couple folks who wanted to know how I did and I asked Sheri if she could talk with me after her workout- I had some questions for her.


I was training my rear delts when  one of the trainers looked at me all smiles "You are ripped! Absolutely shredded!!" He was excited, it made me excited. "Do you compete? Of course you compete, what am I thinking?!" 


We talked for a bit, introduced ourselves and discussed competing. He was at the show and said he thought he recognized me. He asked about Women's Physique, it was new to him and he loved it. Me too- I explained that was my new direction. He commented that I  would be perfect, I look right for the sport. The routine and dancing were fun and a great way to showcase a muscular physique. 


He gave me a high five and said "It's great to have people like you in the gym, welcome to Gold's! Next time let us know when you are competing so we can cheer you on!"


Later, Sheri and I talked about her trainer. Sheri used to compete in Bodybuilding, many years ago and still looks amazing. I explained about Women's Physique and told her I need to learn the mandatory poses, does her trainer teach posing? I have seen her with him, and he seems to know what he is doing and was a competitor for years, I looked him up.


I am not leaving Roy, not in a heartbeat. But I don't believe in the "all in one" trainer, it's not for me. 


Sure, there are people who "know it all" and can coach and lead you along, but since competing is not my  primary goal, I want a trainer who is trained in, and values functional training, someone who lives and breathes research and science,  strength and health.  Roy does that, he knows what he is doing in the weight room.  I don't mean to say other trainers do not, but I have a good thing, I am happy and am not changing. I am also a bit cautious about "all in one", sure it's easier to rely only on one person to tell you every single thing you need to do in life, but I like making my own decisions, being in charge of my own nutrition and am a bit skeptical of "a jack of all trades" if you know what I mean.


Bodybuilding, and the other branches of the sport (Figure, Physique) are not necessarily the best training for your body- the sport demands that muscles are developed for show, not necessarily strength and power. Muscle fibers are trained differently and develop differently. A bodybuilder may be big, but typically cannot out-lift a smaller, more compact guy or gal who has trained for strength.


I prefer to find a professional who excels at one thing, and learn from them. I have found that in Roy- he has taken my physique to a level I have tried to achieve for a long time, and I still see that I have not reached my full potential and am excited to continue on my journey.


Now, I am in need of learning the mandatory poses. That's it. A few lessons, then some practice and a few lessons more. Sheri's trainer may not be my guy, he may not be interested in a few lessons only, and then I keep looking, I'm not in a hurry.


I have my diet down, it works well. I am now plotting the slight adjustments I will make to add some mass and attempt to minimize the fat gain. I am still going to enjoy a few more days of fun and treats though, my body and mind deserve it.


I will be discussing my diet changes and of course updating you all on progress. Today, I stepped on the scale. 126 pounds. I was at 119 on Friday. No, I did not gain weight. My muscles are full of glycogen and I am retaining water. I added creatine back in, I am eating regular food and eating out, that's means lots of sodium when I had none before. Also, after a competition most people tend to "blow up" a bit- your body is primed for food, it soaks everything up like a sponge, so my cheesecake for breakfast is sitting all around my belly now! I'm OK, I have done this for years and know I will get tired of the treats in a day or two and my body will come back to normal. I do know many competitors who cannot stop though, and continue eating and eating, not adhering to a clean diet and several weeks later they have gained weight and enter into a sort of depression because they screwed up. Then, it's like starting all over again from scratch. I have worked too hard for that and I won't do it.


My weight will level out in a week or so, then I will start charting progress, now it would be unreliable.


Just what does a Women's Physique competitor look like and what does the routine consist of? Well just like every person is different, so is every competitor and their routine will showcase their own personality. Below is a video of Dana linn Bailey, the first woman to earn professional status as a Physique competitor, and has a physique I strive for. My routine will be to much faster music, but she does a great job here showcasing her muscles! (email readers will need to navigate to the blog to view this video).



I have a massage today with Rachael, my psoas is tight again, at least that's what Roy said. I was super tight in the front of my abdomen, and not able to extend back and up when doing a back extension, so he advised that she release it again. Its a painful but satisfying release....


Talk soon, and happy lifting!