Accomplishments and Believing in Yourself

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for me, getting back to my "normal" routine. Any sane person would tell you there is nothing normal about my routine, but it's normal for me!

I'm back to my usual schedule, training at Gold's Gym every single morning at opening  and training with Roy at Bodycomp Gym 3 days a week after work. 

Guys still stop me at the gym, almost everyday and say something like "Don't you have a competition coming up soon?" Friday I was telling this to Roy and I laughed just thinking about the irony of it all. I weigh a lot more than I did three weeks ago, I fluctuate between 7 to 9 pounds more. It's my normal weight, but can't these guys see that I am not the mean, lean machine I was only a short while ago?!

I like to think I still look bangin' even if I have some soft fat surrounding my hips and abs.....It's still a lot less than most women. I noticed today, on one of my Quad days that I am looking like a very muscular gal right now, strong, not dainty in any way, shape or form! I suppose I need to get a picture, I have neglected to do so, maybe on Sunday I will.

Part of the joy of getting back to my "normal" routine is lifting because I like to lift, not because I have to lift. It was Front Squats today, 5 sets of 8. Roy told me to do as many at 135# as possible. I had to warm up with many sets, I am still having tightness in my hips, it comes and goes but lots of stretching, rolling and warm ups help.

I did my first set it 125#, then I did the remaining at 135#, all four remaining sets! Folks, these are front squats, at more than my bodyweight! My buddy for the morning, before I went on to walking lunges, with a 40# dumbbell in each hand!

I am still basking in my accomplishments, I am proud of myself. When the division of Women's Physique was first introduced, I immediately wanted to switch over, but I didn't think I was ready. Oh, I had the self confidence, that is never a problem for me (sometimes I can come off as quite arrogant due to my confidence), it was my physique, I wasn't quite as muscular as I would need to be. I'm still not, I want to add a bit more but that takes time.

I waited a couple years and trained hard, I kept competing in Figure but I tried to get as big and as muscular as possible. It's not easy when you are a female, you are not young, and and when you are natural - I rely on good food, sleep, and heavy weights. 

Consistency. Dedication. Desire. Passion. Love.

So many of us go through life afraid of what others may say or think about us. I know that I have many people shaking their heads. What is a woman her age doing dressed (or not dressed) like that!? Who does she think she is?!

But do I care? No. I live my life for me. For my pleasure, my pursuit of my own happiness. While I want my family and friends to be proud of me, I can only do what I feel I need to do in the one life I have been given.

I feel fortunate to have found what makes me feel young, makes me feel healthy and alive, what makes me want to jump out of bed every morning. I don't roll over and look at the alarm clock, dreading the start of another day, ever.

Look at your life, think about what you are doing, what you are accomplishing. Are you proud of yourself? Can you walk through life with your head held high, shoulders back, laughing out loud? I hope so, we should all be doing just that.

I have a motivational video below, one of the most moving I have seen in quite some time. Email readers will need to navigate directly to the blog by clicking on the Ready In 5 Weeks link at the top of the page.

 

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!

Changes and Goals

I spent all day in my competition suit- it's not a bikini, it's a custom made velvet suit covered in crystals- and it isn't cheap. It's also tight, very tight. You can see how it wears away the spray tan where the straps were. 


I got home, and after midnight pulled my hair back, and got ready to wash all this make up and tan off, you can imagine how good a shower would feel huh?


Everything in my life goes is phases. each phase has a distinct goal, always. Ask me at any time in my life, on any day what I am up to and I will have an answer- I know where I am going and what I need to do to get there.


My goals always change once I reach the previous goal, so there is always a time allotted and an outcome expected.


I have a new goal and a change happening all at once.


First, the change.


I have been writing this blog everyday for over two years. I missed one week when I went on vacation in February. Although my reader survey overwhelming showed me that readers want to see this everyday, I am changing that. I will not be writing daily, I just cannot keep it up. 


I have a full time job, a family  and a demanding fitness regime. I try to blog about meaningful and interesting topics that will help people understand body re composition and diet, and incorporating it into their life. It's very time consuming though, and sometimes I feel stretched. If I were getting paid and making my living from it, that would be one thing, but I am not, I still have a job to pay the bills.


I anticipate that I will write three to five times a week.   I suggest that you send me a friend request on Facebook, "like" my athlete page on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, subscribe to email updates or in a reader. That way, you will never miss one post.


I also ask that you send comments and feedback so I know what you want. Most of you want to know about diet, nutrition and how to prepare easy and healthy meals. That is the toughest stuff to write about, but limiting my posts may allow me to write more about those things that interest you most. 


As always, I love to hear from you, keep the comments and mails coming and please share my blog with friends and family so my readership grows. 


Second, my goal.


Women's Physique.


Yes, I had thought about this about 8 months ago and decided it wasn't' for me, they looked too much like bodybuilders, I am not a bodybuilder and I don't care to look like one. 


Well, the look is changing as the division matures. Judges are now leaning toward a less muscular look, more like a bigger Figure competitor.  Figure is getting softer and less muscular- I have no intention of changing my look to be softer and less muscular to fit their criteria- I don't want to look like that.  I like my look, and my look seems to fit into Women's Physique. I think I have just gotten too muscular for Figure. I am waiting to hear what the head judge has to say, but that could take a few weeks.


I did promise David and Cooper no more competitions this summer, so I shall practice the mandatory moves, find some upbeat music I like and create a routine. I will practice like I am in a competition, and if I find that I like it, I will then diet down and enter one, date is to be determined later. 


I am really, really excited. I have loved dance since I was in high school and I can rock the stage, believe me!


And if it all works out, I shall have three pair of size 8 clear Lucite hooker heels- free to the first new Figure gals who nicely ask for them!


Until then, let me know what you want to learn about. 

My Show

It's almost midnight and I wanted to make sure you all knew what the results were! I was in two categories, "open" which is anyone of a certain height range (mine was over 5' 2" and up to and including 5' 4"); and then masters 50 and over.


There are five trophies awarded in each category.  I did not place in the open category. I must say it was disappointing, but then I realized that I have a lot of balls to think at the age of 51 I can strut out there and beat those younger gals. And I still think I can, and I will, but it all depends on who shows up and what they are looking for. I have not given up at all.


Several women thought I was in the Women's Physique category and not Figure, so this is encouraging to me, that's the division I wanted to move to.  I didn't think I was ready  yet, but apparently everyone else does! This is making me think about the possibilities, which I am really too tired to write about tonight, I still have to shower and get all this make up off my face and body.


The open category had 14 women in it, a big class. 


In the Master's 50 and over I came in 1st place! I was a little unsure at first, there was one other woman who could have taken it, I think my glutes were better, and the delts of course. This was a smaller class, only four of us.


For most of the day and evening I had a great time, I met some fun and interesting women and gave a lot of advise about diet and what I ate through this all. I think I came in looking better than I ever have, honestly. More muscle, a bit more bodyfat, face wasn't drawn, and everything looked tight.


I could not have done this without the fantastic training from Roy Ganju, of BodyComp Personal Training Gym, without whom I wouldn't look the way I do today, and I am more pleased with my physique than I have ever been, ever! He was able to add size to my frame, especially my quads and I know he is as excited about changing my physique to be what I want it to be also, its like Michelangelo and one of his sculptures. He works on my physique until he feels it is perfect- I like that. Have you ever been to the Louvre and seen the Statue of David? I think I stood and stared for an hour, it is a true work of art. And the time and advise that I received from Monique Varela was priceless. These are two people you want on your team, the winning team.


Of course, I cannot neglect the two people who have endured my diet and funky road trip- constant bathroom-pit stop schedule, and all the other fun things that go along with my hobby; David and Cooper. They put up with a lot, you would not believe how much they do. 


Thank you all (and David- thank you for the flowers).


I am looking forward to plotting out my next escapade! I am thinking, maybe just practice a routine for Physique, and see how that plays out this summer. This might be where I fit now, the judges are now leaning towards a Figure look as opposed to the Bodybuilder look. I understand that they seem to be awarding a softer look in Figure, and I don't want a softer look. I like looking hard and ripped, so, maybe. Maybe Physique!


Sometimes disappointment opens your eyes to other opportunities that have been staring you in the face for the longest time. Now I am excited!

First Pro Women's Physique

This past weekend was the 2012 Desert Muscle Classic, which included the first "Pro" Women's Physique competition. 


There is a great deal of controversy in the "Bodybuilding" community about the results, a lot of people have taken it very personally.


Women's Physique (WP) is the brand new division that I decided I wanted to move to this year, and not too long ago I decided I would hold off another year, to see how things progressed. Based on what I saw at this show, I may never move into that division, but it is still young and changes will definitely be seen.


For now, I am staying in Figure, but my eye is still on WP to see what the future holds. 


What I like about WP is the fact that there is a routine to music, it requires more from the competitor than just standing around looking good. It also commands more muscle, I like a more muscular look. Plus, you don't have to wear the ridiculous 5 inch Lucite heels (Yes, they are required in Figure!)


Dana Linn Bailey was the first woman to win her pro card in WP. I have always admired her physique, it is what I strive for, I like her look and conditioning.


Dana has never placed well in Figure, yet she never wavered and always stayed true to her own goals. When WP came along, she was exactly right, winning the first pro card issued, hands down.


At the latest show though, she came in 4th! Above is a picture of the winners. As you look at it, Dana Linn Bailey is on the left (4th); next to her is Jillian Reville (3rd); Karina Nascimento (1st); and Marilena Echohawk (2nd).


In looking at this picture, I think the 4th and 3rd place physiques are without a doubt better than the 1st and 2nd, but obviously the judges did not agree. In my opinion, the top two look like Bodybuilders. For some reason, I didn't think they were looking to award Bodybuilders - I mean we already have a Bodybuilding division, so I am confused. 


According to the judges, Dana Linn Bailey was "too hard and showed too much conditioning" for the look they are after.  For those of you who are not sure what this means - she was too ripped. "Hard" is the look of tight skin over full muscle, no layer of fat between, rippling muscle. "Conditioning" is the overall look of low bodyfat, striations, separation of muscle groups, dehydration, in other words, how much you have worked to get to this amazing "condition".


I have always been told my conditioning was perfect- except in one show, and honestly, my conditioning was the same as it always had been, so I didn't take that comment  seriously. I pride myself in my ability to get into top condition, to lose the fat, and not retain any water, it's not easy. 


Although I am disappointed, I just have to sit back and watch how things progress, and I know there will be changes. When they first introduced the Bikini division, it took the judges about a year to actually come to a solid decision on what "the look" was, and it is definitely not the same as Figure, there is a clear delineation. I want to be able to see a clear delineation between Figure and WP too.


In the mean time, I will keep on training and aiming to be as hard and conditioned as possible. 

High on Life

Most people take time after off a competition, they are spent, exhausted, drained, they need recovery time. I took Sunday off and told David I would wait to see what Monday brought. I had the day off (that's my recovery) and had moved my spa day to Monday, seemed to make sense.

I didn't set the alarm, I thought I would let my body and my brain tell me what was best. I had gone to bed early, not enough sleep the night before so I think I was asleep by 8:30.

At 4:40 a.m. I woke ready to tackle the day!

I felt great. I was looking forward to the day, you see, Roy came to my competition, we went out to lunch between shows and I decided then what the "new chapter" would be.

Women's Physique

I have written about it before, next year Bodybuilding is gone, to be replaced by Women's Physique. I like the look, I like the challenge. It is a more muscular look yet not nearly as big and muscular as bodybuilders, and you get to perform a routine, to music, the mandatory poses (open hand) without the silly high heels. I can rock out on stage!

It means I need to train more with Roy. We agreed over lunch, three times a week instead of two. Monday and Wednesday after work, Friday at noon. We need to work on the legs, and we will continue with shoulders, they looked great didn't they?

I told Roy I would do cardio in the morning, he wanted to know if I could run hill sprints. ha ha Well yes I could but it might be difficult at 5:00 a.m. as it would be dark, I would need to use something at the gym instead. I can look for a hill on the weekends.

This schedule will allow me to train other body parts on my own; hams, quads and shoulders with Roy and I can hit them again on my own.

I hopped out of bed and had my shake, then off to the gym just a little later than usual. I felt great and full of energy. It would be cardio, abs and stretching, my Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning routine before work for a while.

When I got to the gym I stepped on the scale. 10 pounds heavier than last Wednesday. I definitely filled my muscles and liver with glycogen! Remember, for every gram of glycogen you store, your body holds onto 2.6 grams of water, and the more conditioned and trained you are, the more you can store (seriously, this has been studied). I am a storage facility right now!

I saw Ryan, a trainer at Courtside, he was as the show and was showering me with compliments, I basked in the attention. He was right- I looked great and I had a great time, I am still high on the experience. 


I told him my new direction, he laughed and shook his head, "sounds great to me!"


I did my cardio, abs and stretching, and chatted with the morning crowd (they missed me!) 

Afterward home for a favorite comfort breakfast from my childhood, toasted sourdough cut into squares, with two soft cooked eggs mixed in, the yolk soaking into the bread, the whites firm, and salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Coffee rounded out the meal.


Later I would have my spa day and lunch.

That night I would meet Roy to hit hams. Gotta keep the glute/ham tie in tight, we shall devote Mondays to that endeavor for a while. 


So many people go through a down period afterward, they worked for months on end, dieting, training, practicing and then once the event comes and goes, what else is there? What is left to do? It's like postpartum depression. 


I had a great time at my competition and am still high on the experience. Being there made me realize that I have more to learn, more to experience and more to share, to have a new goal is even more exciting and really makes me motivated to get up and go in the morning.


It is not an end to me, but a beginning. The beginning of an exciting, challenging and, I am sure at times, frightening experience.


Follow me on my journey! 

Today is My Competition!

You will be seeing this on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Today is my competition. I think I look ready don't you?

Ready is not even the word for it, more like chomping at the bit. I want to do it, and I want to end it. There is so much that I enjoy, yet so much I have had my fill of.

I am looking forward to enjoying nights out eating and drinking like a regular person. Having a banana, or a mango. A ripe fig from my tree. A big juicy lamb chop.

Thursday I took the day to cook my food that I need to take with me so I have food Friday and Saturday at the hotel and the competition.

Below is some of my food. Flank steak, chicken breast, sweet potatoes, baked russets, asparagus. It all gets weighed and packaged.

See the beautiful cheesecake? I get that Friday night and Saturday morning, along with steak and a baked russet.

Stacy is stopping by Friday to snag a piece before the boys eat it all!

I almost forgot my honey bear. He is very important at a competition, you will see several of them around the room. The trick is to eat rice cakes, peanut butter and honey about 40 minutes before you step on stage, but of course, none of us know when we will step on stage, so we eat these all day long! ha ha


And my absolute favorite- Jo's dark chocolate caramel with sea salt. I get them at Peet's coffee. I will eat that backstage after finals!

I want to thank everyone for their love and support and encouragement. I have friends at work, on Facebook, from my blog, at the gym, all over the world!


In fact, there will be some people that I chat with all the time on this blog, that I have never met in person, who will be at the competition! I am excited to meet them finally. 


Although everyone is important, I do need to say a special thanks to David and Cooper. They "compete" in their own way, out of necessity not desire. They have both said they are looking forward to a regular, normal life for a while now that this will be over.


And Roy- thanks for the beautiful physique you have helped to sculpt!


I put together 11 weeks of photos, the weekly pictures of my poses so you can see them start to finish. First all the front shots, then the back, then side, it really is quite amazing to see the transformation that one body can go through so quickly. Take a moment (or 3 actually) to view it, and I found some great music to go with it!


Email subscribers will need to navigate to the blog to see this video.

The Olympia

It would make sense that I watched the Olympia wouldn't it? The decisions the judges make determine the "look" of Figure for the upcoming year. Yes, it changes. You see they may want a "harder" look over a "softer" look sometimes or vice versa. 

What does that mean? "Hard" is tight muscularity, less bodyfat; while "soft" is not quite as tight looking, not as muscular and higher bodyfat. 

Personally, I don't care what the judges want or what they are looking for, I will not change the look I want. This is for me not them.

I like hard. Hard, tight, very muscular. Leave the soft to the bikini gals I say. That's the definition of "soft". 

Did you see the difference between the Figure gals and the Bikini? Striking in my opinion.

I still don't understand how they plan to make the Women's Physique division work, they only offer it in the Nationals. To compete in the Nationals you need to qualify at a local show. So if you qualify in a show for Figure, you would have to really pack it on to compete in Women's Physique since your qualification lasts only one to two years depending on the show.

Or do they award the harder more muscular women hoping they will want to move up to Women's Physique?

Well I looked online and what did I find out? No more Women's Bodybuilding! But the Womens' Physique will be at the local level in 2012.

Here is a link to John Lindsay Productions, the promoter or many of the shows in California. You can see the shows and schedules for yourself. 


Now, you can even see all of the rules and regulations, so you understand just what the judges are looking for. Of course, it is still very political and very subjective.

Now I need to think this all out. I may want to try my hand at this! It really is a sport for older women, I mean 30 and up. Leave the bikini to the young gals, they are not typically as successful in Figure or Bodybuilding, you need time to develop muscle.

This also means I may have to train more with Roy. Sometimes, it's not just wisdom that comes with age!


And now a video that I found hilarious. This was posted in a closed group I belong to on Facebook called Sisterhood of Iron, over 2000 women strong (literally).


We have all seen Sex In The City right? Well this is Flex and The City. I talk a lot about the "skinny" look and how unattractive I find it, well seems like I am not the only one who thinks this! Check out these women! Email subscribers will need to navigate directly to the blog to view the video.

Where Will I be in 6 Months? (Fitness World Blog)

This is a Fitness Blog World post: Where do you see yourself in 6 months from now...and what about in 2-5 years from now? 


That is always a question people ask at job interviews isn't it? And why do you think people want to know such a thing? I can tell you.


They want to know if you have goals and a purpose, or are you floundering along hoping that things just "work out right".


I know exactly where I will be 6 months from now, I will be in sunny Mexico, at Hacienda Eden, wearing an ever so skimpy bikini, laying on my chaise lounge, reading a book, sipping a margarita, talking with Cindy and Joe!

I will run and do plyos along the beach every morning before anyone else wakes up. Isn't this a beautiful beach? 

We will all enjoy great Mexican food, sitting with our bare feet in the sand and pretty much doing nothing.

I go every year in February, it gives me something to look forward to and a great way to escape the cold, wet winter of California. I have already made my reservations, I have my airline tickets, I only need the rental car and I am set.


In terms of my fitness goals, I see myself continuing on with Roy, and taking advantage of his knowledge to add more size on my legs, yet maintain a low level of bodyfat. My training program always changes, but I am not one to try a new revolutionary idea as seen on TV, then skip onto another one when I don't see immediate results. 


I will be heavier in weight (I am sure), higher bodyfat (not much), and will also have a very, very happy family because I will not be on a "diet" and I will make wonderful foods for them. Life will be post competition bliss for everyone.


2 to 5 years is a different story, some of the events will surely repeat themselves, such as the annual vacation, and I will always continue my weight training, but the big question is,  will I still be competing? 


I cannot answer that right now. I have enjoyed competing on so many levels, yet there are always times when I despise it like a pet that I have adopted, yet must care for and nurture, although it seems to be the devil I have invited into my home.


If I am still competing, I would like to be competing in Women's Physique instead of Figure. This goes along with everything I want about adding more lean mass to my frame, and maintaining a muscular physique. This means I will be in the gym, lifting heavy, eating well, incorporating some of the dreaded cardio, and sculpting my body into the body I want.


Whether I end up on stage or not is not really of consequence, you see, I don't lift weights to compete, I compete to lift weights.


It's all about priorities.


Please take the time to stop by Fitness Blog World and read what all the other writers have to say about their short and long term goals.

My Third Trainer - Huong

A while back I wrote about my first two trainers, and now it's time for trainer #3, Huong Arcinas (now Huong Ho), who is an IFBB Figure Pro. She has even been on the Olympia stage! Here we are at my second show, before I took first place in Masters! Dang check out my hair, there is lots of it huh?!

I worked with Huong at the same time as working with SC, so I may flip back and forth between the two of them, and we trained together for about a year I think.

It was very early 2009 and I decided I was going to hire a nutritionist because I was busting my butt, but not seeing the results I really thought I should be seeing.

I consulted with Kim Porterfield, from The Institute of Eating Management And Relapse Prevention Center in Texas and she developed a diet for me, a diet I could live with, in fact, a diet I have lived with now for almost 3 years!

After I started Kim's diet I went from 13% bodyfat to 8% in 4 weeks. Now 13% is not shabby by any means, but I wanted to be ripped. I looked great! I had already told SC that I was planning on competing so I needed someone to help me, I knew nothing.

SC was no help here, he supported my decision but thought Figure and Bodybuilding was dumb and not a true sport. He is a Strength Coach, "posing" is stupid in his mind, it has nothing to do with any sport. Except the sport of "booty". I suppose he is right, it doesn't technically seem like a sport, yet that is what it is! He would get in my face and say "I hate bodybuilders", then in the same breath help me to train the body parts I was working on to grow. 

I found Huong on the Internet, and recalled seeing her picture in a magazine somewhere...

I emailed her and she called me so we could talk about my goals and we arranged a time to meet. 

I had told Huong I was at 8% bodyfat, and unbeknownst to me, she was thinking "Yeah, right, they all say that" (she told me this later) and when we met she had her fat tester in her hand, it quickly disappeared, she could see I was indeed at 8%, just where I said I was (SC had tested it).

It was March and I told her I wanted to compete in the San Jose show coming up in July. Her response? "Hell no, you look great and you will compete in the Contra Costa in May!"

And I did. 

I had 8 weeks of prep for my first show and I took 2nd in Masters and 14th in open B. I was scared to death. 


It's easy to train hard and feel like you look great, and you do! Then you walk backstage and are suddenly surrounded by a sea of beautiful, tanned, hard, rippling muscles. It's easy to start feeling inadequate. Huong was there for me, nudging me and making sure I kept believing in myself. 

I would train with SC on Fridays, doing the things I loved to do and I would train with Huong on a weekday evening after work, doing what I needed to do to sculpt the body for Figure.

Huong has quite an eye. I would walk in and she would say "You are up a pound what did you eat the last couple days?"  She was right, my weight was up.

Or, she would look at me and say "What's your carbs at?" and I had better be able to quickly give her my daily total.  She would tell me to adjust it here and there according to what I looked like. I would go into training each week praying under my breath that she would say to me as I walked out the door "go eat a burger!"...

We mainly worked on upper body, she helped me to learn to train my back and shoulders to get the much coveted V taper needed for Figure.

Huong and SC would have conflicting ideas of training, but then their goals were totally different so that is to be expected. I wanted to compete, and therefore needed to listen to Huong, she was (and is) the expert there. But I loved the tough stuff, the sleds, the deadlifts, the sledgehammers, the loud music and sweating. The chalk. That's what I got with SC. Down and dirty, my kind of training. Blood, dirt, sometimes grease. 

I felt sorta bi-polar at times. 

Huong was there for me at the shows, supporting and gluing my suit on. That is one thing I have never really gotten used to. The promoters do not allow trainers or friends backstage to help the competitors, but there are those in the industry, who are well known enough that are allowed, Huong was one of those, being a Pro competitor herself. It was great for me then, but now, when I don't have a trainer who is in the industry, it makes me a little miffed, so some women have an advantage by having that help backstage. Believe me, you need it! 

I chalk it up to the fact that many of these trainers help to maintain a steady supply of competitors to the shows, thus making money for the promoters, so the promoters allow them to do this. Double standard but that's life I suppose. I built my bridge and got over it, I know dance upon it.

Ever try to glue the butt of your suit on yourself? Pretty darn hard to get it straight. I have gotten used to doing a very goofy looking squat and glue dance, and who gives a damn who is watching. It can be pretty funny when the guys and gals are in one big room though. To be honest though, most competitors are so caught up in themselves at the time you could be standing stark naked next to them and they wouldn't notice you.

I do know that if she were backstage she would certainly help me still though!


Here we are with two of her other clients, Natalie and Stephanie. This was backstage at the San Francisco in 2009 I think.

Huong taught me to look at myself with a very critical eye, and to be conscious of my posture, my core, my abs, how I walk and my facial muscles. I would make faces when I would train. She would stop me and tell me - "Look at your face, look what you are doing". I would learn to relax my face.

Huong suggested stripper or pole dancing classes, I opted for Pussy Cat dance class, it was cheaper! ha ha.  Pole dancing caused bruises I heard, so some day I will do that, but at that time I didn't want to chance it. Stripping was more expensive. Classes are at Sedusa Studios in Campbell. They won't give you their location until you pay for classes and they speak to you, the last thing they need are lurkers...they offer everything, lap dancing, pole, strip, chair, you name it, they teach it! It's a fun place, very comfortable and close by my home and gym.


Her thought process was correct - most of the women who do this look stunning, their conditioning and physique, so you need to stand out, you need to bring personality to the stage, you need to have fun (or at least look like you are), you need to feel and look confident, you need to be able to seduce people from afar and draw the judges to you. You must make them want you and like you. It's all quite a game. You need to learn to entertain on stage.

It took me a while to learn, I was scared to death the first time and it shows all over my face. I also got down lower in weight than I ever have been, and I prefer my weight 1 to 2 pounds higher. 


As far as the actual weight training, Huong taught me to vary my reps and sets as we moved closer to competition time. It doesn't always stay constant. She advised on how much cardio to do. And when I was tired of it all and just wanted to stop, she would ask if I want to quit or wanted to win.


I am not a quitter.


Huong trains at Ray's Built Tuff Gym in San Jose, here is the gang again, Ray and all the competitors from the gym (and a couple trainers). Ray was the guest poser. He asked if a couple of us could put his pro-tan on and we pretended it would be an awful mess, but secretly I was dying to do it! Somehow he finagled a spray tan instead so we all felt cheated!

Huong taught me all the ropes, what to expect, what to bring, how to register, what not to do, how to pose. She measured me for my suit and we selected colors, I had a beautiful suit made by Celeste Harsa  of Suits by Celeste. Later I would decide that I wanted an even smaller bottom, so Celeste made a new bottom for me. It's pretty darn small too. 


Huong shared her many years of experience with me, there is no way I could have been as successful at competing as I have been if I had never trained with Huong. In fact, she once told me that the majority of women who decide to compete get close, and never step on stage, or they only do it once. She made sure I wouldn't be one of those women. 

Please see the links below if you would like to read about my first and second trainers.

My Second Trainer - SC


My First Trainer -Baz

Am I Becoming a Bodybuilder?

Am I becoming a bodybuilder? My body has changed, I am getting more muscular but I am trying to. 


I have never been curvy, I have always had a "boyish" figure, and that's fine with me, I wouldn't want to struggle with the womanly hips so many of my friends have. 


I really like the "athletic" look, lean, sleek, fast, natural and almost androgynous. I don't see many athletes with breast implants, they just get in the way and anyway, athletes are focused on the actual sport, not the look of the physique.


I would really like to start competing in Women's Physique though, and I just might be able to in a year. What's the difference?


Bodybuilding = women, big, big muscles, mandatory poses like the men, to show off the muscles, no shoes. It's losing popularity, people just don't want to get that big or see women that big. These are the women who make you take a double look, when I say they are big, I mean big! These are generally not thought of as particularly feminine looking women.  


Figure = women, muscular, yet feminine, "model" poses, basically standing around, posing looking pretty, mandatory 5 inch Lucite high heels (WTF?!) These women have muscles, and are pretty darn cut at competition time, but the ideal look is not big like a bodybuilder, in fact you receive a lower score if you are big and muscular, with a lot of muscle separation and vascularity. 


Women's Physique = women, not as big as bodybuilders, bigger than figure, no shoes (yay!), mandatory poses but not like men, "open hand". They do the model poses like Figure and "open hand" or more soft, fluid poses similar to the bodybuilders. You actually get marked down for getting too big and muscular in Women's Physique, such as a bodybuilder would get and if you are not big enough, you compete in Figure.




Womens' Physique is new this year, it has only been at the National Level, so I would need to qualify in Figure to be able to compete in Women's Physique at the National level. Makes it a a little daunting since the first woman to win her pro card this year is Dana Linn Bailey, and she looks awesome! But I am up for the challenge, she has the physique I strive for. I like the Women's Physique look best of all of them!


Bikini= we won't be discussing here, it's not relevant, although the competitions do include bikini. 



Although most people will tell you there is a hierarchy of status here, it really is what you want to compete in, what your body type is best for and how you want to look and present yourself. While some women may want to compete in bodybuilding, they might not ever get big enough to do so. And on the other hand, some are so big that they just won't ever place well in Figure, so sometimes it's not just about what the individual wants, it's what their body knows best!


And, some people just wanna wear the damn shoes! ha ha


What came first? Bodybuilding; Fitness; Figure; Bikini; Women's Physique. 


I was actually thinking about this not because of how I am looking but because I smelled pancakes. Yes indeed and they smelled good!


I was driving home from the gym one morning and went past "The Diner", and a wonderful aroma of freshly made pancakes wafted into my convertible car. I have never been a pancake fan, but I wanted to stop and get a stack right then and there.


I laughed wondering to myself if I was turning into a bodybuilder! You see, at every competition there are hours, and I mean hours of sitting around doing nothing. The men and women sit around, or stand and talk. They talk about a couple things:


How they look
How others look
What they will eat for lunch (or not for some) 
What they will eat for dinner (for all)
Food in general


That's about it!


And the men- all they talk about is pancakes, I am not sure why, but most of them plan to go to ihop immediately after and gorge on pancakes. Kinda odd to me, but to each his own.


I am planning on making some, after my competition. I will make yeast risen ones for Cooper, the batter is made the night before and is light and fluffy. He never gets out of bed until lunch time so he can have his when he gets up. 




David and I will have Bridge Creek Oatmeal Pancakes.



Bridge Creek Oatmeal Pancakes (from The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham)  


2 cups buttermilk 
2/3 cup Old Fashion Oats (not instant) 
1 large egg 
2 tablespoons brown sugar 
2 tablespoons oil  
1/3 cup all purpose flour 
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon fine salt 


At least 6 hours before making the pancakes, mix the buttermilk and oats together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate (overnight is fine).


Put the egg in a mixing bowl and beat well, then stir in the brown sugar and blend. Add the flours, baking soda, salt, oil, and the oatmeal- buttermilk mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed.


Heat a heavy griddle or skillet until it is good an hot, then film with oil. Drop the batter by tablespoons (about 2 1/2 per pancake) onto the griddle and cook until lightly browned on each side. Makes about a dozen four inch pancakes. 


Then I will really be a bodybuilder!