Candice 12 Weeks Out - Her Personal Take On Cheat Meals

What I love about life is the different perspectives. Cheat Meals are a phenomenon particular to weight loss and are often discussed at length in any sort of nutrition plan that involves denial of certain foods or amounts of certain foods. Hence the reason there is a perceived 'need' for a 'Cheat Meal' to satisfy that denial. I have my own thoughts on this matter and Candice's aren't necessarily mine. But I love to hear and digest others' views and, in the end, make an informed decision for myself.

So here you have it - Candice's take on Cheat Meals. Read, take it as her opinion, and use what you need. If you read something that you don't agree with, that's fine. I believe all things true should stand up to questioning so it may further confirm your own opinion, or perhaps raise some doubt on your original stance. Both are positives in my book.

Enjoy....

Candice Lamb....

Last weekend in Katherine we had two lovely ladies come down and give us a great presentation on bodybuilding. So many topics were covered, and one in particular really got my attention. Now before I start ranting on about this keep in mind that in the health and fitness and particularly body building industries, everyone does things very differently. Also keep in mind that I am no expert, but I do quite a bit of research and have been taught by some great athletes so if there is anything you don’t agree with or think is wrong, let me know. Anyway, the topic of cheat meals was mentioned and I saw a few eyes light up around the room and a few months ago, mine would have popped out of my head at the sheer mention of ‘cheating’ on my nutrition program.

For my last comp prep I was allowed to cheat once a week until TWO WEEKS pre comp, and I did! Right up until Kirsten found out and had a stern word with me about having to get on stage in next to nothing six weeks later…that stopped me cold in my tracks. I didn’t go crazy with my cheats, but I definitely cheated once a week – usually with peanut m&ms and medjool dates. This time around under a new coach, no cheat meals. None. Nothing. Nada. So now that I am experiencing both sides of this argument I thought I would do a bit of research and help you all minimise some time on Facebook reading about it!

So what is a cheat meal? Well, the name says it all – a meal that ALLOWS you to ‘cheat’ on whatever nutrition plan you are following whether this be a structured plan for a competition or just general clean eating. The point of a cheat meal? This might be a little longwinded, so take a seat. Our bodies are created for survival and this means holding on to a particular amount of fat to ensure that we are warm, our organs are protected and for females, even more fat needs to be on board to make sure we are ready to make babies. When we are on low calorie diets or restricted food groups our metabolism starts to slow down over a period of time in order to keep as much fat on us as possible.

Crap, hey? The idea of a cheat meal is then to give the system a big kick up the bum – we introduce a heap of food we don’t normally eat and our metabolism momentarily freaks out and speeds up a bit to try and work it all off. Then we go back to our normal eating plan for the rest of the week and our metabolism returns to where it started. Sounds pretty good right? I found a lot of positive information on cheat meals and really, most of them make sense. Cheats help some people stay on track – knowing that you can give in to that chocolate craving on Saturday night might help you walk away from the confectionary aisle at Woollies earlier in the week. The absolute best thing about cheat meals in my book however is the small part of a social life that you can keep, especially when prepping for comp. Cheat meals allow you to go out for dinner, lunch, breakfast – whatever, once a week with your loved ones if you choose to do so. It takes away the isolation factor, particularly during a comp prep, which is something that I really struggle with. F

For those last few weeks that I wasn’t allowed to have cheat meals I became a hermit. The only place I would see people was at Uni, the gym or Woolworths…apart from that it was just me. And my cats. Just kidding, I don’t have cats, but I seriously turned into a crazy cat lady and for some people that could be the deal breaker to ever wanting to compete or opt for a healthier lifestyle.

When I was doing my research I was a little surprised that almost EVERYTHING supported cheat meals. There was hardly a bad thing mentioned about them however I think there are definite down sides to this fantastic little invention. For me, the hardest thing about cheating was knowing that I had to go back to normal at the next meal…once I had a taste of those peanut m&ms, I never wanted to be without them again! I know that other people also struggle with feelings of guilt after they have cheated – even when it is a scheduled cheat meal. Knowing that you need to be on stage in a few months and throwing chocolate and cake down your throat really doesn’t settle any ‘I won’t be ready in time’ feelings.

So my overall thoughts on cheat meals? Still undecided. I still don’t even know if they work for me. But what I have noticed this time around is that now, this is so much more than trying to get on stage in the best shape. For me this is now about being the healthiest I can be and eating junk once a week won’t make me healthy, nor will it help me lift heavy stuff at the gym. I can see some of you rolling your eyes and thinking that one meal a week isn’t going to affect me that much, and you’re right, it probably won’t, but when it comes to food, I have no off button. It’s honestly easier for me to not allow myself to cheat. As much as I really want to eat junk at times, especially now that I am back in Katherine and actually wanting to socialise, I know that unhealthy foods won’t get me to where I want to be. I also feel that it wouldn’t be beneficial on the program that I am on. I am eating SO MUCH food. Six meals a day, and am getting heaps of calories from all food groups and I don’t feel that a ‘cheat’ would speed up my metabolism at all – it’ already firing so fast trying to work through all the food I am getting fed! So what should you do? Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what to do – I don’t even know what I’m doing myself most of the time! I did find some great information written by Charles Poliquin with some tips that Kirsten taught me which might help some of you …

1.      Eat your protein first – this will fill you up and give your muscles some nutrients

2.      Always eat your cheat meal at a table – either at home or a restaurant (I used to curl up in bed with my m&ms and a book – craaaazy lady!)

3.      Once your butt leaves the seat your cheat meal is over

4.      Plan what you are going to eat before hand and don’t change your mind. Stuff goes wrong when we aren’t prepared.

5.      Even though it’s your ‘cheat’ meal strive to make the healthier choice – have potato instead of chips, brown bread instead of white etc etc

6.      Save your cheat meal for an event – go out on a date, have dinner at your mums…don’t sit around and stuff your face on your own. You won’t eat as much when others are watching you!

For those of you prepping for comp this year or next here is a little quote from Scott Goble, Australian Body Building Champion that snaps me out of my cravings (sometimes) ‘I doubt anyone has ever completed a contest prep without wanting to cheat. The best thing is, every time you think about it, one of your competitors does it, and you move up another placing.’ Do yourselves a favour and follow him on Facebook!

So what’s next on the cards for me? Well, I’m finally a member of the body conquest team and very excited about it. I’m 12 and a little bit weeks out from my next competition and the rollercoaster has well and truly started again. I took about three weeks off from any structured nutrition plan and training after my last comp and I was a miserable little troll. I felt so lost and empty without a goal in
the near future so I decided to go again this year!

If all goes to plan (which it will, I’m a little terrified of letting Ingrid and the team down!) I’ll be competing in the fitness model division at the INBA Tropix in Townsville in September. It’s the same weekend at the INBA NT so unfortunately I can’t do both but I really wanted to experience a big competition and as the INBA season B (there are two seasons of bodybuilding shows every year) opener I know it will be huge! I feel a lot more prepared this time – I know where I fell down before and I’m trying to learn from that and better myself this time. Hopefully I’ll write a bit more during this comp prep if Kirsten doesn’t mind me hijacking her blog – it keeps me sane and on track and I know there are a few out there that read this blog. If there are any questions about anything – let me and Kirst know and we will get writing. 12 weeks to go, let’s do this! Xx

 

Post Comp - Did Someone Say Food's Up?....

It’s that time again – time to report back on life Post-Comp!! I have put off writing this blog…but not for the reasons you may be thinking! Study!! I’ve simply been too busy to stop and write!! But I’m happy!! I’m so bloody happy I’m dangerous!!! I’m not sure where to start so I’ll recap what I’ve done and where I’m at;

1 January 2012 – decision made to compete.

Jan-Sept 2012
Train and eat under direction of Coach #1. 12 weeks pre-comp and I’m starting to cut food dramatically and increase cardio. Last 2 weeks  = 2 x hours of cardio daily, 1 x hour weights daily, 500g protein + unlimited lettuce daily.

Physical Results – extremely determined not to let the regime ‘beat me’, dogged in my approach, more focused on finishing the daily chores than caring about the results occurring in front of my eyes, unable to function as a Mother other than preparing food in the crock pot each morning, eating my pitiful rations alone and then going to bed as early as possible (5pm some nights to sleep away the gnawing hunger), completed some cardio sessions in tears, not happy on a day to day level but motivated and excited to compete.

Stage Result – super lean stage body, extremely ‘cut’ but horribly stringy and flat, dull muscles.  Looking slightly emaciated! Starving beyond belief by the end of the day.

Comp Night & Beyond – with another comp only 2 weeks away I limited myself to one humungous pig-out on the first comp night. I ate till I could eat no more as I was craving every taste I had missed for so long. When I look back, I would consider myself to have been malnourished by comp day.

On Comp #2, I ate the same way on comp night, but continued into the day after and the day after and the day after that. I pulled up at about day 4 and started gathering stock of the situation. I’m not a stupid girl and I could see this food thing ending in complete disaster. As it was ,my feet and legs swelled like balloons to the point where they hurt to touch. My stomach was churning 24/7, and I was in a little world of hurt. Thank goodness I managed to pull back in the first week and I got back into the gym and started eating the way I thought would help me best while still indulging in some of the previously forbidden treats. Only problem was, I had lost track of portion control and found that, if I stepped near a packet of muesli bars, I would eat the whole lot! The whole lot! Be it 6 or 12, I had to see the end of the box. Feelings of shame, humiliation and despair quickly follow these sessions and I knew I had to find a solution…quickly. We then went overseas on a holiday and I was happy with my reintegration into the gym and achieved some great workouts over there. Also got food back on track and felt fairly good. I put on weight quite quickly and it was quite hard to accept as I wasn't really eating too badly. Weight gain did not equal food input. Clearly metabolism had suffered and was going at an all time slow.

January 2013-May 2013

Found my beloved Ingrid Barclay and began prepping the Body Conquest way!!Thank GOD!!!

12 weeks pre-comp and I’m eating 6-7 meals a day. Lifting heavier than ever. 2 weeks pre-comp and I’m restricted in my meals but still eating at least 5 different proteins, huge range of vegies, a special little sauce, flaxseed oil and fruit. I get hunger pains for sure but you have to understand that I really am food motivated!!! I love food, and eating, so it’s no wonder that I count the minutes until the next meal – that’s just me. Always been this way. As for training – minimal training with cardio increasing to a whopping……..well let’s say….less than 1.5 hours PER WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take that you Fraudster Comp Cardio Coaches!!!!!!

Physical Results – I am functioning like a real life human being right to the end!!! Little tired? Yes. Little hungry? You bet. Missing special treats? No doubt about it. But I continue to hold down a full-time job – actually manage to change careers in the last few weeks! – manage my beautiful little family, train, food prep, study and do all of the things that everyone else does – so different to the last comp!

Stage Results – Comp #1 and I’m looking rounder, fuller and happier than ever. Great results and enjoyed every single minute. Comp #2 and I’m a little leaner but still feeling full  in my muscles, and definitely excited and happy. Loved every minute of that comp. Comp #3 and I’m at the Gold Coast with some of the best physiques in the Southern Hemisphere!! We had a BLAST!!! I LOVED this comp!!! And do you know what???!!! I reckon I was within 1-2 (at most!) kgs of where I was in 2012!!! Ingrid got me as lean as I needed to be by manipulating grams of food – while keeping all the good foods in my day and, what I would describe as…minimal cardio!

Comp Night & Beyond – After Comp #1 I went out for dinner and had a great big rare steak with gravy and potato – yummo!! Then jumped straight back into my very adequate daily routine. Comp #2 I went out and had a whopping big lamb burger!!! Again – YUMMO!!!! Then again jumped back to my routine. Comp #3 – 3^rd and final – and I had lamb cutlets, corn, bread and a nice big chocolate bar with a sneaky (or not so sneaky!) icecream! DOUBLE YUMMO!!!!!!! It was beautiful and I overdid it just a little with a sore tummy that night. I’m not so good at restrictions once given a green light!

HOWEVER – and this is the world’s biggest HOWEVER…….. this time it didn’t spill into the week!! This time I got up in the morning and, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were still in Brisbane with nothing better to do than to head to a local gym and smash out a bloody good shoulders and HIIT session!! From there I went to a pub for a gorgeous lamb tortilla – all within my hard earned metabolic window – and a nice cold glass of wine! And from there it’s been back to the normal routine, albeit with a lot of extra vegies, more fruit, bigger portions and less strict adherence to water quantities etc. But it was so darn easy  to go back to what I love - balance! I am as happy as a pig in mud eating this way and I don’t feel like I’m missing a thing!!! No swelling, no unbearable cravings (come on!! Of course I think about the gorgeous things I haven’t had for ages – but see below for my strategies). I’m only human and the minute I try to act like I’m not, I fall - spectacularly. I’m certain it’s that “pride goeth before a fall” thing that I very much believe in.

I will go on to admit that there are some very solid strategies that I adopted this time through to aid in keeping things on the straight and narrow, and I’m happy to share them. Just to show you that I do have to make decisions and stick to them to achieve my life goals. Nothing comes without commitment, drive and a willingness to do some hard work - physically, emotionally and psychologically if need be;

#1 – I always ate everything I was told to by Ingrid. I never skimped and thought I knew best. Why? Because I could see the recipe for disaster in limiting foods for an array of reasons.

 #2 – I never exceeded the cardio I was set. See #1 for the reason. If the food and cardio didn’t ‘marry up’ – I would have not been stage ready in my opinion.

 #3 – Immediately Post Comp is not the time for a holiday or days off for me. I need to walk straight back into work or similar in order to have something in my day, rather than wandering aimlessly around thinking about the foods I am suddenly ‘allowed’ to eat.

#4 – On the night of the last comp, I wrote a new gym program full of exercises that I hadn’t done for a while and that I found really exciting!! That’s why we hit the gym the following morning – because I simply couldn’t wait to do a shoulder superset program followed by some radical abs and a whopping HIIT! I set myself up to fall back in love with the gym after feeling a little comp weary. A little OTT to organise on comp night but I've never claimed to be 'normal'.

#5 – I made myself a deal. Eat a gorgeous meal on comp night, and then hold off for at least 48 hours before indulging in any more ‘over the top’ treats. By that, I mean if I were to polish off caramel slice, or cheesecake, or pizza etc – I wanted at least a 48 hour down-time in order to take a breath and assess whether it was a knee-jerk reaction or a true desire. Sure enough – who wants that shit after such a prolonged time of eating nutritiously? Not me for now. But hold up – don’t think I’m being too much of an angel!! I’m not!!! I confess!!

 

But I sorted out the daily things I really wanted to eat - cheese, some more fruits and lots of them, some more sweet potato than normal, a little sauce on some things, rice and few other bits and bobs. And that’s what I had and have and I fit it into my metabolic window (really believe in that stuff!). I’m really, really happy with that now and am past that ‘immediate post comp’ period where there is a tendancy for the old knee-jerk food reaction. So now would be the time to have a piece of birthday cake (thank you Benji for accommodating mummy’s desire for cake) without too much concern that it will trigger some sort of binge. It didn’t and it won’t.

 

Clearly I have someone to thank for my results and my ongoing health and happiness for all things physique. I will do that but she deserves more than just a fleeting mention so I'll do that very soon.

 

So here I am, a few weeks post comp season, and I’m a happy, happy girl. I have new goals, new training methods and some new physique goals that I’m determined to smash!!!

But that’s another blog coming very soon! All about results and goals and what’s on the burner these days. Stay tuned.

Raw & Honest - Candice's Pre/Post Comp Story

Firstly - it's Kirsten here. I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of Candice in coming forward and giving you a very candid insight into her first few weeks post-comp. Sometimes I am overwhelmed at just how unreal this whole 'world' can be and nothing is more grounding than the post-comp experience!! And Candice is telling you how it's been for her - warts and all. I really love this girl!!

 

I'll add my own story in the near future but for now....the floor is yours Candice...

 

 

Candice

So…it’s all over!!! If someone had have told me a year ago that I would have entered two fitness model competitions this year I probably would have slapped them for being so ridiculous – but  I did it! I placed first in the fitness model category in the INBA competition and also took out the overall fitness model. I competed again the very next weekend in the NABBA/WFF competition but didn’t place. What an experience!

 

So what was the week leading up the first comp like? Shit. Excuse the language, but I can’t think of a more appropriate word to describe that week and how I felt. My meals consisted of 90g chicken and a cup of greens five times a day and I was drinking at least 7 litres of water a day…I was on placement full time in the ICU at Royal Darwin Hospital trying not to break down after every sad patient I treated. I was dragging myself along to 3 HIIT sessions a week with Kirsten (who is a godsend, by the way) and completing 5 weight sessions a week. I. Was. Exhausted.

 

 I came down to Katherine the weekend before to spend some time with Kieran (and to make sure I had no unsupervised time near the fridge or in Woolworths) for emotional support because by this time, I really needed it. I won’t go into the details of the weekend but let’s just say there were multiple tantrums and breakdowns that rivalled that of a two year old. You know how it’s really annoying when people don’t unload their weights at the gym? Imagine how emotionally damaging it is to find the squat rack loaded up for a 6 foot male one week out from comp. My god were there tears.  That same day I went to drive back to the gym to do an abs session and I got into the passenger seat of the car and couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t moving. The next day Kieran put my wallet through the wash. Again, I won’t go into details, but there were tears and I may have thrown my protein shaker at his head (sorry again!). So that week was eventful for everyone involved. I swear I will never do a chicken and green beans diet ever again!!!

 

The comp itself was such an experience. I am so very thankful for everyone that came up from Katherine to support us all – it was the best feeling to look out and see you all sitting there. I won’t go into a lot of detail about it all because this will be the worlds longest blog so I’ll just talk about a few things that this journey has made me realize that might help some of you out there too…

 

1.     Everyone, and I mean everyone, has their own opinion about everything – particularly bodybuilding. Some people have been fantastic beyond words. I was getting constant messages from really good friends and some friends that I haven’t spoken to in forever wishing me luck – thank you guys, my replies probably didn’t make much sense but it really meant a lot! Others were not so good about it. Some people are convinced that eating clean and training really can’t be all that healthy in the long run (‘You just need to give yourself a break!!’…don’t ask me how that works). Others have sent me concerned messages warning me to not get ‘too muscly, because that’s not hot on girls’. Hate to break it to you guys, but I think it’s pretty damn sexy. For those who are confused about what I mean by sexy muscles go and google Erin Stern, Jamie Eason and Amanda Latona. You can thank me later. Moral of the story – stuff everyone else. Also a little shout out to my special little friends who think it’s hilarious to strike all the body building poses every single time I see you…If I look that bad on stage please don’t let me get back up there!

 

2.     I need thicker skin. I don’t take criticism very well...I always knew that, but it’s even harder when they are comments about your body – I think all females reading this can relate. The above comments from friends and family made me quite upset. Some of the judges comments also got under my skin a little bit. I need to learn that this is a subjective sport – one judge can absolutely love you and another can think you are rubbish and that’s ok, you can never please everyone and you are pretty stupid if you try. One of the best comments I have heard thus far… ‘Oh god, those tans really do make a difference when you compete…you don’t look ANYTHING like you did last weekend’. George got a cracker today as well ‘Oh, your face is looking really fat today’. Not nice people, not nice.

 

3.     Post competition blues exist. And they suck. I’m slowly emerging from this deep dark hole, but the last few weeks have been a bit rough. When I tell people this they really don’t get it and I suppose it sounds pretty ridiculous – going from having every meal, every drop of water, every rep of your training planned out to absolute freedom probably sounds like bliss to most, but it is HORRIBLE! I’ve found that if things are written down and there is someone to tell me what to eat and when, I’ll most likely do it. If it’s training related, I’ll definitely do it. If nothing is written down, I feel lost. Yep, I have a fair idea of what I should be eating and when, but do you think I have been doing that? Not really. I’ve only just started getting my self together these last few days. I’m not going out and gorging myself on junk food and takeaway, I’m skipping meals, or picking at shit in the fridge (I’m looking at you, grated cheese!) or my favourite, eating grapes. Now you’re probably sititng there thinking I’m a little bit crazy because that’s really not that bad, but after not really eating this stuff for 12 weeks, I can tell you that my body doesn’t agree with it at the best of times. Sadly, the six pack is long gone. So, how am I going to get over this? I’ve picked my next comp, and have gotten a yes (she probably wants to take that back after reading this) from the coach I have been harassing for the past few weeks so I’m waiting very patiently for my new programs so I can get straight back into it

 

4.     Just showing up in the gym isn’t good enough. I did this for a few weeks, I’ll admit it. And I got nowhere. You need to be in there lifting heavy every single day to make changes. If you aren’t making stupid faces and struggling with the last few reps, you aren’t lifting heavy enough. I finally pulled my finger out when I started training with Kirsten and I was amazed at how much more I can lift when I try, even on next to no food. I think her Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes while she was spotting me helped a little too…Lightweight baby, lightweight!

 

5.     A good coach is worth all the money in the world. I thought I was being clever paying a little bit less for a very well know fitness model and coach, but it backfired pretty badly. I ended up not hearing from her for the last month and poor Kirsten had to pick me up and put me back together time and time again. I’m a prime example of why a generic diet will not work for everyone. I was on nothing but chicken and greens (maybe a few stolen grapes when I went to woolies) for almost three weeks and I STILL wasn’t lean enough. I’ve well and truly learnt my lesson – you get what you pay for!

 

So what’s next? My next competition is almost locked in – about 15ish weeks away from that one. I’m going to be leaner and harder this time…I’m convinced I have a lot more muscle on me somewhere – I just need to get more fat off to see it all. My goal for this next round of prep is to be more consistent…I stuffed up my diet too many times for my liking and I don’t want that to happen again. I am hoping that some of Kirsten and Georges awesome dedication and motivation has rubbed off on me so I can be better.

 

Thanks again everyone for your support, it means the world. I’m still getting people coming up to me and congratulating me in the gym which has been so nice – thank you!!! I’ve plastered pictures of Kirsten and her newest addition to the trophy cabinet all over the walls at the Y and someone came up and asked if it was me today…maybe my post comp fruit binge hasn’t been too bad after all???

 

Introducing...Sarah - The Quiet Achiever

Name: Sarah Beard

Occupation: Supplier in the Air Force

Family Situation: Married

What made you decide to enter the comp?

I realized after seeing a photo that I was very bony, in my eyes it was not attractive. I was inspired by a couple of people who entered the comp last year, they built muscle and looked good, something I did not think was possible for a girl to do………I was wrong.

What life changes did you make as soon as the decision was made?

I found Kirsten who made me eat more (?????) and lift weights and drink protein shakes…….I was terrified of her, which meant I did everything she ever said.

What training do you currently undertake?

I train 7 days a week, 5 days are weights and two are ICE (HIIT) sessions.

How has your nutrition changed?

I actually eat more than ever before. I have 5 meals a day, actual meals not shakes!! I care more about what I put in my body,.I do not eat processed foods anymore and I am more prepared with meals by getting everything ready and in a container so it is even more convenient than going through a drive through!

How does your family handle your current lifestyle?

My husband is currently serving overseas so it makes it a little bit harder to feel like I have the support that others do, but he is constantly reassuring me and encouraging me. I have also developed a great relationship with the other girls competing and they are now part of my support system, along with my training buddy. You know who you are.

What is something you love about it?

The day-after pain. It means I have done what I set out to do.

What is something you don’t love?

How people view what I do. Some people have been a bit nasty with comments saying things like, I will look like a man, or, I will be unattractive with muscle definition. I no longer bother replying, I think my body will speak for itself when we are on stage.

Is it what you thought it would be?

No. It is far more time and life consuming than I ever thought possible. I am constantly thinking about my next meal or how I can do better with my next workout. I love it.

Do you think you will compete again?

Yes………simply yes!

If so, why?

I feel great, I have more confidence, I feel healthier and I look healthier. It is a lifestyle now.

Any funny/lightbulb moments?

Funniest moment was being still rather new to the weights room and laying down for a chest press, feeling pretty good because I can lift the 20kg bar (it was a lot for me at the time!) and then deciding to add another 10kg to that because 10kg could not be THAT much heavier!!!! Well I got it up and did one rep and then I got it stuck………on my chest. My SGT was over doing his thing and I did not want to interrupt him, but it was getting rather painful so as soon as he finished his set I squeaked out his name, he turned to look and freaked out and ran over to help me. Pulled the bar off and then we had a good ol chuckle. Lesson learnt - always have a spotter when we are doing a new exercise!

How has your body changed?

Dramatically. I have some lovely definition in my arms and legs and I get this great feeling when I put my hands on my stomach….I can feel muscle!!!!

Introducing Candice....An Incredibly Honest Account

Name: Candice Lamb
Occupation: Uni Student – in my final year of a Physiotherapy degree in Townsville. There’s finally a very faint light at the end of the tunnel!

Family Situation
Little bit complicated so bear with me. Family was posted to Katherine when I was in primary school – lived there until I finished year 12 and moved away to uni. My partner Kieran still lives there, but my family has since been posted to Williamtown. My uni is based in Townsville, however I’m on my clinical placements which mean that every five weeks I rotate to a different hospital/physio practice. So far in the last year I have lived in Brisbane for 3 months, Townsville for a month, currently in Cairns for a month and will soon be off to Darwin for a month…phew! I’m a gypsy!

What made you want to enter?
Heaps of things. I’m going to give you a boring little rundown of how and why because I think it’s important…

I moved to go to Uni in 2010 and took up drinking and partying as a sport. A professional sport actually, I took it very seriously. I went out three nights a week, got no sleep, ate absolute crap and definitely did not do any exercise. Would you be surprised to know that I put on almost 10kg? Probably not. It was horrible.

 

Towards the end of 2011 I decided enough was enough and started eating a little better, going to the gym and drinking less. Few small changes, nothing much, but I was much more comfortable with myself. Around my 21st at the beginning of 2012 I joined the ‘clean eating’ movement, and loved it. I lost a lot of weight, trained harder and really fell in love with my new lifestyle. I had a ‘cheat meal’ or two every week and went out on special occasions but that was it.

 

I decided to enter Miss Bikini for a bit of a challenge and won my heat, I was stoked! And so very flattered. So for the final I decided I wanted to see what I could achieve in 6 weeks. I got myself a coach for training and nutrition and without being incredibly strict I managed to lean up a little bit more and come 2nd in the final. I was pretty happy with what I had achieved, but being the perfectionist that I am, I wanted more. So I spoke to Kirsten, spoke to my trainer and decided that INBA NT it was – I was going to do it!

Life changes made as soon as you decided to enter?
I had already been training and eating well, so it wasn’t too much of a change for me, which was good I think. I did, however, impose an alcohol ban, and I honestly think I will stick to it for the most part after the comp is done, bar a few special occasions. I also decided to only surround myself with positive and supportive people, this has been really important to me as being surrounded by negativity really affects the way I think about myself and others.

Tell us about your training;
It changes a bit every four weeks. On a 6 day split at the moment that involves 2x legs sessions (that make me want to poke myself in the eye!), back & chest, abs & HIIT, shoulders & calves and b’s & tri’s & HIIT (which is my favourite training session). I’m really going to focus on upping the HIIT over the next month as I’ll be training in Darwin with Kirsten and I’m sure you will all hear about it/hear me crying

And your nutrition?
When I started thinking about how to answer this question my first response was ‘my food hasn’t changed that much…’ and then I looked down to my bowl of brown rice and blueberries for breakfast  with a side of protein shake and thought I better think about my answer a bit more.  I’m still eating a huge variety of foods – which scares me a little! But in the coming weeks that variety gets whittled down until it becomes chicken and greens and not much else in the week or two before the show, yum yum!

 

I eat every 2-3 hours and am having protein, good carbs and good fats with each meal plus post training meals of basmati rice/sweet potato and a protein shake. I love rice, by the way. I try to drink AT LEAST 4 litres of water per day.

How have family and friends handled it?
My family and Kieran have been great. They’re so supportive and sit there and listen when I cry to them hysterically about stupid things, like the fact that I ate my body weight in grapes the other day (they were really good, by the way). Friends have been a mixed bag. There are a lot of people that I haven’t even told yet – purely because I’m terrified that I won’t make it to the stage and don’t want to embarrass myself by talking about it and then never doing it. So guys, here it is! For the most part they have been fantastic, and still invite me to go out and drink even though they know I will say no, just so I still feel involved.

Something that has really bugged me though are the comments like, "um, why would you want to look like those girls? They look manly and disgusting." Or, "please don’t get your tan that dark, they look horrible!". These comments really got under my skin the first few times and I didn’t really respond because I was shocked that someone could be so forward and rude about it. But what I wish I had of said is "HELL YES I want to look like those girls with amazing toned shoulders and abs you could grate cheese on. And as for the tan, yep, I will look like I am from a different race for the day, and no I don’t really care what you think." Rant over!

Something you love about it?
I’m a control freak…I find joy in measuring out all of my food for the week and putting it into containers in the fridge. I also hate it when I make all my lunches and then only have 3 of the same container and 2 of another… Yep, I’m weird!

 

I love the bond that the sport creates between other competitors, because it is so emotionally and mentally challenging, we lean on eachother for support (I probably lean on them a little bit too much, so thanks ladies!) and I really don’t think I could get through this without them.

Oh, and I have a newfound love for rice. Basmati rice.

Something you don’t love about it?
It’s a very lonely sport! I don’t go out with my friends and party all night because I need to get enough sleep to recover. I can’t go out for dinner, because I don’t know of any restaurants that will cook me 130g lean meat and 2 cups of veg with no oil. Has anyone else noticed that all social events revolve around food and alcohol? How about we start catching up for a walk?

Is it what you thought it would be?
It is. There are things that I didn’t expect though…I didn’t expect it to take over my life as much as it has. Ask Kieran or my family - it’s all I think about and talk about. Everything revolves around it. I have even started having dreams about it…and I still have 6 weeks to go! I expect it to get so much more challenging in the coming weeks, and I’m really glad I will be in Darwin, a little closer to my amazing support network, for when I implode and need someone to come and drag me out of the bakery section at woollies.

Will you compete again?
Most definitely! Conquest Classic next year ladies?

Funny moments? Light bulb moments?
No light bulb moments yet – is that bad? I don’t know. Funny moments…probably my face when I opened up my bikinis and saw how little the pants were and then proceeded to have nightmares for three nights that I forgot to tan my bum and got on stage to see everyone laughing. I will put in a photo of them (not on, it’s ok!) and I’m sure all ladies reading this will feel my pain…Though I really shouldn’t whinge because Kirsten has to wear the ones that start with a certain letter of the alphabet that we are not allowed to speak of…

How has your body changed?
Hmm. It depends what day you ask me on. Looking back on photos, there are definitely changes. Sometimes I look in the mirror and think to myself ‘what the $%!@ are you doing!? You will never be ready in time!’ I definitely have more muscle bulk (I’ve put ON weight!) and I woke up yesterday and nearly had defined abs – nearly! So I’m confident that they will be there on show day. As for the legs, it’s where I hold ALL my body fat…They are definitely tighter, I just hope they get to where I want them! Will be holding my breath for that one. And most devastatingly, my boobs are disappearing. 

I would absolutely LOVE to have as many Katherine-ites in Darwin for comp day as possible…I know it’s a big ask, but who else is going to remind me to tan my bum!? 

 

Time to Meet the Beautiful Bec....

Name: Bec Masters

 

Family Status: Happily married with two littlies

 

Tell us a bit about yourself:

After my littlies were born I ballooned out to my heaviest weight of 99kgs. At first i wanted to just loose the baby weight, but I needed a goal and I guess this (compeition) was a way to scare myself into staying on track,. Up untill now I had never even worn a bikini in my life!!

What changes did you make as soon as you decided to compete?

The main change I made as soon as I decided to compete was to cut out all alcohol, which was very hard for me at first as i do enjoy a sneaky glass or two of wine :)

 

Tell us about your current training:

I train 6 days a week consisting of weight training/cardio and crossfit. Each day has a different muscle group to work. I try and fit in 3 cardio sessions a week. Sunday is my day of complete rest.

Nutrition has changed dramatically. I never thought I'd be eating Kangaroo for brekkie...ever!

 

How are your family finding your new lifestyle?

My family and loved ones are behind me %100 and are very supportive, especially at times when I turn into a cranky monster!

 

Anything else?

Honestly I love every part of it! I really do. The training is my favourite part and when times get crazy busy and I miss a session, I feel a little bit lost because its a part of my whole outlook on everything and makes me want to be a part of this fitness world even more.

I know my body has changed dramatically! I can feel myslef getting stronger everyday.

P.S On a side note its been amazing to share this crazy ride with my other "Angels" (the other Katherine compeition girls). Their support has really pulled me through at the hardest of times. Not sure what I would've done without them :) x

 

Introducing...George

Name: George Scott
Family Status: Happily married for 13 years. Two 2 crazy but oh so beautiful kids
Occupation: Teachers Aide at Casuarina Street Primary school.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I have been fairly active most my life but became ill a few years back. I still haven't been able to work out what was wrong but it seemed to be food related. So I started to change my eating habits - making healthier choices. Then I joined Bootcamp and didn't turn back. I found that exercise and a better diet was making me well again.

If I can point out that this period of time was incredibly upsetting and stressful for George, as she had quite severe physical symptoms and tons of tests but nothing came back conclusive, and she wasn't able to get any medical guidance about what was wrong. She felt unable to exercise with any intensity at some points, and various food groups would make her symptoms instantly worse. I think everyone around her was incredibly worried about what was going on and I distinctly remember the moment I saw her starting to get well. I asked her what had changed and she told me that, somewhat against 'Dr's orders', she was doing some high intensity exercise at home. Skipping if I remember rightly - and she immeditately started feeling better. She then progressed to Bootcamp and now you can't stop her! And still no answers on the mystery illness.

 

So what made you want to compete?

I went up to Darwin to the INBA comp that Kirsten went in and won, and got oh-so-inspired to take myself to another level. So I got myself a trainer back in late October and started my transformation.

 

Were there any immediate changes to your food?

Food was one of the biggest challenges for me as I do have a sweet tooth, but I have now trained myself not to need it. I was lucky with the fact that I do like so many of the foods on my food plan that the trainer had given me, making it easier to adjust.

 

And your training?

I do alot of heavy weights and have surprised myself with how strong I am even after starting off with small weights in the begining. It is definately a lifestyle change as I am at the gym at 4:45 am six days a week and LOVE it.

 

How have your family and friends taken the changes?

My family have been VERY supportive as it is such a selfish sport. My involvement has also got them out and about and more active which is a big bonus.

 

Have you learnt anything really exciting?

My light bulb moment would have been attending the nutrition seminar in Katherine with Ingrid and Renata, and getting an insight into food science and linking it with exercise.

 

Would you do another comp after this one?

I would definatly do another comp and now have so much more info and ideas that I would change and grow for next time.

 

How has your body changed over your compeition training?

My body has changed dramatically. Not in weight but lean muscle, which is very exciting as I have never had much tone at all.

 

Lastly, I couldnt have done it with the support of the wonderful inpirational ladies who have helped me along the way.

 

 

 

What's Life Like At 5.5 Weeks Pre-Competition?

Let’s play a little game of Funny Figures; 

70 – the number of egg whites I consume in a week.

7 – the average number of litres of water I glug down each day.

37 – the average number of trips to the bathroom daily.

11 – somewhere around the number of cups of vegetables I eat every day.

70 – days since I last consumed a glass of alcohol.

10 – weeks since I last consumed a glass of alcohol (in case the days didn’t seem impressive enough)

15 – months that I have been training with the sole purpose of competing ie. Training for muscle gain only rather than cv fitness etc.

8 – weeks since I have eaten breads, grains, rice, crackers or anything else processed/dairy

8 – weeks since I consumed even a drop of milk - just to make a point!

2 – minutes since I thought about how I wanted milk in my coffee.

1 – second since I gave some thought toward the next competition and what I could do better today.

100 – kilos is the benchmark I can hit (or just about!) on some of my compound exercises.

25 – minutes is what I spend doing high intensity cardio in any given session. Not a second more - thank goodness!

And here’s a snapshot of a typical day at 5.5 weeks from comp day;

0645 – bound out of bed, shower etc.

0700 – nuke a few cups of fresh (but pre-cooked) veges and kangaroo meat. Chow down while reading emails & catching up on the morning computer goss.

0715 – and the morning tussle begins with getting three beautiful children ready for school.

0800 – out the door and off to work.

0830-1030 – Personal Training clients.

1030 – time to eat – yeeha!! Currently veges, nuts and fish – yummo! I literally need the whole 15mins to eat, eat and eat. Find that I’m walking back into the gym while still wiping the final crumbs away.

1045 – PT Client.

1145 – Finish with client and immediately throw down pre-workout drink. Slap on gloves, wraps and weight belt and launch into the heaviest resistance training session I can muster! I always try to increase my weights, even if only by a couple of kilos. I track every lift and every weight in a Training Diary and this saves me time with what weights to start off with, and what I need to get to.

1pm – Home for a coffee and to prepare meal #3. This time it’s turkey and greens. Munch down while catching up on emails and writing PT programs.

1.30pm – time for a batch of food prepping. Chop & steam veges, weigh and package meat for fridge and freezer, cook kids dinner etc etc.

2.15pm – quick posing session in front of the mirror. Hold each pose for approx 40s – timed with my interval timer.

2.30pm – pick up my darlings from school. This is where the fun really begins.

2.45pm – 3pm – afternoon tea for them. Prepare school lunches for me.

3-4pm – homework. The word looks so peaceful. The reality is anything but.

4-4.30pm – prepare for Bootcamp (or swimming or piano lessons or football…..). Prepare meal #4 for me to take to Bootcamp. Currently eggs & greens and fruit.

4.30-6.15pm – Bootcamp. Munch food.

6.15-7pm – Home, showers, dinner for kids.

7.30pm – Time for dinner. Vegetable skewers & fish.

7.45-8.30ish – More food prepping. All meals for the following day are measured and packaged. All supps and vitamins measured out into my six-pack esky bag and breakfast pre-cooked and ready for the morning. Prepare meal #6.

8.30-9pm – Some more posing with Rob critiquing. Always interesting and challenging. I end up drenched in sweat and sometimes feeling just a little inadequate. I’m determined to nail this part of the comp prep but I can’t always see the results in that damn mirror. Mental note to keep at it and not get discouraged by my lack of poise and grace.

9pm – time for a quick night swim and general household clean up and prepare for the morning.

10pm – Meal #6 – scrambled eggs and a vege mix. Bloody yummy but even I admit that eating all day can sometimes be tedious. Yummy but tedious.

10.30 – Bed. And sleep. And try not to dream, think or mull over comp stuff. That is somewhat impossible and I would lie if I said that I didn’t dream about the details just about every night. Well maybe not dream, but definitely go through it in my mind again and again and again. I imagine myself walking onto the stage, striking the poses and transitioning perfectly. My dreams are far more impressive than my reality by the way!

 So that's my life. It may be whacky but it's mine and I'm quite satisfied if not challenged and enthused about it. The goal is close enough to touch and I have a fire deep down that burns fiery hot. 5.5 more weeks to keep it burning.

Enough from me – over the next week I’m going to introduce the other girls in our Katherine 2013 team. Very interesting reading on where they’ve come from and what they aspire to.

Here's a piccy taken after one of my food prepping sessions. More plastic containers than the local $2 shop!!

Another Day...Another Huge Life Change!!

And yet again, my little world changes with a mere phone call. Lucky I like change.

Last Thursday, about an hour prior to Bootcamp, I received a phone call from the Northern Territory Police telling me that I have been accepted into the next accelerated recruitment intake in April. There’s nothing like a special phone call to tell you that you’ve succeeded in your job application. You can’t help but feel the buzz of success!! Immediately my head was spinning and my stomach churning. Of course I wanted to hear the good news – but when reality hits it can be a tougher call than you first thought.

In explanation, I had submitted an application last September and spent the last five months slowly ticking off the various application criteria. It included; psychological testing, literacy & numeracy testing, medical, hearing test, formal interview and a myriad of background checks. Finally it all culminated in that phone call last Thursday, which had been delayed by the state of play in the government budget.

So here I am – supposed to be ecstatic, and all I have are questions flying through my mind; What will happen to my clients? My beloved Bootcamp? My KIDS!!!! How will I continue training? How will I make it to the comps? Will the uniform colour be flattering? Oh so many questions!!! With about 24 hours to make that decision on whether to accept or not!

I would like to say I kept a cool head and answered the questions in an orderly fashion. But I did not. I went into a flap. I called some people. I brooded. I drank black coffee while lying the pool and contemplating my belly button. I attended the Muscle Inn and completed the heaviest and best Chest training session that I could. I called Ingrid. I brooded some more. And, on top of it all, I felt more than a little pleased that I had prepared my day’s food that morning so throughout the chaos I only ate what I had to, at the times prescribed.

And then I pressed the button on my acceptance email. It was done. I shall be entering the Police Academy on April 8 to begin my time with the NT Police Force. And I couldn’t be happier.

The big question I can hear rolling in minds is – Why? Why now when Bootcamp is thriving, PT is ticking along just nicely, I have established myself within my little town and things are just honkey-bloody-dorey (a nice little Kiwi saying!)?

All good questions and not ones I have a completely logical answer for, other than; I really love Policing. It’s my trade if you like. It’s what I know and what I’ve done for so many years. And there are so many things within the police that I have yet to experience and more challenges to conquer. My idea of a great job is one where I am under immense pressure and forced to make decisions that will (hopefully) assist in a positive outcome. And that is really what frontline policing is all about. There are aspects that are harder than others but the good far outweighs the average and I’ll take it one step at a time.

Once a decision was made, it was about finding the best solution or answer to my many questions;

1.       My PT clients will hopefully start to  tap into their own motivation, and utilise the information I’ve taught them in designing and executing their workouts. I aim to continue PT’ing on some level but have a great desire to get some nutritional training under my belt.

2.       My beloved Bootcamp….is going nowhere!!! Of course it isn’t!! It may have a different look for a while but it will still be there. In nearly 2 years, I have never had an unscheduled night off! Not one! So I guess I feel my reliability should help with the trust that it will all be running as usual.

3.       My kids. They are super fantastic (as I’m sure all parents think of their own) and they will adapt and cope with Mummy being away for 10 weeks (with regular weekend catchups!). though I do need a tutor Mon-Fri 2.30pm-4.30pm for 9 weeks if anyone knows of someone suitable.

4.       My training? Hehehe – I just chuckle. Monday to Friday. 8am-4pm (ish) and just my own little self to worry about. Say no more!

5.       Competitions? See above.

6.       Uniform colour? Dark blue is a lot better than khaki for my skin tone!!

So there it is. My next challenge. I’ve always maintained that life should provide you with challenges and excitement – I’m the sort of person that would go looking for it if it wasn’t there so I might as well orchestrate my own. Not to be confused with drama!!! I don’t like drama!

 I have 3 more weeks left here and then to my new ‘home’ in Darwin for 10. I plan to train my butt off from now till D-Day…and then continue training as per usual. Ingrid is skilfully manipulating my food and I’m still eating plenty of colour, some fruit and different protein options. I have noticed the latest menu has a little sting in it’s tail and I’m making use of chewing gum here and there, but I’m very pleased with the results 7 weeks out.

Until next time……

Another 'Most Embarrassing Moment'....

There are times when I just shouldn’t share things with the greater public…but I’ve never been good at discerning those times because I like to share the many stupid and embarrassing moments that make up my life. Why? Because a bloody good belly-laugh at my own expense is just what I need sometimes to ensure I stay on planet earth and not take things too seriously.

So “what?” you may ask, have I done this time? Well here it is. I am literally turning crimson while writing this so you had better appreciate how uncomfortable this blog is today!!

In the bodybuilding federation that I am now following, I have been informed that the gluteus maximus contains muscles. And while I’m in the game of showing off muscles, Nana-knickers have no place covering those glutes. In fact, I’m sure you can see where this is going. I don’t want to have to spell it out….but the new attire involves one solitary letter – and I just can’t bring myself to say it out loud so you’ll have to join the dot!

Moving on. My darling husband sensed my despair and anxiety at the thought of baring a good portion of my nether-region to the world so he decided, in his infinite wisdom, that he would purchase a pair (why on earth do they call it a pair of knickers???!!!! There’s definitely only one very small piece of material to be found!!). The idea is to do a little prancing and posing in them in order to get used to that strange feeling.

I am very aware that many of the female species actually choose to wear these things on a daily basis. There is a darn good reason I have not done so to date. And that is because I was blessed with extra when it comes to bum diameters. This fact wreaks havoc with that piece of material, to the point I almost call the service of  Search & Rescue to find the little sucker.

So I get the new addition that Rob has kindly bought – I can’t imagine what it would have felt like for him to actually go and buy it HAHAHA!!! – and I decide that tonight is the night to give it a whirl. My booty is still a little on the rounded side but it’s got a ton more muscle than what I remember about my youthful butt. So I’m certain that it’s not going to be a repeat of the same. In fact, there’s a little bit of cocky confidence that I’m going to actually enjoy this challenge!

But alas, the ruddy thing feels AWFUL!! Really, really awful!!!! It’s a little tight, a little restrictive and not pleasant in the least!! I can’t even imagine how people choose to wear these things and I vow and declare that the stage will be the only place where I venture down this uncomfortable road. Oh well, I’ll troop on and toughen up. So it’s on with the heels, on with the smile and off I set, into the lounge room for Round 1 of official Posing Practise.

I prance out on ‘stage’ and Rob is looking at me kinda funny. Not funny “you look bloody gorgeous!”. More funny ”what the heck is up with…that???!!”. Like the consummate professional, I continue to stride out on ‘stage’, Guy Smiley toothpaste ad smile beaming at the ‘judges’. Rob asks me to turn around. I do. He looks really perturbed and a little smirk is forming on his face. Not impressed. I perceive he is laughing at the sight of my bottom. This is not so. He is definitely laughing though. He beckons me over. I teeter over, no confidence left. Feeling just a little pissed at the thought that he is mocking me. He then points to something on the top of my right thigh – on the waistband of my new knickers. I look down.

It’s the tag.

It shouldn’t be on the side of my leg. It should be at the back. Where any good tag belongs. What’s more, it should be on the inside of the undies. Not on the outside. Waving like a little flag.

I have my brand new undies on upside down along with inside out. I am a disaster on heels.

Belly laugh is a bit of an understatement! Also immense relief that Posing Practise is conducted in the safety of my own home in front of just my Rob!!! Bahahahahhaaaaaa!!!!

I can confirm that, once the situation was ‘sorted’ – it all got a little easier to bear. However Rob now has major concerns about me going to Melbourne alone to do the competition. I am trying hard to convince him that I can do this!! I can truly put my clothes on the right way up and not inside-out!! I have 8 weeks to convince him!!

I absolutely know I shouldn't share this info with you - but what the heck!! Gotta have a laugh somedays or you'd just cry!