9 Weeks Out - Cutting Ties

I keep this blog not only to keep track of my progress but to one day look back at how I felt, where I came from and the whole process… to learn, grow, and keep pushing. Not only for myself, but maybe someone else out there that this, possibly going through the same thing and to know they're not alone <3 I know tons of blogs have helped me out...

Saturday, I hit the 9 weeks out mark. It is also the day I finally cut my losses with my coach after 20 weeks. This past week I got sick, my body was continuing to bruise more than normal, literally black and blue all over, I was exhausted, moody, and was on the verge of a break-down. My "bad vibes" were not only seriously affecting me, but I was bringing it around Alex and Sylas. Also, I wasn't seeing much progress and felt discouraged, lost, and basically a big fat failure. I kept thinking, "why can't I do this?? It's been my dream for years, I know I have the heart, drive and motivation... why??." 

I knew comp prep would be hard, but it had been REALLY rough already, for weeks now. I had seen red flags along these 20 weeks with him, and there are very few that know what an actual hell of a rollercoster it has been. I kept telling myself to suck it up, this is how it's supposed to be, I'm supposed to feel this way, stop being so sensitive. After reading many posts- on IG, from Biolayne, & a few other blogs and videos- about "guru coaches," and talking to my two competitor friends, they helped me realize that I was down a very dangerous road and it was, in fact, NOT normal and healthy, especially this far out from comp. I would see other competitors loving the prep process, completely glowing. And here I was, trying to force this happiness to make it seem like everything was fine. 

Red Flags:
1. No communication. I had talked to him on the phone maybe 1-3x in the past 20 weeks, saw him in person twice. I sent in my progress photos and weighed in 2x a week and never really heard anything back. He would text once and a while, but I never felt that he truly cared and supported me. We had a few more miscommunications actually, and I always felt like I was in the wrong. 
2. Brought back old bad habits. It made me consumed with the scale… I would get so stressed out; "did I lose a pound?? Omg, I'm the same weight!" I would try and pee, hop back on, wait a while, not eat, pee, hop back on. If nothing changed, I felt disappointed in myself, even when giving it my all. Not healthy. I've been down these dark paths before, which is what got me into fitness in the first place- the last thing I wanted was to be going back to those habits and creating unhealthy obsessive patterns again. I want to practice what I preach; I tell people the scale doesn't matter- body fat percentage, how you look/feel/perform is more important than the damn scale! He would tell me it doesn't matter what I weigh- yet I had to weigh myself twice a week.
3. Too busy. I remember one day I texted a question, and didn't hear anything back all day, so I texted a question mark again. He later replied- stating that he works all day and is too busy to reply right away. Ok, understandable. He then again later said "I have a lot of clients. I don't have time to entertain every little question everyone has." Well, thanks! As a first time competitor, I have a bunch of questions, big and small, that I feel a COACH, someone who I'M paying big bucks, to explain, if I want. I may know a lot about training/cardio/nutrition, but the reason I hired a coach for this is because I've never competed. I don't know how to get stage ready. 
4. Too low macros & a lot of cardio. I have been on the regular "bro diet" the past 20 weeks with NO cheat days & NO flexibility (except 4 times, which was all last year). What to eat, when to eat, how much to eat. Although some would appreciate everything being laid out in such a way, to do that for the last 20 weeks and then another 9 is not a sustainable lifestyle, even for prep. He did not give me macros to follow, just a strict meal plan. So, I calculated my own macros recently and they were about 1000-1150 with carb-cycling. That is RIDICULOUSLY low. With how much time and effort I put in lifting and having me do 5+ hours of cardio a week… at 12-9 weeks out… No wonder my body started to break down. It sucked. I would see everyone else getting cheat meals for their sanity or getting to incorporate peanut butter and other foods for balance and moderation (flexible dieting). When you are cutting, you're supposed to gradually lower your intake or increase workout/cardio. I can't imagine where I would have been in the next month or two :/ 
5. He told me I should have dropped 10lbs the last 4 weeks.  Wow. Then when I didn't, he proceeded to tell me that he thinks I have a thyroid problem because if I were following his plan 100%, I would be making progress. That is when I wanted to break down and cry. I know I don't have a thyroid problem, but I know that my body needs a better plan to function and be healthy. Also sucks when you give it your complete all and get questioned like I'm in the wrong for not following through. 

These are basically the things that I do NOT want in a coach. I also know the kind of coach and trainer I would never want to be. Maybe he's a good coach to others? Maybe he has his favorites? Maybe he felt I had a long ways to go so was doing drastic measures to make me look good so he would look good? I was scared to cut ties because I've heard the sport can be pretty political- and he is known in the area and I thought that it would screw me later down the road… but you know what, my health and happiness is way more important than that. He probably will not be happy when he sees me at shows. I don't want to create enemies what-so-ever, so I hope things stays professional. 

I just feel so RELIEVED to be done with him and move onto bigger and better things! I've already spoken to another coach, who I'm very very excited to work with! I want someone to want to help me and have my health and best interest in mind. I have not received my plans yet, so until then, I will be tracking my own macros so I do not rebound and throw away all my progress so far. 

Anyways, more updates to come!!! Sorry if this was a huge confusing ramble. It feels great to get off my chest and RELAX!!! I feel FREE ;)

Find me on IG: loveliftdrift

xoxo

Coral's Fav Booty Moves

So you want a nice booty? 
Did you know your GLUTES are one of the biggest and strongest muscle in your body? To build a butt, it takes time and consistency. You must build your glute muscles with resistance and intensity, yes, that means you will gain muscle in your booty which LIFTS and ROUNDS. I would recommend doing lower body, not just glutes, but hamstrings, quads, and calves at least 2x a week. 

"toned" aka MUSCLE 

^ this is seriously just a 3 month difference! 

I'm still working on building that booty too :)

you can find me on IG: @coralsuarez

Also if you're interested in a customized plan, email me suarezcoral@hotmail.com for more info!

**In order to build a nice booty, you must use resistance/weight**

Here are some tips when doing booty moves!

1. Always keep your back straight. One way to know your back is straight is to stick your chest out. Not ridiculously, but slightly, and you will feel your back straighten. Kind of like sitting up straight.

2. You want to feel the tension in your heels. The tension will go through your heels, through your hamstrings and to the glutes. Whether you're doing squats, lunges, leg presses, step ups, etc, if you feel tension in your toes, you need to reposition. 

3. ADD WEIGHT. If you don't have a gym, carry books, water jugs, your kid, your pet lol, anything to add some resistance and weight. 

4. Remember to BREATHE in and out. Don't hold your breath!

SQUATS: I think everyone knows what squats are by now. My favorite is using the free-weight barbell squat rack. If you're just starting off, you can try the smith machine (it's assisted) or hold dumbbells in each hand. Start light and work your way up, but challenge yourself. 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions. If you can make it to 15 reps easy, UP your weight. You won't make any changes without pushing your body. Back straight and legs about shoulder width apart. 

POP SQUATS: Also known as jump squats. These are the only booty exercise I don't use weight, although you can if you're brave haha, but your body coming back down into squat position is some good resistance. They are plyometric. You want to jump up and back down into squat position and keep repeating about 5 sets of 20 reps. You don't have to use the stand, shown below, but I just wanted to show a simple example of what they are. 

WALKING LUNGES: These burn so good. I like holding barbells on my shoulders/back because I feel I can go heavier, but dumbbells work just fine too! Remember to step and your knee should not go past your feet, and your back knee should not hit the floor and push through your heels. 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions per leg. 

CABLE KICKBACKS: There are different variations of this machine, the cable machine, but this is basically what they look like. The stuff you can do on thisis endless! You could get in a full body's workout, yes, including abs. What you do is lower the cable pulley alllllll the way down. You can use handles and put under the bottom of the middle of your foot, or some gyms have these nifty cuff things to put around your ankle. Either one works just fine. Hold on, and kickback and squeeze! 

HERE is a video and correct form. Do 4 sets of 12-16 each leg. 

LEG PRESS: This is at the leg press machine. I think most of you have used or seen these. There are different kinds, but pick one that you like. I like to do a variety of stances such as shoulder width and closed width and have my feet higher up to feel most of the tension and weight in my heels. Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.

LYING LEG CURLS: These bring back good memories haha. When I first started lifting and my friend was like DO THIS! I was like NOOO I DON'T WANT MY BUTT ALL UP IN THE AIR! I was so embarrassed, I'd never even touch the machine. I'd actually get so pissed he wanted me to do it that I'd walk off like a little brat. Somewhere down the road, I started to get courage to try different things, and let me tell you, these are WONDERFUL! They work your whole backside, your booty and hamstrings. I like to do 4-5 sets of 15/12/10/8. Meaning, I go heavier and heavier.

HERE is a video and correct form. 

STRAIGHT LEG DEAD LIFTS: One of my favorite, like top 3. You have to be careful when adding weight because you can easily injure your back if you do not have correct form. You want to keep your legs MOSTLY straight, but not lock your knees, and bring the dumbbells or barbell, whatever you choose, up and down, trying to touch your toes when you bring it down. You will feel the resistance in your hamstrings (the back of your thighs). Below is just an example, please do not attempt with that heavy of weights. I like to do it in front of the mirror, so I know my head is up, keeping my back straight. I like to do 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

GLUTE KICK BACK MACHINE: They are kind of like cable kick-backs but instead of at the cable machine, most gyms have their own glute kick back machine. These are killer too. They're pretty self-explanatory. I like to do 5 sets of 15/12/10/10/8. Meaning, I go heavier and heavier. 

HACK SQUATS: Took a video of these- they can feel awkward the first few times until you get used to them but they work wonders. Don't be embarrassed! You're doing it for you, not anyone else! Head straight, back straight, and make sure you're feeling it in your heels to your butt. You can vary your stances by shoulder stance, narrow and wide. Do 4-5 sets of 10-15 reps.

So next time you're at the gym, maybe choose 3-4 exercises from above and give it a try! Leg days are my favorite and it feels good to push yourself and feel it the next few days. Being sore is a good thing. You know you worked those muscles and they are growing! 

Make sure you eat a good meal before hitting these up! 

You'll need the energy! And eat afterwards too- you don't want your body to eat your hard earned muscles, you want to melt fat!

xoxo

12 Weeks Out

Today I am #12WEEKSOUT from the Jay Cutler Classic in Boston, MA! 

I was hoping my first show would be the Montanari Bros Powerhouse classic, April 5th, in New Haven, CT, but I won't be ready (which I'm okay with). Unless I magically lean out and look amazingly stage ready in 5 weeks :P No use beating myself up over it. All I can do is bring my best lean-mean-tan-package to that first show, May 24! Which will be a big one! I received my new meal and training plans from my coach on Monday, and I'm really excited! I've been muscle building for a while now and it's nice to have my usual routine changed up. It's harder and more rigorous, I love it! More sets, drop sets and different cardio regimen has been incorporated :) 

One thing I've come to realize, especially reading some other competitors' posts on IG, is the importance of balance. I've read posts of girls doing lots of fasted cardio super early in the morning, going back later for  hours of weights, not having anytime to themselves, and not having that BALANCE. Which is super important when doing anything. You can't lose yourself in the process. You have to have personal relationships, ENJOY LIFE, and know that you are doing what's best for you and what makes you happy. I don't necessarily mean go bar hopping and getting drunk off your ass and binging on crap, especially during contest prep, but you know what I mean. I remember in the beginning, my coach was very awesome while I continued to breastfeed Sylas. He didn't tell me when I had to stop, he gave me the appropriate nutrition to start this journey but to also have enough calories to keep breastfeeding. I told him when I decided to stop. Even after stopping, he was understanding of all my hormonal changes, that my body wasn't balanced yet and still adjusting, and would eventually even out. When I was 12 weeks out from the show I was hoping to do, the April 5th one, I told him "I'll go do cardio twice a day, I'll do whatever you want me to do to make that show." and he said that I shouldn't have to kill myself in the gym and hours of cardio, that he wouldn't starve me, and it shouldn't be that hard of a process. Honestly, at first I was like UGHHH,  because I was willing to do whatever it took to make that show. Now, I realize how dumb that was. When you do that, you really fuck your body up. Not just your body (metabolism), but you become mentally tired and lose yourself and the love of the process. My advice for anyone new competing or future competitors, if you have a GOOD coach that knows what their doing, TRUST in them and most importantly, TRUST in the process. That way you will LOVE the process. What fun would it be if you're dreading every day of it?

I wanted to do this little info post. To shed a little bit of light for those not familiar with bodybuilding competitions. Yes, I'm doing a bodybuilding competition, but I'm not doing the 'bodybuilding' category. For women, there are 5 categories: bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure and bikini. Actually, I'm not even sure if they still do the bodybuilding category because I think it changed to "physique". But anyways, save the "ew she looks gross" "too manly" and ignorant hateful comments. ALL of these categories take so much dedication, self-discipline and commitment that most people do NOT have.

^ This is what people generally think of when they hear "bodybuilding competition". This is the bodybuilding category. Bodybuilders, as you can see, are the most muscular out of all the categories. They perform their routine to music, barefoot, showing off all their big muscles.

  

^ These are the rest of the categories. I'm going to go from right to left; more muscular to less muscular. All beautiful, bad ass women right here.

PHYSIQUE: (LOVE DANA!!) This is the second most muscular category with very low body fat %. They perform in groups, doing different poses, showing off their hard-earned definition.
FITNESS: One thing that sets this division apart from the others is that there is a fitness routine to music where competitors show off their flexibility, gymnastics, strength, and physical fitness. They are athletic and fit.
FIGURE: (LOVE NICOLE WILKINS!!) Judges look for the same type of physics as the above, fitness competitors, but they do not perform to a routine. These competitors are judged from all angles and the goal is to have an athletic appearance- wide shoulders, slim hips, and thighs. More condition and defined than the next category, bikini.
BIKINI: Competitors are very lean in this category. Judges look for a softer look than all other categories. Bikini girls are judged on balance, poise, physical appearance, front/right/back angles. Tight and toned. This category has gotten very popular over the last few years.

Remember, they don't look this ripped and lean all year long. This is the competition look. They are much fuller during off season.

So there you have it! My ideal physical look that I love and want to achieve is between bikini and figure. I love both of those categories and maybe one day I will move from bikini to figure. But, for now, I want to start with bikini and see how it goes.

I started getting into fitness around 2009/2010. I saw my first bodybuilding competition in Okinawa, JP at the gym I used to work at (GUNNERS!!) and from then on I was hooked. I've always done research since then. I've been wanting to compete for a while now, but with lots of moving the past few years, some ups and downs, and with being pregnant it has been put on hold. Now, I get to chase my dreams :)

PROGRESS PICS!

9m preggo: 188lbs
1: 2w pp 164lbs
2: 3m pp 154lbs
3: 6m pp 148lbs
4: today, 9.5m pp, 133lbs

-55lbs!!! wooooooooooo

When you want something, you put your heart into it! I don't just want to lose weight, I want to have confidence, I want to love my body, I want to compete, eventually earn my PRO CARD, I want to help others achieve the "unachievable" and strive for progression every day.
This is my passion. This is what I love to do.

I don't starve myself, I don't spend countless hours doing cardio, I don't even spend over 2 hours in the gym total a day, I take my rest days, and I ENJOY this process. I cannot wait to see more changes as I begin my cut!

Follow my IG for more: loveliftdrift

xoxo