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.
^ 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
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.
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
Love your tattoos.
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