Transitions

Life is finally starting to settle down, and I’m both relieved to have some down time and excited to do it all over again next year! The last three weeks of training have been amazing! It felt so good to have my energy back (the last two weeks before the last competition were especially draining—but that was likely the result of too little sleep because of my gruelling beauty regime. Scrubbing and moisturizing your body like there’s no tomorrow sure eats up a lot of time!), and I love that each session, I’m back a little stronger than the last time!

I had my first “off-season” check-in with Layne three Saturdays ago, and, as I expected, I was up a little in weight. I haven’t had a single cheat after the competition (when I had a Snickers bar and a couple of small protein bars after the competition), and my off-season diet seems to include a ridiculous amount of food (it’s not much more than what I was eating during contest prep, with regards to calories, but it feels like a ton!). Anyway, with the goal of building muscle, weight gain is inevitable (and actually what I want, as long as it’s in the form of muscle and not fat!), but it’s certainly going to take some getting used to to not feel disappointment when the number on the scale goes up rather than down. It’s going to take a lot of psychological training to switch my mindset 180 degrees! Especially as a woman, I think, it’s very unnerving to see the number on the scale creep up. But, with my unwavering trust in Layne, I know he’ll get me to where I want to be. Not everyone’s body reacts the same way to changes in macronutrient distribution, so it will take some tweaking and learning about my own body to find the right balance. At my second update two Saturdays ago, Layne said I looked even leaner than I did at the competition (I was the same weight I was on my first off-season check-in), so my macros have steadily been increasing! I just hope that doesn’t make it that much harder to restrict when competition time rolls around again!

Interestingly (but not surprisingly), people really believe I gained muscle during my contest prep. Whatever I gained during my prep was minimal, I can assure you that! The only difference is that I shed some of the insulation that was hiding those muscles. The off-season is where muscle is built. This is why most competitors and bodybuilders don’t stay competition lean year-round. Building muscle requires an excess of calories, and losing body fat requires a calorie deficit. People don’t gain weight after a competition because they suddenly lose all self-control (although that does happen to many people); in many cases, it’s taking them a step closer to their goals! This weight gain doesn’t have to be huge (I’ve read about people gaining anywhere from 5-30 lb in the off-season), and it’s especially important for many women to maintain a certain level of body fat to keep their hormones in check. I’ll keep you updated on my off-season progress with the occasional picture here and there, but do understand that I’m not getting weaker and lazier (and no, muscle does NOT turn into fat), but that my goals have (for the meantime) changed. However, I’m not going to post my weekly pictures on my blog until I start the next contest prep, because some people have actually taken it a bit too far (in my opinion) and actually started criticizing me week for week (the day before my second competition, a coworker told me I looked much better the week before. Thanks for the vote of confidence!). I’m all for constructive criticism, but I think it’s time to take the focus off of every little weekly physical fluctuation for a while (until I suit up and allow myself to be judged while standing on a stage in a bikini again!). I’m critical enough about myself as it is! (Especially now as I’m transitioning into the off-season). About three months before my next competition (which, right now, looks to be June 1), I’ll start “cutting” (losing body fat) again, and we’ll see how much muscle I’ve been able to pack on until then! Layne says that champions are made in the off-season, so there’s no time for slacking now!

3 weeks after the competition. A little "fluffier," but I'm getting stronger and stronger in the gym!

The Olympia Expo!

So, although it feels like I went to Las Vegas YEARS ago, I’ll give you the low-down on what happened at the Olympia Expo!

So, after my Thursday from heaven (two incredible photo shoots, meeting my coach and some of my fitness idols!), I woke up on Friday not thinking it could get any better! I first wanted to get my workout out of the way, and by the time I got to the hotel gym, it was PACKED! As in people staggered between machines and all over the floor to lift weights! But, as the expo began at 10, by 9:30, the gym had thinned out to a reasonable volume. I was even able to claim a bench! Then, it was time to jump on the shuttle bus to the Convention Center!

As soon as the bus pulled up, I understood why people left the gym so they could be there at 10:00 sharp. The lineup to get in was INSANE! It ran all the way back to the parking lot and then looped around to the entrance again! It did move relatively quickly, but standing in the hot sun was still not pleasant!

OLYMPIA!

By the time I made it inside (in typical fashion, the AC was FREEZING!), sporting my new Ava Cowan tank (my new favourite top!) the expo was in full swing! Booths as far as the eye could see, with fitness models and athletes at every booth and walking around. What a strange and wonderful industry that you can find all of your fitness idols gathered in one place (imagine if Hollywood had a meet-and-greet with all of the stars you’ve ever wanted to meet!).

I had no idea where to start, so I just started wandering aimlessly through the aisles (I wish they had given out maps to help orient me!), my heart racing every time I saw someone I recognized from Facebook or out of a magazine. There were protein bar and shake samples everywhere (if I hadn’t been in the midst of my competition diet, I would have loaded up on those for lunch!) and more fit people than I’ve ever seen together in one place!

I was able to catch the last part of figure prejudging. Cameras can never capture the way the suits glittered in the lights! It was incredible seeing all of those perfect physiques (yes, one woman has to win, but to me, they all looked flawless!) on stage together. I was surprised at the variations in posing, even though figure has relatively standard (in comparison with bikini) poses, and learned a lot about what I don’t want my posing to look like (even in bikini, I don’t want any of my poses to make me look cheap!). Unfortunately, I got in too late to see the bikini prejudging, but I had tickets to the finals later that night!

After I’d wandered past all the booths, I decided it was time to start introducing myself to some of my fitness idols and grabbing some pictures! The first person I met was Christina Halkiopoulos with Muscle Warfare. She’s an Australian fitness model (originally from Greece), and she was so nice and of course, just as beautiful as she is in her pictures!

Christina Halkiopoulos

Next, I decided to meet THE Pauline Nordin of Fighter Diet! I love her no-nonsense, unapologetic approach to fitness and diet. She tells it like it is, even if the truth hurts (she’s never going to tell you to eat “in moderation” or sit on the adductor machine at the gym!), and I love her dedication and commitment to eating right year-round! After some difficulties with my iPhone camera, we finally snapped a pic!

Pauline Nordin!

After Pauline, I decided to head to the Labrada booth and meet Kelsey Byers. Kelsey’s cover of Oxygen’s Off the Couch issue had just been released, and it has an article in it describing her personal body transformation and how she finds balance in her fit, healthy lifestyle. Her motto is “Eat clean and follow your dreams,” and her success as a fitness model is well-deserved! She was so friendly and posted her picture of us on her Facebook page later that night (she even remembered my name and that I was competing!). Her advice for competing was to remember that any shaking while I’m up on stage can’t be seen by the judges or the audience, so I shouldn’t worry about it. That was VERY useful advice for when the big day actually came! Another thing she advised was for me to create an athlete page on Facebook, so anyone who wants to follow along with my fitness-related posts can (and I won’t annoy the rest of my Facebook friends with motivational quotes and fitness articles!). So, without further ado…my Facebook athlete page! “Like” it, and I’ll start posting soon! I should start getting some edited pictures back soon, so this is where I’ll post them!

Kelsey Byers!

Next up was fitness model Amanda Adams at the Oh Yeah! booth. I’ve been a fan of hers on Facebook for about a year, and more recently, she started following me on Instagram (follow me @mimibikini!), where she left a really nice compliment on a photo of mine the week before! She recognized me right away (I know! These fitness girls have incredible memories!), and was also so friendly and energetic! My lovely friend Sophia had given me two letters to give to her and Jamie Eason, so after giving her Sophia’s handwritten letter, I got to film her thanking Sophia and wishing her luck at the competition. So nice! I know I’ll meet Amanda at other fitness events in the next few years…maybe the Arnold in the spring?

Amanda Adams

I decided to bite the bullet next and stand in line for the bodybuilding.com booth. Whereas at most booths, the line was at most 10 people long, the line for bodybuilding.com wrapped around the extra-long booth and extended far down the aisle, past many other booths! I ended up waiting in line for 45 minutes, and when I got the front, I finally got to meet all of the bodybuilding.com athletes! Kathleen Tesori, Ashley Horner, Laura Bailey (her shoulder workout on bodybuilding.com is incredible!! A must-try!), Alicia Marie, Courtney Prather…everyone was there! (Some male models were there too, of course, but I was only interested in meeting my female fitness idols!) Sophia had given me another letter to give to Jamie Eason, but she had already left for the day (nooooooo!!!), so I vowed to come back the next day and get it to her!

Kathleen Tesori

Laura Bailey

Alicia Marie

I spent the rest of the day meeting other fitness icons like Dana Linn Bailey! She has an incredible physique and manages to stay super-ripped even in the offseason!

Dana Linn Bailey (curse you, shaky camera man!)

I also got a picture snapped with Nicole Wilkins (the then-reigning Figure Olympia champion) at the Met-Rx booth.

Nicole Wilkins

Surprisingly, the number-one place to meet fitness models was in the bathroom! I met Justine Moore and Vanessa Tib in the bathroom, but felt a little silly asking for photos in front of the sinks (but I did introduce myself and say hi!). By the time I got back to the hotel, I was exhausted from an overwhelming day, and I still had a show to watch in the evening!

After a quick chat with my hubby, I made my way to the Orleans Arena for the Bikini, Fitness, and Ms. Olympia finals! Fitness has always been my favourite event to watch, because the competitors always make it look like they’re able to suspend gravity on that stage! The amount of control these athletes have over their bodies and the fact that they’re able to perform such energetic routines while dieting down for the show (they’re also judged on their physiques in a swimwear round) is mind-boggling to me!

After the fitness round was over, it was time for bikini! Watching all of those women walk on stage was super inspiring, and it was amazing to see some of my favourite physiques live on stage! The best part was seeing the different styles the competitors had; not every walk was the same, and the poses varied quite a bit. I learned a lot about what I do and don’t want to do (basically, I’m not a fan of the super-fake exaggerated poses. The more natural poses appeal to me for many reasons, but mainly because the competitors are still able to look classy and respectable). I couldn’t believe that in just one week, I would be on stage in my own competition!

The Ms. Olympia competition was really interesting, since I’d never watched a female bodybuilding competition before (this is the class with the reeeeeaally big, often masculine-looking competitors). They all had routines (with music) that they performed, and some of their routines really wowed me. It’s not often you see such a muscular person perform the splits or do backflips!

By the time the prejudging for Mr. Olympia began, I was so exhausted from the day that I left after watching a just a few competitors. Although I have a lot of respect for the hard work these athletes do, this girl needed her beauty sleep! After all, I had some more fitness people to meet the next day!

The next day, bright and early, I did my scheduled HIIT cardio workout in my hotel room. I love getting creative with cardio intervals! I was off to the expo earlier than on Friday, but when I got to the expo, it was more packed than it had been the day before! First stop was the bodybuilding.com booth, as I had to fulfill my mission of giving Jamie her letter from Sophia! I made my way to the end of the line (after first making sure that Jamie was there this time!), and it was SO LONG! It took almost 3 hours to get to the front! But when I got there, one of the coolest things happened! I had been chatting with the guy behind me in line (who had just competed in his first bodybuilding competition), and when I saw Kathleen Tesori, she smiled and waved at me (she recognized me from the day before). The look on the guy’s face was priceless! “You know her?!” He asked, incredulous. (This was the same look he gave me when I told him that Layne was my coach. “THE Layne Norton?? Is he here??”) I felt a little bit more like I belonged ;)

Once I was at the front of the line, it took another bout of waiting until I finally got to see Jamie. Sweet as she was, she took the time to talk to everyone, and when hundreds of people are in line specifically to meet her, that takes awhile! (Plus, Amanda Latona came to interview her at one point. AMANDA LATONA! She’s so stunning in person and has such a knockout physique!) By the time it was finally my turn, Jamie’s husband had packed up all their things, and she was on her way out! I got there just in the nick of time! I gave her the letter from Sophia, and she even let me record a thank-you video for her! A quick snapshot (and a compliment from her that I looked great!), and that was that! Jamie Eason is a HUGE name in the fitness industry (the BIGGEST fitness model out there, and she’s been in every fitness magazine out there. Her 12-week LiveFit trainer was actually what got me interested in eating clean and having a workout plan! (Check it out for FREE on bodybuilding.com! It's not just for women either; there are meal plans for men as well!) She’s also very open about her life (her faith, her past regrets, etc), which is why so many women (myself included!) can relate to and find inspiration from her!

JAMIE EASON!

Walking around, I met Bry Jensen, who competed in her first bikini competition in March and is currently training for her second in November. Another Facebook friend! It always feels awkward approaching people who have no idea who you are (it always makes me feel like a stalker for recognizing them!), but she (like everyone else) was super friendly and encouraging.

Bry Jensen

I also met Bry’s former coach, Leigh Brandt, at the Pharma Freak booth.

Leigh Brandt

At the BSN booth, I introduced myself to Amanda Latona (swoon! Before she competed, she was in the girl group Innosense and dated Howie from the Backstreet Boys, so she’s a bit of a non-fitness celebrity too!) and met Jennifer Nicole Lee (who’s made a HUGE career from her fitness journey. Books, clothing, ebooks, seminars, magazine articles, modelling…it’s incredible!).

AMANDA LATONA!

Jennifer Nicole Lee

Finally, I made my way over to the Scivation booth to meet up with Layne. His wife, Isabel, and I started chatting, and it was just refreshing to meet such honest, genuine people who give their true opinions on things. I let Layne know about my post-competition goals (I would like to look more muscular than most bikini girls. More like the Diva Fitness Model girls from the WBFF, which is a bit in between bikini and figure), so we decided to work toward that and see where I best fit in (should I be a small figure girl or a muscular bikini girl?). It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend!

Once I left the expo, I had to pack…and with all the samples I had accumulated over the past few days, I was thankful to have brought an almost-empty backpack with me! (One of those big backpacker-type backpacks!)

Olympia was definitely a weekend I won’t soon forget. Just the atmosphere and being around so many people who care about their health (OK, and appearance as well) makes me really want to be involved in fitness in some way or another (haven’t quite figured that out yet!). Hopefully, I’ll be able to make it down to the Arnold Sports Festival next year in March (in Ohio), but I think I might have to make Olympia an annual event! It definitely gave me the boost I needed before my competitions!

Changing Seasons

Whew! After a WHIRLWIND three weeks (sorry to anyone I’ve been neglecting; I’m just getting around to finally phoning people back!), my competition “season” is over! As amazing as it was, I’m kind of glad I get a break from it all now!

So, I had my second competition on Saturday! It was a lot of fun, and I felt much less nervous this time! On Friday, it all kicked off with our sign-in/registration and athletes meeting. I had no idea that the CEO/President and Vice-President would be there and came dressed after my photo shoot (I had such a fun photo shoot at Empire Ballroom with Pink Elephant Photography that afternoon! They were such nice people, and their daughter is so charming and adorable!) in casual clothes. After I checked in and got my number (308!), I sat around to wait for the meeting to start and saw so many tall girls walk in, all done up and in short bandage dresses! At the meeting last week, most of the girls were in sweatpants (I was in a silk robe!) to protect their tans, so this was a definite change! Guess I missed the memo on that!

Paul Dillett, the CEO/President, welcomed us with a really encouraging speech. The vision of the WBFF is to promote athletes with regards to modelling, and the focus is more on that aspect of the industry than competing (as he said, whoever gets first place has to go to work on Monday just like whoever gets last place; nothing changes with a trophy!). It left me feeling really good about the next day, and after getting back to our hotel room (it was really close to the Citadel, where the competition took place, and I got an incredible deal on Hotwire!) and applying my Jan Tana (this time, my wonderful hubby helped even out my back!), I hit the hay for some beauty sleep.

I got up a little earlier than last time, warmed up, and managed to eat all my meals on time. I was ready to hit the stage long before they called us, which was so nice! (What a difference!) My category (Diva Bikini Model Short) was really small this time: only 7 competitors! There were a lot of first-time competitors there on Saturday, and it felt weird to not be a first-timer anymore! Backstage, the atmosphere was quite different than it was at my first show. Although I didn’t feel the competitiveness at the first show that I’d been warned about, it was definitely more lighthearted and relaxed at the WBFF show. The girls were spread out into 5 different dressing rooms that made it feel more glamourous in itself (as opposed to the Muscle Beach competition that had everyone gather in one big warm-up room). Girls were excited and nervous, and it was just a really fun atmosphere!

Finally, we were called to line up. I was chomping at the bit this time! It was amazing to have my husband and Sophia and her husband, John, in the audience, cheering me on! As soon as I walked out onto that stage and heard Sophia calling my name, it gave me an extra push to work the stage! And my lips were not shaking (at least, not as badly!) this time! I guess the experience of last week really helped get the jitters out of me! I definitely felt more confident this time too! I walked back into the line of competitors and waited for them to announce their callouts for comparison. This time, I was in the second group of girls (there were only two groups, but it sounds less depressing this way!) and then, they had us do a pose-off! Since the WBFF really concentrates on modelling more than a physique competition, I just had to work it as if I knew what I was doing! It actually ended up being a lot of fun, but I was excited to see my cheering section outside in the lobby!

After some chit-chat, my husband and I went back to our hotel room for some down time. I had a much-needed nap before having to eat my meals, redo my makeup (I still wasn’t happy with it, and I think next time, I’ll hire a makeup artist to do it for me! I found it really hard to do makeup to go with my skin being so dark), pump up (lift light weights to try to force blood into my muscles and make them nice and plump) and head back to the theatre. My loving husband was so patient with me that day, taking me here and there all day (he was out of town for week the three weeks before and got home on Thursday). Love you, Sweetie!

One thing I was really excited about with the night show was that the bikini round was up first! After our athletes parade (we basically all walked out, wave, stood in lines, and then walked to the front of the stage and posed--here's a video! Try to find me!), my category lined up right away, and it was time! This was basically a repeat of the morning show, but we were all compared at once (a perk of being in such a small class!), and it went by much faster. We each stepped forward one at a time, posed, and that was it!

When I got backstage, I couldn’t wait to get my bikini off! We’re not allowed to wear deodorant with our fake tanner on (it smelled REALLY good backstage! Haha!), and we have to use a product called Bikini Bite to glue our bikinis to our bodies (so no one accidentally shows too much skin while we arch our backs and/or lean over in our back pose!). So basically, my body was covered in brown paint and glue, and I just wanted to put normal clothes on! I got into my evening gown and then waited…and waited…and waited! I think it ended up being a whole TWO HOURS until we finally went out again! I spent the time eating my last snacks (a cake-batter Rice Krispy treat that Sophia’s sister made for me! It was sooo good and a welcome substitute for one of my rice cakes with honey that I had been instructed to eat that day! Thanks, Rachel!!!), surfing the Internet, and chatting with the other girls in my dressing room. I was just so anxious to get it all over with so I could shower (!!!) and hang out with my hubby!

After an ETERNITY, we were called to line up for the evening gown round! The exciting thing was, the Diva Fitness Model category was up before us (I really want to compete in this category next year; they get to wear theme wear, which sounds like so much fun, and their bodies are closest to what I’d like my body to look like. Kind of like a cross between bikini and figure and really lean!), and since this was near the end of the show, they were handing out medals, trophies, and pro cards to the winners. The girl who won the DFM short category had shared a dressing room with us, and she was so ecstatic to have won her pro card! And the woman who won the tall category was so over-the-moon happy that she ran screaming down the hall backstage! It’s wonderful to see people win who really appreciate it, and it’s so exciting to think of what’s in store for their future!

So, we finally paraded out in our gowns. I was happy with the gown I found (on eBay for $50!), but it definitely wasn’t a dress that I’d spent hours looking for, as I wasn’t about to spend a lot of money on a dress that I’d wear once. I felt pretty good, and then, it was time for the moment of truth.

Each of us received a medal (kind of like a “Participant” ribbon in the elementary track-and-field days), and they announced their top three. I wasn’t third or second, and as they kept the audience in suspense about the winner, I secretly hoped it wasn’t me. What?! you may think. Isn’t this why you did the competition? To win? Well, I knew that one particular girl had been competing for over a year and really, really wanted her pro card. And what would I do with a pro card anyway? I’m just at the start of my fitness journey! I did the second show mostly to get some more feedback, so I can come back better next year!

The girl I wanted to win ended up winning, and since it meant the most to her, I was really glad! I love it when hard work gets rewarded, and who knows? Maybe that will be me next year!

So, two competitions later, I have yet to place, but they were really fantastic learning experiences! I’m really proud of the changes I’ve been able to make in the past 12 weeks, and Layne is really happy with the results as well (I even got some really heartwarming emails from him last week about how honoured he is to have been part of my journey and how proud he is of how I look!), so I definitely think I’ve won in achieving what I set out to achieve! It’s been a life-changing 12 weeks (REALLY made me realize how important nutrition is and learn a lot about diet), and I wouldn’t have done a thing differently! I followed Layne’s plan through and on point right to the very end (and I’ve never stuck to any diet or eating plan for this long before!), and as far as what the judges prefer, that’s really out of my control.

But of course, there’s always room for improvement, and I’m taking the judges’ suggestions! The focus is now on building muscle, and my diet has been changed accordingly (Layne will see how my body responds to his plan, and we’ll adjust as necessary). I started my offseason diet and training on Sunday (no time to waste if I want to start working toward my offseason goals!), and so far, it’s going really well! I’m sore from my workouts and have the energy to lift heavy and intense again! It feels so great, and I can’t wait to start seeing results! The next competition will likely be in June (the Northern Alberta Bodybuilding Championships) and possibly July (the date hasn’t been posted, but the WBFF usually hosts a show in Calgary mid-month). And definitely next fall for these two competitions again! I’m using the pictures from this time as my new “before” pictures. It’ll be exciting to see what my new “after” pictures look like next year!

Thanks for sharing in my journey to the stage! I’ll keep updating this page with various topics (including my more-than-fashionably-late Olympia blog post!). I really appreciate everyone’s support!

My second week of training until now

What a difference 13 weeks makes!

Here We Go Again!

So, here we are yet again! It’s the day before another competition, and another week of peak week has flown by! I can’t believe it’s been almost a week since my first competition, and I’m really excited to hit the stage again tomorrow! (Although curse those trembling lips! I just keep repeating to myself that no one can see them shaking—even if it’s not true, I have to tell myself that!) I’m excited to see what I look like tomorrow(although I’ll probably look exactly the same as I did last week, just with better hair and makeup!), and I’m very anxious to see how they score me this time and what they have to say about where I should improve. I’m really glad I decided to do this second competition, if only for the feedback! (Plus, this time, I’ll have Sophia and my hubby in the audience, so it will be nice to know people came out just to support me!)

As you all know, I had an incredible photo shoot on Monday with the extremely talented David Ford, and today, I have another shoot (my last L) with Pink Elephant. First, I’m getting my hair and makeup done by my wonderful hair stylist at Honey Dome (hopefully, my hair and eye makeup will last until the end of tomorrow!), then it’s off to shoot, and THEN, it’s time for the athletes check-in and meeting to find out the schedule of events for tomorrow. I really hate how they don’t tell you the sequence of events until the night before (is Bikini at the beginning or the end? They have to at least know that now!), but that can’t be changed! This time, I’ll be there nice and early so I’ll have enough time for my meals and maybe meet some of the other competitors (or just relax with my earbuds in). I’ve tweaked my posing a little, and this time, I get to do all the poses I’d practised! I hope the stage is as non-scary as it was last time, but I’ll make it through there somehow!

My meals are packed for tomorrow (this it the “so…much…food…”part of the prep!), and I’m feeling good and ready. My weight is down to exactly where it was last Friday, and in a surprising twist, Layne was getting really sappy yesterday, saying how he’s so proud to have been a part of my journey and how I’ve been doing a great job! (Sorry, in his words, a “GREAT”job!) This is really unlike him (he’s not one to flatter his clients for no reason), so when he says things like this, it’s because he actually means them (aww!). I personally don’t think I’ve done anything extraordinary over these past 13 weeks (I just stuck to his plan!), but I’m happy at where I am right now too! That being said, I’m looking forward to the offseason! Just a change in diet and training will be very welcome, and over the last week especially, I’ve started to feel weaker and weaker in the gym (we’ve been manipulating my macronutrient intake every day, so I think my body is a little confused at the moment!). I like feeling STRONG in the gym and lifting heavier and heavier (and I miss DOMS so much!), so I’m excited to be back in full force next week!

I’ll of course keep everyone updated on the comp as tomorrow progresses (check my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). Thanks again for all your support! I’ll do my best to make you all proud!

Judgment Day...(Part 2)

Whew! All that work for a few minutes of glory on stage and it was definitely worth it! You already know how prejudging went (and my ensuing disappointment), so I’ll let you know how the evening show went!

I arrived back at the Winspear early enough this time to make sure I wasn’t madly swallowing my last meals before the stage (I ate SO much on show day, I even asked Layne for permission to skip one of my meals! By the end of the day, I was just feeling so overstuffed!) and got my tan touched up right away to avoid the rush. They told me that Bikini Bite (a glue to make sure our suits don’t ride up or shift in position while we’re posing) and glaze couldn’t be applied just yet, but that there was more than enough time to apply it before we went on stage…so Sophia and I hung out for a while before trying again. Well, this time (they hadn’t even called the Medium class to get prepped yet), there were huge lines, and the people applying the Bikini Bite and glaze were moving SO SLOWLY! I didn’t even have time to get mine done before we were called to line up in the hall. Great! (There was a woman walking around in the hallway who applied Bikini Bite to me, thankfully!)

The night show went by much quicker than the daytime show (our comparisons were in numerical order, but the judges had already made their decisions by this point, so it was mostly just for show), and as they called out the top 5, I was over the moon that Sophia was among them! (Although I had suspected it!) Even though I didn’t place (the rest of us didn’t get ranked), it was really special to see her do so well and take home SECOND PLACE!!! She worked really hard to get to the competition, and she looked amazing (not to mention how far she’s come in the last few years as a result of consistently eating clean and working out)! It meant a lot to me to be able to celebrate in her victory, and we were both more than a little teary-eyed backstage! Congratulations, Sophia!!!

After Sophia had left for dinner with her husband and friends, I HAD to stick around and talk to the judges! I asked again backstage, and the girls again offered that I could just email them, and the judges would “hopefully” get back to me, but that wasn’t good enough for me! I had to know now! So I sat down in the audience and waited for the show to end (it’s an entertaining show, so I’m not sure why a lot of people were discouraging me from staying all the way to the end to talk to the judges!). The girls had said that I should sit close to the judges so I could talk to them before they packed up their things and left, so I parked myself as close to them as possible without feeling like I was creepily stalking them, and the second the show ended, I ran to their table!

Since deciding to compete and hiring Layne, this was by far the best decision I’ve made! (I was surprised that no one else was lining up to talk to the judges! I couldn’t have slept that night not knowing where I could improve!) The judges had already starting packing up their things, but I managed to ask them sweetly for some feedback, and they were actually really nice and supportive! And they all said the same thing: while they loved my tiny waist and all noted that I “had potential,” they all thought I needed to build muscle because I was too small! This was not what I had been expecting (I’ve got some guns!), but I had wanted to gain muscle in the offseason anyway, so it works out! It was a relief to know why they placed me so low, and I even asked if I was too lean (since they picked girls who were much less lean before me), but they said I just needed to bulk up (but not my waist), and then I’d be golden! I let Layne know right away, so he knows how to tailor my diet in the offseason (starting Sunday!).

All in all, my competing experience was great, and I would still encourage everyone to try it at least once! Or at least commit to a diet and exercise plan for 12 weeks and see how far it takes you! (But once you’ve done that, why wouldn’t you go that extra step and compete?) I still have the competition this coming Saturday at the Citadel, so I’m excited to see how they like me there! (Since it’s a different federation, the rules are a bit different, as is the judging.) Hopefully, they’ll be as open with their feedback as they were at the last show, and I’ll know exactly where I can improve when/if I decide to compete again next year!

I had another incredible photo shoot yesterday with David Ford, who was also the official photographer at the competition (and will be the photographer at the one coming up too). We took some great gym shots and some AMAZING black-and-white artistic shots! They turned out even better than I had expected, and I can’t wait to see some of them when they’re edited! Here’s a sneak peek:

I have one more shoot on Friday with Pink Elephant, and that shoot is in a nightclub, which will definitely be different! I think if anyone wants to challenge him- or herself but perhaps not compete, a photo shoot is wonderful motivation to get in shape, and they’re a lot of fun! (The photographers will light and position you in ways that make you look better than you ever thought you could!)

I’ll keep you all updated on how Saturday’s show goes! I’m looking forward to getting another chance to showcase my hard work and hear some feedback from a different set of judges!

Judgment Day...(Part 1)

I just finished prejudging and have a few hours to kill until the evening show, so I decided what better way to use my time than to blog about how it went? (Don’t worry, I will still blog about the Olympia expo, but I’m a little preoccupied!)

So, yesterday, my darling friend, Christina helped me apply my first coat of Jan Tana (thanks, Tine!), which arrived JUST in time (Friday at 2!)! I was feeling ridiculously dark, and I knew I still had another coat to apply this morning. Eeeek!!! The makeup that was intended to match the tan perfectly was so dark, I couldn’t believe my skin would become that colour! Fast forward 12 hours later, and it’s definitely darker than I ever thought I would be!

We had our competitors meeting last night too. They quickly ran over the schedule of events (which unfortunately, I couldn’t hear, since people around me were talking SO loudly!) and had us wait to be heighted in so we could be organized into different height classes (and weight classes for the bodybuilders). After confirming that I’m 5’3”, I was put into the medium height division! (So there, people who call my shrimpy and say I need to wear heels so I can look a “normal” height! I’m medium, damn it!) We then waited some more and got out numbers. Lucky (or unlucky!) number 113, it is! It was great to see my gorgeous friend, Sophia (vote for her to become Status Magazine cover girl here!), for the first time in 12 weeks! She’s worked REALLY hard to get to this point, and you can definitely see her hard work! Life changing!

Luckily, since bikini was going to be on a little later in the schedule, I got to sleep in a little bit today! A little too late, to be exact…the organizer estimated that we’d be on stage around 11 or 11:30, but when I told Layne, he estimated between 2 and 3! And I had to start eating 6 hours beforehand. I suppose I should have had enough time, but it seemed each meal got pushed back 10 minutes until I was cramming my face just before stage time. Hmm. At any rate, I thought I looked OK (except the horrendous makeup, which made me look like an alien crossed with a drag queen crossed with some sort of monster…), and before I knew it, it was time to hit the stage!

There were 19 of us in our class, and we lined up in the hall just outside the stage. We entered from the side of the stage, stopped on the X, hit our poses, and lined up on the other side of the stage. Sounds simple enough, right?

(Well, one more thing I learned at the meeting was that over-the-head poses were forbidden, so I really had to change my posing routine, since most of them had my hands above my head! Some federations allow it (I’m pretty sure I can do it for the WBFF show next weekend), but this one apparently does not! Arg! Anyway, that was the least of my worries…)

So, I went up there and did my thing. It was almost definitely less clean than it had been in practice (trying to make sure I’m on the X, etc. Oh, and spinning around on CARPET floor! I had never expected a carpeted floor on stage!), but all in all, I thought it went OK. I went to my spot in line and kept a smile glued on my face. Interestingly enough, I didn’t feel nervous, but my lips were shaking like a Polaroid picture! (LOVE that song!). Kelsey Byers (a fitness model I met at Olympia) told me that everyone shakes, and no one in the audience can tell, so that’s what I kept telling myself. It was so uncontrollable that it was actually really frustrating! But I did my best not to let that show.

Anyway, they began doing callouts, which is when the judges ask groups of competitors to the front of the stage so they can compare and rank them. Generally, the first callouts are the judges’ favourites, and it gets progressively less favourable as the callouts go on. Well, I was in the last group of callouts! The LAST group! Meaning the judges HATED me for some reason! I know they haven’t given us our official placings yet (I’ll find that out in a few hours!), but that was really crushing to hear, especially since a lot of the girls I saw looked like my “before” picture, and one girl looked like she’d never practised a pose in her life! (I’m not trying to dog anyone, since I know all competitors worked hard to get up on that stage, but I was and AM so confused as to what was so wrong with me???) I’ll be sticking around after the competition to ask for feedback, so hopefully, the judges will be able to tell me what I should work on for my next competition. Was it just the bad makeup? Hair too flat? Or maybe, since they chose a lot of much softer girls over me, I was too hard? (I’m hoping for the last option, since if I’m going to lose for being too lean and ripped, it means I’m still lean and fit!)

I’ll keep you updated with how tonight goes and how next weekend (different federation!) goes. Thanks so much for everyone’s support throughout this whole journey! It’s really pushed me to try harder and do my best, and I don’t want to let anyone down!

PEAK WEEK and...THE BIG O!!! (No, not that O!)

So, after the world’s longest connection yesterday (my flight from Victoria was delayed by THREE HOURS!), I finally made it back from Sin City! Of course, this being the start of my peak week, there was no sinning allowed!

Where do I start? First, I’ll let you know I started my peak week last Thursday. I was technically supposed to start on Wednesday, but by the time I got my plan, I was already at the airport and had eaten more than the allotted amounts of carbs and fats for that day. Oops. But it all worked out wonderfully, and I managed to eat most of the perishable foods I had packed with me (asparagus, yams, and carrots), so I didn’t have to waste anything after all! My peak week definitely looks doable (as I’ve said before, no water loading/cutting). I’m playing around with my macros and my sodium (which I’d never worried about before), but we’re going to play it by ear how the rest of the week goes. My meals leading up to prejudging (up to 6 hours before) have all been planned, and I cannot wait! There are even Reese’s Cups in my plan! And rice cakes, honey, and peanut butter! (And steak and yams…) How can the show not go great after all those yummy treats?!



So…VEGAS! I arrived late Wednesday night (technically early Thursday morning) and checked into the Orleans (dirty hotel room, and it’s FAR from the Strip! I wouldn’t recommend it!). Olympia stuff was EVERYWHERE, and I couldn’t wait for the festivities to start! First thing first, of course, I had my photo shoots….

Good morning, Las Vegas!

Bright and early at 8:15, I met my hairstylist, Roni, and my makeup artist, Junior, from Rain Cosmetics in the lobby. I was referred to them by Angel Porrino (for anyone who watched the short-lived reality show, Holly’s World, she was one of the starring characters!) via Twitter, and they did not disappoint! They were hilarious and gave me some great gossip (apparently, people are NOT sad that Holly’s leaving Peepshow!), and I looked FABULOUS (not to sound conceited!).

Ready for my shoots!

At 10, I met Harry of LHGFX (who has shot with ALL of the fabulous fitness models and competitors!), and we headed down to the pool. Harry was such a great guy; very warm and friendly, and he gave me great direction for the shoot (since I’ve never done anything like that before!). I cannot WAIT to see the proofs! The pics I saw on his camera were incredible enough!

Harry of LHGFX -- so wonderful!

That hour with him flew by, and soon, it was time to meet Stacy from SO Photography (she’s shot with a lot of fitness celebs too, like Ava Cowan—which is how I heard she would be there—and the day I shot with her, she’d shot with Monica Brant in the morning!).

After walking for what seemed like an eternity in the sweltering Vegas heat to the Luxor, I was surprised that my hair and makeup were still looking fresh! Just a dab of gloss, and I was camera-ready! Stacy and her assistant, Rick, were also super sweet and welcoming! We shot in their hotel room, where they had a big white background set up for the fitness shots. We took a lot of commercial fitness photos (I love those because I get to smile! I have a lot work to do on my pout!) and some more sexy shots as well. That time flew by too, and I couldn’t believe that at the end of it, I had a full day of shooting behind me! I could definitely get used to this lifestyle!

Stacy from SO Photography

Stacy's assistant, Rick

After getting a little lost on my way back (I must’ve taken every possible path around the overpass for the freeway trying to find a way to get across!), I was able to hang out at the hotel, eat, and have a quick Skype date with my hubby. And then it was already time for Meet the Olympians in the hotel!

If anyone is thinking of coming to the Olympia and wants to meet any Olympia athletes, this is a must! I didn’t know how big it would be and came around 8:30, which was a huge mistake! (It started at 8 and closed at 9, which I didn’t know). ALL of the competitors are there, signing autographs, taking pictures, and the lines are much shorter than they are at the expo! Next year, I’ll definitely get there are 8 on the dot!

The first person I met when I got there was none other than LAYNE! I noticed his beautiful wife, Isabelle, first, and then I looked behind her and saw Layne! It took him a few seconds to figure out who I was (he must’ve been bombarded with friends and familiar faces all day, so I didn’t hold that against him!), but once he got it, he gave me a huge hug and introduced me to Isabelle. He was bragging about how I’ve been able to increase my calories as the prep went on, which is apparently really rare! (Yay!) He was on his way out as I was on my way in, so we agreed to chat more during the expo over the next couple of days.

Me and LAYNE NORTON!!

The second person I saw right when I came in was AVA COWAN! I’ve been a huge fan of Ava's since watching her in The Sport of Figure (check it out on YouTube; she’s INCREDIBLE!), and she was standing there looking TINY with a fresh new haircut and colour! I grabbed a picture, let her know I was also training with Layne, and got a free tank from her (my new favourite shirt!!!). Starstruck!

Me and THE Ava Cowan!!!

I was able to meet Erin Stern that night too, and she was unbelievably upbeat and energetic for the night before the competition! She was also one of the few competitors not wearing a baggy tracksuit (I imagine to avoid messing up their competition colour). She was great!

2012 Figure Olympia, Erin Stern!

Just seeing all of the competitors standing or sitting around was incredible. To see all of these people I either follow on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter or see on the pages of fitness magazines all in one room was mind-blowing! Oh, and did I mention I ran into Larissa Reis in the hotel hallway? (I actually saw her a few times over the weekend, as her room was down the hall from mine.) I saw a small, but very shapely woman (her legs are out of this world!!!) walking toward me with a trucker hat, and when she got closer, I noticed who it was. I stopped immediately and had no idea what to say except “OH MY GOD! YOU’RE LARISSA REIS! YOU’RE SO BEAUTIFUL!” And then, the most amazing thing happened: she asked me if I was competing at Olympia! WHAT?! A world-class figure girl thinks I look like I could compete at OLYMPIA?! *swoon!* (I also met her again the next day to grab a photo with her, and the actually remembered me from that brief encounter!)

Larissa Reis!!!

So, my head still spinning from seeing all those competitors in one room, I headed to bed. The next day was the big expo, and there was no way I was missing that!

The expo was INCREDIBLE!!! (Both days!) I’ll post on that later this week (hopefully tomorrow!) because I could honestly write a novel about it! It was such a wonderful experience, and such amazing encouragement for this last week of prep!

Two Weeks to Go, and T-2 Days until VEGAS!

Ahhhhh!!! I can’t believe there are less than TWO WEEKS until I hit the stage at my first bikini competition! Time has really been flying by, and I know the next few days will be a blur too. After last week’s update, Layne increased my carbs, and as a result, I was up in weight this week (cue hyperventilating!). Seems I’m panicking more than Layne, though, and I have to trust his advice, especially these last two weeks. I was kind of expecting (and almost hoping) for a drastic diet change this week to really kick my butt into gear for the comp, but I’m keeping on the same path as of now. Next week (termed peak week by those prepping for competitions) will be different, however, and I cannot wait to see the changes that happen over that last week!

This week is going to be so full of good stress, I almost can’t stand it! Tomorrow, I’m getting my hair and nails done, and Wednesday, I’m leaving for VEGAS after work! I’ll arrive late (for me), and the next morning, I have a photo shoot bright and early at 10! And then another one at 3! (These are other reasons I’m a little panicky; I want to look my BEST for these shoots!) And then it’s OLYMPIA time! I know I’m going to be all smiles and nerves at the expo on Friday and Saturday, meeting all of my fitness idols (and Layne!). I’m excited to see the bikini competitors and see how I stack up against them! (And I’m beyond excited to watch my first bikini competition on Friday night! Then, I’ll know what to expect at my show!)

This week, I’ve been hearing one comment that is frankly starting to make me quite angry (even though I know it's not intended to make me mad). I’m hearing a LOT of people say “I couldn’t do it. I don’t have your discipline, and I love food too much.” While maybe meant to even be a compliment (yes, I exercise willpower and self-control with respect to food), there’s nothing special about dieting down for a competition. Anyone can do it if he or she really wants to; the fact is, most people don’t want to (and this is not just in regards to competition dieting; most people are unwilling to change their unhealthy habits in general). It’s not a matter of discipline; it’s a matter of wanting something and working toward it. I’m neither training an insane amount (30-90 minutes every day) nor am I starving myself or on an extreme diet. And the “I love food” comment has always irked me. I’m human too, so of course I also enjoy food. But healthy foods can and do taste delicious when prepared and spiced the right way. I have no desire to stuff my face with cake (we had an office pot luck last week, and people were so convinced that I was dying to eat corn dogs and sugar-laden desserts), and that’s not just because I’m on my contest-prep diet. Of course, in the off-season (when I’m not training and dieting to increase muscle and not lose fat), I’m sure I’ll have the odd indulgence, but I refuse to let food control me, not just for my physique’s sake, but for my own health.

Sorry for the ranting in today’s post, but it’s something I really had to get off my chest. If I can make these changes in my diet, anyone can!

I’ll end with links to two articles that I found really powerful about self-discipline. They’re written by Pauline Nordin, the inventor of the Fighter Diet (which is not a “diet” but a way of eating) who is one of the few women able to stay in competition-ready shape year-round. If you’re into these articles, I highly recommend her ebook Fat Loss by Mind Power. (Her other ebooks are also great, but I think the diet is a bit too extreme for many people.) I love her tough-love approach and how she doesn’t sugar-coat anything for anyone!

http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/blogs/pauline-nordin/it-takes-discipline
http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/blogs/pauline-nordin/master-your-mind

(And if anyone’s interested in hearing my advice about sticking to a healthy diet, let me know. I’d love to blog about it!)

I can’t wait to write my next post, which will be all about VEGAS!!! (And there will probably be some bonus blog posts too in the days leading up to the big event!)

The Fear

I wanted to blog about something different today: my greatest fear (with regards to this competition). My greatest fear isn’t stepping on stage in my bikini or having an uneven tan (although that is a worry!); it’s the weight gain that will happen after the competition. I keep reading more and more about how a lot of people binge after a show and how in the days immediately after the show, their bodies simply bloat up regardless of what they eat. As far as post-show binging is concerned, I’m not overly concerned about this. I’m planning on working with Layne for two months post-show to help get me on a good off-season diet, and although I’m looking forward to enjoying some Christmas baking without worrying or calculating the macros, even my contest-prep diet has been so flexible that there aren’t many foods I’m seriously craving (although I'm extremely excited to eat at a restaurant or at friends’ houses and not need to know every ingredient and measurement!), but I am worried about this post-show bloat I keep reading about. I know Layne doesn’t cut water like most coaches do the week before the competition (thankfully!), so I don’t necessarily think my body will immediately retain any water and sodium, but I can’t really know for sure until the days after the competition. Not knowing what to expect is extremely unsettling, especially after spending weeks controlling everything that’s happening to my body.

The other thing that is rather terrifying to me is not knowing what my goal will be in the off-season, weight- and size-wise. I definitely do want to pack on more muscle (after leaning out, I’m finding that I’m far less muscular than I had always thought!), but the idea of gaining back those 20 lb I’ve worked so hard to lose makes me cringe (even though I thought I looked good back when I started!). As I’m shrinking, I’m becoming increasingly comfortable with my body. I feel like this is what I should naturally look like (I don’t think I’m becoming very bony; I think this light weight actually suits my frame), and it feels great to not have to worry about a muffin top and be able to walk without my thighs rubbing together! (Especially when my husband and I went hiking the last two weekends, it was wonderful to wear shorts and not have any chafing going on!)

I think I’m going to have to approach the off-season like I’m approaching the competition: I have to completely trust my coach and just follow his plan. Eventually, I will be able to find a balance (a weekly cheat/treat meal will definitely be in order), and with his mini-cuts (every 4-8 weeks, he’ll diet for 1-2 weeks to ensure he is making clean—i.e., muscle and not fat—gains), I'll find a size that will be maintainable for me. Easier said than done, of course, but it makes me far less anxious knowing that I’ll have a plan for the off-season. Failing to plan is planning to fail (but it's still scary!)

One week until Vegas, and under 3 weeks until the competition! Wonderful (and also scary!) things are coming my way!

Four Weeks to Go and Exciting Announcements!

Today, I’m 26 days out from the competition! Where does the time go?? This past week has flown by, especially since I suddenly became super busy at work (which is both a blessing and a curse!). Now, hopefully, things will settle down a little, because it’s time to kick things into high gear! Time to start booking all those little details (like tanning, waxing, hair, and eyelashes) and really buckle down and concentrate on my posing! (I worked through a lot of lunch breaks last week, so I haven’t even put my posing shoes on in what feels like ages!)

On the plus side, my body seems to have finally adapted to my diet. Even though it’s changing every so often (Layne’s been upping my carbs every couple of weeks to slow down the weight loss and keep my metabolism stoked), I’ve finally gotten to the point where I’m not as hungry anymore! There have even been a few days when it’s felt like I’ve had to almost force down my last meal of the day. I’ve even actually felt really full after a few meals, which is even more exciting! As long as this doesn’t mean my metabolism is slowing down, I’m all for it! It will make the last few weeks of dieting so much more enjoyable!

Speaking of the last few weeks…after seeing my progress pictures last Saturday, Layne informed me that I’m about 2-3 lb away from being stage-ready! After having lost 18 lb since I started 8 weeks ago, this definitely sounds like a very attainable goal! And since my bikini and competition jewelry arrived on Friday, I’m definitely starting to feel more ready! (PS. Everything looks great!!! My suit is going to look fantastic onstage!)

I also have some other exciting announcements to make! Since there are a few, I think I’ll have to list them!

1. I just found out tickets for the Muscle Beach Fall Classic (my first competition) are on sale and can be found at the Winspear Centre website! They are $27 each for the morning show at 9:00 and $42-65 for the evening show at 6:00, if anyone is interested in coming to cheer me on (or heckle me)!

2. I think I will be competing in the WBFF competition in Edmonton on October 13 (exactly a week later). I am not registered yet, but since I’ve come all this way, what’s another week? I hear this show is bigger and more light-hearted, so if anyone wants to see me there, it’s being held at the Citadel, and tickets can be found on their website ($41.98 per ticket for prejudging at 10:30 and $73.50 for the evening show at 6:00). This WBFF show has an evening gown component and (if I do the Fitness Model category as well) a themewear round!

3.  I booked my flight to Las Vegas for Olympia weekend! This is one of the biggest expos and competitions in fitness and bodybuilding, so I’m very excited to take it all in, watch my first bikini competition, and meet all of my fitness idols (including my coach!)! It will take place a week before my first competition, so it will definitely give me some excellent motivation to push through the last week!

4. I have a few photo shoots booked with some awesome photographers, both in Vegas and in Edmonton! I decided when I began that I’m either in or I’m out, so I jumped in with both feet! And if I decide that competing isn’t for me, I want to at least have some really fabulous pictures to show for it!

So many exciting things are coming up way too quickly! It will be a whirlwind month for sure, so I’ll have to make sure I slow down and really appreciate and enjoy each experience!

My comparison pictures from 12 weeks out to 8 weeks out to 4 weeks out (the next comparison pictures will include my final stage look!):