Here I go again! Anyone else competing soon? (Fall 2006)

I just went and picked up my suits and themewear for 2 more shows coming up: 9/30 and 10/7. Yikes! Anyone else competing right now? I could use the support and motivation. My trainer can only "peak" me for one show, and I chose the 10/7 one for that, so I know this coming week won't be quite as restricted as the following one, but still. . . Dragging out the "final/hell week" is going to be. . .ummm. . ."fun".

Nonetheless, picking up my suits and seeing my teammates tomorrow will be motivation enough to get through the next couple of weeks. I can't believe how much the ole bod has changed since July! I'm already psyched for the April show. Right now, however, I'm psyched to pig out on 10/8! There are some avocado eggrolls at the Cheesecake Factory with my name on them! For now, this is me on my diet:

My suit designer thinks I will place top 5 on 10/7 in my height class. That would be cool in a national show. I'll just be excited to do well, though. I'm much more prepared now that I got my feet wet in July, and I can't wait to do my routine.

Anyhow, I have to do a photo check in tomorrow with my trainer, which will double as my after pics for the latest VBB transformation challenge. My afters from the last one will be my befores this time! No "no fair" comments about the suit and heels, okay? I paid beaucoup $$ for all of that stuff, and I'm gonna use 'em whenever I can! haha

Awesome....good luck with everything. It is always a great feeling to be at weigh-in's knowing that you gave 100% during contest prep.

Give us a run-down on where you are with training and diet. I would love to hear what you are doing (and have done).

Stay strong!

Will do on the rundown. . . It's pretty complicated. Right now I'm on an aggressive carb rotation, with a change to occur tomorrow for the final week prep. As far as training, just cardio and giant sets. Upped cardio last week when carb rotation started, giant setting starting today. Normally would've been sooner, but with 2 shows didn't want to change too many variables for the first so there'd be something to make the bod go for the second.

Suits look good on. Get to start staining (tanning) Tuesday. Want to be darker for these 2 since my suits are brighter.

Luckily no weigh in for me. They divide us up by height. I am on the dividing line between short and medium, so it probably depends on how many are registered this go-round.

I will def be doing an e-book at some point on vegan bb dieting, including pre-contest and final week. So needed. I need to get more experience first, but I'm def taking notes as I go.

Are you showing, and if you've shown--what federation, division, etc.?

Thanks again, Heather

Hey, wait a moment.... where are the pics from your last competition?

You can't just tell us about your next shows, expecting all our well wishes, without telling us about the last!

Or did i miss something... i'll search for it now

Anyway, good luck with your competition - and have fun!

ummmmmm.... i'd love to post some pics, but I sorta don't know how. my husband just tried and failed as well. coupla low-tech muscle-heads here! [/img]

my husband just tried and failed as well. coupla low-tech muscle-heads here! [/img]

You should train your brain, too - it's your most important muscle after all! ... ... no wait... that was the heart... d'oh

ummmmmm.... i'd love to post some pics, but I sorta don't know how. my husband just tried and failed as well. coupla low-tech muscle-heads here!

Pretty much everyone on this board usually uses: http://www.imageshack.us/

You just upload your pics and get several links to choose from, which you can insert in your post and ... tadaaaaa .. a picture will be seen

If you want to see if the picture is too big or small you can just go on "Preview", that's what I always do. And if it is too big, just pic another link of the ones given to you by imageshack.

It is very easy

I'm looking forward to see your pics, but first: Have an awesome competition on Saturday and the best of luck (which you probabely don't need )

Heather,

What two shows are you doing?

How is Vegan working with building muscle and losing fat?

I would be interested to see your diet.

Good luck I know you will do well.

Thanks K-Oz. I'll see if I have time to do that this week (upload photos onto the site). I knew I could do something like that, I was just hoping I could just upload them here in the forum. I just sent Robert some "afters" for the summer shape up too. Oh, and I'll still take the luck--I could use any and all help!

Harley, I'm in the NGA (National Gym Association) Nopi Nationals show in Duluth, Georgia on 9/30. www.ultimatebodiesbycarlos.com (promotor); and, the SNBF/WNSO-FAME Nationals on 10/7 in Marietta, Georgia. www.snbf.com. I am in the figure division in both, most likely "short" class.

My pre-contest diet is either very interesting to non-vegans, or a big fat yawn to us.

Good luck with your shows

Look forward to seeing some pics of you with your winners trophies

Hey, Good Luck, Heather! You looked so great last pictures, I'm sure you'll do it!

Now, get those pics up for us

Can't wait to hear how you did....

let us know ASAP

At the NGA show last Saturday I placed 4th in Novice Figure (one class). There were 6 of us. There were about 10-12 in Overall-Short (and I crossed over b/c I paid so much for suits, so why not, right? ), but I didn't place there. (FYI: We all "place" somewhere, but "placing" lingo-wise means you placed Top 5 and get a trophy. I don't know where I placed in short-open yet, but I'll update. If I made Top 1/2, I'll fall over.) In case you're wondering, I was thrilled b/c this federation likes a hard physique, and--even more so--puts symmetry first, which is something I need a lot of work on. Anyhow, I really did not expect to place at all, so I was just tickled when I got called out, then got 4th v. 5th even! This show is/was a warmup for this Saturday 10/7 with SNBF--a federation that looks for symmetry (they all do), but looks at you more overall: stage presence, posing, conditioning, personality, beauty, etc.. The more freestyle posing, and the addition of a themewear round reflect this different emphasis. In fact, if you have great symmetry, you could get away with a mushy behind in one fed, but in another have a thicker waist and great stage presence, and win. It's good to try out a bunch of different feds for this reason, and see what you like and where you fit it (which could change as your physique and preferences do). Right now, my bod is better suited to the show this weekend versus last.

I'm extra-psyched for this weekend b/c I get to do a routine/themewear round, and b/c my trainer is "dialing me in" for this show. This means she's doing her best to peak my current physique. So I ought to come in much harder for this show than last. I got to be on the Fat Bastard meal plan (just "refed", or loaded, on starches, fats, whatever) all day yesterday, so I feel like a gas-filled swamp at the moment, and I look pregnant. Today, Tueday, and Wednesday I'm on protein only. And I mean "only". No veggies either. So it's salty tofu--and lots of it, lots of water, cardio "just to sweat"--no intervals, and nasty long drawn out giant sets hitting every body part every day for 3 days. After I send pics Wed night, my trainer will decide how to proceed with water/sodium depletion, carb up, etc., for show.

http://www.futureprosphotos.com/The%20NGA%205th%20Annual%20Pro-%20Am

Click on women, I'm in the line up on page 1, and my individual shots are on pages 2 and 3. (coral pink bikini, I'm all the way to your right in the line up, #4)

you look completely fabulous! your hard work shows! congrats and let us know how the really hard core stuff and this weekend goes!

Thanks Princessbee! So far, so good. Good thing I like tofu. Although, by Wednesday I may never want to see it again! I will keep you posted. I can already say that my body is starting to pull in from the protein only + water, in spite of the high sodium for these few days. I feel like a science experiment.

great pics! all the hard work is definitely paying off!

The show on 10/7 went great! I nailed my routine and I looked about as good as I can at this juncture in training and competing. I did not place top 5 (there were 9 of us in short, and 20 total in figure among the 3 height classes). Very tough class, national show, and competitors really "brought it". I actually thought I'd receive 5th place, but apparently the judges thought otherwise! LOL So, no hardware this time out, but I had a blast and was really proud of what I did. Judge feedback included: "lean out legs/abs more"; "great stage presence/nice smile"; "how do you do this as a vegan?" Next show 4/7/07, so I'm working on my strategy to ease out of comp dieting and recover my metabolism. I've already been back in the gym as of yesterday! I feel like doo-doo from the post-comp binge still, however. I'm glad to be tightening that up a bit for the ease-out phase. Thanks for all of the support! (I was sure to mention VBB.com in my bio during the show!)

Off season plan is to continue to lean out trouble spots, but particularly to build my shoulders and back to create a waist for me. I'll probably have a tighter off season diet and/or start dieting earlier for the next show than most competitors due to the vegan thing, and needing to drop more bodyfat still.

Thanks for the update. Great job. I'm so glad there are vegan athletes out there on stage. I haven't competed in months and others are taking breaks, so we're always excited to hear how you do, since you're our only athlete putting it all on stage right now.

I'll get in touch again soon, but keep up the great work.

Yes, good job! And it's always nice to have feedback from the judges. Cool they knew you're vegan

Keep it up and keep us informed

Peace,

Daywalker