Last year I started my first ever competition season off with two competitions on back to back Saturdays. This wasn't entirely smart but in the world of competing we don't have the luxury of choosing the dates of our competitions.
Any competitor will tell you that the final week before competition can be hell due to carb cutting and water and diet restrictions. Pair this with lack of sleep from traveling, a change of environment and competition nerves and you've got a recipe for physical break down.
A competitors competition day can start as early as four am with hair and make up appointments and will last well into the evening past midnight. Training and eating clean is part of a balanced healthy lifestyle but the actual competition weekend isn't healthy by any means. We do what it takes to look our best on stage even if that means drinking next to no water for several days and eating very little.
My first competition was a complete physical shock to the system which left me severely fatigued and run down. I didn't even have time to recover from the first competition and I was already preparing for the second.
I'm a healthy person with a strong immune system who rarely ever gets colds or flus. Despite my great health, the day after my second competition I came down with the worst flu I've ever had in my entire life. My body ached, I had a fever, chills, sore throat and extreme fatigue. This flu was relentless and persisted for three weeks; it was so severe no meds helped and I literally lived on the couch. During this time I was unable to train and ate next to nothing... the end result was me losing 13 pounds of muscle which was detrimental to my competition physique.
I finally started to recover and gain strength one week out from the Canadian Nationals. I remember looking in the mirror and feeling completely devastated and mortified. All of those weeks of hard training completely lost; I now looked anorexic! The defining moment was fast approaching. I knew one week out from competition that the moment I had trained for had been completely robbed from me by a distractible flu that I didn't even see coming. Competitors think simply; eat, train, sleep, eat, train, sleep... we train our bodies to be strong and we feel indestructible; no where in our minds do we ever factor in possibly getting sick. I was blindsided and naive and totally deserved this eyeopener for taking my health for granted and pushing my body beyond its limits. Looking back now I realize all of the tell tale signs warning me of the possible end result of exhaustion and illness which I chose to ignore. Balance; the key is always balance, which is what I now strive for constantly.
One week out from Nationals I still had limited energy and hardly any appetite. In a desperate attempt to pack the muscle back on and selvage the remainder of the season I was advised to increase my protein intake and recommended to find a suitable protein powder to aid in this matter. I started my search already feeling hopeless due to all of my food allergies. I'm unable to have egg, whey, casein and soy protein. In the past I have tried rice and pea protein and found them to be quite nasty!
I went to a local supplement store and was alarmed to hear about a new type of protein powder on the market; beef protein powder! I bought a container of Carnivor chocolate flavoured beef protein powder by MuscleMeds. Every time I experiment with a new protein powder I put it through the ultimate test and mix a serving with water. Boy did I have my mind blown when I tried this with my new beef protein powder! It was so delicious that I instantly became a Carnivor junky :) For four weeks I had two to three servings a day combined with my regular diet and to my astonishment I recovered my physique. I honestly don't know what I would have done had I not discovered this product, it's truly been life changing for me :D I'm such a huge believer in this product that I highly recommend it to everyone and have converted several friends over to Carnivor.
Food allergies and diet restricting diseases/conditions are becoming more common every year. A lot of supplement companies don't realize the huge market (including people such as myself) that need supplementation that just isn't there. MuscleMeds was truly on to something when they created this product; its a perfect source of high protein with zero fat, zero cholesterol and zero sugar and it tastes amazing even when mixed with only water!
Physically I wouldn't be the woman I am today without Carnivor.....
I'm forever grateful for this product =)
I'm currently 9 weeks out from my next competition which means that strict dreadful diet season has officially began. I often have frustrated people ask me about my workout regimen because they claim they're busting their butts and not getting the results they desire. That's usually my cue to ask about their eating habits. What people don't realize is diet is a large portion of the overall picture. We're all beginners at one time or another and I remember and still occasionally feel overwhelmed by the slew of health and wellness information floating around. It's challenging to find your way and weed through the plethora of information accessible to us; what with fad diets, new exercise trends and the latest mystery supplements.
Back in the day I used to be the "skinny-fat girl"; I was slender with very little muscle mass and over 20% body fat. I had the idea that I would exercise and not eat! What I'm realizing more and more is that a lot of young girls tend to share this logic. I used to go the entire day without eating and then eat one large meal before bed. I don't know where in my brain this made sense and why I never thought about how unhealthy this plan was.
Up until one year ago my eating habits were still very poor; it's not that I ate junk food, I just never had an appetite or was always to busy to eat. For me the hardest part of competing is never the training and always the diet. I have no problem with eating clean healthy foods; it's the amount of food and how often that I have to eat that's the issue. I've had an entire year to work out the kinks and come up with a fail proof plan that works for me and should simplify anyones life.
Each day I eat six meals, I space them out approximately every two hours. I eat the same six meals seven days a week in the exact same order. I train six days a week and Sunday is always my off day which works out perfectly for my meal planning. I buy all of my groceries and cook, portion and freeze them for the upcoming week on Sunday. I've got a good system going and now know (through trial and error) which order to cook and portion my food in the shortest amount of time possible. It takes me two hours to cook and portion 42 meals :)
My diet consists of six different types of meat, very little fruit, brown rice, baked potatoes and lots of salad. I also drink at least a gallon of water each day; which is a major achievement for me because I used to go an entire day and drink only two cups of water! Again with my young inexperienced not so smart logic!
Your body is your temple and you only get one... It's our responsibility to preserve our health and treat our body great by feeding it the cleanest foods, drinking lots of water, getting proper rest and exercising regularly. We're not garbage disposals so why eat junk?!?! I've learned if you're good to your body in return it'll be good to you =)
I'm relatively new to the competitive fitness industry. For years it was a dream of mine to compete solely inspired by bodybuilding friends and fitness model Jamie Eason. I remember looking through fitness magazines thinking "If only I had the drive and knowledge to achieve those results". After several years of longing I decided to make my dreams a reality and began training only one short year ago on April 18th. I began and continue to train at Goodlife Fitness where one of the personal trainers suggested a local competition trainer. I knew at the time I didn't have the required knowledge to train and diet properly for a competition and needed to seek outside help. I picked a local trainer and started a new diet and fitness regimen and what a shock to the system that was! I will admit that the first 4 weeks were the hardest but I was determined and stuck with the plan. My trainer explained that he wanted me to compete at the upcoming ABBA Alberta Provincials in 9 weeks; I was freaking out due to the short time span. He assured me that I was a direct reflection of his training and he wouldn't allow me to step on stage if he didn't think I were ready. I've learned that we're our own worst critic and if my trainer deemed me ready and I felt otherwise I would pull the plug myself and not compete.
As the weeks rolled by I was surprised by my results and how much easier the diet and workout regimen was getting. Competition day came and there I was in the middle... I was nervous and excited; I was going to compete and I hadn't ever seen a competition! I took a deep breath and went for it :) I remember the day seeming endless but the overall outcome was a complete humbling shock! After 9 weeks of training I never expected to make top ten let alone place. It was such an invigorating feeling and I knew instantly that this sport was for me. I went on to compete in 4 more competitions totalling 5 competitions in four months; It was hectic and brutal but I loved it!
In the last year there were ups and downs and major personal health issues to overcome... I fought hard and survived. A year ago when I began training a veteran bodybuilder told me "after the next twelve weeks of training and competing you will no longer be who you are today, not just physically but mentally and emotionally". He was very accurate... I've gained more mental and emotional strength while training then physical. I am disciplined and can overcome any obstacle. I honestly believe that had I not started this journey a year ago I wouldn't have been able to conquer what I have in the last nine months.
I often get asked questions about my fitness journey and was encouraged to start a blog for my friends, fans and support system. It only took six months but here I am posting my first blog :) I will be updating my blog often so feel free to follow...
This is me...
This is my journey
One week out from Nationals I still had limited energy and hardly any appetite. In a desperate attempt to pack the muscle back on and selvage the remainder of the season I was advised to increase my protein intake and recommended to find a suitable protein powder to aid in this matter. I started my search already feeling hopeless due to all of my food allergies. I'm unable to have egg, whey, casein and soy protein. In the past I have tried rice and pea protein and found them to be quite nasty! 
I went to a local supplement store and was alarmed to hear about a new type of protein powder on the market; beef protein powder! I bought a container of Carnivor chocolate flavoured beef protein powder by MuscleMeds. Every time I experiment with a new protein powder I put it through the ultimate test and mix a serving with water. Boy did I have my mind blown when I tried this with my new beef protein powder! It was so delicious that I instantly became a Carnivor junky :) For four weeks I had two to three servings a day combined with my regular diet and to my astonishment I recovered my physique. I honestly don't know what I would have done had I not discovered this product, it's truly been life changing for me :D I'm such a huge believer in this product that I highly recommend it to everyone and have converted several friends over to Carnivor. 
