2011 marks a departure from endurance sport. My background is in swimming (I’ve swum the English Channel twice), triathlon and running. There’s plenty on this blog about my adventures in all those sports – have a search or look at the Channel swimming page if you’re interested.
This year I decided to step way outside my comfort zone and challenge myself on every level. I’m currently training for a Physique competition (a category of bodybuilding). Here are the shows I’ve earmarked:
- 3 July, BNBF Welsh (report)
- 11 September, NPA South East (report
- 18 September, BNBF British report
- 23 October, NPA British Finals report
BNBF (British Natural Bodybuilding Federation) (turn sound down!)
NPA (Natural Physique Association)
[...] weights (just as well really!) and my long-time love of weight training is what attracted me to this year’s challenge. But, as an endurance athlete, I naturally have an affinity for cardio, too, and I do like running [...]
[...] 12 weeks out from my comp, I’m not really in a position to eat takeout curry (ghee whizz), but that doesn’t mean [...]
[...] supp with that? As most of you know, I come from a triathlon/multisport background (this bodybuilding thing is all very new to me!) I also write for triathlon magazines (with my journalism hat on). Given [...]
[...] supp with that? As most of you know, I come from a triathlon/multisport background (this bodybuilding thing is all very new to me!) I also write for triathlon magazines (with my journalism hat on). Given [...]
[...] as my competition draws closer, I’ve started to cut the amount of carbs I eat (typically putting them at [...]
[...] also ridden there. Not this year (no such long cardio for me, certainly not with 7 weeks to go til my comp). Today had a rather unusual ending: being interviewed by the BBC! This is not something which [...]
[...] de rigeur, I decided to prep all my food for the weekend and bring it with me. At 6 weeks out from my comp, I am in the mood for complete and utter compliance. If I can’t test my organisational skills [...]
[...] intensity interval training) as my second training session of the day. At just 18 days out from my comp, I consider it a small victory if I do intervals, let alone high intensity ones, but nevertheless I [...]
[...] I knew that, with 20 days to go til my first physique comp, I couldn’t afford to eat outside of my plan. Sorry if that sounds terribly dreary. But [...]
I love the site & the information. I have one challenge for you if you don’t mind. I’m a coeliac, with intolerance’s to all dairy, nuts, most seeds, carrot, cucumber, parsley. (can you tell I have a leaky gut) what recipes could you recommend on a cheat day?
Hello lovely! Gosh, i don’t know – I should point out that I don’t do a lot of recipe posts and don’t consider myself any kind of nutritional expert (except – perhaps – for myself). I’ll ask around. In the meantime, when you say a cheat, what are the purposes of your cheats? Refeeds (in which case do you look to prioritise carbs or fats)? Or more a “headspace” kind of cheat? What do you have at the mo – or do you not? By the way, I just ordered that meat… can’t wait for it to arrive! YUM YUM!
PS Coeliac means you have to avoid all grains, correct? And/or gluten? If that’s correct, have you taken a look at Kelly Rennie’s stuff (https://www.facebook.com/kellyrennieFitnessModel) – she doesn’t do grains, and produces a lot of recipes (http://www.kellyrennie.com/category/recipes/) (she has a book which is on offer at the mo actually – http://www.kellyrennie.com/shop/healthy-life-cookbook/)
Right, I’ve asked someone who bakes regularly for her sister (who avoids grains and gluten) and she suggests either of these:
- This chocolate pudding recipe is fab (I have a feeling it’d be AMAZING made with Kara coconut milk) http://www.hastalavegan.com/2009/08/super-easy-chocolate-pudding.html
- These brownies are also fabulous, and because there’s such a small amount of flour, Doves Farm gluten-free flour works perfectly. I replace butter with Pure dairy-free spread in all baking. http://appleandspice.blogspot.com/2011/05/gooey-chewy-cocoa-brownies.html
Either of those any good?
[...] to say, I can’t so much as nibble one atom of any of these til after my comps. Everything’s gone in the “delayed gratification” bag. Yes, it actually exists [...]
[...] the night before my next comp – the NPA (Natural Bodybuilding Association) South East championships and, since I’m at [...]
[...] musings, on (almost) the eve of my fourth and final comp of the year, and (almost) the end of my 2011 competitive season. In no particular [...]