Random musings, 48 hours out

Less than 48 hours til the NPA Final. In fact, in 48 hours, I predict I’ll be all done and sitting in the audience cheering on the rest of the competitors. Whilst eating —insert current craving here— (today: corned beef sandwiches. Yes, really.)

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Friday of peak week is usually my favourite day. Of peak week. Perhaps of prep as a whole? Why? It’s restful, relaxing, time to reflect.

I don’t train. Carbs are back in my world. I usually take the day off work and, after walking the dog and prepping vast amounts of sweet potatoes and fish for the following 48 hours (I don’t fancy firing up the oven every time I need a serving of potato…), I just chill.

I wander into town. I buy the things I’ve been drooling over for months, knowing I’ll be eating them in 48 hours. I sit in a squishy chair in a coffee shop and read, or journal, or watch the world go by.

Today’s 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 order.

What have I done?!
Whatever the result on Sunday, I have already achieved far more than I set out to and far more than I expected to. More, too, than I thought I was capable of in my first year of competing. I thought I’d only do one comp. Then I realised there were two associations, so I thought I’d do two. Never in a million years did I think I’d reach one let alone two Finals. As it turns out, all these months later, being a British Finalist twice over in my first year is what I’ve achieved.

Progress… step by step, rep by rep
Every competition I do means I’ve taken myself to a new level. Even if I come dead last on Sunday, it’s not dead last to me. It’s further than I was before. Any placing in a Final is a step onwards, because it’s a reflection of more hard work, more training, more dieting, more prep.

A year-long experiment (ongoing!)
This entire year has been an experiment. A guessing-game much of the time. A collection of research, ideas, plans and fine-tunings. It’s been absolutely fascinating and I’ve learned so much, about nutrition and training, about my body and my mind, about the limits I can take myself to and how much I can achieve. The competitions – those brief moments on stage – are really a very small part of it all. The most exciting part, for sure, and the part involving the sparkliest bikini! But just the tip of the iceberg. Most of it is stuff only I really know, and most of it is stuff I can’t even articulate or reflect upon yet.

“That’ll do, Pig”
I am proud. Not prideful, but extremely proud of myself. There, I’ve said it. I don’t often (if ever!) give myself credit or simply say “well done. You did great.” But I did. We’re not even there yet, but I hereby pat myself on the back and say “well done, you did great.” Don’t misunderstand me, my prep has been far from perfect. But I’m proud of how far I’ve come, what I’ve learned and how I’ve applied it.

Marbles? Check!
I’m proud, too, of the fact that I’ve gone through almost a year of prep without letting it send me insane. Those of you out there who have competed, you know how hard it is. The rest of you have some idea. It’s very easy to let prep – particularly the diet side of things – mess with your mind. I promised myself very early on I would not let this happen. Life’s too short, health is too precious. The moment it stopped becoming fun, I’d stop (believe me I came very close, on more than one occasion!)

So, for that reason, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve slipped up on my diet, given into cravings and eaten well outside my plan on some days. I’ve always been honest with myself and with my coach. I’ve never been ashamed, guilty, or dashed out to do extra cardio. I’m proud that I think I know myself and my body well enough to know when to say “shut up and eat the broccoli” and when to say “you’re right. Let’s have a bowl of that.” I’d rather get on stage 90% in shape physically and 100% in shape mentally, than 100% “shredded” if that means shredding my mind as well as my body. After all, time on stage is very short. Time at home, at work and being happy in my own self represents a far bigger portion of my life. In short, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve got through a long and tough prep, being strict enough to get great results without sending myself mad. I’m happy. That’s the main thing, and the thing which will still matter on Monday, trophy or no trophy.

I’m sure there was more I had to say, but that’s probably enough. To end on a lighter note, I must now go and scrub myself all over and get busy with a disposable razor. Tanning starts soon!

Random musings, 48 hours out is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

3 sleeps! (Or, how you know it’s nearly showtime)

Well, hello! This post is brought to you by carbohydrates. Life is good.

So, just three days to go til the NPA Final. I’m feeling good, on track and – most importantly – EXCITED! I just can not wait. It’s going to be such fun and I can’t wait to get on that stage, pose for the audience, give my supporters something to cheer for and have a ball!

I’ve now done my final gym session, and everything is “the last” this and “the last” that. We are definitely on countdown to showtime. I thought I’d walk you through a few things I see during my day which really bring that home to me:

Recycling bin – the result of peak week – many, many water bottles and an empty bottle of fish oil. (Next week I predict this bin will look somewhat different )

Wedding and engagement rings firmly on my hand, rather than in a “very memorable” (yeah right) place around the house. I don’t wear them when I lift weights, because I don’t want to scratch them any more than I already have (and they give me worse callouses than I already have). Recently, I’ve barely worn them. (Please excuse the Raynaud’s)

Bannisters. Empty! What’s usually there? My gym back, loaded and ready to go at all times. It is now upstairs.

I’ve been doing lots of posing practice, and so has thefitdog. He can only really do a front doggle bicep, and even that needs… some work.

Yesterday on Twitter I mentioned an “11/11/11″ treadmill interval session I do, courtesy of Ben the PT. To explain: after you’ve warmed up (I walk fast on the steepest incline), turn the treadmill up to 11% incline and 11kph. Then do the following for 11 minutes:
15 seconds run
15 seconds where you straddle the treadmill and rest (this takes some practice but if I can do it, you can. I’m a complete klutz)
repeat until 11 mins are up
Then cool down (again, I walk at about 5kph and 15% incline).

Ben says you can do 12/12/12 and he’s even had someone do 14/14/14. Good for them. Perhaps their legs are longer than mine.

So, that’s more or less it. I waved bye-bye to the gym today

(Or was it….)

Tomorrow I’ll walk, rest, eat more carbs, pop into town for a wander about, pose and practice my routine.

Saturday is much of the same, without the town bit and with extra Sister. Yep, my Sister is coming up for the weekend and I can’t wait!

3 sleeps! (Or, how you know it’s nearly showtime) is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Final peak week for the final Final (finally!)

Hello!

Well here we are in “peak week” - the final week of contest prep. This time next week we’ll be partway through the NPA Final and the season will be almost over.

I don’t have a lot to update you with… I’m approaching peak week the same way I have for all my other comps so far this year: carb deplete followed by a carb-up, water manipulation and lots of chilling out (hopefully!)

I won’t lie, I feel pretty rubbish, which is probably a “good” sign in that it shows my body is responding to those final dietary tweaks. It’s been a long season, particularly for someone who thought they’d do one show and that would be it! I can’t believe here we are in October and I’m still prepping and dieting!

I’m training up until Thursday. Friday will be my traditional “wander into town, buy treats to eat after the show, sit in a cafe nursing a hot drink and journalling in my training diary”. I’m looking forward to it already.

How am I feeling?
I never really know how to answer this question but, this time round, I’m finding it even harder. I just don’t know what to expect from Sunday’s show, I’m finding it increasingly more difficult to tell whether or not I’m looking as I should a week out, and I’m just tired. I know this week will change all that: I’ve got the week off work, so the pressure will be lifted and I’ll have time to reflect on the season, start imagining the show and really get excited. I know, too, that this week will bring about daily changes in my body, visual rewards which will spur me on and give me an extra spark of motivation. I’ve got a great support crew coming to Bedworth: my Mum and her husband, my sister and of course my husband. It will be a fun-filled, happy occasion and I can’t wait to step on stage again.

Knowing it will be the final time this year makes it even more special. I still can not believe I made it to not one but two British Finals in my first year of competing. The line-up for my category is immense, packed full of top-quality women who epitomise the highest level of natural bodybuilding. Just to stand on stage with them is a massive achievement for me. Every time I look at the list, I feel like a very small minnow swimming with big fish! (I was going to say sharks but they’re all very nice people!)

Then there are my feelings about the end of prep and transition into off-season. I’m torn. Prep is and has been hard, very very hard. Harder than I ever thought it would be and – I honestly think – the hardest thing I’ve done in sport (this from someone who’s swum the English Channel twice). It’s hard on your body, it’s hard on your mind. It’s hard on those around you (thank you, you know who you are…) It’s hard on relationships, work, sleep, social life. It really does affect everything. Bodybuilding prep is there 24/7. It’s not like any other sport I know.

So, for that and lots of other reasons, I am looking forward to prep being over. I have a list of things I want to eat (if I write them down, I don’t obsess about them any more), although I’m sure I’ll only eat a few of them (Pop Tarts? Why do I want Pop Tarts? I’m pretty sure I’ve never even eaten one.) I want to catch up on my social life, I want to go out to eat with my husband. I want to bake, and cook, and eat with family and friends. I want to give my body a break and make some changes in training.

But, I know myself well enough to know that I’ll miss prep in a way. I’ll miss the routine, I’ll miss the organisational side of it and, of course, I’ll miss the results. It would be great to be able to stay in contest shape year-round, but of course it’s not sustainable (and hardly healthy). Have my cake and eat it, too? At this stage, I’ll settle just for eating it.

After my bodybuilding Q&A post, a couple more questions came in – thank you! Here are my answers:

“How does your stomach react to the bodybuilding diet, with high protein, veggies, etc? Have you noticed any increased gas, bloating, constipation, etc? I hear the diet can be tough on your GI system.”

Hm, I don’t know! I’ve been eating this way for a year now, and on an actual prep/cutting diet for much of that. I don’t think I’ve reacted badly to it, although there are too many variables to be able to say. I do get a bit of bloating if I have too much protein powder (particularly whey) but I don’t think it’s the protein which bloats me, as I don’t get it from fish and meat. Sorry – what a useless answer! One thing I can tell you is that I feel great on this kind of eating – lots of fresh veggies (raw, stir fried, baked, roasted) and salads, a massive range of meats and fish. If I eat meat/fish and veg for breakfast, I feel great for the rest of the day. (Someone remind me of this next week…!)

“What tips would you give to someone competing for the first time?”

I would say ask someone a lot more experienced than me! Seriously, I could not and would not have got to this stage had it not been for my coach Kat Millar and various other kind souls who have helped me, advised me, given me feedback and taught me so much. Annie Uelese, I’m looking at you! So my advice would probably be something like:

- ask yourself why you want to do it? Because it’s going to get tough and you’ll need a reason which resonates with you.
- set yourself some rules. Someone outside the sport suggested this to me and it is very wise. Whether that’s “stay natural”, or whether that’s “don’t take my calories below 1600 a day” or “don’t do two cardio sessions a day”. Whatever is important to you, make the rules, write them somewhere and stick to them.
- find a coach, ideally someone who has competed and who knows the association/federation you’ll be competing with, so they’ll have some idea of what’s what, what the judges are likely to want from you, and little things like how the shows are run, how long your routine should be etc. You can find all that out yourself but when you first get into prep it’s just overwhelming. Having someone you can just ask if so comforting.
- get a great support system around you. My husband should probably be knighted or sainted (although I think he has to be dead for the latter so let’s say knighted!). Being the partner of a prepping bodybuilder is probably worse than being the athlete. I can’t imagine what prep must be like if you have no support or, worse, people around you who are negative about it.
- get a plan in place: identify a show to enter, count backwards, mark the weeks on your kitchen calendar and get going!

Final peak week for the final Final (finally!) is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

17 days of prep left to go!

Hi all! Sorry I haven’t updated in a while. Work’s busy. Prep’s busy. Life (yes, I do have one!) has been pleasantly busy.

(See, I’m not always in gym kit! The little chap is my nephew, the larger chap is my husband)

But I owe you an update, and here is it!

I’m glad you liked my report on the BNBF Final. I’m still buzzing from the result, or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I still don’t think the result has sunk in! I’ve put my “lady” (this one’s called Tina, named after the female bodybuilding judge who came over to sit on the judging panel) with the others and found them all a home. I knew that strange shelf above our stairs was there for a reason!

So, what’s new? I’m now 17 days out from my final show of the year – the NPA British Final which will be held on 23rd October in Bedworth.

How am I feeling?
As always, a complete mixture of emotions and physical feelings too. Physically tired, emotionally exhausted yet enjoying bursts of energy (a PT session at 7:30am yesterday?) Loving prep, hating prep. Counting the days until it’s over, and already missing it. Looking forward to show day, and looking forward to being able to indulge aspects of real life which I’ve had to put on hold. More than anything, I can’t wait to get on stage again and do it all one last time (this year!) Whenever I think about being on stage, particularly doing my routine, I get goosebumps. This will be the final show this year for me and I want to give it my all, enjoy every moment (of the entire day) and go out on a high note: celebratory, positive and happy. That’s my goal for the NPA show!

How’s the diet?
Not a lot has changed from my other preps to be honest, although I think each one is a little stricter and tighter simply because I don’t bother to reintroduce things after each show only to take them away again. For instance, I was still eating dairy at this stage before my first show (I believe). But I never did bother to bring it back in again (seemed a bit of a faff only to take it out again after a few weeks), so I’ve now been sans-dairy for a good few months. I’m really enjoying my exotic meats (what can I say – some women buy shoes. I buy springbok steaks) and quality grass-fed beef. Meat and veg for breakfast? Yes please!

What’s the training?
Grrrrreat! I love the training and never struggle with that side of things. It’s the dieting which is toughest for me. I’m still lifting heavy heavy heavy. I’m focusing on legs and lats (as per judges’ feedback). For cardio, I’m walking the dog (we walk quickly!) and doing some interval-type training either by myself or with a PT at my gym. Sometimes, I’ll pop my weighted vest on and hop on the cardio machines for 20 or 30 minutes, but mostly I look to my diet to take care of fat loss, and to my training for muscle building/maintenance.

Got any piccies?
Um, no. I did take one of me at the gym the other day but it was just to show my coach. It was of me crying. Yes, I am that sad – in both meanings of the word. I was so very exhausted that day that I sat down and cried in the gym. And then took a picture of myself. I’m not sure which one of those two sentences is more tragic!

I have taught my dog to do a couple of bodybuilding poses (although they both look the same, to be honest, “front relaxed” is just “front double bicep” with extra barking). I will endeavour to take a picture, or a video.

Off-topic but speaking of dogs, here’s one of my favourite recent pics. Our dog is some sort of cross (any guesses? tell me in the comments section). Whatever he is (or isn’t), the way he looks is enough to make some people pick up their dogs when they see him coming, or pull their small children out of the way. It infuriates me. Because he’s as soft as butter, as evidenced by this photo of him allowing my 13-month-old nephew to take his beloved football from him in the middle of a game of ball.

Well what have you got for us then?
How about an interesting read from my homeslice Lucy Oakman, who won the Figure class at the BNBF Welsh (where we both qualified for the Final) and then took 2nd in her class at the Final? She’s one of my lovely new bodybuilding friends and I’d like you to read her story. Feel free to leave a comment – it’s her first blog post and I think she’d appreciate the feedback.

Also, how about an insight into another lady’s first year of female bodybuilding? I’m sure you’ve seen press reports of Jodie Marsh’s first competitive foray. Unsurprisingly, the stuff in the newspapers is full of hyperbole at best, horribly misquoted at worst. I’m not alone in really liking this bit of footage, from Jodie’s interview on This Morning (a daily TV show here in the UK). She answered all the questions (most of which we all come across on a regular basis!) really well and what I loved most is that she is obviously completely in love with the sport. Check out her massive smile when she talks about getting a trophy.

Stay tuned for:
- videos of a mixed-breed rescue dog doing bodybuilding poses
- recipes using GOOD Hemp protein powder (after my comp!)
- videos detailing some of my peak week
- show report from the NPA Final
- anything you guys specifically request – ask in the comments and I’ll do my best to deliver

Well, that’s about all from me. I’m off into London today to bid farewell say see you again soon! to my coach, Kat, who’s off on her travels before relocating to the other side of the world. I hate goodbyes, so I refuse to let this be a goodbye. It will simply become an excellent excuse for me to finally visit that part of the world. And, in the meantime, thank goodness for Skype. Let me just say here that I am indebted to Kat for all that she’s done for me over the past year. She’s taught me more than I thought it possible to learn and has become a true and very valuable friend. Safe travels, Kat!

17 days of prep left to go! is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Pics and videos from NPA South East championships

Hello!

I owe you a show report from Sunday’s bodybuilding show, where I was delighted/overwhelmed/shocked to win my class. It’s coming, I promise, but I’m in the last few days of prep for this Sunday’s BNBF Final and struggling to gather my thoughts. Coherent ones, anyway.

So, in the meantime, here are some pictures and videos which will give you a flavour of the day.

Me and my lovely husband <3

Some of my wonderful family

One last round of posing in the pump-up area

Backstage watching the other competitors’ routines

Rear double bicep from the pose-down

One, two and three – we all got an invitation to the NPA’s British Finals in October. See you there, ladies?

My winner’s pose (thanks to Fivos Photography)

In shock – Best Presentation (cup) & Ladies Physique winner (trophy)

Love my beautiful trophy!

Eating veg out of my cup – well, it’s got to be done, hasn’t it? (Note the tear-stained makeup – yep, I got off stage and promptly cried all over my coach – and, I think, a complete stranger too!?)

“You look just like my Auntie Nic, only her face isn’t that colour…”

And some videos:

Our pose-down

Me after my win, high on adrenalin!

My lovely coach – happy for me!

If there’s anything in particular you want my show report to cover, please leave a comment. It might help me get started!

Pics and videos from NPA South East championships is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

NPA South East – my second bodybuilding comp

A full write-up with pics is coming… But I have the BNBF Final in just 6 days, so lots to do!

But I wanted to check in and let you all know…

I WON!

Yesterday’s NPA South East was my second bodybuilding competition and, in a class of five, I won first place and got Best Presentation. I was genuinely shocked and surprised to win. I don’t think it has sunk in yet. It means so much to have been placed first by the judges in a class with four other competitors who all brought a great standard to the stage, had worked hard to get there and who continued to work hard as we posed and did our routines.

I was hoping just to place top three (I had a lot of family in the crowd and wanted to make it worth their while and thank them!) I could only dream of winning. So this result… has blown me away.

I will post a longer write-up when it’s sunk in and when I have some photos and videos for you.

For now, here’s one somebody put on Facebook

And one of my trophies which I took last night when we got home. (As an aside, I’ve always wanted a cup – I said, if I got one, I’d eat my breakfast out of it. It will be a while yet before oats are back on my breakfast menu but you can sure that photo is coming!)

Thank you all so much for watching, reading and supporting.

Here’s to the BNBF Final on Sunday – and the NPA Final in October!

NPA South East – my second bodybuilding comp is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

The night before comp

Well, hi!

It’s the night before my next comp – the NPA (Natural Bodybuilding Association) South East championships and, since I’m at home rather than in a hotel, I thought I’d check in.

A few random thoughts, since I’m not hugely coherent at this stage in my prep:

1) An explanation of the comps I’m doing. As you may be aware, there is natural bodybuilding, and assisted. I am natural. In this country, there are two associations/federations for natural competitions. One is the BNBF (British Natural Bodybuilding Federation) – it was their Welsh show which I did in July and their Finals which I’m doing next Sunday. The other is the NPA and I’m doing their South East qualifier tomorrow. I haven’t done an NPA show before, but my coach Kat Millar has – she won their Midland show last month and, last year, came second in their Finals.

2) I’m sitting here with one coat of tan (one of three, probably), my hair blow-dried and in rollers, and nail varnish on my fingers AND toes. Those of you who know me in real life know those are all pretty unusual for me. I’m not a girly-girl and can’t often be bothered to faff with nails and hair. So, it amuses me more than a bit to think that bodybuilding (“won’t you end up looking like a man?”) is the one thing which turns me into a well-groomed girly.

(My husband, it turns out, is a pretty damn good tanner-upper-er!)

3) When you’re deep in contest prep and most of your meals for the past week or so have involved lots of repetition, plain tastes and the same textures, it’s amazing how the little things can cause great joy! I prepped my food for tomorrow earlier on. Whilst I can’t go crazy after the comp and have cakes and sweets, etc, like a lot of competitors will do (because the BNBF Final is only a week away!), coach Kat has said I can have a treat or two as long as it’s not sugary or anything which will cause me any stomach upset (because I need to be back in the gym on Monday training hard). So, the things I prepped weren’t sugary treats, or junk food, or anything exciting at all. Except they were to me, because they weren’t spinach, or fish, or sweet potatoes. It’s amazing how a little bit of deprivation can make even boring things seem wildly exciting!

4) How am I feeling? I asked my husband what I should blog about and he said “how you’re feeling”. Trouble is, I’m not sure! I am eager and excited to get up on stage again: I think my posing has improved, I think I’ve put some size on, and I think my conditioning is as good if not better than last time. And I love to be on stage! I’m also really looking forward to seeing lots of my lovely new bodybuilding friends tomorrow. I’m nervous, yes, but it’s nervous excitement. I know I’ve worked hard and prepped well, and all I can do is pose as hard as I can, do my routine to the best of my ability and smile! My aim is to enjoy myself, to get some more experience and to do myself and my supporters proud. Talking of supporters, I’m perhaps most excited about the fact that lots of my family can come along tomorrow (the show is in my home county). Including this cute guy:


(He does a mean front-double baby-bicep, by the way.)

and thefitmum

and lots of others! Thank you so much for coming to support me, it means a lot!

Well, with that, I think it’s time for a bit more fish and sweet potato… and another coat of tan…

Thanks for reading! Oh – to those of you who would normally expect texts, Facebook updates or Tweets from me, I won’t be able to do any of those. I chose tonight to swap my SIM (!) and so my phone is out of action for a day or so. Doh!

The night before comp is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

A day in the life… bodybuilding prep in pics

Just three days to go til I next step on stage – at the NPA South East championships in my home town of Kent (big up da Kent masseev innit brah!*)

I thought you might like a quick skip through my day – or parts of it, at least – in pics.

Train, pose, routine practice….

Replace the spinach with other greens, the turkey with fish/red meat/salmon/chicken and you have my eats all day long

Only my husband and my coach knows what’s in this secret concoction. Only I know how it tastes… particularly after I cut sweeteners from my diet…

Very exciting delivery!

Another exciting delivery! Thank you, GOOD Hemp Nutrition!

And… I’m off!

(*I have no idea what I just said. Nor why.)

A day in the life… bodybuilding prep in pics is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

14 days to go – update

14 days (13 if we don’t count today) til the BNBF British Final. And only 7 (6?) til I next compete – I’m doing the NPA South East a week today.

Prep is just ticking along and things are moving in the right direction… I think… it’s really very hard to tell when you’re the one immersed in it!

I told you yesterday that I got me a sponsor. I’ve also got me a gym-buddy (at weekends anyway). My lovely hubby! Yay! He used to do a lot of weight training himself back in the day (his main sport is now mountain biking) but he’s already said he’ll come to the gym with me a few times a week next year. He’s started already and I must say it is great to have him with me, both for the company, the practical help of a spotter and the invaluable help of having him able to photograph/video my posing and routine. It’s so useful to actually be able to see what I’m doing!

TRAINING
I’m still doing all my weights sessions but have cut my cardio for these final two weeks. I can do a bit if I have the energy but at this stage we’d rather I channel any extra energy (ha) into maintaining muscle mass. My diet takes care of fatloss. So, I still do interval-type cardio a few times a week, but plyometrics are now out as I’m just too tired to do them safely enough.

Today, husband and I trained chest and biceps. Here’s what we did:

Mobilisation warm up
Bench press (flat) – Olympic bar + 25kg, 27.5kg, 25kg
Bench press (decline) – Olympic bar + 25kg, 27.5kg, 25kg
Bench press (incline using the Smith) – 35kg, 32.5kg, 30kg
Single-arm dumbbell press (flat, decline, incline, flat) using 22kg dumbbell
Superset of bicep hammer curls (using 12kgs) and decline dumbbell flyes (using 16kgs)
Abs (fab to have a partner for ab work as I can do lots of different stuff)
Posing and routine

I’m pretty pleased with the weights I’m pushing whilst in a deficit and two weeks out from comp!

Phew!

DIET
After all that I came home and ate this:

That would be an eggwhite “crepe” (just egg whites cooked in a little coconut oil) with a mix of sauteed sweet potato and king prawns on top, seasoned with plenty of chillies from my garden no less. Hit the spot!

POSING
Is going OK – I practice every day at least once – here are a couple of photos (from a very bright squash court so excuse the washed-out lighting)

ROUTINE
Is fab! Well, I think so anyway!

I won’t be doing a traditional “peak week” for next week’s NPA show as my goal at the moment is the BNBF Finals, so I can’t do anything which might jeopardise that. So I’ll be more or less training and dieting right through the NPA show, rather than doing anything different this week. I’ve no idea what that will mean for how I’ll look! Hopefully I’ll still come in looking OK. There are 5 in my class at the NPA show so it’s by no means a given that I’ll place top 3!

One last funny which might amuse the bodybuilders amongst you. thefitdog was a little poorly yesterday so we didn’t feed him for the day to give his stomach a chance to recover. What was his first meal this morning? Oats cooked in water and leftover bits of grass-fed sirloin steak. Ha ha! Only the dog of a bodybuilder would get that kind of meal. Sounds like something I might eat!

Well, that’s about it from me! Time for lunch – yippee! Hope you’re all having a lovely weekend.

14 days to go – update is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Competition advice from Claire Harper – and 5 Smartshakes to win!

Today I interviewed Figure and Fitness Model competitor Claire Harper for a feature in the UK Muscle and Fitness magazine (keep your eyes peeled for the printed interview). Claire was a wonderful interviewee: bubbly, chatty and informative. The interview – along with Tauseef’s photos – is going to be great!

Claire has a refreshing and down-to-earth approach to training and nutrition and I know you’ll all be interested in what she has to say, so do keep an eye out for the interview.

After I’d interviewed her for the magazine, I asked her a few questions of my own. Claire – who distributes SmartShake in the UK – generously offered a giveaway to five readers (not limited to UK readers!) – see the end of this post for details and please do enter! (I love mine!)

Claire is a successful Figure competitor who has competed in BNBF, NPA and NABBA. She’s competed for the past three years, doing an incredible eight shows in her second year of competing – and placing first or second in them all!

She also won Fame International’s 2010 World Fitness Model out in Las Vegas and is the current World Champion.

Claire Harper’s advice for the BNBF Finals

TheFitWriter: Claire, you’ve competed at the BNBF Finals (in Figure, whereas I’m Physique). What advice have you got for me in the remaining weeks?

Claire Harper: You’ll be up against stiff competition at the Finals – all the women there will have come first or second at their qualifiers, as you know. But competition makes it even more worthwhile! When you’re up against other good-quality women and place (or win!), that gives you a proper buzz.

TFW: I compete in Physique and I know you have a lot of Physique-competitor friends. What do you think of the category?

CH: I think Physique is great. It needs more exposure – better exposure. What really bugs me is when people who don’t know any better assume that Physique women – “female bodybuilders” – will look like men. That’s just not the case (as we know from your pictures!) I’ve yet to meet a manly looking Physique girl! Yes, you lot diet hard to look lean, but you still look feminine.

TFW: Hear, hear! OK so what advice do you have for me in the remaining nine weeks (which will fly by I’m sure)?

CH: Keep posing regularly. Really keep on top of this, it will make you so much sharper. Get the DVD of your show and watch it over and over to critique yourself. Film your posing and routine so you can really nail it. Get your routine sorted ASAP. Other than that, just keep it safe and simple. Don’t do anything stupid now!

Don’t listen to too many people and don’t look at what’s happening at the other qualifiers too much. Lots of people will be commenting on the Finalists, but a lot can happen between now and September. Just worry about yourself and not what everyone else is doing. Don’t get sidetracked. As you know, what happens on the day can totally change everything! A competitor can have the best physique there but, if their posing is wrong, or their routine doesn’t suit them, it can lose them a place or more. So, really hammer the presentation side of things.

And, two weeks out, when you think you can’t do it any more and your brain is telling you not to bother turning up, ignore what your head tells you. Listen to only one person – someone you really trust – not yourself!

TFW: That’s amazing advice, thank you. What can I expect on the day? What do you remember of the BNBF Finals?

CH: The BNBF Finals are extremely organised – a competitor couldn’t ask for better – but, still, expect to be waiting around. No matter how long the day is, stay calm. Naturally, expect nerves to kick in, but use them to your advantage, as a booster to wow the crowd. The BNBF Finals are always sold out and the crowd is fantastic, so feed off that. It’s an amazing experience! I wish you the best of luck.

Thank you, Claire! What a lovely interviewee. Hopefully we’ll get to meet (and train?) together soon

FIVE SmartShake shakers to give away – we’ll post worldwide…

As well as competing, working as a sponsored athlete (Reflex Nutrition and Grenade fat burner) and running a studio, Claire also distributes SmartShake in the UK. SmartShake is a really fun and innovative type of drinks bottles/shaker in the funkiest colours, with two compartments in the bottom to hold protein powder, BCAAs, tablets, keys or jewellery. Once you’ve got one, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. If I’d had my SmartShake with me, the engagement ring near-disaster of peak week wouldn’t have happened!

Since the latest version of SmartShake shakers come in five colours, Claire has generously agreed to give not one but FIVE readers a SmartShake each. And she’s said she’ll post to anywhere in the world! So, no matter where you’re reading this from, you can enter for your chance to win one of these fab shakers.

For your chance of winning one of five v2 SmartShake super-shakers, simply tell me (in the comments section of this post): what would you keep in the secret screw-tight section in the bottom of the SmartShake? Wedding ring? Favourite supplement? Front-door key? Vitamins? Nuts? … or something really bizarre and random?

Entries will close at midnight GMT on Sunday 17th July and I’ll announce winners (chosen at random) the following day.

Claire blogs here, is on Facebook here and Tweets from here!

Competition advice from Claire Harper – and 5 Smartshakes to win! is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.