FItness competitors, Fitness passionnates, are there any registered here ??

Hi, am looking for real fitness competitor and/or very passionate people about training to share tips with.

I train very hard and very seriously and eat totaly clean everyday, and i am looking for people who train the same as I do to share tips or just to chat because there are so few of us who train like that, people call us crazy at the gym   ;-)

 

Depends what you mean,

I'm an avid runner and I am pretty obsessive about what I eat. No cream sauces, no gluten, hate packaged food.

I'm training up for the original marathon, the athens classic in November but the real training wont start until 4 months before the start.

I currently run about 50 km a week

what does your training routine include?  i've recently gone "crazy" on myself, to get rid of accumulated fat and slowly kicking my own butt into shape. my goal is to be rock hard, fat free, and solid by the end of july.  i started eating clean too -- upped the protein and am getting more regular with the weight lifting. i'm a whimp, but i challenge myself to pick up heavier weights.  you'll find good company here, give it some times if they don't come pouring out of the woodwork in this thread. :)

kikine, you could definitely find other competitors at the bodybuilding.com forums.  That community is more dedicated to the competition aspect of training.  It has been my experience that the calorie-count forums are more targeted towards general health and fitness; although that's not to say you won't find some fellow competitors here.  :)

I would love to hear about your routine- nutrition & work out-- i want to cut my fat down to 13-15% and I'm at around 18-19%-- i am so tired of not getting results-- and I work out & eat very clean- to a point where my family hates me--

i'd like to hear how you do it! teach us!

HEY! i would love to talk about anything dealing with fitness competitors. Right now, I play college vball, but eventually would be interested in competing. What does your nutrition plan look like? I'm looking to lose, but would love to hear your tips!

DREAM A LITTLE, SWEAT A LOT (i love that quote)
wooh! passionate about training, right here!
i will be competeing once I find some actual MA tournaments in my area. Unfortunately I haven't found any yet. Still training for them, because either I'll sign up for one if I find one or end up hosting my own. I'm serious about that.

 

As a male I obviously can't be a fitness competitor.

I consider myself a bodybuilder as I am incredibly strict with my diet and training. People think I have an OCD. It really is funny sometimes.

On a more serious note, there really are very few people that take both their training and diet to heart. I am currently cutting to 4% bodyfat (that's right) and it sucks not having a real support network...

bodybuilding.com is great though. I have an account there as well and it's definitely worth it.

yeah. i love bodybuilding.com for recipes and everything. im on a carb cycling diet right now- its been pretty tough. i find myself CRAVING carbs. like the other night, i cheated pretty bad with abt 8 granola bars-it was terrible. i talked to my trainer and he told me when in doubt, drink coffee or just have a protein shake- does anyone have any other tips? i find myself constantly thinking about food when i dont have anything to do! advice is needed! thanks in advance!

absolutely. i just started eating clean because of inspiration from oxygen magazine (my favorite-cant-live-without magazine) and i am only 1 pound from my goal weight. i am going to get my personal training license in the summer and i have gotten down to 16 percent body fat so far and im still in the making. i have never been in a competition but i follow a very strict routine id love to share with people some more, i think ill check out bodybuilding.com like everyone says

Check out How to Become a Figure Competitor by Jen Heath - Muscle With Attitude is a good site to read as long as you learn to ignore the Biotest advertorials - less work than ignoring all the supplement pushing on bodybuilding.com. 

Ok, first try, I don't know if this message will be at the bottom of all the others or anywhere in between because it is my first time replying  ;-)

Wow, i didn’t think i would have this many answers, thank you  ;-)

I will go on bodybuilding.com too  ;-)

I will try to answer all the questions in this text. Let me know if I forget someone or something  ;-)  And sorry if it's long  ;-) I just love to talk  ;-)

First, my training routine changes every 4 weeks so my body does not get use to anything.

Right now I train 7 days a week (both weight and cardio) at the gym on lunch time (I use to do the cardio in the morning before breakfast but cant anymore because of work), plus I do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio around 9h30pm (when I don’t go to my other classes), and do different sports during the week. (Monday - dance, Wednesday - Ski, Friday - Hockey, Sunday - Ringuette). I use to eat 6 times a day (7h30 - 10h30 - 12h00 - 2h30 - 5h30 -  9h00) but now I eat 5 times a day, I replaced my 9h00 meal by 30 to 45 minutes cardio and added 1/2 fruit to lunch and 1 carb to dinner. 

My goal is to reach approximately 9 % body fat and if I need to go lower/higher I will, depends how I look at that time; I am 5’ 5.5” and I am considered to have small bones. I like the Oxygen magazine type. My role model is Lyzabeth Lopez, she is gorgeous and we have the same body type. I will put up a picture of her on my profile.

Here is a glimpse of my menu = breakfast 7h30 =  1 MULTIVITAMIN and 3/4 cup cereals with 1/2 cup 1% milk + water or 1/2 natural oatmeal/protein bar + water (Pro Lean 30 Apple Cinnamon), snack 10h30 = 15 almonds + water, lunch  12h00 = 3 oz protein with 2 cups raw vegetables + water, snack 2h30 =  1 medium fruit + water, dinner 5h00 = 3 oz protein with 2 cups vegetables cooked + water, snack 9h00 = protein shake/pudding + water (not anymore), and 3 to 4 litres water per day, but the eating changes with the training.

My solution when I am hungry and it’s not time to eat, I brush my teeth so then everything taste weird and it is not good and I drink more water because cheating is not an option, I work too hard. I know it is drastic but I love to go to extremes, to the limits ;-) . I am also looking for information on Obstacle course competitions. 

And yes, my family and friends thinks I am crazy too. Especially my kids. They are 12-13 and 15 and I am now smaller than them and they think I am crazy... I just think they are jealous… hi hi  !!  They all think I am not eating right (yeah... and they are eating McDonalds !!!), that I train too much, and that I am not normal. So be it, I am not normal for their routine but I am for mine.   

One thing I learned is to not wait for other to go to the gym, all my friends that started training with me have quit !   I now train alone. I encourage every one of you to continue following your goal and don't let people who dont workout put you down  ;-)

Ok, so i've said enough, I am leaving for the gym now, whooppiiiii !   ;-)

DREAM A LITTLE, SWEAT A LOT  !!

 

Just a reminder: Please do not do this if you are not followed by a trainer and/or doctor, this diet is a no carbs diet and not everybody can do this kind of diet.

I have a personal trainer who has been competing for almost 15 years and a doctor that work with me on this.

well, it's a pretty normal schedule- working out wise- would like to see you post your weight training splits/routines-- especially glutes/hams...

question on the diet-- you state- it's 'no carbs' but you have cereal and veggies listed- so you do have some carbs obviously-- just what are your main vegetable sources? also, complex carbs are essential for protein metabolism and muscle growth- and you have good sources it seems-- but i think your protein actually looks low?!

also- what is your kcal intake daily vs expended? do you drop below 1000kcal deficit daily?

also- if you have gotten close to 9% fat- how'd you drop below the initial phase of losing the 'female padding'... i train & eat similar to you- and had great fat loss initially- then, it leveled out-- then i started to gain fat- not muscle-- even with great training schedule-- just a crappy diet of eating only veg/protein and not exceeding 800 kcal a day and burning over 2000k a day with cardio & weights--

hmm... just wanna know how you threw the curve-- real curious!

i am stuck at 18% body fat-- went up to 19% back down to 18% and my weight is the same as when I started 6 months ago- granted, i was 26-27% body fat 6 months ago- so i carved off 8-9% fat- but can't seem to go any lower-- but I have built mass!

Original Post by kikine:

DREAM A LITTLE, SWEAT A LOT !!

 

ahaha, i quoted that too. im glad the quote is more well known than i previously thought. i actually heard it only recently from a video we watched in a health class i recently finished. the video was about a group of women in the US a long time ago who were competing in Rowing (or whatever its called, you know...a few people in a row boat...they race...yeah that thing), and the men gave them hard times and such. The women were very buff and had real winning attitudes when it came to the obstacles they had to overcome.

Wow, lots of questions here  ;-).

Yep, i have a normal schedule. I think what makes the difference if it works or not is the consistency and effort people put in their workout and eating habits  ;-)

About the diet. Idin't feel the need to explain that the no carb diet was a no bad carb diet as everybody in the industry knows the difference, sorry. And you are right about the good carb for the muscles and also for the right functionning of the brain. I pasted the differences below: see Good Carbs and Bad Carbs.

I think every program is different because it is base personaly on the person (anyway that is how my trainer works), their needs and their goal, it is also base on trial and error. The program I am doing might not work for you and the one you are doing might not work for me. You have to try different ways and things and learn to know how your body works.  Even Monica Brant-Pekkham had to go through this trial and error workout/diet thing. It is the hardest part of training. Maybe you should try adding 30 minutes of interval cardio in your workout for 2 weeks, it destabilises the body and you can continue your normal workout after ?? This is the reason why I work with an experienced trainer. Dont forget to eat more if you add more cardio  ;-)

As for my main vegetable source I mostly have the one with the lowest glycemic index, although I vary my menu, I mostly eat asparguses, brocoli, cauliflower, green - yellow - orange - red peppers (piments in french, sorry !), brussel sprouts, lettuce, buck choy, cabbage,  celeri, spinach, their my favorits,  etc...

As for the cereals, I have cereals for a treat when i am fed up eating the oatmeal/protein bar (I am still human !!!), as I am not allowed to consume any dairy products. I wrote it anyway because i have it sometimes and most people are still allowed dairy products. 

 Just for details : Oatmeal is among the best when it comes to healthy carbohydrates and "quality" calories. It has a high fiber content and high levels of certain fat-burning antioxidants.

For my calory intake, yes it is about 1000 cals per day, until 70% of my weight is lost, then the diet changes. I have not yet reached my goal of 9% fat, it is my goal for this summer... as for the 'female padding', my trainer said the only way of getting rid of it is to eat as clean as you can (no bad carbs at all) and exercices regularly (like interval cardio... interval because your body continues to burn calories for a couple hours after you are done training). Personaly I think that 800 calories is not enough, I try to have at least 1000 calories per day. Although I can relate because it all depends on what you eat. It did happen before that I didnt reach the 1000 calories. Maybe you should add at least one portion of starch (small potatoe, 1/2 cup pasta cooked, 1/2 cup brown rice cooked) at lunch just to change the way your body react to food ??.    I write everything I eat and do, so I try to not repeat the errors again and to not do the up down calorie thing. I do everything so that my training and diet are the more structured as I can. The less error gape the better. (not sure if its the right phrase in english, sorry  !!)

I dont really do mass training. Maybe in the near futur but not now. I lift normal weight but i do lots of reps. Like for my Quads I do 4 to 5 times 16 to 20 reps with first time 45 pounds, second time 60 pound, third time 45, fourth time 60, fifth time 45, and i do them differently, i might do the first time on a 2up-2down count, the second with 60 pound with a 2down-1up count, the third one with 1down-2up count and so on. And if I can do the exercices easily within the 4 weeks of that programm, well i do more reps, i dont take heavier. I do other exercices too for the legs. Let me tell you that I can barrely walk on leg days after my workout   ;-)

Another thing. I Have been lifting heavier for the past 2 programs ans I havn't seen a big difference on the scal but there is a big difference in the measurements. I weight and measure myself every monday and I can still see improvement  ;-) Soon I will see it on the scale  ;-) 

 

Hope that this helps you  ;-)  

--------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------

Good Carbs and Bad Carbs

What is a Carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates are sugars that provide the body with energy. Your body can break carbohydrates down quickly and efficiently.

What Are Good Carbs?

Good carbohydrate foods are those that are still in their natural state, or they are still similar to their natural state. They are foods that have not been processed or altered by people or machines.

Good carbohydrates are generally high in fiber. Foods high in fiber will give you energy over longer periods of time. They also give you a sense of feeling full. Foods that are high in fiber help to lower cholesterol levels, as well as aiding the body in toxin removal.

Good carbohydrates generally have a low glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index will not cause a spike in blood sugar. This is especially important for diabetics who have to constantly monitor their blood glucose levels.

Good carbohydrates are nutritious. Good carbohydrates are rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Examples of good carbohydrate foods:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Whole grain breads
• Whole grain cereals
• Whole grain pastas
• Some dairy products

What Are Bad Carbs?

Bad carbohydrate foods are those that have been refined and processed. These foods are not in their natural state. Most of the nutritional value has been removed from these foods. Bad carbohydrate foods are generally loaded with many additives, including colorings, flavorings and preservatives.

Most bad carbohydrate foods are usually very tasteful and are packaged for easy handling. However, they are generally considered harmful to the body because they are not easily digested and they spike an individual’s blood glucose level. Bad carbohydrate foods include candy, baked goods with refined white flour, white pastas, and sodas.

If you eat too many bad carbohydrates, you will most probably gain weight. The calories are “empty” and they have no nutritional value. Individuals who have a lifestyle of eating bad carbs are more at risk to develop diabetes, heart disease, obesity and more.

An individual who eats many bad carbs will notice a spike in their energy levels shortly after consumption. However, energy levels will generally fall off rapidly prompting the individual to consume more bad carbs.

hey kikine-

what's your body fat percent now-? what did you start at? just curious- when you had the greatest fat loss, what was your diet breakdown? i'm at the no bad carbs phase - eating on a 6 split schedule, working cardio daily & alternating splits -- again, i make mass gains, but have stalled fat loss wise-- ugh...

what about a lot of cardio? more than 90mins a day 6-7 days a week? would this have a negative affect on your body fat goals?

just curious really-- i want to take my body to the next level but have stalled somewhat -- it's the fat loss - not the mass building-- i WANT the mass - just not the fat & can't find the correct balance of diet/cardio/weights --

also, how do you feel female hormones/cycles affect training? do you feel that different weeks/schedules help to match up with your hormone cycles? i've been reading on this- don't know if it's true and I am too lazy to try to cycle my workouts/food very week -- but curious what you/your trainer think...

I use to train hard before I had my kids and I was 110 pounds. Then I had my 3 kids and went above 200 pounds.

1 year ago I started training again and lost 43 pounds so I am presently 162 and I am 5'5". My bodyfat percentage is 37.8%. I met my new trainer yesterday an he said I will reach my goal before christimas (below 12% bodyfat) and will continue going down to 9% and will be able to compete. Youppi  ;-)

He also said that I will start eating more and reintegrate carbs (brown rice and potatoes) gradually because I am at that stage now.

My cardio, I use to do 20 miutes on my weight day and 30 minutes intervals on wed-sat-sunday.

I talked about the fat loss with him and he said that when someone overtains the body produces cyto something too much and that prevents the body from loosing the fat. So maybe that is what is happening with you. And he also said that it can also happen when people dont eat enough.

For the femal hormones, well he said that in the time of the periods he said that it is really important not to cheat becasue the body burns more fat and the weitght loss is more important. So with me, I gain about 5 pounds the week before (water retention) and lose it back during and when I weight myself (every monday) the next monday, I lost more than the normal week not counting the 5 pounds on and off water retention. But I dont change my workout at all in those weeks.

And for the lazyness on tracking everything (to try to cycle my workouts/food very week ), well if you want results, you have to track everything, especially if one day you want to compete. And you want to know your body's respons to training and diet as much as you can so you can, so you can change your body the way you want if needed one day.

Does that answer most of your questions ??

 

 

 

yeah, it does-- i was just curious- i am doing all you say above & more- but in the last couple weeks am getting results again-

i am at 17% body fat but can't seem to drop lower without compromising my mass or my mental health! it's a FINE line...

i just have issues with cutting back on cardio training which is more counterproductive than my previous too low restricting & heavy cardio...

i eat clean, very high protein (1g per lb body weight) w/no processed foods, sugar, salt added other than what's natural- it's like a religion-- i weight train daily- and do excessive endurance training-- i just cannot drop fat as fast as I want-- i'm 5'7" and between 155-160 depending on the week- but I am finally achieving better fat loss w/mass retention right now-- i need to cut back my cardio but have issues- i quit my 2-a-days w/cardio in the last two weeks- but am already starting to add in an extra 1/2 hour cardio/running/biking/swimming/gym cardio in my mornings or just do another hour at the gym on a machine telling myself it won't hurt-- when it is & i know it-- i just can't stop!

we'll see-- it's definitely my obsession-- i just want the fat to fo faster now that i see my goal of 10-12% bf in reach & it's just sooo slowww going... it's 6-7 months- almost 8- and i've dropped considerable fat - over 10% - but can't seem to truly get to even 15% -- it's like 2-3 months and I'm stuck!!! i went up 2% and then started coming back down like I said to 17% now-- but i had to seriously change my eating & workouts-- i hope it keeps going down bc I am getting frustrated!

This thread rules

spiro- i hope you're not being facetious!

*waiting to see if dumbell flies across thread to my head*

;)