So we made it to the end!!! When we started on January 19 April 9 seemed so far away but it has come and gone. Amy placed second in her class and get this she has decided to do it again the end of May. She is after her Pro card. Also get this, because I am such an amazing friend :) I am going to train with her again. I am almost to my goal and because this training is only 6 more weeks I figured I could figure out the whole maintaining thing while I still have someone to hold me accountable- then we are on our own. So (crossing my fingers) once I get to my goal I hope the strict diet is over and I can experiment with some more "clean eating" variety. The competition was really an neat experience and pretty inspiring. It wasn't the gross, juiced up, non-human looking like people that you usually think of when you hear bodybuilding. As a matter of fact it was the person with the biggest muscles that one it was the person who had the least body fat and was the leanest. So my last measure showed that I have lost 17 pounds of body fat and no lean mass- basically meaning that my weight loss was all fat and no muscle. The trainer told me that usually a person will lose one pond of lean for every 3 pounds of fat and he was very impressed that mine lean didn't go down at all. My ending body fat was 14.89 % (I started around 24%) this number is considered an "athletic" body fat percentage. To be competitive for bodybuilding shows a body fat should be below 12% (maybe 10% I can't remember)on a female and below 6% on a male. I am fine to hang out right where I am considering I still haven't been convinced to compete and trust me everyone has tried to sway me into it. Right now just isn't the right time but who knows maybe one day. Although this whole thing had been super tough sometimes I really have enjoyed it and I got so much out of showing myself that I could have will power and discipline. I will say I would not have one it without Amy. It helped so much having someone to lean on that was going through it too. We vented to each other all the time, supported each other unconditionally, and talked about everything from the diet to bloating and gas. I'll have to say I thought I knew her pretty well before this, but this took it to a whole new level! Amy was awesome support but so was my family. Steve always encouraged me and when I would travel back to SC my parents and siblings supported me too- even though I know they think I am crazy! I took a ton of pictures at the competition and Steve even took some of me playing around with posing. I have practiced with Amy but I have not perfected it like her. So......... ( imagine a drum roll here)
Front double bicep pose
Back Double bicep
Front Lat spread (see my wings)
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Sorry about the close up but this was the only way I could get a shot of my muscles. My legs still need some work- I think they are my weakest. Oh well. |
Amy doing her posing routine.
The lady in red is who beat Amy in the "tall" class. She then
had to do a pose off with Katie (in blue) who won the "short" class and also trains at our gym.
Check out that long soleus muscle running down her leg!!!
This is what I strive for but I don't think I'll ever get there.
Coach Bailey tells Amy all the time her legs are her money makers- I think I'll have to agree!
Relaxed pose
Back double bicep- the lady in the green also trains at our gym
So there you go. This is what a Super Natural Bodybuilding Competition looks like. No drugs and no supplements. Four people actually failed the drug test when they checked in and were disqualified. Pretty amazing that the right food and 3 hours of lifting weights a week can get you here!
