Stephanie looked to see if  I was on track and it was a great feeling when she asssured me I was, an even better feeling when she said I could have another cheat on the weekend! So on Sunday I did......and it was nothing short of fantastic!

At this point things do change slightly. Carbohydrate rotation is removed (maintaining a fat intake with each meal besides breakfast and post workout, which will always include a serving of complex carbohydrates), weight training takes on a half superset, half circuit training approach, and cardio will combine interval type training on the gaunlet and walk/sprints on the tread mill, morning and night and for a slightly longer duration.

At this point rest is an even more important asset in the prep. Sometimes you may not be able to sleep for as long or as deeply at night time, so giving your mind a little rest each day will really help. You can sometimes feel anxious and more irritable when you're not paying attention and females especially can have moods ranging from feeling emotional and wanting to be kind of "needy" to the oposite and feel like being left alone (hormonal). This is an opportunity to learn amazing amounts of self control and so much more about yourself. If these feelings are extreme then that's a huge learning opportunity as well. Keep a journal tracking things like meals, training, moods,sleep and progress. This will be so helpful to look back on so you can get help finding a more manageable way to prep next time,while getting a lot out of what you're going through right now. If it's hard to step back and be realistic with your feelings, do things that feel good to you. Read a book, find something to laugh at, write it out (sometimes this can be funny when you look at it and realize you would never be bothered by it any other time), research changes other competitors have experienced. Books and/or quotes by inspiring people are really great. A really motivating site is www.greatday.com  and also www.insightoftheday.com which both offer great write ups and quotes everyday.

When you can learn how to make yourself feel more at ease, you've just found a really awesome tool. When you begin to work at motivating and learning how to help yourself, as well as being thankful for the people around you, people naturally become more supportive as well and you meet other great supportive people. You've chosen to do a pretty wonderful thing, let yourself learn from it and enjoy it as much as possible.

Hey there!

This weekend was the Ontario Physique Association Festival City Fitness, Figure and Bodybuilding Championships! It was level 1 and the competitors definitely did not look as if they were new at this! It was awesome. The line ups were filled with men and women who looked sharp and definitely stage ready.

The Fitfoods booth was super busy and I thank everyone for stopping in and saying hi! It was really cool to see some familiar faces and meet some new people as well. Stephanie Worsfold was sporting her 5 month baby belly and glowing like crazy:), There was many well-known faces from the industry enjoying the show, and lots of excited people in the audience.

The next event will be the South Central Championships in Mississauga on May 23rd. I can't wait! This show definitely gave some more motivation! Pictures will be up shortly on www.thephotoissue.com.

Holy, it's already 4 weeks out tomorrow! At this point a closer eye is kept on portion sizes, time between meals, and definitely no cheats. This is also the point where you really start to notice a lot more rapid physical changes. 

Here are the starting point numbers and numbers from this morning:

12weeks out(Feb 28th)                          4weeks out(April 24th)

weight: 147lbs                                            weight: 142lbs

Chest: 37"                                                   Chest: 35"

Bicep: 11.5"                                                Bicep: 11.5"

Waist: 29"                                                    Waist: 26.5"

Hips: 38"                                                      Hips: 36.75"

Thigh: 21.5"                                                 Thigh: 21.5"

I'm really excited for the Festival City OPA Competition this Saturday in Stratford. You can visit www.jamor.ca for more info. It's always so fun and inspiring to see the competitors up there and there's tons of different people to meet! Come cheer them on and visit the Fitfoods Booth. We'll have lots of samples and treats!

Wednesday:AM: cardio

PM:abs/cardio

Thursday:AM-cardio

PM:weights; day 3- lower body

Each pair is supersetted (one exercise immediately followed by the other) with a 45 second rest in between each superset

-begin with dynamic warm-up

1a)overhead barbell squat (10reps)

  b)squat jumps with hands behind head(6 reps)

*3sets

2a)single leg romanian deadlifts(6-8reps/leg)

  b)burpies (5reps)

*3sets

3a)Alternating dumbbell lung(8reps/leg)

  b)lunge jumps(12reps)

*3sets

4a)seated calf raise(15reps)

  b)skipping(45seconds)

*3sets

Friday::AM: cardio

PM:
weights: day 4 -upper body

Each pair is supersetted (one exercise immediately followed by the other) with a 45 second rest in between each superset

-begin with dynamic warm-up

1a) Standing Single arm Dumbbell Military Press-10-12reps

  b) Chin-ups-maximum reps

*3sets

2a) Spiderman Pushup- 10 reps

  b) Single arm alternating cable rows-10reps

*3sets

3a) standing alternating dumbbell curls-12-15reps

  b)skull crushers (french press)-12-15reps

*3sets

Saturday: AM-cardio

PM-abs/cardio

It will be 4 weeks out this weekend and things will be changed up a little bit!

*******Make sure you stop in at the OPA Festival City Body Building, Fitness and Figure Championships in Stratford!!! Stop in at the Fitfoods Booth for some goodies!!!!*******

Here is my training program including the wieght training set out by Bo Parsons, Amazing Personal Trainer from Fitness Forum in London Ontario (also where I train and work!) This training program was started following completion of the really great program by Carter Schoffer of Precision Nutrition.
Bo is also amazing at what he does because he is what he promotes: an energetic, healthy, strong, well balanced person. He has been an invauable part of this prep and I am very lucky to have his help. This program is set up to help "tighten up" more and also maintain as much muscle as possible (especially in the legs) while leaning down.

SundayAM-cardio

Monday:AM-cardio

PM-weights: Day 1-lower body-begin with dynamic warm-up

Each pair is Supersetted with a 45second rest in between each superset.

1a) single leg squat(6reps)

  b)Bench Hops(6reps)

*4 sets

2a)Weighted back extension (10reps)

  b)single leg stair hops(3 per leg)

*3 sets

3a)Drop Lunge(6reps/leg)

  b)step jumps(6reps)

*3 sets

4a)standing calf raise (10reps)

  b)skipping (45seconds)

*3 sets

Tuesday:am-cardio

pm-weights:day 2-upper body followed by cardio.Begin with a dynamic warmup

Each pair is Supersetted with a 45 second rest in between each superset.

1a)seated dumbbell military press(10-12reps)

  b)single arm cable pulldown(10-12reps)

*3sets

2a)cable press(12reps)

  b)reverse pushup with feet on bench(maximum reps)

*3sets

3a)standing cable curl(12-15reps)

  b)single arm cable pressdown(12-15reps)

*3sets

It's hard to believe but it's already under 5 weeks from Mississauga! I'm getting really excited and starting to make some final arrangements for hotel stays, shoots, and suit plans :)

Bo Parsons a personal trainer and awesome friend from Fitness Forum has been such a great help in this prep. He has helped put together a program starting at 6 weeks out from the show to focus on maintaining as much muscle as possible (especially in the legs) while leaning down, and cardio has increased. I feel that my body has changed from the new training and meal plan and Stephanie Worsfold will be having a look at me this week to be an objective set of eyes!

I feel pretty good and there have been slight changes to the meal plan. The carb rotation (3rd serving of carbs including post workout on leg days) has worked really well and I have also added back in higher fat meats (lean ground beef, lean cuts of steak) into more meals. I had cut them out and started to feel pretty "thrown off", you could say, in a lot of ways. Reassessing my metabolic type, I'm still a protein type so heavier meats are still needed in the plan. Regardless of your metabolic type, carbohydrates are still necessary in different amounts depending on different things (change in climate, sleep patterns (like changes in shifts if you are a shift worker or have a change in schedule) physical and  emotional demand, hormonal changes, etc).

Samples of training will be up soon!

It is now just over 5 weeks from Mississauga and over 7 weeks from New York! My weight started at 147lbs at 12 weeks out, at around 10 weeks out it went up to 149 but measurements were favourable (smaller waist and chest, increase in vascularity all point to a bodyfat decrease, while size had increased in both legs and upper body). Shortly afterward weight went up to 151lbs. It wasn't too much of a difference but my waist and chest size had increased and I started to feel really "puffy" plus vascularity had decreased a lot. A lot of things point to the cause being hormonal (sleep interruptions, water retention and being pretty emotional). The rational side knew that everything was going to be fine, things would balance out and I trusted my plan. I decided to just not measure or weigh myself for a while and relax, while keeping with the plan. Your body definitely does go where your mind tells it and focusing on the things that were not happening was not helping. Relaxing and just letting things happen made a really big difference! It seemed like the water went away almost right away and things seem to be tightening up a lot! I believe things are on the right track again :) Here are the measurement and weight updates.

February 28th (12 weeks out)              April 15th(under 6 weeks out) 

Weight: 147lbs                                          Weight: 145lbs

Chest: 37"                                                  Chest: 36"

Bicep: 11.5"                                                Bicep: 11.75"

Waist: 29"                                                    Waist: 27"

Hips: 38"                                                     Hips: 37.75"

Thigh: 21.5:                                                Thigh: 21.75"

Training and nutrition updates soon!

Hello! This weekend was the Fitness Star Fitness Model Competition in Toronto and it was so great! It was so cool to see how excited everyone was just to be there and all the athletes looked incredible.

People helping each other, meeting for the first time, exchanging stories about what brought them here and just enjoying an amazing experience together were the best highlights of the show. Times like this are what makes being involved in competitions so great. These are the times that make "sacrifices" not seem so much like sacrifices at all, just a gateway to something super awesome. Thank you for the greatest weekend and the inspiration!

A great big congratulations goes to Meaghan Terzis- top 5 out of 30 competiors in her category for Athletic Fitness Model! I feel very lucky to have had the great experience of working with Meaghan, and being able to see her have so much fun on her day! Check out more on Meaghan at http://www.reneeprimeau.com/pb/wp_55a46c20/wp_55a46c20.html which will be updated shortly! A giant huge congratulations also goes to Miss Melissa Traynor who placed 2nd in her category for level 2 Athletic Fitness Model! This girl is the epitomy of strong and beautiful, (and that goes with also being extremely modest!) Melissa competed in the UFE Halloween Mayhem 2 weeks ago, the same week that she lost her father. She got up on the stage and rocked it, and 1 week later did it again! I don't really think there are words to describe that kind of greatness. You are more of a blessing than you know xoxox

Check out more on this special lady at www.melisscious.blogspot.com