Novice Fiqure show could I be ready?

[bugaboo]

I want to do a local novice figure show that is in June 7. I have no idea if I could be ready or if I would look like a goof. Currently 5'5.5" 111lbs 38 years old. I don't know my bodyfat yet as I am waiting for the thing to come in the mail. Diet is good and you can see the veins in my arms and inner upper thighs (don't know if that really means anything)

6:00 am 1/2 cup oatmeal with 1 tblsp raw wheatgerm
workout 6:30 to 8:30
8:30 protein shake, glutamine MSM powder (30 grams protein)
10:30 1\2cup brown rice or yam and 5oz chicken breast
12:30 more protein shake maybe some raw celery, carrots
2:30 more chicken and rice
4:00ish some snacks of seeds or nuts (manna bread with PB)
6:00 dinner is veggies or squash and salmon, or turkey, or beef on weekends
8:00 snacks of celery with natural peanut butter

but I am always hungry! I drink lots of water, I have a naturally high metabolism even at this age and I look younger than I am.

I have been weight training since 19 years with some long breaks in between to dedicate my time to riding horses so I am always active. I have just started a cycle of BP Anavar and on 5mg for 5 days, felt nothing and I will start with splitting 10mg tomorrow. Have tried deca 15 years ago, Yuck! quit after 2 weeks.

I am just wondering what to expect with the show, I look at pics of other contestants at other shows and see a wide range of body development to super skinny/lean to kind of chubby with some cellulite and I am confused!

[Chadd77]

Do you have any pictures that you can post up?

I say go for it! You will learn so much doing your first show. Do you have anyone that will be able to help you with your posing? Like you said there is always a very broad range of body types at local shows. Is there a show in particular you are thinking of doing? How much time do you have to prepare for it?

[bugaboo]

The show is June 7 and I will be meeting with a certified trainer who actually placed 5th in the world for Natural bodybuilding in December. She should be able to help me even though bodybuilding is different than figure and she is a hardcore natural person and I am not. I will try and take some pics too.

[THE BOUNCER]

I think you should go for it. Gives you a goal to train for and makes you feel good about yourself.

[redsquirrel]

You will probably have to start your diet by next week. As of today, you are 13 weeks out.

Typical criteria for figure physiques are great delts and/or wide clavicle, small waist, and narrow hips. Chubbiness is not looked upon very favorably.

[bugaboo]

My delts do need improvement but are not that bad but I do have the small waist and narrow hips, I am a size 0 in pants and usually have to still take the waist in but they are always tight on the thighs.

[bugaboo]

Originally Posted by redsquirrel

You will probably have to start your diet by next week. As of today, you are 13 weeks out.

Typical criteria for figure physiques are great delts and/or wide clavicle, small waist, and narrow hips. Chubbiness is not looked upon very favorably.

I always read your posts RS, you are a wealth of information! For the Anavar should I do just a 6 or 8 week cycle? At what time would I start the Clen/T3?

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by bugaboo

I always read your posts RS, you are a wealth of information! For the Anavar should I do just a 6 or 8 week cycle? At what time would I start the Clen/T3?

Well, I would probably do an 8 weeks cycle. You want to try to maintain as much muscle as possible while you diet. Do 5mgs for 2 weeks, 10mgs for another 4 weeks, and back down to 5 mgs for the final 2 weeks.

As for the T3 & Clen, I really wouldn't recommend using either really. You really should only use them if you feel you're not losing fat as quickly as you need to . But, it sounds like you are pretty petite already, and implementation of those compounds could burn muscle. Which would then produce a "stringy" look on stage, and that's not what you want. You want you & your muscles to look as full as possible.

Whoever is doing your diet, needs to check your BF every week, and make necessary changes to help you to continue to lose. However, as I said- whoever does it, really need to monitor your progress closely; as you don't want to lose muscle along with the fat.

[fog_hat1981]

GO FOR IT - my first show was the best thing that ever happened to me - I didn't win it for sure but I learned A LOT and it gave me a passion for the sport that I don't think I would have EVER found if I hadn't done it - I'm now literally addicted to the stage and I used to be something of a shy/reserved person BUT after showing hundreds of people what you're made of you'll find a whole new "you" even if it's just on stage....

[bugaboo]

Well, I just got my bodyfat tested yesterday on a maching that is supposed to be the most accurate (can't remember the name) and I am already 14.2% without really sticking to a diet, just eating clean and only when I am hungry which is all the time. I will be eating only protein before workout and both carbs and protein after workout and see how that goes. I was also recommend to try 3 day of ketosis diet just to see how my body reacts. I am also going to up my protein intake abit more. I will post some progress pics but I am bloated right now from my period, so not good.

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by bugaboo

Well, I just got my bodyfat tested yesterday on a maching that is supposed to be the most accurate (can't remember the name) and I am already 14.2% without really sticking to a diet, just eating clean and only when I am hungry which is all the time. I will be eating only protein before workout and both carbs and protein after workout and see how that goes. I was also recommend to try 3 day of ketosis diet just to see how my body reacts. I am also going to up my protein intake abit more. I will post some progress pics but I am bloated right now from my period, so not good.

14% is good, but I wouldn't start any higher than that for a contest diet at 12 weeks out. Based on your BF & current weight, you have 95lbs of lean muscle. So, not that much fat to lose, but you really need to focus on maintaining as much muscle as possible during this diet. You don't want to look stringy on stage.

I'm confused- are you doing your own diet for this show? You really need someone to monitor you weekly to make sure proper changes are made at the proper times. Throwing in a pre & PWO shake, really isn't going to do what you need. As for a 3 day ketosis diet, you don't even need that right now based on your BF. You need to make sure you're getting at least 1.5 gms of protein per lb of LBM. So, that's 95 x 1.5 + 142.5 gms of protein/day. How much are you eating now? Based on the diet below, I have you at about 170gms. Just glancing at your diet, you need to add a lot more green vegetables. Secondly, since you said you have a really high metabolism, that 8pm meal needs to have more protein. You also need to add some eggs or something at your first meal.

[bugaboo]

Thanks for the help RS. I had a friend who is also a certified trainer look at my diet but I think she is sidetracked right now, I guess I should find someone else. Can't have eggs, I am allergic to them, too bad, I really like them. My protein intake lately has been over 200grams a day. I won't waste my time with the ketosis diet, don't really understand it anyway, confusing. I am eating a green salad with romaine, spinach and cucumbers while I wait for my dinner to cook. A protein shake before bed? Do I have to lay off the peanut butter and switch the salmon to white fish to lower bodyfat even more right now?

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by bugaboo

Thanks for the help RS. I had a friend who is also a certified trainer look at my diet but I think she is sidetracked right now, I guess I should find someone else. Can't have eggs, I am allergic to them, too bad, I really like them. My protein intake lately has been over 200grams a day. I won't waste my time with the ketosis diet, don't really understand it anyway, confusing. I am eating a green salad with romaine, spinach and cucumbers while I wait for my dinner to cook. A protein shake before bed? Do I have to lay off the peanut butter and switch the salmon to white fish to lower bodyfat even more right now?

Well, again- it's really difficult to determine that. That would be a better question for whoever you have help you with your diet. It really depends on how your body reacts to higher fats and/ or higher carbs. So, I could tell you to lay off the fats, and it hinder your progress. I would say you still really need at least 2 more servings of veggies throughout the day. If you can't eat eggs, try 3oz of lean ground beef w/ your first meal instead of eggs. You may need to do the ketosis diet in the coming weeks, but definitely don't start out with it. That's really only applied after many weeks of carbs, fat & cardio manipulation. This again, is why finding someone to really help you w/ your diet is key. If you still can't find anyone, my husband actually does it for competitors. He has 8 clients doing Jr Nationals right now

A good rule of thumb for contest dieting is to lose 1/2% BF per week. In your case, you will have to have a couple weeks in there that you lose more than that because you want to be around 6.5%-7% BF on stage. And, you really can't count the week before your show as a way to lose more BF since that's when you need to manipulate carbs, sodium & water.

[redsquirrel]

No disrespect to your friend who is the personal trainer, BUT- just because they are a personal trainer, by no means indicates they know how to train a competitor for a show.

[bugaboo]

Originally Posted by redsquirrel

No disrespect to your friend who is the personal trainer, BUT- just because they are a personal trainer, by no means indicates they know how to train a competitor for a show.

None taken, she actually lost me confindence because even though she did place 2nd and 3 rd in 2 BB competitions she said she never went as low as I am now which didn't make any sense to me. When I went to see her, I was left dissatisfied. I would like some help with my diet as I don't know at all what I am doing and I would like to get on track. Does your husband charge for this? How much? I live in the suburbs and the few people that I could locate are not local.

[bugaboo]

Bump

[THE BOUNCER]

Originally Posted by bugaboo

Bump

she checks in every few days so i am sure she will respond when she gets back on.

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by THE BOUNCER

she checks in every few days so i am sure she will respond when she gets back on.

Bite it!

Bug- he would probably maybe charge $100- $150 for a 12 week diet since it would be on the phone/internet. You would probably need to buy some calipersm and have someone who knows what they are doing to take your pinches every week and report back to him.

[bugaboo]

I bought one of those hand held fat % devices, it seems to be within 1% accuracy if I test in the morning. How would you want to arrange for payment? Money order - transfer? I just got measured for my suits and bought the shoes, so I am starting to get things in line.

[redsquirrel]

Originally Posted by bugaboo

I bought one of those hand held fat % devices, it seems to be within 1% accuracy if I test in the morning. How would you want to arrange for payment? Money order - transfer? I just got measured for my suits and bought the shoes, so I am starting to get things in line.

Well, the calipers are universal. Those machines have a greater margin of error...And, the BF% the machine gives, could be totally different than what the calipers say. It's difficult enough to do something like this over the Net or over the phone, so it's really important you both are using the same method. He has a guy in Colorado who has his wife do his pinches for him every week. Calipers are only about $20

I'm sure money order will be fine. I will have him PM you later today or tomorrow so you two can talk. His name is sonis9.

Hold off on the suits!! You don't want to get measured for them until you're about 4-6 weeks out. In fact, your suit maker should've told you to send updated measurements when you are closer to your show.

[bugaboo]

Originally Posted by redsquirrel

Well, the calipers are universal. Those machines have a greater margin of error...And, the BF% the machine gives, could be totally different than what the calipers say. It's difficult enough to do something like this over the Net or over the phone, so it's really important you both are using the same method. He has a guy in Colorado who has his wife do his pinches for him every week. Calipers are only about $20

I'm sure money order will be fine. I will have him PM you later today or tomorrow so you two can talk. His name is sonis9.

Hold off on the suits!! You don't want to get measured for them until you're about 4-6 weeks out. In fact, your suit maker should've told you to send updated measurements when you are closer to your show.

The only calipers that I could find and bought were the Acu measure brand which are designed so you could measure yourself. The only problem is with the chart that doesn't go below 13% bodyfat and I am near the end of this measurement already. Do you know of a website that sells the older kind? I remember from school what they looked like. When I was in grade 10 I was tested at 6%! I wasn't a gymnist or anything, just a picky eater and a true ectomorph.

I am looking forward to getting this diet going!

[bugaboo]

Finally some half decent pics. I took these myself on a timer trying to look in a mirror at the same time so the angles are not the best. I am nine weeks out from my novice competition. I know I need more mass but I am working on it. My legs are the weakest, after fracturing a vertebrae, I find squats more difficult now.