Ok, since this isn’t my first attempt at trying to get into shape for a show, I’ve decided to devise a “Plan of Attack” this time around that will ensure I do a better job at adhering to my goal of competing.
Here’s a list of what I did this morning:
1. Pick a Show – Before anything, I needed to pick a show that was far enough away to allow me time to be prepared, but not too far away where I felt I could afford to slack every once in a while. I’m currently an amateur Figure athlete with the INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness). However, since I’m doing things differently this time, I’ve opted to look into the NPC (National Physique Committee). There first local show is the Steve Stone Metropolitan Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Championships on Saturday, April 9th, 2011. This was perfect! It gave 17 weeks, ample time to get ready.
2. Clean Out The Cupboard – When I got up this morning I cleaned house. I went through the fridge and cabinets and got rid of everything I knew I shouldn’t eat for the next nine weeks (ex. soda, frozen food, ice cream, etc.). I also got rid of stuff that was just sitting there, rotting.
3. Food Shopping – This next step was pretty obvious. I headed over to Trader Joe and Stop N Shop and stocked up on good eats. I bought a ton of eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts and other edibles I know I can consume.
4. Enlist a Trainer – Part of why I wasn’t successful at getting back into shape thus far was that I had no one to answer to. You would think that after doing this once, doing it again would be a cinch. . .no such luck. With that said, I did some more research and came across Fakhri Mubarak. Fakhri is an IFBB Pro, Nutritonal and Contest Prep Adviser Pro, a PTA Certified Nutritionist and Trainer and also holds a Psychology Degree. During the 2009 season, Fakhri had three of his clients go pro in one show. Pretty impressive, so I gave him a call. I was in luck because he happened to be local, which was a God send! We met and Fahkri enlisted me as a client. He outlined a no-nonsense diet and workout program and assured me that if I follow it to the tee, I would see results. He expects nothing less than hard work and dedication.
The diet is a variation of the Keto Diet (High Protein, High Fat, but Low Carbs). The workout is a 5-Day Weightlifting Split with 6 days of Cardio. The ultimate goal of the program is to incinerate as much fat as possible as soon as possible (to lean me out) so I can get started at sculpting the muscles I’m building. Today is Monday. I’ll officially start the program tomorrow, Tuesday, December 14th, 2010, once I buy a few supplements I’ll need (I’ll discuss the importance of supplements in a future article). This technique is completely different from what I’m used to, but I figured doing a different program would shock my body and also keep me interested and motivated.
5. Keep a Food Journal – A definite rule of thumb in body transformation is food journaling, which writing down everything you consume. It can be very shocking to see how much you actually consume (or don’t consume for some of you) when it’s staring right back at you in black in white. By writing everything down, you can go back and see how certain foods affect your weight, mood and appetite.
6. Progress Photos – How are you supposed to know how far you’ve come without knowing where you started?. . . . by photographing your progress. Another important rule in body transformation is to take pictures and keep track of your measurements. This step is also helpful when it comes to staying motivated. There’s no greater feeling than seeing the numbers getting smaller and smaller week by week. I’ll be taking my photos and measurements tonight or tomorrow and post them for all the world to see!
I’ll reassess this plan at the end of the week and check for progress. Well that’s it for today folks.
In Fitness & In Health,
Icela
Road To Reclaiming My Body 