Contest diet support thread

[flick161]

Soooo, today went to posing club - I feel AMAZING!

First proper posing practise of 2010 and all of us talking about diet and things that work/don't work - I'm really excited to start putting it all into practise!

[mattie o]

Hi girls, just checkin in! Things are going well...starting to really see a change in the mirror.

Had my first posing class today...please tell me that this was hard for you guys when you first tried it...I SUCKED! Hehe, its hard...I left the class fighting back tears, but its ok, it just drives me to work harder. The trainer told me I should maybe wait and do the next show that comes along, give myself a bit more time...but I am DETERMINED to do the march 27 one, and I have to start somewhere, rigjt?

Any posing tips, lay em on me! Yikes! I was sweatin...I have lots of work to do!

Hope everyone is doing well...its sure nice to have all you new pals

[mattie o]

But seriously, HOW DO YOU FLEX YOUR FUCKING LATS?! daaaaaaaaaaaaah!

[GirlyMuscle]

Posing tips? Practice, practice and more practice. We all felt the way you do when we started. If I don't practice for a couple of weeks I feel rusty at it when I do start up again. If you have access to a video camera, tape yourself, watch it and correct your mistakes. It takes time to learn.

If you have access to a coach...like from the class...investing in posing lessons would be what I'd do. I learned with a posing coach. It helps tremendously.

Are you doing figure or bodybuilding? I forget.

[Suzanne]

But seriously, HOW DO YOU FLEX YOUR FUCKING LATS?! daaaaaaaaaaaaah!

took me FOREVER

kept being told "just open your back"

well turns out there was nothing to open! now that i have muscle i can open my back

i think if you are actually trying to "flex" your lats you are probably squeezing your shoulder blades together and actually closing your back you actually want to move your shoulder blades outward

[mattie o]

Posing tips? Practice, practice and more practice. We all felt the way you do when we started. If I don't practice for a couple of weeks I feel rusty at it when I do start up again. If you have access to a video camera, tape yourself, watch it and correct your mistakes. It takes time to learn.

If you have access to a coach...like from the class...investing in posing lessons would be what I'd do. I learned with a posing coach. It helps tremendously.

Are you doing figure or bodybuilding? I forget.

bodybuilding. yup, i think ill try and get as many lessons in as i can...the bummer is, i have to drive an hour to them. but hey, even if i go to a handful of them, learn the basics, and then can practice on my own...thats better than nothin! toward the end of the class, i sorta started to get a "feel" for it. and in the gym this morning, i thought i'd try and flex my lats...and BOOM! there they were! yay.

thanks for your support ladies!

[mattie o]

took me FOREVER

kept being told "just open your back"

well turns out there was nothing to open! now that i have muscle i can open my back

i think if you are actually trying to "flex" your lats you are probably squeezing your shoulder blades together and actually closing your back you actually want to move your shoulder blades outward

makes total sense! thanks very much glad im not the only one who thought "this'll take me for-friggin-ever!"

[flick161]

I was aching EVERYWHERE!!! I've just had a year out and despite doing the odd pose at home, this is the first time in 18 months... It reminded me how much more I gotta practise! I always do it once/twice a week, after workout and cardio when I'm DEAD!

Lat spread: The only way I can do it is to put my arms out slightly, shrug up and then push down and that's how I get my back to spread out.

To squeeze your lats, stand in stance and get someone to put their hands/arms inside yours and get them to push out, you have to keep their arms in place by pushing in. Get used to that sensation and that's what you're looking for!

[sassy69]

Lat spreads are an art form. Took me sooo many years to figure them out & still working on them. These in particular I find there's a lot to be said for "visualizing" which muscles you need to engage & how they should feel. And because its your back, unless you have a video camera all the time or a great mirror set up, you can't see the damn thing while you do it - so its even more dependent upon feeling.

[essmonet03]

But seriously, HOW DO YOU FLEX YOUR FUCKING LATS?! daaaaaaaaaaaaah!

I know I had that same issue when I first started out... even though I am a figure girl. It does get frustrating. But practice and have someone that you know guide you through it. You will be sore doing it but once you get it down its well worth it. Because then you are able to see how much work you put in for them... very rewarding!

[mattie o]

Thanks everyone! I've been practicing, staring to get the hang of the lats. I have another class this Sunday.

Scott ordered me a suit that he found on clearance online...wow. I can't wait till these little love handles go away!

[lilfitgirl]

so im on my first contest prep diet, its an adjustment, but i make it work.

im just curious if anyone else gets this feeling...
ive been on for almost 6 weeks now and now i feel tired all day but then when i go to bed i have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
i lay in bed wat feels like forever until i fall asleep and then will wake up wide awake in the middle of the night and be awake for a good 45 min. then of course im tired all over agian the next morning???

[sassy69]

What type diet are you using & are you getting enough calories?

The problem w/ where you're at is that you're stressing your body to the point that its affecting the quality of your recovery. Bad recovery = cortisol = impact to fat loss.

Have you tried any OTC sleep aids like Nytol or any of that? Are you distracted when you try to sleep like your brain won't settle down? Sometimes just taking 1 aspirin will relax things so you can finally drift off & fall asleep. 25 mg/ night Pramipexole also works (chek the Chem Profiles forum for description).

[lilfitgirl]

im usin a basic eat every 3 hours diet with eggs, oatmeal and grapefruit in the morning followed by meals of chicken, greens and almonds the rest of the day - protein shake post workout...carb refeed every 3rd nite

and yes my mind is always busy (full time college student who works and is training lol)

ive honestly thaught about some low level sleep aides, but i dont know how they would affect me

[sassy69]

im usin a basic eat every 3 hours diet with eggs, oatmeal and grapefruit in the morning followed by meals of chicken, greens and almonds the rest of the day - protein shake post workout...carb refeed every 3rd nite

and yes my mind is always busy (full time college student who works and is training lol)

ive honestly thaught about some low level sleep aides, but i dont know how they would affect me

Try the aspirin first - just 1 aspirin. Nothing aggressive. It just gets you to relax a little and sort out the chaos in your mind.

I've used Nytol w/ no issues at all. Its like taking an Excedrin PM - the diphenhydromine HCl is the "sleep" component. It doesn't leave you all messed up in the morning like Nyquil, Benadryl, etc that have alcohol in them. Try it on a weekend night so you have no concerns about waking up all fuzzy. You shouldn't tho.