What is the most difficult part about being a fitness competitor? What drives you to want to win?
I won’t be the first to tell you that this industry is probably the hardest out there. For one, you get in the best shape of your life, what about 3% of the rest of the world is. You get on stage and get judged on every little thing about you and then politics usually wins every time. So it’s hard to know if the “look” you have for this show is what they want. Then, after all that, it either pays off by winning or you do it for self satisfaction. Me personally, I do it for both! I love to compete I’m very competitive but I also love to get on stage, I’m a performer at heart!
Tell us about your training. What is your weekly workout schedule like? What is it like when you’re preparing for a competition?
I work 10+ hr days Friday through Sunday, so I usually do all my hard training on my days off, Monday through Thursday. On Mondays I work out my legs and glutes. Tuesdays, I work on my back and biceps some abs. Wednesdays are shoulders and triceps. Thursdays, some more legs and abs. If I can make it to the gym on the days I work, I will go the mornings of work. I feel it actually energizes me a little more, kind of crazy.
Share a bit about your diet. What supplements do you use? How hard is it to diet for you? Any tricks on keeping to it?
I actually don’t really use any supplements – only a couple Solid Muscle protein shakes a week and some glutamine after intense workouts! I like to keep my nutrition to as much whole foods as I can. I do take a multi vitamin, fish oil and a cal/magnesium on a daily basis. My meal plan is very well balanced and isn’t any crazy 1000 calorie diet that some people go on! I thank my coaches for the time they put into it because it definitely does the trick!
Example:
Breakfast: oatmeal, tsp peanut butter, egg whites with spinachSnack: apple with almonds, protein shake.
Lunch: Chicken, brocolli, sweet potato, and some avocado.
Snack: oatmeal with almonds and some hard boiled eggs.
Snack: 1 can of tuna with rice cakes.
Dinner: Tilapia with mixed veggies, asparagus and brown rice.
Snack: protein shake.
Any final advice for our readers on getting in shape and staying fit.
Focus is hard to obtain, but once you do, don’t lose it cause its twice has hard to get back! It will seem tough but keep thinking about where you’ll be when you get where you want! Dieting will become habit so stick to it and you’ll unconsciously go for the healthier choice. Training will become something you want to do if its not already! You will have ups and downs, but everyone does – its not about the down but how you climb out of it! In the end you will be that much stronger and that much wiser! Good luck to all!
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