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aspiring figure competitor - confused

J

jstar

New member
Hello,
I am going to compete in my first figure competition next year. I have 9 mos to prepare. I am 130 lbs, 22% bodyfat at 5'8". I would like to compete at 130 lbs, 9 %.
Is this a reasonable goal? If not, does anyone know what a realistic goal would be?
Basically this means I have to gain 17lbs of muscle and lose 17lbs of fat to meet my goal. I have 1 hour a day to train and access to a gym full of equipment. Basically, I want a plan to focus on for the next 9 mos. How should I divide my time between gaining muscle and losing fat? What should my diet look like in terms of cals, carbs, protein, fat? How much cardio?

I know you are going to ask: what am I eating now. what is my training like now. what is my cardio like now. To be honest I have no specific plan. I hear/read all kinds of advice on this stuff (as everyone does) and suffer from paralysis of analysis, a.k.a information overload!! I don't want to do any extreme cutting or bulking plan. I have nine months and want to achieve the best body I can in that time without sacraficing my sanity (if that is possible..lol). For the most part I have been working out for 7 years doing cardio/weights but since I am either undereating (dieting) or overeating (junk food) I haven't seen any major changes. I generally follow a split routine 3-5 times a week, usually 2 bodyparts per day. I vary the weights, reps, sets and jump from one program to the next. Cardio I do after weights usually for 30 minutes a few times a week. Sometimes I do a longer session og 45-60 minutes a few times a week as well if I am trying to lose fat. I am sorry this is so vague, but I am very confused as to what to do, as I said. I know too little food + too much cardio = muscle wasting and I also know that too many calories and/or too much junk food (ie simple carbs, etc) = too much fat. I eat anywhere from 1500 to 1800 cal Mon thru Fri. I find its easier during the week because my day is planned around work. My meals are scheduled around work and I go to the gym in the evenings. On the weekends I am less structured and tend to binge on junk. Sometimes a lot of calories. (5000+) Not something I'm proud of, but hey I am being honest. It is not a planned cheat but this is what happens. I really am serious though about competing and know that I have 9 months to train right and eat right and reach this goal. Can anyone help me.
thx:)
 
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Unless you'r planning some pretty decent AAS cycles, I think you should change your goals. You can still compete in 9 months, but you prolly won't be 130lb @ 9% for your first show. Make that your goal for a couple of years down the track. The benefits of competing is that you should find it much easier to gain LBM with less fat if you're starting at 9%bf. You current goal would require you to average a 1/2lb per week of muscle gain with a 1/2lb fat loss for the next 36 weeks. To even think about accomplishing this, you would need to gain something like a pound of muscle (without any fat gain) per week for 20 weeks, then lose a 1 pound per week of fat (with almost no muscle loss) for another 16 weeks. Pretty unlikely for a female without steroids.

No matter how you decide to go about your goal, one thing is perfectly clear. You'll need to eat more and smarter. The calories you're eating at the moment are more suitable to dieting than muscle gains. Also, can you tell us more about your EXACT diet (number of meals, size, carbs, protein, fat, types of foods, workout nutrition etc...)
 
thanks MS. that was my train of thought too. I do not and will not take steroids at all so I will have to change my goals. what is possible in 9 mos though? Maybe setting a goal of trying to gain 10 lbs of muscle and then losing the fat? this is the problem. how much of this time do I devote to each activity to get to where I want to be?

No matter how you decide to go about your goal, one thing is
perfectly clear. You'll need to eat more and smarter.

Okay, duly noted. How much more should I start off with? I know it's highly individual but I need a base starting point.

The calories you're eating at the moment are more suitable to dieting than muscle gains.

I guess I was thinking I should diet now to say 12%, then concentrate on muscle gains, then cut again before the contest. I am having a hard time figuring out the right order of events...

Also, can you tell us more about your EXACT diet
(number of meals, size, carbs, protein, fat, types of foods, workout
nutrition etc...)

I wish I could MS, would make my life a lot easier. I really don't follow anything consistently but if I am dieting I always break my diet by having some carbs which leads to junk, and a binge. this happens once or twice a week. I know its related to dieting and also to boredom at times but I am getting help with these issues. It seems to be happening less often as I am becoming more aware of my reasons for doing it and knowing that doing it gets me further and further away from my dreams of competing. I just want to know how much I should eat and how to plan my diet over the course of the next nine months to gain muscle and lose fat. If you can help me set up a basic guideline i.e., # cals, macros I can post a sample diet for you to critique. Also, how much cardio and weight training should I do?
 
Since you have 9 months to prep, this will give you some time to really focus on your diet and see what works & what doesn't. Also because figure gives you more leeway than bb does to get to "comp condition" (i.e. you dont' have to be a really low bf), dont' get too hung up on goal weights and bf. Shoot for somethign around 12% and see how you look. Often the bigger problem is tryign to get the right proportions -- for ex. you realize your shoulders are just naturally smaller or your waist is wider and then you dont' get the nice V-shape that other girls can pull off. Set your goals on a shorter time period so you can achieve them and also see how you are progressing -- its hard to see 9 months down the road if you are having a hard time keeping a tight diet now. And you dont' want to get caught trying to get a certain result in a short period of time. Since you have the time to experiement, try getting your bf down to like 14% and see how carb cycling or whatever works for you.
 
Personally I think you will make the quickest progress by training more as a powerlifter and eating clean as per spatts carb cycling method. I wouldn't really worry about the scales at all, just focus on getting as strong as you possibly can while eating a good diet. Substitute cardio for interval training and see how you look and feel in a couple of months. Now where is that link to spatts diet when you need it........

I also agree that you shouldn't focus on something like 9%bf. If you can get to ~12%bf from 22%bf in 9 months, that will be a great success story, but don't wait to try and lose 10%bf in the last couple of months. The above powerlifting/eating plan should help you shed some fat AND gain some muscle.
 
Here's a thread that has Spatts' cutting plan link, training split, etc. Check down about 7-8 posts and you can get a good starting point.

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=159134&highlight=cutting+training

I would also suggest going to see as many figure shows as you can so you have a realistic idea of what exactly a figure show is and how they judge it. For example, they "say" to not get hard or big, but you really need to see what sort of bodies the judges are looking for in practice. But also understand that it seems the judges are not often consistent in what exactly they are looking for -- the sad reality is that there is a lot of politics that goes on behind the scenes at some of these shows so even the most dedicated, best looking competitor may not win due to either not knowing the "right" judges or not being well-known enough or sucking the right dicks or whatever. Its not totally rampant, but it seems to be one facet of judging. But anyway, my point is to go check some of the shows out and maybe talk to some of the competitors to see what they have to say. You might also meet a good trainer in the process.
 
Hey Sassy, thanks for the advice. Do you compete in figure or have you seen any shows? I have never even been to any type of show. Another thing to put on my list of to dos before this comp.

I feel good that I do have enough time to get my act together and do this. Focusing is the hardest part for me. I am one to start something but never follow through, ugh. Doing this comp is a big deal to me...

Alright, having said that I have taken your advice and I am going to focus on getting lean for now (14% as a goal). That was a good point you had about proportions...I will keep the V-taper in mind, I know that is one thing the judges really look for. I also like that you said I should set smaller, short term goals on the way to my BIG goal. This is a rough idea of what I am thinking I need to do over the next 40 weeks:

1) Get my bodyfat tested.
22% was just a guesstimate. I stopped having them done because the one at my gym was giving me all kinds of different numbers. I know a place (my old gym) where I can get it tested and I think their results are far more accurate. I am will do this before 8/1.
2) The results of #1 will determine the length of my diet. (with the goal being about 14% for now). I am going to start my diet on 8/1 and try for 1-1.5 lbs loss per week. I should reach my goal sometime in November.
3) From Nov through Feb my goal will be to gain as much muscle as I can with minimal gains in bodyfat.
4) March 1st I will assess where I am at. At that point I will be 10 weeks out so I may decided to begin the pre-comp diet at that point.

During this whole time I plan to get my bf checked every 2 to 3 weeks to make sure I am staying on track.

I am working on a diet..will post that later for you guys.

thx
 
The first step in achieveing any goal is to have a plan, so you're off to a good start. Just be careful about overfocusing on fatloss at this stage. It's better to decrease your PERCENT bodyfat by increasing your relative lean mass. With an emphasis on strength training without drastic calorie restrictions, it's possible to add significant amounts of muscle without gaining fat. Lets' say you're 20% fat at 130lbs right now. If you gain 10lbs of muscle without any additional fat gain, you're now down to 18%bf even though you've GAINED weight. If you eat and train well, you may also find your metabolism increases, allowing you to actually shed some fat while adding mass. What I'm saying is that you don't need to focus on fatloss.....at this stage it will be counterproductive to your longer term goal which should be to gain muscle. As a novice competitor with a decent starting %bf, you will never be in a better position to gain muscle while losing fat. Once you get leaner, it gets harder to do this, and it also gets harder the more experienced you are. Train ultra hard and keep the diet clean clean clean and replace that fat with muscle.
 
This is [email protected] cant use my screen name. I compete in figure..going on my second year this year. I just did a show this weekend...I got 1st place in my class and the overall at the nationals in pittsburgh. I came in around %9bf...I was lean..but not extremely hard looking...there were some soft bodies there...they like you in shape..good muscle shape..but not that of a bodybuilder...Dont worry so much on the numbers...i never step on the scale...about once a month if that..go by your bodyfat and how you look in the mirror...the numbers are only numbers...the judges dont care...its a look...take your body and put it in the best possible condition and go from there..you will get better with every show you do...it takes time and practice...be patient and set realistic goals for yourself. if you have any other questions i would be glad to help ya;)
 
Jstar -

I've done a couple bb shows is all. I've seen a couple of figure shows as well and the entrants are a wide array of people who do and don't know what they are doing. Everything from cute little beach bodies & "dancers" to ex bb's trying to drop some weight from their last heavy cycle. The girls who win are lean & tight, look like fitness competitors, generally have implants and are very photogenic. This is my general observation so far. Locally its still a little weird because I still think judges aren't really clear or consistent with the judging criteria, though they are getting better.

Your plan sounds good -- I would suggest just starting on it and see how it goes. Its hard to focus on a show goal that is a long way out, but by the same token, its hard to get results quick if you start too late. Since you also have to establish the habit of following a diet & trainign regimen, let yourself get used to that as well. And just keep going. CHeck & refocus your goals as you go. And as I said, find other people who are figure competitiors to help you and provide insight & support along the way!
 
Thanks Sassy and NB:)

J-star- If you are serious about competing i would hook up with a good solid trainer to get you headed in the right direction. I would try to find people locally that compete in Figure or know what you need to do to prepare yourself. You can find tons of info on here regarding suits, tanning, and diets etc. But you have to remember what works for me may not work for you. You have a different activity level and body..you have to find out what works BEST for YOUR body. This takes time and practice. You need to cut out the binging on junk food and empty calories on your weekends. Dont mess up the week with a bunch of junk. You are several months out so I would allow myself 1 cheat meal on the weekend. Not crap all weekend but 1 meal. This will help shock the metabolism and keep you from craving and cheating on your diet. Keep your water intake at 1-1.5 gallons a day. Are you taking any thermogenics? Get to training heavy and hard. I would keep my protein intake HIGH...lots of chicken, tuna, egg whites, fish, lean red meat, turkey breasts etc. The carb rotation works..I use that myself. You also want to find someone that can help you with posing. I am telling you PRESENTATION is like 80% of it...you can have a killer body but if you dont have good stage presence...it wont matter. Start practicing now so you are comfortable..it takes TIME to learn and get down. I would also check out some local shows and see what it is all about. The contest prep is mostly mental...it takes consistency and 100% effort on your part...you have plenty of time..take advantage ofit!
 
Yep -- that's the best advice u can take right now. The biggest challenge of competition is the diet - and the best way to do the diet is to get it to fit into your lifestyle. That just takes time because you first of all have to get it to fit your daily schedule (eating 5-6 x/day, prep time and then adjusting your social schedule to make room for the cheat meal).

Let's also not forget that you have the Xmas holiday right in the middle of your schedule - so you need to adjust for that as well.

But having people around you for support is really motivating and makes it more fun to train when there are people around you who actually give a crap how you look or how your training session went or can pull you back on the wagon when you fall off :)
 
Hey guys thanks for all the replies! You don't know how much ya'll are helping me out.

New@ = congrats! that is a great achievement! keep up the good (a.k.a hard) work :)

I will take a look into going to see some figure shows. The majority seem to be in the spring around where I live. Even if I can go to a bb or fitness show soon I would still benefit from going because technically in the figure comp they are suppose to be looking for people who have bodies similar to fitness competitors - but since it's so new I guess each competition might be focusing in on different qualities. In the show I am planning to compete in the figure winner this year had a lean, hard bod, abs and shoulders. (no implants) I will find more shows to attend though. It would help keep me focused and inspired anyways.

Sassy, thanks for the link to Spatts cutting diet. I put together a plan of my own incorporating my own version of carb rotation. Higher carbs on training days and lower on non-training days I will post it later, but I hafta start getting ready for work.

I plan to follow the "7/70" program posted on www.bodybuildingworld.com

Basically its 2 on 1 off, 1 on 1 off
reps between 5-7 or 7-9 (some sets get to 3-5)
4 to 5 sets on most exercises

My "off" days will be my low carb days. I will also do cardio on those days too.

I will post all the details later today. Have a great day everybody
:)
 
This is such an informative thread! I have been thinking about competing in figure for the first time too, JStar. I have the same stats as you except I am 5'4''/5'5'' and medium/big boned. I have learned a lot about what works for me by hanging around Elite and trying out new ideas. That sounds like an awesome goal and a realistic plan. Can't wait to hear the details!

I hope you won't be offended by me butting in here and asking if my goals are realistic. There is a contest 15 weeks from now that I would love to compete in. I would like to gain a little more muscle - 7 lbs worth, and shed down to 14% bf. That means I would need to lose 7 lbs of fat and gain 7 lbs of muscle. If I lost 1.5 lbs a week, which is what I generally lose on 1650 kcal and 40/40/20, I could shed it within 5 weeks. I know that I gain muscle pretty easily on 1850 kcal and 40/40/20, and I think 12 weeks including the 5 weeks of fat loss would be enough time to do it. I would of course also use carb rotation.

MS, Sassy, New@ (FitBitch), what do you all think?

And one other point I wanted to bring up - what do you think about having someone guide you/consult/mentor along the way? Is it necessary or do you think that Elite takes up that space? Any thoughts? Experiences?
 
As MS mentioned, accomplishing your goals requires a good plan to follow. However, in your case, I think the opposite is also very true as well in that following a good plan is a lot easier with some sort of goal in mind. Since you mentioned that you usually start out well, but never 'finish through', having this competition as a goal will inspire you to 'follow through'.

Also, throw away the damn scale!!!

Do not shoot for a desired bodyweight. Instead, like the others mentioned, just get as far as you can with your results and be happy with that. Go by how you look instead of how much you weigh.

I do like the advise on attending a few shows to get an idea of what you are faced with....

That is about all i can add because i have never been to any show either. Just my 2 cents.

BMJ
 
I agree w/ BMJ -- I guess when you are setting up your plans, having some numbers to calculate with helps, though dont' live and die by the numbers. At the end of the day, its how you look. I competed at what the calipers said was 8.6% bf for a bb show - but guess what? My ass still had a wiggle in it and my legs barely showed any cuts.

For this reason I feel that it is good to have someone work with you who can provide some critical judgement as to how you look. If you do it yourself, you may have a biased view. If you get one of your friends to look at you , they may be jealous because you are skinnier than they are or they might not really be focused on the question you are asking and just say "you look great!".

Also as New said, presentation is 80% of it - especially for figure because you arent' really doing any posing routine or anything. And they do tend to bias towards the more "photogenic" girls. That's just the reality of it. So if you dont' know how to pose correctly, I suggest you get off the stage because you just showed the judges that you didn't prepare. And just for support. Some days, even the most resolute competitor can just want to toss it all. At least from my experience, BB is one of the loneliest sports there is. Not only do you train alone and have to stick to your diet alone, you have people who are constantly on your case about why do you waste time doign that? don't get big? that isn't healthy, etc. So if you have someone who is on the same page with you, sometimes it can make the difference between tossing it all and pushign thru.

My $0.02 anyway. But the biggest thing is to have someone who can give you good objective opinions about how you look as you approach show time and also someone who can show you the correct way to prep. Otherwise you look like the other fools who just don't have a clue. Figure has been around long enough now that there is no excuse for being on stage clueless.
 
Everything Saay69 said is 100% in my books. Get yourself an unbiased, experienced trainer to help you prepare for your first competition if you seriously want to look your best on the day. And a 'virtual' trainer is not good enough. You need someone who can see you in different lighting, pinch your skin, monitor how you respond to carbs and fluid changes, and help you chose a posing suit that most suits you. It helps if they also know how to apply fake tan properly, makeup, good posing etc.... don't neglect the presentation side of things.
 
I mentioned it because I too often see novices spending excess amounts of time doing machine based exercises and isolation type stuff to bring up biceps, triceps, shoulder etc.... when you and I both know that it's the heavy compound movements that build the mass quickest. I mostly recommend squats (although I can no longer do them myself), deads, and bench with some dips, chins and clean/presses thrown in to build the basic structure. Everything else is just finishing detail and someone who needs to build a lot of muscle in a short time should not spend too much time on the 'lesser' exercises IMHO. Also, focusing on functional strength improvements in these lifts without gaining fat, rather than obsessing about fatloss would seem more productive for her current goals. I also wanted to be clear that an aspiring figure/fitness competitor really should not train any differently to a physique competitor. The main difference between physique and figure preparation in my opinion is the amount of gear you take (or don't take) and how hard you diet. There should be no training difference.
 
I just got m bf% checked today by 3 point caliper and the trainer said it was 17%. That's sooo weird, I really thought it was around 22%. I guess its the looks and not the numbers that I ought to go by.
 
hey VLC !!! that is great. Do you think you will compete? I say go for it!!! You have 15 weeks and that is plenty of time to transform your body and by the sounds of it you probably don't have that far away to go. Besides then you can share your experience and help me :D

as for me...I've got a better plan now thanks to Sassy, MS and other posts I've been reading. I am going to do the carb cycling type of diet, heavy lifting w/ plenty of compound movements and cardio 60 min 2-3 days week (nontraining days only). I'll stick to this for a while and see how it goes There's a show in Nov I plan to check out. (nothing sooner is coming around but that's ok). I do plan to hook up with someone who can help. Hopefully another competitor just to help with the presentation piece of it. I will keep my eyes and ears open. It is hard when none of your friends work out, no one shares my interests in competing. No one I know competes but I know I can change all that if I attend shows, meet people, etc. My boyfriend though works out and supports my goals so at least I can talk to him about how my training is going.

:)
 
Hey jstar --

I totally understand your situation about people around you with interest in competition. I've actually lost a few friends and my mom wont' talk to me about diet any more because of competition. Especially your first show -it can consume your life and make people around you miserable because you talk about nothing but competition, diet , and all the stuff you have to do for the competition. Its good your bf supports you -- you might also have him help you keep it in perspective too LOL!
 
Jstar,
Today I met with a personal trainer at my school who has done an NPC competition before and has experience with designing programs for bodybuilding, fitness, and figure competitors. She's going to guide me through it. We're going to have a very thorough consultation in a few days and she's going to do a 9-point calliper body fat test on me. She said she thinks just by looking at me in my gym clothes that I probably need to lose about 10 lbs of fat and that I seem to have the right body type/shape and enough muscle for figure. I'd eventually like to do a fitness competition too; she said for that I'd have to gain 10 more pounds of lean muscle mass and that I'd need at least a year to prepare for it (learn routine, gymnastics, etc). I'm really excited! Just to clarify: there's a competition 12 weeks from now that I am aiming for, if I'm not ready for that, then I'll do the one that is 15 weeks from now (November 9).
 
I agree with everything that's been said here. Especially the part about getting a trainer if you can. I did my first show without a trainer nearby (for lots of reasons, ranging from plain pig-headedness to logistical problems), and although I was getting lots of e-mail advice (for which I will be eternally grateful) nothing could have prepared me for how hard it was going to be. Doing it all yourself is just mind-numbingly exhausting, and you'll be enough of a bitch to be with as it is.

A trainer will be able to tell you objectively where you are, KEEP YOU ON TRACK, push you in the gym, and will also be able to handle the small stuff that takes so much time if you don't know what you're doing, and believe me, there is a lot of that small stuff!

I don't regret my decision not to find a trainer, because I believe the hard lessons I learned in preparing for that show will be with me for the rest of my life, and I found depths of strength in me that I have never had the opportunity to plumb before (this part was incredible) ... but having someone else push me through workouts when all I wanted to do was just give up and weep would have been much much much easier. Tap into their energy, kind of ... (And it would have been nice to have been leaner on the day, but whatever).

Anyway - I wish you both luck - competing is a thrill you just can't explain in words. For me it was worth multiples of the pain I went through - oh, what a high!
 
Hey everyone! I am so glad everyone is talking about how hard it is to train without support, whether it be in the form of a trainer or just having friends and family support your goals. Like Sassy I just can't talk to my mom about food/diet either. I did get her to make some better choices but I could never get into talking about carb cycling or having protein at every meal, etc. It is a boring topic I guess if your not dedicated to improving your appearance or setting physique goals for yourself. I am very shy too and I just don't feel like bringing up these topics with friends because a lot of people like to judge you and say 'you look fine' why do you obsess about your diet/training....one of my friends is doing weight watchers and not exercising but losing weight. I tried to tell her when she's asked for advice that she needs to lift and do some cardio but she only wants to add walking on her treadmill to the mix...she'll come around I tell myself...I have come to the conclusion that if I am truly dedicate then I am going to find others who are too and get their help and offer them help too along the way. Online it's easy, this board is great but yes I truly do need to find someone who I can meet with in person to get that edge and not lose my focus as I have done so many times before.

Today I feel so good!!!! So inspired!!!! I :D
I just got back from my old gym where I used to train for the past 7 years. I also worked there as an instructor for 2 years (not a pt; i'm not certified). I know many people there but unfortunately I decided to switch gyms about 1.5 yrs ago due to location, cost and crowedness.. ( I switched jobs so my new gym is closer, cheaper and less crowded) anyways I saw several people I knew which is always nice, including a woman who trains there who did my bodyfat analysis. She is very good, knowledgeable (the only beef I have about my current gym is that the trainers are not as knowledgeable). So in talking to her I shyly mentioned that I am thinking of entering this figure show next May. Her eyes light up and she tells me she is thinking of doing a bb show and is training w/someone at the gym who is an ex-bb. We just started talking and I told her how last year I went to a bb seminar and I was going to compete in the novice division and I talked myself out of it and she was just like why? you should definitely go for it. And that another girl I know that works there is competing in fitness and just placed in the top five in the fitness atlantic...wow! Anyways we were both excited to learn the other was competing so she offered to do my bf test leading up to the comp and I offered to give her some copies of the stuff from the seminar. I am thinking of switching back gyms so we can train together!!:) I am really excited because I really want this and I don't want any negative people to stand in my way. Today I feel one step closer :supercool

Here are my bodyfat results :
136 @ 24%
LBM: 103.4
Fat: 32.6
 
Hey Jstar!!!!! Congrats you are one step closer! Its sooo cool to have supporting people around you. Esp on low carb days!!!!!

RE: talking to my mom -- what I meant was I used to call her and cry about low carbs, misery, etc etc while I was training for my first show because I had a sloppy falling out w/ my trainer & no one else around was interested in my training. So now she just views the whole thing as the cause of my 4 month "mind fuck". I can respect that I guess. That's why I'm tellign you how important it is to have supportive people around u just to whine to and then have them slap you upside the head and tell you to suck it up and focus on your goal. It will makethe whole process more enjoyable & less stressful.

I still think my mom is pretty cool tho :)
 
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