My First NPC Bikini Competition- Texas Shredder Classic: Results!

What an amazing experience. I would like to start off with saying THANK YOU! I am so thankful for everyone who has been reading along for my entire journey. This is one of the hardest but most rewarding accomplishements of my entire life so far.

That being said, the NPC Texas Shredder Classic was a huge success. There were SO many amazing girls that I was so lucky to even get the opportunity to step on stage with. From my understanding it was considered a big show. There were four classes (separated by height) A, B, C, D. I was in C. My class consisted of about 30 girls!!! I had NO idea what to expect. The only thing I knew was that in my heart, I was already a winner. The whole day I was calm just soaking in the experience. Getting ready back stage and sharing stories with the other competitors who I felt were like my sisters. There are not many who can endure the lifestyle that we had the last few weeks/months. It was when I stepped foot on the stage I felt my heart start to race. By the time I took center stage I felt my whole body shaking! Hoping the judges didnt notice I did my front and back poses and made my way to the line. Once all of the competitors are on stage they file us through in groups and then they start the first call out.... And the last number I heard... 197... Was ME! I couldnt believe it. I knew that it was pre judging so that did not necessarily mean that I had placed in the top five but I was SO excited!

There are more pictures online, http://gallery.rxmuscle.com/index.php?contest=22&year=510&bodybuilder=27063

Three months of HARD work just for this very moment. It was worth every lunge, squat, burpie, cardio session, and cookie I didnt get to eat! I was proud.

We went back to the hotel during the break, having NO idea what might happen that night.

As we all went back on stage for one last individual pose in front of the judges and came off stage. Then they made the announcment... 197!! I made top five!!!

I could not believe it! Just to think that three months before, weighing 135 and at least four pant sizes larger, stepping on a stage wearing a bikini would have been my biggest nightmare.

I am so thankful that I am surrounded by such great people who have inspired me and believed in me. It gave me the confidence to commit and follow through.

I also have to give a TON of credit to my coaches. This would have been near impossible without them OR the support of my loving other half... Who was kind enough to apply my tan! Judge all you want but he did a damn good job!

Last but not least. None of this would have been possible without God. He gives me strength in any endeavor I chose to take on in my life. This being the one of many.

Whats next?? Guess you will have to watch out for the next blog!!

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!

Love,

Jess xoxo


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Last Pre Competition Post

Well folks.. Only a couple days away. Workouts have lightened up a bit just light cardio these last couple days. Of course staying strict on the diet (very low in carbs right now) and drinking distilled water (1 gallon each day) until tomorrow mid after noon then small sips. Dehydrating a little to tighten up one last little bit. The big question I've been getting for the last few months is, what do you want to eat after?! I really don't know! I think I will see how im feeling after the show but I like this lifestyle and stuffing a burger down my throat after all of this work just doesnt seem appealing to me at all. I have been saving a box of thin mints for almost two months now you better believe I will be enjoying a few of those- cookies, not boxes :)

This has been the most amazing experience of my life. I would not have changed a thing. I was told that there are over 250 athletes signed up (overall). I am not sure how many I will be competing against but I have already had the pleasure of meeting a few of them and I must say the competition is steep! Nervous? Anxious? Not really.. I know that no matter what I do my life is in God's hands. I am just so thankful to be given the strength and ability to endure! Hopefully I keep my calm during the show as well. I am so excited to meet people who have gone through the same thing that I have over the last few months. I would LOVE to place top 5 but seeing as this is my first show I have no idea what might happen. There is no way in hell I will be disappointed, no matter what the outcome.  My good friend Brittany hooked me up with an awesome photographer so I could capture some pics for the occassion.. here are a few of them:

Thank you for the words of encouragement and good luck wishes! Im going to give em hell!

Austin Bound!

Jess

Philippians 4:13

"I can do all this through him who gives me STRENGTH."

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Getting Stage Ready

Now for my favorite part about this whole journey, playing dress up!

Let's start with hair. The bikini division is a very fun flirty type of presentation. I am putting clip in hair extensions to give my hair a longer and fuller look so I have more to whip around. I like to ball on a budget so I made my own! It's really simple you can buy fake hair at any beauty supply store for under $40, make sure to get human hair so you can apply heat to curl/straighten it. Match it to your color. I bought mine LONG, you can always get them cut if they are too long . I have a total of four layers, some tripled and some doubled, just depends on which areas you want to look fuller. I decided to go BIG, you know what they say, everything is bigger in Texas! I measured each track to each layer of my head starting at the base of my neck up to the crown. I doubled (some were tripled) the layers up and sewed them onto small clips which I also got from the beauty supply shop. Make sure you use thick thread that matches the color of the hair. Here is how it turned out:

My coach will be doing my make up thankfully as I usually do not apply a lot of makeup. Stage lights wash you out so you may think its too much backstage when it's really not enough.

My jewelry is simple but blinged out! Bracelets, earrings, and ring all for under $7. Try charming Charlie, forever 21, or even a beauty supply store.

Still working on a base tan for a more natural look when I apply the rub on tan next weekend. I am SO excited!! Photo shoot on Tuesday. Last hard week, let the fun begin!

Xoxo Jess

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1 week Bikini Competition

We are almost there!!!!

We did a bit of carb cycling this past week to try and get more of my mid section down. Two days in a row no carbs and then incorporate them back in slightly on the third day. This technique is exhausting but it definitely made a difference. No carb diets are not ideal for the norm because you have to have carbs for energy and also to help transport protein to your muscles, just remember this was for a competition (short term). The third day when I put carbs back into the diet was the day I was lacking the most energy. So here we are ONE week out, I still can't believe it.

This weekend was Easter.. Not easy at all! I was visiting family out of town but managed to avoid all of the home cooked food and still get my workouts in. Food was pre made and all packed up:

Sprints and plyo exercises. You only need a driveway or open space to do that, so the whole "I travel a lot" cop out...no excuses!


Weight was down to 115 last week... Wow! I haven't weighed that much since high school! And I never expected to again in my life. Its a great feeling. I have never felt so good or so healthy. I feel like I can accomplish anything I put my mind towards now, and in one week I will be considered as part of a small population of people who can say they have done a competitive fitness competition. What an amazing accomplishment in only 12 weeks! Just finishing up some final touches with workouts and REALLY focusing on a clean, lean diet this week. As I say in all aspects of my life...I will continue to do my best, the rest is in God's hands!

xoxo Jess


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2 weeks Bikini Competition

Almost there!!! This past week work was killer. I has to miss a couple workouts because of it but, hey, it pays the bills! My weight dropped a bit more to 117 mid week and I'm still getting a bit smaller and muscles are starting to show. Besides being tired I'm feeling good. Here it is:

I am writing this entry from bed. It's the weirdest thing but I have been waking up every night at 3 am on the dot, eyes WIDE open. I'm not 100% sure why but I think it has to do with my eating schedule. My last meal of the day is usually by 7 pm so by 3 am my body probably wants more?? I'll have to look into that.

I have started on the most exciting part of this whole journey, cosmetics! I am no pro but I have been looking at a lot of photos of previous competitors and I have seen some not so flattering tan jobs. I figured the darker I am naturally the better it will look on stage with the rub on tan, so I've started tanning. I thought about not using the rub on tan at all but that could have a negative effect on your score and we don't want that! My coach suggested Jan Tana which i ordered online. Guess we will see how it turns out.




Stage lights wash you out so rubbing on a dark tan enhances your skin tone and physique. Some other things I have seen that I am trying to avoid:

Face tan not matching your body tone.
Splotchy, uneven, color
Looking un natural while posing - I have three posing sessions this weekend with different people to get even more comfortable with my posing.
Bad makeup.


It would be terrible to have to have something that you do in minutes take away from that beautiful physique on stage that you have spent so much time and energy perfecting.

This week is the last hard week for me as far as workouts go. Diet won't be changing too much. Last week to kick it in gear! Ill be traveling next weekend for Easter so I will have to do sprints and plyo for workouts because there isn't a gym. No excuses!

God is Good, Always

Jess xo


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Burning fat and Heart Rate

I have been promising a blog about heart rate and working out at different cardio levels.

Just a bit about the heart. The average resting heart rate is 60-80 beats per min (bpm). The lower your resting heart rate the more efficient your heart is, and the higher your heart rate vice versa. After starting my training I have gotten my resting heart rate in the 30's...... living well!!

You can get a great workout in with or without a heart rate monitor, however, it is much easier to push yourself during your entire cardio session if you know how hard you are working (without having to grab onto the metal handles on the cardio machine, or you can do cardio in other places like run outside!).

There are two energy sources your body utilizes, fat and sugar. The point at which your body starts utilizing mainly sugar is above what is called your anaerobic threshold (AT). The average calculation for this if you have a heart rate monitor is 180-age. If you consider yourself fit, add ten to that number.

So, I am 26 this would be my calculation:

180-26+10= 164 beats per minute

When you reach AT you feel the burn in your workout, jaw dropped, breathing to the point that if you were to talk you can't say more than two words without having to take a breath. For burning fat you want to keep just below this point.

While doing fat burning cardio I usually try to stay within 20 bpm of my AT (145-170 bpm).

You can get a decent heart rate monitor for $40-$70. The one I have straps to my chest:

Some exercises will increase your heart rate more than others, which is why you shouldn't always do the same form of cardio. If you run one mile everyday, after a few months your body will adapt and you will not get the same results (plateau). Move it to the stairs, cycle, elliptical, or add speed/incline. LOTS of ways to add variation.

If I look down and the watch is reading 100 bpm.. I know I need to push harder!

Thats motivation for me!

Hope this was helpful... back to it. Get ready for 2 week update and then COMPETITION TIME.


<3

Jess

facebook.com/jessdoitforyou

3 weeks- Bikini Competition & ABS!

Hey there!

Sorry its been a while since i have been able to post.. Life is SO busy right now with work alone, add training to that, well, you can imagine :)

So recap of the last couple weeks

Week 4: We took out some carbs in the AM. Not a ton, but it make a HUGE difference in the way I felt. This was the first week I actually felt hungry. By hungry I mean STARVING. This is the part where competition prep is different than maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It would not be ideal to do this year round. I may be sweet but I'm competitive and stubborn as hell which pushes me where a lot of people might give up! I love the fact that its tough because it makes me feel like im accomplishing something. I can't say it enough, if this were easy everyone would be doing it. TOUGH workouts last week and this week. Starting off shoulders on Monday with 30 burpies between each exercise and plyo between each set (squat jumps). Just to give you an idea.

I take my progression pics at 6 am so excuse the hair lol

3 weeks out:

I have started getting my posing down. Basically what you see above, turn to the back, and once more to the front, with a bit of attitude, my favorite part :)
Diet still includes mainly fish, veggies, egg whites, oats, sweet potato, and some good fat (almonds).
Heavy on this fish this week (keeping it lean!)

ABS!
So I was changing in the locker room the other day and I had a girl ask me, what do you do for abs?!

The funny part about it, I haven't really done a ton of ab exercises until about a week or two ago. I am not sure if you have heard this before but I stand by the saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen." You can do crunches and sit ups all day long but if they are covered by a layer of fat then you will never see them. Doing abdominal exercises will not cause you to lose belly fat, eating right and being active will!

Getting rid of body fat in this journey so far has been a mixture of diet, weights, and cardio. One thing that I have learned that my body has reacted to well is the way I do cardio. I do not just spend an hour a day on the elliptical. I do 20-30 mins of HIIT- Sprints! before I lift in the morning. I go back after work and get 45 mins in at night three times a week. My cardio at night is spent in a lower heart rate zone (aerobic). I use my heart rate monitor for this but its usually at the point where you are working hard enough that you cant say more than two words without having to take a breath.

Look out for my next blog for heart rate and cardio.

After all of that is said.. I FEEL AMAZING! I was able to eat sushi on Saturday night (limited) but it was SO good. This morning I had an awesome workout so I am starting week three out strongly.

It's amazing to me that not even 6 months ago I was wearing a size 8! I went shopping the other day and the retail worker said.. umm you are SMALL might need to try a 0!

Hard work pays off:

If you havent already, please 'like' my facebook page! facebook.com/jessdoitforyou

More to come soon. God Bless!

xoxo Jess

"Dont forget to smile, you never know who could be looking!"

5 Weeks- Bikini Competition & Basic Tips for Weight Loss

Hi!!

Hope life is treating you well... It's been SO good to me!

Here we are, 5 weeks out!

I decided to put it up next to where I started just to show the progression a bit better.

I got a new suit!! I love it! I have been learning so much from my amazing coach. She suggested the colors that will stand out on stage and look good on my physique.

Weight is at 121. Although weight is not something I use as guage my progression (I've lost around 10 lbs total) it's always a good thing to use to push yourself and push the limits further. Some weeks I lose 3 lbs, some i dont lose any, some i've gained a lb or two. Its all in the mixture of the process of burning fat and building muscle.

I do a total of about 9 workouts a week. So I am still working out twice a day at least three times a week. I haven't posted diets or workouts because those are given to me by a coach. The breakdown looks like this:

Monday: Shoulders/Cardio
Tuesday: Legs/Cardio
Wednesday: 1 hour cardio
Thursday: Back/Core/Cardio
Friday: 1 hour cardio
Saturday: Arms
Sunday: 1 hour cardio, or rest.. depending on how my body feels

LOTS of work! Remember, I am training for a competition. This would be a tough to do year round.

I have had a lot of people asking me for tips. It depends on what your goals are (you must define your goals so you have a reference point to work towards). For non-competitors looking for weight loss here are just a few to get you started:

•  NUTRITION - This is a BIG part of losing weight. Watch what you put in your mouth! Try eating five meals a day. In each meal include a good protein source, vegetables, and a small amount of complex carbs (wheat bread/crackers/wrap, oats, sweet potato, brown rice). The amounts of these will vary depending on your weight and activity level. A good site that i used to use back in my personal training days was myfitnesspal.com. You can enter your information and your goals and it will give you a good idea of what your intake should be. You can also track your food here. Stay away from sugar, sugar increases the storage of fat. It also messes with your blood sugar levels which makes you crave more of it and also makes you want to eat more in general.

• BE ACTIVE! Mix it up. Some days do aerobic cardio (below your anaerobic threshold). i will be writing more about this soon, but this is your fat burning state. In this state you shouldn't be able to say two words without taking a breath (hard but not extremely hard). Other days do HIIT intervals which is a higher intensity cardio (sprints). Here is an example:

Treadmill-

Jog 1 min
Sprint 1 min
Jog 2 min
Sprint 1 min
Jog 2 min
Sprint 1 min
Walk 1 min
Sprint 1 min

Repeat 2 times(30 minutes total)

           Do not forget resistance training! Do not be afraid to lift heavy weights! About 12 reps per exercise (3 sets). Increasing muscle = increase metabolism. Who doesnt want their body burning calories when they arent working out?!

• Never forget that this is a lifestyle. There is no such thing as a diet. A diet assumes that you will be following a specific regime until you reach your goals, and then what?? As soon as you stop dieting and you go back to your pre diet life you will get right back to where you were! Don't waste your time on 'dieting'. Choose to live a better life and commit!! Welcome, its a beautiful feeling.

• Make changes. If you stop seeing results its because you need to revaulate your goals. My diet and workouts change every week based on my physique and weight. If you continue to do the same thing you will hit a wall which can be extremely frustrating.

This is a great start. Feel free to come to me with questions! Im LOVING all of the support!


MY goals for week 5-

Get weight in the teens!
This week my diet has had a couple changes, mostly more fish (leaner protein source) and the addition of salmon to one of my meals to get a good fat source mmmm..

Also, I've got to work on my lower back. LOTS of back extensions.

Have a blessed week!!! Keep living well!