Getting Big & A Champ Hangs up the Heels

Big news this week on the figure front, IFBB Pro Valerie Waugaman has decided to retire to explore her career as an American Gladiator. This was a massive news announcement considering how successful Valerie had been during her short 3.5 year career - winning three major pro shows. Due to the intensity of training and filming, she has decided to hang up her posing suit.

Check out Val as she does one of her unique and unprecedented figure posing routines. No body does it quite like Val. :)

A full article on Val retiring can be found here: http://www.flexonline.com/news/335

We will miss you Val and congrats!

In other news, I am less than 200 days out from the big day! Whoa. And I have one goal: ADD MASS and GET BIG. Trouble if you are a female - well at least trouble mentally. Get bigger - weigh more - eat more - lift heavier. Worked on my bulking plan over the weekend but not quite ready to post it.

Stay tuned for more. I am still not 100% healthy so I am taking a bit more time to feel better. Nutrition info/tidbits coming tomorrow.
Jess
P.S. Can you tell I figured out how to post videos?? :)

Goal Setting 101 and Fitness News

Let's face it, goal setting isn't fun. Often times when people set goals they don't map out what it takes to get to that goal. For example, today I had to sit down (again because of being sick on and off over the last few months) and map out my goal of acheiving my pro card. This is somewhat difficult because I know I need to add muscle mass and know when I need to start dieting down but there are a lot of other factors involved like how many shows I need to do to show the judges I am serious as well as how much weight I can reasonably add during that period of time.

I know I have about 30 weeks until show time. 12 of those weeks need to be for dieting down. So essentially I have 18 weeks for mass building. So I broke down my routines and my goals during that 18 weeks and then goals for that last 12 weeks. I have to then translate those weekly goals when I plan out my day. I started my goal setting today and will finish up tomorrow with a detailed plan that I will share here on the blog. A couple things I can tell you that WILL have to change - can't miss workouts. :)

Some fitness news....the season started today with the Ironman Pro in LA. You can check out the figure replay for this mornings replay here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008im_wcr.htm and go to the figure replay. You can watch the finals tonight LIVE! :)

I worked out today and did a full body core workout.

• Squats w/65 pound squat rack super setted with T push ups (push up and then raise arm to ceiling and twist in between push ups) - 20 reps, 3 sets though
• Step ups w/body weight on 23" step super setted with Olympic bar rows - 20 reps each leg, 20 total rows, 3 sets
• Hamstring curls on ball super setted with sit ups on ball

Pretty basic but I torched 450 calories. Also did 30 minute run. Slow and easy.

I am tired of having negative thoughts about how I look or feel - this is a process for me in reaching my goals - that may mean I have to gain some weight in the interim. Weight gaining is good.

More on specific goals tomorrow. Will keep you updated on other figure news.
Jessica

RATS! Bad at Math!

Today I was getting organized at work and planning out workouts and getting all my crap together. Pretty much whistling at my desk...happy as could be and I printed off a new calendar to write down and map out my 42 weeks. It is the same calendar I used to count my weeks. Well, they overflow onto three pages and so there are 2 weeks repeated so I only have 40 weeks! HOLY BAD COUNTING BATMAN!

Revised plan:

Gaining/conditioning cycles: 3 weeks conditioning (don't need as much time on initial conditioning cycle b/c haven't been lifting heavy) starting today/12 weeks mass building/4 weeks conditioning & heavy lifting recovery/12 weeks MASS/9 weeks final conditioning. 12 week diet down will correspond with last 3 weeks of 12 week mass. I will be comfortable with a shorter diet down if I am at 16% bf and I can actually start dieting at 12 weeks out even if 2 of those weeks are still in mass building. The last 9 weeks will be exclusively conditioning while I diet down.

Ok, not as bad as I thought - glad I found that mistake now as opposed to 39 weeks in! :)
Jess

42 Week Plan - Part 1

Ok...I've been talking about it...you've been waiting for it...you have been checking back to see it...and here it is:

Currently, I am at 125lbs and around 18% BF (I know, I know - not good). That means that at 125 I have 22.5lbs fat. Ultimately, I want to get to 16% BF during my off season so I don't have so far to go. When I read about the pros, they all stay around 14-16% off season. And I need to add a lot of lean muscle - 8lbs min/10lbs max to be exact. Disclaimer: I know this is UBER aggressive. Gonna take a lot of hard work but I will do it. So plan is: reduce fat and add muscle.

Specific Goals:

1. Get to 16% off season body fat (I need to lose about 3lbs fat)

2. Gain 8-10lbs of muscle (in 42 weeks = .20-.40 lbs a week) - off season weight should be around 131-133.

3. Going to trade between gaining/conditioning cycles: 4 weeks conditioning (starting Monday)/12 weeks mass building/4 weeks conditioning/12 weeks MASS/10 weeks diet down. I will be comfortable with a shorter diet down if I am at 16% bf and I can actually start dieting at 12 weeks out even if 2 of those weeks are still in mass building. The last 10 weeks will be exclusively conditioning while I diet down.

4. Diet for conditioning weeks will be 1500-1800; 3 days low carb, 1 day high carb (refuel and shock metabolism); 1 cheat day; diet for mass building will be approx 1800-2000 calories w/ carb cycling 1 day low/2 days med/2 days high – repeat – additional protein/additional fat. Then 12 week diet is low calories 1200-1500 w/3 low car/1 high carb.

Part 2 of the plan will be to detail out my workouts....I am going to use my Outlook calendar to actually map it out. While I know 42 weeks is a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time, I need to transform my frame. Change my body. Slap a pound on each shoulder, a pound on each arm, a pound and a half on each leg/glute and the rest on my back. I will do this.

Week 1 of 4 week conditioning starts Monday. Woo hoo!

Can you tell I am feeling better???? OH YEAH! :)
Jess

Goals and Ode to Jenny Lynn

Over the last few weeks - oh heck, I mean since my competition (in June) - I have struggled with body fat, adding mass, etc, etc. My good friend Jason (the Fikenator) has to constantly remind me that my goals are to add body mass and lean out in such a way that I keep my hard earned muscle. Duh. Still tough to do. Sometimes it feels like there is an echo in here! :)

So, as I was struggling with the whole muffin top issue and kicking myself for taking time off from clean eating and consistent workouts and I really started thinking about stepping on that national stage. For those of you who don't know about it....go to www.musculardevelopment.com and click on Contest Pics for all kinds of great pics from NPC and IFBB shows. When I look at the girls from past national contests who have received their pro cards, I know that is where to set the bar.

So I looked back at a couple of Jenny Lynn thoughts to get motivated..........

On her weight/body fat off and on season:
"Off season I generally run around at about 135-138lbs at about 15-16% body fat. For a contest I'm around 122lbs at roughly 7%. About half way through my contest prep my period stops and it comes right back the month after my contest. I'd like to see you add 5-6 pounds of muscle during these 12 weeks. It takes time, patience and consistency to add muscle mass."

Then I also found the email she had sent me in response to my first contest pics....and this is what she said (I deleted the stuff she said about my suit, hair and make up for the purposes of this blog):

"OK, had a chance to check out your pictures. 1st show...great work! You have beautiful structure so it's just a matter of adding some muscle and leaning out more.

OK, here are the changes I'd like to see you make not necessarily immediately but in time:

· Posing needs some improvement...really practice is key here. Do it 30 minutes every night! Be able to pull lats out better, relax hands and look more comfortable.

· Muscle Development: back, hamstrings, calves, abs. Your shoulders look good!

· Conditioning: Overall need to be leaner…If you were 14% here I’d say 10-11% would be good. Probably about 6-7 pounds. Definitely need to bring your glutes in tighter but if you get leaner it will happen. Track workouts are the best way for me to get my lower body in shape. I carry much more weight on my lower body too…we all do as women..lucky us! Also for the immediate future I’d go to super sets and giant sets for your legs to help get them leaner. After this contest split your quads and hams.

I hope this helps! If you have any other questions..let me know. And if I can help you in the future, let me know.

Love,
Jenny"

A) How sweet is she? Providing so many great comments while also giving me specifics about what needs to be changed.

2) HOLY CRAP! 6-7lbs of fat. Yeah, she is right. :(

In talking with Fikenator (you like how I bring it all back together??? You know you do!) we came up with the following:

Jenny Lynn is about 1.91 lbs of lean muscle (no fat) per inch while her weight fluctuates due to fat pre/post contest. Amazing. So, that means I have a lot of muscle to add - like 10 lbs or more really. I will have to wait till tomorrow to post Fikenator's exact mathal (new word, learn it - love it) equation...but basically, I need to pack on the lbs. I should be around 130 in my off season at 16% BF.

And my ode to Cynthia....I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog/vlog today on focusing the daily activities that you know will get you to your result instead of your result. Now that I know what I want the result to be, I just have to make decisions and choices every day to get the RESULT I want.

This is going to be fun times. Jody and I are doing pics in the AM (he is asleep already (yes, I know it is 9:45) AND I will also give you guys an update on the week last week.

Keep squeezing to get the juice - it is worth it!
Jessica

Faith

Since it it Sunday, I thought I would post about faith.

I have faith that even though I don't see immediate results, the fat will come off.

I have faith that my hard work and heavy lifting in the gym will add muscle mass and show through in my improved physique on stage.

I have faith that the clean food I eat today will get me to the level of leanness I need to be at come show time.

I have faith that the hours of cardio will bring me in as tight as I need to be.

I have faith.

Too tired for the full week recap - did a 70 mile bike ride this morning (after legs on Saturday afternoon - NOT SMART). Four hours on a road bike will definitely teach you about faith! :) Will do a week recap and weekly goals in the morning!

Keep the faith all!
Jess

Mass, Mass, Mass

Fikenator...this one is for you:

This thing happens...when you are building mass.....you get bigger. I know, I know - hello, it seems like I/you should know this - hence the idea of building mass. You build mass, you get bigger. The problem is, as women, getting bigger is not so much fun. Getting bigger means your clothes are tighter - you feel fuller - you feel fluffier. And when your goal is building mass, all these feelings should make you feel like you are accomplishing your goal - of building mass. For me, building mass unfortunately also means a muffin top. My hubby, who is my biggest fan, says I look great - better than 99% of the female population - but it still doesn't change the fact that feeling fuller & fluffier is challenging...to say the least. The key, is to be happy about feeling those things because it means when I strip all of the fat off my frame, I will look better than I did before - rounder, fuller, more cut.

I am working my legs a lot more this time than I did last prep...I know it is needed but doesn't change the fact that my pants are tighter through the quads. Again, that will mean they will look better, fuller...more cut.

Ok, so this is my new mantra - instead of feeling like finding some type of ledge to jump off when my clothes are tight, I will high 5 myself and feel like I am accomplishing what I am here to do! BAM BABY! Progress is good. Progress is key. Progress = success!

Have a great weekend! Week recap tomorrow! :)
Jessica