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luvpitbulls

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About luvpitbulls

  • Birthday 04/12/1985

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  1. hello, hello vegan friends!! Sorry for my long silence (totally not like me to be quiet ), it has been a heck of a week! I started a new job this past Monday and I'm still adjusting. New job comes with a new schedule and I've been so out of whack this week that I'm not sure if I've been on the computer more than once this whole week! Yikes! I have been busy, but I have not neglected my planning. Today is DAY ONE. DAY ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (can you tell I'm excited??) I am officially in training for the OCB Charm City Classic on October 15th. I am committed. No matter how challenging this gets, I am going to see it through. I've been thinking about this non-stop all week and I've definitely considered chickening out and skipping this whole thing... but I just can't do that. I've been dreaming about this for SO LONG; it is time to make my dream a reality. It is time to push myself to the next level. It is time to commit. Man, it feels good to say that! I've been saying since January 1st that 2011 is going to be my year - time to make it happen! Thanks to everyone who's chimed in so far with their two cents... much appreciated! In "real life" i know one vegan and zero competitors, so this community really means a lot to me! Later today i will be posting my contest prep plan. It will forever be evolving, but I wanted to put together a good starting point and plan out some checkpoints along the way. I have 33 weeks to work with and the last thing I want to do is shrug off the details with an "eh, I've got plenty of time". Gotta have some accountability! I'll be back soon
  2. Hi Steph just wanted to say hope all is going well with your training and with your family!
  3. Thanks so much for the advice!! I'm so glad to hear you're in Baltimore! I have decided on the Charm City Classic on Oct. 15th, so maybe I'll see you there! I was going to try for an earlier show but I'm so afraid I'll cut myself short and feel rushed and unprepared. I figured 33 weeks is a good amount of time... I hope... That's the latest show I could find that is close by, so it'll have to do! IF (and that's a big if) I find I"m progressing faster than planned, I may hike it up to NJ for a show in August... but I doubt it. I would LOVE to know who you worked with to practice posing, if you don't mind sharing (PM me if you want). I am nervous about the posing, as I don't have the first clue about how to pose. I figured as it gets closer I'd start searching for someone to work with, but then again I hear it is better to practice early and often. I guess it's never too early for that, huh? I am also still tossing around the idea of competing in the bikini division rather than figure. Being a first-timer and a newcomer to bodybuilding in general, I figure my training will be the same (at least in the beginning) regardless of the division, so I have some time to iron out those details. But any thoughts on that? Thanks again for all the advice, I really appreciate it!!!! On, there is also a show on April 9th at UB, the OCB Eastern Regionals. I'm going just to watch - can't wait to see a show up close and personal!!
  4. Congrats on your win!!! Can't wait to hear how you're liking your new diet... keep us posted!
  5. Oh my gosh! Just finished reading through the journals of some other competitors and I am so inspired!!!! I have so many new ideas for my diet and my training and I can't wait to start planning! I feel 1000x more confident about my pre-contest diet than I did a few hours ago. Tomorrow is going to be a GREAT day!!!! Good night everyone!
  6. Hi Stephanie! I'm new to this site and also new to competing. I'm aiming to do my first show late summer/early fall. Right now I'm trying to get my diet/training plan ironed out and I'm aiming to officially start as of March 1st. A few weeks ago you mentioned that you felt like you had a much better understanding of what to eat/when to eat after talking with the Australian guy... if you don't mind, could you share with me what you've learned? (here or PM, whatever works for you!) You and I seem to be in a similar position: access to help with the training end, but no help on the diet front! Also, thanks for the PB tip! I LOVE PB!!! lol, I can eat a whole container in one sitting and that is most definitely not going to fly during contest prep! One other question: what type/flavor of Vega are you using? I hear so many good things about Vega protein products but the one little trial packet I had did not sit well with my taste buds. I'm hoping it was just the flavor and that there's still hope for Vega and I... I know they make a quality product! And finally, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Stay strong and focus on the iron! Oh wait, one more thing... I'm so impressed that you can keep it together without a kitchen!!! YOU ROCK!!
  7. Hi! So sorry to hear about your injury - I love to squat/deadlift too so I can only imagine how torturous it is to have to sit those out!! I'm new to this site and I'm about to start training for my first figure/bikini comp (probably late summer/early fall). Right now I'm trying to plan out my food and training; hoping to start by March 1st. If you don't mind, I have a few questions for you... When you were training for your comp, did you work with a trainer? I am not really in a position to hire a trainer. I know it can be done without one, just haven't had the opportunity to "meet" anyone who's done it! When you list hemp powder, how are you eating it? (mixing w/ water for a shake, mixing into oatmeal, etc.) Hemp powder is what I use for a protein powder right now (looking into gemma and rice protein as well) and I have a really hard time mixing it with water! Do you have a specific way you structure your daily pre-contest diet as far as macros are concerned? (i.e. do you aim for a specific percentage of daily cals, etc.) Any advice for a first-time competitor?? Oh and I noticed you are in MD - I'm in DE! I live in New Castle Co. and my family lives in Baltimore. Thanks so much for your feedback and best of luck recovering from your injury!!!
  8. Hi Paige! I'm new to this site and I came across your journal while looking for physique competitors. I am going to be doing my first show this year (realistically, probably late summer/early fall) and right now I am doing my best to plan my diet/training. I just read through your journal to get a feel for what the routine of a competitor looks like. Seems like your diet is very strict and your training is intense! Love it!! Also, you look great in your pics! I can't wait to post my contest pics one day... one day, lol. I have a few questions for you if you don't mind... Do you use one of the gemma flavors or just the natural/unsweetened? I know the site also gives you an option to add stuff to it - do you add anything? Do you have a set amount of macros that you aim for each day? Any advice for a newbie?? Thanks so much and best of luck in preparing for your next comp!!!
  9. Thanks for the welcome!! This will not be the last time I mention your book, as it has made a huge difference in my training goals. Prior to reading it, I wasn't sure it was possible to compete on a vegan diet without loads of soy products and lots of wacky supplements. Thanks for taking the time to put the book together - there aren't many resources out there for aspiring vegan bodybuilding/figure/fitness/bikini competitors, as I'm sure you know
  10. Wow, I can't believe I'm starting my first official contest prep journal!! The thought of standing on stage in a bikini along with all those fit women is absolutely terrifying, so it is important for me to remember to take it one day at a time!! What's that old saying? "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift." NOW IS ALL WE HAVE!! Make the most of it!! That's the whole idea here: instead of becoming so overwhelmed by the long-term goal ("omg, I'll never look like that!" and "I can't stick to this diet for that long!!") that I end up quitting before I even make any measurable progress, I'm going to plan well, stay positive, and take it one day at a time! It's all about a POSITIVE ATTITUDE and making the most of each and every day!!! (I should be doing that anyway, right?? ) Right now I'm in the planning phase. I am currently lifting, slacking off on my cardio, and eating more junk food than I should be. Hoping to have the big picture outlined, the first month planned out in detail, and the first week's food bought and prepped by March 1st. March 1st... woo that's close! I know it is necessary for me to have a detailed plan before I begin. If I just launch into it (which is how I usually do things) I'll quickly be overwhelmed, panicked and frustrated by the task at hand. There will still be times when I feel like that, but the whole idea is that when i feel panicked, I can turn to my handy-dandy contest prep plan for guidance, reassurance and vision. I can look at it and say "look, you're right on schedule, plus you have plenty of time before the show!" or "okay, so you only had three cardio sessions this week, but see, that's why you built in the option to up your cardio every six weeks. You're still on track!" (lol, gotta love the self talk) Honestly this planning phase might be the second most difficult part (I'm not delusional enough to think anything but the diet will be the hardest part!). I don't have a trainer and honestly I don't particularly want one. I know it would be helpful and I'd like to have some of the weight lifted off of this planning phase, but I truly cannot afford it. I have enough resources at my disposal that I can make this work, and if need be, I can purchase a few training sessions on an as-needed basis. Plus, this exercise in self-motivation and self-discipline will be good for me! I would like to have a training partner though... oh, what I wouldn't give for a training partner!! I'll be praying for that one. I'll be posting my beginning pics here soon and I'll start logging my diet/training as of tomorrow. Oh yeah, and I have to warn you, this will be a transformation for me! I do not currently look like a competitor! I admit I'm nervous to put my beginning pics up, but this is a welcoming, supportive board, right? I keep telling myself I'll be glad I posted my beginning pics in 4-6 months when I finally look like a competitor!! So, any advice for a vegan contest prep diet? Anyone know of any websites/books discussing said topic?
  11. Hi everyone! My name is Nikki, I've been vegan for about 5 months and I love dogs! I have to admit I still occasionally eat cheese (sucker for pizza) but I'm working on that. We all have our weaknesses, right? I'm lucky that I was never really a meat person, and I might be the only person in America who really doesn't enjoy cheese (save pizza), so it really isn't difficult for me to choose vegan foods. I do have trouble when I need something quick and easy, but I'm learning to get around that. In general, I really enjoy brown rice with black beans, green smoothies and fresh juice! I've always been active, played sports in high school but got lazy in college. Throughout college and for a few years after I'd go to the gym and lift weights but I wasn't consistent enough to really see any results. Finally about three years ago I started getting serious. I was inspired by the Eat Clean Diet (Tosca Reno) and the lovely ladies on her forum, and i was finally a bit more consistent with eating healthy and with lifting regularly. Before I could really see any serious results I transitioned to CrossFit and did that for about 3 or 4 months. CrossFit involves a lot of lifts I'd never done before (a real squat, deadlift, power clean, etc.) and I was frustrated to be so out-of-the-loop and so darn weak!! And so I began the Starting Strength program (Mark Rippetoe & Lon Kilgore). This was my very first opportunity to observe my body changing rapidly. I wasn't really changing visually (at first), but every single time I stepped into the gym I was stronger. It was unreal! I fell in love with training for strength (as opposed to just trying to look good) and I even did a powerlifting competition about 6 mths later. I loved every minute of it! Unfortunately, I was eating like crap (meat, whole milk, whey protein, meat, whole milk, whey protein, and occasionally ice cream) and I was getting FAT!!! My coach kept assuring me that once I was strong enough (and therefore had more muscle mass) I'd actually start losing fat without trying and I'd be strong, lean and fit. Who knows, maybe he would have been right had I stuck with it, but I realized I needed a change. I could lift more weight than I ever thought was possible, but I was fat, looked like hell, ate like crap, felt like crap, had a constant stomach ache, couldn't even shovel snow for 5 minutes without being seriously winded and i was scaring the sh*t out of my husband! LOL! Shortly after I quit powerlifting I switched to a vegan diet. This diet fits my natural food preferences much better than the way I was eating before. Plus, I love, love, love animals and after watching Earthlings, etc. I could no longer justify eating meat. It isn't necessary, so why contribute to that madness? I've also been lifting consistently (not powerlifting, more towards bodybuilding). I've lost some fat and the majority of my strength, but I'm at a good place. I just read Robert's book and i am so thankful to finally have some insight as to what a vegan bodybuilding diet looks like! It is not nearly as complicated as I thought and it seems to accommodate my food preferences well (I hate tofu). Okay one last thing... I want to do a figure/bikini competition this year. I am terrified of the dietary restrictions (will I be able to resist sugar for 12 weeks?!?) but I am ready to take on the challenge. This is an idea that's been floating around in my head for a few years now. I've tried to forget about it, I've tried waiting it out and hoping the idea would fade, but it always comes back. I am beginning to think this is something I'd regret skipping, so it's time to make it happen! I'm currently researching and planning my vegan competition diet. There are plenty of resources to figure out how to train for a competition, but not many to figure out a vegan contest prep diet!! And so, here I am. sorry for the way-too-long intro post!! look forward to meeting you all! -Nikki
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