You Are Never Too Old To Try Something New

Age: 55

Occupation: Certified Public Accountant

Family: Husband, Don, married 18 years. Plus, we are fur parents to SIX cats: Bobby, Rocco, Mojo, Sweetie, Teddy, and Pippy

Current Residence: Waynesville, NC

Years training(total): 40+ years (began in the late 1970s running track)

Height: 5’7"

Weight: Off Season 152, Contest 136

Favorite Fitness Meal: Chicken and rice with avocado and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and salt (both help me drink more water) plus a square of 86% intense dark chocolate.

Favorite Beverly Supplements: Multiple Enzyme Complex with each meal as digestive enzymes decrease as we age; PBP (Plant-Based Protein) at least one scoop daily mid-morning or when hungry; 1-2 scoops Glutamine Select before and after training to flood my system with amino acids; and 7-Keto MuscLean/Lean Out stack – 3 caps of 7-Keto MuscLean and 2 Lean Out upon waking and again before training to maximize fat loss when contest prepping.

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? Make sure you are getting enough protein and choose one of Beverly's fine protein products to meet your protein goals. I choose PBP since I have eliminated dairy, but I have used UMP and Muscle Provider, which are excellent protein sources.

Music: Classic Rock

Most Inspiring Book: Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, M.D.

Hobbies or interests outside Bodybuilding: Horses/Rodeo, Track Cycling, Cats

Words to live by: You are never too old, and it is never too late to try something new.

People are often surprised to learn I am 55 years old and a competitive bodybuilder. I usually explain that I am a latecomer to the sport but have been a lifelong athlete. I started as a runner in middle school and high school and then college. I was a middle-distance runner and decent at it. After graduating college with an accounting degree, I was a busy CPA living in the Midwest and did not have a lot of spare time for athletic pursuits. Still, I kept in shape by running, swimming, or occasionally riding a bicycle. Then I moved to the mountains of western North Carolina in the late 1990s and joined a gym where I started to weight train. I remember doing the "Body For Life" Challenge that was popular at the time. I did cardio and weights on alternating days and loosely followed the meal plan, and while I looked pretty good, I never achieved the Rachel McLish, Cory Everson, or Monica Brandt look that I desired.

I began riding road bicycles with a local group about that time. We had a mock World Championship race every Tuesday night. Then, one day I decided to do an actual race. Soon I was hooked on bicycle racing, became serious, and even had a cycling coach. Weight training was an integral part of my winter training. I lifted as heavy as I could, with a big emphasis on heavy squats and leg presses.

Every year I wrote goals for the season. And one of my noncycling goals that showed up year after year was to "Have a Monica Brandt Physique." Of course, I didn't achieve that physique while racing bikes, but I did rise quickly through the racing categories and became a Category 1 road and track cyclist, and competed at the elite and masters levels. I won 7 Masters National Track Titles and was runner up twice at Elite Track Nationals during my bicycle racing career.

Then in 2008, during a stressful time of my life, I was getting in hours on the bike, weight training, and working as a CPA in the middle of tax season. My body revolted with incredible swelling in my knees and a diagnosis of RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis). I was shocked and scared I would never train or race again. Luckily, I got it under control within a year with medication, but it ended my bike racing career.

While waiting and hoping that my RA would go into remission, I kept busy with all kinds of activities, including showing cats at cat shows and sewing crafts to raise money for my local animal shelter. I did bodyweight-type workouts for several years and occasionally went to the local gym for a morning boot camp class. Finally, my RA was in remission, and I felt that competitive "bug" again. I was now 50 years old and realized I still had that unfulfilled goal of achieving a "Monica Brandt Physique" and doing a bodybuilding competition.

Bodybuilding Success

It was January 2017. I looked "fit" and had some muscle, but I knew I would need some help if I was going to compete. I contacted Anthony Tiller, owner of Underdog Performance Training and Fitness, Inc. Anthony assessed my physique, put me on a training plan, and set my macros with the goal of a June 2017 show. My body responded quickly, and I was ready early (12 weeks into prep). Ironically, a small natural bodybuilding federation hosted a show in Franklin, NC, just 45 minutes from my house. I entered the old school women's bodybuilding division, just like my idols from the 1990s. My routine consisted of pure bodybuilding poses performed in the classic manner. I was a nervous wreck on stage, then I heard a stranger going nuts cheering for me in the audience, and it put a huge smile on my face. At that moment, I fell in love with being on stage and knew I wanted more. I was the only entrant in women's bodybuilding, so by default, I won.

I met John Lankford at the show, the promotor of the Carolina Supernatural Show, and a Beverly ambassador. John had been featured in Beverly's No Nonsense Magazine and introduced me to Beverly International supplements. As a 100% all-natural athlete, I always look for quality products that provide results. I researched the products online and started using UMP protein powder, Glutamine Select, plus the 7-Keto/Lean Out stack. In June 2017, I competed in the SNBF Carolina Supernatural, and I won the whole thing! I won my class and the overall in women's bodybuilding, my pro card in the SNBF, and the best poser award. I became hooked on the sport and the friends I was making. It was like no other sport in which I competed because, to my complete surprise, everyone was supportive, helpful, and friendly.

In late 2018, I competed in Women's Physique for the first time. I love the beautiful posing style in Women's Physique. I won my class and qualified for an NPC national level show in 2019. I competed at the national show but, as a natural athlete, did not have the mass required to be competitive; plus, I had overdone cardio in my prep. Some women may need a lot of cardio, but I learned that excessive cardio combined with a prolonged deficit diet resulted in muscle loss. I ended 2019 upset with my results but ready for a long break. And then we all got a long break in 2020 when COVID hit, and shows were canceled all year. I was fortunate to have access to a home gym and stayed consistent with my training, diet, and supplement programs throughout the year. I always tell people consistency, not perfection, with training and diet is key!

In 2021, I set my goal to earn my pro card at the OCB Jack Kings Classic in April, then make my pro debut at the Yorton Cup in October 2021 in Pittsburgh. I enlisted the help of Terri McBee of Team Hardbody Coaching to help me dial in a diet and cardio regimen that would help me maintain mass yet lose the fat I needed to be stage-ready. I refer to this prep as "the best prep ever." It was slow and steady, and cardio was kept to just the right amount so that my body was never overly stressed. I followed an IIFYM style nutrition plan and was consistent with the Beverly supplements that work for me. On show day, I shined, and I felt fantastic. Everything had gone perfectly in my prep. In the Pro Women's Physique Division, I won my class B (the tall class) and came in second overall at the Yorton Cup.

Nutrition

While I follow an IIFYM approach year-round, I eat clean 80% of the time during the off-season yet splurge with a high-carb Saturday of pizza and wine. My daily calories in the off-season are in the 2,300 Kcal range, and my Carb/Protein/Fat percentages are typically 40/30/30. My protein intake is the same year-round, both off-season and contest prep, at about 1.1 to 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight. (Note that I weigh my protein in ounces but all my other foods in grams).

For contest prep, I buckle down and gradually drop my carbohydrate and fat intake each week. My Carb/Protein/Fat percentages are more like 40/35/25 a few weeks out from a contest then 40/40/20 right before a contest.

A typical meal plan for me close to a contest date looks something like this: (about 1650 Kcal and 40/40/20 Carb/Protein/Fat)

Breakfast: Coffee with collagen powder. Then, 5oz chicken breast, 100 grams white rice, and a mandarin orange
Snack: 1 scoop PBP powder, 1 square 86% dark chocolate
Lunch: 5oz chicken breast, a very large bowl of spinach, 60 grams avocado, 100 grams asparagus, 100 grams Brussels sprouts, 50 grams sweet peppers, 2 pickle spears, 100 grams white rice (or 120 grams sweet potato)
Snack: 1 scoop PBP powder and one mandarin orange
Supper: 5oz chicken breast, 100 grams asparagus, 100 grams white rice (or 120 grams sweet potato)
Snack: 1 square 86% dark chocolate, 10 pistachios

Prep Tips: I prepare enough food for several meals when I cook. I make sure that I have food cooked for the next day. I cook enough rice to last several days in a large rice cooker. I bake 4-5 sweet potatoes at a time and at least 2 pounds of chicken breasts, so I have plenty for all my meals.

Supplements

I take the Beverly basics year-round for muscle retention, strength, and digestive support. I add the contest prep supplements to the basics about 12 weeks from a contest.

Time of Day	Beverly Basics	Added during Contest Prep to Maximize Fat Loss & Energy
Upon-Waking	6 GH Factor 5 Density 8 Muscle Synergy tablets 3 Quadracarn	3 7-Keto MuscLean 2 Lean Out 2 Energy Reserve
Beakfast	1 Multiple Enzyme Complex 3 Joint Care plex	1 Lean Out
Snack	1-2 Scoops PBP
Lunch	1 Multiple Enzyme Complex 3 Quadracarn	1 Lean Out
Pre-Workout	1-2 scoops Glutamine Select and Up-Lift if I feel the need 8 Muscle Synergy tablets	3 7-Keto MuscLean 2 Lean Out 2 Energy Reserve
Dinner	1 Multiple Enzyme Complex 3 Quadracarn	1 Lean Out
Before Bed	6 GH Factor

Cardio

I often go outside for a nice, easy ride around town on my road bike in the off-season. I do this without trying to accomplish any heart rate or interval goals, and it's just for fun with my spouse and to be active. During contest prep, my cardio builds to a maximum of 30 minutes of HIIT 3 times a week. I like HIIT cardio because it is fast, effective, and does not require hours of slogging away at cardio.

I want to emphasize that you need to find cardio that is enjoyable and fun. For me, that is HIIT cardio on a bike trainer combined with a post-workout stress-relieving walk if possible.

Training

My training advice is to always lift as heavy as you can for the rep range you are aiming for so that the last two reps are challenging. My training doesn't vary too much in the off-season compared to competition mode. The biggest thing that changes for me during contest prep is my diet and slowly adding in more cardio time.

My current training routine focuses on building all muscle groups, and I am trying very specifically to focus on a mind/muscle connection and get into the muscle fibers.

(Note I always do a light warm-up of 5 minutes on the elliptical or just a simple overall bodyweight movement series with squats, lunges, push-ups, and arm swings for 5 minutes.)

On exercises with an asterisk (*), add weight to each set while decreasing reps.

Day 1: Chest/Biceps
Bench Press 3x6-10*
Incline DB Press 4x6-10*
Barbell Curl 21's 3x7/7/7 (half rep at bottom, half rep at top, complete rep)
Superset: Decline Push-Up 3x10-12 w/ Hammer Curl 3x10-12
Superset: Dips 3x10-12 w/ Incline DB Curl 3x10-12

Day 2: Shoulders/Abs
DB Shoulder Press (or use Smith Machine) 3x6-10*
DB Lateral Raise 4x8-10
Superset: Arnold Press 3x10-12 w/ DB Upright Row 3x10-12
Triset: Bent Over Lateral, Plate Front Raise, Face Pulls 3x10-12 each
Superset: Plank 4x60 seconds w/ Bicycle 4x30 full reps

Day 3: Break

Day 4: Legs
Leg Extension 3X10/10/10 (3 drop sets)
Superset: Leg Press 3x15-20 w/ Goblet Squat 3x15-20
(put heels on a plate to put more tension on quads)
Barbell Squat 3-4x15
Walking Lunge 4x10 steps each leg
Superset: BB Good Mornings 3x10-12 w/ Lying Leg Curl 3x10-12
Superset: Abductor machine 3x15 w/ Seated Calf 3x15-20
Superset: Adductor machine 3x15 w/ Standing Calf 3x15–20

Day 5: Back/Triceps/Abs
Pull-Ups with Assist Band 3x10 OR Pull-Up Negatives 3x6
Barbell Deadlifts 2x8-10 warm-up, 3x8-10 working weight
Close grip Cable Row 3x10-12
Superset: DB Pullover 3x10-12 w/ BB Lying Tricep Extension 3x10-12
Superset: Bench Dip 1x12-15 w/ Reverse one-arm Cable Extension 1x10-12
Superset: Cable Crunch 3x15 w/ Crab Reach 3x10-12 (each side)

In Closing

Every person needs to learn their body and pay attention to what works for them. We are all unique, and the key is to find the food, supplements, and training that maximizes your potential. Based on food sensitivity testing, I personally avoid wheat, gluten, dairy, eggs, almonds, and several other foods. Avoiding these foods has made a dramatic difference in my digestion and physique. I also work hard to manage my RA and arthritis. The best remedy is staying active, maintaining a healthy diet and weight in the off-season, and stretching. I believe the fountain of youth can be found in lifting weights and staying active, eating nutritious real food, taking quality supplements, and having a healthy, positive mindset. Keep Pushing!

Out Of Shape For 20 Years, Now I’m In The Best Shape Of My Life at 44

Age: 44

Occupation: Director of IT

Family: wife Tracie

Residence: Fishers, Indiana

Years training: 5

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 175

Favorite Bodybuilding Meal: My bedtime snack and favorite meal of the day is 1 scoop UMP Cookies and Cream, 1 scoop casein protein, 1 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter mixed into a pudding (or use walnuts instead of nut butter). I also mix in BCAAs, Glutamine, and Creatine.

Favorite Supplements: UMP, Muscle Provider

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before: Start with Ultimate Muscle Protein, you’ll be hooked!

Music: Lecrae, Tedashii

Most Inspiring Book: Joel Osteen, Become a Better You

Hobby or Interests Outside of Bodybuilding: Duathlon, triathlon, martial arts with Gary Hoyd at Elite Martial Arts in Indianapolis.

I REALLY enjoy competing and pushing myself to be better each show. But, having spent years abusing my body in a number of ways, I also appreciate my renewed health and peace of mind. I want to be healthy and fit more than I want to "get huge". I want to build as much muscle as I can without risking my health. Therefore, when I decided to get back into weights, I knew that I would NOT use steroids or any other unhealthy means of building my body.

I have learned that there is no single workout, supplement, food, or tip that is a magic bullet. Making dramatic changes to your physique and maintaining those changes (for the average, drug-free person) requires a lifestyle change that includes consistency, hard work, and daily dedication to diet. Nothing truly good in life comes easily (if it did, we wouldn't appreciate it!!). However, good quality supplements can be a tremendous help, and you may never reach your full potential if you don’t find the right ones! I started using Beverly supplements in 2009 and have made major improvements since that time!

Preparation for a Contest

I normally don’t make drastic changes before a contest. I stay lean year round, so I normally only have to lose 6-10 pounds for a show. My first couple of years competing I’d gain 20-30 pounds in the offseason and then had to diet for 20-30 weeks to lose all the fat. I found this was unnecessary and borderline unhealthy.

Now I alternate shorter cycles of building up and leaning down, staying closer to my competition weight. For example, in the off season I might concentrate on building mass for 6 weeks and then lean down for 3 or 4 weeks to trim off any extra fat I’ve gained. I try to stay between 6% and 10% percent bodyfat, so I look better year round. In the 4 weeks before a show, however, I get below 6% and I have to lighten up on the amount of weight I lift. My primary diet change during the final 4 weeks before a contest is to eat less in my big post-workout carb meal.

I eat 8 or 9 times a day, shooting for 30 grams of quality protein at each meal. I use 1.5 times my bodyweight as the measure for the number of protein grams I shoot for each day. To illustrate, at 175 pounds I make sure I’m getting (1.5 x 175) or about 260 grams of protein daily. Sources include tuna, chicken breast, salmon, and a quality protein shake such as Beverly Muscle Provider or UMP. I eat lean beef once or twice a week. I use Beverly UMP mixed with casein before bed (mixed into a pudding with organic peanut butter or organic almond butter).

I eat moderate amounts of carbs with each meal. I have a slightly larger carb meal for breakfast (my breakfast carb of choice is oatmeal), and I usually stick with broccoli or carrots at each of the meals during the day. Post workout, I have dextrose and honey on a sweet potato to facilitate a good insulin surge, as well as growth hormone release. Both of these hormones are critical for muscle growth. They help increase protein synthesis and hypertrophy as well as decrease protein breakdown and excretion.

As an alternative post workout meal, I sometimes have dextrose on rice cakes with peanut butter and organic raw honey. As you can see, the bulk of my daily carbs come post-workout.

I get quality fat sources through 100% peanut butter or almond butter (organic), walnuts, or almonds. Whichever of these I choose, I usually mix them into my UMP pudding at night before bed or I will have some with a meal or two during the day. I also drink 2-3 gallons of water each day, mostly through huge 48oz protein shakes (wa-ter mixed with Beverly Muscle Provider or another hydrolyzed protein depending on the time of day).

Each week, I have cutting and build-ing days. On days when I train my better body parts or cardio only, I restrict carbs but keep protein at my usual amount to retain muscle. Then on the days when I train my weaker body parts (or those I am specializing on) I will have a surplus calorie day by eating more carbs, particularly post workout.

Here is an example of a "build day" for me right now. This assumes I did a 45 minute run in the morning and a solid 60 minute weight training workout in the evening with an additional 20 minutes on a cardio machine.

6 AM: Pre run 1/4 scoop protein shake

6:15 AM: Run 4.5 miles (between 40 and 45 minutes)

7:20 AM: 1 1/4 scoop Beverly Muscle Provider in 48 oz water, 3/8 cup oatmeal

9:30 AM: 5 oz can tuna, 4 oz carrots

Noon: 1 1/4 scoop Beverly Muscle Provider in 48 oz water, vegetable stir fry or a large salad

2 PM: 5 oz can tuna, broccoli or garden salad

4:30 PM: 1 scoop Muscle Provider in 32 oz water, 4 oz carrots

6:45 PM: Cardio machine for 10 minutes, followed by weight training for 45-60 minutes, followed by 10 more minutes cardio.

8 PM post workout: 1 scoop hydrolyzed whey mixed with 48 oz water, 1 sweet potato with dextrose and honey.

10 PM: 1 scoop UMP, 1 scoop casein, 1 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter mixed into a pudding.

I know my weekday foods are pretty boring but I eat what is convenient for me to take to work. On Saturday and Sunday I rarely eat tuna, and I eat more variety. I might eat out or cook some salmon or lean steak.

Sample Training Schedule

Over the past year I got away from a regimented periodization program and just started really mixing things up. I have even gotten to the point where I rarely if EVER do the same workout twice. I train twice daily (cardio in the morning, anaerobic and cardio in the evening). Mixing it up and using a wide variety of techniques, rep ranges, tempos, and volume seems to work very well for me as I have made more progress in the past year than ever, and I have been injury free for the past year.

My contest plan for this year includes competing in Pro Qualifier shows in the Masters division. I am continually learning about training and diet and I hope to bring an improved physique to the stage again this year. I am having a good off season so far and I hope to be in even better shape in 2012!

This can be a very selfish sport if we allow it. Thanks to my wife Tracie for helping me keep my diet clean and for all she has endured and sacrificed. I am working hard to be less self-centered. This year I plan to live a more balanced life and to grow in my relationship with God. I want to be a better husband, son, friend, and person.

I have a great desire to help people overcome obstacles in their life, achieve their goals, and be the BEST THEY CAN BE!!! I recently earned my NASM Certified Personal Trainer certification and I am now working on my Certified Nutrition Specialist certification. I have a great desire to help people overcome obstacles in their life, achieve their goals, and be the BEST THEY CAN BE!!!

Please feel free to visit my website at http://itsallpossiblefitness.com/ or email me at bill@itsallpossiblefitness.com with comments, questions, or requests for training.

Thanks to all of the inspiring people in my gyms that also compete and have been encouraging to me along the way. Thanks to God, as I truly believe that
with Him all things are possible!

Thoughts on Joining the “Sexty” Club

Well, I just enjoyed my 60th birthday and my husband, Brian, says I've officially joined the "Sexty" club.

Starting sixteen weeks out from the big day, I committed to getting in competition shape – not necessarily to enter another contest, but to compete against my former best condition. A planned Florida vacation about the time of my birthday helped with additional motivation. My bodyfat was 21.5%, and my goal was to get down to 10% while staying healthy and strong, LEAN and MEAN! (I mean "mean" in the nicest way.)

I did all my training in our home gym. My husband, Brian, and I converted our 24' x 24' garage into a gym three years ago. Enjoying the freedom of having our own place to train and work with our treasured clients is such a blessing. We are so thankful for the handful of clients we retained throughout COVID. And now all of our previous clients have returned along with some new ones to "Simpson's Gym".

My Food Plan to Achieve My "Sexty" Goal

Workouts and cardio are important, but without a NUTRITION PLAN… you'll get NOTHING…AS FAR AS RESULTS GO!

Planning and preparing my meals have become part of my lifestyle. I followed pretty much the same food plan for the entire 16 weeks.

Meal One
4 egg whites, 3oz turkey or turkey sausage, 2oz red potatoes, veggies

Meal Two
UMP protein shake (usually Chocolate or Strawberry) with a handful of blueberries, one rice cake topped with chunky almond butter

Meal Three
Healthy Choice power bowl (I add 3-4oz of extra protein)

Meal Four
UMP protein shake, 1 rice cake with almond butter

Meal Five
6oz chicken, 1 cup cottage cheese, green veggies, 2 rice cakes

Notes: If I trained early in the morning, I'd switch the order of meals 1 and 2. The order of the meals is totally up to YOU, depending on your daily schedule. I also add a CARB LOAD meal midday once a week
(oatmeal, red 'taters', cup of veggies, ¹⁄₂ banana).

My "Sexty" Workout Plan

Daily: Abs, Cardio, Yoga
I do abs daily, mixing in a couple of these exercises each day:

Crunches (200-300 total reps)
Hanging Leg Raise (5x20)
Ab Wheel (3x20)
Medicine Ball Crunches (3x20)

There is a lot of variety in my cardio workouts. I do one or more of the following each day, Monday – Saturday:

Jog – Run – Power Walk on an outdoor trail
Treadmill – 40 or 50 minutes
Boxing Training (jump rope, heavy and light bags)
Zero Runner or Stationary Bike
Yoga – I teach a Saturday morning Yoga class for our gym (might be inside, outside, or on our trail). I also practice Yoga throughout the week.

Workout Split
Monday: Glutes, Biceps, Calves, and lots of walking lunges on our trail
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Chest, Abductors & Adductors Thursday: Quads & Biceps (heavier sets than Monday) Friday: Triceps & Glutes
Saturday: Shoulders
Sunday: Off Day

A Life In Bodybuilding: Natural Pro Bodybuilder, Prep Coach, Gym Owner, & Promoter

Age: 42

Occupation or Education: Gym Owner/ Personal Trainer, M Club Fit Transformation (two locations in Lexington, KY)

Family: Wife (married 21 years), no children, 1 dog (Oliver), 1 cat (Rooney)

Current Residence: Lexington, KY

Years training: 25 years

Height: 6’0"

Weight: Off Season 195, Contest 175

Favorite Bodybuilding Meal: Breakfast (Egg Whites, Oatmeal, Berries)

Favorite Supplements: UMP and Muscle Synergy

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? Definitely use UMP (all flavors are amazing)

Music: Praise and Worship

Most Inspiring Book: Bible

Hobbies or interests outside Bodybuilding: Motivational Speaking

Words to live by: "It's in your moments of Decision that your Destiny is shaped" ~Tony Robbins

Fitness, nutrition, and athletics have always been a passion of mine. Growing up as a kid from eastern Kentucky, I had a dream of becoming a professional bodybuilder. Even from a very young age, I always had a desire to exercise and eat healthy. I remember asking my dad at the age of 6 to teach me how to do push-ups and sit-ups. I can also recall always seeking healthy foods for my nutrition. I avoided sugary foods and only wanted to drink water. As I grew older, I became heavily involved in sports and recognized that training and proper nutrition had given me an advantage.

Career

Fast-forward several years; I graduated from Morehead State University with a degree in Exercise Science. I was excited to begin my career as a personal trainer. After gaining some experience, I learned that much more goes into this profession than writing workout programs and meal plans. I knew early on that effective workouts and meal plans alone were not the only secret to success. I had to find ways to keep my clients focused and motivated. I had to help them develop self-discipline and teach them its rewards. It does a client no good to have an effective program if they do not have the focus and self-discipline to follow through. I began to ask myself, what makes people successful? How can I implement proven success strategies with the many different personalities
I work with every day? I realized that I must first believe in them for my clients to succeed.

Keys to Success

It is vitally important that I instill a strong positive mental mindset in my clients. Here are the keys I use every day with them:

I must Believe in my client
I must Instill Discipline in my client
I must keep them focused
Have a specific Outcome in mind
Have an effective Action Plan (and adjust it accordingly)
Have a Deadline on when the goal is to be accomplished
Have the clients on a good supplement plan
Clients must surround themselves with a good supportive network of friends.

After seven years of personal training in local gyms, I decided to open my own business, which I originally called Transformation Personal Training. It's still going strong eleven years later. It's now named M Club Fit Transformation. I feel very privileged and honored to have worked with each client. Not only have I had the benefit of helping them achieve their goals, but each of them has helped me in more ways than they will ever know.

Bodybuilding Career

In March of 2006, I competed as a bodybuilder for the first time. I won the open middleweight weight class at that show, and I was hooked ever since. I fell in love with the sport. I continuously wanted to train and compete. I have now competed in over 25 shows with 15 class titles, earning my NGA pro card in 2014. I currently have four pro show wins. Because of my passion for natural bodybuilding, I couldn't help but share that passion with others. So in May of 2013, I promoted the state's first natural bodybuilding contest as a non-sanctioned event. I sanctioned the show with the National Gym Association (NGA) the following year. I am now the NGA state chairman for Kentucky. I promote two Natural Bodybuilding shows a year, the NGA Pro/Am Kentucky Natural Classic held every April in Lexington, Ky, and the NGA Pro/Am Bluegrass Bodybuilding Championships held every September in Lexington, Ky.

As a promoter and coach, it's important that I teach the true value of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is so much more than just standing on stage. It is about who you become in the process. To become an elite competitor, one must develop character, discipline, and focus. Once this process is mastered, the same success principles can be utilized in any area of life.

Breakfast
1 cup liquid egg whites, ¹⁄₂ cup of oatmeal (measured before cooking), ¹⁄₂ cup blueberries
Calories: 392 - Protein: 37g - Carbs: 43g - Fats: 11g

Snack #1
16 almonds, 1 grapefruit
Calories: 185 - Protein: 6g - Carbs: 22g - Fat: 10g

Lunch
8oz of Tilapia, ¹⁄₂ cup Quinoa, 1 cup broccoli Calories: 337 - Protein: 45g - Carbs: 28g - Fat: 6g

Snack #2
2 Scoops Muscle Provider, ¹⁄₂ tbsp peanut butter, 2 rice cakes
Calories: 337 - Protein: 46g - Carbs: 24g - Fat: 5g

Dinner
8oz chicken, 6oz sweet potato, 10 asparagus spears
Calories: 425 - Protein: 57g - Carbs: 28g - Fat: 6g

Snack #3
2 scoops Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP)
Calories: 250 - Protein: 43g - Carbs: 4g - Fat: 7g

Daily totals
Calories: 1,916 - Protein: 231g - Carbs: 155g - Fats: 45g
Drink 1-gallon water daily

Cardio

Three days for 25 minutes

Chest and Triceps (Monday/Thursday)
Barbell Bench Press 5x5
Incline Press 3x10
Dumbell Flye 3x10
Cable Cross-Overs 3x10
Dips 3x10
Triceps Pressdown 3x10
Skull Crusher 3x10
Dumbell Triceps Extensions 3x10
Bench Dips 3x20

Back and Biceps (Tuesday/Friday)
Pull-ups (3 sets to failure)
Lat Pulldown 3x10
Low Row 3x10
1-Arm Dumbell Row 3x10
Hyperextension 3x15
Barbell Curl 3x10
Alternating Dumbell Curl 3x10
Cable Curl 3x10

Legs and Shoulders (Wednesday/Saturday)
Squat 5x10
Leg Press 3x10
DB Walking Lunges 3x20 steps
Romanian Deadlift 3x10
Leg Extension 3x10
Leg Curl 3x10
DB Shoulder Press 3x10
DB Rear Delt Flye 3x15
DB Lateral Raise 3x15

Abs
Six sets of 30 reps of floor crunches/ or any abdominal exercise of my choice after each workout.

In Closing

I have earned a lot of titles - gym owner, competitive bodybuilder for 15 years and counting, show promoter, contest prep coach, and NGA state chairman. I have worked with many people in the fitness and bodybuilding industry, and it is an honor to have a part in the success of so many people. I must say Beverly International has always been a major contributor to my success and the success of my clients. I have always advised my clients to use Beverly International because they are the best quality supplements on the market. They have stood the test of time!

New Men’s Physique Division Was My Ticket To The Stage

Age: 37

Occupation or Education: Personal Trainer, Quality Control Specialist, BS exercise science, multiple certifications

Residence: Lexington, KY

Years training: 19

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 210 (off-season), 195-200 (contest)

Favorite Bodybuilding Meal: Grilled tilapia with grilled brussel sprouts

Favorite Supplements: Glutamine Select - before, during, and after training. Quadracarn - three times per day. UMP - my protein of choice, before bed and anytime I can’t get in a solid meal. ZMA 2000, and fish oils.

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before: Glutamine Select is a must have, and UMP is the best protein supplement available. Most people don’t like the taste of protein supplements at first, not the case with UMP, it tastes amazing, no matter how you use it.

Music: Derek Trucks Band, or something about quantum physics

Most Inspiring Book: Heaven by Randy Alcorn

Hobby or interests: family, quantum physics, nutrition and meal planning

Words to live by: If you tell someone you will do something, do it. Always be the best you can possibly be and be very proud of that.

I’ve always been interested in athletics and competition. That’s probably just a part of growing up in Kentucky. it’s one of the unwritten rules. we tend to be very proud of our sports teams and will go down swinging in support of them. I played basketball and baseball growing up. I always tried to train my body to become better at sports. Running drills over and over until muscle memory could do them without any thought. it wasn’t really until college that I started learning about biomechanics and nutrition though. This was eye opening and I absorbed every piece of information like a sponge. I started to realize that not only could you become faster, and stronger, but you could actually take command of the way your body looks. This was all I needed to decide that exercise science was the path for me. I got my foot in the fitness industry managing and training at a gym in Campbellsville. This was the perfect place for me to start and develop my skills. My clientele has increased geometrically and I now train everyone from executives to competitive athletes.

Bodybuilding has always been a big interest for me. I always followed the big shows and went to the local contests. Until the addition of the Men’s Physique category though, I didn’t feel like I was cut out for the stage. The Men’s Physique category is all about aesthetics and stage presence. This was the perfect fit for me. at 6’1” I can compete at 195-200 lbs.

My Take on Men's Physique

Obviously to be a top physique guy, it’s necessary to be lean and have nice abs. Abs are crucial to the physique competitor. If you don’t have a clear six pack, chances are you probably won’t get much of a look from the judges. With that said, the most important part of the equation is the elusive “stage presence”. What exactly is stage presence? How can this be more important than your physique? Well to break it down in simple terms, stage presence is bringing a bit of electricity to the stage from the moment you walk on, until you hit the stage exit. It has a lot to do with being prepared with every detail of your performance. After that, I would say confidence is on top of the list. For me, that means practicing my walk, as well as going through my poses for weeks in preparation.

Pay attention to every angle as you are preparing yourself. Believe me, when you leave something to chance, it can go very wrong. It’s very important that your posing routine becomes muscle memory, while at the same time looking calm and confident. Another thing to consider, is the amount of time you are going to have in the spotlight, and total time being onstage.

My Training Philosophy

Training to be a physique competitor is similar to bodybuilding training, with a few exceptions. Obviously, overall mass is not the objective. It’s about having great symmetry and looking athletic. I prefer to keep my workouts to less than an hour and focus on higher intensity. Most of my focus is on compound movements and working through different rep ranges. I prefer to train antagonist muscle groups as well, for instance, chest and back, triceps and biceps. Research has shown this to be effective, and I like the way it feels. I train abs every workout as well. See below for an example of my training split:

Training

Chest / Back Day

Incline Dumbbell Press for 6
Barbell Incline Press for 12
Incline Fly for 20-25
Parallel Bar Dips to fail after all other sets are done as a finisher

Weighted Pullups for 6
Dumbbell Rows for 12
Seated Cable Row with Rope for 20-25
Straight Arm Pulldown to fail after all other sets are done as a finisher

Legs

Barbell squat for 6
Walking Lunges for 12 per side
Leg Wxtensions for 20-25

Single Leg Hamstring Curl for 8
Romanian Deadlift for 20-25
Standing Calf Raises for 75 total reps stop as necessary then begin as fast as possible
Seated Calf Raises for 75 total reps same idea

Arms

Weighted Dips for 6
Decline EZ Bar extensions for 12
Rope Pressdown for 20-25

Barbell Curl for 6
Incline Dumbbell Curl for 12
High Cable Curl for 20-25

Shoulders

Seated Barbell or Dumbbell Press for 6
Seated Lateral Raises for 12
Incline Lateral Raises for 25

Dumbbell Shrugs for 6
Barbell Shrugs for 20-25

Abs

Weighted Hanging Leg Raises for 12 or non weighted for 20 (alternate days)
Weighted Decline Russian Twist for 20 or non weighted for 40
Decline Crunch extending arms overhead

High Intensity Day

Always changes but a recent one is
5 sets of stair sprints (28 stairs per set)
50 kettlebell swings
50 Russian Twists with kettlebell
50 v ups with kettlebell

Take 1 minute rest

Then 4 sets stairs
40 everything else

1 minute rest

3 sets of stair, etc down to 1 set and 10 reps on all

Cardio

If your nutrition is put together properly and you follow the plan, you won’t need to do a significant amount of cardio. I do cardio five times per week for 30 minutes leading up to the last 3-4 weeks of my prep. Up to this point I only do cardio for general conditioning and to keep my heart strong. once the final weeks approach, 30 minutes of cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is a staple. This is great for fat burning because your body turns straight to bodyfat for its energy source. I always use glutamine select before fasted cardio as a safeguard to keep from breaking down muscle tissue. i will add in a session at night before bed if I miss my morning session or when I need to burn that last little bit of bodyfat. I prefer to keep my heart rate around 120 for cardio. That level is perfect for me to burn fat without tapping into hard earned muscle. Other than that, my high intensity day workouts get the job done.

Final Tips About Men's Physique

The shorts you choose will be of paramount importance. Consider the fit as well as how they will look when you are tanned and under the stage lighting. Try to buy them as close to the show as possible. If you get them too early, they may not fit. Also consider having them sized to fit you.

Smile and have fun. The great thing about the physique division is everyone is eager to help everyone else. It’s a new category and we are still trying to define exactly where it is headed. So if you do everything you can to prepare yourself, you are a winner, even if you don’t place. Be proud of your hard work and learn from the experience. It’s really about the journey, not the final result.

Nutrition

Most physique guys fall into two categories. First, guys who were bigger and have to cut down to have the desired physique. I fell into this category. I was around 230 lbs when I first decided to get into physique. I normally will compete around 195. at first its really hard on the ego dropping all the weight and losing some hard earned mass. Once you get in shape though, you will look back at your former self and be amazed how much better you look and feel. The key for going from a bigger guy to a physique guy is strictly following the nutrition plan and doing a little more cardio. I rarely did more than 20 minutes of cardio 3 times per week before I decided to get into physique.

The other category is guys who have great abs and classic shape but need to fill out the chest, delts, and upper arms. It takes some time and a lot of dedication to get the full rounded look with muscle density. My advice for these guys is to work hard and make sure your nutrition is on point for optimum recovery. Make sure you are getting plenty of quality protein in your diet and don’t expect everything to happen overnight.

The key component of any physique program is the nutritional plan. I do my own nutrition and have a few tips that should help almost anyone interested in eating for health or for competition.

First, high quality supplements are extremely important. This is where I fully trust Beverly international. I simply do not trust a lot of the supplements on the market. Buy the best supplements you can afford, a low quality protein, glutamine, or omega just doesn’t give the same results.

Staying lean year round is important to a physique athlete, so my nutrition plan is high protein, low to very moderate carbs, and plenty of healthy fats. Try to consume most of your protein from organic lean sources, for example chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef. Yes, I believe “organic” is important. The last thing you want to introduce into your body is chemicals that were injected into non organic chicken, or beef. This is probably the single most important tip I have. The next thing to consider is a high quality fish oil. They have an impact on everything from fat burning, to helping control inflammation. Fish oils in conjunction with carnitine have a profound impact on our health as well as how we look and feel. I love Quadracarn. it has four different forms of carnitine, including acetyl-l-carnitine. it is shown to not only impact body composition, but brain function and serves as an antioxidant as well.

A typical day from my nutrition plan looks something like this:

The Big 5-0, Planning to be My Best

Age: 50

Occupation or Education: College Professor, Gym Owner, Online Coach, Ph.D. Student

Family: Partner of 6 years, Luke; sons-Connor, 22 and Carter, 17

Current Residence: Salem. VA

Years training: 25+ years

Height: 5’8"

Weight: Off Season 145-155, Contest 130-135

Favorite Fitness Meal: Chicken with egg whites, one whole egg, with “Everything Bagel” seasoning

Favorite Supplements: UMP Rocky Road made as a pudding at nighttime, sometimes topped with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter or sugar-free Cool Whip. Right now, I am also loving Muscle Synergy and Up-Lift during my training!!

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? Start with UMP! It is THE most amazing protein and can be used not only in shakes but also in baked goods and pancakes and waffles. You can honestly trust Beverly for whatever goals you have in mind! I love them so much that I became a rep!

Music: Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, and most 80s “hair metal” bands are my favorites!!

Most Inspiring Book: Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Harris

Hobbies or interests: There are so many things I love to do, but summertime and water (especially the beach) are my favorites.

Words to live by: If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. Every time you go through something hard, it makes you a stronger person. When you are dealing with significant struggles, just remember to hold on, and everything will get better-have faith In God; he will get you through it.

Contact:
IG: @fit_with_holly
Website: www.fitwithholly.com
FB: www.facebook.com/fitnessbyholly

So… this is a BIG year for me, as you can see from my bio!! My goal in life has always been to be my very best. But to get a glimpse of my whole story, we must go back several years.

I played sports as a kid, mainly softball and basketball, and continued those in high school but also played volleyball during those five years (we didn’t have middle school-high school was 8-12). When I went to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I decided to major in psychology. After my first year (it was rough-my grades were terrible), I found the PE department and major of “Commercial Fitness.” While taking my basic “wellness” classes, there were several sections, and one was strength training. I absolutely LOVED it!! I was determined to lift regularly, but the college fitness center was ALWAYS packed, so I convinced my dad to buy me a membership to the little gym in town. This was truly an “old school” gym with magazine pictures of the bodybuilding greats all over the walls!! I think my friend and I were the only female members.

Fast forward to six years after graduation-I had lifted that whole time, but never really with a plan or goal. My first son was born in March 1999, and after his birth, his dad was closing the local grocery store that had been in his family for years and building a brand new IGA supermarket in our town. I decided that the old “Mick or Mack” grocery store would be an excellent place to develop my first gym. We renovated the old grocery store, and in April 2000, my first gym opened. About the same time, I learned of a new bodybuilding category, Figure. It was just what I needed to push me to a new goal. Even with a new baby, I had the drive and determination (or maybe I was just a little crazy) and competed in my first figure competition that same year. At that time, there was still a one-piece and a two-piece round. I had no idea what I was doing but read as much as possible and became more knowledgeable for the next one. I competed again in 2001 and 2002, but nothing spectacular. That was SO long ago; I don’t even remember the exact dates and shows. Sadly, I had to close my first gym in 2002 and took a teaching position in Health/PE.

Luckily, there was a great weight room outside the PE office. A fellow teacher and I lifted together after school. That’s where I learned about Beverly International supplements. I began using UMP, Mass Aminos, and Ultra 40. WOW! All I can say is once I tried them, I have never found anything to compare. I competed again in 2004 with some real improvements to my body, primarily due to my Beverly supplement regimen.

In 2010, I competed in the NPC Northern Kentucky. That’s where I met Sandy and Roger in person. I also made the BIG decision to commit to reaching my goals and dreams by putting everything into my training, contest prep, and offseason! I have spent many years in competition, 2010-2012 was in Figure, then in 2013, I switched to Women’s Physique.

In 2015 after my husband suddenly passed away, I was literally in a fog for months. I was in a terrible place, but lifting weights kept me somewhat grounded. I kept training hard and eventually met my current boyfriend. He had just gotten into lifting, but his enthusiasm and support helped me set new physique and competition goals. I competed in the 2018 NPC Elite Muscle Classic and the 2020 NPC Max Muscle NPC, VA.

I have found that competing every other year allows my body to get a little better in muscle growth. As a natural lifter of over 25 years, it became tough to gain anything between shows when competing every year. Right now, I plan to do another competition in April 2022. No matter what, I know that I will always be chasing the gains, and I would never consider doing it without Beverly.

I tell people often that this IS truly a lifestyle! It isn’t something you can jump in and out of, or you will never see progress. Once you have been doing it a while,
it’s also hard to see a lot of progress, but do not QUIT! Consistency is the key!!

I am currently a professor at a local college teaching Fit for Life courses, and I also still run my gym as well as online coaching and personal training. I am also in the final phase of my Ph.D. and working on my dissertation.

One thing I have learned in being so busy is that you HAVE to make a plan (for everything), or it will likely get pushed aside-there is always something else to do; it is just about what you make a priority. In addition to training clients and teaching while also working on my YouTube channel and podcasting each week (Fit with Holly-YouTube, Women’s Body & Power Podcast). I love to interview competitors to talk about their experiences and just discuss fitness and nutrition.

Adding Muscle in the Off-Season

One of the most challenging components of gaining quality muscle, especially as a natural competitor, is consuming the correct number of calories while still focusing on quality nutrition.

Diet Plan (you need to be sure you are in a caloric surplus to gain lean muscle!)

I typically eat 5-6 meals year-round, typically 3 larger meals and 2-3 smaller meals. I focus on keeping about 50% of my total carbs (25% pre-workout and 25% post-workout) around my training.

I use a macros-based nutrition plan which allows me some flexibility in my food choices.

Top priorities are

Hitting protein goals
Having 3-5 servings of fruits and veggies daily
Keeping processed carbs to a minimum. I follow the same principles in both off-season and competition prep; the calories are adjusted according to my goals.

Here’s a sample of what a day of eating might look like for me in the off-season. This is just a sample plan; I always try to have LOTS of variety, especially to get a wide assortment of nutrients every day.

My goal is to hit my daily macros-when building, I am typically around 2200-2500 calories and constantly working on increasing those numbers while keeping body fat gain to a minimum-however, some extra body fat is necessary (as opposed to being competition lean) to be at the best place hormonally to gain muscle.

Meal One
1 egg, 100g whites, 2 slices turkey bacon or turkey sausage crumbles added to the egg whites, 2 slices flax (or high fiber) bread or 40g oats, 1 tbsp nut butter or plant-based butter, sliced tomatoes or berries
(about ¹⁄₂ cup of one or the other-usually I have berries with oats)

Meal Two
1 scoop UMP, 4 oz Greek yogurt or ¹⁄₂ cup cottage cheese
Plain Greek yogurt is excellent mixed with UMP Rocky Road or UMP Chocolate - tastes like chocolate cheesecake-this can also be done with cottage cheese if you have a bullet blender or immersion blender.

Meal Three
3-4oz chicken breast, large chopped salad

Meal Four (pre-workout)
¹⁄₂ c oats or 1 serving cream of rice, ¹⁄₂ scoop UMP mixed in (extra “toppings” like berries, crushed walnuts, or dry cereal for crunch)

Meal Five (post-workout)
1 scoop Mass Maker Ultra, ¹⁄₂ scoop UMP. Mass Maker Ultra is excellent for post-workout recovery during the building season.

Meal Six
4oz cooked lean ground beef or steak, sweet potato or baked potato, vegetables (broccoli, roasted brussels sprouts, etc.), whole grain bread, sourdough, etc. (I usually have more carbs left at night, and this is where desserts can often fit in as well)

Mass Aminos and Ultra 40 are the fundamental supplements for adding muscle in the off-season. I recommend 12 of each per day
(divided into servings of 3 or 4 at a time) for most women.

Training Plan

During this past off-season, my training plan consisted of a new hybrid training program I created and used for many months.

Full Body Push (Day 1)
I always begin with compound movements and include at least 1-2 warmup sets. Typically, I increase the weight on each set if possible, and reps will usually go down.

Squat variation (3-4x 6-10) try to increase weight each week on the final set

Bench Press or DB Press (3x8-12)

Front Delt Raise (3x12-15)

Overhead DB Extension or Tricepes Pressdown (3x10-12)

Leg Extension (4x15-20)

Calves (Standing or Leg Press Machine) (3-4x 15-20)

Full Body Pull (Day 2)

Deadlift variation (traditional, trap bar, or trap/deadlift machine) (4x6-10)

Pullups or Lat Pulldown (4x 10-12)

Cable Row or Machine Row (3x10-12)

Rear Delt (either Reverse Pec Dec or Rope Face Pulls) (4x15-20)

Upright Row (3x10-12)

Machine Curl, EZ Curl, or DB Curl (3-4x12-15)

Hamstring Curl (3-4x8-10)

Lower Body (Day 5)

Leg Press (3-4x 10-15)

KB or DB Front Squat (3x10-heels on a plate)

Lying Leg Curl or Barbell Romanian Deadlift (4x8-10)

Smith Machine Split Squat (3x10-12 per side)

Lunge variation (2 Sets x 20-30) -usually walking or reverse alternating with DBs

Leg Extension (3x10-12)

Seated Calf Press (3x10-12, slow and controlled with fairly heavy weight)

*1-2 x per week-abs (2-3 varied exercises of 15-20 reps per set, 3 sets each)

Day 6 Off

Repeat, or if feeling particularly tired, take 2 rest days before repeating.

Cardio

I will do 4-5 cardio sessions per week off-season, simply for heart health (often just 30 minutes of walking or the bike).

When contest prep time comes around, I increase my focus! I add interval sessions and total time as needed to make sure I am hitting my fat loss goals. Remember though; nutrition is the most vital factor in losing fat- you cannot out-train a bad diet!

My Contest Prep Supplements

3 servings of 4 tablets of Mass Aminos and Ultra 40 each day. At 4 weeks out, I switch to Density instead of Mass Aminos.

1-2 scoops UMP per day throughout my entire prep, typically post-workout and evening (favorite is Rocky Road made as a pudding at nighttime- sometimes topped with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter or sugar-free Cool Whip)

7-Keto MuscLean and Lean Out stack; I also use Lean Out in the off-season, but I add 7-Keto when I am getting to the point where I am doing daily cardio as it really helps give me some added energy. I take two or three 7-Keto Musclean before cardio and maybe again at lunch or pre-workout. 1-2 Lean Out are taken before cardio and then again with each meal (at least 4 per day).

Also, Energy Reserve is invaluable during competition prep!!

In Closing

The best advice I can give anyone trying to change their body is to be consistent! Even if things happen and you need to slow down, that is ok! You can adjust your workouts or make modifications, but just don’t STOP- think of pushing a boulder uphill- it might slow down, but it is way harder to get it rolling again if you let it come to a complete halt.

First Hit The Stage At 45, And I’m Just Getting Started

Age: 46

Occupation: Lawyer

Family: Ava 15 and Edwin 12

Residence: Ft. Thomas, KY

Years training: 4 years

Height: 5'1 3/4"

Weight: 115 (off-season), 109 (contest)

Favorite Fitness Meal: Breakfast! Cream of wheat and a burger made with ground sirloin (no bun). Second favorite: orange roughy and asparagus.

Favorite Supplements: UMP, 7 Keto and Lean Out.

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before: Wait no longer, I have been pleased with all the products. Check the website or Beverly’s Supplement Recommendation Chart to coordinate your goals with the supplements.

Music: Pitbull, AC/DC, Aretha Franklin, Daddy Yankee, with a lot of Salsa and Reggaeton

Favorite Book: Charms for the Easy Life, by Kaye Gibbon

Hobby or interests: My children

Words to live by: “That’s how we do it.”

Shortly after I turned 45, I gave myself a hard look in the mirror and was very discouraged with what I saw. The size was ok and my weight was not a problem, but everything was soft and, very frighteningly, I could see the beginnings of “the mom butt.” The tush had most definitely begun to droop. It was a sad day.

I said to myself, “Is this it???? Is it just time to give up and let nature do its damage?” Turns out, it was not time to give up. Six months later I competed in my first figure competition, and came home with some hardware. That was a great day, and things kept getting better. Clearly, my fun as a figure competitor had just begun.

At the time of the sad day, I had recently been released to resume physical activity following 5 months of recovery from surgery. Prior to that time, as an adult, I had been very active with running, teaching group fitness and dancing. I did work out with weights as part of an overall fitness routine, but I was just guessing at what was right. I wanted to recover properly and see what I could do before I just totally gave in and invested in mom jeans. So, for the first time ever, I contacted a personal trainer.

My goal was very specific, lift the booty. From the first training session, I was loving it and learning more and more. Very simple instructions at first: eat more, lift heavier. It was not long before I was seeing changes that propelled me on. Since high school, when I would go in and out of working out, I had always admired the women bodybuilding pioneers such as Rachel McLish and Lisa Lyon. (Yes, this would have been in the 80’s). Their bodies were beautiful and muscular and symmetrical. Reaching that level was always a far, far away impossible dream, one that I certainly did not think was attainable at 45.

Then, three to four months into the training, sometime in August of 2011, my fabulous trainer turned fabulous friend, Brenda Gabbard, commented that we should work to get me on stage. I gasped and tears welled up in my eyes. It was one of the nicest things I had ever heard and I jumped on it! “Really?? Me??? You think I can do that????” Yes, said she. We teamed up with another fabulous trainer and fabulous friend, Marie Gibbon, to train for the competitions and for me to learn to pose. We were off with a diet and workout plan to get ready for the NPC Monster Mash at the end of October 2011.

My First Contest

Following a trail of chicken, tuna, sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, four thousand gallons of water, Beverly UMP, Lean Out and 7 Keto, my trainer and I made our way to Harrison, Ohio, for the Monster Mash. So many amazing bodies, beautiful suits, fancy shoes, and the earrings!! My purpose there was to learn and to observe and to enjoy the process. Surviving the challenge of the pre-competition diet and
all the other contest prep was satisfying in and of itself. It was a personal challenge simply to do the competition.

I was not nervous, or so I thought, partly because my expectations were not high and partly because walking across a stage was not a new thing for me. Having been a Theater major and dancer in college and a lawyer for a profession, I have performed a lot and have been in the hot seat many times. So, walking across stage and doing a few key poses, with no lines to speak, no songs to sing, no choreography to remember, and no client to represent, I thought the stage presentation was the easy part. However, when I got to the middle of the stage, I forgot which way to turn and which hip to hike up! I was a bit befuddled, but I made it through and just laughed at myself for my boo boos.

I did not expect to place and certainly not to win. Did not even know what “first call out” meant until I was backstage and someone told me I was in the first call out. I had thought they were being nice to let me try again because I was so clumsy the first time. To make a long story longer, yes, I was in the first call out for all three categories in that competition. I placed second in Masters 40+, second in Pure Novice and fourth in Figure Open Class A. I smiled from ear to ear for days following that competition, and I was ready for more.

After the Monster Mash, I went on to compete in the NPC Kentucky Muscle in November, 2011. IFBB pros also competed at Kentucky Muscle, and that was amazing to see. Also, it was a much larger competition than the Monster Mash, so in my mind again, it was a learning experience. I was thrilled to carry home some more swords that day for first place in Masters 45+ and third place in Figure Open Class A.

The next round of competitions came around in the spring. I had just started a highly stressful job and was not sure I could pull the discipline needed to make it through. However, after I was written up for taking an extra break to get in my fourth meal of tuna and asparagus at some odd time in the afternoon, I was determined to see it through. After all this effort, I was not going to back out because of a can of tuna. The NPC Cincinnati Natural was first up in March. It was a smaller competition, but the competitors were fantastic. Giving much credit to my trainers, I was lucky again: First place in Class A Open and first Place in Masters 45+.

The Northern Kentucky and Derby Festival

The Beverly International NPC Northern Kentucky was a week later. This one was huge. From the size of the convention center to the number of competitors, it was a big one!! The competitors looked beautiful. By this time, I was seeing familiar faces which made the process even more fun. I was lucky again and placed first in Masters 45+ and second in Class A Open.

I was happy, more than happy, but exhausted. My dear sweet children were also ready for a break. The plan was to not compete for a while, and to eat, rest, and work out hard. That plan lasted for two weeks. My trainer and some other friends were planning to compete in the NPC Derby Festival on April 24 and watching them work got me jazzed to go again. Two weeks out, I jumped back on the diet and the 4:45 a.m. cardio train. Things worked out well, placing first in Masters 45+ and fourth in Class A Open. It was a great competition with positive people all round, which made the entire experience all the better.

Now, I am really on a break. Due to scheduling conflicts, I have changed trainers and I am currently working with Brian Wiefering and the folks at Wiefit. They have a wealth of knowledge and never let up, which is what I want.

Nutrition and Supplements

My nutrition and supplement program evolves depending upon where I am with training and how my body is responding. This is the basic pre-competition diet I have followed previously at about 4 weeks out.

Supplements stayed the same through the competition prep until the last week or two prior. The staples of my supplements are always Beverly International products including 7 Keto MuscLEAN, Lean Out, Glutamine Select, GH Factor, Quadracarn, Energy Reserve, UMP and Muscle Provider. My favorite is vanilla UMP. That stuff is wonderful any time of day or night. I also include vitamin C, B-12, B-6, and a multivitamin.

Training

As with the nutrition, my workouts would alter the closer I got to competition. The basic schedule included 30 – 40 minutes of morning cardio at least six days a week. I’ll alternate my morning cardio choices among step mill, walking and walking lunges on an incline, or 30 minutes of 2 minute sprints.

I lift four days a week; do high intensity cardio and/or plyos two days a week (later in the day in addition to my lower intensity morning cardio) and rest one day. Below are listed the various exercises I do. However, when I am working with a trainer, I do what they tell me. That can include some of the same, but often something entirely different and more challenging than what I do on my own. I am far from perfect; I follow the plan and do most of these exercises most days of most weeks. Much of the time I am able to get it all in as planned. However, there are some days family or work will claim my attention.

Saturday: Shoulders, Triceps and Lats
3 sets of 10-12 reps each, superset pairs of exercises, set of 25 abs reps in between supersets Wide Grip Pulldowns
Seated Row Machine
Cable Row - alternate close and wide grip Alternating
Front Lateral Raises
Bent Rear Delt Flyes
Leaning Side Lateral Raises
Overhead Triceps Extensions
Dumbbell Press
Double Triceps Kickbacks
Barbell Shoulder Press

Sunday: Legs, high reps lower weight
3-4 sets of 20 reps each, superset 2-3 exercises together in between supersets
Walking Lunges, 30 lbs
Curtsy, 30 lbs
Jump Lunges, 20 reps
Split Squat, 30 lbs
Leg Press
Hamstring Curls
Adductor/Abductor
Butt Blaster Machine Bev

The Future

I am looking forward to competing again in the fall in a few yet to be determined competitions. I don’t know what to do with myself if there is no diet plan on the front of my refrigerator. Even more so, I find that the discipline for competing carries over into the discipline to do my best with family and work. Once you become accustomed to that level of focus, it becomes a part of your life. I am 46 and with triceps as hard as a brick, I’m not going back.

Each competition was different and fabulous. By the time I would actually get to the competition, my objective was to enjoy the process, enjoy the people, and do the best I could. It is impossible to predict who is going to show up right next to you, so I saw no reason but to simply give all you’ve got and make it fun. I’m often the wacky one backstage, getting psyched and trying to make others smile with crazy dancing (as much as I can without disengaging the bikini bite!) and cracking jokes. Next time, join me, it’s good to smile and laugh before taking the stage.

My Figure Competition Dream

Age: 38

Occupation: Group Exercise Director at Baptist Family Fitness for 12 years.

Family: Married to Tony for 15 years. Two children ages 9 and 13.

Residence: Corbin, KY

Years training: 19 years of training

Height: 5'3"

Weight: 125-127 (off-season), 117 (contest)

Favorite Fitness Meal: 4oz chicken, ¼ cup brown rice over a bed of spinach and cauliflower, 1-2 tbsp hot salsa, ½ avocado

Favorite Supplements: UMP chocolate protein is by far my very favorite supplement. I mix mine like a milk shake using water and ice. The consistency is amazing and the taste reminds me of chocolate cake batter. I use UMP most mornings and always at bedtime.

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before: My very first recommendation is the UMP. It is the tastiest way to add extra protein to your diet. It is easily blended and works great in a shaker cup. This makes it very portable for on-the-go situations. I’d tell that Beverly International has been a huge part of my dietary success. I don’t think I would have made it past my chocolate cravings had it not been for UMP. I believe in this company. I trust their products and love the fact that I can pick up the phone at any time and get good-sound advice from the professionals who work there.

Music: Nickelback, Pitbull and LMFAO

Favorite Book: I couldn’t say that I have much time to read, and when I do it’s usually for fun. But my favorite series of books would be the Twilight series.

Hobby or interests outside fitness: My life is pretty simple. When I am not working or training, I am spending my time at the ball fields with my two children. My 9 year old daughter plays basketball and is on four baseball teams. My son is also active in sports and has recently taken up exercising at home on our Bowflex.

Words to live by: “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ~Michael Jordan

For as long as I can remember, I have always been an athlete. I was always up for a challenge and was hardly a “Barbie doll” type of girl. I was obsessed with movies like Rambo, Rocky, Conan the Barbarian and The Incredible Hulk. It’s funny now, to look back on the fact that I watched the icons of bodybuilding before I even realized my future passion.

I joined my first gym nearly 20 years ago. I loved weights and I wanted to learn as much about it as I could. 3 years later, I had my first secret thought of someday competing. I never told anyone of my “competition dream”, instead I just ignored it for fear of failure. A year later I became pregnant with my first child. At this point, I was hit or miss at the gym, and I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted. On August 17, 1998, the day Hunter was born, I weighed 200 pounds. I was completely at a loss. I didn’t see any hope for ever being 125 pounds again. I worked a full-time job and spent every free moment with my baby. I felt disgusted with my appearance and I even questioned my husband on how he could possibly still love me. Of course, he supported me and loved me no matter what size I was. It was at this point that I knew I had to make changes. I started training again. I became an animal in the gym, hitting the weights and cardio with a vengeance. By the summer of 2000, my goal was met! I had finally made it back to the mid 120’s. We went to the beach that summer, but I still found myself wearing shorts over my bathing suit. I’ve just never been comfortable in my own skin, and especially in a bathing suit.

So, fast forward to January 23, 2003, the day my daughter was born. After a pregnancy of continuous exercise, weight training and healthier eating, I delivered Kaylee at about 180 pounds. It was unbelievable to me that I had still gained over 55 pounds with her. Four months later, my daughter was diagnosed with Bacterial Meningitis and we almost lost her. She was near death when they took her off in the ambulance to UK Pediatric ICU. Those were the scariest two weeks of my life. She did recover, and is now 9 years old and perfect in every way.

Now, I was overweight again, but consumed with “mommy guilt” about hitting the gym. My only exercise was when I taught my group exercise classes. Years passed, with me once again feeling down on the inside about my appearance. I gradually started to add weight training back in to my routine, but not with the same passion that I had in the beginning.

It was a planned Florida vacation in 2009 that finally sparked my passion again. My goal was to be as lean as the women featured on the cover of Oxygen. I “secretly” went on a competition diet that I found online and by the time we left for our trip, I had managed to reach 126 pounds. While on vacation, I exercised every morning at sunrise. I ran the stairs of our condo, 25 floors, multiple times. Then at 7am, the gym opened and I circuit trained for another hour. I actually came home from our trip weighing 3 pounds less than when we arrived.

I finally decided to enter a Figure Competition. I picked a show, discussed the details with my husband and set my plan into action. I had 12 weeks to get ready. I continued to follow my now, “not so secret” diet plan and made tremendous progress. I stepped on stage at 112 pounds and took two overall titles (Masters and Open) at the East TN Expo in Knoxville, TN. My next show was seven days later where I placed 5th at the Tricky Jackson Classic, an NPC National Qualifier in Lexington, KY. I was hooked! I’ve continued to compete ever since and just got home from the Arnold Classic Amateur where I placed 4th! Pretty much a dream come true. As you can probably tell by now, I am in love with the sport, and the stage and I plan to compete for many years to come.

Now, I’d like to share some insight into my nutrition, cardio, and training with you. I hope it will help you to start or advance your own journey into fitness.

Nutrition

My meal plan was developed by “Fit To Be In Your Kitchen” and Ruben Sandoval. I eat 7 small meals every day. I implement a carb-cycling plan where I do two low-carb days, then a medium carb day, followed by three low-carb days, followed by a high carb day. My calories during my Arnold Classic show prep ranged from 1650-2050 throughout the week.

My low carb day looked like this:

3:45am: Wake up, three Fit Tabs (previously called Ultra 4), one scoop Glutamine Select, two Lean Out and three 7-Keto

4:30am: Workout and posing practice

8:00am: UMP chocolate with ½ cup of strawberries and another scoop of Glutamine Select

10:30am: 4 egg whites and ¼ cup of oats plus 1 tbsp natural peanut butter and two Lean Out

1:30pm: 3 egg whites and one granny smith apple

4:00pm: 4oz chicken, ¼ cup brown rice, ½ avocado and lots of veggies plus 2 Lean Out

6:00pm: Quest bar, 2 Lean Out and three 7-Keto

7:30pm: 4oz Tilapia (pan fried in 1 tsp of olive oil), 7 asparagus spears, a bit of cauliflower and a tbsp of salsa, 1 tbsp of Chia Seeds sprinkled over Tilapia, lemon juice squirted over everything and 1 tsp of Parmesan cheese sprinkled over everything

9:30pm: ¾ scoop of Chocolate UMP and 1.5 tbsp of natural peanut butter, two Lean Out and three Fit Tabs

On my medium and high carb days, I have a variety of recipes including egg pancakes, slow-cooker chicken tacos, egg muffins, and a quinoa, chicken and spinach meal that is really tasty. I also get to use some mayonnaise!

I prep my foods in advance. I boil a big pan of chicken, after it’s finished, I place individual servings into sandwich bags and add seasoning. I make a whole box of brown rice at once as well as many servings of Tilapia. I keep two days’ worth in my fridge and place the rest in the freezer. As I need more, I remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw inside the fridge. The key is to be prepared! I know what I am going to eat every day, and plan accordingly. I pack all my foods in a cooler if I am working or at ballgames with my children. I even pack my digital scale everywhere I go just in case I need to measure anything. I am very diligent about my food measures, it’s the only way to know exactly how many calories you are consuming. I drink at least one gallon of water each day. It’s healthy and a good way to help control hunger pains. I use sea salt enriched with iodine on most of my foods as well as Mrs. Dash seasonings.

Supplements

Chocolate UMP is the bomb! I will NEVER use any other protein powder. It’s my chocolate fix every day. Glutamine Select is what I call my “magic potion”. I train very hard, and without it, I am dragging. It helps me recover faster so that I can push just as hard with every single workout. I love Fit Tabs, it’s the new name for Beverly’s original Ultra 4 multi-vitamin, it doesn’t make me sick like most vitamins. When I don’t use Fit Tabs, I get cramps in my legs. I use Lean Out and 7-Keto to keep my metabolism up and to mobilize stored fat for energy.

Cardio

I am a Group Exercise Instructor. I teach 4 days of classes per week including Indoor Cycling, Step and Bodypump. I’m lucky to be able to use these classes as my cardio. My only other cardio is one extra day of treadmill hill climbs or outdoor stair running. The Group Exercise classes are a great way to burn a lot of calories and have a ton of fun. The atmosphere is motivating and the participants are encouraging to one another and to me.

Presentation

I practice my posing at least 4 days a week, starting at 6 weeks out from the show. I visualize myself on stage. I hold each of my poses at least 30 seconds and repeat multiple times. I practice my walk, my smile, my model pose and even my curtsy. I also video myself once per week and use it to see where I need to improve or make any corrections. When on stage, my goal is to appear super-confident and relaxed. I think it really makes a difference if you take your posing practice seriously.

In closing, I would like to say to everyone that the journey to being healthy and fit is not easy, but it’s so worth it. The feeling of meeting your daily goals, each and every day, is very powerful. I strive to lay down every night, proud of what I have accomplished that day. I sleep sound and wake up excited to do it all over again the next day! Maybe you too have a secret competition dream. Set small goals, take it one day at a time and be an example to those around you. Competitions may not be for everyone, but feeling good in your own skin is, and that’s a trophy in itself.

Training

I usually start show prep with a split routine where I weight train 5 days a week, working one muscle group each day. I train each muscle with 5 exercises doing 4 sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise. I hit abs at least three days a week. Hanging knee raises is one of my favorites. As my show gets closer, I train 6 days a week. I do full body, circuit style weight training on four of the days. On these days I utilize supersets, tri-sets and quad-sets. I like to train at a fast pace, keeping my heart rate high, and breaking a good sweat during these sessions. On the other 2 days, I focus on legs one day and shoulders the other. These are two of the most important

Long Term Consistency Trumps Short Term Intensity

Age: 41

Occupation or Education: Physical Therapist; owner of The Impakt Lab

Current Residence: Cincinnati, OH

Years training: 23 years

Weight: 205-210 (Offseason), 185-190 (Contest)

Favorite Bodybuilding Meal: Steak, eggs, and sweet potatoes

Favorite Supplements: Muscle Synergy and the Super Pak

What Supplements would you recommend: Super Pak for everyone; Muscle Synergy for year-round muscle gain, and Up-Lift for a great stimulant-free pre-workout and pump

Music: Anything with a good beat

Favorite Book: Can't Hurt Me - David Goggins

Hobbies and interests: Camping and hiking with my wife and daughters all over the USA; coaching my daughters' lacrosse, soccer and basketball teams

Words to work out by: The pain of being legendary is less than the pain of being ordinary. If you don't have enough discipline to beat the alarm clock, how are you going to beat everything else in life?

Instagram: @theimpaktlab

In the dresser in my room, I have a plaque that highlights the importance of perseverance. It is a word that is one of the fundamental principles in which I live my life. I have had this plaque since high school, over 20+ years ago. That's when I also decided to begin my career in bodybuilding and was introduced to Beverly International by my first prep coach Jeremiah Forster. Fast forward 20+ years later, countless amateur bodybuilding competitions, achievement of natural professional status, and now 10 professional bodybuilding shows won; Beverly has been with me all the way!

In 2018 after competing and running marathons simultaneously, I found out I had a severely torn cartilage leaking fluid, a stress fracture in my tibia, and a torn meniscus in my left knee. Surgery was strongly recommended, however being the stubborn physical therapist I am, I decided to do my own rehab and see how far I could get. Although the cartilage and meniscus will not heal, I rehabbed my knee to full strength and ROM and resumed bodybuilding training. In 2020 when the gyms shut down, I got back into running. Although my true passion is bodybuilding, running was another outlet to challenge myself physically and mentally. When you can make yourself do daily tasks that are uncomfortable and difficult, you will be more equipped to handle more difficult tasks when they arise. 2020 was a great example of this. I was not about to let it get the best of me. I joined a couple of virtual marathons and ran four consecutive half marathons in 4 weeks leading up to my 40th birthday. Given the aforementioned knee injury and my home base Gymbo's Personal Training and Fitness Center opening back up in the summer, it was time to get back to my true passion of bodybuilding!

The old saying goes, "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got." I have been bodybuilding and competing for 20 years! This year I decided to try out a new bodybuilding split and venture outside my comfort zone. I have always been intrigued by the push/pull/legs split but wanted to make my own version. What I developed was an 8- day split. It would eventually shape out like this:

Legs: Quad focused
Pull: Upper back and bicep isolation
Push: Upper chest anterior and delt pressing movements with heavy triceps movements
Off
Back: Primarily posterior chain movements and rowing
Arms
Chest and shoulders: Isolation chest movements using multiple angles and a lateral delt head focus
Off

Example of my typical Chest and Shoulders - Day

Machine Flyes: 4x10
Flat Bench Press: 15,12,10,8
Incline Bench Flyes: 4x10
Hammer Strength Chest Press: 4x10
DB Laterals: 4x12
Standing Heavy Single Arm Laterals: 4x10
Alternating DB Front Raise: 4x10
Rotator Cuff External Rotation: 4x20

This layout allows for recovery between body parts and minimizes the overlap of muscle groups. Once I established the main framework, I then had to figure out a total volume for the end of the 8-day cycle by trial and error. If you are going to try this, I would suggest tracking your total reps and sets to find your maximum recoverable volume for the 8-day cycle.

The next step was a good supplement regimen to aid recovery while building muscle. I primarily worked out in the morning. Depending on the day, I would start with coffee and Muscle Synergy to get a good pump in the morning. I typically drink 2 scoops of Muscle Synergy 3x/day. If working out later in the morning, I would drink two scoops of Up-Lift before my workouts. I began taking 2 Ultra 40's 3x/day with meals. I also take a Super Pak and 3 ZMA 200 before bed.

My first show of the year was the PNBA Phillip Ricardo Legends Classic in Virginia. I used the same split that I laid out above but decided to try a different approach to cardio. To get ready for competition in the past, I would train, do "traditional" cardio, and not much else in terms of physical activity the rest of the day! In prep, as our calories decrease, so does our natural activity. Our bodies are smart and always find a way to auto-regulate to conserve energy when they are in a deficit. First, I looked back on data from my Apple Watch to see what my average step count was for the previous two months at maintenance calories. Once I began prep, I decided to add 2000 steps to my current average step count. This would combat the natural decreased activity levels to ensure that I continued my current activity and added additional activity. I decided to use this approach instead of "traditional" cardio to the first show and see what would happen!

I eat clean year-round and never get too far out of shape. When I prep for a show, I may change the ratio of macronutrients but never exclude a specific macronutrient!

Well as it turned out, my new approach was a success. I placed first in the Pro Classic Physique division, achieving my 9th professional win! The next show was promoted by Josh Miller, the NGA Bluegrass Championships. This show was 8 weeks later, so it would give me some time to experiment with new ideas again. I always tell my prep clients that I practice new ideas on myself first, so it's on me and not them if I mess up!

Since my conditioning was where I wanted it to be, I maintained my step count for the prep duration. No additional cardio was necessary! I was really enjoying the new workout split, so no changes were needed in this area either. I made sure to continue training as heavy as possible and maintain my workout volume. I am a strong proponent of going as heavy as possible with good form leading up to a show to best maintain your hard-earned muscle.

The next step in the process was to experiment with weekly refeeds. This was an excellent opportunity not only to replenish glycogen but a chance to see how my body would respond and look with additional carbohydrates. My refeeds were in the form of a carbohydrate bump only, with a slight decrease in protein and fats to keep the calories under control. I would refeed with an addition of a 50-75% increase in carbs from the usual daily average. I practiced single-day refeeds and two-day refeeds as I became closer to the show date to see how I would respond. I found that I looked the best on the 4th day after a 2-day refeed! So day 1 and 2 refeed, day 3 baseline macros, and I would look my best day 4. I used this approach to compete in the NGA Bluegrass Classic, placing first in the Pro Classic Physique division - my tenth Professional career win! Being that it was close to home, my wife, daughters, parents, training partners, and gym family were all there in attendance to cheer me on and make it a wonderful and memorable experience.

Over the past 20+ years, I have been blessed with a great support system at home from my wife, children, and family. I also had great training partners, friends, and a great gym to train and work. Along with the support of family and friends, Beverly has been the backbone of my training program throughout my entire career in natural bodybuilding! Long-term consistency of good family, friends, support, and Beverly International supplementation trumps short-term intensity every day or the week!

Five Ms Olympia Figure Titles and Fifteen Years with Beverly International

Age: 29

Occupation or Education: Professional Female Figure competitor, Ambassador for the IFBB, and Posing Coach (for all divisions)

Education: University of Southern California (Master of Arts in Strategic Public Relations), University of Pennsylvania (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology)

Current Residence: Douglasville, GA

Years training: 16 years

Height: 5’3 3/4”

Weight: 150s, Contest - 130s

Favorite Bodybuilding Meal: Ground turkey and rice cakes

Favorite Supplements: Density, Lean Out, 7-Keto MuscLean, ZMA2000

Hobbies or interests: Dancing, yoga, and eating

Words to live by: "If you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe….then and only then, will you be successful."

5x Ms. Figure Olympia

National and International Posing Coach NPC Promoter - Cydney Gillon Peach Classic

Certified Personal Trainer (IAFS)

CEO @officialcakefactoryfitness

Creator @cylenceclothing

Co-Creator @cydneygillonflawlessretreat

Cydney Gillon Scholar-Athlete Scholarship

I can't believe it has been over five years since I graced the cover of Beverly's No Nonsense magazine. At that time, I was training for my first Ms. Figure Olympia title. Now, I'm defending my fifth consecutive title.
I started lifting at age 13 and began taking Beverly International supplements at 14. At that time, I was preparing for my first bodybuilding show. My mom wanted to make sure that my supplements were safe since I was so young; that's why she chose Beverly International. Now at 29 years of age, my journey with BI continues. Over these years, I have gained a wealth of knowledge about the value of training with proper nutrition and supplementation.

In the remainder of this article, I'd like to share with you the current state of my nutrition, supplements, training, cardio, and presentation plans.

Nutrition Plan

In the beginning, I used Beverly's 16 weeks out diet plan. See page 4 to check out this plan in detail. It formed the foundation for my physique and nutrition philosophy. I tried the Keto diet at one time, but I don't think it is a viable long-term plan. I don't particularly like counting macros, so my preference is to be told by my coach what to eat. In general, I eat six meals a day every 2.5 to 3 hours. I also need to say that I love my "planned" cheat meals. I decided five years ago to watch my diet year-round. My coach, Damian Segovia, writes out my meal plans based on how much muscle I need to gain (or lose) and the amount of body fat I need to shed. The programs vary each year and for every competition. Hydration is also essential. I drink a minimum of 2 gallons of water a day.

My Supplements

7-Keto MuscLean for weight loss, Lean Out for fat loss, Density to maintain muscle while doing intensive cardio, ZMA 2000 for recovery, and the Super Pak to keep a healthy body. UMP protein pudding and pancakes are some of my favorites!

Training

My training style is based on my track foundation and the basics that I learned from my parents. Today it varies. Now, my focus is overall maintenance, so I train to maintain and refine, not grow. I build muscle easily, so I have to be careful not to gain too much. Too much mass can take away from the look needed for my category.

I enjoy the drive needed for improvement, which also means overcoming the challenge of using different training techniques that may be foreign to me. Pushing myself to do my best relaxes me. In my years of training, I have learned to pay attention to my body and learn what works for me. I spend as much time as needed in the gym to achieve the goals I set for the day. Total time including stretching, warm-up, and cool down, averages 1.5 hours.

A typical leg workout might include squats, leg extension, lunges, and presses. Hamstrings might consist of standing and seated leg curls. (I have to avoid any direct glute exercises to ensure I don't overdevelop that bodypart).

My gym has a variety of equipment for each exercise, which allows me to hit new angles and work the parts of my legs I want to target.

Cardio

I usually do cardio after my workouts. I like to change it up. I will walk, use the elliptical, bikes (different ones), and sprint. I try to keep my body guessing. There is no need to do excessive cardio if you are in shape. I never do hours of cardio. At a certain point, it starts to eat away at your muscle. 20-30 minutes is usually right for me, depending on whether or not I am sprinting, doing steady-state, or just getting my steps in. Sometimes I incorporate plyometrics.

Prepping for Show Diet: 6 meals per day:

Meal One
1 whole egg + 4 egg whites - 4oz very lean meat - ¹⁄₂ cup oatmeal

Meal Two (Choose one option)

Option A: Protein drink with two scoops Ultimate Muscle Protein (UMP), one tablespoon healthy fat source (olive oil, flax oil, almond butter, or heavy cream).

Option B: 4oz lean beef or chicken or one can tuna, one small apple or orange

Meal Three
5oz lean meat (chicken or other lean protein
source) - 5oz sweet potato or ¹⁄₂ cup cooked brown rice - 2 cups vegetables (broccoli, etc.) or green salad with 2 tbsp vinegar and oil dressing

Presentation Tips

Practice, practice, practice! I practice my posing year-round, usually after my workout. Since I am a posing coach, I am ALWAYS thinking about posing and coming up with different ideas for my clients. I only practice posing 2-3 times a week since I've become fairly proficient, but your practice should be determined by the amount of work you need. Your posing needs to look effortless. You need to get a second set of eyes on you. I use my mom and video my routines. Please DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE to perfect your posing.

Conclusion

You have to do what you need to do while competing, but you also have to make time for your family, friends, and fun. Living. That means having a cheat meal as needed and doing other things that bring you joy. Preparing for a show is tedious and sometimes grueling if everything isn't in sync. When it is time to cut everything out (those things that could be distracting to your prep), then and only then do you focus on YOU, your training, nutrition, and rest. Lastly, young athletes also need to understand that it is important to first build the best body you can with basic nutrition and hard work. Build YOUR foundation. Bodybuilding is not a quick fix. It takes time to transform.

If you want to succeed in your transformation/competition, it requires more than just training, nutrition, and the correct supplementation. You have to have the proper mentality. This is so important because many competitors do not. In addition, you need to be secure with yourself and stay on course. Don't let anyone deter you from your goal or keep you from staying on track. Stay focused. Life doesn't stop, so you need to be resilient and bounce back from whatever negative occurrences are going on in your life. Attaining a successful transformation requires mental strength, dedication, consistency, and passion. This is the mindset a competitor has to have to create long-term success.

You Are Never Too Old To Try Something New

No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4

Bodybuilding Success

Nutrition

Supplements

Cardio

Training

In Closing

Out Of Shape For 20 Years, Now I'm In The Best Shape Of My Life at 44

No Nonsense Magazine 2014 Collection

Preparation for a Contest

Supplements

Sample Training Schedule

Thoughts on Joining the "Sexty" Club

No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4

"Sexty" Supplements

Two of My Favorite Recipes:

My "Sexty" Workout Plan

In Closing

A Life In Bodybuilding: Natural Pro Bodybuilder, Prep Coach, Gym Owner, & Promoter

No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4

Career

Keys to Success

Bodybuilding Career

Sample Meal Plan / Supplement List

Supplement List

Workout Plan

Cardio

In Closing

New Men’s Physique Division Was My Ticket To The Stage

No Nonsense Magazine 2014 Collection

My Take on Men's Physique

My Training Philosophy

Training

Cardio

Final Tips About Men's Physique

Nutrition

The Big 5-0, Planning to be My Best

No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4

Adding Muscle in the Off-Season

Training Plan

Cardio

My Contest Prep Supplements

In Closing

First Hit The Stage At 45, And I'm Just Getting Started

No Nonsense Magazine 2014 Collection

My First Contest

The Northern Kentucky and Derby Festival

Nutrition and Supplements

Training

The Future

My Figure Competition Dream

No Nonsense Magazine 2014 Collection

Nutrition

Supplements

Cardio

Presentation

Training

Long Term Consistency Trumps Short Term Intensity

No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4

Supplements

Five Ms Olympia Figure Titles and Fifteen Years with Beverly International

No Nonsense Magazine Vol 24, #4

Nutrition Plan

My Supplements

Training

Cardio

Contest Countdown - 16 Weeks Out Nutrition Plan

Essential Supplement Program:

Presentation Tips

Conclusion