Being the Best Version of Yourself
No Nonsense Magazine Vol 23, #1
By: Brittney Palomino
At a Glance: Brittney Palomino
Age: 38
Occupation or Education: McNeese State University graduate, Bachelors of Science; currently a sales representative for fuel and oil distributor
Family: Married with 2 children, both girls.
Current Residence: Lake Charles, Louisiana
Years training (total): 2010 is when it got “serious” for me. It wasn’t until 2010 that I worked with a trainer and decided to compete for the first time at a fitness show.
Height: 5’ 9”
Weight: Off Season-140, Contest-130
Favorite Fitness Meal: 1/2 cup oatmeal with a scoop of UMP! It is my favorite! It tastes like a treat to me and it nourishes my body.
What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? If you contact their customer service, they will respond! They are so helpful and want you to reach your goals. Everyone has different goals they want to achieve. The Beverly Staff will offer supplement advice to help you… Starting with the UMP protein powder is a great start- the flavors are all great! That is what I did. I fell in love with the taste, how it settled on my stomach, and wanted to start taking other Beverly supplements as well.
Music: Christian music and motivational speakers
Most Inspiring Book: I read Daily Devotionals - I have “Jesus Calling” that I read over breakfast every morning. It sets the tone for my day and gets my mind and heart in the right place.
Hobby or interests outside bodybuilding: I have a passion for helping others. I am an excellent motivational speaker; enjoy public speaking events, and encouraging others. I have learned a lot myself over the years- from competing, strict dieting, binge eating, yo-yo dieting, being pregnant twice, and working a full time job. I manage my time well and am able to still eat healthy and have goals to accomplish. I am relatable and happy to help others achieve their personal goals in life. Whether it be fitness and health OR just being happy in their workplace, and happy in their personal life.
Words to live by: Take each day one day at a time. Yes, have a plan and visualize your future. BUT take every day one step at a time.
I am a wife, a mother of 2 children, and work full time. I live in Lake Charles, Louisiana; enjoy getting my hands dirty, being outdoors, doing yard work, and helping my husband with his crawfish farm. I have a very busy life, and have to manage my time well, but still am able to get a gym workout in 5 days a week, eat healthy and compete on stage.
I grew up seeing my parents take care of themselves. My father played just about every sport there was – football, basketball, soccer, golf- you name it- my dad played it. When I was growing up I watched him run in many local races. My mother went to the gym regularly and took my brother and me with her. Being healthy, active, and the best version of you- is how I was raised.
When I started working out, I knew my way around the gym from going with my mom as a kid, but didn’t really know exactly what to do. I wanted to build muscle in some areas and reduce fat in others. I also didn’t know much about clean eating. I just ate everything no or low fat. I started watching others and asking what muscle groups a particular exercise was targeting. I started writing up my own workout plans to follow, focusing on certain muscle groups. I subscribed to Fitness magazines and would read them cover to cover. I’d get ideas for what to do in the gym and also write down healthy recipes and meal plan ideas. I began reading up on nutrition, what foods do for your body, researching what other females with close to my body type were eating to look and feel the way they did.
Here’s what didn’t work:
Restriction. I would cut way back on calories- whether it be no carb, no sugar, no fat, etc. That never worked for me. It might work for a few weeks, I would drop weight, but it all piles back on, because this type of diet is not sustainable. You need to find a “diet” that works for you, and that you can follow for the long run. That is when the results will come and stay.
Here’s what worked:
A balanced meal plan. I tracked macros for at least 2 years. I had targets for my total calories, proteins, fats, and carbs set and I would eat to hit those targets. 80% of my foods were “clean” and 20% whatever I wanted as long as I hit my macro targets. Eventually it got to where I didn’t have to track macros. I just knew what foods to eat more of or less of.
Meal Plan
This is the basic meal plan I follow- of course it all changes when I am getting close to a competition. I feel this is a sustainable plan for most people.
Meal 1: 1/2 cup oatmeal with 3/4 cup liquid egg whites
Meal 2: 4oz chicken, 4oz sweet potatoes (pre workout meal) (I get my workouts in during my lunch breaks)
Meal 3: Muscle Provider protein shake with 2 rice cakes
Meal 4: 5oz tilapia, 1/2 cup rice, 3/4 cup broccoli
Meal 5: 4oz salmon, 1/2 cup brown rice, 8 asparagus spears
Meal 6: UMP with 1/2 cup oatmeal (mix UMP in after cooking oatmeal)
Meal Prepping does not have to be time consuming or hard. Here are some tips:
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I prep most of my food in bulk and store in the fridge for the work week. Every morning before work I will weigh out my meals, put them in a cooler, and take them with me.
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Have healthy foods cooked and ready to go in your fridge. When you get hungry, you should be able to grab something quick.
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For chicken - yes a grill is nice or the oven, but now I like to just throw the chicken in a crockpot with a cup of water and let it cook. It’s simple. Use a crockpot liner for quick clean up.
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For carbs - cook a big pot of rice and keep in fridge. Buy sweet potatoes in a steamer bag, throw them in the microwave and they are done! Let cool, peel, and put in Tupperware in the fridge.
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For veggies - steamer bags are your friends! Asparagus, broccoli, and green beans. Cook and store in Tupperware in your fridge.
Supplement Schedule
Lean Out:
3 caps with breakfast, lunch, and dinner (meals 1, 3, & 5)
7-Keto MuscLean:
3 caps with breakfast and lunch (meals 1 & 3)
Energy Reserve:
1 tablet with each meal + 2 tabs before training
Muscularity:
3 caps with breakfast, lunch, and dinner (meals 1, 3, & 5)
Fast-Up:
2 caps mid-day when I need boost of energy
Muscle Provider:
Meal 3 (post workout)
UMP:
Meal 6 (usually mixed with oatmeal)
Training Schedule
Monday and Thursday: Orange Theory 1-hour class.
| Tuesday: Glutes & Hamstrings | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Curls | 5 | 12-20 |
| Squats | 5 | 12-20 |
| Leg Press | 5 | 12-20 |
| Stiff-leg Deadlift | 5 | 12-20 |
| Weighted Pelvic Thrust | 5 | 12-20 |
| Wednesday: Back & Biceps | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Wide Grip Pullups | 5 | 10-15 |
| Wide Grip Pulldowns | 5 | 10-15 |
| T-Bar Row | 5 | 10-15 |
| DB Jerks | 5 | 10-15 |
| Wide Bar Cable Row | 5 | 10-15 |
| Alternate DB Curls | 5 | 8-12 |
| Straight Bar Curls | 5 | 8-12 |
| DB Hammer Curls | 5 | 8-12 |
| Friday: Chest & Triceps | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench DB Press | 5 | 10-15 |
| Cable Flyes | 5 | 10-12 |
| Pushups | 5 | 10-12 |
| Cable Rope Pressdowns | 5 | 8-12 |
| Skull Crushers | 5 | 8-12 |
| Weighted Bench Dips | 5 | 8-12 |
| Saturday: Shoulders | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB 3/4 Shoulder Press | 5 | 10-15 |
| BB Military Press | 5 | 10-15 |
| DB Lateral Raise | 5 | 10-15 |
| BB Upright Rows | 5 | 10-15 |
| Incline DB Front Raise | 5 | 10 |
Cardio
I currently attend Orange Theory Fitness twice a week. I have seen a big difference in my physique since implementing that into my workouts. I enjoy HIIT style for cardio. Increase that incline on the treadmill to target your glutes more.
Presentation tips
Practice posing, wear your competition heels around the house. Get comfortable in them! Practice in front of a mirror, but also not. You won’t be looking back at you on the stage, you need to visualize people, the judges looking back at you. Smile the whole time, even when you are waiting to go on stage, you are being judged before you step on that X on the stage.
Closing Thoughts
If you compete, have a plan of action for after the show. Yes, enjoy a meal that evening and the next day. But get back on your plan Monday. Don’t drastically cut cardio or change up your meal plan. If you are not going to compete for a while, you should still slowly transfer to your off season meal plan.
The Monday after a show, I jump back on a meal plan that is very close to my precontest diet. If you were doing 1 hour of cardio a day, you don’t want to up your calories a ton and stop cardio, you will gain bad weight quick.
Remember if you chose to compete or not- it’s always “you” vs “you”. If you just want to lose weight, this is YOUR journey. Do not compare yourself to anyone. When it is time to compete, step on that stage, if you gave it your all, and did YOUR best, then you won. Just compete against yourself, always striving to be the best version of yourself.