Never Put a Limit on Yourself
No Nonsense Magazine Vol 21, #1
By: Melanie Egner
At a Glance: Melanie Egner
Age: 43 years young
Occupation: I have been a hair stylist for 22 years. I also have multiple fitness certifications and opened a fitness studio 3 years ago, EXL7 Fitness & Bootcamp.
Current Residence: I’m a Kentucky girl through and through
Years training: 10+ seriously
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 140 (Contest), 152-155 (Off-Season)
Favorite Fitness Meal: Grilled salmon, roasted sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli; to curb my sweet tooth, I love my UMP pancakes with Walden Farms syrup!!!
Favorite Supplements: I love Beverly International supplements. UMP is amazing and I use it every day. If I had to choose, I’d say Glutamine Select is my next favorite.
What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before?: I would recommend UMP to anyone who is working out and lifting weights. I know that's where I started.
Music: Hip Hop and Pop, anything with a driving beat.
Words to live by: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
After living an active lifestyle in my teens, I became a cardio queen in my 20’s. You know the type; I was the one who went from one cardio class to another, always trying to be the best in the class. I wasn’t oversized, I looked fine in my clothes, but despite all the cardio I did, my body fat was high and I had little muscle. In other words, I was “skinny fat!”
In my mid 30’s I started lifting weights seriously. Finally, I began to see the results I had always wanted. My shoulders began to fill out, my glutes became more rounded, and yes, I could see my abs! The next step was competition. I stepped on stage for the first time in 2009 and have been competing ever since. My best placing was at the 2014 Flex Lewis Classic where I placed 1st in the Open tall class and was the overall Masters champion.
I'm so honored to be in the No Nonsense magazine, I always look forward to receiving it in the mail. I read it cover to cover absorbing all I can from each issue! I love Beverly International products! UMP is awesome for muscle recovery and I love the taste! I also take Mass Aminos, Glutamine Select, Ultra 40, Creatine Select, and Quadracarn day in and day out to help me to continue to build lean muscle. When a show is approaching I add Lean Out and Density to increase fat loss and muscle density.
Diet
Here are examples of my Off-Season and Precontest diet plans:
Off-Season
Meal 1: UMP pancakes with Walden Farms syrup
Meal 2: tuna mixed with Wholly Guacamole on 2 rice cakes
Meal 3: 4oz chicken, sweet potato, green veggies
Meal 4: UMP shake and berries
Meal 5: grilled salmon, grilled asparagus, and a large salad
Meal 6: UMP made into pudding with a tbsp peanut butter
As you can see my diet is fairly clean in the off season, but I do enjoy a cheat meal 1x a week.
Pre-Contest Low carb days
Meal 1: 5 egg white & spinach omelet
Meal 2: 4oz cod, 1 c green veggies
Meal 3: 4oz chicken on a large salad
Meal 4: 4oz chicken, 1 c green veggies
Meal 5: UMP shake and a green apple
Meal 6: 4oz tilapia, 1/2 c green veggies 1/4 avocado
After 3 or 4 consecutive low carb days, I have one, higher carb day.
Higher carb day
Meal 1: 5 egg whites, 1/2 c oatmeal
Meal 2: 4oz chicken, 1/2 c rice, 1/2 c green veggies
Meal 3: 4oz cod, 1 c rice
Meal 4: 4oz chicken, 1/2 c rice, 1/2 c green veggies
Meal 5: UMP shake and 2 rice cakes
Meal 6: 4oz tilapia, 1 c green veggies, 1/4 avocado
If I’m still hungry, I snack on more egg whites in the evening.
Supplements
Year Round Supplements
Pre-contest Supplements
UMP, Mass Amino Acids, Ultra 40, Quadracarn, Glutamine Select, Creatine Select
I add Lean Out and Density
Weight Training
My favorite body part to train is shoulders! Love those big caps!
Here’s a typical workout:
Lateral Raises: 4x15
Inverted Lateral Raises: 4x10
Shoulder Press: 4x8
Rear Delt Cable Flye: 4x15
¼ Laterals: 4x20
<Superset>
Dumbbell Shrugs: 4x15
Arnold Press: 3 sets to failure with a light weight (feel the burn)
Cardio
In the off season I weight train 5 days a week and participate in 2 cardio classes during the week. Before a contest I still weight train 5 days a week, but increase my cardio by running the local football stadium steps or engaging in HIIT sessions on the Step Mill.
My cardio classes are high intensity with lots of core work; we are all a sweaty mess when the 50 minutes is over. I have a love/ hate relationship with the Step Mill; I love what it does for my booty, but hate every minute I spend on it. Here’s a typical Step Mill workout:
1. 1st 60 seconds at a decent speed taking one step at a time
2. Next 60 seconds slow the speed down and take two steps at a time
3. Turn to the side and side step for one minute
4. Repeat side steps on the other side
Start again at (1.) and repeat for 30 minutes.
Tell Yourself You Can... And You Can
I meet women all the time who think that working out is not for them because they are 40 plus. I say NEVER put a limit on yourself! We are all capable of great things if we put our minds to
it! Your weight does not define you, your age does not define you, your economic status does not define you! We make what we want out of our lives and God has a plan for each of us. But, we must engage to our full potential. Tell yourself you CAN... and you CAN! Never speak negatively about yourself, positive words and thoughts only! It certainly can be a challenge as we age, our metabolism slows, while our work and family stresses seem to increase. Sure, there are road blocks, but that doesn't mean it's impossible! If this 43 year old Kentucky girl can do it, you can too! Just get up, get your mind right, set out a plan of action and then get to it! You will never be sorry for trying to improve your life, body and fitness level!