# 7 months to Figure -- 8/17/10 -- Day 1



## jambrose (Aug 18, 2010)

*7 months to Figure*

8/17/10 -- Day 1

I noticed that there is a Northern Colorado physique event in the spring in Boulder. This is the closest one to me, and the first one after the new year (there is no way I could compete this year!). I've always been interested in training for a figure competition, but never got serious. I recently found out that my friend from high school, Alyssa Eidson, placed 3rd out of 6 in the novice figure division in Atlanta on June 5th. She is the first actual person I know to do this, so now it seems a realistic goal.​
I decided to start today by going to the gym after work and stopping by the grocery store for some low glycemic index foods, and just healthier foods in general.​
I busted my butt doing 30 minutes on the Precor (stupid machine doesn't incline though!) and ran 0.25 miles. I've had a handful (literally 5) tibial stress fractures, so I need to take the running slow with a steady increase in mileage.​
I didn't do any weight training today because I am pretty muscular and have more fat to lose than muscle to gain... and I have 7 months.​
For dinner I wasn't very hungry, and it was already 6pm, so I had Bran Buds. Woohoo fiber!​


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## jambrose (Aug 18, 2010)

*7 months to Figure -- 8/18/10 -- Day 2*

8/18/10 -- Day 2

Today is a Wednesday. Mondays and Wednesdays are days that my husband works late. I either must go to the gym by myself, which is no big deal, or wait for him to get home, at which time we take our two dogs on an extended walk. Or, I could do both. We haven't figured out how this will play out, but I committed myself to Saturday and Sunday workouts if I don't hit the gym Monday/Wednesday.​
Anyway, I started off the morning of my new lifestyle diet well by eating Bran Buds (again). Hey, it feels good to be clean! I have cottage cheese, peaches, pears, a banana, tuna sandwich on whole wheat and Greek yogurt to eat for the day. It's already 3 hours past breakfast, so I'd better get eating some of that food I brought! I'm not very good at eating often. It usually feels like way too much food and I end up taking in about half of the calories I need (when I cut out the chocolate junk food).​


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## omerta2010 (Aug 18, 2010)

Good luck and congrats on making the decision to go for your goal.


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## Built (Aug 18, 2010)

jamrose, how about you begin by editing your first post to include your starting parameters; height, weight, calf, thigh, hip, waist, chest, shoulders, bicep, the timeline you are shooting for and your current macronutrient breakdown (total calories, grams protein, carb and fat).

This will give you - and others - a reference point as you proceed through your journey.


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## Built (Aug 19, 2010)

Continuing this from your intro post, okay, so you're 5'5" and you'll probably look "good" at 135-140 pounds, so let's assume this puts you at or just under 20% bodyfat when you weigh 140 (I'm 20% at 145, and I'm taller and _mostly _unassisted). 

If this is the case, then let's take your current lean mass to be 80% of this 140 lb mythical number. This puts your lean mass at about 112 lbs, and you'll need to hit 12% at the most for figure. If you're lucky enough to not lose any mass while you diet down, you'll hit 12% at 127 lbs, so it looks like you're shooting for the right target. 

Okay, so you've got to drop 50 lbs over the next six months (24 weeks), then ease into prep over the last month. 

You're looking at dropping two pounds a week for the next six months. A 1000 calorie a day deficit is a lot of "not eating" for a little girl - what's the plan?


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## jambrose (Aug 19, 2010)

Okay, I've attached some pictures of me when I was in shape. Not terribly muscular when not flexing, but thin. In these pics I'm 135 pounds with <20% bf (and I'm 5'5"). It's odd - people have always guessed my weight at least 20 lbs under what I actually weigh.

I haven't started weighing and measuring everything yet - food and me. As for the calorie deficit, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the lack of junk food. My diet has been good compared to a few days ago.  My calorie expenditure is going way up since I wasn't working out prior to Tuesday, and now I am.

For the first time, I'm getting 100% of my fiber every day, eating only whole wheat bread and noodles, tuna and chicken, cottage cheese and yogurt, lettuce salads and fruit. That is pretty much my diet. 

A typical day looks like: 
2 servings of Bran Buds (2/3 cup)
banana
cottage cheese with pears and peaches
tuna sandwich on whole wheat
6 oz. greek yogurt
salad with chicken, whole wheat pasta w/ homemade tomato/spinach sauce

I haven't measured the calories yet (I think what I have written there is slightly over 1000), but I'd like to do 65% carb, 25% protein, 10% fat. I'm going for 130 g protein, which is what I'll be eating at my goal weight of 130.


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## Built (Aug 19, 2010)

jambrose said:


> Okay, I've attached some pictures of me when I was in shape. Not terribly muscular when not flexing, but thin. In these pics I'm 135 pounds with <20% bf (and I'm 5'5"). It's odd - people have always guessed my weight at least 20 lbs under what I actually weigh.
> 
> I haven't started weighing and measuring everything yet - food and me. As for the calorie deficit, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the lack of junk food. My diet has been good compared to a few days ago.  My calorie expenditure is going way up since I wasn't working out prior to Tuesday, and now I am.
> 
> ...



Jamrose, PLEASE read the link in my sig on getting started. Your diet needs a very, very different approach if you intend to maintain such deep deficit for such a prolonged period of time. Frankly, if I were in your shoes and looking at your timeline I'd do PSMF for three or four  months to get rid of about 35-40 lbs, then transition into a more moderate plan for the remainder of your cut. A percentage-based approach is lousy under the best of circumstances - that is to say, in a surplus. At maintenance, it's problematic. At a deficit, you're going to be malnourished - and monstrously hungry. 

Also, if 130g of protein represents 25% of your calories, you may need to re-evaluate your calories. 25% of 1000 calories is 250 calories, which translates to 63g of protein daily. You'd have to be eating 2080 calories a day for 130g of protein to be 25% of your calories.


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## jambrose (Aug 19, 2010)

*Measurements*

Measurements: 

Height: 5'5"
Weight: 180
Calf: 16"
Thigh: 25"
Hips: 43"
Waist: 32"
Chest: 41"
Bicep: 14"

Diet: Yes, my diet is based on 2080, which I will want to eat when I am working out regularly and I'm 130 pounds. However, when I get to the end of the day, I have never taken in that much. I can't eat that much food, and in the past it has been bad food and so contributed to my weight gain. And, I don't plan to eat only 1000 calories, that just happened to be today. 

I am not a bodybuilder, nor do I want to be one, so I can't eat too much protein because I build muscle better than 95% of women. My diet right now is... let's say nonchalant, since I'm just trying to make a change to start this week, and not get into the nitty gritty (which I have done before, so I do know how) for a little while. Like - after I adjust to eating healthy foods.

Many years ago I ate like the PSMF you mentioned, Built, and I gained muscle, a lot of it and fast. I didn't get any leaner.


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## Built (Aug 19, 2010)

jambrose said:


> Measurements:
> 
> Height: 5'5"
> Weight: 180
> ...



Oooh, hang on. That's not why I suggested the protein. You don't need that much protein to build muscle - you will need that much to preserve it while you diet down, though, and protein enhances satiety. You've got to run a 1000 calorie a day deficit for many months to drop the amount of fat required for your goals. You won't make it if you can't control your intake, trust me on this. 



jambrose said:


> My diet right now is... let's say nonchalant, since I'm just trying to make a change to start this week, and not get into the nitty gritty (which I have done before, so I do know how) for a little while. Like - after I adjust to eating healthy foods.
> 
> Many years ago I ate like the PSMF you mentioned, Built, and I gained muscle, a lot of it and fast. I didn't get any leaner.



When you did PSMF, what calories were you running, and how were you training?


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## JennyB (Aug 22, 2010)

JAMBROSE: Welcome to the world of competing! BUILT will give you some great information to set you on the right path. Competing is a tough sport and although it looks easy and quite attainable for the average individual it is a VERY precise and complex process .. as BUILT will explain. 
I just wanted to add one thing in regards to you saying that you build muscle fast. What your most likely seeing is you getting leaner NOT actually building muscle. The fat will disolve around your muscles making them appear larger when in reality its just the fat coming off. Putting muscle on is extremely hard and takes a long time regardless of how fast you think you put it on. If you dont do weights then you will not tighten up properly and your skin will sag from the fat loss and thats just a fact. Dont be scared of getting "too big" because in reality you most likely arent .. especially after looking at your photos .. you look quite tiny. 
Enjoy your journey and good luck!


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## unclem (Aug 22, 2010)

JennyB said:


> JAMBROSE: Welcome to the world of competing! BUILT will give you some great information to set you on the right path. Competing is a tough sport and although it looks easy and quite attainable for the average individual it is a VERY precise and complex process .. as BUILT will explain.
> I just wanted to add one thing in regards to you saying that you build muscle fast. What your most likely seeing is you getting leaner NOT actually building muscle. The fat will disolve around your muscles making them appear larger when in reality its just the fat coming off. Putting muscle on is extremely hard and takes a long time regardless of how fast you think you put it on. If you dont do weights then you will not tighten up properly and your skin will sag from the fat loss and thats just a fact. Dont be scared of getting "too big" because in reality you most likely arent .. especially after looking at your photos .. you look quite tiny.
> Enjoy your journey and good luck!


 
 you go jenny go jenny go!, just being a asshat but your right wat you said. iam no expert on dieting but iam just now learning. iam just to lazy to look up dieting stuff. but i have to be focused for my competition. oh, good luck with yours again jen.


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## JennyB (Aug 22, 2010)

unclem said:


> you go jenny go jenny go!, just being a asshat but your right wat you said. iam no expert on dieting but iam just now learning. iam just to lazy to look up dieting stuff. but i have to be focused for my competition. oh, good luck with yours again jen.



Thanks  Everyone has to start somewhere!!


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## Built (Aug 22, 2010)

JennyB said:


> I just wanted to add one thing in regards to you saying that you build muscle fast. What your most likely seeing is you getting leaner NOT actually building muscle. The fat will disolve around your muscles making them appear larger when in reality its just the fat coming off. Putting muscle on is extremely hard and takes a long time regardless of how fast you think you put it on. If you dont do weights then you will not tighten up properly and your skin will sag from the fat loss and thats just a fact. Dont be scared of getting "too big" because in reality you most likely arent .. especially after looking at your photos .. you look quite tiny.



Jambrose, listen to the woman, she's right. 

The other thing that makes women think they're gaining "too much muscle" is that they get stronger really fast - at first. You can easily get stronger without putting on muscle. Strength has a pronounced neural component in the initial stages. You THINK you're getting more muscular because a) you lean out and see the muscles and b) you've gotten stronger. But while dieting, sorry, no possible way you got bigger muscles. Your body simply does not have sufficient resources to invest in muscle while you are dieting.


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## jambrose (Aug 23, 2010)

*Goodbye*

So, this was the "online journal" forum, but I can see that I'll need to keep a private journal at home, since this has turned into a negative cluster****. 

Thank you for your advice, but you don't know my body - I've had 31 years with it, and I've been athletic training in some capacity for the past 21 years. I have no doubt everything everyone said works perfectly for them, but as an athlete, personal trainer, and biologist, I'm going to have to do this on my own.

I can't delete my account, but I have deleted all of my notifications, and every piece of information I could. Good luck to you all in your future endeavors.

JAMBROSE (there's a "B" in there...)


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## JennyB (Aug 23, 2010)

I will refrain from commenting and saying what I really want to say here as its harsh .. but reality.


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## Built (Aug 23, 2010)

Jambrose, did you not want us to steer you true?


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## Built (Aug 23, 2010)

jambrose said:


> JAMBROSE (there's a "B" in there...)



Fixed.


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## 2tomlinson (Aug 23, 2010)

jambrose said:


> So, this was the "online journal" forum, but I can see that I'll need to keep a private journal at home, since this has turned into a negative cluster****.
> 
> Thank you for your advice, but you don't know my body - I've had 31 years with it, and I've been athletic training in some capacity for the past 21 years. I have no doubt everything everyone said works perfectly for them, but as an athlete, personal trainer, and biologist, I'm going to have to do this on my own.
> 
> ...






Just in case you're still viewing, the only expert advice i can offer you is lose the treadmill and try and find a machine called A Versaclimber.  It is an incredible total body workout, and absolutely injury proof (unless you fall off, which is tough to do.)  If you find an adjustable one (the best health clubs have them) you can do arms, shoulders, legs while the thing absolutely kicks your cardio ass.


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## 2tomlinson (Aug 23, 2010)

PS, I just read the post that apparently offended you.  To me, it seemed gentle and honest -- advice from a woman who cares enough to invest her personal time to help you.  Unfortunately, a Versaclimber can't remedy over-sensitivity.  Or mitigate ego.


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## JennyB (Aug 23, 2010)

MYTH: Cardio will get you in good enough shape to compete and if you think that and your a PT then I would hate to see your clients 
TRUTH: You have to put down your ego and learn from people that have been there before .. regardless of what you do for a living 

We volunteer our time and experience here and want nothing more than to teach people what it takes to get on stage. Share what they do to get into competition shape. Nothing was negative until your post to be honest .. a degree means nothing when you dont put it to use. 

FYI: We can see your pics and for you to say that you cannot lift weights because you have alot of muscle .. pics dont lie


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## omerta2010 (Aug 23, 2010)

Best advice I ever got from my old training partner when I first started hitting the gym:

CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR

No matter how much you know, somebody else knows more. And if they share that it's up to you if you want to take their advice, but closing your mind to what others have to say can really end up limiting the knowledge you can attain and are able to share with others in the future (especially if your a trainer).

This site has many people with differing opinions on how to acheive things, and you were right everybody is different and reacts differently. Many also have real life experiences to draw on and not just books.

However closing your mind to different things and ways instead of listening and makeing up your own mind is like reading "weightlifting for dummies" and then doing that routine for the next 30 years and never watching or listening to what people say, but always wondering why your arms have been the same for the last 29yrs. 

Whatever you end up doing, good luck and wish you the best.


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