So in case you have not been following my Facebook Fan Page (damn shame on YOU if you haven’t, now get your butt over there and like me before I ban you from further reading my blog — http://www.facebook.com/RoxieBecklesFanPage) I recently won the OVERALL title at the 2011 NPC Tournament of Champions!
This was such an amazing victory because this was the show that started it all for me back in 2010. The growth I’ve had since then has been amazing. I’ve been able to accomplish a goal, and not only just accomplish it, but take it beyond any extent of my wildest dreams. But as you know, the buck doesn’t stop here, I want to go ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP EXTREME F’KING OVERACHIEVER HERE.
In case you’d like to check out the festivities first hand, here is a clip of me doing my individual presentation at the night show, and the overall comparison.
Again, I am so very thankful, and as you can see, quite surprised by the win. Hopefully there will be more in my future.
Now the new focus is at hand. And that focus is the 2011 NPC Nationals. Now this will be my second try at competing on the national level. I feel a good sense of confidence swinging into this show on a high note. I’m planning on making some minor tweaks, slow down my posing a bit, adjust some things I noticed in my mandatories, etc. My only goal for this show is to place. That’s the only expectation I have for myself. To expect anything more is a.) out of my control, and b.) a hell of a lot of fucking pressure. To be honest, of course my competitive mind always ALWAYS plays to win, but I know if I come in my best, that best should at least this time find me as being recognized with a respectable placing. And that’s all I can control.
To me the body is a blank pile of clay waiting to be sculpted and molded into whatever shape you’d like. Train it and it will adapt. Train a certain way, and it will adapt in a way to become more efficient at the training style you give it. You don’t want the body to become efficient at anything when it comes to body transformation, hence the need to keep reaching to new levels and new heights. So this last preparation is about transformation.
When I look at my physique I have a very unique outlook. I can see myself as the competitor. I can stand back and appreciate the hard work I’m putting in, and follow orders (my own well planned and fully thought out orders) to get to the physique I want. Then there’s that other part of me. The coaching side who takes a step back and assesses what REALLY needs to be done. I’m never at a point where I feel like, yep it’s complete. Because perfection can never truly be attained, but getting to my own brand and level of perfection based upon MY STRUCTURE and MY GENETICS can be. And at the end of the day, that’s all you’ve got really.
So the goal and game plan for this next and final prep cycle is to bring in a tighter overall package than at TOC. From presentation to physique, I want to step to a level I have yet to reach. As a figure girl, you could never have a small enough waist, a wide enough back, or round enough shoulders. So the goal for me is to get to exactly that mold as much as I can within the next 8 weeks. The good news is that I’m already there having 3 shows now under my belt for this season. So the tweaking only needs to be minor, and I don’t have to kill myself to do it (thank God).
Since the show, I had taken about 10 days off of dieting and training. It was time to relax and recoup. And BOY did my body need it. I was tired, so I slept. I was hungry so I ate whatever I wanted within reason. I still had my healthy stuff in there, just didn’t worry too much about measuring, just ate a normal portion size (which for me really is just a bit above what I eat when I normally prep, so it’s not too bad). I allowed myself my indulgences. 2 slices of cheesecake, lol IN 10 DAYS OK! And a burger in there, some fries, Thai food one day, and sushi another. After that I was done. I pretty much walked away with some weight gain, most of it sub q water, some of it my muscles being refilled with glycogen and water, and minimal fat. I started back on my eating plan on Sunday and I dropped quite a bit of water and I’m still dropping more since I’m peeing like an open fire hydrant (hello gallon of water p/day, I’m baaack!). My weight has fluctuated between n 8, 14, and 10 lbs gain (in a matter of 2 days, lol). I didn’t weigh myself this morning, however I was looking leaner than yesterday this afternoon, so I decided to see where I’m at out of curiosity. I weigh less this afternoon than I did yesterday, so my body is still adjusting, and I expect it to over the next few days.
My first official workout in the gym was today! Ok so I’ll admit, I really felt like I was going to die, lol. A workout that I was so easily knocking out a few short weeks ago OWNED ME today. It’s so funny how quickly the body deconditions when you don’t keep up what you’re doing. Use it or lose it, so very true. Some of that energy change also has to do with the fact that today was my first day of low carbs, so that coupled with the above = Roxie face planted on the floor after her workout. But after a few days, I’ll adjust and be just fine. I decided to take a cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) approach this time around because I want to drop just a little more weight, come in a few lbs smaller than the TOC show, and lose just a bit more body fat. I’m not really focused right now on losing any more muscle. I’ve done enough of that, so the goal for now is simply fat loss and muscle maintenance again. Normally, I go more moderate with my carbs and never really go too far past 100g per day on my low days (lowest I’ve been has been about 85-90g on non training days). But with only 8.5 weeks left, I’m taking a little more of an aggressive approach, and I’ll stay closely monitored to how my body is reacting and make adjustments as I go.
My diet and training is very specifically designed (you KNOW I can do nothing without a game plan). Mon-Sat will be low carb days. I start Mon at 100g, Tues 90g, Wed 80g, Thurs 75g, Fri/Sat 50g, and on Sunday I have a huge refeed with 260g for the day. So basically the idea is to deplete glycogen, get my body into a bit of ketosis, then refeed to upregulate my system once a week and avoid crap shooting my adrenal and metabolic system. My workout schedule will be depletion workouts M-W, Thurs off, Fri Strength, Sat off, and Sunday Strength/Power supersets mix. So by the time my refeed arrives, my body will be primed and ready for the carb load and still fervently burn fat while preserving this hard earned muscle. I’m keeping my calories a little on the low side for me; Monday I start off around 1400 then by Sat I’m down to about 1250 relying on protein and healthy fats as the main sources of cals, veggies basically making up the rest. So needless to say, I’ll be wiped out. I keep my carbs centered around my workouts so I have the energy to get through them and work my hardest however I failed to do that today because I suck, but have learned my lesson well, don’t do that AGAIN EVER. My refeed days will find me back at maintenance cals (que Heavenly Angel Music — aaah aaaaah aaaaaaah!).
Here’s a little glimpse at my workout today! A 500 rep ass kicker that will be performed every Monday for the next 3 weeks… Each of those exercises for 20 reps, 30-60 secs rest btw exercises, 60-90 secs between circuits. Repeated 5 times! No cardio after, I thought that I’d be able to knock out some intervals at the end for about 15-20 mins. But boy was I wrong! My heart rate stayed above 150 BPM during the circuits, so cardio wasn’t even needed or wanted!