My husband and I - National's 2013 Edition!!!

[ange_d]

Here we go again, we must be crazy, lol.

So kids are 18 months and 4.5 years this time around. More sleep makes prep much better!

I am prepping for the IFBB International Events Qualifier (formerly known as World Qualifier) being held in Winnipeg on April 27th.
I am 9 weeks from that show and up until this point everything has been awesome!
I am stronger than ever (bench 145 for 10, deadlift 225 for 12, squat (sucks, but good for me) 185 for 12, and I am leg pressing 14 plates for reps). I have never been able to train legs this consistantly due to my Ank Spon, so maybe I have put some muscle on my leggies! We'll soon find out.
The diet has been really easy until this point with having a junk day once a week.
It's time to take out the junk and only clean re-feed when necessary.
My weight is hoovering in the low 140's. I figure I will be sub 125 dehydrated onstage. Weight is not that important but it helps me track progress versus previous preps.
I have done no cardio up until this point. I am going to slowly add some in the next couple of weeks.

The goal is to be leaner and tighter than at last year at Provincial's (but I was 8 months post baby!). I need to work on posing to perfect it all!
We are sponsored by Cygen Laboratories and will be doing a video log of our progress, so we'll link that up to this thread soon.

My husband Steve is competing at the CBBF National Event being held (here!) in Halifax in July. So as soon as I am done my prep his will begin! Not sure how this will all go down since last year we dieted together and I think it was easier. It also made me competitive with him, if he was getting leaner - I was motivated to get leaner, lol. Who know's maybe dieting at seperate times will be easier. Maybe his prep will stop me from getting fat off season, lol!

For anyone who doesn't know us here's the link to last years prep (I think we have 4 journals over the last few years, but I'll just link to the most recent one):
http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/showthread.php?22288-2012-Provincials-My-Wife-and-I-East-Coast-Edition!&highlight=wife


I am looking forward to your advice and support....it's a ripping time, AGAIN!!!!:D

[TT Eric]

Cool, nice to hear! We don't see Steve often on here these days, I was wondering what was going on!

GL on your journey!

Eric

[Delt King]

Always watching you guys transform. This will be good.

[countrychic]

Excellent, like following your logs :) Good luck with the prep both of you!

[steve_d]

Cool, nice to hear! We don't see Steve often on here these days, I was wondering what was going on!

GL on your journey!

Eric

I've been following a few of the discussions lately but haven't been posting much. I will be posting updates in this thread quite regularly. As most people training for nationals right now, things won't be changing too much for a while (in terms of diet). Still over 19 weeks to go so the goal will be to continue adding as much quality mass as possible before I begin the cut.

Off-season for me has been pretty good so far. I tend to not be able to put on ridiculous amounts of weight as some of the other guys I know. Currently sitting at about 195 morning weight, which is the most I've weighed. Last year at around this time I was a little lighter, and give or take same level of bodyfat. So all in all, I think I should come in heavier for nationals, and as always I will make sure to come in conditioned. I've never done nationals before, so this could be really fun - and probably a really humbling experience.

Goals I've set for myself:

1. Weigh in at 176 which would be top end of middle. Last year I weighed in at 171-172.

2. Equally conditioned or better. Last year I was the leanest I ever was by far on my lower half. However, I think my abs have been tighter, as well as my back. Funny how things change as you get older. I've always said that you can't tell your body where to lose, but somehow I feel as though I am wrong. Looking back to all the preps were my legs looked softer but my back and abs were tight as hell, I did lots of cardio. Last year did almost none. So perhaps a correlation there? Doesn't make much sense... But I'll play it by ear and hope to bring equally balanced not only in muscle size, but conditioning.

3. STAY INJURY FREE!!! - So far so good on this one. Last year, was, well.... pretty shitty when it came to suffering. Sciatic issues (couldn't feel my entire left foot, as well as parts of my leg top to bottom), the losing of my toe nail (twice), lower back injuries that prevented deads + squats for most of last year. Currently I am bringing back the heavier squats into my routine and have recently on and off started deadlifting again. I no longer am focused on powerlifting, so I am going to keep things as smart as possible from here on out. Throwing the ego out the window (this is definitely hard considering I feel like I was stronger at age 24 and 30 pounds lighter than I am now!)...

4. If all goes well in #1, 2, and 3, then I will be happy no matter where I place. Of course It's always fun to get a trophy (especially in my home town!), or a first call out, but I can't control who shows up. What I can control is looking like the best middleweight that my genetics can allow me to be. So that's the number 1 goal.

This thread will hopefully follow us both to our best year of competing yet! Pictures will hopefully come, and I'll throw in some videos along the way too.

[Hugheser]

Going to be following this one! Good luck both of you!

[ChristineD]

looking forward to following a fellow female always find it motivating :) best of luck to the both of you !

[steve_d]

Couple videos of Ange so far. First one was last friday. The other one was a day or so ago.


http://youtu.be/ZapZ4s4iEhU


http://youtu.be/tagv5NmMw3w

[ange_d]

Steve took a few pic's of me over the weekend and I felt a little "behind".
Never felt "behind" in a prep before, lol. I am usually "ahead". So after comparing pic's to previous years we decided I am actually right on target but feel behind because I am not ahead (hope that makes sense, lol).
Just for my sanity I am going to make this week really count and lower my carbs to near keto. This has worked very well for me in the past. I am also adding cardio a little earlier than expected and am starting 35 min's cardio before bed.

It is so funny how I always forget how little I need to eat and how much I have to do to get ripped!

We'll see what that does, going to be a tough week though!

[steve_d]

It is so funny how I always forget how little I need to eat and how much I have to do to get ripped!

The key word here is 'ripped!'. No one should need to suffer to get to the point where everyone stops to ask how you are so lean, or if you are competing 'soon'. The only thing is that in order to look good on stage, you have to start looking weird in the gym (some people outside the sport would probably use the word 'disgusting')... haha. 7 weeks to go until show number 1!

[ange_d]

The key word here is 'ripped!'. No one should need to suffer to get to the point where everyone stops to ask how you are so lean, or if you are competing 'soon'. The only thing is that in order to look good on stage, you have to start looking weird in the gym (some people outside the sport would probably use the word 'disgusting')... haha. 7 weeks to go until show number 1!

People are still complementing me at the gym so I am not ready! I won't be ready until those looks of disgust are shooting my way once again!
Can't wait, lol!

[Hosehead]

A little off topic, but did you train at the Y in Kingston years ago ? You look very familiar. Strong ****ing legs , just playing with seven plates on the press !

[ange_d]

Yep! I did train at that Y, seems like forever ago. That is my favorite gym of all time!

This is the first off season and prep (so far) where I have been able to train my legs consistantly.
I have gained a lot of strength in my lower body and my legs seem more shapely. Can't wait to strip off some of this fat and see what my hard work has really done to my leg development!

I came home from the gym one day and told Steve I was leg pressing 6 plates, he had no real reaction. Then later he asked me if I meant 6 plates total...I said per side...he said WHAT? NO? So he video'd the proof and made me try 7 plates a side, lol.

[Hosehead]

Yep! I did train at that Y, seems like forever ago. That is my favorite gym of all time!

This is the first off season and prep (so far) where I have been able to train my legs consistantly.
I have gained a lot of strength in my lower body and my legs seem more shapely. Can't wait to strip off some of this fat and see what my hard work has really done to my leg development!

I came home from the gym one day and told Steve I was leg pressing 6 plates, he had no real reaction. Then later he asked me if I meant 6 plates total...I said per side...he said WHAT? NO? So he video'd the proof and made me try 7 plates a side, lol.

My favourite gym too. I've been at Goodlife for over a year and hate it. I'll probably rejoin the Y. The Y produced two pros and some very good amateurs over the years. 7 plates is amazing. I think you are good for eight !

[Skailes]

Great job on the vids and I look forward to watching both of your preps and the transformation into freak contest shape.

[ange_d]

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So here's a pic Steve took today in the gym, 8.5 weeks out.
I am impressed with my legs but I fear they might end up really small when I get really lean.
Time will tell...

[countrychic]

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So here's a pic Steve took today in the gym, 8.5 weeks out.
I am impressed with my legs but I fear they might end up really small when I get really lean.
Time will tell...

Your look'n lean already A :) 8.5 weeks will go quickly!

[steve_d]

Quick update on my off-season. Today was one of the first days I really felt back to 'normal' at the gym. What I mean by that, is I was able to train as hard as I am used to without feeling the aches and pains that I had been plagued with recently. Most of them for me was related to just being sick, and not necessarily being injured from training.

Bench was at 265 x 16. I am trying to keep reps higher for now.

Workouts have been shorter in duration and concentrating more on single bodyparts. This is not really on purpose, but more because of time, work, commitments etc. I still find it very effective - and also because its 'different' I find it always a good thing.

weight is at 195-196 in the morning. Plan is to stay at this weight until perhaps 10-12 weeks, than dropping 1 pound per week.

[ange_d]

6.5 weeks out from the International qualifier event and 4.5 weeks out from the Atlantic Classic and pigging out today! :)
Here are some pic's from this afternoon after a lttle carb up. Steve says I could compete tomorrow, probably not win but look good. Lot's of time to dial it all in!
I decided to carb up today because kids and Steve have been sick and this morning I was feeling not so good, thought the food might help kick this sick in the butt! Not working though.

All else is good, diet easy, cardio around an hour before bed. No real strength left but I don't need it, lol. I just changed my workouts to be more high intensity training to burn up cal's and fat.
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[ChristineD]

looking TIGHT! love your shoulders! keep up the hard work and stay positive :)

[natenator]

Looking fantastic Ange :) Looking forward to seeing you rock a dominating win as usual :)

[steve_d]

Ange 4 weeks from Atlantics, 6 weeks from WQ...We've made weekly logs, so you can scroll through our youtube channel for previous ones. This one gives a nice view of our cardio setup!


http://youtu.be/YAaS2PbGlMs

[steve_d]

After over a week without my computer, I finally got it back and made this video of ange from gym footage in the past 2 weeks.

She's now just over a week away from show # 1 in moncton, then on to nationals 2 weeks after that!


http://youtu.be/Xp157IZq9ho

[massabsamurai]

great delts and awesome progress. Keep it up guys!

[TT Eric]

Top shape mom!

Eric

[ange_d]

I haven't been able to log onto the site on my phone so it's been awhile since I posted an update...

All is going well...nothing changing drasitically. I am still carbing up every 4 days or so. I am a bit scared of shrinking too much, lol. There is 8 days until my first show and 3 whole weeks until my National level show so don't want to shrivel up too much this week!
Steve says I am getting harder to get along with the past couple of days, so I ate some ice cream and cookies with my kids but didn't seem to help my mood much. I just get so tired out. I am sleeping about 7 hours a night which I never have never been able to do in the past at this point in a prep but there are so many colds and flus around that I am sure I am constantly battling something.

The NS provincial show is tomorrow and I am really looking forward to volunteering tonght at weigh in and watching the show with Steve. Steve made me promise to take Saturday completely off from the gym and cardio so it will be a great day for us! Let's see if I can actually keep that promise ;)

I am for sure leaner than last year right now (but I was 8 months post baby and my lower body needed more time). I am happy that so far this has been a quite easy and enjoyable prep! As long as I can stay healthy all will be golden!
I do know the next few weeks will be a little tough but I am going to try and make them as easy as possible. Sorry in advance Steve if I have some carb depleted outbursts, you can get back at me in the summer!

[69challenger]

WOW!!! Great vid! You look AMAZING Ang!

[born2juice4ever]

Damn this is the real deal!!


great great job no doubt about it!!



b2J

[ange_d]

So, less than a week till show #1. My mood is changing now. Depleted already after a breif bout of stomach flu that started yesturday morning and lasted most of the day. I made myself drink water but it was tough to stay hydrated. Hopefully it's gone now. Woke up 130lbs so not too bad. I would assume a 125lb or so stage weight. I am leaner than last year for sure. This show will give Steve and I an idea of what I have to do the next 2 weeks before the "real" showtime. It will either be an easy 2 weeks or a hell of a lot of cardio. Doesn't matter to me which I do, just can't wait to get off stage and for Steve to tell me what he thinks! I feel this is my best look ever but the stage shots will determine that. Last year I just couldn't loose that lower body fat so soon after pregnancy. In early 2010 I could not train legs due to AS. By summer 2010 I looked too hard. Now I am really lean but not striated and hard. Tight and tiny!
This week will be full body (easy) workouts and an hour of cardio pre-bedtime. Have to stay healthy and injury free! A little water load this week, nothing drastic. Can't wait till the babysitters for the weekend walk through that door Friday morning. I think I always look forward to a weekend with Steve more than the actually competition, lol. The day after a show day is the best!!!

Peak week #1 here I am!!!

[St]

Haha the day after is best.:)
Before you know it the show be here.

[ange_d]

Haha the day after is best.:)
Before you know it the show be here.

This will be one of the longest weeks ever!!! or it will seem that way, lol

[IronRobi]

So, less than a week till show #1. My mood is changing now. Depleted already after a breif bout of stomach flu that started yesturday morning and lasted most of the day. I made myself drink water but it was tough to stay hydrated. Hopefully it's gone now. Woke up 130lbs so not too bad. I would assume a 125lb or so stage weight. I am leaner than last year for sure. This show will give Steve and I an idea of what I have to do the next 2 weeks before the "real" showtime. It will either be an easy 2 weeks or a hell of a lot of cardio. Doesn't matter to me which I do, just can't wait to get off stage and for Steve to tell me what he thinks! I feel this is my best look ever but the stage shots will determine that. Last year I just couldn't loose that lower body fat so soon after pregnancy. In early 2010 I could not train legs due to AS. By summer 2010 I looked too hard. Now I am really lean but not striated and hard. Tight and tiny!
This week will be full body (easy) workouts and an hour of cardio pre-bedtime. Have to stay healthy and injury free! A little water load this week, nothing drastic. Can't wait till the babysitters for the weekend walk through that door Friday morning. I think I always look forward to a weekend with Steve more than the actually competition, lol. The day after a show day is the best!!!

Peak week #1 here I am!!!

Good luck up there this weekend, I'll be out in the crowd cheering you on

[69challenger]

Good luck this weekend!!!

[countrychic]

Goodluck, have fun :)

[steve_d]

Hey all! Ange is looking "tight and tiny" as we like to say. I must say, she's extremely relaxed - surprisingly so for someone without salt for the first day in months, no carbs (yet) and drinking lots of water - cutting that later. We just got back from getting the tan on, and she's having a little rest while it dries. We were lucky enough to have my parents take care of the kids for the weekend, so we ended up leaving for Moncton last night. Up early, did a little shopping, checked out some new cars, just a no stress day so to speak.

She's going for registration/height in tonight, and I think I'll hit the gym for a quick workout.

A quick shot of her early this morning!

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[steve_d]

And another ... Tan is on, ready to go! Looks like it will be mid afternoon before she hits stage. Show starts 10am, but all the bodybuilding, and mens physique go first. Bikini/figure last.


34342

[69challenger]

CONGRATS Ange on winning OVERALL at the Atlantic Classic Figure Championship!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!

[cog]

Great news,congratulations.

[Kaly11]

saw the pics on muscle insider...great job..congrats!

[TT Eric]

Wow congrats!

Eric

[ange_d]

So...what a weekend, geez. These girls made me pose my ass off!
So happy of the outcome, we learned a LOT this weekend.
Firstly we learned I need a long time to dry out. I cut my water around 4 on Friday and was still peeing at the night show.
I only carbed up moderately before prejudging and looked a little flat. After a major carb up before finals I looked tighter and fuller (could have been the water going away too though).
The most important thing we learned is that posing wide and hard is very important for me especially for my legs!

Now I am going to have to burn off the junk from the weekend and start depleting again starting next week. I am a little scared of a rebound but I think I might be ok. Weight is 134 this morning, my stage weight was probably 125 (no scale with us this weekend but I ws 127 thursday morning). I'm definitely holding a film of water but it seems under control. We'll see what I look like tomorrow but I was never really dehydrated so I am thinking it won't take long to drop this water.

The show was so fun and that was by far the hardest I have ever worked onstage! At the Atlantic Classic they make us hold our poses a LONG time, rediculous long, trust me. If there was ever a good warm up show, this was it. My guess is Nationals will be a breeze compared to this one.

All in all I am a very happy girl. The improvements in my lower body are very obvious (thank you squat rack!) and my great off season shows. Happy, happy.
I saw the pic below after prejudging and almost cried. A few short years ago I could only dream of that photo being me! After that, didn't matter what I placed, I had already won! Thank you to Muscle Insider for the great pic's!

Last but not least thanks to my amazing husband, Steve. I told you this show was for you! We did it! :)

[countrychic]

CONGRATS Ang!!! You must be super excited! You look gorgous :)

[ironwill]

Looks like a pro up there to me...Good luck, i hate saying that, as i do not think you will need it at all..
It is great to see you getting better and better..
I believe you will have pro under your name after next show....
I will bet on it...

[ange_d]

Looks like a pro up there to me...Good luck, i hate saying that, as i do not think you will need it at all..
It is great to see you getting better and better..
I believe you will have pro under your name after next show....
I will bet on it...

Wow! Thanks so much!
Winning a National show is a tough thing in my sport. So much subjectivity and you never know who will show up.
I am really happy with my improvements over the years and finally truely love my physique. Whatever will be will be.
My real goal is to trophy in both the Masters and Open classes, would be a dream come true. That way I would be qualified for NA's and the Arnold Amateur!

Thanks for all the support over the years, much appreciated.

[ange_d]

Rebound, gone...yay!
131 this morning, dry abs.
My energy levels are still high from carb/junk up weekend so may be able to squeeze in a couple more good leg days this week.
My knee has some sort of pull, probably ligaments, like an overuse type strain. Has been there a week and a half or so but no pain, just stiff. Resting it doesn't seem to help so going to just train through it and hope it holds on for the next week and a half.

I have a little posing to correct so will work on that this week too.

Still riding an emotional high from the weekend :)

[steve_d]

Looks like a pro up there to me...Good luck, i hate saying that, as i do not think you will need it at all..
It is great to see you getting better and better..
I believe you will have pro under your name after next show....
I will bet on it...

You know I agree with you 100% on the looking like a pro! And this is starting to be said alot to her. I really think she has all it takes to stand up on a pro stage. The changes that have been made slowly over time are astounding to say the least. We met in 2006 and she'd already been training for almost a decade. Add another near decade of working one's ass off and boom! Figure is not easy, trust me. The amount of time she spends posing, tweaking poses with each and every show - watching pro's walk and stand on youtube... Training, cardio, its not a walk in the park, and really only 0.0001% of the population can reach the highest level based on genetics alone in a short time.

So we'll hope for the best in Winnipeg! It's going to be a blast seeing Ange up there with the best in the country bringing the best package she's brought to date!

[steve_d]

Last but not least thanks to my amazing husband, Steve. I told you this show was for you! We did it! :)

You did it! But at times I felt like my voice was going with all the screaming I did during the second class call outs. Wow... what a difference 5 minutes can make. Looked like a different person when going from 'relaxed' to 'intense while trying to look relaxed'

[69challenger]

Looks like a pro up there to me...Good luck, i hate saying that, as i do not think you will need it at all..
It is great to see you getting better and better..
I believe you will have pro under your name after next show....
I will bet on it...

TOTALLY agree!!! I'd LOVE to see you get the card!

[ange_d]

Trying to hold onto weight now, shrinking fast!
126 am weight this morning, 1 week left.
I think I'll eat a little carbs this morning to see what happens.
I've cut back on cardio a little just to be sure I am not wasting away, lol.
Mood is good, training is still fairly intense. I just find I am tired all the time, even when sleeping 9 or 10 hours thru the night. I think we might be fighting yet another bug (we have been sick every couple of weeks this winter - kiddy germs!)

Steve assures me that I need to be:
Tight and Tiny to pose big and mighty ;)
Love it!

Time to start trying to pack all my stuff into 2 carry on's. We have a connecting flight in TO and don't want to make it to Winnipeg with no luggage!!!

[maxpower]

Congrats on the Atlantics Ange! Best of luck in Winnipeg...you look amazing!

[ironwill]

This is going to be a great wknd for you. Have fun, There is a great cheesecake factory called Baked expectations in osbourne village, very near to the show.
I am from WPG. Lots of good restaurants there actually.
Take care, have fun and fly safe guys...
Very excited to hear the results.

[steve_d]

Thanks! ^

We just booked a car rental from the airport, so we'll definitely be cruising around Winnipeg looking for some carb ups! Ange got some of her pics back from the last show, which definitely assured her she won't be needing to drop any more fat. "Smooth" sailing from here on in. She dropped her cardio down a little, and just making sure nothing drastic changes so that the final couple days we can drop the little bit of water she still has left.

Honestly, I envy her in the 'prep' department. I am just over 10 weeks out now from Nationals, and have only been dieting a couple weeks - meanwhile she is doing her cardio, days before a show and I think she has more energy to keep up with the kids and clean the house then I do!! Insane - I think Ange has perfected her dieting strategy and is so much in tune with her body, and relaxed, etc. Great to keep the stress hormone down! Each and every week, carbing up massive, with absolutely no fear that by the end of the week she'll be 1 step ahead from the week prior. (I think she'll be my coach for the next 10 weeks).

Hoping for a great outcome this weekend! She'll be in Masters and open, so I'm hoping she comes home with 2 nice trophies :) All the work is done now. I'll be posting updates on facebook, and try to post up on here during the weekend.

[natenator]

good luck Ange!!!

I'll be staying tuned to FB for the status updates from Steve :)

Go get'em girl!

[MuSuLPhReAk]

Good luck!!! Go get em Ange!!

[ange_d]

Thanks!
I think these last couple days have been the longest in my life, lol! And the next 2 will seem even longer! haha
I am hanging in there, eating a bit more when I need it to keep up with "life". No use in being miserable this last week after such a great prep.
I am most looking forward to another weekend away! No use in stressing about placings or any of that, anything can happen at these shows. All I know is I feel I have improved my weaknesses and this is the best "figure" I have!

I will for sure be looking for that cheesecake ironwill!! :excited
I had grocery store cheesecake the night before the last show and it was the best thing ever, or maybe the pancakes were, drooling...
Pretty much all packed, doing up the girlie stuff (hair, nails) Thursday and babysitters arriving Thursday evening!
I feel like I've already done this week (oh yeah, I did 2 weeks ago, geez)...

[countrychic]

Goodluck Ang :) have a great trip you two!

[countrychic]

ohhh p.s - IW took me to that cheesecake place - THE BEST ;)

[ange_d]

ohhh p.s - IW took me to that cheesecake place - THE BEST ;)

I actually checked out the website for this place, lol

Thanks for the support, much appreciated!

[ange_d]

2 more sleeps...mood is not the greatest now.
Freezing cold, drinking water, drinking water, drinking water...lol

I actually feel pretty good, just hoping I can get some solid zzzzzz's tonight

All packed and ready to fly out of the house early morn tomorrow.
I am really excited to see old friends!
I am also a bit sad this prep is ending but I'll have Steve's prep to follow after I am all done.
It will be weird for me to lie on the couch while Steve does his cardio, hehe (probably be fun at first!)

Thanks to everyone for the support!!!
I am sure Steve will be updating this thread asap!

2 more little sleeps, yay! :)

[ironwill]

Have a blast Ange and Steve, keep us in the loop....Look forward to hearing the results. You guys are very inspiring...:tu

[ironwill]

Oh yeah, German chocolate cheesecake is the most amazing i have ever had.....My god!!!

[Delt King]

Good luck Ange, no doubt you'll have some hardware to show for your effort.

[steve_d]

We are in Winnipeg!

Got up at 2:30am halifax time, connected in Toronto and landed 9:30am local time. We've been up for over 12 hours already, so needless to say Ange is pretty tired! I had a decent snooze on the plane, which for the connection me and Ange weren't even sitting together... WTF. And no one would move for us either (I want an aisle seat, so I am not moving, etc). All and all no biggy - we're settled in the room and Ange just getting her last shower in before getting the tan on.

She looks better than 2 weeks ago IMO, just that little bit sharper. We are advancing the water cut slightly so that she gets a little tighter sooner. Carbing up earlier too. Speaking of which... we took our car rental down to the baked expectations! Ange was pretty excited to see the cheesecake and cake... Spent close to 50$ there :)

Also swung by the superstore for some other goodies. Definitely worth having a car rental. Would probably have paid double for the rental. Saw some competitors walking around getting registered etc. It's all beginining to happen! I have a work related meeting at 3pm here, but just something quick (hey, it always helps to have tax write-offs right?). Ange will probably have a nap and then I guess it will be time for athlete meetings, etc. Looking forward to the event... 1 more day!

[St]

Great news Steve_D, hope the show is going well for the Wife.

[steve_d]

2 classes, 2 first call outs, 2 in the center... Ange looked amazing, now its all in the hands of the judges!

1 thing for sure... the caliber of athletes at the national events is out of this world!

Couple more hours till night show! Will try to update as soon as I can!

[steve_d]

She just win masters and overall! You guys called it, newest ifbb pro from out east!

[MuSuLPhReAk]

Hell ya. Big congrats!!!!

[steve_d]

She just win her open class and overall there too! Double overall champ!

[massabsamurai]

Congrats to you both. Well deserved, now put up some pics..... lol

[steve_d]

Congrats to you both. Well deserved, now put up some pics..... lol

Ange is taking a well deserved shower. I am simply in awe right now, I still have goose bumps thinking about what happened! I want to post more, but I am still too excited for her! I am so proud its not even funny!!

Once things settle i will get video / pics of how it all went down!

[TT Eric]

w00t! Congrats!

Eric

[Delt King]

Congrats! Awesome.
Well Steve looks like you need a pro card now to fit in with the rest of the family lol.

[69challenger]

BOOM!!!!! Congrats Angela!!!

[cog]

Tremendous.

[ange_d]

Angela Doucette. IFBB Pro, what??? lol
I had a **** of a weekend, please excuse the language but there is no other word to discribe it!

Steve has some great video footage of the event that I am sure he will post up when he gets some rest.
He believed in me and told me over and over I had what it took to be successful in this sport. He's the reason I decided to return to the CBBF in 2010. And now look whats happened :) I love you babe!

We are back home, I am thrilled (of course) with the outcome. I am most proud that I finally love my physique and likely that gave me the confidence that led to winning both overalls at a National show, what??? Did that really happen, lol. I know what it's lke to lose...I am not one of the girls who has won every show they entered. I actually found it a bit ackward to win, that might sound weird but it's true.

Instead of changing my body/training/lifestyle to fit the sport (which I have done in the past), I worked to change my body/training/lifestyle to fit me and my life, and make me happy everyday! Only took me almost 10 years to "FIGURE" it all out, lol.

Thanks to everyone who followed and supported Steve and I all along!
xoxoxo

[St]

Amazing news enjoy some food and rest, and play with the kids.
I'm really happy for you, now its time for Steve's turn.

[ironwill]

That is sssooooo awesome. I knew it....I dont like to call things unless i am quite certain, of this i had no doubt..Double deal as well....i am proud of the both of you...Wicked!!!
So did you try the cheesecake?
Cant wait to see Steve next...
:beer

[Hosehead]

Congrats Ange ! Yet another Kingston YMCA alumnus turned pro. I think you make three. Eric Alstrup, Rhonda Lee Quaresma and you. Lost of good amateurs came from that gym too. Nice to see all that work paid off. Best of luck in the future.

[steve_d]

That is sssooooo awesome. I knew it....I dont like to call things unless i am quite certain, of this i had no doubt..Double deal as well....i am proud of the both of you...Wicked!!!
So did you try the cheesecake?
Cant wait to see Steve next...
:beer

She did more than just try it!! If I recall, this was what she said eating it friday afternoon ... "OMG, this is the best f_c_ing thing I have ever eatin in my entire life"... Something along those lines! Certainly alot funner to carb up on real things than boring old rice cakes with jam and jelly beans! Barf.. I think I have the cheesecake eating on video, I will surely be making some sort of compilation of the weekend for everyone to see here. (just so busy at work!)

Tonight I'll try to just put up some raw footage of her walkouts, callouts, etc. Shouldn't be too tricky to upload. Just that my camera takes such large sized video - takes forever to unload and upload!

And yeah, this thread will be transitioning very soon into my thread - wow - do I ever have some motivation now. I am almost 9 weeks away, and I think I am really starting to tighten up. mid 180s, so I will be making middleweight. Could be a tricky year, but training is going great so far! My confidence is increasing daily, and I think I should be at my best by far

[countrychic]

Angela Doucette. IFBB Pro, what??? lol
He believed in me and told me over and over I had what it took to be successful in this sport. He's the reason I decided to return to the CBBF in 2010. And now look whats happened :) I love you babe!


Ang, first of all, you are so very humble!! Well deserved and a huge CONGRATS!!! You NAILED it :)

Love to see posts like this :) So awesome to have the one you love in your corner!!

[ironwill]

She did more than just try it!! If I recall, this was what she said eating it friday afternoon ... "OMG, this is the best f_c_ing thing I have ever eatin in my entire life"... Something along those lines! Certainly alot funner to carb up on real things than boring old rice cakes with jam and jelly beans! Barf.. I think I have the cheesecake eating on video, I will surely be making some sort of compilation of the weekend for everyone to see here. (just so busy at work!)

Tonight I'll try to just put up some raw footage of her walkouts, callouts, etc. Shouldn't be too tricky to upload. Just that my camera takes such large sized video - takes forever to unload and upload!

And yeah, this thread will be transitioning very soon into my thread - wow - do I ever have some motivation now. I am almost 9 weeks away, and I think I am really starting to tighten up. mid 180s, so I will be making middleweight. Could be a tricky year, but training is going great so far! My confidence is increasing daily, and I think I should be at my best by far

Wicked, i am really looking forward to seeing you get into hi gear as well Steve....
I am glad she liked the cake.
Keep us posted, and What is Next Ange, i know it is sinking in, just curious if you are going to bust out soon on the pro stage, as i am very, very certain, you will be doing well there as well, and fast..

[St]

That is sssooooo awesome. I knew it....I dont like to call things unless i am quite certain, of this i had no doubt..Double deal as well....i am proud of the both of you...Wicked!!!
So did you try the cheesecake?
Cant wait to see Steve next...
:beer

Yep you called it.

[steve_d]

http://youtu.be/OPQUkAF2fzE

Ange's first walkout and winning her masters tall class, overall and (first) pro card of the night! As you can tell, not even a good image stabalization on my camera was going to save the video footage in the last bit after she won!

[scottlove]

http://youtu.be/OPQUkAF2fzE

Ange's first walkout and winning her masters tall class, overall and (first) pro card of the night! As you can tell, not even a good image stabalization on my camera was going to save the video footage in the last bit after she won!That's awesome. That must be a great moment for both of you. Congratulations and good luck with your show Steve and your next show Angela.

[ange_d]

Wicked, i am really looking forward to seeing you get into hi gear as well Steve....
I am glad she liked the cake.
Keep us posted, and What is Next Ange, i know it is sinking in, just curious if you are going to bust out soon on the pro stage, as i am very, very certain, you will be doing well there as well, and fast..

Wow, thanks! Well an e-mail welcoming me to the IFBB made it a bit more real, but I am not feeling the need to rush into another show. I think a show next year that we can plan a vacation around (maybe see an NFL game, we've always wanted to do that) will be part of the plan. There are always improvements to be made and as long as I stay healthy I see another great off season of squatting! lol.

And the cake was so good, the apple cheesecake was to die for! Best thing I have ever eaten!

Now I am looking forward to Steve's progression. He has changed sooo much in the last couple of weeks. He is big, full, and leaning out quickly! I am excited for him, and that the show is local is a bonus!

[steve_d]

Next video... Ange does her 2nd walkout of the night in the figure medium-tall class. Followed by the overall lineup and pro cards. I was less shaky with the camera this time!


http://youtu.be/LHyU8y8uMyo

[Talo]

Simply amazing. Great job !

[countrychic]

cbbf.ca/Photos/2013InternationalEventsQualifier.aspx

Link to some great photos!!

[steve_d]

One week ago today... I made this fun video highlighting Ange's weekend (not just the show itself!), from waking up, the airport, the carb-ups, and of course the show! Enjoy!


http://youtu.be/ZPVRXBeWs_I

[steve_d]

PS: just for IW - from about 0:30 - 1:00, our journey to baked expectations! The perfect carb up :) Thx!

[steve_d]

Wow - where is the time going. Been horrible at updating this thread with regards to my progression!

So, 5.5 weeks to go until my nationals debut. I've had a rough go the last few days (almost week now). I really don't know what went wrong to be honest! Last year, my prep was pretty hard, with injuries, pains, sciatic problems, lack of sleep, and so on. (ie more than normal from my own experiences to say the least!). This year, up until recently, things had been great! Felt great in the gym, strong, weight was holding steady, felt on track. I visited the parents for May long weekend with the kids, had some nice treats / eats over the weekend, and really felt awesome. By the time I got home, even after eating 2 days in a row of 'normal human' foods, which was a huge increase over typical daily intake, and after a day off from the gym, I returned from the weekend 4 pounds lighter... WHAT!? lol... No biggy, I figured I just lost a bit of water from driving with extra timmies coffee / caffeine, etc without. Had a great leg workout regardless, so again, right on track. Then Wednesday of last week hit and things were just funny at work, had to stay in late to give a talk, got home hungry, tired, then had another couple stressful days of work (diet just getting to me) and by the end of the week I was just wiped. Workouts were crappy, just didn't feel like myself at all! I know, its not supposed to be easy, but normally I am (relatively!) ok during the whole diet and prep mentally.

SO... saturday came, and while I was supposed to do legs, I just couldn't motivate myself to do so. Did calfs / biceps / abs instead as sort of a comprimise and even that was hard.... just couldn't feel it at all! So, my wife took over for me. Said: "listen up! you have to forget about everything, let the stress go away, be yourself again and if that means eating a tun to refuel, thats what you gotta do". Who's going to argue with an IFBB pro!! So that's just what I did. Even before going out for dinner, I felt better already. Ange and I, and both kids went to East Side Marios (it's our go to place!). Had 2 mega bowls of salad, 3/4 plate of nachos (the other 1/4 shared with everyone else) and about 3/4 of a 16 inch chicken / bacon / ham pizza (again the rest shared). Then went for some ice cream at wendys, and finished off with cheesecake I made for Ange's mothers day celebration (left frozen) and finally my favorite - Ice cream cake from dairy queen - lots of it.

So yeah - not the healthiest cheat right? Nope... not really. But part of the process is not just being able to bring out the best physically, but the best mentally. And if it doesn't halt my progress, it will only help it. Could I have made smarter choices in a cheat? For sure!! Net result? I had an amazing workout the next day, mowed the lawn, did lots of other stuff around the house, and really felt like myself again. Net result on the scale? I was up 2 pounds the day after and back to normal today. Drier and fuller then I have been this entire prep. On pace to bring in even better conditioning than last year, nearly 5 pounds up at this pace as well.


So I hope I am not boring you all with the post! But I just want to point out to everyone that cheating is not evil. Some people agree with it, some people don't. Some people have healthy cheats, some have even more unhealthy cheats than the above. The sport is about what you look like on show day. If you're on track, and you diet one way over another but you show up sliced and diced, and didn't suffer (much) in the process, than that is a successful prep.

just under 6 weeks to go and I have to already give many thanks to my wife for keeping me on track. She knows her shit. The student has become the teacher!

As for specifics about my prep... I am holding between 181-184 pounds. I was as light as 179 pounds a couple weeks ago, but have fixed a few things and am no longer waking up as dehydrated and 'flat'. Last year 5 weeks out I was consistently under 177 pounds and ended up 168 on stage. I am still hoping to be mid 170s which is do-able. I hold absolutely no water now, so any weight lost will be fat loss at this point. Just need to get the glutes sliced up now. The rest is ready as is. I did my fist 30 minutes of cardio last night. light easy cardio. Tried watching 'looper' but I think that movie requires too much brain power to try while doing cardio. Going to try something else tonight!

Hope to get pics soon.

[ironwill]

PS: just for IW - from about 0:30 - 1:00, our journey to baked expectations! The perfect carb up :) Thx!

Man i miss that place, i saw my second love...German choc cheesecake in the glass cupboard..sigh...lol...Great vid.

Now Steve, glad to hear you took a deserved EARNED cheat. Good on you, it really does make a heck of a difference, and as you said, its to early to be that fatigued to lose mental desire.
Im looking forward to seeing what you bring up there this year also. Another pro to the doucette family. Pretty cool, if not this yr, it will be soon. Hopefully you blow us away when we finally get a pic to view.

Keep it up man...!!!:o:hu

[steve_d]

Compared to pros, I look like a fitness model, lol. Until I can get my weight up into the 180s, and more realistically the 190s I won't even be thinking about pro status! I am hoping to make a good middleweight though. mid 170s is where I would like to fall and perhaps with a few more good offseasons, you just never know right? Some people compete to improve, some people compete to succeed. I do a little bit of both. If I can't improve, then there is not too much point in competing. However, if you train smart, there is no reason someone in their early 30s will not improve year after year. I turn 33 this year and improving from my last show was a given :)

The question is can I succeed at this year's nationals? I think so! Will I win? Well, that would be something else... But I can't control which freaks come out of the wood works this year. I can tell you that I will be bringing something that is very comparable to recent middleweight (176 and under) champions. I've seen welter and middle weight champs place 1st one year, and down to 5th or worse in the following year looking just as good, and even better! It's good to remind yourself that there is no pressure regardless of where you place. Experience at a bigger stage seems to be essential in future success... Take Ange for example...7th place her first nationals showing where she looked in my mind phenomenal. 3 years later, with perfecting her stage presence and overall outlook on the sport and she comes back to win both overalls at her next nationals appearance. And my brother... 5th place as a middle (mid 170s) and then turns pro 5 years later. So really, in the end - do placings matter? Sure - but once you improve enough, the placings will come. Whether I can succeed as a middle, or if it takes 5 years to add just enough to my frame to compete as a light heavy, time will tell!

Thanks for the motivational words IW!

[steve_d]

Here are some quick gym shots from today! felt so dead when i took these... fell asleep about 10 minutes later, lol

34478 34479 34480

[ironwill]

Looking great. Delts, bis and quads have definitely all come up for you. The delts to me are the most noticeable for sure, next is quads.
Great work.
That darn Ange just had to get in there eh??
lol, those girls, love the lens., i have one of those also...jk/jk

[steve_d]

Thats good that you say the delts/quads/arms have come up.... - since that's all I showed :) hehe...

I guess I'll get the opinion on my back, hams, chest in next photos. Peeling back all layers - try to get the same lighting, but of course its not easy to strip down in the gym unless its quite - which it often is.

Probably try to set up some morning shots, although wow - first thing in the morning I can barely get down stairs and open the fridge let alone try to get a pose in! Yep - fun times!

[TT Eric]

Looking good Steve!!

Eric

[steve_d]

Don't mean to be playing the whole hush hush game... I am still on track! Another cheat meal was had, and it was intense! Was ange's bday, so it was fun to get off track once again. Didn't hurt me one bit. In fact, I probably needed it. I tend to lean out quick, and without the cheat I tend to shrink up. 2.5 weeks to go, and I have 1 more planned 'cheat'. This time it will be more controlled. It falls 2 weeks out which coincidentally is MY bday... I won't be eating cake, or pizza this time, lol... But I plan on mimicking what I will be doing for my slow carb up process. So it will allow me to see what happens with 1 day of shifting macros. A little extra calories total, but more carbs than normal. I will likely only gain 1-2 pounds of glycogen at most, but I think its a good trial. I want to also see how it affects my weight, because I'd like to weigh in near 176 without worrying about cutting water early. Normally my weight around noon time is in the low 180s, so if I didn't do 'anything different' like so many people say to do, I'd end up weighing in as a light heavy, and walking on stage at what might be 170 pounds soaking wet. Not a good idea, lol....

I think I am finally as lean as I was last year now. The weight hovers in the mid 170s morning and I do get up to about 183 during the day because I hold onto water pretty quick. No matter what I do, I pee every 2 hours throughout the night and consistently lose 8 pounds from 10pm to 6am. Perhaps not how everyone else is, but I think most people once they get to those low single digit body fat ranges start to notice that crazy morning dryness, followed by daily fluctuations - especially in the humid weather we got lately!

I don't have any new pics for you guys, but things are on track. I actually haven't really done any cardio this prep. I started a couple weeks ago, but that lasted all of 3-4 days before I just decided I'd rather do more housework, go for walks with the kids, etc. Not as much calories burned, but way easier on the brain. This has been an easy prep to be honest aside from that set back a few weeks ago. In the end, I am pretty sure I had a bug in me, everyone at my work had it and basically was sick... Ever since, It's been pretty good I must say! gets better every day actually. Workouts are excellent, pumps are still going strong, and of course, getting a lot of strange looks every where I go - so that is a good sign.

I am looking forward though to enjoying the summer - Its a selfish sport, and although I do my best, I can't wait to not have to obsess over it... You guys know how it is, closer you get to a show, its all you think about, each minute is preparing for the next. Its kinda funny, as Ange sits back and listens to all my comments, she's just like - yup - you're on track those are all the same things I was saying/doing/thinking/talking about at 2.5 weeks to go... Poor girl, another 3 weeks of putting up with bodybuilder steve, then she can have her husband back! lol...

[steve_d]

Final cheat day - was my birthday, didn't go crazy - just upped the calories, had some extra fruit and some cereal before the gym. Just tried to get the carbs up a bit before I have 2 more weeks of smooth sailing. I am lean enough to compete, so I just need to focus on not shrivelling too much. I don't really carry enough mass yet to sacrifice even an ounce for more conditioning. Was 176 this morning. Probably will be a bit higher tomorrow. Will not be doing any cardio for this prep. I simply don't need it and its fun to say I did a prep with no cardio (aside from 3-4 days at 30 minutes until I realized I didn't need it).

I hate the heat though. That's for sure. I am on fire and its way harder to get my ass from my office to the gym when I feel drenched in sweat. The lethargy just gets to me in the heat. And its not even really that hot to be honest! Let me tell you, I am glad the show is early in the summer and not in mid august! I don't think I could endure my works lack of AC in the summer months while trying to cool off my body to get some decent workouts in.

Anyway - 2 weeks to go and I still feel pretty good overall! I feel as though it should be harder actually... It's hard mentally to actually just be lying down on the couch right now, thinking the rest of the competition is out there in the gym or on the stepper... Ah well! Seems a lot funner this way :)... But if it ain't broke, don't fix it! My workouts are strong, and I am still keeping myself pretty full in the gym. Some days I am a little more drawn out than others - and I definitely am getting some comments about my sunken in face depending on the day. Early morning I am a skeleton and by the end of the day I tend to hold water like a camel. All part of the process I guess!

Now... I just need to pick a song... hmmmmmm... and a routine! ugh!!

[ironwill]

Keep on driving Steve.

[steve_d]

Been a crazy couple weeks. Sure as hell looking forward to the contest! Win or lose, this has been a fun prep with its ups and downs. Overall sleep has been great, training great,workouts awesome, cardio easy (next to none overall except the last couple days). I chose to live my life and train around my life rather than fit my life around my contest. Clean the car, put up shelves in the garage, yardwork, house work, that was my cardio... Playing with the kids, going for a walk, etc... That was my cardio. Rather than do 1 hour on a stepmill and make the rest of my day a zombie mess on the couch, I did easier life living cardio events and was as normal of a person as I could be!

The last week has been a bit rough though. We had some crazy hot days, made for difficult work conditions in my baking office with no AC. Too much humidity, etc. On the plus side, I am ready as I'll ever need to be lol... I think my condition has surpassed last years. Harder, drier... Perhaps not head to toe, but certainly the legs are drier. Abs tighter for sure. Bit rounder here and there. Overall I think I have a definite improved physique from last year. As much as 1 can expect with 1 year of hard work. 2-4 pounds muscle on my tiny frame - hope its enough!! I am really gunning for a top placing. As much as I always say its about improvement - I already know I improved!! 1 more week until I jump on stage with the best in canada... WOW... My first national comp - scared a bit, yes - but confident that I am ready to battle it out on that stage. Shape and conditioning is there. Mass is almost there, lol... Need a few more year to be really competitive against the mass monsters!

[steve_d]

Well, I lost a lot the last week. Too much, and I think I looked better last year -- was smaller than last year, leaner this year, but the fullness was not there. It wasn't really anything I did wrong in the final days. Perhaps the final few weeks. A few bouts of sickness and I just knew I wouldn't be able to hold onto any more size and decided because of that I would be best as a welter. I had a feeling this was going to be an issue but was hoping it wouldn't and I would bounce back... It didn't and so I made the switch to welter last minute since I knew I'd be low end of middle and look way too stringy. My frame is suited as a middle, and as a welter, it was a tough class to stand out in, and I was in the final call out (3 call out). Some great guys to say the least! I am most proud of my old gym buddy in Ottawa, Chris Hebert who squeezed into welter as well but was rock hard and made the first call out. Not sure if he'll place top 3 but I think he'll deserve it.

Was looking much better weeks ago, but its just part of the game. I am glad the prep is done, and look forward to some off-seasons, but MUCH more important to me is spending some quality time with my family. I love them so much and they are better than any trophy could have been. They were by my side the whole time throughout, and even though this wasn't a really hard prep, it was hard mentally to stick to it knowing that I have so much other things going on to enjoy. Don't get me wrong. Love competing, love the camaraderie and meeting the good guys of the sport. Randy Madsen, another good guy, in my class, looked amazing - fellow east coaster - he's got a good head on his shoulders and a bright future.

My plans aren't really set in stone. For the last few weeks I have been looking forward to really the contest being done so I could have some more training and off season time for growth. Competing yearly isn't necessarily a good thing for me - some guys can get away with it, but I think just when the injuries of last year started to heal up, I was back into prep and couldn't really soak up any advantage of some true growth. The focus now will of course be normalcy, but of course for me normalcy definitely includes putting up some serious weight in the gym. Time for some off season growth!!

[steve_d]

To add to the above... And this isn't necessarily applicable to everyone since the human body is vastly different from person to person. I looked better at night I was told. Actually the exact words were "natural vs. geared - what the heck did you do"... lol. And I am in agreement. The difference was plain and simple - water. Nothing to do with carbs, nothing to do with salt, etc. When I knew I wasn't coming back for routines, I basically went home, drank a litre of pepsi, 2 litres of water. a big salad, some apples, a few quest bars, a bit of rice, 2 iced caps at mcdonalds. And in total came back nearly 10 pounds heavier. my chest popped more, my abs were more etched, and I looked a little more like me again.

So there is something to be said about screwing up the last few days. There were a couple other issues that went wrong in the last few weeks that I won't get into, but the biggest difference is that this year I cut my water at about 4pm friday, vs. last year not cutting it until the dying moments before bedtime. I dry out like you would never believe when i am lean - so for my body personally, it is a big mistake to ever cut water. And that is without 'diuretics'. So lesson learned. In the years to come I will have to once again play around with my last week. trial and error I guess. Funny you can do 20+ shows, and each time learn something. The problem is not only learning knew things, its the fact that your body ages, and generally what worked when you were young may or may not work the same as you get older. It's a difficult sport to get right I'll tell you that much! However... the biggest advice I can give anyone is to get really really shredded first. Pose your ass off in the gym, and if you think you look good and you think "wow, I could hit the stage looking like this" you might actually be right!

I wasn't able to see much of the show aside from the angle backstage - so I wasn't able to comment about who looked best or deserved to win. Athletes were generally not allowed in the audience unless they bought a ticket. As I hear it, Zane Watson looked insane and most thought he would win the overall. Until it come to pose down and it looked like it could have gone either way with zane vs. HP in the SHW. HP must have bought a drier crisper look - perhaps a more balanced physique. Zane would easily deserve the 2nd card. I am not sure if he's actually a top end heavy or if he's one of those giuys who could actually step on the 212s/. Would be interesting to see those wheels in a 212 lineup!

I had a blast on the weekend despite my placings. Which is funny, because I actually did put a little pressure on myself to come home with some hardware. Not getting the first call out was actually surprisingly not that heart sinking. I really did have a blast. Normally the 'day' of the show is the least favorite part of the entire prep for me. However this time I just felt relaxed and did my thing. I was actually most concerned about being one of the 4-5 people who ended up passing out backwards on stage. It was humid out especially in the morning. 30+ degrees with east coast humidity and absolutely no air circulation on stage. Combine that with NS stage lighting being the hottest lights I've ever stood under and you had a recipe for disaster. I believe a few had to be taken to hospital, but everyone was ok in the end. Passing out is not a good feeling and a few sips of water won't fix it. It takes a good hour for the blood to circulate back to the brain. I did see a few of the guys at the night show and they were as good as new.

Predictions for the future: Johnny doull - 4-5 years of muscle mass and he's the next IFBB pro to really start turning heads from canada. As far as potential goes - he's the future of canadian bodybuilding on the pro scene. People expected some big things from him this year. Unfortunately even with the blinding conditioning he brought, he still wasn't able to crack a first call out in the SHW. But thats the thing. Conditioning is only 1 part of the equation. He's nailed that. Now all he needs is time to bring up all bodyparts. The good part for him is he has no weak bodyparts. the symmetry is perfect already. Conditioning is out of this world. 4-5 years of mass at say 5-10 pounds per year... 250+ pounds will be hard to deny on that kid. I believe he's only 22. and was 233 dry as a bone on stage.

[ironwill]

Good job Steve. It is nice to hear the after the comp is done thoughts ...
You know what, it sucks when you realize you didnt have enough water.
Same thing happened to me. I went off stage and felt like wtf, so i drank a whack of pepsi, had a steak and a potatoe, more water than a human should drink. Then went back to niteshow.
The head judge came over and said, whatever you did for the nite show, do that next time because you were in line for top 2 spots on niteshow, and ended up in fourth. The difference for me was ai was looking great, i was talked into taking a bit of a diuretic. I pissed all nite non stop, and ended up losing 10 lbs in 20 hours. Gained almost all back for nite show by taking in a bunch of crap, and salty stuff, and water and pepsi etc. And looked great..
I felt like a holocaust victim in the am, and the pics and vids were like 2 different folks.
Good job though, great work, and have a great offseason man.

[steve_d]

Couldn't sum it up any better. I simply couldn't hold onto water for the life of me. People said they didn't recognize me on stage. They were like - thats steve alright, but he doesn't look like the steve from the gym. Local judge was saying it was night and day what I looked like on stage compared to what I was looking like a couple weeks prior. Like popping a balloon. Weird! I didn't follow anything too different than before, and in fact I didn't cut water until late friday and actually kept on sipping and eating watery foods (apples, bananas, watered down oatmeal - ie oatmeal soup lol). Basically looking down at the scale I knew I couldn't stop eating or drinking or else I'd appear flat. But the damage was already done all week.

After thinking about it, the only true conclusion I came up with was water loading. I was used to about 4-6 litres, which was upped to nearly 10-12. throughout the last week while keeping sodium near constant. I simply had NO water under the skin, so what was I trying to get rid of?! lol... live and learn. I guess as I get older, so do my methods as my body changes. It would seem if you're not lean enough, you likely hold onto more water (ie - 5-6 weeks out, this method would have left me looking tight for a photo shoot say). But once I got as dry as I was, any 'tricks' backfired and pulled all water from the muscle tissue. I mean, it was partially my fault - I should have stuck to my guns and did middle. I just figured I would be able to suffer a little and fill up. instead, I made the class easy, and couldn't bounce back. Local guys trying to give me tips: go eat some burgers and fries and drink a small amount but load the diuretics. I am like I am not even going near a diuretic. the moment I breath near one I would likely go into a coma.... Nope. once you're lean, you don't need to resort to those things. getting dry is NOT my problem. Staying full was. However I have a new outlook, and a new plan for next time. Which will likely make the prep the easiest of all preps, the last week the easiest of last weeks, and my weight the highest of all weights. Essentially - do nothing the last week. You've done your work, just make sure you're shredded. Then wake up and go... If that works, at least I'll have a show the following week to do something else!

For now, its grow time. Already 16 pounds heavier than stage weight, and still have striated glutes, hams, abs are sharp, chest is full... No rebound whatsoever even though I have been on a non stop all you can eat fest all week. Not going to ease out of prep until I show at least a sign of blurred definition! Until then, bring on the food.

[ubcpower]

Interesting insight. Are you doing any cardio since the show, keeping water high? How can you account for maintaining such good condition with all the eating? Everyone else is swollen ankles and moon face lol

[steve_d]

I've eaten as much as I could basically everyday since the show, not too mention how much I was eating 2 days prior, 1 day prior, and the day of the show. 7000 calories thursday, 7500 friday, 5000 saturday. Ice cream cake sunday (almost a whole 10 inch), smores in front of a campfire monday (full 700g bag of marshmellows + a whole box of graham crackers and 2 large chocolate bars), all you can eat pizza buffet tuesday, wednesday more dairy queen first day back in the gym. Yesterday regular daily intake (approx 2000 calories) then big supper - tasti taters + fish + ice cream cake.

I have yet to eat under 4000 calories in over 7 days and most days are in the neighborhood of 6000 calories. Still no rebound! I think the rebound has more to do with aldosterone levels, and being dehydrated for a long period of time. Carbs and not being used to them also have an impact on post show rebound. I was doing no cardio, so post show no cardio is not changing much there. My weight is 175-176 in the morning which compares to about 172-173 1 week out. Mostly glycogen, and just the smallest amount of definition blur - only in my stomach. I had not really ever cut my water for the show, so I never really had the chance for the aldosterone levels to rebound in the opposite direction. Just kept things steady. Of course, part of the reason for that was my muscles expelling all water and I simply couldn't get the water to stay in the muscle. So I didn't DARE cut water - I figured I had shrivelled up enough as it was. 8 pounds lighter than last year stage weight, same conditioning. However throughout the entire prep I was just as dry and 3-4 pounds heavier - so basically the last week was the problem for me. Funny cuz I didn't change much from what I did last year! 15-20 shows under my belt and still have to change my own last week stuff to adjust with my changing body... what a sport lol

Water is same post show as it was pre show. about 4 litres. I still get all my protein and fats - I simply have added to that alot of carbs. I do believe in reverse dieting post show - and I am sure there will come a time where I slow it down a little. I can already tell my appetite is finally slowing down, and I am sure if this continued I would eventually start storing fat FAST.

I've rebounded in the past - so I know what it feels like. And it sucks. (ie 30 pounds in a week, etc). I know when to back off, but my body hasn't let me know to back off yet. No moon face, still look like an ectomorphic alien in my face , lol...