Month July 2015

I Just Had To Get A New Pillow

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Pillow

The combination of a poorly cooled townhouse (the result of an untimely coil leak in the central air conditioning), night sweats, cats who think it’s cool to use me as a natural radiator, aches and pains in my hips, legs, shoulders, forearms and hands, and a recurrent neck strain have all robbed me of sleep almost every night this summer. With the exception of the cat issue, I was determined to find solutions to all of the sleep robbing elements in my life.

The central air conditioning is finally going to be replaced within the next week (HALLELUJAH!), the night sweats have abated somewhat (due to better hormonal balance in my perimenopausal body), and the aches and pains have been better as a result of fantastic chiropractic work by Dr. Ryan Pendon and Dr. Ryan Chapman from Urban Med. I realized that the neck strain was aggravated by pillows which did a horrible job of supporting my noggin, so I figured I could buy new ones.

Since I always buy new pillows for my bed every year in the autumn months, and wasn’t quite due for a new set, I hesitated on making a purchase. But the pillows I had been sleeping on since November were no longer fluffable, and at night, my head would sink right onto the mattress. I could literally feel the mattress through the pillows! I will admit that I am highly sensitive to tactile changes, just like the princess who could feel the pea through 20 mattresses. So I toughed it out and figured that I would just somehow get used to having deflated pillows. Then I got one of those mailers from Bed, Bath and Beyond, with a 20% off coupon on any one item. After thinking about it for a week, I decided to buy one pillow at a 20% discount.

I ended up with an Isotonic® Indulgence™ Side Sleeper Pillow, originally priced at $59 but which I paid $47 and some change for after using my coupon. This pillow is for side sleepers, but isn’t as firm as some of the other side sleeper pillows I found. Since I always start out my night on my back, I can’t deal with a very firm pillow because it wrenches my neck into an uncomfortable flexed position. The perfect pillow has to be a perfect balance of support and softness, with some loft, but soft enough that it doesn’t feel like my head is resting on a Bosu ball. So far (it has been a couple of nights since I started using this pillow to sleep on), this pillow is doing the trick for me.

Now I only have to deal with one, or actually, THREE issues which interrupt my slumber. The cats rule the roost in our house and have free access to my room, which means that if they want to wrap their perspiration-inducing, furry bodies around me in the middle of the night, I am not exactly going to do anything to prevent them from doing so. However, it is a small price to pay for their constant and unconditional love!

Glutagest

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This supplement is truly amazing! It contains a probiotic which breaks down gluten, thus allowing you to consume gluten-containing foods. I decided to give this supplement the ultimate test with a pepperoni pizza and wine cheat meal, and for the first time ever, I had no digestive issues whatsoever. I got none of the abdominal pain or bloating I always get after a meal like that, nor was I tortured by excessive bathroom sessions the next day. This supplement is excellent and enables me to eat some of my favorite foods which I had been avoiding for the last six months since discovering that I had a severe gluten intolerance.

You can order directly from the website too: http://glutagest.com/products/glutagest

A Note To Pro Card Chasers

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I had to step on the national stage fourteen times before I won my IFBB Pro Card, so I know first hand how frustrating it can be to ALMOST get that Pro Card, and how irresistible the Pro Card hunt can be. This post is for all of you who are chasing down that Pro Card, and is meant to remind you of what you represent and what you have accomplished.

You are AMAZING. You have already won in the eyes of your co-workers, spouse, children, friends, fans, etc. There is no need to feel validated by the contest judges. Just because you hit the stage and you aren’t selected for the glittering top prize does NOT mean you have failed. You are WOW. You are among the best bodybuilders in the world, and are just stuck in that bottleneck with other elite athletes who are vying for the top rung. So don’t take your placing personally. It really ISN’T about the Pro Card.
You already ARE a champion!

I Don’t Wear Foundation

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This selfie was taken last week with no filters of any kind.

I absolutely detest the feeling of foundation. Even the lightest formula makes my skin feel like it is being suffocated. The same goes for tinted moisturizers, which to me look just as much like a mask as foundations do. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the lovely airbrush effect which foundations can create for the complexion, but in my day to day life, I want my skin to breathe without being weighed down by an extra layer of liquid (yes, I do know about powder foundations, and I don’t like those either). My daily skin makeup routine consists of me using a touch of concealer on two little red areas near the bridge of my nose and then applying some loose translucent power all over my skin to keep my skin from looking shiny. A recent chemical peel which I did made me love my skin even more, because it removed the majority of sun damage I had accumulated over the last couple of years. The results were so dramatic that I had to switch to a lighter concealer after using one particular shade for over ten years.

My mom used to tell me that once I got to a certain age, maybe 30, that I would be forced to wear foundation because I would have blotchy, uneven skin tones. Well, I just turned 49 a couple of weeks ago, and the photo you see here was taken last week. So much for what my mom surmised about the appearance of my skin in later years!

I will wear foundation for photo shoots, video and film shoots, and for fitness and bodybuilding events, but literally the FIRST thing I do when I get home from an event is to wash all my makeup off! I have noticed that I have the kind of face that shows makeup well, and that the smallest amount of makeup can impart a very finished look on me, which always surprises me. Thing is, I don’t want to look made up all the time. I like the natural look of clean skin and just a touch of color on the lips and cheeks.

If you are a woman who would love to go without foundation, but haven’t been blessed by the good skin gods, you might want to consider treatments which can help with the texture and tone of your skin. Chemical peels can rejuvenate and tighten the skin, while removing accumulated sun damage and hormonal brown spots, often with rather dramatic results. My favorite peel is the Perfect Derma Peel (http://www.theperfectdermapeel.com/) which contains Glutathione, Kojic Acid, TCA, Retinoic Acid, Phenol, Salicylic Acid, and Vitamin C. For those of you in the Los Angeles area who are interested in getting this peel, please refer to my medical website: http://www.drstaceynaito.com/#!chemical-peels/comt

The Costs Of Competing

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Overall Team U Pic 2

A number of competitors have asked me recently how much they should expect to spend on competing, which prompted me to write this post. Competitive bodybuilding can get pretty expensive, so you should be prepared to invest some coin in your prep and contests. When I calculated the total amount which was spent by my sponsors and me on all associated costs (coaching, suits, tanning, entry fees, flight, hotel, rental car, supplements, food, shoes, makeup, etc.) which got me to the seven national qualifiers and fourteen pro qualifiers I competed in during the amateur portion of my contest history (2009 through 2013), I was shocked. The total came to over $100,000! Thank goodness my sponsors paid for the majority of those expenses, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to hit the national stage the way I did. Obviously the drive to compete took over me, and demanded a tremendous amount of financial and personal sacrifice which I was willing to make.

Over the years I have spoken with other competitors who have had the same drive to compete who have done stupid and risky things in order to keep competing. Though I took financial risks during my Pro Card chase, I didn’t have children or a spouse to worry about, so my behavior didn’t put anyone else at risk. I admit I had foolishly pushed myself to the limit in the past, knowing that as a consequence I would not be able to afford more basic living expenses, but I got wiser as I continued to compete. I have heard of others who have done similar things, with some competitors risking all they owned for the chance to continue competing. Let me be very clear: Pro status will never help you to cushion a nest egg, so if you are risking financial security for the sake of competing, you had better take a good, long look at the reasons why your obsession with competing is pushing the need for basic survival into the corner. It’s time for a reality check.

Be sensible about the money you spend on competing and set a competition budget which doesn’t put undue strain on your finances. Before I went Pro, I established a separate “show fund” in which I set aside money for competitions, so I was always aware of what I could and could not afford. Once a budget is set, it is important to limit oneself to the number of competitions which will keep one within budget. This can be challenging, especially when one is on a mad quest to chase a national qualification or Pro status.

I always advise competitors who frequently compete to search for potential sponsors. I have had competitors ask me how to obtain sponsorship and who also lament the fact that it is exceedingly difficult to land sponsorship from a supplement company. My response to this is that sponsors can come in all forms! Here are some suggestions for potential sponsors:

Fans
Friends and family
Business associates
Smaller supplement companies

The trick to asking for sponsorship is to graciously ask for assistance in paying for an event. Remember that even a small amount will help. I have competed at events which have been sponsored by a number of entities, with the tan covered by one, entry fee covered by another, flight by yet another, etc.

If your budget is really tight, stick to nearby contests so you don’t have to pay outrageous travel expenses. If you are nationally qualified, you will be somewhat stuck since there are only seven national level events each year, and they place in very specific geographic areas. You might have to limit the number of Pro qualifying events you enter if your budget is very limited. However, I know the feeling of having to hit all the national events in a year in order to maximize one’s chances at a Pro Card. Even when I was sure I would not be able to afford doing a bunch of national events back to back, I somehow managed to to it because I wanted that Pro Card SO badly. I will be quite blunt and tell you that if you are a nationally qualified master’s competitor, you are probably better off confining your stage time to Pro qualifiers which have master’s divisions. That means that there are three chances at a Pro Card each year for you: NPC Team Universe, Master’s Nationals, and IFBB North American.

Other ways you can keep costs down while still hunting for that Pro Card are to stay with friends or family when you travel to Pro-qualifiers, or share a hotel room with one or more competitors. I strongly advise you to avoid sharing a room with people who are in your height or weight class, though, because it can be torture if you face off against each other onstage, and one of you does well while the other doesn’t. It could get uncomfortable or even ugly.

Even if you don’t have far to travel (those of you who live in the tri-state area are in a good spot geographically for several national events), you still need to pay for coaching, competition suits, spray tanning, supplements, food, shoes, makeup and stage accessories. The stream of contest related expenses is exhaustive, so you need to be prepared. There are ways to cut costs down, but whatever you do, don’t scrimp on quality. You still need to bring a polished and well-conditioned package to the stage.

IFBB Pro Status And What It Means For You

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IFBBpro_logo

As an IFBB Pro I can definitely say that it is pretty wonderful to have accomplished such a goal. IFBB Pro status is highly respected and an incredible honor. However, many individuals who are enchanted by the idea of chasing after Pro Status in the bodybuilding world are under the erroneous impression that their lives will change dramatically upon winning a Pro card. If you think that once you get your Pro Card, all your problems will melt away and people will be beating down your door simply because of your new, shiny status, think again. The majority of new IFBB Pros still have to hustle to get sponsorships lined up, and they still have to figure out how finance upcoming competitions. With the slump in print magazine readership it has become more difficult than ever to secure a cover or a feature article, even as a Pro.

It is far more important to showcase your particular talents and strengths and build your career and your brand well BEFORE even attaining Pro status. I planted the seeds for a true career in fitness well before I got my Pro Card (it began with me getting my Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science back in 1992), and competing aided in my efforts to increase branding and exposure. Though I was more “on the map” after going Pro, I worked harder than ever since then to prove my worth in a very competitive and saturated industry. So for those of you who hunger for that Pro card, don’t forget about what you are doing right now. The path you are walking in that race for the Pro card is your foundation for a great future in fitness and bodybuilding. Don’t risk messing up that foundation by forgetting about all the details which will get you to the Pro ranks.

One final note: I am aware of a large number of people who have jumped ship and joined other federations in their quest for Pro status. While some have made the switch in a diplomatic way, others have been so dazzled by the Pro status prize that they opted for an easier route. If switching federations is a better fit for you, then fine. But if you just want a Pro title so badly that this is the ONLY reason for switching, you might shift your focus on building your brand instead and hang up your competition hat. Remember, competing should be FUN. When you stop enjoying it, you really should retire from the stage.

Bringing Out The Bitch

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We all have limits on what we are willing to put up with before feelings of irritation and anger begin to bubble under the surface and threaten to spill over. Recently I have dealt with more individuals and customer service reps who apparently never learned manners from their parents, and who don’t seem to care when they get on my last nerve. Though I have manners and can be a study in calmness and patience, I can go from zero to bitch in a flash when someone rubs me the wrong way.

I honestly think that there are many people who will assume that women are pushovers, so they are shocked when a confident and assertive woman stands her ground. The problem with a woman asserting herself is that she suddenly comes across as a bitch, even if she is in a position of authority which should afford her the right to speak with conviction. Though I have always been a pretty strong personality, I developed a thicker outer shell over the years because I was railroaded by so many people who took advantage of my generosity. It is a challenge to be a physician, because I automatically am placed in a position in which I have to deal with people’s maladies and complaints. Basically, this means that people come to me only because they have problems which need to be fixed, and because they are usually in pain or experiencing some type of discomfort, they may not be in the best of moods. Though I am empathetic and receptive to the needs of others, this doesn’t mean that I am some sort of pushover in other areas of my life.

Let’s face it: assertive equals bitchy for a lot of people, especially for women. God forbid if you disagree with someone and you are a woman, because all of a sudden you are a bitch. This seems to be the case in all scenarios, including personal relationships. You may be filled with resentment over something, but you also run the risk of appearing confrontational and bitchy if you decide to unload your thoughts and feelings about the situation to the person who is upsetting you. So much for the emancipation of women, because the social climate still reels in horror over an assertive woman.

I will always stand up for myself. If that makes me a bitch, then so be it.

Women Going Commando

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I bet if I asked you to name some celebrities who have stepped out into the public arena with unencumbered genitalia, you could probably name several quite easily. Need a head start? How about Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Aguilera, Kesha, and Jennifer Lopez? These ladies have made it downright fashionable to go commando.

But did you know that you can actually help prevent infections down yonder simply by skipping the skivvies? The mechanical friction of underwear can really irritate an already irritated nether region. Wearing a snug layer of fabric over an area which has a lot of moisture causes more moisture to collect, creating a perfect environment for yeast to proliferate. So if you have a tendency to develop frequent yeast infections, you might want to consider going panty-less. If it seems brazen for you to ditch the drawers during the day, try it at night when you go to sleep.

There are fashion-related benefits of nixing the knickers as well. Fans of the underwear-free lifestyle love the fact that there is no longer a concern over visible panty lines (VPL) or wedgies. Another fashion-related benefit is that you’ll never have to worry if dark undies are showing through light colored fabric. However, you should keep in mind that the occasional discharge which is normal for women may transfer onto your clothing, so if you are planning to wear something fancy which is hard to clean, you might want to wear undies with that outfit.

I have to admit that I still have a problem with the concept of going commando during the day. However, I have had to go commando during some photo shoots in which I was modeling clothing items which were quite unforgiving with VPL’s. It isn’t my style to go about town without bloomers, but I don’t take issue if others do it. I feel a bit differently about going sans undies at night, even though I know it is silly to feel hidden and safe simply because the sun has set. This doesn’t mean I go commando at night either, I just feel less skeeved out by the concept.

There are other benefits to losing the briefs, including never having to worry if you have clean underwear to wear, and a more liberated feeling which can boost one’s sexual confidence. No one ever has to know that you have one less layer between you and the world.

Men Going Commando

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men commando

There are brave men out there who prefer to allow their twigs and berries to sway freely, without the confines of briefs. Fans of the commando lifestyle say it is more comfortable and completely liberating, but the underwear-clad crowd may argue that it is not very sanitary or dignified. In defense of the unencumbered male, the practice of abandoning underwear can offer a number of benefits.

Some men are prone to intertriginous dermatitis, aka jock itch, and can often benefit greatly from ditching their drawers. Jock itch occurs when the skin undergoes friction, and is intensified by heat, humidity, and excess weight. Severe cases of jock itch actually produce a musty odor, and can become infected by fungi and bacteria. The general recommendation for those who suffer from this condition is to keep the area cool and dry, which is best achieved by using powder and wearing cotton underwear. Since the testicles tend to become sweaty when snug fitting clothing is worn, those most susceptible to jock itch might want to consider omitting the briefs altogether.

Another significant medical issue which benefits from banishing the briefs is fertility. Men who have low sperm count should avoid wearing tight pants and underwear, opting for looser designs which will result in a cooler scrotum. This is one scenario in which going commando on a regular basis could make the difference between being childless and continuing the family name.

What if you don’t have a medical issue, but just want to experience the thrill of banishing your bloomers? The times have certainly changed, and now celebrities like Justin Bieber are being caught sans briefs. In addition, Kimberly Clarke’s Cottonelle brand is now encouraging real people in their television ads to strip off their skivvies in celebration of having clean rear ends. Now that it is summer, you might want to explore going commando and try to catch an extra breeze down south as a result. No one will ever know!