Category Competitions

Finding That Perfect Suit Is Like Finding The Perfect Wedding Gown…

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Ever since I began competing in bodybuilding contests in 2009, I have had a fixation on suits. My fixation became a bit extreme during the time I was chasing after an IFBB Pro Card, and resulted in the purchase of a total of NINETEEN suits from 2009 through 2014!

Here is the breakdown of all the suits I bought each year:

2009:
Luli Fama off-the-rack suit – Bought through Victoria’s Secret Catalog. Wore for my first contest.
Royal blue Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at Tournament of Champions.
White and silver Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at Border States.
Black Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at NPC Nationals.
Lilac Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at Excalibur.

2010:
Slate blue hologram print Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at Emerald Cup.
Purple leopard print Fresh Peaches custom suit – Never wore this one.
Zebra print Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at Team Universe.
Tiger print Fresh Peaches custom suit – Never wore this one.
Deep blue shatterglass effect Fresh Peaches custom suit – Wore this at USA, Jr. USA, IFBB North American, NPC Nationals.

2011:
Blue Maison Lyle custom suit – Never wore this one.
Peacock custom suit made by me – Wore this at Team Universe, Master’s Nationals, IFBB North American, NPC Nationals.

2012:
Peach Tamee Marie cusstom suit – Never wore this one.
Red CJ’s Elite custom suit – Wore this at NPC Pittsburgh, Team Universe, Master’s Nationals.
Green CJ’s Elite custom suit – Wore this at IFBB North American. (I also wore this at both Pro contests I did in 2014).

2013:
Light blue CJ’s Elite custom suit – Wore this at NPC Metropolitan.
Tangerine CJ’s Elite custom suit – Wore this at Team Universe, Sac Pro.
Iris blue Jagware competition suit – Wore this at Irongames Pro.

2014:
Gold Ravish Sands custom suit – Wore this at Dennis James Classic Pro, Nor Cal Pro.
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I no longer have a fixation on buying the “perfect” suit and have sold most of my suits. However, there are a few suits I will never get rid of, for various reasons:
Zebra print Fresh Peaches custom suit – This suit turned out to be great for photo shoots.
Tiger print Fresh Peaches custom suit – This suit also turned out to be great for photo shoots.

This was from IFBB North American in Cleveland, Ohio in 2012. I hadn't seen this image until now! That was an amazing contest for me, in which I took a First Place Finish in Open Bikini C, beating out 27 other young ladies. I was 45 there!

This was from IFBB North American in Cleveland, Ohio in 2012. I hadn’t seen this image until now! That was an amazing contest for me, in which I took a First Place Finish in Open Bikini C, beating out 27 other young ladies. I was 45 there!

Peacock custom suit made by me – I have this suit in a shadowbox because I am very proud of the fact that I made this myself and took three first place national finishes in this suit.
Green CJ’s Elite custom suit – This is now my backup suit for IFBB Pro events.
Tangerine CJ’s Elite custom suit – I won my IFBB Pro Card in this suit and will never get rid of it due to its sentimental value. In addition, this is my main suit for IFBB Pro events.

I completely understand now the quest for a perfect suit can turn into an obsession! Over the years I managed to buy suits in green, various shades of blue, white, black, lilac, blue-purple, animal prints, peacock, peach, tangerine, red, and gold! Sometimes colors which look amazing on some competitors might not look as good on you, or maybe the color is perfect, but the cut isn’t quite right. I enjoyed trying out different colors and suitmakers, but I don’t think it was sensible at all for me to buy so many suits! Clearly I was a bit fickle about competition suits, hence the constant switching from one suit to another.

The entire process of selecting a suit is quite similar to the process of hunting for the perfect wedding gown. Yet even when I was searching for a wedding gown, I didn’t invest nearly as much time in that search, partially because I abhor shopping, but also because I was on a very limited budget when I shopped for a wedding gown. It was 1998 and I was in medical school, living off medical school loans, and paying for the entire wedding. What is amazing to me is that I have paid more for some competition suits than I paid for my wedding dress!

Believe it or not, I am still pondering the idea of having just “one more suit” made, but I keep pushing the idea aside because I know that would be frivolous. I know several competitors who struggle with the same suit frenzy that I have dealt with over the past eight years. Instead of spending major coin buying a bunch of different suits, you might want to consider just buying a couple of suits, one main suit and a backup suit. Your impulse may be to choose a favorite color to wear onstage, but make sure that the color/shade you choose looks good with your complexion and hair color! I have made that mistake a couple of times and ended up looking less than my best as a result. If you are indecisive, the massive selection of fabrics and connectors can be dizzying, so take your time when trying to decide on all the details. My absolute favorite suit designer is CJ’s Elite, not only because her suits always fit like a dream, but also because she has an extensive fabric and connector selection and is an amazing woman.

For those of you who want to try to save some money, a good option is to purchase used suits from a fellow competitor. I have two bikini division suits and a figure division suit for sale on my contest prep site: http://cutcurves.com/Storefront.php

I Still Love The Fact That I Won A Trophy As Tall As Me!

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This was taken after I won the Masters 35+ Bikini Overall at the NPC Pittsburgh in May 2012. I took a first place finish in Masters 35+ Bikini B and a third place finish in Open Bikini C. The trophy measures 66 inches in height, and I stand at 65 inches without heels, so the overall trophy is taller than me!

Maintaining A Healthy Perspective With Contest Prep Plans

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The following article is featured on SportsNutritionSupplementGuide.com as well:

http://sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/authors/authoritative-experts/stacey-naito/item/1496-maintaining-a-healthy-perspective-with-contest-prep-plans#.VVezzPlVikp
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Those of us who compete are well aware of the critical importance of following specific meal plans which are designed to optimize lean muscle mass and promote fat loss. However, these meal plans, especially during cutting phases, can be extremely restrictive. In our quest for attaining the ideal physique for whatever division we compete in, we may find ourselves in a spiral of obsessive nose-to-the-grindstone adherence to foods we may have grown to abhor, intertwined with strong temptation to deviate from the plan and indulge in forbidden foods, only to berate ourselves afterwards for doing so. After all, we are only human, and after weeks or months of eating clean, we may be so exasperated with daily servings of asparagus, tilapia, chicken breast, and sweet potatoes that our emotional food triggers may kick in and undermine our contest prep efforts.

With orthorexia, there is an unhealthy fixation on clean foods and one’s moods are dictated by how rigidly a clean diet is maintained. So how is this different from what competitors do in the weeks leading up to a competition? The mentally healthy approach is to regard food simply as fuel and to dismiss any emotional association with particular items. I have been witness to and a participant in the fantasizing of forbidden foods in a manner akin to lustful, sexual craving. I have heard competitors talk backstage at length about all the foods they were planning to indulge in immediately following their final visit onstage for the night.

What I find interesting about such food fixations is how they are distinguishable from anorexic behavior. When I was 19, I battled anorexia, dropping to 85 pounds on a 5’5’’ at my lightest. With anorexics, they have a clear and complete aversion to calorie-rich foods and have successfully turned off any interest or cravings for such items, whereas with bulimics, orthorexics and many healthy competitors in contest prep mode, coveting indulgent foods is rather commonplace. Among all these groups, there is a propensity for obsessive and compulsive behaviors. One may argue that such obsessions and compulsions are a vital component of contest prep and that without such tendencies a competitor will lack the focus necessary to succeed.

It seems apparent that competitors as a general rule, are dangerously close to that fine line which separates a healthy relationship with food from orthorexia. I remember quite well how rigid I was about the food I ate when I was anorexic and even kept a daily food journal in which I wrote down the calories and fat grams of every food substance ingested. I also recall how horrified and ashamed I was of myself when I would reluctantly consume a food I regarded as fattening.

Over 20 years later, I have a healthy relationship with food and for the most part regard it as fuel. Yet I am immersed in the world of contest prep and like many other competitors will balk and grumble about the clean foods I must eat. There are times when the mere thought of eating another spear of asparagus seems like the most disgusting activity in the world. On the rare occasion that I find myself in a restaurant, I find it an alien concept to peruse a menu and actually be able to order whatever I want from any part of the menu. There are also times during which my metabolism is in hyperdrive and I could eat almost nonstop for the duration of the day.

Here’s the thing: if I indulge in something that is not part of a contest prep meal plan, I don’t flog myself. Rather, I allow myself to enjoy the rare treat and move on. If you find yourself wallowing in extreme anxiety and prolonged guilt over ingesting a food item which is on the banned list, beware. This could signify the beginning of a food-related psychopathology.

Iris Blue Jagware Suit For Sale…Great Price

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I bought this suit at the L.A. Fit Expo, then added Swarovski Crystals. I wore this at my second Pro contest. The cups are small enough to fit a B cup, but I pushed the limit and wore it despite the fact that I am a D cup! I paid $350 for the suit and the extra crystals. This looks beautiful onstage!

PRICE: $150

Please contact me if you are interested in this beautiful suit!

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Red CJ’s Elite Suit For Sale…Great Price

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This beautiful suit gave me a lot of good luck, with a first place finish and an overall at NPC Pittsburgh and a fourth place finish at NPC Masters Nationals. This is a $1,300 suit!

As time went on I added about $150 worth of Swarovski crystals to the suit to make it pop more onstage, with the result being a dense crystal scatter. The cups will fit a full D cup and the bottoms will fit someone who wears a size zero. When I competed in this suit I was 114 to 116 lbs., 32 inch hips, 35 inch booty. However, I also currently fit in this suit, and am 121 lbs., with a 36-1/2 booty.

PRICE: $250

New York Pro…In New Jersey?

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This year’s New York Pro was held on a Sunday, which is rather unusual since bodybuilding events characteristically take place on a Friday or Saturday. Another odd feature about the date selected for the New York Pro was that it coincided with Mother’s Day. I can’t imagine trying to tell my mother that I couldn’t come out to see her on Mother’s Day because I had to compete on that day! At any rate, there was a great turnout for this event:

11 Men’s Bodybuilding competitors
11 Men’s 212 competitors
44 Men’s Physique competitors
32 Women’s Physique competitors
34 Figure competitors
22 Bikini competitors

I find it odd that the New York Pro was moved to Teaneck, New Jersey this year. I have nothing whatsoever against Teaneck, because I won my Pro Card there, but it makes no sense to keep calling this event the New York Pro if it no longer takes place in New York.

Regardless of the name and location of this highly respected bodybuilding event, some very worthy competitors won titles and Olympia qualifications for 2015:

Men’s Bodybuilding: Juan Morel
Men’s 212: Guy Cisterino, Jr.
Men’s Physique: George Brown
Women’s Physique: Michelle Cummings
Figure: Latorya Watts
Bikini: India Paulino

http://www.flexonline.com/ifbb/2015-new-york-pro-results-are?t=2

Clean Eating or Eating Disorder?

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Muscle-Building-Dietfood-and-exercies

Most people are familiar with anorexia and bulimia, but there is a lesser known eating disorder which has high prevalence in the world of competitive bodybuilding.  Though it is not classified as an official eating disorder, orthorexia meets the criteria of one:  obsession, social isolation, and emotional lability.

Orthorexia is an obsessive-compulsive disorder which involves an obsession with healthy eating.  The orthorexic will go to great lengths to avoid foods which contain substances he determines to be unhealthy, such as fats, preservatives, processed foods, etc.  For an orthorexic individual, the focus is on the quality of food, which is in stark contrast to the anorexic’s focus on quantity.  Frequently this disorder may begin as a normal diet or an effort to eat in a healthier fashion, but after some time is taken to the extreme.  In the quest for pure, clean foods, the sufferer becomes obsessed and self-imposed food restrictions become a primary focus.

The distinction between normal individuals and orthorexics is that the health conscious person will practice moderation and won’t wallow in guilt if they indulge in a food which may be deficient in healthy nutrients.  In contrast, the orthorexic individual will obsess about the quality of food and will feel extremely guilty after straying from a self-imposed rigid diet.

Physical Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:

  • Because orthorexics limit themselves to foods they deem healthy, they may appear emaciated or malnourished

Behavioral Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:

  • Social isolation
  • A tendency to eat alone
  • Aversion to certain foods which have been deemed dangerous or disgusting
  • Criticism of people who don’t engage in healthy eating
  • Experience extreme pleasure in eating properly
  • Feel guilty when they deviate from a rigid diet
  • Strong desire to eat forbidden foods when under stress
  • Has difficulty eating foods prepared in a restaurant or by another person

Medical Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:

  • Malnutrition
  • Hypotension
  • Weakness
  • Calcium deficieny
  • Anemia in those who avoid animal protein
  • Decreased gastric motility
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Constipation

An essential element in contest preparation for competitive bodybuilding, physique, fitness, figure and bikini divisions is rigid meal planning.  As a result of this, competitors often dance along, and sometimes cross, the fine line that separates clean eating from a psychopathological relationship with food.  When taken to the extreme, sufferers may experience medical signs of malnutrition similar to anorexia.  While it is common for a competitor to experience feelings of guilt when a specific contest prep meal plan is not adhered to, warning flags should go up when a competitor becomes so obsessed with such transgressions that compensatory behaviors are adopted, such as excessive cardio sessions, laxative usage or starvation.   If such behaviors are commonplace for an individual, behavioral intervention will become necessary in order to restore one’s emotional and physical well-being.

Since prepping for competitions places excessive pressure on an individual and underscores the pursuit of “perfection” in the sport, orthorexic behavior may be so irresistible that it is rationalized as a necessary component of one’s prep.  This in and of itself makes orthorexia particularly insidious and dangerous.

You Know You Are A Die-Hard Competitor When…

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• You eat most of your meals out of plastic containers
• You avoid restaurants because it is too tough to find clean choices
• You will only travel somewhere if there is a gym nearby
• You think vascularity and sweat are sexy
• You gaze longingly at forbidden foods
• You know what a protein bomb is!
• The smell of tanning solution is very familiar to you
• If you are a lady, you know what it means to use a cup in the restroom
• You have a love-hate relationship with asparagus, fish, and/or chicken
• You walk around your house in clear heels and practice posing when showtime approaches
• You know what two-a-days are
• You are accustomed to using dark sheets and towels post-tan

Competitors, can you think of any others you would like to share here?

My Go-To Protein: Royal Sport Ultra Clean 100 Whey

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I am not kidding when I say that Royal Sport Ltd.’s Ultra Clean 100 Whey is my staple whey protein source! It mixes quickly and thoroughly, is gluten free, and has no preservatives, no added sugars, no hydrogenated oils, and no artificial colors, dyes, or fillers. One scoop delivers 20 grams of protein in 100 calories. Oh, and then there are the flavors: Ice Cream Sandwich is my absolute favorite and has a decadent flavor which has me tricked every time into thinking that I am having a dessert! I also love the other flavors, Chocolate Cupcake, Cinnamon Bun and Vanilla Cream, and rotate through all four of the flavors during the week. If you are looking for an ultra clean whey protein which won’t cause digestive upset, definitely check out Ultra Clean 100 Whey!

https://royalsportltd.com/ultra-clean-100