Category Competitions

Training For Life

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Over the past few weeks I have heard a few competitors state that they plan to completely stop weight training for a few weeks because they are burnt out on prepping for competitions. While I agree that taking some time off can be a good thing, taking several weeks off seems like complete madness to me. Though I get a kick out of people who have this on-again, off-again attitude with respect to training, I am more disturbed than amused by such an attitude because it is in stark opposition to my attitude towards training.

My attitude towards training stems from the fact that I train for life, not for the stage per se. I increase the number of workouts before a big contest, but I never hang up my training hat for more than a couple of days at a time. Why? Because I truly love training, and I strive to remain consistent with my conditioning. I also ensure that I will be shoot ready whenever the need arises. I have had last minute calls to shoot and never have to worry that I will not be camera worthy.

It blows my mind how many people have asked me if I plan to stop training now that I have earned my IFBB Pro Card. I didn’t train hard to get my Pro Card just so I could let it all go to mush! If anything, I have even more reason to uphold the level of conditioning which has taken years for me to achieve. You won’t see me avoiding the gym or eating tons of bad foods, because I have every intention of honoring the status I have earned. It’s back to the gym for me!dumbbells

DIY Sugar Scrub

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

turbinado_sugarThose of us who compete must undergo intense exfoliation for several days before competition spray tan is applied. This is easily done at home with a sugar scrub which can be purchased at many drugstores. However, sugar scrubs do not travel well and have a tendency to leak everywhere, leaving an oily, grainy mess in checked bags. My solution has always been to purchase a sugar scrub at my destination.

I recently traveled to New Jersey and assumed that I could easily purchase a sugar scrub at Trader Joe’s. Much to my chagrin, there was no sugar scrub product to be found at the Trader Joe’s in Paramus, so I improvised. Since I wanted to avoid leaving an oily film on my skin, I avoided using almond or olive oil and instead purchased a liquid body wash and a bag of turbinado sugar. When I returned to my hotel room, I employed a system in which I would pour a dollop of body wash into the palm of my hand and then scooped up some of the sugar. If you prefer, you could mix the sugar and the body wash together in equal amounts right before you step into the shower, but I went the lazy route. What surprised me was how well this makeshift scrub worked at exfoliating my skin without irritating it or leaving a greasy film on my skin.

So if you find yourself in need of a sugar scrub and cannot get a hold of a pre-made version (by the way, Liquid Sun Rayz has a fantastic sugar scrub), you can purchase sugar and body wash and make one yourself. Just make sure to get a large grain sugar like turbinado for more exfoliative power. moisturizing shower gels

You Know You Are A Die-Hard Competitor When…

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Lizzy and me at TU• 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

Team Bombshell Poster From NPC Team Universe

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

Congratulations to Team Bombshell four NEW Masters Bikini Athletes who earned their IFBB Pro Cards at the 2013 NPC Team Universe! From (Left To Right);
Stacey Naito from California (Over 40 Overall Champion, also took 1st place in Over 35 B Class), Lindsay Oxford from Texas (2nd place Team Bombshell New IFBB Bikini Pros!Over 35 B Class), Maria Chase (Over 35 C Class Champion) and Amira Lamb from NYC (Over 35 A Class Champion)

http://www.bombshellfitness.com

The Team Universe Spell Has Finally Been Broken

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Team UEvery year the NPC Team Universe awards IFBB Pro Cards to a large group of deserving athletes, so it is an extremely enticing National level bodybuilding contest for competitors who qualify at that level. I was certainly enticed and ended up competing at Team U four years in a row, with this year’s showing culminating in attaining the IFBB Pro Status I had coveted for many years. But I will admit that I almost did not enter the contest this year as a result of a lackluster performance in the three previous years. I used to refer to the “Team U Curse” when discussing Team Universe as a result of some very odd and disconcerting coincidences. Thank goodness the spell was broken this year!

When I competed at Team U in 2010 I was not “on the map” with respect to competing at the national level and as a result I was hardly given a glance by the judges. I competed against one of my dear friends who ended up winning her Pro card that year. Then in 2011 I once again found myself competing against a dear friend and watched as she won her Pro card while I had a decent but less than stellar performance. Not easily deterred, I competed at Team U in 2012 and found myself once again competing against a dear friend who got her Pro card. I was thrilled for every one of my friends, but it was a bit distressing to feel like the bridesmaid but never the bride for three consecutive years. Added to this was my intense dislike of driving around south New Jersey, the threat of rain looming over my freshly applied spray tan, and numerous other stressors and mishaps. It is no surprise that I began to think that it wasn’t a good idea for me to ever compete again at Team U.

Then this year I just decided that I had to get up onstage in New Jersey despite the pattern which had defined the last three years. Thank goodness I did! In the weeks leading up to this year’s competition, I FELT different. I was no longer concerned about who was going to beat me in New Jersey. I focused on my training, kept my nose to the grindstone and trained harder than I ever have. When I flew to Newark, there were no flight delays or mishaps, and I didn’t get lost when I drove to the hotel. There were a couple of glitches during my trip, but they were minor, and I didn’t get rattled. When I was deciding on what suit to wear, the one I chose just GLOWED and I knew it was the winning suit. My tan, my conditioning, my makeup and my hair were just right, and it was truly as if the planets aligned.

I ended up taking two First Place finishes when I only needed one to win my Pro card, plus I took an Overall win.

Don’t EVER give up on your goals. You never know when the Universe will grant you that precious wish.