Category Competitions

It is possible to reshape your booty!

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I never would have believed that I could have transformed my naturally less-than-bulbous half-Japanese glutes into the perky backside I have now if I had not seen the gradual metamorphosis over the last eighteen months.  I first began to notice the changes in my backside when my jeans, booty shorts and skirts all began to fit much more snugly.  Yet I wasn’t aware of how much of a change had occurred until I put on a gown I had purchased some years ago which had always made me look as if I had a moderate case of “noassatall”.  When I donned this gown, my rear end projected so deliciously that I finally realized how much my body had changed.

People constantly ask me if it is possible to combat the ravages of gravity and the aging process and perk up a saggy set of glutes.  My response is an enthusiastic and affirmative one.  So the next question is invariably, “What exercises can I do to make this happen?”  As I prepare a response to this question, I realize that many of you who are reading this may not like what I have to say.  Essentially, if you are serious about performing magic on your booty, be prepared for a lot, and I do mean a LOT, of lunges, deadlifts, deep squats and one of my personal favorites, cable kickbacks.  Better yet, stack these exercises with plyometric moves such as jump squats to really recruit this often neglected area.  Then enjoy the butt building which ensues.

Off-Season Maintenance

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I know it can be difficult to maintain clean eating during the holidays, especially with no upcoming bodybuilding shows to prep for.  I am a big believer in truly enjoying the holidays guilt-free, which means having a couple of pieces of fudge if you are so inclined, or having champagne to ring in the new year.  However, if the rest of your meals are kept clean, you should be able to survive this time of year without experiencing a catastrophic spread of the waistline.

One trick which helps is to consume a small amount of lean protein when you have a carb cheat, and eat it before the cheat.  This will slow down digestion so that the carbs aren’t stored as readily.  Another trick is to drink a glass of water before you indulge in a decadent treat.  This will help to fill you up so you consume less food afterward.  When you are aware that you will be at a function in which tempting foods will be around, make sure your meals beforehand are kept clean and that you you eat every 2-1/2 to 3 hours to ensure that you won’t be ravenous come party time.  One of the worst things you can do is skip meals beforehand in hopes that the caloric deficit will balance out the overindulgence later.  All this does is squash your metabolism and increase your chance of overeating.

On the other side of the coin I have seen competitors rein it in so tightly that they make themselves miserable by avoiding holiday treats of any kind.  This can be psychologically very dangerous because they manage to punish themselves, thus solidifying an emotional relationship with food.  I have actually seen people cry after eating something because they felt so guilty about ingesting it.  This is fodder for eating disorders.  The holidays come but once a year, so it is far better to enjoy a few little holiday treats and balance it out with healthy eating.  Happy Holidays and Happy Eating!

Why I Love Competing

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A lot of people have asked me why I compete.  After all, it’s costly, it requires extreme discipline, and when I keep missing those IFBB Pro Card slots, I admit that I get despondent.  Truth be told, I had no inkling when I stepped onstage in July 2009 for my first competition that I would become afflicted with the mad desire to continue competing.

First of all, it pushes me to improve myself, not just physically but mentally and spiritually.  It gives me a specific goal to attain every few months.  It also enables me to be in an environment in which I am surrounded by like-minded individuals who are driven, more than a little obsessive-compulsive, and passionate about inspiring others to pursue optimal fitness.  What’s more, these individuals are beautiful to look at!

The thrill of stepping onstage wearing a well-cut bikini, blingy jewelry, and having my makeup done and my hair coiffed is unbeatable.  I get to do a reveal, an unveiling of all the hard work I had put in during the weeks leading up to a competition in hopes that it will be rewarded.  I don’t necessarily need the reward or the approval of the judges, but I want it.

So say what you will about the sacrifice and the expense of competing.  Until you have stepped on that bodybuilding stage and gotten bitten by the bug, you will not fully understand the exhilaration that comes with being a competitor.  There isn’t anything I have done in my life that quite approaches that high, and I have done a lot in my life, including performing and competing in a beauty pageant and obtaining a medical degree.

Hope that clears up the confusion surrounding why I continue to compete.

Welcome to my Blog!

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It took two years for me to launch this, but at least it has finally come to fruition.  Please check in regularly as I will post on a myriad of topics, such as exercise, contest prep, skincare, injectable fillers, nutrition and recipes, supplementation, suit design, modeling and whatever other topics my fans suggest.  I am very receptive to feedback and welcome suggestions!