Category General

Yes I AM A Doctor!

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doctor-bag2It appears to be a lifelong curse for me to have to deal with people who never seem to take the fact that I am a bona fide medical doctor seriously. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard friends exclaim, “Oh wow, you’re like a DOCTOR doctor? I had no idea!”, as if my medical training and career are somehow not supposed to be taken seriously by those near and dear to me. I want to yell, “YES, I am a doctor! Why didn’t you believe me the first time I told you? Why do I have to somehow prove it to you?” What irks me is that I don’t see these people doubting the abilities of their friends who work in any other industry, be it certified public accounting, law enforcement, or any other respected profession. I honestly resent the insinuation that my credentials somehow don’t count because I don’t wear a white coat all the time (by the way, I can’t STAND wearing those polyester nightmares) or flaunt my professional title like a badge.

For those of you in the group which questions what my credentials are, I will be very clear. I completed four years of medical school which culminated in my medical diploma. After that, I completed my internship year (which was also my first year of family practice residency training) and became licensed as a physician. Two more years of residency training in family practice followed, then I sat for my specialty boards and became board-certified in family practice. I am not a nurse or a physician’s assistant (though those professions are highly respectable and draw some of the smartest and most compassionate people on the planet). Degreed. Licensed. Board-certified. Physician a.k.a. Medical Doctor. Yessir.

I may not be conservative or conventional, but I expect the same amount of respect as a physician who chooses to fit the mold and wear conservative attire and a white coat. My patients refer to me as Dr. Naito, not as Dr. Stacey or Stacey. I have worked VERY hard to become a physician, and I also recognize how hard my colleagues work as well. That is why when I am around other physicians, I err on the side of caution and refer to them as DOCTOR and not by their first names unless they specifically ask me to refer to them on a first name basis.

Gold/Yellow Ravish Sands Competition Bikini

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I am seriously considering selling this beautiful gold/yellow Ravish Sands competition bikini. Basically, if anyone is interested, I will sell it. I still have two other suits in my current rotation and just don’t need three suits.

Though this is supposed to fit a D cup, I think a B or C cup would be better for this suit. There is dense crystallization on this suit which looks amazing onstage! I wore this onstage at two IFBB Pro Bikini events. Originally paid $500 for this beauty.

PRICE: $300

DJ Classic

Gold Nor Cal dressing room 1

Gorgeous Figure Competition Suit For Sale, Never Worn Onstage

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Christine Marsh Design FIGURE COMPETITION SUIT:

This BRAND NEW figure suit is heavily hand crystallized with clear, amethyst, green, and gold Swarovski crystals and is one of a kind. This is a blingy and gorgeous suit and the pics truly don’t do it justice! The cups will fit a full D cup and the bottoms will fit someone who wears a size zero. The original price tag is still on the suit, and sold for $1,297. This suit HAS NEVER BEEN WORN ONSTAGE and has only been tried on a few times with liners in the bottoms. It is pristine and an absolute knockout! The connectors just need to be adjusted and finished off for the lucky gal who buys this suit!

PRICE: $950

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Figure Suit Detail C

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Iris Blue Pochette Competition Bikini For Sale

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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: $175

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

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“Are You Sure You Broke It?”

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It’s amazing how much an injury to a small area can hurt like the dickens! I recently fractured my right great toe by dropping a 25 pound weight plate on it (oh, the hazards of being a gym rat…) and have been dealing with a tremendous amount of pain from the injury. I had done the exact same thing (albeit with a 10 pound weight plate) on the left great toe back in 2002 and experienced pain in my toe for a full year, so I am dreading having to endure the healing process again. Driving has become a major hassle, because pressing on the gas and brake pedals loads a pressure on the extremity which radiates to my poor broken digit. I am now limited to wearing flip flops and a couple of pairs of athletic shoes with larger toe boxes which accommodate the swelling somewhat. I say somewhat because the athletic shoes I have worn have created nasty blisters on the top of my toe, creating a completely different type of pain which is stacked upon the deep bone pain. Oh what fun.

When I shared the news that I had broken my toe, a couple of people had asked me if I knew it was broken, and one person kept yammering on about what to do to treat the fracture. I am a medical doctor who has seen more than my share of fractures, and I KNOW what a fracture looks like. What I don’t understand is how people can ask me if I know for sure, or how they can tell me I need to see a doctor for it. Rest assured, I am in excellent hands with my doctor: ME.

Here is a collage of images taken of my toe from 30 minutes post-injury to 36 hours post-injury. No X-ray will aid in the diagnosis, nor will it change the treatment course. Yes, it IS broken. This injury will definitely set me back with training and competing because I will not be able to perform plyometric exercises, treadmill work, calf work or lunges for a while. However, I will not be deterred from continuing to train around my injury, and will take this opportunity to develop a heightened awareness of pushing through the heel while performing exercises which target the glutes. Who knows, maybe this injury will be a blessing in disguise, a tool to help me round out a problem area?
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Instagram And Instant “Models”

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keep-calm-you-re-not-a-model-it-s-just-instagram

Every once in a while, I will stumble upon an Instagram account for an individual who clearly is NOT a model, but who has included “fitness model” in the profile description. A perusal of the user’s images almost invariably reveals NO professional images, but will have a whole slew of half-naked selfies shot in front of a bathroom mirror, or worse yet, on a bed, with a blue steel scowl or a do-ya-think-I’m-sexy pout in every single selfie that just makes me want to laugh. Just because someone WANTS to be a model doesn’t make it so, and no amount of selfies will ever generate the monetary compensation or exposure that would equate with a bona fide modeling career (unless you are Kim Kardashian). It also doesn’t count if you just so happened to have put on some fitness apparel once during a photo shoot with one of your friends who is a photographer, and struck poses which you believe to be fitness poses. Whatever you do, don’t be one of those wannabe fitness models who throws the title of fitness model around like you earned it! And stop using a ton of filters to make your images look better, then peppering them with a hundred hashtags to get more attention. All those things make you seem like a douche.

Fitness models are seen in print and online catalogs, ad campaigns, commercials, fitness expos, and are featured in magazines. The top fitness models make a very decent living doing what they do, and they work HARD for the money they make. That is why I get annoyed when I see a wannabe making false claims on social media. I have actually asked individuals who claimed to be fitness models where they were featured, only to get a flustered, cop-out response which I fully expect. There are some people out there who are photogenic and who have well-muscled, aesthetically pleasing physiques which lend promise to the possibility of a career as a fitness model, but they must prove that they possess the talent and work ethic to make it as fitness models. If you feel that you have some promise, then you can say that you are an aspiring fitness model, but don’t claim the title until you have actually worked as one.

Widow’s Peaks

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I have a widow’s peak which has become more prominent in recent years. Most people don’t even realize that I have one until I point it out. However, I tend to part my hair on the side, as do many women who have widow’s peaks, so in general, they are much less noticeable on women than they are on men. Though the expression “widow’s peak” has a negative connotation which refers to the belief that it was a sign of early widowhood, I like the notion which has circulated in more recent decades that it is a sign of beauty. Another thing I like about my widow’s peak is that it comes from my Japanese grandfather, who had a prominent widow’s peak.

You can see in the image above that even with my hair parted to the side, you can still see my widow's peak.

You can see in the image above that even with my hair parted to the side, you can still see my widow’s peak.

I think my widow's peak lends itself well to the look pictured here (yes, it's me)

I think my widow’s peak lends itself well to the look pictured here (yes, it’s me)

I also adore the fact that Grace Kelly, a classic beauty, had a widow's peak. American actress Grace Kelly (1929 - 1982), circa 1955. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

I also adore the fact that Grace Kelly, a classic beauty, had a widow’s peak.
American actress Grace Kelly (1929 – 1982), circa 1955. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The Ultimate Competition Packing List

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Originally published on RxGirl on Sunday, 06 April 2014

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/10580-the-ultimate-competition-packing-list.html
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I cannot tell you how many times I have been at a contest and have heard other competitors mention all the things they forgot to pack in their luggage. Such oversights can make an already stressful time almost intolerable, especially if the contest location is far from one’s home and unfamiliar. Over the years I compiled and updated a packing list which has served me very well and has relieved all the stress of remembering what to pack.

Every time I pack for a contest, I have copies of my packing lists and check off each item as it is packed. Instead of having one list, I have three: a main list, a food and supplement list, and a makeup list. I have even gone to the extent of specifying which items go in my checked bag or handbag and which items go into my carry-on bag. I am adamant about having my competition suits, clear heels, jewelry and all makeup items in my carry-on bag so that I don’t have to worry about being separated from those vital items.

Even if you are hiring someone to do hair and makeup, I still recommend packing all the makeup and hair items you would need if you had to do it yourself, because you never know what might happen. I have heard of competitors who got stuck without a makeup artist for one reason or another, then had to scramble to borrow makeup or quickly find a makeup artist to come to the rescue. It is NOT worth the stress to take that chance!
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Here is a breakdown of the items I recommend packing for a contest:

Main List:

Checked Bag –
• Body lotion
• Sugar scrub (make sure container is leakproof!)
• Razor
• Regular toiletry stuff (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face moisturizer)
• Umbrella (I have caught myself in unexpected rainstorms, so this is a MUST)
• Loose pants (for post-tanning)
• Big button-down shirt (for post-tanning)
• Dark socks (take several pairs to avoid staining sheets and in case of wet weather)
• Dark hand towels (I usually pack two for showering purposes)
• Dark t-shirt (makes a great pillowcase after tanning)
• Gym apparel (make sure to count how many days you will work out, remember bras, shorts, socks and sneakers)
• Hair clips and ties
• Hairspray, hair wax, hair gel
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Hair styling tools such as hairdryer, flatiron, curling iron
• Comb, brush
• Flip flops (great in hot weather and post-tan)
• Business cards (VERY important for networking)
• Extra Ziploc bags
• Food storage containers
• Small sewing kit
• Safety pins
• Cotton swabs (handy for cleaning up makeup too)
• Makeup remover towelettes
• Outfit to sleep in
• Outfits for daytime (count how many days you will need clothes and pack accordingly)
• Underwear (dark colors recommended, plus pack extra pairs)
• Shoes for daytime
• Cute dress or two to go out in
• Nice heels to go out in
• Sweater or coat
• Bikini bite
• Touch-up tanning solution, gloves and tanning puff
• Glaze

Carry On Bag –
• Phone charger
• Jewelry for contest
• Clear heels
• At least two competition suits (ALWAYS bring a backup!)
• Makeup items from Makeup List
• Food from Food List

Food List:
• Supplements
• Diuretic
• Silverware
• Lidded beverage container
• Food from your plan

Makeup List:
• Primer (foundation and eyeshadow)
• Eye shadows
• Eyeliners
• False eyelashes
• Lash adhesive
• Small scissors
• Fine tip tweezers
• Small mirror (I recommend one about 4 inches in diameter which folds up)
• Mascara
• Foundation
• Translucent loose powder
• Blush
• Bronzer
• Highlighter
• Lip liner
• Lipstick
• Lipgloss
• Sponges
• Eyelash curler (if your lashes are straight, I would recommend this)
• Brushes
Competitor and luggage
Now that I have everything broken down in list form, let’s look at the best way to do all this packing. Generally, I like to pack my food a few days in advance since it is the most tedious portion of the packing experience. Each meal is placed in a sandwich sized bag with a day and meal number (eg: W 1), then that bag is placed into a gallon sized bag which is labeled for the day (eg: W). This way, I can grab one of the large bags and know that all my meals are in there. Wet ingredients or vegetables which tend to leak (asparagus is notorious for this) should be double-bagged. I refrigerate the day’s meals for the day that I will be traveling, while the meals for the other days go into the freezer. You can expect food packing to take at least a couple of hours, so make sure you have a decent pocket of time to do this.

One to two days before the contest, I pack my other items. Lotions, gels, and creams should be placed into a Ziploc bag in case they leak. Since tanning solution is especially prone to leakage, I will put masking tape over the seal before placing it in the bag, and will also place the bag into a rigid plastic container for more protection.

As long as you take a systematic approach and take your time with packing, as opposed to waiting until the last minute, you will be well prepared for your contest.

Beware Of Soy Based Products

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Soy has become so ubiquitous in American packaged food products that it can be challenging to find products that are soy free. What I find so misleading and frustrating is that the majority of them are touted as “health” foods. I am half Japanese and grew up eating soy products, but I consumed the fermented forms, such as soy sauce, miso and tempeh ( I could never stomach natto, which is another fermented soy product). The fermented forms of soy based foods are safe because the fermentation process destroys the antinutrients which are present in soybeans.

In stark contrast, unfermented soy products, including soy milk and tofu, have high concentrations of these antinutrients, including phytates, phytoestrogens, MSG, saponins, trypsin inhibitors, and goitrogens. These substances have multiple deleterious effects on the body, such as impaired absorption of vitamins and minerals, interference with pancreatic and thyroid function, disruption of endocrine function, and damage to the nervous system.

For these reasons, I am strongly opposed to the consumption of soy-based products and eliminate them from patient and client diets whenever possible. If you are vegan, or if you are intolerant of whey or casein, look for other forms of protein, such as pea, quinoa, hemp and amaranth, which cause less inflammation when consumed and have a more benign side effect profile. Make sure to read ingredient labels too, since many products you wouldn’t even think of as having soy often do.