Tag fitness

Onstage and in the Wings

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

With the amazing Liz Fitchner at Team Universe, July 2013

With the amazing Liz Fitchner at Team Universe, July 2013


People often ask me what it is like to be up on stage, very scantily clad and fully cognizant of the fact that I am being scrutinized by a panel of judges. There is so much about competing that is appealing, fascinating and inspiring, but there are also many strange and frustrating elements which competitors deal with which can challenge their determination in the sport.

The thrill of strutting out onstage and showing off a hard-earned physique is incredibly empowering, especially when a competitor gets first call-out. The obvious physical transformation is invariably accompanied by an emotional and spiritual overhaul. The audience sees the best of this since they are attending a show. But the backstage world which they don’t see is incredibly colorful and revealing.

Before the competition, many competitors look like hoodlums, bums or like they just crawled out of bed, clad in baggy, dark clothing. The dark skin hues which competitors must sport are more reminiscent of mahogany furniture than human skin. Food coolers are packed with chicken, nut butter, rice cakes, and possibly booze for the celebration afterwards. Every show starts out with a mad scramble after the morning meeting for a prime spot backstage to prep. The ladies cluster around the few full-length mirrors that have been placed around the perimeter of the room. The men cluster around the weights.

It can be maddening and stressful to be in the company of competitors who are so carb-depleted that they are cranky, forgetful and unable to focus on basic streams of conversation. Some are so weak and dehydrated that they are on the verge of passing out. A competitor may have a meltdown because his music cd was misplaced. The overpowering odor of spray tanner admixed with the telltale gaseous emissions of very high protein diets is commonplace. Some abdominals are grossly distended by creatine bloat. A competitor may be freaking out because of a broken suit strap, or makeup being spilled onto a suit, now ruining it…with no backup suit on hand. There are meltdowns with makeup and hair. There are lost earrings and shoes. The fear of water exposure is at an all-time high.

Then once everyone is prepped, there is the interminable wait. When a division and class are announced, there is a mad scramble to get in line. Individuals who bring Bikini Bite suddenly become the most popular people backstage.
Then suddenly a competitor is onstage. Somehow all the stress from being backstage, from dieting and training for months all melts away as that person now has a chance to do turns and show off a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication. Those few moments make it all worthwhile.

A Note To Pro Card Chasers

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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!

The Costs Of Competing

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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.

Question On My Fan Page About Food Additives

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Some guy wrote in on my Facebook Fan Page on June 14 at 1:13am with the following question:

“Why is their Xanthan Gum and Sucralose in Whey 100 Ultra Clean when that will make it harmfull to the body how can you loose weight and build lean muscle with those types of harmfull ingredients put in whey?”

I hadn’t seen the question until now, so I wanted to make sure I posted a response. Here it is:

Xanthan gum is a plant based thickening agent which may cause some digestive issues in those who already suffer from digestive maladies, in which case they probably wouldn’t be ingesting whey in the first place. As for the sucralose, there is a huge controversy regarding potential harm from consuming it, yet nothing conclusive. I am personally not a huge fan of sucralose, but truth be told, it is in many food items. In addition, it can be very difficult to make a palatable whey protein formula without sucralose, since stevia can be very bitter. Please be aware that I am not in any way involved with the manufacture of Royal Sport Ltd. products but I definitely consider them to be some of the best in the industry. Bear in mind that the vast majority of sports supplement products are full of additives, so in this case I think we are talking about choosing products which are on the less offensive end of the spectrum when it comes to flavorings and additives.

Menopausal Weight Gain

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

spare trunk woman
Menopause can really break a woman’s spirit, for countless reasons. Her ability to reproduce comes to a screeching halt, her nether regions may start to resemble an arid climate, hot flashes may make her feel like she is spontaneously combusting, and she may have mood swings that would make the Tazmanian Devil look like a calm little bugger in comparison. But it’s the weight gain which often upsets menopausal women the most. Menopausal women will notice that if they drop their caloric intake, weight won’t drop at all, even though it may have easily melted off in the past.

That’s because the plummeting levels of progesterone and estrogen also adversely affect a woman’s ability to mobilize fat. Cortisol levels can go unchecked as a result of the low levels of progesterone and estrogen, and any extra calories will end up getting stored as fat. If a menopausal woman is at a caloric deficit, the switch flips in favor of burning muscle instead of turning to the storage fat she so desperately wants to incinerate. This is especially true for the adipose (fat) tissue around the midsection, because cortisol is notorious for padding that area with extra fat, resulting in an ever expanding belly. Another unfortunate consequence of cortisol is that levels will rise dramatically with prolonged intense exercise. The key is to have more abbreviated, yet still intense, exercise sessions so that the cortisol release is also accompanied by a boost in HGH and testosterone, thus conferring a protective effect on muscle.

Basically, the WORST thing you can do if you are in the midst of menopausal hell and struggling with weight gain is to engage in lengthy gym sessions. That might work for a 20 year old, but it can be devastating for a 50 year old. If you are a gym rat like me, you can still train up to six days per week (that’s how frequently I train), but keep your sessions intense but relatively short, between 30 to 60 minutes. If you train beyond that time window, the excess cortisol release will only trigger your body to cling to fat.

Menopausal women also experience an increase in carbohydrate sensitivity, which means that carbohydrate-rich meals which they used to be able to consume in their younger years without much consequence will suddenly wreak havoc on that waistline. The extra carbs settle in for a long and uninvited stay in the midsection and end up making women miserable. Because of this, dietary shifts need to be implemented in which the intake of starches and grains is dramatically reduced, while the consumption of more lean protein and green vegetables is increased. I also strongly recommend supplementing the diet with digestive enzymes and probiotics to optimize gut health and digestion of different foods.

Why Whey Protein Is The Key To Anti-Aging

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Original post can be found at:

http://www.sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/health-wellness/anti-aging/item/1519-why-whey-protein-is-the-key-to-anti-aging#.VZ2WSvlViko

Fitpicture310x250

Adequate protein intake is vital to anyone seeking to preserve muscle mass, especially since the aging process threatens the loss of all that hard-earned muscle through a process called sarcopenia. Sarcopenia causes a loss of muscle mass and strength in all individuals as they age, even in die-hard gym addicts.

The aging process hits us with a double whammy because 1) our dietary protein needs increase over time, and 2) our ability to synthesize new proteins plummets as a consequence of diminished levels of testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1. In other words, it becomes tougher and tougher to meet the aging body’s protein needs, and the result is a loss of muscle.

One of the biggest challenges in meeting the protein demands of the body as we age is the physical challenge of consuming adequate protein. Protein powders are an excellent means of meeting protein requirements in a low bulk form since they are dissolved in liquid. Whey protein in particular is an excellent protein source for anyone over the age of 30, provided they have no issues with allergy or intolerance to whey.

Whey protein is rich in branched chain amino acids, especially leucine, which is considered the most important branched chain amino acid for protein synthesis, especially in older people. Branched chain amino acids are also responsible for proper dermal collagen protein synthesis, so they play a huge role in the condition of the skin, maintaining its suppleness and tone.

Another age-related benefit of supplementing one’s diet with whey protein is the presence of lactoferrin, which fortifies bone and prevents osteoporotic fractures by activating osteoblasts. Whey protein also contains high levels of cysteine, an amino acid which boosts glutathione production. Glutathione, an antioxidant with powerful anti-aging effects, steadily declines naturally as we age, and since its production relies on the presence of cysteine, the introduction of whey protein into a meal plan can guard against age related diseases.

Whey protein has profound effects on glucose metabolism as well. It reduces serum glucose levels in healthy individuals while impairing glucose tolerance in diabetic and obese individuals. When consumed consistently as part of a sensible high protein meal plan, the result is a reduction in body weight and an increase in fat oxidation. This is due to the release of leptin, cholecystokinin, and glucagon like-peptide 1, all of which create a feeling of satiety.

In summary, the benefits of whey protein are numerous and significant, especially for older individuals. If you have yet to incorporate whey protein into your meal plan and you have been lamenting the ravages of Father Time, do yourself a favor and add whey protein to your daily regimen.

References: Sousa G et al. Dietary whey protein lessens several risk factors for metabolic diseases: a review. Lipids Health Disc. 2012;11:67