Coach: Tammy Strome
E and I met last week to work on posing. She really enjoys the posing, which is going to make it easy for her to shine on show day. Her new positive attitude is really helping with her head space and, therefore, all of her training.
Another cool thing is that I can see great changes in her body this year versus last year. Her shoulders and v-taper are much improved; she’s showing more balance between her top and bottom half. This is the result of hard work and consistent focus in her off season.
E’s reward for all this hard work? She has earned another cheat day on her diet.
Just to show you how disciplined she is now, when I told E about her reward she didn’t want it. She has been so laser-focused on leaning down that her logic dictates she just needs to go harder and stricter.
But my argument is that she has made such steady progress in her training that a break in routine will do her mind and body good. Also, this is it until show day. She’ll have to follow her strict diet routine for the next five weeks. You should know that when I say “cheat” it’s nothing to write home about–just some extra “clean” carbs in the day and some homemade pizza with a bit of ice cream. But it’ll give her some good energy in her upcoming workouts and perhaps also help to keep her spirits high.
So I explained the importance of properly timed cheat meals while training for competition to E, and she understood. Again, I emphasize, they must be properly timed. She would not be having any kind of cheat meal if she wasn’t steadily making progress. She has earned it!
The final month before the show is often the hardest both mentally and physically. Every part of the formula–from physique, posing, hair, makeup, skin colour and suit–must come together perfectly. But I have no doubts that E is ready for the home stretch and the awesome changes that will accompany that.
Check out this Thursday’s blog post where I will discuss what it means to be “skinny fat” and why you really want to change that.
Yours in health,
Tammy
Client: Eftihia
I’m finally seeing the fruits of my labour this week!
When I met Tammy for a posing session, we were both able to see all the improvements and developments I’ve made to my muscle density and overall physique in the past year. It was a proud moment for me. During prep, it’s often hard for athletes to see what everyone else sees, because we’re too focused on what we have left to complete rather than on what we’ve accomplished.
I can now say that all my hard work was well worth it.
I’m starting to fill in the little spaces that needed improvements over my last two shows, and this helps restore my confidence in June’s show.
Some competitors find the whole posing thing bothersome, but I love it because it means I am SOOOOO close to the show! It also makes me proud to see how hard I’ve worked during this particular show prep–especially with the many obstacles I faced that made it difficult for me to stay positive.
I have overcome them! They’re behind me, and I now move forward with GUSTO.
When I met with Tammy, she mentioned that I might get to enjoy a cheat meal on Sunday. Normally I would be sooo excited but, for the first time EVER, I feel reluctant to put anything outside of my set diet into my mouth! After weeks of struggling to create changes on my body, I’m finally losing inches and seeing muscle definition. My fear is that, once I eat, my body will want to HOLD ON to the food…store it!
I have worked my absolute hardest during this prep—multiplied by 100—making micro changes all the way through. With only five weeks until the contest, can you imagine what it would feel like to MESS UP all my hard work by eating the wrong thing? That would be TRAGIC! Or that’s what I’m thinking.
That said, I KNOW Tammy knows what she’s doing. It’s just that, in my current state, my body and brain are functioning a bit differently right now than usual. I need to depend on my coach for the best possible advice because that is what she is there for!
*Sigh*
So you can see that, after two straight weeks of clarity, this threw me for a loop…funny as I’ve never questioned eating extra food before!
Of course I will do as I’m told. Whatever I worry about will only make things worse. Tammy has explained numerous times that food and, especially, proper clean cheat meals eaten during prep help to restore the body and coast the competitor into the final weeks before show.
I close my eyes and take a leap of faith…cheat meal here I come!!
And, again, I say: “Failure cannot cope with persistence.” Sheer determination keeps me on this road.
