Natalie! Overall Figure Champion.....She just got back from Jr. Nationals also and placed in the top 10 in her class! Go Natalie!

Greater Gulf Bodybuilding & Figure Championships 2005!

I debated all week whether to compete or not.....It has been really hard to stick to a diet and my body seems to be screaming at me to take a break. I can't keep dieting forever! It is so hard on the body's systems. After all, I have been DIETING FOR 15 WEEKS! That is too long! I gained alot of water weight back also.....about 10 pounds probably. I am so sensitive to water retension. I finally decided to go and help out at the show like I did last year! I would really like to compete in this show next year! Hopefully, I will!

Amanda and I helped the girls get ready backstage during prejudging!
Go RONNE!!

Some of the girls in the short class.

The bodybuilding woman drinking their wine backstage at the night show!
LOL! We had a great time! :)

Greg Nichols (Pro Wheelchair Bodybuilder Competitor & I!

JUNE 18, 2005!

The Top 4 in each class: Tammy, Amy, Valerie & Jessica!

Prejudging: One Piece

Prejudging for the one-piece round was the morning of the show. I am starving! Things seemed to go a little slower today but we all seemed to be more comfortable backstage! We had fun visiting and taking pictures! I have really enjoyed being here even if the judges never really looked at me.....They want you to put your time in and hopefully next year I will score higher. I hope my judging card doesnt look like this again!

Photos from www.HARDFITNESS.com

These stage lights are going to set my hair on fire! LOL!

I don't even EAT ICE CREAM! haha!

After Prejudging! TIME TO EAT!!

Mary Lado from Metaire, Louisiana

Mary Lado & I at the Expo!

MET-RX RULES!!

Amy (Class A): First Place!!

Danyelle, Me, Trish & Jodi!

Alexis (In the middle) : She presently had a layout in the
issue of IRONMAN MAGAZINE! Good luck to her!

(left) Melissa from New Orleans: Bodybuilder!

Backstage hanging out!

One-Piece Competition!

Prejudging for the one-piece was tonight. I hated waiting all day for this! It lasted a long time! There are so many girls in the Figure division, about 180 of us, I think. I enjoyed meeting and talking with girls all over the world. It felt so good to be around people who understand what you are going through. People who take care of their bodies and know what exercise and eating healthy can do for onesself. I hung around most of the girls I knew from Louisiana except for Trish who is from Arkansas. I got called out in the 4th round! I guess that wasn't too bad, it put me in the top 20 out of 42. Most of the girls who had done Jr. Nationals before got called out first. A lot of these girls have been competing on the National level for years.

This was my first shoot being oiled! haha!

These pics came from www.hardfitness.com

Umm....my butt glue is coming undone!

The stage lights were soooo bright! These guys kept blotting me off with a rag! It was so embarrasing! I guess I was still holding some water not to mention very nervous! There were 42 girls in my class and they had to fit us all on stage!

Being blinded by all the Photographers!

My line up - 10 at a time

Trish and I back stage waiting for our class to be called out! We are in Class B and get to stand by each other! She got #69 (HAHA) and I am # 70!

Downtown Chicago & Check-In!

We went downtown and shopped a little this morning. I loved the Nike Store! 5 floors of everything! I bought a couple of outfits! I had to get the extra smalls in women. They were still too big but I know that when I start eating regularly again, I will not be this small or lean. I bought a pair of Levis that were just shipped in. They have patches on the legs, so cute! My friend Trish met us at the hotel later that afternoon. She is coming from Arkansas. We went to check-in together. We got a huge bag full of goodies, and were interviewed. There were so many people everywhere! It was great to look around and be among a lot of the people you see in the fitness magazines! Tomorrow is the one-piece round!

LEAVING FOR CHICAGO!!

This morning I gave my final in KINS 102, Aerobic Fitness.....I will be grading papers on the plane to keep my mind occupied and nerves settled...haha! I went to get a massage before leaving. This will hopefully allow my muscles to become more vascular and get rid of any transient fluid buildup I may be having. It felt great even though I was having some trouble relaxing! Go Figure! I carried my gallon of water with me on to the plane along with my food and competition bag holding my suits, paint and other necessities.....I know some girls who have had there luggage lost and had to get a temporary suit to wear for competition. Idefinately don't want that to happen! I was a little nauseated on the way! When we got there I felt kinda weak being as I had hardly eaten anything and carrying my luggage around! We relaxed in the hotel room and watched a movie tonight. Tomorrow we will go downtown!

Cardio!

Well, I tried my suits on one more time during packing to go to Chicago... THIS IS IT! Time to show off all the hard work! :)

This week I am just concentrating on cardio.....I have not touched a weight in awhile! I miss it but I know I already have enough muscle for Figure competitions....Remember, I am not a body builder, there is a difference, at least that is what the NPC is trying to do this year with the 20% softer look stuff, whatever! Anyway, this was my last workout before I leave for Chicago! I performed walking lunges on an inclined treadmill for 10 minutes. ( I really believe this has helped my hamstring/glute tie in alot! I can feel it in all the right places and am very happy with how my backside is turning out....lol....this is the hardest for many woman to look the best, especially since alot of us tend to carry alot of our weight in our hips, thighs and glute areas. I went BIKE RIDING today with Boot Camp Instructor, Scott Caldwell. It was sooo much fun! We rode up the football stadium ramp and then ran some small stadiums and rode back down the ramp again! It was kinda scary going down...I told Scott that I sure hoped the brakes on the bike worked good! We rode around campus a little! The weather was hot and a little breezy! It felt good! I was so happy and enjoyed this workout! We went back to the gym and I did the Elliptical Rider for 10 minutes and went 1 mile......I rested, ate good......Low carbs....I had green beans and Tilapia today only! 5 small meals...... I taught Funk aerobics class and OUCH!! SHIN SPLINTS!!! Very bad! It is crucial that I must let my legs rest, they will get a chance to when I leave tomorrow. I get shin splints alot...Remember to check your shoes and replace them every 3 to 6 months depending on use and intensity levels of your workout. I also have to make sure that I am not overtraining, that can also cause shin splints....The most important thing we can do for our bodies is to listen to it and respond accordingly. INSIDE THE RING OR OUT, AIN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH GOING DOWN. IT'S STAYING DOWN THAT'S WRONG. - Muhammad Ali

Aerobic Fitness Class!

I am really enjoying teaching KINS 102 at ULM. It has been a long time since I was a GA (graduate assistant) in college. I loved teaching classes! I knew this would be something I would want to do long term....Well, the opportunity has presented itself...I have been asked to come on board as a Kinesiology instructor full time in the fall! I am so excited! I have a BS in Physical Education and a M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology.....now, I am ready to pursue my terminal degree, a PHD in Health Services! This prob means that I will have to give up some of my other part time jobs Personal training, teaching aerobic classes and elementary PE......I plan on continuing to compete in Figure competitions in the future! I can't wait ....next week is Jr. National in Chicago!! I have so much to look forward to!

Brook and I : The trophy girls!!

NPC Promotor of "Cajun Classic Bodybuilding & Figure Championships" and Judge: Drew LeBlanc

Cajun Classic Bodybuilding & Figure Competitions 2005!

I enjoyed working the show tonight. I was the trophy girl with the promotors daughter, Brook. We had a blast! The opening was very exciting with load motorcycles and each competitior being introduced as they walked through! The back drop was made up of competitors who won the overall from last year! I nearly fainted when I saw the 14 foot picture of myself! It was pretty cool! I worked out today in Shreveport at Drew LeBlanc's Elite Fitness! My diet is pretty good. I am trying to hold my leanness for Jr. Nationals and Drew is giving me some advice on diet. More people were at the show this year! I enjoyed helping the girls out this morning for prejudging! It was an awesome show!!

THE POWER SHACK GIRLS from Biloxi, Mississippi! If you ever go to a show, check them out.....they sale the BEST SUPPLEMENTS!! I always buy from them! If you have any questions, I promise they have the answers! When I first met them, they impressed me with their knowledge of supplements and nutrition! You can usually expect the Power Shack to be at the shows!

Mike and I.......Mike has been competing in local bodybuilding shows for awhile now! He works out at the gym where I personal Train at...but we never see each other because you will never find me there at 4 AM in the Morning!!

These girls competed in the show here with me last year! We had a great time helping out!

Matt and I.....Matt works for Drew at his gym.....He has been sick alot this year so he will not be competing in the National Wheelchair competitions this year! My prayers go out to you Matt! Take care!

me and my 14 foot back drop! lol

Back Up!

Today, I am feeling better.....my diet is back on track and it is time for CARDIO, CARDIO, CCCCAAAAARRRRRDDDDIIIOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Talking to the judges about my placing after the Southern Classic show has gotten me feeling really confused! Some say, I" look like a bodybuilder, I have too much muscle, I am not lean enough, I don't have enough muscle". GEEZ!! They didn't like my hair, the way I walked, my make up was too dark! GEEZ!! ENOUGH!! I am beginning to wonder !! Ok......I have to say it....POLITICS will follow you wherever you go! This is the one sport where a panel of judges OPINIONS matter on who is first and second!! It is so subjective, there is no telling what place you might get from show to show!! I really like hardfitness.com......It has only been out for a couple of months now. The editorial for this month is very interesting! Check it out! http://www.hardfitness.com/emagazine/issue5/editorial.html Here is a brief summary! Moving to another topic: regional/state shows and nationals, what are the differences? For those competitors who are new or just starting to compete be advised that competing in either show is completely different according to the NPC. The judging is totally different and some of you already know that. Since the only show I attended was the Cal a few days ago I can prove my point. So first thing first, what is a good physique? My understanding is anything that resembles a Pro Figure competitor say Monica Brant for example. Great amount of muscle, quad separation, good symmetry and well conditioned. You can tell the competitor has spend time on building a physique and looks lean enough to showcase their body piece by piece. When shooting someone who is a Pro or close to it you can see excellent muscular development and great symmetry and very lean too. So why would anyone not win a state show if they look like a pro? You would assume that if you have the closest body to a Pro then you would win a state show right? Well, WRONG! we go back to basics it's all about money. The federations people compete are really a big business that should generate more and more money. Figure was invented to generate money not to give athletes who can't tumble a chance. It's like saying "Is that glass of water half full or half empty?" I will always say half empty. So Figure it's a money making scheme rather than a well laid plan for those who want to compete. Look at the Fitness and Bodybuilding competitors at the Cal, barely any to compete. What a shame to have both of the original disciplines decimated to only a handful of competitors. Back to the topic, recently at the Cal one competitor in particular, Shelly Pinkerton was stripped away from taking her class and having a chance at the overall and probably even winning it. Trainer extraordinaire Tony Dodd knows what he is doing and brought in Shelly looking like a Pro. Why did she get 2nd in her class and not first? Politics can be one reason, but behind politics is money. And the photos are perfect proof of what I mean. If you look at the photos you can see great conditioning and shoulder development and also abs. Most people would make the assumption that Pinkerton would take the class. And now we take a close look at a backshot and thing are even more confusing as why Pinkerton didn't take her class. If we look at the photos from the back you can clearly see Pinkerton's glutes holding virtually no water (something more common with National and Pro level competitors), V-taper, and back development. Judges and even other photographers claimed Shelly was way too conditioned and could have done lightweight bodybuilding. If this is the case then a ton of Pro Figure girls would be able to do this. I bet if you placed Pinkerton right on the Pro stage she would have looked like she belonged. But there is a reason on why Shelly Pinkerton didn't win her class. All you have to do is follow the money trail. Being a state show in the Los Angeles area you are bound to have many girls considering entering competitions. So if these girls look at the winners and consider those physiques unattainable then they will not want to compete. The less girls competing means the less money for the promoter. One thing is to have a symmetric but less conditioned athlete beat you or someone who has a similar physique. But the competitor who beat Shelly Pinkerton makes it really confusing. It's pretty much an insult to her and the sport. This was a clear message from the judges telling her to stop doing these state shows and move unto Nationals only. If your physique has muscle and your conditioning is sharp state shows are for your own practice not for a placing. Nationals are what you want, but even there your physique needs to be a step below the pros. An NPC competitor looking much better than a IFBB competitor? Officials wouldn't want to see that. The problem is that the sport should stop catering to the mainstream and trying to make money. A great soccer player doesn't have to be great looking or have a perfect physique, he just has to be good at what he does. Ever since figure started there has been more and more competitors entering these contest and therefore generating more money. Fitness is getting less and less competitors because of its level of difficulty and also the expense regarding putting up a choreography and getting your costume together. Not only is it expensive but there is less and less exposure on the internet and everyone seems to be jumping unto figure. Bodybuilding is not doing very well, fewer competitors want to enter this discipline. If you hand out a trophy to Ms. Olympia and she looks absolutely ripped and super muscular (which I think is fine) then girls entering the sport will have a hard time getting to that point. Steroids play also a big role on the sport, I have talked several competitors who are not willing to take on anabolics. Others want to stop taking them because it's affecting their femininity and their minds. Bodybuilders stepping in figure is now very common and sometimes they are able to do well but most of the time they are still pretty thick compared to the other figure girls. JC

INTERESTING HUH???? It all goes back to what are you, as a competitor, getting out of this? Are you having fun? I ask myself these questions daily! I just want to be a positive role model, especially for my community, my state and of course, my job! Health and Fitness is my life!!

Edward Stanley said, " Those who do not make time for health and fitness will soon have to make time for illness!"

Magnesium Deficiency!

I have been resting since the weekend. It has drained me emotionally and mentally as well as physically. I have been eating anything and everything in sight from Mexican food to Ihop! I don't feel well at all....I have a slight fever and body aches and think my sinuses are starting to act up. I have not worked out since last Wednesday........I go to Jr. Nationals in 2 WEEKS!! I have to get a hold of myself!! so, I decided to go see the Doctor. They took ex rays of my sinuses, they were fine. She listened to my heart and took my blood pressure....It was 132/84.....I am usually about 115/60....my resting heart rate was up to at around 88.....it is usually 68. I could tell my body was fighting something, craving something, wanting something.....my body fat is 9.4% which is very unhealthy......Last year I competed around 11-12% body fat. I decided to take another day off from work and rest. My blood work came back good except that it showed that my magnesium was very low. This could explain my cravings for the past month or so!!!! Cutting out bread, potatoes and regular water cuts out magnesium!! I am taking a magnesium pill now....stronger than the supplements I was taking. I researched this online and found an interesting article! http://www.wholehealthmd.com/hk/articles/view/0,1471,718,00.html Magnesium Deficiency, PMS & Chocolate Needless to say, the combination of sensory characteristics, nutritional profile, and psychoactive compounds, contributes to a sound explanation of why chocolate is so appealing. Some theories suggest that craving chocolate is associated with fluctuations in hormonal changes that occur just before and during the menstrual cycle, which may be the key to why women tend to be the predominant devotees of chocolate. Chocolate cravings may also indicate certain dietary deficiencies such as magnesium. Chocolate as well as cocoa powder contain high amounts of magnesium (100mg/100g and 520mg/100g, respectively), and some studies have shown magnesium supplements to subdue symptoms of craving for chocolate. Chocolate cravings may be a way of compensating for low levels of neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) involved in the regulation of mood and food intake. Studies have shown magnesium deficiency correlates with increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that relays signals of euphoria, well-being, and satisfaction to the brain, is depleted when magnesium deficiency occurs. This may lend some credence to the notion that magnesium deficiency contributes to the increase in chocolate cravings associated with PMS. Whatever the scientific explanation, just remember, you aren't alone in your love of chocolate. According to recent statistics, more than one billion people worldwide consume some form of chocolate every day. Americans eat about 12 pounds of chocolate a year. Date Posted: 02/14/2000 WOW!! I learn something new every day! Without good note taking and documentation of my food intake and supplements and workouts, it would be extremely hard to come up with an answer! I think I have over done my self this year! Like they say, "If it ain't broke, why try and fix it?"

Southern Classic Figure Competitions 2005!

I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. Prejudging was run by the Vice President of the NPC, Mr. Peter Poter. I have never met him before. He had us figure girls running around in circles on stage this morning. He wanted to put us in these weird diagonals. There were 14 girls in my division this year...After prejudging, I went to take a nap...I was exhausted! It is hard to stay contracted on stage and hold your body tight for long periods of time. Some of the girls in the dressing room who had never competed before made the statement about Figure being alot of work....Hell Yes, It's WORK! the training, the dieting, the painting of your body, your suits, your hair, your makeup, your shoes, your nails, your toenails...............Everything involves work!!! The way you carry yourself on and off stage, your stage presence, your attitude, etc....... We exchanged recipes backstage while waiting to go on.....alot of the girls were from Mississippi. The night show seemed soooooooooooooooo long....It was almost 2 hours in between us going out on stage again to be presented the awards...I was tired and my back ached!! The show had 142 competitiors in all divisions, the most ever!! The time has come to announce the Figure short winners, 5 of us go home with trophy's while 9 of us go home empty handed.........I GOT SECOND PLACE!!!! Some of the audience booed as they called me at second! My heart crushed, my breath collapsed! I had come in so much leaner and tighter than last year....I had better abs, back and leg developement than first place! I didn't understand what I did wrong!! I was sick! The 20% softer rule had indeed effected my placing! After talking to the judges, I knew that I had ran into my first show that involved.....POLITICS!

2 piece round

This is me and Victoria....she competed in both Figure and Fitness. She is 13 years old and has never touched a weight. She has a back ground in gymnastics and is from Atlanta, Georgia! She will be going to Nationals again this year to compete! Good luck!!

Back stage WAITING AND WAITING!!....lol

Betty Hollis, NPC National Judge and Promotor of Southern Classic Figure competition show in Jackson, Mississippi

2nd Place??

1st Place??