Sandy's photos 8 weeks out from the show.
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free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 8:34 am

This is Sandy’s photos 8 weeks out from the show. She has been concentrating on gaining muscle mass the last few years and is a little “heavy” at 5 foot tall and 137 pounds at the time of this photo. I would estimate that she is somewhere between 15% and 20% bodyfat, BUT, it is located almost exclusively in the midsection area. Her legs are as tight as can be, the arms, chest and shoulders are tight too. Only the midsection needs work and that is what she is focusing on 100%. That means a LOT of cardio now to burn off the excess bodyfat. If we can get her down to at least 10% bodyfat by show time, she will weigh about 127 pounds and will look very tight and acceptably good for the contest.

We will update these photos every week so that you can watch the changes in our bodies right up to show time. This will be very interesting and I’ll keep you informed of how we eat and how we exercise to achieve the look.

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 8:59 am

Well that is interesting. I posted my 8 week out photos on a different thread. Sandy's photos are still posted and my whole thread with my photos has disappeared! Hmmmm.... I don't think there was anything inappropriate about it, so why did it get removed?

John

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 9:52 am

Hi John! I never even saw the post with your photos in it..Sandy has incredible muscularity! She's a short-twitch gal for sure! My sister used to compete so I know how grueling the preparation can be! I don't see any reason why these pics would get deleted. I think it is great!! I'd love to hear more about the diet (protein to carbs ratio, how many mini-meals are you guys having) and just all the highs and lows that go along with show preparation! Congratulations to both of you!! Tell Sandy she's a babe!
pudoodles

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 9:57 am

Pudoodles wrote:

Hi John! I never even saw the post with your photos in it..Sandy has incredible muscularity! She's a short-twitch gal for sure! My sister used to compete so I know how grueling the preparation can be! I don't see any reason why these pics would get deleted. I think it is great!! I'd love to hear more about the diet (protein to carbs ratio, how many mini-meals are you guys having) and just all the highs and lows that go along with show preparation! Congratulations to both of you!! Tell Sandy she's a babe!
pudoodles

I agree. I would also to hear about process of the diet and workouts. I think Sandy looks great. I used to date a bodybuilder, so I am fully aware of the grueling regimen in getting ready for competition.

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 9:58 am

I did not see the other thread John so I do not know about that. I do know that threads are disappearing left, right and centre some are obviously inflammatory but some well it is anybodys guess.

You and Sandy must be very disciplined and very focused. I am sure that she will achieve her goal and she looks fab.

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 9:59 am

Sandy works really hard at it...and keep in mind, she turned 50 last December and has 4 grown girls and 8 grandchildren with 2 more on the way.

I'll keep you posted on the eating habits and workouts. Then you can associate the photos with how we are training. The percentage of protein, carbs and essential fats will change dramatically as the weeks get closer to showtime.

OK, here are my 8 week photos since the original post disappeared for some reason...

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 10:06 am

This week and currently we are eating about 6 or 7 times per day: 6am, 9:30am, noon, 3pm, 7pm, 10pm and sometimes if we wake in the night we'll catch a protein shake.

The meals are not huge. They are generally small and well proportioned with about 60% complex carbs, 30% protein and 10% essential fats such as flax seed oil or chia seed oil and the fats that come from the foods we eat.

As the weeks go on we'll switch to about 50% protein, 45% carbs and 5% essential fats.

In the last few weeks before the show we will "carb deplete" which means almost 0% carbs, nearly 95% protein and almost no fat. Two days out from the show we will "carb load" eating almost 100% complex carbs like brown rice, pasta, sweet potato and things like that. In that way, we will burn off body fat with ease, and then when the body is starving for carbs you "load" which makes your muscles swell up but still stay defined. The effect lasts for about 3 days, and if you hit the timing right, you will look as huge as possible and as defined as possible on the day of the show. Sodium will also be restricted the last couple of days, because sodium makes you retain water, which can end up under the skin and conceal muscle definition. And, we will drink a lot of water the whole time which actually flushes excess water out of your system and allows the skin to look as tight on your muscles as possible.

John

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 10:26 am

You both looked great! Is it tough to follow such strict diet and exercise programs all the time? I was talking to my bf yesterday that it's cool to eat right most of the time, but it's fun to splurge once in a while. I just had a slice of mudd pie the other day. YUMMY!!! That's one of my weakness. I was surprised I could stop with just one slice. Bad Grin

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 10:48 am

I'll tell you bkkgirl, it gets very TOUGH to get ready for a show. NO CHEATING ALLOWED! You may want (crave is more like it) something sweet, or something off diet, but you CAN'T HAVE IT. Then, during the carb deplete time, the energy level just about goes to zero, yet we still have to lift weights and hit cardio. You literally start feeling like a zombie. And, it's easy to snap and get angry during that time too. Sandy and I have to concentrate very hard not to snap on each other. I think the worst part of it is co-workers that think it is "fun" to show you the "good" stuff that they are eating like ice cream, cake, candy bars, and stuff like that and literally laugh about it! They have no clue how close to the "edge" we are and that we need support, not criticism at that time. Luckily, we are experienced at this and know to expect it, so we are able to ignor it.

John

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 11:09 am

John, I would love to see the photos. Can you PM me the link?

Thanks!

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 11:17 am

John - isn't the day before and the day-of competition almost twilight zone-ish? I remember my sister even limiting water intake...and talking about some people being lucky to have "thin" skin instead of "thick" skin...just wild stuff! At shows, I always felt compelled to cheer like crazy for everyone (not just my sister)...YOu can tell that these people put every ounce of everything they've got into that one day on stage...the level of discipline required to get to that level is just unreal to me.
pudoodles

edited: I didn't mean at all to suggest that participants were "strange" by using the twilight zone reference..just meant that what goes into the competition is almost unbelievable.. Smile

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 11:34 am

No offense taken pudoodles! You DO feel like you are in the twilight zone two days out from the show right up through the show!! With no carbs, your energy level is zero, your brain function is slowed. Without electrolites like sodium, the heart has to beat without the usual amount of "electrical" signal that it usually gets. People stand onstage and feel lightheaded...I've seen some pass out. The controllers backstage have carbo-load energy drinks ready to force into any competitor that appears to be "to far" into carb depletion.

Backstage, after the show it looks like a feeding frenzy!! They usually supply carb drinks, and candy and EVERYBODY is slamming junk food at an alarming rate! Got to go easy on that though because you can feel really sick really fast that way.

Because of all the protein everybody has been eating, you would not believe the amount of farting that goes on both onstage and backstage. Protein is hard to digest and creates a lot of gas. It's almost comical!

You are absolutely right, you should applaud everybody because the sacrifice and effort required is super-human to the point of almost being dangerous. I had a blood test done (because of the melanoma scare) right after a show, and the readings came back all screwed up. My body was in "ketosis" which means it was feeding off of itself, which is also a symptom of some cancers or liver problems. The doctor was totally alarmed until I told him about the show. Then he questioned why I would put myself though such a thing....

...had to think about that one. But, I guess I am trying to beat father time anyway possible, and I want to stay in shape for as long as possible. Not just in shape, but superhero shape, if you know what I mean. It can be an * spam alert * too. You have to have the right personality for it to not go too far. Some competitors have died from electrolyte and water restriction in the pro level.

John

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 11:36 am

John C. Hill wrote:

I'll tell you bkkgirl, it gets very TOUGH to get ready for a show. NO CHEATING ALLOWED! You may want (crave is more like it) something sweet, or something off diet, but you CAN'T HAVE IT. Then, during the carb deplete time, the energy level just about goes to zero, yet we still have to lift weights and hit cardio. You literally start feeling like a zombie. And, it's easy to snap and get angry during that time too. Sandy and I have to concentrate very hard not to snap on each other. I think the worst part of it is co-workers that think it is "fun" to show you the "good" stuff that they are eating like ice cream, cake, candy bars, and stuff like that and literally laugh about it! They have no clue how close to the "edge" we are and that we need support, not criticism at that time. Luckily, we are experienced at this and know to expect it, so we are able to ignor it.

John

Wow, those co-workers are mean. So sorry! Well, I guess they're probably not mean, but just ignorant. Have you told them to not do that and explain to them how it is (on edge, etc)? Maybe then they'll start to be more sensitive if they know it is really not that funny to you. That's so amazing you and Sandy can do this all the time. I don't have that kind of willpower.

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 3:50 pm

This is a question born of complete ignorance...so not mean spirited at all..just seriously curious at why yall are doing this? It has to be very unhealthy to unbalance your body by depleting it of such needed substances...if one can faint onstage, and your heart is working in a way it was not intended.

Not to mention you just do this extreme stuff during competition time right? So the yo-yo thing the body must be going thru is pretty rough right?

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 4:14 pm

John - You and Sandy look really good. So much dedication and discipline. Goodluck!

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 4:35 pm

To be quite honest Melissa, it is a little crazy. The whole thing started off back in the 50s as a health conscious thing to do. But, contests started to lean to the more "ripped" look. Competitors started coming into the shows with less and less bodyfat, until the extreme was reached which I would put around the early 80s. It's gotten even more extreme since then. When I had that doctor checkup and he saw the weird blood test results he was also concerned that I was doing harm, as was I.

My justification for doing it is a self-discipline thing I guess. It amazes me how you can manipulate diet and exercise to make such radical changes in your body in a rather short amount of time. For instance, I'm going to lose about 12 pounds over the next 8 weeks getting ready for this show. AND, I'll look larger and more muscular than I do now! That's the amazing part and it is fun to achieve. But, you can't hold that look forever, only just for a few days around show time. After that, we go right back to 60% carbs, 30% protein, 10% essential fats and feel and function like normal again. We will look a little "softer" but we will still look very tight and muscular. So, it is not really dangerous if done carefully, and maybe only once or twice per year, max.

John

free skin care · Mon May 07, 2007 4:42 pm

Ok thanks, it just seems to be a lot on the system! and good luck!

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