Staying healthy in Competition Prep - Bikini fitness

Is competition preparation unhealthy and what can we do stay as healthy as possible as a competitor?

Competition prep doesn't need to be unhealthy but it really depends on the individual and how they deal with certain aspects of preparation in and out of contest. Firstly we need to understand that in order to compete you sometimes need to take your body beyond it's limits particularly if you have a hard time getting lean, building and retaining muscle or are not consistent with diet, it is under these circumstances that unfortunately not the healthiest of choices are made. The stage 'look' often requires a lower body fat level than most people's bodies naturally are uncomfortable with. Some athletes may find during competition season menstruation may stop, this is not always the case however, it certainly isn't for me and a large number of the athletes I train, but does and can happen usually due to low oestrogen levels and stress to the body. I have been competing for five years with no health complications to mention. I have found as an athlete and a trainer consistency is the key to staying as healthy as you can be whilst competing. I have trained a huge number of women and competitive bikini fitness athletes who are perfectly healthy whose weight doesn't fluctuate greatly in and out of contest, however there is no denying that there have been some cases where competing just isn't for them both physically and emotionally.

 The most important factor in staying healthy is diet and nutrition. It is important to not yoyo diet, binge, starve or over eat because in time you can slow your metabolism. The biggest mistake a competitor can make is putting on a lot of weight after a show. Your body will be more susceptible to gaining weight after a period of low calories and stress. It is important therefore to increase calories slowly and gradually. This is easier said than done in most cases. We also need to remember that you had to work hard to be stage shape and if you stop working hard and return to your 'old' eating habits then your body won't stay the same, having said that trying to remain stage lean all year isn't particularly healthy either. The next biggest mistake is setting a deadline which is unrealistic or too soon to get the weight off either from the beginning or after a contest. I have advised competitors in the past to pull out of shows or that they are not ready to compete or simply need more time but if the competitor is insistent then they will find themselves doing more and more cardiovascular training, eating less and less calories and resorting to an array of fat burners to make a date. This practise does result in a slowed metabolic rate as the body tries to protect itself. Some people also find if they 'diet' for long and sustained periods of time that their body will stop responding, as mentioned before we are taking our body to it's limits and body fat needs to be lower than the average person, sporting athlete or model. Most people's bodies will resist dropping Bodyfat once it reaches a certain point. This is generally essential fat which is required for hormonal function. It is common to just keep on cutting calories and adding more training at this point, whilst this may or may not work short term, it can slow metabolic processes down and cause someone to hold onto body fat while eating less and less.

 My best advice is to give yourself enough time to prepare so you are not in a position to need to severely cut calories. If you find a particular diet is not working after a certain period of time, maybe it needs changing rather than simply cutting calories. For example you might be eating a carbohydrate rich diet with relatively low fats so you might find switching over to a diet higher in fat and lower in carbs and proteins may help you. Doing the same type of training over and over again has a similar affect. Your body will get used to whatever you do, it will become more efficient at a particular type of exercise. I would recommend changing up your resistance program periodically and making sure you do not do the same type of cardiovascular training everyday, the key is to mix it up, maybe you could rotate steady state, intervals and HIIT. Instead of adding more minutes, maximise the time you do have. Having said this, a deadline that is too short, is too short end of story and there aren't many 'healthy' practises than be employed at this stage.

 Take responsibility your own actions, recognise if you have been over eating, binging or are putting on excessive amounts of weight. Recognise if you have an unhealthy relationship with food, which is extremely common in female athletes across the board. If you have a show coming up that is unrealistic, move your show date to the next one. Stay consistent with your nutrition don't over eat and don't do extra cardio to make up for it or binge then starve the next day. Have regular health checks and blood tests to make sure you have no pre-existing conditions or what you are doing is not affecting you adversely. If you are doing the same cardio everyday then do something different. Pay attention to what you are doing and make sure your goal is realistic. If you have been training for less than a year, it's unlikely you will end up looking like a professional athlete at the end of twelve weeks, no matter who your coach is or how hard you are willing to work. If you aim for longevity in bikini fitness competitions it is important not to rush the process. Sometimes it's easy to caught up emotionally and set yourself a deadline then complain when you don't make it or have to train harder or longer to make it or wind up worse off for it. It is very easy to blame someone or something if things didn't go well but you must first look at your own practises. As an adult you have a choice, granted there are many trainers and coaches out there that give advice that might or might not work for you but its important to stay in tune with yourself and stay honest about what you are doing and what is realistic to achieve. Competing is not easy and it's certainly not for everyone, achieving a high standard physique does not happen over night.

 There however, many positives to competing that shouldn't be lost sight of, I for one have found mainly positive experiences during the time I have competed. There have been ups and downs of course but I am thankful to have found a love for 'fitness' and weight training and all of the people I have met along the way. I have learnt a lot about the human mind and body through my own training and training a number of other, things that cannot be learnt from a textbook. I have travelled the World competing in Europe, Russia and USA, I am passionate about Bikini Fitness and am happy I am able to share my experiences with others.

 Michelle Brannan www.michellebrannan.com
www.showgirlfitness.com

Sponsorship in the Fitness Industry

What does it mean to be a sponsored athlete? It is every competitors dream to be sponsored by a brand but what does this entail and what should you expect? There are many types of sponsorship but when it comes down to it comes down to two main types; 1. Paid contract The athlete is paid a wage to represent a brand, in return you might need attend photoshoots, events amongst other obligations. In mainstream sports or where the athlete is very well known, he or she has to to do very little in terms of work, instead they allow the brand to use their name. On the other end of the scale this type of contract is more like a part time job, the athlete is paid to attend events, store openings, use of images in return for cash and where applicable - product. This type of sponsorship is the least common in the UK fitness / supplement industry but is obviously the most desirable. 2. Non paid or Product only The athlete is given product in return for using images, appearing at events etc. Expenses are usually covered. Sometimes the brand will pay ad hoc for working on stands and other projects. Brand Ambassador is a term that can be used for either paid or product only depending on what is agreed. Product only sponsorship is perfectly acceptable if it is of mutual benefit, the competitor gets supplements or products that they would otherwise pay for and the brand gets a model and a marketing tool. However far too often supplement companies offer 'sponsorship' to competitors with a range of contractual obligations which far outweigh any benefit to the athlete. I have had personal experience a few years ago of being offered a product only sponsorship with a huge brand name, I was offered an allocation of product (at retail price not trade) and in return I would need to permit use of my image, attend up to eight events a year with expenses only covered, write monthly blogs, generate weekly social media interest and take part in other such marketing activities. For me this is unacceptable at any level. I would have been more than happy at the time to have permitted use of my images, written materials and promoted the products and if possibly work 1 trade show if travel and accommodation was covered. Over and above that I would expect to be paid for my time. If I offered you 'sponsorship' with Tesco but in actual fact the deal was to sit on the till a couple times a month to get an allocation of free food and a tesco t shirt... Would you call this sponsorship or a part time job? If it is a part time job then the competitor needs to decide whether the equivalent pay is acceptable. Do you get enough product for your time? Is it worth it? So let's look at the pros and cons of product only sponsorship Benefits - Free allocation of product - Promotion of the athlete which can then be used by the athlete to sell their own products and services - The feeling of being part of a team Drawbacks - Most competitors are self employed so if they are required to take time out of their paid jobs to work for the brand they are actually worse off financially The pro's for supplement company are great, they basically get access to a model, a promotions person and very cheap marketing in return for a very small price because the competitor is usually given products at retail value not trade. If a company were to hire a model or promotions staff they would need to pay the going rate, I have seen unpaid 'athletes' at fitness working alongside paid promotions staff... and guess who looks better? It is important to consider your situation before getting wrapped up in the term 'sponsorship'. Sponsorships with supplement company's do not help you win shows, at least not in this country. I for one am happy to endorse a product if I am sent free product. I can then help to promote that brand via social media, interviews, web links etc but to call myself a sponsored athlete just to have my supplements covered I do not think is justified. Other things that an competitor has to take care of apart from supplements: - food - travel - accommodation - personal presentation (tan make up hair) - suits and shoes - personal sacrifice - supplements not covered by their sponsor (vitamins etc) - gym memberships - coaching / posing fees Make sure you place some value on your time and don't get into a situation which is of no real benefit to you.

2013 Contest season

The contest season for me is over for 2013 so I decided to update my blog... This year I have competed in three IFBB Pro shows over a three month period. I placed 2nd at the Nordic Pro, I completed my dream of competing at the Olympia and placed 4th in EVLS Prague Pro at the weekend. The Prague show was quite small but the line up was made up of the top European girls, the titles between us included Amateur World & European Champions 2011 and 2012, Arnold Classic and European Champion 2011, Amateur Olympia winners 2011 and 2012, British Grand Prix Pro Bikini Champion and the Nordic Pro Champion. I competed 5lbs heavier than I did in 2012 and I am happy with the improvements I made to my upper body, glutes and hamstrings. I changed my training after my 9th place finish in Toronto on my 30th birthday in June 2012 and decided to focus a little more on improving these areas. Looking at the pictures I can always find something to improve and have to be very careful not to become obsessed and have to remember to view myself objectively and not home in on areas I dislike, we can all be too hard on ourselves if we allow ourselves to be. Competing is being judged on stage in very little clothing against other women (or men) so its very easy to get wrapped up in the quest for perfection and comparing yourself to others or the winner and thinking, ok maybe I need to look a little more like that... but in reality you really have no control over anyone but yourself, you can never control how others look and how the judges view the competitors, whether you think they look better or worse than you, it doesn't really matter. What matters is you and your own personal journey. What matters is you did your best and you improved upon last time or where you started from and if you didn't, take it as a learning experience. People compete for many different reasons and you have to remember those reasons because you will not always be the winner, if winning is your only goal you will be very disappointed very quickly. Don't get me wrong it feels great to win, best feeling ever but it wont happen each time, you got to have a few knock backs to realise that any day you place in a show is a good day. So I have finished the show and the first thought in my mind isn't 'what can I eat' as I thought it would be, it is 'What show can I do next so I can come in looking better than that' I am already looking at the calendar and checking flights but I have to stop myself as like I said, it is very easy to get wrapped up in the quest for perfection, if there is such a thing. At this point in time, what I really need to do is to take time to appreciate what I have done and what I have achieved, because if I don't then where is the joy in the already accomplished? If you never take the time to appreciate and be happy with what you have then you will never be happy. This doesn't mean to stay I don't strive for more but there is a difference. Don't get on the wild goose chase and lose yourself in the process. For me the things I need to spend time to appreciate include travelling to seven different countries this year and competing in my 14th show (half of those IFBB Pro league shows) and making history in being first person from UK to win an IFBB pro show and compete at the Olympia in the Bikini class. Five out of my seven Pro shows I have placed in the top five which is great. These are all things to be thankful and grateful for. I also run a coaching team called Showgirl Fitness (www.showgirlfitness) with over 50 girls Worldwide, training not just to compete but also to feel better about themselves and the way they look. This year five of my competitive girls qualified for the British Finals and one took 3rd place in a very tough line up with the top amateur competitors in UK. I have met so many women through coaching whose personal journeys inspire me and I have made some great friends. I feel happy to have built that network and hopefully I can offer support and inspiration to them. I am writing regularly for Muscle and Fitness magazine which I am really excited about, the opportunity to write about things relevant to me and what I do is something I am thankful for. I got married in June, I feel very lucky to have met someone who shares the same interests as me and we understand each other. For the rest of the year I have planned some non fitness activities to do with my husband, who also competes, we are going to Mexico in December for a holiday. We bought a camera so we are going to try out our own photography so that should also be fun. I am also looking forward to Christmas with my family. Contest diets do make you appreciate food more so I am looking forward to eating a wider variety of foods :) If you have just competed or have taken part in an event or just strive to be better in anything you do, at work or at home then make sure you take the time to appreciate your journey and what you have have achieved, in my opinion, the only way to move forward is to appreciate what you already have, then you are ready to receive more.

Right and wrongs of a Bikini Competitor

There seems to be so much talk on how Bikini competitors should train, how much to eat, how much cardio to do and what is right and wrong... usually by male coaches (no offence but seems to be the trend) I thought I should put my two pence in.... 

Firstly, there is no right way and no 'one' way of doing things, otherwise the stage would be a very empty place. There are many different body shapes successfully competing... Some are softer, harder, more muscular, a little more curvy etc that others, it is generally what suits the individual best. 

From my experience Bikini competitors are not big girls or overly muscular, average competition weight for a girl 5 foot 3 to 5 foot 6 ranges between approx 110lbs to 125lbs lean. Bikini competitors train hard with weights at 4-6 days a week and most I know do daily cardio anywhere from 30 mins to 120 mins a day, depending on the individual, again there is no right or wrong, different people need different things. Average calories in a contest diet, in my humble experience ranges from 1300- 2000 cals a day... 

Cheats

During this contest prep I have done away with 'cheats' and replaced with low fat 'carb reloads', I feel way better and have less chocolate / cake cravings. I have an insatiable appetite for sweet things and when dieting I am lower carb than non diet as overall calories are lower, this makes sweet cravings really bad. By cutting out the chocolate / cakes completely I have less cravings. A carb reload ensure muscle glycogen stores are refuelled helping with carbohydrate / sugar cravings and helps me train harder and have more energy. If you are in constant glycogen depletion, it can be very difficult to train effectively.

I find this much more useful than a fat overload on cheat day which general makes you feel like crap... As my cheats are now not to 'keep me sane' or for social reasons as they were before I just have the reload when needed which might not be every week...

'We can treat it like its the end of the world' (2012 Chris Brown)

I realise it's been ten months since my last blog update, so many things have happened and 2012 is drawing to a close so I thought it be a perfect time to evaluate my year and tell you about my experiences.

In 2012 I started competing for the IFBB pro league, I turned 30, I won my first professional show and qualified for Olympia 2013, I ended a long term relationship and I travelling to some new places including United States (New York, St Louis, Florida), Canada (Toronto), Portugal, Germany, Tenerife and Czech Republic. 

In March I competed at St Louis Pro Bikini and placed 4th, I was pleased with my result and very happy to have completed my pro debut, I got some good feedback from the judges and looked forward to my next contest.  On 1st June I competed on my 30th birthday in Toronto and placed 9th. I must admit I was not happy with the result but on reflection I feel grateful to even be on the pro stage when there are so many amateur competitors that do not get that opportunity.  After Toronto, I remember coming off stage and thinking to myself 'I'm never doing that again' but it's all about perspective and discovering what you want.  Did I really want to give up the sport?  I would be lost without it and I hadn't achieved all that i wanted to do so  I decided to work on some weaknesses and not give up on my dreams.  I work with Shannon Dey who told me I needed to gain a bit of weight in order to improve, which basically meant I would not be in a calorie deficit so I could develop muscle.   If I'm honest I do struggle with this mentally and physically  but I did my best and I think I made some improvements.  In October I competed at the very first pro bikini event in the UK, British Grand Prix, and placed first. This will always be a memorable experience for me, to have so much support in my home country was amazing.  I qualified for Olympia 2013 which is a dream come true.  Last year I wrote in my blog that I reached my goal of getting a Pro card and this year I am so happy to write that I reached my goal of qualifying for the Olympia.  The week after the British Grand Prix,  I went to Prague to compete at EVL Pro Bikini, I took part in the show with no expectations as I already had the Olympia invite. I placed 5th in a good line up.  Each time you get on stage, you learn something new. I am grateful for the experience. 

In my personal life, I ended a seven year relationship that did not make me happy, my partner was not really supportive and I allowed things to happen that I should not have. Competing can be pretty isolating if you do not have a decent set of people around you, it's definitely not a team sport and travelling alone is not always fun.  I think this year I have grown as a person and my experiences have made me stronger.  I would like to think I am older and wiser and will not make the same mistakes in life.  

Next year I look forward to completing my competitive dream of being the first UK IFBB Bikini Pro on the Olympia stage. I look forward to being able to continue to train and improve my physique and enjoying what training gives me.  Training is my way of life, maybe one day I will give up competing but I will never give up the gym.  There have been days when the gym has been my only friend.  Days when I felt like not getting out of bed but I go to the gym and I feel good again.  Training is not just about the physical body it's about strengthening the mind. It gives me discipline, it gives me strength and courage, allows me time to think things through, evaluate my life and see clearly. 

So 2012 was about 'Doing the things you are most scared of' and for 2013?

Escutar com o coração, confiar em si mesmo - listen with your heart, trust in yourself

How do you monitor your weight loss progress?

How do you monitor your weight loss progress? Weight on the scales? Looking in the mirror? Dress size? Body fat calliper tests? This is an interesting subject as the traditional weight on the scales method does not always reflect what is happening to your body. When embarking on a fitness regime, many people are frustrated that the scales do not move or do not move in the right direction. Before I started my fitness program in 2009, my weight was similar to what it is now but I was 21% body fat and now depending on where I am in my contest prep can be anywhere from 11-14%, I weigh on the scales pretty much the same. Okay, so what about body fat tests? In my experience, gym machines are not that accurate and unless you are able to go on a flotation tank, the calliper test or the skin fold site test is probably the most reliable. What are the draw backs with the calliper tests? Well, you are reliant on the accuracy of the trainer to take a measurement from EXACTLY the same site each time and how experienced and skilled the individual is at separating the skin from the muscle. I do get my body fat tested but I use the same trainer each time so there is no room for variation, different people can differ up to 10% each time!! Another thing to consider is water, calliper tests do not take into account water retention under the skin particularly on the Suprailiac and abdomen site. As the body fat percentage is calculated as a total percent of your body, how are silicone implants accounted for? A larger set of implants will make the individual appear heavier indicating the individual has more lean mass than they actually do which in turn will give a lower body fat reading. Another important point to note is that the standard Poliquin Bio signature 12 point calliper test total percentage calculation does NOT include the lower body measurements, in my opinion this is a flaw to the system as many women store the most fat in the lower body, glutes and thighs. My advice on the calliper test is that it can be a useful tool in looking at individual sites, for example if you have changed your diet or training you may want to monitor what part of the body is gaining or losing fat, many factors can influence this including stress, diet and hormonal changes…

What else can you do if you cannot rely solely on the scale and the calliper test? In my opinion the best way to measure your progress is to take and compare regular photographs, record your weight as a guide at the same time each day, preferably in the morning and take the circumference measurements of your hips, waist, thighs etc. and if you wish have a calliper test done by a reputable trainer (I personally use Shaun Stafford as he is the most skilled reliable practitioner of the Bio signature modulation in London www.shaunstaffordtraining.com). You can then look at the picture as a whole. What you should be looking for is, of course depending on your goals and preferences, are marked improvements in comparison pictures and a reduction in the circumferences in waist and positive changes in the circumference of hips, thighs etc. You should also become familiar of your best weight according to how you look rather than what you think you should weigh or what you weighed when you were a teenager! The best way to see where you are really at is open your eyes and be honest with yourself. One point to note that sometimes we can actually be too hard on ourselves so it helps to have someone else look at you or try to look at yourself as if you were looking at a friend.

There is no magic. No supplement, no special exercise, no cabbage soup diet to the rescue. If you want to change the shape of your body, it will come with CONSISTENT training and clean diet, working out your daily macronutrient breakdown and knowing how much you should be eating for your height/weight and goals

2011 is coming to an end and I am reflecting on the year and my fitness journey which only began in 2009. After waiting eight weeks for my drug test results (I was randomly selected for doping control in Serbia) and some administration time, my IFBB Pro card finally arrived in the post this morning.

I thought I would feel excited and of course I am excited but with that excitement was a little bit of fear. No turning back now. I have booked my flights, I have the application for my first pro show in my hand. Looking in the mirror, I don't look the best I've ever looked, being just after Christmas. You find yourself asking the question 'Can I really do this?'

I remember being backstage in Athens waiting to perform at a Latin Festival, dancing for a Salsa group called Diablo at the same event as Marc Anthony and thinking  'What am I doing here??'.  The dance group were twice European Team Salsa Champions, all proper dancers. I thought to myself  'I am not a trained dancer, why can't I stay at home and watch TV like everyone else, why do I put myself through this?'  Anyway we did the show, I was scared to death, but we did it. Credit to the great dancers and great choreographer (Laith Sami).  Now when getting on stage for a contest, I look back and I take some of that feeling and think 'Yes you know what? I can do this.'

Fear is the biggest thing that holds us back in life but what is the worst that can happen? There is no reality without perceived reality. By doing one thing you open the door to the next and you can always take something from it. Even if it is to understand what is for you and what is not for you. So many talented people do not realise their potential, I don't know whether it is due to lack of resources or lack of dedication but someone once told me 'you don't have to be the best dancer in the world, success is 10% talent and 90% dedication.' I said I don't want to do this dance (ballroom Latin) if I can't be the best and that is what she said to me. Looking back now I did give up that dance out fear, I started dancing at 18 and I saw these young kids dancing better than me and I was scared I could never be good. One of my biggest regrets in life to date. But on the plus side I found Lambada and I learnt to dance a beautiful dance and met so many people in different countries. All you need is the will and the belief.... but also the flexibility of mind to be able to roll with the waves.

2012 ~ Do the things you are most scared of.

How important is weight training and diet?

I am asked this question a lot so I thought it would be something I should write about…

In the beginning, training for me was primarily a way to keep in shape as a dancer (my main problem was fat around the middle and the dreaded love handles).  I didn't really know how to eat well, I just thought to myself ‘Okay, I'm 25 years old (this was a few years ago) and things aren't as good as they used to be so I better get down the gym, get on the cross trainer and do a few leg machines’ Sound familiar?  I then thought ‘Okay, cut down on the chocolate bars and wine’ and yes I lost a bit of body fat.  I have always been a UK size 8 so I never can proclaim to be slimmer of the year or anything so if I weigh the same, wear the same clothes as before what's the big deal?   Why do I now train 5-6 days a week? I now train mainly for aesthetics as I compete but in the process I am much fitter and healthier too.

The way I see it is, if I'm going to train for weight loss or for fitness, I might as well do exercises that make me look better in the process not just become a slimmer version of myself.  By this I mean, for example, I use cardio equipment that engage the glutes and shape the legs, not just long distance running or the cross trainer for general fat loss.  I weight train to specifically target weak areas and don't do exercises that will give me a shape I am not happy with such as big traps or a thick waist.  Weight training is a great way to lose body fat also.

I did not understand diet before I started studying to be a PT and researching training methods for contest, which was a problem because I just imagined you could eat what you liked providing the calories were worked off.  Someone actually posted something interesting on my wall about diet basically indicating that they also believed a person could eat what they chose to as long as they burn it off i.e. the calories in calories out theory… a bit like the weight watcher points system…   For me this is not right.  Eating a good diet is not just about being slim and getting away with it, it is not about cheating myself so I can eat a ‘Big Mac’ a day and still be within my calories for the day.  Would that make me healthy?  Will I have the energy to train consistently week in week out and not get ill? Will I look very nice? I think you know the answer.

Before training with weights, my only form of exercise was dance (cardio) and I used to eat a diet which was basically a ‘free for all’, I would eat whatever I wanted and never even thought about it.  I would incorporate curries, chocolate, cakes, sweets, fried foods, wine etc and whilst I didn’t really eat a great deal, I did have three meals a day and probably I burnt off pretty much what I was eating through dancing but the point is this, I still had body fat around the middle but was a size eight.

This for me clearly indicates the type of training you do and the macro nutrient breakdown of a diet does matter.  Eating regular small meals made up of the right balance of carbs, protein and fats for your body type and energy output can enable you to have the right amount of energy to workout, be healthy, kick the metabolism into gear and be healthy all at the same time. I am still a size 8 in clothes but my body fat is around 8-10% lower than it was before I started my new way of training and eating and I weigh roughly the same, maybe a few pounds less and I do not have love handles.

I believe that eating a low GI diet is important for managing belly fat.  Carbohydrates with a lower glycocemic index break down at a slower rate during digestion and release glucose at a slower rate into the bloodstream therefore having less impact on insulin levels in the body. Abdominal obesity has been linked to high blood insulin levels.  In short, if someone were eat high GI meals, the pancreas would rapidly release insulin in an attempt to regulate and lower blood sugar levels.  Insulin acts to convert blood sugar to a type of fat called triglycerides, studies have linked triglycerides to increased fat stores around the abdomen.  Also, a  crash in blood sugar levels, which usually happens after the body has released too much insulin after the consumption of a high GI meal, can also cause sugar cravings.  This is why it is import to eat regularly to avoid craving sweet things…   This being said I do enjoy a cheat meal once or twice a week, I believe if you eat well most of the time then the odd cheat will not have an adverse effect on the body, in fact it has been said that the occasional insulin spike can be good for the metabolism.

Training and diet go hand in hand, you cannot really do one without the other, the foods you eat will fuel your workouts and help shape your body.  If you train but do not eat the right foods, your body will not drop body fat, build lean tissue and you may cause injuries through being overweight and placing uneven strain on the body.

A good weight training programme that is designed with short rest intervals and multi joint exercises is far better than cardio alone for fat loss and using a combination of weight training and cardio will help you become stronger, increase stamina and endurance and if you choose the right type of exercises you can actually shape your body in the process.   

So next time you are in the gym consider what is it you are actually doing and whether the exercises are going to help you achieve the look you want and next time you reach for your food, consider what it is you are eating and what you are doing to your body.

Hey,  well its been 6 weeks since my last contest and I am pleased with my competitive achievements this year, my next contest now will be in March 2012 when I am planning to spend some time with Team Bombshell in Daytona Beach and then onto the St Louis Pro show. I am also going to compete in the New York Pro in May and want to spend September in US to do another show and go to the Olympia in Vegas!!  How exciting… It is my dream to compete at the Olympia but its going to be tough to qualify as from 2012 the rules change, only 1st place in a regional pro show gets an invite whereas previously top2 or 3 get through.  I can see why they are doing this as the Olympia should be the best of the best but this just means I will be working harder than ever!!!

So is it off season for me right now?  Not exactly. I am still training 5 days a week and doing my cardio but have increased my calories so I am a few pounds over contest weight through the 'off season' and also to come in a bit fuller next season. I am happy with my body right now, although I would be happier if I can add a little more lean weight.  I have been a bit more relaxed with my cheat meals and trying to remember to enjoy myself. I mentioned before that it is an important goal I set myself to not let contests take any enjoyment out of my life as I was so focussed on competing I kind of forgot about my life…  It is so very easy to be consumed by training and diet that you forget to relax and enjoy the present moment and spend time with people that matter in life therefore I have been trying to spend a bit more time doing the things I like doing, which is eating out and dancing (Lambada of course…).  Anyone who knows me will know I like a glass of wine so I am trying to enjoy these things (in moderation) while I can because when contest season hits, it will be all out for me :)    I am 30 next year (arghhhh) and when I think about how fast time goes it is important for me to live my life to the full.  I have reduced my PT hours and started working for the person I worked for two years ago on a freelance basis basically in a Personal / Business Assistant capacity, I have found this has given me some variety and enabled me to use some skills that haven't needed when Personal Training which is good. For me it’s all about variety.

What else have I been doing?  Last week, I had a great shoot with Simon Howard, he is an amazing photographer and such a nice guy.  I am really pleased with the shots, so pleased I uploaded some of the raw images to my page….  I am sure he will tell me off ;) 

I have booked a one day private make up course I December with Jemma Kidd School of Make up to see if they can teach me a few things about my make up on stage, I can never seem to get it right as I wear quite simple make up in real and find the dark tan doesn’t suit my face very well.  People outside the fitness world never quite understand me when I say ‘I have to wear dark tan’. I think they imagine St Tropez spray tan so this time I will go armed with my Jan Tana!!!

Next month I have a few video shoots so I will keep you posted on those

For now, take care, train hard, stay focussed

Michelle xx

I am sitting at Belgrade airport waiting for my flight which has been delayed. I am flying home via Munich after competing in the IFBB Amateur World Championships in Serbia at the weekend.

Well what can I say, I earned IFBB Pro athlete status in Bikini within one year of competing with UKBFF. I am so happy, it was my dream to become IFBB Bikini Pro!

I placed 3rd at World championships and 3rd at the Arnold Classic Europe last week.

Both amazing experiences. There were over 25 girls in my class (over 163cm) from countries far and wide and an equal amount in the u163cm class in both contests. I have never seen so many girls looking great altogether. We were narrowed down to top 15 then to top 6, and then into the final placings.

I have competed in 3 international competitions now so have gotten to know some of the girls, national teams and photographers which is nice. I hope to see them all again someday soon. A special mention for the Slovakian Team who looked after me in Serbia :)

In Madrid, I competed at the very first Arnold Classic Europe where there were both amateur and pro shows. Mr Swarzenegger himself was of course present, giving a speech and presenting the winning trophy to Victor Martinez in the Mens Open Pro. A great addition to the European contest scene, I hope it continues to grow.

It has been almost 18 months since my first competition, 7 shows later I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of the lessons I have learnt along the way...

Ok, we need to remember there is only one 1st place. Everyone wants to win of course but there is only one first place. To be in the finals is an achievement in itself because if you imagine there are girls who do not make it into the finals, they train hard and diet just like you or I but don't get placed. I always try to bear this in mind and be thankful for the experience.

It is important to learn to be happy for others in their success.  Sometimes it is someone else’s time to shine and one day it may be your day, you can't take that away from people.  If you were the winner you would want people to be happy for you right? We all want the same things, no one walks off the street and takes the trophy without making the effort. In the beginning I wanted to win so bad I felt like tripping some of the girls up hahaha (only a brief thought) but now I have learnt to be happy for others success. I'm not going to lie, this is a skill I am consciously making an effort to learn. On stage when I do not get the placing I would like, I try my best not to look upset although sometimes I fail ;) . Its important to be gracious in both victory and defeat.

You may hear people say ‘enjoy the journey’ and you think 'yeah whatever' as I used to, but it really is true. Anyone that knows me knows how intense I am and knows how much I want this but I need to listen when people say ‘enjoy the journey’. The present is all we have, you cannot live in the past or future, these are just your perceptions of how things happened, the only thing that is real is right here, right now and it is important to respect that.

Now I have reached my goal of IFBB Bikini Pro I am going to take some time to learn to live in the moment and try to create a balance in my life. I am going to consider what shows I intend to compete in 2012. I have heard rumours of Pro Bikini at FIBO in Germany and at the Arnold Classic Europe in Spain next year so these would be on the list but I would also like to take to the US stage.

I have done all the thank you's before so I won't do them all again but I would like to mention UKBFF once again. UKBFF are simply the best federation if you want to compete in UK. The only federation that will pay your expenses to the European and World Championships if you are selected to represent them.  The UKBFF leads into IFBB, the largest, most prestigious Bodybuilding and Fitness federation in the world.

I have decided not to compete at the UKBFF British Championships as I am already eligible for Pro status and I am exhausting after my back to back contests. I will however be at the finals on Sunday to support the federation and competitors. Good luck to all my friends competing

Work hard, Train hard, stay focussed. Never take your eyes off the prize.

Michelle :)

Okay, I decided to make a blog update before I go to the Arnold Europe next Thursday...

My contest dates are
Arnold Amateur Europe, Madrid
Friday 7th October 1pm Bikini over 163cm
Sunday 9th October: 10-12pm Overall Bikini (if I win my class)

IFBB Amateur World Championships, Serbia
Saturday 16th October pre judging
Sunday 17th October Finals

UKBFF British Championships, Nottingham
Saturday 22nd Pre judging
Sunday 23rd Finals

My training is going well, I am starting to get a little tired and it’s a real effort to put enough energy into my workouts but they have to be done. I am doing 5 days a week resistance training and 6 days a week cardio. I stopped training quads for the past month or so and am pleased with the balance. I am sure my body will not change in a week but mentally I need to ensure I've done everything I could possibly do. My social life has totally gone out of the window as I needed to minimise the temptation of eating and drinking out. However, my diet is still not too restricted, I have been eating clean all year so it’s not a mad rush. I still have a once-a-week cheat right up until a week out.

I have been working out what I need to take with me and stocking up on false nails, eyelashes, make up etc. I'm starting to get excited. I fly on Thursday so will prepare all my food Wednesday. Unfortunately I won't be going for a Paella after the show as my contests continue but I will allow myself a small cheat after each show.
From now until the first show I will keep working on my poses and doing some visualisation. I believe visualisation is a great tool that can be utilised by everyone including athletes and performers. If you have been there in your mind, it won’t be so scary when you do it real life.  The key is to try to visualise what it is you need to do  and keep visualising until the images are clear and then you try you see the event as a film, you run this through in your head over and over, imagining the sounds and feelings, feel the stage lights on your face.  If you get nervous, feel those feelings, feel the nerves and get used to those feelings, embrace them don’t dismiss them.  Try to run the film as first and third person from every angle, know exactly what you are going to do. Obviously if you have never been to the venue or even if you have the real thing is not going to be exactly as it was in your head but you will have some experience before you go.  You can rehearse with your eyes closed, it’s a very powerful tool after all I believe a lot of what goes on in our lives are in our minds only by way of perception.

I figured by the time I get to the British finals in October it will be my eighth show in eighteen months so I'm quite proud of myself to have done so much. It is like I have been in race horse mode the past four months!  I know I have given my best and that's really all you can do. I plan to take a few weeks out to relax after the shows and then I plan what is next for me.  
My main aim is to earn an IFBB Pro card, this is a goal I set myself and one I hope to achieve.  As you may or may not know, there are not that many opportunities for a British Female to earn Pro status and Pro cards are not given at the UKBFF British finals, you need to place well at an International show. 

At this point you hand over the control of what happens, you cannot dwell on what is not in your hands, when you have done everything you can, it is now time to go on stage and enjoy what has been done.  You cannot make yourself win 1^st place so regardless of the outcome  I would like to take this opportunity to  thank in particular UKBFF for giving me the opportunity to represent UK at these events and sponsoring me at European and World Championships, My mum and Dad (my mum for being my little chef) Team Bombshell for helping me grow, Panthers Gym for their continued support from day one. Shaun Stafford for the time he has taken to listen to me and give me some 'smashing' upper body workouts. Jimmy, Taira, Tia and Amjad for listening and analysing my pictures with me, my lovely clients and also a few fb friends I've met along the way who have encouraged and supported me, you know who you are :)

Thanks guys, I hope I have been able to 'keep it real', provide some inspiration and show anyone who is thinking of competing what the journey is like. Your support and stories have certainly inspired me.
I will try to add links and updates to my Facebook page to keep you all updated. I would like to thank you for your continued support, all my fb messages keep me going.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Brannan/336375435108?sk=wall

Make sure you look out for me and my ego in the November issue of Flex magazine (on the shelves Oct) ;o)

Michelle

Today is Saturday and I have not long come back from the gym, I did a lower body workout targeting the glutes and  60 minutes cardio, split between the treadmill and a machine called the Summit Trainer by Life Fitness.  I love this machine, it is a cross between an elliptical and a stepper and feels a bit like a Cybex Arc, it has a high step and I can really feel the glutes working.  Personally I do not like the standard cross trainers, I feel the movement is unnatural and it does nothing for the glutes.

I have now less than 4 weeks until I compete at the first ever Arnold Europe and it is going to be Team UK all the way!  There are a few of us going from different classes so let's hope we will bring home some trophies!!

My flights are booked to Madrid and I'm getting excited, I booked a hotel with a gym so I can workout as I am competing the week after.  Registration is on the Thursday and the amateur shows are on the Friday and Saturday and then the overall presentations on the Sunday, I will then fly back home and then spend a few days in UK preparing for the next contest and fly to Serbia a few days later!!  How exciting!

Right now, a lot of my hard work is done in terms of body fat, I don't really need to cut my food drastically because I stay in shape all year round, but I'm trying to be cleaner and stick to the diet 100%. I am still working on lifting my butt and overall refining of shape. My shoulders are starting to balance out coming into proportion with my hips and I'm working my calves a lot more to balance out my legs. I still need to stay on top of this and give everything. After weeks and weeks of training it easy to let things slip if you are not on the ball mentally. I find it important to my progress, despite the training and diet, to keep focussed on the goal. So got to keep motivated and stay on track.

It is the Olympia weekend next weekend and whilst I am not going, I will be watching online.  It will be really interesting to see how the bikini class turns out, I have seen the competitor line up but I have got no idea which way the contest will go.  Fingers crossed for all the Team Bombshell girls :)

On the non contest front, I'm very excited to have seen the artwork for a feature I have going into FLEX magazine in the November issue which will be out in October. I also wrote a short piece on the bikini class which is going in the December issue of Muscle and Fitness.

I also have a few more exciting projects plan so till next time... Watch this space!

Okay, I decided to write my own blog to share my experiences with you

A brief background:  I started training for contests in late 2009 and won my first show in May 2010, since then I've done five shows including winning the Amateur Ms Bikini Olympia at the British Grand Prix and placing 5th at the European Championships.

I am now 6 weeks out from the Arnold Europe, 7 weeks out from World Championships in Serbia and 8 weeks from UKBFF British Championships. I am competing in IFBB Amateur Bikini. I am very excited to be taking part in these contests as I will representing UK on behalf of UKBFF and will be the only Bikini athlete from UK at the Arnold which is the first event of its kind to be held in Europe (Madrid).

I've been working hard since my last contest which was the IFBB European Championships which took place in Tyumen, Russia in May where I placed 5th.  I enlisted the help of Shannon Dey`s Team Bombshell to help me try and up my game. I am very pleased with the improvements I have made and am looking forward to bringing my best package to the stage in October.

Over the next 6 weeks, as well as training hard, I will be working on my presentation, which is so important in Bikini. The judges take into account face and hair as well as physique so you are judged to toe front to back. I'm going to be practising my walk and poses to see if I can get the best out of my physique. I have been on stage often enough to know you can never have enough practise and nothing prepares you for the stage lights and looking out into the crowd, last thing you want to do is worry if your in the right position and keep looking down at yourself!  My new suit arrived last week so I will use this to practise in, it is really helpful to have your outfit early so you can make any adjustments and get used to what you look like in it. I will also practise my hair and make up as this is not my strong area. I find it difficult to get the balance of looking pretty and getting the make up strong enough under the stage lights. At my last contest I used a shiny bronzer on my face and looked like a weirdo.  I was in Russia by myself so I am sure if I had had a friend with me, they would have told me it didn’t look good!!  I wish I could have a make up artist and spray tanner but in Europe we don't have these facilities. I'm going to try some different hairstyles also, what looks nice in real life doesn't look striking enough on stage.

So... I have got lots to perfect over the next 6 weeks.  I will be sticking to my training and diet program and trying to give everything I have (even when I am tired).  The diet for me is the hardest as I have a sweet tooth and I have pretty much been on a contest diet since late 2009!!  I try to have only one cheat a week closer to a contest so these last 6 weeks are the hardest for me. After October I think I will take a few weeks off!!!    I don’t feel I have too much body fat to lose before the contest, it is just about refining my shape and tightening up.  You don’t want to be too lean on stage, it is important to get a healthy looking balance and still with a feminine softness,  I have been keeping up to date with the US Pro shows and  it seems girls are getting marked down for too tight abs or being too muscular. So lean and tight but still curvy I think is the way Bikini is going. Who said Bikini was the easy option???   I will keep you up to date with my progress and any obstacles I encounter along the way... anything you would like me to write about please let me know, I welcome your feedback :)

Michelle