MOT's journey to increase her muscle mass

 Hi all , I have a journal on another board, but I want to start one here since I started working with Joe and everyone here seems to be very helpful and friendly.  A little background I had my twins in Nov 2003. I gained 60 pounds, my weight ballooned up to 185. My eating habits were not the best. Most healthy things made me queasy so I resorted to eating more of the comfort foods. I was also on complete bedrest for 3 months which didn't help things. I was able to lose about 47 pounds over the next 14 months, but after that I couldn't budge anything. January of 2006 I met my trainer in my gym, he was new to the gym and anxious for new clients, he offered me a free session and I took him up on it. After training with him just 1 session I realized I was not pushing myself hard enough. I signed up for sessions with him and he taught me proper form which I never seemed to have even after working out 12 years. He also got me on his diet plan and he slimmed me down to 125 pounds and I dropped 5% bodyfat. After the summer I felt he had taken me as far as he could and I was ready to take things to the next level.  I then started with Cathy Savages SOS program in Sept 2006 and before I knew it April 2007 I did my first competition.  I knew I wouldn't be very competitive as I had very little muscle and was way too thin, but I really just did it for the experience.  I wanted to give it another try, so I took a good 6 plus months to build and came back with a much better package this year.  I did the same INBF comp I did last year and placed 3rd in novice and just finished up a local NPC show here in NJ and didn't place.  My physique just wasn't there, partially just not having enough muscle and partially my coaches bringing me to stage like a bikini competitor, not a figure competitor.  After this last show I decided I wasn't going to waste another off season being on a diet/training program that was not giving me the best results I could possibly achieve.  My friend Nancy K (Luckydog) who has helped me with posing the past 2 years I saw had phenomenal results with Joe and I wanted in .  After a bunch of e-mails between Joe and myself, I decided that working with him would be a great fit for me and I have now been doing so for 10 days.  My original plan was to enter into my off season, but after talking we thought it was best for him to dial me in for one more show this season.  One, so he could see how my body responds to his protocols and also so I can see how he works.

I currently am today less then 5 weeks out to Hercules.  Didn't expect to be here 2 weeks ago as I thought I was done dieting, but I am .  My diet has been completely changed, some things I like better and some things not so much.  I am looking forward to joining the community here and getting some feedback

CURRENT STATS 

Height - 5'5 1/2"

Age - 36

Weight - 122 (day after refeed)

Estimated show weight - 116-117

Macros - 150-25-100 (1 Saturday refeed)

Cardio - 5-6 days/wk 30 mins

Training - NLP

PICTURE HISTORY

8 Months Post Preg (Summer 2004)
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g175/bluehen94/?action=view&current=IMG_0359.jpg

Competition Pictures (Spring 2007) Show weight 117
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g175/bluehen94/?action=view&current=a5300014-6.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g175/bluehen94/?action=view&current=a5300012-9.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g175/bluehen94/?action=view&current=showpic7.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g175/bluehen94/?action=view&current=a5300006-12.jpg
 

Competition Pictures (morning of) April 19, 2008, INBF, Show weight 121.5

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rent=009-5.jpg
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Competition Pictures May 10th, NPC Mid Atlantic, Show weight 119.5

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...t=JEB_3245.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...t=JEB_3311.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...t=JEB_3018.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...t=JEB_2915.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...t=JEB_2876.jpg
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...t=JEB_2865.jpg
 

Current Pictures-5 weeks out Hercules

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rent=034-1.jpg
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http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...urrent=039.jpg

You look terrific, Michele. Welcome!

You'll love working with Joe and will change your body completely. I couldn't do a comp. without him.

See you next Saturday..I'm glad I won't be doing this show alone.

Thanks for the background and pics.  :)  You're in good hands with Joe.  You'll see great changes over the next 5 weeks.  I'm looking forward to your progress.

Julie

momoftwins

I just want to tell you! you LOOK "" phenomenal "    keep up the good work,

You've made awesome progress!  You V taper is currently awesome!  You're in good hands.  I can't wait to see your next competition photos-you'll be carrying home big trophies I'm sure.

Thanks for the welcome everyone

Just got back from the gym, just had 30 mins of cardio and abs on the plan for today.  Getting ready to head to Long Beach Island, where my inlaws live, for the day.  Hoping they aren't going to give me a hard time about the meals I brought as they are having a BBQ.  Last time I was there was mother's day, the day after my last comp and they saw me pigging out as I told them I was done competing for this year.  So this will be news to them.  They live a complete opposite lifestyle as myself, its always been a challenge for me to try and fit in with them.

 Miki-Thank you!  I am anxious to see what I will look like this time around when I hit the stage.  In the past my coaches never had me come in with any starches so I have a feeling this will be different.  Looking forward to seeing you saturday.

 Julie-I wanted to put all the pictures in for myself and everyone to see where I came from where I am now and how I progress as I go.  I'm looking forward to seeing how my body will respond to Joe's protocol since it is completely different then what I have been doing precontest.

Starlet-Thank you, right back at you

Summerset-Thanks, it hasn't been easy.  I have a relatively easy time leaning out, but very hard for me to put on any muscle. I am looking forward to see what kind of gains I can make once the off season hits with the proper training and diet that I think I've been lacking in the past.

 Shellie-Thanks, that is probably what I brought up most from last year was the V-taper.  I really need to focus on getting some shoulders, quads and some overall size once the off season hits.

     You look great!!!!  Good luck.

Tons of progress throughout the pics.

I think you are going to suprise even yourself under Joe's tuteledge. 

I made it through the BBQ yesterday and it was very hard.  They had just about every BBQ food there you could imagine and then some.  It was hard to sit there while everyone was chowing down and I there with my fish and 2 pieces of broccoli starving to death, but I pulled through.

We just got back from the gym, did my 30 mins of cardio and arm workout.  My parents are due here to visit my kids at 2 (this is an annoying weekly ritual with them) and my husband and I will go do something.

My weight is down 1/2 pound from my Saturday refeed to 121.5, I'm hoping that maybe tomorrow another .5-1 will come off.

 Kerrie-Thanks, you look great in your avi as well.

 Mark-I just got down browsing your journal, your progress is pretty amazing too.  I am hoping to see some nice changes working under Joe for this contest prep.

You made it through, Michele.. 

and 1/2lb down. Moving along...

Hi all

Today is a complete rest day for me.  I usually give myself one full day off of no training or cardio to reset myself.  Also, I make this morning the day I do those things like doctor appts, etc I can't take my kids too.  I decided to do some shopping as I am going to Vegas in 2.5 weeks.  These were plans made before I knew I was doing Hercules and I did tell Joe about it before we started this comp prep so he knows and doesn't think it wil be a problem.  I am not a gorger or binger on or off season so I'm not really worried.  The plan for this trip was just some R&R.  My husband and I have not taken a vacation alone in 7 years so we thought we were due.  I ended up getting a couple bathing suits and tops.

My weight has dropped to an all time low of 120 today.  Joe and I had a bet because yesterday he said I would drop to 120.5 (I was 121.5 yesterday), I told him I didn't really feel it was going to drop, usually I can kind of tell.  Well, he really knows his stuff because it dropped even more then he thought.  So I was happy to see that and I hope it holds this time as I still have 3-4 pounds to get off by June 28th and I am not sure how much comes off that last week since his peak weeks are very different then what I've done.

 Jane-Thanks, it wasn't easy at all, I was getting pissed because I hadn't planned to be dieting at this point, but I reminded myself this was my choice, nobody forced me so I have to suck it up.

 Patti-I love pictures and posting them to see the chain of progress.  It reminds me although I have a lot of room for improvement I have come along way and I should be proud of my accomplishments up to now.

Miki-Thanks, I was surprisingly down another 1.5 this morning.