Newbie in need of major help for first competition!!!

[Linzie1303]

Hello all!! First of all.......THANK GOD for this board!!!
My name is Linzie and I am currently training for my VERY FIRST EVER competition coming up in June. I'm about 17-18 weeks out. I have NOONE to talk to and in need of major advice.

First let me give a small bio: I'm 22 years old. 5'5'' 129 lbs. 17.8% bf.
Last June(04) I was 135, 26% bodyfat, and decided to lose weight while my husband was TDY to Iraq. Well it worked...I was 19% and 125 by August. I decided to do this upcoming show last June when I watched all the other women in the same show and just got hooked. I have been "trying" to bulk ever since then. My cals are around 2000. I can post my diet as well. Currently I am on a 3 day split. 1st day: Chest and back and abs along with 30 mins cardio. 2nd day: Legs and abs 3rd day: Shoulders, biceps, and triceps, and abs along with 30 mins cardio. So I work out pretty intensely 6 days a week lifting pretty heavy keeping reps between 6 and 8-10.

My diet is pretty much the same everyday....

530 am
1/2 c. oatmeal (sometimes i put 2 tblsp. sugar free syrup in it or 1/4 c. blueberries)
5 egg whites with slice of fat free cheese and salsa with some onion and mushrooms

830 am
protein shake(eas precision protein-1 scoop)
mixed with glutamine and water

orange or apple

1045 am
6-7 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 red pepper, mushroom, and onion

3/4 cup brown rice or 8 oz. sweet potatoe

1245
pre workout protein shake
(same as am except no glutamine)

125 -weight training and then cardio

300
cell tech carb control
glutamine
myoplex original protein shake(mrp)

600
3 oz brocoli
3 0z spinach
6 oz tuna
random veggies(raw sweet peppers, cauliflower, aparagus, tomatoe)
1 tblsp. flax oil

830-900
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
mixed with 1 tblsp natural peanut butter and 2 tsp. dry sugar free fat free pudding mix.

Every now and again i switch things up but so far seems to be working...I don't know...i have so many questions like...when do i start dropping cals...when do i start increasing cardio....I don't know how to do the ratio thing. I've tried before but always mess up or get confused!

Please help all...I'm a very dedicated person. I just need some guidance if anyone would be willing to answer questions...i can post pics as well..
Thanks everyone...I actually feel better just getting this out!!

Thank you in advance!!
linzie

 

[The Shadow]

what type of comp?

 

[Sassy69]

BB / figure? Also which organization- NPC / NABBA / NGA etc?

 

[Linzie1303]

It is a BB comp. I'm not sure what kind though...NPC maybe??

 

[Sassy69]

The organization is important as far as your expectations as a newbie -- is it a "tested" or "nontested" show? If tested, you can expect to see people who are using AAS. If not, you can probably expect to see some people who used AAS even though they aren't supposed to. That makes it sort of a big challenge for people who train naturally. "Tested" usually means something sort of cheesie like a voice stress analysis or a polygraph. NPC is the most common amateur organization in the US and is probably what you are doing. OTher ones that are specifically natural, e.g. NABBA & NGA are expressly for natural competitors and as part of your entry fee you pay around $50 that goes to the drug testing.

Also each organization can have its own required poses, suit guidelines, etc. And, at least for NPC you need to have your NPC membership card. I think this is up to $50 and is good for any NPC competitions within a year of joining (if you plan to do multiple shows). You can usually get the card right at the show.

 

[*Bunny*]

The organization is important as far as your expectations as a newbie -- is it a "tested" or "nontested" show? If tested, you can expect to see people who are using AAS. If not, you can probably expect to see some people who used AAS even though they aren't supposed to. That makes it sort of a big challenge for people who train naturally. "Tested" usually means something sort of cheesie like a voice stress analysis or a polygraph. NPC is the most common amateur organization in the US and is probably what you are doing. OTher ones that are specifically natural, e.g. NABBA & NGA are expressly for natural competitors and as part of your entry fee you pay around $50 that goes to the drug testing.

Also each organization can have its own required poses, suit guidelines, etc. And, at least for NPC you need to have your NPC membership card. I think this is up to $50 and is good for any NPC competitions within a year of joining (if you plan to do multiple shows). You can usually get the card right at the show.

good morning lovely lady

 

[Linzie1303]

I don't think it is a tested show...

This is a very small show held on base. My husband and I are stationed overseas and it is just people from the base and from some local bases around that enter...very small ametuer show...
Last year there were only 4 girls ..3 of which were lightweight and one heavy.
The leanest girl on stage was 12%.

 

[Sassy69]

Ah, gotcha. Thanks for giving the context. This will be fun then! It is NOT hard to get below 12%. Are they doing the full morning pre-judge & night show with the quarter turns & posing routine to music (no music in the AM show, include music at the night show)?

Training-wise -- so you are doing each bodypart 2x / week - Day 1,2,3 - day 4 break - Day repeat 5,6,7? or Day 1,2,3,repeat 4,5,6 and break on day 7? Are you seeing some mass building from that? Do you feel like you are getting enough recovery time?

For a June comp, I'd start my cutting cycle at this point. On your current diet are you gaining or losing weight / bf or maintaining?

 

[Linzie1303]

Ah, gotcha. Thanks for giving the context. This will be fun then! It is NOT hard to get below 12%. Are they doing the full morning pre-judge & night show with the quarter turns & posing routine to music (no music in the AM show, include music at the night show)?

Training-wise -- so you are doing each bodypart 2x / week - Day 1,2,3 - day 4 break - Day repeat 5,6,7? or Day 1,2,3,repeat 4,5,6 and break on day 7? Are you seeing some mass building from that? Do you feel like you are getting enough recovery time?

For a June comp, I'd start my cutting cycle at this point. On your current diet are you gaining or losing weight / bf or maintaining?

About the show: it is exactly how you put it! (speaking of ...got not clue on my music....)

Training wise...I am day 1,2,3 and rest then repeat. I have only really recently seen some mass building when i started taking creatine...i gained one pound of muscle each week...but other than that...Sometimes i feel like i have enough recovery other times i don't ...but it definetly works better for me than putting each body part only once a week.

Diet wise...I have pretty much maintained anywhere between 16.6-18.8 percent in the past 6 months...i think when I lost alot of weight in the beginning, and then decided to start bulking I had a very hard time eating enough calories. I still don't think I eat enough now to bulk....but I don't know. So you think I should start now?? Where do I start though?

Thank you SOOOOO much for replying! Don't know if anyone else feels this way..but alot of times people treat me like I'm a damn alien with their comments on my food and me not missing my workouts. Funny how people eat so unhealthy that when someone eats healthy in front of them they consider it abnormal!!

Thank you so much again... Let me know if you need to know anything else.
Linzie

 

[*Bunny*]

Don't know if anyone else feels this way..but alot of times people treat me like I'm a damn alien with their comments on my food and me not missing my workouts. Funny how people eat so unhealthy that when someone eats healthy in front of them they consider it abnormal!!

I feel ya 100% - This is acutally happening RIGHT now at work lol, as I am eating my almonds, the others are ordering Chinese...