Many people think, the traditional bulking means to eat thousands of calories in form of all the naughty foods you're dreaming of during 'cut'-season. Nope!

How to 'bulk' clean and build muscle the right way

It's been two months now, since my first bikini competition
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-1-day-out/] and I'll
finally start my 'bulk' - or as I like to call it - 'improvement'-season.

Many people think traditional bulking means to eat thousands of calories per day
in form of all the naughty foods you're dreaming of during 'cutting'-season.
That's the reason why many bodybuilders end up looking like a balloon in the
off-season.

I don't want that and you're probably in the same boat! So let's go through this
together, so we both don't end up as a balloon.

What is a 'bulk'?


Bulking is nothing more than adding more calories to your diet than your body
burns. The main goal is to stay fairly lean while adding muscle mass and getting
stronger.

How clean bulking works
Usually, you start a bulk after a cutting season, or if you just started lifting
and you are a skinny individual
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-to-gain-weight-healthy/].

Never transition from a cut into a bulk straightaway. It's better to reverse
diet [https://blog.slickcoach.com/reverse-dieting/]. First, increase your daily
caloric intake for 100-150 calories every week. Once you reached your
maintenance level stay there for about 2 weeks, then slowly increase your
calories from there.

Don't go overboard with your calories right away
Eating too much right away [https://blog.slickcoach.com/15-low-calorie-foods/] 
is one of the most common mistakes and I get it - it's tempting! However, you
will not gain more muscle mass, by eating way more than you need.

There is no difference between increasing your calories by 120% or 150%, when it
comes to muscle gain. You'll only gain more body fat.

Calculate your caloric intake


To make it super simple for you we created a calculator
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-many-calories-do-you-really-have-to-eat-free-calculator/]
. You can use it to estimate your base line and then increase your calories 
every other week by another 100-200 calories or so.

Macro distribution


Let's start with the protein calculation
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/8-simple-protein-powder-recipes-you-need-to-try-now/] 
first, since it's the building block for muscles. Aim for 1g per pound
bodyweight (2g per kg bodyweight) of protein. More protein will not lead to more
muscle gain! Don't get fooled by articles that say you have to eat 500g per day.
Nonsense.

Next, calculate your fat intake
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-basics-what-is-dietary-fat/]. Keep the fats
constant at 25% of your total daily calories. Protein and fat stays the same
during your whole bulking phase - you only adjust carbs as needed.

Fill the remaining calories with carbohydrates. Carbs are very important
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-basics-what-are-carbohydrates/] during a bulk,
because they are the fuel for your heavy workouts. We need the energy we get
from carbs to peak our performance in the gym and spike insulin after the
workout.

Here's an example macronutrient breakdown for me, a 125 lbs (57kg) female.
 * Calculated calories for a surplus: 2200 kcal per day
 * Protein: 1 x 125 = 125g/500 kcal
 * Fat: 0.25 x 2200 kcal = 550 kcal/61g
 * Carbs: 2200 - 500 - 550 = 1150 kcal/288g

In case you're wondering: 1g of carbs and protein equals 4 kcal, 1g of fat is 9
kcal.

With your calculated caloric intake and your macro-distribution you should now
be able to create your own meal plan
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/create-your-own-meal-plan/].

Skip on junk


Of course, our bodies can't differentiate a calorie coming from junk food versus
a calorie coming from whole foods. However, eating too much highly processed
food will lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Vitamins and minerals are not "only healthy". Your body needs them to function
properly. And building muscle is one of those functions. Skipping on veggies and
whole foods will leave you with less progress!

So take care of your hormone levels, digestion, immune system and your skin
appearance by eating mostly whole foods
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/14-simple-food-swaps/].

I like to follow the 80/20-approach. 80% of the diet comes from fresh, whole
food and 20% from clean-ish or 'not-so-clean'-foods.

'Cheat' wisely


I'm a fan of occasionally treating myself
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/7-cheat-meal-mistakes/], especially while cutting.
But let's face the truth. During a bulk there is simply no physiological or
psychological benefit from having a cheat meal or even a whole day. It'll just
make you gain body fat faster.

This doesn't mean you can't enjoy a treat every once in a while. But do it
wisely [https://blog.slickcoach.com/healthy-sugar-alternatives/] by saving up
some calories for your treat or lift extra heavy the day after.

Listen to your body and adjust food intake if necessary
If you're a man, you're aiming to gain around 0.5 kg/1 lbs per week. As a woman
it's slightly less - aim for 0.25 kg/0.5 lbs per week.

If you're gaining less than that - or worse, nothing - then you have to eat more
. Add another 100 to 150 calories in form of carbs to your daily calories and
see how your body responds over the next week.

Take the time
Quick fixes don't help anyone. Sustainable changes take time and don't happen
over night. Be aware of that.

If you're new to weightlifting [https://blog.slickcoach.com/full-body-workout/],
you'll probably see faster results, especially in the beginning. But at some
point you will stall and you need to be patient at this point and keep going
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/you-are-your-biggest-enemy/].

Get out of your comfort zone in the gym


You're now in a caloric surplus, so your body has much more energy. Use it and
go hard in the gym. Put on more plates, do some new exercises, try a new
training split, squeeze your muscles - get out of your comfort zone! You have to
progress every week. If you don't, you're not lifting hard enough or you're not
eating enough. Or both.

Without proper training, all those extra calories are worthless! Your goal is to
get stronger. Therefore, you have to move those weights!

How to measure your progress


It's very important to measure your progress, so you can decide whether you're
on the right way or you have to adjust a few things to reach your target.

That's the point where three tools come into play: the scale, the calliper and
the mirror.

The scale
If you're a lean bean, you should see an increase here. If the number doesn't
increase, you either don't eat enough calories or don't work out hard enough.

The skin calliper
The calliper is used to measure your body fat percentage via your skin folds.
Used together with the scale, you will get an idea of how much of your weight
gain is actually body fat and how much is muscle mass.

The mirror
My favourite measuring tool. Nowadays, we're relying too much on numbers and
forget about how we actually look.

The number on the scale won't tell you, if you get to see a new line on your
leg, if your biceps got bigger or if you're actually starting to look better at
all.

In the end, that should be your main goal. Because you don't diet and train to
have a certain number on the scale. You do it because you want to look a certain
way!

Good luck adding some size.

My goal with this series is to be as transparent as possible for you, so you get a feeling for how it feels to be a competitive bodybuilder.

When the tanning slowly fades - 3 weeks after the bikini competition

Hey peeps!

My goal with this blog post series is to be as transparent as possible for you,
so you get a feeling of how it feels to be a competitive bodybuilder, where you
might struggle and what you learn during the whole process.

I stepped on the stage for the very first time
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-show-day/] 3 weeks ago
and I shared every step of my journey with you - every up and down. Why even now
after the competition? Because lots of people underestimate the time after the
competition. You can't simply eat whatever you want. You have to systematically
increase your caloric intake, otherwise you'll destroy all your hard work from
the past months.

How am I doing?
Actually, I'm doing good. Reverse dieting
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/reverse-dieting/] is going as planned. I didn't
gain any weight the last week (to be honest, I lost weight again). That's why I
increased my caloric intake to 1800kcal. I'm still in a deficit and my body
feels it. This is the struggle while reverse dieting: You have to slowly
increase until you reach your maintenance level.

I struggled a few days ago with not being as 'dry' as I was on show day. I found
myself disappointed that my body no longer looked as good as it did on stage.
For weeks you're aiming to look leaner day after day. All the things you were
doing served the goal of being lean enough for the stage, to see more cuts.
Afterwards you're kind of feeling like you're not good enough, because you don't
look like you did on show day.

Of course, it's dumb and I know better than that. I know being that lean isn't
sustainable over a longer period of time, that's why it's a competitive event.

However, you start to develop some kind of body dysmorphia. It's like you're
looking in the mirror and can't see how you actually look like. I realised that,
when I recorded a short video for our Insta-Stories
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/]. Looking at it, I realised HOW lean I
still am. And that I really need to start a bulk in a few weeks if I want to
gain more muscle mass. Which I want!

So, that's what I'm working on right now: the right mindset during
improvement-season. Finding my balance and where my body is meant to be. I need
to realise that I'm in a really good shape and still probably leaner than 99% of
the population. It's totally okay to put on some weight - that is what reverse
dieting is for. To slowly slide into a bulk. That doesn't mean you need to gain
10-20 lbs right after the competition, because you went to such extremes. 
Balance and health is the key.

Now is the time to focus my energy on other aspects of life outside of my body.
And I have a lot of upcoming events for you, so stay tuned! ;)

I have to say, I'm really tired of being in a caloric deficit right now. As I
wrote in my previous post
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/2-weeks-after-the-competition/], it's pretty easy
for me to overdo it. I'm always finding myself overanalysing. If I can have some
ice cream (I discovered my love for ice cream cones) or some extra bread. Hence,
I'm working on that, too. Trying to be more relaxed and don't stress too much
about calories. Forcing myself into a break of counting every little macro.

In my opinion our bodies are in a constant state of oscillation. It wants to
grow and be better.

What lessons have I learned from the entire progress
1. I'm more and more disappointed from the fitness industry.
There are hundreds of thousand of 'coaches' out there, without any basic
knowledge about nutrition or training, charging so much money for a 12 week
course. And what does the course look like? Unhealthy, with very low calorie
meal plans, often unnecessary huge amounts of cardio and false
'bro-science'-packed information. It's driving me mad! Same with gyms. People
train their asses off and don't see results. Meanwhile, they could train less
and smarter and have 100% better results. Sad.

You don't have to lose your mind, because you're going to compete. Losing weight
is no rocket science, it's all common sense.

2. Your mind drives your body!
It's all in your mind! Whether you succeed or not. Nothing is impossible unless
you really believe in it and put in the hard work. Always believe in yourself!

3. Never compare yourself to others.
Everybody is different and has a different background and story. I was
overweight for years and lost nearly 30kg/66lbs over the past 3 years. I used to
compare myself to a lot of people on Instagram, we all do it! But it's never
going to benefit you. I started feeling intimidated and not good or shredded
enough. I had to remind myself of how far I came. How much I changed on the
inside and the outside.

You are different than me, and all we can do is to be the best version of
ourselves. The best we can possibly be. I had to learn to be proud of myself
even tough I wasn't as lean as others. Damn, I'm in the best condition of my
life and I never looked so good!

4. Health and happiness always comes first!
When you're going to compete, many people want to give you some tips. Not all of
them are good or healthy by all means. Don't believe everything you hear. 
Research everything! It's one of the best tips I have for you. Researching
helped me a lot to prepare myself for what is going to happen, how I am going to
feel, what is wrong and what is right.

If someone wants to give you advice, always ask "why". Many people fail to
answer that. They just tell you a "fact" without being able to explain why the
body would react this way. Because 9 out of 10 times they can't, since their
"fact" is nonsense.

Plus, enjoy the process! I know it's easier said than done, because competition
prep can be really exhausting. Where's the fun in finally reaching your goals if
you've been feeling miserable the months leading up to it?

5. What is realistic
The biggest part of the journey is to learn what is really realistic for you.
You'll learn if achieving competitor levels will take more than you can give
long term. For me it is and was an amazing goal to accomplish something that
less than 1% of the population will ever accomplish.

Now I have to learn if I can maintain my effort during the improvement-season.
Since I reached my goal, I'll give myself some time, while maintaining some of
my new habits I've built and the things I've learned about myself during the
process. The key is not to turn it into an 'off' and 'on' switch. Instead just
turn the dial up a notch.

Enough of the blabla. Here are the current stats of my reverse dieting protocol.

Diet consists of
 * 1800 kcal
 * 130g protein
 * about 250g carbs
 * 40g fat

Typical meal plan
This is phase 2 of my reverse diet. I increased my caloric intake to 1800kcal
per day. My current weight is still 55kg/120lbs, so I didn't gain any weight (if
anything, some little extra treats helped me to not loose any more weight).

This is just a random picked meal plan from our app Slickcoach
[https://www.slickcoach.com/] (Sign up
[http://www.slickcoach.com/?newsletter=true#newsletter], if you want to get
informed when the beta-version is available, which will be very soon).

Meal #1 (Pre workout): 153 kcal

 * 1 crumpet; 98kcal
 * 10g mixed fruit jam; 25kcal
 * 10g honey; 31kcal

Meal #2 (Post workout): 322 kcal

 * 1 banana; ca. 85kcal
 * 25g vanilla whey; 100kcal
 * 5g raw cocoa; 20kcal
 * 1 whole egg; 83kcal
 * 2 egg whites; 34kcal

Meal #3 (12pm): 458 kcal

 * 1/4 can baked beans; 92kcal
 * 7 vegan chicken nuggets; 284kcal
 * 100g white potato; 82kcal

Meal #4 (3pm): 482 kcal

 * 250g frozen mango; 166kcal
 * 350g silken tofu; 216kcal
 * 25g vanilla whey; 100kcal

Meal #5 (6pm): 334 kcal

 * 150g mushrooms; 24kcal
 * 50g fresh spinach; 15kcal
 * 15g spring onion; 4kcal
 * 125g passata; 43kcal
 * 4 whole eggs; 248kcal

Training split
Training split remains mainly the same. I cut my cardio sessions down to 15
minutes now. Again, I focus more on heavy compound exercises
[https://youtu.be/fw3uCUx2A7c] at the moment and push those weights hard in
every session.

 * Monday: 45 min Active recovery/LISS cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume)+ 15 min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 15 min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high volume) + 15 min cardio
 * Saturday: Legs (high volume)
 * Sunday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 15 min cardio

Supplementation
Supplementation [https://twitter.com/slickcoach] changed this week. I want to
get my nutrients mostly through my diet, now that I increased my caloric intake.

 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Whey protein powder as needed

Follow my days back to "normality" on Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/] and Twitter
[https://twitter.com/slickcoach]. Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Are you looking into doing your first-ever bikini or bodybuilding competition? You heard so often that it's so expensive? Wrong! We got some tips for you! 

5 valuable tips for competing for the first time on a budget

Are you thinking about doing your first-ever bikini or bodybuilding competition?
You heard and read so often that it's so expensive and that you have to spend 
thousands of pounds/dollars to get on stage and look good? If you're willing to
pay that much money, this isn't a blog post for you. However, if you want some 
smart tips on how to compete on a budget, you're definitely right.

Fist things first: Yes, you definitely have to spend some money for key items,
but you don't have to spend a fortune. There are things you definitely need, and
things you don't really need. Don't worry, you won't look like a scrimper.

A few weeks ago I competed in my first bikini competition
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-show-day/] in London.

I was lucky that the venue was near my home, so there were no travel costs for
me, other than the bus ticket.

Here's what I payed for my first bikini competition:

 * Association membership £25/year
 * Crystal Competition Bikini by MuscleDazzle
   [https://www.muscledazzle.com/gold-bikini-competition-suit-cb278/] £262
 * Make up £55
 * Hair curler BaByliss Curl Pro 210
   [http://www.superdrug.com/Babyliss/BaByliss-Curl-Pro-210-Curling-Tong/p/263401] 
   £15.99
 * Posing Shoes
   [https://www.poledancingshoes.co.uk/collections/fitness-posing-comp-shoes/products/lip-102-1-fabulicious-sexy-shoes-5-inch-heel-3-4-inch-platforms-two-band-slide-slip-on-shoes] 
   £50
 * Tanning by ProTan Competition Bundle: £50
 * Body scrub £6

That's it. Makes a total of £463.99. Let's make it £470 including travel. It's
still a lot of money in my opinion, but it's way less than people wanted to make
me believe I have to pay. I was told to make myself ready to pay £1000-2000, so
£460 was totally fine with me. Especially with the fact in mind, that you can
reuse most of the items. Only the membership (yearly), the make up, the tanning
and the body scrub are recurring (clocking in at £136 total).

And nope, I didn't look like I saved money. Here are some pics of my bikini and
my show day:







I didn't mention things like food in the list above, because basically you're
saving money here during competition prep. You're on a restricted diet, so you
probably buy less food than normal. No expenses on junk or processed ready meals
either. Furthermore, I didn't mention expenses like gym fees. I simply assume
that you were registered in a gym before you decided to compete. Therefore, you
have to pay gym fees wether or not you compete.

Here are some valuable tips, how you can save money when competing, but
nevertheless get the best out of you.

Hiring a nutrition and training coach


As you can see in my personal cost calculation above, I didn't hire any coach.
That's because I didn't need one. We live in a century, where you can research 
everything! There are so many great articles and vlogs out there. Use them!

Read, research, ask people who competed before and learn. Try things out, see
how your body responds and change if needed. You have plenty of time to adjust
your diet, if something's not working out the way you want to.

Losing weight and competition prep is really no rocket science! Actually it's
just common sense! Just listen to your body. I know it's trial and error, and it
can be really scary sometimes to be your own coach, but you got this. Plus, it
will save you £500-1000! Now, everyone has to decide on his/her own, but I had
enough knowledge about nutrition before I decided to compete, so I really didn't
need a nutrition coach. If you feel like you really need one, go ahead. But keep
in mind that you have to find a good one! Most are just really bad and will -
quite frankly - fuck you up. So make sure your coach of choice has a track
record of sort!

Do your own tanning, make up and hair

Some of the shows will have their own tanning company and make up artist at the
venue. The costs for that are about £100-200. You can easily avoid these
expenses by just doing it yourself.

But you have to use high quality products (you will still save money!) for a
flawless application. For tanning I used the products by ProTan. They are super
simple to use and come with explanation videos. They provide a really great
service. However, you will need some help of a friend to apply the tan properly,
for instance on your back.

My make up skills are very bad, so I've chosen to hire a make up artist. I
contacted her via Instagram and I was lucky that she offers a really incredible
pricing. If you're also not that good with make up, maybe consider asking a
friend of yours who knows that stuff better.

Another suggestion is, go to the Mac store or another make-up counter and ask
them to do a sample "pageant look". It's a dramatic, smokey eye look. Take a
picture of yourself and try to re-create it on your own. Keep in mind, your make
up and tanning has to match. The lights are very bright and you could end up
looking washed out. Choose a make up base, that is a few shades darker (don't
worry, if you bought a too dark one, you can mix it with a lighter base to get
the perfect shade you need).

A lot of girls like to do manicure and pedicure, which cost another £15-60. I
simply applied some nail polish and that's it. Getting nails done is definitely
nothing mandatory.

Same goes for waxing. If you've never had a waxing done before, I would not
recommend to do it, because you will not know if your skin reacts with
irritations, especially when it comes to applying the tan. It's totally enough
to shave yourself properly everywhere. And by everywhere, I mean everywhere! And
possibly you'll need some help there, too. If you have enough time until your
contest, you can try waxing and see how your skin reacts. But no experiments
days before the contest!

When it comes to hair, it was pretty simple for me. I just curled it. I bought a
hair curler at my nearest drug store and tried it a few times before show day.
And it looked really great. You can also go for straight hair.

Opt for a suit for less

It's one of the biggest expenses of competing - the suit. But it doesn't have to
be. A good quality suit can cost up to £2000, depending on designer and how many
stones/crystals you want.

Here's one thing: Judges don't care how many crystals you have on your suit.
They won't devalue your body composition, because you don't have enough bling on
you. However, they will note the fit of your suit and where it hides or cuts
your physique. So no, Primark is not an option here!

I spent quite some time to research for good quality suits for an affordable
price. Then I found MuscleDazzle [https://www.muscledazzle.com/]. Check them
out, if you're still looking for one. They also have a really amazing costumer
service.

Many designers also have discounted suits (even if they don't have them on their
website, just send them a mail and ask) or plain competition suits, which come
at a fraction of the normal price. MuscleDazzle sells plain competition suits
for £104. Unbeatable, if you ask me. If you opt for a plain suit, you also can
add some stones yourself.

Furthermore, there are some Facebook groups, where girls sell their old bikinis
for a fraction of the price. Usually, you can get suits there for £100-300,
depending on designer and how often they wore them. But you have to be fast to
grab the one you like, and it's not tailored to your measurements.

Another tip are fitness expos, like Bodypower. Usually at least one of the
booths is rented by a bikini designer and they often have good prices as well.
Plus, since it's face to face, you have some wiggle room in regards to pricing
;)

I also didn't buy any jewellery. It just felt unnecessary to me, because I wore
my hair down and my bikini already was really shiny, so I personally didn't want
too much of the bling. If you want some jewellery, but don't want to spend so
much, search on Amazon. You can find something there for incredibly low prices.
Remember, the jury is sitting quite "far" away from you. They can't tell if it's
a £15 or a £500 earring. Nor do they care.

Posing classes

Hands down, nailing your posing routine is really important. You have to learn
how to pose for your unique body composition. Some poses maximise and some poses
minimise your strengths and weaknesses. It can be beneficial to hire a posing
coach, but there is no problem with doing it yourself.

There are a lot of Youtube videos teaching you how to pose and walk properly,
and which poses are better for specific body types. Just make sure to inform
yourself about the poses your federation wants to see.

A good tip is to record yourself during posing and walking. Therefore, you can
judge yourself and see where you have to improve.

If you think you need some posing training, look for group seminars, which are
much cheaper than private lessons. Also, you're usually good to go after 2 or 3
sessions. Film yourself and adjust a bit after that on your own. It'll also give
you a better feeling and understanding for the poses. You don't need 12 classes
or more, unless you're having a really hard time getting it right.

Make your own body scrub

Even though it isn't a big price point, you can even save here by making your
own body scrub. Plus, it's really simple.

Here's all you need. You'll most likely have all ingredients already at home,
therefore no extra cost for you:

 * 1 cup ground coffee
 * 1 cup sugar
 * 1/2 cup coconut oil
 * 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Start with melting the coconut oil and allow it to cool down, but not to
solidify. Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container or a
mason jar.

Use this body scrub regularly the week before your competition and before you do
your tanning.

Conclusion
See, there are expenses that you can justify and expenses that you just can't.
This is something you have to decide on your own. In the end you have to feel
great on stage. Do you really need that extra bling-y bracelet to feel more
comfortable on stage? If so, than go ahead and buy it. If not, just don't. You
will not place better by wearing a bracelet.

What are your experiences with budget and competing? Do you have more tips?
Please let me know in the comments!

I want to write about a very important, but often underestimated topic of competing - the time after the competition, when you're coming back to reality.

When the tanning slowly fades - 2 weeks after the bikini competition

Hey peeps,

it's now 2 weeks after my first bikini competition. My last article regarding my
competition experience was about how my show day went
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-show-day/].

Now I want to write about a very important, but often underestimated topic of
competing - the time after the competition, when you're coming back to reality.
For me, the competition prep itself was very rewarding and kind of addictive,
because you get to learn so much about yourself.

After 16 weeks of telling yourself "no! no! no!" to most of your favourite
foods, you start to make a mental list of everything you want to eat after the
show. Your mind goes from "I need to look damn lean at this specific day" to
"What am I even counting calories for?". The truth is, it's the worst you can do
to your body, if you start to eat like an animal after your big day.

I've read a lot of articles where competitors started binge eating for weeks,
forgot all their hard earned habits over the past months, started skipping
workouts and gained a lot of weight back. I didn't want that happen to me. So I
prepared myself mentally for 'the hardest part of the prep diet' - as it's often
described.

I also heard a lot about competitors who have to deal with mental and
psychological effects. This is called the 'post-competition blues'.

How did I do during my first 2 weeks after the comp?
The day right after the competition, I had a really big cheat day. I ate the
fruits I couldn't eat for the last months, as well as snickers, ice cream, bread
and peanut butter. You get the idea. I enjoyed every bite of it. It was awesome.

As a foodie, I really enjoy good food. However, I always had in mind that I have
to go back on track the next day. Day one was definitely the toughest, because
you have to make the decision to go back on track and remind yourself that
enough is enough. Of course, you have cravings you haven't had before, during
the contest prep, because now you're allowed to eat a much wider range of food.
The most important thing is to find your balance again.

Basically, this is my main goal for the next weeks. Gradually increasing my
calories and cutting cardio back, and finding my balance by enjoying foods I
love. In my opinion, that's the best about the diet after the competition - 
called reverse dieting [https://blog.slickcoach.com/reverse-dieting/] - you can
eat that snickers bar, if you can fit it into your diet and macros.

So far, everything went according to the plan. Yes, there are even now moments
where I just want to turn off my mind and eat more than my caloric target. Yes,
those moments are now harder than during my prep, but mind over matter. And yes,
maybe I gave in 2 or 3 times. However, I always got right back on track the next
day.

It's all in your head. Visualise the success you'll have before you reach it.

For most people it is so easy to fall off the wagon. For me it's the other way
around. I always tend to be too restricted and harsh with myself. It's very easy
for me to overdo it, if I have to follow a certain plan. That's why I have to
remind myself: life's mostly about enjoying.

Workout-wise, the last few weeks were amazing! I finally have my energy and
focus back and was able to go all-in during my workouts. Plus, I'm finally
slowly cutting back on cardio sessions. You can tell, I'm not a huge fan of
cardio. Who is anyway!?

Emotionally I'm totally stable. I feel really good and energetic. I plan a lot
of upcoming events and even when to compete again. Yes, I will definitely go on
stage again. It was too much of an enjoyment for me.

My current weight is 55kg/120lbs, which is around 1.5kg/3lbs more than my stage
weight. I'm totally fine with that, because most of it comes from water
retention, since I introduced carbs back into my diet (5 weeks before my
competition, I started a ketogenic diet
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/diets-explained-part-2-low-carb-high-fat-keto/], so
I retained very little water). My form is still very decent.

Here are the stats for the time of my reverse dieting protocol.

BTW, I just published an article about how to successfully reverse diet, just so
you know what I'm talking about and what's important while reverse dieting
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/reverse-dieting/].

Diet consists of
 * 1600 kcal
 * 130g protein
 * about 180g carbs
 * 40g fat

Typical meal plan
As mentioned I'm doing a reverse diet. Meaning, gradually increasing my calories
week after week for 100-200 extra calories per day. The main goal here is to
recover my metabolism after the long period of restricted dieting.

This is just a random picked meal plan from our app Slickcoach
[https://www.slickcoach.com/] (Sign up, if you want to get informed when the
beta-version is available, which will be very soon). In prep, I was eating the
same meals every day. Now I'm switching more often to enjoy more foods.

Meal #1 (Pre workout): 20 kcal

 * 5g BCAAs; 20 kcal

Meal #2 (Post workout): 501 kcal

 * 25g whey protein powder; 100 kcal
 * 50g oats; 186 kcal
 * 50g Alpro soy yogurt; 40k cal
 * 250g mango; 175 kcal

Meal #3 (12pm): 415 kcal

 * 350g silken tofu; 216 kcal
 * 25g whey protein powder; 100 kcal
 * 200g mixed frozen berries; 78 kcal
 * 50g frozen blueberries; 20 kcal

Meal #4 (3pm): 342 kcal

 * 25g whey protein powder; 100 kcal
 * 5g raw cocoa; 20 kcal
 * 50g frozen blueberries; 20 kcal
 * 1 whole egg; 83 kcal
 * 2 egg whites; 34 kcal
 * 90g banana; 85 kcal

Meal #5 (6pm): 330 kcal

 * 200g firm tofu; 224 kcal
 * 20g fresh leaf spinach; 6 kcal
 * 60g tomatoes; 10 kcal
 * 2 slices of Malted Danish Bread; 90 kcal

Training split
Now that I have much more energy in the gym, I don't need additional rest days.
I cut my cardio sessions down to 20 minutes. I focus more on heavy compound
exercises at the moment and push those weights hard in every session.

 * Monday: 45 min Active recovery/LISS cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume)+ 20 min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 20 min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high volume) + 20 min cardio
 * Saturday: Legs (high volume)
 * Sunday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 20 min cardio

Supplementation
Supplementation slightly changed, as I now have the ability to get most of my
micros through my diet.

 * 5g BCAAs in the morning before training, if I train fasted
 * Vitamin C (once a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Whey protein powder as needed

Follow my days back to "normality" on Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/] and Twitter
[https://twitter.com/slickcoach]. Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

I will tell you, how you can keep the weight off. It's not even difficult. You've already done the hardest part - you got into the mindset of dieting.

How to beat the "yo-yo"-effect-Stop ruin your weight loss success now!

We know it all too well: the "yo-yo"-effect. You worked so hard and lost a ton
of weight, then gained the weight or even more right back, over and over again.
It's really discouraging and after the 3rd trial you ask yourself what the heck
you're doing wrong. Is there even a way to not sabotage my hard work?

Yes, indeed there is. And I will tell you, how you can keep the weight off. Rest
assured, it's not even difficult. You've already done the hardest part - you got
into the mindset of dieting. Well done!

Reverse dieting - What is it?

A 'normal' weight loss diet is based on a caloric deficit. Contrary to that, the
reversed diet is a caloric increase. Essentially, it's adding calories slowly
and controlled back into your current diet, while gaining minimal weight.

The key word being "controlled". Because a lot of people start to go back to
their normal caloric intake, or worse do uncontrolled cheat meals, cheat days,
binges or weeks off from dieting.

The main goal is to recover your metabolism after a longer period of restricted
dieting.

What happens with my metabolism after losing weight?

We told you over a hundred times: dieting is all about energy balance (for
weight loss you need a negative energy balance, for weight gain a positive
energy balance).

But that's not all. Living on a restricted calorie diet affects not only your
body fat, but also your metabolism
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/metabolism-explained-and-5-natural-ways-to-boost-it/]
.

In fact, you force your body to do something it doesn't want to do.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Basically, your BMR is the amount of energy your body needs while it rests.
Placing your body in a caloric deficit, hormonal adaption occurs, which may
cause your body to burn less energy while at rest.

Those hormones are leptin, ghrelin, thyroid hormones and testosterone. And yes,
all of them are affected on a weight loss diet.

Furthermore, even on the best high protein diet, you'll lose some muscle mass,
which burns most of your calories. Hence, after a long diet, you burn less
calories on a normal day than you did before.

Thermic effect of food (TEF)
The TEF is the amount of energy our bodies need to eat, digest, absorb and store
the food we just ate. It accounts for around 10% of our total daily energy
expenditure (specifically 0-5% for dietary fat, 5-15% for carbs and 15-30% for
protein).

Living on restricted calories doesn't affect our TEF directly, but the reduction
in our calories and therefore food intake results in a reduction in our total
energy expenditure.

Exercise
It's as simple as that: It costs more energy to move a heavier body. Hence,
reducing your body weight will also reduce the amount of energy expended during
your exercises.

See, your body is a lot smarter than you think. Your metabolism adapts to the
amount of energy you feed your body. It's main goal is to balance energy intake
with output. By decreasing your calories and eating less than your body burns,
your metabolism naturally begins to be more efficient. Hence, you burn less
energy.

You get it, one of the worst things you can do after losing weight is to
dramatically increase your caloric intake back to normal.

What you need is slowly raising your food intake back to normal levels without
gaining body fat.

And if you had a very bad diet before, don't even think about eating like that
again. People somehow think after they lost weight, they can eat exactly the way
they ate when they gained all that weight. Doesn't make much sense, does it?
Change your lifestyle forever, to stay lean! You don't have to restrict yourself
too much, but a healthy diet is certainly a good idea - not just for keeping
they weight off, but also staying clear of things like diabetes.

Who needs to reverse diet?

Do you want to start a cut and lose body fat, but you already have to eat a very
low number of calories in order to do so?

You're on a weight loss diet for several weeks or months now, but your progress
has slowed down or even plateaued?

You just finished a cut or contest prep and want now to repair metabolic
slowdown and increase your calories the right way?

Sounds appropriate? Reverse dieting might be the right choice for you.

How to calculate your macros

Actually, this part is very easy. The main goal is to speed up your metabolism.
That's why you'll always base your initial calorie target
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-many-calories-do-you-really-have-to-eat-free-calculator/] 
on what you're currently eating.

Let's say you just finished a cutting period - like me (female, 26 years old,
53.6kg/118 pounds). I ate 1400 calories at the end of my cut
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-1-day-out/], with 130g
of protein, 40g of carbs and 80g of fat (I was on keto
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/diets-explained-part-2-low-carb-high-fat-keto/]).

To calculate your new initial caloric target, simply add 150-200 calories per
week to what you eat at the moment. For me that is a new caloric target of 1600
calories per day.

Protein
It's no myth that protein is absolutely crucial
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-basics-what-is-protein/] for building and
maintaining muscle mass, to recover faster from your workouts and feel more
satiated after meals.

How much is enough? Eat 2g of protein per kg bodyweight, or 1g of protein per
pound per day. That's totally enough and easy to remember.

Fat
Fat won't make you fat
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-basics-what-is-dietary-fat/] and it's really
important to get enough of it, but it will typically make up the smallest
portion of your daily calories.

To get your minimum fat intake in grams just multiply your weight in kilos by
0.5. So a 60kg person would need at least 30g of fat per day to keep hormones in
check.

Carbs
With reverse dieting, carbs
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/the-basics-what-are-carbohydrates/] are very
important, because they influence the regulation of certain hormones like
leptin, which are important for your metabolism and hunger.

After defining your protein and fat targets, just fill out the remaining
calories with carbs.

Let's put it all together in my case of ending a cutting phase with 1400
calories and 53.6kg/118lbs.

 * New calorie target for week 1 of reverse dieting: 1600 kcal per day
 * Protein target: 118g per day
 * Fat target: 35.5g - 53g per day
 * Carbohydrate target: 190g per day

Each week (every 5 to 7 days) you increase your daily caloric intake until you
reach the amount of calories that you're burning every day, meaning maintenance
levels.

You do that by increasing any carbs or fat. Protein is fixed, unless you have
too much money or just like the taste.

That's all there is to do.

Foods to eat

The foods you eat are completely up to you. Specific foods won't make any
difference when it comes to weight gain/weight loss, as long as you're hitting
your calorie and macronutrient goal.

However, the foods you eat do matter when it comes to micronutrients, vitamins,
your health and how you're feeling in general. As well as satiety.

I personally recommend the 80/20 approach. 80% of your diet should come from
clean whole foods and 20% can come from less cleaner foods. Balance, peeps! You
only live once, so if you want that snickers bar, work it in your plan! At the
end of the day 'black and white'- thinking doesn't help if you can't enjoy life.

How to workout during your reverse diet

Weight lifting plays another key role while reverse dieting! Why? Because it
keeps your metabolism going and sets you up for some potential muscle gain. So 
push those weights hard [https://blog.slickcoach.com/full-body-workout/], it
will be much easier for you, because you will have more energy. It is also a
crucial part for improving your body composition.

Focus on more heavy compound exercises, like squats, bench press, military press
and deadlifts. As always, really.

We made a video for you, showing you how to perform those exercises properly.

Doing more compound lifts is the most effective way to overload your muscles and
force muscle growth and increase your overall strength.

How long should you reverse diet?

Continue with the reverse diet until you reach a caloric level where you gained
weight for 2 weeks. Best case would be no more than 0.5kg/1lbs per week.

Once you hit that level, you are at the point where increasing your calories
again will only cause a gain in body fat, not muscle mass.

Now you have two options: you can choose to bulk
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/how-to-gain-weight-healthy/] by keeping the
calories where they are, or maintain your current weight by going down 100-200
calories again and staying there.

Conclusion
Maintaining your hard earned new look can be really tricky, but you don't want
to sabotage yourself. Just stay in the mindset and go with the flow
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/stay-on-track-with-your-weight-loss/].

How to beat the "yo-yo"-effect - Stop ruin your weight loss success now!

Hey peeps,

I did it! A few days ago I competed in my first bodybuilding bikini competition
for NABBA. I did 16 weeks of strict dieting and workouts
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/tag/contest-prep/], and I stuck to it from the
beginning to the end.

I enjoyed every minute of competition prep and the new things that I experienced
along the way. I'm so grateful and happy for every moment, every up and down,
every single person who supported me and every lesson I learned! The last 3 days
of the prep were the most exciting one. I had to start with the tanning, the
organisation of the big day and plan and prep your meals.

The tanning
The tanning was something very special and new for me. I decided to do it by
myself with the products from ProTan.

I started by taking a long bath on Thursday around midday. Exfoliated and shaved
myself. In the evening we applied the first Overnight Base Coat. It was so funny
to see myself with a tan, because I'm pale all year. Next morning (Friday) I
rinsed it off and applied another 3 coats during the day. On Saturday after my
make up and hair was done, we applied one top coat and I was ready to go!




The show day
Finally. The day I've waited and prepared for months.

I woke up at 5am, dreaming of custard filled doughnuts. I don't even know why, I
never had them before! Stumbled across all the clothes on the floor (our flat
looked like a mess after tanning over and over again) to finally make it to the
kitchen. First coffee, then I made 50g of basmati rice for breakfast. While the
rice was cooking I weighed myself for the last time. My final weight was 53.6kg. 
I started this prep with 61.2kg, that makes a total loss of almost 8kg.

I sat down and took the time to actually enjoy my 'breakfast'. I knew the day
would get hectic enough.

At around 6am I started curling my hair. Yep, I did it by myself, enjoying
another cup of coffee along with that. I'm not a huge fan of girlie-stuff.
That's why it took me quite a while to get all my hair curled. However, the
result looked pretty good.



Now the most exciting part began: at 8:30am arrived my make up artist Mireya
[http://www.beautyreviewed.co.uk/]. I've never got my make up done before so I
didn't know what to expect. It was amazing! She was so kind, calming and she
knows exactly what she's doing. I really appreciate working with professionals
and she is definitely one. If you live in or around London and need to get your
make up done, she's definitely your girl!

Special thanks to her for making me look so good! Every girl asked who did my
gorgeous make up. I've never looked and felt so beautiful in my life.



At 10am we applied the last coat of tanning, packed the last few things
together, I ate a few rice crackers with jam and we went off to the theatre. We
took the bus, so we had a 50 minute ride in front of us. I was really calm and
enjoyed the silence before the storm.

Check in was at 12pm and we arrived at the venue just in time. I collected my
number and then we had to wait...wait...wait in the foyer with all the other
athletes and with the audience. Nobody was able to tell me where the changing
rooms are or where I can put my stuff (and you have a lot of stuff with you). I
got moody and just wanted to leave. If there's one thing I absolutely don't
like, it's bad organisation.

After 1.5 hours of waiting in the foyer, somebody was able to tell me where I
can find the changing rooms and get ready. I was so lucky, that I already got
everything done and my suit on.

We were the 4th class on stage, so I got another 1-1.5 hours to dawdle away, why
I decided to just walk around the backstage area. It was now 2.30pm and the show
begun. Backstage was a cluster of half-naked females, soy sauce drinking males
and Tupperware meals. I don't know why, but sadly coaches weren't allowed
backstage, so I was alone. Basically you just pick a corner and set your stuff
down.

There was no real connection to the stage, so we didn't know which class was on
stage and how long we have until it's our turn. From time to time a staff member
ran around to count if all girls are there. In my class we were 10. I was number
10.

At around 4:30pm we were told to "do our stuff", because we're the next ones on
stage. I had to do a routine and a comparison.

Once your class gets close to stepping on stage, you take your heels and go to
the pumping area. But wait, there is no pumping area?! Okay, no problem. So I
did some Push-ups and luckily I got some resistance bands with me to warm up my
shoulders and arms properly. Always be prepared for the worst!




I took this picture just seconds before I stepped on the stage. What was in my
mind? Was I tanned enough? Did my makeup look ok? Should I eat? Decisions,
decisions.

Nah, not really. Sixteen weeks of strict training and dieting was about to come
down to 20 minutes on stage. I was just full of excitement, pride and
gratefulness. I love those moments just seconds before something big and new
happens to me. When everybody is flipping out, I just try to focus on myself,
calm down and enjoy this moment to the fullest.

And then they called my number and name and I stepped on stage for the first
time to do my routine. I started facing the judges with my back. Took a deep
breath and my song began. Head's off, intention on. It was amazing.

Right after my routine I had to go backstage, put my shoes on and we were very
quickly shuttled into a line. I was shaking because of the adrenalin spike and
had not a minute to calm down. Then we were quickly called on stage for
comparison posing. Sadly, the stage wasn't big enough for 10 ladies, why I ended
up standing behind the desk of the presenter. I tried my best to make the best
out of this situations and just smiled and posed and fought myself in the middle
of the stage. Yay, this is a good thing, right?

You stand there, under crazy hot lights, trying not to make eye contact with
anyone but the judges, smile like a crazy bitch and thinking "look at my glutes
NOW NOW NOW ... noooo, not now.". And I loved it. Yes, it was weird, but I
really enjoyed it. Then you wave and head off stage.

And that's pretty much it. We went backstage again, waited a few minutes, and
then you get called back on stage for the top 5 to accept their trophies.

Sadly, I wasn't one of them, due to my lack of training years. My conditioning
was good, but after 2.5 years and coming from 80+ kg, you can't beat girls that
are competing for 5+ years. They had 5kg more muscle mass than I had. And since
the classes were not divided by weight or height, I had no chance.

Nevertheless, I'm very happy with my form and my progress. The other competitors
brought a lot to the stage and they owned their trophies! Give me another 2.5
years and I can beat them :)

As soon as I was back behind the stage, I took off my heels, ripped my suit off
my butt, put on some crazy comfortable sweat pants and a shirt. Mario was
waiting for me outside. I was beyond happy. I did it! My first show and I did
it! And I loved it.

As soon as we sat in the bus, I have never been more excited to take a shower. 5
coats of tanning, no deodorant, make up and hair spray made a sticky
combination.

After the competition
I know what you think: Now comes the fun part, getting to eat everything you
come across. No, actually that's the worst you can possibly do. Of course, you
can enjoy a good cheat day, the day after the comp, but don't cheat longer than
24 hours. Cheating for several days or even weeks will lead to putting on all
the fat you've lost over the last weeks or even more. You'll completely destroy
your body composition.

It's important to continue to exercise some self-control post-show and reverse
diet. I will publish a separate blogpost about that next week. Stay tuned!

My experience
A lot of people make contest prep sound like it is an absolute miserable
experience and that you, if you want to make it right, have to feel like shit. 
Nonsense!

I want to make it clear, that it is not easy, but it's also not terrible and it
doesn't have to be unhealthy. If you do things intelligently the entire process
should not be miserable at all.

Of course, you have to cut out foods you enjoy, but it's only for a period of
time. It's not forever. And yeah, there will be difficult times, but you just
have to push through them, that's life.

Competition is not going to kill you. On the contrary, win or lose, it will make
you stronger.

What's up next?
This was definitely not my last competition. I am thinking about competing again
in November but with another association. NABBA is definitely not the right one
for me for several reasons.

But for now, I'll start my first off-season - a little bulk. The next weeks
consist of reverse-dieting. Meaning, slowly increasing my calories. I will do
another series about the time after the prep, called "When the tan fades", so
stay tuned!

Stay up to date by following us on Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/] and Twitter
[https://twitter.com/slickcoach]. Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Bikini competition journal - SHOW DAY

Tomorrow is the day. I can't believe we aren't measuring time in weeks anymore. Tomorrow I'll be competing for the first time in the bikini devision. 

Bikini competition journal 1 day out

Tomorrow is the day. I can't believe I'm not measuring time in days anymore.
Tomorrow I'll be competing for the first time in the bikini devision.

Am I nervous? Not really. As I said in one of my previous journals
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/bikini-competition-journal-2-weeks-out-just-let-me-lay-here-for-a-few-seconds-or-maybe-hours/]
, the stage is not that important to me. Am I happy? Oh yes. Tomorrow I can
finally say 'I did it'. I'm more than proud and grateful for all the people who
supported me.

This journey was amazing. I've learned lessons I wouldn't have learned without
this prep. I grew beyond my limits. Competing made me look past the basics of
nutrition and exercise. I started examining all the details, every feeling,
everything my body and mind wanted to tell me.

When I'm looking in the mirror I see more than a good physique. I see a more
grown up woman, a woman who is tougher than she thought she could be, who is
surprised by her own strength. I've learned to handle weakness, struggle and to
control hunger. I've learned to handle shit I don't want to do, to get work done
despite the fact that I was lacking concentration.

But to be completely honest: I couldn't have done this all by myself. Support is
important. People who may not understand why you're doing this, but believe in
you and want to see you succeed.

I've shown you that there is always a healthy way - no, competition prep doesn't
have to be unhealthy or harm your body.

What happens tomorrow doesn't really matter to me. I've already won.
I got to know people who really care and helped me, although I just moved to
London a few months ago. My loved friends and family back in Germany where also
always there for me. Tried to understand the journey I'm going through and tried
to help wherever they can, even though they don't understand why I'm doing this.

Our community online is so strong and the love I received is overwhelming and
touches my heart.

And then my husband. To me it's one of the best things that we test ourselves
constantly. We don't just settle. We improve. As individuals and as a team.

It was a competition against myself - 16 weeks, every day. To show myself what
I'm really capable of, to go above my limits and out of my comfort zone. And who
can say he/she won a competition against their own mind?!

If you're going to compete, please don't focus too much on the placing. There is
so much more! Go on the freakin' stage and celebrate your success the past few
weeks. Celebrate the struggles, ups and downs, the support you got and the new
things you've learned. That's what it's all about.

Never settle! It's one of the most powerful principles you can live by. Never
fucking settle! There is so much to discover.

Every time you decide to work on yourself, instead of taking the shortcut, makes
you stronger. Develop your mind by learning something new, rather than watching
the news over and over again. Eat healthy, be kind, be grateful! Life happens,
so keep going despite setbacks.

Set the standard and continue to raise the bar in your life.

My peak week
So, let's talk about my peak week. There are lots of people in the fitness, and
especially in the bodybuilding industry, who say "Peak week is where the magic
happens." Oh man, we get that. But no. The magic already happened the weeks
before where you worked your ass off to be ready on that specific date.

Of course, there are many little "tricks" to look your absolute best on show
day. But to be honest with you, you don't want to try super fancy new stuff in
the last week and mess around. This could cause you to just ruin what you've
worked so hard for during the past weeks.

Many people want to play with their water or sodium intake... but if you screwed
up during your prep and you have too much fat left or lost too much muscle mass,
the peak week won't save you anyway.

Peak week is about calming down, relaxing, recovering and focus.

Here are the final facts of the last week for you:

Diet consists of
 * 1500 kcal
 * 130g protein
 * about 35g-40g carbs (net carbs if you're in the US)
 * 80g fat

Typical meal plan
To minimise the water retention of my body I decided to cut out dairy and most
artificial sweeteners for this week, sadly. You know I love cheese. Hey, what
are 7 days, right?

Now here's my competition prep meal plan on a ketogenic
[/diets-explained-part-2-low-carb-high-fat-keto/] vegetarian diet:

Meal #1 (Pre workout): 20 kcal; 0.3gC/0gF/4.7gP

 * 5g BCAAs; 20 kcal

Meal #2 (Post workout): 104 kcal; 2.2gC/1.9gF/19.1gP

 * 25g whey protein powder; 104 kcal

Meal #3 (12pm): 348 kcal; 17gC/23gF/27gP

 * 2 portobello mushroom caps (around 150g); 21 kcal
 * 4 egg whites; 68 kcal
 * 1 whole egg; 66 kcal
 * 120g avocado; 80 kcal
 * 10g reduced sugar/salt ketchup; 6kcal

Meal #4 (3pm): 306 kcal; 11gC/14gF/32gP

 * 25g whey protein powder; 104 kcal
 * 2 whole eggs; 166 kcal
 * 5g raw cocoa; 20 kcal
 * 50g frozen blueberries; 20 kcal

Meal #5 (6pm): 489 kcal; 3gC/31gF/48gP

 * 50g fresh leaf spinach; 15 kcal
 * 4 whole eggs; 248 kcal
 * 100g salmon filet; 174 kcal
 * 150g mushrooms; 24 kcal
 * 50g beansprouts; 24 kcal
 * 25g spring onions; 6 kcal

Meal #6 (9pm): 114 kcal; 3gC/6gF/8gP

 * 20g whole chia seeds; 84 kcal
 * 75ml unsweetened Alpro almond milk; 10 kcal
 * 5g whey protein powder, 20 kcal

Training split / Time table for the week
Training split has slightly changed, because - well - it's peak week and I don't
want to cause too much harm or increase inflammation in my body. Therefore, I'm
doing a de-load week. Which means, lighter weights at roughly 60% 1RM. At this
stage it's very likely to cause an injury, so I don't want to overdo it.

 * Monday: 45 min Active recovery/LISS cardio
 * Tuesday: 60 min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high rep)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high rep); Abs + 30min cardio
 * Friday: 30min cardio
 * Saturday: Rest day, show day
 * Sunday: Rest day, cheat day

Supplementation
Supplementation stays the same as last week, but I no longer take Creatine,
because my body might hold more water with it.

 * 5g BCAAs in the morning before training
 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Whey protein powder as needed
 * Magnesium (1g per day)
 * Fish oil capsules (2g per day)

Pics







And here are finally some pics from my lovely stage bikini by Muscle Dazzle




Follow my whole day, to the minute I step on the stage and when I finally did
it:

Tomorrow, Saturday the 29th of April 2017 through our Instagram-Stories
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/]. I will keep you updated!

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/] and Twitter
[https://twitter.com/slickcoach]. Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Bikini competition journal 1 day out - "Oh my gosh, look how tanned I am!"

Hey peeps!

Oh my gosh, time is flying by and I can't believe that my show is in two weeks.
There are days where it felt so unbelievable far away. And now I'm nearly there. 
Things finally are all coming together now.

What happened the past weeks? First, we changed my diet. I'm very
carb-sensitive, so we decided to cut out carbs completely. Now I'm on a 
ketogenic diet until the end. Meaning, just around 35g of carbs per day for me.
I'm doing quite well with that. First week of keto was hard, but my body
responds very well now. The change in diet makes my body inefficient again,
which is a huge plus in order to keep losing body fat.

Past week was a pretty rough week for me. As you may know, we are on Youtube
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaeJID4esDUcJX4gMhzgDUg]. Last Sunday we made
a video for you about a full body workout (you can watch it down below).

On this day I had 3 workout sessions (2x weight lifting; 1x cardio), which was
really exhausting for me. On Monday my whole body started to feel weird. I had
some kind of pressure on both of my ears and extreme circulation problems.

What most likely happened was that my central nervous system was just overloaded
. I trained too often and too hard and my body isn't able to recover as quickly
as I want to, due to the long diet. Therefore, I made one day a complete no-gym
day (which I didn't had for over 2 months) with a re-feed. My energy is back and
I'm ready to smash the last couple of days!

What I learned so far? Listen to your body. No, I mean not just listen, but 
listen AND act. I didn't listen to what my body was telling me and I had to pay
the price. It's so easy for me to overdo it, because I always want to give
everything I possibly can. That's not how it works, it's more like fine tuning. 
You have to find the balance.

I can really feel the long diet now. My energy levels are lower and I'm tired
more often. After over 14 weeks of restricted dieting that's totally normal. But
this is also one of the hardest things for me: being in this weakened state.
Normally I'm strong and always full of energy. Now I have to convince my body to
go to the toilet if I have to pee.

Overall I'm feeling okay. I'm not too moody and if so, I try to explain why and
how I'm feeling. This helps me and my husband a lot. ;)

I'm proud of myself. Doesn't matter what will happen at the show, which place I
will reach. I got this far, I never was in a better shape in my whole life and I
know my body much better than before. I'm proud of how I handled the diet, I've
never cheated, I sticked to it. Plus, I'm so proud of my husband and our
marriage. Whatever is on my mind I can talk to him and he'll always tries to
understand my often weird thoughts. We will always have each other's backs.

To be honest with you, show day isn't really that important to me. I never was
that typical girly girl, so I don't need that "glam up"-stuff. Of course, it's
part of the game, but I just try to be myself there. More important to me is the
process of growth I had during this prep. But I will go deeper into that topic
in 2 weeks, when my prep is over.

I will present my bikini in the next couple of days, so stay tuned! Follow us on 
Instagram [**https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/**], if you want to see it
and for the latest updates. Last week I also bought my tanning products from
ProTan. I'm so excited to see myself with a tan, because I'm very pale
naturally.

Before I forget it: I will also do an "After the prep"-series with information
about reverse dieting, how my workouts are structured after the prep, how I'm
feeling in general and how my plans for the future look like. If you're
interested to see a video from the "After-competition-cheat", let me know in the
comments down below.

Here are the typical stats for you.

Diet consists of
 * 1500 kcal
 * 130g protein
 * about 35g-40g carbs (net carbs if you're in the US)
 * 80g fat

Typical meal plan
I'm so deep in the mindset, I have no problems avoiding temptations. You could
eat a whole snickers bar in front of me and I would not bat an eye.

Now here's my competition prep meal plan on a ketogenic vegetarian diet:

Meal #1 (Pre workout): 20 kcal; 0.3gC/0gF/4.7gP

 * 5g BCAAs; 20 kcal

Meal #2 (Post workout): 104 kcal; 2.2gC/1.9gF/19.1gP

 * 25g whey protein powder vanilla; 104 kcal

Meal #3 (12pm): 389 kcal; 7gC/25gF/37gP

 * 2 portobello mushroom caps (around 150g); 21 kcal
 * 4 egg whites; 68 kcal
 * 1 whole egg; 66 kcal
 * 60g mozzarella; 148 kcal
 * 50g avocado; 80 kcal
 * 10g reduced sugar/salt ketchup; 6kcal

Meal #4 (3pm): 306 kcal; 11gC/14gF/32gP

 * 25g whey protein powder vanilla; 104 kcal
 * 2 whole eggs; 166 kcal
 * 5g raw cocoa; 20 kcal
 * 50g frozen blueberries; 20 kcal

Meal #5 (6pm): 463 kcal; 9gC/28gF/39gP

 * 50g fresh leaf spinach; 15 kcal
 * 3 whole eggs; 198 kcal
 * 75g quark; 44 kcal
 * 150g mushrooms; 24 kcal
 * 50g beansprouts; 24 kcal
 * 50g greek salad cheese; 135kcal
 * 75g sauerkraut; 17 kcal
 * 25g spring onions; 6 kcal

Meal #6 (9pm): 115 kcal; 10gC/6gF/4gP

 * 20g whole chia seeds; 84 kcal
 * 50ml Alpro coconut milk; 10 kcal
 * 50g frozen blueberries; 20 kcal

Training split
Training split has slightly changed, because I need more time to recover.
Depending on how the weightlifting went that day, I'm doing steady state or HIIT
cardio.

 * Monday: 45 min Active recovery/LISS cardio
 * Tuesday: 60 min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume); Abs + 30min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high weight)+ 30min cardio
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight)
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight); Abs + 30min cardio

If I feel that I need more rest, I will incorporate more LISS cardio sessions in
place of a weightlifting session or a whole rest day. There's no need to be
completely fucked up just because it's the last weeks of a prep.

Supplementation
Supplementation stays the same, but I added BCAAs, because I train fasted:

 * 5g BCAAs in the morning before training
 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Creatine (5g per day)
 * Whey protein powder as needed
 * Magnesium (1g per day)
 * Fish oil capsules (2g per day)

Pics





What I'm looking forward to? To actually enjoy eating again, and not just to
function. :)

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Bikini competition journal 2 weeks out - "Let me just lay here for a few more seconds ... or maybe hours"

I couldn't be prouder of myself at this point of the prep. I didn't cheat on my diet for the last 12+ weeks. I sticked to it from the beginning. 

Bikini competition journal 5 weeks out-We're hitting the home stretch!

Hey, peeps!

Thank you for sticking with me through my first bikini competition prep. All
your support and engagement really pushes me and I'm so thankful for all your
kind words! We're hitting the home stretch! The contest is just 5 weeks away
now.

5 weeks is nothing, right? I already dieted for over 12 weeks, so 5 weeks should
pass in no time.

I couldn't be prouder of myself at this point of the prep. I didn't cheat on my
diet for the last 12+ weeks. I sticked to it from the beginning. And I will
stick to it till the end.

Even when I do planned refeeds (which I do about every 2-3 weeks, but only if I
really need them), I count every calorie and every macro. Macros count,
especially on refeed days!

On those refeed days I eat around 2500 calories, mainly consisting of carbs. My
favourite food choices are crumpets, white bread, gummy bears, jam, honey, rice
and oats.

It gets more and more important to me to never lose control and to keep
everything in check. That way I won't feel bad afterwards and can fully enjoy my
carb high.

Big thanks to my husband. He's the only one who got to know my weak moments and
fight with me through them (for example when I saw that they now have Oreo
peanut butter sandwich ice creme - what a terrible moment for me).

Once you can control your mind everything gets much easier. But it's hard to get
there. When I feel that my mind leads me in a direction I don't want to, it's
now much easier for me to be strong and remind myself what really matters and
what my goals are.

So, what happened the last 3 weeks? Routine. Don't get me wrong, I've always
loved routine. Now it's not just that I like a certain routine, but I need it. I
eat the same foods at the same time of the day. I do work tasks in the exact
same order every day. Sounds boring, doesn't it. I'm not as spontaneous as I
used to be. But it really helps!

Furthermore, I finally bought my bikini. It'll arrive in the first week of
April. Stay tuned on Instagram as well [https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/],
I will show you when it arrives.

Now to the most important question: Did I lose weight? Yes, I lost weight
consistently the last couple of weeks. I'm now close to 55kg (btw, I started
with 61kg).

All in all, dieting for me is pretty easy. Once you get the mindset you just
don't want to cheat and don't need to. But working out gets harder. It's more
difficult to stay focused and motivated, when you don't get stronger anymore.
Often times I don't feel like training at all. But those are the days where you
have to push yourself harder and do one extra set.

Diet consists of
 * 1500 kcal
 * 130g protein
 * about 120g carbs
 * 37g fat

Typical meal plan
As I told you: I need a certain routine. Even in my meals. That's something I
never thought I would do, because I used to be such a foodie. But now I'm eating
the same meal every day. Only a few little variations here and there.

Meal #1 (Pre workout): 185kcal; 27.4gC/7.6gF/1.6gP

 * 40g "Crazy caramel bar" (Tesco); 185 kcal

Meal #2 (Post workout): 172 kcal; 6gC/2.2gF/31.6gP

 * 25g whey protein powder vanilla; 104 kcal
 * 100g quark; 68 kcal

Meal #3 (12pm): 357 kcal; 34gC/3gF/38gP

 * 130g mushrooms; 21 kcal
 * 75g tomato; 13 kcal
 * 50g basmati rice; 164 kcal
 * 2 skinless salmon fillets, each about 70g; 144 kcal
 * 50g fresh leaf spinach; 15 kcal

Meal #4 (3pm): 466 kcal; 60gC/9gF/38gP

 * 32g whey protein powder vanilla; 128 kcal
 * 2 egg whites; 34 kcal
 * 1 whole egg; 83 kcal
 * 5g raw cocoa; 20 kcal
 * 90g banana; 83 kcal
 * optional: 170g nectarine; 102 kcal
 * optional: 135g strawberries; 45 kcal

Meal #5 (6pm): 256 kcal; 10gC/2gF/46gP

 * 150g mushrooms; 24 kcal
 * 180g tomatoes; 31 kcal
 * 100g quark; 68 kcal
 * 50g fresh leaf spinach; 15 kcal
 * 1 can tuna chunks in brine; 119 kcal

Training split
Training split remains the same. I'm doing 5 cardio sessions per week (including
LISS as active recovery on Monday). Depending on how the weightlifting went that
day, I'm doing steady state or HIIT.

 * Monday: Active recovery/LISS cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume); Abs + 30min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high weight)+ 30min cardio
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight)
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight); Abs + 30min cardio

Supplementation
Supplementation stays the same, too:

 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Creatine (5g per day)
 * Whey protein powder as needed
 * Magnesium (1g per day)
 * Fish oil capsules (2g per day)

Pics




More bikini prep posts
If you missed some of my bikini prep posts, you can get caught up here:

17 weeks out [https://blog.slickcoach.com/competition-journal-17-weeks-out/]

15 weeks out
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/competition-prep-journal-15-weeks-out/]

13 weeks out
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/competition-journal-13-weeks-out-valuable-things-i-learned/]

8 weeks out
[https://blog.slickcoach.com/competition-journal-8-weeks-out-valuable-things-i-learned/]

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Bikini competition journal 5 weeks out - We're hitting the home stretch!

After being in prep now for over a month, I feel like it's getting quite serious. I'm deep in the mindset and even if there are hard moments.


Bikini competition journal 8 weeks out - valuable things I learned

Hey, peeps!

Thank you for checking back on how I'm doing as I prepare for my first bikini
contest in April 29th, 2017.

After being in prep now for over two months, I feel like it's getting quite
serious. I'm deep in the mindset and even if there are hard moments, I just want
to keep going and want to work as hard as possible to reach my goal.

What's really motivating me are the people from the gym who came to me and tell
me how amazing I look. Thank you so much for that! You don't know how those kind
words push me and make my day!

Seeing small changes in my physique keeps me excited to keep going and stick to
the plan, but there's still a lot of work to do.

Sometimes there are more bad days than good days, but you will never hear me
complaining. I decided to do this. It's my choice, so I have to get through
those downs and maybe even embrace them. I believe in being as transparent as
possible during this process.

It's fun, challenging, difficult, a complete mind fuck, mentally and physically
taxing. Some days I feel like a warrior and other days I want to crawl into a
whole bag of snickers and never come out again. I saw many competitors only
share their highlights. Highlights are amazing, but there is so much more that
happens throughout the process.

What's the most difficult part? Definitely loving myself enough to show on stage
how proud I am. I'm always very critical. When I look at things, I see what
could make them better. Same with my body. Less bump, more back, longer legs.
Don't get me wrong. I am proud of myself, but not proud enough yet. But I will
get there!

I am more skilled now at listening to my body and I will continue to do that.

Diet consists of
 * 150g protein
 * 180g carbs
 * 37g fat

Since I started this prep I've been very strict about my diet, and that's
something I'm really proud about. I decided to don't do a cheat meal every week
from now on. Simply because my body doesn't want to lose those extra calories as
fast as I would like.

Therefore, for me a weekly cheat meal is a waste of time and much needed energy.
Plus, to be honest I don't really need it, since it's proven that it has
definitely no impact on the metabolism. If I'm feeling tired or sluggish, I will
allow myself a cheat meal in the range of 800 extra calories.

A lifesaver for me are frozen grapes every time I'm craving something sweet. Try
it out! Tastes like ice cream.

Training split
Training split remains the same, but I'm doing 4 cardio sessions per week
additionally to that. Depending on how the weightlifting went that day, I'm
doing steady state or HIIT.

 * Monday: Active recovery/cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high weight)
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight) + 30min cardio
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight)

I can feel now, that my recovery is not as good as it used to be. I'm sore more
often and for a longer time. To be honest, I kind of missed that feeling, so
it's not that bad.

Two weeks ago I started with my posing practice. I absolutely love it. It's a
new side of myself I have to discover and I enjoy it to the fullest.

Supplementation
Supplementation stays the same:

 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Creatine (5g per day)
 * Whey protein powder as needed
 * Magnesium (1g per day)
 * Fish oil capsules (2g per day)

Pictures





What's up next?
I need to register for my show and order my bikini. I don't have any idea which
colour I should choose. Any recommendations are appreciated! Just let me know in
the comment section what you think.

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Follow me on my journey to my first bodybuilding competition! 
Last week I hit a plateau and I was starving. I could eat literally all day. It was terrible.

Competition journal 13 weeks out - valuable things I learned

Hey peeps,

as you may know by now, I'm preparing for my first bodybuilding contest in April
as a bikini athlete.

This is my third entry, make sure to read the first
[/competition-journal-17-weeks-out/] and second
[/competition-prep-journal-15-weeks-out/] as well.

Last week I hit a plateau and I was starving. I was hungry literally all day. It
was terrible. I felt totally weak and tired the whole day. Every second of the
day I was waiting for my next meal to come, just to be hungry again right after
I ate it. To be honest, I thought about quitting. Not just once, but nearly
every hour. I asked myself "why am I doing this" and if it makes sense when I
have to feel like sh** all the time. You get the idea: There were more 'downs'
than 'ups' last week.

If I can tell you one thing I've learned so far: Never ever give up! Change
always comes with struggles. You can not develop strength without resistance,
without a challenge. Courage, strength and compassion are made from your pain,
will and hustle. Handle it!

Learn to embrace the change. Learn to change your perspective.

We have a choice in how we view things.

We slightly changed my competition diet this week. Plus, I increased my calories
and protein intake a bit.

So far, this weeks is amazing. I hit the gym and get my workouts done with a
good feeling. I'm focused enough to get a lot of work done.

This is the best I have felt in days.

Diet consists of
 * 180g protein
 * 150g carbs
 * 37g fat

As I said I had to increase my calories to 1800. My diet is pretty much a
classic "oldschool bodybuilding diet" now. You guys know I'm a vegetarian,
therefore no chicken for me. But I'm rocking egg whites, cottage cheese, basmati
rice, oats, whey, lots of greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli and tuna. Basically,
I have become a Pescatarian and I love it. I function better on this assortment
of protein sources and it makes my digestion going well and efficient.

My diet is 6 meals per day á 300 cals per meal (Pre-workout, post-workout, 12pm,
3pm, 6pm and 9pm).

I also will have a weekly "cheat meal". This is crucial as it kick starts my
metabolism. I have one meal on Thursday as my fifth meal of the day, consisting
of whatever I want (in the range of 800 extra calories and not too much fat).

Let's see how it works!

Training split
Training split remains the same, but I added 3 cardio sessions per week.
Depending on how the weightlifting went that day, I'm doing steady state or
HIIT.

 * Monday: Active recovery/cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume) + 30min cardio
 * Friday: Back (high weight)
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight) + 30min cardio
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight)




Supplementation
Yes, we also changed some things in my supplementation. So here is the new
summary:

 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Creatine
 * Whey protein powder
 * Magnesium (1g per day)
 * Fish oil

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

I'm currently 15 weeks away from my first contest. Competitive bodybuilding is even tougher than 'normal' bodybuilding.

First Bodybuilding Competition Prep Journal / 15 weeks out

Hey guys,

I'm currently 15 weeks away from my first contest.
This is my second journal entry. Make sure to also read the first entry
[/competition-journal-17-weeks-out/].

Competitive bodybuilding is even tougher than 'normal' bodybuilding. I now have
a time frame to concern myself with. I begin to worry about wether or not
cheating on my diet will knock me down in placing. I no longer have the luxury
of time. A setback is no option for me. If I can't control myself right now, how
am I supposed to defeat other bodybuilders on stage?

Last week we visited our family and friends in Germany for 3 days and I had
twisted feelings about my diet. I also had to take a break from weightlifting
during these days. That's why I tried to focus on a decent protein intake and
reduced carbs to under 100 grams. I pretty much stuck to it. One just needs to
plan carefully. For instance, I bought a lot of protein bars and always carried
a protein shake with me.

One thing I can strongly recommend, if you're thinking about competing: talk to
everybody about your plan! Talking about the show in April to friends and family
helps me staying on track. Plus, they also understand that I can't eat too much
when we meet for lunch or dinner.

We are finally back home in London now and I can work out again. I missed my
routine. It's impressive how fast your body adapts to regular exercise. You
somehow need it in order to think clearly and stay focused.

Today was an easy day. One of these day's where you just do your stuff and stick
with it. I'm proud of myself. My husband, which is currently not in prep, had a
huge dinner with crumpets (which I LOVE!), biscuits, bagels and stuff. But I am
totally on plan. It wasn't even difficult.

Got my arm workout done this morning, which went also very well. Some veins
slowly showing as I'm leaning out.

I know I've been losing weight slowly at the moment. That's intentional. Last
time I weighted myself I was slightly under 60 kg. I want to lose body fat
slowly, by maintaining more size, strength and fullness. So far so good.

I'll keep the calories at 1600, divided into 3 meals, but over the next few
weeks I definitely need to kick the fat loss up a notch. I have not yet had to
add any additional cardio sessions. When I notice my fat loss starts to plateau,
I will slowly add some cardio.

After all, I have 15 weeks left and I'm already in a decent shape. My mood and
motivation are overall at a pretty high level. I'm not that temped by junk food
right now, but I definitely crave more food, since I'm lifting 6 times per week.

The performance aspect of fitness competition just amazes me. Unlike some other
sports, it requires a ton of dedication and an perfect all-around physical
fitness level.

Die consists of
 * 130g protein
 * 100-120g carbs
 * 40-50g fat
   As I said in my first log, I'm still following a vegetarian diet.

Training split
Training remains the same. I'm training fasted with 5g BCAA in the morning.

 * Monday: Active recovery/cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume)
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume)
 * Friday: Back (high weight)
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight)
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight)

Supplementation
 * Vitamin C (twice a day)
 * Vitamin D3 (5000 IUs per day)
 * Creatine
 * BCAA's (pre-workout)
 * 25g of Whey protein powder (twice a day)

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

See you next time.

Until then, train hard and eat right!

Cheers, Sarah

Competition Journal 15 weeks out

After more than 2 years of bodybuilding, I finally feel confident enough to go on stage. Follow me on my journey! 

My first Bodybuilding Comp

Hey guys,

Now that it's 2017, we made a lot of plans for this year. One of them is that I
want to compete at my first bodybuilding contest on the 29th of April!

After more than 2 years of bodybuilding, I finally feel confident enough to go
on stage. I hope that this experience will be a life altering one, as I not only
will transform physically but mentally as well.

Since this is my first competition, everything from my diet to my training
routine is trial and error. And here's the fun part: I will share everything
with you. I will share with you how it really feels to be stage-lean and what
obstacles I'll have to fight on my way to the finish.

WHY I'M DOING THIS
In the past few weeks I told my friends and family about my intention and they
all asked why. Most of them know the competitions just from the TV and don't
really know what it really means to compete.

They just think of the bodybuilding cliché - "pumped and dumb, brown coloured
people showing their muscles in weird poses, after not drinking anything for two
days."

And yes, I may want to show them, that this cliché is wrong and that it's way
more than just the few minutes on the stage. It's months of hard work and
discipline.

For me bodybuilding is not just a nice hobby. It's a lifestyle. A lifestyle with
which I've grown in a way I could've never imagined. Success in bodybuilding
means not just lifting more weight than yesterday. It demands that eating
habits, training routines and sleep patterns are all tailored in order to get a
'perfect' physique. All without the use of steroids and the like.

What's most fascinating to me: The success depends on my own decisions and
actions. Nothing more and nothing less.

This is the week where I start my contest prep. Follow me on this journey and
see with what kinds of challenges I have to deal with.

HOW I START
I'm starting by cutting my calories down to 1600 cals per day. This is about 20%
below my maintenance. In this way, I start leaning out while still maintaining
most of my muscle mass, which is one of the most important things. My current
weight is 61kg and I'm a vegetarian.


Depending on how slow/fast I'm losing weight I'll decrease/increase my calories
on a weekly basis.

Currently I'm going to the gym 7 times a week.

My current training plan is:
 * Monday: Active recovery/cardio
 * Tuesday: Back (high volume)
 * Wednesday: Legs (high volume)
 * Thursday: Arms/Shoulders (high volume)
 * Friday: Back (high weight)
 * Saturday: Legs (high weight)
 * Sunday: Arms/Chest (high weight)

So no "real" cardio in the beginning, just weight lifting to keep muscle mass
the same and the metabolism working and only some very light walking on Mondays
for active recovery (30m-45m).

If you have any tips and tricks for me or want to talk with me about your
experience when you competed the first time, please let me know at Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/slick_coach/] or Twitter
[https://twitter.com/slickcoach?lang=de].

Support me by using the Hashtag #SupportSarah2017 on Instagram and Twitter.
Thanks!

Cheers, Sarah.

Nutrition, diet and workout advise. Competition journals of a female vegetarian bodybuilder. Free tips and recipes.

Competition journal 13 weeks out - valuable things I learned

Competition Journal 15 weeks out

Competition journal 17 weeks out