Linda Cusmano 2009 Off/Pre and ON Season

**Italianangel** · July 9th, 2009, 03:13 PM

Okay time for fess up!
Been eating pretty clean, exercise and cardio and yoga and practice......5 days per week....2 off.
Scale bounces from 123 to 127, mainly sticking under 125..........new ground for me.
Am around 14%bf still as per my skinfold but am only doing the umbilicus still, until I hit 10 in there, as long as there are notches on it, I am using it and its down to 4 notches.
I am definitely a hella-full muscled. Not much tanning in, a few days but we have not had that type of weather......sadly.
As for diet, although been eating clean and somewhat along what I have attached on here, I have been on days missing oatbran and having a bagel or 2 instead with my eggs, been eating a ton of egg whites, no other carbs really other than a serving of fruit per day, like an apple with pb or like yesterday I used a cup of leftover fresh pineapple and cooked the chicken with that and some soy/Worcestershire/white vinegar and olive oil, cheyenne. so I had 2 pc of the pineapple chunks and that was it, so I had a bagel or 2 yesterday but I try to avoid bread.....so its rare.
I will have an extra serving of oatbran instead of rice or quinoa and have had very little greens unless eating a chicken salad and there again I may add a handful of blueberries - theres the carbs.
I have cut back on nuts, was eating too many.
so still clean, just a bit varied from the outline I posted here.
Linda

**gYmgIrL** · July 10th, 2009, 09:48 PM

berrys sound like a delicious way to get carbs!

So you're 14%, did you say you were 2.5 weeks out? Are you aiming for a particular body fat% by then?

**Italianangel** · July 11th, 2009, 10:16 AM

you know what GG? I am like competing for the first time again.
I have never done contest prep with eggs, chicken....this is so new to me, I am sitting 5-10 lbs heavier at this point than at any other contest at this point, leaning yes but still around 13/14% from readings, although I feel a bit lower, I may need to do more sites now.....but also I wanted to get down to 6 or 7%. I only have 2 weeks............but , there is one mroe but.....by now I would have normally been on loads of diuretics for over a week now, I still have not started them.
I think its going to make a huge difference.
I am also going to take a water pill or 2 pre contest, the prescpritive type.....its not against any rules for this show so why not, most of them do that and more so......
I just got my suit which is beautiful but......somehow during our communications something when wrong. I got my suit, opened it up expecting a color and that color was not what I saw........my heart sank, I felt like crying and could not even look at it anymore no matter how lovely it was..............it took me a few mins to get over it, try it on, it is so nice...........the lady said she would make me the one I wanted since it was her mistake but I am 2 weeks out..........that would be too stressful, she said I could hang on to this one, then if the other was not ready I could use this then she would send mine and I would send this back...........I paid over 500 bucks for this one, almost 600 US......so to not have it exactly how I want it, was hard to take but it is such a nice suit and she put so much love into it.....I decided to just keep it.
Maybe one day she will sponsor me a suit or give me a discount because of this.
Her work and prices have gone up.....but nice suits are not cheap and this was was made up with tons of extra work, when you see it you will see what I mean......this suit is not like any before..........its done like none I have ever seen, the fabrics etc I mean......
I rolled over my forearm during routine, its very very sore, hard to flex my hand, or use my hand and forearm to grab stuff, moving it hurts, my back too, I feel a bit wrecked today.
Well tough, gotta keep training, today I am going to do weights, cardio and probably yoga to stretch all my booboos out.

**Italianangel** · July 11th, 2009, 09:41 PM

taken today, still not dark, had no sun for weeks til today so today I did get out in the sun for an hour for my back but it still is not dark of course, I just may have to hit the beds every second day for 10-12 mins, way to white to show tone, but also can see I am holding water still, I may still hold off on the diuretics though until next week because if I make nats, its 3 more weeks after the show and to be on diuretics beyond 4 wks is chancy - they start to decrease in efficacy.
I have airbrushed out my suit cuz I don`t want anyone I am competing against or whatever seeing my suit til show day. Because of this the quality of the photos got a bit fuzzy.

**Italianangel** · July 11th, 2009, 09:49 PM

I am happy with my overall shape and not to worried yet about leanness since its 2 weeks and I lean easy and no diuretics which always make a huge diff for me......My shoulders are bigger, my calves need size but not the upper and lower areas just the actualy soleus, diamond area and so I have to figure out how to hit that without continuing to breed cankles and my lats are just not big enough.
they V up yes but most gals V up from waist but a few inches down from pits and up to pits it rounds out a bit, flares more and I am struggling to show that and when I do its tiny......my ass and waist are tiny compared to most of the other ladies from what I can tell although my tush is more heart shaped where as many of the other ladies have more of a square ass causing the tree trunk waist look.............I am happy not to have that!! Mine will square up a bit more but not like the manly asses.......so that is good.
so overall my weaknesses are few and can be remedied.
now I am focused on leaning while staying full, again not worried what the scale says and happy to have it stay here but do want to see the bodyfat drop by half! I can do it, and if not, I will be close enough, but I aim for 6% - although 7 or 8 will do as long as I hit 6 for nats.
Chicken is so much fattier than fish, I am getting much more fat in my diet with this chicken than I ever had, when I dieted before it was all on fish.....no fat there so I had room for more nuts and stuff, this time I have to be careful.
Linda

**tooncesthecat** · July 11th, 2009, 10:17 PM

Looking great Linda! I think you have much more muscle this time around. I also think the diuretics will really bring you in tight. Can't wait to see your suit

**gYmgIrL** · July 11th, 2009, 11:58 PM

I was trying to work out the suit before I read your explination, I thought it was yellow and fluffy and awesome!!! hehehe

I cant believe you are able to lean that fast in two weeks you are really awesome! I'm looking forward to seeing the change with the diurettics as well, how do those make you feel? Have you ever fainted or anything using them?

**Italianangel** · July 12th, 2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

I was trying to work out the suit before I read your explination, I thought it was yellow and fluffy and awesome!!! hehehe

I cant believe you are able to lean that fast in two weeks you are really awesome! I'm looking forward to seeing the change with the diurettics as well, how do those make you feel? Have you ever fainted or anything using them?

OMG I nearly peeeeed laughing when I read that..........that is hilarous, you are the cutest!!! For this you get a cheek pinch, upper and lower!

I pee alot on them, I have only used herbals in the past so this time I am using them and the prescription ones, but they never really make me feel badly at all so far, the herbals I mean. Never fainted, never been that dehydrated.

I know I can cut a lot in 2 weeks because I have not yet reached the level where I have nothing left I can do, I can add time, and I can add intensity which will make a huge diff but my friend Mariam thinks I should just do 45 on stepper and go hard then later at night 30 mild on bike. that is only 15 mins more than I have been doing so......I guess she like me is worried about me looking small again, and i am doing better now with that issue so I guess she figures 1.5 to 2 hrs is a bit much but I can do it if I need.

I will still be on the smaller side compared to many of these gals with years of drug use but the small differences in things this year has made my diff to come in bigger this year so at least I am comparable.

I also have the diuretics, I don't look like I carry a lot of water but that is hereditary in my family, as a mesomorpph I can carry extra water or fat weight unnoticed but only to a certain degree, small amounts, then after that it looks more than it is so the diuretics are another card I can pull. Now never having used hyrochloro....whatever its called, that will also be a diff for me, when my mom uses those she loses 15-20 lbs of water OVERNIGHT, although she does hold more than I of course but to say, whatever bit I have left will come out and it also helps deydrate the look of the fat that is left under the skin since it is such a severe diuretic. I have a young client who takes them too, she said same thing.
I have no idea how I will feel on those....she said I should feel nothing, but you never know what sides you can feel such as headaches, tummy aches etc so I will probably try one at least Thursday night then Friday night or I may even do Wed/thur/fri, we will see.

I have also been advised by many of my fans n followers that I have not taken a break yet....every few years, if you look at my contest resume, I took a year off.
I have not done that since 2004 now I think.....now I know I am not competing as much as I used to but depending on how things go this year I may take the year off and then go back on 2011 but also because of my back, I was even thinking, can I even do this again...............so lots of questions left.

Of course my will is there and I want to, so rather than say I won't compete again in Fitness, I would take the year off and see........but lets see how I feel, how things go this year. I know the splits and easy routine is even hard on my body now......my back tells me so........and this stuff is easy peasy so.....maybe a yr off would give me a chance to recover a bit rather than continue to go downhill, although my prognosis is that I will go downhill.......

There are so many other options, like figure in Nov and then trying to get to BCS and nats with that category......no routine, easier on my body although the girls are much bigger and I do not intend to get too big, a bit more okay but not to the extent of some of them larger girls. I intended to to do figure later anyway, was trying to do both at same time but they won't let you once you get to Nationals so I had to do them one at a time since my placings when that way and Fitness is my first love plus my body seems to be counting down a time limit on me.
I would love a pro card ifbb for figure so that is an option as is competing in other federations with figure which has routine but is more like a tame fitness/bb routine mixed.......so no splits are expected, nothing is so its easier.....you can move slower and pose and such. Also at that lower level again, I could do my fed toward ifbb and other feds at same time until I hit the higher levels toward ifbb where they ban cross competing.

I know I am not ready to just stop competing but also know the pain I have been in and the struggle this past year or 2 has been, hundreds of dollars on treatments and meds to get me through not to mention a huge lack of support. Not much sabotage now but still no support.......if you say your sore people say, then stop competing, or why do you bother or whatever.....not everyone gets 'having a calling' in life or even just making the most of life. Many people give up their dreams, they hit an obstacle, then lay down and die........that is NOT me.
I am not stupid neither, won't kill myself trying, well not much.... but I am not easy to give up on what I want, I usually get what I want and work to the bloody bone until I get it. So this is pretty much were I can be honest, think, voice.......no ill judgment, just wonderful support here so on the note, and with ALL my heart:

THANK YOU ALL AT EF for your support!!!!

It is so appreciated and I will keep saying this!

**Italianangel** · July 13th, 2009, 01:00 PM

I am so frustrated with our weather dictator............everyone was like, this weekend will be beautiful, and the promises keep coming and yes I am being a picky bitch but when you get cloud or rain or wind in a day which make it less than bikini weather even for people like me who are very sensitive to the cold, the IT IS JUST NOT SUMMER!

I should be able to wear a bikini upon waking and it should be so hot, that I can wear it til 4am and go walk about outside feeling comfy and warm! THAT IS SUMMER............that is NOT what we are getting.
I can count the number of full sunny/hot days we got on 2 fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went in the tan bed today and will do so every day or second day for like 12 mins this way its a mild attack.......

I blew it again though, last night I just could not take it and had 2 big bacon classics........but I did not have any carbs at all that day or the last day, not even fruit, just fat n protein. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN WHAT THE NUTRITIOAL BREAKDOWN IS FOR A BIG BACON CLASSIC??? I took in 1000 cals just in those 2 burgers and the fat was 51grams!!!!! I get no mayo but still..........then the other thing was this nut treat I found called Mrs. Mays...........omg.......its crack, don't touch it! I probably took in another 50 gm fat with those dang things although much healthier than the burgers, mind you those are not as bad as some places so.........anyway......go ahead, smack my ass pink, I am bending over - hit me hard!!!!!!!!!!

Still around 13% but I think in the next day or 2 I am going to have one of the trainers at the gym do my pinchers for the 9 site or 7 site.....this is what happened last time, I stuck at a percentage then had to move to more sites and got the lower readings. I look pretty tight, I show stris......just to white to see in pics....but again, white or not, if you are tight enough, it shows soooooooooo.....

If I do double hits daily, 45 stepper intense in the AM with weights then 30 or so recubent cycle at night, mellow, with daily weights I will be ready to rock. Ironically I look harder today, but you can see the salt under my skin. I am going to ease into diuretics this week by end of week. The sodium reading on the burgers is probably worse than the fat readings!!!!!!!!!

I am going to hit my lats, shoulders and quads 3 times each this week, some heavy and some reps.....today I did some legs and shoulders moderately heavy and I even squatted a bit, only 95lbs and just barely below 90 but it felt good, when I went atg my back would not let me up so.....I hooked it up and left it alone and went for some 115lb leg ext. I did a 45lb SL dead to stretch and a reg. dead and that was it, I am not in anymore pain than usual so thats cool. Felt sooooo good. So tonight I will do some moderate or light and high rep leg work, abs and shoulders, maybe 1-2 exercises of each after my bike work.
I should also try to do a yoga, have not done so for a few days.

weighed in at 126 this morning.....my osteo drug has been building up my traps, lower back and keeping my muscle anabolic........absolutely amazing, never exeperienced this in my life..........the chicken and eggs may also have to do with it since the drug is only a very mild anabolic and I am on a tiny dose but the developement in the lower back and upper trap/neck area is def. a sign because I am not working those areas and used to train them hard and never got this type of growth......the drug is targeting in on the areas around my 2 bad discs. AMAZNG!!!! Love it, love it, love it!

**Italianangel** · July 13th, 2009, 01:18 PM

btw, the rhino avtar, did that one a few weeks ago, watercolor on waterboard.

**Option1** · July 13th, 2009, 06:54 PM

Love the avatar!

If you want a summer like that, get outta BC and head to Australia. Your descriptions sounds very much like a fine, normal Australian summer. Even when it's raining there you can still wear a bikini - not that I ever did - unless I was feeling particularly kinky - no, no I never did that - honest! Sometimes I miss it. The summer, not the bikini!! Although I do miss the women in bikinis...

I'll shut up now before I get in even more trouble.

Neil

PS: Stay away from the Bacon Classic thingies.

**lizzyb** · July 14th, 2009, 02:46 PM

Wow girl, you are looking SUPER!!! I had to laugh too about the photoshopped suit.......I also thought it was a yellow fluffy thingy, then realized it was photoshopped....then I wondered if you 'drew' in a suit to cover nudity......of course, then I actually read the post and went ah-ha, and had a good laugh on myself, lol!!

Our weather at this end of the country is totally sucking too......I was wearing my arctic fleece sweater over my tank top yesterday.....freezing!! Jeans in July???? Who EVER heard of such a thing?!? Lol!!

Cheers!! Sounds like you are doing great!

**Italianangel** · July 15th, 2009, 12:29 PM

omg that is too funny, I should f**k with you guys more often, I had not idea how easy it would be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pinch to you lizzy!

If it were a FAME show you could prob do a yellow fluffy suit with sparkles and it would pass.........at least for fitness model.

My mind is racing today, and you all are prob sick of my LOOOOONG 'self in thought' posts!
Lately my journal is like a sorting spot for my mind.
I am posting to me too, not just all of the net.

I feel lean, tight, and full. I am satisfied mentally, physically, emotionally, stomach wise too........and pain is at bay, or at least I am able to drown it out, its mild enough, and a couple advil help........I am pushing things and my body is responding with strength and power, how faithful.......I am so happy and I think acknowledging this, putting it out there may help keep this roll going.....if you are into the universe and God and all that - I am.

Been tanning, feels and looks good. all my clothing are falling off my hips, even the small tight workout stuff....stretchy stuff.....its all fitting loose on my waist and being held up by my quads.........typical bodybuilder syndrome in cloth fittings. I think that is cool!

I am going to be on Shaw TV, a show called Express, I think it airs Friday. They are supposed to be giving me a DVD copy so if so, I can put it up on youtube and link it here. Apparently the shows on that stations repeat the same day like 4 times so I should be able to catch it somehow.
The came into the gym yesterday and taped me during my dress rehearsal/routine run through.

At this point Kyle my choreographer for this show, which was nice, I usually do my own.......said even if I mess up, at this point, I will still look good and no one would know so its all cherry on top now! I worked through wardrobe malfunctions.........my top, it goes around my neck too, and first time through, head up during a push up phase, pop, snapped off, luckily only to the upper chest, nothing fell out but then I realized I had hooks on the neck that need retouching with sewing and that have to be hooked before I go on stage, did not notice them, only did up the velcro part.....and I am going to pin it too! These puppies are smaller as I lean but still heavy.

My bikini top was made especially for my saggy, natural chest, my prob in overall appearance with the regular bikini top that crossed in the back, it had no support so it leaned my look toward the negative.........this top this time was made with a special design so that I look like I have implants like the rest of the perky gals!!!!! Its amazing.....if you look closely above at the fluffy yellow pics above, pay attention to the boob area, then look back at my in the black suit........you can see a huge improvement, I finally fit in! oh pun.....

I have broken up training to am/pm and had only followed Mariams program for a week or 2, it was too hard on my schedule and with my back and routine etc, not the right fit so I am working kinda day to day right now in order to make it all work. I actually squatted a set the other day and today did 2, with 35lb per side......I barely make 90 before my back screams though but I can see some twinging in my quads even doing the partials and it fricken felt soooooo good!!!!!
I know I cannot push deads, that position is just too vulnerable but squats I may be able to work up to again, and pad the right muscles to help.....a door, a window, a light!!!!!!! AMEN!

I ran yesterday with my new Nike free runs 5.0, wow......I normally use orthodics but cannot in these so it could hurt my ankles but so far it worked them and they were sore today like a workout not sore sore......so thats good but also to continue my day of thanks and appreciation, running was so easy.....I jogged at 5.5 mph for 20 mins with some walking before and after......and it was nothing, I was barely breathing.........my cardio had perked up big time with the routine work, being anaerobic, for some reason I seem to do very well with that type of work, aerobic being great for my condition, it has improved with my anaerobic work ironically.
For an asthmatic person, this is like freedom........although the osteo drug I use supposedly aids asthma drugs in their positive affects on the lungs and immune system......yet acts against the negative, calcium leeching effects.

Today I am thankful for all this!!!

**lizzyb** · July 15th, 2009, 06:14 PM

Wow....another great avi!! You are looking soooo great and look at that smile too......girl you are on FIRE!!!

I didn't get a chance to comment on your last avi....You do some very nice work, your European heritage shows through in your artwork.....did you know/feel that way while 'creating'?

**gYmgIrL** · July 17th, 2009, 08:38 PM

Hi Linda!

Thats awesome I cant wait to see your suit your bod looks incredible in it! (but i dont know how much of that you can say is the suits doing :P)

Wow you're going to be on TV! So awesome! put it up put it up!

What its like working with a choreographer rather than doing it yourself? Which do you prefer?

**Italianangel** · July 18th, 2009, 01:07 PM

Just starting diuretics today still not very tanned at all but I have the stain and dream tan so I will start the stain on Thursday or wed, for each night til Sat morn, then do dream tan. Also everytime I paint these the quality seems to get grainy making it even harder to see true stis but hey, if I was cut enough you would see em anyway so.....I will be peeing A LOT the next few days!

Its hard to see any stris in the pics, one front pic shows shoulder stris while the other shows leg stris so lets see in 2 -3 days when the diuretics kick in.
I am sitting just under 125 12%ish bf.......guesstimate.
Again I photoshop out the bikini....went with green fluff this time!

**wil** · July 18th, 2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italianangel

.....if you look closely above at the fluffy yellow pics above, pay attention to the boob area

OK... if you insist.

Looking good Linda... as always.

**A1food4U** · July 18th, 2009, 04:12 PM

Not that I was looking or anything....But the tops of the quads and hams are really looking nice, quite a bit of slimming there. You'll be ready.

**wil** · July 18th, 2009, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A1food4U

Not that I was looking or anything....But the tops of the quads and hams are really looking nice, quite a bit of slimming there. You'll be ready.

I agree 100% ...

but... A1... buddy... you need to follow Linda's instructions. We are supposed to focus on the boobs... not the booty.

**Italianangel** · July 18th, 2009, 05:37 PM

So I went for a combo of Jamie Eason/Linsay from Canada's Top Model, my hair was not quite long enough to get either exactly but we got this (no make up, sitting in salon day, I look gross.....) and I am going for the bob later in a few months when the front grows a bit more.

I took these quick on my webcam, kinda porno weird but I never use the thing...