6-Pak Girl's 2009 Competition Season

**6-Pak Girl** · February 26th, 2009, 09:46 PM

I'm baaaccckk!!! Did you miss me? I missed you guys lots. My business took off with a bang this fall and it was all I could do to keep up with it and just maintain at the gym. Although it's really not calmed down, I realized a couple weeks ago that I just can't be all work and no play. It's not healthy! I kept telling myself that it was fine to just maintain, that I didn't need to compete, but it was all a lie! So, I decided to compete again. It's the only way I know to keep my focus on getting to that next level.

I'm so excited. I'll start my nutrition this Saturday and my workouts on Monday. I'm going to try Hany Rambod's HST with my training. Kim Oddo is my trainer/nutritionist so he put my program together and I'm amped to get at it.

It's also going to be the first time I actually fly anywhere to compete. I'm going to do the Contra Costa show on May 9 and The Cal on May 23. Contra Costa is in Northern California so that's an hour plane ride for me. Heck, I might even get a new posing suit. Now that we're only doing a two-piece suit, it's less expensive. I don't have to spring for a one piece too.

Anyway, glad to be back.

**tooncesthecat** · February 26th, 2009, 09:50 PM

YEAAAAAH! I missed you. I missed you so much I decided to do a competition of my own. But I can't wait to follow your progress to help keep me on track with my own prep! Good to hear business is booming. I hope it stays that way

**6-Pak Girl** · February 26th, 2009, 10:06 PM

Yippee!! Now I get to follow you too! We can keep each other motivated - woo hoo!

**wil** · February 27th, 2009, 05:51 AM

Great to see you back.

Awesome news about your business. And I look forward to cheering you on for your contests in May.

**lizzyb** · February 27th, 2009, 03:27 PM

Welcome back! Glad to hear all is going well with the business. I too look forward to following your journal along!

**gYmgIrL** · February 27th, 2009, 10:19 PM

Hello!!!!!!!

Welcome back!!!

! How are you all recovered? You're so awesome for listening to yourself and getting back into it! What kinda business is it?

**6-Pak Girl** · February 28th, 2009, 05:04 PM

Thanks, all, for the warm welcome back. I am fully recovered from surgery - can't believe it was last June!! It was hard staying away from the gym while I healed and hard starting back up again feeling so puny and weak. But that's all behind me. I've put some muscle back on and have stayed fairly lean so it shouldn't be too hard to get show ready. I'll post starting pics in my blog.

Today is the first day of my nutrition program. I'm taking in about 1800 clean calories for now. Had my last glass of wine until the end of May last night. Also had some pita chips and smoked Gouda. Tasted great AND I'm ready to set it aside for awhile. Program workouts start Monday. I can't wait!!!

GG - you asked about my biz - I'm a business development coach and marketing consultant and I work with professional service providers to help them grow their businesses. As you can imagine, in this economy people really need help to stay afloat so my phone is ringing off the hook.

**6-Pak Girl** · March 2nd, 2009, 11:45 PM

So today was the first day of my competition prep training program. I did chest, tris and calves. I'm doing HST and boy was it intense. It felt great though and I think I'm going to like this type of training. I also did 25 minutes on the stairs. I took L'Carnitine before my cardio and boy did I sweat. I didn't realize it makes you sweat more. At least I think that's why I was sweating more than normal.

I haven't started all my sups yet - still waiting for them to come in the mail. Did great on my food though. I've gotten 6 meals in so far today, one more to go. I'm kinda full though so it could be tough getting that last meal down before bed. At least it's just a protein shake.

My two girlfriends who are doing their first figure competition are in the final 3 weeks. They compete on March 21. I'm so excited for them. We're all going to practice posing together this weekend. It'll be a good refresher for me.

**6-Pak Girl** · March 7th, 2009, 12:43 PM

Hello! It's Saturday and I have completed my first week of the training program. I love the FST style of training. It's totally something new for my muscles which is always good. My only problem is I need a spotter. We're going to try to get my husband to come with me on a couple days at least so he can spot me. It's hard to lift heavy and push it without someone there. I'm too scared to do it alone and too shy to ask strangers to help me.

My final supplement - Evogen - came in last night so I'm gonna use it for the first time tomorrow and see what happens. Its supposed to support the FST style of training to get the most out of your muscles. We'll see but I'm VERY excited about trying it.

Food wise I had forgotten how hard it is to force myself to eat 7 times a day. 1800 calories is a lot. I have a couple of crazy all day meetings this week and I'm not sure how I'm gonna fit in the food. I may have to bring a big purse (don't want to carry a cooler in) and excuse myself to the ladies room to grab a bite when its time to eat! The next two weeks are crammed with work stuff so I'll just have to do the best I can. After that, work calms down just a little - at least it looks like it will.

Tomorrow I'm going to practice posing with my two girlfriends who are doing their first show in 2 weeks. How exciting!! It's good for me to pull out the ole posing shoes and practice again too since I'll be on stage in a mere 9 weeks. Geez, this is a quick show prep for me. I hope I can pull it off.

**wil** · March 7th, 2009, 12:57 PM

I'm sure you would have absolutely no trouble finding a line of guys willing to spot you.

**A1food4U** · March 7th, 2009, 01:08 PM

How about this..

snack # 1 - 2 ounces of almonds should be about 300 cals, 12 g protien but 25 g fat
snack # 2 - 1 protien bar again about 300 calories 20 to 30 grams protien, 6 g fat
snack # 3 - pear or apple with 3.5 oz poached chicken cut into strips should be 250 calories 24 grams protien and 1 g fat

so thats 800 or so calories packed with protien in a size that you should be abble to fit nicely into an average purse. Best of all it's all finger food and easy to much on without utensils or mess....

Good luck!!! Wil's right, a spotter wouldn't be the hardest thing to find. One that will actually spot and not just stare.... that's different

**6-Pak Girl** · March 15th, 2009, 09:15 PM

Ha ha! You guys are funny. Thanks A1 for the food tips. I managed to get all my meals in just like I was supposed to! I have one more day (Monday) that will be challenging but I feel confident I can do it.

So ... my weight is staying stable at 115 - 115.6 and my shoulders are starting to fill out nicely. My coach upped my calories again - I'm at 2,000 now. I'm stuffed. I hate that full feeling all the time but I guess it's better than feeling hungry between meals. He says my conditioning is great and I'm on target to get on stage in May. I just hope I can get a little more lean muscle - especially in my legs. I'm trying as hard as I can in the gym and my workouts are amazing. My hubby was able to spot me for chest, legs and shoulders this past week and it helped alot.

I've ordered a new suit from Merry Christine. I'm very excited about it. I haven't had a new since I started competing 3 years ago so I'm treating myself.

**lizzyb** · March 18th, 2009, 04:06 PM

Hey WTG Girl!! Sounds like you are really enjoying the process too, so positive and upbeat, that's great! And a new posing suit too, what color did you choose (or do you want to say?)

**6-Pak Girl** · March 22nd, 2009, 10:11 PM

Haven't chosen a color quite yet - thinking of royal or other dark blue, emerald green or even deep purple. I'm going to talk it through with Merry Christine and get her input. My old suit is an aqua blue color - very pretty but I want to change it up.

I went to the San Diego show yesterday and cheered my two girlfriends on. Neither of them placed but they looked so great and thoroughly enjoyed their journey and the experience. One of them in particular loved it. I think she's hooked and hopefully she'll compete with me in a show sometime soon. That'd be so much fun to compete with a friend.

I saw a couple people at the show who I haven't seen for awhile and they immediately remarked at how full my shoulders and lats looked. Yippee! I love hearing that. It's hard to see it when you look at yourself in the mirror day in and day out. And it really energized me to want to keep putting my all into my training and to keep eating.

My husband and I bought a couple of great back packs at REI today. We're going on a major mountain hike with some friends of ours in a few weeks and there's no way our old backpacks were going to make the trek. The new ones are awesome. Super lightweight and made for carrying tons of stuff without straining your back. Since I have to carry a gallon of water and tons of food for the day, they ought to be perfect. And, it's early enough in my contest prep that I should still have lots of energy (let's hope).

**lizzyb** · March 24th, 2009, 09:42 AM

Awww, I miss my backpacking days, but it's a little 'difficult' to do with preschoolers, lol!
Sounds like a nice mini-holiday though!

**6-Pak Girl** · March 25th, 2009, 01:03 AM

Yeah, I know what you mean. Now your backpack would hold toys, food, etc for the kids PLUS you'd have to carry them too!

Had a GREAT back workout today. 100 pounds lat pull downs was no problem! I'm really feeling and seeing good results in my upper body. Now if only my legs would catch up. Maybe I should split them and do quads on one day and hammys on another. I'm already doing calves 2 days per week so they're good. I'll ask Kim when I talk to him on Friday. Gotta grow me some legs in 7 weeks!!

**lizzyb** · March 25th, 2009, 04:10 PM

Lol!! You know it girl!

I hear you on the upper body.....my upper body seems to respond very well to training, and my lower body, legs mostly are soooooo slow.

WTG on the 100lbs girlie!!

**6-Pak Girl** · April 2nd, 2009, 01:15 AM

Workouts are going great - I'm feeling super strong. My muscle bellies are plumping up nicely too. It seems every workout I'm lifting a bit heavier than the workout in the previous week. It's amazing. I'm also finally seeing great results in my glutes - nice and lifted and ROUND plus my upper thighs are a tiny bigger.

Work has been crazy busy and that's making me a bit nuts. I'm still getting all my workouts in but I've had to be creative with my food - running into the bathroom at a client's office to gobble a few bites before I head back into a meeting. I'm not sure it's gonna slow down any so I'll just have to stay flexible with it.

Gotta go have my last meal - protein shake with flax seed - before bed. I'm pooped!

**lizzyb** · April 2nd, 2009, 11:30 AM

Woot, you're coming into the homestretch soon!! Thank goodness that we DO actually get some time to sleep, lol!

**6-Pak Girl** · April 5th, 2009, 07:36 PM

I can't believe it's only 5 weeks to my competition. Where does the time go???? My workouts are super great - I keep outlifting myself which I love and I'm seeing good results. I'm leaning but taking it very slowly this time since I tend to lean down too fast and then having trouble maintaining and not looking shredded by showtime. My hubby took a picture of me doing bicep dumbbell curls yesterday. I don't know how to post pics on this forum journal but I'll put it on my blog in the blog section of EF. I've also started tweeting on twitter: Barbara Mencer (6PakGirl) on Twitter. I hope that's okay to put in this journal. Today is a rest day so I've been doing errands and working a bit on the computer, oh, and eating. Boy do I eat!

) I have noticed that I've been really tired a couple of days. Not sure if it's the diet or just due to the freakishly heavy/crazy workouts I'm doing. I've not been taking any thermogenics this time around but this week I actually needed to one day to pep me up enough to get through the day. Hmm. I may have to watch that. Don't want to fall asleep during the job!