The Champ, Nicole Wilkins checks in and answers your questions. This Q&A is a good one because Nicole shares her input on hot topics like fake boobs, placing low in competitions and tips to getting started with a competition. Check this out because it’s something we’re often asked here at hardbody.com and Nicole does a great job of addressing these frequently asked questions.
From Nicole:
Hey there! I hope everyone is enjoying a little down time over the holidays 
This month I have been to Tampa, Boise and New Jersey, so the traveling continues, but I will be home for Christmas which will be really nice.
I love November and December because I get to spend time with my family. Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday because I love to eat… and it is usually the last big cheat meal I have before beginning my prep for the Arnold Sports Festival. This year I went shopping with my sister for the first time on Black Friday. She’s not a morning person at all, but she was that day which started with her texting me at 4am just to make sure I was up. LOL! We had a blast and shopped till we dropped at almost 5pm.
The 2012 NPC and IFBB seasons will be here before you know it, so if you have any specific competition questions for me, please email me or post them on my Facebook wall to be added to a future blog. Here are a few I received last month:
1. Do you think breast augmentation is necessary if you weren’t lucky enough to posses them?
That is a tough question to answer, as it really depends on the individual and the reasons why you are thinking about breast augmentation surgery. If you are getting surgery just to place higher remember – you will be stuck with those boobs way longer than you will be walking onstage with the 5” heels. Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, and not only because you think it is going to help you place higher in contests. Suit designers nowadays make padding look so real that I don’t think it is necessary – plus, it can save you thousand of dollars.
2. I love competing but I haven’t placed well yet. I think I look great but then the judges don’t think the same. How do you get through the bumps and still want to keep competing?
First of all, let me just say that if you think you look great, then that is all that matters. You need to be happy with your body regardless of whether you place well or not.
If I were to give up on everything I failed at the first time, I would never be where I am today. Everything worth it in life has bumps to work through. Competing should be fun and a challenge to build your dream physique. I would always ask for feedback from more than one judge. Because it is subjective, you need to get opinions from more than one of them. Then take an honest look at your physique from top to bottom and figure out what you could have done to do better next time.
FYI, you can only get judges feedback AFTER the finals. They are not allowed to give advice between prejudging and finals. If you don’t get a chance to talk with them on show day, just email them your name, number (on your suit, not phone number) and photos from the event and ask for their comments on how you can improve.
Most of all, remember – this is a journey, and one you have to enjoy in order to be successful. When I was starting out, my goal was to win, of course – but I was ultimately happy if I was getting better with each contest. And that still is my goal today, to be better each time I step onstage. If you can be happy with that and set that as your main goal, then I’m sure you will start seeing better results when you step on stage. Good luck!
3. I just started out with a little fitness after having two kids and am thinking about competing. How long do you think that will take?
It could take 6 months, it could take 3 years. It depends on where you are starting from. If you have a good muscle base to start, not a lot of body fat to lose and good shape to your physique (symmetry wise from top to bottom) it won’t take as long. To do a competition, it isn’t only about how much you workout – 80% of it is what you eat.
If you are just starting out these tips may help:
- Get into a regular workout routine but make sure you are lifting properly. It may help to hire a trainer in the beginning.
- Assess the weak areas and strong areas of your physique – competing is all about shaping your body so that it is symmetrical from top to bottom. You don’t want your butt wider than your shoulders, or your arms bigger than your legs
- Understand the muscles you are working. Focus when lifting – the mind muscle connection is very powerful
- Go to a competition to see what you are getting yourself into
- Eliminate all processed sugars/foods, and begin cooking all of your own foods.
- Bring a cooler with you each day and eat smaller portions every 2-3hrs.
Once you have been doing this for a while and feel you are ready to take it to the next level, then I would definitely recommend hiring a coach to help with posing, suit selection, hair, makeup, tanning etc. There is a lot involved and it will help to have someone there to support you along the journey.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Until next time…
Check out Nicole’s new Met-RX calendar and visit her website for her own inspirational calendar. Follow Nicole on twitter @NicoleMWilkins.
Lead Photo Courtesy of Nicole Wilkins’ Facebook.
One question I’ve never gotten a good answer to is: How extensive can stretch marks / scars be on a woman and she still have hope of doing well in competitions? I know the fake tan covers a lot of flat stretch marks and scars, but i used to weigh over 230 lbs at 5′ 6″ tall and when I was cutting down to see how I looked {per advice of a competitor}, I found that the sretch marks and loose skin were very apparent. My stretch marks start just above my belly button and go all the way down my front to my mid thigh, my sides and lower back have some that are about 1/4″ to 1/2″ wide believe it or not and my butt and back of my thighs to below my knee bend have them too. I’ve worked extensively and gained lots of muscle and cut my fat, I was around130 lbs when i stopped cutting down due to being discouraged by this. I feel my build is great and my competitior friends from the gym have said i have a great build for it, but the loose, bumpy, and scarred skin troubles me. I just don’t want to set myself up for embarrasment of severe disappointment. Also, does anyone know of any competitors who have done well that had such issues? Thanks for any comments, etc.
Anna I’m in a similar position and I’m so glad you asked this question. I had 2 kids in the space of a year and gained a total of 50 pounds. I’m down now to a healthy weight and am starting to thing about competing (I just bought a pair of heels to practice in around the house!). I have pretty bad stretch marks on my stomach and the skin is loose, thought definitely tightening. I’d like to hear the answer to this, too. I also wonder about products to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks. I tried Mederma stretch mark therapy, but not religiously. I should get back on that. Looking forward to some feedback.
I was wondering about side effects of high protein intake. My husband and I have been in training for our first competition and are therefore eating 1.5-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day as consistantly recommended. I have experienced of late a rather unfortunate side effect in protein toxicity. As a result, my skin has broken out and I have scaring developing from this along with having to detoxify and severely lower my protein intake in order to do so. Have you ever experienced anything like this? I have been tested for food allergies – came back clear – and have seen my doctor and medical esthetician and protein toxicity seems to be the only explaination. I want to compete desperately but wonder if I really have to eat all that protein to do so.
I have wondered the same for the stretch marks as skin appearance (tone/clarity/ect.) From my understanding are judged…as far as the protein issue a womans body can only use up to 30g (please research this stat) at one time the rest is just discarded so I would be sure that you are spacing the protein throughout the day for your body to use the protein optimally, and play around with lower protein use you may not need as much. And really watch your water intake, your body needs a lot to properly metabolize and digest protein.
hope that helps a little while you wait for the pro’s response
I am 59 years old and have recently lost 100 lbs in nine months after having been overweight for many years. I was wondering what the possiblity is that I will be able to tighten the loose skin on my arms, legs and stomach. I have been working out with a very knowledgeable personal trainor three times a week. She has told me it may take a year or more of working out, but it may never completely tighten.
tina mine has never completely tightened and i was 21 when i gained all that weight, I was 28 by the time i got into amazing shape and mine didn’t go back completely, thought the “pooch” did look a lot better, but still bumpy and saggy
. Not to sound discouraging, and all people’s bodys are different, for example, my sister has always been heavy and has no saggy skin or stretch marks and she reached almost 250 or so, so. . . .we’re all different. Awesome that you are 59 and making great changes for yourself like that, too many people become stagnant at that age . . . 
, way to go.
actually I it was when i was 19-20 {got preggers at 19, had him at 20}, my bad tina, just wanted to correct that.
Anna,
Thanks so much for the feedback and encouragement. I have been very strict with my “clean diet” for the past nine months, and have to admit it is getting difficult to maintain. Especially around the holidays, practically every event is focused around eating and drinking. I do not want to become discouraged and hope I am able to see more tightenting in the next few months. My trainer has told me since I have been overweight for more than 20 years, it is going to take longer than nine months to see the end result. I think it is just I am so thrilled with being close to the weight I was in high school I am being a bit unrealistic with my body image. At any rate, I would have never believed I could have accomplished what I have thus far. Also, my trainer tells me I am lifting a tougher regimen than most of the younger clients she has. She actually gets a kick out of what I am able to handle with weights, reps and sets. I do love the feeling of accomplishment I get after a tough workout.