IFBB Bikini Pro Ali Rosen has some great tips as she prepares for the 2011 Bikini International. Check out Ali’s Hardbody Guest Blog and learn what’s been working for her to combat her aches and pains.

Breathe-Stretch-Shake-Let it Go!

Aches, pains, knots, and tight muscles are scattered throughout my body right now. But this is par for the course for most of the duration of competition prep. I have learned a few tricks, tips and ways to combat the saying “Beauty is pain.”

Stretching is something we all learned in gym class. It is vital for flexibility, to relive soreness post exercise, and for overall mobility. It’s a great thing, but when I’m dieting stretching seems like another workout. I always used the excuse that after being in the gym for 2 hours, stretching felt like such a chore and not something I found pleasure in (especially when those hunger pains strike). After getting away with minimal soreness for weeks without stretching (post workout), it became a lot easier to overlook. Now the pain is back and I’m paying the price for all those days I didn’t stretch.
By failing to stretch regularly, I was making my future strength, flexibility, quality of life all worse in the long run. It wasn’t until I scheduled an appointment with a massage therapist that I truly began to realize how important it is to stretch and take care of my body post workout. I was told I had massive amounts of scar tissue built up in my hamstrings (that are chronically tight and sore for me), they explained ways I could be my own at-home therapist (I know, scary thought).

If your financial budget allows for physical therapies, I strongly recommend two weekly massages: One being a sports massage where the therapist “strips” specific muscles (extremely painful, extremely effective, definitely not relaxing) and the second should be a deep tissue massage (more relaxing but still deep enough where the muscles can be worked to help flush out any extra fluid that causes muscles soreness). Another weekly therapy is acupuncture. I recently started getting acupuncture and fell in love with the concept and method. So much so I stopped seeing my chiropractor!

On the flip side, if seeing all these different therapists is not an option, rest assured I have found multiple home remedies that will simulate the same great effects! The required equipment: foam roller, Epsom salt, tiger balm (cream and/ or patches), heating pads and a yoga mat. With all these ingredients I can dish out many recipes to free you from pain.

Morning (post cardio):
– As soon as you finish cardio, do a 10 minute stretching routine. Hold each stretch for about 15-20 seconds and go through all the stretches twice.
– Upon getting home (before showering), I take 1 teaspoon of Glutamine and then I will lay my yoga mat down and with my foam roller perform myofascial release (see attached link: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/self-myofascial-release.html) over my quads, calves, IT band, glutes, and hamstrings.
– After I shower I will put on some Tiger Balm cream and continue with my day

Evening (post weight training/cardio):
– Regardless of what body part I train I will take at least 10 minutes at the end of my workout to run through basic stretches.
– Once I get home I will repeat my myofascial stretches and take another teaspoon of Glutamine.
– Immediately after foam rolling I will take a 15- 20 minute Epsom salt bath and add more tiger balm cream if needed.
– NOTE: Taking an Epsom salt bath each night is not necessary. You can shoot for twice a week and for the days you don’t, warm up a heating pad and place it in the sore area then you can foam roll.
– Usually sleeping with aches and pains prevents a solid night’s sleep, but I have a solution for that as well: Have a cup of chamomile tea with a tablespoon of liquid melatonin you will naturally fall right to sleep for a solid night.

Until next week, remember to Breathe, STRETCH, shake let it go!

Train hard & Stay Positive
Ali

Learn more about Ali on her Facebook Fan page and follow her on Twitter @ALISONPROSEN.

IFBB Bikini Pro Dina Al-Sabah checks in as she travels the globe. Dina is currently in London and she’s making her mom eat the same food she is. Check out what else she’s up to as she balances travel with her Arnold prep.

As luck would have it, I am right next to Itsu (itsu.com) their tag line is Health and Happiness… lots of sushi/sashimi with the nutritional content available so I have my food planned out.
On the gym front… the hotel gym is being renovated (Grrr), so I only have access to cardio machines and dumbells. I can definitely do my shoulder/tricep workouts here as well as my cardio but for my glutes I will have to go the the LA Fitness a few blocks away which (free to hotel guests).

So far an excellent time and it included laughing at mom’s expression when I made her eat the same food I ate.

I have noticed that there are quite a few options here to be smart foodwise. At the Boots (like an upsacle CVS) snacks are packaged in small bags of 100 calories each, there are healthy and low calorie options like sanwiches etc all part of a weight management plan. Tomorrow I shall go to the proper gym and will be sure to give you all an update!

Follow Dina’s adventures on her Twitter account @dalsabah. Here’s a few photos from the week…

Dinworth travels with Dina every where she goes. He makes sure she puts everything away when flying.

Dina must hide the candy at the hotel.

A look at Dina’s healthy lunch choice while traveling.

After eating sushi, yet again, Dina’s mom is on a sushi strike.

Check back for more adventures with Dina and her road to the Bikini International.

IFBB Bikini Pro Nicole Nagrani his lit up the competition scene and doing so before she’s 20 years old. She’s not only adorable but also wicked smart to boot. Nicole is in an accellerated Med program and was spotted studying hours before the 2010 Bikini Olympia contest. Nicole joins our ever growing list of guest bloggers for the 2011 Arnold. Check out what the bikini ball of energy has to say as she heads into the inaugural Bikini International.

I am so honored and extremely thrilled to be competing in the 2011 Arnold Classic Bikini International! I cannot even believe that I will be stepping up on the stage that I have always dreamed up. Since I’ve been little, my parents have always been very involved with fitness related activities so I was always exposed to this lifestyle. At the age of 14 I competed in my first figure and fitness competition in which I took home first place. After that I decided to stop competing for a while and just focus on school and my Mom took up the sport. In late 2009 I competed again in the teen figure division and at this point I knew I was hooked and wanted to keep training for shows. In 2010 I began competing in bikini for the first time because my father finally approved since I turned 18. From then on, my experience in the sport has been a complete whirlwind! I ended up turning pro with my mother and Team Universe and just a short week later I won the Tampa Pro! It was shocking but I was so grateful because my hard work was paying off. Then I competed in the first ever Bikini Olympia. Man, was that an amazing experience. I could not even comprehend the fact that I was actually competing in this show. My father had been taking trips to the Olympia for years but I never had the chance to tag along; I just ended up watching the video. My Mom and Dad already had tickets to the Olympia before I was even invited last year! Needless to say I had an awesome time and was ecstatic to be going home with my 3rd place medal. I topped off the year with the Ft. Lauderdale Cup and won my second Pro show! Not only had I kicked butt on stage, but I ended up with a 3.8 average in the Accelerated Med Program at Stetson University. 2010 was a great year for me on and off the stage. I cannot thank FMG, Bombshell Fitness Team, and my loving family enough for all of the love and support this year. I am so thankful for everyone.

So now… 2011. I can only hope to come close to having such an awesome year this year just like 2010. I just got back from a much-needed 10-day vacation with my family, and now I’m back with the eye of the tiger!!! Classes started today so not only do I have to get on top of my game in training for the Inaugural Bikini International, but I also have to focus on my grades. Balancing training and studying can definitely be hard sometimes, but it is so rewarding when it’s all said and done. Although it gets hectic, I feel like all of the training has actually helped me with the books by helping me to relax and not stress all of the time. It worked last semester; I hope it works this semester with a different course-load. All I want to do is approach this situation with optimism, work hard, put in my best effort, and hope for the best outcome. For me, I’m still stuck in a dream as far as my success in this sport goes. All I want to do is come in the best I’ve ever looked each time I compete. It all begins this week so… ITS GAME TIME!!!

Also, I signed with MET-Rx yesterday, which was SOOOOO EXCCCTTTIIINNNGGG!!! I am so honored to join the MET-Rx team, and cannot wait to begin promoting these great products.

Congratulations to all of the competitors invited to this years Arnold Classic! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and is look forward to a great New Year!

Nicole ☺

Become a Fan of Nicole on her Facebook Fan Page and check back here as she shares more of her journey. Have a question for The Tiger? Post it in the comments below.

Photo by LIFTstudios.

The 2010 Figure International Champ, Nicole Wilkins joins us for our Hardbody Arnold Guest Blogs. The defending champ will share her journey from snowy and cold Michigan. Follow along as she lets you in on what’s happening in her world as she prepares for her title defense.

Crazy to think it is that time already! It’s hard to believe that this is going to be my 9th time attending the Arnold Sports Festival and my fourth time on the Arnold Classic stage! I still remember attending my first Arnold weekend nine years ago. I was so star struck walking around the expo, taking pictures with girls who were my heroes. It’s what convinced me to enter my first fitness contest that year.

Now, I am honored to be on that invite list once again representing the best in the world. Being a Midwest girl, the show is close my home in Michigan, so it is really nice that most of my friends, family and clients can all be in attendance since it is just a short drive away.

As for my prep.. so far so good! I am feeling strong, focused, healthy and pumped to get back onstage. After years of prepping for shows I almost become robotic. As a type A busy body, I love structure – getting up, doing cardio, training clients, lifting, working with online clients, cardio, sleep (oh and eating a few times in between ;)). The hardest part of the whole thing for me and for most of the other competitors, I’m sure – is the mental aspect. Knowing that there are days when you are going to feel spot on and fired up and other days when you feel less than your best and even question yourself.

Prepping for this show it is always the most challenging for me due to the cold Michigan weather, holiday parties, and my birthday (which is shared with the lovely Ms. Stern :)). But those things are just part of the game.

People sometimes ask me if it’s hard to stay on track during those times, or if I’m annoyed or upset that I can’t eat what they’re eating or drink what they’re drinking. Truth is, I’m not… nobody is making me do this. I’m doing it because it is something I love to do. I love training, I love competing, I love stepping on stage and knowing I’ve worked as hard as I possibly can to look my best. And as long as I’m following the plan, having fun, and doing what I’m supposed to do, I know everything will fall into place.

Until next time…

Here is a photo of me wearing one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year. Noise canceling headphones 🙂
I have been listening to a lot of Rihanna lately.

Check out Nicole’s Facebook Fan page where she does a great job of posting a variety of things. You can also follow her on twitter @NicoleMWilkins. Nicole has one of the best figure/fitness competitor, visit nicolewilkins.com to learn more about the defending champ.

Amanda Latona ended the 2010 IFBB Bikini season with a victory at the Sacramento Pro show. The Brunette Bombshell hopes to continue her winning ways as she prepares for the inagural Bikini International in Columbus. Amanda has joined us to share her journey has she heads into the first IFBB Bikini show of 2011. Check it out!

Blog blog Arnold blog! I am sooo happy to be a part of the Arnold prep blog series here on fabulous Hardbody.com. I go to Hardbody.com every day. No, Isaac didnt pay me to say that, its very true. It’s on my favorites list and I click on there to see what my fellow competitors are up to. I am usually 15 steps behind of the pack… Example A… I JUST got a Bodyspace account! Yep, I said it! So Hardbody.com keeps me up to date on what I would normally find out 16 months later, so THANK YOU Hardbody.com!

Ok so…lets see…hmmmmm…ok, got it. Well at first I gotta say, it was hard getting into the preperations for the Arnold. Nerves? NO. Injuries?. NO.  Three weeks off the entire year? Um, yes ok you got me.

Doing the Sacramento Pro Show November 6th, which by the way was seriously the best show for me in every way, I will explain later, I then had scheduled a 2 week vacation to Australia! Holla! Well ok, I was working out 6 days a week sometimes 2 times a day, so don’t holla too loud. I booked a fitness infomercial as a host, my favorite jobs let me tell you, for those of you who don’t know I LOVE being on camera and I want to do more t.v so these jobs are something I truly love. Anyway, I had to give them my schedule and since they wanted to shoot in November and I was gone almost all of the month, I had to book it the Monday after I got back from Australia on Saturday. I was there until Thanksgiving which was my 1st day off. So, 2 weeks was the plan to be off before dieting again, but I needed 3. NEEDED. For the 1st time ever I didnt want to train, or pack and weigh my food. It was the holidays, I had been doing it all year, and I was mentally not ready. Which then made me physically not ready. Never happened before…EVER.

I have been training since I was 18 years old, competing since I was 23, and like I said. never. I knew at that point, instead of forcing my workouts and throwing my cooler off of the Stratosphere, I needed a rest. I was going to take as long as I needed; I was going to stay off, eat, have fun and lay around as much as possible until I literally got the urge, the fire, the desire and feeling of the usual me “I CANT WAIT TO GET INTO THE GYM!!” Thank GOD it only took me 7 days! Yep, I can’t believe what that week did for me! The last thing I wanted was to get burnt out mid way through and I knew if I wasnt mentally ready to start and commit 100%, there was the possibility that I wouldn’t be ready physically throughout the contest prep. Which once again, emphasizes the importance of rest. Literally only a week changed everything, but if you dont take it, you’ll never know. So I took it, and holy crap am I ready!!!!!!

Ahhhh I’m sooooo excited! Back to the Sacramento Show. I have 11, 1st place wins under my competing belt.  For some reason, since turning Pro, I started to think to much…wayyyyyyyyy to much. “What do they want to see?”  “What should I do here?” etc…stuff that I NEVER did before. I always just went on stage and had fun. I was there because I loved it, and I was there to showcase the hard work that I had been putting into the gym, and the discipline that I had been putting into my diet. I was there to achieve goals that had been set, and to set new goals to achieve. Turning Pro, I thought about everything, or over-thought I should say….right up until the Olympia. I was nervous, I was over-thinking… I wasnt me. So, in Sacramento, I changed everything. We (myself and some others) talked at a seminar that head judge Sandy put on, and one of the best things she said was that competitors ask her all the time “what should I do now that I’m Pro?” and she simply said “do exactly what you did to get you here”. That made soooooo much sense to me. So thats what I did. I was me. The me that I was before. The me that I hadn’t been all year until November 6th. And that’s why I am so excited about the Arnold.

I am going into this show, this BIG show, with a completely different attitude. I WILL enjoy this ENTIRE experience. From Day 1 of my prep, to the day I am in the airport on the way home. I will have fun, train my hardest, present my best and be the me that I was onstage in Sacramento. I am truly looking forward to seeing all of my competitor friends, hanging and laughing backstage, and hopefully inspiring others from onstage. I am sooooo excited about my training because it is totally different than anything I’ve done before. Its a totally change for my body which is exactly what I need. I look forward to every training session and every clean and weighed meal.

Congratulations to all the competitors, I look soo forward to competing with all of you, and I truly wish everyone a very safe and cold-free competition prep. (heck its cold and flu season and with dieting, training, gym germs and traveling… it’s alot) I got a stinkin cold 3 times last year!!!!!!!!! So be healthy everyone and have fun!

See ya’ll soon.
AL

Follow Amanda on Twitter @AmandaLatona and check out her Facebook page for updates on what’s shaken in her world. Got a question for her? Post it in the comments or tweet her. Amanda also blogs her sponsor BSN’s website. Check it out.

IFBB Figure Pro Teresa narrowly missed out on a top six spot at the 2010 Figure International. She kept at it and finished last season with two top three finishes in Houston and California. The pressure is off to qualify for the big dance but that’s months away. Teresa has her sights set on cracking a top spot at the Figure International. She shares her journey to the Figure International here on hardbody.com.

Picking up after roadblocks!!!!

Today marks 56 days until my very first Figure International, and I have to admit there are parts of me that is still in disbelief that I got the invite.  However, I am not dreaming, I am awake and thankful to get the opportunity to grace that big stage with a great group of ladies.  I have been dreaming about this day since 2008 and finally 2011, I have arrived.

In the midst of all my happiness a stomach virus put a slight roadblock in the my training/dieting the last few days.  As a competitor we tend to think we are super human and no illness can stop us from working out.  Well take it for me, that is not the case sometimes.  From Sunday through Tuesday I wasn’t able to train or eat much, I was dehydrated, losing weight by the minute and just plained pissed off that this happen before a show I have been secretly dreaming about for quite sometimes.   A voice in my mind kept telling me that being sick was going to put me behind on my training and that I wouldn’t enough time to tone up my lil ghetto booty. All this time extra time on my hands and my negative thoughts was driving me bananas.  After I snapped out of my insanity moment, I realize that I needed to rest and get better before I forced to train and possibly end up doing more damage.  It’s always amazing how one hustle in your plans can threaten your whole game plan.  There were a few positives to this stomach virus, I got a chance to get much needed sleep, more time off from work (and yes I have a day job) and oh my abs were ripped. 🙂

Breaking news: I am alive and I made it though.  I returned back the gym on Wednesday pumped and ready to rock and roll…well my body said, slow down young Jedi, take this step easy.  I managed to get to the workout but I have admit my cardio was very tough.  I guess the virus did more damage to my body that I thought, but I am staying positive that I will be back to full strength by the weekend.   Ok folks back on the grind and will keep you posted on my progress.  I am feeling great and ready to make this happen.

Until next time…  Peace out.

Follow Teresa on twitter @FitTeresaNicole. Give her a shout and tell her you saw her on Hardbody.

IFBB Bikini Pro and cover girl Jessica Paxson-Putnam joins us for her Bikini International journey. Follow along with Jess as she looks to crack into the top spots in just a few weeks.

Hey everybody! I can’t wait to share my journey to the Arnold stage with y’all!

I am SO honored to be competing in the Inaugural Bikini International! I began competing in 2004, became a pro in 2005, and have competed in 4 Olympia’s, but am SO excited to be competing in my very first Arnold Classic! This means so much to me because I am from (and grew up in) Dayton Ohio, so I am really looking forward to competing in my home state in front of many of my family and friends.

This is very new to me though, I have really never had to diet at this time of year. This has usually been my “off season” or down time. I will be honest with y’all, it can be a tough time of year to have to diet! Its cold, and all you want to do is bundle up and eat comforting foods!

A common question I am asked is “how do you stay motivated?”. One of the main tools in helping me stay motivated is to constantly remind myself that I am so very blessed and thankful to have this healthy body to carry me through life! The fact that many of us are physically able to get up and head to the gym for a workout is something that can so easily be taken for granted!… and we often COMPLAIN about it!!! I’m guilty of it!, but I have become VERY convicted about this.

There are so many people that would give anything to be able to wake up and go for a jog outside or put their bodies through a challenging and vigorous workout, but they may have physical handicaps etc. that may limit them from being able to do so.

I have to ask myself, how can I complain about having to do two a day cardio sessions when there is someone out there that would give anything to even be able to WALK?! That puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?!

I will be thanking and praising God (during this prep and every day of my life!) for my many blessings and all the little things I take for granted. I will stand on that Arnold stage with pride knowing I am so very blessed to be doing what I love to do!!!

Please let me know what y’all would like to hear about from me as I prep for the Arnold Classic!

Stay fit and God bless!
Jess

Follow along with Jessica on Twitter @JessFit and on her Facebook Page.

Canadian cutie Justine Munro joins us in our continued series of Arnold Sports Festival Blogs. Justine made a name for herself right out of the gates when she placed second in her IFBB Bikini debut. You’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the magazines this year, mark my words. She shares a bit more about herself and what her goals are for the new year.

Hello! My name is Justine Munro and I am a Canadian IFBB Bikini Pro on my way for the first time to the Arnold Classic. I am so excited and can’t wait to experience such an event.

Over the holidays I enjoyed some down time with my family and good friends enjoying some great food and having some awesome moments. We welcomed the New Year quietly, but with enthusiasm. These special moments and spending it with the people you care most about make it all that much better. I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year!

I started my fitness journey a couple of years ago and have met number of experienced and great people who have encouraged me to believe in myself and to keep focused on the next level of the fitness world.

In August 2010, I won the CBBF CANADIAN NATIONALS held in Toronto which was where I received my pro card. It was a dream come true and one that I will cherish for years to come.

The Arnold’s is right around the corner and I have a great deal of work to do to prepare and to be at my best. I am so excited that I will have the opportunity to participate in such an event. The best Christmas gift I received this year was seeing my name on the list amongst a number of other beautiful ladies. I feel honored that I am the only Canadian Model in my class. (Did I tell you that Canadian girls can kick butt too? :))

2011 is going to be a year where I push myself harder in every way, I have a lot of goals in mind.

Saying that, these are my top goals for 2011
1.  Train, Train and did I say, Train! (both in Weight lifting and Cardio)
2. Brand myself within the IFBB.
3. Network within the industry. (I really want to learn more.)
4. Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle (balancing my on & off season eating, etc)
5. Give back! Help as many people as I can along the way.
6. Complete my firefighting courses and becoming a firefighter.
7. Have fun!

Get to know Justine more by “liking” her Facebook Fan Page.

Ali Rosen battled it out in the NPC ranks before finding her groove and taking home top honors at the 2010 NPC USAs. She continued her success in the pro ranks and is now one of the top IFBB Bikini pros in the biz. Ali joins us for our HARDBODY Arnold Guest Blogs and she has some great tips to share in her first installment. Check it out.

Eating to Train, Not Training to EAT!
As I approach the 8 week countdown to the Arnold Classic I am still in shock, and feel blessed to be able to be a part of history by being one of 17 fortunate women to grace the Bikini International stage.

Many of you know that being prepared is the key to achieving success. Preparation is critical to overcoming the many challenges of training and dieting we all face to achieve our goals. Ones diet is responsible for 80-90% of the way we look, with the remainder belonging to the way we train. As they say, Abs are not made in the gym they are made in the kitchen ;).

KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) is one of the most valuable pieces of information I learned while competing. In particular, when it comes to ones diet. I have learned that cooking all my meals for the week in one day allows me to pick up and leave at any given moment.  What I normally do is set aside about 2-3 hours, usually Thursday or Friday, and I will food shop and grill all my meats and fishes in one day. If I have time I will then weigh and baggie all my meals and freeze them all in separate quart sized bags then place them into 7 gallon-sized bags which represent one day of the week. If I am pressed for time I will grill all my food one day and weigh and baggie the rest the following day.  Breaking up the cooking and packaging reduces feeling overwhelmed or exhausted.  If you don’t own a grill I suggest you broil your fish. It takes at most 10 minutes and you can throw it in the oven still frozen.

To flavor meat and fish, Mrs. Dash (salt free) brand seasonings are great, as is using lemon, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Just don’t use too many spices or seasonings; the less you use the less you will crave real yummy food.

For cooking veggies and potatoes, I prefer to bake my potatoes (in a toaster oven) and NOT freeze them. They don’t taste the same once frozen and thawed out. As for veggies getting the microwavable or even frozen (no sodium) versions are always the simplest way to cut time and worry.

Another key tip I have learned is to microwave my eggs. This allows for minimal clean up the rest of the week. After getting bored of eating eggs and oatmeal separately, I now mix them together with whatever fruit is on my diet, sprinkle it with splenda and cinnamon.

Since many people have to travel for work, staying on any diet may seem like a challenge. WRONG! If you have all your meals prepared in advance all you need to do is throw them in a large travel size or daily size cooler (see the picture of mine below) and off you roll. As for not having a microwave available at hotels, make hardboiled eggs, remove the yolk and bring instant oatmeal and just add hot water. Nowadays almost everything comes in travel size. If peanut butter is on your diet Justin’s brand makes perfect travel size packets. If you love your coffee, Startbucks VIA packets are easy to travel with and taste great. As for traveling with lettuce, upon arriving at your destination your best bet is to order a large salad sans dressing and you will have fresh lettuce for your stay.

I hope this helps fellow competitors and everyone else trying to stick to a plan- no lesson has helped me more. Until next week…

Train Hard & Stay Positive
Ali

Follow Ali on Twitter @ALISONPROSEN and check out her fan page on facebook.

Trish Warren has positioned herself as one of the leading ladies in the IFBB Fitness division. She’s continued to improve her routines and refine her physique. Trish aka The Black Mamba is joining our team of Hardbody bloggers to share a bit about herself as she heads to the Fitness International.

My Arnold prep is well underway, let’s just say I freaked out a bit when I found out that our routines now count double because that is my weakness.  When the new rule changes came out, I was at my nephew’s last football game for the season, I had so many ideas running through my head that I couldn’t concentrate on the game!  If you don’t know, my nephew lives with us, and it is very important to Branch and I that we show him the kind of attention, encouragement, and support that a teenager needs!  He is behind in school and we are working very hard to bring him up a grade so he doesn’t miss out on his senior year of athletics.  That being said, they did win their game and I came to my conclusion that I had to begin my routine that instant!

Yep Nov. 4th at 10 o’clock on a Thursday night is when my prep began. I went home and immediately started making calls. It has taken me so long to get to 3rd in the world, and I don’t want to go anywhere but up. I am working with Jennifer Wilson to help me achieve a unique and entertaining routine, that will impress the judges with things they would not expect to see me do! My routines have come a long way in the last 2 years, but they still have a long way to go. I am always learning new skills and moves, that will help me achieve the level of performance that Tanji, Nicole, and Jen Hendersott bring to the stage!

Now as far as my physique goes, I have finally managed to be right on target with what the judges are looking for in a fitness competitor. It was also a struggle since I tend to gain and hold muscle so easily. I am still not lifting weights, and have kept my workouts strictly high volume and routine oriented.  It seemed to work for me this past Olympia, and I am a believer that if it’s not broke don’t fix it!  So at this point with 8 weeks to go, I can honestly say that I am happy with my conditioning and feel that I will bring a complete package to Columbus.

Until Next Time, God Bless and Love Life!

Trish Warren

Check back here on hardbody.com to find out how Trish’s prep is going and those of you attending the Arnold Sports Festival can meet Trish at the Gaspari Nutrition booth. Trish recently re-signed with the popular supplement company and is also sponsored by Better Bodies clothing.

IFBB Bikini Pro Shelsea Montes joins us with her Arnold Guest Blog. Shelsea will be sharing her “Seashel Swagga” as she heads into the first ever Bikini International. The fiery spit-fire is never short on energy and has assembled some helpful tips on how to find your swagga. Check it out!

Hello blog universe, my name is Shelsea Montes and I am a IFBB Bikini Pro on her way to The Arnold.

Most people in the “biz” know me as Seashel and also the girl that uses certain lingo such as: “Seashel Swagga” (onstage posing presentation), “Get it right! Get it tight” (self explanatory), and “Woot Woot” (interchangeable with YEAY BABY).

I was recently invited to the Arnold (Merry Xmas to me!!) Insert the Woot Woot! I feel so blessed to be among the inspirational athletes on the roster especially since I’ve only been competing for 2 1/2 years. Wow, I just had a memory reel play in my head and let me tell you…it has been an amazing journey!

I am currently 4 weeks into training for the Inaugural Bikini International and to be completely honest, I am feeling a bit nervous.

Whenever I start to feel like this it usually means that I need to start working on my “Seashel Swagga”.

There are so many girls that look unbelievably gorgeous and conditioned at the bikini competitions, but some lack one thing – THE SWAGGA! Your presentation is just as important as all the work that you’ve done in the gym. Many people look at pictures and think one girl should have won over the other, but what they don’t see is what the audience picked up and what I call the “it factor” … beauty, confidence, and walking that stage like you own it!

So to better explain and assist you with any possible Swagga deficiency, I’ve composed this list:

The 10 “swagga” commandments

1. Sway your hips from side to side while walking – don’t be afraid to be sassy ( think of a Victoria’s Secret model on the runway… I like to check out youtube videos of this for ideas)
2. Walk with the beat of the music in the background – Don’t walk to slow or you will look stiff and nervous but don’t go overly fast either.
3. Eye contact – make sure to make eye contact with every single judge it shows that you own the stage and you are not afraid.
4. Smile – its your cheapest accessory and it will make you look beautiful, glamorous, confident and happy.
5. Head high – Nothing makes you look more confident than when you hold your head up high (but not too high in an arrogant way). CONFIDENCE!
6. Classy – you can still be classy while being sassy! Save the raunchy for salad dressings (get it?…ranch salad dressing, hehe). Don’t forget that these are family events.
7. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – If you’re doing well with a piece of your suit/jewelry… keep it!
8. Create, don’t recreate – learning is different from copying… so follow people you admire and use that to create something unique, don’t just mirror it.
9. Fake it til you make it – act like number one to become number one, act confident and you will look confident….don’t confuse it with cockiness though.
10. HAVE FUN – Don’t forget why you’re doing it! Plus if you’re having fun, the judges will see it.

Until next time… get ya swagga on!

Follow Shelsea on Twitter @seashelmontes. Tell you saw her on Hardbody.

IFBB Fitness Pro Nicole Duncan joins our team of Hardbody Guest Bloggers for the 2011 Arnold Sports Festival. The Duncanator will be sharing her “confessions” as she heads into the Fitness International. Check out the first installment of what’s happening in her world.

Okay so here it is just 8 1/2 weeks from the Arnold and I can’t honestly say that I’ve even started preparing for the show.  No, please don’t perceive this to be a slap in the face or a lack of respect for the industry or other competitors.  It seems that I’ve had a bit of adversity to face as we all do from time to time in our lives.  I’m a strong believer in the motto “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger” and that “God would never put more on us than we can bear.”  So, with that being said, for those of you who might be a tiny bit interested, let me invite you into my small little corner of the world.

Right now, I type this while waiting the results of my dad’s cat scan and EKG test results.  Yes, just as I was about to leave the house to MAKE myself push through an hour of cardio my mom and I decided to MAKE my dad go to the hospital.  He’s had a stroke about 5 years ago and just a few months ago have had some questionable incidents. All day today he was not feeling well, acting a little weird and my mom noticed his speech slurred.  She had been monitoring his blood pressure, making him take his meds and making sure he was not left at home alone.  We finally gave him two options; 1) get up and go to the emergency room or 2) get checked by an ambulance because we were calling 911.  He chose the first choice.  Just last week I weighed him and took his body fat.  He, my mom and I commited to a weight lost goal leading up to the Arnold.  Maybe this is just the wake up call we all need.

Also today I went to see my doctor about my being sick for more than a month now.  I’ve woken up with major headaches that lasted all day, sore throat, congestion and/or cough since Tina and I got back from our Thanksgiving cruise.  I’ve started my contest prep numerous times only to get sick a day or two later.  I had a great workout on Monday and then woke up on Tuesday before Christmas and could barely speak.  My throat and ear hurt and the doctor diagnosed me with strep.  After being a good girl and completing ALL of my antibiotics, skipping work, sleeping in even on Christmas day and basically doing my version of bumming around for 2 weeks (that means NO exercise & NO diet) it turns out that I may still be sick.  I’m tired a lot more than normal and it appears that my strep throat has not fully gone away.  After my tests today, thyroid, iron, strep and whatever else she decides to check hopefully we will get to the problem so that I can feel fully like myself again and be ready to rock and roll.

The good thing is… I am seeking professional help.  (LOL.  That sounds like I’m loosing my mind or something).  My doctor is a runner and she knows all about what I do as a fitness competitor.  She is really concerned about getting me back on track and thinks I may only have an iron deficiency or something.  My dad is being held overnight in the best place for him right now.  And I am only 8 pounds up from my contest weight because my appetite hasn’t been the greatest. Rather than finish the bag of Dorito”s that are on the kitchen counter, I will push on towards the goal of performing at my very best EVER at this year’s Ms. Fitness International show.  No matter what, I am grateful for the obstacles that are presented in front of me because I know that they build character and in the end will make me a stronger person.  Talk to any IFBB pro and we’ve all had issues from time to time so I shouldn’t expect to be exempt anyhow.  I will press forward with my diet and training because I know God will see me through.  Sometimes you have to just roll with the punches because you never know what life is going to throw your way.  I really can’t complain or whine too much because things could be a whole lot worse. I will take the blessings that I have an run with them (on the treadmill of course!).

Until next time Hardbody Peeps, PEACE!

Nic or the “Duncanator” as my dancers call me.  LOL!

Follow Nicole on her twitter @fitnicinc.

IFBB Bikini Pro Nathalia Melo has joined in the fun and will be sharing her journey as she heads into the inaugrual Bikini International. Nathalia burst onto the competitive scene last year and has positioned herself as one of the top bikini pros in the world. If you haven’t met her you’re in for a treat. The Brazilian bombshell can be quite entertaining, check it out..

A new year is starting with lots of dreams, wishes, hopes and maaaaaany resolutions. With the beginning of the year it also comes a new competition season. It is time to switch the gears and stop the procrastination that happens during the holiday season, at least when it comes to dieting and working out. I just got back from a much needed, nice and relaxing vacation with my family, where I enjoyed myself and for 4 days. I forgot about my scale, my zip-lock bagged food and mainly had time to be a ‘’normal civilian’’ for a bit. It was great, but to be honest I was ready to go back to my old and sometimes chaotic routine.

Since my first competition, which was a little over a year ago, I have been learning on how to find balance and this is one of the most challenging things that I find about competing. I was very proud of myself on my 4 days cruise, where I thought that I was going to come back swimming with the whales to camouflage my ‘’flufiness’’ from those days eating like the world was going to end. But…hey…I came back looking pretty damn good and happy to find out I was on the right track to finding my BALANCE. I was able to have a good time and different from what I thought before I left, I didn’t eat myself sick because I had to get back on my diet as soon as I got back.

After all I realized that competing is not an ‘’on season/off season’’ thing…. it is a lifestyle, a healthy lifestyle that allows you to have goals and push yourself to your limits. Hope you all had an awesome holiday season… and now… GET BACK ON THAT TREADMILL!! =)

Nathalia will be competing at the 2011 Bikini International and when she’s not on stage you can find her at the Nutrex Research booth.

The 2011 Arnold Sports Festival is quickly approaching and we’re kicking off our Hardbody coverage with one of many pro guest blogs. Over the next few weeks you’ll gain insight as to what some of the IFBB female competitors are up to and how their prep is going. IFBB Bikini Pro Dina Al-Sabah kicks things off with her blog. She has some great tips for traveling competitors.

I am less than 9 weeks out to my first show of the year, the inaugural Bikini International. I am very excited to have been invited and know that while I do have a career outside the fitness industry that requires a lot of travel,  I have to ensure that I bring my best to the stage. The last time I competed at the Arnold Sports Festival was in the Figure division in 2004. It was not my best physique due to various personal issues, so it really means a lot to me to nail it this time.

Traveling while going through contest prep can be hard, but with a little planning it is not impossible. I am going to London and then Singapore so it is a little tricker in that I have to adapt to new time zones, and I cannot pack my food due to international rules of not bringing in food items etc.

I started planning my trip by looking for a hotel with a good 24hr gym. This may sound silly, but outside the USA, not all hotels have decent gyms, and they are not always 24hrs. I prefer to have that option. Once I picked the hotel, I used yelp to locate a few spots where I could find clean food. I usually look for sushi bars or Japanese restaurants as I know I can get clean food there. I also located the closest grocery store so that I can pick up some supplies once I arrive.

I also moved around my workouts so that I could do the body parts that require more specific equipment while I was at home and save the easier body parts (upper body in my case) for the road.

As far as food on the plane, surprisingly enough depending on the airline, you can have some decent options. On United, I can get a plain grilled chicken salad, the dressing is always on the side, so I eat the greens and the chicken. On Singapore Air I have the option of picking the meal that I want, and sushi was one of the choices..easy enough. I will take a few snacks with me, but I have to make sure to eat them before landing or to leave them on board.

Dinworth and I are both packed, and ready to set off.

Follow Dina’s adventures on twitter @dalsabah and check out her web site FitDina.com. Email or tweet her if you have a question you’d like her to answer in her next blog.