Just getting started - so all advice welcome!

[Palmy_chick]

Hi there, was at the Nabba Hawkes Bay comp a couple of weeks ago as a supporter and made the decision to start training with the goal to compete in Novice Figure (Tall) in a years time! Note i want to be competitive on stage - not just making up the numbers!! Found this website and it seems like a friendly sorta place so hopefully with bit of advice from you guys I can reach this goal :nod:

A bit of background on me, i'm 32 and i've been a gym bunny on and off over the years, but as i've never really had anything to aim for i was probably just going through the motions :oops: More recently i've done a bit of running and done some half marathons - slow but steady is how you'd describe me there I'm 71kg at the mo, pretty heavy compared to some of you girls on here, but i fit comfortably into size 12 clothes which seems to be smaller than average in NZ these days so my weight hasn't been a major issue to me - at 170cm (i think) i need to drop about 8-9kg though to compete - wow haven't been that light in........ a long time!!! :shock:

I'm joining the gym tomorrow and am going to get a plan done for me by a guy who knows my goals etc, so will be interesting to see what i get - he said he'll ease me into it and get me 'balanced' first..... but i just want to get stuck in!! :dancing:

Food wise....... i was planning on eating pretty cleanly and see how the kg's drop off once i start at the gym...... i figure losing weight slowly is sensible as i've got a year to achieve my goal weight but any advice appreciated though! My food plan is:

Brekkie: 50g yogurt, piece of fruit and cereal (anyone tried that new Fibre Life Bran & Oats with Berry cereal? yummy!!)

Lunch: 100g meat, small serve carbs, veges

Dinner: 100g meat, small serve carbs, veges

Snacks throughout day: 2 pieces fruit, 1 x 100g yogurt, 2 rice crackers with peanut butter

going to have one cheat meal a week - so i have something to look forward to on the tough days :wink:

Ummm - i think that's all..... lovely to 'meet' you all :wave: and i look forward to our chats!

[Specter]

Welcome and all the best with your new goal and training. :grin: (umm ..the HB Nabba show..was it just making up the numbers?) :-s

[biggurl27]

Welcome on in palmy chick :grin:

[Pseudonym]

he said he'll ease me into it and get me 'balanced' first..... but i just want to get stuck in!! :dancing:

Easing into it gradually is a good plan. It's great that you're so keen, but there's no sense injuring yourself because you push it too far too soon.

Actually, I think the same thing goes with diet. Switching to a bodybuilding diet can be a huge change, and it's often easier to make gradual improvements, rather than jumping into a full-on diet overnight. But maybe that's just me.

Anyway, welcome.

[1day]

its nice to have a goal like a comp to keep u on track, but ul soon find out as u start gettin into it all (diet and training)whether ur really up to the challenge, as it takes sum hardout deadication sticking to it all and changing ur lifestyle to suit.

but welcome and good luck :wink:

[steak]

:ditto:

especially about weights. getting an injury or bad muscle soreness at the begining can be a bit of a downer for the motivation.

Good luck. You'll find having a journal is pretty helpful as are most here :clap:

[runveerun]

Hi there and welcome! Sounds like you are off to a great start! Have fun tomorra at the gym on your first day! :grin:

[justhell]

hi ya palmy-chick,good to see a fellow Palmerstonian here,train,train,train its got to be good for ya. :nod:

[Palmy_chick]

Hi there, and thanks for all the welcomes

I've now had my gym program for 10 days, and a diet plan done for me so it's all go! Am loving having a program and the weights and reps are slowly going up. i know my weights will be waaaaay less than what most peeps on here lift, push or pull, but i get a tiny little buzz when i start on a machine and have to change the setting to a higher weight - someone out there is actually lifting less than me!!!! (though on friday i suspect it was only the 10 year old boy who seemed to be drifting around the gym......!!)

Am off on holiday in september for 2.5 weeks so have asked my trainer to write up a program for me with small dumbbells and i'll fit my set in my bag - unfortunately i travel pretty basic so don't stay in hotels with gyms! Means my diet will probably go out the window too - anybody got any tips for eating well in india? i tend to eat vegetarian in india, so figured i'd stick to dhals etc with lots of beans/lentils for protein and try to resist the naans......

Have a great week everyone!

[Palmy_chick]

Hi! It's been a while since i've posted and i only have internet at work so decided against posting a journal but thought i'd give a quick update as to how it's all going! Am down to 66kg so lost 5kg - haven't done a bodyfat test but have definitely dropped the fat while building muscle - i have (small) biceps! yay! Am getting some really good feedback from my trainer and others at the gym so happy with progress. Think i've got another 4kg to go to meet Figure height/weight requirements so soldiering on..... Am struggling with barbell squats, but happy with other weights i'm doing - eg 40kg smith squats, 10kg dumbbell flys, 50kg seated cable row, 33kg leg curl. Got a 4 day split program at the moment and the leg day almost killed me the first day i did it (had to take the day off work the next day as could hardly walk :oops: ) but it was ok the next week so not too sure what happened that first week??!! Have now got heels for onstage so wearing them in at home - boyfriend loves that!! :wink: Bring on July 10th - Nabba Hawkes Bay.

[cantygirl]

Hi there, making good progress, well done. Try not to stick to a number on the scales that you think you should compete at, rather get your trainer to do a full body composition measurement and then you can really guage your progress and how much body fat you have still to lose. Also, rather than confuse you, trust in your trainer and take all his/her advice on because, believe me, come serious training time, alot of would be's if they could be's will be full of advice. Good Luck.

[Chillicat]

leg day almost killed me the first day i did it (had to take the day off work the next day as could hardly walk :oops: )

I felt like that after I did my first spin class a few years ago - legs were in agony for a couple of days afterwards. Lucky for me I have a sit down job!

[teamfatboy]

leg day almost killed me the first day i did it (had to take the day off work the next day as could hardly walk :oops: )

I felt like that after I did my first spin class a few years ago - legs were in agony for a couple of days afterwards. Lucky for me I have a sit down job!

Hint: avoid lunges if you have a sit-down job... the two do NOT go well together - DOMS of the glutes, and office chairs, are incompatible :oops: :grin: