By Jillian Teta
Sometime last summer, it finally dawned on me that I really enjoyed getting ready for figure competitions. I had been competing for about two and a half years, initially starting my first contest prep because Jill told me I would be good with it. One show led to another, driven by curiosity and a desire to “bring up my game” and I began competing for myself.
It was, however, more like a hobby than a way of being. Something I thought about during the Spring to the Fall, and stopped thinking about as soon as Thanksgiving rolled around. Pass the stuffing, please.
So, here we are, back in June. I had come off a good win at FAME and was competing for my pro card – for the third time. The third time was the charm, as I won both my pro card and the overall for the whole show. I figured it was about time I had won, since I had been practicing and trying for it for so long :)
Yes, I am being a little self-depreciating here, but only because I’ve made several realizations since then:
No matter what your place is – ever – it leads us to more practice, to see where our next level can be. Practice makes more practice. It doesn’t mean we are never content and happy with where we are now…because that is essential….it means our vision is broadening to see all that we can accomplish, while simultaneously realizing what a success we are right now. That applies not only to body change but to our professional lives, relationships and how we interact in our community and how we treat others.
OK, so back to June. That was the last show for me that year. I think I was peeling off my fake lashes when a little voice in my head asked: “how far do you think you can go with this?” and of course I replied, “oh, probably not far at all!” because of course, the only thing that truly holds us back is ourselves – this thought that we may “fail”. Anyway I caught this thought, and decided right then and there in the bathroom that I’d go as far as I wanted to.
After a long vacation up north, and some time off, I got to work. I got on a building/hypertrophy plan and I trained and ate like it was my job. I was going to build mass in my shoulders, upper chest and lats to balance out my lower body. I did this fairly consistently. Training in the off season had been a problem for me because I could make any and all excuses to not go work out.
But I did it, for the most part.
About two weeks ago, I came off my hypertrophy diet and started my cut diet. I weighed in, took pics and measurements, and went food shopping. I am selectively vain and self-conscious, and I’ve never posted “before” pics before. I wanted to here to show that one can do a hypertrophy plan and add size – I added almost 9 pounds of muscle in 16 weeks – without blowing up like a water balloon. So if you read in another blog somewhere that to add 5-10 lbs, you gotta gain thirty – I am here to tell you it doesn’t have to be the case.
My Measurements 2/7/11
12 weeks out from pro debut
Waist: 25.5
Belly Button: 27
Bust: 33
Hips: 35.5
R Thigh: 20
Body Fat (Tanita): 18.5%
My Before Pics taken 2/7/11
I’m not flexing or getting into poses, just wanted to show you all “me”
Want more from Jillian? Here’s one of my favorite she wrote about keeping yourself honest :)
