Starving for a Place

When I got back from Florida a couple days before Christmas, I baked up a storm and packed on the Christmas pounds.

First of the year, I was back on diet and working towards my April Show.  I needed help feeding my obsession, so I hired a trainer. I had met Jimmy Momany at my Toledo show and was told he was the guy to see. He had helped with my diet for the Florida Show in 2016.  So, added to my million things I do, I drove 1 1/2 hours to Iron Works Gym in Holland, OH 2-3 times a week.  Protein Shake in tow. On days I went to Toledo, doing my heavy lifting, I’d trade my protein with something else (as I ate every 3 hours). I tweaked my diet a bit, PB 2 instead of regular peanut butter and I discovered muscle egg (it’s flavored egg whites) at the Arnold in Columbus in March and fell in love.

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After continuing to build me body and whittle my weight down, my first show was April 1. 

*2017 NPC Natural Ohio Championships by Dave Liberman

April 1, 2017 – Cleveland, OH 

Bikini Class E – 13th place

Bikini Masters over 35 – 5th place

Bikini Limited Class D – 12th place

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2017 NGA Toledo Glass Scepter

May 6, 2017 – Maumee, OH

Bikini Open Short – 2nd place

Bikini Master – 1st place

My news story on WTOL Channel 11 Toledo

https://youtu.be/7WnNQRqDysc

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2017 NPC John Simmons Championships

May 13, 2017 – Hazel Park, MI

Open Bikini B – 5th place

Masters – 4th place

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2017 NPC Northcoast Championships

May 30, 2017 – Kent, OH. 

Open Class C – 19th place

Novice Class B – 11th place

Bikini Masters – 6th place

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I also met a fantastic photographer, Amir Marandi. He does a lot of the big NPC shows. I did a photo shoot with him, which was fabulous. His job must be terrible photographing so many beautiful women 😉

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2017 NPC Naples Classic by Golden Lions Production

August 26, 2017 – Naples, Florida – Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort

Open Class D – 5th place

Masters – 10th place (which was odd because I usually do better in Masters, but Florida has some fit chiks)

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2017 NPC Holiday Classic by Golden Lion Productions

December 16, 2017 – Fort Lauderdale, FL Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

Bikini Class D – 8th place

Masters over 30 – 14th place

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Each show I was doing a bit better, but not where I wanted to be.  Feedback was always on my glutes.  I needed to build a butt. I did Squats, Lunges, etc. I worked my butt off literally. It just wasn’t in my genes. No one in my family has a butt.  But, I still pushed. I was going to do this. Eat, Sleep, Lift, Cardio…Repeat. That was my life that year.

I became obsessed with body fat. Every time I went to the gym in Holland, “Jimmy, can you check my body fat, please.” He’d sigh and say, “again, really, we just did it.”

It is a very solitary sport. No going out to eat or drink (no alcohol at all). You don’t even want to tempt yourself.  The last few days are distilled water only, as to, cut out sodium. I put it in my Keurig for my coffee. I lived on coffee and pre-workout. As I got littler and littler, I got weaker and weaker.  Your life is in the gym or kitchen, meal prepping. That’s a whole art in itself. Measuring each and every ounce, counting every single green bean. I wanted no excuse for failure. I was ridiculously precise. I’d miss family functions to not tempt myself. Friends finally quit asking me to go out, because I couldn’t/wouldn’t go. But that’s the price you pay for that amazing body. I loved my body. Most thought I was way too skinny, but I loved it.  

That was Year 2 of my Bikini  Venture. Back down to Marathon, FL to splurge (food, drink, Key Lime Pie, and shopping) for a few days. Then home for cookies and Christmas.

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