All posts by Kimberly

This Mom Lost 40 Pounds Training Like A Competitor

Success Stories

Crissy told me “before I got pregnant with my daughter 5 years ago, I was in really good shape. My legs were so much smaller.” Since then, it seemed like the weight wasn’t coming off fast enough. When Crissy started my program, she weighed 184 pounds, had over 30% body fat, but wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. She is prior Army like me and we don’t give up easy!

Crissy had always dreamed of one day getting the body of a competitor and maybe even stepping on stage. It was amazing to see her body transform every week! Check out her after photos and stats below.

Crissy now weighs 144 pounds, has 18% body fat, and can step on stage or not!

She wanted to see how far she could push towards her goals. Crissy crushed them!

I know you can too!

If you are tired of carrying around the same 20, 30, 40 or more pounds keeping you from competing or being in the best shape of your life, schedule a free consult with me asap.

No more talking about it! You can get your body back in weeks not years!

Booty Band Workout

Bikini Competitions, Figure Competitions, Training Tips, Workouts

Bands are a great way to activate the glutes and hamstrings throughout your workout. To feel the most burn, I do a band activator exercise (BAE) before the main moves. Keep reading to get the full workout and a few videos for all the ACTIVATOR exercises!

Incorporating resistance bands to your leg training can fix lagging legs muscles and improve your overall shape, size and symmetry on stage!

Get Some Booty Bands Now <<<

The Workout:

Warm-up: 5 minute hill walk on treadmill

Exercise #1 (BAE) Band Walks 3×60 seconds of back and forth)

Exercise #2 Bulgarian Split Squats 3×12

Exercise #3 (BAE) Goblet Squats with Band 3×20

Exercise #4 Leg Press (high feet placement, wide, toes turned out) 3×12

Exercise #5 (BAE) Band Lateral Lunges 3×15 each way

Exercise #6 Seated or Lying Leg Curls (turn feet out) 3×12

Did you like this workout? Post a comment and please SHARE. Thanks!

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What ladies are saying about Contest Prep Secrets…

 

3 Tips for Better Front Squats

Training Tips, Workouts,

First of all, if you are not doing front squats, this might be a good time to learn!

Front squats are great because they target the quads more than traditional “back squats.” Plus if you have any issues with your back, it causes less compression and reduced hip pain.

For years, I didn’t do them because they felt awkward. The reason being was I couldn’t figure out the best way to hold that bar without falling over lol.

Finally, I came up with a 3 tips to do them better.

  1. Start with just the bar or weight you can control throughout the movement.
  2. Use a squat pad to prevent pressure on your shoulders or arms.
  3. If you have wrist issues, you might want to avoid the “clean position.” I’m doing the old school bodybuilder hold, which crosses your hands on top of your shoulders. You can avoid stability issues with this hold by making sure you are evenly holding the bar across your chest and keep your feet grounded through the movement.

Watch the video to see these tips in action!!

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Answers to 5 Frequently Asked Questions About Figure & Bikini

Bikini Competitions, Contest Prep, Figure Competitions

If you have never stepped on stage before, I am sure you have tons of questions!

Here are answers to the some of top ones I get about  competing for the first time:

Q: How long does it take to be ready for a figure or bikini competition? 

A: Depends on your current weight (how much body fat you need to lose) and the amount of muscle you need to develop to competitive. For example, you need to lose 20 pounds. The average girl loses 1-2 pounds per week. So, it would take 10-20 weeks. I’d split that time in the middle and shoot for 16 weeks. That way you have some wiggle room for training set backs and illness that would. You should choose prospective show dates based on how long it will take for you to lose the weight and create the right shape the judges are looking for on stage.

Q: What is the difference between figure and bikini? And how do I know which one is better for me? 

A: Bikini competitors have less muscle than figure athletes and more of an “curvy shape but lean. The judges are critiquing bikini athletes on overall healthy body symmetry. A bikini athlete should not be overly muscular or have striations in their muscles. Should look a bit more “soft” than figure or bodybuilding competitors but not have excess body fat. Figure competitors have a good amount of muscle and have a more “square” shape. They should not have striations like in physique and bodybuilding classes. The class that will be best for should be based on your current body type and training style.

Q:Which supplements should figure and bikini athletes use to cut body fat off safely? 

A: Common fat loss stacks can include fish oils, fatty acids like CLA, caffeine, green tea extract, L-carnitine, vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber.

Q: How many workouts do competitors need to do each week?

A: Figure competitors should train with weights at least 5 days and hit the major body parts at least once per week with a pick-up day for lagging body parts. Depending on the phase of training, figure competitors will train 6-7 days a week and split up sessions (2 x day). Bikini competitors combine several body parts together in one workout, have lighter training volume than figure, and train 3-4 days a week with weights. The final phases include more circuit training and short sessions HIIT cardio.

Q: What are the judges looking for? Any tips for placing in the top 5? 

A: The judges are looking for an overall toned and balanced physique. A few tips to place in the Top 5 is to have the right amount of muscle for your class, good stage presence, the right level of leanness, and be able to execute those poses with ease! Confidence is key!

I know this is just the tip of the iceberg but I do answer more specific questions about contest during a free Competitor Consult <<<

Burn More Calories With Circuit Training

Bikini Competitions, Figure Competitions, Workouts

How to do the workout:

30-35 minutes on the circuit + cardio bursts (see below)

30-35 minutes of HIIT Cardio (2:1 intervals)

The Circuit = 7 exercises + 3 Minutes HIIT Bursts | 3 sets

*Complete all the exercises back to back for stated reps. Once you finish the circuit, do 3 minutes of high intensity cardio (on any machine or body weight) IMMEDIATELY after each set. Then rest 1-2 minutes between the circuit + cardio burst. Complete 3 sets. Should take you 30-35 minutes.

*Choose light to moderate weights depending on the exercise

*After you finish the 3 circuit/cardio burst sets, do another 30-35 minutes of HIIT intervals (2:1 intervals)

Box jumps or DB step ups x 20

DB plank rows x 20

Decline medicine ball oblique twists (see photo above) x 20

Medicine ball pop squats x 20

DB squats to overhead shoulder press x 20

Medicine ball push-ups x 20 (can do on your knees)

DB lateral lunges with bicep curl x 20

*3 minutes of HIIT cardio

Repeat all this 3 times!

This is advanced training and works best as part of a COMPLETE training & nutrition plan.

Get a FREE Competitor Workout Here <<<

Oatmeal Power Bars

Recipes,

This recipe makes 8 bars

Ingredients

2 cups gluten free oats

1 cup vanilla protein powder

4 tbsp peanut butter

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 egg whites

1 cup apple sauce

2 tsp baking powder

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Combine all ingredients and blend well.

3. Spoon into a greased and lined tin and cook for about 15 minutes.

Nutritional Content Per Serving

Macros per bar:

Calories 257 | Fat 8g | Carbohydrates 23g | Protein 24g

Did you like this recipe? Leave a comment. I love hearing from you!

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Healthy Sweet Potato Pie

Recipes

Healthy Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

15 oz sweet potato puree

1- 3/4 cup milk of choice (good with canned coconut milk)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp coconut oil OR more milk of choice

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of Truvia Brown Sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg)

1 1/2 tbsp rolled oats (use food processor to make into flour consistency)

1 1/2 tbsp ground flax

1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F and prepare a pie crust in a 9-inch pan (I list a crust recipe below that you can use if desired). Blend all pie ingredients until completely smooth – or you can use oat flour instead of oats and stir by hand. Pour the filling into the crust, then bake 30 minutes on the center rack. Don’t open the oven door but turn off the heat and leave in the closed oven another 30 minutes. Take out the still-underbaked pie and let it cool. Then transfer the pie uncovered or very loosely covered to the fridge, where it will firm up after 5-8 hours or overnight.

Optional Crust Recipe – Or you can use your favorite pie crust instead of the one below:

1- 1/2 cups Gluten free all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Truvia brown sugar

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil (80g)
2-4 tbsp water (I used 3)

Preheat oven to 200 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add the oil and stir. Add water as needed until it just sticks together but is not yet gummy. Press evenly into a 9-inch pie pan. Put the crust in the oven and immediately increase the temperature to 350 F. The crust will rise, so either use pie weights during baking or just press the pie crust back down after baking. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool. Then use in the above sweet potato pie recipe.

Macros: 240 calories (per slice), 30g carbs, 4g fat, 4g protein, 3g sugar, 4g fiber

Get training and nutrition coaching here.

Get a Full Workout In 30 Minutes

Workouts

Not enough time to do your full workout? We all get short on time at some point during the week. Here’s a quick circuit workout I created that will hit all your muscles and shred some serious calories!

Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 300 (or more)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to do the workout:

*You can use one 15 pound med ball for the whole workout

Circuit – perform each exercise in the circuit 20 reps. Complete 3 sets

***Between sets – 30 seconds high knees, 30 seconds burpees. Then take a 30-60 second rest***

The workout:

Med ball slams 20

Kettle swings 20

Pop squat with DB bicep curls (stand on top of riser, then jump out to squat and back up with the bicep curl. 20

Jumping jacks with DB shoulder press (front press, up and down) 20

Med ball pull over to knee hug  20

Balance ball alternating oblique crunches 20 (10 each side)

Want to step on stage? Grab my proven system 50% off here: Figure and Bikini Prep System

 

 

 

 

3 Signs You Might Need A New Coach!

Bikini Competitions, Figure Competitions,

 

 

 

 

 

One of the best decisions I could have ever made was hiring a coach after placing 13th at my first Nationals back in 2011.

Being a personal trainer and prep coach, I spent an enormous amount of time helping other athletes, so my own training had begun falling short.

Having a coach allowed me to focus on getting the work done vs. creating the path.

Being coached provided accountability that was the key to me going pro!

Whether you are looking for a coach or currently have one…

Here are 3 signs you DON’T want to ignore:

#1 They don’t take any initial or ongoing assessments.

The first step in the coaching relationship is to take some initial information about you.

IF you have paid for a coach to work with you and all they did was send you out the printed program, this should raise a huge red flag!

A quick questionnaire about your current health & fitness level should be completed prior as part of the process and photo included for assessment.

I include a complimentary phone call before I begin working with a client to ensure coaching is a good fit for their goals.

#2 They ask you to do things that are not healthy or safe.

I want to share a quick excerpt from a Facebook message I received from a prospective client about her nightmare experience with a coach.

It’s heart wrenching and speaks for itself 🙁

“This coach had me on 2 hours of cardio a day (sometimes I did this sometimes I didn’t because I didn’t have the energy), no more than 1,000 calories a day and a diet of only chicken and broccoli, then fish and grapefruit and spirulina.

Some of my teammates were only on spirulina water and a grapefruit a day. I trained for over 6 months, while I lost some weight–I don’t think I gained muscle, gained the weight back, lost a love for working out, and had to deal with a host of psychological issues.

My coach would constantly give negative motivation pointing out the fat in my stomach, saying I wasn’t losing enough (even though I was losing 1-3 lbs a week) and put me on a fruit only fast…” 

A fruit fast???

Bottom line, listen to your gut instincts. If it doesn’t sound right to you, ask questions. You should be able to trust your coach and the information that is given to you.

#3 They don’t respond to your emails or calls.

As part of your program, there should be scheduled calls and/or emails weekly to track your progress and ensure you are making the right adjustments.

If you can’t get your coach to answer your questions or give productive feedback, there is no way you will end up with a stage ready body!

I’ve been blessed to work with some of the best coaches in the industry and help hundreds of women realize their dreams of winning figure and bikini competitions.

I hope these tips help you choose the best coach for your needs.

If you’d like to chat with me about coaching, my calendar is about to open for new clients. I’d love to help you!

Request A Coaching Consult Now<<<