Aaaaannnnnddddd….again it’s been a small lifetime since I last posted!
I just can’t keep up with how fast time is moving! I have so much I can share since my last update in March, so I’ll do my best to highlight the past 4 months without writing a novel. 🙂
Coach Review
In March, I reached out to a successful online coach, who’s competed in several physique competitions and has recently entered the world of powerlifting and making huge gains. I was ecstatic when they decided to take me on as a client and was looking forward to having someone else help me think through macros, training, etc., as I prepped for my first show. Unfortunately, this person ended up being a HUGE waste of money. They were extremely unprofessional, lacked basic communication skills, cut corners with all of their clients (by doing mass messages), and it was apparent I knew as much (if not more) about fitness nutrition. To make matters worse, I had to pre-pay for the entire 16 weeks with no refund options.
Despite filling out a detailed questionnaire, this person knew nothing about me. Our relationship didn’t grow, and I still felt like they were a stranger by the end of our 16 weeks. I do appreciate them for taking the time to build a training plan around my home gym and equipment, but most of the training plans were full of errors or instructions that didn’t make any sense. I wanted to ask questions, but knew it would be 3-4 days to hear back, if I even got a response at all. Even on my competition day, I didn’t get a single timely response to my texts, which had questions about meals and timing around my judging times. It was utterly ridiculous.
Anyway, I could write pages about this horrible experience, but I’ll refrain. 🙂 I will end with this: DO YOUR RESEARCH. If you’re looking for an online coach, and they don’t have a list of their current clients for you to contact, a details of what you get with their packages, reviews, or they spend crazy amounts of time on social media……be cautious. The best coaches not only have clients, but friends. They excel at communication and are passionate about getting to know their clients and their goals. They don’t just take your money, but want to be held accountable for their success with you. Looking back, there were red flags all over the place, but being naïve, I signed up a bit too quickly.
If you’re curious who I’m talking about, just check my prior posts. I still admire this person for what they’ve done with their own physique, but I have lost a lot of respect for them as a coach.
Beachbody Summit
Okay….enough about that junk! So, last month I had the opportunity to go to New Orleans with my mom and friend for Beachbody’s Coach Summit! It was my first time visiting New Orleans as a tourist, and my first time competing in a physique competition: the Beachbody Classic! I was technically in “peak week” ahead of the competition, so I knew dining out at all of the great restaurants would be tough, but I made it work!
Below is a collection of images to highlight the trip and some of the food I enjoyed!
As for the Coach Summit, I didn’t do too much with the Beachbody sessions, because I’m not a salesperson. I don’t believe in pushing products to people who may not need them. Instead, I used the time to network, shop for Beachbody gear, workout with the super trainers, and just enjoy the overall experience. Don’t get me wrong….I love Beachbody products and speak highly of them! They have great workout programs, Shakeology, and core values. While I know some individuals could use “coaching” towards a more active lifestyle and/or making healthier food choices, I understand that a lot of (financial) variables could prevent them from doing so…even if they wanted to.
Beachbody Classic
In summary, this experience was AWESOME! Everyone was so supportive, and I made some new friends. I learned a ton about competition prep, and can’t wait to take a stab at it again next year. I’ve decided I definitely want to compete again, but am aiming for the Figure class, which means more muscle, more size. The Beachbody Classic was a great first step into that arena, and solidified my goals for what’s next!
Here are some images from the Classic!
New Coach – New Program!
I’m so excited to have found a new coach; one who is the polar opposite of what I had before! Even before paying a dime, he called me to talk for an hour to just get to know me, to understand my past, my goals, etc. He’s been responsive to emails, texts, and has demonstrated total professionalism during the process. Last night, I received my training and nutrition plans, and I can’t wait to get started! He’s also very detailed and explains his decisions/plans with the goal of teaching. I love it!
Overall, we’ll be reverse dieting to get my calories back up. We also implemented immediate changes to get me consuming protein prior to training, carbs during training, and ensuring I get enough protein and carbs post-workout to maximize muscle protein synthesis. There are a lot of opinions around nutrient timing and if it works, so I guess we’ll see how my body responds!
Truth be told, I’m a bit nervous to gain weight again, as I’m just starting to appreciate where I’m at. However, I know it’s not sustainable, so I’m going to do my best to “grow” with dignity! I plan to document the entire process and keep you all posted with my results. I’m aiming for one moth updates for you all, so stay tuned!
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