by Kris Pitcher
I actually had a hard time getting my head in the game this prep. It took me a couple of weeks not to resent peanut butter leaving my life. This was new for me. Usually, I just flip the contest prep switch and that's it. It is on!
Settling into the swing of things, I didn't have trouble in the sense that I cheated, or ate off my plan. It was just difficult for me to fully commit, for it to feel "real". June 1st began my prep and I felt like I was out there on an island all alone. It seemed no one else was prepping.
I have a news flash for you. This isn't the buddy system. Prepping for a contest is a personal commitment. Only you will be on stage. Sure, you have people in your corner. If you're smart - there's no way you go this alone. You hire a professional. Your coach.
Ultimately, what I mean is, you are accountable for your commitment, for your progress...for doing your plan. And in those first few weeks, I just had to put my head down and grind it out. Eat the plan. Lift the plan. Cardio the plan. Sleep the plan.
Eventually, WOW, 13 weeks into the prep now...I'm actually looking pretty freaking great. It is a slow process for me. We grow me into my show. We work hard to keep me full. And we take plenty of time to shed the fat revealing the gains made off season.
My point is, it's not easy. It's not easy the first time, and it's not easy the 10th time. Every time is different. It's different physiologically, it's different psychologically too. And, I'm human (not a news flash).
As fall is about to bring the line up of shows, how is your prep going? Who will help you succeed? And where is YOUR commitment level? It's all a head game. Where is your head at?
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes, Which Supplement When?
by Kris Pitcher
My gut tells me there's a lot of confusion over two really helpful supplements. Probiotics, and digestive enzymes. Both of these are useful, in different ways...and different times. Let's clear things up.
Probiotics promote healthy bacteria in your intestines and can be taken daily. This healthy bacteria creates the right environment for you to get the most out of your nutrients (the food you take in), and helps your system work properly.
When we are dieting, or need to limit foods due to allergies, which naturally promote this healthy bacteria - like some yogurts - it can be a good idea to introduce those healthy bacteria by taking a supplement. Again, you incorporate this into your daily regimen.
The second supplement, digestive enzymes can be helpful in an "as needed" or acute situation. If we are limiting the sources of carbohydrate, take gluten for example, because of dietary needs our body stops producing the required enzymes to digest and break that down.
If we reintroduce that into our system...gas, bloating, and other distress begin in the intestines. This happens because we no longer are producing the required enzymes to digest those forms of sugars or proteins.
Taking a digestive enzyme can help in those situations. They can also speed up the digestive process when intestinal emptying seems to be taking forever. You're feeling full three hours after your last meal of 4 ounces chicken with 1 cup veggies and 1/4 cup of rice...still full and it's time to eat?
Digestive enzymes can assist in that scenario. If I haven't eaten dairy, or wheat, and I know I'm eating pizza...digestive enzymes. This isn't a tool you want to use all the time. If you aren't digesting your relatively small meal in 3 hours...we should talk alternatives, or other issues.
So, probiotics create a healthy bacterial environment and we want that daily. Digestive enzymes on the other hand are an "as needed" supplement we can introduce to help our system by reintroducing some of the enzymes we've stopped producing.
I hope that's helpful, and clears up some of the confusion about which of these you take when. Having a healthy gut is important.
My gut tells me there's a lot of confusion over two really helpful supplements. Probiotics, and digestive enzymes. Both of these are useful, in different ways...and different times. Let's clear things up.
Probiotics promote healthy bacteria in your intestines and can be taken daily. This healthy bacteria creates the right environment for you to get the most out of your nutrients (the food you take in), and helps your system work properly.
When we are dieting, or need to limit foods due to allergies, which naturally promote this healthy bacteria - like some yogurts - it can be a good idea to introduce those healthy bacteria by taking a supplement. Again, you incorporate this into your daily regimen.
The second supplement, digestive enzymes can be helpful in an "as needed" or acute situation. If we are limiting the sources of carbohydrate, take gluten for example, because of dietary needs our body stops producing the required enzymes to digest and break that down.
If we reintroduce that into our system...gas, bloating, and other distress begin in the intestines. This happens because we no longer are producing the required enzymes to digest those forms of sugars or proteins.
Taking a digestive enzyme can help in those situations. They can also speed up the digestive process when intestinal emptying seems to be taking forever. You're feeling full three hours after your last meal of 4 ounces chicken with 1 cup veggies and 1/4 cup of rice...still full and it's time to eat?
Digestive enzymes can assist in that scenario. If I haven't eaten dairy, or wheat, and I know I'm eating pizza...digestive enzymes. This isn't a tool you want to use all the time. If you aren't digesting your relatively small meal in 3 hours...we should talk alternatives, or other issues.
So, probiotics create a healthy bacterial environment and we want that daily. Digestive enzymes on the other hand are an "as needed" supplement we can introduce to help our system by reintroducing some of the enzymes we've stopped producing.
I hope that's helpful, and clears up some of the confusion about which of these you take when. Having a healthy gut is important.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Slow Contest Prep for BIG Change
by Kris Pitcher
"Have you noticed any changes yet?" Jacques asked. Now, this made me laugh because it was Tuesday evening. I started my prep on...Monday.
"It's only been TWO days! What changes would I see?" I laughed! And it got me thinking, it's going to be a LONG prep. It's would be especially long if I was looking for changes every day, or even every week.
That's the beauty of having his eyes, a coach's eyes, to look at me. He's going to see the changes in me I may not see. He holds the perspective, he holds the objectivity. The reality is, I don't have huge changes to make.
I won't be dropping 5 pounds a week...I don't have that much to lose. My changes will be small. They'll be in the curves of my arms, in the small of my back, and they'll be in the finer details. Changes will happen that I may not be able to see. I'll lose inter-muscular fat, I'll lose fat in places I didn't realize I had it.
The process will take weeks, months even. And this is why we start when we start. When you are in good condition as you begin your prep, you won't see sweeping changes. Those are the best kind of people to work with in terms of competitors, but often those same people have no idea where they are.
They can be looking for big changes, drops in numbers, and seeing changes on the scale. That hopefully won't happen. So it's the job of the coach to manage those expectations. We'll see very small changes on a weekly basis.
Fat loss will be slow. I may even continue to gain muscle into my contest. Will my weight fluctuate? Sure. Only being 14 pounds up from stage weight last year, I won't see big drops. If I'm losing a pound a week, that may be too fast.
It's OK if it's a slow process, that's the best scenario. Will my abs EVENTUALLY come in? Yes! Will my glute-hamstring tie in show up? Absolutely! But those won't be the first changes we'll see. Those will be closer to the end.
I gain, and lose, in a pretty balanced way. I expect to slowly get smaller, yes, smaller as the weeks pass. Things will get tighter. I'll lose everywhere! But it will be slow.
And we may even need to slow things down along the way. That's the BEST case scenario. My goal is to keep every bit of hard earned muscle I gained this past year as I slowly strip the fat off. So don't be looking for progress pictures, big losses, or massive changes.
Keep your perspective along the way as you make your journey to the stage. Huge drops and sweeping progress every week, are for people who have a long way to go. That just might not be you. For me, it's going to be a slow prep. But by the end, the change will be big!
"Have you noticed any changes yet?" Jacques asked. Now, this made me laugh because it was Tuesday evening. I started my prep on...Monday.
"It's only been TWO days! What changes would I see?" I laughed! And it got me thinking, it's going to be a LONG prep. It's would be especially long if I was looking for changes every day, or even every week.
That's the beauty of having his eyes, a coach's eyes, to look at me. He's going to see the changes in me I may not see. He holds the perspective, he holds the objectivity. The reality is, I don't have huge changes to make.
I won't be dropping 5 pounds a week...I don't have that much to lose. My changes will be small. They'll be in the curves of my arms, in the small of my back, and they'll be in the finer details. Changes will happen that I may not be able to see. I'll lose inter-muscular fat, I'll lose fat in places I didn't realize I had it.
The process will take weeks, months even. And this is why we start when we start. When you are in good condition as you begin your prep, you won't see sweeping changes. Those are the best kind of people to work with in terms of competitors, but often those same people have no idea where they are.
They can be looking for big changes, drops in numbers, and seeing changes on the scale. That hopefully won't happen. So it's the job of the coach to manage those expectations. We'll see very small changes on a weekly basis.
Fat loss will be slow. I may even continue to gain muscle into my contest. Will my weight fluctuate? Sure. Only being 14 pounds up from stage weight last year, I won't see big drops. If I'm losing a pound a week, that may be too fast.
It's OK if it's a slow process, that's the best scenario. Will my abs EVENTUALLY come in? Yes! Will my glute-hamstring tie in show up? Absolutely! But those won't be the first changes we'll see. Those will be closer to the end.
I gain, and lose, in a pretty balanced way. I expect to slowly get smaller, yes, smaller as the weeks pass. Things will get tighter. I'll lose everywhere! But it will be slow.
And we may even need to slow things down along the way. That's the BEST case scenario. My goal is to keep every bit of hard earned muscle I gained this past year as I slowly strip the fat off. So don't be looking for progress pictures, big losses, or massive changes.
Keep your perspective along the way as you make your journey to the stage. Huge drops and sweeping progress every week, are for people who have a long way to go. That just might not be you. For me, it's going to be a slow prep. But by the end, the change will be big!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Prepped to Start My Contest Prep
by Kris Pitcher
Clutching my abdomen, I released an impressive bout of flatulence. "What was that?!" Jacques asked. "A squirrel?" I replied, hoping he would not pinpoint me.
I was clearly in distress...and I was clearly ready to start my prep diet. I was searching my brain trying to think of what had given me such a problem. It wasn't even anything terrible. Diced garlic in a jar. A lot of it. I had sauteed kale in it. It was delicious.
Fortunately for me, there were often squirrels in our living room. It was also fortunate that I had closely enough monitored my eating that I could identify the gas inducing culprit. It's moments like these that ready you for your diet.
Success is all about being ready. I've spent the last couple of weeks "getting ready" to start my prep diet. I don't do a 12 week prep. No quick prepping for me. I take it slow. We like to be ready early, if that's the case.
Feed into the show, decrease cardio - that's the name of the game. With that, the diet begins June 1. But I haven't exactly been on a bender. A few pieces of fruit, a few extra pints of Arctic Zero, and I've REALLY been enjoying my evening rice cake with peanut butter and jelly.
I enjoyed my spam musubi at the airport. That was a celebrated "last", a conscious choice knowing the next times I travel it will be strict purse chicken for me. I might have had two squares of dark chocolate one night instead of just one.
That one square is going away. Just to be clear. Getting ready for me means getting my head straight. It means preparing my mind for what I am choosing to take on. It's not a huge shift. But I will flip the switch.
Once I do, there is no "kind of", no "part way", and certainly no bites, or cheats. It is all on. I'm a total of 14 pounds up from stage weight a year ago. Hopefully, I've gained a couple of pounds of muscle, and we'll just see where we go.
I might have 12 pounds to lose. We won't know. I am excited to uncover the progress, to see the shape we've refined, and to see the improvements. I've never been in this place before. I've never been starting my prep in this shape, or in this condition.
"There's not that much to change." Jacques said. I laughed because I know how the extras impact me. A little will make a lot of difference, and that is exciting. His point was I've stayed really clean 85% of the time.
It's that excitement driving me to start, motivating me to get going. I'll enjoy the freedom of this final weekend. But frankly, I'm prepped to start my contest prep!
Clutching my abdomen, I released an impressive bout of flatulence. "What was that?!" Jacques asked. "A squirrel?" I replied, hoping he would not pinpoint me.
I was clearly in distress...and I was clearly ready to start my prep diet. I was searching my brain trying to think of what had given me such a problem. It wasn't even anything terrible. Diced garlic in a jar. A lot of it. I had sauteed kale in it. It was delicious.
Fortunately for me, there were often squirrels in our living room. It was also fortunate that I had closely enough monitored my eating that I could identify the gas inducing culprit. It's moments like these that ready you for your diet.
Success is all about being ready. I've spent the last couple of weeks "getting ready" to start my prep diet. I don't do a 12 week prep. No quick prepping for me. I take it slow. We like to be ready early, if that's the case.
Feed into the show, decrease cardio - that's the name of the game. With that, the diet begins June 1. But I haven't exactly been on a bender. A few pieces of fruit, a few extra pints of Arctic Zero, and I've REALLY been enjoying my evening rice cake with peanut butter and jelly.
I enjoyed my spam musubi at the airport. That was a celebrated "last", a conscious choice knowing the next times I travel it will be strict purse chicken for me. I might have had two squares of dark chocolate one night instead of just one.
That one square is going away. Just to be clear. Getting ready for me means getting my head straight. It means preparing my mind for what I am choosing to take on. It's not a huge shift. But I will flip the switch.
Once I do, there is no "kind of", no "part way", and certainly no bites, or cheats. It is all on. I'm a total of 14 pounds up from stage weight a year ago. Hopefully, I've gained a couple of pounds of muscle, and we'll just see where we go.
I might have 12 pounds to lose. We won't know. I am excited to uncover the progress, to see the shape we've refined, and to see the improvements. I've never been in this place before. I've never been starting my prep in this shape, or in this condition.
"There's not that much to change." Jacques said. I laughed because I know how the extras impact me. A little will make a lot of difference, and that is exciting. His point was I've stayed really clean 85% of the time.
It's that excitement driving me to start, motivating me to get going. I'll enjoy the freedom of this final weekend. But frankly, I'm prepped to start my contest prep!
Friday, May 23, 2014
Take Flight on Fairness in Life
by Kris Pitcher
It became clear as her husband boarded the plane and she did not, I would become the recipient of her conversation. The announcer had welcomed the fancy people, and those who would NOT be using the overhead bins for their carry on items.
She's standing close to me, as though we're traveling companions, and says, "I can't believe these people who board the plane with, like, five items and they're not using the overhead bins? Come on!" I could see this was a point of passion for her.
She went on to tell me her husband was surprised she was still mad about people she saw boarding in L.A. with way more than they should have. Noticing she had 3 items, I made a remark about the inconsistency in enforcing the two item limit.
And I'm thinking to myself, this woman has been mad for HOURS over something which really doesn't concern her. She had a seat on the plane, her items fit on the plane, and she made it to her destination without interruption.
They called my row and I smiled and said, "That's me, have a good flight." I took my two items and boarded the plane. The thing is, you control yourself. You choose how you respond to the input around you.
Will you harbor anger, disgust, resentment, and entitlement? You decide, it's your choice. Life isn't fair. The rules are different for different people, Not everyone follows the rules. And it's not your job to enforce the rules.
Mind your business. Take care of your corner of life and do what you need to do. Do the right things and that energy comes back to you. Karma is where "fairness" enters the equation, if you believe in it. But it's not up to you to deliver it.
I'm sure this lady was mad for the duration of that flight too...she's probably still mad today! That's all on her. There are consequences to those choices. The choice to harbor anger, bitterness, distaste for the world around you. Our reality is we control very little.
Take the reigns of the things in your life you do control. Make the difference in those critical areas. Then, take flight!
It became clear as her husband boarded the plane and she did not, I would become the recipient of her conversation. The announcer had welcomed the fancy people, and those who would NOT be using the overhead bins for their carry on items.
She's standing close to me, as though we're traveling companions, and says, "I can't believe these people who board the plane with, like, five items and they're not using the overhead bins? Come on!" I could see this was a point of passion for her.
She went on to tell me her husband was surprised she was still mad about people she saw boarding in L.A. with way more than they should have. Noticing she had 3 items, I made a remark about the inconsistency in enforcing the two item limit.
And I'm thinking to myself, this woman has been mad for HOURS over something which really doesn't concern her. She had a seat on the plane, her items fit on the plane, and she made it to her destination without interruption.
They called my row and I smiled and said, "That's me, have a good flight." I took my two items and boarded the plane. The thing is, you control yourself. You choose how you respond to the input around you.
Will you harbor anger, disgust, resentment, and entitlement? You decide, it's your choice. Life isn't fair. The rules are different for different people, Not everyone follows the rules. And it's not your job to enforce the rules.
Mind your business. Take care of your corner of life and do what you need to do. Do the right things and that energy comes back to you. Karma is where "fairness" enters the equation, if you believe in it. But it's not up to you to deliver it.
I'm sure this lady was mad for the duration of that flight too...she's probably still mad today! That's all on her. There are consequences to those choices. The choice to harbor anger, bitterness, distaste for the world around you. Our reality is we control very little.
Take the reigns of the things in your life you do control. Make the difference in those critical areas. Then, take flight!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Potty Mouth
by Kris Pitcher
I went to the women's restroom at a restaurant last night and went into an open stall. Settled down on the seat and frankly...I was trying to decide if I needed to poop. Don't judge me.
Then from the neighboring stall I hear this woman talking. Was she talking to me?! In about 1 second I realized she was not talking to me...she was on her phone. Seriously. Why are we still talking on the phone on the toilet.
Isn't my potty private? I feel like it's private. I don't think I need to be talking to anyone while that's happening, and I'd rather you don't listen. Private. This lady yaps away as the stalls around her are busy. She flushes, and I can hear her out by the sinks. Yap. Yap. Yap.
Then she's in my way. I nudge in, smile, and wash my hands. See, she's having trouble because she's trying to talk on the phone AND wash her hands. I kind of want to punch her.
I dry my hands, she's still contorting her neck and working to get a paper towel. Honestly, is this conversation critical? Could she manage her time slightly better? And this is why your phone is full of bacteria.
If you're a potty mouth, think about getting the poop off your phone with a handi-wipe. And people wonder how their phone falls in the toilet? Maybe I'm a traditionalist? Maybe I'm a prude? Maybe I don't have a friend to phone?
At any rate, may I suggest you stop talking so much crap and just do your business. Separate your tasks. Do what you need to do and save your visiting for a hands free moment. Or at the very least, open your eyes and become the slightest bit aware of those around you. Put your phone down for just a moment, and stop being such a potty mouth. Just a thought.
I went to the women's restroom at a restaurant last night and went into an open stall. Settled down on the seat and frankly...I was trying to decide if I needed to poop. Don't judge me.
Then from the neighboring stall I hear this woman talking. Was she talking to me?! In about 1 second I realized she was not talking to me...she was on her phone. Seriously. Why are we still talking on the phone on the toilet.
Isn't my potty private? I feel like it's private. I don't think I need to be talking to anyone while that's happening, and I'd rather you don't listen. Private. This lady yaps away as the stalls around her are busy. She flushes, and I can hear her out by the sinks. Yap. Yap. Yap.
Then she's in my way. I nudge in, smile, and wash my hands. See, she's having trouble because she's trying to talk on the phone AND wash her hands. I kind of want to punch her.
I dry my hands, she's still contorting her neck and working to get a paper towel. Honestly, is this conversation critical? Could she manage her time slightly better? And this is why your phone is full of bacteria.
If you're a potty mouth, think about getting the poop off your phone with a handi-wipe. And people wonder how their phone falls in the toilet? Maybe I'm a traditionalist? Maybe I'm a prude? Maybe I don't have a friend to phone?
At any rate, may I suggest you stop talking so much crap and just do your business. Separate your tasks. Do what you need to do and save your visiting for a hands free moment. Or at the very least, open your eyes and become the slightest bit aware of those around you. Put your phone down for just a moment, and stop being such a potty mouth. Just a thought.
Monday, May 12, 2014
What are NPC Judges Looking For - With Separation, and Not Excessively Lean
by Kris Pitcher
Scoring – Judges will be scoring competitors using the following criteria:
I also know the girls in the top 5 were fuller, bigger, and thicker than me...with way better butts. I've been working on all of that (insert smile). Staying in relatively good shape off season will help me to meet those goals and build the physique closer to what the judges are looking for.
Right now I'm sitting 13.5 pounds up from stage weight last year. And I hope to be carrying more muscle and I'll likely need to be a little fatter up there on stage. It's just that fat has to be in the right places.
My shape and fullness has to be right in order for me to have the right look. That means my backside has to be in shape. Glutes are a project in themselves. Glutes and shoulders...and back...and quads. OK, it's all a project!
The big goal is to be in shape, but not too lean. To put on muscle and look thicker and fuller by fueling without getting fat. We did a great job last season of growing into my contest, feeding me into my contest and being able to back off in the end.
That's the way you want to do it. Slow and gradual, then back off if you're ahead of the game. I trust the process fully to my coach, husband, and best friend, Jacques. This year, we'll both be prepping together. We do that well.
Small degree of muscularity with separation, no visible striations, overall muscle tone with shapely lines, overall firmness and not excessively lean...that is my mantra. Prep will begin soon! I'm so excited for the season to come. We've worked hard off season and I get excited to uncover what we have built. With separation, and not excessively lean...
Let's do this!!!
Scoring – Judges will be scoring competitors using the following criteria:
- Small degree of muscularity with separation, no visible striations
- Overall muscle tone with shapely lines, overall firmness and not excessively lean
- Full general assessment
- Healthy appearance
- Make-up
- Skin tone
I also know the girls in the top 5 were fuller, bigger, and thicker than me...with way better butts. I've been working on all of that (insert smile). Staying in relatively good shape off season will help me to meet those goals and build the physique closer to what the judges are looking for.
Right now I'm sitting 13.5 pounds up from stage weight last year. And I hope to be carrying more muscle and I'll likely need to be a little fatter up there on stage. It's just that fat has to be in the right places.
My shape and fullness has to be right in order for me to have the right look. That means my backside has to be in shape. Glutes are a project in themselves. Glutes and shoulders...and back...and quads. OK, it's all a project!
The big goal is to be in shape, but not too lean. To put on muscle and look thicker and fuller by fueling without getting fat. We did a great job last season of growing into my contest, feeding me into my contest and being able to back off in the end.
That's the way you want to do it. Slow and gradual, then back off if you're ahead of the game. I trust the process fully to my coach, husband, and best friend, Jacques. This year, we'll both be prepping together. We do that well.
Small degree of muscularity with separation, no visible striations, overall muscle tone with shapely lines, overall firmness and not excessively lean...that is my mantra. Prep will begin soon! I'm so excited for the season to come. We've worked hard off season and I get excited to uncover what we have built. With separation, and not excessively lean...
Let's do this!!!
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