Bodybuilding journey

Although I am a personal trainer and group exercise instructor and love to exercise, I still need goals to aim for, I need a reason to train harder and to push myself. So at the age of 45 and the mother of two grown children I found myself training for a body building show, my aim to compete in the trained figure category.

Now don't get to excited I wasn't in it to win, it was more a personal goal. You see even though I was physically fit I was carrying around 7 - 10 lbs of excess weight as I love my food.

This love of food is well noted by family and friends, so when I told them I would be entering this competition the general reaction from so called friends was "yea right Gill" which only proved to spur me on. My husband, always the worrier was concerned about the low carb high protein diet whilst still teaching high impact aerobic classes and running.

The show was to be in June, so at the beginning of March I started the diet and upped the work outs.

 The diet, was high protein low carbs, out went the bread out went the white pasta, & rice in came eating 5 -6 times a day. An example of a daily intake:

·         Breakfast: Porridge - made with 40g of oats made up with half semi skimmed milk and water with a tablespoon of Odus oil and sultanas

·         Mid morning - protein drink

·         Lunch - chicken salad with balsamic dressing

·         Mid afternoon - fruit and natural yoghurt

·         Dinner - chicken, steak, fish or lean form of protein with mixed veg or salad

·         2 - 3 litres of water per day

I was allowed one day off a week, me and hubby would visit the local Indian restaurant.

As well as the diet, I had to up my weights work out, so on top of everything else I was doing I started lifting the weights 4 times a week. As luck would have it I had a good friend at the gym who would work out with me, which enabled me to push heavier weights. We would do an hour of weights and 30 minutes of cardio fat burn, one day a week we would spend an hour on cardio.

The above was done on top of the exercise I was already doing to earn a living these included 5 to 6 aerobic classes and 2 to 3 runs a week (although I limited the distance to no more than 10K).

On the whole with the end goal in mind I did not find the diet to hard, however as the show came nearer and the fruit was cut from the diet which was my only source of carbs, the classes became harder to do without going light headed. The participants of my classes were aware of what I was training for and where extremely supportive.

Each participant of a body building show has to first go on stage with the rest of the people in their category and do poses, they also have to go on individually and do a dance routine. AHHHHHHHHHHH.

I employed the services of a dance teacher and asked her to do a routine to the music I had chosen. Well she did me proud, she came up with an easy but effective routine, which was entertaining as well as showing off my poses.

Well the day finally arrived I had dropped one and half stone, my starting weight was 9st 8lbs and body fat was 26%. Going on stage I was 8st 3lbs 19% body fat.

I had the false tan the false eyelashes nails done hair done (cost a fortune) I had the two regulation bikinis kindly made for me by a client. I was all set.

The morning of the show me and the other girls who were competing met up at the gym along with two fantastic friends who helped us apply the dream tan (dream tan is a tanning product that has to be applied to bring out the muscle definition, it is a moisturising product that comes off on every thing it touches) do our hair and apply our makeup.

We arrived at the venue all tanned up at 10am rather early to say the show did not start till 1pm.

First on was Miss Physic there were 3 in this category one being a girl from the same gym as me, she was placed third which got her a place in the final. Then we had to sit through several hours of the male categories, now the male categories include a novice and masters (over 40's). The women don't it's just miss physic or Miss trained figure, a bit unfair, don't you think?

As all this was going on my support group of family, friends and clients starting to turn up, I was getting more and more nervous, at one point I went outside and sat on a step and contemplated just getting in the car and escaping, but no all these people had turned up to see me, a few of them I have no doubt thinking that I wouldn't go on stage. So I gathered all my courage clenched my buttocks and went back in.

The time came where it was time to go back stage and get ready for our spot. The dressing room was shared by all the female contestants. I entered the changing room to be faced by what can only be described as nymphs with perfect bodies with perfect tans and body parts which I don't think they were born with (meow). Honestly these girls were in it to win and I felt and probably looked in comparison like their mother. Now I was feeling really nervous and quite sick, so I thought "well Gill you've got this far just go and have a good time".

So with this thought in mind I lined up with the other competitors, and walked out on stage amongst these nymphs with my chest out and my head held high. We all did our poses, then we were called out to do the poses individually, then it was time for the individual dance, this was my moment, I had always had a secret wish to dance on stage, and this was my chance. My music was Big Blonde and beautiful form the musical hairspray. I started in pose on stage and when the music started I gave it my all. Then someone started clapping to the music, and whistling the clapping got louder, what was going on people where clapping me, the routine ended and I left the stage to loud applause, Oh my god what a feeling, I wanted to do it again.

Next to come was the awards in the Miss figure there is an award for the best presentation and then there are 6 possible placing. Well I won a trophy for the best presentation for my dance, however I didn't get placed, but then I didn't expect to, but you know what, I'm not bothered I had a good time lost a stone, & got to dance on stage and won a trophy. Waaahee.

Bupa great Manchester run 2011

I have just completed my 7^th Manchester run, and as always I was inspired by all who were taking part, people of all shapes and sizes, those who wanted the best possible time and would push though to the front regardless of who they trod on. First timers who look nervous and set off with up most haste only to be seen walking a few miles further on.

But that's the beauty of this run it doesn't matter how you run it or how long it takes you as long as you just do it.

I used to run the race always conscious of what my time will be, as a personal trainer people have a certain expectation off you in, fact it's the first question I'm asked "what time did you do it in" I used to meekly admit to my 56 minute result, which is actually not too bad for a lady built for comfort not speed.

I now run with a friend we have a nice jog round the course finish within the hour go back to my friends office have a shower get changed go and have a nice lunch and then a browse round the shops. Perfect

Choosing to run a race doesn't always mean getting the best time you possibly can, enjoy it, run your own race let them all stream pass you. Every one who gets over the line is a winner.

Each and everyone who passes that line is a hero especially those running for charity.

So run because you can, run for fitness, run for the simple pleasure of it and enjoy it.