As Dunedin prepares to host the South Island Bodybuilding Championships at the College of Education auditorium today, two novice competitors give an insight into their training and diet.
Name: Ruth Tae'iloaAge: 20, competing in Novice Shape.
Occupation: Student, bartender at night.
Why bodybuilding?: After coming to university and gaining ''fresher 10'', I was sick of being unhappy with my (usually averagely fit) body.
Ruth's typical day in preparation for the competition
Wake up refreshed!
Breakfast: Oats, egg whites, and peanut butter
• Three important things here: carbohydrates, protein, and good fats.
Meal preparation for the day usually takes about 1 hour.
University classes 10am-3pm.
• Take my meals with me to those classes to eat every 2-3 hours. (My meals are subject to change as I like to keep a variety of different foods coming into my body.)
• Meal 2: Can of tuna, mixed with spinach, tomato and a spoonful of cottage cheese (a much healthier alternative to full fat cheese - higher in protein, MUCH lower in fats and carbs.)
• Meal 3: 4oz chicken +100g-200g vegetables (onion, cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, beans) + an egg (I like the yolk runny).
• Meal 4: Usually a protein shake or bar, with a handful of almonds for good fat intake.
• Meal 5: Either chicken, fish or steak with 200g vegetables of choice, egg whites
• Meal 6: Protein shake before bed + a spoonful of peanut butter or almonds. These good fats allow the protein to be digested at a slower rate throughout the night. This process of slower release means my muscles get the most from the protein, meaning better muscle recovery.
• I fill the rest of the day in with fruit, a protein bar/shake, or egg whites and vegetables.
• My calories amount to around 1400 a day, but this changes according to training.
• I cycle two low carb days with a high carb day (e.g. LC, LC, HC, LC, LC, HC), and on higher carb days I add brown rice to the daytime meals, and kumara or pumpkin to dinner.
• Meals are all about balance and protein for me. At first I found it hard eating enough to meet my calories. As training progressed and my body demanded more, I wolf down meals now. A constant flow of food. Mmmmm!!!
After classes: Train.
• Cardio: My cardio training consists of high intensity interval training for my cardio, or HIIT. (This is the most effective form of cardio for burning fat and building muscle 6 plus it's a lot less boring than running a marathon.) My HIIT takes the form of either: sprint shuttles up at the field or on a basketball court with a 2:1, work:rest ratio (e.g. 1min sprinting, 30sec rest), a high intensity row on the rowing machine (again, ratio 2:1, 5min row: 2min rest), or a circuit of assorted exercises which target getting the heart rate up. The idea is to increase the heart rate, then allow it return to resting pace, then increase it again, and rest again.
• Gym: I allocate a day each to muscle groups, alternating upper body with lower body to allow for full recovery. I plan these workouts at the start of the week. Example: Monday: Chest day; Tuesday: Glutes (Booty!) + Abs; Wednesday: Biceps/Triceps; Thursday: Legs (ouch) Friday: Shoulders + Abs; Saturday: Back; Sunday: Whatever I feel needs attention (OR REST/light cardio).
• Sleep: Sleep is very important. It allows for proper recovery of the body and helps deal with stress levels. I find it hard juggling assignments with training but I chose to do this for a reason, and I keep that in mind: to be the best and healthiest version of myself.
REPEAT!
Name: Serg Chirila.
Age: 20, competing in Novice Men Athletic.
Occupation: Second year student.
Why bodybuilding: I have always enjoyed going to the gym and working out to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Train at: Unipol Gym Dunedin.
A TYPICAL WEEK
MONDAY
I do 15min-30min cardio before breakfast on an empty stomach. I walk up and down steps with a few layers on to increase sweating or go for a run.
Breakfast (biggest meal) - 8am
• 200g oats
• 30g protein powder
• 5g flaxseed oil
• 20g low fat Greek yoghurt
• 70ml milk
• 60g kiwifruit
My carb intake from my breakfast is the oats which are a form of slow release carbs that provide me with long lasting energy throughout the day. The protein is essential in the morning so it jump-starts my metabolism and fuels me for the whole day. It is also vitally important for growing, repairing and maintaining muscle tissue.
Snacks before lunch
• 220g apple (10am)
• 150g carrots (11am)
• 40g broccoli(12pm)
Lunch - 1pm
Lunch is always prepared the night before along with dinner. The most time-consuming thing is cooking the chicken which is always precooked at the weekend and then frozen.
• 100g cabbage
• 185g mixed vegetables
• 150g chicken breast
• 20g brown rice
• 75g carrot40g broccoli
• 20g celery
My ''lunch'' is split into 3 meals whereby I have a small feed from my lunch box once every hour.
At 4pm (1.5hr-2hr before my workout so food can settle and be broken down) I have 80g of brown rice and an 85g omelette.
Gym - 5.30pm
Right after my workout I have a small banana and a protein shake. Protein is vital for the growth of muscle, repair and maintenance of muscle tissue.
Dinner - 8.30pm
• 100g green peas
• 50g lettuce
• 20g broccoli
• 20g celery
• 85g omelette
• 185g tuna or 150g steak
At night I cut all carbohydrates. Carbs often contain lots of calories and if eaten at night can cause weight gain (as the energy that is not burnt off). All my meals are small because I dislike the feeling of being very full and the small meals keep my energy constant.
In the weeks before competition, I eat the same food every day. This allows me to easily track the calories. In this time my daily calorie count is about 2700. (While this may seem high, I prefer to do the extra cardio as opposed to doing significant food cuts.)
TUESDAY
I do 15min-30min cardio before breakfast. I walk up and down steps with a few layers on to increase sweating or go for a run.
Gym in the afternoon - Abs and legs.
Food = Same as Monday.
WEDNESDAY
Rest day from the gym.
A 1 hour cardio walk up through the hills.
Posing practice for 1 hour at night.
THURSDAY
Cardio and gym early in the morning. After cardio I do a short but intense tricep workout.1 hour posing practice at night.
FRIDAY
All my ''big workouts'' (up to 2 hours) start from Friday and carry on till Sunday. This is due to a busy study schedule. Friday is shoulders and back where, between the two, I do a total of 32 sets. In the weeks before the competition, I try to aim for a high number of reps in each set I do as this is what brings out the muscle definition. Some of the sets I also work till failure - until I cannot physically lift the weight any more.
SATURDAY
Leg day.
SUNDAY
Chest and triceps.
