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Name: Jennifer O' Conner
Before:
After:
I wasn't always overweight but in high school my weight slowly crept up. By the time I graduated from high school in 2004 I weighed about 180 pounds. Then the stress that college brought with it left me depressed and eating for comfort. In May 2006 I topped the scale at 230 lbs. I barely had energy to get out of bed, and was out of breath just from walking to my classes.
  Click Image To Enlarge.The Stress Of College Left Me Eating For Comfort. Then my boyfriend who had always wanted to be a bodybuilder decided to get into shape and possibly compete. This was what first pushed me to change my body. I did not want to be the fat girlfriend; if he was going to be rock hard, so was I! I began by just doing cardio, and by February 2007 I was down to about 180 lbs again, and then I found figure.
 Click Image To Enlarge.I Didn't Want To Be The Fat Girlfriend. I remember seeing a picture of IFBB figure pro Jelena Abbou and thinking "wow, I want to look like that!" This was my new motivation, to be a figure competitor. And with my boyfriend training me I stepped on stage for the first time in November 2007 at 115 lbs and 12% body fat.
I started by just doing cardio. And trust me, a 230 lbs girl can't do a whole lot! Most days I just went for a walk. Eventually I began going the gym on my college campus, usually using the elliptical. I also began to keep track of what I was eating more closely. I ate protein with every meal, and separated my carbs and fats. In February 2007 is when I got more serious about my training.
 Click Image To Enlarge.In February 2007, I Got Serious About My Training. I began to use the weight machines and was dedicated to doing an hour of cardio before breakfast each morning. This wasn't easy while I was still in college. I gave up a lot of late night parties to get sleep and be at the gym by 6am. And I lived in student housing, so if my car got blocked in (which it usually did) I had to walk the ½ mile to the gym, in upstate New York, in the middle of the winter, but I still did it because the results I was seeing were totally worth it. Then in April, with my boyfriend guiding and supporting me I began lifting heavier, using free weights and the programs that he wrote for me. I lifted 5 days a week, and did cardio 6 days.
 Click Image To Enlarge.The Results I Was Seeing Were Worth The 1/2 Mile Walk To The Gym. It became apparent fairly quickly that I had great genetics to put on muscle and lose fat, so the figure competitor inside me was born. I tightened up my diet and began training like a figure competitor does; some days doing as much as two hours of cardio, and the fat began to melt off. By August I knew it was time to start my final prep to compete, and by November I was on stage!
I love biotest's products; everything I have used from them has worked extremely well. The only supplement I used in the beginning was Fahrenheit. Now while cutting I use Hot Rox Extreme, BCAA's, Biotest's Se7en, and ZMA. I also like to drink a spike shooter sometimes before I work out; it really gives me an energy boost! I have also used storm and shock therapy from Universal Nutrition and really liked them.
Now that I compete, my diet is very strict when I am in season. I carb cycle; 2 days a week are low carb, 4 days a week with moderate carbs, and one high carb day. Here is an example of a moderate carb day:
Meal 2: Meal 3: Meal 4: Meal 5: Meal 6: Meal 7: I end up eating about every 2-3 hours. In the off season I also add in fruits, dairy, and a wider variety of carbs, as well as increase my calories.
All of my training programs come from my fantastic trainer Chris Wilson (ChrisWilsonfit@yahoo.com). I also do cardio for 1 hour a day, 5 days a week and HIIT one day a week.
Thursday: Delts & Abs
Don't deprive yourself. Take that cheat meal once a week, fill up on veggies until you're full, and find a type of exercise that you enjoy.
 Click Image To Enlarge.Everything Is Easier When You Envision Your Goal. Not missing your old life will enable you to create a new one. One with health choices and a fabulous new body! Also remember why you are doing this, everything is easier when you can envision your goal. 
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