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 By: Sylvia Dempsey
Name: Sylvia Dempsey
Height: 160 CM
Competition Weight: 52kgs (114 lbs.)
I started my weight loss program May of last year when I joined a gym and worked my weight down to 64kgs by July. I went to see my first bodybuilding comp in September of last year where I fell in love with the shape of the figures I saw and wanted a challenge at this time though I still had a long way to go.
  Click Image To Enlarge. Sylvia Dempsey. I was at approximately 27% body fat and needed to build some muscle to enter such a competition. I started my journey of bodybuilding last October I began lifting heavy at a low rep range and trying to gain as much poundage as I could to build myself and tighten up any parts that was needed. I was on a high protein diet which consisted of chicken, turkey, eggs, lean red meat, sweet pat, bananas and protein shakes. This diet became more strict as I approached my first competition. Bananas went and carbs lowered and protein raised to hold what I had built while I took excess fat down. I worked my butt off to get into shape with cardio in the AM and weights in the PM over a 7 day a week regimen. I would go to the gym at 5:30am to do 45mins cardio on an empty stomach and then come home and have a protein shake and egg whites, then I would have 5 other small meals consisting of either sweet potatos and chicken or lean meat, or sometimes just veggies with the meat or chicken and then go to the gym to do weights and cardio again in the PM.
I just did my first show on the 17th of September, 2006 and scooped up a beautiful third place trophy. I hope to compete again next year in some natural shows in the UK. Presently I am training to build more muscle and trying to gain some size.
My advice to any woman that wants to try figure contests - don't let anyone tell you it cannot be done no matter your present shape. Follow your dream and with determination it can come true. Always keep a journal of the diet & training you are going to follow - this allows you to check the weights you lifted on your previous visit to the gym. This will allow you to see if you are gaining or losing strength and muscle. Try to increase your weights little by little and don't be afraid to lift heavy on the legs as you will depend on this muscle if you wish to compete.
The more muscle you have the more fat is used by the muscle and even if you choose to increase your fat a little after a comp believe me the body will look more shapely with good muscle. Always finish your weight training with a 20-30 minutes of cardio. Also make sure you get rest; maybe two days off a week. Don't go by the scales all the time go by the mirror and again if you are thinking of competing, practice posing - this conditions and trains the body into a more symmetrical shape. If you're not to shy try to pose in between sets at the gym in the mirror - it makes the shape better. I have many more ideas and would be glad to share but I would probably take up the whole web site so I'll leave it at this. One more tip when building muscle: keep the diet loose, have a cheat day, raise the carbs to keep metabolism working well for when you need to, and take a little fat off - it will prevent plateaus.
 Click Image To Enlarge. Follow Your Dream With Determination.
When I'm competing - I was on a high protein diet which consisted of:
Protein shake:
When I'm not competing and building muscle I double the carbs and incorporate a cheat day. I try to stay between a stone to a stone and a half when I'm building muscle.
I always stay low reps and heavy when I'm competing and now during the off-season I am building more muscle - I keep reps the same and lift heavier because of the higher intake of carbs. All lower and upper body stays at a low rep range (8-10 reps). Upper and lower body exercises consist of 2 sets per exercise.
Abs to be incorporated three times a week.
Sylvia Dempsey Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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