Hi everyone! Yogi here, your friendly neighbourhood IFBB Pro, health coach, personal trainer, and bikini competitor extraordinaire. Let’s talk diets.

I’m practically a guru in that department. But guess what? I even stumble into those pesky dietary traps now and then. So, let’s dive into the five big diet no-nos that I, and many of my clients, have tangoed with. Ready? Let’s munch our way through this!

1. Snack Attack! Yep, I’m a pro snacker, much to my hubby’s amusement. I’m not about big meals like pizza or burgers but give me a “bite” of something – and I’m all over it. My taste buds are just super curious! I admit, my snacking game is strong – daily strong. Whether it’s a nibble of a protein bar, an extra carrot, a corner of a sandwich, or a sneaky cookie, I’m there.
   Fix it: First, catch yourself in the act. When and why do you snack? Connect it with your emotions. Are you a happy snacker? A sad snacker? A bored snacker? I’m guilty as charged of emotional snacking, especially when peanut butter is within reach. Next step? Swap out those snacks for healthier munchies. Craving crunch? Go for baby carrots, celery, or green beans. Sweet tooth? Try grapes or apples. And for chocolate lovers, protein bars are your new besties. My current favourites? G2G and Fit Crunch. But hey, Think Thin and Quest bars are also top-notch
2. The Cheat Meal Temptation: Most diets give the green light for one cheat meal a week. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. Often, it turns into a cheat day, week, or – yikes – a whole month. We get tired of the same old foods and when we get a taste of freedom, we just can’t stop.
   

   If your reason is strong enough, your willpower will follow.
   

   Solution: Keep that cheat meal in check. Plan it, savour it, but don’t let it snowball. Remember, sneaky extra bites are only cheating you.

3. Water, Water Everywhere… But Not Enough to Drink: It’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger. I’ve been there – thinking I’m hungry when really, I’m just thirsty. My goal? A gallon of water a day. Seems like a lot? Most people don’t even drink a quarter of that.
   Solution: Carry a water bottle everywhere. Jazz it up with zero-calorie sweeteners if plain water bores you. MIO’s my go-to, but there’s a whole world of tasty options out there. Even a splash of lemon, mint, or ginger can make hydration more exciting.
4. Cravings vs. Hunger: The Eternal Battle. I often confuse cravings for real hunger. It’s a common mistake. Trust me, I know.
   Fix: A strong mindset is key. Stick to the plan like your life depends on it. Hydrate like a boss and keep temptation out of sight.
5. The Part-Time Diet Commitment. Be real with yourself – how committed are you, truly? From personal experience, I know that if I snack or cave to cravings, I’m not fully committed. It’s easy to start strong with a healthy breakfast, but as the day goes on, the resolve weakens.
   Solution: This one’s tough because it’s all about MINDSET. Ask yourself, “WHY am I doing this?” If your reason is strong enough, your willpower will follow.

There you have it – five dietary slip-ups and how to sidestep them. I hope this gives you some food for thought (pun intended!). Best of luck on your journey!

The bikini division in bodybuilding has seen exponential growth over the past decade, attracting many who may not fully understand the demands of being a bikini competitor. The regimen for bikini prep is vastly different from typical fitness pursuits. While bodybuilding bikini preparation might sound fun, is it truly more enjoyable than a regular fitness routine? Let’s explore this topic from my perspective

Repetition
Lifestyle training offers a lot of freedom. If you’re training to stay healthy and because you enjoy it, you can choose any workout that appeals to you, from CrossFit to Karate, or even a Zumba class. You can switch up your routine weekly or even daily, as the primary goal is to stay active. There are no strict rules for how lifestyle training should look. Personally, I like to mix things up: one day, I might go bike riding and swimming; another day, I might do a high-intensity interval training class; then, I might run or lift heavy at the gym. This variety is typical for my schedule when I’m not preparing for a bikini competition.

However, bikini prep is highly specific and repetitive. Your training will focus on a particular exercise, primarily targeting the glutes and shoulders, and your routine will often remain the same for months. Unlike general bodybuilding, a bikini competitor doesn’t need to focus on compound movements. Patience is key, as repetition will become your new best friend.

Diet Discipline
Many believe that prepping for a bikini competition is all about gym workouts and cardio, but this sport is truly about diet. The diet accounts for 70-80% of your success, with the gym routine making up the rest. Bikini competitors follow extremely specific diet plans, unlike those who follow a lifestyle diet, which allows more flexibility.

In bikini prep, you must stick to your meal plan 100%, with no room for fast food, cookies, sugar, alcohol, cakes, or ice cream. Six meals a day, eaten every three hours, becomes the norm. Unlike a lifestyle diet, where occasional indulgences like a cookie or a pizza are acceptable, the bikini diet demands constant adherence. If you can handle this rigorous diet, you’re ready to start preparing for a bikini competition.

Mental Fortitude
Bikini competition is a challenging sport because it is subjective. Athletes often compare themselves to others, leading to self-criticism and doubts about their muscle mass or leanness. Striving for the perfect body seen in professional photos can significantly impact your mindset. This sport requires a strong mind and great support, as the journey can be tough.

In my experience, maintaining a healthy lifestyle felt liberating. I work out because I love it and aim to be happy and healthy, without the immense pressure that comes with competition prep. The emotional rollercoaster and self-doubt in bikini prep can be difficult to manage without patience and support.

Time Management
An NPC/IFBB competitor has a lot on her plate:

• Daily training, including weightlifting and cardio
• Eating every three hours, adhering strictly to the meal plan
• Drinking a gallon of water daily
• Stretching daily to perfect posing
• Practicing posing routines daily
• Sleeping a minimum of eight hours for recovery
• Practicing core work, such as vacuums

If you have a family, a full-time job, and other responsibilities, impeccable time management is crucial to fit everything in.

In contrast, a lifestyle routine offers freedom:

• You can decide what, when, and where to train, changing your routine as you wish.
• A flexible diet allows you to balance all foods and eat in moderation.
• Drinking 2.5 litres of water daily is recommended, but flexibility is allowed.
• Stretching is advised, but there’s no judgment if you can’t touch your toes.
• There’s no need to practice posing or vacuums, and you can sleep as much as your body needs.

If you’re considering competing, this article highlights the significant differences you’ll face, helping you set realistic expectations and prepare for the challenges ahead. The comp prep journey unveils a world of discipline, sacrifice, and dedication far removed from the freedom and flexibility of a lifestyle fitness routine.

Photos By: Monte

The most important thing in peak week is gaining more muscle, and going hard at the gym to the last day
The truth is that your bikini competition prep is basically done the week before the competition. Your last week, as we call it peak week, is nothing more than a recovery week. The main goal is to lose inflammation in the body. So, forget about hard-core training. Of course, exercises will vary from person to person, based on the look, muscle mass and leanness. The usual and most common approach is to start your week with bigger muscle groups, like legs and glutes, then the back and, on the last day arms, and shoulders. Sometimes your coach will do 3 days of full-body workouts, with lighter weight. And sometimes your routine will not change at all.

The more cardio you do in a peak week the better.
The truth is that every coach does it differently, in the ideal world you would not do any cardio going to the peak week, but it is extremely rare. Cardio is just like lifting weights, it will depend on your look. Usually, your coach will reduce cardio as you get closer to the competing day, so each day you will do less and less. There are exceptions, so listen to your coach and follow instructions.

Water manipulation is a must.
Nowadays there is not so much water manipulation as it used to be. At my first competition, I depleted my water, going from a gallon on Sunday to 0.5L on Friday before the show. Drinking water is important to feed the muscle, and not look depleted. When we eat carbs, they need water to be absorbed, if we don’t have water then carbs won’t absorb, and we will look flat on stage. So now, most coaches will keep athletes drinking water til Fridays before show day. They might use dandelion pills or something stronger like X-Pell to deplete the body of water, but it is not as drastic as it used to be.

And the most important thing, keep your spirits high, nourish your mindset with positivity and be proud of your accomplishments. Don’t look at or compare yourself to others, because it is a battle between you and you.

A carb load on Saturday morning before the show will make your muscles pop better. MYTH.
It is super important to understand digestion and its timing. Our bodies need about 24 to 72 hours to digest food, so if you eat pancakes and burgers on a show day, you will only enlarge your waistline because the food you consumed won’t be properly digested yet. Carb loading usually occurs at the beginning of the peak week. The last day to carb load would be mid-day Friday. After that timeline, we are pretty much done.

It is a good idea to introduce a new food for the peak week.
Our bodies in a peak week are very sensitive. It is important to stay away from all new foods. You would think switching from asparagus to broccoli or brussels sprouts is not a big deal, but in reality, it is. Asparagus helps with dehydration, it digests fast and it is noninvasive to the body. Brussels will make your stomach bloated and most likely will put you in discomfort. New foods not only might cause digestion issues but also can be a reason for unwanted water retention. If we discover the topic further, it is not easy to get rid of the water retention, and it usually takes the body up to eight days.

What is Peak Week?
It is a “Fine Tuning” of the body. Making sure the physique looks the best it can be. The focus of a Peak Week is to rest, reduce inflammation, and avoid stress. Theoretically, if your prep went the way it should, your body would be stage-ready before peak week. Peak week must:

• Decrease the intensity of the workouts to reduce the inflammation of the body.
• Keep food the same, to avoid all digestion, or water retention issues.
• Maintain a good skin look, so exfoliating and hydration are very important because they will affect how the tan will absorb on the day of the show.
• Do a facial, do a manicure/pedicure, and use this time to take care of yourself to look the best on stage.
• Rest and recover a lot, take naps if you must and sleep a full 8 hours per night.
• Try Epson salt bath to reduce inflammation.
• Keep drinking your water.

And the most important thing, keep your spirits high, nourish your mindset with positivity and be proud of your accomplishments. Don’t look at or compare yourself to others, because it is a battle between you and you. And you know you did the best you could to be at this point.

Nothing can be achieved without commitment. You need to strongly promise yourself that you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goal. You need to be strong-minded and decide that there is no other way. That mindset will lead your daily routine, drive your habits and make you unstoppable.

I strongly believe in it because this is how I live on a daily basis. Commitment is what keeps me going. I remember preparing for a fitness show in 2020. I remember being constantly tired, working till late hours, falling asleep on a desk at night and at the same time trying to keep up with my two-year-old daughter. I remember that time very well because despite being so overwhelmed, I had my goal in my mind. I committed to it and I did not let any distractions or obstacles get in my way. After 10 pm or even 11 pm, I would go to my garage gym to do my cardio. Yes, that late. I would be still exercising. My will was strong. I never gave up. In the end, it was all worth it. I achieved my goal.

Remember we have everything we need to be who we want to be.

What also helped me make this journey a little bit easier was creating a VISION. If you create a vision of yourself succeeding, you will feel empowered. It will motivate you. Such a simple tool, but also extremely powerful. Every time when you lose motivation think why did you start in the first place and bring your vision back to life. The thought of succeeding will be your guide and make you not give up. That will keep you going despite the hardest times.

I always ask my clients: “WHY do you want to achieve this goal? What is the motivation behind it?” I try to understand but also dig deeper what is the real reason and then I ask my clients to visualize the journey for themselves and make them see the end goal. Whatever it is; being and feeling more confident, seeing yourself with your favourite shorts or a dress, winning a specific fitness event.  If you see yourself succeeding, you will most likely believe it is achievable. All this process will result in more fun and exciting journey because you already know you will accomplish it, now it is just a matter of time.

I personally use the visualization method almost every day. Whether I lift or do cardio. To push harder or finish my workout – I imagine myself on stage performing the best I can, flawless and with grace. I imagine how great it feels, I can sense the endorphins, I’m smiling…. I’m proud of myself for achieving something I didn’t even dream of doing. That thought keeps me going. It pushes my limits and makes me work harder. Keeps me on track.

I hope you have a secret goal, a strong desire to achieve something beyond expectations. I hope you will make the decision to follow it and accomplish it.

Best of luck! You got this!

Photo By: Taylor Cifuentes

January is over and now the true warriors will show up and fight for a better tomorrow, and a better version of themselves. It is easy to say: “I want to look fabulous, and I want to lose 10 lbs.”, but it is not easy to do it. If you have never done it, look at those 5 next steps to make your journey successful.

• Step 1.

Identify WHY you want to “look fabulous and lose 10 lbs.”, but don’t lie to yourself and come up with some easy answers. Dig deep, and figure out why you REALLY want it. Do you want to feel accepted, maybe confident? What happened in the first place that you lost it? This answer will be crucial because it will be your strength base. Your motivation to keep going. Without it, you have no purpose, and the real goal might be forgotten, it also can lose its priority. I always know my why, and without it, I probably wouldn’t be motivated to keep going every day. Many times, I’m tired or overwhelmed and exercise is the last thing I want to do. But then this energy from my “why” comes back and I do what I am supposed to do, despite everything.

Your regeneration happens when you sleep, and nothing can replace it

• Step 2.

Create an easy PLAN. Know what to do. When will you exercise, what will you do, and how much time do you need. Be specific and plan only achievable steps, that fit your schedule. For example, if you are not exercising at all choose 2 days where you will do something fun and enjoyable, like a group class on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm or go for a 20-minute walk with a friend every weekend at 9 am. The goal is to get used to the movement little by little. Bi-weekly, or monthly you can change your fitness routine to fit your condition level. Don’t overwhelm yourself with a crazy schedule. Make it simple.

• Step 3.

Tell your friend about your plan to hold you ACCOUNTABLE. We all need to be in check with someone to perform better. It could be your mom, best friend, or a coach. Whoever you will choose make sure they are invested in helping you, or they are as consistent as you try to be. Otherwise, you might not follow through with your plan. The best option would be having someone exercise with you because then you will have extra motivation to act! I personally love working out with friends, and that is what I do most days of the week. Our energy is so high that we can’t wait for our workout! It is truly the best time ever.

• Step 4.

Get your beauty SLEEP. It is super important to get enough sleep. I know it sounds so easy and basic, but this is the best way for our body to rest. Your regeneration happens when you sleep, and nothing can replace it. As a mom, and a professional athlete, I totally understand that it is easy to say than done but I see the difference. And honestly every day I also try to sleep more. It is a habit I constantly work on. I’m a night owl, so it is difficult, but I can let myself not sleep because the next day, my family expects me to be in full mojo, my training is waiting for me, so I can’t afford to be tired.

• Step 5.

Don’t skip your MEALS!!! After eight years of experience with fat loss clients, the first thing I see is that most clients are not eating enough. The majority, after consultation, admit that they eat only 1-2 meals a day. I will be honest I don’t believe in diets. But the best diet is the one you can stick to. I like to approach this topic gently and work my way up by adding or reducing food one by one. Everyone is different but if we would generalize it, I would say eat breakfast at 8 am, then lunch at 1 pm and lastly dinner at 6 pm. I like to use patterns and create a habit. Not skipping meals will not only give you energy for rest of the day, but also make your metabolism move, and digest everything accordingly. In another word, without energy, we won’t be able to move more, and without proper metabolism, we will store most food as fat. It is also crucial what we eat, but again if I would generalize it, I would say eat most unprocessed food, so anything that doesn’t have a label. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Add a good source of protein and very little fat, and you will be set for success.

In Summary. Make it as simple as you can. The simpler plan the better. Don’t overcomplicate it because it will only create chaos and eventually lead to quitting. Enjoy things you do or eat. That is the only way to stick to it.

Photo By: Images By Calvin

I noticed each year our new resolutions make us so excited and motivate us to do more, to be better, and to achieve something we have never done before. After a few weeks, the ignition of the fire slows down and we don’t make it happen. Every year, I met thousands of people who want to be better and then after a while, unfortunately, I see them fail. It’s very common and repetitive. That’s why this year, I decided to truly figure out what it is, that makes us not continue what we promised to ourselves. What crushes our dreams?

I came to the conclusion that planning is one of the most important things. Plan everything! Schedule your day, visualize your future, design your personal growth.

Put everything into the steps, and then create a timeframe. Without a plan, our goals are just dreams. Let’s make our visions happen! As I was writing this, many excellent examples came to my mind, that show the value of planning. One stick out the most, that someone once told me, but I didn’t put much thought into it till now. Whatever you do, you want to be the best, right? Let’s categorize it to A+. To get A+ you need to plan it, or learn it, or study it or whatever else preparation you need to do. When you do that and execute the best you can you have a high probability of succeeding and getting an A+. Even when you plan, execute and something unexpected happens you still can end up getting a B or C+. Still not bad. But when you decide to not plan, not to prepare, and not execute – you will end up with F. No doubts about it.

Champions don’t become champions by winning the event but by the journey, they’re overcoming

You see the analogy. Simple. It is like school but on a bigger scale.

Execution is the second part, that gets neglected. Sometimes our plans are so big that the steps seem to be overwhelming. That is why it is important to put a timeframe on our goal and break it down into a small step-after-step process.

I noticed that we also have a tendency to put pressure on doing things perfectly. We take extra time to prepare and after a while, we either run of a time or interest. Looking at my own example, I was losing interest in my morning runs. I tried to be perfect and also I didn’t want to fail. I put high expectations of reaching each day 5k in a certain amount of time. At the end of the day, I couldn’t meet that specific time. It was frustrating, but I knew that I can’t give up or stop. I had to readjust, not only my goal but also my mindset. I changed the goal to a 2k run and I dropped the pressure of time. I decided to “just run”, and at that moment the running became a pleasure, and I loved it again. A simple solution leads to a big success.

Being a be perfectionist stops a lot of us (including me) from achieving a goal. I struggle with this a lot because I want everything to be flawless. I put my standards high, and then the process to achieve it takes me forever. Maybe if we just do it, we would learn from the experience and get better at it each time. Well, I guess I need to learn from my own advice and give myself permission to not be perfect but still perform best.

In a conclusion, I see that we forget to plan and then our execution is weak, we want to be perfect but we are afraid to fail, so the journey stops. I think this is the key here. Those few steps will make us successful. No one wants to be unsuccessful, but also no one was born a master in their scope of practice.

Little recap:

1. Make a plan
2. Execute
3. Stop being perfectionist
4. Don’t be afraid to fail
5. Try again and again

I read some motivation quote at some point in my life and it said that “champions don’t become champions by winning the event but by the journey, they’re overcoming”. It’s true because champions never give up. They just keep going.

My advice to you and also to myself is – let’s go out there and do what we promised to ourselves!

Photo by: Monte Montemayor