I am looking at a few figure competitions in Oct and Nov and would like some input. Anyone know anything about the NPC Victor Martinez Greater Perth Amboy contest on Oct 11? Hate to choose a show if it doesn't have a good turnout. Any other good shows around that time?

Here's the link for OCB show dates. It'll help you pinpoint when the shows are and I am sure someone will pipe up with which ones will be good. I am doing the Stars and Stripes in DC on 15 Nov, bodybuilding. Not sure when/where the NPC ones are? Where do you live may be a deciding factor in which contest you chose to enter also. I am driving from Dayton Ohio to DC (520 miles) to get to my show. Main deciding factor, the date it what held, not so much the location. Hopefully there will be some competition, it will be disappointing to be the only gal in my class. But I am entering all 3 offered to female bodybuilders. I am either super competitive or a glutton for punishment.

Oops, here's the link
http://www.theocbwebsite.com/ocbevents.html

Riptgirl! Where do you live? Most of the NPC shows are good turn outs. Also, if this your frist show? If so, I would not worry to much about the turn out and just get the experince of being on stage.

Not my first show...have competed in the USBF and NPC and did the North American nationals in Ohio 3 years ago. Took a little time off while getting my doctorate, moving, getting married and buying our first house...things are settling down now and getting competition fever again. I live in PA. Was thinking maybe I could try to qualify for the Eastern USA Figure in NY on Nov 15 so looking for some NPC shows in October.

WOW!!! You got more shows under your belt then me I know what you mean about getting compeition fever. I competed in my first show in 2006 and had plans to do a couple more shows that year and try to earn my pro card but I got engaged and took some time off to plan the wedding and get married then we went on our honeymoon to Las Vegas and 6 weeks after that I found out I was pregnant. So I had to take a break from competeing for 9 months. I gave birht to a health baby boy in March and I am now 7 weeks out from my show and can not wait to get back on stage. I am competing in the NPC Hurricane Bay on September 20th in tampa. Then I am going to turn around just 3 weeks after that and compete in the Greater Gainseville and hopefully do well enough to compete in the National Figure Championships in Atlanta on November 22. The top 2 in each class earn their pro card.

Wow Penny, you have a full schedule ahead of you. That's great! May all the hard work and hunger pangs result in placing in that top two to earn you that pro card. You go girl!

I am thinking about the NPC Eastern USA Figure in NY as a national qualifier and then maybe nationals in Atlanta as well if I can qualify. I started competing while I was in college in 2000 in natural bodybuilding and fitness and then transitioned to figure, which I love although there are so many people that don't understand the point of it. I've done some judging and have a good friend who earned her pro card. I won my first NPC show which qualified me for the North Americans in 2006, where I took 9th...happy with that since I was one of the youngest girls competing then. I'd love to earn my pro card before having a baby. Panny, was it hard to get your body back in shape and how did you do it so quickly?

Riptgirl I hope you make it to ATL. It would be great to meet you in person

I stayed lean through out my entire pregnancy. I only gained 15lbs and gave birth to a healthy baby boy weighting 6lbs 130z 22inches and I carried him full term. I actually worked out and did the stairmaster the morning I went into labor. Only 6 hours of natural birth and 4 pushes. I was up and walking about an hour after giving birth. I stayed on a lean diet and did my normal exercise routine through my whole pregnancy. Just 4 weeks after having the baby I was at a 14% BF. Here is was a typical day of eating for me:

Meal 1: 1/2 cup oats, 5 whites, 1/2 cup skim milk mix with 1/2 scoop of choclate MP

Meal 2: 1 cup cottage cheese with a small apple or orange

Meal 3: Spinach salad with 6oz chicken breast and 1tbs of flaxoil with 1tbs of apple cider vin for my dressing and a small sweet potoatoe

Meal 4: 5oz lean turkey pattie with small apple or orange or yougurt with almonds

Meal 5: lean meat with veggies

Meal 6: 2 scoop of Chochlate MP and 1tbs of almond butter.

I did not take any beverly supplments while I was pregnant. Just my prenatal, extra calcium and iron pills.

I was below my -pre-pregnancy weight just a week after giving birth and I was back working out a week after as well.

Wow Penny...rather impressive. I hope to have the same luck with pregnancy. I think all of us who compete have some type of body image problem and I know I am only happy when I keep my bodyfat lower.

I hope I can also make it to Nationals this year. Loved the experience of competing and doing photoshoots at nationals in 2006.

This is the first time I am doing all of the Beverly preparation with the diet, training, and supplements and so I am anxious to see the results. I'm finding Jason T's diets interesting and may try to add in some white potatoes and GDA. Is there any carb reloads with this?

The Event Schedule on NaturalBodybuildingEvents.com has a listing of Natural shows from all the different organizations and is listed by date and also by state so you can get a list of shows in your area.

Hope this helps!

http://www.NaturalBodybuildingEvents.com
NaturalBodybuildingEvents@yahoo.com