Old lady first-timer bikini log

[readalot]

Bra-th*A*h LOL

 

[Ateam2023]

Latest update - things have been progressing as expected for a first show later this year. I see glutes, I see hammies, it’s crazy cool and I am so addicted. Leg day is my favorite day (all 3 of them each week).

I’m eating at a small deficit to continue cutting, and down to 139 as of this morning, and around 14% BF. I have NO BF on my upper body or in my face, boobs are gone gone gone LOL. So all that’s left is on those glutes and hammies. My quads are rock hard, I can barely pin my creatine magic potion nonsense before workouts, bought one of those little cupping things to work on the fascia over those muscles to loosen things up a bit, works great, highly recommend: Amazon.com

Prep is doing weird things to my brain - I’ve NEVER been this lean, my brain is telling me it’s not healthy (it isn’t), and I can see how women drop in to eating disorders around this shit. The body dysmorphia is real and I look like a fckn super heroine, and STILL don’t know who I’m seeing in the mirror some days. It’s so unsettling. So I’m being very very careful, very attentive, and will be backing out of stage lean back in to a winter bulk very very carefully, the moment I’m off stage later this year. Those competitors I overheard when I volunteered at a show bragging about how they’d eat a burger after their show? I can’t imagine, it’d make me vomit, BUT, I will for SURE go back to eating at a surplus and building. Lifts were way more fun then

IN OTHER NEWS:

My LDL has been chronically elevated; last year it was over 300 while I was dropping weight, and then settled around 140. My triglycerides and HDL were low low low. A week ago I requested a Calcium CT score ‘for the data’ and because I have a maternal family history of heart disease (gramma). Score came back as 171, *all* in the ‘widowmaker’ LAD area of the heart. So that was a huge blow, mentally.

A statin was automatically prescribed as well as a stress test.I got with my PCP immediately to request a different statin than Crestor, and also ezitimibe and Repatha. I’d gotten labs back in May from mybloods.ai (now goodlabs), they never made it to my labcorp portal, and life got busy and I forgot about them, but I’d requested ApoB and Lp(a), and they were both high, with Lp(a) flagged as URGENT Sent them to my PCP as evidence I’m an excellent candidate for the repatha + ezetimibe. She said yes, ordered repeat labs to verify. Waiting for those results.

Meanwhile, had that stress test this morning. Nailed my nuclear stress test: almost 12 minutes on the Bruce protocol, 13.4 METs, normal perfusion, and a 74% ejection fraction. No ischemia, no blockages. So, high calcium score, but otherwise healthy as can be, and now the gym is even MORE my source of mental health, and I have even MORE reason to stay fit.

I’d been on a low (2.5mg) dose of ‘var for several months, and it didn’t nudge any of my values UP, but I am taking a break from it for a few months so time off = time on. I loved all the sides; hydrated skin and hair, slightly elevated body temp (ie not freezing all the time), higher libido, not to mention pumps at the gym. I miss it a LOT. But I want to get the heart thing solidified first, and then be even MORE strict about labwork every 6-8 weeks if/when I hop back on. I can’t imagine I won’t, I absolutely loved it, and ladies, if ANYbody tells you 2.5mg is a worthless dose, they are full of shit and you should say ‘nah Imma start low and slow thanks bro’.

Thanks @Ghoul for all the posts throughout the forum about statins, ezetimibe, and repatha/praluent.

I’m basically the perfect candidate:

- Lp(A) (May): 309
- ApoB (May): 109
- LDL-C (May): 130 —> LDL-C (Sept yesterday): 91
- Total cholesterol (May): 196 —> Total cholesterol (Sept yesterday): 170

My PCP is totally on board with navigating the stuff that insurance needs extra evidence for, and I suppose if there’s a silver lining to any of this, it’s that:

1) my heart is fckn healthy
2) my cardio health is fckn GREAT
3) I can probably get insurance to pay for frequent metabolic panels, lipid panels, and ApoB/Lp(a) tests, leaving me only needing to DIY the hormone stuff.

The Cardiac CT was only $100 bucks, guys. DO IT. Live to lift another decade. My plan is to live to lift for another 3 decades at least!

That is such a good feeling when your pcp is on board with you, and even better when insurance covers things,

 

[Nunya]

That is such a good feeling when your pcp is on board with you, and even better when insurance covers things,

Absolutely. Helps restore a bit of my faith in the medical system. I didn’t even HAVE a PCP til a month ago; doctors and hospitals make me shudder so hard.

 

[readalot]

Latest update - things have been progressing as expected for a first show later this year. I see glutes, I see hammies, it’s crazy cool and I am so addicted. Leg day is my favorite day (all 3 of them each week).

I’m eating at a small deficit to continue cutting, and down to 139 as of this morning, and around 14% BF. I have NO BF on my upper body or in my face, boobs are gone gone gone LOL. So all that’s left is on those glutes and hammies. My quads are rock hard, I can barely pin my creatine magic potion nonsense before workouts, bought one of those little cupping things to work on the fascia over those muscles to loosen things up a bit, works great, highly recommend: Amazon.com

Prep is doing weird things to my brain - I’ve NEVER been this lean, my brain is telling me it’s not healthy (it isn’t), and I can see how women drop in to eating disorders around this shit. The body dysmorphia is real and I look like a fckn super heroine, and STILL don’t know who I’m seeing in the mirror some days. It’s so unsettling. So I’m being very very careful, very attentive, and will be backing out of stage lean back in to a winter bulk very very carefully, the moment I’m off stage later this year. Those competitors I overheard when I volunteered at a show bragging about how they’d eat a burger after their show? I can’t imagine, it’d make me vomit, BUT, I will for SURE go back to eating at a surplus and building. Lifts were way more fun then

IN OTHER NEWS:

My LDL has been chronically elevated; last year it was over 300 while I was dropping weight, and then settled around 140. My triglycerides and HDL were low low low. A week ago I requested a Calcium CT score ‘for the data’ and because I have a maternal family history of heart disease (gramma). Score came back as 171, *all* in the ‘widowmaker’ LAD area of the heart. So that was a huge blow, mentally.

A statin was automatically prescribed as well as a stress test.I got with my PCP immediately to request a different statin than Crestor, and also ezitimibe and Repatha. I’d gotten labs back in May from mybloods.ai (now goodlabs), they never made it to my labcorp portal, and life got busy and I forgot about them, but I’d requested ApoB and Lp(a), and they were both high, with Lp(a) flagged as URGENT Sent them to my PCP as evidence I’m an excellent candidate for the repatha + ezetimibe. She said yes, ordered repeat labs to verify. Waiting for those results.

Meanwhile, had that stress test this morning. Nailed my nuclear stress test: almost 12 minutes on the Bruce protocol, 13.4 METs, normal perfusion, and a 74% ejection fraction. No ischemia, no blockages. So, high calcium score, but otherwise healthy as can be, and now the gym is even MORE my source of mental health, and I have even MORE reason to stay fit.

I’d been on a low (2.5mg) dose of ‘var for several months, and it didn’t nudge any of my values UP, but I am taking a break from it for a few months so time off = time on. I loved all the sides; hydrated skin and hair, slightly elevated body temp (ie not freezing all the time), higher libido, not to mention pumps at the gym. I miss it a LOT. But I want to get the heart thing solidified first, and then be even MORE strict about labwork every 6-8 weeks if/when I hop back on. I can’t imagine I won’t, I absolutely loved it, and ladies, if ANYbody tells you 2.5mg is a worthless dose, they are full of shit and you should say ‘nah Imma start low and slow thanks bro’.

Thanks @Ghoul for all the posts throughout the forum about statins, ezetimibe, and repatha/praluent.

I’m basically the perfect candidate:

- Lp(A) (May): 309
- ApoB (May): 109
- LDL-C (May): 130 —> LDL-C (Sept yesterday): 91
- Total cholesterol (May): 196 —> Total cholesterol (Sept yesterday): 170

My PCP is totally on board with navigating the stuff that insurance needs extra evidence for, and I suppose if there’s a silver lining to any of this, it’s that:

1) my heart is fckn healthy
2) my cardio health is fckn GREAT
3) I can probably get insurance to pay for frequent metabolic panels, lipid panels, and ApoB/Lp(a) tests, leaving me only needing to DIY the hormone stuff.

The Cardiac CT was only $100 bucks, guys. DO IT. Live to lift another decade. My plan is to live to lift for another 3 decades at least!

Thank you for the amazing update. Best wishes on your competition and health!!

 

[Nunya]

Time for an update!

WORKOUT:
Was
- M: lower
- T: upper
- W: lower
- Th: upper
- F: lower

Changed to:
- M: posterior chain (legs) ~2hrs
- T: anterior chain (legs) ~2hrs
- W: upper ~1.5hrs
- Th: posterior chain (legs) ~2hrs
- F: anterior chain (legs) ~2hrs

This means I’m now doing FOUR leg days a week. Just finished week one of the new split, and I’m loving it. It’s intense, especially since I’m also cutting pretty hard for this last few weeks. Still no cardio though; I will reserve that as a last resort. I hate it, I don’t need it, I get HRV and RHR supporting activities in my real life, and it’s boring as F. If I can lift my way to the stage, great. Been using ChatGPT to develop and tweak my workout plan for the last several months, and I absolutely love it.

Weight 134.0 / Height 5’4"
Coach had me at ~14%bf last week, scale hasn’t moved much, but week to week I’m seeing more definition in those legs FINALLY. My upper body has been shredded for weeks. Any little fluctuation in diet/sodium makes the scale vary pretty wildly at this point.

Macro budget:
Calories: 1512
Protein: 159g
Fat: 67g
Carbs: 67g
Water: 4L/day at least, with plenty of electrolytes.

Obviously not sustainable long term but I can ride this for 5 weeks no problem. Been on 5mg Tirz for over a year now, and have titrated up to 2mg Reta on top of that. Planning to titrate the Tirz down over the long haul and stick with Reta but probably not til after I get on stage; I don’t want to mess with things too much til after that.

Haven’t changed much else. Still on TRT/HRT (E, P, and T). Stopped the 2.5mg/day Anavar a few weeks ago, I’d love to hop back on now that I’m on a statin and Repatha, but I want another lipid panel before, and want to get my supplement stack dialed in before.

Anyway, here’s a fun comparison. Feb 2025, when I got hooked up with my posing/nutrition coach

 

[Nunya]

CURRENT WORKOUT PLAN:

This doesn’t include warm up or cool down.
I also meditate for ~10 minutes after. Tried before, but there’s just no way I can sit still with a PWO on board going in to the gym. After, I alternate between lying on the floor in the gym or hopping in the tanning booth.

Day 1 (Monday) - Heavy Glutes/Hams​

• Cable Pull-Throughs: 8 sets x 12-15 reps
• Romanian Deadlifts (3-4s eccentric): 10 sets x 12 @ 95-105 lbs
• Barbell Hip Thrust: 6 sets x 12-15 @ 185-195 lbs
• Single-Leg RDLs: 4 sets x 8-10/leg @ 25-30 lb DBs
• Seated Leg Curls: 4 sets x 12-15 @ 50-60 lbs
• Cable Glute Kickbacks: 3 sets x 25/leg @ 25 lbs

Day 2 (Tuesday) - Quad Emphasis​

• Elevated Heel Bar Squats: 6 sets x 12-15
• Leg Extensions: 5 sets x 15-20
• Bulgarian Split Squats (quad-focused): 4 sets x 10/leg @ 35-40 lbs
• Walking Lunges: 4 sets x 12/leg @ 20-25 lb DBs
• Adduction Superset with Quad Walking Lunges: 3 sets

Day 3 (Wednesday) - Upper Body Focus​

• Seated DB Shoulder Press (3s eccentric): 8 sets x 10 @ 20 lbs
• Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown: 8 sets x 10 @ 42.5 lbs
• Front to Lateral Raise: 6 sets x 10 @ 7.5-10 lbs
• Rear Delt Pec Fly: 6 sets x 10 @ 40 lbs
• Cable Face Pulls: 4 sets x 25 @ 25 lbs
• Straight Arm Pulldown: 3 sets x 15 @ 30 lbs

Day 4 (Thursday) - Glute Isolation/Volume​

• Barbell Hip Thrust (3s pause): 10 sets x 10 @ 215-225 lbs
• Leg Press (wide, high foot): 4 sets x 15-20 @ 200-250 lbs
• Machine Adductor: 4 sets x 15-20 @ 70-85 lbs
• Curtsy Lunges: 4 sets x 12/leg @ 15-20 lb DBs
• Side Step Mini Band: 3 sets x 25

Day 5 (Friday) - Quad Emphasis (Repeat)​

• Elevated Heel Bar Squats: 6 sets x 12-15
• Leg Extensions: 5 sets x 15-20
• Bulgarian Split Squats (quad-focused): 4 sets x 10/leg @ 35-40 lbs
• Leg Press (narrow, low foot): 4 sets x 20 @ 200-250 lbs
• Adduction Superset: 3 sets

 

[bjjgear]

Incredible physique. Well done - that quad/hamstring separation is

 

[Nunya]

31 days out…good morning hammies!

 

[Superchicken]

Just caught up and looked at your recent posts/pics. You look amazing!! Super excited for you!

 

[Nunya]

Just caught up and looked at your recent posts/pics. You look amazing!! Super excited for you!

Thank you!

 

[malfeasance]

Pretty amazing difference. Good job.

 

[Nunya]

2.5 weeks out and TIRED. Lifts are annoyingly weak and I LOVE LIFTING so that kind of sucks. A few days of just BONE ASS TIRED. Been using more caffeine and ~4mg albuterol a day. I’m looking forward to getting on stage but looking forward to a solid reverse and gaining more muscle mass after.

On the plus side I still haven’t done any real cardio. If I did, that would end it for me. There is just no way I could be ‘still’ on a treadmill or whatever for any amount of time. Lifting suits my attention span much better. I’ll do it if my coach insists, I’ve come this far, but also, I’ve come this far and I doubt much is going to change in the last couple of weeks.

Drinking ~6L water a day, making sure to keep electrolytes on board.
Weight is 131, I don’t think I’ll be in the mid 120s by peak week as coach had surmised, but also, at this week's check in he was pretty excited about where I was at. I have no body fat left on my upper body and I’m getting dick skin on my abdomen. I wish I had never heard that phrase cuz it’s gross LOL but that’s what it is. Also veins where I never thought I’d see them. Show lean body is not real pretty to walk around in every day and I AM COLD COLD COLD.

I still don’t really know what all will happen during peak week for me, but I trust my coach and will follow instruction, and also take copious detailed notes throughout for my records.

Calories still ~1500, 159P/67F/67(net)C
Supp stack is on point, water on point.
Started up 2.5mg var again a couple weeks ago, I just couldn’t stay away.

Anyway, got some super cool strokes from coach during check in, he seems to think I’ll do really well and he’s been around a while. I don’t really see it, personally, but I don’t know WTF I’d see anyway. Certainly I don’t look like a shredded Olympian

Me being me, I’m already thinking about my next move. Masters Pro? Masters Nationals? Masters Olympia? Cool your jets, woman, let’s get through this ONE show first.

It’s always fun to dream.

I’m told these photos don’t do it justice but this is where I’m at. I’m fairly confident I’m going to LOVE being on stage all glammed up, but tbh while all my life I *thought* I wanted to be a skinny girl, really I like being a little thicc and feeling STRONG, so I’d love love love to get back to strong kick ass lower body days ASAP. And then probably…do it all again in the future

 

[readalot]

Incredible progress!! Hang in there and best wishes on the competition. Wow.

 

[malfeasance]

Listening to the coach like you are doing is a good idea. The "glammed" thing reminds me of when my wife was competing. She had some appointment at like 4:00 a.m. or something. This lady who does the make up had slots of ladies lined up to do it. My wife has lots of thick, long blonde hair, but for the show there was some hair extension thing that added a bunch of thickness sticking up in the back (best way I can describe it, even though I am sure I am not using the correct terms).

Keep practicing your posing so that it looks natural on stage rather than awkward.

Show lean body is not real pretty to walk around in every day and I AM COLD COLD COLD.

Yeah, that is a good sign. Show lean and "I look good in the mirror" lean are two different things. With a spray tan and up on a stage at a distance from the judges with harsh lights needs to be much leaner - and it looks different. Up close and in person it looks a little sickly. On stage that means it will look better.

Have fun!

 

[Nunya]

I feel like I won big already; 13 days to go and I'm "ready" enough that we have some time to coast and play with water and carb manipulation a bit. Coach says "nailed it" and for a first prep I'll take that as having done my homework properly.

Bit proud of myself. Came in at 10.7% BF today so I'll be curious what the DEXA says when I'm 3 days out.

 

[Superchicken]

I feel like I won big already; 13 days to go and I'm "ready" enough that we have some time to coast and play with water and carb manipulation a bit. Coach says "nailed it" and for a first prep I'll take that as having done my homework properly.

Bit proud of myself. Came in at 10.7% BF today so I'll be curious what the DEXA says when I'm 3 days out.

You should be proud! This is a huge shift from the first few posts I remember reading from you.

Has your sleep been affected by the deficit and low bf?

A friend of mine did her first wellness show over the summer and tried to get me to do it with her. I declined, because I didn’t have the time to devote, but damn you and her make me wanna maybe try! Watching her process and the competition was a fun experience even just as a spectator. Looking forward to your final results!

 

[Nunya]

You should be proud! This is a huge shift from the first few posts I remember reading from you.

Has your sleep been affected by the deficit and low bf?

A friend of mine did her first wellness show over the summer and tried to get me to do it with her. I declined, because I didn’t have the time to devote, but damn you and her make me wanna maybe try! Watching her process and the competition was a fun experience even just as a spectator. Looking forward to your final results!

Sleep is affected because I can't lay in the same position for very long before needing to shift. Sitting isn't great for the same reason. A thc/CBD gummy helps though. And also dialing down the sleep number

Peak week starts Sunday!!!

Go for it! I have learned so much about what my body is capable of and I've had to get better about REALLY resting, which isn't something I'm usually good at.

 

[malfeasance]

Sleep is always affected in the weeks just prior to the show. Normal.

 

[Nunya]

Sleep is always affected in the weeks just prior to the show. Normal.

I am a big fan of sleep so that part has been annoying. And as I've leaned out it's pretty wild how much a good night sleep plus what I ate for dinner influences my weight and look in the morning. Last night I got a solid eight hours for the first time in a while and was down five lbs from yesterday. All water I'm sure.

 

[Superchicken]

Has your hrt or hormone levels been affected by any of this? I see women who say they burn through or need more than others because of athleticism or physical activity. None of these women compete afaik. I always wonder if they’re full of shit, and don’t want to admit that they just want to run higher T.