Promotion!

Yes, that's right! I got a promotion this week. I interviewed for a Benefits Consultant job that I thought I had no chance in getting and alas, I got the job! Woo-hoo! I officially start on June 20th but I'm already learning that job while still doing my current job (I'm the Human Resource division's budget and planning specialist currently). I'll keep doing my current job through July (unless my current boss can get someone else hired on before then). I guess we shall see. Regardless I'm going to have to train that person. :) I'm working on updating/finishing all the process documents for each thing that I do right now.

Today I decided that I need to start counting calories again. I need to aim at around 1,900 so that I stay under 2,300 or so. I've been misbehaving with my eating habits and I'm putting weight on much too quickly since I've finished competing for the year. So, time to buckle down.

I've also been so busy that I've been slacking on my workouts. That stops today! Time to hit it hard and start building some muscles!

Back to work...

Behind

I'm just feeling very behind these days. I'm super swamped at work and even though I got to take a tiny 4-day vacation to the Tampa area, it put me back even further but it was great!

Jon had a work trip down there for 3 weeks so I got to go down for a few days. Two of the nights we did a photo shoot on the beach which was great. But now I've put too much weight back on with bad eating habits that I'm going to have to work my butt off (literally) to get back into photo shoot shape (not contest shape). You can view some of the pictures throughout this blog site and I'll attach a few more as well

A group of close friends got together for a Memorial Day Brewers game. It was a complete blast...too bad we had to come to work the day after.

I also got a flat tire this week (an actual blowout) so there's some money down the drain. That's all I need.

Jon and I have been doing a lot of landscaping and other yard work. The house is really starting to come together!

Hopefully I'll start posting more regularly. I know this is a hodge-podge post that is all over the place...but it's been awhile since I posted last.

Cheers!

Road to a new (ms. fit) body

Well, today we do 1-rep maxes at the gym to test my strength and set a great off-season training plan. Some things I need to work on during 2009 to bring my best 'me' to the stage in 2010 are: creating a more defined V-taper, bringing out my front abdominals with a lot more weighted ab work, less side oblique work (especially anything using weights), more quad development, and more bicep development. Then when I get to contest prep mode I will increase my HIIT and interval training and diet out longer (16 weeks as opposed to 12 weeks). Hopefully all of this will help me bring an even better overall package to the stage in 2010 and help me get my Ms. Fit Body pro card. Now, the training plan may slightly change depending on contest dates. It all depends on what contests are planned in the area (don't want to have to spend the money to travel if I don't have to) and which ones offer a pro card. I only plan to compete 2x in 2010.

If you see me, don't forget to ask for a Tight Curves sample (if you are a woman, that is). I have some protein packets to offer up if interested.

Well, back to the grind!

I think I've 'figured' it out!

Hi Everyone,
Well, another contest come and gone. I cannot believe I've finished my 2nd contest of the year already. It seems just yesterday I was starting my pre-contest diet and here I sit retaining water and in sugar-shock from all the bad foods I've eaten the past 2 days! Luckily I'm already cleaning up the diet and ready to take a full year off to hopefully make some great gains to a better me for 2010!

I competed this past Saturday in the 2009 INBF Wisconsin Natural Bodybuilding & Figure Championships held in Madison, WI. It's hosted by Ford's Gym and is always a great show! The figure division had 21 competitors and I was in the tall class. The tall class had the toughest competition by far. I came in better conditioned and with more muscle mass than before and truly felt that I rocked the stage with both my posing and t-walk. I ended up placing 2nd to a VERY tall woman who was also a LOT skinnier than I. I am lean, but not skinny as I have plenty 'o muscle mass. At first I was disappointed. But today I received a very lengthy email from one of the judges saying that I have nothing to be ashamed of and that my placing had nothing to do with the shape that I was in. She said that, in fact, I was almost too conditioned in muscle tone, etc. She said that the judges all agree that my muscle definition would be 'wasted' in figure and that the Ms. Fit Body division is much better suited for me. She said that she knows if I work hard at it that I'll definitely be on that pro stage after the spring of 2010! So that was all good to hear.

So, I will be working with my coach this week on my training plan for the next year. We will be splitting up my training sessions into 8-week periodized sessions. I will be trying to add even a bit more lean muscle mass and do a few trial contest preps throughout the year to see how my body reacts to different 'diets.' I've been doing mostly keto for the past 2 shows but we are going to try a more steady carb diet once, another keto, and then do some fake contest preps where we do different kinds of water manipulation.

I have to thank Tight Curves again for sponsoring me in my contest prep. I couldn't have done it without it! I also would like to thank Siouxcountry.com. It's a great community for female competitors. If you are one or enjoy just watching the sport, log on and check it out.

Finally, thanks to Jon, my one and only!!! Thanks to my coach, Mike. My sister Victoria. My figure friend, Amber. My family and friends. My two gyms: Anytime Fitness and Supreme Health and Fitness. My friend, Shana, for allowing me the use of yet another one of her posing suits. My friend Kristin for my make-up. And to Brenda Rahe...for being such an inspiration and great human being!

2009 INBF Central USA BB & Figure Challenge

Hi All!

Well, I competed in the 2009 INBF Central USA Bodybuilding & Figure Challenge put on by WNBF Pro Brenda Rahe. This inagural event was held in Sheboygan, WI and was a great show. I competed in two separate categories: Figure (Tall class) and Ms. Fit Body (Tall class). I placed first in both of my classes and took the overall in the Ms. Fit Body category. Needless to say, it was a great day! I had so many friends and family that came up to watch and cheer me on. I had a great contest prep coach as well. I couldn't be more lucky. To top it off, I have a great support system through siouxcountry.com. This site is for female bodybuilders, fitness, figure, and bikini competitors. Plus, I've been sponsored by a great company: Tight Curves and BodyWell Nutrition. I couldn't have done it without them either as they helped out with my supplements for my contest prep. I'm blessed. You can learn more about Tight Curves at http://www.tightcurves.net/. If you are interested in their products at all, just shoot me a message and I'll hook you up with a sample. You can also find them on Facebook. Just search 'Tight Curves.' They are excellent supplements for women.

I will compete again on April 25, 2009 at the 2009 INBF Wisconsin Natural Bodybuilding & Figure Championships in Madison, WI at Monona Grove High School. Pre-juding is at 1pm and Finals is at 6pm. Come on out and watch...you can buy tickets at the door. Tight Curves sponsored me a second time so I'm lucky for that. I'll be sure to get my picture taken in my Tight Curves shirt as well as my Siouxcounty shirt and post some pictures.

Finally, I've posted some pictures below from my contest day. I have to thank some special people before I do that: 1) my sister Victoria - she helps me out backstage on contest days, 2) Mike - my coach, I couldn't have done it without him this past go-around, 3) Amber - for being a figure partner in crime, 4) My dear friend Kristin...for always doing my make-up and making it to my contests, and 5) the love of my life, Jon - he always supports me in everything I do...even when I drive him nutso in the process.

Well, time to get back to work. I'm going to ensure I get on here more often.

New to blogging...and competing

I 'blog' on a bodybuilding website and once in awhile on MySpace. But since I'd like to keep my family and friends up-to-date on what is going on, I thought a more accessible blog would be a good thing. I know my family worried about me this last go around for the show I did in April because I lost so much weight drastically. I know they were worried that I was being unhealthy. So I think this is a good way for them to follow along to see that I'm not doing anything to myself that is hurting me.

I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Julia Wold. I reside in Madison, WI. I'm 30 years old, about 5'9ish and weigh in 'around' 150. I say 'around' because for people who compete in bodybuilding, figure, and fitness, we have an off-season weight and an in-season weight. So, my off-season weight is somewhere around 150 and my in-season weight is 140.

I just started competing in Figure Competitions. I did my first contest in 7 years on April 26, 2008 at the 2008 Wisconsin Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Championships at Monona Grove High School in Madison, WI. It is an INBF event. The overall winners in each category receive their WNBF Pro-cards. I competed in the Women's Tall Figure Class. I placed 3rd out of 6 girls. There was some stiff competition, let me tell you.

Preparing for this first show was extremely difficult as I had let myself cap out at 173 on December 1, 2007. I first decided to lose weight because my boyfriend of 2 years, Jon, and I were going to Key West for a wedding. When we left for Key West on January 31, 2008, I was down to about 163. After we got back, I started contemplating doing the contest as I had received the registration flyer in the mail. (I was still getting contest flyers from my days as a personal trainer.) On March 7 I made the decision to compete. I sent in my registration, ordered my posing suit and shoes, and the rest is history. But I had to diet down a lot harder than many of the gals did (not to discredit any of their hard work) because I was holding a lot more fat and body weight.

Jon did a fabulous job of putting up with my crankiness, mood swings, food cravings, etc. through this whole process. He literally should be considered for saint hood after it all. Not only that, he had to deal with my food binging afterwards when I got edema because I ate too much and was retaining water and when I started feeling sorry for myself when I started putting on weight (which was bound to happen). He took it like a champ when I told him I would compete again in October of this year.

I plan on competing in 2 shows in October of this year. It all depends on when the 2008 Midwest Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Championships fall. It's basically the same show I just competed in. When I find out the exact date of that show, I can than pick another show. I would like to pick one that is a NPC show to see how I fair. It will be interesting to see the differences in the body types the judges are looking for.

Well, I think that is all I will blog for my first entry. Now that you know a little bit about me, stay tuned for more on my contest prep over the next 5 1/2 months.