How’s it going ladies and gents! Today we are excited to share our client and friend, Paola Vargas’s 18 week Bikini Prep Journey. Paola first came to us using the good ole “Bro Methods” when it comes to contest prep. Paola’s first show was very rough physically, mentally, and emotionally the way her coach prepped her. Some of the horrific practices that were recommended were:
– Restrictive dieting
– Excessive amounts of cardio
– Light weight lifting with no progressive overload
– Depleting sodium and water
We are all about health first when it comes to prepping our clients. We knew with some structure, world class guidance, science, and accountability Paola would flourish! So we set her up using flexible dieting for her daily nutrition, programmed her a properly periodized strength training protocol that emphasized Glute Training and heavy lifting based around Squats, Deadlifts, and Bench Press, strategically implemented cardio throughout her 18 week dieting phase, and she ended up doing very well in her Bikini Show.
Week 1-
130 lbs.
1,700 calories
Waist circumference 29 inches
Week 18-
112 lbs.
1,200 calories
Waist circumference 25 inches
We like to show these stats because too often we see misleading information about weight loss or contest prep success stories. The moral of Paola’s story is she lost a significant amount of body fat, maintained lean body mass, and never had to deprive herself from foods she enjoyed during her prep. Paola could have certainly been a bit leaner but time wasn’t on our side and we did the best we could with 18 weeks to bring here in healthy and able to compete. She accomplished her goals without making her life miserable and was very content with her overall prep experience. Another highlight was Paola demonstrated to the other women in her country that you can prep with using Flexible Dieting and Lifting Heavy, it doesn’t have to be a miserable experience. In her country there is a lot of dogma and old school methods when it comes to contest prep.
We’re extremely proud of Paola and it’s been an honor coaching her and being a part of her journey.
See what Paola has to say about her 18 week Prep Journey …
After training for some years by myself (because before I had not found a trainer capable of guiding me instead of just telling me what to do with no explanation) I knew that if I wanted to better with my performance and aesthetics, it was time to let myself be guided by someone with more knowledge. In that search, while reading articles about flexible dieting and periodized training I found DDT.
My journey with the team started after gaining a free month nutrition program through their FB page, which was a blessing for me. Before that, I used to follow them and to read their articles that are always very educational, but I was still a bit doubtful about investing in their services (first time I would invest in a trainer!!) Until then I had only met trainers that use to impose a training and nutrition protocol which usually is unsustainable for long term purposes because it usually consisted of a very restrictive diet, light training and lots of cardio before contest and even worse, dehydration with diuretics, and sauna. Nevertheless, after the first month had passed, and after all the education I received from them, I knew that with them, I knew I was doing things the correct way.
The pre contest period began for me. Having competed one time before, I wanted to be able to achieve the same or better result without so much sacrifice, because I know my health should always first.
I must confess that my contest preparation was a surprise for me and everybody around me at that time, because I kept lifting heavy ass weights! I was allowed to eat chocolate and other foods I had being depriving myself for years, and even though I was performing little cardio, I was still losing weight!!
Certainly, the pre contest phase was hard the last days, physically and emotionally, (everybody around me preparing for contest was following very restrictive diets, lots of cardio and using diuretics) but I always had my coach alongside of me, encouraging me, teaching me, answering every single doubt, and I must say, he was the only one that believed in me at that time.
The day of contest arrived, and there was my coach, insisting I had to eat!! LOL even though my opposition to do so because my first contest I hadn’t eaten the day of contest.
So, I have to say THANK U and THANK U again Coach Eric! You have taught me the healthiest way to achieve my aesthetics and performance goals.
-Paola Vargas
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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES AND HOW WE CAN DESIGN YOU A PROPERLY PERIODIZED TRAINING PROTOCOL AND PROPER NUTRITION PROGRAM AROUND YOUR GOALS, SCHEDULE, PREFERENCES, ETC. PLEASE VISIT US HERE OR CONTACT US HERE FOR A FREE PHONE CONSULTATION.