New website

My new website is up and running and I continue this blog there because I think it’s better to keep everything in one place.

Check out my website where you can read about me, get the latest news and competition results, see pictures from workouts, competitions and photoshoots and of course read my new blog:

http://www.tamaramakar.me

 

See you all there!

Reflection

Ok, so it’s been more than a week now, things have kind of cleared up in my head. 

It was a great experience to be on stage but boy was I nervous? 🙂 I didn’t know whether I was coming or going… Now I can say that even though you think you know what you’re doing it’s actually not the case when you’re on stage and you got all the lights shining on you. I know I need to practice the compulsory poses more because I was so nervous I just couldn’t hit them properly – well, not all of them. So now a few times a week I still practice posing after the workout. Oh and my routine! Well, I think I will change that, too. I actually have a different music on my mind. 

I was watching the Olympia over the weekend and I loved some of the routines, I need to incorporate a few movements into mine I think. Oh, and before I go on I just would like to say that I am so pleased that finally Phil Heath won the Olympia! He deserves it big time! My favourite girl Alina Popa came 5th which is awesome at the first Olympia, and Brigita Brezovac   finished 3rd which is a great achievement – congratulations to all of them.  It was funny to see how the other girls were concerned about Alina and Brigita just swept everyone away!

So, 5 more weeks until the British and I need some improvements. I need to tighten up my gluts and my lower back and it seems like almost an impossible job to do. I’m seeing Harold later on this week, probably he’ll change my diet again to achieve the target weight. I really would like to bring the ‘total package’ on stage in Nottingham but as this is my first proper diet down to this extent it looks like it takes longer than expected. Well, once it’s gone from all the areas I will not let it come back again, that’s for sure (we all say that, don’t we? 🙂

I had a very nice ‘cheat day’ on Monday after the competition. I had some nice protein cookies, had breakfast at Patisserie Valerie with a nice cup of coffee – with milk, and had some popcorn in the cinema with some ice cream. And then back on the diet from Tuesday – no biggie, anyone could do it… 🙂

Booked the hotel for Nottingham last weekend – just to make sure I will not change my mind in the coming 5 weeks. This is gonna be a great competition with some very good athletes on stage. Guys, who is coming?

 

Tamara x

 

I am Miss Wales YAY!!!!!!!

Just a quick note to let you guys know that I am Miss Wales and through to the British! 

I’m gonna have my cakes and ‘normal food’ today, but I can’t wait to get back on the diet from tomorrow because there are some areas where I need to improve in the next 5 weeks when I stand on stage at the British. This competition was a huge motivation. 

I’m off now for my cake breakfast 🙂 but I will be back later hopefully with pictures to post as well.

Enjoy your day and check back tonight! x

So the final day is here…

…and I can’t believe it! I feel fine, a bit tired, but I don’t feel it much at the moment as the adrenaline keeps me going. Hair is done, another coat of tan tonight and the final one tomorrow. I’m all packed, just cooking my meals for the rest of today and tomorrow. Carbing up now, looking much better than yesterday. The muscles are getting fuller, although far from full yet. 

Did some shopping yesterday for the final 2 days and I also picked up 2-3 things for after the show! It’s in my naughty bag in the car, can’t touch it until tomorrow night, but I can’t wait. It’ll be nice to have a nice steak after pre-judging, just to eat something other than turkey and rice. Although I don’t mind what I’m eating as long as it’s enough and I’m not starving – which hasn’t been the case in the last 6-8 weeks lol 

It’s been a very exciting time and I look forward to finishing it off the best I can. I have a plan A and a plan B.

Plan A: if I qualify then  obviously I’m getting ready for the British, which is end of October, a better and tighter physique for that competition, I will have another 6 weeks to achieve that. After that I will  probably take 1-2 weeks off and might even go away to rest a little bit.

Plan B: if I don’t qualify then I will take some time off now, no training for 1-2 weeks to recharge my body and then back to it to get bigger and better. 

Either way it’s been an experience to go through all this, all the dieting, the tiredness, the sleepless nights, but I don’t say it as a negative. I think it has changed me, I have a different outlook on life now. We tend to go through life without appreciating small things in it, but every day is a new day and it brings new joy and challenges. Even if things don’t go the way you plan you should remember that when one door closes another one opens. 

I’m off now, will be back on Monday to let you guys know how it all went. Hopefully I will have pictures to upload, too.

Have a great weekend, I will that’s for sure 🙂 x

Mohooondaaaay! :-)

Well, the last week has finally come, only a few more days now! 

For a low day I had a surprisingly high energy level today, cardio in the morning went reasonably quick, the training session was good, didn’t feel tired, then cardio again and I even got to practice my routine – and actually kind of finish it off finally. I will still need to practice it a few more times because I want to make it ‘mine’ 🙂 I need to be able to do it when I’m nervous on stage and for me the only way to be able to do that is by practicing it over and over again. I play the piano and whenever I had an exam – well at the end of every school year really, we had to do an exam and play a song in front of an audience, usually the parents and family of the others, but still many people. I practiced the song so many times, over and over again that even if I made a mistake I could just skip it and continue so that no-one realized what happened.

A friend of mine visited me on Saturday and we had a great time. I haven’t really been in touch with anyone during the prep and it was nice to meet and spend some time with someone. He also competed before and we had a great laugh at his stories. He gave me quite a bit of motivation, a real kick! It’d be great if he could make it to the competition… but I don’t think many people will come and support – and I don’t expect them to either. Wales is a bit far away, 2-3 hrs from London by car, and besides it’s on a Sunday and most people have to go to work on Monday – not me though, not on the 12th 🙂

This last week is actually more exciting than I thought. Maybe because this is my first competition, but I enjoy the way I look, even though it’d be great to eat, but I couldn’t cheat now. It just wouldn’t feel right and I would have such a bad consciousness after cheating – maybe that’s why I never cheated on my diet. It’ll be nice to eat after the competition, and depending on whether I qualify to the British or not on Monday and Tuesday as well. If I qualify I will have 2 days to eat and then I will have to get back to my diet again for another 6 weeks. If I don’t qualify however I will probably eat a lot on Monday and I will go back on my clean eating on Tuesday and have a cheat day on Sundays as I used to do. I will post pictures of the food I’m gonna destroy on Monday! I hope I will be able to eat, but probably not a lot as my stomach must have shrunk to a size of a peanut lol

Tomorrow I’m training arms, then back with Harold in the Forest, and on Thursday I will have a whole body workout for a pump and that’s it! Done! I don’t even know what I’m gonna do on Friday lol when no training and cardio I will be confused with all that time on my hands! Might go to the gym to use the sauna on Friday, that would also help with the dehydration process. And then on Saturday I will pack, get my hair done and leave probably around lunchtime for Wales. Booked a room not far from the venue, but probably won’t get a lot of sleep. Would have been great if a friend could’ve come with me to keep me company, but I’ve been doing this prep on my own and I don’t mind my own company, although this is gonna be one of those moments that you might want to share with someone… Anyone wanna come with me??? 🙂

Time for bed now, tomorrow is another day, one day less!

x

10 days to go :-) Yuppeeeeeee!

I can’t believe it’s Thursday! That means it’s only 10 days to go now! I’m really excited – and strangely I’m feeling OK today! Got my instructions from BigH for the next week and yesss, it’s a COUNTDOWN! Carbs are very minimal, protein is less, too, but I will have a high day on Saturday – I really look forward to that! Then another few low days, seeing BigH on Wednesday again and Thursday is my last training day!!!! Yay!!! It’s really exciting! Not sure how I will survive, but it’s very exciting LOL

I was training with the big man yesterday and he even made me smile! I really like his company, we have a laugh while training, and at least I don’t have to push myself, he does it for me 😉 

I have booked the hotel for Port Talbot. I didn’t want to go there on Saturday, but Karen advised that she’d tan me up there on Saturday, so I thought I might as well go down there the day before, so it’s not a rush on Sunday. Although this also means that John will only join me on Sunday, so I will have to drive down there on my own on Saturday and he’ll do the same on Sunday… Oh well, we’ll go together to the British – if I qualify! 

Anyway, gotta get ready for work now. Last day at work until after the competition, so at least I can rest next week – as much as I will rest between trainings, cv and practicing my posing over and over again.

I’ll pick up my bikinis from the post office today on the way to my first appointment. They came yesterday, but I wasn’t in. Can’t wait to see them and try them on. I’m a bit worried that I will still lose weight – which I will in the last few days, and they won’t fit properly, but we’ll see next week.

OK, gotta go now, but I’m very excited that I’ve got so far and I really look forward to next weekend now!

Mwah xxx 

Saturday – yay!

What a great day! I haven’t been doing anything in the last 2 days, I think it’s because of the weather. The diet itself is challenging, but when it’s raining outside I don’t feel like going out anyway – whether i’m dieting or not. But today, finally the sun is out (a little bit) and I feel better! Still tired, but at least I feel like I want to go out and do my shopping! I think I’m just gonna do that! 

Yesterday while I was doing my cardio in the gym I was thinking about having a sandwich…I don’t know where that came from, but all I could think about is a nice crusty roll with butter on it and honey, or some nice chicken portion. Even a meal at Subway seems like a nice change…oh well, only 15 days now! Soon I will start making that list what I want to eat after the competition. Definitely some fruits. I really miss my grapes and strawberries…and cherries…

Anyway, weight is dropping finally so I hope H is happy. I’ll see him next Wednesday, I really look forward to that because that also means I’m entering the last phases of the prep. Can’t wait for the high-high carb day but I don’t look forward to the dehydration… But it’s gotta be done so bring it on! 

These last few days are probably the worse! You just want it to be over, finally feel some energy, eat a little bit something else other than your strict diet, but generally just to feel better, really. I don’t want to feel this lethargic, tired, not even that hungry just no mood or energy for anything… I can’t wait this state to end. When I first thought I should compete the diet was the main thing I was scared of the most, but now I know I can do the diet thing, but dealing with this tiredness is something else.

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend everyone x

16 days

Finally another day is over! Today was a very challenging one at work, got home reasonably late and I felt really tired so I had to take a nap before gym. And today was a high carb day! 

Trained arms tonight. I actually like training a bit lighter nowadays! I haven’t got the energy to lift heavy anymore and I don’t want to either. I have to be careful because I don’t have much fat or water in my body anymore and I’m more prone to injuries. I have tennis elbow in my left arm anyway, but I have to say it’s getting much better now. Even though I don’t lift heavy but it doesn’t disturb me anymore in my training – apart from when I’m training biceps that is… I still feel it when I train bis so there’s just so many exercises I can do, but I hope it’s gonna get better after this competition and I can train properly to get ready for the next one.

I’m off work tomorrow – yay! Training legs, probably only in Hayes, i don’t think I will drive down to Windsor. I can’t train legs heavy either anymore anyway.

Ok, I’m going to bed now, need my beauty sleep 🙂

Tamara x

3 weeks

OH I love Sundays! It’s my only day off gym, no cardio either, just rest and growing 🙂 And this is a high carb day, too, which means I’m gonna be off for some shopping, then some cleaning, maybe even a walk if it’s not raining, and some rest. Need to get my food prepared for next week, too. So far my high carb days have always been on Sundays but with the new plan I’ll have a high carb day every 4th day, which means that I will get to train on a high carb day, too and I really look forward to that! It’s gonna be nice to have some energy finally when I get to the gym! 🙂

Just making some Angus burgers with salad in the George Foreman, i really love some different taste. Different as in from chicken/tuna and rice. For breakfast I had a roll and egg whites, not the usual porridge and protein. Only 3 weeks to go, which is not a lot to say: 3 WEEKS, but when you think about 21 DAYS…. that’s still a lot to go, so I need to make some different varieties in food so that I don’t get fed up with it before the big day!

I have placed an order at Avidlite for sugarfree sweets. I have used them before but I thought that off season it’s actually ‘healthier’ to eat proper sweets because you never know what’s in these ‘healthier’ options. No sugar, no this, no that, but they must put something in it so that it tastes like that…

I’ve spoken to my friend John, who has been training with me and going through all this with me – well, whenever he’s around and I can’t even blame him for not being around a lot lately lol In the next week or so I will prepare a list what I would like to eat after the competition and I asked him to get them, hide them and take them with us to Wales, and once I’m done just give them to me so that I can snack… I really miss fruits from my diet. I remember off season I used to get an apple or a banana between meals when I felt hungry, but I haven’t had any fruits for 11 weeks now, which is a long time. When I pass a green-grocers I always look at the strawberries, grapes, cherries… My favourite ‘shake’ was a protein smoothie before bed, made with frozen fruits, water and strawberry or vanilla protein mixed together. It was like ice cream!  I think I’m gonna make something similar from the 2 bananas that i’m allowed to have today… You see, the little nice things of life… 🙂

Apparently most of you guys who read my blog get here through Facebook… why don’t you leave me a message or a feedback on here so that I know who you are and what you think of my blog? 

I know I have really low tolerance for bullshit nowadays that’s why I don’t really go to Facebook that much anymore. Sometimes I check in to see what’s new, but I dont’ want to read any silly things and I’m not interested in anybody else… sorry guys, I know I’m being selfish now but that’s the thing: I have to so that I don’t get distracted.  I get far too many messages on FB telling me that they have something to say, new announcement on their walls etc etc Sorry guys, I don’t send anyone a message saying: oh it’s only so and so days to go. I think these people haven’t got a life, maybe this is what they need.

And the other thing that drives me up the wall is the amount of people cannot spell on Facebook – yet they all put up their stupid statuses on their walls. Is it only me or does that annoy anybody else, too? I mean, is it that difficult to check it with a spell checker before you put it up? 

Anyway, moaning time is over. That’s the low carbs lol sorry about that.

I’m back at work tomorrow. It will be a bit difficult especially as I’m in the office so I won’t be able to take a nap if I get really tired. When I’m out and about visiting clients sometimes I nod off for 15-20 mins in the car between appointments if i need that to keep me going. Shhh, don’t tell my boss 🙂

Days are quite different and I don’t usually know what makes a difference. Sometimes I’m really tired and lethargic, even after a meal, and on other days I’m fine the whole day, even without resting. Our body is so strange and wonderful at the same time, and so unpredictable. Even though i’m having a high carb day I gotta say I feel tired so probably i will take a nap shortly.

Anyway, enough of rumbling on. Back to business tomorrow, I just can’t wait for the days to pass and get closer to the 11th September. It’s like waiting for Christmas 🙂

Have a good day everyone x

22 days

Yep, another day is gone, slowly but surely… Today I was training legs and it was very challenging. I started getting muscle cramps – I never had cramps before. Maybe  need to drink more water. I haven’t been drinking enough today, that’s true.

After training legs I did another 30 mins cv in the gym, then practiced my routine and when I got home I did another 30 mins cv at home on my bike. 

Got my new diet plan from H. Well, not a lot to eat anymore lol Carbs are the same, but dropped protein a bit, and now I have 3 low carb days then 1 high, so I guess it’s not too bad, although the low days are really low now. Need to step up cv to 2 hours a day now and squeeze in another hour whenever I can. There’s not much left to lose, but I need to be ripped for the first time… And besides the better I look at the Welsh the less I have to do for the British 🙂

Anyway, here is a pic from 12 weeks out.  Seems like it was ages ago… well it was actually, it’s more than 2 months ago… oh the old days LOL

I really look forward to the last week now when I will see what i’ll look like on stage, and not to mention the last few days when I know that this dieting is gonna be over – well, for another day or so…

Have a lovely weekend everyone x