Zara-Leoni's New Competition Journal

Sooo.... I have an old journal in here but I've not posted in it for a very long time. It documented my very first show in 2007 onwards, but I've been away a while, changed a lot, and I feel its time for a new one.

I did an interview a week ago that has some info about my offseason and training and such like here, saves me re-writing it all:

http://muscle-munch.com/i...r-zara-leoni-ford.html

This year I am dieting under the guidance of IFBB Pro James Llewellin. I can honestly say this is different to any other diet I have ever done... I have loads of energy and am not struggling or craving anything at all. I obviously wont go into any details regarding what he has me doing but suffice to say its working so far and I am delighted.

Currently I'm 10 stone. I've not put a firm date on which show I am doing as I dont mind travelling and want to be spot on, I wont be getting on stage until I am.

I've got a fair bit to lose and I had 3 months off training at the end of the year due to injury issues but despite that I've still improved size and shape wise from where you guys probably saw me last. I'm currently undergoing weekly treatments for my injuries but am allowed to train normally.

Thats it really. Here's a photo from tonight in the gym.... underneath it all is a slim girl trying to get out....

Yay ! Will be reading with interest

Great to hear your diet going well.. there really is no need to kill yourself to diet.. yes it's hard work but it doesn't have to be pure hell all of the time !

You've packed on quite a bit of muscle recently! Cracking calves, great back thickness and awesome delts.

Hey there....looking forward to reading your journal....good luck with everything...

Welcome back Z, all the best.

Looking good, all the best with the prep

Good luck Zara (LittleChris from UKM)    

Chrisla


Good luck Zara (LittleChris from UKM)    

Oh hiya mate... didn't know you were here.... thats good, you were one of the good uns

Welshy


Yay ! Will be reading with interest

Great to hear your diet going well.. there really is no need to kill yourself to diet.. yes it's hard work but it doesn't have to be pure hell all of the time !

You've packed on quite a bit of muscle recently! Cracking calves, great back thickness and awesome delts.

Hiya sweetie Thanks for the compliments! As you and pretty much everyone knows by now I dont train legs and never have done HOWEVER...... am intending incorporating some leg extensions into my training as my glutes/hams have been helped along by DL (see below) and I dont want quads to look unbalanced. My legs grow like blooming weeds though... cardio makes them grow, in fact, sitting on the sofa does too pmsl!

I took up deadlifting about 5 months before I stopped training altogether last year. Went from struggling to get 60kg off the ground to 1RM of 120kg in 5 months but actually only about 15 deadlifting sessions in that time. Then training went intermittent and I didnt DL, then a while later stopped training altogether from Oct-Jan. I did make a difference to my back, however my first back session since I started back training will be this week (this is where my injury's are and I've not been allowed to train it til now) and just you watch this space!!!

I'll say too I think DL has helped my glutes and hamstrings as well.

My delts are (or were) IMO my weakest area and hardest to grow... so its nice to hear comment on them

I honestly have no troubles with this diet. Had had no cheat or refeed for 3 weeks and been on zero carbs with keto. This morning checked in with weight, knowing the plan was for refeed tonight. This evening at gym got a message saying not clean refeed, have a cheat.... I went "Yay!" then promptly forgot. Left the gym and went to Tesco. Walking round trying to remember everything I needed and halfway round went "OH! Cheat food....."

Now THAT is not like me.... normally I'm chewing the wallpaper and counting down the minutes til my next serving of carbs or cheat food! And do you know the first things I put in my basket? Fruit and smoothies! This is a fricking great diet chick.... I'm feeling perfect, energetic, no mental stress over food/energy etc... never thought dieting could be like this

Northerngal


Hey there....looking forward to reading your journal....good luck with everything...

Thanks chick

Oh yeah...... cos of my lardy arse though.... my fasted cardio is doubled as of tomorrow morning... thank god I've been recording all my favorite programmes and have a treadmill in the livingroom

I should point out maybe too..... I am never normally this lardy offseason. When I had so much pain last year and stopped training regularly then stopped altogether (plus also had a few personal issues that were playing hell with me head) I found I had no motivation to eat properly so I wasn't even eating a quarter of my daily protein required, and I ate a lot of rubbish. My diet was 100% off track for about 6 months and as a result I put on over a stone. In that picture above, I am at least half a stone over my normal offseason weight. I dont believe in getting fat offseason. Get a good covering yes, but I'm carrying a LOT of water and useless fat just now!

IN

hey zara, all the best with this.

RACK


IN

Alright duck face?

Incredible Bulk


hey zara, all the best with this.

What the prep or the journal.... Oh hang on this is MT you must mean the prep....

Course I'm alright, I'm still pouting
 

Attached Image(s)

RACK


Course I'm alright, I'm still pouting
 

All is right with the world in that case

HAHA.  Good to see a journal on here from you Zar.  I know it won't be going the same way as the other one.

Sounds like all is going well with James L too

Ever thought of throwing in a bit of cissus to help with the back problems, works a treat on my niggles.

Still can't believe you hardly touch your legs, mind similar boat with mine, legs are a doddle it's my upper half that requires most of the attention.

Anyway gl with the new season, good to know keto is working well, refeeds are once pw for me as im active with work, so will speed the muscle off if im not careful with me diet.

huxley


Ever thought of throwing in a bit of cissus to help with the back problems, works a treat on my niggles.

Still can't believe you hardly touch your legs, mind similar boat with mine, legs are a doddle it's my upper half that requires most of the attention.

Anyway gl with the new season, good to know keto is working well, refeeds are once pw for me as im active with work, so will speed the muscle off if im not careful with me diet.

Back problem isn't so easily fixed. I have a tilted and rotated pelvis gone undetected for many years so now as a result have one leg longer than the other (which will get corrected), a curvature of the spine and fairly severe nerve problems in my neck and right arm.  Plus some very painful shoulder muscle problems. All of which links back to the pelvis problem so basically been taking painkillers, anti inflammatorys etc for years (diclofenac, dihydrocodeine, tramadol etc) and they barely help at all now. All is in hand now though, getting treatment to release, realign and repair everything

Minor probs though.... am made of tougher stuff me

RACK


HAHA.  Good to see a journal on here from you Zar.  I know it won't be going the same way as the other one.

Sounds like all is going well with James L too

Thankfully J..... that other one was a joke at times with the comments etc!

Aye all is going well.... he's very easy to get along with so its easy to be honest with him and he tells you straight but nicely. All good mate

Hows your prep coming on? Not being an ignorant dufus by not having been in your journal yet, just struggling a bit with time at the mo..... x

PS: Just got a good joke.... forward u it now