How Krista Avoids the YO-YO Effect

Krista 2 weeks POST CONTEST - 5 lbs up from contest weight

QU: "Krista, Everyone talks about the YO YO thing, but it seems like you don't have to lose much weight to get into contest shape compared to the average bodybuilder."

AN: Well it's true and not true.

Here's why. I don't change my weight (BF% yes, weight no) much when preparing for a contest. I typically lose about 5-10 lbs depending on the weight class I am aiming for.


"Normal" Krista - 142 lbs


"Contest" Krista - 138 lbs

This contest we went heavyweight (over 125) so the goal was to retain as much muscle as possible while getting lean (very lean). And we did.

HOWEVER... the final days I drop ALOT of weight from drying out. It's water and some carbs (from depleting glycogen or going very low carb for a few days).

I drop about 8-10 lbs the final 5 days before I hit the stage. About 8 lbs is water and the other few pounds are glycogen.

Knowlege is power. KNOWING that the weight you are on contest day is not "real" helps you manage the gain that will come the days after the contest when you drink and eat a healthy LE diet again.


Dry & shredded on stage at 132 lbs

Example:

10 days out - 142
5 days out - 138
Contest day - 131.8
2 days post contest - 135
1 week post contest - 139

What I weight 1 week out, I am to weigh again 1 week after.

The bigger someone is (say a 225 lb male bodybuilder), he can expect to gain MORE absolute weight but it's about the same relative. He may gain 25 lbs after contest (which is about the same as my 10 lbs). But it's all the OTHER ways one can gain / lose weight other than body fat.

For example, I was about 5% body fat on stage (July 19th) and today, 1 month later, I am about 8% body fat and 142 lbs.

So I have only gained a bit of body fat back.

And trust me I DO NOT want to be 5% all the time. Even 8% is a bit too lean for my liking.

So there's some "Insider's Secrets" for you.

I have also learned that I an not the typical bodybuilder, if there even is such a thing ;-)

5 Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid

5 WEIGHT LOSS MISTAKES TO AVOID
Women's Running Magazine

by Krista Schaus (me) and Dr. John Berardi

Dr. John Berardi and Krista Schaus are part of the Precision Nutrition team, a group of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle professionals helping people lose fat, build lean bodies and improve their performance. To gather more weight-loss tips, check out their free online, five-day video course for women at precisionnutrition.com/fat-loss-for-women.



LIFT TO LOSE

The Soul of a Lifter is born - 8 years old

I was so proud of my son picking up 5 lb DB's yesterday and asking me if he could lift them. HELL YES!!

I taught him to do DB Curls and Shoulder Presses and also taught him to slow down the movement, control the form (create tension) and take rest between sets.

He is hooked. His Soul of a Lifter is very happy and it's just the beginning.

"Keep lifting" Zanden!

I Saw A Miracle...

I Saw A Miracle This Week
Gino Arcaro
Author, Soul of A Lifter

One of my mentors, coaches, colleagues & friends

Actually, two. I saw two miracles this week. My granddaughter Violet is 11 months old. Yesterday, she walked up to my 5 lb. barrel of protein powder. She grabbed the handle and deadlifted it. The barrel was empty but heavy is relative. On her second rep, she broke out in the biggest smile I have ever witnessed in my life. And she kept smiling during her 3rd rep and 4th rep and 5th rep.

For her second set, she pushed it like a blocking sled, driving it across the floor for 10 yards, cheering herself on. Her third set was the toughest – upright rows. Four reps. Strict form, no cheating. Under control, she put it back on floor. She didn’t slam it, drop it, or smash it to the ground. No, she put it down under control. Even an infant knows the positives of the negative rep – lower the weight under control, don’t slam it to the ground endangering yourself and everyone around you.

Then, the adrenaline rush. Clapping her hands, waving her arms…the baby pump, that magical feeling when the switch goes on and all is well in the world.
Thirty minutes later, we went to the park. I witnessed another miracle. Violet sprinted the equivalent of two football fields. Smiling, cheering, waving wildly…poor arm form, questionable stride length but here’s the miracle part – she never quit. Never made excuses. Never whined, never complained. Never mouthed off, no intolerable attitude. No sense of entitlement, not a hint of laziness. She finished her wind sprints happier than when she started them.

I have been blessed to have coached thousands of student-athletes, blessed to have taught thousands of wannabe cops, blessed to have seen some amazing performances but I have never seen anything like Violet’s workout. Less than one year on planet Earth and already passionate above lifting and running. I thank God Almighty for the miracle of cell phone cameras so I can replay it over and over and over. Reps of pure joy.

I have devoted my entire adult life urging other peoples’ children to lift and run and play hard. I have pleaded with them to not waste their gifts…to unleash everything they have, to not bury their talents. And I have pleaded with them to love it…pleaded with them to embrace their blessings of great health and to love lifting and love running and love playing hard together. Some listened, some didn’t.
I’m still dedicating my life to those things but now I’m adding one more – I’m devoting every ounce of energy I’ve got to make sure that Violet never loses her passion for lifting hard and running hard, never stops smiling, laughing, and waving her arms wildly, never buries her gifts and talents, never falls under the influence of gloom, doom, and negativity, and most of all…never loses her soul of a lifter.

Keep lifting Violet…lift as many souls as you can, every minute, every day. Never stop lifting, Violet.

I am reading Soul of a Lifter right now... I can't put it down. I now know myself better and my conflicts through much of my lift... not a conflict at all... just the Soul of a Lifter.

Gino will be speaking at the next LE Gathering the weekend of November 19th in Huntington Beach California. He is an impactful speaker... forever changed by his words and his influence.

The Vanity Thread

Inspired by Christina Aguilera's song VANITY, some of my Lean Eating ladies are getting VAIN themselves!

Show off your stuff ladies! Thanks Jen for kicking it off!