Lean Bodies - Noel Clark

Nationals are HERE!

AUTiger — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:21:46 +0000

Well, we are only a few days away from the final show of the year. Erik just arrived in town and we will be heading to the gym later for my final workout soon. Things are all falling into to place: nails done, tanner arrived (thank you Tammy Pies) and now my coach is here :). We have a lot of people coming out to the show from both the Lean Bodies Fitness Forum as well as Lean Bodies Consulting clients. I just want to say thanks for all the support and well wishes that I have gotten from everyone. It means a lot to me! We will be taking a ton of pics through out the weekend and I look forward to meeting a lot of new people!

10 days out from Figure Nationals

AUTiger — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:23:46 +0000

This is probably the hardest and easiest part of contest prep. Yeah, I know, doesn’t make much sense. When you only have 10 more days you think ” I can do anything for 10 days, this is going to be a cake walk” BUT you are also ‘feeling it’ the most right about now. Maybe a little tired, a little achy, a little hungry and some…a little crabby (but not me of course LOL ). I think my emotions go back and forth from these two things a lot during the last bit of a prep. When I get tempted to eat something or just don’t really feel like going to the gym, you can psych yourself up knowing that you only have a few more days! Again though, these are a hard ‘few more days’.

In the end, you suck it up because you are so close to your goal. It is very close and I am REALLY excited!

FACE EACH DAY WITH THE EXPECTATION OF ACHIEVING GOOD, RATHER THAN THE DREAD OF FALLING SHORT

Halloween Temptations and Staying Focused

AUTiger — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:35:28 +0000

So how many people’s houses look like this:

Now multiply that times 3 and you have my house! And as everyone knows by now..I love candy. So now what? How do you NOT eat it? I was thinking about this when my Sister in Law called and I could hear my 2 year old niece in the background asking for a Kit Kat for breakfast. And she was MAD because mommy was saying no! Why no? Well, you don’t eat that for breakfast, you don’t eat it for lunch either, but you can have a piece at some point–get that I said A PIECE. Not 6 pieces or 12 pieces or 20 pieces. Why? Because it isn’t good for you. That is what we tell our kids right? “You can’t have all that junk girls, it isn’t good for you.” Maybe we should take our own advice. Have a piece every now and then, but not a ton. IT ISN’T GOOD FOR YOU. Start looking at this ‘healthy’ eating differently. Doesn’t mean you can’t have ANY it means you can’t look like this:

(great shot by Isaac Hinds)

Newest Lean Bodies Client Testimonial

AUTiger — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:06:32 +0000

This one really touched me!

This may seem like a very long story - but it is well worth the read and Noel needs to be praised throughout! Noel was the college roommate and soccer teammate of one of my best friends. My friend Jill has hands down one of the most physically fit bodies I have ever seen -and she always has. However, this past Spring, when my family and I went to visit Jill and her family in Florida she somehow was in even better shape than usual and that is when she told me about Noel. The last time I had met Noel was at Jill’s wedding when she was pregnant with her third child. However, over the years Jill had filled me in on Noel’s competitions and her training. After that visit, I was motivated - however, I was not going to bother making contact because I did not think “I had the time.” After a few weeks of thinking about it -I decided to email Noel - that was the single best decision I could have made. I am honestly shocked at the results, especially in the training circumstances that I have been working with…

I explained to Noel that I was moving back home with my parents and my two young children as my husband had to move three states away to complete a one year job (which he is only in month three of right now. So, my concern was that I was going to be in the middle of a move and a huge transition (which took place three months after I started working with Noel) - not to mention that I had not been to gym since my 4 1/2 year old was born. I used to go to the gym at 5:00 am, however, once I had children that was impossible to do because my husband leaves the house at 5:30 am for work. In addition, I also work full time as an attorney. So basically, I had all the reasons in the world to say that there was no way we could accomplish anything meaningful. I could not have been more wrong. Noel assured me that she could get me into the body I was trying to achieve if I just purchased a few pieces of equipment and put the time in at my house - so off I went, purchased a medicine ball, resistance band and some free weights…Oh yes, and a good alarm as I now get up much earlier - which is a good thing. I get so much done before my children even open their eyes, which mkes me more productive throughout the entire day! I have been working with Noel for about six months and I am now the weight I was as a freshman in High School…yes, a freshman in High School (without stepping foot in a gym) - not to mention that I feel so healthy it is ridiculous -the overall benefits of working with Noel cannot be exaggerated enough. I can email her anytime of day or night, with the stupidest questions, whether it be with the training or the diet - and she will respond almost immediately. I cannot believe that for years before I had my two children, I would spend 1.5 to 2 hour in the gym, daily - as Noel put it after I told her what I used to do - I was a “cardio bunny.” However, even though I used to lift weights and run five miles a day - I never looked as toned and slim as I do now - with half the time put in on a daily basis. I honestly never thought that my body could look like it does - I always said to myself, oh it does not matter how much I work out - my genes will not allow me to lose that cellulite, ect - however, Noel has showed me again, just how wrong I was in my thinking and overall outlook on diet, nutrition and food. Aside from the obvious physical benefits - so much more has changed…it may sound crazy, but my hair, my nails - everything is stronger…but more importantly - my own attitude…I am a pretty confident person to begin with - however, I was never completely satisfied with my body and now I am! I am just so much more positive about my body and my health!

Noel has truly changed my life in so many ways - all for the better! She also has shown me that just being honest with her regarding any time constraints and dietary concerns, challenges and cheats - anything can be adjusted and tweeked to change with any given week or obstacles - she truly has an unbelievable knowledge base regarding nutrition and physical fitness. For anyone who thinks that they just do not have the time or the willpower to make such a life change - you are wrong - you just have not found your Noel yet…but I hope you do - you will be a better person for it - inside and out!

- Nicole Masella, Somerset, NJ

Figure Prep and Holidays

AUTiger — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:47:32 +0000

Well Halloween is on us and if you know me at all by this point, you know that I absolutely love to bake. Being in the middle of competition prep is definitely the hardest time to bake without tasting but it can be done. And I think this goes for anyone that is trying to hit weight loss goals and is around the holidays when there are tempting treats everywhere we turn. I know that for me, the girls all have Halloween parties at school plus the trick or treating that they will do. So it is inevitable that you will be faced with temptations. I think there are several things that you can do to stick to your plan and be prepared for these treats that will spring up all over the place. You have to plan ahead. I think this is where we seem to fall short. Meal prep to me is so critical to staying on plan. When you are STARVING and you do not have meals prepped…you reach for whatever is there and if your house is anything like mine, we have candy dishes and school treats all over right now. That is another thing I do when I have to bake for the girls. I make sure that it is after a meal not right before when I am so hungry that that batter or frosting looks even more yummy. You can also use all the other tricks that I think I have said before like chewing gum while baking or brushing your teeth so that if you did want to have a lick it just wouldn’t taste right. I just think it is important to realize that you do have “life” going on around you and you can’t expect everyone else to change to fit your goals. You have to be able to adapt and stay strong to what you have set out for yourself. As Erik has said many times…’it is simple, not easy’.

Here is one of the yummies I am making this year

Lean Bodies Consulting Client Testimonial

AUTiger — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:20:40 +0000

This one is from someone that I have already posted amazing before and afters of here : http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/noelc/2008/08/22/awesome-progress/
Cara has done an amazing job. She looks like a completely different person now then when she first started and I am very excited that she is going to stay with me and do a bulk over the winter to see how much muscle we can add to her body. Here is what she had to say:

At 32, I decided enough was enough and knew I needed to make a change to take off some extra weight and get back into the active lifestyle I had throughout high school and college. I had long admired the physiques of fitness and figure competitors but was never able to wrap my head around the commitment I needed to make to get there for myself.

In spring 2008, I made the commitment and contacted Noel Clark. Deciding to work with her was the best decision I ever made. When I started, I weighed 122 pounds, which is a lot for my 5′ frame. In 6 months, I lost 19 pounds, while gaining confidence & improved health.

Noel always takes the time to determine what works best for me and caters my workout and diet around those parameters. My plans have always been detailed and easy to follow, provided I’m willing to do the work in the kitchen and gym.

There are so many dieting myths out there about what it takes to achieve a figure competitor’s physique. Noel takes a very practical approach to weight loss and emphasizes the importance reining in diet over spending endless, impractical hours in the gym.

She also goes above and beyond her job as a trainer/nutritionist by investing time to talk and listen when I’ve needed her. I can’t say enough positive things about Noel and what she has done for me. I look forward to continuing our work together and can’t wait to see more changes in myself!

Figure and Posing

AUTiger — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:47:56 +0000

I am always amazed at how a few tweaks in your posing can make a world of difference in how you present your physique. I have been looking at pictures and helping with posing for some of Erik’s competitors and I always remember what Heather Green said to me when we were practicing together, “You have to do what fits YOUR body and presents your body in the best light.” I think this is critical when you are practicing or having someone else help you. Just because I stand a certain way or position myself at a certain angle doesn’t mean someone else will look good that way. Are there general guidelines-of course, but there are so many things you can do to hide or accentuate what you have. I think one of the best, although difficult, things to do is video yourself. Talk about picking up on things that you are doing or ways that you are standing that you can change or improve upon! If you can’t do that, then take some pictures of yourself and try different stances or positions that you hold your hands. I think that especially if you are new to all this, you don’t realize some of the things that you do. Not to mention you will be much more nervous on stage then at home in your room. It is critical to get in posing practice and WALK WALK WALK in those heels until it seamless. You don’t want to clomp around on stage like it was the first time you put them on. Always keep in mind you put months of training and weeks of dieting into this one day. Don’t allow the lack of presentation to be what holds you back.

Lean Bodies Consulting Testimonial

AUTiger — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:04:09 +0000

I started working with Noel back in February. I would have described myself just six short months ago as the average overweight person with the right motives and the best intentions but failing every time I started some sort of fitness plan. My three kids even begin to mock me when I would say “Okay Monday I am starting my diet” because they knew by Tuesday and even honestly by Monday night I would have given up because of my appetite and my undisciplined eating habits.

After working with Noel for just the first month she taught me more about fitness, exercise and most importantly nutrition than I ever dreamed I could know and understand. Everything she directed me to do seemed to work great and I begin to see results quickly. Her constant encouragement seemed to create within me a desire to be the best me I could be. I really believe my goals became her goals and we met each goal with the anticipation of exceeding and moving on to the next goal and challenge. The changes in me physically have been obvious. Lost weight, better physique, more endurance, overall I am healthier and I am stronger now at the age of almost 40 than in my college football days. All of my clothes fit great and some are even too big. I even spent most of my time at the pool this summer playing with my kids in the pool with my shirt off instead of telling them I was too tired to get in and sitting in the shade fully clothed like I did last summer. I wouldn’t trade that time with my kids for anything.

The physical aspect is important but the self confidence I have gained goes far beyond just looking better and feeling better. I always felt went I was overweight that people saw me as undisciplined. I would look in restaurants or other places I went and wonder if I was actually the fattest person in the room. I even wondered if people did that to me and stopped when they found me. My self confidence stayed low because I always seemed inferior. Now I find that no matter where I go no matter what I am doing I feel great about myself. Noel always told me that nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels and boy was she right about that.

Thank you Noel and Lean Bodies Consulting for guiding me through the process of getting physically fit. I honestly think working with you has been the best investment I have ever made. I know the journey is not over for me but I totally trust that partnering with you will allow me to meet and exceed all of my fitness goals.

- John Harris — Powder Springs, GA

Diet and Figure Prep

AUTiger — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:16:30 +0000

This is one of the most asked topics during my prep for a show. “What is your diet like? “You probably don’t get to eat ANYTHING.” “Do you get ANY carbs?” ” How soon do you cut out fruit?” “Do you only eat Sweet Potato and Oats?” “How much Fish are you eating?”

I am not sure why it is so hard for people to understand that my diet is very similar to what I would normally eat…just less–until I get refeeds or all day cheats I never cut out fruit or any other food groups for that matter. I do eat oats but only because I think I could eat those for every single meal MMMMMMMMMM. But I eat so many other things: white potato, sweet potato, LOVE blueberries, and then of course Post Workout carbs can be almost anything (almost). This isn’t unusual either. When Erik or I have a client, we aren’t cutting out any of these things for other people either.

As for the fish question LOL. I eat NO fish NONE….I hate fish–tilapia, tuna, salmon…you name it…I am NOT EATING FISH. BLECH. I have read over and over and over how many figure girls eat 2, 3 and 4 meals of fish for prep (even breakfast-you have got to be joking). Now don’t get me wrong, if you love fish then woohoo, but not me. I would rather eat dog food. LOL You do NOT have to eat fish to get contest lean. I know that is going to be one of Erik’s ‘rants’ on contest prep myths.

Then of course there is the option of the weekly cheat/free meal. This is an option most clients get–prepping or not. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. But if there was something that I really wanted that wasn’t on plan, then I would just take a free meal. Do I have to be mindful of portions–well duh-yes. But who says you have to stuff yourself until your sick? I usually opt not to take them just because I tend to just wait for the refeeds or all day cheats. YUM!!

That is about it. My diet is well rounded-chicken, beef, fruits, oats, potatoes, almonds, peanut butter, CHEESE, fish oils and Protein powder. Why these things? Because those are what I like, not because that is the only way to do it. Could I have fish, Pork tenderloin, bread, bagels, tortilla, pancakes, walnuts, pecans, nut butters, cottage cheese …among many other things–YEP. Those are all options as well, but I stick with what I like best I just hope people realize that there isn’t just one set way to do this.

7 weeks out and feeling good!

AUTiger — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:05:52 +0000

Well, it is now 7 weeks out from Nationals and I am really getting excited. I am definitely in the groove with the diet and training and feeling really great about where I am. There are going to be so many people coming to this show in support of me that I just can’t wait….nervous-YES! but very very excited. So…today is a free day for me! Erik was sweet enough to send me KETCHUP CHIPS YUM!!! Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would like these LOL. And I will definitely have a nice juicy burger today.

Training is going great. I am throwing around weights that are PRs for me. I hit my 70lb One Arm DB Snatch that I was after. My Rack pulls are up to 335. My pull-ups are coming along nicely ever since I have been using my bands instead of the Assisted machine. If you get a chance and have chins or pullups in your training, you should get a set of mini bands. They will make a world of difference for you! Here is a great place to order them if you are interested: http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/index.html
Here are a couple of 7 weeks out shots.