TAKE THE PLUNGE. Ride the WAVE. -8 DAYS OUT.

When your alarm goes off in the morning, do you ever get that feeling that you are about to take "the plunge?" I do, every day. Let me explain...

 You're enclosed in the safe confines of your bedroom walls, wrapped in a cacoon of blankets and nestled in the pillows that cradle the masses of hard muscle covering your sleepy body. The first jolt from your alarm violently pulls you away from the escape of your dreamworld, and you are smacked with the realization that you need to face this reality, in this present world. So you hesitate. Sometimes for a split second, sometimes minutes. On a bad day, maybe an hour.


During this moment, the day ahead of you flashes before your mind. So much to get done - stress - deadlines - meetings - responsibilities - bills to pay - food to cook - it never ends. This is why you hesitate. Once you leave the protective haven of your bed, there is no looking back, the day has officially begun. So you ask yourself, am I ready to take the plunge into today?


Some days you are more ready than others. Regardless, every single morning you make that decision to get up and place that first calloused foot on the ground. Wiith this action, you make a commitment. You make a commitment to tackle the day and face the world as a WARRIOR. As you take that first step, you start with a solid foundation, and the energy surges upwards throughout every tense muscle fibre in your body and up into your head, where it hits you like a wave of ECSTASY. This is where you must accept it, this is the moment of the day that will make or break you- set you up for success or failure. You need to RIDE THE WAVE.


Whether you notice it or not, the decision to get out of bed in the morning is riddled with emotions and feelings that coalesce rapidly in your mind. Nervousness, anxiety, excitement, doubt, fear, uncertainty. Positive and negative, you can feed off of these and use them to your advantage. Recognize them, and they will guide you to what you need to conquer that day. The negative emotions are a sign of great opportunity, this day is one where you can test your strengths and engage in a battle within yourself. The positive emotions can fuel you towards reaching your goals and can create a magnet of positive energy throughout the day, offering good energies to the people around you and creating even more to feed yourself.


Finally, this first moment of the day is where your PASSION begins to burn. We wake up because we have responsibilities and cannot afford to lay in bed all day, but your PASSION is that spark inside you that gives you that first surge of energy to place one foot on the ground. Underneath everything else, passion drives you.

 For me, my passion is being in the gym- Training. Ultimately, I explode out of my bed knowing that my passion will give me my fix...I seek that high every day, starting the second I awake. Knowing I will get my fix, I take the plunge. I wont hesitate to take that first step, knowing soon I will feel my passion running through my veins and pleasuring every cell in my body. And it hits me...the first wave. SO I RIDE IT. DO YOU?

 Katie Noval
WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

10 Days out: Am I AWAKE? Or is this all just a dream?

So I'm sitting here at my computer, after a day that started with answering a million emails, and then posing at the gym at 8:00am, a heavy shoulder workout at 10:30 (since today was my last day with a pre-workout supplement and I wanted to take full advantage of it), a sprint training/crossfit style workout for an hour with my trainer Nathan Harewood at noon, and then 70 minutes of cardio right after.

 

Then I forced myself to endure a torturous grocery run, where I think I stood dead still in a trance for 20 minutes, staring at all of the glorious Reese's halloween candy that was displayed next to the cucumbers I had to get, trudged home in the rain (just my luck, wearing a white tank top), cooked a crapload of fish for the next few days, and tackled the mountain of tupperware in my kitchen sink. Oh and I forgot to mention how I got harassed by the doctor when getting a prescription this morning, as he squeezed my arms, back, and shoulders, asked me if my boobs were fake, and told me how "crazy" and "muscular like a bodybuilder" I am. Awkward.

 

Let's just say, I'm BEAT. To be honest, I barely remember the day, it felt like it never happened. That's why I ask, "am I awake??" I hope so, because I definitely would prefer to wake up tomorrow with 9 days until I step on stage instead of 10!

 

Despite the hectic and weird day I had, I still feel amazing. Tired and hungry, weak and kind of irritable, yes...but my physique is dialing in PERFECTLY, photoshoots are all confirmed, and I have great feelings about things to come. On top of that, a whirlwind of positive things have happened to me this past week:

• I was featured in Status Fitness Magazine (the random strangers at 7-Eleven didn't seem as excited as I was when I told everyone in the store that I was in a magazine). I owe this to David Ford for encouraging me and seeing my potential, and Rodney Jang and Asha Belisle from Status for choosing to feature me.

• An article I wrote (without the intention of publishing, just something that came to me and I felt needed to be written down) was published along with pictures of myself in a 4-page spread in the most recent issue of Fit & Firm magazine. Thanks a million times to Paul and Allison Dillett for first reading my article, and Dennis Cruz for doing a "badass" job with the desing and layout! Here's the link to the mag, my article starts on page 38:
• Fit & Firm Magazine

• I was fortunate enough to have WBFF Pro Frank Budelewski write an amazing blog about me on the front page of the WBFF website. I'm so impressed with how well-written it is and the way he was able to portray me exactly as I would like to be perceived...thank you Frank! xo
• KATIE NOVAL: WBFF Pro Frank Budelewski Blog

I've been blessed to meet so many incredible people lately, and am extremely touched by the generousity and kindess. Having the opportunity and ability to motivate and inspire other people is one of the biggest rewards, and the feedback and comments I have been receiving are telling me that I have accomplished that goal!

 

More news this week: I had an awesome photoshoot with Calgary photographer, James Anthony Lynch, on Monday and we got quite a few really sick shots. I'm hoping to shoot with him again as soon as possible, though it may have to wait until after WBFF Worlds and The Olympia the following weekend. And finally, one of my long-time fitness idols and inspirations, Monica Brant, arrives in Calgary today to train with Nathan and our crew and finish final preparations before the show. This is EXCITING! Training with Monica Brant during the final days before Worlds? Talk about motivating!

More blogs to come soon, I'll admit that I don't even remember what I just wrote. Tomorrow when I wake up I'll be checking back to make sure I was really awake!

Katie Noval
WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

 

 

 

YouTube Channel Up and Rolling!

Just a quick note to let everyone know I have now set up my own YouTube channel and will be updating it with vlogs and training videos in the coming weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/user/KatieSuperNova?feature=mhum

Thanks to WBFF Pro Chris Lazecki, I now know that I have a basic video editing thingy on my computer already, so last night I taught myself how to use it. Stay tuned, there should be some good stuff! I like to joke around a lot, and my life can get pretty crazy, so be prepared to be entertained! For now, check out the little slideshow I made as an intro to my channel. Have a great Monday everyone, there is something refreshing and liberating about knowing it's the first day to a new week!! Especially with less than 20 days until THE 2010 WBFF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Katie Noval
WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

Interview with Rebodybuilding.com

Friends and Fans,



Check out my latest interview, with rebodybuilding.com. There are a few interesting questions that I answered true to my personality - straight up and honest - as well as a lot of information about the way I train and diet to get ready for a show.
Here is the link:
http://www.rebodybuilding.com/interviewd-with-wbff-fitness-bikini-model-katie-noval.html

Enjoy!


Katie Noval,WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

How much Massive can you pack in a Jazz?

I thought this was awesome! A little cheesy, but pretty funny. Enjoy!

Roadtrip and CBBF Nationals

Last weekend I drove out to Saskatoon to watch The 2010 Canadian National Bodybuilding Championships, and it was quite the show! The caliber of athletes was amazing, and it was a great experience to see a show like that so close (I was sitting second row, centre). Everyone thought Ron Partlow was finally going to get the Pro card he deserves...but it eluded him, yet again. Next time Ron, I know it! An athlete named Santana Anderson who won the men's overall, and he did look incredible. I've heard nothing but good things about him, that he is a really nice guy and very humble. Congrats Santana!

Mens Heavy, Top 3

It was great to go to a show like that and visit with bodybuilders and fitness competitors from all over Canada who came out to watch and support the athletes, and it got me even more pumped up for Worlds! Between the prejudging and evening show, me and Valerio from Toronto hit the gym to train, and he showed me some new things that I will incorporate into my own training (afterwards I introduced Val to something myself, a burger and fries from A&W! His first time. Now he can incorporate that into his diet at home!). The guys at World Gym were great and let us train for free.

Welcome to the Gun Show! V and I at World Gym in Saskatoon

While it was awesome to watch Nationals, now I am REALLY looking forward to The Olympia (5 weeks!). As silly as it sounds, it's going to be a dream come true for me to see that live. And to meet the Olympians...I admit, I am going to be as star-struck as a 13 year old girl at a Justin Beiber concert! I got to chat with Jay Cutler on the phone a few times over the weekend, and that was pretty cool! I can't wait to meet him and some of the other guys in person. Nathan and a whole crew of us from Calgary are all going to The Olympia together, and I know it is going to be a trip to remember. We have passes to Golds on Flamingo (another dream come true for me!) and VIP passes to the whole expo and prejudging and evening shows. I'm also planning on doing the Flex Bikini Model Search, which will be a blast!

Olympia in 5 weeks, WOOHOO!!

One final thing to add, my trainer Nathan just got accepted to do the 2011 Arnold Amateur, so I want to say congratulations to him, I'm so proud of him! This is huge for Nate, and I know he is going to come in at his best ever and really impress us all! CONGRATS NATHAN!

Katie Noval
WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

4 Weeks Out: Post "Carb & Fat Load Day," a.k.a. Cheat Day!

Hi Friends and Fans!

I'm 4 weeks out from The 2010 WBFF World Championships, and I am feeling great! Yesterday I was allowed to cheat all day, which was nice, but by the evening I was actually missing my chicken and veggies! Last time I had a cheat day, a bodybuilder friend of mine recommended a few foods to make sure I ate and a few to avoid, and told me to notice how I felt the following days. After following his advice, I felt AMAZING all week! My strength and energy increased immensley, I was sprinting every day as if I was running from an axe murderer, and the glycogen pumped into my muscles was crazy-  I had vascularity and size but no bloating or water retention like I normally do when I have cheats. So yesterday I followed the same advice, plus indulged in a few cookies, courtesy of my trainer, Nathan (a friend of his sends him cookies all the time, which he parades in front of me while I'm busting my butt on the gym floor, and I have been drooling over them for a whole month. So finally I got to eat them!).

I need to have big cheat days like this every couple weeks because my metabolism speeds up pretty quickly when dieting and doing cardio, so even though I am able to lean out fast, I lose muscle easily too. Being 5'1" and around 105 lbs, I can't afford to lose too much when I am still 4 weeks out! It's been really different prepping for Worlds, as opposed to WBFF Alberta, because I've only had 8 weeks between the two shows (where for Alberta I had more than three months since the last show I had done). Having only 8 weeks between shows, I have been focusing on maintaining and tweaking, trying to add a bit of size without gaining any fat. So far, so good! Everything is going according to plan.

I'm confident in my physique right now and am feeling great, I feel like I am 2 weeks out instead of 4! I know the next 4 weeks will fly by, and I need to be careful to not peak too early or wear myself out. For the next few weeks, I will be focusing on lifting heavy, training as much as possible with Nathan and the group at Athlete Factory, and practising posing. On Friday night I met with Tanya Theberge to visit and design my suit for Worlds, and after putting both our creative heads together, came up with a really unique idea. My suit is going to be gorgeous! Tanya is so talented, and I love putting her to work with her artistic abilities on my suits! Check out her website, http://www.thebergeswim.com/ to see her swimwear line or for details about custom designed fitness suits and bikinis. I would never get a suit anywhere else! Since she is so artistic, Tanya painted my nails while I was over. They are so "ghetto fabulous," and I lovvvvve them! Check them out:

While I'm on the topic of Tanya and her amazing talent, here is a picture of three of the suits she has made for me so far (people always ask me to see them, so here they are!). She somehow makes every suit feel so perfect and reflective of your personality. Some people don't realize how much of a difference your suit really makes, but after you've worked so hard to get your body on that stage, you need a suit that you can rock it in!

And finally, since I haven't been able to blog in a while, check back soon because I will be updating again asap. There has been a lot going on in my competition prep life and I have a lot to share!


Katie Noval
WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

HAPPY MONDAY! 6 Weeks Out from WORLDS!

Good Morning and Happy Monday!


Less than 6 weeks out from The WBFF World Championships, and I couldn't be feeling better! My prep is coming along so well, and I am pretty amazed at the progress I have made in the past couple weeks. I only started dieting for Worlds a couple weeks ago, but changed my cardio and added some different types of training to my usual routine. In two weeks, I've cut over 6 lbs and have new lines that I didn't even have on stage at WBFF AB the beginning of July. After my last show, I wasn't sure if I was going to have enough time before Worlds to make any significant changes to my physique, but thanks to Nathan, I'm noticing changes every few days! He's changed my diet and is taking a bit of a different approach than last time, and he really knows what he's doing. I couldn't imagine ever trusting anyone else with my prep, I put complete faith in Nathan. He works miracles! There are about 7 of us girls who train with Nathan that are going to Worlds, including Monica Brant and Miryah Jade Scott. It's going to be a great experience and a fun trip out to Toronto with everyone. Watch out Toronto, because Calgary is coming to dominate the stage!


I also wanted to add that this past week, I have received so much kindness and generosity from others. I've been blown away and almost brought to tears on more than one occasion, as I have discovered how many amazing people I have in my life and how fortunate I am. This week I am going to make an effort to pay it forward and share that kindness!

I know that we can all relate to the feelings of being alienated as fitness competitors and bodybuilders because of our lifestyles, but competeing is also such a great way to meet people who share the passion. I've created bonds with so many people I have met at WBFF shows (as a part of the EAS demo team and as a competitor) and while prepping for shows, and the support everyone offers each other really is amazing! Through social networking like Facebook and Twitter, we get to interact and follow each other as we train all across the country for Worlds. I'm constantly tweeting and facebooking back and forth with WBFF athletes like Mindy Karuk and Chris Lazecki out in Vancouver, Cherry from EAS out in Toronto, and many others! It almost feels like a family, and it's a blessing to have so many friends who have so much in common. I'm really looking forward to meeting up with everyone in Toronto and getting to see the results of everyone's hard work over the past months!

One final thing, I want to thank Valerio Moscariello from www.teambodypro.com for sending me a few things. The Team Body Pro products are so nice and are such good quality, I really recommend checking it out! For us fitness girls it can be so tough to find clothes that fit properly, but all of this stuff is custom cut and sized to fit fitness models. The things Val sent me fit PERFECTLY! The companies bags, hats, and waterbottles are also really nice, and I love the logo! Team Body Pro is bringing 4x Mr. Olympia, JAY CUTLER to Toronto the weekend after the Olympia, so if you're in the area I would definitely get tickets! I'm hoping to fly out for that as well, check out www..JayCutlerHitsToronto.com for details!

Here's a picture of me this past weekend wearing my Team Body Pro tank to the rodeo, where the rodeo clown actually picked me out of the crowd (I was even sitting way in the back of the stands), and commented on how eye-catching the colour of my shirt was!

Katie Noval

WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

Monica Brant Joins the Calgary Crew!

Hey everyone!




I've been meaning to blog about this every day for the past week or so, but life was keeping me just a little too busy. For a few weeks after the WBFF Alberta Championships at the beginning of the month, Monica Brant had been training here in Calgary with my trainer, Nathan Harewood. Nathan and I go back a couple years, I actually met him in Calgary right before I went to one of Monica's F.E.M. Camps in Marina del Ray, where he was going to be helping out (a bunch of us girls from Calgary our going to her camp in October, check out her website for more details! She puts on a great camp, and it's an incredible experience to get to spend a weekend learning from a fitness icon!). Ever since that trip, I became passionate about fitness and competing. I'm so thankful to have Nate in my life, because he is the one who encouraged me to do my first show and he's the mastermind behind this physique! So, now Monica has chosen Nathan to train her for the upcoming WBFF World Championships (8 weeks away!)...a wise choice on her part, because he is amazing at what he does.



Monica joined our little crew for many of our training sessions at The Athlete Factory, where Nate kicks our butts almost daily. It was such a huge privilege getting to train with a woman who I have looked up to and who has been an inspiration for me since I first got into the sport. Monica is so genuine and down-to-earth, it's like she brings a special "glow" with her wherever she goes! It was really motivating having her join our training sessions, and it got me even more excited for Worlds in September. I know she made some huge gains here while training with Nate, and I can't wait to see her on stage after following his plan!

(Here's me, Monica, and some of the girls Nathan trains after a hardcore session at AF)

One of the nights during Stampede, I went to the Vendrome launch party (where we arrived in a limo and Nathan treated us with VIP passes), and got to party with Monica, Linda, and some of the girls I train with. We had such a blast! Though we might have had a bit much to drink (but also made a lot of great memories), that was my last time going out until we all head down to Vegas for The Olympia! Here's a picture of Monica, Nathan, and me from that night:

It was such a treat training with Monica when she was here. I can't wait to see her again at Worlds, where I know she will blow aay the competition! And as for me, I am getting more and more excited by the day as I prep for Worlds....new blog about my prep coming soon!

Katie Noval

WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model

Already?? 9 WEEKS OUT!

So I've been wanting to start a blog for months now, but the last few months were so full with preparing for the 2010 WBFF Alberta Championships while studying and cramming in courses to get closer to finishing my degree that I didn't have time for anything else! Now I finally have time to breathe, so I can start my blog! Yay!

I'm 9 weeks out from The WBFF World Championships, and I woke up this morning and realized how soon that really is! I just finished competing in the AB Championships in Calgary, and placed 5th in diva bikini and 6th in fitness model. Since there were 60 girls in each category, I feel pretty good about my placings. I had been aiming for top 3 in fitness (well really, I wanted that Pro Card!), but I've decided to take the bits of advice I got from Paul and Allison Dillet and the judges and do what I can in the next 9 weeks to improve myself. After the show in Calgary, I briefly considered opting out of Worlds so that I could use the next two months to build up my physique (instead of dieting down again and losing that time), but I realized that I don't want to miss out on the experience! There will be so many great opportunities that week in Toronto, and there are a whole lot of amazing people who I have met while competing in The WBFF who will be there competing, taking photos, or helping to organize and run the show...and I just can't imagine missing out on that! Plus, I feel 100% confident in my physique and in the improvements I know I can make, even in such a short period of time.

After a mini vacation to Kelowna this past week to go boating and go to the Deadmau5 show, I'm back on track with my dieting and training. It was great to get to enjoy myself (ice cream every day, and even a few Bud Light Lime!) but those few days of vacation really reminded me how much I love preparing for a show and following my usual routine.

9 WEEKS OUT, SEE YOU ALL AT WBFF WORLDS!

Here is a picture from my vacation to Kelowna, the one and only time this year I have had a drink in my hand! (Rockin' an amazing bikini by Theberge Designs, Tanya is so talented!)

Katie Noval

WBFF Fitness & Bikini Model