COMPETITION: 10 WEEKS! Posing lessons. Protein all day. NO GYNECOMASTIA

Training for my first bodybuilding competition is getting serious. I was told by a friend, fellow instructor at Santa Cruz Power Fitness, and long-time female bodybuilding competitor, Debbie Bailey, that I look "soft." I value her opinion, and am planning to get even more serious this next ten weeks to harden everything up so I can take home a trophy in this year's Santa Clara Men's Physique contest.

Bodybuilding is more about dieting. As you know, my diet is strictly plant-based, so the "cutting foods" that involve meat and eggs (most of them!) are out for me. I was recommended a lot of soy-based foods by an amazing bodybuilder and cross-fitter, Ed Bauer, in Portland, Oregon- and am taking his word as vegan bodybuilding gospel- since every picture you see of "vegan bodybuilding" or "vegan muscle" features his likeness (amazingly ripped and solid). I am not on a pro-soy crusade, but I will say that it is my main source of protein and has been for 12 years with absolutely no negative side effects. There will be haters and folks who swear against soy, but I affirm that I have far more experience with soy-uptake than them and will show my YouTube video about soy products PROUDLY here:

It is National Soyfoods Month and there are several organizations and businesses promoting soy foods and soy products (probably to increase their business- that's just how things work!) this month. I will say that I appreciate their literature and information because it does list delicious recipes, honest nutrition facts, and little-known information about soy and its effects on appetite, cholesterol, heart health and other body issues.

I would love to debate soy with you. Again, I am not a soy spokesperson by any stretch, but I can attest to being a healthy, performing athlete while ingesting 50+ (at a minimum) grams of soy protein everyday. This is not my choice protein- if I didn't restrict chickens, cows, pigs, turkeys, ostriches, etc from my diet, then I would probably be eating them because I've heard of their muscle-building properties. I don't deny these things, I just abhor them and don't think they animal bodies are mine to derive protein from.

If you are looking for a challenge of some kind, www.konkura.com is a pretty cool website where you can search for a CHALLENGE or a COMPETITOR, check what's listed, and go from there on your quest to do a fitness competition. Maybe I'll see you at the next 10k or Half-Ironman and we can discuss how Konkura got us both there!