Body Transformation: Juliet Gotthardt Body Transformation

Lifestyle Prior To Change

What was your lifestyle prior to your transformation?

Like most American college students.  I worked hard in school but partied just as hard.  I had little knowledge of what clean eating was or really how to feed my body past convenience.  My diet consisted of campus food, take out, going out, or conveniently processed/packaged food.  I ‘worked out’ a few times a week (aka spent way too much time on the elliptical or treadmill).

What was your low point or turning point?

My weight went up and down within a 10 lb range throughout the years, 165 being the highest.  As I was creeping back up there and feeling genuinely unhappy about everything, I decided it was time to do something for myself.  I began “weightlifting” with a few girlfriends (before I really knew how) and realized I loved it and wanted more.

Were there any unique challenges or circumstances that made your transformation particularly difficult?

No transformation is necessarily ever easy.  While I did not have to overcome anything major, it still requires motivation, drive, and sacrifice.

What was your transformation timeline?

I started my transformation at the end of my senior year of college (Feb/Mar 2010) at 157 lbs and a size 10.  After hiring personal trainer and WNBF Pro Kurt Weidner to whip me into shape, I was down to about 127 lbs and about 13% bodyfat by August 2010.  Knowing that I would be starting contest prep in a few months, I brought my bodyfat back up in an attempt to put on whatever muscle I could in that short period.

In November 2010 I began my 25 week contest prep cut and competed in the INBF Natural Buckeye Classic on April 16, 2011 and the OCB Atlantic Super Show on May 7, 2011 in natural female bodybuilding.

Juliet's Training And Cardio Approach

What was your weight training approach and split during your transformation?

I have changed my split numerous times in the last year, but this is the one I followed during my contest prep (provided by Kurt Weidner):

• Sunday: OFF
• Monday: Back & Shoulders
• Tuesday: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings & Calves
• Wednesday: OFF
• Thursday: Chest & Arms
• Friday: Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, & Calves
• Saturday: OFF

*Core was worked in with cardio sessions.

I change my rep schemes frequently and perform all sets to failure.  I often include drop/super/tri/giant sets.  In my off season I set strength goals for myself and attempt to build muscular endurance as well.  Set numbers do not reflect warm up sets.

Monday - Back and Shoulders
Exercise	Sets
Wide Grip Pull Up	4
Seated Cable Row	4
Seated Lateral Raise	4
V-Bar Lat Pull Down	4
One Arm Dumbbell Row	3 Each Arm
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press	4
Bent Over Reverse Flye	3

Tuesday - Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings & Calves
Exercise	Sets
Squat	3-4
Barbell Reverse Lunge	3 Each leg
Inverted Leg Press	4
Calf Raise On Leg Press	4
Leg Extension	4
Leg Curl	4
Standing Calf Raise	3

Thursday - Chest and Arms
Exercise	Sets
Incline Dumbbell Flye	4
Dumbbell Hammer Curl	3
Chest Dip	3
Cable Crossovers	4
Cable Curl	4
Tricep Pushdown	4
Hammer Strength Decline Press	4

Friday - Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back & Calves
Exercise	Sets
Sumo Deadlift	3-4
Walking Barbell Lunge (Up hill)	3
Single Leg Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift	3 Each Leg
Standing Calf Raise	3
Weighted Glute Bridge	4
Seated Calf Raise	4
Hyperextensions	4

Please detail your cardio approach during your transformation?

Cardio varied depending on my body’s response at the time.  More frequently than not, however, I did steady cardio for 20-30 min 4 times a week and HIIT 2-3 times a week.  Steady cardio usually was in the form of walking hills, the elliptical, or the stair stepper.

Please list 3 things you learned about exercise, weight training and/or cardio during your transformation that helped you succeed:

1. Form is critical.  One should not be afraid to lift heavy, push hard, and hit failure, but if you can’t maintain proper form while doing so, you’re not only risking injury, but also cheating your body of potential gains.
2. Let your body rest.  Recovery is key to avoiding injury and making progress.
3. Don’t be afraid to try new things.  I am constantly trying to incorporate new exercises, splits, rep schemes, etc. to keep my body guessing.  Going into the gym day each week and performing the same moves time and time again is boring.  Boring quickly leads to giving up – keep it interesting!

How are you currently training, and has your training changed since the completion of your transformation?

During the last few months of contest prep, I was focusing on heavy weights with low rep ranges (~5-8 reps) because I was constantly “flattening out” and we wanted to avoid glycogen depletion.  Since my shows have ended, I have gone back to incorporating higher rep, endurance based days, drop sets, etc.  I have also changed my split to a 5 day split:

• Sunday: OFF
• Monday: Chest & Shoulders
• Tuesday: Glutes, Hamstrings & Lower Back
• Wednesday: Arms & Calves
• Thursday: OFF
• Friday: Upper Back
• Saturday: Legs (with more of a quads focus)

*Core performed with all upper body days. Cardio has stayed more or less the same.

Juliet's Diet And Nutrition Approach

What was your diet/nutrition approach during your transformation?

I don’t think there is much of a difference between my diet during my transformation and now that my contest prep is over.  I eat clean, whole foods every 2-3 hours.  During my prep I meticulously planned, measured, and calculated every meal to meet set macronutrient numbers every day for 25 weeks.  I ate a lot of vegetables, timed my carbohydrates around my workouts, and tried to avoid processed foods as best I could.

Can you provide us with a sample eating plan (please be specific):

• Pre-Cardio – Half a scoop of whey.
• Breakfast – This is usually my biggest meal of the day comprising of protein/fat/carbs.
• 9:30AM/12:30PM/2:30 PM – These meals are almost always identical in the form of a serving of vegetables, 2-3 oz of lean protein, and a healthy fat source.  I include a starchy carb source if my macros allow it.
• 5PM – This is my pre-workout meal and I eat it on my way home from work (45min - hour before I lift). This meal consists of 2-3 oz of lean protein and a starchy carb. No fat.
• 7-8PM (whenever I finish my workout) – A scoop of whey and a starchy carb source. No fat.
• Before bed – Protein and fat.
• On non lifting days – It is essentially the same except the 5 & 7-8 meal more closely resembles my 9:30/12:30/2:30 meals.

Were there any diet/nutrition mistakes you made that you learned from?

Oh I’m sure there were plenty, but I don’t remember any specific examples.  It helped a lot that I had a knowledgeable coach to help me learn the ins and outs though.

Please list 3 things you learned about diet & nutrition during your transformation that helped you succeed:

1. There is no miracle diet or diet plan.  What worked for one person, may not work for you.  If you try something and you’re not seeing change, try something else.
2. Keep it clean.  Provide your body with quality nutritional sources and it will repay you with a quality output.  The same thinking goes for if you feed it junk.
3. No excuses.  One of my favorite quotes from Kurt regarding diet is, “It’s just food. It’s not going anywhere.” And he’s right.  Don’t freak out because there’s a piece of pie you’re not eating.  I promise you pie will be around later – and plenty of it.

Did you allow yourself cheat meals?

In my off season, I allow myself cheats.  When I first started my weight loss, I vastly overdid my cheats (cheat meals became cheat days).  I was still able to get quite lean doing this, though I did it infrequently, but it wasn’t healthy and I didn’t feel good after.  During my prep I had absolutely no cheats for 25 weeks, I cooked every bite that I ate.  Now that my shows are over, I allow myself cheats but I no longer have the desire to pig out like I used to.  I much prefer to make a healthier cheat meal myself on the weekends or, if I do go out, go someplace nice.

What supplements did you use during your transformation?

My off season supplements are typically things like Scivation Whey, Scivation Xtend, Primaforce Creaform, and some other things like Scivation EFA and Calcium w/ Vitamin D.  For my contest season, the list was much more extensive:

• OxyElite Pro
• Forskolin
• Alcalean
• Pure ALA
• Calcium w/ Vit D
• Multivitamin
• Lean Green
• Sesamin
• Scivation EFA
• Idebenone
• Creaform
• Redline
• Beta Alanine
• AAKG
• GABA
• Xtend

Advice For Others

What are your best tips for someone looking to make their own transformation?

1. Learn everything you can for yourself.  Having a coach is absolutely phenomenal and I would recommend it to anyone, but you shouldn’t blindly follow directions without understanding the WHY.  If you don’t know the why behind what you do, you’re all the more likely to fall back into old habits. Pick your coach’s brain by asking as many questions as possible (sorry Kurt!), read as many articles as you can by reliable sources, don’t be afraid to reach out for information!
2. Don’t be afraid of pain. It’s part of the process.  Face it and take it down.
3. Don’t give up! There WILL be bumps in the road, you WILL make mistakes, but you also WILL learn.  It’s a process.  You’re doing this to be healthy and change you’re life, it’s not an “ok I’m done. Now what?” kind of thing.  Keep going, you will see change eventually, and it will be worth it!

How do you stay motivated? What advice would you give to someone who’s having trouble staying on track?

Surround yourself with a positive support group.  A lot of people don’t know or understand what it takes to do what you’re doing, and that’s fine.  Find people who do, reach out to them when you need to and it will make a world of difference.

Other ways I stayed motivated was by constantly reminding myself what my goal was.  At the end of the day, that was the most important thing to me so I did what needed to be done.  Write your goal down and plaster it everywhere if you need to so you don’t lose scope.

More From Juliet Gotthardt

What is your life like now that you’ve made a transformation?

Not much different! I perhaps a little more relaxed and I have more energy after my shows, but I still maintain a clean diet.  In fact, my training is probably even more intense nowadays since I have more energy. (Contest prep is a big drain!)

What motivates you currently to keep improving yourself?

To me, competing in natural bodybuilding was not an experiment to see if I could do it.  It is something I want to do again, and again, and again.  Bodybuilders make their greatest gains in the off season and now is my opportunity to be better than before.  Yes, I now have more room for mistakes, but I also have more room to try new things and make bigger gains.  I’m not going to pass up that chance!

Anything else you would like to share?

Nope! Thank you, Muscle & Strength, for giving me the opportunity to share my story.

How can people contact you?

Website: http://heyjoob.com