Some of you may know that I’ve been getting ready for a competition. My prep is coming to an end now and I just would like to say a few words about it.It was a different prep this time. I’ve done a lot of research on nutrition – we all would like to make it easier if we could. Now let me tell you something: you can make your prep easier, although you still have to put all the hard work in.

Has it been a more successful prep? Well, let’s wait another week and find out. I can’t say anything in advance, and I wouldn’t want to. I don’t want to project anything – all the athletes know that the last week still brings changes (for better or worse, it can still go either way). However one thing is for sure: I have no food cravings. Before, during the last few weeks of my previous contest preps I was looking at ‘food porn’, checking out what I’m gonna eat after the competition etc at this point I haven’t done any of those, and that’s purely down to the changed diet I used this time. Am I hungry? Yes, of course I am. Have I got energy? No, not much, because I still needed to cut calories to get down my bodyfat levels. 
Most people think that losing bodyfat is only down to dieting hard and working hard. Well, in essence it’s true. However if your hormones are not in balance, all that will go out of the window. You think you’re eating the right food, in the right quantities, you do your cardio, but your bodyfat still doesn’t shift… I’ve been there, done it. Nothing is more frustrating. And people say: you don’t diet hard enough… Well, guess what? You probably do, harder than most, and that’s what makes it even more annoying. 
The best thing I’ve done was starting everything with a hormone resetting diet. It was high time for me as I’d been struggling with metabolic issues for years. Once that was cleared and in balance, I started eating for hormonal health, I’ve used a pro metabolic approach: cut out some foods from my diet completely – and you’d be surprised that I don’t mean sugar. I actually still have sugar in my diet, this close to a competition. And I’ve also added others that help with my metabolism and thyroid health. I will talk about all this later, in more detail, once I’m back to ‘normal’ again. 
If you’re struggling with losing weight, get in touch and I can help you how to get your hormonal balance back. 

Vitamins and minerals you need for your body to function properly. Generally you can get all your vitamins and minerals from your diet, but there are certain cases when you need to supplement:
* If you are vegetarian, 

* Eat a diet that’s limited because of food allergies and intolerances, 

* Or if you have a disease or condition that doesn’t allow you to digest or absorb nutrients properly.

Otherwise whole foods are a lot better sources than supplements as whole foods also contain a variety of nutrients your body needs – not just one. They also contain fibre that is important for digestion and they also contain phytochemicals that may help protect you against cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis or diabetes.

Fat soluble vitamins:

Vitamin A / beta carotene 

Helps with healthy vision, bone and tissue growth and reproduction. Vitamin A and thyroid are closely related. A deficiency in either can precipitate a deficiency of the other and ideally should be balanced. In too large amounts, however, vitamin A can suppress the thyroid and depress levels of other fat soluble vitamins – especially vitamin D.

Foods: liver, egg yolks, milk

Vitamin D / calciferol
Often called the sunshine vitamin because your skin produces it after being exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. It helps your body absorb calcium that is responsible for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. 

To get vitamin D you need either sunlight or supplementation.

Vitamin E / tocopherol 
It is an antioxidant that protects red blood cells and may play a role in immune function, DNA repair and other metabolic functions. It is also called the ‘anti-sterility’ vitamin as it opposes estrogen. 
Water soluble vitamins

Vitamin C / ascorbic acid

It’s an antioxidant that maintains healthy tissue and helps the body absorb iron. Also plays a role in wound healing, reducing stress and making one less susceptible to food allergies. 

Foods: orange juice, ripe fruits

Vitamin B3 / niacin
It is one of the 8 B complex vitamins that helps your body convert food to energy. It also helps with blood circulation and improved blood cholesterol levels. 

Vitamin B6 / pyridoxine
It is needed to help your body use protein, form red blood cells and maintain brain function. It facilitates amino acid utilisation, aids in calcium metabolism, supports the liver and helps regulate the facilitation and use of glycogen.

Foods: liver, egg yolk, milk

Vitamin B9 / folate / folic acid 
It is important in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function. Very important during pregnancy for the developing fetus. 

Vitamin B12
It has an essential role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism and nerve function. 

About minerals in the next post.

In the past 1.5 years I’ve had a blast. Visited Istanbul, Turkey, then went over to Cairo Egypt and stayed there for a year. This year was happy and challenging. Moving to a different country is always challenging, but when it has such a different culture, it was truly amazing. Made some friends, some amazing people – and had some enemies like everyone else. Most part of this year in Egypt I was dieting: first I was getting ready for the WABBA Universe last November. That prep didn’t really go well for different reasons. Then had some time off and started prepping again for the WABBA Hercules Olympia in May in the UK, then the NABBA Worlds in June in Malta and finally the WFF Universe in France the week after. Just before I left for the competition in Malta I decided not to return to Egypt anymore. I came back to Hungary to see my family and relax a bit. It was a long dieting, I was very exhausted. I stayed a bit longer than I planned. I haven’t seen my family for 2 years so I guess this visit was due.

We have done a lot of things together: went to open markets, went cycling with my dad a few times, had birthday parties and BBQs, made some new friends in the gym where I trained and generally I had a great time. But everything comes to an end and now I’m getting ready to return to the UK.

I will return on the 16th September, staying again near Heathrow. I haven’t got a place yet but I’m constantly looking. Probably will not be able to rent a place through an estate agent because they need work references which I haven’t got yet, but I will have to look for a private landlord. If anyone knows anything, please let me know!

Here are a few photos from my stay in Hungary. I have some more on my phone, I will post them later:

I have started recording some training videos again. Here’s the first one, training back at Titans Gym New Cairo, Egypt. You can check out my YouTube channel for more videos:

https://www.youtube.com/user/tamaramakar

Today it was a lovely hot, sunny day here in Cairo. This was the first day for weeks that I had not much to do during the day, and it was my rest day from training, too. I was sitting on my balcony, enjoying the sunshine, reading a book and resting.

The weather is getting really hot here in Egypt, the temperature is around 40C nowadays. Not really ideal to move around outdoors during the day. Even at night it’s still hot, sometimes have to leave the aircon on to be able to sleep. But I’m not complaining! The sunshine is still better than the rain 🙂

Spent a lovely day on Friday at Muscle Mania Middle East here in Cairo, at the American University. There were so many great athletes – the egyptian people do have some great genetics! There were 3 classes: fashion model, fitness model and muscle model. The standard at the competition was very high, some great conditioning.

I have helped 2 athletes to get ready for this competition: Mahmoud Wardany and Muhamed Bayomei.

It was a very busy and eventful day, took lots of photos with fans and friends. I look forward to the next competition – The Show – in May, and Muscle Mania again in September.

Have a look at the photos here:

It only took me the whole day to figure out why I couldn’t connect to the internet on my laptop when it showed I was connected to my WIFI! But it’s solved now so I’m back online!

Very cold here in Cairo! Ok, Ok I hear my friends in the UK and Hungary saying: REALLY???? Yeah, it’s cold compared to what it was a few weeks ago. You don’t expect 12-15C when it’s usually around 30C. I can’t wait to get some suntan soon. Need to use this weather here, as last year I didn’t do any tanning. Swimming pool, steam room, jakuzzi – I will use them all this year. Always wanted to live in a country of forever sunshine and when I do, I don’t do half of the things I said I would if I’d lived there earlier….

You only live once? No, You live every day, you only die once!

Enjoy the weekend and the snow 🙂