Allison Black Stirling
Resides: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Age: 31
Height: 5 ft. 3”
Weight: 130 (off-season), 115 (competition)
Favorite body part: shoulders
Profession: Speech-Language Pathologist

Tell us a little about you

I began competing in fitness competitions in November 2002, and after a first place finish, I have been hooked ever since! I have been making slow and steady improvements at the National level: from 8th in 2003, to 6th in 2004, 4th in 2005, 2nd in 2006, and this year I secured a spot as the 2007 CBBF National Fitness Short Champion. It was such a great feeling knowing that I was presenting my best package yet – with respect to both physique and routine! I love the personal challenge that competing in fitness presents, and I am committed to helping others achieve their goals in fitness as well. Fitness and wellness has become a way of life for me … it is a lifestyle that I intend to follow forever!

      

What workout plan works best for you?

With the range of training necessary to compete in fitness, it is easy to quickly fill up every day of the week between weight-training, cardio, plyometric training, gymnastics, dance & routine training. I have learnt from experience that it is very important to ensure that I have a day-off in my training regime to rest and recover. For this reason, I follow a 4 day split for weight-training to allow for 2 days of gymnastics/routine work, and one day off. Presently, I incorporate plyometric training (explosive exercises) into each of my workouts.

In my off-season, however, when I do not need to concentrate on gymnastics/routine, I will allow one day of training specific to “plyo” in order to develop the fast twitch muscle groups that will later be so critical to routine performance. I enjoy a variety of cardiovascular activities such as hiking, biking, swimming, and cross-country skiing in the winter. I choose to keep Saturdays to myself and to enjoy time with my husband, family and friends. Depending on the stage of my training, I look forward to indulging in a cheat meal on this day as well!

What kind of weight training routine do you follow?

With consultation from my trainer, my weight-training program varies to target specific muscle groups that I require extra development for overall muscular balance. Presently, my training regime is a 3 day split, but because I train 4 days a week, I am able to target several body parts twice weekly. I always alternate the workout that I get in twice (e.g. ABCA, BCAB, CABC), and no two workouts are ever the same! The more variety the better!

Workout A: Back & Biceps
Workout B: Quads, Chest, & Calves
Workout C: Hams, Shoulders, Triceps, & Abs

A typical week of training during competition season might be as follows:

Monday: am cardio, pm weight training A (+ plyo)
Tuesday: am cardio, pm weight training B (+ plyo)
Wednesday: am cardio, pm gymnastics/routine training
Thursday: am cardio, pm weight training C (+ plyo)
Friday: am cardio, pm weight training A (+ plyo)
Saturday: rest
Sunday: am cardio, pm gymnastics/routine training

What Nutrition Plan works best for you?

For me, the key to longevity in my sport has been to be comfortable with my weight during the off-season as well as during the peak of competition. I always strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle year-round, keeping within 15 pounds of my competition weight. This is achieved through eating small meals regularly throughout the day (5-6 meals) to keep my metabolism constantly working. I balance my meals with healthy choices of protein (e.g. chicken, eye of round, turkey, egg whites, fish), with complex carbohydrates (e.g. oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, yams). Appropriate amounts of sleep and water (shoot for 8 hours and 4 Liters respectively) are extremely beneficial as well. Of course, I do enjoy dining out and allow myself treats in moderation – I am confident that it is important to maintain a happy balance in life. After all, if you are strict with diet 12 months a year, the body will be slow to respond when competition comes around! Now, when it comes to competition, however, I am 100% committed to diet, and do not stray from what my trainer recommends. Fortunately for me, (likely because of my approach to nutrition year-round) strict diet for competition is typically less than 12-weeks of preparation. I am always amazed with the changes that are possible during that time!

My Diet and Nutrition Intake

My diet is tailored depending on what stage in competition prep I am in. I try to vary my diet as much as possible when I am not preparing for competition, while choosing lean sources of protein, and healthy carbohydrates. Presently, a sample day may be as follows:

Meal one:
½ cup of oatmeal
egg white omelet with veggies

Meal two:
“Strawberry Cheesecake” (this is my favorite am snack! - see recipe below)
1) mix ½ cup dry quick oats with 1 tsp cinnamon, and 2 tsp splenda
2) stir and add water to cover (should be some excess water)
3) add ½ cup light cottage cheese
4) add ½ cup chopped strawberries or mixed berries
5) top with Jell-O Light (pre-made)
6) let set in fridge over night
7) enjoy cold!

Meal three:
½ Cup rice
Chicken breast diced
Veggies with salsa

Meal four:
Salad with Pollock

Meal five:
Grilled salmon with yams

Meal six:
Cottage cheese blended with splenda and protein powder (delicious!)

What's the best way to achieve those "SixPackNow" abs?

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a clean diet. Although weight-training and cardio will impact the shape and tone in your body, your results will be significantly much more dramatic if you supplement your program with a healthy diet. Remember, however, that this doesn’t mean that your diet needs to be boring … get creative with it! SixPackNow can provide some great recipes and ideas!

Top Five Tips for staying in condition:

1) Set personal goals, document your progress, and celebrate all of your successes along the way!
2) Choose activities that you enjoy – you will be much more likely to stick with it!
3) Workout with a partner – this way you can push each other to reach your full potential, and it’s much more fun!
4) Keep organized with your food prep: carry healthy snacks with you when you’re on the go, and keep your fridge stocked with staples – this way you will be less inclined to eat less healthy alternatives just because they are more convenient!
5) Learn to listen to your body – drink lots of water, and TRY to get lots of rest … it makes a world of difference!

Most of all – believe in yourself!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams … Whatever you do or dream you can do, begin it now!” – Goethe

Best of luck! In health and fitness,

Allison