November 3, 2015

It has been a month since show. Things are going really well & it feels good to have energy back in the gym. My energy levels were pretty low & my lifts weren't anything special the last few weeks before show. It is nice to be able to increase weight again and hit some new PRs. 

Finding balance post show can be hard. Going from being really strict & structured to having lots of flexibility can be really weird & initially this made me feel really uncomfortable & anxious. I really enjoy & thrive off of having a plan/structure. I have set rough weekly goals to help me with this. My current goal is to track my food about 5 days a week and allow myself to have two untracked days. I don't eat a bunch of sugar & processed food these days (because that stuff makes me feel sick), but it is nice to have a break from tracking. Also, it is definitely nice to have more flexibility and be able to be more social in regards to food. 

Overall, I am really excited about how things are going. I am eating upwards of 2700 calories daily & doing no cardio. This past Saturday I weighed in at 133.5 lbs. I really want to break 140 lbs before my next cut. 

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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October 7, 2015

So this past Saturday was the Greater Omaha Natural Championship. It was a super fun day & it was great to get to spend time with both my KGB and Team Matthew ladies. All of the girls on my teams are absolutely amazing & I am so lucky that I get to do this with them. It makes the day only that much more fun to share it with people you care about.

Overall, I felt way more confident and self aware on stage. I brought better posing and an overall better physique, so I am really happy with how things turned out. I got 4th place in Novice Tall which is awesome because last show I got 5th in Novice Tall. Progressing each show is all I can really ask for. Last show I placed 6th in Open Tall and I placed 6th in Open at this show as well. I am soooo close to breaking top 5. I just really need to keeping putting on more muscle, especially upper body. Our tall class was a super stacked class. Lots of beautiful girls with amazing physiques. The girls were super sweet & it was fun getting to know them & I hope to compete with them again soon. :)

Alright, I know butts can be kind of weird, but I am especially proud of my glute transformation. I worked HARD between shows to tighten and lift my booty. I didn't post any backside pics from my first show because quite frankly, I was embarrassed. I wasn't where I wanted to be and I knew that my glutes were a weak point. Between shows I ate A LOT & did a lot of kickbacks and supplementary glute work to build my glutes and I am pleased with the progress I made.

Left: Heartland Classic (May 2015), Right: Greater Omaha (October 2015)

Cannot believe that is me.... so weird. 

The moment Laura got first at her first show!!! SO. COOL. Such an awesome moment. 

Top 5 Novice Tall

Selfie stick :)

4th Place Novice Tall

KGB girls. Wish we had a pic with our coach, Kelly :(

 Team Matthew girls with the queen herself, Lisa Matthew <3

Bear hug for Mama Bear

I talked with the judges at the after party & they were all super kind. They said my posing was graceful and that I was fun to watch. Consensus was to build build build, especially upper body. I had initially wanted to do the Bluffs Classic on November 20th in Omaha, but have decided the smarter choice is to take some time off to grow. I want to bring a totally improved & bigger physique next time, so I need all the time I can get. My plan right now is to do a series of shows in the spring. 

Tentatively I am thinking:

• Natural Southern States Classic- April 22, 2016
• Natural Iowa- May 14, 2016
• Heartland Classic- May 21, 2016
• The Max Classic & Natural Nebraska- May 27/28, 2016

For sure I will do the Heartland again. We will see where I am at for the other shows, especially because they are out of state. 

Well, that's it for now :). Time to go eat a ton of food and lift some heavy stuff.

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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September 28, 2015

Peak week is here!!! This week is really awesome because every day makes a big difference. This is the part where everything comes together & you randomly wake up one day & are a unicorn. Met with  Luke on Saturday and measured in at 10.8% bf and roughly 128lbs. I will gradually decrease carbs til Wednesday. Wednesday is no carbs, and then I will get pumped full of carbs. Food is pretty basic this week. I will be eating a lot of egg whites, asparagus, chicken, rice cakes, tilapia, sweet potatoes, almond butter, coconut oil, etc. Thursday, Friday, & Saturday will be tilapia, rice cakes, and sweet potatoes. I am excited to see what the final package looks like. Right now I am feeling pretty flat. Energy & strength isn't super great, but I am sooooooo excited, so that helps :) . 

 Left pic: 1 week out from Heartland (124lbs, 11.8% bf)

Right pic: 1 week out from Greater Omaha (128lbs, 10.8% bf)

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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September 21, 2015

Two weeks out!!! One more regular week and then the majestic peak week is here. As of Saturday, body fat is 11.38% and weight is roughly 129lbs. 

Left pic: 1 week out from Heartland (124lbs, 11.8% bf)
Right pic: 2 weeks out from Greater Omaha (129lbs, 11.38% bf)

I have definitely noticed changes in my quads, glutes, and shoulders. A lot of food and diligence went into growing. No matter what happens, I am really happy about the progress I have made.

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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September 14, 2015

Three weeks out! Everything is going really well. These next few weeks will fly by. Just two weeks and then it will be peak week. As of Saturday body fat is 12% and weight was approximately 130.5lbs. Feeling pretty good because last time, one week out, my body fat was 11.7% and I weighed 124lbs. I am looking forward to coming in leaner and with more mature muscles. 

3 weeks out. Tiny waist is back & starting to see some quad separation. 

Last night I met up with Kelly and two of my teammates who are also doing the show. It's a lot of fun to have other people to share the process and show day with. Life is good. 

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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September 8, 2015

4 weeks out. This is the extra fun part because things seem to change daily. I met with Luke on Saturday. Weight is roughly 132.5 lbs and bodyfat is at 12.7%. I am starting to gradually see some definition.

Left pic was August 27th and right pic was yestesrday (Septemer 7th). I remember being bummed out when I took the left pic. I am excited to see things start to tighten up & take shape.

Overall, things are great. Nothing too crazy. Finished adding rhinestones to my suit bottom last week and it turned out SO COOL. Hoping to start blinging the top this week. I am super excited to debut the suit that my mom & I created. 

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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August 31, 2015

5 weeks out. I have been leaning out the past few weeks which feels good. I am currently eating 2100 calories/day and doing cardio about 3-4 days/week. The fall semester has started for UNL students, so I have started teaching group fitness classes again. I teach three classes per week (2 have cardio in them, and one is all strength). My non-teaching cardio includes 15 minute HIIT sessions either on the treadmill, stairmill, or bike. I secretly really like the HIIT cardio sessions. I like that it they are quick, but tough. 

I met with Luke on Saturday to check-in and measured in at 13.3% bf. Two weeks ago I was at 13.85%, so I am feeling good about my progress. I can tell that my shape has changed compared to last time. My quads and glutes have definitely put on size. Here is a comparison from my last show. 

5 Weeks Out

                                     Heartland Classic                               Greater Omaha

                                     13.5% bf                                                 13.3% bf

                                     127 lbs                                                    134 lbs

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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August 17, 2015

Currently 7 weeks out from Greater Omaha. Met with Luke this past Saturday and body fat is 13.85%. Starting to cut and carb cycle which I am really excited about. I am starting my cut around 2100-2300 calories. This week I have cardio 4 times (Three 15 min HIIT sessions and one 30 minute steady state). 

It's fun to wake up everyday a little leaner and a little closer to being stage ready. I have really enjoyed building, but have definitely been ready to cut and see how things will be different this time. Been working really hard to build my glutes and lats in order to give me more shape. 

 7 weeks out from Heartland vs. 7 weeks out from Greater Omaha

End of my bulk & beginning of my cut

Excited to have my teenie tiny waist back :)

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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July 27, 2015

It is the halfway point to Greater Omaha. I am 10 weeks in and 10 weeks out. Met with Luke on Saturday and things are still going good. Over the past two weeks bodyfat went from 13.47% to 13.59% and weight increased from 131.5 lbs to about 134 lbs, so I am feeling good & really excited. Still at 3,000 calories and cardio 2x/week. Both Luke and Kelly said that we will start cutting at about 6 weeks out, so I have another 4ish weeks of bulking. Luke said that my food intake will still be pretty high even during my "cut" since my body isn't really putting on much bodyfat at 3,000 calories. During my last prep I cut at 1800 calories. I am excited to see what I can cut at this time. 

Did some comparisons from last show.

10 Weeks Out

                                     Heartland Classic                               Greater Omaha

                                     14% bf                                                  13.6% bf

                                     129 lbs                                                  134 lbs

Beginning of Week 9

Very happy & proud of the progress I have made. It's taken a lot of foods, weights, & diligence.

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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July 13, 2015

This is Week 8 of training for Greater Omaha. I am roughly 12 weeks out. Met with Luke on Saturday to measure bodyfat. Since we increased to 3000 cals/day two weeks ago, bodyfat went from 13.36% to 13.47% which is basically negligible. 

When I was 12 weeks out from Heartland I was at 14.3% bodyfat and this time at 12 weeks out I am at 13.47%. I also weigh roughly 2 pounds more than I did last time. I can definitely tell that things have slowly been changing. My jeans still fit in the waist, but are tight around my legs and butt. 

12 Weeks out from Greater Omaha

Biggest regret I have is that I didn't start living this way sooner. It's such a fun & rewarding lifestyle. Always remember that it's never too late to start something new & take a chance on yourself.

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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June 29, 2015

Heyoooo. It is Week 6 of training for Greater Omaha. Met with Luke on Saturday to check in. I had been eating 2500 calories, lifting, and doing no cardio. Body fat actually went down which was cray cray. Luke has increased my calories to 3000 which I am pretty excited about. I like food, I like eating, so I am a very happy person. 

It is a short week due to the 4th of July. I am leaving this Thursday for Colorado with Tim & my parents. We are staying at Tim's grandparent's cabin and will be fishing, hiking, napping, reading, etc. I am bringing my free weights, resistance band, and ankle weights up there with me & Kelly is writing my workouts so I can still keep hustlin & grindin while I am up in the mountains. I am really excited to lift outside & hangout in nature :) :) :).

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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June 15, 2015

Hola. It is Week 4 of my prep for Greater Omaha. Lifting, no cardio, & eating a lot of foodies which I am not complaining about. It is definitely weird seeing your body fill out a bit after you see how lean you can get. Sometimes I secretly miss my tiny waist, but I also know that being that lean isn't sustainable in real life. Overall, I am excited to see how things change with more food & continued lifting. I was looking back at old pictures a few days ago & was doing some comparisons. It is amazing how much the body can change with consistency. It can be hard because you can't really see the changes daily, but you just have to trust that they are happening. Taking lots of pictures definitely helps & I am glad that I have my check-in pics. Having these pictures helps put things into perspective when you start to question if anything is happening. While I don't typically post booty pics, the following picture comparison really stood out to me. Super proud of the progress I have made & am really motivated to keep making changes. 

End of Week 7 vs. the week before Heartland (Week 19)

On a side note, probably one of the coolest things for me post show is how much my nutrition stuck. I could have relapsed & ate a bunch of sugar & other processed crap, but I honestly just didn't want to. When you like the food you eat & the overall lifestyle, it makes it easy to say no to that stuff. The last month of prep we cut out dairy, so after the Heartland I got real crazy and ate some cheese :). 

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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May 29, 2015

It's almost been a week since I competed in the Heartland Classic. It's going to be really difficult to express how great of a day it was. It was super cool to see everything come together & to see the final package. People told me that you never really feel ready or know what you look like until you see pictures afterwards and that is super true. I felt really good & proud of what I brought, but I did not really know what I looked like until after the fact. 

Shows are divided up by height class. I competed in Novice Tall & Open Tall. There were a ton of bikini girls (60+) and it was really fun getting to chat with like-minded people. I met a lot of really cool girls and it was really empowering to get to share the stage with such strong & beautiful women. Like I said, amazing experience. 

Probably one of the things I am most grateful for from this experience is the support I received, especially from my parents. I was super nervous to tell my parents what I was going to do because I was afraid they would think it was weird or not understand. Bikini competitions are not the most traditional hobby, & you never know what people are going to think. Luckily, both my parents didn't hesitate for a second. Saturday was really cool because they were both super into it & I could tell they were proud of me. My dad is really into photography & took a bunch of pictures & was up until 2am editing them. My mom, before I had even washed my makeup off, was talking about a game plan for my next show. I am seriously so appreciative for all the support I have received throughout my prep & the day of the show. The positive energy & words have meant so much. Like I said, I initially was nervous about what people would think, but mostly everyone has shown love/support and that means everything. 

Jessica & Caitlin. 

So lucky to have made such wonderful friends through this experience. It made prep & show day SO FUN. Hoping to do more shows with these lovely girls. 

Open Tall

My T-walk

Top 5 of Novice Tall! Was super excited to hear #68 called out!

Placing 5th in Novice Tall!

Just chillin.

 So lucky to have the support of this guy. From putting up with my constant kitchen messes, to texting me while I was backstage, this guy is the best. 

This whole experience has been life-changing. I know that sounds pretty intense, but it really has been. There is no way I will ever go back to living how I was before. It wasn't necessarily awful or super unhealthy, but now that I know how to properly fuel & treat my body/mind there is no turning back. Physically & mentally I feel good. People comment on how good I looked, but I wish they could see how amazing I feel now. I have always struggled with depression/anxiety & changing my nutrition by eating whole foods (& lots of fats!!) & lifting has completely improved my mental health. 

I am also extremely proud of how I completed my prep. I obtained the best body I have ever had by eating LOTS of whole food (1800+/day) & lifting weights. I didn't starve myself & I didn't spend countless hours doing cardio. I ate a ton of food. I lifted a lot of weights. I have so much gratitude for my coaches Kelly and Luke for creating a program for me that was healthy, enjoyable, & FUN. 

Sooooooo... what's next? Well, it is safe to say I am addicted. Main critique from the judges was to put some meat on my bones, which means even more food (didn't know that was possible) & more weights. I really want to grow my upper body, especially my back and shoulders. I also (just like every bikini girl in the history of the world) want to grow/tighten my booty/hamstrings. 

Next show: Greater Omaha on October 3rd!

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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May 18, 2015

Somehow it is Week 19. It legit feels like I time traveled or something. The past couple of weeks have flown by and a lot has happened. I graduated with my masters, started work full time, my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew drove up from Austin and stayed with us, and there have been a whole lot of graduation parties. Basically the past week I was surrounded by cake, icecream, and cookies. Despite this, I packed my foodies and stuck to my prep like a boss. 

I started prep back in January at about 130 lbs and 17% bf. As of Saturday, body fat is at 11.7% and I am at about 124 lbs. This week is Peak Week which will be pretty interesting. Basically this week we manipulate my carbs in order to get my body at its best by Saturday. Thursday will be my last day of working out and Thursday through Saturday my food is pretty basic (tilapia, sweet potato, and rice cakes).  

This whole thing truly doesn't seem real. I am beyond happy with the knowledge and friendships I have gained from this experience. I have worked hard, learned a lot, and left nothing behind. Life is good, God is good. 

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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April 27, 2015

I am 4 weeks out which is SO CRAZY. Between graduating, prep, and starting work full time, these weeks are going to fly by. I went to the Natural Southern States Classic on Saturday with Luke and Caitlin to watch Men's Physique and Women's Figure. I had never been to a show before, so it was a really valuable experience. It really reiterated how important presentation and listening is. Some of the competitors on Saturday looked great, but you could tell they were scared shitless. Their blatant nervousness took away from their physique, and that's something I don't want to happen with me. Obviously everyone up there is nervous, but it's important to not show it and to own what you are doing. That being said, with school winding down I really want to hit my posing even harder than I have been. Caitlin and I got together to practice posing on Sunday and we are going to make it a weekly thing which I am super excited about. It's nice to have another set of eyes on you and to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Plus Caitlin is the bee's knees. 

My mom still needs to finish my suit bottoms, so hopefully we can get that wrapped up soon. I also decided that I want to bling the shit out of my suit. The blinged out suits on stage looked so amazing on Saturday!!! 

Nutrition is being changed up this week. Dairy has been eliminated and I am starting to carb cycle. I am excited to see how my body responds these changes. 

Week 15 Check-In Pics

Thanks for reading and for the support. This whole experience has been such a huge blessing. My quality of life has been drastically improved, and I have never been more at peace with who I am and what I am capable of. I have met so many inspiring people and have made so many wonderful and quality friendships. I can't wait to see what the future holds. 

Much love and lifting, 

Leah

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April 6, 2015

Just wrapped up Week 12 of prep. Met with Luke this past Saturday & am still making the steady progress that I need to be. Body fat is down to 13.7%, and weight is still staying constant. My weight is currently at around 128.5lb and I started prep at around 131.5lb. For the most part my weight has stayed around the 128-130lb range throughout prep. Definitely shows that the scale does not tell the whole story. People, especially women, put too much emphasis on that number and get easily discouraged. Fitness and health are so much more than a number. It's how your clothes fit, how much stronger you are, and most importantly how you feel.

Overall, bikini prep is very glute focused, but I have also been making a very conscious effort to be hitting shoulders and lats pretty hard. I want to  put on some upper body mass so I am not a total noodle on stage :).

Other than that, not much has changed. School and work have been pretty busy/stressful, but it's nice to have an outlet for that stress. Being able to channel my energy, whether it be negative or positive, into my lifts has been really great for my mental health and overall well being.

 Midway through Week 12

Left pic is from the end of Week 3. Top & right pic are from the end of this week (Week 12)

Much love & lifting,

Leah

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March 23, 2015

Last week was the halfway point for prep. I was 10 weeks in, and the show was 10 weeks away. I am currently starting Week 11 and am still feeling extremely good. I am continuing to lift heavy and have been able to increase the weight of basically all my lifts. I am also still having a lot of fun making food and creating new recipes. My current favorite is chicken, brussels sprouts, and broccoli cooked in coconut oil with almond butter and unsweetened shredded coconut. I ate this everyday last week and could probably eat it everyday for the rest of my life. Super good & extremely easy.  

Met with Luke this past Saturday. Bodyfat was down to 13.9% and weight is still the same. Had posing with Lisa, my posing coach, on Sunday which also went really well. Tim and my mom came along which was nice. It was fun to show them what I have been working on and how much I have improved. 

Kelly & Luke, two of my three amazing coaches

 Day 1 of prep vs. midway through Week 10

 Midway through Week 10

Much love and lifting,

Leah

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March 9, 2015

Met with Luke on Saturday and measured in at 14.3% bodyfat. Two weeks ago when I met with him I was at 16.3%. I was super shocked when he told me I was at 14.3%. I had noticed that I felt leaner, but I did not expect that much of a change. I have never been this lean before, and the craziest part is that I am constantly eating (basically every 2 hours), and doing next to zero cardio. Something else that is exciting is that my weight has not changed, meaning that I am putting on muscle. Wish I would have started doing this sooner, that's for sure. 

Friday was my birthday and the whole day was absolutely perfect. The sun was out, I had posing practice, taught HIIT Kettlebell and Cardio Sculpt, had dinner with Tim at Carmela's Bistro, and finished the night watching Netflix in bed. I have been very lucky in that many of my group fitness participants have become my good friends, and they definitely spoiled me on Friday. I am so lucky. 

 Posing practice on Friday

My wonderful Cardio Sculpt class

I am now 11 weeks out. My mom has been working on my suit and it looks amazing. I am really excited for the finished product. Thanks for reading :)

Much love and lifting,

Leah

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March 3, 2015

Hola friends. I am currently in Week 8 of prep. I have 12 weeks until the Heartland Classic. I cannot believe I am already on Week 8. I am still lifting & only doing cardio 2x/week (when I teach at the Rec Center). Diet has stayed the same (still lovin it, HOLLA!!!). I have definitely noticed that I have been getting stronger. Every week I am able to increase my weights a bit (especially for legs and back).  This Saturday I meet with my nutritionist, Luke, and will get my body fat measured. Two weeks ago when I went in I was at 16.3%. Bikini competitors are usually around 8-12% on stage. The following pictures were taken last week (Week 6). 

  Midway through Week 6

  End of Week 6

 End of Week 6 

(ignore my crazy person hair)

I also recently started an instagram account dedicated to fitness and competition prep. I figured I didn't want to flood my other instagram with posts that some people might not care about. @LeahKottwitzFitness is my account if you want to follow. 

Much love and lifting,

Leah

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February 16, 2015

I just finished my 5th week of prep, meaning I am currently beginning Week 6. I am still loving the food I am eating and the workouts. Last night I made chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli sauteed in coconut oil with an almond butter curry sauce... aka YUM. It's been fun experimenting and creating new recipes that fit my nutrition.

Chicken, sweet potatoes, & broccoli with almond butter curry sauce

Left: First day of prep

Right: Midway through 4th week of prep

 End of 4th week

End of 4th week

The main focus right now is to put on muscle and to especially grow that bikini booty. I have definitely noticed changes in my upper and lower body. Baby muscles are slowly growing and I have gone down a pant size.

Something else in the works has been my bikini!!! Bikini competition suits are around a minimum of $170. Currently my mom & I are working on making my suit. So far it is coming along really well and it has cost EIGHT DOLLARS. Yes, $8. Craziness. We are going to work on it more this weekend. I'll post pictures as it gets further along.

Much love and lifting, 

Leah

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