Jamey Peters - Figure Royalty

Thanks so much to our Cover Star and good friend Jamey Peters for giving FigureBikini.com the chance to bring you some of her latest shots! Jamey also wrote us an update, so be sure to sit down and enjoy these awesome photos and her awesome words. We love her so much and expect her to take the Figure World by storm once makes her return to the stage.

"Here are some new pictures from David Aboody taken post competitions. As of late I am busy training away and preparing for LA championships followed by USA's. This weekend marks the 4- and 5-week countdown! Finally :) I am getting really exciting. Practicing my posing and helping other competitors has taken up a great deal of my time as well. I love meeting with new (or veteran) competitors and pumping them up for the up coming shows. It is soo cool to see the fire and sparkle in their eye and give 100% to their diet and training to accomplish their goals. This sport is extremely tough on the body and if there is one thing that I have learned in the past few weeks, is to listen to your body and train smarter. I have battled some issues with nerves and muscular tightness and in my head, I say push through it. My body however is telling me "heck no!" So I have taken more rest days than usual, spent a lot more time stretching, icing, massage therapy and trying to keep my stress down, all the while sticking to my diet and working with what I can. :)

I want to thank those special people who have been there, no matter what may be going on and supporting my dreams and goals. I want to thank my family for the encouragement and help with food prep or whatever it may be, they are there through the good, bad, and ugly lol! I want to thank Cace Tyler, for putting up with me and pushing me when I didn't want to be pushed. He will also be competing at LA Championships, so Cali, watch out. I would also like to thank my Grad school friends for putting up with the tilapia and asparagus smell in the grad lab and indulging in my cheat meals! I would like to thank my all my friends who have supported me through each journey! I am very blessed to have a great support team! And Thank you to my Construction Zone family! Each and every one of them has made a huge impact in my life and I am forever thankful for them, especially my coaches Pete and Apple Grubbs."

Jamey Peters
NPC Figure Superstar

Jamey & Ashley: My Favorites in Figure

"Hey Christian! Since Emerald Cup, I have been very busy. I just completed my first year of grad school in which I am working on a Masters in Exercise Physiology and I have been prepping for USA's. That is 8 weeks from now and I am planning on bringing everything I have to the stage :) I am still working with Pete and Apple of Construction Zone and proud to be one of their athletes. I am currently developing my website and busy networking, trying to gain sponsorships."

Jamey Peters
Top Ranked NPC Figure Star

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"I am currently 13 days out from NPC Jr. Nationals in Chicago, Illinois. Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I'm feeling. I feel super confident and satisfied with my physique at this point in my competitive career.

I started prepping at 16 weeks out, originally planning to compete at Jr. USA's in South Carolina until a slight curve ball was thrown. I decided waiting until Jr. Nationals was the best thing for me and my career and I couldn't be happier with that decision. Like I always say, go with your gut feeling.

I must say that this prep has probably been the most difficult of all, mentally and physically. There were days when I didn't know if I'd get through and felt like I had hit rock bottom. However, even if I fell down 100 times, I always got back up. As we get older, life gets that much harder but it makes you that much stronger. We fail, then we succeed. We fall, we rise. We break, then we put the pieces back together. That's what makes you strong, that's what makes you a champion.

I have to thank Fahrenheit Nutrition for everything they do for me and their never ending support. My family has also bent over backwards for me and encouraged me everyday. They are nothing short of an amazing and I feel so blessed and extremely thankful.

Ashley Lemmons
Fahrenheit Nutrtion Endorsed Athelete
Top Ranked NPC Figure Star

This picture was taken at 7 weeks out.
Courtesy of Ingram Images.

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Editor's Notes

There is so much talent on FigureBikini.com, and many of the ladies I've featured and/or interviewed weren't even placing when I first contacted them, but you can almost tell. Jamey and Ashley have been placing well for a long time, but they're both extremely hard workers. One look at Jamey's abs or Ashley's overall balance and you just know that both of these women have spent a long time in cardio classes and/or on cardio machines of varying degrees of agony. There is a lot to be said about great genetics, but even the best of genetics just aren't enough - not at this level.

I am convinced that both of these women will go pro and do serious damage. If they were class winners and both at 100%, I would be in ABSOLUTE HELL if I had to choose a winner. I would rather get tased by a police officer with a Napoleon complex that have to compare these two for the win. Kudos to the judges! :)

Jamey Peters on the Cover

Jamey Peters is one of the accomplished stars in the world of NPC Figure. Her photos on HerBiceps.com are amongst the most downloaded in the industry. She places in the top at every show she enters, taking Class & Overall titles at the NPC Vancouver and the NPC North Western Championships. This great champion will soon be an IFBB Pro, placing 3rd in her class at this year's NPC Emerald Cup. As her physique continues to improve, she continues to market herself and make more contacts in an industry that never sleeps. Jamey Peters is precisely the kind of driven athlete that any company would love to have on their roster. She's social, personable, hard working, and disciplined. From her rock hard abs to her feminine beauty, this champion showcases the best qualities of a champion - both on and off stage. I am delighted to be able to help get the word out!

Amusing Musings

Special Guest - Gary Udit

Coming Soon to FigureBikini.com!

GaryUdit.com

Once I interviewed Allison Moyer, I had heard the name Gary Udit more times than I could remember so I decided to drop him a line and see if he'd be up for appearing on FigureBikini.com -- and he was/is!! Woo Hoo!!

I'm still not sure what I'll do with him. I was thinking of a feature, perhaps an interview, but I'm going to really plan something cool for him. I know many ladies would like to work with (as well as guys from my other sites). Keep in mind that just because the page is called FIGUREBIKINI.com - we promote all five women's divisions!

I'm leaning more towards an interview, but I'd love to have some guest questions. If you have a question you'd like Gary to answer, please drop me a line at Christian@StrengthAddicts.com. And kudos & thanks to Gary!!!!

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"Like" Your Favorite Facebook FanPages!

NPC Figure Competitor Ashley Leemons

Jamey Marie NPC Figure Competitor

Ruthie Harrison NPC Bikini Athlete

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Get Real

I recently released an article that discussed the potential politics associated with an athlete - any athlete - whose been on magazine covers and won local shows. My argument didn't rely on any specific situations or examples of politics, it merely noted that there was at least the likelihood of their being political factors when such a competitor competed against unknowns.

Jamey Peters

In a separate instance, I did discuss the local favorite to win, and I did cite the fact she was on the cover of the local exercise magazine and I did cite that she won a show in 2011. I praised her hard work in the gym, I recognized her good genetics, but I also made the point that I didn't think she was on the level of an Ashley Lemmons or Jamey Peters - two women that are nationally-ranked amateur stars in Figure, almost certain to earn IFBB Pro Cards.

More - Jamey Peters

The fact of the matter is I didn't comment on the subject's personality or any interactions we may or may not have had - I simply assessed her physique like I would any other man or woman on my sites; however, since she got word, two women on her Team have all but cut ties with me and one has said she does not want to appear on anymore videos. Why? Because I made a simple observation that one of their colleagues was dangerous at local shows, worked hard in the gym, had great genetics but as of now was stil not at the level of an Ashley Lemmons or Jamey Peters -- for that simple comparison I get al this fallout? Are you friggin serious right now?

Top Ranked NPC Figure Star, Ashley Lemmons
Fahrenheit Nutrition Athlete

Being compared to someone of the level of Ashley Lemmons is a big deal! You're talkin about a woman that's virtually guaranteed to go pro, and once at that level - she's likely to be a top contender at the Olympia (she's that friggin talented). I was totally stoked when Ashley landed her sponsorship with Fahrenheit Nutrition - a company I am also working with. This ad was run in the national press, primarily in Oxygen Magazine. It's great to win local shows and land covers on free, local-circulation magazines dropped off at the grocery store, but what's the big deal in conceding you're not YET in the big time but one day your time will come to? Why is a little humility so much to ask for? Ashley didn't wake up on day and expect all this - she paid her dues and she continues to do so.

This is why I shouldn't have even bothered covering Figure at the local level. I'll be rooting for a couple friends in the bodybuilding division, as well as a friend in Men's Physique, but I don't think I'll have much more to say on anything else at the 2012 NPC Lansing Grand Prix (March 31, 2012). I am used to working with girls from Team Bombshell, Tanji Johnson's Save Fitness, Ingrid Romero's Team Edge, I'm not used to having to walk on egg shells when it comes to analyzing physiques.

What kind of website would this be, would of any my pages be, if I couldn't critique physiques and accurately assess them? Why was I reported to Facebook? Why are people leaving my Site/Channel? If they want to leave - they can leave. Am I losing my champions? The women actually pushing the sport to the limit? NO. I'm losing my foothold in the Competiive World of LANSING, MI -- THE MECCA OF... UM...OF...LANSING!

FigureBikini.com is a site that's growing with connections throughout the industry, loyal friends that have gone out of their way to help make this humble little page into something really cool. Just who do you think you're going to silence? You think you're going silence FigureBikini.com or StrengthAddicts.com? You better think again. This isn't even free speech, this is just engaging in the sport! There was NOTHING malicious published, all that was stated was an honest, educated opinion between a good physique and a great one - not everyone is the best, and those of you that compete and those of us that celebrate your sacrifices - we all know that these divisions crown a select few AS THE BEST. But I digress; I've been so utterly redunant already, but I'm just PERPLEXED BY THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF THIS WHOLE ORDEAL.

If this isn't politics then I don't know what the heck is. Needless to say, I wish everyone luck and I think everyone that works hard is deserving for credit and coverage - but when you dominate a local show and rank over a dozen spots below the person you're compared to in a national class - yes you're not going to said to be as good. Ashley Lemmons nearly won the division, it's NOT an insult to say you're not yet at her level. I'm not saying you can never be there, I'm just saying you're no there yet. The fact someone would have such thin skin is utterly ridiculous. But what would be even more ridiculous would be for me to bow down to bullshit facebook complaints and lose all sense of objectivity. I owe my readers - HONESTY - and so long as I'm in the driver seat, I'm drivin with my eyes wide open.

So in recap, Get Real. Back to normally scheduled happiness and figure/bikini blogging tomorrow. In about ten hours we'll have an amazing feature with Kerri Baker!!!

In closing.... scroll down right below our good friend Tracey's photo on the right panel to a feature called "Webstat Motigo"....click on that little box. What you'll see is a map of the world,and then you'll see that map LIGHT UP. When I speak - I reach people. If I wasn't ALLOWED or if I wasn't ABLE to be HONEST... all the little heat impressions on that map would cease to light up as they so beautifully do every single day - from Lansing to Beijing to Cape Town to Syndey to Federal Way, WA.

Perceptions & Actualities

I've been in the Lansing area for about four years, and in that time I've trained a number of facilites. As a guy that lifts heavy and loves bodybuilding, I know my days at most gyms are numbered. But during my experiences at these facilities, one thing I've noticed, is the standoffishness of many off-duty competitors and their wannabes. With the men, ironically, you see it less. But with women, as is usually the case (from a man's perspective), the degree of indifference seems to peak at alarming rates.

I know it can't be easy being a women in the gym - I know because I myself have written about. To be stared at, hit on, to be talked about, to (often times) be disrespected, who wants that? But what about the times that [respectful]gym-goers are friendly? What about the times people are just trying to be nice and they offer a greeting, hold open a door, or just smile? What then?

I for one usually get annoyed when my heart's in the right place and I'm just trying to be nice -- and I get either ignored or brushed off. It sucks! However, there's always a story behind the story, and what better way to get a grip on this issue than to go to the champions themselves. Is the indifference intentional? Is it malicious? Are the folks in the question simply in the zone or on a schedule? Let's see what the ladies have to say! And as always -- thanks for reading FigureBikini.com ("Like Us" on Facebook / "Follow Us" on Twitter)!!

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"I am typically in the zone during my sets and am very focused on me and making each rep countnor each second count in my cardio. In between sets or moving around I generally tend to smile politely, wave, and carry on. I think that people take confidence, focus, and intensity out of context sometimes and are assumed to be "snooty". Yes, I listen to my music loud and therefore can not hear someone but you can read a lot from body language and eye contact. I also work as a personal trainer so I want to also be approachable and professional however I have received tons of compliments from men and women that I inspire them when they see me train hard.

So at the end of the day it's all about having the right attitude and finding the balance of staying focused on your task at hand and being humane and considerate to others around you.

From a married woman's perspective having your earphones on and walking around with a mission in the gym typically keeps the guys from hitting on you. This helps me in avoiding any uncomfortable contact with dudes trying to pick up chicks at the gym.

I am a busy person, just like many people who workout so getting in and hitting my workout in an effient time is very important. I don't care for long conversations with anyone while I am trying to workout. It's really no offense or mr trying to be snooty, it's the only way to get my work done!"

Abby Clark
NPC Bikini Champion

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"I was once one of those girls that stuck strickly to the cardio equipment until I found out how weights can change and sculpt my physique. If a woman (or man) approaches me, I usually take the time to chat with them if they have a question or want to say a quick"hello". However, if they want to get into a long conversation, I tell them I am up for continuing the conversation after my lift, especially if they want to join me for cardio! lol If I have my headphones on and am in "the zone," I will acknowledge them and shoot a smile but get back to work :) I find it easier to help a woman with questions and have a quick conversation than I do with guys in the gym. Guys either will talk and talk and talk or they will look at me and probably think "Theres a girl in the weight room?" Haha I am usually one of the only females hitting the weights with the boys."

Jamey Peters
NPC Figure Champion

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"For the most part I will make time to talk to people..but most of the people who are in my gym to seriously train aren't talking to anyone either. I don't usually get bothered until I'm getting ready for a show (and in most cases, everyone is cranky when they're dieting!lol)"

Karly Woodle
IFBB Figure Pro

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"I get stopped in the gym all the time and I love it. Motivating people is part of why I got into competing in the first place, and as a personal trainer helping people in the gym is what I do for a living!"

Carolina Granados
NPC Bikini Star

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"For the most part I try to keep to myself. The gym that I train at , Armbrust Pro gym , there are a lot of other competitors that train there so they are all in the same boat of training and dieting. There's a great level of respect there so u don't get bothered much. If someone comes up I just try to make my Answers quick so I don't get my training off track!"

Marilena EchoHawk
IFBB Physique Pro

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"I love to have short conversations with people in the gym but if it turns into a long conversation i try to drop hints that I need to get back to my training. There are a couple people I know will talk my ear off so I usually give them a smile but try to avoid any talking until I'm finished with my workout. I've had a couple people tell me I come off as "stuck up" in the gym probably because I'm all about getting down to business. Outside of the gym I'm a completely different person."

Miriam Looney
NPC Teen Champion

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"Because I am a trainer, and always in the gym, lots of people know me and make coversation with me all day long. I always smile and chat as much as I can while staying focused on my workout or my client's. It's important for me to have a positive energy always surrounding me, so giving people a smile and a "how are you?" can really brighten a person's day! The gym is a positive experience, so being snooty to people is not my style, unless they've been rude to me 1st!

Close to a show, yes people do come up much more often with a "You look great! What have you been doing?!" And they'll try to chat and pick my brain about diet, but they are respectful knowing I have work to do!"

Laura Ridings
NPC Bikini Star

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"For the most part, I keep to myself. I am in the gym to train and reach my goals, not socialize...I tend to have the "leave me alone" aka "bitch face" look and body language. A simple "hello, how are ya" is one thing...a long winded social session is quite another.

If someone approaches me and compliments me or asks me a question, I am more than willing to offer any help that I can, but I am usually on a tight schedule so I try to keep it short and sweet. When another woman goes out of her way to comment on my physique or ask about weight training, I will always take the time to talk to her or show her something cause I would like to save everyone from the wasted years of being a cardio bunny and never seeing the progress I wanted. If I can help more women step in the weight room, build self esteem and confidence than I am all for it!"

Nicole Gray
IFPA Figure Pro

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You Are What You Wear! (in a way)

Physique sports are expensive hobbies -- especially if you want to compete. In addition to gym memberships, clothing costs, and travel expenses, if you plan on getting on stage, you'll need posing trunks (if your a guy) or suits (if you're a woman). But before you go clicking onto the next blog, don't be too quick to dismiss the suit requirement.

If you were to Google-search suits for physique, figure, bikini, or bodybuilding, you'll find dozens, hundreds, if not thousands of sites throughout the world. And usually - or at least a good portion of the time - your perfect fit isn't out there. This is a love story, your perfect fit may not even be in existence. In many cases, you may have to find a suit-maker, exchange ideas and thoughts on specs, and then you may or may not have a suit that will truly show off that physique you've molded in the gym and developed through sound nutrition and supplementation. Why invest so much money into your training, supplements, the time off work, the airline tickets, the car rental, only to cut corners on your suit.

For the women, just like for the men, there's a job you do in the gym, there's a job you do in the kitchen, and there's a job you do in preparation for taking the stage (e.g. your suit, your tan, your posing routine, etc).

To make things easier, I've gone to the Champions for some insights. I hope you find their replies helpful. No one was paid or promised anything for these testimonials. This site is as DIY (do it yourself), underground, and REALLY (fan-based) as they come. These great athletes are grateful to their suit-designers and participated here - out of a sincere loyalty to these companies and out of a continued loyalty to you - THE FANS!

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"My first competition suit I found on the website http://www.divaexchange.com, and I recommend every girl interested on competing check out the site before ordering a more expensive suit! I got a great TeenyB bikini suit there for only $100. It was the same style suit that Ali Rosen won Overall at NPC Nationals 2010 in!! DivaExchange.com also has Figure and Fitness suits and new suits are added almost daily! You can also sell your suits there.

For the more experienced and National or Pro level competitors there is no better choice than CJ's Elite Suits. CJ, or Cynthia James, custom makes every suit down to each stone. No one will have a suit like yours! Her suits can cost from a couple hundred to almost a thousand dollars depending on stone work and customization, but no matter the price you will LOVE your suit and it will be worth every penny! CJ is an amazing woman and cares so much about giving competitors the absolute best. She even let me borrow one of her suits at Nationals because mine wasn't going to work and I ended up getting second in my class! I couldn't have done it without CJ's gorgeous suit."

Ruthie Harrison

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"My last 2 suits were designed by Caron Hospedales. She's been absolutely wonderful! Her suits are gorgeous & I have received nothing but positive feedback from the judges on both of them.

If you have an idea of what you want your suit to look like, Caron can make it happen. Typically a customized suit will range in price, depending on the amount of stones/detail that you want. She is located in New York and can be contacted on Facebook or at caronsuits@yahoo.com.

Ashley Lemmons

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"I have had suits designed by Sylvia Tremblay, which fit like a glove and she was a blast to work with. Her attention to detail, beautiful stoning, and custom fit were amazing. Her prices vary, I was fortunate to buy a used suit that had never been worn. I received my suit on site, 10 weeks out from my show. http://tremblaydesigns.com.

I most recently used Cynthia James, and my exeperience was great. I received my suit 10 days out and the stoning, design, and color were wonderful. I did most of my order over the phone and they were extremely helpful and the fit was almost spot on. A great experience overall. Her prices vary depending on the stone work, which allows the athlete to fit a suit into their budget."

Jamey Peters

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"I've had my suits made by Laura Richards with Suit Yourself out of Denver. She custom designs the suits herself.. She is very personable, flexible, and if your are not happy with something she strives to make sure you get the design and fit exactly how you want it! Shes very reasonable in her pricing..her suits vary from 100-800. She is quick in her turn around time, typically she can get a suit done within 3-4 weeks out of contest so there is plenty of time for any last minute alterations.

Shes on facebook under "Suit Yourself" or her number is 970-217-2428!

Marilena EchoHawk

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"I get my suits designed my Christine Marsh, her website is christinemarshdesigns.com or you can find her on Facebook.

Being a new competitor Christine has helped made my experience so much easier and less stressful. Her communication is key, making her suites come out flawless. Her suits are nothing but amazing!

Hunnika Rodriguez

Also I started a new page -- Click Here!!!

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"I've had all of my suits designed by Lidia Conti. She has custom designed and stoned each suit, with a fantastic fit and beautiful stone work. She was great to work with and asked my input as far as stoning, fabic, cut etc.. Each suit varied in price, which is one of the great things about Lidia, she has a suit/price that can fit anyone's budget. Typically I've receive my suit with in 3-4wks out which gives a little extra time to make any necessary alterations."

Nicole Gray

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"My suits are custom made by Cynthia James (CJ) cynthia-james.com. She is an awesome person and her suits are the best I have seen. They are not cheap - about $600, but I've worn mine in my last 3 shows. I love it so much and have definitely gotten my money's worth."

Shelly Cannon

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"My suits are custom made by Saleyla (www.saleyla.com).

She is local in Las Vegas and she custom designs and fits the suits specifically to your body. Her prices are very reasonable and the suits are always made within a week, I would definitely recommend her!"

Carolina Granados

"Happy New Year! Tamee Marie is the best for suits! Seems like everyone has used her, so she's not hard to find (she has a page somewhere on Facebook); customer service is great and her suits come in all price ranges (to rent or to buy); would definitely recommend :)

Karly Woodle

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Get Your Like Buttons Ready

I know that many of you are super-active on Facebook, with hundreds (if not thousands) of friends and involved with several clubs, but I really would like to point you to NPC Figure Star, Jamey Peter's brand new athlete page! Jamey showcases the ideal Figure physique, with excellent lines, shredded abs, beautiful flowing symmetry, and natural beauty. I have never seen her in person, but look how impressed I am with just her photos! Check out her page here.

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Pages, Pages, & More Pages!

Jamey Marie, NPC Figure Competitor

Times are changing, and the internet is leading the charge. From social media sites to [web]blogs, vlogs, to personal websites, but if you want to effectively market yourself, you have to be cyber nomad of sorts. So you say you love Myspace? Good for you, but in (circa) 2003, if you cared about your career, you would have rode the wave from Myspace to Facebook. Don't like Twitter? My heart's breakin for ya; if you want to build a fanbase, then you must tweet. Whatever is big, at the present time, you need to be there. Being "online" just isn't enough anymore.

Friendster, Badoo, Yahoo Groups, AOL & Yahoo Chat, even message boards are no longer mediums that you should allocate chunks of your time.

Your day is made up of periods, there's a time to sleep, eat, study/work, and play (lol, leisure/recreation). The time you set aside for "business" (namely in promoting yourself) should be like a pie. You should spend 75% of your time on the sites that matter (Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, Blogger), you should have 10-15% (for example) to answer emails (few people do emails these days, it's all through the aforementioned sites, and if not -- you should encourage it because the people you correspond with should MOST DEFINITELY be connected to you on the most popular sites on the net). And finally, you should have a tiny slice, 5-10% to water the seedlings (those neglected or just downright DEAD sites that were once huge - Friendster, Myspace, Badoo, Xanga, Yahoo & Excite Groups), and maintain a presence everywhere.

You can even type up brief messages, greeting your fans and wishing them luck on their fitness journey - head over to "Google Translate", copy and paste, and create links to different countries that speak different languages. It's ok if the translation isn't perfect -- the fans will appreciate the effort. Imagine a top level American Figure Pro taking the time to say hello the Bulgarian or Slovenian fans in Europe, in Bulgarian or Slovenian. That kind of marketing builds solid links. It shows that you care - and that goes a long way. You can use "Google Translate" for English to any language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hebrew) -- and it's FREE!

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Marilena EchoHawk IFBB Pro Physique

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NPC Figure Competitor Ashley Lemmons

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Ruthie Harrison - Bikini Athlete Fan Page

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Darielle Gaines NPC National Bikini Athlete; CPT

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Karly A Woodle - IFBB Figure Pro

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

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*** Remember to market yourselves!

Breaking the Fast - Champions' Style

Many people often say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this holds true given the fact that most people (on average) sleep between 6-9hrs per night. The body needs time to recover, and while some bodybuilders may subscribe to the notion of waking up to ingest protein in the middle of the night, I would strongly advocate that people let the whole body rest.

Resting for the body, also means starvation for the muscle, but the body can't run nonstop. Keep in mind, that the second most complex system of the body, is the Gastrointestinal System, and if you're constantly eating, never giving your body a break, what result is that going to have on your overall health? What would happen if you trained every single day with weights? I'm sure it sounds counerintuitive to tell people to starve themselves while they sleep, but you can't have restful sleep if you're waking up to several alarm-clock buzzers throughout the night. Remember, the deeper the sleep, the more restful it is, the more recovery will take place.

Ok, so we've decided you'll sleep. Great! But what to eat when you wake up? I've gone to the champions, from bikini to bodybuilding, to share with you, how they start off their day.

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My first meal of the day is at 6:30 am right after my workout and cardio. session.

I usually eat 6 egg whites scrambled up with 1/2 cup of bell peppers and mushrooms; 1/2 cup of old fashion oat meal; along with Vitamin E, Potassium, magnesium and a multi-vitamin. It's just what I need to stay fueled up for whatever the day may bring.

Hunnika Rodriguez

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"My meal is about 45 min after I wake up. My training isn't until 4pm so I eat 4 meals before I even go to the gym then the last 2 after I get home.

First meal is 1/2 c oats, 1Tpb and a shake. Love to eat procakes offseason as well. Have to start the day with some sort of protein for sure. Eggs are a staple with me as well."

Danae Zaitz

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"First meal is within half hour of waking up. I am eating egg whites with spinach, oatmeal with cinnamon or sometimes pumpkin pie spice and bananas. Fills me up and fuels me for my workout later in the day. I take my first set if vitamins after I'm done."

Jamey Peters

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"Yay breakfast talk! Mine is usually 1 tbsp of psyllium husk, then coffee and 5 egg whites with anywhere from 1/4-1/2 cup of oatmeal, cinnamon, stevia, & sugar free syrup."

Karly Woodle

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"First meal is about 45 min-1 hour after I wake up and will generally be one of 2 things depending on my day..either 1) 2 whole eggs + 3 egg whites and 2 slices lean turkey bacon..I'll sprinkle calorie-free cheese flavored popcorn seasoning on my eggs, yum! OR 2) 1 cup egg whites with 1 piece of fruit or 1/2 cup Oats w/ cinnamon.

When I begin show prep I'll do cardio prior to eating with some BCAAs but right now I do my cardio after my workout."

Darielle Gaines

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"I always start my day with protein pancakes!
I make them with egg whites, oats, stevia, cinnamon, crushed pecans and topped with sugar free maple syrup :)
While, I often eat these at other meals as well..it's a delicious start to the day and makes a great pre workout meal too."

Nicole Gray

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"My first meal of the day is usually a protein pancake, I mix about 1/3 cup of oatmeal with 4 egg whites and 1 whole egg. I add flax meal and cinnamon, and sometimes I spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on top!"

Carolina Granados

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"My first meal is at 6 am after my morning cardio. It's usually 4 egg whites with one teaspoon chia seeds and a teaspoon psyllium and 1/2 cup oats with cinnamon . ;) best meal of the day!!"

Marilena EchoHawk

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***If you enjoy reading FigureBikini.com, please help spread the word. Press the LIKE button above. Thanks!

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Jamey Peters - NorthWestern Figure Champion

Name: Jamey Peters
Age: 26
Ht: 5'4"
Contest Weight: 120
Regular Weight: 128
Hometown: Stanwood, WA

What first got me interested in competing was watching the Ironman last year and seeing all the beautiful physiques. A friend of mine was involved in competing and she encouraged me to meet her coaches and nutritionists. So I went ahead and met with Tanji Johnson, joined Save Fitness and Pete Grubbs, joined Construction Zone. This past year was my first year competing in the NPC. I started my first diet last November, the week of Thanksgiving to be exact, and ran with it. I have always been involved in sports and was really into powerlifting before I started training for my first competition. I wanted something to work for, a goal, that I could put everything towards. I saw muscles develop in areas I never thought I would see and the one thing that kept me training each and every day is knowing it is me against me. I will get out what I put into my training and diet.

In season, my diet is kept lean and clean. I eat a lot of fish and veggies. Off season, I still eat really clean but add a lot of muscle building foods in, eggs, proteins, good fats and carbs, its all there. I take my vitamins, minerals and make sure to drink a lot of water. I also am a huge coffee fan so pre-workout/cardio is americano's with one splenda and a splash of non-fat. I would love to thank my family for being there for me no matter what, even on low carb days when I am exhausted. My mom and sister have been to every show except one and I know I can always count on them for anything. My sister loves to bring a "cheat" care package filled with all my favorite things for after I am done on stage. I would like to thank Pete and Apple Grubbs from Construction Zone for tailoring my diet and training and helping me reach my goals. Their support means the world to me. I would like to thank Tanji Johnson and all the Save Fitness girls. This is a team full of inspiring athletes, each and everyone on their own journey. The support is incredible and it is soo neat to watch a team mate reach a goal they have been working so hard for. A big thanks to "Biggie" for putting up with me and helping keep me prep and train. I would like to thank all my friends who have been there, during each and every prep, encouraging me and sometimes even joining in on the 45 minutes of cardio or training session with me. That is a true friend! LOL

For 2012, there are some big plans in the works. I am currently taking some time to be in "off-season" meaning lift heavy, train hard and grow. I have a few shows in mind but with Graduate School, I have to pick shows that aren't the same time as finals.... That's the worst, cutting and final exams together! I would like to compete in USA's this next year and possibly a show before. The biggest goal for 2012 is to improve, improve, improve :)

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Editor's Note

First and foremost, it's great to come across a champion like Jamey Peters, because you can tell that you're dealing with a very hard worker. Just weeks ago, Jamey went into the 2011 NPC Northwestern Championships. She decisively won her class, and then went on to capture the overall title in Figure. But this victory only briefly quenched her thirst for final victory. The year isn't yet over, but this champion is already thinking about the 2012 NPC/IFBB USA's - one of the hardest battles for top-level amateurs to go professional. At Nationals, every class winner within each division, can apply for an IFBB Pro Card, but at the USA's (like the North American), only the overall winner and runner-up of the entire division get to apply for the pro card. It's certainly an uphill battle that she's more than ready to master.

Jamey's physique has some special qualities that we rarely see in Figure. Figure was first created in an effort to showcase the very best of women's bodybuilding (as it was during its early years [as best promoted in the film, Pumping Iron II: The Women]). The major emphasis was to have muscle that was feminine without the extreme levels of dryness and muscularity that had become evident in women's bodybuilding as of the early 1990's. Jamey has a very impressive level of conditioning that does not sacrifice her feminity or offend the lynchpin standards of her division.

As with all physique sports, people often speak to the issue of balance, but balance is not symmetry, it's also not necessarily interchangeable with conditioning. I think balance involves a totality of symmetry, conditioning, genetics. We, as active participants, can have some impact on our symmetry, based on the way we eat and train, but genetics are beyond our control. I think Jamey has the overall balance to be very competitive. Her excellent definition in the mid-section, delts, and upper back will surely make her stand out. Her height, will likely see her in one of the largest classes, but I have no doubt that her physique will bury the vast majority of her competition very early on.

Best of luck to this great champion! You'll see a lot more of her on FigureBikini.com!