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FEMALE MUSCLE

ZOA LINSEY IFBB Pro
Canadian IFBB Pro bodybuilder Zoa Linsey answers your questions on diet, training, supplementation and contest preparation!
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My Advice

Q. If you were to give an up-and-coming bodybuilder one piece of advice that would be the most important information you could give, what would it be?

A. Don’t give up your day job! No, seriously, that’s part of it, but the bottom line is that you need to be doing this sport for the right reasons. We are each attracted to bodybuilding for various reasons, and these reasons change as we evolve (and age). But here’s the cold, hard truth: If you’re doing this sport only to win or only for attention, you’re going to be constantly disappointed with the results. You’ll never win enough, and you’ll never get the attention you desire. And if you do, it may not be from the right people who are telling you the truth about what you need to work on to improve. That means you may end up one of those delusional people who waste their time on pipe dreams and end up unhappy in the end. Sounds harsh, I know, but you want the truth, right? Decide where competing falls within the rest of your priorities of life, and enjoy the lifestyle and all the benefits … the friendships, the joy of creating a sculpture on your body, the development of patience, dedication, persistence. Use those skills to improve the rest of your life and apply them to all aspects of your life. Invest in your relationships, your career, your education, and your family. If you can keep all these things going, and still diet, then you’re meant to be a competitive bodybuilder. Sure, certain things have to be sacrificed at certain times of the year, and we need a good support system of friends and family around us that will understand these moments. However, we need to recognize that there is a time to work and a time to play. If you invest 100 percent of your energy into competing, and it eventually doesn’t give you the emotional satisfaction you had expected, you’re now left with nothing and a whole lot of adjustments to make. Stay balanced and enjoy the journey.