Speakers

Scott Larsen

So welcome. I'm here with Farah known as @farah_fitnurse on Instagram today. So how are you far?

Fara

I'm good. Thank you, Scott.

Scott Larsen

Farah is one of our amazing Nuzest advocates and she's actually on a big build up for the Muscle Mania Asia event which is happening on the 10th of December. So, I just wanted to check in catch up, see how your buildups going. Tell me about it. You earlier that you have had a few issues in this preparation, but tell me a little bit about the Muscle Mania Asia event and what's going on?

Farah

Muscle Mania is coming to Singapore on 10, December this year. We are going to expect many international athletes all over the world to come to Asia to compete. And there's a few categories for female, this model, bikini and figure and then of course, there's also male athletes competing in their own categories. So for me, I am going to compete the bikini. Yeah.

Scott Larsen

What are the differentiations between each of those categories? Just then everyone in the audience knows what, because when you think of bodybuilding, normally you think of these giant people on the stage that are taking all of the good and potentially bad supplements but you don't look like that you look very trim. Even though you have a lot of muscle, you're looking very trim. Maybe you can explain those categories.

Farah

I would say for mine, bikini, there's a few factors that they are looking at. So of course, we have to portray some femininity, you know, and then sexy personality, body appearance as-in body condition. You need to be athletic and toned. Your body has to be symmetrical in terms of your muscles, you know? Yeah, they look at all that. Maybe for the figure category it's more towards more muscularity. I'd say yeah. And model is more sporty and fashion focused. Softer looks, okay. Something that, you know, they can they can just portray themselves wearing, even fashion and also sporty look, they can carry both, and they have to be versatile. So I chose bikini, and then I got to know that there's two rounds in bikini. One is the beginning itself. I'm going to wear sparkling, full sequins, bikini set. And then another one is ‘theme ware’, so we can choose whatever theme we want. Yeah, so that's a secret.

Scott Larsen

I know the world IFBB competition is coming up soon for the males which is more of a muscle building competition. Is there a big like a bulk competition as part of the show as well?

Farah

Yes, for male. I know is the least to one is model and another one is like physique, I guess. Yeah, they have that.

Scott Larsen

Right. So how do you even prepare for a competition like this? Maybe you can talk us through a training week of how much time do you need to spend in the gym? Because I know you're you do work as well. You're a personal trainer, and you're a nurse and you're a mother. So, you handle an incredible amount of load! Maybe you can share with us how much time is expected to spend in the gym and what would nutritional components be of that as well?

Farah

Okay, my training workout split is six days. So, in a week, I train for six days focusing on different muscle groups. There may be two days where I have to train the same muscle let's say shoulders because that's where the focus is for bikini. The judges will be looking at your delts for shoulders and also the glutes. So, I have like three legs days and two shoulders days. Then the rest will be like arms. Back is only once a week because I feel that back is my strength. I still need to continue training my back but the focus is more on shoulders for ladies. I also do cardio every day, seven days. So basically, there's no days off.

Scott Larsen

Do you do your weights in the morning and then cardio in the evening, or do you lump it all into one session?

Farah

It's, it's actually separate, because I need energy and I need to focus on cardio. So usually I do my cardio faster, like first thing in the morning, after my Good Green Vitality, and coffee, straightaway jump onto my cardio bike, then shower, have breakfast, go to the gym and train.

Scott Larsen

Then you've mentioned through this, you've had a few challenges in this preparation, maybe you can tell us about some of the challenges that you're faced

Farah

I would say everyone's prep is challenging, like we have our own story to tell. So, I shouldn't complain, because they say it's a privilege that you are able to compete. To go through this is a privilege, because it actually costs a lot not only investing in terms of money, but it's time, effort, diet and maybe time with your loved ones. Like a lot is needed. Maybe due to stress level, or I ate too much chilies I was down with stomach flu for a week is quite bad. My tummy was churning, on and off, and then I have to go to the toilet many times see the doctor. But I only took like, two to three days off from gym and then I'm like, I have to get back. I just have to push it. Because there's no more fever, so stop complaining. Go for it.

Scott Larsen

And you have a medical condition that you've got an underactive or non-active thyroid. So, this also needs to be built into your training plan as well, right?

Farah

Yes. So the first thing I wake up is to take my thyroid pills. I'm on direct hormone replacement, because a few years back, I removed my thyroid hormone through radiation therapy at the hospital, because I've been having like relapses of hyperthyroidism episodes. So, the doctor’s advice was okay, you might want to consider removing it, because taking this medication long term might have effects on your liver. Also, if let's say I want to get pregnant in the future, it may not be safe for the baby. Given this information I said okay. So, I take this pill every day until I die. But don't worry, this is not the drug, it is just a hormone pill. It's safe with totally no side effects. It is not medication is just your hormone, you know, you need it so that your heart can function and other systems as well. Can function normally. The thyroid is like the control center. It controls everything. And it connects your organs everywhere. And I'm like, Okay, this is it. Yeah, I do one side effects. So, I have to weigh the benefits and risks and I think I should go for it. So now, yeah, every morning I take the medication. Yeah.

Scott Larsen

What you're saying is that for people who have had a medical history, and I think many of us have gone through medical experiences, but it shouldn't be a block right? There can be a way around this. You're a great example of that, so well done!

This is the third time you've done a cut and we talked about we talked to you before, I think it was your first show maybe three years ago (link here). I'd really like to understand what is the differences between this show and build up compared to previous years?

Farah

All right. So, I remember when I met my coach, in third quarter of 2000. I felt like being in the fitness industry is actually what I wanted, because before that I was into fashion modeling and also doing modeling for wedding gowns. So, I'm like, I like to go to the gym and I like to train for fitness. Why not? After the trainer trained me, then I felt like okay, so let's do a photo shoot. And then I challenge myself see whether I can get leaner and get into a better aesthetics, in terms of athletic look. So, I got this photo shoot going on, bikini showed and it turns out very nice. That was in Jan 2021. So, I told him, I think I want to compete because I know how it's like to cut, and I’m willing to go for it. So yeah, Train for about a year and a half. You know, the whole of that year was Covid, so no competitions and then, this year, this year I was contacted by the bodybuilding Federation to compete for a show in Indonesia. So, I prepped for the show and unfortunately a week out from the show I found out that the show is not going to happen. It got canceled, right. So, well. God knows how devastated I felt. But this actually made my fire for competing burn bigger. I felt like I need to compete with them, like I need to get this. I'm very close. I'm so close. So that's my second experience in cutting, you know, so I feel like, I can do better than this. I can be leaner, I can be stronger, mentally, I'm going to push it through. Like even it's going to be the best. My first best competition. It's good that is in Singapore. So, my question to you, let's go for Muscle Mania. You have more time, you have 16 weeks. He says he doesn't want to lose the time like I should I should start training right after that show the Indonesian canceled. So yeah, here I am, a few weeks out.

Scott Larsen

It's been a very long build up, but you started from a great base. So, I think that's why you've got an amazing figure so far, I'm really looking forward to your cut. But during all of this, you're also working.

We mentioned before you're doing some personal training work, and you actually specialize in working with female clients. What are some of the learnings that you're giving to your female clients and helping them reach their fitness goals?

Farah

Okay, well, some ladies prefer a female trainer, because they might be more comfortable, and they feel like they can communicate better. Also, we enjoy the laugh. The talks that we have, like, all my female clients. Yeah, yeah. And we have a lot of things in common, you know, we, well, I understand the women's menstrual cycle, and some stuff like motherhood. So, it's not a boring session. If let's say you train with me, you can talk with me anything. About health and about family.

Scott Larsen

You also bring your nursing experience to the table as well, which is so valuable. It's more than what a normal PT can really deliver. So, are there any instances where you've had kind of an intervention with your nursing knowledge that you're able to talk about?

Farah

Alright, I'm now training a few pregnant ladies. Yeah, maybe they want to train with me because I'm a nurse. They won't have to panic, you know, in the future, if anything happens, or if they feel that they are in pain are something that I would say it's more about being comfortable and confident that your personal training is medically trained. Yeah. So, I'd say that might be one example or one factor for why I can see why more and more females are coming to train with me. I also have like messages on Instagram, asking me about my PT sessions and location. Maybe they see through the stories, I post my training diary, sharing some workout stuff. So, I think they get motivated. In fact many of these messages are saying that they get motivated, but they don't know where to start or how to start. So that's why I see all these questions coming in.

Scott Larsen

Wow.

Yeah, so shouting out all ladies listening to this or reading this clip, make sure you reach out to Farah, at @farah_fitnurse on Instagram and DM her for more information. She does offer PT sessions across a few locations in Singapore, so it's really convenient for you. But a really great trainer to have in your court with all of that knowledge.

You have also been using Nuzest for a long time, and you recommend it for some of your clients? How do you work Nuzest into your nutritional programming actually for yourself, but also your clients?

Farah

So the common question I get from my client is, “Oh, do you have to start in a protein?” Like, what supplement will you recommend? What do I eat? How many calories? So, this is all common. I would say, of course, I will recommend what I'm taking because it works for me. It's safe and for me it's quality over anything else. So, I will share with them. For Nuzest you can actually request for a free sample, see if you like it. Yeah. And then you can see what other flavors and they have many flavors to choose from. They will also ask ‘let's say I don't train, do I still have to take protein shake?’ So I say, you need to take protein every day, you need to hit your daily minimum requirement. Because if let's say you don't enough, you don't eat enough protein from real food, you still need to supplement it with your protein shake. Even elderly need protein, children also the sick. So, what about you, of course, you're going to train two to three times a week, definitely you need protein to build muscle because you're here to build muscle and build your strength, right. So, you need it and that's fine.

Scott Larsen

That's great advice. And, you also have some other tools that you use to track your workouts. So I noticed you have a Fitbit on your wrist. So how do you use Fit Fitbit for all your workouts?

Farah

Okay, well, they have many interesting features. For this watch, the most interesting feature is the sleep analysis. Every month, they will send a report on my app, saying that what is your sleep enable profile if let's see, I got one was a giraffe. So, what does a giraffe symbolize? That means I take longer time to fall asleep or let's say when I'm sleeping, but I really sleep very well. They study the patterns and your heart rate and stuff. So slick. The features are very good. I like it. It monitors my heart rate, my oxygen level. A lot of a lot of features. I can log my fluid intake my food log and menstrual cycle. These things are important so I track every day. It's all integrated into one. Yeah, so I wear it even when I shower and sleep.

Scott Larsen

Yeah, and lots of those lots of those trackable things we actually cover off in our other articles, so I'll put in a link to the biohacking article, which has been written on the Nuzest website. But sleep tracking is super important, I'm glad you're really digging into that.

You also have a couple of other sponsors. I want to give you a chance to quickly call them out as well. Yeah, because they've been super supportive and it is expensive for you to do a build up. So, let's call them out and say thanks.

Farah

I'm sponsored by a meal prep company Yummy Bros. Yeah, so Yummy Bros is a meal prep company here in Singapore. If you check their website, they do customized meal plans. So, if let's say you have your own required proteins or carbs in terms of the macros, so it's very friendly, where you can actually select your own food options. They have been kind enough to sponsor me throughout this prep for this show. Next one Ryderwear. I've been working with Ryderwear for quite some time. You can see my instragram, most of my workout outfits are from Ryderwear. And they are good.

Scott Larsen

Sorry. Why is your skin so good?

Farah

Oh, because I'm using Olay. Yeah, so I receive a few messages say that? No, you are not turning 40? No, no, we don't lie. In fact, I am turning 40. So, by next year.

Scott Larsen

Well, before we finish, what is your favorite protein flavor in the Clean Lean Protein range?

Farah

They say chocolate is always the safest? I don't know why. So yes, my favorite flavor is chocolate. So just ice-cold water. Yeah, that's my choice within the Clean Lean Protein range.

Scott Larsen

Thank you very much for coming on and chatting with us today. We wish you all the best at the Muscle Mania Asia coming up on the 10th of December 2022. And I know you're going to have lots of other shows. I'm sure you're going to keep carrying on with this.

We look forward to chatting more and more in the future and like I said before, you can follow Farah @farah_fitnurse on Instagram. She has so much fun with her clients and you put she posts almost every day, so check that out!

Thank you very much.

Farah

Thank you, Scott. Bye

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