NEVER LET YOUR DREAMS DIE - TREVOR MERZA ’ S JOURNEY TO COMPETING
BY STEPHEN COPPERTHWAITE
I would like to share a “ feel good ” story about never letting dreams die . A story about goal setting , chasing , and achieving . Trevor Merza , age 46 , hails from Grimsby , Ontario , and had a lifetime dream of entering a bodybuilding contest . Working as a Police Officer and raising a family of four put the dream on hold , although never forgotten . This past November , Trevor responded to an ad for a pool table I was selling . After we made our way down to my basement , Trevor was immediately drawn to my trophy case at the rear of my basement which holds about 20 bodybuilding trophies . After a lengthy chat and hearing about his dream , I offered my services . ( My background includes winning a few Provincial and National titles as well as coaching a select number of first-time bodybuilders from scratch to success . My knowledge is based on old-style training and dieting that was passed down to me free of charge , and I offered the same to Trevor ).
In late February , Trevor contacted me again to help him prepare for a Natural bodybuilding show to be held in Barrie in July 2022 . ( CPA Barrie Natural Championships ) Trevor at 5 ’ 7 , weighed 189 lbs , and although he was “ in shape ” he had a long way to go to get contest ready . I immediately gave him a training routine , diet , and tips on contest preparedness , and the plan began to take root .
One important point I emphasized throughout the process was a proper and consistent “ bodybuilding diet ” as well as listening to me ONLY ! It included a very select number of foods to be eaten at the same time , day in and day out . This was a challenge for Trevor due to his shift work schedule , but one he would overcome .
At 8 weeks out , I taught Trevor the “ cut diet ”, a diet that very few bodybuilders can adhere to . It ’ s a mix of high protein , medium carbs , and low fat , just short of 2,000 calories per day ( same food , same time every day ). Training moved towards higher repetitions with less weight . Trevor ’ s body acted quickly and his definition became very noticeable .
Over the course of 20 weeks , Trevor went from 189 to 148 lbs at the weigh-in , a feat that even caught me by surprise ! The last 10 days were a combination of intense training ( reps in excess of 50 reps ), carb depletion , and loading with limited fluid intake the last two days prior to the show . ( Note : No Cardio )
The night before the show , Trevor and I stayed up most of the night ; with him eating a baked potato every 90 minutes all the while posing at length to get the muscle as hard as possible , squeezing out any remaining water held between the muscle and the skin . The timing was perfect as Trevor peaked Saturday morning .
July 23rd , the day of the show was a beautiful Saturday in Barrie . The morning show consisted of compulsory posing and body comparisons . Trevor had entered three divisions ( Men ’ s novice for first timers , Men ’ s Lightweight under 154lbs , and Men ’ s Master ’ s over age 40 ). The purpose of the morning show is to give the judges a first look at the competition , and although the judging isn ’ t final , it is at this stage that 95 % of the judging is complete .