Charise Parker
6
Cover Shot Fitness Magazine
Are you happy with the switch and how has it been different for you in the gym and kitchen?
I could not be happier with the switch! I love being able to lift heavy and intensely without worrying about getting too muscular. As a Physique athlete I don’t have to hold myself back in the weight room. I also enjoy the fact that I get away with less cardio during my building phase! Not much has changed in the kitchen except that I eat slightly more calories than I did as a Figure athlete. But even during the off-season, my diet consists of clean “bodybuilding” foods with the exception of an occasional cheat meal. I think of food as fuel; therefore I choose to eat healthy foods all year round to maximize my efforts in the gym.
What keeps you motivated to workout, diet and compete?
I absolutely LOVE to train! I need no external motivation to workout. In fact, wild horses could not keep me from the gym! I would not consider the way I eat as a “diet,” but rather as a lifestyle. I love healthy foods because they make me feel far better than junk foods (which actually hurt my digestive system and make me wish I did not eat them in the first place). As far as competition goes, I would train and eat healthy even if I never set foot on a stage again. I am a bodybuilder, and this is what I do. Competing is just an added bonus.
Which part do you have the most difficulty with?
Hands down, the hardest part of show prep for me is cutting my water before a show. I would rather go without food for three days than cut my water.
What do you think is the most misunderstood aspect of your lifestyle?
The thing I find most annoying is when people say my weight training is bad for my health; more specifically, they blame my workouts for my chronic back pain. But this is simply not the case. I have had back problems since the age of 17 (long before I started lifting heavy) and have been in treatment for years to alleviate the symptoms. About 6 months ago, I was diagnosed with multiple herniated and one torn vertebral discs. When I was diagnosed, I had been working in a sedentary office job for years. The pain was intolerable as long as I remained static, but as soon as I started moving or working out, I found relief. I was forced to resign from my job because I could no longer tolerate the pain associated with confinement to a cubicle. My former employer thought I was crazy and insisted I would feel better if I stopped training. The fact of the matter is that the only time my back really hurts is when I sit for too long. The more I train and stay active, the better it feels. It upsets me when people who do not know what they are talking about offer their (unwanted) opinions.