Body Builder | connorgleason1.com

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Lauren Forziati speaks to her mother on the phone in her house in Falmouth, Mass.. While her parents are worried about her extreme training schedule and diet, Lauren will compete in her first bodybuilding competition.
Lauren takes several supplements and vitamins throughout the day, including estrogen blockers. They help regulate insulin, increase metabolism and burn fat. At this point, Lauren's body fat percentage is about 13%.
Lauren eats a meal of egg whites and asparagus- a diuretic. At this point in her training, Lauren has not consumed carbohydrates in five days. Consuming about a thousand calories a day, she must eat every three hours, four to five times day to maintain her metabolism.
Lauren rubs a lotion into her abs before heading to the gym to workout. The lotion stimulates the area promote fat burning. While she is unsatisfied with her legs and glutes, Lauren is proud of her abs.
Lauren completes her last half hour of her cardio workout on the Stairmaster at the RMA Fitness Center in Bourne, Mass. Depending on the day, Lauren's workout can consist of 60 to 90 minutes on the elliptical and Stairmaster, burning a total of about 800 calories.
Lauren receives a 45-minute massage to relax before the competition. Because of her training, Lauren suffers from muscles aches, exhaustion, and a lack of sleep.
Wanting to feel and look her best for the judges, Lauren receives a manicure and pedicure before competition at Cape Cod Nails.
Lauren is given a professional spray tan in her bathroom before the competition. The tan creates the appearance of better muscle definition- something the judges will be looking for during the competition.
Lauren speaks with her sister, Kristin, about nutrition and protein shakes in her kitchen. Kristin didn't quite understand her sister's goals and was skeptical at first, but found herself supportive of Lauren and wanting to learn about living a healthier lifestyle.
On the day of the competition, Lauren's friend and assistant, Jessa English, a past winner of the competition, makes last minute adjustments to Lauren's wardrobe and rub-on tan while backstage at Carver High School.
Just moments from walking out on stage, Lauren squeezes in a last-minute workout to tighten her body and create muscle definition for the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders Spirit of America Competition.
Assistants Jessa English and Jereff Eladey scrutinize Lauren for any flaws and last minutes adjustments to her wardrobe.
Lauren and other female competitors line up backstage and make last-minute adjustments before the competition begins.
While on stage, Lauren and the women are asked strike different poses, rotating to show different angles and positions of their bodies.
Judges look over the contestants while noting symmetry, definition, and figure. They ask the women to rotate and adjust their positions in the light.
While this is Lauren's first competition, many of the women have competed and have won. Lauren is concerned that her figure is too big and muscular compared to the other women.
After the judging, Lauren's family, friends and her boyfriend, Chris Landers-Cauley, join Lauren backstage to congratulate her. While the winners have not been announced, she feels good about her performance and thinks she will do well.
Lauren reacts after not placing as she is comforted by her friend and trainer, Jereff, and another competitor. Heartbroken, Lauren feels like she let her family and friend down, dragging them through 3 months of mood swings and a strict training schedule.
After not placing in the competition, Lauren leaves with her family. Despite Lauren's wish to go home, her family persuaded her put aside her disappointment and go out to celebrate her hard work.
After the competition, Lauren goes out to celebrate the end of three strenuous months of training with family and friends and her boyfriend, Chris, at Marc Anthony's Pizza. It is the first time Lauren has had "real" food in over three months.
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