Vitals
Name: Allegra Nicole Labar
Name: Allegra Nicole Labar
Age: 24yrs
Years competing: 1
Sponsors: N/A
ABFITT: You have been very busy as of
lately, thank you for taking the time to talk with ABFITT. Can you give
us some background information?
Allegra: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to
share a little bit of my story! I’m 24 years old living just outside of
Philadelphia and I started my fitness journey about 2 years ago at the
tail end of my college career. Today I’m
an Internal Auditor and Security Analyst by day and a self-proclaimed
gym junkie by night. I’ve competed for the first time in two shows this
past August, and since then my fitness aspirations have been
materializing before my eyes! More recently I’ve had
the opportunity to travel for some photo shoot opportunities and have
been selected as a semi finalist in the BodySpace Spokesmodel search on
Bodybuilding.com.
ABFITT: Seems I am currently seeing you all over BodyBuilding.Com can you talk more about this?
Allegra: It’s so exciting - I’m still wrapping my
head around it all! Bodybuilding.com is really where it all started for
me about 2 years ago. I began my fitness journey by reading a ton of
articles, watching videos, following diet plans
and using workouts that I found on the site. It’s always been a great
educational tool for me! I stay active on BodySpace, and more recently
it seems to be paying off as I’ve been featured several times in the “We
Mirin” editions and most recently as a semifinalist
in the 2014 BodySpace Spokesmodel Search! I can’t explain the feeling
to see my face on the website side by side with my biggest fitness
inspirations. It’s truly an honor!
ABFITT: What sparked your initial interest in weight training and how did this lead to competing in figure?
Allegra: I “found fitness” during my last semester
of college. I was discouraged with my physical appearance and mental
state after four years of living the typical college lifestyle. My
boyfriend ended up taking me to the gym one day to
teach me how to lift as a last stitch effort. I was terrified and had
no idea what I was doing. I was a certified cardio-bunny up until that
point, so I was a stranger to weight training and possessed very little
strength and confidence in the gym. He was
very patient with me and taught me all of the basics. After that work
out I was hooked. I slowly started seeing results and that fueled me to
keep pushing even harder! It wasn’t long before I started getting asked
at the gym if I was training for a show. That’s
really what sparked my initial interest in competing. The wheels
started turning and I was curious what these “shows” were all about.
Once I learned more about the competitive world and the sport of
bodybuilding, I was determined to be a part of it. The women
I saw on stage were strong, sexy, athletic, and moved with such grace. I
knew I wanted to be up there doing what they were doing!
ABFITT: Talk to us about the importance of nutrition and how you dial it in when preparing to step on stage.
Allegra: Nutrition is everything. I can’t
stress that enough. The gym part is easy; it’s the refrigerator that
presents a challenge. I often get asked in the locker room or in between
sets at the gym, “What’s your secret?” or “How
do I look like you”, and “What fat burner are you taking?”. My answer
isn’t always popular with most people. I put in hard work at the gym and
I eat in accordance with my goals. That’s it! No short cuts or magic
pills. Personally, I follow the IIFYM approach
to dieting. Everyone has a different theory for dieting, and that is
perfectly fine. You need to find what is realistic for you, so that you
can actually sustain that diet and that lifestyle. I follow a
nutritional plan that gives me the ability to eat foods
that I enjoy while being structured so that I’m eating whole and
nutrient dense foods 80% of the time to fit my macronutrient
constraints. I’ve found a great deal of success with this methodology
because it’s a realistic lifestyle for me.
When I’m preparing for a photo-shoot
or to step on stage, truthfully I don’t do anything drastic. I increase
my cardio and slowly decrease my daily carbs, consequently lowering my
caloric consumption. For my first two shows,
I prepped for a little over 5 months. That gave me the opportunity to
dial in slowly while keeping my carbs and calories relatively high.
ABFITT: What is your take on training? What has
worked best for you? With so much information available to people
looking to start, what the best advice you can offer?
Allegra: It can be completely overwhelming for a
beginner to figure out what the best approach to training is. There are
so many conflicting ideas on training. It’s confusing and easy to end up
second-guessing yourself. The best advice
I can give is to find what challenges you, keep the intensity high, and
don’t doubt yourself. Personally, I train on a 3 day split. A typical
week looks like the following:
Day 1: Legs & Abs
Day 2: Back & Chest + 20 Min HIIT Cardio
Day 3: Shoulders, Triceps, & Biceps
Day 4: OFF
Day 5: Legs & Abs
Day 6: Back & Chest + 20 Min HIIT Cardio
Day 7: Shoulders, Triceps, & Biceps + 20 Min HIIT Cardio
When I was first starting out, I went to the gym
with my workouts written down. As I became more comfortable in the gym
and more in tune with my body, I stopped planning my routines ahead of
time. Now, I plan which muscle groups I’m going
to work out and I choose exercises based on how I feel. Additionally, I
don’t follow any rep range rules. I lift heavy and with intensity
whether I’m in the “off season” or 2 weeks out from a show or
photo-shoot.
ABFITT: Let’s talk about your competition history.
Tell us about it and what if any one show stands out the most, for
better or worse?
Allegra: My competition history is
actually very brief! I’ve only competed in two shows, both of which were
in August of 2013. I competed at the NPC Muscle Beach Championship
where I won 1st place Novice, 1st place Figure
Class A, and Overall Figure. Next I competed at the NPC PA State and PA
Classic show where I won 1st place Figure Class A and Overall Figure in
the PA State division.
My first show will always stand out
to me. I was so nervous and I was shaking like a leaf on stage! I
prepared for so long, but nothing prepares you for that rush of
adrenaline the first time you step foot on stage! Its an
amazing feeling – and so addictive!
I have yet to have a negative
experience at a show. From the first moment I’ve stepped on stage, I
fell in love with the sport! I’m always so taken back by how friendly
and supportive everyone is back stage. Even though it
is a competition, I’ve always experienced a strong sense of respect and
support between the competitors!
ABFITT: So what’s next?
Allegra: At the moment, I’m currently in the
running for Bodybuilding.com’s 2014 BodySpace Spokesmodel Search. It’s
an honor and I’m thrilled to death to even be considered! The male and
female winners will become a Team Bodybuilding.com
Athlete, which would undoubtedly change the path of my fitness journey.
Cross all of your fingers and toes, and wish me luck!
As far as competing, right now I’m
focused on making improvements for next year. There is always room to
improve and build a better you! I plan on competing in a few national
shows in 2014 in an attempt to secure an IFBB
Figure Pro Card. That’s the goal! I don’t want to just compete for the
sake of competing. I want to make sure I’m bring the best possible
package to the stage so I’m not sure as to how many times I’ll be
stepping on stage in 2014. One of my first stops with
likely be Team Universe in July.
How can ABFITT readers continue to track your progress and continue to follow you?
Allegra: I share my fitness journey on a daily basis through Instagram on @Allegra_Labar and on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/Allegranicolefitness . I post my workout videos, progress, personal
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