 |
| Rookie figure competitor Brittany Reilly |
Spotlight On: Brittany Reilly
Category you compete in: Figure
Date of birth: July 28th, 1988
Hometown: Riverton NJ
Career: Professional Photographer
Competition history: My first show is June 28th, 2014
How has your life changed since you adopted this lifestyle and started competing?
I was that girl who thought running 10 miles a day and consuming 500 calories was going to get me into shape. My husband begged me for over 2 years to start lifting with him. My exact response was “I don’t want to get big.” To say that least I was so naive and confused. I always struggled with my weight. In college I was uncomfortable with the way I looked, I gained some weight. I decided one day I didn’t like the way I looked, so I was going to run like a maniac and not eat. That can only last for so long, because it’s not a healthy life style and its exhausting.
I caved in, and one day lifted with my husband. I was beyond frustrated the first day. I didn’t get that instant gratification I felt when I ran 10 miles. My husband told me not to think about tomorrow’s results, but results in a year from now. Here I am, a year into lifting. I learned that if the weight came off fast, it was going to come back even faster. For the first time in my life, I feel healthy. I changed my diet, and have truly enjoyed weight training. My husband and I are in the gym 6 days a week, it’s our hobby! It’s so fun to encourage others, and share my story. I felt it from both angles, I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin because I was heavier than I wanted to be, and then I was too skinny. I feel like lots of girls struggle with the same concept that I did. For the first time in my life, food does not consume my mind with bad thoughts.
I am training for my first NPC figure competition on June 28th. None of this would be possible without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, my husband, and my trainer!
 |
| Looking forward to competing June 28 |
What have you found to be the best way to balance family, friends, career, this lifestyle, etc…?
I own a photography business and normally work from home, so that has its perks. My husband on the other hand works Monday – Friday 9-5 and I help him by prepping his meals each day and putting them in a cooler for him. When it comes to friends and family, you need to remember, not everyone will support you. I have been shown support by friends I was not close with as well as friends who I was close with. I have some family members who do not support me.
Some don’t understand why I have to train 6 days a week, and no matter how much you explain it, they might not understand. Almost everyone at first did not understand why I carried a lunchbox around with me. I attended a wedding a few weeks ago and had to bring my lunchbox and eat my meal at the table, and have my blender bottle on hand. Starting is hard, but it becomes a hobby, and your lifestyle.
If you could change places with one competitor for the day who would it be and why?
Well the true answer is, I don’t know. I have found it easier to just be honest in this sport, that when I don’t know something, I just simply say, “I don’t know” I am new to competing. I didn’t know what the NPC was till this past February. I was training for bikini, but have since switched to figure. I am sure on my journey I will come across many influential people in the sport that I will follow more closely in the future. I am not familiar with many people beyond just their names. I look up to the girls on my team that I am training with. It’s awesome watching their progress and having other girls competing in the same sport that I can talk to, and share our cheat meal pictures!
Name two of the most inspirational people in your life and tell why they inspire you.
First and foremost, God. This journey would not be possible without Him. He has opened up my eyes to a whole new lifestyle. My strength comes from above. My husband. He makes me go to the gym on days where I just want to be lazy. He doesn’t allow me to slack off at the gym. He makes me get my cardio in on days I just want to sneak out of the gym after my workout.
Tell one recipe or supplement you can’t live without.
I have perfected the most perfect breakfast, its delicious! Strawberry Banana Blueberry Oatmeal/Eggwhite Pancakes -1/4 cup powdered oats, 4 egg whites, 1 egg, ½ a banana, strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon. Just mix this together in a bowl and cook on low-medium heat on a skillet. (Cook for longer than you would think, you need to dry them out a bit) I put an icing on top! I make it out of my favorite whey protein, cake batter! 1 scoop of cake batter protein with a little bit of water, let it sit in the fridge over night and it will thicken up. I put 2 tables spoons on top of my pancakes.
 |
| I train with my husband every day. |
Tell about a typical training day for you. What exercises, how many sets/reps…etc…
I train with my husband every single day at the gym. One of the different things we do is change our rep ranges so that each week will have high reps for 3 days and low reps for 3 days. We keep our compound movements at higher weights and our isolation exercises respectively are done with lighter weight and we perform more reps. My favorite exercise is the squat, which is always on our heavy leg day. My husband and I try to constantly push ourselves by adding a drop set at the end of each exercise. At the end of each days workout, I add 40 minutes of low intensity cardio during my contest prep. I see my trainer once a week with whom I usually work legs.
In closing, Who would you like to give a shout out to?
I would like to give a shout out and a big thank you to Roe Person. He introduced me to this sport that has bought me so much joy and given me the opportunity to meet many new people including the entire Body by Roe team.
Subscribe to RxMuscle on Youtube
