My best advice as to how to really motivate and prepare for a Fitness Competition

1. Find the comp you want to do, (preferably 3 to 4 months away) however I think that will put you out of this years season. In any case, find a comp and a date you will compete.

2. Publicly announce to everyone you know that you're competing in this comp on that date, including anyone at the gym who'll listen :)

3. Start working on a routine (this takes the longest)

4. Get your weight training program spot on for what you need to work on to build a body that is proportioned. Send me a photo if you need advice.

5. Clean up the diet no cheat days. Depending on how far out your comp is to how strict your diet will be. But let me tell you, I don't know a competitor who has more than 20gms of carbs per meal. And they are low GI carbs no bread, pasta etc.

6. Plan it all on paper, your daily schedule which includes your training plan, your meals for the day, your snacks.

7. Work Hard towards your date and then you'll be ready for the competition. Have all your outfits ready.

8. Get someone to watch your routine, ask the group fitness instructor if you can do your routine in front of the whole class straight after they teach, ask them to announce to the class what you're preparing for. You'll be amazed at how supportive people within the gym will be.

9. Learn all about stage posture, walking and compulsory poses, practice them a lot in front of a mirror. Watch past competitions.

10. Tan Tan Tan, see my article about competition tanning http://www.missworldfitness.com/Competition%20Tanning.html

11. Rehearse your routine in the corridor, foyer wherever you can, also in your head, visualise yourself performing your routine while you wait, as some competitions you spend a lot of time waiting. In Austria at the Universe competition I had do be at the venue ready to go at 12pm (lunchtime) and I performed my routine at 3am. (that is a lot of sitting around waiting, let alone trying to stay awake). This was due to the volume of competitors, but you just can't plan ahead for everything, so go with the flow and have a good time.

12. Get to the competition, enjoy it, relax enough to meet the wonderful people there and be proud of yourself for getting on stage.