Weight Loss Inspiration To Sculpted Bikini Competitor Terica Messmer Talks With T&T!

Trimmed&Toned Team.

Terica Messmer details out her fitness and weight loss journey from start to finish. Terica, after suffering a bad break up, realised she needed to be happy with herself first before finding happiness with anyone else, so she started getting into fitness and started plans to compete on the stage!

Below, Terica goes into how she went from overweight and miserable, to a confident and happy bikini competitor with a new lease on life. This is our most shared and popular weight loss transformation interview ever! Enjoy!

Stats:

Age: 26
Height: 5’7”
Body Fat: No idea.. never measured!
Nationality: Italian/German

How Did You Get Started In Health And Fitness?

It pretty much all started with a bad break up. I was miserable and unhappy with myself, as I was pretty much my whole life, and finally decided that after many failed attempts at being happy with someone else, I needed to be happy with myself first. So, I decided to physically challenge myself by accomplishing something I never thought I could … I ran my first half marathon in May of 2011. After that, I was hooked and determined to change my life.

What Is Your Best Accomplishment So Far?

My best accomplishment thus far, and always will be, was finding happiness with myself and building the confidence I never had. Secondly, I’ve realized that I am capable of accomplishing so much more than I ever thought I could…and that is an amazing feeling.

What Is It Like Competing?

For a first time competitor, its very nerve-wracking and exciting all at the same time. You spend several weeks, months, sweats and tears of hard work and training for that one day. For me, and I’m sure any other first-timer, It’s one of the biggest moments of your life. Once you step on stage, it’s the greatest feeling of success.. You did it. I did it. I made it. After that step, it’s a friggin’ blast!

What Is Your Workout Routine?

Lately, because I am in competition prep, I do two cardio sessions a day about 5x a week. I weight train about 6x a week.

This is my typical daily routine:

AM Fasted cardio (40-50 mins)
Followed by weight training (45 mins)
Work my 9-5 job
Back to the gym for PM cardio (40-50 mins)

Cardio Workouts:

I tend to do a lot of HIIT, high incline walking on the treadmill, high incline on the elliptical, stairmaster, arc trainer, plyometics. I incorporate intervals and often adjust the speeds, resistance and inclines to keep my heart rate guessing. This burns fat vs. muscle and really works the glutes and legs!

Weight Training:

I focus on one muscle group a day. For example; Monday – Legs, Tuesday – Shoulders, Wednesday – Arms, Thursday – Back, Friday – OFF, Saturday – Chest, Sunday – Shoulders again. I train twice a week on shoulders because I am trying to build them more.

As far as sets, I usually do 4 sets of 15-20 reps for each exercise. I incorporate some type of plyometric workout in between sets to keep my heart rate ramped up.

Top 3 Favourite Exercises And Why?

1. Dumbell Shoulder Presses: I love training shoulders in general. But I like to challenge myself with the size of weight I use. It’s fun when you beat your personal record! Love knowing when I’m getting stronger.

2. Bent-Over One-Arm Rows: The back is my second favorite muscle group to train. Its been the most improved area on my body and my favorite. I like this exercise for the same reason I like shoulder presses.

3. Push-Ups: Simple push-ups. I NEVER could do even ONE push-up before I got into fitness… now I can do several and they have become super fun for me!

What Is Your Diet Like?

As my coach taught me, and as I tell everyone, weight loss is 80% of what you put in your mouth. I never knew that eating more often, and eating the right foods for YOUR body, would really make the difference. I eat 7 meals a day! Packed with proteins in each meal, complex carbs and healthy fats here and there, and a good amount of green veggies. Oh, and also 2 gallons of good ‘ole H2O.

My whole philosophy is “Abs are made in the kitchen”. I stand behind that 120% based on personal experience!

What Food Would We Find In Your Fridge?

Well you would find my fridge full of Tupperware containers filled with my prepped meals! Ha!

But there is always:

Orange Roughy
Chicken
Flank Steak
Asparagus
Tuna
Egg Whites
Mustard
2 Gallons of good ole’ H20
Occasionally sweet potato and brown rice if its pre-cooked

Any Classic, Healthy Meals That You Always Eat? What Is Your Favourite Cheat Meal?

I am ALWAYS eating Orange Roughy with some type of green veggie like asparagus or spinach or healthy fat like almonds or olive oil. I also love egg whites and avocado or tuna and avocado. YUM.

My favorite “cheat meal”?… well a “healthy” cheat meal would probably be a giant Sirloin or filet with a huge sweet potato and some rolls! An “unhealthy” cheat meal would be a deep dish pizza loaded with every topping you could think of.. besides anchovies!

You Went Through An Amazing 20 Week Transformation. Could You Tell Us A Little About That?

After a roller coaster weight-gain and misery, I finally decided it was time to make a change. My coach, Michelle Davis (mshellfitness.com), advised me to set a goal. Being a figure competitor herself, she encouraged me to compete.

I said “lets go”. On November 12, 2012, I started contest prep at 21 weeks out. It was a long 21 weeks of strict dieting and specific workout instructions, all given to me by my coach. My diets and exercise programs changed every few weeks, and were designed by my coach specifically for my body based on how it was progressing. Before I knew it, I was a completely new person!

How Did You Transform Your Body?

By eating the right foods for my body, eating often and lifting weights! I was working out prior to this journey and just wasn’t seeing results. It wasn’t until I met my coach and her giving me a meal plan is when I started seeing the results I wanted, the inches fall off, the muscle developing and the hidden body under the “winter coat” I had. Haha.

What Do You Say To The People Who Think It’s Fake?

“Believe it sister”

What Supplements Do You Use And Why?

I use AdvoCare products!! I believe in these products 100%. AdvoCare, it is a world-class nutrition company specializing in health and wellness, weight management, vibrant energy and sports performance. These products are formulated by an elite scientific and Medical Advisory Board with experience in pharmacology, toxicology, nutrition, sports performance and pediatrics.

Some of my favorite AdovoCare supplements are:

Catalyst
NightTime Recovery
Spark
Arginine Extreme
MNS Max 3
Slam
SleepWorks

You can purchase these products through my site www.advocare.com.

What Are Your Tips For Beginners (General Advice)?

Reach out for help

2. Be READY. And WANT it. So many people fall off the wagon because they just aren’t ready to commit, aren’t determined enough and tend to forget why they started.

3. Know that it’s not easy, and there will be hard times where you want to quit, or times where you slip up. But also know that its not over if you do so. Dust yourself off, get right back on the horse and try again!

4. Stay Motivated, Stay Positive, and most of all… Stay Patient.

5. Surround yourself with others who have a similar goal/lifestyle.

What Is The Best Advice You Have Ever Been Given?

Be patient and stay CONSISTENT. Results wont happen over night.. but if you are consistent and patient, the results will follow before you know it!
Eat often and lift heavy
Keep your eye on the prize and remember why you started

Did You Make Any Mistakes When You First Started Out?

There was a “trial” period of dieting that I did last summer with my coach to see how my body would react to a structured meal plan. I lost 15 pounds and then stopped being dedicated. Gained everything back and more. That was my mistake.. giving up that first time. But like I said, you have to be READY.

Your Best Tips For Losing Those Last Few Pounds?

Get those last few cardio sessions in and kill it! Work those legs and glutes. Trust your coach and the process. AND STAY STRESS FREE!

What’s Your Funniest Moment At The Gym?

This probably wouldn’t be the typical answer, but my funniest moment in the gym was when my coach and I took our silly “before” flexing pictures in the locker room. We were both pretty fluffy, at the beginning of our preps. We had just had our Thanksgiving cheat meals and just finished our workout. Lets just say, looking back at them never gets old and I still crack up every time I see them.

Where Does Your Motivation Come From?

In the beginning, it came from being miserable and NOT wanting to feel that way anymore. Also, the fact that I actually had a goal to achieve helped A LOT. I knew I couldn’t give up on that.

Now, my motivation comes from the amazing support I have around me from my family, my friends my coach and my team (Team Mshell) and now more than ever, my followers on Instagram. They have SO MUCH of an impact on me and they probably don’t even know it. They push me to continue and motivate me every day. I can’t thank them enough!

Favourite Fitness Models? Inspirations?

Brittany Tacy and Jessica Arevalo – Ah! These two women have my dream bikini physique. They both have a more athletic, more developed muscles for bikini competitors. Its exactly where I want to be. Not to mention I love the confidence and class they bring to the stage and in their routines!

Favourite Quotes?

“Abs are made in the kitchen”

“Strength doesn’t come from what you CAN do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you COULDN’T”

“When you feel like giving up, remember why you started”

For More Of Terica Messmer Check Out:

AdvoCare Site: www.advocare.com
Instagram: @Terica04
YouTube: TericaMessmer
Facebook: Terica Messmer Fanpage
Sponsors: I’m really excited to be doing some AMAZING things with Skullcandy! Check them out at www.skullcandy.com

My Coach: Michelle Davis: mshellfitness.com
Instagram: @mshelllll