TSP Profiles: Their Sister – Andrea King

Most of our readers know that we are three sisters of five children – four girls and one boy. As I wrote about on Monday, we are a crazy bunch and although we don’t always agree on absolutely everything, we do agree on one thing and that is supporting one another. I am so excited to introduce to you all the fourth of the Massarella sisters, Andrea King. Andrea is our little sister. She is a wonderful sister, daughter, mother, wife, and friend and a freaking fierce competitor. My earliest memories of Andrea are playing POGS (anyone remember those) in our bedroom and watching Family Feud and Roseanne on our teeny tiny tv, snuggling next to one another on one bed. She had a little towhead mushroom cut and was the cutest little munchkin ever. Lucky for us, she and her husband, Ben, have created two little monkeys, Louie and Vittoria, that reminds me so much of her as a kid. She is one of the most tenacious and committed individuals I have ever known in my life. Disciplined may not be a strong enough word to describe our badass sister. Ps. She is so strong and badass that Nicole has come up with the perfect nickname for her…Arnie, short for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When Andrea decides to take on a goal, she doesn’t just go after it – she crushes it. For example, this Friday Andrea will be competing in the National Physique Committee (NPC) Junior National Bodybuilding Championships. She will be showcasing months and months of hard work and extreme dedication. No doubt, she will be going for the gold. Once on stage, Andrea will be competing amongst some of the best in the country. This is not her first rodeo, as this will be Andrea’s fourth competition. She has previously competed at the 2015 Illinois State Show and placed second as well as nationally and also competed at North American figure division and did not place. Eventually, Andrea decided to change divisions and switched over to the physique division. Guess what? She won first place and was the overall winner of the competition. Hell yeah!!! As a competitor, she tuned in and knew that she had to make a move if she really wanted to accomplish her goal. And that goal is to win. Well, regardless of how Friday goes, she is and will always be a winner to us all. Personally speaking, she truly inspires me and as her older sister I am really freaking proud of her, we all are – I can’t wait to see her on stage on Friday. She overcame judgement and bulldozed her way to where she is now and that is what I love about her. She sees what she wants and she goes after it. So, without further ado, here is our sister, Andrea King aka Arnie.

 

Ok, based on your photos, our readers can see that you are rocking a hot body. But not only that, you’re also kicking ass on stage. For those that aren’t in the know, fill them in on what exactly a Physique Competition is?

A physique competition is made up of different divisions that crazy people compete in and are judged based on the desired “look” that their division is going for. Being judged on shape, size, symmetry, overall conditioning, and muscle tone. I started in the “Figure” division – clear heels. As I built more muscle, my natural shape is more suitable for the women’s “physique” division.

Break down what a basic day of being a mom while in training for a competition is like for you?

I typically wake up before my family every day and get most of my cardio out of the way in my basement. Towards the end of my prep, I split my cardio up into two sessions. I’ll finish it at night after dinner with my family. I usually work (personal trainer) mid-late mornings and sometimes I get my lift in right after those sessions. The gym happens really whenever I can get there. Sometimes I’ll bring my daughter and she plays at the child center, which both of my kids love so I don’t feel bad about it at all. Or, I may wait until my husband gets home and then go to the gym for my lift. Offseason training, when leanness is not the goal but building muscle is the goal, requires mainly just lifting and that’s usually a little over an hour per day. So, the time demand isn’t nearly as high and it’s easier to find the time and the mom/wife guilt doesn’t exist. When prepping for a competition, the time is extremely demanding! Cardio is the main thing and I currently do 2.5 hours of cardio (for me, that’s what it takes) and a lift every day.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration? What drives you the most?

Setting an attainable realistic goal is what keeps me driven. I also found that putting myself out there for people to see inspires others. That itself keeps me motivated and helps hold me accountable too. But mostly, when I see people that are amputees that live for the challenge too…That really lights a fire under my ass and inspires me. These people are out there making their dreams come true and still enjoying fitness and pushing their bodies to the max! They are the true badasses.

What would you say to someone who wanted to try something different but was worried about what others would think?

Go do it!!! Do NOT let anything or anyone stop you from trying something new or doing something that you love. The world will adjust to whatever it is. And the ones that can’t, shouldn’t be part of your life then anyway. It’s a VERY difficult thing to face that fear of putting yourself out there to be judged in a different light. Very hard. But, the growing that you will gain by putting yourself outside of your comfort zone and forcing yourself to build up your confidence is the most rewarding part of it all!!!!

What do you say to yourself to keep your mind in the right place during challenging moments during training?

Since it’s a goal, I have a date that I am working towards. So, it’s a temporary process. And for me, that’s how I think about it. It’s only temporary. One day I’ll be able to sleep in again (well, sorta). I’ll be able to have a couple cocktails this summer, just not yet. Eventually, I’ll enjoy some pizza or a humongous donut or two. But first, I want to achieve my goal. And what I do is weigh it out. Do I want the donut? Or do I want to win? I always want to win more! The day I want food or sleep more than achieving my goal, is when I know that my fire is out and it’s no longer for me.

Speaking of donuts, what is your absolute favorite cheat meal?

Oh jeez. It could get ugly. During a prep, my cheat meals must still be controlled. A bad cheat meal (which is really more than a meal) can actually ruin the whole week for you. So, I typically stick with a low-fat meal and a respectable dessert. Burgers, fries, some froyo. BUT, when I don’t give a hoot and am letting myself get after it? I wouldn’t call it a meal. I want all things like cheese fries, pizza, a chunk of cheese with prosciutto and bread, Thai pad siew, puppy chow, Reese’s peanut butter cups, gooey chocolate chip cookie or brownies.

Do you have a mantra or favorite inspirational quote? If so, what is it?
-With a change of mind, you can change your life.
-Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.

What is your favorite body part, what is your least favorite?

This is a tough one. My favorite muscle group to work out is definitely my legs. As far as, what part do I like best? My legs and shoulders.

Besides getting fit for your competition and being a great mom and all around human being – what are some of your other favorite things to do?

Honestly, It’s all about my kids. They are little and I try to gobble them up as much as possible and be present. My best friend is my husband and we love to hang out together still. Lol. So we are family people. I am also a personal trainer part-time. It’s definitely my calling. I LOVE helping people, teaching, inspiring, motivating. I think I get as much pleasure out of someone else’s transformation or progress as that person does. I also love to learn about nutrition. I study and research it daily.

Did you have any hesitations moving forward with the competition and if so, how did you overcome them?

Yes!!! I committed before my “bulk” or building muscle in the offseason. I knew I had to put on some serious muscle to be able to compete at the national level in this division. It was probably a good thing because it put pressure on me every day to hit it hard for those months of training.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband. Hands down. He is amazing.

There is so much that goes into this competition. From getting extremely fit, to a super intense spray tan (aka “tan as a turd”) and a teeny tiny bikini…what is or what was the most intimidating factor to you? And how did you get past it?

ALL OF IT! I was terrified. I was mostly interested in the process of building muscle, transforming myself and dieting down to see what the body is capable of. I was extremely intimidated by the glam of bedazzled suits, hair, and makeup, clear heels, being “tan as a turd”. Putting on the bikini bottoms for the first time – I will never forget. I was sweating profusely covering myself up, having a panic attack. Then when I put on the clear heels, I truly couldn’t believe what I was doing. (I don’t have to wear the heels anymore, which I am thrilled about). But eventually, I grew some confidence, got comfortable and fell in love with it all. It’s so fun!!

I imagine there are many mental and physical challenges you are faced with. Are there any that came your way that you didn’t expect?

I would say mostly emotional challenges. Accepting myself first and letting go of insecurity and caring about what others think. I had to get comfortable with the fact that I love my body. My husband digs it. And that’s all that matters. And if I want to train for months, eat out of Tupperware and flex on a stage to feed my competitive itch, then I should. Because it’s my life and I should enjoy it. The most physical challenge would be dealing with my knees on the daily. Some days are good. Some are not good. And I have to work with what I have and also listen to my body when it’s telling me to back off.

What are you most excited about for the competition?

Oh my gosh. It’s exciting and terrifying equally. I am excited to carb load before my competition. That is when I think this process is magical. I think it is absolutely amazing to see what our bodies do when we apply our own methods to it to get the best results possible. I typically have a no carb diet for the last 3-4 weeks before my shows. Therefore, your muscles are “flat” or have no glycogen in them (not full). My body holds water quite a bit from this. But when I carb load, the water from under my skin is then pushed into my muscles and they suck it all in like a sponge. It’s absolutely incredible to see the difference.

How will you prepare the day of?

Well, a day before I will begin carb loading by eating frequent portions of carbohydrates. Last prep I did oatmeal. I assume my coach will have me do the same. Before that, I’ve done a burger and fries but you run the risk of getting bloated and an upset stomach. Water will either be cut the night before or I will take water pills to help me lose water. This way your skin becomes like Saran wrap around your muscles. No water layer between. In my division, you want to show as much definition as possible. So, this is necessary. I would have already had my “turd tan” the night before. Peeing like crazy all night long. (In a cup because you can’t get your tan wet or you are screwed). Early morning is hair and makeup. Lots of resting. Sipping on water. Still eating small portions. And you wait. A long time. Eventually, you put on your bedazzled suit and get glued in everywhere so nothing falls out of that tiny thing. Also get your tan touched up and add some glaze for a bit of a sheen. When you are close to being up, you pump up. Lol! You do some lifting right before stage time and get the blood flowing to your muscles. To look big and full and vascular. Then I kinda poop myself while I wait to step on stage. The glue keeps it from falling out though.

What will you be eating on Sunday, the day after the competition?

I want to say everything and anything BUT the truth is, it hurts your stomach and body pretty bad when you eat whatever you want right after. I have definitely binged the next morning and just felt so awful and sick. I am going to try not to! But I will have a donut for sure. Perhaps a crunchy peanut butter and jelly sandwich on soft white bread. And I really want trail mix! Anything cookies and cream too. So basically I am craving sweets mostly.

Please, tell me, what is the best way to get a nice, strong, round booty? I’ll do anything, just say the words.

What most people don’t know is that their glutes must be “turned on” to engage those muscle during glute exercises. Many people need them turned on. First thing is, get them activated by doing lateral band walks and bridges. Then kill the workout. I am a huge fan of deep smith machine squats which don’t have to be heavy but slow. And my favorite is probably weighted walking lunges (backloaded weight). To me, the most important thing when trying to isolate specific muscles is proper form.

 

Coffee or tea? Hot coffee and iced green tea.

Lake or ocean? Ocean

McDonald’s or Burger King? McDonald’s

Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall or Brad Pitt Fight Club? Brad Pitt, Legends of the Fall all over me. ?

Beauty and The Beast or Little Mermaid? Honestly, I can’t decide between Disney movies. Both of them are my favorites.

League of Their Own or Now and Then? A League of Their Own

Dogs or cats? Love them both equally

Family Feud or Roseanne? Roseanne, for sure

Laverne or Shirley? Laverne

Lenny or Squiggy? Squiggy

 

Good luck this week sister!!!! We love you!!!

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