20 Questions with our cover model Traci Redding

1) First of all introduce yourself, what do you do outside of figure contests. Who is Traci Redding?

Sometimes I ask myself that same question, "Who is Traci Redding", to be honest with you I guess I am still trying to figure that out!! I am very hard working!! I was raised in Irving, Texas and have spent most of my life in the DFW area. I graduated from College with my BS in Nursing and am practicing as a Registered Nurse specialized in Critical Care. I work a lot! What else is there to do! I have to make money to be able to do this sport, because for some reason I just don't think I will get rich competing in Figure Competitions!! Outside of training and working I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family and going to dinner or movies and occassionally I will like to go out dancing! I also like movies, that is a great thing to do when you are dieting!

2) After competing in 3 National shows what are your thoughts in general?

I AM EXHAUSTED!! I went into this season looking for answers. I wanted to know if I had what it took to compete at the National Level at a competitive level!! I wanted to see if "they" would judge me. So the first show, which was Jr. Nationals, I was completely discouraged and wanted to quit! But you see, I do not know how to quit so I picked myself up and went to the USA's and got the answers I was looking for. They actually looked at me and judged me! So I guess I am moving in the right direction.

3) You were given feedback at Jr. Nationals about your physique what changes were you able to make for USA's?

I was told that I would make a great bodybuilder! That was hard to swallow, because my heart is in Figure. So I dropped about 8-10 pounds of what I am sure was all muscle and got back on the stage and downplayed my muscularity and came in softer and they like that better.

4) After USA's you had one week to prepare for Nationals at Team Universe what was your game plan for this last show?

To be honest with you it was to just come in as small as I possibly could and lose even more weight. I lost about 3 more pounds, but this time they did not like it better so who knows?? Not me and if anyone out there has it figured out feel free to let me in on the method to the madness! Ha Ha!

5) You improved your placings from Jr. Nationals to USA's to 6th place but then dropped to 8th at Team U. What are your thoughts about that?

Disappointment and sadness! I really wanted to get that top 5 placing! Come on I am realistic and I knew that it was HIGHLY unlikely that I take 1st or even 2nd, but top 5 I thought was in my reach! Especially since the girl who placed 5th right under me at the USA's took 1st at TEAM, Congratulations to her that is Awesome!

6) Both USA's and Team Universe were said to have political placings as a competitor how do you deal with that?

Life is full of Politics I see it everyday, it just is the way things are or appear to be. I have said this before and I will continue to say this, I have huge respect for those judges and I think they do a great job at judging all of those woman! Do I understand some of the placings from show to show, do I really know for sure what they are looking for, No, but do I respect what they do and the places they give to each competitor, YES!

7) What is your daily diet (be specific) like for both USA's and Team U? Any changes from one week to another?

Well without giving all my secrets away, I just have to say that the difference between USA's and TEAM was minimal, they difference between Jr. Nationals and USA's was big! I dropped my protein way down and increased my carbs. That allowed me to lose muscle and not look to lean and hard.
My diet is pretty much like everyone else's, 5-6 meals a day 2 of them being protein shakes the others meats and veggies, and as far as carbs anywhere from 50-150grams a day depending on what I look like and how far out!

8) What were the differences with your contest prep at Jr. Nationals and USA's? Did you drink more water, carb up differently or what?

I kinda touched base on that in the precious question, but honestly my carbs never dropped and I carbed up a little more and my water depletion was pretty much the same, stopping the day of the show.

9) I find you very professional and easy to work with, in my eyes you represent the image of a true professional even when competing at amateur level. What is the secret to your success? What should other competitors do to be as professional as you are?

I appreciate the comment and I feel that I am who I am because I love what I do and it really is
a passion for me! No matter who places in front of me and no matter what their physique looks like they worked very hard to get to where they are because everything in life is relative to each person's experiences and situations. I feel that I am not competing against them I am competing against myself and where I have come from. Not only do I love to succeed, I love to see others succeed and I want to be around driven, determined successful people! As far as being professional it is hard for me to give advice on that because I am just being myself, I guess I would just encourage people to lift one another up and praise one another. Did you know that by giving a compliment to someone you will be lifted up as well and your attitude with drastically improve! Also I really do believe in Karma!!

10) Tell us more about your job as a nurse?

I work 4 12 hour shifts per week in either an ICU or ER. I do what is called here in Texas Critical Care Float Pool. I work PRN (as needed), which means I am basically contract work. I make my own schedule so if I need off to train or compete I just take off, but if I do not work I do not get paid!! I started as a nurse 5 years ago in a Level I Trauma Center here at the County Hospital in Dallas. I worked as a Surgical Trauma Neuro ICU RN for 3 1/2 years and then I went on to do the PRN work in 3 different hospitals in the ICU and ER setting. I love my job, I think it is a great compliment to my life and I am blessed to be able to do what I do!!

11) What is your personal policy about conditioning and muscularity when coming into a show?

12) For the next shows what do you think you need to work on physique-wise/conditioning-wise?

I obviously need to do what ever I can to come in with a smaller tight more symetrical package. I need to do whatever I can do give the illusion of a smaller waist and just tighten everything up without looking too lean or too hard.

13) What is your typical training routine in the gym (per day, include sets and reps!)

In the beginning of the off-season I was lifting 4-5 times per week heavy sets low rep to gain the muscle I was lacking. After my body started responding and I was getting closer to the shows I backed down to 3 times per week doing more of a interval circuit training lifting lightly and incorporating active rests, never really resting in between sets!

14) How do you go about dropping your water before the day of the show? Please be specific.

It is really simple, I stop drinking at 1:00pm the day of the show. I also take a Natural Diuretic to aid with the depletion process and increase my potassium.

15) What is your personal opinion about the figure, fitness, bodybuilding industry we are in? Anything you would like to see changed?

I love the sport, the only thing I would like to see change is I wish that the woman and men would be more aware of the image they are putting out there. They need to make sure that they are representing bodybuilding as a competive admirable sport and that our bodies should be an example of hard work and dedication, not a sex object for men and woman to lust over, rather an impressive physical statue that should be used to motivate our society to exercise and eat healthy.

16) What is your opinion about the 20% rule the IFBB issued to some female athletes? Why do you think they did it? Do you think competitors will follow it? Or it will get lost around somewhere?

I respect the decision and I am sure they made it based on the comments from the public. I do think that everything can and will be taken to the extreme, especially when dealing with extreme personalities so with that said I do not have a problem with it, I just hope that they enforce it across the board so that we as the competitor can have some idea what they are looking for so we can represent that on stage and be judged accordingly.

17) Please tell us about how you were raised and did you have any interesting experiences while growing up?

How I was raised, interesting question. Well, I was raised by my mother and my father who were married for 15 years and divorced when I was 9. This did not stop either of them from being very active in my life. I have a brother who is probaby as different from me than anyone that I know!! Although we do look alike, at least that is what people say. He is older than me, yet I was always the one bossing him around and taking control! I had a guess a pretty average family, you disfunctional but functional, haha! My parents are amazing and have taught me to overcome whatever obstacle is in front of me and to learn from the experience and to NEVER be the victim! I love my family very much and without them I would not be able to do what I do!!

18) What is a typical day in the life of Traci Redding? From waking up to until going to bed?

I work Mon. Wed. Friday and Sundays 12 hours as a nurse and then Tues. Thurs and Saturday I train my clients from about 6:00am until 8:30pm. I train meet with my trainer Tues/Thurs/Sat at 1:00pm and I teach cycling Tues/Thurs from 5:15pm-7:00pm, I also go to the track Monday and Wed nights at 7:30pm and on Saturdays I am at the track at 8:00am and then to meet my trainer at 11:00am, training clients in between all these times. I try to make it to Church every Saturday at 5:00 or 6:30pm, since I work on Sundays. I also go to the grocery store prtty much every 3rd day as well as do my cooking. So basically I do not rest! Oh ya, I also am in the process of renovating a house I just bought!! Life is great!!!

20) Last one I promise... What are the most important things in your life that you couldn't live without?

Only one, Jesus Christ!!

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