CutAndJacked.com Interview:

WBFF Pro Julie Bonnett

How and when did you start training?

I was a competitive tap and jazz dancer right into my teens, however when the demands of school and work no longer allowed me the time to travel into the city for dance class, I realized I would have to find another way to keep fit. I began weight training in the grungy basement gym of my high school with one of my girlfriends.

What’s the best thing about being a
WBFF Pro fitness Model?

The WBFF is an incredibly positive, supportive community that I am so proud to be involved with. I am able to reach such a wide audience with my message of healthy living and female empowerment. My husband, WBFF Pro Bodybuilder Craig Bonnett, and I have both enriched our lives through our involvement with bodybuilding, so we jump at the chance to motivate others to get on stage and challenge themselves beyond their greatest expectations. It's so exhilarating walking out into the stage lights, hearing your supporters cheering for you! I love having an event to focus my training around and allow my body the opportunity to 'peak' - what better way to push yourself to improve each year?

What would you say is your proudest achievement
in the fitness industry so far?

Craig and I have worked hard to develop our business, ContestPrep.ca - an industry-leading physique consulting and online personal training business. We work incredibly hard to dream up new ways to motivate & inspire clients, including helping hundreds of athletes prepare for stage and even more general public clients reach their fitness goals. Both myself and my husband have accomplished so much in our personal competitive careers, however I am most proud of us for finding ways to share our knowledge, experience and network with others.

How long do you spend in the gym during
a typical workout?

My weight training workouts are 60 minutes, 5x/week (legs twice per week). I do cardio everyday, on season and off, at home or on vacation! The duration of my cardio sessions vary based upon my goals, anywhere from 45 minutes to over 2 hours. A great tip: purchase cardio equipment for home. I hit the gym for resistance training, but chew away all those hours of cardio either outdoors or in the comfort of my home.

Do you listen to music while you train? If so what’s on your playlist right now?

Absolutely! I'm not chatty during my training at all - I BLAST my music - whatever's new & upbeat. Right now I'm obsessed with Snoop's Sweat, David Guetta Little Bad Girl, Katy's TGIF, Black Eyed Peas Don't Stop the Party... I sometimes realize I'm dancing between sets!

We know consistency is key, what tips would you give to anyone struggling to stay consistent?

Short terms goals help to keep you focused and make the over-all
plan less overwhelming.

What is your training routine like?

I love compound lifts, however I am go-go-go in the gym, so supersets and triplesets are common in my workouts. R/T 5x/week, with rest days as needed, cardio everyday, currently all on my stationary bike - unfortunately I have stress fractures in my ankles, an injury that originated in 2008 from shin splints, so no running or plyos for me right now :(
Here's a few examples of my workouts:

Legs: Bb squats x 5 sets, 20 reps, 8-12 reps for sets 2-5, superset with pre-loaded bb hip thrusts x 25 reps and bosu ball squats x 20 reps. Stiff-legged deadlifts x 5 sets, 20 reps, 8-12 reps for sets 2-5, superset with plie squats holding db x 20, kneeling glute kickbacks x 20 each leg Prone machine leg curls x 4 sets, 12-15 reps, superset with pop squats or bosu ball squats x 20, ball leg curls x 15/leg Kneeling leg curls, superset with machine glute kickbacks x 15/leg, bosu ball squats x 25 Leg extensions, superset with walking lunges, crunches. Calves on leg press, superset with cable crunches and bosu ball squats x 25 ** I always stretch during rest periods, it's the only way I maintain my flexibility! It's not uncommon to see me rock out a heavy set of deadlifts then drop into splits - I trained that way when I used to compete in fitness to ensure my routine round was strong. I also incorporate core often as a superset, since it's easy to tote along a matt in the gym and do crunches - what better way to sculpt that 6-pack?

Shoulders: Seated db shoulder press, superset with standing reverse db flyes, handstand plank against wall x 30 seconds. Machine shoulder press, superset with cable face pulls, db side bends. Single arm reverse cable flyes, superset with bb front raises, db lateral raises. Machine or db bent arm lateral raises, superset with bicycle crunches and roman chair leg raises

Back & Arms Chin ups (I love walking into my gym in my cute, pink lululmeon hot pants or booty shorts and bedazzled glove and stepping up to the chin up bar to rock out FULL RANGE OF MOTION chin ups! Yes, this gal is strong! lol! Wide grip lat pulldowns, superset with double grasp DB row Seated cable row, superset with pre-loaded bb row Single arm db row, superset with pre-loaded bb curls Cable curls, superset with standing overhead db tricep extensions Machine tricep extensions, superset with concentration curls Core x 2 abs, 2 obliques

What does your diet consist of?

I admittedly eat low carb when dieting for a show or big photoshoot. Breakfast for this season has been chicken breast or lean beef with 3 egg whites and Fusion Omega Oil.

Meal 2 is pre workout, often a protein shake with Glutamend, SubQ and Purple K and veggies. (I snack on veggies as much as needed throughout the day.) I often take Purple K before my cardio sessions as well, feeling those bike workouts are killer for my glutes. I drink Fusion Agent M Powder during weight training, mixed with water.

Meal 3 is immediately post workout - a protein shake mixed in water with Glutamend. By the time I drive home, I'm starving, so I eat a repeat of breakfast for Meal 4.

Meal 5 is salad with lean protein (ie: tuna, salmon, chicken, egg whites, basa, etc). Before bed every night I eat lean protein and take in fats such as Omega Oil or nuts.

How do you deal with cravings for junk foods,
sweets and salty food?

Mind over matter! I don't believe in cheat meals during intense training - I feel that for me, they are an unhealthy obsession. I feel my best when I eat healthy and stay true to my plan, instead of living for the next binge. Of course, I do love chocolate, as much as the next gal! My protein shakes are treats for me - they curb my cravings for sweets. I also indulge in flavoured coffee with splenda and delicious teas at night to add flavour to my life. I think dieters often ache for texture and *crunch* in their foods. As cheesy as it sounds, if I'm missing carbs, getting myself to snack on a big plate full of a variety of fresh veggies with non-fat dressing keeps me full and satisfied.

What are your top three exercises and why?

- Stiff-legged deadlifts are amazing to shape hamstrings and glutes, and ladies just look amazing doing them! ;)

- Barbell Glute hip thrusts have been my go-to to keep my booty tight this year, since I've had to cut back on my plyometrics due to injury. This exercise is a great superset to any lower body workout.

- Bent Arm Lateral DB Raises, simply because I love the pump I get in my shoulders from them - my arms look great doing this exercise. It's an exercise I look forward to, which makes my training all the more rewarding.

What tips would you give to any woman wanting to get a feminine, CutandJacked physique like yours?

Start your diet and workout regime TODAY, not tomorrow, and get advice from someone you trust, who has experience working with women. Everyone has different physique ideals, so you want to ensure your training & diet are tailored for your individual needs.

What supplements would you use/recommend if any?

I believe food is the best supplement - there is no quick, over the counter fix for a bad diet. However there are certainly fantastic products that can help in addition to clean eating. I use CLA, BCAAs, Glutamend, Omega Oil, Pre-workout supplements such as Fubar, creatine (Purple K), SubQ at certain times of the year to help my fatloss and energy levels, protein powders, and ALWAYS incorporate a multivitamin to ensure my body has all the nutrients it needs.

Links from Julie Bonnett

To train online with Jewels & her husband Craig Bonnett, check out ContestPrep.ca - we were inspired by their incredible client transformations!

You can also add Jewels on Facebook: facebook.com/JewelsJulieBonnett

Youtube channel: Youtube.com/user/JewelsWBFFblog

Supplement deals and recommendations