IFBB Australian Grand Prix 2012

WOW.. I honestly dont know where to begin ! Was such a massive and incredible day !


I could not of done it without my amazing partner and his support. So a massive thanks to him and also to Move Fitness Specialists ~ Amy Fox for sponsoring me with my tan, hair and make up. Amy you did a fantastic job !


My day begun calm and so was the whole experience, I was just so excited I did not have the chance to feel nervous for one minute. My tan, hair and make up was perfect and I was feeling really happy with the way that I looked. The first wave of excitement hit me when Larissa Reis walked behind stage whilst I was waiting with Laura for her to go on stage. ~ "OMG OMG OMG ! She is here !" I was so excited and eventually managed to go and introduce myself to her and talk to her. I was so thrilled to be a part of her last appearance on stage as a figure competitor as she will now go into the physique division. 


I was ecstatic to say the least talking with Erin, Nicole and Alicia and so excited to be up on stage with them so I only got nervous for that one minute when I always do standing on the edge of the stage waiting to go on. I took in a deep breath and remembered all the hard work I had put in to getting to this point, 'Summer, you have no time for nerves. You have worked ever so hard and look at what surrounds you'.. Advice I always give myself before I go up on stage. I actually anticipated to be a lot more nervous than what I was but I think excitement just over ruled everything. 


I have had a whole year to change my mindset for being on stage. It is most certainly a struggle and a let down to not be in the top call outs when that is what you are used to, but I know now its a new beginning for me. Its like starting all over again, getting feedback from the judges and seeing what I need to improve on for my professional figure. I had a big chat with Nicole behind stage explaining the struggle I had with bringing a Professional figure, rather than just getting as lean as I am used to. She agreed that it is like starting over, that I may feel like I am out of shape but I will find my way. It was great to chat with her and ask her what she does off season and on season. The girls where so much fun and totally made the experience for me !


My experience was complete when my best buddy from the east coast won her Pro Card. I knew from a long while back that Laura would and I was so happy to be there with her to experience it all unfold. I am so proud of her because much like myself she lives and breathes this sport. She has been amazing to me and helped my not only when i needed a friend but gave me awesome support. So now we can both live our dream together and I could not be any happier. Laura has such an amazing physique and I am so happy that all her hard work paid off. CHAMPION !


Now it is all over I can not wait to get back out there again. Looking forward to getting feedback from judges and also making some other arrangements which I will announce at a later date so I have the tools that I need to make this complete. So excited to begin my preparation for my next competition which will be in the US !! This is my dream, I am living it and I love every second of it !!


Thank you again to my boy Brett for being my rock and support, it is not the easiest job but seeing you smile and seeing your pride makes me feel so much achievement. My beautiful Amy Fox for making sure I was complete on the day. My Laura Keddie for being an amazing friend and a true champion. And of course all my family, friends and not to mention my fans for giving me the strength to push on and make me feel as amazing as I do. I could not of done this and would not be where I am today without any of you. I am for ever in debt to you all.


Much love

Summer xoxoxox

When it rains it pours... Melbourne

Today has been hectic to say the least..
Last night I didnt finish packing and cooking until 1am and was up at 4am.. 3 hours sleep probably not ideal but as I have said in my previous blogs, my life is caotic at the moment.
Arrived in Melbourne and spent the first part of the morning with my partners gorgeous nephew and had a quick hour nap. Took Brett a while to wake me up, I seriously felt like I had been hit by a bus. Once I was up and about and got another meal again I started feeling a lot better.
Found a fantastic hair dresser who done a beautiful job with my hair, so couldnt be happier with that :)
We made the trip into the city, I dont think I have ever taken notice of how big Melbourne actually is. This city is huge ! Maybe it is because I am originally a country girl, have lived in Perth most of my life and now live on the Gold Coast which doesnt even have a city.. It all just seems to work, the city is really well put together, planned and thought out.
Once we arrived into the city, after taking the wrong turns, being stuck in the traffic, we made it to the hotel only for the back windscreen to be shattered with little Lochie on the back seat. Thank god the screen did not shatter and he is ok.
To top off the day I had a bit of trouble with the hotel conceirge through lack of communication by one of their staff which was a little frustrating after what had just happen.
For some reason things like this always seem to happen before show day, maybe it is because you stress levels tend to be more elevated. Small incidents soon become massive dramas when all you are focused on is relaxing.
So after missing the Pro Athlete meeting after all the drama I am sitting on the hotel bed winding down, drinking copious amounts of water really looking forward to going to sleep which tonight will be really early !
Although I am tired, I am still very excited for tomorrow and will be even more so after my batteries have recharged. I am very lucky to have my partner drag me around today and make sure I dont leave anything behind. One little man that cant make me stop smiling is this little guy. Something about a childs smile and laughter that makes all your worries disappear.

The simple things in life always out weigh the bad. Your perception of life, its problems and how they affect you comes down to how you deal with things as a person. It has taken me many years to become more relaxed, it makes life so much easier and enjoyable.
Can not wait to get all glammed up by the beauiful Amy Fox from Move Fitness who are sponsoring my tan, hair and make up for the day ! Really looking forward to seeing all my beautiful Perth friends, meeting new people, speaking to fans and meeting my idols behind stage tomorrow.
Tomorrow is going to be an amazing day and I can not wait to experience every second of it, would not change anything I have done, where I am and what I have achieved to this day.
Wish me luck and I will keep you all updated with pics through out the day !

Much Love

Summer xoxox

Relax ?

After all the hard work is done I relax as much as possible the days leading into comp. So atm I am sitting here in a massaging chair getting pampered and even that isnt helping me switch off. All I can think is, hurry up, I could be doing so many things rather than sitting still ! Lol. Guess that's why I am blogging lol. I think it's because of how busy my life has become a find it hard to just switch off. There is always somewhere to be and something to do. I think it's knowing that I have a couple of things left to so until I leave early tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed after everything is done, I have practice posing for one last time I will be able to get to bed at a decent time.
Maybe it's nerves but I am trying my hardest bot to give in. Focusing on the accomplishment of being on stage with the best figures in the world, my idols. This will be one of tge proudest moments in my life. I just need to keep reminding myself this.
Feeling great though I have increased my calories a little, feeling rather full atm actually.
Being the indecisive person that most people would know me for I have a couple more decisions on my appearance for the last day.
I have been inundated with messages and emails from friends, family and my beautiful clients. Thank you for all the positivity xoxox
I will keep you all updated when I get to Melbourne !

Much love

Summer xoxox

3 more sleeps !

Today has been a lloonnngggg day, I only just finish my food preparation for the next two days. This morning I had probably had the biggest struggle with my morning cardio. No DFine 8 as of today :( I really missed my mid day Pina Colada that is for sure ;) I can tell that my body is going to love resting up for the next couple of days before the show, its telling me its time ! I woke up looking even leaner, my body is still dropping everyday, no fluid retention and lines in my legs that i have never seen before. Feeling awesome about my conditioning, its just time to fill myself back up again.

Probably have done the stupidest things, said the stupidiest things today, I feel like my body is in slow mode without the stimulants and still low calories. My metabloism is burning through everything I have now. I am exactly where I want to be ! I go my afternoon boost of energy so that got me through my last weights and cardio session for this contest prep. WWoooohhhhhooooooo !! Also posing with the ever so wonderful and crazy Miss Laura Keddie who I was dying to see after her trip to America for the Arnold Classic. I love posing time when you are so close to show day, your spirits lift, you forget your hunger.

Last day of work for me tomorrow, a lot of running around before flight on friday, emails, nutrition plans for clients, programs, interviews.. It never ends.. But I would trade this life in for anything else in the world.

I LIVE FOR THIS !!!


I also got some amazing news today, I am going to be a god mother to my best friends child :) I have never felt so honored to have someone so dear entrust me with a beautiful little life.


Much Love


Summer xoxox

The penny drop..

Ok, so it is 5 am and I have been awake since 4am ! First reason being that my partner is up for work at that time, 2nd reason being that at this time my brains goes a million miles an hour, 3rd reason being I checked my facebook to see Erin Stern commented on one of my posts ! So am I excited ? That doesnt even cover it !
After winning my Pro Card last year months later I would still remind myself from time to time, "OMG ! I am a pro !" and i think now leading into my first preparation for an IFBB Professional show it has finally dropped.
Unsure if you have read any of my interviews but my drive for a Pro Card began only 4 and a half years ago. My obsession and lifestyle began in 2008 and from their it developed into being my purpose. I had a dream and I put all my heart and soul into it and it became my reality. My constant drive has a lot to do with the sudden loss of my father at the beginning of 2008. Taking on this new lifestlye distracted me to the fact that he was no longer around. It didnt take me long to change my thought process to doing it not only for myself but to prove to him that I will be everything I want to be. He believed in me and so did I. I left behind the party style life and no longer gave into my depression. I surrounded myself with positivity and ensured I had the tools for success and I stuck to my plan.
I love sharing my story as I hope that it inspires others to follow their dreams, to take the steps to make their dreams a reality. Life is exactly what you make of it, you think its hard and that it sucks, it is going to be just that. Get excited about life, turn every situation into a positive and never let anything distract you from your purpose. If something unexpected or unwanted happens, toughen up. Put on your big girl/boy pants on, pull them up high and walk on. 
The only thing standing in your way is the bullshit reasons why you keep telling yourself you cant achieve your dreams.
On that note, Gym time :)


Much Love 


Summer xoxoxox

The final count down.. 5 days til shine time :)

I always love the final week of competition prep ! This is the time when I can relax with my training and taper everything off, but this year its more exciting than ever. 
Today is very special to me as exactly a year ago to do this day I won my Pro Card at the FitX :)) The most rewarding, amazing moment in my life ! 
I always have a long contest prep (20 weeks) and being the fact that I realise now that its best not to have an off season, I really can just relax the last week.
I did have plans to deplete a little more and reduce my calories the tinest amount but there is no need for it this time around. My body has responded very well to my last nutrition change, something completely different I have never done before.
Over the last few weeks I have posed alot more, I was beginning to stress myself out because I couldnt seem to find the time to do it with my business on top of working full time. After assistance and some awesome tips from the beautiful Anne Marie Lasserre, I know have complete confidence on the package I will deliver this year another 4 kgs heavier.
Shoulders and cardio already completed this morning but I am still abou to drag myself to do my last cardio session for the day and some more posing at home. Fingers crossed I will be in bed before midnight ;)
I also received my bling bling bikini today :) So a big thank you to Claire Skeet for yet another amazing costume ! I have always got Claire from Creative Costumes to make my bikini's and even though I have moved to the other side of Australia it has been just as easy as before. Tell me what you think guys !
I am off to do some cardio :)


Much Love

Summer xoxoxo

1 week out from Australian Grand Prix 2012

Welcome to my new blog everyone !
Ok, so I haven't been the best with blogging so far, but my life has been crazy busy as always leading into competition prep but I have done my best to keep you all updated the whole way with my progress.
This morning I woke up with a new found energy and excitement ! I think it is knowing that its finally going to happen and that last week is totally different to the past 19 weeks in terms of preparation. 
This competition prep has been one of my best yet, I have felt extremely healthy, havent had to do as much cardio and have only started feeling tired due to my workload, lack of sleep and coaching business. I am the kind of person who tends to take on as much as possible, as I always enjoy th challenge.
I could not be happier with the progress and the gains that I have made in the year I have been on the Gold Coast. My continous strict regime of training and nutrition has continued on without a hitch. Although life never runs smoothly or the way it plans, nothing has detered me from my goal or made any impact on my results.
A couple of weeks ago I was starting to panick, slightly. I was really concerned with the fact that I would be standing on stage with my idols and the best figures in the world, so I was stressing about my condition and results. The hardest thing about my compeition prep this time around is that I have done it all souly alone without any praise or someone telling me I am on the right track. We all need a bit of reassurance at times, so that did have a little impact on my confidence at that time. 
In the past couple of weeks I have seen my body change, lines come through and I have been posing more often. My mindset has changed and I am now just purely excited with the fact that in a weeks time I will be standing on stage with my idols and the best figures in the world, because I am living my dream. I got exactly what I set out to achieve in this sport and now this is the beginning of living my dream. I am honoured to share a stage with such amazing women and all I care about is the fact that I have improved and that this is the beginning of my journey as an IFBB Figure Professional.
Now all I will do is cross my fingers and hope that the new package Summer Bernard presents will set the benchmark for Summer Bernard to one day step on the Olympia stage.
Thank you for your support and the great encouragement that I receive, you have no idea how much strength that brings me. 
If you will be at the FitX next weekend be sure to stop by the Iron Man Magazine booth after the Figure Professionals pre judging to say hi.


Love to you all


Summer xx