REAL LIFE
FOCUS ON FAMILY & FITNESS
By: Maria Kang
Max Muscle Bend, Oregon customer is a prime example of balancing family and fitness. And it shows. Max Muscle Bend, Oregon customer is a prime example of balancing family and fitness. And it shows.
“Amongst my friends, mine are the only kids I know who say, ‘Mom, how much protein does this snack have in it?’” admits Tami Ough, a 33-year-old nurse, trainer and IFBB pro fitness competitor. Born and raised in Prineville, Oregon, this 5-foot-3 and 132-pound fit mother of two has accomplished balancing a successful personal and professional life.
Tami’s fitness career has evolved throughout her lifetime. As a child she took gymnastics, ballet, tap dancing, cheerleading and tennis. When college came along she focused on her nursing degree and didn’t participate in any recreational sports. Feeling like something was missing, Tami came across a flyer at her local gym promoting a Miss Fitness competition. After some encouragement from the gym owners, Tami gave it a try and placed 2nd at her first show.
She continued competing for the next couple years until she became pregnant with her daughter, Teagan, in 1997, then her son, Taran, in 2003. Gaining anywhere between 50 to 60 pounds in each pregnancy, she decided to regain her competitive physique after her last child and after realizing her 10-year class reunion was approaching. She began dieting down for both her reunion and the Washington Ironman Fitness contest being held six weeks after her class reunion. Not only did she end up looking great for her reunion, but she also won her fitness show as well as several proceeding northwest shows. In 2005 she won her height class at a national fitness show and officially became an IFBB pro at 30 years old.
To create and maintain her award-winning physique she follows a strict exercise and diet routine. Her workouts vary depending on what stage of contest preparation she is in. Off-season, she performs cardio 30-45 minutes three to four times per week and weight trains two to three times per week. On season she trains seven days a week, often performing cardio twice a day and practices her fitness routine and weight trains three times a week.
Her diet focuses on eating as many whole, unprocessed foods as possible. Her main staples include fresh chicken, fish, lean dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. She also includes Max Muscle supplements in her daily intake by consuming IsoExtreme pre workout, Femme Lean & Balance, Max Lean protein, glutamine, multivitamins and BCAAs. Her favorite supplement she takes is glucosamine.
Glucosamine changed Tami’s body, she said. “I was really feeling my age while trying to tumble in my early 30s! Once I started taking that, my joints all quit hurting.” With the guidance of Dominic Current and Larry Wilcox at Bend, Oregon’s Max Muscle, Tami was able to fine-tune her program with the correct supplements.
Her fitness ambitions are shared by her family who support and sustain Tami’s energy to excel in all areas of her life. Tami has been married for 15 years with Trent Ough, a man she initially met when she was only 10 years old. At the time, he was 16 and working for her parents at their hometown gas station/mini mart. While she seemed more of a “pest” at that time, when they reunited six years later at a mutual friend’s wedding reception, Tami and Trent became inseparable.
After getting married and rais-ing kids, Tami has found the right ingredients to creating a healthy home environment. Her general rule to achieving a fit family is to keep the kids moving. Not only does staying active keep kids out of trouble, but it also forces the parents to become active in order to keep up with their activity schedule. During the summer, the Ough Family goes camping, fishing, four-wheel riding and hunting. Her children have also taken to many of the healthy meals Tami prepares pre-contest. Their favorite meal includes a tuna concoction made with sautéed onions, celery, a can of tuna, 2 tablespoons of low fat cream of mushroom soup, and a little skim milk. After boiling, she serves it over brown rice for the family to enjoy. While Tami cooks most days, her family still eats out two to three times a month, often when she is grabbing a cheat meal.
Tami plans on competing for 10 to 15 more years, but her goal right now is to be the best mom and wife to her family. “I looked around last year and realized that my kids were growing before my eyes! I didn’t want to look back at their childhood and say, ‘Yeah, they’re all beautiful and grown, but I missed it because I was doing cardio.’” MS&F
