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Heather Bear is a compressed ball of intense energy. A fulltime fitness professional with a vibrant physical presence, Heather attracts female clients like a gigantic magnet dropped into a bagful of metal filings. Heather trains women of all ages, shapes and sizes and possessing varying degrees of fitness or unfitness.

Mrs. Bear does it all: she is a wife and a mother of two small children; she is a national Figure competitor and an important cog in an elite fitness company; Heather is a top personal trainer and a role model for women of all ages. People look at the 5-foot 100 pound Mini-Bear, a mound of sinew and muscle, and think, “She’s obviously a genetic wonder who was no doubt born lean and attractive.” In fact a few years back, Mini-Bear was Maxi-Bear. “In autumn of 2004 I became pregnant with my first child and gained 78 pounds! I weighed 180 pounds. Since I am only 5 foot tall, I literally was as big around as I was tall.” Pudgy Bear looked like she was ready to explode; miraculously she lost all of her ample excess and then some. Six months after achieving her heaviest ever bodyweight Heather competed in a Figure competition weighing 104 pounds: she won the competition and vowed never to allow herself to become that heavy again, for any reason and under any set of circumstances. Maxi-Bear was back to being Min-Bear and determined to stay that way!

In 2007 Heather Bear was in heavy preparation to appear as a contestant in the Figure competition portion of the Arnold Classic. Mini-Bear got a little surprise…she discovered she was pregnant. Heather remembers her reaction. “I was deep into my competitive preparation getting ready for the Arnold Classic Amateur Figure Competition.  I had felt a little woozy and thought I might have contracted the flu, imagine my surprise when my doctor said, “Heather you are twelve weeks pregnant!’ I made a promise to myself in the doctor’s office that I would not gain a ton of weight and further I would be onstage, competing, within four months of having this baby!”  Heather stayed true to her word and gained a scant eighteen pounds during her pregnancy with Baby Rozalee. The child arrived five weeks early and spent eighteen days in the Intensive Care Unit. “I started working out two days after Rozalee was born. I was running sprints within a week of delivery.” Let’s back up a few years to see how regular Heather became super-fit Heather. In 2002 Heather decided to seek professional help in order to shed unwanted pounds prior to her wedding. “I needed to lose quite a bit of weight to squeeze into my wedding dress. I made a decision to hire a coach to help me shape up.” As it turned out, this decision became a life-altering, career-changing experience.

Heather happened to contact Fitness legend Jennifer Hendershott to assist her in her quest to lose fat and slip effortlessly into that fabulous wedding dress. “To make a long story short, I ended up losing 35 pounds before my wedding and was so grateful and amazed at the super effective procedures Jen used that I became a student: I was dumbstruck by the effectiveness of the processes and procedures Jen used. I wanted to know more.” The deeper into the Hendershott approach Heather delved, the closer the two women became. A deep friendship took root and Heather morphed from student and friend into employee and friend. “I eventually became Jenny Hendershott’s personal assistant. I now help coordinate Jen’s world famous Phat Camps.”  Jennifer Hendershott is a former Parrillo Performance cover lady, longtime Parrillo product user and arguably the world’s greatest Fitness competitor: she has twice won the Ms. Fitness International (held at the Arnold Classic) and captured the biggest fitness title in the world: Ms. Fitness Olympia, the granddaddy (grandmother?) of all Fitness events. Jen’s expertise in renovating her own physique led to her developing a system that has had widespread and profound implications for females of all shapes and sizes serious about losing fat and building muscle. Heather laid it out. “Jen Hendershott is a trailblazer: she sensed a deep need for regular women to be exposed to a fitness approach geared specifically for women. Jen addressed issues not normally addressed by personal trainers. Part of Jen’s genius was to devise a comprehensive system and a unique way of communicating that system. Phat Camp attendees walk away with everything they need to dramatically revamp their body and dramatically boost their self esteem.”

Jennifer Hendershott is ably assisted by Heather Bear in a variety of ways: Heather will teach cardio at Phat Camp seminars. Heather will make seminar arrangements. Heather will assist in a myriad of ways. Phat Camp is one big extended seminar and workshop format. Clients spend the better part of three days immersing themselves in the Hendershott method, ably assisted by Heather and a crew of competent and shapely female trainers. All issues related to diet, nutrition, supplementation, weight training and cardio are taught. Uniquely female issues are covered in depth and detail at Phat Camp: attendees are shown how to plan their training and how to create nutritional programs that are effective and doable. Phat Camp participants are taught how to meld effective fitness with the harsh realities of their personal lives. “Everyone has their own unique situation and we show them how to customize.” Heather then added, “To say that the Phat Camp format was a hit would be a massive understatement.” Jen found Phat Camp in such demand that she needed help in organizing and setting up the camps. This past year Phat Camp seminars were held in Phoenix, Atlanta, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, Tampa, Chicago, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Houston, Nashville, Dayton and New York. Heather eventually quit her job as a veterinary assistant (she graduated from University of Cincinnati in 1997) and went to work for the Hendershott fitness empire. “I love Jen as a person. When she offered me the opportunity to become a fitness professional, I jumped at the opportunity.”

In addition to her work with Jen, Heather has a personal training studio in her home and a large list of female clients. “I usually work with thirty clients at any one point in time. I work strictly with females and my clientele are all over the map; some are complete beginners, others are competitive athletes, I work with retired women and teens, fulltime mothers and fulltime career women, fit and completely unfit. I am able to get results for women from all walks of life because I customize their training and nutritional programs. I mold the program to fit the individual’s situation: everyone is different; each client has certain restrictions and time constraints.” Nutrition is a huge part of Heather’s own training and her ongoing competitive aspirations. Parrillo Performance Products form the cornerstone of Heather’s nutritional approach. “I have used John’s products for years. I was first exposed to Parrillo when a friend of mine introduced me to Mike Feulner. Located in New York City, I contacted Mike a few days after I delivered Rozelee. He introduced me to Parrillo products. Mike insisted I begin using Parrillo Hi-Protein Powder^™ and Parrillo Ultimate Amino^™ and Parrillo Muscle Amino Formula^™. What a huge difference those potent Parrillo supplements made; I strode onstage exactly four months after giving birth to Rozelee and I was the leanest, tightest and most muscular I’d been in my entire life. People could not believe how quickly I had progressed…
I couldn’t believe how quickly I progressed.”

Heather feels Parrillo products are “far and away” the finest nutritional supplements she has ever used. “I use Parrillo Products every single day – even during my off-season. I can really tell the difference when for whatever reason I stop using them.” Heather needs the best natural supplements available because she competes at the national level in Figure competitions. She is just beginning to scratch the surface of her amazing genetic potential. “I am currently getting ready for the Junior USA National Figure competition that will be held in May of 2009.  Parrillo products are a huge part of my preparation process.” Heather is the type of personal trainer that not only talks a good game – she puts it all on the line in Big League competitions on a regularly reoccurring basis. “You learn so much about yourself and your body by competing. I then pass along to my students these little tips and tactics that can make a huge difference – even for individuals that will never, ever set foot on a competitive stage.” Heather Bear cannot say enough good things about Parrillo Products. “I am absolutely addicted to the Parrillo Cake and Cupcake mix^™. Like a lot of women I have a sweet tooth and a delicious cupcake takes care of my sweet tooth cravings.  My four year old daughter loves them too.  She always asks in the cutest way if she can have one when I have one.”  Heather weighs a muscular 120 pounds in the off-season and using expert nutrition and hardcore training whittles down to 100 pounds for a competition. Heather Bear is a positive force in the fitness universe and will remain so far into the foreseeable future. “Helping others help themselves is my biggest thrill!” The Little Bear will be helping others help themselves while she continues on her own quest to, as John Parrillo likes to say, “Be all that you
can be!”

Heather Bear’s Daily Meal Plan

Meal 1 – 8:00am: Three egg whites with 1 yolk, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, Muscle Amino^™ and Ultimate Amino^™

Meal 2 – 11:00am: Parrillo Hi-Protein Powder^™ mixed with Parrillo Pro-Carb^™ powder into a chocolate shake

Meal 3 – 1:30pm: Chicken breast, sweet potato, broccoli, Muscle Amino^™ and Ultimate Amino^™

Meal 4 – 4:00pm: Tilapia fish, brown rice, spinach, 10 almonds, Muscle Amino^™ and Ultimate Amino^™

Meal 5  – 6:30pm: Tilapia fish, green beans, 1/4 avocado, Muscle Amino^™ and Ultimate Amino^™

Meal 6 – 9:00pm: Parrillo Hi-Protein Shake^™; Some evenings I switch this to a Parrillo cupcake^™

“All of the various Parrillo Bar formulations are delicious.  Parrillo has a terrific variety of flavors and I tell my clients that there is a flavor for everyone.  I really like the Parrillo Chew Bars^™ and the Parrillo Protein Bars^™.  Here is a tip I will pass along to your readers: I pop the unwrapped Chew Bar^™ or the Protein Bar^™ into the microwave oven for five seconds. This heats the bar slightly and makes them soft and spectacularly enjoyable.  My husband and daughter also eat Parrillo bars to the point I have trouble keeping enough around for myself!  The great thing about the various Parrillo bars and the Parrillo protein powders is that they don’t bloat me like other supplements.

I love the Parrillo Cake and Cupcake mix^™. I tell my clients that instead of cheating on your diet – have a Parrillo cupcake or piece of Parrillo cake.  My daughter loves the cupcakes.  Whenever I run out, she asks “Mommy, who ate all the cupcakes? Did daddy eat them? Can you make some more please?” Place a scoop of the cupcake mix (and 1/2 scoop of icing) along with a little water in a bowl. Put this mix in the microwave for 30 seconds and make your very own personal cupcake in a bowl. The Parrillo Ice Kreem^™ is also very good. I find it takes care of my sweet tooth – especially when you want something sweet just before bed. If at anytime during the day I become ravenously hungry, I will eat a Parrillo Chew Bar^™.  I like all of the Chew Bar^™ flavors but peanut butter is my favorite.”

Heather Bear’s Weekly Training Split

Monday: Chest

Tuesday: Biceps and triceps

Wednesday: Back

Thursday: Shoulders

Friday: Legs

Saturday: off

Sunday: off

“I perform a lot of different exercises for every body part. I usually hit six to eight exercises for each body part for 3-4 sets. I try and keep my reps high, usually 12 to 15 reps per set.  I use what I would call an instinctive or intuitive approach towards training. I find this keeps my training interesting and keeps my enthusiasm high. I never do the same workout twice. I might alter the order of the exercises or I might use a whole bunch of new exercises. There are so many really effective weight training exercises that I believe staying with the same movements over and over leads to stagnation. I will perform some type of cardio just about every day. The closer I come to a competition the more cardio I will do.”

If you would like to contact Heather personally or find out more about Ms. Fitness Olympia Jennifer Hendershott’s amazing Phat Camps contact…

• www.heather-bear.com

• www.getphatwithjen.com

• www.getphatonline.com