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The McDougal Interviews: Nicole Rogers - Part I

by: 
Marc McDougal

Nicole has a B.S. in Exercise Science, a Masters in Cell and Molecular Nutrition and is currently finishing up her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Nutrition. You can find her name tacked on to quite a bit of published research as well as various well respected texts.



Academics aside, she’s right in the heart of the physique game and has some compelling things to say. We’re hitting all of the hot topics of scientific physique enhancement and Nicole has brought some exciting information to the table. So listen up people, this is one interview you want to pay attention to. But you have to promise you won’t just look at the pictures…

What is involved in a day in the life of Nicole Rogers? Give us a brief rundown of the ins and outs.

Sure. I wake up around 6:30 am and head immediately to the gym down the street. Then it’s home to pick up my dog and walk her around Beacon Hill or let her run along the Charles River.

Finally it is off to the lab around 9:30 am, and once I get there everyday is unique, which is part of what I love about it. An average day consists of experiments, research, writing and attending various seminars and meetings. I usually leave the lab around 7:30 pm and then meet with clients if necessary, take my dog to the park, and/or head back to the gym for cardio. I try to get to bed by 11 pm.

Wow, long day at the lab. Also more ammo for people that say they don’t have time to train. Suck it up, fatties.
You’ve spent some time on stage, talk a little about your competitive history, overall take from it, would you do it again, etc.

My first fitness competition was in the summer of ‘03 in Denver, where I won the Colorado State Fitness Championships. The following year, after moving to Boston, I won the Bev Francis Atlantic States in NYC. My final show to date was in Vegas for the 2004 USA Championships, where I placed 5th.

The other four were obviously nailing the judges. As a whole, was your overall experience with competing positive?

Competing was a wonderful experience! It was so fun to see what level you can take your body to when you really put your mind to it. There are some things that are best learned first hand, and that experience taught me so much about myself as well as training and nutrition in general.

As far as competing again, I would love to, especially after being recently diagnosed with diabetes. I feel like it would be a whole new challenge and that I would again learn so much. But it won’t be for a while. My time constraints and career goals just won’t allow for it at this point.

Glad to hear it, your conditioning was amazing at your previous shows and it would be great to see you on stage again.

I want to get more into the diabetes thing in a bit, but first discuss your current training, and how it varies throughout the year.

I have spent the last 3 months trying to replace some of the muscle that I lost through my diagnosis last year. It’s amazing how quickly lean mass disappears in the absence of insulin!!

Something to think about…