WBFF Pro Lauren Simpson Talks With Simplyshredded.com

Quick Stats:

Age: 25
Height: 5’7″ – 170 cm
Weight: 132 lbs – 60 kg

How did you get started with bodybuilding?

Growing up I led a very active lifestyle and played sports such as athletics, netball and touch football competitively. My family is very ‘sporty’, so I was always involved in team sports year round. About four years ago I started working out in the gym but I really didn’t become passionate about training until two years ago. That’s when I decided to dedicate more time to getting stronger and developing my overall physique and I made the switch from being a ‘cardio bunny’ to lifting heavy weights! During that time, I would go on social media to look at girls who competed in Fitness competitions.

Their physiques fascinated me and I knew I wanted to be just like them, so I got a coach and set my goals! Now two years later, I’m a WBFF Bikini Pro and the rest is history!

Where does your motivation come from?

There are some girls in the Fitness world that I completely admire such as Paige Hathaway and Michelle Lewin, however, my main source of motivation comes from within. Every morning when my alarm goes off, I think to myself, I could stay in bed, but that’s going to get me nowhere because I have goals and dreams and I want to chase them!

My following on social media and the continuous support and kind words from people who are interested in what I’m doing really keeps me motivated and it really inspires me and keeps me going on a daily basis.

What workout routine has worked best for you?

A workout routine focusing primarily on weight training with minimal to no cardio works best for me. My style of training is a cross between powerlifting and bodybuilding. I am an ectomorph body type and I find it quite hard to maintain muscle mass. Lifting heavy has really helped to stimulate my overall muscle growth, particularly with my lower body.

Full Routine:

Monday: Legs

Squats 5 x 5 (Superset)
Lying Leg Curls 5 x 5
Split Squats 4 x 10 (each leg)
Machine Glute Kickbacks 4 x 12

Tuesday: Back/Shoulders

Seated Barbell Press 6 x 6-8
Neutral Grip Pullups 4 x 4-6
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns 4 x 12-15
Seated Arnold Press 4 x 4-6
Incline Rear Delt Raises 4 x 12-15

Wednesday: Glutes/Hamstrings

Sumo Deadlifts 4 x 10-12
Barbell Hip Thrusts 4 x 10-12
Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts 4 x 10-12
Lying Leg Curls 4 x 10-12
Curtsy Lunges 4 x 12
Cable Kickbacks 3 x 12-15
Hip Abductors 3 x 25

Thursday: Chest/Arms

Bench Press 6 x 6-8
Standing Barbell Curls 4 x 6-8
Incline Hammer Curls 4 x 12-15
Flat Dumbbell Extensions 4 x 6-8
Standing Rope Pushdowns 4 x 12-15

Friday: Quads/Calves

Squats 4 x 10-12
Close Stance Leg Press 4 x 10-12
Barbell Lunges 4 x 10-12
Sissy Squats (Holding Weight Plate) 4 x 10-12
Leg Extensions 4 x 10-12
Walking Dumbbell Lunges 3 x 10-12
Standing Calf Raises 3 x 12-15
Seated Calf Raises 3 x 12-15

Saturday: Back/Shoulders

Standing Barbell Press 6 x 6-8
Pull Ups 4 x 6-8
Neutral Grip Narrow Pulldowns 4 x 12-15
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises 4 x 6-8
Prone Rear Delt Raises 4 x 12-15

Sunday: Active Rest

Usually, I’ll go for a walk.

What is your secret to your incredible glute development?

On leg days, I usually do one session per week concentrating on strength training, so I do a lot of squats and deadlifts. On the other leg days, I like to incorporate smaller isolated exercises and focus on engaging and activating my muscles. Before doing these workouts, I run through a circuit of band exercises which really fires up my glutes and helps me to establish that mind muscle connection. I am constantly looking for new exercises to include in my program and I feel that having a variety is the key component to ensure I’m hitting all of my glute muscles.

Some of my favorite ‘booty’ building exercises include: hip thrusts, step ups, kickbacks, sumo squats, pulses and curtsy lunges.

What is your diet like?

I am currently prepping for the WBFF European Championships, so my diet is quite strict. I follow a blended approach between macros and clean eating. I know my exact macros and I have a clean meal plan to hit these macros. When planning my meals, I also keep things like nutrient timing in mind too especially around my workouts.

Daily Diet:

Meal 1: 5 ounces Egg Whites, 3 ounces Oats and 1 tablespoon Honey
Meal 2: 1 scoop Protein and 1 cup Blueberries
Meal 3: 3 ½ ounces Barramundi and 9 ounces Sweet Potato
Meal 4: 2 ½ ounces Chicken Breast, 5 ounces Mixed Vegetables and 1 ½ ounces Walnuts
Meal 5: 3 ½ ounces Turkey Mince, 3 ½ ounces Pumpkin, ¼ cup Baby Spinach Leaves and 2 ounces Avocado
Meal 6: 1 scoop Protein and ¼ cup Almonds

How does your training and diet evolve as you get closer to a competition?

The types of food I eat and my training doesn’t change too much as I get closer to a show. It is more about the quantity of food that I am eating and I slowly decrease my caloric intake to ensure that I am getting leaner.

For my training program, I may do higher reps and I will incorporate a lot of supersets, tri sets and giant sets to get my heart rate up and to burn more calories.

What’s the one food you couldn’t live without and how do you handle food cravings?

Sushi and sweet potato fries are my current obsession! I often crave sweet things, so to handle those cravings, I simply do not keep any sweets in the house! (Laughs) I remove all temptations and I save the sweets for when I go out on a ‘cheat night’.