I am a national level fitness competitor
i have a close girlfriend who competes in bodybuilding, so we often discuss our diets and training together. Contest prep is very similar for us both, but bodybuilding is a bit more 'extreme', like they want you much leaner (therefore the judging is a little different)....although one has to question exactly what the judges are looking for because at upper level competitions, there really deosn't seem like much difference between fitness/figure and lightweight bodybuilding!!
The on stage posing is different too....fitness & figure girls do quarter turns. Bodybuilders get to do the fun poses LMAO. I kinda want to do BBing just to flex my biceps LMAO.
It's SOO great to see more women interested in competing in BBing. I've seen over 40 girls in one figure class, meanwhile BBing has maybe 5-6 women in a class.
What does it take to compete? A lot of hard work and dedication. The willingness to be completely anal about your diet and to put your dieting needs and your training above [almost] all else, and the patience to put in the time. That's really the secret ;-P you don't have to be 'born' with incredible genetic structure or whatever.
Preparing for a competition is extremely time consuming so it's best not to time preparing for a show when it happens to be a stressful time in your life, due to career, school, or personal reasons. There will always be another show ;-P
Actually Oxygen magazine recently did a really interesting article that talked about the different associations and the advantages/disadvantages of certain ones. I am in Canada---so there really are only two associations. One would be a better route to follow if you were really interested in starting some career in fitness modeling and whatnot....while the other belongs to the IFBB (where you can earn your procard and compete with the pros).
Most people do hire a diet/trainer coach, especially when it's their first show, to help guide them. They will monitor your physique and make adjustments accordingly. I personally love having one, it makes my life a LOT easier LOL. And sometimes it's hard to tell if you are on the right track (i get terribly impatient, i would probably change my program 50 times before giving anything a chance to see results---Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.)
If there are no trainers in your area, many offer services online. As i mentioned, I'm in Canada and i'm currently using a diet-guru who lives in Florida. I send him weekly pictures for him to monitor & make adjustments. We communicate often via e-mail. Prices will vary depending on who you go to. Of course when you get into things like routines, it's harder to do that over the net... but there are also lots of people who can help you with JUST your routine and hopefully you'll have someone local. Nothing says you can't choreograph your own routine, by the way ;-P some people are gifted that way (i am not LOL).
MOst of your costs will be spent on chicken. LOL i kid you not!! YOu don't HAVE TO HAVE an arsenery of suppliments. You can get away with your basics, like whey isolate, most people use an ephedra/caffeine fat burner (not necessary though), and a LOT of quality food (again, that's where the majority of your $$$ goes). Most athletes will also use glutamine and creatine. Also a good multi vitamin and anti-oxidant. But really, you would be amazed at what results you will acheive on food and training alone. Again---nice to have a diet-coach to pass on his wisdom of appropriate nutrient timing and helping you figure out what works with YOUR body. No two people's contest prep diets will be the same.
Depending on where you are coming from, physique-wise, most athletes will give themselves 12-16 weeks to lean out to competition-lean bodyfat. Generally, on-season is all about maintain what muscle you have and getting shredded. Off-season is when you focus on building up your lagging bodyparts, adding size & shape, etc.
Once you get competition-lean, you must be aware (this is an evil truth they don't always tell newbies LOL) that you are actually peaking to that state, and NO WAY do you "stay" there. Coming out of competition peak is, IMO, actually one of the hardest things of the whole cycle. It's tempting to go on a month-long binge eating session, especially after being on a restrictive diet (and usually fairly high amounts of cardio). It's important to try and taper out of your diet and training a little to have minimal rebound. Again, i know some people that don't but everytime i don't, i blow up like a balloon. You can expect to put BACK on roughly 10lb to get back to "normal", but having come from an abnormally low (and unhealhty to STAY at) bodyfat range, it is difficult mentally. There is a 'rule' many of my competitor girlfriends (and i) subscribe too: Never go shopping when you are in the last 6-8 weeks of contest prep. Those clothes will NEVER fit you again LMAO.
Competing will challenge you in ways you never imagined (beyond just being disciplined with diet and training). It's great, provided you have good diet-advice you are following. Also it's always nice to have a 'tangeable goal' in a sense that, you are working towards an actual date and specific achievement rather than feeling like you are just going in and out of the gym endlessly (that's how i got started---i needed a more concrete 'goal'). If you already have been lifting for years, this may be an exciting way to take it to the next level.
I hope that helps ;-P i am just making some general comments regarding competing. If you have more specific questions, by all means, post them and i will do my best to answer!!
yay. I say, go for it!! ;-P