4 weeks out- Please kick me in the butt!

I was in a rut.  Not just a rut, more like a huge ditch.  I needed a kick in the butt to jump start me again.  Yes, that's right, I needed "my coach," aka my husband, to tell me to "snap out of it, quit feeling sorry for myself, and stop wasting my potential!"  Man that was hard to hear, especially from my loving husband, but it shook me out of my contest prep coma.  I ended up shedding a few tears and moping around for a little while, but then I got angry at myself for wasting precious prep time.  I just thought to myself, "What in the hell is my problem? I've been doing this for years now. I know what to expect from this whole process! Get a grip, woman!"

I've said it in almost every blog I've written- contest prep is tough! If it was easy, shows would have 1000's of people, not a couple hundred at best.   A national level show has about 700 people and how many people are obese in the U.S. alone? Millions? For every super lean, in-shape competitor, there are at least 20 over weight people.  When you think about it, so few people are able to do this sport because it drains you emotionally, challenges you physically, and tests you socially.  So getting to this level is really an accomplishment in itself!

So what happened with me? As is usual for most competitors, I started getting into my own head.  I kept dwelling on the fact that I'm going to be competing on the pro-level in a new (un-tested) organization and that all the girls will out-weigh me by about 20-30 lbs or so.  But, instead of focusing on the positives about my physique (like my symmetry and porportioned muscularity) I just kept thinking about how small I'm gonna look compared to the other girls on stage.  Plus, I started having my stomach issues again and was just feeling like crap.  I wasn't looking forward to my workouts because of how weak I was feeling both emotionally and physically.  The truth is, I was making excuses for my behavior.  I was just feeling sorry myself and taking it out on my husband and my body.  Some people may even call it self- sabotage, but all I really needed was someone to reel me back in.  Who better to do that than my coach?  After all, that's what a coach is supposed to do! 



This was on my bathroom mirror when I got home.





Even those of us who have been competing for several years need motivation, encouragement, and most of all- coaching!  I don't understand why would anyone want to try and do this sport alone.  I'll admit that this lifestyle can be a lonely one. How fun is it to always be eating fish and asparagus while everyone else eats burgers and fries? But having a support system lessens that feeling of missing out on the "fun" stuff. Human beings as a species need interaction (especially with like-minded individuals) and we also need approval from friends and family.  Hearing the disappointment in my husband's voice was the worst part of our "come to Jesus talk".  I don't ever want to see that look again. 



I know that if I ever decided to quit this sport he would support me 100%, but while I'm crazy enough to keep going, he's crazy enough to stay married to me and coach me all the while.  No matter what your passion is (running marathons, triathlons, or bodybuilding) my suggestion to you is to find yourself a good support system.  Whether it be comprised of your friends, family members, kids, trainers, or a little bit of each, having a good team to back you up will keep the fire lit inside your competitive soul! 

4 weeks ya'll and I'm coming for the win!

6 weeks out- Your body's talking to you, so listen up!

I can't believe how quickly this contest prep is flying by!  I'm just glad that I finally have a grasp on the stomach issues I'd been dealing with for the past 2 seasons.  It's really difficult to try and stick to a nutrition plan and cardio schedule when your body doesn't seem to agree with what you're doing.  I knew inside that something wasn't quite right, but I was naive to the idea that I could be having a reaction to the "healthy" foods I was eating. I had a what felt like a huge rock in my stomach after every meal, I was lethargic, exhausted, had aches and pains all over, and was having throbbing headaches on a daily basis.  Sounds fun right?  It's amazing how many people (both clients and readers) can relate to what I'd been feeling.  I've had so many people message me with possible solutions and share their stories of similar stomach issues.  It just makes me wonder- why do we put up with feeling that way for so long? If someone was standing on my foot, I'd ask them to move, but I'll let my body be in pain for months at a time without fixing it?  That makes no sense!

So, there I was trying to set a good example for my clients by "walking the walk" and yet I had all of these issues going on internally.  After doing research on moderate carbohydrate diets, common digestion issues, and food allergies, I decided to change some of the foods in my plan that I thought could be the culprits. Sure enough after taking out gluten and soy I started feeling better.  I'm not just talking about feeling a little better either. I started feeling awesome!  My energy is actually that of a healthy person, not someone who's been awake for 24 straight hours and surviving off of Red Bulls and thermogenics.

What I'm getting at is the importance of listening to your body.  It's amazing how much it has to tell us when we pay attention!  So I'm 7 weeks out from competition and I am feeling good right now.  About 2 weeks ago, my husband and I decided to increase my cardio a bit to get me ready a little sooner with the hopes of increasing my food prior to contest.  While I only increased my cardio by about 10 minutes each day, I quickly started feeling that all too familiar tired, dragging, feeling.  I was completely zapped of my energy and had to sit down with him to re-evaluate my plan. So, I backed off the cardio again and increased the carbs on one of my days.  I can't believe the difference that's made in how I feel! I have my energy back and am not a walking zombie anymore!

So bottom line- listen to your body and take action!  Talk to your trainer and figure out first what's going on with your body, then come to a resolution together. Feeling exhausted doesn't have to be a side effect of your competition dieting!  Believe me, if you want to be in this sport for more than one season, then you better figure out a way to make it tolerable if not enjoyable.  I'm going into my 5th season and each year I still feel that same excitement to get on stage.  I love this sport.  It truly is not a hobby anymore...it's a lifestyle!