Bringing on the pain...Ouch!

Beginning of
leaning out 2011

I'm well into my muscle gaining plan and for some reason my body doesn't seem to be handling it as well as I'd hoped it would.  I'm getting stronger and lifting heavier but my body just seems to hurt all over.  I have aches and pains in places I didn't even know could hurt!  So I've started taking some joint supplements and stretching really good before workouts with the hopes that it'll help my body adjust to this new training regime. Not only are my workouts physically challenging, they've become mentally challenging as I feel that my body is fighting me on every rep.  Maybe it's over-training, maybe my body's just confused with all the hormones I seem to have flying around, or maybe I'm just being a wimp!  Whatever the issue is, it's really throwing a wrench into my plans!

For the last couple of years I've focused on trying not to gain any size so I wouldn't end up too muscular (especially for the figure category that I was competing in), but now the tables have turned and it's time for me to build some quality muscle, especially on my legs and glutes. Switching my goals means switching up my training, diet, and my general approach to weightlifting.  Over the past few seasons, I'd focused primarily on not gaining too much weight and just maintaining the amount of muscle I already had.  Now, my focus has become to push myself harder in the gym with heavier weights, fewer reps, and not supersetting exercises which kept my heart rate elevated. 

Off-season 2011

I love the awesome feeling of strength that weightlifting gives me, but watching my body change into a bulkier form of myself is really difficult.  My jeans are tight, I feel like I'm going to rip my shirts when I put them on, and to top it off I'm just a emotional roller coaster!  One minute I'm fine the next minute I'm ready to burst into tears over nothing...talk about hormonal issues!  I feel like I should be on medication or something to control my feelings, but instead I'm trying to just roll with the punches and focus on the positives.  So what are the positives of having this "off-season"?  I think I'd better list some to remind myself...

• I get a cheat day!  I get one day per week where I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want. No more sitting with my fish and veggies while my husband eats Smashburger!
• I do way less cardio...Lord knows I hate cardio.
• I get to actually celebrate my anniversary, birthday, holidays, and go to parties without worrying about my diet plan and packing my food.
• I get to spend more time with my family and less time in the gym doing cardio, practicing posing, etc.
• I don't have anyone telling me how skinny I look (in clothes) or how thin my face looks.
• I don't have that tired, spaced out, feeling I get (especially when it's close to contest date) from eating a low calorie/low-carb diet.

Off-season 2012

After listing all these positives I must admit that I feel better about this whole putting on size thing.  I tell my clients to focus on the positive side of things that they find challenging- it's an important quality to have not only in this sport but in any journey.  Now it's time for me to take my own advice.  I've got to give my eyes some time to adjust to this new "figure" I see in the mirror and try appreciate it for what it is- an IFBB Professional Physique competitor in training for her biggest season yet in 2013!  After all, how many people can say that?  Plus, 13 is my lucky number anyways... ;-)
 

To gain or not to gain? A competitor's dilemma.

2011

Competitors are always looking forward to that first post-contest meal.  We think about it for weeks up to the show; planning where we want to go and what we're going to devour.  There's nothing like that first bite after being "deprived" of those fatty foods for months on end.  But after that first glorious post-contest meal what happens to your diet?...Especially if you're transitioning to the "off-season"?  Food is something that most competitors struggle with and I think that many of us get involved in contests to help gain control of our eating.  So now that the off- season is upon me, I start thinking about the most common question: How much weight should I allow myself to gain? 

2012

I am writing on this subject because I'm going through it as we speak.  I finished my season (pre-maturely) and now I'm struggling with the changes my body is going through.  Most competitors should avoid gaining a lot of weight after contest so they can get leaner for their next competition season.  In fact, we usually encourage our amateur competitors to only gain 7lbs (for women) to 15 lbs (for guys) after contest to keep them relatively lean throughout their off-season.  I think it's important to do that especially when a competitor has enough muscle but has trouble dieting down for shows.  That's what I did for 3 seasons and it really paid off.  I kept my off-season weight within 7 lbs of my contest weight and I went on stage lean and tight.  Getting on stage lean while maintaining my muscle size helped me to my earn pro card in the IFBB.

This season was different for me.  I went in 2 lbs lighter than last year and that was a big red flag!  I was lean, but small...smaller than last year.  After comparing my photos from 2011 and 2012, I can see the difference in my muscle size and density.  Being a natural athlete I don't have the advantage of gaining a lot of size in a small amount of time, so now it's time to change up my game plan.  I'm actually going to let myself put on some weight this year which honestly scares the s%$# out of me.  I've struggled with being overweight my entire adult life and getting on stage has been my motivation to keep me from eating myself out of house and home. 

off season 2011

Now that I have the rest of the season off, I have to change my focus from being stage- ready to just being healthy and fit; something I haven't had to do in over 5 years!  I told my husband this weekend that looking "normal" is a little scary for a competitor.  He responded to me by saying, "Babe, believe me, you won't look normal!  Your arms are not normal!"  Most women want to be skinny, but not me!  I began this sport because I love having muscle and feeling strong is awesome.  I'm going for that natural muscular look...so bring on the healthy eats!