Competing in figure, or any physique competition for that matter, takes an unbelievable toll on you not only physically but mentally as well. After I wrote my first post (I know ... talk about being MIA! Sorry guys, won't happen again!) I dove even deeper into my offseason and have learned of the rigors us figure girls go through mentally.
I am doing my darndest at building more muscle during this offseason (I don't really like the word "off"season, but I'll save that for another post...) before I compete nationally next spring or summer, and to build muscle, your body must be in a calorie surplus. A calorie surplus to fuel and sustain muscle growth will cause fat gain, and even if it's minimal fat gain if you're pretty on point with your nutrition, it's still fat. And post competition, no figure girls wants to gain fat (I don't think any girl wants to gain fat ever, but that's a different story =]). You just worked your ass off for the last 8 or 12 or 16 weeks, however long your prep was, to burn every last bit of fat off to show muscle separation and those coveted abs, and now I'm trying to eat in a surplus causing fat GAIN!? Talk about a mental rollercoaster ride.
I talked to a well known coach in the industry this week, and while picking his brain, he said, "No one's partitioning ability is good enough for all of the calories above maintenance to go straight to muscle building, some of it ends up as fat gain." All of us wish it would go STRAIGHT to the muscles, but unfortunately, that's not the case. If I want to show up with a different package and be satisfied with my new look at my first national show, I know I NEED to put on more muscle, otherwise I won't be happy with how I look, and I probably wouldn't do as well as I'd like. I want to win every competition I enter, and I don't think I'd be close to doing that if I didn't add muscle. So I'm biting the bullet and allowing the small amount of fat gain to ensue in order to add some more tight womanly muscles this offseason.
I've had to work really hard not to cut out some carbs, step back on that stepmill or treadmill every morning and start cutting right now. I even made the decision to not compete this fall in order to keep lifting heavy and eating to fuel growth.
[ As a side note, when having to make tough decisions like this and when having to convince yourself it's worth it not to start cutting again right now, it's so helpful to have support. Lean on those people. I feel very lucky to have a boyfriend who understands both me and the lifestyle as well, but even if you're still looking for someone to lean on - message me. I'm more than happy to help talk out a tough mental road block, especially if it's figure related!]
I know all of us figure girls have a bit of a different approach to offseason, and a bit of a different way of handling the fat gain, even if minimal (which is where I'm working to keep mine at currently). I'd love to hear your experiences! Who knew 10 lbs ... even 5 lbs could make SUCH a difference in the way you look, or the way you perceive yourself when you look in the mirror. Yes, I can still see some ab outlines, and yes I can still see a decent amount of muscle definition, but now that I've walked those clear 5" heels across a few competition stages, and felt how it feels to look like you've walked right out of a page of a fitness magazine onto that stage, those 5-10 "offseason" lbs, while necessary for muscle gain, are no fun. NO fun at all!
I'm looking forward to the day I feel I have enough muscle and can stay lean year round and just shape and mature the muscle I already own. I also know that all of this is a process, and I need to enjoy the process and my journey. And since I haven't bought myself those boobs yet that I've been thinking about buying ... I'll enjoy the small gain in boobage until I start prepping for my next competition. =]
My oh my oh my ... regardless of the tough mental roads and the hurdles along the way, I couldn't love this lifestyle more! Find what you love to do, and do your best at that.
ELECTRA, THIS POST HELPED ME MORE WAYS THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE. If you only knew what I have been going through...this means alot to me. Post competition lifestyle has been completely different, I am a different personal rightnow...in a negative way and am trying to find balance in life and get back on being the Jenny I know.
ReplyDeleteJenny, like I said on my FB link post after your comment there, us figure girls have got to stick together. It's a very different lifestyle than most lead, and it's hard to find others with the same values and goals, let alone the same frustrations and fears. Most people are worried about who did what on reality TV. We're worried about our thyroid and if it's burned out and if we have post competition blues or if we gained too much fat this week on our building plan, even if our body fat is lower than 98% of the US population. Balance is SO hard in the intense, extreme lifestyle we lead and sport we compete in. The body fat levels us ladies go down to when we compete is ABNORMAL and UNBALANCED. And that's so hard to comprehend, b/c even now as I'm writing this I'm pondering and wishing there was a way to stay competition lean year round and be healthy, but guess what? There isn't... and that's the hardest balance to find, but if it was easy, everyone would be doing it right? If you need ANYTHING girl, anything at all. I'm here, and I understand where you're coming from. This is a tough road but you're strong, you'll get yourself healthy (the most important thing) and back to feeling like Jenny again, and you're going to rock it next year and I cannot wait to compete with you again!
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