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The show is quickly closing in...and it's amazing what goes through our minds as competitors - as we think about putting in the last few training, cardio, and posing sessions, and what else we can possibly do to "fine tune" our physiques to bring our best forward. I think back to July and where I was at two weeks out from Masters Nationals. I can remember being so tired one night that in between doing my sets of floor crunches, I could have easily fallen asleep right there on the gym floor. I remember being so tired, that I couldn't wait for Dan to get me through my posing practice so I could sit down on the couch and just chill for awhile. And I can remember wanting something really sweet and yummy to eat...and KNOWING that I still had to wait another two weeks until I could have it! I'm sure many of you are experiencing the very same things. But we know that we have to be tougher than that, pick ourselves up, and keep plugging away through those sets and reps, through the posing practice, and staying true to the diet - to bring in our best package and perfect those cuts and definition.
One thing that a lot of competitors don't think about precontest is how to handle "post contest." If you're a first time competitor, you will have not yet experienced the rebound that occurs after dieting and depleting your water, and then having those post contest pigouts! If you're a seasoned competitor, I'm sure you've at least experienced rebound once and know exactly what I'm talking about. It's uncomfortable as heck, and can even be painful if you get too crazy with the junk food and not keeping your water intake up. I learned early on to get a handle on rebounding and can honestly say I no longer experience it. When I work with my athletes and map out their last week diet/depletion, I also give them guidance on their day after diet and water intake. Yes, you've worked hard and you deserve some treats...but remember to treat your body well, and rehydrate following the night show. Get some water back in before you opt for that soda or maybe a beer. It helps to take in something like pedialyte...that will re-balance your electrolytes following the depletion. Watch your intake of super salty foods (I know a bodybuilder who ate a whole large pizza following the night show once, and ended up with edema so extreme that he had to go to the doctor), and don't go crazy with the sugar either. Re-introduce some of the foods you haven't been eating slowly back into your diet in the days following the show. And if you can do it, drink a gallon of water the day after the show...getting your water intake back up to normal is critical to rehydrating and keeping your system flushed. Following simple tips like these can make your post contest experience much more pleasant and lessen the effects of rebound.
Gerri
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Gerri
