To Eat or Not to Eat?

After any show, I can eat and have absolutely no guilt about what or how much I am eating. However, the next day I find even more difficult, than when you are dieting. When you are in diet mode, you know what comes next, how much, when, and what to eat. A plan needs to be in place post show, to lead you back into a regular eating lifestyle without having the urge to binge eat.

I do feel that your diet leading up to the show, does play a role in how much you are going to binge after the show. I have noticed, and discussed with many girls that the more restrictive you view your diet, the more you are going to have post show uncontrolled binge eating.

For the first timer, this is really hard to grasp. As you compete more, you learn that the food will be there tomorrow. But, it takes a while even for the seasoned competitor to learn how to control your eating post show. There are many girls who slip up, and I have to admit even this year after the Arnold Amateur I found myself eating a bit more chocolate than normal. I hear a lot of “this time I am going to try to keep the weight off”, but yet, somehow old habits die hard, and you end up gaining all the weight you lost and sometimes a bit more. So how do you control it; how do you manage to get back into real life food situations without stuffing your face every time you have a social event? Or going to the store, and wanting to buy everything in sight just to taste it because you can?

You need to have a plan post show, as you would pre-show. Post show should be considered part of your training – for at least 3 weeks after the event. Your body needs time to readjust to the ‘extras’ you are giving it. It took to time to cut these things out of your diet, so you need time to put them back in.

My plan post is simple: not to make every meal a cheat meal. I still maintain my pre-show diet meals, but add a few treats in order to feel satisfied. Nothing is more depressing than seeing your contest shape disappear in 7 days, when it took you 8-10 weeks to lose the weight.

After having an all out binge, eating clean is welcomed. I enjoy how I feel when I eat clean. It is the return to this feeling that is troublesome for most. How do I get back to this point?

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My Diet Since the Show

It has been 10 days since the Nationals. What have I eaten since then?

The next morning I was back into diet mode. I knew I was having supper (Sunday) with my family the next night so I ate clean during the day.

On Monday, I was meeting a friend for lunch. So in anticipation of this next treat, I ate clean for the morning, and had prepped ahead of time what I have going to eat on the way home on the plane. I had estimated how much I was going to cheat post show, and brought plenty of clean foods for myself during the days after the show and my trip home on Monday.

During this time, I drank plenty of water to help re-calibrate my system. In the past I would feel so bloated and swollen from eating more processed carbs, that overloading on water helped in reducing that feeling during the transition back to normal eating.

After getting home, I returned to the gym. For me training is part of who I am and to take a week off (as some trainers recommend) is not me. I like going to the gym, and it helps relieve bloating from eating too much. I am not lifting heavy, but am there to help transition my body back to normal. I do my cardio – maybe 20-30 mins per day, and some weights.

I also cooked my meals for the week, and ate at regular times as not to be caught feeling hungry if I was away from home. I added dairy, fruits, and some extra carbs. I have had more peanut m&ms this week, and one meal out with friends, but I am not feeling the urge to binge eat every time I sit down to eat.

The goal for me now is to transition back into what I would do normally. To me that means clean eating, and a few treats 1-2 times per week.

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Off Season Vs On Season

What do I do different on season vs off season? Off season I tend to eat more of those hidden calorie foods – like salad dressings, and sauces, breads, dairy, cheese, and all fruits.

I do watch what I eat, 5 out of 7 days per week. I try to see how many calories I am consuming and don’t ‘waste’ calories on unnecessary foods. Do I eat cookie, cakes, candies, and the like? Rarely, if ever. I don’t want to waste the calories. I spend so much time working out in the gym, that those items are reserved for truly special occasions. If something does not taste absolutely delicious — I don’t finish it. If I know an event is coming up with great food, I will eat clean leading up to that event. Special events should be considered just that – ‘special’.

I am sure that I have gained a few pounds since the show. This is to be expected. But you will not catch me weighing myself every time I eat something. This is just insanity.

I will let you in on a secret – “You will gain weight post show”. This is not a bad thing. You are not getting ‘fat’ as some would say, you are just returning to ‘normal’. Your perception might be slightly off post show, and returning to your regular body is not a bad thing. You are still healthier than many other people out there. Many of whom would trade bodies with you in a minute.

I read, and hear many girls say, “Oh, I only gain 5-8lbs post season”. Funny, no one ever want to fess up to gaining 10-15lbs. Or there are girls who completely fall off the wagon, and gain 40+lbs. This, in my opinion is excess. They obviously did not have an exit strategy post show.

For me, I do gain probably 10lbs or so, but it takes me a good 3 months to put it back on, not 7-10 days post show. Or if I am finding my clothes getting a bit tight I know that it is time to cut back on the processed foods, and watch my macros, and calorie intake.

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Competing = Future Food Issues?

Do I have food issues? Sometimes, I think I do. Competition surrounds food intake. Prior to me getting involved with fitness, I never watched what I ate. I was also in my 20s, and could also drink all night, party and get up and go to class the next time. Time passes, and now I am in my 30s, so my body does not respond the same way anymore.

Eating is such an emotional thing. I can remember spending so much time with my girlfriends, either partying or watching movies, and what accompanied that – eating. Good food. Fun food.

Clean eating is your maintenance plan; your goal 80% of the time. While letting loose can happen during those ‘special occasions’.

I have had some binge eating moments post show. I remember back to my first show and immediately afterwards I had about 10 cookies, and then was so tired, that I crashed from the sugar rush. Even now after a show, I can feel a ‘high’ from eating those treats that I have been avoiding for so long. Basically I was in a food coma.

There have been times after a show where I eat a box of cereal in a sitting and wonder why am I doing this to myself? I have learned how to control my eating post show, but it took a long time to learn this. I have been doing this for 10 years. So, why did it take so long? Maybe my food issues where there but only manifested themselves when I starting to compete.

It the newbies that I worry about, and sometimes even the seasoned competitor has issues. After days and days of all out binge eating; you have to know that this is not good for you. Not physically, not emotionally. Even when you feel sick to your stomach somehow you manage to keep stuffing your face. I know I have been there.

What I have found is that you do have to look inward to find out why you are doing this to yourself. Each time I do a show, I always look inward to reflect on why I want to eat in excess.
From my experience, I know that when I overeat I feel:
1. feel physically ill,
2. completely guilty for doing so, and,
3. vow to work it off more in the gym the next day.

I have found that it is the physical bloating, and full feeling I dislike, so to avoid that I keep myself in control.

Remember, the food will be there tomorrow, so you don’t have to eat it all today.

When deciding on a trainer/nutritionist make sure they include an ‘exit strategy’ from your competition – your digestive system, and your emotions will thank you for it.