Shannan’s Journey

Off-season Sabotage

The off season…a topic frequently talked about by many, especially at this time of year. But it seems that many of us can use a strong reminder that what we do in the off season sets us up for how we will fair in season! What seems like an innocent, innocuous relaxation of previously disciplined habits can lead to disaster. We are then left to dig ourselves out of a deep hole the next time we get the urge to step on stage!

It’s true, the off season is a time to relax…a time to enjoy a bit more freedom with your schedule and a few more food choices on your diet. But too often, novice and veteran competitors alike will abandon all habits that made them successful and healthy in season and slowly slide into an off season physique that barely resembles the fit body they showed off while competing.

It is natural to feel some dismay as you see yourself put on that 7-12 pounds that is necessary for balance and health when you are not competing. We would all love to stay lean and fit year round, but it is not a natural state for our bodies, and you certainly cannot make changes or progress in your physical development if you do not change your calorie consumption and training routines. But that is no reason to take an "all or nothing" stance. Do not be one of those people who see the lines and etching on their abs start to blur and throws up their hands figuring, "Why bother?" A consistent, moderate off season is important for your physical and mental well being! Here we will examine a few of the ways we sabotage ourselves, possibly without even knowing it!

"Picking": Cheating in Small Amounts
This is a main point of contention as of late. What he terms "picking" is taking a little bite of this and a little nibble of that. Surely just a bite cannot hurt right? WRONG! When you are on a specific diet plan, your nutrition plan is designed with your calorie intake and overall expenditure carefully considered. Extra calories of any form are not taken into account!!! And those extra calories can really add up: just one latte at Starbucks is anywhere up to 180 calories and more or, an extra handful of almonds or, even an extra chicken breast may tip the scales of your caloric burn. Just by picking at foods throughout the day, you can add as much as 1200 calories to your daily intake. That is as much as some people consume all day while on a contest diet…so in essence you are eating 2 meal plans at the same time!

You may also want to consider what you are actually eating. Are you a sugar fiend? One bite of a cookie or a muffin may trigger that craving again, making it more difficult for you to stay the course in the future. And how much are you eating? Are you able to just "pick" and stop at one bite? Many cannot, and one bite leads to overindulgence or an outright binge…something you will be paying for long into the future!

Cheat Meals: Not a Cheat Day!
We have belabored this point in a previous article, but it bears mentioning again that a cheat meal is meant to be consumed in a 20-30 minute period. It is not a free form window of opportunity to gorge yourself on everything in sight! It is meant to be a nutritionally valuable meal consumed in one sitting. Not only does this limit the amount of food you will take in, but it allows the food to settle in your stomach, creating a feeling of satiety and fullness!

Cheat meals are a typical component of most off season programs but make sure you understand the idea of a cheat meal, and keep the purpose and your overall goal in mind.

Skimping on Water Consumption
Let’s face it, for most of us, getting 2 gallons in per day is difficult. It takes effort to chug that water and it is inconvenient to plan your day around your bathroom availability! But water consumption is so important to keep the body functioning, no matter what season it is! But it is especially important off season: it keeps our joints lubricated for all that heavy off season training and it helps our digestive systems flush out any toxins that can accompany a more varied off season diet. Plus, it keeps us full and can hold cravings at bay! Most people appreciate that extra appetite suppressant, especially around the holidays!

Missing Cardio
As stated above, cardio schedules typically relax and ease up in the off season. But skipping cardio altogether for weeks on end not only alters your calorie expenditure equation, but it can leave you seriously out of shape. Cardiovascular conditioning can decline after just 3-4 days of inactivity!  Not I am not talking about rest periods or breaks during the weeks… but doing 2 days of cardio followed by days of inactivity will harm your endurance and conditioning.  Following your cardio program will not only keep your heart and lungs healthy, it will enable you to train hard and lift heavy in the gym. Plus, when competition season rolls around, you will have less of a hill to climb when hit with that contest level cardio!

Easing Up on the Weights
You’ve probably heard people say this before…"You make changes in the off season." This is a time when, with a few additional calories and a bit more rest, our bodies are primed for progress and improvement. Take advantage of this energy surplus and train hard in the gym! Bring up those lagging body parts and complete that physique! Hard work in the gym over the off season helps keep weight gain in check and the next time you prepare for a contest, when the body fat starts to drop, you will uncover an improved physique.

Remember, the off season is really "pre-season". It is a time to find balance and to enjoy a bit of freedom, but it is NOT a time to lose sight of your overall health and competitive goals.  Remember the regimen that helped you succeed in the first place. Keep those good habits in play and make good use of this off season. Don’t cheat yourself…reward yourself for a great 2009 season and set yourself up for an even better 2010!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 3:31 pm and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.