A Competitor at Heart….on Hold
So I thought I’d fill everyone in with what’s been going on over the past few months. My plan was to compete with the IDFA on November 7 and with the UFE on November 14. BUT I was not prepared for what transpired post July competition. I knew I would take a few weeks off and give myself time to enjoy some ‘forbidden’ foods before diving back into competition prep mode. I anticipated being able to get my head in the game within a few weeks but oh man was I sadly mistaken. We left for our 2 week vacation 2 weeks post comp and I did extremely well for the most part. I did enjoy french fries once(yummy) and chocolate on quite a few occasions but other than that stuck to my tuna and rice cake meals. My goal was to ‘maintain’. MAINTAIN my butt, lol. I retained water like a sponge. I felt like a fat cow, actually. I seriously felt like somebody blew me up…..something that is so hard to even describe. Even worse than the fat cow syndrome was the depression that followed. Dieting down for a competition is pretty extreme. I experienced a leanness that I loved and wanted to maintain but that is completely unrealistic to do so….unless I was willing to live on 600 calories/day and climb the stepper for 1hr, 20 min twice a day for the rest of my life. Extreme measures render extreme results but what I did to achieve my ’show day’ body was NOT realistic of every day life. This was something that was REALLY hard to accept.
I am feeling much better and nearly back to myself. I did decide last week that I would not compete in November and take the time to get healthy physically and emotionally before travelling the competition road again. Don’t get me wrong….I WILL be travelling it again. You better believe I will be! I am definitely hooked….I just need to be healthy about it and stay true to myself along the way. I am not a quitter and I am a fighter so making the decision to not compete surprised me because with it came peace of mind. I don’t feel sorry for myself or feel like I’ve given up. There are still 8 weeks left so I am fully dieting but not with stress or guilt behind it. I will see where I’m at in 6-7 weeks and if I think I’m show worthy than I will squeeze my body in my itsy bitsy teeny weeny 2-piece not quite polka dot bikini, cram my feet in my plexiglass lady of the night shoes and strutt my stuff in November. If I don’t do November you can betchur derriere I will be on a stage again in early spring. Regardless of when I compete again I will work hard at staying lean year round.
I am a visual person so I have been journalling my diet and while doing so the other day I started to write down affirmations. Whenever I feel like I can’t stay focused I will re-read these affirmations to remind myself why I do what I do and that I CAN do anything I put my mind to. I did it once…I CAN do it again.
I will____________ (1)accomplish my goals (2)enjoy life (3)strive to be the best that I can be (4)be realistic (5)be a good role model for my girls (6)live each day with no regrets knowing my mistakes can be embraced as life lessons and self growth
strength of purpose achieves the impossible….






September 16, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I’m sorry to hear you struggled since your last show…I’ve gone through the same thing everytime I compete. Finding a healthy balance is such a difficult task…Its great that you realize competing is not whats best for you right now.
I feel for you…I wish you the best in finding a healthy body AND mind
September 17, 2009 at 6:16 am
you have the hard part behind you, you already did it once and this time around you know what to expect. you will do great my friend!
September 21, 2009 at 11:01 am
I have totally felt this way myself with my amateur racing - big expectations with a sudden let down that seems to spiral. The experience really calls into question certain hidden assumptions about your abilities - but I know it will lead to more self-confidence and determination within you. This is your time!