Last week I was very flat, my priority was to drain as much water as I could as I do hold onto water naturally mid section (but this is down to my hormones and issues "female" related from my past operations and treatment). I am always very conscious about my abs. Hands up I do believe I could have come in harder and drier and I was late upping my cardio, I was so wrapped up in keeping my calories higher than last year because I was starting in a better foundation that I didn't incorporate enough cardio than I should have, which has seen me increasing my cardio the past few weeks to stupid levels. Ah well lesson learned!
The thing about prep is that you have to enjoy the journey, if you find it a chore then its not for you. I love prep, I love the discipline, the buzz it gives me and the motivation. I don't enjoy the last 2 weeks of prep but whats 2 weeks against 20 or 52 weeks!?
I heard a comment in the gym the other day that made me laugh, someone said they were thinking about competing in bikini because there boyfriend wanted them to do it? Why would anyone ever compete because a partner wants them to do it is beyond me! Prep for a comp is extremely challenging and for most people they do not realise the pressure it puts on a relationship. I have seen many relationships fail because of the pressure of prep and how it changes a person mentally (especially in the last few months). When people ask my advice on prepping I always mention the below points.
- Are you able to put prep before your social life? (this doesn't mean not having a social life but that there is certain things you won't be able to do or will be hard to do and challenge your will power and self control).
- Do you have self control - e.g. if your on a night out sipping on that diet coke, and you are being encouraged to drink can you say no firmly - are your friends supportive enough to take no as an answer ONCE?!
- Can you hack getting up before your work for cardio?
- Are you ready to spend less time with people who are not supportive?
- Are you able to put up with the comments of people who just don't get it, and who comment with narrow minds over you being too "skinny" being on a "diet" or eating "food which isn't fine"?
- Are you able to smash every gym session 100% even if you feel like shit.
- Are you able to be truthful to yourself and control food cravings?
- Can you deal with people (average jo's) commenting on your physique day in day out even though they don't have a clue?!
- Can you put up with the fact that after 20 or 52 weeks or even a few years of prep that you might not place and win a plastic trophy?
- Can you deal with being judged and taking that criticism with your head held high, on the chin and turning criticism into a positive thing to make you come back better and stronger?
- Are you able to deal with politics (like in all sports), and keep your dignity?
- Understand that the only person your in competition with is yourself? and that every prep is you comparing yourself to how you looked on your previous prep?
- Do you have a support group of friends who will be truthful to you?! friends who tell you that you look good all the time are fine, but when it comes to prep you need people who tell you the TRUTH, as during prep there is times you become complacent and need someone to give you the truth if your slacking or areas to improve on.
Don't enter prep thinking its going to be a walk in the park or under estimate it, I completely did for my first comp, and to be honest I under estimated my 2nd comp not giving myself enough time, and guess what I have under estimated this 3rd comp by not introducing enough cardio! The whole journey is constantly a learning curve and you can't follow the same protocol either as the year before.
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