This lifestyle is tough. If eating clean 24/7, demolishing your workouts day in and day out no matter how sore you are, drinking a gallon of water, remembering to take your supplements, and getting enough sleep were easy – then we would be a much healthier and arguably happier country.
I remember several months back someone said, well I mean, if it’s only 12 weeks how, tough can that be? Well…a lot tougher then it sounds. Many people respect what bikini and figure athletes go through, but when they think it’s easy or that it’s “only 12 weeks (for some much longer)” that is when I like to ask questions.
If you are not currently in contest prep mode and looking to make healthy lifestyle choices, ask yourself these questions:
- Have you stuck to your diet and meal plan goals the last 48 hours? Didn’t cheat with an extra handful of almonds, or have a glass of wine at an impromptu happy hour?
- Did you get your workouts in? Or was everything else just more important and you will do it tomorrow…and then the next day?
- Did you skip your warm-up, not stretch, cut 10 minutes off your intervals? Skip a workout because you were “tired” or “sore”?
- Have you had just a few glasses of plain water – no additives, not diet soda – plain water or is the closest thing to water the flavored Dasani bottle you grabbed at lunch?
- Do you know exactly how many calories you have consumed and did you stay at or under your daily goals?
- Did you manage to eat every 2-3 hours? Do you know what you ate?
- Did you get enough sleep or did work, kids, or life keep you up?
- Have you simply taken your vitamins and fish oil?
No matter how good your intentions, there is a good chance you didn’t. Life happens. Training for a bikini or figure show and really putting your heart and mind into it, isn’t a part time commitment. It’s 110% all the time. It impacts all avenues of your life – from social outings, to work functions, and family events. It requires determination and planning, focus and drive. It isn’t easy. It is beyond rewarding. You get what you put into it – there are absolutely no short cuts. If you mess up, you pick yourself back up and don’t look back. There is no changing those 10 extra almonds you ate yesterday, and you can’t go back and add crunches to your day yesterday – you can workout extra hard today and make sure you don’t overeat. These are all choices, but I chose to compete. If you think it is easy, I challenge you to set a plan on Monday and carry it out until the next Monday. Then do it again – 12 weeks. It is not easy. I respect and admire anyone trying to make positive changes for their health. It is incredible what it does for your overall health and happiness. Take accountability. There is a healthy work/life/health/happiness/love balance – you just have to find yours. Pick a plan and stick to it. Make small changes. But never, ever think it is going to be easy – not too much in life worth having comes easy – life throws us obstacles – whether you are a working mom or figure athlete – it isn’t easy…and it’s not just for 12 weeks…it’s for life.
