The Debrief

In my job I conduct post event debriefs. Notes are recording in three categories
1. Best Practice - what worked well that we should adopt as standard practice for future events
2. Needs Improvement - things that have an obvious easy fix
3. Further Discussion - things that need working through in more detail

So here is my competition debrief

Best Practice
+ Macros - 20/40/40 seems to work for me in losing weight. Low carb make me too tired.
+ Paleo - although I hated it, it did work. Include alternate Paleo days from 6-8 weeks out.
+ Calories - 1400 seems to be my sweet spot for losing weight.
+ Rest day on Friday - I am exhausted by the end of the week and Friday is the perfect rest day. There is more time on the weekends to train hard
+ Daily countdown on blog - this helped to keep me focused and accountable. Ongoing support was a huge help
+ Shelley - having someone to talk to going through the exact same things made it easier to keep focused
+ Heels - wearing show heels around the house for months meant that I was perfectly comfortable in them the whole day
+ Schedule - having an hour by hour breakdown of the 3 days leading up to the competition meant everything was done on time and the anxiety was reduced
+ Tan - paying someone to spray on my Contest Colour made the job quick and easy
+ RPM - spin classes reshaped my lower body without bulking up too much. Never give them up.
+ Behind the scenes - talking to people, helping other girls get ready, organising people getting to the stage was the highlight of the day. Be remembered for what I did for other people rather than just what I looked like.

Needs Improvement
+ Training - Although Liz was fantastic and I couldn't have done it without her, next time I will work with a body building specialist face to face who can monitor my progress and make immediate adjustments to training and diet. I think ongoing live feedback will improve my results
+ Symmetry - my legs turned out to be my strongest point after all the worry. There are good solid muscles under the fat. I need to work on my upper body, arse and abs. Shoulders need to be broader and fuller. Explore creatine.
+ Pre-contest diet - it takes 5-8 hours for a carb load to show up on my body. I will carb load the night before if pre-judging is before lunch. Ditch the potassium - the damage from the cramps is still present one week later
+ Routine - a new routine is needed that is more funky
+ Presentation - I will be more edgy with hair, makeup and jewellery. I will reflect more of my personality and not try to be someone else. Bikini bottom sides need to be worn higher
+ Tanning - I will get a solarium tan and only a couple of coats of Contest Colour. Dream Tan should be two coats with spray oil over the top
+ Backstage help - Find a former competitor to help me backstage
+ Photography - employ a professional photographer to take photos on the day. Mine were crap and I don't have a good shot of the finished product at all. Schedule a photoshoot a couple of days before in gym clothes
+ Schedule - 16 weeks is too long to be on a competition diet. Try 10-12 weeks maximum.
+ Treat meals - to prevent them becoming a binge, include an "off plan" meal of moderate size twice a week - Wednesday night (to prevent Thursdayitis) and Sunday night. A Paleo day should follow any treat - Mon - P, Wed - P till treat, Thur - P, Sat - P
+ Weight - starting weight should not exceed 59 kilos maximum. Goal weight should edging towards 52kg.
+ Sleep - try to get to bed earlier to achieve 8 hours each and every night
+ Division - stick to Masters only - I can't compete with anyone under 40
+ Life - try not to have overseas holidays, major work events, house moving, and interstate conferences within the dieting/training window
+ Attitude - try not to take it too seriously and take over my life. Worry less.
+ Post Competition Blues - have a proper eating plan in place for the DAY AFTER the competition. Expect my appetite to be out of control and plan accordingly.


Needs Discussion
+ Do I want to do this again in order to see what happens if I make the improvements above?
+ Should I change to physique rather than figure?
+ Surgery - do I need an inner thigh lift? Do I need a boob job?
+ Would I feel more fulfilled just being a backstage helper? I got the biggest thrill of the day when my backstage friend placed 2nd than at any other time.
+ Is there an organisational role for me in the competition circuit that will fulfill me more than participating as a competitor? Should I make it my mission to make body building competitions professional, polished and improve their production values?
+ A year between shows seems to long to wait? Can I do this twice a year or is that too much?
+ Can I be more useful as a Coach rather than a competitor? What would I need to do to become a personal trainer? Could I sustain two jobs?

+ Do I need a lobotomy for even considering any of this?