Top 5 Things to Give Up When Preparing for a Figure Competition

1. Fat
You have to give up both your body fat (which keeps you warm on cold days) and dietary fat. There are few competition diets that can accommodate deep fried anything or slabs of butter. Even on low carb you haven’t got enough calories to spend them on fatty food. You can play with carbs as much as you like but it is guaranteed that you won’t be eating chicken drumsticks with the skin on or pork crackling for the duration.

2. Time
Last week I spent over 8 hours training. I probably spent a few more hours buying, preparing, logging and eating my food. Then there was standing on the scales, filling in spreadsheets, measuring, flexing and looking at myself in the mirror. Add to that blogging and reading blogs, magazines, books and articles. All this takes up a lot of your free time.

3. Money
You will spend your hard earned money on gym fees, trainers, supplements, costumes, hooker shoes, training shows, ipod, tanner, posing lessons, deep heat, house cleaners/hookers for hubby (too tired to do it yourself), food, food containers, gym clothes, smaller clothes, padded bras, hair and makeup, deodorant, shampoo, waxing, laundry detergent, and massages.

4. Social Life
It is very difficult to go out to a show, go to a party/wedding/birthday or on a date when you have to be in bed by 8:30pm so you can train before work the next day. Social events that involve food are double jeopardy because not only do they make you stay up late but you either have to (a) bring your own food (b) not eat anything or (c) interrogate the chef as to the ingredients of the food then work it out on your mobile version of Calorie King. Such behaviour is usually frowned upon by your friends.

5. Your idea of ‘normal’
As you approach competition levels of leanness [‘sick lean’] any weight higher than that will seem fat – both on you and on other people. Models in magazines are ‘cut’ enough. People walking down the street are all carrying too much fat or have no muscle. You are always going to feel overweight the minute you approach a sustainable healthy level of fat. You will also find it incomprehensible that people can survive on 3 meals a day and that some people have never set foot inside a gym. You will think it is highly unusual that most people don’t have scales in the bathroom AND kitchen [and take them with them when they go on holiday] and that some people really don’t think much about how they look.

The good thing is that I am quite happy giving these things up. I don’t feel like life is treating me unfairly or that I have it worse than anyone else.

So what have you given up to lose excess fat or prepare for a figure/body building competition? How do you feel about the sacrifices you are making for a healthy life [or a sick lean kick ass body]??