Thursday, October 22, 2015

Beating Post Competition Blues

by Kris Pitcher

Post competition blues are a reality. Spending months preparing for your competition only to realize it is over in a FLASH. You're left feeling depressed, down, blue...

You are no longer the center of attention (good or bad) at your gym, or in your circle of circles. Sharpness has faded leaving you a little soft, and sad. Soft and sad. You can do one of two things.

You can get elbow deep in a giant jar of peanut butter and eat yourself into your own self-fulfilling prophecy. OR you can get back on the wagon of structure. You need structure.

One critical thing going into your contest is your attitude about "what" this is. Is it the end of something? Does it represent all your work finally being OVER? Can you hardly wait to eat the entire buffet?

Or is it just the beginning of the next phase of your training. Are you already thinking about what you want to improve on? Are you wondering what a strong off season could do for you? Are you excited to work toward your next goal?

Two very different mindsets. You also need an exit plan. You absolutely need to relax your eating for a day or two, but then you need to get right on a structured eating plan. An exit plan. If by Tuesday following your show your cooler is not packed for the day...you're in for the rebound of your life. Sad and blue.

Don't let the post show blues hit you. Have a plan. Your contest is one stop on your cycle of prep. Your body is primed to suck up all the nutrients you put in it following your show. Why not give it solid clean fuel to GROW. It's grow time! Give your body what it needs to make some progress.

Get back to the gym. People talk about taking weeks off from the gym to recover. Sure get some sleep and recover a few days, Then get back to the gym. Structure. Good fuel and structured workouts are going to keep the blues away, along with some goals.

Preparing yourself and planning ahead will keep you away from the post competition blues, just like planning got you to the stage. Be ready! Have your exit plan, and be prepared to maintain structure. This isn't the end of anything. It might just be your beginning!


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