How To Survive Your Diet

by Kris Pitcher

Survival of the fittest is no joke when it comes to getting through contest prep. There are some key factors to surviving your diet and why not share them? Here we go...

• Your Diet is Not a Diet. This is tip number one and the main way you're going to survive prep or any kind of "diet". Creating a long-term attitude around the way you eat is critical. Successful weight management works as long as you do it. This is not to say the components of your eating plan won't change along the way. But if you think this way of eating is going to "end" just quit now.
• Get Organized. Having what you need when you need it, where you need it is the only way you'll eat what you're supposed to eat. Sounds like a no brainer. Shop in bulk, prepare your food in bulk, and find a travel system you like. We are constantly "monitoring" our food situation to make sure we have on hand, ready to eat, what we need.
• Spice it Up. People tell me all the time they get bored eating the same thing. Guess what? Your entertainment does not come from your food. One way to change things up is to spice it up. Find different non-caloric spice blends to lend some flavor to your food.
• Food is Fuel. It's not medication. It's not entertainment. It's not celebration. It's not love. It's fuel. Food provides the nutrients to get you to your goal. Period. The foods which do not meet your needs, do not fit in your plan. Period.
• You're Not Missing Out. All the garbage other people are eating, and you see on TV, will be there later. You are not missing anything. Marketing is very strong. You don't need to be influenced by it. All that stuff will be there later. Do what you need to do now.
• Your Competition Isn't Cheating. I've always adopted an "on", "off" switch with prep. It's either on, or it's off season. There's no cheating once it's on. I have a number of reasons why I take that attitude. But here's just one, your competition isn't cheating on his/her diet. You have a plan, stick to it. You are the only one accountable to your choices. Do you want to leave anything on the table when you stand on stage? Me either. :)

Whether you are prepping for competition, or changing the way you eat to make composition changes for a healthier lifestyle, you are making choices about how you choose to fuel yourself. Your choices are yours. No one is making you do this. Think about your goals. Reconnect to them.

When you do, survival will seem easy. They are after all, your goals. Go get them!