Prepped to Start My Contest Prep

by Kris Pitcher

Clutching my abdomen, I released an impressive bout of flatulence. "What was that?!" Jacques asked. "A squirrel?" I replied, hoping he would not pinpoint me.

I was clearly in distress...and I was clearly ready to start my prep diet. I was searching my brain trying to think of what had given me such a problem. It wasn't even anything terrible. Diced garlic in a jar. A lot of it. I had sauteed kale in it. It was delicious.

Fortunately for me, there were often squirrels in our living room. It was also fortunate that I had closely enough monitored my eating that I could identify the gas inducing culprit. It's moments like these that ready you for your diet.

Success is all about being ready. I've spent the last couple of weeks "getting ready" to start my prep diet. I don't do a 12 week prep. No quick prepping for me. I take it slow. We like to be ready early, if that's the case.

Feed into the show, decrease cardio - that's the name of the game. With that, the diet begins June 1. But I haven't exactly been on a bender. A few pieces of fruit, a few extra pints of Arctic Zero, and I've REALLY been enjoying my evening rice cake with peanut butter and jelly.

I enjoyed my spam musubi at the airport. That was a celebrated "last", a conscious choice knowing the next times I travel it will be strict purse chicken for me. I might have had two squares of dark chocolate one night instead of just one.

That one square is going away. Just to be clear. Getting ready for me means getting my head straight. It means preparing my mind for what I am choosing to take on. It's not a huge shift. But I will flip the switch.

Once I do, there is no "kind of", no "part way", and certainly no bites, or cheats. It is all on. I'm a total of 14 pounds up from stage weight a year ago. Hopefully, I've gained a couple of pounds of muscle, and we'll just see where we go.

I might have 12 pounds to lose. We won't know. I am excited to uncover the progress, to see the shape we've refined, and to see the improvements. I've never been in this place before. I've never been starting my prep in this shape, or in this condition.

"There's not that much to change." Jacques said. I laughed because I know how the extras impact me. A little will make a lot of difference, and that is exciting. His point was I've stayed really clean 85% of the time.

It's that excitement driving me to start, motivating me to get going. I'll enjoy the freedom of this final weekend. But frankly, I'm prepped to start my contest prep!