Post Competition Blues
I’ve got the post Adela Garcia Classic bodybuilding competition blues today. I think everyone has experienced some form of it in their lives. You spend weeks, nay months, focused on achieving a particular goal and then the day comes when the goal is met and after the exuberance passes you scratch your head and ask, “Now what?”
After my first show, my trainer Daniel said, “You’re going to go a little overboard, but don’t go so crazy that you make yourself sick or eat so much salt that you swell up. You’re a light weight. Ease back into alcohol…”
Oh, what good advice that would have been, had I ever listened to it.
My third show now under my bikini strap, my teammates and new trainer, Mel, and I celebrated post-show day with the mother of all chocolate and alcohol fests. It was fantastic. I now recall why I used to be 50 lbs overweight; junk food tastes FABULOUS.
(Side note: While at the party we discovered our posing pictures were posted on Muscular Development Online Magazine! You can see them here: Posing Pictures – Lisa Traugott.)
I followed this up by taking my family camping with my bff Regina and her family in the Texas heat. Add hot dogs, smores, beer and rum and Coke. Ask me how happy my stomach was?
My stomach was not happy.
My body has been a well regimented machine for the better part of a year now, so eating crap and not exercising is really confusing/annoying it. I keep having sugar crashes and falling asleep. Also, I haven’t exercised since Thursday, so I feel tightness in my muscles and this pent up energy I can’t fully describe.
My stomach hurt so bad last night I almost sent a text to Mel asking begging her for my new meal plan, but as it was 2 a.m. I thought it best to wait until I see her tomorrow at the gym. So my Dirty Eating Vacation Week might turn into my Dirty Eating Vacation 3-Day Weekend.
I am really excited about debriefing about the show and figuring out which body part(s) to focus on next. A bunch of the girls from the team are going to do the Texas State Naturals in November, but I think I might hold off until the Shredder in April so I have to chance to really grow my muscles. I was going to try for the Fitness division, where you do a gymnastics/dance routine but as I:
- a) cannot do gymnastics, and
- b) cannot dance
I think I’ll stick with Figure for now. But first Ima finish my bag of chocolate covered peanuts. (I plan on enjoying the final day of my 3-Day weekend. I’m not that lame!)
How about you? Do you ever get the blues after finishing a major goal? How do you get back on track?
Lisa 
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Three years ago, I fell off my regimen and am struggling to get back to where I was… Something tells me that you’re body isn’t going to allow you to do that and that is a very good thing.
I just started back on my meal plan today and went back to the gym. I’m always a little nervous about falling into the yo-yo trap. It’s good you are getting back into fitness again. It’s hard getting back on track.
I have experienced this ‘post’ thing in every type of competition I have had. In High School after every football game, etc. Keep up the good work but relaxing is good too.
It’s good to hear I’m not the only one doing this! My diet was so strict the last three months, I guess going a little crazy over the weekend was normal. I’m trying to get back into balance again.
I always see women in this figure/fitness competitions doing crazy dance moves, flips and one handed push- ups. What do you do if you lack such talent? Are those components mandatory for fitness division?
You did well, get drunk and go crazy…..I’ll be there waaaaaaa forget muscles for now and have a rest mate
enjoy your time off! You deserved it!
I can imagine how upset your stomach was with all those other types of foods 🙂
I would have also waited a bit till April. Just not to grow some more muscle but to recollect myself a bit.
Not dance? Hello! Should I post ballet pics of you? Lol
New Rule: We must burn all pictures from high school.
Like consultpro05 above I fell off track too. It’s been a year and I have been struggling to get back into training mode. I can report with some happiness that I am getting there. It’s been a struggle and not at all easy. We do need some off time after a stiff competition but it is better to get back into the diet and exercise routine as soon as possible. It gets tougher the more time you stay away.
I’m finding that out too. I’m glad you are getting back on track 😉
It took me 3 solid months to get into the routine of working out regularly – but then, sheer laziness led to falling off the course… and then I found it practically impossible to get back into the flow. The lesson I’ve learned is simple. Even after a gruelling competition or schedule, it’s best to continue on a smaller scale than totally break off and rest/relax. And when the breaks grow longer, the harder it gets to return back to the routine.
Isn’t that the truth!! Hope you get back to your routine soon 😉
Taking a break is the kiss of death for work outs. I struggle through the inertia every day for the last 2 weeks, trying to get back to the level and rhythm that was so natural and easy for me in April. The only reason is I fell off the wagon for 3 weeks (because it was too hot!) Oh well…
For me, the food is the toughest part. I want to relax a little bit and eat more cheat meals, but it’s such a slippery slope!