Coach: Tammy Strome
Despite being down to 129 lbs and tightening up in all the right places, E looked a little rough this week. When I walked into the change room with one of my clients I saw her sitting on the bench and, right away, I knew something was off. She had “I am having a terrible day” written all over her.
At first she didn’t want to open up. She said she was just tired, but I knew there was more. After a few minutes–and a few questions–the stressful particulars oozed out.
Sometimes we don’t know what’s bothering us, but if we’re allowed to speak while someone listens, we can get to the root of the problem. We need to talk to figure things out. E’s problem was not so bad. People around her have been expecting her to continue her social life as she normally would in the off-training season. This is a common challenge all competitors face because it’s hard for the people around us to understand how exhausting and emotionally difficult it is to go through this process. One thing that helps is to set supportive boundaries for yourself. Another thing that helps is talking to someone about it!
In this case, talking made it possible for E to go and have a great workout. As long as she keeps it up, I expect her to be around 122 -123 lbs by the time she gets to the stage. That is an extra 5 lbs of muscle added over last year.
The home stretch is often the hardest part of preparation, because results are coming quick and the body is tapped out. This takes a toll mentally and physically. People are just simply not themselves during show prep and especially not during the final four weeks. We are tired, more sensitive and much quicker to lose our focus and/or temper.
I teach my clients the following coping techniques:
- Respect/protect your boundaries
- Use positive self talk, including positive affirmations
- Take personal responsibility for your actions
I also suggest not making any major decisions when you’re prepping for a show because you’re not yourself. If you do make big decisions during this time, you may make a mistake. It’s better to wait until after the show, when you’ve had some more food and rest and you have your clarity back.
Examples of major decisions are:
- Leaving a relationship or starting one
- Leaving a job or starting one
- Making a major investment, such as buying a house
During prep time it’s best to keep your life steady and predictable. Leave major creative projects until you have those juices back. Leave tough decisions until your brain is back to its fully sensible self. I offer this advice with conviction, because I’ve been through the process many times over!
Remember to drop by on Thursday, when I’ll be examining the issue of sodium loading before a show.
Yours in health,
Tammy
Client: Eftihia
I’m finding that enthusiasm is hard to maintain in the final weeks of prep.
It requires strength and fortitude to push forward when your body is tired and hungry. I can be cranky, happy and angry ALL IN THE SAME BREATH!
Before I get into the details, let me first announce that I have now dropped to 129 lbs. Woohoo!
Now, back to the mood swings…
Because this isn’t my first time experiencing this, I feel like I should be able to control my mood swings better—and this just makes me more frustrated. Because I know I’m being irrational and the reason is due to extreme fatigue and a special diet, I use a lot of positive self talk. This doesn’t always work.
I think that maybe it’s because, during my first prep, I allowed the anger to filter its way out, or the tears to stream down my face. This time around I’ve been fighting the urge to cry or yell because I KNOW why I want to, and I think it’s silly! However, this week I learned that suppression makes it worse; what I really need to do is talk about my feelings more often, and be more supportive of myself, including setting healthy boundaries.
Meeting with Tammy this week proved that talking can make a big difference! My coach took one look at me and knew something was wrong. I cried right there in the locker room in my clear heels and bikini, but was quickly comforted by Tammy’s outstretched arms. In that moment she became more than just a coach to me; she embraced me as a friend and listened as I told her all the things that were bothering me.
One of the big ones is that, during this prep, I’ve had an astounding amount of family obligations.
Due to family pressure, I have attended all of them. Every weekend there has been something, especially in these final six weeks! On these days, my food prep gets doubled, because you have to make sure that you have a whole day’s worth of food packed!
Also, it can be tiring being around people who don’t understand why I’m eating separate food. I’m usually very happy to answer questions because I LOVE competing but, eventually, the questions wear on me. I’m just tired.
I always say I have the most amazing, supportive family, and I DO! But this prep they have been keeping little snack foods out all over the place because they don’t think it bothers me. On any other occasion I might not want to eat those things, but when you’re depleted it’s hard to sit at the kitchen table and not wish for a few chocolate almonds!
That said, maybe I need to speak out more and let the people around me know what I need from them. After all, if we don’t let people know what we want and need, it’s hard for them to help.
Relationships are a challenge for me right now as well. In the off-season, I’m a great listener and supporter for those I love, but during contest prep I’m not able to give the same amount of energy. I have realized that, right now, I need people to support ME and give me strength. This means I need to be more adamant about protecting my boundaries until the show date. Once I make it through this, then I will have energy to spare for all those I love again!
Of course, I still love the contest…I love the show…and I love all the people I just complained about!
These are the challenges of surviving the final weeks of prep that people rarely talk about.
That’s why having a good coach who will listen to you vent makes all the difference. Although self-discipline and a good work ethic are important in this business, good coaching is the biggest investment you should make!
Today I thank Tammy for opening her arms and ears to me and allowing me to rest on her shoulder. I work hard for me, but I also work hard to make Tammy proud.
After our little pep talk, I KICKED BUTT at the gym! Whoohoo!
Jennifer says:
Girl you look amazing! Or should I say, “ridiculous”…. You are a pillar. I could never do it especially when gum, mustard and salsa are major food groups – YUM!!!