What frustrated you most about prepping?

[DTarv]

I've been prepping for my first physique show for about 7 weeks now for my show in may. The things people are saying have been rustling my jimmies from those who are unaware.

I've lost about 8lbs and I tell people that I'm doing a show and I'm dieting. They assume you have to put on weight to compete. Frustrating.

My clothes also don't fit. I can't wait to bulk again. I feel frail. Did you guys buy new cutting clothes?

This is definitely the low carbs talking. 6 weeks to go.

[simpleguy4]

How you look onstage is all that matters....the judges don't care how you look in the gym or how your clothes fit. Take pride in your conditioning and forget what those who are unaware think or say.....likely their displaced envy seeing you looking good!!!!

[stubbee21]

I've been prepping for my first physique show for about 7 weeks now for my show in may. The things people are saying have been rustling my jimmies from those who are unaware.

I've lost about 8lbs and I tell people that I'm doing a show and I'm dieting. They assume you have to put on weight to compete. Frustrating.

My clothes also don't fit. I can't wait to bulk again. I feel frail. Did you guys buy new cutting clothes?

This is definitely the low carbs talking. 6 weeks to go.

A lot of the general public is very confused with the entire concept of what actually goes on during a prep. Most people think that you eat more to get bigger, but are usually shocked to find out that you are actually cutting calories. Just try to keep cool and give a brief explanation of what you are actually doing to help them understand a bit better.

I have heard of some guys who compete for long periods of time that actually do have competition clothes, but if you plan putting weight back on right after the show it shouldn't be much of an issue.

Good luck!

[Ccm644]

Lots frustrates people when on prep

i.e. Why are you eating that? Why you doing this? Why you doing that?

But no one truely understands unless they have experienced what someone who has been on stage has experienced

[JulianBee]

The psychological aspects of dieting.....some days I feel like my physique looks great and other days I feel flat/skinny/fat
The physiological aspects of dieting......some days I have great energy and other days I feel tired/letharic
Food restriction
and what others have said related to the general public about not understanding the concepts of contest prep

[DTarv]

The psychological aspect is horrific, most days I feel skinny. I'm doing my first contest posing practice today. We'll see how it goes. I'll post pictures.

[DJaRiHardstyle]

Haha I was literally looking for a thread on this yesterday!

I've got the exact same thing. I'm prepping for my first ever contest in 3 weeks, bodybuilding, and I've gone from a relatively high bf% 186 down to 6% at 158.5 in the past 15 weeks. The other day this girl in my marketing class commented on how "skinny" I was getting; can't even begin to explain how demotivating that is to hear. I guess she thought I was just trying to lose fat for the summer and that it was a compliment, nonetheless it really brought me down, so I see where you're coming from.

So yeah, what you're feeling is COMPLETELY normal; don't give up now. It's nice to hear that other BBers go through the same crap in contest prep.... honestly I have days where I see no reason to get out of bed: I feel small, weak, tired, hungry, and soooo impatient.. I just want the day to be here, so afterwards I can binge! Keep pushing my man, don't EVER give up! You're already better than the majority of people, who don't even take the first step to fighting for something they want.

[red_cat]

Buy a cloth belt. Makes getting your pants cinched up a little easier.

Seriously, though, I think the most frustrating part of prep for me is that I'm a somewhat impatient person and want results to come quickly. Now that I'm a lot closer to the show, I can see changes more frequently, but those first 15 weeks were very frustrating.

[DTarv]

Haha I was literally looking for a thread on this yesterday!

I've got the exact same thing. I'm prepping for my first ever contest in 3 weeks, bodybuilding, and I've gone from a relatively high bf% 186 down to 6% at 158.5 in the past 15 weeks. The other day this girl in my marketing class commented on how "skinny" I was getting; can't even begin to explain how demotivating that is to hear. I guess she thought I was just trying to lose fat for the summer and that it was a compliment, nonetheless it really brought me down, so I see where you're coming from.

So yeah, what you're feeling is COMPLETELY normal; don't give up now. It's nice to hear that other BBers go through the same crap in contest prep.... honestly I have days where I see no reason to get out of bed: I feel small, weak, tired, hungry, and soooo impatient.. I just want the day to be here, so afterwards I can binge! Keep pushing my man, don't EVER give up! You're already better than the majority of people, who don't even take the first step to fighting for something they want.

I completely understand about the binging afterwards. I'm planning my meals now. Are you reverse dieting?

Buy a cloth belt. Makes getting your pants cinched up a little easier.

Seriously, though, I think the most frustrating part of prep for me is that I'm a somewhat impatient person and want results to come quickly. Now that I'm a lot closer to the show, I can see changes more frequently, but those first 15 weeks were very frustrating.

I can't imagine cutting for 15 weeks. Props, my friend.

[DJaRiHardstyle]

I completely understand about the binging afterwards. I'm planning my meals now. Are you reverse dieting?



I can't imagine cutting for 15 weeks. Props, my friend.

nope no reverse dieting, but I am going to slowly increase calories, just not reverse protocol. By like 2 weeks after the comp, I'll have gone from a 1750 cal diet to 3500. I'll allow cheating on legs days..

As for the dieting, I started at 18 weeks out and it's been a mother! Just stay the course!

[imbossay1028]

The thing I hate most about contest prep is the support as well. Its nonexistent. You find out who your TRUE friends are thats for sure.

[demonwareltd]

I have contest prep clothes only because my off season and contest weight usually fluctuates by around 45-55 lbs.
However, this off season I am making a conscious effort to stay within 25 lbs of stage weight.

[bigd54]

trying to live a somewhat enjoyable life having 2 hours of cardio, training for an hour and half, posing, tanning, taking 17 credit hours as a student, working 30 hours a week.

[BiggerWeighter]

trying to live a somewhat enjoyable life having 2 hours of cardio, training for an hour and half, posing, tanning, taking 17 credit hours as a student, working 30 hours a week.

if u have to do 2 hours of cardio...then u're doing it wrong

[DJaRiHardstyle]

if u have to do 2 hours of cardio...then u're doing it wrong

Not exactly. For some people, specifically endomorphs, more cardio can be really helpful. Although, if this is your protocol at anything before around 4 weeks out, you may be damaging your metabolism. Definitely cardio shouldn't be the main source of caloric defecit.

[BiggerWeighter]

Not exactly. For some people, specifically endomorphs, more cardio can be really helpful. Although, if this is your protocol at anything before around 4 weeks out, you may be damaging your metabolism. Definitely cardio shouldn't be the main source of caloric defecit.

i dont wanna sound like a broscientist, but i'd think that amount of cardio would lead to tremendous muscle loss...yeah u're burning fat as well, but the ratio of muscle lost to fat loss is probably >1. (i.e., unless u're running some really muscle sparring androgens)

[DJaRiHardstyle]

i dont wanna sound like a broscientist, but i'd think that amount of cardio would lead to tremendous muscle loss...yeah u're burning fat as well, but the ratio of muscle lost to fat loss is probably >1. (i.e., unless u're running some really muscle sparring androgens)

not if you're splitting up the cardio.... i do 45 mins a morning, 30 PWO, and on low carb non-training thursdays, 45 min a morning, 45 min later that day.... if you're doing an hour or more at a time and it's not super low intensity, you're bound to start relying on amino acids.... but if you split it up, you should be fine.

[DTarv]

I do 30 minutes twice a week of low intensity. Simple enough. My dieticians goal is for me not to lose weight too quickly. 2 hours a day sounds miserable.

[silvrmoos]

I would go with the lethargic feeling I get mid-afternoon through evening from dieting. Working out in the A.M. drains me and I never get to recover on a low carb diet.

Another thing that bugs the crap outta me is people asking me about steroids. Bro, I've been cutting bodyfat, that's why I look more jacked. I worked my arse off in the gym and have planned out every single meal I eat. This is what hard work and dedication get you. There aren't any shortcuts.

[Djaye]

The thing I hate most about contest prep is the support as well. Its nonexistent. You find out who your TRUE friends are thats for sure.

THIS 100%..you realize who still contacts you to hang out, who is willing to go out to eat with you and your crazy dietary restrictions, and who understands why you can't go out as much.

Some of my boys had a kickback at their house this past week. They bought me a 12 pack of non-alcoholic beer so I could still play beer pong. I didn't drink it but the gesture made me teary eyed. haha

[gpelefty90]

the mental aspect kills me. feeling skinny and small at all times especially when people tell you you look smaller even though you are shredded but to them they like just pure mass especially down south

[DTarv]

THIS 100%..you realize who still contacts you to hang out, who is willing to go out to eat with you and your crazy dietary restrictions, and who understands why you can't go out as much.

Some of my boys had a kickback at their house this past week. They bought me a 12 pack of non-alcoholic beer so I could still play beer pong. I didn't drink it but the gesture made me teary eyed. haha

You found some winners for sure.

[bigd54]

if u have to do 2 hours of cardio...then u're doing it wrong

This is me at 19 at my first show of which I got ready in 8 weeks. We did not peak for this show nor was conditioning perfect but Id say my cardio protocol served me well
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...94288416_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...47940665_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...01753813_n.jpg

[DJaRiHardstyle]

the mental aspect kills me. feeling skinny and small at all times especially when people tell you you look smaller even though you are shredded but to them they like just pure mass especially down south

Ugh I hate that! As if the exhaustion, hunger, weakness, cardio, and mood patterns aren't bad enough, you end up feeling like it's all for nothing, when you see how "small" you are.. even if that's 4% bodyfat "small" lol.... plus our mind plays a lot of tricks on us and i'm thoroughly convinced that when your body is at such low levels of bodyfat and your metabolism is shot, your body is trying to find a way to alert you of what's happening so it can be re-fed, and those psychological tricks it plays on you may be part of that.. hmmmm

[EfficientLiver]

plus our mind plays a lot of tricks on us and i'm thoroughly convinced that when your body is at such low levels of bodyfat and your metabolism is shot, your body is trying to find a way to alert you of what's happening so it can be re-fed, and those psychological tricks it plays on you may be part of that.. hmmmm

for sure. i've noticed this. comes out when you are tired / in a weakened state.

[DJaRiHardstyle]

for sure. i've noticed this. comes out when you are tired / in a weakened state.

Hell ya haha. At 17 days out currently, my mindset is to just make sure I have the minimal amount of energy to get me through the best workout possible that day and then after that, it doesn't matter. So I try to get all my carbs in before my workout.

[DTarv]

Hell ya haha. At 17 days out currently, my mindset is to just make sure I have the minimal amount of energy to get me through the best workout possible that day and then after that, it doesn't matter. So I try to get all my carbs in before my workout.

No truer words have ever been spoken. Have you noticed in loss in strength? All my lifts are still gradually increasing.

[KnowstheSky]

if u have to do 2 hours of cardio...then u're doing it wrong

agree!

[DJaRiHardstyle]

No truer words have ever been spoken. Have you noticed in loss in strength? All my lifts are still gradually increasing.

Haha!

And yeah definitely.... which is a message to me that I probably didn't give myself enough time to prep.... It being my first time and all, and starting at around 14% bf, my ideal situation would be to spend 5 weeks keeping my cals at maintenance, completely cleaning up my diet, doing moderate cardio, and just learning more about how to properly cut for a contest. Then I'd spend the next 20 weeks cutting, extremely slowly, while focusing on keeping my lifts up and avoiding excessive cardio and dramatic drops in macronutrients.

On the bright side, I'll have this figured out by next time, and I've become so in tune with my body through this whole journey that I'll be able to bring up lagging bodyparts in my offseason, while keeping my diet clean, and then slowly cut into my next show, in order to keep as much mass as possible.

So how far along are you now, how is prep going? I love hearing from others about their contest prep, because it can be a very lonely and depressing time when you basically block everything else out to achieve that goal

[DTarv]

That sounds like a ridicoulsly long cut, my friend. This is just a trial run for you. You'll get it. Do have a coach or dietician?

I'm currently 5.5 weeks out and I've been cutting for 8. Prep is coming along. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. It's easy when your coach and dietician are two of your good friends. I've currently at 177.8 from 187 ish. My bodyfat is decreasing substantially. I went into this thinking I would enter in the the bodybuilding catergory, but I'm definitely shaped better for Physique, being 6'1. I still go out with friends, but I don't drink anymore so it's weird. It's like everyone forgot how to have fun sober. It kind of sucks ha.