A Blurb About Bodybuilding – Life as a Bikini Competitor
I have competed in the bikini division of 3 bodybuilding competitions: 1 NPC (National Physique Committee) and 2 ANBF (American Natural Bodybuilding Federation). I have gotten second at all three…here’s why:
1. No boobs. (This was at an ANBF show, after which one of the judges was overheard saying that no one should compete in Bikini if they don’t have fake boobs. I’m still waiting to learn what part of fake boobs embodies the goal of the “Natural” requirement of this organization.)
2. No boobs. (One may think I’m making it up at this point, but this was spoken by a judge directly to me. There are witnesses.)
3. Too lean. (Yeah, I’m confused too. This is bodybuilding, right? Anyways, Bikini is supposed to be a slightly softer look than Figure or Physique. Guess I should’ve eaten more pizza and ice cream during prep!).
Why did I get into competing?:
· One summer in college, I was doing a dual internship in Morehead City. My time was split between the Morehead City Marlins collegiate summer league baseball team and the Anytime Fitness gym in town (which I LOVED!). While at Anytime Fitness, I noticed a couple who was remarkably devoted to lifting. They started asking about my lifting experience, and if I would be interested in “competing”. Competing in what? I had no idea! These individuals opened my eyes to a whole new world. I ended up training for a brief time to compete in my first ANBF show that summer. I was hooked!
· After retiring from collegiate cheerleading, I needed an outlet in which to remain competitive. I ended up competing in my second and third bodybuilding shows during the fall semester of my last year of college. Despite still being in school and working 5 jobs, my life revolved around my show prep…it had to.
Lessons learned from bodybuilding:
· Self-discipline!! Wow, this is a big one. You must remain committed to your prep around-the-clock. This means crushing your workouts, getting enough sleep so that you are able to crush your workouts, adhering to your diet (not just eating the right foods, but eating them at the right times), drinking at least a gallon of water each day, practicing posing, sending progress pics to whoever may be overseeing your training, getting your suit and accessories ready for competition day, etc.
· Empathy. Many people do not know what it is like to adhere to a STRICT diet. I feel that my personal experiences with adhering to a strict bodybuilding diet allow me to better relate to patients under various dietary restrictions (regardless of the reason).
· Interaction between nutrition and fitness. Think of your body as a car, and your food as gas. When you put clean fuel in your vehicle’s engine, it runs smoothly. Your body is no difference. Give yourself clean fuel, and you will operate much more effectively & efficiently. I promise!
· Respect. I really learned to respect people who are working towards their goals, no matter what they may be. Often times, if people are committed to a goal that you don’t share, it’s difficult to respect the work they are putting in to achieve that goal. Through my bodybuilding experiences, I saw people competing for a number of reasons: they achieved a huge weight loss goal and what to show it off, they have a low self-esteem and have embarked on this journey for a sense of self-empowerment…they are not just here to “look good”.
Will I do another one?
· The verdict is still out. As I mentioned previously, I am very competitive. I would love to WIN a show and earn my pro card. However, there are a lot of downsides I found to the whole concept of bodybuilding. Not sure if the pros outweigh the cons here, at least for me!
What are the downsides of bodybuilding?:
· #1: Body dysmorphia. You begin to believe that you have to be as lean as possible all the time. It is not healthy to walk around with such minimal body fat. However, knowing this does not make it any easier to gain the weight back…or at least to be okay with it when you do.
· #2: The yo-yo effect. While this was not my personal struggle, I have seen it happen to all too many athletes. The cut, cut, cut to prepare for a show, then totally pig out afterwards. This is not a good example of healthful living, and I think the main point of competing in bodybuilding should be its incentive to lead a healthy lifestyle.
· #3: Lack of balance. There’s a lot you can do to incorporate bodybuilding prep into a healthy lifestyle, but it gets to a point where you really have to sacrifice your social life. For one, it is near impossible to dine out. Everyone’s all “Oh, just get a salad!” and you’re all “Nah, I can’t have tomatoes or carrots…or any of the dressings that the restaurant offers.” (Ain’t nobody want plain lettuce with dry chicken on top. #yuck) You cannot consume alcohol. Not that this is necessary to have a good time, but without it it’s hard to stay awake in the later hours of the evening, and to be around those who have partaken. (Patience is still not one of my virtues lol.) Let me give you an example of a measure I took to keep a social life during one of my preps: There was a Thursday night football game right before one of my Saturday shows. Kickoff was set for 7:00pm, and my dinner was supposed to be eaten at 7:30pm. FYI- During prep, meal timing is everything! Rather than forgoing the game (#Pirate4Life), I packed my tilapia filet in a Ziploc bag and tucked it in my cowboy boot…pulled that sucker out to eat it at 7:30 on the dot and suddenly had the eyes of the whole student section glaring at me. I mean, who doesn’t love a good fish smell after pregaming all afternoon?! (LOL)
Anyways, if you have any questions about bodybuilding competitions, please please ask! I am more than happy to share in greater detail about my own experiences and how the process may work for you. Please do not take my few points of negative feedback as a message not to get involved in the bodybuilding world. I do not for a second regret my decisions to compete, as I learned numerous invaluable lessons from the journey. I simply want to encourage you to make sure that your decision to compete is based on sound reasoning and that you approach your prep (and reverse dieting, after your show) in the healthiest, most sustainable way possible.
