What's happening to me?

**gYmgIrL** · October 21st, 2009, 08:51 PM

Hello!

Well I fell off the rails a bit after the comp. I'm eating relatively good, still high protein but carbs are high too. I'm eating delicious things like fruit, lots of veggies and putting sauce of stuff! Getting good fats from natty peanut butter and almond butter, and I'm eating a lot. For a while there I couldnt get full, but I think it's calming down.

Firstly I was massively bloated and it was painful, I gained 7 kilos (which is the biggest I've ever been) but no stretchmarks or anything. Although I am back in my fat pants. I seem to still be hard everywhere which makes no sense to me, but my abs are still gone from when I lost them from cutting. Could it be muscle from resting from cardio?

Or... am I fat? How do I tell. I look in the mirror and I'm disgusted but, am I fat or am I just expecting something that cant be maintained? Is this really what I looked like before? I seem to have less tummy fat? my boobs are still smaller... what gives?

And then I think, ok, diet hard and gym hard, maybe start cardio again, but I cant. I spent so much time and effort cutting for that comp and was seeing no changes. I really burnt myself out. And I mean, if I try so hard that my nose tickles with tears cause I'm trying to bust out the last few reps, or I fall asleep on the treadmill, or any of those other crazy things that happened to me while I was cutting. How is eating 'ok' and doing 'a little bit of cardio' going to do anything.

I hate the gym, and I hate dieting. I hate the fact that I cant be happy not doing it or doing it, and I totally dont know what to do with myself.

**IMFREAKZILLA** · October 21st, 2009, 08:58 PM

I would consider a week off,I always took a week off around the third
or fourth month of working out,its good physically and mentally..........
Just a thought to ponder.

**joker13** · October 21st, 2009, 09:35 PM

I think you just need a joker massage. It will fix everything.

**tooncesthecat** · October 21st, 2009, 09:45 PM

GG, I had the same thing (well, sort of) after my comp. Gained like 11 pounds in a week (about 5 kilos). Looked awesome, fuller and cut! Made me wonder about my pre comp diet.

Anyway, more importantly, if you don't feel like working out right now, then don't. Chances are you'll find yourself back in the gym in due time. But you are more than a workout girl so give yourself over to other joys in your life right now. And don't feel guilty or worry about how you look. You always look great and you're even more beautiful inside! Trust me, you should not worry about the gym right now

**IMFREAKZILLA** · October 21st, 2009, 10:42 PM

http://stuff.pyzam.com/toys/tictacscare.swf click on address to play!

**lizzyb** · October 22nd, 2009, 04:39 PM

Hi GG!! I'm just gonna leave this link here......read whenever you feel up to it. I know some aren't crazy about that site, but this guy's stuff always makes sense to me.....
Figure Athlete - Rebounding the Wet Wolf Way

I've heard of many ladies (usually not veterans) who experience what you describe.....a friend of mine only competes once a year because of all the obligations and responsibilities both on the job and with her family, friends and immediate family including children....she usually ends up taking a month or more off real dieting and training (still eats clean, and goes to the gym, but more like the every day sort)......then starts to gradually get back in line with diet and training looking ahead to the next comp.....my point being is that it passes, and you too, will be o.k, you just need some time.
Who knows maybe you've gone from one extreme to another and at the end of it all, you're gonna land smack in the middle!

**gYmgIrL** · October 25th, 2009, 01:27 AM

Thanks everyone for your support

AGAIN!

haha

well I'm a big bunch happier now. I still weight a million kilos but I really like the way I look now. I think I put on spastic amount of muscle on my legs once I stopped cardio and started eating - which I hear is normal! It's a little annoying though cause I was running funny and so it pretty much only went on the outside of my legs, but hey, I'll take muscle wherever I can get it

Also my bum doesnt wobble so much anymore, remember I was obsessed with that?

slowly slowly the tummy bloat is going away, it still hates bread and it really hates it if I eat even slightly too much, which is awesome because I've been throwing half eaten food away, which is the way it ought to be. (I've been giving it to my puppy dog, she seems happy :P)

Just thought I'd let you know I'm ok and you guys are the best!

Sorry I havent been around much. I dont feel very extreme or fit recently and I also havent had the balls to take any more photos, but I will work up to it again.

**joker13** · October 25th, 2009, 01:33 AM

Funny how I too am obsessed with your bum wobble.

**IMFREAKZILLA** · October 25th, 2009, 02:21 PM

Glad you feeling better GG.

**Insex** · November 4th, 2009, 06:05 AM

I can relate to what you're experiencing, GG. After completing each of my bodybuilding competitions, I gained my weight back relatively quickly. Most of the immediate weight gain was water weight; the eventual weight gain was due to my mental weakness of "rewarding" myself with extra Calories for sticking to a contest diet and training regimen. Also, after I deprived my body of so many Calories for a period of time, my body would absorb anything I consumed like a sponge.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

I hate the gym, and I hate dieting. I hate the fact that I cant be happy not doing it or doing it, and I totally dont know what to do with myself.

Ironically, I understand what you mean. Dieting for a show is dreadful and requires strong willpower. On the other side of the table, consuming a diet free of restraints doesn't feel great either. You have to find something realistic in the middle that you can stick to for the rest of your life--at least while you're not preparing for a show. As far as training goes, I know getting back in the gym right after you spent hundreds of hours training for a show can be undesirable too. That's when you have to find out from within yourself whether living this type of lifestyle is for you, or not. If you really want to live this lifestyle, then you have to figure out a type of workout that you can remain dedicated to.

The feeling that you described of being "burnt out," is exactly how I felt after each show. Assuming that you want to live this lifestyle, my suggestions are to stick to healthy eating habits and continue to be physically active. After a show, you don't have to jump back onto your pre-contest diet, but you should continue to make healthy food choices and supply your body with the nutrients that it needs. Also, you don't have to get back on your exact training regimen from before the show, but you should try to make an effort to remain physically active everyday.

Hope that helps.

**tooncesthecat** · November 4th, 2009, 10:23 AM

Insex said it very well....GREAT ADVICE!

GG, just have fun with it all! Don't worry about working out unless you feel like it right now. If it's meant to be part of your lifestyle then you will miss it and gravitate back to it naturally. Eat smart but not like a pre-contest diet either. Reward yourself with eating healthy things you like and don't be afraid to cheat every once in a while!

**gYmgIrL** · November 5th, 2009, 07:01 AM

Thanks guys

That's kinda what I'm doing right now! it sucks though that I'm eating well and exercising more than other people and yet I'm gaining fat like nobodies business!

But you're right, I'm only eating a exercising how I want, so it shouldnt matter than I'm getting fat... but it would be nice if eating right and exercising added up to looking fit.

**wildstang** · November 6th, 2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

Thanks guys

That's kinda what I'm doing right now! it sucks though that I'm eating well and exercising more than other people and yet I'm gaining fat like nobodies business!

But you're right, I'm only eating a exercising how I want, so it shouldnt matter than I'm getting fat... but it would be nice if eating right and exercising added up to looking fit.

GG a lot of its mental. you got so used to seeing yourself cut, but no 1 can maintane the diet to keep that look. youve kicked your metabolism into starvation mode making your body store anything and everything you give it as fat stores. as everyone said your choice of food you pick after a comp makes a big diff on what you pack back on untill your body comes out of starvation mode. i dontcompete but i have enough personal pride in what i look like so i go through cutting cycles also as if preparing 4 a contest during the summer and bulk back up during the winter (not by choice) do to decreased activity. (cardio) whats always helped me is i am naturally a gifted runner with high stamina. im a cardio freak! i cant run as fast as i used to carrying all this LBM but ive trained myself all my life to keep the endurance. even when i take a break from the gym i never let up on the cardio. 20 plus years of running daily becomes habit.
during my winter months i cant always run outdoors so im forced 2 do it on a treadmill and i hate that. so my winter cardio is affected.
you just need to find a routine with some cardio and stick to it.

**Italianangel** · November 11th, 2009, 07:55 PM

it gets easier if you continue competing over years.
Its not a huge biggie for me anymore transitioning in and out of contest shape etc, but that did not settle until years into my competing and I did a lot of contests early on, many per yr with multiple category entries per show so it really helped make me feel more comfy and like it was 'old hat'.

**gYmgIrL** · November 14th, 2009, 07:34 PM

Thanka so much guys! My freak out is really starting to calm down now (thank gawd). You're so right about it being mental, I can look in the mirror and see and overweight person with bubbles of fat protruding out all over the place one day, then be in a good mood the next day and still see someone that looks fit you know? But like Linda said that's all calming down now, I'm starting to be able to see myself how I look, and it'sa not so bad

A couple of years ago I'd have been stoked to look like I look right now

besides working at it's half the fun!

!