Avoiding the Post-Contest Blues

Written by Shoshana Pritzker Thursday, 04 August 2011 14:39

You stood on stage wearing a sparkly bikini, false eyelashes, shoes you're embarrassed to show to your grandparents, and a smile so bright, it lit up the entire venue.

You did it! You competed!

But now you're back home and the orange tan is wearing off, you've eaten more than your fair share of Reese's, cookies, and M&M's, and the contest seems like a surreal dream. You feel lost ... unfocused … overwhelmed. While you were in the midst of prep, post-contest seemed like it would be a wonderful time full of opportunities, no calorie counting, and less stress about missing a cardio session.

Now that you have all this freedom, it feels kind of scary and you have no idea how to spend your new found free time. Plus, all your clothes are starting to fit a lot tighter and you haven’t seen your abs in days.

You’re starting to slip into the dreaded post-contest blues.

Even if you didn’t have a post-contest plan to follow, it’s not too late to take action!

Keep Your Diet Clean
In order to avoid retaining a dramatic amount of water, keep your diet clean. Some people go back to their pre-contest diet, adding in a few extra calories. Others try different healthy foods for some variety. After a few days of eating clean, the water weight should start coming off, and you’ll see your ab lines again.

Get Back Into the Gym
Going back to the gym the week after a show isn’t always the most appealing option. It’s okay to take a short break and let your body recover; after all, you just put it through a significant amount of stress. However, getting back into the gym and doing some Active Recovery workouts will allow your body to recuperate while still activating your muscles. Hop on the treadmill or the bike and do some light cardio as well. This is not the time head back into the gym and attempt to set some strength records! But doing some light training and cardio will get you back into your pre-contest routine and help you keep a positive frame of mind.

Try a New Activity
Now that the show is over and you have some free time, think about trying a new activity. Maybe you’ve wanted to try yoga or cross-fit. Or maybe you’ve been thinking about taking a dance class or swimming lessons. These are all activities that will keep your body active, yet allow you to experience an entirely new form of fitness.

Spend Time with Family and Friends
During prep, most of your time was spent preparing food, training, and doing cardio. You may have put family and friends on the back burner for that time period. Now is the time to let them know how much their support means to you. Invite them to a backyard barbeque or spend the day at the beach. Go out dancing or take in some baseball games. Your loved ones will appreciate being able to spend time with you again.

It’s completely normal to feel a bit let down after a show. You’ve just spent the last few months focusing on the show, and now that it’s over, you need to find a new place to focus your energy. Remember that your contest body is most likely not attainable or healthy to maintain year-round; it’s okay to put on a little extra “fluff” during your off-season.

Post-contest blues can happen even if you’ve been competing for several years. Keeping your focus on staying healthy and active will chase the blues away!

Kari Keenan
National-Level NPC Figure Competitor
FigureGirlWorld.com