As
the 2013 season takes off in full force many competitors are focused predominantly on their pre-contest diets and show line-ups. With the focus and determination to bring the best physique to the stage many lose sight of the overall goal. I would hope, for the most part, the reason why we all compete is to live a healthier and happier lifestyle. As the season rolls on, many competitors diet for extended periods of time and hit the stage just to find themselves binge drinking and eating everything and anything in sight. In many instances, those who are done competing for the season often continue these habits throughout their “bulking stage.” Similarly, I see competitors who intend to compete in other upcoming shows participating in the same festivities. Although celebration is surely deserved, the time period following a competition is just as important as the weeks leading to the big day. This brings me to the concept of reverse dieting.
Reverse dieting is the process in which an individual, who has been on a strict diet plan for an extended period of time, slowly increases their macros and overall caloric intake. Through reverse dieting one is able to make more significant gains due to the idea that you are bringing your body slowly back up to speed. When eating lower calorie diets, as many competitors do, the metabolism slows down. That being said, your body becomes used to lower calorie diet. That means that binge eating and drinking after a competition might not be the best decision as your body becomes accustomed to a lower calorie diet and a slower metabolism. I will give you one guess as to what happens when you shove all those pastries, pizza, and beer into your face. If you guessed that much of it is stored as fat in your body you guessed right! With a slower metabolism you must be cognizant of the fact that your body cannot handle the same caloric intake that you used to do when bulking. It all goes back to the simple concept of equilibrium and how calorie intake must equal calories expended. If calorie intake is higher than calories burned you are bound to gain weight and vice versa. This is where the reverse dieting comes in. Slowly increase your caloric intake while watching your body and how it responds. The key is to work slowly back up to where you want to be in order to maximize your efforts and achieve your fitness goals. Everyone will respond differently but the efforts will be rewarding in a sense that the time you put in prior to the competition will not be wasted.
What I am saying is that you should celebrate after a competition, but not go overboard. Eating a few “cheat meals” after a competition will not make you go from being shredded to overweight in a matter of hours or days. We all need to maintain some sort of balance in life and I am sure we can all agree that our social lives have in some form or another decreased during contest prep. Go out and enjoy life but always remember as cliché as it may sound, fitness is a lifestyle. Keep sight of your goals and put in the work!
TIPS:
- Take your time eating so you don’t over eat!
- Use silverware, or some sort of utensils! It takes you longer to eat and the brain will register that you are full. (taken from fellow MP competitor Anthony Fleischhauer)
- Prep your food!
- Portion out meals!
- Drink ample water before, during, and after each meal!
- Set limits or specified cheat meals and above all else stick to your goals!
Keep an eye out for me in my IFBB pro debut at the Europa Orlando on April 19-20th!
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https://twitter.com/CollinWasiak
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My Team Gaspari Athlete Profile:
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