Comments on: Why I’ll Never Compete Again

By: Lael Sauter Wnbf Pro

Lael Sauter Wnbf Pro — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 20:52:00 +0000

I have a love/ hate relationship with this sport. I am a lifetime drug free pro male bodybuilder. My wife is not a fan of my chosen sport and I can’t blame her. I recognize the self centeredness that comes with competition preparation. I tried to argue that if any athlete in any sport was to be number one that they too have to be self centred. She had a great rebuttal “If your bodybuilding was your job and your paycheque then I would have to accept that.” I am a WNBF Pro and unfortunately there is very little money in natural competition. Only the top 3 will receive money. I’ve competed 8 times and the last three have been as a pro. The most I’ve earned is $750 and a plastic trophy. I am grateful but the small reward all comes at a cost. ThIs is an expensive side hobby and thankfully I have a full time career. It has always been a stress on my relationship and social outings exacerbate the issue as I can’t eat all the food and must plan around it. Bodybuilding threw off my hormones too. It also caused me to have an overactive bladder (to this very day) thanks to all the water my coach told me to drink the final week. If health and fitness is about balance of mind, body and spirit, which bodybuilding is great for, then competition prep seems to miss the boat on all three as we starve our bodies, throw off hormones and bladder, get obsessed and self centred, second guess and doubt, and argue with our spouse. As I’m writing this I’m dieting and contemplating another pro show, one which I already placed 1st in 3 years ago. But now I’m giving it a second thought.

By: Blain

Blain — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:32:00 +0000

Any advice?

By: Blain

Blain — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:27:00 +0000

I am a husband of someone that competes. Its very stressful. I feel neglected.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 17:12:00 +0000

Hello I did two shows this year back to back, no literally one weekend after each other. I jumped into reverse diet right away and had zero problems with binging. Until, the cheat meal before my third show ( which I ended up not doing) I spent the day before my prep stuffing my face with everything I knew I’d be deprived of the next 8 weeks of prep. I gained 9 lbs that night and was still up 5 lbs in the morning. At this point I was going on two months with out a period. Which in my head was a sign I was staying lean and in stage condition. Three weeks before my show I decided I needed a mental break. That’s when everything changed. I started having cheat days instead of meals. My month of reverse dieting has nearly disappeared as the last month of weekly binge days has made me feel out of control. Yesterday I reminded myself it’s not about control its about balance. I long to be back to my pre show mental state back when a kind bar was my biggest craving instead of any chocolate in hands reach. I’m writing this as I work off my final food hang over from last nights in hopes of getting back on plan and losing the extra fat I put on this month. But the biggest goal for me is to find my balance again. How did you find balance when it came to a weekly binge day?

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:41:00 +0000

I could read this story over and over again. Each time you inspire me a little bit more!

By: Selina - CreativeJuicesDecor

Selina - CreativeJuicesDecor — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 15:46:00 +0000

Thanks for taking the time (and mental energy!) to write that all out! It was a very informative read and even though I only thought briefly about entering a competition I wondered about all the emotional stuff involved in it. It’s so nice to be able to read (ahead of time) the journey and road someone went on and then you have a better idea about what you would get yourself into if you did decide to go that route. I love your honestly and I believe that is the key to a great blogger – just being REAL 🙂 I have a design blog (www.creativejuicesdecor.com) and will do a Fess Up Friday post every once in a while of the days where my home looks a mess and I nearly burn it down with flash grease fires – ha! I think those posts are the ones people enjoy the most – not my perfectly decorated bathroom 🙂 Keep up all the great work!!

By: Therese Mathisen

Therese Mathisen — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 07:51:00 +0000

Thank you for this reflected and nice structured bloggpost. I feel just the same about competitions, although it took me a while to realize. After a few years of experience, and several years of education and practice (nutritionist and exercise physiologist) I can’t find any health in this kind of Sport (competition!). I love the exercise, the disipline and reaching of goals, but with a healthy bodyweight and composition 😉
You put the thoghts nice and lucid on paper (screen!)! Thank you!!

By: L.D.

L.D. — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:27:00 +0000

Thank you Kristine for this post. I too had these battles which only ended in a self centered, depressed, and feeling like an out of control person. I knew I had to do something to get myself off the destructive wheel I called focus, control, hard work and passion. Everything you said hit the nail on the head and could have easily been my life. I do wish to add it took me two full years to just get my head back on straight and repair relations with my family who luckily stood by me the whole time while I pulled away by the restrictions, must be at the gym, can’t go to social events beliefs I imposed. Thank goodness I didn’t lose them completely. I now enjoy eating healthy, knowing balance, and being happy with my body and enjoying my life. Time flies by way too fast and those years I dedicated to this I feel I lost out on more important events.

By: Kristi Lee Graham-Irvin

Kristi Lee Graham-Irvin — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:22:00 +0000

In reply to Kristine Fretwell.

I’m getting there. My mind has been out of control. Since the competition, I have wanted to do everything exactly opposite of what I did during training months. I have yet to prepare my meals for the week like I did, I cannot even LOOK at the gym, and I’ve wanted to be as far away from any sort of structure as I can get (normally I am a very structured person). I’m slowing realizing I need it and need to get my butt in gear. Over the last 2 months, I have gotten back into Crossfit – go 4-5 times a week – I do not go to the gym at all. I still have yet to prep my meals, but I am realizing I need to make that happen, so my goal is to do that this Sunday for next week. I have NO idea what my body fat is, nor do I want to know. All I do know is that it’s up there – very flabby and feel fluffy.

By: Kristine Fretwell

Kristine Fretwell — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:10:00 +0000

In reply to Kristi Lee Graham-Irvin. Kristi, glad you can relate. I hoped others would :) Hope your back on track to normalcy.

By: Kristi Lee Graham-Irvin

Kristi Lee Graham-Irvin — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:44:00 +0000

I feel like I wrote this article. Everything you said and everything you felt before, during and after is 100% what I have been feeling and struggling with an agonizing over since my competition in May of this year 2013. I have beat myself up, cried, eaten, sulked, slept, pouted and stressed over EVERYTHING since the competition. It has been so difficult for me and I feel like I am the only one that has had such a difficult time. Clearly, that is not the case. Thank you for writing this article. You took the words right out of my mouth. Literally.

By: Apester4u

Apester4u — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 23:14:00 +0000

Great post!

By: Andrea Lianne

Andrea Lianne — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 06:33:00 +0000

I didn’t get this post until now… Almost a month after my second show…. And I can totally relate! Very well written Kristine 🙂

By: E F

E F — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:35:00 +0000

This is such an amazing post and I whole-heartedly agree with everything. I too lost my period when I started training really hard and restricting my diet, but I was 17 and thought “Awesome! No period! Free birth control!” It was gone for two years, until I finally got my obsession under control and it has now come back. Even though I never thought of the fertility repercussions then, now that I’m older and really would like to have children, I am so glad that it is back and that it is regular, and I will never again trade my sanity and my health for that teeny-tiny body I once had.

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:56:00 +0000

Wow, you couldn’t have said all of this in any better way! I feel so deprived from the simple pleasures I love in life (aka food,treats,friends/social life). Ive lost 23lbs the last few months to prep for Bikini contests, look my best and feel Great, yet have never felt so UnHappy & Alone all the time. Feb 13th, March 17th, & this coming weekend April 7th. As much fun as it is and enjoy it, yet still cannot get over the mind games it brings me. Your right about Beating yourself up & questioning what u did wrong for a show or your looks. Ive never picked at my body, until I started training for this sport & it just seems to Amaze me… I am taking a break after this show, enjoying all the small things around me, and stop being so Self-Centered with the I-I-I all the time like your mentioned lol! This post is just what I needed to hear today! I love all that you do Kristine, You truly Inspire me !
~Katie

By: Sonyasrr11

Sonyasrr11 — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:42:00 +0000

anyone here struggling with metabolic damaga, hormonal damage, post competion depression, menatl stress , food obsession or any other negative consequenece from competing should check out Scott Abel´s website.
http://www.scottabel.com/

By: Janalyne

Janalyne — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:55:00 +0000

Great post Kristine…so informative. I’ve also considered competing and had a lot of questions about these very things you touched on so I’m really glad to have heard it from someone who has been there and done it. Keep up the good work inspiring people and making great recipes!

By: Josier80

Josier80 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Thanks for a great post! I’ve competed twice and the first time I felt so depressed afterwards and struggled with all of the downfalls you mentioned. I competed again last fall just to “rewrite” my experience. It was so much more positive because I went in with the attitude that this was just about the experience and learning. That said, I still struggled with wondering what example I’m setting for my 4-year-old and at what cost the whole competition lifestyle demands. I’m still working to find that balance and because I know so few women who have competed, blogs like your are provide amazing encouragement. I also feel the need to second your comments about the “stripper” look. I got into figure because of the athleticism and competition and the feeling of pushing myself, but I competed in the bikini division last time and it was unfortunate. My height class was filled with classy and sassy cute girls who were so encouraging of one another and while many of the girls in the height class above me fit that, the girls who placed top 5 were of the very skinny gyrating variety. Bummer. Thank you for sharing your journey!

By: Randy

Randy — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:34:00 +0000

In reply to Kristine Fretwell.

Ha got your reply. Awesome. I made the Bandara salad the other day it was a hit! The kids are back to my house and here it is the family day holiday so my daughter helped me make your protein pancakes with blueberries. They seemed to enjoy. I uses egg whites and don’t really like the brand I used so could taste it a bit in the mix. Just toppedine with peanut butter and more berries. We have our energy up and are heading out to walk the dog and then hit the ice for a skate.

Will be trying another recipe of yours tonight… Something with chicken I think. Ttys

By: Kristine Fretwell

Kristine Fretwell — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:08:00 +0000

In reply to Danielle. Aw Danielle...thanks you are amazing! You're doing great and you've done the work all on your own, so kudos to you!! Happy to provide support and tips wherever I can! Luv ya!! xo