Behaviors to Avoid in Prep

BEHAVIORS TO BE MINDFUL OF IN PREP THAT COULD COMPLICATE YOUR POST-SHOW EXPERIENCE:

1. Body checking everytime you pass a mirror

2. Inhaling food down quickly because there’s not much anyway

3. Only saying food is about staying on plan or doing what coach says or for macros

4. Not reinforcing conversations you want to be having about your body year round (ie someone saying you look good or lean and never also affirming your dedicated work ethic or how this season is compared to others or why you love doing this or how you choose to eat etc)

5. Avoiding food, social experiences, events

6. Not having other goals in life to focus on outside of bodybuilding

7. Complaining without reframing to choice mentality or examining what it could be teaching you about yourself or your approach

8. Forgetting that the body that is in lean mode was once a body in build mode. This season will end, your body will change again

9. Scrolling socials for foodie things or stocking up on food for after show

10. Over celebrating or questioning measurement changes like weight or inches without emphasis on process

11. Inflexible timeline or approach

12. Hiding behaviors from loved ones or coach or others who you’d share behaviors that have less shame or guilt attached

13. Fixating on body shape changing as a means to self love or esteem instead of celebrating commitment & lifestyle as fortifiers for confidence

14. Underestimating the long term commitment

15. Ignore body cues

16. Only looking for the flaws in physique without acknowledging progress or positive changes

17. Comparing your competition season to other athletes. You’ll likely continue to “follow” those people post show & compare your post show to theirs

18. Only telling people about good things

19. Mainly focusing on the show date or timeline instead of the joy in daily habits (which continues post show anyways)

20. Ignoring your feelings or using this as your only coping mechanism without further exploration or reflection

This list could continue. If you find yourself engaging in these behaviors bring mindfulness to them so you can address underlying drivers or prepare for the inevitable change in season

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