​Maintaining relationships and having a social life while on competition prep

Preparing for a fitness competition impacts pretty much every aspect of a competitor’s life. A competitor devotes countless hours a week to lifting weights, cardio (sometimes twice a day), prepping food, and practicing posing while on competition prep. This can range anywhere from 12 to 20 (or more!) weeks. It is very hard to not let it consume one’s life. Prepping for a competition can easily negatively impact a competitor’s relationship with significant others, family, friends, and even co-workers if he or she lets it. It is so easy to become self-centered while on prep and just push others away. What some people fail to realize is that it is so important to have these people in one’s life during a competition prep for the positivity and support that they can provide. Here are several tips that have helped me keep strong, healthy relationships with important people in my life and have a social life while on prep:

1. Explain why you are doing a competition and a little bit about the process Honestly the average person knows very little, if anything, about the world of bodybuilding and contest prep. Most people have a million questions when they find out that someone is a fitness competitor. With just a short explanation about contest prep, most people can start to understand why it is so time consuming. I have found that just explaining what I’m doing and why to my family, friends, and co-workers helps them be a little more understanding of why I cannot eat (for example) chips and dip at a pot luck or cake at a birthday party. Explaining why prepping for a competition is important to you can also help other’s feel that they can positively support you on this journey. The more support the better!

2. Don’t skip events because of prepIt can seem easier to just not attend social events such as a graduation party, a birthday party, or happy hour with friends after work, but that can majorly impact relationship’s and one’s social life. Your prepped food can easily be brought to a family function for you to eat and still stay on track with your diet. If you follow macros, order a macro- friendly dish from a restaurant. Try sipping on seltzer water with a lime when out for drinks with friends. If you have to bring a dish to a pot luck at work, bring something that you can eat on prep and have enough to share with co-workers.

3. Try not to take the struggles of prep out on your spouse/significant other Anyone who lives with a fitness competitor sees them at their best and their worst on prep. This person sees all the lows and the highs that can sometimes change in just minutes. They see the exhaustion, the hunger, the frustration with the scale or the mirror, etc. It is so easy for a competitor to become irritable when dieting for so long. If you ever feel like you are going to take it out on your significant other, just take a step back and remind yourself of why you compete. Remind yourself that you love the sport and the process and that it will all be worth it in the end. Think about what is frustrating you and figure out if you can fix it or if it will pass. It is not worth negatively affecting a relationship. If you do happen to lose your cool with someone, apologize and let them know that it is not their fault. Remind yourself that your loved ones want you to succeed

and are there to support you.

While on prep for a fitness competition it is still possible to enjoy the company of your significant other, family, and friends. Social events can still be attended without worrying about falling off track on a diet or missing a workout. There will always be future competition’s that can be prepped for, but the memories that can be made with others cannot be replaced. It is important to keep strong, healthy relationships with friends and family and still have a social life when the competition is over. 

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