Prep Series II- 12 Wks Out

A log of how I felt mentally throughout the first 6 weeks of prep and what I have learned so far.

This is being posted 8.5 weeks out but I started writing and logging this around the 12 week mark- 6 weeks into prep, and I am aiming to post every 6 weeks or so with an update!

I started prep a little bit early so instead of a traditional 12 or 16 week prep, I did a full 20. This is because I knew I had a vacation planned in January and I wanted to both enjoy time with friends and family while also feeling safe with the fact that I had 12 weeks left to put my foot on the pedal to prep and recomp from the trip if needed. 12 weeks out was the day after my trip. I have taken this prep seriously since day 1 but the first few weeks made it easier to transition into this big change.  

I am very glad my coach and I started prep at 20 weeks. It was pretty early on when I started seeing and feeling the progress being made- probably 2 or 3 weeks in, which I did not expect at all. The most common question I am getting throughout prep is "are you hungry?". I was just the first week or two when adjusting to the new training and calorie protocol. It did not bother me, though, because I was mentally prepared and anticipated it. My solution to feeling hungry is just eating on a time schedule, which is about every 3 hours or so. This way, I only start to feel hungry when it is time to eat again. 

My body reacted well to the initial calories and because of that, they did not change the first 6 weeks. Everyone's prep is going to be different- if your coach changes your calories/macros, do it. If they want you to stay at the ones assigned- do it. I was anticipating more changes in the protocol so I was pleasantly surprised that progress was being made when cardio and calories stayed the same.

In prep, you can either do macros (carbs/proteins/fats) where you can eat what you want but make sure it fits within those numbers, or you can have someone design a meal plan for you- both options fit within the calorie goal assigned by your coach and/or nutritionist. I chose to just do macros because it fits better with my schedule (and I don't know how to cook so I wanted to stick to my own recipes. I will learn how to use an oven eventually). I have been able to fit in foods I love still. If I work in Richmond, I will pack some meals or track a Starbucks lunch- you can fit various things into your meal plan. Just make sure the measurements align with what you're tracking. Macros, personally, made it easier for me to still be in love with this process and this sport, while balancing various priorities and responsibilities. 

I am very content with the nutrition side of prep. It has honestly improved my relationship with food and myself. It has restored my natural energy levels; coffee is not as big of a necessity; my sleep schedule has improved. I feel like prep as a whole has renewed a level of my self confidence that I thought was lost, as well as my belief in myself. I also feel like my metabolism has gotten back on track and I genuinely feel very healthy. 

Throughout the 6 weeks, I honestly had limited doubt in myself. The body dysmorphia had not kicked in yet. Has that changed now? Just a little and I am pretty transparent about it. Some days are going to be harder than others mentally and physically but not only is that a fact of life, but it is what you sign up for. I will go deeper into setbacks and challenges in the next post, even though there aren't many. The main challenges were/are balancing various things in life. Work, being a full time student, cooking, and training, all while trying to still have time for friends and family. My biggest struggle was definitely feeling like my time was being demanded everywhere else except on myself (alone time, sleeping, cooking) and then I would get anxious if a friend asked to hangout. Sacrifices are also a part of what you signed up for but within reason. 

​After my trip, I was holding my breath assuming that my 10 days away had erased my 6 weeks of progress. First off, no. That is not how science or progress work. Second, it all comes down to how badly you want it. While away, I still went to the gym; I walked everywhere; I went swimming for cardio. Yes, I definitely enjoyed food as well as had a little bit of a mental struggle with that (my Instagram post from Jan. 23), but I also listened to my body. A few days before the trip ended, I started cutting back the food slightly and I cut out alcohol. (Don't be too surprised I mentioned alcohol. I was legal there and turning down a Margarita or Paloma sounds like an awful decision.) I fully anticipated that I was being back tracked during my trip. I went up 3 lbs- 2 of which were muscle, and my body fat % declined by .5% (little progress is still progress!). Rest! Is! Important! Listen to your body. Granted, this was a different situation, but it still worked out! My coach told me to enjoy the trip and that definitely eased the stress and pressure I was putting on myself leading up to it.

Throughout prep, my favorite part is all that I am learning. A "why" is that I am doing prep solely to learn (reference to the first post on this page about my other reasons), and I am proud of the knowledge I am acquiring from my coach and friends who have endured prep. It blows my mind how science can be manipulated and my coach is definitely doing a great job at guiding me throughout it and the application of it. This is a real life example of applying my degree to life, even though I am still the student in this situation. Listen to your coach and the people on your team! This is why you're working with them.

I have so many people backing me through this and never did I ever expect so many people to do that. When I initially told people I was going to do a show, the reactions were iffy. Not only because me in a sparkly bikini and heels is a laughable idea, but because of how constrained and regimented this extreme sport is. Y'all, I've got this. No need to act funny about it. Show day is one day of the process. It is me vs. me and I am doing this to see how I can push myself and remain resilient towards a goal. While this may seem out of my comfort zone, if you really think about it- it really aligns with my Type A, extremist personality. The most rewarding part of prep so far has definitely been how many people have helped me and are encouraging me (thank you to anyone stopping me in the gym to tell me that!).

I am not doing this for others. I am not doing this for social media. I am doing this because I have a goal and I am going to accomplish that goal. 

I aim to show the mental side of prep, too, and I hope these posts are going to help anyone curious about the process! My main blog posts have a picture at the top but these won't for now because I am focusing on sharing information and mental progress. Physique progress will be on Instagram, if anywhere. My Instagram is liftswithris (main one is marisa.jillian), and my fitness account is geared more towards the mental health/perspective side of the fitness industry, it's not alllll vanity and ego lifting. As always, my DMs are always open- to talk fitness/prep/mental health/etc. I am loving the process and falling in love with this sport- even on the tough days. 

Really excited for the topics in the next post- it will be posted in 2-3 weeks! 

Remember- it's only worth the time you put in.