So here I am 10 weeks out and musing at how my gym life has taken over everything else. Yes, getting fit takes time & dedication, but there are other little sacrifices few people think about.
Everyone is big on health & fitness these days, however few are those who dare to embark on the gruelling journey to competitions. And for those brave souls the main worries become meal management & workout programmes. Yet there is a lot more to that than just food & exercise – your fitness goals invade all aspects of your life!
And for us women, there are a few funny, yet annoying issues that crop up during competition prep time. Here are 3 telling signs that you are looking at a fitness competitor and not just your typical health-conscious female:
- Her car is her second home. As fitting her workouts in her day is a top priority, a fitness competitor will always have her gym kit on hand, with the trunk of her car often becoming ‘the laundry basket’. You are likely to find at least one protein shaker bottle, various supplements and other gym paraphernalia (gloves, hair bands, weightlifting belt, foam rollers… the list goes on).
- She eats everywhere. A fitness competitor will not be ashamed to pull out her meal boxes any time, anywhere. She will calmly proceed with her meal without paying much attention to your statements of surprise – “Oh, but you just ate a couple of hours ago!”, “Ha, is that your second lunch?” Drop it guys – nutrition accounts for 70% of your fitness performance and meal timing is crucial for anyone preparing for a competition. Keeping your metabolism switched on and fuelling your muscles throughout the day becomes a top priority.
- She avoids handshakes. Chiselling your body with the myriad of machines & free weights at the gym often means our hands get the rough end of the deal. Not sure if we are more worried that people will freak out when they feel all the calluses and cuts during a handshake or comment on our broken nails and chipped nail polish. Spending a lot of time in the gym, and especially doing weight lifting, means your lovely new manicure has hardly any chance of lasting for more than a few days. And if you are like me and struggle on the coordination side of things you will also discover that mysterious bruises & scratches make a regular appearance on your body – hey who said looking good was easy?!
Inspired by Miranda 