*Please note, this post is directed at physique athletes
As a bodybuilder, similar to any sporting athlete, you will need to conquer and embrace a unique array of uncomfortable situations. Examples of this could include pushing yourself to high levels of intensity in the gym, having the courage to pose on stage wearing next-to-nothing, or completing your cardio when energy levels are tanked.
However… some competitors would argue that the above is not all that difficult, whereas the REAL challenges stem from purposefully pushing your bodyweight into new territories, and having to fight your physiology and appetite as a result.
Bodybuilding is a sport that involves changing your body comp and bodyweight quite drastically between the “off-season” & “comp prep”. This is in the pursuit to build and deliver a better “package” to stage each time you compete, and it’s not uncommon for a competitor’s weight to fluctuate 10-15kg+ between the peak of these two phases.
As a result of swinging the pendulum, the human body responds naturally via hunger and appetite hormones when it feels as though it’s entering “uncomfortable” territory. On one end this could entail an individual pushing their bodyweight upward 15% of their stage weight during a building phase, which would result in a suppression of appetite hormones and hunger cues. On the flip side, someone approaching near 5% of their stage weight during a dieting phase is likely to experience an up-regulation of appetite hormones and internal hunger signals.
We appreciate that both situations are semi-uncomfortable, but please rest assured that it’s normal to feel this way.
In both scenarios a competitor is fighting an internal physiological desire to either consume less calories, or consume more.
However, that doesn’t mean that they should submit to this desire.
While there are strategies that can be implemented to mitigate these feelings, there comes a point where you can no longer run from the discomfort.
Deliberately increasing or restricting energy intake is a choice, and it’s important to understand that battling uncomfortable satiation and hunger comes with the territory of the sport.
Embrace it.