I should have been pleased that I managed to safely and healthily sculpt my body into some semblance of a toned and fit athlete but it wasn’t enough to earn a title and essentially that’s what we were all there for.
The harsh reality is that my competitors – who I now view as fitness friends – all trained, dieted and practised their poses that little bit more than I did. End of story.
Ironically, it’s not so much the competing that potentially knocked my confidence, it was allowing 6 mortals to judge and deliberate as to whether or not my physique was worthy enough to place in this prestigious competition. These competitions are not for the weak-willed or weak-hearted for the judging aspect alone.
Outside of the judging there is a very scientific approach to one’s diet which includes accounting for body type, lifestyle, and goals. On top of this ‘clean’ diet, there is the training – the cardio, the weightlifting, etc. If you aren’t part of a fitness circle, your fitness goals can excommunicate you from just about everyone. Between not eating carbs after 2pm, carrying Tupperware as an accessory and backing a variety of minerals and supplements you will find that you are the odd one out of your social circle before long.
The life of a bodybuilder is not an easy one – but it is a chosen one. So in the same way I have been able to suck it up over the last few weeks, I’m gonna have to chalk this ‘loss’ up to experience and train even harder for the next one.
Furthermore, if my weeks of hard work yield yet another commiseration medal – so be it. No one should enter a competition without having first deciding that regardless of the outcome, they are in fact a winner.
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