So you competed in a bikini competition... now what do you eat?
How are you supposed to transition back to a "normal" eating lifestyle after such a strict diet to get competition ready?
Most bikini competitors either follow a strict meal plan or strict macros leading up to show day. Then the day after show day tends to be a free day of eating whatever the heck you want. So Monday morning, you sit down and ask, now what?
Do you continue a meal plan?
Do you continue tracking macros?
Or do you transition to mindful / intuitive eating?
What type of diet is best after competing?
When it comes to dieting, there's a spectrum of diet options from very flexible to very strict.
Take a look at the dieting options below. Which one are you in now?
Those on the two far ends of the spectrum (strict meal plan or gluttony) may work for some people, yes. However, that’s rare. ⠀
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Most people do best in the three middle sections because there’s some structure but also some flexibility so the diet is to their liking and fits within their lifestyle. ⠀
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Most of my clients begin with tracking macros (flexible dieting) and later on transition to intuitive eating once they’ve reached their goals or competed and don't want to spend as much time weighing & tracking anymore. Meal plans usually mean eating the same thing every day which is boring for most people. Too rigid of a diet can also lead to an all or nothing mindset, food anxiety, overeating, binging, etc.. ⠀
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That’s why flexible dieting works best for the majority of competitors I work with. They get to choose the foods they eat and there are no foods off limits. They eat treats guilt free with less anxiety. Some of them only track protein. Some track all three macros. Some have the same calories every day. Some have 1-2 higher calorie days per week so they can enjoy a meal out. It’s all customized to find what works best for them. ⠀
Thereafter competing, we do a reverse diet and transition them to mindful / intuitive eating.
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For your decision, the best diet for you is the one you can sustain.
So take a look at that spectrum again, and ask yourself, which one can I see myself sticking to a year from now? And move forward taking aligned action to learn about & pursue that diet.
For those of you that were on a strict meal plan, the logical transition may be to transition to flexible dieting and tracking macros. Learn more about macros here.
Or for most people, especially current flexible dieters, the best and most sustainable dieting option is: mindful / intuitive eating. I'll share more about that below.
Transition from tracking macros to mindful/intuitive eating with these 8 steps
I've put together a lesson on the 8 Steps to Transition from Tracking Macros strictly to Mindful / Intuitive Eating. I share with you a step-by-step process to take over the course of 8-12 weeks to make this transition easier and more successful.
Watch the video by clicking the button below!
3 Mistakes with Dieting
LOOK... I know I'm not always people's first choice as a flexible dieting and intuitive eating coach, and that's okay. By the time they come to me after working with another "meal plan" coach with strict eating rules, I hear their side of the story – what they liked and disliked about their experience, and why they ultimately chose me to get the job done this time around. So to help you avoid this same sticky situation, here are the top 3 mistakes I see people make before hiring someone like me.
ONE choosing programs or coaches that force them to be on a super restrictive diet that feels like torture literally. No sweets, no alcohol, no flexibility at all - no way!
TWO choosing diets that allow zero customization and instead follow strict rules. No honoring your hunger cues, no food decisions, and no autonomy. Just follow these rules. No way!
THREE making decisions for the short term not the long term. Choosing quick fixes and going to extremes for the quick results despite knowing they won't maintain them and it will be twice as hard the next time they try.
If you're ready to become a Mindful Intuitive Eater, what are you waiting for?
✨Introducing the MACROS TO MINDFUL course✨
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Does food control you after competing?🥴
Does food occupy your every thought day in and day out now? 🙄
Does it leave you yearning for it and then after eating it, feel guilty?😑
Are you stuck in foods grasp, left feeling like it’s out of your control? ðŸ¤
Look, you don’t have to live life this way. Your relationship with food CAN be fixed if you take the time to make some mindset shifts and take actionable steps to replace old habits with new.
Investing time in this valuable lesson will change your relationship with food forever - literally! You’ll be able to regain control of food so that you can eat guilt-free again - like you did as a kid.
Macros to Mindful will teach you and guide you in this process. With 12 weekly video lessons with assignments, you’ll learn how and receive support along the way.
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It's time you MAKE PEACE WITH FOOD:
-Get to eat foods that appeal to you
-Give yourself permission to eat all food
-Enjoy eating food guilt-free
-Tackle emotional eating like a pro
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Macros to Mindful will teach you all that. By the end of the self-paced 12-week course YOU WILL FEEL... free from the shackles of food, more in tune with your body, empowered, have a better relationship with food, & like a true intuitive eater.
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Ready to stop dieting and find food freedom with the most interactive and integrative course out there?
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GET THE COURSE NOW FOR ONLY $111
This course will teach you exactly what I teach my own bikini competitor clients after they compete and are ready to return to a more normal, healthy lifestyle. No more tracking macros, no more weighing food, no more emotional eating or overeating sessions... just pure food freedom.
Psssssst, want some guidance & accountability during this process? Steph created the Bikini & Beyond Recovery program to help competitors recover better after competing.
