IIFYM: Why for competitors?

September 15, 2017

Personal Anecdote:

For the past 3 years, what I wanted was to do what I saw so many other competitors doing…eating food like a normal people, while calculating their macros and writing their own meal plan, under the supervision of a coach. I wanted to just eat food with understanding and education without a rigid meal plan anymore ( needed that plan at first. It was good for me).

Spending macros is black & white, to me, now. Its budgeting. Previously, I struggled with emotional eating. This helped me transition to more of a logical mindset of eating, and now, I can attend to my any disordered eating that comes back to haunt me in a more logical way based on my mindset.

For example, now, when I experience high stress and anxiety, I can MINDFULLY recognize that I am stressed and WANT to engage in stress eating. I am able to provide myself with the choice rather than always cave with the pressure to throw a whole box of crap food in my mouth like I am guilty for thinking that. In previous times, I pretty much always engaged in stress eating mind-LESSly, because I was eating only based on my feelings.

I support that both are important, to be intuitive and logical, in order to have a well rounded mindset. In this part of my story, the logical, science based part has brought me to peace.

In my story…

2011/2012-Started with meal plans to set me on the right path with Natalie Calland & The Fitness Factory. I lost 20lbs and freed myself of a lot of unwanted body fat.

2013-Left Bodybuilding, broke off the meal plan and learned to count macros on my own.

2014-Joined Powerlifting & Olympic Lifting, still coaching myself

2014/2015-Returned to the meal plan in order to help me provide structure during hard schooling.

2015-Broke off of the meal plan so that I could again learn how to have complete freedom of choice to own my own self and learn about myself in my relationship with food. Still coaching myself.

2016-Hired a new coach, Adam Atkinson, with Seeyoulaterleaner

Just like anything, it is a process, and whether the chicken or the egg comes first, depends on where you are in your journey. Both parts are important, so pick an angle and start working! 

*Before all the formal names and numbers of certifications, I am a girl with a dream and a story, a passion for people, and a passion for understanding everything to do with how to help people live and perform better in life. My purpose in life is to lead people to understand the most unlimited version of themselves.

**I am an Sports Performance Coach/Personal Trainer/National Level Olympic Weightlifter with 5 years of experience in the field as a coach and a competitor with education in exercise science, sports performance, and nutrition. Some through formal schooling at Ohio State, USAW, and WITS, and through informal education through the top notch professors in the industry, such as Dr. Layne Norton. Currently working on a CSCS Certification with NSCA and applying for a Master’s degree in kinesiology**

Be Strong and Be Superfly, always,