It’s the first week of a new month which always seems to reset, refresh and recharge my energy levels for some reason. Perhaps it’s the change in temperature, the feeling of a new beginning or the fact that the gyms are becoming busier again that reignites my passion to train myself and assist others on their quest to reach their target fitness goals. As a small business owner who’s company continues to grow each year, my philosophy is to work hard now while I’m still young (relatively) and full of energy and then play hard later when I’m older and perhaps a little bit more slower. With that said, I like to work. I enjoy going to work. I read an article the other day that stated that over 80% of the population dislike their jobs. I feel so fortunate to work in an industry that I love and to have a career that I enjoy. As much as I like to work long hours in the gym with clients followed by a few more hours in the office catching up on emails, designing nutritional plans and training programs, I felt like I needed to do something else though. Something a little bit more challenging. Something that was going to test me both mentally and physically and push me beyond my limits. So about a month ago I decided to come out of retirement, cut my carbs, increase my cardio, deprive myself of all life’s short term gratifications and you guessed it, step on stage and compete one last time….

I’ve been on my contest prep diet now for just over 4 weeks. During that time I’ve lost over 20lbs, I have veins that are literally sticking out of my stomach and my muscles are popping out from every imaginable angle. In other words, as my fellow bodybuilders would say – I’m “Shredded”. Being “Shredded” or “Ripped” for a fitness competition is always a good sign. This shows that the athlete’s condition is up to par and that he or she is “stage ready”. When I say stage ready I mean single digit body fat levels for men and low double digit levels for women.

Perfect! So I’m ready, well at least I think I’m ready, that decision will be left up to the judges to decided as to just how ready I actually am. As of today, I currently sit five days our from my next fitness competition. I’ve been receiving tons of compliments these past few weeks from clients and fellow gym members about how lean, defined and muscular I am looking. All these compliments have made me feel great and confident going into this weekend’s show. With my body looking in it’s best condition that it’s been in over a few years one would think I would be happy and overjoyed. But truth be told I actually feel drained, lethargic, irritable, and my most feared word and emotion of all……TIRED!

Now rather then bitch and complain about how hard my training and diet has become over these past few weeks I would rather be brutally honest and explain about the sacrifices that I’ve had to make and the mixed emotions that I feel on a daily basis just to obtain what society views as the “Perfect Body”. Now before I start, just to be clear, I do not think that I have the “Perfect Body”. I actually think it’s impossible to achieve the “Perfect Body”. We all have at least one part of our physical appearance that we would like to change. And I can guarantee you that even if you ask a person who’s body you admire most if they are completely honestly satisfied with their physique they will tell you that they have something that they would like to be either tighter, smaller, bigger, or removed all together. Trust me. I work with plenty of fitness competitors, we can be very vain people.

So back to my prep. Actually let’s rephrase that. Prepping for a show is boring and the majority of the population can’t even relate to it. So let’s relate my current experience to that of a person who has started or is currently following a restricted meal plan otherwise known as the dreaded, evil word – “A Diet”.

Ugh. I’m just going to come out and say it – DIETING SUCKS! No it’s not fun, No it’s not easy and No it’s definitely NOT HEALTHY. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to decline an invitation to dinner or go out to a restaurant with friends because the foods offered at these places aren’t in my “Meal Plan”. Or how about the times when I’m laying on the couch at night craving something sweet and can’t even have a piece of fruit because it doesn’t fit my “macros” for the day. Oh and did I mention that the only time I actually lay on my couch at the end of the day is when my energy levels are too low from, you guessed it – dieting. Sounds somewhat healthy right?

Don’t get me wrong, I love prepping for fitness competitions. To be able to do something that 90% of the population cannot do or are willing to put their bodies through does give me some sense of satisfaction. I like having the willpower and discipline to resist temptation and the desire to not give up when things get tough. I love going to the gym and watching my body change almost on a daily basis due to my currently low body fat levels. However I must admit it’s not as fun to do this when your daily calories have been cut in half.

So where am I going with all of this? Well for one, all the sacrifices and discomfort that I am experiencing through this process is short term. I personally would not and could not live my life like this. I’m currently on what you call an extreme diet plan. This particular diet does have an end though and a properly designed exit strategy. However I do know people who constantly struggle with their own body weights and self images and try to eat as I’m currently doing on a yearly basis. They are in a constant calorie deficit for days and sometimes weeks on end. They avoid social events due to lack of energy and portion control. They bring their bodies to extremely unhealthy levels by depriving themselves of essential nutrients due to the fear of a few extra calories. And then finally, within a few weeks they go on a crazy all out food binge for a few days, gain weight back due to a deadly, dieting, damaged metabolism and then repeat this vicious cycle all over again. Worst of all, none of these people are even training for a fitness show!

The reason why I decided to write and share my thoughts on extreme dieting this week is because I wanted to share just how dangerous and unhealthy these types of diets are. I make look pretty good right now but let me tell you I don’t feel very good or healthy. I would be much happier if I could sleep through the nights in full, have tons of energy throughout my days and go out and socialize with my friends and family. And if all this means having a few extra inches added to my waist line, then I’m completely fine with that as well. A week from now, I will be able to go back to my normal life again. I will still eat a relatively clean and healthy diet however I won’t have to make unnecessary sacrifices to maintain a body that I can’t even enjoy.

In my opinion life is much too short to deprive oneself of all it’s joys it has to offer. And at the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, I honestly think that obsessively counting calories, watching your macronutrients and weighing out everything you put into your body is a life of imprisonment. If you know you have to drop a few pounds then get your ass to the gym. Listen to your body. When you are full, stop. When you are craving sugar aim for the banana rather then the chocolate bar.

As much as I’ve enjoyed my contest prep I can honestly say that I’m looking much more forward to my life post-competition. A life with no food restriction. I’ve never been one to diet unless I am training for a show. I simply just listen to my body. It tells me what it needs and when it needs it. Trust your body, educate yourself on proper nutrition and don’t let emotions or bad decisions define your weight or health.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove