What is "The Off Season"?

Never competed, but familiar with the phrases "off season" and "contest prep"?  Let me give you the skinny on the not so skinny off season through my eyes.

I started prepping for my first figure competition in November 2009.  My last competition was in June of this year.  Since I began competing, I have not had an off season until this past August.  Confused???  Let me explain...

Contest preps begin approximately 12 weeks out from the competition date.  That means that at that point my nutrition plan, my supplements, workouts, including cardio are all geared toward one goal, and that's getting me lean for my show while maintaining as much muscle as possible.

Averaging around 3-4 competitions a year, typically I'd had about a month or two in between preps to enjoy whatever I wanted until the next prep cycle began.  Think about that for a minute... 30-60 days to satisfy every craving I had and couldn't indulge in while on season.  The first two weeks post prep for me were a joke!  I was like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"!
Breakfast:  Pancakes
Lunch:  Typically clean but not without a slice of Organica carrot cake for dessert
Dinner:  Pizza
Snacks:  Whatever I could get my mouth on!
I think I could eat Ms. Pac Man under a table those first two weeks!

After I've blown up like a balloon from shocking my system with the insurgence of sugar, salt and carbs, here comes the deconstruction of Kenyatta.  I don't completely go clean after the two weeks.  Hey!  I still have 10 weeks worth of cravings to satisfy!  But let's face it, it's not a healthy way to go about starting off season.  Nor is it the prettiest.

I ended my last prep season this past June and was determined that I would not have pancakes for breakfast everyday and would begin prep for Kentucky in August.  After two weeks of the new prep I decided I wasn't ready.  My body and mind needed a break and I needed to reconnect with my family and friends.  It can be challenging to maintain those connections when you live in a gym and out of a chicken breast filled Ziplock bag.

So far since I've been "off", I enjoyed being able to train heavy and strategically focus on the areas of my body that need to be improved (legs, legs, glutes, legs).  My calorie intake has gone up, but it is very clean and unprocessed...with the exception of my pancakes that I can eat everyday.

With that said, I have not blown up and am still able to fit into most of my clothes and I have been able to maintain a shape.  No, I am not ripped like I would be for a competition but I am comfortable with where I am and just being me.

The best part about it is I've pretty much reduced my cardio sessions down to nothing!  Yes, I put some in a few times a week but its more mental than it is for burning.  There's nothing like a good sweat.  But weaning off of cardio helps so when I start up again, the double rounds of cardio are not necessary.

I have learned from my husband's recent  prep, if you DO NOT cheat on your plan and are following it to the letter, crazy amounts of cardio are not needed to get contest ready.  (I am so jealous.  He did his whole prep with only 20 min. of cardio 4 times a week!)

If you treat your body right and give it an off season, you can go back on with the mission of reducing the fat minimizing muscle burn in the process.  Totally enjoying off season and all the fun that comes with it!