Instagram might make dieting look cool and give you the impression that it is very easy; however, in reality, this is far from the truth.

If you follow competitors on Instagram, you may see that – on the odd occasion, whilst they are dieting – they will have a day in which they consume a lot of food. This is known as a refeed.

As I write this (Aug 2021), I am currently in the process of doing 4 shows in a twenty-day period! It’s the first time in my competitive career that I’ve ever done something like this. In 2017 I only did one show; then in 2020 I did one show before lockdown hit, and therefore I had never truly experienced what it feels like to do back-to-back shows or multiple shows over a short period of time.

Although many things have changed over the years with bodybuilding, there are two things that have remained consistent: the rate at which you add muscle mass and the rate at which you lose body fat. The only thing that has changed over the years is our patience with each of those goals.

A high day(s) is a simply a strategic increase in calories that is used during prolonged dieting phases, to aid with fat loss. It used to be more frequently referred to as a ‘refeed day’, but the terminology has changed, along with its practice and how its implemented.

For the most part, if you are new to the bodybuilding scene and have never actually gone through a gaining phase or ‘bulk’, as it’s commonly referred to, you’ll more than likely stick with your coach throughout this phase of your training. However, if you are a seasoned competitor or have some experience/knowledge of offseasons, that might not always be the case.

In the final few days, as you prepare for your show/shoot, your coach might recommend you take natural diuretics, so you might be wondering what they do. Before we get into it though, I should probably say that if you are not lean enough, these will not change how your physique looks. However, if you are, they can create a slight change that can be advantageous for your show/shoot.

Are you sick of spending time training but not seeing the results you want or expected? Well, here’s a question you need to ask yourself: How hard are you working when nobody is watching?

Is this you? Do you feel like you’ll never be able to achieve an elite physique? Do a photoshoot? Step on stage? Here’s the thing: neither did I. But yet, irrespective of that, I tried. I didn’t let that stop me. And trust me, there were many times where I felt like I wish it had.

So, you’ve started a dieting-phase, and all is going well. Feeling a bit leaner, dropping weight on the scale, not struggling at all… till it hits you. The HUNGER is suddenly real, and you can feel yourself drooling over high calorie foods that you’d love to eat, but you know won’t help you achieve your goals.

Have you ever experienced self-doubt when it comes to your ability to achieve a goal? Yes, me too. In fact, we all have. As a competitor (beginner or experienced!) and/or as someone who is currently transforming and elevating their physique, you WILL question yourself and your ability to accomplish whatever you set out to do

Let’s be honest, in an Instagram world that promotes being lean year-round as the epitome of fitness, going into a gaining phase / offseason / push phase as a female can be a real mental challenge

If you’ve ever taken part in any sports or performed anything (dance, music, singing, …) in front of an audience or crowd, it’s likely you’ll be familiar with experiencing some degree of competitive nerves or anxiety.

If you have competed before, or have gotten extremely lean, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when I refer to “prep brain”. If you haven’t been there before but are currently dieting for the first time, you will no doubt find out about prep brain soon enough. It’s not actually something you really need to worry about – it’s more just about knowing that the leaner you get and the closer it gets to your show/shoot, the very logical part of your brain may simply not be as rational as it normally is.

In the later stages of extreme dieting, it’s no secret one can lose their love for training. This is mainly because you’re experiencing constant low energy levels and fatigue; paired with the fact that strength isn’t nearly as high as it was during the off-season/gaining phase, it can be hard to find the same enjoyment as before.