IFBB Professional Julia Rene dissects her struggles with low season weight acquire, cravings, physique picture, and extra.
Final up to date on October twenty ninth, 2024
Bodybuilding pushes the bounds of human capabilities by means of excessive bodily adjustments, demanding monumental psychological resilience. Whereas getting ready for a bodybuilding present is arguably essentially the most difficult, post-competition has its personal complexities.
On Oct. 13, 2024, IFBB Wellness Professional bodybuilder Julia Rene opened up about these challenges. Rene was coming off a seventh-place end on the 2024 Legion Sports Fest on Sep. 28, into her low season, accompanied by fast weight acquire, ravenous cravings, and body image struggles.
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Off-Season Mode
After her current competitors, Rene indulged in her favourite junk meals, leaping from her stage weight of 132 kilos to 140 kilos in that first week post-show. Although it appears drastic, weight rebound is widespread, and consuming “cheat meals” strikes the dial on the dimensions by way of water weight.
Meals has weight. The size doesn’t imply the whole lot.
Regardless of understanding that weight rebound was inbound, Rene nonetheless encountered hurdles; she overlooked her abs and “freaked out a bit.”
I hated the best way I felt. Your physique will get so delicate to something totally different. I used to be uncomfortable, bloated, and sluggish.
Rene felt more and more hungrier, resulting in snacking impulsively.
Low season will be more durable than on-season as a result of you could have extra freedom to eat.
[Related: 10 Surprising Traps That Can Sabotage Your Diet]
Food plan and Cardio Modifications
Rene’s coach, John Caselena, launched her to reverse dieting, regularly growing her calorie intake in phases to make sure a wholesome weight restoration and stop fast weight acquire and unwanted side effects. It additionally stabilizes physique weight and prevents muscle loss throughout reducing phases.
Getting your physique again to a wholesome place after bodybuilding prep takes longer than folks notice.
The Wellness athlete adopted an preliminary two-week “deload” interval, coaching mild with excessive reps to assist her physique get better from months of intense coaching. She diminished her cardio from an hour and 45 minutes six days per week to 35-minute classes 5 days per week. Her focus is progressive overload for dimension and energy.
“o proceed to do a minimize since you worry what’s going to occur in the event you don’t…there’s one thing it’s worthwhile to deal with with meals.
Regardless of having her personal doubts and challenges, Rene trusts her course of.
Each day is a problem. I instantly verify myself; as a substitute of spiraling, I readjust. The one manner that occurs is that if I let it.
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Featured picture: @_juliarene on Instagram