Show & Tell: Adult Version
Nine Years in the Making
Before enduring any of my recent medical vicissitudes, a personal trainer friend encouraged me to participate in the bikini division of a bodybuilding show, and the idea has been simmering on the back burner of my brain for nearly a decade.
So when I discovered the OCB is hosting a show this June at Greenville Tech - practically in my backyard - I signed up on a whim!
I see bodybuilding shows (at least, natural ones like this one) as the adult version of show and tell: When you show the world your body, it’s a way of telling them your story. It reveals not only the athlete’s striated muscles, but hours of discipline, thousands of choices made at the kitchen table, and the extent to which they pushed themselves before the cameras and stage lights turned on.
It’s like mama always said, “If you have to tell everyone you’re a lady, you probably aren’t.” Same with muscles: You can talk a big game, but when it’s time for the big reveal, no amount of political savvy or eloquence can add an inch to those biceps.
There’s something energizing about having a competitive goal at which to direct your energy. I’ve been weightlifting for years now, and it can be difficult sometimes to focus and stay disciplined. Training to maintain my physique is certainly not a bad thing, but it’s not fresh or sexy. It doesn’t always excite me enough to leap out of bed, push for that extra rep, or add the additional weightplate. Now I’m ready for a new year and new challenges to my competitive limits.
y Tho?
One thing I wanted to be absolutely certain about was my reason for pursuing this endeavor. I asked myself, “Is this just about looking a certain way?” I don’t want to feed the body dysmorphia that accompanied my eating disorder for so long. Besides, the daily weigh-ins and tracking of macros and calories necessary to achieve bodybuilding goals can be triggering.
After prayer and much thought, I concluded that my purpose is much deeper than appearances. While we all want to look good naked, and I certainly won’t be upset about adding muscles and becoming strong and lean, I want to show the world that an amputation or any other traumatic event shouldn’t stop you from achieving your goals. I also want to close the coffin on body dysmorphia and my eating disorder, and resoundingly nail it shut. I refuse to allow anyone else to dictate what I should look like. Lastly, this competition is just as much a mental challenge as a physical one, and I’m ready to take it on. Discipline is lacking in our modern world, and I believe doing difficult things gives purpose to life. God didn’t give us strong bodies to sit on the couch, and we should all wake up daily asking ourselves, “What am I capable of?”
And then we should do nothing less.
Planning for Success
I’m stoked to announce that I’ll be working with Greg Mahler (@ketogreg80 on Instagram) to help me prepare for my show. Greg has years of experience in the ketogenic bodybuilding world and has a well deserved champion’s mentality and reputation.
Greg has over two decades of bodybuilding experience and has been keto for nearly half of that time.
On December 31, I’m heading to the new DexaFit in Greenville to get a complete body analysis and RMR test, so I know exactly where I’m starting. My primary goal is to add additional lean mass, and these measurements will help me determine my baseline so we can set goals and protocols for smashing them.
Unfortunately, I pulled my shoulder and haven’t been able to hit the weights at the level to which I have grown accustomed for about a week. This is causing me mental anguish but also providing an opportunity for me to practice reframing those negative thoughts into positive visualizations of what I will achieve on the other side of this setback. It’s also a great chance for me to train my leg and a half at a higher intensity.
As I navigate this new universe, I’ll post high- (and low-)lights, including what it’s like to train with a prosthetic, and look forward to learning everything I can about improving my physical and mental self-discipline! Be sure you’re connected with me on Instagram too - it’s the best way to see my daily updates.
