CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE November/December ISSUE | Page 98

05
This is why planning out your off season protocols
should be done right away. Staying positive during
this time can be harder to do for many but it's
something you should take note of before the big day
arrives, this way you are ready in advance.
STOPPING FAT BURNERS
COLD TURKEY OR
STAYING ON TOO LONG
18
This is another set of problems many competitors are
guilty of. Up until the show you have been dieting in a
caloric deficit most likely all the while training twice
per day with your weights and cardio. During this time
you may have employed a fat burner of some type to
help shed the unwanted fat a little faster than your
genetic potential would allow. One of the last things
you want to do after a contest is to dramatically
increase your caloric intake especially from processed
foods and stop your thermogenic agents cold turkey.
At this point you are also reducing your cardio
duration and intensity. Your overall caloric
expenditure is a mere fraction of what it was a week or
two earlier so it's like adding gasoline to a fire. This is
not the time to stop your fat burners outright. A better
way to deal with this is to keep them at the same dose
during your post contest week then slowly taper them
down over the next two to three weeks until you are
off. This will allow your body to get used to the
reduction in these compounds and not rebound as
severely as if you cut them straight away.
NOT CHECKING IN WITH YOUR
COACH WEEKLY
This is my final and key point you all should take note
of. Your coach was there for you during the entire
prep time. You most likely met with him or her at least
once per week and for some of you several times per
week right up till the show.