sugar crash

[CC79]

Just a question, since going off my diet last Saturday I have totally lost control for any and all sugar (chocolate /candy) I feel like I cant regulate my Blood Sugar levels to get back to normal. So I am going nuts with anything in front of me.
I have gained a bit of weight but I need to stop with this craziness.............any suggestions on what to take? I know there is a B, S pill you can take or does anyone have a better resolution to help get things back to normal?
I am sure I am not alone in this experience but after a week somethings gotta give .

[steve_d]

The only way to regulate the blood sugar levels is to basically go back to the way you were eating before the show. slowly re-introduce your old foods back into the diet, and try not to eat everything you've been craving for the past months all at once. You almost have to diet backwards for 12 weeks in the same way that you were likely gradually making things more strict as the contest day came, you should "taper" backwards for the same amount of time!

you have to use the will power that got you to stay on the diet in the first place to gradually get things back to normal. this is the type of thing that 90% or more of post competition dieters face and trust me, it can be hard to control when there is no contest weeks in front of you.

[ironwill]

Chromium picolinate will help a lot with sugar regulation and alleviates cravings for them, as well as alpha lipoic acid....Take 200 mcgs per meal for a couple of days and you will notice a difference...

[69challenger]

The only way to regulate the blood sugar levels is to basically go back to the way you were eating before the show. slowly re-introduce your old foods back into the diet, and try not to eat everything you've been craving for the past months all at once. You almost have to diet backwards for 12 weeks in the same way that you were likely gradually making things more strict as the contest day came, you should "taper" backwards for the same amount of time!

you have to use the will power that got you to stay on the diet in the first place to gradually get things back to normal. this is the type of thing that 90% or more of post competition dieters face and trust me, it can be hard to control when there is no contest weeks in front of you.

THIS

[CC79]

thanks guys , i will try both ...............getting back onto my deit and the acid before meals , hopefully this will pass. I was sure I would gain a bit after the show but I had no idea what was going on with these cravings let alone if it was normal, thanks for the advise , much appericated .

[steve_d]

everyone gains a tun of water after a show. Even if you are extremely strict. the mental part of it is that the water feels like fat - or even worse than fat, and by the time the water rebound goes away, it is replaced by fat. So most people end up looking pretty puffy right away, and by the time the water is gone its too late, because they neglacted the diet long enough for it to be replaced by fat.

If you're strict about it, and only do a moderate cheat for a few days, then come two weeks time, the water will be out, and you'll look like you did 1 month out, which for most is quite great! from there, try not to gain more than 1 pound per week. I find this much better than going nuts for 2-3 weeks, gaining a tun of fat an basically never getting a chance to actually enjoy being lean.

During contest prop, most people are so critical with themselves, that even with a few weeks to go, the minor flaws make you cringe. 6 months down the road, you look back and think: "why the hell did I feel bad about the way I looked"...This is the opposite after a show if you looked that same way. you'll feel great about the way you look when you don't need to obsess about every little detail. That's why I think its so important for everyone not only physically but mentally to make sure not to go nuts after a show.

[ironwill]

Maybe im weird, but i never gained anywater after the show.......I ate quite a bit also......i stayed friggin lean and vascular as hell for about 2 months before i could even start gaining fat, or water....Now today, i have 1 cheat meal or an evening of cheat meals i should say, and i swell up.....Not sure why i never got that big post show rebound everyone else does...CC and i ate the same stuff and she got the rebound.....

[69challenger]

^^^I'm the same IW. Don't "rebound" after my shows, but I have a cheat tonight and will be 4-5lbs heavier tomorrow morning. I know it's water because scale will be back sown by wednesday am.

[steve_d]

the rebound to me is 90% due to being dehydrated. I hear people say "not used to carbs etc", but my first diet was about 70% carbs, 20% protein, and 10% fat. I was "used" to carbs.

If you don't dehydrate as much, and especially if you don't "binge" after a show, you're likely not going to get as much of a rebound. Some people are used to eating say 2000 calories a day for months, doing an hour of cardio a day, and then having no water for 24 hours straight during the show day. Then for the next week its 8000 calories a day, zero cardio. THAT will give you a rebound.

[countrychic]

I had cankles :shock:o the rebound was terrible I will never do that again. I could barely get my workboots on :p

Even now on cheat night, my cheeks feel full in the morning and I am 4lbs heavier on the scale in the am. This is gone by mid week as well.

[CC79]

Well I wish i didnt "celebrate " that much this week after the show , however I did and what's done is done and I hope I can regain control cause its only been a week . I guess its a lesson learned and back to the gym tomorrow and hopefully my body will repbound a little and not look so .........."full". I worked hard to do what i did and now I just need to smarten up and get focused again. Maybe not all is lost

thanks all for the insite and info, .......... cause I wont do this again

[ange_d]

It's never too late but you will have to use the will power you had leading up to the show.

And...don't feel bad we've all been there! Well maybe not all, but I sure have!

Was it your 1st show? I found my 1st "post show" the worst! No one prepared me for after the show, all the focus was on the show itself. I blew up so bad I had to lie on the couch with my legs in the air because of all the swelling in my legs! Was the suckiest thing ever and I learned my lesson (the hard way).

[CC79]

It's never too late but you will have to use the will power you had leading up to the show.

And...don't feel bad we've all been there! Well maybe not all, but I sure have!

Was it your 1st show? I found my 1st "post show" the worst! No one prepared me for after the show, all the focus was on the show itself. I blew up so bad I had to lie on the couch with my legs in the air because of all the swelling in my legs! Was the suckiest thing ever and I learned my lesson (the hard way).

Yes it was my first show ..........and I was told to take it easy and not go crazy but I somewhere forgot what people had told me and ,,,,,,,,,,,,,well here I am. Iam trying not to beat myself up too much either.
thanks for letting me know that "show.#1" comes with its learning curves and Iam not the only one to do ..........this my first go around.

support well recieved ;) thanks

[Mastagon]

Chromium picolinate will help a lot with sugar regulation and alleviates cravings for them, as well as alpha lipoic acid....Take 200 mcgs per meal for a couple of days and you will notice a difference...

Also vit K I've heard helps. Exercise as well helps I've found.

[CC79]

well I got the ALA , its kinda working ............any thoughts on Chromium on top of the ALA ?? outside of will power ? Just didnt know if I should do both?

[Ritch]

What about vanadyl sulfate?

[steve_d]

glutamine helps a bit for me, as well as keeping healthy fats up, and basically just eliminating any carbs other than veggies. If I get a taste of anything sweet (rice cakes, or even oatmeal) is hard to want to stop - although, at this point in my diet, any carbs I eat are planned, and only to get my workouts going.

but since you're not prepping for a show in the near future, you just have to figure out what works, and try your best to just live as normal as you can. This sport can play mind games on you. I can't count how many people develop eating disorders just from doing a show for the first time. It's tough...

[CC79]

What about vanadyl sulfate?


Never heard of this ,have you used this before ?

[CC79]

glutamine helps a bit for me, as well as keeping healthy fats up, and basically just eliminating any carbs other than veggies. If I get a taste of anything sweet (rice cakes, or even oatmeal) is hard to want to stop - although, at this point in my diet, any carbs I eat are planned, and only to get my workouts going.

but since you're not prepping for a show in the near future, you just have to figure out what works, and try your best to just live as normal as you can. This sport can play mind games on you. I can't count how many people develop eating disorders just from doing a show for the first time. It's tough...


Ya I hear ya ........I have tons of will power and looking forward to gaining some size for provincals next june . I total can see how this sport can play games with your mind and eating habbits , I am glade I am not that bad just trying to resume a lifestyle that I had before ( I never liked sweets at all) now I am all over them . I think I will level out and I like the idea of not having tons of carbs and not "tasting " anything

thanks again for the advice , just need to focus on what people are helping me with.

[gregdoucette]

Forget the vanadyl and cromiaum and whatever other majic pills ur hopiong will work. U need to listen to what Steve said. U need to diet after the show is over thats the advice I give everyone.