After nearly two weeks of stuffing my face carefree eating....I am pulling in the reins...hopefully!
Anyone who has followed my blog for the last few months or paid attention to some of my facebook comments would know that for pretty much the whole comp prep, I've been consumed with food. This is not unique to just me...anyone who has competed in bodybuilding or figure, or knows someone who has competed...or for that matter anyone that's been on a restricted diet would be very familiar with the over-bearing obsession with food. Just have a look here and here as a couple of examples of my own obsession. And that's just a small tidbit of what I thought about as soon as I said I was on a comp "diet". And, so, the aftermath has been me eating, and eating like there is no tomorrow! I have not allowed myself to even want food-I just start eating as soon as I'm not full anymore. But I think I've caught it in time.
After bringing this up over on LINDY'S FORUM, the lovely seasoned competitor, RAE CATTACH brought the following information to my attention. The Minnesota Starvation Experiment. Have you ever heard of it? Probably not. I doubt that many coaches or trainers of figure and bodybuilding hopefuls have even heard about it. If you are going on a restrictive diet or planning on competing in bodybuilding or figure, I highly recommend you research this fascinating experiment.
After reading the info that Rae provided and doing a bit of a Google search, I have a much better understanding of what is going on in my body and mind. Though in the experiment, the volunteers were on an even more drastic diet than we are on for comp prep, heaps of the information regarding what they went through rang so true! The full report of results from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment was published in 1950 in a two-volume, 1,385 page text entitled The Biology of Human Starvation (University of Minneapolis Press). The fifty chapters of this treatise contain an extensive analysis of the physiological and psychological data collected during the study together with a comprehensive literature review.
The following is an excerpt that Rae found on a website-I'm betting that you figure gals out there will be nodding heavily in agreement as you read the list!
The Minnesota Starvation Study studied 36 physically and emotionally strong and healthy young men over 12 months. Most were members of the pacifist Brethren Church and therefore conscientious objectors to the war, well educated, and idealistic.
The first three months of the study closely monitored the mens’ normal eating and activity patterns. For the next six months they followed a semi-starvation diet of around 1500 calories a day, and the final three months involved re-feeding.
During the six months of semi-starvation the men lost around 25% of their body weight, and some startling patterns emerged:
They became obsessed with food, it was the major topic of conversation and reading, several so much so that after the study they changed their career plans and became chefs. They dawdled over their meals for up to two hours.
They ate every last crumb and many even licked their plates.
They drank more tea and coffee and ate more gum.
They smoked more, some non-smokers became smokers.
Their weight loss was also an endless topic of conversation. Several reported being annoyed about it in others, but were unable to stop themselves doing it
They became highly nervous, restless, anxious, apathetic, moody, tired, and depressed.
Mood swings were common.
They were unable to concentrate and their interests narrowed.
They became very self-centered and antisocial, looking out only for themselves; their sense of compassion for others faded along with their idealism, previously a driving force in their lives.
They lost their ambition.
They neglected their personal appearance.
They lost interest in their girlfriends, replacing their pictures with pictures of food. They seemed to lose their libidos.
Psychological tests confirmed that their hypochondria, hysteria, and depression had all increased markedly.
Their metabolisms dropped by almost 40%, saving 600 calories per day.
Their heart volumes shrank by about 20%. Their pulses slowed and they felt cold.
Many other physical symptoms rose: skin ulcers, thinning hair, aching eyes, ringing in the ears, insomnia, dizziness, stomach pains, headaches, muscle cramps, tingling in their extremities, frequent urination, and they reported feeling old.
Then there was the refeeding phase:
As soon as they were allowed to eat more, they gorged. Their appetites were insatiable. Most found it hard to stop eating even when they felt stuffed. They continued to lick their plates. In week 13 of refeeeding calorie restrictions were removed, and they ate over 5000 each, each day. They ate nearly continuously, and slept most of the time they were not eating.
Their social behaviour was not improved – they still lived essentially isolated and alone. It took nearly five months for the mens’ interest in others to return.
And what happened to their post-study weight? They rapidly gained body fat. They quickly exceeded their original weights by 10%. Then their bodies stabilised as the food supply was guaranteed, within about nine months after refeeding began most had returned to their pre-study weight. The men who ate the most food had the greatest increase in metabolic rate.
I just think it's very important for people to understand that what we are doing to our bodies for these figure comps should not be taken light hearted. Even when the best of care is taken to try to ensure proper health is maintained....in the end we are doing something very drastic to our bodies. I just think it's important for us gals to go in with eyes wide open. Too often the after effects can be very detrimental if we don't realise that we have just put our bodies through hell, and it's going to rebel one way or another.
It might not even happen the first time you compete. I've talked with gals that it didn't happen until the 3rd or 4th time; for me it didn't happen the first time really. But I sure ate beyond my capabilities over the last week and a half! It snuck up on me because I was not mentally ready for it. Something just triggered-probably from doing 2 comps in a row...my head and body said-right, that's it...no more hunger! And believe me I have not felt hunger in exactly 11 days!
So, please, do your research! And don't go in with blinders on. Awareness is half the battle, knowledge is another quarter and action is the rest! For me, now I'm taking action and am going back to my normal eating habits.
Ciao for now!
