Zlattie | Online Coach

I love bodybuilding. But loving the sport also means being honest about your experience within it and readiness to commit before you blame it for ruining your relationship with food and your body.

Before your first prep, what was your relationship with food like? How did you feel when you missed a session? Were you already waiting for a different body to finally feel good enough?

Those are uncomfortable questions, but they matter.

Having a plan can feel reassuring. You know what to eat, what to train and what you’re working towards. But following that plan perfectly doesn’t necessarily mean the guilt, fear or need for control has gone away.

Equally, prep can bring its own difficulties. We can acknowledge that without assuming every struggle began with bodybuilding or that every struggle was already there.

For me, this is where honesty matters. If eating more frightens you, if a rest day needs to be “earned”, or if your check-in determines your mood for the entire day, that deserves a conversation beyond whether your macros need changing.

As a coach, I want to know how you’re experiencing the process, as well as whether you’re following it. And part of good coaching is recognising when you need support beyond what a coach can provide.

Before your next prep, give your relationship with food, exercise and yourself the same attention you give your physique.