We needed off the last article on a very controversial topic. My mind was fighting between whether I stick to my beliefs and sacrifice my career or risk my health by taking the experimental Covid-19 vaccine?
After many emotional nights with my wife and some deep thought, the decision was made to proceed with my career and get the vaccination. I’ve worked too hard to get where I’m at to be strong-armed into losing it all. So now that is done, time to let it be the past and stay focused on the future.
Unfortunately, the path forward didn’t last long. I need up in Urgent Care 7 days after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine with chest pains. They started out light and hardly noticeable. Day after day, the pains continued to worsen. They reach the point where the shooting pains were taking my breath away. I was hooked up to ECG machines, had X-rays and so much blood work done. I was surprised I didn’t need a transfusion.
Although we had a little speed bump, we’re more focused than ever. There is a job that needs to be done and we’re working every day to make sure we make it happen. I’m noticing daily changes in my body composition, which is substantially helping with my motivation and pushing through the tough moments during this contest prep.
All the results came back as inconclusive and nothing wrong was found with my cardiovascular system. This, of course, was relieving news, however frustrating considering the circumstances of the situation. Since then, the chest pains have dissipated and now we’re back training to full intensity.
Although we had a little speed bump, we’re more focused than ever. There is a job that needs to be done and we’re working every day to make sure we make it happen. I’m noticing daily changes in my body composition, which is substantially helping with my motivation and pushing through the tough moments during this contest prep. Like dragging my butt out of bed in the morning to do an hour of fasted cardio or eating the same plain meals day in and day out. I’m starting to become ravenous between meals and I am having to spread them further and further apart in order to maintain some kind of satiety throughout the day.
This is starting to play its toll. The physical and mental stress of controlled starvation aka contest prep is quickly wearing me down. I couldn’t attend my family’s Thanksgiving dinner this year. One of many sacrifices that must be made during contest prep. My grandparent hosted the dinner and was leaving for Arizona soon after the gathering. Unfortunately, I was unable to see them before they left. Yet another sacrifice that had to be made for my success.
Surprisingly, they weren’t disappointed. They told me that after reading my book (The Good, The Bad, And The Heavy–The Bold Truth About Bodybuilding) that they completely understood why I couldn’t come. Experiencing that moment alone was worth publishing the book.
The relationship between my wife and me is starting to become divided. She is prepping for the same show as I am, and it’s most certainly challenging the strength of our relationship. We’re both quickly becoming increasingly more exhausted by each passing day. Our patience, even with the smallest of things, is becoming more fragile than my grandmother’s china.
Our conversations have become short with little to no emotion. We’re both starving and living in a constant state of unease. Both of us can see that one of our emotional rubber bands is about to snap. We haven’t been on a date for months. Between the amount of training, cardio, careers, food prep and exhaustion, we haven’t been able to spend any quality time together. With the persistent, almost permanent, state of exhaustion, both of our sex drives have completely tanked and we haven’t been able to have any intimacy for weeks.
As you can see, if either one of us wasn’t involved in the industry to understand exactly how it feels physically and emotionally through a high-end contest prep, how it can easily turn the strongest relationship into dust. I have become now become exhausted to the point that I have never felt before and the concern for my physical health is crossing my mind.
I have now pushed my body beyond its limits and it’s starting to shut down. I’ve crashed. With only 6 weeks left, what do I do now?
