Competing again... maybe

Green_eyed_beauty

On Feb 4th of 2013, I started training hard core for a fitness competition (NPC bikini) that was April 20st... so a little over 11 weeks of prep and I had no clue what I was doing. LOL!! LOVED the experience, loved how I felt and looked... but I fell off the wagon of working out... I don't do well if I don't have a goal to work towards.
Now, I am trying to decide if I want to do it again... I will have 13 solid weeks of prep and I know what I am doing now with diet and what weights & cardio to do... I should be set to rock it this year....
Only one thing that has been in my mind to prevent me doing it again... being 31 years old with no children, the concern of hormone issues & fertility come up, but then I see ladies who have competed having kids with no issues... any advise??

woodml1

I haven't heard of many people who have had problems, as long as you're not taking supplements that mess with your hormones or drastically cutting weight (causing damage to your metabolism). Most of that should be preventable through a healthy prep and working with your doctor. Have you talked to your doctor yet? Did you have any negative hormonal effects during your first prep and, if so, do you know what caused them?

Green_eyed_beauty

I was on hormonal birth control the last time I competed and now I am not (only have been off it about 4/5 months, for the first time in 15 years). So I am not sure if it did anything last time.
Also, I did talk to my doctor and she suggested that I not go that low on my body fat again... but I have a hard time believing that because the area that I live in is so overrun with heavy people that I get concerned that the "norm" here is not really normal for the rest of the world.
I guess that is why I am turning here to ask the question because I think other ladies experiences may be a different source to pull from.

woodml1

I would talk to your gyno about potential hormonal issues. I recently got off BC after about 10 years on it because I was having hormonal problems. Mine said that my endocrine system can take as much as a year to rebound or might be permanently damaged. Apparently all of that is in the fine print but my 18-year-old self either didn't listen or didn't care. I feel like the gyno (as opposed to a general practice doc) might be able to help you better separate BC effects, normal aging, and hormonal effects of weight loss.

Even if you don't compete again... there are plenty of goals out there to strive for! I'd just hate to see you elect not to do something you enjoy because of one doctor's opinion. That's what second opinions were created for

3dogsrunning

I competed in figure in April 2012 (and went off birth control pills before comp). I chose not to compete in 2013 because I was trying to get pregnant since around November/December of '12. It ended up taking me almost a year exactly to get pregnant (ended up pregnant in Nov '13). I don't know if competing played a role or not. They don't consider it an issue if it is less than 1 year and I had been tested and was ovulating regularly so I'd lean towards not.
My trainer has competed numerous times including only a few months after having her first and hasn't had an issue conceiving but she is a little younger.

I don't know if that helps or not.

I also agree with above poster, there are always differing opinions and I'd go with specialists opinions moreso than GPs.

Green_eyed_beauty

Thank you woodml1 and 3dogsrunning for your experiences.