𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬

𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬

1. More isn’t better. Precision is.

I used to think more cardio, more volume, more restriction showed commitment.
Now I know: natural competitors win by managing stress, not stacking it.

2. Recovery is a performance variable, not a luxury.

Sleep quality, digestion, mood, body temp, and libido tell me more than any spreadsheet.
If recovery tanks, conditioning will stall—no matter how “perfect” the plan looks.

3. Food is hormonal communication, not just macros.

Calories matter. Macros matter.
But timing, digestion, food tolerance, and consistency matter more for naturals who don’t have pharmaceutical buffers.

4. Low calories are a tool, rarely the answer.

I’ve changed my mind completely here.
If a natural athlete needs extreme calorie cuts, something upstream is broken:

stress

sleep

steps

digestion

compliance Fix the system before you slash intake.

5. Cardio is there to support fat loss, not replace food.

I no longer use cardio to punish or “earn” food.
I use it to:

increase insulin sensitivity

support recovery

regulate appetite

improve look, not just scale weight

6. Consistency beats perfection every single time.

Naturals don’t need heroic weeks.
They need boring, repeatable days they can execute for 16+ weeks without nervous system burnout.

7. Supplementation should reduce stress, not compensate for it.

I used to think more supplements = better prep.
Now I ask:

> “Is this helping the body adapt… or just propping up a bad setup?”

Signals first. Supplements second.

8. Digestion is non-negotiable for conditioning.

If digestion is off, conditioning will lag period.
Bloating, irregularity, reflux, appetite swings… those aren’t “prep problems,” they’re prep limiters for natural athletes.

9. The leaner the athlete, the calmer the system must be.

This is one of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve had.
As body fat drops, stress tolerance drops too.
That means:
fewer changes
cleaner execution
more predictability Not chaos.

10. Stage shape is built before the final weeks.
Peak week doesn’t save bad prep.
The look comes from:
months of consistent inputs
stable habits
recovery being protected early
The final weeks should refine, not rescue.

BONUS at TEAM NXT LVL we can do all of this with your favorite foods, with social time and family time built in and without giving up your life during a prep.