| It's no secret that competitive bodybuilders are among | | | | - steamed veggies |
| the most successful dieters in the world at losing pure | | | | - sweet potatoes |
| bodyfat and getting "ripped". Bodybuilders do things | | | | Meal 5 |
| differently than the 95% of dieters who fail. And in this | | | | - protein drink |
| article I will outline the basics of a good bodybuilding | | | | I also salt my food and even add a couple shakes of |
| pre-contest diet plan. This information will really help | | | | salt to my protein drinks. This may seem off the wall |
| you if you are planning on competing in the future. And | | | | to most people. But I find that if I don't add salt to my |
| even if you are not really interested in getting on stage | | | | diet I get bad muscle cramps when training. Don't |
| as competitive bodybuilder, but you would like to look | | | | worry you will not retain water, your body will adjust to |
| like one, then the info covered here will help you get | | | | a higher salt intake within a few days and as long as |
| that lean "beach body" look. | | | | you are drinking lots of fluids your body will flush out |
| I've been competing in bodybuilding competitions since | | | | any excess water. I'll keep doing this until 2 days out |
| 1995 so I've picked up a few tricks over the years and | | | | from the show. |
| I'm going to share them with you here... | | | | I strive to be in shape one month out before the |
| I personally start dieting for a contest at least 6 | | | | contest and then just keep with the diet, cardio, training, |
| months in advance. I want to have plenty of time to | | | | etc. to let my conditioning just harden up. I won't lose a |
| prepare myself. For the first month I simply cut out all | | | | whole lot more bodyweight, but my skin will get tighter |
| junk foods and eat nothing but clean foods. Such as | | | | and thinner. |
| beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, | | | | I don't try and lift too heavy in the gym at this stage |
| rice, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. I eat about | | | | because I know that I will not gain any new muscle |
| 5-6 small meals each day. I drink plenty of water at | | | | during the last month before a contest, I am just trying |
| least 1 gallon a day. I will also do about 30 minutes of | | | | to maintain my muscle mass and get leaner. I basically |
| cardio exercise 4-6 times each week, before | | | | have my posing routine down pat. I just want keep |
| breakfast. I will continue my regular weight training | | | | plugging away consistently. The temptation to cheat on |
| workout. | | | | my diet is very strong now. It is very important not too |
| The second month of preparation is very similar to the | | | | cheat. I keep my eye on the finish line and know that |
| first. I will still eat the same as mentioned above. But I | | | | the dieting will be all over soon. |
| will increase my cardio exercise to at least 45 minutes, | | | | Carb Loading & Water Intake... |
| 5-7 times per week, before breakfast. The whole idea | | | | I do not carb deplete or carb load during the last week. |
| of doing cardio before breakfast is to help burn up | | | | I have tried all kinds of crazy stuff like this in the past |
| more stored bodyfat. At this time there is no food in | | | | and I found that it is best to just diet right up to the day |
| your system to be used as fuel so you'll burn more | | | | of the show. Carb depleting and carb loading is too "hit |
| bodyfat from your cardio. It also helps to jump start | | | | and miss" you risk screwing up your conditioning, it may |
| your metabolism for the day. After exercise your | | | | make you look a little better, or it could make you look |
| metabolism is elevated and remains so forseveral | | | | a lot worse. You are better off playing it safe by |
| hours. | | | | sticking to your diet and then just slightly increase your |
| The third month I get stricter with my diet. I will begin to | | | | carb intake slightly for a couple days before the show |
| cut back on my portions of starchy carbohydrates | | | | (i.e. instead of eating 1 potatoe at a meal, eat 2 |
| while keeping my protein intake high (between 250-300 | | | | potatoes, etc.). |
| grams of protein per day). I also eat more vegetables. | | | | During the last week I will increase my water intake to |
| My diet is now mainly foods such as very lean meat, | | | | about 2 gallons per day. I will stop all weight training and |
| poultry, fish, protein supplements, vegetables, rice, | | | | cardio a couple days before the contest to let my |
| potatoes, oatmeal, etc. I will increase my cardio to | | | | body rest and recover. |
| about 60 minutes each morning before breakfast. | | | | Friday night before the contest I will cut back on my |
| I'll also start taking a fat burner. For my last show I | | | | water intake and just have a small glass of water with |
| used "Palo Alto Labs Leviathan". I found that it worked | | | | each meal. I also take herbal diuretic capsules on |
| great, I would take 2 caps twice per day on an empty | | | | Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to help get rid of the |
| stomach. Once before cardio and again before my | | | | excess water under my skin. I do not cut my water |
| weight training workouts because it helps give me an | | | | intake entirely, just cut back. Cutting out water entirely |
| energy boost, curb my appetite, and raise my | | | | can leave you flat and smooth. You need some water |
| metabolism enabling me to burn more bodyfat. | | | | in your system in order to pump up and pose properly. |
| The fourth month is pretty much like the third month | | | | Tanning... |
| with dieting and doing cardio each morning before | | | | I'll go to the tanning salon about 4 times per week |
| breakfast. I will also start practicing my mandatory | | | | during the last 6 weeks prior to the contest. This will |
| poses 3-4 days per week. At this stage I am getting | | | | give me a base tan. Then on Friday before the show |
| lean and can start to see the definition showing in my | | | | I'll put on about 3-4 coats of ProTan. This is a spray |
| abs, legs, back, chest, etc... | | | | tan that you paint on with a sponge brush. Saturday |
| The fifth month before the contest I get stricter with | | | | morning before the show I'll also put on a coat of |
| my diet. I will eat approx. 1 gram of carbohydrate and | | | | Dream Tan. This is a dark tanning cream that you rub |
| 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight each | | | | on your skin. I'll put a coat of this on Saturday morning, |
| day. I don't normally count fat grams, but they are kept | | | | another coat before pre-judging, and again before the |
| as low as possible. But I will include essential fats | | | | evening show. Dream Tan works great and it has oil in |
| through flaxseeds, fish oil, etc. | | | | the tan so you do not need to use much if any |
| A typical day will go like this: | | | | additional posing oils. |
| Cardio | | | | Back Stage... |
| - take fat burner and black coffee | | | | When I go to the contest I take a MP3 player with my |
| - 1 hour of cardio | | | | posing music. I try to find a place by myself back |
| Meal 1 | | | | stage so I can practice my posing routine. By doing this, |
| - bowl of oatmeal mixed with protein powder | | | | my routine is fresh in my mind before going on stage in |
| - egg whites | | | | front of the audience and judges. |
| Meal 2 | | | | When pumping up before going on stage I will do |
| - chicken breast | | | | some light, high rep, upper body exercises such as |
| - garden salad | | | | push ups, bent over rows, bicep curls, etc. with a |
| Meal 3 | | | | rubber fitness band. Never pump up the legs or the |
| - can of tuna | | | | abs, these muscles always look and flex better when |
| - garden salad | | | | they are not pumped. Do not pump up too much |
| Workout | | | | because it will make you shake when you pose. Just |
| - take fat burner and black coffee | | | | warm up and get the blood flowing to the muscles. |
| - weight training workout | | | | And the last thing that I recommend is to go out there |
| - practice posing | | | | and have a good time. Be confident and proud of your |
| - protein drink | | | | accomplishments and put on a good show for the |
| Meal 4 | | | | crowd. At this point you have done all you can do, |
| - steak | | | | now it is up to the judges to decide the rest. |