10 Pre-Contest Tricks To Build Lean Muscle And Burn Fat Fast

Since winter is the time of Bodybuilding contests in our nation.Most of the prestigious Bodybuilding competitions in India like Federation cup,Mr Satish Sugar’s Classic,Jr. and Sr. Nationals (Mr. India) and other regional and state level competitions take place from December to April.There fore this is the high time for all Bodybuilders to prepare for a ripped muscular body.

Bodybuilders are in a hurry to burn fat as well as build muscle.They all follow the well established dietary rules,that is to eat six to eight times every day,keep your protein intake high and your carbs intake in check.But there are also some not so well-established rules,those may seem to be counterproductive but have been proven to work scientifically.I would like to call these rules ‘Tricks’ for the simple reason that a large number of bodybuilders and trainers have no idea on this.

Trick 1:   Cheat on your Diet Plan

To get ripped you must admit a clean diet plan.But at the same time cheating occasionally can actually enhance fat burning.This diet cheating junk fooddoes not mean to eat fast food and junk food all the day long.It means you can increase carbohydrate and total calorie intake for one day.And yes,you can have only one meal of anything you want,like a pizza or a burger.

Actually when you start dieting very strictly the level of  “Stop hunger” hormone leptin start to drop (see previous article).Leptin keeps hunger down and metabolism up.Therefore,when leptin level drop you eat more but essentially burn fewer calories.So,when you cheat your diet the leptin level goes up,which keeps your metabolism high and hunger low,which allows you burn more calories and eat less.

All you have to do on the cheat day to just increase your calorie intake by 25 to 50 percent and at least double your carb intake,and do it once in every week.

Trick 2: Eat slow Carbs Pre workout

slow carbsIn the recent time it has been observed many bodybuilders take fast carbs before training,thinking that it will provide them instant energy.May be it will,but it would not help you burn fat during workout like slow digesting carbs.

The National  Taiwan College of Physical Education found in a study that athletes consuming slow-digesting carb and protein as pre workout meal burned more fat during exercise and able to train longer than those not eating the slow digesting carbs as pre workout meal.

You have to consume 20 to 40 gm of low glycemic,slow digesting carb like Bread(wheat),oat meal or sweet potatoes in addition to 20 gm of Whey protein within 30 minutes before training.

 

Trick 3: Be Focused On Fat

omega-3-dietThis is not a good idea to cut off all dietary fat when you are trying to be ripped.Healthy fats like Omega-3 fats and Monounsaturated fats can help you loose body fat.

Salmon,Trout,Telapia fish and walnuts are good sources of omega-3 fats and on the other hand Olive oil,Peanut butter, eggs,plain nuts and Avocados are good sources of monounsaturated fats.Loma Linda University,California reported that athletes following a low- calorie,high-fat diet with the majority of fat coming from Almonds lost more body fat than those consuming the same calories but higher carbs and low fat.Consume eggs at breakfast.Some researches have shown that people who consume whole eggs at breakfast lose fat significantly more than those who don’t.Consume three whole eggs along with three egg whites at breakfast.Try to keep fat intake 20 to 30 percent of total daily calories.

 

Trick 4: Take Protein and/or Fat just Before bed

Night Protein Shake BedtimeOur body essentially goes to a fasting state when we sleep and to fueling  the brain continuously it breaks down our muscle to deliver amino acids to the brain in absence of food.Any kind of muscle loss affects our metabolism negatively.As a result it will hamper all your fat-loss efforts.

Eating just before bedtime ensures that amino acids will be taken from that meal,not your muscles.It does not mean that you start taking plenty of carbohydrate,I recommend only protein and/or fat.Cottage cheese,Yogurt,Peanut butter,Nuts,Flaxseed oil and Casein protein powder are some good options.They are all slow-digesting,high-protein sources.Some researches have shown that casein protein can really encourage fat burning at night.Eat almost 100 gm of low fat cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or one scoop of Casein protein powder just before bedtime.

 

 

Trick 5: Consume Soy Protein

soy proteinDo you know that soy protein is a potent fat burner? Whatever the answer is,the fact is if you want to get ripped soy protein could really help you.Soy protein is a protein that is isolated from soybeans.Soy protein is estimated to contain at least 60-70% of total soybean protein.

University of Alabama reported that athletes consuming 20 gm of soy protein daily for three months lost a significant amount of abdominal fat compared to those using Casein protein.Soy protein stimulates the GH level also which helps building muscle and burn fat.Soy protein also has been found to decrease LDL and Cholesterol level.Consume 10 gm of Soy protein powder with your pre and post workout shakes.

Trick  6: Eat One Apple and  Grapefruits Everyday

Apple GrapefruitA common myth is there among a large number of amateurs that Fruits like Berries and Banana can make you fat.But in fact fruits are not the devil,some are better than others for getting lean muscle.

A study in Scripps clinic,San Diego,California found that athletes consuming 230 ml(almost) of Grapefruit juice thrice a day lost about 2 kg body weight in just 12 weeks.Grapefruit has an interesting property of lowering Insulin level and boost the metabolic system thereby.

On the other hand Apple is also a great fruit because it contains Polyphenol antioxidants which ensures the boost in strength and endurance.Apple also helps in fat burning especially abdominal fat.It is also a slow digesting carb.

Consume one Grapefruit at breakfast and lunch every day and a large Apple preworkout which will support you by providing 30-40 gm of slow digesting carb.

Trick 7: Try to Keep your Diet Organic

I know this is very foolish to suggest someone to eat organically.Because now a days it is too hard to afford organic foods for bodybuilders especially in India.But as the natural form of some foods can really boost the fat burning process you should not mind for the extra cost.organic

One UK based study reported that organic milk had almost 70% more Omega-3 Fatty Acids than the regular milk.It was also reported that milk produced by grass-fed cows contains 500% more Conjugated Linoleic Acid(CLA) than the conventional cows.Moreover meat from grass-fed cows contains more Omega-3 Fatty Acids.CLA and Omega-3 fats both are very important for fat burning as well as muscle building.In the whole, though it is very expensive eat organic food, when it comes to pre contest diet.Especially when you are going to buy milk,yogurt,cottage cheese and beef(optional),try to get the organic.

Trick 8:  Don’t forget the Multivitamins and Minerals

vitaminsWhen it comes to bodybuilding supplements the names you first think are Whey proteins,Creatine,Casein proteins,NO boosters,Fat burners etc.But  tell me honestly,did you think about Multivitamins and Minerals?In most cases the answer is no,but this one is very important to add to your supplement arsenal.

Our body needs to be given a complex and wide variety of vital nutrients to complete all the task.Deficiency of these vital vitamins and minerals can cause chronic metabolic disorder that can further lead to decreased energy and performance.Bodybuilders need those vital nutrients more than an average man to ensure proper completion of thousands of metabolic reactions.So if you are thinking that whey proteins,creatine,casein and fat burner will finish the job,you are wrong.consume Multivitamins and Minerals everyday.

Trick 9:  Consume dairy foods for Calcium

calciumCalcium helps in fat burning,particularly abdominal fat.When you consume adequate Calcium in your diet your calcitrol hormone level goes down.Actually  Calcitrol hormone promotes fat accumulation and inhibits fat burning.Calcium also helps to decrease the amount of dietary fat absorbed in the Intestine.Consume low-fat dairy products like Yogurt,Cheese twice or thrice a day.

 

 

 

 

 

Trick 10: At last The Most Important is to Drink Adequate Water

water in glassLast but not the least is to drink adequate water all day long.This is the most important of all above.To carry on every metabolic process,including protein synthesis, human body needs water.So depending on workout intensity the most important and simplest thing a Bodybuilder can do is to drink water.Some studies showed that drinking 200 ml water could increase metabolic rate by 30%. Water flushes out Toxins and other metabolic waste products from the body.Water promotes fat metabolism and decrease water retention.

A large number of bodybuilders have a common and popular belief  that pre contest water causes fluid retention.Counter to that drinking water can help a bodybuilder to shed excess body weight(water weight). When water is not taken adequately,the human body starts to store excess water in the cellular space,thinking that there is a shortage,and your skin starts looking soft and puffy.Water also helps other supplements work better.

On the other hand some bodybuilders use to consume diet soda,Coffee and other liquid beverages.But they are not the alternatives of water and a bad choice in pre contest days because they can inhibit fat burning by increasing Insulin release.And they contain caffeine that can increase fluid loss through diuresis.

Depending on your level of workout intensity try to consume 6-7 ltr throughout the day .Especially between meals.

These pre contest tricks are really helping.Try these at your home and don’t forget to post your feedback.Note that I do not appreciate cheating in Bodybuilding and/or suggest you to do so.These are just tricks.Remember cheating can help you to get a job or lot of money, but not a great physique.  All the best to you all for the upcoming bodybuilding contests.

 

About AYAN DUTTA

I'm a Body Builder won national championship.