HOW TO CHUCK YOUR PRE CONTEST DIET

Whenever I met  Bodybuilders completing their target competition I have heard that they are confused that what they will be devouring after the contest to satisfy their post-contest cravings.I have seen bodybuilders buy a lot worth of zero calorie junk food which are not even conducive to bodybuilding.If you are one of them or you have done something like this in the past – please read this article carefully for damage control.Here I an thoroughly discuss the drawbacks and even the dangers of this mentality that says “I will take some junk foods for two to three weeks after my contest,and after that I will clean it all”. Adherence of this two to three weeks junk food diet will potentially lead to the following unfortunate outcomes .

• EXTREME FULL- BODY EDEMA, Initiating hypertension and hospitalization,depending on severity.
• EXTREME LETHARGY, Causing a lack of motivational energy.
• DEPRESSION, Due to going from a contest- ready physique to the Pillsbury Doughboy imitator in one week or less.
• ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE,   Causing irregular muscle cramping,muscle tightness,making it difficult to weight train and even walking for a long time.

So let me discuss some very crucial and helpful information with you that how to come out of a contest prep. diet and not suffer this negative side effects and outcomes.

This is an example of bloating.

First of all,I want bodybuilders to adopt the mindset that a champion needs to be concerned with bringing his very best package to the stage and focus only for the first place,not what junk foods they are craving most toward the final four weeks out from their competition.I believe pro bodybuilders realize this,but I still see experienced vets talking about food fantasies quite often.This is completely understandable for a newbie or a first time competitor,but i would expect more from seasoned vets.During the final four weeks is when you design a plan of attack for post contest precisely how to transition out of this delicate phase properly.Planning your post contest nutrition plan,supplement regimen,and off-season training protocol will ease your mind so you are not winging it or playing it by ear.

I am not saying you can’t or should not have some fun or celebrate and eat amazing foods you have been deprived of,but you must know when to call it quits,and how to control or regulate the rebound effects from enjoying this tasty delicacies.

Another factor often not considered has to do with whether you are a naturally stubborn Endomorph body type or a blazing fast Ectomorph body type.If you are the metabolically slower Endomorph,this article is even more imperative for you to take to heart, as I have seen these bodybuilders go from stage ready to looking 20 weeks out in five to seven days.The Ectomorph counterpart will have much more leeway with coming off a contest diet and could potentially experience only water retention from going Gung Ho on a week long food frenzy.That means the Ectomorph should keep things regulated immediately post contest to ensure the transition into off-season is optimized.

DAMAGE CONTROL 

First of all I am going to lay out a detailed example of how a competitor bodybuilder can avoid the negative outcomes of coming out of the contest diet the wrong way:

The bodybuilder is now Three days out from his contest.Carbohydrates have been reduced to fewer than 50 gms per day from his previous allotment of 200 gms.The bodybuilder has now begun to reduce sodium levels to attempt to rid the subcutaneous tissue of water retention.Water consumption prior to this point was at 7 ltrs per day,and it has now been reduced to 3.5 ltrs,and eventually it will be just sips of fluid one day out from the contest.The bodybuilder has also employed water-loss pills(diuretics) in conjunction with the water/sodium and carbohydrate restriction to further increase diuresis,and hopefully appear shrink-wrapped in the contest morning.

Every single one of the crucial dietary manipulation that this bodybuilder utilized will spell absolute disaster if he chooses to go hog-wild post-contest by eating everything insight.

THE RIGHT WAY

After concluding the contest night-and hopefully collecting the gold medal or the first place trophy,you then go of to a fun restaurant with friends and family and to eat anything you have been craving.

Have a blast,eat until you are satisfied,and then I am sure on your way back home from the hotel you will make a few more pit stops to pick up some treats to shove down your throat before passing out.

The next morning have a breakfast of your choice.

This is where I tell my clients to then eat your normal diet meals until dinnertime that day,and follow with a dinner of your choice with your family and/or friends.

Then the next day,it is time to put in some work and fight through the inevitable rebound that will,unfortunately,take place.You will now go back to your pre-contest water ingestion amounts,perhaps 7 ltrs per day.You will also go back to your lowest carbohydrate phase of your pre-contest diet.Finally you will resume cardiovascular training to also fight the rebound and get the body’s water balance to return to homeostasis.

Something to be aware of is that the rebound will creep up on you on the next day morning,and as you ingest more water,you will now bloat more dramatically,since aldosterone and vasopressin are trying to normalize and regulate fluid balance.You will be like a human sponge and soak up all ingested water from the next day to next three days,give or take a day or two.By Thursday (assuming Sunday was the contest day)assuming you have implemented the pre-contest cardio,low carb menu and normal sodium intake,the body will then start releasing subcutaneous fluid,and you will be looking stage ready again.

By the next weekend,you should be balanced out,and ready to slowly dive into your off-season nutrition and training plan.I understand that this will be very difficult for most to fathom-going back to cardio and low carb,but trust me,you will be thankful to me for sharing these method with you.

After the damage control week,the following week you will slowly increase your carb allotment,and perhaps slowly taper your cardio duration.I will usually allow my clients to schedule a cheat meal or two on the weekends,and when I say cheat meal,I mean one meal of your choice.

I hope all bodybuilders  gain access to this helpful article and read it thoroughly,as disregarding the transition out of the contest diet will affect your off-season in a negative manner.Remember starting a bulking phase from a lean starting point is your best option.You can preferably slap on lean muscle over fat mass given you carefully give your body the right amount of macronutrients,opposed to complete-utter Junk Food.

Be healthy,Be safe.