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Getting ripped - contest prep.....
- Thread starter tripleV
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SteelWeaver
New member
I've asked this question here before, JJ, and somehow, I'm not sure why, it's extremely difficult to get replies. I've speculated about it, and this is what I've come up with as to why:
a) (and this, I think, is the most likely reason) there are so many methods, so many variables, so many approaches, that it's difficult to give a precise plan. So much in this particular phase pre-comp is so individually based - it's almost impossible to say, "this plan will work", especially not over the internet. What works for one may be a complete f**k up for someone else ...
So then, why wouldn't people be willing to at least say what *they* did, and what worked for them??? That wouldn't be the same as prescribing - rather just adding to the general pool of knowledge from which one could synthesise one's OWN pre-comp. modus operandus, right?
Well, this is why I have b) and c) below:
b) Most of the people (women) on this board aren't actively competing (???? this is a guess on my part, based on the dearth of available concrete information/posts about it) I can think of less than 10 that I know about offhand. Of those who are competing, unless they *feel* like posting, or believe in cosmic karma, there is not much in it for them to write out a whole long blow by blow account of the last few days pre-comp.
c) Most of the women who ARE competing are using some kind of gear, thus their pre-comp prep. is unapplicable in many respects to naturals, and on top of that, there is an apparent reluctance on the part of people who are using to state their cycles exactly. I still haven't figured out if this is because of the legal issue, identity issues, or fear of flaming issues .....
I know it's frustrating, but these boards can only cover so much. What W6 posted above is a very good general plan - only practice and experimentation can really tell you what works and doesn't for your body. You already have a fairly good idea of how your body reacts to carbs - go with that.
For me, I loaded about 500g low GI carbs (the same ones I'd been dieting with) over the two days before the comp. I sodium loaded from 2 weeks out, water loaded from the Monday before (my show was Sunday). Dropped water and sodium when I started carb loading, ate protein and fat only after 6pm the night before. I was told I was a bit flat at the pre-judging, and ate cookies before the free-posing round, which seemed to improve things. This time I think I will increase the carb load by 100g or so.
Good luck girl. I'm sure you're gonna be great
a) (and this, I think, is the most likely reason) there are so many methods, so many variables, so many approaches, that it's difficult to give a precise plan. So much in this particular phase pre-comp is so individually based - it's almost impossible to say, "this plan will work", especially not over the internet. What works for one may be a complete f**k up for someone else ...
So then, why wouldn't people be willing to at least say what *they* did, and what worked for them??? That wouldn't be the same as prescribing - rather just adding to the general pool of knowledge from which one could synthesise one's OWN pre-comp. modus operandus, right?
Well, this is why I have b) and c) below:
b) Most of the people (women) on this board aren't actively competing (???? this is a guess on my part, based on the dearth of available concrete information/posts about it) I can think of less than 10 that I know about offhand. Of those who are competing, unless they *feel* like posting, or believe in cosmic karma, there is not much in it for them to write out a whole long blow by blow account of the last few days pre-comp.
c) Most of the women who ARE competing are using some kind of gear, thus their pre-comp prep. is unapplicable in many respects to naturals, and on top of that, there is an apparent reluctance on the part of people who are using to state their cycles exactly. I still haven't figured out if this is because of the legal issue, identity issues, or fear of flaming issues .....
I know it's frustrating, but these boards can only cover so much. What W6 posted above is a very good general plan - only practice and experimentation can really tell you what works and doesn't for your body. You already have a fairly good idea of how your body reacts to carbs - go with that.
For me, I loaded about 500g low GI carbs (the same ones I'd been dieting with) over the two days before the comp. I sodium loaded from 2 weeks out, water loaded from the Monday before (my show was Sunday). Dropped water and sodium when I started carb loading, ate protein and fat only after 6pm the night before. I was told I was a bit flat at the pre-judging, and ate cookies before the free-posing round, which seemed to improve things. This time I think I will increase the carb load by 100g or so.
Good luck girl. I'm sure you're gonna be great
JJ,
Tell me why you are carb loading?
and....think about these two prior comments.
"It makes sense if I drop the sodium and water at the same time I'm carb loading I'll not retain water"
"Dropped water and sodium when I started carb loading, ate protein and fat only after 6pm the night before. I was told I was a bit flat at the pre-judging"
Put all the pieces of the puzzle together and you'll have the answer you seek.
W6
Tell me why you are carb loading?
and....think about these two prior comments.
"It makes sense if I drop the sodium and water at the same time I'm carb loading I'll not retain water"
"Dropped water and sodium when I started carb loading, ate protein and fat only after 6pm the night before. I was told I was a bit flat at the pre-judging"
Put all the pieces of the puzzle together and you'll have the answer you seek.
W6
BrickGirl
New member
I did exactly what Wilson6 told me to do and I was freaking shredded and I felt great, no diuretics or anything stupid/harsh like that. Listen to wilson and you will be set, I was on stage with the other girls and it was just an amazing the difference my body was compared to there's. They all looked flat and malnourished, I looked plump full of water in my muscles and dry everywhere else. It felt great Thanks again wilson
Thanks again wilson 
JJFigure
New member
W6 - I just really need a refeed; I keep my carbs really low (<30 g/day) and refeed w/ carbs only every 3 days. I'm absolutely dying today - mainly because I didn't refeed w/ enough calories on Sunday due to life interferences. I'm definitely holding some water right now, and I would end up holding more after a refeed. I just wanted to make sure I had enough time to drop that water.
I wasn't going to completely drop water, just gradually decrease it. I was also going to make sure I'm not taking in added sodium on Thursday and Friday; just stick w/ oatmeal & c.o.w. for my refeed; chicken and efas for Friday; nat peanut butter for Saturday.
I wasn't going to completely drop water, just gradually decrease it. I was also going to make sure I'm not taking in added sodium on Thursday and Friday; just stick w/ oatmeal & c.o.w. for my refeed; chicken and efas for Friday; nat peanut butter for Saturday.
Where the water goes, is what is important.
To carb up and look full you need water and sodium. But, you want the water in the muscle, not under the skin. Water follows carbohydrate into the muscle.
"Keep fluids and sodium normal until about 24 hours out, then cut them by about 1/3, no more. Up the carbs a little beginning 48 hours out. If you start to look flat and non-vascular, add some water back in, but not sodium. "
and...you should be taking in about 3 grams or so of sodium up to that point. If you cut your sodium to about one gram 24 - 36 hrs. out you'll start dropping water. It comes from the vascular compartment then is drawn from sub-Q so at 36 hrs out from a sodium cut, you should look fine. If you cut is sooner, your body will begin to compensate.
The idea of dropping sodium and cutting water days from a show is old-school insanity and counterproductive, as are diuretics.
The other thing to remember, if you're consuming lots of sodium to begin with, then small changes in sodium will have little effect on water. For example, if you're consuming 3 grams a day and by accident take in 300 mg in some food, that is only an additional 10%. Probably not going to make much difference, but if you're restricting to 500 mg per day, a 300 mg intake would be a 60% increase. It is all relative.
W6
To carb up and look full you need water and sodium. But, you want the water in the muscle, not under the skin. Water follows carbohydrate into the muscle.
"Keep fluids and sodium normal until about 24 hours out, then cut them by about 1/3, no more. Up the carbs a little beginning 48 hours out. If you start to look flat and non-vascular, add some water back in, but not sodium. "
and...you should be taking in about 3 grams or so of sodium up to that point. If you cut your sodium to about one gram 24 - 36 hrs. out you'll start dropping water. It comes from the vascular compartment then is drawn from sub-Q so at 36 hrs out from a sodium cut, you should look fine. If you cut is sooner, your body will begin to compensate.
The idea of dropping sodium and cutting water days from a show is old-school insanity and counterproductive, as are diuretics.
The other thing to remember, if you're consuming lots of sodium to begin with, then small changes in sodium will have little effect on water. For example, if you're consuming 3 grams a day and by accident take in 300 mg in some food, that is only an additional 10%. Probably not going to make much difference, but if you're restricting to 500 mg per day, a 300 mg intake would be a 60% increase. It is all relative.
W6
JJFigure
New member
Thank you very much for the clarification, W6! I think all this dieting makes me a little dense. Just to regurgitate (to prove I've woken up), you need to intake water as you're carb loading to fill the muscles with water. Sorry it had to take you a couple times of telling me that for me to get it.
You've also pointed out women don't need to load like the men do per se - luckily I've figured that one out after hearing what some of the men load on.
Just to regurgitate (to prove I've woken up), you need to intake water as you're carb loading to fill the muscles with water. Sorry it had to take you a couple times of telling me that for me to get it. You've also pointed out women don't need to load like the men do per se - luckily I've figured that one out after hearing what some of the men load on.
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