help! first show

[gymdiva20]

Hey I have been lurking and reading for a few months on my bfs account. I am a personal trainer but this will be my first figure competition (June, 17 wks away). I have been training "hardcore" for about two years now, working out for 5. I have done two cycles, both last year, one just anavar (8 wks, 5-10mg/day) and one Primobolan - methenolone - /Anavar - oxandrolone - /Clenbuterol (9 wks, Clenbuterol the last 3). I am planning to do a 12 wk cycle of Anavar - oxandrolone - maybe building to 15 mg, and 2 wks of Clenbuterol if i am not lean enough approaching the show.
I need any helpful hints and advice you experienced ladies can give me! I will be taking pics next week and checking bodyfat (the last time it was 16%, a few months ago, and I really look leaner than I did then so I am guessing about 15% now).
My diet is something I am struggling with. I don't know what to do exactly for a "competition prep diet". Last year I ended up too low on carbs too early and bailed because I was going CRAZY (and sooooo weak).
Currently I have not been super strict with my food choices, having what I would classify as 1 "cheat meal" per day (e.g. small bowl of homemade pasta with lean turkey and sauce, grilled chicken sandwich, etc.). Junk 1 time per week. Virtually no alcohol. Calorie breakdown: approx. 1500-1600 cals, 145g protein, 140g carb, ? fat, spread out over 6 or 7 meals. I started taking bsn no xplode last week.
How do I go about developing a prep diet that is going to get me where I need to be? Is it trial and error?
Oh yeah and I am 5'4, 120, apprx 16% bf, 20 Yrs old.

I will post my training split later, as it is about to change. Have only been doing cardio twice a week, weights 6.

thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[the-short-one]

Hi.

You have to clean up your diet and drop the daily cheat meal. Could you please post up what you ate yesterday (or what you eat on an average day) and break it down by meal w/approx portion sizes?

 

[slat1]

What you eat drives all your results.
Juice is not magic. The better you eat the less you need if any.

 

[gymdiva20]

An average day for me right now (this is without making any changes in preparation for cutting down)

BREAKFAST: protein pancake (1/3cup oatmeal, 1 serving protein powder, 2 egg whites....35g protein, 30g carb)

MID-MORNING: protein shake (170 cals, 20g protein, 10gcarb)

EARLY LUNCH: tuna salad (4oz tuna w 1/2tb mayo on 1 slice pumpernickle)

LATE LUNCH: 4 oz chicken with 1/2cup rice (sometimes the chicken is teriyaki, with 10g sugary carbs )

AFTERNOON: protein bar (25g carb, 15g protein)

DINNER : 3oz steak with broccolli or small baked potato

If I am hungry later I will eat a handful of almonds or mixed nuts.

 

[Tatyana]

Hi and welcome,

I would replace the shake and protein bar with real food.

When is your training in that or does it vary?

Stuff like mayo and teriyake sauce usually don't work, Ronnie ate sugar, but he was a mass monster, and a bit of a genetic freak.

Any supplements other than protein powder?

 

[gymdiva20]

tatayna,

thank you so much for your input. I am an avid reader of your training journal, it is inspiring!

Yes, I know I need to cut out the mayo and teriyaki for prep. My workout time does vary because of my schedule....either mid-morning or mid-afternoon. I normally eat about 1 hr before training, the way I feel during my workout is COMPLETELEY dependent on what/when I eat (which is why I failed to do a show last year...I felt like absolute shit on low carbs). I have been supplementing with N.O. Xplode and caffeine (200mg 30 min before workout).

My workouts are very intense and varied. I work 1-2 bodyparts per day, drop sets, strip sets, etc. I feel great going back to heavy and hard coming off a "restful" two months (lighter, straight sets, little cardio). As I said i am saving my cardio for when I really need it to lean down (twice a week for 20-25min now).

Should I expect to see a dramatic drop in energy and strength while I diet? I just remember looking so flat and having no enthusiasm for training last year and it sucked....

 

[Tatyana]

You expect some drop in strength and you will be tired on a comp diet, but the low carb diet is not for everyone.

There are more ways to diet, and you can diet with carbs.

I am glad I did my first season before I found BBing boards, when I did post up some of the things I did to prep, people were so surprised I had dropped to the single digits of bodyfat without doing a keto diet, I even went back and checked my food diary.

I am dieting with carbs this season too. I average around 200 g/day, and I ate the same amount before when I was around 8%, naturally.

Carb cycling and carb tapering work really well too.

 

[gymdiva20]

^^ yeah I am seriously considering the carb cycling. Dropping low lower LOWEST is my last option. I had a diet coach last year (my boss, experienced bb), who gave me a diet and was altering it as I got closer, but he didn't take into account how hard I workout (his clients are straight set, easy weight and totally diet dependent). I went from eating whatever I wanted (prolly 2200 cals/day, 128 lbs, 19%bf) to 60-90g carb 900 cals and dropping. I went insane (drove my bf nuts).
So I won't be doing that again unless i'm not tightening up fast enough and I have to. I'm trying to utilize my resources now on some "second opinions" to get me contest ready...like you guys!

 

[Tatyana]

900 kcals/day?

That is bonkers, and really has nothing to do with BBing.

 

[the-short-one]

900 kcals/day?

That is bonkers, and really has nothing to do with BBing.

agreed. I think 1200 calories a day is crazy - especially when you're doing all that cardio and training.