What to eat post-contest?

[chabbah]

Okay, I'll be competing in a figure show on Saturday and had a question about what to eat after the show. Per my trainer's instruction, I will be fat loading (eating nothing but steak, broccoli, peanut butter, and flax oil) all day for the two days before the show. I'm worried about what could happen to me after the show when I reintroduce carbs, etc. Any advice as to how I should proceed?

My contest diet has consisted of low carbs (not too low, I've been eating fruit) and moderate to high protein, so I"m thinking I could go back to that and then work toward a maintenance program (higher carbs -- maybe a 40/40/20 ratio).

 

[Sassy69]

Chabbah -- wow - steak, peanut butter --- the two days before my first comp I was down to water & boiled chicken w/ flax seed oil on it - OMG

You can pretty much eat anything you want the night of the show (after!) and the next day. After that go back to your regular low carb diet, reintroduce carbs very slowly. Also watch salt intake and you may have developed an intolerance for dairy - use Lactaid if you have anything w/ cheese (e.g. cheese burger).

Just cycle back slowly is all I can say. Just stay away from introducing anything that you haven't had in pre-contest diet, and then slowly bring it back in. And of course lots of water!

 

[chabbah]

Thanx, Sassy

Yeah, I'll be sure to take it easy. I've heard too many horror stories about people gaining 10-20 lbs in the week after a show.

BTW, did the fat loading work for you? And did you feel braindead or spacey from the total lack of carbs?

 

[Sassy69]

Yea - I'm one of the living horror stories - I gained 18 lbs in about 2 weeks -- the good news is that most of it is just water retention from any salt or anything like that. Its really miserable - my legs got so bloated it felt like if I popped them w/ a pin they would explode. So you might get some dandelion extract to help w/ that if you see it happening at all.

As far as being spacey from lack of carbs - well I was spacey from lack of carbs for about 2 months before the show and when I started the carb loading it was like euphoria. I think the secret is definitely adding enough fat to support your energy while reducing the carbs. But make sure you don't come in 'flat" looking. (Your requirements are a little different for a figure contest, but still you'd rather look "full" than "flat" - then you just look like a bag of bones w/ skin that is bagging over it all. ) But again, just take it slow and you should be fine.

We definitely want pix! Good luck!

 

[flex4life]

well said, Sassy
many girls love the feeling of enjoying salt & carb foods again & freak out after shows- without a measure of self control- the results can be a nightmare. My first time- I ate cheat foods for a solid week- just couldn't seem to get a grip- big mistake. Never wanted that miserable feeling again.
Good luck Chabbah- make it your best!

 

[chabbah]

Thanx for all the advice! I had competed in BB two years ago and was very careful not to overindulge for too long after the show. I successfully went back to a clean maintenance diet a few days after my show and was able to keep things in check. I hope I can do the same this time! I'm only planning to cheat on the night of the show and then do a once-a-week cheat meal in maintenance.

 

[Fennec]

Hey Chabbah! Was your show in AZ? If yes, then I got to see you compete! How did you feel about it, were ya happy with how it went? Didja like it? I was screaming my head off for all of you!! Great job!

Fennec

P. S. I went to all of the prejudging, and most of the evening show, but I had to be somewhere else at 9:00, so I did not get to stay at the evening show all the way through.... Do you know if they posted the results anywhere?

 

[chabbah]

Hi Fennec! No, my show was not in AZ. It's this Saturday. I hope I won't be too embarrassed to post pics after I'm done! Thanks for your support.

 

[Fennec]

Whoops, sorry - I missed the date. Thought you had posted prior to this Saturday just past. Good luck this coming Saturday at your comp!!

Fennec

 

[JuicyGirl]

Fennec,

Were you at the show in Phoenix this past weekend? I may have seen you there. I was in the audience with my husband who is 5'9" 290lbs.

Chabbah,

I hope you have more control than I have. I have gained 6 lbs. since the figure competition I did in April. Eating like sh*t sure is fun but not worth it!

Don't forget to smile. And also PLEASE learn how to hold your posture/hand positioning.

BEST OF LUCK!