Roxstar Fitness Contest Prep Crash Course Ebook

RoxStar Fitness

CONTEST PREP CRASH COURSE Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

by IFBB Pro Roxie Beckles

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Preface .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Is a Balanced Prep Even Possible? ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Taking a Sports Specific Approach Can Improve Your Results – Positively .................................................................. 6 The Balanced Contest Prep... What Does That Mean Exactly? ...................................................................................... 8 Keep Your Mindset Positive and Remember to Have FUN! ............................................................................................. 8 Getting Ready For a Competition: ..................................................................................................................................... 10 How Much Weight Do You Have To Lose? ....................................................................................................................... 10 Determining When You're Ready to Start Prepping ........................................................................................................ 10 Determining the Number of Weeks You Need to Diet - Realistically ........................................................................... 12 Recompositioning before Competing .................................................................................................................................. 15 Take a step back and focus on recompositioning, as well as a little reverse dieting. ............................................. 16 6 Common Misconceptions about Prep ............................................................................................................................... 18 You only need 12 Weeks to diet ......................................................................................................................................... 18 You need to take drugs to compete ................................................................................................................................. 19 You can't eat carbs ............................................................................................................................................................... 19 Ketogenic dieting is best ...................................................................................................................................................... 19 You need to do double sessions of cardio ....................................................................................................................... 20 You must drop salt all prep – and especially during peak week ................................................................................. 20 Programming Basics for Your Contest Prep Training ........................................................................................................... 21 Training Should Be Progressive ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Mixing Things Up Too Often Can Hold You Back ............................................................................................................. 23 Consider Your Overall Goals ................................................................................................................................................ 24 Cardio is a Tool, Not the Basis upon Which a Plan Is Built .............................................................................................. 24 Remember To Deload ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 Breaking Down the Cardio Story: ........................................................................................................................................... 27 What Kinds are best for Prep ................................................................................................................................................... 27 What is cardio really? ............................................................................................................................................................ 27 Endurance Training – The Basis of Your Cardio Adventure ............................................................................................ 27 Interval Training – Endurance Training's "Older Smarty Pants" Sister ............................................................................. 28 HIIT Cardio – Where Real Life Super-humans Are Born ................................................................................................... 28 Diets High Protein, High Fats, Low Fats… What’s The Difference? ................................................................................... 30 High Protein and Fat Diets .................................................................................................................................................... 30 High Protein Low Fat Diet ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 So What's a Competitor To Do? .......................................................................................................................................... 33 Figuring Out Calories and a Basic Macro Breakdown Approach ............................................................................... 34 Stop Eating Carbs at Night… ................................................................................................................................................... 36 A Scientific Look at Three Big Diet Myths Sabotaging Your Progress In And Out of the Gym .................................... 36 Avoid Eating Carbs at Night ................................................................................................................................................ 36 Rebuke Sodium! Eliminate Sodium from Your Diet – It Is THE ENEMY ............................................................................ 37

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show Eating Fat Will Make You Fat! Avoid It At All Costs! ......................................................................................................... 38 Flexible Dieting: .......................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Why Having an Open Approach to Your Nutrition Can Make You See Better Fat Loss .............................................. 40 Drop the Cheat Meal Guilt ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 Stop Calling It Cheating! It's NOT When It's Planned ....................................................................................................... 43 Let Your Body Dictate How Often To Cheat ..................................................................................................................... 44 Failing to Plan Is Planning To Fail ......................................................................................................................................... 45 Aiming for Perfection Is Where You're Going Wrong ...................................................................................................... 45 Supplements My Top Picks and How I Take Them ............................................................................................................... 47 Supplements I Use Year Round No Matter What My Goal: ........................................................................................... 47 Supplements I Use During Building Phases: ....................................................................................................................... 51 Complete Lowdown on Fat Burners: Legal and Illegal ...................................................................................................... 54 Fat Burners – The Legal Stuff ................................................................................................................................................. 54 Potent Fat Burners: The Illegal Stuff ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Pre-Show Jitters, Anxiety, Mind Phuckery and Remaining Calm before Your Comp .................................................. 60 Take Off the Pressure ............................................................................................................................................................. 60 Acknowledge the Journey and How Far You've Come ................................................................................................ 60 Remember You Wanted To Do This Because It Looked Fun .......................................................................................... 61 Change Your Mindset towards Positive Thinking ............................................................................................................. 61 Stay Off Of Social Media If It Makes You Insecure .......................................................................................................... 62 When to Call It Quits Post Competition ................................................................................................................................. 64 How to come off a Contest Prep ........................................................................................................................................... 66 And Not Get Fat: Your Diet ...................................................................................................................................................... 66 Reverse Dieting – The Key to Keeping Fat Gain at Bay .................................................................................................. 66 Water Intake Post Show ........................................................................................................................................................ 67 Food Intake Post Show .......................................................................................................................................................... 68 Bringing Calories Up ............................................................................................................................................................... 68 How to Come Off a Contest Prep and Not Get Fat: Your Training .................................................................................. 70 Taking a Closer Look at Cardio Post Contest ................................................................................................................... 70 Taking a Closer Look at Strength Training Post Contest ................................................................................................. 71 Why Is Deloading Important? .............................................................................................................................................. 74 How Long Should I Deload For? .......................................................................................................................................... 74 Should I Change My Diet During the Deload? ................................................................................................................. 74 How Often Should Deloading Take Place? ...................................................................................................................... 75 What to Do After the Deload Ends? ................................................................................................................................... 75 Returning to Normal Post Competition .................................................................................................................................. 77

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Whether you are a newbie or seasoned competitor, it’s normal to have questions about what you should (and possibly should NOT) be doing in the process of prepping for your upcoming show. You know, I can relate to where you are right now. At one point in my competitive career, I was alone out there, and prepping myself. I began my competitive journey back in 2010. I was living in Los Angeles, and working in a gym as a personal trainer when one day, a woman in the locker room asked if I competed. At the time, I had not – but I always had the DREAM to! For many years before that point, I had been literally OBSESSED with the competitors I saw gracing the magazine pages of Oxygen, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and others. From the time I was a teenager in the 90s, I would watch fitness competitions and bodybuilding shows longing to be on that stage – just as my fitness idols had. So when asked if I competed, I was honored, and both intrigued by what she said next… The words out of this woman’s mouth would shape the next 5 years of my life in an amazing way. In fact, her words would change my entire life because my path to the stage helped me to form the very business that allows you and I connect, right now. She told me to look up Muscle Contest Los Angeles, and go to Jon Lindsay’s website (he is the main and major promoter in the Southern California region), look at the show dates, prep for a show, and get my butt on stage. To say I took her advice and ran with it was an understatement. A few months later, I would find myself in the gym, training for my very first show. Now, mind you, I decided to coach myself! I designed the “perfect” diet, put together the “perfect” program, and got to work. After years of being a personal trainer by that point, I figured, well, why hire someone when I can indeed do this myself. I gave myself about 12 weeks to get ready, and would spend my days and night absolutely obsessed with the process of contest

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

prep. I taught myself how to pose, video recording hours upon hours of posing sessions in empty gym studios. I lived and breathed everything I could on forums and blogs of other competitors, as I figured out my own journey. And honestly, it all inspired me so much! But I had SO many questions, and no one to really turn to for answers. Eventually, I would find my way, through a ton of trial and error – and I’m happy to say that I came out on top in so many ways. My first show, the 2010 NPC Tournament of Champions in Culver City, California, saw me place 2nd in my height class – and this against other women who were seasoned national level competitors! I then had this absolutely CRAZY idea to go back east to New York City (one of the toughest competitive markets in the country) to compete in the 2010 Eastern USA. Now, think about this… The Eastern, at that time, was a show that competitors did before heading to the TOUGHEST national level pro qualifying show of the season – the NPC Nationals. This was the quintessential warm up show – and at the time, head judged by the one and only Steve Weinberg! I had NO idea how over my head I was in, but at the end of the day, none of it mattered… I ended up going into that show, with a tougher and deeper line-up, and placed 3rd in my class. So my ascension to the top of this field could always be seen as something of destiny I guess you can say. From that point, I would find myself winning my class several times over as a figure competitor, winning my first overall title in figure, placing on the national level, moving to women’s physique, never losing an overall in the division as an amateur, celebrating top 5 victories on the national level in physique, eventually winning my class and earning my pro card at the 2013 Team Universe Championships. Then as a pro, placing 2nd and 3rd in my rookie season on the pro stage, then competing at the 50th Anniversary 2014 Olympia. All of this in just FIVE years! So I know what it’s like to be exactly where you are… Trying to just figure out which way to turn,

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

what advice to follow, and just how to play this game the smart way, the healthy way, and come out feeling accomplished and fulfilled at the end of the day. And that’s what this eBook is all about. This eBook isn’t so much a complete “how to” when it comes to your prep, but it is more importantly about the things you need to think about before, during, and after it all. The obvious things that folks don’t talk about. I always say that success leaves clues, and in that respect, what I hope to leave you with through this text is the best advice I can give you based on my experiences as a competitor who has reached the very top of this sport – in a way that many others haven’t. So who better to hear REAL advice from, unadulterated, unabashed, and as openly as I can possibly present to you? So as you read this text, I want you to take notes, reread sections that speak to you, and remember that every single pro or high level amateur competitor that you admire has been exactly where you are… And if you play the game smart, you too might see yourself among the stars, simply because you dared to dream – and followed through with your desires.

Mind Taffy Before You Begin WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU START TO PREP

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I want to start off our crash course with something that will require a little bit of food for thought. I want to talk about what constitutes a smart and healthy balanced contest prep. One of the things that I think a lot of competitors get confused about is that they equate the sport of bodybuilding to being something that's relatively healthy. And it's easy to see why, since the way that we all get ready for shows is through diet and exercise – two things which are seen as being good for the body, and about improving your life. Here's the thing that makes the sport unhealthy on the physiological level... While training in a way to feel good about yourself and to look good is, of course, a very good thing to do, achieving the level of leanness that we need to see for the stage is not. The human body does not like to carry an excessive amount of muscle naturally, nor does it like to be extremely lean either – particularly for women. Realize that in your attempt to prepare for your next show, you are having to fight against millions of years of human evolution. And although contest preparation is not rocket science, for the majority of people it takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and grit to be able to do it successfully. Bodybuilding as a sport, in and of itself, is an extreme – but does that mean that you have to be extreme in your methods of preparation? In more recent time, you hear a lot of chatter on social media and on blogs about having a balanced contest prep, but is that realistic for the majority of people? And what does balance mean in this respect? These are the things that I want to explore in this section.

Taking a Sports Specific Approach Can Improve Your Results – Positively There have been a few studies that have come out over the last few years that explore how a more "scientific" type of approach to contest prep has proven to be quite effective. For

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

instance, in a recent study1, a group of researchers followed a 21 year old natural male bodybuilder over a 14 week prep. His contest prep program was set up as followed: Over a 14-week period, the Athlete was provided with a scientifically designed nutrition and conditioning plan that encouraged him to (i) consume a variety of foods; (ii) not neglect any macronutrient groups; (iii) exercise regularly but not excessively and; (iv) incorporate rest days into his conditioning regime.

The idea of his program set up was about not going to extremes. Instead, the main goal was to stick to the books of what a "sane" approach would be. So that meant no excessive cardio, no overtraining, allowing for recovery, keeping dietary variety in his plan, and not completely cutting out any macronutrient groups. During his prep, he trained ONLY 4 DAYS A WEEK, and performed a mix of steady state cardio and HIIT training – in a fasted state. Now, the researchers pointed out in the study that they didn't feel that fasted cardio was effective nor would it make much of a difference in the case of fat loss, but that it had been given to him at his request and preference. Well, from this approach, he saw a drop in fat with a little bit of lean muscle loss (expected on ANY plan in the absence of anabolic steroids), his RMR decreased (again expected with the loss in body mass), however his body's ability to burn fat as fuel during rest increased, and it increased doubly when training. Now here's the interesting thing when it comes to this study, during the contest prep, the athlete did not have severe swings of mood, nor was he very hungry. He actually felt pretty ok on it, and the researchers concluded that this is due to a non-extreme approach to the training and diet set up. Over the 14-week period of study, the Athlete reported no severe feelings of hunger or thirst. Previous work suggests that rigid dietary regimes, as opposed to ones that are more flexible, are associated with a higher prevalence of overeating and binging [54], [55], however the Athlete in this study reported no such desires.

1

A nutrition and conditioning intervention for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: case study Scott Lloyd Robinson, Anneliese Lambeth-Mansell, Gavin Gillibrand, Abbie Smith-Ryan and Laurent Bannock

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

The study concluded that one can indeed implement a scientifically supported and welldesigned contest prep program, and still see fantastic results. So when it comes to what YOU'RE now doing in the gym, it's time you take a step back and evaluate if it's necessary to go too far with extremes. From eating no carbs, no fats, no fruits, no dairy, only lean meats like chicken and white fish, or performing hours of cardio, and training 7 days a week, you need to realize that all of that is unnecessary. You'll be better off giving yourself some more time to allow for a responsible contest prep to take place.

The Balanced Contest Prep... What Does That Mean Exactly? I asked this question on my Facebook and had gotten some interesting responses. You hear people talking about a "balanced" contest prep, but no one really has clearly defined what that means. And what my friends on Facebook have pointed out, it's really different for everyone. Balance in your diet can mean for some having the ability to sub foods out whenever they wish, for others that may mean simply following a meal plan that doesn't include the same 4 foods for every meal, for others it may be the ability to use macros and choose foods they wish within the numbers given to them. Balance in training for many might mean not spending hours upon hours in the gym, allowing for a personal life, or just simply some down time. It might mean not doing hours of cardio a day, and being able to simply be in and out of the gym in a matter of 2 hours or less. So to find balance, YOU need to define what that means to you. And then work your best to maintain that during your contest prep. And that's not to say that it will be smooth sailing, however doing what you can and putting your all into your work, all while still having some semblance of a normal life – that is the puzzle you need to put together and keep intact.

Keep Your Mindset Positive and Remember to Have FUN! What sparked your interest in wanting to compete? Remember before starting, and maybe even in the very beginning if you are a little more seasoned, it looked like fun?

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

It was something that you know you could do and excel at, enjoy, and feel empowered by. For many competitors, it starts out that way. But shortly afterward, they lose sight of what got them into the game in the first place. Now suddenly, they are filled with anxiety about their upcoming show date, they are overrun by doing too much in the gym, and following a poorly set up diet. It's no longer fun, and often, they may want to quit. Well, it doesn't have to be like that. Competing doesn't have to be something that drives you completely insane - and stresses you out. Mindset is everything, and a part of a balanced approach - as is your diet and training. How you think during the entire process can indeed influence your end result, even on a physiological level. With the increase in stress comes an increase in cortisol, once that's elevated over a period of time, your adrenals begin to burn out – along with a host of other health issues that can and will grind all fat loss to a screeching halt. How you think in this process, your mindset, is crucial. So making the CHOICE to be positive, to enjoy the process even when it feels almost impossible. To stay focused on your goal, and to always keep in mind that this is one of the most challenging things you can do on both a physical and mental level. In the long run, when it's time to finally step on that stage, you'll be able to do so in a way that makes you proud – and hasn't driven you completely insane.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Getting Ready For a Competition: How Much Weight Do You Have To Lose? For most people, in order to be stage ready, they're definitely going to have to diet into their show. Now, the process of contest dieting can be pretty intense, particularly in the latter phases. Having to adhere to either a pre-set meal plan, or simply diligently following a macronutrient and caloric set up, is going to be the key factor in your success. On top of the nutritional portion, you're going to really have to hone in on your weight training and cardio. Like any sport, having a solid base and foundation well before you begin is very important. This includes your physical starting point prior to embarking on your contest prep. Many people like to use bodybuilding competitions as a means to motivating themselves to lose weight. And for the most part, that can be a very valid reason to participate in one. The double edged sword in that kind of approach is that they often lock themselves into a specific date to be stage ready – well before they should even be on a contest prep diet in the first place. Oftentimes, when met with a looming deadline, many trainees will resort to extremes in order to get rid of the extra body fat that still isn't budging after weeks of dieting. And when these extremes begin to come into play, not only will they be seeing fat loss, but the chances of muscle loss increases as well. The main objective for having a successful contest prep is to lose as much fat as one can, all while keeping muscle loss to a minimum. Extreme protocols obviously defeat this purpose.

Determining When You're Ready to Start Prepping As a competition prep coach, my initial protocol for those who need to lose weight prior to starting is to simply focus on that goal first – far before beginning a contest diet. If you are in a physical state where you have more than 30 pounds to lose, then jumping straight into prepping for a show isn't the smartest idea. I always like to advise those with that kind of a starting point to first focus on getting to a physical state where they are relatively athletic, and with a lower starting body fat percentage.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

For women, that may mean starting to diet for a show when their body fat is around 18-22%. When it comes to actual scale weight, I don't like placing too much of an emphasis on that, for those just starting out. The one thing you have to realize about the scale is that it isn't a true representation of where one is compositionally. It doesn't differentiate between fat, muscle, bone, and water. So to try to say that you should be looking to lose only X-amount of weight going into a show is misleading. In fact, it won't be until you are a seasoned competitor, who knows their own body, that you'll be able to even close to guesstimate what weight would be your ideal stage weight. And even then, that estimation has its flaws. Also, some people can become very obsessed with the number on the scale, losing sight of the goal of fat loss, which isn't simply just "weight loss". You could well be losing fat, all while your scale weight stays the same. So it's wise to not get too hooked on the idea (particularly for new competitors) of estimating how much you need to lose. The scale, is simply a tool in the toolbox – one of many. In fact, the one place that we can say that weight counts is in nutrition. Your scale weight should be one of the markers upon which you set your daily calories and macronutrients. For more seasoned competitors (national level and pros), you have a better idea of your body and where your stage weight typically falls from show to show. How depleted or full you are will always have a determining factor on your final stage weight. If you've put on muscle during your off season, you may likely find yourself a few pounds heavier than your last showing, naturally. If you tend to stay between 10-15 pounds above stage weight in your off season, then dieting for you is a breeze, and you won't have to move heaven and earth to get to that end result. If you tend to stay 20 or more pounds above stage weight GIVE YOURSELF MORE TIME TO DIET! I cannot stress how important this is. We often underestimate how long we need to take to prep for a show when we're more advanced. And if you're the type who has had easy preps in the past, and maybe you kept your weight a little lighter than when the goal is to gain some serious muscle off season, you may not anticipate how long it might really take for you to get those 20+ pounds off.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Determining the Number of Weeks You Need to Diet - Realistically Much like the question of how much weight you need to lose before competing in a show, how many weeks you need to take to diet for that show is a very personal question. There are different schools of thought on this matter. Some say that they want to take as little time to diet as they get ready for a show, so they opt for a shorter competition prep. Others come from the school of thought that taking a longer and slower approach to dieting is the best way to go about prepping as it helps to preserve more muscle, and ensures that you have enough time to be picture perfect on show day. So which is correct, and which should you choose? The right answer to this question all depends on where you're starting from. Let's assume that you've taken the advice I'd given you, and you have made sure to be within about 18-22% body fat (or 10-15 pounds above stage weight for seasoned competitors) before settling on a show date. Now, if you are closer to the lower end of that scale (18-19%), there isn't too much that you have to worry about in the case of reaching the proper conditioning needed for your division. So choosing to spend between 10-12 weeks may be the perfect amount of time for you. That leaves you to lose about 1-2 pounds a week as you close in on your show date. You can continue to kick up the intensity of your diet and training each week leading into the show, and be exactly where you need to be by the end of it all. Now, if you fall closer to the latter end of the scale, let's say your body fat percentage lies closer to 20-22% (for seasoned competitors if you are 20+ pounds above stage weight), then deciding to take a nice longer and slower prep is more ideal. So this can mean anywhere between 16-20 weeks (or MORE) of a contest prep. I even suggest that you give yourself around 1 week for every pound you think you roughly have to lose. In this way, you have plenty of time to tweak your diet, weight training, and cardio, all while allowing your body the time it needs to get to the lower end of the body composition scale. Female competitors who are at the top of their game in conditioning will typically fall (REALISTICALLY) between 10-16% by the time they are on stage. Throw in any tactics used for depleting water through peak weak going into any show, they'll often appear even leaner.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Note that essential fat for the average woman lies around 12% body fat. This type of fat is the kind that is important for basic female hormonal function. So, if a woman dips below 12%, she will lose her periods, as her estrogen levels will be greatly effected. This essential fat is also present around neurons, cell membranes, along bones, and other anatomical locations. It cannot be lost, and doing so can result in severe physiological damage. To hear a woman say that she has been tested at having 5% body fat, for instance, is extremely erroneous - she'd be dead. Female bodybuilders can typically reach lower levels of body fat, like around that 9-10% mark, and a lot of that has to do with choosing to play with hormonal manipulation. The same can be said for women's physique and figure competitors, although most of these women will fall closer to the 10-15% body fat markers if they are truly in condition (figure tends to fall in these percentages as

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

well). Bikini competitors would typically fall between the 14-16% mark which is less extreme, and more attainable, than their other women's division counterparts. So, based upon this information, you can now gauge what a realistic starting point for yourself might be. If you happen to be a figure competitor who can maintain a lean 16-18% year round, then a shorter prep of about 10-16 weeks can be very realistic to get you show ready. If you are, a women's physique competitor who typically stays around 18-20% off season, then giving yourself a good 16-20 weeks to fully prepare for the more extreme conditioning for your division is a wise idea. You'll be able to whittle away body fat, all while holding onto that prized muscle you've worked so hard for. And for the bikini competitor, if you tend to keep yourself close to 17-18% year round, a good 10-12 weeks can be a choice to ensure that you give yourself enough time to tighten up and stay fuller for the requirements of your division. So as you can see, the key to the question of how long it should take for you to diet is all based on your starting point. If you look at, and approach this entire process as a lifestyle, a choice, and a sport, planning your first moves is a little easier. You always want to ask yourself, how can I play this game smarter? How can I improve from season to season, and show to show? Getting to know, and taking care of your body, and learning what it needs to bring it to its best is the first step to quite possibly a long and rewarding competitive career and experience.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

You know it amazes me as a prep coach how many people are actually starting and expecting to diet for a physique competition at an already low daily caloric intake. I always try to educate clients by making them aware that it is nearly impossible to achieve successful results (and long term success) when they are starting at a point of diminishing returns, so to speak. In other words, if you begin your diet for a competition at a caloric level that is relatively on the lower end of the scale for what your body needs to achieve fat loss, where do you go from there? How can you expect to cut any further, and continue to follow a plan that is SAFE for your metabolism and overall health, without having to resort to extremes? Now, what if I told you that there is indeed a better (and smarter) way of doing things PRIOR to your contest prep, and it requires taking a little step back to focus on recompositioning before competing – and a little reverse dieting. Let's take things a little further and use an actual case study. Jane is a 28 year old woman who is 140 pounds at 5'6, and only eating roughly around 1400 calories per day. She's already someone who's very active, and hitting the gym at least 5x a week, including cardio each of those days for 30-45 mins. Let's also assume that Jane has been eating at this caloric level for some time, and has now hit a plateau.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Prepping for a show DOES NOT have to be extreme, nor do you have to starve yourself.

Despite these facts, Jane is about 16 weeks out from her projected figure competition and needs to begin considering dieting for her show. The first thing we need to do is take a step back and honestly assess her starting point. If you were to factor in how much she'd really need to simply maintain her weight, with those same training components in mind, she would need to consume around 2144 calories per day (calories determined by the Mifflin-St. Jeor Formula). This number we'll refer to as her Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Now let's go on to say that we want to do a moderate caloric deficit of roughly 15% from her TDEE above. That leaves us with about 1715 calories per day to see a good amount of fat loss. Remember, she's only consuming around 1400 per day, so already she's eating around 315 calories less than what she should be to see successful and non-aggressive fat loss. Jane has two options to produce further fat loss and get off of her plateau: eat less (lowering calories even more) or training more (creating a greater deficit through exercise). Eating less would mean pushing Jane into caloric levels that may lead to muscle loss, as well as a serious downregulation of her metabolism, as the weeks of her contest prep goes by.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Training more in the face of her already low caloric levels may lead to the same result as well. So what's Jane to do...?

Take a step back and focus on recompositioning, as well as a little reverse dieting. In Jane's case, it's a wiser idea to simply take a step back and focus on getting her calories up to her projected TDEE to maintain her weight. And in fact, it's a very simple process for her to accomplish. It simply means adding a small amount of calories back into her diet each week until she finally reaches her calculated maintenance caloric levels. The process of this is essentially the definition of Reverse Dieting. The goal for this process is attempting to have a caloric increase, all while keeping fat gain to a minimum. Now, realize that if you've been dieting for some time (like Jane has) your metabolism is in a slower state. So adding calories back incrementally will be essential when it comes to keeping fat gain at bay. In our example, Jane can simply increase calories by 50100 per day for the first week. After calories are initially raised, it's simply a matter of working off of bio-feedback to determine what your next steps should be. Jane raised her calories for the first week by 100 calories per day – setting her to now be at 1500/day. Her overall goal is to be around 2144 calories per day, so obviously she has a way to go. Another factor to consider in this process of Reverse Dieting is energy expenditure. For the sake of preparing for greater fat loss, just like it's not ideal to START your diet with calories set particularly low, it isn't wise to start cardio at a high volume either. Jane is currently doing around 30-45 mins, 5 days a week. So to aid along in our Reverse Dieting process, we'll simply take Jane's cardio to 20-30 mins, 5 days a week, and make sure that the intensity of her weight training can handle any difference in total exercise expenditure. This will at least leave what she burns per day relatively the same as it would be with more cardio in the picture. While Jane is lowering cardio, and ensuring her workout intensity stays high, she can consider setting up her training split in a way that will bring greater focus to creating balance in her physique. So if she has any weak body parts that need to be brought up, this would be the perfect time to take advantage of any hypertrophy that can be attained as her calories increase. This might be a very slight gain being that she's not in a caloric surplus (the caloric level that creates an anabolic environment in the human body), but any step towards a better package when it is time for her to step on stage is desired. What's even better, Jane might even begin to see her body fat drop once again, as the body is in a better state to allow for further fat loss since she isn't completely starving it. And once this starts to occur, successful recompositioning can be achieved.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

If Jane notices that her body is responding positively to the increase in calories and change up in her workouts, then she can safely continue to raise calories each week by 100-200 per day until she reaches her ideal maintenance level (again in this case calculated to be around 2144 calories per day). This entire process of Recompositioning Before Competing may take a good 4 to 6 weeks to fully complete, but it's advised that you allow the time it will take as to not cause any gain in fat – as stated above in our original objective. Once Jane reaches 2144 calories per day, it would be wise to simply stay there for another 4 -6 weeks before embarking on the focus of fat loss again. This additional time at her new caloric level will allow her body to become acclimated to the increase in calories, and learn to function optimally at that level. This way, when she starts to cut calories once again, her body will respond in the way we expect it to by actually seeing fat loss and progress once again. In conclusion, it's a wiser idea to take a step back and fully evaluate your approach to the contest prep game. Prepping for a show DOES NOT have to be extreme, nor do you have to starve yourself. If you take the necessary steps to ensure you are beginning with a starting point that will only set you up for success, you can almost guarantee that your body will better respond during those weeks and months you embark on your diet to stage.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Aaah! Contest prep! The bodybuilding world is one that I love, but at the same time, is one that really gets under my skin at times. It's so easy today for anyone to not only participate in the sport, but to also assume the role of "coach" or "trainer" the hot second they step off stage – still dripping with tanner and posing oil. And because of this low barrier of entry, you've got a lot of folks out there who spread information regarding what it takes to do a show, and how to prep, that the truth and SCIENCE of programming for a competitor has gotten lost – and almost drowned out if it weren't for a few of us who shout about a healthy contest prep from the roof tops. So today, I want to explore 14 common misconceptions about contest prep, and I hope you walk away from today's article well informed, and motivated on your own journey. To make it all easier to digest, I'm going to break the 14 points into 2 different posts. Let's jump in!

You only need 12 Weeks to diet One of the biggest misconceptions about content prep is rooted in how long one should diet, or that 12 weeks is enough... Nothing can be further from the truth than this one. Although some people can take only 12 weeks to prep for a show – particularly the more seasoned competitor or pro – most people need way more time to reach the levels of conditioning needed to stand out on stage. In many cases with my own clientele, I like to encourage my athletes to take at MINIMUM 16 full weeks to diet. Some have taken as much as 20-24 weeks, depending on their starting point. How long they need is really based on how much we may have to lose, and as an experienced coach I can look at them and tell. Taking more time to diet also ensures that you don't have to resort to extremes to get in shape, and allows you to hold onto precious muscle as you do get ready and sail closer to that stage date.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

You need to take drugs to compete Let's set the record straight here, although there are some people who make the choice of using performance enhancing drugs, not every does! And it is absolutely not a requirement of the sport. Now, I'm not going to sit here and lie to you by saying that it doesn't help. You're changing your physiology to a great degree, so of course it does. But that isn't without its risks and dangers – particularly for women. You can choose to compete as a natural. Know that you have to work hard, you have to allow for recovery and rest. You have to FUEL your body for your prep, meaning cutting out complete food groups, and eating too little will see you losing muscle at a drop of a dime. But if you play the game smart, you can meander through the game without touching a single illegal substance.

You can't eat carbs This is one of the other biggest misconceptions about contest prep and goes hand in hand with the general consensus of the diet world as a whole. It's crazy how we have vilified an entire food group – one that provides our body with the energy it needs for basic function for human life, let alone effectively fuel our daily activities (including training). Carbs are essential in the game we play in as competitors. Now, the ideal is to find how much per day works best for you. Those who are insulin resistant will have a better time with lower carbs than those who are not. So knowing and understand your personal needs per day is far better than completely cutting them out.

Ketogenic dieting is best A ketogenic diet is one that is very low carb and high fat. The carb range for keto sits around 5% of total calories. Fat grams can sit around 65-70% of total calories per day! As carbs go down, fats must go up (and vice versa), so this kind of set up makes sense when you understand the science. To many they might freak out thinking they would have to eat about 100g + of fat a day and still get lean. And although all of the science points to the fact that this approach is highly effective for fat loss, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't outpace any other method in the long run. For some, this kind of diet is a complete disaster because they thrive better with carbs. So although this might be great for some folks (especially in the insulin resistant category), for others it might be that catalyst to make them want to throw in the towel. Once size definitely does not fit all.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

You need to do double sessions of cardio I have a mantra I want you to repeat, write down, and keep in mind... "Cardio is a TOOL in the toolbox. Not the basis upon which a strong and effective plan is built". Cardio is indeed a useful tool, but competitors tend to go overboard with it. 2 to 3 hours a day looking to push fat loss... If anyone needs to push that much, they either didn't give themselves enough time to diet, OR they need to take a closer look at their current diet as it is not pushing fat loss as it should. I've been known to give clients a double cardio session very late in a prep. So maybe around 5 or 6 weeks out, we'll split it between 45 to 60 minutes FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. So a morning session might find them doing 30-45 min. And an evening session of 10-20 mins – IF THEY NEED THAT MUCH AT ALL! This is always assigned on a case by case basis. And whether you need it is individual to you. But the one thing I will stand by is that excessive amounts of cardio is so unnecessary and can lead to muscle loss down the line as well.

You must drop salt all prep – and especially during peak week This misconception might find you having some performance issues in the gym as sodium plays a crucial role in water balance and muscle contraction. You ever hear about competitors saying they felt and looked flat by the time they hit the stage? Well a lot of that comes from not properly carbing up, and in some cases from cutting salt completely out of the diet. Sodium pulls with it water into the muscle. So that will give you a nice a full look, and during your peak week – if you do everything correctly – you will find yourself fully, dry, and vascular! So the next time you decide to eliminate salt, think about the greater benefits to leaving it in, and how it can really impact your final stage-ready look.

Precontest

MIND TAFFY

HOW TO BRING YOUR BEST TO THE STAGE

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

OK, so I want to kick off this series for you with some great tips on how to go about setting up your training program for the absolute best results you can get, as you make your way through the jungle we call health and fitness. Now, I know that many of you know your way around the gym, but let me ask you this? Do you typically PLAN your workouts ahead of time, or do you wing it? Do you follow a plan for a few weeks, or do you often switch things up week to week, day to day? Today I want to explore with you some exercise programming basics and tips that will REALLY help to take things to the next level. These same tips are all the things that I consider when designing plans for myself, our RoxStar clients, and the workouts in our Inner Circle database. Let's jump into the in's and out of exercise programming basics!

Training Should Be Progressive How many times do you find yourself at the gym just "winging it"? Like, you have an idea of what you want to hit that day, but you go in the gym with no real game plan except to target that one, or two, specific muscle or muscles. You don't even carry a notebook or any kind of training log to record your workout, so you just go by how you feel on that day, and what you can do in that moment. Now what if I told you that there's an even BETTER way of going about your training game? I suggest anyone serious about their workouts to consider taking a more progressive approach to their program design. When I use the word "progressive" I mean that you should consider building a plan that is based on a single foundation, and with each update to that plan, you are advancing that foundation accordingly. In the training world, we call this progressive overload training. Progressive overload can be defined as taking an exercise or workout, and varying the difficulty of it over time by adding more reps, sets, playing with tempo, and other variables that make the body work harder (and adapt) over time. Progressive overload is great for anyone, from the beginning trainee to the elite athlete. And for those serious about progress in the gym, it should be the cornerstone by which you build your program. The best way to approach this methodology of training is to design a program for yourself with a specific goal in mind. Let's say you want to put on muscle, and get a bit leaner (which seems to be EVERYONE'S goals these days).

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

You design a plan for, oh let's just say leg day for now. So for your leg day, you design a plan that hits up 5 to 6 exercises, one of which being a squat. With your squat, your goal is to complete 5 sets, with a rep range of between 10 to 15 reps per set. Week 1, you can only perform the squat (with perfect form) for about 135 at 15 reps for a set, and when you bumped things up for the next set, you can only do about 185 pounds for 10 reps. Now, this is where the game can begin... The next session, you hit up that SAME workout. But this week it's feeling a little stronger, so you add another 5 pounds to the bar, and you are now able to squat 140 pounds at 15 reps, and 190 pounds at 10 reps. The following session, you notice that you cannot safely raise the weight, so instead you decide to add another rep or two to the current weight – still placing a demand on the body, still making it adapt to greater loads of training. This is all an example of progressive overload at work. It's not always about putting on extra weight. You can increase the intensity of a workout in a multitude of ways – all which coax the body to HAVE TO adapt. Here are a few examples to play with: Increasing the weight you are lifting for a specific move or exercise Performing more reps with the same amount of weight as a previous attempt or set Performing an extra set or so with the same amount of weight Increasing or decreasing speed and tempo (time under tension) Increasing the amount of power used to perform a rep or set If using duration for an exercise, performing more reps in less time Using less rest time, speeding up the workout, forcing the body to recover faster Increasing the volume and frequency of a particular muscle group Focusing on various modalities of training: stabilization, endurance, strength/hypertrophy, and power

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Using phases of training for each of the above – i.e. spending 4 weeks on a program focusing on endurance and stabilization, then moving to 4 to 6 weeks of strength and hypertrophy for that same muscle group. These are just examples of things you can play with to better tweak your workouts, and really make this game more of a challenge for you that will get you to your goal. There are so many things you can tweak and play with along this road to better physical fitness – and aesthetics, that having a game plan in place, that's well planned and well thought out, can not only help you to see results faster, but also help you to stay motivated and focused on things well beyond just the physical.

Mixing Things Up Too Often Can Hold You Back To piggyback on the above, just because you are using principles of progressive overload, it doesn't mean that you could or should be mixing things up too often. And to go further, many of you are doing just that WITHOUT a game plan in place. You know one thing that boils my blood? This whole "muscle confusion" bull that's been floating around for a better portion of the last decade. I'm not sure where it came from, but it had gotten really popular with the whole P90X thing, and the theory that one of the reasons why it works so well is BECAUSE of the muscle confusion it created. Um, newsflash... P90X was one of the first at home DVDs to actually use principles of progressive overload and high intensity training – and brought it to the masses. Brilliant marketing, but this whole muscle confusion thing has dumbed down the industry a notch. Let's get something straight... Your body and muscles are NOT confused... YOU might be confused, but after millions of years of evolution, your body knows what's up. You simply can't outsmart it, you CAN however apply scientifically proven methods and techniques that can greatly impact your physique, and bring about changes like you've never seen – or thought you can achieve on your own. You will see greater progress in strength, conditioning, and your aesthetic goals when you begin to be more patient with your training programs.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

For instance, within the RoxStar brand, we typically will have clients follow the same plan for a period of about 2 to 4 weeks before progressing their workouts. Each time they hit the gym, they are asked to raise the bar in SOME way. So if that means extra weight, then GREAT! Sometimes that can mean pushing out a few more reps or sets than what's listed on the program, or taking less rest and recovery. Little things like THAT which have an even greater impact on improving the physique than switching the entire workout around. The body will always adapt, and transform based on the stimuli you give it. It can take a period of a few weeks for your body to successfully be able to acclimate to the demands placed on it. So the need to switch things up on the true physiological level isn't there. For many it's more a thing of boredom. And for those of you, I say to consider the things I've written above, because if you truly focus on the bigger picture of what you're trying to do, and raising the bar in the gym, being bored truly becomes a thing of the past.

Consider Your Overall Goals So what are you REALLY training for? What's REALLY the driving factor behind why you do what you do? You know that old adage, "Failing to plan is planning to fail" – well it definitely applies here! I'm a big fan of goal setting, for anything one wishes to accomplish. In fact, without goal setting, you are putting yourself in a position to lose focus, fall off track, and simply not get the job done. It's important for anyone with an idea in mind to transform their body to have a game plan set in place, as far as knowing what they wish to accomplish. I did an excellent webinar all about goal setting for your training and nutrition desires, and that can be found here. Your goals need to have 5 elements to make tangible your desires and visions for where you wish to be. Goals need to be S.M.A.R.T. Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time Bound. If you stick to this as the backbone to all of your goal setting, I promise you that you will truly unlock the power of what having an actionable plan can be. And it’s at that time that you’ll truly see your efforts both in and out of the gym really start to take off.

Cardio is a Tool, Not the Basis upon Which a Plan Is Built I consistently find myself repeating this mantra as of late because a lot of folks are still adhering the belief that cardio is the driving factor behind fat loss. Now, don't get me wrong, cardio can and does indeed play a large role in seeing results, but many people are abusing it and not being intelligent about how they program their cardio. More often than not, they are relying on it far too much, more so than their diet and other aspects of their training.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

The result, a body that is simply a smaller version of where they started – as opposed to the lean and athletic look they are striving for. In the RoxStar Fitness approach to cardio, our goal is to do the least amount that one PERSONALLY needs to do to see positive change. Now, that amount can differ from person to person and is dictated largely by genetics, metabolism, lifestyle, and fitness level. A person who is naturally on the thinner side, who has a high metabolism, and loses weight or fat quickly and easily will have to do FAR LESS cardio than someone who is the exact opposite. So considering specific factors about your body, your lifestyle, and your goals is crucial. Many folks are out there hitting up hours upon hours of cardio a day, and unnecessarily so. I'm all for steady state cardio, when done properly. What you should think about instead of how long you perform your cardio is HOW HARD you are going with intensity. Higher intensity cardio has been found to be far more effective when it comes to overall fat loss than slower, longer duration cardio. Incorporating HIIT, longer intervals of 2:1 or 1:1 work to rest ratios, metabolic circuits, tabatas, and more, can all have a HUGE impact on fat loss than simply doing more cardio for longer durations ever can. So when you're sitting down to work on your next program, consider taking down the amount you do per session, replacing it with focusing on how hard you're working instead. I can guarantee that you'll start seeing amazing results a lot faster than you may be seeing right now.

Remember To Deload One of the biggest parts of programming that gets missed by most (even if it's one of the MOST important aspects) is deloading. So what is deloading, you might wonder – and how do you apply this to YOUR training program? Welp, glad you asked! Deloading is basically a fancy word for scheduled training breaks. And not breaks as in rest days on your current plan, I'm talking about a full week or two (or FOUR), where you reduce training frequency, intensity, and overall volume in order to give your body a MUCH need period of rest and full recovery. What we often fail to realize is that progress doesn't happen IN the gym... It happens in the days in which we allow ourselves to rest and recovery. It's at THAT point that the body is repairing tissue and growing. But even then, there's only so much that your body can do, and the constant training day in and day out can start to take its toll on you. You might find that it's taking longer for you to recover, that you might be losing a little motivation, your energy levels are lower in the gym and you can't quite set new PRs or push harder, maybe your joints are starting to feel little sore, and you're just not on top of your game... This is where a scheduled break can do you some good. And even if you DON'T feel these things, a scheduled break every 12 to 16 week can help to make sure you continually progress – and avoid stalls. When we deload our RoxStar Fitness clients, we typically do so for a period of 2 weeks. During that time, training frequency will be reduced, as well as overall volume and intensity. So in the gym, our client may be doing 3 days a week as opposed to 5 days. Cardio may be taken to 15 minutes, or even NONE, for some trainees. Workout intensity will decrease with

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

the client focusing on keeping within a particular rest range (10 to 20 reps depending on the exercise), and fewer exercises on plan. Training volume will decrease by including less sets, and focusing on hitting body parts about once week or so. We might give them a program that focuses on total body work in one session, and then a quick upper body in one, and a quick lower body in the other. So there are different ways to set up a deload that doesn't have to mean a FULL training break – and no days in the gym. The simple goal is to take down the total amount of time you spend in there, and to do so until you feel somewhat recovered. So, depending on your typical training intensity, that time off can be different for everyone. I would say to start with a simple plan for 2 weeks, and if you get to the end of that two week cycle, and feel you may need a little more, then go for it! Add on an additional week of deloading, see how your feel, then progress from there. For most, up to a 4 week deload is far more than enough time to fully recover and start back on your regular training schedule full of gusto and tons of energy! Remembering to do this at least every 3 to 4 months can see you progressing in ways you can't even comprehend now, it's something you have to try for yourself to see! Your body will thank you for it – with even more impressive gains.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

After over a decade of questions I've addressed from a multitude of clients, I think the confusion about cardio is still the one that most people just can't seem to figure out. Hey look, I used to be the same way too until I really started to deeply study the body, and what makes it tick when it comes to training. So let's take a moment to address the various forms of cardio there are as well as look at how, when, and why one form should be applied over the other.

What is cardio really? Cardiovascular activity can be defined as any physical activity which raises the heart rate to around 60 to 85 percent of the heart's maximum capacity for an extended period of time. We'll stick with this definition for our purposes for today. Cardio can be done in various forms from machines (treadmill, bike, row machine, step mill, versa climber, etc.), to actual movement that pits you against gravity and ground reaction forces (running, jump rope, swimming, dance classes to name a few), to even weight training if your heart rate is elevated enough and then sustained. Now under the umbrella of types of cardio activity, you have various modes that can take place and that is all dependent upon the intensity and set up of the workout. For the context of our article today, let's zone in on the three possible modes from the chosen types above: endurance, interval training, and HIIT.

Endurance Training – The Basis of Your Cardio Adventure Here's the good news, if you're even remotely working out and doing SOME form of movement that you call cardio, then you're already primed for Cardio 101. When most people hit the gym, and talk about doing "cardio," this is where they're hanging 9.9 times out of 10. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, it's recommended that you get about 150 mins per week (so about 30 mins, 5x a week) of cardio training. Endurance training can be simply defined as exercising in a way to increase stamina and the body's ability to work at an increased rate that taxes the heart and lungs, over a duration. The biggest problem I see with this form of cardio training, as it relates to women, is that there is an over reliance on this type of work, often with the exclusion of other things that can bring just as much of a benefit, if not even more.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Skipping out on really establishing a good base for training while in this phase puts you at a greater disadvantage when it comes to incorporating more advanced workouts like weight training circuits or interval training cardio which we'll address in a bit. My advice to you, if you want to really get the best bang for your buck when it comes to endurance training, put the books and magazines away, and turn off the TV while on those machines. Instead grab your headphones, your favorite playlist, and crank it up so you feel like you're truly giving your heart and lungs a real kick butt workout. After all, "toning" happens from the inside out. Tone your heart and lungs, increase your capacity to do work, enable yourself to push harder in the gym, thus leading to a transformed body.

Interval Training – Endurance Training's "Older Smarty Pants" Sister Knowing my readers, you've probably heard of this one before. And maybe you've tried it, but you find that you like your regular cardio program because it's easier to watch Basketball Wives while "gettin it IN", or you can read your book better when you just go at a steady pace, or that you THINK you burn more calories when you just keep it nice and steady, whatever is on your brain, you know what I mean. I can assure you that if you're not hitting intervals a few times during your cardio program then you're missing out on a SUPER effective way to get to your six pack a hell of a lot faster. With traditional interval training you intersperse periods of high intensity work with periods of low intensity work. The period of time you spend in the high and low points is based on your fitness level, goals, and duration of the workout. All and all the most important, and SUPER COOL thing about interval training is that even though it may not burn as many calories in the short term while training (if you're going by the numbers), the metabolic boost that occurs AFTER YOU'RE DONE is incredible. That boost can last up to 36 hours after training depending on the intensity. With endurance training, that boost drops off typically around 30 mins to an hour or so after you're done. Would you like to potentially burn and additional amount of calories post workout while doing basically nothing for an hour or up to 36 hours... Kinda a no brainer right!?

HIIT Cardio – Where Real Life Super-humans Are Born If you think interval training will leave you OWNED by your machine or exercise of choice, then you really need to meet its evil twin HIIT. HIIT stands for HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING. The emphasis needs to be on the HIGH INTENSITY portion of this type of work. This is not your mother's interval training workout, oooooh no, instead it's a way of kicking things to the next level and really breaking the boundaries of what you THINK you can do. By definition HIIT cardio falls in line with an attempt to train your lactate threshold. Basically what that means is that you'll be training at the most upper levels of your cardiovascular capacity and lactic acid is the byproduct of the energy being burned up in your system. It usually burns your lungs (among other body parts) like hell and feels like you're going to die by the end. Yeah that would be classic HIIT!

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

The duration of this kind of work cannot be sustained for more than about 20-30 secs if you're really in the upper echelon of your limits. The rest cycle is about twice as long, so you may take between 1-3 mins rest in between, and depending on how much you really push the work interval. Typically doing about 20 mins of this kind of work is all you need as a general trainee to see some really great physical responses. The post workout metabolic boost that you get from this type of training is even more through the roof than regular interval training. So if fat loss is your main goal, YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO HANG OUT HERE A FEW WORKOUTS A WEEK!

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I had a great question asked of me by one of my Facebook followers that I want to share with you. Here's what she wrote: What's the difference between a diet of high fats and high protein vs. a diet of low fats and high protein? Does one diet vs. the other have different effects on the body? Hope this makes sense....

I think a lot of people have these same questions regarding which diet is "best" when it comes to getting real results. First let's address one thing. If weight loss is your goal, the most important component in that equation is that you are in a negative energy balance. That simply means that you are either taking in less calories than your body needs to maintain its weight, or you are expending more calories than your body needs to maintain its weight, or the best scenario, a combination of the two. On very basic terms this is what leads to weight loss. Now, for our purposes, and what I like to get across to all of you is that "weight loss" in and of itself isn't our main goal, fat loss is. And the scale doesn't always determine that. So let's continue this "conversation" with fat loss in mind. So at the end of the day, we can come to the conclusion that weight loss is based off of being in a caloric deficit that comes from a combination of a decrease in food intake, and an increase in caloric expenditure through activity (exercise). However, where those calories come from can have a large effect on what is lost (how much of that weight is actual fat, or muscle tissue), and can even effect HOW YOU TRAIN.

High Protein and Fat Diets The high protein diet has gotten its share of the spotlight in the mainstream by way of the Atkins Diet, but since its release, there have been a million other diets that follow a similar kind of protocol. These diets are basically ketogenic diets in one form or another. Interestingly enough, it was first developed in the 1920s as a means to helping children with severe epilepsy to control seizures. It included a set up where just enough protein was provided for growth and repair, starchy carbs were nearly eliminated from the diet, and fats were introduced in high amounts to maintain enough calories for the person's height, weight, gender, etc. Let's stop and think about this from a nutritional standpoint for a minute. There are two main sources of energy that the body prefers to use under perfect conditions. Those two main sources are carbohydrates (the primary source) and fats (the secondary source). So if you eliminate or lower one, you have to RAISE the other. Which is why high protein diets tend to be inherently and significantly high in fats. Conversely, higher carbohydrate diets typically

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

are lower in fat. If you lower, or in some extreme cases nearly eliminate, one you MUST raise the other for the body to at least "attempt" to properly function. There is a third source of energy that the body can use in the absence of carbs, and that source is ketones. Ketosis is a state where the body converts fat into ketones that the brain can use for fuel when glucose levels are low. The only time the body needs to create and use large quantities of ketones is when insufficient carbs are available. And what's the best way to make all of this happen? You guessed it... A KETOGENIC DIET! Or basically, a high protein/high fat diet. Typically, the body will enter ketosis at levels below 100g of carbs/day. And if you think using those tester strips will help you to determine if you're in ketosis or not, you're wrong! The only time excess ketones will show up in the urine is when the blood has high levels of them. You can be well into ketosis without the strips showing you as positively being there. If you are on a diet consisting of you eating 100g of carbs or less per day, you can just about bet your bottom dollar that you ARE in fact in ketosis. Another thing to make note of with this diet is that carbs ARE IN FACT produced... So you will still have traces of glucose in your body thanks to a very expensive process called gluconeogenesis. Basically as it sounds, it's the creation of glucose through non carbohydrate sources... And where do you think that comes from? If you guessed PROTEIN, you're right that's one source (fats, namely triglycerides, are another). The protein you've consumed can/will essentially be broken down to glucose since the body cannot store excess protein as fat. You either pee it out, or convert it to carbs and burn it off. However if you're not eating enough protein on this diet, the body will gladly take it from your lean body mass. No Bueno! Ok now that you know the stuffy sciencey part, let's talk about how this can affect the body. There have been several studies that show that individuals on a high protein/high fat diet tend to lose more overall fat than those on a diet that has a higher carb and lower fat intake. These same studies also tend to come to the conclusion that many people have

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

been able to not only maintain their lean body mass, but some MAY increase it when training is added to the equation. Other studies have also interestingly shown that some participants may lose less SCALE WEIGHT on a high protein/fat diet than those on a high carb/low fat diet, however the overall FAT LOSS IS GREATER for those on the high protein/fat diet. So the alluring potential of the short term success of a ketogenic diet glitters like gold. However when most people go on a journey to lose weight, they have in mind to not only restrict calories, but to also train like madwomen (or men). And this is where trouble can set in. If you're not getting in enough calories or adequate amounts of carbs and protein for the level of activity that you're doing, you can stand to lose LBM. Increased amounts of cardio and high intensity training while on a ketogenic type of diet can have a negative effect in the long term when it comes to hormonal regulation directly related to metabolism. You can be potentially setting yourself up for further problems down the line that can actually HAMPER your efforts to lose weight. In fact these negative effects can become so severe that you can actually begin GAINING WEIGHT or finding it much harder to lose weight that may have easily come off in the past. Any diet where you restrict one macro over the over has a greater failure rate over the long term as you're not really teaching yourself healthy habits that can be maintained once your

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

goal is reached. So it would be wiser to follow a more moderate and realistic approach from the get go instead of trying another "fad" type of approach. Now understand that I'm not saying that a low carb/high protein and fat approach can't be a tactic that is used at various points in a diet cycle to elicit a greater fat loss response. I would be lying if I said that I've never used the approach at one point or another myself, however, it's never a means to an end, only a step along the way. Additionally, training is greatly effected on this kind of plan. The body favors carbohydrates as its main source of fuel for higher intensity training. It also prefers it for fueling any kind of longer duration kind of work. Screw a bunch of the "fat burning zone." That's a bunch of hogwash. Raise your HR above anything beyond sitting on your butt reading this screen, you'll be requiring glucose. So wouldn't it make sense to provide your body with the energy it needs to do work, energy that will supply you with the ability to work harder and hence lead to greater amounts of fat loss? I would think so. And lastly if you take a look at any of the studies I've referenced below (and these are just a few of MANY) at the end of the day, it is still OVERALL CALORIES that dictate weight loss. You can create the same kind of fat loss effects from a diet that lends to a higher carbohydrate ratio. In the long term, which is what you should always be considering, you'll walk away with a more realistic approach that can help you to better maintain the weight you've lost once you've reached your goal.

High Protein Low Fat Diet As discussed above, if one fuel source is lowered to a great degree, another has to take its place in order to meet caloric needs. In this case you have a higher amount of protein, assuming a moderate amount of carbs, and a low amount of fat. There are actually quite a few studies that have looked closer at this diet set up against something like a high carb/low fat approach and has found that although some greater amounts of fat loss can be seen with the high protein/low fat diet, it isn't so great that it makes one better than the other. I think what the problem is in both this kind of approach, and also with the ketogenic approach, there is this "demonization" of carbohydrates. Carbs have gotten such a horrible wrap by the diet industry that people are afraid to eat them, so they'll go about any ole way they can to rely on the "miracle macro" protein. However when you begin to fully understand the role that carbs play in the body, how much the body does rely on them (in the form of glucose when broken down and utilized, it's stored however as glycogen in the liver and muscle tissue) then you can start to let go of the fear that they make you "fat."

So What's a Competitor To Do? Well first off, forget the fads and get down to the basics. The smartest way to approach your fat loss journey is to set up a plan that includes ALL macronutrients (and micronutrients as well – your vitamins and minerals). Your food choices should be of "clean", healthy, and whole grain sources. There is room for a treat here and there, however the greater portion of

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

your diet should be from nutritious sources. I always like to keep the "90/10" rule in mind. 90% clean and whole foods, 10% of the "cheats." In this way, you get to give yourself realistic freedom to enjoy the process of changing your body without feeling restrictive or boxed in which only sets you up for failure down the line

Figuring Out Calories and a Basic Macro Breakdown Approach (We currently have an awesome Macro and Calorie Calculator on our website available in the members section. It takes a more specific and scientific approach to factoring totals for the individual. To access that calculator and more great tools click here to join.) In figuring out caloric levels for fat loss I like to suggest something very basic to the lay person: Multiply your BW by 14 or 15 (14 if you are more sedentary during your day, 15 if you are more active) and that will give you a rough amount of maintenance calories for your current stature. Then subtract 250-500 calories from that (depending on your lifestyle, if you're more active, subtract less, if you're not as active, subtract more), and this will give you a good starting deficit in which you can begin to build a plan.

For your macronutrient breakdown, again keep it simple: Protein – if you're doing any kind of weight training or exercise, you want to multiply your BWx1 and that will give you the amount of GRAMS per day you should eat in protein. If you're less active or a little more on the overweight side, then the multiplier can be .8xBW. Fats – now remember that this will vary based upon how many carbs you'll be getting in. For our purposes let's try a low/moderate fat amount for our plan and have you between 4550g/day to start. You can also simply adjust fat so that it is about 25-30% of your total intake, whichever you prefer. But you can easily adjust this as you see how your body responds. Keep in mind fat keeps you satiated, so if you lower this too much, then you can stand to be starving almost all of the time. Carbs – the remainder of your calories will come from carbs. Let's now use a live case study to put this in action. Sarah weighs about 140 lbs. and her goal is to lose about 10 lbs., and she’d like to do that on average at about 1 lb. /week. So we are going to figure out what her starting numbers should be for her diet. 140×15 = 2100 cals to maintain her weight (starting a little on the higher end since she trains several days a week). 2100-500 (We want her diet to do the work for her, and the training to add a small maintainable amount of caloric burn) = 1600 cals – This should have her losing at a rate of 1 lb. a week from diet alone.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show **You can choose less of a deficit here and just make up the rest with exercise if you wish. So you can choose, for example, to instead create a deficit of 250 cals from food daily, and 250 from exercise daily. **

So Sarah has 1600 cals to play with for her macros. Protein – 140*1 = 140g/day. There are 4 calories per gram of protein, so that is a total of 560 cals per day Fat – I'm going to keep this at 50g/day. There are 9 calories per gram of fat, so that's a total of 450 cals per day. Carbs – There are 4 calories per gram of carbs. The calorie totals of my protein and fats combined is 1010 calories. To figure out her carbs, I'll subtract this from her daily deficit total. So, 1600-1010= 590 cals. I'll now take this can divide by 4 (590/4) = 148g per day (rounded up from 147.5).

Now these numbers are simply starting points. So you take them, try them out for 2 weeks, see how your body responds, and then adjust accordingly. You can choose to change any of the variables in the equation. So if I want to go with a little less carbs, then I'd go ahead and lower it, but adjust fats and/or protein (increase them) to meet caloric requirements accordingly to stay around 1600/day. You can always just increase caloric burn through exercise as a means to create a greater deficit rather than restricting calories further. I always say to start CONSERVATIVELY and FEED YOUR BODY rather going straight for absolute restriction. You can always adjust when you start off with more than enough than not enough at all. Plus wouldn't you rather EAT MORE and TRAIN HARDER/SMARTER to see body transformation than to starve your way thin? Keep in mind again, the equation above doesn't lend to specific metabolism, training protocol, lifestyle, and a host of other factors that will effect fat loss and required calories. However it's a SANE starting point in which you can change as needed. Experiment, apply the principles, and change it based upon your specific needs and how your body responds.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

As an online coach and personal trainer, I can't tell you how many times I've heard women and men question me about what they should and should not be doing when it comes to being on the right path to their fitness goals. Many of the questions I get, of course, are related to dieting. There is so much information out there that it often becomes hard to decipher between what is scientifically proven, what's anecdote, what's bro-science, and what's simply plain nonsense. So in today's post, I want to get down to the nitty gritty of 3 diet myths that seem to be hot topics among those in the fat loss game. Let's dig in, shall we?

Avoid Eating Carbs at Night I'm not even sure where this originated, but we can definitely all agree that this myth has been a long standing dogma in the practices of those on a weight loss journey. Carbs ALWAYS seem to get the brunt end of the stick whenever the word "diet" or "weight loss" come into play – despite them being the preferred macronutrient source for energy for many of the Herculean efforts you're putting forth in the gym. It likely has to do with misinterpreted research about insulin levels being lower at night, hence making the body more "insulin resistant", and therefore leaving the body to magically lose its ability to process carbs after X hour of the day (shuttling them straight to your fat stores). And let's not even talk about how the specific hour of the day you're supposed to stop eating carbs came about – as though your cells are roaming around your body with Rolex watches around their "wrists"... Le sigh – I digress. What if I told you that there is specific scientific research that blows this theory right out of the water...? Because guess what, there is! Let's take a look at the following 2011 study.2

2

Sofer S, Eliraz A, Kaplan S, Voet H, Fink G, Kima T, Madar Z. Greater weight loss and hormonal changes after 6 months diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Oct; 19(10):200614. doi: 10.1038/oby.2011.48. Epub 2011 Apr 7. PubMed PMID: 21475137. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21475137

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Greater weight loss and hormonal changes after 6 months diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner. (Excerpts) This study was designed to investigate the effect of a low-calorie diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner on anthropometric, hunger/satiety, biochemical, and inflammatory parameters. Hormonal secretions were also evaluated. Seventy-eight police officers (BMI >30) were randomly assigned to experimental (carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner) or control weight loss diets for 6 months. ... Greater weight loss, abdominal circumference, and body fat mass reductions were observed in the experimental diet in comparison to controls. Hunger scores were lower and greater improvements in fasting glucose, average daily insulin concentrations, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)), T-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were observed in comparison to controls. The experimental diet modified daily leptin and adiponectin concentrations compared to those observed at baseline and to a control diet. A simple dietary manipulation of carbohydrate distribution appears to have additional benefits when compared to a conventional weight loss diet in individuals suffering from obesity. It might also be beneficial for individuals suffering from insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome.

So what exactly does this mean? Well, compared to the control group, the experimental group who were given the same amount of food calorically (1300-1500 calories per day according to the full study) were also given a majority of their carbohydrates at night. This group not only saw their measurements and body mass decrease in a greater capacity than the control group (whose carbs were spread throughout the day), but they also saw an improvement in crucial hormones, fasting glucose levels, daily insulin levels, and improved cholesterol levels as well. Additionally, the diet overall seems to be a better alternative for those who suffer from obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Now this is not to suggest that you now change your entire diet around to eat all of your carbs at night, however this should help you to realize, and release the fear of simply eating in a way that better fits your lifestyle – including eating your carbs after sundown... Let's take a look at our second big dietary myth.

Rebuke Sodium! Eliminate Sodium from Your Diet – It Is THE ENEMY Salt is a crucial mineral, and too much of it (like anything) can be a "bad" thing. But just like, our friend above (carbs), it gets a bad rap in the face of fat loss. Sodium is an electrolyte in the body that is responsible for fluid balance. The body is a finely tuned machine that has survived millions of years of evolution. A dieter trying to attempt to limit salt by completely

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

eliminating it from their diet can end up doing way more harm than good – particularly if this person is an avid exerciser. Consider this, sodium (along with potassium) plays a crucial role in muscle contraction, and the ability for the central nervous system to properly fire a muscle. Together these two minerals allow your nerve cells to send electrical impulses (called action potentials) to your cells that signal your muscles to contract. A large reduction of sodium can disrupt this signaling causing muscular weakness, twitching, and cramps as well. In other words – byebye gains! There is an interesting 2012 experimental study and literature review3 that touches on how a low sodium diet can impart on trainees symptoms of overreaching and overtraining, when either training intensity or frequency is increased. Researchers found that these symptoms started to occur in trainees in as little as a two week time period once training began – and this occurred BEFORE blood sodium decreased below the physiological range. What they found was that by increasing sodium in the diet, as opposed to taking a training break, it would help to restore the energy levels back to baseline after a few days of administration. So if being at the top of your beast mode in the gym is important to you, and you care about seeing continual progress, you may want to reconsider the importance of keeping a healthy amount of salt in your diet for optimal performance. And that brings us to our final diet myth for today...

Eating Fat Will Make You Fat! Avoid It At All Costs! Fats. Let's face it... Fats are yummy, and although they carry about a good 9 calories per gram, they all aren't necessarily bad for you. The key with eating fats is choosing the right kinds of fat, and avoiding those which are highly processed. Here's an interesting factoid. There are SEVERAL studies that point to the fact that despite a drop in the amount of total fat eaten per day by subjects dietarily, affluent countries (such as the US) have seen an astronomical rise in obesity levels. The following 2002 study explores this in greater detail: Dietary fat is not a major determinant of body fat. The percentage of energy from fat in diets has been thought to be an important determinant of body fat, and several mechanisms have been proposed. Comparisons of diets and the prevalence of obesity between affluent and poor countries have been used to support this relationship, but these contrasts are seriously confounded by differences in physical activity and food availability. Within areas of similar economic development, regional intake of fat and prevalence of obesity have not been positively correlated. Randomized trials are the 3

Blank MC, Bedarf JR, Russ M, Grosch-Ott S, Thiele S, Unger JK. Total body Na(+)-depletion without hyponatraemia can trigger overtraining-like symptoms with sleeping disorders and increasing blood pressure: explorative case and literature study. Med Hypotheses. 2012 Dec;79(6):799-804. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.08.032. Epub 2012 Sep 24. PubMed PMID: 23234732. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23234732

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

preferable method to evaluate the effect of dietary fat on adiposity and are feasible because the number of subjects needed is not large. In short-term trials, a modest reduction in body weight is typically seen in individuals randomized to diets with a lower percentage of calories from fat. However, compensatory mechanisms appear to operate, because in randomized trials lasting >or=1 year, fat consumption within the range of 18% to 40% of energy appears to have little if any effect on body fatness. The weighted mean difference was -0.25 kg overall and +1.8 kg (i.e., less weight loss on the low-fat diets) for trials with a control group that received a comparable intensity intervention. Moreover, within the United States, a substantial decline in the percentage of energy from fat during the last 2 decades has corresponded with a massive increase in the prevalence of obesity. Diets high in fat do not appear to be the primary cause of the high prevalence of excess body fat in our society, and reductions in fat will not be a solution.4

Want to know something else? Let's get back to the ideal of the taste of fat in foods. Fats make things savory, and they give it flavor. The next time you're at the grocery store take a look and compare full fat items to their fat free versions. What do you notice? Typically when fats are taken out of foods, there has to be another substance added to it to add flavor back. And often, that means an increase in sugar, carbohydrates, sodium, and other fillers/thickening agents to add substance to the food that has been lost once the fat was removed. Depending on how your diet is set up, this can make a big impact on how well you meet your specific macro totals for the day. There's a double whammy in this as well. Fats have a way of being more filling than carbs, remember they carry 9 calories per gram vs. 4 calories per gram found in carbs. So you may have a tendency to consume more of the fat free product as opposed to the full fat version if we are talking about satiety alone. Having fat in your diet is crucial for various functions in the body and overall hormonal health. So instead of eliminating them, it's a better idea to choose better versions of them to keep as mainstays on your plan while successfully reaching your goals. Understanding nutrition and how the body processes the foods we eat is not only a clear path to your overall success in the short term, but it is dually as crucial for your long term success. Before falling victim to the many rules of game of fat loss, always question the reasons why, and see what scientific data and research says about the topic at hand. Finding balance is the key to reaching your goals, and ensuring that you keep those results for years to come.

4

Willett WC, Leibel RL. Dietary fat is not a major determinant of body fat. Am J Med. 2002 Dec 30;113 Suppl 9B:47S-59S. Review. PubMed PMID: 12566139.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Ok, I have a good one for you that covers a big question I've seen around the internet as of late regarding diet, and more specifically, what kind of diet it takes to TRULY get you to your fat loss goals. For a longtime, the ideal that has been pounded into the subconscious of almost every dieter has been the dogma that "eating clean" is what one needs to do in order to get to their fat loss goals. As with many things, this tiny statement ("eating clean") has really gone incredibly far in regards to how people define "clean", and how their conclusions effect the success of their efforts on the whole. For the last few months, I have adopted, or rather upgraded, the way I approach diet program design for a number of my clients. I've come to realize that for many people, sticking to a perfectly designed meal plan may not work for them.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

For some, even the sheer thought of having to follow a plan day in and day out, regardless to the fact that they have tools to easily add variety to the plan, just isn't the approach that sets them up for success. I've always been the type of coach to subscribe to the fact that a plan must be mutable, and it must mold to the client, not the other way around. So I started to offer clients an option to have macros and calories included with their fully designed meal plans, OR the option to simply do away with the meal plan structure. However, the client is given macros and calories to allow the person to eat whatever they wish as long as it stays within their totals for the day. And when I said whatever they wish, I really meant whatever they wish. They were given no specific guidelines except to be sure to hit their calories first, macros secondarily, and to include up to about 6g (just about 6 capsules) of a high grade fish oil daily in their diets (of course factoring those into the macros as well). Interestingly enough, this has proven to be quite successful for a number of clients whether their goal has been fat loss, or even for those looking to do a "lean build" type of program. I noticed that my fat loss focused clients had LESS food cravings, and that ironically most would stick to typically chosen plan based foods in any case (lean meats, fish, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats). They would include the occasional treat like ice-cream, cakes, chocolate, or go out and have sushi and things of that nature, however approaching their diets with a more flexible mindset helped them to feel in more control, lending to their overall success. For clients focusing on lean mass building (while keeping body fat gain in check), they too had more overall success and saw only a slow and gradual increase in overall body fat despite eating often VERY high caloric amounts. This was especially true for clients of mine who are active competitors in off season. I think for this subset, it's dually important to spend several months in a flexible dieting type of approach following a contest season. The rigidity of dieting for a show can be hard on ANYONE, even the most seasoned competitor. Allowing some "controlled" freedom helps in the long term for the competitor not only physically, but mentally as well. Here's the ironic twist, there have actually been several scientific studies that support reasons why this approach is actually quite a bit better than the traditional strict approach than what most follow. There was a study done in 2002 54 that looked at the relationship of the occurrence of eating disordered thinking between rigid and flexible dieting in women who were non-obese. In exact terms from the study itself:

The primary aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that women who utilize rigid versus flexible dieting strategies to prevent weight gain report more eating disorder

4

Stewart TM, Williamson DA, White MA. Rigid vs. flexible dieting: association with eating disorder symptoms in nonobese women. Appetite. 2002 Feb;38(1):39-44. PubMed PMID: 11883916.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

symptoms and higher body mass index (BMI) in comparison to women who utilize flexible dieting strategies.

This study also came to a very interesting conclusion: The study found that individuals who engage in rigid dieting strategies reported symptoms of an eating disorder, mood disturbances, and excessive concern with body size/shape. In contrast, flexible dieting strategies were not highly associated with BMI, eating disorder symptoms, mood disturbances, or concerns with body size.

And... These findings suggest that rigid dieting strategies, but not flexible dieting strategies, are associated with eating disorder symptoms and higher BMI in nonobese women.

That's not the only one. A more recent 2011 study5 looked at the effects of rigid vs. flexible dieting and the control of cravings, and how they relate to a dieter's perceived success. The conclusion was basically that food cravings definitely do effect dietary control and success negatively in rigid dieting, and has less of an effect when flexible dieting is utilized. So what does this mean for you, my dear? Well, what I say to you is to allow for a little more freedom in your diet. As I tell my clients, there's no such thing as perfection. In fact, enough evidence is out there that supports the notion that simply staying at least around 90% of dietary compliance will still get you successfully to that end result. So whether you are the type of person who prefers simply following and meeting macro/caloric requirements, or you're someone who fairs better in a meal plan all spelled out for you, allowing some form of dietary freedom can actually lead to overall better success in the long run. So be sure to always be seeking balance, and allow yourself to enjoy a planned deviation here and there – guilt free.

5

Meule A, Westenhöfer J, Kübler A. Food cravings mediate the relationship between rigid, but not flexible control of eating behavior and dieting success. Appetite. 2011 Dec;57(3):582-4. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2011.07.013. Epub 2011 Jul 29. PubMed PMID: 21824503.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

One of the things that holds a lot of folks back when it comes to nutrition, and what eventually leads to failure when they embark on a new plan, is that they get so caught up in being PERFECT on the diet that any deviation or mishap throws them off completely. We're kind of conditioned to think that you cannot cheat on a plan and have success, or that you have to be spot on 100% of the time to see results. But, what if I told you that's not entirely true? What if I told you that cheating on your diet SHOULD be a part of the overall plan, and will lead you to success? Well hold onto your seat and prepare for being #mindblown... Cheating is a major part of the RoxStar culture when it comes to dieting, and we know how to do it well – and STILL see results... Let's dive into my recommendations on how to do this successfully.

Stop Calling It Cheating! It's NOT When It's Planned Within the RoxStar culture, I try to ingrain in our clients a new way of thinking. Cheating has a negative connotation, when that shouldn't be the case when attached to food and nutrition. When you PLAN for a temporary deviation, you know it's going to happen and that it's a part of the process. So why call it a cheat – it's simply not. Instead, start calling this planned deviation a FREE MEAL. Now in this way, we start conditioning our thought process in a way to EMBRACE having that meal and what it can do for us.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

The primary reason behind a free meal is to allow for a temporary mental break from dieting

(which helps you to stay compliant, and helps you to diet longer), it will boost metabolism for a short while since you'll likely be taking calories closer to maintenance with the addition of the meal. This is SUPER important in the dieting process because it helps to boost hormones that regulate metabolism and fat loss, hormones that the body downregulates during periods of prolonged dieting (this is what causes plateaus to occur). So strategically enjoying a free meal has a dual purpose, and won't set you back if you don't make a bigger deal out of it than there needs to be.

Let Your Body Dictate How Often To Cheat When it comes to planning the frequency of that meal, I often like to start clients out at simply once a week. After I set a diet for that client, I'll have them follow it with very little deviation. This is to lay a foundation for setting calories where we need them to be to get the job done in reaching their goals. After that two week period is up, I incorporate the free meal in there so we can automatically establish habits of flexible dieting. So starting off once a week is a great start for almost everyone – regardless of your goals. Now, if you find you get a little too carried away with your free meal, move it to every other week. And once you feel like you have a better handle on things and can remain in control, you can then try once a week.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Do keep in mind one thing, YOU MIGHT SEE THE SCALE JUMP UP A BIT AFTER THE FREE MEAL! This is NORMAL. Think about it, you have an influx of carbs and sodium that you likely never eat on a daily basis. So this will cause a temporary shift in water balance. Allow your body to settle for a few days, and tweak what could be the culprit if you notice too much water retention, perhaps avoiding that food item or simply reducing the amount you have.

Failing to Plan Is Planning To Fail I always suggest that clients enjoy their free meal on the weekend, although this is not set in stone. You can do it whenever you wish, as long as you stick to however many times a week that you have mapped out. Another thing I always suggest, leave it as your final meal of the day because often this meal will fill you up, and you then don't have to worry about having to mentally try to get back on plan, and being compliant the rest of the day. Leaving it as the final meal of the day will also give you that sense of being rewarded, and the brain LOVES that kind of reward conditioning thing. You'll feel like you've accomplished hitting all the rest of your meals, and now it's time to simply enjoy something you've been craving. And that's a great way to end a week of dietary success. The other suggestion I have for clients is that they either have the free meal at a restaurant, OR order take out. This way it remains as ONE SERVING, and you don't have leftovers around to tempt you later on in the week. Getting yourself back on track is paramount to the success of your plan. So enjoying that meal, FINISHING it, and not having more lying around is the most intelligent course of action. Remember, you have this meal to enjoy every week, so if you want more of your favorite free meal, that opportunity is right around the corner.

Aiming for Perfection Is Where You're Going Wrong The final point I want to drive home is that perfection does not exist. It isn't real! So aiming for being so perfect on your plan that you don't leave room for when you have to, or do deviate sets you up for disaster in so many ways. The goal with any plan is 90% compliance, so this leaves you with a 10% leeway to have those moments where you may fall off the wagon (planned or not) and not freak out about it. Because you know that since you put in the work a great majority of the time, a little slip isn't going to have a huge impact. Remember, your accomplishments in this body transformation game is all about the CUMULATIVE effects of your efforts. So when you are on point a majority of the time, really hitting that 90%, then the little slips that you see cannot effect you in a negative way, you'll still see the results you're after. And this is not to say to lack discipline, you still have to put in the work, however, always look to the greater picture and broader perspective. Remember, this is a lifestyle and you must always remain REALISTIC.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Things will sometimes be completely out of your control, and the skill to be able to bounce back, change course if needed, and stay on the straight and narrow is a skill that is developed over time. You can do it!

Remember, your accomplishments in this body transformation game are all about the CUMULATIVE effects of your efforts.

So when you are on point a majority of the time, really hitting that 90%, then the little slips that you see cannot effect you in a negative way, you'll still see the results you're after.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I often receive awesome questions from readers and followers regarding what supplements I like to use when it comes to my training and nutrition plan. You know, I've come from both ends of the spectrum when it comes to approaches in supplementation. I used to not really rely on it too much as a part of my own plan, but as I became more and more aware of the body, sports nutrition, and advanced training, I began to see (and experience firsthand) how important proper supplementation is when it comes to the development of the body. I want to preface this blog post today with saying that supplementation DOES NOT AND CANNOT replace properly designed nutrition and training protocols. Supplementation however is just that, it's something added to complete your plan, make up for any deficiencies, or to help strengthen and enhance your entire training and nutrition in as a whole. During different phases of training (and goal dependent) I will keep certain supplements in my rotation. So let me break it all down for you piece by piece including the times in my training cycle I use each.

Supplements I Use Year Round No Matter What My Goal Multi-vitamin with Vitamin D3 All of my life, I must admit I was NEVER big on taking my vitamins. It wasn't until I seriously got into training and nutrition that this has become of utmost importance to me.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I take a women's formula multivitamin that contains iron, folic acid, and calcium. My multi is also fortified with vitamin D3 (1000 IU/per serving). In addition, I take 1 to 2 5000 IU vitamin D3 oil caps a day. Vitamin D3 is a very important vitamin in terms of adrenal health. In fact low levels of vitamin D is often linked to adrenal fatigue. Low levels of vitamin d can also be linked to depression and increased sickness/infection. It can be made by the body through sun exposure, but I like to also cover my bases by way of supplementation and also by adding food sources high in vitamin D like salmon. Dairy products also contain vitamin D however I don't eat much dairy any longer. Super B Complex I take a daily Super B Complex usually in the morning with my first meal of the day. The BVitamin group is very important for nervous system and adrenal function, as well as metabolism as a whole. The B-Vitamins are a group of water soluble nutrients B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (Biotin), B9 (folic acid) and B12 (cyanocobalamin). You can typically find natural sources of the B Complex group in foods such as meat and fish, dairy products and eggs, leafy green vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts. When I'm in phases of training and eating where I have an excess of calories coming in or I'm eating at maintenance, I only really worry about supplementing once a day to cover all of my bases. But as I focus on fat loss and dieting, when my calories are lower and food intake lower as well, I'll normally double up and take 1 capsule in the morning, and one later on in the day with a meal. Vitamin C It goes without saying, Vitamin C plays in important role in immune function. In general I normally take 500-1000mg a day when I was off-season. However once contest prep started up, I tended to like to push it up to about 1500mg/day. I'm honestly never sick.... Hmm wonder why... DHEA DHEA isn't actually a vitamin or mineral, but instead it's actually a steroid hormone that occurs naturally in the body. As we get older, DHEA levels start to decline. It's especially important if you're over the age of 30 (especially if you are closer to 40+) to begin to supplement. DHEA (whose full name is dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone produced by your body's adrenal glands. It tends to be LESS stable in the body as a supplement, depending on what form you take, as it can convert to EITHER estrogen OR testosterone and you have no way of knowing how your body will process it. It's also a better idea before supplementing to have your actual DHEA levels checked to see if it's necessary for you and how much you should be using.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Typically speaking a starter dosage for women falls around 5mg/day, but that may be too much or not enough for your own genetic make up. One of the better options for DHEA supplementation is 7-Keto DHEA which is the metabolite of the compound. So basically it's the already broken down version of DHEA. When processed by the body it is a DIRECT pathway to DHEA itself and does not convert to any other hormones. So it's definitely a more stable option. I began taking DHEA during a contest prep just as an insurance policy so to speak to keep my body running as best as I can as I neared what on stage looks like perfection (but in the real world of science and physiology is anything BUT healthy as far as a state the body likes to be in). Being super lean is not normal, and the body will do everything it can to down regulate function in efforts to keep you alive. During levels of high stress (like a contest prep diet and training, particularly in the later stages or if you are doing multiple shows back to back, etc.) cortisol levels will rise, it's a natural response in the body. Continually high levels of cortisol can set off a whole host of issues that MAY lead to some issues of adrenal fatigue and more down the line. DHEA and cortisol act together in a ratio. They are essentially antagonists (when one is high the other tends to be low and vice versa). So being I'm well into my 30's, was training (and still train) like a madwoman as I prepare to look like a Marvel Comic character for the stage, it was a good idea to start some supplementation. And I've kept it in since. Before taking any DHEA supplement you should always first have your levels checked to ascertain how much your body actually needs. Fish Oil Caps – Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fish oil has been touted almost as a cure all supplement, and for good reason research has shown. Countless studies show it can have a powerful effect on things such as cancer, asthma, depression, cardiovascular disease, ADHD, and even arthritis. It's also really great for reducing inflammation which is important especially for those who work out. But in the case of health/fitness, omega 3's have been shown to be highly beneficial in the area of metabolism. There have been a few studies that show it helps to

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

reduce insulin, which in itself isn't a BAD hormone per se (it plays a vital role in protein synthesis for instance) but at times when you would rather it be low and under control – well omega 3's can help come to the rescue. In fact a detailed 1989 study by William S. Harris and The Lipid and Arteriosclerosis Prevention Clinic at the University of Kansas Medical Center revealed that fish oil may actually help to positively boost metabolism directly (http://www.jlr.org/content/30/6/785.full.pdf). And there are countless others in more recent time that point to the same conclusion. BCAA Powder Branched Chain Amino Acids are basically the building blocks of protein (leucine, isoleucine, and valine). These are 3 of the 8 essential amino acids and they make up approximately 1/3 of the protein found in skeletal muscle in the body. I generally will use BCAA powder for different things depending on my goals. During a maintenance phase or building phase I like to have it in a drink pre AND intraworkout. The way I see it is this, the body is CONSTANTLY breaking down tissue and repairing itself while we're training. So in that regard, I want to keep nutrients in my blood in order to simply aid the body along, help to fuel my workouts, and just in general keep blood level proteins high in order to preserve the tissue I already have. In dieting phases, same ideals just seemingly more crucial in my opinion simply because calories overall are lower. It can be argued that you get enough protein from your diet if things are set in the way they need to be, however for me it's more of an insurance policy and a preference and I typically flank it around training within any training phase. I want to give the body all the tools it needs to develop to the levels I want it to. I feel this becomes dually important in phases of dieting for fat loss. During my maintenance and building phases I like to have 5g/day, in dieting phases I prefer to bump it up to 10g/day. L-Glutamine Glutamine is another amino acid produced and used by the body. It's essential to immune function and has a great impact on aiding the body with tissue repair. Glutamine tends to be one of those amino acids considered non-essential because the body can make it provided that you're eating enough but for me, just like how I view BCAA powder, it's more of an insurance policy and simply giving my body a little more of a boost in providing it with the means to help me to recover a little quicker, and more effectively, from my workouts. Whey Protein It goes without saying what the benefits of protein powder are. During different phases of my diet I will use it differently. During maintenance or building phases I'll definitely have a post workout shake with my high GI carbs to ease along tissue repair.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

And in general I like having a shake at night as well, and although some argue casein is best, I normally keep it simple and use my whey powder. In phases of dieting, I will sometimes add another shake during the day depending on my macro breakdown, number of meals on my plan, and my schedule. I do prefer getting protein from whole sources, however, of course shakes make life much easier especially during the times where I need to consume higher amounts of protein.

Supplements I Use During Building Phases Pre-Workout Drink I like using a pre-workout drink during my training mostly because the monster pump I get while training and the nice little energy boost as well. Most pre-workout drinks will contain some combination of a nitric oxide booster (which is a vasodilator therefore it helps widen the veins allow for a greater transport of blood to the muscles – more blood = more oxygen and nutrients delivered to that muscle while training), caffeine, some contain BCAAs as well. Again, my opinion is that training of course is a catabolic event in and of itself; the body is constantly breaking itself down AND repairing itself even when you're training. Repairing itself as in trying to restore cellular energy levels, pulling from the blood any amino acids that are around to help rebuild tissue, and essentially trying to give you all it can to get through what it's probably seeing as guerrilla warfare (your cells don't know you're just trying to work out). So providing it with the tools to be able to recover faster between sets, and to be able to pull nutrients into areas that are needed is essential. And if that can be easily done with liquid nutrition both before and during training, it would be wise to take full advantage of that time frame. Creatine Monohydrate

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Creatine Monohydrate is probably one of the MOST researched and studied supplements on the market. To understand what creatine monohydrate does as a product, you kind of have to understand what creatine is within the body. Creatine is produced in the body from amino acids by way of the liver and kidneys. Just about 95% of creatine is stored within the skeletal muscles of the body (the muscles you're training in the gym). Without getting too “sciencey”, it is a major portion in the production of ATP within the cells. The body needs MORE ATP to be produced for activities that require more explosive type of energy. So things like weight training, power and speed training would benefit greatly through the supplementation of creatine. There are so many creatine products on the market, and so many products use it as an ingredient. I prefer to just use straight power form creatine monohydrate. You don't need to load it (as once touted in the past), simply adding about 5g to a shake each day is a good place to start. I tend to take a little more whereas I'll take 5g mixed with my pre-workout drink, and then another 5g in my post workout shake. Supplements I Use During Fat Loss Phases: Now there's a little caveat I need to preface the following with. Fat burners are NOT a necessity in any weight loss or fat loss plan. They are merely a tool in the tool box that can be used as FINISHERS. You shouldn't be on a fat burner without cycling it properly (meaning you take it for about 4 weeks or so, then take just about that much time or DOUBLE that time off before attempting another cycle). So the following are tools I'll pull out CONDITIONALLY and not essentially. Meaning, sometimes I use them, and sometimes not. Green Tea Extract Green Tea is a powerful antioxidant and has been found to be a great metabolic booster as a fat loss aid. Again, I'm not big into taking fat burners, but sometimes I feel that a little boost towards the end of a diet cycle AS I'M PREPPING FOR THE STAGE (and I emphasize that last part because unless you have a very specific SHORT TERM goal such as a competition, I really don't recommend fat burners). The ingredients in Green Tea that have the largest effect on metabolism are known as catechins. Studies have found that Green Tea not only raises the metabolism in a 24 hour period, but also helps with fat oxidation as well when paired with another potent metabolism booster.... Caffeine. Caffeine Aaaah, caffeine. Just the very thought of the word conjures up visions of a nice warm cup of joe in my head! But used PROPERLY caffeine can be one of the most effective (and cheapest) thermogenics on the market. The biggest problem with many people is the over-consumption of caffeine. Let's just say the more of it you ingest, the less potent it is, and the less you'll experience its benefits at normal doses. The biggest issue here becomes the fact that you'd have to take MORE to see any positive changes, which is NOT a good idea.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Caffeine in the long term can wreak havoc on the adrenals, which coupled with dieting and tons of exercise will send you down the path of adrenal fatigue. However if you don't consume it much at all, or you consume minimal amounts per day (like having only 1 cup of coffee in a day which contains about 100mg of caffeine per 8 oz. serving) then you may be able to harness the power of caffeine. What I like to do is take about 200mg of caffeine (in pill form) and stack it with Green Tea Extract. If I do this, then I limit my coffee consumption drastically. I'll usually actually simply switch to decaf coffee instead. I'll take this combination in the morning prior to my first meal, and that ends my caffeine consumption for the day. Caffeine + Green Tea is definitely a very potent 1, 2, punch in the area of thermogenics and is fairly cheap to acquire. The MOST important thing to remember is to be sure to CYCLE usage. You shouldn't take any kind of fat loss aids for more than a period of 4-6 weeks and then allowing your body to rest and recover to some degree before taking them again (if needed at all). In Conclusion... So as you can see, there are various things that are on my list of go to supplements that aid me in reaching my fullest potential both in and out of the gym. For the most part I keep it

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

simple and I try to get all that I need from nutrition and only then do I figure what I need to fill in the blanks with what may be missing, and what may help me to unlock my fullest potential.

Aaaah Fat Burners! If there is one subject I get asked an awful lot about, that subject would probably be about supplements. Everyone always wants to know the latest scoop on what I'm using, or if there are any I would recommend for them to use on the quest to physical perfection. Now honestly, I'm not big on supplements. I think that today's trainees seem too eager to try to find and pop a magic pill as opposed to putting in the time, work, and dedication to see to their end result. However, I'm going to put that point of view aside for today to discuss my favorite supplements for fat loss – more specifically fat burners. I'm going to preface today's post with the following caveat. The recommendations I'm covering regarding fat burners are geared more towards those of you out there who already have your diet and training on point. Meaning, you are consistent with your plan, you're not in the throes of yet another crash diet, you train consistently and have already seen great results. Perhaps you have a show or event coming up that you'd like to get a leaner for, and supplemental support through fat burners can give you that edge. If you don't fall into this category, then this article ain't fo' ya! I also feel that this article is not for those with general fat loss goals outside of getting ready for a special event or competition. You need to focus on your diet – point blank. Additionally, I want to add the information in today's post is just that – information. These are not recommendations, or protocols that I am suggesting you to take. As with anything, do your research and consult with your doctor before putting anything into your body. With that being said, let's discuss fat burners – the ones that actually work.

Fat Burners – The Legal Stuff You can already tell that this article is going to be lots of fun based on the above title! The market is so over saturated with so many fat burners, and honestly I'm not big of many of them. I prefer to stick to things that have some real scientific backing as far as efficacy. You actually end up saving a lot more money by making your own stack that you can even adjust depending on what your body needs. Here are a few of my favorite stackable fat burners. Yohimbine

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Yohimbine is a very potent drug, and can be seen as a true fat burner in the way that it functions. Derived from the yohimbe tree, when ingested yohimbine works on helping to inhibit alpha 2 receptors in the body. And in inhibiting them, it allows the body to release stored triglycerides, which can then be utilized by the body as fuel. Alpha 2 receptors can be found in various tissues in the body, and are in abundance in your fat cells, particularly those considered stubborn fat cells. This stubborn fat is that final layer that is the hardest to get rid of without supplemental support. For women that's around the hips, glutes, and thighs typically, and for men that's around the lower back and abdominals. Here's the thing about yohimbine, it only works for those who are already lean, and trying to get leaner. So for women, that means you have no business taking it unless you are under 14-15%, and for men around sub 9-10%. If you are above that, then yohimbine will do absolutely nothing for you – but your diet will. Another thing to consider with yohimbine is that it MUST be taken fasted. Insulin completely blunts its efficacy. So it's best taken first thing in the morning when blood glucose is low, and insulin isn't so much a factor. The recommended dosage is .2 x BW in KG = amount in milligrams to take. Stack this with caffeine and L-Tyrosine, you'll have yourself a very awesome fat burning stack to help you look your best by the time your event comes around. L-Tyrosine L-Tyrosine is an amino acid which in the body is used for the creation of the neurotransmitters adrenaline and noradrenaline. In addition to these, tyrosine is also used in the body to create dopamine. And a final layer that's beneficial for your fat loss goals6, tyrosine is used by the body to make the thyroid hormones t3 and t4, both essential to metabolism. Now, how this plays a crucial role goes something like this... When adrenaline and noradrenaline go up, so does your heart rate and body temperature. With this increase comes a bigger caloric burn, and of course you want this reaction to occur – it's the root of the workings of all thermogenic drugs. It also plays a role in helping to reduce appetite. When your dopamine levels increase, you have a greater sense of well-being, and the body's stress hormones are also reduced. This will allow you to not only be in a better mood, and allow you to train with greater focus and clarity, but you'll also be able to recover better as well post workout. And the final benefit of l-tyrosine, the thyroid's usage to create t3 and t4 has huge implications in aiding with fat loss. As you diet (and the longer you do) the body's production of t3 can become greatly reduced. So boosting the body's ability to at least try to bring levels a little bit back up to baseline can find you ploughing through calories once again as your metabolism surges. Studies have shown7 that including tyrosine in a fat burning stack can increase fat loss to a great degree. Take this one 2006 study that took 80 obese patients and fed them a 6

L Tyrosine for Weight Loss http://www.progressivehealth.com/l-tyrosine-for-weight-loss.htm Belza A, Frandsen E, Kondrup J. 7 Body fat loss achieved by stimulation of thermogenesis by a combination of bioactive food ingredients: a placebo-controlled, double-blind 8-week intervention in obese subjects. Int J Obes (Lond). 2007 Jan;31(1):121-

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

hypocaloric diet over a period of 8 weeks. For the first 4 weeks, one set of patients took a stack containing tyrosine, caffeine, capsaicin, and catechins (green tea – which we'll get to in a minute), while the others were given a placebo. The group that took the stack saw a body fat mass loss greater than 4% vs the placebo group, and even further they were able to keep the weight off in the 4 weeks after the initial loss. Adding this to your stack of fat burners at about 500-1500mg can have some really nice effects when you stay consistent on your diet and training program. Green Tea Extract As an herb, green tea has been praised for its natural ability to aid the body in fat loss. The active ingredient in green tea that produces fat loss are catechins. Catechins are antioxidants which have been found to help the body to lose abdominal fat and improve triglyceride levels when ingested at around 625mg/day stacked with 39mg/day of caffeine. A 2009 study in the Journal of Nutrition8 set up 139 participants on a supervised, moderate intensity training program for a period of 12 weeks. Half the group consumed a beverage with the above mix of green tea/caffeine, while the control group got just the caffeine. The green tea/caffeine group saw far greater fat loss in the abdominal area than the control group, and blood triglyceride levels increased as well – indicating fats being used as fuel. In general, you can start off using green tea extract capsules in your stack at anywhere between 1000 to 1500mg per dose. Caffeine You'll find caffeine in a number of fat burners because of its incredible thermogenic effects. It also works in synergy with other thermos, amplifying their effects as well. Caffeine works by way of increasing heart rate and thus boosting metabolic rate. A 1995 study9 showed that taking as little as 100mg during exercise can elevate metabolism for 1 to 2 hours. Taking more (600mg and up) throughout the day can boost metabolism for up to 24 hours. Some of you are sensitive to its effects, so you'll have to gauge how much you can tolerate.

30. Epub 2006 Apr 25. PubMed PMID: 16652130. Maki KC, Reeves MS, Farmer M, Yasunaga K, Matsuo N, Katsuragi Y, Komikado M, Tokimitsu I, Wilder D, Jones F, Blumberg JB, Cartwright Y. 8 Green tea catechin consumption enhances exercise-induced abdominal fat loss in overweight and obese adults. J Nutr. 2009 Feb;139(2):264-70. doi: 10.3945/jn.108.098293. Epub 2008 Dec 11. PubMed PMID: 19074207. Bracco D, Ferrarra JM, Arnaud MJ, Jequier E, Schutz Y (1995). 9 Effects of caffeine on energy metabolism, heart rate, and methylxanthine metabolism in lean and obese women. Am J Physiol, 269: E671-E678.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

The best form to take is in pill form as it's been found that simply drinking coffee may neutralize the effects of a full dosage. Pills can be purchased usually in 200mg per capsule. Splitting can help you to adjust to the dosage your needs and tolerance. The Grey Area Stuff Now, I'm putting this here because ephedrine is probably one of the most potent legal fat burners you can buy. Stacked with caffeine, you literally have something that can melt fat away. The reason it's marked as Grey Area here is because it has been banned in the US as a fat burning agent sold over the counter – as it's used by meth cooks to make crystal meth. You can still legally purchase it in any pharmacy, behind the counter, and you have to show ID to obtain it. You will be limited in the amount you can purchase per month.

Ephedrine Ephedrine is a drug extracted from the Chinese Ma Huang plant. It's been used for centuries to treat bronchial conditions, asthma, and cold/flu symptoms. Despite the negative light cast upon it, ephedrine is only dangerous when abused. It acts as a powerful thermogenic10 by speeding up heart rate and as a bronchodilator, opening up the lungs, causing a better breathing capacity. Another way that ephedrine leads to weight loss is that it is a powerful anorectic drug – meaning it is a great appetite suppressant, so you'll be less hungry and eat less while on it, making sticking to your diet much easier. 10

Ephedrine and It’s Effect on Weight Loss? by Oliver Jolis http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/ephedrine-final.htm Astrup A, Buemann B, Christensen NJ, Toubro S, Thorbek G, Victor OJ, Quaade F.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Ephedrine can be stacked a number of ways with any of the aforementioned supplements. It's really important to use caution while taking it though. As for dosing, consider this 1992 study11 that took 14 obese female patients and put them on a hypocaloric diet along with a stack of 20mg ephedrine/200mg of caffeine, administered 3x per day. They were compared against a control group given a placebo, and observed over an 8 week period. Both groups lost weight equally, but the EC group saw far more of that loss from fat and less of a loss of lean tissue than the control group. Additionally, their metabolic rate fell far less over time than the control group. So they essentially were burning more calories, and those calories were all directly from fat, versus the control group. You should start off with a low dosage once a day to assess your tolerance. If you experience any kind of symptoms that cause for concern, stop using it immediately.

Potent Fat Burners: The Illegal Stuff I cannot end today's article without touching upon clen because many of you, particularly competitors, will come across it at some point. Here's a note about clen... Uh, it's 100% a prescription drug so you can't just go buy it. But if you get your hands on some, you should be aware of its negative effects on the body. First off, your body will get used to it pretty quickly as it downregulates beta 2 receptors rather quickly. Once they are saturated, clen ceases to work. This is why taking it for periods of 2 weeks on/off are done. It takes about that long for the body to upregulate these receptors. The other thing about clen is that it causes cardiac hypertrophy at high dosages and long term use. You do NOT want to develop an enlarged heart, straight ticket to death. Its ability to increase blood pressure can also cause a stroke. This stuff is nothing to play with, so if you use it you'd better be responsible, and do your full research. Clenbuterol There's a reason why some of the best stuff for fat loss can kill you! It's damn good, but can cause health issues that should be considered as stated above. Now, clen works in a very similar way to ephedrine. It directly affects the nervous system, increases heart rate, and works as a powerful bronchodilator. The difference between clen and ephedrine is that it is a little less "messy". Clen specifically targets beta 2 receptors, whereas ephedrine hits all receptors. 11

The effect of ephedrine/caffeine mixture on energy expenditure and body composition in obese women. Metabolism. 1992 Jul;41(7):686-8. PubMed PMID: 1619985. Clenbuterol http://examine.com/supplements/clenbuterol/#summary5

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

So what you'll find with clen is that you tend to not experience the racy heart or energy boost like you do with ephedrine. Instead, you'll be shaking with tremors like you have Parkinson's! I don't mean to make a jest of such a debilitating disease, but seriously, that's what it's like! Clen is far more powerful than ephedrine and can produce incredible results. It has a MUCH longer half-life in that it stays in the body for up to 36 hours! Ephedrine's active half-life is about 2 to 4 hours. When taking clen you have to really just assess your tolerance for it. I've known some people who have felt its effects with as little as 20-40mcg. Others need a much higher dosage. It's recommended that you don't exceed 120mcg per day. Taking this much and more can have some major complications that are just not worth it in the long run. In conclusion, you can stack any of the above supplements to create your own highly effective (and scientifically backed/evidence driven) fat loss stack. It's best to just test a few out for a few weeks to find the combinations that work well for you, and produce the best results – with minimal sides.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

So, you've spent X amount of weeks or months prepping for your upcoming show. You followed your plan to a "T". You didn't skip your meals, you kept cheating under control, you did all of your cardio, and you made sure to always hit the weights hard and heavy. You've spent hours working on posing and perfecting your presentation... You're ready to roll, and everyone around you sees it. Yet it's the one thing you fail to believe... In YOUR eyes, you're not ready. You're soft, your shape is horrible, you're holding water, you're not big enough, and you’re not lean enough... The competitors you stalk on Instagram and Facebook, who you KNOW are doing your show, look so much better than you – and you don't stand a chance. You know in your heart that these things aren't true, but no matter what you do, or what anyone tells you, you can't shake these thoughts. I think as competitors we all go through it. From the greenest novice, all the way up to the top level pros. It's really hard to be able to step outside of yourself, and not judge what you see in the mirror. It's even harder still to stay focused when all that negativity is creeping into your brain – almost constantly. So today's blog post is about how you can find your INNER CONFIDENCE AND INNER PEACE, and ready yourself mentally to get on that stage and shine.

Take Off the Pressure Many times, anxiety for competitors can come from the desire to win, or to at least place at their show. The thing is, even if you bring your absolute best, there is no guarantee that you'll win. Someone else's best could well beat your own, and there's nothing you can do about that. This sport is SUBJECTIVE. It's based on the opinions of others, and you cannot control whom the judges will love on that day. And hey, IT JUST MIGHT BE YOU! But even if it's not, what use is it for you to spend your entire prep (especially as you get closer to the show) worrying about the things you cannot control? So just take a step back, don't worry about where you might place. Focus on bringing your best by leaving no stone unturned. It's in doing that where you will feel triumphant no matter what.

Acknowledge the Journey and How Far You've Come As physique competitors, I often think we don't take enough time to stop and appreciate the journey. Stepping on a stage is a lifelong goal for many who participate in the sport of bodybuilding. The fact that you're finally doing what you’ve dreamed, or perhaps you're continuing to compete after having done your first show and gotten "the bug". Each time you get the opportunity to get out there and show what you've got, you are living your own dream, and perhaps inspiring someone else. So at the end of the day, the end result isn't the most important outcome. The process is, your determination is, your overcoming a fear is,

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

and so is your hard work coming to fruition. Acknowledge it, and celebrate it. Then be proud to present it on the stage.

Remember You Wanted To Do This Because It Looked Fun Do you remember what motivated you to want to compete in the first place? Was it the beauty and glamour of sparkly suits, the women with incredible action figure like physiques? Was it something that you thought would be a great challenge, something new to focus on besides your typical gym routine? But most of all... You thought that it looked fun! And indeed, competing can truly be a fun and rewarding experience. So what good does it do you to sit back and worry about every aspect of it every 5 minutes? Now this is not to say have a "carefree" attitude when it comes to show prep, it just means to allow yourself to have fun with it, to enjoy the process, and to let it be something that brings a POSITIVE challenge to your life.

Change Your Mindset towards Positive Thinking When those feelings of doubt start to kick in, it's really important that you do indeed step back, and simply acknowledge that they are there, and they are real. It's in facing them that you can overcome them. If you have doubts about where you are currently, take a step back to go over your progress photos, and compare where you started to where you are now to get a full picture of the journey you're taking. It's normal to have jitters, but to allow them to aggrandize to the point where they are completely counterproductive, and somewhat self-destructive, will make this process far more difficult that it needs to be.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

When those thoughts of doubt creep in, consult with others whom you trust that are connected to the industry. Whether that person be a coach, personal trainer, local judge, or fellow seasoned competitor, having an extra set of eyes that are completely removed from your situation on a personal level can really put things into perspective. You may be able to get some honest feedback about what you need to do to bring that personal "winning look" to the stage. Sometimes things aren't as bad as you may think they seem, and hearing that from someone else may help you to feel more confident. And when you do get any critiques, think of it as POSITIVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. Take what you're being told and see if you can fix those things (we all have flaws), and at the same time, focus on the strengths of your physique and presentation, and really accentuate those. This game is nothing but smoke and mirrors, find your positives and bring them to the forefront.

Stay Off Of Social Media If It Makes You Insecure This game of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is truly one big conundrum. On the one hand, they are amazing tools to connect with others, particularly in our niche sport. But on the other, they can lay the foundation for envy, insecurity, and more, just from someone simply looking at a picture. The great Benjamin Franklin "Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see." And when it comes to social media profiles that really needs to be applied. People only put out what they WANT you to see. They post images in their best light, best angles, and then add filters for a more dramatic effect. They write words that make them seem they're spewing out sunshine and giggles every day, all day. Prep is easy breezy, and they get to eat a ton of food, do no cardio, and train two days a week, and look fabulous.... "Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see." The truth of the matter is, a lot of people are not very truthful when it comes to sharing their process. I mean who wants to follow someone who keeps it really REAL, and shows when they're up AND when they're down... Well ok actually many people appreciate the raw reality and honesty, but many in the social media game don't get that. And even if you ARE following the process of someone who is truthful and they still look great, don't allow it to

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

intimidate you. Let it inspire you, and push you to be better – for yourself. It's all about perception. Hopefully some of these tips are helpful to you if you're about to step on that stage, or if you have a show coming up in the near future. Stay positive, allow this journey to EMPOWER you. Remember why you had gotten into this game in the first place, and really allow yourself to shine up there – drama free.

POST CONTEST MIND TAFFY What You Need to do to Get Back to Normal Post Competition

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Whenever I sit down to write, I always want what I have to say to come from the heart. Today's article is no different, but I want to delve a little deeper into what a lot of competitors may see as an internal struggle. And that's when to say "when" in the case of competing – when to call it quits post competition. The one thing that's common among competitors is our relentless urge to be the best. To always challenge ourselves, and to never give up no matter what. I see it often with competitors I coach, and to be honest, I've been a victim of this myself... We get so caught up in the fervor of the chase, to get to the next level, to win a show, or to just better our placings. Focused and driven, we push and push – regardless of what our bodies may be saying, or regardless of what we need mentally in the moment... We get caught up in the rat race, and instead of taking the step(s) back that we need to recoup, we keep going. We keep pushing. Because in our minds, this is NOT supposed to be easy. So we've given ourselves permission to be uncomfortable, and to push far beyond our limits in every way, and to be honest with you, that mindset is at the core of our sport, so honestly how could you not? Here's the thing that you need to ask yourself, "What is it all for?” Because that is the TRUE root of your conflict. You have to look yourself in the mirror, and stare right into your own eyes, and ask yourself why you're doing this and what does it truly mean? We all have our reasons as to why we wanted to begin competing. However, as with anything in life, we gain experience, we evolve, and we change. And our intentions become different than they were at the beginning – and we have to accept that that's ok! At the end of it all, this journey and process should EMPOWER YOU. You should be finding joy in the process, regardless to how tough it is. You truly ENJOY it. And the moment you lose that is the time you need to step away. At my most recent show (at the time of this writing), I remember having great anxiety going into it. I had a ton of internal conflict whether this game was for me any longer, and my focus was so hell bent on the things in which I can't control. I wanted to WIN. And so much so that the enjoyment of the process was lost. I became hypercritical of myself, everything had to be perfect, yet in my own eyes nothing was. I stopped enjoying MY process. By the day of the show, I was able to gather my focus, but I didn't enjoy the show as much as I had in the past when it comes to the actual event. I found myself more quiet and reserved backstage, and just anxious about how things would

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

turn out. I ended up in 6th place, which I should have been proud of, but truly I found myself frustrated. It was at that moment that I realized that after 5 years of being a SUCCESSFUL competitor, I needed a break from everything. As competitors what I think is important to realize is that the stage will ALWAYS be there. Each year this another local show, another national level show, another pro show, another Olympia. They aren't going anywhere, and you will always have the opportunity to try again, even after a long break. And when you take a step back and realize this, you see how small a scale it all truly is. The anxiety dissipates, the mental clarity returns, and your passion for the process can burn bright and hot once again. When you realize it's all a small blip on your personal path and journey, your ability to do well and to be better grows tenfold. Now, how much time off you take is entirely up to you. But planning for it, and following through is just as important in the process as everything else. Breaks from the game allow you to re-center and refresh. To find normalcy again, enjoy time with family and friends, and allows your body a moment to deload and recover. At the end of the day, this is the game of bodyBUILDING. And in our sport, that building happens away from the gym and off of the stage. Finding that delicate balance between the grind and resting is the main goal, and again, only you can dictate exactly how much you need. What I can say to you, however, is that you should only start back at it when YOU are truly ready. The second hardest part in this equation (next to the actual decision to take the break in the first place) is remaining still – and actually staying seated once you've made the decision. There will be that voice in your head telling you not to quit, convincing you that you SHOULD be "out there", you need to be seen, that your prize and win is right around the corner. But what if it isn't? What if pushing only makes you physically and mentally worse? Is THAT risk worth it in the end? And that's what you need to keep in mind. Because the shows will come up, you'll see pics of who's competing, you'll see photos of friends getting ready, and you'll have that urge and feeling of obligation that you should be too. It's in this moment you need to ask yourself again – “What's it all for, and what's my purpose?” Once you answer that, and find your true perspective, you'll be free to always play the game by YOUR rules, and on your terms.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

So if there is a number one question that I get asked often (in the case of contest prep) I can say that it would be, "How do you come off of your diet?” I think that knowing how to properly transition from weeks (and months for some) of dieting is the pitfall for many competitors, particularly those new at the game. After years of competing, and countless shows under my belt, I've pretty much come up with a simple and great strategy that I tend to follow myself, and implement with all of my contest prep clients. So I'd like to share some of this hands on advice with you, and do it in bits and chunks. We'll touch on how to get back into normal eating through reverse dieting, how to properly deload training and swing back into a less intense training set up, and how to tackle the mental demons of seeing your body in a more normal state vs. the unrealistic leanness you've gotten used to when you were contest ready. Let's kick off things off with nutrition, shall we!?

Reverse Dieting – The Key to Keeping Fat Gain at Bay Reverse dieting is the method of slowly bringing your calories up to more normal (maintenance) levels after being on a fat loss plan. What you have to realize is that after weeks and months of dieting, your body and metabolism are in a more sensitive and slower state. This is regardless to HOW WELL you diet, it's simply a matter of human physiology. While

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

your goal of stepping on the stage is a conscious choice, the cells of your body see this process of fat loss and dieting as going into starvation/famine mode. Essentially, it doesn't really care that all you want to see is your six pack and your glute/ham tie-in, it only cares about your SURVIVAL. And it wants to bring you back to state of physiological homeostasis by any means necessary. This is what accounts for that increased hunger as you get leaner (i.e. more show ready/conditioned) and also your pre-occupation with food and cravings that often arise and derail many a prep plan. So when you are ready to come off of your diet, it is very crucial that you are mindful of how you eat, and how MUCH you eat.

Water Intake Post Show Following a show, I typically like to enjoy WHATEVER I WANT – guilt and drama free – right after finals. I will typically watch the amount of liquids I consume because during my own contest prep water levels are manipulated and a diuretic introduced during peak week. On a show day, I can drink anywhere up to 1/2 gallon of water all day up until after finals. I have found in the past that when I tend to go super crazy chugging water, along with high amounts of carbs and sodium (and hey a little red wine too, lol), I tend to hold more water in the days following than I'd like. So it helps, in my opinion, to reverse my water in the opposite way I had during my show. So that means, Saturday evening (or the evening post show), I'll try to get in an equivalent of about 1-1.5 liters of water before bed. The next day, I'll increase my water intake to about 3/4 of a gallon all day, and then by Monday, I'd be back to drinking my full gallon as I had during my contest prep. During peak weak, my daily water intake is at 2 gallons or more a day up until Friday before the show where it drops to 1 gallon, then Saturday 1/2 gallon. When a diuretic is thrown into the equation, the body's water levels become very sensitive. So this reversing of intake can once again allow your body to SLOWLY find homeostasis without shocking your system. A quick note regarding diuretic usage. There are many schools of thought on the issue – to take it or not? Is it necessary, or not? Honestly, that's a very individual thing and a whole other topic in and of itself (that we won't cover here). However, if you do take any kind of diuretic, whether it be herbal or prescription, I do suggest that you reverse the amount you've taken (essentially decreasing your dosage over a few days) until you are back to none at all. Remember the more you can do things slowly, and allow your body to normalize at an even pace, the less chance you have with dealing with huge rebounds from water and other issues.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Food Intake Post Show Food, you've DREAMED of the moment you can enjoy all those good and yummy treats you couldn't have while on your plan. And now that the leash is off, it's time to dive right into all the things that you've missed while eating clean and contest focused. Yeah... Not so fast! Remember, your body is still in a state where gaining fat at a more rapid pace is very possible, unless of course you exhibit some control. I always say that the first day or so after your show, you can have more freedom to get away with eating crazy things, and still be in good shape afterwards. But by day 3, if you're not reeling in your eating, you WILL blow up, and you WILL put on some body fat along with water weight, and that can actually get to be very uncomfortable if you go over the edge. The one thing you want to keep in mind, the more things you manipulate during peak week, the more of a chance you have at having a hard rebound post show, and the more you will have to take care when it comes to reintroducing food to your meal plan. So if you played around with carbs, water, and sodium – and let's say you've thrown some kind of diuretic in the picture – then you have to be especially more careful than someone who has maybe only varied one or two things on their plan during their peak. So when it comes to food post show, again I like to enjoy whatever my heart desires the night of the show. Of course I watch my liquid intake during my meal, but the meal will consist of whatever I wish. The next day, let's say Sunday post show, I like to get what I call "loosely" back on plan. So I may not particularly measure all of my food, but I will keep to similar meals on my plan that I would typically eat during the day. And if I feel like having something off plan, I simply enjoy it. For me, that will mean about 2 meals or so off plan out of 6 that I typically have. And if I want any little snacks in between (cookies, or chocolate, or ice cream lol – I don't discriminate), I simply enjoy it but in a smaller amount – nothing crazy and staying in control. However once Monday rolls around, I really try to get back on my plan. My meal plans are written with a way of adding variety as I wish, so if tilapia or chicken isn't cutting it for my palate, I easily sub those items out for whatever else I want. This is what makes a plan more flexible and easy to follow. Later on during the week, I will add a free meal so that compliance isn't an issue since I know a planned break lies ahead. I implement this kind of approach as well with all clients in a post contest mode and have seen nothing but success when it comes to transitioning to normalcy.

Bringing Calories Up For me, a reverse dieting period can take a good 4 weeks or so to fully complete before I move into an off season mode. After enjoying a few days of off plan eating, it's time to reel things in and get back onto my meal plan. Typically, I like to start back on the diet that I had followed just before my peak week. The calories and macros are typically low enough to help move off any excess water retention I may be experiencing, and remain as a slight constant of what my body had been used to right before the show. So essentially, I'm starting where I left off. After about a week at this caloric level, I'll simply increase calories by about 200-250 calories, and stick to that for a week while carefully watching how my body responds. For the third week post show, I'll raise calories once again about another 150-250 calories all while watching my body very closely.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

What am I watching for, you might ask? Well, simply that I'm not gaining weight too rapidly, and that any water retention that I might have experienced post show is starting to dissipate. It's really hard to gauge what a "normal" amount of weight on the scale is post show simply because so many factors influence that number. And depending how carefully (or not) that I come off of my contest diet, I can see a weight fluctuation anywhere between 5 and 20 POUNDS! Yes, 20! However, that's a very extreme situation (like stuffing myself silly without a care on EVERYTHING that New Orleans cuisine has to offer) and a very rare one indeed. And even when I've seen jumps like that post show, it always goes down once normal eating resumes and bloating subsides. So the best piece of advice I can give you is to watch the mirror, and rely on the scale only as a secondary measure – particularly if you are one who gets freaked out by numbers. If you are careful about how you eat, and what you eat in the days after your show, you shouldn't see any extreme swings in the opposite direction. As I go into my fourth week, I'll increase calories one final time before hanging around at this new caloric level for about a good two to three weeks. If you've done your math correctly, over a 4 week time period, I can increase calories anywhere up to about 600-1000 calories post show. With training still in the equation, I'm still burning ample calories to thwart off rapid fat gain, and essentially still maintain a lean physique as I prepare to swing deeper into an off season program. Now, the amount of calories that one can/should increase by each week is an individual thing. Those with slower metabolisms will have to be more mindful and make smaller caloric bump ups. Those with faster metabolisms can take more food when it comes to adding calories back into their plan. All and all, if you are smart about your approach, and you listen to/watch your body closely, you too should be very successful in finding the best strategy for making your transition from contest mode to normalcy very simple and easy. In the next section, we'll discuss how to deload training post show and then successfully swing into your off season.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

So in Part 1 of our series How to Come Off Of a Pre-Contest Diet (And Not Get Fat), we talked about the importance of reverse dieting out of your show meal plan to avoid a rebound or any kind of unwanted excess weight gain. Today's article will cover how to allow your body to recover and swing into your next phase of training. Now, this article will consider those looking to swing into an off-season protocol post contest.

Taking a Closer Look at Cardio Post Contest The topic of cardio is a touchy one in the competitive bodybuilding circle. You've got one camp that does very little to no cardio, you've got some camps doing up to 2 hours (or more!) a day, then you have the folks that are more on the moderate side of the equation. I tend to be more moderate in my approach to cardio. There are some clients that we work with who can get away with doing very little cardio. These people tend to have a higher metabolism in any case, and are often smaller in frame, so using cardio as a tool for fat loss is a more detrimental move as muscle loss can become a major issue. Then we have clients who tend to fall where most people do – those who need to use cardio as a TOOL, but have it intelligently applied to their program to see the best results by show time. For us, that can mean sometimes 45-60 mins of cardio programmed a few times a week, interspersed with shorter duration and higher intensity work (HIIT, metabolic circuits, longer aerobic type intervals, etc.) for 20-30 mins a few times a week. We as a team/staff NEVER prescribe more than about an hour of cardio in a single day for any client. If you need to do that much, then in our opinion, you need to either look closer at your diet or pick a different show. But the truth of the matter is, most people need to SOME form of cardiovascular training in order to get show ready. Now depending on how your cardio has been programmed, much like your diet, it's not a good idea to just stop doing it completely. You have to remember that the weeks and months of dieting for your show has left your body in a more vulnerable state. Your metabolism is slower, certain hormones have become downregulated, and physiologically, you're just in a better position to gain and store fat at a greater capacity. So aside from watching your diet post show, you're definitely going to want to slowly take the cardio duration down as well. I like to generally start off with taking cardio down about 10-15 mins for the first week post show. So if a client has been assigned 45 mins on one day, they'll do 30 mins instead. If they were assigned 30 mins on a day, we'll do about 20 mins on that day instead. I like to recommend that cardio is simply kept to moderate intensity steady state cardio (keeping HR above 75% MHR), and/or with intervals of 1 min on/off during this deloading period. I'm not a big fan of low impact cardio at any point on a plan, so we tend to stick with what a client's plan has been based on throughout the dieting phase. Now if YOUR plan included

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

low impact work, then you can simply stick to that since it's what your body has somewhat adapted to, but simply take the duration down gradually as explained above. The second week after the show, we'll take a look at how our client is progressing. It's really important to listen to your body and train smart at all phases of the game. We're looking to make sure fat gain isn't too much/rapid, hopefully water retention by week two is starting to subside, and their energy is coming back full force in the gym. If things are all going great, we'll simply take a look at their cardio days, and then work to reduce them. So if a client has been assigned a 6 day cardio schedule, we'll take that down now to 3-4 days instead. If they are doing about 4-5 days, then taking cardio down to about 3 days is where we'll end up by week 2. The duration we've set in week 1 will remain the same, taking down the frequency does indeed decrease training volume, allowing the body to recover further. By week 3, we are doing the same process all over again as we had in week 2. Taking a close look at client progress and feedback, allowing those to be the determining factor on what our next moves will be. It's at week 3 that we will likely take cardio down another 10-15 minutes until that client is hitting around 10-15 mins for the days assigned. We'll alternate these cardio sessions between moderate intensity steady state work and intervals. Week 4 finishes off our deload with setting things up for a client's off season. Typically we like to keep cardio at an absolute minimum – if done at all – for our off season clients. This is a thing that is goal specific, and based upon the individual. Some clients we prefer to stay a little leaner in the off season. These would be the ones we'll leave cardio in the picture for. However, cardio would be kept at an absolute minimum. No more than a duration of about 15 to 20 mins maximum, and up to about 3 days or less a week. For clients who we decide don't need cardio in the off season, we'll take cardio down to about 1-2 days during this final week, then by week 5, remove it completely as we'll be swinging into a new phase focusing on improving their bodies for the season ahead.

Taking a Closer Look at Strength Training Post Contest By the final week going into your show, your training has likely ramped down. Many competitors are dying to get back into the gym full force to make improvements right after their show – and that's a very valid idea indeed. With the influx of carbs and sodium that has been reintroduced into your diet (after few days of celebratory eating), you definitely want to put those calories to good use.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I like to see this time after a show as a time for active recovery. What more time than now to take a small step back and allow your body to recover a bit before hitting it hard with your off season training. In the first week after a show, we like to set up a reduced training schedule for our clients. This will usually include a 4 or 5 day training split where we will have them hit two or three full body workouts (one day of a circuit workout, and one day of a heavier/high tension workout, if a 3rd day is assigned then it's either one of these two protocols repeated), an upper body day, and a lower body day. We'll usually instruct our clients to definitely keep the intensity high, but simply play things smart and listen to their bodies. You'd be surprised how much strength can often decrease after weeks of dieting, so when you jump back into the game it's important to acknowledge where you are presently and not try to overexert yourself. Train and lift heavy, but play smart so that you avoid injury. We'll spend a week on this kind of 4-5 day protocol, and reassess at the end of it. Once again, we are paying close attention to how the body is responding. If fatigue is an issue and they need more recovery, taking training down to a 3 or 4 day split is a better idea. Remember, you are deloading cardio at the same time, so total volume is coming down accordingly. If energy levels are not an issue, and they are on track physically, we'll sometimes leave their set up as is and simply have them repeat this for a second week. Although, sometimes we will take training to a 3-4 day split for the second week to allow a little more recovery time. Weeks 3 and 4 of our deload are focused on setting up a client's training split that will lead into their off season. By week three, we are moving into a training split that is reflective of their training set up for the initial mesocycle of their off season. As a coach, I tend to be very OCD when it comes to program design, so myself and our coaches actually set up meso- and macrocycles for every client's plan. These cycles clearly define what we'll be focusing on for a 6-12 week cycle before setting up planned deloads, and essentially act as a plan for periodized training for a client’s goal. So the final two weeks of our 4 week deloading phase is all about setting up for the off season ahead. Typically that will mean taking out the full body days, as well as the upper and lower body days, and programming a more specific split based on bringing up weak body parts, and improving overall structure. The intensity for these two weeks will be more on the moderate side, still focusing on lifting heavy, but mostly focused on establishing a base for training that will set up the rest of the off season period. Always remember one thing, in this process you always have to play smart, and plan ahead of time. Competing can offer SUCH an amazing experience for anyone who takes on the challenge. But much like any athlete, in any sport, a smart exit strategy post show is essential as you transition into real life and normalcy once again.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I want to emphasize for you the importance of taking a break from training – also known as deloading. I think we all get so caught up in the process of either building, or cutting, that we often forget (or even further, some don't realize) that it's not our efforts in the gym alone that's responsible for growth; but instead, it's all about the time you take to recover in between training that progress is seen. But I want to take things a little further... It's one thing to take a few days off from the gym, and a completely different thing to go on a full deload from training – and truly see what the power of rest and recovery can do for your gains. Now, before we continue, let me add that deloading doesn't have to mean taking FULL time off. It's simply a means of taking down training volume, frequency, and intensity for a short period of time. How long you need is influenced by a variety of factors. The main thing to keep in mind is that it is indeed an essential part of any training program, and so on that note, let's discuss the importance of deloading and how you can incorporate it in your programming.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

Why Is Deloading Important? Now, I'm going to be completely straight up with you. For people like us, deloading is really hard to do – at first. I'm #AboutThatLife, and I'm all about getting in the gym and going balls to the wall – every single time I walk in the room. It truly is exhilarating and energizing. Most times, I find that I can go weeks on end like the Energizer bunny. But then it slowly starts to creep up... The fatigue. The lost motivation. The contemplation between going to the gym and staying home to zone out with television... The seemingly sudden loss of interest in the gym. And not to mention, achy joints, sore muscles, and a decrease in strength a bit over time really show up – and I hate it. I wonder what's going on... But then I remember I'm NOT quite superhuman – yet. This is where deloading steps in. The reason it's so important is that it allows for a period of longer, and planned recovery. This period of time allows the body to fully repair muscle tissue, and gives the central nervous system a chance to reset as well – both things that can lead to more positive physical changes as you will be able to work even harder in the gym.

How Long Should I Deload For? Now, this is a responds that truly lies on "it depends". I have different rules depending on the situation. When I create a program for my one on one clients, I'll usually set up the training macrocycle to last about 12 to 16 weeks, with the intention to deload at the end of that period. Sometimes when that final week comes, the client is still flying along, and doing really well. So I'll push for another few weeks without deloading them, adding it in when I want to switch up the focus of their overall workout plan. For others, their body may be showing signs that indeed deloading is needed. They may be experiencing some of the things I mentioned above. So in that case, making sure to deload them every 12 to 16 weeks is ideal. As for the length of time of the deload, I like to plan for 2 weeks. So during that 2 week period, training volume and intensity is taken way down. If that person was doing 5 or 6 days a week in the gym, I'll instead program 3 or 4 days of training, take cardio way down (no more than 15 to 20 mins, keeping HR between 65-70% MHR), and have them rest the other days – COMPLETE rest. Usually by the end of the two weeks, they feel back to being energized again. And if we both feel a little longer may be needed, then adding an additional 2, for a total of 4 weeks of deloading seems to do the trick beautifully.

Should I Change My Diet During the Deload? During the deloading period, I actually like to take clients to maintenance calories to truly reset the body. If we are on a fat loss plan, then I aim for the predicted maintenance for their current weight at the time of the deload. And don't worry yourself to do this. You won't gain any significant amount of weight, and remember you were just coming off of a deficit.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

So certain hormones were downregulated, and your body in a catabolic state. Raising calories to maintenance will not put you at a surplus, so significant fat gain is the least of your concern. Taking calories up though is crucial to this process. Again, we are aiming for a period of prolonged recovery. And that doesn't just stop at your muscles, joints and connective tissue. That recovery has to happen on the metabolic level, and the hormonal level as well. A lot of that is controlled by way of food, and how much you're getting in. So don't skip out on this crucial aspect of deloading.

How Often Should Deloading Take Place? Much like the section above, it goes in the "it depends" pile. I think the best way to apply the art of deloading is by way of listening to your body, and really becoming in tuned with what YOUR personal needs are. It's very easy to just keep pounding the body down in the gym, thinking that hard work is everything – and all things. At some point, you're going to hit a wall. And when you do, it all comes crashing down like a house of cards if you don't handle things intelligently. So my advice to you is to deload whenever you feel the following: Your motivation is suddenly lost and you can't focus in the gym. You're experiencing nagging injuries that keep popping up, and aren't getting better with time. You're feeling exhausted and having a hard time recovering in between workouts. You've been training with a lot of volume and intensity for about 12 to 18+ weeks, and looking to perhaps switch up your plan with a new focus. You wish to plan an actual deload in scheduled intervals as a part of your overall programming in general. All of these are great reasons to take a break and allow yourself some time to step back for the sake of your physical and mental health in the gym. You'll find that when you get back at it, that fire and power to rev up and go is almost as if it never left!

What to Do After the Deload Ends? After your planned deload has come to an end, you can feel confident embarking on your goals in whatever way you choose. Set up a new training program for yourself, spice up your workouts with some new stuff, mix up your training split, incorporate some methods of training that you don't always do. If you focus on continually challenging yourself in new ways in the gym, you'll prevent yourself from mental staleness, and give yourself a reason to want to hit the gym as hard and heavy as you can – intelligently.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

But to go even further, always keep in mind that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction. So the weeks that you are pushing hard in the gym, MUST be met with a period of planned recovery and down time – this is where deloading comes in. So be sure to plan for it. Be sure to allow for it. And start to program your thinking that it should and must be a part of any intelligently designed training program.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

I can tell you from 100% personal experience that shifting your mindset from being in full on show mode, then back to your normal grind, takes a seriously major adjustment. Just think, you spend WEEKS upon weeks, dieting, training, and being super disciplined in order to look your best – then you’re suddenly faced with not having those same kinds of expectations upon you, and the freedom to essentially do and eat pretty much whatever you want! And as enticing as that sounds WHILE you’re in prep, it’s scary as all get up once the game is over, and you’re faced with trying to find balance again. What I want you to do post show is to take a step back, and just try to keep your mind calm. YOU WILL find it racing back and forth trying to enjoy the freedom you now have, and possibly feeling guilty about not being able to control getting back on plan again. But that’s just it… You NEED to get back on plan after your show to avoid that post contest rebound we just talked about, and to make a smoother transition to the next chapter of your life in fitness. My advice to all clients, enjoy the festivities the night of your show. But the next day, eat loosely on plan, enjoying a free meal here and there (maybe about 1 or 2 or so during the day). But by day 2 after your show (by about the Monday afterwards), get back on plan! In fact, it’s absolutely crucial! Not doing so will find you gaining possibly copious amounts of weight, and some of it will be body fat given the body’s fight to get back to your normal pre dieting set point, as quickly as it can. Now, I don’t want to repeat what I’ve already said in the last section, so let’s talk about what happens AFTER taking the smart and careful approach to coming off of your prep plan… As a competitor, we have a driving factor to be our best. And the stage can be so intoxicating, the experience can leave you with a high you just want to chase over and over again. For some of you, you’ll want to experience that right away, and will opt to take a short amount of time off before getting back out on the circuit again. What I want to say to you is to truly take a step back to re-evaluate your physique, and to make the most intelligent move you can post show. Find the joy in training again apart from chasing down a stage goal, because at some point, you WILL hang your posing suit up for good – and the question then becomes “what is this all for”? Why do you train, and what you get out of it?

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

It’s very important to never lose sight of what made you get into all of this stuff in the first place, and to find yourself in a position once again that you are putting in all of this effort for you. Not for the lights and the sparkling posing suits. Not for a team nor coach. And certainly not for a pit of judges. It’s when you are able to remember the things that inspire you most about training and eating in a way to improve your health (regardless of the stage), that you will be able to have the smoothest kind of transition in the aftermath. And you know what, after the lights dim, don’t be afraid to take a break. Take time off for your own sanity! There have been moments where I have actually NOT gone to the gym for an entire week, simply because I needed that kind of complete break from my routine to get back to normal again. The next steps for you is figuring out what it is that YOU need to do from that point when it comes to your training and nutrition. If stepping on stage again is your goal, how much time should you take off, what you need to focus on as far as body parts to bring up are all things you need to consider. In the midst of mapping out a game plan, remember that the stage will ALWAYS be there. So there is no rush to step out on the scene right away. TAKE THE TIME YOU NEED. If that amount of time is 6 months, or even a year, know that it is OK! Remember, this is the sport of body-BUILDING. And the amount of effort and work I takes to succeed at it will take time. It is not had overnight, and should be a process that you enjoy just as much as getting on the stage. The other mental shift you are going to have to adjust to is the changing of your body back to what is normal for you! You have spent weeks upon weeks prepping, and seeing yourself at your absolute leanest. But the thing you have to keep in mind is that look is NOT something that can be sustained. Remember, being contest lean is NOT sustainable for the human body. So being ok with seeing your body fat increase is going to be a shift you MUST allow yourself to make, and accept if you truly wish to evolve your physique. Now, this isn’t to say that you allow yourself to get “sloppy”, but to just keep in mind that a year round 6 pack is hard to attain without strict dieting. And that if you want to grow, you’ve got to eat and feed your body, as well as train like a beast! Keep in mind that hypertrophy isn’t entirely possible nor efficient when you are trying to stay as close as can be to your stage weight.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

The key to finding normalcy post show is about listening to your body, allowing yourself to simply enjoy life, and to continue to embrace the healthier parts of what the bodybuilding world has taught you… How discipline, a great diet and way of eating, as well as challenging training, can all do wonders for making you a healthier person for the long term, and preserve the body for many years to come. And as you decide whether stepping on stage was a one shot deal, or something that you want to do until you’re in the last master’s class, keep in mind the reason why you started all of this. To feel empowered. To test your limits. To see what you are truly capable of on the physical level. To achieve a goal and realize a dream or desire. To be like your idols who grace the covers of magazines. To embrace a better and healthier way of living. To tick off a bucket list item. To show everyone you CAN do what you say you will do. To add an extra layer of value and motivation to your training and nutrition program… Whatever that reason is TO YOU, do not lose sight of it (or them, if you have several reasons). It is because of those very same reasons why you started all of this that you need to fall back on when the lights dim and the curtains lower. Bodybuilding is something that can carry you for the rest of your life. And if you play the game smart, can find you in a far better place – mentally, physically, and emotionally. And it is that kind of evolution of self that surpasses any trophy you will ever win! And as long as you are able to acknowledge this, you will always come away a winner in this sport.

Contest Prep Crash Course: Everything You Need to Consider Before Your Next Show

If you enjoyed this text, and you’re ready to take your contest prep to the next level – with a SANE and HEALTHY approach… Contact me today for one on one online contest prep coaching. http://www.roxstarfitness.com/contestprepcoach