Carbohydrate-loading, managing your water and your sodium levels is a VERY important part of bodybuilding contest preparation. Failure to do this right can resulting ruining several weeks of dieting and training.
Here is how you do it.
Step 1
Begin the final week before your competition consuming 0.4 to 0.6 g of carbohydrates for each pound of your body weight. While this will likely be lower than the daily recommended intake of 130 g per day suggested by the National Academies, it is still enough to power your activities without causing you to hold extra water, as carbohydrates promote water retention.
Step 2
Reduce your sodium intake throughout the week. Sodium encourages water retention, so you should begin the week with a normal intake of sodium – about 1,750 mg per day – and work your way down to as little sodium as possible the day prior to your show.
Step 3
Increase your carbohydrate intake gradually during the week. A week-long carbohydrate load allows you to adequately fill muscles with glycogen, which improves definition and size.
Step 4
Consume bananas or guavas, sweet potatoes, winter squash, yoghourt. These foods are high in carbohydrates and low in fat, but also provide potassium. High-potassium foods are an essential part of any balanced diet: The mineral helps to regulate your body’s fluid levels, aids in muscular function and waste removal, and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly. Potassium also helps reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension and lowers your risk for stroke. Potassium is an essential nutrient that can help prevent cramping as you decrease your sodium intake. It will also help you from holding water between your muscles and skin, which occludes the sharp muscle definition you are trying to showcase on stage.
Step 5
Decrease water consumption gradually throughout the week and continue increasing carbohydrate intake until you are consuming 2.0 - 2.5 g of carbs per pound of body-weight on the day before the show. You should only drink 64 oz. of water the day prior to your show. Stop drinking water altogether 12 hours from stage time. You can sip a bit of water to swallow food, vitamins, etc but the goal is to limit the water as much as possible so the extra carbs you are ingesting pull water from beneath the skin into the muscle. The result is your muscles will get follow, your skin tighter and you will see much more definition.
Step 6
Consume simple carbohydrates on the day of your show. Fibrous foods can leave you bloated, so foods such as honey and apple butter are preferable. Stick to foods easily digestible.
Bottom Line
Everyone's body is different. Some people can consume more carbs than others and not smooth out.
My suggestion is you try this “Peak Week Plan” before your contest date so you can see how your body reacts to carbs, what carbs do not cause bloat, and so you can determine how many grams of carbs you can eat to optimize muscle fullness while not experiencing carb “spillover” which can leave you looking soft and without the desired definition.
About the Author Jeff Behar
Jeff Behar, MS, MBA, is a well-known health, fitness, wellness author and anti aging, champion natural bodybuilder (2014 Masters Grand Prix Champion, 2015 California State Masters Champion), and a recognized health, fitness and nutrition expert with over 30 years of experience in the health, fitness, disease prevention, nutrition, and anti-aging fields.
As a recognized health, fitness and nutrition expert, Jeff Behar's has been featured on several radio shows, TV, and in several popular bodybuilding publications such as Flex, Ironman and in several highly regarded peer reviewed scientific journals. Jeff Behar is also the CEO and founder www.MuscleMagFitness.com and www.MyBesthealthPortal.com and a Medical Commentator on exercise for The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, the worlds largest medical academy for anti-aging and regenerative medicine, provides medical professionals with the latest Anti-Aging, regenerative, functional and metabolic medicine.
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