Help-Preparing For My First BB Comp

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

I’m competing in my first bodybuilding competition on May 2nd, on the outskirts of Peoria IL. I am 5’10.5, 209.5 lbs. On Tuesday the 10th I will begin making my way down to 188 lbs, the category I am competing in.

Currently I eat around 4,200 calories daily. An average day looks like this:

7:00 AM: 24g ON whey protein w. water & banana.
8:00 AM: 4 whole eggs, serving of oatmeal, and two servings of juice.
10:30 AM: A serving of syntha-6 blended w. a serving of chocolate almond milk, a serving of whole fat yogurt, and a serving of peanut butter. And a serving of dry flax whole grain cereal.
1:00 PM: Generous serving of brown rice, various veggies, and an eyeballed 4-6 oz of chicken breast. 2 servings chocolate almond milk.
2:00 PM: Generous serving of NO Explode with 5g creatine monohydrate shortly followed by my workout.
3:30 PM: 36g ON whey protein, 3-4 tablespoons table sugar, 3-4g creatine monohydrate and a banana.
5:00 PM: 1.5 servings of flax whole grain cereal w. a serving of whole milk, an eyeballed 4-6 oz of chicken breast & a serving of whole fat yogurt. 2 servings juice.
7:30 PM: A serving of syntha-6 mixed w. a serving of whole milk and an apple w. a serving of peanut butter.
10:30 Serving of brown rice, various veggies, and an eyeballed 4-6 oz of chicken breast. 2 servings chocolate almond milk.
11:00 PM: Bed

I plan to discontinue usage of creatine monohydrate and use Lipo-6 shortly after I begin my diet. Also, I understand it is important to slowly lower your caloric intake. I was planning to wheen my self of juice and chocolate almond milk.

I would certainly appreciate any suggestions to help me maximize my results. I will update this post over the weekend with a look at my training split.

Thanks in advance,

-AB

2

I assume your bodyfat might be in the 12%~ range right now by your profile stats.

You should post some pics to be more realistic, stats are not that important in bodybuilding.

For better results, there should come a time in your diet where you don’t mix carbs with fats and forget about simple carbohydrates for best results. Lipo 6 is a good supplement, I tried it my first time cutting and gave me the help I needed. You should wait 3 or 4 weeks without Lipo 6, use fat burners as the last resources.

The diet you’re currently in is suitable to add 2 or 3 sessions of HIIT cardio per week, don’t ever do this on low carbs, low carbs is for low cardio 30-45 minutes.

Try a reduced intake version with similar sources as your starting diet. Combine this with HIIT cardio, after 3-4 weeks add the lipo 6. After week 6-8 I would suggest switching to a low carbs, low intensity cardio phase. You should be aware of your metabolism right know to design carb loading parameters before the contest.

Good luck with your prep man. Seek advice here, there are many people with plenty of knowledge around this site.

3

Thank you for the insight. I was originally planning on running five or six times per week first thing in the morning for thirty minutes at a HR of around 150. Would you recommend doing HIIT cardio in replacement of this two or three times every week? Also, is an ellyptical a decent option?

[quote]MEYMZ wrote:
For better results, there should come a time in your diet where you don’t mix carbs with fats and forget about simple carbohydrates for best results.[/quote]

I’m not sure I an following you right here, I always make an effort to balance my protein, healthy fats, fiberous carbs, simple and complex carbs. Can you elaborate a little more please?

Thanks,

-AB

4

[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
Thank you for the insight. I was originally planning on running five or six times per week first thing in the morning for thirty minutes at a HR of around 150. Would you recommend doing HIIT cardio in replacement of this two or three times every week? Also, is an ellyptical a decent option?

MEYMZ wrote:
For better results, there should come a time in your diet where you don’t mix carbs with fats and forget about simple carbohydrates for best results.

I’m not sure I an following you right here, I always make an effort to balance my protein, healthy fats, fiberous carbs, simple and complex carbs. Can you elaborate a little more please?

Thanks,

-AB[/quote]

running isn’t a great form of cardio for a bodybuilder. you should be doing steady state on an eliptical, bike, walking treadmil, stair stepper, etc…or train with giant sets and do two in one lol

I am a believer in not mixing carbs/fats while dieting.

You will learn there is a difference in just eating and trying to be healthy .vs. manipulating your diet/training to look good on stage. Remember in bodybuilding your training/dieting to look your best on one day.

DG

5

[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
Thank you for the insight. I was originally planning on running five or six times per week first thing in the morning for thirty minutes at a HR of around 150. Would you recommend doing HIIT cardio in replacement of this two or three times every week? Also, is an ellyptical a decent option?

MEYMZ wrote:
For better results, there should come a time in your diet where you don’t mix carbs with fats and forget about simple carbohydrates for best results.

I’m not sure I an following you right here, I always make an effort to balance my protein, healthy fats, fiberous carbs, simple and complex carbs. Can you elaborate a little more please?

Thanks,

-AB

running isn’t a great form of cardio for a bodybuilder. you should be doing steady state on an eliptical, bike, walking treadmil, stair stepper, etc…or train with giant sets and do two in one lol

I am a believer in not mixing carbs/fats while dieting.

You will learn there is a difference in just eating and trying to be healthy .vs. manipulating your diet/training to look good on stage. Remember in bodybuilding your training/dieting to look your best on one day.

DG
[/quote]

When you advocate using a steady state are you saying HIIT would not be the most effective training method?

“I am a believer in not mixing carbs/fats while dieting.”

Can you elaborate a little more here please?

Thanks,

-AB

6

[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
Dirty Gerdy wrote:
Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
Thank you for the insight. I was originally planning on running five or six times per week first thing in the morning for thirty minutes at a HR of around 150. Would you recommend doing HIIT cardio in replacement of this two or three times every week? Also, is an ellyptical a decent option?

MEYMZ wrote:
For better results, there should come a time in your diet where you don’t mix carbs with fats and forget about simple carbohydrates for best results.

I’m not sure I an following you right here, I always make an effort to balance my protein, healthy fats, fiberous carbs, simple and complex carbs. Can you elaborate a little more please?

Thanks,

-AB

running isn’t a great form of cardio for a bodybuilder. you should be doing steady state on an eliptical, bike, walking treadmil, stair stepper, etc…or train with giant sets and do two in one lol

I am a believer in not mixing carbs/fats while dieting.

You will learn there is a difference in just eating and trying to be healthy .vs. manipulating your diet/training to look good on stage. Remember in bodybuilding your training/dieting to look your best on one day.

DG

When you advocate using a steady state are you saying HIIT would not be the most effective training method?

[/quote]

Using HIIT depends on the individual. Lighter people won’t find it detrimental. If you find no problem losing fat doing steady state don’t add HIIT. Running on track for bodybuilding, specially for a show is just silly/too demanding.

7

Your calories are way to high. If you want to do well, for your weight, I would estimate 2500 cals per day. If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

I too do stead state cardio, but tend to cut out cardio about 4 weeks prior to the show.

8

[quote]Prisoner wrote:
Your calories are way to high. If you want to do well, for your weight, I would estimate 2500 cals per day. If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

I too do stead state cardio, but tend to cut out cardio about 4 weeks prior to the show.[/quote]

I was going to say your crazy, that is until I noticed your picture. Haha. I plan on dropping a couple hundred calories a week until I can find a good balance to sustain fat loss without losing muscle.

EDIT: I will most likely be updating later this afternoon with pics.

9

"I too do stead state cardio, but tend to cut out cardio about 4 weeks prior to the show. "

What do you do to prepare for a month before the show?

10

[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:

“I am a believer in not mixing carbs/fats while dieting.”

Can you elaborate a little more here please?

Thanks,

-AB[/quote]

He’s talking about something brought up by John Berardi a few years ago. Look up “Massive Eating” (and it’s branch-off articles) and it will discuss it there. I believe the “Appetite for Construction” articles go into further detail. Basically, you eat protein+carbs or protein+fats for a meal and properly time them (ie protein+carbs after lifting and/or at breakfast with protein+fats for rest of meals)

I believe Thibs used this approach for his first BB competition and that it is recommended by most Doggcrapp trainers.

Running will take off a lot of size on you. Listen to Gerdy and Prisoner…they’re top notch

11

[quote]Prisoner wrote:
If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.
[/quote]

Lol, I love it. I’m just learning myself how much lettuce and brocoli I can force down to stop the growling in my stomach.

S

12

[quote]Prisoner wrote:
Your calories are way to high. If you want to do well, for your weight, I would estimate 2500 cals per day. If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

I too do stead state cardio, but tend to cut out cardio about 4 weeks prior to the show.[/quote]

listen to this man, because I listen to this man. :wink:

DG

13

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Prisoner wrote:
If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

Lol, I love it. I’m just learning myself how much lettuce and brocoli I can force down to stop the growling in my stomach.

S
[/quote]

liking the new avatar stu :wink: lookin good man.

DG

14

[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
The Mighty Stu wrote:
Prisoner wrote:
If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

Lol, I love it. I’m just learning myself how much lettuce and brocoli I can force down to stop the growling in my stomach.

S

liking the new avatar stu :wink: lookin good man.

DG[/quote]

I’d fuck him

15

[quote]Prisoner wrote:
Your calories are way to high. If you want to do well, for your weight, I would estimate 2500 cals per day. If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

I too do stead state cardio, but tend to cut out cardio about 4 weeks prior to the show.[/quote]

Looking fucking huge Prisoner! Great pic. Great back too.

I was going to say the calories seem pretty low, until I realized the show’s under 12 weeks away, which means he should have started his cut by now.

I wouldn’t recommend dropping all those calories at once right now, just in case you were wondering OP. But yeah, Pris is just about right.

16

[quote]Aragorn wrote:
Prisoner wrote:
Your calories are way to high. If you want to do well, for your weight, I would estimate 2500 cals per day. If you want to win you have to starve! there is really no other way about it.

I too do stead state cardio, but tend to cut out cardio about 4 weeks prior to the show.

Looking fucking huge Prisoner! Great pic. Great back too.

I was going to say the calories seem pretty low, until I realized the show’s under 12 weeks away, which means he should have started his cut by now.

I wouldn’t recommend dropping all those calories at once right now, just in case you were wondering OP. But yeah, Pris is just about right.[/quote]

Yes, take a few weeks to ‘transition’ into your starvation diet, but by week 8 you should be in starvation mode lol.

Another thing - no cheat meals. If you want to place second or third or fourth e.t.c. then eat cheat meals. If you want first place, then cheating is not an option.

17

I plan on taking first place in the novice category. I am not going to eat any crap. A trainer that I previously worked with told me to eat a bunch of fat the night before the competition. His logic was along the lines of this: it won’t be able to digest quickly enough to affect your bodyfat percentage and it will make you look more filled out. What do you guys think about that?

"I was going to say the calories seem pretty low, until I realized the show’s under 12 weeks away, which means he should have started his cut by now.

I wouldn’t recommend dropping all those calories at once right now, just in case you were wondering OP. But yeah, Pris is just about right. "

I am currently at about 3,600 calories daily. I cut back on juice & chocolate almond milk, and went from whole milk to 2%.

"He’s talking about something brought up by John Berardi a few years ago. Look up “Massive Eating” (and it’s branch-off articles) and it will discuss it there. I believe the “Appetite for Construction” articles go into further detail. Basically, you eat protein+carbs or protein+fats for a meal and properly time them (ie protein+carbs after lifting and/or at breakfast with protein+fats for rest of meals)

I believe Thibs used this approach for his first BB competition and that it is recommended by most Doggcrapp trainers.

Running will take off a lot of size on you. Listen to Gerdy and Prisoner…they’re top notch"

I’m somewhat familiar with that idea, would any of you guys be kind enough to take a glance at the diet I posted and point out anywhere I can improve it and mix things up?

Thanks,

-AB

18

very quickly,
Juice, Bananas,milk, peanut butter, whole eggs, the almonds, the chocolate, yogart, and anything with the word ‘generous’ in front of it are absolutely no business being associated with a contest diet.

Anything that makes you feel ‘satisfied’ get rid of. If you’re not hungry your cals and carbs are too high.

need fat? try a small amount of flax oil.

no starch just small servings of complex carbs with lean meat, and just green veggies.

All seasonings should be low or zero calorie.

the only time to comsume simple carbs is immediately post workout.

No cheat meals.

when you think you are lean enough, you are not even close- keep on going!

As for final prep for the show, keep it simple. What you do in the first 11 weeks as a whole is astromeggally more important than what you do the few days before, or even the night of.

I don’t recomend any loading, just increase your cals to maintainace a few days out, eating the same foods, get rid of any extra salt for a few days out, but the day before the show eat normally again - do not over eat or binge eat, eat just like a normal person would eat on a normal day. (for example how you are eating right now)

Don’t screw with water loading.

The bottom line is this. If you are not happy with the size you are precontest, carb/fat loadng is not going to fix this problem, it will just make you bloated, and wet looking.

Instead of comming in razor sharp but smaller than you would like, you will come in bloated and smooth and smaller than you would like (the judges won’t even pay any attention to you) Instead consider you need to train for more years to add the size that you currently don’t have, and people are trying to convice you that you can somehow magically aquire by slamming in the calories on the last few days.

19

I’m going to bookmark this thread…OP consider yourself lucky that Pris is chiming in on this, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen him post. I’d listen :wink:

Good luck.

20

Prisoner—I’m curious and have a question of my own related to your advice for his “week of contest” prep.

You say don’t screw with water loading and eat normally to this pre-cut diet the day before, and you also recommend messing with sodium levels. Thib says pretty much the opposite–don’t mess with sodium/potassium depletion or loading, eat simple carbs/syrup etc the evening before the contest, and use water depletion/loading.

Obviously you know your stuff. And obviously Thib gives fantastic advice and knows his stuff. So I’m curious for your reasons that you recommend 1) eating like a normal person would instead of simple carbs on the evening prior to the show and 2) why you don’t like water loading–is it just because this is the 1st contest and you want him to keep it simple don’t want to mess with the OP experimenting and screwing things up? Or do you not in general like the specific way Thibs recommended things in “Shredded in 6 days”?