I usually don't blog about nutrition on my posts,due to a lot of nay sayers and other things....but after several questions, i figured i would do a brief ,
very general, run down on my nutrition,both during prep and off season.
before i get started,please note that i am NOT a dietitian (but I've done my research!).even though i am a personal trainer and know what works for normal weight loss for the average individual,contest prep nutrition plan can be, and is different.
what may work for one person during prep/training may not work for another. everyone is different and different things work for different individuals.it took me about 2 years to really find out what really *worked* for me both on and off the stage.
and i learned it all by research,trial and error.....
when i first started figure comps,i went to bodybuilding.com and looked at other peoples nutrition plan and followed it.
I've tried just about every nutrition "plan" out there. the ketone diet,carb cycling,zigzag method,caloric deficits,etc,etc,...anything that everyone else was doing,i tried it....
and it didn't work for me like it did for them.
*duh*
so after a lot of frustration,i decided to make my own nutrition plan based on trial and error.
i got a notebook,wrote down everything i ate,how much of it,what time i ate it,how i was feeling at the time (tired,hungry,energized,stressed,etc) and then i would document how my body was looking before and after a meal.
for example:
7:30 AM: 1/2c oatmeal with 1TBS PNB,2tsp honey.
feelings: feeling good after morning run,hungry.
looks: abs out after run
30 minutes after meal,felt bloated and abs faded..
11:00 AM: 4oz lean meat with 1cup sweet potato
feelings: very stressed right now,and tired. feeling discouraged.
looks: abs still bloated over before and after meal. details aren't coming out in quads....
something like that...
but by doing this i learned what foods worked for me,what carb sources worked without bloating me over and of course what feelings,emotions,or stress levels were like at the time. its not only food that causes your body to do weird things.these things play a factor in how your body looks and feels as well.
so after i got a handle on that,and figured it out,this is what works for me, and what is on my side of the pantry.
what works for me during prep:
a 40/40/20 split
something similar to Body for Life plan.
i have a lean protein with a complex carb at every meal.
i don't do a lot a carb manipulation during prep other than tapering of carbs during the day closer to show day (4-6wks out)
peak week,i do a very mild carb depletion (ie 3 meals,or if desperate,24hrs) and then a mild carb up-ie just a normal prep day of food-no high high crazy amounts of carbs)
i do manipulate water intake-a 2 day hyper hydrate-double the normal intake,followed by a 2 day gradual decrease by 1/2.
i don't do sodium manipulation,or any other crazy thing.
i learned the hard way to NEVER do crazy things during peak week......
during prep,i do have a "re-feed" day 1x a week which is usually a "cheat" day. when cheats are cut out,the re-feed day is just one extra meal that day. what this does is up my calories for that day just enough to throw my body for a loop and keep my metabolism going. what i have learned is that the body will adapt to its caloric intake just like it adapts to exercises. if the body is used to consuming X amount of calorie aday,then the body will adapt and only burn X amount of kcals a day.
off season:
very similar to prep, but with a 50/30/20 spilt.
i do cook healthy alternatives of "normal" food (pizza,chicken nuggets,grilled cheese,etc)for me and the family most days. i eat clean 98% of the time,but 1x week i have a cheat meal,where i don't worry too much about it,where i don't modify a recipe drastically,and sometimes i even splurge on a candy bar or gummi bears.
i also run a lot more during off season in order to stay lean all year. makes prep that much easier. i hate dieting down,so i try to stay within 5lbs or so from stage weight.
FOODS I HAVE DURING PREP:
at 8 weeks out,this is what is on my list:
chicken
sweet potato
lean meats/fish (talapia,98% lean ground turkey,ham,etc)
rice cakes
natural PNB
honey
vegetables (mushrooms,carrots,broccoli,green beans,cauliflower,red,green,yellow peppers,etc)
green leafy spinach
apples
oranges
brown rice
oats
whole wheat pita pockets/bread
whole wheat crackers
yogurt
pure protein protein bars
whey protein
2% cheese
BBQ sauce
ketchup
fat free butter spray
splenda
cinnamon
mrs.dash
diet coke
"CHEATS"
94% fat free popcorn
sugar free/fat free pudding
frozen yogurt
honey nut cheerios
fat free cool whip
bites of kids snacks-(goldfish,granola bars,graham crackers,100kcal snack bag,etc)
FOOD I CUT CLOSER TO SHOW
about 4-5wks before a show, ALL "cheats" are cut
as well as
cheese,
yogurt,
wheat bread/crackers,
oranges,
diet coke
vegetables except for spinach...
everything else stays in.
10 days before a show,i cut out protein bars and protein powder to decrease bloat....
AFTER a show,i have learned the hard way what not to do.
the right way for me not to gain a million pounds is to do as follows:
after a show,splurge on my hearts desires for the next 36 hours (or 3-5 meals)then go back to the last 4wks of prep nutrition.
from there,i gradually add back in the things i cut out during the last 4 wks of prep,one meal at a time.
this process takes about 3 weeks,but it is so much easier to do,and to deal with mentally as opposed to just going crazy and eating everything in sight for 3 weeks after a show and then trying to go back in prep mode.
for me,a gradual ease back to normal is the way to go...
so there is the run down on my nutrition.
nothing fancy,nothing crazy and not really your average figure gals plan.
but it works for ME.
me,the crazy head athlete who runs and runs and runs during prep. who trains for triathlons and 1/2 marathons during prep.
although my mileage is only about 50-55 miles per week right now,in the next 2-3 weeks i will be increasing it to 70-80,and then closer to the show about 85+
not typical,somewhat controversial,contradicting to what most know about training for a show.
why i do it?
because i LOVE to
because i CAN
because i possess super hypertrophy abilities
because genetically i am predispositioned to gain muscle FAST.
in order for me not to get big and bulky,i run to break the muscle down
i run to stay lean and athletic looking
the more i run,the leaner i get
if i run 70+ miles a week,i can still lift heavy,get lean,get detailed and keep my muscles all at the same time.
i have had many ppl tell me to just lift light weight and do less cardio.
really?
this chic likes to lift heavy and hard(most days)
this chic LOVES to run and run fast
so i do both.
i may be small,but dynamite comes in small packages.
i like to be underestimated sometimes,when I'm lifting in the gym
i don't look like i can leg press 5x my body weight,
i don't look like i can row the whole stack of weight on the cable machine,
but i can....
I'm an oxymoron in the realm of the figure world.
but that's me.
I'm not your average figure gal
take it it leave it!
ok, i got a little side tracked there....
for those still reading-bless your hearts,you made it through the novella!
mouth agape,wanting to scream...
