It is so difficult to find any valuable information about last week before competition, it’s like it’s the biggest kept secret in the world. This is why I decided to write this article. Here are a few things that I would like to cover regarding peak week diet strategy.
De-Carb:
I really do not feel there is a great need for dropping your carbohydrates for the 3 days preceding the carb up, after 10-12 weeks of dieting and eating limited amounts of carbs your body is already de-carbed and ready to absorb what we feed it. Carb up itself can be very tricky; 1 gram of carbohydrates absorbed by the body brings in 2.8 gm of water with it.
This is why spilling over is a great problem as carbs act like a sponge and suck in a lot of fluids into the body, mostly muscle cells and tissue but some of the water gets deposited underneath the skin. That effect gives a smoothed-out look and hides the definition we strived so hard to get. This is why I complete my carb loading on Monday & Tuesday, that gives me a long time to get rid of the extra water.
Sodium:
On paper sodium loading and depleting make absolute sense but in reality, it just does not work, at least not for most people. I know it works for some but majority of people using this tactic will look flat and bloated once it’s all set and done. Sodium is very important for the carb up to be efficient, as it’s needed by the lower intestines for proper absorption of carbohydrates.
Without sodium in your diet, it is very difficult to carb up. Another issue is that body loves to stay in homeostasis (balance) once you increase the amount of sodium and then drastically reduce it your body will go into shock, the electrolyte balance will be off, and the body will be in distress, and its natural action is to hold water.
As you can see that can be a major problem as holding water once again gives the smoothed-out look – not what we are looking for. All these reasons are why I do not limit my sodium intake.
Diuretics:
This part can also be very tricky; whatever diuretics you decide to use make sure you are fully carbed up before you start. The diuretics work by excreting sodium from the body, which in turn bring water with it, but as I stated above sodium is necessary for proper carbohydrate absorption.
Distilled Water Or Spring Water:
I tend to stick to spring water it has minerals necessary for the body to stay in electrolyte balance, unlike distilled water which has been stripped off all it’s nutrient content. I find that when I tried the distilled water route, I cramped up really bad and when I drink spring water I do not cramp at all. Another thing is not to cut the water to early I feel the general rule of thumb is 18 hours before the show is long enough to get rid of the fluids you body is holding. I feel if I cut my water much sooner then that I tend to go flat and loose some of my fullness.
Fat Loading:
Using a combination of peak week techniques on an already conditioned physique can give the dry, hard, shredded look of a champion like UFE PRO bodybuilding champion, Joel Ramintas
A very valuable tool for getting fuller, staying fuller and not retaining any water. I start fat loading on Wednesday. Fat loading will only work if you are already carbed up. It will make your muscles fuller and also make you more vascular and drier.
I like red meat, which is why I choose to eat steak and salmon for my protein sources and enjoy my cashews as well (Some people use natural peanut-butter for the fat loading, but I find I hold some water on it and that’s why I prefer cashews).
It can be pretty boring, but it’s the last 3 days before the show, so it is worth the sacrifice since we already worked so hard and long. Because we have already stopped exercising as of Monday’s De-carb workout, we do not have to worry about depleting the glycogen stores in our muscle as long as we eat close to our maintenance calorie level or slightly below.
Crap Loading:
Crap loading is eating a very bad meal that you would not usually have until after your show the day before. WHY you ask, well let me put it this way, most competitive athletes on a lower amateur level always look better the day after the show then the day of the show. Once we have gone to eat pizza, chocolate, burgers, creamed filled donuts, ice-cream etc, all that does is fills out the muscle bellies even further and gives the added hardness and fullness. So, yes give this a try and see the difference it makes for you.
Day Of the Show:
I eat a small breakfast most of the time consisting of steak and steamed vegetables, and I will eat like that one more time before eating come simple carbs before pumping up. However, if I feel I am still lacking some fullness, I will go out for pancakes with syrup, hash browns and a cheese omelet. Now you should be ready like never before to hit the stage and get the vascularity going and be hard and ripped. I will eat some simple carbs and sip on water as I start and continue to pump up.
The Most Important Advice I Can Give:
The biggest mistake is to get ready for the last minute. You should be ready 1 to 2 weeks out of your competition; this way you can make a trial run at your carb / fat load and make slight adjustments to make it work for you. Never leave anything to chance always be ready early and prepare appropriately.
If you are lean and follow these steps you will be in the best shape of your life with the best conditioning on the stage. This has worked for me very well, I always change few things here and there, but that’s just me, I like experimenting and finding out what works for me.
Original article by Alex D’Angelo
