a buddy of mine is doing it every year the past 4 years and he's growing into to the show not because of muscle memory, he's heavier onstage 6-10 pounds every year...
what he's doing is very simple,healthy and not expensive...every year he's doing one real cycle 12-16 weeks very basic 1-2g total...as far as diet the last time from the beginning of his prep to 4 weeks out for the 2-3 days he was taking 1.5g/lb carbs and protein then 2-3days of 3g/lb carbs the same protein then repeat again...cardio 45 min x 2 times a day 5 times a week (leg day and sundays off cardio) from 4 weeks/out to 1w/o he lowered his carbs a little bit (1-0.5g/lb),final week:mond-wed depletion (still was taking 50-100g carbs), then thrusday 800g carbs, friday 400-500g, comp day-lowered carbs a little but added peanut butter,no diuretics at all and was dry and shredded onstage...
after comp for 4 weeks he stays on 300-400g test prop only to get a rebound then no gear no gh no slin for 7-8 whole months.in the past he was doing few 6 week cycles in the offseason but found that it is better to stay clean for better gains during prep cycle...during offseason he stays very lean,eats clean but only 3-5 times a day,sometimes even less,adds healthy fats to his diet,trains 2-4times a week,no cardio,takes 4-6 weeks off training before comp cycle...so basically lives like a normal person,makes money,spends a lot of time with this family friends are not worrying if misses a meal or workout or injection etc in the offseason,but in the precontest he's a whole different person...
last time competed at 264 at 6', now he is 255-257 clean for 4 months...