3 weeks to go, holding tons of water, what to do?

[Ephram]

I am getting ready for my first bodybuilding show. I wanted to try the last week carb load program to see how my body responds. I did the program last week like follows:

monday: 80g carbs, lots of salt, lots of water
tuesday: 60g carbs, lots of salt and water
wednesday: 50g carbs, lots of salt and water
thursday: 800 g carbs, no salt, some water
friday: 500g carbs, no salt, no water after 1 pm
saturday: show condition at 1 pm.

on friday and saturday I took potassium and magnesium.

On saturday night I ate a shitload of food. I know I shouldnt have but I just did.

At the moment (tuesday) I am still holding tons of water that doesnt seem to go away. Fat-wise I am doing ok but I need to drop 25 pounds to fit in my weight class. Now I am worried that what if 3 weeks is not enough to get rid of all the water! Should I take some diuretics? What should I do? I know I blew it by eating tons of food on saturday night (after two days of carbing up). That was a stupid thing to do. After the low-carb days last week my weight has gone up almost 25 pounds!

Please help!

 

[Godless]

you've got the normal post show (post pre show ....lol) bloat goin on.

3 weeks is more than enough

keep salt high, water intake high (stay away from diuretics this far out...you'll just get a rebound from that too when you stop them)

your body will even itself out in 3-5 days

good luck in your show

 

[Ephram]

you've got the normal post show (post pre show ....lol) bloat goin on.

3 weeks is more than enough

keep salt high, water intake high (stay away from diuretics this far out...you'll just get a rebound from that too when you stop them)

your body will even itself out in 3-5 days

good luck in your show

No need to cut down carbs for a couple of days? (My diet includes 200g carbs 320 prot) ?

I am still very disappointed with myself - not being able to control my eatin last saturday. After three days of carbing up I wasnt even hungry... makes no sense. Hope the last weeks go well...

 

[Godless]

depends on how lean you are...did you look good on sat when you filled out ??

chances are good if you were lean enough then you are just holding water

for example I did a show 1.5 weeks ago started the last week at 230 depleted and loaded for the show, came into the show weighing 220.

2 days after the show i weighed 237 (after some junk food as well) assuming so i gained the 10# of water back plus 7#. theres no way I gained 7# of fat in 2 days thats approx (3500 extra calories per day * 7pounds = 24500 extra cal i would have had to eat and absorb)

I kept salt and water high and resumed my normal diet from precontest and i was 230.6# this morning. very close to where I was 1 week out before my show

hope this helps

 

[gooey]

k....

I wouldnt of shit loaded so soon to the show would have tried it to a lesser extent, now u r holding sodium, glycogen, and water like a champ. 25 lbs in 3 weex I hope thats water, cause if its not then ur not going to make it in time in a healthy way. Shouldnt have cheated so bad close to the show, uv thrown ur body in a whole different kind of internal environment, its going to take some time to drop that water. why is ur sodium so high now? how lean r u? guess without pics its hard to tell what and how ur doing. id drop the sodium and carbs down till I shed that water, then go back to what was working, if it is only water that u r holding, many think they r just holding some water, but really they needed to diet for longer or cheated too much...
gooey

 

[PHIL HERNON]

3 WEEKS?

Honestly, to look your best, you blew it. Just do your best and hit the next show.

 

[Ephram]

Honestly, to look your best, you blew it. Just do your best and hit the next show.

Bummer. Thanks for your honest opinion anyway.

I refuse to believe that things have gone that bad. To be specific I have 3 weeks and 4 days. I think I will try to make it. If not in top condition, but in the best I can under the circumstances. The competition is for novice bodybuilders (firs timers) so I'll hope there will be others with same kind of problems...

However, this is what I am going to do:

I will drop down carbs to 100 for as long as it takes to reach the weight that I had week ago. I will hold the protein at 320 grams per day. I will add a 40 minute walk before bedtime. I will keep on doing 45 minutes aerobics in the mornings plus the evening work out. And last, I WILL NOT FALL AGAIN!

 

[PHIL HERNON]

!!

See, now thats the answer I needed to hear. I knew that would motivate you. You just gave yourself the best advice you could have possibly gotten.

 

[Godless]

put up a recent pic if you've got one. it'll help people to see what kind of condition you are in now

 

[Crowler]

See, now thats the answer I needed to hear. I knew that would motivate you. You just gave yourself the best advice you could have possibly gotten.

Phil you are the best man.



CROWLER

 

[JonnyO]

I always found that after a shitload trial run I ended up tighter and dropped some extra bodyfat later on that following week, I did end up holding a minor bit of water the next 2 days or so obviously, but once that was gone I was tighter each time.

It was the binge that screwed things up for you not the trial run. You got a plan and just stick to it bro. You can drop that water I'm sure. Realistically you only have to drop 15 or so lbs because once you drop your water intake the night before the show you could drop another 10lbs or more, I know I do usually.

 

[Ephram]

put up a recent pic if you've got one. it'll help people to see what kind of condition you are in now

I am so embarassed to post these watery pictures. Now looking at the pics it looks like I was in a better shape a month ago! The flash makes me look even worse...

The pics were taken 5 minutes ago. At the moment I am 210 pounds. A week ago I was 192 pound looking fairly good.

If you have any suggestions concerning the diet and training during the last 3,5 weeks, I'd be glad to read.

Last 4 weeks I have had 200 grams of carbs per day and 350 grams of protein. Every saturday night I have had as much oatmeal and bread and cereals with jam as I like. 4 weeks ago my bodyfat was measured 6,5 %. Looks much more than that now...

I think I will post pics here of my progress every week from now on. That should give me some extra kick to get in shape.

 

[Pudge]

JonnyO, have u been reading my notes?? LOL, jk... shitload works everytime, if done rite of course... no one believes me, but i think they did 2 wks ago, lol..

anyway, ephram for 3 wks to go dont look as bad as u say u do... i think that with the time u have u have just enough to drop the water ur holding and come in tight to the show.... stick to ur plan... NO diuretics yet....

I hope u the best and dont ever look down on urself.... u've worked hard, so show some confidence when ur up onstage.... kick ass bro.

Pudge

 

[b-boy]

I am getting ready for my first bodybuilding show. I wanted to try the last week carb load program to see how my body responds. I did the program last week like follows:

monday: 80g carbs, lots of salt, lots of water
tuesday: 60g carbs, lots of salt and water
wednesday: 50g carbs, lots of salt and water
thursday: 800 g carbs, no salt, some water
friday: 500g carbs, no salt, no water after 1 pm
saturday: show condition at 1 pm.

on friday and saturday I took potassium and magnesium.

On saturday night I ate a shitload of food. I know I shouldnt have but I just did.

At the moment (tuesday) I am still holding tons of water that doesnt seem to go away. Fat-wise I am doing ok but I need to drop 25 pounds to fit in my weight class. Now I am worried that what if 3 weeks is not enough to get rid of all the water! Should I take some diuretics? What should I do? I know I blew it by eating tons of food on saturday night (after two days of carbing up). That was a stupid thing to do. After the low-carb days last week my weight has gone up almost 25 pounds!

Please help!

I was always taught that if you are going to do a shitload trial run then don't play with your water, just carb up on shit food that evening and see what you look like in the morning(obviously you wouldn't be drinking water throughout the night so it helps with the effect) but never manipulate your water.

 

[Hiramabiff]

Honestly, to look your best, you blew it. Just do your best and hit the next show.

Ha Ha That was sneaky Phil. He is going to bust his azz now to pull it off. He probably will too. Good advice bro..HELL YEA!! Never say never!!

 

[caseyviator]

dont worry be happy!!!

i think ya look great for 3 weeks out!!! nice lats!! stay with it.....novice show!! hell ill bet ya win the whole thing by then 3 weeks is a long time when yr in good shape....my advise is to play with duiretics on the weekends first if you r goin to use them the last week!!! better to run a couple experiments on the weekends near the show ......so ya can see how much may be tooooooo much or how much is not enough......its a hell of a tough sport ....best advise is to know what ur gonnna look like at the show n not guess!! imo..i always do this for my shows n ive never misssed a peak yet!! knock on rock hard ripped muscle!!! hahhahha god luck ya look great!!

 

[Dad]

Sodium, potassium, and water

Remember a couple of things as you get closer to your show:

Your kidneys will regulate sodium, pottassium, and water really closely and make adjustments almost immediately, and the effect will be seen in 48 hours or so. This assumes you are not using diuretics.

So, If your show is on Saturday, you probably don't want to cut sodium until Thursday morning (about 48 hours from morning prejudging). Much sooner and your body will start to retain sodium as a reaction to the reduction. Also, your kidneys regulate sodium on an axis with potassium. If you take extra potassium (like Ciba Slo-K), your kidneys will "read" this and start to simultaneously hold sodium AND excrete potassium! The result will be that you'll be both flat and smooth.

Bottom line:
Cut sodium about 48 hour out from prejudging, but not much more.
Don't try to load potassium.
Water balance is even more sensitive, so be very careful about cutting this, and probably only for the last day (Friday) before the show. Volume depletion will send a very strong signal to the kidneys to both hold water AND sodium.

Best wishes for your show!

 

[Ephram]

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