Pre Contest Carb/Water/Diuretic Protocol -Help!!

[Flex2019]

It seems there is very little information about this, here or anywhere else. I think it's because it varies so much person to person. I'm 6 weeks out and am starting to get nervous about this.

To begin with, my stats are:

Age: 29
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 183-185 lbs depending on the time of day
BF tested a week ago @ 4.2% by caliper method by a reputable trainer.



This is an outline I found on another site. Sorry I can't remember the author to give him credit. Does this seem like a decent plan to start with?

The Protocol:
Sunday (six days out)
Carb deplete (70-100 grams). Drink 2-3 gallons of H20. You should be running to the bathroom constantly and your urine should be clear if you are fully hydrated (sorry, minor inconvenience). Normal pre-contest diet foods.

Monday (five days out)
Carb deplete (70-100 grams). Drink 2-3 gallons of H20. Normal Pre-contest diet foods.
Tuesday (four days out)
Carb deplete (70-100 grams). Drink 2-3 gallons of H20. Eat normal pre-contest diet foods.

Wednesday (three days out)
Begin carbing up after training in the a.m. (350 grams). Very low sodium (drop the eggs, eat chicken and turkey only). White potatoes are a great carb up food. Drop H20 to 3/4 gallon, drink with meals. Last day of working out (a.m.). Take 400 mgs. of Potassium, 100 mg four times a day with meals.

Thursday (two days out)
Continue carbing up (300 grams, more if you look flat). Keep very low sodium, Drop water further to 1/2 gallon. Take 400 mgs potassium, 100 mg four times a day with meals.

Friday (one day out)
Continue carbing up (250-300 grams) bur back off carbs a little bit mid to late afternoon if you look completely full. If you look flat, then continue to eat carbs through Friday afternoon and evening). Drop water further to 1/4 gallon. Take 400 milligrams potassium, 100 mgs four times a day with meals. Start taking herbal diuretics; two tablets with each meal (12 total). Also take extra Vitamin C, 500 mgs every meal, and B-6, 250 mgs in the morning and 250 mgs in the evening. (Both are mild diuretics) Take 2 multi minerals, 1 morning, 1 evening. Continue with high protein intake, maybe even increase protein intake (mild diuretic effect). Drink one small cup coffee or even a glass of wine (diuretics) in evening.

Saturday (Contest Day)
Drink very little water: sips only (but don't cut out water completely). Take in as close to zero sodium as humanly possible. For breakfast have a normal pre contest meal like oatmeal and egg whites. Then, "trickle in" carbs, maybe 50 grams every 1 1/2 hrs (potato- rice) all morning up to prejudging. If you get up at 6:00 a.m. and you get onstage at 1:00 pm, that's another 250 grams of complex carbs prior to pre-judge. Simple carbohydrates are ok prior to going onstage but I wouldn't recommend anything crazy. Personally, I do a couple of Rice cakes with jelly.

This was written by a natural competitor and uses herbal diuretics. I assume it would work in a similar way with more powerful diuretics? I've read a few threads that advocated using none at all. What's the best way?

I hope somebody can help here, because my prep is going great and I'd really hate to blow it the week before the contest.

 

[Shelby]

Keeping sodium low while you carb up is not a very good idea, nor is tapering your water that early.

Honestly, I would suggest hiring someone to help you dial in the final week- there are many highly qualified guys on this site.

Don't blow your final week because you want to save some cash.

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Interesting

It seems there is very little information about this, here or anywhere else. I think it's because it varies so much person to person. I'm 6 weeks out and am starting to get nervous about this.

To begin with, my stats are:

Age: 29
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 183-185 lbs depending on the time of day
BF tested a week ago @ 4.2% by caliper method by a reputable trainer.



This is an outline I found on another site. Sorry I can't remember the author to give him credit. Does this seem like a decent plan to start with?

The Protocol:
Sunday (six days out)
Carb deplete (70-100 grams). Drink 2-3 gallons of H20. You should be running to the bathroom constantly and your urine should be clear if you are fully hydrated (sorry, minor inconvenience). Normal pre-contest diet foods.

Monday (five days out)
Carb deplete (70-100 grams). Drink 2-3 gallons of H20. Normal Pre-contest diet foods.
Tuesday (four days out)
Carb deplete (70-100 grams). Drink 2-3 gallons of H20. Eat normal pre-contest diet foods.

Wednesday (three days out)
Begin carbing up after training in the a.m. (350 grams). Very low sodium (drop the eggs, eat chicken and turkey only). White potatoes are a great carb up food. Drop H20 to 3/4 gallon, drink with meals. Last day of working out (a.m.). Take 400 mgs. of Potassium, 100 mg four times a day with meals.

Thursday (two days out)
Continue carbing up (300 grams, more if you look flat). Keep very low sodium, Drop water further to 1/2 gallon. Take 400 mgs potassium, 100 mg four times a day with meals.

Friday (one day out)
Continue carbing up (250-300 grams) bur back off carbs a little bit mid to late afternoon if you look completely full. If you look flat, then continue to eat carbs through Friday afternoon and evening). Drop water further to 1/4 gallon. Take 400 milligrams potassium, 100 mgs four times a day with meals. Start taking herbal diuretics; two tablets with each meal (12 total). Also take extra Vitamin C, 500 mgs every meal, and B-6, 250 mgs in the morning and 250 mgs in the evening. (Both are mild diuretics) Take 2 multi minerals, 1 morning, 1 evening. Continue with high protein intake, maybe even increase protein intake (mild diuretic effect). Drink one small cup coffee or even a glass of wine (diuretics) in evening.

Saturday (Contest Day)
Drink very little water: sips only (but don't cut out water completely). Take in as close to zero sodium as humanly possible. For breakfast have a normal pre contest meal like oatmeal and egg whites. Then, "trickle in" carbs, maybe 50 grams every 1 1/2 hrs (potato- rice) all morning up to prejudging. If you get up at 6:00 a.m. and you get onstage at 1:00 pm, that's another 250 grams of complex carbs prior to pre-judge. Simple carbohydrates are ok prior to going onstage but I wouldn't recommend anything crazy. Personally, I do a couple of Rice cakes with jelly.

This was written by a natural competitor and uses herbal diuretics. I assume it would work in a similar way with more powerful diuretics? I've read a few threads that advocated using none at all. What's the best way?

I hope somebody can help here, because my prep is going great and I'd really hate to blow it the week before the contest.

Be carefull....I must say one thing......adding potassium while dropping sodium could REALLY HURT YOU at a few checkpoints along this journey.

 

[Flex2019]

Keeping sodium low while you carb up is not a very good idea, nor is tapering your water that early.

Honestly, I would suggest hiring someone to help you dial in the final week- there are many highly qualified guys on this site.

Don't blow your final week because you want to save some cash.

I realize that hiring somebody would be the best way to go. I'd love to hire somebody to help me dial in the entire next 6 weeks but it's really not feasible at this time. It'll be a couple of weeks before I have a few hundred dollars to spend and by then I'm cutting it close.

Is there nobody that can offer even the most basic advice on this matter?

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Well

I realize that hiring somebody would be the best way to go. I'd love to hire somebody to help me dial in the entire next 6 weeks but it's really not feasible at this time. It'll be a couple of weeks before I have a few hundred dollars to spend and by then I'm cutting it close.

Is there nobody that can offer even the most basic advice on this matter?

Its not basic........it is individual......it takes a LOT of time to do this for someone.....if you are an accountant we can trade services.

 

[emeric delczeg]

Be carefull....I must say one thing......adding potassium while dropping sodium could REALLY HURT YOU at a few checkpoints along this journey.

Yes, I would eat watermelon, watermelon is a good source of B6, vitamin C (24% of RDA) potassium and magnesium.

 

[muscle_n_blood]

Everybody is a little different, so keep close track of what you do so you can make adjustments next time.
I do this: I stay well hydrated pretty much all the time and am definitely forcing myself to drink as much water as possible by the last week. As stated, urine should be frequent and clear. 2-3 gallons of water is an awful lot. Try, but it's damn hard to get that done.
I drink plenty of water and don't restrict sodium at all through Tuesday. Wednesday, I still drink plenty of water, 4-5 liters, but cut out any added salt. None on my egg whites or chicken, none on the brown rice I'm eating by then. Thursday I shoot for zero sodium and cut water to about 2 liters. Friday, I drink about 1/2 to 1 liter of water before noon, no sodium. After noon, no more water, but I start adding sodium to my carbup, which is getting serious. I use a fairly mild diuretic (spironolactone. I hate Lasix.) Friday PM and Saturday AM. I freeze a few cubes of Gatorade to suck on Saturday AM before prejudging.

 

[Magnum]

Pics?

 

[Flex2019]

Pics?

Just took these.

 

[Magnum]

Just took these.

I'm not seeing any pics? OK I see them. You are very lean and seem to be right on schedule. If I may a couple of suggestions for you. At this point I would NOT reply on the calipers to tell you how lean you are. If you want to use them, then use them to tell you your skin thickness and to show you if you are still losing body fat, but the mirror at this point is your best tool.

Way too many guys stop too short of getting shredded because they will go by caliper readings and think they are done and then will think that some special carb up sodium restriction water load...... will make this huge difference between winning a losing. I have never see anyone who is truly shredded hold any water and look flat as long as they are drinking water and not messing with they sodium potassium levels. At ten days out when you can see striations in your jaw muscles then post pics again and then ask this question again. For now just keep doing what you are doing.

 

[Flex2019]

I'm not seeing any pics?

Sorry technical error lol. Please see above.

 

[Flex2019]

One More

 

[Flex2019]

I'm not seeing any pics? OK I see them. You are very lean and seem to be right on schedule. If I may a couple of suggestions for you. At this point I would NOT reply on the calipers to tell you how lean you are. If you want to use them, then use them to tell you your skin thickness and to show you if you are still losing body fat, but the mirror at this point is your best tool.

Way too many guys stop too short of getting shredded because they will go by caliper readings and think they are done and then will think that some special carb up sodium restriction water load...... will make this huge difference between winning a losing. I have never see anyone who is truly shredded hold any water and look flat as long as they are drinking water and not messing with they sodium potassium levels. At ten days out when you can see striations in your jaw muscles then post pics again and then ask this question again. For now just keep doing what you are doing.

Thank you Magnum. I was hoping somebody with your level of expertise would chime in. As for the caliper test, it was actually the first time I've ever done it, I was in a training facility other than my gym and it was offered to me. I agree, the mirror is a far better indicator of progress. I realize I still have a ways to go still but progress has been steady and consistent over the last 10 weeks. I will keep doing what I'm doing and see how things go. Thanks again.

 

[Magnum]

Thank you Magnum. I was hoping somebody with your level of expertise would chime in. As for the caliper test, it was actually the first time I've ever done it, I was in a training facility other than my gym and it was offered to me. I agree, the mirror is a far better indicator of progress. I realize I still have a ways to go still but progress has been steady and consistent over the last 10 weeks. I will keep doing what I'm doing and see how things go. Thanks again.

You're welcome, no worries cause you are on track. Check in every week or so and keep us updated.

 

[Johnny Smiles]

i would keep it SIMPLE

lot of variables in there.
i would keep it simple as possible since its your first, if soemthing goes wrong you want to atleast know what it was.
phil helped me with a prep when i was 6 weeks out and we won the show
hire someone, its SO worth the money to not have to worry.
GOOD physique by the way. great lat spread.
-JS

 

[Azwrkoutcrw]

Stop holding water on contest day!

This is a really good article about the final week. Its helped me alot. You Only Get One Peak! | Perfect Peaking

 

[Flex2019]

lot of variables in there.
i would keep it simple as possible since its your first, if soemthing goes wrong you want to atleast know what it was.
phil helped me with a prep when i was 6 weeks out and we won the show
hire someone, its SO worth the money to not have to worry.
GOOD physique by the way. great lat spread.
-JS

Thanks JS. I'm going to try to hire somebody in the next couple of weeks to help me tie this all together. It would be stupid to put all this effort into my prep to blow it in the last couple of days. BTW, thanks for the kind words about my physique.

 

[Flex2019]

This is a really good article about the final week. Its helped me alot. You Only Get One Peak! | Perfect Peaking

Interesting article. This is the kind of thing I've been worried about. It seems I always look my best/hardest/most vascular on a low to moderate carbohydrate day while my body is plenty hydrated. I'd rather be rock hard, vascular and a tiny bit flat on stage than full and watery any day. Seems counterproductive to screw with water/sodium balance in the last few days when the potential is there for a horrible screwup if you don't know what you're doing. Thanks for the read.

 

[Hiramabiff]

Magnum is the final week master. Check in with him.

 

[chris250]

Your on track..I would keep things simple the last week...