There are many references on the board to eating lean beef and grapefruit during the final week prep. What exactly are you eating for lean beef? How do you season it when you sodium deplete? And do you eat it cold on the day of your contest (carrying it around with you)?

Also, when you water deplete, how do you manage to get those copious amounts of supps down the gullet? Especially for those of you who double up on supps the last week? I have so much trouble swallowing pills with no restrictions on water intake, I can't imagine how this can be done. How do you do it?

Bluebird

For the days of beef and grapefruit (usually Thursday/Friday/Saturday) I normally use ground beef (92% fat free will do, it doesn't have to be extra lean at that point) and steak (if I can get it for a decent price). For seasoning I just use some garlic and paprika. On contest day you can eat it cold (just make sure it's well cooked and kept cold in a cooler, you don't wanna risk getting sick from it) or try to find a microwave somewhere (check if there's access to one if you stay at a hotel or find a gas station, they normally have one in there).
As for supplements, I can normally swallow 4-5 tablets at a time, so I don't need that much water to get them down, plus I don't restrict water until Friday afternoon, so it's only a few meals Friday and Saturday you really have to worry about.
Good luck!

Bluebird..... I'm going to try to dial you into your show if its the last worthwhile thing I ever do..LOL.

OK
Beef: 93-96% lean ground is fine. Eat cold day of show.
Water: DO NOT deplete water. Keep water high till Thursday. Cut intake by about half on Friday. Muscle tissue is 70% water. Cut water drastically and you will come in "spongey", as opposed to hard. You'll also increase the probabilities of cramping on stage.
Sodium: Keep sodium high and begin to taper down this Sunday.... but do not eliminate it, even on Friday. Around 1200-1500mg. on Thursday and between 800-1000mg. on Friday.

Another word on water.... Once the body recognizes it is not receiving water, it goes into a dehydration mode. When this happens, the body will release hormones to offset the impending deydration. End result?... Subcutaneous water retention.

If you're with a Bev advisor, by all accounts take their advice.
Personally, I would also rather keep water intake high , than to deplete and potassium load. An xtra 400 mg. potassium per day during the last few days should work perfectly.

Aram

Rainier and Aram - That was very helpful. The beef info was just what I was looking for. I'm still somewhat confused on which way to taper. I think your method makes sense, Aram, and I know you speak from experience on the salt, potassium, water issue. Your advice seems to complement a post by Frank under the heading in this category, Why potassium load? Still, it seems that each of you experienced voices on this board kind of do your own thing with this process as to when to cut water, whether to cut water, when to cut salt, how much to cut and when or whether to add potassium. What's a girl to do? I have started to work with a Bev advisor and since she has my pictures I'll see what she also says about this, however, I assume all of you have received some standard advice from Bev and you still do your own thing so I'm interested to hear from your real-life experiences. Oh, Aram, from your considerable background ( I read your article) I don't think you'll ever reach that one last worthwhile thing but I'm honored to be in the running! Cheers!

Bluebird

The extra potassium will not work against you and it will help keep your electrolytes in balance. It is important, if you are going to drop water intake on Friday night, not to taper intake before that point. Many people get this wrong and then miss their window when the body keeps thinking that water intake is high - thus expelling it - but has not reacted to the decreased intake. That is the exact effect that you want if you try to manipulate water as many do. If you taper it - i.e. drop to half the amount on Thursday or earlier on Friday the process that you want and the rebound/reaction may occure at the wrong time. Many folks who think that they spilled over with too many carbs, in fact just missed their water timing and as Aram pointed out their bodies start to retain water subqutaneously and they look smooth as a result. If you follow the water manipulation plan, you do still need some water on Saturday morning to help you fill out - the water will combine with the carbs in your system and be drawn into the muscles, not held subqutaneously if you ahve limited sodium appropriately. You will know that you need a little more water on Saturday morning if you are having a hard time feeling pumped up and if your vascularity seems to be less than what you would expect. If you sense that, drink 6-8 oz of water and see if that helps fill you out.

Some people, myself included, will stop taking the normal BI supps such as Ultra 40 and Mass or muscularity on Friday evening. With low water intake, not having the extra "x" number of pills to swallow does help. I'd hate to see the face that Rainer makes when he is swallowing 4-6 tabs with just a sip of water! Rainer if you put that face on a tee-shirt it might be a big seller! Keeping them in will probably not hurt anything, but dropping them out will also not hurt you at that point.

Hey VA.....Good point about the water on Friday and Saturday, along with the re-introduction of carbs.
This is why I prefer doing most of my carb "loading" on Tue and Wed and just going with the low GI grapefruit on Thu and Fri.

I'm going to do your famous cocktail backstage before my NYS show in June and was wondering if it would intefere with the 20 or so Muscle Synergy which I usually take, as well. You hear all these theories about the Bcaa's cancelling out the arginine, when taken together. Personally, I don't think I've experienced this.
Any thoughts?
I plan on doing 3 shows in Oct, one of them possibly going up against Sully, (yeah, I know, "Good Luck pal". But I'm a competitor. And I like going up against the best )

Any other tips to tweak that cocktail to maximum efficiency?
Bluebird... VA knows his stuff so anything he relates is worthwhile info... Can't go wrong with him.

Aram

Guys. If you are going to recommend the VA Cocktail to female competitors.. CUT IT IN HALF! I learned the hard way on this one.. it caused me extreme intestinal distress at full-strength. Sully then told me to dilute it with more water. So the mix I used (very successfully!) is 8 oz. water, 4 oz. Carbo-Force, 1 tsp. glutamine. It works wonders.. you get vascular as heck! There are many ways to do the water and sodium thing also. I tried 3 different methods on all 3 of my Spring shows. And, it's based on the 'conditioning' of the competitor at the time of the manipulation! Sully prepped me for all 3 of my shows.. and it was my BEST condition ever! He's the MAN!! lol..

Good suggestion for those who are more petite and who weigh less. (drink less and/or dilute it a bit)

I only drink half of the cocktail myself, 1/2 before pre-judging and the other half before the night show.

You are also very correct in saying and understanding that each and every contest experience and prep phase is somewhat unique. I beleive that the basics of a solid prep-plan are similar, but you have to know your body and know how it will likely respond to various stimuli/manipulations and be prepared to make minor last minute adjustments accordingly. That may sound ambiguous and uncertain to new competitors, but it is really just a combination of taking good notes, knowing what to watch for and perhaps having a support person or two who can help you make those last minute evaluations and adjustments. If you have a sound plan and stick closely to it, you should never be way off - but we are all perfectionists and we want to hit our mark exactly right - that is a bigger challange!

I did not try the carbo force this show...I played it safe. Next show I will add that as I tend to get cold, and avascular at my shows....ok because I do Figure....hey Sully are you for hire? Val raves about you!!!!

LT

No not for hire, I work for free and Val give me too much credit, she does all the work.

Aram,

I already started my contest diet, your bringing out the best in ME! Got to work hard to keep up with you, but we will have a blast at the show. Oh, and I like the word "squishey" in referance to contest spillover

VA,

That cocktail is 100% effective and no more cracks on the lighter bodyweight, I had to add 3 oz. water as well

Sully

Hey Sul,
In my estimation, you still have 8 to 12 weeks of pizza eatin left before you start your diet.

Aram

Aram and VA MadDog,

I've disected your advice re: the water, sodium, potassium trifecta and if I were well-seasoned it would probably be crystal clear. Since I'm not, I hope you would clarify a few things you said between the two of you.

Water: Aram, you say cut water in half on Friday. MadDog says more specifically, don't cut until Friday night. Which way is it; drink half of your normal intake before 6p.m. and none after, or, drink half your normal intake throughout the day and evening?Does it matter?

Sodium/Potassium: Aram, how in the real world do you calculate the amount of sodium you're taking in? Do you count just the applied sodium or that which is in the food naturally (like in tuna)? On potassium, you recommend 400 mg/day. That's about four pills/day. Does it matter when you take them? MadDog, what do you mean by "limiting sodium appropriately" if following the Thurs - 50%, Fri-50% water drop off? If keeping water in until Fri night, how do you manipulate sodium? Potassium?

Aram and MadDog, you both agree that a little water Sat. morning, combined with the "carbs in your system" will fill out your muscles. Is this the case whether you cut water Thurs. or Fri? And,what carbs are you referring to? A carb meal Sat. morning? A meal of what? Or just whatever carbs you have remaining from the grapefruit of Thurs. and Fri? I hear alot of people eat sweet potatos and/or drink orange juice the morning of competition.

Sorry this is so bothersome. Just shows my inexperience. But it would sure help to better understand the voices of the gods. (How's that for flattery!) Thank you. I've got one week to go.

Bluebird

Voice of the Gods?? ... VA is deserving of that bestowment..... I'm sure many of our friends got a good laugh out of that one. I know I did
Bluebird, drop me an E-mail at Hamparian7@aol.com

Aram

Bluebird - I promise to post something by the end of the day tomorrow, Sunday, that might help clarify this for you. I won't have much time today and I want to explain it as best I can as this is a very important aspect of the final week strategy. For now (starting at least 7-10 days out) you should be drinking at least twice your normal water intake. You want your system to make the adjustment to having more water than it needs all the time. Yes you will walk down the hall more often , but what happens is that your body gets into a mode where it is continually eliminating water efficiently and that is what you want. When you cut your water on Friday night, or at least cut it way back, your body will keep eliminating it for 18-36 hours (this varies from person to person and is also hugely dependent on sodium intake and other mineral and electrolyte balances). So the short summary is: You increase water intake to get that elimination process revved up, you limit sodium later in the week so as not to hold water subqutaneously (under the skin which would make you look smoother) and if the timing is right, when you stop drinking water on Friday night your body will continue to get rid of it because that process that has been revved up keeps going for that 18-36 hour window. The desired end result is that your body is getting rid of the water it is holding subqutaneously (we all do that naturally) AND pulling water into your muscles to make them full and hard (that is what the carb depletion/carb loading process does). The desired end result is that paper thin/dry skin look along with muscles that appear full and hard because they are full of carbs (glycogen actually) which combines with water.

I'll try to explain a little more of the science tomorrow. If you have time go back to last fall as a time range and look for threads between sully (sulcop) and I on this topic. We discussed in some detail the various ways to manipulate water and the pluses and minuses of each. Sully is actually what I would consider an expert on this - from the standpoint of having done it so many times successfully and having tried the various different approaches.

From my standpoint I just try to share information with others as Aram does and as many other board members do here. I am quite fallible, just ask my wife - she can give many examples

Bluebird - Water homeostasis is complicated but by manipulating Na+, K+ and water intake you can trick the body into drying out and giving you the paper thin skin look that everyone strives for on contest day.

First turn on diuresis in the body by drinking lots of water, flooding it with fluid. I recommend working up to 1L of water per wakeing hour for the seven days leading up to the Friday before the contest. The body will respond homeostatically by removing this water from your system through normal elimination. It senses that there is too much water because electrolytes (especially sodium) are diluted in the blood. When the water is lost there will be some cooresponding loss of sodium and other electrolytes. Keep drinking water and the body will keep eliminating it to try to keep up (get back in balance/homeostasis). When you abruptly stop drinking all this extra water on friday night, your body continues removing it and overshoots a normal level of hydration thus leaving you dry and thin skinned. If you taper water intake, instead of a sharp drop in water consumption, you work against this affect and shorten the window during which the body is still working to eliminate water even after water intake has been decreased. You do, however, need some water on Saturday morning and during the day to help shuttle the glycogen into the cells. Too little water on Saturday will result in you being flat and can make it difficult to pump-up and appear vascular. Most people who appear flat probably did have enough carbs, but did not take in enough water to move the carbs (glycogen) into the muscle cells.

In addition to the water intake manipulation you should also use natural diuretics such as Vit C, caffeine and herbal diuretics (taraxatone) helping to drive diuresis and keeping you dry. The extra k+ also serves to prevent cramping. 400mg of K+ should be enough spread over the day. There is no benefit in taking a ton of it. You should also continue to take some for a day or two after the contest, tapering K+ down as you increase back up to normal sodium intake levels. Hope this helps. Good luck with your contest!

hi VA MadDog,
i have a few questions.
1. when on friday should you stop water?(6pm)?
2. when should you stop sodium?
3. i was thinking of not taking any potassium because i cramp to a point that i can't even pose(this is following the beverly method). do you think that is a good idea.
4. how do you carb deplete and carb load? i saw what fitdoc did and i wanted to see other methods.

thanks for all the great information.
todd

Todd - I recommend cutting water back significantly somewhere between 6 and 8 pm on Friday. Up until that point keep drinking plenty - then stop or cut back to very little.

You can keep sodium in up through Wednesday. Some folks will take in a little extra sodium leading up to when they cut back, which is ok, but you do not have to add a ton. You want to cut out as much sodium as possible beginning on Thursday morning and stay low sodium through Friday afternoon. Depending on how you choose to carb load - one method allows for sodium to be reintroduced with the carb load on Friday night, other approaches stay with very low sodium until just before prejudging.

You should take some extra potassium. It is not the potassium that is causing you to cramp up. In fact potassium supplementation can help ward off cramping. You also want to take a calcium and magnesium supplement beginning at least a week out, spread over three daily doses. That will also help to prevent cramping. Some cramping can also be caused by too little water on Saturday morning. If you choose to restrict water on Friday evening, which is ok to do, you have to reintroduce some on Saturday morning and throughout the day on Saturday. Not a lot, but say 6-8 ozs every 2-3 hours. You need to have some water intake to combine with the carbs (glycogen) to be drawn into the muscles. The K+ also helps that process.

How to carb load and carb deplete is a whole separate topic. I think that there is a fair amount of agreement on how to carb deplete. Start lowering carb intake on Monday, down to less than 25g of carbs and continue that through either Wednesday or Thursday depending on which carb up scheme you choose to follow. At the same time you are following a carb (muscle glycogen) depletion workout plan which works in concert with the low carb diet. You are both taking in far fewer carbs than normal AND exercising in a way that depletes the muscles of their stored glycogen. The whole idea is to create an environment that will allow your system to supercompensate for the low carbs and pull in a ton of carbs (glycogen) and water in order to have your muscles appear full and hard while at the same time drawing the extra-cellular (subqutaneaous) water into the muscle cells.

For the first time last year I followed a carb loading scheme affectionately know as "S H I T" loading because you essentially eat a "S H I T" load of food. (Hope I did not offend anyone)

It worked pretty well for me, but it is a different approach. I did not have a lot of luck with the conventional carb loading plans so I wanted to try something different. You can find examples of more typical carb loading plans in various pre-contest articles on the BI web site. If you can't find any let me know and I'll point you to some of them.

Do you have a contest coming up or are you just doing a little research?

VA MadDog,
thanks for the great info. i have a contest on june 5th. this will help alot. i might have a few more questions closer to the show.
thanks again.
todd

Good luck with your contest Todd! If you need anything else feel free to send me an email. mmilas@nesbeonline.com Take some time to practice your posing, and ideally get help with that from someone who you know who is a good poser themselves. It makes a huge difference on stage when you are able to hit each pose correctly and without hesitation.

Hi Aram - I neglected to respond to your question - sorry. I don't think you have to worry about the "cocktail" interfering with the synergy. The glutamine is really in there just as one more small thing to help the body absorb and transport the carbs and sodium. It is the fast acting high GI carbs and the sodium that will hopefully give you a more vascular look for pre-judging. I'd say that the best time to drink this potion is about 20-30 minutes before walking on stage. Hard to guess when that is as I've found that it is always a bit unpredictable, but that aspect is beyond our control as you know. You end up at the mercy of the expeditor(s) and the judges as far as the last minute flow of things goes.