What is the theory behind postassium loading.. I have my first figure competition next weekend and my BI advisor instructed me (and husband highly recommends(he competes too))on potassium loading but not worrying too much about the sodium depleting... My diet is the carb up meal monday standard low carb tues and wed and grapefruit and beef thurs and fri with a optional carb up on thurs(which I plan on). doesnt the diet alone get rid of sodium?

I am also doing INBF Buffalo next weekend. Figure and womens light open. Do you know many girls competing?

Tammy,

They are allowing crossover from Figure and BB?

Hi Tammy.. I'll be in Buffalo - Women's Open Light. I have no idea on #'s for the show. Marian didn't divulge any info in that regard. Best of luck.. see you there! Valarie

Jodi - you know how LT and I both feel on the Potassium.. it's your call girl! I will do NONE again. V

Very quickly:

Potassium loading is done when the water begins to taper off.

During the water overload, your body is realizing there's a surplus of fluids. Sodium will retain fluids throughout, but you will notice it subcataneously or under the skin. At this point, sodium depletion is not necessary. In fact, a slight overload is done. (Now, not much, because an overload may also increase your blood pressure). As you taper off the water, your body is still thinking the same amount is still being input.

Potassium is introduced to hold intramuscular fluids as you've depleted sodium. Now the water is taken from all throughout the body, sparing the muscles and not draining them as quickly as the rest of the body. No sodium to retain subcataneous fluids, too.

The normal formula of overload was 2X 4 days prior, reduce by 50% then another 50%. I did 2x, 60%, 60%. It worked very well, but I think Sully ran into a better idea. He looked great in November!!

Hope this explains a little why you hear about potassium loading. Bottomline, if you're dropping fluids, going to use ANY type of diruetics, you'll need to consider potassium.

Frank

Hey Frank.. so you are saying if you do DROP water.. you will need the potassium to push the remaining water under skin into the muscle - thus, getting the 'full/hard' look. BUT, if you keep water in or high through Friday - no potassium may be needed, due to high water volume. With water higher you keep voiding and naturally rid body of it. Is that about the 'just' of it!?? Val

Yes they are allowing crossover, they did in years past and was not aware of it until it was too late. so i am this year. Marian hasnt let me know either on ###, I asked but havent heard back yet. Yeah! I am glad to know there will be more than just me in bb class! (1st show I did it was me only) Too work this hard, I want some comp!!!! thanks
tam

are you saying it is NOT good to potassium load? I am trying iy this year for the first time. what bad experiences have you had?

Correct, if you're DROPPING water. The potassium will not push the water out, main, retain fliud intramuscularly.

If you're keeping water in, a couple of tabs in the day would be ok, but not loading.

So, yes, no loading is needed on Friday. Tammy, you're going to go up against a very well seasoned body builder and wow, can she be cut.

Val, has a great "V" and that's not a pun.

Wow, POSEDOWN!!!

Frank

thanks, I am going to bring my concerns to rachel who is helping me with my prep. I havent worked this hard and this long for something to mess things up for me. I hold water in my lower abs and legs so I thought the potassium would help. thanks for the advice. I am glad to know there will be good comp! thats what its all about right?! hahahaha

how in the world are they letting you cross over when figure is NOT being rewarded for striations or for "appearing like a bodybuilder"? They made it clear in their figure rules?? just curious.

Tammy, I was wondering the same...

Run4fun...also I commented to V that it is somewhat of any oxymoron....to want visable Abs and no extra fat on the butt....yet no cuts in the legs..many girls get the cuts in the legs before the fat goes away on the glutes !! Oh my, always a challenge on how to prep "perfectly" for a show.

On the Potassium dilemma, Tammy and Jo....I think the key is to decide on the plan..what your Bev advisor tells you: sodium load, deplete, water load deplete and potassium...OR
if you are doing something different. I know that is what you need to do so that once the week starts you are COMMITTED to do what your plan says, no changing stategy mid week !! spells disaster.

If it is your first show, or first time with the Bev stategy, it will be a test to see how it goes. Then you can tweek the next show. I know I followed the same Basic plan for three shows. Show 1 worked like a charm ..show 2 worked Ok BUT I should of been leaner as I switched to BB and last show I thought I was lean enough but the use of the taraxatone and water depletion back fired on me and I looked softer Sat morning... so this show I am changing stategy and not using the diuretics and not cutting water much...we'll see how it in a week!!!!! I

I dont know why they allow cross over, but they do, as does NGA, so I am doing both. I think, in natural comp, smaller girls, lightweights, like myself, can crossover and fit in well in each catagory. LT, thanks for the input. I e mailed my bev advisor w/ my concerns and waiting for her feedback. This is my 1st time prepping w/ bev and using the potassium method. In the past, I just cut water and sodium alone. I will see...

Why are they allowed to cross over? $$$

The difference? Learn to pose soft and not pose flexed for figure. Many of the female, natural body builders can learn to show a "soft leg" and know how to lock in! Easier for naturals.

Frank

Thanks Frank!! It also makes for more bodies in a class. Most shows like to have females crossover, master to novice for example, since women are not flocking in droves to be in shows.
now back to the potassium queston. If I decide to bag the idea, would you say to taper water and cut sodium and leave the rest to nature? I want this day to be pleasant, not a giant cramp!

Tammy,

So, if you're going to taper off water, cut sodium and potassium load as you taper water. If you've never done anything like that, let's see how this will work. Use Twin-Lab Potassium. TAke 1 every hour on Thurs, then Friday-Sat, 2 every hour.

Perhaps Sully, or VA can take a little time to go into the details of keeping water in. Sully posted something back about late Oct, 2003. I have yet to try that one.

Hope this will help
Frank

Frank, Thanks for your help. I have elected to cut water and salt only as I always have, with good results. Does potassium loading make a huge difference from the water/salt cutting method in the final result?

Tammy,

You'll want to use potassium. Your body will want to flush out the same amount of fluids as you taper off your intake. Cutting back on sodium, what you have in your body is going to be flushed with water. In order to maintain the electrolyte balance, it will flush out potassium. By loading, you will maintain fluids in your muscles while your shedding the fluids under your skin.

That is why you hear of potassium sparing diruetics. It will keep you from cramping.

Frank

thanks, if sully is out there, your feed back please!

There is a set ratio of sodium to potassium that the body likes to maintain.

By cutting sodium we skew the ratio. The bodies response is to eliminate potassium. When the potassium goes, with it goes the water it pulled into the muscle.

Add to this we often cut water and it is easy to see how/why the muscles can end up flat.

One simple way to increase salt during the first part of comp week is to add a salt packet to every meal. This is on top of any salt you may already use. Now you have a set amount that you are adding and can begin reducing by X packets per day.

Ray