I am 3 weeks off my last show and planning on one in oct. I am 2 lbs above my contest weight and would like to maintain so i wont have so much work adead of me for next time.(+ being buff is nice!!!) I am currently eating:
1 oatmeal 6 whites
2 1.5 scoops mp
3 5 oz chicken veg
4 1.5 scoops mp
5 5 oz protien veg
nuts thrown in here and there
supps: glutamine, creatine select, ultra 40, muscle mass and senergy.
I am 109 lbs. is this going to make contest prep harder since i am so strict now? I tried to add cottage cheese and other dairy in, but it made me sick. I feel good eating this way, so i thought sticking with it was the way to go.I would appreciate some feedback and advice.
thanks
tam

Tam.

2 lbs is not much over contest weigth unless your like 3'2" or something? If you try to hold that weight for too long it may have a reverse effect on you and you could end up in worse condition. I think 5-8 pounds minimum, and Oct is a long way off! If you are one of those who can hold it, good luck and I hate you but you may fine it so hard you end up eating a gallon of cookie dough at 2am one night (been there, done that) because you try to stay too lean. My advice would be to add another 200 calories from carbs and see how you feel after. Its not much and will only add another pound or so, but you will be better able to recover from training, and you will just feel better. Better to diet two weeks longer and feel healthy then look great all the time as you flop on the couch because you have no energy to even wash the dishes.

Sully

Tammy,
Since you are just coming off a show, your metabolism is still somewhat charged up and you have a very good window to utilize the extra calories (carbs especially) for lean muscle growth.
Personally, I have tried remaining lean between shows when they were 4-5 months in between and wound up losing muscle. This has happenned to me more than once, so they were hard lessons.
Sully is correct. (when is he not? ) If you bump up your cals for the next 6-8 weeks, You'll be in perfect position to nail your conditioning come October with additional muscle to boot.
Don't be afraid to chow down.... but try and keep it clean

Aram

thanks guys, for you feedback. I have decided to tinker w/ my diet a bit this week and see how i feel and look. I have already changed from MP to US for my protein powder. Its hard to come off the contest mode and see bf reappear!!! thanks again
tam

I feel the same way with trying to stay in contest or near contest shape. It's really hard to see that bf come back but I think it's a neccessity to make muscle gains. My problem is I usually do my shows in early may, So it's almost like I'm out of shape by the time summer somes around. I'm trying to stay leaner this year, but It's hard, I'm pathetically endomorphic, I gain bf immediately in my lower abs. we'll see how it goes this year, wish me luck


Bill

Tammy. I too am trying to stay w/in 5 -7 pds of contest weight for Oct. I initially gained only a few pds but decided that I needed to add those 200 extra calories to the diet. Like Sully said, if you do not add more now, com pre contest time you have no where to cut from.

If you want to stay lean for those summer clothes BUT take advantage of this time to add some extra food to the diet you can incorperate the lean diet/gain diet cycle (thats what I am doing). I do a weekly weigh in/measure and approx. bodyfat and as long as I am at or under my max I keep things the same..if I start creeping over my goal I will do a lean diet for awhile.

thanks leslie. i do believe you forwarded me that plan. I have already started to make changes. thanks everyone!!

I just had my 1st comp this past Saturday and went and had my cheat day all day Sunday and boy do I feel bloated! (my same pants still fit, it's just I don't look as lean and cut) I have been drinking lots of water and am back to eating healthy but like you all, I don't want to see my great shape go to pot! Can someone email me that lean diet/gain cycle - I would like to stay looking good until my next possible comp in October. I am worried that since throwing some carbs back in (although I have much more energy now!!) that I will gain bodyfat. This is basically what I want to follow
Bfast: 1/2 c oats (dry meas)
3/4 c Egg Beaters OR 3 whites/1 egg
Snack: 1 1/2 sccops MP OR a lower carb, lower
cal protein bar
Lunch: 3-4 c spinach leaves with a low cal, low
sugar dressing and a chicken breast (or
packet) of tuna and a small sweet potato
Snack: same as the 1st snack or a sm. apple
w/2 tbl organic cashew butter (less cal
than reg peanut butter!)
Dinner: Some kind of protein (fish, seafood,
chix, etc.) with a large salad or some
veggies)
Late Night Snack if necessary: a MP or US cake
OR a cup of sugar free Jello

Does adding the oats, s. potato and a few carbs from a protein bar sound like too much? I am now in training for a sprint tri here in Iowa on July 17th so I knew that I was going to have to add some carbs back in, I am just afraid of getting fat!!

this is the diet plan i got from LT:
1 6 whites 1/2 c oats
2 2 scoops MP or US
3 5 oz chic 4oz sweet pat. or 1/2 c brown rice, 1c veg
4 same as 2
5oz lean meat 1-2 c veg

Its very close to the plan I was put on in the early stages of prep for contest. maybe LT has more to offer...
tam