Bodybuilding Contest Diets and Nutritional Strategies What is a “Contest Diet?” ● A contest diet is a specialized change in one’s eating patterns prior to a bodybuilding or physique competition. ● This type of diet often includes: ○ ○ ○ ○ Restricting calories to below maintenance level Severely cutting carbohydrates out of their diet Cycling carbohydrate intake Manipulating water and sodium intake as the show date draws closer ● This often starts at least 8 weeks prior to the competition, but usually sooner, depending on how much weight is desired to be lost. What is the Purpose of This? ● The purpose of undergoing a “contest diet” is to be in the best physical shape possible, showcasing the ideal amounts of muscular size in specific areas of the body as well as proper symmetry. ● To offset the fat gained during the “muscle-building” phase, which takes place in the bodybuilder’s off-season, which is basically the time in which a bodybuilder adds as much muscular size as possible. ● A bodybuilder or physique competitor must lose the body fat that was inevitably gained during the muscle-building phase. The goal here is to lose body fat while not sacrificing size (muscle) or strength. Negative Effects of Severe Calorie Restricted Diets ● Dieting like this for a prolonged period of time can lead to: ○ ○ ○ Reduced basal metabolic rate Increased cortisol levels Lower leptin levels ● Following a low carbohydrate diet while simultaneously eating fewer calories than are expended (caloric deficit) for an extended period of time will eventually lead to negative metabolic effects, such as: ○ ○ Reduced basal metabolic rate Loss of fat-free mass (primarily skeletal muscle). ● The thermic effect of food, which is the amount of energy utilized due to the digestion of food for energy and storage, is also reduced significantly. ● The caloric cost of physical activity (the amount of calories burned performing any act of physical movement) is reduced. Advanced Strategies Water and Sodium Manipulation ● The purpose of manipulating sodium and water intake is to appear “dryer”, revealing further muscular definition. ● Basically, the goal here is to remove as much extracellular water as possible, which is the water that lies outside of the cells. ● However, the body tries to maintain homeostasis, which in this case is a 70/30 ratio of intracellular water to extracellular water. ● So when attempting to alter this state in any way, the body will often “fight back” and not give you the desired results that you were looking for. Water Loading and Cutting ● Around one week before the show (peak week), many competitors will choose to manipulate their water intake by consuming excess water (2-4 gallons) and then attempting to flush out the excess 1-2 days prior by consuming scarce amounts of water. ● The theory behind this method is that the excess amount of water will be flushed out of the body in just enough time so that the body doesn’t believe that it is lacking sufficient body water. ● Competitors believe that this window of time will make them appear their “dryest”. ● However, this method can backfire if the “window of opportunity” isn’t reached during show time, which can make the athlete appear either extremely bloated or excessively flat. Bloated Flat Sodium ● The sodium balance in your body directly affects fluid dynamics and blood volume. ○ As a result, this greatly influences one’s blood pressure. ● If one consumes excess sodium, then the kidneys will excrete more of it out of the body via urine. ● If sodium from the diet is reduced, then the kidney’s will attempt to conserve sodium by reabsorbing it back into circulation and excreting less. ● However, even though urinary sodium levels can change drastically with diet, serum (blood) sodium levels will remain constant at approximately 140mEq/L (milliequivalents). Sodium Depletion ● ● ● ● Drastically removing sodium from the diet increases levels of aldosterone, which is a hormone that initiates the reabsorption and retention of both water and sodium. Elevating this hormone will work against a competitor’s goals, as water retention in the body increases as the kidneys reabsorb water and sodium back into circulation. As a result, this will make a competitor look “soft”, as their is more water both inside and outside of the body’s cells. Also, a lack of sodium will reduce the activity of the protein SGLT-1 (sodium-glucose linked transporter), which is a protein responsible for glucose absorption in the small intestine. ○ This will limit the body’s ability to absorb glucose, which will cause the glucose to remain in the small intestine and draw water towards that area, giving a bloated look in the stomach. ○ This will also prevent a competitor from receiving the “fullness” from carbohydrate intake, making them appear both flatter and smaller. Diuretics ● ● ● ● ● Diuretics are a class of drugs that increase the excretion rate of water and sodium from the body via urine. Bodybuilders in particular use them in order to “dry” themselves out before the competition date, which reveals further muscle detail and definition. However, these can be quite dangerous because it can severely deplete the body’s cells of water and electrolytes, inhibiting their normal functions and decreasing cell volume. This can lead to a bodybuilder’s disadvantage because a lack of volume in the muscle cells can lead to difficulty lengthening and shortening the muscle fibers, which would affect both their weight training and posing routines. Signs of diuretic abuse include: ○ Dizziness/Lightheadedness ○ Nausea/Vomiting ○ Muscle Cramps Carbohydrates and their Functions ● Before we dive into the strategy of carbohydrate cycling, we first need to understand exactly what a carbohydrate is. ● Carbohydrates are found in the forms of starches, sugars, and fibers. ● When carbohydrates are ingested, they are broken down into glucose (sugar) and raise blood sugar levels. ● As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas produces insulin, which is a hormone that stimulates the body’s cells to absorb the glucose and convert it to glycogen for energy and/or storage for later use. ● As the cells utilize this energy from glycogen, blood sugar levels begin to fall, signaling the pancreas to produce glucagon, which is a hormone that causes the liver to release stored sugar. The Glycemic Index ● Ranks carbohydrates on a scale of 0-100 based on how rapidly and how much they raise blood sugar levels. ● The higher the number, the faster it is digested and the higher it raises blood sugar levels, and vice versa. ● Foods with a higher glycemic index (~70+) have simple chemical structures of either one or two sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides respectively). The simple structure allows rapid absorption by the body, causing a surge in blood sugar and insulin release ● Examples of high glycemic foods include ○ ○ ○ ○ White or refined grains Candy Cookies “Junk Food” The Glycemic Index (continued) ● Foods with a lower glycemic index have more complex chemical structures with three or more sugars connected (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides). ● These foods take longer to digest and raise blood sugar and release insulin more gradually, lessening the likelihood of health complications, such as: ○ ○ Obesity Diabetes ● Examples of low glycemic foods include: ○ ○ ○ ○ Whole Grains Most Fruits Vegetables Beans/Legumes Carbohydrate Cycling ● Carbohydrate cycling is a scheduled alteration of carbohydrate intake throughout the week. ● The purpose of doing this is to break fat loss plateaus and to “reset” or speed up the functioning of the metabolism. ● Carb cycling allows one to take advantage of the anabolic or “building up” hormone of insulin. ○ ○ Insulin regulates amino acid and glucose intake into each muscle cell. If this hormone is rarely elevated (due to a low carbohydrate diet), then the individual will lean towards a catabolic state, often leading to the breakdown of proteins (found in skeletal muscle) for energy. Implementing Carbohydrate Cycling ● Dietary fat and protein intake remain relatively constant while only carbohydrate consumption is altered. ● The most common method for carb cycling is one “re-feed” day (higher carbohydrate days) every 3-4 days that a low carbohydrate diet is adhered to. ● On higher carbohydrate days, dietary protein intake can be slightly cut back due to carbohydrates having a protein sparing effect. ○ This means that carbohydrates will be utilized for energy rather than the amino acids contained in protein, sparing muscle mass. ● One should plan to consume around their maintenance level of calories on their “re-feed” days, as the extra carbohydrate consumption will naturally increase caloric intake. Methods to Decrease the Dangers of Contest Preparation ● ● ● ● Maintain a relatively low level of body fat year-round to make the preparation phase less taxing on the body and to avoid muscle loss (approximately 10-14% for males, 20-24% for females) . Avoid the use of potentially dangerous drugs and supplements that you aren’t familiar with or are “on the fence about” (diuretics, testosterone boosters, anabolic steroids, fat burners, etc.) Continue to lift as much weight as you possibly can around the 6-12 strength and hypertrophy repetition ranges. Avoid lifting lighter loads above 15 repetitions for an extended period of time, as this can cause muscular atrophy over time combined with a caloric deficit. Don’t attempt any advanced techniques that you haven’t properly researched or received much education on. Doing so could lead to unsatisfactory results during the competition. ○ Even worse, it could cause fatal conditions such as severe dehydration. Simple Steps to Creating Your Own Pre-Contest Diet ● Determine your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) ○ ○ An estimate of this can be found using an online calculator Eat the level of calories estimated by the calculator and adjust accordingly ● Choose the level of caloric deficit ○ Start off with a simple subtraction of 500 calories from your BMR. Adjust accordingly ● Figuring out your macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats) ○ ○ ○ ○ Between 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound (lb) of body weight. Approximately 20-30% of calories from dietary fat Remaining calories from carbohydrates Remember that: ■ Carbohydrates= 4 calories per gram ■ Proteins= 4 calories per gram ■ Fats= 9 calories per gram Works Cited ● Andrews, Ryan. "All About Carb Cycling | Precision Nutrition." Precision Nutrition. N.p., 19 Jan. 2009. Web. 18 July 2016. ● "Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar." The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health, n.d. Web. 18 July 2016. ● Cadwallader, Amy B., Xavier De La Torre, Alessandra Tieri, and Francesco Botrè. "The Abuse of Diuretics as Performance-enhancing Drugs and Masking Agents in Sport Doping: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Analysis." British Journal of Pharmacology. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Sept. 2010. Web. 04 July 2016. ● Larsen, James. "Bodybuilding Contest Diet." Personal interview. 6 July 2016. ● Norton, Layne. "The Ultimate Cutting Diet – Devised By Pro Natural Bodybuilder Layne Norton." SimplyShredded.com. Simply Shredded, n.d. Web. 08 July 2016. ● Norton, Layne. "Layne Norton Peak Week: Water & Sodium." Bodybuilding.com. Bodybuilding.com, 28 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 July 2016. ● Redman, Leanne M., and Eric Ravussin. "Caloric Restriction in Humans: Impact on Physiological, Psychological, and Behavioral Outcomes." Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. Works Cited (continued) ● Schaus, Krista. "Healthy Contest Prep - An Oxymoron? | Precision Nutrition." Precision Nutrition. N.p., 28 Oct. 2009. Web. 27 June 2016. ● Strome, Tammy. "Dangerous Bodybuilding Conditions." Muscle Insider. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. ● Wescott, Tim. "Carb Cycling For Fat Loss." Bodybuilding.com. N.p., 05 Nov. 2007. Web. 18 July 2016.
