As I continue my prep for the next round of bodybuilding competitions, I’m realizing the level of detail that really needs to be there so that I can be at my absolute best for these shows. A fitness competitor is at a level far beyond what most people would consider just “generally fit”. In order to get your body to the level of leanness that’s required to do well in competition, most people will have to pay strict attention to their diet, with very little variation from their targets for at least 4-6 months. Most competitors that win will be on their diet 95-100% of the time for the entire duration of their prep. At the natural pro level, if they are off their game with their diet at all, they will likely not place well. As a trainer and nutritionist, I find that most people have a difficult time sticking to their general diet plan just 80% of the time. I would like to share with you some of the methods that top competitors do to help ensure they are on track for their shows.
But, before I do that, I want to address a point that I think many people need to understand and listen to. Fitness competitors stand out in our society because they achieve a level of leanness and conditioning that is well above the norm. In order to do that, they need to exercise and diet so effectively that their body burns up almost all visible body fat. The amount of prep work that it takes to do that will often be more than what the average person will want to accept. But here is the truth: over 50% of our country is either overweight or obese. According to the CDC, 80% of Americans are not exercising on a regular basis!(1) Most Americans will die because of a health related issue like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc, all which could be resolved from a healthier diet and regular exercise. So, to help drive this point home, if you want to be successful in your fitness endeavors, you are going to stand out! You will likely do things that most of your friends andfamily won’t do. Many of them will feel uncomfortable around you. If you truly want to be successful at this, you have to be okay with being different. If that is you, then please continue to read:
Know your numbers and be consistent: Tracking your diet is critical to success in the competition world. If you want to take it to the next level like a top competitor, you need to know your numbers and stay consistent. Many competitors these days follow a diet that is known as “flexible dieting” or IIFYM (“If it fits your macronutrients”). Your macronutrients are protein, carbs and fat. Everyone has their own specific target with these macronutrients based on their metabolic needs (If you are unfamiliar with what is appropriate for your metabolic needs, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to help you). Knowing your numbers and staying consistent with your planned numbers is really what makes or breaks results. If you are inconsistent, chances are, you will likely not see what you want to see. However, if you stay the course, even when it’s hard to do so, you may likely achieve bodyfat levels that only top athletes achieve! As I said in the beginning, most of the generalpublic interested in losing weight will likely not even come close to their targets 80% of the time. However, top competitors will be on it 95-100% of the time for months and months on end! If you want to be fit like a top competitor, you have to know your numbers and be steady!
Prepare ahead of time: Planning is the key to success in bodybuilding (and truthfully just about everything in life). Meals have to be prepped to the exact specifications of the competitors diet. Most successful competitors will have at least a portion, if not all, of their meals prepped for the day, if not the week ahead of time. For example, we cook up a batch of chicken, fish and steak on Sunday and portion out what’s going to be used for the week. Then, I would freeze all the prepped meats so that all I need to do is reheat it in the microwave when it’s ready. For the carbohydrates, I would have either rice or sweet potato ready to go as well. Often, I would just take an uncooked sweet potato to work with me each day and cook it in the microwave for 1o mins.
Traveling: When traveling, some competitors would bring a cooler with their prepped foods wherever they go. This is actually a great way to make sure they stick right on track with their meal plans regardless of their circumstances. I know many people will scoff at this idea, and think that you must have OCD to carry around your entire day’s worth of food with you but honestly, if you want to be successful, then why set yourself up for failure by not having your essential nutrients with you at all times? Honestly, if you were betting on who would win the bodybuilding competition, the person who relied on restaurant dining or the person who prepped their own food and took it with them, who do you think would win? Hands down, my money is on the person who is prepping their own food! If you rely on restaurants to help you achieve your healthy body goals….good luck! The typical restaurant entree in this country has approximately 1000 calories in it and it’s loaded with extra fat, sugarand sodium. Even when you track your meals from a restaurant, there is no guarantee that it will have what’s reported on your tracker. Any of the cooks at that restaurant could mess with that meal so that your numbers are not where they should be. With all that said, could you still be successful and eat out on a regular basis, possibly. But, you would need to trust the cooks and order your meals very specifically to ensure you are getting what you are supposed to. My recommendation for the people who want to see fitness competitor-like results is to limit eating out to only once per week if not once every other week. Make the majority of the meals yourself. Besides, you will save a ton of money and learn a lot of ways to make great food yourself!
Showtime: The last point that I want to address is that fitness competitors have an end date to meet their goals. Show day is when you need to be at your peak. For those of you that are not competitors, but want to be fit like one, I would recommend setting an end date for when you want to have all your weight and bodyfat goals achieved. Personally, my interest in competing began after I successfully completed the 12-week transformation program with Body-For-Life. After completing that, I realized I could use the same planning and training to prepare for a bodybuilding show. For those of you who want to get in the best shape of your life, I would recommend getting involved in a program that’s going to help you stay accountable to your goals. If you are interested in finding a program that could help you do just that, please email us.
So in summary, if you want the results of a fitness competitor, I would strongly recommend learning about what’s appropriate for your metabolic needs and stay steady with your numbers, prepare your meals ahead of time and bring them with you when you travel and then set an end date to help motivate you to stay the course. If you feel you would like extra assistance with any of this, we would be very happy to help. Please email with any questions that you have. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals!
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 (ESV)
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