Figure Competition Diet

Figure Competition Diet

The figure competition diet is probably the most grueling part of figure competition prep. A workout may last an hour or two, however dieting is 24 hours a day. The aim of the following articles is to provide you with everything you need to know about figure competition diet and figure competition training.

Raechelle Chase's Diet
Author: Raechelle Chase - IFBB Pro Figure competitor, fitness model & TV presenter

I admit I prefer my diet to be easy and a bit boring so I don’t have to do much thinking about what my next meal is going to be. Diet is without a doubt the hardest aspect of getting into contest shape for me. My diet often feels a little like ground hog day! LOL. However, I find that this is the easiest way for me to stick to my eating plan. There is always so much else going on in the home and close to competition time I don’t really enjoy the food anyway. I think of it purely as an energy and growth source.
Meal 1: Oats, protein powder & mixed berries
Meal 2: Sushi (after training)
Meal 3: 200g fish or chicken with rice
Meal 4: Protein shake
Meal 5: 200g fish or chicken & vegetables.
Meal 6: Protein shake with water

During competition prep I substitute shakes for meals, just to make my metabolism work harder to burn the calories. And of course my calories decrease the closer I get to my competition, which can be challenging as my cardio generally increases about the same time.

I did trial a raw foods diet for a few months but found that it did not work well for me. That’s not to say it won't for others as everyone’s bodies react differently to diet changes. It is certainly a very healthy way of eating but I found that for me I had to eat so many extra calories to get the protein I needed to keep up my muscle growth that it just wasn't right for me. In saying that what doesn't work for one person may work perfectly for someone else.

I am a big believer in supplements and use them to help to stay healthy all year round so I can consistently make improvements to my physique. Some of the supplements I take include fish oils, adrenal stress support, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, and multi vitamins. I use glutamine and protein powder all year round as a good quality source of protein. To assist with fat loss leading up to a show I also take L-Carnitine and Body Ripped HGH +ZMA and thermogenliquid.

I lift as heavy as I can for every rep on every set!
Day 1: Quads
Day 2: Shoulders
Day 3: Chest
Day 4: Back
Day 5: Hamstrings
Day 6: Biceps & Triceps

I also work Abs in every second workout. Cardio differs depending on where I am in my contest prep. Off-season I do 30 mins immediately after training. During contest prep I do up to 3 hours a day of cardio.

Author: Jennifer Searles - IFBB Pro Figure competitor.
MEALS
Eat every 3-4 hours. This translates to roughly 4 or 5 meals per day. One should be able to consume a good breakfast, lunch and dinner, with one to two snacks.

CALORIES: Find out your BMR. This stands for your Basal Metabolic Rate, or the amount of calories your body burns at rest. This also translates to the number of calories your body burns just sitting around all day and doing little of anything else but breathing. I always try to consume a couple hundred more than my BMR. When cutting, I consume a couple hundred less. Exact numbers you want? Well, that's one of my specialties! For more specifics, send me an email, and I can give you a personalized program to get you into tip top shape!

PROTEIN: How much do you weigh? Then in order to maintain lean mass (muscle) I suggest that you eat .8-1g of protein for every pound on the scale that you weigh. If you weigh 130 pounds, then you should consume roughly 100-130g of protein each day from sources such as chicken, turkey, fish, lean meats, egg whites and protein powder.

CARBOHYDRATES: Think of your body as your car, and carbs as gas. You really only need gas when you will be driving your car. Therefore, I suggest eating your starchy carbs (ie: rice, potatoes, oatmeal, yams, whole grains) in the meals that fall before and after your workout, and for breakfast. Every other meal can be comprised of veggies and protein.

FATS: I like to take these in sparingly. I always make a point of keeping my fat intake to around 15-20% of my total daily calories. I rarely use anything else except olive oils, peanut or almond butters, or fats that are found naturally in my animal proteins. Stick to the good fats found in fish, nuts and olive oil - Omega 3 and Omega 6's. Saturated fats are pretty much good for, well, nothing.

WATER: You honestly can't drink enough! Well, maybe you can... aim for at LEAST 64 oz per day. I personally aim for no less than a gallon (128 oz). The stuff keeps you hydrated, and helps everything in your body work better. It doesn't make you burn fat, but it definitely helps your body's processes move more smoothly and that may aid in weight loss. Also, dehydration isn't healthy… so don't put yourself in that position.

Sample weekly workout in off-season (also appropriate for those wishing to lose a little fat and look sexy, toned and trim)
Note: I already have quite a bit of muscle, so my focus is to maintain what I have, and stay lean. For those wishing to build muscle, the workout would be a little different. HOWEVER, I find that most women (unless if you are a competitor) really want to maintain muscle and keep the fat off…. If that's you, then this is a GREAT weekly routine! I can also help with gaining muscle. If that's your interest, contact me and I can set something up for you!

Monday- Full-Body Circuit Weight Training
60-90 Minutes of Cardio

Tuesday- Pilates Class
60-90 Minutes of Cardio

Wednesday- Lower Body Weight Training
60-90 Minutes of Cardio

Thursday- 60 Minutes of Cardio

Friday- Back/Shoulders/Lunges or Step-ups in Weight Room
60-90 Minutes of Cardio

Saturday- Yoga Class
30 Minutes of Cardio

Sunday- REST!

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Competition Dieting and Training
Author: Jodie Minear - IFBB Pro Figure competitor

I use fish as my protein source for dieting and it really helps me lean and maintain. Whereas off season I do more turkey and chicken so I can maintain and gain a lil more muscle at the same time. I get really jealous of people with the blood type o positive or o negative because they thrive more off beef whereas I cannot have any beef, and I love myself some steak. Knowing your body will always be in my view the biggest step in dieting and exercising. Take the time to study your body and the best routes for it. It will make a huge difference in your results and you will feel tons better. I have tried so many diet plans that have failed, but its like anything try try try again. When you love something you keep going even when you fall. Cutting carbs completely out was one of my mistakes it left me very flat and small. Also I tried to less protein and a little more fat but that was a mistake for me too. Following a diet based on my blood type is really the best thing for me. I hope to have a great year and would love to help anyone else searching for the right diet.

Supplements - I'm a big fan of 1st Phorm and I love the Goddess product that helps you lean out. They also have a wonderful selection of protein powders, great flavors and really low in calories. This makes a huge difference. All the calories add up so try and remember to keep track of everything you put in your body. Even a piece of gum, I know it sounds extreme but it will work. I take them anywhere from 2 to 13 weeks out. I take them when I need that extra help getting lean and fighting cravings. I also take the powder post workouts, this helps me heal faster and keeps my strength up. Lets face it cardio and training really strips you so you need a lil help.

Weight Training - I love to rotate everything, even week by week I change it. Always keep your body guessing. Show it who the boss is. One week I might do legs twice and the next week Ill do shoulders twice. Analyze your body every week and try to see your weakness and do it double to compensate. For me its always my shoulders or legs. I find it a challenge to jump rope in between sets so I try to do that more and more to lean down. Jumping rope while weight training is also a good way to clean out any toxins in your lymps.
Training vs. Diet - Both are important, but I feel the diet will always play a bigger factor, and its harder so dont cut corners. I just always try and think happy thoughts and tell myself fish taste like donuts, haha. Remember the more meals you get down the faster your metabolism will be, so eat up. Smaller meals are better of course, you can even cut your meals in half and eat every hour in stead of every two to three hours. This helps a bunch. Thanks for reading my tricks of the trade and I hope I helped you at least a little.

Figure Contest Diet
Author: Ashley Cooper - NPC National Level Figure Competitor
My diet changes drastically between on and off season. I am always trying to accomplish something, obviously in “on” season, my goal is to lean out and get ready for the stage. In order to accomplish this goal, I eat clean, cut carbs, and depending on the time line from the show, I will eat more protein in order to sustain my muscle, then eventually I have to cut that back as well. I never have ONE cut down diet, it all depends on where I am starting out from physically. For instance, I just came back from having a baby, during my pregnancy I lost some muscle as I was not eating enough protein to support it. So I kind of had to cut down AND add muscle at the same time. I was on a very low carb diet, but got to enjoy lots of fatty meats like salmon and steak. I also kept in my green veggies (that pretty much stays the same with any diet I do). My supplements included a lot of liquid amino acids though out the day, as well as whey/casine shakes, I also got to try (and LOVED) “Carnivore” beef protein.

I have mostly had success with my diet plans, I have a great team of people around me who are extremely well educated in nutrition. The only time I can recall a diet “failing” me, is when I did a diet that was not specified for me. It is so important that fitness athletes find someone who is not going to give them a cookie cutter diet. We all have different bodies and different capabilities, no one’s body processes foods the exact same way. So I am very serious about not taking short cuts when it comes to finding a program that is just right for me, not someone else.

I am happy to say that I do not take weight loss supplements. The closest thing to it would be CLAs which help the body properly break down fats. This is not a fat burner or a weight loss supplement though, it is a nutrient that has an effect on controlling fat levels in the body, and interestingly, it is itself a form of fatty acid, present in our diet at highest levels in beef and dairy products. I feel that fat burners can be risky, especially with woman who are already cutting down and putting their bodies through diet war fare. They can have a nasty effect on your kidneys and liver if you are not careful. If you eat clean all the time and train hard, there is no reason for a weight loss supplement.

Like my diets, my weight training programs are rarely the same, or even similar. It all depends on if I am cutting down or gaining muscle. My favorite time of the year is “bulking”. I love this time because I get to be very competitive with myself and pick up heavy weights. During this time it is important that I not only take in enough protein to assist me in gaining muscle, but it is important to eat enough complex carbs as well. Sweet potato, brown rice, and oatmeal are the three basic carbs I eat when I am gaining muscle. Not only do they provide me with a great and long lasting source of energy, but they help me to gain "clean" weight. Simple carbs do not offer a long lasting energy source and they turn to sugar once digested, which turns to fat. I try to stay in shape year round, because when I am not on the stage I am doing photo shoots or videos, or even just trying to inspire my clients! If you are not in the Miami area but would like to learn more about dieting or fitness training programs I offer online training as well.
Visit my website at www.ashleycooperfitness.com or e-mail me at ashleycooperfitness@gmail.com for your own personalized program!

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