Bodybuilding contest prep FAQ (Guide, Hacks, Coaching) - Males and Females The questions I answer here are only the tip of the iceberg. In my book I share with you everything that goes into the bodybuilding competition world. One thing is for sure you can't replace experience - Fitness AdaptationsWhat is a bodybuilding contest prep diet?The difference between a bodybuilding contest prep diet and an ordinary diet is that it is designed specifically to get a bodybuilder as lean as human possible within a certain period of time. A proper contest prep diet will allow the bodybuilder to get into a caloric deficit in order to lose the required amount of fat by stage day. Additionally, a bodybuilder wants to preserve as much lean mass during the process.When should I start contest prepping?This question varies from person to person. In bodybuilding "conditioning" is a variable that judges look for when choosing a winner. Typically that means that the body fat percentage will be under 4% at the highest levels of competition. In order to figure out how many weeks out you are first figure out what your current body fat is. Once you know that you can then estimate when you should step on stage. Use the Perfect Body Shape Formula to guide you and give you this approximate time frame.How do bodybuilders eat for competition?The truth of the matter is that you should eat depending on the goal. During the weeks leading to a competition, when a bodybuilder is trying to get lean, they should be focused on limiting inflammation, reducing stress, and creating the required deficit to get lean. During the off-season, bodybuilders should eat for maintenance and maybe a small surplus to allow them to train and improve on lagging body parts. Many bodybuilders go on a high protein low carb diet and practice carb cycling, but in my opinion, that is an outdated and not so healthy approach.What should a pre-contest diet be like 4 weeks out?At 4 weeks out you should be very close to being stage ready. You should start decreasing your caloric deficit depending where you are in regards to your body fat. If you are very close to your ideal conditioning, pushing in a extreme fashion will only start working against you.How long is a bodybuilding prep?This depends on where you currently stand. Go with how many pounds of body fat you need to lose. If you need to lose 16 pounds of body fat to reach your goal, then you should prep for 20 weeks. Give yourself an extra 4 weeks in order to make any adjustments and get to the goal without having to do anything unusual.What do bodybuilders eat on competition day?On stage day, most bodybuilders eat a lot of carbs and protein in order to fill out and get as dry as possible. Simple carbs are best in order to get the body to break down and absorb glycogen into the muscles as soon as possible. Hydration is also critical How do you lean out for a competition fast?The only way to lean out fast is to decrease your caloric deficit. The problem with leaning out fast is that you will not be able to sustain the effort and you'll suffer an enormous rebound. You will have done the work for nothing. However, if you need to lean out fast because you're close to competition day and you're behind on your goal, you can increase your cardio output. You can lower your calories but that's the last resort.How do bodybuilders cut water weight?The process for cutting water is called water loading. Usually 10 days before the competition you start drinking anywhere from 1.5 to 3 gallons of water daily depending on your body weight. About 3 days from the competition, you reduce your water intake strategically to allow water to be expelled. The use of diuretics is very popular but if used incorrectly can have an adverse affect. Make sure you are under the care of physician if you go with the use of diuretics.