Bodybuilders don't stay in competition form year-round. Although they follow a day-to-day diet that promotes muscle growth and reduces fat, a pre-competition diet is far more intensive. Bodybuilders refer to the pre-competition diet process as "Dieting Down." The extremely restrictive nature of this process makes it difficult to follow.
Function
The purpose of a pre-competition diet for bodybuilders is to reduce body fat and increase the vascular appearance of muscles. This gives bodybuilders the ripped and cut appearance that judges look for in competitions.
Identification
A bodybuilder's pre-competition diet is low in sugar, sodium, oils and fats (except essential fatty acids). Pre-competition protein foods include nuts, eggs, lean red meat, chicken, turkey and tuna. Generally, the pre-competition diet is low in carbohydrates, with only specific types of carbohydrates allowed. Green, leafy vegetables and whole grains and oats are acceptable, whereas refined sugars and flours are not. Bodybuilders may use supplements to get a higher protein intake.
Time Frame
Bodybuilders begin the first phase of the pre-competition diet six to 12 weeks prior to the competition, depending on their individual metabolism. The higher the bodybuilder's metabolism speed, the less time it takes to diet down to contest shape. This phase involves slowly working to limit the diet to pre-competition foods. The second phase begins five weeks before the competition and entails eating only foods on the pre-competition diet. The last week before the competition is extremely intense, and the diet becomes very strict. During the last phase, bodybuilders further reduce the amount of sodium they consume and increase vegetable consumption.
Considerations
As the competition nears, the diet choices decrease. This leads to very limited meals toward the end of the process. Some bodybuilders believe that allowing yourself a cheat food once every few weeks will help you stay sane without hurting your physique. Some bodybuilders eat fat or carbohydrates the day prior to the competition to increase the vascular appearance of their muscles. This is not the norm, but it does work for some competitors.
Cost
A pre-competition diet is expensive. Lean cuts of meat are more costly than fatty cuts. Processed and refined flours cost less than the whole grains required in the pre-competition diet. Supplements can be extremely expensive, and some bodybuilders require several supplements a day while on a pre-competition diet.
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