will allow the loss of any water being held beneath the skin.
- Friday: The day before the contest
Regardless of appearance, the ketogenic diet should be resumed on on Friday. Consume
small amounts of carbs throughout the day (5-10 grams per meal, vegetables only) to keep blood
glucose steady and muscle glycogen topped off. Calories should be set to maintenance or slightly
(10%) below.
While the simple act of restricting carbohydrates will have a diuretic effect, most
bodybuilders will need to take a herbal diuretic approximately 24 hours before prejudging.
Although the use of prescription diuretics (i.e. Lasix, Aldactone, Aldactazide, etc) is banned
because of the danger of severe dehydration and death, the diuresis caused by the herbal
products is relatively minor but will improve appearance. Many health food stores stock various
types of herbal diuretic which typically contain ingredients such as buchu leaves, dandelion, uva
ursi, etc. Additionally, the simple restriction of carbohydrates has a diuretic effect. Some
bodybuilders have used glycerol to pull water from underneath their skin as well.
While sodium loading is not recommended, sodium intake should be monitored from Friday
through the evening show. While a bodybuilder need not avoid all sources of sodium, an effort
should be made to consume very small amounts, approximately 1000 mg/day total. This means
that the sodium content of foods will have to be checked. Additionally, three times as much
potassium (i.e. 3000 mg) should be consumed in divided doses.
Friday night, competitors should consume a moderate carb meal (about 50 grams or so)
with some protein (20-30 grams) and a small amount of healthy fats (i.e. olive oil). This last carb
meal helps ensure normal blood glucose and liver glycogen, to improve vascularity at prejudging.
Many competitors who skip this meal find that they aren’t vascular until the evening show. By
then it’s too late.
Finally, an effort should be made to consume easily digested meals from this point on so
that the stomach doesn’t protrude from undigested food. Some competitors will use laxatives to
help tighten the waist. Many herbal diuretics contain a light laxative, such as cascara sagrada,
in them already.
- Saturday: prejudging
If a bodybuilder is still holding water the morning of the show, they will need to find a sauna
to sweat out the last little bit of water from underneath the skin. There are no hard and fast
rules for how long to stay in the sauna. Simply use appearance as a guide.
Breakfast should be a small meal containing easily digested carbs to keep blood glucose
and liver glycogen normal. Prior experience will help determine the ideal time prior to prejudging
to eat breakfast. Failing that, since most contests have pre-judging around 9 or 10 in the
morning, a breakfast at 6 or 7 am should be sufficient.
Approximately an hour or so before prejudging, consume 25-50 grams of easily digested
carbs similar to what is consumed before the Friday depletion workout. About 20-30’ before
prejudging, competitors should begin their pump-up routine to maximize vascularity. In general,
pumping the legs seems to detract, rather than enhance vascularity.