Figure Competition Diet
I am writing this post out of anger, The anger over the Hydroxycut recall by the FDA due to suspected liver damage and the anger I feel after learning a local figure competitor ended up in the hospital a few days before a figure competition after following some crazy competition diet prescribed by a trainer whose only goal was to put a competitor onstage at any cost. Both of these result from 'shortcuts' being taken to get lean for a competition.
No figure competitor should ever follow a competition diet that they feel is 'strange', 'not normal' or take supplements they think will bring about faster weight loss... just go with your common sense.
For example:
- if someone wants you to eat the same two foods everyday for weeks...
run like hell!
- if your trainer tells you that fat burners are the only way to lose weight
...run like hell!
- if you start hearing terms like, dehydration, carb loading, carb depleting, clenbuterol
...start thinking about getting your money back.
- If a male bodybuilder says: "You can follow the diet I used for my competition"
...run fast
- If it's a week out from a competition, and you look in the mirror and you look out of shape (too much body fat for a competition) but your trainer says that you are just holding water and he/she will carb load, carb deplete and dehydrate you the last week to get rid of it.
... you should run and run a lot because the only way to get rid of that fat is going to be some extra cardio (but hurry, you only have a week!)
The bottom line is that a figure competition diet should consists of common and basic foods in the proper combinations and ratios. There are no supplements, special or secret diets that will get you leaner than a basic diet which changes as your body changes (the key to getting lean). And don't believe athletes who promote supplements, the only reason they do so is because...
