Question about salt intake at 5 1/2 wks out

**stayinstacked** · 08-15-2006, 06:01 PM

Please, people who compete and know their shit only. I'm 5 1/2 wks out, just upped the carb intake a little bit because I was going too flat and added some salt to my diet. My plan is to keep the salt in my diet at around 3/4 of a teaspoon/day(75% of a normal daily value) and then drop all sodium about 2 wks out. I feel that the salt load for the next 3 wks will help keep me full and trap some nutrients in my muscles. Anybody w/ some input? Thank you

**spound** · 08-15-2006, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by stayinstacked

Please, people who compete and know their shit only. I'm 5 1/2 wks out, just upped the carb intake a little bit because I was going too flat and added some salt to my diet. My plan is to keep the salt in my diet at around 3/4 of a teaspoon/day(75% of a normal daily value) and then drop all sodium about 2 wks out. I feel that the salt load for the next 3 wks will help keep me full and trap some nutrients in my muscles. Anybody w/ some input? Thank you

Dropping sodium at 2 wks out is an absolutely horrible idea IMO. Sodium and carbs are waht keep you full..if you drop sodium...you will go flat as a pancake and in turn lose muscle mroe than likely and feel like total shit. Your sodium should be very high right now...I say high, but it shoudl be constant as well with no fluctuations form day to day. I would keep it high all the way into the show and then when you load (only if you are shitloading) then bump it wayyy up with your shitload foods to really fill you out more....
One of the huge mistake that many competitors make is dropping their sodium...dropping sodium is a very oldschool train of though. You could lower it to a degree and which would be fine, but then I would load it up again on show day to fill out better, but compeltely dropping it, especially that far out, is a bad idea bro.

**stayinstacked** · 08-15-2006, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by spound

Dropping sodium at 2 wks out is an absolutely horrible idea IMO. Sodium and carbs are waht keep you full..if you drop sodium...you will go flat as a pancake and in turn lose muscle mroe than likely and feel like total shit. Your sodium should be very high right now...I say high, but it shoudl be constant as well with no fluctuations form day to day. I would keep it high all the way into the show and then when you load (only if you are shitloading) then bump it wayyy up with your shitload foods to really fill you out more....
One of the huge mistake that many competitors make is dropping their sodium...dropping sodium is a very oldschool train of though. You could lower it to a degree and which would be fine, but then I would load it up again on show day to fill out better, but compeltely dropping it, especially that far out, is a bad idea bro.

Thanks, I kind of agree and I will try this out. I'll look semi bloated the next 4 or 5 days but I'm sure my body will get accustomed to it.

**Hackamaniac** · 08-15-2006, 07:08 PM

I can't wait to see your pic SS....

**Undecided09** · 08-15-2006, 07:36 PM

Im a few weeks out myself, good stuff spound...don't mean to hijack Stacked, but if you are dropping your sodium you would pretty much have to do it on purpose correct, because sodium is in everything. I'm eating really clean right now obviously, but not getting specific with things like sodium, just fat/carb regulation...OCT 14th is mine, so I'm 7 weeks out...(does the week of the show count? then its 8 weeks, but my training will be done the week before, the last week is diet)...

**WEBB** · 08-15-2006, 09:08 PM

Spound is 100% correct, dont mess with your sodium, just leave it at a normal level, figure out your daily intake and it should be around 1200mg a day and that is low enough... then when you shit laod you will fill up perfectly...

**stayinstacked** · 08-15-2006, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by WEBB

Spound is 100% correct, dont mess with your sodium, just leave it at a normal level, figure out your daily intake and it should be around 1200mg a day and that is low enough... then when you shit laod you will fill up perfectly...

yea bro, any sodium I get outside of putting salt on my potatoe's or eggs is from hot sauce or the minimal amount in the chicken after I bake it. I use hot sauce as a condiment for my chicken, I'd puke w/out it w/ all this damn chicken I'm eating!!! I know I will look slightly bloated within this next week because I believe my body isnt use to a daily average salt intake right now, but cardio should tighten it all up just fine.

Fellas, the pics are coming soon, dont worry. My lazy ass needs to go buy some new AA batteries for my shitty camera, I'll take them this weekend ,I promise!!!!

**Undecided09** · 08-15-2006, 09:24 PM

haha, Im excited too Stacked...I think Im in kinda the same boat as you, I am eating really cleanly, and haven't payed attention to sodium, so i mean that must mean its normal, cause u have to intentionally cut it i would assume, I assume normal consumption comes from a lil salt in the eggs and whatever is in my meats??? However I have felt sluggish/lightheaded lately for some reason...carbs being real low? Low water retention?? Confusing me...

**MrMent1on** · 08-15-2006, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by spound

Dropping sodium at 2 wks out is an absolutely horrible idea IMO. Sodium and carbs are waht keep you full..if you drop sodium...you will go flat as a pancake and in turn lose muscle mroe than likely and feel like total shit. Your sodium should be very high right now...I say high, but it shoudl be constant as well with no fluctuations form day to day. I would keep it high all the way into the show and then when you load (only if you are shitloading) then bump it wayyy up with your shitload foods to really fill you out more....
One of the huge mistake that many competitors make is dropping their sodium...dropping sodium is a very oldschool train of though. You could lower it to a degree and which would be fine, but then I would load it up again on show day to fill out better, but compeltely dropping it, especially that far out, is a bad idea bro.

Correct, I agree with everything, except I drop sodium that 1 day when I drop water then after water is dropped them I sodium load again. other than that I keep sodium high especially that last week I bumb it up even higher.

***Narkissos*** · 08-16-2006, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by MrMent1on

Correct, I agree with everything, except I drop sodium that 1 day when I drop water then after water is dropped them I sodium load again. other than that I keep sodium high especially that last week I bumb it up even higher.

I'm about the same as Mr.M

'cept i drop sodium 3 days out.. as it takes about 3 days for most changes to manifest in the body... At 3 days out i also bump potassium to influence the ratio of potassium to sodium... a process which draws water into the muscle.

I disagree with not cutting sodium..

You guys do realise that even with cutting added sodium that you will still get sufficient dietary sodium right?

Narkissos

**spound** · 08-17-2006, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by stayinstacked

Thanks, I kind of agree and I will try this out. I'll look semi bloated the next 4 or 5 days but I'm sure my body will get accustomed to it.

Yes, your body will get accustomed to it, as long as your levels stay STABLE from there on out. So bump it up to 3 grams or so ED and keep it right there, I know this may seem very high to you, but you will feel much better and fuller with this amount since your carbs are probably pretty low right now. Whatever you do, I would not go bumping the sodium up right b4 the show, keep it stable, or lower it some IF anything. Then BUMP that shit up when you cabr up the day of/ b4 the show.

**spound** · 08-17-2006, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Undecided09

Im a few weeks out myself, good stuff spound...don't mean to hijack Stacked, but if you are dropping your sodium you would pretty much have to do it on purpose correct, because sodium is in everything. I'm eating really clean right now obviously, but not getting specific with things like sodium, just fat/carb regulation...OCT 14th is mine, so I'm 7 weeks out...(does the week of the show count? then its 8 weeks, but my training will be done the week before, the last week is diet)...

Not really bro, it depoends on the foods your are eating. You should keep your sodium pretty high throughout the prep..meaning add salt/soy sauce to a lot of your foods, otherwise you will probably start feeling like a popped balloon.

**Undecided09** · 08-17-2006, 05:14 PM

haha, well I dont feel like a popped ballon right now, but I do feel lackadazical/very tired often....its not so much when I'm lifting, in the gym I seem to be ok, maybe its the Methyl-ripped, hahaha...But i certainly feel deflated as far as energy goes in terms of post lift, etc...