traveling for competition: what to do about planned meals?

**binder** · 06-08-2008, 06:28 AM

ok, so my next comp is far enough away i'll be staying in a hotel for a few days. My question is what do you competitors do for your pre-contest meals when you are away from home?

i usually load with steak and baked potato so how do i cook that when i'm in a hotel? My last diet worked great for me and i'd like to keep it and eat the same stuff so i don't have any surprises. What do you suggest I do? maybe try to bring a grill and microwave with me to the hotel?

suggestions on what competitors are doing would be helpful. Thanks

**ottomaddox** · 06-08-2008, 07:52 AM

Buy a George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling machine, and a small rice cooker.

***FireGuy*** · 06-08-2008, 10:50 AM

I just spent 4 days in Vegas 6 weeks out. I cooked 4 days worth of meals. (turkey, steak, sweet potatoes) Packed it in a cooler and checked it as baggage at the airport. Requested a fridge at the Mandalay as there are not any in the rooms. Could not get a microwave so just manned up and ate everything cold for 4 days. It kinda sucked but at least I was guilt free and was able to stay on track.

**binder** · 06-08-2008, 01:43 PM

good idea. thanks for the suggestions

i have a foreman so as long as i can get a microwave to cook my rice i'll be good. i guess i could do potatoes and eat them cold.

only thing that sucks, i prefer to drive my infiniti car so there is barely enough room for a backpack, let alone all that food. i'll see what i can do. I don't really want to drive my surburban all that way with gas prices the way they are unless i absolutely have to. (plus i love to drive my car...lol)

**Electry** · 06-09-2008, 09:25 AM

protein bars helps :}

***FireGuy*** · 06-09-2008, 12:35 PM

Protein bars on a precontest diet???? Kidding right?

**ottomaddox** · 06-09-2008, 12:40 PM

I'm sure that all that extra sugar and crap in a protein bar would be benficial, not.

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

Protein bars on a precontest diet???? Kidding right?

**Narkissos** · 06-09-2008, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Electry

protein bars helps :}

L..M..A..O!

I second the george foreman idea.

I took a small with me to regionals... a small counter top burner, and one pot.

It was really easy.

-C

**binder** · 06-10-2008, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

L..M..A..O!

I second the george foreman idea.

I took a small with me to regionals... a small counter top burner, and one pot.

It was really easy.

-C

ya, this sounds like it will have to work. i'll just pre-cook my potatoes. i bet hotels really love us....lol

**jackjackson** · 06-11-2008, 06:16 AM

What I ended up doing was precooking all my meat and all my meals planned.
For my yams I used the steambags from Ziploc, they work awesome.
I have a gallery if youd like to see how I do my stuff

**Narkissos** · 06-11-2008, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by jackjackson

I have a gallery if youd like to see how I do my stuff

I know I would.

-CNS

**binder** · 06-11-2008, 08:55 AM

ya, steambags rock!

i use them for when i'm at work. i work 16 hour shifts so i bring pretty much a kitchen of food and use stembags to cook.

**jackjackson** · 06-11-2008, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by *Narkissos*

I know I would.

-CNS

Here ya go

http://roadtobodybuilding.com/WebGallery/main.php
been to bizzy at work to work on the main page of the domain, so for now just added these pics prior to contest to show how much work and food is involved for my preparation.

**binder** · 06-12-2008, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by jackjackson

Here ya go

http://roadtobodybuilding.com/WebGallery/main.php
been to bizzy at work to work on the main page of the domain, so for now just added these pics prior to contest to show how much work and food is involved for my preparation.

sweet setup!

what's london broil? also, there is a picture that looks like just hamburger on the grill.

do you cook all your meals for the week at one time or what? that's a lot of food stored, i'm just curious how good it is being stored that long in the fridge.

**jackjackson** · 06-12-2008, 12:21 PM

Yes I cook them all for the next 5-7 days, It been working fine for me for well over 1 year, no problems digesting or anything.
Takes 3-4 hours to do all my cooking, but as you can see it has made a difference.
Since then I have bought a new egg poacher, will upload later.
Also Bought a hear rate monitor by polar for my morning cardio to keep my heart rate at low intesity and not high.
And my ipod touch for an hour of cardio as soon as I wake, I watch prision break season 1 and 2 while preparing for my contest, plus I have like family guy and American dad on there to watch as im doing my incline walking on the treadmill.
London broil is steak.
I just took 93/7 ground beef and made it into a burger style/thin so its easier to cook.
I weigh my meat cooked, not raw.

**Narkissos** · 06-12-2008, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by jackjackson

Here ya go

http://roadtobodybuilding.com/WebGallery/main.php
been to bizzy at work to work on the main page of the domain, so for now just added these pics prior to contest to show how much work and food is involved for my preparation.

Nice mate.

You sound like a very serious contender

-C

**jackjackson** · 06-13-2008, 08:09 AM

Thanks
Have to be, keeps me focused and strict.
Weird Im looking much better after my show adding CLA,ZMA and Yohimbe.
So far I think CLA has worked my mid section alot, and increased some muscle mass on me even though thats not my current goal, stuides have said this is what CLA does,so its working great for me so far.

**binder** · 06-14-2008, 02:16 PM

what is CLA? i'm familiar with ZMA.

how do you eat that hamburger? do you just eat it like a hamburger or do you have special meals you prepair with it?

**jackjackson** · 06-14-2008, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by binder

what is CLA? i'm familiar with ZMA.

how do you eat that hamburger? do you just eat it like a hamburger or do you have special meals you prepair with it?

Last week I was taking in 6g of CLA per day with meals and it worked great.
This week Im bumping up to 9g per day to see how my body reacts.
Overall I lost alot in my mid section in 2 weeks, Im looking better in my abs than when I competed back in May 08, I also seem to have gain some muscle mass even though im cutting, but thats what studies and research shows currently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjugated_linoleic_acid
I cook it, then I weigh it, then I bag it .
So normally I bag 7 6oz bags of just beef, turkey, steak.
When my carb days come up, I cook a tub of rice, then I use a 1/2 cup or 1/3 cup scooper and add it to my bag, then I normally eat a veggie with all my meals.
I do that for the entire week, when I go to my office job, I just grab my bags and i eat in the office.

**binder** · 06-30-2008, 08:37 AM

I'm going to look into CLA.

7 6oz bags? do you mean 7 bags of each beef, turkey and steak?

the tub of rice thing sounds good. i was using 90 minute rice and cooking it individually. i'll try the huge batch and adding it.

do you do your rice per day or for the week? how do you keep it soft if it's for the week?

**jackjackson** · 06-30-2008, 10:38 AM

There are photos of it in my photo gallery.
Since contest I moved over to real rice, no more instant.
It was preboiled, which makes it not really "whole" and the Gi's not the same.

I posted links to it
http://roadtobodybuilding.com/WebGallery/main.php

I have 5 bags of pre weighed meat daily
ground turkey, chicken, beef, chicken, and steak.
Morning I have my egg whites and at night I have tuna.
Since taking CLA my abs are comming in much better than I was for my show.
CLA really does take alot away from the mid section, Im really suprised, my abs I can see my 6 pack.

**eljugo16** · 07-04-2008, 07:40 AM

its great to hear of people so dedicated with this great sport. Many props to you my friend. Im starting my first comp. in october. What weight class do you compete in?