Second time NPC competitor/ Advice on a 4 days out plan please

[Muzzab]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some clarifications about a few things!
I just competed as a novice for the first time two weeks ago and I think I looked like crap because I messed up a few things even though I researched my stuff beforehand. So now I want the input on my plan for the Saturday show based on your experience and judging from my pictures

My stats are 5'10 170lbs first thing in the morning ( I'm trying to compete in welterweight ) I will attach some pictures for you to see

I was planning on cutting my sodium ( no added salt from shaker) starting tomorrow which is Wednesday ! and I was told by my friend/coach to cut the water by 4pm and on Thursday no water after 12pm and I will rely on just the sodium already in the food ! Now as I stopped my carbs on Sunday and trained legs on Sunday and my last cardio session was on Saturday.

I'm also taking herbal diuretics ( Waterex from GNC) and along with that I added 99 mg Potassium and 1250 mg Dandelion root every three hours and still drinking about 1.5-2 gallons a day! and I think I'm pretty much depleted at this point and tomorrow is supposed to be my last day training before the show and will be doing back and triceps and then on Thursday will be cross training for 30-45 mins and then Friday will drive 4 hours to where the show is held !

Now my friend/coach wants me to stop the water in order to get all the water out before check-in/ Weigh-in on Friday evening which is from 6-9 pm and I don't know if staying in the car fro 4 hours sitting down without drinking water will cause me to retain water or not !

Now my first question is

Do I have to stop the water beginning Wednesday at 4pm then again at 12pm on Thursday ?

What's your opinion on carb loading ? when should I start ? and how much should I be taking ? I'm honestly thinking of sh*tloading to see if it would work for me so what do you guys think about that ? (My carb intake during my contest prep ranges from 50 grams to 150 grams)

The first show I went to I didn't make it to the welterweight so I came third in middle weight and second in novice! I only ate some english muffins with grape jam on top I had about 3 of those the night before the show ! then 45 mins before stage I started having rice cakes with peanut butter and honey and jam and a twix bar right before the stage ! and no water at all the day before or the day of the show

Also a question about the tanning ! Would it be better to tan Thursday night and then sleep and then tan again 3 am before the show ? or what do you think a better plan is

I will attach some pictures for you guys to judge

All comments are welcome and I appreciate the help guys thanks

[Metalject]

Did you pay this guy to help you? If so, I don't like telling people to go against what their coach is telling them. I don't care for the approach you're taking but that's my opinion.

[Muzzab]

Did you pay this guy to help you? If so, I don't like telling people to go against what their coach is telling them. I don't care for the approach you're taking but that's my opinion.

Thanks for responding Metalject!

I actually didn't pay him but he had his own plan for him and basically made me follow his steps since he has been competing for a few years, but whenever I research the methods he is using I find a lot of contradictions so I'm really confused

[Metalject]

In that case...

Cutting water days out often works against your diuretics. My preference - drink double or as close as you can Sun-Tues, back to normal on Wed-Fri and stop all water by 6-7pm Fri. night. Now this is if using actual diuretics, not OTC things. I've never used OTC items nor do I recommend them.

There shouldn't be a lot of sodium in your diet at this point anyway...if you're just eating basic clean foods there shouldn't be anymore than trace amounts to begin with so I wouldn't put a lot of worry into this.

Training - I prefer last leg session to be at least 10 days out prior to a show. No training at all Fri, Sat or Sun other than cardio and what I like to call depletion training Mon, Tues and Wed if needed. Depletion training consist of back and chest on Mon, Shoulders and arms on Tues. Light circuit on Wed if needed. It's all high rep, with lots of holds and stretches...it is one of the most brutal things on earth, if not you're not doing it right. Since you're past this stage there's no point in laying it out and it can vary a bit from one guy to the next anyway. But the idea is to prime your body for what's to come and it works well.

Cardio - generally the last day is somewhere between Mon and Wed depending on how you look. The only reason to do cardio after Wed is if you're trying to make a lower weight class and you're cutting it close. If you're still trying to get in shape it's a hopeless cause.

Carb loading - I wouldn't shit load. Most should never do this. This is only something you should do if you have tons of shows under your belt and you know without a doubt you need it but most don't. I know it's hard but coming in full and smooth is terrible....smooth is all they'll see no matter how full you are.

How many carbs where you eating per day on average the last few weeks? Answer that and we'll go from there.

I wouldn't worry about the weight class, at least don't worry about going up a weight class, that'll put you at the bottom of that class. If you're a lightweight so be it, there's nothing wrong with that...you simply want to be lean and hard and if that has you at the top of the lightweight class that's great.

Tanning - spray tan sometime Fri. Your show should have someone there that is doing it. A second coat later that night if needed and touch up before prejudging and night show.

[Muzzab]

In that case...

Cutting water days out often works against your diuretics. My preference - drink double or as close as you can Sun-Tues, back to normal on Wed-Fri and stop all water by 6-7pm Fri. night. Now this is if using actual diuretics, not OTC things. I've never used OTC items nor do I recommend them.

There shouldn't be a lot of sodium in your diet at this point anyway...if you're just eating basic clean foods there shouldn't be anymore than trace amounts to begin with so I wouldn't put a lot of worry into this.

Training - I prefer last leg session to be at least 10 days out prior to a show. No training at all Fri, Sat or Sun other than cardio and what I like to call depletion training Mon, Tues and Wed if needed. Depletion training consist of back and chest on Mon, Shoulders and arms on Tues. Light circuit on Wed if needed. It's all high rep, with lots of holds and stretches...it is one of the most brutal things on earth, if not you're not doing it right. Since you're past this stage there's no point in laying it out and it can vary a bit from one guy to the next anyway. But the idea is to prime your body for what's to come and it works well.

Cardio - generally the last day is somewhere between Mon and Wed depending on how you look. The only reason to do cardio after Wed is if you're trying to make a lower weight class and you're cutting it close. If you're still trying to get in shape it's a hopeless cause.

Carb loading - I wouldn't shit load. Most should never do this. This is only something you should do if you have tons of shows under your belt and you know without a doubt you need it but most don't. I know it's hard but coming in full and smooth is terrible....smooth is all they'll see no matter how full you are.

How many carbs where you eating per day on average the last few weeks? Answer that and we'll go from there.

I wouldn't worry about the weight class, at least don't worry about going up a weight class, that'll put you at the bottom of that class. If you're a lightweight so be it, there's nothing wrong with that...you simply want to be lean and hard and if that has you at the top of the lightweight class that's great.

Tanning - spray tan sometime Fri. Your show should have someone there that is doing it. A second coat later that night if needed and touch up before prejudging and night show.

Thanks for your response bro !

So basically I shouldn't stop the water as you recommended since I'm not using actual diuretics?

and answering your question, I have been eating 150-200 grams on average in the past few weeks. Those were Oats, rice cakes and sometimes a sugar free whole grain cereal.
I heard that I should aim for 3 grams of carbs for every pound of bodyweight when I carb load, I don't know how true that is or how effective.

and the only problem is if I don't make my weight class I will be the smallest of the group and that will put far in the back so that is the main reason why I'm trying to make it to 165.4, I'm not really worried about the weight today because I was 166 first thing in the morning so I think I will be fine there. My only concern is if I start carb loading before weigh in the glycogen levels will be filled with water and therefore increase my scale weight.

[Metalject]

Thanks for your response bro !

So basically I shouldn't stop the water as you recommended since I'm not using actual diuretics?

and answering your question, I have been eating 150-200 grams on average in the past few weeks. Those were Oats, rice cakes and sometimes a sugar free whole grain cereal.
I heard that I should aim for 3 grams of carbs for every pound of bodyweight when I carb load, I don't know how true that is or how effective.

and the only problem is if I don't make my weight class I will be the smallest of the group and that will put far in the back so that is the main reason why I'm trying to make it to 165.4, I'm not really worried about the weight today because I was 166 first thing in the morning so I think I will be fine there. My only concern is if I start carb loading before weigh in the glycogen levels will be filled with water and therefore increase my scale weight.

I would base your carb up on the amount of carbs your body is used to. For example, if the last few weeks I averaged 50g of carbs per day, which I often did, I would consume 35g of carbs 6 times on Thur. and 50g 6 times on Fri. If I averaged 100g the last few weeks, I'd start around 50g per meal and consume between 75-100g per meal the following day. Granted, I always took actual diuretics as well. Something else that helps, take milk of magnesia throughout the day so you don't get constipated and everything continues to move through you. This will help with getting bloated.

[Muzzab]

I would base your carb up on the amount of carbs your body is used to. For example, if the last few weeks I averaged 50g of carbs per day, which I often did, I would consume 35g of carbs 6 times on Thur. and 50g 6 times on Fri. If I averaged 100g the last few weeks, I'd start around 50g per meal and consume between 75-100g per meal the following day. Granted, I always took actual diuretics as well. Something else that helps, take milk of magnesia throughout the day so you don't get constipated and everything continues to move through you. This will help with getting bloated.

Thanks Metalject! you are the man

[MIKE_XXL]

Follow what Metalject told you as you are not lean enough for fat load also known as shitload....best of luck...