Pre-Competition Diet for Bodybuilders

Since you are reading this article, we are assuming that you will be stepping on stage soon or want to get shredded on a deadline. No matter how long you have been in the fitness lifestyle, you will need a proven and effective pre-competition diet to get that peeled look before you step on a stage.

Bodybuilding is quite different from other physical sports. While in performance sports like gymnastics or swimming, an athlete is judged on his physical and athletic capabilities, in bodybuilding, on the other hand, athletes are judged purely on aesthetics. 

Bodybuilders are judged based on their muscle size, body fat levels, conditioning, symmetry, muscle definition, and presentation. Training, recovery, and a diet program are three factors that determine the scope of your physique transformation. For the purview of this article, we will be focusing on an effective diet program for quick pre-competition shredding.

Dieting Phases

Bulking

Ever noticed your favorite bodybuilders going into a bulking phase right after a competition? A bulking phase usually lasts for two-three months and ends well before three months of an athlete’s next show. Contrary to what many people think, a bulking phase is not the result of insatiable cravings.

Related: Nick Walker Looks Beastly In Off-Season Physique Update, Shares Brutal Leg Workout

Bodybuilders usually bulk up to fix weaknesses based on the judges’ feedback. Taking the judge’s advice helps them avoid the trial and error phase and dial in their physique as per the show’s standards. 

According to a study conducted in 2018, during the bulking phase, when the goal is to get as big as possible, an energy-dense, high-calorie, protein-rich diet is required to improve body composition and gain mass. 

It is important that lifters who are serious about competing not get carried away during their off-season. Athletes should keep their body fat in a range that will allow for a prep period of no longer than 12 to 16 weeks.

Once an athlete gains enough muscle mass, it helps them segue into…

Tip: The Bulking Calculator

Shredding

After an athlete has gained satisfactory size, they go into a shredding phase to improve their muscle conditioning. In the shredding phase, an athlete focuses on retaining muscle mass and shedding excess body fat. 

Before entering the final few months of a show, switching to a pre-competition diet is necessary to enhance muscle definition and vascularity. It also helps achieve a lean, muscular, and proportionate physique. 

Related: Cutting Workout Plan – Your Guide to Losing Fat and Maintaining Muscle

How To Design a Pre-Competition Diet

1. Balance Your Calorie Intake

As a bodybuilding show draws near, bodybuilders usually strive to become as lean as possible by limiting their calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure. 

If you do not have a well-calculated pre-competition diet plan, you might end up losing muscle mass along with body fat in the calorie deficit state. 

As per a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN), to prepare for a competition and maximize muscle retention, your caloric intake should be at a level that causes bodyweight losses of about 0.5 to 1 percent per week. 

Meaning – if you weigh 180 lbs, you should look at losing not more than 0.9 lbs to 1.8 lbs every week. To give you an idea, if you cut 500 to 1,000 calories a day from your typical diet, you will lose about 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kilograms) a week.

Coming back to the JISSN study, it recommends that an athlete should spread their macronutrients out over three to six meals per day, with each meal supplying 0.4 to 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram body weight before and after resistance training.

Check Out: The Missing Piece of The Bulking and Cutting Jigsaw

2. Bump Up Protein Intake

Protein is the building block of muscles. Consuming high-quality protein-rich foods is crucial for maintaining lean muscle mass and shedding excess body fat. 

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), athletes need 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Meaning – a 180 lbs bodybuilder should aim for 97 to 137 grams of protein intake daily to gain muscle mass. 

Must Read: 12 Foods That Contains Highest Amount Of Protein 

3. Utilize Carb Loading

Most bodybuilders cut out carbs too soon in the shredding phase. Carbs are used as fuel by your body and can improve your athletic performance. 

As per research, consuming adequate amounts of complex carbs (fiber and starch) before exercise can reduce glycogen depletion and may enhance performance. 

Most pro bodybuilders use a peaking strategy (known as carb loading) in the final 24-48 hours of a show that helps their muscles appear bigger and fuller. 

Related: 5 Simple Tricks To Look Bigger Instantly

4. Do NOT Shy Away From Fats

Many rookie gym-goers on a fat loss program make the mistake of considering fats their foes. Fat is a necessary component of a healthy diet, providing energy and facilitating the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. 

Fat is also a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make itself. These fats help with overall body functioning and ensure your joints, tendons, and cartilages are in optimal condition. 

According to the aforementioned JISSN study, there may be a correlation between testosterone and fat intake. As per the research, significantly reducing fat intake may lead to a reduction in testosterone levels. A lower test level can lead to a loss in muscle mass, weight gain, and impair the hormonal response to training. 

As per the JISSN review, your dietary fat should make up 20 to 30 percent of total calories to optimize testosterone levels.

Related: What is Skinny Fat and How to Fix It

5. Micronutrients are Just as Important

Although meatheads never miss eating enough protein while preparing for a show, they usually overlook meeting their daily micronutrient needs. 

Health benefits of micronutrients include:

1. Improves your metabolism.
2. Ensures a proper supply of oxygen throughout your body.
3. Keep your tendons and ligaments healthy.
4. Strengthens your bones.
5. Improves your immunity and helps fight diseases. 

Check Out: 6 Ways To Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Fat

6. Consume Nitrate-Rich Foods

Nitrate-rich foods are a superfood for bodybuilders who are nearing stepping on stage. Nitrates are found in leafy greens and root vegetables. 

Your body converts the nitrate into nitric oxide, which in turn causes blood vessel dilation that further results in the nastiest muscle pumps during training, a decrease in muscle soreness, and better exercise performance. 

Related: The Best Vegetables for Building Muscle

7. Use Supplements 

You are highly unlikely to find a pro bodybuilder who does not use any form of dietary supplements. Without supplements, Meeting your daily calorie requirements while maintaining the macronutrient split can be difficult.

Some of the supplements that should be a part of your pre-competition diet include:

1. Pre-Workout (Best Pre-Workout Supplements)

2. BCAA (Best BCAA Supplements)

3. Whey Protein (Best Whey Protein Supplements)

4. Creatine (Best Creatine Supplements)

5. Fish Oil (Best Fish Oil Supplements)

6. Multivitamins (Best Multivitamins)

Note: No matter how many supplements you take, they can never make up for a deficient diet or training program. There is a reason why they are called supplements. 

Sample Pre-Competition Diet For Bodybuilders

A pre-competition does not come in a one-size-fits-all package. Your diet will depend on your current body weight, fat percentage, and ultimate goal. 

For best results, you will have to tweak your pre-competition diet plan every few weeks. For this article, we will be laying out a nutrition program for an individual weighing about 200 pounds and carrying between 10-12% body fat 12 weeks out from a show.

Related: TDEE Calculator: Calculate Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure

Week 12-9

The first four weeks will be the easiest as you will not notice a big change in calorie and macronutrient consumption. As you progress, more and more foods will be removed from the diet regimen. 

Meal 1

• Whey protein shake (2 scoops)
• Oatmeal (3 oz)

Meal 2

• Chicken breast (7.1 oz)
• Brown rice (6.7 oz)

Meal 3

• Tilapia (8.3 oz)
• Large bowl of mixed salad
• Olive oil (1 tbsp)

Meal 4

• Whey protein shake (2 scoops)
• White potato (10 oz)

Meal 5

• Steak (7.1 oz)
• Sweet potato (5.5 oz)

Meal 6

• Casein protein shake (2 scoops)
• Natural peanut butter (2 tbsp)

Total Macros = PROTEIN: 285g | CARBS: 200g carbs | ESSENTIAL FATS: 28g 

Week 8-5

You will be eating relatively fewer calories as the competition draws closer. In weeks 8-5 of the pre-competition diet plan, you will see a drop in your carb consumption, while other things will remain unchanged. 

Meal 1

• Whey protein shake (2 scoops)
• Oatmeal (2.3 oz)

Meal 2

• Chicken breast (6.4 oz)
• Brown rice (5 oz)

Meal 3 (Pre-workout)

• Tilapia (7.5 oz)
• Large bowl of mixed salad
• Olive oil (1 tbsp)

Meal 4 (Post-workout)

• Whey protein shake (2 scoops)
• White potato (10 oz)

Meal 5 

• Steak (6.4 oz)
• Sweet potato (4.1 oz)

Meal 6

• Casein protein shake (2 scoops)
• Natural peanut butter (2 tbsp)

Total Macros = PROTEIN: 285g | CARBS: 165g | ESSENTIAL FATS: 28g

Week 4-2: Pre-Competition Diet

The third phase of the pre-competition diet consists of only three weeks as the final week (often referred to as “peak week”) involves some unique dietary manipulations to bring about the finishing touches and must be dealt with separately. 

Weeks 4-2 will see a slight drop in total protein intake as you will be dropping your calorie consumption to improve your muscle definition and separation. 

Meal 1

• Egg whites (16 oz)
• Oatmeal (2 oz)

Meal 2 

• Chicken breast (5.7 oz)
• Brown rice (4.2 oz)

Meal 3 (Pre-workout)

• Tilapia (7.5 oz)
• Large bowl of mixed salad
• Olive oil (1 tbsp)

Meal 4 (Post-workout)

• Whey protein shake (2 scoops)
• White potato (8.3 oz)

Meal 5 

• Steak (5.7 oz)
• Sweet potato (3.4 oz)

Meal 6

• Casein protein shake (2 scoops)
• Natural peanut butter (2 tbsp)

Total Macros = PROTEIN: 275g | CARBS: 165g | ESSENTIAL FATS: 28g 

Week 1: Peak Week

Now that you are one week away from stepping on stage, you will be shifting into the final gear. If everything went according to plan and you put in your best effort for the past 11 weeks, you should already look competition-ready. 

You will not be making any big adjustments to your training or nutrition program in the final week. You are allowed to make a few minor tweaks that allow you to bring your A-game to the stage on D-day.

Peak Week Pre-Competition Diet

During the peak week, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, eat the same prescribed diet as you did in Weeks 4-2. 

On Thursday and Friday, raise your carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 grams and lower protein by the same amount. 

Doing this allows you to push a bit more glycogen/water into the muscles, which gives them a fuller look. Make sure you are spreading the additional calories/macronutrients evenly among your six daily meals.

A study conducted on 81 male and female bodybuilders who competed during the British Natural Bodybuilder Federation championships tried to quantify the prevalence of peaking strategies utilized before a competition. The results indicated that carbs, water, and sodium manipulation were the most widely used pre-contest strategies. 

Next Read: 

• What Does Glycogen Have To Do With Making Gains?
• How to Cut After Bulking: A Step by Step Guide

Conclusion

Preparation for a bodybuilding show can be intimidating, especially if it is your first time. Following the pre-competition diet laid out above will help you bring a ripped, full, dense, and muscular physique to the stage. 

Note: Every individual is unique and will respond to the nutrition program differently. Make sure you are tweaking the diet regimen based on your progress and end goal. 

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