How to stay lean after dieting to contest shape..?

[MrWest]

What type of diet would you recommend to use to slowly increase your weight back up while staying as lean as possible rebounding from a contest?

Ex:
You normally bulk with just a standard diet of 40/40/20, but you switched carb cycling(or keto) to diet down to contest shape..

After some BB compete you see them gaining 10-20+ pounds within the first week or two(which is obviously mainly fat, water, ect).

But lets say you cut down to a very learn 200 from 225 and don't want to bounce back too fast..

What type of diet would to best to slowly regain the lost weight, while staying the leanest?


In a nut shell.. if you were to slowly bulk back up(lets say .25-1lb a week), would a carb cycle, mod carb cycle, keto, or ckd diet allow you to gain with the least amount of fat?

 

[3J]

its not gonna happen... contest shape is 4-6%... which is very unnatural for your body...

your gonna bounce back whether you like it or not..

there are also many factors that play.. i would do it diff if i was coming offa keto then if i was coming offa carb cycle...

BUT....

the best way to do it is slowly.. most guys pig out after the contest.. go straight up to 12% easy...

your body will store everything as fat..

what i would do is lay off cardio completely.. make my workouts extra light for two weeks..

add 200 calories every 3-4 days.. work into a reg cutting diet.. something that ends up with 150g carbs and higher fats.... once your there i would work into something higher.. slowly..

like i said.. your bound to have fat added.. but you can minimize it

 

[MrWest]

its not gonna
the best way to do it is slowly.. most guys pig out after the contest.. go straight up to 12% easy...

your body will store everything as fat..

what i would do is lay off cardio completely.. make my workouts extra light for two weeks..

add 200 calories every 3-4 days.. work into a reg cutting diet.. something that ends up with 150g carbs and higher fats.... once your there i would work into something higher.. slowly..

like i said.. your bound to have fat added.. but you can minimize it

I am sure that there will be fat added, I'm just concerned with minimizing that as much as possible.
I would take the weights pretty light for the week before and 2 or so after.. and slowly bump up my water by maybe a couple oz. each day.
So basically what you're saying is keep the cutting diet that got you there for the time being, and very slowly bump up it's calories till you get up to a more-easily maintainable state?

 

[3J]

yup... that cutting diet will vary from person to person..

e.g. i have a contest prep guy who is at 2300 calories a day right now..

after the show ill have him up to 2500 calories immediately.. without the cardio he will gain bf.. undoubtedly..

wait a week.. up him to 2700 calories.. add very light cardio... get him up to 3000 (maint level for him) and up cardio a little more.. then have him go back to his reg routine...

so im guessing you restrict water right before your contest??

do you sodium load and deload?

carb load and deload??

there are so many factors that play into it..

 

[thetruepitbull]

Don't over eat for more than 24hrs.
Introduce carbs and calories slowly.

What show are you doing?

 

[MrWest]

Don't over eat for more than 24hrs.
Introduce carbs and calories slowly.

What show are you doing?

I'm actually thinking about doing a short 4-6 week blast with test p, tren a, clen & a strong Aromatase inhibitor (AI) after the contest to make sure the majority of what I add back is lbm with limited fat/water.
I'm not 100% set on which one, I plan to do one around winter of next year.. so I have a good 45 or so weeks to pack on some more mass and 10-12 to shred up.. Probably an npc comp. A girl I know is trying to get me to do a mens physique but I'm on the edge about that wanabe contest.

 

[thetruepitbull]

Also, you need to reintroduce water slowly over 48hrs.

Do your homework on contest prep.
And if you can afford a trainer then do so, but it isn't necessary.
My best advice would be to do a couple of dry runs for a contest without competing and then go for the show; even if it means doing it a year later.

I'd also advise you to stay on for 4 to 8 weeks after then come off and give your body some much needed rest.

 

[MrWest]

Also, you need to reintroduce water slowly over 48hrs.

Do your homework on contest prep.
And if you can afford a trainer then do so, but it isn't necessary.
My best advice would be to do a couple of dry runs for a contest without competing and then go for the show; even if it means doing it a year later.

I'd also advise you to stay on for 4 to 8 weeks after then come off and give your body some much needed rest.

That's going to be the difficult part.. I usually drink around 2+ gallons of water everyday regardless of anything.. I'll be thirsty!

I like the idea of having a trainer more than getting one myself; I rather learn how my body works on my own.. The only thing I would consider would be a consultation with a person who knows his **** on dropping water and loading for the night show.

I will be staying on for another 4-5 after the contest.. My total cycle would be 20 weeks(feels long but oh well)
It'd be a 16 week cut with mast/test + halo in the last week, then 4 weeks of test/tren/clen(and maybe finish off left over mast).. and finally a blast of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) followed by a pct of Torem, Clomid, Aroma, & Igf.
I can't wait to see how it all turns out.