Prepping for first show - Critiques appreciated!

[Zaein]

Hey all,

I have been training for several years and have decided to do my first show. I had originally planned on doing a cycle but have since decided not to.

However, I am a little worried that some of the competitors will be able to pass the drug tests and put me at an immediate disadvantage.

Anyways, my plan is to gradually decrease my carbs every few weeks up to the week of the show. My fats and protein will remain the same throughout the diet.

I will be eating 255 g protein & carbs per day (1.5x my bodyweight) and 80 grams of fat. Every two weeks I will drop my carbs by 0.25g per lb.

Sample diet

Breakfast: 2 slices of bacon, 2 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 2 packs of oats, scoop of protein

Late morning snack: Apple

Preworkout: Scoop of protein, bannan, peanut butter

Postworkout: Scoop or protein, 2 pixy sticks

Lunch: Tuna, Whole wheat bread, Greek yogurt

Dinner: Chicken, white rice, broccoli

Before bed: Cottage Cheese, Scoop of protein

I will be drinking ~1.5 gallons of water a day and begin cutting water the week before the show. I will cut creatine a week before the show too.


Supplements
Multivitamin
CLA
Krill Fishoil
Glucosamine
Milk Thisle
Tumeric
Creatine
Way too much caffiene

Any tips are appreciated as I have never competed before. Going to begin practicing posing and vacuums this upcoming week.

 

[Thorp]

Did your show happen already, Zaein? How's that routine working for you?

 

[Zaein]

No, I still have several weeks to go. I have been dieting for ~9 weeks now. I am down 12 lbs and I am the most lean I have ever been. Its actually fucking incredible...the diet sucks D but I have never been able to see my abs before. My obliques are slowly coming in and I can sometimes see three of the heads on my quads.

I was wanting to turn to this forum for guidance. I have been reading everything I can get my hands on and listening to professional bb'ers when they discuss their diet and prep. However, I also know that the same thing won't work for everyone so I just want to establish as solid of an understanding as I can before these final weeks sneak up on me. I'm going to try to sum everything up real quick and if people can give advice it'd be appreciated. Once again this is my first show.

I still have over a month before my show. My starting weight was ~174 lbs and is now ~162 lbs.

My calories are 1500/ day - 44 g fat, 90 g carbs, 185 g protein

An example day of eating at 1500 calories would be...

Breakfast - 300 calories- Omelette: veggies, egg whites, whole eggs, chicken, with some cheddar cheese

Lunch - 400 calories - Protein Shake: Protein powder, Milk or water

Dinner - 400 calories - Chicken / Tilapia/ Sirloin Pork Chops, Sweet potatoes

Other- 400 calories - CLA, protein powders, pre/post workout, glucosamine

I'm currently losing 1.5-2 lbs a week. I workout 4 days/ week and my cardio is now walking. I walk to and from the gym each day which is ~1.5 hrs and I walk on other days too albeit not as long. I have been running a fat burner as of a week ago.

Also, I am still strong as fuck. I was entirely expecting my strength to drop by now but it hasn't. Some of my 1 rpm have actually increased. I hit 225 on incline bench and on front squat. However, I have noticed that I have been getting super light headed.

Anyways, this is my current plan. I'm going to stay at 1500 calories this week assuming my weight continues to fall. If I am 161 lbs by Wednesday Ill finish up the week at 1500. If not Ill drop to 1400 calories. I'm going to keep progressively cutting my calories so my metabolism doesn't go ape shit and stop working. I plan to be down to ~1200 calories by show time if necessary. I'm not certain on when or how I should cut water and sodium either. Or how hard.

Additionally, I will begin hitting the mandatory poses every day from here until the head of prep. Shawn Ray was saying that posing hard every day leads to better muscle separation and I need to practice them anyways. I'm using the Olympia as well as various YT videos to learn them.

Sorry for the "short" summary. Ugh. I'm giving this hell guy!