Nutrition Nutrition is a very important part of everyday life but when it comes to competition training, a good diet is essential. I try to eat clean all year round, allowing myself to take in extra calories during the off-season. My contest prep usually begins between 10-12 weeks out depending on how my diet and training was going throughout the rest of the year. I like to keep it between 10 to 12 pounds, anymore and I might jeopardize losing muscle mass. Diet Guidelines Here are a few guidelines which are beneficial for anyone, no matter what your goals may be: Eat smaller frequent meals. Eating 4 to 6 smaller meals will increase your energy levels throughout the day and keep your metabolism at a fast pace. Find the time to eat a well balanced breakfast upon rising by incorporating an adequate amount of carbohydrates and protein, this will ensure to kick start your metabolism and start the fat burning process. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. I like to mix a packet of Crystal Light to add variety/flavour. Limit your intake of alcohol which provides no nutritional value. In addition to creating a loss of appetite and poor food intake, drinking too much alcohol also results in an impairment of the absorption of nutrients. Limit your intake of simple refined sugars. Similar to alcohol, simple sugars (sweets and candy) provide calories but very few other nutrients. For these reasons, it is important to keep the intake of these simple sugars to a minimum. Limit the intake of sodium (salt). Too much sodium intake causes the body to retain fluid. Limit the amount of saturated fat that you eat each day. Concentrate on incorporating more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into your diet. Examples include avocadoes, nuts and flaxseed oil. Increase your intake of dietary fibre. Fibre intake will help stabilize blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol and help prevent certain cancers and diseases. Reduce your carbohydrate intake as the day goes on. Eat most of your complex carbohydrates within the first 2 meals of the day. Stick to fibrous carbohydrates such as broccoli, asparagus and spinach for the remainder of the day. Avoid eating to failure. Do not continue to eat when you are full. If you over eat at a meal, you will consume way too many calories then your body knows what to do with, which will ultimately end up being stored as body fat. Your diet should consist of a variety of foods in order to obtain a wide array of vitamins and nutrients. Suggested Sources of Carbohydrates and Protein Good Sources Of Carbohydrates: Whole grains (oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta) Fruits (strawberries, bananas, apples) Vegetables (yams, broccoli, asparagus) Good Sources Of Proteins: Lean meats (chicken, turkey, lean beef) Fish (tuna in water, sole) Egg Whites Good Sources Of Fats: Almonds Avocadoes Flaxseed oil Supplements I recommend: Whey protein Fish oil Branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s) Multi vitamin/multi mineral Sesamin Getting Started On The Right Path Have a positive attitude, and believe in your ability to succeed Learn to set realistic objectives, as the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day” Form a plan in order to achieve your goals Monitor your progress Stay on track and stick with your program