Figure Competition Diet Dangers

Following a figure competition diet is one of the most difficult things a woman will ever do. Losing enough body fat so that your muscles show definition can be extremely difficult and frustrating. This is one of the reasons competitors resort to diet practices that can be either ineffective and/or dangerous. Over the years I’ve seen girls end up in the emergency room from dehydration, potassium deficiencies, low blood pressure etc.

The proper way to diet for a figure competition is following a ‘well balanced’ diet (the diet itself is not very healthy but you want as much variety as possible) consistently over a period of 8 – 14 weeks (most competitors need 12 weeks). If you are not ready at the beginning of the final week then nothing you’re going to do will significantly change your body in the final few days. I know trainers who have some really bizarre techniques for getting a competitor ‘ready’ the few days before a show…These tricks don’t work! Carbs, fat, salt etc., are manipulated in the final days to try and increase leanness. Research shows that these techniques don’t work…although everyone swears by them. I see competitors carrying 5,6, or even 10lbs of excess fat days before a show who are dehydrating themselves. This is ridiculous, you can dehydrate yourself until your eyeballs pop out, but you will not get leaner by losing water weight and you will not place high until you learn to burn enough body fat in the weeks prior to the show.

Don’t jeopardize your health by doing something drastic when dieting for a figure competition, the diet is tough enough even if you do everything correctly. A good variety of food and 5-7 meals a day is what you need. You also need to change diets as your body changes (not doing this, is the biggest mistake I see competitors make). This one technique helped me to produce many figure winners. I was able to lean competitors out without sacrificing muscle. This is the basis of the eBook I wrote.The idea was to give competitors (who are not genetically gifted) diets that changed as their bodies changed…instead of competitors having to resort to ultra-low calories or unhealthy food combinations (ex. wheat biscuits and fish 5 X day for weeks…or some other crazy diet). This is no way to prepare for a figure competition. Find a good coach who understands food and who knows how to write diets for women…take your time, it may take awhile. Train, Eat, Sleep… Repeat!