Post Contest Bloating Blues
Thursday, September 27th, 2007I recently recieved this question from a Texas NPC figure competitor:
Hi Jean~
How are you? I competed in my first show this year at the Europa. I have a couple of questions that I thought you may be able to help me with. Is it often that competitors body/systems - get off track after a competition? I seem to be having a bit of a bloat that isn’t going away. I have been drinking 1 1/2 - 2 gallons water/day to try and flush out my system. Will that do the trick?
There area number of factors that could cause bloating of the body after a contest:
1. Rebound effects from drug use. I think that this is one of the most dramatic culprits of post-contest bloat. Steriods, thyroid hormone and many other bodybuilding drugs all have the potential to cause bloat when administered or discontinued. I have absolutely no knowledge about specific effects of various drugs or how to deal with it; I have only seen the aftermath. I can’t comment much on this point accept to say that, in time, water bloat will subside; however, Growth Hormone bloat of the abdomen is pretty much irreversible. If you choose to take body building drugs, which I do not do and do not advocate, you should ensure that you are medically supervised. Make sure that your liver-specific enzymes and blood lipids are within acceptable ranges. Also, ensure that you learn how to use drugs and supplements from an educated person. I had one friend (male BB) in particular who tried to take various hormonal assistance on his own and floundered and got disproportionate and bloated results; however, when he hooked up with truly knowledgable and experienced professional and was medically supervised, he got exactly the look he was going for. Don’t be careless with your body– you only have one. In the best case, plug away for 25 years like Dave Goodin and build the ideal male physique naturally.
Wow, I digress in a big way…
2. Water retention from severely reducing it the day of the competition
When you cut your water intake dramatically, your body releases a hormone called ADH or Anti Diuretic Hormone. This hormone works to hold onto every little drop of fluid in your body. When you are not drinking anything, it may not make you over bloated BUT when you reach for a hefty bottle of Ozarka after the contest, your body hoards all of this fluid; this is further complicated if you have screwed up your sodium balance in extracellular fluids.
3. You are eating a lot of sodium in your diet, since it is no longer squeaky “clean”
Generally all of the processed “junk” foods that are avoided in the months before contest are loaded with sodium. As such, your body has become accustomed to a low-sodium diet. In the cases of severe sodium depletion, as many people feel compelled to do before a contest, your body releases a number of hormones which work together to retain sodium. Blood sodium levels are very tightly controlled; therefore, the body will not excrete any when the intake is very low. If you have sodium loaded and depleted while loading and then cutting water, then you will pee out massive amounts of sodium and water, but the concentration of sodium in your blood will stay the same, which results in dramatically reduced blood volume.
Congratulations! Now you have absolutely no prayer of getting a pump!!
Additionally, the combined sodium and water retention after a contest is a recipe for bloat.
- You may try watching your salt intake, in combination with drinking a lot of fluid. The cleaner you eat, the less water you will hold on a regular day. For instance, I would limit most condiments, sauces, dairy and high-salt meats, while eating mostly fruit, vegetables and non-preserved lean meat for several days and see how your body responds.
Maintaining a great physique in the off-season requires that you in a contest-prep like manner most of the time!
3. Carbs
Over-eating carbohydrates in particular has varying affects on different individuals; however, if your body is used to only 150g/day and you increase it to 500g the next day after a few hearty meals, you will be bloated!
You cannot thrive and rebuild in a continuous state of near-ketosis, so an increase in daily carbs is warranted. But! be careful after the contest, I’ve found that 2-3 diet-free days will destroy my look for several weeks. If you plan to compete again soon or want to do photo shoots, mind your diet after the contest too!
Add additional food in slowly, and have the additional calories in the morning and before and after your workouts, when they will work towards muscle building!
4. You are gaining weight and are not used to seeing your body in non-contest shape
You will need to gain some fat to improve; however, you should still look like a highly fit person if the weight is added appropriately.
Numerous hormones, like over 20, influence the hypothalamus, the main feeding center of the brain. Appetite and eating is influenced by a variety of factors including hormones, environment and the rate at which you lost the weight. For instance, after a contest, the primary motivating factor for your diet is instantly gone, which can bring on a binge. Also, the post-contest gorging is often ritualized; however, it is never good for your body to do so. You are not enhancing your future bodybuilding efforts by doing this!
Hormones such as:
- Leptin: Secreted in proportion to fat mass. Signals to the brain that you have enough fat mass and don’t need to eat more, as such, it works as an appetite supressant. As you diet, leptin levels go down a whole lot, so you do not feel satiated.
- Ghrelin: Works oposite of leptin– is an appetite-stimulating hormone that is increased as you diet
- Adiponectin: Appetite suppressant that acts like and is complimentart to leptin
- TNF-alpha, CCK, cortisol and countless others discovered and undiscovered influence your appetite
So what’s the point? It is not purely a matter of will power to eat in a reasonable fashion post-contest! There must be a plan set in place! Personally, I continue to record my foods on fitday and give myself a range of accepable calorie levels and a macronutrient % target. By keeping myself accountable through the record I can eat more in a controlled fashion and optimize my weight gain for the next contest! It’s a lot of work, but it is what it takes to compete seriously!
5. To slow weight gain, I DO NOT omit my cardio. I do less and reduce the intensity, but I choose not to elminte it. This is a matter of personal response and preference!
You can stay tight after a contest, it just takes disipline and planning! You will be greatful when most of your mass gain is lean and you don’t have to shed as much for the next season!
AKA Best Natural Bodybuilder EVER!
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