Reverse diet between shows, refeeds?

[nancymuscles]

Hi guys, so I just finished my first show on June 6th. I want to compete again in late August and put on a little muscle before then. I'm female, 5'11", about 145lbs. and 12% bodyfat as of a couple of days ago. I actually think I've begun to lean out a tiny bit the last couple of days.

For my last 10 days before comp I was high protein, VLC: 30gC for a week, then 20gC for a couple of days.
I went on a 24 hour binge after the competition, then did as follows for six days:
1800kcal: 100C/204P/65F

I didn't weigh myself on show day, but I was at about 142 before I dried out. I was REALLY depleted and flat at that point, so I don't think I've put on much weight at all aside from my muscles filling out and a little subq water. I still have vascularity on my forearms and lower abdomen.

Yesterday I went to
1836kcal: 120C/204P/60F

But I'm STARVING. I think I have to either add in more carbs now or do a refeed, but I think these are controversial. Before my cut I was doing 2300kcal a day with 300g carbs and almost no cardio. I was putting on muscle and losing fat simultaneously. I gained maybe 1 lb. in a month and it was definitely mostly muscle. I'd been lifting for about 18 months at that point, so they weren't exactly newbie gains.

I am competing again in late August, and I need to try to put on a little muscle before then if possible. I have been hitting the weights HARD and am SORE AF. My coach(who I'm firing) had me doing stupid high reps(20+) of low weight, and now I'm starting to lift moderate-heavy again for moderate-low reps.

So I'm wondering what the best protocol is to try to put on a little bit of muscle while being able to get stage lean by end of August.

[hop112]

If you were my client, depending on how carb sensitive you are, I would monitor your water and sodium intake, and keep you calories the same for a week or two. If the scale drops, I would add in another 30-50g carbs per day and then monitor how you look/feel from there. You might be able to do something similar to what Doug Miller did this past year, and that was be stage ready 5-8 weeks out, and then add carbs consistently. It would basically be a reverse diet that brings you into the show. This way, your metabolism gets kicked into high gear and you can still lean out. As for training, hit the weights hard! Absolutely nothing wrong with going heavy. I tend to use sets of 15+ reps as burnouts or pre-exhaustion, but moderate-heavy weight done for the maximum amount of time under tension and total work done, has been the key for myself and my clients to get the look we want.


You seem to know your body very well, based on your pre contest diet (300g carbs, that's freakin awesome!), feel free to shoot me a PM if you'd like to talk more or have any questions!

[demonwareltd]

Between now and August you will make very little in the way of muscle gains before you have to start begin peaking for that August show.

With regards to your question around refeeds after a show - I always start by keeping them at the same frequency they were during prep when starting the reverse and then may reduce the frequency as time goes on.

[jackedrabb1t]

Protein is WAY to high. That's problem #1. And as a female, I highly doubt you will put on any appreciable amount of muscle in a span of a few months. Most of any weight you gain coming out of a prep will be water, increased glycogen, and some fat.

[red_cat]

I would have to agree with several of the posts in here:

1) Protein is just a bit too high. BWx1.3 is probably the highest anyone who is looking to retain muscle on a cut/prep needs to go. I would cut protein down to 190 (assuming you're 145 lbs) and switch those 14 grams over to carbs.

2) You can't expect to make any appreciable lean muscle gains between now and your next show. If you're competing in late August, you'll still need 6-8 weeks of prep even if you're already fairly lean from your last show. That would put you starting your next prep at the beginning or middle of July...in 2-3 weeks.

3) I would still try to add some calories back in for a couple of weeks from carbs and fats. If you add carbs, don't reduce fats (what you did with this first increase. You're trying to increase total calories; not balance them out.

[nancymuscles]

Thanks, red_cat. Would you switch over those protein calories to carbs effective immediately? The reason I dropped fat was because Layne Norton recommends that you keep fat below 30%. And I actually added carbs after I posted because people recommended an 80-100 kcal increase each week, and I didn't hit that after dropping the fat. So my macros for the past couple of days have been 136C/204P/60F. I'm feeling good and lifting heavier. I am scared to drop the protein because I know it's thermogenic...

I would have to agree with several of the posts in here:

1) Protein is just a bit too high. BWx1.3 is probably the highest anyone who is looking to retain muscle on a cut/prep needs to go. I would cut protein down to 190 (assuming you're 145 lbs) and switch those 14 grams over to carbs.

2) You can't expect to make any appreciable lean muscle gains between now and your next show. If you're competing in late August, you'll still need 6-8 weeks of prep even if you're already fairly lean from your last show. That would put you starting your next prep at the beginning or middle of July...in 2-3 weeks.

3) I would still try to add some calories back in for a couple of weeks from carbs and fats. If you add carbs, don't reduce fats (what you did with this first increase. You're trying to increase total calories; not balance them out.

[nancymuscles]

Thanks for your input, guys. Obviously I'm aware I can't put on very much muscle, but I thought I'd gun for half a pound, especially since my muscles are no longer adapted to lifting heavy. For now I'll focus on getting my macros and hormones right and making sure I have carbs come competition time. I was VERY depleted before this show. I started carbing up the night before and it was not enough. My delts were stringy and my glutes flat. I looked like a skinny Barbie doll. I looked much better the next day after my feast, which I know is a common complaint, and my glutes look better and better every time I increase carbs.

And I'll keep lifting heavy because that's what I love.