Layne Norton's Peak Week Official Q&A Thread

[eceirfed]

Layne, thanks for all your help in the forum. It really means a lot to receive expert advice from someone that I consider an inspiration. I do have a question for you. Now I know you don't know my metabolism and how I handle carbs but just curious to what you think went wrong with my peak week dry run. I am currently about 4 weeks out from my first competition and Im trying to make sense of my errors.
My normal carb macro for a training day is 200 & on nontraIning days it drops to 170. I have been losing steadily on this amount of carbs. My refeed days, which is every 1-2 weeks, usually runs about 400 carbs. I keep my protein at 240-250 & fat at 50-55. I currently weigh 175.
Anyway, I started my dry run on Monday following 3 days off and carbs at 170. It went as follows:
Monday carbs 422/protein 199/ fat 44
Tuesday carbs 352.9/ protein 215/ fat 49
Wednesday carbs 282/ protein 239/ fat 53
This is where something went wrong. Wednesday morning I was looking great and full, but by evening I spilled over and started looking way soft. Cuts were diminishing along with the veins. I dropped my carbs yesterday to 183 and today 144 to tighten back up. So what do you think went wrong? Did I take in too many carbs? I was trying to kind of go by what you outlined in the peak week article as for what you do yourself. Thanks for your help with this.

[srt33]

Layne i have a question with your front loading approach during peak week. What do you do about your calories? Do you raise them to maintenance level to make up for the higher carb intake?

[str8flexed]

Layne, thanks for all your help in the forum. It really means a lot to receive expert advice from someone that I consider an inspiration. I do have a question for you. Now I know you don't know my metabolism and how I handle carbs but just curious to what you think went wrong with my peak week dry run. I am currently about 4 weeks out from my first competition and Im trying to make sense of my errors.
My normal carb macro for a training day is 200 & on nontraIning days it drops to 170. I have been losing steadily on this amount of carbs. My refeed days, which is every 1-2 weeks, usually runs about 400 carbs. I keep my protein at 240-250 & fat at 50-55. I currently weigh 175.
Anyway, I started my dry run on Monday following 3 days off and carbs at 170. It went as follows:
Monday carbs 422/protein 199/ fat 44
Tuesday carbs 352.9/ protein 215/ fat 49
Wednesday carbs 282/ protein 239/ fat 53
This is where something went wrong. Wednesday morning I was looking great and full, but by evening I spilled over and started looking way soft. Cuts were diminishing along with the veins. I dropped my carbs yesterday to 183 and today 144 to tighten back up. So what do you think went wrong? Did I take in too many carbs? I was trying to kind of go by what you outlined in the peak week article as for what you do yourself. Thanks for your help with this.

no that's normal to be a bit spilled over wednesday evening & thursday. if you continue dropping carbs down thursday/friday you will tighten back up

[eceirfed]

Layne, thanks for your response. I did tighten back up and then reloaded on Saturday and everything went well for my dry run. However, I need to pick your brain about something else. I am entering my competition as novice and crossovering to open as well. I will get a break in between the two classes for prejudging since the masters 3 classes will be between the two. I am following your protocol for show day you have outlined in the peak week article along with a nitric oxide supplement before novice prejudging. What should I do in between the novice and open prejudging as far as nutrition goes if anything? The novice prejudging starts at 11 am and finals at 4pm. Should I continue sweet potatoes and steak in between prejudge and finals or another sub for the sodium + candy bar & another preworkout before the finals? Didn't know really how to handle these in between times. Just curious to see how you would handle it. Also, rumor has it that you will be at the OCB Southeast State Natural in Florida. Is this true?

[str8flexed]

really hard for me to say, without having worked with you and without seeing how you look after prejudging, you'll probably need more food, i'd just take a gatorade with you and chug some of that if you see yourself flatten after the first prejudging

[eceirfed]

Ok. Thanks for all your help. I'm really pumped about this competition. This will be my first. Just wanted to see how you would handle things. I knew you wouldn't be able to answer me specifically but I have followed your comprehensive article for my diet and peak week vids for my dry run and this far they have not let me down.

[str8flexed]

i'm sure you'll do great, best of luck!

[eceirfed]

One more question Layne. I am currently 2 weeks 2 days out from my competition. Got my body fat checked today and I'm at 4.5% by a professional 9-point test. Woohoo! But it seems that I'm holding either water of fat in my low back and glutes. I know in your video you say not to discontinue the creatine. But could this be the reason I'm holding water in these areas. For someone that is retaining in certain areas do you still think that they should continue the creatine?

[evandallas]

One more question Layne. I am currently 2 weeks 2 days out from my competition. Got my body fat checked today and I'm at 4.5% by a professional 9-point test. Woohoo! But it seems that I'm holding either water of fat in my low back and glutes. I know in your video you say not to discontinue the creatine. But could this be the reason I'm holding water in these areas. For someone that is retaining in certain areas do you still think that they should continue the creatine?

Quick question Eceirfed... i am the same height as you and sitting at 175 lb aslo but i am at 7% bf.... what do you macros look like right now? i am 7 weeks out and come to a complete stop my goal is to get to your 4.5%.. thanks

[eceirfed]

My macros up until two weeks ago was c-200, p-240, f-55 on training days & carbs at 170 on non training days. I hit a standstill as well and started losing lean body weight. So, I dropped my carbs to 160 and increased my protein to 265 on training days with fats at 45-55. My carbs on nontraining days are 140. But these are the macros that is working for me. Remember everyone's metabolism is different. So what may work for me may not for you. Just follow Layne's advice. He has not steered me wrong.

[evandallas]

My macros up until two weeks ago was c-200, p-240, f-55 on training days & carbs at 170 on non training days. I hit a standstill as well and started losing lean body weight. So, I dropped my carbs to 160 and increased my protein to 265 on training days with fats at 45-55. My carbs on nontraining days are 140. But these are the macros that is working for me. Remember everyone's metabolism is different. So what may work for me may not for you. Just follow Layne's advice. He has not steered me wrong.

Sweet thanks boss. I have little over six weeks to get from 7% to 3% so i think i will drop my carbs. Right now i am doing 210p/250-270c/ 50f. keep up the good work and let us know how your peak week turns out..

[str8flexed]

One more question Layne. I am currently 2 weeks 2 days out from my competition. Got my body fat checked today and I'm at 4.5% by a professional 9-point test. Woohoo! But it seems that I'm holding either water of fat in my low back and glutes. I know in your video you say not to discontinue the creatine. But could this be the reason I'm holding water in these areas. For someone that is retaining in certain areas do you still think that they should continue the creatine?

creatine water is retained within the muscle cell. Not extracellular. calipers even when done by someone highly skilled typically measure bodyfat 2-3% lower than it truly is. Focus on losing maximal bodyfat in the next 2 weeks. hope things go well, hit it hard!

[luigimerusi]

This saturday I have my first contest...
Today and tomorrow I'm carb front-loading...

Saturday morning, I should eat SODIUM just in the last meal before pre-judging, or in all the meals of the morning?
And assuming I drink 1-2 gallons on friday, should I drink less at saturday?

I've been told water (maybe much?) + carb + sodium (all toghether) = water retention...

THANKS.

[str8flexed]

you've been told that by broscientists who have no clue who metabolism works. What has your average sodium intake been?

[luigimerusi]

Weeks ago was 2gr I suppose (2gr salt + sodium from egg whites, etc...)
But starting from 15days to the contest I've upped it to 4-5gr.

[str8flexed]

Weeks ago was 2gr I suppose (2gr salt + sodium from egg whites, etc...)
But starting from 15days to the contest I've upped it to 4-5gr.

then i'd probably have a moderate amount of sodium at each of your first few meals like around 300-400mg and then around 1000-1500mg 2 hrs before stage

[luigimerusi]

Thank you very much.
Water... just enough to help the carb-filling or drink much as possible ?

[str8flexed]

Thank you very much.
Water... just enough to help the carb-filling or drink much as possible ?

drink about your normal amount

[ErikEverhard]

Layne, I am 1 week out and friend I am working with has me doing this for peak week.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday still low carb diet but we are adding salt to everything, about 5000 mg total a day.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday will be carb loading days.
Keeping water high until Thursday night, and than half on Friday until 6 pm than it is just sipping only what I need. Also, will Take serving of Teraxatone beginning on Wednesday through Saturday 3 times per day .

What do you think? Should I suggest something different to him? The carb loading Wednesday for example is around 240 grams of carbs, where right now I am on about 60 a day except on Monday nights and Thursday nights I eat a 8 oz sweet potato , 1 cup oatmeal, 1 tbls spoon peanut butter and 1 banana. On Thursday he has me going back down to around 60-70 carbs. On Friday it is 30 carbs plus 2/3 cup white rice.

[str8flexed]

I think you know what I'm going to say dude. Pretty cookie cutter peak week advice. I'm not going to say anything more, I don't like commenting on other coaches stuff, if you watched the peak week series.. you already know what I think.

[ruble123]

Hi Layne.

First time poster.

What is your thoughts on using oxy elite pro during contest prep and especially during peak week?

I am also currently taking xtend and a small amount of jack3d.

Kind regards

Ruble

[str8flexed]

not sure of the ingredients but I would cut out anything that has yohimbine in it. Other than that you should be ok if you are used to using it

[ruble123]

Hi Layne,
Thankyou for the response. What is it about yohimbine that is not conducive to competition preparation?

Regards

[str8flexed]

can cause subcutanous water retention.

[killioughtta]

Dear Layne i am a teen natural competitor and i have a show in less than 5 weeeks i need your advice i plan on following your peak week protocal but i am confused with what to do as far as carb loading.

To get in shape i have been carb cycling like so.
M.250 T.100 S.0
T.170. F.150
w.70 S.0

It has been working fairly well i am losing 2 to 3 pounds slowly a week but it also makes me wonder what i should do during the final week when i have been dieting like this keep in my mind im a tad bit on the Endomorphic side any help would be Most Appriciated!

[str8flexed]

well i would stick in that same basic range. After your high carb days are you very hard or do you tend to look softer?

[killioughtta]

after high carbs i look fairly hard but a bit smooth

[str8flexed]

might run something like

monday: 260
tues: 210
weds: 160
thurs: 110
fri: 50-200 depending upon how hard/soft you look

don't take this as gospel, this is just a rough guess

[killioughtta]

ok thank you so just taper them down during the week like in the protocol and pay close attention to the mirror?

[str8flexed]

yep. best of luck!