12 Weeks Out From 1st Bikini Competition

[JessPeth]

I am 5'4 (163.5cm), 114lbs at around 20-21%bf. I have already been cutting for 5 weeks, and lost about 4%bf. I am currently 12 weeks out fro my first competition, but I need to be around 12-13% when I go on stage. I cannot afford a trainer so I have to do this on my own. Up until now I have been eating about 1200-1400 calories with a macro ratio of 25% carbs, 40% protein, 35% fats. I am worried that I started to drop my calories and carbs to early. I am not dropping bf, and I am doing fasted brisk walking 5-6 days a week for 1hour (some days I do a light jog for 20min of that hour) and then I do HIIT sprints (30sec -45sec intervals) on the treadmill with 11mph (17-18kmh) sprints and about 5mph (8kmh) brisk walking for 30-45sec. I do this for 20min, and vary the incline through the workout to challenge my self even more. I weight train 4-5 times a week (hitting legs 2x a week and all the other body parts only once.)

I was eating alot of chicken before when I was trying to put on muscle, so I guess my body got used to digesting that protein. I thus switched to eating turkey in meal 2+5 and this seemed to speed up some changes again (however this could have been the HIIT and the fasted cardio as well.

Again, I am just worried if I started to cut caories and carbs to early as I will need to cut calories and increase cardio as I get closer to my competition to not let my body hit a plateau. What are your advice on this information given? understand that it may be hard to know what to do with such limited info, however some kind of guidence would be great thank you.



Meal #1: 40g oats, 3egg whites
Meal 2#: 120g turkey, 50g quinoa, 100g whole green beans
Meal 3#: Protein shake (pre workout)
Meal 4#: Protein shake (post workout)
Meal 5#: 125g turkey, 100g veggies (varies broccoli, asparagus or cauliflower)
Meal 6#: 100g chicken, large salad (lettuce), ½ avocado, 15g nuts

Cardio- fasted morning brisk walking before breakfast 5-6 days a week (depends on days I am feeling) HIIT 3 days a week (again depends on days I am feeling good or whether or not I have DOMS after leg day)

Monday: Quads + Calves + Biceps (Maybe HIIT*)
Tuesday: Shoulder + Chest (Maybe HIIT*)
Wednesday: HIIT + Abs
Thursday: Off (cardio fasted)
Friday: Hams + Glutes + Calves + HIIT
Saturday: Back (maybe HIIT*)
Sunday: Off (Rest Day)

*I do HIIT 3 days a week but it depends how I am feeling.

Thank You in Advance!

[mommymakeover]

I think for bikini you need to not worry about bodyfat and use the mirror and objective eyes that know the type of shape you need to have to see if your on track. If you come in to lean and lose all your curves it could be detrimental. I can't give any advice about your contest prep because I have no idea how your body works and I have no experience prepping anyone for a show *L*. If I were to be doing a show I would plug in the cost of a contest prep coach and posing coach as part of competing, but that's just me. Besides prep you need to know how to pose correctly for your division and your the org your competing in. IN absence of that You might want to search on youtube for some videos. But good luck!

[megdaig]

You shouldn't have to go much lower than 1200 to 1400 especially with that insane amount of cardio you are doing. 12 weeks is a long time to lean out especially since you don't have much more weight to drop...maybe 5 to 8 pounds which is very doable at that calorie level. What you will need to do is play around with your macros...reducing carbs primarily.

[JessPeth]

Ok, so should I maybe lower the cardio a bit so I don't hit a plateau later on, and maybe start adding HIIT again when I am closer to the competition date.

I am going to camps were there are girls who will help me and give me tips on diet, workout, tanning and posting etc- so this will kind off be like my 'trainers'. However the camps does not start until maybe end of August beginning of September, so this is a whole month and until this time I want to have dropped at least 2-3%bf so I am around 18-17%bf.

Can I loose 2-3%bf in a month do you reckon?

I think I may try carb cycling, high carb on Monday- (heavy leg day), low carb on Wednesday and Sunday, the rest are medium. High carb day is aroung 120g carbs, medium around 80g, and low 60g. The closer the the competition the more I will lower my carbs and increase cardio.