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pre contest water intake

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Posted by Mass

Pre-Contest Dieting Tips:
How Much Water????


One of the most often asked questions by other bodybuilders is, HOW MUCH WATER DO I DRINK AND IF AND WHEN DO I STOP DRINKING IT? Well...that is a tough question, but I will do my best to give you answers.
Being well-hydrated is a very important part of your Pre-Contest Preparation. Most bodybuilders are mostly concerned with 2 things: Body Fat Loss & Weight. Neither of these are necessarily going to make you do well in a contest. You must be in control of the things you can control. Proper hydration is definitely is something you can control:

70 % of your hard earned muscle tissue is water, That would leave 30% of your tissue from actual muscle fiber. Now, if this 30% is not fully hydrated, the muscle, no matter what group it is from may appear small and soft. NOT GOOD!
However if the muscle has been fully hydrated and slowly dried out, it will appear Full, Hard and Seperated. THAT'S GOOD!
Remember...you can carbohydrate load all you want, but if there is not enough water in the muscle, you are just not going to look as good as you should.

I have been judging bodybuilding contests for some time now, and have seen many bodybuilders lose either their class or the overall because of their lack of muscle fullness and or hardness. Both of which can be attributed to over water depletion. Don't Let This Happen!!!

A little trick that I have used is called Water Loading.

This does not have anything to do with Carbohydrate Loading or Sodium Loading, both of which I personally don't practice. I feel that if you are in shape a week before the show ,there is no reason for any drastic measures near the end of your diet. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MANY OF BODYBUILDERS TRY AND DON'T ALWAYS END UP WITH A POSITIVE RESULT. I say play it safe.

This is a sample of my water intake leading up to a Saturday show:
Sunday, Monday & Tuesday:
2 Gallons (Each Day)
Wednesday
1 Gallon
Thursday
3 Quarts
Friday
2 Quarts
Saturday
Sip only as needed


Now this is what I have personally found works for me. I feel that if everything else is in order (Bodyfat, Carbohydrate Levels & Sodium Levels) you should have a positive result.
Remember that you should try this a couple times per week, for a week or two before the show to see how your body reacts

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