Spilling over if you cut water? First contest

[BigDick]

Hey all... Going to compete in my first contest in 5 days. It's a VERY smalltime contest at my school - nothin really big at all. I'm at 8% bodyfat, which isn't that lean (although it took me 30 weeks to get there... that was a biatch), but it's very appropriate for this contest.

Unfortunately I was never lean enough to do a test run of a carbup, but I doing a basically conservative version of SwoleCat's 7 days to leanness - by conservative I mean lower carbs, lower water. My question is, is it possible to spill over if water intake is extremely low? I don't see how that would be possible, as the subcutaneous water would have to come from somewhere. Spillin over would be the worst possible thing right now for me, as I've spilled over before on CKD carbups (long ago when I ran CKD) and look like **** when it happens.

I'm doin a 3-day carb deplete, and a 3-day carb load. I'm at 165 lbs, keepin carbs to 400g on the first day, 300g on the 2nd day, and playin the 3rd day by ear. I sodium loaded 1 week out and am cutting out sodium during the carb load. Water intake will be 3/4 gals, 1/3 gal, and a few cups during the carb load. Sipping water on the day of competition...

That being said, is there any possibility of spillover with that little water? I plan to taper off the carbs on the 3rd day if I start to look smooth and just do fat/protein until judging if that happens.

 

[drumirvin]

Big.... Before giving you the answers, their are plenty of things that we all need to know...
1. Are you using super supplements...are you using any regular supplements (creatine)
2. Are you planning on running a diuretic (OTC or Prescription),
3.What is your game plan for carbing?
4.The complete detail of the carbs you plan on ingesting as well as GI types the first day.
5. Why are you carbing 3 days out (not saying this wrong) but, are you very depleted?
6. What kind of carbs have you been ingesting since the start of your diet.
7. How much water have you been drinking?
This is only a partial list....as you can see, the carbup or let's call it the "peak" week, can be a little complicated if you don't have a plan..I know that's what you are asking for, but come on man, give us some info to work with. We know your weight and estimated bodyfat level. As far as spilling over is concerned...who knows. Each person is different in the amount or carbs they can ingest. Some people come in semi-loaded and do the infamous Sh@tload either Friday nite or Saturday morning. Some people straight up fat load...Some just stick to their regular diet and never deplete. These are things that should be practiced weeks ago. Your asking for contest prep (something some of us make money on), in a 5 day...oops now 4 and a 1/2 days out. I would advice READING for the next two days and try to get some sort of plan together. Go to search and type in precontest. Their is ton's of stuff on AM. Get a plan, submit it and hopefully someone will critique it. Good luck man...

 

[drumirvin]

Man, I just reread your post and for some reason I totally missed the third paragraph...my apologies for being an ahole. Ok lets start over. As far as the plan, you have one, still much limited knowledge though, but I can see it now. Do not taper water what so ever..the body does not work like that. By drinking lots and lots of water, Aldosterone levels will stay towards the lower side. Drink lots up until you drop it. You taper it down the Aldosterone tapers up. The body will try to get into homeostasis very rapidly. That whole 3 day window crap is for the birds...Contest peaking is an in and out thing. Do not negate sodium as you need sodium in the gut for carbing properly. Where does sodium go to? It goes where the water goes...out your ying yang...every ten minutes that you have to take a piss while water loading. So many people think you will "float" when taking in sodium...nope.. I don't drop it till Thursday nite...now I am also using a diuretic as well that will deplete sodium levels...for you if you are without a diuretic, Wednesday lower the NA.. I would not recommend totally getting rid of it...but lower it. If you are a natural, adding in Potassium after the drop will help lower the levels to. Sips and only sips on the day as well as low low low through out the day. I lean more towards not more than 5 min to prejudging and I sip to let the extra carb/fat/sodium be shuttled into my muscles. The stage is a bad place to practice this I know, but use it as a learning experience. Document everything..how you look, react,feel like and use it for a trial run next time. Since this is your first contest, play by the old retro 3 day carbup rules. I wouldn't recommend anything that is considered new age. After the show..you should look into refining what works for you. Hope this helps better than my last post.