CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE APRIL || ISSUE 33 | Page 38

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This is why the first 4-8 weeks after your show
are so important. 
If you immediately stop your intense training
and go right back to “normal” eating post-
show, you will more than likely experience
rapid water retention (edema), and hyper-
storage of muscle glycogen causing a rapid
weight gain. As you see your hard-earned
physique quickly disappear, you may
experience depression and guilt. The human
body is an amazing thing and I assure you, you
will recover, but it will take time and you will
not have any fun waiting for your body to
regain balance.
So, if you are like many athletes who think you
are correct by “listening” to your body when
you go from 100 to 0 after a show, I want you
to stop it and follow my recommended post-
contest survival guidelines.
DIET
As much as you want to be free and roam wild in the mall food court, during the post-
contest phase you will need to be just as regimented in your meal plan as you were leading
up to the show. You need to systematically add calories back and gradually re-introduce
restricted food types into your diet to minimize fat gain while your body has time to adapt.
A good place to start is the meal plan you were following 4 weeks out from your show.
After following that for one week, you can start adding carbohydrates back to your meals
(suggest 25g carbs for women; 50g carbs for men). I recommend starting with your post-
workout meal, then progress to other meals depending on your current diet, and daily work
and training schedule.
How fast you add back calories and food types is determined by how your body responds
and how fast it recovers. I know it can be tough to self-assess during this phase because
you are still tired and just want to eat everything! This is why I strongly recommend you
continue with your coach post-contest.
It is no coincidence that my clients, who employ my services all year round, are the ones
who see the most progress year to year and ultimately experience the most success.
In the next issue of the CPA Magazine, I will discuss cardio and training guidelines during
the post-contest phase.