As you get closer to competition day, you should be adjusting your workout sessions and getting even more fanatical about your diet.

Recreational bodybuilders can get away with a less knowledgeable approach, but you need to know your diet inside out so you know exactly what you need to do to perform your best.

The way to be in total command of your diet is to:

  • Keep track of everything — This means knowing exactly what you are consuming. No estimates or guesstimates.

  • Keep track of your sodium intake — As the contest nears move into sodium cycling.
  • Know your macro-nutrient ratios — Consume more protein than you would normally. About 4 weeks out, start to cycle carbohydrates. Keep those at 30% of total caloric intake—just make sure most of them are unsaturated fat.
  • Know how to manipulate glycogen — Insulin will help you during dieting and, if used right, will help maintain all that muscle you’re building.

You also want to stay anabolic in the final weeks before competition. That means you should eat constantly, with small meals throughout the day. Your body should never feel deprived or starve at any time.

Support Yourself with Supplements

Try to avoid creatine in the weeks leading up to competition. Other than that, consider adding these to the core bodybuilding supplements you’re probably already taking during the weeks leading up to competition:

  • Sethasin. This and allows you to bring down calories without corollary muscle loss. Stop use of sethasin about one week from the competition as it can leave muscles looking depleted.
  • Green Tea. Green tea is a great supplement because of its metabolic and fat-burning qualities. It will also help build boost the immune system.
  • Fat burners. Some examples of popular fat burners are USPlabs OxyElitePro, Muscle Tech Hydroxycut Hard-Core ProSeries, and Universal Animal Cuts. Use fat burners prior to cardio and workouts and ease into the full dosage gradually.

Finally, the last few days before the competition are obviously NOT the time to try something new with your diet!