# COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING - POWERLIFTING - ATHLETICS & SPORTS > COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING Q & A >  Feeling Flat

## Undecided09

Hey guys just checkin in about 5 and a half weeks out and leaning down for sure...I weighed in at 173.5 when I got to the gym today....However my concern is I have been feeling really flat lately...Flat as in energy, flat as in my muscles feel empty, etc...Normal?? Suggestions...I was thinking my sodium wasn't/isn't right...Also, this week I have shed some serious weight, and i was worred it wasn't in a good way, I mean yesterday I weighed 177 or so...I was worried I was getting sick....Pictures in a few weeks, they will tell the tale, not the weight, i know...but suggestions, ill post my diet to....

Monday August 28th

9:30am :

5 Egg Whites, Flax Oil, Oatmeal, two splenda packets, One Scoop Whey/1 serving Monohydrate, Multivitamin, 1 serving Methyl Ripped...


12:30 pm:

Chicken Breast, 1 Large Peach, Water

3:30 pm
1 serving Methyl Ripped, second dose...


4:00 pm:
Chicken Breast, Large Salad, Sweet Potato, Flax Oil, water

Lift...Glutamine and Crystal Light During...

PWO 7:00...Two and a half Scoops Whey, 1 Serving monohydrate, Banana

10:00 pm
8 oz Steak, Large Salad, Water...

1:00 am
Two Scoops Whey, multivitamin....

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## 1buffsob

The reason you're feeling flat is probably from the lack of carbs. You hardly have any. Remeber, fructose will not replace muscle glycogen, only liver glycogen. Who helped you with your diet?

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## Undecided09

I was thinking lack of carbs to, more specifically the sugar abscense possibly...But i mean at the same time if you are feeling "good" then your prolly not dieting down enough, lol...My buddy who just got done with his second show is helping me out, he competed in teen nationals in Pittsburgh in July...

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## gio86

yea bro i go with what buff said...your lacking lots of carbs and the one you get from the peach i think should be something like a yam or oatmeal. like buff said FRUCOSE WILL ONLY REPLACE LIVER GLYCOGENS NOT MUSCLE

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## 1buffsob

> I was thinking lack of carbs to, more specifically the sugar abscense possibly...But i mean at the same time if you are feeling "good" then your prolly not dieting down enough, lol...My buddy who just got done with his second show is helping me out, he competed in teen nationals in Pittsburgh in July...


You should feel good cutting, besides the hunger. You're probably going a little more drastic, as you were a bit behind a couple weeks ago.

I suggest you work on the diet. The lack of carbs is going to be a problem. I won't make any suggestions cuz I don't want to step on your buddy's toes. If it's working for you, then keep doing it.  :Thumps Up:

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## chuck89gt5.0

Are you doing any high carb days?

I think going low carb like he is doing is fine as long as you throw in a CLEAN carb day every 4 days or so. If you are behind in dieting usually dropping carbs will do the trick.

I wouldnt worry about feeling flat, when you carb up the days before the show you will fill back up.

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## chest6

I dont like that diet at all..maybe thats the reason

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## Undecided09

> Are you doing any high carb days?
> 
> I think going low carb like he is doing is fine as long as you throw in a CLEAN carb day every 4 days or so. If you are behind in dieting usually dropping carbs will do the trick.
> 
> I wouldnt worry about feeling flat, when you carb up the days before the show you will fill back up.


Thats what my question was sort of directed towards...Thanks Chuck...Well we will see in a few weeks how the diet has gone...Why is the lack of carbs a bad thing? Losing to much muscle mass??

~M.A.D.

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## MIKE_XXL

Low carbs and also very low in fat, your overall calories are lily low as well...take a day off from your diet let's say saturday and carb your self up, have a cheat day, you will get full, hard and feel a shiat load better...any meal with limited carbs should have atleast 15gm of fat in it, best from EFA's mono & Ploy unsaturated, don't mix the carbs and fat together in meals......good luck...XXL

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## Undecided09

hang on, how am I supposed to to have a meal with carbs with 15 grams of fat, but dont mix fat and carbs??? That doesnt make sense??...Also, is it the diet that is causing my lack of pump feeling??? I feel full for like a few minutes after lift, but thats about it, my chest pumps just arent there??

~M.A.D.

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## 1buffsob

> hang on, how am I supposed to to have a meal with carbs with 15 grams of fat, but dont mix fat and carbs??? That doesnt make sense??...Also, is it the diet that is causing my lack of pump feeling??? I feel full for like a few minutes after lift, but thats about it, my chest pumps just arent there??
> 
> ~M.A.D.


What he's saying is if there is no carbs in the meal, it should have at least 15g of fat. 

Follow Mike's advice. Take tomorrow off and carb your ass up. Then set up a new diet. If you're not feeling pumps in the gym, there's a problem.

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## Undecided09

Well I mean my main problem is I can't complain about the results of my diet, I'm down weight considerably, and I am getting lean and hard...just not full, but I attributed that to the lack of carbs and fat....

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## chuck89gt5.0

DO NOT HAVE A CHEAT DAY OR MEAL! You are too close to show time!

Instead have a clean carb refeed day, with NO junk carbs at all

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## chuck89gt5.0

IMO most guys usually feel flat while dieting unless they are using some gear which totally changes things, I assume you are doing this natural correct?

Just hangt in there, I would like to see some pics to see where you are at.That is the best way to help. But from the sounds of it and from your last pics I would guess you are just slightly behind, in which dropping carbs will be your best bet to losing the last bit of carbs.

If you start to lose too much muscle up the protein...actually it wouldnt hurt to up the protein a bit more anyway.

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## MrMent1on

> DO NOT HAVE A CHEAT DAY OR MEAL! You are too close to show time!
> 
> Instead have a clean carb refeed day, with NO junk carbs at all


Bro 5 weeks is not close have a cheat day, I have a cheat day up til 2 weeks out every week (1 cheat day wont reck your diet). you need carbs and who told you to drink crystal light after your workout. you need dextrose bro. listen to these guys especially MIKE XXL , he knows what he is talking about.

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## MrMent1on

Honestly you need to redo your diet bro, trust.

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## chuck89gt5.0

> Bro 5 weeks is not close have a cheat day, I have a cheat day up til 2 weeks out every week (1 cheat day wont reck your diet). you need carbs and who told you to drink crystal light after your workout. you need dextrose bro. listen to these guys especially MIKE XXL , he knows what he is talking about.




But keep in mind you look awesome and very shredded at 5 weeks out, I dont think he can afford to cheat with bad food, besides I think he would benefit a lil more from clean low GI carbs.

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## Undecided09

haha, sounds like we have a debate going on here boys...Also, I'm not drinking crystal light post MR Ment, its during lift, with two servings of glutamine....

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## MIKE_XXL

> DO NOT HAVE A CHEAT DAY OR MEAL! You are too close to show time!
> 
> Instead have a clean carb refeed day, with NO junk carbs at all



Do not listen to this guy...go anf have an all out cheat day, TRUST ME! Look at how many people i have given advice on this board and see what my reputation is, i would not tell you to do somthing i would not do myself, now go eat something...XXL

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## MIKE_XXL

> Bro 5 weeks is not close have a cheat day, I have a cheat day up til 2 weeks out every week (1 cheat day wont reck your diet). you need carbs and who told you to drink crystal light after your workout. you need dextrose bro. listen to these guys especially MIKE XXL , he knows what he is talking about.


Aman and THANK YOU  :Smilie:

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## MIKE_XXL

> But keep in mind you look awesome and very shredded at 5 weeks out, I dont think he can afford to cheat with bad food, besides I think he would benefit a lil more from clean low GI carbs.


Now let's think about what you just said here...lat's say his regural diet is 2000cal (which i think it's less then that) now he eats his regural foods + 3500calories fromjunk food in his cheat meal, abslute worst case senerio he gains 1lbs (which equals 3500cal.) The state at which he is in, being depleted, half those calories would likly go to replenishing his glucogen stores, then we have the thermogenic effect of food, he will burn around 10% of those calories just digesting the food, som eof the protein will get turned over to muscle tissue as he will stimulate extremly anabolic enviroment by ingesting high carbs and releasing insulin , so net effect mightbe he will gain a few onces of fat, he will have that all worked off by monday...go enjoy a cheat day Bro...XXL

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## Undecided09

OMG! this is like a gift from Heaven!!! what better time to happen to, its Saturday Morning, I go to MSU, Big Ten football, First Tailgate, GO GREEN, GO WHITE!!!

~M.A.D.

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## chuck89gt5.0

> Now let's think about what you just said here...lat's say his regural diet is 2000cal (which i think it's less then that) now he eats his regural foods + 3500calories fromjunk food in his cheat meal, abslute worst case senerio he gains 1lbs (which equals 3500cal.) The state at which he is in, being depleted, half those calories would likly go to replenishing his glucogen stores, then we have the thermogenic effect of food, he will burn around 10% of those calories just digesting the food, som eof the protein will get turned over to muscle tissue as he will stimulate extremly anabolic enviroment by ingesting high carbs and releasing insulin, so net effect mightbe he will gain a few onces of fat, he will have that all worked off by monday...go enjoy a cheat day Bro...XXL



I guess that does make sense, I havent really thought about it that way. I just know that from personal experience cheat days turn out to be very disaterous for me, but then again I would consum about 8-10K calories on a cheat day consiting of mostly pure fat and carbs.

I am simply going by what was taught to me from fellow competitors at my gym, I still have 8 weeks till I step on stage for the first time so listening to me as oposed to the other bros here prolly wouldnt be your best bet :Nutkick:

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## Undecided09

hahaha, ok i wont listen to u....


I can't wait to take some pics though, few weeks ill be more confident putting em up...

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## MrMent1on

> Now let's think about what you just said here...lat's say his regural diet is 2000cal (which i think it's less then that) now he eats his regural foods + 3500calories fromjunk food in his cheat meal, abslute worst case senerio he gains 1lbs (which equals 3500cal.) The state at which he is in, being depleted, half those calories would likly go to replenishing his glucogen stores, then we have the thermogenic effect of food, he will burn around 10% of those calories just digesting the food, som eof the protein will get turned over to muscle tissue as he will stimulate extremly anabolic enviroment by ingesting high carbs and releasing insulin, so net effect mightbe he will gain a few onces of fat, he will have that all worked off by monday...go enjoy a cheat day Bro...XXL


It doesnt get any better than this. This is why your the man Mike.

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## Undecided09

ok, so my day of cheating is legit?? No worries, I mean i do get worried, and i don't even put on fat easily, obviously....but still, I wanna do well and i don't wanna **** it up...

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## IBdmfkr

I wouldn't go with an all out cheat day, say more of a carb-up day.. Fill yourself out a bit, try adding 50-75 lowGI carbs/meal throughout the day, whomever is writing your current diet needs to rethink the advice they are giving, no reason for fruit in a contest prep, it's a waste of carbs/calories IMO.

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## Undecided09

The fruit is out at this point, veggies all the time now....Steak is out too, chicken till I drop, lol...

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## IBdmfkr

I ate steak all the way up to comp day. No reason it should be out IMO as it provides protein/fats that are beneficial. Lamb is a good choice too.

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## Undecided09

Yeah i like steak too, but we will see how my progress is to decide if I am worthy of it, haha...pics coming soon...

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## IBdmfkr

You need to get on a better dietary plan if you plan on making it in time for the comp, seems like you're winging it and listening to too many voices which is keeping you switching everything constantly. This is the time to be learning so much about your body and how you respond to different foods etc, so take advantage of it. If you haven't already, hire someone to help you through the last month or two before contest and stick with what they tell you, I feel this is the only way you will have a chance.

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## Undecided09

Well I'm only listening to one person, and that is my buddy who just got done with teen nationals...I'm using a variation of his contest prep diet, thats what I'm sticking with...It prolly seems like im all over the place because of the chat on this board, I ask alot of questions, so it may seem like I'm not sturdy, but I am...I just like to ask questions, doesn't mean I necissarily follow through or change anything, i listen and digest and use my own intiution and training experience...

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## IBdmfkr

I'd stay off the board personally until after the contest or atleast focus on what your partner has you doing? As you mentioned above you listen and digest what we are saying which will throw you off if you are using your friend as your coach. Post progress pics and keep us posted, but by these discussions it will only hurt your progress.

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## Undecided09

I hear ya **, and believe me I'm a big believer in all ur remarks, the proof is your body my friend...but as far as my contest prep goes I'm not knocking or criticizing anyone competing using AAS, but for this show I need to stick to the game plan of a natty BBer, just makes more sense...

~M.A.D.

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## spound

> I wouldn't go with an all out cheat day, say more of a carb-up day.. Fill yourself out a bit, try adding 50-75 lowGI carbs/meal throughout the day, whomever is writing your current diet needs to rethink the advice they are giving, no reason for fruit in a contest prep, it's a waste of carbs/calories IMO.


I agree with not having an all out cheat day, but rather a carb up day. I would keep the carbs EXTREMELY high on this day and fats minimal. I do however disagree with your statement about fruits being a waste in a cutting diet. I had fruit all the way up to my show...small amount, but had them in none the less.

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## Undecided09

if this thread isnt a perfect example of sticking to your plan with diet then I dont know what is....No matter what there are going to be disagreements/imporvements that can be made to any diet, the key is to make it as best as possible and stick to it...IMO consistency and dedication to a diet is what makes it work more than anything else...

~M.A.D.

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## IBdmfkr

They are optional bro, not necessary as I'd rather take my calories in with other more filling foods is what I meant.. When you're doing under 2000 calories/day fruit just doesn't do much to fill the stomach, but a Bagel for example help hold off the hunger etc.. Each person will go about it differently, I for one leave fruits out.

Agreed Undecided.. you will learn tons from this first show as I did. I have so much more to learn and plenty of time to do it.

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## Undecided09

you and I both **...I just can't wait for show day because I know I will look good!! I know because everytime I have decided to go on a few week tear in my lifting career, whether it be a month of dedicated bulking, or a dieting regimen, I have seen good results, I don't see why this kind of prep would be any different...My body responds to what it should, end of story, lets just hope I fed it the right stimuli, sort of speak...

~M.A.D.

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## MIKE_XXL

> They are optional bro, not necessary as I'd rather take my calories in with other more filling foods is what I meant.. When you're doing under 2000 calories/day fruit just doesn't do much to fill the stomach, but a Bagel for example help hold off the hunger etc.. Each person will go about it differently, I for one leave fruits out.
> 
> Agreed Undecided.. you will learn tons from this first show as I did. I have so much more to learn and plenty of time to do it.


I would much rather recomend a piece of fruit then a bagel, bagel is extremely high glycimic and will go through you faster then the fruit in my opinion...XXL

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## stayinstacked

that diet is straight ****ed up to the max for a contest prep. First of all, creatine monohydrate? Drop that shit like a hot potato, it'll cause bloating and hold water and make it harder for you to gauge how your coming in. Drop the fruit too, especially peaches, thats terrible at this point, nothing but sugar. I dont like all of the shakes either, that will do you no good, your just pissing it all out. You need to get some more whole food in there, more carbs such as potatos, rice, oats, grits. And I myself like to utilize more than just flax oil as a fat source, try some almonds or natural pb as well. Try taking your carbs up to 200 grams a day for a few weeks, then drop back down w/in the 2 wks before the show. If your doing everything correctly, the only time you should feel completely wiped out and flat is the last 3 or 4 wks. And being flat at that point is normal, but too little carbs for too long = big time muscle loss and not enough fat loss. Also, muscle metabolizes fat, the more muscle you lose the slower the metabolism may become. My .02

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## Undecided09

True story SS, Ill ask my buddy who is doing my diet about it...

~M.A.D.

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## MIKE_XXL

The reason i like fruit in the diet is because fructose is utalized by the body to restore liver glucogen levels. Your body only produces T4 thyroid, which is later converted to T3 (active thyroid) in your liver, however if the liver glucogen levels are low the conversion is greatly reduced, net result low T3 equals lower metabolism which in turn equals less bofy fat loss...i keep my fruit in till 3-4 weeks out of the show...XXL

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## MIKE_XXL

Ohh and i agree with whoever said get off these boards and stick to your trainer, too many opinion, and opinions are like a$$holes everybody has one...reading to much of this stuff will only fack you up Bro...if you are unhappy with the results and you only followed your trainer, then you get a new one next time...but if you listne to him and everybody else including me, you will not know what you did wrong...i know all the stuff i say and do, WORKS, but you must follow it all not bits and pieces, i know all these guys here have very valid points, and i am sure their approuches work as well as mine, but need to be followed to a tee, not some here and some form there, shiat like that never works...good luck Bro!
XXL

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## Undecided09

if i remember correctly my buddy was saying that with proper BCAA dosage the carbs can be low and muscle loss should be at a minimum, especially with a cardioless prep...

~M.A.D.

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## spound

> I would much rather recomend a piece of fruit then a bagel, bagel is extremely high glycimic and will go through you faster then the fruit in my opinion...XXL


BINGO!! Yes, fruits will actually help hold you over on hunger as long as the right fruit choices are made (I would stick to blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and maybe grapefruit) THey are all low glycemic and will keep insulin levles steady causing no spike in hunger and helping hold you over. Fruits are obviously very important from a helath aspect as for keeping yoru immune system strong and providing important anti-oxidants. There is no reason a pre-comp diet should be restricted to the point where you are not getting all the nutritents your body needs to function at 100% efficiency...as long as everything is planeed correctly. Not to discredit you I**, you obivously know your stuff as well and look like what you do works for you, but you may want to try fruits out next time and experiement a little, you can always learn more, dont be close-minded (not saying that you are)

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## IBdmfkr

I agree with both of you, as I have much to learn and am always up for new things.. recently I've changed to a majority of my calories coming from carb sources and love it.. I will integrate it into my contest prep at the end of next year which I'm almost positive will have fruits in the AM coming up to the show to see how I respond.. Gotta try many different approaches to find the one in which works best for you.. 
Everyday is a learning process for me personally.

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## MIKE_XXL

> I agree with both of you, as I have much to learn and am always up for new things.. recently I've changed to a majority of my calories coming from carb sources and love it.. I will integrate it into my contest prep at the end of next year which I'm almost positive will have fruits in the AM coming up to the show to see how I respond.. Gotta try many different approaches to find the one in which works best for you.. 
> Everyday is a learning process for me personally.


Well said Bro, class response...XXL

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