Category Archives for "Bikini Competition Prep"

Bikini Competition Diet Macros: How we determine low carb vs. high carb for our clients

This is going to be a short one and not as technical as some of my other articles. I basically just want to briefly touch on how we go about determining our clients’ bikini competition diet macros, specifically whether to go low carb/high fat, high carb/low fat, or moderate carb/fat once we’ve determined caloric and […]

Client Transformation: Melanie Barrera

Congratulations to Next Level Bikini Prep client Melanie Barrera on her amazing transformation!  She just did her second show ever, NPC Europa in Dallas, TX.  Her first show ever was NPC Battle of Texas about 6 months prior, where we were able to take home two top 5 medals.  Next show is NPC Battle on […]

Welcome New Co-Coach Nikky!

We’ve just added our third co-coach, Nikky Rash from Orlando, Florida!  Nikky is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NPC National Bikini Competitor. She will be offering primarily online training/nutrition, but also has (limited) availability for in-person training in Orlando. As always, our coaches coordinate behind the scenes to ensure all our clients are getting the […]

Should Bikini Competitors do a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet?

July 2016 Update: I’ve received a number of emails/inquiries from people who assumed that because I wrote this article about CKD dieting that it is the approach we take for our clients. Just want to point out that we DO NOT do CKD or Ketogenic dieting, as you will find if you can suffer through […]

Bikini Competition Diet: Why many competitors drop the ball on carb cycling

Carb cycling seems to be standing the test of time as a staple of the typical bikini competition diet, so I thought I would write a brief article on what I see being done incorrectly by many competitors, and how to make your carb cycle better. First I want to clarify that I am talking […]

Ideal Stage Weight for Bikini Competitors

Here I go letting all the secrets out again.  I’ve become a bit of a statistics nerd since learning to build my own database for my bikini prep business.  One thing I’ve been looking at lately is the ideal stage weight for bikini competitors. I’ve always had a good feel for what the ideal weight […]

Bikini Competition Diet Series: How to Calculate Your Macros

This is an expansion on a very, very simplified article I wrote back in 2010 on how to set up your Bikini Competition Diet Macros.  I’ve been hesitant to get too in depth with this since adjusting a diet is really an ongoing process, and you need to know when to leave things alone and […]

IIFYM or “Clean Eating” for Bikini Competitors…which is better?

Should a bikini competition diet utilize IIFYM (if it fits your macros) or the ever popular “clean eating”? Its funny that we’re considering bikini competition diet IIFYM and “Clean Eating” to be opposing viewpoints/concepts now.  Just 5 years ago I was in charge of a successful 12 week lifestyle/body transformation program at my gym, and […]

Figure and Bikini Contest Prep Guide to Gas and Bloating

Just because its “clean” when you eat it doesn’t mean it’s going to be clean coming out the other end. That’s what I should have named this article. But seriously, it’s not uncommon when suddenly moving from the typical American diet to the average bikini contest prep diet to experience some gas/bloating. I think some […]

Bikini Competition Diet: Refeeds for Figure and Bikini Prep?

Do you need a bikini competition refeed? See if this scenario sounds familiar:  Your bikini coach has had you on a super low calorie/carb bikini competition diet nonstop for weeks with NO bikini competition refeed.  You made some good progress at first, strength/performance in the gym was okay for a while, energy throughout the day wasn’t […]

5 Keys to Bikini Competition Glutes

When I say bikini competition glutes, I mean the kind that deserve to win, not the loose, jiggly ones I see scoring trophies at amateur level competitions these days.  Do you want glutes that look tight while you’re walking onstage or do you want to jiggle around up there until you’re fully flexed?  Because I’m […]

Bikini Competition Diet: Carb Cycling Part 3: Setting up a Carb Cycle

In this final installment of the Bikini Competition Diet Carb Cycling Series, I’m going to take you through the steps of setting up a carb cycle for figure or bikini competition.  As mentioned in Part 2, I don’t really see the point in carb cycling much sooner than about 6 weeks or so out from […]