This is crunch time.  Now all the hard work you’ve put in bulking up over the off-season is going on show and you’re up against the big boys (and girls).   

The following list are some pre-contest tips adapted from the advice given by Craig Titus, the former champion bodybuilder from the Mr Olympia (and other) stage. 

1. Twelve weeks out: time to adjust.  Diet-wise, this is the stage where you should start to increase your meals from five per day to six or seven.  You should also start cutting out the “naughty” food completely.  This means junk food, cakes, cookies, candy and sugars (the exception would be your glucose hit post-workout).
2. Aim for 500g of protein per day.  While Craig prefers to get his from meat, chicken, eggs and fish, you may prefer the convenience and ease of preparation offered by protein shakes and powders.  Whey, casein and egg powders are particularly popular body building supplements, and they have the added advantage of making you feel fuller.
3. Reduce the carbs for most of the pre-competition phase.  Until the week before the contest, restrict your carbs to 150g per day and try to consume them in the morning.  In the evening, your meal should be protein (lean meat is good) along with low-carb and high-fibre vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and salads.
4. Sports supplements  Craig swears by L-glutamine, multivitamins and Vitamin C for his body building dietary supplements.  To find out more about individual nutritional products of this type, see the relevant pages on Supplement To Go's product list, and check out our low, low prices!
5. Eat every three hours.  For Craig, this means a protein shake at 3 a.m. every night before going back to sleep again.
6. Up the intensity.  Your workouts should be the same as your off-season ones but more intense. How badly do you want to win?  Do you want it enough to push through what you thought was your pain barrier and go further?
7. Rest, rest, rest.  Your muscles won’t grow without it.  Craig likes to take a two hour nap every afternoon, and woe betide you if he’s disturbed (journalists, take note!).
8. Cardio time.  Ten weeks out, start your cardio regimen to burn excess body fat and overall condition.  One hour a day is the minimum – Craig prefers two hours.  If you’ve put on a little too much of the wobbly stuff during the off-season, then you may need the added help of a weight loss pill if you can’t get it off with cardio alone.
9. Begin the pre-competition carbing up a week out from the contest itself.  Don’t underdo them, as you will not look as hard and full as you could otherwise.
10. Sodium.  This will get somewhat depleted in your pre-competition build-up.  Something salty to eat the day before will make sure that your cells are replenished and full.
11. Water.  Drink plenty in the build up, but stick to just a pint on C-day itself.
12. Get out there and do your thing!