NUTRITION
My mindset on nutrition has changed over the years. As I was coming up in the sport, it was common practice to eat 300g or even 400g of protein daily over 7-8 meals, with minimal fats and carbs "as needed." Although I still believe that I am a classic ectomorph, I place much more emphasis on the role that carbohydrates play in recovery - and have a much more moderate protein intake. I also only eat 5 meals per day as opposed to 8. In the off-season my total calories will get up into the low 3,000s - but no longer into the 4,000s as they did in my younger days.
Below is a sample contest diet. This is approximately what I used during my prep for the 2015 contest season (although, as I indicated in the Gaspari Pro write-up, I had to get more aggressive at times due to the fact that I could not do the type of HIIT cardio I had traditionally done).
FOOD PREP
Like most people involved in natural bodybuilding, I have a full-time job. Bodybuilding is merely a hobby, and preparing mutliple meals for each day is not something I have time to do every night. So, during contest prep, I make all of my meals for the week during the weekend. Here is a week's worth of food on my contest diet (note that this is from several years ago, when I was eating more tuna and had time to make egg white / whey muffins each week). Except for a big jug of whey protein and a large container of oatmeal, this is basically everything I will eat in a given week.
SUPPLEMENTATION
I am fortunate to be sponsored by what I think is the best supplement company in the business today - Core Nutritionals. Built and owned by arguably the best natural bodybuilder of all time (Doug Miller), the company is unique in that they NEVER hide behind "proprietary blends" but instead are based on the latest scientific research for specific ingredient dosages and supplement profiles. See for yourself - each product on their supplements page has a thorough list of references from elite physiology / nutrition / strength and conditioning journals, and Doug takes the time to explain the thought process behind the inclusion of each ingredient. You can also read the studies themselves on PubMed or explore what the aggregate research says on the dosages of individual ingredients on www.examine.com.
Although I continue to believe that whole food nutrition is the most important component of getting ready for a bodybuilding competition, there is no doubt that using effective supplements is crucial for competitors at all levels. Below is a table of the Core Nutritionals products that I personally take.
