Episode 31: Eric Helms-Pre Contest Diet

Myoprat

Eric Helms is a coach, athlete, author, educator and researcher. Eric has been involved in the fitness industry since the early 2000’s and for the better part of his career he’s been a coach at 3D Muscle Journey, working with drug free strength and physique competitors at all levels. A competitive athlete himself, he has pro status with the Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association and competes with the IPF at the international level as an unequipped powerlifter. www.3dmusclejourney.com Eric has published multiple peer reviewed articles in exercise science and nutrition journals and writes for commercial fitness publications. He’s taught undergraduate and graduate level nutrition and exercise science and speaks internationally at academic and commercial conferences for fitness, nutrition and strength and conditioning. He has a BS in fitness and wellness, an MS in exercise science, a second masters in sports nutrition, and is a strength and conditioning PhD candidate at AUT in New Zealand. Eric has recently written two exellent books called The muscle and strength pyramid on both training and nutrition. I wish I had these two books when I started lifting and highly recommend them to everyone interested in strength training and nutrition. www.muscleandstrengthpyramids.com Eric is also an exellent speaker and have several seminars coming up all around the world in 2016. If you want to hear him speak I suggest you check out his Speaking Schedule. www.muscleandstrengthpyramids.com/speaking-schedule/ In this podcast, Eric and I discussed pre-contest dieting. Some of the topics we discuss are: 1. What are the biggest mistakes you see people do pre-contest? Being a natural bodybuilder yourself, what are the biggest mistakes you did in your career and what have you changed with your approach? 2. Do you feel that athletes often underestimate how much weight they have to loss to get stage ready? Is it possible for everyone to get that “stage lean”? 3. Does your approach for training and cardio change during the pre contest diet? Do you incorporate diet breaks and refeeds? 4. If you where do give your 3 best tips for a successful pre-contest diet, what would they be? 5. What are your general guidelines when taking an athlete from a pre-contest diet and transitioning them over to an off season diet?