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Dr. Jeff’s 16-Week Contest Diet Secrets

May 16, 2024

If you’re a competitive physique athlete—whether in bodybuilding, physique, bikini, or figure—you know how crucial contest diet secrets are for success, especially during “Peak Week.” Competitive bodybuilding is intense, with your body as the playing field and your appearance determining the outcome. Success requires discipline, dedication, and mental toughness.

Planning your contest diet is crucial. You need a solid strategy from the start to avoid last-minute mistakes that could sabotage your progress. Trust me—I learned these contest diet secrets the hard way early in my career.

This is the exact plan I followed that led me to become a professional bodybuilder, win contests, and land photoshoots. This is what diet coaches and gurus charge thousands of dollars to create for you—but not EFX Sports. We’re here to give back and to make this information accessible to everyone. The weekly feedback I receive from all who have followed my plan is amazing—and it will be for you, too!

Protein

Protein is essential throughout your contest diet and typically stays consistent, except during Peak Week. Aim for about 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. The goal is to build and maintain muscle, keeping it fueled and preventing breakdown.

High vs. Low Biological Value (BV) Protein

The biological value (BV) measures how much of the nine essential amino acids are in a protein source. Higher BV proteins found in animal products (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk) are complete sources, while lower BV proteins found in plant sources (legumes, nuts, grains) are incomplete.

Essential and Conditionally Essential Amino Acids

The body needs nine essential amino acids from food: leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, valine, threonine, histidine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. There are also six conditionally essential amino acids (proline, arginine, glutamine, tyrosine, cysteine, glycine) that the body can usually make, but during stress, you might need more from your diet.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are crucial for energy, fueling workouts, and burning fat. From Week 12 onward, I like to alternate between high-carb and low-carb days.

Carbs come in two forms: simple and complex.

  • Simple carbs (sugars like table sugar, honey, or soft drinks) digest quickly but can cause a crash.
  • Complex carbs (starches from potatoes, whole grains, legumes) provide sustained energy and help maintain colon health.

Carbs are your body’s primary energy source, and depending on training intensity, athletes typically need 2.7 to 6 grams per pound of body weight daily.

Fats

Not all fats are equal. Some are pro-inflammatory (high in omega-6), while others are neutral or anti-inflammatory (balanced in omega-3 and omega-6). For example, pork lard and sesame oil are high in omega-6, while beef tallow and coconut oil are more balanced.

For this diet, limit fats and rely mainly on what’s naturally in your protein sources. However, if you cook with fats, choose a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

High omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (pro-inflammatory)

Pork, Lard, and Bacon fats (12:1 ratio – at least 40% saturated)
Sesame oil: (45:1 ratio – at least 15% saturated)
Peanut oil: (34:1 ratio – at least 17% saturated)

Low or equal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (neutral)

Beef Tallow (1.5:1 ratio – at least 47% saturated)

Ghee, a clarified butter from cow’s milk (1:1 – at least 65% saturated)

Butter, cow’s milk origin (1:1 ratio – at least 65% saturated)
Coconut oil: (2:1 ratio – at least 87% saturated) primarily medium chain triglycerides

Red palm oil: (2:1 ratio – at least 52% saturated)
Macadamia nut oil: (2:1 ratio – at least 16% saturated).

Vegetables

Vegetables are your friend! They don’t need to be counted in your macros because they often take more calories to digest than they provide. Veggies are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which help keep you feeling full and energized. They also support a healthy digestive system and promote beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Contest Diet Breakdown: Week by Week

Week 16 to Week 13

We begin by cleaning up the diet and eliminating off-season foods.

Meal Plan:

  • Meal 1 (6:00 AM): 12 egg whites, 1 cup dry oatmeal, 1 banana
  • Meal 2 (9:00 AM): Protein shake (1 scoop, EFX Sports Protalyn® Isolate Protein)
  • Meal 3 (12:00 PM): 8-12 oz fish, chicken, or turkey, baked potato
  • Meal 4 (2:30 PM): Protein shake (1 scoop, EFX Sports Protalyn® Isolate Protein)
  • Meal 5 (5:00 PM): 8-12 oz fish, chicken, or turkey, baked potato
  • Meal 6 (8:00 PM): Protein shake (1 scoop, EFX Sports Protalyn® Isolate Protein)

NOTE: If you get hungry, you can eat as many veggies or salads as you want with any meal. Use only fat-free dressing or vinegar.

Pre-Workout:

Cardio:

  • 30 minutes, 4 times per week

Additional Supplements:

Week 12 to Week 3

Calories drop, and intensity picks up.

Meal Plan:

  • Meal 1 (6:00 AM): 12 egg whites, 1 cup dry oatmeal, 1 banana
  • Meal 2 (9:00 AM): Protein shake (1 scoop, EFX Sports Protalyn® Isolate Protein)
  • Meal 3 (12:00 PM): 8-12 oz. fish, chicken, turkey, with baked potato, or rice
  • Meal 4 (2:30 PM): Protein shake (1 scoop, EFX Sports Protalyn® Isolate Protein)
  • Meal 5 (5:00 PM): 8-12 oz. fish, chicken, or turkey with baked potato or rice
  • Meal 6 (8:00 PM): Protein shake (1 scoop, EFX Sports Protalyn® Isolate Protein)

NOTE: If you get hungry, you can eat as many veggies or salads as you want with any meal. Use only fat-free dressing or vinegar.

Cardio:

  • Training days: 30 minutes
  • Off days: 45-60 minutes

Supplements:

  • Same as Week 16 to Week 12

Week 2

Calories drop, and intensity picks up.

Meal Plan:

  • Meal 1 (6:00 AM): 12 egg whites, 3/4 cup dry oatmeal, 1 banana
  • Meal 2 (9:00 AM): 8-12 oz. chicken breast, 1 scoop AminoZorb® Aminos
  • Meal 3 (12:00 PM): 8-12 oz. fish, baked potato
  • Meal 4 (2:30 PM): 8-12 oz. chicken breast
  • Meal 5 (5:00 PM): 8-12 oz. fish, baked potato
  • Meal 6 (8:00 PM): 8-12 oz. fish

NOTE: If you get hungry, you can eat as many veggies or salads as you want with any meal. Use only fat-free dressing or vinegar.

Cardio:

  • Training days: 30 minutes
  • Off days: 45-60 minutes

Supplements:

  • Same as Week 16 to Week 12

Final Week (Week 1) “Peak Week”

Monday to Wednesday:

  • Protein meals remain the same.
  • Eliminate veggies and carbs.
  • Eat half a green apple four times a day.
  • Training remains the same.

Thursday:

  • Switch to fish or chicken only; no protein drinks or dairy.
  • No veggies.
  • No salt or seasonings.
  • Eat a small baked potato or rice (made with distilled water only) every three hours (5 to 6 times daily).
  •  No cardio or training.
  •  Only drink sodium-free bottled water. Drink as much as needed.
  •  Take two (2) 99 mg potassium pills before bed.*

*Note: Potassium is an important electrolyte for the heart. Over-supplementation can be dangerous for individuals with impaired kidneys or heart function or if you are already dehydrated. If your blood potassium level rises above 7.0 mmol/L, you are in hyperkalemia, which requires immediate medical treatment.

Friday:

  • Same as Thursday, but start reducing sodium-free bottled water intake. Drink only half of what you urinate (use a measuring cup).
  •  Take two (2) 99 mg potassium pills in the morning, two (2) midday, and two (2) before bed.

Saturday (Show Day):

  • Morning Meal: Start your day with some sodium-free protein. Continue eating complex carbs like potatoes, yams, or brown rice, as you did on Thursday and Friday.
  • Water Intake: Only drink half the water you urinate in the morning.
  • Potassium: Take two (2) 99 mg potassium pills in the morning, and do not take any more for the rest of the day. Avoid herbal water pills on show day.

Three Hours Before the Show:

  • Snack on dried fruits like papaya or pineapple (avoid bloating fruits like raisins, prunes, or figs).

Warm-Up:

  • As you start warming up with light weights, you can sip a small amount of water and take two teaspoons of honey. Also, mix 50 grams of neutral Karbolyn® with water and sip it for about 25 minutes before pumping up.

Conclusion: The Final Push

By following this plan, you’ll be well-prepared for competition day. Stick to the diet, maintain your cardio, and keep your focus. You’ve put in the hard work—now it’s time to showcase the results, and don’t forget to smile!

Dr. Jeff Golini

Dr. Jeff Golini is the Founder, CEO, and Executive Scientist of All American Pharmaceutical. He holds numerous patents for innovative compounds such as Kre-Alkalyn buffered creatine monohydrate, Karbolyn, the high-performance carbohydrate, and Kre-Celazine.

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