[Q] Your conditioning for the 2004 Nationals was unreal. Since you came out onstage, it was clear to me that you were the class winner. Could you share with us your philosophy on nutrition for contest prep?
I keep my pre contest diet real simple. I do not have a big variety of foods to eat. I stick to the basics and have learned what amounts to eat and when to eat them for optimal results. I stick to Chicken, Fish, Turkey, Protein shakes, and lean red meats for my protein sources. My carbs consist of all complex carb sources such as Brown Rice, Sweet Potato’s, and oats, except for my post work out shake. I believe in keeping it simple as possible. For fats, I do use on occasion flax oil before workouts in my shake and some times in the evening before bed to help keep me full. I use a lot of the Prolab Pro EFA caps as well as they are a good blend and very convenient to take. After the workout (even during pre-contest) I also use Prolab’s Whey Isolate along with DGC (Dextrose Glucose Crystals) in it for my simple sugars and glycogen replacement.
Keeping the food list simple makes things a lot easier when trying to prepare my foods and when grocery shopping from week to week. There is not a huge variety of foods one can consume anyway if you are looking to get that freaky look so why not keep it clean and simple!
[Q] How would you alter that once you are in off-season mode and ready to gain mass?
The first thing I would alter would be the amount of meals I consume in the off season. I might drop the meals down to 5 larger meals daily instead of 7-8 small meals. I feel that this slows my metabolism down a bit so that I am able to put more size on. I will also add more carbs to my diet while decreasing the amount of protein in my diet slightly. I try to eat about 75% clean in the off season but have to cheat a little bit so that I do not get burnt out on the type of foods that I tend to eat year round. It keeps me sane and it also shocks the body to a degree.
[Q] How important are supplements in your bodybuilding program and which supplements do you use year round?
Well, I feel as though supplementation is a huge part of my program. I find it almost impossible to get everything ones needs from day to day to make adequate gains without supplementation. I am sponsored by Prolab and use many of there products year round. I use the Prolab Lean Mass Complex (their MRP) , I use the Prolab Isolate Protein both pre and post workout and the lean mass Protein Component before bed. I use the Prolab Glutamine at least 3 times a day to help aid in my recovery and to increase cell volume. Finally, I also take Prolab training packs for my multi-vitamin mineral needs.
[Q] What supplements do you feel are essential when doing a bodybuilding show?
I personally think that a good protein supplement such as a good Meal Replacement and a good whey powder are most important to ensure that you get your adequate daily protein to rebuild muscle. I also feel that one should use a good amount of L- glutamine to help aid in recovery as well for its anti catabolic effects. A good multi vitamin- mineral supplement will help ensure they get everything needed since it’s so hard to eat such a variety of foods while dieting. I feel that using some kind of essential fat supplement is also a good way to keep your calories up when on a low carb diet in addition to the many other heath factors they offer. They also seem to help keep your energy levels up while on such a low carb diet as well and accelerate fat loss.
IFBB Pro Patrick Richardson (2004 NPC Nationals Lightweight Champ) Interview
Nutrition and Supplementation
By Hugo Rivera, About.com
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