Best diet or cleanse for SHORT TERM results?

LaurenAOK
LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know I'll probably get a lot of snark on this thread; in fact, I'm usually the one PROVIDING snark on threads like these. But let me explain a little!

I'm in a pageant at my university which is taking place this February, and there's a bikini portion of the competition which I'm super nervous about it. I've been working hard, eating well and working out to achieve results the right way, and I'm pretty happy with my body. However, I still want to make sure I feel extra confident that day. I get bloated fairly easily; I wake up with a flat stomach, but by the end of the day I feel like I have a pot belly. So I'm looking for something I can do the week of or even just the few days before the competition that will lean me out just a little bit extra and make sure I keep that flat stomach look on stage.

Starving myself the day of or the day before is not an option - I don't believe in starvation, and I also don't want to get dizzy on stage. So I'm looking for something that will allow me to eat/drink a little, like a cleanse or "detox" or something.

I REALIZE that with any cleanse or crash diet, most of what I'll lose is water weight. I REALIZE the weight will probably come back as soon as I eat normally again. I don't care about that right now. I literally only want to do this for a week tops, so I look extra good for the competition. That's all.

So have any of you tried a short term thing that has really made you look/feel great? Please share.

Replies

  • art3mislecter
    art3mislecter Posts: 57 Member
    If you get bloated on a daily basis, have you tried watching your sodium? Also, if you drink soda, even diet, that can lead to bloating. I would make sure to cut those things out for the week of the competition.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    have you looked into intermittent fasting at all??
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    If you get bloated on a daily basis, have you tried watching your sodium? Also, if you drink soda, even diet, that can lead to bloating. I would make sure to cut those things out for the week of the competition.

    Thanks, I definitely will! I don't drink soda at all, and I try to stay away from most processed foods, though I do eat them occasionally. But even when I eat mainly "clean" foods I still get bloated. Protein shakes are the worst. It sucks because I love them but they make my stomach HUGE.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    have you looked into intermittent fasting at all??

    Actually, I have! I've been thinking about it lately. My hesitation is that I'm so used to eating breakfast now that I wake up starving, so I'm afraid starting IF would be miserable at first haha. But I kind of want to suck it up and try it out!
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    My suggestion would be to get your hands on a copy of Lyle MacDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Handbook (RFL). It is essentially a very low calorie diet with very high protein intake. I wouldn't recommend it for a long period of time, but if you have the discipline you will lose weight on it. You just need to keep up regular weight training.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    In addition to sodium, have you ever watched your potassium intake? The sodium/potassium balance is actually more important than gross sodium for most people. Yin and yang if you will.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Fruit Flush. It's a 3 day program. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-fruit-flush-diet
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    have you looked into intermittent fasting at all??

    Actually, I have! I've been thinking about it lately. My hesitation is that I'm so used to eating breakfast now that I wake up starving, so I'm afraid starting IF would be miserable at first haha. But I kind of want to suck it up and try it out!

    you're going to have to have an extra bigger dinner one night . start skipping breakfast once or twice a week. little by little.

    i'd look into specific articles the specify women and intermittent fasting. i remember something about how women shouldn't do the typical 16/8 that men can do due to different hormones.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    My suggestion would be to get your hands on a copy of Lyle MacDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Handbook (RFL). It is essentially a very low calorie diet with very high protein intake. I wouldn't recommend it for a long period of time, but if you have the discipline you will lose weight on it. You just need to keep up regular weight training.

    Thank you, I'll look into that! It sounds interesting. I already enjoy weight training so that won't be a problem.
    In addition to sodium, have you ever watched your potassium intake? The sodium/potassium balance is actually more important than gross sodium for most people. Yin and yang if you will.

    It's funny that you mention that, I have heard that and no I haven't actually tracked my potassium (I don't track any food any more because calorie counting was getting obsessive and I've been able to lose weight without it). However, when I got blood work done earlier this year they said the only thing that was abnormal was that my potassium levels were a bit high. So I don't think that's the problem? Who knows though!
  • dunlunicor
    dunlunicor Posts: 189 Member
    Does your protein shake have dairy ingredients (whey protein or made with milk)? Because if that's what's bloating you, you might have a slight dairy allergy/intolerance. Might help to just cut out all dairy for a few days before. I'd try it for a few days now to see if it might help.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    have you looked into intermittent fasting at all??

    Actually, I have! I've been thinking about it lately. My hesitation is that I'm so used to eating breakfast now that I wake up starving, so I'm afraid starting IF would be miserable at first haha. But I kind of want to suck it up and try it out!

    you're going to have to have an extra bigger dinner one night . start skipping breakfast once or twice a week. little by little.

    i'd look into specific articles the specify women and intermittent fasting. i remember something about how women shouldn't do the typical 16/8 that men can do due to different hormones.

    Some women can do it, some can't. Recommendation is to start with 14/10 and try 16/8 if you wish. One early symptom that 16/8 isn't for you is sleep disruptions.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    have you looked into intermittent fasting at all??

    Actually, I have! I've been thinking about it lately. My hesitation is that I'm so used to eating breakfast now that I wake up starving, so I'm afraid starting IF would be miserable at first haha. But I kind of want to suck it up and try it out!

    you're going to have to have an extra bigger dinner one night . start skipping breakfast once or twice a week. little by little.

    i'd look into specific articles the specify women and intermittent fasting. i remember something about how women shouldn't do the typical 16/8 that men can do due to different hormones.

    Some women can do it, some can't. Recommendation is to start with 14/10 and try 16/8 if you wish. One early symptom that 16/8 isn't for you is sleep disruptions.

    Thank you guys, I'll definitely look more into this. It may be something I want to try out long-term; I've seen some people have great results with it! And honestly, it'd fit my schedule better; I hate having to get up extra early to eat :laugh:
    Does your protein shake have dairy ingredients (whey protein or made with milk)? Because if that's what's bloating you, you might have a slight dairy allergy/intolerance. Might help to just cut out all dairy for a few days before. I'd try it for a few days now to see if it might help.

    Nah, I make them with almond milk and sometimes fruit or cocoa powder! That's still a good suggestion though. I think no matter what, I'm going to try to eat totally "raw" for a week or two before the competition. Hopefully that will eliminate anything that might be bloating me.
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    For a short term I'd just low carb it. Knock all the water weight out. Short term as in a week.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I agree with the RFL or just plain low carb it for the short term.
  • Keto_T
    Keto_T Posts: 673 Member
    i agree with low carb the week before. Also stay away from carbonated drinks and anything that might make you gassy. Drink lots of water the week before.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    Thank you all for the suggestions. I really appreciate people being genuinely helpful and not just saying, "forget the short term stuff!"

    I'll look more into the suggestions and come up with a game plan over the next couple of months. It looks like the week before I'll probably end up eating raw, high protein and low carb. I'm also considering starting IF just for the heck of it. Thanks again everyone!
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Cleanses and detoxes won't help you attain what you're looking for. They're "new age" scams. Here's an article by Tom Venuto (a competitive natural bodybuilder) on short-term contest prep:

    http://community.hypemuscle.com/forums/mens-bodybuilding-contest-preparation/458-final-week-contest-prep-tom-venuto.html
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Massive prune intake. You'll flush and cleanse.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,219 Member
    I agree with the RFL or just plain low carb it for the short term.
    Yeah, low carb does get rid of water weight and we look slimmer, but the muscle is flat, so the day before your pageant, start eating high carb (after 4 days of very low carb and a few good workouts), this replaces the water in the muscle fiber, pumping/plumping up and makes a big difference in vacularity and generally look more muscular. Be careful not to eat too many carbs because after glycogen is full you'll get spillover and look flabbier, it works.
  • mambagirl
    mambagirl Posts: 137 Member
    Steak,Leek soup,Chicken breast,Asparagus,eggs,Unflavored Green or Oolong Tea,LOTS of water until 2 days before the contest...NO water the day before.My cousin Just did the Victoria secret fashion show and that is her "Pre Show" diet...basically low carb with lots of diuretic(SP) veggies.I tried it once and lost 10 pounds in 3 days and it did stay off...its just boring for the long term and your urine smells funny with all the asparagus and leeks....Also had to use the salt free seasonings.
  • zuchy
    zuchy Posts: 40 Member
    Disclaimer: I don't particularly agree with the short term malarky, but I get how in your situation it's what you need now.

    As others have said:

    - eliminate added salt, don't go for salty foods
    - nothing processed
    - drink loads of green tea (unsweetened)
    - few carbs and mostly wholegrain
    - go nuts with fresh vegetables and fruit (preferably citrus fruits)
    - no red meat for protein, go for fish, turkey or chicken. I suppose vegetable protein would work too, but cannot guarantee for that one.
    - no dairy

    It will work short term, not sustainable for life.

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