Professionally speaking: five fitness competitors give you straight talk about how to eat for winning results - diets: personal accounts

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, August-Sept, 2002 by Kathleen Engel

No one ever said that getting in shape was easy, but for many of us, staying in shape is the real trick. Sure, restrictive diet schemes can whittle away pounds, but they can also pave the way to eating disorders and yo-yo weight patterns where none previously existed. What does it take to look fabulous, exude energy and health, and stay in the game year-round? M&F HERS cajoled five popular fitness pros into disclosing their nutrition protocols, offering proof positive that no one diet, calorie count, food or macronutrient ratio provides the key to success. What does work? Enjoying the feeling of fitness, employing moderation in diet and training habits throughout the year, and keeping fun a part of the equation. But we'll let them speak.

at the table: the players and their stats

Carla Sanchez: 2001 Fitness

International, 18th; 5'3"; 124 pounds

off-season 118 pounds contest

Stacy Simons: 2002 Fitness

International, 5th; 5'61/2"; 148 pounds

off-season, 130-133 pounds contest

Timea Majorova: 2001 Fitness

International, 2nd; 5'8"; 140 pounds

off-season, 135 pounds contest

Laura Mak: 2002 New York Pro

Fitness, 6th; 5'6"; 138 pounds

off-season, 132 pounds contest

Monica Brant: 1998 Fitness Olympia

champ; 5'4"; 130-135 pounds

off-season, 127 pounds contest

M&F HERS: Roughly how many calories do you consume in a day?

LAURA: I don't count: calories exactly, but I'm going to guess it's anywhere between 1,800 and 2,100.

TIMEA: I eat very clean, maybe around 2,000.

STACY: I'd say no less than 2,500. I eat every two hours; I don't worry about eating my last meal at, say, 8 o'clock. If I'm up, I eat. Off-season, the calories would be 3,000-3,500. I tell the truth.

CARLA: Well, right now, sort of off-season, it can be anywhere from 2,500-3,000. In-season, I stay at about 2,000. About three weeks out [from a contest], I'll vary my calories quite a bit. But I never go below 1,600-1,700.

MONICA: When I competed, I tried to get in 2,000-2,200. Since I train less now and not as intensely, I try to take in anywhere from 1,500-1,700.

M&F HERS: How many meals (including snacks) do you eat per day?

LAURA: About six. Sometimes I'll count a 36-gram-protein drink as a meal, which I might have twice during the day.

CARLA: It could be anywhere from 5-8. When it's eight meals, they're very small and my meal interval is 2-2 1/2 hours. Sometimes it's a little handful of something to keep my energy up.

STACY: To be honest, 6-10.

TIMEA: I eat five meals a day, three big meals and two smaller ones, which might be a protein bar or a piece of fruit.

MONICA: I try to eat three meals a day and I usually have about two protein shakes a day. I might eat some fat like peanut butter or nuts, such as cashews, with my shakes.

M&F HERS: Are you trying to gain muscle, lose muscle or maintain muscle?

CARLA: I'm trying to gain muscle to improve my symmetry and V-taper, and I'm also trying to gain strength, power and explosiveness. I eat for performance, getting my jumps higher and for more power and energy, which is why my caloric intake is so high.

LAURA: Honestly, right now, it's more of a maintenance kind of thing, because I don't need to put on much more muscle.

TIMEA: I'm trying to maintain my muscle. I do my routine on exhibition so I need to maintain my condition. Sometimes I go for auditions and [casting agents] don't like you to be too lean; sometimes they want me fuller.

STACY: I'm trying to gain muscle maturity and density. I don't mind gaining more muscle in my upper body, but I want to trim the fat in my lower body.

MONICA: I never really tried to gain too much. I feel like I have a lot of muscle. My legs always overpowered my upper body, so maybe I tried to build some muscle on my upper body. But now, I mostly want to maintain and stay lean. When you're muscular, you tend to look a little thicker if you gain weight.

M&F HERS: Do you use any added fats in your diet?

TIMEA: Yes, it's very important for your skin. That's why I try to eat fish once a day. I like all kinds of nuts -- walnuts, Brazil nuts and almonds. Unsalted, of course, I have to be careful, I like them so much! I used to be scared to eat a little fat, and my hair and skin were so bad, Even on a diet, these healthy fats will make a difference; your skin, hair and nails will look so beautiful.

STACY: I add flax oil to my diet when I remember to take it. Of course, [I also eat] peanuts, peanut butter, almonds.

M&F HERS: What is your macronutrient ratio for off-season and precontest (percentage of calories from protein, carbohydrates and fat)?

STACY: I don't even know percent-age-wise, except I try to keep my protein high, my carbs and fats moderate. The percentage definitely fluctuates; the carbs go up in the off-season, just a little bit. Keeping the protein high helps me stay leaner in the off-season, even if I'm not in contest shape.

TIMEA: Right now, it's 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat. If I stop eating that much protein, I see I Jose my muscle a little. Precontest, it's more like 60% protein, 20% carbs, 20% fat.

LAURA: Quite honestly, I never worked that out. Eight to 10 weeks out [from a contest], I'll do four meals of carbs. Six to eight weeks out, I'll do three meals of carbs. About five weeks out, I'll bring it down to two servings of carbs. I average between 30 and 36 grams of protein per meal. When I'm not as regimented on my diet, I'll still eat three or four carb meals.