contest day water/sodium

Hey Stephanie,

Good topic for sure - though I think the issue here is more about carbs than water. To achieve the look you want on contest day you have to be well-hydrated obviously. But at the same time, water will only do so much for you because it is the carbs that really hold the water in the muscle:

Water and no carbs = hard and flat

Water and the right amount of carbs = hard and full

As you have read in Joe's work, water follows solute and in this case, water follows carbs into the muscle at a 3:1 ratio. So while the kidneys will maintain fluid dynamics with second by second precision, the carbs are really the key in a properly conditioned and hydrated athlete.

That is the core of the issue - however in practice there are a whole host of variables that must come together to make it work. But when you manage the carbs, the fat, the water, the minerals and the training correctly you look in the mirror and see an all-time best.

Does that make sense?

thanks sean,

that makes sense.  I guess i realize that CHO is a dominant factor over sodium in keeping muscles full and hard;  seems that so many people either manipulate sodium and water excessively or just ignore it all together.  Do you think that all else being perfect, that a bunch of water within an hour of stage would add another 1% without all sorts of confusing protocols?...water in the interstitial space more likely to move into the cell because of CHO (hopefully) stored in the cell or into the vascular system following sodium into the diluted blood?

Water

Carbs

Minerals

In that order.

If you are underhydrated and you have too little sodium, you'll be flat on top of flat - small, squishy, flat. 

If you are underhydrated and you have enough sodium, you will likely be tight, but very flat - small, flat, but maybe still tight.

If you are hydrated and you have too little sodium, you'll not be as small, but will still be flat.

If you are hydrated and have enough sodium, you'll be rock hard and sharp....but if carbs are too low, could be smaller than you need to be.

Add in the right amount of carbs to the best scenario above (hydrated and right amount of sodium) and you're winning shows.

Over-carb yourself and you'll be as full as a house, but smooth as a baby.

Over-carb and underhydrate and you'll be smooth and small and squishy.

Keep water high

Get the carbs right.

Get the sodium and other minerals right.

Thanks Dr. Joe.  Nearly in verse no less.

Hey Steph,

Looks like Joe got to you before I could. You hit on the fact that competitors often times overlook carbs because they are more concerned with minerals and you are right. But look at it this way: If you get it all right like Joe said, that is a tremendous competitive advantage for you. :)

Ha - in verse.....could be a market there:  Peaking Poetry.....

Ha ha..should we design up a poster for you Joe?

Thanks for the post. It is really then a helpful idea for me to properly observe and maintain a carbs plus the water but I freely emphasized that I am also watching over the health of my kidney and I heard a news about the dietary sodium that has been found. Heart health is really made worse with a low sodium diet, according to a new study that is being released. A European study looked at the link between the risk of heart attack and dietary sodium intake. The study found that individuals with a low sodium diet actually had a higher risk of heart attack than individuals who had a high sodium intake. The impact of sodium on heart health may not be as clear as believed. I read this here: Study finds that low-sodium diet does not cut heart risks

this is a surprising fact, but only a small amount (1/3 or so) of hypertensives actually respond to reduced sodium in the diet.  I believe that this number reflects the amount of people that exhibit hypertension in response to acute elevated sodium intake, as well.  this makes sense given the rapid response of the body to maintain appropriate blood osmolarity, cell volume, sodium, blood volume levels.  Blood pressure actually needs to be maintained at an elevated level for quite a period of time before the brain resets the acceptable BP to a higher level--if sodium were the main culprit here, that's quite the chronic high sodium intake.

I didn't read the actual study but based on the article, there didn't seem to be any correction for the fact that those with pre-existing heart disease would be more likely to follow a low sodium diet and thus account the unexpected findings; low sodium diets having more cardiac episodes.  One might argue that those with high sodium urine levels would by definition be at lower risk of cardiac episodes because their body is doing a fine job of expelling the extra solute that could account for higher blood pressure if the sodium levels weren't corrected.

Blood pressure is determined by the total peripheral resistance of blood flow and the amount of blood being circulated; so greater heart rate, greater resistance to flow by way of clogged arteries or constricting blood vessels, or greater volume of blood in the vessels.  solutes (such as sodium) attract fluid into the blood thus creating more blood volume.