Freak Fitness

After another successful winning streak for my clients across the country, Freak Fitness athletes have built a reputation, almost an expectation now, for being front-runners no matter what show or division they compete in.

Many of my clients have commented to me on how different their pre-contest diets are when compared to fellow competitors, and how different their conduct is backstage at shows. Throughout their prep, many of my clients are asked, “Are you allowed that in your diet?” or “Does your coach know you’re eating that?” Many times, my clients feel somewhat isolated backstage because they feel uncomfortable watching many of the other competitors suffer. While many of their fellow competitors look exhausted and lethargic and are overheard complaining about how they can’t get a pump before stage time, my clients are eating potato chips, drinking pop (not diet), and many times have to stop pumping up early because they get blown up so fast. Following a show, I then get inundated with messages about how good my clients looked despite their “abnormal” eating and drinking habits. Well, I’m going to fill you in about one of our little secrets, our “weapon X,” if you will … sodium!

Although different athletes require different amounts of sodium, the bottom line is that all athletes who want to achieve optimal performance and the best cosmetic effect from their nutrition and training efforts need sodium!

I realize that, for the general population, many of whom suffer from high blood pressure, are overweight, and are inactive, following a diet lower in sodium is a very good practice. But there are a number of reasons why sodium is your new best friend:

Food Tastes Better
Let’s admit it, pre-contest foods are typically bland and boring. Baked chicken breast, plain rice, and steamed broccoli can’t be considered “gourmet.” But when you’re able to add sodium-containing seasoning salt, soya sauce, and light salad dressing to this same meal, it sure makes these meals quite a lot more appealing. I’ve found one of the simplest ways to gain and maintain meal plan compliance is to make the meals taste better, and sodium sure does that.

Athletes sweat more and lose sodium through sweating
Hardworking athletes in pre-contest training are hitting the gym once or twice daily, some even three times. Each time they train, they will sweat profusely from the effort. They can further exacerbate their sweating by taking a thermogenic fat burner and/or pre-workout energy-boosting supplement. Aside from water, sodium is one of the main elements excreted, and, just like the water, sodium also needs to be replaced. Adding sodium-containing condiments such as hot sauce or mustard to food will help replace what is lost through sweating and maintain adequate levels of sodium for that athlete.

Sodium Increases Blood Volume
Athletes who follow a low-sodium diet have reduced blood volume. Low blood volume creates an environment of reduced oxygen and nutrients available to hardworking muscles, and reduces the body’s ability to flush post-workout toxins and muscle contraction by-products. When sodium intake is optimal, athletes achieve increased muscle pumps, improved performance, and enhanced recovery.

Now that I’ve shown you that sodium is your friend, not foe, for helping you achieve your bodybuilding and physique goals, I encourage you to start using hot sauce with your egg whites, ketchup with your potatoes, and calorie-wise creamy poppy seed dressing with your cucumbers, and enjoy that perpetual muscle pump!

Can sodium make you fat? We explore more about this controversial mineral here!