precontest: to salt load or not?

[hoteacher]

I am having a debate with my husband right now on what to do in order to prepare for my april contest! I am currently 9 weeks out. I had a trainer (no longer working with him) who believed in the salt loading process...drink tons of tap water and salt everything until wed before the contest and then no salt and push the distilled water until friday before at 5 pm..then no water.

I am a little afraid of this approach. The washing away of all electrolytes in my system (I already have complications with my kidneys with which I was born with) scares me a bit.

Now, talking to some others...they believe in the NO SALT APPROACH starting RIGHT NOW. They believe in 2.5 gallon water consumption of ANY TYPE OF WATER and start cutting water 5 days befoere, 20% at a time, until no water day of contest. I personally cannot imagine eating all of this food without any seasonings. I guess I will use salt free seasonings in place? Are the salt free seasonings full of chemicals to replace taste?

PLEASE HELP!!!!! I AM LOST!!!!!

 

[Mr.X]

Don't eat or drink salt, that's ludicrous. You can eat a normal diet until wed. then start distilled water on wed.

It will be very harmful for your kidneys to take in salt in large quantities, then lose salts in large quantities. You have to keep your body is homeostasis.

 

[hoteacher]

Thank You Mr. X,

I thought that procedure may be dangerous.

 

[Lifterforlife]

Don't eat or drink salt, that's ludicrous. You can eat a normal diet until wed. then start distilled water on wed.

It will be very harmful for your kidneys to take in salt in large quantities, then lose salts in large quantities. You have to keep your body is homeostasis.

Agreed 100% with this. The sodium/potassium manipulation is very dicey at best. I would up your potassium.

 

[Themachine01]

Too risky in my opinion. I tried the salt load once and it fucked my stomach up so bad that I had trouble posing from the cramps and nausous feeling.

 

[alex2678]

I was just having this conversation with a gym employee last week. She mentioned that she keeps her salt intake normal until 2 days before her show where she cuts it completely. Water was cut the night before the show. Salt loading seems too risky in my opinion.