PNBA 2x Bikini Divas Natural Olympia champ Kayla Rowling shares her pre-contest breakfast a couple of weeks from INBA PNBA’s World Championships.
Natural bodybuilders follow a different nutrition strategy in-season than off-season, especially as the competition approaches. Pre-contest diets for natural bodybuilders are the most rigid, and each calorie and macro counts since pre-contest meals are only a few weeks from the competition. For example, Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) athlete Kayla Rowling is a couple of weeks away from her first international bikini competition of the year–the World Championships in Florence, Italy. And she shared what her pre-contest breakfast looks like.
Kayla Rowling is an International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/PNBA 2x Natural Olympia champion. She competes in the Bikini Divas category and is the reigning champ. Rowling also has a multi-media contract with Generation Iron, Iron Man Magazine, and the INBA PNBA. She recently took over Iron Man Magzine’s Instagram account and shared how her breakfast looks three weeks out. Rowling stated:
“Egg whites are a staple in my diet and I eat them all year long for Meal 1! I can’t wait until after Italy when I can replace the asparagus with my long lost love… oatmeal! ???? perhaps.. a whole egg?! ???????? oh how I miss the yolk! Delayed gratification is a beautiful thing!
Meal deets: 5 egg whites or 150g, 5 asparagus spears – I make them in the air fryer on 385 degrees for 10 minutes depending on their thickness, handful of mushrooms – I try to buy organic as much as possible!, seasonings: onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper”
You can see her full post by Iron Man Magzine below.
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Kayla Rowling’s Pre-contest Breakfast
Kayla’s Rowling pre-contest breakfast consists of protein and vegetables. She eats five egg whites/150g, which has 17g of protein. Protein is vital for bodybuilders since it helps them maintain their muscle mass.
Asparagus is beneficial because it contains few calories–essential during pre-contest when bodybuilders are in a caloric deficit–but it’s high in nutrients, including iron, zinc, riboflavin, and vitamins. As a result, asparagus has many health benefits, such as improving digestive health and lowering blood pressure. But when it comes to weight loss, it helps because it’s low in calories, high in water, and rich in fiber.
Mushrooms are also beneficial when cutting weight and body fat since they’re rich in fiber, protein, and antioxidants but low in calories.
Pre-contest Dieting
Pre-contest diets are extreme and rigid and can lead to adverse health consequences. Other INBA PNBA bodybuilders have shared their experiences with pre-contest dieting and its potential negative side effects. For example, PNBA Bikini competitor Amanda Martin says that the goal of contest prep is to get in the best physical condition to be on stage. But according to Martin, contest prep can lead to irritability, unbalanced hormones, loss of energy, and sleep disruption. And PNBA competitor Ben Howard expressed how his sleep suffered during contest prep.
Moreover, eating enough calories is vital to building muscle. That’s why natural bodybuilders only have short spurts in pre-contest dieting and spend ample time in a caloric surplus to focus on building muscle. Brandon Lirio has made it a point to say that you need to have time to bulk during the year as a natural bodybuilder to rebalance your hormones and improve your physique.
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