Nutrition is a very bug subject and I've divided it into a few categories to help you out :

Nutrition
Nutritional Guidelines
Cardio & Diet for Weight Loss
Last week
"One Day" Pre-Contest Diet


Nutrition

When I speak of building blocks, this section is where it begins. At your
local grocery store is where the beautiful bodies of the world fuel their
engines to run and win in the race of life. Muscles are built with protein.
Chicken, fish, eggs, lean beef, turkey and of course protein shakes. Size
is fueled by caloric consumption. Energy foods, complex carbohydrates,
potatoes, rice, pasta, yams and whole grains. Never neglect the importance
of fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, watermelon, broccoli,
asparagus, carrots and corn. This is where the balanced diet for weight
training and recovery thrives. Mix and match your foods to your specific
desire but remember if you crave a certain junk food, earn it! Train for
the special occasion to reward your hard work with whatever type of food
you are craving, then jump back in the saddle and train like it never
happened!

Stay focused !

Eric Dilauro

Nutritional Guidelines

Before any real progress as a bodybuilder can be made, the groundwork must
be laid out as to what fuel you will need to build lean body Mass! I will
give a few examples of what I do to gain Mass and still keep my body lean
and hard for photo shoots, appearances and intense workouts! In
Bodybuilding 101, every athlete must remember," You are what you eat!" That
is to say, if you eat a lot of junk, you will look like junk! Now, the
first thing you must do as an athlete is to find and memorize your
resources for the best overall nutrition that will fuel and energize your
workouts. Secondly, bear in mind that when your in the gym, your tearing
down your body and muscles. Eating, along with rest and recovery, will
build your body back up so you can live to fight another day. I call this,
"Survival!" Training is hard enough, but when you have to endure foods that
are specifically for energy and recovery there is very little room for
foods that taste good! That being said, you must realize there are several
sacrifices one must make if he/she wants to seriously take their bodies to
the next level.

Step number one: Learn how to cook!

Step number two: Read the labels for extra fat, sodium and sugar.

Step number three: Learn to be creative with no salt seasonings, low fat
additives, and simple flavorings like onion, bell pepper, mushroom.

Step number four: Learn to Bake, Broil, Boil, Barbecue and Sauté.

Step number five: Learn to eat every Three hours.

Finally, step number five: Learn how to shop for yourself and add more
vegetables, skinless chicken, lean beef, fresh fish, egg whites, potatoes, rice, pasta, fresh fruits and lots of water! Simple basics for Bodybuilding 101, don't forget your vitamins and minerals:

Meal #1: 10 egg white w/ 2 yolks
Lg. Bowl of Oatmeal (Old Fashioned)
2 Bananas
2 pcs. Whole Wheat Toast --- Water, Coffee, Vitamins &
Minerals

Meal #2: 3 pcs. Skinless Chicken
Lg. Bowl of Rice (White or Brown)
Cup of Mixed Nuts ---- Iced Tea w/ Lemon

Meal #3: NY Steak
2 Baked Potatoes
Lg. Tossed Green Salad --- Crystal Light Strawberry
flavor

Meal #4: Skinless Chicken Breasts
Lg. Bowl Pasta
Mixed Vegetables (Broccoli, Asparagus, Corn) ---- Water

Meal #5: ¾ lb. Lean Ground Beef 7%
Lg. Bowl Rice

Meal #6: 12 Egg Whites Mixed Nuts ----Water

I try to drink a high-quality protein drink upon waking, before breakfast,
as well as after my training sessions. Total Shakes during Bulking Phase 3.

Stay focused !

Eric Dilauro

Cardio & Diet for Weight Loss

The process of losing weight is one which takes time and consistency. The
extra weight was not put on over night therefore, be patient while trying
to take it off. Allow yourself 12 weeks to adequately remove unwanted body
fat by using a low fat, low carb diet. This program will include a formidable amount of cardio in the form of the treadmill, life cycle, precor machine or recliner cycles. I suggest if your plan is to reduce body fat, that you adjust your diet first by eating more protein and less fats while simultaneously increasing your cardio from a beginning of 30 mins a day 5 days a week for two weeks, to 45 min a day for 4 weeks. Ultimately doing carido 2 times a day for 45 min a session for 4 weeks and winding back down to cardio 30 min a day for 2 weeks. By the end of 12 weeks you should be able to reach your desired goal, as well as have lean muscle from the weight training sessions. Your choices of protein should include:

*Skinless chicken, egg whites, fish, lean beef, tuna, turkey and exclude
protein shakes their loaded with sodium which makes you retain water. When
speaking of low carbs, this does not mean "NO CARBS!" By low I mean, get
your complex carbs in early and taper off as the day wears on. Oats, Brown
Rice, potatoes, pasta, and yams are your best sources of complex carbs to
be ingested by 2 pm. Switch to veggies and salads after you've gotten mid
way through your day as your body will burn off the carbs you've ingested
and by bed time will feed off the body fat left over. Continue to keep
your protein levels high and consume large quantities of water to flush
your system in between meals.

*Add vitamins and minerals to compensate foe any deficiencies you may have
due to your limited choices of foods.

*Use non-stick sprays with no sodium or calories to cook with. Do not add
anything to your meals except natural seasoning and flavors like tomatoes,
garlic, onion, bell peppers and no sodium seasoning.

*There is nothing you "Cannot have" however, if it's off your diet let me
suggest you have it once a week and early in the day so you can burn some
of it off. Be active and out enjoy it, then get right back on your diet and
cardio!

*I don't make specific diets because we are all different but we basically
through trial and error eat the same foods and use the same tools. Find
what works best for you and stay with it long enough to get results!

Stay focused !

Eric Dilauro

Last Week

OK, this is for all those bodybuilders who freak out the last week before
the big show. First, I must tell you I am no guru, nor do I profess that I
have the secret to dial you in for the victory. The victory, if that's
what you're aiming for (and I assume you are) should be in sight about know
since you're at the last week. The work should be done. Tanning, dieting,
training, and posing. You should be withing striking distance from winning
the show. The trophy and the girl if you have done your homework. I can
only tell you what I do in the last days, and hope it can be of some kind
of assistance to your preparation.

Saturday: Seven Days Out
I begin to deplete my carbohydrates. Since I don't count
carbs or calories, I can give you a guideline of what I eat.
During this time I drink roughly 2 ½ gallons of water per day.
1. 2 NY steaks and broccoli.
2. 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts in ½ cup
rice.
3. 12 egg whites and asparagus.
4. 2 NY steaks and broccoli.
5. Large tossed salad and two cans of tuna packed in
water.
6. 12 egg whites.

I basically eat this from Saturday until Tuesday.


On Wednesday, I switch to carb loading.
1. 2 large yams.
2. 2 large yams and a NY steak.
3. 2 cups of oatmeal.
4. 2 cups of oatmeal.
5. 2 large yams, and a NY steak.
6. 2 yams.
I make sure to drink lots of water to maximize the carb
loading.

Thursday, depending how I look, I continue with the same quantity; but add
simple sugars to the mix like strawberry preserves and apple pie filling;
to get the vascularity out, and transport the complex carbs into the
muscle.

Friday. I begin to cut my water intake, and reduce carb intake.

1. 1 yam and apple pie filling.
2. Oatmeal and strawberry preserves.
3. Oatmeal and strawberry preserves.
4. 1 yam and apple pie filling.
5. Steak
6. Steak
By 6 p.m., water is basically cut off. If I feel thirsty, I
drink only to satisfy my thirst, not to flush my body.

Saturday, pre-judging at noon.
1. Baked potato and steak/cup of water.
2. Oatmeal and strawberry preserves, cup of water.

This is my personal program.

Sometimes I eat more or less, but in general this is it. If you're not in
shape before you get to be 7 days out; I can't help you. However, if you
are, then this program may be just what you need to get the trophy.

Stay focused !

Eric Dilauro

"One Day" Pre-Contest Diet


When preparing for the Mr. Canada my diet consists of lots of different
food combinations. However, on any given day, I chose what I want and how
much of it I want to eat. My diet is "Instinctive" meaning, I don't count
calories, weigh my food, nor do I arrange carbs to protein % and all that
scientific stuff. I go by the mirror and by common sense as to what my body
needs or what foods I prefer. This makes dieting much more tolerable and
less of monotonous. I use the mirror instead of the scale because what I
see is in the mirror is what the judges will see onstage. The mirror is my
measure of progress because it will not lie to me and I cannot hide my weak
points. Covered in sweats head to toe, it is easy to believe you're ripped
and ready at a certain body weight but you cant flex fat and the judges
don't ask your weight on stage.

Now on to the diet:
6 am. =1 hr. of cardio Bike or Tread mill
7:30 am =2 NY Steaks Med., Broccoli, 2 slices of Watermelon,
Iced- Tea w/lemon. (Multi- Vit. & Min., Calcium/ Magnesium,
B- Complex. B-6, B-12, Zinc, Lecithin, E, C, and Chromium
Picolinate)
9 am. =Gym Training: Chest, Abs, calves and posing (approx.
1hr. in the gym)
Tanning Salon: 30 mins
10am =12 Egg Whites, ½ cup of Oatmeal Blk Coffee, Iced-Tea
w/Lemon
12:30 pm.= 3 skinless Chicken Breasts, Asparagus and water
Rest, Sleep, Watch a movie or TV
3 pm =3 Skinless Chicken Breasts, Broccoli and water
5 pm. =Gym Training: Bi's & Tri's, posing (approx. 1hr.)
6:30 pm.=2 NY Steaks, ½ a baked potato, Tossed Green Salad,
Iced-Tea
9 pm =12 Egg Whites
10:30pm. =Sleep



Notes:
*Drink plenty of water through out the day, I drink approx. 2 gallons!
*Rest is very important, keep physical activity to a minimum or restrict it
for the gym!
*Be sure to add extra Minerals if you experience any cramping as water
excretion and sweat will eliminate very important minerals that you will
need to replace!

This is only " ONE DAY" I do eat other foods as well, I train other muscles. This is just a typical day on the Road to the Mr. Canada.


Stay focused !

Eric Dilauro