Ever wonder what a 20x cover model eats when they’re leaning down? You’re in luck, we connected with Erin Stern as she gets stage ready to see what she eats during a full day of contest prep. Erin shared tips on her favorite condiments, the ideal pre- and post-workout meals, and her favorite supplement stack as she leans down.
Contest Meal Prep #1
160 g Jade Pearl Rice, 3.7 oz Elk Patty, 1 tbs Hot Sauce
I cook most of my food in advance, then I just heat them up. It saves a lot of time and keeps me on track. I’m prepping now so my calories are lower and it’s important that I stay 100% on point to stay ready for the stage. Even if you’re not a professional physique athlete, I recommend that you at least weigh your foods or track them in some way, we’re often unaware of portion sizes. It’s something to get in the habit of doing and when you want to make changes to your physique it’s easy to do. You can go back, look at food logs and adjust accordingly.
This is rice with bamboo extract, so it has antioxidants added. A fun fact about white rice, if you cook it and cool it you have an increase in resistant starch. Resistant starch is good for gut health, and it can reduce the caloric content of rice.
I like to put condiments on my food. As long as they’re low calorie and low sugar. I sweat a lot and live in Florida, I’m not afraid of salt, it gives great flavor.
I usually eat breakfast an hour and a half to an hour before I train. This gives my body enough time to digest this good fuel, gives me good energy for the gym, and prevents me from feeling like I have a bowling ball in my stomach while I’m training. I focus on eating my breakfast and the workout ahead.
Contest Meal Prep #2
10.5 oz Greek Yogurt, 6 Rice Cakes
I trained leg and glutes today, so I need something quick to digest. Post-workout, the muscles are sensitive to protein. I have two Greek yogurts and half a sleeve of rice cakes. I try to increase my carbohydrates a little in hopes of recomping as I’m working towards the show.
I will typically have four meals during the day but in the offseason my meals are larger. I’m working on a caloric deficit now as I’m getting ready for the stage.
Contest Meal Prep #3
4 oz Ground Turkey, ¾ cup of Oats
I do a rolling meal prep, as I run out of food, I’ll make a batch of more food. This meal is turkey and oats. I like to think of ground turkey as a blank slate, if you’re able to season it, you can make it taste pretty good. I’ve seasoned mine with basil, garlic, Cayenne pepper, desert salt, smoked paprika, and a peppercorn medley. Another point, if you like cinnamon, look for Ceylon cinnamon.
I eat a lot of my meals in the office because I like to eat and work at the same time.
Contest Meal Prep #4
4 oz Ground Venison, 80 g Jade Pearl Rice, 8 oz Carrots
This meal is going to be a bit of a mélange of things because I’m running a little low on my venison. I’m going to finish that and whatever protein is left. I’ll add a little bit of rice, baby carrots, and maybe cucumber. I’m trying to keep my fat intake down to essential fats as I’m leaning down.
Erin’s Favorite Contest Prep Stack
C4 Ripped Sport: It’s my pre-workout. I love that its third party certified. It has caffeine, beta-alanine, and citrulline malate.
XTEND Ripped: Because I’m in a caloric deficit I’m looking for that extra bit of health when I’m leaning down. It has CLA and black pepper extract. It also helps me drink more water so it’s great to have during workouts and throughout the day.