1. As somebody here said, lose the fat slowly by starting your diet early. Start your diet four to six months before the competition, losing between 0.5 to 2 pounds per week, but no more than that. Cut your calories gradually and not drastically.
2. As everyone said, keep your protein high, 1.5 to 2 grams per pound of body weight.
3. Don't cut carbs too much or too fast.
4. Keep fat low throughout your diet, but not too low. Like somebody mentioned above, consume good fats, fish oil, flaxseed oil, etc.
5. Don't do too much cardio.
6. Eat something within thirty minutes of waking up. The sooner the better.
7. Eat protein and fiber right before going to bed.
8. If you are a hard gainer, don't do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach. That is a great way for you to lose muscle.
9. Try Glutamine powder, 10g with your morning meal, 10g with your bedtime meal, 10g before training and 10g after training.
10. Never forget to consume protein right after your workout.
11. Keep lifting heavy through your diet. Don't switch to light weight and high reps in hopes that this will help you burn more calories. That's what cardio and diet are for. Lifting weights is for gaining and maintaining muscle mass.
Good luck!
