October 31, 2013 - Constantly Making Adjustments During Prep & Variables

Comparison Pictures - 2012 (Top) vs. 2013 (Bottom) - Top image was 151ish lbs.  Bottom image was 152ish lbs.  My next offseason, I will invest more time in a caloric surplus.  I spent 3-4 months of bulking between the 2 pictures and I probably have gained 1-2 lbs of LBM.  Life of a natty ;P

I woke up this morning at 151.6 lbs!  That’s almost a 2 lb. drop from last week!  I need to slow this train down as I’m losing weight too quickly, putting LBM retention and performance at risk.  I brought my calories down from 2300 to 2100 calories last week because I did not witness a goaled measurable weight loss from last week to prior week (goal is 0.5-1.0 lbs. of loss per week).  My training hasn’t changed and I have yet incorporate cardio into the mix.  I did have a great experience cleaning up my carbs from the tasty processed variety (cereal and ice cream) to potatoes.  I had great experience with potatoes last year during my prep.  I found spuds to be very easily digestible by my body.  Perhaps that’s why the weight loss slowdown occurred 2 weeks ago when I decided I had to make that change from 2300 to 2100 calories—I was intestinally backed up.  I’m bringing the dial back up to 2300 and continue eating potato wedges, baked potato, fries, and hash browns for my main source of carbs and see what happens.

Current macros on reg days +200 calories (+50g carbs):
230g P, 230g C, 50g F = 2300 calories

Current macros on refeed:
150g-230g P, 400g-480g C, 50gF = 3000 calories

So, Variables....

There are 2 main variables that I like to tinker with when dieting—cutting or gaining, and I like to play with one while keeping the other constant so it’s more controlled.  (1) Diet and (2) Training.

By keeping training constant—same intensity, same routine from week to week—you will burn roughly X amount of calories from week to week.  It changes little.  Your calorie burn is now fixed, then you can play with your diet and consume less calories to cut, or more calories to burn.  In contrast, you can do the opposite.  Eat the same amount of calories each day and do more work (burn more calories) to cut, or do less work (burn less calories) to gain.  I like to let my diet govern my goals for the most part.  My training changes little if any between offseason and contest prep.  The only thing that changes is my diet—eat more to grow, eat less to shred.  I consider cardio as supplemental as I do not do it during my offseason and I am not too big of a fan of it.  Cardio is a useful tool to increase caloric expenditure, but the drawback is that for any type of cardio, it runs the risk of catabolism.  It is just the nature of cardio exercises.  I put off cardio until the very end and only if I really need it.  

October 28th, 2013 - Updates & Contest Plans!

Today's weight: 152.8 lbs.

It's funny.  I originally started this Summer Shred experiment to lean out for the Summer.  I was new to the flexible dieting/IIFYM/IF lifestyles and it is amazing how much you can learn and implement in such a short span of time.  I looked at myself, my continued success with this diet, and thought about the idea of competing again.  As of this morning, I weigh 152.8 lbs, the lightest I have been this year.  I stepped on stage last December at 148.0 lbs @ ~5-6% bf, so I am not far from stage weight.  I hope I have made SOME gains in the past year, but let's say I haven't.  That would mean I am less than 5 lbs away from last year's stage weight.  If I did make 1-2 lbs of gains (hopefully in the legs department--I have small legs), then I should be just as well conditioned as last year at about 150 lbs.  But if a competition is what I want to do, I want to bring a better package than last year.

Last year's contest prep plan:
-cyclical ketogenic diet--ultra low carbs, ultra low calories
-traditional approach to food choices--chicken/tilapia, broccoli, and almond butter
-traditional approach to 6 small meals a day, feed every 2-3 hours
-mentally and physically difficult w/ minimal energy and decrease in performance
-life revolved around contest prep--no life balance (thank you, Then-Girlfriend-Now-Fiancee, for sticking by me even though I was probably a stink to be around)

This year's contest prep approach:
-flexible dieting/IIFYM/IF approach
-low fat, maximize carb intake for maximum performance
-meal frequency and meal timing is irrelevant--eat what I want when I want so long as it fits my macros
-this time last year at 152 lbs, I felt like shit--I feel 100x better today with this new diet approach
-balance is key--if my Fiancee wants to eat out, I'll consider eating out too given the restaurant provides nutrition information

What show am I going to compete in?  Honestly, I'm not 100% sure.  I'm taking a different approach to the way I select my shows.  Instead of pointing one out 5-6 months out and going all in for that target date, I'm going to do it ass backwards to allow for a much more stress-free experience.  I'll just focus on getting shredded and getting prepared for a show.  When I am getting close to the level of condition that I am happy with, I will then select the show.  The next show that I may be ready for is the 2013 NPC Excalibur (the same show and production that I competed at last year) on December 14th, 2013.  I may be cutting it close to be ready in time for that show, and in case I am not completely happy with my physique by that time, I'll just aim for another show in January or whenever I feel like I can deliver the best physique that I can carve out.  It's not about entering a show just to compete, but to showcase the best damned physique you can possibly deliver.  And sometimes it takes much longer than expected--that's okay!  Rome wasn't built over night, right?  Also beginning 2014 will be the end of my membership in the NPC.  It's been a great experience, but I am a natural bodybuilder and would love to continue competing at a more even playing field.  I will look into other bodybuilding organizations that are drug-tested, such as the NANBF, OCB, INBA, and so forth.  I don't know a great deal about these organizations yet, so I will need to do my research on them.

Here's a great video by Eric Helms from Team 3DMJ on expanding on the different major natural bodybuilding organizations, as well as the controversial topics in natural bodybuilding:

What started to be just an experiment with flexible dieting to lean out for the Summer has now become contest prep just because I am having such a great experience with dieting thus far with this method.  On that note, I strongly recommend that you keep your mind open, maintain a student mentality, read the facts and take all of it with a grain of salt, be open to try new things, and just keep learning.  You never know what you might come up on that works better for you and completely change everything you knew about bodybuilding.

So that's it for today!  I dropped 0.4 lbs versus last week and I had chips and beer on Saturday on my refeed day (it was a Halloween party so I had to enjoy myself).  The contest prep journeys on!

Current macros--

Regular Days:
2100 calories
230g protein
180g carbs
50g fat

Refeed Day:
3000-3200 calories
230g protein
400-450g carbs
50g fat

Current Training Plan--Goal: burn as many calories as possible through lifting weights; I hate cardio and will only utilize this method of burning calories if my joints/muscles are sore

6 days on, 1 day off
Push/Pull/Legs, repeat, off
Currently no cardio, but will consider adding cardio on off day

October 14th, 2013 - Diets & Being Sick

Everyone got flu shots at work last week -- except me.  "I haven't got the flu shot in over 5 years and I've been fine!"  I caught a gnarly cold, and the Santa Ana winds carried a wonderful slew of allergies that have pummeled my immune system.  Whenever I'm ill, the number one priority is to get better so I can get back on track with my fitness goals.  This is what I do to speed up the healing process:

[1] Increase calories close to or at maintenance (since I've been cutting and on a caloric deficit).  Your body's metabolic rate increases a smidge when you are sick or injured.  I increased the calories about 200-400 with carbs and protein.  Your body needs all the energy it can get to heal, so don't deprive it from doing its job.
[2] If it's not a major headache, stomach flu, or major fever (all of which make is my kryptonite and keeps me in PJs and in bed); I actually like to continue to train.  I believe that a de-load type work out to increase flow in the body can speed up the recovery process.  Plus, I actually tend to feel pretty good and normal when I work out while I'm sick.
[3] Don't look at the scale because whenever your body is stressed from illness or injury, increased water retention is likely to occur.  Digestion function may be slowed as well.  So scale weight can be expected to increase.  Don't step on the scale when you're sick, but if you do, don't let the number get the best of you.  Let your body do it's thing and heal properly.

The faster you heal, the faster you can get back on the grind!  Once again, don't let bodybuilding rule your life.  Take care of your priorities first!

October 10th, 2013 - I'm Back!

Wow, so much for staying consistent with my updates!  If you have been following all this time, I apologize for my absence.  You can find me regularly on these social networks:

facebook.com/swolexperiments
instagram.com/way_protein

A lot has happened since my last update!  I have taken some time off and traveled, made a change in my career, and most importantly, got ENGAGED!  Those are three valid reasons that explain my hiatus and I cannot be HAPPIER!  Can you recall me constantly repeating the ol' mantra, "Bodybuilding should enhance every aspect of your life"?  Well, it most certainly did.

My last progress update was June 22nd and I weighed in at a strong and fluffy 167.8 lbs.  Fast forward to today, 16 weeks later, I am happy to report that I am a much leaner 153.6 lbs.  There were weeks in between that I stayed at maintenance or just estimated calories to be at around maintenance during my 2-3 weeks of travel and vacationing, but I averaged about a pound of weight loss per week.  The slower the weight of weight loss, the less of the impact you feel from it.  Even today, at about 14 lbs. lighter, I still have not felt hungry, or overly fatigued.  Last year when I prepped for my first competition, I felt like turd at this body weight and I was much weaker and felt much more fatigued.

Here's a few snapshots of my transformation:

The original plan for a "Summer Shred" has gone longer than expected, but I'm okay with it!  I never imagined myself feeling this energetic and healthy at this point in the diet.  I haven't done anything too different since I began except slowly and steadily dropping calories.  I've also become MUCH more lenient with my fat and carbohydrate intake.  

Here are my priorities in my diet & nutrition:

#1 - Hit caloric goal (it is now 2300 calories)

#2 - At minimum, hit my protein requirement of 230g

#3 - If I have a high fat day, I decrease carbs; if I have a high carb day, I decrease fat; so long as #1 and #2 are met, carbs and fat can be pretty much anything

#4 - Food choices, meal frequency, meal timing is irrelevant 

...And that's it!  Sure, my PR's in my main lifts have dropped a bit, but that's to be expected on a cut, especially after being in a caloric deficit since what -- March?  April?  Damn!  A few learnings though...

I am an individual that when keeping carbs high, the rate of fat loss is slowed; thus I have to incorporate days where I am essentially doing keto (carbs less than 100g).  I love keeping carbs high because of it's direct effect on performance.  When carb intake is high, you feel stronger, fuller, and when lean, look better!  So I mix in days of keto with days of high carb.  For example, this is typically how my week looks like:

SATURDAY:  Carb load at ~3200 calories -- drop protein intake to 1g of protein per lb. of bodyweight and drop fats to maximize carb intake -- it looks something like 150g P / 500g C / 50g F.  Since the calorie level is probably higher than my maintenance level, I need to keep fats as low as possible to avoid possible fat storage.  In "The Ketogenic Diet," Lyle recommends a cap of 88g fat when carb loading.  Someone of my size (since I'm only 5'6" and weighing in the 150s), is not recommended to surpass 65g fat.  I train LEGS with a focus on DEADLIFTS on this day.
SUNDAY: 2300 calories -- but is my rest day, and a day that I like to allow more freedom in my macros so I can balance my life and allow myself to eat out with my Fiancee and friends.  As long as I meet 150g of protein, carbs and fats can be whatever it ends up being, so long as I do not surpass the 2300 calorie threshold.
MONDAY: 2300 calories -- PUSH DAY - CHEST / SHOULDERS / TRICEPS.  I am replenished with glycogen and am rested from the previous 2 days.  I will keep carbs under 100g and do something like a keto day.  Carbs can be as low as 50g, but I shoot for anything under 100g.  My macros can look like 230g P / 50g C / 120g F.  As mentioned, I am lenient with hitting macros.  So long as I meet my protein and caloric goals, and carbs are under 100g, then I fill in the remainder of my calories with fat.
TUESDAY: 2300 calories - PULL DAY - BACK / BICEPS.  I will continue to repeat the diet from Monday.
WEDNESDAY: 2300 calories - LEGS - SQUAT FOCUS.  I will continue to repeat the diet from Monday, but if I feel like I need a boost of energy, I'll maximize my carb intake.  230g P / 220g C / 50g F.  Same principle on being lenient.  I like to go through this being as flexible and organic as possible as long as I meet my over arching goal of 0.5 - 1.0 lbs. of fat loss per week while keeping gym performance as high as possible.
THURSDAY: Repeat Monday training, but will high carb it if I feel like it's necessary.
FRIDAY: Repeat Tuesday training, but will high carb it if I feel like it's necessary.
SATURDAY: ...the cycle repeats.

On the subject of keto and low carb, did you know that the brain uses approximately 100g of carbs for fuel per day?  I spent idle time reading while travelling and I read various publications by Lyle McDonald like "The Ultimate Diet 2.0, "A Guide to Flexible Dieting," and "The Ketogenic Diet."  I find it absolutely fascinating when the mechanics of the body is explained scientifically.  If you have not read any of these publications, I highly recommend it!  If you google them, you can find free PDF versions of them.  And as always, question everything but keep your mind open.  I consider all anecdotal facts in diet, nutrition, and training; and will try it before I knock it.

Anyway, until next time!  The quest for ab veins continue... Cheers!