The last couple weeks have been hard and frustrating. Taking on a new diet and new outlook on precontest training has been hard to adapt to. It's a new way of thinking, and changing is hard after years of doing the same thing. I think yesterday was the first day in about two or three years I didn't have some sort of protein shake right out of bed (now that I am doing cardio on an empty stomach in the AM). But I am finally starting to sink into the swing of things. The hardest changes have been AM cardio and figuring out an optimal postworkout shake/not having a postworkout meal an hour after lifting.
Precontest I have always focused on the scale as the number one resource to view my progress. It has never been a problem trying to cut weight per se (it feels and seems like I'm getting looking better and getting a little more definition), but the number on the scale isn't changing. I've been 186lbs for the last 2 weeks, going up to 189 during one of the first days on the diet. After doing 3 sessions of cardio yesterday, I swore I was going to at least see some change in weight this morning...but nothing. I feel good...lean but still fairly full, I figure I just need to keep tweaking things until I see some change on the scale. I would be happy...check that, ecstatic, with a half pound drop. Here are the changes I've made so far this week (keep in mind, this is the second day of these changes):
-AM/PM cardio 30-40 minutes each, no more. One day, add 3rd session of cardio mid day.
-No mixing chicken and fish - concept being the body is already in a calorie deficit, and it is hard for the body to sort and absorb different aminos and minerals at the same time.
-Lift 5 days/week doing arms twice or hams/quad split
-Fat @ meals 2,4,6. Carbs at meals 1,3,5.
-Have the same meals on a daily basis (i.e. meal 1 is the same every day, meal 2 is the same every day, etc.).
-One day/week (preferably off day), carbs only from veggie sources (about 10g/meal). One day/week (friday) increase carbs at carb meals by ~25%
I felt ungodly flat and weak on Friday and Saturday from undercarbing all week (only 2 carb meals), but I carbed up saturday and felt great Sunday, even had a strong lift Sunday as well. Just goes to show how things can change in a very short amount of time. Now that I am doing 3 carb meals/day, and 3 'fat' meals/day I should be able to stay full through the week a little better.
The last thing I'll say about this new 'regime change' is getting up and to the gym every morning around the time they turn on the lights is rough. Once I get into my groove on the stepmill it's not bad, and after I get through the first 5 minutes stepping and squeezing my ass every step I can pretty much zone out. And since I have my last meal at about 8 or 8:30, and I have to get all my food/powders ready the night before, I don't get to bed as early as I'd like (at least early enough to get ample sleep to wake up at 4:30-4:45am). Then add 3 workouts/day 6 days a week to that. So if you see me walking around with my head down looking half asleep...that's why. But alas, 4.5 more weeks...3.5 weeks at this intensity. We'll see where I'm at then.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Paradigm Shift
So I was talking to one of the other trainers, who is an NPC bodybuilder, about my training and problems and he threw my whole way of thinking about training & dieting upside down. Here are the changes he said I need to make in order to improve my contest prep:
-Remove all sugars: This includes bananas & other fruits, dextrose, maltodextrin, and waxy maize (even though malto & waxy maize aren't technically sugars, they take a long time to burn off).
-Increase protein: Before I was eating about 5oz of meat when I'd have my food meals, and he recommends 8-10 oz. I plan on staying closer to the 8oz mark when I have 6 meals a day, and 10oz when I can only get in 5 meals.
-Reduce reliance on protein shakes as meal replacements: Shakes are going to have too much sugar, and are not absorbed as well as real food.
-Increase veggie intake: On non-carb meals, eat 2 green veggies. Take out sugary vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, carrots, etc.) completely.
-Change cardio: The 30-40 mins of moderate-high intensity steady state cardio probably burns too much muscle even though I supplement w/ anti-catabolic aids. New cardio: walking at an 8-10% incline at 3.5 speed and/or stepmill @ ~50 steps/minute for a combined 45-60 minutes. This should be done when possible in the morning on an empty stomach to optimize fat burning.
-Eliminate postworkout "meal": Before, I was having a postworkout shake w/ whey, dextrose, maltodex, & waxy maize, then an hour later having a meal w/ carbs & protein. I now take that meal out, and rely solely on the postworkout shake that just has whey. I am going to try adding some oats and he also suggested throwing in almonds as well, then wait about 3 hours for my next meal.
The basis of his changes are under the concept of the difference between offseason and precontest. They are two very distinct and different times, and I somehow have been going through a kind of hybrid of the two.
So here is my schedule for the week:
Sun: 60mins AM cardio/60 mins PM cardio
Mon: 50mins AM cardio/Back & Tris mid day/Hams & Calves PM
Tues:50mins AM Cardio/60 mins PM Cardio
Wed:30mins AM Cardio/Shoulders & Traps mid day/60mins PM Cardio
Thurs: 50 mins AM Cardio/Quads mid day/45 mins PM Cardio
Fri: Off Day
Sat:60 mins AM Cardio/Chest & Tris
That puts me on my regular lifting schedule, and gives me ~525 minutes of cardio for the week which should be pretty solid.
My weight has fluctuated a lot this week: between 185.5 and 189. I assume it's because I've added a bunch of sodium (tuna) to my diet, and since I don't have a postworkout meal I'm eating later at night (last meal at 9-9:30). Also, with the added food protein I haven't been as...regular...as before, even though I am having 8-12 servings of veggies along with 50-90g of oats. I googled it, and it seems like that is a common pitfall of the high protein diet.
On the plus side, I was 186 this morning and have a solid workout schedule for this week. If I can get down to 185 by next week that would put me on a good track 5 weeks out.
-Remove all sugars: This includes bananas & other fruits, dextrose, maltodextrin, and waxy maize (even though malto & waxy maize aren't technically sugars, they take a long time to burn off).
-Increase protein: Before I was eating about 5oz of meat when I'd have my food meals, and he recommends 8-10 oz. I plan on staying closer to the 8oz mark when I have 6 meals a day, and 10oz when I can only get in 5 meals.
-Reduce reliance on protein shakes as meal replacements: Shakes are going to have too much sugar, and are not absorbed as well as real food.
-Increase veggie intake: On non-carb meals, eat 2 green veggies. Take out sugary vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, carrots, etc.) completely.
-Change cardio: The 30-40 mins of moderate-high intensity steady state cardio probably burns too much muscle even though I supplement w/ anti-catabolic aids. New cardio: walking at an 8-10% incline at 3.5 speed and/or stepmill @ ~50 steps/minute for a combined 45-60 minutes. This should be done when possible in the morning on an empty stomach to optimize fat burning.
-Eliminate postworkout "meal": Before, I was having a postworkout shake w/ whey, dextrose, maltodex, & waxy maize, then an hour later having a meal w/ carbs & protein. I now take that meal out, and rely solely on the postworkout shake that just has whey. I am going to try adding some oats and he also suggested throwing in almonds as well, then wait about 3 hours for my next meal.
The basis of his changes are under the concept of the difference between offseason and precontest. They are two very distinct and different times, and I somehow have been going through a kind of hybrid of the two.
So here is my schedule for the week:
Sun: 60mins AM cardio/60 mins PM cardio
Mon: 50mins AM cardio/Back & Tris mid day/Hams & Calves PM
Tues:50mins AM Cardio/60 mins PM Cardio
Wed:30mins AM Cardio/Shoulders & Traps mid day/60mins PM Cardio
Thurs: 50 mins AM Cardio/Quads mid day/45 mins PM Cardio
Fri: Off Day
Sat:60 mins AM Cardio/Chest & Tris
That puts me on my regular lifting schedule, and gives me ~525 minutes of cardio for the week which should be pretty solid.
My weight has fluctuated a lot this week: between 185.5 and 189. I assume it's because I've added a bunch of sodium (tuna) to my diet, and since I don't have a postworkout meal I'm eating later at night (last meal at 9-9:30). Also, with the added food protein I haven't been as...regular...as before, even though I am having 8-12 servings of veggies along with 50-90g of oats. I googled it, and it seems like that is a common pitfall of the high protein diet.
On the plus side, I was 186 this morning and have a solid workout schedule for this week. If I can get down to 185 by next week that would put me on a good track 5 weeks out.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
< 6.5 Weeks Left: Leg Day
I split legs in to two days this week, and had a pretty successful Hams/Calves day on Monday. I was surprised how much energy I had (lifted at 6pm, after lifting back/bis earlier that morning). Got through everything in about an hour, hit 14 sets of hams including my first sets of rack pulls w/ no knee/back/hip pain. Was pretty stoked about that. It looked like this:
Rack Pulls: 4x6x405
RDL: 10x295 (2)
Glute-Ham Raise: 8
Superset w/ 45 degree hyperextension: 10
Leg Curl: 8x170
Std Calf: 15x140
Standing Calf: 8x210
I was good and sore up through today, though it wasn't nearly as bad today as it was Tuesday or Wednesday. I got my Stick (www.thestick.com) yesterday, so I was able to roll out my legs/back/hips before hitting quads today. I didn't feel the 'good deep pain' I hear about when people talk about foam rolling...that could mean I'm not doing it right/hard enough or it means I just don't have a lot of
So on to today's workout. To sum it up...less than mediocre. I hit 2 sets of back squats before me knee started acting up. No chance of finishing my back squats or moving on to front squats. Unlike 2 weeks ago, I was able to move on hack squats and leg press without too much knee pain. Had to go light on leg extensions to save my hip, which started acting up at the end of leg presses. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to get x rays on my hip to make sure it's healing ok, so I'm going to get my knee checked out...though I'm not expecting too much as the docs have never been able to do anything helpful for any of my past issues (knee or otherwise). I expect I'll hear the typical "rest and ice" response. Awesome, thanks doc! That was a good use of a co-pay and an hour wait.
Rack Pulls: 4x6x405
RDL: 10x295 (2)
Glute-Ham Raise: 8
Superset w/ 45 degree hyperextension: 10
Leg Curl: 8x170
Std Calf: 15x140
Standing Calf: 8x210
I was good and sore up through today, though it wasn't nearly as bad today as it was Tuesday or Wednesday. I got my Stick (www.thestick.com) yesterday, so I was able to roll out my legs/back/hips before hitting quads today. I didn't feel the 'good deep pain' I hear about when people talk about foam rolling...that could mean I'm not doing it right/hard enough or it means I just don't have a lot of
So on to today's workout. To sum it up...less than mediocre. I hit 2 sets of back squats before me knee started acting up. No chance of finishing my back squats or moving on to front squats. Unlike 2 weeks ago, I was able to move on hack squats and leg press without too much knee pain. Had to go light on leg extensions to save my hip, which started acting up at the end of leg presses. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to get x rays on my hip to make sure it's healing ok, so I'm going to get my knee checked out...though I'm not expecting too much as the docs have never been able to do anything helpful for any of my past issues (knee or otherwise). I expect I'll hear the typical "rest and ice" response. Awesome, thanks doc! That was a good use of a co-pay and an hour wait.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
7.5 weeks out: Leg Day
So right now I'm doing what I normally do when I'm writing my blogs, laid up icing and resting. Just lifted my injury-riddled legs. I had planned on splitting legs into two days, but with my knee and quad it wouldn't have made much sense. I wore my brace for a little extra support, but I still couldn't go any lower than about halfway in a conventional squat so I had to make some changes to my workout. Today it looked like this:
Trap bar DL (high handles) 8x395
BB Step ups 8x65
Stiff DL 10x295(2)
superset w/ trap bar DL (low handles) 6x255
Sumo Stance Hack Squats (full) 8x150
Leg ext (slow) 12x200
Std Leg Curl 10x190
Std Calf (slow) 15x140
Standing Calf (slow) 10x190
My quad/hip flexor felt a lot better, the skin has all of its feeling back all up and down my leg and the things that bothered it before (leg extensions, squats, std calf raises) were fine as long as the weight was lower than normal and I super slowed down my rep speed. As I got deeper into the workout, it felt like everything loosened up a little bit too. Hopefully by next week I'll be able to get back to my planned routine because this workout was absolute dog crap compared to what I normally do...it was an adequate workout at best, but nothing that will improve the condition of my legs. Until then, I guess it's ice and rest...
Trap bar DL (high handles) 8x395
BB Step ups 8x65
Stiff DL 10x295(2)
superset w/ trap bar DL (low handles) 6x255
Sumo Stance Hack Squats (full) 8x150
Leg ext (slow) 12x200
Std Leg Curl 10x190
Std Calf (slow) 15x140
Standing Calf (slow) 10x190
My quad/hip flexor felt a lot better, the skin has all of its feeling back all up and down my leg and the things that bothered it before (leg extensions, squats, std calf raises) were fine as long as the weight was lower than normal and I super slowed down my rep speed. As I got deeper into the workout, it felt like everything loosened up a little bit too. Hopefully by next week I'll be able to get back to my planned routine because this workout was absolute dog crap compared to what I normally do...it was an adequate workout at best, but nothing that will improve the condition of my legs. Until then, I guess it's ice and rest...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Looking forward: Bulking cycle
Under 8 weeks left (7.5 to be exact), and all this not eating has me looking forward to the next phase. I am planning on starting a bulking cycle immediately after the September competition. What does this entail? Lifting heavy & often ( 5 times/week instead of 4) and eating a ton (4,000-5,000 calories/day instead of 1,700-2,500).
Lifting:
Day 1: Chest & Tris
Day 2 AM: Back & bis
Day 2 PM: Hamstrings & Calves
Day 3: Shoulders & Traps
Day 4: Cardio or off
Day 5: Quads/Calves
Day 6: Shoulders/Traps
Day 7: Cardio or off
This should address my weak legs by splitting them into two days, and what I've been told are underdeveloped front and mid delts by lifting them 2x per week. Most likely I'll use this as my main split, but once a month or so I'll do a split that hits bis & tris 2x per week, and then another one that hits lats 2x per week. In each of those splits I'll only do shoulders once, but still split quads and hams into two workouts.
Eating:
Planned macros (updated each time I go up 10 lbs, using the next 10lb marker as my 'bodyweight'):
.5g/lb Fat
3g/lb Carbs
1.5g/lb Protein
That puts me at ~4500 calories to start (using 200lbs as my first marker). It would start out something like this:
Morning shake (immediately on waking up):
5oz banana
50g whey
30g maltodextrin
30g waxy maize
1 hr later
9 egg whites & 1 whole egg (jumbo)
1.5 cups oats
1 serving chia seeds
Mid-morning shake
50g protein blend
3/4 cup oats
50g maltodextrin
1 serving fruit blend (20g carbs)
1 serving almonds
Postworkout Shake
50g whey
4oz banana
20g dextrose
20g maltodextrin
30g waxy maize
Lunch
1.5 serving whole wheat pasta
3oz salmon
3oz chicken
2 HB egg whites
Pasta Sauce
1 serving fruit blend (20g carbs)
Afternoon Snack
2 tbsp peanut butter
4 oz ground turkey/ground beef
3 oz chicken
4 slices whole wheat bread
Dinner
400g Sweet Potato
3 cups spinach
4oz steak
3oz chicken
1/2 cucumber
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1 tomato
1 bell pepper
2 servings chia seeds
Before Bed
50g Casein Shake
Rules:
Must have morning shake, breakfast, and afternoon salad. No exceptions. Mid-day meals are adjustable, but I'm going to try and stick to it as religiously as possible. Pizza, ice cream, burgers, chinese, etc. is all on the table so long as I make sure I'm getting enough calories in and it's within reason as far as how often I have it. Of course, all this is predicated on me getting and staying healthy.
My last bulk I was full all the time, to the point where it was time for my next meal but I wasn't particularly hungry. The results were good though, and at this point in my cut it feels like there's no such thing as being full as I haven't really been full in about 2 months now. All this food is making me hungry (no my salad did not fill me up & I still have another 45 mins until my night time shake), so I'd better stop talking about food. 7 more weeks!
Lifting:
Day 1: Chest & Tris
Day 2 AM: Back & bis
Day 2 PM: Hamstrings & Calves
Day 3: Shoulders & Traps
Day 4: Cardio or off
Day 5: Quads/Calves
Day 6: Shoulders/Traps
Day 7: Cardio or off
This should address my weak legs by splitting them into two days, and what I've been told are underdeveloped front and mid delts by lifting them 2x per week. Most likely I'll use this as my main split, but once a month or so I'll do a split that hits bis & tris 2x per week, and then another one that hits lats 2x per week. In each of those splits I'll only do shoulders once, but still split quads and hams into two workouts.
Eating:
Planned macros (updated each time I go up 10 lbs, using the next 10lb marker as my 'bodyweight'):
.5g/lb Fat
3g/lb Carbs
1.5g/lb Protein
That puts me at ~4500 calories to start (using 200lbs as my first marker). It would start out something like this:
Morning shake (immediately on waking up):
5oz banana
50g whey
30g maltodextrin
30g waxy maize
1 hr later
9 egg whites & 1 whole egg (jumbo)
1.5 cups oats
1 serving chia seeds
Mid-morning shake
50g protein blend
3/4 cup oats
50g maltodextrin
1 serving fruit blend (20g carbs)
1 serving almonds
Postworkout Shake
50g whey
4oz banana
20g dextrose
20g maltodextrin
30g waxy maize
Lunch
1.5 serving whole wheat pasta
3oz salmon
3oz chicken
2 HB egg whites
Pasta Sauce
1 serving fruit blend (20g carbs)
Afternoon Snack
2 tbsp peanut butter
4 oz ground turkey/ground beef
3 oz chicken
4 slices whole wheat bread
Dinner
400g Sweet Potato
3 cups spinach
4oz steak
3oz chicken
1/2 cucumber
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1 tomato
1 bell pepper
2 servings chia seeds
Before Bed
50g Casein Shake
Rules:
Must have morning shake, breakfast, and afternoon salad. No exceptions. Mid-day meals are adjustable, but I'm going to try and stick to it as religiously as possible. Pizza, ice cream, burgers, chinese, etc. is all on the table so long as I make sure I'm getting enough calories in and it's within reason as far as how often I have it. Of course, all this is predicated on me getting and staying healthy.
My last bulk I was full all the time, to the point where it was time for my next meal but I wasn't particularly hungry. The results were good though, and at this point in my cut it feels like there's no such thing as being full as I haven't really been full in about 2 months now. All this food is making me hungry (no my salad did not fill me up & I still have another 45 mins until my night time shake), so I'd better stop talking about food. 7 more weeks!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
It's Always Something...
So the quad has still been hurting, but definitely improving. I can jog with no problem, lifting my leg up/down/side to side doesn't hurt, and I can rep out on leg lifts (abs). I still feel a little stretch when I hit my squats, but nothing too bad. On leg day, I was fine squatting 240 (10 reps) for 4 sets. I was planning on going into front squats after, but right before my first set I dip below the bar and I feel this pain & burning in my left knee. I try a practice squat w/ no weight, and a pain like I've never felt before. The pain persisted after I came up into a standing position, and anything I tried bending my knee would hurt. No squats, hack squats, leg presses, leg extensions, etc. I hit stiff deads, adductors, abductors, and lying leg curls and got out.
The knee still hurts, more than the quad now. I am bracing it 24/7 so I have some compression on it, and have been icing on and off. Not much else I can do about it.
On the plus side I weighed in at 187.0 this morning. If I can just get healthy in the next couple/few weeks I'll have enough time to make a few adjustments before the competition. Only 8 weeks left!
The knee still hurts, more than the quad now. I am bracing it 24/7 so I have some compression on it, and have been icing on and off. Not much else I can do about it.
On the plus side I weighed in at 187.0 this morning. If I can just get healthy in the next couple/few weeks I'll have enough time to make a few adjustments before the competition. Only 8 weeks left!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)