Diet Break Review

Hi everyone (ok, probably like one person),

After the close of the transformation challenge, I took a scheduled diet break. Before I get into the details, I just want to briefly go over what exactly it is I'm talking about.

A diet break, simply put, means purposely applying the breaks on eating at a deficit, bumping your calories back up to maintenance, and allowing your body and mind to get back to neutral.

I don't want to get into too much detail, but Lyle Mcdonald does a great job at summing it up in a way that's easily digestible here.

In the first two weeks, ate roughly 2000-2400 calories a day, but I also bumped up my exercise intensity to make up for a lot of it. I use a Microsoft Band to track calories burned, and according to its readings, I burned about twice as many calories as a training session in a deficit. I also kept up my cardio, but dropped it to only 150 calories a day, rather than the 250 I had been doing.

Naturally, with an increase of food volume, you are carrying more food weight in your gut, AND you are burning more calories through TEF. Not sure how these balance out without doing some ridiculous and unnecessary math, but basically, unless you are binging or not counting your calories at all, the fat weight you can gain in a few weeks' time is negligible.

My two week break became a three week break, as I had to visit family in LA for some personal reasons. If you know me, you already know what these are and I'd rather not get into it here. During that week, I did not do any training, and didn't count a single calorie. I spent that time with family, and in fairness was pretty distracted and to be frank, could not give a flying fart about my diet/training.

Now that I've been back for a week, I've been battling jet-lag, not training at all, but my weight between post-vaca until now has dropped 3 lbs, only 1 lb away from my all-time low during my 12 week cut. No training, no cardio. I'm willing to bet that again, most of this is reduced food volume/water weight, but it's still a good place to be when starting my dieting phase again.

I've been consistently weighing in around 157 point something, which allows me about 4-5 weeks of dieting before the Memorial Day celebrations start rolling around. My lower back is almost 100% better thanks to Dr. Kang's wizardry, so hopefully I'll be able to get under a barbell soon enough. For now, I'm going to continue following my current macros, and try to get my butt back into the gym.

Thank you for reading!

Until next time,
Mel

Bodybuilding Transformation Challenge Week 4 of 12

We're one month in, which means it's time for some progress pictures!

Everyone looks better in some good lingerie.

I've lost about 8 lbs so far, which averages out to 2 lbs a week, with a low weigh-in of 160.9. If I can keep up this rate of weight loss over these next 8 weeks, I'd be ecstatic!

I'm really glad that I decided to do this cut the "healthy" way. At this point, I have absolutely no cravings for "bad" food, and I wouldn't be able to consume very much anyway. The hubby & I went out to dinner for our cheat meal last night, and we didn't even order any sodas because we know it makes us both really bloated and lethargic. Our cheats are more for spending time with each other, not cooking and measuring our food, but still being relatively mindful of what goes in our mouths. I've learned that cheat meals will always set me back unless I'm able to be reasonable with my approach. It's not about the food anymore, it's about the time I get to spend relaxing with my hubbs.

This next week is going to be business as usual, I'll continue to prep my meals for the week in advance. I'm going to drop my calories by a smidge, and increase my cardio a bit as well. We'll see if we can get into the 150's by the end of this week!

Until next time,
Mel

The Importance of Good Coaching

Everyone likes to think that they know best. We live in a society that breeds narcissism. The modern selfie has become an ego's necessity; 100 likes later, your sense of self returns to homeostasis, but make sure you post another one within 48 hours, or else you'll go hypo-selfiemic.

Hey, it's me! 

I've dubbed this the #melfie. 

I like to think it's clever; it's probably not.

This makes it hard to admit that you need some proper guidance. After all, you've been making progress, right? You've gotten stronger, more muscular, leaner, and you're able to do things that you weren't able to do a year ago. But now that you've flown past the newbie stage of lifting, you find that your progress has stalled, you're spinning your wheels, and the gains don't come as easily. How can you face instagram knowing full well that you have nothing new to show the interwebs?

Not to worry, that's what a coach is for. And I'm officially announcing that I've taken the plunge.

I've been pretty apprehensive about hiring someone to do my training and nutrition program. I've had very lackadaisical coaching in the past, and with the amount of free information out there, I didn't feel that it was necessary to pay someone to tell me what I *think* I already I know.

The more I researched, the more I realized how little I actually do know. And the more I realized that the progress I'm making can increase exponentially with proper guidance and a good eye along with a caring heart.

The trend that most intrigued me in my research for a coach, is that most coaches have coaches. To me, this means that even though these individuals know their field well, they still find comfort in having another set of eyes watching them and not allowing them to slack off. If a coach truly believes in the value of coaching, then it only makes sense that they lead by example.

I'll be posting update videos for my coach on YouTube with some general stats every week. It should turn out to be a fun little mini-series transformation. The goal is to lose roughly 18 lbs in 18 weeks while maintaining or increasing strength. My current competition stats:

@148lbs

Squat: 242

Bench: 126

Deadlift: 336

Total: 705

There is a USAPL meet that I will consider doing in February of 2015. I'm confident that I can add 45lbs to my total by then, I just need to fix my form. I'm training to go deeper with every squat, and I'm working on paused reps with my bench press. And since USAPL has different rules for benching than I'm accustomed to, I will have to switch from benching on my toes to benching flat-footed. Goodbye, arch gains! Yikes!

>> Subscribe to my YouTube channel here! <<

Until next time.

Powerlifting & Figure Competitions!

Since the Camp Pendleton Open, I had decided to focus my efforts with my diet and training toward bodybuilding so I can get down to a weight that will help me be stronger pound for pound, as well as give me the opportunity to step on stage as a figure competitor some time in late 2014 or early 2015.

But as always, once you're bit by the iron bug, it's hard to shake it, so I am now officially 9 days out from my third powerlifting meet. This time we're back at Metroflex in Long Beach, where I started my journey.

I felt a bit obligated to do this meet so that I could have a sense of closure from this year's training. I didn't even break 600@148 at my first meet, so it would be nice to close off the year by breaking 700@148, which is a decent amount to have added to my lifts in these past 9 months. My main goal is going to be to hit all of my lifts. Nothing fancy, just going in, getting the experience, and enjoying myself. I'm not planning to compete in powerlifting for a very long time after this meet.

One thing I've been trying to do leading up to this meet, is to really hammer in bench technique. My bench press is my weakest lift, so it's been really important to get in and just press over and over until I found my groove.

It's been really tough, but what I found to help was to use my leverages to my advantage, try to get a deep arch, and set my grip wide so that I have a shorter range of motion. This way I'm moving the weight a shorter distance, for less time under the bar, which will help put weight on the bar.

As always, I'll post an update after the meet with the numbers I put up, and hopefully I'll have some videos to go along with it.

Until next time.

Getting Healthy

I initially wanted to make a vlog about this since I think it's a really important and overlooked topic, but I haven't had much time in front of a camera lately, so this will have to do.

The fitness industry has become so wrapped up in gimmicks, politics, recognition, and gossip that it is starting to overshadow what fitness should really be about: health.

I absolutely do not think that fitness and health are synonymous. In order to look good or to be strong, competitive individuals use terribly unhealthy tactics to give them an edge over their competition: drugs, starvation, dehydration, risk of bodily injury, you name it. Just look at what happened to Brandon Lilly at the American Cup this last weekend. In laymans' terms, he snapped all his shit up!

Now I had always thought I was taking the healthier route in terms of fitness. I was eating well, resting well, and being cautious with my training. What I couldn't figure out is why I always felt terrible, bloated, tired, and was gaining weight so rapidly during my powerlifting training. Some weight gain was to be expected, but I know my body and I recognized something was off.

After a few lab tests and vague advice from my doctor, "You're eating 200 grams of protein a day?! Reduce that to 50 grams and you'll be okay!" Doc, do you even athlete? Anyway... I needed real help.

I was lucky enough to have someone around who had experience in the industry. We watched my diet, tweaked things around, and started using natural supplements to get things functioning again. I severely decreased my caffeine intake, increased my water, and am finally feeling healthy again. I'm able to eat more, move more, and still get leaner as the weeks go by because my body is becoming more and more functional and efficient.

It's very easy to overlook your bad habits when you're the only person monitoring yourself. I had never known the true value of having good coaching until these last few months. The help I've been getting with both my nutrition as well as my training has been invaluable to me, and I recommend that anyone who is serious about getting healthy and fit, and becoming a well rounded athlete gets the help they deserve.

Until next time.

Bathroom Swolfie

Setting Goals for Success

These last several weeks and months have been incredibly eye-opening for me as an individual, a competitor, and a lover of the sport of powerlifting. Every single experience brings me one step closer to understanding myself, and giving me the capability to use what I learn to help others achieve their goals. Here are a few key ideas to keep in mind when aiming for success.

Figure things out

Pick a goal. Are you competing in bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman or are you simply working out to be healthier, to lose fat, or to gain muscle? Whatever it is, you need to decide on it. Be reasonable, but don't limit yourself. Aim high! Create a timeline and set small mini-goals to keep you motivated in the long run.

Keep your eyes on the prize

When you have a goal in mind, focus all your efforts on the best possible way of achieving that goal. If your methods to attaining a goal conflict with one another, you will be spinning your wheels. One example of this is eating at a caloric deficit while running a strength-training program. You will get negligibly stronger if at all, or you won't be able to adhere to your plan and  you will drop a negligible amount of weight, if any. Be efficient with your methods to achieve optimum results. Time is the limiting factor, make sure you use yours wisely.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Stick to what works. Many of us over-complicate things trying to optimize them, when what we need to do is just stay consistent with training and nutrition methods that have consistently given us the results we want. What works for one person may not work for another, so once you find a program or protocol that works for you, your search is over. That's not to say that you shouldn't...

Keep learning about what you love

Your program may work well for you, but it's always fun to try new things if you have the chance. Learn, grow, challenge yourself, and keep yourself in the loop! Some of the most rewarding aspects in lifting isn't in just moving the iron around, but in the relationships that you can build and the discussions you can  have with those in the field. There are always opportunities to network and connect with people who can really open your eyes to techniques that you haven't yet stumbled across, and at the very least, people who have been successful doing what you love can motivate you to pursue your dreams as well!

But most importantly

Follow through and never give up! There may be bumps on the road, but you have to dust yourself off and get right back on track. Your success is in your hands.

Countdown to Camp Pendleton!!

COUNTINGDOWNTO.COM

Aesthetics vs. Strength: Battle of the Gawds

Ah, the never ending debate between bodybuilders and powerlifters.

Bodybuilders train for aesthetics. They want to look good, so their programs consist of mainly hypertrophy training with lots of repetitions at relatively low weight. Once they attain some mass, they diet down to lose excess fat so they can show off the muscles they've worked so hard for. During the dieting process, it's not out of the ordinary to lose strength or to stall on lifts because the body cannot support as much of a load at a caloric deficit for an extended period of time.

Powerlifters train for strength. Their programs consist of heavier weight for less reps, and in order to fuel their workouts, they eat. Powerlifters just care about having enough energy to push as much weight as possible, which often means loading up on carbs for fuel. It's not uncommon that they put on plenty of fat mass along with muscle mass, especially at the competitive super heavy level.


So which is better? Training for aesthetics?

Always make your bed before selfies, shredu.

Training for strength?

Strongman. Photo Credit: http://crossfitfringe.com

Powerlifter. Photo Credit: http://www.howtofightdojo.com/

There will always be arguments and debates between the two sides. Bodybuilders claim that powerlifters don't have the discipline to diet down, and powerlifters claim that bodybuilders are weak, and that it's pointless to be shredded when you can't deadlift three times your bodyweight.

But why not have both? I think the tides are turning, and that more people are becoming aware that both are important if you want to be a well rounded athlete. You definitely don't need to give up one for the other. Olympic lifters are a classic example of both strength and aesthetics, combined into a functional athlete who is also not too bad to look at.

Ivan Stoitsov

Dmitry Klokov

Not bad at all.

So let's put these debates to rest and become the strongest, most shredded versions of ourselves. Jacked and shredded. Don't limit yourself. If you're a powerlifter, enter a bodybuilding competition. If you're a bodybuilder, participate in a powerlifting meet. You'll be a well rounded athlete at best, and a more humble athlete at worst.

Squat Progress

This past Sunday marked the end of the first half of my Madcow 5x5 training cycle. I've been making good progress on my lifts, and the squats on Sunday felt really easy so I went for a PR with a bit of coaxing from the team. Here are some videos:

180x5

210x3

A bit dark, but here's my PR vid -- 235x2

Aiming for a 700 lb total at Pendleton in January.

5 Ways to Avoid the Holiday Buldge

They say the average American gains about ten pounds through the course of the holidays leading up through the New Year. Here are five go-to tactics that will help you keep your waist-line in check.

5. Get an early start on your New Years' resolution --
Face it, we both know your resolution will be to lose the weight you put on after the holidays, so get your gym membership early this year, and save some money by cashing in on year-end gym deals. Get in there for 20 minutes three times a week for some HIIT cardio to offset the extra holiday calories.

4. Don't go for the second serving --
Two servings more likely than not means twice the calories, so do yourself a favor and just say no to the second go-around. The holidays is a time to enjoy yourself, so savor the first plate, then spend the rest of the evening socializing rather than grazing.

3. Organize your plate --
Remember portion control. Separate your plate into quarters to ensure that you aren't going overboard with starches, and are instead giving yourself room for plenty of protein and veggies. Have a few bites of pie instead of an entire slice.

Salmon, tabbouleh, multi-gran quinoa, and brown rice. Yummm.

2. Mind your liquid calories --
The holidays might make us reach for that extra glass of wine or egg nog, but be mindful that these calories add up quickly. Switch out your sodas for water, or have your wine in place of dessert instead of in addition to it. And remember, the less you eat, the easier it will be to get a buzz. Win-win!

1. Dance!
Dancing burns a lot of calories, and you have a good time doing it, so instead of sitting out on the fun, join in and move your body to burn those calories. You'd be surprised how quickly you'd get out of breath when you're having fun moving your body. The sillier, the better!

The Holidays are about having fun and being around those you love, so divert your attention to the things that truly matter this holiday season instead of focusing on your meals. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

Reverse Dieting Bullshit

About a month ago I wrote about my peeves regarding the use of the phrase "metabolic damage," which leads me into my peeves with the overuse of this new popular phrase, "reverse dieting."

Reverse dieting is the phrase coined to define the process of slowly increasing caloric consumption after a period of dieting so as not to rebound and gain a tremendous amount of weight in a short period of time (yo-yo) post-competition. Some gurus recommend an increase of roughly 20 Calories a week so that the body can adjust to the energy increase, and so the least amount of weight is gained in the process of going back to eating at maintenance. In a sense, it is considered a "solution" to metabolic damage. Bleghk.

There are so many issues with these concepts that I don't even know where to begin.

First off -- If you are consuming 1400 Calories the week before you step on stage, and your maintenance is 2000 Calories, and you were to follow this guru advice and add in 20 calories each week, it would take you 30 weeks or 7 and a half months to get back up to maintenance calories. This means that you would still be at a deficit for almost 8 months post-competition. I don't know if this seems realistic to any of you, but I know I sure as hell wouldn't want to be in a deficit for the course of an entire year: 3-4 months prep, 7-8 months post-comp, no thank you.

Second -- 20 calories is a whopping 5 grams of protein or carbs, or a little over 2 grams of fat. Even the most meticulous dieters often don't control their diets to that degree, especially post-competition.

OMG, five extra pieces of broccoli?! Yayyyy. 

Third -- Your training post-competition is so different from prep, that this minor caloric increase wouldn't make much of tangible difference. How can someone advise changes in nutrition based off of a training protocol that's not even being implemented post-comp?

Lastly -- Rebounding from a competition isn't even that big of a deal. Most of it is water weight and bloat, and easily comes off once the dieter is eating at maintenance again. Nobody stays competition lean unless they're following a competition diet. That's how it works. You can't stay lean on a diet that doesn't make you lean. You will look the way you eat and train.

In my opinion, all these fancy new bullshit terms are there to scare people into thinking they need more help than they really do. You're not going to die from binging a day or two after your competition (as far as I know, but I'm not a doctor so don't blame me if you suffer from a heart attack post-comp after binging on donuts and ice cream). Just enjoy yourself, take some time off, eat normally, then get right back into the swing of things once you feel mentally and physically ready. Don't go off and diet more after you just got finished dieting, that's just stupid. Our bodies and minds need a break!

A competitor doesn't build their body in a few days, and won't destroy it in a few days, either. As with all things, you need time and consistency to achieve your goals. Just stick with it and stop over-complicating things.

Strength Training

Here's a rundown of my current programming:

Last week, I started my strength training cycle in preparation for a powerlifting meet in the beginning of next year. I decided to go with Madcow 5x5 which is designed for intermediate lifters like myself. It starts off pretty slow the first few weeks using weight we're already used to moving, but once the second month of the program comes along, PRs get smashed weekly.

Taken from: http://stronglifts.com/madcow-5x5-training-programs/

Here are some numbers from my gym max effort lifts vs. meet lifts:

Squat: 230 vs. 165

Bench: 120 vs. 115

Deadlift: 285 vs. 297

Yeah, my squats completely bombed. That's nerves for ya. 

I'm currently doing my working sets at 180x5 for squats, 100x5 for bench, and 240x5 for deadlifts. By the end of this 12-week cycle, I expect to be doing 235x5 squats, 130x5 bench, and 320x5 deadlifts. I'd be ecstatic with a ~700lb total at the meet.

Set goals and crush them.

Dabbling in Powerlifting

This year has been pretty rocky in terms of programming for my personal nutrition and training. I’m still relatively new to the fitness industry with less than two years under my belt, but have such a strong passion for it that I want to experience all it has to offer as quickly as I can.

What ends up happening to people like me is that we enter a competition blind, thinking we can win with our hearts, and end up being blown out of the water by people who have the time and experience under their belts.

I was fully cognizant of this when I decided a few weeks ago to submit my late application for the USPA SoCal Open Powerlifting meet that was held this past weekend at Metroflex in Long Beach.

It was an extremely tough 10 days leading up to the meet.

My shaky programming had me coming out of a 20 pound weight gain, so I needed to diet down hard to make it into the 148 (67.5 kilo) weight class. I used carb, water, and sodium manipulation to shed those 10 pounds. Oh, and a sauna. That definitely helped too. I felt like absolute hell every minute I was in there, but as soon as I made weight, 10 lbs in 10 days didn’t seem to matter anymore.

The day of the meet, I was greeted by an influx of conflicting emotions. I wasn’t nervous, just incredibly unprepared for what the day would bring. Confusion, excitement, disappointment, exhaustion, and elation were just a few of the many sentiments I experienced in the 12 hours that I was at Metroflex.

The highlight of my day was meeting all of the incredible people there who share my passion. It was such a positive, supportive environment, and you cannot help but feel uplifted from being around so many great athletes who are so committed to their sport, and determined to be better every single day.

I’ve learned so much from my experience this past weekend, and I can’t wait to start training for my next meet. I definitely would advise anyone to go ahead and at the very least watch a meet and see how all of these amazing athletes interact with one another, and how supportive and positive everyone is. It’s truly infectious.

Congratulations to all of the amazing ladies and gentlemen who hit PRs and broke records. I admire everyone who made it out there on Saturday, and I am very thankful for Steve Denison and the USPA for hosting these events.

Until next time.