Gx can you share your contest diet at this point (9 weeks out)? and how much cardio youre doing?
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Gx can you share your contest diet at this point (9 weeks out)? and how much cardio youre doing?
Diet wise, not a lot of carbs!! LOL I get them as instructed. Cardio, 70 minutes a day, daily. With my martial arts training, that results in an extra 2-3 hours a week, and that is more along the lines of interval training.
Dawn is handling this. In the past, in attempting to make it to the stage, I had done it myself, with good success. But where I am now far surpasses what I was able to do on my own.
April 30, 2012
Everywhere you go, everyone you see… today, everything is all about reciprocity. No one can do anything for anyone today, just out of the goodness of their own heart. It is always about “give to get”. That is selfish. It should not be that way.
BUT… reciprocity IS the code of the gym. It should be YOUR personal code. You should expect the iron to reward you for your dedication and attention to the task at hand. You should expect the weight to bring it to you, and give no quarter during your meeting. You should expect for the weight to ask for more than you want to give… and you better give it without hesitation.
That is right… reciprocity out there… in the world… yes, you can look past it, and be a different person, apart from the norm. In the gym… that is the time to be selfish. When you lay down on that bench, looking up at the bar with fractions of a ton on it, and it is daring you to not be a bitch, that is its gift to you… giving you what you need to man up and kill it. Give it right back in the form of unadulterated aggression, determination, and ownership. However the weight comes at you, give it your list of demands, and mean it. Fair and equal exchange is soon headed your way.
Be hungry. No… scratch that… be ravenous. Want it all. Take, and take, and take, and take… but you better give. This is not one of those “Tis better to give than receive” moments. Oh no… this is the time when it is better to receive. But remember the code, because you will get nothing unless you give, and give plenty.
So when you hear those guys over on the wall, huddled tightly, looking like they are all about to break out into a game of close quarters grab ass, complaining about how they come in and work and work, but have nothing to show for it, you can smile, knowing that those are the stingy ones, and that they are completely clueless. When they look your way, thinking that your muscle came from a syringe (because they will), you will more than likely just laugh and shake your head, because your act of committed selfishness is the biting, crippling, emasculating truth for them… they just do not have what it takes. And they will know it. However, if they pay attention, they will come to know of, and learn this unspoken code of reciprocity as well.
And all will be right with the world… at least until the next person starts to whine about their lack of return. Then, the cycle starts all over again.
SHOW THEM HOW IT IS DONE.
This weekend saw Canada's first real pro in the Men's Physique Division (even though Mark Anthony Wingson is touted as the first Canadian Pro)...
At the 2012 IFBB Europa Show of Champions, Mark Anthony Wingson wins again. Meanwhile, here in Canada, at the IFBB 2012 World Qualifier, the new MPD pro is... well, I do not have his name. But here is the picture:
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And at the NPC Europa Show of Champions, the winner was Chino Peng.
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May 3, 2012
You have put so much time and effort, diligence, sacrifice, dedication, and focus into what you have done with yourself in the gym and in the kitchen... all of your friends and family have noticed the difference and reacted in kind (some good, some bad, as that is the way it is), and everyone has noticed everywhere that you normally go... you have even seen it for yourself in the mirror, in your clothes, and perhaps even in the shocked and astonished eyes of a lover... you have done all of this, so why take the opportunity to erase all of that with bad food choices?
Okay, so it may just be the one time. Maybe. One becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes an entire month of counterproductive behavior. And ask yourself... is it really worth it?
Granted, there is a use for an indulgence every so often, especially planned ones. The hardest part of living the fitness lifestyle to whatever degree you aspire, is without a doubt, committing to a proper diet...
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As an aside...
NOTE: The word 'diet' has come to be known as an action that is required for weight loss; there is a technical definition though, which people overlook. And for those of you reading right now who misunderstand the word 'diet' as easily as most people misunderstand the word 'supplement', let me clear this up for you right now. Taken from Merriam-Webster's dictionary:
1
a : food and drink regularly provided or consumed b : habitual nourishment c : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason d : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight <going on a diet>
For those new to this (relatively speaking, as in this day and age, there is no such thing as actually being new to this), most always, when 'diet' is referred to, definition 1a (specifically, 1c in some cases) is what is being spoken of; a barrier for a lot of people moving into this lifestyle is, upon hearing the word 'diet', they go straight to definition 1d, settling on the thought that they will have to starve themselves in order to lose weight, which is not the case.
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... and it can be a daunting task in the beginning. But you want the results (or you have enjoyed the results that you have already had. Now, this entry does not target everyone. There is a segment of the population that have legitimate issues with food, and for them, it is not as easy as "do it; have some willpower". This is an entirely different subject, one which I will address in due time here. But right now, I am talking about the ones who CAN help it, but choose not to.
To be fair, I am not saying that you just should not EVER treat yourself, or indulge in the things that you like. On the contrary, you should. What I am talking about is not giving in to those urges just for the sake of it. When you think back on how far you have come, all that you have done, and where you can continue to go with your body's health and appearance, why would you want to bring bad food into your body, on a whim? Even if it is just for that one time, is it really worth it?
Cheat meals DO NOT have to be junk. A cheat meal can simply be more of what you are normally supposed to eat. For instance, if you are supposed to be eating 5 1/2 ounces of chicken, and you decide to cheat and eat upwards of 7 ounces (or not even keep track of how much you eat at that meal), congratulations: cheat meal. Granted, that may not sound like a worthwhile cheat... but worthwhile to who? Some outsider looking in? Why should that matter to you? Of course, when a scheduled cheat meal comes around, most, if not all people (yes, even me... although my wife will tell you, I actually fight her pretty hard on this one) go for the things that they miss the most and crave in the worst way. And that means trips to fast food chains, nine times out of ten. Or convenience stores. Or maybe childhood favorites that have no place in your diet any longer. Whatever the case may be, that is how it goes down when the cheat meal comes around. And again, with a planned cheat meal, actually no, there is nothing wrong with that (not exactly my preference most times, but that is just me). But I am not talking about scheduled cheats right now... I am talking about those moments of weakness, when dedication and discipline get tossed aside, giving way to supposed rationalization. Well, you can do it, and probably not have a setback of any sort. But, if nothing else, it is going to play with your mind. If you have done so good with and for yourself for such a long time, and you are liking what you see, then why did I just do that to myself?? Never had that dialogue with yourself? Just wait until you do. It is going to prove to be an interesting experience for you.
With the detail to food being the biggest problem for people getting into or settling into this lifestyle, you should know that there is hope. Like anything else that is good and worthy of sustaining in life, this also requires work. But it is work that does not go unappreciated. Because you would be spending so much time in the kitchen for meal prep anyway, rather than look at the difficulty in it, or seeing it as a punishment to yourself, why not look at it as an expansion to yourself... and learn something new about cooking in the process. I have heard from people that "the food" is the hardest part of all of this... the monotony of chicken, green beans, yams, or what have you, is boring, and they do not know how I or anyone can stick to it. That is because that is not all that there is. In this big, wide world of food, the only time we limit ourselves to the strictest of dietary confines is by choice (unless certain restrictions must be imposed, for health reasons of any sort). There are all sorts of ways to eat for the lifestyle and for general health without having to be bored, and having to bust your diet because the cravings have gotten out of hand. Look into it... there are many ways you can substitute one thing for another. Might that change the taste or consistency? Probably so. But would it be better for your body and more conducive to your goals? PROBABLY SO. Look around. Do some research. Take what free time you have, and experiment. Some of the best recipes were discovered completely by accident. There will be some trial and error involved, I will not lie. But you do not have to be bored with food, or have cravings go unsatisfied and unchecked. And even in the midst of your culinary exploration, please still remember to exercise some control.
Iif you are a competitor, you know how important the diet is for what you need to do. In the off season, yes, enjoy a few things here and there. But your off season... and it does not matter what your sport/endeavor is... should not be based around junk foods. Very, VERY few people can get away with that. And even if you can, just... why do it? Even if it is not affecting what is happening outside, can you say the same for what is going on inside? Think about it. Of course, I am not going to tell anyone what to do. Just remember though, the more you junk it up in the off season, the more cardio you will more than likely have to do for contest prep. Not to mention, the abrupt 180 degree turn you are going to take diet wise, which might send you into a spiral of cheating on the diet in the beginning, or possibly all the way throughout. Think about it.
All I am saying is that you should not want to place yourself in the mindset that you are undoing any progress in any kind of way, not even for one mishap. I have seen that actually demotivate people, and they fall to the wayside, returning to where they started at.
Do not let it be you.
May 5, 2012
I am running on three hours of sleep, so I am just being lazy today...
http://absolutebesttraining.com/?p=814
pic from Brandon's shoot with Vicky Lee just over 10 wks out
i'm so excited one of my 1st Mens Physique competitors
and one i have more to do with than anyone lol
so excited to see him onstage
May 7, 2012
Today's blog entry - http://absolutebesttraining.com/?p=821
May 9, 2012
Today's blog entry - http://absolutebesttraining.com/?p=839