Contest Prep for 2010 Provincials

[shredded_Tris]

It was kind of nice though being told at this show that even though I didn't win I had the most esthetically pleasing and proportionate phisique in my class. Great symmetry too. It made me feel a little better about losing lol. They said I wasn't dry enough. I've been ignorant to this expression before in the bodybuilding world. My initial thoughts were how much earlier can you drop water? However, knowing what I know now my question should have been how much more fat do you think I had to lose.

This is why I am putting so much emphasis on conditioning this year. And I will have you boys here to keep me straight haha. I just have to find a better camera now so I can give you guys a much better Idea of where my conditioning is at for all my stages. Crappy pics won't help you guys much on the critiqing end of things

[Andre Gregoire]

In your opinion how much leaner could I have been from initial glance? I figured about 5-10lbs maybe but my weight wasn't moving much.

I am not Steve but here's my opinion. First off, you have a nice symmetrical physique and once you put on a little mass and dial in your conditioning I think you will do very well.

Judging from those pictures I would have had you drop another 5-6lbs of fat to be in great condition. That means 5-6 more weeks of dieting without losing muscle.

You were close but close doesn't win shows. Now you have time to be 100% ready so stop eating Toasts and Jam

[shredded_Tris]

I am not Steve but here's my opinion. First off, you have a nice symmetrical physique and once you put on a little mass and dial in your conditioning I think you will do very well.

Judging from those pictures I would have had you drop another 5-6lbs of fat to be in great condition. That means 5-6 more weeks of dieting without losing muscle.

You were close but close doesn't win shows. Now you have time to be 100% ready so stop eating Toasts and Jam

Cool Thanks bro, heres the deal on the toast situation. I needed another carb for my breakfast meal and Oatmeal makes me bloaty and I get hardcore water retention, now I know water retention is not an issue at this point but I just dont react well to it or digest it properly. So toast was the next option. What else would you recommend, why does everyone hate on WW toast lol is it really that much different?

[shredded_Tris]

PS I will drop the jam and eat it plain if that solves the problem lol

[Andre Gregoire]

I was sort of kidding on the toast and jam. I know Dusty Hanshaw, currently being trained by Chris Aceto has a carb refeed every 10 days and he has 2 bagels with Jam so it's not that bad when used in a refeed but it's not an ideal carb choice in a pre-contest diet.

Most bodybuilding purists agree on the 6 foods that work: Chicken, Tuna, Egg Whites, Brown Rice, Oats, Sweet Potatoes.

I personally am more liberal and include stuff like cottage cheese, almonds, whey protein, salmon, beef, almond butter during prep but I drop the unconventional stuff when the results starts slowing down also I have the high sugar stuff (cottage cheese) post fasted cardio and post workout only so my body uses the carbs.

[shredded_Tris]

I was sort of kidding on the toast and jam. I know Dusty Hanshaw, currently being trained by Chris Aceto has a carb refeed every 10 days and he has 2 bagels with Jam so it's not that bad when used in a refeed but it's not an ideal carb choice in a pre-contest diet.

Most bodybuilding purists agree on the 6 foods that work: Chicken, Tuna, Egg Whites, Brown Rice, Oats, Sweet Potatoes.

I personally am more liberal and include stuff like cottage cheese, almonds, whey protein, salmon, beef, almond butter during prep but I drop the unconventional stuff when the results starts slowing down also I have the high sugar stuff (cottage cheese) post fasted cardio and post workout only so my body uses the carbs.

OK lol Thats mostly what my diet consists of, really the only extra things were the toast and jam and a banana...oh and apples but the banana and jam and toast are only on carb days 3 out of 7 days a week and just for now of course (19 weeks out)

[steve_d]

Agreed with Andre. 5 pounds leaner would have done the job. Perhaps not enough to win as I have no idea how good the guy was that beat you. Just keep posting pics here every so often and particularly in the final 8 weeks or so and I am sure a bunch of people on this board will be able to guide your progress. I can be as honest as you want me to be!

As for food, at this point, 200 calories extra in a day in the form of toast and jam is not gonna make or break you. But as for substitutes...right now I am eating apples, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. the only other carbs I eat are from veggies. even things like shredded wheat, or even mini-wheats are probably better than bread, but basically about the same net effect at the end of the day at this point.

[shredded_Tris]

Agreed with Andre. 5 pounds leaner would have done the job. Perhaps not enough to win as I have no idea how good the guy was that beat you. Just keep posting pics here every so often and particularly in the final 8 weeks or so and I am sure a bunch of people on this board will be able to guide your progress. I can be as honest as you want me to be!

As for food, at this point, 200 calories extra in a day in the form of toast and jam is not gonna make or break you. But as for substitutes...right now I am eating apples, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. the only other carbs I eat are from veggies. even things like shredded wheat, or even mini-wheats are probably better than bread, but basically about the same net effect at the end of the day at this point.

Yeah that's what I figured.
I will definitely keep posting pics and food and all my progress for sure. And I would appreciate you being as honest as possible, because that is the only way I will be for sure hitting my best peak. I will try out those substitutes then. How low do your cals usually end up by the end of your diet btw Steve

[steve_d]

they almost got down to about 2000 calories near the end. Depends alot on how much cardio you do though, and/or how intense your workouts still can be towards the end.

[shredded_Tris]

Alright, I did some re-calculating and I was able to switch certain foods and not neccessarily lower my portions but cleaned up my plan substantially.

Salmon now equals Haddock
Rice now equals Sweet Potato
Jam now equals nothing lol

and I am using Hot sauce and Becel spray for my only toppings so that cuts cals and sugars too.

So my cardio for the next few weeks will be roughly 30 min per day 5-6 times a week and my new Caloric totals are as follows:

Mon - 1975 Cals
Tues - 2320 Cals
Wed - 1975 Cals
Thurs - 2320 Cals
Fri - 1975 Cals
Sat - 2320 Cals
Sun - 1975 Cals

Totaling roughly 14,860 as apposed to the previous 17,330 per Week

So this is the game plan for now, we'll see how it works