Sound Nutrition + Heavy Weight Training = More Muscle Less Fat
So I did an analysis of my progress from May 8, 2006 to May 31, 2007. I broke it up into two periods of time, the first is just my attempts at getting my pre-pregnancy physique back, the second period of time starts from the date I made big changes to my diet in preparation for a bodybuilding competition. Here are the interesting results:
May 8, 2006 to Feb 13, 2007 - Just my life, my personal attempt at getting my pre-pregnancy physique back.
Average Calories: 2159
Average Macronutrient ratio: 139P/210C/91F
Diet was clean but not competition clean, I ate slow burning carbs like sweet potatoes and oatmeal, whole wheat bread and pasta, etc. Basically I ate according to my General Nutritional Guidelines that I have posted up numerous times in the female forum.
Body Weight: 134-142 with 137 lbs being the average
Body Fat in April 2006: 19.83%
Body Fat 17 Feb 2007: 19.48%
So as you can see, there was virtually NO CHANGE in my body composition in that entire 9 months! I mean you could attribute the difference to margin of error. Training-wise I did only cardio until the end of Aug of 2006 cause I had severe DeQuervain’s tendinitis and couldn’t lift. I hiked once or twice a week for hours at a time with my son in the backpack and inline skated at a local skating rink.
Feb 14, 2007 - May 31, 2007 I started on a Beverly International 16 week out diet and made other dietary changes from there (as you would as you get closer to your BB comp).
Average Calories: 2099 (so only 60 cals less than the previous 9 mo)
Average Macronutrient Ratio: 189P/136C/91F
So basically I raised my protein intake and dropped my carbohydrate intake. I was also eating competition clean (still am).
Body Weight: 132 - 140 lbs I am still fluctuating depending on how long I actually stick on my diet of under 100g of carbs. But my average weight seems to be around 135 lbs unless I pig out on carbs.
Body Fat 17 Feb 07: Again, was 19.48% (7 point Jackson/Polluck Method)
Body Fat 17 May 07 (exactly 3 months later): 17.58%
Now granted 1.9% of change isn’t that much but if you look at my progress pics, and even better if you saw me in person, my physique ROCKS now, compared to what it was 3 months ago!! I’ve got all kinds of muscle definition, even more so than I had in my pre-pregnancy pics and all because I cracked down on my diet by DROPPING MY CARBS AND EATING CLEANER. I MEAN I ONLY AVERAGED A MEASLY 60 CALORIES LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS 9 MONTHS BUT YET THE RESULTS ARE ASTOUNDING!!! I have succeeded in changing my body composition JUST BY DROPPING CARBS AND CLEANING UP MY DIET!!! THE CALORIES ARE VIRTUALLY THE SAME!! So this goes out to all those doubt my advice or who think you can achieve a better body composition by eating ice cream as long as you keep your calories below maintenance, I DON’T BELIEVE IT FOR A SECOND!!! You don’t get more muscle and less fat by eating stuff like ice cream, I don’t care if your calories are below maintenance or not!
Oh, I should also mention, that during this last 3 months I have been doing more heavy weight training, at least 4 days a week but closer to 5 days a week whereas the previous 9 months I was not weight training at all in the beginning and then in late Aug I started again but was only weight training 2-3 times per week but was doing more cardio. Now currently, my cardio consists only of going session skating twice a week and at the beginning of this 3 month time period my cardio consisted only of walking on a treadmill twice a week for 30 min! The only reason I skate now instead is just because I love it and it happens to be my only form of a social life, so basically my skating is leisurely skating and of course I don’t skate constantly the entire skating session, I do a lot of talking too, heh.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT I GOT BETTER RESULTS BY TIGHTENING UP ON MY DIET, WEIGHT TRAINING MORE, AND DOING LESS CARDIO!!!
June 3, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Nice post! I believe I have a body similar to yours in respect to the carb deal. I have to drop carbs/raise protein to see a difference.
And hey, inline skating is like being a kid again! And gives you a booty lift!
June 30, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I hear you with the ‘less cardio’ thing. When I was doing cardio almost every day of the week last year I gained no mass and kept the fat. Now, doing only 2-3 times a week (HIIT) I ‘ve seen some big changes! Good post.
July 9, 2007 at 7:34 pm
I love reading your posts and blog, BTW. Please check out my profile if you get a chance…I have a link to my fitday journal. I am trying to gain weight (I lose weight easily, and lost too much inadvertently), so I have been upping my calories and doing heavy weights. I’ve also had to cut back on cardio, which was hard, but I realized I was burning off all of my hard work in muscle gaining! Now I need to work my abs better. It’s hard for me to eat a lot–I’m a vegetarian and eat lots of fibrous veggies. I have no problem getting a lot of protein, but calories overall is difficult. I also don’t eat junk food. Keep on posting!