Justin-27’s BodyBlog

…do we condone, and even highlight fat asses.  I just had the pleasure of watching a commercial for that fat fuk gabriel iglasias on comedy central.  Not only is his entire routine based on being a lard ass, but he is proud of it!  This commercial was of said fatty in a med lab trying to figure out how to feed his machine…..love the "can I get whipped cream dispenser" line.  Is it too much to ask for us to stop making it seem like it’s ok to be a complete waste of space? 

Maybe I’m insensitive.

Maybe I’m *sensitive.*

Maybe I just don’t like lazy fat asses.

Whatever the case, if you are 200lbs overweight, save me the barfing in my mouth and GTFOff my TV. 

FYI, there is a large difference between someone that is overweight, yet does nothing about it….and the person that is overweight and busting his/her ass to trim down.  I could say they were lazy to get to that point, but hey, at least they are on the right side of the tracks now.

Hey guys, a point I’d like to make here.

So it is no secret that I am on a gain muscle quickly program right now.  In fact, it has been about a month to the day that I started weight training again after a 6+ month layoff.  I was both reading a John Gerardi "Eat Big" article on T-Nation.com yesterday and also watching Layne Norton’s "Life of a Natty Pro" vid series here and noticed something that is correlating in my physique.

Take Subject "A," a male that eats a solid 2800 cals a day to maintain his weight when not training (but remaining physically active).  Now say this person wants to regain some lost muscle, and quickly.  So he says to himself "well body, we’ve been there, done that with this….the training won’t be easy….it never is, but we’ve chugged on up 25lbs of muscle before and we’ll do it again…so LET’S EAT!"  Lofty goal sir, but I like the drive!   So our subject hits the gym like old times (starting a bit slow so we don’t die obviously), and moves from 3-4 meals and ~2800 cals (his old diet for high activity but no lifting), and goes straight to 6 meals a day, 300+ grams of protein, creatine, and upps the cals a SOLID THOUSAND.  Obviously, this was not a gradual change….this subject wants…scratch that NEEDS this muscle, and needs it fast!  So he gets back to the good ole days diet.  Now don’t get it wrong here, this subject is dedicated…..is not eating ****…..just good solid muscle gaining food. 

So what’s the problem you ask?

He looks like a pregnant woman after a week of this and is holding 1029384lbs of water.  Ugh…..bloated, gassy, uncomfortable, the whole deal. 

My point?

Well obviously the "subject" is me.  But something I noticed the past 5 days has been happening…..and happening rapidly.  I am leaning out quite a bit, and still packing on the muscle.  My body has FINALLY caught up to this calorie fest and of course the 5 or so lbs of muscle I’ve put on is helping ramp up my metabolism and burn through the cals faster.

This leads me to my recommendation for those that have been out of the game for a while, and as Norton mentioned, those that are coming from any type of restricted cal diet (like a bodybuilding/fitness show).  You really need to let your body g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y assimilate the higher levels of protein, carbs, and fat.  That’s why the rebound is so nasty for many competitors and they get fat and depressed post shows. 

Take it from one obsessed dude to another (or dudettte), slowly up your calories by 200-300 a week until your body is chugging along smoothly and actually using those quality nutrients instead of making you bloated and gain fat. (Trust me, it’s no fun looking fat when you’re eating oats and chicken as a meal).  I was like WTF?>!

I swear, sometimes I can be so back and forth on what I want in life.  Be it in the training arena, work, social life, you name it.  I’ll give me some credit though, I am pretty damn responsible when it comes to living a basic, clean life.  I don’t hold addictions that drag you down (both in health and monetarily) like gambling, drugs, alcohol, partying, etc.  But on the other hand, I think I am kinda boring. haha  I just moved in with some new roomies and I can tell already what they think of me….loner, only cares about training/how he looks, in his own little world, etc.  And truth be told, they are right on many of those fronts.  I am one of 3 (one bro, one sis) and I was always that "to himself, overly neat and tidy, care what others think about him, quiet type person"…….well time has molded some of those, but I am still happier in the gym training by myself or organizing something in my room than I am training with 3 dudes or partying it up at night being social.  I guess it is who I am.

I do all I can to simplify my life.  When you have a busy brain, it’s all you can do to stop overanalyzing everything as it is, so a "less is more" mentality tends to work for folks like me.  Shoot I don’t even have a credit card (is this kid in the stone age or something?) lol.  It’s almost as though I relish the challenge in making life more in my control, a body I can be proud of, no enemies (so many times I keep my mouth shut when I really want to say something…just to avoid conflict), the food I eat, you name it, if I can control it, it’s being done.  Now I know this isn’t the way to have meaningful relationships, be it friends, family, or a significant other…..believe me, I know that first hand.  This is something I struggle with everyday.  But you know what they say, if you aren’t settled/happy in where you are at in life, you will have issues giving yourself to others.  That is where I’m at…..for like 12 years. 

In reality, I am just blabbing….maybe even whining (I am emotional what can I say haha).  On that note, have you ever noticed that all of us "crazy training/nutrition types" tend to all be a lot alike?  We might’ve been chubby growing up, picked on in school, not given attention by our parents, have impulsive personalities, excessive tendencies, etc.  Well, I have noticed that a LOT in fitness girls I’ve dated, training dudes I’ve been friends with.  Maybe it’s just the people I’ve met and myself….but I always figure it takes someone "not quite right" to do what we do on a daily basis.  I could be wrong though…wouldn’t be the first time.

Oh yeah, the title!  Typical Justin….he wants 20" arms….then he wants a 29" shredded waist no matter what he weighs….now he wants to road bike at a high level?!  The kid won’t stop!  So back to square one, getting jacked and big…..in it’s defense, that is my "usual suspect" I fall back on.  At least all my back and forthness keeps me into the fitness arena, unlike others that go from "let’s get jacked and lean" to, "ehh I’m lazy."  I can definitely be thankful for that internal "drive" I’ve always had.  I just have been sitting around lately, thinking where my physique really should be at this point in my training (29 nearing 30 years old).  I know I’m not old per se, but with my discipline and decent genetics, I should be like 230 at 10% (always natural, don’t worry).

Well….maybe some of you find you falter into the same tendencies I do….if so, feel free to chime in. 

I am a self-admitted "meathead," it is always a bit of a struggle to not want to be that "big guy at the gym" for me.  But the ironic thing about being the big guy, is 99% of the guys that strive for that (and are natural), look like complete crap.  I have been there folks.  I am currently 193 lbs and at one time (not too long ago) I was 236lbs…yes, 236lbs and natural.  But I had like 14% bodyfat….I looked like a turd.  It’s good that I now know that leanness is the way to go…..not only do you look much better, but you are healthier, and of course the opposite sex never loved a big 15% bodyfat, powerlifter look….I can tell you that.  I always find it interesting that over the years I have gotten more "you look big", or "are you on something" comments when I am eating clean as a whistle and actually *losing* weight (fat).  So now I am 110%, till the end of time, all for clean bulking, and staying in the single digit bodyfat realm no matter what your goals in this game are: bodybuilding comps, beach body, all around health, fitness comps, you name it….the leaner, the better I say. 

 The interesting part about bulking, is the current definition was brought about by the 1980’s, steroid craze.  If you know anything at all about steroids, you must be off cycle at least as much as you are on cycle.  So the big stacks that brought about the mass monsters of today came based upon this methodology.  12 week cycle of high andros, 12 weeks off, 12 weeks for cutting for a show with compounds like winstrol, then 12 weeks off….whalla one calendar year.  So it is no wonder these non natural folks want to maximize the androgenic first 12 week cycle….so they eat their faces off, and put on well over 20 lbs, sometimes like 50.  Is this healthy?  Hell no!  Is this effective, Hell YES!  Because when they need to cut the bodyfat, guess what is like an angel in the sky?  Another steroid cycle for the 12 week dieting.  Look, I have ZERO disrespect for steroid users, I almost made that choice myself last year when I was 218 and nearly as lean as I am now.  But I did not, and choose not to.  But hear me out on this bulking thing folks.  The ONLY REASONS IT WORKS is because cutting with the help of the medicine cabinet helps you retain your muscle, all the while losing fat.  That is when steroids work like ****ing magic. 

 My point?  Bulking….then cutting for natural bodies is adsolutely retarded, sorry, it is.  It is the easy way out, the scapegoat of eating whatever you want, all the while saying "hey dude, im bulking!"  If I see one more 19 yr old girl on bodyspace claiming they are "bulking" I will poke my eyes out with a spoon.   You are a female, train hard, but please do not try and bulk….you’ll look like crap, and when you go to cut, whalla, there went 95% of the muscle.  I think people fail to realize what 5 HONEST LEAN MUSCLE pounds gained looks like.  It is a *huge* difference.  And 10 lbs of lean mass?  Night and day folks. 

So with ^ rant said, do it right, do it the healthy way……and start shoveling that plain oatmeal, tuna, and brown rice down that throat asap!

Until next time…..eat clean and BE LEAN!

I step in from my 40 minute morning power walk, fresh from reflecting during it……log onto bodyspace (but of course) and here I am.  Look, let’s be straight here, we all want the perfect body, I am no different.  I am just as hard on myself at 7% bodyfat as I am at 12%, it’s not good enough.  So join me in the quest of being "good enough"…taking our bodies to the next level.