3 weeks out of the vancouver natural
I decided to write some training log, so I won’t forget what I did for the show.
I usually diet for 12weeks, but I didn’t have much time, so my plan is 8 weeks diet. I started from the last week of January, and I have 3 more weeks to go till the show.
I train one or two body parts a day, which is
Monday: Chest, side delts, calves, and abs
Tuesday: Back, traps
Wednesday: Hamstrings, Forearms, Calves, and abs
Thursday: Shoulders, traps
Friday: Biceps, triceps, forearms, calves, and abs
Saturday: Quads
Since the beginning of January, My training routine has been like this. I swtich with everybody part twice a week after 4 months, so until the end of April, my training will be same as this routine. For chest, back, quads, and hamstrings, I usually do 5 exercises with 3 to 4 sets each. I try to use heavy weights for the first 2 exercises, and other 3 exercises will be mainly focusing on controlling the weights.
Even though I’m dieting, I try to use heavier weights than usual, which also has a risk of injuries, I have to be very careful.
For cardio and dieting, I don’t do anything special. I don’t take any fat-burner supplements. I usually have high metabolism and stays lean, so my goal during the diet is to keep as much size & strength as possible. During the off-season, I take about 600g of carbs, 170g of protein (1g per pound), and as much fat as possible. My diet is pretty clean during the off-season, so I just focus on getting a lot of calories.
1st week: 500g carbs, 200g protein, 20g fat. Cardio twice a week for 30 min. Once I start dieting, I cut of all the junk foods and sugar products. I don’t even take any diet-soda. No cheating day on the weekend, too. I prefer being that way to keep myself to feel determined towards my goal. My carb soucers are mainly oatmeal, rice, and pasta. Protein souces are lean meats or lean fish. I personally like the taste of fish better than meat. I don’t care about sodium intake. It is same as usual. Also, I need lots of vegetables to get vitamins and minerals. I do take multivitamins but I think eating from natural sources are still better choice. Besides, I don’t wanna make my body acidic because of too much meat.
2nd week: 450g carbs, 200g protein, 20g fat. Cardio 3 times a week for 45 min
3rd week: 400og carbs, 200g protein, 20g fat. Cardio 4 times a week for 60 min
4th week: 350g carbs, 200g protein, 20g fat, Cardio 4 times a week. for 60 min
5th week: 350g carbs on Mon, Tue, and Sat. 200g carbs on Sun, Wed, Thur, and Fri. Cardio everyday for 60 min. I felt my metabolism was getting slow, so I decided to do cardio everyday with very low intensity to avoid high cortisol level. Also, I sometimes cycle carbohydrates to kick the metabolism.
6th week: 300g carbs on Mon, TUe, and Sat. 200g carbs on Sun, Wed, Thur, and Fri. 200-210g protein. Cardio everyday for 60 min. Amount of carbs I take during the diet is very high for the most people, but if I go for low carbs, I lose my weight too quickly, not only fat but also muscle, so I usually cut down about 50g of carbs every week.
7th week (this week): 250g carbs on Mon, Tue, and Sat. 150g carbs on Sun, Wed, Thur, and Fri. 220g protein. Cardio twice a day. 30 min in the morning. I never went this low on carbohydrates before, but I have to lose a little bit of weight to make it to my weight class. I know I still keep the size and strength very well, so I decided to try low carb & high protein. My carb intake is sometims lower than I planned. If I’m not hungry because I slept too much, my metabolism won’t be as high as usual, so I don’t eat, but I eat some lean meats and vegetables.
For the next 2 weeks. My plan will be like this
8th week: 200g carbs on Mon, Tue, and Sat. 100g carbs on Sun, Wed, Thur, and Fri. 220g protein. Cardio twice a day for 30min everyday.
9th week (last week before the show). I may do carbo-loading, but I haven’t decided yet. It will depend on my condition.
I’ll be competing at light weight (146-154 1/2), and I weigh 154-155, so I don’t have a problem making it to my class. I’m hoping to get on the stage at least 150lbs.
In terms of supplements, I only take whey protein and BCAA. I take whey protein after I wake up and after my workout with some fruits. For BCAA, I take 5g upon waking up, 5g before training, 10-15g during trainig, and 10-15g after training. If I’m at work and don’t have anything else to eat, I take protein shake. Since I have taken BCAA in January, I can feel a lot of difference, especially when I’m on low-carb. It helps me a lot to keep my mass, strength, and energy. I usually take Kre-alkaryn, but I’m out of it now.
