12 weeks out. am i ok?????

[robertmmcgrew]

This will be my first show. I am a lil nervous and not quiet too sure what to expect as far as where i should be. I have already cut down about 17 lbs since 12-25-09. I currently weigh about 218 and have been averaging loss of about -1.3 a week. The first 5 or so was just from water weight, all i did was clean up my diet and cut back on my sodium intake. I have recently bumped up my cardio to 2 hiit and 2 low intensity a week first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, I still train pretty heavy, same way I train off-session. I had a skin fold done a couple weeks ago and the trainer told me i was at about 10-12%. I am all natural. I think my diet is pretty on point for the time being, however I would really like to get some feed back and be honest. I have a friend of mine who is a personal trainer and has done several shows (I am also a trainer, but this is my first show), we have a lot of differing opinions and two totally different body type. He is an ecto/meso and stays lean quiet easily, myself on the other hand am a meso/endo and have to really work at staying lean. So anything would help. I want honest critique. o and about a leg shot.

[jth16]

I would step up the weight loss per week to 1.5-2lbs per week. You look a bit behind for 12 weeks out, but then again it's rare that someone comes in lean enough their first competition.

[Jacked-diesel]

Your leaner than I was at 12 weeks out, my first show is a little over 4 short weeks away. Your really thick and a wide back, just stay strict on the diet man . Good luck hope you do well!

[robertmmcgrew]

I would step up the weight loss per week to 1.5-2lbs per week. You look a bit behind for 12 weeks out, but then again it's rare that someone comes in lean enough their first competition.

Thanks. At the rate of 2lbs a week think i could pull it off. 2lbs a week is definitely doable just didn't want to sacrifice too much mass but yet i also understand it is a natty so cut is the name of the game....

[zmcdole]

I don't know when those pics were taken, but you're not 10-12% in those pics. I'm just being honest as I know that's what I would want if I was in your shoes. I don't think you're gonna be real happy with the way you look on stage in 12 weeks. You can get a lot accomplished in 12 weeks, but I doubt you'll be stage lean in 12 weeks. I would put you at 20 weeks out minimum. You're probably gonna have at least 2 weeks where your fat loss stalls or something happens and you take a bit to get going again. I'm sure you'll stick to your diet and not play around, but I just don't think 12 weeks is enough time to get stage lean. That's my honest opinion. I think you're pretty thick and when you do get stage lean, you'll look pretty good.

[robertmmcgrew]

Your leaner than I was at 12 weeks out, my first show is a little over 4 short weeks away. Your really thick and a wide back, just stay strict on the diet man . Good luck hope you do well!

jacked, thank you! to be honest with you guys. I have not been a 100% on my diet until about 2 weeks ago. I was way off, enough to loss but i should be ahead. Time to focus....

[robertmmcgrew]

I don't know when those pics were taken, but you're not 10-12% in those pics. I'm just being honest as I know that's what I would want if I was in your shoes. I don't think you're gonna be real happy with the way you look on stage in 12 weeks. You can get a lot accomplished in 12 weeks, but I doubt you'll be stage lean in 12 weeks. I would put you at 20 weeks out minimum. You're probably gonna have at least 2 weeks where your fat loss stalls or something happens and you take a bit to get going again. I'm sure you'll stick to your diet and not play around, but I just don't think 12 weeks is enough time to get stage lean. That's my honest opinion. I think you're pretty thick and when you do get stage lean, you'll look pretty good.

yeah i think you are right. I was concerned with this. i will be doing another show a lil later, 20 weeks away. so i think i am going to do the novice for the 12 week show and use it as practice and real keep my eyes on the price for the 20 week show where i hope to have my guns blazing. thanks

[zmcdole]

yeah i think you are right. I was concerned with this. i will be doing another show a lil later, 20 weeks away. so i think i am going to do the novice for the 12 week show and use it as practice and real keep my eyes on the price for the 20 week show where i hope to have my guns blazing. thanks

thats sounds like a good plan. that a way you can try different things out with peaking and you'll get a feel for how you should plan your day on the day of the show. A lot of guys do more than one show and use the first one as a warm up. Good luck.

[domingochavez]

Go hard at it mate, very interested in the end result!

[AustrianOakJr]

You've got a great load of muscle to work with there. But, you've got more than 24 lbs of fat to move (2 lbs a week for 12 weeks). So, I like your plan of going at the show in 12 weeks for experience and then shoot to come in stage-ready for your show in 20 weeks. If you dieted for the full 20 weeks youre going to be a lot more pleased with the outcome.

[robertmmcgrew]

First and foremost, just want to say thanks to everyone for the advise. you guys are the bomb, please, please, please keep it coming, i love the fact that you get some many different people with different experiences together, it is better than any book or any video you can buy. I am truly thankful to everyone who has hit this thread up.
I seen my coach today and we did a 7 point skin fold and I came out at about 10%. Which as OAK said puts me at about mid 20's for bf to lose. I do understand that this type of test is not 100% and there is room for error. But i have definitely seen a big change in the past week since i have taken the pics. I have bumped up the H.I.I.T. to about 20 minutes, four days a week first thing in the morning on an empty tank. Shooting for a 2lb a week loss. and lowered my caloric intake by 100 cal a day. So lets see, my metabolism is burning hot, I can read my body and can tell its burning by the way i feel towards the evening when my carb intake starts to taper down. I will make sure to refeed about every other week to keep it burning. Be posting some new pics next week for feed back and critique, stay posted and keep the comments coming>>>>>Thanks Guys.>>>