Please help me fulfill my goal of getting onstage

[BigRig]

Hey guys,

I need some serious advice from those who have successfully competed in bodybuilding competitions before. I desperately want to do a show here in Tampa on September 20, 2003. This show is 10.5 weeks away. The problem is, I have been dieting for 25 weeks already – started on January 16 this year. In that timeframe, I have gone from 248.5 pounds at about 25% bodyfat, down to 207 at around 13% bodyfat, a loss of 41.5 pounds.

Because I have been dieting so long, my calories are already fairly low (around 2200) and my cardio is already fairly high (1-1.25 hour brisk walking per day for total of 7.5 hours per week). Despite the low calories and high cardio, I only lost one pound last week. In fact, my metabolism seems to adjust more quickly now to whatever changes I implement.

Now I fully realize that my body may not respond fast enough for me to do this show. That is a possibility. But I want to bust my a$$ over the next 10 weeks to make it happen if at all possible. I want to end this thing knowing that I gave my all, and let the chips fall where they may.

Below I have listed a typical day of eating.

7:00am – 1.5 scoops Optimum Whey, 1 cup shredded wheat
10:15am (preworkout) – 1 scoop Optimum Whey, 20g simple carbs
12:00pm (postworkout) – 2 scoops Optimum Whey, 60g simple carbs
1:00pm – 3.5 oz Chicken breast, 1 can green beans (usually with hot sauce)
3:30pm – 1.5 scoops Optimum Whey
5:30-6:00pm – Cardio
6:30pm – 3.5 oz chicken breast, 1-2 tbsp BBQ sauce
8:30-9:00pm – 3.5 oz chicken breast, 2 tbsp sour cream, salsa, 3-4 cups salad w/ 2 tbsp light dressing, handful of Fat-free Shredded Cheddar (good stuff by the way)
10:00pm – 1 tbsp Natural Peanut butter before bed

Totals – Protein: 262g Carbs: 178g Fat: 40g Calories: 2130

I will also usually consume a handful of hot peppers and one container of fat-free, sugar-free Jello during the course of an evening, which bumps the calories up to about 2200. I implement a refeed, where I eat about 150g of additional carbs once per week. I also drink diet sodas liberally (no calories) throughout the day.

By the way, I am 100% drug-free (including no pro-hormones or pro-steroids). I just implemented Ripped Fuel today as an ephedrine/caffeine stack. Hopefully that will rejuvenate my progress.

The question is, what do I do from here to keep my progress consistent? I have not done high-intensity cardio as of yet because I kept hurting my back during sprints early on in the dieting process, and I never seemed to recover from the additional high intensity work. I do each bodypart once per week in a Max-OT type of workout (with slightly more exercise variety).

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do from here to assure that I feel like I have given my all come September 20. I want to know that if I am not in shape on that day, it was not because of something I didn’t do, or because I didn’t work hard enough. Please guys, I have been working toward this goal for six months now. I have conquered an eating disorder and lost over 40 pounds to get to this point, and I want this. Any direction you can provide will be much appreciated.

Thanks,
BigRig

[AussieTank]

Dude you got to stay commited and go beyond what people would call sain to get up on stage.
For the last 4 weeks of my competition prepartion I was doing 45 mins cardio in the morning and then training at the gym with weight for an hour then after work i would do another hour of cardio. If your serious about getting on stage dont be afraid to push your self to limits you have never experinced before, please do not reply with the excuse that you dont have enough time because if your not willing to make time for hardcore training then you shouldnt be even talking about competiting.

Getting on stage is for the elite have you got what it takes ?

[freaker]

As far as HIIT cardio, it doesn't have to be sprinting if that gives you problems. Try jumping rope or boxing, even shadow boxing can be high intensity, you just have to get your heart rate elevated and get yourself winded. You can do HIIT cardio in many ways. Also, your body probably is getting use to your diet. You may want to up your calories significantly for a day or two. Also, I use an ascending protein/descending carb diet for fat-loss exactly because it never allows my body to get used to it, which is why it works so great.

[BigRig]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Aussie, I am not going to reply that I don't have enough time. In fact, I am willing to do two hours of cardio every day of the week for the next 10 weeks to accomplish this goal. I have competed several times before and know the kind of torture it takes to get onstage. My only concern is that I don't want to increase my cardio too soon, and then end up having my fat loss plateau several weeks before the show. Maybe the answer is to incorporate some more intensity, thereby increasing the number of calories burned while decreasing the time needed to complete a session. Thanks for the added motivation bro!

Freaker, considering I am at 262g pro, 178g carbs, 40g fat, and 2130 calories right now, how would you suggest manipulating these ratios/calorie totals over the next ten weeks to maximize fat loss? Trust me, I'll eat no carbs if that is what it takes. I just want to make sure that I maximize my progress as I still have a good amount of fat to lose.

I am also thinking about doing some modified cardio sessions where the first 2/3 is low intensity, and then the final 1/3 is higher in intensity.

As I said before, I appreciate advice and encouragement from everyone. It is more special coming from guys that I know have gone through this extensive self-torture before.

[BigRig]

Bump for more good advice!

[cdmuscle]

BigRig - Don't do too many changes too fast! Not only will you throw your metabolism into a tail spin but you won't know what change is makingh the biggest difference!!!

First - take out some of your carbs - around 1/2 of what you are eating. Try that for at least 1 week. Replace with protein and good fats to keep your calorie level the same.

Second - when you stabilize, add a little more cardio. Say... Around 15 min in the evening, add in 5 minute increments for a few weeks. Do not go over 30 minutes!

Last - if you take out carbs, be careful how much cardio you are doing! That's why I said to take carbs out first, so you can see if your body will adjust itself and burn fat BEFORE you add the cardio! Only add cardio if you feel you have stabilized.

Hope this helps! Others may have more good ideas! Drink plenty of water to keep things flowing smooth...

[freaker]

Originally posted by BigRig
Freaker, considering I am at 262g pro, 178g carbs, 40g fat, and 2130 calories right now, how would you suggest manipulating these ratios/calorie totals over the next ten weeks to maximize fat loss? Trust me, I'll eat no carbs if that is what it takes. I just want to make sure that I maximize my progress as I still have a good amount of fat to lose.

Here's what I'd suggest as far as your diet is concerned.

Day 1 - 160g protein, 200g complex carbs, 24 oz broccoli, 70g fat
Day 2 - 240g protein, 100g complex carbs, 24 oz broccoli, 70g fat
Day 3 - 280g protein, 50g complex carbs, 24 oz broccoli, 70g fat
Day 4 - 320g protein, 24 oz broccoli, 70g fat
Day 5 - 360g protein, 12 oz broccoli, 70g fat
Day 6 - 360g protein, 70g fat
Day 7 - 200g protein, 300-400g complex carbs, 12 oz broccoli, 70g fat

Protein should come from eggs, meat, and protein powder. Complex carbs should come from sweet potatos, oatmeal, and brown rice(you can substitute fruit, maltodextrin, or dextrose for in/post-workout meals though). Fat should come from flax seeds, flax seed oil, olive oil, egg yolks, and various nuts and seeds. On days 1-3, divide your complex carbohydrate intake between the first meal of the day and pre/in/post-workout meals. I think Layne has some pretty good ratios in his article as to how you should divide up the carbs over those meals. Divide up the broccoli and fat intake over all your non-pre/in/post-workout meals. If you find you aren't losing weight fast enough, cut the calories by 5-10% each week until you find the right amount.

[BigRig]

Thanks for the rundown Freaker. I will give this a try if my fat loss is still stalled this week (I weigh in and calculate bodyfat each weekend). Your plan looks like a good one, especially that 300-400g carb day !!!!

Cdmuscle, thanks for the advice. Your suggestions are pretty much in line with what Freaker is suggesting, accept he recommends cycling the carb intake throughout the week. Hopefully these changes will accelerate my fat loss considerably.

Thanks again everyone for your advice.

[BigRig]

Freaker, what do you think of Shredded Wheat cereal as a complex carb source. I can use others, but this seems to be easier because I don't have to cook it.

[freaker]

Originally posted by BigRig
Freaker, what do you think of Shredded Wheat cereal as a complex carb source. I can use others, but this seems to be easier because I don't have to cook it.

Shredded wheat cereal can work although generally the less processed something is the healthier it is. BTW, I use sweet potatos and oatmeal exclusively, and I don't cook either of them. I think raw sweet potatos taste better than carrots, and I think pouring water on oatmeal and eating it is fine. People may say it's gross, but i don't like the taste of these foods when they're cooked, I like them much better raw. Also, as a time saver, I'll throw quick oatmeal in a blender with my protein shake, tastes fine to me.

[BigRig]

Good tips. I'll have to try the raw sweet potatoes and see how I like it. Wouldn't be too hard to tip back some raw oats either on the way to work in the morning. As it is, it takes me the whole one-hour drive (I live in New Tampa and work over in Clearwater) to eat one cup of dry shredded wheat!

Thanks for the pointers Freaker. I definitely think I need to try something new, because even after doing over one-hour of cardio per day this week, I still only lost 1.5 pounds (I won't make contest shape at this rate). The good thing is, according to my calipers, all of the weight loss is fat, so the high aerobic volume is not causing muscle loss at this point.