Reid's Offseason Journey to become a Natural Pro

[Devils]

Hey dudes, my life has taken a little turn from being so focused on bodybuilding and I'm feeling a lot more happy now. I stopped tracking macros so closely (or even at all some days) but my weight has still been hanging out around 168lbs. I actually lost a little bit when I stopped tracking macros religiously. It just wasn't working well with my life and it became more of a stressor than something that was uber important for me to do especially because its offseason and I'm still only 15lbs over stage weight. I'm still training hard but my hip is still giving me a lot of trouble. I might need to get an MRI or something but I really just don't want to deal with that right now.

Aye good news, there's really no point in counting macro's in the offseason. Just don't gain weight too fast and lift heavy! It's a time where you really shouldn't stress about food choices and just focus on getting the best performance possible.

You're 168 lbs, you would be reaching for about 190 at the end of this bulk right? You have plenty of time and I doubt your close to being fat.

In 1 year time when you've gained another 15-20 lbs, what does it matter that on the 8th of June you had 2500 calories with 200p, 50f and the rest carbs. I'll tell you, it wont matter. Just lift that weight brother and go until your abs are just visible.

[domingochavez]

Aye good news, there's really no point in counting macro's in the offseason. Just don't gain weight too fast and lift heavy! It's a time where you really shouldn't stress about food choices and just focus on getting the best performance possible.

You're 168 lbs, you would be reaching for about 190 at the end of this bulk right? You have plenty of time and I doubt your close to being fat.

In 1 year time when you've gained another 15-20 lbs, what does it matter that on the 8th of June you had 2500 calories with 200p, 50f and the rest carbs. I'll tell you, it wont matter. Just lift that weight brother and go until your abs are just visible.

Amen.

[Reid456]

Aye good news, there's really no point in counting macro's in the offseason. Just don't gain weight too fast and lift heavy! It's a time where you really shouldn't stress about food choices and just focus on getting the best performance possible.

You're 168 lbs, you would be reaching for about 190 at the end of this bulk right? You have plenty of time and I doubt your close to being fat.

In 1 year time when you've gained another 15-20 lbs, what does it matter that on the 8th of June you had 2500 calories with 200p, 50f and the rest carbs. I'll tell you, it wont matter. Just lift that weight brother and go until your abs are just visible.

Yup, while I think it was important for me to track for the first few months of reverse dieting, I've gotten to a point now where my body is happy with being around this BF% and I know how to eat reasonably well. Honestly, if I go to grad school, this bulk might end up being a LOOONG one because I don't know if I could do a prep during grad school. I've never been above 181lbs but I don't need to get back to that weight anytime soon.

[The Solution]

Reid making progress!
Good look on the supple leopard book. AMAZING read.

[Reid456]

I started back again with deadlifts yesterday because I don't feel that it bothers my hip enough for me to not do them. And while I probably should've started out a little bit easier, for some reason I decided to rip 3 sets of 315x10. The last set was definitely brutal but the feeling of accomplishment/exhaustion afterwards is what I really miss about doing leg lifts. Maybe I'll give squats another try here soon.

[Rypt1]

Nice job on the deads. I like your approach to the relaxed offseason after your reverse. Sounds like you are taking things one step at a time.

[Reid456]

Nice job on the deads. I like your approach to the relaxed offseason after your reverse. Sounds like you are taking things one step at a time.

Yeah and its funny, ever since I stopped tracking macros (except having a rough idea in my head) my weight has actually gone down.... and I know for a fact that I've had way too much ice cream so far this week, haha!

[The Solution]

Yeah and its funny, ever since I stopped tracking macros (except having a rough idea in my head) my weight has actually gone down.... and I know for a fact that I've had way too much ice cream so far this week, haha!

You eating nearly the same thing everyday or quite the variety?
Staple Meals?

The hardest thing IMO would be not weighing things like oats/rice/pasta as it can add up very quick/fast
Eyeballing things like PB/Whey (with scoopers) etc would not be too bad, same with meat/chicken since we have seen it 902302 times.

[Reid456]

You eating nearly the same thing everyday or quite the variety?
Staple Meals?

The hardest thing IMO would be not weighing things like oats/rice/pasta as it can add up very quick/fast
Eyeballing things like PB/Whey (with scoopers) etc would not be too bad, same with meat/chicken since we have seen it 902302 times.

Yeah I do still weigh things like oats and rice and pasta but I just don't really "count" them. So yeah I'm basically eating all the same stuff and eating out a little bit more. No doubt my fat intake is probably a little higher, but I think my body does well with that anyway.

[Reid456]

Just a quick little update: I hit 95sx5 on DB flat bench for 3 sets today so that means next week I'm moving back up to 100s so my strength is finally back to what it was almost and at 10-12lbs lighter as well. Pretty cool!

[The Solution]

^^^ Awesome progress dude! cant beat that for being 10-12 pounds lighter. LBM gains are being made.

[jpfaherty]

Nice work my dude. Still 12 pounds lighter? Dang!

[Reid456]

Hey all, just thought I'd drop a little update. Recently, I've just been focusing on things in my life other than bodybuilding. Don't get me wrong, I've still been training hard (although still can't squat ) but I let nutrition slip a little bit recently. I'm sitting at 170-172 right now which is a tad higher than I'd like but I still have abs, so that's good. I just started tracking macros again today because I needed to bring the reigns in a little bit. I've been really just focusing on my research as I'm working in a biochem lab at school this summer. Things have been going really well and I've gotten a lot of work done and developed some really good friendships along the way. I hope to be able to put out a publication this fall and I will most likely be applying to graduate school somewhere to study chemistry for a PhD. Thinking about my future and my career still really scares me right now and I wish I could just stay in college forever, haha! Anyway, I do plan to make the best of my last semester in college and try new things and get out of my comfort zone a little bit more before I move on to the next phase of my life. Bodybuilding will still be present in my life, but it's not going to dominate and be the forefront of this year like it did last year. I've been thinking recently that I probably could do a prep for a show in like a year from now, just because of the probable low level of commitments I will have at that time in my life, but we will see. I can't foresee myself doing a prep during grad school so this might be my last chance to compete until I'm in my upper 20s.

edit: And damn... I just went back and looked at my competition pictures from this past season. I think I was a little too hard on myself when I was looking at them right after it happened. But looking back now I'm pretty damn proud of how lean I got and how I just followed coach's orders all the way up to the end. Now I just need to add some more size and try and prevent my legs from shrinking from this hip injury I'm dealing with.

[The Solution]

Keeping your priorities in check
Real life is what is important reid

[jpfaherty]

Nice job keeping life as the #1 priority. The boards and bodybuilding will always be there!

PS- Paul Revelia (fltallpaul) has had a hip problem for a long time now and has managed to do well with his legs. Shoot him a PM, maybe he'll have some ideas for ya!

[Reid456]

Hey guys, I'm actually still alive. Just a couple quick updates in bullet point form:

-In the process of switching from PHAT to Pull/Push/Legs/Off. Just needed a change mentally to motivate myself after 1.5+ years of PHAT.

-Weight around 173 right now. I got up to 175 but I'm mini-cutting right now down to ~169-170. Feeling fat in bodybuilding standards but honestly probably the best/strongest I've looked at this weight.

-Still working around my hip issue. It still hurts when I squat heavy so I don't squat. Hack squats have been my go-to. Legs are still juicy though .

-PR'd on flat DB pressing with 100s x 5,5,4

-I'm going to go in and hit 405x1 on deadlifts today. I think I've been able to do it for a long time but just never tried it.

-Life is good, last semester of my undergraduate career is starting soon. I'm pulling out all the stops this semester and giving things my all. I'll also be applying to grad schools for a PhD program this fall. No idea where my life is going but I'm just going to follow my heart/passion and let God take me where He will.

[deltpecx]

...No idea where my life is going but I'm just going to follow my heart/passion and let God take me where He will.

Let the adventure begin!

[Rypt1]

Let the adventure begin!

^^^ This! Remember, it isn't the destination but the journey!

[Reid456]

Thanks for the support, guys, even though I haven't been around recently. I think the whole contest prep thing really took it out of me and I needed time away from the community for a little while. I'm feeling a comeback though!

[The Solution]

Following your heart and what you love to do is all that matters man! Get after it!!!

[Reid456]

Yeah.... so 405 was too easy.

[jpfaherty]

Easy!

[Reid456]

I think I should've gone for more but at that point I had done 405x1, 415x1, 425x1 along with all the warmup sets and this was all new territory for me to take in so I just stopped at 425. I'm feeling like I could hit 440 fresh though.

[The Solution]

Offseason gains bro!

[offroadatv200]

Yeah.... so 405 was too easy.

Way too easy! Good job man.

Went for 405 the other day with no luck.

[Reid456]

Way too easy! Good job man.

Went for 405 the other day with no luck.

Thanks. It'll come, just give it time. I've literally never maxed deadlift before and I've always trained in the 4-6 rep range.

[Reid456]

Thought about starting a deload today.... but I'm too hyped right now to do so, lol. Maybe tomorrow.

[Ccm644]

Good updates

Seem that gym motivation is back and your lifting some weight

Nice deadlifts

[Reid456]

Good updates

Seem that gym motivation is back and your lifting some weight

Nice deadlifts

Yup I've still been lifting but just haven't been updating.

[Reid456]

So far Pull/Press/Legs/Off has been going well for me. It seems like a lot of volume/frequency though, which usually works well for me, but I might have to tone things down a bit. Every 4th cycle is a deload though which should help keep me fairly fresh. Today is pressing day at medium intensity. Next heavy pressing day I think I'm pulling out the 110s on flat to see how that feels.