TSN and lsbowen1: 12 Weeks to Shred

[lsbowen1]

I was chosen by TSN to take part in a 12 week challenge to transform my body. This will be my log to keep track of the supplements provided, my workout, diet, and progress. This comes at the perfect time because it's following the end of Bodybuilding.com Transformation Challenge and coincides with the new 6 week challenge starting up.

I look forward to the habits and training techniques I have learned to take my body to a whole new level. I will update this with pictures and stats once the stack arrives. I'm going to push myself to new heights.

[bdillingham5]

This is gonna be good!!! Count me in.

[TPAYNTER]

Subbed! Can't wait.

[Sean26607]

In!

[yenshadows22]

IN for a fellow logger!

[Bigbruiser79]

following! my log will be up soon

[lsbowen1]

I have my before pics taken, received my stack and I'm ready to get this rolling. I'm going to take some measurements after I get home from this night shift so look forward to another post today.

[bdillingham5]

Great details in here brotha

[demonwareltd]

Subbed! In for the shreds...

[lsbowen1]

Thanks everyone. Really looking forward to bringing my best. Current stats are as follows:
Current Weight 191.6lbs
Estimated Bodyfat 16%

My current split is
M-Upper Strength
T-Lower Strength
W-Upper Dynamic
Th-Lower Dynamic
Fr-Upper Rep Work
Sa-Track Workout
Su-Rest Day

I'll finish each workout with either a High Intensity Finisher or Low Intensity Cardio depending on time and how I feel. Incorporating cardio acceleration from Shortcut to Shred between my sets for additional calorie burn. Tracking my diet using Myfitnesspal and adjusting as needed to maintain a consistent fat loss. I'll also update a minimum of two times per week focusing on PRs, weekly losses and changes to my programming or nutrition.

[Sean26607]

What are your current macros at, OP?

[TPAYNTER]

Thanks everyone. Really looking forward to bringing my best. Current stats are as follows:
Current Weight 191.6lbs
Estimated Bodyfat 16%

My current split is
M-Upper Strength
T-Lower Strength
W-Upper Dynamic
Th-Lower Dynamic
Fr-Upper Rep Work
Sa-Track Workout
Su-Rest Day

I'll finish each workout with either a High Intensity Finisher or Low Intensity Cardio depending on time and how I feel. Incorporating cardio acceleration from Shortcut to Shred between my sets for additional calorie burn. Tracking my diet using Myfitnesspal and adjusting as needed to maintain a consistent fat loss. I'll also update a minimum of two times per week focusing on PRs, weekly losses and changes to my programming or nutrition.

Good looking split. Do you modify caloric intake on your rest day or keep it consistent with the other days?

[lsbowen1]

What are your current macros at, OP?

Current macros are
2300 Calories
230g Protein
86g Carbs
115g Fat

Calories may seem low but besides exercise my day is very sedentary in nature.

Good looking split. Do you modify caloric intake on your rest day or keep it consistent with the other days?

I keep my calories the same on my rest day I just tend to switch the macros to be more of a carb refeed and reduce my fats.

Training this week is off to a great start. Knocked out my upper body workout and finished with Upper Body Tabatas.

[Sean26607]

What's your refeed macros at? I love my refeeds on leg day!

[TPAYNTER]

I like my refeeds the day before my heavy squat day.

[bdillingham5]

What's your refeed macros at? I love my refeeds on leg day!

I like my refeeds the day before my heavy squat day.

I'm just about due for a refeed day......maybe even overdue haha

[Sean26607]

I'm just about due for a refeed day......maybe even overdue haha

Have you done them before? lmk if you need any guideance if you want to run something by...



"Refeeds are typically done while cutting; that is, creating a caloric deficit so your body is forced to rely on fat as an energy source. Most people on any low carb diet---i.e. less than 1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day----or implementing any extreme caloric deficit should incorporate a refeed.

Refeeds are used to raise Leptin, refill muscle and liver glycogen, as well as providing sanity release from dieting as your body is temporarily thrown into a state of metabolic balance. Please read Par Deus's first article on Leptin and its benefits:
http://magazine.mindandmuscle.net/ma...D=51&issueID=3

A Quick, Layman�[emoji769]s Explanation of Leptin:

Leptin is considered an anti-starvation/metabolic balance hormone. As your Leptin levels decrease, the signal is sent to inform that your body is going into starvation mode. As your body goes into starvation mode we all know what happens---your fat loss slows down immensely or in some cases to a screeching halt. So in order to kick fat loss into gear again, you need to raise Leptin.

Common sense dictates that the body seeks balance, and if you endeavor to upset that balance---you have to outwit your body. We were built for survival, and unfortunately for the fitness/bodybuilding-oriented folk, “survival” didn�[emoji769]t mean 170 pounds of ripped mass at 6% bodyfat.

I can�[emoji769]t count have many people have asked this the question of why they lost fat after cheating. They have been so good and clean on their diets for weeks and results slowed down, they got frustrated, they cheated and 2 days later woke up lighter and leaner than before the cheat. Main reason right there, they raised Leptin. Raising Leptin levels will give your body the kick-start it needs for the next few days to keep you out of starvation mode as you diet. As long as your body is out of starvation mode, the faster the fat loss, and the less likely you are to lose LBM, while suffering on all counts in the process. Like I said above, this a brief explanation and there is so much info on Leptin so please read Par�[emoji769]s articles for a more detailed and scientific explanation.

Eat Your Way Out of Metabolic Hell

So, now you are probably thinking, "How do I increase Leptin?” Ready for this...........Eat lots of Carbs. I'm not necessarily talking slow burning carbs here either folks. I know, most of you reading this right now are thinking is she talking about? Simple explanation: The way to raise Leptin is to actually spill over into your fat cells.

Yes, I said it, SPILL OVER!! In order to fill your muscle glycogen you need carbs, once your glycogen stores are full, you are now spilling over into your fat cells. 1 Step Backwards for 2 Steps Forward. Remember folks you can't get fat in 1 day. This is not a new method of fat loss either. Bodybuilders are doing this everywhere and with fantastic results. A Refeed Day is NOT and I repeat NOT a cheat day. There are rules to this that should be followed to avoid gaining fat during the refeed

Typically a refeed is done every 4-5 days, although the frequency of the refeeds can be adjusted to suit the person. The lower the caloric deficit you've managed to create, and the lower your BF%, the more often you should refeed. Why? Because your leptin levels plummet as your calories drop and your bodyfat decreases; remember, we want to stay out of starvation mode.

How do you know when you should refeed more often, or less often? Unfortunately, it�[emoji769]s a personal process of trial and error; no two people are alike, and the general refeed plan is just that---general. If you find yourself constantly obsessed with food, and if you�[emoji769]re losing a significant amount of muscle and strength, you may have to refeed more often (perhaps every 2 to 3 days).

A refeed may also be shorter or longer in duration. For instance, some prefer to refeed for 24 hours, in which case they may consume anywhere from 25 to 50% above their maintenance caloric intake. For shorter refeeds, such as those that last for 6 to 10 hours, people often do not count their calories; rather, they pack down as much as they can within the designated time-frame to ensure that their fat cells have a hefty bag of new fuel to stoke the metabolic furnace with.

Appropriate Foods For a Refeed

During your refeed, you should aim for around 1G of protein per Pound of body weight, keeping your sources of fat to a minimum, so you are only taking the fats that are in your proteins and carbs. Now, here is the fun part: CARBS! Yes, lots and lots and lots of carbs. Not necessarily brown rice, sweet potatoes and oats here either:

Bagels
Pasta
Rice
Bread
Cereal
FF/SF Ice Cream
Pancakes
Waffles
Crackers

Yes, all the things we crave If its low fat or fat free, have at it! Remember, no additional fats.

You should keep fructose to a minimum though. Sticking to 50-100G [for fructose, probably lower, like 25%] for the day is plenty. Remember sucrose is 50% glucose and 50% fructose so seeing that we need to watch our fructose, staying away from sucrose (table sugar) is probably best. Yes, in order to elevate our levels of leptin, we want to spill over muscle, not liver glycogen.

Wrapping It Up---For Now

Now, don't bother stepping on the scale the next day---you will be heavier. Remember, carbs make you hold water but in a day or two it will be all gone and your body will burning fat like mad again.

Some of you being scared of other carb sources may opt to refeed with slow burning carbs and that's fine. Just keep in mind its going to take a hell of alot more oatmeal to raise Leptin than 1 bowl full, and if you�[emoji769]re doing a relatively short refeed, you may want to reconsider your food choices; a short refeed absolutely requires a drastic increase in your calories, as well as the consumption of refined carb sources.

The fiber in the slow burning carbs can be counter-productive when trying to raise leptin, that's why we use refined carbs. Refined carbs raise Leptin much quicker and you won't feel like a stuffed pig all day for having to eat 3C of oats to equal what 1 bagel could have done. And for those of you who are scared, it�[emoji769]s up to you to look at the entire picture, especially in light of how the body seeks balance. Then, if you truly understand the issue, you will no longer fear the calculated nature of a refeed, even if it requires you to consume those foods that are typically----at least in your mind----forbidden.

Anyone carb cycling does not need to follow this refeed. Reason being is because the carb cycling diet uses the High Carb days (every 2 days) to raise Leptin.

I plan on adding more to this as I go. This is just the beginning.

I'd like to thank Dante for his edit's to this write up."

[TPAYNTER]

If you're cutting, I think refeeds are a must. I usually start out doing one every other weeks for the first few weeks then as I get leaner I'll up it to 1 or 2 refeeds per week.

[bdillingham5]

Good info Sean!!! Right now I have just been feeling it out and letting my body tell me when it's ready for a refeed. Somewhere around every other week but I am sure that will change as I lean out.

[TPAYNTER]

Any updates from this week? How are your workouts going?

[lsbowen1]

I had a pretty good training week even though my 2nd job was more stressful than usual. Hit 265 on Bench for a few sets of 2 paused reps. Knocked out 10 sprints at the track and finished that workout with 100 burpees.

I have been using the Garcinia chews whenever I feel hungry around meals. I have been using the Cardio Igniter on some cardio workouts but I'm not too sure how to stack it with the Ab Igniter so I'll probably just alternate between them unless somebody has an idea.

[bdillingham5]

I had a pretty good training week even though my 2nd job was more stressful than usual. Hit 265 on Bench for a few sets of 2 paused reps. Knocked out 10 sprints at the track and finished that workout with 100 burpees.

I have been using the Garcinia chews whenever I feel hungry around meals. I have been using the Cardio Igniter on some cardio workouts but I'm not too sure how to stack it with the Ab Igniter so I'll probably just alternate between them unless somebody has an idea.

Nice work brotha! The hardest part of staying motivated is being able to separate the stress from everything else in order to allow yourself to get your training sessions in. Many MANY nights i just want to go to bed because I usually wake up for work around 5:30AM then work until 4:30-5PM, then I come home to my wife and 2 crazy boys haha That being said it is pretty hard to get motivated for a 10:30 or 11PM training session.

How do you like the flavor of the Cardio Igniter? How well do the chews suppress your appetite?

[Sean26607]

^^ to piggy back on the chews, how do u feel it does on kicking the sweet tooth?

[TPAYNTER]

I'm a stimulant junkie so I would stack the AIB with CI instead of alternating them. However, if your workout later in the evenings that may not be a good idea since you could end up staying awake all night or have trouble falling asleep.

[bdillingham5]

I'm a stimulant junkie so I would stack the AIB with CI instead of alternating them. However, if your workout later in the evenings that may not be a good idea since you could end up staying awake all night or have trouble falling asleep.

x2 on being a part of the Stim Junkie Club......

[lsbowen1]

I'm a stimulant junkie so I would stack the AIB with CI instead of alternating them. However, if your workout later in the evenings that may not be a good idea since you could end up staying awake all night or have trouble falling asleep.

I will give this a try on my track workout this Saturday and report back. Knocked out some sprints this last workout so slowly adding in more cardio to my program. My left shoulder was trying to give me issues during a Squat workout so working on my mobility more frequently as a result.

[demonwareltd]

I will give this a try on my track workout this Saturday and report back. Knocked out some sprints this last workout so slowly adding in more cardio to my program. My left shoulder was trying to give me issues during a Squat workout so working on my mobility more frequently as a result.

Sounds like a plan. I would just use 1 AI capsule along with the CI at first to make sure it's not too much. Nothing makes a workout go down the tubes like taking too many stims and feeling like garbage.

[TPAYNTER]

Sounds like a plan. I would just use 1 AI capsule along with the CI at first to make sure it's not too much. Nothing makes a workout go down the tubes like taking too many stims and feeling like garbage.

Very good idea^^

[Sean26607]

U mentioned your shoulder giving you mobility issues on the squat rack. Can you do hack squats? Walking lunges? leg press? One legged leg press?
Any plans for the weekend?

[bdillingham5]

U mentioned your shoulder giving you mobility issues on the squat rack. Can you do hack squats? Walking lunges? leg press? One legged leg press?
Any plans for the weekend?

I actually like the leg press movements for leg development better.