39 days out

Wake up weight 218.8
(see me in a week)

I've decided I am going to cut my carbs in half. I'm not sure if I'm going to do the whole week, just going to take it day by day.
By cutting my carbs, I am in a sense, just lowing my caloric intake, forcing the body to use it's stored resources, such as fat. I wouldn't want to cut my protein to lower my caloric intake, I need that to fill muscle cells, just like I wouldn't want to go zero carbs, because I need the carbs to insure the protein is being used for muscle cells and not energy for having no carbs. (fat burns without losing muscle, if carbs are present) and carbs and fat burn 50/50, it's like the carbs are the kindle to the wood, the fat

Here is a look at what I've been eating for a day

18oz of boiled chicken (that will become 36-42oz 2 weeks out)
900g of potato (this could go as high as 1800g as I get closer to the show)
3-4 whey Isolate protein shakes. (this will stop 2 weeks out, replaced by chicken, further lowing my sodium)
6 pieces of Maztol (this could go away and be replaced by potato)
3 chewable vitimins and minerals (every other meal)
128oz of water/Crystal light (I don't really count this, but I pretty much drink a gallon, I only drink when I'm thirsty, I never force drink, unless it's alcohol of course).

Today potatoes will be 450g for the day, Maztol will be 3 for the day, everything else stays the same. lowing my caloric intake by 600

Heading to the pool today to scare people, I mean get some sun. We have been lucky with the sun these last few days, I have a nice brown tan now, enjoy the weather!

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40 days out from the Team Universe

I thought I would do some picture comparisons from when I started.

Day one, when this all started I weighted 230

A week later after having controlled my carbs and lowered my sodium, I weighted 224.6

This is week 3 (went away for week 2, no pictures) I weighed 219, this is after one week out cutting my carbs in half (25grams a sitting)

Week 4 after going back to eating 50 grams of carbs a sitting for the week, I weigh 219.4

Today, 219.4, it's hard to tell from the pictures, but I'm a lot leaner from last week, each week I get leaner and leaner

So I'm now just under 6 weeks, I need to start thinking about a song to use for my posing routine. I having put together a routine since back when I use to compete 20-25 years ago.

Also I need to start holding compulsories more. I usually pose in between sets a little, while I'm waiting for my set, but soon I will start spending 15 minutes after each workout holding compulsories. This really helps, not only in shaping you, but making you hard and giving you the relaxed look you want when holding that pose on stage. It's nice when you look in condition, as well as, in shape

My legs are still sore from Friday night. Alex and I mixed it up and did a bunch of new movements and ones we haven't done in a while. We did one legged squats on the Smith machine and we even used a lying down squat machine, that allowed you to really stretch into the squat

Tuesdays is Chest and Shoulder...

Happy Memorial Day!

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56 days out is now 41 one days out

I have decided to compete in the NPC Team Universe National Competition held in TeaNeck NJ on July 8th and 9th., instead of the NPC Teen Collegiate Master National held in Pittsburgh PA on July 23rd

I decided this for a couple of reasons, for one it's a 3 1/2 hour drive instead of a 12 hour drive and two the Master Class for the Team Universe is age 35,45 and 55, where as, in the Teen Collegiate Master it's 35,40 and 50. I'd rather be the youngest in my class (I'm 45), plus the show is being put on by Bev Francis's grew, the same people who put on the jay Cutler Classic and the New England's, so the judges will know me and see my improvements

The downside to the Team Universe show is, I have to win the overall masters, not only winning the 45 over class, but also beating the 35 and 55 over winners in the finals, to be awarded a pro card. In the Teen Collegiate Masters show, If I were to place 1st or 2nd in my class, I would be awarded a pro card. So the Team Universe is a little hard in someways to get the card, but fuck it, I'm going for it.

Wake up weight 220.2...
This little increase of weight, is water weight held in my sodium, I ran out of the whey I use for dieting that has 80mg for the two scoops and had to use one that had 260mg for the two scoops. Not worried about water at this stage, but I do have lower sodium whey again

On Monday, I might do one more week of 25 grams of carbs a sitting... not sure yet though... even though I just lost two weeks of dieting and I'm now 6 weeks out, I feel like I have time.

I have the next 3 days off from training, I'm going to relax, soak up as much sun as mother nature allows. eat and grow!


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57 days out...

Awesome Arm workout last night, we started with Biceps, standing straight barbrll curls, into preacher curls, ending with hammers and standing wrist curls. Triceps started with push downs, into Skull crushers, ending with straight bar french curls, definitely had an 20" arm pump last night!

Wake up weight 218.6... and growing...

Legs tonight, we are taking the weekend off. Now maybe I can get some things done I've been meaning to do. I'm pretty much trashed for the day after hitting legs on Saturday morning, leaving me coma toast. So it will be nice to have a Saturday where I feel like doing something constructive... Think I might pull the rigid out and change out my leaky oil line... who knows...

I grabbed some sun these last couple of days and it looks like it's going to be 86 today and just as nice tomorrow... I see more sun in my future!

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58 days out....Sun!

Back and Traps last night, we started with standing Calves, then standing one legged curls, then 3/4 dead lifts, Shrugs, Lat pull downs, machine weighted row, low rows, ending with reverse grip pull downs, then Abs
As always nice pump, nice workout

Wake up weight 217.6

A little change in our workout schedule this week, we are hitting Arms tonight instead of Friday and hitting Legs Friday, instead of Saturday...

I was able to grab some sun yesterday, hopefully today as well



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59 days out... Vitamin D

I was able to grab a few minutes of sun yesterday through those clouds, but these next few days should be good for some Vitamin D.

I don't believe what they say about the sun not being good for you...too much of anything isn't good for you, but the Sun definitely has it's place and should be used for a healthy body and mind... enough said! 

Wake up wait 217.6

Tonight we hit Back and Traps

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60 days out...

Last night we hit Chest and Shoulders, starting with flat benching, then incline dumbbells, into Dips, then flat dumbbell flies, ending chest with cable crossovers. Shoulders started with standing barbell presses, then rear delt machine, ending with the side delt machine. Finishing up with seated calves and Abs

Wake up wait 217

Quick breakdown of how and what I'm been eating...

7:30/ 2 Matzos/ Whey protein - 50/50 (grams each)
10:00/ Boiled Chicken/ Potato - 50/50
12:30/  2 Matzos/ Whey protein - 50/50
3:00/ Boiled Chicken/ Potato - 50/50
5:30/ Carbo force/Whey - 50/50 (pre-workout)
5:30/ 2 Matzos/ Whey protein - 50/50 (no workout)
7:30/ Carbo force/Whey - 50/50 (post workout)
8:30/  Boiled Chicken/ Potato - 50/50
1030 or 11:00 / 1/2 bag rice cakes/ Whey - 50/50

This has been pretty much what I've been eating this past 5 weeks, just so you get an idea. Also add a vitamin and mineral with each meal and let's not forget my traveling gallon of frozen Crystal light
(exception 3rd week I ate 50/25 (25 grams of carbs))

No gym tonight

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61 days out.... no sun

I did manage to grab a couple of hours of sun on Saturday after the gym. Natural sun is the best when it comes to tanning and its also the cheapest.. I'm hoping I don't need to use any beds this time around, but will if I have too.

Anthony and I did just over 100 miles on the bike yesterday doing the Matt Brown benefit run. This was his first time doing such a thing and I think he enjoyed himself. When I asked him what was the best part of the run, he said, when we got off the bike and he could stretch his legs. He's got the right, halfway through I got a groin spasm in my left leg from shifting. I was able to work it out after 15 minutes, but at one point I thought I was going to have to stop... Groin pulls suck, they are the worst, there is really no way to stretch it out, especially on a bike


Wake up weight 216.8

Going to keep everything the same this week, 50/50 every 2.5 hours x 7 meals... Skin continues to thin, so at this point there is no reason to change anything

Chest and Shoulders tonight, feeling like flat benching and doing some dips too


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62 days out... in the wind

Yesterday we hit legs at the Golds in Boston. This was the gym I trained at when I came back into this sport on June 1st, 2007. It's a small gym with that old school feeling, that's set up perfectly and has everything you need.

We started with Squats on a 2x4. I stole this from Paul Demayo years ago, that's all I ever seen him squat on and no one can say he didn't have awesome quads. From there we leg pressed starting with 5 plates and climbing by 3 plates, ending with 14, quads are trashed just about now. Leg extension, Stiff legs, Ass machine, Leg curls, Calves, then Abs, did the damage for the day

Wake up weight 216... doubt I'll need to do another 50/25 week..

Day off today, my son and I are going on a motorcycle benefit ride for Matt Brown

Continue with 50/50 for all next week

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63 days out... sticking to the plan

Last night we hit Arms. I can't remember when I just only trained Arms and no other major muscle group along with it. It's so nice just hitting arms, they respond so nicely, I can see my arms getting to the next level because of this and my joint pain in my elbow and forearm (when I'm not in the gym) has abated quite a bit too from this change

We started with seated french curls (behind the head) then dumbbell skull crushers and ended with push downs. Biceps started with standing barbell curls, then preacher curls, both with a straight bar. They did hammer curls, I did standing dumbbell wrist curls, because of this forearms pain I have. We all ended on a bench doing wrist curls, then Abs

Wake up weight 217.8

I'm going to run one more week at 50/50 to see where that puts me. Right now I'm still burning fat at a good rate, so I'm not too worries about being ripped come contest, at least not at this moment. If come the following Monday and I feel a little behind, I will do another 50/25 week


Today is my favorite day of the week.... legs!


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64 days out.... again!

Looking at my calendar and realizing that the contest is a one day event (Saturday) for the men and (Friday) for the women, so today I am 64 days out

All this week I have been eating 50/50 x7, that is 350 grams of Carbs and 350 grams of Protein every day and my weight has been pretty much maintained and my skin has continued to thin out

Wake up weight 218, down 1.4 from yesterday

Tonight we hit Arms, can't wait!


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64 days out... weight still climbing up

Back and Traps last night started with standing calves, then barbell shrugs (if you haven't tried hitting traps before back, you should give it a try, it's a nice pump) then, bent over rows on the smith machine, wide grip pull downs, dumbbell rows and reverse grip pull downs, ending with Abs

Wake up weight 219.4

no gym tonight.... where is the sun~

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65 days out... weight coming back up

Body weight is slowing going back up and body fat is still coming off, it's doing exactly what I want it to do... It's all about changing those "fat cells" into protein and carbohydtrate cells, changing the body composition

Wake up weight 219.

Training Back and Traps tonight at Gold's in Arlington


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66 days out.. time to eat again?

Last night we hit Chest and Shoulders, we started with seated calves and then dumbbell flats into, incline smith machine, then dumbbell flat flies, pullovers, crossovers. Shoulders started with a machine press, then side and rear laterals on an end of a bench, ending with Abs, nice workout!

Wake up weight 218.6

Going back to eating 50 grams of carbs each meal this week, I find myself asking after 2.5 hours... is it time to eat again?  Just adding another 100 calories to each meal fills me up so much, that all day long I felt like I was force feeding myself. Of course I wake up this morning hungry as all hell.

I find I do my most growing when I'm dieting for a show, because of all the eating I do around the clock, my body response so well to this.

No gym tonight

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67 days out... adding a meal

Starting today, I'm going back to eating 50 grams of carbs with every meal.

Quick recap. 

The first 2 weeks I ate 50 grams of carbs and 50 grams of protein every 2.5 hours for 6 meals. In one week I lost 5 pounds of water weight, because of lowering my sodium intake and controlling my carb intake. 

The third week I cut my carbs in half eating a 50/25 split every 2.5 hours (50 grams of protein/25 grams of carbs) lowering my caloric intake even lower, I lost another 7 pounds of water weight and fat. mostly fat though. Now I will up my carbs and go back to 50/50, I'll get bigger and still be as lean, continuing to burn fat
So starting today, on top of going back to 50/50, I'm adding a meal number 7 right before bed, which will be for now a whey drink and 2 maztols (50/50). This will increase my caloric intake to 2800 and 2950 on workout days.

I'm going to make this change for 1 week to see what happens... I predict, my weight will stay roughly the same, maybe gain a pound or 2, but most importantly I will still be getting leaner

Wake up weight 218.8 (started that 7th meal last night)

Chest and Shoulder tonight

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68 days out... sorry you can't train here

The 4 of us headed to Gold's Gym Somerville MA, the one at the Twin City Plaza. I remember training at this gym 20 years ago and forgot all about it. As I was just about at the gym, I get a call from John saying they won't let him in, that they are not affiliated with Gold's in Arlington.

Funny, right on the Alliance pass there is Somerville as a gym we can visit.. I didn't bother going in to try and plead our case, so we drove down the street to Gold's in Medford.

This is the original "Legs day" gym for us and in my opinion has the best equipment for a awesome leg workout. We squatted, then did some walking lunges (the gym has a 50 yard strip of rubber flooring that travels the length of the back of the gym), then we hit Hack machine (one of the best I've seen) then leg extension, stiff leg dead lifts, lying down leg curls, calves and abs.

You know you had an intense workout, when all night long your fighting both teardrops from spasms!

Wake up weight 217.6

No change from yesterday which tell me I'm as flat as I can be at this point, especially after a leg workout like yesterday.

Tomorrow I go back to 50/50 for the week. That's 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbs, every 2.5 hours x 6

Day off today, going to relax and do some praying for the Sun Gods

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69 days out

The Tap show last night was great! I got to see a lot of people I know through the tap world and they put on an awesome show!

We are hitting legs at Golds in Somerville MA today. I can't wait for a leg pump, my legs are separating nicely and I can't wait to see how they look when they are engorged with blood.

Having stayed up past my normal bed time last night really burns calories. My last meal was at 8:30, but I didn't crash until 11:30 and I can tell just by looking down at my legs last night, I lost a lot of weight from being up. Nothing a little food can't change!

Wake up weight 217.6

Oh... is that my friend Alex, I see in my binoculars, up ahead in that boat of his? :)


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70 days out

Last night it was just Alex and I and we hit Arms. We started with Dumbbell skull crushers, which I like a lot, really hits all three heads with blood. Behind the head French curls with a rope, ending triceps with push downs. Biceps started with standing barbell curls and ended on a preacher machine, 5 sets of wrist curls, then abs and we finished up this time with seated calf raises

Very nice arm pump, the kind you wish wouldn't go away!

Wake up weight...219 

Coming down a little faster then I want, but not surprising, I kind of figured this would happen, once I started working again out in the field, where I burns more calories throughout the day. When I go back to 300 carbs for the day, weight dropping should slowdown, but fat loss will continue   

Low carbs are start to effect my patients, I'm feeling more on the edge over nothing...

Looks like the sun is coming out today, I hope to grab some.

No gym tonight, heading off to see a tap performance in Arlington MA

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71 days out

Last night we hit Back and Traps, starting with standing Calves, then lying down legs curls, then Dead-Lifts. We decided to try something different and rather then holding the bar having one hand facing in and the other facing out, we used straps and held the bar normally. You kind of need straps with this grip or your not going to go as heavy as you normally would, we ended with 5 plates a side.

I can usually get 2 or 3 reps with 500, but not last night. Being on my 3rd day of half carbs, I couldn't even get it off the ground and that was after doing 400 for 5 reps. I had plenty of energy, I just had no strength. 

After DL's, we did barbell Shrugs, then weighted machine rows, Lat pull downs, close grip cable low rows and close grip cable pull downs, ending on Abs

Wake up weight 220.6

Just realized I can't train Friday, going out to a tap show... Training arms tonight

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72 days out

Today will be the 3rd day of 25 grams of carbs every 2.5 hours and my pants belt has become less tight, that's always a good sign.

Where the hell is our sun, I feel like I live in Washington with all this rain. It's hard to catch a free tan if Mother Nature doesn't' let the sun out

Wake up weight 221.6

Tonight we hit Back and Traps, I'm feeling like dead-lifts!

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73 days out

Last night we decided it was time to change our training route around. We are now going to train Chest and Shoulders on Monday instead of Chest and Triceps and do Arms on Friday.
After we finished banging out Chest we all looked at each other and said, how the hell we going to press now, the Shoulders are trashed!
But after we make it throught the first set of dumbbell presses, the Shoulders took on a new pump and it worked out great. In fact, we were hitting more sides and rears, then fronts, so Chest and Shoulders work out for a nice combination. As always we started with 5 sets of calves and ended with 5 sets of wrist curl and Abs

Wake up weight 222
Day one of 150 grams of carbs for the day has gone by....

No gym tonight

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74 days out

The Jay Cutler had a great turn out yesterday, all my friends did a great job bringing their condition to the stage.

Starting today I'm cutting my carbs in half for one week, this will really get my body fat down.

Wake up weight 223.4

Tonight is Chest and Triceps and I'm in the mood to bang out some flat benching for starters, should have the whole crew tonight. I can't wait to get a pump, watching the prejudging yesterday really gets you motivated, and I'm ready to take it to the next level!

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75 days out

Legs feel really good this morning, just enough soreness where I'm still able to flex them without too much pain or locking up. We did Squats, then walking lunges, leg extensions, stiff-legged dead lifts, seated legs curls and donkey calves. Nothing too fancy, just enough to get the job done.

Today is a day off from training and my son and I are heading to the Jay Cutler Classic in Boston to watch the prejudging show. I have a few friends competing this year and I want to cheer them on. This might be the first show I ever went to just to watch. Should be a good turn out, the Jay has been getting bigger and bigger since it started back it 2009. I wish all my friends the best of luck!

Wake up weight 224.4

Tomorrow and for the whole week, I'm cutting my carbs in half, taking in 25grams every 2.5 hours. This should really make a big difference. I only have about 5-6 pounds of fat to lose, mostly in my waist, so I really don't need to lose too much fat.
Back in October when I was getting ready to compete in the New England's, at one point I was 217 and was pretty shredded, I just had the extra water to get rid of, which I did the week of the show, so knowing that and what I weigh now and I know I'm bigger than I was 6 months ago, there is no reason why I shouldn't be "shredded" at 217 again if not heavier this time.

It's all about changing your body composition. First you get rid of the fat, then you control your water so the your muscles hold as much as possible "in" them, without holding water "on" them. But before I worry about that, I need to rid the body of fat and this is done by training hard and eating super clean (zero fat) and controlling your caloric in-take

My prediction, (for me, here is where I like to have fun with this) next Monday before I go back to eating 50 grams of carbs a sitting, my body weight will be at 221-222 range and then I should be able to go back to 50grams and lock that weight in, slowing down the weight lose, but still continuing to burn fat

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76 days out

Back from a week of traveling to Windsor CT each morning for work. Monday and Wednesday night I trained at the Windsor CT gold's gym, before heading home. The gym was down the street from where I was and it wasn't a bad gym, kind of small, but had everything I needed.
Thursday I drove home first and hit Natick Gold's.
Friday I got back real early from CT and was able to grab some sun in back yard. I didn't miss a beat, I ate the same way all week long 50/50 x6 every 2.5 hours, starting at 7am.

Wake up weight 225

So let's do a quick recap, I started two week ago on Monday with 50grams of carbs and 50grams of protein every 2.5 hours for 6 meals. The first week I lost right away 5 pounds, which was water held in by sodium being to high and by carb's, eating to many. Now I've controlled both and the second week, I've been maintaining around 225 pounds. You can't see, but I am leaner and my body composition has started to change.
Starting Monday, for one week, i'm going to cut my carbs in half, which in turn will lower my caloric intake, so to see what happens and go from there. Except for my pre-workout meal, it will stay at 75/50.

I'm looking to see where I need to be to drop weight slowing, like a pound a week. I may need to do every other meal at 25grams of carbs instead of all 6. But let me see what all 6 meals at 25 grams does for me first... remember I'm getting ripped without cardo

Keeping in mind, 50/50 might be where I need to be, and the reason for the last week that I didn't drop any weight, might be because I sat on my ass all week long and didn't walk around as normally I would during the week... but I like to play food games likes this, so I'm going to make this change for a week.

Today we are hitting the Natick Golds for Legs, Big John is away so it's 3 today. Thinking about squatting and they have a nice long strip of astro-turf for walking lunges

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82 days out

We trained legs at the Gold's in Concord yesterday morning and what a small gym it is. We still made it work with leg presses and hack squats. I like going to different gyms, each have their own uniqueness to them, this gym has an ass machine that I've never seen before and it's worked real smooth, pushing evenly on both sides

Calves
Leg Press
Hacks
Leg extension
Stiff legs
Leg Curls
Ass machine


Weekends are always different from weekdays, meals will be on a different schedule, the trick is to keep the general format of eating every 2.5 hours 50/50 x6 which your last meal might be 10 or 11pm, it's okay to eat them go right to bed.

I'm still having potatoes for 3 of my carb meals. I believe spuds to be the best source of carbs, because they are rich in potassium, which holds water in your muscles

Wake up weight 224.6

No change at all in weight, which tells me, i'm starting to balance out (water wise) I'm right were I need to be as far as caloric intake goes. At this point now, I don't want to lose weight fast or i'm losing muscle, around a pound a week is a good pace


No gym today, we have a wedding to attended, I will eat as usual...

Next week I will be traveling to Windsor CT every morning for work and I'll need to leave real early, so I'm not going to write in my blog until next Saturday when my mornings return back to normal

I plan on hitting a different Gym if possible from here to CT, if not, I will just hit the golds in Natick, where I live when I get back each night I'm to train. I will hook back up with the crew for Saturday's leg workout, which will be at a different Gold's to be determined by Big John during the week sometime

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