The Journey of a pHD bodybuilder - Train, Eat, and Think like a Pro!

[Venom]

Hey, Chris!

Thanks for asking. Things are going fantastic overall.

I hate to say this because I am just asking to jinx myself lol...but I have no injuries at the moment. My chest, knees and everything else are doing great. So I can train hard without worries.

As most know, I am working on a follow up the 4th horse. I completed the first cycle: a month bulk followed by a short cut. Now I am starting it back up again. I was considering tapering for a week first, but I a felt so good and so antsy to train that I just had to go!

This is by far the biggest and strongest I have been in my life. I am 220 which is big for my frame; a bit too big for my liking. After I wrap up this bulk, I am going to design a cut program and work on getting down to 190-200 slowly. That is where I am most comfortable. Below that and I would be looking more contest shape, which I'll have to asses when the time arises.

I really know how to bulk with my body. I have gained 20 pounds on almost every "criterion lift" I am working on. Example: I started out doing 90 2 times on dumbbell press, and I did 100 5 times tonight. I almost can't believe when I do stuff like that; the body just amazes me how it adapts. So I am pretty confident in my ability to design a bulking program. I am also confident that it's virtually impossible to adapt to this program; there is just to much variation built in. I could do this over and over and still get results. The only thing is you have to include tapers, which I plan on implementing into the program.

My biggest "weakness" is my diet. There have been a day or two when I have eaten a tad to much...Like yesterday when I inhaled an entire bag of sweet potatoes haha! Dzoni would have been proud. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Good thing is that I have never eaten less than I should for growth; just a little bit excess on some days. So I am going to work on cleaning things up this bulk.

Prez has always told me this: you get cut at night. And from both our experience, it's a true saying.

Most people work 8-5. Then, they come home and binge. That is what most research shows - most people consume their largest meals at night when they come home.

Couple of issues here: 1.) You are sedentary at night 2.) You are not going to use those carbs for a workout later on 3.) Your insulin sensitivity is naturally lower at night due to circadian rythym patterns like higher GH.

Whereas, if you eat more early, at least you will be able to use that extra energy in the gym soon thereafter and help partition the nutrients to your muscles. Plus, your more active and sensitive to insulin.

Ok, that's all for now. Sorry for the long response, but I have not updated in a while.

Anyway, how are things going with your program? By the way, you should bring big Jeremy on here sometime! He'd like it here.

[Fahsy]

That's great progress Gabe!

For your diet, do you track macros and calories every day? I've been doing that for a few months now and it really helps me make sure I don't over eat or under eat.

I understand what you mean about getting cut at night. It's a little opposite for me right now - I train in the evening so I still need a lot of calories afterwards to recover.

I will tell Jeremy about the site. He is really into the occlusion training, you might need to have a separate forum for it once he's here! LOL

[Venom]

I originally wrote out my diet and macros, so I have a general sense of what I am eating. The only thing that varies is my carbs. But your right, tracking cals closely is best; particularly if you want to get cut. I'll start monitoring them very closely once I start my cut.

[NJI]

[ QUOTE ]
Prez has always told me this: you get cut at night. And from both our experience, it's a true saying.

Most people work 8-5. Then, they come home and binge. That is what most research shows - most people consume their largest meals at night when they come home.

Couple of issues here: 1.) You are sedentary at night 2.) You are not going to use those carbs for a workout later on 3.) Your insulin sensitivity is naturally lower at night due to circadian rythym patterns like higher GH.

Whereas, if you eat more early, at least you will be able to use that extra energy in the gym soon thereafter and help partition the nutrients to your muscles. Plus, your more active and sensitive to insulin.

[/ QUOTE ]
Now, if you're doing two workouts/day, and the second is later at night, do you spike after the second workout then not consume any carbs before bed? Would the post-workout meal contain only protein/fats/GLVs?

[Venom]

I have the spike regardless.

The meal after, I would minimum have a mixed salid with a variety of veggies. But if you are not trying to get cut, then you can definitely have some carbs like a sweet potato. A lot of it depends on your goals and metabolism. For someone like you, Nick, I'd have the potato!

[NJI]

[ QUOTE ]
For someone like you, Nick, I'd have the potato!

[/ QUOTE ]
Haha!

I'm working nightshift out here in the desert so after my "night" workout it's actually morning. So post-workout I've been having:

200 cals gatorade
40 grams whey
2 grams hmb
creatine
aminos

then shortly thereafter:

3/4 cup egg whites scrambled with ham&cheese
1 peice of egg/broccoli quishe
2 peices of jello
4 peices french toast w/ butter and strawberries sauce
1 pear
1 bottle water
2 yogurts

The crazy thing is I'm getting MORE cut! My two lowest abs are starting to show through, getting an 8 pack! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Venom]

Curse your genetics!!!

[NJI]

[ QUOTE ]
Curse your genetics!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Lies!! You can bulk like no other though! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[will-work4andro]

GABE...what's up my man. it's just Jeremy checking in on things. i'm digging the site.

[dalvare1]

hey its dalvare. Back from the dead.

Where did you go man!