In regards to nutrition, I recomend cycling your macro nutrients and calories to boost fat loss. I've found that two low carb days followed by a reload day works best. On the low carb days increase the protein and keep the total cal around 2000 then on the reload day keep the first 4 meals the same as the low day and then make your last meal a large carb load meal (oatmeal, sweet potato, banana). That will create fat loss on the low carb/cal days and the reload day will replenish glycogen and keep the thyroid from adjusting down to a lower calorie burn.
Just spent a while reading through this Challenge...very impressive guys, especially the ones that are still in it. But Jugglecat...wow...I think we have someone in the definate lead here. I do have to ask though
Your left lat is much much bigger than your right. Has anyone mentioned that to you? that seems to be quite a difference. Just wondering, maybe it's the angle or something. Also, it amazing how when you get that lean you actually look much bigger, even though you're smaller.
Everyone, it's down to the last month, i think you've got some ground to make up. Now quit making excuses and work your f'in asses off!
Good luck.
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Two Bears Dadda? Two Bears Benno, just two. ______________________________ ___________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971
Blackjack, Thanks....As far as my left being bigger, I'm not sure it's just always been like that....not really sure why...I might have been standing weird not sure....but w/all my DB lifts my right side is as strong as my left so I'm not sure if it's how I'm shaped or what but I really don't worry too much about it if I know I'm working both sides evenly....but maybe I'm wrong...again not sure...never really worked on my "shape" or anything b/f posting on here...I was just trying to lose some fat...If you have any ideas on how to fix it just let me know...I'm all ears...
It must be the picture angle, because in your avatar, it's not nearly as noticeable.
It may not be any big deal at all but I do know muscle imbalances are generally a sign of injury to come...I was just wondering. Keep up the good work!
__________________
Two Bears Dadda? Two Bears Benno, just two. ______________________________ ___________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971
It must be the picture angle, because in your avatar, it's not nearly as noticeable.
It may not be any big deal at all but I do know muscle imbalances are generally a sign of injury to come...I was just wondering. Keep up the good work!
The more I looked at it and thought about it, I think it's like how I stand or something....Like I moved my shoulder a little bit or something don't know.....I will definitely keep an eye out for signs of injury though..Thanks again Blackjack!
Just got to looking through this thread. Very inspirational. Jugglecat, you're back looks outstanding. Most people grossly underestimate their BF%, but in your case, 13.3%???? Come on, you're at or under 10%.
This close to the end and no one's got anything to say in this thread??!!!! Am I the only one who is psyched to see the finish line ahead.
Well an update on my progress I'm down to 210lbs and definetly under 10% although I haven't offically measured my BF yet. The last spots to go are always the love handles and lower abs and those areas have been tightening up nicely. I'll be taking my final pics on July 4th which means that that Monday will begin my final cutting phase to get rid of water weight and tighen up my skin.
Being so close has helped to reenergize my resolve. My nutrition has gotten even cleaner and I've been doing a lot more extra cardio activities. Victory will be mine!!!!
I've spent most of the challenge time healing and rehabbing from injuries. It's okay, though, because my goal was simply to see what happens to my body when I train heavy and consistently. Now I know! These months helped me learn a lot and now I'll be heading a different direction with my training.
In other words, I'm pumped to see other people's progress, while knowing that my own progress has been more conceptual than physical. If only paradigm shifts showed up in photos.
__________________ Megaloi -- My Blog
"Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers."
- Mignon McLaughlin
Just got to looking through this thread. Very inspirational. Jugglecat, you're back looks outstanding. Most people grossly underestimate their BF%, but in your case, 13.3%???? Come on, you're at or under 10%.
Mark, thanks! The only reason I put 13.3 is because when I started the challenge I was using the Tanita scale as a way of tracking progress. So I figured I would still track the numbers it gave me as a way of seeing if the scale is "wrong". So I stood on it and it gave me the 13.3 and I just put in the log. According to some measurement based methods I was about 8 or9%.
I've spent most of the challenge time healing and rehabbing from injuries. It's okay, though, because my goal was simply to see what happens to my body when I train heavy and consistently. Now I know! These months helped me learn a lot and now I'll be heading a different direction with my training.
In other words, I'm pumped to see other people's progress, while knowing that my own progress has been more conceptual than physical. If only paradigm shifts showed up in photos.
I'm in the same boat. I haven't gotten leaner, but my shoulder is better and my plantar fasciitis is not worse. I've gotten stronger, but you're not going to notice any changes from month to month. Tanner, perhaps.
The ladies are going to take a break and start up another 6-month ladies' challenge beginning on August 4. You guys in, too?
I'd be up for another challenge. A string of events have, together, caused me to screw this challenge up royal. I'm getting back into the gym this week with a new routine. My knee is still giving me occasional problems, so I'll have to make some allowances there.
I was thinking of a maintain contest to follow up this contest going from July to the first week of January. Parameters being that we see who can maintain the gains or losses that they achieved durring this contest. Initial pics would be the end pics from this contest and challenge being who can look closest those pics after the holidays. I think that staying lean through the holidays is more of a challenge than getting cut for the summer. There's much more temptation and, with heavy clothes to hide the gut, there's a lot less motivation to stay cut.
I'd be up for another challenge. A string of events have, together, caused me to screw this challenge up royal. I'm getting back into the gym this week with a new routine.
Yeah, me too.I would be up for a 're-run' if others fancy it.
Congrats to those who have made progress both in terms of body composition and injury rehab.
__________________
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Walk on
With hope in your heart
And You'll Never Walk Alone
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There's no free lunch, especially when it's served with special sauce (lostdog)
***************************** My Log - PC Plod
Fair enough, Roland. FWIW, you were in great shape at the Summit anyway so there's no need to re-enter if you don't want to.
__________________
*****************************
Walk on
With hope in your heart
And You'll Never Walk Alone
*****************************
There's no free lunch, especially when it's served with special sauce (lostdog)
***************************** My Log - PC Plod
I should be able to lift again by then. I'm up for it.
__________________ "I'm growing older but not up. My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck. So let the winds of change blow over my head. I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead."
I'm still concentrating on seeing this through to the bitter end before considering another challenge. I'm not sure I'm really dropping much fat at this point, despite fussing with the eating plan... but it ain't over till it's over.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
I never really concentrated to begin with (as evident from the progress), so not really paying attention for another 6 months doesn't hurt my feelings too much . I'd like to weigh in on goals of the challenge though. Several of us have done a terrific job on maintaining our body composition over the period, so continuing on that path might not be as interesting as it may be for the two of you that made significant changes in body comp.
2. I'll be moving so there will likely be a 3month span or so where I won't be able to do pictures. If you guys don't care then I don't care, but that's the future for me.
3. Someone else might pick up holding the $ this time around
4. I wouldn't mind getting in on something with the girls. They obviously proved me wrong on their willingness to stick with it and post pictures and all of that jazz. I feel like I owe them something.
Almost there!!!! Taking my final pics tomorrow and then it's carb time baby. Actually, I'm going to a lake party on Sat so I want to stay nice and tight for that so I will not be going all out tomorrow night like I did last year after I took my pics. It will be nice just to eat something other than ground beef and grapefruit, which is all I've consumed for every meal since Mon morning.
Anyway, I'm defiently tightening up. By tomorrow morning I should be at peak skin tightness. Then a little grape juice through out the morning so the muscles can get some glycogen back. The biggest pain will be shaving and trimming tonight. Definetly not doing the legs this year.
Maybe I'm confused but I thought the whole idea of this contest was to use body building techniques to improve our pictures. If not than it will be easy, I can just sit around eating chocolate for the next 6 months.
So are we allowed to lift weights or practice low carb nutrition? (both body building techniques) Or how about you're allowed to be tan but you can't be dehydrated when you take your pics. Now we're just splitting hairs.
I'm not trying to be a tool or kill the spirit of the competition, but I also don't want to be called a cheater for doing all I can to look my best at for my final pics. Some people may use thermogenic supplements while others may choose not to, so if we start drawing lines where does it end.
IMO, the general rule should be anything short of illegal substances and photo shop should be fair game. If some one isn't willing to tan or shave their body hair and they feel it gives someone else an advantage then maybe it will make them work a little harder, and at the end of the day isn't that what this is all about, friendly competition to make us all push ourselves harder to achieve our goals.
Wow you layed the ground work nicely for your beef amd grapefruit diet, did you have it planned since January?
Absolutely, I did my own body transformation last year. Then unfortunately slacked off once I reached my goal. So going into it this year I knew what it would take to get myself back to where I had been. So I wanted to make sure up front that no one objected to my training or dieting methods. Speaking of, I'm actually about to take my final pics if my wife ever gets home . Unfortuately my internet is down which is why I'm currently posting from my blackberry. So I may have to drive around with my laptop looking for an unsecued network in order to post the pics. So stay tuned for further updates. LOL
Absolutely, I did my own body transformation last year. Then unfortunately slacked off once I reached my goal. So going into it this year I knew what it would take to get myself back to where I had been. So I wanted to make sure up front that no one objected to my training or dieting methods. Speaking of, I'm actually about to take my final pics if my wife ever gets home . Unfortuately my internet is down which is why I'm currently posting from my blackberry. So I may have to drive around with my laptop looking for an unsecued network in order to post the pics. So stay tuned for further updates. LOL
Brian, you have 'til Monday, at least. Take your time and make yourself all pretty for the camera. It's Independence Day, have fun!
If you're strategically taking pics before your brewski bloat, you still have days until you need to post them. Just make sure you don't overwrite the pics and have to reshoot after looking all puffy, Monday morning.
The pics have been taken, and afterwards I ate a small ice cream sandwich that had been mocking me from the freezer for weeks, and a balance bar. Then we went out to dinner with my mom and sister and I had a grilled chicken salad...ok so I had 1 drink and a couple of fried asparigus sticks from the apps that they ordered, but over all not bad.
However, you're right LD, there is a big party today and I will be a bit bloated by Sunday, but come on there's got to be a little light at the end of the tunnle. This last month has been diet and training hell as you will soon see from my pics when I'm finally able to post them.
Alright finally got internet, so to recap I started at 230lbs @16.2%BF and ended up at 205lbs @ 6.5%BF, for a total loss of 25lbs and about 10%BF. But since a picture is worth a thousand measurements here they are:
Took one side pic inside that came out good:
So there it is, 6 months of work. I was hoping for a nice sunny day to take the pics outside, but I think they came out ok dispite the cloudy day. I also didn't put on any oil or bronze cream this year because everyone seemed to like my pics better without it last year. I managed to get down to about the same BF as last year a whole month early, and I also ended up about 5lbs heavier which I'm happy with. Going forward my goals are to add muscle without putting back on the fat. So that means no fatty post holiday pics next year.
. I'd like to weigh in on goals of the challenge though. Several of us have done a terrific job on maintaining our body composition over the period, so continuing on that path might not be as interesting as it may be for the two of you that made significant changes in body comp.
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