I understand I have not written in a long time. Many positive events have occurred since my last post. I have chosen to travel every month to the east coast (CT) for two weeks at a time for work opportunities. There, my nutritional services are utilized to the max and I am provided with many rewards and knowledge advancements. I was blessed to be given this opportunity with one of the most recognized doctors in the world for their expertise. Working in a health care environment teaches me more about food and exercise applied to specific needs and circumstances. Along the journey of providing health, motivation and my lifestyle approach to the patients; I continue to inspire my east coast roots in the local gyms as I keep up on my fitness.
While back in the east in December I pushed my body to an all time high within 8% BF of 191 lbs. This was a near comfortable weight, yet my passion for reaching a diverse demographic and maintaining a feel good and function at my highest optimal performance level started to diminish. This is when I chose to start to lean down for more than myself in mind. I have learned over the 12+ years how to manipulate my conditioning as I choose healthy options to gain lean weight or to shed of a few unwanted pounds.
Each time I am intuitive with my bodies needs/allergens/convenience and fitness level in the process.
My program for growth phase:
1. Kept protein sources to: organic/natural sources chicken, turkey, lean grass fed beef (6-8oz)
2. Added more variety of veggies from bell peppers
3. Added fruit varieties in jam form: apricot + wild blueberry
4. Included more variety of complex carbs: brown rice, brown rice wraps, squash, sweet potato
5. *Added 1 jar per Day! Of Organic Sunflower butter, almond butter, or ½ jar coconut butter
(This alone helped me add over 2,000kcal/day)* To help nourish my body from prior starvations/lower fat dieting for almost a year.
6. I chose cardio from more than a treadmill source: Jump rope, elliptical, boxing
After reaching a more than comfortable high in my bodyweight I decided to start to tighten up with as little stress as possible, A.K.A with no bodybuilding show or shoot in mind.
Allowing my mind more ease with a determination to reach a larger population with my physique, I began the decent in size, but the increase in confidence and lean muscle mass.
Cutting phase: Arrival back in the east coast December 25th 2010
- Eliminated fruits and any food items I saw as a stressor / allergen to my body.
*These turned out to consist of: brown rice, sweet potato, fish, abundance of nut butters, and fat burners.
Chosen for this phase was: (simplified)
Protein sources: organic chicken, grass fed ground lean beef, egg whites, and an omega-3 whole egg per day
Carbohydrate sources: Quinoa flakes and *spaghetti squash, puffed millet, nutritional yeast w/b-complex
Veggies: asparagus, lettuce, tomatoes,
Fats: olive oil, omega-3 egg yolk, Almond unsweetened beverage
- Increased protein and lowered over carbohydrates per day basis
- Minimized fats drastically form before by only adding from olive oil and 1 egg yolk per day
- Included puffed millet cereal every other day
- Added gogi berries every other day in cereal
- Added 1 tablespoon Maca root powder per day
- Added pro-fight sports glutamine complex 3-4 x /day
- Added nutritional yeast 3 x per day
- Increased cardio to 6 days a week: Stair gauntlet, treadmill, and seated bike only
*After a devoted focus to my goals I checked in with good friend Mike Faulkner this morning to determine where I stand with body fat % using a 7 site caliper test.
Before I embark on a trip back to CT for work, I have recorded my weight at a steady 182-184lbs.
BF% was recorded at an exceptional “4.13%” at the highest lean body mass I have ever accomplished!
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