Rob, I feel your pain. I’m an engineer and everyone here at work are constantly eating donuts, muffins, cookies, cake, bagels, etc. I also get made fun of because they know that I won’t eat it with them. “Oh don’t ask Joe, he doesn’t eat things like that.” As you know Rob, I just recently finished the V-Diet. Prior to that my diet and nutrition have been pretty good in general. People come to me for advice all the time here at work. When I tell them to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, don’t eat process foods, eat less carbs, and more vegetables, I get a blank stare and a statement equivalent to “I can’t do that” or “I’m a grown up and I should be able to eat what I want.”. It is very frustrating! I also get made fun of for my big lunch box. My favorite is when I hear “That sure is a big lunch box for a little guy”. It’s always someone who is totally out of shape and eats like crap that says that. I’ve been carrying a big lunch box to work with at least 3 meals in there for most of my professional career. Haters got hate!
@robstein: VERY well written, you definitely hit the nail on the head with that entry. I appreciate the detailed sharing of your experiences, very informative.
@jcliotta: This sounds all too familiar!
@littlesleeper, Thanks man, I really appreciate that! I’m glad we can all help each other, these forums are a gold mine. I’ve learned so much on this website and these forums, I still read @The_Mighty_Stu’s, contest prep log and get something else out of it every time.
4/8 - 151.8lbs, 3 weeks out Northeast America Pro-Q, 11 weeks out Hercules Super Pro-Q
Alright, really getting down to the wire at 3 weeks out! These pics are post workout yesterday, although my weight has only dropped very slightly, definitely tighter, some good recomp going on. Still more progress to be made, but feeling pretty pumped. It’s an odd perspective. At one point, I’ve been fat for the majority of my life and only really got into exercising about 6 years ago, have been in the gym about 3ish years, and bodybuilding specifically about a year and a half. In that perspective, it’s pretty mind blowing. But, now that I’m 3 weeks out, all I can think is, “alright, still got more work to do!”
Started ramping up posing practice to every day at some point, whenever I can fit it in. The posing itself is getting better but it is exhausting, so it’s absolutely necessary to just get as much practice time as possible. My posing trunks came in the mail yesterday in a small envelope, standard cut, black. Not trying to go out there in anything fancy.
3 weeks to go, feeling the pressure but it’s very motivating.
Looking tighter and tigher Rob, nice work!
Abs are POPPING. I’m getting excited living vicariously through you haha
@sctb Thanks a lot man!
@littlesleeper LOL Thanks bro, I appreciate that! In addition to ramping up ab training to every day, one thing I started doing a couple of weeks ago after reading a Dr. Lowery article is wrapping a towel around my waist with a lifting belt over it during my cardio and intervals. This warms the area and increases the blood flow, aiding in more efficient targeted fat loss for the lower abs and lower back. It’s definitely working, I could feel before I started doing it the area was always cold to the touch after cardio/intervals, and now it’s very warm, even 15-20 minutes after I’m done. Normally it’s something I wouldn’t do in the off-season, (so is cardio in general!), but at this point I think anything that will give me an advantage is worth it.
Alright, FINALLY got some scale movement, down to 150.8 this morning and looking pretty tight for first thing in the morning with no pump. Got two nights of great sleep this weekend, woke up later than usual but had to take advantage of the weekend after a week of poor sleep. Sipping on some Brain Candy and coffee, about to knock out my cardio, practice some posing and write for the rest of the day. 3 weeks from yesterday is the first show, and three weeks from TODAY is my cheat day 
The menu is still in the works, but I know for sure we’re going to go to our favorite pizza place by our old condo for the cheese steak pizza, with self-serve froyo afterwards. After 18 weeks of dieting, it’s going to be amazing.
Whoop, Whoop! Cheat day is coming! Rob you are doing awesome! Great progress buddy!
Thanks so much bro! Especially as the show gets closer and the grind gets more demanding, I really appreciate the support.
148.4 this morning, looking tighter and feeling good that I know I’ll have no problem making weight.
This past weekend we started our keto diet to lead up to the show. Typically this is the diet we would do the week of the show to deplete carbs, but I felt that even though I was making progress, my weight was stalled for a couple of weeks and I still have a long way to go before I feel ready to get on stage. So, we started the keto diet early to really cut up and make sure my upper legs, hamstrings and lower abs look tight.
This is day 4 of the keto diet, the most challenging part is the transition from a typical carb cycling diet to keto, accompanied by bouts of feeling extremely tired and serious brain fog as I’m running on less than 20g carbs a day, all just from the leafy greens, some veggies and nut butter. The food itself is very tasty, eating whole eggs, lots of farm raised bacon, bacon, pepperoni, grass fed cheese, grass fed beef, salmon, sardines, almond butter and lots of leafy greens. I sure do miss my Finibars and Plazma, ezekiel cereal, etc. BUT, this is where supplements like HOT ROX, Brain Candy and Rhodiola really shine, helping me get through the lack of carbs while still being able to focus and be a functional human at work. Here’s my newly adjusted supplement schedule:
-First thing AM upon waking: Full dose of HOT ROX, Rhodiola and Caffeine Free Brain Candy, along with my “morning cocktail” of 24oz water, Superfood and BCAA’s. Thank goodness for Superfood on this diet.
-After breakfast: 2 Flameout, 2 Curcumin, Vitamin D
-Mid Afternoon: Indigo before lunch (although on 0 carbs, I read a CT article about how it helps maintain insulin sensitivity so I still take it)
-Pre Training: Micro PA, second dose of HOT ROX and Rhodiola
-Training: BCAA’s
-Post Training: Full dose Elite Pro Minerals
-After Dinner: 2 Flameout, 2 Curcumin
Yesterday was my first weight session on 0 carbs, and I was a little concerned doing a high volume, full body program on keto. This past weekend I did my usual morning fasted cardio Saturday and Sunday, and also went to the gym Sunday for a “lite” version of my usual program just to get used to training on no carbs. Yesterday, I went into the gym knowing I only have 9 workouts left until the show, and I have to push harder than ever. I was really listening to my body to see if I needed to lighten up or decrease volume, but I actually felt great, strength was up and I had the energy to get all the way through. I was surprised as I spent most of the day teetering between “tired” and “really f’ing tired”, but the workout was solid. It was my Monday “A” workout:
BACK
Rack Pulls - 4 sets - 385x8, 405x8, 425x6, 425x6
Seated Cable Row (narrow grip) - 3 sets - 120x12, 130x10, 130x10
CHEST
Incline Press Machine - 4 sets - 85x8
Seated Low—>High Cables - 3 sets - 25x12
TRICEPS
V-Bar Pressdown - 3 sets - 72.5x6-8
Single Arm Pull Downs (no attachment, huge pump), followed by overhead extension finisher - 3 sets - 10x12 (got this one from Meadows)
BICEPS
Seated Incline DB Curls - 3 sets - 25x8
DB Hammer Curls w/ pause - 3 sets - 20x12
SHOULDERS
Seated DB Laterals - 3 sets - 25x8
Seated DB Press - 3 sets - 50x10-12
LEGS
Lying Ham Curls w/pause at top - 4 sets - 75x10 + 8-10 partials
Leg Extensions w/ pause at top - 4 sets - 130x12-15
ABS
Ab Wheel Roll Outs - 4 sets x 12
Followed by 15 min in the sauna with lots of water. I’ve been doing this lately after sessions and it helps tremendously for recovery.
Pics. You looked real good at 150, wondering what 148 looks like.
Hercules in Manhattan? I might schlep in to watch that.
Remember that this show is just his warm up. Obviously we don’t want Rob onstage looking bad, but we also have to remember that he’s got a good 8 weeks afterward until the Hercules. As the goal is always to focus on muscle retention, we’re walking a fine line with keeping positive movement, but not playing all our cards, dropping his #s too low, or anything that will put him in a “bad place” come late June.
S
Nice work, breaking the 150.
I’ve spent the better part of this year in keto and love the way I feel. I could probably sustain it as a lifestyle, if I felt I could gain size eating this way.
I’ve found that as long as I don’t get my heart racing too much while lifting, I do fine. It’s interesting, you definitely know, when you don’t have anything left. The light headedness comes quick.
@The_Myth - Thanks man, I’ll get some pics up soon. Right now definitely looking tighter, but flat as there’s almost no glycogen in my muscles.
Dude that’d be awesome if you came to the show! It’s a big show, sure to be entertaining as it always draws a ton of competitors looking to get their pro cards. Hopefully you can make it, and can join us for the post show food fest after
@dchris - Thanks bro, breaking past 150 has been a sticking point. Good for you on the keto, I don’t know how you’re doing it for so long! I miss carbs too much, if I listen hard I can hear my Finibars calling to me.
That’s a good tip on the heart rate, I could feel the light headedness yesterday during intervals. Will certainly keep that in mind in the gym later today! Typically the lifting gets my heart rate up, but not as much as intervals. Due to the full body program I don’t go to fail or do drop sets currently, so the heart rate is usually pretty manageable.
Do you ever do carb ups/refeeds every now and then?
Yesterday was certainly a test of mental strength as I continue to transition getting used to keto, I felt like I could fall asleep walking into the gym for HIIT, and was seriously considering trading it out for steady state. But, thinking about being on stage for the first time soon, and also feeling like I’m “paying my dues,” I gave everything I had to the interval session. It was my first HIIT session on keto and I could definitely feel what @dchris was talking about, knowing when you have nothing left. But, everything I did have left went into that session, and knowing I pushed as hard as I could is all I can do at this point. When I’m on stage, I’ll know no matter what happens competitively, I did everything in my power to bring my best package.
I’m learning more and more throughout the prep that when you see a good physique on stage, it’s as much a representation of that person’s mental strength, as well as physical. After my intervals I do 20 minutes steady, and popped on a video by Kai Greene, “A Champion Acts in the Now,” one he made in 2013 at 1am doing a cardio session. I come back to it every now and then when I need it, works every time.
Ahhh,… Kai’s “cardio confessions” -lol
[quickly splashes water on face out of camera view then tightens hoodie]
“huff, huff… bodybuilding… huff… is a lot like… huff… life… it’s a long… huff huff… road, and… huff… sometimes you can’t… huff… see… huff… your … huff huff… destination…”
S
Ha, yeah probably, all for the camera. Good words for me when I need them though!