FINAL WEEK!!

its finally here!

first of all, my apologies to you all for the absence of updates. its been a crazy ride. i will kinda fill you in on whats been going on since my last post....

a few weeks ago (approx. 3 weeks) i starting the 'freak out mode' lol. i actually switched my entire diet structure and strategy out of fear that i ultimately would not be ready. this is a cardinal sin of contest dieting that i normally have to preach to my clients that i oversee during their contest prep. i shouldve known better than to do this but i really had no one looking out for me, so i did what i did. luckily, my better half convinced me to reach out to a fresh pair of eyes, so i contacted an old buddy and fellow competitor for some saving grace advice. we hammered out a repair plan to fix what i'd done and a game plan for the final two weeks, both nutritional and supplemental strategy.

after my brain/body fart had been fixed, i feel great! back on point! the final week will consist of 2 days of complete carb depletion then followed by 3 days of carb loading. ill do one day of sodium load followed by 3 days of diuretic load. simultaneously ill be doing water intake load followed by a water intake taper. this plan is to cause an overall "shock" and cause my body to "dry out" by about 6-8lbs of water over the last 4 days or so.

i'm often asked by my clients or those around the gym that have seen the transformation, "how do you feel/look at this time compared to previous shows?"
i suppose i would say that i feel/look the best I've ever felt! i feel sooo much bigger, fuller, more muscular. in the 08' liberty show, i felt really skinny and flat with not much vascularity or muscle fullness. i was lean but i think the diet i chose then caused me to lose a fair amount of muscle mass which left a flat look. the precontest prep regimen I've followed this time around has left me close to being just as lean as two years ago, but i look much larger because my muscles are still full and the veins are more noticeable. not to mention, i didn't waste as much muscle mass this time around. I'm guessing I'll come in with 3-5lbs more muscle mass this show compared to last. with most of that coming in my back and legs. which just so happen to be two areas that are very hard to build as a natural athlete. so i feel great about the package I'm taking up to MN.

so here it is, 4 days out from the contest. this is the most exciting part. with many regimen changes in nutrition and supplements this week, this is also the week we get to see the really cool changes happen externally. the skin gets really thin, the veins pop, the striations and separation of muscle shows itself more than any other time throughout the process. the 'light at the end of the tunnel' feeling is here and the end is near. all the meals and workouts are much easier to get through because the motivation has changed. its time to follow through and bring the 'A-game!' its time to go get some hardware.

we will be taking off Thursday morning as we both have lie detector tests at 8pm at the show hotel in MN. we will start the shave and paint process right after on Thursday night. Christina has a women's figure competition Friday evening, and we both have pre-judging Saturday morning and finals Saturday night.

what will we eat for our first meals you ask...? well, that will actually come Saturday morning early before the pre-judging. we will visit a nearby IHOP for a 'load' meal. that's right, carbo load! ...pancakes, syrup, eggs, bacon, hash browns! man i cant wait!! then we will find a steak house mid-day between shows to get a fatty steak and baked potato, mmmm!! then we'll probably find a pizza shoppe or Mexican place to stuff ourselves silly Saturday night. and yes, a celebratory drink or two will more than likely happen! we deserve it right?


so wish us luck! we aim to make those closest to us proud. i will update this blog one final time with results and show pics shortly after the show. thank you to everyone for the overwhelming support and understanding of our sacrifices and efforts.

M-I-Z...

train hard, eat smarter!

6 weeks out!!

6 and counting!!

ive now been dieting for 8 weeks. so far, ive noticed plenty of weight loss in lbs, body fat %, and inches. what im not quite seeing yet is the muscle detail, vascularity, and sharp shredded lines yet. however, i do believe my body may be on the cusp of switching over to the lean shredded look.
as a way of breaking plateaus and giving my body a break, i recently took a 4 day carb load cycle. i feel like it filled my back up and i actually feel tighter, more vascular, and leaner! hopefully this will reset my clocks a little and help the 'burn' effect when i go back to my regular diet.
its been requested a few times that i give the few and faithful blog followers an itinerary-like example a what an average day of mine looks like. although i dont think its anything special, here goes.

3:40am- wake up and shower

4:30am- eat meal 1

5:00am-11:00am or 12pm: clients
7:30-8am- meal 2
10am- meal 3

11:30am-12:15pm- cardio

12:30- meal 4 then nap til 2.

3pm- meal 5

3pm-5:30 or 6pm- clients
5pm- meal 6

6:!5/6:30- 8pm- weight train

8:30/9pm- meal 7

9:30/10pm- mummy walk myself to bed

things like showers, house chores, cooking, grocery shopping, clients diets/workout design, tanning, all are usually done as have chicken breasts, fish fillets, steak, or sweet potatoes cooking. or as im eating my meals! lol

all that being said i do this without having the 24/7 responsibility of household, wife, and kids! i cant begin to imagine how that would look and/or feel! so my respect goes out to those that balance those issues that i do not have to factor in. and i know i am blessed with a very flexible and understanding client roster that supports me in my goals. most people that compete may not have these luxuries i know i have. then again, having a wife to share and help eachother with the odds and ends of the average day would be nice at times. but at least i know this way, if i dont do as well as hoped, its no one's fault but my own. i am in total control of my outcome. thats kinda rewarding in itself.

i will start my diuretics in a few weeks. this should help bring out some of the sharpness and fine detail im looking for. my guess would be that i can lose another 8-10lbs of body fat and close to the same in water retention. its scares me to say but i may drop all the way down to under 160!! that tasted like vinegar comin out!! lol

as usual, thank you to everyone thats close to me for your everlasting support and encouragement. its very easy to let my mind beat me, without your kind words and understanding support, im not sure i could make it. so thank you!

heres a piece of advice to anyone wanting to lose a few pounds.... make a realistic plan and stick to it. dont let life, doubt, and fatigue stand in the way of your goals and passions!! GET IT!

til next time....

I HATE THE KITCHEN!!!

if i got paid for every minute spent in the kitchen, id be smiling for that's for sure! haha

i go from cooking 4-6 steaks one night, to 6-8 chicken breasts the next, and usually 6-12 sweet potatoes on either or both nights! after all the prep, clean up, then digestion of the food, it seems as though the hours blend together and the day seems to center itself around the kitchen. do i get to use creativity or experiment with different flavors? NO! but its all for the greater good of looking incredible for about a week. so i guess its worth the dishes. you'd think id use my dish washer too right? nope, all hand washing because its the same 5 dishes, for the same 4 foods im able to eat day in day out.

i know the previous paragraph seems as though im upset about this, but honestly it becomes addicting. because, as i look down to see my veins in my forearms as im washing the same repetitive dish, im reminded of why im living this 'Groundhog's Day' lifestyle! i gotta say that i love it. grocery shopping is a breeze and im into robot mode with my schedule, so its all good!

since my last post, ive transitioned into my next phase of diet restriction, known to some as HELL! ive eliminated my whole eggs from my meals now, so its up to a cool dozen egg whites instead! YUM! you haven't lived until you eat 2 dozen egg whites a day! also, ive switched from fillet (tenderloin) steak to flank or eye of round steak. its a leaner source of dense protein from steak, furthermore lowering my saturated fat counts with keeping just as much protein. so far, all i notice is increased musculature throughout my jaw line due to all the chewing of that "lean" steak! they should just call it chunky jerky instead.

ive also taken all brown rice out and substituted it with sweet potato. i was dreading this change, but truthfully, its been a really good switch! not only does it taste better, but its keeping my muscles and veins fuller, but im getting tighter so that's a bonus. im also increasing my green veggie intake, THAT i am NOT excited about! lol

so far im pleased with my results to this point. although im loosing crazy inches in my arss! haha

with a little more than 8 weeks to go, im fairly confident i will reach the look im striving for. and if need be, i have no problem dieting and training harder to get there!

this week i will be starting my fat burners, increasing water intake, and incorporating a bit more cardio. next week i may start small dosages of natural diuretics. that's when the cool stuff starts to show itself!

thanks again to everyone that has helped support me to this point, i know that chicken and sweet potato smell in the gym isn't the most pleasant. im hoping to make my friends and family proud!

12 weeks out and counting!

as of this past saturday, i am now 12 weeks out from the show!

things have gone well in these first two weeks of dieting. ive figured out my timing of meals throughout my day and the food seems to be working its magic so far. in two weeks, ive last about 9lbs! most of which due to nutrition as ive only done about 5 25 min cardio sessions. that will be increasing to at least 4 cardio sessions this week, NOT excited about that aspect!!! lol! the diet so far has done a good job of removing the "bloat" that my offseason diet gave me. my face is thinner and my waist has lost about 1.5 inches so far. my 32's are even baggier now around the waist! my legs, chest, and back feel thicker and fuller so i think im keeping good muscle so far. the increased protein from steak is keeping my muscles full and the vascularity is coming through! exciting stuff!

ive had a few inquiries about my diet and what it looks like on a daily basis. i dont feel like im doing anything of crazy genius so im not worried about sharing this info. so heres what a sample day of mine looks like....

meal 1
7 egg whites, 2 whole eggs
1 cup cooked old fashioned oats
3pks splenda, small handful raisins

meal 2
6oz grilled chicken breast w mrs dash seasoning
8oz brown rice

meal 3
6oz steak filet
6oz brown rice

meal 4
7oz chicken breast
4oz brown rice
2 oz green veggies

meal 5
8oz steak filet
2oz brown rice
4oz green veggies

opt meal 6 (depending on length of day)
6-8 egg whites w salsa (depending on hunger)

*pre workout 30 min before
1/2 scoop Karbolyn carbodhydrate powder
2 scoops whey protein isolate
*post workout w/in 15min
1 scoop karbolyn
2 scoops whey protein isolate

ive left off most of my supplements. they change so often and there are so many that i chose not to get into it. but they are expensive and i feel like i drink as many pills as i do ounces of water! lol

while we're at it, why not, ill throw you my training split too! here goes...

mon- a.m. cardio, p.m. chest, calves
tues- a.m. cardio, p.m. back, abs
wed- opt. cardio
thurs- a.m. cardio, p.m. shoulders, calves
fri- a.m. cardio, p.m. biceps & triceps
saturday- posing, cardio, & abs
sunday- a.m. legs, p.m. cardio

seems pretty basic but around 6-10 clients per day, cooking & prepping meals, and oh ya... LIFE! it can be a bit taxing. but im noticing great changes so far and am looking forward to many more! but the changes should be more subtle from this point going forward.

i confirmed the couples routine with the promoter of the show today! so i will be competing in mens short open class bodybuilding. christina (my better half in many ways) will be competing in womens medium figure and womens open medium bodybuilding. we will both do individual routines, then do a seperate routine as a couple!! oh... and she has a figure walk & quarter turns to do as well! thats a whole lot for her as a first time bodybuilding competitor! good luck and im with ya babe!

again, im working on getting some pictures ASAP!! sorry for the delay there!

thanks again to everyone for your support! and to my clients for understanding my nutritional needs and their sacrifice during their sessions w me! its much appreciated!

eat well, train hard everybody!

and... its on!

the diet has officially started!!!

i apologize for the delay of this post, but the first few days of the transition in this diet has been a bit of a struggle. it seems there arent enough hours in the day. and most of the free time i have is spent in the kitchen! lol

on sunday, i cooked 7 steaks, 7 chicken breasts, a huge bag of rice, bought 5 dozen eggs, and many green veggies. all of which last me until wednesday morning!!!! i then repeated this process to get me to saturday morning! then its rinse dishes and repeat!! lol

so far, the diet itself has not been the tough part. its finding the time to cook and then the time to eat. my work situation has provided an obstacle w/ eating around client times due to a new "rule" of the gym. thats really been my only hurdle so far but its working itself out. ive experienced little to no cravings, and i like the food.

i am finding however, that my energy levels in the later part of the day are dropping significantly. its mostly due to the drop in calories from carbs as the day goes. im pretty sure its just an adjustment thing my body is dealing with. i hope so anyway because getting up is challenging!

week 1 is going well as a whole though. i already feel lighter, and some of the 'bloat' is fading already! the stomach had a few fits but its pulling around. my strength in the gym is still there. cardio is never fun but its getting done. all in all, decent first week!

i will be meeting w my posing coach for the first time this weekend, AFTER LEGS!!! ouch! but i'll give it what ive got! looking forward to getting some posing tweaks!

im hoping to get a camera this week sometime so you can expect a weekly pic to get a visual grasp of the transition as well!

thanks again to all family and friends for your support!

live well and train hard!

-huffy

1 week from diet start

So... i am now one week out from starting my pre-contest diet! its time to turn it on!

I took a trip to MN this past weekend to visit friends, in which i over indulged in some great cheat foods. it was a great prelude weekend to get the "need to cheat" out of my system. lots of food, great company, and time away from the grind was nice right before the start of all this.

In this week before i start the diet, I will be practicing the repetitious cooking of things like chicken, steak, eggs, white rice, broccoli, and green beans. the preparation of not only the foods and supps, but also the portioning of the foods to take with me to the gym can be difficult the first few weeks. I will start to incorporate these foods this week but without the same importance of next week.

I am in the final stages of solidifying my diet plan for the show. even then, its possible this diet changes in small ways 10-15 times throughout the following 14 weeks. changes are made due to the progression or lack there of in body fat, muscle mass, muscle fullness, vascularity, and body weight.

for me, i believe the first two weeks of the contest diet are hardest. getting past the cravings and incorporating the diet is tough. but once the 'robotic' mindset takes over, the diet itself becomes the easy part. fitting the meals in between 1 30-45 minute cardio session per day, 1 60-80 minute resistance training session per day, and 3 -5 20-30 minute posing sessions per week then becomes the challenging and at times overwhelming task.

To All My Friends, Loved Ones, and Clients...
in advance, i apologize for any mood swings, exhaustion, selfishness, and not being seen publicly! lol, jk. but no really, the daily regimen does tend to take me out of most social situations. im hoping those closest to me understand the discipline and sacrifice involved in this process. the demands placed on the body and the risk of overtraining the body also require meal timing and rest to be very important factors in this process. so in combination of my body fat dropping and not being sociable, the ghost of myself will be all that is known for a few months. i hope to make you all proud and celebrate success after the show and make it up to you all for your support.

... 'til next week, enjoy the 'normal' me for one more week. because when i turn it on its full tilt, no looking back, sacrifice everything, and WIN!!!!!



"small steps lead to huge changes!"- na

may 2010 minnesota natural bodybuilding show

well, its that time again! im approximately two weeks form starting my contest diet, and honestly i cant wait! after taking two years off from the stage to gain weight (hopefully mature, pretty, striated muscle) im very ready to get this extra bodyfat off and see what improvements are underneath. im anxious to see my efforts of the last two years!

furthermore, im excited about this show. im hungry to start the process which always helps. starting a diet like this with the wrong frame of mind can make a HUGE difference in placing in the end. im ready for the discipline and sacrifice the awaits me! that in itself is very exciting!

this will be my first out-of-town show too! ive competed in the Libery, MO southern states classic 3 times before, placing all 3 times. im looking forward to competing on a different stage, with different judges, different venue, different competitors, and different audience. just breaking away from the pressure of my supporters(although its much appreciated) will be a nice change of pace making the experience even better. plus, competing out-of-town will help throw my name out there more instead of just locally.

another big difference with this show in comparison to my past shows is that i will competing with the woman im currently dating as a couple! she will be competing in womens figure and crossing over into womens bb! we will both compete in our respective individual divisions separately, then in a couples division together! with our own routine and all! this should make for an even more interesting preparation! learning not one but two routines and hopefully nailing them both! its not too common to see couples competing together so this is pretty special for us!

i hope to be sharing with you my every week of prep. moods, diet changes, positive and negative aspects of this crazy ride called "pre-contest!" i hope it can shed some light to those that might be interested in competing as well as those who may be close to someone that does compete and you might want a detailed view of what we competitors put ourselves through!

wish me luck...!!!!!!