hi guys, long time no see, he he he.... I could not reply before because here in the middle east fridays is day off.... but here I am back again (it will be a long comment).
Thanks for your reply to my comments and let me tell all of you...... all of you are absolutely right about what you are saying..... so, I will start answering one by one:
bluejacket: I'm sorry, yes I misread your figures.... so, if you are at 9%-10% you know the feeling... he he he.....I think you are thinking the same as me...... first dead before putting on fat above 13% again, he he he... yes, also I had to downsize on my clothing, not because the muscles were gone but because of my waist, I went from 36 to 30, but now the little problem is that my legs are a tight in my jeans, but it is ok...... I had the same experience as you I lifted during my 20's and did not gain a pound despite eating like a horse... I am an ectomorph all the way, only when I hit my 30 I could increase my size and still increasing it but because of the aerobic (or continuous cutting phases) it is a slower process but steady.
Traps of steal & totentanz: my friends, you 2 are absolutely right, I am eating more than normal because I do cardio and even play tennis for 1-2 hours a week and I am approaching the triathlon training season, so it will be even worse.... and you are right, it could be a waste of money, suplements, food, etc.... in fact, I spend per month approx $250 food and $200 of proteins and suplements.... but I do it because of 2 reasons: a) I really like the lean +strong look, actually my objective in bodybuilding is not to get huge like my countryman gustavo badell or coleman (I don't think it would look cool for a 50 yo guy anyway)... but I want to have a very good fitness overall, decent size (much more than average though, he he) and like an all-round good health look and especially superdefined 6-packs plus obliques, b) I am close to my 50's.... man... at this age we are asking control tower for permission to land underground for ever if we don't watch our level of fat and cholesterol, in my family we have had some heart diseases cases .... so, I want to keep my fat and cholesterol low; and therefore I consider my heart one more muscle that needs to be exercised with as much (or even more) diligence as my biceps or chest..... even though, I consider myself more on the bodybuilding side than on the cardio side.
The best cardio protocols that I have experienced is something like this:
- exercises that I have tried and seen worked the best (raising your hbr in a steady way and making your muscles really work) are in this order: rowing, jogging, spinning, swimming.
- duration & frequency if you are cutting you have to go to at least 45 min. 4-5 times a week; but this will exert some pressure on the catabolic side, so you need to take some muscle damage control
- time of the day: as soon as you get up in the morning with empty stomach (actually with 8 ounces or protein whey, see below)
- pre-workout nutrition: yes, it is important.... I drink 8 ounces (1 scoop) of whey protein (24 gr of protein, low fat and low carbohydrate, plus 1 capsule of 100 mg vitamin C.....this is important because you don't want to waste 20 minutes burning glucose from your bloodstream, you need your body to go directly into your fat storage from the go.. that is why the early in the morning approach....the protein and vitamin C is one of the measurements to minimize muscle break down and diminishing the level of cortison that tends to be elevated when you wake up and when you run.
- Post workout: a good breakfast full of complex carbohydrates and protein... you need to continue giving your muscles nutrients and also replenish the glycogen in your muscles, otherwise muscles will be broken down to obtain glucose.... I would like to include another category:
- Nutrition during cutting phase: try to count calories and be consistently with a 500 calorie deficit, don't try to be greedier by going to 1000 calorie deficit because this is highly catabolic, I already went that path and can testify.... a good mix is p=30%, f=20%, c=50%... your c should come 90% or more of complex carbohydrates, your f absolutely from good sources such as olive oil, flasxeed oil, nuts, salmon, etc... by the way, if you roast or grill your salmon (do not fry it) collect the oil that expels and take advantage of it for your salad.. this is an excellent source of omega-3
- suplements: multivitamin, I can not overstress the importance of this... vitamin B and the rest is essential for us, bodybuilders.... also take anti-oxidants because by doing exercises, especially the aerobic type we are producing free radicals which is very harmful in the long run...
well, I think, I did not miss anything... if you do this... and get down to 9% I can guarantee you that the way you look will be so healthy (you will not look like a war prisoner !!!, but more like The Rock, he he he) that you would rather sacrifice muscle growth speed for this look... don't take me wrong, you will be able to grow muscles but you will not grow muscle that quickly.... at the gym where I am, all the arabs are bulking up all the time like hell, so, they are big, with big muscles (anybody would say muscles but for me it is muscles + a hell of fat) but small bellies or love handles or no muscles definition, no 6-packs (to me that is not appealing; it is the same as working only on your upper body and still having chicken legs).....having a strong and noticeable midsection muscles makes you look more powerful, more balanced.....I believe the objective should be..... a symmetric look, a balanced look, though always trying to get bigger.... we have to be patient.... if we do the fundamentals day-in, day-out... we will get there, big and symmetric, healthy.... of course, everybody has his/her own set of objectives.... it is a personal thing.... or is it I am an old fashioned guy ??
... it could be, he he he.
hey... cheers and regards to everybody
