XFatMan’s Dan Alexander Peaking Program

X

XFatMan

New Member
General

As a beginner, my idea is to post what I’m doing and adjust things according to the feedback I get. I try anything provided there is an explanation that makes actually sense. I’d appreciate any kind of criticism because nothing I do is based on knowledge; everything is based on assumptions.

My Goal

After some time off and eating like a horse, I was at 22.2% body fat on December 21, 2007. That prompted me to get back to lifting and dieting. Neither makes sense without a goal. My goal is to drop body fat to 15% or less by June 30, 2008. I don’t know if this is even possible, but it’s a goal. And the difference between a dream and a goal is the deadline.

Diet

My diet has always been so simple that it hurts. In other words, I’ve never done anything apart from counting calories and getting rid of most junk food. I’ve always used a complex calorie cycling method that won’t allow my body to adjust to a given number of calories.

The Workouts

I will follow the Dan Alexander Peaking Program with workouts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. During this first cycle, I will need to take one week off from February 4 – February 9 for personal reasons.

Cardio

My usual cardio program is walking for one hour at around 4.0 mph, usually twice a day. I hate treadmills, so I will do this outside. If this isn’t possible for any reason, I’ll skip rope in the gym. During off weeks, I will reduce my calorie intake so I can maintain my weight – or almost so – with only 30 minutes cardio per day.

Measurements

I don’t care much for measurements. But others love them, so they’ll go here. I expect the measurements to go down due to my high body fat percentage and possibly some muscle loss on the way. I don’t really care because I want to get lean. I’ll take measurements every day and average them on Sundays. These are my values from last Sunday:

Neck 15.7 in.
Biceps 13.6 in.
Forearm 11.2 in.
Chest 41.3 in.
Waist 34.6 in.
Hips 38.0 in.
Thigh 22.8 in.
Calf 15.2 in.
Body Weight 174.0 lbs.
Body Fat Percentage 21.4%

So then, let me hear what you think.
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Jan. 18 2008,07:29)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I expect the measurements to go down due to my high body fat percentage and possibly some muscle loss on the way. I don’t really care because I want to get lean.</div>
There's no reason to assume that you'll lose much muscle so long as you keep your protein up to about one gram per pound of bodyweight -- as in a protein sparing modified fast (PSMF) -- and lift fairly heavy.

If you follow your program, what you stand to lose is fat; what you stand to gain is strength. So set a deadline for that dream...!
 
I like the calorie cycling, and as far as your goals are concerned... you seem to have a knack for losing mostly fat, but that is how it is with higher body fat percentages - it isn't a linear trend. Your body fat percentage is still high enough to lost mostly fat when you cut. You have 23 weeks until your goal, and assuming you have an 80% efficiency of fat loss (lose .8 lbs of fat for each 1 lb of body weight), then under a 500 calorie deficit each day, you will be down to 149.4 @ 12.92% body fat by June 30th.
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Jan. 18 2008,09:44)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">You have 23 weeks until your goal, and assuming you have an 80% efficiency of fat loss (lose .8 lbs of fat for each 1 lb of body weight), then under a 500 calorie deficit each day, you will be down to 149.4 @ 12.92% body fat by June 30th.</div>
Oh my Lord! I will be a tiny, little nothing!
laugh.gif

No seriously, that wouldn't be worst thing. But I find that really difficult because I've been cutting, cutting, and cutting ever since I started. At the beginning, the fat melted off just like that. Once I hit something like 25%, it seems that I have to work really hard to get rid of the darn fat.

You're right, TunnelRat. It's also wiser not to assume anything.
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Jan. 18 2008,09:54)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">But I find that really difficult because I've been cutting, cutting, and cutting ever since I started. At the beginning, the fat melted off just like that. Once I hit something like 25%, it seems that I have to work really hard to get rid of the darn fat.</div>
XFM -

Firstly, good luck with this! I hope you're proud of your progress thus far.

As far as you rate of fat loss - be patient and stay the course. Yes, in the beginning, the fat loss was more rapid - and that's to be expected. Your body has adjusted to a more active, more nutritious diet, so it's at a point of stasis. You essentially are re-training your body, and that takes time. The more lean muscle you add, the more your body composition will improve. That's keeping it way, way simple - but honestly, that's all you need to be focusing on. You have the diet thing down from the sounds of it - now just make sure that your trips to the gym are regular in frequency, your workouts aren't easy, and you'll see the results you want.
 
Saturday, January 19, 2008

Saturdays are my lazy days. Today I just walked one hour at 4.0 mph. Tomorrow, I’ll be back with my averaged measurements.
 
Sunday, January 20, 2008

Now it’s time to average my measurements:

Neck 15.9 in. (+0.2 in.)
Biceps 13.4 in. (-0.2 in.)
Chest 41.1 in. (-0.2 in.)
Waist 34.4 in. (-0.2 in.)
Hips 37.8 in. (-0.2 in.)
Body Weight 172.9 lbs. (-1.1 lb.)
Body Fat Percentage 21.1% (-0.3%)

This month, I have already come from 21.9% down to 21.1%. At first sight, it’s a lot of work for a tiny result. On the other hand, it has taken years to get to that point, so it won’t take just a couple of days to get in shape again. And when I calculate my lean mass, I can see that it’s actually going up. Besides, many tiny results will eventually add up to a big one.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> many tiny results will eventually add up to a big one. </div> That's actually more how BB'ing works than the noob gains in the first six months - which is why so many quit after a year; they get discouraged. Brick by brick, up comes the wall. Your realization will keep you in the game.
 
Week 1

When I look at the Basic Strength Standards, the weights I lift are ridiculous. They either fall in the Untrained or Novice category. It’s about time to do something about that. Below you can find my current weights and the projected 1 RM by the end of this first cycle. Any advice, suggestion, critique, etc. is very welcome at any time.

Barbell Deadlift 188 lbs. / 82 Kg &gt;&gt; 210 lbs. / 92 Kg
Flat Bench Barbell Press 174 lbs. / 76 Kg &gt;&gt; 188 lbs. / 82 Kg
Barbell Squat 120 lbs. / 52 Kg &gt;&gt; 146 lbs. / 64 Kg
Overhead Press 106 lbs. / 46 Kg &gt;&gt; 120 lbs. / 52 Kg

Monday, January 21, 2008

After a test last Friday, I was convinced that I wouldn’t be able to do eight sets of six repetitions at fifty-eight percent of my maximal load on the flat bench. To my surprise, it wasn’t even difficult. Okay, the very last repetition was a bit hard, but it was nothing even near to what I had expected. And I am absolutely positive that my real maximal load for the Barbell Squat is significantly higher than I calculated. Those eight sets didn’t even make my thighs itch. Anyway, I won’t change anything at this point. I can always try a higher 1 RM at the end of the cycle.

Flat Bench Barbell Press
8 sets / 6 reps / 58% of 1 RM

Barbell Squat
8 sets / 5 reps / 58% of 1 RM

After the Barbell Squat, I started to skip rope because it looked a bit rainy. After ten minutes, my right calf got injured again and at the same spot as two weeks ago. That means that I won’t skip rope for a longer period. I can walk on sunny days, but I don’t know yet what to do on rainy days.
 
<div>
(the_dark_master @ Jan. 21 2008,08:36)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Buy a coat?
rock.gif
</div>
Huh? I live in Brazil and even on rainy days, the temperature is around 90 - 100° F (35 - 40° C). Running around with a coat - no way!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

I have started taking chromium to aid fat loss. Perhaps it works better than the Guaraná powder I’ve been taking. One thing is sure: swallowing a tiny capsule is much better than the awful-tasting Guaraná. Guaraná definitely works with scientific background and so on, so I can really recommend it. I’ll be taking 200 mcg of chromium per day for the next 100 days. Then I’ll give a more informed opinion on that.

Barbell Overhead Press
8 sets / 6 reps / 58% of 1 RM

Barbell Deadlift
8 sets / 5 reps / 58% of 1 RM

I found the Barbell Overhead Press was pretty difficult from the start but got better as the sets progressed. The Barbell Deadlift was perhaps a bit too light, like the Barbell Squats yesterday. But I’ll do the same; at the end of the cycle I can always try a higher 1 RM.
 
Oh, I’m really not a specialist, but let me summarize. Chromium is supposed to influence insulin levels positively as well as estrogen receptors. The result is lower insulin levels and less estrogen production and therefore means less fat storage. There is some scientific background on this, but some studies are contradictive. I have decided to test it for myself. It’s comparatively cheap so I don’t think it will hurt to give it a shot.
 
Interesting... it may be my next mineral of interest (last one was Magnesium)! I will do some research in the coming days to see the RDA, tolerance levels, other health benefits, and the foods that have a high amount of chromium in them.
 
This may interest you XFatMan:

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Absorption of chromium from the intestinal tract is low, ranging from less than 0.4% to 2.5% of the amount consumed [19-25], and the remainder is excreted in the feces [1,23]. Enhancing the mineral's absorption are vitamin C (found in fruits and vegetables and their juices) and the B vitamin niacin (found in meats, poultry, fish, and grain products) [26]. Absorbed chromium is stored in the liver, spleen, soft tissue, and bone [27].</div>
From: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/chromium.asp#h3
 
Something you should study is the Glucose Tolerance Factor since chromium is essential for carbohydrate metabolism. The recommended daily dose in the US is 35 mcg for males and 25 mcg for females. Some studies indicate that higher doses taken over a longer period may cause damage in chromosome cells.
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Jan. 22 2008,10:09)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Something you should study is the Glucose Tolerance Factor since chromium is essential for carbohydrate metabolism. The recommended daily dose in the US is 35 mcg for males and 25 mcg for females. Some studies indicate that higher doses taken over a longer period may cause damage in chromosome cells.</div>
That doesn't sound good for you when you are supplementing chromium. American males seem to get a lot of chromium, so I imagine the Western diet that is present in Brazil follows the same trend.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Body weight and composition
Chromium supplements are sometimes claimed to reduce body fat and increase lean (muscle) mass. Yet a recent review of 24 studies that examined the effects of 200 to 1,000 mcg/day of chromium (in the form of chromium picolinate) on body mass or composition found no significant benefits [11]. Another recent review of randomized, controlled clinical trials did find supplements of chromium picolinate to help with weight loss when compared to placebos, but the differences were small and of debatable clinical relevance [51]. In several studies, chromium's effects on body weight and composition may be called into question because the researchers failed to adequately control for the participants' food intakes. Furthermore, most studies included only a small number of subjects and were of short duration [36].</div>
 
This may be the study you were looking for:

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The effects of low-chromium diets containing chromium in the lowest quartile of normal intake on glucose tolerance and related variables in 11 females and 6 male subjects were evaluated. Subjects with glucose concentration greater than 5.56 mmol/L but less than 11.1 mmol/L 90 min after an oral-glucose challenge were designated as the hyperglycemic group and the remainder, the control group. Glucose tolerance and circulating insulin and glucagon of the hyperglycemic group all improved during chromium supplementation (200 micrograms/d) whereas those of the control group were unchanged. Glucose and insulin concentrations 60 min after the oral-glucose challenge and the sum of the 0-90 min and 0-240 min glucose values were all significantly lower after chromium supplementation in the hyperglycemic group. These data demonstrate that consumption of diets in the lowest 25% of normal chromium intake lead to detrimental effects on glucose tolerance, insulin, and glucagon in subjects with mildly impaired glucose tolerance.</div>

Anderson RA, Polansky MM, Bryden NA, Canary JJ. Supplemental-chromium effects on glucose, insulin, glucagon, and urinary chromium losses in subjects consuming controlled low-chromium diets. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;54:909-16.

http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids....=288507
 
Yeah, I have read all these studies. After having studied the topic for over two months, I came to the conclusion that there are very few real risks. I'll just give it a shot. If it doesn't work, I'll go back to my &quot;tasty&quot; guaraná powder, ugh!
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Jan. 22 2008,10:36)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Yeah, I have read all these studies. After having studied the topic for over two months, I came to the conclusion that there are very few real risks. I'll just give it a shot. If it doesn't work, I'll go back to my &quot;tasty&quot; guaraná powder, ugh!</div>
Well then, could you please post your conclusions/results from chromium supplementation in my Optimizing Your Caloric Intake thread when you are done?
tounge.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top