Xhale2007's cutting journal - New pics added - 29/11/09

Hey X,

Looks to me like your arms have a little more size to them, Chest is also looking perkier and starting to inflate. Good goin.

In order to make the biggest improvements in the future, I would keep your weight training going as is and focus in on the cardio/diet to help bring in the midsection.

If it is at all possible can you post your diet in a typical day/time format?

I.e:

07:00 - 2 x Eggs scrambled, 1 slice toast

10:00 - 2 scoops Whey protein

etc etc

Once we do a little more chipping away of the excess bodyfat im sure your gains in muscle will become much more apparent.

Until next time

Hi val!

My diet is different every other week but...

week 1

6am  weetabix x 2

10am brown bread sandwhich with either chicken or cheese

2.30pm shake

3.30pm train

After training shake

6pm meat and veg

Then week 2,

8am weetabix x 2 plus shake

9am train

straight after a shake

12pm meat veg or something with wholemeal rice

5pm meat /veg

Need something for after this really am im normally hungry by 9pm when i finish work

Shakes are made of  600ml semi skimmed milk and 3 scoops of phd pharma whey. (this is 2 shakes)

Cheers bud!

My weekends have been crap, but today ive been pretty good. nothing bad at all. Trying to tidy weekends up a bit, as there a bit bad normally

Plenty of scope for improvement with the diets posted buddy. I know they are only a template etc, however I think that you are undereating.  Even for somebody who wishes to lose a little excess weight.

I roughly estimated your current diet to be worth somewhere in the region below:

06:00
2 x Weetabix
200ml Semi skimmed milk

215Kcals / 10g Pro / 36g Carbs / 3g Fat

10:00
2 x Slices brown bread
125g Chicken breast
small ammount of spread

340Kcals / 32g Pro / 30g Carbs / 10g Fat

14:30
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk

288Kcals / 40g Pro / 18g Carbs / 6g Fat

PWO
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk

160Kcals / 27g Pro / 8g Carbs / 2g Fat

PPWO
125g Chicken breast
Handful of Vegetables

160Kcals / 27g Pro / 8g Carbs / 2g Fat

TOTALS:
1300Kcals / 150g Pro / 111g Carbs / 28g Fat

---

You are most likely under you basal metabolic rate and as such your eating will be hindering some of your weight loss and also hampering your muscle gains.  I would estimate (purely an estimation) that a guy like you has a basic metabolic rate of 1800-2000Kcals.. This is basically the number of Kcals your body would need to use on a daily basis, just to carry out its functions and keep you alive and healthy.    Eating under this ammount can cause your metabolism to slow and your body signals to point towards a famine state and this Horde fuel (bodyfat etc).  Needless to say, we need to get a little more food in.

I would look at raising your food a little. Protein intake for starters.  Ensure you have one or more of the following food selections with each and every meal:

Chicken (skin & bones removed) breast ideally
Lean Red Meat
Tuna
Mackerel
Salmon
Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Quark
Turkey (skinless)
Sardines
Kippers
Whey Protein shakes
Veal
Venison
Soya Milk
Tofu
Quorn
Low fat Yoghurts
Lentils
Egg Whites
Shellfish
Halibut
Herring
Trout

The extra protein is a must to build the extra muscle. Inturn I want to make you into a food burning machine, we need to end the famine and send your body the signals that it does not need to horde supplys, but it can burn them for fuel.

Along with protein, add in a little more Essential fat sources. I would recoomend at least 60g a day or there abouts. There are plenty of articles right here on Muscletalk that will detail you on the huge benefits of EFA (essential fatty acids) and thier role in a healthy and well developed body.

Here a a few food choices you can add in to your meals.

Olives
Olive Oil
Flax Seeds/Linseed
Flax Oil
Almonds
Cashews
Nut Butters (hazel/almond/cashew/peanut)
Fatty Fish (kippers/sardines/mackerel/salmon)
Avocados
Nut Oils
Columbus Eggs/DHA eggs
Seeds
Macadamia nuts
UDOs Oil
Fish Oils such as EPA oil and salmon oil

I would make sure your drinking 2-3 Litres of Water daily and also adding in Vegetables/salad where you can.  Have a  2-3 pieces of fruit a day also! East every 2.5-3 hours.

A quick and dirty example in changes you could make:

06:00
2 x Weetabix
200ml Semi skimmed milk
MORE PROTEIN + FATS

10:00
2 x Slices brown bread
125g Chicken breast
small ammount of spread
ADD SOME SALAD/VEG/FRUIT + FATS

14:30
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk

PWO
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk
POSSIBLY HAVE THE SHAKE IN WATER AND HAVE A BANANA OR DEXTROSE/MALTODEXTRIN IN  YOUR SHAKE

PPWO
125g Chicken breast
Handful of Vegetables
ADD IN SOME CARBS HERE - RICE, PASTA, POTATOES/SWEET POTATOES

Maybe add in another meal or 2. I will talk about this soon as you probably have a few questions based upon my loose post

---

Just a few basics, sorry for not being clear as im a little short on time

Diet is in my opinion 50-70% of the game!

Hope this helps.

I have more than 125g of chicken per meal, usuallt 500g pack i use for 2 meals. or similar sized packs of steak or stewing/casserole beef, so its probs a bit higher.

I cant eat nuts, so thats them out the window for the oils/fats. i usually eat yoghurt and fruit inbetween/after meals.

I drink plenty of water. Prehaps i need to check packets etc and record a weeks diet. Prehaps start this monday.

Hey X,

I have editted my last post as I have left out 1001 things. Im a little short on time right now .

I would not get too hung up about the packets too much, just have a rough estimate about what your eating and when. I have seen too many guys get eating disorders and become a little to obsessed with every g of food they eat.

Tbh my diet was probably a bit vague.
 
this is a better version.

06:00
2 x Weetabix
200ml Semi skimmed milk


10:00
2 x Slices brown bread
125g Chicken breast
small ammount of spread
Salad in sandwhich a banana and a yoghurt


14:30
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk
Banana

PWO
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk


PPWO
250g Chicken breast
Handful of Vegetables 3 or 4 new potoatoes
Yoghurt

Thats a much better idea of it tbh. Still not enough?
 

Would it be a good idea to add in some omega oil tabs 2 a day?

With regards to eating carbs with late meals is that ok for fat loss? i was under impression that carbs are bad late in the day :/

I need to sort my non weight days out, cos i rarely have a shake :( i need to sort that out i presume, maybe 1 in morning, 1 later on in day on my offday?

Cheers val, ure a star!!

Hey X,

I would say carb intake is a very individual thing. Utilisation of Carbs generally does fall off as the day grows and I would typically advise an individual looking to drop fat to look at their carb intake and timing.

On "Off" training days a good rule of thumb would be to eat your CHO (carbs) during the times of day when your most active. Supply the energy foods when you are going to use it the most.  On "Training" days. things change significantly.  Following an intense weight training workout your body shifts in its response to food intake, becoming extremely receptive to the effects insulin and proteins. To break it down a little furthur, you have an anabolic period which starts from the end of exercise, and then slowly declines over the course of 2 hours. In this time your muscles are primed to suck up the proteins and carbs for repair and growth!  It is THE most essential time to get your nutrients right and grow.

The general recommendation is to get a high GI CHO source in along with some Whey protein. This will raise your blood sugar levels and thus your insulin, to hammer home the proteins and carbs into your muscles for growth.   As you may have noticed, your food intake at this time is efficiently used for muscle growth and not stored.  That is why I suggest you add in Carbs in youe PPWO meal as they will be utilised and not stored.   Imagine if you took a little ammount of carbs from a meal where say, you may be sat on your ass for a few hours, then append them to your PPWO meal instead, you would be using the carbs efficiently whilst keeping the very same daily food intake.

T0 answer your above post, adhere to the following rules and your golden! (John Berardi's rules)

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.
2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal.
3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.
4. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).
5. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.
6. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).

Make sure you hve protein with EVERY meal, only protein can build muscle, plus unless your eating an insane ammount, you won't lay protein down as fat.  Essentail fats to help create an anabolic, muscle building enviroment - Yes get some Omega Fish oils, and add a couple of caps to meals.   Carbs to supply fuel for your workouts and help drive the protein into the muscles.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Val

This diet malarky is a nightmare! So confusing lol

SO.....

I need to get some maltodextrose is it? do i need dextrose also??

Working 6-2 shift 

05:30
2 x Weetabix
200ml Semi skimmed milk

10:00
2 x Slices brown bread
125g Chicken breast
small ammount of spread
Salad in sandwhich
a banana
a yoghurt


14:30
1.5 Scoops Whey with dextrose/maltodextrose?
300ml Semi skimmed milk
Banana

Train 15.30

PWO
1.5 Scoops Whey dextrose-malto?
300ml Semi skimmed milk


18.00
250g Chicken breast / beef etc etc
Handful of Vegetables 3 new potoatoes
Yoghurt

Then on late shift,

07:30
2 x Weetabix
200ml Semi skimmed milk
Shake

Train 9am

PWO
1.5 Scoops Whey dextrose-malto?
300ml Semi skimmed milk


12:00

250g Chicken breast / beef etc etc
Handful of Vegetables 3 new potoatoes
Banana
Yoghurt
 
15.00
 
Shake

17.00
250g Chicken breast / beef etc etc
Handful of Vegetables 3 new potoatoes
Banana
Yoghurt
 
 
 
Mixed with lots of water and 2 omega caps a day? or do i need more caps? Im still not getting any fats there am i :/
 
Im struggling big time lol
 
Cheers val

On a different note, and probably a bad one, ive missed legs again this week. I did have a good eating weekend, which makes a change, so im happy about that.

I ve been daily stretching legs etc, but still as soon as i start squatting, i get pain. Im being a wimp and not attacking them. Gonna do plenty of stretching this week, and try get some foam rollers, and give them a good workout on friday.

I weighed myself today, and im down just over 1lb this week again, so thats 1lb a week for 2 weeks, hopefully thats all fat lol.

Not sure if ive already mentioned it, but ive been a 36in waist for as long as i can remember, since school like 7yr ago i think. Had to go buy myself some 34" jeans friday. I was so chuffed, especially as there NEXT jeans which i always find tight.

Although the diet isnt going perfect, im pretty happy with the outcome so far. However, i hoped to have seen more muscle definition by now lol, but im just impatient! lol

Hey X,

I try not to get to heavy handed with diet as I know it can be difficult to make the proposed changes around what is a very individual pallete and daily routine.

Im sure you would have added more muscle if you had more food/protein in your diet.

Im sorry if all im doing is confusing you. Granted thelast post had a little science in it. I added that in to explain the reasoning behind the methods I was proposing.

You can use either Maltodextrin, Dextrose or both. You can get by without if you wish, You could move the banana from the shake before your training to your PWO or perhaps add in some oats or weetabix alongside your PWO shake if it is convenient. This could save you a few pennies from not buying the malto/dextrose.

I would add more protein to your Breakfast on your 6-2 days. Do you not like Eggs? Great way to start the day with a couple whole eggs and perhaps a few extra whites.

Here is an idea with some Flexibility. I would run something like this and see how it goes for the next 2-3 weeks and adjust based upon your outcome.

05:30
2 x Whole eggs + 2 Egg whites OR 1 Scoop Protein
2 x Weetabix
200ml Semi skimmed milk
2 x Fish oil Capsules

10:00
2 x Slices brown bread
125g Chicken breast
small ammount of Olive oil spread
Plenty of Leafy Greens - Spinach, Rocket etc etc
1 x Piece of fruit, Be diverse and try to vary fruits


14:30
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk
2 x fish oil caps

Train 15.30

PWO
1.5 Scoops Whey
300ml Semi skimmed milk OR Water
2 x Weetabix OR 50g Porridge OR 1 Large Banana


PPWO
250g Chicken breast /  Lean beef etc etc
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Handful of Vegetables
Handful Boiled potatoes OR fist sized  Regular Jacket/Sweet Potato
2 x Fish oil caps

Late Shifts can be similar, Just move your PWO and PPWO to suit when you train.

Its not perfect, yet most diets EVER become perfect. To quote a MTer from days gone by "Eat, Monitor and adjust accordingly". If any of the ideas I have put forward should be used, then the Eat monitor and adjust should be number 1!! It would be a shame to spin the wheels in the sand.

Next step is to adjust the cardio a little when the fat loss becomes really stubborn.

Hi val!

I love eggs. I dont know why i never eat them to be honest.

Its not you confusing me, its just what i thought i knew/do is totally wrong lol.

I have ordered some malto and dextrose last night, along with the fish oils. So ill mix them 50/50 to make shakes.

I guess in truth, i havent really been training hard enough, except the last 3 weeks, so that didnt help my growth.

Gonna go do a spot of shopping this morning, and get myself some grub for the week.

Onwards and upwards from here!

Good man!

Shopping for food is great, I love having a nose around the supermarkets for quality grub.

Remember to ONLY use the Malto/Dextrose in your PWO shake only. I would start off with a little of each, about 20g.

Train like an animal to create the demand and then supply with quality nutrients to grow.


Diet is always trial and error. I have seen guys blow up like balloons and struggle to lose weight on a medium carb diet, I have seen others shovel down 500g of carbs daily and stay lean as racing snakes.

Eggs are GOLDEN!  Quality source of proteins, can be used in 1001 recipes. I eat at least 5 daily and have been known to eat 20+ a day before today. I must say this isn't WHOLE eggs , I usually add a couple of whole eggs and thrown in a few whites only for lean protein without adding in too many fats.

Carry on laddy.

Week 7 - Session 1 - Pull

Deadlift - 3 sets - 10 x 60kg ,8 x 75 kg ,6 x 82.5kg  
Bent over row - 3 sets, 10 x 45kg 8 x 50kg 6 x 55kg
Dumbell row - 3 sets, 12 x 18.5kg ,10 x 20kg ,8 x 23kg 
Barbell curls - 4 sets, 12 x 22.5kg,10 x 25kg ,8 x 27.5kg ,6 x 30kg

Another killer session with small increases in most sets.

Deadlifts seemed bloody hard today, didnt think i was even gonna pick the 82.5kg up for 1 when i went to get it. But once id got into it, it went well.

For some reason i struggled with self belief, something i never suffer with. I kept thinking im gonna hurt myself in a min etc, and i wasnt lifting much more than before. Had a bit of a stressful weekend, maybe that didnt help me much sub conciously.

Either way, i still did it all, and better than before! So were away.

Time for my PWO shake, ive added a weetabix in with it, and i expected it to be rank, but its actually really really nice lol

Negative self talk never helps.

Regardless of said hiccup, You got the work done and you improved.

Weetabix are fair game in shakes, I have drank 2 already this day and have another 2 blended up with some whey etc in a shaker cup for 15:00. They get REALLY thick if left for a couple of hours, I add more water to mine midafternoon in order to get it chugged.

For winter mornings, Try mashing and heating up the weetabix in a microwave. Yummy!

So far so good on diet, ate more yesterday, but kept feelimng hungry all day, werid!

Cardio today, did 30mins at 3.5mph keeping to 130-135bpm

Feel wide awake today :)

Push session week 7 :

Flat barbell bench press - 3 sets - 10 x 42.5kg  8 x 47.5kg, 6 x 55kg

Incline DB bench press - 3 sets - 10 x 18.5kg per db, 10 x 18.5kg, 10 x 18.5
kg   (need more weight asap!!!!!!!!)

Flat DB flys - 3 sets - 12 x 15kg, 10 x 15kg 8 x 15kg

DB shoulder press - 3 sets - 12 x 15kg, 10 x 15kg, 8 x 16kg

Skullcrushers - 4 sets - 12 x 22.5kg 10x25kg 8 x 25kg 4 x 27.5kg

Small but steady increases nearly all round again.

Im sure i can notice more definition in my arms all of a sudden. not certain, but it looked like it to me lol.

Even managed to up the skulls after last sessions nightmare. i used the floor this time, to make sure i was safe.

Still waiting for my order of bits and bobs to turn up, diet is still going very well, just need these for the finishing touches!

Seem have picked up an injury some how :/

Last night i noticed i kept getting a shooting pain in middle of my knee. Later on i stood up, and twisted to walk off, and got a really sharp pain, again right in middle of my knee cap.

I can replicate the pain by laying on my back, lifiting my leg up, and bending my knee to butt and back, one the way back to straight near the top is when it hurts.

Cant see how anything i did in gym can have caused it yesterday? maybe the running on tues? Buggers!