CUTTING PROGRESS....critique please

[slair]

Well im right around 5 weeks into my 500mg test-e cycle for 12 weeks. Just threw in my anavar 75mg today which i'll be running for 8 weeks. Hopefully i will see some decent results off that as well. This is my second cycle btw, first was plain ol test 500mg for 12 weeks.

my current cycle: cutter

week 1-12 test-e 500mg/week
week 5-12 anavar 75mg/day
week 2-12 arimidex 1mg/eod

pct: clomid 50/50/50/50
nolva 40/40/20/20

supplements: creatine/multivitamin/whey protein isolate

current stats:

age: 24
years training: 8
height: 5'7
weight: 165
bodyfat%: approx 10%

arms: 15.5 inches
legs: 22 inches
chest:42 inches
waist: 30 inches
calves: 15 inches

Sample daily diet: on training day

meal 1: creatine drink mix
1 cup oatmeal
1 banana
handful of mixed nuts

meal 2: grilled tilapia
1 sweet potatoe
1 cup broccoli

meal 3: 1 tuna fish sandwich
1 protein bar
1 apple

meal 4: 8 oz chicken breast
1 cup mixed vegetables
1/2 cup brown rice

meal 5: peanut butter and jelly sandwich
1 banana

The overall goal with my meals was to get my calorie total to around 300 below maintenance so that the fat burning process would be as slow as possible, making it easier to maintain muscle mass. Admittedly my diet could be better, so i will be making changes in the future to perfect it, but in the meantime it seems to be getting me the results i want. Anyways, i'm about 3 months into this diet plan and have went from about 182 to 165.

So far the cycle has gone well, def starting to notice the test, however i do feel i've flattened out a bit. Most likely due to the long period of dieting. I'm definitely happy with my cutting results, i just wish my muscles could maintain a little more roundness to them. Maybe those anavar pumps will help that...idk.

workout schedule

mon back/bi's/shoulders
tues chest/tri's/forearms
wed legs/abs
thurs back/bi's/shoulders
fri chest/tri's/forearms

Sometimes train miscelaneous body parts on saturday with abs.. or just take the day off as well as sunday.

As for cardio...been keeping it simple. Been doing 10-15 min on the elliptical after weight training at around 75% max hr. Really afraid of going catabolic or losing muscle mass.

Anyways.... I'd really appreciate critique on my physique/cycle/diet/cardio etc from anyone on this forumn. Be brutally honest, im here to learn, lol i won't get hurt feelings.

Here are today's pics:

 

[BigKentucky]

Absolutely not enough protein bro. Your body will start metabolizing muscle in no time. You should be drinking at least 5-7 Liters of water per day as well.....Here is my daily diet 7 days prior to my show:

Hope this helps ?

MEAL #1 WATER 750 ML
1000 HRS
1000 mg Vitamin C
8 oz. Steak
1/2 Cup dry oats
2 Tablespoons low-calorie jam
Whey protein shake

MEAL #2 WATER 750 ML
1200 HRS
1000 mg Vitamin C
1 Cup blueberries
Whey protein shake

MEAL #3 WATER 750 ML
1430 HRS
Whey protein shake
8 oz. Turkey breast
6 Stocks asparagus

MEAL #4 WATER 750 ML
1700 HRS
Whey protein shake
1 Cup quick oats
2 Tablespoons almond butter

MEAL #5 WATER 750 ML
2000 HRS 8 oz. Turkey breast OR >
6-8 Stocks steamed asparagus
1/2 Cup dry oats

MEAL #6 WATER 750 ML
BEDTIME Whey protein shake
1 Tablespoon almond butter


Last week diet was based on consuming 500 grams of protein per day (5 shakes alone at 4 scoops per shake) and 300 grams of carbohydrates. Timings are based on a sleep regiment of midnight to 0800 hrs with 1/2 hour treadmill walk at 15* incline @ 3.6 mph (620-675 calories burnt)

Hope this helps bro !

 

[slair]

yup totally agree im not getting enough protein....i think i should at least be around 2g per pound of bodyweight which would put me around 330g. Defintely more like 1g per pound of bodyweight right now. The only difficult part about upping the protein is the fact that i need to stay below 2800 calories to keep the fat off. So i don't have alot of leeway as far as adding things to my diet, i may have to sub out some things and lower portions to fit it all in. One thing i notice is that you have five protein shakes in a day, i was under the impression that you want to get as much protein from your diet as possible and only supplement where neccessary. Do you do this precontest to keep calorie count low?

As far as water drinking goes, since i'm not competing yet, i worry less about holding too much water. I do agree that measuring my water intake would be interesting to see exactly how much im drinking each day though. I may not be getting as much as i think i am.

Also, whats the reasoning behind so much vitamin c? I thought like 100 mg was around 100% of daily value. I thought if you overdose your vitamins you can suffer from the same symptoms that a deficiency of that vitamin would cause.

Anyways...thanks for the input, definitely appreciate it!

 

[dialtone]

Absolutely not enough protein bro. Your body will start metabolizing muscle in no time. You should be drinking at least 5-7 Liters of water per day as well.....Here is my daily diet 7 days prior to my show:

Hope this helps ?

MEAL #1 WATER 750 ML
1000 HRS
1000 mg Vitamin C
8 oz. Steak
1/2 Cup dry oats
2 Tablespoons low-calorie jam
Whey protein shake

MEAL #2 WATER 750 ML
1200 HRS
1000 mg Vitamin C
1 Cup blueberries
Whey protein shake

MEAL #3 WATER 750 ML
1430 HRS
Whey protein shake
8 oz. Turkey breast
6 Stocks asparagus

MEAL #4 WATER 750 ML
1700 HRS
Whey protein shake
1 Cup quick oats
2 Tablespoons almond butter

MEAL #5 WATER 750 ML
2000 HRS 8 oz. Turkey breast OR >
6-8 Stocks steamed asparagus
1/2 Cup dry oats

MEAL #6 WATER 750 ML
BEDTIME Whey protein shake
1 Tablespoon almond butter


Last week diet was based on consuming 500 grams of protein per day (5 shakes alone at 4 scoops per shake) and 300 grams of carbohydrates. Timings are based on a sleep regiment of midnight to 0800 hrs with 1/2 hour treadmill walk at 15* incline @ 3.6 mph (620-675 calories burnt)

Hope this helps bro !

wwwaaayyyy too many shakes. Diet needs to consist of primarily whole foods. Shakes/protein supplements should be limited to post workout. Sorry, but this is not even close to a good diet. Hit up 3j, he'll set you right.

By the way...BigKentucky, what part of KY are you from?...the ville?

 

[BigKentucky]

wwwaaayyyy too many shakes. s should be limited to post workout. Sorry, but this is not even close to a good diet.

Remember bro...this diet is one week pre-contest. All designed to flush my system with water. The shakes were not only for protein but also to add water to the daily consumption.

 

[dialtone]

Remember bro...this diet is one week pre-contest. All designed to flush my system with water. The shakes were not only for protein but also to add water to the daily consumption.

Doesn't matter...I've seen a lot of contest preps and never seen so many shakes. Seriously, diet should be almost completely whole food with limited protein supplements, no matter what the circumstance.

 

[BigKentucky]

Doesn't matter...I've seen a lot of contest preps and never seen so many shakes. Seriously, diet should be almost completely whole food with limited protein supplements, no matter what the circumstance.

I'm going to assume you have contest experience ??

Well actually it does matter. For me to ingest 400-500 grams of protein in a day is a huge undertaking...especially one week out from being on stage. There are so many mitigating factors in a persons diet.


IE: (and I'll use myself as an example)

-The persons metabolic rate
-The persons ability to break down the protein (adequate enzymes ?)
-Allergies to certain whole foods
-Sodium levels and their effect


This is just scratching the surface. I am NOT a nutrition specialist. I know what works for me. High amounts of protein for me keep muscle size. I was 246 lbs on stage in April...that requires a lot of fuel to maintain mass. This November I hope to be 270 ish on stage. My diet worked for ME..and was put on this forum as an aid not a must use. As a moderator I would expect that you would be professional enough to see both the pro's and con's of this diet and not just blatantly say that it is "not a good diet".

Take it for what it's worth...

 

[dialtone]

I'm going to assume you have contest experience ??

Well actually it does matter. For me to ingest 400-500 grams of protein in a day is a huge undertaking...especially one week out from being on stage. There are so many mitigating factors in a persons diet.


IE: (and I'll use myself as an example)

-The persons metabolic rate
-The persons ability to break down the protein (adequate enzymes ?)
-Allergies to certain whole foods
-Sodium levels and their effect


This is just scratching the surface. I am NOT a nutrition specialist. I know what works for me. High amounts of protein for me keep muscle size. I was 246 lbs on stage in April...that requires a lot of fuel to maintain mass. This November I hope to be 270 ish on stage. My diet worked for ME..and was put on this forum as an aid not a must use. As a moderator I would expect that you would be professional enough to see both the pro's and con's of this diet and not just blatantly say that it is "not a good diet".

Take it for what it's worth...

Are you competing in the Kentucky Muscle? I've helped competitors with that actually show and I know many of the judges...judges that have written me contest prep diets. I'm not disputing with your protein intake, I'm disputing with the sources. No one with a minimal understanding of nutrition would consider supplements as being a healthy means of constituting 80% of someone's protein intake.

As a moderator, it is my job to make sure our members get accurate information. Sometimes you have to dispute with others suggestions to ensure that proper information is disseminated. Don't take it personally.

 

[slair]

re

see, this is what i love about steroidology...two people with years of bodybuilding and dieting experience responding and debating on my very own thread!! Does it get any better than this? i dont think so

 

[BigKentucky]

Are you competing in the Kentucky Muscle? I've helped competitors with that actually show and I know many of the judges...judges that have written me contest prep diets. I'm not disputing with your protein intake, I'm disputing with the sources. No one with a minimal understanding of nutrition would consider supplements as being a healthy means of constituting 80% of someone's protein intake.

As a moderator, it is my job to make sure our members get accurate information. Sometimes you have to dispute with others suggestions to ensure that proper information is disseminated. Don't take it personally.

Nothing personal taken..this is constructive criticism at both ends...

Kentucky Muscle ?? No...sorry bro...

I'm Canadian. Just placed 2nd in Atlantic Canada in my division. Next show for me is in November.

While I appreciate your concern, expertise and objectivity I must re-confirm my position on my diet one week out. I must add that I did NOT consume 5 shakes a day leading up to the show. This was last week preparation only. For some reason this year the slightest bit of sodium made me hold water like a motherfukker...so the last week we concentrated on just trying to flush my system...and sort of went into damage prevention mode.

...an article from M and F:

Supplements

Whey protein contains many essential amino acids that boost the immune system and promote overall good health. You can find it in food, but also as a supplement in powdered form or in pre-made post-workout recovery mixes. The flavored powder tastes great sprinkled on oatmeal or mixed with milk, water or juice.

Whey is quickly digested, which makes it great for eating around workouts. Many protein shakes combine whey protein with another type of slow-releasing protein, casein. This mixture provides a combination of fast and slow releasing proteins, which allows for complete coverage over two-and-a-half to three hour window between meals.

Protein shakes accelerate workout recovery. You can buy shakes in a ready-to-drink container, or easily make them yourself by mixing water with a scoop or packet of powder, so they’re a quick and easy snack that’s rich in lean protein but devoid of bad fats.

Anyway...no worries...good debate...I appreciate your professionalism and input !

 

[slair]

just curious, based on my above pics, anyone have a guess at what my bodyfat is around?

 

[slair]

hate to do another shameless bump, but i'd really like to know what you guys think my bodyfat is around. Going to change my diet around depending on my bodyfat percentage.

 

[apetrills]

I think your estimate of 10% is accurate within 1%. The Aromatase inhibitor (AI) is doing its job. I am your exact height weighing in at 183 around 12%-13% and a little bigger stats. Jump up your cardio man, do not be afraid to burn lean body mass while on as its damn near impossible. I would be curious to see what u looked like at 185 before that cut!

Start focusing on your upper chest a little bit more and start doing abs twice a week at least!