Dud to Stud - Week 19

I am currently in week 19 of a fat loss diet with Shelby Starnes. I’ve gone from a morning weight of approximately 265 pounds, to around 225 pounds; I will continue dieting for fat loss until I am lean enough to begin gaining muscle. One area that Shelby is watching is the love-handle/low back region, once that area leans out, it is a good time to begin a muscle gaining diet.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entire diet, especially because seeing my body shedding fat is quite exciting. Dedication and execution on my part have been important, but Shelby’s plan has made things very easy to follow and relatively comfortable. Shelby has cycled carbs, strategically decreased carbs throughout the diet and increased non-panting fasted morning cardio 50 percent over the course of the diet. By slowly manipulating these variables, I haven’t experienced a day where I was ravenously hungry, or felt like I was running low on energy.

The biggest challenges for me came in a related pair. Losing size (mostly fat loss, but also glycogen depletion) and losing strength (loss of certain biomechanical leverages and glycogen depletion from the low carbs) is a huge mind game for the average washed-up meat head like myself. I’ve been coping with this and can justify the negative side-effects by focusing on the positives (i.e. negative side effect: my bench went from 325 x 10 to 325 x 6. Positive side-effects: 40 pounds weight loss, +6 inches off my waist and many single joint lifts have improved slightly).

Training is going well and for the last four weeks I haven’t run into any minor training aches and pains, which is a pleasant surprise. I’ve been diligently warming up before most training sessions and wearing my APT elbow sleeves during any heavy pressing movement. Strength losses seemed to slow after the first 8 or 10 weeks and since then, I maintained all of my multi-joint lifts.

Sunday – High Carbohydrate Day

*6-8 Liters of water every day

7AM: Wakeup

7:05AM: Meal 1

• 1.33 cups of oatmeal + 1.5 scoops of chocolate
  
  whey/casein/egg protein powder
• cup of coffee,
• 
  
  multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate, glucosamine and chondroitin tab

11AM: Meal 2

• 4 pieces of sprouted whole grain Ezekiel Bread
• Grey Poupon mustard
• chicken breast
• diet soda and water

1PM: Meal 3

• 1.5 cups of sweet potato
• 6 oz. of lean beef
• water

3PM: Meal 4

• 0.75 cups of cream of rice mixed with chocolate whey/casein/egg protein powder

5PM: Meal 5

• 2 cups of sweet potatoes
• 1 chicken breast
• some spinach
• water

8PM: Meal 6 (Designated Cheat Meal)

• 1 Chipotle Burrito (steak, black beans, rice, pico de gallo salsa, hot salsa, corn salsa, lettuce, cheese, lime juice)
• 1 box of Mike and Ikes
• 1 box of Sour Patch Kids

9:30PM: Sleep

Monday – Low Carbohydrate Day

6:30AM: Wake up and wish that I had eaten three burritos, instead of all the sugar. My stomach feels a bit upset.

6:45AM: Fasted cardio on the incline treadmill x 45 minutes

7:30AM: Meal 1

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal + cinnamon
• 100% whey shake
• 3
  
  fish oil tabs
• multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate and a glucosamine and chondroitin tab.

10AM: Meal 2

• 2 slices of sprouted whole grain Ezekiel bread
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• diet soda

Noon: Meal 3

• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter, mixed with ¼ cup egg product and 2 scoops of whey/casein/egg chocolate flavored protein powder (mix until consistency of pudding, crazy delicious)

2PM: Meal 4

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

Upper Body Training

• 2 liters water
• 3 scoops of casein hydrolysate

Barbell Bench Press with 30lbs of Chain

• 45 x 15
• 135 x 10
• 225 x 5
• 275 x 1
• 275 x 8+1 assisted rep

Incline Xplode 10-second Negatives

• Stack x 6 x 3 x 2

Pec Deck Upright

• 125 x 10 x 5 x 5

Barbell Incline Half-Reps - Slow and Controlled Negatives, Fast Positives

• 135 x 10 x 7 x 7

Dumbbell Tricep Extension Dead Stop

• 45 x 10
• 55 x 8
• 40 x 10

Band Pushdowns

• 
  
  EliteFTS Monster Mini Band x 100 total reps

Diamond Pushups

• BW x 20 x 15

Iso Pulldown 10-count Hold on Bottom

• 3 plates per side x 8
• 3.5 plate per side x 5
• 3 plates per side x 3

Iso Low Row

• 2pps x 10 x 10 x 10 x 9 (One arm at a time. Keep shoulder down and contract lat hard.)

Dumbbell Alternating Curl 5-second Negative

• 40 x 5
• 50 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 4 (Didn't bump up weight to give bicep tendon some TLC.)

Dumbbell Concentration Curl

• 25 x 20
• 20 x 15 (Seated elbow on gastroc.)

Battle Ropes

• 50 reps
• 100 reps

6PM: Meal 5

• ¾ cup of cooked sweet potato
• 1 chicken breast
• 3 fish oil tabs
• some water

7PM: Meal 6

• 1.5 cups of egg product cooked on stove top with hot sauce and jalepeno slices and a tablespoon of EVOO
• diet soda

Tuesday – Low Carbohydrate Day

6:30AM: Wake up with glass of coffee in hand.

6:45AM: Fasted cardio on the incline treadmill x 45 minutes

7:30AM: Meal 1

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal + cinnamon
• 100% whey shake
• 3 fish oil tabs
• multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate, glucosamine and chondroitin tab.

10AM: Meal 2

• 2 slices of sprouted whole grain Ezekiel bread
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• diet soda

Noon: Meal 3

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

2PM: Meal 4

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

6PM: Meal 5

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal mixed with cinnamon and chocolate flavored whey/casein/egg protein powder

8PM: Meal 6

• 1.5 cups of egg product cooked on stove top with hot sauce and jalapeño slices and a tablespoon of EVOO
• diet soda

Wednesday –Low Carbohydrate Day

6:30AM: Wake up, 2 shots of espresso

6:45AM: Fasted cardio on the incline treadmill

7:30AM: Meal 1

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal + cinnamon
• 100% whey shake
• 3 fish oil tabs
• multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate, glucosamine and chondroitin tab.

10AM: Meal 2

• 2 slices of sprouted whole grain Ezekiel bread
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• diet soda

Noon: Meal 3

• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
• mixed with ¼ cup egg product and 2 scoops of whey/casein/egg chocolate flavored protein powder (mix until consistency of pudding, crazy delicious)

2PM: Meal 4

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

4PM: Pre-Workout

• 3 scoops of hydrolyzed casein
• 2 liters of water

Leg Training

Iso-lateral Leg Extension

• 25 x 20
• 35 x 21
• 25 x 10 x 7

Iso-lateral Leg Curl

• 30 x 15
• 45 x 15
• 55 x 15 x 6 x 4

Leg Press Drop Set

• 525 x 14
• 435 x 10
• 345 x 17 (death)

Squats 4-count Negatives

• 225 x 10

Lunch Machine

• 2 plates per side x 10 x 10 x 10

Straight Leg Calf Raise Drop Set

• 5 plates per side x 10
• 4.5 plates per side x 10
• 4 plates per side x 10
• 3.5 plates per side x 10
• 3 plates per side x 14 x 10

6PM: Meal 5

• ¾ cup of cooked sweet potato
• 1 chicken breast
• 3 fish oil tabs
• some water

7PM: Meal 6

• 1.5 cups of egg product cooked on stove top with hot sauce and jalepeno slices and a tablespoon of EVOO
• diet soda

Thursday – Low Carbohydrate Day

6:30AM: Wake up and a glass of coffee

6:45AM: Fasted cardio on the incline treadmill

7:30AM: Meal 1

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal + cinnamon
• 100% whey shake
• 3 fish oil tabs
• multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate, glucosamine and chondroitin tab.

10AM: Meal 2

• ¾ cups of cooked sweet potato
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• diet soda

Noon: Meal 3

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal mixed with cinnamon and chocolate flavored whey/casein/egg protein powder

2PM: Meal 4

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

6PM: Meal 5

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

8PM: Meal 6

• 1.5 cups of egg product cooked on stove top with hot sauce and jalapeño slices and a tablespoon of EVOO
• diet soda

Friday –Low Carbohydrate Day

6:30AM: Wake up and drink one cup of coffee

6:45AM: Fasted cardio on the incline treadmill

7:30AM: Meal 1

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal + cinnamon
• 100% whey shake
• 3 fish oil tabs
• multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate, glucosamine and chondroitin tab.

10AM: Meal 2

• 2 slices of sprouted whole grain Ezekiel bread
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• diet soda

Noon: Meal 3

• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter, mixed with ¼ cup egg product and 2 scoops of whey/casein/egg chocolate flavored protein powder (mix until consistency of pudding, crazy delicious)

2PM: Meal 4

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

6PM: Pre-Workout

• 3 scoops of hydrolyzed casein
• 2 liters of water

Upper Body Training

Log press on incline bench (small diameter log not sure weighs 70lbs)

• 0.5 plate per side x 10
• 1 plate per side x 10
• 1.5 plates per side x 10 felt weird went to next exercise

Close Grip Fat Bar Bench +60 lbs of chains

• 45 x 10
• 135 x 10
• 225 x 8
• 245 x 8

Machine Incline

• 2 plates per side x 20
• 1.5 plates per side x 21 (John Meadows Style)

Crucifix Hold

• 15lb x 50 seconds

45 Plate Raise

• 30 x 25 x 20

Face Pulls

• EliteFTS Monster Mini Band x 15 x 4

Shrug Barbell

• 225 x 10
• 275 x 10 (having trouble hitting myself in my man parts…)

Machine Shrugs Neutral Grip Drop Set

• 4 plates per side x 10
• 3.5 plates per side x 10
• 3 plates per side x 10
• 2.5 plates per side x 10 x 10 x 8

Bicep Curl Machine Overhead

• stack x 45 second (hold in contracted position no rest)

Dumbbell Concentration Curl

• 25 x 22 x 20

Row

• 180 x 12 x 7 x 4

Forearm/grip circuit

• 6 sets

Fat Gripz Dumbbell Walks

• 75lb x 100 feet
• wrist rolls 20lbs

Front Plank and Pushup Plank

• 60 seconds x 4 sets

6PM: Meal 5

• ¾ cup of cooked sweet potato
• 1 chicken breast
• 3 fish oil tabs
• some water

7PM: Meal 6

• 1.5 cups of egg product cooked on stove top with hot sauce and jalepeno slices and a tablespoon of EVOO
• diet soda

Saturday – Low Carbohydrate Day

6:30AM: Wake up and a glass of coffee

6:45AM: Fasted cardio on the incline treadmill

7:30AM: Meal 1

• 0.5 cups of oatmeal + cinnamon
• whey/casein/egg protein powder blend
• 3 fish oil tabs, multivitamin
• 5 grams creatine monohydrate, glucosamine and chondroitin tab.

10AM: Meal 2

• 2 slices of Ezekiel Sprouted Grain bread
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• Crystal Light

Noon: Meal 3

• 2 slices of Ezekiel Sprouted Grain bread
• 1 chicken breast with hot sauce
• 3 fish oil tabs
• Diet Cherry 7-up

2PM: Meal 4

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 1 chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

6PM: Meal 5

• 2 cups of uncooked broccoli
• 10 oz of grilled lean beef
• 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter

8PM: Meal 6

• 1.5 cups of egg product cooked on stove top with hot sauce and a tablespoon of EVOO

I’m enjoying the experience of losing fat and eagerly anticipate the day when I reach a level of leanness that will allow me to kick-off a muscle building journey. Two valuable concepts that I'll continue to use in my strength and physique endeavors:

1. Small gradual changes that are sustainable will trump large changes in most cases (i.e. slowly decreasing carbs over the duration of a long term diet is superior to jumping right into a keto-diet)
2. Dedication and effort are essential. There's no replacement for hard work over an extended duration.