Adelfo Cerame: Carbophobia a Thing of the Past - How a Love-and-Hate Affair Turned into a Productive Friendship

The very latest progress pictures from "Your's Truly"; Adelfo Cerame Jr. posted only a couple of hours ago on Facebook - I guess there is no doubt about the success he has with his old fiend and new friend - in "moderation" as he says ;-)

It's Thursday and about time for another update of "Your's Truly" Adelfo Cerame Jr. from the photo Adelfo posted on facebook earlier today (see image on the right), you can see already that he actually not approaching, but more or less already in contest shape, but before I hand the virtual microphone (actually I should type keyboard ;-) over to Adelfo, here is the brief primer on today's SuppVersity Science Round-Up on Super Human Radio.

As you should really know by now, you have three options (not listenting to it is not among them ;-)

1. listen live at 1PM EST,
2. download the show ~2h later either from the "Physical Culture for Your Ears" menu in the sidebar of the SuppVersity, or
3. download the podcast load it right over right over at www.superhumanradio.com

And just to make sure that you know that it will be well worth it, here's the sneak peak on the topics Carl Lanore and I have lined up for you, today:

• the real-world benefits of caloric restriction - what's that all about?
• intermittent fasting works - regardless of whether you do it w/ liquid or solid foods
• alpha lipoic acid (ALA) - still a potent supplement - but who benefits?
• the usual suspects - omega-3, omega-6 & vitamin D
• acidity, diabesity, muscularity and ... ahm, there is no "-ity" for chronic fatigue, I guess

As you should know by now, additional topics and things I mentioned that ended up not making it into the show due to time constraints will be part of tomorrow's SuppVersity Science Round-Up Seconds... that's it. Let's go Adelfo!

Fully and completely getting over my phobia of carbohydrates

It's plain to see and hard to deny: Me + Carbs a.k.a. Mrs. Jones = Got a Thang Goin’ On…

In light of some of the comments I’ve been getting on FB about my carbohydrate intake being very high, I thought it would be prudent to address the issue in my weekly blogpost. Firstly, this saves me hours of precious time, since I don't have to answer the same questions dozens of times, and secondly - my gut tells me I would have benefited, if someone had written a post like this in the past: an article that would have had me rethink my own nutritional regimen, which and this is something I want to point out before I even get into any details clearly isn't "high carb"! With 150-200g of carbohydrates and thus <800kcal of my daily energy intake from carbs this may be high for a "carbophob", as I've been one myself before, but it would still be considered "low carb" both, in the mainstream, as well as in the context of classic bodybuilding diets. Be that as it may, I personally feel a huge relief now that I have finally liberated myself from my personal fears of carbohydrates and have learned to embrace "carbs" in all its forms - my diet has become more flexible, I have a greater variety and - what's most important - I see nothing but benefits from it.

I’ll be the first to tell you that Mrs. Jones (I’ll refer to her as that because this is how I felt about carbs for a while) and I were not on the best terms. It was a 3-year love hate relationship. Just like cash, I thought she was the root of all evil. The first time I ever downloaded and read Dr. Mauro DiPasquale’s Anabolic Solution, I for sure thought I found the Holy Grail to dieting and bodybuilding (true story!), and that’s where my phobia and our tragic love-hate relationship actually began. I thought that I would be shredded year round if only I lived the low carb lifestyle. It worked for a while but then eventually the magic I thought I was experiencing, when I started out, didn’t work any longer. 

Even during my bulk I thought I would still manage to look ripped because I was on low carbs, but again I was wrong! Lol. But I still insisted that carbs were evil just because… honestly, I don't even know why!? Probably because for 2 years I had avoided my Mrs Jones like the plague and only devoured her on my refeeds, cheat days and special social events, which eventually turned into binge fests and late nights in my bed being in a fetal position because I would eat myself silly.

No, carbs just had to be bad,... otherwise I would have had to admit that I'd a mistake, yet not only once, but 365 days a year!

Suggested read: Adel's old post "Carbohydrate Shortage in Paleoland" The article explains pretty well why 150g CHO is something any not 100% sedentary diabetic can easily handle.

If you have a closer look at Not until last year did my opinion start to change towards carbohydrates. My relationship with Mr. Jones gradually improved ever since I started using Intermittent Fasting a la Leangains last year to prepare for my 2013 bodybuilding shows. But even then I still shied away from breads, oats, grains and even rice and just stuck to your typical sweet potatoes and yams. I guess you could say that she and I were at a truce, but not necessarily friends, like secret lovers we knew our boundaries and kept our distance… I stayed away for the majority of the week with the exception of 1-2 days of debauchery out of the week (refeeds).

During the last year, however, a revelation started to dawn on me. Finally, I began to understand the importance of carbohydrates, when it came to performance and the importance of performance, when it comes to making progress - regardless of whether we are talking, cutting, bulking or becoming stronger! More and more foods I had avoided or restricted, because I deemed them "bad" or "extremely detrimental" for my physique found their way back in my diet and not one of my fears about what would happen, when I consumed them more than maximally once per week materialized.

Me + Carbs = Best Friends

Though carbohydrates are not an essential nutrient like fats and amino acids; I’ve realized when it comes to performance and bringing in your best physique… carbs are necessary.

I really kept an open mind when approaching my 2013-2013 contest preparations. Just as I had an open mind with giving intermittent fasting a go last year for my prep, I’ve also had an open mind with giving IIFYM a try this year and combining the two, and needless to say I am very happy that I did. I thought that I enjoyed the perks of Intermittent fasting last year?... Well I’m really enjoying the perks of applying both IF & IIFYM this year! A

Admittedly, it certainly helped to have a coach I can trust. It gave me a lot of reassurance in keeping an open mind – especially when you’re still trying to grasp the fact that all foods are OK to eat in moderation - and yes this includes ice cream, beer and bacon (before some of you new readers out there go nuts and tell me how unhealthy my new protocol is, please refer to my last article and the follow up discussion, so you’ll understand what I’m taking about).

My Take Away: As I always say, balance, moderation & consistency are the keys to a long-term successful diet. Though carbohydrates and I are pals now, I still show the same amount of love to protein and fats as I did before; the only difference is that carbohydrates is treated as an equal now ;-)

Adelfo Cerame: Contest Prep Update on Turkey Day! Plus: Losing Fat W/ Intermittent Fasting & 200g Carbs/Day Works

When you look at these images yo will have to concede that Adelfo brings a better conditioning to the Thanksgiving table than many a competitor to the stage ;-)

In a way it's funny how the Internet has brought us all so close together and yet we still have so little in common, when we are not "on the line". I believe it was two weeks ago, when I almost missed my own radio show on Thursday, because I assumed there wouldn't be a SuppVersity Science Round-Up on a holiday. Literally in the last minute I thought, maybe you better check whether the US guys have a holiday, as well - and what should I say? You didn't! Today, I am just back from the office and do now have an 'evening off', 'cause today it's you (or at least ~65% of you, which is the relative amount of US visitors in the last week), who have a holiday that' leaving me somewhat clueless why you are giving thanks and I am not ;-)

In the end, it does not matter for me what the deeper meaning of Thanksgiving is, as long as I know that you spend the day with your loved ones, it's a day to celebrate and that's all that counts - so HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Enjoy Adelfo's short progress update and get your share of the holiday roast - even if it will have it's share in the 0.5kg the average college student in a 2006 study by Hull et al. gained during the Thanksgiving holiday (. I will make sure there is "Get Lean and Stay Lean Quickie" either on Sunday or Monday, just in case ;-)

Happy Turkey Day SuppVersity readers! 

I’m going to make this short and sweet since I know most of you will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with loved ones and eating good food, because I know I will. I’ve been getting some comments and request from a few people for an update on my progress, and I know I have not done one in a while, so this will be just a quick update on my diet, training and progress pictures… I promise that’s all!

Figure 1: Adelfo's current total caloric intake and macronutrient ratio (left); Adelfo's latest progress pics (right) comparing photos from week 2 and week 7 of this contest prep (img. Adelfo Cerame Jr. 2013).

Trainingwise, I am still following the Hybrid of P.H.A.T. training using an RPE scale with 3 to 4 workouts per week depending on what day workouts land (click here to learn more about Adelfo's routine). In addition I am doing cardio twice a week: 9 laps around a trace. Everything is pretty much the same since I started in October - the aforementioned cardio is in fact he only addition I have made to my regimen at the beginning of this month.

One thing I do notice is that my carb intake is a lot higher this year and has not yet to change. By this time last year I was probably already at 125-150g of carbs. I never realized that I was able to maintain 200g of carbohydrates (which is big for me) for a long period of time while still dropping body fat. 

When I come to think about it, it's probably less that I could not do it, but rather that I never even gave the 200g of carbs per day a chance. Ever since working with coach Alberto, I’ve learned that dieting and listening to your body is like a game of wits, and sometimes, the best move is no move, at all.

Image 1: Progress picture (backshots) comparing week 2 and week 7 of this competition (Adelfo Cerame. 2013)

With regards to my training split, it’s still kicking my ass day in day out. I’m exhausted most days every time I stroll out the gym after a training session. I feel sore more than usual nowadays, and my muscles feel tight like I’m somewhat pumped all day long. After mentioning this to Alberto and maybe second guessing myself that it was just in my head; he assures me that it’s not in my head…

“Just pushing you a bit on the frequency tip which is important for an athlete of your level. We will go back and fourth with it, and you are NOT imagining what you feel dude. Your muscle are under constant turnover now, and because of this I think you will keep a much fuller look.”

Here is another conversation between coach Alberto and I, when I mentioned still feeling sore and tight but was feeling and noticing more density in my frame especially in my chest area because I feel that the chest area is my weakest body part…

“Yep! It was about time you rode the frequency train. It’s going to pay off! This week we are going to not change a thing, since we added more cardio. I want to cruise a bit this month December push a bit, but right now it’s coming off easy. We will have some good detail in your back by the end of the month.

So far so good, and given the new frequency you are working with I think you are going to really see you keep more even though you got leaner”

But yes… I am very pleased with my training and how everything is coming along. I am confident that I will be able to outdo my old self this coming March of 2013.

Image 2: Progress picture (front double biceps) week 2 vs. week 7 of this competition (Adelfo Cerame. 2013)

That’s all I have for this Thursday edition but since it is the holidays, just in case you didn’t get to read it last year. I wrote an article on “5 simple rules to survive the feast without too much damage” So for those of you who just started following my blogs; here is the link to the respective article.

Have A blessed Holiday SuppVersity readers!


References:

• Hull HR, Hester CN, Fields DA. The effect of the holiday season on body weight and composition in college students. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2006 Dec 28;3:44.

Adelfo Cerame - IIFYM Style: Making Your Diet More Flexible & More Effective. This is How it Works for Me!

Most previous rodent studies used the equivalent of several truckloads of aspartame to make sure the rodents would develop brain cancer. A recent study is different and although those three bottle may "fit your macros", you are probably reconsidering to consume this amount of Diet Coke on a daily basis after listening to today's installment of the SuppVersity Science Round Up on Carl Lanore's Super Human Radio (tune in live at 13PM EST). No wonder Adelfo did not switch from raw milk to Coke light, but favors water and other calorie-free beverages.

It's Thursday and I have already collected a couple of topic suggestions for today's SuppVersity Science Round Up on Super Human Radio (tune in live at 13PM EST) including

• the latest and for the fist time relatively convincing scientific evidence for the real-world significance of the pro-carcinogenic effects of aspartame
• oats, beta glucans, sorghum and other things that could help you stay lean and healthy
• fermented black, green and olong tea and its effects on AKT, AMPK and blood glucose
• the direct estrogenic effects of DHEA and its metabolites (including 7-OXO)
• and much more

Don't forget, contrary to Adelfo Cerame's biweekly guestposts, the show airs each Thursday live at 13PM EST. Podcast and all news Carl Lanore and I could not discuss within the one hour show will be posted 24h after in the Suppversity Science Round Up Seconds...  

What? Oh, I see you are not really interested in my jabber? You are just here to read Adelfo Cerame's latest update? Ok, here you go...

Make your diet more flexible and reward yourself with less stress and better results

Comment Dr. Andro: "IIFYM" in the original sense means "if it fits your macros", a couple of people did however transform this into the "just eat whatever you want diet", which is clearly not what I would suggest you do. And even when Adelfo writes that he is now not sticking to "your typical bodybuilder foods", those broccoli + rice + chicken breast diets are bullocks anyways. It's just as he states "moderation" and "control" are key and when you are dieting and working out you can get away with almost everything, if you don't turn to pizza and french fries as you staple foods (I guess with an appropriate caloric deficit you could still lose body weight)

Yes, I’ve jumped on the bandwagon and incorporated a IIFYM style diet into my nutritional regimen but to be honest I’ve always counted macros and I’m sure the majority has too, even before counting macros was tagged with the whole IIFYM acronym. Even though I’ve always counted my macros I still shied away from your so-called “non- bodybuilder” foods and stuck to your typical bodybuilder foods. Though my variety of food choices improved immensely from the typical chicken breast, broccoli and brown rice, with more variety of fruits and vegetables and getting over my phobia of carbs, I still feared that eating your so called “non bodybuilder” food from time to time (exception for re-feeds/cheat days) would hinder progress especially during contest prep. But I’m starting to learn more and more that all foods can be a “go” if moderation is used and if you are following daily macronutrient goals.

I’m not promoting overeating (chronic surplus of calories), or an excuse to eat whatever you want but I am promoting flexibility and sanity while at the same time still being able to achieve the lean physique you want. And it all goes back to the philosophy of dieting smarter than harder. 

Obviously it’s damn near impossible to hit your daily macronutrient goals while at the same time trying to get in your micronutrients eating foods such as pop-tarts, ice cream, and bagels… It’s not going to happen! So the majority of your foods are going to come from whole “nutrient dense” foods because micronutrients are just as important as hitting your macronutrient goals.
 
What I have found works well for me is this...

• My current macros: 200g/ 200g/ 40g = protein/ carbohydrates/ fat
• Fiber Intake: 25g-50g
• Fruits: At least 1 serving/day (but I eat more)
• Veggies: At least 1 serving/day (but I eat more)

Carbohydrates: Obviously this is the macronutrient where I’m able to have some flexibility with my sources but before even considering being able to squeeze in a beer or a cup of ice cream, my first priority is hitting my fiber intake (fruits & Veggies) – The way I hit my daily fiber intake is by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and at the same time probably getting my daily intake of micronutrients since I am eating a variety of foods throughout the day (oops I mean once I break my fast).  After all these goals are met, then I can squeeze in treats like ice cream, beer, frozen yogurt, pancakes and still stay with my daily total kcal and macronutrient goals.

Protein: Again; I’m not going to hit all 200g of protein eating ice cream – the majority of my protein sources will come from animal meats, seafood, eggs, dairy, and supplementary protein (whey, casein supps). Fats: My Fat intake is pretty much on the low end but still 20% of my total kcal. So basically most of my fat intake is trace amounts coming from my protein (animal meats, eggs, dairy…) and carbohydrates that contain trace fats and I still fit in my coconut oil as much as I can  – Sometimes I will save the majority of my fat macros so I can have a bowl of ice cream at the end of the night to help me go to sleep ;-)

Illustration 1: The practical realization of this regimen could look like this (this is just and example day); for more details check out the table and text below

Pre-workout meals:     Sample A is my typical pre-workout “go-to” staple; Whey + Coconut oil. I usually have this during my higher volume days. I’ve been noticing that on higher volume days, my body really benefits from the fats from coconut oil    Sample B is Whey + pop-tarts, I’ve been experimenting more with low fat/ higher carb pre-workout meals during my heavy/strength days, I felt that it has really given me that extra push I need in the gym during my strength days.    Sample C is basically my “on-the-go” pre-workout meal. Beef jerky and rice cakes are non-perishable and are stored in the back of my trunk, so on the days when I have to go from work to the gym… I can whip me up a shake and grab my beef jerky and rice cakes in the trunk of my car. Immediate PWO meals: I usually just stick to my whey, banana, and RAW honey for my immediate PWO meal – I find the combination of both a great PWO treat.

PWO meal: I’ve just been eating a variety of foods. Basically whatever I’m feeling… Whether it’s homemade beef Thai salad, Homemade pizza, Homemade burger or French toast; I have it but I always make sure that I have my veggies and fruits to go with it. And notice that everything is homemade. By making everything at home I can control the macronutrients of each meal – If I want to make a burger, I’ll use 97% lean meat to control my fat macros. If I want a pizza, I’ll make sure all the meat is lean, add my veggies, and make sure to measure the dough out to hit the specific amount of grams of carbs I want. Bedtime nutrition: Since my fats are so low nowadays, I had to ditch my beloved RAW milk (Raw milk will have to take a seat back until’ offseason). Most of my meals before bedtime consist of low fat dairy products such as Greek frozen yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, and string cheese and protein supps. My last meal is usually my left over macros, so I just use my macros for whatever I can think of. Usually this will be one of those items I mentioned above.

 
Again… This is just what works for me. It's based on my N=1 experience and reflects the way I have been able to make my intermittent fasting (IF) regimen more flexible.

I’m not trying to promote overeating or a chronic overconsumption of junk food but I am promoting flexibility and sanity. In my opinion, it is actually a lot more challenging, because of all the calculating I must do to count every bit of food that enters my mouth. Even my re-feeds are controlled now, and no more need of cheat days since I don’t feel deprived of much and I think this will also give me the advantage in the long run especially after the post contest rebound where the window of binging usually occurs.  Since I am eating a variety of foods and not depriving myself of anything. In the end it will be a much smoother and less fat-filled transition into the off-season.

That's it for this week. Come back on November 22nd for my next update.

Adelfo Cerame: How to Manage Training & Nutrition Around a Busy Life. Plus: Science Round Up Sneak Preview

If there is a one body part, where Adelfo has really made awesome progress in the last months, it's his back - by the wa that's a different "back" than in "training back-to-back" of which you'll read in this installment of his now biweekly posts ;-)

It probably sounds strange, but last week I have really been missing Adelfo's update. Not because it's more work for me to write yet another blogpost... ah, whatever. There's another one today and there will be the next one in two weeks time from now :-)

Before we are getting to more details on how Adelfo's contest prep and the rest of his increasingly busy (as you will see in a very positive kind of way) life, let's get to the sneak peak on today's SuppVersity Science Round Up. I felt the show last week was awesome and must pad my own shoulder for having the ingenious idea to simply pack those news that did not fit in, as well as "bonus material", into a written follow up on Friday - a new segment if you will, the SuppVersity Science Round-Up Seconds.

SuppVersity Science Round Up: Sneak Preview

Long story short, if you are interested in any of the following and Carl and I don't discuss them today on The SuppVersity Science Round Up live on Super Human Radio at 1PM EST (for Europeans that's 19:00 GMT+1), don't worry, they will be in the "Seconds" tomorrows... so, let's see what's the most likely to make it exclusively to the live show and the podcast that's published ~1-2h later and will automatically appear in the side-bar under "Physical Culture for Your Ears":

• The rewarding effects of exercise and how they will calm your greed
• Omega-3, telomere length, endocannabinoids and how enzymes link them all
• Premature ejaculation and how only two hormones seem to make a difference
• Personalized prostate cancer vaccine and Harvard scientists build it from scratch
• Supps vs. medications and how healthy supps and necessary drugs form deadly duos

Ther is more, but  you know an hour is short and I am not a friend of rushing through a topic, so I'll stick to those, because even if we don't get off on a tangent (which is usually an interesting one), this is going to be a tight schedule. That said, I have taken up already way too much room of this, Adelfo's blogpost. So let's get him back on the grind!

Adelfo Cerame: Back to the grind and busier than ever

These past months I have been blessed with great opportunities to further my ambitions in chasing a career in the fitness and health industry and being able to do what I love and have a passion for. As of late, life for me has been very busy; and productivity in achieving my future goals has increased 10-fold. With my final three months of school approaching before graduation, and working two part-time jobs, I still have to find a way to juggle in my training and nutrition regimen while still being efficient.

How I  manage my training around the mandatories of life

If your are among the newbies here at the SuppVersity you may want to go back on read up on Adelfo's history, and how "A Terrible Accident Paved His Way to Competitive Bodybuilding"

With my current hypertrophy/strength training split + the incorporation of using an RPE scale, and given that my daily workouts are basically full body workouts but with a dominant day of either pulls or push movements. I would have to say that my workouts during my training days are pretty dense. I rest in-between workout days. This gives me four workouts/week, which makes it easy for me to adjust my schedule around my training hours or vice versa.

Life sometimes demands for last minute tweaks, and it requires sure instincts to make that work for you, can't work out in the morning as planned? Fine go in the evening hours, but don't forget to tweak your feeding window appropriately...

With my work schedule being all over the place, I have to plan my workouts on the fly nowadays. I still have a predetermined plan of attack but I also have to be able to adjust on the fly while at the same time not hindering my productivity. So there are times when I train in the morning, at night, and sometimes I even have to split my workouts because I don’t have enough time to finish my workout so I would have to finish the other half later. There are also times when I’m training back-to-back days training the same body parts because that’s the only time I can squeeze it in.

At first I feared that it would be counter productive to train back-to-back days training the same body parts, but coach Alberto said it would be fine in the beginning stages of my prep but once I started getting leaner and dipping into the lower body fat percentile, I would take the rest as needed whether it be one or two days.

And I’m not doing it all the time, just when my work and school schedules are off alignment with my predetermined plan of attack. Also with the whole issue of training back-to-back days; I’ve read and heard that Olympic power lifters basically train the same movements and muscles on a day-to-day basis to practice their craft, and it doesn’t seem like it hinders their progress? Allegedly, I’m not an Olympic power lifter and training at a different cadence and volume, but I am not training like that everyday... anyway, just sayin… I don’t think there would be a big issue training the same body parts back-to-back days once in a while. And if it is, you will be the first to know, after all you will see me stagnate (assuming you keep following this series)

How I manage my nutritional regimen around the mandatories of life 

Actually, one of the beauties of intermittent fasting is that there is not much to manage. Granted, my schedule has become busier, but overall this had very little effect on my nutritional regimen or routine. I’m still able to maintain my IF – 16/8 protocol, and to be honest it actually works very well with my schedule since I’m always on the go.

My tricks to nourish myself appropriately while I am on the go:

• I make sure to stock the bare essentials in my car that I need to hit my macros – These foods don’t require cooking, and have a prep time of less than 3-5 minutes; to me the simplest and most convenient on the go food sources for (A) Protein = Whey protein, and beef jerky (B) Carbohydrates = Bananas, rice cakes, RAW honey and (C) Fats = Nut butters
• I have a space in my trunk where I have a cooler and a box to put my foods in.
• I also keep extra supplements in my car (Whey, creatine, BCAA’s..)
• I always keep a gym bag or a spare gym bag with all my equipment and workout clothes – I always want to have that ready at all times.
• I keep a digital food scale in my car so I can weigh out my foods – It’s a bit weird but you gotta do what you gotta do son!
• And last, I have a myfitnesspal.com-app on my smart phone, so I can log my foods and keep track of my macros wherever I’m at.

Basically the only adjustments that I have to make once in a while is training fasted when I train in the morning (well I have bcaa’s + Creatine… so maybe semi fasted), but I have not noticed any issues with it so far. 

The one thing I have noticed too though is that I haven’t been consistently hitting my fiber goals and eating my fruits and veggies. There are days where I’m just drinking my foods from protein shakes and just get 1 whole food meal… I still get in my minimum of 1 serving/ day of fruits and veggies, but not enough for my liking,. So I remembered one of Adel's favorite sentences:

"Supplements are called 'supplements', because you take them to supplement your diet with all the stuff you would otherwise be lacking." 

 I have taken that to heart and stopped taking all multivitamins and other supplements, when I have more time to prepare my meals. And so I am now that I am missing out on some of the vites and lack fiber in my diet and have begun to take a basic multivitamins and fiber supplements from time to time. Bananas, rice cakes, and nut butters, like almond or peanut butter have also become pretty good companions of mine when I need some on-the-go carbs and fats to go with my protein shake. They’re easy to just store in the back of your trunk and always accessible to me.

My regimen ain't yours, but still...

... despite the fact that we are all different and no single optimal diet and training regimen exists, I hope there may be one or another thing in my regimen you think could be useful... even if it's just that you give up the unwarranted fear of the negative consequences of training back-to-back once in a while ;-)

Have a nice week and feel free to leave me comments, those of you who made use of this opportunity in the past already will know that I am answering all of them -- and did I mention that I actually enjoy the feedback?

Adelfo Cerame - The New Routine: Complete 4-Day Workout Program. Plus: RPE Training Prescriptions Explained!

 Adelfo is willing and in fact eager to learn and improve his "game" every day... and I guess that's also what makes him succeed in excelling his self every year!

I guess, you will already feel like being dried out with a whole week without news from "your's truly", Adelfo Cerame Jr, right? Don't worry no lengthy introductions on possible topics on the SuppVersity Science Roundup with "my brother from another mother" Carl Lanore - did you know it happens that his birthday is exactly one day before mine? Wel, one day and a couple of years... which segues actually quite nicely into the explanation for why there is not SuppVersity Science Roundup at 1PM (EST), today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Alisa Profumo!

Carl's significant other, the "lovely and talented" (I am not just citing Carl's words here, Alisa!) co-host of the Casual Friday Show at Super Human Radio is celebrating her birthday today. And though I am not quite sure about which one it is, judged by her looks she can hardly be more than one year older than me! Apropos me: That's all from my (Adel aka Dr. Andro's) side, today... go ahead Adelfo!

---

Week 2 Of My Contest Prep – The Journey back to the WC Nationals

Well, I was going to do an update on our friend Mr. C but he’s been avoiding me like the plague for these past 2 weeks. Lol. No check-ins, no updates, no return texts, so I figured maybe he’s just taking 2 weeks off to recover from his vacay, so I let it be. And soon enough I get a call… so we talked, and just as I figured, he just needed to recover from the vacation, and is motivated to pick up where he left off. He’ll actually be coming in to the facility, where I work and get a training session in with me, today, so I’ll actually get to see him in the flesh and evaluate the damage and see what we need to do to pick up where we left off.  But until then … Give me a couple more weeks to whip Mr. C back into shape until another update.

Design your own workout routine with the SuppVersity EMG Series - Click on the body part to see the "best" exercises Chest Biceps Back Abs & Core Triceps Shoulders Legs

My contest preparation is in full effect, and I’m ready to document my experiences for another go-around, but this time I will not be a lone ranger when it comes to preparing for my upcoming shows. As some of you may know, I’ve acquired another mentor. Other than my good friend Adel who is one of my other mentors; Alberto Nunez will be the other helping me along through this journey as well.

Last year I was just crunching numbers on a weekly basis from calories to macros for my nutrition, and set to rep schemes for my training, which wasn’t a big deal; I actually enjoy it. But it does start to get stressful and mentally wear you down towards the tail end of the diet, when contest is approaching and your mind is just everywhere, and you feel like you need some external support system that's more than just someone to talk to and have you make all the important decisions on your own.

And honestly, so far it feels refreshing to take a step back, relax, kick my feet up and just observe, learn, and follow the advice of a seasoned and experienced bodybuilder like Alberto.

I consider myself a student of the game, and if I see an opportunity where I can benefit by improving my physique, and acquire some knowledge at the same time, I’m going to take advantage.

My new workout! Let's see... RPE? WTF!?... Reps per exercise….???

Oh…. Rate of perceived exertion… (Thanks google!) – Yes I felt like such a dummy, when I clicked and opened the training program Alberto had devised for me. I was expecting your typical “exercise A:  for (x)sets x (x)reps”, so I had to double back and really look over the plan again, because it pretty much looked foreign to me... full of acronyms, I actually knew, but rarely use: RPE scale numbers and percentages!? Ok, I could read those, but had no idea what the workout would feel like in practice... so, just to make sure I would not make a fool of myself I checked back in a couple of articles on the matter and emailed Alberto about the few things that were still up in the air.

Basically the RPE scale is based on how hard you feel you are working during an exercise. It’s a scale system to help with progressive overload. If you want to get stronger you have to always push yourself, whether it be more weight, more reps or increased intensity – always trying to better yourself with every rep, with every set, with every exercise, and with every training session.

Ok how exactly does this work now?

The RPE scale is based on numbers that relate to your perceived exertion when you are lifting a given weight for a given rep. for example an…

Alberto Nunez, Adelfo's new contest prep coach, when he won his first show in 2008 (image 3dmusclejourney)

• RPE of 10 = absolute true max – after completing a given set, you do not have any more left in the tank to push for 1 more rep
• RPE of 9.5= not max but could not do another rep
• RPE of 9 = one rep left in the tank – after completing a given set, you have just enough energy left or 1 more in the tank for one more rep.
• RPE of 8.5 = two reps left in the tank
• RPE of 8 = three reps left in the tank – after completing a given set, you have just enough energy left for 3 more reps or three more in the tank.

So basically the weight you choose is determined by the RPE and the rep range.

Once you start out this will obviously mean that there will be a lot of trial and error and playing around or experimenting with different weights involved before you get an idea of what load it will take you to achieve the desired RPE within the given rep range. And you really have to be honest with yourself because you can easily under or overshoot your RPE.

My new workout: All the details and some explanations on how it works

It took me just a couple of hours, roughly half a day, to be honest, from the moment I received my program on Friday night until I was at the gym next morning trying to figure out weights and rep ranges. Thus I wanted to make sure I would be able to really kickstart my routine ...

You can see the exact exercises as well as the weights I used by clicking on "view" for the individual days.
• Monday: Push day dominant volume (view)
• Wednesday: Pull day dominant volume (view)
• Friday: Cruise day (view)
• Sunday: Strength day (view)

...on Monday, already. In order to give you an idea of how this going to look in practice let me briefly walk you throgh the BB flat press on my push-dominant volume day on Monday, as an example:

Adelfo Cerame during his last contest; that's the physique he will have to beat this time around.

• So as you can see my rep range is 12. 
• For my 1st set I pick a weight that I can lift for 12 reps but still have just one more rep in the tank to push for another – so I stop at 12 but know I could have pushed for 1 more. 
• After my first set I deduct whatever back off percentage is given to me, which was 10%  - so I deduct 10% from 225 lb. 
• Now that I’ve figured out my back off % weight (205 lb.), I will do as many sets as I can for 12 reps until I can no longer complete a whole set for 12 reps, so it may be 3, 4, or even 5 sets but you keep banging out sets of 12 until you cannot follow through with a complete set any more. 
• Exercise done! On to the next, and so on…

As you can see it is actually pretty straight forward and once you got the notation down, just as easy to read as every other program.

My thoughts on my new training program… 

Monday and Tuesdays workouts really gave me a good kick in the balls! I was pretty spent strolling out of the gym on those days, and It’s going to take my body some getting use to with these higher volume days because I’m not use to flirting with the 12-15 rep ranges (high volume to me is 6-8 reps. Lol), on a weekly basis. But It’s something new and refreshing.

The training will challenge and push me because it’s out of my comfort zone and it allows me to be honest with myself – since there are no given sets after your initial RPE set it will allow or even force me and try to set new PR’s, in trying to push for more sets. I also love the fact that it still incorporates a hypertrophy and strength split, which I have really grown to enjoy in my other training programs that I have done…. And I can’t wait to see what I can do, and eventually achieve during my strength days on this program

Well That’s all I have for today... see you in two weeks for my contest prep nutrition and supplement updates.

Adelfo Cerame - Three Months Bulk Wrap-Up + My Three Bulking Guidelines For Pre-, Post and Wendy's ;-)

Adelfo takes measure...  as an aside: This picture goes to show you that the right (or wrong) light and posing can do much more (in this case harm, on the photos I usually post of Adelfo however good!) to your physique than any anabolic steroids and it works in minutes!

I guess I'll make it brief today and won't promise too much for the SuppVersity Science Roundup which starts, as usual, at 1PM (EST) live on Super Human Radio (click here to listen live). It's always a show you don't want to miss, but if you are by any means interested in gyno, prostate and men's health, I am pretty sure we will tackle all that. Not so sure about pseudo-ephedrine being no alternative to the "real deal" and a bunch of other stuff on training, nutrition and supplementation... best you tune in life or check out the Super Human RSS Feed (see navigation on the right where it says "Listen to Physical Culture") for the podcast that will be available ~2h after the show ends.

So much for the self-promotion part and now for something that will segue right into Adelfo's post.

I have been contemplating, whether or not I should address this, but I felt it was necessary to let all people who have not seen the (who wonders) anonymous commenter who indirectly accused Adelfo of being on gear last Friday (click here to be taken right to the comment). I won't repeat what I said about the whole issue in that very post - if you are interested you can read it up, but I do want to quote part of Adelfo's reply or at least parts of it, because I feel that it tells much about the difference between "unknown" on the one hand and my friend Adelfo, on the other hand:

"To be honest; I don't really mind the steroid accusations. [...] With regards to you accusing me of being a lier? Yes that upset me a bit, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is an open forum where people can comment and say what they want so I have no qualms with that but in my defense, I'm a physical culture enthusiast and a student of the game just like all the subscribers on here. I don't claim or ever will claim to know everything, I'm no genius, i'm no guru, I'm a nobody. I was just fortunate enough to be invited by Dr. Andro on a weekly basis to share my experiences with nutrition and fitness as a disabled athlete, and how I apply them to my circumstances. That's all I do; share my experiences, and give advice and pointers based on my experiences." - Adelfo Cerame, September 22, 2013 9:43 AM

Adelfo followed this up with an offer to help "unkown" to identify, where he may improve on his training, nutrition and supplementation regimen, which "unkown" did not accept... so, just in case you just missed it, "unkown", the offer is still valid... I guess you all have heard enough of me (Dr. Andro) for now, so I better hand over to Adelfo and his thursdaily progress updates!

3-month bulk wrap-up: Where I came from, am now and how I got from then to now

It’s final week of my bulk before I start my prep next week, so just thought I’d give you guys a brief final update of how everything went…

Progress facts*
Weight: 140  => 155lbs
Chest: 40 => 41"
Arms: 17.5 => 17.5"
Shoulders: 48.5 => 49"
Waist: 29 => 33"

*  (July 2 => now)

Bottom line: Chest grew about an inch- Shoulders grew ½ an inch- gut grew 4.5 inches (Lol) – but my arms stayed fairly the same. It’s kind of hard to measure the arms yourself it may have grew a tad but not to any significance to where you can noticeably see the measure tape budge.

Kind of tough to measure yourself but this is how I did it in the beginning of my bulk, so hopefully I measured right

Macros for last month: 

• PRO: 150-180g
• CHO: 250-300g
• FAT: 80-100g

Total Energy: 2300-2500kcal

Overall, I feel the whole 3-month bulk went pretty well, much better than my previous attempts at bulking. I was able to stay much leaner this year, while at the same time being able to pack on a tad bit of lean muscle for the short time I had. 

Front pose – Rear Double Bi- Relaxed back pose

I felt I could’ve made a better effort to stay leaner, but it’s really hard when it’s the off-season and you don’t have a show to prepare for in a while. Particularly in the last month, I've been sort of sloppy and got lazy with tracking my macros. I eventually just started eyeballing my food and guesstimating my portions based on my total calories and daily macronutrient goals. It was a very flexible last month.

You can see the "exact" (actually I should say estimate) numbers for the last month in the overview on the right. These are the numbers where I sort of fluctuated around, and most of the days I was on the higher end of my macros and maybe have gone a little over from time to time due to my many PWO meal rendezvous at Wendy’s located right across the street from my gym.

How I tackled the bulk - Three simple dietary guidelines

• 

  Two 4 oz bison steaks, 2-3 cups of rice, 2 cage free eggs, 1 small whole papaya! This is how my PWO meals look like when I’m not being a fat ass eating my PWO meals at Wendy’s which has the advantage of being able make up for the calories I would otherwise miss later on ;-)

  eat a light protein + fat pre workout meal  - sometimes I even trained fasted just w/ BCAA’s and creatine if I was in a rush or on the go
• have 2 big meals after you trained (not including PWO shake) - I just ate until I got full and I used a lot of rice to make up for the carbs, if I felt like I didn’t hit my intake. 1 cup of cooked rice is about 50g of carbs so 2 cups easily will get you 100g of carbs; it goes down pretty easily, so exercise caution ;-)
• make sure not to miss your last meal - I have been real busy and on the go as of late, so it has been really tough to get my last meal in at times, so after my workouts I would just go to Wendy’s (which is right across the street from my gym) - Lol; and when I got home I would just pound a protein shake before bed just to make sure I got enough protein for the day just increase I didn’t.

And as far as training goes... for the first half of my bulk I did a 5x5 strength training and hypertrophy training split, but towards the home stretch I started doing Jim Wendlers 5/3/1 strength training with the same hypertrophy training split. If you want more details, just refer back to my past blogs to check the training regimen I’ve been using for the past 6 weeks using Jim Wendlers 5/3/1 - I could outline it all over again, but don't want to bore you with that.

That’s all I have for now, but stay tuned for next week for my first week of prep!

Adelfo Cerame - Ten Days to Mission Possible: Battle Plan for the 2013 Wheelchair Bodybuilding Season. Fasting, Eating, Training, Coaching, Counting, Sleeping & Prevailing

Adelfo's new contest prep coach Alberto Nunez (left part), Adelfo in the "on season" 2013 (right part)

I am deeply ashamed, but have to admit that I did not mention that yesterday's post on the "anabolic" effects of betaine was a last minute replacement for Adelfo Cerame Jr.'s weekly SuppVersity guestpost (click here to read the past installments). Adelfo has been quite busy lately and therefore postponed his weekly progress update by 24h. I guess you won't mind though, 'cause he made good use of the hours he had left and compiled an extra-long, extra-detailed and extra-informative blogpost for today. 

A brief reminder before I hand over to Adelfo: The weekly SuppVersity Science Roundup with my friend Carl Lanore is now available as a podcast on the SHR website!

"T" as in "ten days left", until the fat has to start falling off my frame ;-)

Yes, SuppVersity readers, you will have to go through another (hopefully not dreadful…for you guys’, at least) long season of blogs of me documenting my contest prep for the 2013 season. I know a lot of you guys’, especially Adel aka "Dr. Andro" were very hopeful and confident that I was going to get my pro card this year, but things didn’t go the way I had planned, and I felt really bad that I wasn’t able to meet everyone’s expectations. I was determined to bring back the title, for you guys, as well as for myself... but that's a thing of the past and in a couple of weeks I will get another chance to try and bring home that W for us this year!

As most of you readers know, I like to give myself a lot of time to get ready when dieting, to allow myself for a slow and gradual process when melting the fat and peeling the skin back, that is why I am starting in October. This will give me about 20+ weeks to prepare and get ready. And it raises one very important question:

What will I do differently this time?

If you’re talking about making improvements?... Then yes there are going to be some changes but as for routine and protocol… No. I’m a creature of habit, and I like to stick with what works for me.

Video 1 (click to play): Adelfo Cerame Jr, at the Wheelchair Championships 2013; posedown for the overall

I’ve actually thought of trying out more of a “eat when I want” type approach just as long as I’m hitting my macronutrient numbers and incorporating meal timing with my training regimen; but in the end, the logical consequence of doing just like that will once more be an intermittent fasting protocol - not just out of habit, but because it comes totally naturally to me.

For over the past year I have enjoyed, and have basically adapted the IF type regimen into my social and life schedules, and to be honest, an IF protocol fits perfectly into my lifestyle. 

Also if isn’t broke then don’t fix it? Maybe build and improve on it, but not change the whole structure. I did really well prepping for my shows this past year using this approach, and it meets the criteria for me of a what a diet should be – stress free, fun, doable, practical, and economical. And all that without having negative effects on my strength and training intensity in the gym.  In fact,  this past year was one of my best experiences with prepping and dieting for a show. I barely felt the affects of what a diet usually does to you: low energy, always hungry, irritable, mood swings, decrease in strength… So let me ask you: Why would you skip something you love and do something you dread, instead?

Coaching: Yes… I’m giving in and asking for some help! .

As much success as I have found for the past 4 years preparing for shows by myself, I’ve come to a point where I feel that I want to learn more and take my physique to the next level… And what better way to do so, than to go to someone or people that have more experience and knowledge than you do. The guys’ from 3DMJ will be overseeing my prep.

This will be the guy that will be mentoring me and overlooking my contest prep for the 2013 season. Lifetime Natural Bodybuilder Alberto Nunez!

From what I know so far and from talking with him already via skype, Alberto Nunez will be the main guy overseeing my prep. I’ve been in contact and exchanging emails with these guys since May, and after falling short again in New Orleans, I definitely wanted them to jump on board to help me make the improvements I need, to win! From speaking to Alberto a couple weeks ago, he seems like the right fit for me. He gets it, and understands that I’m looking for far more than someone to just hand me a piece of paper, that tells me to eat tilapia, asparagus, and brown rice all throughout the day. He understands that I’ve found success using an IF protocol, and prefers to keep it that way, as long as I’m happy with it and it’s doable for me. So he won't be changing much when it comes to the structure of my routine but just be more observant, when it comes to my overall calories, macronutrients, and meal timing. Plus I know the guys over at 3DMJ are very knowledgeable, when it comes to the scientific approach to training and nutrition, which is also what keeps me coming back here to the SuppVersity day in and day out. To really understand what you are doing and why you are doing it is - at least in my humble opinion - what makes the difference between a pro and amateur, between someone who's just constantly following advice and someone who's really building his body and mind.

Training, Nutrition and the grande scheme of things

Apropos "knowing what you are doing", I have compiled a brief overview of what I am planning to do or still pondering... I guess, Adel would call it "Intermittent Thoughts on...", but this is his thing, so I will just stick to a couple of notes, on ideas related to nutrition- and exercise-related topics.

• Nutrition - When it comes to my nutrition, I will definitely be sticking to my whole foods, and Myotropics Physique 2.0 shakes for the majority of my meals. At the same time, I’m going to have fun and incorporate foods the majority of the nutritional institution would frown upon - in a way it's to demonstrate how flexible and delicious your diet can actually without compromising your physique, let alone your health.
  Does this mean that I am going to eat whatever I want? No, it does not! Don’t get it twisted... Lol. It’s about balance, moderation and consistency. This is my philosophy when it comes to maintaining, and enjoying a successful diet! A diet shouldn’t be extreme on either ends of the spectrum, but must have a natural balance, and allow for moderation, so you can stay consistent.
  Please remember! Though I’m going to start having to take even the small quantity of calories you get from veggies into account, you don't I have seen to many people who just want to look good naked fail not despite, but due to meticulous calorie-counting to suggest doing this to anyone, aside from a seasoned competitive bodybuilder or physique athlete.

  As far as my fast/feed protocol goes, I will still be sticking to the 16-hour fast/ 8 hour feeding window (which I will time around my training), but at the same time, I wont get bent out of shape if I may need to extend the feeding hours a tad longer due to whatever reasons. Like I mentioned earlier. In a way this goes along the lines of what I mentioned earlier, i.e. “eat when you want”, but at the same time it will still allow me to take advantage of the benefits from fasting.
  I will also be controlling more of my intake and not be so loose as I was last year, and when I say loose, I mean I didn’t really count my vegetables… and my re-feeds were pretty out of control. And as shredded or almost shredded as I got with being so loose, I think these are one of the minute differences that will bring my physique up as far as conditioning goes.  And yup! I’m going to start counting my vegetables, as much as I’ve been a fan of “not counting vegetables”, when it comes to circumstances like really trying to come in your best condition and stepping your game up.
• Training - I definitely enjoy the strength/ hypertrophy split that I do during the week (suggested read: my previous post on my shoulder routine during the RTWC). I think implementing that will allow me to maintain my strength while dieting throughout my prep. I have also been getting really good results doing Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 strength training protocol. I’m on my second cycle of the training phase and so far my 1-rep max for bench has gone up 30 pounds, from 295 lb. to 325 lb. So, along with EDT’s, 5x5’s, reverse pyramids, and hypertrophy training, I would like to find a way I can incorporate a 5/3/1 phase into my training phases, but in the end, it all depends what my new coach will say and recommend.
  There will be cardio… As much as I loved bragging to people about not having to do cardio and still be able to get into the condition I’m in… I think that cardio is going to be one of those minute differences that will really bring up my conditioning. I did notice that in towards the end of my last prep, and so yes, there will be cardio. I wont be running myself to the ground or "cardioing" myself to death, but there will be some kind of cardio action going on this year.

Well that’s all for today SuppVersity students! I am very excited to share yet again another year of contest prepping with you folks and hope that you won't get bored with my experiences on what is going to be a wonderful and hopefully successful journey... which would by the way imply that this is going to be the last year of me documenting my prep as an amateur ;-)

Adelfo Cerame Trains Mr. C. - A Trip to the Philippines: Avoid Falling off the Wagon + Get Back to the Grind, Afterwards

Image 1: Outstanding progress, right? And as you will learn in today's installment of Adelfo's SuppVersity posts Mr. the belly is melting although Mr. C. still does not like his veggies ;-)

Those of you who did listen to last Thursday's "SuppVersity Science Roundup" on Super Human Radio, will probably (and rightly so) have been missing almost all of the stuff I had announced, we would talk about (click here to download the podcast). Sorry for that! A 1h show is simply much shorter than I had thought, so that 50% of what I had prepared simply did not fit in - and that despite the fact that we went longer than the official 1h... since I've learned from past mistakes, I decided not to announce any specific topics today other than telling you that we will briefly touch on the organic vs. pesticide issue again and then go from there...  apropos! Why don't you just visit the SuppVersity facebook page while you listen live (every Thursday 1PM, EST + later as a downloadable MP3 podcast) and leave me question that may arise in the course of the show in the respective "thread" (or whatever you may call these posts on facebook ;-)

I guess that's about enough of promotion for now, let's get to what most of you are actually here for... your's truly, Adelfo Cerame Jr's Thursdaily SuppVersity post with: An update on Mr. C.'s progress!... ah, you did already recognize that it's him and not Adelfo in image 1, right? Well, if both of them are continuing to do such an awesome job - Adelfo as a trainer and Mr. C. as a trainee, Adelfo will have to be cautious that Mr. C. won't catch up to fast ... physique-wise, I mean ;-)

A Brief Update on Mr. C!

Image 2: Even you are not visiting friends at family "at home" (wherever yours may be) but are on a regular vacation, there are culinary pitfalls waiting for you almost everywhere

I have been receiving some messages as of late regarding Mr. C, and to my surprise, some SuppVersity readers have been actually eagerly been waiting for the next update his progress. To be honest I did not want to do an update ye,t because it has only been a little over 3 weeks and he just started getting into the rhythm of losing about 1 – 1.5 lb./ week after about 1 to 2 weeks of figuring out his caloric and macronutrient set points. There were also the usual slight road bumps (of which the thing about not eating veggies is probably even the least problematic) everyone will be faced with, when he or she is trying to switch from the standard american (and in fact very "SAD") diet to a new way of eating and living. As we were just gaining momentum in his progress, getting his nutrition and his training regimen in check, he informs me, that he will be taking another vacation to his (and by the way also my) motherland, the Philippines - a trip of which I don't have to tell you that it is not exactly conducive to sticking to a strict nutrition and workout plan... well, I obviously could not tell him to stay here, so he left on the 5th of September and will be back on the 17th of this month.

Image 1 (see above) shows him a couple of days before the trip. We had been working together for about 6 weeks, 38 days to be precise; and he was already down from 175lbs to 170lbs - I know compared to the promises you will see on the next best magazine cover that does not seem to be much, but I'd say that you can easily see in the photos, where the difference between losing weight and losing fat, lies - right?

The fact that we got in contact ~6 weeks ago, but he did take up his training right, only after I introduced him to you here, at the SuppVersity (cf. Adelfo Cerame & Mr C: A Basic Workout + Nutrition Plan for Average Joes Trying to Get Stronger, Leaner & Healthier) reduces the "active" phase even more, so that you could justifiably say that he has not been training and dieting (remember, I put him on an Intermittent Fasting routine) for more than 4 weeks, now.

Vacation means trouble - especially, when you are just about to make the switch

So when I got that news, that he was going to take another vacation for 2 weeks, I had to put my excitement on hold, because I knew that all the momentum he gathered could be lost within 2 weeks of sloppy dieting and laziness (when you've been training for years, you may be benefiting from taking 1-2 weeks of, when you have only just begun, it can easily set you back to where you came from)... but what could I do, sh*t... or better "life happens", and as hard as this family guy works during his 9AM to 5PM grind; he more than deserves his vacation!

Therefore, it was my job to give him some advice on how he would make it through the vacation without (a) doing too much damage and (b) getting completely out of his newly acquired healthy habits, while (c) still having fun... it's not easy and to be honest, I don't thing that there are any hard and fast rules that apply to everyone, but still, I do believe that Mr. C. and you as well could benefit from following at least one or two of the following rules / tips.

How to not fall off the wagon while on vacation, and how to get back to the grind afterwards…

I know my people and I know my culture… When one goes back home to the motherland (Philippines) to vacation, it is a 24/7 party filled with eating and drinking with family and friends… well, at least for me it always was and the same applies for the majority of people that I know who go back home. Lol.

If I put faith into Mr. C.'s own words, though, things are somewhat different for him, as he claimed that he was actually quite surprised in the years before that he was doing pretty, when he went back home; he said, he was deliberately controlling himself and I took his word for it and hope he is coming up to his own high standards just now and not strolling around and eating whatever delicious, but profoundly unhealthy food his relatives are offering him ;-)

Still, before he left, I offered a couple of suggestions that might help him to keep the damage at bay and told him that I would not expect that he came home leaner than before but would be happy if he did his best not to destroy all the progress he has made, already:

• 

  Image 3: All natural morning workout before you break the fast - get yourself a coconut for break-fast (learn the difference between breakfast and breaking the fast)!

  Stick to his 16/8 intermittent fast protocol – When you’re in the Philippines, there’s no way of avoiding food, especially when you’re visiting the motherland from America, because food will be thrown your direction on a daily basis. It’s just a sign of hospitality to always feed your guests. Intermittent fasting allows you,... no it forces you to say "no" - and a categorical "no" is often much easier than a "I just take a bite", where your host will then think you did not like what he / she offered, when you actually adhere to your plan and leave it to that one bite.
  With the 16/8 intermittent fasting regimen in place, he may even manage to stay in some sort of a caloric deficit and even if he does not, there are physical limits to the amount of food you can consume in a given timespan and he won't be able to do as much damage within his 8h feeding window as he would, when he was eating 24/7. Lol. 
• Do body weight training on a daily basis - With regards to training; the Philippines is a 3rd world country. I’m further assuming that his family is also from a poverty stricken province like mine were from, so I don’t expect there to be any real training facilities, let alone something you would recognize as a "fitness center" within reach for him. Consequently, I told him that he had to get a full-body 30-min body weight workout in every morning that would comprise push up; sit ups, pull-ups and dips - I gave him the exact routine as a printout, but, at the end of our conversation, I told him that all that must not hinder him to have fun, and enjoy his vacation: "If it happens that you cannot follow the guidelines to the T, don't stress about it, get back in the saddle as good as you can and we are going to dial you back in, when you put your foot on American soil, again!" 

I must say that I am not sure how much effort on my and his part it will take to get actually "get him dialed back in", but since we will be training together right at the facility, where I am working out right now, I can keep a closer eye on him than before and that will certainly make things easier for both of us!

Image 4: Actually the next contest, the Wheelchair Nationals in October are not too long away.

Just to remind you, Mr. C. is going to be back on September 17ths, so expect another update in the week to follow... for the time being I do yet have to get started with my own prep for the Wheelchair Nationals in October....so you guy’s will be able to… no correction… HAVE to follow me… AGAIN…(shaking my damn head…lol) as I try to finally achieve my goal and take the last hurdle to being a professional wheelchair bodybuilder!

One last thing, though: I have been really enjoying and answering the questions and commenting on all the feedback you have been posing / giving me as of late, here at SuppVersity, so keep them coming - even if the questions don't relate directly to this weeks topic... I could imagine not all of you have relatives in the Philippines, right?