So I have been asked a few times by different people how
I train, what I eat etc etc...
2011 I made a conscious decision (as I am sure you all
now know from my previous blog posts) that not only would I better myself by
becoming healthy, losing weight, living a better lifestyle and making Gym my
second home LOL, I set a Goal to Compete in the Mr. & Miss Fitness SA 2012
pageant. It’s good to set goals for yourself, it keeps you focused….
So dieting for comp started last August 2011, I had 7
months to drop the massive amount of weight or should I say body fat I needed
to while packing on muscle before I moved over to Opus (a diet that cuts you in
to get you looking lean, but that’s a story for another rainy day)…I had my
work cut out for me but as they say:
Clear
Mind ∙ Full Heart ∙ Can’t Lose
My journey has included a lot of trial and error as everyone’s
body is different and you have to find what works best for you. I am still
learning something new everyday and I will be forever improving on what I
already know.
My eating plan as I like to call it because diet is such a dirty
word ;) consists of high protein with a balance of good clean carbs and healthy
fats. I try to eat as clean as possible all year round but we are all Human so
I allow myself a ‘piggy meal’ – not day, just a meal people...let’s not get
carried away please.
An example of my daily eating
plan would be as follows:
Meal 1: 2 Scoops of SN Explode Whey Protein
30g Oats
Meal 2: 50g Beef Biltong or 100g
Smoked or Grilled Chicken Breast (No Skin)
1
tbspn Flaxseed Oil
Meal 3: 100g Grilled Chicken Fillets or
Smoked Chicken
120g
Sweet Potato
1
tbspn Flaxseed Oil
Meal 4: 3 Egg Whites and 1 Whole Egg
1
Slice of 100% Rye Bread
Meal 5: 2 Scoops of SN Explode Whey Protein
Meal 6: 120g Fish
100g
Green Mixed Salad (Cucumber, Lettuce)
1
Medium Tomato
OR 150g Broccoli/Asparagus/Green
Beans
1
tbspn Flaxseed Oil
Meal 1 I will have after my morning cardio work out and Meal
5 will be after my evening weight training session. I try drink a minimum of 3L
of water per day and keep my meals 2 to 3 hours apart.
My supplementation is pretty basic:
SN Explode Whey
Protein – So yummy it tastes like I am cheating every time I drink it!
SN Detonate Pre - Workout – If I feel I need it, I
am not a massive fan of stimulants as I feel funny and light headed but they
help give you that extra pump.
BCAA’s – During
my workout
Glutamine
A good Multi Vitamin
Vitamin C
Flaxseed Oil
The guys at SN Cape Quarter, Somerset Road, Green Point Shaun and Marco (Find them on
twitter @SN_Cape Quarter) help me with information regarding my supplementation
and they assisted me with any training tips I needed while prepping for the
competition and trying to shed the kilo’s – they are definitely a great team
down at that store and anyone looking for some advice or motivation should go
check them out, their down to earth nature and willingness to help where they
can makes you feel like you’re part of a family and I love that!
My training routine during this time,
1 hour cardio every morning on an empty stomach
Monday: Chest and Triceps (and calves)
Tuesday: Back and Biceps (and abs)
Wednesday: Shoulders (and calves)
Thursday: Legs and Focusing on Glutes
Friday: Full Upper Body Workout (and
abs)
Saturday: Take it outside if the weather is nice a walk on the beach or
climbing the stairs at Clifton for
a great ass workout or any form of functional High Intensity Training
Sunday: Rest and Recovery Day
When trying to build muscle I keep my weights heavy and my
reps at 8-10 and the closer to competition I got and the more I want to cut and
define I would move my reps to 12-15 and a lighter weight.
I set realistic short term goals for myself, like 2-3% Body
Fat and 1kg down every 4 weeks. To stay motivated I take progress pictures of
myself every two weeks and use my clothes as a judge to how well I am
progressing. I avoid the scale at all costs – muscle weighs more than fat and
until you wrap your mind around this – the scale will be your worst enemy as
weeks may go by and the scale wont budge but it is only because you are building
muscle and I learnt this the hard way after being left in tears a few times
looking at the number on the scale!
If I could give anyone trying to lose weight some tips, they
would be as follows:
-
Drink at least 3L of water a day
-
EVERYTHING in moderation
-
Try eat as clean as possible every day and allow
yourself that 1 “piggy meal” a week if needed.
-
This one is for the LADIES – DO NOT BE AFRAID TO LIFT
HEAVY! You will not look like Johnny Bravo ever, you do not have the
testosterone levels to look like a man, what will happen is you will tone and
there isn’t anything nicer than a toned, sexy body!
-
Be consistent and remember it took you years to put on
the kilo’s so it won’t take you 1 week to lose it all, be patient!
-
Make clean eating and exercise a lifestyle then it won’t
seem like a chore. There is NO quick fix, trust me – I know!
Muhammad
Ali once said:
DON’T
QUIT! SUFFER NOW AND LIVE
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AS A
CHAMPION…