Week 9, Day 6- 7 Weeks away

I didn’t blog last night.  My best friend rolled into town for some family functions so didn’t have a lot of time but yesterday was a good day.  The cravings are really tough right now.  The vacation to Hawaii and my diet fail, while I was there, have made resisting the temptations extremely difficult.  I am holding on though and I have my wife keeping on track as well.  She knows what it’s going to take for me to compete so; she’s always very honest with me in keeping me on track.  I love her!  I weighed in yesterday at 210.5 lbs at about 7.8% body fat, which means I’m still moving in the right direction.  The body does amazing things; right now my body is in a state where my metabolism is at a level where I just burn calories and fat.  This is why the Hawaii trip hasn’t affected me very much.  But that doesn’t mean that I can slack off especially from here on out.  Cheating doesn’t really show at this point, but it does show on stage as you get closer and closer and body fat lower and lower.  I’ve got some work to do and continue to improve.  Overall I feel great and I even feel like I’m more developed at this point than in the past training for previous contests.  Just 7 more weeks and I can get back to normal life!  It’s funny because, I love food so much that this stage really sucks for me and is mentally difficult but the mind over matter high is what I thrive on.  Doesn’t make sense but it drives me!  Anyways, I’ll try to post an updated picture later tonight comparing each stage so far.  Although I’ve been here before the transformation is still very exciting and motivating for me!

 Today’s meals:
 5:00 am            Meal 1: Protein shake + 5 grams BCAAs + 2/3 tbsp peanut butter (sip during workout)
5:30 am            Workout: Shoulders, calves, and abs (all lifts 5-6sets 4-6 reps)
                        Seated dumbbell shoulder press (no back support)
                        Seated dumbbell front raise
                        Lateral raise
                        Bent over dumbbell rear lateral raise
                        Calf raises (leg press)
                        Seated calf raise
                        Abs:
 7:00 am            Cardio: Basketball
 9:00 am            Meal 2: 6 egg whites, 1 yoke, 1 cups broccoli, and 12 almonds
 11:30 am          Meal 3: 6 oz. chicken breast, 1 cups broccoli, and 12 almonds
1:45 pm            Meal 4:  6 oz. chicken breast, 1 cups broccoli, and 12 almonds
3:30 pm            Meal 5: Protein shake + 5 grams glutamine, and 2/3 tbsp almond butter
5:30 pm            Meal 6:  6 oz. chicken breast, 1 cups broccoli, and 8 almonds
8:00 pm            Meal 7: Carb load (no more than 6 oz. water 1hr before and after Carb load)
                        1 cups broccoli
                        ½ cups oatmeal + 2/3 tbsp. raisins + Splenda to sweeten
                        1 ½ cups sweet potato
                        2/3 tbsp. almond butter