I hope everyone has been training hard, eating clean and doing your work in and out the gym. Many things have changed for the Manimal, especially my diet and my training. Right now I am in full growth mode as I get ready for my NPC (National Physique Committee) debut in 2013. I've got some growing to do, but before I get into that I want to discuss some of the things that I have come across to help me get the most out of this ON SEASON. There is a FIRE BURNING INSIDE of me right now. A FIRE to be a better MANIMAL in and out of the gym every single day
"There are a 1000 ways to skin a cat." This old adage says a lot to those who try to have a healthy lifestyle, because as everyone knows and what I have even said. There are a 1000 different ways in which you can approach your diet and your own training. You need to figure out what works for YOU, not what works for some random guy at your gym, or what a magazine tells you how to eat. The thing which I preach the most to people that I work with and help is LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If your body wants a certain food (that is CLEAN) feed it that, but make sure YOUR DIET is suited for YOUR BODY. Nothing some cookie cutter diet that a "guru", a magazine, or even a forum created thinking that is what you need to grow. Do research, find what foods work right for your body, and just KEEP AT IT.
Right now, this is what my meal plan is:
Meal 1: 8 Egg whites, 2 yolks, 1/2 cup of ground beef
Meal 2: 1 cup of plain greek yogurt (0% Fat) with Handful of Almonds (Mixed with Splenda and Cinnamon)
Meal 3: 6 Oz of chicken, 2 cups of Spinach and a table spoon of EVOO
Meal 4: 7 oz of chicken, 1 cup of green beans, 1 or 1/2 red potato
Meal 5: 6 Egg whites, 2 Yolks, and 1/2 red potato (pre workout meal)
Meal 6: 50 g of Whey Isolate
Meal 7: 10 oz of Tilapia (or 8 oz of beef - leg day), 2 cups of mixed oriental style veggies, and 1/2 cup (or 1 cup on leg days or higher carb days) of Jasmine Rice
On the day I just train Arms I drop the carbs from my meal 5 and 7
And Sunday is lower carbs with no carbs until my night meal as I just do cardio and abs that day!!!
The reason that I am having my carbs later in the day, is so that my workouts and recovery are fueled by them, and I do not have excess storage of carbs in my body (which can lead to un wanted fat gain). This is what I have been doing for the past 2 weeks and I must say, recovery is at an all time high and strength and muscle gains are THROUGH THE ROOF.
I am still playing around with it and I may add another meal in the next coming weeks, but right now I am enjoying this diet very much.
The workouts have changed now as well to go along with the new diet. I am doing a very HARDCORE, HEAVY WEIGHT, basic movement workouts, and I have even dropped down the amount of time in which I am in the gym. I get in, get out and GO HOME....mostly go home tortured and barely able to move. Which in MANIMAL land, means it was a job done well. I go into the gym with ONE PURPOSE....DESTRUCTION.
While this is what the MANIMAL DOES, I do not recommend doing what I do, unless you have proper nutrition and the correct mindset when going into the gym. If you just want to lift to look good for a club or the beach to impress others, then THE MANIMAL ZONE is not for you. But if YOU WANT TO GROW not only physically but also mentally and being a better person. Then follow in my footsteps. Listen to your body, feed it when the clock says a time not when your stomach tells your, get in and do your workouts. CONSISTENCY is what leads to growth.....not putting the gym off because you just weren't feeling it. When I go into the gym, I take all that ANGER, all the RAGE I have in my life and I unleash it.
But besides the gym, you need to have a FIRE BURNING INSIDE OF YOU in all matters of your life. I want people to remember. Yes, THE GYM is my life....but it is not my whole life. I do have a life outside of the gym. I have friends and family and even responsibilities (I do have a real job, even if some people think not haha). But while the FIRE BURNS inside of me to grow as a MANIMAL, you also need to have a FIRE that burns inside of you to become a better person in this world. Go out and do the best that you can.
What I want to get across to EVERYONE is that no matter what your goals or dreams are in life. YOU need to believe in yourself. YOU need to light your own fire, and not rely on others to get your ASS in gear, because remember your either USE IT or you LOSE IT.
UNTIL NEXT TIME TEAM MANIMAL (and it will be SOONER than later)
