3 Weeks Out — Finally Catching Up
Three weeks out.
I'm finally starting to feel like I'm catching up.
My weight came down to 204.1 lbs this week, which puts me within striking distance of where I want to be.
I've spent a lot of this prep feeling like I was slightly behind, so it's nice to finally be getting to the point where StageLab is seeing me as mostly on track too.
There's still work to do, but I'm feeling pretty good about where things are heading.
Current Status
Division
- Men's Physique
- Classic Physique
Weeks Out
3
Current Weight
204.1 lbs
Starting Weight
216.4 lbs
Weekly Change
-2.5 lbs
Phase
Prep
Weekly Check-In Photos
Front
Side
Back
What Changed This Week?
This was probably one of my best weeks of prep.
I followed the plan exactly.
Meals were on point, I got all my cardio in, and I got every workout done.
The scale finally responded in a pretty big way too.
I'm down 2.5 lbs from last week, which is one of the biggest drops I've had this entire prep.
I'm also only a couple pounds away from the 202 lb Classic Physique cutoff now.
My motivation has been really high.
I think part of that is just being able to see the finish line.
When you're 15 weeks out, one good day doesn't feel like it means much.
At three weeks out, it feels like every day matters.
Hunger Is Definitely Here
I'm finally getting pretty hungry.
I'm spending close to two hours in the gym some days between training and cardio, and 2310 calories doesn't feel like a ton of food anymore.
The funny thing is I'm not really craving junk food.
Most of the time I just want more of what I'm already eating.
Once you've been doing this long enough, you figure out which foods work for you during a diet and eventually you actually start looking forward to them.
I just wish I could have more of them sometimes.
For now the hunger is manageable though, and my energy has stayed better than I expected this deep into prep.
This Week's StageLab Recommendation
Recommendation
Hold the current plan.
StageLab is finally starting to see me as mostly on track.
There are still areas that need to tighten up, but after losing 2.5 lbs this week it recommended holding instead of cutting calories again or adding more cardio.
That makes sense to me.
I'm losing quickly enough now that there's no reason to push harder just for the sake of pushing harder.
I still want to keep as much muscle as possible while getting the rest of the fat off.
I'm also surprised I've been able to keep cardio at five 25-minute sessions and continue getting leaner.
I'm definitely tired at times, but I don't feel completely run down and my strength has held up pretty well.
As long as that's working, I'm happy to keep everything where it is.
My Thoughts
At 204.1 lbs, making the Classic Physique cutoff doesn't feel like much of a concern anymore.
Now I'm thinking more about what I look like when I get there.
I don't want to just make weight.
I want the conditioning to actually be there too.
For the first time this prep, I feel like everything is starting to line up at the same time.
The scale is moving and I feel harder without feeling like I'm completely killing myself to make it happen.
I just can't let that make me comfortable.
Three weeks isn't enough time to start taking my foot off the gas because things are finally going well.
Current Plan
Calories
2310 kcal
Protein
227 g
Carbs
210 g
Fat
63 g
Cardio
5 × 25 min
Training
7 days per week
What Happens Next
There isn't much to change this week.
The plan is working, so I'm going to keep following it.
The one thing I still want to improve is how much I move outside of the gym.
I spend a lot of time working on the computer, and it's really easy for me to sit there for hours without realizing how little I've moved.
I don't need to turn the rest of the day into another workout.
I just need to get up and move around more.
Other than that, keep the meals on target, keep training hard, get the cardio done, and see where another week takes me.
Current Snapshot
Weight: 204.1 lbs
Starting Weight: 216.4 lbs
Weeks Out: 3
Phase: Prep
Classic Physique Weight Limit: 202 lbs
Current Recommendation: Hold the current plan.
Current Focus: Keep conditioning moving while maintaining muscle and getting a little more activity outside of the gym.
Next Update
Prep Files #17 — 2 Weeks Out