8 Weeks Out - More Activity, Same Calories
I'm still feeling really good.
My energy has been high in the gym.
I'm still strong.
Training hasn't really felt like a struggle at all yet.
Honestly, this is probably the point where my current routine feels the most sustainable.
I'm eating enough that I don't feel drained, I'm training hard, and most of my activity is still just normal day-to-day stuff and cardio.
I know that's going to change as I get closer to the show.
For now though, I feel good.
Current Status
Division
- Men's Physique
- Classic Physique
Weeks Out
8
Current Weight
210 lbs
Starting Weight
216.4 lbs
Weekly Change
-0.8 lbs
Phase
Prep
Weekly Check-In Photos
Front
Side
Back
What Changed This Week?
One thing I've been thinking about lately is how much I actually move outside of the gym.
I'm training hard for close to 90 minutes most days and getting almost daily cardio in now.
Outside of that though, I can be pretty sedentary.
If I'm working on something for a few hours, it's really easy for me to just sit there the entire time without thinking about it.
That's something I'm trying to get better about.
I actually signed up for a 5K this week and used that as one of my cardio days.
Part of it was just wanting to do something different.
It got me outside, covered my cardio for the day, and gave me a chance to be around some other people in the local fitness community.
It was a nice change from doing another normal cardio session.
My diet was also mostly on target this week.
I did go out for a birthday one night, so that meal wasn't quite as controlled as everything else.
I tried to stick with what looked like the leaner meat options.
The problem was once the food came out, it was pretty obvious there was a lot more butter and oil involved than I would've used at home.
There wasn't much I could do about it at that point.
I just estimated the fat higher than I originally expected and logged it that way.
I felt like I probably went over my normal fat target, so I brought my carbs down for the rest of the day while still making sure I hit my protein.
Then I went back to normal the next day.
It also happened to be the day I ran the 5K, so I had already done quite a bit more activity than usual.
At this point I've completely cut out alcohol.
That would just be working against what I'm trying to do now.
I still don't think that means I need to stop going out or enjoying myself though.
I'm just getting more selective about what I do when I'm out.
This Week's StageLab Recommendation
Recommendation
Add one additional cardio session and increase daily steps by 1,000.
My weight came down slightly this week and my waist measurement also dropped.
So there was definitely progress.
The problem is that the rate of weight loss is still a little below where StageLab wants it at this point in prep.
Instead of lowering calories, it added another cardio day and increased my recommended daily activity by 1,000 steps.
I'm good with that for now.
I already know I could be moving more during the day, so the extra steps are probably something I should've been doing anyway.
The visual analysis is still showing me slightly behind too.
The main things it keeps coming back to are my lower abs and lower back definition.
I agree with that.
Those have always been some of the last areas to really come in for me during prep.
So it's not exactly surprising to see them lagging again.
My Thoughts
Eight weeks out definitely sounds a lot closer than nine weeks out.
I'm still not really worried though.
I can see progress.
My waist is smaller.
The scale is slowly coming down.
My training is still strong.
And I still feel really good.
The lower abs and lower back are going to take some time.
They always do for me.
I'd obviously like them to be farther along right now, but I also know they're usually some of the last things to come in.
For now I'm just going to keep following the plan and trust that they'll get there.
What I like right now is that StageLab still hasn't had to take food away.
We're adding activity first.
As long as that keeps working, I'd rather keep my calories where they are and continue training as hard as I can.
I know eventually prep probably won't feel this easy.
So I'm going to take advantage of feeling this good while I still do.
Current Plan
Calories
2725 kcal
Protein
227 g
Carbs
283 g
Fat
76 g
Cardio
5 x 25 min
Daily Steps
7,000 + 1,000 steps
What Happens Next
This week I'll add the extra cardio day and make more of an effort to move throughout the day.
That's probably the biggest thing I need to work on right now.
I'm already spending plenty of time training.
I just need to stop spending quite as much of the rest of the day sitting.
Other than that, nothing really changes.
Keep hitting my meals.
Keep training hard.
Get the cardio done.
Get the steps up.
And see what another week does.
Current Snapshot
Weight: 210 lbs
Starting Weight: 216.4 lbs
Weeks Out: 8
Phase: Prep
Current Recommendation: Add one additional cardio session and increase daily steps by 1,000.
Current Focus: Increase daily activity while continuing to bring in lower abdominal and lower back conditioning.
Next Update
Prep Files #12 - 7 Weeks Out