Have really been focusing on my powerlifting and physique competitions coming up. I can do this.
Training:
At first I was reluctant to take a break from training when I go to Argentina, but now I am fully ready for it and welcoming it. I have been pushing my body to the limit, and am excited to take my break…in a week and a half….
Deadlifts- been working on putting my hips down and driving with my legs. Last I got was a lifetime PR of 352. Would prefer to have 410 lol…working towards it…
Bench- been working on keeping the bar path at the lower part of my chest, and keeping chest up and back tight at the bottom. Am in the 215-220 range…which I have been in forever. Would love to get 240….working towards it…
Squats– been working on bar placement on my back. Dan says I keep the bar a bit high and keep my elbows up, and that in the bottom of the squat this makes me shift forward. I have been experimenting with keeping the bar lower on my back and tucking my elbows down and keeping the back tight, so the bar does not shift whatsoever once it’s off the rack…but this new technique refining still feels kind of weird, so I feel there is a lot of power and strength and potential that I am not harnessing maximally yet. Last I did was a lifetime PR of 297. Would prefer 310…This seems in my reach…
I feel I have been doing a great job in increasing strength and hitting PR’s while in a caloric deficit. I am doing my best to get plenty of sleep, eating healthfully, focusing on nutrient timing (e.g. carbs pre and post workout, etc). However, I still feel like I want to be making more progress, especially in my bench press. When I brought it up to Dan and Emily (separately), they both commented that I only have one designated bench day a week…and guess that’s not enough. Since I am committed to my upcoming meet, when I come back from Argentina I will shift my training split and subtract some bodybuilding training so I can build in more powerlifting training. I am sad to have to give that up, but I will only have 8 weeks between my return from Argentina and my powerlifting meet, and I want to see more progress, so I will be making the sacrifices.
Diet:
In the past five weeks with Dr. Joe and Michelle, I have lost 5 pounds. One pound a week. That’s solid. All while hitting powerlifting PR’s, so that’s great. We started out (IN CONTEST PREP, MIND YOU, NOT BULKING/OFF SEASON) at 175 g protein, 300/375/425 g carbs, and 50 g fat. 425 g carbs in my CONTEST PREP?! That’s awesome. But Dr. Joe had a good sense that I could handle it! Which I did! As the weeks have progressed, however, naturally we have been cutting the cals/carbs, so now I am at 175 g protein, 200/250/300 g carbs, and 50 g fat. WHICH, by MOST standards, is still very generous for contest prep 😉 Diet is going well, I have been meticulously prepping my foods these past five weeks to hit the macros.
I will be sad to veer off the diet when I go to Argentina, but I know I am committed 100% while I am here in the states, so I know once I get back from Argentina I will be back to being my own food nazi 😉
Yes, flexible dieting means that you can eat whatever you want as long as it fits your macros but I do feel more fulfilled eating foods with a lot of fiber and nutrients. Dr. Joe and Michelle do encourage us to eat whole, unprocessed foods, but ultimately the foods I include in my meals (lots of oatmeal, egg whites, chicken breast, white fish, veggies, brown rice, different types of oils like avocado oil, macademia nut oil [crack], sesame oil) are foods that are nutrient-dense, fiber-rich, relatively easy to cook, and DELICIOUS IN MAH MOUF.
Anyway, just a brief update on my end.
Lots of love,
Kristina
MAR