FlaredupFitness

It’s that time of year again when the weather gets warmer and people start thinking about working on their “beach bodies.”

On June 13^th 2015, I’m going to be stepping on stage and doing my very first Men’s Physique show. For those of you who do not know what Men’s Physique is, Men’s Physique is a subclass of bodybuilding where contestants are judged on aesthetics, shape and symmetry. Where it differs from bodybuilding is contestants wear boardshorts and do not display the typical bodybuilding poses. Men’s Physique competitors look more like fitness models than bodybuilders since extreme muscularity is marked against them. I personally like the idea behind Men’s Physique because contestants have a more attainable look than a 280 pound bodybuilder. A more appealing and attainable look to the general public creates a larger following and provides opportunities to a wider audience. Men’s Physique goes back to the roots of bodybuilding where guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger trained for a well-balanced and aesthetic physique.

I am not entering the competition to show everyone how good I look. I want to get that straight. The reason I want to do this is to raise awareness of Crohn’s Disease and motivate people while showing what is possible, despite having a debilitating disease. A lot of people with Crohn’s are extremely malnourished and look like I did 6 years ago at 150 pounds (transformation post coming soon), I would love to motivate and show others with Crohn’s that it is possible to get your symptoms under control and live a healthy, fulfilling life. By doing this, I’m going to push my body harder than ever before and have a personal accomplishment I can be proud of. I don’t care whether I get last place or first place (although 1^st would be nice). I enjoy challenging myself and completing something that I put my mind to. I’ve had to overcome more obstacles than most, so stepping on stage will be extra special for me.

I am currently 11 weeks away and I’m sitting at 210 pounds and approximately 10% body fat. I have not been counting calories but I have been watching what I eat so I don’t gain unnecessary body fat so close to my show. I am starting a cut/diet in a week, at 10 weeks out. My goal is to lose 15 pounds of fat and retain as much muscle as possible. I estimate I will lose about 5 pounds of muscle due to being in a caloric deficit. So a total loss of approximately 20 pounds and stepping on stage at about 190 pounds and 5% body fat is my goal.

I have a pretty good grasp on what I am doing diet wise, but all of this is very time consuming and a major learning curve. I have been eating around 3000-3200 calories a day and I will drop the calories down to 2400 a day, about 400 below my basal metabolic rate. I will be keeping my protein high (1-1.25g/protein per pound of bodyweight) and lowering my carbs down to <150g/day. As I get closer to the date, I will lower my carbs further and up my cardio a bit. If anyone is interested in my pre contest diet I can post that as well.

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It is currently 11 weeks out, I will be posting more updates as I get closer to the show, so stay tuned and follow me on my road to Men’s Physique June 13^th!