Saturday, January 16th marks the 12 Weeks Out point for the Judgement Day Competition. April 10th, 2021 is the day for that. Are there other competitions after that? Yes.
For some people, this is when they really get on the ball and start focusing on getting ready for the competition. I've been doing that since December. I'm not trying to one-up anyone; I just have a slow metabolism, so I wanted extra time.
Progress Report: Last week (1/3 to 1/9), I tweaked my exercises just a little and decided to do what Arnold said for diet. I added a little glute work to the end of my Monday shoulder routine. Added an extra tricep triset for Tuesday. Wednesday has some added glute work (leg day!). Thursday's back and ab day has two extra back exercises. Friday (light shoulders) has some extra ab and oblique stuff. Is it working? YES! I've been pretty good about sticking with my diet plan. I will admit to taking a little time away from working out on Thursday because I was just exhausted (physically for sure). Saturday weigh in on 1/9, I dropped 2lbs.
What's this diet plan change? Book: Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger (black/silver). Page 733-734 + 730. 4 Rules for Fat Loss. How To Gain Muscle. It's a slight tweaking of the macros. Increase protein to 1g per pound of body weight. For me, this makes my protein macros 50% (190-200g). You want to decrease your fat and carbs, but not to the point of ketosis. My fat macros is at 30% (31g). This leaves my carbohydrates at 20% (53g). For fat loss, you're supposed to do 45-60 min of cardio (4-5 times a week), but for muscle gain it's decreased to 30-35 minutes of cardio (4-5 times a week).
This week (1/10 to 1/16), it seems a lot easier to get through the new workouts (always the case). I'm staying hydrated. I'm on track with my diet plan. For the extra protein, I have a plain packet (easy to have at work) of tuna and a protein shake as a mid-morning and afternoon meals. I didn't really think I'd look forward to plain tuna (no additives like mayo or relish or anything), but I really do. It stops any cravings. It makes me full.