any help is greatly appreciated

[RATM]

ok my friends, i am 8 weeks out (as of 4/15) and am 203 at about 8%. i will need to be at or under 189 1/4, which should not be a problem. right now this is pretty much what my diet/supplementation/work out/cardio is. being that i am a firefighter/paramedic, i am always on a 2 on 1 off schedule.

work out/cardio
day 1. am none, pm train
day 2. am cardio/abs, pm train
day 3 (on duty) am cardio
day 4 am none, pm train
day 5 am cardio/calves, pm train
day 6 (on duty) am cardio/abs
day 7 am none, pm train
day 8 am cardio/ calves, pm train
day 9 (on duty) am cardio
repeat. my cardio has been 30 min on the life fitness elliptical or the bike. and i have been doing 30 min for about 3 weeks now following this schedule.


diet/supplement
on days when i am on duty i elimiate the pm training and the days when i come off duty i eliminate the am cardio
5am caffine/asa/ripped fuel
530 am cardio and abs/calves
700 3/4 cup oats 3 scoops protein powder
930 1/2 cup oats 2 scoops p powder
1200 i can tuna or 6 oz chix, 1/2 bag rice, 1 scoops pro powder
1430 same as above
1530 pm train
1700 2 slices whole grain bread (36 g carb, 10 pro, 6 sugar, 2 fat) and 2 scoops pro powder
2000 meal replacement pac, plus one scoop pro powder
2230 2 scoops pro powder
0200 2 scoops pro powder

i also try to drink 2 gallons of water a day and a few diet cokes here and there

give or take, my life is pretty much like that and it sucks. but thats the price we pay.

anyways, here are my questions

1. is the pro/ carb ratio right??
2. should i be eating this amount of carbs with 8 weeks to go.
3. would any of you make any changes.

i know its difficult to give advice without seeing a pic, but i can say that i am very pleased with my progress and think that i look the best i have looked this far out.

to anyone who helps out. thank you very much

[Dr. Derek]

I think that you should be eating more solid food, you take a hell of a lot of protien from shakes. IMO you should be all solid food the last four weeks. Your going to get mixed opinions on the ratios, in my mind you should keep your ratio's around 50 pro 40 carb and 10 fat up until 4 weeks out then change every day decreasing carbs upping protien decreasing protien upping carbs, you can even play with fat intake alittle as long as your total calories remain the just about the same, IMO it keeps your metabolism guessing. I suggest doing the same with your cardio sessions.
Changes I would make..... Eat solid food (protien), a serving of lean red meat a day will do you body wonders. I would use wild rice, **** that boil in bag rice, it provides virtually no nutrients and minerals. Replace the bread with another low glycemic carb and eat it earlier in the day. Add fiberous carbs to your diet. You dont have any now. i would however keep the protien shakes in at night though. Cardio will have to be adjusted with diet. Good luck I hope things workout

[primodonna]

I'll just agree with DD...WAY too many shakes...if that's the only way you can get the protein in due to your job or whatever, then that's what you have to do...but you will notice a big difference in as little as a week once you start eating more real food

You also should be changing the cardio around...your body probably has adjusted to doing the same thing every day for 3 straight weeks (in terms of time)

[silverfox]

Solid food, to give you an idea right now i eat about 8 chicken breasts and 36 egss(mosty whites) Protien power has it's place but not on contest diet.

Carb depletion has started.... and it SUCKS...... 3 days and counting....

[RATM]

thank you all for the help. the main reason for the protein powder is money, as it is more cost effective than whole foods, but i will definatly try to switch it up a tad. you both mentioned changin the cardio. did you mean type or lenght of time. i will keep updating my changes and progress.
,

[silverfox]

You can have a couple of shakes up until about 1 month mark, and a lot depends on your conditon right now. Body fat, how you responed etc.. etc.. etc..... If your far enought away do some testing.

YES, my food bill for last 2 weeks is handy 600 canadain.... so it's goin to cost you.

[RATM]

what does that translate into us, like 45 bucks?? lol just messin, ive heard to stop the shakes and use all food, now what about tuna, would you use that instead of chix or top round??

[silverfox]

Tuna is fine until the last 3 days if you doin sodium thing, can tuna is high is sodium, but you fill can with tap water, drain and repeat a few times to get some of sodium out. Rate is about 62% for buying US funds. I know, sucks

[Dr. Derek]

good advice by everyone, hang in there EC.

[MIKE_XXL]

hey E_C all we got left is 3 days and we'll be kicking some ass...now how is that for excitment...........ready for bindging? better believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[primodonna]

*&%^ you mike... i warned you...keep the binging treats off the board...you too, e_c

:)

Hang in there boys...this is where your body starts changing by the hour...enjoy it and stay focused

[silverfox]

some hard to get my head around this sodium dep. I look flat and soft right now, but sticking to game plan, me and mike will be eating unreal amounts of food, my starts late friday afternoon.... emmmm pizza, cookie's dounuts.......LOL

Hey primo if you want info on fat loading stuff, pm me i can send it over, worth a read, and if your ready a few weeks out test run can't hurt, i was very suprised by results.

[RATM]

one more question......

what should be the latest that i eat carbs, either fibrous or rice or potatoes. 6, 7, 8 pm?? thanks