Warrior's Drop-20-Pounds-of-Fat Cycle
UD2/GBC+Bromo

I have been working on stripping some fat off my red meat for over a month now with the basic cardio/weights and a 40-30-30 caloric deficit - but I have moved into a more, less comfortable, phase in which I want to drop about 20 pounds of fat while retaining as much lean weight as possible. Started before at 268 - starting this at 263... want <245... with minimal strength/muscle loss...

I figured posting this journal would help me keep my eyes on the prize while showing you (and me ) how I have organize my training/diet... and supplementing it with progress photos. All comments welcome!

The Diet
My diet schedule is based on Lyle McDonald's Ultimate Diet 2.0 - McDonald's latest version of this diet. Originally released 20 years ago - and way ahead of it's time back then - is basically an updated BodyOpus-type system... but out of respect for the late Duchaine (and to keep from getting sued), McDonald refers to it as an updated Ultimate Diet (what BodyOpus was based on). It uses periods of low carbs (about 10-20% total calories) with carb load phases of around 24-30 hours. Basically my days are outlined like this:

Low Carb (3 days): around 10-20% total calories from carbohydrates. Basically meats, eggs and fibrous veggies. About 1600-1800 calories a day.

Preload Carb (1 day): Same as Low Carb day but about 75 percent less calories during the day. Preload begins in the PM with 30grams of Carbs pre-workout, Carb/Pro mix post-workout and then a 40-30-30 dinner.

Carb Load (1 day): An all-out binge of carbs/protein and (for the most part) unsaturated fats. About 5000-6000 calories per day as a goal - eating once every 2 hours with high GI carbs in the morning. Creatine Monohydrate will also be loaded here.

60-25-15 (1 day): 60 percent carbs and 25 percent protein and 15 percent fat. About 3000 calories per day depending on cardio.

40-30-30 (1 day): 40 percent carbs and 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. About 3000 calories per day depending on cardio.
I am starting this diet with 4 days Low Carb, 1 day Preload Carb then 1 day Carb Load followed by a day of 60-35-15 and a day of 40-30-30. I will evaluate it from there... trying to maximize fat loss with muscle/strength retention...

The Sups
Aside from MutiVitamin/Min (currently using MegaMen Sport) and EFA's(EPO), I am taking around 10g of Vitamin C per day, >50g of L-Glutamine post-workout and 10g of Glutamine before bed. 200mcg of L-Thyroxine and 3 Hydroxycuts in the morning with 3 Hydroxycuts pre-workout too. I am also using McDonald's recommendation of Bromocriptine - at 3.75mg on low carb days and 5mg on the other days... and administered in the AM only to prevent undesirable side effects. The Bromocriptine is suppose to work by tricking the body into thinking there is no starvation during caloric deficits by interaction with the dopamine receptors in the brain - thus resulting in better food partitioning during low calories intake, as well as caloric surpluses/refeeds. During the Preload Carb and Carb Load days I will creatine load with Cell Tech.

Also, I might experiment with 100mg of Proviron during the Low Carb days... but first I want to see how everything goes without it...

The Training
I am applying German Body Composition (GBC) training as outlined by the great strength coach, Charles Poliquin. It is based on short rest intervals to increase production of lactate, which leads to dramatic increases in endogenous GH thus resulting in greater body fat loss. McDonald recommends this training method with his diet. On the Preload Carb day, I will do a Glycogen Depletion Routine, a full body workout to try and completely deplete muscular glycogen... maximizing sensitivity in all muscle groups prior to ingesting simple carbs. Then a day after loading - on a 60-25-15 day, I will do a Carb/Creatine Loaded Routine, another full body power routine prior to beginning another depletion phase.

I will illustrate training progress (or digress) using a basic power index equation for the same core movements every workout. (LOAD*REPS)SETS=TOTAL then TOTAL/MINUTES= "X pounds/min" This method won't bore you with too many figures but tell you exactly how strength is effected using the load and time variables.

Time spent doing cardio will depend on a few things: sleep patterns at night, enough extra time during the day, key opportunities for fat loss or further glycogen deplenishment and overall "feel" or signs to prevent a serious case of over training.

NOTE: Since I will be doing two different whole body workouts per week... the depletion training I do on low carb days will be for prioritized muscle groups... the others will be maintained using the whole-body routines. Arms are what I have been trying to really beef up - so they will usually be trained during the low carb week. Legs need some more definition - leg mass has been a family pass-on - so they will usually see training too. Chest and back are not a real concern at this point - since I feel both are doing well. But I will push them more if they fall behind in the power/strength workouts (Carb/Creatine Loaded Routines).

The Advance GBC Program
This program will be divided into these bodypart sections. I will continue to use the same movements for each muscle group, but may change the combinations. Giant sets are grouped in sequence by letters and performed in order by number.

Chest and Back
Chest
A1: (6) Flat Barbell Press
Rest 10 seconds
A2: (12) 45 Degree Incline Dumbell Press
Rest 10 seconds
A3: (25) 30 Degree Incline Dumbell Flye
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times
Back
B1: (6) Wide Grip Pull Ups
Rest 10 seconds
B2: (12) Bent Barbell Rows
Rest 10 seconds
B3: (25) Close Grip Front Pulldowns
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times

Legs
Quads
A1: (6) Full Barbell Squats
Rest 10 seconds
A2: (12) Hammer Hack Squats
Rest 10 seconds
A3: (25) Hammer Quad Extensions
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times
Hams
B1: (6) Hammer Leg Curls
Rest 10 seconds
B2: (12) Romanian Deads
Rest 10 seconds
B3: (25) Back Extensions
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times

Arms and Shoulders
Delts
A1: (6) Front Military Press
Rest 10 seconds
A2: (12) Standing Dumbell Laterals
Rest 10 seconds
A3: (25) Standing Upright Rows
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times
Triceps
B1: (6) Flat Close Grip Presses
Rest 10 seconds
B2: (12) Incline Tricep Extensions
Rest 10 seconds
B3: (25) Standing Rope Extensions
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times
Biceps
C1: (6) Incline Dumbell Curls
Rest 10 seconds
C2: (12) Standing Barbell Curls
Rest 10 seconds
C3: (25) Standing Reverse Grip Cambered Curls
Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times

The Glycogen Depletion Routine
[font=Arial][color=#000000]This routine is using SETSXREPS and will always use the same movements and target reps in the same order to completely exhaust the whole body prior to the refeed.
(2X15) Full Barbell Squats
(2X10) Hammer Leg Curls
(2X15) Hammer Quad Extensions
(2X20) Seated Calve Raise
(2X12) Barbell Bench Press
(2X12) Bent Barbell Rows
(2X12) Military Front Press
(2X15) Close Grip Pulldowns
(2X10) Incline Tricpes Extensions
(2X10) Standing Barbell Curls
(2X20) Back Extensions
(2X20) Rope Crunches

The Carb/Creatine Loaded Routine

This routine is illustrated like the previous (SETSXREPS) and will always use the same movements with the targeted reps. The Power Index may vary quite a bit with these due to the more relaxed rest intervals. The main goal of this routine is to move heavier weight - AKA, strength training.

(5X6) Full Barbell Squats
(5X3) Rack Dead Lifts
(5X5) Barbell Bench Press

There ya have it - my standard outline for this cycle.
"BEFORE" pics---