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Introduction
It’s been 6 weeks since I began the Maximuscle Challenge, in an attempt to alter my physique from everyday male to cover model body. We are now at the half way point of the projected 12 week project, and I have learnt A LOT since I first set out on the journey.
Today, I am going to bring you the low down of exactly how and why I have had to alter my diet, training program and general approach during these first few weeks; the obstacles I have had to overcome; as well as providing new pictures and measurements to chart the progress I have made from my starting point.
Later on, I will also bring you my complete weekly training routine breakdown, as previously requested by one of our readers.
Adjust And Repeat
The first 3 weeks of the project I was coasting; the days were flying by and adapting my diet to a new carb cycling plan wasn’t quite as hard as I was expecting. I was jotting down a nice little food diary of everything I was eating on a daily basis, so that I could keep an eye on my macro nutrient intake and adjust it to how my body was responding.
At least, that was the plan. In actuality, I was only writing down what I was eating – not taking the time to sit down and work out exactly what I was feeding my body with on a daily basis. Don’t get me wrong, the weight was starting to fall off and I was becoming leaner by the day, but I was losing size too quickly.
At the 3 week mark, the personal change my body had undergone was noticeable to me and I decided to get in contact with Gareth, my Maximuscle nutritionist, in order to see whether this was normal or something I should be concerned about.
This marked the first time I actually sat down and worked out EXACTLY what I had been eating on a daily basis. I sent over an average days total calories, protein, carbs and fats intake for my no, low and high carb days. The results were surprising.
Too Little Carbs
I wasn’t getting enough calories each day, and although I was going well over my protein target daily, I was getting nowhere near enough carbohydrates on either my high or low carb days. Based on my own previous research, I had set my carb totals as:
- Carbohydrates (High Day): 1.5g x per lb body weight = Keep total under 280 grams
- Carbohydrates (Low Day): 0.5g x per lb body weight = Keep total under 95 grams
- Carbohydrates (No Day): Keep total under 10-15 grams
I soon learned that these were set too low, and so Gareth advised me to alter my intake to the following:
- Carbohydrates (High Day): Total between 300 – 350 grams
- Carbohydrates (Low Day): Total between 200 – 250 grams
- Carbohydrates (No Day): Keep total under 30 grams
Now, for me seeing this, my first though was: How the hell am I going to eat that many carbs in one day and still lose weight/cut up? I am not used to eating that much food in one day, so I automatically thought I was going to be putting on body fat going forward.
However, the key to carb cycling is to trust in the system. Your body needs these calories daily in order to just maintain your current weight – I was losing size because I had cleaned my diet up, but I was also not getting enough calories daily to maintain my muscle mass. By force feeding your body carbs on high days (high intensity training days) you are creating an environment in your body where it is actually possible to build lean muscle mass.
Likewise, by foregoing the carbs on your rest days, you then start to utilise these breaks in training to help burn the excess fat you have stored and really show off your definition.
Taking It Seriously
The next 3 weeks I spent taking the challenge more seriously. I created a spreadsheet of my typical everyday food sources and broke them down into portion sizes and their macro nutrient make-up. A little geeky, definitely, but it made it so much easier on any given day to see exactly where I was in relation to my target daily intake.
In the end, spending the initial time doing this made it so much easier for me to stick to my optimal levels, and also enabled me put some of my size back on whilst still keeping the definition that I had achieved during the first three weeks.
Although this seems like a particularly anal way of approaching a diet, it really is worthwhile. At first you will be checking your spreadsheet at every meal, trying to work out exactly the right portion size and how many carbs etc you are getting. However, after a couple of weeks it all becomes second nature and you know exactly how much rice you need to measure out, how much protein that chicken breast has in it or whether you need an extra scoop of peanut butter to get your fat totals up for the day.
Supplement Changes
In my original article on carbohydrate cycling, I listed the supplements that Maximuscle had kindly provided in order for me to achieve my goals. Not much has changed since then, with my supplementation including Promax, Maxiraw Casein Sustain and Thermobol each day.
However, now I am required to eat more carbs on both high and low days, I have also started taking the Maximuscle Progain range. These products are for hard gainers and those who are looking to pack on size rapidly. Each and every product within the range is packed with huge amounts of protein, quality carbohydrates, fats and healthy calories to help guys hit their calorific and macro nutrient intake each day.
Personally, for me, they have been a lifesaver. I am not sure how many of you have tried to eat 300+ grams of ‘quality’ carbs (not: pizzas, chips etc.) a day, but it is not as easy as it sounds! Having a shake that supplies nearly 70 grams per serving is a great way of keeping yourself from feeling bloated or sick from eating too much pasta, rice, couscous, oats and the like.
Not only that, both the Progain Flapjacks and Shake taste superb, and honestly feel like a treat when compared to some of the other stuff I have been eating!
Progress Report
If you want to see my starting measurements for all the below, check out my introduction to the challenge here.
* All measurements/photos below are correct as of Monday 5th November 2012.
Height, Weight & Girth Measurements
Height: 6″ 0
Weight: 80.5kg (Down 3.5 kg)
Girth Measurements (In Inches)
Neck: 14.5 (Same)
Chest – Across Sternum: 44.5 (Same)
Waist – Narrowest circumference: 31.75 (Down 0.75)
Hip – Around The Buttocks: 34 (Down 0.5)
Upper Arm – Mid point, Untensed: 13.5 (Down 0.5 – Could be due to measurements below)
Thigh – Mid Point, Untensed: 22 (Same)
Calf – Largest Point: 15 (Same)
Body Fat
This particular measurement technique was detailed in my introduction to the challenge.
Caliper Measurements:
1) Biceps: 4mm
2) Triceps: 5mm
3) Subscapular: 7mm
4) Supra Iliac 5mm
Total: 21mm
Approx Body Fat: 8.65% (Down from 10.7%)
Again, this is very approximate and has been done personally by myself and a volunteer. However, although the accuracy is probably off, it as least shows that my body fat percentage has come down, because we used exactly the same sites and measurement tools.
Photo Progress: Week 6
Of course, they say a picture is worth a thousand words; below are my before and after photos, allowing you to compare the progress made so far during the first 6 weeks:
I am really pleased with the results so far, and although we have changed the quality of the camera since the first photo, they were taken in exactly the same place at the same time, so hopefully it is a fair comparison. I can still see room for improvement, and over the last 6 weeks I will hopefully begin to see my bottom set of abs and lose some of the excess weight around my hips/waist section.
Note: When we first ran this story on FitnessBeans, a reader commented that I looked maybe a bit pale and gaunt in the week 6 photos. This was mainly to do with the fact that the starting photos had been taken a week after coming home from a late ‘sun’ holiday. The irony was, I was actually feeling fresher and with more energy than ever before during the second set of photos.
Final Word
I hope you have all enjoyed this update as to where I am with the project currently. Make sure you check back later today, where I will bring you my training routine, new adjusted carb cycle and the Maximuscle supplements I am taking to help achieve my goals.
Remember that you can ask any questions you have about the project, carb cycling or my personal journey in the comments section below. I will do my best to answer all questions to the best of my ability – or find someone that can!
Ben
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OMFG First off congratulations thats a huge accomplishment. I swear im on this website everyday finding out about new things today it happened to be this. You have really inspired me to change up my routine and challeneg myself with this 12 week program. I wish I was one of the guys who was able to do the challenege with you. UnfortunatelyI live in NYC…. you guys should expand and get a new york office so I can work with you guys. I’m 6’0, 20yrs old and 166 lbs I’ve been trying achieve the same lean physique you have but I’m more on the slim side. Also I havent been able to cut down my body fat they’re covering up my abs and its driving me insane. I go to the gym whenever possible but i feel like I am not seeing the results I should be seeing.
Questions:
-What did you eat on the low and high carb days?
-On average how long did it take to complete a days workout?
-Any suggestions on cutting down body fat?
-I usualy do about 30 mins of cardio is this making me lose weight and should I stop and just focus on strictly weight lifting?
Any and all feedback is appreciated.
Hi Roman,
Thank you for your comments. I used to have exactly the same problem mate. I am typically what you would label an ‘ectomorph’, which means weight falls off me quite easily if I am not eating enough or doing too much cardio. The only place I have ever really held weight was around my mid-section. So although my arms and shoulders etc. generally look pretty defined, I could never get that illusive six-pack.
That is one of the reasons I started this project – to see if I could actually get into that shape if I focused on it. I will say that it sounds as though you are already going to the gym enough and what will take you to the next level is your diet.
Today my final article is due to be published, so make sure you check it out.
In terms of the other questions, I recommend this:
1) This is the type of diet plan I followed: http://www.fashionbeans.com/2013/carb-cycling/
2) My workouts on average take an hour when training with a partner and 45 minutes on my own. Again, you can find it here: http://www.fashionbeans.com/2013/fitnessbeans-maximuscle-training-routine/
3) Diet, Diet, Diet! I am living proof that there is no need for cardio or any need to change the way you are currently training. I got my diet in check and the body fat dropped like a stone.
4) If you are already a skinny build then I would say that it could compromise your ability to build muscle if you are burning extra calories that way. I would probably concentrate on lifting heavy and hard and just get on a really strict diet.
Thanks,
Ben
Good stuff. superb results after ‘just’ 6 weeks. Can see real impovement in pec size.
Truth is, I never actually put size on my pecs, they just look so much more defined now because my body fat percentage is down. It’s an optical illusion – but I am not complaining!
It is the same with my arms and shoulders – now they are much more cut people have been saying I ‘look’ bigger, but my girth measurements would prove otherwise.
That is why all these cover models you see on magazines look big (along with the angle of the photo and good lighting) but when you see them in real life, they are what I would actually consider pretty small in terms of size.
How did you set your spreadsheet out it does seem very detailed but as I’m thinking of doing this diet, I think even a basic layout would help me. As I don’t really know where to start.
Hi Jacques.
I have uploaded two basic spreadsheets I had going on:
1) http://www.fashionbeans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/spreadsheet1.jpg
This first one had a list of all foods that I regularly ate and was broken down into Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats for MY average portion sizes. I worked all these out either utilising a google search for stuff like apples etc. and the actual packets or other foods (taking the standard 100g nutritional info and multiplying it or reducing it).
I also had my target intake values for the week set out, along with my current body weight and BMI etc, so I could adjust my calorie intake as necessary.
2) http://www.fashionbeans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/spreadsheet2.jpg
This sheet is an example of the daily food diary I would make for each day. I put a full week on each sheet, so in the end I had 11 sheets/weeks worth of data.
This is super inspiring and the spreadsheets are super helpful, I am going for this, but I am just banging back tuna cans on my no carb days, could you possibly please include the cut-off bit in the ‘spreadsheet2′ for what you had for dinner on ‘no-carb’ days?
I saw the maximuscle meal plans but there are loads of carbs on the ‘no carb’ days in mixed nuts?!
Hi,
your article is really inspiring, changed my diet at the beginning of the week ;)
But I don´t get how you can eat 300-350 gr, of carbohydrates and 200 gr of protein with just 2.400 calories per day. 300 gr carbohydrates are about 1.700 calories alone and now I also have to squeeze the 200 gr protein in there too. Need some advice pleas.
Thanks a lot
Hi Chris,
Calories per gram (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_energy):
Carbs: 4
Protein: 4
Fats: 9
So 300g of carbs would actually be 1,200 calories. 200g protein is 800 – combined that’s 2,000. That leaves approx 45 grams of fat, which is about right because you want to keep them as low as possible on high carb days.
Hi Ben,
Great results! I am so glad to have found this article when I needed that boost to get the six pack. I am trying to do the same but have some questions about no carb days. Are you supposed to eat less than the low carb days (calorie wise)?
What do you plan on doing now that you have a six pack? How do you plan on maintaining them? Are you following a different program now?
Thanks,
Eric
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the comments and I am glad to provide the motivation for you.
In terms of no carb days, I found myself consuming less calories naturally, because there is only so much meat etc that you can realistically eat.
However, you are supposed to increase your ‘good’ fats naturally on these days, so scoops of peanut butter, mixed nuts and virgin olive oil will all contain more calories (9 calories per gram of fat compared to carbs/proteins 4), which should help get your calories up to near the same level as on low carb days.
To be honest I did this project in order to prove to myself I could get a six pack, having never had a true one before. Now I am on the same training program but I have dropped all no carb days and just bear in mind the principles rather than sticking to them strictly and counting every calorie.
I have put weight back on since the end of the project, which is inevitable, but I still hve good abs and am more like these week 6 pictures than my final ones – which I am happy about as they look a lot more natural.
The key thing I took away from the project is that I am only truly ever 6 weeks away from a ‘beach ready’ body, so I am likely to just go back on this type of cutting diet before holidays etc. from now on.
Absolutely phenomenal progress, well done, very inspiring !!
I too effected a similar result to this, by changing my lifestyle around 1 year ago.
I found myself at 41, very unfit, significantly overweight with an expanding waistline, my diet while good at its core featured far too much unhealthy snacking on all manner of junk food from morning to night, and I did zero exercise.
A routine checkup at the doctors revealing I was developing high blood pressure, and that my weight had shot up from a teens to mid thirties steady 82kgs, all the way up to 105kgs was the wake up call I needed.
This was especially galling to me since until my early thirties I’d been a regular gym going health nut.
So to cut to the chase, now at 42, after a year of weight training and high intensity interval training, once per week, yes you read that correctly, once per week, these are my results:
Weight dropped from 105kgs to 85kgs (and still falling)
Waist reduced from a 38″ to a 35″ (and still shrinking)
Have put on muscle, lost considerable fat, gotten stronger, fitter and much healthier
Since muscle is heavier than fat, and that the 20kgs+ of extra weight I was carrying was mainly fat and retained water, and since I’ve visibly gained muscle and become much stronger, the actual fat loss figure must be fairly mind boggling (although I havent attempted to strictly and scientifically calculate it)
I have not dieted at all per se, but rather have changed what I eat and the timing of what I eat: essentially this boils down to zero junk food and as little starch in my diet as possible, i.e. no bread, no rice, no pasta (except 1 delicious bowl of wholeweat noodle soup per day) and no potatoes and none or as little carbs as possible eaten after 7pm.
My diet consists of a variety of meat, fish, eggs, poultry, wholegrains, a little milk, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, water and herbal teas (my own concoctions) and occasional snacking on healthy nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds) and dried fruit.
I love the food I eat, I never go hungry, eating around 6 meals per day, I never count calories and do no food cycling of any kind.
I used to be a sugar craving, chocaholic, crisp loving, cake guzzling biscuit lover.
Now I have zero cravings at all for this type of stuff.
I’m even recently naturally starting to go off the dried fruit, due to its now noticeable (tastewise) sugar content.
I’d say I eat roughly 40% protein, 50% carbs and 10% fat
The results after only 1 year of training roughly once per week are this:
Lost 20kgs overall weight (and still falling regularly)
Waist shrunk from 38″ to 35″ (and still decreasing)
I’ve had to either tailor my old clothes to fit me, but have mostly had to invest in a new wardrobe of smaller sized items.
Most people just dont believe me when they ask me how old I am now, and I’ve noticed a marked difference in the female attention I now get on the tube and when out n about (although I cant really capitalize on this since I’m still with the same beautiful, wonderful girlfriend who’s stuck by me through thick n thin (literally).
I’d highly recommend anyone considering getting into shape to do it, as its one of the most positive changes you can make in your life, and the benefits are all encompassing, both mentally and physically……..as I’m sure Ben also will attest to.
I’d also finish by saying that, by God, brief (15-20 mins) high intensity interval training routines, done once or twice a week are the absolute bomb for fat loss !!!
And when you combine that with brief, progressive resistance weight training routines, the results are staggering, surprising even to yourself.
Hi Ben
Well done on your results! As I’m having trouble putting meals/snacks together for. I would like to know if you could put the excel spreadsheets of your daily food diary online? It would really help me out !
Many thanks,
Maarten
Ben – Firstly, congratulations. I saw the results pictures post first and then spent my next three morning commutes poring over your articles and the comments (really helpful answers by the way, especially giving the sample spreadsheets).
I’m training for the ‘Dirty Weekend’ 20-mile 200 obstacle course in 7 weeks time. I guess I’d like to know:
- You chose not to do cardio, but would this diet still be suitable for me if I’m doing a 5 mile run, one HIIT session and one long-run per week? I’m guessing it would be, but I would have to do the running on high carb days?
- You spell it out in one of your articles, but it strikes me that the hardest thing must have been the preparation to ensure you had the meals available each day. How did you approach this? Take an hour the night before to prepare for the next day? Prepare a lot of it on the Sunday night?
This is a diet that I really want to follow and blog on as the results are truly phenomenal in 6 weeks. Well done!
Hi Ben,
firstly want to congratulate you on your results and having the mental strength to make the changes needed to achieve them, not for the feint hearted! Your guide to training and nutrition is probably the best i have ever read online and i spend a lot of time reading about diet and fitness.
I did have a question on your diet strategy change at week 6. Did you still keep your calories the same (20% deficit against your BMR) even when you upped your carbs and did you keep them consistent irrespective of whether it was a high, low or no carb day?
thanks
Paul
Hello Ben,
Great results, I am going to follow your diet. Could you please explain me why did you chose to switch from classic split to 5 day workouts ? One thing which interests me most is why do you train chest twice a week ? Do you think from monday till friday there is time enough to let the chest take a rest ?
Thanks a lot in advance for assistance,
Kind regards,
Jaro