Gaia, good luck if you decide to compete this year! Thanks for the long reply - lots of things for me to think about.
I'll probably start a new log in September, after my 2 upcoming vacations. My training is SO different now! I'm currently bulking, until I reach a goal of about 162-165 pounds. The plan is to then maintain my body fat percentage in the 14-15% range until my first contest. After that, my trainer wants to keep it at about 12-13% off-season so that cutting will become easier. As of last week, I was 150 lbs and 19% body fat. I have a lot of work ahead of me.
I'm currently eating 3,000 calories per day, about 160-200 grams of protein, 15-20% of calories from fat - no processed sugar, processed flours, alcohol (except the rare glass of wine). I could go lower on the protein intake but I'm having a hard enough time eating the sheer volume of food and most of the lower fat/higher calorie foods are also higher in protein (seitan, tofu, oats).
My workout routines change all the time and include some techniques that I haven't used before. An example would be: Leg extensions with legs extended for 50 seconds, followed by 50 reps - repeat for 5 sets. I've also been doing a LOT of posing. Sessions have been lasting for approximately 2 hours, 3 times per week (back/biceps or shoulders, chest/triceps, legs). I do either biceps or shoulders on my own and one leg day on my own. Abs are in there about 3x per week.
I cannot say enough good things about my trainer so I won't try. Except that he's the most experienced, knowledgeable, inspirational trainer I have ever worked with - and he looks awesome at age 55. I feel like the last year was spent wandering in the dark compared to this past week! When I consider the money I've spent on trainers in the past and their knowledge/experience compared to my new trainer - well, I've wasted a lot of time and money.
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Currently reading
"Woman: An Intimate Geography" by Natalie Angier. Every woman (and man) should read this book. The chapters on aggression and muscle are very empowering and the chapters on estrogen and testosterone are eye-opening. I wish this book had been around when I was in my 20s. Most fascinating was her mention of a theory for human menopause as necessary for raising children. Forget about meat or agriculture being the reason we have big, complex brains - it's all the work our past grandmothers put into foraging for food and raising us while our mothers had a younger sibling nursing. I could go on and on about this book. Just read it!
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crazy strong that is! good for you. that sounds like a very different kind of workout. you just amaze and amaze.
