Chad Byers' Progress Update #2 by Chad Byers

Please note: This is Part III of a series of articles following Chad Byers' quest to gain 30 pounds of muscle in a year. To read/review Part I, please click here. To read/review Part II, please click here.

It has been a month since my last update. Since then, I have gained another 4 lbs. (My current weight is 202 lbs.), but I have changed my diet from the previous month. Last month I had increased my calories steadily, until topping out at 6,000 calories per day, eating solely whole plant-based foods. This was difficult for me to maintain, as I felt heavy and sluggish and was putting on more body fat than I wanted. I was starting to feel soft and was losing muscle definition.

So, I talked with Patrik Baboumian, vegan German strongman, who recently carried 550 kilograms (1,212.54 lbs.) for over 10 meters (32.8 feet) to set a Guinness Book World Record. He told me that I wasn't consuming enough protein, even though my calories were high. He recommended between 200-300 grams per day, and I was only consuming an average of 125 grams per day.

I decided to go back to Intermittent Fasting and see if I could make it work again. So far, it has been working great. I am eating 3 meals per day within an 8 hour feeding window. I am even doing conditioning again every other day! On my conditioning days, my first two meals are green, consisting of fresh green veggie juice (chard, kale, collards, parsley and celery), broccoli, and a salad. My last meal on conditioning days is my largest and consists of Quinoa & Bean Gumbo, a big fruit smoothie (3c rice milk, 6 bananas, 2c blueberries and 2c pineapple), 2 apples and a couple of Lara Bars. I also add protein powder to my smoothies to increase my daily totals to around 250 grams per day. Total calories on conditioning days: 4,500. On strength training days, my first meal is green (same as conditioning day), and my last two meals are fruit smoothies and fruit. Total calories on strength training days: 5,500.

Progress

Workout
This month I have been training using a split routine:
Day 1: Legs (High Rep 8-12)
Day 2: Conditioning
Day 3: Back/Biceps
Day 4: Conditioning
Day 5: Legs (Low Rep 5-6)
Day 6: Conditioning
Day 7: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

You can watch me do my Chest/Shoulders/Triceps workout in the video above.
-Rest 60 seconds between sets

1. KB Bench Press 4 x 12
2. Weighted Bar Dips 4 x 12
3. Pike Press 4 x 12
4. Close Grip Plate Press 3 x 10 (Drop set/no rest)

You'll also see me make this Quinoa & Bean Gumbo in the above video. Here are the ingredients:

1. 1/2c vegetable broth
2. 1c quinoa
3. 1 can beans
4. 1/4 cup salsa
5. 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
6. 1tsp curry powder
7. 1tsp cumin
8. 1tsp spices

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 650
Protein: 37 g
Carbs: 114 g
Fat: 8