Ab Definition
reps
Ab Definition
Two Month Bulk
I’ve got loads to talk about !
Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, Canada East
Last week marked two months into my bulking process and I’ve pretty much enjoyed it. Initially my plan was to bulk until the beginning of August (3 months total), however, if you’ve read my story (how I started loosing weight), you’ll know that I haven’t seen a flat tummy or a lean body since before high school. So basically, never. I’m not sure how my muscle gains look without my fat. I’m not sure if I’ll like how I look with the muscle I have now or if I’ll want more. I only think I want more, but I could be wrong (I highly doubt it !). In any case I’ve decided to shed some pounds of fat and do a mini cut to see how I’m going, in any case it’ll be better to continue bulking from a leaner base once I’m done with this.
Left (Now) Right (Before)
Left (Before) Right (Now)
Top (Before) Bottom (Now)
In order to kick start my cut, I entered the C-CAM 7.5k to Portland Cottage, Clarendon with my cycle club (FnT) marshalling the event. Guys, I didn’t know just what I was in for. Yeah I used to run 1.2 miles daily a couple months back, yeah I’ve entered 5ks in the past, but this was nothing compared to that. Training to run long distances is quite different from sprints or weightlifting. There’s a technique to it, one I didn’t really have. Instead I just chanted to myself “Don’t fall on your face !” and “Do it for yourself not for the people watching !” and “Do it so you can say you accomplished it !” ….. and I DID IT ! Before I pop the results let me just say high school track athletes entered and left me in the dust, that was inevitable. Out of 53 finishers I came in 21st, finishing as the 7th fastest female with a time of 50 minutes. To me, this is a terrible time lol but I know it was my best effort given that I hadn’t trained. The shock from the run left my mid and lower half tense and wobbly and I retained literally, I kid you not, 3 whopping lbs of water for the next two days. I’m glad I did it though.
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This week will be my transition week in terms of both exercise regime and diet. I’ve switched to full body exercises, still heavy, so my trainer can better access my progress and next week I’ll go into new exercises to train the same body parts and also focus more on my weak points …. my butt, hams and triceps essentially. By next week I should also have decided on some additional cardio. Currently I’m dancing three days a week (3-4 hours at a time) and on some weekends I know I’ll have cycling/running events. I have a feeling my body will need some more work to jump start this process.
As for food I’ve reduced my calories to 1700 for the past two days and by the end of the week I should be down to 1300 to begin a true caloric deficit. I’m still working out what will be a good split for my macros. Some research shows 40/40/40 (protein, carbs, fat) works well but I’m still looking around. I’ve also been looking into carb cycling. Essentially it’s a dieting technique in which a low calorie diet is maintained with your carb intake being higher than others on specific days, for example, alternating days or weight lifting days or heavy/strenuous lifting days such as legs days. Pros such as Scooby, Michael Kory and Chris Jones of POG have been sources of information.
My SkinnyThick: DanceFit sessions have been going on and today makes my 4th class. Here’s a clip from my first session and some pics … Oh ! And tell your friends !!!!
-SkinnyThickGoalsJamaica
Awesome Whey !
Last Friday marked the end of two weeks working out with Bruce and Awesome Whey! Usually, I go through a struggle with myself during each workout, wondering why I’m even putting myself through this pain, and then by time the workout is over I’m back to my old self feeling glad that I did it. These past two weeks have been different. Instead of just having that daily struggle, I feel like I’m going through some sort of mental agony ! By the time Wednesday rolls around I start considering passing up on the gym and thinking that I’m crazy to put my body through this kind of stress. Bruce may train me with similar routines but the few new exercises and increases in weight take a toll on my mind. Plus, his techniques aim for maximum contraction in the shortest time possible so a lot of his sets are super sets/combinations of exercises so it becomes very taxing on the body. Finally Friday rolls around and the weightlifting week is over. Then, something happens. The pain wears off and I start to believe that it’s all worth it again. I feel refreshed to go back to the gym on Monday and I can’t wait to kick ass. Well ….. that’s how I’m feeling at this very moment lol. Ready to get back in the game tomorrow.
Khadeem – Gym Patron and High School Friend
Bruce – Gym Trainer and High School Friend
I also spent the weekend looking back at some progress pics for motivation and I’m really beginning to see some change. My arms are toning up and so is my back, which I’m very excited about (pics are a month and a half apart). I’ve seen less change in my legs however. I’ve learned that my quads far outshine my hamstrings and glutes and that I need to put in extra special work in those areas. As a result, I’ll be training those muscles a lot harder than my quads. I’m looking to get that slight separation between all three muscle groups in addition to increased size.
Arms
Left (Before) Right (Now)
Top (Before) Below (Now) although the bottom pic better shows my lats than my arms
Bicep GROWTH
I’ve been monitoring my diet and weight as always. Some days I can hit my macros well enough, other days I’m a little over or under. Depending on when I weigh in relation to my cardio routines, I’m hovering between 135lbs and 137lbs. This is 2lbs over my last weigh in a little over a month ago, which is good .. some may say great even. the bulk seems to be working. But as you know, I like to freak out when it comes to gaining weight (see last post). I’ve already had my experience with being overweight and I’m not prepared to go back to that lifestyle. I never will. So I’m thinking of tweaking my diet a bit. Instead of keeping my macros the same throughout the week, I’ll be reducing my weekly carb intake by about 20g, but keeping my carbs higher on the days I train my legs (by about 30-35g). This way I remain in an anabolic state for growth without loosing protein gains.
Ackee and Fried Dumplin
Fricassee Chicken
Shepherds Pie
Shepherds Piee
Protein Shake
Protein Pancakes and Stuffed Spinach and Tomato Cheese Omelet
Once I’m happy with my bulking stage, I’ll move to the cutting stage in which I’ll do a proper carb cycling diet and bumping up the cardio. Right now I’m gyming Monday-Friday with my cardio days being Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during which time I dance. I’m a dancing nerd in case you didn’t know so for the summer I’m teaching sessions on Tuesdays and continuing to learn latin styles on those same three days (my favourites are Salsa and Kizomba). In fact, I keep walking around with this one latin song stuck in my head. Dancing and gym are pretty much all I’ve been doing with my summer so far and I’m quite happy with that.
Lots of people have been asking me lately why I want to bulk, then cut, saying “Oh you’re fine just the way you are!” or “I love the way you look already” or “Isn’t that going to make you look like a man ?!??!?!!!?!” or “I don’t like that coming from a girl” ….. but I’ll leave that for my next post. Till then, au revoir ….. and … COME TO MY DANCE CLASSES!
-SkinnyThickGoalsJAMAICA
LIVE! In Jamaica
I got busy guys so I forgot to post (I’m pretty off schedule with this). I’m pretty off schedule with a lot lately, especially my food. It’s been …. quite honestly … annoying trying to find the right foods to fill my diet each day. Getting the right ratio of carbs to protein to fats was proving to be a challenge. One day carbs would be under and fats far over, the next fats are fine but carbs are flying sky high. Also, given my goal to gain 5-6 pounds by mid-end August my caloric intake needed some adjusting. That being said I’ve bumped up to a solid 2000 calories a day, with a 48 27 25 split (240g carbs 135g protein 55 grams fat).
Here beginneth my stories:
Call me crazy but I had a mini freak out when I weighed in one morning at 137lbs ……. 2 MONTHS ahead of time ! I left Trinidad at 133-133.5lbs and I’ve only been here two weeks. That was immediate cause for concern. I messaged my friends and they told me I was going crazy. Truth is although I was binging a bit (cookies that one day, ice cream three days in a row .. don’t judge me, I needed to get it out of the house) my body/bowel movements were still returning to normal after travelling home and it’s possible I was also retaining a lot of water due to my increase in weights at the gym. I freaked out of course ! No worries now … I’m getting it handled though. Keeping my foods simple and whole is one good way and portion size will definitely play a roll. I’ll have to remember to cut back on my drinks too  – empty, wasted carbs.
This morning, after yesterday’s gym session, dance class and Salsa night, I weighed in empty at 135.2lbs, which I’m much happier to accept. In the event that I do start to gain too fast it’s a simple matter of increasing cardio and decreasing carbs/fats.
As for my gyming this will be my second week at AWESOME WHEY ! Yeah that’s really the name of the gym lol and it’s great. Trainer Bruce Chin was my schoolmate and look at him now, SWOLEÂ and leading generations into a new fitness age with his techniques. I’ve stuck to my 5 day split with the addition of exercises and techniques. I’ve experienced drop sets, pyramids, high rep-low weight, low rep-high weight, Â but this technique was new. I use it primarily in my upper body workout for chest and shoulders.
Seems to me like it’s a mini dropset and the routine is as follows:
1 set Tricep Kickbacks for 10 then another set for 10 reps with a 2 second hold at the top of the contraction, using 10lbs then 2lbs then 12 lbs then 4lbs then 15lbs then 8 lbs, in that order, for a total of 6 sets.
Another routine is:
Shoulder Press for 10 reps then straight into Chest Flys for another 10 reps to make 1 set using 10lbs, 12lbs and 15lbs for a total of 3 sets.
What are your thoughts on these techniques ???
Till the next post guys I’ll be off enjoying my vacation …. have fun on your fitness journey !
-SkinnyThickGoalsInJAMAICA
NEVER Back Down
SKINNYTHICK: DANCE FIT
Less than 3 weeks before my first class ! I’m so excited. And the first class is FREE !
PRESENTING ….
I’ve been a dancer my entire life and I thoroughly enjoy every bit of it. The performance, the rehearsal, the styles, the sweat, the comradery, it was all fun and my passion for it has never left. When I set out to lose weight, I motivated myself by incorporating dancing into my physical activities. I took part in Zumba, performances at church and school and was thrilled when asked to choreograph pieces. I’ve had training in contemporary, folk, religious, jazz, dancehall and most recently, I picked up latin.
With that, I realised that fusing dance and fitness would be a fun way to stay healthy. It was also a useful stepping stone for me to ramp up my fitness routine and also a good break from the gym life when I needed to rest. I found classes such as these beneficial to me and so I’ve decided to host my own.
Join me every Tuesday for June and July at Afya Yoga Studio, where we’ll dance our way to fitness. We’ll sweat, we’ll laugh, we’ll have a good time.
Gym Gains !
Hi, me again !
Today was … LEG DAY, my worst and favourite day of the week. I say it’s my worst because it causes serious fatigue, but it’s also my favourite because this is one of the muscle groups I’m seriously focusing on. I want my legs to grow, and because of that I’ve scheduled my week to allow me to train them more than once.
The Resurrection Of SkinnyThickGoals
I’m back. I really am this time. Exams and stress had me so tied down but the semester is almost over (T-minus 10 days and 3 exams to go !). I’m looking forward to summer and I actually got a workout revitalization cause …. I’m back in the gym !! Finally finally finally and I honestly couldn’t be more excited. Got a gym crew to move with and it’s a true source of knowledge and inspiration. I’m getting on my mission at last and it starts with a bulk, then a cut. Fancy sounding to the beginnings yes, but I’ll explain soon. All will be revealed. Instead of making this one a long post I’ll make mini posts and link them throughout the blog post (look out for the coloured links). Quite a bit has changed in regards to my nutrition and routine over the last two and a half weeks, so here’s how it goes:
Workout Routines (Old and New)
So a few people have been asking me how I started out weight training and what routine I’m using now. The two are quite different so I’ll list and explain my previous and current workouts for the week. Here we go !
Rectify and Re-address … THE MISSING FILES
So, I have been behind in posting for QUITE some time now, and rather than backdate my posts and bust my brain trying to figure out all that happened, I’m just going to summarise the last three weeks in this one post. Brace yourselves.
#skinnythickgoals 