[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by eliosgator

Thanks Chico and thefreak for your help about body fat measurements.
The information you displayed was very explicit.

Anytime my friend.......we are here to help each other out!!!!!

[fmoncas]

This is the Update for Week 15.........................(196.4@ 3.78% bF )

Ok Guys as you can remember I was not able to post my update for week 14 (technical difficulties with the gadget LOL!!) But here it is the update for last week

In summary I can say that I am satisfied with the results!!! I am in the same point (same BF) where I stopped my cutting last year and I am 11 lbs heavier. However this time I will keep going for 6 more weeks to see if I can get my all-time best condition. I am planning to stop when my caliper reads 2% .....(this will put me around 5% Real BF).

Also I want to mention the following:

1.I have noticed that once you have 12 or more weeks of dieting the body seems to be inclined to burn muscles instead of fat. So I don’t think that I will ever go above 10% while bulking. It feels great to look huge and lift 50-60 more lbs on the off-season but if you are planning to be a competitive bodybuilder and get to very low body-fat levels it is important in my opinion to keep a decent bf. This will help you to save more muscle mass and get even leaner. In the future i will focus on increasing my lean mass and not just my body-weight.

2.Also for all the people that are cutting for the first time I want to say that from 13% BF to 9% (aprox) you are in some kind of “Limbo Zone” where you basically don’t see any changes in the mirror but you look and feel smaller (Scale is going down and T-shirts feel loose and on top of that people start commenting that you are loosing size) it make me mad just to think about that !!! LOL!! .........Anyways what I am trying to say is that you don’t have to get disappointed and don’t even think about quitting......just keep going. It is part of the process because once you get to 8% and below you will see the improvements every single week and you will look better and better as you get leaner (even bigger with no t-shirt)

Finally going back to my subject........i think that I have a little water retention problem but I will see if in the next few week gets better. I am “not” knowledgeable in this subject (water retention) I do know what water is though!! Jejej ...........Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between water retention and maybe the last few pounds of fat........However my instinct tell me that I am lean enough to be able to see my abs clearly. (my Ab Skinfold is around 7-8 mm) Well... if this doest improve in the next few weeks.... I will have to request Layne’s help.....i hope he is not to busy at that point!!!!

Thanks guys for reading and check the attachment for the details

Have a nice day

[Freak]

Your numbers are looking great! Thanks for the advice!

[lil_big_junior]

great numbers defo. well done bro

[fmoncas]

DeFReak / Lil big Junior...................thank you guys for your support!!!

[lil_big_junior]

anytime bro

[fmoncas]

Hello guys.............i haven’t posted in the last few days....i have been very busy and tired (almost brain death) jajajaj The diet is getting harder and harder to complete.......the chicken, the fish, the oatmeal...everything is driving me crazy.......but I need to keep going............ Also I have been thinking a lot about the competition (May 26) and I have decided that i will do the best I can to compete......at first I was not convinced but I have been talking to some friends and they have persuaded me to participate.....they said that I have nothing to loose........ and that I have been doing a big sacrifice in the last 15 weeks and that it is worth it to try and get the experience. However it is my first time and I am doing this all by my self which is something that worries me!!!. I wish I had the chance to get a trainer to help me out but here it is not an option. Most trainers are self taught on old school type of training (High volume, high frequency training) they also train people that use juice. (Not exactly what would wok for me)

On the other hand.... I am my own worst critic and for me I am not close to get the condition that I would like to display.......some days I feel flat and very small and I know that I will have to loose some muscle if I want to look ripped on stage......this worries me because I still got to loose the water too..........Also there are many questions and doubts that are running constantly thru my mind that makes me hesitate specially during my low carb-days LOL!

These are a few things that I have been thinking in the last 2 days.....and I took my decision. So in order to improve my condition I will follow a cardio program for the next 5 weeks (I already started this week) as you know I have been experimenting but I don’t have time to do it any more......so I decided to follow this program no matter what happen. The program will consist in doing “Slow Intensity cardio” 6-7 days a week (treadmill speed 3 mph) ......also I will increase the time every week (5 minutes more every day).

Compete at this point in my life it is a real challenge....i am working from 6.30am to 5.30pm. (6 days per week) and then I got to workout and do cardio, prepare my meals, practice posing on Sundays...........So there is not enough time to rest and sleep!!! Well life is a challenge and every time you accomplish something difficult the reward is great......i may not win in this competition, I may not look the way I want....but If I compete I will already have won!!! For me this is the first competition of many to come....and this is the first step in the ladder!!! Usually the first step is the most difficult to make....but we got to do it if we want to keep advancing and progressing.

Thanks for reading guys......in the attachment you will find the cardio program that I will use. If you have any comments that will point me in the right direction please let me know

Regards,

Francisco

[lil_big_junior]

before the comp id strongely advise u to take some time of work...maybe about a month to get geared up...i know how the stress of work effects your w\o mode, & the way u think...bigtime, so take some time out for yourself bro...u look great, & u are ready u just need to believe it...we all have our off days, its only natural...keep your head up bro

[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by lil_big_junior

before the comp id strongely advise u to take some time of work...maybe about a month to get geared up...i know how the stress of work effects your w\o mode, & the way u think...bigtime, so take some time out for yourself bro...u look great, & u are ready u just need to believe it...we all have our off days, its only natural...keep your head up bro

Thank you my friend!!!!

[eliosgator]

You can make it man. You have done an awesome job so far, and you can keep it going till the very end. If you have a part of your body that you feel you need to improve, keep in mind that the bodybuilders competing you have weaknesses too, no one is perfect.

[Freak]

I am very confident come competition time you will be dry and shredded to the bone.

[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by thefreak350

I am very confident come competition time you will be dry and shredded to the bone.

Thank you!!!!.....you guys are really amazing!!!! i wont disappoint you!!! Lets kick some ass

[fmoncas]

What’s up guys!!!

I didn’t have the chance to post yesterday....i was very busy working on a new diet that I am going to start doing today!!! I am 5 weeks from my competition and I will be working with Layne to get in contest shape! The new Diet is based on Layne’s recommendations.....he Decreased my protein intake and want me to re-feed on my back and rear delt days. According to him my back need the most improvements. (I trust him!!) Also I will be doing the same cardio protocol as far as low intensity + 2 high intensity interval sessions on my off days. At first I was a little afraid of loosing mass but he knows way more than any of us.....so I will follow all his recommendations. If he wants me to jump with one foot I will jump with on foot jajajajajj just kidding......

With Layne on my side I am sure I will show my best package on stage even though I will be competing against chemically enhanced athletes...... If I can get ripped to the bone and dry they will have a hard time with me on stage. As I told you before the level of the competitors here are not the best so if I am the best I can be I will give them a good battle. On the other hand Layne want me to get down to 185-187 lbs...At first I thought that I was going to look thin at that weight but again he has seen hundred of competitors and he knows how I should look like!!!!

Also I still have the same problem in my lower abs .....it is like a small bump around my belly bottom!! I guess that it will disappears as I get leaner and drop some water weight.....Also Definition in the last 2 weeks has improved a lot ...i have received good comments at the gym about my appearance.....however everything that I am wearing at the gym fits really loose jajaj........i am getting smaller and smaller...LOL!

Ok guys......take care and thanks for your support

Francisco

[Freak]

That's aweome! I'm marking my calendar. I can't wait to see your contest pics. You will look great!

[lil_big_junior]

expect nothing but gold...u deserve it, you're looking great brother

[cmart315]

Man that's awesome to hear Francisco. I can't wait to see how shredded you look on stage because you definitely will be!!

[absboy]

go for it my friend i will be with u all the way until u a holding that gold medal over ur head. dont dispear u have layne on ur side. the bloke knows what his doing so what ever he says obey, he should get u in the best shape of ur life. good luck buddy.

[fmoncas]

Thank you guys !!!! i will give my best shot to get in top shape. i am confident that with layne´s help i will achieve a great condition!!

i am 5 weeks from the competition and this is the final push...so i will be woking harder to make it happens. This comming week i will be doing slow intensity cardio 5 times/week (40min) + 2 High intensity Intervals (17min total) twice a week on off days.

ok guys take care and thanks!!!!!

[eliosgator]

Francisco, good news buddy. It's obvious that Layne pushed your self esteem all teh way to the summit. That’s what you needed man, that will help you a lot in achieving your goals. All the best for you, and thanks for Layne.

[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by eliosgator

Francisco, good news buddy. It's obvious that Layne pushed your self esteem all teh way to the summit. That’s what you needed man, that will help you a lot in achieving your goals. All the best for you, and thanks for Layne.

Hey elie....thanks man!! i will give my best shot

[fmoncas]

Hey guys i took these pictures today....i didnt have time to take more....As you will see my definition is improving little by little....now that i am leaner i can see the changes every week.

My Back is my weak point but if i can get it sliced by competition day i will have a good chance to compensate my lack of size in there.

i haven't check my weight this week....i will do it tomorrow's....however one of my friends told me ..."get rid of that **** now (the scale) and go by the mirror" He is probably right in some degree because some times we got worried to much about how much we weight and "no" about how we look.....During the contest the judges wont care about my weight but about my look.......So i will be checking the scale just to see if i am losing what i supposed to be loosing per week to meet my weight class.

alright guys take care..

[Freak]

I am sure you notice that you are getting smaller because of your shirts not fitting as they used to but you are looking really good to me. You definitely look a lot bigger than the last time you cut.

Keep up the good work!

[fmoncas]

Thank you thefreak.....

Guys this is the Cardio/Training Split for this week i will be doing 40 minute sessions. This is a 5 minute increase per day from last week....Check the attachment

On the other hand....I have been feeling hungrier than usual. Also the weights at the gym seem to feel heavier......and sometimes the pump is gone no matter what I do. This is caused probably by the lack of calories in my system but I just keep giving my best shot everyday! In addition I have notice a little pain in my elbow that came from nowhere!!!!! I wake up the yesterday with that ache on my left arm......... Layne in his recommendations advised me to get Glucosamine but I haven’t got it yet because it is hard to get it here. Probably he knew that I was going to need it........Maybe the joints are more prone to injury when we are lean and dieting hard. I don’t know!...... But I will be more careful at the gym in order to not to hurt my self

Take care

Have a nice day

[lil_big_junior]

yep u look ready defos...great thickness overall

[cmart315]

You're def. looking ready. Don't forget to shave those arms!

[str8flexed]

Originally Posted by fmoncas

Thank you thefreak.....

Guys this is the Cardio/Training Split for this week i will be doing 40 minute sessions. This is a 5 minute increase per day from last week....Check the attachment

On the other hand....I have been feeling hungrier than usual. Also the weights at the gym seem to feel heavier......and sometimes the pump is gone no matter what I do. This is caused probably by the lack of calories in my system but I just keep giving my best shot everyday! In addition I have notice a little pain in my elbow that came from nowhere!!!!! I wake up the yesterday with that ache on my left arm......... Layne in his recommendations advised me to get Glucosamine but I haven’t got it yet because it is hard to get it here. Probably he knew that I was going to need it........Maybe the joints are more prone to injury when we are lean and dieting hard. I don’t know!...... But I will be more careful at the gym in order to not to hurt my self

Take care

Have a nice day

Yes joints are more prone to pain/injury.

As of now the energy deficit is to be somewhat expected, but you've got to tough it out. You have to realize that EVERYONE who gets in shape for a show goes through this... what is going to separate you from them is you have to keep going and push through it when everyone else quits. When you get tired at the gym and feel like you can't do another set you have to ask yourself "Am I working harder than anyone I'm going to be standing next to?" If you don't know the answer to that question then you are in trouble.

-Layne

[Freak]

Do the things other's don't to place where others won't.

Keep music, photos, quotes, around you that will keep you inspired.

You want to think of how you will look on stage and have no regrets.

[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by lil_big_junior

yep u look ready defos...great thickness overall

Thank man!!!

[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by cmart315

You're def. looking ready. Don't forget to shave those arms!

LOL! Sure I will shave them!!! I don’t want to do it now because I want to avoid people asking stupid questions in the jobsite. But I sure will get rid of all this hair.........

Thanks man

[fmoncas]

Originally Posted by str8flexed

Yes joints are more prone to pain/injury.

As of now the energy deficit is to be somewhat expected, but you've got to tough it out. You have to realize that EVERYONE who gets in shape for a show goes through this... what is going to separate you from them is you have to keep going and push through it when everyone else quits. When you get tired at the gym and feel like you can't do another set you have to ask yourself "Am I working harder than anyone I'm going to be standing next to?" If you don't know the answer to that question then you are in trouble.

-Layne

Layne thanks for replying.......i already placed an order to get Glucosamine I believe that I will have it here in 7-10 days. Also thank you for the advice it is great to have somebody with your experience and knowledge on my side. I am putting all I have in my workouts and cardio!!! But I will definitely remember your words the next time I feel lethargic and down in the gym!!! Thanks again!!