So, in part 1 we went over the first few weeks of my cutting process (Part one can be found here). Things seems to be going well and I am losing a few pounds from not doing anything too crazy. As you know I have been cutting out carbs on non-training days, upping my cardio a bit, and making sure I eat appropriately for the type of training I am doing that day. That is all about to change. Now I am roughly 10 days out of weigh in days and it is time to bring the suck. This is where I begin cutting carbs all together. The bulk of my training is done, and the work I have been doing for about 20 weeks is in the books. To put in in the framework of school, this is the point a few periods before your big test. If you don’t know it now, you just don’t know it. I am still training at a moderate weight and intensity to keep my body active and central nervous system primed. I am just not moving the same weights as I was because I am not eating as much, and I do not want to risk hurting myself in this state. Simple bodyweight stuff or small percentages of my 1 rep max are what I am focusing on. I like to call this the “No Fun Zone” because carbs are delicious and I miss them.
As I mentioned before, nutrition is focusing in on very lean protein, residual carbs from our friends the green-leafy veggies we all know and love, and a few extra servings of healthy fats as mentioned in part 1. Cardio stays the same as that seems to be working well at its prescribed quantity. If the weight is not coming off as fast as it needs to I may increase it by a few sessions a week or a few extra minutes per session. Again, nothing crazy yet because we do not want to kick our own ass too close to this contest. This is the time where I start to feel “weak” both physically and mentally. The light weights in the gym feel super heavy and the overall feeling of being tired begins to take over most my day. This is normal for a few reasons. Reason one is that I am cutting out carbs. These have been my energy source for quite a long time, and anytime that I try to reduce them, I always feel like crap. Secondly, I am in a large calorie deficit from my restricted eating as well as my increased cardio. This is again par for the course and something that comes with dieting down. Nothing to fear and especially nothing that a carb reload day (after weigh ins) won’t fix.
Stay tuned to SamBrownStrength.com for Part 3 of my Cutting Routine and join me on the Road to Nationals 2017.
Will I make it? . . . Will I fall on my face? . . . Make sure to follow along and find out! . . . Follow my Instagram @sambrownStrength for daily updates! . . #22in22 #roadtonationals . .
Sam Brown