kick in the door...

As reality started to set in, the job search effort went up exponentially. But even though I probably have resumes out to about 40 or so jobs, I have yet to receive any really solid leads. It wasn't until a conversation with my friend caused me to realize that my problem has never been my skills, effort, or work ethic. My problem lies in getting my foot in the door. And the funny thing is, this trend is not just limited to my job search, but on many aspects of my life. Let me explain.

As far back as I can remember, I have always been pretty shy. However, once you are able to break my mold, or maybe get into my trust zone, I am a pretty loud, outspoken, and maybe even annoying person. haha I will speak my mind, give advice, and possibly not shut up until you tell me to. I will basically spill my guts and talk until every idea is out of my damn head. But, this is only after the ice has been broken and I get comfortable. Breaking the ice has always been a tough thing for me.

Speaking of breaking the ice, let's talk about girls. Girls have never really been my super strong point. And as far as "club game," I would have to pretty much admit that I suck. Club game is basically breaking the ice the entire night with random people, once again, my kryptonite. Get a few drinks in me, and this entire situation changes, but that's not the point of this blog, so I'll talk about that another time. Once again, I have no problems once I actually start talking to someone, but the whole conversation starter part. Death. Sh*t just does not work in my favor. I sometimes wish it did, but its pretty much just luck if it does happen.

Now back to the original topic. Once I get that interview, I am pretty confident that I can nail it and get that job. But getting the interview from my resume seems to be the tough part right now. Getting my foot in that damn door is the huge killer and playing this waiting game pretty mcuh kills me. I know that I can kill that interview, but I just need a chance.

The fucked up part is that I feel this way about a whole lot of shit. Not just the things I mentioned in this blog. I always feel like I am the underdog, and I have a ton to offer the world, but am not always given a fair shot. I guess that is where the determination to prove myself or prove everyone else wrong comes from. The reason that I am never satisfied with things or never pleased. The reason that I may have a chip on my shoulder and get defensive sometimes. But knowing that you are better than what appears on the outside or knowing that there is more than what people physically see, should give you that drive to showcase your talents and abilities.

Slightly off topic. I love my short hair and shaving my head. I am planning on getting a few tattoos. This probably sounds like it does not help my situation too much, but its me. Is it worth sacrificing who you are, just because some people are unwilling to learn who you are? Not in my book.

who are you?

Do you ever wonder why you met someone or why they are a part of your life? We may consider some of our friends/acquaintances/family, the best in the world. But, there are also some people that remain in your life somehow, even if they are probably no good for you. It may sound confusing, but think about it a little bit. Aren't there a few people who you regularly communicate with that really do you no good? Or people that are your friends, but are there mostly to take, take, and take, and never really give back? I'm not talking about physical things like gifts, but more like knowledge, wisdom, etc. The relationship is so one sided that its almost like you are more of a teacher, rather than the friend you are supposed to be.

As I get older and further from the social life of going to bars and clubs on a regular basis, I notice that my social network has significantly shrunk. I find myself hanging out with pretty much the same people all the time. The circle has definitely shrunk. The funny thing is, even though I meet less people now compared to when I was back in college, I am way more selective in who I keep around and who I choose to hang out with. Shouldn't it have been the other way around? Shouldn't I have been more selective when I had more people around me? No idea. But when times get a little tough, as I feel they are getting right now in my life, I am curious to see who is going to help me out of this rut and who will basically disappear.

its not too late...

Like I said yesterday, this year has definitely flew by, and I was feeling like I had accomplished nothing this entire year. Until tonight, when my friend Elisa, pointed something out to me. See, Elisa and I have been having these common thoughts throughout the year, basically going along with the theme of finding our true selves. If nothing, 2009 was definitely a year in which I was able to finally break out of my shell and somewhat act like myself.

I am definitely at the point where I am tired of trying to please my parents and society and just do what I want to do. I tried the whole engineering gig, which was a good job on paper, but something that I really did not enjoy. The hardest part about all of this is the standard of life that I gave myself while earning that engineering money. Now that I am unemployed and starting all over, the entire process is starting to get a little stressful for me. The fear of failure and ending up depending on others to help me live my life, is terrifying. It stresses me out and sometimes I get near that point where I am ready to cave in and go back to where I was miserable, for the sake of making my own income again.

2009 was a year of finding myself and I need to keep that optimistic point of view going into 2010.

32 days...

32 days til 2010. Is it just me, or did 2009 really just fly by? I feel like I have made a lot of new changes in my life and the way I am living life these days, but somehow still feel like it is a work in progress. I mean, are we ever going to be satisfied? Everyone always says those words, but how much truth is there within that statement? It seems like every time I feel like I am doing something right, something else comes along and I feel like I am doing everything wrong, and it is time to start from scratch all over again (I am sure some of you who read this saw my twitter/facebook post about this a few days back). Anyway, the most important thing going on in my life right now is my pending career change. I am making the move from the cubicle to something that is more personally fulfilling. The goal is to be a physical therapist, but who knows where I will end up once I finish all those science pre-requisites. All I know, is that my passion lies in the health industry.

But speaking on living life, why is it human nature for all of us to critique each other's lives? Why do we always feel the need to help other people with how they are living their life? Is it really our business? We all make choices based on what WE feel is in our best interest, but there is always some person out there who will tell you that you are wrong. But are your really wrong? How can something you feel good about be wrong? Being a stubborn mf'er myself, I will argue my choies til the death of me. It may sound stupid, but sometimes, I would rather learn the consequences myself, rather than hear about what COULD happen. That is what makes life interesting and fun. Its what causes emotions,feelings, and gives us excitement. If you want to irritate me and see my mood change instantly, try telling me what to do or how to live my life. The smoke will start flowing from my ears and nostrils. haha

Anyway, had a great weekend back in nor cal seeing all my friends and family. I definitely miss the company and comfort of nor cal, but know that I have unfinished business still down here in so cal. The drive back was a long, dark and cold one, but I had a lot of good music that I had forgotten about keeping me company. Had that Alicia Keys song on repeat for a few spins, and can't wait for that new album to come out.

random unspoken word...11/13 - 11/15

-I need friends and family in my life. I don't care if my friends are not successful, if they hate working out, or are content with working in a cubicle for the rest of their lives. They are my friends because of who they are, and how they make me feel, not because they can hook me up with something.









-Manny Pacquiao destroyed Miguel Cotto this weekend. Cotto was beat by a better fighter; plain and simple. Anyone who thinks Cotto ran away from Pacquiao is an idiot. Cotto was knocked down twice by the 4th round and was clearly affected by Pacman's speed. If you were knocked down twice and could not see your opponent's punches coming, can you honestly say you wouldn't be a little more cautious while fighting? Didn't think so.





-Once again, the topic of marriage and kids seems to come up in my recent conversations with friends. No, not me getting married or having kids, but my friends. I'd say its almost evenly split between one half being ready and the other half being far from ready. In any case, the most interesting bit of conversation went like this:

"How'd you know she was the one?"
"I don't know." (laughs all around the table) "Wait, its like an 80/20 thing. 80% is good and 20% is bad. But the 20% is not so bad anymore."
"You mean, you can like brush off that 20% and it doesn't bug you?"
"Yeah, pretty much."

haha...i thought that was pretty funny and a good way to put it...

sh*t don't fit!

during my morning cardio this morning, i had a very interesting conversation about fashion with the manager of one of those trendy boutique stores here in long beach...and aside from talking about what her occupation entails and style in general, we got to talking about the public perception of the human figure...

something i pointed out/realized was that 20 years ago...what was considered skinny is now considered average...society is supposed to advance as time goes right?...but what about the human figure?...yes, our athletes are getting bigger, faster, and stronger, but why are our models getting thinner, weaker, and looking more worn out?...i could probably go on and on with the numerous health problems they may all have, but that would be stating the obvious...c'mon...how many models have you seen photographed with a cigarette in their mouth or a drink in their hand?...probably far more than any pictures of them eating a burger or working out...

but the problem doesn't really lie with these models lifestyles, its the image that women are now trying to live up to...and its not just at home staring in the mirror...it is everywhere...from magazine covers, to the clothing stores...have you noticed how the new styles in womens fashion seem to gravitate towards the rail thin, and the more regular size women are being forced to shop or purchase clothing that either may not necesarily fit them correctly or that they are not 100% completely happy with...but when these ladies hit up that clothing store and the size 2 that fit them a few years ago no longer fits, even though they have not really gained weight, imagine the psychological effect that it has on them...not necesarily their fault that a size 2 now is more like a size 0 from a few years back...

i see nothing wrong with these 2 "average" size girls below..do you?...;)

we are, yes i said it, we are...

last night, i was able to partake in one of the best concerts i have been to in my entire life. JAY-Z! aside from the amazing performance on stage, jay-z's life is a site to behold. this man is a multi-millionaire, entrepreneur, and pretty much the face of hip hop to the mainstream. everyone from oprah to the president admire this man, so when he has something to say, most of us should probably pay attention and try to get the message.

the CLEAR message to me last night, was to follow your dreams no matter what. ignore the haters and do what you believe in. i seem to have these frequent episodes, where my confidence gets shaken. and up until this morning, it never really registered who my haters were. haters are not just the people who get in the way or tell you that you are crazy for what you are thinking. haters are the people who do NOT believe in you. haters are those friends and family members who try to talk you out of what you are trying to do. what makes them different? friends and family are the people who are SUPPOSED to believe in you. friends and family are the ones who are supposed to stick with you through thick and thin. friends and family are the ones who have the biggest influence in your life. who cares if john or jane doe says that you can't do it. when your best friend or your mom or dad or sibling says you can't do it, that is the opinion that sticks. that is the opinion that is going to sit in your head and slowly destroy your self-confidence.

so yes, these people are the most important people in your life, but you also must realize that these people can also be haters. haters aren't just strangers sharing their opinion. haters are also people who think that they are helping you by giving you advice, when in reality, they are right there with their foot on your back holding you down.

been too long...

A lot has happened since the last time I blogged on here. I wish I had the time to document it all in more detail, but during that contest prep time, my life was on schedule. And I mean, I had to be doing things at certain times or else I would be late to everything else that day. Weekends were days of recovery where I would simply just sit around and attempt to recover from the feeling of "death" and exhaustion from the week. Anyway, all that is now over and here is a brief recap of what has been going on with some pics to follow.

LA Boybuilding Championships.
Personally, at one week out, I looked the absolute best I have ever looked my entire life, on the outside. I felt like complete shit from the lack of food and excessive workouts, but physically, I was shredded. Glutes were stirated, veins down the abs, and everything was starting to pop. The week of the show, or peak week, it all went down hill. I got sick on monday, and due to this, developed some edema in my lower body. When your body starts to stress, water just starts to hold everywhere, and in bodybuilding, water is your worst enemy in peak week.

Anyway, Saturday, July 18th rolls around and no matter how "bad" I felt I looked, due to the unfortunate circumstances, there was no way in f*cking hell that I would not get on that stage, even if it meant that I didn't make weight and was stuck fighting it out against the big boys. I worked way too hard and way too long to quit now. Besides, I looked 10x better than last time, so I might as well give it what I got. In the end, I got smashed due to the deepest weight class in the show being mine. There were a handful of guys using my show as a spring board to the USA show the following weekend, which is a pro qualifier, meaning if they won the USA's, they would have a shot at being a pro bodybuilder. And the winner of my class did just that. He won our class and the overall at the LA show. Took the middleweights at the USA's and turned pro. Then in his first pro show, took 2nd place and is now qualified for the 202lb and under Mr Olympia showdown in vegas. Crazy stuff.

OK. Long enough for now. Here are some pics of the show, as well as some of the food I enjoyed and the people I enjoyed it with.



















I also had Babyblue's BBQ in Venice, and a few other snacks, but forgot to take pictures. haha

That's it for now. This post is going to be on going for a while. haha

time to work...

Today, we (Team M2 Fitness) are officially 27 days out from the Los Angeles Bodybuilding and Figure Championships. That pretty much means about 22 more days of insane training and feeling of death. Why only 22? Generally, the last 5 days or so are used to let the body recover from the stress put on it during these last 16-20 weeks, and use food to repair any damage done. This enables us to present the best package when we have to hit that stage.

During this entire journey, there have been numerous breakdowns, excuses, and all kinds of bumps for not only me, but the rest of the team. While waiting for my hard boiled eggs to cook (LOL), I decided to put some out there.

Genetics

We are never going to look the way we want to. There is a reason that people excel in what they do (i.e. professional athletes, CEO's, etc), and our bodies are no different. My coach had this example, in regards to the most recent topic in sports, Kobe Bryant. Will you ever be Kobe Bryant? Even if you were 6'7", do you have a chance to be Kobe? Why are some 6'7" people the most clumsy people on earth, yet Kobe has the athleticism and agility of someone much shorter than he is? You could probably practice basketball for 10 hours a day, or even twice as much as Kobe, but you will probably never be as good as Kobe, or Lebron for that matter. Likewise, our bodies are the same way. We have have different structures and some of us have it better than others. Do you think that Oprah, with all her crazy diets, could ever look like Beyonce? I seriously doubt it. haha

In bodybuilding, some are blessed with wider clavicles, small waists, and huge muscle bellies. They are built to succeed. But how many people are actually like that? Very few. The rest of us, we have to bust our butts to make it APPEAR like we have those traits. No one is perfect, and that statement cannot be any more true in this sport. The ideal bodybuilder weighs a lot more than he looks (i.e. 200 lbs looks like 250 lbs). Figure girls, the exact opposite. You want to weigh less than you actually appear. But figure girls don't have to make weight? Exactly! But, women have this infatuation with how much they weigh translates to how they look physically. Don't even let me try to explain it. And any female who denies it, is full of it. Trust me. Figure is about presenting a physique that shows the "model" aka small frame with a bit of athleticism and muscularity. Not so much that it is overpowering, but enough to show that, 'Hey, I train my ass of in the gym too!"

Excuses
We all have them. The best thing about this sport is you have no one to blame, except yourself. You are accountable for it all, 24 hours a day.

Attitude
Frustration. Grumpiness. Fatigue. Irritability. All of these things easily come into play. It is extremely hard to maintain a smile and positive attitude through all of this. Yes, I am extremely guilty of being an asshole, jerk, whatever you want to call it. I can't help it. I am up at 3:45 daily doing cardio, eating next to nothing, Mon-Thurs. By Tuesday night, it all catches up to me. I am exhausted, hungry, and not in the mood for a lot of things. What I have to remember is that I am not being forced to do this, but I chose to do this myself. I try not to take it out on other people, but sometimes people also need to watch their mouths around me. Not everyone wants to hear your criticism, dieting or not.

OK, eggs are cooked. Time to eat then train.

halftime...

I know I have sucked at updating this damn blog, but with all the sh*t going on in my life right now, blogging has had to take a backseat. Sucks because I have really been M.I.A, and most of my friends probably don't even know what I look like anymore. haha Anyway, I have about 20 minutes to write something that has been on my mind for the past few weeks. Pretty much inspired by something my coach (Emile Jarreau, http://m2fitnesspros.com) said a few weeks back.

In the midst of an exchange between the guys (me and him) and the girls (figure competitors on M2's program), he said something along the lines of "I don't care what you girls are doing. It's not about what you do, it's how you do it, and where you end up."

Now yesterday, I once again got into a pretty heated exchange with my friend about this whole dieting non-sense, and immediately, this quote popped into my head. I am not perfect, and had myself a nice, little breakdown last weekend. We all handle adversity differently. In the past, I would have flipped out. But after a particular incident in college, which made me realize how bad of a temper I had, I pretty much went polar opposite and am pretty introverted with my emotions nowadays. My solution, take a f*cking walk with my ipod and just clear my head.

Halftime. Growing up, especially in school, we are always required to show our work (think math class). In the grown up world, no one gives a flying f*ck how you get to where you are at, how you got there, or what you did to get there. Our superficial society just likes to see things for what they are, the way shit is on the outside, and what we can physically see. Think about it. Our parents and teachers no longer hold our hands the entire way. We are FORCED to do it on our own, fall on our faces, and learn. It is called GROWING UP. When you are climbing a mountain, is someone going to be there half way up and give you a high-five? No f*cking way. Or how about this example, is the person who is in the lead of a sprint during the Olympics ever given credit? NO! The only person who gets anything is the one who crosses the finishline first. He gets the gold. There is no such thing as a gold medal for the guy who finishes the first half of the race the fastest.

In the sport I have chosen, you have to pretty much commit yourself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you can make it 16 weeks on a monotonous diet of the same foods over and over, the same routine day in and day out, I commend you. You are a better man than I will ever be. This sh*t is f*cking hard. No way around it. You are bound to lose your mind at some point. It is inevitable. I feel for the girls who put themselves through this torture. For once, girls are way more emotional to begin with. No matter what they say fellas, girls are only tough on the outside. They will ALL break down at some point of this diet. My coach's girlfriend, Ms. Bea Fox, likes to compare it to walking to the ledge, and getting ready to jump. You think I am messing around, but this is as real as it gets. If you are ever ready to make the commitment, get at me or my coaches and we will happily get you set up for it. Also, girls have it rougher than guys when it comes to dropping the fat. Plain and simple, mother nature never intended females to get that lean. They have the monthly cycles and are supposed to be the mother's of our future society. So females, I feel for you. This sh*t is crazy hard, but I commend your efforts.

OK, back to topic, totally just rambled there. Halftime. Your inner strength comes from how you handle these "ledge" moments. Remember that no one will always be there patting you on the back and encouraging you through your accompllishments. Quitting from the frustration just shows how weak you are mentally. Do you ever want to look weak? I sure as hell don't! When it gets tough, you have to pull your head out of your ass, and get your shit together. Look ahead to the future. Rememeber who decided to put themselves in that situation. Remember how hard you have worked. Remember what your ultimate goal is. Keep your head up, and never show how weak you are. You have no one to blame, but yourself. The cards do not awlays fall in your favor, but you have to play with what you are dealt with. Make it to that f*cking stage and prove to YOURSELF what you are made of. If you need some encouragement, gather it from within and don't expect anyone else to be there to give it to you. Most importantly, have some fun while doing all this, or at least pretend that you are having fun. haha Smiles and laughter are the best way to hide anger, frustration, and how deathly you feel.

Q&A...

I got this idea from the message boards I frequent on bodybuilding websites/forums. They always have Q&A from celebrities in the fitness and bodybuilding world. I don't know of a better way to get easy answers and knowledge for our every day questions. Sooo...this is my official beginning for a Q&A session with me. I will do my best to answer all questions, training and nutrition related. Feel free to spread the word about this to all friends and family. I feel like I have a decent amount of knowledge to share and do not mind doing so. Ask away!

Back on Track...

With a new date in mind to compete at, my coach and I decided to re-tool my diet. We learned a few things about how my body reacts to things and here is the main summary.
1. I am carb sensitive. My body can soak them up like a sponge, which can be good and bad if not controlled.
2. My legs kick ass. I need to calm down off the cardio and training, and focus on my weaknesses instead of my strengths! No more crazy jump rope sessions and sprints, brisk walks are all that lie ahead in my future.

Now, for the carb sensitivity part, while I should not have so many carbs daily as I absorb them ridiculously, we have chosen a cyclical ketogenic diet as my approach. What is that? Basically, EXTREMELY low carb for 6 days, followed by a RIDICULOUSLY high carb day once a week (Sundays in my case). Extremely low carb days are limited to lean meats, eggs, and high fiber veggies. High carb days are pretty much limited to whole grain products, yams, and brown rice. Now that I am in contest prep, I have chosen to keep all my carb days clean and refuse to eat sugary products. Here are a few samples of my meals.

Low Carb Day - 1 Cup Egg Whites, 2 Eggs, 2 oz Chicken, Broccoli


High Carb Day (4/12) - Pumpkin with Greek Yogurt, Ezekiel Bread Pizza with ligh mozzarella, Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt, Chicken and Peppers over Brown Rice and Pumpkin Flavored Oats

M.I.A....

Max Muscle Naturals Update - As you followers know, I competed at the Max Muscle Naturals in Culver City on March 28. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed and embarassed. It is probably the reason that I have not been on here in a long time. I needed time to re-focus on my goals and do a little soul searching. Being my first show, everyone was ready to tell how "great" I did, and what an "accomplishment" it was, just to get on stage. That is not enough for me. When I do ANYTHING, I am in it for the WIN/KILL/SUCCESS. "A for effort" is not a phrase in my vocabulary. Anyway, with thoughts of doing the Orange County Show in 4 weeks, the next week turned into overdrive. 90 minutes of cardio a day, a 200 decrease in calories and I was determined to come in completely peeled. However, this plan seemed to backfire a bit. I somehow lost 10lbs in one week, body fat went up, and I had lost a lot of muscle. This setback, coupled with a few personal setbacks had me re-think the Orange County Muscle Classic, and I have since decided to drop out and make my next competition the Los Angeles Show on July 18th.

feeeeeeeed meee....

So I got the idea for this post from my friend Tricia (check out her blog, Road to Qualifying for Nationals)...and from my daily email list of friends who were commenting about food and the economy. One of my friends had just eaten at The Bazaar Hotel, which is probably one of the more expensive places to eat down here in LA. Anyway, this whole dieting for the show has been pretty damn expensive, especially since I refuse to use supplements for my nutritional needs (i.e. I eat real food for all my macronutrient needs, unless otherwise directed). Here is my typical day of eating (those numbers are the amounts of carbs, protein, fat, calories):

Food Item Carbs Protein Fat Calories
3 Eggs 3 18 13.5 210
1.5 Cup Egg Whites 3 39 0 175.5

1 Cup Egg Whites 2 26 0 117
1 Egg 1 6 4.5 70
3 Oz Chicken Breast 0 27 3 138

6 Oz. Chicken Breast 0 54 6 276
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter 3 3.5 8.5 105

6 Oz. Chicken Breast 0 54 6 276
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter 3 3.5 8.5 105

5.5 Oz Top Round 0 49.5 11 291.5
1 Tbsp Mac Nut Oil 0 0 13.5 120

2 96% Patties 0 50 9 300


14.5 330 83.5 2177

Also add 1 scoop of All the Whey Isolate Protein, 2 tbsp of PB, and 1 Scoop of Optimum Nutrition Protein, which my coach added to this meal plan.

For the sake of simplicity, since all my foods are measured post cooking, I'll add 2 oz to the weight for the raw weight, which is what I would normally pay at the store. Here is the breakdown:
Food Item Cost Servings Cost/Serv Amt/Day Cost/Day
Omega Eggs $2.79 12 $0.23 4 $0.93
Eggs $5.59 60 $0.09 20 $1.86
Chicken $1.99 1 $1.99 1.3 $2.59
96% Patties $9.49 2.5 $3.80 0.25 $0.95
Peanut Butter $4.00 23 $0.17 2 $0.35
Mac Nut Oil $8.99 31 $0.29 1 $0.29
Top Round $3.00 1 $3.00 0.34 $1.02
Optimum Nutrition Protein $42.99 77 $0.56 1 $0.56
All the Whey Isolate $39.99 80 $0.50 1 $0.50

Total
$9.05

$9.05 a day does not sound too bad, considering most people spend this much on lunch alone in one day. Add a few dollars for veggies, so we could say that it costs about $12 a day to feed me, not too bad I guess.

Song of the Week...

The Dream Feat Kanye West - Walking on the Moon

Walkin’ On The Moon - The Dream Ft. KanYe West

2 weeks out...

I am 2 weeks out from this show, and all I can think about is FOOD. My entire day literally revolves around food. I am either cooking, eating, watching the food network or staring at some random internet sites that involve some good looking FOOD. My calories are not deathly low, but the lack of freedom in my diet and the monotony of chicken breast and egg whites can only last for so long. I found Chowhound, which is a fat person's heaven on the internet. I love it so much that I even signed up and registered for the freaking site. I have also been reading various blogs regarding food, specifically a "normal" person's review of a restaurant. I personally cannot stand the fancy, schmancy reviews that the LA times or Zagat gives to food places. They're idea of a good place is expensive, extremely high quality, and usually has some type of story behind it. Whether it is a city landmark or the restaurant is backed by a high-end chef. Me? I could care less about those things. What I care about is getting my money's worth and feeling satisfied that I enjoyed my freshly cooked meal. Who cares if that cow was massaged and fed only grass for the last year of its life in order to marble the fat within the beef. All I care about is that I paid $40 for a good steak and I better get $40 worth of steak. Not some little 8 oz steak that tastes almost identical to something I could pay half the price for elsewhere. Which brings me to my favorite show on the food network, "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." While I could care less for Guy Fieri and his unique sense of humor, I enjoy the types of food served at the places he visits. Decent portions, fair price, good taste. The ONLY 3 things that matter to me.

Enough rambling, here are a few random things I have thought about during these last few weeks.

-BBQ!!! My absolute favorite types of restaurant to eat at. I'm a baby back rib guy, but according to most rib "experts," the real test comes from the St. Louis (or regular size) ribs. Apparently, baby back ribs are the product of corporate restaruants. Anyway, nothing irks me more than BOILED ribs (i.e. Tony Roma's). I can definitely tell when they are boiled because they fall off the bone too easily, and not in the way that slow cooked ribs are supposed to fall. I do not mind regular grilled ribs because I am a fan of regular, old charcoal, and smoked are always the best. But I'd rather eat a fake rib, ala McRib at McDonalds, before I eat a boiled rib.

-Apple Pie. I want a huge slice of dutch apple pie with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, post contest. Plain and simple. Might as well throw a few oatmeal rasin cookies around this, while I'm at it. ;)

-Trader Joe's is the absolute best when it comes to all natural foods. NO ONE can beat their prices. $2.79 for a dozen omega 3 eggs, $1.79 for 16 oz of all natural peanut butter, roughly $2 for any bag of frozen veggies. Maybe you can catch some of these deals cheaper at your local grocer when they are on sale, but Trader Joe's keeps these same prices every day of the year. You cannot go wrong buying anything in there.

That's about it. Sorry for the lack of substance, but my mind is completely in shut down mode right now. I have not had a cheat since mid February, and have not had real carbs since the last weekend in February. I feel like a robot just going through the motions. All I am looking forward to is the carb-up prior to this first show. Yams, oatmeal, rice, and popcorn. Cannot wait. First things I am cheating with after this show are ribs, apple pie, and a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Mmm Mmm Goooood.

3 Weeks Out...update...

As of yesterday, I am 3 weeks out of the GNC Max Muscle Naturals Bodybuilding Show. It is my first one, and the goal, according to my trainer, is "to get on stage with my suit on right." haha

The calories are low, but not deathly low yet. I do not feel too bad on most days. The worst is when I have to get up at 430am for cardio, then head over to work. Work my usual 615 to 5pm shift, then head over to the gym for some weight training. Being up 18-19 hours a day and only having a limited amount of food in me is pretty damn miserable. However, getting up at a normal time, say 8am, makes the day fly by and I do not feel so bad.

Currently, I am 5.1% body fat. I'd post pictures, but I'm one of those believers in hiding things and covering up until its time to present the final product. Never been one to show things off half way. Just not my style I guess. Cardio is up to 7 days a week, with 2 hard sessions at 45-60 min, and 5 light ones for 30 min. The current daily totals are about 2600 calories, over 300g of protein, and over 100g of fat. No direct sources of carbohydrates, except for green or fibrous vegetables. The other carbs are trace amounts from peanut butter and eggs pretty much. I originally had cut out all my protein powders, but was informed by my trainer to add at least one in.

Speaking of my trainer. His name is Emile Jarreau, and he runs M2Fitness along with Bea Fox (http://m2fitnesspros.com or http://mrfatloss.com). I already knew a lot coming into this contest preparation (sh*t, most of you who actually read this know me and have asked me for advice at some time or another), so I really wanted someone who could humble me and teach me things I did not know about health and fitness in general. Bodybuilding is great, but it is not life, it is definitely not MY LIFE either. Not everyone wants to step on stage and compete, so it is very important to be extremely well rounded and have enormous amounts of knowledge behind all of this. I feel like I have made a pretty good decision and the knowledge I have accumulated during these past few weeks is gonna carry forward to the rest of my fitness career.

Anyway, things are going good and I can't be happier with my decision to prepare for a contest. It has definitely pushed and challenged me to mental and physical limits I have not reached before. The only downside, I really miss my friends and family. Sometimes, contest prep feels like I am incarcerated in my own world with a guard around me blocking me from social life. Like missing dinner with my really close friends last night. That one hurt. (Sorry Diana and Tim) Seeing my parents this weekend and not being able to hang out with them much. Sh*t hurts. Couple more weeks to lock it down. I gots this.

Song of the Week..

Mos Def - Life is Good

Life Is Good - DJ Deckstream feat. Mos Def

juice...

As someone who lifts weights on a regular basis, I am no stranger to the world of steroids. If I had a dollar for every steroid joke I got thrown my way, I might just have enough to quit my day job. haha Anyway, the pictures above are of my favorite bodybuilder, Phil Heath, and what seems to be the biggest story in sports these days, Alex Rodriguez and his steroid use. Normally, I would stay away from any type of blog like this as it is very controversial, and could ruin people's perception of me, but this story I read (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9217162/Do-juiced-up-Steelers-teams-deserve-asterisks?&MSNHPHMA) really opened up my eyes to something worth blogging about. It basically describes football's most dominant team of the 70's and their steroid use. No, it is not someone speculating use, it is an actual fact that they used them. They even wrote a book about it! However, since it was not illegal back then, was it wrong?

Everytime I hear about some new steroid story in the news, I shake my head in disgust. For one, the people writing the stories seem to typically be unhealthy, overweight writers who have never worked out in their life. Yes, these people are very knowledgeable in sports and its history, but as far as understanding what they are talking about, I can't say I always agree. Do I have knowledge about steroids, not really. Why? Because I have nether taken them, nor do I have any intention of taking them. My blog is not going to get into detail about how they aren't bad for you, etc., but more of my opinion abou their impact on society.

It is no secret that America is infatuated with steroids. I have no idea why it makes the top stories, when there are things far more important, like our f*cked up economy and our ongoing problem in the middle east. Why is A-Rod the top story, when there are tons of people out there 2 steps from being homeless? It makes no sense to me.

Anyway, back to that article I read. The Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s won a few Super Bowls and were known as a rough and tough team. They physically dominated their opponents and left them beat up on the field. They were also on steroids. Does that tarnish their reputation? Apparently not. However, Barry Bonds hits home runs like a mad man later in his career, and even though he was a great ballplayer before those seasons, all of a sudden, his skill is now questioned. Am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy in this? Sports did not even test for these drugs back then, therefore we have no idea who used what. All these records that were set and still hold nowadays, who's to say they are "clean" records. How do we know that Wilt Chamberlain or Hank Aaron, or anyone who played in the years after steroids were invented did not experiment with them. For those who don't know, steroids do not make you instantly big and muscular, they are designed to help your body recover faster. Therefore, enabling people to train harder and heavier each day. Imagine if you felt like a brand new person every day you trained for anything physical, wouldn't you get bigger and stronger as well? Why do you think steroids are prescribed to people with cancer, AIDS, etc. It is not to make them big and buff, it is to prevent their bodies from completely falling apart. Now, tell me if it's fair that people pick on A-Rod, McGwire, and Bonds. NO! Yes, some ballplayers are wrong for lying, but if you were in the public eye, and pestered about something that most of the population deems a bad thing, how would you react? We are all human and I am sure at least 70-80% of us would lie and crumble. It is human nature.

So where does the problem lie? The common, every day folks who use and abuse it. That's my opinion. Ask anyone who works out about the natural high they feel after a great workout or the feeling they have after they see some progress in their workouts. Nothing, and I mean nothing can beat that feeling. Naturally, there are different ways to acheive this feeling. One of those just happens to be the use of steroids. Remember how I mentioned recovery earlier? Well, that basically means that you can acheive these natural highs more frequently and with greater results. Sounds too good to be true right? Well, with the positive, comes the negative. Steroids are proven to cause some side effects and cause some health issues when used and abused. Without proper supervision, whether from a qualified professional or a doctor, they could be very troublesome. And that my friends is where the negative image stems from. The stories we read, the news we watch, it is usually from individuals who were too scared to admit they were on the "juice" and ended up hurting themselves. They bought some of these drugs, read some stuff on the internet, and juiced away. Not exactly the smartest thing in the world. I mean, how many of you would just inject some random stuff into your body? I know I wouldn't.

The asterisk. Do I think the Steelers should get one? NO! Does Barry get one? NO! These people are paid professionals in my opinion. They should do what they need to do to get to the top of their game. It is not like the tv show Heroes, where you inject special powers into people. These people are already gifted, skilled people, which is why they made it into their profession. If they need something to help them succeed, I do not see the problem with it. What about their health? Well, what about the crazy businessmen who stay up all night working and eat a poor diet of fast food? Aren't they erasing years off of their lives as well? None of us reading this could take steroids and probably make it into the NFL, MLB, or NFL. I would guess that at least 90% of the people who are in professional sports deserve to be there based of their talent and skill, and not because of what they have taken. The same reason engineers and accountants excelled in the classroom is the same reason that these people kicked ass on the playing field while at school. We are all gifted in one way or another, and if someone told me that I could do something do be a better engineer in my field, you better believe I would be curious about it.

Recipe of the Week...

TUNA! Tuna is one of the cheapest and best health foods out there. With lent coming up for catholics, like myself, we all know about the whole no meat on Fridays thing. Well, since we can only eat so many tuna salad sandwiches, I thought I would post my 3 favorite recipes for tuna.

1. Tuna Cakes
1/2 Cup Egg Whites/Beaters
1 Egg
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Red Chili Flakes (Optional)
1 Can/Pouch of Tuna
Spicy Deli Mustard

-Preheat non-stick pan over medium high.
-Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
-Spray some cooking spray into pan.
-Pour mixture into pan and let sit for about 3-4 minutes
-Use spatula and flip cake over.

The egg white to tuna ratio should leave the mixture somewhat thick. If you use less tuna, then use less egg, etc. Another option would be to take these tuna burgers and coat them with some bread crumbs to make a tuna cake, similar to a crab cake.

2. Tuna Bowls
1 Can Tuna
1/2 Can Diced Tomatoes
1/4 Onion
Brown Rice
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Preheat pan over medium high. Add onions. After they start to sweat, add the tomatoes. Then finally add your tuna and salt and pepper. Let sautee for about 5-10 minutes. Pour into a bowl of brown rice, stir and enjoy. I usually like to add some green vegetable to this (my choice is spinach). One more option to this would be to substitute the tomatoes for some teriyaki sauce and have a tuna teriyaki bowl.

3. Tuna Burger
1 Egg or 2 Egg Whites
1 Can Tuna
1/4 onion
Salt
Pepper
Any other spices you like in your burgers

Mix all ingredients together and form into patties. Pre-heat pan and spray with cooking spray. Since tuna is already pre-cooked, they only need about 2-3 minutes on each side to get that nice crust on the outside.

There you go, 3 simple and quick recipes for this upcoming lenten season for tuna. Enjoy.

Song of the Week...

Gibberish - Ryan Leslie

Recipe of the Week

Often times, I am asked what is "healthy food." Truth is, healthy foods are exactly what your common sense tells you. Generally, if you can find it in nature, it's healthy (nuts, fruit, grains, meat). If it has to be manufactured, chances are, it is not (i.e. chips, crackers, cookies, etc.). I suppse the toughest part is making these natural, healthy foods taste good. So, I will start posting some healthy, easy, and tasty recipes that I sometimes eat (when I am not dieting for a show of course).

Healthy Mexican Food:

Tortillas:

There are a variety of tortillas out there that are laden with fat and poor ingredients. Your best bet to stay healthy are the whole wheat or sprouted wheat variety. You might have to do some searching, but they are out there. I personally get mine from trader joes. There are also a variety of sizes, choose the one for what you prefer (tacos, burritos, etc.).

Proteins:
The bulk of your tortilla should be filled with some healthy, low fat protein. Some options include chicken breast/thigh, lean steak, lean ground beef or turkey, pork tenderloin, ham, egg whites. or seafood. Again, the choice here depends on how you feel. Make sure you buy the leanest cut available, as you want to maximize your fillings, while not going overboard on the calories.

Fats:


Fats in your tortilla should be used sparingly. I have a picture of some sargento reduced fat cheese, which is a much better choice than those nasty fat free versions. Other options for fats in your tortilla include some avocado, whole eggs, or reduced fat sour cream. Remember, use only a little bit of these fats as they can make or break the health factor here.

Toppings:
You can never go wrong with fresh tomatoes or fresh salsa for a topping. It adds moisture and a ton of flavor. I personally also use some hot sauce like tapatio or cholula. Cottage cheese mixed with salsa works pretty well also. Limes will enhance the flavor of the proteins. You can also add some fresh vegetables or beans in there, which will add some fiber and good vitamins to the meal.


There you go, with those ingredients, you cannot really go wrong with making some tasty, and healthy mexican food. Portion control is always key, so use your common sense while eating. Remember, you only need to eat enough to keep you full for about 3 hours, since you should be eating 5-6 small meals a day.