CRAIG PRODUCTIONS LLC

Okay…today is the first day in which I actually felt like I’m having to ‘work’ at this.  It’s no longer fun.  It’s no longer “Can’t wait to step onstage and ‘bring it’!”  Now its, “Lemme get my butt outta bed and do this cardio,” or “Lemme get going on these weights.”  Don’t get me wrong, America, I’m still looking forward to the shows and I’m still training hard, but now the ‘rah, rah’ crap is gone.  Now we’re down to the nitty-gritty.  I’m not hatin’ life yet – that’ll come in the next three weeks.  I’m not wishing the contest was over – that also is a week or so away.  I’m on task.  I’m focused.  I’m determined.  I don’t wanna talk to or deal with people who don’t understand what I’m going through because they just cause me to waste precious energy attempting to explain to them why I’m doing what I’m doing.  All ‘choice’ has now been removed.  There are no more options outside of pushing harder and harder and harder each day.  I know what to do and I’m doing it.  One of my favorite sayings is, “Find out what is necessary…and do the necessary well!”  I’m doing it, America.  You should be doing it also.

Today I noticed that even though I’m eating more food, I’m not feeling full.  I’m hungry literally an hour or so after eating.  Why?  It’s certainly not because I’m not eating enough.  The reason is simple – TEF – Thermic Effect of Feeding.  I’m playing a nutrient partitioning game – swapping out a good calorie for a better calorie and replacing a carbohydrate calorie with a protein calorie.  So here’s what’s happening…I dropped the little bit of starchy carbs out of my egg white omelet this morning and added in more protein.  I just had one slice of Dave’s Killer Bread as my starch.  I didn’t drop calories – I simply swapped out protein for carbs.  Even though I ate a huge breakfast, I didn’t have that sensation of fullness or satisfaction.  An hour later I was starving.  At this point my body is so efficient that it literally expends more energy than it takes in to process, digest, and assimilate the consumed foods, especially proteins.  I had a Parrillo Protein cookie – that lasted all of 30 minutes.  Then I had a Parrillo Protein brownie – bought another 30 minutes.  Finally it was time to eat again.  I ate…no…I WOLFED down my hi-protein/low carb meal.  Same effect – hungry in about an hour.  And let’s not even talk about how I’m heating up within 10-15 minutes of each meal.  If this is what a hot flash feels like…  That’s what it’s gonna be like for the next 3-4 weeks.  Oh well!  Deal with it, Dave.  Let your competition be weak.  Let your competition give up or give in.  As I’ve said so many times, competitive bodybuilding IS NOT about the physical, but rather the mental!  Who can survive the mental drive, discipline, determination, and focus necessary to be at his or her best come competition day? 

This morning I kicked Kathy’s butt on legs and then I banged out my second 45 minute session on cardio with her while she did an hour.  She learned something during cardio – she wasn’t working hard enough.  Even though she’d been doing ‘hard’ cardio, I’d never watched her to define her intensity.  Ok…so here’s how it went down.  I did most of the talking during cardio (I’m always in ‘teacher’ mode…I need to learn how to turn it off…).  She had a harder resistance and ramp whereas I lowered my ramp and set the resistance fairly light and was flying like the energizer bunny on crack!  She started 5 minutes ahead of me, so when I finished I compared calories burned.  I was 75 calories ahead of her at my 45 minutes to her 50 minutes!  My shirt was wetter.  I was sweating more.  Did she burn calories?  Yes she did.  But I more than likely had a much higher EPOC than her – Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption – that higher energy expenditure due to higher body temperature which led to more oxygen being utilized and the body working harder to return it to normal resting state.  In other words, I burned more bodyfat not only during my cardio session but AFTER cardio as well.  You know I’ve always espoused harder cardio, America – this is a classic example of how and why I recommend it this way. 

I just got off the phone with my fellow competitor, John Shepherd.  John and I go way back…somewhere around 1995 when we first bumped in an Over 40 Master’s class.  He attended my School of Professional Training when I ran that and became a certified Professional Fitness Trainer, and we’ve been friends for years.  I love talking with John.  Just knowing that he’s getting ready for the EC lights a fire under me.  I love competition – the challenge of first seeing if I can match or exceed previous bests and then seeing if I’ve still got what it takes to put myself in a position to win.  N-E-Whoo…John likes to check in with me as he prepares for a show.  He knows I’m always gonna give him the straight skinny on how he’s doing and looking.  John knows that I want him to be at his best come game day, and I’ll do everything I can to help him achieve that even though we’re in the same class.  We chatted a bit about foods – that’s always been John’s struggle.  I did a quick over-the-phone meal plan for him, upping his protein while telling him to drop his starchy carbs.  Like me, John is a Parrillo disciple through and through.  I’ve been using Parrillo products exclusively for over 20 years.  Haven’t found anything better and will stack ANY product up against Parrillo’s line.  I told John to add in Parrillo’s new products – Protein Cookies, Protein Pudding, and Protein Brownies as he swapped out his starchies.  I told him how to ‘doctor’ them up to give them better flavor without compromising quality. 

We then moved onto cardio.  He’s at 2 sessions a day - an hour the first session and 45 minutes the second seven days a week. His knee is giving him a bit of problems but he’s pushing hard and starting to see the change in his body.   His weights and exercises were good so I left that alone.  I’m excited to hit the stage with John once again at the EC.

I’m out, America…gotta help my sister beef up her resume’ for a new position at her job…y’boy got mad skills…I ain’t sayin’ nuthin…I’m just sayin’ what I’m sayin’…Peace!

The Dr. 

David “Dr. Buff” Patterson

Personal Training Systems

“There Are No Shortcuts!”

 www.personaltrainingsystems.net 

  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

 Mobile:  253.576.4859

Wishing DOESN'T make it come true!

Tags: