Last week of Body Beast: Build Phase

So this is my last week of Build phase of Body Beast and I can honestly say I am LOVING it still!

My review so far:

Build is 3 weeks of single sets, super sets, drop sets, pyramid sets, and compound moves. The goal is mass gains and really getting stronger.

Within those 3 weeks you work: Legs, back and bis, shoulders, chest and tris, as well as an ab workout and cardio or total body. And the work outs last about an hour (usually just under).

For equipment all you really need are some dumbbells, a pull up bar, and either a bench or a ball to sit/lie on.

The nutrition/supplements:

The break down for nutrients is 50/25/25 (carbs/protein/fat). The reason being if you want to grow you need to keep the body consistently fueled with carbs in order to spare your muscles from breaking down.  You can pick any of the foods from the list/meal guide as long as it meets your caloric needs (the guide helps you break it all down depending on phases).

For supplements:

I am taking creatine, shakeology, whey protein, and fish oils (first time ever using creatine and i have not experienced any of the sometimes side effects thankfully!!)


From this entire program my biggest goal is to really add some muscle and then focus on leaning down come spring time just in time for bikini weather and competing. For me usually my goals change with the seasons and how "exposed" my body actually is, so winter = gain muscle and warm months = lean out and let's see the abs!

The hardest part about all of this is not even the lack of cardio but I USED to be one of those people who cared about the scale so watching the number would have ruined me before...right now I know the goal is to grow and also the carbs and creatine cause water gain too so looking at the number is not going to help and honestly, at this point my jeans fit the same for the most part (my stomach is where I notice the water gain the most) so I am not going to let it bother me. I know it will all go away once I stop the creatine next week and switch in more cardio.

Results so far:

• I know for a fact I have gained at least 2lbs of muscle (pretty good for only 3 weeks!)

• I have increased what I lift ever single week
• I am noticing more size and definition in almost all areas
• Even though my stomach is not as cut as before I can still see my abs so I know I am not gaining much if any fat (balancing muscle growth with not gaining fat is tricky but doable!!)
• I am loving the work outs and it is really bringing Mike and I closer working out together!
  

Have any of you ladies ever tried creatine?

Do your goals tend to change with the seasons and what will be out?

Happy Hump Day!  Whew I cannot figure out why but I cannot get enough sleep this week!! I really think it has to do with the muscle building and the need for more sleep but more on that later. I have received a lot of questions asking what I am eating, how often, and why I am doing what I am doing so I figured I'd give you guys the insider scoop!

Right now I am trying to add muscle to my body with a program called Body Beast. It's an at home work out built to add muscle to the "scrawny guy" in all honesty. The program was designed by an ex body builder Sagi and he is HUGE! So funny and one of my favorite trainers from Beachbody (Tony Horton will always be number one!). And since I have always been the scrawny girl it seemed fitting. I'm 5'8 and I have always had a thin-esque look (Even though I was a total skinny fat girl for most of my life) but the plan is to add some new shape to this body! I am a lot leaner now than in the past so I am only doing cardio1-2x a week to really give my body the chance to grow! But more importantly than that I am eating the proper way to actually build muscle.

Fact: you cannot "lean out" and gain muscle at the same time. The 2 are opposing ideas so right now I am thankful it is sweater season and in bulk mode.

My diet right now is between 2000-2500 calories per day (that is sooo much for me!!) with 50% of those calories being from carbohydrates such as fruits, veggies, and complex carbs and starches. The key is to eat a little over what your "maintenance number" is so that the calories go mostly to muscle and very little is stored as fat.  The other 50% of my diet is broken into roughly 25% protein and 25% fats though it varies a little day to day. The kicker here is that I really need to sit down each week and lay it all out so that there is no guess work but I haven't done so well with that as of yet!

So my meals range from the minimum of 300 calorie snacks to 500 calories. I am eating 5-6 meals a day and also I haven't been super strict. If I want a little chocolate I allow it and so on. I am by no means going over board but for me if I deprive myself now I will only over eat later!

For supplements I am doing a few new things... Pre-work out if I am tired or low in energy I take a supplement called Energy and Endurance...great stuff but it packs a punch so I try not to use it too often. And most importantly post work out nutrition, for this I do 1 packet/1 scoop of chocolate vegan shakeology (YUM!!! First time trying this and I love it!), 1/2 scoop vanilla whey, 1/4 Greek yogurt (plain), 1/4 oats, 1 TB Pb, some ice and almond milk and water, and my creatine. This is my first time using the creatine...ever so I am curious to see how it will help. I can already notice a difference in my lifting (the whole purpose is to increase endurance during the work out by helping the body store more creatine). The only downside to all of this is it can upset stomachs (has not for me) and also causes water retention. Like I said though...it's sweater season so not too problematic right now.

At first the scale freaked me out but then I just stopped checking because in all honesty it does NOT matter!! I am trying to grow and add muscle so hey if I look better, fit into clothes better, and feel better who cares about the scale?

Any ways that is pretty much where I am right now but more on the work outs a little later I have already talked your eat off a ton!!