The last 3 days I have definitely made up for lost time in training and dieting. For a moment, my bodyfat actually went up after that day 21 picture. That pic set the bar pretty high and I've been thinking how much harder it's going to be to top that. As you may know, the lower in bodyfat you get, the harder it is to get leaner. I measured in at around 6.3% today, which is at least 1% off of where I should be by this day. I can attribute that to not sticking tightly to the 16-1700 calorie range I planned on and a slight shortcoming in cardio. It looks like I'll come in around 5.5% by Friday. Lowering it anymore in such a short time frame would be very difficult if not impossible without losing major amounts of muscle mass.
Unfortunately, you guys won't get to see me carb loaded out before I leave for this cruise. I'll be hella lean- but kind of flat, like a balloon that has lost it's air. That's what happens when you diet hard. Fortunately carb loading fixes that and then some. After your muscle cells have been in a starved state for greater than 6 weeks, they become desperate for carbs. When they do get carbs, they can hyper expand up to 40% of their normal size to absorb all of those carbs...giving you a Huuuge jacked look. It's got to be done just right in order not to spill over into fat stores though. You must walk a very fine line here.
A reduction in water intake amplifies this look as well. In order for your body to process this mega amount of carbs, it needs water. If the athlete is not consuming a whole lot of it, the body will suck the water right out of your skin and into the muscle cells, eliminating any bloating and giving you that lean "Dry" look. This effect lasts for just a few hours in it's peak and a few days in general. Carb loading baby! I of course, will be saving my carb loading for when I get on the ship. =-]
So..5 or 6 pieces of cake later, I will look bigger, leaner and more shredded than ever. That's certainly going to have a lot of people hating on me and wondering "how does he eat like that and stay so lean!??!!". Only you and I truly know what's going on here. Anyways, pictures to come Friday, I should be leaner, at the sacrifice of some size and slightly flat. We will see. I've got to work on my color as well to to bring out my definition. Shouldn't be hard with this heat.