Q&A With The Physique Transformation Expert

Q: l have heard you talk about keeping your macronutrient ratio pretty much the same as you try to get leaner, and simply reducing the number of calories you are taking in each day based on the results you are seeing. Does that mean as I continue to lose weight (weekly or daily), I should continue to drop my calories, but keep the same ratios? Right now I'm multiplying my bodyweight x 10 to get my daily calorie total. I'm currently weighing in at 190 so 1900 cals per day. For example, regarding your statement, if I weighed in at 185 by Sunday I would lower my total cals to 1850. Is that right? As you can see I'm currently cutting to get rid of my fat, but after this phase is complete I plan on doing a clean bulk. Thanks for your time Russ....
Regards,

Mathew

A: Yes, that is exactly what I mean about keeping your ratio of protein, carbs, and fat the same as you decrease your calories. I personally like using an approximate 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fats. I may bump up my protein percentage a little and decrease my carbs when attempting to get very lean, but I am more concerned with the total number of calories I am consuming than the macronutrient ratio. Burning body fat comes down do taking in fewer calories than you consume, no matter what type of calories those are. I personally feel that this ratio provides the best environment for maintaining and even building lean muscle mass while dieting.

As far as the number of calories goes, that is a little tough to give advice on since I don't know how often you are training, doing cardio, and most importantly what your goals are. The number of calories you are taking in per day would really come down to 1) how much fat you want to lose 2) how quickly you want to lose it. If you want to lose a lot of fat in a little amount of time then your calories will need to be lower (or cardio increased) than if you are allowing yourself more time to lose the same amount of fat. For your weight 1900 calories/day seems pretty low. The best advice I can give is to give 1900 calories a try for a week and see how your body reacts. If you are losing body fat at an acceptable rate and still have energy to train intensely then you are on track. Otherwise, adjust upwards or downwards accordingly by 100-200 calories a day. Don't get too caught up in calculating your bodyweight by 10 but more on measuring the results you are achieving at a certain calorie level and then making the necessary adjustments.

Q: Hey Russ,

Every time I do legs, I always pop blood vessels in my shoulders.....is this normal?

A: I think it is pretty normal to get red marks or even scratches on your rear deltoids when performing barbell squats. I doubt that you are actually 'popping' blood vessels, although it may be possible with heavy weight exerting pressure on the traps. I would not be too concerned about it. If you are worried about the appearance factor then it will help to wear a sweatshirt or use a pad on the bar during your squats.

Q: Mr. Yeager,

I recently signed up for your newsletter. I am a 53 year old male that has decided to get into shape I have no interest in body building because I believe the rigorous routine will probably kill me (LOL). I would like a decent hard body and abs. I have used a treadmill to shed most of my stomach fat. I can see signs of my upper stomach muscles peeking through. To increase my muscle tone I am considering using a product called Mega Milk (Nature's Anabolic). Are you familiar with the product? It is made by Dymatize. Since all the limelight is on steroids these days I'm wondering whether this product is steroid free. Will something like this actually build muscle? I would also appreciate your suggestion to aid me in my quest.

Thanks,
John

A: Hi John,

Thanks for your e-mail and for signing up for my newsletter and congratulations on your decision to get in shape!

As far as supplements go, remember first that nothing can replace hard work in the gym and proper nutrition. Supplements can definitely help you build muscle and lose body fat if you use the right ones in the right ways. I have never used the Dymatize products but am pretty sure that the product you refer to is a high protein meal replacement, which does not contain steroids. High Quality Meal replacements are one of the best investments you can make in terms of supplements. My personal favorites in terms of quality and taste are Ny-tro Pro 40 made by AST Sports Science, Muscle Milk made by Cytosport, and Intake Performance made by InStone.

Unfortunately, while there are some supplements that can be very beneficial there also some that are pretty much worthless and made only to make the supplement companies rich! This is why one of my missions is to help people weed through all of the confusing and conflicting information on supplements and make an educated decision so that they get the most out of the supplements they purchase with their hard-earned money.

I am always happy to answer any questions others may have about specific supplements before they make a purchase so they don't waste money on an ineffective product or even something that may be a quality product but unnecessary for that individual's goals.

I encourage you to read through the free information on my website on training, nutrition, and supplementation as well.

Take care and good luck with your fitness endeavors!

Q: Dear Mr. Russ Yeager,

For one week during my summer vacation, I will be going camping with my family, and was wondering how will I be able to work out in the Rocky Mountains? Do I just do push-ups and crunches for my week workout there or what?

Oh, by the way, good luck on your upcoming bodybuilding competition. You've been training really hard and are very determined to win, as I can see!

Good luck and keep up the good effort!

Take care,

Mark

A: Mi Mark,

Thanks for the kind words. I would do this...If you have not taken a week off in a while then train really hard and intensely up until it is time to go on vacation. I'm talking as hard as you can striving to make each workout significantly better than before. Your body will then be primed for some great growth but at the point of almost overtraining. Then take that whole week off from weight training. One week out of the gym will not hurt your progress and is actually good for your physical and mental recovery. Also, since you trained so hard and then gave your body a break you should initiate some new muscle growth. Remember, your muscles grow outside the gym, not inside!

Enjoy your vacation!

Q: Hi Russ Yeager. My name is Patsy, I am preparing for a bodybuilding competition in 5 Nov 2005. You look great! My goal for this competition is to be as sculptured as you are. Giving my age, 50 plus, do think I can get that cut? Since I read your article on intense cardio, I have been focusing on my cardio. This week I have done four days of med high intense work out. My goal is to reach high intensity training. Do you have any advice on how I should go about this high intensity cardio training to prepare me for the best I can be come Nov 5th?

Thank you,

Patsy. Looking forward to hearing from you.


A: Can you get as cut as me? I can't answer that for sure, but I do know that if you are completely dedicated from now until Nov. you can achieve outstanding results! Heck, you may even be more cut than me.

You should be proud of yourself for your dedication and passion for bodybuilding and fitness!

A great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your intense cardio work is to record the distance and/or calories burned on the piece of cardio equipment each time you perform a session. The next time you work on the same piece of cardio equipment you have to beat the numbers from last time. This forces you to raise your standards and metabolism each time and ensures you are working hard enough to progress! Good luck with your contest preparation!

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