Adelfo Cerame - After the Holidays: Energy Intake, Macros, Supplement & Training Regimen +Science Round-Up Preview

Neither the "high" carb intake nor the holidays did any harm to Adelfo's physique - on the contrary!

Things always seem to happen, when you least expect them. Actually I had today's SuppVersity post - a follow up on yesterday's post on the "anabolic" response to cardio before and after workouts almost ready, when "the bell rang" and Thunderbird told me that I had a new email from nobody else, but "Your's Truly" Adelfo Cerame Jr and if you were not already staring in awe on his "post Christmas" conditioning in the image on the right, I guess his would be the moment to write: "I can tell you folks you will be amazed about what you are about to see" ;-)

Since you are already seeing, I will briefly squeeze in the obligatory preview on the Thursdaily SuppVersity Science Round-Up which is going to start - as usual - on 1PM EST (live on Super Human Radio).

Even scientists go on holiday (or is it just the publishers?)

Unfortunately the week in between Christmas and New Year saw even less interesting publications, so that this is actually the first time, I did not have to throw out 50% of the potential news... but I guess that's not really of interest to you, so let's see what we've got

• Our weekly caffeine news: A closer look at MOA of the fat loss effects of caffeine
• Ghrelin the hunger hormone? Who would have thought that it's anticatabolic?
• More on exercise and hunger: There is no way - Taubes was/is/will be wrong.
• Building muscle in the sauna? Heat, stress & muscle hypertrophy
• Exercise and BCAA complement each other

If my estimations are correct there will, at best, enough time to discuss some more general things about protein supplementation and answer important questions such as how much protein can you absorb from meats, eggs, shakes and so on in an hour and how will that affect your net gains?

But enough of the previews, now: Let's hear and see what Adelfo Cerame Jr has to tell and show you after his intermittent "SuppVersity guest post fasting". On a side note: Just in case you belong to those people who still believe that Adelfo = Adel (this is me) = one person <= this is not the case, everything that follows is, if anything, edited and put int the right format by me, but it's written by Adelfo. On he other hand, everything else except Adelfo's now bi-weekly guestposts is penned by one and the same author, which is me - alright? Alright ;-)

Happy belated Christmas and Happy New Year’s SuppVersity readers. 

I know I have been missing in action for a while and I probably will be for the next 3 weeks, until I finish my final term for school, then I’m finally done! So I’m going to keep this short and sweet and give you guys a brief update on how contest prep has been going…

13 weeks down, and 11 more to go!

So far my prep has been going great, even better than last year. I feel I am very much ahead of schedule compared to last year. My body has responded well to the higher amount of carbs I’ve been taking in this year. The response is in fact so fabulous that I have even had to go below 150g of carbs, yet. Coach Alberto has been fluctuating me from 150g-200g, and he only drops them to 150g when he wants to dig deep for a few; and then bring them back up. Or as he would say, throw deep for a few plays, and then go back to playing conservative again.

Adelfo looks the way others would love to look "pre-contest", only days after Christmas and New Years Eve.

My training also has made a big difference in my physique. The higher volume, workload and frequency of my muscles being trained has really brought up my physique especially in my problem area - the lower back, where I can really start to see the muscles come out and start forming a Christmas (very timely, isn't it?). This is the depth in my back that I’ve been wanting to achieve for a while, so I’m hoping for it to really start coming out within the next month or so.

As for my diet…

Just in case you are wondering what my numbers are looking like…

Diet protocol:  IF + IIFYM (intermittent fasting + if it fits your macros)

• Macros - Regular days:
  Fats: 40g / Carbohydrates: 150-200g / Protein: 200g
• Macros - High days (refeeds):
  Fats: 40g / Carbohydrates: 225-300g / Protein: 200g

• Fiber: 25-55g/day Fluids: 2.5 liters/day

Supplements: Multivitamins, fish oil, vitamin D3, Creatine, and BCAA’s
maybe a pre-workout supp from time to time

...no major changes to my training regimen as of yet

Hypertrophy + Strength training split (kind of like P.H.A.T.) using an RPE scale

You can read up on the details of the RPE plan in my previous blogpost "Complete New Routine + RPE Training Principles Explained".

Otherwise, that's it for today. Just as I said, it was going to be brief but once school is over I will be able to focus and contribute more to my Thursday blogs ;-)