July 27, 2016

                                                                                                                                                         By: Vinson McCrea, Fitness Center Trainer

*This diet and fitness regimen is based on Vinson’s fitness level and goals (Bodybuilding). Therefore it is not recommended for most people. Consult your physician and appropriate professionals before embarking on a specific diet/exercise plan.

My name is Vinson McCrea and I’m a trainer in our Fitness Center. I will be competing in my first Physique (“bodybuilding” for you who aren’t familiar with the term) Competition August 20th in New York City! I will be competing for a chance to earn my Pro Card at the IPL Pro/AM show. A number of members have asked how I’m preparing for my first show and I am glad to explain it. Sharing my passion for fitness is something I love doing. So without further delay, I’ll take you through what I eat and how I train along with how I stay mentally focused through it all.

First up, I’ll tackle my diet and what’s working for me. I’m lactose intolerant, along with grain sensitive, so it’s a bit of a struggle finding the right foods to fuel my workouts as well as recover after them. After some experimenting I’ve found foods such as apples, blueberries, potatoes, squash, and almonds are an excellent source of nutrition to lean on as I put my all into my weight training. The protein I eat is primarily chicken or some sort of fish. I make sure to get plenty of vegetables as well. I love spinach. It’s just so easy to prepare and goes with any dish. If I get bored with spinach, I’ll change up a bit and eat asparagus which goes great with any dish as well.

Now let’s talk about training! My training regimen currently consists of two separate sessions per day, with a morning session of fasted cardio followed by an afternoon session of weight training. The reason behind the two separate sessions is to help me lose fat at a healthy rate while maintaining the muscle I have. I do my morning cardio in a fasted state because cardio on an empty stomach helps tap into my fat reserves. I also consume a cup of coffee 20 minutes beforehand since caffeine serves as a diuretic, helping me lose water weight. Please note that you have to be at a certain body fat percentage in order to see the results of fasted cardio. For example men should be under 15% and women 18%. Remember, I am following a specific training regimen for a Physique Competition. When I perform my cardio, it is at a steady pace for 45 minutes. Doing steady cardio from 30-45 minutes aids tremendously in weight loss. For my weight lifting, I use a training philosophy called intuitive training. Intuitive training is weight training based on how your body feels. I hit every body part individually based on how my body feels and focus on the parts that feel like they need the most work.

In keeping myself mentally disciplined and focused, I have a strong faith. I’ve had many setbacks and disappointments along the way, and my spirituality and devotion have gotten me to this point. It’s what prompts me to get out the bed and train.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. When you see me in the Fitness Center, don’t be afraid to say hi!