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How To Stay on Track and Crush Your Goals After A Cheat Meal
The Cheat Meal Cheatsheet.
If you’ve ever had the feeling of regret and remorse after eating a cheat meal, you’re not alone. A cheat meal can not only demoralize you, but it can also cause setbacks and put you behind on your schedule.
Fitness freaks can only dream of a world where they could eat a cheat meal without compromising on their goals. What if we told you the so-desired parallel universe is a reality and within your grasp?
Start With A Plan
There are two types of cheat meals, first are the ones programmed into your diet plans and the others are unplanned. You should stay away from the unplanned meals and enjoy the programmed cheat meals without any guilt.
Some people try to avoid junk food altogether which is not a great idea. Feasting on the cheat meals comes as a shock to your body if you’re following a balanced and clean diet for the rest of the week.
Adding a cheat meal to your diet plan can help boost your metabolism and burn calories even when you’re not physically active. Once-a-week junk food meal can be incredibly effective if your goal is to put on muscle mass.
Don’t Sleep On It
After you’ve made the cardinal sin of eating an unplanned cheat meal, the worst thing you can do is go to sleep. Try going for a cardio session or at least a walk before you hit the sack.
If you know you’ll be eating a cheat meal later in the day, eat a protein-rich meal before you can get your hands on your favorite pizza. Protein can make you feel fuller for a longer period which can help you in avoiding junk food when you’re hungry and thinking from your tummy.
Put in Extra Work on The Next Day
The best way of getting over the feeling of regret of a cheat meal is to go harder in the gym the next day. You should be doing a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) strength training and cardio session to burn the extra calories.
We recommend doing two cardio sessions for shedding the extra calories. The second should be a low-intensity steady-state session which is to be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Adjust Your Calories
Calories are the name of the game when it comes to cheat meals and losing or putting on weight. Apart from following a daily caloric goal, you should keep a note of your weekly (and monthly) calorie intake.
If you eat an additional 1,000 unplanned calories on a Sunday, your goal should be to deduct it from the next week’s sum. For example, reduce 333 calories each from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to stay on track with your progress.
Once you follow all these steps, you’ll start to appreciate your diet and fit lifestyle more because you’ll know that falling for a single cheat meal will require you to put in a lot of work.
Which is your favorite junk food? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Dom Mazzetti Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Dom Mazzetti
Dom Mazzetti, whose real name is Mike Tornabene, is known as the “Bro Science Guy”, a comedic fictional character who shares advice on topics like college, fitness, and women. Growing to be an Internet sensation, while working hard and sculpting a shredded physique, Mike is able to use his platform to reach massive amounts of people using Dom Mazzetti as his tool.
Below is a complete breakdown of his profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regimens.
Full Name: Mike Tornabene (a.k.a. Dom Mazzetti)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
185-195 lbs.
6’1″
05/15/1989
Profession
Era
Nationality
Comedian, Fitness Influencer, Online Personality
2010
American
Biography
Dom Mazzetti, whose real name is Mike Tornabene, was always making comedy sketches and writing comedic bits from a young age. Using the Internet as his outlet, he and a friend began building this online brand through high school and even college, working with each other over video chats to continue their journey.
With their videos receiving positive feedback, they needed to get more eyes on them so they decided to start taking it more seriously. Needing money, they worked odd jobs, but Mike decided to get a personal training certificate thinking a gym job would give him good money.
Eventually, the character of Dom Mazzetti was born. With Mike now into fitness and the character of Dom growing more and more popular, success began to happen quickly. Using Dom as his outlet to talk about topics like college, fitness, and women, Mike and his fictional personality took off and are now a huge influence on the online world.
Training
Mike relies on his training to give him that edge when it comes to building a shredded physique. Below are two workouts for triceps and biceps that Mike performs to build those massive, well-defined arms. A great training routine with perfect form can properly develop your muscles for only the best gains.
Triceps
Skullcrushers: 3 sets, 10 reps
Straight Bar Pushdowns: 3 sets, 10 reps
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3 sets, 8 reps
Rope Pushdowns: 3 sets, 10 reps
Close Grip Bench Press: 3 sets, 10 reps
Biceps
Bicep Curls: 3 sets, 8 reps
EZ Bar Curls: 3 sets, 10 reps
Preacher Curls: 3 sets, 10 reps
Concentration Curls: 3 sets, 10 reps
Supplementation
While Mike uses his own supplements of choice, a protein powder is a great supplement in anyone’s regimen. What a good protein powder will do is boost growth and recovery by working to pump you with protein, an essential macronutrient for your muscles. Other notable supplements for increased strength and mass include creatine, mass gainers, and casein protein, all of which can aid in building a massive physique. The best supplements on your shelf will be a game changer for your gains.
Natural Bodybuilder Gives 3 Tips to Stay on Track During the Holidays
Beccy Pateman discusses her top 3 tips to stay on track during the holidays.
With Christmas (2021) and New Year underway, many people plan to indulge in a little too much food and drinks (if you haven’t already!). Of course, partaking in mashed potatoes and gravy until your stomach screams are warranted during holiday festivities. However, we know if you’re reading this, your health and fitness goals are still important to you. So, to stroll into 2022 on the right foot, we’ve got some insight from Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) pro natural bodybuilder Beccy Pateman. In an Instagram (IG) post, she discussed her top 3 tips to stay on track during the holidays. On IG, she said:
“You are accountable for you! If I could give one tip to people, it wouldn’t be just some fancy exercise program or a specific nutrition regime. It’s to walk the talk and believe in yourself, because at the end of the day the dumbbell and diet don’t get you in shape. It’s your accountability to your word. You vs you always, remember that.”
Beccy Pateman believes planning, simple meal prepping, and remembering your goals are essential to staying fit during the holiday season.
You can see Pateman’s IG post below delving into her three tips to stay on track during the holidays.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXs6RCOvmQv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
INBA/PNBA Strives to Level Playing Field and Protect Competitors
The International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/PNBA aims to keep competition fair and athletes safe. This federation is the largest institution in natural bodybuilding. It’s not quite as popular as the IFBB (International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness), but it’s perpetually getting more eyeballs.
There have been tragic deaths headlining bodybuilding in recent years. Although the cause of death is speculative, many viewers and athletes blame drugs. There’s no proven thesis, so this is only a conjecture. However, natural bodybuilding leagues such as the INBA/PNBA work to keep their athletes safe by putting safety protocols into place, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – the highest-quality drug testing available for professional athletes.
Another premise of natural bodybuilding leagues is leveling the playing field. That’s because athletes are forbidden to dope. Any athlete caught engaging in drugs like steroids, or PEDs is publicly ridiculed through the Hall of Shame and stripped of any titles.
Online Coaching
Beccy Pateman is a PNBA professional Figure, Figure Classic, and Physique competitor in natural bodybuilding. She is also the co-owner of Unrivalled Physiques – an online coaching service. Pateman works to help other people overcome the same issues she struggled with. And she strives to help them avoid the mistakes she made along the way.
Pateman overcame many health and fitness challenges, including anorexia and being overweight. The knowledge she gained from mentors, experience, and being a PNBA competitor has given her the tools she needs to help others.
Generation Iron appreciates Beccy Pateman for providing her wonderful tips to stay on track during the holidays. If you follow her recommendations, you’ll have a stellar start to hit your 2022 New Year’s resolutions.
We also recommend checking out INBA/PNBA professional Lawrence Chambers’s top 4 restaurant recommendations to hit your calories and macros.
Eat, drink, and be jolly – in moderation, of course!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more insight from INBA/PNBA athletes!
Antioxidants & Bodybuilding: Why They Matter & How They Can Help
How can antioxidants work for your bodybuilding gains?
We’ve all heard the word before; antioxidants. We know they are good for us and can help us when it comes to things like immunity, inflammation, and just aid in our overall health, but do we really know what they are? What they do? Why they matter?
Sometimes in the health and fitness world, these big words get tossed around and we go along with it because, well, why wouldn’t we? If we know they will help us, then who cares what it means. With so many companies claiming their products contain antioxidants, and maybe they actually do, it is way easier to take in these nutrients than we may think. So, are antioxidants some magic pill to give you super human health and gains? Not exactly. But what they can do is really impact your gains for the better so you continue to see the gains you are working for.
Let’s dive right into antioxidants and see what makes these so great. From what they are, the benefits of them, and how they can affect your bodybuilding goals, we’ll also work to include where to get them from so you can be sure they make their way into your diet.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants help keep free radicals in check. They are molecules found in certain foods like fruits, vegetables, and include vitamins we all know like vitamin C. But in order to understand why antioxidants matter, we should jump into what free radicals are, which will give us a much better understanding of how antioxidants operate (1).
Free Radicals
Free radicals are always being formed in your body during things like digestion, hard exercise, smoking, just to name a few. On their own, they aren’t exactly bad, for they are natural byproducts of certain processes. However, when they are produced in excess, things can get ugly.
These free radicals are highly reactive and can attach to normal cells and damage them. But if you maintain a good balance between antioxidants and free radicals, your body can manage. When this balance gets thrown out of whack, and free radicals take over, it can lead to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can eventually lead to cell and tissue damage, which as athletes who take their bodies seriously, you just don’t want and certainly don’t need (2).
Quick Recap
To prevent oxidative stress and other negative effects to bodily functions, a balance of antioxidants to free radicals must exist. If that balance is thrown out of whack, free radicals can take over and start to wreak havoc on your body. But, with help from those antioxidant rich foods and supplements, you can balance this back out and get back on track.
Benefits Of Them
The benefits of antioxidants go more than just fighting off free radicals. Knowing what these can do for you may encourage you to seek more of them out so you see those gains you want most.
Benefits of antioxidants include:
Balance out free radicals: As said above, having a balance of antioxidants to free radicals can reduce oxidative stress and keep you running as efficiently as possible.
Certain properties for your body: Antioxidants have properties that can help a host of body parts. For example, flavonoids, which can protect blood vessels and prevent inflammation, are beneficial for your heart health.
Immunity: They can work to help boost immunity so you stay healthy and grinding in the gym for much longer (3).
Skin health: Can help prevent aging and assist with skin health to counteract damage from UV light (4).
Fight inflammation: Work to reduce stress and fight off any inflammation and soreness that keeps you from doing the things you love.
Antioxidants & Bodybuilding
When it comes to antioxidants and bodybuilding, these compounds can greatly affect our gains. By working for a host of benefits that aid in our bodily functions, as athletes who are constantly grinding inside and out of the gym, having the right things helping us can make all the difference. To start, their ability to counteract free radicals to fight oxidative stress is huge, for that can help keep our workouts goings strong and give us the best chance to recover and continue to see gains without losing anything.
On top of all this, the added benefits above like immunity, fighting inflammation, and helping certain body parts all plays into our overall health and wellness. Through hard training, strict diets, and the constant stress on our bodies, we push ourselves to the max. Antioxidants will fight for us and give us the best chance at continuing to see those valuable gains we want most.
Where To Get Antioxidants From
Now we know how valuable antioxidants are, but where can we find them? Lucky for us, they are in foods we eat every day and knowing what foods they are can allow us to tailor our diet to include these foods on a regular basis (5).
Foods With Antioxidants
Blueberries
Dark Chocolate
Pecans
Strawberries
Beans
Spinach
Beets
Kale
Cranberries
Antioxidant Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Selenium
Copper
Zinc
Best Supplements To Boost Your Health
While getting these nutrients through whole foods is imperative, sometimes we miss those vital nutrients and need to supplement. Thankfully, companies have put a priority on creating health and wellness supplements that can greatly affect our overall health. For those looking to get the most out of their supplements, definitely consider a multivitamin, omega-3 supplement, and super greens supplement, for these will pump you with those essential vitamins and minerals so you stay as healthy as possible.
Wrap Up
Now we know what antioxidants finally are. How they work can greatly benefit your gains and as someone who constantly puts their body through stress, it is important to prioritize your health first. Put an emphasis on placing antioxidants into your body and really give yourself the best chance at success.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Harvard Medical School (2019). “Understanding antioxidants”. (source)
Pham-Huy, L.; et al. (2008). “Free Radicals, Antioxidants in Disease and Health”. (source)
Bendich, A. (1993). “Physiological role of antioxidants in the immune system”. (source)
Nguyen, G.; et al. (2012). “Systemic antioxidants and skin health”. (source)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Antioxidants: In Depth”. (source)
Mike O’Hearn Shares Tactics To Build Massive Quads
Mike O’Hearn recently shared some tips on building huge legs.
Mike O’Hearn is a legend in the fitness industry so when he gives out some advice, it is beneficial to listen. This is exactly what he did when he went to the gym and completely a massive leg workout recently. O’Hearn shared some tips on how to build bigger quads using his overall knowledge of different muscle groups.
O’Hearn took to his YouTube page to shared his workout tips on quads. He began practicing two-a-days and this is not something that is usually implemented. This is when someone trains twice a day — in the morning and later in the day. This does not always have to be different body parts. O’Hearn explained how he likes to perform compound movements and bigger lifts in the morning followed by secondaries later in the day.
While this might work best for him, O’Hearn says that each lifter will figure out what works best for them.
“You learn, do the roadmap and at the end of fit after you become somewhat of a master at it, no rules apply.”
Mike O’Hearn begins his leg day workout on the hack squat machine. This is one of the best when building big quads. This is because it can handle a lot of weight while not having to focus on stabilization as much. This is one of the machines that is beneficial but there are some that might not help much.
When finding machines to use, O’Hearn suggest finding ones that are not easy because of the counterbalance.
“Find awkward ones. There should always be pressure on you.”
When training quads, there are plenty of machines that can help. In the video, O’Hearn hops on the leg press machine. This one makes you turn and pull the knee out. This emphasizes the outer portion of the leg and the quad muscle. This was a new machine for O’Hearn to use and one that he liked immediately.
Mike O’Hearn also explained the importance of focusing on the negatives in order to get a good stretch and ensure that you are activating the muscle through a slow movement.
“There’s so much value in the negative you have to understand. If you pull the muscle down correctly in the negative it will activate that way out of the positive.”
The session finished with leg extensions. Throughout the workout, O’Hearn wanted to make sure that this is an advanced way of training. This is a way for experienced lifters to take it to the next level but also a base for beginners. Mike O’Hearn continues to have an impressive physique and has plenty of knowledge to share.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Robert Timms Details The Experience Of Training In Afghanistan
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During Robert Timms military tour – he discovered bodybuilding while training in Afghanistan gyms.
Robert Timms, also known as Mr. Classic Physique, is a standout Classic Physique competitor who showcases a lot of promise in the division. He also has had a rollercoaster past including a cancer diagnosis and some time spent in the military – including a tour abroad in Afghanistan. It’s actually during his tour in the middle east that Timms discovered his love of bodybuilding. In our latest GI Exclusive, Robert Timms explains his experience discovering bodybuilding and what it was like to train in Afghanistan.
For many of us here in the United States, Afghanistan seems like an entire different world. While some of those perceptions are likely based in stereotypes – there’s no denying it’s a country with a completely different culture. One, of course, with a very complicated history involving the US. Robert Timms was a soldier who was stationed in Afghanistan (many years ago before the complete pullout this past year). It’s in Afghanistan that he actually discovered his love of training in the gym and bodybuilding.
During our most recent video conversation, we asked Robert Timms what it was like to train in Afghanistan while touring in the military in comparison to his training life now in the United States. Timms explains how there were two gyms on base. There was the NATO gym and then the “prison gym” as he calls it.
“The prison gym was the gym that was like the old school – like it was rough. It was a rough gym,” Robert Timms states in his interview. He goes on to say that he was 175 pounds upon arriving at the base in Afghanistan.
Through his training in the prison gym – he started developing a love of the process and picked up a lot of basics and tips from his fellow soldiers. But he quickly realized that the way they trained wasn’t enough for what he was seeking. Robert Timms describes himself as a man who likes to deeply understand the very fabric on how things work. This included his body while training.
So after a small rough patch of training where he was plateauing – he decided to stop following along his fellow soldiers and start doing his own thing. While it wasn’t perfect and didn’t lead to a sculpted physique that could win shows – Timms ended up gaining 60 pounds. Bringing his weight to 235 pounds. His body instantly responded to his new actions in the gym as he broke off to explore training on his own terms.
It’s through that isolation on base that Robert Timms was able to, essentially, change his life. He found a new passion that ended up driving his entire life upon returning to the United States. He’s now a pro Classic Physique bodybuilder – and one that is still actively working to become an Olympia champion.
You can watch Robert Timms’ full comments on his experience discovering bodybuilding and training in Afghanistan by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
WATCH: Tyson Fury Shows Some Intense Training With His Father
Tyson Fury does not take his training regimens lightly.
Tyson Fury has turned into one of the best boxers in the world. The current WBC Heavyweight Champion is coming off an 11th round knockout of Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight and is training for his next bout. Fury has recently shown off some intense training methods with his father, John Fury, assisting.
Fury is seen laying on the floor while his father slamming a medicine ball off his midsection. The boxer is intense throughout the workout and flips on both sides so he could be hit in his obliques as well.
“when you hit that Friday feeling,& someone trying to put a dampener on it. @gypsyjohnfury #spartans#undefeated #champ @wbcboxing ?”
Tyson Fury had been hoping to face Oleksandr Usyk next but has been ordered to defend his title against Dillan Whyte. There have been recent talks that Whyte might not be the next opponent. This means Andy Ruiz Jr. or Joseph Parker could step in. There is nothing set in stone just yet but the current champ has been training to stay ready.
The current exercise seen is a way to strengthen core muscles by pounding them constantly. This makes the athlete flex and strain their core in order to absorb the hit. This is a popular workout used by boxers to maintain the necessary core strength. Some other methods include taking punches to the core with boxing gloves.
This is a video from back in November and Tyson Fury is only intensifying his workouts. John Fury has been part of his training and has made some recent comments regarding his other son, Tommy Fury, and Jake Paul.
Tommy was forced to back out of a scheduled bout with Paul because of an injury. Paul had some choice words about Fury’s decision and his father did not take lightly to them. John Fury did not like the words that were being said about his son and their family name. He challenged Paul to reschedule the fight to March 2022 or he would handle it himself.
There has been no news related to this rematch just yet. Paul is coming off a knockout victory over Tyron Woodley, who stepped in for Fury once he was removed.
Tyson Fury is worrying about bigger things heading into 2022 as the heavyweight champ. While there is no fight scheduled just yet, it is clear that Fury will return to the ring next year looking to make some more noise.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Arnold Classic Raises Classic Physique Prize Money Higher Than Olympia
The Arnold Classic raises prize money higher than the Olympia.
The Arnold Classic has raised the prize money for the Classic Physique. This change comes as a major surprise particularly since the payout is higher than that of the Olympia.
Bodybuilding has notoriously paid out a relatively light amount to competitors seeking glory. While winning a show may grant a person prestige, it certainly never paid out as much as it could. As a result many bodybuilders have had to take jobs that pay out far less than effort required. This meant bodybuilders would often train hard and push themselves to the brink while receiving very little money in return.
But now it appears the Arnold Classic is addressing that very issue. According to Terrence Ruffin, the Arnold Classic will indeed be paring out far more than even the Olympia for the Classic Physique division.
According to his recent Instagram post, Terrence Ruffin confirmed that the prize money for taking first in the Classic Physique division has gone from $7,000 to $60,000. Talk about a massive upgrade. Finally it appears that the competitors are getting what they deserve. Ruffian’s post details the increase in prize money with the following.
Guess the cats out of the bag lol. I’ll be defending my title at the 2022 Arnold Classic. I want to give a special thanks to @schwarzenegger and the entire @arnoldsports team. I made it clear that I had no intentions of doing the show if the prize money stayed the same as this year. Thankfully they saw the value that Classic Physique brings and stepped up to the plate. From 7k to 60k for first place is a huge win for the division.
It’s clear that the show runners at the Arnold Classic are trying to set a new precedent. They are trying to pay the athletes what they deserve. It’s about time that these athletes earn a prize more fitting for the amount of dedication they put into their preparation.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Bodybuilding Vs. Powerlifting: Strength Or Physique?
Although complimentary, most find training for both simultaneously quite hard.
Both bodybuilders and powerlifters take extremely good care of their bodies. Of course, they both have insane routine workouts to keep improving muscle mass and each has a respective diet to keep them moving as efficiently as possible on top of whatever supplementation they include. For many of us, we don’t actually know the different between these two sports.
On first hearing each word, your mind jumps to a conclusion of what you think, or have been told, of what each sport entails. Bodybuilding is known as the physique sport, the toned aesthetic full of poses to make those muscles pop. Powerlifters prove that strength has no limits by picking up incredible amounts of weights and putting them back down.
While these are true, there is definitely more there than meets the eye, both in similarities and differences. For someone on the edge of starting one or the other, you should consider which training plan you enjoy more, as well as what your goals are. If you want to build sheer strength or tone your physique, each requires its own certain diet as well.
While the stereotypes in everyday people’s minds exist around these two, even within the fitness world bodybuilders and powerlifters have different ideas of one another. Bodybuilders look at powerlifters and think they just eat whatever to bulk up and not care for the proper etiquette of what it takes to conduct yourself in a gym, while powerlifters look at bodybuilders and see ego-driven competitors who don’t spend enough time in the gym. While these are certainly not true, the common bond between these two unique sports is hard work, both in the gym and out of it.
What Is Bodybuilding?
Bodybuilding primarily focuses on building muscle and shedding fat to maintain size and prepare for contests. Humans are obsessed with the ideal physique and bodybuilders try and create that making this an appearance-focused sport. It’s all about symmetry, so while muscle size is important, the muscle groups need to be balanced to create that aesthetically pleasing look. Overall performance is not the intended goal and while strength and fitness may come as a result of their time in the gym, bodybuilders are judged in competition on how they look.
Well known bodybuilding competitions include the Arnold Classic, Mr. World, and of course, Mr. and Ms. Olympia. These competitions have seen the likes of great bodybuilders like Lou Ferrigno, Lee Haney, Flex Wheeler, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Ronnie Coleman.
What Is Powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a strength sport and the intended goal is to be as strong as possible in order to lift the heaviest weights for a single rep. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important, a powerlifter seeks overall size and strength as opposed to a symmetrically toned physique. They are judged only for the rules and competition events include the big three exercises: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift (1).
Each continent has a series of competitions and the World Championships include a variety of competitions from the IPF Classic Powerlifting World Championships and the IPF World Open Powerlifting Championships. As an Olympic sport, athletes seek the gold medal to claim top sport in the entire world. Some of the great powerlifters include Eddie Hall, Brian Siders, Mark Henry, Zydrunas Savickas, and Ed Coan.
Similarities
At their respective cores, the values of each sport are actually very similar. A solid work ethic is key in being both a successful powerlifter and bodybuilder and experimenting with various aspects of your routine is crucial for growth. Whether that be with workouts, dieting, or supplementation, experimenting and failing only leads to you getting better. Both use similar exercises and pay attention to smaller muscle groups within their bodies. Bodybuilders may do it for symmetry and powerlifters may do it for support (2), but nonetheless, it gets done.
When it comes to performance and training, both sports require athletes to under go what is called a “peaking phase”, where each athlete looks to up the intensity of their workouts, subsequently increasing their caloric intake as well (3). Bodybuilders start the bulking program where they will eat well over the caloric maintenance levels and their lifts will greatly intensify. A powerlifter will do the exact same thing, where they focus extensively on the core lifts and overall conditioning while ramping up the caloric intake. Although powerlifters may consume more calories on the whole, both athletes follow the exact same principle.
Differences
The main overall difference is that bodybuilders train for size and symmetry while powerlifters train for sheer strength. For bodybuilders, appearance is everything and a strict, consistent diet is their main concern for keeping their gains in the gym at the right level for competition. Powerlifters care about their diet, but need many more calories to continue seeing growth and physique is not their main goal. For muscle building and exercises, powerlifters focus on full body workouts to build overall strength to support their competitive lifts of “the big three”. Bodybuilders will do the same type of workouts, but will target muscles with accessory lifts to continue their mission of perfect symmetry.
Wrap Up
While it is possible to be both a powerlifter and a bodybuilder, it can prove to be difficult in the long run given the different demands in training and diet required for each respective sport. While bodybuilding focuses on overall appearance, powerlifting tends to drift more to sheer strength. Knowing your intended main focus is key for fully understanding what you want to get out of each. For those finding it difficult to choose, look into powerbuilding workouts which combine both strength-based workouts along with ones for muscle-building. At the end of the day, if you want to do well in competitions, you have to give one hundred percent of your time and dedication to one. If your goal is to look strong and toned, then try a hybrid and maybe one will catch on.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Ferland, Pierre-Marc; Comtois, Alain S. (2019). “Classic Powerlifting Performance: A Systematic Review”. (source)
Simao, Roberto; Spineti, Juliano; de Salles, Belmiro F.; Oliveira, Liliam F.; Matta, Thiago; Miranda, Fabricio; Miranda, Humberto; Costa, Pablo B. (2010). “Influence of Exercise Order on Maximum Strength and Muscle Thickness in Untrained Men”. (source)
Henderson, Zachariah J. (2016). “Peaking and Tapering in Endurance Athletes: A Review”. (source)
The Velocity Diet: Is It Worth It For Bodybuilding Goals?
This low calorie, high protein diet is a game changer for physique, but is it worth it?
We all look towards our nutrition and dietary routine when looking to make those changes to our physique. While working out and lifting big does enhance our muscle growth, what happens in the kitchen is first and foremost when looking towards our bodybuilding goals.
We know what to eat, we know how to eat it, and we know great supplements to pair with our workouts to enhance not only gains, but other aspects of our health and performance as well. With so many diets and “lifestyles” to adopt, it can hard to choose one. Each claims to be the best and it leaves us wondering just what it is we need to do to get that shredded aesthetic we desperately seek.
The velocity diet is one of those diets that seems like the missing link, the key we’ve all been looking for. Also known as the V-diet, this is a rapid transformation for those gains to shine and our physique to really pop.
Before starting any diet, it is important to know the drawbacks that something like this can cause. While we all know the pros, the cons are equally as important before embarking on some grueling diet. And the velocity diet certainly is by no means easy.
Let’s take a look at the velocity diet and see what this can do for your bodybuilding goals. It claims to be the silver bullet we all seek, but whether or not its worth it for your bodybuilding goals is something worth exploring. After all, we do want the best for our bodies when it comes to the overall package.
What Is The Velocity Diet?
The velocity diet is a way to get a shredded, lean body in only a number of days. It is a rapid transformation of your body composition and is for those willing to commit to 28 days of a low calorie, high protein diet. With the discipline and strict mindset required, it should be said that this diet can help control your habits as you lose fat and start to see that lean muscle grow.
Being high in protein, the diet consists of a lot of shakes, taken from high-quality protein supplements. Since these supplements have carbs, fats, and other essentials ingredients included, you are not totally sacrificing everything, but this diet is by no means for those who cave easily (1).
What’s Included In The Diet
If you choose to embark on the velocity diet, be aware that you will only have one solid meal a week. It will be protein based with your meat of choice and may contain some good carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Other than that, you are drinking protein shakes. Lots of them. While losing roughly 1-2 pounds per week is the healthy amount to lose, a diet that exceeds more than 2 pounds can have serious effects on your body for not getting enough of these essentials can really start to hurt your gains, especially for those of us bodybuilders (2).
Advantages To The Velocity Diet
Fast Results
With this diet, if you hold to it strictly, you will find those results you want will come very fast. The key with this would be to keep it as best you can. Since you do exercise on this diet as well, that also contributes to the speed at which these results occur.
Potentially Preserve Muscle Mass
This is a potential because while you are consuming high amounts of protein and lifting, you also miss out on other essentials that can help with preserving muscle mass. Protein does serve as the building block for all muscle, but with such a restrictive diet, it can be hard to tell just how much muscle is actually preserved.
Fast Meals & Convenience
Since most of, if not all, your meals are shakes, the prep time is minimal. This allows for a fast on the go option to bring with you wherever and requires no prep or clean-up for a very convenient option.
Disadvantages To The V-Diet
Losing Out On Essential Nutrients
With such a restrictive diet, this low calorie, high protein option may limit the amount of essentials that your body gets. While taking a multivitamin and other supplements is a good idea when on this diet, it isn’t the same as getting those nutrients from whole foods.
Extremely Limiting
Based off everything said already, this diet is extremely limiting and your chances to eat whole foods is virtually not an option. A good home-cooked meal should not be underestimated and while you may see fast results, you would have to weigh out just how worth it this diet is.
Does Not Provide Long-Lasting Results
This diet is difficult to keep up and the sustainability is just not there. You will have to be strict and very disciplined with yourself when it comes to this diet and that can be challenging for anyone. As you continue to lift, your body will need those essential nutrients and aside from the external physical benefits of a lean body, the daily functions your body needs to thrive will start to suffer (3).
Wrap Up
When it comes to the velocity diet, your bodybuilding goals may be achieved, albeit for a short while. This diet does have the ability to lean you out so you see a great physique, but you’ll find this to be very limiting and not sustainable. For bodybuilders looking for career longevity and for those serious about competing, getting a body fast may not cut it against the best in the world.
For that, you need a solid nutritional plan, strict workout schedule, and clean supplements. A get lean fast diet will work to get that beach body ready quickly, but keeping that weight off will prove to be challenging. You are better off finding a safer, more long-lasting way to keep this weight off, one where you can still see that shredded physique and be confident in it.
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*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Barrows, K.; Snook, J. T. (1987). “Effect of a high-protein, very-low-calorie diet on body composition and anthropometric parameter of obese middle-aged women”. (source)
Howell, Scott; Kones, Richard (2017). “‘Calories in, calories out’ and macronutrient intake: the hope, hype, and science of calories”. (source)
Weigle, David S.; Breen, Patricia A.; Matthys, Colleen C.; Callahan, Holly S.; et al. (2005). “A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurinal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations”. (source)