Results and training/diet info from my overall win at the 2017 INBF Carolina Naturals

[paparazi257]

tl;dr: On Saturday October 7th I competed in the INBF Carolina Naturals PC against a field of 4 and won the overall title! This was my second bodybuilding show, the first being back in 2014.

Here is my results post from my 2014 competition.
Here is my original transformation post from 4 years ago.

Stats: 30 years old, 6’1”, 181# ~8% bf morning of show.

Highest point during bulk: 198# ~10-12% bf

After last competition I took some time off to recover and finish grad school then got back into more endurance training culminating in some spartan races in 2016. After the races I started bulking until the end of June 2017 besides a small setback in May when I was sick for a few weeks and a mini cut in April.

Pics

• Instagram for some of my progress photos leading up to the competition
  
• Full Album
  
• Front Relaxed
  
• Left Side Relaxed
  
• Rear Relaxed
  
• Right Side Relaxed
  
• Front Double Biceps
  
• Front Lat Spread
  
• Side Chest
  
• Side Triceps
  
• Rear Double Biceps
  
• Rear Lat Spread
  
• Abs & Thigh
  
• Most Muscular
  
• Overall – Front relaxed
  
• Overall – Side Relaxed
  
• Overall – Side Triceps
  
• Overall – Back Double Biceps
  

Wasn’t really happy with most of my pics/poses tbh. Not sure if it was the lighting or just not having my coach there to yell out tweaks. Album from my last competition is in that post for comparison.

Training Info

• 2017/1 – 2017/2 Bulking Push/Pull Split 5-6 days/week
  
• 2017/3 – 2017/6 Bulking Renaissance Periodization approach
  
• 2017/7 – 2017/10 Cutting P.H.A.T. style approach
  

Cardio varied throughout the prep. During bulk it was typically just a 10 min warmup on the bike, treadmill, or rower pre workout along with a long bike ride of 2-3 hrs on Saturdays. During cut I switched to 3 5-10k runs a week along with 30-60 min cycling on weekdays on stationary bike.

Diet/Nutrition Info

• Calories during bulk averaged 3200 – 3500 kcal aiming for 250-500 kcal surplus
• Macros during bulk are typically around 50% carb, 25% protein, 25% fat
  
• Calories during cut averaged 2400 – 2600 kcal aiming for 750 kcal deficit (I prefer to eat more and achieve deficit through higher amounts of LISS cardio since I have a pretty good base to start from, would not recommend that much cardio on a cut if you are not used to it)
  
• Macros during cut typically around 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat. Initial goals were around 200g carb, 200g pro, 80g fat but increased slightly due to higher cardio amount
  

Typical meals include:

Breakfast:

• 2 egg omelet with shredded cheese 0-2% fat
  
• oats with blueberries and ground flaxseed, some vanilla protein powder for taste
  
• whole wheat dark chocolate chip/blueberry pancakes on high cardio days
  

Lunch:

• 4-8 oz 96/4 ground beef or 93/7-99/1 turkey
  
• Potato/Sweet Potato mix baked in olive oil
  
• Fruit – Apple typically
• V8 (not a huge fan of vegetables)
  

Dinner:

• 8 oz chicken breast or tilapia
  
• Quinoa (1/4 cup dry)
  
• 7-8 oz Broccoli
  

Post Workout:

• Protein shake post workout
  

Late Night Snack:

• ¼ cup almonds
  
• 8 oz plain, fat free greek yogurt w/cherries
  
• Halo top ice cream! (Fav flavors probably Peanut Butter Cup, Birthday Cake, and Sea Salt Caramel)

Diet during bulk similar but less strict and more varied with a few more servings of carbs and fruit typically

Supplements:

• Multivitamin – Men’s One a Day
  
• Fish Oil – 1000-2000mg Thorne Super EPA
  
• Probiotic – 1 pill Thorne Florasport
  
• Vitamin D/K – 2000-3000 IU/400-600 mcg Thorne Vitamin D3+K2 Liquid
• Protein powder – EAS 100% Whey or Thorne whey protein
  
• Creatine – 5g/day EAS Creatine
  
• Citrulline Malte – 6g pre workout, MyProtein Citrulline Malate
• BCAAs (if doing morning fasted training) – 8g pre workout MyProtein iBCAA
  
• Pre Workout (used occasionally for AM training) – 1-2 scoops EAS Pre-Workout
  
• Beta Alanine (used up what had left) – 2-4g/day Bulk Supplements Beta Alanine
  
• Curcumin (thrown in last month of cut for recovery) – 1g Thorne Meriva 500 SF
  

Cumulative Cost

In case anyone is considering competing here is approximately how much it cost me not counting food/supplements:

• Gym - ~$35/month
  
• Tanning - ~$30-40/month (I just did for 1 month prior)
  
• Posing trunks - ~$50
• Federation Membership - $50
  
• Entry fee - $65
  
• Polygraph fee - $50
  
• Spraytan @ show (complete package with backstage touch ups) - $150
  
• Professional Photos - $60
  
• Posing coaching - $125
  
• Tickets for show $20-30/person and ~$50 for a coach to have backstage pass
  

Bottom line expect the show to cost you at least $300+ so not the cheapest hobby but better than some I suppose.

Thoughts

I was really disappointed in the organization of this show. The promoter had very little details available on the website at sign up and then starting the week before was emailing us daily with all of the info that should have been avail upon sign up. He called the night before begging all of the bodybuilding competitors to enter physique as well so that could be a pro qualifier and they didn’t even announce what order stuff would be until 30 minutes before show started. Made it really hard to plan nutrition. To top it all off there was no pump up equipment provided because “someone forgot”, thankfully some people brought bands but still was mostly bodyweight stuff.

Judges’ feedback was that if I want to keep competing I really need to get bigger since I’m 6’1” which was the goal for this competition (came in 7 lbs heavier and only a little less lean) but not sure if I will compete again. I had wanted to get my pro card but I don’t think I would have won overall against a large field as I neglected posing practice and my definition wasn’t showing on stage as much as it does normally.

Moving Forward

Taking it pretty easy for rest of October then planning on transitioning back to endurance training/competitions. I really enjoyed competing in some Spartan Races in 2016 so looking forward to doing more of those in 2018. Long term goals are to complete a half ironman within 2 years and a full ironman within 4 years while exploring more of the world of obstacle course racing (Spartan, Touch Mudder, Savage Race, etc.). If I compete in bodybuilding again it would be after that point or maybe wait until I would be in Masters.

 

[paparazi257]

Man some of the comments on the /r/bodybuilding xpost are pretty discouraging... Not sure what I was expecting but don't think I'll bother posting there again.

"I wish “natty bodybuilding” would hurry up and die an inevitable natty death."

"These natty posts make me want to sell everything I have and start pinning every hormone available"

 

[menageriemama]

@paparazi257 I support you! Looking good man.

 

[evanr1]

@paparazi257 im interested in the drug screening process for nattys

 

[paparazi257]

@evanr1 All conestants must pass a polygraph prior to going on stage. If you win overall for a pro qualifier then they take you immediately to get a drug screening via urine sample.

 

[gharlant]

@paparazi257 What a fucking joke of a test. Making you pay for unreliable bullshit from the 1920s to determine your "nattyness" lmao

Insane to me that it cost you that much, but awesome work dude!

 

[paparazi257]

@gharlant Yeah, I think it more serves as a deterrent than actual proof against. That is achieved by the actual testing of the winners.

Yeah it added up quick and caught me by surprise so wanted to share that. Thx!

 

[karinw]

@paparazi257 Now imagine spending 600+ dollars on gear just for a 12 week prep, and thats not including GH should you choose to run that.

 

[njm24]

@gharlant Completely agree. While a blood test 3 months prior to and a week out from the show would be expensive, I feel that that the genuine natties competing in that show would happily go for it to make sure a simple polygraph wasnt the only thing stopping someone trying to cheat. (Obviously non natties could just stop prior to the blood tests, but you get my point)

 

[samamph]

@gharlant ELI5. How would this work? Say I'm enhanced, but for some inexplicable reason, I wanna compete in a local natural show (WTF? and why??). So I prep (which is pretty damn tough, natty or not), then show up hoping that I can beat the polygraph, and let's say I do. But I don't want to win overall, because then I get a more detailed screening. So I cheated those gullible natties out of a ... 2nd place medal.

So why would anyone do that?

While polygraphs aren't perfect, I competitively fish, and the winners get polygraphed regularly. And there's real money at stake, not just a sword and/or a medal.

 

[shanji]

@samamph What's stopping someone from just running TRT doses and cleaning house? You get a huge advantage while everyone else is so lean+natty that they're effectively castrated. As long as you can pass a polygraph you should be able to crush everyone.

 

[danieldr]

@evanr1 pee in a cup+lie detector

 

[lill]

@paparazi257 Cutting at 2400kcals....fml im over here at 1800 dying.....also congrats my dude you look awesome!

 

[lessofme]

@lill i was at 1100 my last 2 weeks of prep lol

 

[paparazi257]

@lill Lol yeah like I said only feasible because my cardio base is so high from doing endurance training in the off season. I doubt I could go below 2000 kcal, I struggle with 2200.

 

[konsciencia]

@paparazi257 Thank you for this detail; it’s very helpful to see this in one place. Congrats on the win!!! Do you have advice for vegetarians? I by no means intend on competing, but I would like to build muscle naturally. As a vegetarian it’s a little difficult.

 

[paparazi257]

@konsciencia You're welcome, hope it helps! Its definitely harder for a vegetarian but you just need to focus on the protein options that are available to you emphasizing complete proteins like soy/tofu, quinoa, beans/lentils and complimentary proteins of other sources. Also other options like fish, dairy, or eggs depending on how strict you are. Aim to get at least 1 serving of a complete or complimentary proteins every 3-5 hours.

You might find this vegan natural bodybuilder helpful: Torre Washington and some meal ideas on his insta. I cant eval most of his stuff as its behind a paywall but he posts good stuff on insta and I met him in person at my first competition a few years back and was a cool guy.

 

[konsciencia]

@paparazi257 This is great! I really appreciate your notes and will use them!!

 

[paparazi257]

@konsciencia Np, post in our daily discussion threads if you need more assistance

 

[chainbreaker2814]

@paparazi257 Good work mate. Nice write up too.

I'm actually surprised your intake is as low as that given the amount of cardio you're doing + your size. What's your activity like in general day to day?

Ignore the comments on BB sub mate. Different world - you'll always get those types of people, but don't let it take anything away from what you've achieved.