As the title implies, I've found the once a week restricted calorie day of 600 to 650 very effective in preserving muscle.
Years of stripping the fat down with a simple cut back of calories has resulted in the same. I just get weaker and more scrawny.
I'm a big believer of sustainable bodybuilding. So I usually only go in once a week. At the moment I'm getting good results with rotating things on each of those workouts so that primary and secondary muscle use in exercises are worked in each workout.
As an example yesterday I did single dumbbell pullovers on a prone bench laying length ways. This works the chest quite a bit, Intercostals, Primarily Triceps, Abs, shoulders, back. Its a wonderful exercise really. But its a bit intense on shoulders and elbows. So by doing it once every two weeks, it keeps its momentum but doesn't cause too much overwork on one angle.
I've found that as I'm on an up cycle at the moment(increasing weights week by week) I'm getting growth spurts that exceed the fat loss for the week. The end result is a weight gain or a weight stabilisation.
I will know more after trialing this for 6 months and a year. Its only 3 months so far. I've had some winter blues of flu and low energy as well within that 3 months. But currently on my consistent training cycle of 4 weeks I'm feeling really confident about the results.
Depending on one's goal, a slow process of fat-burn and muscle retention is best served one day a week calorie restriction.
I'm also keen to stay within my preferred bodyfat levels all year round. No more 'bulking up'. Its not always been intentional either. I find if I get a good run with my training I sometimes eat a bit more to compensate for the heavier weights lifted.
Now I can still go with those extra calorie eating days knowing that once a week I take care of any fat gain for that week. This just leaves the muscle growth for the week.
I've now appeared to have gone off ice-cream.... So that's another dessert off my menu.
I'll take another set of photos at the end of the month. If there is any change then I'll put them up. The first set were taken at a body weight of 76kg.
Like I said earlier, if one finds that a really tough workout requires more calories over the course of the recovery days then one can go with that.
I don't think its necessary to eat more for the sake of eating more though. This is where I feel doing a once a week Restricted Fast gets one in touch with appetite and food choices.
As a bodybuilder, there really needs to be a time when we decide that we want to look our best. Constant growth cycles end up making us look chunky and unfit. Personally I promised myself I would look my best at 50+. So I'm now delivering on that promise.
I trained under Reg Park in Johannesburg in 1984-85. With his yorkshire accent he used to call me 'Kung-fu Charlie". He told me that if I want to get anywhere with the weights I'd have to give up the kung fu. At that time I was obsessed with Wing-chun with Leo Sebrets. So I gave it up for about 18 months(weights).
Years of stripping the fat down with a simple cut back of calories has resulted in the same. I just get weaker and more scrawny.
I'm a big believer of sustainable bodybuilding. So I usually only go in once a week. At the moment I'm getting good results with rotating things on each of those workouts so that primary and secondary muscle use in exercises are worked in each workout.
As an example yesterday I did single dumbbell pullovers on a prone bench laying length ways. This works the chest quite a bit, Intercostals, Primarily Triceps, Abs, shoulders, back. Its a wonderful exercise really. But its a bit intense on shoulders and elbows. So by doing it once every two weeks, it keeps its momentum but doesn't cause too much overwork on one angle.
I've found that as I'm on an up cycle at the moment(increasing weights week by week) I'm getting growth spurts that exceed the fat loss for the week. The end result is a weight gain or a weight stabilisation.
I will know more after trialing this for 6 months and a year. Its only 3 months so far. I've had some winter blues of flu and low energy as well within that 3 months. But currently on my consistent training cycle of 4 weeks I'm feeling really confident about the results.
Depending on one's goal, a slow process of fat-burn and muscle retention is best served one day a week calorie restriction.
I'm also keen to stay within my preferred bodyfat levels all year round. No more 'bulking up'. Its not always been intentional either. I find if I get a good run with my training I sometimes eat a bit more to compensate for the heavier weights lifted.
Now I can still go with those extra calorie eating days knowing that once a week I take care of any fat gain for that week. This just leaves the muscle growth for the week.
I've now appeared to have gone off ice-cream.... So that's another dessert off my menu.
I'll take another set of photos at the end of the month. If there is any change then I'll put them up. The first set were taken at a body weight of 76kg.
Like I said earlier, if one finds that a really tough workout requires more calories over the course of the recovery days then one can go with that.
I don't think its necessary to eat more for the sake of eating more though. This is where I feel doing a once a week Restricted Fast gets one in touch with appetite and food choices.
As a bodybuilder, there really needs to be a time when we decide that we want to look our best. Constant growth cycles end up making us look chunky and unfit. Personally I promised myself I would look my best at 50+. So I'm now delivering on that promise.
I trained under Reg Park in Johannesburg in 1984-85. With his yorkshire accent he used to call me 'Kung-fu Charlie". He told me that if I want to get anywhere with the weights I'd have to give up the kung fu. At that time I was obsessed with Wing-chun with Leo Sebrets. So I gave it up for about 18 months(weights).
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