[quote]MytchBucanan wrote:
[quote]Methanth wrote:
Bold assumption assuming you’re “bigger and better” than I am. Congratulations on your life accomplishments, and I do wish you the best of luck getting your card. Gear or no gear, it’s difficult to get and requires an intense dedication in and out of the gym.[/quote]
Nice job on the backhanded compliments. [/quote]
Touché.
[quote]truthandlife wrote:
Pic I put together just for comparison purposes. The top 3 pictures are from March 2012, the middle pictures are from the July Branch Warren Classic and the bottom pictures are from the NPC Texas State Championships in October (3 months later). I wasn’t able to really put any muscle on from July to October but do think I made some improvements besides the darker tan.
I am in a “growing” phase right now and have gained about 10 lbs since the show but really excited about making some improvements. Already feel like I have made some gains the past 4 weeks. My next show will probably be in May and then will go for that pro card in July.
[/quote]
It’s amazing what getting lean does for your face as well as your physique. (No Homo) It really chiseled your features. Have the ladies responded?
Thanks! Not too much. Dudes mostly (just in an admiring way). Married with 5 kids so it is a good thing ;)[quote]jordanz wrote:
[quote]truthandlife wrote:
Pic I put together just for comparison purposes. The top 3 pictures are from March 2012, the middle pictures are from the July Branch Warren Classic and the bottom pictures are from the NPC Texas State Championships in October (3 months later). I wasn’t able to really put any muscle on from July to October but do think I made some improvements besides the darker tan.
I am in a “growing” phase right now and have gained about 10 lbs since the show but really excited about making some improvements. Already feel like I have made some gains the past 4 weeks. My next show will probably be in May and then will go for that pro card in July.
[/quote]
It’s amazing what getting lean does for your face as well as your physique. (No Homo) It really chiseled your features. Have the ladies responded? [/quote]
Impressive results! You lost a minimum of 10 percent bodyfat while simultaneously gaining pounds of time traveling muscle…all naturally and at over 40 years old. Forget about physiology impossible…that’s a miracle!
Hang on…you aren’t Layne Norton’s Dad are you…?
[quote]Gareth Murchie wrote:
Impressive results! You lost a minimum of 10 percent bodyfat while simultaneously gaining pounds of time traveling muscle…all naturally and at over 40 years old. Forget about physiology impossible…that’s a miracle!
Hang on…you aren’t Layne Norton’s Dad are you…?[/quote]
It is interesting that I have a few people who cannot believe that I have done this naturally. What is ironic is I am on stage competing against these huge guys in the masters division wondering if they are “on” or not thinking it is unfair if they are “on.”
Oh well, seems like I am going to have a few doubters along the way and that is okay. The body is truly fascinating what you can do to it when you diet is on point and your workouts are intense and consistent.
You want to hear something even more miraculous? I have 5 kids and work about 60 hours a week and train about 7 1/2 hours per week. About 9 hours 4 weeks out of my contest 
I actually surprised myself with my transformation at my age. I would love to see someone do a study on people who have a lot of years of training, get fat and how much “muscle memory” can get people back into shape fairly quickly if they keep at it. I think it would be a fascinating study.
You brought up Layne Norton and I actually had a coach the last 2 shows who has Layne’s philosophy on getting guys ready on stage. It is not rocket science at all and if you stick with the basics you can make some incredible gains without the post-show rebound effect.
[quote]truthandlife wrote:
You brought up Layne Norton and I actually had a coach the last 2 shows who has Layne’s philosophy on getting guys ready on stage. It is not rocket science at all and if you stick with the basics you can make some incredible gains without the post-show rebound effect.
[/quote]
If you don’t mind my asking, who was your coach for these last two preps?
Derek Charlebois. Very sensible plan and got me ready. First show I only used him the last 4 weeks but the last show I used him the whole show prep. Could have been a bit tighter and fuller but know what I will do next time around. [quote]EyeDentist wrote:
[quote]truthandlife wrote:
You brought up Layne Norton and I actually had a coach the last 2 shows who has Layne’s philosophy on getting guys ready on stage. It is not rocket science at all and if you stick with the basics you can make some incredible gains without the post-show rebound effect.
[/quote]
If you don’t mind my asking, who was your coach for these last two preps?[/quote]
FYI OP is not natty.
[quote]optheta wrote:
FYI OP is not natty.[/quote]
Very flattered every time someone accuses me of not being a natural, lifetime drug free lifter/competitor. Please share your knowledge in knowing how you know who is natural and who is not. The forum would love to know.
By the way, for everyone else, this is a picture of me yesterday at a beefy 207 lbs (haven’t weighed this much since my transformation in 2012). Have 2 more weeks to go on my lean bulk then will start to prepare for my May show.
Chad, you don’t strike me as a guy that would let the haters/doubters get to you, but please keep posting. I’m really enjoying following your progress and hope you’ll keep us updated on your contest prep. Your physique would be a goal for me down the road! I gotta be honest, I would also assume that you were on gear judging by your age and before/after pictures; take that as a compliment! Not that you care whether or not I believe you, but I take your word for it that you’re natty…what would you have to gain by lying about it on the internet? Keep up the good work man!
Thank you very much. It is a sincere compliment when people accuse me of being on “gear.” I will take it as that (I will remind myself :)). I understand my hormone level won’t be this way forever but I have even surprised myself with the changes I have been able to make naturally. Hopefully I will never have to do TRT but I have never ruled it out if I get to a point where my T levels are low. By the way, I have never had my T levels or blood work checked. I might do it in the next few weeks just to see where they are at. It would be interesting.
I added up the other day and I have cooked all of my food for the whole week 82 times since 2012 and it has been pretty much all clean foods (when I say clean the ones everyone talks about). I had a galbladder surgery after my 12 week transformation (probably too low of carbs shocked my body) and took off 6 weeks of working out but have not really taken off since then other than a active rest week here and there.
I will continue to post my progress and the way I am progressing I think I have a very good shot of getting my pro card this year but all I can control is myself. Don’t know who else will be onstage and will not worry about it. I am glad to hear from people like yourself that want to hear about the journey and how to get there. It is pretty boring but it is just putting the workouts and eating the food 1 workout and 1 meal at a time. TNation had a great quote from Charles Staley this week that I think is very appropriate. Here it is:
“Consistency is the “true north” indicator of any successful athlete. All forms of learning and personal development depend on regular repetition, and resistance training is no exception. Even the world’s most perfect program would utterly fail without sufficient consistency. Likewise, consistent application to a sub-par program will deliver the results in spades.”
Chad[quote]pwolves17 wrote:
Chad, you don’t strike me as a guy that would let the haters/doubters get to you, but please keep posting. I’m really enjoying following your progress and hope you’ll keep us updated on your contest prep. Your physique would be a goal for me down the road! I gotta be honest, I would also assume that you were on gear judging by your age and before/after pictures; take that as a compliment! Not that you care whether or not I believe you, but I take your word for it that you’re natty…what would you have to gain by lying about it on the internet? Keep up the good work man![/quote]
Good stuff Chad. Your dedication and passion is motivating to see; I can’t imagine balancing it all with your big family! I don’t know if you ever go on the bodybuilding forum on this site, but I’ve got a prep thread going over there myself and would love to have any feedback or insights from you throughout my prep!
Key to my success is my unrelenting consistency in diet and workout, cooking all my food for the week on Sunday and working out early in the morning (no excuses then).
What have I had to sacrifice…sleep but I catch up on the weekends. It is overrated anyway [quote]pwolves17 wrote:
Good stuff Chad. Your dedication and passion is motivating to see; I can’t imagine balancing it all with your big family! I don’t know if you ever go on the bodybuilding forum on this site, but I’ve got a prep thread going over there myself and would love to have any feedback or insights from you throughout my prep![/quote]
truly inspiring. Would you mind telling us how and what you cook on a typical Sunday?
This is Sunday. Takes from 2-3 hrs depending how focused I am. Cook lean ground beef with taco seasoning , chicken breasts with McCormick Grillmates ( all of them are good), tilapia in a Cajun seasoning, bassanti rice (doesn’t dry out like regular rice in frig and freezer), then just throw frozen broccoli and green beans in. I cook for 7 days 3 meals. I don’t cook my breakfast, dinners w family and my late night meal. I put 4 days in frig and 3 days in freezer. Just warm up in skillet if I am at home or put in microwave at work.
