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OK a few comments.

First, nice work getting it back on track. Way to hang in there. Second, I noticed above you're taking creatine again. This is a no-no during Famine as we're looking to deplete muscle substrate, not put back. Please dis-continue for the remainder of Famine.

Finally, you're going into workout #3. This is important so hear me out: If you at all feel "off", sick or just not right - discontinue. HEALTH FIRST! You can't make gains if you're sick..

You MAY find yourself reduced to bodyweight only squats/very light weights etc.. No worries, this is part of the plan. Completely natural and something that's by design. Your bodyweight loss is right on schedule or about 1lb/day that's typically seen.

Once famine is done the hard part is OVER. Then, time to reap the BIG rewards!!

I missed the part about no creatine during famine, I'll skip it tomorrow (last day) and I will know to skip during whole famine next time.

I'm feeling pretty good at the moment, no hunger. Not really tired either, only difference in mood is I didn't had the same focus when I was studying today. Don't really want to sit still either, have an urge for running (and I usually HATE to run).

I will make sure I am feeling all right before and during workout tomorrow.

Good update. Like I said, play workout #3 cautiously. You seem much better now though (grateful)... Hard part is almost over. After this, train to Gainsville leaves the station first day of Feast

Thank you for the feedback. I'm already at the train station, just have to wait a few hours for the train


Update: Lost 0.7lbs since yesterday. RHR 5 above normal.

I took it safe during workout, felt during warm up that my left shoulder wasn't 100%. Kept weights on the safe side with slow and focused movements, aiming to hit 15 reps. It was TOUGH today, but I made it through the whole workout. Hit 2 reps on last set of chin ups



FEAST STARTS TOMORROW

Expectations: Seeing how great results other people has had with the Blueprint, I'm excited to say the least. I still must say I'm a bit confused regarding caloric intake, I'm a short + small guy so I end up around 1900 calories / day according to the guidelines. Not too much of a "feast"

The last 2 months I have been bulking on 2300 calories off-days and 2800 calories on-days, gained about 6-7 lbs in two months which suggests I also put on a bit fat. Not much though since I had the advantage of reaping newbie gains (and I am hoping I still have that advantage).

Would be great to be able to put on some lean mass while still burning away that stubborn stomach fat, let's see what the Blueprint has in store for me!

Will start the first day of feast with a concoction of Chinese herbs, I'm just as excited about these as with the Blueprint.

Congrats on making it through! The hard part is OVER

OK great observations above because it allows me to make the following recommendations for you:

On training days, consume 2,800K
On non-training days, consume 2,300K

Your first 3 days of Feast are just eating and sleeping, no training. These will be 2,800K days, as will the first workout day. You have a 500K delta between both days, which is good and should accomplish the goal of mitigating any fat gain throughout Feast.

IMPORTANT POINT: No less than 20% of your daily calories on training days should come from that intra-workout drink I speak of. Let's take a look at how best to accomplish that:

- 100g of Pure Karbolyn, Kwik Karb, Waxy Maize or dextrose if that's all you have access to at the moment = 400calories. Dextrose is most easily found in Gatorade POWDER. Don't buy the pre-mixed drinks as they are largely fructose/high fuctose corn syrup with a MUCH lower GI. If you can't find Pure Karbolyn, Kwik Karb or Waxy Maize opt for cornstarch at your local supermarket. It's essentially waxy maize. It's worth the effort b/c Waxy Maize is no worse than dextrose, it WON'T leave you bloated, sluggish and with and incredible crash/nauseous feeling nor will it "show" on you like dextrose. Temporary thing but dextrose shows up fast as extracellular water under the skin.

- 40g of ON Whey = 160 calories

- 20g of BCAA

- 5 grams of Creatine Mono

So there's your 560 needed calories or 20% of daily intake on training days. This puts them to work right where you need them and where they'll do the most good!

Begin sipping this conconction 15 min prior to the workout and between sets, finishing up the last of it immediately after the workout. Makes a big drink but will go a LONG way toward recovering you from these sessions.

On off days, 2,300 is your target. I much prefer any cardio done during Blueprint's feast phase to be done early in the AM, fasted state if possible. REASON: Although you'll burn the same # of calories, a higher PERCENTAGE of those calories will come from stored bodyfat as glucose is low from the overnight fast.

With little to no glucose to use for energy, the body is forced to draw upon bodyfat stores. Presto: increased fat loss for you!

Hope that helps...

Wow, great post, this info will help me ALOT! It's amazing you actually take the time to give personal feedback and recommendations for your customers, I will do my best to give something back when I get the INZANE GAINZ and turn green

I'll pick up some cornstarch at the supermarket tomorrow, not easy to find supplements here.

Time for bed, will post the final result of phase one first thing in the morning! I'm kind of excited to see what BF% my electronic scale puts me on!

Thanks man, I do my best.

Looking forward to your feedback!!

Final result of famine:

Weight: 127lbs
BF% (according to electronic scale): 13.1%


Total weight loss: 4lbs
BF% loss (according to electronic scale): 1.5%

Wow you're doing well. Glad to hear it.

And a loss of 1.5% bodyfat is awful nice. Unclear if all 4lbs were representative of that but clearly, some of it was!

The hard part is OVER. Now the fun begins! Congrats again. For a blessed few, famine isn't that bad. Good for you. Wish I could say the same lol...

Third day of feast, got a strange feeling of well-being. Tomorrow is first workout of phase 2, can't wait to throw myself into the gym again, been missing it!

Already seems to be a big difference in the mirror, but it seems to good to be true so it might only be my mind wanting to look good in the mirror

Gained back about half of the weight I lost during famine, but it still looks like there's less fat (judging by mirror) than after famine. Can at least tell for sure my muscles are harder than ever before.


Some update about the Chinese herbs: I'm almost 100% sure there's liquorice in there, I can tell by the taste.

This is the info of liquorice from a Chinese herbs database:

Actions & Indications:
Tonifies pi (spleen), enhances qi, clears heat, rids of toxins, expels phlegm and stops cough, stops pain, synergizes other herbs. Being used in spleen and stomach weakness, tired and lack of strength, palpitation and short of breath, cough with abundance of phlegm, stomach and solar plexus pain.

Medical Function:
1. adrenocortical hormone function： As early as 1946 gan cao extract showed the characteristics of mineralcorticoid. Glycyrrhiza is metabolically converted to glycyrrhetic acid (GA). GA, when incubated in-vitro with adrenal gland cells increases DHEA production.

2. effects on digestive system: a. anti ulcer b. anti convulsion. c. promotes secretion of insulin. d. protects liver from toxin.

3. anti inflammation

4. anti allergy

5. anti cancer: Saponins stimulate the immune system and inhibit Epstein-Barr virus expression and possess in-vitro (in the test tube) anti-cancer activities. Epstein_Barr virus is associated in certain cancer development. Glycyrrhiza also contains quercetin that has anticancer effects. Glycyrrhiza lowers serum testosterone levels and correspondingly increases estrogen levels by inducing two enzymes called 17-ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and aromatase thus inhibit prostate cancer cells.

6. anti virus and bacteria: a. anti HIV b. anti amoeba and bacteria

7. effect on blood vessels: a. lower blood lipids. Both saponins and licoflavones are known to bind to cholesterol and bile acids and have surfactant properties.

Hmmmmm...

First, happy to hear it on the muscle coming up/hardening effects! On the liquorice... you'll note in The Blueprint where I mention research on it's ability to LOWER testosterone. Nevertheless, unclear what else is in there and how it may interact.

Keep doing what you're doing. It seems to be working as planned. Can't wait for you to embark on the workouts!!

Thank you for the feedback, I remember it's mentioned in the book. I am still unclear about which liquorice root were used in the study showing liquorice lowers testosterone.

The "common" liquorice is Glycyrrhiza glabra, this is also the liquorice on which most studies are done (as far as I know), the liquorice used in Chinese medicine is Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Not sure how much difference there would be between those two.

Might also be other benefits which weights heavier than the loss of testosterone. Not easy to tell. I will however keep this in mind if I notice anything strange.


By the way, you seem to know your way around adaptogens, would you say mood swings are natural during the first days of taking them?

I'm normally a stable, down-to-earth kind of guy, but the last 3 days I have been feeling everything from depressed to impatient, annoyed and angry. Really out of character for me. Today is the first day I got the feeling of well-being.

It's not the adaptogens. More likely the quick fall (famine) and rise (feast) in hormone levels - mostly testosterone. Could be SOMETHING in that ancient chinese secret.

Still very curious to know. Can you get it translated?

Good to know, thank you.

I will re-stock on Tuesday, will make sure to take a picture of the new recipe and get a friend to translate it for me.