I have been experimenting with the Keto lifestyle for some time now with some pleasing results, but have decided recently to take it up a notch by reducing my daily TOTAL carbohydrates to 20g, as opposed to the formulaic 50g that many keto advocates use.

One of the things I am trialling is integrating more of a carnivore approach to my daily diet with the majority of my protein & fat coming from grass fed beef, organic eggs, pork, grass fed whey and collagen protein powder. I will also continue my use of the 16/8 intermittent fasting protocol to my feeding window.

Some of the benefits associated with this type of diet and IF I have discussed before such as: lower insulin, lower inflammation, lower blood pressure, reduced body fat, improved hormone function, better mental clarity & cognition and the list goes on!

One of the things I really want to achieve with this updated approach is to get my body to produce more ketones. My previous approach wasn’t getting me into true ketosis, hence why I am can keen to do it properly.

I will report back after a few months with a progress update!

👍👌💪👊😊

• 

When I think about the statement, “Make Bodybuilding great again!”, I think about how the sport of Bodybuilding is starting to come back to its roots of aesthetic physiques, a sense of camaraderie and physique contests that are genuinely entertaining!

In the last 15 to 20 years, with the advent of ludicrous PED protocols including overuse of insulin and growth hormone, we have seen puffy, blocky, unhealthy looking physiques and more deaths that have definitely created an image of something not only unattainable for the average Joe Blo, but also something not all that easy on the eye!

Thankfully, many federations are now calling on streamlined waists and are penalising that pregnant “bubble-gut” look. Even Arnold himself has made his own opinion on this very clear in the same vein!

Social Media is also now assisting our sport in regaining its sense of community and camaraderie. Unfortunately, sometimes things go pear-shaped and we see some of our icons behaving like school-yard bitches online.This is something we need to put a kibosh on!!

Our physique contests, for a while there, were starting to become very clinical with the free posing routine removed from the show so as to speed things up and allow for more and more extraneous divisions, some of which have been a bit dubious!!

The free posing routine to music of the competitors choosing has always been something that the audience really enjoyed and got right into. Even people that aren’t into bodybuilding also love this aspect of the show. Again, Arnold himself, has placed emphasis on this art by including it as Round 3 in the Arnold Classics, whereby the score actually counts! As a result, we have seen the professionals and amateurs alike lift their game and improve their posing skills markedly!

Bodybuilding in the 1960s through to the 1990s was revered as a healthy lifestyle with an overall look that was something to behold.

Hopefully, we can continue to turn the tide on this time-honoured tradition and truly international sport that allows all races and ethnic groups to come together!

So with that, I call on everyone in our amazing sport to keep all of this in mind and indeed endeavour to…

“MAKE BODYBUILDING GREAT AGAIN!”

👍👌💪👊🤩

#makebodybuildinggreatagain

#teammassivejoes

#massivejoes

#tmj

#omaraclassic2020

#omaraclassic

#ifbbomaraclassic

#ifbbwa

#ifbb

#oldschool

#grandmastersphysique

#keepitsimple

#hittraining

#bodychiselbycraig

#alphacrew

#strengthwisdomrespect

#goldsgymportkennedy

#goldsgym

I have used Intermittent Fasting, Monday to Friday, for the last few years or so, and have personally noticed the following benefits:

1. Improved blood work via multiple markers including fasted blood sugar, higher testosterone, lower SHBG, lower oestrogen, lower blood pressure & lower C-Reactive Protein (inflammation).

2. A drop in stored body fat with minimal cardio.

3. Injuries & niggles that have subsided or gone away completely.

4. Loss of interest in sugary foods.

5. Improvement in strength levels.

6. NO loss in muscle mass.

7. Improved clarity of thought and consistent mood.

8. Improved recovery from weight training.

9. Less time in the kitchen preparing meals.

10. Convenience!!!

BUT, you MUST still pay attention to addressing your macronutrient intake during your chosen feeding window.

👍👌💪👊😎

As I have been doing for the last 5 years or so, since turning 50, I got my GP to do a thorough blood work check, which included my hormone panel (see photo with the markers I wanted testing).

For the last few years I have successfully increased my total testosterone, but have been noticing that my SHBG marker had been steadily rising. Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, when too high, basically binds up your available testosterone and renders it useless.

So, I have been making holistic lifestyle changes to try and correct this.

I have improved my sleep patterns by lowering Cortisol, continued to use Intermittent Fasting from Monday to Friday and have recently been adopting a Ketogenic approach to my daily eating.

I have made sure that my daily consumption of essential fats has been high combined with approximately 0.8g-1g of protein per pound of body weight. Daily carbohydrate intake from fibrous sources is less than 50g. Starchy carbs that spike insulin have been removed.

High insulin, high cortisol and high inflammation can impede proper hormone production. Too much protein can cause inflammation, whilst essential fat can regulate insulin and fuel testosterone and cognitive function.

The mistake people make when trialling ‘Keto’ is that they don’t eat enough essential fat, consume way too much protein and end up feeling horrible.

The results of my blood test were encouraging in that my total testosterone was still at the high end of the normal range whilst SHBG almost halved. This in turn meant that my free testosterone increased by over 50%!!

I haven’t been doing Keto for that long, so I will be keen to see how I progress using this approach.

At almost 55 years old, I am certainly not adverse to using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) but I am determined to put off the need to do this for as long as possible.

Until then, I am enjoying experimenting on myself to try and optimise my hormone production naturally.

👍👌💪👊😎

54 years old and still enjoying my ‘love affair’ with the gym, after more than 3 decades!!!

I have used the gym to help build my physique and boost my strength and fitness.

But, most importantly, I have used it as salvation to clear my head from the daily stresses of work and life in general!!

No pill from your GP works as well!!!

👍👌💪👊😎

#oldmanmuscle

#oldschool

#bodychiselbycraig

#keepitsimple

#gasp

#officialgasp

#goldsgymwa

#goldsgymportkennedy

#goldsgym

Yes, I have done a few shows, 60 to be exact!

Competing in a physique contest is not just about your very brief time on stage.

It is more to do with the journey to the stage, as you attempt to morph your body into the best shape of it’s life.

What you learn about yourself along the way is amazing. You use and acquire traits like self-discipline, resiliency, organisational skills, time management, focus, determination, drive, creativity, mental acuity, problem solving and an overall extreme desire to be the best version of yourself which is not just restricted the way you look.

I often say to clients and friends that you “get in the zone”.

If you’ve seen the awesome Bradley Cooper movie, “Limitless”, you’ll remember the magic pill NZT 48 which turned him into an instant genius with a limitless drive and focus.

If you do contest prep right, then you’ll experience this in varying degrees.

Also, the awesome like-minded people you meet along the way, particularly at State, National and International contests, are something you can treasure for the rest of your life.

And finally, after the show, you can enjoy the memories and then go to work to plan your next outing and a way to be even better than before!!

👍👌💪👊😎🏆🥇

CW’s Contest ‘career’ thus far is as follows:

1994 INBA Mr Novice WA 1st place

1998 INBA Mr Intermediate WA 1st place

1999 INBA Mr WA (Open) 3rd place

2000 IFBB Under 80kg WA 1st place

2002 INBA Mr WA (Open) 5th place

2002 INBA Mr Australia (Open class 3) 4th place

2004 INBA Mr WA (Open) 2nd place

2004 INBA Mr Australia (Open class 3) 5th place

2005 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place and Overall Mr WA

2005 ANB Mr Masters WA 1st place and Overall Mr WA

2005 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2005 INBA Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2005 Musclemania Masters Mr Australia 2nd place

2006 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place

2006 INBA Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2006 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2006 INBA Natural Olympia 5th place Masters, 3rd place Open Class 3.

2007 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 2nd place

2007 NABBA Masters Mr WA 2nd place

2007 INBA Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2007 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2008 WFF WA State Open Class 2 1st place

2008 NABBA Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2008 IFBB Elite Show Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2008 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 3rd place

2008 IFBB Mr Masters WA 2nd place

2008 INBA Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2008 ANB Mr Masters Australia 1st place

2009 INBA Mr Masters WA 2nd place

2009 IFBB Mr Masters WA 2nd place

2009 ANB Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2009 INBA Natural Olympia Masters 4th place, Open Class 3 third place

2010 NABBA Mr Masters WA 1st place

2010 NABBA Mr Masters Australia 2nd place

2010 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 3rd place

2010 INBA Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2010 IFBB Mr Masters WA 1st place

2010 IFBB Masters Mr Australia dnp

2011 NABBA Mr Masters WA 1st place

2011 NABBA Mr Masters Australia 4th place

2011 ANB Asia Pacific International Masters 2nd place

2011 INBA Mr Masters WA 1st place, Overall Mr WA 2nd place

2011 IFBB Mr Masters WA 1st place

2011 INBA Mr Masters Australia dnp

2011 ANB Mr Masters Australia 3rd place

2011 INBA Natural Universe 3rd place Masters, 5th place Open Class 2

2012 ANB Asia Pacific International Masters 1st place, Under 90kg 2nd place

2012 NABBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2012 INBA City Nationals Masters Mr Australia 1st place

2012 INBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2012 INBA WA State Titles Open Short Class 1st place, also received a huge gold cup commemorating my 50th contest during my 18 years of competing.

2012 INBA Nationals Masters Men 6th place

2012 ANB Nationals Masters Men 6th place

2013 INBA Masters Mr Melbourne 1st place

2013 NABBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2013 INBA Masters Mr WA 1st place

2013 ANB Asia Pacific Masters Men 2nd place

2013 ANB Masters Mr WA 1st place

2013 INBA Masters Mr Australia 4th place

2013 IFBB Masters Mr WA 1st place

#oldmanmuscle

#oldschool

#grandmastersphysique

#bodychiselbycraig

#inba

#ifbb

#musclemania

#nabba

#icn

#anbaustralia

#lookgoodfeelgoodamgood — with Graham Clarke and 3 others at Craig’s Office.

My love/hate relationship with squats continues, as I ease them back into my quad workout once again.

5 years ago my GP put me on blood pressure meds for mild hypertension.

Within a very short period of time I noticed numerous lower body niggles, including knee pain.

I tried to train through this and it only got worse.

I checked the side effects of blood pressure meds and was shocked to see that lower body edema was on top of the list. 

Edema is fluid retention which can in turn create inflammation of joints, connective tissue and muscle.

So I realised I had to proactively get off these toxic drugs and lower my blood pressure naturally via lifestyle change and sensible supplementation. 

Fast forward to 2019 and I now have normal blood pressure, minimal knee pain and a squat that is below parallel once again!!!

Moral of the story, never give up, focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do and solve the problem through the acquisition of knowledge and persistence!

👍💪👊😉😎

For those of you, around my vintage, you may be interested to see the list of blood markers I like to get checked every 6 to 12 months or so (see below).

I presented this list to my GP, who then wrote it up on the usual Clinipath Pathology form.

Very important to not put your head in the sand when it comes to your health, particularly hormonal status, which is the key to looking and feeling good!

Remember the old adage, folks…”Knowledge is power”!!!

👍💪👊😉😎

Here’s the list:

Blood test markers, December 2018

Total testosterone

Free Testosterone

FAI

DHEA

Estradiol

SHBG

Potassium

Sodium

Magnesium

Calcium

Vitamin D

Red blood cells/Iron

Mercury

Lead

Total Thyroid

Blood sugar

C-Reactive Protein/inflammatory marker

PSA

Kidney (creatinine)

Liver

10. Kamal Elgarni’s incredible showing in the 212 division. This 42 year old gentlemen showed us all that age is merely a number and that muscle maturity after the age of forty is something that is hard to look past!! I actually thought he’d done enough to get ahead of Derek Lunsford and jump into second place!

9. Also over 40 years of age, was the legendary Boston Mass, Jose Raymond, who in his last Mr Olympia 212 competition finished in a very respectable 5th place. His posing routine to Frank Sinatra’s “My way” gave me the chills and was so well received by the appreciative audience. And, MC, Bob Cicherillo’s verbal tribute to Jose and resulting standing ovation was a wonderful way to conclude his outstanding Bodybuilding journey of 10 years at the Mr O and 25 years of competition! And this version of Jose was even more impressive given the fact that he will undergo hip replacement surgery not long after the show!!

8. The advent of the People’s Choice Champion for the Mr O IMHO was a winner!! Roelly Winklaar is nothing short of a cartoonistic marvel of muscle with an improved waistline and ability to pose. I believe Roelly was a worthy recipient of this inaugural award, as we all love to see that freaky muscle mass. If he can continue keeping that waist line tight, whilst refining all that beef, then who knows what might happen in the future!

7. The quality and depth of the 212 Division was something to behold!! Gentlemen like Zane Watson, Stanimal, David Henry, Shaun Clarida, etc had to settle for the minor places, but at any other pro show during the year, could have easily themselves been winning or in the top 3.

6. On a more negative tone, I believe these professional athletes and their legions of loyal fans deserve to be placed from 1st to 10th and given the kudos and respect they deserve. Streamlining the show by just awarding the top 5, or worse still, the top 3, was somewhat disappointing. This leaving the crowd wondering what the hell happened to their favourite competitor!! After all is said and done, announcing the minor placings doesn’t take very long at all, say 4 or 5 minutes, maximium.

5. The Classic Men’s Bodybuilding division continues to gain popularity with a huge line up of quality athletes. This class has really helped put the sport of Bodybuilding back on the map, so to speak, where average Joe Blo is realising the more realistic proportions, muscle size and aesthetics of this division are not only more attractive, but more attainable too. I do believe, however, that a short and a tall class needs to be introduced to try and reduce the massive numbers and make the judges job a tad easier. The overall winner would also be very exciting to watch and reminiscent of the classic battles of the 1970’s when the Over 200lb winner would do battle with the Under 200lb for the overall Mr Olympia. Think back to the 1975 Mr O when Arnold would do a final comparison with Franco! The same could be said for the 212 Mr O having a showdown with the Open Mr Olympia.

4. People may criticise Big Ramy’s showing this year, but I believe this 310 pound behemoth still has what it takes to win the show. Ramy’s condition today was much improved from yesterday’s pre-judging and I thought he could have been placed a bit higher. Ramy has amazing proportions to compliment the slabs of Egyptian muscle he possesses. And, his waistline and abdominal wall are still in proportion to his upper and lower body, giving him the most extreme X-frame we have ever witnessed in the sport!!

3. ‘Old man muscle’ once again proves to be a feature of the sport these days and proof that a man can continue to improve past the fourth decade of his existence. Dexter Jackson may have dropped a few placings, but still looked pretty amazing in this stacked line up! And let’s not forget that Roelly is 41 and Shawn Rhoden himself is 43 years old too!!

2. The Welsh Dragon, James Flex Lewis’s fantastic showing this year in the 212 Division to win his historical 7th straight title, was a sight to behold! I am definitely a big fan of this remarkable champion, as both an athlete and an ambassador to the sport. I hope and pray that he returns to the Open Class with that extra 20lb of muscle we know he can carry. Mark my words, Flex will be a major threat if he chooses to step up!!!

1. I saw Shawn Rhoden win the IFBB Australian Grand Prix back in 2013 at FitX, Melbourne. His insane aesthetics, tiny joints, round muscle bellies, V-taper, 8-pack abdominal wall, ridiculous separation and crazy conditioning was awesome to see back then. Fast forward to 2018, his physique has continued to improve, as has his desire and tenacity to achieve at the top level. Shawn never gave up on his belief in himself and this I believe was a key factor in his emphatic dethroning of the 7 time champion, Phillip Heath!! This victory was not only a win for the man himself but also a victory for aesthetics and a message that abdominal distension is something that the judges will be more critical of in the future!! Good on you Master Rhoden, you are ‘making bodybuilding great again’!!!

👍💪👊😉😀🏆

I remember jumping on the pre-workout bandwagon many years ago when SuperPump 250 and Nano Vapor first hit the market.

This was back in the days when I was having 5-6 strong coffees per day at work, followed by another truckload of caffeine in my serve of pre-workout that I took just before training in the evening.

I’ve got to say, looking back, all I got out of this was adrenal fatigue, increased anxiety at work and jitteriness!!!

Fast forward to now, I have 1-2 coffees earlier in the day, usually decaf, and no pre-workout whatsoever.

My energy for training is equal or better to what it was loaded on stimulants, but more importantly my adrenal fatigue has gone and so too, it’s annoying symptoms.

And because my cortisol hormone is now lower, this then allows for optimum testosterone levels.

I find that a 10-20 minute meditation/power-nap about 30 minutes before I train is the absolute best ‘pre-workout’ you can do!!

I did that this evening before my Quads & Calves workout at Gold’s Gym Port Kennedy, and had an absolute rip-snorter of a session, where not only was my stamina good, but my strength was at its best.

So as I say to my clients and friends, ditch the pre-workout, save your adrenals, feel better and spend your hard earned dollars on better quality food or supplements that actually work!!

👍💪👊😉😀