Back in the Saddle

Okay, its been a week and it already looks like I have never seen a treadmill in my life. My ass doesn't fit into any of the jeans I bought, my shirts that used to be tight in all the right spots are now only tight on my gut...lol. Man, you work so hard to get it all off and keep it off and then one week of eating and forty pounds later and I don't even look like the same person! No, in all honesty though, most of it is water retention from being on a low sodium diet for so long, my body will balance out over time....I think?..
Anyway, things have been good since the O. People have been very encouraging through email and in person. Everyone has something nice to say about my performance of even the fact that I have achieved that standard for myself. Even though all of the kind words keep me motivated and in good spirits nothing is more motivating than the feeling of standing on stage and NOT being able to compete. Nothing has ever felt worse.
Part of the fire that fuels my sets and reps since the show has been that humbling feeling of the last call out. I took Sunday and Monday off after the Olympia and Tuesday I was back in the gym blasting the weight like never before. The added weight I've gained has made me feel strong again so I am throwing iron around with confidence again and getting mind blowing, skin splitting pumps.....man there is no better feeling. When I put a weight on the bar and get into my set, whenever I feel like I am done that feeling from Firday night at the O replays in my mind so vividly that it makes me train that much harder. I know people are proud of me but I want more from myself!
I think I stayed on a contest diet for so long this year I can't go back to regular life. I am so used to the go, go, go lifestyle of contest prep that now that the time is done I don't know how to relax. I still wake up and go to the gym and do cardio. Then I run errands for a couple hours then later on in the day I go back for my workout. It seems like the only thing about my day that's different is the ten bagels a day I have been tearing through...lol.
I am thinking of working with a nutritionist all year this year. Its something I have never really done before and am unsure if I need to. It seems exciting to me to think that with proper guidance I could go that much further in the sport. For the time being I am writing my own program and it is a little different than last year.
My training is higher in volume and just a little lighter than before, not much though. My diet is more regimented with proper vitamin/mineral supplementation and I actually have added some other supplements to my program that I used before but only sparingly. The NanoX9 from Muscletech was always a favorite of mine but this last week I have been using the Nano Vapour before and during my workout and I think its playing a big part in the good feeling I am getting in the gym.
Food wise I am trying not to eat to much junk but man I love food. It seems like I am getting all the good nutrition I need but then after each meal I end up adding things like M&M's (peanut of course), muffins, cookies, ice cream. I can't help it right now but at least I am getting all the quality too so I don't feel so bad. I'll give you guys a tip that I have been doing this last week and I did a little last year as well. I love cereal (cheerios to be specific) but I am not a huge fan of milk. So I have been buying big boxes of cereal and instead of milk I have been using Nitro-Tech Vanilla RTD's (Ready To Drink) for a milk substitute. It looks like milk and almost tastes like it too, not to mention its an easy way to get my protein in the morning without having to make eggs or anything like that. What can I say, I get kinda lazy in the offseason and what could be better and less work than a ready made shake...lol.
On the career side of things I have wrapped the last session of my DVD and am in the process of editing and polishing it up (don't worry I have a professional doing it, I'm not sitting here cutting it myself)..lol. It should be released in November but if any of you want to buy pre-orders of my DVD email me at fouadabiad@gmail.com or go to my site www.fouadmuscle.com. I think you if you guys like my blog you will like the DVD. It's an honest account of real training sessions, that means you won't see me screaming and throwing weights across the gym, its real. Not to mention you'll see me out at the club (yes big men can dance...lol), the chiropractor's office and bloopers between me and my friends which I am sure so many of you meat heads out there will appreciate.
I am excited for this year, I have achieved most of my goals that I have set out for myself over the course of my career. I have a couple more for next year and I don't know if I already wrote about them but I guess I will tell you all now. I don't normally do this, I like to keep this kind of thing between me and some close friends but here goes. My goals for 09 are to win a small show and crack the top ten at the Olympia. So with that being said I guess I'm gonna take my vitamins and hit the sack, I gotta a lot of growing to do.

Sacrifice Without Regret.
Fouad Abiad