June 21, 2011
Wow…I can’t believe I’m 40 today! Time just moves so fast and the years seemed to have added up really quick. However, I’m not feeling depressed about it…I’m actually quite proud today. My wife and I headed out to go see a movie and I was pretty happy sitting there with a package of beef jerky and two Peppermint Patties...it’s all good…don’t worry it fit within my nutrition targets. Tonight I made myself a chocolate whey cake topped with fat free cool whip. For the topping, I melted down the cool whip and mixed in Hershey’s cocoa powder and then added rainbow sprinkles. Not the best tasting cake in the world, but during my contest prep I’ll take it.
I can say at 40, I’m probably in better visual shape at this stage in my contest prep than ever. You might be wandering, “what do you mean by visual shape?” Well athletically speaking, I surely can’t run as fast as I used to and in some cases I can’t lift as much as I once did, but on the exterior, I never looked better. Today, I can officially say I can compete in the masters division…and at the NPC San Francisco on October 1st you better believe I will be entering both the open and masters! I recall back in the day, I used to make fun of that class and say that I would never compete as a master. Too much pride and ego back then for a young man. Stupid me! I didn’t realize it at the time the older guys were the ones who were both mentally and physically experienced. Not to mention they were the one’s winning most of the top level natural shows. If you look at some of the great natural bodybuilders out there, many of them are well into their 30’s and 40’s. Even some guys in their 50’s are truly remarkable natural bodybuilders and there’s no need to look any further than Dave Goodin.
It’s inspiring for me now because it still means I have a lot left in the tank and I can see myself making good progress for another 10 years or so. It only makes sense…the longer you’ve been in the gym training properly the better you become over time. A concept that’s really hard to grasp if you are a highly motivated 20 year old kid with no patience as I once was. I remember back at that age, I wanted to get huge like right now…this instant…so it was common practice for me to take in 5,000 calories per day. Yes 5,000! I’m not kidding! I remember eating 3-4 boxes of mac & cheese, a dozen potatoes, dozen eggs, and lots of white rice in one day. What was I thinking?! Or better yet…what was my GI track thinking? I did that simply because the huge guy in the gym told me I needed to eat. So, in my young mind that was an easy concept for me to believe. Just lift heavy and eat as much as I could put down and man…how fun that was! I added about 25lbs in a 3 month time span and the sad part about it…I thought it was all muscle too LOL! Then it was time to enter my first show and strip off that unnecessary body fat and guess what? Dumb me lost 30lbs and a lot of muscle in 6 short weeks! My pre-contest diet consisted of egg whites and white rice and that was it. By the way, I picked up that wonderful concept from a popular muscle mag. Add to the fact; I had grandpa looking posing trunks, 1 coat of pro tan on, a bad flat top haircut, horrendous posing and a bad ego. Let’s just say, I looked horrible, but at the time I thought I was the sh**! Where was Team 3DMJ back then to slap me around when I needed it?! A lot has changed since then; for starters I’ve learned to think for myself and to apply basic common sense in my approach. Using my own head and doing a little research has gone a long way for me in this sport. Gone are the days of turning to crappy muscle mags or big dudes in the gym for advice and knowledge. I find that just asking myself the simple question of “why?” really has allowed me to think for myself. Wow! I just realized I’m on a serious tangent LOL! Could it be my old age confusing my thought process? Anyways…I’m 40 today and I just want to say to all the young ego driven guys who may be laughing and making fun of my age as I pump up backstage in the pro and master’s division this season…remember… this old man is jacked! J/K LOL!
Until my next blog keep training hard, smart and naturally!
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
June 16, 2011
“Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.”
~Michael Jordan
This past week the IFPA accepted my application for pro status and I will now be competing in their IFPA Pro International show in Kansas City, Kansas on September 16 & 17th along with my teammates Alberto Nunez and Brad Loomis. This is so exciting for me because not only will it be my pro debut, but more importantly I get to share the experience with two of my closest friends. This show I’m sure will be very competitive and of cour... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
June 8, 2011
“It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is the father of truth.”
~Francois Rabelais
It’s hard to believe I began this prep back on December 6, 2010 and I’m just now starting to show some good signs of muscularity 27 weeks later. It’s been a long time in the waiting, but I’m very motivated to reach my full potential this year…it’s just going to take some more time. Not only does it take time to shed body fat, but it also takes quite ...
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Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
June 4, 2011
"The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations."
~Eli Khamarov
Current Thoughts
Today I was feeling a bit light headed and really fatigued from a long road trip to Oregon that my wife and I went on Tuesday through Thursday in which we had a very nice visit with my stepfather. Yesterday’s 11 hr drive back home took its toll on me, so I wasn’t expecting too much in the gym today. I don’t know what it is, but just when I think I’m not feeling it, I seem to pr... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
May 31, 2011
Quote
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
~Confucius
Current Thoughts
Things have been progressing a little slower than I anticipated last week, but the good news is I’m still improving and I’m moving forward. I went ahead and made some changes recently because my physique was beginning to look too stringy. Mentally it was frustrating to look flat most of the time and when my scheduled refeed rolled around I decided to eat more than my scheduled target. My last re... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
May 19, 2011
"Belief creates the actual fact."
~William James
This season so far has been a crazy roller coaster ride with a lot of sharp turns and many ups and downs. Life's issues have surfaced which has made this contest prep the toughest I’ve faced mentally. Not only have I been dealing with unforeseen outside issues, but also weeks where my weight didn’t want to budge which is something I’ve never really experienced in my bodybuilding career. That had me emotionally in the dumps and my confidence...
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Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
May 14, 2011
Recently I learned my stepfather’s cancer is now terminal. I got the call from my step sister while I was on the treadmill doing my cardio at about 50 minutes in. After I hung up the phone with her I just wanted to lie down and cry, but I jumped right back on and powered through my last ten minutes even though I was choked up. It was a tough night for me and right away I knew my bodybuilding season would have a deeper meaning to it. This season is just not about bringing my absolute best e... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
May 7, 2011
On Monday I started my latest plan of attack which consists of 3 lower carb days followed by a higher carb day and then I simply repeat the cycle. I just wrapped up my high carb day on Thursday which consisted of 500 grams of carbs and I’m feeling pretty damn good…as I should be after eating all that good food LOL. I weighed in today (5/5/11) at 180.8lbs and that is about the same as early last week, but with that long trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico it really limited my productivity. I gain... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
May 2, 2011
Week 21 was spent on the road from San Rafael, Ca to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Last Sunday, my father-in-law and I loaded up all of my grandmother-in-law’s belongings and moved her out to New Mexico. It was a long 1,300 mile one way drive which took two days to do. After the first day of driving we stopped in Flagstaff, Az. for the night. In the morning, I was able to get in a 20 minute cardio session at the hotel’s fitness center before getting back on the road, but that was the extent of my... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
April 24, 2011
When I'm getting ready to settle in for the day I do not want to reflect back and second guess myself…could I have did anything better today? I want that answer to be a resounding NO!
Weight
Start Date - 12/06/10 - 206.5lbs
Goal Date – Whenever - Goal Weight – 160lbs
Current – 04/23/11 – 180.6lbs
*Note – The scale has finally moved past 182.2! It’s time to show what this veteran is all about :)
Nutrition
This prep I’ve been trying a different approach. In years past, I simply would... Continue reading...
Posted by Jeff Alberts. Posted In : 2011 Contest Journey
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Team 3DMJ Coach/Natural Pro Bodybuilder
Welcome to my 3DMuscleJourney! As many of you know I created this website back in January '09 to journal my training leading up to the '09 INBF Capital City Championships. Since then the site has seen some incredible changes, including the formation of Team 3DMJ. I'm very proud of all the great changes to the site and it couldn't have been remotely possible without the help from all my teammates, family and friends! My 2011 contest season was a huge success with a few division titles and a trip to the IFPA Yorton Cup World Championships where I proudly finished 7th in a very competitive middleweight lineup. I'm officially in my offseason and you are more than welcome to follow along! jeffalberts@3dmusclejouney.com
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