Wednesday is Q & A Day

So I am a little behind on my food and training posts and Q & As.... today's post is a long one....

FOOD & TRAINING

Monday

Training:

Trained shoulders and back
5 sets of presses (with 20s) 12 reps
4 sets bent-over lat raise (with 15s) 12 reps

5 sets lat pulldowns (from 70 – 90 pounds) 12 - 10 reps
3 sets of seated rows (with 105 pounds) 12 reps

Food:

Breakfast: oatmeal with flax and wheat germ, 3 egg whites, water, black coffee

Mid Morning: ¾ c. plain yogurt with scoop of brown-rice protein powder

Lunch: tuna + cukes, carrots, and celery, water, black coffee

Mid Afternoon: missed this one... oops

Dinner: my dear friend Colleen made me tortilla soup with tons of veggies and blueberry crisp for dessert... yes I do eat dessert

I was a little low on groceries on Monday because I was away all weekend... so I should have had more fruit than I did.

Tuesday

Training:

Traps: 4 sets heavy shrugs 50 pounds each hand

Biceps:
Barbell curls: 2 sets 30 pound bar for 15 reps, 2 sets 40 pound bar 15 reps each
Preacher bench curls: 4 sets with 40 pound barbell 12 to 15 reps

Triceps:
Lying triceps stretch: 2 sets of 20 with 30 pound bar, 2 sets of 15 reps with 40 pound bar
Triceps pressdowns: 2 sets with 70 pounds, 2 sets with 80 pounds and 2 sets with 90 pounds, 15 reps each set

Abs:
v-sits on edge of bench: 3 sets of 35 reps
crunches: 2 sets of 100 continuous

Food:

Breakfast: The Tosca Standard
¾ cup cooked oats, flax, wheat germ and Salba
2 egg whites
Coffee
Water – the usual 500 ml

Packed a cooler for the office: So this took care of my mid-morning meal and my afternoon snack. We went out to lunch yesterday.
Water
6 hard boiled eggs
1 sweet potato
½ cuke
Apple
Unsalted almonds
1 pkg tuna
Melba toast

Dinner:
Chicken breast
Steamed mixed veg
¼ large baked potato

Q & A:

Question: Hello, I am currently reading your book and wondering when you say clean protein bar or clean protein powder, if you could list some specific brands you recommend? Thanks.

Answer: It’s hard to mention brands considering I live in Canada and the options I have may be different here. When looking for a clean bar and powder weed out options containing sugar (this can have many names, too) and refined ingredients. Basically, if you can’t pronounce it put it back. I am not affiliated with these companies, but I do like Luna, Lara and Clif bars. I stick to brown-rice and hemp protein powders.

Question: Is filming going to be done soon? The egg whites you pack in your own coolers, are they just boiled egg whites? And your green beans, they are fresh cooked green beans and you eat them cold?

Answer: I don’t have an end date for filming yet… potentially by Christmas or just after. I take hard-boiled eggs with me in my cooler. I eat my green beans cold, or warmed up if there is a microwave near by.

Question: Tosca if I want to develop my hamstrings more what do you suggest. Should I go ahead and work them out two times a week when I do glutes. I currently do one day of intense leg per week. My quads are well developed. Also, how often can or should a person do the two weeks of cooler 1 if I want to do it again down the road. One more please. In your book you mentioned that over training develops stringy muscles. Do you mean they look stringy or are you saying that they feel stringy because my glutes (where my piriformis muscle is) have always had a ropey feel to them. Is that normal? What should I do if it is not. As always thank you for your kindness in sharing.

Answer: Increase your leg hamstring work to twice per week to increase the definition. Cooler 1 should be done sporadically. It really should be saved for breaking plateaus etc. since it is NOT a healthy way of eating for long term. I would recommend only doing it when you feel you aren’t progressing any further. Over-trained muscles will LOOK stringy… they do not look full. Stringy muscles to the touch indicate muscle tightness that can be worked out by yoga, massage, and stretching.

Question: Tosca how do you know if you are lactose intolerant? I definitely feel more bloated when I consume milk and even whey I think. Is that an indication?

Answer: Bloating after consuming milk is definitely an indication of lactose intolerance. I experienced stabbing pain and bloating. But I am not a doctor and I would recommend you visit your physician for a diagnosis.

Question: I saw in a previous post that you take rice bran oil - what is this for and where do you purchase this?

Answer: Aside from being rich in Vitamin E, rice bran oil is excellent for stir frying because it has a high smoke point. You should be able to purchase this at your grocery store. That is where I get mine.

Question: How do you know the protein shake that one uses is being absorbed or working for ones body type? Are there any signs?

Answer: This is an interesting question. The best way to determine if a shake is good for you is by watching for adverse affects. Does it make you feel sick or bloated? Also, make sure it is not full of refined ingredients which will decrease its effectiveness.

Question: When cutting out carbs prior to a competition do you cut "all" carbs out and strictly eat protein - tilapia? When is the ideal time to do this a few days prior to event or is one week too long? Do you eat veggies when carb depleting?

Answer: Right before the competition I completely cut out carbs… yes ALL carbs including vegetables. It is awful and I only do it for 2 days. Before this, when I am carb depleting I eat a limited selection of vegetables. If you look back to my comp. training posts from August, September, October, and November you will see exactly what I was eating.

Question: In your book "The Eat-Clean Diet Workout" you mentioned that is good to train each muscle twice a week but on the Oxygen website, I read that your work out was at that time, each muscle once a week. Which one is better if you like to be toned?

Answer: It depends how hard you are working the muscle. I typically train the body part once a week because I do a bunch of different exercises for that muscle on that day. Like yesterday, for example, I worked my biceps really hard. Working out like this, or twice a week with less intensity will get you the same “toned” look.

Question: Can you elaborate on 'stripping' and what benefit it has and if it should be done only by someone who is in an advanced stage of weight lifting or can an intermediate do it as well?

Answer: Start with a spotter and have them set the heaviest weight possible and do as many reps as you can and then have your spotter reduce the weight continuously for 4 – 5 sets and push out as many reps as you can. Basically you are “stripping” the weight down without taking any rest. For advanced trainers ONLY.

Question: I'm not an egg fan, but I can do Egg Beaters with salsa. Do you think that's a good option?

Answer: Great option.

Question: Hope your settling into a routine after training so hard. I was wondering if you can tell me where I can find Bison in Toronto. I live in the Yonge/401 area and cannot find it anywhere. Thanks Tosca!

Answer: I get mine at a farmer’s market or special order from my butcher, but Whole Foods in Toronto should have it

Question: Tosca - I've noticed in your cookbook that you use cilantro in quite a few receipes. I'm not a big fan, what other herb/spice can you suggest to substitute since it is a strong and fragrant taste?

Answer: Cilantro is Mexican parsley, so regular Parsley can be used.

Question: I eat very good and healthy during the day when I am at work (I bring my lunch). However, my downfall is after dinner. I crave sweets and often find myself eating junk in the evening without actually being hungry. Do you have any advice on how to overcome this? Thanks!!!

Answer: Be sure you keep all of the junk out of the house. Have healthy treats around. Change your after dinner routine so you don’t binge. And be sure your are eating enough during the day so you feel satisfied.

Question: How do you get your hard-boiled eggs to peel well. Mine do not always peel well?

Answer: Mine don’t peel well either. I use an egg cup and crack them across the top, dig out the yolk, and eat the white.