IFBB Pro Evan Centopani Q&A

[AWN2004]

Thanks flex. I try hard to respond to everyone's questions. It's kinda hard for me not to talk about what I love. To tell you the truth I only know a little bit about Vince Gironda and the lttle bit I know peetains to training. Must be coincidental but I'll take that as a good thing. I went to Fairfield University and majored in sociology. I started off for the first two years as a biology major but canned it after I realized that I was not going to go on to Med school.

Bio major huh? That sounds familiar...I did the same thing before switching to being an English major of all things. Thanks for your response. I work for a sports nutrition company so I'm very confident of the way our Flora products are shipped. I try to make sure the dates on the boxes are recent to get the freshest product. I mix the Udo's with balsalmic vinegar, garlic, and some herbs. Then I just put it on a bed of greens to get the extra fiber in my diet. Something I think many BB's neglect. Anyway...thanks for the imput. I will be using Dave for my show in November. Money well spent in my opinion.

[Evan Centopani]

Evan is this how your diet is off season or precontest. I am currently following Dave's plan for cutting down and I first eat at 7:30 am and by 9:00 I am hungry as hell I can't see how you got 3 hours without eating???

This is how I schedule it all the time my brother I'm assuming your dieting/ precontest? One trick you may want to consider (but run it by Dave first) is to add a fiber sup to your first meal. There are products out there that have a combo of oat bran and flax seed . The net carb count is non-existent because it is all fiber but they can definitely help fill you and have the benefit of helping your protein digest slower and also keep you regular. If that doesn't do it, SUFFER! Haha. I hope it works for ya. Best of luck.

[SEPHIROTH]

This is how I schedule it all the time my brother I'm assuming your dieting/ precontest? One trick you may want to consider (but run it by Dave first) is to add a fiber sup to your first meal. There are products out there that have a combo of oat bran and flax seed . The net carb count is non-existent because it is all fiber but they can definitely help fill you and have the benefit of helping your protein digest slower and also keep you regular. If that doesn't do it, SUFFER! Haha. I hope it works for ya. Best of luck.

I use psyllum husk seed supplement for fiber because I hate to say when you get "blocked up" you are one grumpy mofo.

[SEPHIROTH]

Dave's approach is a bit hard mentally because instaed of eating "food" you are swallowing omega-3 caps and taking flax oil by the spoon. The high point is maybe the 3 meals I have 2 handfuls of almonds which actually take up some stomach space and you can chew them and eggs in the morning.

[Evan Centopani]

I use psyllum husk seed supplement for fiber because I hate to say when you get "blocked up" you are one grumpy mofo.

Metamucil is definitely the strong. Nothing will blow you out like psylium. I was recomending the oat bran combo because adding it to a shake will allow you to almost "chew" your shake and almost resembles adding oatmeal in terms of the satiety.

[erikzarazua]

hey evan heard 4 the nationals u dieted in a high protein high fats diet, i was woundering how calculate your fat intake?

[SEPHIROTH]

The high fat high protein diet makes bb appreciate the green vegetables that most say are gross and unnecessary. Those first 3-5 days on no carbs is like SEALS hell week if you lift hard and do alot of cardio. A plate of brocolli or green beans is like filet mignon

[Evan Centopani]

hey evan heard 4 the nationals u dieted in a high protein high fats diet, i was woundering how calculate your fat intake?

My fat intake was 30g/ meal for my whole food meals (3 meals) and 15g/ meal in shake form. So it came out to 135g/day = 1215 calories from fat. If you figure my proetinintake was about 50g/meal also x 6 meals = 300g = 1200 calories from protein. So really it is a 1:1 protein:fat ratio.

[Evan Centopani]

The high fat high protein diet makes bb appreciate the green vegetables that most say are gross and unnecessary. Those first 3-5 days on no carbs is like SEALS hell week if you lift hard and do alot of cardio. A plate of brocolli or green beans is like filet mignon

Amen bro. I see green beans and I go f'in bananas. Green veggies taste like sugar when you're eatin no carbs.

[SEPHIROTH]

Amen bro. I see green beans and I go f'in bananas. Green veggies taste like sugar when you're eatin no carbs.

LOL definitely! Sometimes I break down after a training session and drink a gallon on Crystal lite rationalizing that whatever insulin spike it gives is alright right after training but I will testify that that Crystal Lite is addictive and is like Pringles (you can't just eat/drink a little). One glass of the stuff turns into like 2-4 tubs a day damn! However a week into the diet you feel almost euphoric, energy levels are stable and you almost forget about carbs. You lean down in double time because insulin is non-existent and GH is being released.

[Evan Centopani]

During your diet with Dave, you said you had 1 cheat day/meal? What was it like in terms of was it all day or just 1 meal and what did it consist of?

Here's what I would do. On Saturdays I would go grocery shopping and get a bunch of food together. I mean whatever I wanted; ice cream, ho hos, ding dongs, twinkies, nachos. Then at night, I would line up all the food and go nuts. One time, I even made myself throw up and go back for more. I had eaten so many hostess cakes that when I threw up it was like a sludge of artificial filling. It almost made me choke. The way I would work it was that if I could consume it within one hour it counted as one meal. And that was my cheat meal. MMMMMMMMM. Just kidding bro. Imagine if I did though. I think my body would go into insulin shock. I'm such a f'in headcase when it comes to my diet that even when it's my cheat meal I can't bring myself to eat crappy food. It would go like this: one cheat meal per week and usually what I would do was go out for sushi and get some extra rolls with my sashimi or a some noodles to get some carbs. Or if I was eating home I'd just eat a regular meal and add some carbs like potato or I'd have eggs and oatmeal with a couple bananas. If I was out maybe I'd get an ice cream but I usually didn't because after not having dairy for so long, it would screw my stomach up. So my cheat meal was usually pretty boring by most people's standards but I would have what I was craving and I typically have a pretty clean appetite.

[SEPHIROTH]

Dave said on the show that he has seen guys eat about 500g carbs in that one cheat meal. I just want to eat with my family and not be thinking about watching the carbs so on Saturdays when they eat out they pick some fairly healthy restaurant and I just let loose for one meal but no dessert Its nice to eat what and when everyone else is eating once a week and not feel like your the outsider with the chicken breast and brocolli and some omega pills while craving just a plain baked potato. But you always get those same "questions" from your family like "Is that all you want to eat?" or better yet "What are those pills? " while they order the lasagna, pizza, garlic bread (everything I love) plus dessert. Dammit...it's karma I guess.

[tryintogrow]

Hey Evan - I need some advice on lat training, but first I wanted to say how much I respect and admire your achievements thus far. I envy your drive and commitment and wish that I had had what it takes 10-12 years ago in my early 20s when I could really have made dramatic gains. I know I'm coming a bit late to the party, but I'm still making an effort and have seem some progress over the last couple of years. Anyway, nice work - looking forward to seeing great things!

Now, here's my question. I've always had trouble feeling like I'm getting anything out of my lat training. I do OK with deadlifts and rowing movements for the rest of my back, but I never seem to feel like I've truly worked my lats. I've tried lower volume, higher weight and higher volume, lower weight. For exercises, I've done mainly pulldowns and pull-ups, but I never seem to feel sore or to see much in the way of results.

Do you have any suggestions for exercises, regimen or anything else that might help?

Thanks in advance!

[erikzarazua]

thanks bro, what food would u recomend 4 to get essential fats, u also said u took in liquid form what kind, thanks oh and by the way i saw the pix of the finals and man you were shredded from head 2 toe seems dave's approach worked.GOOD LUCK ON THE NATIONALS THIS YEAR

[flexingtonsteele]

Yea dave and vince g, have very similar philosophies when it comes to dieting. It seems to work, and it makes total sense, but those carbs are OH SO GOOD at times

Well good luck in the future, and hopefully you can get some deals and stop working that nine to five sooner than later!

Take care

Thanks flex. I try hard to respond to everyone's questions. It's kinda hard for me not to talk about what I love. To tell you the truth I only know a little bit about Vince Gironda and the lttle bit I know peetains to training. Must be coincidental but I'll take that as a good thing. I went to Fairfield University and majored in sociology. I started off for the first two years as a biology major but canned it after I realized that I was not going to go on to Med school.

[Evan Centopani]

Hey Evan - I need some advice on lat training, but first I wanted to say how much I respect and admire your achievements thus far. I envy your drive and commitment and wish that I had had what it takes 10-12 years ago in my early 20s when I could really have made dramatic gains. I know I'm coming a bit late to the party, but I'm still making an effort and have seem some progress over the last couple of years. Anyway, nice work - looking forward to seeing great things!

Now, here's my question. I've always had trouble feeling like I'm getting anything out of my lat training. I do OK with deadlifts and rowing movements for the rest of my back, but I never seem to feel like I've truly worked my lats. I've tried lower volume, higher weight and higher volume, lower weight. For exercises, I've done mainly pulldowns and pull-ups, but I never seem to feel sore or to see much in the way of results.

Do you have any suggestions for exercises, regimen or anything else that might help?

Thanks in advance!

Hey bro I really appreciate the post. Thanks for all your kind words. Alright, here's the deal with back. It's a big complex muscle group which, in my opinion, requires variety when it comes to training. When I say variety, I mean different exercises that hit the muscle from dif. angles. One thing before we get started though... oops I forgot, look my upcoming back training special in MD! Haha. Should be next month. Wait a minute, you can't wait till next month, you need to start growing now. Alright fine, before we start make sure you're using straps. If your arms are doing the bulk of the work you'll be training them instead of your back. Besides, the back is a big ass muscle group with a lot of power and you don't want it to be limited by your grip strength. Ok, I reccomend the compound movements for serious growth. You NEED to make deadlifting, barbell rows, and dumbell rows your main priority. And with rowing movements, you can cheat a little if you have to on your last couple reps, just make the set happen. You may want to try pre-exausting with something like pull downs or cable rows before hitting the compounds so that when you go to do them you feel what you are supposed to be working. I suggest doing deadlifts last becasue they will hit all parts of your back and tie everything together that you have just trained. Do drop sets, supersets whatver the hell you have to doto tear your back apart. If youa re not sore, your just not hitting it hard enough or with enough intensity. Go kick some ass.

[Arnold jr.]

Evan, congrats of your success so far! You're fastly becoming one of my new favorites, specifically because a lot of your build reminds me of myself...although yours is ahead of mine. Also, like you, although I played sports growing up, I was always a bit of a chunky kid, now that I'm into the entire BB thing I really have to watch my carb intake even during off-season training. I know you've mentioned in some of your other post that Dave has you on some harsh Keto diets for comp prep, but what about off season? What does your daily protein/carb/fat intake look like in the off season, e.g. totals per day, are carbs only pre and post training, etc?