Michael Liberatore 2011

Mike Liberatore Training Log for Orlando Pro #1:

Well I started off this journey to the Orlando Pro as any focused bodybuilder would. My prep started 11 weeks out and I was feeling pretty good for the first 11 days. Not only was I getting leaner but I was getting stronger as well. Thursday February 24th I was training back and I felt great! Strong, focused, and determined.....little did I know that I had a stomach flu waiting to break my stride.

Michael Liberatore 2011 Quads%20hack

Friday the 25th was a very tough day. The morning was filled with throwing up and going to the bathroom...followed by lower back and lower body aches and pains that I have not felt in a very long time. The rest of that Friday was spent in bed with ramen noodles being the only source of food I ate. Fluids were sparing with some juice, Gatorade, and coke being all that I drank that day. Sat through Tues were spent eating very little and me heading to the bathroom in the mornings followed by aggravating gas in the evening. With the Arnold only a few days off I really felt like shit and was mentally beat.

Thursday March 3rd I received a nice treat...my appetite back followed by some strength. No fucking way...I might be able to pull off this weekend and get back on track. Since I'm not a big eater in the offseason I took full advantage of eating anything and everything during the Arnold Classic weekend. Iovate...Muscletech/Six Star had a great Friday night dinner set up for us at Hyde Park Steakhouse....cheese, crackers, wine, shrimp, filet, potatoes, and 2 pieces of chocolate cake hit the spot! I felt as I was filling what I expelled the last weekend...

Michael Liberatore 2011 Trouble%20(2)

When Cristina and I returned home, I made sure to eat all of the junk left in our house, so that I could get back on track w 8 weeks left to go. As for the weekend binging at the Arnold . . . I had the best leg workout I could remember in a very long time. Now sitting 7 weeks out I feel a little ahead of schedule but I still have a hard time relaxing on my diet. Although I do stay very lean in the offseason, when I diet there is no half-ass....as you will see in 7 weeks...April 30th in Orlando!

Mike Liberatore Training for the 2011 Europa Orlando Pro: Journal Entry #2

5 weeks out and a 2000 mile road trip....

Disclaimer: Dave Palumbo does not endorse Mr. Liberatore's actions regarding precontest dieting and driving halfway across the country. Remember he's a trained professional...we think!
Michael Liberatore 2011 LiberatoreLeg

Let me start out by saying I don't suggest driving 2000 miles in 3 days when you have an important show coming up. Here's the story. . . my girlfriend, Cristina, and I decided to buy 2 pitbull puppies. The breeder we found and liked was in Massachusetts of all places; roughly 1000 miles from our home in Chicago.

I started out the trip with a Thursday morning workout and cardio session so that all I would miss was 2 days of training and cardio. Not so bad for me considering I'm usually way ahead of schedule at this point. I precooked Thursday's meals along with Friday's morning and mid-morning food. To cook my meals, I use a crock pot with low sodium chicken broth, chicken breasts, onions, and red or sweet potatoes. I can literally turn the crock pot on low for 7 hours, go to sleep, and wake up to the finished product. This is great because sometimes making food really fucking sucks (especially when you have to travel 2000 miles)!

I also have a little concoction that I mix up with egg whites, protein powder, and rice cakes....helps with my sweet tooth, not to mention the fact that it is about 60-65g protein, 35g carbs, w/ no fat....shhhh don't tell Dave there's no fat! This is easily the cleanest meal you can have....although if you like, mac oil or some natural pb would mix in real nicely. I tend to keep my carb meals with no fat, and my fat meals with no carbs. Right now I'm eating 4 meals with carbs and little to no fat, and 2 meals with fat and no carbs. My carbs are about 150g a day and fat is around 60-70.

Michael Liberatore 2011 LiberatoreDog1

Rocko Buffy

Sunday starts 4 weeks out and, like Kevin Levrone, I believe that it's time to make the switch to all white fish. I feel that this will help dry me out and get my skin even thinner. I will have red meat one time every 3 days, along with my cheat meal on Saturday night. When I say cheat meal, I mean a salad, porterhouse, sweet potato, and a small dessert from a restaurant like Morton's or any other high-end steak house. Your body will use these calories a lot better then whatever garbage and junk most people jam down their throats during "cheat day". It also allows me to feel like a normal person for an evening with my girlfriend.

Stay tuned...you never know what kind of crazy shit I might do at 2 weeks out....