What makes this an even better success story … I was able to defeat every single one of the guys in the Nationals who had beaten me just four months earlier! So what made the difference?
After placing 7th at the USA, I realized I'd gone as far as I could go on my own. I was going to need further assistance with my nutrition and dieting. I'd tried a lot of supplement companies but I knew there had to be one out there that could help me gain the winning edge at the National level. This time I contacted Roger Riedinger at Beverly International and asked for help. Roger started me on a new diet immediately. (See July 23 diet)
I could hardly believe the progress I'd made during the last four months. There I was, on stage at the 1998 NPC Nationals, in a class of nearly 30 athletes … and I made the first call out. Just four months prior I was standing with a different group of guys at the NPC USA … but the top 5 had already been chosen.
This time around was different than any of my previous contest diets. For one thing, Roger emphasized the importance of precisely measuring my food intake. The other major change was instead of trying every new supplement that came along, Roger had me take just three supplements, Ultra 4 multiple vitamin / mineral tablets, Mass Aminos and Ultra 40 liver tablets.
In just a few weeks I started to see improvements in my overall condition. A few more weeks and I knew that the supplements and diet were making the difference in my physique - from a good regional bodybuilder to a one of national caliber.
My training at Body Heat Fitness Center in Terre Haute, Indiana was going great. My training partner, Jason Althoff, and I trained for the Nationals with a 5 on 2 off workout schedule. On Monday, we trained - calves, shoulders, hamstrings; Tuesday - quads and abs; Wednesday - chest and triceps; Thursday - back, biceps and abs; Friday - calves, hamstrings and quads; Saturday and Sunday - Off.
As the weeks passed, Roger made various changes in my diet, which I'm including in a box at the end of this article. My training went great. I kept my strength throughout and added so much lean muscle that I was afraid I might not make weight. A week before the contest I made a final visit to the Beverly International Nutrition Center. I was in the best shape of my life and couldn't wait to go to Atlanta for the Nationals.
I ended up placing 4th at the nationals, a mere seven points out of 1st place. I would like to have won, but it was an honor just to be up on stage with some of these guys. A big thrill for me was to talk to two of my bodybuilding idols, Lee Haney and Vince Taylor, backstage. They have always been very approachable gentlemen and were more than willing to give me advice and instruction on how to improve my overall physique.
My goals for 1999 are to bring my legs up to par with my upper body, and compete in the Team Universe and Nationals.
Gary Passmore 7/23/98 - 8/20/98 Ratio of Food Groups Carbohydrates = 45% Protein = 40 % Fat = 15% Supplement Status: 1 - Ultra 4 multi vitamin, 4 Mass Aminos and 4 Ultra 40 with each meal Meal # 1 9 egg whites, 1yolk (use salsa if you like)
2 servings of grits
(equal to approximately 22 grams carbs per serving, 2 servings = 44 g),
cream of rice or 1 cup oatmeal Meal # 2 6 oz lean meat (chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1cup cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 3 6 ounces lean beef (ground round weigh before cooking) or tuna 1 eight oz. baked potato or sweet potato (weigh before baking) 1 cup vegetables Meal # 4 6 ounces lean meat (tuna, chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1 eight oz. baked potato or sweet potato (weigh before baking) 1 cup vegetables or salad Meal # 5 6 oz lean meat (chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1cup cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 6 9 egg whites, 1yolk (use salsa if you like) 1 serving grits, cream of rice or 1/2 cup oatmeal
Roger asked that I try to do without the protein drinks that I had previously been consuming and stick to chicken breast, turkey breast (not deli), lean beef, tuna or codfish. He emphasized that I weigh my food portions at each meal.
Gary Passmore 8/16/99 Diet for Wednesdays and Sundays Ratio of Food Groups Carbohydrates = 55% Protein = 35 % Fat = 10% Supplement Status: 1 - Ultra 4 multi vitamin, 4 Mass Aminos and 4 Ultra 40 with each meal Meal # 1 9 egg whites, 1yolk (use salsa if you like)
3 servings of grits
(equal to approximately 22 grams carbs per serving, 2 servings = 44 g),
cream of rice or 1 1/2 cups oatmeal Meal # 2 6 oz lean meat (chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1 1/2 cups cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 3 6 ounces lean beef (ground round weigh before cooking) or tuna 1 ten oz. baked potato or sweet potato (weigh before baking) 1 cup vegetables Meal # 4 6 ounces lean meat (tuna, chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1 ten oz. baked potato or sweet potato (weigh before baking) 1 cup vegetables or salad Meal # 5 6 oz lean meat (chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1 and 1/2 cup cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 6 9 egg whites, 1yolk (use salsa if you like) 2 serving grits, cream of rice or 1 cup oatmeal
Roger had me switch the diet above to this one on Wednesdays and Sundays. I stayed on my original diet on the other days. This kept my weight in the 152 - 155 range with 12 weeks to go until showtime. I could really tell that the Ultra 40 and Mass Aminos were making a difference by this time.
9/16/98 Ratio of Food Groups Carbohydrates = 50% Protein = 40 % Fat = 10% Supplement Status: 1 - Ultra 4 multi vitamin, 4 Mass Aminos and 4 Ultra 40 with each meal Meal # 1 8 egg whites, 1yolk (still was allowed to use salsa)
2 servings of grits
(equal to approximately 22 grams carbs per serving, 2 servings = 44 g),
cream of rice or 1 cup oatmeal Meal # 2 5 oz lean meat (chicken breast, fish or turkey) 3/4 cup cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 3 5 ounces (chicken breast, fish or turkey weigh before cooking) or tuna 3/4 cup cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 4 5 ounces lean meat (tuna, chicken breast, fish or turkey) 1 six oz. baked potato or sweet potato (weigh before baking) 1 cup vegetables or salad Meal # 5 5 oz lean meat (chicken breast, fish or turkey) 3/4 cup cooked rice 1 cup vegetables Meal # 6 8 egg whites 1 cup vegetables
I definitely felt hungrier with this diet. This diet got me down to 150 lb.;
I now had to lose 1 pound per week until the contest to make weight (1431/4).
11/2/98 - 11/13/98
Supplements: continued to remain the same - still 1 - Ultra 4 multi vitamin,
4 Mass Aminos and 4 Ultra 40 with each meal
But boy did the diet change! Here's my new diet at three weeks out.
Meal #1 4 oz 93% lean beef 4 egg whites 1/2 Grapefruit Meal #2 1 Can Tuna packed in water ½ cup vegetables Meal #3 6 ounces chicken (weighed prior to cooking) 1 cup vegetables or salad Meal #4 8 oz CodFish or 1 Can Tuna packed in water 1/2 Grapefruit Meal #5 One Chicken Breast ½ cup vegetables Meal #6 8 Egg Whites 1/4 cup chopped red and green peppers, onions as an omelet
Final adjustments made the last week were to add a small sweet potato to each meal after the Friday night weigh - in.
Gary Passmore's Contest History
1988 Southeastern Bodybuilding Championship Lightweight 2nd place Novice Atlantic USA Lightweight 1st place Junior Atlantic USA Lightweight 1st place 1989 Southeastern Bodybuilding Championship Lightweight 2nd place Columbus Bodybuilding Championship Lightweight 2nd place 1990 Windy City Natural Bantamweight 4th place NPC Midwest Grand Prix II Bantamweight 1st place 1991 Mr. Wabash Short Class 1st place NPC Midwest Grand Prix II Bantamweight 2nd place NPC Indianapolis BB Championship Lightweight 1st place Overall Novice Champion 1992 NPC Midwest Grand Prix IV Bantamweight 1st place NPC Junior National Bantamweight 4th place 1994 NPC Junior USA National Bantamweight 6th place 1995 Northern Kentucky Bantamweight 4th place 1996 Midwest USA Bantamweight 1st place NPC Derby City Bodybuilding Extravaganza Bantamweight 1st place NPC Junior Nationals Bantamweight 3rd place 1998 USA Nationals Bantamweight 7th place NPC Nationals Bantamweight 4th place
