Transformation Day Course NotesThe day aims to educate trainers of all levels on what a transformation is, so that they can advise clients new and existing.How Should I start A Client On A Transformation?

A transformation begins with the tipping point of reason and decision before even venturing into the recommendations of nutrition and exercise. All the education provided to a client is useless without first laying the action steps of motivation in order to build a stable foundation needed for a successful transformation. Help your client create smart measurable goals. Ask them to first fill out a FLOW chart, which stands for:Fixed GoalsLimitless GoalsOpportunitiesWeaknesses An example of a short term, or fixed goal, would be one that your client can focus on working toward achieving over the 12-week period of their transformation. So, losing 20lbs, increasing 2 inches on each arm, or attaining a 6 pack are all fixed goals that you can help your client distinguish with a requirement of writing this down for them to revisit frequently over the 12-week period. As a trainer, you should also be revisiting the goals with them to ensure they are detailing these goals consistently with adjustments as they progress.A limitless goal is one that will see them persevere with their new lifestyle past the 12 weeks, or their fixed goals. Its essential that you help your client determine and detail limitless goals in order to make their commitment a lifestyle, not just a short-term commodity. An example of a limitless is one that a client should focus on as a long-term goal. Feeling more confident to approach a potential partner, having more energy to focus at work, having more strength to play with your children or being a strong inspiration to work colleagues or family are all examples of focal points that should motivate reasons to change for the client in order for you to continue to assisting them with their health, fitness and appearance goals.The opportunities your client can experience are often ones that they never thought could result from a simply structured yet effective transformation plan. Frequently clients will find that they experience improved discipline, confidence, focus, energy, strength, agility, sexual function as well as a cleaner bill of health. Following a transformation plan, the client can delay the onset of diabetes, heart conditions, osteoarthritis, Alzheimers, and much much more. Making your client aware of this, additionally with the support of scientific data, can enhance the trainees accountability to their goals.Just as important as setting out your clients opportunities, is helping them recognize their weaknesses. If you fail to plan for your client, you are only planning to fail. They will encounter obstacles such social gatherings, celebrations, travel, delays, family commitments, long working hours, traffic, cravings, etc., that will derail their schedule and feed opportunity for excuse. Be sure to have your client write down their weaknesses along with a counterattack for them to prevent them going off track. When your client recognizes these weaknesses, he/she will be much more open to preparation beforehand.Record progressTake Before and After Pictures. Your client may be reluctant to having their before and after pictures taken but this is an essential tool for both the trainer and client to track progress. Very often, a client will not see the changes within themselves even if their clothes or weight show that their body composition is changing for the better but when they look back at their starting position in terms of appearance, this can be a very encouraging tool. You will find that although your client was extremely embarrassed to have their before picture taken at the beginning stage, they will become very proud to show it to others when comparing it to their after picture. This also serves as a great marketing tool for you, the trainer. When speaking to prospective future clients, you can use these past success stories and testimonials as credit to your ability to deliver as a highly regarded personal trainer.Record Bodyweight and MeasurementsThe weight on the scales shouldnt be the only tool used to record the progress of a client. Muscle weighs double that of fat, so, on occasion, a client who may add muscle weight will only lose a minimal amount of body weight. However, their body composition should change more dramatically. A very experienced trainer will be able to visually see this change and progress but for the less experienced trainer, Physique Elite recommend that you take the measurements of your clients as well as their body fat percentage with a calliper. Write Everything DownTracking progress is essential for adherence to short and long-term goals, as well as creating self-sufficient accountability. Ensure your client writes down every single meal in a pocket notebook in the most detailed manner as possible. Their accountability is you, so be sure to review their book on a daily basis, or as often as you visit with your client. Highlight the smallest detail of inaccuracies such as mistimed meals, misjudged sleeping patterns, food amounts, unaccepted condiments, or anything thing that wasnt recommended within their plan. Make it clear that if anything should be highlighted within their book, that this can potentially put them back a day or more in progression and additional cardio or a similar forfeit should be implied to prevent them from making a habit of excuse

How Does a Client Get Advice From Physique Elite?You should be available to your client as not only a trainer, but also as a psychologist, nutritional expert, motivational speaker, lifestyle coach, and, on occasion, a friend. A transformation is quite often the hardest thing an average person has had to endure. Intense training, daily cardio, frequent eating, constant food preparation, battling cravings, change of hormone patterns, delayed onset muscle soreness, and tiredness are some of the conditions your client will go through during this transformation. You, the trainer, are the only one they can rely upon for understanding and relation. When possible, you should offer as much support, advice, direction, understanding, motivation, education and inspiration with their transformational success always in mind. Physique Elite trainers are often available to their clients 24/7 for phone calls of advice and support to never allow the client to falter a moment weakness that can easily derail their journey. Encourage your client to interact with likeminded people within their immediate vicinity of friends and online within the HRX forums who are going through the transformation. By interacting with others who are, or who have been in a similar transition, they will have more acceptances to the change, will better understand the process and form an indirect form of accountability to others. Soon, they will be encouraging and education others which, in turn, will create an even stronger bond of accountability upon themselves. The HRX website has a panel of Physique Elite trainers available for given fields of expertise to better assist clients of varying needs, such as medical conditions, rehab requirements, motivational momentum, and exercise education. There is also a constant stream of educational content in the form of articles, videos, social interaction and updates to better educate the client for additional motivation to proceed with confidence and understanding. Remember, knowledge is power and the better you can help your client understand the process, the more open they will be for change and to inspire change in others around them.Expectancy During the Transformation PeriodIf you adhere and implement adequate training, nutritional and supplemental principles, you can expect to see results in your clients appearance within the first 3 weeks. Hopefully, friends and family of your client will begin to notice, which will encourage them further to persist. Its quite common for your client to frequently feel hungry with the addition of cravings through an increase of metabolic rate due to the more feeding intervals, exercise and thermogenesis. So, you may want to prepare and tell your client to contact you ASAP when these occurrences persist. Offer your client strategies to keep his or her mind active so not to think too much about food and provide additional answers to feed them during this time of need. Fibrous vegetables, flavoured water (BCAA Drink), Green Tea, Celery, chewing gum, the occasional diet soda, can all help curb hunger and cravings until they pass. Physique Elite recommend that you ask your client to report their body weight every morning before their breakfast. They should write this into their notebook as well as text message this to you. This is mainly to instil a healthy obsession with their new lifestyle but will also minimize the chances of them cheating knowing that their weight may rise the following morning. If there is a fluctuation within their weight, this will more likely be of hormonal or fluid change and retention but use a weekly guide to assist with averaging out progression. Setting smart goalsAs a trainer, you have to be able to critique the client and not tell them only what they want to hear. You should help your client create smart goals. If your client believes that they are going to get a 6-pack beginning at 25% body fat, build arms to measure 18 when at present they are 13, you have to inform them of what is realistic to their potential, genetics and time available. By setting small, simple, realistic and measurable goals for each individual, it is much more likely that your client will enjoy a sense of achievement when every small, yet important, milestone is completed.It is advisable by Physique Elite for you to recommend what we call The Pillars of Power to your client when setting smart goals. You should encourage your client to:

Burn and Build BridgesAs mentioned earlier, separating themselves from detractors and negative influences while encouraging positive relationships and motivational connections with people within their social groups and on the HRX forums while help assist with constant companionship on a usually independent journey,Be Transparent Encourage your client to tell as many people as possible of their goals. The more people they tell, the more they will put their sincerity on the line whilst placing pressure upon themselves not to cheat or derail from their goalsForm AccountabilityBy having you as their trainer, already you have formed an accountability relationship for your client. Further than this, tell your client to track their progress by charting their nutrition, weight and FLOW chart within the HRX website group and within their pocketbook. Also, encourage them to post their pics either online within the HRX website for support, encouragement and accountability. If they are reluctant to post online, ask them to use their before picture and an image that inspires them as their computer screen saver or to keep in their wallet, or somewhere that will be a constant reminder of accountability confirmatory of whereMastering the Mindset The mindset required from both the trainer and client is complete 100% unrelenting effort, commitment, dedication, inspiration, motivation, hunger without even an ounce of negativity or thoughts of anything less than an unbelievable transformation. You must create a healthy obsession of surroundings such as consistent supporting reminders and encouraging quotes either by text or email. Ask your client, when applicable to send images of the healthy food they have just eaten for accountability purposes. Send the occasional inspiring image of an amazing transformation or a video of someone with a disability proving the unimaginable through exercise in order to discourage excuse. Above are just some of the strategies that can be used. So, as you can see, as much of a commitment from you is required just as you require from your client. You must be completely passionate, available and knowledgeable to instinctively adapt to your clients needs when required.The Reward For Completing aSuccessful TransformationThe rewards of completing a transformation are endless. The benefits extend much further than physical - every client will experience different values. Because of the punctuality and diligent schedule applied during the 12 weeks, a trainee can experience more structure and discipline within their work place, finances, relationship, communication, timekeeping, and lifestyle as a whole. A sense of achievement, fulfilment and inspiration will fuel them with more energy, vibrancy and motivation to help others reap the benefits of such a plan. It is quite common for a client to preach the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to most people they know once they have completed a transformation. In some extremes, trainees have given up their profession to become a qualified personal trainer. The feeling of more confidence, energy and inspiration becomes a new and implemented introduction to not only the client, but the trainer too. The sense of accountability, proud responsibility and achievement is shared equally when a trainer has given so much time and effort into delivering successful results. This also boosts the confidence of the trainer, confirms his knowledge and is backed with real life results.

Muscle Fibres

Within the human body there are 3 muscle fibre types

Type 1 slow (oxidative) twitch muscle fibresType 2a fast (oxidative) twitch muscle fibresType 2b fast (glycolytic) twitch muscle fibres

Within the muscle cell we also have the mitochondria and myoglobin.

Mitochondria is best described as the digestive system of the cell which allows for the catabolism of nutrients and the conversion of the nutrients into a usable energy source.

Myoglobin is best described as a protein, which has oxygen bound to it enabling it to act as a useful oxygen source. This is can be helpful during prolonged periods of exercise where oxygen is required.

Understanding how each muscle fibre works and how they respond to different training intensities and repetition ranges is essential for you as a trainer. In more detail, we are going to look at each muscle fibre and gain an understanding of its primary function during exercise and how we can relate that to resistance training.

Muscle Fascia

The fascia is a 3 dimensional elasticated sheath of fibres which envelope your organs, skeletal muscles and muscle fibres we are interested in the muscle fascia. The elasticity of the muscle fascia is fairly stubborn, although it has the ability to stretch it doesnt like to. The benefit of stretching the fascia is that it will increase the capacity for new lean muscle tissue to develop.

Type 1 slow (oxidative) twitch muscle fibres

Slow twitch muscle fibres are enriched with myoglobin and mitochondria, which is why they are able to sustain a constant state of exercise over a long period of time. Due to the mechanics of the slow twitch muscle fibres there is a lot of oxygen present; therefore the ability to replenish oxygen levels and overcome an oxygen debt is great due to this physiological feature.

In theory, slow twitch muscle fibres have a relatively slow contraction speed, which is why they are very resistant to fatigue. Logically you would think that your muscles are made up of 50% slow twitch muscle fibres and 50% fast twitch. However, in reality this is far from the case for most individuals. The split in percentages is completely down to your genetics and it can vary quite significantly from one person to the next.

Training specifically to target your slow twitch muscle fibres is going to benefit the participant in a number of ways. There also other benefits to the participant when using high repetitions, which are not necessarily, linked to your slow twitch muscle fibres. Type 1 muscle fibre characteristics:

-Slow twitch muscle fibres can account for up to 50% of the overall muscle mass within a muscle group therefore by targeting those fibres you are going to stimulate greater lean muscle development via sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. -Due to the fact your sets will last for longer as it takes longer to make the slow twitch muscle fibres fatigue your calorie expenditure will increase. -The volume of oxygenated and nutrient rich blood travelling into the working muscles is greatly increased. This can equate to much more effective muscle recovery simply because there are more nutrients available for the muscle cell to absorb. This also means that toxic salts are more likely to be flushed away from the muscle fibres, which will also help accelerate the recovery process.-Forcing high volumes of blood into the muscle will help stretch out the fascia. The fascia is best described as an elastic fibrous tissue, which houses your muscle fibres. It can be very stubborn which restricts the ability to develop new muscle tissue. Over time, by increasing the blood flow into the muscle the fascia will become more elastic thus leading to more room for new muscle fibres to develop.-High repetition training, which is in order to stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibres and can also help the participant improve their aerobic capacity. -Using higher repetitions means that the amount of resistance used will be less. This is beneficial because although the target muscle groups and cardiac system are being worked very hard, the connective tissues within the body are not under so much stress. One of the common down falls of heavy-duty weight training on a continuous basis is the level of stress placed upon your ligaments, tendons and cartilage.

Type 2a fibres

Type 2a muscle fibres are known as fast oxidative muscle fibres due to the fact that they are able to produce and split ATP rapidly via both, aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Type 2a muscle fibres are best described as a hybrid or cross-over between your type 1 slow twitch muscle fibres and your type 2b fast twitch muscle fibres.

Type 2a muscle fibres are red in colour due to the fact that they are enriched with myoglobin and also contain a high percentage of mitochondria. Due to the mechanics of type 2a muscle fibres they are able to resist fatigue more effectively than type 2b muscle fibres, yet the power output of type 2a muscle fibres is not quite as high as that of type 2b muscle fibres. This is due to the fact that the contraction rate of the muscle fibre is not quite as rapid as that of type 2b muscle fibres.

Type 2a muscle fibre characteristics

. Rich in myoglobin and mitochondria which means they are red in colour. Fast contraction speed. Ability to split ATP at a fast pace via aerobic and anaerobic metabolism

Type 2b muscle fibres

Type 2b muscle fibres are otherwise known as glycolytic muscle fibres. The explanation for their name lies heavily in the title, glycolytic. Unlike type 1 and type 2a muscle fibres your type 2b fibres are not able to produce and split ATP via aerobic means therefore they rely on glycogen as an energy source. If you ever wondered why strong men eat a lot of complex carbohydrates this is why, because the type 2b muscle fibres rely on stores of muscle glycogen to split ATP. They contain very few myoglobin, blood capillaries or mitochondria and are white in colour due to the lack of oxygenated blood.

Type 2b muscle fibres are able to generate immense levels of power, especially when they are conditioned to do so via specific training designed to stimulate myofibrillar hypertrophy. The length of time your type 2b muscle fibres are able to sustain their power output for is largely down to your training regime as well as genetics, and your diet. Generally speaking it is anywhere between 6-10 seconds for a normal person.

Type 2b muscle fibre characteristics

. Very few myoglobin, mitochondria or blood capillaries and white in colour . Rapid contraction speed. Not resistant to fatigue. Only able to metabolise ATP via anaerobic means

Hypertrophy

Muscular hypertrophy simply means the expansion of a muscle. In short, the process in which the muscle increases in size.

There are two forms of muscular hypertrophy known as myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

Myofibrillar Hypertrophy

Myofibrillar hypertrophy occurs when the muscle fibre gains more myofibrils, which in turn contract leading to greater tension within the muscle fibre. This form of muscular hypertrophy leads to great density within the muscle, which can give a hard looking muscle. Myofibrillar hypertrophy leads to increases in strength and power.

Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy occurs when there is an increase in sarcoplasm within the muscle cell. This is a form of fluid, which does not stimulate or enhance the muscle contraction; it simply increases the size of the muscle cell by as much as 25-35%. This is beneficial for those athletes who desire to increase their overall size in muscle mass.

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is generally specific to type 2a muscle fibres.

Muscle contractions

There are four main types of muscle contraction, which are listed below.

Isotonic muscle contraction

This simply means that the length of the target muscle alters as there is movement within a given body part. As a result an isotonic muscle contraction occurs of which there are two types depending on the application of the exercise.

Concentric muscle contraction

Concentric muscle contractions occur when a muscle shortens in length. A perfect example of this would be the elbow joint straightening from a flexed position to outstretched which would cause the triceps to shorten which would be described as a concentric muscle contraction. This is the kind of contraction most people will focus on in the gym when lifting weights.

Eccentric muscle contraction

This kind of muscle contraction is the complete opposite to a concentric muscle contraction. An eccentric muscle contraction occurs when the muscle lengthens; using the same example as above the elbow would bend from an outstretched position into a flexed position forcing the triceps to lengthen. This type of muscle contraction is harder to stimulate and normally requires deceleration from some form of resistance.

Isometric muscle contractions

An isometric muscle contraction occurs when a muscle is generating a degree of force without increasing or decreasing in length. A great example of an isometric muscle contraction would be flexing your bicep and holding it for 10 seconds. For those 10 seconds your bicep muscles are isometrically contracting. The level of force the individual muscle is able to generate against the resistance depends at which length the muscle is at. Every single muscle group within your body has a specific length at which it is able to generate a maximal level of force against a resistance during an isometric muscle contraction.

Nutrition

The training and mental aspects only account for a portion of the results any client will enjoy during their transformation, nutrition is a vital factor.

As a Transformation Specialist you must be able to instil a certain level of nutritional understanding into the client to ensure they value the importance of eating right. For many years Kris and Neil have lived by this motto you are what you eat and they believe that to achieve your best results you must do the same.

To make a transformation appealing enough to a client it is essential that they feel they are able to stick to the plan, and that they feel it is something they could do indefinitely. This is why we encourage clients to opt not to stipulate specific ratios of food in terms of weight, and instead used a generic measuring tool to make accounting for your food portions relatively simple.

The Rules

-Eat every 2-3 hours-Eat a palm-sized portion of protein-Eat a palm-sized portion of complex carbohydrates (up until 3pm)-Eat a fist-sized portion of fibrous vegetables-Add 1 teaspoon of a condiment

From a clients perspective the rules are very simple to follow and it does not require them to measure out foods to such an extent it becomes a burden, and ultimately the downfall of their transformation.

Why?

Eating every 2-3 hours is something, which has been somewhat of a staple to many successful transformations for decades. The theory is that via a process known as peristalsis where muscles contract to push the food down into the stomach a thermogenic effect is created, leading to an elevation in your basal metabolic rate this basically means your body will burn more calories through the day.

Eating regular meals consisting of protein and low GI (glycemic index) carbohydrates also help regulate blood sugar levels preventing the onset of cravings for sugary foods as a result of the dreaded blood sugar crash. This will also help improve insulin sensitivity, which means that when insulin is secreted into your blood stream it is able to bind more easily to the cells in your body, improving the rate at which glucose is absorbed from your blood stream.

As well as helping to stabilise your blood sugar levels, protein is essential during a transformation for a number of other reasons. Protein is responsible for the production and rejuvenation of cells within the body including your skin and nails for example and of course your muscle tissue. Due to the immense levels of stress your muscles will undergo during the training it is absolutely essential your protein intake is adequate to allow for efficient recovery to prevent the onset of over training. Protein is also essential in order to build new lean muscle tissue as it provides the muscle with a diverse range of amino acids the building blocks to your muscles. The best protein sources during the transformation include:

-Chicken breast-Turkey Breast-Lean Beef steak -Fish-Eggs & Egg whites-Cottage Cheese-Protein Powders

Complex carbohydrates act as an energy source to the body that is their pure function. They also have anti-catabolic properties, which is why during the transformation you utilise a very fast digesting carbohydrate post-workout. In Kris and Neils experience they have found by including slow digesting complex carbohydrates into clients meal plans their metabolic rate becomes accelerated and it helps prevent their thyroid function from slowing down. However, they feel during the 12-week plan it is important to limit complex carbohydrates after 3pm because the body is more likely to not require this energy, leading to the redundant glucose being converted to body fat. This restriction does not include post-workout carbohydrates. The best complex carbohydrate sources during the transformation include

-Sweet Potato-Brown Rice-Oats

Fibrous vegetables are a fantastic source of micronutrients including essential vitamins minerals which aid overall immune function and health. Green vegetables are also very low in calories and they have little effect on insulin levels, which is key when fat loss is the main goal. Fibrous vegetables are also a great way to keep yourself feeling full whilst consuming small volumes of calories relatively speaking to the volume of food you are eating.

Condiments can play an important role during a transformation, especially when this is meant to become an indefinite transition in lifestyle. Condiments provide a snippet of taste, which helps keep the cravings at bay during a transformation and they also help make dieting for manageable for the individual.

Typical Days Eating

Breakfast oats, 8 egg whites, 1 whole egg, peppers & red onions

The oats will help replenish the muscle glycogen levels, which have become depleted during the night, whilst the eggs provide fast digesting protein source the peppers & red onions provide some fibre and flavour to the omelette

Mid-Morning chicken breast, brown rice, broccoli & sweet chilli source

The brown rice helps provide energy for your workout later on in the day and a slow release of energy to help stabilise blood sugar levels whilst the chicken provides a dense source of protein the broccoli is a great source of fibre and micronutrients whilst the sweet chilli source provides great flavour

Lunch chicken breast, sweet potato, asparagus & soy sauce

The sweet potato is a great slow release complex carbohydrate source and will act as the last source of energy for the day before you train as where the chicken remains a staple protein source. The asparagus is another great source of fibre and the soy sauce adds great taste

Mid-Afternoon salmon fillet, broccoli, cauliflower & mixed peppers

The fish is a preferred choice of protein close to your workout (90 minutes) because fish digests faster due to its finer texture. The complex carbohydrates have been replaced with a more diverse range of fibrous vegetables providing an abundance of flavour and micronutrients simultaneously.

Post-Workout 1 scoop of whey isolate, 2 scoops of Vitargo,

The ratio of 2:1 in favour of fast digesting carbohydrates is a rule followed by many with much research pointing towards its benefits. The fast digesting carbohydrates from the Vitargo will offer almost immediate replenishment of muscle glycogen levels, which will help prevent catabolism. The whey isolate will be shuttled to the muscle cell where it will provide the muscles with the essential amino acids to begin repairing the muscle right away.

Evening Meal Lean steak, mixed green vegetables, peppers & mushrooms

The beef steak will provide a slow digesting protein source enriched with muscle building amino acids and due to the naturally higher fat content in beef this will help suppress cravings. The range of fibrous vegetables will add to the flavour of the meal, provide a diverse range of micronutrients and help increase thermogenesis.

Before Bed cottage cheese & 1 scoop of casein

The cottage cheese is rich in casein protein; a very slow digesting protein source, which will help feed the muscles for several hours during the night. The scoop of casein protein will further increase the volume of amino acids going into your blood stream during the night. This will help prevent catabolism during the fast.

This is a very vague outline of a typical days eating during the transformation for illustration purposes. As a Transformation Expert you must familiarise yourself with these eating protocols and the theory which supports their application to ensure you are able to advise clients on a diverse range of suitable meals at given times of the day. Supplementation

As well as a regimented eating regime we advocate the use of several natural supplements to further aid your progress and overall health. With over two decades of experience within the supplement industry it is fair to say Kris and Neil have tried just about every supplement available off the shelf and has concluded that the following are most suitable and beneficial during a 12-week transformation.

Multi Vitamin & Mineral

Due to the nature of the way a lot of the food we eat is farmed the mineral and vitamin content is depleted compared to years gone by. Minerals and vitamins come under an umbrella term micronutrients and they serve for many different purposes, which are health related to your body. During intense exercises programmes (such as DTP and Y3T) your immune system is likely to also become suppressed which is why it is essential you use a supplement of this variety.

Protein Powder

Protein powders are a staple supplement, which offer immediate access to amino acids, which the muscles require to recover properly. Protein powders also offer convenience, which is very important during a transformation where there will be times when eating a solid meal is impossible. Choose a protein powder low in sugar, lactose, gluten free and with probiotic elements if possible.

Carbohydrate Powder

DTP and Y3T training is very labour intensive, which means your muscles will quickly become fatigued and depleted, especially post-workout. With this in mind we insist on using a fast digesting carbohydrate immediately post-workout to replenish the muscle glycogen levels and to act as an anti-catabolic agent. Vitargo is the preferred choice with numerous studies illustrating that it is the most effective fast release carbohydrate supplement available.

BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids)

Within the body there are essential and non-essential amino acids BCAAs provide the body with 3 essential amino acids, which it is unable to manufacture itself. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle tissue, meaning that they promote recovery as well as the development of new muscle fibres. Using BCAAs before, during and after your workouts is essential in order to provide the muscles with the necessary building blocks to prevent catabolism and force a state of recovery.

Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring supplement, which helps aid muscular endurance and strength during your workouts. Creatine supplements work by enabling the body to resynthesize ATP stores more rapidly, which is the fuel source, used during intense exercise such as DTP and Y3T training.

Creatine is known to cause a small degree of water retention in certain cases but by keeping your fluid intake high this will help flush the excess water through, and as you approach the end of the transformation before your photos you can pull the creatine out.

Meal Replacement Powders (MRPs)

MRPs are there to offer convenience for when you are travelling and require a meal on the go, yet you are unable to have a solid meal. These supplements come in the correct formulation with carbohydrates and protein. If it is after the time (3pm) where you are allowed carbohydrates then switch to a regular protein powder as your meal replacement.