“SILENT MIKE” FARR
I AM A COACH AND POWERLIFTER FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL DEFINITION OF FLEXIBLE DIETING?
FLEXIBLE DIETING IS A WAY OF EATING THAT ENABLES ATHLETES TO BE IN FULL CONTROL AND STAY CONSISTENT 24/7- 365 WHILE HAVING A “NORMAL” LIFE. FOR ME, FLEXIBLE DIETING IS A SIMPLE STRATEGY THAT TAUGHT ME MODERATION AND BALANCE ALL THE WHILE ALLOWING FREEDOM IN MY FOOD CHOICES.
WHEN DID YOU START FLEXIBLE DIETING?
I BEGAN FLEXIBLE DIETING NEARLY 3 YEARS AGO AFTER READING AND RESEARCHING THOSE THAT HAVE USED IT IN THE COMPETITIVE STRENGTH WORLD.
WHAT WAS YOUR DIET LIKE BEFORE FLEXIBLE DIETING?
BEFORE FLEXIBLE DIETING I HAD TRIED MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES BUT COULD NEVER STAY CONSISTENT. AS A STRENGTH ATHLETE, I ALWAYS PUT A PRIORITY ON PROTEIN BUT AFTER THAT I WOULD EAT NEARLY ANYTHING I WANTED. I WENT THROUGH A LOW CARB PHASE BUT NEVER COULD GET THE RESULTS OF BEING LEAN AND GAINING THE STRENGTH THAT I DESIRED.
WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST STRENGTH BREAKTHROUGHS IN EACH SINCE SWITCHING TO FLEXIBLE DIETING? WHAT ABOUT AESTHETIC BREAKTHROUGHS?
RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, I DECIDED TO GO ON A CUT, MOSTLY TO LOOK BETTER BUT ALSO TO BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO MY COMPETING WEIGHT CLASS. THROUGH FLEXIBLE DIETING, I DECIDED TO DO A NICE SLOW CUT, TRYING TO HOLD ON TO AS MUCH STRENGTH AS I COULD. WHILE DROPPING AROUND 20 LBS, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP NEARLY ALL MY STRENGTH AND NEVER ONCE FELT LIKE I WAS DIETING. I WAS NEVER TIRED, FATIGUED OR STARVING. SINCE THEN, I HAVE UPPED MY CALORIES A BIT AND AM SLOWLY GAINING WEIGHT BACK. THE ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY OF FLEXIBLE DIETING HAS ALLOWED ME TO STAY LEAN WHILE GET ENOUGH CALORIES TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND GET STRONGER.
WHAT ARE YOUR THREE MOST IMPORTANT GUIDELINES YOU GIVE YOURSELF IN REGARD TO NUTRITION?
HIT MY DAILY MACRO-NUTRIENT GOALS.
FOCUS ON MICRO-NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS.
ALLOW MYSELF TO EAT -IN MODERATION- THE FOODS I LIKE OR CRAVE.
WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WISH YOU HAD AT THE START OF YOUR JOURNEY THAT COULD HELP NEWBIES?
ALTHOUGH FLEXIBLE DIETING IS AN EASY STRATEGY FOR EVERYONE, TRACKING YOUR FOODS CONSISTENTLY AND ACCURATELY IS A SKILL. HITTING YOUR DAILY MACRO-NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS AND TRACKING EVERYTHING YOU EAT IS IMPERATIVE FOR YOU TO REACH YOUR GOALS. THERE WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS IN YOUR PROGRESS BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING IS ALWAYS CONSISTENCY.
