Today's Weigh-In: 206.4 lbs.
5-Day Average: 207.1 lbs.
This weekend was really good on the diet front. I had my one cheat meal on Friday, and I made sure not to go crazy and to just eat a reasonable amount. I also made sure that I didn't eat as much prior to it, to help with keeping the total number of calories down. Saturday and Sunday were both great, with 100% home-made meals both days.
I only ended up getting 2 workouts last week. I worked out on Thursday, but my shoulder was still bothering me, and I didn't hit the intensity that I normally would. My brother and I had planned to go sprinting on Saturday morning, but when I woke up it was raining outside, so we had to skip that as well.
My shoulder is not 100%, but I've been massaging it and trying to do some exercises to maximize flexibility and recovery. I will be working out today, as the workout planned doesn't involve any yanking on my shoulder girdle, so I should be alright.
It doesn't really look like I'm going to hit my goal of 200 pounds by the end of the month, which is disappointing. I've been working hard, and to not see much change on the scale is disheartening. Hopefully my body measurements will have changed for the positive. At least then I'll know that I'm doing something right. 9 days to go.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Minor setback
Today's Weigh-In: 206.6 lbs.
5-Day Average: 206.3 lbs.
I'm getting used to the idea that my weigh-ins are worst right after the weekend, and they slowly creep down throughout the week, and Friday is usually my lowest. Last Friday I hit 204.2 lbs. on the scale, but yesterday I weighed in at 208. The weekend was another not-bad-not-great experience. Friday night my girlfriend and I went out to dinner, and I ate entirely too much. I ate so much, in fact, that my stomach was hurting and kept me awake until 4AM. As a result I was too tired to get up at 7:30 on Saturday to make it to the Crossfit gym for the Saturday morning workout. Poor food decisions can have larger ramifications than I thought. Saturday and Sunday were fine diet-wise, but the lack of exercise definitely didn't help me.
Of course now I'm fully back on the wagon, and I'm aiming to make sure that I don't go overboard on my cheat meal this week. It's just not worth it.
Over the weekend my little brother came home from college, and I spent Saturday night hanging out with him. Of course, as brothers do (even adult ones), we ended up wrestling each other. Unfortunately for me my brother studies Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and knows about 100 ways to submit me, and while we were messing around I kinda hurt my shoulder. It was bothering me even before that, to be honest (I've had problems with it in the past), but roughhousing really aggravated it. Then yesterday's workout included a lot of shoulder dominant exercises, such as assisted muscle-ups on rings, burpees, hang power-cleans, and body rows on rings. When the adrenaline from the workout wore off I was in a massive amount of pain, and I spent the night icing my shoulder and taking Naprocyn. It feels alright this morning, but I know that if I don't rest it I'm just going to keep aggravating it and it won't heal. So I'm skipping Crossfit tonight, and I plan on just going to the park and running. It's been a while since I've had a good run anyways, so it can't hurt. I'll spend some more time icing, massaging, and otherwise rehabbing my shoulder as well. Hopefully it's nothing more than a minor pull, but we'll see how it goes.
5-Day Average: 206.3 lbs.
I'm getting used to the idea that my weigh-ins are worst right after the weekend, and they slowly creep down throughout the week, and Friday is usually my lowest. Last Friday I hit 204.2 lbs. on the scale, but yesterday I weighed in at 208. The weekend was another not-bad-not-great experience. Friday night my girlfriend and I went out to dinner, and I ate entirely too much. I ate so much, in fact, that my stomach was hurting and kept me awake until 4AM. As a result I was too tired to get up at 7:30 on Saturday to make it to the Crossfit gym for the Saturday morning workout. Poor food decisions can have larger ramifications than I thought. Saturday and Sunday were fine diet-wise, but the lack of exercise definitely didn't help me.
Of course now I'm fully back on the wagon, and I'm aiming to make sure that I don't go overboard on my cheat meal this week. It's just not worth it.
Over the weekend my little brother came home from college, and I spent Saturday night hanging out with him. Of course, as brothers do (even adult ones), we ended up wrestling each other. Unfortunately for me my brother studies Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and knows about 100 ways to submit me, and while we were messing around I kinda hurt my shoulder. It was bothering me even before that, to be honest (I've had problems with it in the past), but roughhousing really aggravated it. Then yesterday's workout included a lot of shoulder dominant exercises, such as assisted muscle-ups on rings, burpees, hang power-cleans, and body rows on rings. When the adrenaline from the workout wore off I was in a massive amount of pain, and I spent the night icing my shoulder and taking Naprocyn. It feels alright this morning, but I know that if I don't rest it I'm just going to keep aggravating it and it won't heal. So I'm skipping Crossfit tonight, and I plan on just going to the park and running. It's been a while since I've had a good run anyways, so it can't hurt. I'll spend some more time icing, massaging, and otherwise rehabbing my shoulder as well. Hopefully it's nothing more than a minor pull, but we'll see how it goes.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
New record!
Today's Weigh-In: 206.0 lbs.
5-Day Average: 207.55 lbs.
I'm happy with today's weigh-in. It seems like I'm getting more consistently in the 206s, so I think that means the added water weight from my creatine loading has stabilized and I'm actually losing some fat.
I did one-rep max back squats yesterday, and got a new personal record: 285 pounds. My previous record was 260, and that was over a year ago. I've been stuck on this lift for so long I thought I would never get to 300, but now I'm only 15 pounds away. Last week I did a one-rep max deadlift as well and matched my PR from a year ago, so it looks like I haven't lost any strength (and have actually gained a bit) in the time I've been unfocused. I don't know whether it's the clean diet, good sleep, lack of alcohol, or a mixture of everything, but I'm feeling stronger and better than I ever have.
I've got 19 days to lose 6 pounds. It's going to be hard, but I really want it.
5-Day Average: 207.55 lbs.
I'm happy with today's weigh-in. It seems like I'm getting more consistently in the 206s, so I think that means the added water weight from my creatine loading has stabilized and I'm actually losing some fat.
I did one-rep max back squats yesterday, and got a new personal record: 285 pounds. My previous record was 260, and that was over a year ago. I've been stuck on this lift for so long I thought I would never get to 300, but now I'm only 15 pounds away. Last week I did a one-rep max deadlift as well and matched my PR from a year ago, so it looks like I haven't lost any strength (and have actually gained a bit) in the time I've been unfocused. I don't know whether it's the clean diet, good sleep, lack of alcohol, or a mixture of everything, but I'm feeling stronger and better than I ever have.
I've got 19 days to lose 6 pounds. It's going to be hard, but I really want it.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Mid-week update
Today's Weigh-In: 206.4 lbs.
5-Day Average: 207.6 lbs.
Hello everyone. Sorry about the lack of posting this week. I've been pretty busy with work and personal life and just haven't had the time. Let me recap the past few days.
Friday I got my 4th workout of last week in, and then I had my cheat meal right afterward. Saturday was really good as far as eating goes. No workout, but stayed plenty active and walked a lot. Sunday I went to an amusement park (Six Flags Magic Mountain), so my activity level was very high. My food intake, however, was not very good. I helped myself to quite a few Doritos, some candy, and a non-diet soda. All the walking probably balanced it out, but I shouldn't have let that happen. Monday I was back on the diet train, and hit another workout. I started having a lot of stomach pain and nausea yesterday, so I actually ended up under-eating, and I didn't get to work out either. My stomach still hurts a little bit today but not nearly as bad as it did yesterday, so I'm hoping I'll feel well enough to get a workout in today.
The weight isn't dropping as quickly as I would have liked, unfortunately. I've been pretty darn good about my calorie intake and exercise, so I would have expected it to drop at least a bit by now. I've just gotta remember that it's all about seeing loss on a long-term scale, not necessarily having a great weigh-in every day. Eventually I'll start seeing 205s and 204s, and my average will start to drop. I've been there before, and I need to just remember that if I'm consistent there's nothing my body can do except drop the fat.
5-Day Average: 207.6 lbs.
Hello everyone. Sorry about the lack of posting this week. I've been pretty busy with work and personal life and just haven't had the time. Let me recap the past few days.
Friday I got my 4th workout of last week in, and then I had my cheat meal right afterward. Saturday was really good as far as eating goes. No workout, but stayed plenty active and walked a lot. Sunday I went to an amusement park (Six Flags Magic Mountain), so my activity level was very high. My food intake, however, was not very good. I helped myself to quite a few Doritos, some candy, and a non-diet soda. All the walking probably balanced it out, but I shouldn't have let that happen. Monday I was back on the diet train, and hit another workout. I started having a lot of stomach pain and nausea yesterday, so I actually ended up under-eating, and I didn't get to work out either. My stomach still hurts a little bit today but not nearly as bad as it did yesterday, so I'm hoping I'll feel well enough to get a workout in today.
The weight isn't dropping as quickly as I would have liked, unfortunately. I've been pretty darn good about my calorie intake and exercise, so I would have expected it to drop at least a bit by now. I've just gotta remember that it's all about seeing loss on a long-term scale, not necessarily having a great weigh-in every day. Eventually I'll start seeing 205s and 204s, and my average will start to drop. I've been there before, and I need to just remember that if I'm consistent there's nothing my body can do except drop the fat.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
4 days in
Today's Weigh-In: 208.0 lbs.
4-Day Average: 207.4 lbs.
My weigh-ins are up a bit since Tuesday, but I'm not worried because I know I've been 100% spot-on with nutrition, exercise, supplementation, and sleep this week. I've consumed right around 2000 calories each day, I've gotten 3 workouts in so far, I've taken my vitamins, fiber, and fish oil religiously, and I've gotten at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Along with my fish oil and fiber supplementation I've added creatine back into the fold. I'm guessing that a combination of retained water from the creatine supplementation and some stomach contents are what are keeping the weight a bit higher than I'd expect.
Warning: poop talk ahead. You've been warned.
As I commented on Billy's blog yesterday I noted that the first day of clean eating I purged my bowels 3 times, which is probably why I got down to 205 on Tuesday. But even though I've been supplementing with fiber and eating quite a bit of fruit and vegetables I haven't very regular since then. I know it will take a bit of time for my body to optimally process the new kinds of food that I'm giving it, so I'm not worried, but it's something to note. It probably also has to do with the fact that I'm simply eating less food, so there's not as much waste being created. I'll just keep my fiber intake high and wait it out.
End poop talk
My workouts have been really good this week. I already feel my body adapting positively to the high intensity workouts. I'm sore like crazy, but I haven't felt like I'm going to puke or pass out during the workouts. I'm taking a rest day today and I will be back into it tomorrow.
I ordered some Vibram Five Fingers and I received them yesterday. I got the black KSO model. They look funny, and it's weird to have to fit each toe individually into its own compartment, but they're really cool and quite comfortable. I plan on using them for barefoot running (mainly on sand and grass, concrete is a bit too hard for the normal human foot), gymnastics work, weight lifting, and any other activity where I can get away with wearing them. One of the main reasons I bought them is that I've always had a bit of pain in my heels caused by the way I walk (incorrectly). It's bothered me so much that I started wearing heel and arch support insoles in my normal shoes a few years ago. But I've been researching information about how humans naturally walk without shoes, and I think that if I can train myself to walk correctly (without the hard heel strike that we all tend to do when wearing shoes) I can rid myself of this pain and strengthen my feet and legs. I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works.
That's it for me, hope everyone else is doing well this week.
4-Day Average: 207.4 lbs.
My weigh-ins are up a bit since Tuesday, but I'm not worried because I know I've been 100% spot-on with nutrition, exercise, supplementation, and sleep this week. I've consumed right around 2000 calories each day, I've gotten 3 workouts in so far, I've taken my vitamins, fiber, and fish oil religiously, and I've gotten at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Along with my fish oil and fiber supplementation I've added creatine back into the fold. I'm guessing that a combination of retained water from the creatine supplementation and some stomach contents are what are keeping the weight a bit higher than I'd expect.
Warning: poop talk ahead. You've been warned.
As I commented on Billy's blog yesterday I noted that the first day of clean eating I purged my bowels 3 times, which is probably why I got down to 205 on Tuesday. But even though I've been supplementing with fiber and eating quite a bit of fruit and vegetables I haven't very regular since then. I know it will take a bit of time for my body to optimally process the new kinds of food that I'm giving it, so I'm not worried, but it's something to note. It probably also has to do with the fact that I'm simply eating less food, so there's not as much waste being created. I'll just keep my fiber intake high and wait it out.
End poop talk
My workouts have been really good this week. I already feel my body adapting positively to the high intensity workouts. I'm sore like crazy, but I haven't felt like I'm going to puke or pass out during the workouts. I'm taking a rest day today and I will be back into it tomorrow.
I ordered some Vibram Five Fingers and I received them yesterday. I got the black KSO model. They look funny, and it's weird to have to fit each toe individually into its own compartment, but they're really cool and quite comfortable. I plan on using them for barefoot running (mainly on sand and grass, concrete is a bit too hard for the normal human foot), gymnastics work, weight lifting, and any other activity where I can get away with wearing them. One of the main reasons I bought them is that I've always had a bit of pain in my heels caused by the way I walk (incorrectly). It's bothered me so much that I started wearing heel and arch support insoles in my normal shoes a few years ago. But I've been researching information about how humans naturally walk without shoes, and I think that if I can train myself to walk correctly (without the hard heel strike that we all tend to do when wearing shoes) I can rid myself of this pain and strengthen my feet and legs. I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works.
That's it for me, hope everyone else is doing well this week.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Starting day 2
Today's Weigh-In: 205.6 lbs.
My weight is back down where I expected it to be this morning, which made me breathe a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to have to try to lose 9 pounds in a month instead of 6. So far I've started out my day with a healthy breakfast, and I've got my lunch and snack packed and ready to go. I'll be doing another workout tonight, then I'll be visiting my girlfriend. Not sure what we'll be doing for dinner but I'll make sure that it's something that fits into my dietary requirements (probably El Pollo Loco chicken).
I've been getting up much earlier than normal to make sure I have time to get into the gym after work, and I actually feel pretty good about it. I went to bed at 10:30 last night and woke up at 7:30 today. I slept great, probably due to the lack of alcohol in my system. I'm looking forward to more positive changes like these in my life this month. I don't have my measurements with me (I'm at work) but I'll try to post them either tonight or tomorrow.
My weight is back down where I expected it to be this morning, which made me breathe a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to have to try to lose 9 pounds in a month instead of 6. So far I've started out my day with a healthy breakfast, and I've got my lunch and snack packed and ready to go. I'll be doing another workout tonight, then I'll be visiting my girlfriend. Not sure what we'll be doing for dinner but I'll make sure that it's something that fits into my dietary requirements (probably El Pollo Loco chicken).
I've been getting up much earlier than normal to make sure I have time to get into the gym after work, and I actually feel pretty good about it. I went to bed at 10:30 last night and woke up at 7:30 today. I slept great, probably due to the lack of alcohol in my system. I'm looking forward to more positive changes like these in my life this month. I don't have my measurements with me (I'm at work) but I'll try to post them either tonight or tomorrow.
Monday, June 1, 2009
First day: done
Today's Weigh-In: 209.8 lbs.
So today was the first day of my hard routine, and I've gotta say I've done perfectly so far. I ate exactly 16 blocks of food, but I chose higher fat protein sources to make sure I don't get under 2000 calories. If I do that then I end up not recovering from my workouts and start feeling run-down. Between 2000 and 2200 calories per day is the perfect range for me to lose weight and still perform well. My meals consisted of bacon, eggs, and an English muffin for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, protein powder and an orange for snack #1, crackers and kippered herring for snack 2, and steak with onions and mushrooms for dinner, with some watermelon for dessert. I'm still a bit hungry, but it's that good hungry feeling that makes me know that I'm doing something effective.
I did a gnarly workout at Crossfit 714 which included lots of cleans and pull-ups. I'm writing this 2.5 hours after I finished and I still can't stop sweating, and it's not particularly hot here. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish, but I found that second wind that I remember so fondly but had forgotten as of late and finished as strong as I could.
Haven't touched a drop of alcohol today. This is the first day in 4 months that I haven't had any (since my fast in January), and I thought it would be harder. I actually feel great right now. My drive is very strong today, and I can only hope that I can keep it up.
My weigh-in today was taken this evening, after dinner, since I forgot to do it this morning, so it's a bit higher than it would be in the morning. Also, as promised, current pictures, taken yesterday:
Back:
Side:
Front:
So there you are. I also took measurements, but I'll post them later because this post is long enough as it is.
UPDATE: Here are my measurements, as of 5/31/09, for posterity's sake.
Biceps: 14.5"
Waist (flexed): 38"
Waist (relaxed): 40.25"
Chest (flexed): 44.25"
Chest (relaxed): 42"
Thighs: 25.25"
Calved: 15.75"
Neck: 16.5"
Hips: 38"
So today was the first day of my hard routine, and I've gotta say I've done perfectly so far. I ate exactly 16 blocks of food, but I chose higher fat protein sources to make sure I don't get under 2000 calories. If I do that then I end up not recovering from my workouts and start feeling run-down. Between 2000 and 2200 calories per day is the perfect range for me to lose weight and still perform well. My meals consisted of bacon, eggs, and an English muffin for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, protein powder and an orange for snack #1, crackers and kippered herring for snack 2, and steak with onions and mushrooms for dinner, with some watermelon for dessert. I'm still a bit hungry, but it's that good hungry feeling that makes me know that I'm doing something effective.
I did a gnarly workout at Crossfit 714 which included lots of cleans and pull-ups. I'm writing this 2.5 hours after I finished and I still can't stop sweating, and it's not particularly hot here. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish, but I found that second wind that I remember so fondly but had forgotten as of late and finished as strong as I could.
Haven't touched a drop of alcohol today. This is the first day in 4 months that I haven't had any (since my fast in January), and I thought it would be harder. I actually feel great right now. My drive is very strong today, and I can only hope that I can keep it up.
My weigh-in today was taken this evening, after dinner, since I forgot to do it this morning, so it's a bit higher than it would be in the morning. Also, as promised, current pictures, taken yesterday:
Back:
Side:
Front:
So there you are. I also took measurements, but I'll post them later because this post is long enough as it is.
UPDATE: Here are my measurements, as of 5/31/09, for posterity's sake.
Biceps: 14.5"
Waist (flexed): 38"
Waist (relaxed): 40.25"
Chest (flexed): 44.25"
Chest (relaxed): 42"
Thighs: 25.25"
Calved: 15.75"
Neck: 16.5"
Hips: 38"
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