Build Me - An Ongoing Journey

Sunday 8/2/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:

Body Weight: 144.60lb Change: -0.40lb
Lean Mass: 135.64lb Change: +0.35lb
Percent Fat: 6.20% Change: -0.50%
Body Fat: 8.97lb Change: -0.75lb

Progress Pictures:







Thoughts and Opinions:

I liked my results for today. I don’t know if they mean much, but I like them. I just hope that the trend will continue; then I’ll know for sure that I am on the right track. I’m not sure if the pictures show it, but I also do feel like the numbers are corresponding to a visual difference. I looked leaner. That feels good.




This concludes Entry #241 Sunday Morning Edition.
 
What technique do you use to measure body fat to the 0.01 pound?
 
I use an Omron Handheld Fat Analyzer to get my percent body fat, measured to the tenths, then have a scale that measures to the hundreds place. Multiplying the two numbers gives me a figure that is also to the hundreds place.
 
Sunday 8/2/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:50am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
12:00pm:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~6oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:00pm:
1 bowl Mixed Beans and Grains with Lettuce Salad, Vegetables (Vinaigrette)
~0.5lb Cooked Chicken Breast
1 small bowl Zucchini and Tomatoes

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x41 [failure]
SIT-UPS:
1x88 [failure]


That was the workout.



The Day:

I hit a new record with my pushups. I’m not sure on my form though. I reviewed the video of myself afterward and noticed that I wasn’t going as far as I possibly should towards the ground on some reps. In a week the video will be synched (all the videos up to today are now on YouTube). You can see what I mean then.

Meanwhile I hit below last week, and the week before, with my sit-ups. I’m not disappointed though. When you’re executing this many reps each week is bound to be slightly different. This week was just different in lenience towards the negative. I can’t blame myself over that. It happens, and I know that I did my best.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #241.
 
Monday 8/3/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:10pm:
~12oz Chicken Breast
~0.5-cup Quinoa with Celery, Carrot, Onion [Olive Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
4:00min @ 8.7mph
2.0min @ 9.1mph
~1.5min @ 9.6mph
0.10 miles @ 10.1mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.1+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:27
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12cpm, 4resistance
5min @ ~12-13cpm, 6resistance
4min @ ~13cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~14-15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I had a great run today. As detailed above I decided to see if I could push myself past my norm. And I did. By incrementing my speed little by little I was able to shave off a total 3 seconds from my normal 13:30. Excellent.

Afterwards my elliptical performance was also good. Though the machine did say I burned a subpar 246 calories (I don’t trust it). I felt like my speed was good and my effort was there even after the intense run.

At night I had some awesome sets of sit-ups as I focused completely on using my abs for the movement. I can’t ask more from this Monday.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #242.
 
Tuesday 8/4/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
7:45pm:
a little Pita Bread (various Greek Dips)
a little Grilled Calamari and Vegetables (Olive Oil)
1 large plate Goat Stew with Wheat Berries and Vegetables
a few bites Sardines
a few bites Pork Cheeks

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~160spm

3x5x155 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x175 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
2x10x25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
1x8x25 DB Shoulder Press [failure]
30sec rest
3x10x25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I've been talking about weight progression on my last few lifting entries. And today I did it. I pushed 160 on my squats. I lifted 175 on my deadlifts. I dipped for 7 reps, and pushuped for 8. It was a glorious feeling of accomplishment (and of muscles crumbling with fatigue and cellular failure). I've been lacking that feeling recently, especially the accomplishment part. But not anymore. It's back. And with it I bring a new commitment towards progression. Next week I will try some more 5 pound, 1 rep, increments. After the workout I also noticed the highest level of definition I have ever seen in my abs. For the first time they had a good “cut” look. It didn’t last long, but it everything has been worth it just for that.
I may have slightly overeaten for dinner. I’m not sure. I ate out for the first time in awhile and wanted to make it a special occasion. I’m not going to beat up myself for that.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #243.
 
Wednesday 8/5/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:30pm:
1 bowl Chicken Rice Soup with Vegetables and a little Avocado
1 plate Chicken Breast (Spicy Brown Mexican Sauce) with Rice
Tomato Salsa

That was my diet.



The Workout:

OUTSIDE [sloping incline/decline ground]
5min Run
10 Intervals of 30sec Sprint, 1min Jog
1min Walk
9min Run

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I was sore this morning. I felt it in the back of legs. The feeling was good.
It did make me slightly worrisome though. I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind that it would affect my morning run, the exhausting HIIT I was soon to set out on. And maybe it did affect it. It is tough to gauge my progress on the outdoor run. What I can say for sure is that I definitely felt my legs trying to overcome last night’s workout as they whooshed forward and back with their sprinting motion. What I can’t say is whether that additional barrier actually decreased my speed or not. In actuality, I felt pretty damn fast today.
And even if it did affect my cadence, so what? The workout was hardly less exhilarating for it. In fact this may have been my most tear-me-up HIIT session so far. On the 9th interval, in those 30 seconds, I was feeling like I was ready to collapse. Nausea began to creep in. And then I did a 10th. And a 10 minute downhill uphill run after that. Finishing up with some stretches and 10 pull-ups, it was a fantastic workout.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #244.
 
A bit of a soreness doesn't necessarily affect cardio work outs. I've experienced the same thing. You're doing well. Keep going.
 
Thursday 8/6/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~3oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~6oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
7:15pm:
2 plates Chicken Breast, Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage Salad with a little Corn (Light Vinaigraitte)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
4:00min @ 8.7mph
2.0min @ 9.1mph
~1.5min @ 9.6+mph
0.10 miles @ 10.1+mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11-11.4mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:26
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12pm, 4resistance
5min @ ~13-cpm, 6resistance
4min @ ~13+cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~14-15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

Still recovering from the pleasure of soreness, I ran a 13:26 today. That’s 2 miles. That’s my best ever. I did this by pushing myself on the increasing speeds after the 9 minute mark (which if you’ve been following my logs know that this is the point at which I begin to steadily increase towards a sprint by the end of my run). For example, instead of 9.0mph I was doing 9.1. Then instead of 9.5, 9.6 or 9.7. In all I was able to shave off 4 seconds for this extra effort. It was worth it. Next time I plan on skirting that edge even further out.
It finally cooled down some today. My room during my sit-ups and pushups was no longer stifling hot. That was a nice break, but probably just that: a break. That’s alright though, the heat just pushes me further, makes me stronger.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #245.
 
Friday 8/7/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:45pm:
2 plates Scrod, Salmon, Lentil and Eggplant Stew, Cabbage Salad (Light Vinaigrette)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~160-165spm, 20resistance

3x5x160 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x175 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x35 DB Shoulder Press
1min rest
3x5x20 Assisted Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x7 Dips(chest version, leaning forward)
1min rest
3x5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

My lifting session followed Tuesday’s results. I got a nice burn out of all my lifts. I had good focus. And of course I was lifting more. All good things. Next week I plan on upping my squats and my deadlift by another 5 pounds. I think my bench may soon see an increase as well, but I’m more hesitant here as I don’t have a spotter. We’ll see how it goes next week if I feel safe enough to go ahead with putting an additional 2 1/2s on each side. I look forward to that possibility.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #246.
 
Saturday 8/8/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
10:00am:
1 Peach
12:30pm:
4-5 small pieces Fried Chicken Breast [fried outside removed]
a little Mashed Potatoes [Gravy mixed in]
Cabbage Hash and Vegetables with Vinegar
Corn
a little Hamloaf and Sausage
7:00pm:
Boston Bluefish, 1 small slice Turkey Breast, 1 small slice Sirloin, a little Beef [in brown sauce], Vegetables, a little Black Beans & Grains
1 small cup Vegetable and Grains Soup
Unknown Fat [in cooking]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

--


That was the workout.



The Day:

I experienced Amish Country today. And part of that involved eating the local food. For the hours after breakfast I ate out. I may have made some slightly unhealthy choices (such as even considering trying the hamloaf and sausage), but for the most part I stayed on course (for example I removed the “fried” portion of the Fried Chicken Breast for lunch). It is important to understand here that any deviance from said course is not at all due to taste. I have no inclination to eat the unhealthy foods, they don’t even satisfy that want for a good meal. Instead my reasoning to sometimes deviate is only because I have no other option and yet still wish to get my calories for the day in.

Later on in the day I may have overeaten for dinner. It’s tough to tell as it was a family style smorgasbord type of meal. Apparently those are common around the Pennsylvania Dutch area. But, even if I did overeat, the fair amount of active walking and standing for the day should offset most if not all of it.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #247.
 
Sunday 8/9/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:

Body Weight: 147.40lb Change: +2.80lb
Lean Mass: 137.52lb Change: +1.88lb
Percent Fat: 6.70% Change: +0.50%
Body Fat: 9.88lb Change: +0.91lb

Progress Pictures:







Thoughts and Opinions:

I was a little shocked when I weighed in today. The numbers that I saw just aren’t possible, at least not in terms of muscle and fat. My best conclusion is the difference in results is simply a fluctuation in retained water. This could have something to do with the fact that I didn’t drink as much yesterday so maybe my body was holding on to its liquids. There isn’t much science that I know of behind that, but it’s a logical guess.




This concludes Entry #248 Sunday Morning Edition.
 
Sunday 8/9/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:15am:
1 small Peaches
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
12:15pm:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:00pm:
~1/2- cup Quinoa with Celery, Carrots, Onions, Peppers (Olive Oil)
1.5 Chicken Breast Halves
1 Tomato with Onions and a little Feta Cheese (Olive Oil)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x41 [failure]
SIT-UPS:
1x92 [failure]

That was the workout.



The Day:

I was so close to pumping that 42nd pushup. Alas, I couldn’t make it. Next week. Afterwards I rebounded from last week’s small letdown and did 92 sit-ups. Besides one 94 set a long time ago (that I now consider a fluke), this is my personal best. I say that with stern and pride.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #248.
 
Monday 8/10/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
7:00pm:
2 small bowls Spaghetti (Tomatoes and Olive Oil)
1 large Chicken Breast Half
Cauliflower (Olive Oil)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
4:00min @ 8.7mph
2.0min @ 9.2+mph
~1.5min @ 9.7+mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2+mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.2+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:25
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12cpm, 4resistance
5min @ ~13-cpm, 6resistance
4min @ ~13+cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~14+cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8%incline

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I broke another record with my run. I keep tearing these walls down. One at a time they crumble before me. Nothing will hold me back.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #249.
 
Tuesday 8/11/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:30pm:
2 plates Cod, Flounder, Rice, Corn, Vegetables [Olive Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~160spm

3x5x165 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x180 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
2x10x25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
1x6x25 DB Shoulder Press [failure]
30sec rest
3x10x25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

And I progressed again! It also makes me wonder if I should be cutting more… I’ll leave that thought for future review as I see whether or not last week’s weigh in was a true indicator of a changing trend. For now I am ecstatic.

Oh and by the way… Happy Two-Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary!

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #250.
 
Wednesday 8/12/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:40pm:
1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Vegetables (a little Olive Oil Dressing)
1 plate Chicken with Tomato [Reduced Balsamic Glaze]
1/3 bowl Spaghetti (Tomato Sauce)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

OUTSIDE [sloping incline/decline ground]
5min Run
10 Intervals of 30sec Sprint, 1min Jog
1min Walk
9min Run

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

The weather was ideal. My motivation was primed. I had a great run.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #251.
 
Thursday 8/13/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~3oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~6oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:30pm:
a little Avocado Soup
Salsa
Sautéed Squid (Chile Sauce)
Grilled Chicken Breast with Rice, Refried Beans, a little Guacamole, Vegetables
1 small Corn Tortilla

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
4:00min @ 8.7+mph
2.0min @ 9.2+mph
~1.5min @ 9.7+mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2+mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ ~11.4mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:26
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12pm, 4resistance
5min @ ~13-cpm, 6resistance
4min @ ~13+cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~14+cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

13:23! That was my running time. 13:23! I feel awesome, accomplished, and awesome. I even followed it up with 253 calories on the elliptical, tying my record best. 13:23!

My mind to muscle connection has become so superb with my sit-ups these days. I am making it incredibly difficult to complete purely with my intense focus on the contraction. It feels great.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #252.
 
Friday 8/14/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:10pm:
2 bowls Soba Noodles with Chicken Breast, Vegetables, a little Corn, a little Feta Cheese (Chicken Broth)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~160-165spm, 20resistance

3x5x165 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x180 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x35 DB Shoulder Press
1min rest
3x5x20 Assisted Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x7 Dips(chest version, leaning forward)
1min rest
3x5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

For some reason I wasn’t in the right mindset today. Not every day is a good day. That’s not to say the hour length of time at the gym was bad, it just wasn’t up to the standard set by these last few lifting sessions. For example, though I did complete my squats successfully, my form was a little shaky at certain parts. And as I still plan on increasing my weights for Monday I know that next week will be better.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #253.
 
Saturday 8/15/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:

Body Weight: 146.80lb Change: -0.60lb
Lean Mass: 136.23lb Change: -1.29lb
Percent Fat: 7.20% Change: +0.50%
Body Fat: 10.57lb Change: +0.69lb

Progress Pictures:







Thoughts and Opinions:

It is disappointing that I am increasing my running time, my squats, my deadlifts, etc.. Everything seems to be going in the right direction. And yet my body fat and body weight are not. This is the second week now that I have seen poor numbers and it is beginning to worry me. Maybe it isn’t a calculation fluke. I will have to carefully monitor my diet for these coming weeks, maybe decrease my portion sizes further. Next week I am determined to see better results.




This concludes Entry #254 Saturday Morning Edition.
 
For some reason this shot didn't make it... Here it is:
 
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