Build Me - An Ongoing Journey

Saturday 8/15/09
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Diet:
7:00am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
1:15pm:
Cold Mixed Seafood
Grilled Chicken Breast with Vegetables
a little Swordfish and Penne Pasta (Sauce)
6:30pm:
a little Garbanzo Beans (Vinaigrette)
a little Spaghetti
a little Lamb’s Tongue
Skate with Corn [Butter and Oil]
Vegetables with Garlic (Oil)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

--


That was the workout.



The Day:

I ate out twice today. But it was more than just a standard restaurant. Dinner was a special occasion at Mario Batali’s Babbo in New York City. I ate fairly cleanly regardless while still not forgoing the opportunities to enjoy good, delicious, and unique food. I am overall satisfied with the choices I made today and hope that the additional city walking I did will make up for any slight amount of excess calories I may have taken in.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #254.
 
Sunday 8/16/09
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Diet:
9:00am:
1 bowl Oatmeal
1 large Egg White Omelet with Deli Turkey
1 slice 7-Grain Bread
1:45pm:
1 plate Fish (Tomato Broth), Squash, a little Rice, a little Beef, Vegetables [Fat]
1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Eggplant, Artichoke (Vinaigrette)
7:10pm:
1 plate Trout, Pompano, Wild Rice and Vegetables, Tomato (Oil) [Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x39 [failure]
SIT-UPS:
1x93 [failure]


That was the workout.



The Day:

I was a little concerned about lunch today. I fear I overate. I definitely felt like I did. To compensate I ate a considerably smaller (albeit much tastier) dinner. I hope everything balanced out.

While prepping my lunches for the week I cut my left-hand index finger. It was bad enough that it is still bleeding. Despite this I went ahead and did my standard pull-ups whenever I had the chance and tested my new maximum for pushups at the end of the day. I didn’t hit a new record (though I did have great form), but I am proud of myself for the effort I gave despite the numbness beginning to creep into my left hand.

On a not-so-similar note, my sit-ups did break records. And I am happy for it. I am hesitant to celebrate too much though as I can’t say more than usual rocking motion I incorporated didn’t contribute. Still though, I surpassed myself. And that feels good.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #255.
 
Monday 8/17/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
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
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
7:30pm:
2 plates Chicken Breast, Cabbage Salad with Corn, Vegetables (Light Vinaigrette), Eggplant

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:23
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12cpm, 4resistance
5min @ ~12-13cpm, 6resistance
4min @ ~13+cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8%incline

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


That was the workout.



The Day:

I wasn’t even sure I was going to make it to the gym today. I woke up twice to wrap my finger. It continued to bleed all night. But, I went anyway. And once the pain of my legs moving at high speeds beneath me settled in, the thought of my throbbing index appendage seemed to disappear. I ran my best ever for the 2nd time. And it was worth it.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #256.
 
Tuesday 8/18/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
6:15pm:
2 plates Sole with a little Vegetables, Rice [Oil]
2 plates Cabbage Salad and Tomato Salad with a little Feta and a little Corn (Light Vinaigrette)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~160spm

3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
1x5x170 BB Squat
1min rest
2x5x165 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x185 BB Deadlift
1min rest
2x10x25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
1x8x25 DB Shoulder Press [failure]
30sec rest
3x7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x10x25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
1x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
2x8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I had all this motivation, but it didn't matter. I am not ready for the 170 pound squat. I completed my first 5 reps of that weight, but my form, as I noticed in the mirror, was quickly deteriating. By the last rep I was quite drastically good-lifting on the push upwards. I decided to then back off the weight to last weeks 165, but even that didn't help. Maybe the first set exhausted me too much? I found that my form was still lacking at 165. This set off a great many questions in my mind. In fact, I found them so dire and important to my lifting that I decided to make a forum post on it. Basically, I wanted to know is it better to focus on form with much lower weight (enough that I can really "squeeze" my muscles and build a great mind-to-muscle connection) or instead to try and push my body to the brink so I can lift the most weight (while still keeping decent form of course).

The rest of my workout went decently. There were a few instances where my cut finger lead to problems (especially so with the knuckle pushups where I had to backoff after the first set and just do the regular variety). Even with the lifting concerns that were plaguing my mind though I did give it my all. And with that I walked out of the gym and drove off the work quite satisfied.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #257.
 
I wanted to know is it better to focus on form with much lower weight (enough that I can really "squeeze" my muscles and build a great mind-to-muscle connection)

for bodybuilding


or instead to try and push my body to the brink so I can lift the most weight (while still keeping decent form of course).

for power

Cheats are often used to build power, swinging weights and cheating it up.
 
Wednesday 8/19/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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:
1 bowl Gazpacho Soup
a little Lettuce Salad with a little Goat Cheese (Vinaigrette)
1 plate Cod with Rice, Vegetables, a little Shrimp [Fat]

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:

As always I scraped the jagged edge of failure. Particularly rough was the stomach cramps as they creeped in. Luckily they didn't start until my 10 minute cooldown after the HIIT. But, it didn't matter. I ran through it all the more violently.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #258.
 
Thursday 8/20/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
6:00pm:
2 plates Soba Noodles with Chicken Breast, Zucchini, a little Feta Cheese (Chicken Broth)
~1 small bowl Tomato Gazpacho

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ ~11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12pm, 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:

13:22! Another second shaved off. A strong run followed by a very strong nightly pushup and sit-up session. Plus today was my last day of work, meaning tomorrow I don’t have to go to the gym 30 minutes after eating a big breakfast. What more could I ask for?


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #259.
 
Friday 8/21/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:50am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
12:45pm:
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
6:15pm:
1 cup Squid with Vegetables
1 cup Octopus with Celery
1 cup Cauliflower with Olives, Capers
a few spoonfuls Lentils
2/3 plate Penne Puttanesca
1 very tiny spoonful Olive Oil Ice Cream

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~165-170spm, 20resistance

3x5x165 BB Squat
1min rest
2x5x180 BB Deadlift
1min rest
1x5x185 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
1x7x125 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
3x6 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

What a difference! Seriously, what a difference! I worked out at 10:00am today. That means, foremost not at 6am (just 1 hour after rising from sleep), and not 30 minutes after eating breakfast (feeling quite bloated no doubt). And that made all the difference. And what a difference! As you can see from the numbers above I pushed myself further than normal after realizing how much strength I had later in the morning. And it went even beyond that. I was also able to have proper form with my lifts, this means no good-mornings with my squats, no relying on momentum for bench press, etc, etc, etc… It was glorious. I am so grateful now for the fact that my future workouts will have the same later-in-the-morning results.

Oh, I also weighed myself this morning as I’m going on vacation starting later today and won’t have a chance to take my weekly measurements. I clocked in at 146lb and 7.2% body fat, which is heading in the right direction even though I’m still considerably up from around a month ago for reasons I still have yet to determine. I also want to make a quick statement here that I will for now on be doing monthly special edition entries instead of weekly. I feel like weekly progress shots have become unnecessary and really aren’t telling me much. I still do plan to weigh myself weekly though, but I’m not going to have a separate special log just for that. So, to summarize, expect for now on, on the first Sunday of each month there will be a Monthly Special Edition version of this journal which will include an outline of the month’s weigh-ins and the direction/trends they represent along with some progress pictures.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #260.
 
Saturday 8/22/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
9:00am:
1 bowl Oatmeal
1 Egg Beater Omelet with Vegetables
Lettuce Salad with Olives, Cherry Tomatoes, Onions, Cucumbers (a little Vinaigrette)
1:00pm:
1 cup Collard Greens
1 cup Baked Beans with a little Pork [Fat]
Beef Rib [Fat]
a little Brisket and a little Pulled Pork
6:00pm:
Sardines, a little Snapper, a little Corn, a little White Beans, a little Octopus (Olive Oil)
0.5 small bowl Sepia Spaghetti with Squid (Olive Oil)
a little Red Snapper, Calamari (Vinaigrette)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

[Workout Numbers]


That was the workout.



The Day:

Beef ribs are very fatty. I tried my best to eat the leanest pieces possible, but of course I admit that I chose the option with my own will simply for the fact that it was a new experience and one in which I was curious to try. I found it delicious and well worth it. Daisy May’s in New York City is an excellent barbeque. I won’t be eating there often. But, I’m glad I went.

Afterward I had a two nice long wals which hopefully burned some of the excess calories I may have digested.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #261.
 
Sunday 8/22/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:45am:
1 bowl Oatmeal
1 Egg White Omelet with Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Tabasco Sauce)
12:30pm:
Clams
½ bowl Manhattan Clam Chowder
1 Swordfish Steak with 1 Corn on the Cob
7:00pm:
1 small plate Seaweed Salad
a little Lettuce Salad with Beets (Vinaigrette)
a little Mashed Squash
~0.3 Swordfish Steak
Escarole
Rice Pilaf
1 Coconut Crusted Cod Fillet

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x35 [failure]
SIT-UPS:
1x97 [failure]


That was the workout.



The Day:

I traveled to Montauk this morning. It was the start of a 3-day long beach vacation. I am not taking a break though. I will push myself at every opportunity. I will eat right. I will exercise with intensity.

At night I did 35 pushups. The number was less than normal, considerably so. I contribute this to not having a book under me to measure my depth. Instead I was hesitant and may have gone further than necessary, or may haven’t gotten far enough. Either way my cadence was affected and I definitely spent more time in the difficult “down” position. Whatever the cause, I ended at failure and that’s what’s important. Unlike my pushups, I outperformed myself with the sit-ups. I liken this to having my sister jump in and hold my feet town instead of relying on hiking boots placed under the lip of my bed frame. And yet, I admit, it felt good regardless. I almost hit 100!


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #262.
 
Monday 8/31/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:30pm:
2 slices Whole Wheat Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce (Mustard)
1 Whole Wheat Wrap with 1% Fat Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:20pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Carrots, Cellery, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~65rpm
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
4min @ ~80rpm
1min @ ~85rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8+%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
Ab Exercise:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I was quite literally shaking with anticipation for today’s workout. It’s been a week. And I feel like I haven’t gone in ages. It felt so good to take that first step forward on the treadmill. Everything was setup for a great run. But, it wasn’t so. I don’t want to over-exaggerate here as I did do fairly well and still completed the entirety of the 2 miles with a time that I believe necessitates boasting, but there were problems. For one I was much more exhausted than usual. By the end I nearly collapsed. I’m glad I pushed myself this far, but it worries me that it was needed. Maybe I am still recovering from my illness that caused me to miss the whole of the last 7 days (or nearly so – I still did get my routine in last Monday). Furthermore, it wasn’t just exhaustion. Within the first three minutes I developed a painful cramp in my right calf that seemed to have no intention of letting up. I fought through it for the entire run. But, it persisted to the point that it is now a permanent fixture of tightness in my leg that I cannot shake. I have been stretching as much as possible and truly hope that it goes away quickly. I don’t want another reason to have to miss exercising.

My dorm room does not afford me enough space to appropriately situate a camera. I can no longer record my pushups. Oh well, I am confident that they now are as close to perfect as one can hope. My only wish is that they do not begin to deviate from that ideal. So far so good as today I felt the burn in what seemed more so than ever before. As for my sit-ups I can no longer do them all. There is no method that I can find that allows me to place my feet firmly onto level ground. Instead I chose to prop my legs upwards onto a chair and attempt a form of a sit-up/crunch in this position. It was incredibly difficult! I had to do sets of 20 instead. By the end I felt a burn in my abs quite different, and quite enjoyable, than my previous routine awarded me. Sometimes change is good.

But not always. I have come to a sudden realization that there is no bar in my new living facilities. No bar to do pull-ups on that is. I can’t do my “greasing the groove” method anymore as a means of self-improvement. Instead I’ll have to rely purely on my lifting days. This annoys me as the method I was using was truly showing outstanding results. But, such is life. In the future I expect progress to be slower, but it will not halt. I won’t let it.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #264.
 
Tuesday 9/01/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:45pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
7:00pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~70-74rpm

3x5x~145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x150 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x~10x~20-25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x10x~20-25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x~5-7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x~3-5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x~6-8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I certainly had a strange workout today. And by strange I mean incredibly weak. It seems I couldn’t life anything! Maybe I did get stronger over my 10 day break, but it definitely didn’t show on my first day back into it. In the end though I still pushed for everything I got and so I am happy, not disappointed in the day’s work.

Meanwhile, my calf is still sore. And some new sorenesses have begun to approach. I don’t think they will be going away from tomorrow’s HIIT (which will be another experiment as I haven’t yet scouted out the outdoor running situation and path at my college – we’ll see how it works out tomorrow).


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #265.
 
Wednesday 9/2/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:25pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:30pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]
That was my diet.


The Workout:

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

PUSHUPS
3x20- (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet up
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

My run today was particularly interesting. For the earlier portion of my HIIT (even after scouting out the area with my warmup) I was focused more on simply finding my way around than on the actual sprints. This combined with my legs feeling overly sluggish (I’m still extraordinary sore from my Monday cardio and Tuesday lifting) made my session for the most part quite slow. The latter half was better though. I made my way towards one known good destination on campus: the track. It is some decent distance away from my dorm, but after arriving there I realized that this place was going to be the future of my HIIT routine. The track was perfect and my last few intervals all showed definite improvement. My plan is to warmup by jogging over to the track (takes at least five minutes and mostly on a steep incline), do my HIIT on the track, and then cooldown by jogging back to my dorm taking a longer path to get there as to maximize the time spent with an elevated heart-rate. This plan should work well and I look forward to it next week.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #266.
 
Thursday 9/3/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:20pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
5:45pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~65rpm
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
4min @ ~80rpm
1min @ ~85rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8+%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet up:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

My run was still more difficult than usual, but I didn’t suffer a painful leg cramp like last time. Of course, the preexisting cramp soreness did still linger from Monday’s run, but it wasn’t nearly near the intensity of previous days. I think that by the end of this week my body should be whipped back into shape and all these muscular inconveniences gone.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #267.
 
Friday 9/4/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30pm:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:40pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:45pm:
1 small plate Eggplant Salad
1 plate Chicken Breast, Rice, Vegetables

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~75-80rpm

3x5x145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x160 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x30-35 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x~3-5 Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x~5-7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x~3-5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x~6-8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest



That was the workout.



The Day:

Though I did feel somewhat stronger than my last workout, my numbers were still quite low. I must have really weakened myself over my five days of sickness. I have no other explanation for such a dramatic change. I just hope that as the future lifting sessions occur my weights will rebound to their previous state with greater success.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #268.
 
Saturday 9/5/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5cup 1% Cottage Cheese, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
10:00am:
2-3 bites Plum
1 bite Corn
12:50pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce, Tomato
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:30pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

--


That was the workout.



The Day:

I went to the Troy Farmers Market today and was shocked. It was by far the best selection of locally grown produce and meats I have ever encountered. I can’t wait to cook up some fresh ingredients with a few surprises here and there to give some uniqueness to my daily routine (Goat’s Heart anyone?).


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #269.
 
Sunday 9/6/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:

Body Weight: 142.40lb Change: -4.40lb
Lean Mass: 132.01lb Change: -4.23lb
Percent Fat: 7.30% Change: +0.01%
Body Fat: 10.40lb Change: -0.17lb

Progress Pictures:

--

Thoughts and Opinions:

First off the reason I don’t have pictures for the first Sunday of this month is that I made the foolish mistake of eating before I was going to take the photos. I would rather have a consistent basis such that no exterior factors can influence the results. For this reason I will instead be taking the photos next week in another Sunday Morning Edition. Note that this is just a temporary fix and I will be going back to my plan of taking monthly photos afterward.

As for my weight… I think this shows the conclusive result that I am still recovering from my illness a little less than two weeks ago. Clearly it is unlikely that I legitimately lost four pounds of muscle. Furthermore the weight could also reflect the slightly different flooring that I am using for my scale which may produce small alterations form my previous numbers. Regardless, as always, it is the trends that count and I will be carefully measuring the next few weeks to see where I am heading with my diet and exercise.




This concludes Entry #270 Sunday Morning Edition.
 
Sunday 9/6/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:10pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce, Tomato
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:40pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x38 [failure]
SIT-UPS with feet elevated:
1x36 [failure]

That was the workout.



The Day:

I was fairly active today outside as I attended a walk to the local park for a social barbeque (though I didn’t eat the hamburger, hotdog food). At night I was pumped and motivated for my pushups and sit-up variation. I am proud of my performance.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #270.
 
Monday 9/7/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:30pm:
2 slices Whole Wheat Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce (Mustard)
1 Whole Wheat Wrap with 1% Fat Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:45pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Tomato, Carrots, Celery, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~65rpm
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
4min @ ~80rpm
1min @ ~85-90rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet elevated:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I had an exhausting run today. It definitely still feels quite a level harder than normal. I mean normal was hard in itself. But now I actually fear collapsing during the last few seconds of sprinting those two miles. I haven’t let that fear stop me. I push it anyway. And at least this time around there was no leg cramp.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #271.
 
Tuesday 9/8/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:40pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:20pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ 75rpm

3x5x145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x160 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x10x20 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x10x20 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x7,7,6 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x5,4,3 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I decided not to increase my weights today and instead just try my best to feel good about lifting again (I’ve been feeling down and depressed after the week of being sick). It worked. I had a great day today and despite the low weights my pure focus was able to produce adequate stress and burn. I plan on doing the same this Friday and then most likely will begin to slowly increment the weights back up to further intensity myself.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #272.
 
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