Well, after much lurking, I am ready to start a log of my own. First, a little background...
I was a skinny kid up until my mid-20's (mid 80's). During my late teens, I took up cycling and raced seriously and started racing competitively until I was smoked by an olympic caliber cyclist. Immediately afterward, I made plans for graduate school as I knew I would never make the "Tour".
The 1980's were a time of school (finishing undergrad, getting a MS). Exercise, mainly cycling and a little beer-league softball was something I did for entertainment. By 1989, I weighed 183 with 15% bf. Not bad.
The 1990s were a time of raising kids (three were born from 1990 to 1994) and starting 3 businesses (two of which I still have). Less exercise and minimal cycling during the 90's. These were not good healthy years for me. My weight crept up to 218 by the end of the 90's.
The first half of the 2000's were a continuation of the 90s.
Starting in 4/05, the wife joined a gym and started using a PT, Tony the Punisher. She promptly lost 30# and went from a size 10 to her current size 5/6. I took notice. In 8/06, I too, joined the gym and started using the Punisher. I gained strength steadily but did not adhere to any proper nutrition plans and the weight came off a little concurrently with muscle gains. I guess this is what is called "newbie losses"?
By 11/06, I had steadily impoved my diet and was losing some weight and was getting psyched about the muscular gains. While exercising (climbing stairs) in a hotel in Columbus, OH, I experienced chest pains. Upon my return to Florida, I was diagnosed with a constricted artery and underweight a catherization (angioplasty plus stent implant) and was released on Thanksgiving Day (the last Thursday of November for you non-Yanks) which gives a new meaning of "Thanksgiving" to my family and me now. I took the rest of '06 off and re-dedicated myself in January of this year.
Here is what I have accomplished this year:
My cycling speed has increased from 16mph last year to 22 - 23 mph this year. My cycling endurance has increased from 12 miles being a "long" ride to 50 miles being a "ride". (I do 50 miles at least once and sometimes 2 / week now.) My bench press went from about 160 last year to 225. (Last Tuesday, I set a new personal best with 6 at 225 and I increased that to 8 on Thursday - 10 is on the near horizon.)
My workout and diet are not nearly as documented or regimented as others. My typical workout consists of these 2 - 3x/week:
hack squats
bicep curls (with bar, not dumbbells, which antagonize my elbow)
shrugs and upright rows (thanks for the suggestion, Bigstew)
ab stuff (varies, but always works the lower abs and less so the obliques)
Which I alternate with these 2 - 3x / week
bench press
calf raises
lat pulldowns
rows
reverse flies
flies
I cycle at least 1 / week for 50 miles, sometimes 2x.
Nutritionally, I eat 5 - 6 meals / day and eat fairly healthy - no or minimal fast food, no fatty foods, protein shakes after a workout. I try to maintain a small caloric deficit, but I am not sure I am successful.
The problem is, I enjoy bulking a LOT more than I do cutting. I have never in my 48 years been as strong as I am and am loving it. The thought of losing some muscle to cut is only offset by the thought of how well I will feel about myself once I do.
Currently, I am at 205# with probably 20% +/- body fat (I get different readings from different techniques) which means I should have about 10% bf at 185#. That is my goal.
I cheated on my diet last Thursday, but have been honest since then. I will post my ups and downs as they come.
I very much appreciate, welcome and trust the advice I get from my forum brothas and sistas here.
Richard
I was a skinny kid up until my mid-20's (mid 80's). During my late teens, I took up cycling and raced seriously and started racing competitively until I was smoked by an olympic caliber cyclist. Immediately afterward, I made plans for graduate school as I knew I would never make the "Tour".
The 1980's were a time of school (finishing undergrad, getting a MS). Exercise, mainly cycling and a little beer-league softball was something I did for entertainment. By 1989, I weighed 183 with 15% bf. Not bad.
The 1990s were a time of raising kids (three were born from 1990 to 1994) and starting 3 businesses (two of which I still have). Less exercise and minimal cycling during the 90's. These were not good healthy years for me. My weight crept up to 218 by the end of the 90's.
The first half of the 2000's were a continuation of the 90s.
Starting in 4/05, the wife joined a gym and started using a PT, Tony the Punisher. She promptly lost 30# and went from a size 10 to her current size 5/6. I took notice. In 8/06, I too, joined the gym and started using the Punisher. I gained strength steadily but did not adhere to any proper nutrition plans and the weight came off a little concurrently with muscle gains. I guess this is what is called "newbie losses"?
By 11/06, I had steadily impoved my diet and was losing some weight and was getting psyched about the muscular gains. While exercising (climbing stairs) in a hotel in Columbus, OH, I experienced chest pains. Upon my return to Florida, I was diagnosed with a constricted artery and underweight a catherization (angioplasty plus stent implant) and was released on Thanksgiving Day (the last Thursday of November for you non-Yanks) which gives a new meaning of "Thanksgiving" to my family and me now. I took the rest of '06 off and re-dedicated myself in January of this year.
Here is what I have accomplished this year:
My cycling speed has increased from 16mph last year to 22 - 23 mph this year. My cycling endurance has increased from 12 miles being a "long" ride to 50 miles being a "ride". (I do 50 miles at least once and sometimes 2 / week now.) My bench press went from about 160 last year to 225. (Last Tuesday, I set a new personal best with 6 at 225 and I increased that to 8 on Thursday - 10 is on the near horizon.)
My workout and diet are not nearly as documented or regimented as others. My typical workout consists of these 2 - 3x/week:
hack squats
bicep curls (with bar, not dumbbells, which antagonize my elbow)
shrugs and upright rows (thanks for the suggestion, Bigstew)
ab stuff (varies, but always works the lower abs and less so the obliques)
Which I alternate with these 2 - 3x / week
bench press
calf raises
lat pulldowns
rows
reverse flies
flies
I cycle at least 1 / week for 50 miles, sometimes 2x.
Nutritionally, I eat 5 - 6 meals / day and eat fairly healthy - no or minimal fast food, no fatty foods, protein shakes after a workout. I try to maintain a small caloric deficit, but I am not sure I am successful.
The problem is, I enjoy bulking a LOT more than I do cutting. I have never in my 48 years been as strong as I am and am loving it. The thought of losing some muscle to cut is only offset by the thought of how well I will feel about myself once I do.
Currently, I am at 205# with probably 20% +/- body fat (I get different readings from different techniques) which means I should have about 10% bf at 185#. That is my goal.
I cheated on my diet last Thursday, but have been honest since then. I will post my ups and downs as they come.
I very much appreciate, welcome and trust the advice I get from my forum brothas and sistas here.
Richard
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