The problem with fast food is not usually the sandwiches, if normal sized, but the sides. Unless you like sugar in your soda. Of course there are many exceptions to this.
I think that’s the perfect fix. Chris made me protein ice cream last night but I wasn’t hungry enough for dessert. So tonight, I’ll have it for sure. It’s just weird to eat specifically for the purpose of sleeping.
He says it has 50+ grams of protein so that should do the trick.
I bet it was a good one.
It truly is. You know what’s weird? I feel like the author is giving me permission to do things that grown adults should just automatically be able to do. Like saying no without having to give reasons, changing my mind, or deciding whether other people’s problems are my responsibility.
It’s crazy because nobody should need permission for these things.
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It’s awesome that you can relate! Especially on the non-counting recomp front. Sometimes it feels like we’re in some sort of twilight zone where everyone says you MUST count calories or else you’re fat.
But my goodness, every time that I’ve gotten intentionally lean (except for one), I’ve used instinct, appetite, and common sense. I only counted when a trainer made me. And at this point I’d rather drink my own piss every morning than track calories.
So it seems like quite a few of us experience the sleeplessness phenomenon. Maybe we should start a thread for people who are awake in the middle of the night because of weird diet reasons.
In my twenties I went through too many cycles of binge eating and it felt like prison. (Fast, over-exercise, binge, repeat.) So for me, it’s off the table. I just worked too hard to correct that.
But if you actually benefit from it, which it sounds like you do, then awesome! Especially if it’s infrequent and doesn’t cause any mind drama.
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and a fine thing it is too. Great shape and muscularity.
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Yay! Thank you for the validation! 
I love a good back (he says because it’s probably his only good bit these days).
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I’m loving the take on diets and food here! When you love eating yum food, starving and depriving yourself of a lot of life’s pleasures just to see some abs is no way to live. Plenty of ways to stay looking and feeling good while eating nearly everything you want, and it seems like you and Chris have found them all!
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.
I just met a woman recently that has a phenominal back. She’s already very lean (striated delts, six pack) and she said she doesn’t even do anything for back because she doesn’t want to “look wierd”.
So I feigned ignorance like “No way! Let me see!” And she did!
Anyways, it was also super lean and very well developed and really really nice. I couldn’t even fake being cool or collected about it.
So, yeah, backs. They’re awesome.
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So glad you’re here and I couldn’t agree more!
There seems to be two different camps when it comes to leanness: 1. Diet hard temporarily, eat bland food, and get absolutely shredded or 2. Eat and train continuously in a way that supports having a pretty great physique most of the year.
I like the second way better because the first way — even though it’s more impressive during the shredded times — almost always leads to a rebound. It’s just not sustainable and when the pendulum swings to the other side, it’s not very pretty.
But the key is adjusting your preferences, and making healthy food taste good.
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I have this theory that women in particular can achieve the most incredible backs, but most don’t know it. So it’s awesome that she did so without even trying. Love that!
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Which book?? I need to know!
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I was afraid to post it because the first quarter is about a tragic abduction and affair. But Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier.
Also, it could turn out really horrible because I’m not anywhere near the end. So don’t take it as a book recommendation… yet.
When I started it, the whole theme and plot weren’t appealing but her writing is so good that you don’t realize you’re reading. You have no awareness of the words on the page, but you do get swept up in the story.
The protagonist’s perspective is really good too. She somehow gets you to sympathize with both the wife and the homewrecker.
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No workout today. Slept great last night after half a pint of Chris’s cheesecake walnut protein ice cream. I succeeded in bumping carbs and calories, which feels really good but leaves me with almost zero muscle definition which is kind of a bummer.
So, fun question: how many spontaneous pull-ups can you do when you haven’t been doing them regularly? I hit complete failure at 9 and the first one didn’t really count because I had some momentum, so about 8 is where I’m at.
I might be able to hit 10 with regular practice, but it’d come with a price tag of tendonitis through the forearms and elbows… and for two reps? Get outta here with that! So they’ve gotta be infrequent.
Also, keeping the grip neutral protects the joints. I don’t care if they’re cooler and more impressive with a pronated grip. Actually, I do. It would be nice if I could do them that way, but I’m middle aged and this is reality.
Also-also, some would say my reps don’t count because I didn’t lock out the elbows at the bottom, and those people are stupid. Just kidding they’re not but it’s a lot healthier to keep tension on the biceps than it is to hang out on those tendons. You’re only asking for a major injury when you straighten your arms completely at the bottom, and I’d argue that it won’t help with muscle growth, just pretentiousness.
Also-also-also, my hottest take is that kipping pull-ups aren’t useless. They’re tough in a totally different way. Once you get the technique right they actually can contribute to strength and hypertrophy. But I’ve known girls who could crank out kipping pull-ups but couldn’t do a single strict pull-up, so take that as you will.
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I don’t buy it sir. 
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I have heard good things about this one but haven’t read it. I’m going to let you tell me if I need to when you finish it. I’ve read other books by the author and have enjoyed them - so this one definitely has potential to turn out good too! I’m holding out hope!
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Oh good! I’ll have to check out more of her stuff. I’ll keep you posted on if this one’s worth the whole read. The sex scenes alone were worth the $10.81 (kindle price). 
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Noted. And also, thank you. lol
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Last I tried was 22, which was really surprising to me as I hadn’t done that many since I was enlisted (and 30lbs lighter).
I think those hammer strength lat pulldown machines are one of the best pieces of equipment out there. I was using this as my primary vertical pull movement for months. Even though I was doing unilateral when I used it, it translated directly to pullup power, which was interesting.
I don’t think they’re useless, but its a pretty subpar movement for hypertrophy. Anyone with a decently developed back will not be gaining size from these.
Outside of WODs and CrossFit, I’m not sure why these movements would be beneficial for anyone to do tbh.
*Unless they just really want to watch their rotator cuffs exit their body.
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That’s impressive! 
You’d love the one at T Nation HQ. It really hits the spot. That movement pattern for lats is underrated. It has a completely different feel than rows or pulldowns.
Devil’s advocate: you could attribute any exercise to some type of injury if done incorrectly or if done by someone with a particular injury history.
Squats and bench press come to mind first, but years ago a personal trainer tried to debate me on facebook about battling ropes and why they were so unhealthy. Turns out he had terrible form, so yes of course they were unhealthy for him.
True, I don’t think anyone is using it as a hypertrophy move. But in addition to some big horizontal pulls, I could see it as a tool in the toolbox if it’s enjoyable.
I will say though, that if you’ve forgotten proper form (like I have) and you don’t have someone around to train you to do it correctly, the risk-reward ratio is absolutely not worth it. I doubt that’ll ever be a thing I do again.
Luckily, nobody’s back development has ever suffered as a result of skipping it. 
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Abs
Walking Lunge
T-Bar Row
Dip
External Rotation Thing
Arnold Press
Had to make today a quickie, so supersets happened.
Caring about sports is super unrelatable. If you don’t personally know the players, and the ones you like can end up in different teams, then you’re basically rooting for apparel and colors while watching other men chase and tackle each other in tight costumes.
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