Intake for Tuesday, 11/18/14
Calories: 3,377
Protein: 237
Carbs: 346
Fat: 102
Sodium: 2,143
Sugar: 101
Junk: 492
Intake for Wednesday, 11/20/2014
Calories: 3,376
Protein: 238
Carbs: 400
Fat: 96
Sodium: 2,614
Sugar: 87
Junk: 600
I’ve been in a funk the last few weeks. A very pleasant funk, but one that is keeping me from realizing my goals.
Thursday 11/20/14
BW 291
3`s week
Deadlift - TM 529
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x3 set 1
415x3 set 2
465x5 set 3
I was probably good for 7, but I stopped at 5 for some reason. Force of habit from so many sets of 5, I suppose.
Kneeling ab wheel roll out
5 sets of BW x10
Supersetted with…
Kettlebell swings, fifty pounder
5 sets of 20
After this I just went all out with the KB. I did…
5 snatches per arm
Rapid fire goblet squats - one set of 15
30 swings
Rapid fire goblet squats - one set of 20
20 more swings
Whew.
Intake for Thursday, 11/20/14
I made pan-seared roasted lamb chops for dinner, which came out great. I didn’t feel like figuring out the calories and I was wiped out from the kettlebell work, so I put that stupid device down for the rest of the night and stopped logging.
Final numbers were probably very close to yesterday’s.
Some thoughts and observations.
On kettlebellery:
I think I’ve found my assistance work for DL day. Abs and lots of kettlebell work. I really like keeping the KB at the gym and I am beginning to find a new gear with it that I never reached at home. I am thinking that getting some real hard work in with it two or three times per week is going to be enough to tip me back into fat loss territory, as I’ve basically been in a holding pattern for a few weeks now.
On 5/3/1 and energy levels:
Now that I’m in my second cycle of 5/3/1, I am definitely feeling fresher day-in, day-out. All of the max effort stuff I was doing before was really leaving me beat-up, especially right after lifting. This has resulted in me being more productive after lifting and less inclined to lay around in a worthless heap for the night.
On other things I can do to improve:
With winter closing in on Maine, I will probably be spending more time in the pool, hot tub and sauna area of the gym, especially on weekends. More laps in the pool will be good for me.
On my diet:
I have noticed something in the last week. There seems to be some sort of connection between me buying a half gallon of Tito’s vodka and me drinking Tito’s vodka nearly every day. The price point on the half gallon is a great value, but I am going to put aside my instinct for thrift and stop buying Tito’s vodka by the half gallon. I just don’t need all that vodka laying around.
On helping newbies lift:
I told myself I was done with unmotivated noobs, and I am. A co-worker of the GF is interested in learning to lift and I’ve agreed to work with her. I am doing this for two reasons.
- I am getting a much-needed haircut out of the deal.
- She is NOT unmotivated. She has been doing 5k’s, making diet improvements and making great progress on her own.
She has a great attitude. I think it will be fun.
Friday 11/21/14
BW 290
3`s week
Press - TM 185
115x5
130x3 set 1
140x3 set 2
165x7 set 3
135x10 FSL set
I am loving the press right now. It just feels great, it feels strong and I am really enjoying myself with this lift. I also think I am responding to the consistent FSL sets I have been utilizing. I may need to try FSL sets for squat and bench.
Lat PD, wide pronated grip
3 sets of 200x10
2 sets of 200x8
Low incline (~20 degree) DB bench
5 sets of 65x10
Shoulder was good.
EZ Bar standing curl
3 sets of 75x12
Kettlebell swings, fifty pounder
Set of 30
20
20
30
Keep swinging the bell.
Monday 11/24/14
BW 293
5/3/1 week
Squat -TM 429
135x5
225x5
275x3
320x5 set 1
365x3 set 2
405x3 set 3
Leg press
5 sets of 380x10
Supersetted with…
Romanian Deadlift
5 sets of 185x10
20 KB swings with the fifty pounder.
Time was limited today, but training has been great. I am taking a break from diet logging until next Monday. I will just do my best to navigate this holiday week, get my training in and come out the other side. Lots of fun stuff lined up.
Tuesday 11/25/14
BW 293
5/3/1 week
Bench Press - TM 275
135x5
185x3
205x5 set 1
235x3 set 2
260x3 set 3
205x6 FSL set
Not my strongest showing, but a good reminder that I still suck at bench.
DB bench press
3 sets of 75x10
Kroc row
2 sets of 75x20
KB swings, fifty pounder
2 sets of 20
Felt like I was going to puke, so I called it. Thai lunch not sitting well.
Wednesday 11/26/14
5/3/1 week
Deadlift - TM 519
135x5
225x5
315x3
390x5 set 1
440x3 set 2
495x3 set 3
Kettlebell swings, fifty pounder
5 sets of 20
Supersetted with…
Kneeling ab wheel rollout
5 sets of BW x10
More kettlebellery with the fifty pounder
15 goblet squats
5 snatches per arm
10 clean + press per arm, single set alternating arms each rep
12 goblet squats
20 swings
I wanted to get more work in, but the gym closed due to snow, which is bullshit. Only four or five inches had fallen and it wasn’t coming down that hard at all. We live in Maine, for fucks sake. This is nothing.
I lifted today so I could skip tomorrow and spend a day in fat boy heaven.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Really enjoying your log. Lots of good work. Good luck on getting the diet dialed in and meeting your goals.
Thanks kpsnap. I try to keep things interesting. A barfight here, a meth lab bust there, and some heavy barbell work mixed in as necessary.
Friday 11/28/14
BW 292
5/3/1 week
Press - TM 185
115x5
140x5 set 1
155x3 set 2
175x3 set 3
140x8 FSL Set
Lat PD, supinated grip
3 sets of 200x10
DB low incline bench
3 sets of 65x10
Kettlebell swings, fifty pounder
5 sets of 20
20 min sauna
10 min hot tub
1 Like
Intake for Monday, 12/1/14
Calories: 2,228
Protein: 198
Carbs: 211
Fat: 76
Sodium: 2,397
Sugar: 117
Junk: 0
Monday 12/1/14
BW 294
Deload week
Squat - TM 429
135x5
170x5
225x5
255x5
Paused reps on all sets
Leg press
3 sets of 290x10
Supersetted with…
Romanian Deadlift
3 sets fo 135x10
Kettlebell swings, fifty pounder
One set of 20
Time was out, had to go.
Back on track this week. I want the mid 280’s for Christmas!
Tuesday 12/2/14
BW 292
Deload week
Bench press
135x5
145x5
160x5
Dumbbell bench press
3 sets of 80x10
Dumbbell row
3 sets of 110x10 per arm with fat grip DBs
Kettlebellery with the fifty pounder
5 sets of 20 swings
10 clean+press per arm, done in a single set alternating each rep
10 goblet squats
10 snatches per arm
Tweaked my right hamstring on a left handed KB snatch. Doesn’t feel like anything major. Rest day tomorrow will be spent resting.
Intake for Tuesday 12/2/14
Calories: 2,862
Protein: 222
Carbs: 299
Fat: 75
Sodium: 2,308
Sugar: 109
Junk: 120
Thursday 12/4/14
BW 292
Deload week
Deadlift
135x5
225x5 set 1
275x5 set 2
315x5 set 3
Kettlebell swings, fifty pounder
3 sets of 40 swings
Kneeling ab wheel rollout
3 sets of BW x10
Kettlebell clean and press, fifty pounder
Did as many as I could, alternating arms every rep. Lost count, probably did around 15 per arm.
That is all.
Friday 12/5/14
BW 292
Deload week
Press
115x5 set 1
115x5 set 2
115x5 set 3
DB low incline bench
3 sets of 65x10
Lat PD wide pronated grip
3 sets of 200x10
Happy weekend!
Monday 12/8/14
BW 293
Cycle 3 - 5`s week
Squat - TM 440
135x5
225x5
285x5 set 1
330x5 set 2
375x7 set 3
285x8 FSL set
Leg press
3 sets of 380x10
Romanian deadlift
3 sets of 185x10
Had to keep things brief, but still happy with today’s efforts.
Tuesday 12/9/14
BW 292
Cycle 3 - 5`s week
Bench press - TM 280
135x5
185x5 set 1
210x5 set 2
240x7 set 3
185x12 FSL set
My back cramped up on my set at 240. Did that on my last heavy bench day as well. Both times definitely cost me a few reps. I think I may be forcing an arch that my body doesn’t like.
DB row
3 sets of 100x10
DB bench press
85x10
85x10
85x8
More cramping, this time in my upper thighs. Not sure what is up.
Thursday 12/11/14
BW 292
Cycle 3 - 5`s week
Deadlift - TM 530
135x5
225x5
345x5 set 1
395x5 set 2
450x8 set 3
New guy working the desk did deads with me tonight, getting 450 for 7. He want to start doing them on the reg with me, which is cool. Strong guy in his 20s and a former U of Maine pitcher.
KB swings with the fifty pounder
30
35
35
Supersetted with…
Kneeling ab wheel rollouts
3 sets of 5, doing the full ROM. These are hard, but I am getting better at them.
Had to keep it fast tonight.
Progress pic!
I think I’ve arrived at a barrel-shaped physique. Not that I’m wanting to stay there, but it beats the hell out of looking like a pear.
I’ve been treading water on the scale weight, but with winter closing in I’ve gotten some nice reminders that I’m quite a bit slimmer than I was at the end of last winter. All of my clothes are much looser, except in the chest!
That’s right. I sort of hulked out of one of my work shirts this week. I’m used to my gut stretching the buttons on the bottom, but this shirt was getting tight in the chest and arms. I bent my elbow a bit and RIP, I now have a hole in the sleeve of my favorite shirt.
I spent the summer eating big and lifting big, which was a lot of fun. I tried logging religiously and really aiming high for my diet execution. I pulled off a few weeks of good progress and my clothes fit me better now at 290 pounds than they did at my recent lightest of 280, which is roughly when I joined T-Nation last year.
So slow steady positive changes in body composition and a big improvement in strength has been the path I walked this year. One of the lessons I’ve learned is to never let perfect get in the way of good, and that is a mindset I am going to put into practice more often. I aimed for perfect, hit it for a while but it is very difficult for me to sustain that level of dedication.
Logging my diet is stressful for me. Avoiding alcohol entirely is stressful for me. This on top of all of the time spent planning and preparing meals is a LOT of work for a man who is already very busy with work and life.
I’ve learned many, many valuable lessons since joining T-Nation, and the time spent logging both my workouts and diet has been very instructive. I’m going to spend some time going by feel and keeping everything fun while still inching towards a leaner, stronger physique. I may start logging my diet again, but for now I know how to eat to maintain, how to eat to get stronger and how to eat to lose. There’s no mysteries left to solve, just inconsistencies that need to be stamped out, one small change at a time.
I am now as thick or maybe a bit thicker in my upper torso as I am in my gut, hence the barrel comparison. I have gotten a number of positive comments lately, especially from people who I have not seen since the holidays last year. This progress, plus the onset of the new year, seems like a good time to change the title of my log.
I will post some real progress pics at some point too. I’m also due to get some fresh video up of my lifts.
Thanks to all who read, comment, contribute and keep logs of your own!