Down to within striking distance of 200 pounds for the first time in 2 years (I believe). Motivation to lift has never been better and cardio isn’t such a chore. Lifting is twice a week Widowmaker Circuits and cardio is 1-3x per week. Slowly creeping up into PR territory and I’m trying to figure out if I want to run a third leader of WM circuits or go into an anchor cycle and do some Joker sets. For cardio I’ve been using a combo of bodyweight work, skating, running, incline treadmill walks, and sled drags. Highlights in the last couple weeks are a few 2+ mile runs at about a 9:30 pace, as well as an 11 mile skate between 3 towns on a towpath trail in just over an hour, with a top speed of 23 MPH. I’m playing softball on the weekends and golfing at least once a week as well.
Most importantly, I’ve been in the best mental state I can remember, and have sustained it for this entire year. I have dips here and there but am recognizing them and course-correcting quickly. It’s a combo of taking my happiness and peace seriously, while not taking much else other than my responsibilities as a husband/son/brother/friend seriously at all. Funny how that works.
Dude I spoke too soon, at least as far as training goes. haha The day after I posted this I got hit with a stomach bug that just now is starting to let loose and I could finally have sort of a re-load day to prep for my final two 5/3/1 week sessions next week. For some reason a 24 hour stomach flu is 7-12 days of weakness, off-and-on nausea, and all sorts of weird stuff. But I’m back on track and feeling better, ready to get at it next week.
Mentally still golden though and that’s more important!
In the last 6 months I’ve had to train through/around a severely dislocated shoulder (likely a torn labrum as well), a sprained ankle, strained quads, and a strained hamstring, as well as a 10-day-long stomach bug. I’m still down 20 pounds and still moving that needle, and am set up well to push near/past PR weights in my anchor cycle. The biggest change has been my mentality, I’ve embraced the thought that something is better than nothing and that’s why I’ve still progressed. Pretty excited to shoot for my goal weight of 180 and see how I feel doing athletic things at a reasonable weight. I have every reason to think that several days of athletic activity per week at 215+ pounds will wear out my body quicker than I’d like.
Return to training didn’t quite go as planned, not feeling physically good (hips, ankle, back, and tired) and am extremely busy. So I’m winging it. Did a buncha bodyweight stuff on Tuesday, golfed Wednesday, chiropractor yesterday, and more bodyweight stuff today followed by hill sprints. Fuckit, take watcha get right?
6/26/2023 - GarageRocker’s Getting What He Can Take (Day 1, Week 1)
On Friday my weight started with a 1 for the first time in years and that was really encouraging. I’m still taking a break from iron but am trying to improve some other aspects of my athletic ability/health. Played a buncha softball on Sunday and did this today:
7/12/2023 - Time to start posting again. I had a nice little respite from taking lifting super seriously and have taken the time to get my priorities in order. I’m feeling good, nursing typical lifter’s nagging annoying aches/pains, and am in the headspace I needed to be in for the last few years.
Programming-wise, doing the 5/3/1 for busy/inconsistent guys from Wendler’s site twice a week with twice a week cardio and maybe an accessory day if I have the time/energy. Training maxes are low to start so I can accommodate some harder, more intense cardio. Sheet below:
Saturday - 1 hour yoga class with GarageRockerette. Shocked at how much I enjoyed it. Followed up with an hour or so walking on a towpath.
Sunday - 2 games of competitive softball followed by 2 hours of yardwork.
This is the sorta stuff I need to be keeping up on because I enjoy it and it makes me feel great mentally and physically. May do quick cardio today, followed by band practice, and will hit my strength training session tomorrow.
I binged food yesterday HARD, I was about as hungry as I can remember in the last year or so and I ate everything I could. Woke up lighter than I was on Tuesday so not sure what’s going on there. Moving towards my goal but would like to make sense of my weight. Otherwise feeling good, sprints are getting easier and I can tell I’m lighter in general. Mobility tomorrow and softball/yard work Sunday.
Been feeling beat up a bit so I’m moving cardio to tomorrow to spread the work out a little better and maybe give myself time to recover between sessions. Otherwise, back was not feeling good to start today but feels much better and more stable now.
I’ve been in essentially a full-body anxiety attack state since Thursday’s workout. No mental/emotional triggers, my body is just in fight-or-flight and won’t let loose. I binged on some carbs yesterday after realizing I’ve been pretty damn low on them for over a month now and it started to let up. Gonna do the same today and see if I can totally come out of it. Training and athletic endeavors have gone well in this state but I didn’t exactly get to relax or unwind over the weekend at all so starting the week in the negatives.
I get this issue as well. Often (more often than not) I get anxiety at night. No triggers except perhaps sleep anxiety.
Probably not related to your issue, but something that has helped me is not going to bed the same time as my wife. I am just not actually tired when she is, so I go to bed, and can’t sleep. I think this was an anxiety trigger for me. The uncertainty of when I’d fall asleep. I also used to have an issue where I’d get up from bed after about an hour and a half, eat, then go back to bed and usually fall asleep after that. I think those behaviors were telling me that it wasn’t my bedtime, and that I should have a protein shake before bed. Sleep has been much better now, and I don’t get as much anxiety around bed time.
Probably not anything that helps you. Perhaps just knowing others get these or similar issues helps?
@mnben87 and @SvenG thanks guys, I appreciate it. A little background - this came out of nowhere Thursday during the day. Sleep, oddly enough, has been spot on the whole time. I fall asleep immediately and have actually not really had trouble waking up either. It almost feels like small motor control has taken a vacation and my heart is pounding. Unfortunately I had a doc appointment Thursday and my BP was bad-ish (144/80) and the nurse noted that my pulse was extremely loud. You could see my body move when my heart beat. My mom had this problem, so do her siblings, and so does my little brother. So far I’ve tried: steady state cardio, huge carb load (currently trying), magnesium, whiskey, no alcohol, breathing exercises, and nothing seems to get it back in line. Gonna keep carbs stupid high today and see if that sets things in motion at least.
Heart has gone back and forth between 15% better and 15% worse today. Called doc and they were absolutely no help, just told me to go to ER if I was worried. So today’s cardio was an angry run.
2.24 miles in 20:16. Very happy with a 9:03 pace without really pressing hard. Mile splits were 9:21, 8:52, 8:37.
