I’m back! I completed the diet last year, and it’s time for another round.
About me:
-32-year-old male
-10 years rock climbing, 6 years lifting, coming up on 1 year training jiu jitsu
-6’0", weighing around 165-168 these days. This was my weight when I started last year, although I’m certain my body comp at this weight is better than it was last year.
Before pictures
Day 1
Weight: 168.0
I was heavier than normal today, most likely due to attending a wedding last night. Indulgences of various forms were had…
I climbed and did yard work today. Everything feels easy, but I know it won’t always be this way.
Day 2
Weight: 164.6 (daily change: -3.4)
Total weight loss: -3.4
Today’s weight is more realistic than yesterday’s. I may end up resetting my starting weight to 165 to show a more accurate picture of progress.
It’s Sunday, which means an hour of jiu jitsu class followed by an hour of open mat. I snuck some calf work in as well.
Dinner was steak and rice. Dessert was Metabolic Drive pudding and a black cherry Zevia (zero-calorie soda).
Day 3
Weight: 163.4 (daily change: -1.2)
Total weight loss: -1.6
Yep, we’re resetting starting weight to 165…
Today was the first work day on the diet. It definitely makes it harder for me to stick to the diet than on non-work days. Today I was hungry most of the time. If I hadn’t done this diet already, I’d probably be questioning if I could finish it at this point.
Working at an indoor climbing facility equipped with a gym has its perks, as I snuck in a bit of core work and stretching during my break.
I climbed indoors after work. It didn’t go very well, but I think that had more to do with my choice of climbs than feeling tired.
Here’s my weekly training routine (writing it out makes it easier to see than trying to follow each post):
Monday: climb indoors
Tuesday: jiu jitsu class
Wednesday: lift
Thursday: climb outdoors when possible, indoors if not
Friday: rest
Saturday: climb outdoors when possible, indoors if not
Sunday: jiu jitsu class followed by open mat
Dinner is steak and rice again, as will be the case for the next couple days as well.
Day 4
Weight: 163.4 (daily change: 0)
Total weight loss: -1.6
Today was far, far easier at work than yesterday was. I do recall from last time that some days were torturous and other days were easy.
I did an advanced jiu jitsu class tonight, which consists of 10 minutes of standup practice, 20 minutes of drilling, and 30 minutes of rolling (hard sparring). It’s a fairly hard hour, but since class lands after dinner time, it’s not bad at all. I’m glad I don’t have to do it in the afternoon!
I bet I’ll be light in the morning. Jiu jitsu isn’t the hardest exercise I’ve ever done, but by far it’s the sweatiest I ever get. I hydrated and took electrolytes, but I bet I’ll be light after all this sweating.
Day 5
Weight: 163.6 (daily change: +.2)
Total weight loss: -1.4
I was wrong about waking up light. Also, I may have over corrected my starting weight. Overall it doesn’t matter since I know I’m on the right path.
I lifted this morning. I was strong on my compounds and weak on isolations. I don’t think the diet had anything to do with it.
Today was pretty easy hunger-wise, although the late afternoon sucks every day. I have shakes at 6, 10, 2, dinner at 530 or 6, and the last shake at 8. I’m pretty shot by 4 or 5, but it’s fine. That’ll be my life for 23 more days and it isn’t a big deal.
Day 6
Weight: 162.2 (daily change: -1.4)
Total weight loss: -2.8
No work today. I ran a bunch of errands and was done by 10am, so I snuck an extra jiu jitsu class in. I’m normally feeling a bit cooked by Thursday but today I feel good so I figured why not.
I climbed this afternoon too. The last two days have been super easy and I feel great. Chicken, rice and vegetables for dinner tonight.
Day 7
Weight: 162.2 (daily change: 0)
Total weight loss: -2.8
It’s a rest day today. I’m surprised by how good I still feel considering all my activity the past week. Must be some combination of clean diet, no alcohol, good sleep, and Colorado-legal “recovery aids”.
I made it a point to be extra active at work today. I run an indoor climbing facility, and my job is a mix of admin work, helping customers, and cleaning/maintenance. I put a bit more emphasis on cleaning and maintenance today, and snuck in my usual core work on a break.
I was fairly hungry at times throughout the day, but it was manageable. After work was rough though, from about 330-530. I ate, and all was well with the world again.
Day 8
Weight: 161.0 (daily change: -1.2)
Total weight loss: -4
I went rock climbing this morning, which was great. I climbed some hard shit and did alright. I oddly wasn’t hungry all day. Perhaps it’s a good reminder that I don’t need to stuff my face in order to perform well.
Chicken rice and veggies for dinner. Life is good.
Day 9
Weight: 160.8 (daily change: -.2)
Total weight loss: -4.2
Jiu jitsu class followed by open mat this morning. I didn’t have my usual energy for open mat. Could just be a bad day but I felt like nobody was home at a certain point, I just didn’t have my usual strength. I also felt like crap for a couple hours afterwards, just totally run down. I survived…
I came home to my wife telling me the garage door was broken. Some dipshit who installed it (before we bought the house) figured they could fasten a load-bearing bracket to sheet rock with a single screw. So fixing that was our afternoon. Hey, at least I burned a few more calories.
Tonight we made kebabs with marinated beef, white and red onions, orange and yellow peppers, and mushrooms. Stab em, throw em on the grill for five minutes a side, and serve over rice. Incredible.
Day 10
Weight: 161.2 (daily change: +.4)
Total weight loss: -3.8
Today was a slow start. I was pretty tired most of the morning, but felt better in the afternoon. I did go hard yesterday…
I climbed after work and it went quite well. It’s odd how good I feel lately. Apart from when I feel so hungry I’m worn out and sad, which is rare, I feel very good. I’m not sure if the diet is playing into it at all, but I’ll take it.
Day 11
Weight: 161.2 (daily change: 0)
Total weight loss: -3.8
Today was very hard at work. I was hungry and exhausted.
Jiu jitsu went fine.
Day 12
Weight: 160.4 (daily change: -.8)
Total weight loss: -4.6
Lifting went well this morning. Work was fine. I was pretty hungry but it wasn’t terrible.
Went to a Rockies game tonight, which was awesome.
Day 13
Weight: 160.4 (daily change: 0)
Total weight loss: -4.6
Happy Fourth of July @throwawayfitness (since I think you might be the only one reading 
). I climbed rocks today and it went well. I do wonder if maybe I need a bit of carbs for ideal performance on climbing days, but without them I’m still doing alright.
I probably over consumed calories at dinner tonight, but I guess of all days to do that, today was a good day. I’m sure I’m not even above maintenance for today.
Happy Fourth.
Day 14
Weight: 161.4 (daily change: +1)
Total weight loss: -3.6
Halfway through! My weight has been jumping around but I know I’m dropping fat. I took a full-blown rest day today. No sneaking anything in. I needed it after the day I had yesterday (and the six days before). I’m still feeling fresh, and COULD do something today, but I know I’m making the right choice by not doing anything physical.
As always, my entire outlook on life improved after eating dinner. Incredible what hunger can do to your mood.
Day 15
Weight: 159.2 (daily change: -2.2)
Total weight loss: -5.8
Today I climbed plastic in the morning. Then I did a bunch of errands, then hung out a bit. Non-work days are much easier than work days.
Day 16
Weight: 159.2 daily change: 0)
Total weight loss: -5.8
I did great at jiu jitsu today. Eight rounds in a row was no issue. Last week I was worried the diet was taking some of my intensity away, but perhaps not.
Chicken, rice and veggies for dinner. Hopefully I sleep well. My jaw and neck got cranked really hard today and they hurt now.
Day 17
Weight: 159.4 (daily change: +.2)
Total weight loss: -5.6
I made it a point to be active at work today, at least early on. I’m pretty buried in admin work so I still sat for a lot of the day.
I climbed indoors after work. There’s a particular route I tried today, for my third attempt. It’s steep and outrageously powerful, and there are no good rests. I fell a couple holds from the top, from absolute failure. It was really cool to push that hard on something. Often, you either do the route with energy to spare, or you fail because of a hard move or section. This route, for me, is total war. I’m sure I got a great training effect today.
Chicken, rice and veggies for dinner. Metabolic Drive pudding with a black cherry Zevia is an incredible dessert.
A climbers log, awesome. Would love to see more detailed training from someone a little more professional and experienced at this stuff.
Looks like progress so far has been good, how are you finding it?
