Journey to Size

Training Training Logs
61

T-ransformation Challenge 2024

Ok, so let’s start with the transformation attempt…

2. 1. 2024
Food

  • Oatflakes 150g + 400ml of milk (1.5% of fat)
  • 200g of chicken breasts + green salad (~50 g) with 1tbsp of olive oil + 3 dry rice cakes
  • 200g of tuna in sunflower oil + 100g of rice
  • 40g of dried plums + 40g of dried grapes + 80g of mixed nuts
  • 70g of white bread
  • 2 small pieces of cake
  • 200g chicken thighs + 100g of rice

OK, for the food, I have my usual troubles with eating enough + according to @QuadQueen I should lower fats (and some sugar probably, too…). Overall, I’m trying to eat enough to put on muscle (to get to around 90kg/200lbs with somewhat lower fat percentage than now…).

So, I’d like to 1) clean up the food a little, 2) add one more protein-heavy meal and 3) add more oatflakes in the evening.

And I need to eat more regularly than now - usually when I’m stressed/upset during the day (which is often recently), than I’m unable to eat until the late afternoon, which is not really ideal for this regime.

Training

  • 25mins of LISS cardio - treadmill, 5km (3.1mile)/h
  • Simple 6 mobility

Here I’m really tired during the cardio - but it’s doable and I’ll push through. I believe it’ll help me with being exhausted and heavy breathing during heavy squats.

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Well, this January seems so busy I’m literally going back home at night, with no energy to write the log and having troubles sleeping quite often… That said, eating went out of a window, but at least the training didn’t, fortunately. While I skipped few cardio sessions and some mobility, I’m lifting weights regularly and trying to improve on the situation - the next week should be better, at least with logging here.

12. 1. 2023
Training A

  • Squats
    • 2x5 20kg 1x5 40kg 1x5 60kg 1x3 80kg 1x2 90kg
    • 3x10s ISO standup holds 185kg
    • 5x5 105kg
  • Benchpress
    • 2x5 20kg 1x5 40kg 1x3 60kg 5x5 70kg
  • Pendlay rows
    • 1x5 40kg 1x5 50kg 5x5 65kg
  • Triceps dips
    • additional 10kg, 1x10 1x7 1x5
  • Skullcrushers (EZ bar)
    • 1x6 1x5 35kg

Compared to December I felt MUCH better considering my heart rate and the overall condition - on the other hand I ate only one meal and I had almost no sleep, so I was really tired. I’ve pushed through big lifts but triceps dips proved to be somewhat too much. For skullcrushers I should do only 32.5kg, but I didn’t have my smaller plates with me this time and I didn’t want to go again with 30kg, so I tried to take the bigger weight and see, what can be done. The reps were not “clean” albeit sufficient, I guess.

13. 1. 2023
Training C

  • Incline benchpress (using multipress)
    • 4x10 1x8 60kg
  • Low-to-high cable fly
    • 3x10 11kg
  • Partial range chin-ups
    • 1x4 2x3 1x5 1x4
  • Chin-up isometric holds at top
    • 1x8s 2x10s

I need to work on the composition of C day more, as I’m not sure, if my idea is really correct. I’d like for it to a) help the hypertrophy of my upper chest, albeit doing a strength routine, as my upper chest is really underdeveloped (yeah, even for my level, :smiley: ) and b) strengthen my biceps enough to do clean chin-ups as they’re the only exercise I’m unable to do even without an additional weight.

I’m asking about C day in this thread: Accessory Day For Stronglifts 5x5

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14. 1. 2024
Not feeling really well today, feeling cold, having headache and mild cough… Mostly relaxing, writing some stuff for my job and not doing cardio. Hopefully tomorrow I’m able to do the lifting session.

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18. 1. 2024
Well, being done for the last 4 days, having fever and basically just lying in bed… Hopefully I’ll get better until the end of the week, so that I cant lift something on Monday.

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27. 1. 2024
After few days of feeling somewhat better I’m here again with mild fever… This is getting really frustrating.

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Well, after the illness I was in no mood to write anything, due to constant stress, so I’m gonna log my last two workouts at least.

20. 2. 2024

  • Squats
    • 2x5 20kg 1x5 40kg 1x5 60kg 1x3 80kg 1x2 100kg 1x1 110kg
    • ISO holds 3x10s 170kg
    • 5x5 117.5kg
  • Benchpress
    • 2x5 20kg 1x5 40kg 1x3 60kg 5x5 75kg
  • Pendlay row
    • 1x5 60kg 5x5 70kg
  • Dips
    • 1x10 10kg 1x7 10kg 1x5 10kg
  • Skullcrushers
    • 1x5 25kg 2x8 43.5kg

24. 2. 2024

  • Squats
    • 2x5 20kg 1x5 40kg 1x5 60kg 1x3 80kg 1x2 100kg 1x1 110kg
    • ISO holds 3x10s 180kg
    • 5x5 120kg
  • Overhead press
    • 2x5 20kg 1x3 40kg 5x5 55kg
  • Deadlift
    • 1x5 60kg 1x5 80kg 1x5 100kg 1x3 110kg 5x5 125kg
  • Chinups
    • 1x5 2x4 BW
  • Barbell curl
    • 1x5 25kg 2x3 38.5kg

Overhead press, Skullcrushers and curl weren’t the cleanest ones, I guess, I’ll have to have a look at the technique in more detail. Also, most of the lifts are my PRs, but I don’t really feel well doing them as 1) the few last trainings took me over 2 hours to complete, as I feel really gassed after every set of squats, 2) my right toe joint hurts a little, when I push the toe against the ground, hopefully it’s only a mild inflammation and 3) it’s maybe better, but not even close to something like “intermediate” and no visual changes occurred during the last month.

Also, after discussing it in Accessory Day For Stronglifts 5x5 , I’m gonna try Super Squats asap. Hopefully, the effects will be somewhat better visually.

T-ransformation Challenge

On a more positive note, aside from benchpress and deadlift I’ve already beaten my strength goals in the challenge.

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6. 4. 2024
Well, the first training of Super Squats is here and it was really terrible. For OHP, benchpress and squats, especially, I simply run out of energy after while - not that it’s only painful, but my arms/legs simply collapse and that’s it… For most of the other exercises it was rather good, but for these three it’s really bad. I feel, like I plateau on my chest/shoulders no matter, what training I do, as if I change it a little, suddenly I’m performing bad again and with benchpress I’ve never even performed well…

Training A

  • Overhead press 2x10 20kg 1x10 30kg 1x10 45kg 1x6 45kg 1x5 45kg
  • Bench press 1x9 62.5kg 1x7 62.5kg 1x8 62.5kg
  • Barbell row 2x15 60kg
  • EZ Biceps curls 2x10 30kg
  • Squats 1x5 20kg 1x5 40kg 1x5 60kg 1x3 80kg 1x10 100kg
  • Pullover 1x2 10kg
  • Stiff-leg deadlift 1x15 85kg

Moreover, I didn’t have enough time to finish another set of pullover and toe curls.

I described my problems and posted several question about Super Squats in the thread Super Squats after Stronglifts 5x5.

Currently I’m really feeling unmotivated to do anything, as I see, that despite several months of the challenge, there’s no visual change and the new training doesn’t seem like I could do it with reasonable weights…

Anyway, I’ll try to do GPP Training 3 times a week, so that I’ll hopefully improve my condition and I’ll be able to endure the longer sets.

Since today, I’ll also try to write all my food down, as I’m gaining literally zero muscle and also I’m keeping all my fat, which I find a little weird, to be honest…

One positive point - after several months of waiting I got another job offer abroad, where I’m moving in the beginning of May. My training will go out of the window probably, but hopefully it’ll be better than here, where I couldn’t stand it anymore… So, aside from my job and workout, I’m going to take care of all the administration, rent my house here, rent some apartment abroad and we’ll see…

14. 3. 2023

Food

  • Pork knee (~300g), vegetables, bread
  • Nachos
1 Like
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15. 3. 2024
No training, I got stuck in my office late into night…

Food

  • 4 eggs, 80g whole wheat bread
  • 300ml milk + protein
  • blood sausage, 80g whole wheat bread
2 Likes
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16. 3. 2024
Food

  • 4 eggs, 80g whole wheat bread
  • 300ml milk + protein
  • Coca Cola + BigMac + French fries
  • 200g chicken + 100g rice + 2 tomatoes + 50g corn

Well, when writing the food down I can see at least, that despite my impression, that it’s not so bad, it’s actually terrible. The downside is, that I’m not sure, how much of an improvement I’m capable of in the next 2 months, as I’m moving abroad in May and until that time I need to finish my projects here and to finish some repairs on my house to be able to rent it afterwards…

My current weight is 88kg (194lbs).

Also, I got back into a rather unfortunate day-night regime due to several overtime shifts, when I’m waking up after noon and going to sleep very late in night, so that I’m unable to eat like half of food on some days. Well, we’ll see, if I’m able to organize it somehow better, or if it’s better in the new position in May. And yes, I’m also completely omitting cardio due to returning home very late recently - not good at all.

1 Like
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17. 3. 2024
Food

  • Cheese pizza 300g
  • 100g baked potatoes, baguette with chicken (more than 100g)
  • sweet pancake
  • 200g chicken, 250g cooked rice, 50g corn, 10g cheese
  • 2 glasses of sweet lemonade, coffee
1 Like
71

18. 3. 2024
Well, due to my blood pressure condition and my conditioning problems I decided to measure my blood rate and pressure and list them, too. So, the first measurement was taken in like 3am:

132/80/70 (sys/dia/rate)

Overall, fucking terrible day - after my ex texted me in the morning with not very good news and opening some wounds, I forgot my BP meds, got already upset into my office and the problems only accumulated. I was literally unable to eat anything aside from drinking 2 coffees and had to take a several-hours-long drive afterwards to calm down a little… Got home well after midnight.

19. 3. 2024
Blood pressure/rate - upset and no BP meds
146/95/63 (sys/dia/rate)

Food:

  • 1 beef + chicken kebab
1 Like
72

20. 3. 2024
Recently it’s fucking terrible, I’m literally living in survival mode… Personal problems everywhere, preparing for my move abroad, renting the house… Well, I have literally troubles to eat anything.

Food:

  • Udon with chicken
  • 300ml of half-fat milk + 20g of protein
1 Like
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21. 3. 2024
Well, my car is in servis, so I spent several hours in a bus - hopefully, I’ll get it back soon.

Food

  • 250g flank steak + 200g potatoes + 100g vegetables
  • 600ml + 40g protein powder
  • 1 dessert + 2 coffees
3 Likes
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22. 3. 2024

I’m going to supp with creatine and probably some cortisol blockers (phosphatidylserine-based) to try and put on some muscle during these tense times. So, loading phase begins now - I’m going to take 0.3 * 88 = 26.4g of creatine daily in four doses.

Also, I felt severely depressed recently, so I went to the gym with the intention of some light training and feeling better afterwards…

Training

  • Legpress 1x10 80kg 1x10 120kg 1x10 160kg 1x8 200kg 4x5 250kg 1x5 280kg
  • Benchpress 1x10 20kg 1x10 40kg 1x10 60kg 1x6 70kg 1x3 80kg 1x2 90kg 2x1 90kg
  • BW Dips 1x15 1x11 1x8
  • (Superset) Partial BW chins 1x5 2x3

Food

  • Creatine 6.6g
  • 4 eggs + 100g bread
  • 300ml half fat milk + 20g protein powder
  • Creatine 6.6g
  • 200g chicken + 100g rice + garlic naan + salad
  • Creatine 6.6g
  • 100g turkey ham + 100g chess (30% fat) + 120g bread + 2 table spoons of olive oil
  • 600ml half fat milk + 40g protein powder
  • Creatine 6.6g

Body weight 88kg (194lbs).

2 Likes
75

23. 3. 2024
Food

  • Creatine 6.6g
  • 4 eggs + 100g bread
  • 300ml half fat milk + 20g protein powder
  • Creatine 6.6g
  • Creatine 6.6g
  • Creatine 6.6g
2 Likes
76

24. 3. 2024
Not feeling too well, so I slept a lot and I tried to eat something - obviously not enough this time…

Food

  • Creatine 6.6g
  • Creatine 6.6g
  • Half a pizza with chicken meat
  • Creatine 6.6g
  • 600ml of half fat milk (1.5% fat) + 40g protein powder (80%)
  • Creatine 6.6g
1 Like
77

25. 3. 2024
Food

  • Creatine 6.6g
  • Chicken breast 200g + 0.5 egg
  • 300ml half fat milk (1.5%) + 20g protein powder (80%)
1 Like
78

Let’s continue the discussion from your other thread.
Have you had a minute to reflect and formulate a plan?

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Thank you very much for the support!

Yeah, today it’s a mess, as I’m trying to rent my house here, but I was thinking about the following:

Aside from other things, more than 2 weeks ago my car completely collapsed and it’s still being repaired. Living in a country, it’s rather difficult to get into a gym now, so I’ll try to get there as much as possible, but without the car I can hardly go there regularly.

What do you think? More leg-work, while at home?

1 Like
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I think the best plan will be to do something that won’t be too stressful on you until things get settled.
-Work on diet. Get into good consistent habits. Take a couple weeks to reach homeostasis and find current maintenance cals.
-Figure out a sustainable WO split until your vehicle is ready. Could be pushup/situp/pullup, whatever you can get done at home.
-Work on cardio. Just go for walks and get your head calm.
Once things settle with your car, house sale and living situation start to implement a structured WO plan at the gym and you’ll already have the other tools in place to reach your goals.