I’ll chime in too and say I think you’re being a bit hard on yourself (which can be good sometimes).
I think you’re working through a lot of lifts/techniques/programming and you’re learning a ton about yourself and how your body responds to training and nutrition.
In that, the journey, there is value even if there are setbacks and challenges along the way.
My son is an athlete and he’s trained for years to get to play football at the D1 level. One of the things I’ve always tried to instill in him is to enjoy the journey and appreciate the ups and downs along the way. I think that’s applicable here too.
I think the knowledge you’re short on is how specific nutrition regimens affect you specifically. You obviously understand conceptually how things interact but I think you haven’t quite dialed in how your body responds to those stimuli.
Just my 2 cents but I would give yourself some grace because you’re way more ahead of the game than most people in the fitness/nutrition department.
FWIW, I think you look great. We can all add more size, strength, etc. but your physique is balanced and muscular.
Thanks for the input! The last few days have been a mental roller coaster. Occasionally I go through these personal battles trying to figure out “where do I go from here?” I think I settled on a plan for the first part of the year.
I might run CT’s Best Damn 2.0 while I rehab my hip. I won’t be doing much with my legs but if I can fit into the leg press, leg extension and leg curl machines then I’ll train my right leg. The workouts look relatively short.
Once I return to work I’ll be on light duty at our City Hall. It happens to have a brand new gym with cables and a couple machines. I think I’ll have plenty of time to knock out my workouts on my lunch break so going six days a week will be doable.
Appreciate your concern! I officially go under tomorrow around 1030 with check-in being at 0900.
Thanks! I’m currently on the recumbent bike getting warmed up for my last workout… Sadly the only thing I’m really pushing today is bench. I’ve already hit failure on cleans, squats, and deads this week.
It’d be a lot better if I was going to do something cool today like pull 500 lbs. I’ll have to settle for a 275 lb bench instead.
If at any point next year I talk about not doing 5/3/1 for my main lifts then please remind me to stay the course.
2018 will be 5/3/1 all the way. I will bench 3 plates. I will squat 4 plates (that might be a 2019 goal).
If I see you wavering I’ll be sure to remind ya! After about 16 months of no real progress I’m doing the same - until August at least then I might change it up for a bit.
At least we can change assistance stuff to satisfy the need to wander haha.
Training Full Body Day 3 of 3 and Last Day of Training Pre-Op
Well, it’s safe to say I lost my motivation today. Two days of full body training in a row feels good. Three days in a row–not the same. I don’t know what happened but I fell apart today.
Warm-Up
15 minutes on the recumbent bike
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups
2 x 10
Squat
135 x 5
165 x 5
195 x 5
225 x 5 x 3 sets I probably only had 7 or 8 reps in me at this weight today so it was strenuous to knock out 3 x 5.
Bench
135 x 5
185 x 5
205 x 1
225 x 1
245 x 1
265 x 1 I ran into my wife’s cousin at the gym and chatted for a bit. I ran out of time and energy today. He spotted me at 265 and I didn’t need any help. I probably had 275 with some grinding but I just don’t care today. 275 is still 30 lbs from a PR so I just called it a day.
I’m feeling worn out, unmotivated, and I’m craving all of the junk food in the kitchen. My grandma’s Christmas gift is always a tray of homemade candy—peanut clusters, butterscotch haystacks, chocolate covered peanut butter balls, fudge, peanut brittle, and a couple of others that have unknown names to me. The last thing I need to do is let my diet fall apart after cutting 15 lbs and right as I go sedentary.
Good luck tomorrow J. It’s been said before, you are being hard to yourself.
The day before surgery, fill up that body, it’ll need all for the recovery.
5/3/1 for 2018 we will remind you if you stray.
Read Beyond and try the 28 weeks training. Start at a low TM beat some insane Rep PR’s, I’m halfway through now.
And I read that 2 weeks on/off article. I’t could work, 2 weeks on 500 cal plus followed by 2 weeks maintain and not deficit.
3 days of full body J! wich will hurt the most surgery or doms.
Again good luck man. Here in DK I’ll cross my fingers.
shit, If I’m going to have a respectable “before” pic for this challenge, you’re going to have to ask grandma to make me TWO funfetti cakes with frosting!!!
Ate more yesterday and woke up lighter… go figure. I actually went to be hungry. I ate some treats yesterday and they were high in calories but not in density so my stomach was confused. I woke up around 2:30am and my stomach was growling…and I was thirsty.
Unfortunately, I was inside the eight hour window for surgery and I’m supposed to fast. I googled why it’s important to fast before surgery and it has something to do with gastric aspirations while you’re under the anesthesia. Apparently it’s possible for food and fluid to be “aspirated” and cause complications while you’re unconscious. This can lead to death… so I listened and I’ll just be hungry and thirsty until this afternoon.
No big deal on going over my calories yesterday because I’ll be “fasted” until around 3pm!
Surgery went well…I guess. It was a success. Doc said they almost had to cancel because they couldn’t get my leg in traction to open up the joint. I’m too tall and they were all out of leverage. Luckily, they waited about 30 min after they knocked me out and my body finally loosened up.
The disappointing side of things is that my hip was in worse shape than any of us thought. He was able to clean it all up but I’m a bit concerned about what he found. I still don’t have a cause. Is my other hip jacked up too? Hopefully I remember to ask these questions at my next appointment. But the reality is that I’m on a heavy dose of narcotics and my clarity is coming and going.
