I thought “That can’t be a real word”. I looked it up and it’s not.
BUT I did learn there’s a business by that name, and they provide a “meat delivery service”. That’s an excellent business name: “carnivore” + “delivery”.
Too bad they’re only in Uruguay.
Just a missspell. Carnivory is indeed a word.
It’s weird - I used to be able to power down a 24 oz Porterhouse at Country Kitchen with salad and baked potato with all of the fixings. I don’t know if I am old or if I am listening to my body, but I would rather just nom three or four thighs with a protein shake back.
My cabin in the redwoods is without power currently, wind and rain (atmospheric river) so I got a room in town. I ate at Jack in the Box last night, had an Ultimate Cheeseburger, two tacos, and fries, and it was brilliant.
I just had a Quarter Pounder with three strips of bacon, fries. Also brilliant.
I’ve been steady at 190 pounds for over three years. I eat what I want when I want, my weight doesn’t change.
I might be better off eating white meat, but I just don’t care. I eat what I want, when I want, typically fast 16/8, it just doesn’t matter.
When I was employed, I was happiest when I went to Taco Bell down the block at 11:30, ate a Taco Bell Grande and a bean burrito, and went back to work. I did that for four years while my wife was in Med School.
Up at four, double shot latte for the hour drive to Bally’s, lift, another double shot latte for the fifteen minute drive to work, Taco Bell at 11:30, coffee and cookies at 3PM, hour drive home.
Rinse, repeat.
Keep it simple. For you, that’s steak and eggs, meatballs, ribs, all good (jelly of the Wagyu).
For me, I get excited when the bone in skin on thighs go on sale for .97 cents a pound.
Eat and train intuitively.
Fewer decisions, less stress.
So do you make the balls then freeze them prior to cooking them?
I tend to cook up a batch, let them cool, then freeze them.
There’s this option too, 3x scoop kinda deal…
We are, once again, of the same tribe, haha. The Ultimate Cheeseburger and Tacos are the crown jewel of Jack in the Box. And hey, last time they had chicken thighs at 99 cents a pound, I bought 10lbs!
Yup. “High speed, low drag”
I fill the container with meat, and when I press it together, IT makes the meatballs, and then I put the whole thing in the freezer. From there, I cook them frozen.
That meatball scoop looks like a carnivore ice cream bar! Haha. Love it.
AM WORKOUT (0520 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)
5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 3, Workout 2 Conditoning
30 minutes, EMOM of
Ended with some stair jumps
Notes:
Schedule is a little screwy, and Chaos is the plan, so I got in a very solid 30 minutes here. Each round had me with about 14 seconds to recover, and I was huffing. This was fantastic.
My legs were horrifically pumped from the combination of stairs and squats with such short rest periods. I still tried to emphasize rep quality, but I had to move them quicker today to squeeze in everything with the time. This was a really good balance of movements. Kick off with something explosive with the swings, then bolt up the stairs, then rep out the bodyweight work.
All this said, I have a 10 mile run coming up in April, and I SHOULD try to get into long distance running shape…but I honestly just don’t care to run distances. And it’s less about the running and more about the impact it has on me. I find, whenever I focus on distance running, I tend to get “stringy”. My physique flattens and I grow flabbier. I attribute it to the heart rate zone: burning sugar and protein instead of fat. Granted, this type of training should be doing the same thing, but I feel like the mixed intensities save it a little. I’m most likely just going to gut it out come race day and suffer on the back end.
Tang Soo Do later tonight as well.
Also got in a 2.5 mile walk with the family last night. Weather is getting better.
EDIT
Oh man, two of my favorites
I am pleased to report that the meatballs were an absolute and total success for a work lunch. Oh my goodness, lamb, deer and beef all in one meal, and on top of a bed of scrambled eggs, so I got some chicken in there too.
And on that note: I once again have a reservation at Texas De Brazil. Lewis Black is coming into town and will perform literally across the street from there, so I booked tickets for me and my hunting buddy to go see him, and said dinner was on me to pay him back for taking me out and showing me the ropes this year. I actually booked it so that I wouldn’t have a full 90 minutes to gorge myself like usual, so maybe I’ll actually enjoy the show too! Haha.
More fueling the Monolith
Pork belly, boneless piedmontese beef short ribs and version steaks. Dinner for the next two nights: half tonight, half tomorrow
Legitimately what went through my head was “only 10 pounds”?
I have SO much meat in the freezer as it is that I really try not to buy more. It was hard to exercise restraint.
I have an uncle who is a big time hunter. He legitimately has 3 freezers in his detached garage, and I don’t know if I have ever had any sort of non-game meat when I was at his house. For as long as I have known him, he’s fed his family of 4 a rich diet of venison, boar, elk, bear, antelope, turkey, squirrel, antelope, and honestly god knows what else, for every meal. He definitely spends a good chunk of income on his hunting trips, not saying it’s the economical move by any means. But hunting has a strong emotional/spiritual aspect for him, and it’s always been amazing to me that he was literally able to provide for his family through his skill with a rifle and bow. To make it even more interesting, his wife’s garden supplies a very decent portion of the vegetables and grains that the family eats.
Key point in the story, until you have 3 complete freezers full, there’s always room for more meat lol
Haha that’s funny as I have the same issue
@atlas13 That is a fantastic story, and I absolutely love your key point, haha. But for me, it’s the BUYING of the meat, rather than the possessing, that is the x-factor. Right now, I’m the kid with a bunch of boxes of cereal at the house who is at the grocery store wanting to buy a NEW box because of the toy inside. “You gotta eat the cereal we have at home before we buy you any more!” …which man, how sad is it that kid’s cereal doesn’t have a prize inside any more? Granted, these days it should come with a syringe full of insulin, but still!
@ajb5478 It’s so hard isn’t it?! I keep seeing great deals and have to remind myself: “know what’s a better deal? NOT spending ANY money”
AM WORKOUT (0420 wake up via alarm)
5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 3, Workout 3
SUPERSET (Pull-bench)
Low handle trap bar pull
5x175
5x335
5x385
3x5x425 (just realized at this moment I went 20lbs over what I was supposed to do today)
Axle bench press
5xAxle
5x186
5x211
5x5x236
KB rows
3x15x40kg
1x12x40kg
1x10x40kg
Poundstone Curls
100xAxle (85 unbroken)
END OF REQUIRED WORK
3x10 standing ab wheel
Neck harness
20 GHRs
BREAKFAST
Short walk w/dog (no vest)
Notes:
As I logged this, I realized I forgot to factor the trap bar weighing 65lbs into my platemath, so I went 20lbs heavier on everything. Which means it’s time to reset my training max, because though this was a HARD workout, it wasn’t impossible. Good to discover I’m getting that strong. Reminds me of the story Jamie Lewis tells where Pat Casey OR Bruce Randall (which shows it’s a tall tale, but a good one) took a bench that was bolted to the floor and ripped it out of the moorings without even realizing it, thinking it was just a free bench. Just so strong it didn’t register. I also have that Goku moment of “now that I’ve experienced 100 times gravity I must TRAIN at 100 times gravity”, because I KNOW I’m strong enough to do 3x5x425 on the trap bar.
This was the day I was dreading the most, oddly enough, NOT the widowmaker day. Pulls for multiple sets always suck, and the low handle trap bar is totally against how I’m built. Getting through it is the win for this week.
I honestly think I may just always pull with a trap bar for 5/3/1 workouts at this point, while making sure to keep in my weekly mat pull workout. I don’t really get much out of multiple sets of straight bar deads, whereas the trap bar definitely attacks my weaknesses. Meanwhile, I am certain I can recover from 5 minutes of deadlifting once a week, and I respond VERY well to one big set in that fashion. Having my cake and eating it too.
Benching didn’t feel super strong, but good enough.
Really trying to get those rows to register “bodybuilder style”. Focusing on the pump and cramp.
Always pleased with what I’m picking for assistance work. Things that matter.
Glad I could get in something with the dog. Weather is getting better, but work schedule is a bit more intense.
EDIT: Not used to seeking Frank rocking my haircut
AM WORKOUT (0420 Natural Wake up)
5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 3, Workout 4 (Conditioning)
75 swings w/20kg bell
2 mile walk w/80lb vest
30 rounds of 10 prisoner squats and 10 push ups in 21 minutes
BREAKFAST
Short walk w/dog (no vest)
Notes:
Every time this day rolls around in the program, it’s exactly what I need. Feeling a little beat and “over it” for the heavy stuff, so I can just get my heart rate up, listen to a podcast, get in some walking, and limber up my body. Funny enough, this is Jamie Lewis’ daily prescription in Feast, Famine and Ferocity (2 mile walk and 300 squats/push ups) just as part of “being a human”. And then I also steal from Dan John by hitting the swings first to get the heart rate up and break up the free fatty acids.
I realize a little bit of the subtle genius in Jim’s conditioning recommendations during BtM as well. Weighted vest walks and airdyne for distance are low intensity, and will most likely keep the heart rate in the “fat burning” zone vs sugar/muscle burning. All those folks worried about “getting fat” from eating a dozen eggs and 1.5lbs of ground beef a day are missing out on the built in fat gain control there. And in the past, I was certainly guilty of pushing the intensity stupidly hard during the program. It wasn’t a situation where Jim was saying “Don’t push the conditioning hard because it’s bad for you”, it was “Don’t push the conditioning hard because that’s not the program”. Keep the goal the goal.
I was moving quite slow on those squats and push ups. Hitting them after the 2 mile weighted walk is a different animal.
Had some time to reflect on the walk. It’s crazy the things that have healed as my nutrition has sorted itself. I’ve been able to sleep on my back for the past few months now, having spent 37 years as a stomach sleeper. It’s now actually pretty uncomfortable for me to sleep on my stomach. Plantar warts on my feet have gone away. Complexion is better. I no longer need anti-perspirant; just deodorant, which is crazy having been a guy who was constantly “pitting out”. Joint pain significantly reduced. My digestion is the best it’s been in quite a while. All these interesting things that I just thought were quirks of mine or aspects of getting older have turned out to be things that just needed healing.
Work schedule is still a little intense, so shorter walks with the dog.
Tang Soo Do on the schedule for tonight. Last class was actually pretty solid: we did some flow drills and improv with 1 step self-defense. Got to bring out some elbows and headbutts.
Been thinking about the trap bar for me (I haven’t used mine for a long time), I still suck at straight bar deadlift, I know there isn’t a direct crossover, but I’m pretty confident if I hit the trap bar regularly I’ll improve on it faster than I do on the straight bar, wondering if I get to say 250kg on the TB how much that stress and ability to grind will transfer…
This is a pointless rambling muse not directly a question, just that you mentioned it, and it’s specifically not a question because I see questions asked in this vein all the time and my default (apart from just never responding) is just “try it” what the worst that happens, you don’t improve but you’ve got stronger in a different movement! No one can answer this sorta thing for you.
…so that’s it I’m back on the trap bar for a while! Might just throw in straight bar for a few reps occasionally to keep the pattern.
That’s exactly where I’m at with it. Trap bar for work sets, 1 straight bar set per week, but a VERY heavy set. I’m using ROM progression through that, which might also suit you with your body construction. Assuming, of course, you aren’t pulling sumo, haha.
I really don’t feel the trap bar carries over to straight bar FOR ME, but that’s because it’s a VERY different pull for me. I’m such a natural hinger that the straight bar totally suits me, whereas the trap bar is about the worst position I can put myself in. With your longer torso, it might shake out better.
EDIT: While I’m here, apparently someone was able to take a photo of my inner child
Nope, haven’t done that for a long time now, I’m a real deadlifter now!
Only one way to find out!
Weirdly enough I’ve felt more comfortable pulling deficit than from blocks (bumper plates) that’s why sometimes you’ve just got to try it!
Amazing haha.
That’s honestly not weird at all in the context we’re discussing. A lot of folks struggle with pulling from blocks, and those folks are NOT natural hingers.
Dan John has 4 quadrants he breaks people up into. For the upper body, some people are pushers and some are pullers. Some dudes can bench a Buick and can’t do 5 pull ups, and some dudes can knock out 20 pull ups and will never bench bodyweight. For lower body, you have squatters and you have hingers. The hingers are great at deadlifts and swings and the squatters squat. You combine the two, and have push/hingers, pull/squatters, pull/hingers, etc etc.
That was a long aside, but looking at your body: you strike me as a squatter. You have a LONG torso, and I imagine that comes with shorter legs in order for you to NOT be 7’ tall. This means you can keep an upright posture and not have to move very far when you squat. This also means, when you TRY to hinge, your torso is like a goddamn trebuchet, and at any moment you run the risk of launching a disc straight out of your spine at speeds faster than the speed of sound. So for you, pulling from blocks sucks, because it’s PURE hinge: you don’t even get a chance to employ any leg drive.
When you pull from a deficit, you are able to “squat” the deadlift up and play to your mechanical advantages. I imagine you probably deadlift better in weightlifting shoes than flat shoes for similar reasons.
I’m going to read this again tomorrow, but just wanted to thank you for such a thorough explanation, makes so much sense, never really thought about it in those terms but that explains my awful looking pull that’s essentially two parts, legs followed by a crappy half hinge! I think recognising this and giving myself permission to tbdl will help mentally and hopefully still help drive my deadlift up, but just approaching from a different perspective.
Man, loved a lot of the musings in this post. Few thoughts
@alex_uk Always happy to chat dude, and glad you found it useful!
@atlas13 Appreciate you swinging by! No doubt Jim is in favor of the trap bar: he actually got me sold on it a while back when I was a doubter. Someone was asking him about the movement as a valid deadlift replacement/how it carried over, and he put it simple: “If someone stands up with a trap bar with 900lbs, that person is strong”. It was so simple but brilliant. Who cares if it’s a deadlift or not, who cares of it carries over to the deadlift or not: a 900lb trap bar lifter is a strong HUMAN. And fully agree with comparing it to the SSB there in that capacity. The lack of flex in the bar also helps make it pretty brutal. Regarding stomach sleeping, there’s a bit of research out there that speaks to the detriment of stomach sleeping as it relates to spinal health among a few other things. I actually spent a summer when I was a teenager TRYING to teach myself to sleep on my back and just couldn’t do it. But now it’s a preference for me. If nothing else, it makes sleeping on planes easier! Haha.
AM WORKOUT (0422 wake up via alarm)
5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 3, Workout 5
GIANT SETS (Press-squat-chin)
Axle clean and strict press away
5x5x133
Buffalo Bar Squat
5xBar
5x175
5x245
5x275
5x305
Weighted NG chins
5x5x40lb
GIANT SETS (press-shrug-BPA)
Axle clean and strict press away
5x5x133
Axle shrug against strong short bands
5x20
Band pull aparts
5x20
Buffalo Bar Squat widowmaker
66x180
END OF REQUIRED WORK
3x10 standing ab wheel
BREAKFAST
Short walk w/dog
Notes:
Typically, I’m pretty excited about this day, but this morning it was more “let’s just get through it” when I woke up. I don’t think it’s so much the training beating me up, but more life/work stuff. This week has been a long year. Still something to keep an eye on. I am quite excited for the weekend, especially since my Valkyrie is making me a turkey for the superbowl. Our local pizza spot is ALSO offering 100 wings for $110, and she has pitched to me the idea of taking them up on that offer. It’s supposed to be food for a party…but I can be a party of one! I don’t see this actually happening, but I love that she thinks it’s a valid idea.
I really tried to focus on the pop of the clean with the axle today. Weight was heavy enough that I couldn’t just manhandle it, and trying to do so would waste energy. Moved decently fast. I’m getting a little more athletic.
Squats are always so heavy on this day. A weighted I did for 5x5 on Monday becomes so heavy on Friday.
Moved up resistance on the shrugs and really felt it. Bands are just such a clutch move here.
Gave that widowmaker a real solid effort. I was delighted to make it to 50 reps: being able to maintain that Dan John “Mass Made Simple” standard under these circumstances is just awesome. Getting in those extra reps was a great grind. Once again, gun to the head, I could have gotten more: just a question of what is the value added.
Prioritizing ab work has been a great call through this. My abs are still popping through, and part of that is nutrition keeping me lean and part of it is just having some gigantic abs.
Penultimate week of the feast. Will ride this through next week, the famine but with rampage meals/carb ups. I was listening to a podcast this morning that kind of reinforced why I keep doing the Feast-Famine cycle vs going back to pure Apex Predator: in the instances that consumption of saturated fat IS a concern for cardiovascular health, it’s most likely beneficial that I engage in these regular 2 weeks of “drying out” from 4 weeks of gorging on high fat foods. I keep having to remind myself that the famine is about priming the body for the feast, and it also aids in recovering from it.
EDIT: Juggernaut looking pretty nuts here
