*Not Another* V-Diet Blog

Nutrition
21

[quote]bitenose wrote:
TheSicilian wrote:

Just a couple thoughts…

  1. after 12 years of “lifting” I’d expect to be a great deal larger than you are.

  2. Feeling superior to everyone else at your gym will NOT get you where you want to be in terms of your goals. May I suggest a piece of humble pie or joining a gym where you are the WEAKEST and SMALLEST person. Trust me, you’ll either get big or quit.

  3. I commend you on trying to be a student of the game, but with that you can still learn what to do or NOT to do from those who you feel are “inferior” to you.

Good luck with the V-diet.

  1. Haha, yeah, me too :)… And I was… Current picture definitely doesn’t represent “my peak”… I hate to be one of those people that throws out excuses, but four years in the Marine Corps brought about tremendous catabolism…

(To give an example: In my first session of OCS back in Summer of '04 I went from 190 pounds to 155 pounds in 10 weeks!) Also lost my father unexpectedly to suicide a few months ago, so my progress in the gym and attention to detail dropped a great deal.

  1. Don’t really wanna go there, but, I can’t lie to ya… i can either call it like i see it or just hold my tongue… But, yes, I would very-much be interested in finding a more hardcore gym that is more interested in the condition of their freeweights than it is installing LCD monitors and magazine racks on every piece of cardio equipment.

  2. Absolutely. Good point.[/quote]

My condolences at the loss of your father. Also, had you included the catabolism experienced during basic, my replies would not have been as harsh. Considering that you’ve built yourself up TWICE, I think you are doing pretty good. Good luck.

22

I don’t think those numbers are really very “newbie” at all, but to be honest, I’ve never seen someone that thin be able to squat 315 for 10 solid reps.

And in high school, I have seen guys with a similar build who could get 225 for about 4 reps in the bench.

Were those lifting numbers also when you were at your “peak”?

23

[quote]SWR-1240 wrote:
I don’t think those numbers are really very “newbie” at all, but to be honest, I’ve never seen someone that thin be able to squat 315 for 10 solid reps.

And in high school, I have seen guys with a similar build who could get 225 for about 4 reps in the bench.

Were those lifting numbers also when you were at your “peak”?[/quote]

Yes, I’m being honest and even a bit conservative in my reporting. Most people are quite surprised that I am able to squat 315, especially given my longer proportioned shin bones that give the appearance of skinny legs. And I’m not talking about those mickey mouse smith press squats… I do the real thing… no wraps or any of that garbage either.

To give an example:

in my workout today:

Decline barbell bench: 225x11
Squats: 315x9
deadlift: 315x8 (didn’t have gloves had hard time gripping today!)

24

Those are good numbers…but why the high reps on the squat…esp why on the DL? On the V Diet, I think you just grind triples and go home. Lots of triples, sure…

I like this thread. Don’t let people get you down…you are doing fine.

25

[quote]Danny John wrote:
Those are good numbers…but why the high reps on the squat…esp why on the DL? On the V Diet, I think you just grind triples and go home. Lots of triples, sure…

I like this thread. Don’t let people get you down…you are doing fine. [/quote]

Coach John, are you suggesting that ceteris paribus in regard to all other lifting dynamics and principles, that I would be better off performing <10 reps on squats and deadlifts even on a total body routine performed 3 times per week? I find this implication fascinating and eagerly await your response!

I suppose the reason why I perform what you qualify as “high reps” on DL, SQUAT, and BENCH is because I have the tendency to throw all rational thoughts out the window as soon as I begin lifting iron. If I’m in over my head, I will unconsciously manipulate the kinematic and static forces even if it means throwing my back out or pulling a muscle. Historically, I have never gone up in weight until I could perform 12 reps in any given set (aside from a max day, which I haven’t done in years)

I like to maintain strict form and time under tension. But I’m willing to alter these behaviors provided I can achieve superior results and maintain longevity in my weightlifting “career”. I guess I have this overblown fear that I may get injured one of these days and never again be able to put 100% into my workouts. When I’m no longer breathing and have a tag on my toe, then I will retire from working out! Only where love and need are one, and the work is play for mortal stakes, is the deed ever really done for heaven and the future?s sakes.

26

[quote]Danny John wrote:
I think you just grind triples and go home. Lots of triples, sure…
[/quote]

Agreed. You’re not going to have the juice (or muscle glycogen) to do high rep squats or deads.

27

Day 3: January 22nd

I have a lot to talk about but will try to keep this update brief. First of all, I would like to thank everyone on JSF and T-Nation for the encouragement and advice that they have bestowed upon me. I will try to be as objective, strict, and informative as possible in regard to my diet and this blog in hopes that I am able to help anyone out who may be considering this diet.

The first thing I want to talk about is my workout. It went very well… I love that feeling of almost having to pass out after performing a set of deadlifts or squats… I was able to put 100% into every exercise and even managed to rep it out 10 times with 45 plates on each side of my preacher curl at the end of my workout… At the end of my workout I was definitely exhausted! It’s funny how the body conveniently puts itself in such a state whenever we’re finished with difficult endeavors like a high-intensity workout or a long run… As much as it felt like I was at the end of my wits, I know that this is a complete psychological construct… The mind tells the body what it wants to feel. I will continue to push myself harder and harder, even if my workout may become more difficult due to lower glycogen levels and (god forbid) muscle catabolism, which i will do my damndest to avoid. Pain is weakness leaving the body, oohrah!

What else was I going to mention, oh milk… I’ve ditched it… Milk is for babies. Going to replace it with slightly more PWN carbs, slightly more protein, and slightly more fat supplements.

28

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Danny John wrote:
I think you just grind triples and go home. Lots of triples, sure…

Agreed. You’re not going to have the juice (or muscle glycogen) to do high rep squats or deads.[/quote]

So ditching “high reps” just while on the V-diet? Yeah, I remember reading that line in Danny John and Chris Shurgararttt’s (did I spell that right?) updated V-diet thread, but couldn’t quite make sense of it until my workout tonight… While I was able to grind out a good amount of reps, I was ready to plant my face into the deck at the end of that workout… Can’t get enough dawgone glycogen. Going to still shoot for 10 reps, just keep a close spot when doing squats… If I need to, I’ll just keep reracking it until I get my 10 reps total. Unless, of course, I am advised to do less reps with more weight, presuming this might be a suitable alternative that elicits strength-gaining results and helps to bypass the lack of glycogen issue.

29

[quote]bitenose wrote:
I mean seriously, what’s the worst that could happen if I remain 100% dedicated to this diet? I look a little better naked and I have cut off the possibility of anything but a massive bulking project lasting for 5-6 months and putting on 40 or so pounds.[/quote]

Which is what I said. I’m not trying to get you down, I just wanted you to make sure your end goals are realistic.

And what you described, more definition, etc. is exactly what will happen so good luck to you. Hopefully you achieve what you set to achieve.

30

That was my point: face planting is not a great idea. As I remember Chris’ advice…you are just trying to hold on in the weight room.

In the last two weeks, I felt invincible…but looking back at the weight room numbers, I wasn’t really moving a lot of load.

31

Day 4: January 23rd

Got an extra hour of sleep today, it felt great… I don’t see what people have to complain about on this diet, it’s not THAT bad… Sure, I crave mexican food, mexican food, steak, and mexican food all the time… But I’m not hungry at all…

Thus far, I am really impressed with the supplements that Biotest offers… I am considering subjecting some of my protein powder to Thermogravimetric analysis (to test for volatiles), DSC, viscometric analysis, as well a poly(lactic acid) polymerization and titration to test for lactose(sugar).

I ran a complete battery of tests similar to this 2 years ago on some EAS protein and the stuff was absolute garbage… It was reported to have 1 g of carbs per serving, but I recovered something to the effect of ~5 grams of lactosamine (sugar) in a 30 gram sample… This absolutely floored me…

I thought I was paying for protein, not sugar… Apparently what they are allowed to call “protein” is allowed to contain a bunch of sugar in it and the FDA is fine with such dishonesty. Don’t want to go off on a tangent.

Okay, I feel good… There is an inner stillness inside me, food is digesting perfectly, and I feel more focused than ever in all my endeavors.

I felt like doing some serious cardio and lifting today, but I held back… Instead I went rock climbing… Haven’t been in a long time, it was a lot of fun… I didn’t burn myself out either. Would definitely like to do it again sometime soon. I think I’ve found a use for my long arms and legs!

32

Wow, am I actually going to get into a debate between comparing this:

http://a594.ac-images.myspacecdn.com…aa0835b579.jpg

to brown rice and egg whites? (We’re comparing Rocky Balboa to Ivan Drago here… Well, atleast how it should have really gone). We’re weightlifters, posting on a message board talking about nutrition… We need to look into the minutae of things and exam them critically and objectively. This isn’t a matter of picking flysh*t out of pepper.

I had one of those moments this morning, I don’t like to use the word epiphany. Because that damned Black actor with the deep voice used the word several years ago and it has become hackneyed and pedestrian… It’s not a cool word anymore, it’s lame… So I didn’t have a friggin epiphany… But I had this sudden insight into the dynamics behind the social construct on this message board…

When examining an aggregate of nutrient intake, the span of a day is completely arbitrary as it portends to weight-lifting… It’s only more useful than looking at calories per year… I think we need to focus more on micro and macronutrient consumption at intervals throughout the day with the most emphasis placed on morning, pre-workout, post-workout, and before-bed nutrition.

The body only knows what is available to it right then and there. There’s a reason why it is pretty-much widely accepted that 6 meals per day is more conducive to favorable body composition than 3 meals per day.

If I had made this post 20 years ago, you’d tell me I was crazy for lifting weights and that if I really wanted to lose fat, I’d get some Jane Fonda workout tapes and an aerobic mat…

That being said, I think it is important for us forum-warriors to keep an open mind, inform ourselves as much as possible, and not be afraid to take the road less traveled. Avoid the “group think” phenomenon and don’t be afraid to try out your own thing.

I’ll admit, the possibility is there of me stifling my progress and making a fool of myself. That could very well happen! Feel free to say “told ya so” and ridicule me on February 17th if my diet ends up being a complete failure. In fact, that is one of the reasons I created that myspace account. I want everyone to see, success or failure, the results (whether good or bad) that I achieve from my V-diet.

For me, physical fitness is about the journey… When I’m no longer breathing and have a tag on my toe, then I will retire from working out! Only where love and need are one, and the work is play for mortal stakes, is the deed ever really done for heaven and the future?s sakes.

33

Day 5: January 24th

Today is my one day during the week when i take a “day off”… So I tried to keep my activity as light as possible to help myself recover. I walked a good bit between classes this morning, did some stretching this evening, tried to relax as much as possible, and I think I might hit the heavy bag a little bit…

Calories have been really light today… Since there is no “work out”, there is no post-workout nutrition, which means my carbs and calories are low (1400 kcal). I’ve noticed that I’ve been very hungry today, might be as a result of misplacing one of my HOT-ROX pills. (I take two pills per day typically).

Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when things seem challenging. I don’t give a crap if this diet sends me to the hospital, which it won’t. I won’t even consider backing down from this diet as a result of something as petty as a food craving. I’m not saying this stuff to sound heroic, but quitting is just not in my reality.

This isn’t a matter of heroics or trying to prove anything to myself or anybody… I was simply at a point in life where the external manifestation of my body was incongruent with what’s inside me. When I’m done with this diet on February 17th, I’m not going to seek out recognition or a pat on the back from others. My butt is going to be back in that gym and I’ll be starting from square one, only with a different game plan, one that involves bulking…

after edit
Was feeling lazy and sluggish when I posted this blog. Emotion creates motion and motion creates emotion. Now I feel like mountain biking for several hours or getting to the gym and lifting… I’ll settle on hitting the heavy bag a little bit and doing some calisthenics.

34

Keep going man!

Keep blogging it, your story will help others.

Also, you can think of it this way, according to something I read here earlier, habits take 21 days to be made or broken. By the 10th of february (16 days), this should be breeze.

Also I think I’ve seen other v-dieters explain that it gets a lot easier after the first week. And still easier every week :wink:

35

[quote]steinnes wrote:
Keep going man!

Keep blogging it, your story will help others.

Also, you can think of it this way, according to something I read here earlier, habits take 21 days to be made or broken. By the 10th of february (16 days), this should be breeze.

Also I think I’ve seen other v-dieters explain that it gets a lot easier after the first week. And still easier every week ;-)[/quote]

Takk fyrir.

I will. I’ll try to keep my logs as objective, accurate, and concise as possible so readers can get as much info as possible without having to sort through any wishy-washy tangential garbage.

As an aside, regarding Shaker bottles. Is anyone sick and tired of their bottles becoming ineffective leaky pieces of crap after running it through the dishwasher a few times? Does your bottle have an o-ring (or better yet did it have an o-ring)?

You need to get a shaker bottle made of of polypropylene. PP has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, a high degree of polymerization, and acceptable rheological behavior. The only problem is, these are hard to find. Hey Biotest, if you’re looking for a good business idea, make a CLEAR shaker bottle out of PP, as opposed to the HDPE, PET, PVC crap that is out there. You could even put the T-Nation logo(free advertising) and some Chuck Norris quotes on the bottle and I might even buy a few of them. It’s a win-win situation.

36

Great to discover this V-diet blog, as I start mine tomorrow…looking forward to reading about your experiences and comparing them to my own. Also regarding a good shaker bottle…turns out Bed Bath and Beyond carries a great one (the brand is Zyliss). It’s leakproof, sturdy, etc.

37

[quote]JVmed wrote:
Great to discover this V-diet blog, as I start mine tomorrow…looking forward to reading about your experiences and comparing them to my own. Also regarding a good shaker bottle…turns out Bed Bath and Beyond carries a great one (the brand is Zyliss). It’s leakproof, sturdy, etc.[/quote]

Glad you’re finding this thread of use. Hit me up with the link to your log when you start your V-diet.

Zyliss you say? I went to a wedding last year and there was a gift registry from bed, bath, and beyond… There was only one thing left to buy on that gift registry, a garlic press made by none other than Zyliss. The cost? $99… Since I’m not exactly Henry F’ing Kissinger, these friends of mine didn’t get their friggin garlic press… Got them one of those Homedic massage thingies instead (~$30)… Which, I might add, are a great tool for recovery after a day of heavy deadlifts/squats/cardio

38

Day 6: January 25th

Supplementation/Nutrition was on time and ran like clockwork today. I have not been hungry at all. I will definitely never forget to take a HOT-ROX from now on…

My workout went very well. Doing the same weight I did last time in squats, I managed to get 2 more reps (12). This means that I am going to up the weight next time. I went up in weight on deadlifts, I went up in weight on military press (got very exhausted last rep), and I went up in weight on incline dumbell chest press. Only got about 16 pullups with 25 lb plate added to myself, I think this is because my forearms were pre-exhausted. About one hour into the workout I began feeling really tired…

I kept sort of lowering my head and just resting for a bit… Workout buddy started asking if I was all right and I just immediately snapped back to reality and finished off the workout doing abs. Felt okay once I got my PWN(sugar) in my system… After I finish my blog I’m going to get a good stretch going.

Well, actually, first things first I’m going to floss my teeth. If you’re reading this blog and you haven’t flossed your teeth today, then got off your butt and do it right now. There is a very active interface in your gums that brings a ton of bacteria into your blood if you’re one of those sickos that don’t floss your teeth. Start taking some responsibility for yourself and floss your damn fangs.

39

Day 7: January 26th

Just read this article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070126/hl_nm/diet_exercise_dc . Makes me fuming mad, academia is completely lost when it comes to the human metabolism and diet/exercise. This balding douche, that has the demeanor of a pre-pubescent boy, and whose shoulders I could probably fit into my Girlfriend’s purse, is doing the public a huge disservice by posting his lies. That is all I will say about that.

A couple of things to note: I am really craving salt today. Haven’t satisfied that craving yet, I’ve stuck with behind the planned diet 100% and have not yet deviated. That being said, I woudn’t exactly call it “cheating” for me to go raid the salt-shaker right now. I’ve noticed agression is really high today. I’m not mad or angry at anyone or anything, but I noticed that I have been more controlling/overbearing/forceful and less diplomatic…

I’ll be working on homework most of the night(fluid mechanics, senior design, and engineering controls if you must know). If I’m particularly productive then I will watch a DVD to entertain myself. My exercise today consisted of 30 minutes of calisthenics and jump rope, I kept the intensity low enough to stave off catabolism, but high enough to warrant the investment in time.

40

omfg that article!

“And their carefully controlled study added to evidence that adding muscle mass does not somehow boost metabolism and help dieters take off even more weight.”

How the FUCK do they explain all the big boys that need 5-6 thousands calories a day just to MAINTAIN!?

J?n P?ll Sigmarsson needed 10 thousand kcal per day to maintain when at his peak, are they claiming that was not due to his muscle mass?

Fucking retard fake scientists, and/or stupid journalists. This shit makes me angry.