Thank you! That’s a drop you are familiar with!
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Tuesday 2/13
Push
Machine Press
6, 7, 7 x 135
Machine Incline Press
9 x 100, 6, 7 x 120
Dips
6, 5, 6 x BW
Front Raises
2 x 12 x 20
Machine Pec Flye
3 x 10 x 50
Seated DB OHP
3 x 10 x 30
Single Arm Cable Tri Pushdown
2 x 8 x 15
SS
Single Arm Cable Tri Ext
2 x 12 x 10
Cable or Machine Lat Raise
3 x 15 x 10
10 minute treadmill walk
I am really liking this setup. I don’t feel like I am trying to get out of the gym as fast as possible anymore. It’s a nice change. Not moving slow though. Breaks are only as long as it takes hubby to do his set, then move on to the next. Only takes a little over an hour with the walk.
My legs are so sore. Didn’t feel too bad on Sunday. Now I hurt in so many places.
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Thursday 2/15
Pull
Pull-Ups
4, 4, 3
Cable Row
8, 8 x 120, 8 x 110
Single Arm DB Row
2 x 12 x 45
Neutral grip, single Arm Lat Pulldown
2 x 12 x 55
Chest supported Tbar Row
8, 8 x 50, 8 x 45
Seated Machine Reverse Fly
12, 12 x empty, 12 x 10
Cable cross pull
2 x 12 x 10
Alternating DB Curls
30lb-10lb amrap drop sets
Shrugs
8 x 160, 8, 8 x 210
10 minute treadmill walk, Hill program
Moving pretty good through all of this. Pull day is my least favorite, as I am definitely built to push. But, my last are really starting to pop, so I’ll take it.
Strength is holding nicely, weights are generally going up. Some days one or two things need to have weight reduction for clean reps, but it’s hit and miss.
I know I’m only halfway into this cut (going 12 weeks) but it’s by far the easiest one I have done. I struggled getting my protein in before, mostly because I wouldn’t give up the carbs to do it. Lately, I am loving the feeling of non-bloat the lower carb approach has.
Plus, I am a bit stressed and my schedule has been packed. I have discovered stress is a natural appetite suppressant for me. I have been bringing a scoop of protein to work most days and flat out forget to make a shake. Or my stomach is just in knots and it doesn’t sound good.
Hubby made the “those pants are getting baggy on you” comment this morning, so the weight loss is showing physically and on the scale. Nice spot to be in!
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Sunday 2/18
Legs
Hip Press
12 x 270, 10 x 295, 8 x 315
Leverage Squat
12, 15, 20 x 90
Slide Lunge (Machine)
2 x 12 x 45
Leg Extension
2 x 12 x 60
Standing SL Hamstring Curl
3 x 10 x 35
SS
Abductors
3 x 12 x 25/side
GHR, Back Leg Lifts
12 x BW
10 minute treadmill walk, hill program
Legs are tired today. Hopefully they don’t get as sore as they did last time! It was a high gravity day. I was feeling lethargic and exhausted all day. The long weeks and work-ends are still requiring adjustment.
Talked with another flight school this weekend. I have a meeting to get set up to instruct with them. They are super busy and could have me go full-time, if I wanted. That isn’t on the docket right now, but it’s nice to know I’ll get a great pipeline. Between the two schools, I am going to be slammed. Yay flight hours!
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I don’t like these days, but I swear this is a thing. #provemewrong
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They are no doubt a thing! I don’t experience them often, but when I do, normal weight is just crushing. And I can’t reach even more things on high shelves!
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Monday 2/19
Push
Machine Press
6, 7, 7 x 135
Machine Incline Press
6, 7, 7 x 120
Dips
8, 7, 5 x BW
Front Raises
2 x 12 x 20
Machine Pec Flye
3 x 10 x 60
Seated DB OHP
3 x 10 x 30
Single Arm Cable Tri Pushdown
2 x 8 x 15
SS
Single Arm Cable Tri Ext
2 x 12 x 10
Cable or Machine Lat Raise
3 x 15 x 10
10 minute treadmill walk, varied incline and speed.
Nice push day. Dips are really starting toove up in reps, every session. I suspect BW has a lot to do with that, much like pull ups. All other weights and strength feeling awesome. Push day is the best. Suits these shoulders.
Tuesday 2/20
Weigh in
152.4, down 0.2lbs this week
Macro Averages:
C: 105
F: 56
P: 175
Total steps: 62k
Hm. I wondered if this week would be low since last week was so high.
So, asking for advice. I can drop calories more, and I can add more steps.
This marks week 7, I am down a total of 7.2lbs. Is it worth dropping more, or give it a week? I don’t want to lose momentum, but I of course want to keep calories as high as I can, for as long as I can.
Tagging @Andrewgen_Receptors because he always has great input on these things.
Also, I was thinking of doing 12 week diet, 2 week at maintenance diet break, then another 8 weeks of diet. Does that seem like a reasonable structure? Looking to lose a total of 20lbs, to get down to ~140.
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I like the macros and I’d be hesitant to change them while the scale seems to be dropping at about 1lb/wk - even though the scale only dropped .2lbs this week.
My coach said if body composition (2-week progress pictures), measurements (waist, thighs, neck, arms probably), or scale are showing improvement - you’re still moving in the right direction. Hard for everyone to go by just the scale, but it’s harder for women due to hormonal fluctuations.
Your steps could increase, or you could do some intentional cardio.
- LISS of Zone 3 or below is fine any day of the week
- HIIT only on ‘off’ days from lifting, or separated from lifting as much as possible
Doing either in a fasted state is a good way to go.
I think incorporating more cardio is a good step in the right direction, no pun intended.
Sure, just keep in mind that the diet break hypothesis just hasnt panned out as well as it sounds… meaning that a diet break is fine if needed to increase compliance, but otherwise doesnt have the evidence to support its proclaimed benefits.
I do a moderate cheat meal maybe once a week and this has been working for me.
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I should probably add this metric. Photos are showing progress as well.
I can absolutely do this. Sounds better than dropping again. I’m not crazy low, but I also have many more weeks.
I’m not struggling with compliance, at least at the current calorie level. I was going to take the break for metabolic rate reasons, but it sounds like you have read examples of that not being necessary? Would you lean towards continuing through until reaching goal weight, with a moderate cheat meal roughly weekly? Or even doing the 6 days super low, 1 maintenance day approach.
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This is the best metric IMO.
Yeah, it was a Layne Norton hypothesis that you could modulate leptin response by including diet breaks. It sounded great on paper, but the only study to back it up was the MATADOR study… which hasn’t been able to be replicated. Meaning the theory is unfortunately just a theory. Layne is unwilling to say he was wrong, despite a void of evidence to prove he was right. Scientist gonna science.
Sure, any of these work fine so long as you’re seeing results. I know that’s a vague answer; whichever works better for you, or sounds more appealing, i would do this.
I find that keeping carbs mostly pre workout has helped me a lot regarding performance. Bro science says that doing this will help your body utilize carbs for what they’re intended for - short term high capacity energy (glycogen) - but also help your body NOT store them as fat because they’re being used.
It makes sense, but there’s no science to support it because there’s no way to measure it. Make it that what you will.
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I like this though. I easily get into the weeds and tend to over-think. I don’t need to over complicate it. This statement is a great reminder.
As always I appreciate your willingness to drop in and give awesome advice and feedback!
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Tuesday 2/20
Added work
75 KBS
1 mile walk
Wednesday 2/21
Added work
75 KBS
25 Goblet Squats
1 mile walk
Getting in those extra steps and swinging the bell again. The added movement felt great.
Had some anger to burn off yesterday. Let’s just say the second flight school felt through at the last minute.
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Sorry to hear it, that sucks. Amazingly unprofessional, which is surprisingly from a job that requires some professionalism by its very nature
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Gutted to hear about the flight school, but this
This is so awesome. Those affirmations from the spouse are huge. When it’s someone that lives with you, sees you everyday, and THEY can see the difference, you know you’re doing well.
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Perfect way to put it. I had talked with the school other three times. I had a meeting to set up to get the paperwork done to start instruction with him.
The third time I chatted with him, I mentioned I am instructing with another school. He didn’t seem bothered.
Mind you, both him and the current school run their instructors as independent contractors.
An hour before our scheduled meeting, I let him know I will be there early, if he is available. He calls me. Tells me he doesn’t allow his contractors to work for other schools.
He clearly doesn’t understand how contracting works, but also won’t run his instructors under a W2 to avoid those costs. Oh, and he pays $15/hour less than I make at the other school. I honestly dodged a bullet by not working for him.
Aviation, at least at the school level, is wildly unprofessional. Curious to see how things go as I move up into companies under more regulations.
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Where do you hope to land ultimately? (So to speak, lol.)
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Appreciate the support!
It was awesome. My hubby has never been one to not be brutally honest, so when he notices… it’s a big achievement.
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Ha! Puns are always encouraged here.
I would like to do aerial fire fighting. Dropping retardant and smoke jumpers, etc. EMS is also high on the list.
I want to actually fly, not fly-by-buttons in the sky busses.
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Badass
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It really is!
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