ZM Strong like Bull training log (Tactical Barbell training log)

Training Training Logs
1166

Yesterday’s Total: trash. I didn’t get enough because apparently my brain didn’t math right. Or I’m forgetting something.
3307 Kcal, 146g fat, 282g carbs, 204g protein

December 20th 2025: W4D6

Need to get my crocheting done. 1/8 squares completed, and then I will have to make 4 keychains, and then 1 or 2 hats… so much to do. I will listen to some music.

Breakfast
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup granola
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup milk
----Total: 739 Kcal, 44g fat, 49g carbs, 38g protein

Lunch
2 cookies (its christmas)
2 slices of pizza (leftovers)
1 apple (healthy)
----Total: 701 Kcal, 27g fat, 84g carbs, 24g protein

Need 1460 kcal and 151g protein… ugh today’s eating will suck. I hope were having meat for dinner.

1167

Dec 21 2025: W4D7 Rest/Measurement day

Didn’t get my protein in or my calories in yesterday… Il be aiming for about 250g protein today to make up for some of it.

Today is measurement day.
Waist 33"
Chest 41.25"
Bicep 14" (down 1/4 inch… maybe because I didn’t eat as much as I should have yesterday)
Thigh 23.75"
Glute 37"

Weight: 168.5lbs

Mostly the same or down a bit. Im not worried though. Its not going to be constant growth the whole way through this. Nor is it going to go fast. I still have 8 weeks left of Mass, and then I have Specificity for 3 weeks.

Have to do lots of work today still. I didn’t reach my quota of 8 squares 4 keychains and 2 hats, I only got the squares and 2 keychains done. But the keychains aren’t too draining to do (they are unique and not repetitive), and the hats should be easy enough.

Time to eat

1168

Breakfast:
2 eggs
1 tsp butter
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tbsp honey
----Total: 436 Kcal, 19g fat, 39g carbs, 22g protein

I went light this morning. I just am not in the mood to eat, or rather I feel the need to not eat, since I need to get my work done.

Time to get my stuff ready to do my crocheting. I need 13 more squares and I will be finished with making them. I don’t have enough yarn for that I think. Oh well.

1169

Today was okay. I made three more squares, then I decided I should work on the other projects since Im not going to have enough to finish the blanket, and that’s going to be postponed until I get my yarn.

I did 2 more keychains, a heart and a shamrock, to add to the other 2, a Christmas tree and a snowman head. 4 down, 8 to go. I started on a hat also. That’s definitely a more boring project. Slower than anticipated, but, I gotta make it nice.

Since the blanket won’t be done, Il probably get a box and put a piece of paper that says “The 6 foot by 7 foot blanket”. Or better yet, make a fabric rectangle that 6 inches by 7 inches. Also, I swear I’m not making a 6-7 joke. I hate that stupid thing. Its so annoying. I hate it because I’ve started laughing when people say it. Its so stupid.

Food
Snack:
2 cookies
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (this is more agreeable to me, I think I will have this from now on)
1\2 cup protein granola
5 raspberries
a bit of honey
----Total: 666 Kcal, 23g fat, 76g carbs, 39g protein

Lunch
Some ham,
some cheese,
and some more cheese
----Total: 252 Kcal, 17g fat, 2g carbs, 23g protein

Snack
1 can chicken
1\4 cup oats
1 pack olives
2 slices muenster cheese
----Total: 513 Kcal, 22g fat, 18g carbs, 57g protein

Dinner: Uhhhhh
2 hot dogs
2 rolls
1\2 cup noodle
1\4 cup beans
5 eggs
2 tsp butter
3\4 cup cottage cheese
1\2 cup protein granola
3 strawberries
1 cup milk
3 cookies
----Total: 1898 Kcal, 93g fat, 161g carbs, 96g protein

Days total: Uhhhh… im a fatass, lol.
3765 Kcal, 173g fat, 296g carbs, 237g protein

Well I made up for yesterdays calories… and then some, and then some more.

Hey, I found out rolled oats are a really good source of manganese. I will start having that more often. Its grains, in general. This means I can bring one nutrient up to its recommended level. Vitamin C is easy, I just need to eat some more citrus and whatnot. If I eat some more leafy greens, citrus, and maybe some more almonds, that covers the rest of my “deficiencies”. This is good.

Well, time to go to bed. Tomorrow is another day, and I will have time to get stuff done. I need to make an Easter egg, a Flower, a Sun, a 4th of July themed pompom, A sunflower, Something for september, a pumpkin, and something for November. A turkey is obvious, but, I think I don’t have the right stuff for something so intricate and small. Will work on the hat also.

Gluten Abend.

1170

December 22nd 2025 - W5D1 Nothing today really.

Tomorrow will be my Bench/Squat/S1 workout. Im excited for that. I want to do something christmas themed. Christmas will be OHP/Deadlift/S2, so I definitely want to do something festive that day.

Need to work on the presents a lot today. I have today, tomorrow, and one final day to get it ALL done. Need to make 8 keychains and a hat or two. Maybe I can make something else also, just a decoration. Maybe like a moss garden! That would be cool mom would love it.

Breakfast
3 eggs
2 oz ham
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup oats
1 cup milk
2 strawberries
6 raspberries
2 pieces of toast
2 tsp butter
----Total: 972 Kcal, 40g fat, 85g carbs, 58g protein

Need 1928 Kcal and 156g protein

Better get to work with the crochet stuff.

1171

Yesterdays eating was absolute garbage! I got the lowest amount of protein I’ve gotten in MONTHS.

I couldn’t make any fish because mom was baking Christmas cookies, and I was doing a lot of crocheting which takes my mind off of it.

Yesterday’s Total: 2622 Kcal, 117g fat, 254g carbs, 124g protein. Absolute garbage.

I need to eat better, or at least more, today.

December 23 2025: W5D2 Bench/Squat/S1 day

Plenty to do today, I need to lift, and I have the science group today. Need to eat lots of food today to make up somewhat. Christmas Eve junk foods should do more than enough tomorrow though.

I have to make 4 more keychains, A sunflower, something for September maybe a book, a pumpkin, and something for November. Maybe a sweater keychain. These patterns I’m seeing are really cute. I think for September I will do an apple. Okay. Sunflower, apple, pumpkin, and sweater. I still need to make hats. The hat I made was too bigm but I ran out of yarn anyway so I can base my new one off of it, just smaller. Will use a bigger yarn skein.

Time for breakfast

1172

Food:
Breakfast:
3 eggs
2 slices toast w/ butter
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup protein granola
3 strawberries
6 raspberries
5 blackberries
1 cup milk
3 cookies
----Total: 1194 Kcal, 51g fat, 106g carbs, 71g protein

Lunch
1 itty bitty roll
1 slice muenster cheese
3 oz ground turkey
----Total: 326 Kcal, 22g fat, 5g carbs, 27g protein

Dinner
1.5 steak
5 oz rice a roni
2 oz steamed spinach
1/2 cup spaghetti
3 oz ground turkey
a bit of sauce
1 can tuna
1 cup milk
----Total: 1522 Kcal, 52g fat, 135g carbs, 123g protein

Days total: 3043 Kcal, 125g fat, 246g carbs, 222g protein

Todays workout was awful. I couldnt do squats or kettlebell swings because my back was unhappy with me. Its not a muscle soreness, I don’t think, I mean as in a “I trained this really good and its sore”, its not that. Its either like a strain or a nonmusclular injury. It hurt when I arch my back (like if you want good posture, but you kept going and going until your back is in line with your toes, sort of). I think its from crocheting, I haven’t had the best posture, and I normally don’t sit with bad posture, its normally pretty good.
To supplement (poorly) I did some plate loaded hack squat. That was pretty neat, never used that machine before. Worked my legs good I think, definitely my quads. Didn’t do anything super serious with it, just a few whoopdidoo sets.

Other than that, the workout went well. Got all my reps (except in the last 2 sets of pullups, obviously).

Bench
95 x 7
115 x 5
135 x 3
155 x 6
155 x 6
155 x 6
155 x 6
155 x 6

Pullups
7
7
4+1/2
4+1/2

Tricep extension
55 x 10
55 x 10
55 x 10
55 x 10

Tomorrow Il be seeing my Grandparents (moms side).
I can’t believe its been a year since Grandma died already (she died the 24th last year). Il see Pop-pop’s grave too. Can’t believe its going to be 9 years on the 11th next month.

Just spent half an hour looking at stuff from fifth grade. 5 years ago, and its clear some people haven’t changed, and the one girl DANG she had a GLOW UP! I knew what she looked like back then she was kinda piggy looking and now she looks completely different if I remember correctly. Or maybe that piggy looking girl was someone else, i don’t know

Anyways time for bed. Tomorrow I need to finish a keychain, make 2 more, and make a hat. so little time…

My science thing was good today. Had good conversation, both academic and nonacademic. It was great.

Time for bed.

1173

December 24th W5D3 Christmas eve

Lots of crocheting to do today. I HAVE to get everything done today. Im almost done with the apple keychain, the I just need to make a pumpkin (or a ghost maybe), and a mini sweater. Then I just need to make something for dad. I might have time for a hat but I’m not sure. Maybe I can use a thicker yarn. A nice warm hat. Il double up with the yarn or something.

Gotta get moving with my day.

1174

Woohoo!

I got all of my gifts made. 12 keychains, a good hat, and a placeholder for the blanket ( a 6 inch by 7 inch piece of cardboard in a box). I have them wrapped all… okay. Im not super great at wrapping, and the first half of them was before i remembered the method. I couldn’t figure it out, then all of a sudden I just did it the way I did it before. Automatically. So that was cool.

I have nothing else to do this year. Not going to do anything except stuff I want to do. I will probably practice my clarinet, and do a bunch of nothing. Im excited to see what I get. Its not that important though, the Christmas time itself is great. I can’t wait to see how Mom and Dad like their gifts.

Thinking about it, if I hadn’t stopped trying to make the blanket, I probably would not have been able to finish everything on time. So in a way, its good I don’t have everything I need to for the blanket.

Today’s eating was interesting. I got enough calories but not enough protein, I ate plenty of real food though. Well, and lots of cookies

Time for bed its getting late. Im watching “A Christmas story” and its almost over

1175

Merry Christmas everyone!

December 25th 2025 W5D4 Hohohoverhead press, dead-thehallswithbowsofholl-lifts, and S2 (San-dip-clauses, christmas curls, and falalalalunges)

My back still is bugging me. Hopefully I can do the exercises. BB curls Im sure I can do, and dips, and probably lunges, not sure about the actual main lifts though.

Lots of presents, its very pretty. Time for breakfast. Im no longer full and bloated from food last night. Today I need to get my protein in. Good thing there is 4 different types of meat to choose from in a fridge, ham, beef bbq, duck, and ground turkey. And eggs, cottage cheese, and greek yogurt. No excuse not to get protein in today!

If I get anything from christmas, its fat. But Il be fine, I just need to watch the cookies and eclair pudding and candy and chocolates. And chex mix, chips, and all the other goodies.

1176

Nope. My brother says he is feeling sick, so no gym today. So… I don’t know what to do. Ideas?

Christmas presents were great. I got pretty much everything I wanted. A big water bottle, bike tires, a calculator (from my uncle), and even stuff I needed but didn’t ask for, like a HELMET! FINALLY! I have pogo sticks I loved to use, but once I fell off and hit my head on the sidewalk (or maybe it was on the ground, I forget). I had my helmet on thankfully, but I still got rocked. This was a few years ago, and after maybe 6 months to a year of being reluctant to use it again (the reason I fell is because it was a bit wet out, so the stick slipped), I tried to put my helmet on. My head was too big, and I wasn’t able to use them again. Its been a few years, but now I have one. Finally.

I didn’t get pocket watch batteries, but that’s fine because that’s not really important.

I got a quill and ink set, which I wanted. I got some nice clothes, new soft gloves, a matress top thing I forget what it is exactly, and a few other things as well.

I got a bunch of scratcher tickets, and I won 35 bucks, and including the 10 i got in cash I got 45 dollars this christmas

Everyone liked their stuff they got. Mom had the most presents out of us all (because she had 12 from me, each having one keychain. So it got a little awkward at the end when I was just handing her the rest of the gifts. It was fun though, each box had the month the keychain went to.

All in all, great day so far.

I think Im going to get back into coin collecting. I fell off of it for a while, but when I went over to my aunt/uncle/grandma’s house when she was alive, we were talking about coins and silver and stuff. I heard silver is getting pretty expensive, so I plan on getting some rolls of half dollars and looking for some silvers. It should give me something to do. I have plenty of money saved up, and this will be a pretty cheap thing, since all I have to do is take back the stuff I didn’t take. I can do this with other coins too.

Ate some good food, along with some crap. Im starting to look more like santa, haha. Its not too bad though, ive been fatter. Im not even fat really just a little more tubby in the midsection. I will be able to cut back a little in the spring and summer, so that will be nice.

Currently tracking my food for the day, will update in a few minutes.

Breakfast
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp butter
2 oz ham
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
----Total: 440 Kcal, 26g fat, 21g carbs, 28g protein

Lunch
1.5 oz ground turkey
2oz duck
1 oz ham
1 oz ground beef
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup candied sweet potatoes
5 cookies
1 piece eclair pudding
----Total: 1259 Kcal, 62g fat, 120g carbs, 53g protein

Need 1201 Kcal and 132g protein

They don’t want me to eat all the meat, so that’s a bummer. I need to eat atleast a pound or two of meat per day to be satisfied with eating, truly. That’s how I feel

Idea for a meal: The zoo
1/4 pound steak
1/4 pound chicken
1/4 pound pig (your choice of cut)
1/4 pound of duck
1/4 pound of fish
1/4 pound of lamb
1/4 pound of meat 1 (your choice)
1/4 pound of meat 2 (your choice)
All served with a tall glass of milk, and a stick of melted butter, if you wish to dip the meat into it.
Throw in a few potatoes I guess, too.
That’s my idea of a good meal. Lots of meat.

1177

Since I cant go to the gym, Il probably just do a few sets of… I don’t know. The only exercise I can do as planned would be dips (which is not even a main exercise), I only have one dumbbell that goes to a measly 25 lbs. I can do pike pushups, but not sure about deadlift. I need a hinge. I don’t know what to do for a workout.

Having free time is awesome. No responsibilities for the next 6 days, all free time. I don’t know what I want to do, really. I think tomorrow I might soak and stretch the deer hide, depending on the weather.

Forecast is calling for nasty weather, so Il wait until Monday.

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1178

Dinner was good.

Days total: 3459 Kcal, 158g fat, 273g carbs, 225g protein

1179

December 26th 2025 W5D5 ???

Not sure what to do today. I cleaned my room some. I could do some crafts, but Im not sure. I need to get off my fat lazy butt and do something.

I tried using my pogo stick again. Im too heavy… it bottoms out pretty easily. I am right about 170lbs though, and the last time I used it I was maybe 130-140. So it checks out. I have one I used to use, also. Its weight limit is 120. I cant remember the last time I weighed that little.

Im having second thoughts on this “bulk” to be honest. I think I’m just subconsciously worried what people think about me, since I’m gaining a significant amount of weight. I’ve been lean for most of my modern-self, that its almost a part of me in a way? I don’t know how to describe it, like, its a part of my self image. But Im losing my abs, and its just so weird. Im getting squishier in places I didn’t know would get fatter

But at the same time, I’m definitely looking more jacked! My chest/shoulders seem broader/bigger, and Im really happy about that. So I know I should keep going. I just need to cut back on the crappy food. Its not good for me. It does not benefit me in any way.

I need to remember. Fat is not an enemy. But I need to remember, fat is NOT a goal. For some reason, I keep feeling like its “good” to get fat. Its not “good” to get fat. Its simply a process that happens due to the overconsumption of food.

My back has been hurting still, which sucks. This week, workout wise, sucks. Im probably not gonna be able to go to the gym tomorrow, and even if I can, I wont be able to squat or do kettlebell swings. If I have to stay home, Il probably do a pushup and pullups challenge, with maybe something else for legs. Ideas??

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1180

Just some thoughts for you from an old man.

It’s your life and you are getting to an age that you may want to consider what is important to you rather than what is important to others. There is no “event” that indicates you are now responsible for your life and it can be difficult to take control of your life when you rely on others for education, food, and shelter. At some point, you can choose what is important to you rather than what is important to others, and it is helpful to know who you are when making those decisions.

As far as the fitness regimen, be clear about your goals. For example - strength, aesthetics, athleticism, health. I think health should be first but it’s your call. Then whatever is next. These goals can change, and they will. In this context, consider the process as the important part. In my instance, I have some health issues that would be helped by losing weight so that is my goal. In order to do that, I need to improve diet and increase steps - that is the process and I set goals specific to the process, not the goal. Kind of like reverse engineering.

Just ideas for your consideration. Enjoy the rest of your break - and Lord of the Flies, it’s a great novel.

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1181

  1. Yeah, I know I should. I just don’t know. (Whatever this phrase actually means, I also don’t know)

  2. Health is definitely a goal. Strength is very important too. I should be athletic too. I don’t care about having aesthetics, just as long as I’m strong, flexible, and able to run somewhat well/have good cardio, I’m okay. I want to be prepared for anything that comes my way. There’s another goal lingering in the back of my mind, and that’s to be Superman for Halloween in 2027, I would need to be shredded and have more muscle by then. But I don’t know if that’s a good use of time. I could be getting stronger.

One thing I know, however, is that I need to be a better Christian. I often say I am one, but I have never been baptised, nor have received communion, nor any of the holy sacraments. I’ve been inside a church at most maybe 5 or 6 times, but that’s it. I’ve tried emailing them many times, over the course of this year, yet I haven’t gotten a response. I think they just are either busy or my emails aren’t going through. My parents don’t like me going to church either, since they aren’t Christian.

I might consider restructuring my workout plan that I laid out for awhile. I don’t think I want to be Superman. Its a waste of time just to look good for a single day, when I could be training to just get stronger. Mass would be good too, its useful and I know it would be good to have functionally (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy for higher reps, 6-12 ish). I don’t want to get too big that it hinders my ability to run fast/ long distance (though I’m sure that won’t be a problem, since it isn’t easy nor fast to get super big.)

@T3hPwnisher what’s your take on this. I don’t think I really want to do Mass as much as I have programmed. I feel like, really, I don’t need it. But what I want/need is functionality. Mass without the dead weight. Operator is very useful for this, I just need to make sure I actually do the cardio workouts each week this time. I skipped a lot last time.

1182

I’m going to speak to you as a man here.

I feel you are trying to attribute to the program attributes that are due to the fork. Between general mass and specificity, you’re looking at 9 total weeks of training. 9 weeks isn’t enough time to LOSE progress on your physical attributes, but it IS enough time to make progress on other areas. It’s how/why periodization works. You shouldn’t be becoming less athletic or capable during this time: you should be maintaining those attributes built up during Operator.

Now, yes, you’re spot on: the conditioning is JUST as important during Operator as the lifting workouts are. I’d stop calling them cardio and start calling them conditioning, as that mental switch along will already reinforce the unskippable nature of them. Everyone skips cardio: only losers skip conditioning (not in the pejorative sense of the word: quite literally, the people that lose games lose because their conditioning sucks). But along with that, and again, I am saying this without judgement, simply from an objective standpoint: the nutrition NEEDS to support the goal.

It’s the holiday season. It’s a time of feasting. This is WHY I schedule my gaining blocks during this time: it’s absolutely perfect. However, when I eat this way, it’s by intention. Review your own nutrition and see how many times you write about eating something and then regretting that you did so. If your nutrition is by accident, with you bouncing off the bumpers like a pinball (apologies if that reference is dated), you will get the results that coincide with accidental approaches. When your nutrition is intentional and aligned with your training, you will get that outcome as well.

The key underlying lesson here is to act with intention in ALL aspects of this approach. If you are performing Operator, perform it with intention and do ALL of it. If you are performing Mass Protocol, grow well. In all cases, EAT like a champion.

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1183

Your right.

The only reason I’ve been gaining excessive fat is because of my poor diet choices. I need to cut down on the crap. I need to continue with mass as planned.

I need to also do the bit of conditioning that’s worked into Mass. I have only done a singular conditioning session these last 5 weeks, when I went on a short run. I need to get back on it. Even if I cant go out, I’m sure I can find something to do inside.

I think I have been using the “holidays” as an excuse to eat whatever and a bunch of crap. Its not. I can have some extra goodies once in a while, but it shouldn’t be everyday, and a bunch per day. I’ve had more than my fair share of cookies and sweets.

I am going to make a list, like I did before. It will include the foods that I WILL and I will ONLY eat. I will think about that as I file down my bike wheels to get the dings out, and put the inner tubes and tires on.

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1184

This is a sensitive subject. I am a retired teacher so I am sensitive to not offer indoctrination bur rather suggest critical thinking. For me, it’s about being a better person. Whether I believe in a certain dogma or not is not as important (to me) as being a good person. Again, this comes back to the process. Helping others and loving my neighbor as myself is easier to work on as a process than is “being a better Christian.”

There are a lot of positions and arguments around religion that primarily serve to divide us rather than uniting us.

Because of the difference in our ages I suggest you explore this subject and come to your own conclusions. Whatever you decide is the correct answer for you at this time in your life. That may change.

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1185

This is definitely a big part of it.

Use some of that Christmas money to get a jump rope. They’re incredible inexpensive and effective for indoor conditioning.

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