Today’s nutrition tangram (lunch!):
This is the second of 2 batches of peppers I butchered and am freezing for use in future-cooking endevours. I paid 37.50 for 15lbs of organic peppers at the market. I would guess it was about 75 total. They cost $3ea at the local grocer. Should be about 5 gallons of chopped peppers, for sautéing in breakfast scrambles, raw on salads, and cooked for shakshuka.
Great day of cardio today!
If you don’t like cardio: you picked the wrong sport!
Happy Friday, t-nation!
Woke up at 187.5 today. Felt solid. Yesterday I was flaaat. Had no problems on the hill, heart rate stayed under 120 for over 3 hours of climbing/skiing.
Today:
I’ve been skipping my prebed protein shake for the past few days. I replaced it with 30g cashew butter, 15g soy lecithin, 40g rolled oats, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. I don’t think my body is missing the protein, and its loving the other macros that the 2 scoops have been replaced with.
Also bittersweet about waking up to this giant crash:
Awesome job in here man, been crushing it!
Looking very tight and it does feel great to hit strength PRs regardless of the number. Keep it up!
I’m glad the car is mostly OK, and nobody got crushed! Fallen wood pile is a Learning Experience. Cross Hatch the ends of your wood pile for stability.
Be creative in stacking.
188 this morning. Wasn’t able to make the show last night due to familial obligations, but now I have the bug to see a b-building show, so it’s just a matter of time. Got the wood re-stacked; thanks for the suggestion flatsfarmer! I wish I had the time to make something cool like that owl.
Quick shot of dinner tonight:
190 this morning. Had 3 enchiladas last night (low carb tortillas, 1.5 servings of cheddar, homemade roasted-tomatillo salsa verde). Decent training session this AM, fueled by 2 kodiak waffles. I accidentally added .15 ounces more water, and the waffles were more like pancake consistency instead of crispy… Boooo!
Aiming for a “low” day today @ 2450 or less. Carbs at less than 125g. I’m trying to keep protein kcals at approx %35, as I think my body responds better to the other macros. Ideal low day for me is 55F/35P/10C. I do think that my mood sucks all afternoon on low carbs, so I may try some exogenous ketones I have lying around. Though I’m concerned that they will take the place of fat burning. Never tried them so I don’t know.
I haven’t really reverse dieted yet; my plan was to hit 2750 daily, but I can’t bring myself to say goodbye to my ab veins. Plan is to stay at 2450 with a high day up to 2750 every 4 days or so. Giant refeeds happen on snow-days… Last one was 3700.
It looks like I will get another day in deep snow on Friday, so I am excited for some more solid cardio.
Quick shot of my new favorite condiment:
190 this morning, pre-BM and wearing more clothes than usual cause it’s getting coooold. Looking a little loose in the abs, but I’m still pleased overall. Love handles have stayed away and I’ve almost got the lower back I’m looking for.
I hit the PR that I predicted a few posts back. Deadlift 255x3. I know I could have gone higher weight. I’m thinking 275x3 is in the bag. 300 won’t be far. My 225x4 set was solid; felt a great connection through my legs… It felt like a leg press. 255 lift was slower, and I felt I was using my back more. Super stoked to hit that today. My diet has been strict, I’ve still been at 2550 avg, despite my earlier rant about going higher. I have stuck to reducing carbs; I’m at or near 100g/day most days. Refeed, and mountain day(?) is tomorrow.
Yesterday worked out to be a low day, despite the deadlift session in the am. I was relatively sedentary at work, so I kept kcals lower. 2400 for the day;
I woke up to less than forecasted; 4" overnight on top of a death crust of solid-frozen rain saturated base. It’s accumulating today, but my parents are coming to town tonight and I don’t think I will be able to sneak away to enjoy it. Oh well, it’s only October, right?
I am going to try to really enjoy the mountain amenities this year, because I don’t know how much longer I will have it so close. The wifey and I are contemplating a huge change on a short timetable. Work, home, climate… Everything will be different. I am having an internal-existential-debate every waking moment of my life right now… Do I stay and climb mountains (for me), or do I make 4 other’s lives immeasurably better by making a major move? My brain tells me that I should improve the situation of others. My wisdom tells me that if I do that, I will have more rewards than I would if I stay for myself. But leaving will require giving up a core piece of my current identity. It’s a no-brainer until I look at the unused, “backup” ski boots sitting in the garage; the coil of glacier rope; the ice tools. They represent all the things that I told myself I wanted out of life. Now because of my kids, I am finding that I need something else. Abandoning a previous-sense of self is something that I have done countless times; as a prior user of every substance you can imagine (and some you can’t!); as a former fat-boy; as a photographer-turned-private-chef-turned-entrepreneur; as an avowed-bachelor-turned-husband-turned-father. But a piece of me still worries. It’s a big move. I hope it’s the right one.
Happy Friday T-nation; let’s make it a great one.
You aren’t the only one with these thoughts! My wife and I are constantly changing our life goals and can’t seem to settle on one.
As much as it seems difficult and stressful to make these big jumps/changes in life, I try and remember that these really are, as they say, ‘first world problems’. It seems you’re blessed with family and health so it’s just a matter of making happiness with whatever/wherever you decide to settle next!
Big moves terrify me, in a good way, by pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Good luck!
Woke today at 187 and tight. Little flat, but to be expected after 4 days at less than 125gC.
Lunch tangram for today:
today is a refeed. I’m aiming for 300gC and around 2750kcals. Making pasta and ciabatta with broiled cheese topping (aged garlic cheddar!) for dinner tonight.
188 and full muscles this morning! (Up 1lb after a refeed yesterday.)
Legs are sore after yesterday’s squat session.
Today I did incline BB bench, flat DB bench, seated military BB press, and tri-rope pushdowns. I was barely able to lift my arms over my head at the end. Great session. Gonna keep hammering the chest and delts to try and catch them up. Someday I will get a pic of my legs up and prove to everyone that they exist.
Back to low carbs today. Cheese and mixed nuts!!
190 this morning. Sore everywhere. I’ve found that if I am sore, my wieght is higher (inflammation?). I’ll probably see a significant drop in the next day or two.
Deadlifts this morning and I hit another PR: 265x3. Plenty left in the tank, they weren’t even slow. My right knee felt a little funny, so I bailed on trying for higher. I’ll get 300 by New Years no problem.
Couple back shots to prove that it’s not just about dem abz:
Looking very strong and lean, keep it rollin’!
After a nice weekend away from my normal routine I hit the ground running this morning. New PR: deadlifted 2x3x275. Feel like I’m on track for 300. Happy Monday, everybody!
Up to 192 this morning. I know, I know: last night was Halloween… But I only split a mini-bag of peanut m&ms with the wifey (so… 5 pieces?), so I’m not sure what’s up, other than my wieght! I think stress is high right now due to a big life-change on the horizon. Everything feels more “edgy” and I’m adding chub to my love handles… Damnit. Instead of fighting this too much, I think it is my cue to go slight surplus. So as of today, I will aim for 4 days/wk @ 2950, and 3 days/wk as “low days” at or around 2550. Do this for 2 weeks and see how things look.
Training partner just arrived, so time to work!
Happy November, everybody!
