193.5-194 this morning. Feeling soft. I have been at the high end of Maintenence for a few weeks now. I’m feeling the need to get a more concrete plan put down on actual paper, as I am going on “instincts” that aren’t exactly honed from real experience. I also reintroduced the occasional glass of red wine with dinner. Just one, no more. I keep reading that it’s good for overall health (resveratrol, blood sugar, cardiovascular, etc). I’m not sure what my “master-plan” consists-of at this point… Light-bulk phase until mid January, then cut the fluff off? This tighter-pants thing has me frightened, so I feel like if I had a concrete plan, it would assist my sense of well-being. Had a 3 day break from lifting, glad to get back on the iron-train today.
Tweaked my lower back/hips, again, today. This time it felt more concentrated on the opposite side of the previous tweak. This time I did it on box-squats. Felt the pinch right as I sat down. I finished a set of 8x215. Tweak was on the first rep. It’ll get your attention and demand good form for the rest of the set! I spent about 15-20 mins foam rolling and sitting on a wood ball immediately after. Not sure if it is simply less severe, or the rehab, but it Feels better than last time. I’m gonna take/put up some form check vids and see if I can’t nail down my technique issues. I’m self taught and a rookie… Hopefully I don’t get flamed too hard!
Diet today was tight because I was at work all day… SO much easier to regulate my intake when I have a limited supply of food on-hand. The previous 4 days were spent “staycationing” at home with a stocked pantry… Which for me means constant temptation, the likes of mixed nuts, protein bars, dark chocolate, halo top, and more nuts.
My protein intake has crept up lately, I think because I feel less guilty about overeating protein more than F or C… Today I hit 285 (so far… I’m staring at a new tub of casein trying to convince myself that I could use the cals as fat or carbs instead).
Also: I may reintroduce the mid-sleep shake to the routine since I am in the bulk phase. I cut them out earlier this year while leaning out… Same with lecithin and mk677.
Great transformation in the last few months, solid work. Just read through your log, nice to see some familiar places too.
Have you hiked S. Sisters yet?
Thanks!! I’m hoping to put on some mass in the next few months, with an occasional leaning-out to keep me in the 32".
Are you from OR originally?
I have not done the sisters yet… Possibly a ski tour this year if I can convince the missus. I’m headed to the wallowas for five days guided-hut-skiing in February, so I may have used all my capital this winter 
btw your rooster situation is quite funny. I’ve got a great recipe for Coq a vin, should you ever need it 
Ya, I grew up down the road from Nike and went to Beaverton HS.
That sounds like a blast. It’s beautiful out there.
Not if I want to stay married. Haha. They’re family now. We may or may not have a picture of one of them on our wall. Wife is obsessed.
Rolling out with croquet balls! Severe!
After 2+weeks at 192-193 (even venturing into 194 territory), I have had 3 days at 190-191. Diet has been clean, but consistently bigger; I’ve been consuming much closer to 3000 daily. Feels like I shed a bunch of water wieght because I look considerably leaner/tighter than I did at 194. Carbs have been up daily as well; 200-250g daily for the past 4-5 days. Instead of a refeed every 5-7 days, I’m doing a carb-starve every 5-7 days. Also I started consuming 1-2 protein shakes/day. I have a ton of various proteins that need to get used up before they expire (perk from work!). I added a nightly casein shake before bed; a morning isolate shake before training; and an MRP in the afternoon.
Training didn’t happen for the past 2 days as my partner was unable to make it. I did a 2 mile hike with the little one on my back yesterday. Partner arrives in 10 mins to train today; I’m feeling fresh.
Damnit. My partner just informed me that he has a sore throat and will not be training, again, today. Solo. Motivation. Lacking.
What are we waiting for?
I’ve been losing weight for the past few days… 190 yesterday, 188.5 today. This is in spite of increasing calories to 2850-3000. I was VERY excited about my reverse-diet AND MY NEW-found ability to consume 3000 calories and lose weight…until I audited my calorie-tracker. I found that, once again, lance Armstrong and his team have attempted to pull a fast-one on me. For the past 3 days, my siggi’s calories per serving had doubled, from 140 to 280. Then yesterday they had quadrupled to 560/serving. When I adjusted my intake for the week to reflect my actual calorie intake/siggis calorie content, I found that I have been steady around 2750. Yesterday I was at 2650, netting a 1.5lb loss.
Finally made it to the garage to train again. My partner has bailed for the foreseeable future, due to someone at his office being involved in an auto-accident, requiring my partner to shift schedules to an earlier-start. Bummer all-around. I took the opportunity to “deload.” I’ve also shifted diet back to high-carb (250g/day) and I think I can finally say, confidently, that my newly-lean-self can handle the daily barrage of carbs (albeit they are slow-digesting/low-Gi). I’ve been hovering around 190-191, and although my love-handles are a bit softer, I’m happy with my current composition.
This morning, 190.5:
Every-morning’s breakfast:
Dippy eggs with sauerkraut, lentils, spinach, and insanity sauce.
T-Ransformation pics:
196-7 lbs, Jan 1 2018.
I plan to eat at a surplus until late February, then slowly start a defecit to peak in June.
Got a road-bike this week and rode it yesterday for a fast 4 miles. It’s my first time on a bike in 10+ years. It was a ton of fun, and I plan to ride regularly. According to my Fitbit, I hit 4600 kcals burned yesterday; I average 2600.
Woke up at 193 this morning, but tighter and on a positive trajectory. I’ve been hovering around 191 for the past couple of weeks.
HYUGE CHANGES ahead! I sold my business of 8 years on Friday. We are under contract to buy a second-home in FL about a mile from my parents. We plan to move in May. Although we love the PacNW, family is sorely-missed. We plan to do short-term rentals with the NW house, and come back periodically to tend-to my other business. My dad has an electrical-contracting company, and I will be working for him. Not the first time with dad as the boss, but it’ll be the first time that I have a responsible head in my shoulders when working for him; previously I was just going through the motions (college and high-school).
I’ll be giving up year-round skiing and mountaineering for Spearfishing and year-round cycling. I grew up in Florida, and hated-it once I got to be about 16. It’s crazy to go full-circle and want to take my kids there, but now I completely understand why my parents chose to raise us there. We want my little ones to attend a good school, and the schools in Oregon leave… A bit to be desired…
So the countdown begins; a few months to get life and belongings organized; pack the POD, and get in as much time in the snow as possible. I really like a flip-flop tan, and I’ll get accustomed to having one again.
I’m off to work out, solo, again. My partner has bailed on me since Christmas. I got a text yesterday saying he would start again this week; not holding my breath. I am able to motivate myself to show up, but I lack the motivation to push myself to failure. either I like the friendly competition, or I like the safety of a spotter. Either way, I lift more when there are others around to watch.
Ouch.
Things have changed since your time in W PDX… Have you seen the sheer #'s of “teacher-work days?” My business was located adjacent to a high school; I couldn’t comprehend the number of days that the kids had off. It seemed like every week thier parking lot was empty on a midweek-morning.
Don’t get me wrong: these-days, it’s an awesome place to be a teacher… Students, on the other hand, no-so-much.
State school rankings:
TLDR: Florida =21, Oregon 44. Best being 1. Worst being 50.
In Oregon we do nearly top the spending per pupil category, but our graduation rate is one of the worst in the nation.
Yea, I know how bad they are. 44 is better than last year, I believe. Haha I work in education, kinda sorta. I meet with Superintendent’s weekly and they say mostly the same thing.
I could be wrong, but I believe the methodology used to come up with graduation rate isn’t an apples to apples with the rest of the country. In other words, we calculate that rate using more stringent criteria than others. IIRC, it’s how we factor GEDs as not graduation. I may be off through. I work in educational Construction not educational education. Haha
Right on. I’ll be getting back into the trades myself; I’m obtaining my electrical license and working in residential new-construction. (Of which there is quite a bit in FL!)
Rode the bike yesterday for 4 miles at a fast pace. Then went to the park with the kids and did 2 sets of monkey rings and jogged a bit. My Bulk continues gradually; I’m eating around 3000 kcals daily. 235P/85F/300C. Current morning weight is 193. Looking and feeling much tighter than the last time I was at 193 (end of November and right around xmas).