Doug's Head is Spinning!

CAUTION

LONG intro, but I want to be as thorough as possible, right out of the gate!

Doug Zdanivsky
34 years old, 6’3", 218 lbs
Body fat: 23%

Waist: 41 Upper Chest: 44.75 Ribs: 41.75 Hips: 44.0 Thigh: 25.0 Calf: 16.0

BMR 2220 (Harris Benedict Equation) x activity level (1.4) =

3100 cals per day for maintenance

I have been doing the Starting Strength program (3 days a week) since Sept, and have seen good improvements in strength…

My Routine (at bottom of post)

Now I want to bring my body fat index down to at least 18% before I start trying to eat for mass again…

SO I read this E-book called “Fat Loss Trouble Shooter” by Leigh Peele, and as a result bought a digital scale, and started weighing every morsel so that I would end up eating at a 500 cal deficit (2600), eating relatively clean (see 3 day meal plan at bottom)…

I started really paying attention to good pre and post WO nutrition, and make sure I get my 51g of carbs and protein in before and after…

So… after 3 weeks or so I’m down to 218lbs from 230…

Oh, I also started drinking more water… Approx 4L a day… Pissing like a race horse, now! :frowning:

I wanted to try and do some medium intensity cardio on my off days (3 mile 6mph runs), but I felt lousy, like I was OTing, so I quit and just am doing brisk walks, same distance…

NOW I read this book called “The New Rules of Lifting” by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove, and I’m wondering if I should indeed start eating at maintenence at least (especially after reading the article on G-Flux), and ditch the Starting Strength program for the fat loss and hypertrophy programs in this book…

I’ve also ordered “Maximum Strength” by Eric Cressey.

What do you guys (and gals) think???

I hurt my lower back doing squats a week ago (not concentrating… Abs not tight enough, shoulders and back not arched enough), so it’s feeling better now, and I’m looking to get back in the swing, once I do some physio-type strengthening of my lower back (now that I can put on my own socks again LOL).

I don’t feel TOO bad about having to take the week off, as I haven’t been more than 2 days away from the gym since Sept…

Anyhoo, if you made it this far, thanks for reading, and I look forward to any comments you could add!!!

Sample 3 day’s meal plan:

75ml 1% milk
50g rolled oats
180g 2% cottage cheese
14g walnuts
4g dark brown sugar

100g spinach
300g canned mandarin oranges
30g Helmann’s half-fat mayo
75g 1% yogurt
230g canned albacore tuna
14g walnuts

350g extra lean ground beef
21g taco mix
200g green pepper
100ml salsa
2 whole wheat tortillas (122g)

200g cottage cheese
14g walnuts

Cals 2538 Protein: 238g F 36% C 26% P 39%

70ml mango puree (supposed to be unsweetened apple sauce, but…)
120g frozen blueberries
120ml water
120ml 1% milk
15g flax seeds
140g 1% yogurt
30g whey powder

250g 2% cottage cheese
75g 1% milk
50g oats
14g walnuts
4g brown sugar

200g 2% cottage cheese
100g grapes
14g walnuts

300g extra lean ground beef
2 tortillas (whole wheat, 122g)
30ml salsa
200g green pepper

18g peanut butter
200g celery

100g cottage cheese

Cals 2539 Protein: 210g F 33% C 34% P 34%

500g 1% yogurt
12g fructose
90g frozen strawberries
30g whey
15g walnuts

75ml 1% milk
50g rolled oats
180g 2% cottage cheese
14g walnuts
4g dark brown sugar

150g sweet potatoes
124g albacore tuna (canned)
50g salsa

300g chicken breast
18g olive oil
10g butter
100g asparagus
200g sweet potatoes

2431 cals . Protein: 230g . F 35% C 41% P 39%

Former Workout Routine (before I hurt my back a week ago):

*** A ***

10 min w/u run.

SQUAT

bar x 5
135 x 8
185 x 1
215 x 1
235 x 1
245 x 5 x 3 sets

BENCH

bar x 5
135 x 8
155 x 3
175 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 5 x 3 sets

CHIN UPS

10lbs x5x5x4x4x3

FRONT AND SIDE PLANKS

1min, 30, 30…

CRUNCHES

15x3

*** B ***

DEADLIFTS

135x7x4

Trying to get my form down before I go any heavier… Thoughts?

My cues are taken from the deadlift form article on T-Nation, and from the Starting Strength book…

SPLIT SQUATS

NWx5x1
40x5x1
60x5x1
80x3x1
90x2x1
100x2x1
130x5x3

BOSU PUSH UPS

10x5

FACE PULLS

"12"x10x3

*** C ***

SQUATS

bar x 5
135 x 8
185 x 1
215 x 1
235 x 1
245 x 5 x 3 sets

MILITARY PRESS

BARx5x1
65x4x1
85x2x1
105x1x1
135x5x3

SINGLE ARM ROWS

40x5x1
60x3x1
80x1x1
100x5x3


Hmmm…

Why isn’t any of that Photobucket video of the deadlift working?

I’ll try a direct link…

I also tried attaching an image and a video at the bottom where it says “attach image, video” but nothing happens…

Edit

Seem to be working now (except for the image and vid I tried to attach)… H

Huh…