08/27/2018-09/02/2018 Summary:
Average daily calories consumed: 3,480
Average Weight: 213
Average Protein: 199g
Average Fat: 171g
Average Carbs: 312g
Thoughts:
I was dialed in for 6/7 of the days staying right around 2,800-3,000 calories. I went to the Minnesota State Fair and planned on eating terrible. In the end I had 7,300 calories with 600 carbs. That day threw off all of my averages.
In the end it didn’t mess with the average macros as much as I would have thought. Did I feel terrible about myself afterwards? Yes, but I don’t regret it. I’ve spent the last 10 months grinding macros and it was nice to say F-it. I am back on the wagon and hoping to slow my weight gain down to .5 lbs/wk. I am steadily gaining strength and my body composition seems to be growing favorably.
09/03/2018 Workout
Overhead Press
165 Lbs. (85%) x 1
135 Lbs. (70%) x 10
100 Lbs. (50%) x 18, 6, 4, 4
Dips
Bodyweight x 15, 9, 6. 30 total reps
Dumbbell Row
60 Lbs. dumbbells x 20, 16, 10. 46 total reps
Chin-ups
Bodyweight x 10, 5, 4, 4, 3
Seated Curls
30 Lbs. dumbbells x 18, 14, 12. 44 total reps.
09/05/2018 Workout
Squat
275 Lbs. (85%) x 1
225 Lbs. (70%) x 10
165 Lbs. (50%) x 20, 10, 5, 3
Stiff Legged Deadlift
275 Lbs. (85%) x 1
225 Lbs. (70%) x 10
165 Lbs. (50%) x 20, 10, 5
Split Squats
115 Lbs. x 8, 8, 6, 6
09/03/2018-09/09/2018 Summary:
Average daily calories consumed: 3,198
Average Weight: 214.5
Average Protein: 212g
Average Fat: 165g
Average Carbs: 240g
Reaction:
I felt pretty good this week. My average weight is showing that I gained a pound and a half, but that is skewed because of all the water I gained from my State Fair binge. My weight stayed two pounds heavier at the front half of the week, just today I was actually weighing in at 212.
It’s hard for me to look at these numbers statistically because of all the water I can retain. I am definitely gaining weight faster than I want to but I am content with stopping and cutting the moment I hit 230. I’m hoping the gain is slower and that will be towards the end of the year, but this is the first time I’ve tried bulking. I have plenty of fat on me still and am eager to cut again at 230.
09/10/2018 Workout
Bench Press
265 Lbs. (85%) x 1
225 Lbs. (70%) x 8
165 Lbs. (50%) x 17, 6, 3
Incline Bench Press
115 Lbs. x 17, 10, 10, 37 total reps.
Barbell Row
165 Lbs. x 8, 8
155 Lbs. x 11, 7
Lat Pulldowns (Overhand grip)
160 Lbs. x 16, 10, 7. 33 total reps
Bicep Curl
75 Lbs. x 20, 12, 9. 41 total reps
09/11/2018 Workout
Front Squats
225 Lbs. (85%) x 1
185 Lbs. (70%) x 8
135 Lbs. (50%) x 16, 10, 5, 3
Leg Press
290 Lbs. x 20, 16, 14. 50 total reps.
Walking Lunges
20# dumbbells, 5 sets of 20
09/15/2018 Workout
Overhead Press
175 Lbs. (85%) x 1
145 Lbs. (70%) x 7
105 Lbs. (50%) x 16, 6, 4
Dips
Bodyweight x 17, 8, 5. 30 total reps
Dumbbell Row
60 Lbs. dumbbells x 22, 16, 12. 50 total reps
Chin-ups
Bodyweight x 11, 6, 5, 4, 4
Seated Curls
30 Lbs. dumbbells x 22, 16, 12. 50 total reps.
I’ve been doing 60 hour work weeks the past couple of weeks. I did this workout at night vs. right away in the morning like I usually do. My energy was definitely lacking. I’m definitely having a hard time trying to juggle my health and my finances.
09/10/2018-09/16/2018 Summary:
Average daily calories consumed: 3,433
Average Weight: 215
Average Protein: 204g
Average Fat: 172g
Average Carbs: 285g
This week was another long work week and I tried to maintain as well as I could. Or as well as I was willing to I suppose.
09/18/2018 Workout
Squat
295 Lbs. (85%) x 1
245 Lbs. (70%) x 8
185 Lbs. (50%) x 16, 8, 4, 2
Stiff Legged Deadlift
295 Lbs. (85%) x 1
245 Lbs. (70%) x 10
185 Lbs. (50%) x 16, 8, 4, 2
Split Squats
115 Lbs. x 8, 8, 4, 4
My quad started getting really tight while doing the split squats again. I decided to not push it to prevent any injury for the last two sets. This is a recurring issue but I am thinking it is because I was pushing myself on the previous two lifts. I COULD have completed 8, but didn’t seem worth the risk.
CHANGE OF PACE
I have decided to start cutting again. With my initial 100 Lbs. weight loss, I felt like I looked too skinny at 202 pounds. I neglected my muscle the entire time that I was losing weight since November 2017. I definitely was still way too fat to start bulking, but I wanted to build muscle. I was also concerned with how screwed up my metabolism was from the weight loss because I was running 5 miles a week while taking in 2,000 calories. This was not a sustainable quantity. A bulk could help reset my metabolism.
Now that I am bulking, I definitely am not liking how much fat I am putting on. That is 100% my fault because my calories were higher than they should be. But I did start bulking before I should have. My body fat was maybe 15%. Now I would estimate it to be about 20%. I do think my metabolism has hopefully reset back to a normal level.
THE NEW PLAN
Starting 09/24/2018 I will be cutting. My weight will approximately be 215 Lbs. My goal will be to cut down to 180 while preserving as much muscle as possible. This will be a slow process, trying to take off 1 Lb. per week.
These are the macros I will be shooting for:
Total Calories: 2,500
Daily Protein: 220
Daily Carbs: 150
Daily Fat: 113
Calories will be adjusted on a week to week basis to maintain 1 Lb./week weight loss. Cardio will only be 2 mile walks every day I’m not working. Steady state cardio will not be started until the later part of the diet to further a deficit.
09/19/2018 Workout
Bench Press
265 Lbs. (85%) x 1
225 Lbs. (70%) x 10
165 Lbs. (50%) x 18, 7, 4
Incline Bench Press
115 Lbs. x 20, 12, 9, 41 total reps.
Barbell Row
165 Lbs. x 8, 8
155 Lbs. x 12, 10
Lat Pulldowns (Overhand grip)
160 Lbs. x 14, 10, 8. 32 total reps
Bicep Curl
75 Lbs. x 22, 14, 10. 46 total reps
09/23/2018 Workout
Front Squats
225 Lbs. (85%) x 1
185 Lbs. (70%) x 10
135 Lbs. (50%) x 18, 10, 5, 3
Leg Press
300 Lbs. x 22, 16, 12. 50 total reps.
Walking Lunges
27.5# dumbbells, 5 sets of 20
09/25/2018 Workout
Overhead Press
185 Lbs. (85%) x 1
155 Lbs. (70%) x 7
115 Lbs. (50%) x 14, 6, 4, 2
Dips
Bodyweight x 18, 10, 6. 34 total reps
Dumbbell Row
65 Lbs. dumbbells x 18, 14, 10. 42 total reps
Chin-ups
Bodyweight x 11, 6, 5, 5, 4
Seated Curls
35 Lbs. dumbbells x 16, 11, 10. 37 total reps.
My starting weight is going to be 230 for this next cut. Two things go into this:
1.) Change of scale. In the middle of my last weight loss adventure the gym I go to got a new scale. It read 6 pounds heavier and I had to consistently subtract 6 from the new scale every time I weighed. I figured now would be a good time to stop that so I can be exactly what the scale reads.
2.) I knew I was going to be dieting hard again so the last week of my “bulk” (I’m not entirely certain I can call it that, though I did get definitely stronger), so I dirty bulked this last week really bad. I ate whatever the F I wanted to because that’s what the old 300# me would do. I would plan a hardcore diet starting Monday, so Friday, Saturday, Sunday I would binge a sickening amount. So the scale at my gym read 6 pounds heavier than when I weighed two days ago. Water? most likely, but I’m still pissed off that I was reverting to my old destructive habits.
I may look different, but I still have a lot of work to do mentally.
09/26/2018 Workout
Squat
315 Lbs. (85%) x 1
255 Lbs. (70%) x 7
185 Lbs. (50%) x 20, 10, 5, 3
Stiff Legged Deadlift
295 Lbs. (85%) x 1
245 Lbs. (70%) x 12
185 Lbs. (50%) x 18, 9, 5, 3
Split Squats
115 Lbs. x 8, 8, 8, 8
09/30/2018 Workout
Bench Press
265 Lbs. (85%) x 1
225 Lbs. (70%) x 10
165 Lbs. (50%) x 18, 6, 4, 3
Incline Bench Press
115 Lbs. x 21, 11, 10, 42 total reps.
Barbell Row
165 Lbs. x 8, 8
155 Lbs. x 12, 10
Lat Pulldowns (Overhand grip)
160 Lbs. x 16, 10, 8. 34 total reps
Bicep Curl
75 Lbs. x 24, 15, 11. 50 total reps
09/24/2018-09/30/2018 Summary:
Average daily calories consumed: 2,663
Average Weight: 226 (-4 Lbs.)
Average Protein: 203g
Average Fat: 140g
Average Carbs: 162g
The first week back to losing weight went pretty well. I jumped back into the swing of things and I felt great. The majority of my weight loss is water but my constant bloat that I had is now gone. I’m excited to try and get my body down to that beloved 10%. Assuming I will need to get down to 180-190 to get there.
10/01/2018 Workout
Front Squats
225 Lbs. (85%) x 1
185 Lbs. (70%) x 10
135 Lbs. (50%) x 20, 10, 5, 3
Leg Press
310 Lbs. x 20, 16, 14. 50 total reps.
Walking Lunges
30# dumbbells, 5 sets of 20
10/03/2018 Workout
Overhead Press
185 Lbs. (85%) x 1
155 Lbs. (70%) x 7
115 Lbs. (50%) x 15, 5, 3, 2
Dips
Bodyweight x 18, 10, 6. 34 total reps
Dumbbell Row
65 Lbs. dumbbells x 20, 14, 8. 42 total reps
Chin-ups
Bodyweight x 10, 5, 4, 4, 3
Seated Curls
35 Lbs. dumbbells x 16, 11, 10. 37 total reps.
I’m already starting to stall on my progress. Now that I am trying to get in a caloric deficit I just don’t have the extra push that I had before. I’ve never noticed a big difference between energy in a surplus or deficit, but I also never have trained with this much intensity before either. As long as I am getting 200g protein every day and I keep training hard, I am not going to concern myself too much with it.
10/01/2018-10/07/2018 Summary:
Average daily calories consumed: 2,929
Average Weight: 226 (-4 Lbs.)
Average Protein: 213g
Average Fat: 140g
Average Carbs: 205g
I had a bad week in regards to my nutrition. It was my son’s 6th birthday party and lets just say cake got the best of me. There were a couple of other days that I wasn’t very proud of. The scale reflects that. I’m not going to beat myself up over it. Just going to get back on the wagon and keep going.