3/12/19
Bodyweight 212 lbs
A1) Barbell standing overhead press: (warm up sets with bar) 58 lbsx5, 75 lbsx5, 90 lbs x12
B1) Dips (Bodyweight) with upright torso: x9, x6, x6, x5, x4, x3
C1) Pullups (Bodyweight) with neutral grip: x8, x6, x4, x4, x3
D1) Standing biceps curl with straight bar/medium grip: 45lbs x15, x15, x15, x12 (slow eccentric 2-3 second)
3/15/19
Bodyweight 212 lbs
A1) Barbell Deadlift (warm up sets), 115lbs x5, 138lbs x5, 175lbs x12
B1) Incline 45 degree leg raise x15, x12, x12, x10, x8
C1) 45 degree Back extension x10, x10, x10
Loaded Carries 50 lbs dumbbells x100 feet x6 laps
Incline treadmill walk (3.0 incline) 30 min @ 3.5 MPH
Back better, just hope ready for heavy squatting next week. One more back injury and I’m going to front squats only
3/17/19
Messing around today with my last deload
A1)Close grip pull-up parallel grip with slow eccentric x5, x4, x4
A2)Back squat (Bar only) x20, x20, x20
B1) Barbell bench press: (warm up sets) 80lbs x5, 100lbs x5, 120lbs x8
C1) Incline dumbbell bench press (semi-supinated) 60’s x10, x8, x5, 50’s x7, x5, x5
D1) One arm dumbbell row 70’s x10, x8, x8, x8, x8
E1) Bent over dumbbell fly 15’s x15, x15
F1) Standing dumbbell biceps curl with supination: 25’s x12, x12
Conditioning: Battle ropes; different wave intervals, 60-90 second periods, 5 rounds
Really bored with the 5/3/1 basic program, mostly because I’m impatient and probably have other mental health issues. 
Going to keep the main strength template but add more volume next cycle and maybe more conditioning. Getting bigger back squat numbers vs hurting my back again and again is also on my mind. I’d rather have bigger quads than bigger numbers there at this point.
Anyway Happy St. Patrick’s Day guys and girls. I’m gonna down a few Guinness with corned beef and maybe freeze at a parade later.
3/19/19
A1) Back squat (ramp up sets x4), 158lbsx5, 185x5, 208x5- felt weak
B1) 45 Degree seated leg press: 385lbs x10, x8 x8, x8, x8
C1) Prone hamstring curl: 90lbs x12,100lbs x8, x8, x8, x6
D1) Smith machine standing calf raise off step (2 sec pause top and bottom position): 135lbs x15, x15, x12, x10
E1) Prone plank holds 30 seconds x5
10 min walk later
Quad workout felt ok, maybe weaker than a few weeks ago and had some cramping later on. I think these are pretty weak proportionally to my upper body some days
3/22/19
Bodyweight 211.5 lbs
A1) Barbell standing overhead press: (warm up sets with bar) 90 lbsx5, 105 lbsx5, 115 lbs x8
B1) Dips (Bodyweight) with upright torso: x6, x6, x5, x4, x4, x3
C1) Pullups (Bodyweight) with neutral grip: x6, x6, x4, x3, x3
D1) Standing biceps curl with straight bar/medium grip: 55lbs x10, x10, x10, x10 (slow eccentric 2-3 second)
Conditioning: Treadmill walk 3.5 MPH 5 min; Airdyne Bike, 4 min speed 20- ugh
Diet has been 70-80% on track, I do have my days of higher calories in the 2500-3000 range but I still make it mostly clean and get my protein. Tomorrow will be one of those days eating at a restaurant. I’d say I’ve been averaging 1-2 of these “cheat days” per week the past month. That and a lack of conditioning every day could be why the slow scale movement but who knows.
3/24/19
Bodyweight 210 lbs (-2)
So I guess I’m not immune to metabolic dumbfuckery. Surprise birthday party dinner last night for my wife, including five courses of chips, guacamole, cerveche, clams, mussels, empanadas, tacos, cake and beer. Kinda tracked it with the calorie app at around 3000 cals. Lost two pounds.
A1) Barbell Deadlift (warm up sets), 178lbs x5, 206lbs x5, 235lbs x8
B1) Incline 45 degree leg raise x15, x12, x12, x10, x10
C1) 45 degree Back extension x10, x10, x10, x10
Loaded Carries 70 lbs dumbbells x120 feet x5 laps
Depending on how much beer you could just be decently dehydrated. Who knows
3/26/19
(Afternoon)
Bodyweight: 211 lbs
A1) Barbell bench press: (warm up sets) 120lbs x5, 140lbs x5, 160lbs x11
B1) Incline dumbbell bench press (semi-supinated) 60’s x10, 55’s x8, 50’s x8
C1) One arm dumbbell row 70’s x12, x12, x10, x10, x8, x8
D1) Front plate overhead trap raise 25lbsx15’s x15, x15
Conditioning: Battle ropes; different wave intervals, 60-90 second periods, 5 rounds. Can’t lift my arms, this is good, right?
Debating the merits of more volume (with accessory or sub-max lifts), steady state walking, or conditioning intervals on reducing bodyfat. I haven’t stopped hitting my numbers yet strength wise on my 3rd 5/3/1 cycle, so I’m not changing anything there, and I’m gonna do pics/tape measurements at the end of the week. Sleep has been good some nights and awful others, diet can be stricter as far as the 1-2 high calorie days/week.
Sounds like an awesome meal and an awesome time. Ceviche and empanadas are two of my favorite things in the world to eat, way back from when I was a kid in Panama. Happy birthday to the wife!
3/28/19
A1) Back squat (ramp up sets x4), 170lbsx3, 195x3, 220x4
B1) 45 Degree seated leg press: 385lbs x10, x8 x8, x6, x5
C1) Prone hamstring curl: 90lbs x10,100lbs x8, x8, x8, x6, x5
D1) Smith machine standing calf raise off step (2 sec pause top and bottom position): 135lbs x15, x12, x12, x10
E1) Prone plank holds 30 seconds x5
15 min treadmill walk 3.5 MPH, 3.0 incline
Well no low back pain today and used the safety supports for the correct cuing level to parallel and not below. I think this will be the smart, consistent way to progress the back squat in the future, some kind of external cue for depth so I don’t get hurt again. I was using the free-standing supports when I hurt myself doing a 247 lbs double a few weeks ago at a below parallel position.
Interesting read on the issue
The Real Science of Squat Depth | T Nation
A little knee pain today however during the leg press and I felt like I couldn’t push through many sets of 8-10 like I wanted. All in all I’m pretty happy with today’s session
3/29/19
Bodyweight: 213 lbs
A1) Barbell standing overhead press: (warm up sets) 95 lbsx3, 110 lbsx3, 125 lbs x7, 115lbs x6, x6, x4
B1) Dips (Bodyweight) with upright torso: x9, x6, x5
C1) Pullups (Bodyweight) with neutral grip: x9, x6, x5, x5, x4, x4
D1) Standing biceps curl with straight bar/medium grip: 45lbs x15, x15, x12 (slow eccentric 2-3 second)
D2)Close neutral grip pullup with slow (10 sec) eccentric x1, x1, x1
Airdyne Bike 10 min speed 17-20
Saw a rare biceps vein today. And it was mine.
3/31/19
A1) Barbell Deadlift (warm up sets), 195lbs x3, 220lbs x3, 255lbs x8
B1) Incline 45 degree leg raise x15, x12, x12, x10, x8
C1) 45 degree Back extension x10, x10, x10, x10
D1) Walking lunges (bodyweight) about 60 reps per leg with 2-3 rest breaks
Gonna start mixing in a little more quad work on deadlift day and single leg work to hit some different muscle groups. Pretty much all I’ve done the past 3 months were back squats and leg press 1x week.
Conditioning: treadmill walk 3.8 MPH 3.0 incline 10 min
4/1/19
Ok, feel I have to get better at logging meals, in the hopes it keeps me more accountable. Cheat days/meals have been getting out of hand, and it only takes a few of those to totally derail my leanness goal
Breakfast: Coffee with 5 tbsp half and half, 2 large whole eggs, 16 Tbsp liquid egg whites, 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, cooked with 4 oz each strawberries and wild blueberrries; 10,000 mg Vitamin D, Curcumin (1 cap), baby asprin
Lunch: 3 scoops Isolate Whey Protein (Chocolate) with water, 8 capsules of Flameout
Braincandy 1 serving
Dinner: 4 oz grilled chicken breast, 1 cup steamed broccoli, diced potatoes (1.5 cups), bacon bits (2 tbsp), diced ham (2 oz), diced onion, 1 tbsp EVOO
Water Unfiltered Organic Apple Cider Vinegar; Elite Minerals 7 caps before bed
1,984 calories; 200g protein, 97g carbs, 87g fats
4/2/19
A1) Barbell bench press: (warm up sets) 140lbs x3, 160lbs x3, 170lbs x10
B1) Incline dumbbell bench press (semi-supinated) 50’s x8, x8
C1) One arm dumbbell row 70’s x15, x12, x10, x10
D1) Front plate overhead trap raise 25lbs x20, x20
Conditioning: Airdyne bike 10 min, treadmill walk 10 min
Wasn’t feeling pushing volume today; pretty beat this morning. Finally bought the Beyond 5/3/1 E-book (lol) and I’m learning a few things, like- maybe I don’t always need that de-load week.
Breakfast: Coffee; 3 scoops of Mag-10 pre-workout with 2 Tbsp apricot preserves (separately)
Lunch: 3 scoops Isolate Chocolate Whey Protein with water, 1 oz walnut halves, more black coffee
Snacks: various samples from Costco: Greek yogurt with granola, Naan bread, tuna salad, cream cheese, Ezekiel bread with white cheddar
Dinner: 12 oz Kirkland Rotisserie Chicken, 12 oz Baked Purple Japanese Sweet Potato
Estimated 2243 calories; Protein: 230g; Carbs: 148g; Fat: 68g
What’s your reasoning for keeping fat as high as you do? It’s so calorically dense. You could for example probably make very similar progress by cutting it to 40 and adding some carbs and protein. You could probably add a mid day meal of rice and lean meat, or potatoes and lean meat. I bet all you’d have to cut are the bacon and ham. Just a thought. I’ve found that keeping carbs super low of fat super low is the most efficient. When I’m cutting the amount I can eat trumps what it is in my book. Great job logging it all!
Past experience, sometimes flavor, and I feel fuller after a meal with fat. Also- I’ve read a few articles suggesting higher fat/higher protein until you get bodyfat under 15-16% over the years. I guess it’s one of those things that rubbed off on me over the years from multiple sources. Aside from the occasional bacon and ham in a hash, or cheese (I haven’t made that a daily thing lately), fat staples are always extra virgin olive oil, Flameout capsules, avocado, egg yokes, or fat from steak.
Due to my work schedule, I have trouble with multiple meals above 3-4 per day, unless they are in liquid or protein shake form. Most of my lunches on a 10-11 hour shift are while I’m doing paperwork, so I’m sipping them.
I’ve already lowered the fat intake from a month ago, actually. I was between 30-50% of daily calories some days, but I would also lower the carbs on those days to adjust for total calories.
So I know it works for you (obviously from the pictures)- but a lower fat diet consistently might go better to spur fat loss. How much fat would you suggest, and from what sources?
If the goal is to shed bodyfat, not to maintain I’d shoot for 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% fat. So I’m a 2000 calorie diet 225 protein, 150 carbs, and about 42 fat
If your tracking everything you’ll quickly see that most of this will get taken up through traces in your other foods. If you need to add any I’d stick to avacado, almonds, flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, mct oil
Been doing about 40:30:30 (P:C:F), but I’ll try harder. Sure wish protein tasted better in low fat form!
4/3/19
Battling ropes and fat demons today
Food:
Breakfast: Coffee with 5 tbsp half and half, 2 large whole eggs, 16 Tbsp liquid egg whites, 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, cooked with 4 oz each strawberries and wild blueberrries; 10,000 mg Vitamin D, Curcumin (1 cap), baby asprin
Lunch: 3 scoops Isolate Whey Protein (Chocolate) with water, 1 large banana
Dinner: Kirkland Rotisserie Chicken Breast (10 oz), Normandy vegetable blend (2 cups), 10 oz baked Japanese Sweet Potato
Water Unfiltered Organic Apple Cider Vinegar; Elite Minerals 7 caps before bed
2290 calories; 212g protein, 186g carbs, 77g fats
4/4/19
Breakfast: Coffee with 5 tbsp half and half, 2 large whole eggs, 16 Tbsp liquid egg whites, 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, cooked with 4 oz each strawberries and wild blueberrries; 10,000 mg Vitamin D, Curcumin (1 cap), baby asprin
Lunch: 3 scoops Isolate Whey Protein (Chocolate) with water, 1 large banana
Braincandy
Dinner: 12 oz Kirkland Boneless/skinless chicken thighs with tomatillo and hatch chili salsa (crock pot), 10 oz baked potato with tomato salsa
Calories 2280; Protein: 237g, Carbs 148g, Fat 77g