The Beard

For food, this should take you to today's... Should update as the day goes... We'll see how this works!

Thanks! :D I'll do a two-for-one by showing an engagement pic!

Here's today's update! Stronglift Squat - 5x5, 290lbs Press - 1x5, 1x4, 3x3, 125lbs Deadlift - 1x5, 215lbs

So it was a long week last week (worked 75 hours) but I still got things done! Wednesday and Friday work outs got done, but I just needed to sleep as much as possible before work on Thursday morning. Wednesday: Stronglifts Squat - 5x5, 280lbs Press - 5x5, 120lbs Deadlift - 1x6, 205lbs Friday: Stronglifts Squat - 5x5, 285lbs Bench - 4x5, 1x4, 165 Row - 5x5, 135lbs Here is my update pic for last week (caution: contains underwear) I'm gonna figure out how to link my MyFitnessPal account today... Updates for week 1: Get up and go! - 4/5 Om nom nom - 0/0 "Modeling" - 1/1

Since I got off to a late start , I'll put today and yesterday down. Monday: Stronglifts Squat - 5x5, 270lbs Bench - 5x5, 160lbs Rows - 5x5 135lbs* *special note on rows: I am keeping the weight relatively light so I can learn better form. I won't go up in weight until I am comfortable with my form at 135lbs Tuesday: Elliptical/stationary bike for half-hour Picture update tomorrow!

***Note: This is a busy week at work and as such I will finish this entry as soon as I can*** Helloooooooooooooo! Hello If you haven't seen me for a while, there are some reasons. But now I'm back and getting ready for a wedding in less than eight months! Main Quest Basically my main goal is going for the reduction of fat in my bodyweight composition. Plain and simple. I really don't have an end percentage in mind, just going for the "look good naked" thing, especially with my wedding happening in October I really want to look sexy for the lady-friend. I'll be sexy and I know it Goals: Get up and go! Due to my now-insane evening schedule detailed in reasons, I need to get up in the mornings to do workouts. Meh. Now, this can be done in any combination possible, as long as I get five days in between Sunday and Saturday with adequate rest days thrown in. My preference is Monday through Friday, but sometimes variation is necessary. Currently I am doing Stronglifts 5x5 and I don't see myself switching before the challenge is over. I will post my daily workouts of 5x5 and the cardio days in between them each day. As a side bit to this, I'm trying to figure out how I can add pull-ups into my workout, but I won't exactly track that this challenge just yet. Total days - 30 Stat points awarded if completed: +2 Str, +1 Con, +1 Sta The Beard goes modeling... sorta... To gauge my weight loss, rather than step on a scale (though I will continue to do that), I will take a weekly picture to gauge my progress. Nothing much else to it, it's pretty straight forward. Weight will help, but the difference after six weeks should be apparent. Total days - 6 Stat points awarded if completed: +3 Cha Forget about the guy, look at that beard. Quite the specimen. Om nom nom This one figures to be the hardest of all, it requires me to very open and vulnerable with you all. My goal is to hover around the 1800 mark for daily caloric intake (though if enough people recommend otherwise for whatever reason, I will reconsider). To help show that I am adhering to this, I will try to figure out a way to link my My Fitness Pal page to this site. Putting up pictures of me is a proverbial cake walk compared to this. This really makes me feel vulnerable. Because this is an experiment on my part, I will aim for 25 days, just because I might take a week to figure out the whole linking profiles thing. I will consider any and all suggestions people have on recommended edits to my diet. Total days - 25+ Stat points awarded if completed: +2 Cha, +2 Con Normally, I would post a life goal, but with my life being virtually consumed by everything else, I think I'll just try to get through until may with everything as is. So no life goals other than managing every aspect of my life. Well, that's it. Getting back into my first full challenge in a while. Let's see how this vulnerability thing goes. Also.... You forgot about him, didn't you. It's okay. He still thinks you are awesome.

Hit the gym again for stronglifts. Squats - 5x5, 255lbs Bench - 5x5, 150 lbs Rows* - 5x3, 150lbs *I have discovered that I have been doing these wrong, so I will be resetting this one to 115lbs to make sure I do them right. Happy Friday! Here's a beard!

Elliptical and stationary bike this morning. Also, from yesterday, my picture.

Gotcha. Just wanted to make sure about the body weight stuff. With the pull-ups, could a few sets of those (say something like the 20 pull-ups challenge) complement or substitute for the barbell rows?

So I am doing Stronglifts 5x5 and I want some advice on a couple things. Right now on the off days I am doing stuff on the elliptical. Nothing too strenuous, I just want to get a workout in without working my muscles too much. Is this a good idea to keep doing, or is there a bodyweight program or something similar that can be done instead? Also, I love doing pull-ups, but I haven't really done them since starting 5x5. Do people have recommendations about how to work them in? Any advice is appreciated

Back at it today! Squats - 5x5, 250lbs Press - 3x5, 2x4, 115lbs Deadlift - 1x5, 175lbs Picture to follow sometime today.

So today my body just didn't want to do anything. Got up with my alarm and apparently passed out when I turned it off. Work up with about 20 minutes to go before work.... sooooooo no work out today...

Yeah sometimes you just forget. Happened with my pull-ups this morning. Mmm... hashbrowns sound amazing...

Hehehe I like doing that with my fiance she thinks it's really funny when I use her as my squat bar!

A new job is definitely a big change. Hope it all gets situated soon!

So on Friday I ended up donating two units of blood, so no workout on Saturday. However, to make up for it I am doing an extra day this week, starting with today. With the schedule thrown off, I completely forgot pull-ups Squat - 5x5, 245 lbs Bench - 5x5, 145 lbs Rows - 5x5, 145 lbs Oh, and by the way, fun fact about the squats from Thursday: I was basically squatting me at my heaviest!

Did the stationary bike and elliptical this morning. Super tired today. Not much to report. If only Forrest... if only.

Lifted this morning as per the routine. Squat - 5x5, 240lbs Press - 2x5, 1x4, 2x3, 115lbs Deadlift - 1x5, 165 Hit a snag in press, but that was expected. I ended up having to go all three "try again" sessions for 110lbs as well so we'll see what happens on this one.

Got up and did elliptical today. As promised, here is the first photo-progress update. For comparison, here is me at the same weight (209lbs) the first time around (muscle is awesome).

Hehehe spit takes are great! I love squatting! On Thursday I will be squatting 240lbs, i.e. my starting weight before I started getting healthier. Super excited!

Pluggin away! Yeah that sleep thing... I get up in the morning to do workouts now simply because I don't have the time at night. Some days are harder than others haha.

Back to the gym! Pull-ups - 1x3, 2x2 Squats - 5x5, 235lbs Bench - 5x5, 140lbs Row - 5x5, 140lbs Beard pic of the week (progress pic tomorrow)!

Go ahead My previous 3 challenges are in my signature along with my battle log! Though to be honest, I don't have a lot of "how to" for handstands. A lot of the reason I was able to get where I was right away was because I had done about 6 months of strength work prior to trying the handstands. If you have questions I (or loads of other assassins) can most certainly answer your questions! :)

Did my Saturday workout! Squats - 5x5, 230lbs Shoulder press - 5x5, 110lbs Deadlift - 1x5, 155lbs Took Sunday off and this morning off as planned. Back to the gym tomorrow!

Haha I found them and thought they were perfect