Irishrages

Not incredibly original, but mine would have to be: 1. Miyamoto Musashi: As you said, I'd love to learn a days worth from him. But not someone I'd want to cross. One of my favourite quotes comes from Musashi: "There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.†2. Bruce Lee: Not a very obscure choice, but I'll say it! I find his philosophy of "take in everything, throw away what does not work for you" to have great utility (for me at least) when it comes to training. Or diet. Or work. Or life. (you get the idea).

Well, just over half of the way in, and its...coming along. The first week was strong, the second and third weeks... not so much. But I've stepped back on track, and am realizing that for a cut I have to constantly pay attention to what I'm eating - a poor choice for lunch on a "non-exercise" day and I'm consuming almost half of my intake target. But having lunch (and to some extent, dinner) planned out makes a huge difference. My success rate as of the end of week three has been: 1. Log Everything: 100% 2. Meet Calorie & protein Goals daily: 50% 3. Bike commute or run 5x week: 100% 4. Prepare before the week begins: 80% As of today, my weight is down to 162, although that's been fluctuating. We'll have to see over the long term....

I think my last completed challenge was probably 8 or 9 months ago. Since then, I’ve held true to some good habits, but have definitely not been as dedicated to them as I was. I’ve said this before, but I need to constantly remind myself of my intention and what I have to do to reach them, otherwise I start to peter out… and good habits weaken while new bad habits grab hold. My goal for this challenge: to get down to 155 lbs (I’m short). I’m hovering sround 163-164 right now. I will have to focus and quit frakking around, but I’m confident. To get there, these are my goals: 1. Log Everything: Every morsel that goes in my mouth and every notable activity I do will go into MFP before the end of the day. (+1 WIS, +1 CHA) 2. Meet Calorie & protein Goals daily: as decided by MFP. I’ll aim for within +/-5% of my calorie goal, and within 5g of my protein goal (120g/day). (+2 STR, +2 CON) 3. Bike commute or run 5x week: I can squeeze at least another two months out of my bike commute to work, so there is an excellent opportunity to create a calorie deficit before the snow drifts move in. What’s that life? I’ve got something going on and can’t bike to work? Then I’ll hit the road for a 30-minute zombie run, thanks very much. (+2 DEX, +1 CON, +2 STA) My life goal will be: 4. Prepare before the week begins: this means I’ll have the week laid out in advance – by the Sunday at the beginning of the week – so that I don’t get taken off course from my goals by surprises or scheduling conflicts that could have otherwise been avoided. This means planning the meals (breakfasts, dinners & suppers), making sure the right foods are in the house (to make said meals and to provide for reasonable snacks), and knowing in advance when I can bike to work, or when I’m going to have to fit in a run. (+1 WIS, +3 CHA) I’ll check up on these at the end of the day, and report as required here.

I second that. The odd time a nonfat yogurt gets "accidentally" introduced into our fridge, and it does taste NASTY!

Well, why not log the work then? Day 6 of YAYOG 1 Class program: Back Lunges: 33 / 36 (92%) One-Legged Romanian Deadlifts: 25 / 36 (69%) Toyotas: 40 / 36 (111%) Hyperextensions (hands at sides): 66 / 36 (118%)

You may have noticed that it's been a while since I've posted. Shortly after my last few posts here, my get-up-and-go got up and went. Simply put, life got busy, and I neglected to plan. Once I forgot to plan, much of what routine fell apart on its own. My focus weakened. Blah blah blah. I learned a very demotivational lesson here - success is not automatic. Some small components of it are, but I must consciously plan for success. I got too cocky, was buoyed by a few promising successes with my tracking and diet and exercise, and then just assumed I had it all licked and could wing it during a busy phase (the few months where the kids' sports and wife's work expand to fill the week). In retrospect, that ship didn't even make it out of port. Ugh. So. It's a bit too late in the current challenge for my liking, but I'm going to do my own mini-challenge. No points awarded, just goals. Simple goals to get me back on track: Longish term goal: Lose 7 lbs in 4 weeks. This time of year is my super active season (running, cycling to work and bodyweight exercises - YAYOG - 4x a week), so there isn't a better time to be at a calorie deficit. From there I'll try to maintain until September, after which I'll turn to a bulk. To get those 7 lbs, here are my goals: Track everything in MFP. Keep under my calorie goal (2200). Hit 120g of protein a day.I'll pay attention to the motto I have in my sig line: Preparation, Focus, Discipline (I think what bugs me the most is that I specifically singled those traits out as ones I wanted to master, and then seem to have specifically ignored them. Well, like they say, fall down seven times, get up eight...). Every day I will report here. Somedays it'll be short and sweet, others it might be a long rant. See you soon.

Well, the time of accountability has come... This challenge, like the last few, saw me lose a bit of motivation towards the end of the 6 weeks. I'm not sure why. I held tight to my first two goals: Meet my Protein goal (averaged out weekly): A Meet caloric goal (averaged out weekly): A I maintained a weekly average of target calories and protein, and actually did it pretty well. I originally felt as if I was slipping, but on review realized that things worked out - I think that's because I've been so much more diligent about the planning. 15 min mobility work 3x week: F My mobility work suffered. Rather than keep losing to that goal, I think I will make mobility more of an overarching theme next round. I know that there is no good reason not to incorporate it into my life, so I'll keep tweaking until I find a way to fit it in to the flow... Prep weekday meals night before: A The planning of the meals the night before also went very well. All-in-all, I'd say this was one of the more successful challenges, even if not the most exciting. I'll try to change that up...

...spoon.

This is great. Thank you.

Good workout yesterday. I got to meet my good friend, the heavy squat, whom I haven't seen for a while. I was used to doing 5 sets of 5 during SL, but this program had me doing 6 set (not quite as intense, since I'm only squatting once every 8 days). Sunday's Workout: ABBH, Day 7 Barbell Squat: 6 x 5 @ 200# Stability Ball Weighted Sit-up: 6 x 5 @ 25# Seated Calf Raise: 2 x 5 @ 120#, 2 x 5 @ 160#, 2 x 5 @ 200# 11,550#

Missed logging Tuesday's workout, so will do it here. Fighting through about day 3 of a sore throat, and trying to take enough care so as not to let it get too out of hand. Up this morning and into the workout fairly effortlessly, although at about 3/4 of the way through I was hit with a small wave of nausea. Chalk it up to the slight head cold. After a few minutes rest and some more water I felt ok enough to resume, and would up knocking off the whole workout. Boo, a - yah. Tuesday's Workout: ABBH 2 Day 3: Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 4 x 12 @ 130# Weighted Sit-up: 4 x 12 @ 5# Standing Barbell Calf Raise: 3 x 12 @ 80#, 1 x 12 @ 90# 10,440# Thursday's Workout: ABBH Day 5: Seated Military Press: 2 x 12 @ 60#, 1 x 10 @ 70# Chin-up: 3 x 9 @ BW Triceps Dip: 3 x 12 @ BW Barbell Upright Row: 3 x 12 @ 40# 14,492#

Good workout today. I've dropped the last two days of ABBH 1 in favour of starting ABBH 2. No big deal, as I'm straight into the same types of heavy lifts using the main push and pull exercises, plus a few more. In order to get my mobility work in, I think I will start getting up at the same time every morning. I think it will give me the opening I need to fit that work in, and I also think my system will like the consistent wake time every day... Today's Weights: ABBH 2 Day 1: Barbell Bench Press: 3 x 5 @ 150# Decline Barbell Bench Press: 3 x 5 @ 140# Incline face-down DB rows: 3 x 5 @ 50#@ Bent over BB row: 3 x 5 @ 130# 7,800#

Didn't work out yesterday as planned. I worked into the wee hours the night before and wound up getting only 4 hrs sleep. The plan was to work out after work, but it was a taxing day: busy at work, throw in a funeral, and the resulting urge to just spend time with the kids won out. The fatigue only exacerbated the issue, as I really didn't feel that I would have been able to push myself. No worries - I built a couple of "skip days" into my programming, and this was the last one (the program ends in 4 days). That being said, today's workout felt very strong, and I hit (what I felt to be) solid form throughout all of my deadlifts. Friday's Workout: ABBH Day 43: Deadlift: 5 x 10 @ 150# Weighted Russian Twist: 5 x 1 @ 25# 8,750# (+107%)

So far, the first week went really well! My protein goal has been proving easier and easier to meet, and I've been spot on (within 5%) of my calories. Knowing which "direction" I'm eating in (to gain) really helps. It's the difference between knowing where you want to go getting in the car and driving straight there, and driving around in circles waiting for a destination to appear out of nowhere! The goal for meal prep is also proving easier to stick to, now that I've been doing it for a while... My mobility work could still use a little more perseverance (only fit in one session instead of 3), but that's what the challenge is for - isn't it? Thanks for asking!

Good workout today, and with the weather getting (barely) warmer, it seems like it's also getting easier to get up and out of bed. My nutrition is going well so far. I'm trying to be extremely accurate with my weight and measuring, so as to try and get an actial TDEE estimate, and then go from there... Tuesday's Weights: ABBH Day 41: Weighted Dip: 10 x 5 @ BW+40# Weighted Chin: 2 x 5 @ BW+25#, 8 x 5 @ BW+22.5# 20,150# (+124%)

Bit of a disjointed workout: it was a busier day than usual, and had to split my workout into before-and-after supper components. But all-in-all, the weights moved when I pushed them... Sunday's Weights: ABBH Day 39: Front Squat: 10x4@140# Weighted Leg Raise: 10x4@15# 6,200# (+138%)

This morning went well. The press felt too easy, but by the end of the last set, it was about right - perhaps a bit more weight needed, but that will come next time around. The row felt great, from a "form" PoV, and I think the weight is bang on. I am wondering if my volume is too low - perhaps I'll start trying to track that as well. Maybe a lbs lifted over time type of ratio... Friday's workout: ABBH Day 37: Bench Press: 5x10@120# Bent-Over Barbell Row: 5x10@85# 10,250# (+108%)

Great points. 100%. I think part of the journey is realizing that what works for you doesn't work for everyone, and vice versa. Plus, the goal ADD thing. One of my favorite quotes is from The Marauders: "We trained hard ... but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization." Sometimes people (read: most of us) mistake that jumping from program to program as progress.

Wednesday's workout: ABBH Day 35: Deadlift: 5x10@140#, 1x10@145# Weighted Russian Twist: 5x10@22.5# 8,175# (+117%)

My last challenge was centered largely around nutrition, and it went reasonably well. What hampered it a bit was that I wasn't clear on what I was eating for. My weight program was a hypertrophy program, but I was eating for maintenance (if anything). In short, while I was planning and logging and eating and precision measuring, I didn't have a clear direction. It makes sense now that I felt kind of off-balance for the first week or so of the last challenge. With that in mind, I plan to spend the next challenge adding some lean muscle mass. That's how I'm going to exercise, and that's how I'm going to eat. To get there, my goals are: 1. Meet my protein goal (averaged out weekly) of 1g per pound BW (+2 STR, +2 STA); 2. Meet my caloric goal (also averaged out weekly). I need to eat a surplus, in order to add some LBM. My target for now will be 2500 kCal/day. (+1 STR, +2 CON); 3. Get in at least 15 minutes of mobility work, three times a week. I had this one on the target for the last challenge, and totally crapped the bed, so now it's time for me to save some face. "Make me look like a fool, eh goal? I will crush you now." I'll need to plan these times in at the beginning of the week, and I think I will aim to get them done in the evening with the kids. (+5 DEX); and: 4. Have my weekday meals prepped the night before (+1 STA, +1 WIS). Good luck, everyone.

Just dips and chins today ma'am, just dips and chins. Monday's workout: ABBH Day 33: Weighted Dip: 10 x 4 @ BW+40# Weight Chin: 10 x 4 @ BW+25# 16,200# (+135%)

Well, another challenge done. There were some definite victories that will serve me well in the challenges to come (and life, too I suppose), but a few bombs as well. This thread has been short - I decided that I would utilize a daily workout thread - my battle log to notate most of my progress, workouts and general brain ticks. That said, here's how it all played out: Goal 1: Plan my meals for the week every Sunday. BOOM! I nailed this one. I have to say, it was hard at first, but by the end of the first week I came to realize that planning was one of the missing links that had troubled me for so long. With no last-minute scrambling or impulse eating, I was instead able to eat with intention and direction. +2 Wisdom to me. Goal 2: The evening before every weekday, I will prepare my breakfast and lunch and day-time snacks for the next day. Again, WHIP CRACK! I succeeded on this one. As with the previous goal, it became so much easier to follow through because of what a powerful tool that planning became. As well, since I had done the overall planning of my diet (and workouts) on the Sunday, everything just had to "fall into place" on the weekdays. +2 WIS to me - again. Goal 3: I will meet my protein goal of 145g (0%-5% margin) daily and my calorie goal (-5% to 5% margin) weekly. I did well on this one, but did struggle with my caloric goals. I waffled in week 2 and lost my direction: was I eating to maintain, or to gain (spoiler: I'm eating to gain). It left me feeling a bit lost in the woods as far as "how much should I eat", "am I eating enough, etc.". But I'm feeling a lot more aware of where I want to be, and was always able to hit my protein goal, give or take a few days. Because of the stumbling, I'm giving myself +2 STR and +1 CON. Goal 4: I wil stretch (using the Core Performance routine) and/or foam roll 3x a week. Errr. This was a complete miss. Within the first week my stretching began to peter out, and never really recuperated. I did give up on this one early. There's not much more to say - I don't really think there was one reason that prevented me from doing this - I just lost the motivation. Going out from here, I've got some decent goals in mind for the next challenge, which I'll whittle into specifics by the end of the week. I have a good idea of where I want to be and when, and will still keep the planning and intention from this challenge as a strong theme for the next set of goals. This will be my last challenge in which I'm looking to add muscle, after which time the spring and summer "scamper like a messed-up wolverine" will change up the pace a bit. Until then, happy travels!

A lapse in logging, as I've been out of town over the last week. Other than adding an extra rest day (which the program does allow for - I simply finish one day later), I've still fit in my weight lifting all week though. But my diet has not been the best. I do feel like I've put on some muscle, but am also starting to feel like there's a fair bit of fat in the mix. I'll get some measurements today to try and quantify that. Monday's weights: ABBH Day 27 Deadlift: 5x10 x 120# Weighted Russian twist: 5x10 @ 20# Thursday's weights: ABBH Day 29 Bench Press: 5x10 @ 110# Bent Over Row: 5x10@ 80# Saturday's weights: ABBH Day 31 Front Squat: 10x3 @ 130#, 7x3 @ 140# Weight knee raise: 10 x 3 @ 20#

Yesterday was the start of the second half of my current program. The intent of this program is to add some muscle mass before the summer hits - mainly because once the snow is gone, my biking and running will put me in a good spot to start cutting. Currently I'm trying to decide if I want to hit another round of a similar program after this one - giving my bulking phase and end date of end-of-April, or if I want to begin the cut now. Once I begin the cut, I'm loving this body weight program for starters. Anyhoo... Saturday's Weights ABBH Day 25 Weighted Dip: 10x3 @ BW + 40# Weighted Pullup: 10x3 @ BW + 25# 12,150# (-75%)

This is great. Thank you!