beyond1

I decided to do weekly logs instead of daily logs to give more thorough updates on my challenge.

Thanks!

3 week summary So let's analyze a bit how I managed to accomplish my goals. Consume at least 80g of protein per day: I missed only one day because I didn't feel well, other than that, I managed to complete this goal nicely. My diet is kind of boring (loads of chicken, dairy products, tuna), but still, it's better than nothing.Work out 3 times a week: this went nicely as well. I noticed that I'm a bit weaker than I was in spring, but it's no biggie. I managed to make some gains already. The only problem is that I missed one workout out of the supposed 9. Well actually I didn't miss it, but instead of doing a body-weight routine I snatched my flatmate's dumbbells, and exercised with those, but I wasn't used to working out only with dumbbells, and I kind of half-assed that workout. Didn't complete my side-quest yet, but I planned on doing it in the second part of the challenge anyway.

Week 3 Day 5 Foodz breakfast: 4 eggs + bacon + a can of beans = ~50g lunch: chicken + stir fry veggiess = 50g snack: chocolate flavored cottage cheese = 30g dinner: bbq @ friend's place, had some sausages and meat = dunno the amount --------------- at least 130g of protein Week 3 Day 6 breakfast: chocolate flavored cottage cheese = 30g lunch: leftover chicken and veggies = 50g ----------------- ~80g of protein Week 3 Day 7 breakfast: eggs + bacon + beans = 47g lunch: 2 cans of tuna + rice = 60g dinner: fruit ------------------------ 107g of protein

Week 3 Day 4 Workout results: Squat: first set with an empty bar, then 10x50kg, and after that with 60kg and did the squats successfully. The sets were 8 reps, then, and the last two were 8 again. Really happy with this one. Deadlift: 3 sets of 8x60kg. Didn't feel good at all, form sucked. Calf raises: 4 sets of 8x100kg Lying hamstrings curl: 4 sets of 8x25kg Leg press: 4 sets of 8x140kg -- will try 12 reps per set next time Plank: 2 minutes Foodz: breakfast: 4 eggs + bacon + veggies = 40g lunch: 2 cans of tuna + rice = 60g snack: chocolate flavored cottage cheese = 30g dinner: salad made of cucumbers, tomatoes, blue cheese, topped with olive oil = dunno how much protein --------------- 130g of protein.

Week 3 Day 3 breakfast: leftover chicken and potatoes = 50g lunch: a can of tuna with rice = 30g dinner: cottage cheese with jelly = 32g --------------------- 112g of protein Tomorrow I'll go the gym again. Hope to do squats with 60kg and do the leg press with 140kg.

Week 3 Day 2 Bench press: 4 sets of 8x45kg (yeey, did it, next time I'll do either 12 reps or up the weight to 50kg) Triceps pushdown:-- couldn't do this one today since the handle for that cable machine was missing. I used a rope handle or something like that instead, but it's not the same exercise. Dumbbell shoulder press: 4 sets of 8x 12.5kg Dumbbell lateral raises: 4 sets of 8x 7,5kg Biceps curls with dumbbells: 4 sets of 8x 10kg (next week I might do 10 reps per set or add some weight, we'll see) Isolated biceps curls with a barbell: 4 sets of 6x 2.5kg (dunno the exact weight since the bar is not a regular 20kg bar) Foodz breakfast: 2 eggs + beans + bacon = 39g lunch: chicken breast + potatoes = 50g dinner: 2 peanut butter sandwiches = 8g -------------------- 97g of brotein

Well, I didn't have time for anything more since I was travelling from one city to another. Thanks! --------------------- Forgot the food log for yesterday: Week 2 Day 7 breakfast: chicken with vegetables = 50g lunch: pork with rice = dunno snack: a watermelon dinner: a can of tuna with vegetables = 30g -------------- at least 80g of protein Week 3 Day 1 breakfast: 4 eggs with cheese and vegetables = 24g snack: chocolate flavored cottage cheese = 30g lunch: pizza (yikes ) dinner: cottage cheese with jelly = 32g ---------- 86g of protein

Week 2 Day 7 Did 3 circuits of beginner's bodyweight exercises: Squats: 30/30/30 Push ups: 15/15/15 Walking lunges: 26/26/26 Dumbbell rows: 20/20/20 Plank: 1:15/1:15/0:50 Jumping Jacks: 30/30/30 Did so much better than last week, when I was barely able to complete 2 circuits. This time the only problem was that I couldn't do my final plank for 1:15 as I had planned, I quit at 0:50. But still, it was a really good workout. Will update my food log once the day is over.

Week 2 Day 6 food log breakfast: 4 eggs with cheese and veggies = 24g snack: beef jerky = 25g lunch: chicken sausages with potatoes = no idea how much protein dinner: cottage cheese with homemade strawberry jam = 32g _______________ at least 81g of protein Tomorrow's exercise day. Since I don't have access to a gym tomorrow, I'll do bodyweight exercises just like last week.

Thanks. Well I've been trying to take up weightlifting for a while now. I've tried going regularly to the gym several times, but until now it didn't turn out that well.

Week 2 Day 5 Nothing important happened today. breakfast: leftover chicken + peas = 60g lunch: potatoes chips (yikes) snack: a watermelon dinner: a can of tuna with some bread = 30g ------------ 90g of protein

Yes, there are 2 full chapters that have been released, and there are summaries of another 2 or even 3 chapters floating around (GRRM read them at some convention and someone memorized it, lol). Also, if you're yearning for more fantasy that isn't generic, then check out The Malazan Book of the Fallen series. It's as good as A Song of Ice & Fire, and it's finished, so no waiting for the ending. However, I've got to warn you that it's a really difficult read and because of that, it hasn't attracted as many readers as Ice & Fire.

Ok, thanks for the advice. Here's the food log for today. breakfast: 4 eggs + 130g of bacon + a can of beans = 50g lunch: chicken breast + peas = 30g dinner: chick breast + peas = 30g ______ 110g of protein Might make a salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and blue cheese later on. I'm amazed that I managed to eat the required amount and go to the gym today. Over here it's so hot, as I'm writing it's 8 pm and still 32 degrees Celsius.

Hmm, I don't think so. And yeah, form vids are great, I already posted one. I'll try to do an improved one next week or something.

Check out the preview chapters of The Winds of Winter.

Week 2 Day 4 Workout results: Squat: first set with an empty bar, then 8x40kg, then 4 sets of 8x50kg - felt really good doing the squats and 50kg seemed really easy this time. Next week I'll do it with 55 or 60. Deadlift: 4 sets of 6x60kg - I think my form was better than last time, but still chasing the perfect form kind of got me confused. But I noticed that when I use my legs more (which I'm supposed to do with this exercise, right? ), I get tired more quickly. Also, I don't feel any pain in my back. Calf raises: 4 sets of 8x80kg Lying hamstrings curl: 4 sets of 8x25kg (damn, the weight for this one is so low) Leg press: 4 sets of 8x120kg - felt really good again, next time will add more weight Plank: 1 minute 30 seconds All in all, it was a nice workout, it's boiling hot outside (30 degrees Celsius), so the gym was totally empty. I'm still kind of worried or even pissed at deadlifts, but other exercises went fine. Will update my food log later in the evening.

Thank you! Yeah, Starting Strength and StrongLifts seem to be popular everywhere online right now.

Thank you! Now at week 2 it's really easy for me to consume 80g of protein (compare that with my post on the first day of the challenge). The whole process of preparing food and eating has become just so much easier - it feels so good. Before that I'd always go to the store every day, buy sandwiches and other junk, now I just prepare food at home. I eat better and save money in the process, which is an amazing combination really. Oh yeah, and screw soda. At the moment, I'm just using a regular split routine (day1: upper body, day2: legs etc etc). I'll probably move onto Stronglifts in the next challenge.

Week 2 Day 3 breakfast: bacon, 4 eggs and a can of beans = 50g lunch: 200g of cottage cheese, 3 peanut butter sandwiches = 34g dinner: a can of tuna with rice = 30g ___________ 114g of protein Bang, done for today. Tomorrow's the gym again, will be training my legs and back. Deadlifts and squats, here I come.

Thanks I'll try it, although the problem is that the floor in the gym seems to be really slippery, so if I'm on my socks, it could get kind of dangerous. But we'll see. So should I pull my shoulder blades back and together throughout the movement? Bending my knees and head position don't seem difficult to fix, but my back worries me.

Week 2 Day 2 First up, workout stats: Bench press: 1 set with an empty bar for warmup, then 8x 40kg, 8x45kg, 8x45kg, 6x45kg, 6x45kg (still, I'm really disappointed with this one ) Triceps pushdown: 4 sets of 8x 40kg Dumbbell shoulder press: 4 sets of 8x 12.5kg Dumbbell lateral raises: 4 sets of 6x 7,5kg Biceps curls with dumbbells: 4x 10kg (8-8-8-5) Isolated biceps curls with a barbell: 4x 12 (dunno the weight, since the bar was empty, and it is smaller than the regular 20kg bars) Compared to last week's stats, there's progress. Now nutrition: breakfast: chicken breast + potatoes = 50g lunch: rice + tuna + olives = 30g snack: 3 peanut butter sandwiches = 12g -------- 92g of protein Will probably have a salad for dinner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv5ZKYgMj_A Alright, I'm a complete newbie when it comes to doing deadlifts and weight lifting in general. PS. Sorry about the bad quality, my phone's camera just sucks.

Week 2, Day 1: breakfast: 4 eggs + tomatoes and cucumbers = 24g lunch: chicken breast + homegrown potatoes = 50g dinner: cottage cheese + apples + a banana = 12g ------- 86g of protein Tomorrow I'm going to the gym, and I'll be training my chest, biceps, triceps and shoulders. Got the idea to do some pushups every day, so I could get my upper body stronger in general (it was considerably stronger last spring). ------------------------------------- Yes, that's exactly what I'm planning. I know myself that much now that drastic changes, like starting to consume 2g of protein per 1kg of body weight, is something that is VERY difficult for me to do consistently. However, now I might add some protein on workout days if I feel like (and my wallet allows it), since the goal is to consume "at least 80g". And about form, I'm most worried about my deadlifts and I'll try to record myself as soon as possible (read: the gym is empty, lol). Now that I'm slowly getting used to it, it doesn't seem that difficult anymore - it's so much better than to buy random stuff every day. Then again, consuming 80g and 180g is a totally different matter. So far, so good, I get the occasional craving every few days, just had one like 15 minutes ago, but nothing serious. I won't break.

Thank you! Yes, I plan on starting doing the preliminary work for my theses (the goals I put here) in the second part of August. Good luck!