the_griff

Your progress is so inspiring! Keep it up!!

YES. Also, where did you get those mad lifting skills, TankWeasel!? Freaking awesome stuff.

YEAH!!! Deadlifts are the absolute BEST.

Yeah, water! That is one of my goals. I drink like... 4 cups of coffee a day and no water. Keep on keeping on!!!

But... veggie dips... O.O

Today is gonna be the day That they're gonna throw it back to you... I am a former Nerd Rebel who got up at 5:30a.m., ran my couchto5k, could squat my body weight, AND make a mean paleo stir fry. I was THE BOSS. Until... I fell off the wagon. Well... more like slowly slid off the wagon until I was in a morass of junk food and laziness on the side of the road. By now you should've somehow Realized what you gotta do... Why yes, Oasis, you are correct. By now I should have realized what I gotta do. However, instead I chose to keep making excuses, lose all my strength, and gain 20 pounds. I don't believe that anybody Feels the way I do about you now Fellow rebels, I am so grateful to have you all here with me on this journey. I know that just the accountability and habitual tracking of my food and fitness will slowly help me to not just get back on this wagon, but DOMINATE the wagon. As of 12/15/14: I want to move more and eat better. I want to do this by doing the bodyweight workout at least 3 times per week and going for a short walk at least 3 times a week. As for food, for now I just want to focus on drinking enough water and building awareness of my diet. Day 1: The Griff Strikes Back Wake up time: 8:10. Booooo. Rolled out of bed, put on clothes, went to work. Food: Breakfast: Pop Tarts. Yep. From my desk drawer that I shoved down my gullet on my way to morning meetings. Lunch: Pizza and a salad (WOOOOO, VEGGIES but... booooo pizza.) Dinner: A peanut butter sandwich and four, count 'em, FOUR oreos. Dinner of CHAMPIONS. Fitness: I did one circuit of the beginner body weight workout, AND took some stairs today (WOOOO!) Slow and steady... Conclusion: Today left a lot to be desired. C- (you know... I get SOME credit for the bodyweight workout and veggies) Follow me and I'll follow you. I can't do this without allies. Maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me. After all... you're my wonderwall. <3 MG Day 1: The Griff Strikes Back Day 2: The Griff vs. Snooze Day 3: Further Down The Rabbit Hole We Go

Today is gonna be the day That they're gonna throw it back to you... Yes... Today is that day! I am a former Nerd Rebel who got up at 5:30, ran my couchto5k, could squat my body weight, and make a mean paleo stir fry. I was THE BOSS. Until... I fell off the wagon. Well... more like slowly slid off the wagon until I was in a morass of junk food and laziness on the side of the road. By now you should've somehow Realized what you gotta do... Why yes, Oasis, you are correct. By now I should have realized what I gotta do. However, instead I chose to keep making excuses, lose all my strength, and gain 20 pounds. I don't believe that anybody Feels the way I do about you now Fellow rebels, I am so grateful to have you all here with me on this journey. I know that just the accountability and habitual tracking of my food and fitness will slowly help me to not just get back on this wagon, but DOMINATE the wagon. FOLLOW MY JOURNEY HERE or come find me in the battle logs. I need all the encouragement I can get! <3 MG

Today is gonna be the day That they're gonna throw it back to you... Yes... Today is that day! I am a former Nerd Rebel who got up at 5:30, ran my couchto5k, could squat my body weight, and make a mean paleo stir fry. I was THE BOSS. Until... I fell off the wagon. Well... more like slowly slid off the wagon until I was in a morass of junk food and laziness on the side of the road. By now you should've somehow Realized what you gotta do... Why yes, Oasis, you are correct. By now I should have realized what I gotta do. However, instead I chose to keep making excuses, lose all my strength, and gain 20 pounds. I don't believe that anybody Feels the way I do about you now Fellow rebels, I am so grateful to have you all here with me on this journey. I know that just the accountability and habitual tracking of my food and fitness will slowly help me to not just get back on this wagon, but DOMINATE the wagon. FOLLOW MY JOURNEY HERE or come find me in the battle logs. I need all the encouragement I can get! <3 MG

Long story short: I will mostly likely fall off the wagon. Who can hold me accountable and maybe allow me to do the same? MG

Thanks aikijits! I feel I have no more room for excuses... it's just getting ridiculous!

Hi there! I tried a challenge a year ago, fell off the wagon, and wallowed in the mud for a while. However... I'm back! I really want to do the next challenge and not set such lofty goals for myself. I think that I will be successful if I set more attainable steps to reaching my goal. My goal? To be more active and fit (i.e. start working out again and be a little firmer when I look in the mirror). I plan on doing this by: working out at least 3 times a week, drinking enough water (8 glasses, right?), making healthy food choices, and continuing to get up at the same time every day... I think that's it! If you have any tips to help, or any good tips about anything in general, lay it on me! MG

Challenge Day 26: Exercise: Total rest day. So needed... Food: Breakfast: Berrie protein smoothie Snack: Eggs with green peppers and mushrooms Snack: Almonds Lunch: Chicken Stir Fry Snack: Bag of healthy chips (I gave blood today and ate these after) Snack: Greek Yogurt Snack: Veggie Chips Dinner: Hot Pot (more of a snack, I didn't eat very much) and pumpkin bread. Verdict? Good. I am so tired... I need to get my sleep schedule back in check again...

Thank both of you guys for all your help and support! I think I am going to try the Stronglifts 5x5 and see if that menthod helps (which involves both of your advice )

Challenge Day 26: Up? ....................snoozed until 7am... I've been going to be WAY too late. that is the culprit. DAMN YOU FIREFLY! Run? No, rest day Lift? Rest day Nom? Ate all good things, just had some pumpkin bread and veggie chips in moderation. Tomorrow? RUN

Challenge Day 25: Nutrition: Breakfast: Eggs with green peppers Lunch: Chicken Stir Fry with rice Snack: Greek Yogurt Snack: Almonds Dinner: Tomato soup and half a sandwich Snack: Pumpkin bread... Exercise: Ran 1.91 miles on week 4 day 2 of the C25K

Challenge Day 25: Up? ......snoozed for 1.5 hours... I stayed up late watching "Firefly" (I am now finally just watching it for the first time) Run? I did! I did during my lunch break instead. I found this was the first time in my C25k where I was significantly challenged to the point of wanting to stop. Lift? Nope, still sore from Deadlifts! Nom? Very good, except for my roommate made torrent of pumpkin bread.....

Oh, no worries! I didn't think you were rude at all. I am training each one once a week, sometimes squat twice a week. I won't do squat and deadlift on consecutive days, as it is too much on the back. The battle log in my signature has details on exercise routine and diet. My other lifts are progressing nicely. I went from maxing out at 175 to being able to do 155x5x5 and 175x3x3 same day on deadlifts. I had to build from the ground up with squat and am now able to do 90x5x5. In the distant past I did 135x1 on squat, but I don't know if that counts. I think that I'm eating a normal amount of calories, may be closer to deficit since I have had a problem with that in the past. I don't keep track of the caloric intake, but I do try to eat when I am hungry and stop when I am not. I will aim to do bench 2x instead of squat. I feel like I can keep progressing on squat even if it is 1x a week. Thank you for all your help, Lachy! I look forward to your reply!

How long have you been benching? -Consistently once a week for the past month What program are you following? -5x5 with the goal of increasing weekly How long have you been stuck at 65lbs? -Since I began How old are you? -24 How much do you weigh? -145 Where are your other lifts at? -Deadlift: 185 -Squat: 135 What is your training history? -I started seriously training powerlifts in the past month or so. In the past I toyed with it, with form for one rep. Now, I aim to improve in any way, sort of 5x5 mentality, I guess. Waht is your diet like? -Paleo/Primal for the most part, a little bit of junk every now and then. etc ... -Is there anything else that would help?

Hi all, As a chick, I suck at all things upper body. Exhibit A: I have never done a chin-up in all of my life, child and adult. Exhibit B: I am stuck at 65lbs on bench. I want to primarily powerlift; squat and deadlift come more easily to me and I felt that bench was necessary to round it out. What can I do to strengthen myself for bench? Sincerely, Griff

Challenge Day 24: Up? Yes! Run? No, rest Day Lift? Yes, bench. Nom? I was bad with lots of veggie chips and cookies...

Challenge Day 24: Exercise: Weak. Bench: 45x10 55x5 65x5 65x5 65x5 75x1 65x5 55x5 55x5 55x5 OHP" 45x10 55x5 55x5 Negative Pull-Up: 4x5 Overall: Lame. I have not seen improvement in my upper body strength. No Bueno. Nutrition: Breakfast: Protein Shake Snack: Eggs Lunch: Chicken Stir Fry Snack: Veggie Chips (tons of veggie chips...) Dinner: Chicken, Cabbage, Potato Soup, cookies. Verdict: I could have eaten a lot better today... I am totally losing steam... I feel like I'm not seeing results any more. Maybe I'm just fickle... Tomorrow: Run!

All of these Friends gifs make my life

Challenge Day 22: Exercise: Week 4 Day 1 c25k Nutrition: Breakfast: Veggie Chips Snack: Half a protein shake Lunch: Chicken and veggies Snack: Green pepper Snack: Almonds Dinner: Chicken Stirfry Snack: Reeses cups Yesterday I did deadlifts: 45x10 95x5 115x5 135x5 155x5(x5) 175x3(x3) 185x1 195 (failx3) I think my back is too weak to do more weight, so mu friend at the Y said to do rack pulls to strengthen the second portion of my deadlift, since I get the weight over 190 up to my thighs but can't lock it out. In an attempt to strengthen my back I did 3 sets of 10 bent over rows with 20lb dumbbells. Tomorrow(really today) I shall do bench and OHP

Up? Snoozed a couple of times... Run? Yes! Lift? Nope, super sore from deadlifts yesterday Nom? I had some reeses cups, but other than that, very good! Verdict: Tomorrow will lift if I have time. Otherwise, it shall be a rest day.

Challenge Day 19: Nutrition: Breakfast: Two Eggs with Green Peppers and Salsa Snack: Grapes Snack: Green Pepper Lunch: Chicken Stir Fry Dinner: Soup and Salad Exercise: Squats: 45x10 65x5 75x5 85x5 (x5) 95x5 (x2) 105x3 Plank: 75 sec 45 sec 30 sec Tomorrow: Run! Bonus: I unexpectedly got to see the Avett Brothers today. I was very glad to get to see them live, but was sad to see how commercial they've become