Zach Infiltrates the Warriors

[ZachPSU]

Hello Warriors!

 

Just a rebel here finding his way.  Initially the warriors called to me as just about the only thing I can control in the chaos of my life right now is my morning workouts, the rest of my day is dictated by baby, then toddler, and fitting in wife-time throughout.  A brief introduction since I haven't interacted with most of you (except Hazard and Harriet briefly for my form check on my deadlifts a month or two ago).

 

I am a 30something career changer who decided to change careers from mental health counseling to physical therapy because I wanted to continue to help people, but sitting all day was driving me nuts and killing my back.  I'd also always been interested in sports and working out so it made perfect sense!  Flash forward 5 years later and I graduated with my doctorate of physical therapy in May, just in the middle of our friend COVID-19.  I'm in New York which has been one of the more stringent/hard hit (at least early spring) states.  So, the rehab services area has not been bouncing back so well.  Most of my colleagues who passed their boards are also still waiting on their license (like me), but cannot line up any of the very few jobs available.  Therefore, I am Mr. Dad'ing it with my 4 month old and my 3.5 year old, so my days are pretty much full anyway, but the novelty of being home with the kids has worn off over the past 6 months or so and I am very ready to get back to the real world and make some income.

 

Anyway, my past few challenges over in the Rebels area were kind of well-rounded, I developed a goal for a traditional character sheet for Strength --> Charisma.  I'm going to try things a little differently this time.

 

Goal 1: Hit 160 on the scale.  - Currently around 168-170 or so, but my body comp has definitely changed some since I'm not on my feet in a clinic doing PT work with people all day (usually got around 22k+ steps per day when I was in outpatient or inpatient units), and my diet has only been slightly adjusted.  So this is more of a bodycomp goal really.  Had to dress up for the first time since business casual for my last day in clinic in March, and my polo was usually a nice sport fit, but it definitely looked a little more 'rounded and filled out', so I need to get back into business casual shape for when my license hits and I finally get to be a real adult again.

 

Goal 2: Maintain workout.  - This has been tough since I started MFP again and went on a slight cut.  I was working out 3x/week with an incremental load focused on DL progressions, but that ran straight into a wall almost immediately after starting my cut and food logging.  So I stretched my workouts to a 4x/week program, lower volume with high-ish weights to try to maintain muscle mass without having the high volume/reps to eat away the muscle.

 

Goal 3: Be more patient. - This is more ambiguous, but I think its a combination of feeling very caged in from experiencing life and not having a job for the, I think, longest streak since I have started working in my teens; and the lack of adult interaction, the slightly reduced caloric intake, or even the seasonal change to winter imminent; but I have not been very patient with my toddler.  

 

Goal 4: Start working. - This is totally in the hands of NYS.  They furloughed 3 of the 4 people who work in the department that pushes the licenses for allied health professions after new applicants pass their boards.  In my opinion, this should be a simple click of a button that compares that applicants degree conferral to the state board exam results, and then prints a license number.  I also think this should be something that can be done from home.  Evidently I am incorrect on both fronts and this takes 2-3 hours per applicant being reviewed, and there are a few hundred at least in NYS, given this office processes PT, OT, SLP, PA, and all nursing licenses.  It's a hot mess.  I have been calling daily hoping they get tired of me but now I go to voicemail so that's fun.  BTW, they've had my money for the license application since February.  /rant off.  I have one per diem employer on the hook who has been waiting very patiently for over a month, I offered to already complete the onboarding paperwork virtually so that saves them from paying me for a half day of paperwork or so, but they are getting antsy to fill the position.  I've had 2 other positions (both really good ones) pass me up because NYS cannot process my license yet.  It's incredibly frustrating.  Okay, /rant off for real this time.

 

That's it, 4 simple goals, and I hope to get to know all of you soon.  I'll post my actual workout log here tomorrow.  Right now I'm MTRF for my lifts, so Wednesday is my chill day and I typed this up quick during babygirls first nap!

[Harriet]

Willkommen! 

Ah, that is indeed not the most convenient situation into which to graduate. Good luck with the training and cut, and I hope the NYS get you your licence promptly.

[Scaly Freak]

Sympathies on the work situation! I can only imagine the levels of stress that causes, and I hope it improves soon. 

 

What program are you following with the lifting? Is there a link to it I can see? (I have barbell withdrawal and live vicariously through other warriors right now.)

 

 

 

[KB Girl]

Welcome to the warriors! And congrats on graduating! 

 

Being patient with toddlers is just not very easy.. what helps for me is regularly reminding myself that they simply cannot control themselves. And by regularly I mean like chanting to myself in my head "she's only 3, she's only 3, she's only 3" on bad days

 

[ZachPSU]

4 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

Sympathies on the work situation! I can only imagine the levels of stress that causes, and I hope it improves soon. 

 

What program are you following with the lifting? Is there a link to it I can see? (I have barbell withdrawal and live vicariously through other warriors right now.)

 

 

 

 I actually just looked for about 5 minutes on Legion Athletics website and couldnt find my base. Someone might recognize it when I snap a pic of my workout log tomorrow for in here, or might not because I always frankenstein for my enjoyment. 

[ZachPSU]

4 minutes ago, KB Girl said:

Being patient with toddlers is just not very easy.. what helps for me is regularly reminding myself that they simply cannot control themselves. And by regularly I mean like chanting to myself in my head "she's only 3, she's only 3, she's only 3" on bad days

Yes, this. Last night he wanted to put his lotion on, but he already squeezes the toothpaste tube too hard putting his toothpaste on, and we ended up with a living room covered with lotion after he slipped away and ran down the hall squeezing the tube with both hands. 3 mins later he snuggles you and says he loves you and Im just thinking about a rapid cycling mood disorder he must have, or just being a normal pain in the butt toddler. The 2s were great. 3s?  Yuck. 

[KB Girl]

1 hour ago, ZachPSU said:

Yes, this. Last night he wanted to put his lotion on, but he already squeezes the toothpaste tube too hard putting his toothpaste on, and we ended up with a living room covered with lotion after he slipped away and ran down the hall squeezing the tube with both hands. 3 mins later he snuggles you and says he loves you and Im just thinking about a rapid cycling mood disorder he must have, or just being a normal pain in the butt toddler. The 2s were great. 3s?  Yuck. 

😅 normal toddler unfortunately, yea. Couple weeks ago mine got hold of a jar of Vaseline while I was feeding the baby... that stuff is Really hard to remove! 
2s were definitely easier, but there are so many good things about this age too  

[ZachPSU]

Workout below:

 

 

Assuming nobody can make out my chicken scratch, that's a MTRF split with three-ish 'maintenance' exercises, where I'm going for a tough 3x8 (I am considering dropping this to 3x6 because the numbers just aren't where I'd like them to be on some of it, lowering my volume some), and then 2-3 accessory lifts where I usually do a set of 12-15, wait 15 seconds, do another set to when I feel like I'm about to fatigue, wait 15 seconds, and try to pump out four additional sets at that mark.  If I can't get to that mark on a set, I call it there for that accesory.  For example, I did spider curls on 9/7 and did a set of 12, then managed to hit 6 reps 4 sets but couldn't get to 6 on the fifth set.

 

I frankenstein everything so it is what it is.  I use alot of shorthand, some of it medical PT shorthand (W check/"/" = wrist flexion/extension), some of it my own gibberish (SLDL - single leg dead lifts - probably not my own gibberish that's probably pretty common but I don't see any of my other originals on this pic I snapped).  

 

This mornings workout SUCKED.  I didn't get to do my accessory before my toddler was waking up and I had to go get him before he woke up the baby and momma bear.  Failed on my OHP at 95 lbs, when I was doing a variation of a 3x5 program I was pushing around 125 there, trying to get to body weight, but I'm just totally pooped on this caloric restriction.  So, I'm embracing the suck of being stuck at 95.  I hit 3x8 last OHP day, but barely (as I indicate with underlines under the last set of 'jesus that sucked, totally out of steam'), so I didn't push to 100 lbs, I have fractionals though so I could've went to 97.5 I guess.  Also missed my BP set this week, went 8/8/6, just a tough upper body week.  Lower body lifts went good.  Deadlift day tomorrow (I just do 1x5 for Deadlifts, not the 3x8, because I'm more interested in keeping the weight high for the deads than the volume).

 

 

------------------

 

Regardless, I'm doing well on the cut, I'm down to 162 according to the scale yesterday.  I've always had an easy time cutting weight, helped alot when I did MMA to drop a weight class for a smoker fight.  I might push it down to 155 or so (on my 5'5" frame, totally appropriate weight) and then slowly add more clean calories back into my routine so I can stop feeling totally drained in the workouts.

 

Also, got my license finally!  Calling and bitching every day has paid off.  My per diem employer is already in the works of scheduling me so I should start there next week, and I have 2 other recruiters looking for me for other part time or per diem work while the area here bounces back.

[Scaly Freak]

24 minutes ago, ZachPSU said:

Also, got my license finally!  Calling and bitching every day has paid off.  My per diem employer is already in the works of scheduling me so I should start there next week, and I have 2 other recruiters looking for me for other part time or per diem work while the area here bounces back.

 

Wohoo! Congratulations! One less thing to worry about

[Harriet]

1 hour ago, ZachPSU said:

Also, got my license finally!  Calling and bitching every day has paid off.  My per diem employer is already in the works of scheduling me so I should start there next week, and I have 2 other recruiters looking for me for other part time or per diem work while the area here bounces back.

 

Excellent work with the phone call pressure! 

[ZachPSU]

DL day a good day, hit all of the lifts and felt like I could have done more. Apple picking with the fam today!  Hello Fall, my favorite!

[Harriet]

1 hour ago, ZachPSU said:

DL day a good day, hit all of the lifts and felt like I could have done more. Apple picking with the fam today!  Hello Fall, my favorite!

 

Either my handreading skills are rusty, or this could be the start of an unusual novel: "String got me 185. Rear wort Ns. Wull." 

 

Oh, apple picking sounds so wholesome and pleasant!  

 

[h3r0]

I'm late to the party but welcome to the warriors! Good luck on the challenge. 

[ZachPSU]

6 hours ago, h3r0 said:

I'm late to the party but welcome to the warriors! Good luck on the challenge. 

Thanks!

 

7 hours ago, Harriet said:

 

Either my handreading skills are rusty, or this could be the start of an unusual novel: "String got me 185. Rear wort Ns. Wull." 

 

Oh, apple picking sounds so wholesome and pleasant!  

 

 

Your handwriting skills are astute, thats exactly what I wrote

 

Apple picking was really nice!  We picked concord grapes too for a change, my wife is becoming quite the preserver/canner so she is planning some jelly with them. My son, all jacked up on about 7 apples, decided to socially distance himself from the fam for the picture. 

 

We stopped for some food at some new restaurant in the country-area we were, and it was delicious, but we all endulged on ice cream after lunch and holy shit is my body revolting. I can tell I have been tracking and being mindful of my food because it literally feels like I swallowed a lead ball. 

[Mr.CaffeineHead]

I'm super late to posting, but just wanted to say welcome aboard! That licensure process sounds like an absolute pain (honestly, any procedure that involves obtaining a permit/license is), and I hope you're able to get the license soon. Best of luck on the challenge.

[KB Girl]

That sounds like a lovely day! Sorry about the lead ball though.. hope that at least it was good icecream x)

 

On 9/18/2020 at 11:24 PM, ZachPSU said:

My son, all jacked up on about 7 apples, decided to socially distance himself from the fam for the picture.

This made me laugh! 

[ZachPSU]

Starting work at my per diem gig tomorrow, just orientation and then probably shadowing/checking out their EMR and seeing how it runs.  I remember during the interview I asked, and it was one I hadn't heard of before so it might be pretty home-brew like and clunky, but what EMR isn't?  Workout this morning was okay, but I was a bit slow and sluggish fitting the trend with the cut.  Looking forward to reversing course soonish.  Probably mid-october, I don't have a firm end date but I want to give it a solid 8 weeks or so and I think I'm at 4 right now.

 

Spoiler for workout log (I'm trying to improve my handwriting, I thought of Harriet's short story she made of my last log :D)

Spoiler

 

Lat raises definitely looks like "Lat Rakes" - which is probably a great workout to build your lats.

[KB Girl]

Hope you have a good first day! 

The picture won't load for me.. 

[Big_Show]

Welcome to the Warriors!

[ZachPSU]

Well damn, it's been a busy few days. First day(s) of work went well, got three days last week, just one so far scheduled for this week.  I've been at all 3 of this companys facilities.  The first 2 are literally holes-in-the-wall and floor, nursing staff that don't care (because they get paid peanuts and are mostly CNAs doing tough work for less than they could make flipping burgers).  Then the last one I went to for a full shift on Friday has been renovated, walked in to a 360 degree salt water aquarium with turtles and fish and everyone was pleasant and great to work with.  

 

Had a great phone interview with an ortho clinic last week, and have another phone screen tonight with a known orthopedic-mill, but they are both full time gigs which I desparately want.  I  can handle the grindstone for a few years doing 3-6 patients per hour to get some experience and then move on to a different job for sure.  I have a high tolerance for BS and don't burn out easily.

 

Warrior-related things, I've been struggling on my lifts, really tough.  I'm just not having any energy, maxing out my rests between sets, and usually just hitting my big 2 lifts for the day MTRF.  I'm thinking about reconsolidating and doing a MWF lift plan, just 2-3 lifts each day, and then add light cardio T/R, do my water rower one day and my treadmill the other.

 

Posting my log from past week of lifts in spoiler tag (hopefully it loads?)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Okay no idea I think its gonna be an attachment and not in the spoiler tag above   Who knows.  I will say on Thursday I tweaked my upper/mid trap overhead pressing.  I have a spot I have to stand on the floor (marked with tape) in order for any plates bigger than 10s to go up in between the rafters at lockout.  I was off a little and the left side slammed it pretty hard on my first working weight rep and knocked me sideways.  Recovered, but got a 3-4 day spasm there.  Mostly rested it Friday and took care at work with it and it's all better now.

 

Fight on!

[Harriet]

3 hours ago, ZachPSU said:

nursing staff that don't care (because they get paid peanuts and are mostly CNAs doing tough work for less than they could make flipping burgers). 

 

What is CNA? Is it chromium narcolepsy amalgam? Or chic nodding aardvarks? 

 

3 hours ago, ZachPSU said:

Then the last one I went to for a full shift on Friday has been renovated, walked in to a 360 degree salt water aquarium with turtles and fish and everyone was pleasant

 

I the turtles should be distributed more equitably between the three facilities, obviously

 

3 hours ago, ZachPSU said:

Warrior-related things, I've been struggling on my lifts, really tough.  I'm just not having any energy, maxing out my rests between sets, and usually just hitting my big 2 lifts for the day MTRF. 

 

Hmm. How are your carbs and sleep? Do you take rest days, and does your programme occasionally have a light week? 

[ZachPSU]

Eating 1980 cal/day from a TDEE calc for a 0.5-1lb loss weekly. 40/40/20 prot/carb/fat split. That said I usually end up around 150-170g of prot and carbs per day. 

 

Sleep is definitely an issue. Baby still in our room for another month in bassinet so usually I am sleeping from around 11:30 (after wifes last pump for the night) then we migrate into bed with me carrying dog to not wake baby with her toenails on hardwood. Wake around 2-4 if baby wakes for a feed, then I go to the couch in the living room so I can use an audible alarm to get up to lift. Or, wake up around 6:30 or so naturally if baby sleeps thru and then scramble to try to get lifts in before kids get up. 

 

Program has wednesday and sat/sun as rest as stands. Thinking about pushing it into a low volume PPL 3 day deal and add in steady state cardio T/R to help trim a bit more. Weightloss has stagnated around 162 for a few weeks so would prefer to add more cardio rather than cut calories more to stoke the fire. 

[Scaly Freak]

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

What is CNA? Is it chromium narcolepsy amalgam? Or chic nodding aardvarks? 

 

Where I live it stands for Certified Nursing Assistant, but whether that applies here as well, I don't know.  

 

I do know the nurses in my family swear by them and their work, and swear at the hospital budget for reducing the number of CNAs a little over a year ago.

[ZachPSU]

Yes, the above is correct, and the one or two CNAs that take their job seriously and are able to perform that caring patient care can make all the difference, they definitely get the most face-time with patients of most medical professionals.  

 

Today I ran for the first time since my tough mudder over a year ago.  Did 2.5 miles in about 24 minutes, could have went further I think but I knew better and stopped myself because I knew I would be sore, and lo and behold, I am sore tonight!

[Scaly Freak]

1 hour ago, ZachPSU said:

Yes, the above is correct, and the one or two CNAs that take their job seriously and are able to perform that caring patient care can make all the difference, they definitely get the most face-time with patients of most medical professionals.  

 

That is what my family says as well. They claim the average stress-level on a shift is directly related to which CNAs are on shift.