Big Show's Operation Wedding Suit - Take 2

[Big_Show]

I decided to come back to the forums this year and thought it was time for a new Battle Log!

 

I was due to get married in August 2020, but then the world shut down and we were forced to postpone.  But now at long last we're coming up to the rearranged date in July 2022 and so it's time to get ready for that wedding suit fitting again!  To keep myself on track with all this I've decided to set up shop in the Battle Logs rather than the Challenge Forums, as I intend to stick to the same basic shape of the programme I've been following for the last year or so and setting up the same challenge over and over again makes for a bit of a repetitive read.  Plus I then get stuck trying to update daily instead of actually doing the stuff I need to, and end up dropping off the boards yet again...

 

I've been following Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 programme (starting off with very low weights at the beginning) and continue to make progress with my lifts - last month saw me set PBs in the Military Press, Deadlift, and Bench Press - and I intend to carry on with this as long as progress continues.  I know that if I stick to roughly 2500 calories/day (averaged out across the week) I will lose weight, although ultimately I don't care about my weight so much as my waistline.  My main target therefore is to strive for consistency above all, to balance out the inevitable wobbles and planned deviations that will occur in the next half year.

 

I've started off this year back up to 115.0kg (lots of fun was had over Christmas), but I feel certain this will drop back off nice and quickly enough.  My PBs currently stand at:

Military Press - 52.5kg x4

Deadlift - 135kg x3

Bench Press - 77.5kg x4

Squats 95kg x3 (numerous ankle/calf/knee injuries seem to stop me progressing quickly here, but at least the leg press is still going up)

 

The basic shape of my plan is therefore:

- 4x gym workouts per week

- average out at roughly 2500 calories/day (target will vary as my weight decreases)

- go for a walk every day

 

So now it's time to get to work!

[Big_Show]

I usually run my 7-day calorie tracking week from Wednesday through to Tuesday, and that's starting tomorrow.  Today's practice run (for my first day back at work after New Year's) seems to have gone well, although my stomach is still firing lots of hunger pangs at me as it tries to get back to eating like a normal person again.

 

On Monday I did my first workout of the year, which came as a bit of a shock to the system!  But I ploughed on through my Military Press workout anyway, and then this morning I was back there again before work for my deadlift workout.  I definitely enjoy these ones more, and tomorrow I intend to go along again as well for a bit of extra cardio.

 

I hope to have some good numbers to report back soon, but for now I'm just going to plod on through and try to get my waistline back under control.  The lifting belt was definitely noticeably harder to fasten this morning than it was before Christmas... 😅

[ReturnOfTheDad]

17 hours ago, Big_Show said:

The lifting belt was definitely noticeably harder to fasten this morning than it was before Christmas... 😅

Right there with you. 😁

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

19 hours ago, Big_Show said:

The lifting belt was definitely noticeably harder to fasten this morning than it was before Christmas... 😅

You'll get no judgement from me...

[Big_Show]

7 hours ago, ReturnOfTheDad said:

Right there with you. 😁

 

5 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

You'll get no judgement from me...

 

Nice to know we're all in the same boat 😆

 

The week continues to go to plan so far - I have walked every day after work, and this morning I headed to the gym for my optional cardio session.  If I just need the sleep I can skip it an have a lie-in on Wednesdays to ensure I can get up early for Thursday and Friday, although today I was awake an hour before my alarm and unable to get back to sleep so it was a moot point anyway...

 

Today has been my first full day of tracking and sticking to the eating plan, and I had forgotten just how often I get hungry throughout the day!  I'm getting much better these days at identifying real hunger as opposed to Boredom Hunger, but the temptation and the old patterns are all still there.  Eyes on the prize though, I may dipped back into 114kg today but there's still a long way to go yet!

 

Tomorrow morning is my Bench Press  workout, and it's one I've been considering tweaking this year.  First I work up to the heavy 5/3/1 sets of barbell bench, then follow on with 5x10 DB bench.  Currently as the accessories to follow I'm using the  seated fly machine and then the assisted dips, but I was wondering if there are any other exercises which would be better for building a better chest?  I'd quite like to have a shot at building myself some proper man-titties at some point, so the actual exercises I do are probably important for this.

 

Tonight's dinner is left over gammon joint with frozen roast potatoes, parsnips and sprouts, so it's a bit of a lazy midweek roast dinner for us!  Bit of a treat on an icy winter's evening, but if it fits the calorie targets it's all fair game at the moment!

[Big_Show]

Bloody cold again this morning when I wandered up to the gym, but the car park was nice and empty and so was the gym!  There's only one proper bench there, so it's nice to (generally) not have to queue for it on a Thursday.  I make a point of never trying to do a Chest Day on a Monday for this very reason!

 

It was a good workout, too!  Today's plan was to work up to 5+ reps of barbell bench @ 70kg and luckily the PT was there to spot me, so I was able to manage 8 and fail nicely on the 9th rep.  Shows there should hopefully be a good cycles left before I need to deload this exercise.

 

My FB memories threw up a comparison to what my training looked like 9 years ago when I was mainly doing fell/XC running and triathlons, as opposed to now (when the mere thought of running currently makes at least one of my calf muscles explode):

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Tad beefier (slash chonkier), and definitely warmer - that picture was taken at the highest point of the North Yorkshire Moors, so was running in -1C temperatures wearing only a vest and short shorts...

 

Calories and tracking has gone well.  I'm still needing a couple of snacks due to hunger pangs not quite settling yet, but today has been better than yesterday.  I should head into the weekend with a little calorie deficit too, and we're got treat-y feeling healthy dinners planned for all three evenings so with a bit of effort (and luck) I shouldn't blow the calorie budget entirely by the end of Sunday.

 

Tomorrow morning is my remedial squats session, then that's me done with the gym for the week - the DOMS are definitely telling me that it's the first week back so my body will be glad of the two days off just walking instead!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

You neglected to mention the incredibly high amount of beard gainz between the second and third picture.

7 minutes ago, Big_Show said:

that picture was taken at the highest point of the North Yorkshire Moors

Technically, in that moment, the top of your heat was they highest point in the moors.

7 minutes ago, Big_Show said:

so was running in -1C temperatures wearing only a vest and short shorts...

 

[Big_Show]

It's been a good few days.

 

Got Friday's squat session in first thing, had the weekend off the gym, and made sure to get a walk in all three days as well.  Calories were a bit higher on Friday night, and Saturday's weather was awful so we settled in with the rugby in the afternoon and a few ciders so the calorie count was higher then as well.  Reined things in again on Sunday though, and today and tomorrow's calories will also be better to compensate.

 

Got my first deloaded Military Press session done this morning - still felt like hard work but then my shoulders always feel a bit weak.  I got session done, and tomorrow I get to do Deadlifts!

 

Not really much else to add at the moment.  Hoping to see the weight dropping back down nicely as the week goes on, my appetite seems to be getting better so that should help.

[Big_Show]

Over a week into the year now, time for a little update!

 

Deadlifts went well on Tuesday - worked my way up to 130kg with a goal of 3+ and managed 6 reps, so looks like I've still got plenty of progress left to make before deloading - next week is a PB attempt at 137.5kg, which is just over 300lb - feels like a milestone!

 

This morning was my Bench Press workout and I similarly worked up to 75kg for 3+ and managed 6 reps (with a spotter for that last set!) and next week is a PB attempt at 80kg - if I hadn't got the PT on duty to spot me I wouldn't have even attempted the 5th rep, let alone the 6th, so I'm very pleased he was hanging around with nothing to do!

 

After a week of tracking my calories my weight has dropped into the high 113s:

 

 

The calories went a bit crazy at the weekend (drinking cider while watching the rugby and eating potato-heavy meals will do that), but calorie deficits before and afte Friday & Saturday nicely compensated for them, so I can declare Week 1 a success.  My appetite is continuing to get better at regulating itself now and so I think Week 2 should be a little bit smoother, plus the Welshman & I now appear to have finished off all the leftover Christmas food in the house so it's all just the stuff we're buying weekly that's left!

 

The weekend should be good - we've planned our treat meals round watching the rugby on Friday evening and then The Eternals on Saturday night (courtesy of Disney+) so we'll be getting some decent walks in and watching the other calories throughout the rest of those days.  Then it'll be on to this cycle's peak week in the gym and those two PB attempts!

[Big_Show]

Friday update:

 

Squat day went adequately well (various old injuries mean I struggle with them, but I'm determined to get back up to bodyweight squats eventually, however slowly), and work passed surprisingly non-slowly for a Friday so not complaining!

 

Also, forcing myself to step ouy of my comfort zone and at least say hi to the other morning regulars at the gym this year has now resulted in them actually saying hi to me first now. This level of social interaction is frankly confusing and terrifying 😅

 

My first two days of calorie counting has resulted in a 600 calorie deficit to carry in to the weekend, so as soon as the Welshman finishes work we off to the pub early doors for a couple of cheeky pints then coming back to settle in with the rugby on TV and some fish & chips. Excellent Friday night all round!

[Endor]

On 1/15/2022 at 3:46 AM, Big_Show said:

Also, forcing myself to step ouy of my comfort zone and at least say hi to the other morning regulars at the gym this year has now resulted in them actually saying hi to me first now. This level of social interaction is frankly confusing and terrifying 😅

 

Love it, well done! 

 

On 1/15/2022 at 3:46 AM, Big_Show said:

some fish & chips.

Man I miss the Fish and Chips over there, just not the same here. 

[Big_Show]

Hello again everyone!

 

Didn't get round to updating last week as life got in the way a bit - turns out we need to look for a new place to live over the next couple of months.  Our landlords bought the place we currently live as a property to retire to, and apparently they've decided that 2022 is the time to make that happen.  We tried to negotiate an extra six months onto the tenancy to get us past the wedding, but they want to do some building work to it first (makes sense, the kitchen alone is in severe need of modernisation) and don't want to do that over winter.

 

As a result, we spent a few days feeling sorry for ourselves, starting the rental hunt, and making plans.  While we always intended to get our own place, the plan is now to save aggressively enough to hopefully get enough of a deposit to buy a house next year and never be forced to move again.  These events involved a couple of trips to the pub to figure things out, and my wallowing also involved eating most of the bread in Suffolk, but we're through all that now and back on plan.

 

I did still keep weighing myself throughout and the data clearly reflects the time gone off piste - the overall year so far looks ok at first glance:

 

 

but when you just look at the last fortnight and where that current trend is pointing:

 

 

...you get the idea.

 

Other than that though, I did still hit two PBs last week:

- Deadlift: 137.5kg (303.1lbs) x3 - more in the tank but grip gave out!

- Bench Press: 80kg (176.4lbs) x3 - glad I had the spotter as the fourth rep was definitely not there!

Still feels like I have a few more cycles left in my before I have to deload these lifts, so hopefully this all continues a while longer.  Current plan is to carry on the 5/3/1 programme until the wedding or so, then afterwards readjust and start a new one with new goals.  For a start, I'll be able to bulk for a bit without worrying about a wedding suit!

 

That's about all I can think of to update for now - hopefully be a bit less sporadic from now on!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Sorry about having to move. I hate it too.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Can’t complain about the PBs though. 
 

[Endor]

Shame about the house you seemed to like that one a lot. It's way better having your own place so you have full control. 

[Big_Show]

On 1/27/2022 at 10:19 PM, Endor said:

Shame about the house you seemed to like that one a lot. It's way better having your own place so you have full control. 

 

Yeah, it was an absolute steal to be honest so we've been kinda spoilt, but it worked out to be the perfect place for Lockdown 3.  We've got a couple of leads on a really nice flat or a little 2 bed house, so downsizing some of our stuff will be a bit of a challenge but it'll save us a few grand over the year in rent, so it's all about the Endgame!  They're both in the little town we used to live in too, so I know the little local gym is good enough quality and relatively quiet in the mornings before work too.

 

Had a good weekend, feeling pretty recovered from last week's gym sessions and the calories stayed ok too.  Until we went out for Sunday lunch, anyway - my Mum just retired and so we had a meal out with my parents to celebrate, but it's a life event that only happens once so I can cope with a few extra calories on one day for that.

 

Military Press workout done this morning - looking forward to tomorrow's regularly scheduled Deadlifts!

[Endor]

I see I haven't missed much while absent! How's it going big fella? Found a new place yet?

[Big_Show]

On 2/14/2022 at 5:52 AM, Endor said:

I see I haven't missed much while absent! How's it going big fella? Found a new place yet?

 

Yeah good thanks mate, I've been meaning to get on here and do an update!

 

First things first: last week's peak week saw me set a new deadlift PB (142.5kg x3) and a bench press PB as well (82.5kg x2).  Also squatted over 100kg for the first time in god only knows how long as well (102.5kg x3), so hopefully I'm finally getting past the dodgy knee & ankle issues.  I also realised I'm also doing far more on the calf raises than I am on the squats, which made me laugh...  I did unfortunately managed to pull something in my shoulder in the process though, so this week is just a cardio week so I'm in proper shape to move house.

 

And that happens a week on Friday!  We got the flat and it really suits our needs, although it'll be... interesting downsizing our stuff to fit in there.  Worth it for saving around £3k a year though, with a wedding to pay for and a house deposit to save up for!

 

Hoping to get back to regular posting again once we're moved in.  Planning on changing up my workout plan a bit, probably including something to strengthen my damn shoulder up as well!

[Endor]

11 hours ago, Big_Show said:

And that happens a week on Friday!  We got the flat and it really suits our needs, although it'll be... interesting downsizing our stuff to fit in there.  Worth it for saving around £3k a year though, with a wedding to pay for and a house deposit to save up for!

 

Awesome, great result. 

[Big_Show]

7 hours ago, Endor said:

Awesome, great result. 

Yeah, just gotta remember not to spend it on something else now 😅

[Big_Show]

Trying to get back in the habit of updating even when nothing much has happened:

 

1) My injured shoulder is continuing to get better, but realistically I need to leave it another week, so it'll be after the move before I get back to trying weights.

 

2) Still going to the gym in the morning for some cardio, but that's mainly to keep the habit going. And oddly, if I sleep in that extra hour in the morning I seem to sleep worse the next night! Didn't expect that.

 

3) I downloaded the remastered Assassin's Creed Ezio games for the the Switch yesterday, and today I made a start on Assassin's Creed II after work - never played these ones first time round and we had a storm to shelter from, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity!

[Big_Show]

Quick update time:

 

Busy few weeks!  We moved, we spent a week going back over to the old place to clean it after work and all weekend, but it worked and we got our full deposit back.

 

I'm now back to work, rejoined my old gym, getting back on track with the eating again.  Weight is slowly starting to drop off again, and my shoulder appears to be playing nicely again.

 

Back to regular updates from now on hopefully!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Glad for your sake the move is over.

[Big_Show]

So, where to begin with updating again?

 

I'll start with my workouts.  As I mentioned I'm back in my old gym, which comes with some advantages and also some challenges.  On the plus side it's always nice and quiet in the morning before work (I was the only one there this morning, and I could see from yesterday's sign-in sheet that nobody turned up at all until 8:30).  On the negatives, some of the kit is has is a bit... vintage, and some of it is also just plain not built for tall people!  Case in point, the handles of the lat pulldown machine aren't actually high enough for me to get full extension, and I have to duck slightly if I want to stand underneath the cable machine...

 

It does however have two deadlift platforms and I have used them twice already.  I don't know if there's any difference in the bars they use, but my grip really doesn't seem to like this gym - I was able to lift the weights ok, but I almost dropped it from not being able to hold on a couple of times when I could manage the same weight at the old gym.  Maybe it's time for a bit of a deload and working back up again?

 

As I'm in this new environment I've decided it's finally time to mix up my programme a bit, so I'm moving to a three-day split - Back & Biceps (incl. deadlifts) on one day, Chest, Shoulders & Triceps on another, and then Legs on another.  Hopefully I should be able to fit in 4-5 workouts a week with a slightly more variable weekly pattern this way, with plenty of walking on my days off.

 

The tracking has begun again and the diet is back on track!  Cutting down the evening drinks, also managed to start having some decaff during the day instead of it always being regular coffee, and we're back planning out meals on a weekly basis instead of panicking and raiding the freezer and/or takeaway.  Although I will miss the McMuffins we always get when moving house...

[Big_Show]

(This should have been yesterday's update but for some reason it saved itself instaead of posting.  So here you go!)

 

The week has started well.

 

Yesterday before work I did my Back & Biceps workout, and this started off with a Deadlift PB!  Worked my way up to 147.5kg (325lbs) for the first time, and managed 2 reps - the rest of me felt capable of more, but my grip nearly gave out on that second rep and definitely wouldn't have last for a whole third, so I really need to find an answer to that one soon.

 

Today I was back again for my Chest, Shoulders & Triceps workout.  It felt kinda short tbh, but I was still ther for 50mins - not sure if I need to change something around, or just find another 5 mins to spend there on another exercise?  Might post my routine up here for some advice if I can't figure things out.

 

I've been tracking calories again but this weekend was our 5th Anniversary so I took some time off it.  The weekly averages start again from tomorrow though, so it's well and truly back on to the diet despite it being the final weekend of the Six Nations.  Got to get back to compensating for any accidental weekend blowouts otherwise nothing will change any time soon!