Wolfman's First Challenge

[Wolfman]

Well, crap.

I've been at a work conference for the past few days, and it did not go well. Monday-Thursday in a new place with a couple of guys from work. I didn't stick to my diet. I let the lack of a hotel gym be my excuse to not work out. Now I feel like crap, having completely wasted almost an entire week of the challenge. After a ton of weight loss and strength gains, I'm almost exactly back to where I started.

This sucks.

[Crooked]

Now I feel like crap, having completely wasted almost an entire week of the challenge.

I'm sorry you're feeling bad. I think you can take away two things from this:

1) I can't imagine that you're actually back to square one. Muscle doesn't just evaporate that quickly, so you should be able to pick back up and feel back on track shortly.

2) Think of those few days as insurance against smaller slips in the future. Every time you are trying to rationalize unplanned cheats or bailing on exercise, you can call to mind how crappy you feel and talk yourself out of it with "Do you really want to feel that bad again?" This can serve as a reminder that your new healthy lifestyle works and actually makes you feel good and good about yourself.

[Wolfman]

1) *Insert Over Dramatic Sigh* I SUPPOSE you're right... I shall attempt to not overreact, pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back on the dragon (much cooler than wagon). I reserve the right to the occasional self-flagellation, however.

2) That is a most excellent suggestion, and you are a very smart woman. I think next time I'll also bring the laptop... Having mobile support would have been nice!

[Wolfman]

Workout 1

Front Squat: 95 x 5 x 1, 105 x 5 x 1, 115 x 7 x 1

Front Squat: 85 x 10 x 5

Kettlebell Lunge: 50 x 10 x 5

Donkey Calf Raise: 200 x 10 x 5

Front/Side Plank: Bodyweight x 30 Sec. x 3

[Crooked]

That is a most excellent suggestion, and you are a very smart woman. I think next time I'll also bring the laptop... Having mobile support would have been nice!

Yes! Based on personal experience and Steve's Google talk, I'm more convinced than ever that this community is the perfect addition to efforts to get healthier.

[Wolfman]

Workout 2

Military Press: 75 x 5 x 1, 85 x 5 x 1, 95 x 4 x 1 (need to reduce weight on warm-up sets)

Military Press: 65 x 10 x 3, 65 x 8 x 1, 65 x 7 x 1, 65 x 6 x 1, 65 x 5 x 1 (was supposed to be 5 sets of 10 reps, but I couldn't get all 10 out on the last 3 sets, so I added a bonus set to make up some of the difference).

Push-Up: Bodyweight x 10 x 5 (need to add decline or more reps)

Kettlebell Swing: 35 x 20 x 5

Kettlebell Side Bend: 35 x 20 x 5 (each side)

Summer is officially here and all of my shorts are ridiculously large on me. Decided that if I hit my latest goal weight (140 lbs.) I can go shopping... if not, I'm stuck looking ridiculous until I do.

[Seabright]

Summer is officially here and all of my shorts are ridiculously large on me. Decided that if I hit my latest goal weight (140 lbs.) I can go shopping... if not, I'm stuck looking ridiculous until I do.

Hey! Congratulations on looking ridiculous in too-large clothes!! That's fantastic!

[Wolfman]

Thanks, Seabright!!!

[Wolfman]

Workout 3

Volleyball: 2 Hrs.

[Wolfman]

Workout 4

Deadlift: 105 x 5 x 1, 120 x 5 x 1, 135 x 5 x 1 (Forgot that I was supposed to max out my last set of these, and I could've gotten more reps in at my highest weight, so I'm pretty bummed.)

Deadlift: 95 x 10 x 4, 95 x 15 x 1

Seated Leg Curl: 110 x 10 x 5 (Need to up the weight on this one.)

Ab Wheel: Bodyweight x 25 x 3 (Inscreased the distance on these.)

Side Plank: 8 x 30 Sec. x 3

[prefect42]

Finally had a chance to read through your thread, and I have to say, we seem sort of similar in a lot of ways. Similar size, strength level, goals, etc. Woohoo kindred nerds!

As you know, I 100% hear you on the work travel-related setbacks. Sounds like you've made a good recovery so far this week--and clothing that no longer fits doesn't lie!

[Wolfman]

Here's hoping the recovery lasts into next week, kindred nerd!

[Wolfman]

Workout 5

Bench Press: 95 x 5 x 1, 120 x 5 x 1 (should have been 110 x 5 x 1... not awake = plate miscount), 125 x 5 x 1

Bench Press: 80 x 10 x 5

Incline Dumbbell Press: 25 x 10 x 5

Kettlebell Swing: 35 x 25 x 4

Kettlebell Side Bend: 35 x 25 x 4 (each side)

[Wolfman]

Today's workout consisted of my normal get up at 4:30, drive to gym, warm-up, but ended before the whole "working out" part. Just didn't feel like I should be there for whatever reason. Listened to my gut, drove back home, and am hoping to get a workout in later today instead. Probably Steve's advanced bodyweight workout.

[Wolfman]

Mini Workout

Not much of a workout yesterday, but I did manage to increase my pull-up PR to 3. Woot!

Pull-Ups: 3 x 1

Negative Pull-Ups: 1 x 4

Session with the weightlifting coach tonight. Gonna take a look at my deadlift and power clean form again... maybe move onto something else if there's time.

[Wolfman]

Workout 1

All done yesterday with my lifting coach, so I have no idea what weight/reps/sets were used.

Power Clean

Push Press

Front Squat

Pull-Up

Bulgarian Split Squat

Jack-Knife Sit-Up

[Wolfman]

Workout 2

Deadlift: 115 x 3 x 1, 125 x 3 x 1, 135 x 3 x 1

Deadlift: 95 x 10 x 3

Leg Curl: 140 x 10 x 3

Kettlebell Swing: 35 x 35 x 4

Side Plank: 10 x 30 Sec. x 4

[prefect42]

Nice progress on your deads. And am I reading that side-plank right? 10 sets of 2 30 sec. side planks on each side? That's awesome.

[Seabright]

Nice progress on your deads. And am I reading that side-plank right? 10 sets of 2 30 sec. side planks on each side? That's awesome.

I agree on the awesomeness of your side plankage. What is your secret?? These are so hard for me, would appreciate your advice.

[Wolfman]

Nice progress on your deads. And am I reading that side-plank right? 10 sets of 2 30 sec. side planks on each side? That's awesome.

Other way around. 4 sets of 30 sec. planks with a 10 lb. dumbbell balanced on my side. Rather than increase my time, I decided I would be better served adding weight to the exercise.

I agree on the awesomeness of your side plankage. What is your secret?? These are so hard for me, would appreciate your advice.

Not sure if I still qualify for awesome side plankage now that you know I'm only doing 4 sets, but I really think adding weight has been the secret to the quick gains I've made. I've noticed that regular planks are now super easy and I can hold them much longer now that I've been training with the added weight.

I also love putting my hands on my hips ala Superman now because I can actually feel my obliques!

[Wolfman]

Workout 3

Volleyball: 2 Hours

[Wolfman]

Workout 1

Felt like doing something different today, so started at low weights and went as high I could go. It was fun and I broke a couple of PRs. I'm so freakin' close to benching my bodyweight...

Military Press: 45 x 5, 55 x 5, 65 x 5, 75 x 5, 85 x 5, 95 x 5

Bench Press: 45 x 5, 55 x 5, 65 x 5, 75 x 5, 85 x 5, 95 x 5, 105 x 5, 115 x 5, 125 x 4, 135 x 2

Incline DB Press: 15 x 5, 20 x 5, 25 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 5, 40 x 5, 45 x 5

Triceps Push-Down w/Rope Attachment: 20 x 5, 30 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 5, 60 x 5, 70 x 5, 80 x 5, 90 x 5, 100 x 5, 110 x 5, 120 x 3

Twenty Pull-Ups: 2, 2, 1, 2, 1 Neg.

[Wolfman]

Workout 2

Workout today sucked. Switched up what I wanted to do at the last minute and paid for it in way too much time wandering around aimlessly without a plan. I'm gonna have to do some planning today to make sure that this doesn't happen again tomorrow morning.

Squat: 45 x 5, 55 x 5, 65 x 5, 75 x 5, 85 x 5, 95 x 5, 105 x 4, 115 x 3 (Started really low and concentrated on getting my form correct. ASS TO GRASS, BABY!)

DB Row: 20 x 5, 25 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 5, 40 x 5, 45 x 5, 50 x 5

Donkey Calf Raise: 50 x 5, 75 x 5, 100 x 5, 125 x 5, 150 x 5, 175 x 5, 200 x 5, 225 x 5, 250 x 5

Horrible. Just horrible.

On a non-gym related topic, I actually met my protein goals yesterday, which is HUGE for me. I stopped with the IF because I wasn't getting enough fuel and added another meal into my day. Felt good to have some success with that yesterday.

[Crooked]

On a non-gym related topic, I actually met my protein goals yesterday, which is HUGE for me. I stopped with the IF because I wasn't getting enough fuel and added another meal into my day. Felt good to have some success with that yesterday.

Awesome! What is your protein goal? Glad to hear you're taking a break from IF - I think you'll find more success without it and with increasing your caloric intake.

[Wolfman]

Awesome! What is your protein goal? Glad to hear you're taking a break from IF - I think you'll find more success without it and with increasing your caloric intake.

I have two protein goals - one short term and one long term. Short term is 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. For me that's somewhere between 140-150g per day (While reading one of your posts I came to the realization that I was WAY too focused on my weight and haven't stepped on the scale since... So I don't know exactly how much I weigh anymore!). Long term, I'd like to get 1.5-2.0g per pound of bodyweight a day.

I think IF will be something I revisit again when I've advanced further in my weight training and nutrition. I can see how it could be incredibly useful when attempting to remain lean with a large amount of muscle, but it's probably a bit premature to experiment with it when I have barely any mass to speak of!