k_stew_ Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I'm starting a log for my new quest. I've spent the past few years building quite a bit of strength, but I've also gained a good bit of fat. Here's my story so far: About 4 years ago I started noticed my mental function decline. I was in law school and couldn't focus on class. I had trouble reading for more than a minute at a time without my brain completely fogging over. I even had trouble talking to my friends because my brain would turn off, even if I was interested in what they were saying. Around the same time I started losing weight really quickly and sleeping 10 to 12 hours a day. I didn't think much of it and chalked it up to stress. I barely scraped by in law school due to an inability to concentrate, but graduated and was accepted to business school in Europe. I moved to Denmark, and lived there for two years. I started reading about paleo, found Nerd fitness, and started living the paleo and crossfit lifestyle to try to get more energy and get rid of my brain fog. I graduated business school and moved back to the states. I still didn't feel good. I lost my period, weighed about 120 lbs, down from 145, and felt like I had the flu most of the time. I finally went to the doctor. I had cancer, and was in treatment within a week. Long story short, I got the care I needed. I kept paleo the entire time. I was finally healthy, but very weak. I couldn't do an airsquat or a push-up. I couldn't run more than a few steps without feeling winded. I went back to my crossfit box as a beginner. I concentrated on lifting and eating as much as I could. Two years later, here I am! I can deadlift 315 lbs, benched 135 (this morning!), and can back squat 225. My max clean and jerk is 140. Oly lifting is my love and it's all I really want to do. I have no idea what I weigh. I got my body fat and weight done last summer and it was 154 pounds and 19% body fat. I was really happy with that. I've gained weight since then and am guessing I'm at 25%? I'm having it tested again Tuesday, which I'm really nervous about. I would really like to get back to 19%. I'm going to give myself a timeline and breakdown my goal when I get my results back on Tuesday so I know how much work I have ahead of me. In the mean time I'm eating paleo, eating all the veggies, and lifting heavy. I'm doing this because I want to be as insanely healthy as possible. I want to be strong, and I want to live forever. I also want to look wicked hot naked. When I had cancer I did not look so good without clothes on. Or with them on really. I want to be strong and hot and I'm not ashamed, haha. 2 Quote Link to comment
TMedina Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Welcome to Nerd Fitness! May your love affair with lifting heavy be a long and rewarding one. Quote Imaginary Human Male Dilettante Trainer, Level 1 Spoiler How to: Add the status bar to my signature How to: Spruce up your profile Where to start: General Fitness questions How to: Declutter your life, a minimalism thread How to: Slay your budgeting woes (or at least, start the quest) Link to comment
smazzon1 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 That's an incredible story. I can't imagine going through all of that, but you made it through! 1 Quote "If you die, you die. A man must constantly exceed his level." - Bruce Lee Link to comment
k_stew_ Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Thank you smazzon1! I appreciate it! And hi TMedina! Training log for 3/15:Built up to a 90lb snatch and worked the movement for an hour and a half. I love lifting with my friend Zach, and we have a standing date on Sunday mornings. I never go heavy here, I'm working my form. Went on a 45 minute walk. Training log for 3/14:Front squat 4x4 at 165Bench press: built up to 135 for 1 rep (that's a PR!)Dips: body weight 5x5 Food for the past few days has been on point. I've cut out all dairy, including the cream from my coffee which is what I miss most at this point. I also eliminated quest bars because I think they were giving me digestive upset and calories I didn't need- it just felt like dessert. For breakfast yesterday I had two strips of bacon, a red bell pepper and a cup of mushrooms sauteed with two eggs. Lunch was a chicken burger with paleo almond pancakes as a bun, carrots, and an apple. Dinner was 6 oz. ground beef, brussel sprouts and cabbage, a small sweet potato, all stir fried together. I had dessert of 5 pecan halves and some coconut flakes. Quote Link to comment
k_stew_ Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I'm continually amazed by how good paleo can be! I had sweet potato chunks cold, topped with crushed cashews and it tasted like candy. Or maybe I haven't had real candy in so long I'm going batty. But seriously it rocked my boat. Quote Link to comment
Barfly Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Have you tried coconut milk in your coffee? Quote The past is only smoke in a dream. Lvl 6 Ranger Berzerker STR 9 DEX 4 STA 9 CON 8 WIS 2 CHA 8 Barfly ain't even tryin'... Link to comment
k_stew_ Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Barfly, I have tried coconut milk, and I like it a lot! Since my goal is weight loss I'm just trying to suck it up, for now. Canned coconut milk is absolutely delicious! The fake milk product sold in the dairy section is not my cup of tea, and laden in chemicals, at least the ones I've seen are. I'm a huge coffee drinker, having 2-3 cups daily, so adding that much coconut milk probably isn't wise. Thank you for the brilliant suggestion though! 1 Quote Link to comment
Barfly Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Barfly, I have tried coconut milk, and I like it a lot! Since my goal is weight loss I'm just trying to suck it up, for now. Canned coconut milk is absolutely delicious! The fake milk product sold in the dairy section is not my cup of tea, and laden in chemicals, at least the ones I've seen are. I'm a huge coffee drinker, having 2-3 cups daily, so adding that much coconut milk probably isn't wise. Thank you for the brilliant suggestion though!ok... almond milk? 30 cal/cup. edit: probably lots of additives, too - unless you make your own. Quote The past is only smoke in a dream. Lvl 6 Ranger Berzerker STR 9 DEX 4 STA 9 CON 8 WIS 2 CHA 8 Barfly ain't even tryin'... Link to comment
k_stew_ Posted March 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Got my body fat tested-- 22.3% fat, 157 pounds. Not so bad! Goal: Under 20% (so body fat in the teens) by May 1st. To do this:Daily-- paleo meals. Prep and plan my meals in advance and bring them to work with me. No dairy, no grains, no sugar, no processed foods. Limit fruit to no more than two servings per day, and one cup of starchy carbs per day. Weekly- 5 gym trips per week, two of which must include sprint work-- all out efforts.-Weigh myself once per week- Tuesday mornings- to make sure things are moving in the right direction. Quote Link to comment
k_stew_ Posted March 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 3/18 workout:STRENGTH/SKILLA. Spend time on a Hang Squat Clean and then a Hang Squat Clean from the floor.During this time, build to a moderate/tough set of 5 on Hang Squat Clean or set of 3 from Squat Clean [from floor]. 113 completed, failed 133. CONDITIONING15-12-9:Squat CleansBurpees (5:41)[Rest/Walk 3:00 Minutes]9-12-15:BurpeesSquat Cleans (7:00). Did the cleans at 63lbs. which was probably too light as this turned into a complete conditioning tester. Have a bit of fran lung right now (coughing from working so hard). This definitely counts as one of my sprint workouts for the week. Quote Link to comment
k_stew_ Posted March 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 I really dig my new tank. Sprinted yesterday. Did 15.4 Rxed on Friday. Rest day Thursday and Sunday. Quote Link to comment
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