DrFeelgood: continuing the Adventure

[DrFeelgood]

C15-4 W2D4 complete.

 

~ Spreadsheets ~

 

Finally got that bedtime goal!  Even though I struggled falling asleep I was still in bed with all lights and screens off at 10:26 pm.  That's a pass.  Now I've got to work on dragging myself out of bed just a bit earlier each day so I can get back to being appropriately tired at bedtime.

 

Rest day accomplished.  I'm still beat, but it's all the good kind of sore.

 

Food was close enough that I'm calling it a pass.  1800 definitely feels like a lot less than 2100.  I need to be more disciplined with my at-work snacking on low-calorie days, but I got plenty of good nutrition today.

 

The minivan situation is moving forward.  I've got a good repair quote (over $1,000 less than the dealership) from a shop near where the car is currently sitting--I just need to figure out how to get it moved.  Phone calls will be made tomorrow.

 

I don't think I'm going to see any payout for my stuff that was stolen in Albuquerque.  The insurance company is being typical.  We'll probably just let my MIL keep whatever they pay and I'll replace my stuff out of pocket.  I've almost already done that anyway, and I'm not convinced that I even want to replace the laptop.  The backup drive was the critical thing--that and my personal information which, as a US government employee, it looks like China has already stolen a bunch of it, too.  Anyway, I have a new backup drive being delivered tomorrow and if I get another portable device it'll probably be a tablet or two.

 

Now for a break in the weather so I can tackle the sump drainage.

[Shello]

Things are getting taken care of.  You are plowing through your list of obstacles - and getting rest.  Well maybe not actually getting rest, but pretending enough to start fooling your body into actually resting.  

[T2sarahconnor]

We luckily have no basement water issues. Just yard. I actually landscaped the corner where all the rain water drains from our neighborhood with a river birch and rock. We waited until last year to finish our basement because we wanted to make sure no flooding issues.

Glad you have gotten right back into your spreadsheet routine.

[DrFeelgood]

We luckily have no basement water issues. Just yard. I actually landscaped the corner where all the rain water drains from our neighborhood with a river birch and rock. We waited until last year to finish our basement because we wanted to make sure no flooding issues.

Glad you have gotten right back into your spreadsheet routine.

 

I'm backed up to a creek, and the discharge line goes all the way to it; but that's not quite proper so I'm going to redo it the right way with a proper french drain to a dry well.  Hopefully I'll only have to do it once.  I'll re-purpose some of the underground pipe for surface drainage.

________________________

 

Mini update for this at-home mid-day:  I took a few hours off this morning to work the car issue.  I paid the dealership for their diagnostic and authorized them to release the car to the shop that's going to do the work.  He's going to send a tow and then he thinks he can have it done early next week.  If everything works out then I can hold off on buying a replacement family wagon until the new year when our financial situation will improve significantly.  In the meantime, my daily driver needs tires and an alignment so I'll need to get that done before we trundle back out to pick up the Caravan.  All told, the whole fiasco will have set me back about $2,500 (not counting barbecue for FriendFamily ) which isn't terrible and is certainly less than buying something else.  I think it's going to work out fine.  And since I'm at home working the phones today, I made some calls to the national Architectural council and got my record cleaned up a bit.  It's been a good morning for progress.

 

But this is Nerd Fitness, and the main reason for my update is to proclaim that I'm already back to Onederland!  This morning's weigh-in showed 199.6 on the scale, which means I've already shed 3 of my trip-pounds.  It's not an official weight until my Sunday morning check-in, but it's good enough that I can start wearing my NF Shield Tee with honor and integrity again.    Take that, Vacation!

 

Also, I amended the spreadsheet for yesterday since I did a bit of snacking after my update.  I ended up failing the calorie goal yesterday, but it doesn't bother me in the least.  It was only a small deviation and my snacks were a string cheese and a protein bar--both of which provide decent nutrition that my body sorely needed in this first week back to the gym.  I'm not even going to try and make up for it today.

 

And now I'm off to start a short day at the office.  I wouldn't even go in, but I want to LIFT!

[Shello]

Awesome all around.  Congrats on your return to Onederland!  I never doubted it for a minute.  

[DrFeelgood]

C15-4 W2D5 complete:  Spreadsheets

 

Bedtime - well I turned the lights and devices off at 10:28 pm, then I laid there until after midnight.  My brain was racing on all the stuff I needed to do this morning (as reported in the mini-update) and it kept me awake.  I finally gave in a watched a couple episodes on Netflix until I was distracted and tired enough to fall asleep.  Naturally I overslept my alarm, which means tonight might just be worse.  At least I've settled a bunch of the mind-junk, so I should be able to relax a bit.  Even with the fall-back after bedtime, I'm calling it a pass.  I did everything my mind could do to meet the goal, my body just wouldn't cooperate.

 

Workout - still killing it with my amended Week 0.  The barbell lifts are light enough that I can knock them out pretty quickly while focusing on form, but the bodyweight stuff is a real challenge at the volume I'm using.  Even so, the last time I did dips I barely squeaked out a 3x8 and this time I got 10, 10, 10, 8, and 5.  They still cause a twinge in my chest right over my heart, but it isn't a lasting pain like before.  I'm being careful not to go too low and aggravate it again, but it just feels wrong to me not to use the full range of motion.  The cardio workout is a real butt-kicker, even though it's dead simple.  By the end of each 20-minute walk I'm literally dripping with sweat.  I also seem to be the only person in the gym who brings his own towels.

 

Eating - as noted in the mini-update above I retro-failed yesterday, so I was a little more cautious today.  That makes today the first day of this Challenge without a failure of any category.  It's all green!  On top of weighing back in to Onederland this morning, I was able to wear my new size 32 jeans today.  If all keeps progressing like this, I may actually end up in a size 30 by the time I reach my target weight and/or body-fat percentage.  I've never EVER worn a size 30 before--I jumped straight from boys' "Husky" to a size 32 mens.  I can't say for sure about strength and cardio, but by mere clothing sizes that will be the best shape I've ever been in.  There's good stuff still in store for this challenge.

[Presea]

I like the flexibility you gave yourself on your bedtime pass/fail categorization.  Sometimes we can't control everything life throws at it, but we keep trying our best.  I think staying positive with yourself on it will set you up for sticking with the goal going forward.  

 

And congrats on your re-entry into Onederland!  

[Lightning]

Another pat on the back for Onederland and a big thumbs up for your great attitude!  That has to be one of the reasons you are enjoying so much success.

 

[DrFeelgood]

C15-4 W2D6 complete:  Spreadsheets

 

Bedtime - failed.  I was up late getting the new backup drive installed and functioning.  Good news is now I have copies of all my family pictures and videos again.  Burglary impact remedied.

 

Workout - destroyed.  All lifts and cardio accomplished.  Today's bodyweight assist was 5 x 60 seconds of planks, which was killer.  My ad-hoc Week 0 is done and I think it was a smart thing to do to get back in the habit and reacquaint myself with the barbells.  Next week I get back to the real program.  For cardio I finally remembered to bring my phone to the treadmill so I could watch a show while walking.  There's no conflict between burning calories and watching Good Eats, is there?

 

Eating - completed.  I actually haven't finished eating today, since there's still a cup of strawberry ice cream waiting for when I get done with my yard work.  I'm on my way out now to get some progress done before the sun goes down.

 

No bedtime tonight and no workout tomorrow!  Just gotta keep my eating in check to close out the week--should be a piece of cake.

[Presea]

 

 There's no conflict between burning calories and watching Good Eats, is there?

Not at all!  I grew up in a household that didn't cook much, so when I went off to college I knew nothing about cooking.  All of my freshman year when I went to the gym I would turn on the food network, and via the tips/recipes/flavor combinations I learned watching I pretty much taught myself how to cook.  Alton Brown was always one of my favorites

[DrFeelgood]

And we're back.  It's been a rough couple of days.

 

Saturday:  C15-4 W2D7 complete.  The day ended up way over on calories because I spent all afternoon mowing my lawn.  I used the push mower so I could bag and remove all the clippings, but for 30,000 SF of lawn this took five solid hours of constant walking.  MFP said I burned 2400 calories, so I used half of that and tried to eat some of it back to keep me from going crazy.  It didn't work.

 

Week 2 Check-in:  Scale said 200.3 which was slightly up from my mid-week check.  Curious but not disappointing--I lost almost 2.5 pounds in a week where my eating was geared toward losing 1.5, and that right after a heavy-eating day.

 

 

I'm still feeling okay, but I'm really tired lately.  I still haven't fully recovered from the trip.  I'm also battling a bit of malaise regarding fitness as I try and cope with the rest of life's current happenings.

 

Sunday:  C15-4 W3D1 complete.  I didn't make bedtime, but I still got the whole family up and out for church on time.  We had a nice morning and then I took us out for a Father's Day lunch at our favorite local Mexican place.  After returning home and catching a nice long nap, I got the grill fired up for dinner: steak, green beans, baked potato, and salad.  It was great.  I was looking at a 3,000 calorie day, which was high but totally worth it.

 

Then the kids went to bed and I went off the rails.  My afternoon nap combined with all of the work I had done on Saturday to ramp my appetite up to 12.  It wasn't a binge, it was an epic devastation of the Plan.  I think I was exorcising some anger at my lack of discipline, and I took it out on my stomach.  This wasn't eating for pleasure or comfort or even solace--this was pure wrath in calorie form.  When my food tantrum had subsided, I took stock of the damage.  I had packed in another 1800 calories of snacking while watching TV.

 

 

Monday:  C15-4 W3D2 complete:  Spreadsheets.

 

Bedtime was tanked thanks to the nap-and-binge.  I skipped my workout, partly because I hadn't eaten much, partly because I'm rebelling against my plan, partly because it was raining, and partly because I just wanted to get home and get to work on my lingering projects.  The only thing I'm calling a pass for the day is eating, and that only because I skipped breakfast and lunch to make a sort-of penance for yesterday.

 

I think I'm seeing the onset of my standard Week 3 crud feelings.  It's hard to care about my Plan right now.  I need to get my head out of my problems and concentrate on my goals--it's just hard when there's so much else that needs to get done and I'm the only one that can do it; and it only gets harder when I see how much money it's siphoning away.  I've just about had it with stupid cars and mowers and laundry machines and sump pumps and everything else that just up and decides it doesn't want to work anymore.  I need this phase to be done so I can just concentrate on getting my Year O' Fitness back on Plan while paying down the debt I'm currently stacking up.  I don't know which I resent more right now: all the stuff that's getting in the way of my fitness or the fact that I have to do "fitness" in the first place.  Either way, I'm grumpy.

 

It probably goes without saying, but I won't be taking another vacation for a long, long time.

[Presea]

The fact the you signed in and posted an update shows that you're still committed to your goals.  You have a lot going on right now; it's no surprise that it's taking a lot out of you.  Can you fall back to a more bare-bones plan for this week fitness-wise so that you can concentrate on getting everything else done?  Maybe just eating at maintenance and going for a 30-minute walk 3 times this week (just an example, whatever you feel like would be a low time commitment but would sneak a little activity in).  Life happens.  We can't be 100% focused on our fitness goals 100% of the time.  It's important to have a backup plan for when THE Plan is just too much on top of everything else.  You've accomplished a ton fitness-wise in a short amount of time this year - a week or two at maintenance isn't going to throw off your Plan in the long run.  Just keep taking it one thing at a time!  It's amazing how well you've handled the stress of the end of vacation and returning home fiasco.

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

Exactly what Presea said. You're doing way better than could reasonably be expected, given the couple of weeks you've had recently, and the fact that you've not gone into hiding and completely spiralled can only be a positive. You're owning your bad days as well as your good days. That takes balls.

Your progress this year has been one of, if not THE biggest inspiration for me on my own journey.

P.S. I was right there with you in the Father's Day box of shame. Let us never speak of it again.

[deftona]

I agree with everyone else. You have been having a really hard time of it recently, perhaps you should give yourself more of a break and tread water for a little while until you're psychologically ready to swim against the tide again. You have a ton of support here though, remember that.

 

[Lightning]

I know when I am the one that just had an epic pig out I feel disappointed, but as someone looking in I have to say that there has been too much awesome going on to let it get to you. You have been rocking your challenges and dropping weight like a mad man. I have to believe that stress finally caught up with you and you had a one day lapse. But, I'm guessing it will just be the one day and you will move on from it quickly. Think of how many times you could have used stress as an excuse to eat something and you didn't. Each one of those moments is a success and I know you have had a lot of those!

[DrFeelgood]

The fact the you signed in and posted an update shows that you're still committed to your goals.  You have a lot going on right now; it's no surprise that it's taking a lot out of you.  Can you fall back to a more bare-bones plan for this week fitness-wise so that you can concentrate on getting everything else done?  Maybe just eating at maintenance and going for a 30-minute walk 3 times this week (just an example, whatever you feel like would be a low time commitment but would sneak a little activity in).  Life happens.  We can't be 100% focused on our fitness goals 100% of the time.  It's important to have a backup plan for when THE Plan is just too much on top of everything else.  You've accomplished a ton fitness-wise in a short amount of time this year - a week or two at maintenance isn't going to throw off your Plan in the long run.  Just keep taking it one thing at a time!  It's amazing how well you've handled the stress of the end of vacation and returning home fiasco.

 

Exactly what Presea said. You're doing way better than could reasonably be expected, given the couple of weeks you've had recently, and the fact that you've not gone into hiding and completely spiralled can only be a positive. You're owning your bad days as well as your good days. That takes balls.

Your progress this year has been one of, if not THE biggest inspiration for me on my own journey.

P.S. I was right there with you in the Father's Day box of shame. Let us never speak of it again.

 

I agree with everyone else. You have been having a really hard time of it recently, perhaps you should give yourself more of a break and tread water for a little while until you're psychologically ready to swim against the tide again. You have a ton of support here though, remember that.

 

 

I know when I am the one that just had an epic pig out I feel disappointed, but as someone looking in I have to say that there has been too much awesome going on to let it get to you. You have been rocking your challenges and dropping weight like a mad man. I have to believe that stress finally caught up with you and you had a one day lapse. But, I'm guessing it will just be the one day and you will move on from it quickly. Think of how many times you could have used stress as an excuse to eat something and you didn't. Each one of those moments is a success and I know you have had a lot of those!

 

Thanks for the encouragement, everybody.  Presea was right that signing in showed I still care, but it wasn't about my goals.  It's the community here that I care about.  I'm still with you guys, even when I'm struggling to stay with myself.

 

I determined after posting that I would continue to fight the good fight, whether I care or not.  I've also been thinking about my challenge, and I have some ideas that I need to articulate (and bounce off y'all) to see if they make sense:

 

1 - The frustration I feel at my lack of discipline is largely rooted in the additional eating I've been doing after dinner.  In past challenges I never had a problem with cravings in the late evenings.  Even on days where I've met my goals, there have just been too many instances in this challenge where I've had to modify a calorie goal after it's already been posted because I got in to snack mode after my daily update.  Part of that may be residual from when I was eating freely on vacation, and part of it may just be a response to stress about stuff that needs fixing--ala, I get antsy when there are things that need doing but I can't get right on them because of parts on order or lack of funds or bad weather, and cooking/eating scratches that itch--but I think I've also identified another culprit, which leads to...

 

2 - Cardio.  I'm not seeing/feeling the benefit that I had hoped to from adding this to my workout regimen.  I think it's only making me hungry, which is a stupid thing to do to myself while trying to get lean.  Yes, I did want to try and improve my conditioning enough to join up with a rec-league soccer team in the upcoming session, but I'm not sure this is going to do it.  Additionally, it makes my workouts take longer and since I went to four days per week I'm already feeling the pressure of time lost.  On top of that, I've been really active in my "spare" time.  In short, I'm thinking about eliminating the treadmill component of my workout routine.

 

3 - In so doing, I'm also considering tightening up my workout schedule to only two days per week.  Today instead of cardio I did the barbell lifts that I skipped yesterday along with the planned barbell lifts from today.  It worked reasonably well, although Gym Buddy was certainly feeling it more than I.  If I were to consolidate the Monday-Tuesday lifts into just Monday and the Thursday-Friday lifts into just Thursday then I could get all of my strength training done but still have three evenings per week to come home and get stuff done.  I'm going to continue this week as a trial and consolidate for Thursday.  This is also convenient since I'll probably need Friday to go pick up the other car (still being worked on in Missouri) so I'd miss the gym anyway.  If it works, I'll probably make it standard for the rest of the challenge.

 

I'd love to hear what y'all think.  I don't want to throttle back too much, but I do need to decompress my life a bit and these seem like reasonable changes.

[DrFeelgood]

C15-4 W3D3 complete:  Spreadsheets

 

Bedtime.  I made a point of getting down early, but my sleep cycle hasn't fully recovered yet.  Still, a goal is a goal and I'm going to really try and string two passes together.

 

Workout.  I got to the gym today and decided to do yesterday's missed barbell lifts along with today's.  It took a bit longer than I would have hoped (some chatty Cathy's had the deadlift platforms tied up for way longer than they needed) but I knocked it out, skipped cardio, and got home on time for MrsFeelgood to take the kids to their church event.  I reduced the bodyweight assists to 3x10 for today, and the main lifts were a bit out of order but I got it all in just over an hour.  As usual, I did my first set of pullups unassisted and got four of them, which is one more than I had been getting.  Gotta love measurable progress.

 

Eating.  I treated today more like a regular day from any of my previous challenges, and the calorie total reflects that.  I'm going to try really hard not to snack after hitting "Post" on this update so that I can start building momentum with my calorie goal again.

 

Speaking of getting things turned around:

 

 

I hate that spike with the fire of a thousand suns--even though it was my conscious choice to do it, just looking at the graph is totally demoralizing.  It's like that first time you scratch a new car.  I'll deal with the emotional devastation and then future scratches won't hurt so bad; but the sooner I can get back to where I was pre-vacation, the better.

 

Parts are starting to roll in for my projects.  I had the tires and alignment done on my car this weekend, then last night I replaced the battery and spark plugs.  It still needs exhaust and A/C work, but that'll have to wait a paycheck or four.  Today I got parts for my riding mower, so I'll be in the garage putting it back together for the rest of this evening.  It also looks like the replacement laundry pump arrived today, but I'll put that job off until tomorrow or the day after.  I'm still ear-marking Friday to go pick up the van, but that's tentative until I get confirmation from the shop.

 

So all is moving forward, and I'm doing my level best to get my head back in the game.  I appreciate y'all's support more than I can say.

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

I definitely understand the cardio = increased hunger dilemma. I'm still trying to find the right balance of good calories and fats/proteins to combat this. At this point, dropping (or even reducing) cardio isn't on the agenda for me, because I've still got such a long way to go in terms of body fat that I need to get the quick wins where I can. As I get closer to where I want to be, I'll start evening out the cardio : strength ratio. In your case, though, you're already getting close enough to your goal that you can seriously consider doing that, I'd say. And yes, points 2 and 3 for you are inextricably linked in that regard. Taking care of 3 will definitely have a positive impact on 2 - and probably 1 to some extent, as you might find yourself less inclined to mindlessly snack.

 

Positives: the line is heading in the right direction now after the spike. Keep putting the work in, the results will come. The DIY jobs, despite the frustrating delays, are slowly getting ticked off. And pullup progress = WIN.

 

Decompressing is good. Sometimes, you just need a little more breathing room to operate much more efficiently.

 

Keep on keeping on. You got this.

[deftona]

If something isn't working and you can think of a better way, I see no reason to continue with it just because you thought it was a great idea two and a half weeks ago. The point of being here isn't to ace the challenges per se, challenges are the means by which you are trying to achieve your overarching goals. So yes, change the cardio element immediately. Whatever keeps the forward motion going. 

 

You've totally got this. 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

As much as it pains to watch someone fall, you make the rise again part look easy. Quite inspiring.

[CarismaUMD]

Thanks for the encouragement, everybody.  Presea was right that signing in showed I still care, but it wasn't about my goals.  It's the community here that I care about.  I'm still with you guys, even when I'm struggling to stay with myself.

 

I determined after posting that I would continue to fight the good fight, whether I care or not.  I've also been thinking about my challenge, and I have some ideas that I need to articulate (and bounce off y'all) to see if they make sense:

 

1 - The frustration I feel at my lack of discipline is largely rooted in the additional eating I've been doing after dinner.  In past challenges I never had a problem with cravings in the late evenings.  Even on days where I've met my goals, there have just been too many instances in this challenge where I've had to modify a calorie goal after it's already been posted because I got in to snack mode after my daily update.  Part of that may be residual from when I was eating freely on vacation, and part of it may just be a response to stress about stuff that needs fixing--ala, I get antsy when there are things that need doing but I can't get right on them because of parts on order or lack of funds or bad weather, and cooking/eating scratches that itch--but I think I've also identified another culprit, which leads to...

 

2 - Cardio.  I'm not seeing/feeling the benefit that I had hoped to from adding this to my workout regimen.  I think it's only making me hungry, which is a stupid thing to do to myself while trying to get lean.  Yes, I did want to try and improve my conditioning enough to join up with a rec-league soccer team in the upcoming session, but I'm not sure this is going to do it.  Additionally, it makes my workouts take longer and since I went to four days per week I'm already feeling the pressure of time lost.  On top of that, I've been really active in my "spare" time.  In short, I'm thinking about eliminating the treadmill component of my workout routine.

 

3 - In so doing, I'm also considering tightening up my workout schedule to only two days per week.  Today instead of cardio I did the barbell lifts that I skipped yesterday along with the planned barbell lifts from today.  It worked reasonably well, although Gym Buddy was certainly feeling it more than I.  If I were to consolidate the Monday-Tuesday lifts into just Monday and the Thursday-Friday lifts into just Thursday then I could get all of my strength training done but still have three evenings per week to come home and get stuff done.  I'm going to continue this week as a trial and consolidate for Thursday.  This is also convenient since I'll probably need Friday to go pick up the other car (still being worked on in Missouri) so I'd miss the gym anyway.  If it works, I'll probably make it standard for the rest of the challenge.

 

I'd love to hear what y'all think.  I don't want to throttle back too much, but I do need to decompress my life a bit and these seem like reasonable changes.

I have some what of a biology background, so I'm coming from a scientific perspective and not a "this is what works for me/someone I know."  Take it with a grain of salt.  But, since you asked...

 

I think you can throttle back, decompress, AND see more gains (or leans, as that is the goal).  Answer= sleep.  I know that it's a component of your challenge and I know more times that not, it's what has taken a back seat (totally understandably) to everything else.  

 

We as animals/mammals/humans need sleep to live.  98% of us need 7-9 hours a night (there's the 1% who only need 4 hours and the other unfortunate souls who need 12 hours). It's how are bodies are designed.  I think our culture has hardwired us to believe sleep=lazy, but that's just not true. It's required to live! Seriously, you will die if you don't sleep.

 

I stumbled along on this article and found it fascinating. Especially this point: "Lack of sleep leads to more ghrelin and less leptin, as well as disrupted glucose and insulin metabolism."

Ghrelin= signals your brain you're hungry and need to eat.

Leptin= signals your brain you have enough fat in your body and don't need to eat

If you don't have leptin telling you're brain to stop eating and on top of that you have more ghrelin is saying, "hey, I'm hungry you must eat!" what do you think that does to willpower? The good news is, if you're not getting enough sleep during the week, you can make up for it. And you NEED to make up for it! Not getting enough sleep can cause sleep debt and that's a debt you can't afford to have.  Your brain and body just functions better overall with adequate sleep.  

 

Also, consider the fact that when you're not working out you're actively doing other things.  It sounds like you have a bunch of projects going (which is probably why it's so hard to get to sleep at a decent hour) plus kids and other obligations.  I think that's just as beneficial, if not more so, than adding cardio (and time away from other things).  

 

You're really doing an outstanding job.  I'm very inspired by you.  You take everything in stride and keep going.  All of the above to say, don't feel bad for relaxing, you deserve it!  So does your body!

[Shello]

In your current state of affairs, any possible benefits of cardio are outweighed by the time suck that they are.  You will gain more benefits by cutting it and making your schedule work for you rather than against you..  Especially in regards to the above science.  Cardio is good yes, but when you have to make choices - adjust your schedule so you can get your sh*t done and get some sleep too.  

 

I can't see your graphs from work but I understand how that 'dent' can be demoralizing.  Just like everything else in the struggle it's all in what you focus on.  Do you focus on the spike or do you focus on the recovery line since then?  You have been doing amazing things and I'm sure you will continue to do amazing things.  

 

[Lightning]

Cardio always = hunger for me. If it's making it harder to control the eating then it makes good sense to drop it. You will lose for weight with a good diet anyway. Maybe you can try short sprint sessions or occasional HIIT for conditioning?

[DrFeelgood]

C15-4 W3D4 complete:  Spreadsheets

 

Got in bed on time, didn't get to sleep--still calling it a pass.

 

Rest day accomplished, with gusto.  I did as little as humanly possible today.

 

Eating went over again, this is really getting on my nerves.  I just can't seem to get satisfied.

 

I spent some time tweaking my workout regimen.  The idea of lifting twice a week and doing nothing else is more and more appealing.

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

I've been meaning to ask this for ages, and apologies if you've explained it elsewhere. On your spreadsheet, what do the Strength and Cardio scores represent (i.e. Tuesday week 2, -214 and -252) - is it just as simple as calories expended, and if so, what do you use to measure? I'm just curious, as I'm trying to find a quantifiable way to measure or at least guesstimate calories for my lifts and morning squats.

 

The numbers geek in me just won't quit. ;-)