Mortimer's battle logs.

[Mortimer]

It wasn't fried. Baked with a stick of butter on =P

 

Here's a fun one. The next time FedEx comes for the boxes I could argue with the delivery guy, dude, the stuff ain't 15kg, see, I can lift it easily

 

Anyway I just went for body composition scan, I apparently lost muscle mass? (I don't know how?) Since I've been able to lift more. Again maybe going for a 16k run then going for body composition scan may not be the best of ideas. 

 

My company is still in negotiation with the gym for membership.. So I think I shouldn't be too hasty in looking for alternatives. The vacation will give time for things to settle down anyway. 

[aramis]

Fried, baked, whatever. Salmon is salmon  

 

Consider running and muscle gains don't go along. Doing lots of cardio (running) may force your body to even drop some muscles - see how long distance runners look like. I was advised to cut on running a bit when I try to put on muscles. 

And you lift more because your brain-muscle nervous connection works more efficiently. Thus - strength progress without more muscle mass.

[Mortimer]

Yeah salmon is delicious. Pity its so pricy... Else I'd get it more often. Ish nerd on budget. 

 

I know the problem between running and weights. One of the PTs once told me that you should spend as much time in the gym as you do running(bit of a tall order I think) if you want muscle gains so I was trying to body weight workout with push ups (I'm up to 3 sets of 15) and hanging leg raises on alternate days that I do not train with free weights. 

 

The problem is I signed up for a half marathon on 3 November and I'll be travelling from 18-28 October so I can't train =( So I need to make sure my run training is up to scratch or I will die on half marathon day. 

 

The problem will only get worse if my company and the gym don't come to an agreement because it'll mean that the only exercise I can do during lunch will be to run up the nearby hill, which means I'll be running nearly every day of the week. 

 

My workplace is fully developed and there are no fitness stations within running distance where one may drop on the floor and do 32 plyometric push ups, 45 box jumps without everyone staring at you, and my nights are generally filled with other exercise activities (more runs, Hiits) etc. 

[Mortimer]

Ran with local run group speed intervals:

 

30 s sprint, 60 s rest, (x4) 

60 s run, 120 s rest (x4) 

120 s run, 240 s rest (x2) 

 

The pace set was as above but since I finished second last and behind the pacer for all this, I doubt I really was running at that pace. Did try my best to keep up, though. 

 

Dinner:

150g of pork from pork rib and Chinese yam soup

180g chayote 

50g silver fish

200g fish 

 

I think its a bit of an overeat to be honest... 

 

Breakfast today:

 

1.6 cups of almond milk with teaspoon of cinnamon powder

300g okra fried with an onion and a quarter teaspoon of rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano

 

1 five spice chicken zucchini boat (not bad but chicken could be more salty and maybe some five spice salt could be sprinkled on the zucchini boat. 

 

Did 20 burpees, 5 sets with 2 min break in between as my morning burpees hiits. I think I should increase it to 6 sets next time. 

[Mortimer]

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds with fenugreek seeds

 

Did 45 min of yoga 

 

Lunch:
150g cauliflower
150g lotus root
10g sesame seeds
90g sesame chicken
20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Had a snack of 2 cashew nuts 

 

Dinner
150 g cauliflower
150g lotus root

1.5 fried chicken wings

 

There's a new gym opening up around my office which looks smaller then the one my office currently just lost corporate membership with. Maybe my office may negotiate with the new gym, I hope so. 
 

[Mortimer]

One step forward, two steps back. Some days are really not good weight days =(

 

Weights:

 

Deadlift @ bar +12.5kg (x8)

 

Deadlift @ bar +17.5kg (x8)

 

Deadlift @ bar +20kg (x8) 

 

Deadlift @ bar +20kg (x8) - No breaks, Yay! 

 

Lowered bar all the way to the ground. 

 

Chest press(made sure to touch my chest with the bar) :

Bar +2.5kg (x8) 

Bar +3.75kg(x8) 

Bar + 5 kg (x8) -had to take a break 

Bar + 5 kg (x8) - had to take a break 

 

 

Squat:

Bar + 5 kg (x8) 

Bar + 10 kg (x8) 

Bar + 15 kg (x8) 

Bar + 20 kg (x8) 

 

For all weights 10kg(gah!) and below I managed to get my knees to form 90 degrees.  

 

Pull ups:

6 jump pull ups (4 went up) 

 

6 jump chin ups (5 went up) 

 

4 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

4 jump chin ups (all went above bar)

 

2 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

2 jump chin ups (both went up) 

 

Clean and press bar x8 +2.5 kg weight , 3 sets. Last 2 sets had to take a break inbetween

 

Farmers walk with a 15 kg weight plate on each hand, 1min, 1 round of the gym. 

 

Gah. 

 

Supper last night:

 

1 mango 

Half a cup of jackfruit

 

Breakfast:
2 cups of almond milk with cinnamon powder (since I forgot to get okra, I guess fortified almond milk will have to do). 

4 eggs with tumeric powder and 26g of spinach 

1 mango

7 grapes

 

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Lunch:
150g cauliflower
150g lotus root
10g sesame seeds
90g sesame chicken
20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Dinner:
150 g cauliflower
150g lotus root

180g sesame chicken

[Mortimer]

Ran around at a 6'20 pace for about 30 min with the local run group. 

[aramis]

[Mortimer]

Offday with eat too much. 

 

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
300g okra fried with an onion and a quarter teaspoon of rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano

Five spice chicken zucchini boat

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

 

Lunch(eating out) :

100g tau kwa 

60g braised peanuts 

Half a bowl of chicken rice 

Quarter a chicken

100g French beans

20g pork

 

Dinner:

One chicken leg

60g of pork rib from pork rib and yam soup 

1 cup of yam 

20g of black fungus 

One cup of luffa cooked with 3 eggs

 

I did an hour of Billy Blanks Tae Bo after. It was a day off work so not much in the name of working out. No, walking around at a snails pace shopping is NOT considered exercise. 

 

[Mortimer]

Weights(somewhat better day) :

 

Deadlift @ bar +12.5kg (x8)

 

Deadlift @ bar +17.5kg (x8)

 

Deadlift @ bar +17. 5kg (x8) (Yep I am a nub who misremembered)

 

Deadlift @ bar +20kg (x8) - No breaks, Yay! 

 

Lowered bar all the way to the ground. 

 

 

Chest press - guys in bench press, went to a bench, got a 60 lb barbell and started chest pressing, x8,  3 sets

 

Squat:

 

Bar + 5 kg (x8) 

 

Bar + 10 kg (x8) 

 

Bar + 15 kg (x8) 

 

Bar + 20 kg (x8) 

 

For all weights 15kg and below I managed to get my knees to form 90 degrees.  

 

Pull ups:

 

6 jump pull ups (4 went up) 

 

6 jump chin ups (5 went up) 

 

4 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

4 jump chin ups (3 went above bar)

 

2 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

2 jump chin ups (both went up) 

 

Clean and press bar x8 +2.5 kg weight , 3 sets. Last set had to take a break inbetween

 

Farmers walk with a 15 kg weight plate on each hand, 1min 20 s, 1 round of the gym. 

 

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
300g okra fried with an onion and a quarter teaspoon of rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano

Five spice chicken zucchini boat 

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Lunch:
150g cauliflower
150g lotus root
10g sesame seeds
90g sesame chicken
20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Tea break:

1 dragonfruit

1 peach 

 

Dinner
150 g cauliflower
150g lotus root

90g sesame chicken
 

[Mortimer]

Joined the local Hiits group and had 3 eggs for supper. Also surprisingly the monkey bars after Hiits went well(I suspect I need to get warmed up or something before I can do monkey bars). 

 

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
One five spiced chicken zucchini boat 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
 

Then I did this:

[Mortimer]

Post run snack:

Half a pear

2.5 apples

One egg

One stuffed tofu puff 

14 grapes. 

 

I refuse to stoop to the level of taking gels/drinking isotonic drinks, or eating dried fruits. 

 

Lunch:

500g turnip

20g dried shrimp

70g pork

240g eggplant

200g oyster mushrooms all stir fried 

 

Did half an h of runners yoga for recovery. 

 

Dinner:

Silverfish and egg omlette

Dried shrimp fried with chayote 

Half a ear of corn 

90g pork from pork rib 

20g chicken from chicken drumstick

[Mortimer]

Breakfast:

 

1.6 cups of almond milk

Five spice chicken zucchini boat

 

Usual decoction:

1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

 

Nerd fitness star wars workout:

 

Jedi high jumps:

 

3x 15 box jumps on sit up bench(18 inches high - thanks pavilion bench ) - had to take a break on the first set

 

Han solo shuttle run, 6 sets of 20 s run, 10 s rest

 

Jabba the Hutt chokes:

 

3x10 body weight rows at hip height and for last 2 sets had to take breaks in between 

 

Chewbacca carries:

 

No break on both hands for a minute, Dad's tool box. 

 

Force push ups:

 

4x8 plyonetric push ups, had to rest between sets. Not to the clap level yet and yes lifting off the ground is harder then I thought 

 

Force choke: No breaks for 1 min! Strangely enough I did lose grip on my left hand but just regripped bar while holding on with my right and continued... Dunno if its a good or bad thing. Good in the sense I can readjust grip, bad in the sense I shouldn't need to. 

 

Luke handstands: 2 breaks to complete 5 min plank. Think I broke a PR for a 3 min 27 s plank. Longest one ever. 

 

Cycled about 6km to get groceries. 

 

Lunch:

200g French beans

1 tomato

240g eggplant 

70g chicken

One green pepper. 

 

I stir fried it with curry powder, onion, garlic and fish gravy. Surprisingly good. 

 

Went swimming with a friend after that - or more like getting coached by my friend on how to swim faster. My thighs, back and calves ache =P Think they're not used to being used that way. I didn't realise the power of the kick for breast stroke was that important, as the 2 second pause between kicks, as well as pulls, to fully utilise the glide. And butterfly your body has to be straight and knees and ankles need to be together for the kick. 

 

Dinner:

60g pork from pork ribs

60g pork belly

20g smoked duck breast

150g peashoots

120g fish

Quite a lot of chestnuts

[Mortimer]

Breakfast:

 

1.6 cups of almond milk with a teaspoon of cinnamon 

 

Five spice chicken zucchini boat

9 grapes 

15 dukus

 

Went for 52 min of yoga

 

Then went for 42 min of piloxing

 

Usual decoction:

1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

 

Lunch:

150g cauliflower

150g lotus root

10g sesame seeds

90g sesame chicken

20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Will join local running group for stairs training later. 

 

The gym that my usual body combat session is held has moved and I don't know what's the new location. I'm considering doing a long run at 5 am in the morning (planning to do 21k full) on Weds as I am a little pressed for time this weekend for long runs due to RL. (Unless I want to run on a Sunday afternoon, in which is bloody fking hot). 

 

I also need to work out a workout plan based on body weights only as that's all I'll have while on vacation. I don't think I'll have stuff to box jump on... 

 

[aramis]

2 hours ago, Mortimer said:

I don't think I'll have stuff to box jump on

Where are you going for vacation? I'm sure everywhere you can find something you can jump on. Park bench, even a boulder would fit. Or a chair in hotel room. 

 

If you really don't have anything, you can always just do squat-jumps (with tucking knees to your chest) for explosive power. 

 

 

2 hours ago, Mortimer said:

The gym that my usual body combat session is held has moved and I don't know what's the new location.

Don't they have a website or at least facebook fanpage? 

[Mortimer]

This is what I get from their website:

 

Not particularly helpful... Its almost wednesday><

 

We're going to Taiwan, doing air bnb and I don't care for jumping on chairs. They may not be very stable and can tip over. Jumping on playground benches, sit up benches are fine. Even beds are technically (but you'll damage the bed, so no). Boulder landing may be a little tricky as it's not a flat surface. Never box jumped onto anything that wasn't flat before... 

 

I did manage to unlock the table bodyweight row a couple of days ago though. 

[Mortimer]

Went stairs running with the local group, and ate a bit too much. As usual I have my little quirks, I can run up the stairs fine, but not down lol. Again I do try to train for vertical marathon in my office so on alternate days I run up the stairs with mail. 

 

After run snack:

A piece of kueh(oops!) 

 

Dinner:

450g of catfish (eeeps next time I shouldn't be having a whole packet instead of half. Catfish has fat and actually is more calorific then chicken breast!) 

60g pork ribs

100g bok choi

Pig stomach soup

 

You know I think my mom is trying to fatten me up, everytime I eat at home I end up going over calorie budget... Or maybe I really shouldn't eat everything placed in front of me(even if I can). Then there's all that guilt tripping on how fish doesn't keep well etc. 

 

Will have company lunch today, I'm seeing how much weights I can go lift before that. 

[Mortimer]

Decent weights day, some days and some stations go better then others. 

 

Weights(somewhat better day) :

 

Deadlift @ bar +12.5kg (x8)

 

Deadlift @ bar +17.5kg (x8)

 

Deadlift @ bar + 20kg (x8) (This time I got the weights right)

 

Deadlift @ bar +20kg (x8) - No breaks, Yay! 

 

Lowered bar all the way to the ground. 

 

 

Chest press:

Bar+2.5 kg(x8) 

Bar +3.75kg(x8)

Bar+5 kg(x8) 

Bar+5 kg (x8) - Had a mishap, wanted to push through on last 2 reps and nearly dropped the bar, however I did manage to lower it down gently to my chest, tightened my core and rolled the bar off. Then I took a short break, took weights off the bar, then cleaned the bar back to the press and put the weights back on and finished the last 2 reps

 

Squat:

 

Bar + 5 kg (x8) 

 

Bar + 10 kg (x8) 

 

Bar + 15 kg (x8) 

 

Bar + 20 kg (x8) 

 

For all weights 15kg and below I managed to get my knees to form 90 degrees.  

 

Pull ups:(not so good this time round) 

 

6 jump pull ups (3 went up) 

 

6 jump chin ups (4 went up) 

 

4 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

4 jump chin ups (3 went above bar)

 

2 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

2 jump chin ups (both went up) 

 

Clean and press bar x8 +2.5 kg weight , 3 sets - no breaks. 

 

Farmers walk with a 15 kg weight plate on each hand, 2min50 s, 2 round of the gym. 

 

Breakfast:
1.6 cups of almond milk
300g okra fried with an onion and a quarter teaspoon of rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano

Five spice chicken zucchini boat 

 

Usual decoction:
1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 20g of hulled pumpkin seeds, a kiwi 

 

Lunch :

 

Suffice to say, I overate, but I made sure I ate as many tomatoes as I could grab. 

 

Had chicken, catfish, a bit of olive rice, the snowpeas and mushrooms and egg tofu, 5 prawns, lots of smoked duck with cherry tomatoes, a slice of pandan cake, a bowl of cheng tng etc.

[Mortimer]

I ran 20 km at the nearby stadium before work today. Would have run 21k,but for time constraints. I tried to do monkey bars at the stadium after 20k and yeah it was an epic fail. I don't think I'm useful for anything after my long runs >

 

Reason for it is because I have a busy weekend and no time to long run. On the bright side, I think I worked out my knee issue. IT band is too tight after 14k or so on the left side, so I get to stretch it while running. Then we're all good. 

 

Pre-run snack:

Five spice chicken zucchini boat 

 

Breakfast after run:

1.6 cups of almond milk with cinnamon. 
300g okra fried with an onion and a quarter teaspoon of rosemary and oregano and 4 eggs, tumeric and 26g of spinach 

1 mango

1 apple

7 grapes 

[aramis]

What can I say... Impressive ! 

[Mortimer]

Thanks. But I wasn't going to be doing very much today so I figured I could afford to burn energy first thing in the morning. 

 

Did 30 min runners yoga for recovery (it's becoming a ritual after I long run). 

 

Usual decoction:

 

1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, a peach 

 

Lunch:

150g cauliflower

150g lotus root

10g sesame seeds

Beef rendang from yesterday. Quite a bit of it since I was rungry. 

20g hulled pumpkin seeds

 

Dinner:

150g cauliflower

150g lotus root

 

Yesterday I also found the weight lifting skillz come in handy - plant tray? Don't need 2 people, I can do it on my own. I can also carry 2 stools at once (one in each hand) compared to others who only can carry one. 

[aramis]

Yeah, being stronger than average (or even than just your "past self") is a great feeling  

[Mortimer]

Crappy weight day, I think the 20 km is still debuffing me. 

 

Weights:

 

No bar available, used 110 lb barbell for deadlift, 3 sets x8 each. 

 

Lowered bar all the way to the ground. 

 

Chest press not available, used bench +60 lb curved grip barbell(I think it's harder then standard grip, usually I find it like one category harder), 3 sets x8

 

Squat:

Bar + 5 kg (x8) 

Bar + 10 kg (x8) 

Bar + 15 kg (x8) 

Bar + 20 kg (x8) 

 

For all weights 15kg and below I managed to get my knees to form 90 degrees.  I was pleasantly surprised considering how much legs I was using yesterday. 

 

Pull ups:

6 jump pull ups (none went up><) 

 

6 jump chin ups (5 went up) 

 

4 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

4 jump chin ups (2 went above bar)

 

2 jump pull ups (none went up) 

 

2 jump chin ups (both went up) 

 

Clean and press bar x8 +2.5 kg weight , 3 sets. (All!) sets had to take a break inbetween

 

Farmers walk with a 20 kg weight plate on each hand, 1 min 20 secs, half round around gym, then I rested and completed the round. 

 

Food will be reported later. Just wanted to get my last crappy free weights day(gym membership came to an end) noted down. 

[Mortimer]

Breakfast:

1.6 cups of almond milk

300g okra fried with an onion 

One five spiced chicken zucchini boat 

 

Lunch:

150g cauliflower

150g lotus root

10g sesame seeds

20g hulled pumpkin seeds

Quite some beef rendang(more left over noming lol) 

One chicken drumstick, half a potato in a curry

Some roti

5 slices cucumber

Half a tomato

Few leaves of lettuce 

Half a can of coke light that I was told to finish(eeeek sugar overdose. How do people drink this stuff again?) 

 

Yep my colleague cooked some lunch for me with raw vegs. 

 

Tea break:

 

Usual decoction:

1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

 

[Mortimer]

Dinner:

200g catfish

100g bok choi

90g of pork from pork ribs and black beans soup

Some beancurd skin and fish paste

Around 30g black beans? 

 

Definitely an overeat day but I only have myself to blame because I ate extra for lunch. 

 

Breakfast:

 

1.6 cups of almond milk

 

300g okra fried with an onion 

 

One five spiced chicken zucchini boat 

 

Morning snack

Usual decoction:

1 tablespoon fennel and cumin, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, an orange

 

Did an hour of body combat. 

 

Lunch:

 

150g cauliflower

 

150g lotus root

 

10g sesame seeds

 

20g hulled pumpkin seeds

180g sesame chicken 

 

Tea break:

One banana

 

Dinner:

150g cauliflower

150g lotus root

90g sesame chicken 

 

Will join local Hiits class later.