Day 11

Sore as hell today. 186.6.

Pic -

Day 10

Going to follow Mr. Waterbury's advice and give working out 5 times a week a shot (he postulates that your body will recover in as much time as you give it, within reason of course). Headed to UCLA and Wooden for some lifts. Since yesterday was a bit light (didn't want to injure myself so I stopped with the pain on my right side), I feel today will be a good day to try and get a second strong lift in.

Morning weight was 187. I have to say, I'm surprised at how fast I've been dropping weight. I I didn't expect it to be so linear, especially since my cardio is weak and I haven't been adhering to my diet perfectly. It's been a gradual transition from 4.5k calories, still eating at least 5 meals a day and decently healthy, the worst I've eaten was a Jersey Mike's cold cut and a beer, but I haven't been on the chicken and salmon regime completely yet.

Day 10 pic -



Edit: Just got back from UCLA. Lifts -

Bench -
8x135 warm up, 5x185, 3x205, 3x225, 2x235

Deads -
8x135 warm up, 3x180, 3x225, 3x270, 1x 315 + 1 failed rep

Squats -
8x185 warm up, 5x225, 3x275, 3x315, 3x315, 8x225

Day 9

Ran (pathetically) today, light interval work. Lifts were good and strong until I hurt myself (arm, but not badly).

Clean & Jerk
5x135 Warm up, 3x155, 3x165, 3x165, 1x175 fail

Front squats
5x135 warm up, 3x185, 3x195, 3x205, 3x215, 2x225

Few pullups / chinups, that's when my arm started giving me enough pain to stop so I went upstairs to ice it.

Morning weight was 187.6. Day 9 pic -

Blood work 3/19/09

All in mg/dl

TC=171
HDL=60
TRG<45
LDL=N/A
non-DHL=110
TC/HDL=2.8
GLU=154 (I just had a coke...)

Day 8

No run (blaming inclement weather, I know I'm lazy). 188.6 post breakfast.

Pic -

Day 7

Week one is over, four pounds down total (189).

Lifts -
Flat Bench
8x135, 4x135, 3x185, 3x205, 3x215, 3x225, 1x235 + 1 fail

Squats
5x185, 3x215, 3x235, 3x255, 3x275, 3x285

Deads
5x135, 3x205, 3x225, 3x245

Pic -

Day 6

No run today either (I know, I'm being lazy, but the burning factory in Pomona really messed up the air here). Big day tomorrow. Weight - 189.6 today.

Day 6 pic -

Day 5

Air quality was terrible in LA yesterday, so no run. No spot either, so I worked on dumbbell lifts, stability muscles, and pullups / chinups. Weight was 190.4.

Day 5 pic -

Day 4

Off day today, I'm too tired to hit the track and make myself work. Homework and lunch with the rents is as crazy as I'll get today.

Day four weight - 189.6

Day four pic (kilted of course) -

Day 3

Atro-Phex 4x in the morning, definitely feel it work. 1 mile run (better than day one but yea, I'm still dogged), lifting at noonish with Nick.

Decline bench
5x115 Warm up
5x135 Warm up
4x155
4x175
3x195
3x215
3x225
3x235
1x245
5x205

Barbell Rows
135x8 Warm up
165x5
185x3
195x3
205x1
185x3
135x8

Squats
185x5 Warm up
215x3
255x3
215x2

I'm definitely weaker on squats from the running, I'm sore in lots of places that haven't been used for four months. Did a bit of dumbbell work after this but was too fatigued to continue.

Eating less than half the calories I'm used to at this point isn't a challenge, but I am so freaking tired compared to a week ago. Just not as much fuel in the gas tank. Day 3 weight 190.6.

Day 3 pic - (Happy St. Patty's, a very Scottish Holiday)

Supplement list

Here's my list for my current trimming phase -

BSN Atro-Phex
BSN N.O. Xplode
BSN True Mass (heavy training days only)
Syntax Nectar Protein
Kre-Alkalyn 1500
Omega 3-6-9
Zinc
Calcium/Magnesium
Multi-Vit

Just trying out the Atro-Phex for the first time today, I'll give an update on how I like it soon.

Training and Diet

Training is important, but diet trumps training by a large factor. You can get big and strong eating almost anything (ref: Dave Tate), but you'll also be fat. Conversely, you can train as hard as humanly possible but if you fuel your body with crap, you'll never shape up like you want to. My nutritionist even went so far as to say that getting lean (or mass gaining) is 80% nutrition and 20% training.

My goal of 7-8% body fat isn't unrealistic, and some might call my micromanagement of my diet obsessive or extreme, but the fact that it is attainable makes it easy for me to adhere to my program. Also, eating six meals a day can be time consuming, but it helps avoid cravings and keeps me in an anabolic state.

Here's an outline of how I'll be zig-zagging my carbs -

Day 2

First day back at the track and I'm a freaking dog. Half mile run and two sets of stairs and a few laps walking and I feel like I completed a marathon. Whatever, have to start somewhere. Day 2 pic -

Midday weight was 191. (Initial day one weigh in was after a big meal so it might have been a bit skewed, I didn't lose four pounds on day one haha. I'll make my weigh-in times consistent from now on)

Cut cut cut

Mar 15, 2009 -
Beginning my cutting / lean phase now. I've been bulking up with Nick over the past 5/6 weeks and have picked up just about 15 pounds (from 179 to 195). I was going to continue and try to gain a full 20 pounds (as per my bet with Nick), but eating 4500-5000 calories a day is taxing on both my body and wallet.

I started the bulking phase at about 11% body fat, and I'm probably around 13-14% now. My single rep maxes are as follows:

Bench - 245
Squat - 315
Deadlift - 309

I probably could have squeaked more out of squats and deads, but I'm limited by how much weight I own and I refuse to pay sports authority a dollar per pound of weight!

My goal is to trim down to about 7-8% BF while losing as little strength and lean mass as possible, so I'll add interval training along with maintaining my same weight lifting program. My caloric intake will be cut dramatically, reducing it to about 1700 calories a day on lift days and closer to 1500 on training days.

Here are my starting measurements -

Waist (hips) – 34”

Waist (naval) – 34 ½”

Chest (nipple)

Left bicep – 15”

Right bicep – 15 ¼”

Left forearm – 12 ¼”

Right forearm – 12 1/8”

Left thigh – 23 ½”

Right thigh – 23 ½”

Left calve 15”

Right calve – 15”

Weight - 195

Height – 5’11” and a half (yea, I fight for that half inch)

And lastly, here's my starting photo.