Day Seventy-Eight: OUCH!

I got 30 pull-ups yesterday, a lifetime PR and clear sign that I am getting my strength back while maintaining moderate bodyfat (scale said 171.5 today, up a bit). I ripped my hand open badly unfortunately, as I have the Barbell Cert tomorrow. Ack. I'm going to dial back the fat a bit to + .5x, I may be consuming too many calories.

7AM 3/8 cup Steel Cut Oats, bit 'o' apple, 1/4 oz nuts 1 egg, 4.5 oz ground turkey = 4 blocks + .5x fat

10AM 3/4 Detour Buzz Bar = 3 blocks, low carb

1PM 5 oz chicken thigh, 2 low-carb tortilla, bit 'o' brussel sprout, 1/2 grapefruit = 4 blocks

4:30PM 4.5 oz ground turkey, 1 low-carb tortilla 2/3 cup mashed yam, pat butter, provolone/salami stuffed pepper = 3.5 blocks.

Day Seventy-Eight: Low BW = BW Clean

I got a bodyweight (77KG/ 169.4) Clean today. It was a power clean, and if I had been fresher, I think I could have gotten a squat clean north of my previous PR of 185, maybe 195, or even 202, pretty soon, and thence to 212 which would be 1.25x BW. I'm going to work on this as a primary goal.

8AM Breakfast sandwich = 4 blocks +2x fat

11AM Detour Buzz Bar, 9 cashews = 4 blocks +1x fat

2PM 1/4 cup steel cut oats (dry), 3 sausages, 9 cashews 1 egg = 3 blocks +1x fat

5PM 3/5 cup mashed yam, 3 oz chicken, bit 'o' broccoli, 9 cashews = 3 blocks +1x fat

9PM 3 oz chicken, 2/5 cup mashed yam, 2 cups broccoli, 1/4 avocado, bit 'o' brussel sprout, Masala sauce = 3 blocks +1x fat

Total blocks = 17 + 1x+ fat

Workout1 :
Hang Power Clean x 1: 118/118/124/135/146
Power Clean x3 145/157(f)/157/164/167
Power Clean + Press x1 168
Power Clean x 1 170(bodyweight)

Workout 2:
"Nicole"
Pull-ups 30/21/20/14/19 total = 104 (pr)

30 pull-ups is a pr too.

Day Seventy-Seven: ZONE-PALEO POWER LUNCH!

I am totally blazed from yesterday's workout, ouch! I figured it would be a good day for a true zone-paleo power lunch.

Bkfast Sandwich = 4 blcks +fat

ZONE-PALEO POWER LUNCH:

• 5 oz chicken thigh in Masala sauce
  
• 4 cups broccoli
• 1/2 cup Brussel Sprouts
• 3/5 cup mashed yam with butter
• 1/4 avocado

=5 blocks +1x fat

It's hard to eat this much food, but it is the same blocks as a double-double, probably less fat and absolutely far, far more nutrition and favorable blood sugar effect.

2PM, unbelievably, I was hungry a mere 2 hours after the above huge meal, my last two workouts seem to have been a very heavy hit!

Detour Buzz Bar, 1.5 oz cashews = 3 blocks, low carb, 4x fat

5PM 2 oz chicken, 1/5 cup mashed yam, 2 cups broccoli, 1/8th avocado, bit 'o' brussel sprout, Masala sauce = 2 blocks +1x fat

9PM 3 oz chicken, 2/5 cup mashed yam, 2 cups broccoli, 1/4 avocado, bit 'o' brussel sprout, Masala sauce = 3 blocks +1x fat

Total Blocks = 17 +2x fat

Workout:
"Lynne"
Bench 10/8/6/5/5/4
Pull-Up 19/15/13/13/13

Bike ride, 6 miles, medium intensity, flat, fixed gear

Day Seventy-Six

9AM Breakfast Sandwich = 4 blocks

12PM Detour Buzz Bar, 9 almonds, 1.5 oz chicken breast, tomato sauce, 1/2 grapefruit = 5.5 blocks +1x fat

6PM Detour Buzz Bar, 18 almonds, 2 cups broccoli, pat butter = 4 blocks + 1x fat

9PM 3 oz chicken breast, brussel sprouts, masala sauce, 1/4 apple, 1 low carb tortilla (recommended) = 3 blocks

+ milk in coffee

Total Blocks = 17 + extra fat

Workout:
Five rounds for time of:
95 pound Sumo deadlift high-pull, 15 reps
95 pound Thruster, 15 reps
Time: 16:48

Bike Ride 6 miles, flat, medium intensity, fixed gear

Day Seventy-Five: 9th Weigh-In; Back to the 60s (160s)

I did my ninth weigh-in: I'm at 169.5 and 14% bodyfat. That is 146 lbs of lean mass and 23.5 lbs of fat mass. This is the lowest weight I have been at since the mid 1990s. My goal from my first post was to get to 169 lbs with no loss of muscle mass in 76 days which would have put me at 169 lbs tomorrow with 151 lbs of lean mass and 18 lbs of fat mass at a bodyfat of 10.5%. I made the weight goal, but I lost too much muscle. I think the lesson here is that even 2 lbs a week is too fast to effect optimal body composition change. I lost 16 lbs of fat mass and 5 lbs of lean mass. Not bad.

• July 8 2007: 193.5 lbs, 22% bodyfat, 151 lean
  
• July 17 2007: 190 lbs, 20% bodyfat, 151 lean
• July 30, 2007: 184.5 lbs, 18.5% bodyfat, 150.5 lean
• August 6, 2007: 182.5 lbs 18% bodyfat, 150 lean
• August 13 2007: 180.5 lbs 17.5% bodyfat 149 lean
• August 20 2007 178.5 lbs 16.75% bodyfat 148.6 lean
• August 27, 2007 177.5 lbs 16.25% bodyfat 148.6 lean
• September 5, 2007 175.5 lbs 15.5% bodyfat 148.3 lean
• September 10, 2007 174.25 lbs 16% bodyfat 146.4 lean (skewed)
  
• September 17th, 2007 173.00 lbs 16% bodyfat 145.32 lean (skewed)
  
• September 24th, 2007 169.5 at 15% bodyfat 144 lean

Now I will be starting a five week phase where I try to optimize my body composition without changing my weight, as detailed in this post. I am trying to get as close as possible to 169 lbs with 151 lbs of lean mass and 18 lbs of fat mass at a bodyfat of 10.5%. That is a lofty goal, but I can try. Coincidentally that is the leanest I have ever been measured at back in 1995 (162 lbs, 145 lean 10.5% bodyfat) I still had little "love handles" back then, crappy genes. From there, assuming I am successful, I will try to lose one pound a week of pure bodyfat for six weeks, with no loss of muscle mass. That would put me at 163 lbs, 151 lbs lean mass and 8% bodyfat. I'll be bold and say that is my near-term goal. from there my next project would be to bench 300, Squat 400 and deadlift 500, while staying in the 77 KG (169.8) Oly class. That would allow a weight of 169.5, 157 lean mass and 8% bodyfat. Let's say that is my ultimate body composition goal.That would probably take well over a year. Along the way it would be nice to OHSQ bodyweight 15x and clean & jerk 1.5x bw (255 or so)

Stats:

169.5: 15% bodyfat; 144 lean

Waist 35.5
Hips 35.5
Measurement at bellybutton 36.25
Chest 41.5
Bicep 14.5
Thigh 21.5

11AM 3/8th cup Steel Cut Oats (recommended), 2 eggs fried in butter, 3 small sausage patties, 1/2 oz almonds, pat butter = 4 blocks +1x fat

2PM 3 oz ground turkey, 1 oz mozzarella, 1 low carb tortilla, 2/5 cup mashed yam, bit 'o' broccoli, nine almonds = 3 blocks +1x fat

4PM Detour Buzz Bar = 4 blocks (low carb)

9PM low carb tortilla, 1/4 tomato, teaspoon mayo, 2 oz turkey, bit 'o' mashed yam, 6 almonds = 2 blocks +1x fat

Trader Joe's Tuna Curry, cup broccoli, 1 oz cheese, handful of berries = 3 blocks

+milk in coffee = 1 block

Total Blocks = 17 blocks + extra fat

Workout:
5x5 Deadlift 225-275-295-305-315x4(f)
Test Max Pull-ups: 26
Test Max Push-ups in 2 minutes: 56 (feet and hands stay on floor, knees cannot touch)
Test Max Double-Unders: 37

Day Seventy-Four

8AM cup 4/5 oatmeal, teaspoon butter, teaspoon olive oil, 2 eggs, 2 small turkey sausage patties, 1 cup milk = 5 blocks +1x fat

2PM Broccoli Beef with a bit of rice = 6 blocks

6PM 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 oz almonds, 1/2 cup berries = 2 blocks +1x fat

10PM Meat and Veg + 9 almonds = 3 blocks +1x fat

Blocks = 16 blocks +.75 fat

Workout: none (rest week, last day)
Bike 7 miles, hills, fixed gear

Day Seventy-Three: Buzzzzzzzzzzz

11AM Arizmendi Cheese Roll, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 string cheese, 1/2 cup milk, 1 oz ground turkey, bit o broccoli = 6 blocks +1x fat

2PM 2/3 Detour Buzz Bar* (recommended) = 2 blocks

6PM "breakfast" sandwich (1 bread), 2/5 cup mashed yam = 4 blocks +1x far

10PM 2 eggs, 1 oz mozzarella, 1 whole wheat tortilla, 1 cup 2%milk = 4 blocks

Blocks = 16 + .5x fat

Workout: none (rest week)







*contains caffeine

Day Seventy-Three: New Graphic

Here is My new profile page graphic, showing the difference between 196 at 30% bodyfat and now, 171 at 15% bodyfat. I'll do another one at 11% and (God willing) 9%.

Day Seventy-Two

9AM breakfast sandwich = 4 blocks +1x fat

Noon Detour Buzz Bar, 2 cups broccoli, teaspoon of butter = 4 blocks

4PM breakfast sandwich again = 4 blocks +1x fat

8PM 1 string Cheese, 1/2 apple = 1 block

9PM 4.5 oz ground turkey, 4 cups broccoli, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon olive oil = 4 blocks.

Workout: none (rest week)

9 miles bike ride, fixed gear, flat, low intensity
1.5 mile walk

Total Blocks = 16 + fat

Day Seventy-One

I'm pretty sure my body has adapted to my present diet/workout scheme and I am having trouble keeping muscle and losing fat. I project that by the end of this week I should weigh 169 lbs, which is my original target weight, however I lost 6 lbs of muscle, instead of the no muscle I was aiming for. I still want to get to 169 lbs with 18 lbs of bodyfat (11% bodyfat) and thereafter at least temporarily get to 9% bodyfat. The first goal represents a gain of 5 lbs of muscle and a loss of 5 lbs of fat, assuming a starting point of 169 lbs, and 145 lbs lean mass (14% bodyfat). In order to get there I am going to try the following scheme:

• Rest of this week: 16 blocks +1x fat, no workout (rest week)
• Week of 9-24: 17 blocks +1x fat, full intensity + 2 5x5 workouts (on 1st day of cycle)*
• Week of 10-1: 18 blocks +1x fat, full intensity + 2 5x5 workouts (on 1st day of cycle)
• Week of 10-8: 19 blocks + 1x fat, 1/2 volume + Deadlift 5x5 (on 1st day of second cycle)
• Week of 10-15: 20 blocks +1x fat, full intensity + 2 5x5 workouts (on 1st day of cycle)
• Week of 10-22: 20 blocks +1x fat, full intensity + 2 5x5 workouts (on 1st day of cycle)

The 5x5s will be cycled as follows: Deadlift, Press, Power Clean, Bench. If Linda or Diane (or something like it) comes up, the workout will be moved to a different day.

To track my progress I will do the following:

• Get a weight/bodyfat/lean mass reading
• Take pictures front and back, flexed and relaxed
• Measure waist, hips, chest, thigh, forearm and bicep
• Test CFT and 1RM bench press at beginning and end of cycle

I'm excited! I'm bored of dieting, my fat loss is stalled and I feel terribly weak. This should be fun!

9AM Breakfast sandwich (sausage, egg, cheese) = 4 blocks + 1x fat

1PM 2 small meat tacos, muscle milk bar, 15 almonds = 5 blocks +1x fat

3PM 1/2 dark chocolate bar, provolone & salami stuffed pepper = 1.5 blocks +1x fat

5PM 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese, 1/2 apple, 1/2 oz almonds, sprinkle carrot slivers = 2 blocks

9PM Fish Taco = 3 blocks + 1x fat (at least)

+ milk in coffee

Total = 16 blocks + 1x fat

*I'm going to the Basic Barbell Seminar with Coach Rip next week and may have to adjust somewhat, however this will give me an opportunity to test my CFT.

Day Seventy - So Close!

I saw 170.2 on the scale today, well OK I was dehydrated, so it is not really accurate, but still! I think it has been 15 years since I was under 170, so that is awesome, I'm looking forward to being 169.9, even for one second!

8AM 1 cup milk, 1 chicken apple sausage, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon butter, 3/4 cup vegetables, 1 slice Diabetic Lifestyles Bread (recommended) = 4 blocks + 1x fat

Noon 3 cups broccoli, 1 oz Omega-3 cheddar cheese, 1 slice Diabetic Lifestyles Bread (recommended), 3 oz chicken breast, 1/2 chicken sausage, teaspoon olive oil = 4 blocks

2PM 1 serving low-carb ice cream with almonds = 1 block + 2x fat

6PM Turkey Sandwich made with Diabetic Lifestyles Bread (recommended) = 4 blocks

9PM 1 cup milk, 1 oz salmon, 1/2 apple, six almonds = 2 blocks + 1x fat

15 blocks

Workout: none (rest week)

Day Sixty-Nine Seventh Weigh-In WTF??

I did my sixth weigh-in today. Here are the results so far:

• July 8 2007: 193.5 lbs, 22% bodyfat, 151 lean
  
• July 17 2007: 190 lbs, 20% bodyfat, 151 lean
• July 30, 2007: 184.5 lbs, 18.5% bodyfat, 150.5 lean
• August 6, 2007: 182.5 lbs 18% bodyfat, 150 lean
• August 13 2007: 180.5 lbs 17.5% bodyfat 149 lean
• August 20 2007 178.5 lbs 16.75% bodyfat 148.6 lean
• August 27, 2007 177.5 lbs 16.25% bodyfat 148.6 lean
• September 5, 2007 175.5 lbs 15.5% bodyfat 148.3 lean
• September 10, 2007 174.25 lbs 16% bodyfat 146.4 lean (this might be wrong)
• September 17th, 2007 173.00 lbs 16% bodyfat 145.32 lean (again, this seems wrong)

Well, that's what the scale says, I think it is less accurate at lower bodyfat, I certainly don't feel like I am losing massive amounts of muscle and no fat. Hopefully this will correct next week. I will try and get back to tracking everything at 16 blocks + 1x fat and see if that helps.

8AM 2 eggs, 2 oz chicken leg, 2 cups veg 1 cup milk, tblsp oil = 4 blocks +1x fat

Noon 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup berries, 1/4 oz almonds = 2 blocks

1PM Open-Face Salmon & Omega-3 Cheddar Sandwich. mmm. = 2 blocks

4PM 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 Scharffen Berger Mocha Chocolate 64% bar 3 oz salmon = 2.5 blocks

9PM Builder Bar = 3 blocks

Total Blocks 13.5

Workout: none (rest week)

Day Sixty-Three

Been busy. Last few days between 12-16 blocks.

8AM Breakfast Sandwich on Diabetic Lifestyle Bread (recommended) = 4 blocks

12PM Open-face Roast Beef Sandwich with Cream Cheese, 1 cup ratatouille = 4 bocks

Workout:

"Fat" Fran 135#/45# weighted pull-up 15-12-9
27:30

Horrible.

Sixth Weigh-In 20 lbs Lost in 2 Months

I did my sixth weigh-in today. Here are the results so far:

• July 8 2007: 193.5 lbs, 22% bodyfat, 151 lean
  
• July 17 2007: 190 lbs, 20% bodyfat, 151 lean
• July 30, 2007: 184.5 lbs, 18.5% bodyfat, 150.5 lean
• August 6, 2007: 182.5 lbs 18% bodyfat, 150 lean
• August 13 2007: 180.5 lbs 17.5% bodyfat 149 lean
• August 20 2007 178.5 lbs 16.75% bodyfat 148.6 lean
• August 27, 2007 177.5 lbs 16.25% bodyfat 148.6 lean
• September 5, 2007 175.5 lbs 15.5% bodyfat 148.3 lean
• September 10, 2007 174.25 lbs 16% bodyfat 146.4 lean (this might be wrong)
  

My current weight loss seems to be largely from the upper abs and chest: the MOOBS visible HERE are disappearing: my chest measurement has gone from 43 to 41.5 inches in the last few weeks, but I can still bench 225. This is good. The result above seems faulty, we shall see what happens next week.

I have eaten an average of 15 blocks a day, but my measuring and tracking has fallen off a bit. I shall start tracking everything again for the next two weeks at 16 blocks + 1x extra fat and see what happens.

8AM 1/2 cup milk one egg, 1/2 sausage, low carb tortilla 1/2 nectar bar + 9 almonds = 3.5 blocks + fat

Noon 3 oz pastrami, 1/2 builder bar, cup ratatouille = 3 blocks

5 PM frozen yogurt with nuts = 1/2 block + carbs + fat

9PM 5 oz grilled pork, 1/4 mango, 1 cup ratatoille, 1/2 cup milk = 4 blocks

11 blocks - strangely not hungry today, possibly overtrained.

No workout, trying to recover from last week's brutal four-day cycle.

Benchmarks

This section will be permanantly found in the sidebar to the left.

(As Taken from the CFO Skill Assessment Guidelines) These are the benchmarks I have done in the past year. I could not necessarily do all of these things today.

Hips
-100 free squats L2
-300 lb back squat (1.5x bw) L3
-395 lb deadlift (2x bw) L3
-18.5 inch standing vertical jump L2
Push
-37 Push-ups L2
-30 Push-ups on rings L3
-250 lb Bench Press (1.25x bw) L3
-165 lb Shoulder Press (.75x bw) L3
-2 min Handstand Hold (against wall) L2
-21 Dip on rings L2
Pull
-15-foot Rope Climb (no feet) L2
-165 lb Power Clean L2
-185 lb Clean (1x bw) L3
-28 Pull-Ups L2
-Muscle-up on bar (ugly) L2
-Muscle-up on rings (ugly) L2
Core
-30 V-ups L2
-15 Hanging Knees to Elbows L2
-10 second L-sit L1
-185 lb OHSQ (1xbw) L3
Work
-1 pood Kettlebell Snatch: 30 each arm L2
-45 reps of 82.5 lb Thrusters (.5x bw) L2
-Sandbag carry (modified) 100 lbs, 1 mile L3
-3:20 min 800-meter Run L2
-2000 meter row 7:26 L2
-6:00 min 1-mile run L3
-8:50 min 2000-meter Row
-Helen: 10:13 L2
Speed
-1:34 min 400-meter run L2
-1:26 min 500-meter Row L3
-115 lbs Power Snatch (.5x bw) L2

My goal for the next year is to recapture all of the above (based on my present bodyweight of course), defined as being able to do them all within 2 weeks of each other and to add the following:

• Vertical jump 25" -L3
  
• Bench Press 2.5x bw - L4
• Press 1x bw - L4
• HSPU 21 full ROM - L4
• Ring Dips 30 - L3
• Ring Dip with .75x bw - L3
• Rope climb 2 times, no feet - L3
• Pull-ups 40 - L3
• Weighted Pull-up .5x bw - L3
• L-Sit 30 seconds - L2
• 2000 Meter Row 7:10 L3
• Cindy 22 Rounds L3
• 500 Meter Row 1:25 L4
  

Day Fifty-Three "Total Body Water" TBD!?!?

I have been researching the inner workings of my bioelectrical impedance scale. I understand, basically, that it measures bodyfat by inference, based on the relative water composition of fat, bone, muscle, etc.

"A significant fraction of the human body is water. This body water is distributed in different compartments in the body. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 83% water, body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water."

The bodyfat measuring scale simply measures impedance and resistance, or the rate at which electricity can flow through a substance: electricity does not flow through fat, and adipose tissue is about 83% fat. The current largely flows through the path of least resistance, or tissues such as muscle and and blood which are mostly water. The amount of fat in the body mostly determines the resistance and the amount of lean tissue mostly determines the impedance of the current: this allows the scale to more or less take a reading of the body's fatness.

After reviewing the science behind this, I can say this is a massive oversimplification, for more information than you really want to know, see HERE.

http://nutrition.uvm.edu/bodycomp/bia/

Day Fifty-Two: Visual Record Redux

Here is a bit of personal history:

Top left: Pre-CF 196, 30% bodyfat. This is AFTER I lost 15 lbs, and had about 15 lbs less lean mass than I do today. Yikers.

Top right: 179.5, 17.5% bodyfat

Bottom left: 179.5, 17.5% bodyfat

Bottom Right, today 175.5, 15.5% bodyfat

And here is what I am shooting for (Greg Admunsun, perhaps 8% bodyfat)



Block count: 12 (not enough, but I have been eating like a swine, see previous post)

Workout: Helen

Time 10:13 PR

Bonus: Three ring muscle-ups!! First ones.