Vibram Five Fingers!

I have been eating in the Zone again, and reduced my workout volume in favor of quality.

The last three WODs have been decent:

"Sprint" (hardly) repeats - done in Vibram Five Fingers, KSOs (Keep Stuff Out. They felt great, but made my feet sore. No question years of running, etc. in trainers has made my feet weak and I am looking forward to strengthening them. The hill sprints trying to keep up with Daniel left me breathing harder than anything, ever, bar none. Total hyperventilation! Rebecca and Ynez were like, you should breath more deeper, and I was like, I wish I could!

Overhead Press 135-140-145-150-155-160(fail)-160.

Still 5 pounds off PR, but better than any recent lift. Done in Vibram Five Fingers.

Mid-Atlantic Qualifier WOD
21-15-9
Squat Snatch
Subbed push-ups for C2B Pull-ups (elbow bugging me)

10:21

VERY happy with this!! Something clicked in the first set of Squat Snatches, and I finally, after years and years of trying figured out how to really drop! I started laughing maniacally in the middle of the WOD even though I was in pain. Done in Do-Win lifting shoes, but I did a bunch in the Five Fingers too and they felt good.

Walking My Talk (More Or Less)

Block Target = 17 +.5X fat.

Block Total = 17 + .5X fat.

I introduced Kaya, above coaching Gita, to CF Metcons. As expected, he kicked my ass; he is going to be a monster.

WOD:

21-15-9
Thruster 95#
Kettlebell Swing, 2 Pood

9:07

I meant for this to be easier than C2B Fran. Wrong. Kaya rocked it in a bit over 6 minutes, and thought it was "fun". Good times!

My performance was nothing special, but I sucked it up and finished it with no whining.

Did some box squats afterward, up to 205x5 just to check them out. I liked em.

Day Forty-Three(Counting Down) The Rules Apply To Me Too.

I did my first weigh-in today:
Two week calorie deficit:15,500 calories
Expected weight loss: 4.4 pounds
Actual weigh loss 4 pounds
Begin weight 193 % 20% bodyfat (155# lean)
End weight 189 @ 19% bodyfat (153# lean)

This protocol of attempted huge caloric deficits did not work. I lost 50% lean and 50% bodyfat, which is unacceptable. I was unable to keep going with the huge deficits. I got viciously spun down and performance started falling very far down.

I realized recently that, for various reasons, I have engaged in a lot of negative self-talk lately, and have really not been rational about many things, one being my health, fatness, etc.

I went back and looked over this blog to see what really worked. I came across the collage above, showing:

12.12.05 210 lbs 30% bodyfat 147 lean
12.12.06 181 lbs 18% bodyfat 148.5 lean
11.01.07 171 lbs 14% bodyfat 147 lean
11.15.07 168 lbs 13% bodyfat 146 lean

And this picture, taken today of me at 189 lbs 19% bodyfat, 153 lean.

While I am not thrilled with my physique just now, it is worth remembering that I still have 46 pounds less fat than when I started this journey and 19 pounds more of vastly more functional muscle. I don't have a photo, but I got the bod pod reading of 36% bodyfat in Spring 2005. I was obese.

I would very much like to get back down to where I was, and I have been beating myself up for being old, fat, over the hill, etc, but the fact is: I am only 42 and my PEAK lifetime fitness was at 41 years old. This is like a 23 year old moaning that they are not in the shape they were at when they were 21. I would laugh at them. Today I almost gave up on the WOD, when it became clear my performance was going to be nothing special. Terrible attitude. I have to go through mediocre WODs to push back into advanced territory.

Anyway, looking at it rationally, rather than bemoan what I have lost, I should be thankful it is still possible to get back there or even improve. Plus I am stronger than I was at 168 pounds, by A LOT (like 80-90 pounds more on deadlift) and have even pulled some new records lately (309 FGB a long-time goal).

So. I have a couple of resolutions:

1: Recognize and interrupt negative self-talk.
2: Don't be a pussy. Work through hard WODs and accept them for what they are.
3: Use what worked: Regular WOD schedule, 17 blocks + .5x fat. Extra workouts if they feel good, as I wish to do them.

Calories In:
Calories Out:

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: Norcal Qualifier WOD 1 (scaled)

Row 500 Meters
30 burpees
10 overhead anyway anyhow 155# (RX was 165).

8:34

Thanks so much to my team for pushing me to finish this. Slap me if I fucking whine about the WOD again.

Day Fourty-Four (Counting Down)

Calories In: 2200
Calories Out: 3000

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds, bread, red wine.

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
X-Blade (Supplement for CrossFitters)

WOD 1:

3 Rounds
600 Meter (insanely steep) hill run
10 1.5 P KB Snatch Left
10 Deadlift 205
10 1.5 P KB Snatch Right

18:48RX

Horrifying! Good work Gita!

Day Forty-Five (Counting Down)

Calories In: 1600
Calories Out: 2800

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources:

Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: Row 5K (DNF 4500 M!!)
WOD 2: Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 315-325-345-375-387 (fail)-385-396 (fail)


This is getting tough. I'm having a hard time keeping calories low, my performance is decreasing daily and I feel spun way, way down. Also I feel like my weight is stuck at around 188 (still 5 pounds less than when I started, might not be rational). I'll keep pounding out this cortisol-fest as best I can, and will Annalise what is what on day 14. I think Taubes observation that caloric restriction can result in automatic energy reduction is spot on. I should look at my notes but I seem to remember I had my best weight loss/performance increase on 19 blocks 2x fat, which is much more on average than I am getting now: and also I was doing less, but more intense work. I feel that my metabolism is slowing to a crawl.

Day Forty-Six (Counting Down)

Calories In: 3000
Calories Out: 3200

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi

WOD 1: Angie - DNF (only 20 C2B pull-ups, rest as RX)19:34
WOD 2: Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 205-225-255 (fail 2 reps)- 245-265 (fail)
WOD 3: Row 5K 23:45 (! ack !)

Day Forty-Seven (Counting Down)

Calories In: 2100
Calories Out: 3100

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds, diet soda, carb 8, roti.

Supplement sources:

Arimatest


WOD 1: Run 5K, hills 8.5 min pace.
"WOD" 2: Motorcycle riding, 90 minutes (burns 2.5 cal min, apparently!)
WOD 3:

Day Forty-Eight (Counting Down)

Calories In: 2100 (estimate, on the road)
Calories Out: 3000 (estimate, on the road)

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds chocolate milk, diet soda.

Supplement sources: None today.


"WOD" 1: 200 miles of glorious backroad motorcycle riding at extra-legal speeds.
WOD 2: 5K hill run, not timed, slow, upon arival at Harbin Hot Springs.

A fine day. I got totally, thouroughly lost and took 4 hours and 200 miles to get to what usually takes me about an hour and forty-five minutes. Saw a lot of new country, Winters, Berreyesa Gap, Pope Valley. I did get passed by a souped-up Mini driving as fast as I have ever seen any vehicle tear up back roads!

Day Forty-Nine (Counting Down)

Calories In: 1825
Calories Out: 3250

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds, Red Wine.

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: 3RM Push-Jerk 115-135-145-165-175(fail) 175 Clean & Jerk 1X
WOD 2: Row 5K in 23:10
WOD 3: 3RM Snatch 95-115-115-120 (fail)-120(fail)-115(Fail)
WOD 4: 100 inverted burpees for time (DNF)

Decent day. felt rested. I went to a friend pool and felt comfortable to swim w/ bathing suit, which I would not have 3 weeks ago: felt merely uncomfortable rather than mortified. Progress.

Day 50 (Counting Down)

Calories In: 2900
Calories Out: 2800

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds, tortillas.

After last night's over-the-top working out, including 2AM lifting n drinking (not recommended) I was totally, wreckedly tired today. It's been over a month since I had alchohol, and I can say without a doubt, that to endure this sort of calorie-negative, high-volume cortisol-fest, one ought to stay away from alcohol or anything that might compromise ones already on-the-edge ability to recover.

Anyway, today was taken as a rest day, which was part of the plan (one rest day per week) back at it tomorrow with another 5K row, clean + jerk and 100 inverted burpees!. Yay! Inverted burpees!

I will weigh in next week (on day 43, two weeks in). I expect to have dropped 4-6 pounds.

Day 51 (Counting Down)

Calories In: 3200
Calories Out: 3900

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds, red wine, ice cream (fail)

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: 8AM 5K Row 21:18
WOD 2: 430PM "Danny" 1 round + 27 pull-ups RX + C2B (Chest to Bar)
WOD 3: 7PM CrossFit Total 290/155/255 = 800
WOD 4: 1AM Drunken weightlifting

Day Fifty-Two (Counting Down)

Calories In: 1875
Calories Out: 3350

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: Row 5K
WOD 2: Helen 11:44 RX C2B


I got an awesome 9.5 hours of sleep last night, that plus the luxurious-seeming 1900 calorie day (after the recent severe caloric restriction) left me feeling great! Helen was done at GWPC with the tricky turnaround, and was my first time C2B. Did just OK, splits were 3:14/4:45/3:45. The second run for some reason was awful + I had to break each pull-ups into 6/6. I think sub-10 is possible in the near future. Andy rocked it in 9:15, C2B!

Day Fifty-Three (Counting Down)

Calories In: 1900
Calories Out: 3600

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: 5K Row in 22:18
WOD 2: "DT" 22:38RX

I really felt the effects of the calorie negative diet today: the row was a grind, and I absolutely hated the WOD. I finally felt good in the last round, and without question, on a warm day, with good nutrition, this would take half the time.

Day Fifity-Four (Counting Down)

Calories In: 1900
Calories Out: 3000

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds, low-carb "ice cream".

Supplement sources:
Met-RX Protein Plus,
Arimatest
Hexaghen
Arson
Fish Oil
Multi
Black Powder.

WOD 1: Row 5K in 22:30

Day 55 (Counting Down)

Calories In: 1300
Calories Out: 3300

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources: Met-RX, Arimatest, Hexaghen, Arson, Fish Oil, Multi, Black Powder.

WOD 1: Rock climbing: 5.6 (up and down climb 2x, continuous)
WOD 2: Row 5 K in 21:48
WOD 3: Oly Practice

Day 56 (Counting Down)

Started Eight week diet with goal of losing 20# today. I will accept performance decrease, and some, but hopefully not much, muscle loss.

Start stats:
Bodyweight: 193#
% bodyfat: 20%
Lean Mass: 155#

Calories In: 1500
Calories Out: 3400

Food sources: meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, seeds.

Supplement sources: Met-RX, Arimatest, Hexaghen, Arson, Fish Oil, Multi, Black Powder.

WOD 1: Oly lifting (3RM Clean, best of 5 attempts)
WOD 2: Row 5 K in 21;30
WOD 3: Oly Practice