Day 108: Create Space For Success Part 3 of 4: What's in Yer Pantry?

Tomorrow is the first day of what I hope is my second-to-last leaning phase, I have stocked up on items to facilitate my success.

In my pantry:

Protein: Tuna

Carbohydrate: Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal

Fat: walnuts, almond butter, peanut butter, coconut milk

Combos: Cliff Builder Bar (Recommended),

Trader Joe's Tuna in Green Curry Sauce (Recommended), Tasty Bites Indian Fare.

8AM: 1/2 breakfast sandwich = 2 blocks (high protein)

Noon 1 cup Greek Yogurt, 1 scoop Max Muscle Gourmet Protein, 1/4 oz nuts = 4 blocks

Forgot to update this one:

Total blocks was 20 +1xfat

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 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 Thirty-Three

8AM 1 serving Greek Yogurt, 1/2 cup berries, 1/2 oz almonds = 2 blocks + fat

11AM Chinese chicken and green beans, 7 tablespoons of rice, 1/2 Moroccan Chicken thingy = 6 blocks

2PM whole wheat tortilla, 1 tablespoon humus, 1 tablespoon marinara dressing, 2 slices smoked ham = 3 blocks

6PM low carb frozen yogurt with granola = 2 blocks + extra carb

8PM 15 grams rice crackers, 1/2 apple, 1.5 oz mozzarella, 3/4 oz beef jerky = 2 blocks

15 blocks

Workout: J.T.
Time 12:48

Day Twenty-Eight: fourth weigh-in, WTF!?!?

I did my weekly weigh in, and it showed 178.5, a loss of four pounds in one week, and an INCREASE in bodyfat of .5% to 19%. I am pretty sure this is an anomalous reading, but for certain I am still losing too fast. Perhaps this has to do with hydration or a lack of carbs. I am going to try eating 20 full blocks today and see what the scale has to say tomorrow: I do see some more definition and my measurements are down, not to mention my clothes being looser, so I am not sure what is going on. For sure, you cannot lose 4 lbs of bodyfat in a week, so a lot of that would be muscle, but I don't think this is accurate.

Here I am a few years back at 196 and 30% bodyfat, busting out of size 38 jeans.




















And here I am today at perhaps 17% bodyfat, badly in need of a trip to Lululemon as these 38 shorts really don't fit me. They fit when I started this blog at 189 lbs one month ago.

8AM 1 cup milk = 1 block

11AM 1.5 chicken sausage, 2 eggs, 2 cup veggies, 1/2 cup potato, 1 oz figs, 1/2 tablespoon butter, 12 almonds = 5 blocks + 5 fat blocks

3PM 2 cups 2% yogurt, 1 oz almonds, 1 apple, sprinkle sesame seeds = 2 blocks + extra carb + 5 extra fat blocks

5PM 1 cup milk = 1 block

7PM 22 almonds (1 oz) 14 blocks of fat

8PM 4 oz chicken leg with skin, 2 cups veg, 1/4 cup potato, bit of coconut milk, 1/3 tablespoon butter, 1/2 nectar bar = 3 blocks + 3 blocks fat

10PM 1 cups milk, 4 oz chicken leg with skin, 2 cups veg, bit of coconut milk, 1/3 tablespoon butter, 1 non-alcohol beer = 4 blocks

Well, only 16 blocks, but I did manage to eat a lot of extra fat, so we shall see what the scale says tomorrow.

Workout: 50-40-30-20-10 rounds of : L-pull-ups, abmat sit-ups, good mornings, double-unders

Time: 44:18

Day Twenty-Seven: Foraging for Zone Goodness

8AM Builder Bar = 3 blocks

11AM 1 cup milk = 1 block

2PM 1 nectar bar, 1.5 oz cheese = 3 blocks

6PM leftover chicken and broccoli, 2 cups yogurt, cup fruit, 1 oz almonds, 1.5 builder bar = 4.5 blocks

9PM: 9 of Evelyn's homemade zone dolmas with grape leaves foraged at Harbin Hot Springs, side of veg. = 3.5 blocks

16 blocks (oops)

Workout: "Grace"
Time 5:59