[mcFreid]

Tuesday 8/18/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:15pm:
2 plates Sole with a little Vegetables, Rice [Oil]
2 plates Cabbage Salad and Tomato Salad with a little Feta and a little Corn (Light Vinaigrette)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~160spm

3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
1x5x170 BB Squat
1min rest
2x5x165 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x185 BB Deadlift
1min rest
2x10x25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
1x8x25 DB Shoulder Press [failure]
30sec rest
3x7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x10x25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
1x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
2x8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I had all this motivation, but it didn't matter. I am not ready for the 170 pound squat. I completed my first 5 reps of that weight, but my form, as I noticed in the mirror, was quickly deteriating. By the last rep I was quite drastically good-lifting on the push upwards. I decided to then back off the weight to last weeks 165, but even that didn't help. Maybe the first set exhausted me too much? I found that my form was still lacking at 165. This set off a great many questions in my mind. In fact, I found them so dire and important to my lifting that I decided to make a forum post on it. Basically, I wanted to know is it better to focus on form with much lower weight (enough that I can really "squeeze" my muscles and build a great mind-to-muscle connection) or instead to try and push my body to the brink so I can lift the most weight (while still keeping decent form of course).

The rest of my workout went decently. There were a few instances where my cut finger lead to problems (especially so with the knuckle pushups where I had to backoff after the first set and just do the regular variety). Even with the lifting concerns that were plaguing my mind though I did give it my all. And with that I walked out of the gym and drove off the work quite satisfied.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #257.

[n88tr]

I would work on getting your dumbbell presses up, 25 lbs is a good place to start from. 30's shouldn't be that hard so start using those more regularly.

You will not get bigger from doing the same easy weight over and over, need to stimulate and overload the muscles.

Nice to see everything is still detailed and under control. You're doing good so far, keep pushing!!

[mcFreid]

Originally Posted by n88tr

I would work on getting your dumbbell presses up, 25 lbs is a good place to start from. 30's shouldn't be that hard so start using those more regularly.

You will not get bigger from doing the same easy weight over and over, need to stimulate and overload the muscles.

Nice to see everything is still detailed and under control. You're doing good so far, keep pushing!!

For whatever reason I really struggle with the shoulder presses. I push myself to failure on them on the last set everytime (mostly not even reaching the 10 reps and having to stop at 7 or 8). And yet I am barely seeing progress. I mean I know I'm cutting but compared to my other lifts which are slowly but steadily going up, these are not. Any advice?

Oh, and thanks for checking in! It's been awhile

[mcFreid]

Wednesday 8/19/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:45pm:
1 bowl Gazpacho Soup
a little Lettuce Salad with a little Goat Cheese (Vinaigrette)
1 plate Cod with Rice, Vegetables, a little Shrimp [Fat]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

OUTSIDE [sloping incline/decline ground]
5min Run
10 Intervals of 30sec Sprint, 1min Jog
1min Walk
9min Run

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

As always I scraped the jagged edge of failure. Particularly rough was the stomach cramps as they creeped in. Luckily they didn't start until my 10 minute cooldown after the HIIT. But, it didn't matter. I ran through it all the more violently.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #258.

[mcFreid]

Thursday 8/20/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
5:30am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~3oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
11:50am:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~6oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:00pm:
2 plates Soba Noodles with Chicken Breast, Zucchini, a little Feta Cheese (Chicken Broth)
~1 small bowl Tomato Gazpacho

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ ~11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11-12cpm, 2resistance
5min @ ~12pm, 4resistance
5min @ ~12-13cpm, 6resistance
4min @ ~13cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~14-15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
3x30 (1min rest)

That was the workout.



The Day:

13:22! Another second shaved off. A strong run followed by a very strong nightly pushup and sit-up session. Plus today was my last day of work, meaning tomorrow I don’t have to go to the gym 30 minutes after eating a big breakfast. What more could I ask for?


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #259.

[n88tr]

Myself, I'm doing more barbell work with my shoulders like I do a lot of overhead presses. I've gone from 50 to 90 lbs in a few weeks there.

Whatever you need to do to switch it up, go with it.

Barbell overhead presses
Dumbbell Arnold presses
Lateral dumbbell raises
Front dumbbell raises
Barbell lateral raises [you on an a slight incline bench with the bar above your quads and you raise it up sort of like a front dumbbell raise.]

I would suggest stopping the dumbbell presses and try to stimulate the muscle differently and in time when you go back to the presses they'll be stronger.

[mcFreid]

Friday 8/21/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:50am:
1 medium Pear
0.5cup Dry Steel-Cut Oats
~4oz Chicken Breast
1 cup Egg Beaters
Peppers and Onions
12:45pm:
1 medium Apple
Lettuce, Peppers, Cucumber
1/2cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1tsp Olive Oil
~8oz Chicken Breast
2 slices “Vermont Bread Co.” Whole Wheat
1 “Ezekiel” Sprouted Grain Wrap
6:15pm:
1 cup Squid with Vegetables
1 cup Octopus with Celery
1 cup Cauliflower with Olives, Capers
a few spoonfuls Lentils
2/3 plate Penne Puttanesca
1 very tiny spoonful Olive Oil Ice Cream

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~165-170spm, 20resistance

3x5x165 BB Squat
1min rest
2x5x180 BB Deadlift
1min rest
1x5x185 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
1x7x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x35 DB Shoulder Press
1min rest
3x5x20 Assisted Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x7 Dips(chest version, leaning forward)
1min rest
3x6 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

What a difference! Seriously, what a difference! I worked out at 10:00am today. That means, foremost not at 6am (just 1 hour after rising from sleep), and not 30 minutes after eating breakfast (feeling quite bloated no doubt). And that made all the difference. And what a difference! As you can see from the numbers above I pushed myself further than normal after realizing how much strength I had later in the morning. And it went even beyond that. I was also able to have proper form with my lifts, this means no good-mornings with my squats, no relying on momentum for bench press, etc, etc, etc… It was glorious. I am so grateful now for the fact that my future workouts will have the same later-in-the-morning results.

Oh, I also weighed myself this morning as I’m going on vacation starting later today and won’t have a chance to take my weekly measurements. I clocked in at 146lb and 7.2% body fat, which is heading in the right direction even though I’m still considerably up from around a month ago for reasons I still have yet to determine. I also want to make a quick statement here that I will for now on be doing monthly special edition entries instead of weekly. I feel like weekly progress shots have become unnecessary and really aren’t telling me much. I still do plan to weigh myself weekly though, but I’m not going to have a separate special log just for that. So, to summarize, expect for now on, on the first Sunday of each month there will be a Monthly Special Edition version of this journal which will include an outline of the month’s weigh-ins and the direction/trends they represent along with some progress pictures.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #260.

[mcFreid]

Saturday 8/22/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
9:00am:
1 bowl Oatmeal
1 Egg Beater Omelet with Vegetables
Lettuce Salad with Olives, Cherry Tomatoes, Onions, Cucumbers (a little Vinaigrette)
1:00pm:
1 cup Collard Greens
1 cup Baked Beans with a little Pork [Fat]
Beef Rib [Fat]
a little Brisket and a little Pulled Pork
6:00pm:
Sardines, a little Snapper, a little Corn, a little White Beans, a little Octopus (Olive Oil)
0.5 small bowl Sepia Spaghetti with Squid (Olive Oil)
a little Red Snapper, Calamari (Vinaigrette)

That was my diet.



The Workout:

[Workout Numbers]


That was the workout.



The Day:

Beef ribs are very fatty. I tried my best to eat the leanest pieces possible, but of course I admit that I chose the option with my own will simply for the fact that it was a new experience and one in which I was curious to try. I found it delicious and well worth it. Daisy May’s in New York City is an excellent barbeque. I won’t be eating there often. But, I’m glad I went.

Afterward I had a two nice long wals which hopefully burned some of the excess calories I may have digested.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #261.

[mcFreid]

Sunday 8/22/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:45am:
1 bowl Oatmeal
1 Egg White Omelet with Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Tabasco Sauce)
12:30pm:
Clams
½ bowl Manhattan Clam Chowder
1 Swordfish Steak with 1 Corn on the Cob
7:00pm:
1 small plate Seaweed Salad
a little Lettuce Salad with Beets (Vinaigrette)
a little Mashed Squash
~0.3 Swordfish Steak
Escarole
Rice Pilaf
1 Coconut Crusted Cod Fillet

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x35 [failure]
SIT-UPS:
1x97 [failure]


That was the workout.



The Day:

I traveled to Montauk this morning. It was the start of a 3-day long beach vacation. I am not taking a break though. I will push myself at every opportunity. I will eat right. I will exercise with intensity.

At night I did 35 pushups. The number was less than normal, considerably so. I contribute this to not having a book under me to measure my depth. Instead I was hesitant and may have gone further than necessary, or may haven’t gotten far enough. Either way my cadence was affected and I definitely spent more time in the difficult “down” position. Whatever the cause, I ended at failure and that’s what’s important. Unlike my pushups, I outperformed myself with the sit-ups. I liken this to having my sister jump in and hold my feet town instead of relying on hiking boots placed under the lip of my bed frame. And yet, I admit, it felt good regardless. I almost hit 100!


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #262.

[n88tr]

I'm confused. Scrolling through your posts on this page, do you ever take days off? Wed-Sunday workouts is pretty intense unless you're just doing situps and pushups as the "workout."

Do you ever bulk with foods like maybe 1 day high and a workout and then medium with a workout and then low with no workout? I find food-cycling [Not carb cycling, I know what that is though] to help me out a lot for energy. It sort of refreshes my appetite in case it was low or I was feeling strange.

[mcFreid]

Monday 8/31/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:30pm:
2 slices Whole Wheat Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce (Mustard)
1 Whole Wheat Wrap with 1% Fat Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:20pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Carrots, Cellery, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~65rpm
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
4min @ ~80rpm
1min @ ~85rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8+%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
Ab Exercise:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I was quite literally shaking with anticipation for today’s workout. It’s been a week. And I feel like I haven’t gone in ages. It felt so good to take that first step forward on the treadmill. Everything was setup for a great run. But, it wasn’t so. I don’t want to over-exaggerate here as I did do fairly well and still completed the entirety of the 2 miles with a time that I believe necessitates boasting, but there were problems. For one I was much more exhausted than usual. By the end I nearly collapsed. I’m glad I pushed myself this far, but it worries me that it was needed. Maybe I am still recovering from my illness that caused me to miss the whole of the last 7 days (or nearly so – I still did get my routine in last Monday). Furthermore, it wasn’t just exhaustion. Within the first three minutes I developed a painful cramp in my right calf that seemed to have no intention of letting up. I fought through it for the entire run. But, it persisted to the point that it is now a permanent fixture of tightness in my leg that I cannot shake. I have been stretching as much as possible and truly hope that it goes away quickly. I don’t want another reason to have to miss exercising.

My dorm room does not afford me enough space to appropriately situate a camera. I can no longer record my pushups. Oh well, I am confident that they now are as close to perfect as one can hope. My only wish is that they do not begin to deviate from that ideal. So far so good as today I felt the burn in what seemed more so than ever before. As for my sit-ups I can no longer do them all. There is no method that I can find that allows me to place my feet firmly onto level ground. Instead I chose to prop my legs upwards onto a chair and attempt a form of a sit-up/crunch in this position. It was incredibly difficult! I had to do sets of 20 instead. By the end I felt a burn in my abs quite different, and quite enjoyable, than my previous routine awarded me. Sometimes change is good.

But not always. I have come to a sudden realization that there is no bar in my new living facilities. No bar to do pull-ups on that is. I can’t do my “greasing the groove” method anymore as a means of self-improvement. Instead I’ll have to rely purely on my lifting days. This annoys me as the method I was using was truly showing outstanding results. But, such is life. In the future I expect progress to be slower, but it will not halt. I won’t let it.

That was the day.




This concludes Entry #264.

[mcFreid]

Originally Posted by n88tr

I'm confused. Scrolling through your posts on this page, do you ever take days off? Wed-Sunday workouts is pretty intense unless you're just doing situps and pushups as the "workout."

Do you ever bulk with foods like maybe 1 day high and a workout and then medium with a workout and then low with no workout? I find food-cycling [Not carb cycling, I know what that is though] to help me out a lot for energy. It sort of refreshes my appetite in case it was low or I was feeling strange.

Sorry about this late reply. I got horribly sick last week (still got a Monday workout in even though I failed to post it) and missed my first weekday of routine exercise since last Thanksgiving. It was a nice streak while it lasted, I just wish I could have continued it.

I'm back into the groove today though.

I have my cardio and lifting sessions on weekdays only. I use Saturday and Sunday as my break days. Though on Sunday I do test my new maximums in pushups and sit-ups, but I would hardly count that as a form of decent caloric burning nor weight training.

I haven't tried calorie cycling, but the idea doesn't much appeal to me. I don't like micromanaging my diet to the point where I focus on creating minute daily changes. That's just a little too much for me, and that is a person who is admittedly obsessed with recording and maintaining my diet and fitness lifestyle.

[mcFreid]

Tuesday 9/01/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:45pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
7:00pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~70-74rpm

3x5x~145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x150 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x~10x~20-25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x10x~20-25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x~5-7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x~3-5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x~6-8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I certainly had a strange workout today. And by strange I mean incredibly weak. It seems I couldn’t life anything! Maybe I did get stronger over my 10 day break, but it definitely didn’t show on my first day back into it. In the end though I still pushed for everything I got and so I am happy, not disappointed in the day’s work.

Meanwhile, my calf is still sore. And some new sorenesses have begun to approach. I don’t think they will be going away from tomorrow’s HIIT (which will be another experiment as I haven’t yet scouted out the outdoor running situation and path at my college – we’ll see how it works out tomorrow).


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #265.

[mcFreid]

Wednesday 9/2/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:25pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:30pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]
That was my diet.


The Workout:

OUTSIDE [sloping incline/decline ground]
5min Run
10+? Intervals of 30sec Sprint, 1min Jog
1min Walk
9+min Run

PUSHUPS
3x20- (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet up
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

My run today was particularly interesting. For the earlier portion of my HIIT (even after scouting out the area with my warmup) I was focused more on simply finding my way around than on the actual sprints. This combined with my legs feeling overly sluggish (I’m still extraordinary sore from my Monday cardio and Tuesday lifting) made my session for the most part quite slow. The latter half was better though. I made my way towards one known good destination on campus: the track. It is some decent distance away from my dorm, but after arriving there I realized that this place was going to be the future of my HIIT routine. The track was perfect and my last few intervals all showed definite improvement. My plan is to warmup by jogging over to the track (takes at least five minutes and mostly on a steep incline), do my HIIT on the track, and then cooldown by jogging back to my dorm taking a longer path to get there as to maximize the time spent with an elevated heart-rate. This plan should work well and I look forward to it next week.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #266.

[mcFreid]

Thursday 9/3/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
~0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:20pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
5:45pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~65rpm
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
4min @ ~80rpm
1min @ ~85rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8+%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet up:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

My run was still more difficult than usual, but I didn’t suffer a painful leg cramp like last time. Of course, the preexisting cramp soreness did still linger from Monday’s run, but it wasn’t nearly near the intensity of previous days. I think that by the end of this week my body should be whipped back into shape and all these muscular inconveniences gone.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #267.

[n88tr]

Ever consider stopping the cardio till the leg feels better?

And wow, you only ate 3 times that day, with not much food in there. If you're trying to starve yourself I would say you are succeeding. This might be why your energy levels are low if you have been eating like this for the past few days.

[mcFreid]

Friday 9/4/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30pm:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:40pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:45pm:
1 small plate Eggplant Salad
1 plate Chicken Breast, Rice, Vegetables

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~75-80rpm

3x5x145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x160 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x30-35 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x~3-5 Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x~5-7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x~3-5 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x~6-8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest



That was the workout.



The Day:

Though I did feel somewhat stronger than my last workout, my numbers were still quite low. I must have really weakened myself over my five days of sickness. I have no other explanation for such a dramatic change. I just hope that as the future lifting sessions occur my weights will rebound to their previous state with greater success.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #268.

[mcFreid]

Originally Posted by n88tr

Ever consider stopping the cardio till the leg feels better?

And wow, you only ate 3 times that day, with not much food in there. If you're trying to starve yourself I would say you are succeeding. This might be why your energy levels are low if you have been eating like this for the past few days.

I'm a huge person of habit, so "stopping cardio" doesn't really cross my mind. It's a double edged sword in many ways, that obsessiveness. But, without it I probably wouldn't be where I am today.

Not sure what you mean by only eating 3 times that day with not much food there. Nothing has changed from my usual diet... The food clocks in at around 2000 calories, maybe a little over, depending on how much oil is used in cooking. For me this seems to be the amount I need to eat to slowly lose weight (it may even be too much food - I'll get a better idea after a few weigh-ins at college).

[mcFreid]

Saturday 9/5/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5cup 1% Cottage Cheese, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
10:00am:
2-3 bites Plum
1 bite Corn
12:50pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce, Tomato
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:30pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

--


That was the workout.



The Day:

I went to the Troy Farmers Market today and was shocked. It was by far the best selection of locally grown produce and meats I have ever encountered. I can’t wait to cook up some fresh ingredients with a few surprises here and there to give some uniqueness to my daily routine (Goat’s Heart anyone?).


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #269.

[mcFreid]

Sunday 9/6/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:

Body Weight: 142.40lb Change: -4.40lb
Lean Mass: 132.01lb Change: -4.23lb
Percent Fat: 7.30% Change: +0.01%
Body Fat: 10.40lb Change: -0.17lb

Progress Pictures:

--

Thoughts and Opinions:

First off the reason I don’t have pictures for the first Sunday of this month is that I made the foolish mistake of eating before I was going to take the photos. I would rather have a consistent basis such that no exterior factors can influence the results. For this reason I will instead be taking the photos next week in another Sunday Morning Edition. Note that this is just a temporary fix and I will be going back to my plan of taking monthly photos afterward.

As for my weight… I think this shows the conclusive result that I am still recovering from my illness a little less than two weeks ago. Clearly it is unlikely that I legitimately lost four pounds of muscle. Furthermore the weight could also reflect the slightly different flooring that I am using for my scale which may produce small alterations form my previous numbers. Regardless, as always, it is the trends that count and I will be carefully measuring the next few weeks to see where I am heading with my diet and exercise.




This concludes Entry #270 Sunday Morning Edition.

[mcFreid]

Sunday 9/6/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:10pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce, Tomato
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:40pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x38 [failure]
SIT-UPS with feet elevated:
1x36 [failure]

That was the workout.



The Day:

I was fairly active today outside as I attended a walk to the local park for a social barbeque (though I didn’t eat the hamburger, hotdog food). At night I was pumped and motivated for my pushups and sit-up variation. I am proud of my performance.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #270.

[mcFreid]

Monday 9/7/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:40am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
12:30pm:
2 slices Whole Wheat Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce (Mustard)
1 Whole Wheat Wrap with 1% Fat Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:45pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Tomato, Carrots, Celery, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~65rpm
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
4min @ ~80rpm
1min @ ~85-90rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet elevated:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

I had an exhausting run today. It definitely still feels quite a level harder than normal. I mean normal was hard in itself. But now I actually fear collapsing during the last few seconds of sprinting those two miles. I haven’t let that fear stop me. I push it anyway. And at least this time around there was no leg cramp.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #271.

[mcFreid]

Tuesday 9/8/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:40pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:20pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ 75rpm

3x5x145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x160 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x10x20 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x10x20 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x7,7,6 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x5,4,3 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I decided not to increase my weights today and instead just try my best to feel good about lifting again (I’ve been feeling down and depressed after the week of being sick). It worked. I had a great day today and despite the low weights my pure focus was able to produce adequate stress and burn. I plan on doing the same this Friday and then most likely will begin to slowly increment the weights back up to further intensity myself.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #272.

[mcFreid]

Wednesday 9/9/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1 Pear
12:35pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:30pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

OUTSIDE [sloping incline/decline ground]
5min Run
10 Intervals of 30sec Sprint, 1min Jog
1min Walk
9+min Run

PUSHUPS
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet up
3x20 (1min rest)



That was the workout.



The Day:

Damn I was fast today. It was incredible. I worked myself on this HIIT. I say that with intensity. With incredible intensity, I worked myself. May every session be like today.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #273.

[mcFreid]

Thursday 9/10/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1 Pear
12:25pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:45pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

TREADMILL
5min @ 8.6mph
2:00min @ 8.7mph
2:00min @ 8.8mph
2.0min @ 9.2mph
~1.5min @ 9.7mph
0.10 miles @ 10.2mph
0.10 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 11.4+mph
-> 2.0 mile in 13:22
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~70rpm
5min @ ~75rpm
5min @ ~80rpm
4min @ ~85rpm
1min @ ~90rpm
TREADMILL:
10min @ 4.0mph, 8+%incline

PUSHUPS:
3x20 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS with feet up:
3x20 (1min rest)


That was the workout.



The Day:

My run today was surprisingly easy. It could have been the fact that I was on a different treadmill, albeit the same model. Or, maybe, just maybe, I’m getting back to my old self. I hope for the latter.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #274.

[mcFreid]

Friday 9/11/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30pm:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1:40pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:10pm:
1 small plate Eggplant Salad
1 plate Chicken Breast, Rice, Vegetables

That was my diet.



The Workout:

ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~75rpm

3x5,5,8x145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5,5,8x160 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5,5,6x115 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x30 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x5,5,4 Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x7 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x5,4,3 Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x8 Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest


That was the workout.



The Day:

I am without a doubt stronger. Next week I will be incrementing the weights. I can’t wait.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #275.

[mcFreid]

Saturday 9/12/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:30am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.75cup Egg Beaters with 0.5 Chicken Breast, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1 Pear
12:20pm:
2 slices Sprouted Grain Bread with 1 Chicken Breast, Lettuce
1 Sprouted Grain Wrap with 1% Cottage Cheese, Lettuce, Peppers, Onions (Olive Oil)
1 Apple
6:30pm:
4 Goat Loin Chops [Canola Oil]
0.5cup Quinoa with Peppers, Onions, Carrots, Celery (Olive Oil)
That was my diet.



The Workout:

--


That was the workout.



The Day:

Not much to say about today except that goat loan is the toughest piece of meat I’ve ever eaten (I don’t recommend pan searing as the cooking method).


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #276.

[mcFreid]

Sunday 9/13/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:

Body Weight: 140.0lb Change: -2.40lb
Lean Mass: 130.34lb Change: -1.67lb
Percent Fat: 6.90% Change: -0.40%
Body Fat: 9.66lb Change: -0.74lb

Progress Pictures:








Thoughts and Opinions:

Well this is definitely reason to be concerned. It appears I am dropping weight at a rate way faster than normal. I will have to wait another week on this just to be sure, but if the data proves to be correct I will be making changes towards a higher caloric intake to compensate (maybe its all the extra “up and about”-ness from college life).




This concludes Entry #277 Sunday Morning Edition.

[n88tr]

So how's everything?

Looking much thinner than last time, esp in the Back.

[mcFreid]

Sunday 9/13/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
6:50am:
1cup Rolled Oats
0.90cup Egg Beaters with 1% Cottage Cheese, Peppers, Onions [Canola Oil]
1 Pear
12:30pm:
3 Small Whole Wheat Pita Pockets
1 small, 1 small-medium, 1 medium Chicken Breast
Asparagus [Canola Oil]
6:20pm:
0.5cup Quinoa with Onions, Peppers, Celery, Carrots, Asparagus [Olive Oil]
1.5 Chicken Breast [Canola Oil]

That was my diet.



The Workout:

PUSHUPS:
1x40 [failure]
SIT-UPS with feet up:
1x45 [failure]


That was the workout.



The Day:

I had a fairly big lunch today, but it was probably offset by my activity level being quite high. I spent most of the day sailing. It was great.

At night I immediately saw improvements in my abilities, further proving my point that it seems my prior strength has at last returned. I look forward to this upcoming week as a chance to show my worth.


That was the day.




This concludes Entry #277.