Lifeline

Wow, that workout was really tough. Couldn’t quite make it through that one, and my hands are shaking as I type this. BFS Workout A again, this time 3 sets of 15:

A1) Goblet squats 3 x 15
A2) db rows 3 x 15
A3) side planks 3 x 35s

B1) bulgarian split squats 3 x 15
B2) incline db bench 3 x 15
B3) swiss ball crunches 3 x15

I only got through one group during the B group then started to feel dizzy and called it quits after 10 minutes of cool-down cardio. The 30 seconds of rest in between sets is killer, and I wasn’t conditioned to go through all of it with those weights. Either that or I wasn’t willing to puke all over the Planet Fitness floor to make it happen. Maybe if I join a more puke-friendly power lifting gym when we move I’ll feel more determined.

I am seriously looking into better gyms when we move in with the Laverdures. I need to do some research. I should get away from the commercial gym atmosphere, it’s terrible. Planet Fitness has two flat benches and zero squat racks, and the dumbbells only go up to 75 pounds, and that’s one of the good franchises (the ones that used to be World Gyms). The new ones are even worse. The whole “judgement-free zone” concept is such bullshit. It conditions people to not make progress and in turn judges those who care about achieving something worthwhile with their bodies. It’s an embarrassing mindset in my opinion. But, it’s 5 minutes away and $10 per month. It will suffice for now.

I love the Papa Roach song “Lifeline,” even if nobody has cared about those guys for 8 years.  It’s getting added to the gym playlist.
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Now playing: Papa Roach – Lifeline
via FoxyTunes

There Was a Time

Workout B from yesterday:

warm-up:
-T-pushups x 8
-leg swings x 20

A1) hip extensions 2 x 25
A2) step ups 2 x 25
A3) reverse crunches 2 x 15

B1) wide grip lat pull downs 2 x 25
B2) db push press 2 x 25
B3) planks 2 x 75s

intervals: 5 min warm up + 1 min ON/2 min OFF x 5

The workout felt good, though I was afraid of how 25 reps would feel on my legs so I went pretty light. Not too much soreness today. I didn’t quit on these intervals like I did the other day, so I feel good about that. Today I walked with a backpack for 45 minutes.

The 7-Day One-Cup Black Coffee Challenge is complete and I’ve decided to extend it a bit to try to really get myself off the cream, though this morning I really had the urge for some half-n-half, and still do. Eating has been pretty good. The compliance chart I put on the fridge has helped with motivation, but after a very unsatisfying dinner of leftover chicken and asparagus, I’m feeling tempted. Tempted by what, I don’t know, because we don’t have many bad things in our place, but for the first time in over a week I’m feeling pretty run down. I’ll have to have a chocolate/peanut butter shake before bed.

Yesterday I made myself a mocha drink using espresso, cocoa powder, half-n-half, and a tablespoon of sugar (!). I know what you’re thinking, drinking another coffee drink breaks my rule. Technically it probably does, but the whole point of my challenge is to decondition myself from drinking coffee non-stop from 5 to 9 AM. I’ve read in a few sources that 2 cups of coffee per day is perfectly healthy, so a second cup every now and then is fine by me. Plus, my delicious mocha had probably 100 calories in the cup and was totally worth it.

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My gym playlist has been pretty solid lately, though it’s getting close to a change:

Breaking Benjamin “Blow Me Away” “Diary of Jane”
Tool “Forty-Six and Two”
Chevelle “Well Enough Alone”
Coheed & Cambria “No World for Tomorrow”
Guns N’ Roses “There Was a Time”
Smashing Pumpkins “Bodies”

Steak Tips

The soup-and-wings plan didn’t really happen last night as planned. We split the Gold Fever wings and I had steak tips and two sides of broccoli. The total calories according to the nutrition facts is 750 (plus whatever for broccoli), but I only ate half of it. Plus a 65-calorie Miller Lite, that’s about 650 calories for dinner. Not terrible for a cheat meal. We agreed that either we split an appetizer or order a meal, not both. Back on it this morning with 2 eggs and 2 pieces of turkey bacon, water and black coffee. The coffee tasted good.

I weighed in at 194 this morning and feeling good about it. Before Ireland I was 196 and purposely didn’t weigh myself until now so I wouldn’t get discouraged. Good job by me.

We also saw “Up” at the movies last night, and it was awesome. Very cute.

Going for a walk in the nice weather, then Workout B later on.

Off The Wall

Another great workout last night. I did Workout A again, completely this time, with intervals at the end. Once again I felt exhausted but not really sick. If I did feel sick it was because of the horrible-tasting BCAAs I put in my protein-only shake (really hate those, which is why I rarely even take them). The workout was the same as Saturday’s but with a different set/rep scheme and with 45 seconds of rest instead of last week’s whole minute:

WORKOUT A

A1) db squats 2 x 25
A2) db rows 2 x 25
A3) side planks 2 x 40s

B1) bulgarian split squats 2 x 25
B2) pushups 2 x 25
B3) swiss ball crunches 2 x 25

Intervals: 5 min warm up, 10s ON/20 s OFF x 9

The 25-rep sets were horribly tiring, and I didn’t reach the number on a couple of them. Plus I only did six intervals instead of the nine as planned, but I was very tired. Still, I’m really happy with how I’m doing right now. With this program I’m definitely pushing myself harder than I was previous to vacation, and being on a fat-loss program has helped me keep motivation to eat well. I actually took steps this morning to count calories rather than just “eat healthy” so for once in my life I have a good idea of exactly what is going in. On a typical day this week I’m at about 1500-1600 calories with a little bit less on my off-days. Depending on how I progress I may have to increase/decrease a little but I like how this is going so far. Granted, it’s been a week, but with the week before vacation being so good, plus the amount of physical activity in Ireland, plus not totally pigging out while we were there, it’s been a couple good weeks now where I’m mentally prepared to work really hard at this. I have more knowledge now and a better plan than I ever did in college, so it’s time to recapture some of the motivation I used to have.

Coffee-wise, I’m still digging in. One cup of black (oh and another Spike yesterday before the gym). I read the article that my commenter made a couple of posts ago, and it’s pretty interesting. It’s Day 5 in the afternoon and I haven’t had cream in my coffee since Sunday. This morning from the French press it wasn’t bad at all, and maybe like the commenter says I’m a couple weeks away from being able to legitimately enjoy it. I’m not sure if I’d willing to go that far, but we’ll see. As bizzare as this sounds I would almost feel guilty about totally giving up cream, but I probably need to see a psychiatrist.

It’s Friday, I’m going to go out to eat later tonight with the wife to The 99 for the first real diet test of the week. After looking up some nutrition facts on my usual 99 choices, I was ecstatic to find out that their Gold Fever wings only have 320 calories for a regular order and 440 for the XL (blue cheese not included). I think I’ll have a French onion soup for an appetizer (with no bread, like 80 calories) and a regular order of the wings for the meal while trying to skimp on the blue cheese as best I can. That should keep me mentally and physically satisfied for the night. I haven’t decided on whether or not to have a drink. A light beer wouldn’t hurt but I don’t really have to have it.

Still feeling great. Tomorrow is a walk and Workout B with those awful 25-rep sets.

…While I’m here. I’m too young to remember Michael Jackson in his prime (Thriller came out the year before I was born), but from what I gather he was a GIGANTIC star, the likes of which we have not had since. Who has come the closest? Eminem?

BCC Day 3

Last night’s workout was fantastic. I’m not sure if I have ever paced myself correctly to the point where I was able to complete an entire fat-loss workout with tri-sets and then do 20 minutes of intervals without puking, but last night I did everything I planned on. Some guy even asked what program I was on because it looked like I was working so hard.

Workout B:

A1) ham curls on ball 4 x 8
A2) step-ups 4 x 8
A3) reverse crunches 4 x 8

B1) wide grip pull downs 4 x 8
B2) db push press 4 x 8
B3) planks 4 x 45s

Intervals on elliptical: 5 min warm up/1 min ON/ 2 min OFF x 5 rounds

The black coffee went down a little smoother today, though still not enjoying it. My head does not hurt for the first time all week, so maybe the detox is kicking in. Right now after a day of work I’m headed to the gym to do some incline walking for about an hour to help recover from yesterday. Definitely going to foam roll when I get back.

Coffee Day 2 and Headphone Envy

Day 2 of the BCC has moved right along. It’s currently 5:45 and I’m home from work, ready to go to the gym for Workout B and intervals. I am still really tired and I’m slamming a Spike shooter, so definitely taking in some caffeine but luckily it does not involve coffee. Personally I’m okay with a couple Spikes per week if it’s solely for the purpose of working out after a day of work when I would otherwise probably cop out and skip a day. Right now I’m just writing out my workout from the book on my sheet, so we’ll see what Nate has for me today.

My quest for the perfect gym headphones continues, though I keep going back to a pair of 10-year-old Sony wraparounds that actually sound really good. When lying on a bench it’s hard to keep them properly on the ears. The iPod earbuds sound pretty awful and the Skullcandy overhead phones keep falling off. I will not be satisfied until I have these:

The Wicked End

My head is pounding. The caffeine withdrawal has begun. My legs and back are so sore from Saturday’s workout that I can barely walk. Plus, I’m still lethargic from the jet lag and lack of carbohydrates. I’m beat.

However I remain on the right track. The diet has gone well the past couple days (only a baked potato last night to derail me). I think I showed a lot of self-control at the Laverdures for Father’s Day dinner by sticking to one plate and having strawberries for dessert instead of the short cake. Today was 2 eggs/2 slices turkey bacon for breakfast, 1 cup black coffee, protein/cottage cheese/strawberry/spinach smoothie for my AM snack, some deli turkey for lunch, and more smoothie for my PM snack. I don’t plan on doing a whole lot tonight other than rest and eating. Right now I’ve parked myself on the couch to watch PTI. Leftover beef tenderloin and spinach sounds great for dinner.

I’m also trying a mental diet on fitness/nutritional advice because it’s filling my head with too many contradictions. Between all the T-Nation articles, internet forums, magazines, books, and podcasts I read and listen to, it gets too much. Once I start a particular program and adopt its mindset, I read something from the opposing view or from something I believe is “better,” which then leads me to feel discouraged about following something “bad.”

As much as I achieved two years ago following the New Rules of Lifting and buying into the T-Nation/JP Fitness mindset about fat loss (intervals = GIFT FROM GOD, low-intensity cardio = A PLAGUE UPON YOUR CROPS), I also really limited myself during my off-days by not going for long, low-intensity walks, something I genuinely enjoy.  During that fall I only had time for 2 good workouts due to my traveling for graduate school, but I could have gone for walks during the rest of the week that could have helped me continue losing weight. Instead I ignored my past successes and pleasures because I read something that told me otherwise. I’d like to think I’m smart enough to not make that mistake now.

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Now playing: Avenged Sevenfold – The Wicked End
via FoxyTunes

7-Day Black Coffee Challenge: Day 1

Started my personal challenge this morning with a single cup on a walk at 5:00 AM with a backpack. I really don’t enjoy drinking this, but for the greater good. I really hope I don’t cave.

The 7-Day One-Cup-Black-Coffee Challenge

I drink far too much coffee and caffeine. I usually have three cups of coffee with cream per morning (and as many as four on the weekends), and often have a Spike Shooter or a low-carb Monster in the afternoons when I need a pre-workout jolt. I’m surprised I don’t have heart problems, and the occasional flutter I get scares me.

I’m sure the amount of half-n-half I put in my coffee adds up during the course of the week in terms of calories. Long ago I got myself off sugar and any sweetner, but I truly enjoy the taste of coffee with cream. I’ve tried to drink black coffee at times in the past and I can do so without vomiting, but it’s completely unsatisfying. Drinking coffee in the morning is one of the most enjoyable actions I take each day. Since I started drinking it in college, the emotional satisfaction and attachment has become very powerful.

I’m going to start tomorrow morning and see if I can last the whole seven days.

Workouts

I started Nate Green’s Built for Show series yesterday, and began with the summer program which is a fat loss program like the New Rules of Lifting one I did a couple years ago. Nate Green (www.thenategreenexperience.com) is a pretty good writer for T-Nation and this book has received positive reviews, so I found it on Amazon and I’ve enjoyed it so far. Granted most of the T-Nation writers all have similar ideas and workout programs so there’s nothing terribly ground-breaking in this book (3 total-body workouts a week, complex movements, intervals, etc.), but I particularly like this one because I relate to him a little bit more. He’s only 24 years old and has already achieved quite a lot, so it’s inspiring to read.

Starting Workout A yesterday in my apartment complex gym because I’m afraid to drive my car (more on that later), and had to make some adjustments due to lack of equipment plus I screwed up the order of the ab exercises:

A1) db squats 4 x 8
A2) db rows 4 x 8
A3) swiss ball crunches 4 x 8

B1) bulg. split squats 2 x 8
B2) incline db bench 2 x 8
B3) side planks 1 x 30 per side

As you can see, I was so exhausted from this I wasn’t even able to complete the workout by itself. Halfway through the second part of the workout I felt sick, so I went for a 20-minute walk to cool down. I am so out of shape when it comes to total body conditioning, not to mention the first workout since being back from Ireland. This stuff never looks as hard as it really is. I had to do sprint intervals on the elliptical (10 seconds on, 20 seconds off x 8 rounds) plus another walk this morning. It’s going to take some time to build my endurance for this sort of thing but I’m off to a good start.