SwollPuppy's Log

[SwollPuppy]

@kman025 Yeah, the goal is to eventually compete. With where I am now, I think it's a little ambitious to aim for a show in August. However, there aren't that many local natural shows around. Realistically, there's an ABA show in April that might work for me. However, that means staying clean through the holidays, and that's going to suck. I've done that before, and not too successfully either.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by SwollPuppy

@kman025 Yeah, the goal is to eventually compete. With where I am now, I think it's a little ambitious to aim for a show in August. However, there aren't that many local natural shows around. Realistically, there's an ABA show in April that might work for me. However, that means staying clean through the holidays, and that's going to suck. I've done that before, and not too successfully either.

I don't have much luck doing that either. I want to hit 220 before the holidays, try to hold steady until New Year, and then pick a show. At least that's how I'd like to do it

[SwollPuppy]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I don't have much luck doing that either. I want to hit 220 before the holidays, try to hold steady until New Year, and then pick a show. At least that's how I'd like to do it

Yeah. The plus side is that relatives you haven't seen throughout the year are impressed and say you're looking good. The down side is that you have to watch them eat pecan pie while you're sitting there with your tupperware of chicken. Eventually someone says, "C'mon, one piece won't kill you," and it all goes downhill from there.

[Kpettitt]

^^the first piece never holds me off.... I gotta go in for more every time!

I just read back on your log and you seem to be staying on track really well! I personally could never do that low of carbs but it seems to be working out for you. Keep up the hard work!!

[SwollPuppy]

Day 7

Weight: 260.5lbs

Rest Day

Diet: Cheat

Notes: Legs are sore. Not too sore, but they did cramp up pretty hard in the afternoon. Might be more sore tomorrow

Thoughts: I'm a little bummed that I'm not as sore as I was hoping to be. All the signs showed that I worked out hard yesterday, but I've been more sore than this in the past. However, this is still only the first day, so it might get worse tomorrow.

Also expecting the scale to show that I cheated today. I gave myself this, though, it wasn't like I cracked under temptation. The cheat is supposed to be there for several reasons, one of them being to keep the body from adapting to the new diet and keep the metabolism up. I even felt a little guilty after the cheat, so at least I feel I'm in the right mindset. Still, expecting the scale to not have "good" news tomorrow. I'm telling mysefl this now so I don't get depressed when it happens and decide to throw it all away.

Tomorrow is also the official start of the company fitness challenge. In the past I've been able to hold my own in in the "exercise minutes" category (only because I consistently go to the gym). Hopefully this year I'll also be competitive in the weight loss category.

Thanks Kpettitt. I think what's really helping me this time around and giving me me motivation is this community here on MAB. It's only been my first week, and already I feel like I have a lot of support to reach my goals.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by SwollPuppy

Yeah. The plus side is that relatives you haven't seen throughout the year are impressed and say you're looking good. The down side is that you have to watch them eat pecan pie while you're sitting there with your tupperware of chicken. Eventually someone says, "C'mon, one piece won't kill you," and it all goes downhill from there.

Ain't that the truth. If I eat one piece of something, it turns into..."might as well have another."

[SwollPuppy]

Day 8

Weight: 264.0lbs

Workout: Chest and Shoulders - Heavy
Bench Press
5x5 @ 275lb
Incline Dumbbell Flys
1x5 @ 55lb
1x5 @ 65lb
3x5 @ 75lb
Machine Wide Grip Press
5x5 @ 380lb
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
1x5 @ 55lb
1x5 @ 65lb
1x5 @ 75lb
2x5 @ 65lb
Machine Lateral Raises
5x5 @ 135lb

Diet: 2,041Calories
45% Protein
47% Fat
8% Carbs

Notes: The rest of the leg workout was sore today; hams, glutes, and inner thighs. Going upstairs and bending down to get things from the lower shelf didn't bother me as much as after other leg days. Thinking of switching up leg workout next time.

Thoughts: Weight went up a little from yesterday, which was to be expected after a cheat. Still, that's a net loss of 6lb in one week, which I'll still take. Had I only been measuring myself once a week, I woudln't have seen how much my cheat day adds. Measuring myself daily and seeing the changes on a day-to-day basis is good motivation to stay clean.

I figured I would change up my routine today and try this 5x5 workout I've been hearing about. Not sure if I implemented it correctly. Definitely felt like I gave myself a good workout by the time I was through. I'll see how sore I am in the following days.

Not sure if it's the boost in testosterone from working out heavy, the food cravings, or if I was just overall irritated, but the people at the gym just seemed more annoying than usual. Nothing sets me off than seeing someone rack the dumbbells in the wrong spot, especially when the spot they're supposed to go in is wide open. However, I was able to channel that anger and push through a heavier weight on my chest flys. I guess something good came out of it. Seriously, though, if you can't handle putting the weight back where it's supposed to, you shouldn't be handling it at all.

[jslep]

sheeesh how much did you cheat? 4?

[Kpettitt]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Ain't that the truth. If I eat one piece of something, it turns into..."might as well have another."

Yeah... and then it turns into "F-it.. I'm in to deep, might as well just keep going...." then its just no good... lol <------->

Originally Posted by SwollPuppy

Day 7

Weight: 260.5lbs

Rest Day

Diet: Cheat

Notes: Legs are sore. Not too sore, but they did cramp up pretty hard in the afternoon. Might be more sore tomorrow

Thoughts: I'm a little bummed that I'm not as sore as I was hoping to be. All the signs showed that I worked out hard yesterday, but I've been more sore than this in the past. However, this is still only the first day, so it might get worse tomorrow.

Also expecting the scale to show that I cheated today. I gave myself this, though, it wasn't like I cracked under temptation. The cheat is supposed to be there for several reasons, one of them being to keep the body from adapting to the new diet and keep the metabolism up. I even felt a little guilty after the cheat, so at least I feel I'm in the right mindset. Still, expecting the scale to not have "good" news tomorrow. I'm telling mysefl this now so I don't get depressed when it happens and decide to throw it all away.

Tomorrow is also the official start of the company fitness challenge. In the past I've been able to hold my own in in the "exercise minutes" category (only because I consistently go to the gym). Hopefully this year I'll also be competitive in the weight loss category.

Thanks Kpettitt. I think what's really helping me this time around and giving me me motivation is this community here on MAB. It's only been my first week, and already I feel like I have a lot of support to reach my goals.

Sometimes if I do legs before my cheat day and I have more carbs on my cheat- I don't get as bad of DOMS. Just seems to not be as bad for some reason. lol I don't question it I just run with it and enjoy!

[SwollPuppy]

Day 9

Weight: 261.0lbs

Workout: Rest Day (Unscheduled)

Diet: 1,968 Calories
45% Protein
50% Fat
5% Carbs

Notes: Throat started to get that scratchy feeling in the evening. Also found myself getting really tired in the afternoon. Opted to stay in and get rest instead of forcing myself through the gym.

Thoughts: Slight detour in the training. Didn't feel well at all in the evening, especially not well enough to get a good leg workout in. It might have been a combination of trying 5X5, not getting enough sleep, and maybe even change in weather. Either way, I'm going to be keeping an eye on my immune system.

However, even though I wasn't feeling well, I stuck to the diet... sort of. Made some changes since I wasn't going to have that post-workout shake, but at the end of the day, I kept the carbs low.

@jslep The cheat really came in a couple of meals, but again, since I was carb depleted before the cheat, I'm sure a lot of the gain is water. I'm back at 261 today after having only 25g of carbs throughout the day. It would be great if all of that was fat, but I'm sure it's mostly water.