Daily News Archives
December 2004
12/31/2004 - End of the year inspiration; Last day of my bulk.
12/30/2004 - Please help.
12/29/2004 - More on my cutting plans.
12/28/2004 - Extra cheat meals this week; Rough cutting plans.
12/27/2004 - Off for a week; Cutting to start on January 1, 2005; Christmas photos.
12/26/2004 - Alien backrub device dominates Christmas photos - see them here.
12/25/2004 - Merry Christmas!
12/24/2004 - Yikes! 212.4 pounds; Christmas Eve plans.
12/23/2004 - Holiday workout/meal schedule; 43 inch chest goal reached!
12/22/2004 - Ready to start cutting; Extra fat; Early cutting expectations.
12/21/2004 - Goal reached: 16 inch arms (cold/unpumped)!
12/20/2004 - A nice, short week ahead! Get over $200.00 in BTJ products for FREE?!
12/19/2004 - Yesterday's workout; Stats update; Goals almost reached.
12/18/2004 - Today's workout; Become The Journey special!
12/17/2004 - Last 3 weeks of my bulking program?; Become The Journey special!
12/16/2004 - Bulking cycle to end on January 5th, 2005? Become The Journey special!
12/15/2004 - Good dinner last night; Work woes this morning have put me behind schedule.
12/14/2004 - This morning's workout; Alcohol musings.
12/13/2004 - Email from a (former) JS hater.
12/12/2004 - "John Stone can't bulk."
12/11/2004 - Today's workout and my shoulder.
12/10/2004 - I gained over 15 pounds this past month - here's how.
12/09/2004 - Vegas, Baby. Vegas.
12/08/2004 - Shoulder scare.
12/07/2004 - Thanks for the bulking progress comments; Lisa is back!
12/06/2004 - Monthly pictures and a few side-by-side comparisons.
12/05/2004 - Yesterday's workout; Bulking status report; Lisa in Mexico.
12/04/2004 - This morning's pecs/delts/triceps workout.
12/03/2004 - Body shots and nude twister; Cheat meal calories; Missing Lisa.
12/02/2004 - Lisa leaves for Mexico this morning. I'm stuck here doing squats.
12/01/2004 - Half an inch to go to reach my goal of 16 inch arms; Yesterday's workout.
December 31, 2004
Another incredible year is coming to a close. As I look back on my life to this point, I can honestly say that the past two years have been among my happiest. By the end of 2002 I'd all but forgotten what it felt like to be truly happy. Fitness has given me back something that I thought was gone forever: my youth. Two years ago I felt old and defeated. I knew that I would spend the rest of my life as a fat, unhealthy and antisocial person and I just didn't care. I accepted this self-imposed "fate" not because I wanted to, but because I was too scared and too lazy to change... or so I thought. There was still a spark of life left in me - a faintly glowing ember buried deep within my soul. It was up to me to find that spark and use it to promote positive change. No matter how far gone you think you are, if you are reading these words then there is still life left in you. That's all you need. You can turn your life around and you can become the person you really want to be. Nothing's stopping you but you. Make 2005 the year that you take control of your life: regain your self-confidence; look in the mirror and smile at who you are; wake up looking forward to each day! Make the commitment to change and stick with it. In a few months you'll notice an amazing difference. By this time next year you will not recognize your former self - inside and outside. I've done it, and so can you.
This is the last day of my bulk! I'm so excited about cutting. I've got about 20 pounds of fat to lose, and I figure it will take me about 3 months to do it. I've got a lot of updating to do to the web site today as I change modes, so look for those changes tomorrow.
Have a safe and happy New Year's celebration! Tonight will be the first New Year's eve since I turned... uh, let's say 21, that I will not be drinking any alcohol. See you tomorrow as we begin a new year and I begin the next phase in my ongoing transformation!
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December 30, 2004
The massive loss of life in Africa and Asia caused by the recent tsunamis is beyond tragic. Those who survived, many of whom lost loved ones, are suffering beyond measure. There will be terrible hardships ahead for countless numbers of people as they begin the slow, painful process of recovery. Our hearts go out to everyone who was affected by this terrible event. If you have the means, please help. You can donate to the American Red Cross on Amazon by following this link. Every little bit helps, and help is desperately needed. There's a thread going on the forum if you want to discuss any aspect of the tragedy.
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December 29, 2004
Three days to go and I can finally start cutting! I can't believe how puffy my face has become over the past month. My thighs are tight against my jeans, and my waist is over 34 inches. I'd say I'm right on the edge of 14% body fat right now. I'll probably be around 215 pounds by Saturday morning, so I'm going to shoot for 20-pound fat loss over the next three months. That should put me right at 195 pounds with 8% body fat. That amounts to about a 21 pound net gain in muscle after cutting. Not bad!
Even though I have much less fat to lose than I did the first time I lost weight, I see this cutting cycle as far more difficult. It will require a lot more patience and a very precise diet if I'm to preserve most of my lean mass gains. I've also decided to continue alcohol-free for the foreseeable future. Even drinking just once per week seems to have a profound effect on me. Once I reach my goals I may drink occasionally, but then again I may not - I don't miss it at all.
While I was bulking I cut my cardio back to twice per week. I'll be increasing that to 4 times per week while I'm cutting. 50 minutes of aerobic-level cardio on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. I'll continue to lift weights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I'll also be working my abs twice per week, on Sundays and Wednesday.
I've just been publicly mussing over the past few days - I'll lay all this out into a formal plan in Saturday's update.
Time to hit my abs. Have a great day!
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December 28, 2004
Because I'm on vacation this week, and because this is the last week of my bulk AND because I'm not taking any time off between my bulking and cutting cycles I've decided to
allow myself a little wiggle room on my diet this week. Last night's pizza sure was good! 
So this coming Saturday, January 1, 2005, I will begin my cutting cycle. I'm going to take it very slow: first I'll cut down to about 3,500 calories per day. I'll stick with that for a week or so, and then cut down to about 3,000 calories. I'm sure I'll lose some water weight quickly, but beyond that I want to keep my weight loss very slow and controlled - no more than 2 pounds per week. As I cut I'll slowly reduce my daily caloric intake as my weight loss begins to flat-line. This cutting cycle will be nothing like my original weight loss - this time I've got hard-earned muscle at stake.
Time for my last bulking cycle back and biceps workout. I'm going to make it count!
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December 27, 2004
It feels great to be off this week! I have a lot I need to get done, but I think I'm going to take today to just relax and enjoy myself. I need it.
I'm still going to work out, of course! I'm probably going to start cutting on January 1, 2005. Logistically that date makes more sense than waiting for the 6th. I have to make a lot of changes to my site when I "switch gears", and I'll have much more time to do that this week. The next few weeks at work are going to be extremely busy.
If you haven't checked the site in a few days, I've already posted our Christmas photos.
Have a great day!
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December 26, 2004
We had a wonderful Christmas yesterday! We ate like kings and had a lot of fun. After dinner we ran out of wine. I was the only one who was not drinking, so I was the
logical choice to go get more. It was cold, windy and drizzling, but that didn't stop me from
putting the top down on the S2000! I wanted to see how well my new leather jacket and leather gloves protected me while
driving with the top down in the wind and cold. I was totally comfortable! I don't think my father-in-law, who came with me, was, though. 
My brother and sister-in-law got us this crazy alien backrub device. At first we were both very intrigued and impressed with the device, but as Lisa drank more wine she started to scare us a little. You can check out all the crazy photos and the rest of our Christmas 2004 photos here.
Thanks for visiting - have a great day!
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December 25, 2004
Yesterday's workout was excellent! If you want the detailed account, it's in my Picture Gallery and Video Archive thread on the forum (free registration required).
I'm going to sign off with my best wishes for a Merry Christmas - enjoy, eat like a pig (you know you deserve it) and be safe!
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December 24, 2004
I'm definitely going to weigh more than I ever have in my life by the end of my bulk. This morning I weighed in at 212.4 pounds! I had to adjust my weight chart because it only went up to 210 pounds. The next two days are not exactly going to be light eating days - especially tomorrow! The January 6th, 2005 comparison pictures should be particularly interesting! Like I said a couple of days ago, I can't wait to start cutting.
This morning I'll be doing my pecs/delts/triceps workout, and then I'll be doing some preparation for tomorrow. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas Eve!
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December 23, 2004
With Christmas on Saturday, I'm going to change my workout and meal schedule a bit: today I'll be doing cardio instead of legs and tonight I'll be having pizza instead of steak. Tomorrow (Friday) I'm going to do the workout I usually do on Saturday (pecs/delt/triceps) and then have steak for dinner. I'm switching my workouts around because I don't want to spend several hours working out and eating on Christmas morning. We're having family over and I'm doing most of the cooking again this year, so I'm going to have lots to do after we open presents in the morning. I'm switching my meals around and having pizza tonight because I don't want to eat pizza on a weight training day (steak is a much better Christmas-eve meal anyway!) Besides, I love having pizza the night before my "big" workout day; all the extra carbs seem to have a very positive effect on my energy levels the following day. I remember when I was a swimmer, the night before a big meet I'd usually eat pizza or pasta and that really seemed to help my performance in the pool.
I've reached my last remaining goal! My chest now measures 43 inches. With two weeks remaining in my bulking cycle, I expect my chest will be more like 43.25+ inches and my arms around 16.25 inches when all is said and done.
Today's (hopefully) my last day of work for the rest of the year. I've done a good job getting caught up on my work, so today's looking somewhat light (barring any emergencies). I've been busting my butt at work these past few months, and I'm very much looking forward to a break.
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December 22, 2004
I am SO ready to start cutting. At this point the intensity level I've maintained for the past four months is becoming more and more difficult to sustain. I'm going to put my head down and go all out for these last two weeks, but I'll be very glad when January 6th arrives. Not only is my body tired, it's starting to look a little too fat for my tastes. I'm definitely at 13% body fat now, and that extra adipose is starting to show: I can see it in my face, and I've got a little love-handle action going. There's also a bit of fat on my inner thighs. I feel big and uncomfortable right now, and I still expect to put on another 5-8 pounds over the next 2 weeks. If I were to start cutting today, I'd probably diet down to about 190 pounds at 8%. That's a 17-pound gain in muscle AFTER cutting. Not bad... not bad at all! Of course I'll add some more weight over the next two weeks, so it may be more like 194 pounds at 8% and a 20-pound net gain in muscle when all is said and done. I'm very excited to see how I'm going to look with an extra 17-20 pounds of muscle once I'm ripped up!
I'd better get started on my workout; I've got a lot of work to get done by tomorrow night. Network gods willing, I'm planning to take the rest of the year off from work starting Friday. Have a great day, and thanks for visiting!
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December 21, 2004
Today's update is going to be short, and very sweet (click image to zoom in):
December 20, 2004
I hope everyone had a great weekend. I sure did! My Saturday workouts seem to set the tone for my whole week, and this past workout was pretty incredible. Of course I'm also in a great mood because this is going to be a short work week, and it looks like I'll be able to take next week off! Sure, I'll be on call and I will certainly have to do some amount of work, but for the most part I'll be free to relax and catch up on things on the JSF side of my world.
As of this morning I'm up to 208.4 pounds! It's looking very likely that I'm going to be at, or above, my starting weight from over 2 years ago by the time I finish my bulk. I guess all the people who said I was going to put the weight back on were right, but I'll bet they never expected that weight to be in the form of lean mass! My January 6th update (2 year anniversary and the end of my bulk/start of my cut) should be very interesting, and well worth a read...
I swear, sometimes I think Jeremy Likness is crazy! He's decided to GIVE AWAY (as in FREE) his Become The Journey audio CD. You will receive this CD by mail - all you pay is $5.95 for shipping and handling inside the USA (International shipping is $11.95). $5.95 ($11.95 Internationally) is exactly what the fulfillment house charges to press and ship the CD, with $1 added for handling. Jeremy does not make one red cent. In fact, every time someone orders a CD as a result of a click-thru from JSF, Jeremy pays JSF $6.00! I'm totally serious: Jeremy is taking a $5.00 LOSS on each CD because he knows that once you hear it you will want to check out his other awesome products and services. Jeremy's e-Book, audio products and top-notch one-on-one coaching services are earning him rave reviews all over the Internet. His FREE Become The Journey audio CD is a fantastic way to get a feel for what Jeremy is all about.
I've saved the best part for last: Jeremy is also giving away over $200.00 in bonus material that you will download instantly after you order your FREE CD. So, not only will you get the Become The Journey audio CD, you'll also receive at no charge instant downloads of the "Secrets of Fat Loss (Become the Journey)" Audio Collection ($14.97 value), the hour-long "Zen of Fat Loss (Threedom)" Audio Collection ($14.97 value), the 100-minute "Healthy for the Holidays" Audio Seminar ($27.00 value), the "Lose Fat, Not Faith" e-Zine ($147 value) and Jeremy's 35-page "The Courage to Be Fit" Special Report ($35.00 value)! Don't miss out on this incredible offer, order today!
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December 19, 2004
I had a feeling that yesterday's workout was going to be something special. I was right: it was by far my best workout ever! I'm saying that a lot these days, but it's true. For the third week in a row I added another 10 pounds to my bench press and I managed to crank out 3 sets of 6. Next week I'll add another 10 pounds. The rest of the workout was excellent, too: I went up in weight and reps on every other exercise I did. I'm feeling the DOMS this morning, but my shoulders feel just fine. I'm glad that my shoulders feel so good because not only did I have a very tough workout, I also tested my bench press 1-rep max for the first time in over a year. I was surprised and very happy with what I managed to put up (I did two reps, in fact). People are always asking me how much I bench and I always say that the amount of weight I lift is relevant only to me. I still believe that's true, but if you really want to know how much I put up for my 1-RM, I pretty much gave it away in my Picture Gallery and Video Archive thread on the forum (free registration required).
I take measurements occasionally throughout the week, but Sunday is my "official" day for comprehensive full-body measuring. My chest is still growing like wildfire: as of this morning it's a little less than a quarter inch shy of 43 inches. When I started my bulk my chest was only 39 inches and it needed a lot of work. I'm definitely going to hit 43 inches before I'm done. That extra 4 inches make a HUGE difference in how my upper body looks. Night and day.
My forearms are also growing nicely, and are now at 13 inches (I started my bulk with 12.25 inch forearms).
My arms are extremely close to 16 inches this morning - so close that I almost called it 16. I decided against doing that since I've still have a tiny bit to go and I want to be
consistent with how I report my measurements. I think my Christmas presents next Saturday are going to include 16 inch arms and a 43 inch chest.
Nothing would make me happier or more proud. I've worked very hard over the past 4 months, and I'm going to enjoy the hell out of taking the picture of my arms at 16 inches cold.
I want to thank all the people who wrote to me when I set the "16 inch" goal and said they knew I could do it. Your support helped inspire me and I appreciate it. Those of you
who wrote and told me "no way", very soon I'll be posting a picture you might want to have a look at.
DESIRE + HARD WORK MAKES ANYTHING POSSIBLE.
LAST CHANCE!: Today is your last chance to get in on Become The Journey e-Book package special! For a very limited time Jeremy has knocked $10.00 off the regular price of $39.00. Hurry - you've only got until midnight tonight to get in on this deal for just $29.00. After tonight the price will return to $39.00. Also, be sure to check out the special Jeremy's running on his entire digital library! For more information or to order, just visit the Become The Journey web site.
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December 18, 2004
I woke up in a great mood this morning, and I'm feeling especially strong and fired up about today's workout. I'm going to add another 10 pounds to my bench press today, I just know it! Once I do it, I'll have added 60 pounds to my bench in just under 4 months of bulking. Forget my pecs; my triceps better look out, because they are in for some serious torture today. I want my arms at 16 inches with time to spare, and my tris are going to get me there.
Both shoulders feel great and I've got the music cranked to absolutely inhumane levels (Lisa took off early this morning to finish her Christmas shopping, so I'm safe). I feel like a horse about to bust out of the gates. I love it when I feel like this just before a workout! It's going to be a great training session...
Don't forget: Jeremy Likness is running an incredible special on his Become The Journey e-Book package! For a very limited time he's knocked $10.00 off the regular price of $39.00. Hurry - you've only got until Sunday to get in on this deal for just $29.00. Also, be sure to check out the special Jeremy's running on his entire digital library! For more information or to order, just visit the Become The Journey web site.
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December 17, 2004
Yesterday I mentioned that I may end my bulk on January 5, 2005. If I decide to go with that date, then I've only got three more workouts for each body part before cutting. Even though my bulk is winding down, I'm not going to back off one bit when it comes to intensity and commitment. In fact, I'm going to spend the next three weeks with the proverbial bulking pedal to the metal. Wait. I don't think their is a proverbial bulking pedal. Well, now there is. I digress... Anyway, it's been a fantastic bulk so far, and I'm looking forward to finishing it out with a bang (note to shoulder: I said "bang", not "rip"). I'm also looking forward to cutting - I can't wait to see how my new muscle looks when it's not covered in a layer of adipose.
Don't forget: Jeremy Likness is running an incredible special on his Become The Journey e-Book package! For a very limited time he's knocked $10.00 off the regular price of $39.00. Hurry - you've only got until Sunday to get in on this deal for just $29.00. Also, be sure to check out the special Jeremy's running on his entire digital library! For more information or to order, just visit the Become The Journey web site.
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December 16, 2004
I'm giving some thought to ending my bulking program on January 5, 2005 and starting my cutting cycle on January 6, 2005. Four and half months is a long time to bulk for an
old man like me, especially when doing a heavy & intense weight training program like MAX-OT. I expect to reach my last remaining goal of sixteen inch arms within the next week or two,
so by January 5th I will have reached or exceeded all my bulking goals. I also can't ignore that January 6th has, historically speaking, proven to be a very good day for me to start cutting .
I want to do a very slow cutting cycle this time around. You won't see any dramatic weight drops this time, because I don't have all that much fat to lose. Even if I officially end my bulk on January 5th, I'll probably not cut my calories more than a couple hundred per day for the first few weeks. I want to cut very slowly so that I can preserve as much lean mass as possible.
I'll be working on my cutting plan in the weeks to come and will post it here when I've settled on what I'm going to do and when I'm going to do it. Rest assured that my cutting plan will
be considerably different than what I did two years ago.
Jeremy Likness is running an incredible special on his Become The Journey e-Book package! For a very limited time he's knocked $10.00 off the regular price of $39.00. Hurry - you've only got until Sunday to get in on this deal for just $29.00. Also, be sure to check out the special Jeremy's running on his entire digital library! For more information or to order, just visit the Become The Journey web site.
It's leg day and I'm running late! I slept in until 7:00 AM this morning, which is very unusual for me. I guess I needed the rest. Have a great day!
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December 15, 2004
We had a great time last night at dinner. Macaroni Grill does not publish nutritional data, so I had to estimate the calories as best that I could. No big deal if I'm off on my estimate - it was filing and I'm bulking!
All kinds of issues at work this morning. I'm running late and I still need to get my workout in. I'm glad it's a relatively short workout today (just abs). See ya tomorrow!
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December 14, 2004
After last week's shoulder scare, I won't be doing hammer curls this morning. I'm also going to double up on my warm-up sets. I've come too far to injure myself now. If I inure myself and can't lift while I'm cutting that will really eat into my gains, so I've got to be extra careful.
Tonight the company I work for is taking everyone and their families out to dinner. I have chicken and broccoli scheduled on my food log, but I'll change it when I get back. I'm sure I'll get plenty of calories in! I'll probably be the only one not drinking, too. It's actually kind of fun to not drink and just sit back and watch as people get more and more inebriated. I did that at Thanksgiving and it was hilarious. When I decided to give up my weekly couple of drinks while I'm doing my bulk, I thought it was going to be very hard (especially with all the holidays). At first I missed it a little, but now I don't miss drinking at all. I've never felt better or slept better than I have lately, and I think the absence of alcohol is a big part of the reason. I'm not saying I'll never drink again, but it certainly has given me something to think about...
Time to lift! As always, thanks for stopping by - I hope you have a great day!
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December 13, 2004
Wow. This is a first: I received a sincere and rather contrite email this morning from a guy who, after reading yesterday's update, said he was sorry for his past emails to me. This guy had emailed me several times over the past year and called me a "wimp", a "wuss" and a few other names I'd rather not repeat here. Basically he seemed to enjoy emailing me with the single purpose of deriding my lack of progress over the past year. Yesterday he admitted that he knew I was injured all along, but was "just being an ***hole to try and get me to respond" (I never respond to hate mail). He admitted that he checked my site every single day, and said he was "truly sorry for being such an immature jerk". He actually congratulated me on my bulk and said, "you're almost as big as me now." OK... whatever you say, pal! Anyway, it's cool - I try not to hold grudges.
I'd better get my cardio knocked out and get to work. Have a great day and I'll see you all tomorrow!
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December 12, 2004
I've been bulking for about 4 months now and I'm extremely pleased with my progress so far. If my bulk ended today I'd consider it a total success. Since August 20th I've:
- ...gained 30 pounds, of which a little over 21 pounds is lean mass
- ...added 50 pounds to my bench press
- ...gained 2 inches on my arms (13.75" to 15.75")
- ...gained 2 inches on my quads (22.5" to 24.5")
- ...gained 3.5 inches on my chest (39" to 42.5")
- ...gained 1 inch on my calves (15.5" to 16.5")
- ...gained 1/2 inch on my forearms (12.25" to 12.75")
With 1.5 months left to go before my bulk is complete, I'll have no trouble reaching my last remaining goal of 16 inch arms (no pump).
I've been training very hard, eating and living clean, sacrificing and putting absolutely everything I have into this bulk. The results are well worth it. Being too skinny was almost as bad as being too fat. You would not believe some of the hateful emails I've received over the past year, and some of the message board posts (on other forums) that railed on me. People would criticize me for not making any progress since my initial weight loss, but they'd always ignore the fact that I was injured and couldn't lift. At first it was very frustrating to read these things about me, but eventually I learned to accept those rants for what they are. No matter what, I kept my mouth shut and waited patiently for my shoulder to heal. I knew that once I could lift again my progress would speak louder than words.
So, here's my answer to all the armchair critics and sofa-jockeys who said I couldn't do it:
December 11, 2004
I'm a little nervous about today's workout. This is my first upper body workout since I aggravated my right shoulder doing hammer curls this past Tuesday. It feels pretty good this morning, but not as good as it has felt recently. I'm going to do a few extra warm-up and acclimation sets, building up slowly to my working sets. I'll cut the workout short if I'm feeling any significant pain.
Aside from my shoulder, I'm feeling pretty fired up this morning. I'm going to go turn the music up to 11 and get busy!
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December 10, 2004
I'm getting bigger, so this week I've been upping my daily caloric intake again. Since Monday I've been eating around 3,800 - 4,000 calories every day. As I gain weight I need to make sure I'm giving my body even more fuel so that my muscles can continue to grow.
Back on November 12th I made some pretty big changes to my bulking program: I started eating a lot more food, I made sure I was getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night and I cut out all alcohol. Those changes have paid off big time! I weighed 185.8 pounds at 11% body fat on November 12th. Today, just shy of a month later, I weigh 201.4 pounds at 12% body fat. That's a 15.6 pound gain in one month - and less than 5 pounds of that is fat! Take a look at my "2004 Bulking Phase" weight chart on my stats page and you can see exactly where I made the changes to my program. Also, compare the past 30 days to the 31-day period from October 12th - November 11th: during that period I was eating much less food, I was very stressed out from work, I was not sleeping well and I was drinking alcohol at least once per week (sometimes more). It's no surprise that my progress was almost flat-lined: I gained less than 3 pounds during that time.
If you are bulking and not seeing good results, keep what I just wrote in mind. I'm convinced that ALL these things are NOT OPTIONAL if you want to grow: you've got to eat big, eat clean, get 8 hours of sleep every night, train hard and consume no alcohol. If you are not doing ALL of these things your results will suffer - end of story.
Bah, it's a boring cardio day today. I'd better get started on that and then get to work. See ya tomorrow!
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December 9, 2004
Vegas, baby. Vegas.
Lisa - still not fully unpacked from her "business" cruise to Mexico - returned to work to discover that she's won a 4-day trip to Las Vegas. Lisa runs a tight ship at work (just like she does here at home, heh) and her store's sales have been through the roof ever since she took over as manager. Her company is rewarding her by sending her on another "business" trip. This time she'll be attending a symposium in awesome Las Vegas. I've always wanted to go to Sin City, and this is killing me. I'm going to do everything in my power to go with her, but the chances are not very good. In all likelihood I'll be stuck here at home watching "Swingers" and "Casino" while Lisa's kicking it at the Bellagio. Sigh. I'm happy for her, but can I also be a little jealous?
I'd better get started on my leg workout - work has been crazy so far this week and today will be no different. See ya tomorrow!
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December 8, 2004
I had a bit of a scare with my shoulder yesterday. I had an excellent back/biceps/traps workout, but after my workout my right shoulder had the same dreaded pain that I felt when I first injured it. I remember that pain very well. I iced the shoulder down and took Naproxen with each meal. Today it feels better, but definitely not as good as it has been feeling lately. I know exactly what caused the problem: hammer curls. I was using a lot of weight and really had to struggle to get the last couple of reps up. My form was good, but that particular movement puts a lot of stress on my shoulders. I'm going to lay off the hammer curls for the rest of my bulk - assuming my shoulder is ok enough to continue my bulk. I guess I'll know on Saturday how it's doing when I attempt my pecs/delts/triceps workout. Until then, I'm going to keep taking the Naproxen and icing it down. I sure hope it's ok because if I am unable to lift when I cut that is going to seriously eat into my gains. I'm going to stay positive and hope that I'm able to dodge this bullet.
I'm running a little behind this morning. I'd better go work my abs. See ya tomorrow!
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December 7, 2004
I want to thank everyone who emailed, private messaged and/or posted on the forum yesterday congratulating me on my bulking progress so far. I appreciate all the comments a great deal. It feels excellent to be injury-free and finally making the progress I always knew I was capable of. The 8+ months in which I was not able to do any upper body workouts was an extremely difficult and frustrating time for me, so my progress is especially satisfying. This morning I'm up to a little over 200 pounds!
Lisa's back from her trip to Mexico! She brought back lots of pictures, but we need to have them developed (she didn't take the digital camera because she knew I would need it for my monthly pictures yesterday. Was that cool of her or what?) She had a great time and brought back some really bad coffee beans, a couple of shirts, a shot glass from "Carlos 'n Charlie's" in Cozumel, and something for me that I don't get to see until Christmas. It's great having her back home, the dogs and I missed her a lot.
I'd better get started on my back, biceps and traps workout. Have a good day!
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December 6, 2004
It's monthly picture day, and I've got lots to show you!
Here are today's photos compared to the last time I weighed 199 pounds (January 31, 2003). Keep in mind that I weigh the exact same amount in all four of the below pictures. I was at 23% body fat in the January pictures, and I'm at 12% body fat in today's pictures. My BMI (Body Mass Index) is 27.4, which means I'm considered overweight and well on my way to being obese. That's hilarious! Obviously weight and BMI are pretty much worthless measurements, particularly for those of us who train with weights.
Front shots...
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199 Pounds |
199 Pounds |
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Side shots...
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199 Pounds |
199 Pounds |
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I also thought it would be interesting to see my bulking progress by comparing the photos I took just before I started bulking to today's photos. Here are the pictures from the front:
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Before Bulk |
Current (Mid-Bulk) |
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...and the side:
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Before Bulk |
Current (Mid-Bulk) |
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The side shots do a really good job of showing my chest, forearm and arm development. Heh, looking at the side shots I can see that I grew an ass along with my other muscles.
Of course with the extra fat I'm looking kind of soft right now, but I'm cool with it. I'd better be cool with it - I have about two more months of bulking left to go, and I'll be considerably bigger than I am now by the time I'm ready to start cutting. Once I finish cutting I'll have all the definition that I used to, but I'm going to be a heck of a lot more muscular. I can't wait for this summer because I'm going to look better than I've ever looked in my life and I'm going to be more healthy than I've ever been in my life. It's taken me two years and a hell of a lot of hard work to get to this point, but it's also been a lot of fun and a very rewarding experience. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat!
Well, I'd better get my workout done and get to work. I want to take a few hours off from work this afternoon because Lisa will be back from her cruise later today! I can't wait to see her and hear all about her trip!
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December 5, 2004
As I mentioned yesterday on the forum, yesterday's pecs/delts/triceps workout was even better than my last two - I went up in weight and reps on every single exercise for the 3rd week in a row. I added 5 pounds to last week's bench press weight (which was my personal best) and did two sets of 8, but the weight actually felt light. So I added another 5 pounds for my 3rd set and did 8 reps! Next week I'm just going to add 10 pounds to what I did on my last set this week and start with that. I added 5 pounds to my incline and decline barbell presses and did 3 sets of 8 for each. My dips felt way too easy, but I'm not going to use a dip belt because I think that's what screwed up my shoulder last year. My shoulders are still feeling great this morning!
I put a few new progress pictures up in the pictures archives. There are even more new pictures in my Picture Gallery and Video Archive thread on the forum (free registration required).
So my weight is just below 200 pounds (199 pounds as of this morning). After doing this morning's measurements, I'm pretty sure I'm at about 12% body fat. Here comes the math: I started my bulking program on August 20, 2004 at 173.8 pounds and 9% body fat (about 158 pounds of lean mass and 15.5 pounds of fat). I've gained a little over 25 pounds (!) so far, and I'm now at about 12% body fat (about 175 pounds of lean mass and 24 pounds of fat). So I've gained about 17 pounds of lean mass and about 8 pounds of fat. That's not too bad at all. If I were to start cutting today, I'd probably be around 185-190 pounds at 8% body fat when I was done. Of course I'm not going to start cutting just yet - I still have almost 2 more months of bulking! I suppose that by the time I'm done bulking I will be the heaviest I've ever been in my life, passing my "before" weight of 215 pounds! Of course this time I'll be made of muscle, not fat.
Tomorrow I'll be taking my monthly photos and I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about posting them! I know I've put on a lot of muscle, but a lot that muscle is hidden under the fat I've added, so I'm looking pretty soft right now. Maybe I'll post some shots of me now at 199/200 pounds compared to how I looked at the same weight but a higher body fat percentage. I find those comparisons interesting.
Lisa called me from the ship yesterday, which was docked in Cozumel. She's having a blast (duh)! I can't wait to see her. She should be back sometime tomorrow. She has lots of pictures and presents. I love presents!
I'm very sore and tired this morning, so I think I'm going to take advantage of the empty house by curling up with the dogs on the couch and watching loud, testosterone-fueled action movies all day. Have a great day, and I'll see you all tomorrow (actually you'll see me in all my 12% body fat glory)!
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December 4, 2004
I managed to get a solid 8.5 hours of sleep on Thursday and Friday, and this morning I'm feeling strong and rested. I'll need all the help I can get for this morning's workout, because it's going to be a very tough one. The past two pecs/delts/triceps workouts have been amazing - I've increased the amount of weight and the number of reps on every single exercise. I want to continue that trend this morning, but it's not going to be easy; Last week I benched for reps (3 sets, 8/8/7 reps) using the same weight that I used for my previous lifetime best 1-rep max. Today I intend to increase that weight past my old 1-rep max and do 3 sets of at least 6 reps.
My shoulders? They both feel great! I have no pain whatsoever in either shoulder right now. In fact, my shoulders have actually improved considerably since I've been lifting very heavy weights and passing my personal bests. Don't ask me how that is, because I have no idea. It's a great feeling to finally be able to slide under a bar full of iron plates and focus only on the lift and to not have to worry about pain or my shoulder blowing out.
I'm going to try and get some pictures after my workout. If I do, I'll post them in my Picture Gallery and Video Archive thread on the forum (free registration required). I may post a few shots in the pictures archives on this site, as well.
Time to get started. I'd say wish me luck, but luck's got absolutely nothing to do with it.
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December 3, 2004
Lisa's off enjoying a "business" cruise to Mexico, so I stayed up all night doing body shots and playing nude twister with some hot college chicks I picked up at the mall yesterday. I'm so tired and hung over this morning I can't see straight, but oh man... it was worth it!
Okay, maybe my evening didn't go down exactly like that. Actually I just ate some chicken, bread, rice & broccoli, played with the dogs for a while, drank a protein shake and went to bed at 10:00 PM. I went crazy and put a few extra shots of butter spray on my bread. Yeah, I'm a party ANIMAL. Someone hold me back. I'm out of control.
It's funny, today's my cheat meal and my calories came in at several hundred LESS than I normally eat! I have a CPK pizza scheduled, but I'm actually pretty sick of those so I'll probably just order from Papa John's or something. That should be sufficiently cheat-worthy. Maybe I'll get some bread sticks, too. Damn, these be crazy days!
As you can probably tell, I already miss Lisa. It sure is quiet around here without her. The dogs sit staring at the door around the time she normally gets home, wondering where she is. Man, I would love to be on that cruise ship with her! I'll bet she's having a blast. Hopefully she'll get some good pictures - I'll post them when she gets back.
Have a great Friday!
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December 2, 2004
Lisa's employer sure knows how to treat their managers right! Lisa and all the other managers who work for her company (I think it's hundreds of managers - she works for a very large company) are all required to attend quarterly management meetings. Now I know what you are probably thinking: "Big deal. Boring pep talks over stale coffee and a lousy Continental breakfast in the local Holiday Inn convention room." Not even close. Every meeting is held in a new and exciting locale, and there's actually very little meeting and lots of time to have fun. Her company takes care of all the expenses (except alcohol). So, this morning while I'm grunting out squats, Lisa will be boarding a luxury ocean liner and heading out for an awesome 5-day cruise to Mexico. I wish I could go, but there's no way I can leave my job right now. Drat. I really wanna go! I can already hear the Owen Wilson quotes she'll hurl at me in jest when she returns ("Hey John, can you bring me some of that green tea I had while I was free-climbing the Mayan Ruins with spider monkeys?") Sigh...
Oh well, I'd better go get the workout done while I can; I have a lot of work to do today. Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow!
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December 1, 2004
Perfect timing: I have exactly 2 months left in my bulking program and my arms measure exactly 15.5 inches as of this morning! All I need to do now is add a quarter of an inch per month over the next 2 months and I'll reach my goal of 16 inch arms. If I continue to grow as I have been, I wouldn't be surprised if I hit my goal a few weeks early. That's cool - I'd like my arms to be over 16 inches at the end of my bulk, that way when I'm done cutting they'll probably be right at 16 inches.
Yesterday's workout was very good, but not great. I went up in reps (but not weight) for my dumbbell curls and hammer curls, and I went up in weight (added 5 pounds) for my barbell curls while managing to keep the same reps that I did last week (6/6/5). My back and traps workout was very good. My traps are really starting to come in now. A few more months of shrugs should do the trick. I don't want them super huge - I rather like having a neck.
It's ab day and I've got a very intense workout planned. This is gonna hurt!
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