Daily News Archives
February 2007
02/28/2007 - A good couple of months; Get well soon, Turtle!
02/27/2007 - Are you wasting your life?
02/26/2007 - Huge response to yesterday's update; Measurement Monday.
02/25/2007 - Overcoming drug addiction.
02/24/2007 - Good fat loss progress continues; Simple muscle loss test.
02/23/2007 - 6% body fat goal remains; Interesting forum discussion.
02/22/2007 - New goal? ~4% body fat?
02/21/2007 - Redemption: last night's workout; Realization of my "V-taper"; Cutting progress.
02/20/2007 - Another 500-pound deadlift attempt; Hip pain; March "100 Challenge".
02/19/2007 - Waist size down almost an inch in one week; Quitting after a taste of victory.
02/18/2007 - Down to 220.5/11% body fat; 15% off APT sale!
02/17/2007 - Perfect weather; Lisa's back; All lost in the supermarket.
02/16/2007 - Wardrobe changes; Summer is coming!
02/15/2007 - Non-training day meal plan report; New recipe.
02/14/2007 - The single best piece of advice I've ever dispensed.
02/13/2007 - New personal deadlift record; 500-lb 1RM DL attempt; New picture.
02/12/2007 - New JSF Sponsor - APT Pro Wrist Straps (and much, much more!)
02/11/2007 - Fat loss progress is stalled; Mainstream media Nitrean endorsement.
02/10/2007 - New laptop, Vista networking computer question (solved).
02/09/2007 - I love Fridays; New "Favorite Things" item: Weber Genesis Gold C grill.
02/08/2007 - It may be cliché, but failing to plan is indeed planning to fail.
02/07/2007 - New picture; Taking your workouts for granted; Get things in perspective.
02/06/2007 - Strength is up; Fat loss going well; Making your dreams a reality.
02/05/2007 - Superbowl dietary challenge passed; "What's your secret?"
02/04/2007 - Food logs for weeks 7-10 are up!
02/03/2007 - Incredibly consistent fat loss so far; Shopping day.
02/02/2007 - How I'm preparing my oats; Eye of round.
02/01/2007 - New monthly photos; Sponsor announcement delayed.
February 28, 2007
February sure flew by! I can't believe it's already the last day of the month. I may not be allowing myself any "cheat" meals during this cut, but I am going to take a moment this morning to shamelessly pat myself on the back for adhering 100% to my self-imposed cutting guidelines thus far. I've not missed a single workout, cardio session, or meal. I've not eaten even a single bite of food that is not in my posted meal plan.
There have been quite a few dietary temptations over the past two months (New Year's Day, my two-week January vacation, Superbowl Sunday and Valentine's day come immediately to mind), but I knew that what I was doing was more than just a fat loss diet: it was a test of my determination, mental toughness, willpower and resolve. The rules I've set for myself are quite strict, and it's taken a fair amount of self-discipline to remain faithful to them. This is the first time since my initial cut back in 2003 that I've been so single-minded and hardnosed when it comes to my diet. While it's been tough at times, I have to admit that I'm enjoying the challenge. Of course the progress I'm making is a very nice reward indeed!
Speaking of progress, I'll be taking my monthly progress pictures tomorrow morning and posting them here. I promise to remember to smile this month.
I'm going to get a little personal for a moment. I haven't mentioned this before, but this has been a very tough couple of weeks for me. One of my dogs, Turtle, underwent a very serious surgery yesterday. She had a herniated disc that was pressing against her spinal cord and was in a tremendous amount of pain. The surgery went fairly well, but obviously the problem is in a very tricky and sensitive area. Unfortunately there were some complications during the surgery: Turtle was bleeding quite a lot, and they couldn't continue to control it, so the Neurologist had to close her up before she was 100% sure that she got all the disc material away from her spinal cord. They are pretty sure another surgery won't be necessary, but the recovery is going to be painful and difficult.
Turtle was abused and abandoned before we rescued her nine years ago. In the time we've had her she's undergone a transformation of her own, from a sad, skittish and scared dog to a wonderful, energetic, friendly and trusting family member. This whole ordeal has been very hard on all of us. We can't even bring Turtle home until Saturday at the earliest, and this is the first time she's ever been away from our home and away from us. I'm sure she's very scared, in pain, confused and perhaps feeling abandoned. Lisa and I are going to visit her this morning and every day until she can come home. I'm a firm believer in the power of positive thinking, so please send your positive energy and thoughts her way.
Get well soon, Turtle!
February 27, 2007
There's no getting around it now: summer will be here in no time! The coldest months of the year are behind us and students are heading to the beaches en mass to celebrate Spring Break. Winter clothes will soon be packed away to make room for summer wardrobes.
Even though it gets quite hot here in Florida, I absolutely love the summer time: Long sunny days, pool parties, trips to the beach, barbecues, jet skiing, long walks with the dogs, water skiing, extended top-down drives on shady country roads, brainless "popcorn" movies, washing the car in the cooler evening hours... even the yard work is usually enjoyable.
Yes, I'd have to say that summer is my favorite of all the seasons, and it was definitely my favorite season when I was a kid, too. Things changed when I was obese in my late 20s and early 30s. I hated the summer then. I was too embarrassed to wear shorts, and I was always hot and uncomfortable. I never got any sun because I was too ashamed to take my shirt off. I didn't go anywhere near a beach or a pool for years and years. I mowed the lawn as little as possible, and when I finally did get out there to do the yard work I'd wear jeans and a big shirt to hide my body. My cars would go years without being washed. I hated to leave my house unless it was totally necessary. I'd spend all day in my air-conditioned shell, eating, smoking, drinking and watching television. My life was wasting away, and for years and years I just let it happen.
Four years ago I made the choice to change. I got fighting mad, and that anger helped fire me up to do something about my health and body. We only get one chance at this life, and I was seriously blowing it. If you share some of these feelings and you can identify with what I've said today, then do something about it! Not tomorrow, not next week--RIGHT NOW. Don't waste another day of your life because you will never, ever get it back.
February 26, 2007
Within five minutes of yesterday's Daily News article hitting the server, the emails began to flood in. The response was completely overwhelming. Reading your emails stirred up a lot of my own old memories and emotions. The one thing I kept reading over and over is how many of you are currently struggling with the same issues I once grappled with. Obesity, drugs, alcohol, negativity, cigarettes, addiction... it's a painful existence, and sometimes there seems to be no way out. There is always an answer, but I don't profess to have the solution you are searching for. All I'm qualified to do is tell my story. For me, getting in shape, working out and eating right provided me with whatever it was I needed to rid my life of drugs. I suspect that the same may be true for many of you, and those things sure can't hurt. Whatever you do, don't put it off. When I was in my early 20s, I knew I had a bad problem but there always seemed to be so much time to worry about it later. The next thing I knew I was in my mid-30s and worse off than ever. Time creeps up on you faster than you realize, trust me.
OK--it's "Measurement Monday". This morning I weighed in at a 2007 cutting low of 218 pounds. I'd put my body fat percent in the mid-to-low 10% range. My waist and hips are down another quarter inch from last week, my quads are down another half inch. My arms are still between 17.75 and 18 inches, and were actually a little closer to 18 inches this week than they were last week! My chest, forearms and calves are all unchanged. A very good week indeed!
As you can see, my abs are starting to tighten up, and most of my remaining fat is just below my belly button. The next 10-15 pounds of fat loss is going to make a huge difference in my mid-section. This picture was taken Saturday night with no pump, right after dinner.
February 25, 2007
I receive a lot of email every day and, as expected, most of the emails are from people who want to lose fat and/or gain muscle. Apart from that, the most common topics I see on a regular basis are substance abuse and addiction. I've always been very open and honest about my past, and I've never shied away from discussing my own substance abuse problems, and how I managed to overcome them.
For those of you who don't know, in addition to my health and weight problems, I was also a heavy smoker, a heavy drinker and I smoked pot pretty much all day, every day. I also experimented with harder drugs over the years.
The reason I'm thinking about this subject this morning is because in a couple of weeks (March 6th), it will be 4 years since I quit smoking marijuana. Late February 2003, probably around the 25th, is when I decided that I was going to quit drugs forever.
First, I should mention that I smoked my last cigarette on October 31, 2000. I was smoking 3 packs per day when I quit, and I gave them up cold turkey after over a decade of smoking (and a handful of previous attempts to quit). It was very difficult, but I was determined to give them up. Somehow I did it, but at the time I still could not muster what it would eventually take to stop smoking weed.
Many people seem to be able to use pot recreationally (a few times per month) with no problem. I was never like that. If pot was in the house (and, for well over a decade, it always was) I was smoking it. I used to be proud of myself if I could hold out until 10:00 AM before loading my first bowl. I remember keeping weed in my car so I could smoke it on the way to work. I'd smoke it in my car on breaks and over lunch (often on the way to a bar). I'd try to save enough to have some on the way home from work. It's a miracle that I never got caught--or worse. I knew I had a huge problem, but I could not stand the feeling of not being stoned. On the very rare occasion that I ran out of pot and could not immediately get more, I thought of nothing else. It completely consumed me. "Jonesing" was the one thing I dreaded most in my life at the time. How sad and pathetic is that?
Now, I realize that some of you are thinking "It's weed--not heroin--what are you talking about?!" Listen, you may not understand, but you can bet the farm that hundreds of chronics were knowingly nodding their heads as they read that last paragraph. Weed may not be physically addictive, but for some of us the psychological addiction is amazingly powerful. Giving up weed was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. It required a tremendous amount of willpower and faith in myself.
I stopped smoking weed on March 6, 2003. Astute readers may have noticed that was a full two months after I started my transformation! When I started my transformation, I had no intention of quitting my drug habit. Can you believe that I'd already resigned myself to smoking pot for the rest of my life? I'm serious. I'd tried to quit before and never even made it a full day. I actually gave up on the notion that I would ever be drug-free. A funny thing happened, though. The healthier I became, the less desire I had to be stoned. I knew that the smoke was hurting my cardiovascular abilities, and I actually started to prefer the natural high of working out over the numb, drug-induced fog in which I'd been living.
Getting in shape, eating right and working out was starting to change me. I began to feel better about myself. I began to remember what it felt like to really be alive. In the period of time immediately surrounding my workouts I started abstaining from marijuana. Those brief drug-free windows allowed me fleeting glimpses of how good life could be without drugs.
Sometime in late February 2003, I made the choice to stop doing drugs forever. I set a quit date: March 6, 2003, and I stuck with it. I threw out every last piece of paraphernalia I owned: screens, bongs, pipes, papers, pipe cleaners, ashtrays--everything. I completely distanced myself from other substance abusers. This part was hard because I liked many of those people a great deal, but this painful step was absolutely necessary and I do not regret it.
Some of you can quit on your own. Some of you will require help to solve your problem, and there is no shame in that. I am not a drug counselor, a doctor or even someone who's particularly knowledgeable about addiction and all the reasons for it. I'm just a guy telling his story in the sincere hope that by doing so I'll help others see that they can do it too.
February 24, 2007
This month may have gotten off to a slow start, but ever since my diet changed at the beginning of week seven the fat has been flying off my body once again. As of this morning I'm down to 218.2 pounds and below 11% body fat. I'm excited about taking my weekly measurements on Monday morning, especially my waist measurement. I was tempted to check my waist measurement this morning, but I'm going to wait.
I have to admit that I did measure my arm this morning. I measured my arm because this week my weight has been dropping right on the outside edge of the target maximum, and I wanted to make sure I was not losing muscle. I was very happy to see that my cold/unpumped arm is still between 17.75 and 18 inches.
A simple way to help determine if you are losing fat and not muscle is to keep close tabs on your waist:arm ratio. For example, when I finished my bulk my arms were 18.25 inches (cold) and my waist was 36.5 inches. That's exactly a 2:1 waist:arm ratio. At my last "official" measurement (last Monday) my arms were 17.75 inches (cold) and my waist was 34 inches. That's a 1.92:1 waist:arm ratio, which is an improvement. As long as my waist-to-arm ratio stays the same or continues to go down, it is a good indication that I'm on the right track. If that ratio were to go up, it would raise a red flag that muscle loss is occurring.
Cardio time. Have a wonderful Saturday!
February 23, 2007
So, yesterday I was musing on the possibility of cutting back to 4% body fat instead of 6% body fat. As a result, a few interesting discussions were sparked on the forum. This thread is a particularly good discussion, and it covers a lot of ground (health, cosmetic surgery, what is attractive and why?)
There are a whole host of reasons people train with weights, workout and eat a careful diet: general health, strength, athletic performance, aesthetics, endurance, etc. In my view none of those reasons for training and eating right are any more valid than any other. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to "look good naked". I'll be the first to admit that is a big part of why I train. I'm not ashamed of that, why should I be? I don't understand what we're supposed to say when asked questions like, "Why do we find ripped abs attractive?" Hey, some people do, and some don't. Some people like steak and the color blue. Great, but how can anyone be expected to explain why? Is "why" even important? Nah, I don't think so.
Having said that, health is my number one priority. This whole fitness thing started because I felt like I was dying. I would never put my appearance over my health. That's why I don't use steroids or other substances that I feel may be potentially harmful. My diet over the past four years has always been very healthy, but ever since I switched to a 100% all-natural diet I've felt better than I have in my entire life. Of course I don't need to eat an all-natural diet to get ripped, but my health is very important to me. Countless guys my age are dropping dead from heart attacks and undergoing serious surgeries for other very avoidable health problems. I barely had a cold over the past year, and I don't think it's a coincidence.
So the point of all my rambling is that I feel having a healthy body and an aesthetically pleasing body are fully attainable goals. These things are not mutually exclusive, although they certainly can be if you value your appearance more than your health.
As for me, after talking with Mastover I've decided to keep with my original goal of 6% body fat and not cut back to 4%. Cutting to 4% body fat will certainly result in some muscle loss, and I'm not willing to do that for a week of pictures. When I return to a more sustainable 7-8% body fat, all I'll have to show for my efforts is a handful of photographs that are no longer accurate depictions of my body, and less muscle. It seems pointless to me. 6% body fat is already mighty low, and I will be able to get there healthily and with minimal to no muscle loss. That's the path that makes the most sense to me.
|
AtLarge Nutrition 15% Off Sale: ETS and Nitor Today through February 26, 2007 AtLarge is offering 15% off ETS and Nitor. Use discount code 15 at checkout and you'll receive a whopping 15% off these two products! I personally have not used Nitor, as I don't utilize fat burners or thermogenics in my cutting plan, but I can tell you from personal experience that ETS is an excellent product. Now's a great time to stock up! |
February 22, 2007
I wonder what my body fat percentage was back in the summer of 2003? At the time I estimated that I was around 8%, but now when I look at all the pictures I took in June 2003 I'm pretty sure that I was actually lower than 8% body fat--probably closer to 6%.
Just look at how skinny I was in these pictures, which were taken on June 17th, 2003. These photographs were taken on the very last day of my initial fat loss phase. I weighed just 160 pounds!
As most of you know, my current fat loss goal is 6% body fat. Because I've added over 40 pounds of muscle in the years since the above pictures were taken, it's going to be a much nicer looking 6% body fat! The reason I mention all this is because I'm wondering if 6% is going to be low enough to get rid of the stubborn fat below my belly button. If I was at 6% back in 2003, then the answer is probably "No". I still had some fat in that area back then. It was not a lot, but it was there.
Somewhere on the forum yesterday (I don't recall the specific thread), someone mentioned that Tom Venuto, author of the extremely popular e-book Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, once wrote that he must diet down to ~4% body fat before his lower abdominal fat is completely gone. The area bellow the belly button is a very common trouble spot for a lot of men. Us guys just tend to store fat in that location first, and it's the absolute last place it comes off.
Tom's statement (which, by the way, I have not seen firsthand--if anyone has a link I'd love to read what he has to say on the subject) got me thinking. Maybe I need to go all the way this year. If for no other reason than to prove to myself that it is possible to get rid of the small amount of fat in that area that has plagued me throughout my entire transformation.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm thinking very seriously about changing my body fat goal to ~4%, or whatever it takes to completely eliminate the fat below my belly button. I've always resisted cosmetic surgery, and the idea that I can get the look I'm after through hard work and dedication really appeals to me. Stay tuned!
February 21, 2007
After the disappointing start to Monday night's workout (back & biceps), I went into last night's workout fiercely determined to best last week's pecs & triceps lifts on every single exercise. I knew it was going to be a challenge because last Tuesday's workout was pretty amazing, but I was feeling very good and knew I was up for the task...
As I've mentioned before, I put a little "check mark" to the right of each exercise in my training log whenever I'm able to top the previous week's reps using the same weight, or when
I use more weight than the week before. Last night I finished my workout with five check marks next to five exercises. 
I think last night's workout was a very important mental hurdle for me. Even though I had a bad start to Monday night's workout, I was still able to finish very strong (and I firmly believe that I set the stage for last night's gym performance by doing so). I guess I still felt as if I had something to prove to myself. I know we all have bad workouts, but I think it's important to not blow off those performances. I like to try and figure out what went wrong, and then use that information to do better. It can be a tough line to walk because if you dwell on a bad performance too much you'll probably do more harm than good.
After last night's workout my chest and triceps were totally pumped, my veins were popping out all over the place and my abs were showing pretty good. My upper body is finally large enough to make my big ol' hips look smaller than they are. As my waist size continues to drop, it's only going to make the "V-taper" I've been working so hard to attain more pronounced. The "V-taper" is something I've worked very, very hard for over the years, and it feels absolutely amazing to finally see the fruits of my labor.
My cutting progress seems to be in high gear once again. This morning I woke up, looked in the mirror and I'm definitely looking leaner than I've looked since last fall. As of this morning I'm at a 2007 cutting low of 220.0 pounds and just below 11% body fat. I realize that I still have quite a bit of fat left to lose, but if this pace continues I'm probably going to drop below 10% body fat within the next three or four weeks.
February 20, 2007
I was very excited about last night's workout because I wanted to attempt a 500-pound deadlift while fresh. I felt really good in the hours leading up to my workout, and during the warm-up sets my confidence continued to grow. After my warm-up sets I did a couple of 400+ pound acclimation sets before the 500-pound attempt, and during those sets I felt some pain and a bit of weakness in my hips. Honestly, I've felt some pain in my hips over the past week, but I've been ignoring it. I'm sure the hip pain is due to all the very heavy deads I've been doing for reps lately. Anyway, against my better judgment (as usual) I decided to go ahead with the 500-pound attempt, and I failed. I just broke the plates off the ground, but that's as far as they moved. My hips were screaming, and frankly I don't think I had the strength anyway. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm just not there yet. I'm going to pull 500-pounds one day, but that day is not here yet.
I backed the weight off to 440-pounds (which is what I did last week for reps), and did less reps than I did last week. My hips were hurting pretty bad, but I don't like to make excuses. I was very disappointed in myself, and the failed 500-pound attempt clearly shook my confidence.
I still had a lot of workout left to go after my deads, but I was in a bad place mentally. I was feeling very negative and defeated, so I took five minutes to get my act together and regain my focus. Yeah, my workout was off to a bad start, and I had a choice to make: I could let the negativity defeat me, or I could fight and make the rest of my workout awesome. Taking a few minutes to get my mind right was the smart thing to do. I used the deads as motivation to make the rest of my workout even better, and the rest of my workout was phenomenal. When I finished my workout I felt great!
This morning my hips are still hurting. It's nothing serious, but when I'm pulling 440+ pounds the pain tends to be considerably magnified! I'm going to see how I feel next Monday. I may substitute another exercise for deads next week if I'm still experiencing hip pain.
I've opened the March "100 Challenge" a little early. Details are immediately below. Have fun!
Registration for the March 2007 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EST) on March 1, 2007 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the March 2007 "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!
February 19, 2007
After a fairly lengthy fat loss plateau that plagued the first half of this month, the recent changes to my diet have reignited my fat burning engine! As I mentioned in yesterday's update, I'm now down to 11% body fat and looking noticeably leaner in my mid-section. This morning I performed my weekly measurements and was astonished to find that my waist size has dropped almost a full inch in just one week! It seems that my body is finally starting to let go of the fat around my mid-section. All the hard work and strict adherence to my cutting diet is starting to pay off--and the best is yet to come!
This early success brings to mind a curious phenomenon that I've observed time and time again. Some people seem to make excellent fat loss progress and then, inexplicably, fall back into bad habits and relax their efforts. Their dedication slips, and they never make it to their goal. I don't understand this. Maybe some people grow complacent after seeing some measure of success. Maybe they tell themselves they deserve a "reward" (...and there's nothing wrong with that, but why does the "reward" always have to be junk food?), and that "reward" winds up acting as the gateway to failure.
The reason I don't understand why this happens to some people is because success fuels my desire and ratchets up my level of commitment. Success is like a drug: a little success makes me hunger for more. I can't get enough. If you are one of those people I'm talking about, I encourage you to put some thought into why that is, and then work through the desire to quit. Quitting is habit-forming, but so is the opposite.
February 18, 2007
My current non-training day meal plan, combined with my morning cardio on non-training days, seems to be very effective at "drying" me out. This morning when I woke up and looked in the mirror, I looked noticeably leaner than I've been in many months. Sure enough, when I stepped onto the scale I was down a whopping 1.5 pounds since yesterday morning, and down to a new 2007 cutting low of 220.5 pounds.
Obviously that overnight weight loss was mostly water. I think what's happening is that I'm losing fat but holding water during the week, and that water is temporarily obfuscating my fat loss. This water retention is likely due to my higher evening carb/higher calorie workout-day meal plans and my body's extreme sensitivity to carbs. On non-training days I'm not eating any carbs after 4:00 PM (except for broccoli and a little pineapple), and this approach has always worked well for me. I remember during my initial weight loss back in 2003 I intuitively dropped carbs later in the day and it worked very well for me.
Mastover--the mastermind behind my 2007 cutting diet--has even suggested that he may cut my carbs on training days--specifically PWO meal #2. Further, he has informed me that my cutting diet may change on a regular basis very soon. I've heard talk of several low calorie days followed by a big "refeed" day along with some other new (to me) approaches, all of which are designed to keep my body burning the fat while sparing muscle. I will, of course, update my food logs as required, even if my diet is changing on a daily basis. The next few months are going to be very exciting and educational for me and, I hope, those of you who are following along.
I'll be taking (and posting) my weekly measurements tomorrow morning, but I did take some preliminary measurements this morning because I felt so lean. I'm officially
moving my body fat percentage down to 11% as of today. I'll post the rest of my new stats tomorrow morning. I'll just say it's been a good week.
Our newest sponsor, APT Pro Lifting is already having an awesome sale! As you may know, APT already offers JSF members 10% off at all times, but through February 23, 2007 you can get 15% off your entire order! Just click the link above, fill your cart and at checkout use coupon code "SPECIAL15".
February 17, 2007
I know this is going to grate on the nerves of some of you who are buried in snow (sorry!), but I've really been enjoying the cold snap we've been experiencing here in Central Florida the past few days. It's just above freezing right now (34° F), and this is truly about as close as we get to "Winter" around here. The high today is expected to be around 60 degrees, and the skies are crystal clear--that's my idea of perfect weather. There's no way I can stay inside on a day like today.
Unfortunately Lisa won't be joining me. Somehow she pulled a muscle in her back and is totally couch-bound. I've been telling her to start deadlifting, squatting and strengthening her posterior chain, but she doesn't want any part of it. I know that if she worked those muscles, she would not be in the position she's in now. Does anyone else see the irony here? Somehow I'm able to provide motivation to perfect strangers from all over the world, but I can't get my own wife to lift weights! I don't believe in being pushy: I've never been comfortable with the "drill sergeant" approach, and instead try to lead by example. Sometimes it's tough to keep my mouth shut, because I know what a huge difference weight training has made to my quality of life. I'm sure many of you can relate to what I'm saying!
Well, I'd better get going. I've got cardio to do, breakfast to eat and then I've got to fill in for Lisa and go grocery shopping. It's going to take me 10 times as long as Lisa to get the shopping done. I have no idea where everything is. To quote an old Clash song, "I'm all lost in the supermarket". Was that too obscure?
February 16, 2007
As some of you know, I have a wardrobe specifically for when I'm bulking and another set of clothes for when I'm at lower body fat percentages. I outgrew most of my bulking wardrobe this past bulk: excluding tanks and T-shirts, I can't get the majority of my shirts over my arms, and the shirts that I actually can squeeze into are way too tight in the chest and shoulders. My "regular" non-bulking shirts are even more ridiculously impossible to wear. I'm waiting until I reach my target body fat percentage (6%) to go shopping for new clothes.
I had to run a few errands yesterday and it was a little too chilly for shorts (I know, I'm breaking the hearts of you Northerners--sorry). Because nothing else fits, my choice of shirt was very limited: several XXL T-shirts. I chose a big plain grey shirt, mostly because it was on top of everything else in the drawer. Next, I grabbed my "bulking" jeans (Levi's "Silver Tab", 34" waist, extra large thighs) and put them on. They were falling off my waist, and didn't feel so tight in the thighs. Cool! I decided to grab my favorite pair of jeans (Levi's "560", 32" waist, big thighs) and try them on. I could not even get the "560s" past my quads a few months ago, but yesterday they went right on. They were still a little snug in the upper leg area, but there was a little play. The best part was they fit in the waist. Of course they were not as loose as they are when I'm sub-10% body fat, but they were very comfortable.
Paying attention to these kinds of things always add more fuel to my motivational fire. Every day brings me a little closer to my goals. The days start to add up pretty quickly, and before I know it I'll be at my final destination. Summer will be here in a few months, and there's still plenty of time to make big changes of you want to. Remember, the excuses you make now are not going to change how you look in a few months when you dig out your summer clothes. Only one thing is going to do that, and that's hard work.
February 15, 2007
Yesterday was the first non-training day of my week 7-10 cutting plan. Yesterday was also the first time my daily caloric intake
has been below 3,000 in a long time, and the first time on this cut that I felt hunger pangs between meals. Believe it or not, I was happy to feel a little extra
hungry as the time for each meal approached. I finally feel like I am on a cutting diet! 
Sure enough, this morning I woke up feeling lean and dry, and I have finally broken the 222.5 pound wall I've been hitting for the past two weeks. I expect my fat loss progress will be very good for the next few weeks, and I'm excited because this is about the point where I should start seeing a significant amount of fat coming off my mid-section.
As for the food I'm eating on non-training days during weeks 7-10 of my cut, I missed my eye of round steak and I missed my Nitrean & oats shake (which is an awesome pre-workout shake--here's the
simple recipe). I'm eating a lot of cod fish and a lot of broccoli on non-training days. Thankfully I've gone past the point of choking the broccoli down and can eat it
without much trouble. As I always say, "mind over matter". I will admit that by the third serving of broccoli yesterday I was pushing the limits of my "mind over matter" powers!
Today is leg day. 
If you wake up on leg day and don't feel a little scared, then you're just not working hard enough!
Have a great day!
February 14, 2007
Man, yesterday's workout (pecs & triceps) was outstanding! I'm not 100% sure what's going on, but so far this week I've felt exceptionally good in the gym. Everything is just "clicking". Things were already going great, so this is really cool! I feel stronger and more energetic now than I did when I was bulking! So I've been thinking about why that is...
A few things jump out at me: My diet changed on Monday, but my calories were actually reduced. I am eating some different foods now, and my pre-, post- and during-workout supplement intake is more aggressive (more aminos, creatine and glutamine, and added Vitamin C). The diet I've been eating for the past six weeks is extremely healthy, clean and natural. Surely my body is responding favorably to this constant supply of healthy foods, and the effects are becoming more pronounced as time goes on. I can say without any doubt that this is the cleanest and healthiest I've ever eaten in my life. Even during my initial fat loss back in 2003 I ate a significant amount of processed foods such as pretzels, Kashi cereal, meatless sausage patties, whole grain bread, etc. None of that stuff is in my diet now, and I think it's making a huge difference.
I know many of you come here looking for advice and motivation. Today I'm going to give you what I honestly feel is the single best piece of advice I've ever dispensed. I know this may sound simple and obvious, but how many of you are actually doing it? CLEAN UP YOUR DIET. I'm telling you, I've never felt better, been stronger, had more energy or had more focus than I do right now--today. I honestly believe that by eating 100% all-natural foods I've taken my health and fitness to entirely new levels. I have completely lost the desire to eat cheat meals or drink alcohol. I have grown to love my current diet because it makes me feel so good.
Have a great day!
February 13, 2007
Last night I finally broke my deadlift personal best (for reps), which was set during my 2006 bulk. I'm especially pleased about the strength gain because I'm six weeks into a cut! I also attempted a 1RM deadlift of 500-lbs, and failed. I made the attempt after all my working sets of deadlifts, so that was definitely not the best way to go about it. I'm going to give it another try next week before my working sets when I'm fresh.
I put a new picture up in my media thread last night. I finally got all my weight training gear off the floor and hung on the wall. Also, as you'll see in the picture, I bought some more 45-pound plates over the weekend, which I very much needed. Having lots of plates makes loading the bar a lot quicker for big lifts such as bench press, squats, deads and leg presses. If you scroll down a couple of posts, I've also got a picture of some of the cool new straps I picked up from our newest sponsor, APT (more below). You'll also see a lot of APT gear hanging on the wall in my deadlift area picture.
I switched my back routine around last night. Of course I always do deads, but I added in some T-Bar Rows and Good Mornings. After I worked my back, I hit my biceps with some ez-bar curls followed by some DB curls. Last night's workout was probably my best workout so far on this cut.
I've got to go eat now. Have a great day, and don't forget to check out our new sponsor!
|
New sponsor: APT'S PRO WRIST STRAPS! I'm very proud to welcome John Stone Fitness' newest sponsor: APT's Pro Wrist Straps! As the name of their company suggests, APT sells an incredible variety of high quality wrist straps, but that's just the beginning of their extensive catalog of product offerings for people who do any kind of strength training. Here's a short list of just some of the items you'll find on APT's web site: Wrist wraps, knee wraps, lifting straps, grippers, exercise bands, TK bands, power hooks (for heavy dumbbell work), lifting hooks, belts, chalk, micro plates, neck harnesses, ammonia caps, training logs, pulling harnesses, elbow sleeves, lifting accessories, skull caps, ab slings, ankle straps, wrist rollers, shirts, gloves, tape, chains, gym bags, tricep pressdown ropes & straps, DVDs and much, much more! I was like a kid in a candy store when I placed my first order with APT. I wound up with a few sets of lifting straps, a few sets of wrist wraps, a pair of lifting hooks, a tricep rope pressdown attachment, a tricep strap attachment, an adjustable tricep strap attachment and a set of exercise bands. My first order was placed on a Sunday, and everything shipped out the next day. All of the products I received were of professional grade quality, and will likely last forever. It's no wonder that so many professional body builders and powerlifters use APT's gear--just check out the huge gallery of pictures on APTs site: the athletes who use APT's gear reads like a "who's who" of the greatest names in bodybuilding and powerlifting. APT also sells to universities, high schools, weight lifting teams, Olympic athletes, all branches of the military, MMA fighters, pro wrestling athletes and people who just like to lift and stay in shape. APT has over 500 individual products IN STOCK, and they ship FAST! Their return policy is simple: If you don't like something, send it back for a full refund--no restocking fees, no hassle. Also, APT is doing something very special just for JSF members: 10% off all orders, indefinitely! This special offer may end at some point, but not anytime in the foreseeable future. APT's pricing is already excellent, so the extra 10% off every order is very cool! Just enter coupon code JOHNSTONE when you secure checkout. Also, this first week they'll be throwing in a free leather "lifting belt" keychain with all orders. After you get your order, please take the time to post your APT experience in the Official APT Pro Wrist Straps Review and Discussion thread on the forum. Also, if you have any questions, feel free to post them in that thread. I know that the owner, Alan, will be taking part as much as time allows. |
February 12, 2007
I'm very proud to welcome John Stone Fitness' newest sponsor: APT's Pro Wrist Straps! As the name of their company suggests, APT sells an incredible variety of high quality wrist straps, but that's just the beginning of their extensive catalog of product offerings for people who do any kind of strength training. Here's a short list of just some of the items you'll find on APT's web site:
Wrist wraps, knee wraps, lifting straps, grippers, exercise bands, TK bands, power hooks (for heavy dumbbell work), lifting hooks, belts, chalk, micro plates, neck harnesses, ammonia caps, training logs, pulling harnesses, elbow sleeves, lifting accessories, skull caps, ab slings, ankle straps, wrist rollers, shirts, gloves, tape, chains, gym bags, tricep pressdown ropes & straps, DVDs and much, much more!
I was like a kid in a candy store when I placed my first order with APT. I wound up with a few sets of lifting straps, a few sets of wrist wraps, a pair of lifting hooks, a tricep rope pressdown attachment, a tricep strap attachment, an adjustable tricep strap attachment and a set of exercise bands.
My first order was placed on a Sunday, and everything shipped out the next day. All of the products I received were of professional grade quality, and will likely last forever. It's no wonder that so many professional body builders and powerlifters use APT's gear--just check out the huge gallery of pictures on APTs site: the athletes who use APT's gear reads like a "who's who" of the greatest names in bodybuilding and powerlifting. APT also sells to universities, high schools, weight lifting teams, Olympic athletes, all branches of the military, MMA fighters, pro wrestling athletes and people who just like to lift and stay in shape.
APT has over 500 individual products IN STOCK, and they ship FAST! Their return policy is simple: If you don't like something, send it back for a full refund--no restocking fees, no hassle.
Also, APT is doing something very special just for JSF members: 10% off all orders, indefinitely! This special offer may end at some point, but not anytime in the foreseeable future. APT's pricing is already excellent, so the extra 10% off every order is very cool! Just enter coupon code JOHNSTONE when you secure checkout. Also, this first week they'll be throwing in a free leather "lifting belt" keychain with all orders.
After you get your order, please take the time to post your APT experience in the Official APT Pro Wrist Straps Review and Discussion thread on the forum. Also, if you have any questions, feel free to post them in that thread. I know that the owner, Alan, will be taking part as much as time allows.
February 11, 2007
I'm officially in a fat loss plateau. Eleven days into the month of February and my weight, body fat percentage and measurements are all identical to where they were on the first of the month. Because I've been so dedicated to my diet and training, I have to admit that I'm fighting feelings of discouragement this morning. However, by now I know very well that plateaus are a fact of dieting. We all go through them. It's important that I keep in mind that this stall is just another test of my resolve. The fat will start coming off again very soon...
Tomorrow my food intake and cardio schedule changes to the weeks 7-10 plan. My caloric intake will be further reduced, some new foods will be utilized and my cardio will be increased. These changes should get my fat loss progress moving in the right direction again.
AtLarge Nutrition's Nitrean got an unsolicited endorsement in the March issue of "Men's Health" magazine. The thrust of the blurb was that a protein blend is far superior to plain old whey protein powder. It's nice to see that the benefits of a blended powder are finally being touted in mainstream media. I sure don't need any convincing: Nitrean is the only protein powder I use, and I've had excellent results with it. Check out the article and discussion in this thread on the forum.
The new JSF sponsor will be officially announced tomorrow, so see you then! Have a great Sunday.
February 10, 2007
Sorry about the 2-week delay in announcing the newest JSF sponsor. We are officially "go" for a Monday launch, so look for the announcement (along with some special savings and gifts for JSF members) then.
My old laptop died awhile ago, and I finally got around to picking up a new one. It's far from high-end, but it's way faster than my old laptop. My old laptop was a Toshiba Satellite, and I liked it a lot, so I stuck with Toshiba and picked up the Satellite P105-S6177. One of the first things I did was upgrade the Vista Home Premium O/S to Vista Ultimate. The process was very easy and only took about an hour. I had to upgrade because Vista Home editions don't allow you to remote desktop into the machine, and they also don't allow the computer to join a domain (simple file sharing only).
So I've been thrashing around a bit and so far I've managed to get just about everything set up as I like it--with one exception. As many of you know, I'm not much of a Windows guy: I'm primarily a Cisco & Unix/Linux admin. I use Windows for my home computers and laptops, and I begrudgingly administer a few W2K and even NT servers, but my knowledge level with complex Windows networks in a corporate environment is somewhat limited. I do run my home network with a domain controller for Windows access control on my LAN, but I have what is probably a simple problem for you Microsoft gurus:
When I put my laptop on my LAN here at home, I join the local domain and everything works as expected. The problem is this: when I take my laptop off-site and join a new domain (or logon to the laptop using a local account) all my profile settings are, of course, different because I'm using a different account. So, for example, if I set up 30 SSH profiles in my SSH client while logged in under my domain account, they no longer exist if I log in using my local account. Obviously I can copy this data manually, but I don't want to have to keep two accounts in sync like that. Is there a way to share profiles so my domain account and my local account automatically use the same profile, settings and perms? Drop me a line, PM me or start a thread on the forum if you can help.
I realize this has nothing to do with fitness, but I do use my laptop to help keep JSF running, so indirectly this is going to benefit JSF! Thanks
for indulging what is probably a very simplistic Windows networking question!
EDIT: My stupid question has been answered. 
Thanks c0ntradictum.
February 9, 2007
I love Fridays! Not just because they are the end of my work week, but also because Friday night is one of my favorite workouts: delts & traps. I love how my delts and traps look when they are all pumped up. My goal is to make them look that good without a pump! Also, working delts and traps really brings out the vascularity in my arms and shoulders. I've noticed increasingly pronounced vascularity on delts day with each successive week of my cutting phase, so I really look forward to this particular workout.
In addition to all that, PWO meal #2 on training days is by far my favorite meal: grilled eye of round steak, a sweet potato and a big salad with olive oil. I'm not eating cheat meals on this cut, but PWO #2 feels like a cheat meal!
Speaking of grilling, I use my outdoor grill nearly every day, sometimes twice per day. I use it far more than I use my oven. I'm out there grilling in the rain, the heat, the cold, when it's sunny, when it's dark--it doesn't matter to me. My neighbors must think I'm crazy, especially on the days that I grill 12 chicken breasts, and then immediately after those are done I'll cook up a couple of steaks!
Actually, I can't believe that I've never added my grill to my Favorite Things thread! I'm going to rectify that now. My grill is the Weber Genesis Gold C. I've had this grill for almost two years now, and despite VERY heavy use, it has never let me down. The build quality is magnificent. Also, initial assembly is very fast and easy, and requires no tools. The main grilling area is huge (611 square inches) and it has a total of 36,000 BTU-per-hour. There is also a 12,000 BTU side burner. The main cooking area is divided into three individually controllable sections, so if you want part of the grill at a lower temperature it's no problem. The "flavorizer bars" do a great job of preventing flare-ups. There is an electronic crossover ignition, so you never need matches to fire the grill up--just press a button and you are grilling! The Genesis is so reliable and easy to use that I cook with it far more than I do with my indoor oven. The grill heats up quickly, and can easily reach temperatures of over 700 degrees (F), which is very important for getting that perfect restaurant-style crust on your steaks. There is a built-in temperature gauge on the front of the attractive and durable stainless steel housing. The grill also has a very large storage area with doors, and a handy side rack which holds up to four grilling tools. There are two handy flip-up work shelves that quickly lock into place when you need them, and can be tucked away when you don't. The grill is backed by a limited lifetime warranty, but you'll probably never need it. It's not an inexpensive grill, but it's one that will last forever and the quality puts every other grill I've owned to shame. Highly recommended!
February 8, 2007
My fat loss progress has begun to level off this week, so it looks like the new meal plan I'll be starting this Monday has been perfectly timed. In addition to the reduction in calories, I'll also be eating a couple new foods. Further, most of my meals will be different than they were for the first six weeks. For example, at 11:00 AM on training days I've been eating 90g Nitrean and 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter. On the new meal plan I'll be consuming chicken, yams and broccoli for my 11:00 AM meal. This new plan consists of more "real" food and less protein powder. I welcome the changes, but these meals are going to require a bit more planning and a little more time in the kitchen.
"Planning" is the operative word here. Obviously we each know our own schedules better than anyone else, so it's up to each of us to make sure that we not only
have a solid plan, but also an "emergency" backup plan. For example, Monday night my dinner called for chicken, a sweet potato and a salad.
As I always do, I tossed my sweet potato into the toaster oven 60 minutes before my scheduled meal. At meal time I cut into the potato and it
was totally rotten: nasty, brown and gross--absolutely inedible. Hey, these things can happen, but that's why I have a backup plan. I always have brown rice prepared and stored in the
fridge. You could stop by my house any time and on any day of the year and I guarantee I'll have brown rice ready to eat, or cooking on the stove.
I quickly measured out 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice, nuked it for 30 seconds and sat down, on time, to a meal that
met my macronutrient needs perfectly.
If I get called away on a network emergency or something, I can quickly grab protein powder, a chicken breast, rice, raw oats, almonds, etc. If I'm going to be away from the house for more than 2.5 hours, my cooler goes with me. People lug around all kinds of crap, from cigarettes to fanny packs filled with junk food. I'm certainly not going to think twice about carrying a small cooler or shaker around with me, and neither should you.
February 7, 2007
I had a an excellent workout last night (pecs & triceps), and I posted a new progress picture in my media thread.
Every time I do upper body work I can't help but think about my bad shoulders (especially my right shoulder), and how grateful I am to be able to lift. Whenever I don't really feel like working out, I think back to the 10 month period from November 2003 through August 2004. As you may know, during most of those long 10 months my bad shoulder prevented me from doing any upper body work at all. At the time I remember thinking how I would give almost anything to be able to lift again! Keeping that difficult period of time fresh in my mind is very motivational for me--especially if I feel like skipping a workout. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I still think that if I skip a workout it would be tantamount to taking my shoulder for granted. In my experience taking something for granted is a sure-fire way to have it yanked away.
If you look at your workouts as a chore and a burden, then they will be just that. You need to change your thinking, because perspective is everything. I look at each workout as a gift, an opportunity to push myself to new heights and a vehicle for physical & mental improvement. No matter how predictable, stressful, dull or hectic my day is going, I love knowing that I am going to leave it all behind as I walk through the doors of my gym at the end of the day...
February 6, 2007
While on a fat loss diet ("cutting") it can be quite a challenge to maintain very high intensity levels throughout difficult strength training workouts--especially if your cutting diet involves reduced carbs. My carbohydrate intake has remained very high for this year's cutting diet (weeks 1-6 | weeks 7-10), and I can really feel the difference in the gym. I'm in my sixth week of cutting, and last night I tied my all-time best deadlift record! The best part is that I know I can go heavier, and I will next week. I can't believe I'm actually getting stronger while cutting! I feel this is possible is because I'm still eating a lot of food, the food I'm eating is very healthy, I am getting plenty of carbohydrates, my supplement regimen is spot-on and the lifting routine I'm using contains sets specifically designed to focus on increasing my strength.
Of course my primary goal is FAT LOSS. So far so good. My fat loss progress has been excellent: I've already lost nearly two inches of waist and every area of my body is slowly tightening up.
I've always been fascinated by the slow changes we are capable of making to our bodies. Watching my body develop in response to hard work and a good diet has always been a huge motivator for me. If you are willing to make your body composition goals a priority in your life, huge changes are possible in just a few months. Remember, at this time in 2003 I was fat and out of shape (but working hard to change that). By the summer of 2003 I had a six-pack for the first time in my life. Many people who don't know better think that sort of transformation is impossible, but they are dead wrong. I'm nothing special; I just decided enough was enough and took action. You, too, can make it happen, but you've got to make fitness a priority in your life. You've got to dedicate yourself 100% to reaching your goal and you have to REALLY want it. The very first step is to visualize how you want to look, then you have to believe with all your heart that you can really do it. Don't put it off another day!
February 5, 2007
If you are following my cutting diet and missed yesterday's update, you might want to check it out: I posted my meal plan and analysis for weeks 7-10 of my cut. The new meal plan will take effect on February 12th.
As you may know, yesterday was a very difficult test of my resolve. I'm happy to report that I passed the Superbowl dietary gauntlet with flying colors. Everyone around me was eating things like snack mix, cheeses, crackers, chocolate covered cookies and other goodies and my mouth was pretty much watering all day long. A couple of times I came very close to reaching out and picking up a cracker and some cheese, or a handful of snack mix (which I know would have turned into 332 handfuls), but I resisted.
The snacks were merely a warmup test of my willpower: I prepared an incredible beer-braised roast pork for everyone (but me), and the smell was intoxicating. The roast came out absolutely perfect! It was tender and moist, and the meat fell away from the bone with the slightest touch. On one hand I loved hearing everyone rave about how good the roast was, but those comments also intensified my cravings! I timed my own dinner perfectly with the roast, and mercifully sat down to my steak, green beans and a big salad with olive oil at the same time everyone else was eating dinner.
By the time I finished doing the dishes my dinner had settled and I felt quite satiated. The best part was the unique feeling of satisfaction that comes whenever I succeed in passing a difficult test of my willpower.
Some of you may be thinking, "Why torture yourself? What's the harm in having one meal off your diet!" As a singular event if I'd indulged last night it wouldn't have had much of an impact at all. I know this! So why did I do it? Because I enjoy the challenge. Because I enjoy testing myself. Because I enjoy paying attention to the things that most people consider superfluous. Because last night's test was more than a single meal, it was part of a commitment I made to stay on my diet 100% until I reach my goal of 6% body fat.
The little things do add up, and they do make a difference. People often ask me, "What's your secret?" I just told you.
February 4, 2007
My food log for the period of February 12, 2007 - March 11, 2007 has been completed and posted! You can check it out here. Let's look at some of the changes...
The first thing you'll likely notice is that my daily caloric intake has been reduced significantly: about 500 fewer calories on non-training days, and 200-450 fewer calories on training days. You'll also notice that my food intake is the same for all training days (you may recall that for the first six weeks I had two different training day meal plans).
There are only a couple new foods for this segment of my cut. Cod fish will be utilized extensively, and a whole egg has been added to meal #1 on my training days. Red meat consumption has been reduced.
My overall protein consumption has been reduced, but is still quite high at about 375 grams per day. My fat intake has also been reduced somewhat. My carbohydrate intake has actually been increased on training days, and will remain more or less the same as the first six weeks on non-training days.
Let talk a bit about my supplement plan for weeks 7-10. First, the only entirely new supplement I'm going to be adding is vitamin C. I'll also start using Udo's Choice oil caps instead of the Beverly EFA Gold caps, and will replace Universal's "Animal Pak" multi with Beverly's "Super Pak" multi. My new supplement intake has been carefully engineered to guard against muscle loss while I'm in a caloric deficit (and doing increased cardio--more on that in a minute). My BCAA intake will be increased prior, during and after training; vitamin C will be utilized prior to cardio, as well as pre- and post-training; Glutamine consumption around training times will be increased, and Glutamine will also be taken pre-cardio. Mass amino consumption has been increased across the board.
My cardio will be increasing slightly: I'll be performing three 30-minute LISS cardio sessions per week, first thing in the morning, fasted.
My thanks goes out to JSF forum member Mastover for his expertise, professionalism and kind assistance with my 2007 cutting phase. Mastover is a USBF & NBI Professional Natural bodybuilder, and is an incredible source of knowledge when it comes to intense training and pre-contest "hardcore" dieting for natural trainees.
February 3, 2007
I'm amazed at how consistent my fat loss progress has been so far this cut. Maybe I shouldn't be. After all, I'm eating the exact same meals on the same days and in the same proportions week after week. Also, I feel that not having cheat meals has benefited me a great deal. Eating clean all week and then having a cheat meal always made me feel like I was taking two steps forward and then one step back. Without the weekly cheat I'm making very steady, uninterrupted progress. Also, I no longer have to deal with the post-cheat meal water weight gain, which--like it or not--always has a negative psychological effect on me. My unabated progress is keeping me highly motivated, and 100% focused on my goals.
It's fairly commonly accepted that around two pounds of fat loss per week is the maximum one can safely lose while retaining lean muscle. I'm hitting that two-pound target nearly perfectly, while actually increasing my strength. These are clear indications that the cutting diet that Mastover has designed for me is pretty much dead-on perfect. Check out these weight loss numbers:
Week 1: -5.5 pounds (high due to initial water weight loss)
Week 2: -2.0 pounds
Week 3: -2.0 pounds
Week 4: -2.5 pounds
Week 5 (in progress - ends Monday): -1.5 pounds
Based on my performance in the gym, you'd never suspect I was in a caloric deficit. I broke my military press personal best last night for the second week in a row. I also topped my behind-the-back barbell shrugs personal best last night by something like 30 pounds.
Today I'll be stocking up on protein foods for the next six weeks. There will be some new foods on my menu starting on February 12th, so I'll be picking up some 99% lean ground turkey and cod fish along with the usual chicken breasts, egg whites and eye of round steaks.
Well, I'd better get going--I need to get my cardio done, eat, shower and hit the road. Have a great Saturday.
February 2, 2007
A couple people have emailed me recently asking how I'm preparing my oats these days. I'm not using milk or any kind of syrup or syrup-like products (or it would be shown in my food logs), but I do add a little Stevia and ground cinnamon. With 2 cups of cooked oats, I find that 2 packets of Stevia and a few shakes of cinnamon are about perfect. I used to use Splenda, but Stevia is a natural product and probably more healthy.
As long as we are discussing nutrition and food, I'd like to mention this recent thread on the forum. We're discussing eye of round steak, and how to prepare it. If you've perused my current food log, you may have noticed that I'm eating eye of round five times per week. Eye of round is a very lean and fairly tough cut of meat. I'd never had eye of round before I started this cutting phase, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It's true that it is rather tough, but the taste is very good. I honestly don't mind the texture at all. My favorite meal is easily the grilled eye of round, sweet potato and salad with olive oil. In the above-mentioned thread you can learn how some of us are preparing this great cut of meat.
Unfortunately I've recently been told that my consumption of eye of round will be reduced to just 3 times per week for the next four-week phase of my cut. That's OK--it looks like fish will be added to my diet, and that will be a nice change, too. I should have my new food logs, which will cover the period from February 12th through March 11th, up within the next few days.
As always, thanks for visiting--I'll see you tomorrow!
February 1, 2007
My new monthly pictures are up! I forgot to smile, sorry.
This past month I lost a little over 12 pounds and reduced my body fat from around 14% to about 12%. As I predicted yesterday, the differences between my end of bulk pictures and today's pictures are not groundbreaking (for a side-by-side comparison, check the monthly photos: front | profile), but they do represent a very solid start to this year's cutting phase. My face is less puffy, my abs are slightly more defined, my shoulders are definitely looking fuller and more cut, and my vascularity is improving. Also, in my profile picture you can see that my "love handle" area has shown some fat loss; still, my mid-section is where I am holding most of my fat right now. Like most men, my body releases the fat around my abs pretty much last. I expect the next couple of months' pictures will be far more dramatic with regards to my mid-section as I burn off the fat in that area at a greater rate.
I've decided to hold off on the new sponsor announcement for a few days. The reason is because our new sponsor is expecting a large number of JSF orders right out of the gate, and is waiting on a very large shipment to beef up on-hand inventory in anticipation. We expected the shipment to be in by today, but it has not yet arrived. This company takes great pride in providing very fast shipping times, so we decided it would be best to wait a few days rather than be caught unprepared. Thanks for your patience. You can expect the official launch any day now!
I'll be posting my new food and training logs for the next phase of my cutting diet within the next week. There will be an increase in cardio, a reduction in calories, some new foods and reduced training volume. This next phase of my cut begins on February 12 and will last for four weeks.
Have a great day!
Back to comments index
Web design and development by Sverre Sjothun
