Daily News Archives
March 2007
03/31/2007 - 30 pounds of fat and water gone; I got fat over my last bulk!
03/30/2007 - Worked delts last night instead of legs; AtLarge sale--last two days.
03/29/2007 - Cutting diet/training plan for weeks 14-?? is up!
03/28/2007 - Week off helped a lot; Lisa and I are moving!
03/27/2007 - First workout after a week off--AWESOME!
03/26/2007 - Work-filled weekend; Back to training; Awesome AtLarge sale!
03/25/2007 - Another super week of fat loss progress: down to 11.3% body fat.
03/24/2007 - A lot of work to do this weekend; We might be moving.
03/23/2007 - A little preview of what's coming this weekend.
03/22/2007 - Procrastination.
03/21/2007 - Six pack, here I come!
03/20/2007 - Week off; Almost 30 pounds gone in less than 12 weeks!
03/19/2007 - What a long day yesterday; Week off from training?
03/18/2007 - Excellent week of fat loss: down to 12.7% body fat.
03/17/2007 - Another very tempting night behind me.
03/16/2007 - Cardio on heavy yard work days? Moving?!
03/15/2007 - Good progress this week; My morning mirror ritual; Staying focused on your goals.
03/14/2007 - Cardio talk.
03/13/2007 - Overcoming temptations.
03/12/2007 - DST adjustment already made?; Advanced fat loss techniques coming soon.
03/11/2007 - "Measurement Monday" is now "Measurement Sunday".
03/10/2007 - Daylight savings time again.
03/09/2007 - Natural selection (...and I'm not talking about Darwin!)
03/08/2007 - Very important update regarding my body fat percentage.
03/07/2007 - New food logs posted for weeks 11 & 12.
03/06/2007 - Good article on how to do a 7-point body fat pinch test.
03/05/2007 - Measurement Monday; New body fat measurement method starting this week.
03/04/2007 - Slight change to week 10 meal plan; Time to dig deep.
03/03/2007 - Questions regarding yesterday's comparison; Are my body fat estimates off?
03/02/2007 - The mind is a powerful thing; New photo comparison: "Four 215s".
03/01/2007 - New monthly photos are up; February progress recap; Turtle update.
March 31, 2007
Last night Lisa told me that I'm starting to look very lean in my body and my face. When I put on any amount of fat, it always shows in my face very quickly. I hate that. There is a huge difference in how my face looks now compared to how it looked three months ago. Three months ago it was bloated and puffy, but now all that fat is gone and I look like "myself" again. My face always tightens up right before my abs get dialed in, so April should be a good month with regards to my mid-section.
I'm starting to look "skinny" compared to how I looked when I was bulking. It's no wonder: I've lost 30 pounds of fat and water since January 1st. I'm shocked at how fat I let myself get over my last bulk. Yesterday I was looking at my December 2006 and January 2007 monthly pictures, and I still can't believe that was me. I made some good muscle gains last year--probably around 5 to 7 pounds--but most of the weight I put on was fat and water. As I've progressed with my cut I'm losing a lot of size but not strength; that's because fat doesn't make one stronger! I didn't realize it at the time, but when I finished last year's bulk I was around 20% body fat.
If I ever bulk again it's going to be a clean and slow bulk. I will never let myself get above 12% body fat again. There's simply no reason for it.
I've been at this for over four years, and I'm still learning something new every single day. I still make mistakes, but I try to learn from them. The important thing is that I'm actually doing something. I'm not sitting around paralyzed from over-analyzing and splitting hairs. Look, no one is perfect: you gotta get out there, bust your butt every day and fall down from time-to-time. When you stumble you should try and figure out what went wrong, but then you have to get up and keep going. That's how it works. That's how you make progress.
OK, today is the FINAL DAY to get in on the AtLarge Nutrition sale and the April "100 Challenge". Details on both are immediately below.
I'd better go get my cardio done and eat, because today's a big day: Lisa and I are going to buy our new home this morning. 
March 30, 2007
Last night I decided to swap my leg workout with my delts/traps workout (I'll work my legs this evening, which is my usual delts night). I was feeling very motivated yesterday, and--for no particular reason at all--I just really wanted to work my shoulders, so I went with it.
I love how my shoulders look when they are all pumped up (I wish they looked that way all the time!) My shoulder workouts also tend to bring out the vascularity in my arms, chest and shoulders very nicely, which I also like a lot.
I had a fantastic workout, and I have not lost any strength after my week off. I took a post-workout picture, but it sucked so I'm not posting it.
You know, I'm probably one of the least photogenic people on the planet, so I find it somewhat amusing that this entire site was built on the
strength of... photographs of me. 
Just a couple of days left to take advantage of the AtLarge Nutrition sale. Don't miss this--details are below!
Also, there are only two days left to register for April's "100 Challenge". I've seen way too much slacking lately, so I want to see some serious hardcore dedication next month!
March 29, 2007
I've got a lot to cover in this morning's update, so let's get right to it!
First, I've got my food log posted for weeks 14-?? of my 2007 cut. As you can see, there are a lot of changes in store for this part of my cutting diet. Let's go over them.
The most obvious change is the low-carb/refeed schedule instead of the training/non-training day schedule that I've always used in the past. The schedule will work like this (L=Low carb day, R=Refeed day):
| DAY | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | etc... |
| MEAL PLAN | L | L | L | R | L | L | L | L | R | L | L | L | R | etc... |
...so, basically a refeed day the 4th day, then the 5th day (counting from the last refeed). Repeat.
On refeed days I'll be taking no supplements except for my multi-vitamin and essential fatty acids (EFAs). If a refeed day happens to fall on a training day, that means no post-workout shake, no pre-, during or post-workout supplements, etc.
My supplement intake on low-carb days will remain the same, except on low-carb training days I'll be using PR&D's Glutacene instead of the BCAA/Glutamine.
My cardio is also changing. I'll be doing 30 minutes of LISS cardio in the AM on non-training days, and I'll be doing 10-14 minutes of HIIT in the evenings on non-training days. The HIIT workouts I'll be doing will progress in difficulty over the weeks. Here's the schedule:
Week 1: 10 mins per session--30 seconds all out, followed by 1 minute at moderate pace.
Week 2: 12 mins per session--30 seconds all out, followed by 45 seconds at moderate pace.
Week 3: 14 mins per session--45 seconds all out, followed by 45 seconds at moderate pace.
I've updated my training page to reflect these changes.
I think that about covers everything! This should be a very interesting and extremely productive segment of my cutting diet.
Once again, I'd like to give my most sincere thanks to USBF & NBI Pro Natural Bodybuilder "Mastover" for his expertise and kind assistance with my current cutting program.
March 28, 2007
I guess the week off from training really did recharge my batteries, because when I woke up this morning the first thing I thought was, "Is today a lifting day?"
"Nope. It's Wednesday--cardio only."
My gut reaction was disappointment. My workouts this week have been phenomenal, and when my workouts are excellent I always hunger for more. It's a very nice cycle to get into. I feel the week I took off from training did me a lot of good.
I encourage just about everyone to take a week-long break from lifting every 3 or 4 months. You won't waste away or turn into a blob, and you just might come back stronger than you were before the break. That didn't happen to me this time around, but I didn't lose any strength, either. That's especially good because I stuck to my fat loss diet over my week off.
So Lisa and I have decided to go ahead with the new house. We made our final decision last night. This Saturday we're going to go sign the buy order, make a down payment and decide on our homesite (we're torn between three different lots). Our current home will be put on the market within a month. This was a huge choice, and we didn't make it lightly. Now that we've decided to take the plunge, our stress has been replaced with excitement. Our new home won't be completed for 7 or 8 months, but we may have to move to temporary housing before then if our current home sells and the new owner won't allow us to lease the house back until our new home is completed. Moving twice will be a huge pain in the butt, but it's an inconvenience we're willing to accept if we have to.
None of this should really affect this web site. I may take a short vacation and hiatus from the daily updates (2 or 3 days) if we have to move before our new home is done, and I'll definitely be taking a couple weeks off from my job and this site when the final move takes place towards the end of the year.
I want to thank Banditfist and Badgolfer from the forums for all their helpful advice over the past few weeks. Both of these guys have taken the time to provide me with very useful information, support and insight as I wrestled with this big life-changing choice. Thanks, guys!
March 27, 2007
Contemplating the huge choice of whether or not to sell our home and move (there are a lot of risks and a lot of unknowns) has been at the front of my mind pretty much non-stop for a few weeks now. I have to admit that I've been pretty stressed, so it was great to get back to training last night and shut all that out. When I finished my workout I felt mentally focused, and all my stress was replaced with that awesome post-workout rush! Strength training has so many positive benefits that I can't understand why anyone would not want to incorporate it into their fitness routine, regardless of their goals.
I'm running a bit behind this morning, so I'd better wrap this up and get some breakfast in me. Have a great day!
March 26, 2007
What a weekend! Lisa and I basically worked from sunrise until sundown both days. On Saturday we did our big yearly mulching project, and yesterday we did a massive Spring house cleaning. We had to put one of our cars outside because we filled half of our garage with all the junk that we're going to throw away. Lisa and I both tend to be pack rats, so these Spring cleanings are good because we finally get into a mindset where we can sort of get rid of all the junk we don't need.
So today it's back to training! I enjoyed my long-overdue week off from lifting, but man am I ever ready to get back at it. Tonight is back and bicep night, and I'm going to get into the gym and just destroy. Despite a weekend filled with yard and house work, it's not even close to the same release that comes from lifting weights. I can't wait to feel the pump and the endorphin rush...
Here's something you all have been waiting for: another awesome AtLarge Nutrition sale! Not only are they giving 10% off all orders (including shipping), but they are throwing in some free gifts as well. When you combine the 10% off with their multiple unit discounts, you are going to save a fortune. All the details are immediately below. Time to stock up!
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AtLarge Nutrition March Madness Sale! Starting today, and running through Saturday, March 31st, 2007, AtLarge Nutrition, LLC is experiencing a touch of March madness...
Use coupon code MM at checkout! Save on:
Nitrean: The best protein blend (3 fractions of whey combined with casein, and egg proteins) on the market!
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March 25, 2007
It's Sunday, and time once again for my weekly measurements. It's been another incredibly good week for me fat loss-wise! I'm down a couple more pounds this week (it's actually more than that, but I'm holding some water this morning), and my body fat percentage (as measured using a 7-site pinch test with the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall) is down to 11.3%! Lisa and I did the measurements three times, and I used the highest of the three measurements for my "official" body fat percentage. The fat is really starting to come off my so-called "trouble spots" now! This past week I lost an half inch from my waist, a half inch from my hips and a quarter inch from my thighs.
Full disclosure time: I decided to have a cheat meal last night. Actually I made the choice early in the day, so it was not an "impulse" thing. I figure I'm a little past the halfway point of my cut, and after 3 months without a single bite of any food not on my meal plan a cheat meal was in order. The next few months of dieting are going to be very hardcore, and I've really been having bad cravings for the past few weeks. I think getting it out of my system was the right thing to do. I just had a few slices of pizza and--honestly--I didn't really enjoy it that much. That will be my first and last cheat meal until I reach my goal of 6% body fat. I have to admit that I was feeling pretty guilty about it last night, but that's just stupid. My cravings are gone now, and the next few months are going to be awesome!
Registration for the April 2007 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EST) on April 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 April 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!
March 24, 2007
As I mentioned yesterday, my current food plan will be extended one more week (through week 13). I'll try to get the week 14+ plan up this weekend, but it's going to be a busy couple of days and it very well may be sometime next week before I can get everything entered in the spreadsheet and posted.
Today is our huge yearly mulch project. It's going to be a long, hot day, but not nearly as bad as last year. Last year we ordered 20 yards of mulch and it took two full days to spread. This year we're only going to need 8 yards, so we should have it knocked out by the end of the day. The mulch should be here by 8:00 AM, and we're going to get started while it's still somewhat cool outside.
Tomorrow we've got to clean the house from top to bottom. We've got to get this place looking good because our real estate agent will be here Monday night (I scheduled the meeting for after my workout, of course!) to check out the house and talk to us about selling it. Nothing is definite, but a move is looking very likely. Lisa and I found a neighborhood that we love, and are very close to having a new home built there. After we meet with the real estate guy and get some questions answered we'll make a final decision. We have a strong financial incentive to sign the buy order on the new home before the end of this month, so things could get interesting pretty quickly. If we go forward it will take 6-8 months for our new home to be built, so we might be looking at a move before the end of the year.
The April 2007 100 Challenge is open for registration! Details are below...
Registration for the April 2007 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EST) on April 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 April 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!
March 23, 2007
Next week I'll be eating the same meal plan that I've been using for the past two weeks. This is because I'll be coming back from my week off from training and will want to reset my hormonal and leptin levels before beginning the "hardcore" phase of dieting. Once the low-carb diet kicks in, Mastover is probably going to start me off with a refeed every third and fourth day, but may drop that back to every sixth day depending on how I respond.
No more LISS cardio starting next week, either! I'll be utilizing some cool new HIIT cardio workouts on my non-training days, and I'm really looking forward to them. I love HIIT cardio, and it has always worked very well for me. The HIIT cardio routines I'll be doing will be different from anything I've done in the past. They will start off relatively brief, and will increase in duration and difficulty each week. The HIIT sessions will be performed in the afternoon (not in a fasted state, of course) on my non-training days.
I predict that the HIIT cardio workouts combined the new low-carb/refeed meal plan is going to pack an incredible "one-two" fat-burning punch. By the end of April I should be looking very shredded, and closing in on 6% body fat.
Another change will be with my weight training: we're going to start utilizing drop sets.
I'll be posting all the details for my new cardio and weight training workouts along with the new meal plans over the weekend. This is going to be a very exciting period of my 2007 cut!
March 22, 2007
The subject of procrastination comes up all the time when people email me. Some people are under the mistaken impression that I don't have a problem with procrastination, and that I have some secret anti-procrastination tricks to share with them. I'm happy to say that over the past four years I've made significant improvements in the area of procrastination, but it is an issue I wrestle with on a regular basis.
Let's start on a positive note: how have I improved? Well, giving up weed back in 2003 made about a 10,000-fold improvement in and of itself.
Once I gave up pot, I gained a tremendous amount of drive and focus. I know--how weird?! 
Once I began to exercise and eat a proper diet, those things gave me more energy and I began to feel better about myself and my body. When you feel good about yourself, it's natural to want to take better care of the things around you.
The above items made the biggest difference in my life. Now the yard always looks great, the bills get paid the day they come in the mail (online banking gets honorable mention here), projects around the house are no longer put off, my cars are washed on a regular basis, the house is clean... (well...at least cleaner--there's room for improvement there!) Needless to say my meals and workouts are a big priority, and I enjoy their regularity because they provide a solid foundation for the other areas of my life.
So, those are some pretty major improvements! I'm proud of myself for those things, because up until about four years ago I neglected them all.
That said, I am well aware of other areas in my life where I continue to procrastinate. As I eluded above, I'd like to keep the house cleaner than I do. It's certainly not a pigpen, but with pets and the dry Florida dust it tends to get dirty quicker than I care to deal with it.
Of course I'd like to continue to grow John Stone Fitness as a company, and there are many ideas in my head, but I am very bad about getting some of those ideas off the ground. A perfect example is the JSF Gear. All of those items need to be re-designed with the "new" logo (it's been over a year now, so "new" is not really an appropriate word anymore). Part of the reason I've been putting it off is because I'm not very good with designs, and it's not work I enjoy at all. That's not a very good excuse, I know.
My advice is to be self-aware. Be honest about your weaknesses and what you could do better. Make a list of things you want to improve on, and then strive to do a little better each day.
I'd better wrap this up, I've got a lot to do today. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful day!
March 21, 2007
In the coming days I'll be posting my new diet for weeks 13 - ??. This next phase of my diet will be quite different from any of my previous diets, and should be very interesting. As I mentioned a week or so ago, this new diet plan will consist of 4 or 5 days with practically zero carbs (aside from veggies and grapefruit), followed by one or two refeed days. The refeed will involve very large quantities of carbs. I've never done this style of dieting before, so I'm very excited to see how it does for me!
There will be a couple new supplements added for this next phase, as well (not "fat burners" or thermogenics).
I suspect that I will be under 10% body fat in a matter of weeks. Actually, I'm already amazed at how lean I've been looking these past few days. The idea of another 15 pounds of fat loss is making me very excited about what's to come.
Dropping down to 8%, 7% and then 6% body fat is where the fat loss heard begins to separate and thin out. Mental discipline will be a huge factor from this point forward. The reward? Hot looking abs. Vain? Sure, whatever. Hey, I'm not at all ashamed to admit that I like having a six-pack. What's more, I'm willing to put the work in to obtain it. For me, once my abs start popping it's like the big payoff at the end of a long, difficult project.
March 20, 2007
It's official: after eight solid months of grueling workouts, I'm finally taking a week off from training! I discussed it with Mastover yesterday, and he was all for the idea. I think the week off is going to do me a lot of good, both physically and mentally.
Even though I will not be strength training this week, I will still be doing my scheduled cardio sessions and eating my usual non-training day cutting diet.
Speaking of my cutting diet, the fat has been flying off once again ever since the week 11 & week 12 meal plan kicked in eight days ago. Today I'm down to 208.8 pounds, and I looked extremely lean in the mirror when I woke up this morning. I'm amazed at how fast I'm losing fat right now. A week ago I was five pounds heavier, so some of the weight loss this past week had to be water. My upper arm size has only decreased very slightly, and is still between 17.5 and 17.75 inches (cold/unpumped). The last ~15 pounds I lose is going to produce the most dramatic changes yet, and will completely transform my overall look. It's a good thing I'm taking a little time to recharge this week, because the next couple of months are going to be a real challenge!
Summer is coming, but there is still time to make amazing changes in your physique! With hard work and dedication I've lost 27.2 pounds of fat and water in just over 11 weeks. As always, I've done it without resorting to ridiculous fat burners, dangerous supplements, "miracle" pills or gimmicky fad diets. An all-natural diet, a few carefully chosen supplements (such as amino acids and EFAs), hard work in the weight room, a little cardio and a whole lot of dedication is all it took. Anyone can do it. YOU can do it! Start now, and in just 12 short weeks you won't believe the difference.
March 19, 2007
Yesterday was a very long, difficult day spent working in the yard. It's amazing how quickly weeds can become established, even in the Winter. By the end of the day we had 4 huge bundles of cut branches and thirteen 45-gallon trash bags filled with weeds, trimmings and deadfall. Next weekend we'll be doing all the mulching and planting some new stuff.
I ate all my meals yesterday and drank around 2 gallons of water, but I'm still down to 210.4 pounds this morning--almost a full pound less than yesterday morning's weight! Not only did I sweat a lot, I burned a whole lot of calories. Next weekend will be even more labor-intensive.
My shoulder is bothering me a little this morning, but I'm used to that happening after a long day of working in the yard. I don't think it's anything to worry about. Still, I am feeling very tired and a little burnt out right now. It's really no surprise: I checked my records last night and it's been around eight months since I took a week off from training! That's a long time to go without a break, especially considering the intensity of my workouts. Normally I like to take a week off from training every 3 months, so I'm way overdue. I sent Mastover a PM last night and asked what he thought about me taking a week off from lifting this week. If I get his approval, I plan to do just that.
I'd better go get some food in me--I'm starving! Have a great Monday.
March 18, 2007
The drop in calories that started last Monday (for weeks 11 & 12 of my 2007 cut) is proving to be very effective: I've lost three more pounds since last Sunday, my waist is down another quarter of an inch and my thighs are down another half inch. My chest is down anther quarter of an inch, and I can still see a little fat in that area so I expect it will still drop a little more in the coming weeks. My arms, forearms, calves and hips all remained the same. I don't carry much fat in my arms, so the fact that they are hanging tough at 17.75 inches while my waistline and other fatty areas are dropping is another good indicator that I'm losing fat and not muscle.
Lisa and I took my body fat measurement three times this morning using the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers. We did 7-site skinfold tests, and we were +/- 0.3% over the three readings. That's pretty consistent! We threw out the high and the low score, and used the middle score. My body fat is down to 12.7%, and obviously I'm very happy about that! My results with the caliper seem to be very consistent: Eleven days ago I was at 215.2 pounds and 14.7% body fat, so according to the caliper I've lost all fat, and gained one pound of lean mass. I'll attribute the "added" 1 pound of lean mass to minor deviations in measurement, which is not a bad margin of error.
OK, time for cardio, breakfast and a long day of backbreaking yard work. Have a great day!
March 17, 2007
Last night after my 5th meal I was still very hungry. Of course after Lisa got off work she came home with a fresh block of aged private stock cheddar cheese, fresh garlic toast rounds and a nice bottle of red wine. I'm pretty sure that woman actually takes pleasure in torturing me!
"You can handle the temptation--after all, you're John Stone!", she semi-sarcastically mocked while playfully munching on a garlic round. She has no idea how close I came to joining her or killing her...I still don't know which.
I don't know exactly what's going on, but lately I've been craving junk food more than usual. Actually, I have a very good idea about why this is. I think it's because I'm looking and feeling much leaner, and most of us (myself included) tend to feel like we can relax, or that we "deserve" food rewards once we make some nice progress. Over the years I've seen a lot of people reach this relative point in their fat loss program, and then completely blow it.
I want to stress that I am choosing to diet with no cheat meals because, believe it or not, it makes it easier for me to stay dedicated. If I were to have a cheat meal, it would weaken my resolve and lead to more, possibly unplanned, dietary indulgences. I realize that some people (most people?) would lose their minds dieting this way, and would fall completely off the wagon. There is nothing wrong with having planned cheat meals while dieting. A single cheat meal every week will certainly not hamper your progress, so long as you are dedicated the rest of the time. The trick is to figure out what is going to keep you on track, focused and able to stick to your fat loss program until you reach your goal.
I know the cheese and crackers would have tasted awesome, but when I woke up this morning I can't even describe the feeling of satisfaction I had for resisting the overwhelming "urge to splurge". I'm down to a new cutting low of 212.2, and I'm looking leaner and more cut every day. This style of "hardcore" dieting is very satisfying to me, and I enjoy the challenge a great deal. Mind over matter!
March 16, 2007
This is going to be very active weekend! It's time once again for our huge springtime yard work project. In fact, this year there's so much work to do that we're going to have to divide it up over two weekends. This weekend we're going to weed the gardens and trim all the plants, trees & bushes, and next weekend we're going to mulch.
Some of you may remember last year's yard/mulching project. I ordered 20 yards of mulch last year, and it took 2 full days of backbreaking work to spread it. This year I don't think we're going to need nearly as much mulch, so I'm only going to order 8 yards. The mulch will be delivered next weekend. That's still going to be a long, hard day!
So, the question is, will I be doing my cardio in the morning on those days? Last year I did not do cardio on the spring yard days, but this year I'm going to do it. The LISS cardio I'm doing is not at all taxing, and it will probably serve as a very nice warmup for all the work ahead.
As long as I'm talking about my home, I might as well mention that Lisa and I are house hunting right now. We are going to stay in the Orlando area, as we love it here. Lisa and I purchased our current home right after we were married in 1994. Over the years we've worked very hard to take care of our biggest investment, and in 2005 we invested a lot of money in a home renovation. The time, money and effort has been well worth it. Also, housing values have absolutely skyrocketed in this area over the past few years. Our home is not yet on the market, but it may be very soon. I'll probably take a 2-week vacation from work and hiatus from JSF if and when we move. Nothing's definite yet, but it's looking pretty likely...
March 15, 2007
Part of my morning ritual is to briefly examine my body in the mirror. This act is not done out of vanity--it is done with a very critical eye. I try to be as objective as possible, and take careful note of any changes--both good and bad. As an aside, at this stage in my cutting progress it's amazing how much leaner I look first thing in the morning as compared to later in the day.
So, this morning when I looked in the mirror the very first thing I noticed was amazing vascularity in my arms. I'm positive that the vascularity I noticed this morning was not nearly as pronounced yesterday morning. Sure enough, when I stepped on the scale I was down a little over a pound and a half from yesterday's weight--a new 2007 cutting low of 212.6 pounds. Obviously there's been some fat loss this week, but it was obfuscated by retained water. My diet on non-training days (yesterday was a non-training day) tends to release any water I'm holding water and sort of dry me out.
Taking note of these kinds of changes keeps me highly motivated! I'm feeling very fired up right now because slowly but surely my body is leaning up and starting to look how I want it to look. I can't wait to take my measurements this Sunday! Progress-wise I think it's going to be a very good week indeed.
I suggest that you take a little time each and every day to think about your goals, note your progress and be sure to give yourself a lot of credit for each hard-fought victory. Always stay positive, learn from your mistakes and take one day at a time. Those days add up very quickly, and each one brings you closer to your goal.
March 14, 2007
Starting today my cardio duration is increasing to 40 minutes per session. I'll still be doing fasted LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio three times per week on non-training days. In the past all of my fat loss programs have utilized far more cardio: almost without exception I would do cardio 7 days per week right from the start. One thing I've learned over the past couple of months is that all that cardio was, at best, completely unnecessary and perhaps even counter-productive. I've come to realize that slowly ramping up my cardio as I lose fat is every bit as effective--if not more effective--as doing tons of cardio right out of the gate.
Let's take a look at the hard data. Over the past ~11 weeks I've lost 22 pounds, I've actually gained strength and I've retained the muscle I added during my last bulk. Normally at this point in my cut I would have spent close to 60 hours on the bike, but instead I've only invested 14 hours. That's a heck of a lot of time I've reclaimed, and I couldn't ask for better results.
I really believe that a proper diet and careful supplementation (and I'm not talking about thermogenics or so-called "fat burners") are by far the most important factors when it comes to losing fat. Strength training is also critical, and should be a part of every dieter's fat loss program. Cardio can help, but I believe it is by far the least important component. I'm not saying cardio doesn't have it's place--it can be very helpful if utilized correctly--but many people (especially beginners) seem to believe that cardio is the #1 key to fat loss and I completely disagree with that.
As I progress in my cut and get closer to 6% body fat more cardio will certainly be introduced into my fat loss program, and the nice thing is I'll still be able to shock my body because I didn't overuse cardio earlier in my program.
I'll just throw one more thing out there before I go. The whole HIIT vs. fasted LISS debate is unbelievably silly to me. Both forms of cardio can be utilized very effectively. I'd love to see Mastover add some afternoon HIIT sessions to my fat loss program further down the road, and I suspect that he will. My advice is to keep your mind open, don't get caught up in the hysterics that seem to surround this tired, never-ending debate and don't be afraid to try new things. That's how you're going to learn what's best for YOUR body--not by arguing on the Internet.
March 13, 2007
You may remember that back on Superbowl Sunday I prepared a (reportedly) delicious beer-braised roast pork dinner for everyone but me. The recipe I used called for one bottle of a good, dark beer. Ever since that day back in early February there have been five beers sitting in the fridge, begging to be consumed...
So, last night I was preparing my final meal (eye of round steak, brown rice and a salad with olive oil), and for some reason a beer sounded exceptionally good. I went so far as to remove one of the brews from the fridge ("I deserve this"), and I further reasoned that there was not much more time left before the beers would reach their expiration date.
The beer was never opened, and it was out of the fridge for a total of 15 seconds. In that 15 seconds I did what I do best--I exercised a little mental discipline and talked myself out of it.
How did I do it? I thought about how for the past two and half months I've not strayed from my diet even one time; I thought about how one beer would turn into three beers; I thought about how hard I'd worked in the gym just a couple hours ago, and here I was about to dump poison into my body instead of the nutrients it needed; I thought about how I'd wake up the next morning feeling bloated and disappointed in myself; I thought about my goals, and then I literally picked up my shirt and looked at the layer of fat obscuring my lower abs.
That's all it took. The beer went back into the fridge, I grabbed a fresh bottle of water, and that was that.
Listen, I really wanted that damned beer. Temptations are incredibly powerful, and they are all around us. Every person who has ever made a successful transformation had to learn to control their cravings; those who lack mental discipline (and don't work hard to improve it) always fail. I don't care what your goal is, diet is by far the most important factor in determining your level of success.
Speaking of diet, I need to go eat my chicken, egg whites and oats! Have a great day!
March 12, 2007
Amazingly I woke up at 6:20 this morning! This has to be some kind of record for me, as it normally takes a week or two for me to adjust to the time change--especially the Spring one. I think my strategy of waking up earlier than normal in the days leading up to the time change worked.
As I mentioned yesterday, there was not a lot of fat loss progress this past week--about a half pound as compared to last Monday. As I also mentioned in yesterday's update, I'll be doing my weekly measurements and body fat testing on Sunday morning instead of Monday from now on.
Diet-wise, the next couple of weeks will be pretty much the same as the past four weeks, except that my calories have been further reduced.
More exciting (read: "challenging") changes are coming two weeks from today. Yesterday Mastover informed me that in a couple of
weeks we're going to start utilizing some more advanced fat loss techniques, and we're going to kick things off with carb cycling/refeeds.
Essentially what I'll be doing is going 5-6 days with no carbs except for veggies and grapefruit. On the 5th or 6th day--which will be timed to fall on a lagging body part (for me, probably delts)--I'll eat an insane amounts of carbs.
This fat loss technique should keep my metabolism revved and my body thoroughly "confused". I've never utilized refeeds, and the low/no carb periods will certainly be a huge challenge. I'm pretty sure my
body will go into Ketosis while doing this, and I've never done that before. It should make for some very interesting updates, assuming I don't forget how to type while in a low-carb fog.
March 11, 2007
Because I require Lisa's assistance to take a 7-point or a 9-point body fat pinch test, and also because we're both far less pressed for time on Sunday mornings compared to Monday mornings, I'm moving my weekly tape measurement and body fat testing day from Monday to Sunday. "Measurement Sunday" doesn't have quite the same ring as "Measurement Monday", though, does it?
After a couple of amazing weeks of fat loss, this past week was pretty much a flatline: my weight is the same, my body fat is the same and all my measurements are the same as they were a week ago. My new meal plan for weeks 11 & 12 starts tomorrow, and I also will be increasing my cardio duration. I expect that the increased cardio along with a pretty good cut to my daily caloric intake will produce some nice results over the next couple of weeks.
Oh, and the time change? Sigh. Well, I did get up at 6:50 this morning, which is really 5:50 as far as my internal clock is concerned, so that was pretty good. But I had a lot going on this morning and fell behind anyway. I've really got to wrap this up and get my cardio done. Have a great day!
March 10, 2007
Daylight savings time starts tomorrow for many of us (don't forget to set your clocks forward 1 hour tonight before bed!), and my cardio duration is increasing to 40 minutes on non-training days. Because I have a highly sensitive internal clock and my entire morning schedule is very regimented and tightly packed, this is a 1-2 punch for someone like me.
I never set an alarm to get up in the morning because my internal clock is very good at reminding me when it's time to get up, eat and go to bed. It's nearly impossible for me to oversleep, as I have a great pair of backup "alarms": my dogs do not like to eat even one minute past their usual time, which is 6:30 AM. The dogs will adapt to the time change on the first day; I always take considerably longer.
What I've been doing this past week is getting up 30 minutes earlier than normal. The dogs are now waking me up at a little before 6:00 AM, and hopefully this will make the transition easier for me. Some of you have no problem making the adjustment, but "losing" an hour really throws me for a loop. I like DST, and I like having more daylight hours, but I wish we'd just stay with it year-round.
OK, I have lots to do today, so I need to get my cardio done, eat, shower and get things moving...
Thanks for stopping by--enjoy your Saturday!
March 9, 2007
At the beginning of this year's cut, I remember wondering if I'd enjoy eye of round steak. I'd never had it before, but its reputation for being a very tough cut of meat was well known to me. I remember the first time I ate it I thought it was a bit tough, but the flavor was awesome (I prepare mine on the grill). Last night I was devouring my eye of round, and it dawned on me that I don't even notice the tougher texture anymore. At this point I just consider it a very enjoyable, very tasty meal. Because I'm so strict with my diet and I don't eat cheat meals, it really does feel like a cheat meal compared to my other foods. I look forward to training days not just because I love to train, but also because I enjoy my second post-workout meal so much! Eye of round is such a lean, healthy cut of meat that it can be eaten fairly regularly without the health concerns that are usually associated with red meat consumption. Another nice bonus is that it's very inexpensive. I get mine at Costco, and then cut the steaks to size myself. I don't think I'll ever tire of eating this meal.
Another dietary staple that I've eaten almost every day for more than four years is egg whites. Egg whites are a nearly perfect source of protein, and I never get sick of them. My current cutting diet also calls for chicken breast (which I grill in advance), and what I've been doing is heating the chicken breast up, then cutting it into small pieces and cooking it in with my egg whites. It's delicious!
For a great carb source, look no further than oats. There's a very good reason that oats are utilized by just about every bodybuilder on the planet: they are an excellent source of complex carbs and are very low in fat. I prepare my oats in water, then I mix in some all natural Stevia and cinnamon. The oats are extra tasty when eaten while sipping on strong black coffee. The taste reminds me of when I used to eat doughnuts for some reason.
If you are eating processed food items, try replacing them with natural products. After a few weeks you will see and feel the difference, I promise!
March 8, 2007
Well, this is going to be a fairly interesting and somewhat difficult daily news update.
I inadvertently opened a huge can of worms last Friday when I posted this picture. My follow-up article on Saturday scattered the worms all over the place. There's no going back now, so at this point I just need to do what I've always done: report my findings without bias, even if it means admitting that I've made a mistake.
Last night Lisa and I had a chance to practice with my new FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Caliper, and the results were shocking. My old 3-point digital caliper was either broken, highly inaccurate and/or I was not measuring correctly. My body fat percentage was WAY off. How off? I was under the impression that I am at presently at 10.5% body fat. That is incorrect. How about...
...14.7% body fat.
Yep, 14.7%. Considering I thought I was around 10.5%, that number was like a slap in the face. We repeated the tests many times, mainly to make sure we were getting consistent results, and each time the caliper showed 14.7%, +/- .2%.
This means that my reported body fat percentages have probably been way off for at least a couple of years. I can't go back and try to fix the past couple of years of body fat data, as doing so with any accuracy would be an exercise in futility; however, my 2006 end-of-bulk body fat percentage can be surmised with a reasonable degree of accuracy. That percentage is pretty ugly: 19% body fat. Yep, at this point I honestly believe that I was at least 19% body fat at the end of my 2006 bulk. It's an ugly number, but there's no way around it.
I put a lot of thought into how best to handle this situation. As I said above, I realize that I can't go back through my entire web site and try to "fix" everything. What I did feel comfortable doing is the following:
- I updated my FAQ to reflect this new information and how I now test my body fat.
- I removed the reported body fat percentages from this picture. With the exception of the first picture, the body fat percentages were probably all suspect. The picture stands well on its own with just the weights and obvious body composition changes.
- I updated my stats page in several areas. Of course I updated my current body fat percentage to reflect my new findings, but I also changed my 2006 end-of-bulk percentage to 19%, which I believe to be far more accurate then the old figure of 14%. There is also a note explaining that my reported body fat percentages may be off, especially those prior to 2007.
Some of you may be wondering if this new information is in any way discouraging to me. NO! I'm more fired up than ever, and I'm still going to get back down to 6% body fat. At my current weight (214.6 pounds) the difference between 14.7% and 10.5% body fat is just 9 pounds. So I have a little more fat to lose than I though I did, no big deal. Assuming I don't lose any lean mass, I'll be around 195 pounds when I hit 6% body fat. That means I've got about 20 pounds of fat left to lose. That is VERY doable over the next 3 months. I'm still going to reach my goal, and I'm still going to do it by June 1st.
Something I learned from this experience is that I've been putting on way too much fat when I bulk. If I bulk again next Winter it's going to be far slower, cleaner and more controlled than anything I've done before. I won't let myself get over 12% body fat ever again.
On a final note, I want to thank all the people who've provided constructive feedback and questioned my reported body fat percentage. I've always strived to be
as accurate as possible, but sometimes an outside perspective is the only way to see things clearly and without bias. Despite the initial shock of the
new body fat data, I'm very pleased that the issue was brought to my attention.
March 7, 2007
My new FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Caliper didn't arrive until last night, literally seconds before my workout started. I didn't have a chance to play around with them at all, so I won't be able to post my 7 and 9-point body fat tests until at least tomorrow. I want to practice with them and make sure I'm getting consistent measurements before I post anything. Otherwise, what's the point?
I have my meal plan for weeks 11 & 12 ready to go. You can check it out here. Let's go over the changes...
First, my training day food intake has been reduced by 300 calories to 2811 calories. My carbs have been dropped from 278 grams to about 200 grams. My protein consumption has been increased to nearly 400 grams. Foods choices remain the same, however I'll be eating more cod and less chicken. Supplement intake has changed slightly, mainly a little less creatine and a little more EFAs.
On non-training days my caloric reduction is much smaller: around 70 calories per day, and those calories are coming from carbs. I'm still getting plenty of carbs, though: about 150 grams per day. Supplement intake remains the same.
My cardio frequency and style remains the same--fasted LISS three times per week on non-training days--but the duration of each session has been increased to 40 minutes.
These new meal plans will take effect on Monday, March 12th. I'll be running them for just two weeks, so expect a new set of plans sometime before March 25th.
As always, a huge "thank you" to USBF & NBI Pro Natural Bodybuilder Mastover for all his kind assistance with my 2007 cutting program.
March 6, 2007
Later today my new FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Caliper will be here. Tonight I'll practice with them a bit and then obtain what is hopefully a far more accurate representation of my current body fat levels. Lisa is going to have to practice with me, because the 7-point and 9-point tests have pinch locations around back and can not be done solo. From what I've read, the 7-point and 9-point tests are very comparable in terms of accuracy, so it will be interesting to see how my own results compare. I'm hoping that's the case, as using the caliper's built-in 7-point test would save me some time.
I found a good article (with helpful photographs) that clearly shows the seven pinch locations for a 7-point body fat test. It's in PDF format. It's definitely worth a look if you are curious about testing your body fat levels with a caliper and are not sure how or where to pinch. Check it out here.
I'm starving--time to eat! Have a great day.
March 5, 2007
I've got a very busy day ahead, and a lot ground to cover in this morning's update...
First, it is "Measurement Monday" once again, and it's been another excellent week. This past week I lost another quarter inch from my waist, my thighs and my chest, and I lost a whopping half inch from my hips. My forearms, calves and upper arms all remained the same. I hate seeing my chest measurement go down, but I do store a fair amount of fat in that location when I'm bulking so this is expected.
As for my current weight and body fat percentage, I'm down to 214.4 pounds (a 2007 cutting low) and an unknown body fat percentage. If you read Saturday's update, you already know why I'm choosing to say "unknown body fat percentage" for the time being. If you didn't read Saturday's update, you might want to give it a quick gander now (well, maybe not "quick": it's actually a fairly lengthy article).
I'm actually very glad the subject of the accuracy (or lack thereof) of my reported body fat percentages came up. I've always strived to be as accurate as possible with everything I post on my site. I feel it is very important to present the data and pictures that I accumulate along my fitness journey without prejudice--even if I have to go back and admit a mistake. After Saturday's update, I think one of the best suggestions to come out of the ensuing discussion was to use a 9-point caliper test instead of the 3-point test I have been using. A 9-point caliper test will provide a far more accurate assessment of my true body fat percentage. Today I'll be ordering the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall. These calipers have the Jackson-Pollack 3 and 7-point equations built in, but they will also allow me to take 9-point measurements and compute my body fat manually using other formulas. I will have them overnighted to me so they will be here tomorrow. Wednesday morning I'll report my finding with the new caliper.
If you are following my cutting diet and missed yesterday's update, there has been a small change to my week 10 cutting plan. Check out yesterday's update for more information.
That's about it for this morning. Have a great Monday!
March 4, 2007
This is the final week of the second phase (weeks 7-10) of my 2007 cut. Mastover decided to make a couple of fairly minor adjustments to a couple of my training day meals for week 10:
Meal 2: Reduce 8 oz sweet potato to 4 oz
Meal 3: Reduce 1 cup brown rice (cooked) to 1/2 cup brown rice (cooked)
What he's doing here is slowly reducing my carb intake and gradually incorporating the glucose conversion from protein as my energy source. I've updated my current food log to make note of this change.
I'll be posting my meal plan for at least week 11 sometime during this coming week. I know things are going to be changing with a little more frequency from here on out, so you can expect a lot more "diet talk" and updates to my food logs over the next few months.
I've lost over 20 pounds since January 1st, and at this point most of the "easy" fat is gone. From here on out the fat is going to be coming off from what
I consider my most troublesome area: my mid-section. Of course the rest of my body will continue to lean out, become more vascular and show
deeper cuts, but the most dramatic changes will be with my abdominals. I love having a six-pack, and it has been a long time since I've had a really
good one. The next few months of this cut are going to require me to dig deep. I've got to stay 100% dedicated to my strict reduced-calorie diet while keeping my energy levels in the gym
redlined. It seems like the deeper I get into this cut, the more motivated I become. In fact, I think my motivation right now is higher than it has ever been, and that
includes my initial fat loss phase back in 2003. I'm looking forward to this part of my cut a great deal. Bring it on, Mastover!
March 3, 2007
Yesterday I posted a new comparison photo that I entitled "Four 215s" (shown again, below). This new comparison generated a fair amount of interesting feedback, and I'd like to talk about some of that feedback this morning.
First, over on our own JSF forum, long-time forum member "Guava" asked me this question:
|
Guava: I'm curious about whether you consciously had different "focal" body parts, or is that just the way it worked out. I see a lot of growth in pecs, biceps and quads between the second and third photos, and more of a difference in shoulders and lats in the last photo. Is that due to your shoulder injury, different training styles, something else, or am I imagining it? |
My reply is next in the thread, but since it's Saturday I will reproduce it here to save you the trouble of an extra click :
|
John Stone: Good question. Probably some of all of the above. The 2005 post-bulk picture was right after my first bulk, which I'd started in August 2004 after about 8+ months of not being able to do any upper body workouts (shoulder injury). I was doing MAX-OT at the time, and made some nice strength gains, as well as some n00b mass gains. At that point I was just trying to pack on mass and increase my overall strength. If I recall correctly, there was no particular focus placed on any specific body part(s). I have to admit that I was worried about re-injuring my shoulder, and did not work my shoulders nearly as hard nor as effectively as I should/could have. The 2006 picture was during my 2005 bulk (one month remaining). During that bulk I was focusing more on hypertrophy and less on strength gains. I remember wanting to really bring my back up, and I feel I did a good job there. I put too much emphasis on my arms and not enough on my shoulders, and that is very obvious in the 2006 picture. My legs grow if I even think the word "squat", so they didn't get any particular focus, but were worked hard. My chest growth came about, I believe, because I starting using lighter weight (but still challenging), doing higher reps/volume (4 sets of 10-12, 4 exercises) and focusing on the mind-muscle connection instead of just pushing the weight around. That made a huge difference. I'll be the first to admit that the March 2007 photo still shows a lot of room for improvement in terms of symmetry, but it's clearly the best of the bunch. This past bulk I used the same exact principles that I used in the previous year's bulk, but I did place some added focus on what I believed were my weakest areas: shoulders, lats, traps and overall upper body width. That's not to say my other body parts got off easy! I think my two biggest remaining weaknesses are my rear delts and my traps. My traps actually have grown quite a lot (many people don't realize that the trapezius is actually a much larger muscle group than "the two humps on either side of the neck"), but genetically I don't have a lot of height to my traps unless I'm doing a most muscular pose or something. Right now I'm undecided about doing another bulk. I'm going to wait and see how I look after my cut is over. If I do another bulk, it's going to be much cleaner than the previous bulks. I put on way too much fat the past 3 bulks. In fact, I think I've been underestimating my body fat percentages for quite some time (including in my most recent picture). I'm going to talk a bit more about this in tomorrow's Daily News update. |
So, what's this about my body fat estimates being off? That's the second topic of today's update...
First, I think it goes without saying that I've always welcomed constructive criticism. Over the years those people who have been kind enough to offer constructive feedback about my progress have helped me quite a lot. Look, I don't care how experienced you are, or how good you think you are, there is always room for improvement. Those people who are not open to critique are not only doing themselves a disservice, but I personally find that kind of arrogance very off-putting.
Having said that, I'm often the target of less than constructive criticism and, well, pretty much outright bashing. That's something I've learned to deal with over the years. Hey, if you're going to put yourself out there as I choose to do, then you've got to expect a certain amount of that sort of thing. I don't like it, but that's the reality we live in.
So, with the above in mind, I found it refreshing to read this thread over at the Muscle Talk forum. Even though many of the posters disagree with my body fat estimates, almost all of them were very constructive with their criticism, and didn't resort to bashing or pointless flaming. That says a lot about their community over there, and I read the thread with an open mind and great interest.
I think some excellent points were made on both "sides" of the debate. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not even close to what one would call an "expert" when it comes to body fat readings. It is very possible that my body fat is higher than what I have shown in ALL of the below pictures. One guy thought I was as high as 15% in my latest photos, and that I disagree with, but I accept that it is certainly possible I'm not as low as 10.5%. I know my readings are consistent, but perhaps the baseline is wrong and I have been underestimating my body fat for a long time. I do store a disproportionate amount of fat in my mid-section, and that fat is always the last to go. My abs don't really start showing under I'm under 10% body fat. If I am indeed at 10.5% body fat right now, then by then end of March my abs should really be popping since most of my remaining fat will come off from my mid-section. I guess this month is going to be very telling. If I'm right, my April 1st pictures should change some minds. If I'm wrong, I'm perfectly willing to admit it. Hey, I lift weights and eat clean--that's what I put my energies into. If my skills with the caliper are lacking, I can deal with that!
Anyway, my hat is off to you guys over at Muscle Talk for bringing this subject up and for being so civil with your opinions. If any JSF members want to give me your input on this subject, I, of course, welcome it. Please post your insight in my Media Thread.
March 2, 2007
I had a sub-par performance in the gym last night. Now that my dog Turtle is finally home and safe, I think all those restless nights and all that stress that I've been trying to ignore came pouring out. I really didn't feel like working out, but I forced myself to get in there and give it my best shot. In the middle of my workout Turtle cried out in pain. There are probably only two or three things that I'll allow to interrupt my workout, and that's one of them. I ran in to check on her and she was fine. She was just feeling some intense post-op pain as she adjusted her position in bed. That event actually inspired me. I thought to myself, "What are you whining about? Being TIRED?! Imagine how Turtle feels." I went back into the gym and had a very strong finish to my workout. What changed in the space of that 4 minutes? Nothing but my mindset.
One of the advantages of taking so many pictures over the years is that I can go back and do all kinds of fun, semi-interesting comparisons. I've got another one ready for today. Yesterday evening it dawned on me that in my latest monthly photos I am almost the exact same weight at which I started this whole thing. I checked back though my picture archives, and I was at this same weight a couple of other times over the past four years, too. I put them all side by side, and I like the direction I'm heading. I feel that the most interesting difference between the bulk I just completed and the other two post-bulking shots shown below is the improvement I made to my upper body width. My lats and shoulders have come a long way, and those two things make a big difference. As I continue to cut, these improvements will become even more pronounced because my waist will be smaller.
March 1, 2007
My latest set of progress photos are up! I'm very happy with how things are coming along. I definitely look smaller all around, but that's a good thing because I'm losing fat and not muscle. This past month I lost 7 pounds, for a grand total of 19.6 pounds since January 1st. when I started cutting on January 1st I was around 14% body fat, and in February I reduced my body fat from around 12% to roughly 10.5%. I lost almost 1.5 inches from my waist in February, bringing my total waist size reduction to just shy of 3 inches since I started cutting.
March should be a very "dramatic" month, because the bulk of my remaining fat is around my mid-section and legs. By the end of March I should be at, or close to, 8% body fat; my abs should be quite defined, and my quads should be showing some separation. As I move from 8% body fat down to 6% in April and May, my physique will take on a very lean and vascular appearance. Because I've never cut down to that body fat level with any appreciable muscle on my frame, this will be uncharted territory for me. I'm very excited to see how I'll look at 6% body fat because I've added around 40 pounds of muscle since the last time I was at 6% (back in 2003).
Yesterday I mentioned my dog Turtle's spinal surgery, and I'd like to offer my most sincere thanks to all the wonderful people
who took the time to email me, PM me or post on the forums. Your positive energy could be felt, and it really helped. I'm a huge animal lover--always have been--and my dogs are like my kids. The
past few weeks have been very difficult for me, Lisa, Loki and, of course, Turtle. I posted a follow-up yesterday afternoon in this thread (scroll down a bit), along with some pictures of poor Turtle that I took when we visited her at the hospital yesterday. The good news is the doctors are all stunned by her incredible recovery, and unless I hear differently I get to bring her home this morning!
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