Daily News Archives
May 2006
05/31/2006 - No update - on vacation.
05/30/2006 - No update - on vacation.
05/29/2006 - No update - on vacation.
05/28/2006 - No update - on vacation.
05/27/2006 - No update - on vacation.
05/26/2006 - New training split; ON VACATION!
05/25/2006 - Running late!
05/24/2006 - Lisa is working out again; Back workout; Wednesday night plans.
05/23/2006 - No more NO-Xplode for me; Great workout last night; Very sore.
05/22/2006 - John, the social butterfly?
05/21/2006 - Awesome party last night; 12th wedding anniversary!
05/20/2006 - Saturday plans.
05/19/2006 - "How big do you want to get?"
05/18/2006 - Vacation plans; Thanks to the JSF forum members!
05/17/2006 - Cutting program to end May 31st; More on my plans for summer.
05/16/2006 - Late night last night.
05/15/2006 - Crazy month; Still trying to find balance.
05/14/2006 - Happy Mother's Day; "Night of pain: The musical"
05/13/2006 - More problems at work; Great workout last night; New split on the horizon.
05/12/2006 - Thoughts about my cutting goals; Summer plans.
05/11/2006 - Back in the groove; AtLarge sale has begun!
05/10/2006 - Enjoyed my day off; Almost fully recovered from my 5-day lapse.
05/09/2006 - Feeling much better today; AtLarge Nutrition specials!
05/08/2006 - A few setbacks; Getting back on track!
05/07/2006 - Long day yesterday; Relaxing evening in the garden; Today I rest.
05/06/2006 - Bad morning.
05/05/2006 - "Where's have you been?"
05/04/2006 - Maximize growth through change.
05/03/2006 - Review: SuperPump 250.
05/02/2006 - Very hungry this morning; 8% body fat.
05/01/2006 - Monthly photos.
May 27 - May 31, 2006
No update - on vacation.
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May 26, 2006
Last night was supposed to be my leg workout, but shortly before my workout I decided to make a change to my split that I've been thinking about implementing for a while now: I'm moving back to a 5-day split, just like when I was bulking. My old 4-day split had me working my delts on the same day as my biceps and triceps, and it was just too much volume for one workout--I was short-changing myself: I had to reduce my delts volume and, subconsciously, my intensity levels just so I'd have something left to work my biceps and triceps. Also, by the time I got around to my bicep/tricep supersets, I could barely lift my arms. Last night I worked my delts only, and my intensity level was through the roof! I was also able to add more exercises and quality volume, and that's what my muscles respond the best to. Tonight I'll be working my biceps and triceps (I don't want to split bis/tris apart because I've seen amazing results with antagonistic supersets); it will be really nice to be able to give those two muscle groups my full attention once again. I'll be working my legs on Saturday or Sunday evening, depending on my weekend schedule.
VACATION NOTICE: I'll be starting a much-needed two week vacation today. I'll be working out and maintaining a relatively clean diet during my time off, but there will be no updates to this page. If you are bored and looking for something to read, maybe check the News Archives--there's several years of my daily musings. You'll find some good stuff in there (...and plenty of nonsense & crap, too!)
Thanks for visiting JSF. I'll resume my normal daily updates on Monday, June 12, 2006. See you then!
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May 25, 2006
Oh boy, am I ever running late this morning. I got up on time, but one thing led to another and here I am 30 minutes late for my cardio. I'm going to cut this update short, go get on the bike and hope that work doesn't interrupt me. Wish me luck!
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May 24, 2006
Last night's back workout was enhanced because Lisa was in the gym with me, doing cardio. That's right, Lisa is working out again! She wants to drop a few pounds of fat through diet and cardio exercise, and she will begin weight training in a couple of weeks. Yesterday we worked on a detailed meal plan for her, and after my workout last night I went to the store and bought all the food she needs to get started (our normal grocery shopping day is not until Saturday). I'm so happy that she's working out again! Even though she looks great, I think a healthy diet and regular exercise will do wonders for her overall health and wellbeing. I'm really proud of her for getting started. Her enthusiasm is inspiring me!
Speaking of last night's training, wow! I worked my back and traps, and it was an excellent workout (I think I may have been showing off a little for Lisa, haha!) Anyway, this morning I'm feeling a little pre-DOMS tightness in my back, traps and lats, and my pecs are on fire from Monday's chest workout.
Tonight I've got no weight training, so I think Lisa and I are going to head over to the shooting range where she'll no doubt put me (and half the other guys there) to shame with her ultra-tight groupings and steady hand. She's going to be scary with a little more practice!
Cardio time for me - have a wonderful day!
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May 23, 2006
Yesterday was a very active day for me: 45 minutes of cardio, 1.5 hours of yard work and a very intense 45-minute chest and abs workout. I slept very well last night!
Last night's chest workout kicked my butt! I decided to hit the weights without my usual pre-workout energy drink (I normally use NO-Xplode) and I didn't notice any difference in my energy levels at all. In fact, it was one of my best chest workouts in a long time. I'm pretty sure most of us adapt to those pre-workout energy drinks fairly quickly, and after that they just don't do much of anything. I think from now on I'm going to drop the expensive pre-workout energy drinks and stick to good old-fashioned headbangin' music to boost my workout energy levels.
I changed my chest workout around last night, and my pecs are already feeling sore this morning--just a little over 12 hours after my workout! Normally it takes 24 hours for me to start feeling sore, and around 36-48 hours after my workout I hit the apex of the DOMS. I have a feeling I'm going to be hurting tomorrow. Not only that, tonight is back night and those deadlift/shrug supersets always kill. Wednesday is my day off from weight training, and I'm going to need it!
I'm off to do my cardio--see ya!
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May 22, 2006
What a wonderful weekend! Even though Lisa and I had a lot of things to do, we managed to take most of yesterday for ourselves so we could enjoy our anniversary (thanks for all the congratulations!) If I may be allowed to toot my own horn for a moment, dinner came out absolutely perfect. It's been a while since I've enjoyed a nice steak, and even longer since I've had cheesecake. I ate every last bite.
Socially speaking, last week was one of the most active weeks in recent memory. Lisa and I were gone more than we were at home. I managed to keep a pretty clean diet and only missed a couple of meals. Good planning and a little restraint is what made the difference.
Of course after last night's dinner I'm feeling very bloated this morning. It will take a couple of days to shed the water weight, but I'm used to that. My body is simply not accustomed to dinners like the one I had last night. Every time I have a free meal my fingers feel like sausages and my face looks puffy the next morning. I'll have plenty of chances to sweat some of that water out today: this morning I've got 45 minutes of cardio, and tonight is chest & abs.
BTW, I still have not committed 100% to the start date of my June vacation. I'm leaning towards making it a full two weeks, starting on Saturday June 27th. In fact, don't be surprised if this Friday's daily news update is my last until June 12th.
Thanks for stopping by--have a great day!
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May 21, 2006
Lisa and I had a great time at my friend's party last night! The live blues band was really good, and they played an excellent mix of cover tunes and originals. The Memphis barbeque, flown in just for the party, was absolutely amazing! Believe me, I could have eaten an entire rack of ribs and a ton of sides, but I controlled myself and only had four ribs, some beans (which were also amazing), a little pulled pork and a roll. We ate our dinner outside by the pool, chatting with friends as the band played and the sun went down. It was an excellent party!
Today Lisa and I are celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary! I remember the day we were married like it was yesterday: it was a beautiful outdoor ceremony... the sun was setting on the lake in front of us, completely blinding me throughout most of the ceremony. At the time I had no idea that the sun stinging my eyes was simply nature's attempt to warn me about the lifetime of discomfort I'd be enduring as a married man. Or perhaps the sun boring in to my skull, rendering me sightless for the duration of the ceremony, was symbolic ("Go on, sign, blind boy!")
Thankfully after 12 years of marriage and almost 17 years together, Lisa and I can still joke with each other. I'm sure she'll enjoy the preceding paragraph (well, assuming she gets her lazy ass out of bed at some point and reads it). Seriously, the last 12 years of my life have certainly had plenty of ups and downs, but Lisa's always remained by my side and has always been ardent and steadfast in her support for me. My worst days with Lisa are better than any day I lived without her. I'm one lucky dude.
Lisa and I decided to celebrate at home tonight, so I'm cooking us a nice anniversary feast. We stopped at Fresh Market last night on the way home from the party and
I picked up some incredible looking steak, baking potatoes, asparagus, garlic bread, a fantastic bottle of wine, white roses
and cheesecake. I think I'm going to do six hours of cardio tomorrow! 
May 20, 2006
It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day today! After my workout this morning I'm going to go get my haircut and then clean up the house with Lisa. I'm not sure what else we're going to do today, but tonight we're going to be attending a friend's housewarming party. It should be fun--poolside BBQ and a live blues band.
I've got to go get on the bike, get a shower and eat breakfast or I'm going to be late for my haircut. Have a great Saturday!
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May 19, 2006
A lot of people are curious to know how big I intend on getting. Honestly, I'm not that big right now. Many of the pictures I post are in a "pumped" state, and that adds quite a few pounds of apparent muscle. If you were to see me on the street, you might think "That guy works out", but I seriously doubt anyone says to themselves, "Wow, that guy must be a bodybuilder!" I simply don't have that look (and I really don't want that look). At just shy of 6 feet tall and 200 pounds/8% body fat, I have a good amount of muscle for my frame but I don't have a stocky "bodybuilder" build at all.
So, what's my ultimate goal? I don't have any exact numbers to throw out, but I can say "not much bigger". I think this upcoming winter bulk will be my last one, at least for a while. Maintaining "abnormally" large amounts of muscle (especially at 37 years old) is very difficult, and requires constant attention to diet and training. While I'm very dedicated to my health, fitness and a healthy diet, I'm at the point where I'd like to enjoy my health and body without feeling guilty every time I eat something that's not in the official plan. It's easy to get caught up in the "I must always get bigger!" cycle--men especially--and for some people that's just fine. To each their own! We all have different goals, and ultimately have to do what is right for ourselves.
I'm off to do my cardio now. Tonight is delts, biceps and triceps. I'm very pleased that in a few weeks I'll be changing my splits and no longer working all three of those body parts together--it's just too much for one workout!
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May 18, 2006
One nice thing about working hard all year is that a lot of vacation time gets saved up! I'm in that position now, and I have a lot of time off that must be used before August 1st or I lose it. I'm going to take at least one week off in June (June 3rd - June 11th) but I'm thinking about extending that to two weeks and taking May 27th - June 11th off. I'll also be taking a couple of weeks off in July: July 8th - July 23rd. There will be no updates to the site during these vacation days. I'll make an announcement about the May/June vacation as soon as I make up my mind. I'm really looking forward to some time off, as I'm feeling very burnt out and ready for an interlude from my standard day-to-day routines. I want to hit the beach!
I'd like to take a moment to recognize all the amazing transformations in the Media Gallery and the Fitness Journal sections of the forum. I follow many of the threads in those two areas with great interest, and I find the level of commitment and enthusiasm very inspiring. Our members have shown time and time again that anyone with heart, drive and dedication can obtain the body and health he or she desires. I salute every one of you--YOU are what makes the JSF forums special.
I see it's cardio time again. A cool side benefit to all this cardio is that I'm reading a lot more books these days!
Have a great day!
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May 17, 2006
My mid-section is tightening up nicely, and I'm almost done cutting. This morning I'm down to 196.8 pounds, and 8% body fat. I still have some fat just below my belly button, but I'm not willing to continue dieting down to ~5% body fat just to get rid of it. What would be the point? So that I could take a couple of pictures that don't represent how I look most of the time? I don't want to do that. The pictures would probably look great, but as soon as I went back to a more reasonable diet that would be the first place the fat would return.
No, I'm comfortable at 8% body fat. I may not look exactly how I'd like to, but I have a six-pack and I can maintain that level of body fat while still having fun and eating a couple of free meals each week. I feel lean, healthy and happy. I'm going to continue to cut until the end of the month, but starting in June I'm going to ramp up my calories a bit, change my diet up and start lifting very heavy using MAX-OT. I'll follow this program all summer long, and this fall (probably October or November) I'll start my bulk using SUP2. I think the strength gains I make this summer will help set the stage for a very successful bulk next Winter.
Thanks for stopping by and for your continued support of this site and the forums. Have a wonderful day!
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May 16, 2006
I'm running very late this morning. I'm normally in bed by 9:30 or 10:00 each night, but last night I didn't get to bed until midnight. I only overslept by 30 minutes, but that 30 minutes makes a big difference.
Sorry for the short update, but I've got to get my cardio in before I have to get to work. I've got a very busy schedule today, and tonight I'm working my back and traps. I have a feeling that I'll be in bed very early tonight, and will sleep soundly.
Enjoy your day!
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May 15, 2006
This month has been a very unusual month for me diet-wise. There have been a large number of parties, celebrations, dinners, classes and social gatherings. Also, my work schedule has been very unpredictable and the hours have been long. Despite all that, I've only missed a few workouts this month (3 cardio and 1 weight training), but my diet has been rather uneven. Last week's diet was perfect during the work week, but over the past couple of weekends it has been very relaxed.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was going to relax and not worry about this sort of thing, but in practice it's been a little more difficult to ignore than I first anticipated. It's not that I'm putting on fat--I'm not--but I'm not making any further progress with my cut, either. I'm right around 8%-9% body fat, and have been there for a few weeks now. I'm not totally happy with current body fat levels and I do want to drop a little more fat, but in order to do that I'm going to have to buckle down diet-wise for about a month.
This week alone I've got a 4-hour night class after work (no eating during class), two dinner parties, dinner or lunch with a friend who's in town and Lisa and I will be celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary with a fancy dinner. Those "obligations" account for only 4 or 5 meals out of 42 meals this week, so I'm going to make sure the rest of my diet is perfect, and I'm going to also make sure I don't miss any of my 11 workouts. The reason I mention all of this is because I'm in the process of trying to find that balance I've been looking for: working out and eating right, yes, but also "allowing" myself the freedom to relax and enjoy life without feeling guilty.
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May 14, 2006
Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful moms out there! Mom, I hope you have a wonderful day because you deserve it. Thanks for everything you do, and for putting up with me all these years--that's no small job! I wish I could be there with you today. Lisa and I are really looking forward to your visit this summer!
My arms--especially my triceps--are SO sore that when I woke up in the middle of the night last night I had a lot of trouble getting comfortable and falling back asleep. While I was tossing around listening to Lisa, Loki and Turtle form an annoying fugue of snores, my forearm cramped up--HARD. I formed the final member of our little nighttime quartet by screaming like a little girl. No one woke up. I eventually stopped crying and fell asleep.
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May 13, 2006
When it rains, it pours. I woke up to more network problems at work today. Another apartment complex completely down. So, I get to spend my Saturday working. Again. You know, IT pays pretty well, but sometimes I question if it's worth it. After over 15 years in this industry, the stress and unpredictability of the job are begin to wear on me.
Enough about my problems at work--I'll get over it, and I won't be missing my cardio this morning.
I had a fantastic workout last night: delts, biceps and triceps. I'm going to change my split around this summer. Doing delts on the same day as arms is just too much. I always hit my delts first, and I hit them hard because they need the most work. The problem is, by the time I get to my bicep/tricep supersets I can barely lift my arms! I have to dig deep to complete the workout, but I still feel like my bicep/tricep work is getting the short end of the stick due to fatigue. I do want to continue supersetting my biceps and triceps when I bulk next year, but for the summer I may split my arms apart while I'm doing MAX-OT style training (see yesterday's update).
OK, cardio time and then I'm going to put my troubleshooting hat on and get to work. Have a great day!
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May 12, 2006
I'm debating the wisdom of cutting down to 6% body fat. Once I get there, then what? I'm not competing and I certainly won't be trying to maintain that level of body fat. Summer is coming and, while I do still have a little fat to lose around my lower waist, once I'm happy with how I look I plan to relax my diet a bit for the summer. Right now I'm leaning towards cutting through the rest of this month--maybe a week or two into June--and then start eating slightly above maintenance while transitioning to a heavy MAX-OT style weight training program for the next few months. My main goal this summer will be to add strength without adding much fat (and to have fun!) Around September or October of this year, I will start my full-on bulking program (SUP2) with a focus on muscle size. I think the strength gains I make this summer (and switching my weight training program for a few months) will help me see some nice gains this winter.
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May 11, 2006
I'm feeling pretty good this morning. I've still got a bit of a sore throat, but other than that I'm 100%. After a bit of a stumble last week, I feel like I'm totally back in the groove; thankfully work has been far calmer this week than it was last week.
AtLarge Nutrition Sale! The AtLarge Nutrition 10% off sale has begun. You get 10% off your entire purchase--even shipping! The sale runs from Thursday, May 11th - Monday, May 15th. The coupon code you will need to enter at checkout is JSF. In addition to the 10% sale, AtLarge also offers generous quantity discounts when you purchase more than one of any individual product. The quantity discounts are shown on each product's information page. Also, AtLarge is throwing in their fat loss guide at no extra charge when you purchase their Fat Loss Stack, which contains one each of Nitrean, Themocin, ETS, Creatine 500 and Multi-Plus. You save over $17.00 compared to what it would cost you to purchase these products individually. AtLarge's shipping times are slightly slower than the blink of an eye, you'll have your products before you know it. Enjoy!
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May 10, 2006
I enjoyed my day off yesterday a great deal. It was nice to relax and not worry about switches, routers, servers and pagers for a while. I went for a nice drive, squeezed off a couple hundred rounds at the range, got all the yard work done, detailed my car and watched a movie.
I'm within a pound of the weight I was at before my 5-day "slide" so, as expected, most of the weight gain was water. Speaking of which, it's amazing how bloated and puffy my face looks with just a few pounds of extra water weight! I looked like a different person two days ago, and today I look like myself again. I can get away with a free meal or two every week, but anything more than that wreaks havoc on my appearance and how I feel.
I managed to knock off the cold I had very quickly this time. I feel 95% this morning. I'm pretty sure last week's long work hours, poor diet, lack of sleep and high stress levels were major contributors to picking up that cold from Lisa.
I'm going to go get my cardio done and eat. I hope you have a great day!
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May 9, 2006
As you may have read in yesterday's update, I had let my diet and training slide for 4 or 5 days. It's amazing how poor I felt during that time. After just one day of eating right and resuming my normal exercise routine, I've dropped four pounds of water bloat, I woke I feeling awake and alert instead of sluggish and tired, and I'm in a great mood. Of course my great mood may have something to do with the fact that I'm caught up at work and all the major crises are behind me. I'm taking the day off!
I've got a couple pieces of cool AtLarge Nutrition news!
First, AtLarge Nutrition is throwing in their fat loss guide at no extra charge when you purchase their Fat Loss Stack, which contains one each of Nitrean, Themocin, ETS, Creatine 500 and Multi-Plus. You save over $17.00 compared to what it would cost you to purchase these products individually...
...BUT, you may want to wait a couple of days to place your order. I know a lot of you have been waiting for the next AtLarge Nutrition 10% off sale so that you can stock up on all your favorite AtLarge products. Starting on Thursday, AtLarge will be running a special 10% off sale for JSF members and visitors. The sale will run from Thursday, May 11th - Monday, May 15th. I'll announce further details and the coupon code first thing Thursday morning.
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May 8, 2006
Between the very tough work week, the high amounts of stress I've been feeling and the cold I'm currently fighting, my diet and training have slipped over the past 4 or 5 days. This morning I'm feeling very bloated, sluggish and tired, and I am extremely disappointed in myself for allowing my work life to intrude so heavily into my personal life. No matter what may be going on at work, I've always been very adamant about taking the time I need for my workouts and meals. Taking this small amount of time each day is not a lot to ask, and it's very important to me. This past week I've let this basic axiom of my life slip, and I have no one but myself to blame.
We're all human, and we all have setbacks from time-to-time. When you recognize a failure in your life, the most important thing is to not wallow in it: don't let
a minor problem become a major problem--don't use one mistake as an excuse to make several more! Recognize the problem, don't ignore it and then take
immediate corrective action. That's exactly what I'm going to do starting right now! I feel better already.
May 7, 2006
Yesterday was long and difficult, but I got through it and got all of the major problems I was dealing with resolved. I still have some "critical" work to do, but it's not so critical that it can't wait until tomorrow. I need a day off to rest--I've got to shake this darn cold!
So last night after I finished working, I was feeling completely tired, stressed and worn-out. I didn't feel like reading, getting online or watching TV, so I decided to turn on the irrigation system out back and go outside and sit for awhile. It was a nice outside, and fairly windy; a fine mist of water from the sprinklers cooled and relaxed me as I sat and let the stress melt away.
All that hard work I do in the yard every weekend? Nights like last night make it all worthwhile. I felt much better after just 20 minutes out there. I grabbed my camera and took a couple of pictures before I came in...
Today I'm not doing anything--not even cardio. I'm getting off this computer and I'm going to veg out in front of the TV.
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May 6, 2006
This work week has been insane, and this morning is no different. This morning I'm working on one of our core servers that has crashed (work server, not a JSF server) AND an outage at an entire apartment complex, plus ongoing issues with yet another apartment complex. Those are just the major items - there are a dozen smaller items that are sort of dancing around in the background begging for my attention.
My sleep has been disrupted by my pager all week, and while my diet has been fairly good, it has slipped a little this week as well. The stress, lack of sleep and less than perfect diet have weakened my immune system, and it seems I now have a bad cold. Lisa had the cold last week and I thought I'd escaped it, but my throat is killing me and my sinuses are a wreck. Nothing like a bad cold to make a difficult situation worse. Needless to say, it's going to be another long day.
I know my update this morning was uncharacteristically "down", but this is one of those rare days when that's how I'm feeling--down. When I write and I am happy and positive, it's 100% genuine--that's how I feel 99% of the time. Days like today? Not so much.
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May 5, 2006
I know I've not been around the forum much the past week or so, and that's because this is a very busy time for me right now. There's a lot of high-stress things going on at work, and I've got a lot obligations outside of work that are taking up most of my spare time right now. All this week it's been pretty much non-stop from the moment I wake up until I collapse into bed at night. Hopefully things will let up a bit soon and I'll have some more free time.
Today is going to be especially busy, so I'd better get to it. Happy Friday!
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May 4, 2006
Tuesday night's back/traps workout may not have been my best, but don't try to tell my back that this morning--I'm sore! I neglected to mention that I changed up my exercises for Tuesday night's workout, and that always has a shocking effect on my muscles.
If you are doing the same exercises every single time you hit the gym, then you are doing yourself a major disservice and not making the best use of your time under the iron. We all know change is uncomfortable, and dealing with the familiar is safe and far more easy. Resist the temptation to hit the gym and go through the motions like a robot. You may have the discipline to show up and do your workouts, but that's only part of the equation. For maximum growth, I believe that the best results are achieved when you keep your body from adapting; this is done through progressive resistance (increasing the number of reps/amount of weight every workout without sacrificing form), and changing your weight training exercises every 3-4 weeks.
There are a few exercises that form the foundation of my workouts, and I always do them. For example, I always do deadlifts on back day, and I always do squats on leg day. I do switch the position of those "core" exercises around every so often (sometimes I'll start off with deads, and other times they will be the second, third or last exercise I do).
Yikes! I've got to get moving, I'm late for my cardio. Thanks for taking the time to stop by - have a great day!
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May 3, 2006
Last night's workout (back and traps) was not my greatest. I felt sick to my stomach from a pre-workout energy drink I've been trying called "SuperPump 250" by Gaspari Nutrition. I have the fruit punch flavor, and it's absolutely disgusting. I can barely get it down, and it gets worse each time I use it. Keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who can drink unflavored hydrolyzed whey protein without batting an eyelash. SuperPump also gives me a mild headache every time I use it. Thankfully I've not had "bathroom" issues, as many others have reported, but I do have a strong feeling of wanting to gag that lasts from the first sip right through (and past) the end of my workout. I've been forcing this crap down for over a month now, and have noticed none of the benefits touted on the label. Last night was the last straw--I'm going back to BSN's NO-Xplode for my pre-workout energy drink--Xplode has always worked great for me and I like the taste.
So this morning I woke up starving again! That's two days in a row. Very weird, as my diet this week has not changed one bit. I'm going to go burn some fat on the bike and then get some breakfast in me. Have a great day!
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May 2, 2006
This rarely happens, but I woke up starving this morning! Usually I'm not in the least bit hungry until after I finish my cardio, but for some reason this morning I can't stop thinking about breakfast. My diet yesterday was spot-on and no different than any other day. In fact, yesterday was a lifting day so I had plenty of food after my workout.
My body weight has dropped below 200 pounds for the first time since my bulk, and my waist is closing in on 31.5 inches (measured at my widest point). Considering my waist measurement was almost 35 inches at the end of my bulk, that's pretty good progress. I expect that my waist measurement will continue to drop over the next month, as there really is no where else for the fat to come off. I'm going to go ahead and change my body fat percentage "officially" to 8%. It's the upper 8% range, but my calipers combined with my tape and eyes are pretty accurate indicators.
I'm going to go get my cardio done right now so I can EAT!!
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May 1, 2006
My new monthly pictures are up. My posing wasn't the greatest in these pictures--particularly in the side shot--but I'm running late this morning and didn't have time to re-take them. Anyway, I'm down about 6 pounds from last month's pictures, and I've not lost any muscle size or strength. Most of the fat I lost came from my love handles and below my belly button, so these pictures don't look a whole lot different than last month's pictures. I do look noticeable leaner in person than I did a month ago, but there's still more work to be done. It's nice that I'm still making progress while relaxing my diet a bit more on the weekends.
I've decided that I'm going to take my monthly photos in the same pair of boxers from now on. I never wear those boxers anyway (they are too tight after my last bulk), so I'll just keep them around for my monthly pictures, which will make for an even more uniform comparison (we'll ignore my inconsistent posing for the sake of argument!)
I'm off to do my cardio and get to work. Have a great day!
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