Daily News Archives
October 2003
10/31/2003 - 3 years since I quit smoking; Cheat meal tonight!
10/30/2003 - Feeling better, much work to do.
10/29/2003 - Feeling a little better, still recovering.
10/28/2003 - Still under the weather; All about...my boxers?!?
10/27/2003 - I have the flu; Moving my week off to this week.
10/26/2003 - Good workout yesterday; Rest.
10/25/2003 - More "same weight" comparison shots; Benefits of taking daily pictures.
10/24/2003 - Another great leg workout; Recovery plans; Cheat meal!
10/23/2003 - Catching up on work.
10/22/2003 - I have a cold.
10/21/2003 - Measurements; MAX-OT spreadsheet.
10/20/2003 - Typical Monday.
10/19/2003 - Aches and pains; Nice day to be off.
10/18/2003 - Another beautiful day; Workout goals; Guy movie day.
10/17/2003 - Raiders on DVD; Leg workout results; Pizza night; Notice for AOL Customers.
10/16/2003 - Fall is here...
10/15/2003 - No time to write.
10/14/2003 - Why you should be training with weights.
10/13/2003 - Quick Monday update.
10/12/2003 - Another excellent workout; Jehovah's Witnesses; Rest day.
10/11/2003 - Saturday mornings; Shaving; Rainy movie day.
10/10/2003 - More gains; Soreness; Cheat meal!; How much weight do you lift?
10/09/2003 - Email, email, email.
10/08/2003 - Long day ahead; Network maintenance reminder.
10/07/2003 - Network maintenance over the next 2 nights.
10/06/2003 - Official 1 month bulking progress report.
10/05/2003 - Sore; 1st month bulking progress report (a day early); Rest day.
10/04/2003 - Today's upper body workout; Cheat meal bloat.
10/03/2003 - Excellent gains using MAX-OT; Cheat meal night!
10/02/2003 - No spare time this morning.
10/01/2003 - Slight diet modification; Ab straps are cool!
October 31, 2003
Today is a proud day for me: it was 3 years ago today that I crushed out my last cigarette. I smoked for over 10 years, and I was a very heavy and very addicted smoker (the last 3 or 4 years that I smoked I was smoking 2-3 packs a day). Quitting smoking was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. I remember about 3 weeks after I quit I came very close to starting again: things at work were really stressful, the air conditioning in my house went out making it very hot and uncomfortable, my computer room, which is where I do all my work, was almost unbearable... Something inside me snapped and I actually got in my car and drove to the store to buy some cigarettes. Once I got there, I sat in the parking lot for 10 minutes. Those were pivotal moments for me. Somehow I managed to talk myself out of going in that store and succumbing to my craving. I came back home and took it one day at a time. It was very difficult, but here I am 3 years later completely smoke-free. The thought of having a cigarette now absolutely disgusts me, and I never crave them anymore.
Tonight is my cheat meal night! I'll be having pizza, but will pass on the wine since I'm still not 100% recovered from the flu. I'm going to get lots of rest this weekend and hopefully by Monday I'll be 100%.
Have a good day, see you this weekend!
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October 30, 2003
I'm finally starting to feel better, but I've got a huge backlog of work I need to get done. Since this is my week off from working out, there's not much to report anyway! Hope you have a good day, see you tomorrow...
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October 29, 2003
I'm still recovering from the flu but am feeling a little better this morning. I am going to continue to rest today and hopefully by tomorrow I'll be feeling much better. Take care, see you tomorrow...
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October 28, 2003
I'm still dealing with the flu this morning. This stuff sure knocked me on my butt. I'm going to go get back in bed and rest up.
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October 27, 2003
As I mentioned last week, part of MAX-OT requires a week off every 8 weeks. I had planned to take next week off, but I'm moving it forward and taking this week off. The reason is because I have the $@#^* flu! I'm really feeling horrible this morning, so I might as well take my week of rest now since my body obviously needs it. I will also be cycling off creatine this week. I will resume normal workouts and creatine usage on Monday November 3, 2003.
I'll still be updating this page every day and taking my daily photos. It sure is going to be weird not working out for a whole week...
Have a good day, I'm going to go crawl back in bed now. See you tomorrow.
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October 26, 2003
I'm glad it is a rest day, because my whole body hurts. I had a great workout yesterday, but I didn't break my max bench record (tried twice, too). I did manage to up the weight and/or reps for all my working sets, so I'm pleased about that.
I'm going to go get started resting. 
Have a good day, see you tomorrow.
October 25, 2003
My weight keeps climbing up, but most of the weight is muscle. I like to remind myself of that by occasionally comparing how I look now to how I used to look at the same weight but with a higher body fat percentage:
 |
 |
177.4 Pounds 14% Body Fat |
177.4 Pounds 9% Body Fat |
Even though I'm not where I want to be yet as far as muscle development (and I'm carrying a little more fat right now than I'd like), these comparison pictures keep me focused on my goals and remind me that progress is being made. The March 28 picture also reminds me to NEVER, EVER, EVER, bleach my hair again.
Bulking is a much slower process compared to losing weight. Although taking pictures every day sometimes tends to be a pain, it's well worth the hassle.
Time for me to get going on my workout. This morning I'll be working my pecs, delts and triceps in the weight room. Going for a new 1 rep max bench personal best, too, of course! See you tomorrow...
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October 24, 2003
For the seventh week in a row I've added another 5 pounds to my 1 rep max squat and another 5 pounds to my working sets! MAX-OT training works, no question about it. I think switching from my old pyramid weight training style to MAX-OT was one of the best decisions I've made. Needless to say, I'm very pleased with the results so far!
MAX-OT is a tough training program, and it requires a week off every 8 weeks to help let the body recover completely. I will be taking a week off from weight training November 2-9. I really don't want to, but I think it's important. I'll still be doing cardio that week and updating my page every day, of course. I'll also be cycling off creatine that week, and will resume taking it on November 9th.
Tonight I'll be having my usual Friday cheat meal of pizza and wine, but right now it's time to get started on my workout. Today it's abs and cardio. See you tomorrow!
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October 23, 2003
I've got to get right to my workout this morning, I've got a lot of catching up to do today after taking part of yesterday off from work. Take care, I'll see you tomorrow...
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October 22, 2003
I'm feeling a little under the weather, what the hell?! img src="/images/wink.gif" alt=";)" /> This is the first time I've been sick in over a year. A lot of people wonder if they should workout when not feeling well. Personally I'm going to go ahead and workout and then try to get some rest. If I were puking and running a 102 degree temperature, I'd pass.
See you tomorrow--hopefully I'll be feeling better then!
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October 21, 2003
I've added another 1/4" to my chest, and I'm sooo close to 15" on my arms. A lot of people have emailed asking how and when I take my measurements. I take them first thing in the morning, flexed and "cold". When I'm pumped from working out my measurements are anywhere from 1/4" - 1/2" bigger. I use the Myo Tape to take my measurements. Well worth the 5 bucks. If you don't have a soft tape measure, you can use a string and then measure the string using a flat ruler or standard tape measure.
If you are using MAX-OT, I created a spreadsheet that I print out to track my workouts. The spreadsheet is formatted for my personal splits, but it can be modified easily to suit your own training schedule. I'll add a permanent link to it on my training page.
Time for me to get started on my workout. Today it's back and biceps. Have a great day!
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October 20, 2003
Typical Monday morning -- no extra time and too much to do. I hope everyone had a great weekend, I sure did! Have a good day, see you tomorrow...
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October 19, 2003
I had a great workout yesterday. I broke my 1 rep max record on bench press, which puts me a +25 pounds since I started bulking 6 weeks ago. Part of the MAX-OT program requires a week off every 8-10 weeks. I'm starting to see why: my body is feeling pretty beat up, with miscellaneous aches and pains popping up especially when I'm lifting. It's a brutal training program, but it gets results and is safe as long as you warm up properly and get the right amount of rest, which includes that week off every couple months. I'll probably take a week off at the beginning of November, right in the middle of my bulking program.
It's another beautiful day, and I'm going to spend it outside with Lisa. See you tomorrow!
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October 18, 2003
It's another beautiful, crisp, sunny morning here in Orlando. My front yard security camera gives me a complete view of my front porch, my front yard, the sidewalk and the street, all from the comfort of my office chair (I'm not interested in just computer security!) This morning every time I glance over at the security monitor I see people walking or jogging by. I think my whole neighborhood is outside this morning. It's great to see so many people exercising! I wish I could take my workout equipment outside. I may open the windows, but then I'll have to keep the music to a somewhat human level.
It's time for me to get started on my workout. Today I'm going to attempt to add another 5 pounds to my max bench press and at least 5 pounds to
all my working sets. Lisa is going shopping again today, so I'm going looking forward to another "guy" movie
afternoon matinee when I'm done with my workout. There will be no romantic comedies playing in this theater today! 
October 17, 2003
I'm glad it's Friday, it's been a long work week. Hopefully I will be able to take both Saturday and Sunday off from work.
Too bad next week is going to be a busy week at work, because I'd love to take a day off and watch all three Indiana Jones movies, which are finally going to be out on DVD this coming Tuesday. "Raiders of The Lost Ark" is probably my favorite movie of all time. I saw it 13 times in the theater when I was a kid.
I had a another excellent leg workout yesterday, adding another 5 pounds to my 1-rep max squat (+30 in 6 weeks now!), and adding another 5 pounds to my heavy working sets for squats and leg lifts. I went up in reps (but not weight) on lying leg curls, lunges and calf raises. I would have gone up in weight for the calf raises and lunges, but I need heavier dumbbells again. I need to get my butt to Play It Again Sports soon.
Tonight I'll be enjoying my usual weekly cheat meal of pizza and wine, and can't wait. I've been craving pizza all week for some reason! Right now I'm going to start the day off right and go get my ab workout and cardio in. Have a good day, see ya this weekend!
11:30 AM UPDATE FOR AOL CUSTOMERS: This morning I tried to reply to a few emails from people who are on AOL and they are bouncing back. Once again, AOL seems to have blacklisted Road Runner's email server with their typical overly-draconian spam filtering. I'm tired of taking the time to type replies only to have them bounce back. If you are on AOL and want to email me, you'll need to use a non-AOL email address or find a better ISP because I won't be replying to email from AOL addresses anymore (they just back bounce anyway). Sorry to have to do this, but I have no choice until AOL stops blocking legitimate emails.
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October 16, 2003
The first real hint of fall has finally arrived here in Orlando. This morning there's frost on the grass and a bit of a chill in the air. It won't last long -- it will probably be pretty hot in a few hours -- but it's nice to feel something other than heat and humidity when I step outside. I wish I could do this morning's leg workout outdoors, the cool air is invigorating and a refreshing change from the normal weather we get here.
It's time for me to get started on my workout. I'm going to break my 1 rep max squat record again this week,
I can feel it.
October 15, 2003
Sorry, no time to write this morning! I'm going to go get my ab workout and cardio in and then I've got a ton of work to do... Hopefully things will easy up a bit by tomorrow. Have a good day, see ya later.
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October 14, 2003
Over the past few months I sure have come to love training with weights. When I wake up on a weight
training day I can't wait to start my workout, and I hate it when it's over (I wish I could say the
same about my cardio workouts, but honestly I really don't like doing cardio much at all). If you are
not lifting weights and are trying to lose weight, you are missing out on a fun, challenging and
rewarding way to really make big changes to the way your body looks. Without weight training you'll lose a lot of
muscle along with some fat, and will basically wind up looking like a smaller version of how you looked
when you were overweight. Weight training is the only way to really make big, positive changes to your physique! If
you are interested and don't want to join a gym, you can get started with nothing more than a decent set of
dumbbells and a bench. Proof is in the pictures.
Time for me to get started on my workout -- today I'm hitting my back and biceps. See you tomorrow...
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October 13, 2003
It's Monday again and I've got lots of work to get done today. I've got to get right to my workout this morning, as I don't have much time. Hope your day is a good one, see you tomorrow...
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October 12, 2003
Ever since I started bulking and using the MAX-OT strength training program, each workout has been noticeably better than the one before it. Yesterday's workout was so good that I felt pumped and was in a great mood all day because of it. I also added another 5 pounds to my 1 rep max bench press, which brings me to +20 in just 5 weeks. Additionally, I added another 5 pounds to my working MAX-OT sets for every single exercise that I did! Unfortunately, I had one little snag, though...
Every month at least one of my Saturday morning workouts is interrupted by annoying, pushy, can't take "no!" for an answer salespeople. These people are not selling products, they are selling their religion. Yep, I'm talking about Jehovah's Witnesses. Month after month I tell them (politely) that I'm not interested, and month after month they come back for another round of rejection...
So, yesterday morning I was in the middle of my workout when the doorbell rang. I answered the door because I was expecting a package from the mailman, and there they were. Again. (cue up the "Psycho" stabbing music)
"Ok", I thought to myself, "this is getting old. I'm tired of being polite to them." Ignoring my initial impulse to cry havoc and let slip, I stepped on to the front porch and shut the door behind me so that my dogs of war would not do horrible things to them. It was actually kind of comical. I stood in front of them dripping with sweat, wearing nothing but shorts, weightlifting gloves and an annoyed look. Metallica's "Kill 'em all" was shaking the whole house, and the dogs were barking like crazy and clawing at the door. Both salesmen looked pretty shocked, and maybe just a little scared:
JW: "Uh, good morning, Sir. I hope were are not interrupting your searching" (Huh?!)
Me: "No, I'm not looking for anything, but you're interrupting my workout. Again."
JW: "Well, we promise to not take up too much of your time this morning."
Me: "Yeah, I can pretty well guarantee that. Why do you guys keep coming back every month?"
JW: "If we could just leave some material with you..."
Me: "Sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up here." (thanks, Jack)
JW: "Excuse me?"
Me: "I'm not interested."
JW: "If we could just..."
Me: "Bye. I'd say please don't come back but I know you will anyway."
Don't misunderstand -- I have nothing against religion -- but I feel that religion and spirituality are personal. As adults, we are all highly capable of deciding for ourselves what is right for us in that regard, and I really resent the way these people operate. If I've offended any Jehovah's Witnesses out there, well, that's just too bad! You offend me, too, so I guess we're even now.
Ahem...sorry, had to vent a little. Today is my day off. I'll probably work in the yard
and then do some projects around the house. Most of my muscles are killing me,
so I'm going to try to give them a nice rest today. Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow!
October 11, 2003
I love Saturday mornings. Today is my favorite lifting day (pecs/delts/triceps), and when I'm done with my workout I can take my time eating, and then take a long shower. I also shave down on Saturdays, which takes a fair amount of time (and a lot of razors). I still find it hard to believe that I shave my body. I don't really like doing it, but I can't stand the way body hair looks on me now, so I do it anyway. Oh well...
After all that is done, I'm going to have a lazy day. It's supposed to rain all day, and Lisa is going shopping this afternoon, so it's a perfect opportunity for me to curl up on the couch with the dogs and watch a few loud, bass-filled "guy" movies!
I'm going to go workout now. Hope your day is a good one, too! See ya tomorrow...
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October 10, 2003
I can't believe we're already almost halfway through October! The time is just flying by... I'm really happy with
how things have been going so far on my bulking program. I think cutting out the evening protein shakes was
the right thing to do: I don't seem to be gaining fat as quickly as I was, I wake up feeling leaner and less
bloated, and I'm still putting on muscle. I bested my max squat again yesterday (for the 5th workout in a row), adding
25 pounds in less than 5 weeks. I'm now squatting 3 sets of 6 at what I was doing for my 1-rep max less than 5 weeks ago! My bench press
progress has been a tad slower, I seem to go up 5 pounds every 2 weeks on my 1 rep max. I didn't quite make +20 on
my bench last weekend--I got it down and then halfway up but it just wouldn't go any higher! I pushed it for what seemed
like 30 seconds while it was stalled at the halfway point, and then my strength just gave out.
Thanks to the safety spotter I'm still alive to talk about it. So I've added 15 pounds to my max bench in
less than 5 weeks, and will try again for a +20 tomorrow.
Of course my legs are killing me today, but I actually look forward to the soreness. I love the heavy, dull ache that I start feeling the night of my workouts because I know that when I wake up the next morning I'll feel that wonderful aching burn whenever I move. That burning soreness is a constant reminder that I'm making progress, and that my efforts are paying off. I guess soreness helps keep me motivated.
I've rattled on enough this morning, time to go stretch out and get my workout in. Today I'm working my abs, and then doing 23 minutes on the stair climber. Tonight I'm looking forward to having my weekly cheat meal of pizza and wine. Have a good day, see ya this weekend!
12:03 PM UPDATE: A lot of people have emailed me over the past few days asking why I don't disclose the actual amounts of weight I lift. That's a good question, so I have updated my Frequently Asked Questions page with the answer, and have also updated a few other questions as well. Hope your day is going well!
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October 9, 2003
Email is coming in faster than I can even read it. I do like getting email, but please, before emailing me a question, take the time to read my FAQ, my training page and peruse the other areas of my site, such as my food logs and the daily news archives. I really wish I had more time to answer questions, but it's getting to the point where I'm spending 2 hours plus every day just answering emails.
Also, please don't ask me to create personalized meal plans and workouts for you. Not only do I not have that kind of extra time (again, I wish I did--believe me), but that's something you should be doing for yourself using the information on my site and others. Making meal and workout plans is very easy compared to what comes next--the hard work and dedication.
Sometimes I get emails like this:
"Hey, can you help me lose weight? I don't know what to do. Thanks."
Please don't be that person. My site is full of information on how to get started and what to do. Take some time and put some effort into educating yourself and I promise to try and do the same with my replies to any questions you might have.
I hope this doesn't come across as too harsh... had to be said...
Time for my workout. Today is leg day and I'm feeling great so it's should be a good one!
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October 8, 2003
This is going to be a short update. I have to go into the office this morning because I need to work on some of the equipment at our NOC (Network Operations Center), and then I get to spend the rest of the day in meetings. :( I hate meetings, so it's going to be a loooong day.
Another quick reminder that the provider who handles the DNS services for my domain has another maintenance window scheduled for tonight that will effect me. It starts tonight at 11:00 PM and continues until 7:00 AM EDT. The downtime is expected to last 2 hours, sometime during the 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM window. Last night it was more like 4 hours of downtime. During those times you may not be able to reach this site, unless my DNS information is cached by your computer or your ISP. You can also use the IP address rather than the FQDN during those times because the site will still be reachable, just not resolvable. Sorry for any inconvenience.
I'm going to go do my workout, eat and then hit the road. See ya tomorrow.
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October 7, 2003
The provider that handles the DNS services for my domain has a couple of maintenance windows that will effect me. The first maintenance window starts tonight at 11:00 PM EDT, and goes until 7:00 AM EDT. The second window starts tomorrow at 11:00 PM and continues until 7:00 AM EDT. The downtime is expected to last 2 hours per night, sometime during the 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM window. During those times you may not be able to reach this site, unless my DNS information is cached by your computer or your ISP. You can also use the IP address rather than the FQDN during those times because the site will still be reachable, just not resolvable. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Today I'm working my back and biceps, and it's time for me to get started. See you tomorrow!
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October 6, 2003
I was a little premature when I announced my first month's bulking progress yesterday since today is the correct day to do that. I took fresh measurements this morning and have updated the daily, monthly and weekly pictures. My first month's gains are even better than I expected they would be: I gained 9 pounds, added 1/2" to my forearms, 1/2" to my upper arms, 3/4" to my quads, 1/4" to my calves, and 1 inch to my chest! I'm really happy about my chest because it was one of my weakest areas and now it's really taking off. Of course some of that weight is adipose tissue, but I only gained a little over 1% body fat, adding 1/4" to my waist and 1/4" to my hips.
I've got a busy day ahead so I'm going to get started on my workout now. Today I'm working my abs and then doing 23 minutes of HIIT cardio on the stair climber. See ya tomorrow...
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October 5, 2003
Yesterday's workout (pecs/delts/triceps) was really intense, and was by far my best one yet. My legs are still sore from Thursday's workout, so right now practically my whole body is hurting.
I can't believe it's already been a month since I started bulking. I've gained just shy of 10 pounds this month. Some of it is water from the creatine, some of it is probably retained water, I've definitely added some lean mass, and a little of it is adipose tissue (fat). Check my stats grid for my measurement gains.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I cut my calories slightly (basically I just eliminated my evening protein shake) in an effort to keep my bulking cycle as lean as possible without restricting my muscle growth. Adjustments like that are easy when you track your diet carefully. If you are serious about losing weight or gaining mass and are not tracking your food intake, you should reconsider. It's important.
Today I'm looking forward to a nice day of relaxation. I may do some yardwork, and then I'll probably watch a couple of movies and clean up around the house. Hope you have a great day.
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October 4, 2003
I'm excited about today's workout (pecs/delts/triceps) because I'm feeling pretty good this morning and should be able to make some good weight increases today. I'm also going for a new bench press personal best, and I get to try out my new weighted dipping belt for the first time. As I mentioned a few days ago, I think the weighted dipping belt is really going to help me continue to develop my pecs.
Time for me to go work off some of last night's cheat meal: I've gained 3.8 pounds (it's retained water) since yesterday! Have a good day, see ya tomorrow.
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October 3, 2003
Yesterday I had another excellent workout. I broke my personal best on squats for the 4th week in a row and, once again, I went up in weight on every exercise that I did. In 4 weeks I've managed to add 20 pounds to my maximum squat, 15 pounds to my max bench (hopefully 20 pounds after tomorrow's workout), and 15-20 pounds to most of my "working" heavy sets (3 sets of 6). At this point I'd say without reservation that MAX-OT is a very effective strength training program. I'm really glad I tried it, I don't think I'd be making the gains that I am with my old training routine.
It's already Friday again?! Cool, but where did the week go so fast? Tonight
I'll be having my usual weekly cheat meal of pizza and wine... and no, I never get sick
of having the same thing each week -- pizza and wine is my favorite "cheat" meal!
Today I'm working my abs, and then I'll be doing 23 minutes of HIIT cardio on the stair climber. Have a great day, see you tomorrow!
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October 2, 2003
I'm rushing around this morning because I've got a ton of things to get accomplished today and I'm running behind. I also have a tough leg workout ahead, so I'm going to have to make this a short update and get right into the gym. See you tomorrow!
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October 1, 2003
I've decided to cut out my late night protein shake because I think it's adding more fat than muscle. I eat a high protein meal for dinner every night, and that food is digesting while I sleep, so whey (which is quickly-absorbed) taken right before I go to bed seems a bit redundant and perhaps counter-productive. I think this will slow the fat-gain to a more acceptable level, and not hinder my bulking phase. I believe that one of the main reasons my cutting phase was so successful is because I was not afraid to experiment and change my program when I wanted to try something new. I'm going to continue in that spirit. I can always change back if I decide that I need to.
I'm pretty excited about my ab workout today because my new hanging abs straps came in yesterday. I gave them a quick try and I can tell that they are going to help my lower ab training a lot! The dipping belt that also arrived yesterday is really cool, too, but I won't get to use it until Saturday when I work my pecs.
I'm off to do my workout. Today I'm hitting my abs and then doing 23 minutes of HIIT cardio on the stair climber. See ya!
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