Make me Bionic!

[Blackah]

Weight: 136.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2500 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 11%
Training Platform: Bionic Training Program
Training Phase: Bulking

I guess I relaxed my diet a little too much yesterday after such a strong weekend. I've subsequently put on 2lbs in one day as seems to be the on-going trend with me. The additional calories came from a huge evening meal ending in 2 pieces of delicious Waitrose Cheesecake that my wife has taken to buying recently. She's working so hard at the moment she certainly deserves it, unfortunately these things always seem to find their way into my stomach, where they're certainly not needed with the amount of other, more healthy food I'm consuming.

I didn't train yesterday. I really didn't feel I needed to after the weekend I've just had and my shoulders are still a little sore. In my books if I'm in the least bit concerned about over-training I'll ease up. I think this is one of the reasons why I've yet to sustains a serious injury. I'll be doing Abs this afternoon (I'm not missing out on that muscle group) and then will follow with Chest and Triceps as usual on Wednesday.

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 136.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2500 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Platform: Bionic Training Program
Training Phase: Bulking

Diet right back on track but as always I'll have to put up with yesterdays dramatic increase for the rest of the week, well until the next dramatic increase anyway. I wonder how heavy I'm going to get before I'm going to have to cut again. I'm only saying that because my jeans are beginning to get a little tight. I'm all for this bulking thing but not if it means having to buy a whole new wardrobe! Anyway things are still progressing well so it's full speed ahead for now.

Oh, and I didn't do Abs yesterday. It's that all or nothing mentality going on again. I just couldn't see the point of doing what would have been half a workout. I'll bolt them on to today's Chest & Triceps. This will of course mean a pro-longed training session this afternoon but at least I'll get me abs done.

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 135.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2500 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Platform: Bionic Training Program
Training Phase: Bulking

I've dropped 1lb since yesterday which I am pleased about. I must admit that I did think the 2lbs I put on on Monday was a little OTT for what I ate. My diet was spot on again yesterday and I guess this, combined with a very hot day and night, allowed me to drop 1lb of water weight. I haven't analysed the figures but I must be fairly close to my planned gain of 0.5lbs a week which is fantastic! I'm learning a lot about myself during this bulk and am a lot more confident that I'll be able to maintain my weight when I come off my cut next Summer.

I had an excellent Chest, Triceps and Abs workout yesterday. Bolting on the abs seemed very natural and it made me think about reviewing my training schedule again to mix things up a little. I'm thinking maybe I could add a few more exercises to my thrice weekly routines - apart from Leg and Shoulders day of course - there's no way I could add anymore to that session without putting myself into an instant coma.

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 135.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2700 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Platform: Bionic Training Program
Training Phase: Bulking

I've been making a bit of a school boy error recently. I've been forgetting to increase my daily calorie intake as my weight has increased! I'm 10lbs heavier now than I was when I started my bulk so my calorific needs have increased accordingly, only by 100 calories a day but an increase nonetheless. I've now adjusted my diet accordingly.

I had a Chicken Korma Ready Meal yesterday evening that totalled 900 calories! One of the few benefits of a Ready Meal is that you can see exactly how many calories are on your plate. I was subsequently able to cut out my pre-bed meal (300 calories) to keep myself within my daily allowance. I weighed in this morning at 135.5lbs again so it cleared worked out very well.

I'm constantly amazed at how many calories everything has and will take more care to make a similar adjustment should I think that my evening meal is greater than the 600 allowed for. As many of you know my wife normally creates all my evening meals so I have no control over their calorific content. I can only adjust my pre-bed meal by the scientific process of Guesstimation if I feel the meal was either to heavy or too light.

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 136lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2600 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Phase: Bulking

My calorific intake was spot on yesterday. Another Ready Meal allowed me to exactly calculate my intake. My weight increased by 0.5lbs this morning so, just to be safe, I'm bringing my calories down by 100. My body seems to like being 100 under my recommended bulking amount, whatever that amount is, in much the same way that my body seems to like being under the recommended amount when I cut. I've perhaps go a slightly slower metabolic rate than some but I'm hoping this will change as my muscle mass increases.

I had to switch my Legs and Back session from this morning to yesterday afternoon as my wife has to work today. It made no difference and I had a brutal session. I'm increasing all weights for next weeks Leg and Back set. I don't do this very often as I find it rather dull but here's what I'll be lifting next week (weights include bars and collars):

Squats: 45.5kg / 100.3lbs (12x4)
Deadlifts: 63.5kg / 140lbs (12x4)
Standing Calf Raise: 81kg / 178.6lbs (12x4)
Leg Extensions: 35kg / 77.2lbs (12x4)
Dumbbell Shrugs: 48.6kg / 1071lbs (12x4)

Until tomorrow.

 

[jdg487]

nice log going here!

 

[Blackah]

nice log going here!

Thanks JDG!

Today's Journal

Weight: 136.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2600 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Phase: Bulking

As the weekend weight creeps up again I'm reflecting on what I can do differently to stop this. I really upsets me to see my weight go up so quickly over the course of 2 and a bit days, especially when it's so controlled during the week. I think I'm going to try and cut right down on my normal food intake to make way for what seems to be the inevitable cheat food that is thrown at me. I'm not very happy about this as I train on Saturday and Sunday, so the last thing I want to do is to deprive myself of my bulking diet during this time but on the other hand I can't keep putting on 2lbs every weekend! I'm going to really cut down on the basics and see if that makes any difference.

Today is a good case in point. It's my step brother's birthday and my wife is planning one of her normal OTT calorie festival parties. This time round she's planning on us all drinking from lunchtime onwards. I haven't had a drink so early in the day for many, many years, so I can't see myself indulging. This could be irrelavant though as she has already made a series of cakes AND her brother's girlfriend is a Professional Cake Maker (no kidding - she works for a top London Hotel) so she always brings the most incredible edible creations. Today I'm going to take some pictures of the food to show you all.

I'll do the best I can today but I'm not promising myself anything. I have had a good Arms and Abs this morning which will help eat up some of the expected cals to come later on, but only a few.

Until tomorrow.

 

[jdg487]

i haven't touched a cake/pie or basically any sweets in a long time, just last night at my freinds parents birthday party they tried to force me to eat a delicous looking pice of chocolate cake. I was so close to to indulging but I stayed strong and refused it...

Good luck Blackah!

 

[Blackah]

i haven't touched a cake/pie or basically any sweets in a long time, just last night at my freinds parents birthday party they tried to force me to eat a delicous looking pice of chocolate cake. I was so close to to indulging but I stayed strong and refused it...

Good luck Blackah!

Admirable Self Control - Good work!


Today's Journal

Weight: 136lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2600 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Phase: Bulking

Back down to 136lbs this morning. I'm very, very pleased as this was on top of what turned out to be a very social weekend during which I enjoyed the good, the bad and the ugly, but cut right down on the basics and woke up this morning feeling lean and hungry - for a change!

This is going to be my plan from this point forward. At the weekends I'm going to start each day on Maintenance Diet with an expectation for additional food to be sprung on me during the course of each day. Then, if the extra food comes in I'll be prepared for it and if it doesn't then I can make up the calorie shortfall using my normal porridge and protein shakes. I'm very confident that this will allow me to progress through each weekend enjoying all the good stuff coming out of the kitchen whilst keeping to my calorie allowance. Hopefully this will allow me to keep bulking for longer and it will also help me to stick to a Maintenance Diet when that time comes.

I'll let you know how this goes next weekend but I think with my performance this weekend I reckon I'll be set.

I had a great Arms and Abs workout on Sunday morning. I'm definitely gaining muscle mass and I've only been bulking for 7 weeks. Another 2 or 3 months...! Can you imagine!

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 136lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2600 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Phase: Bulking

136lbs again this morning. Nice!

Yesterday I had some more of that delicious cake in the evening but I had offset my calories earlier in the day in expectation (I knew my wife would spring this on me) so... no problem.

I'm getting quite good at this!

When you're doing a controlled bulk you have no choice but to eat the right amount of calories every day. If you go over, even for one day, you cannot turn back the clock until you've finished your bulk. You can't spend a few days cutting to make up for it as this will mean you're not bulking and you could easily loose any muscle gains you've made over the previous days.

This is the big lesson I've learnt during this bulk and is what makes controlled bulking so much more problematic than either cutting or maintaining.

I'm becoming very confident that I'll now be able to continue this bulk whilst only increasing my weight by 0.5lbs a week. This is great news as I'll now be able to bulk for much longer than I had recently been anticipating.

It feels like I've made a mini-breakthrough in understanding how my body works and how I can now maintain greater control over it. Fantastic!

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 136.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2600 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Phase: Bulking

The scales wriggled around this morning between 136lbs and 136.5lbs, but settled on the latter, so that's my 0.5lb increase for the week. The challenge now is simply this; not to go up to 137lbs until this time next week! If I can achieve that I'll be very pleased.

I've got my Chest and Triceps this afternoon. My body is feeling very ready for it's next workout. I'm supple and injury free so... bring it on!

This is my favourite workout of the week, as long as I don't pin myself under the bar again!

Until tomorrow.

 

[Blackah]

Weight: 136.5lbs
Daily calorie intake approx: 2600 calories over 7 meals a day
Current Body fat percentage reading: 12%
Training Phase: Bulking

The scales blinked on the 137lbs mark this morning before falling back to 136.5lbs. Phew! I need to hold this current weight for at least 4 - 5 days to stand any chance of doing my first 0.5lb weekly increase. It may be sensible to drop another 100 calories from my diet to do this. I'll reflect on this during the course of the day. My diet was spot on yesterday so I can see no other reason for the potential early increase other than that I'm still eating slightly too many calories on a daily basis.

I had a good Chest and Triceps session yesterday, no dramas, just the bog-standard, push myself to my limit, fall on the floor workout. I'm feeling increasingly pumped after my upper body sets these days which is beginning to feel a little strange. I still look quite skinny though (in terms of muscle mass) so I still have a long way to go, but at least I feel I'm making good progress. I'm also still making moderate increases to my strength in all areas, not as much as I was hoping for by now, but progress is being made.

Until tomorrow.