EvoMuse Fat Loss Sponsored Log - Kaprice

dsade, how close do you think we are from Clear Edge shipping. I could really use it. I keep losing my foc hey did you see that bird just fly by? Oh, gott a check email. Wait, what's that on Facebook? Okay, I gotta get back to work. OOH! a new Studio C video just came out.

Wait, what was I saying? (see what I mean) :happysad:
 
I'm way behind in work. Today would be a run day, but I'm not gonna do it.

I've gone back to bad eating habits at night. Ate a few handfuls of skittles every night for the past 3 nights. Also a full bag of chips over that same time period. I don't know how those ended up in my shopping cart.

I've let the lack of progress along with being out of DCP / AMMO / to get me a bit lax and maybe a BIT discouraged.

I'm recommitting to getting my Brite and Epitome doses.
 
Kaprice said:
I'm way behind in work. Today would be a run day, but I'm not gonna do it.

I've gone back to bad eating habits at night. Ate a few handfuls of skittles every night for the past 3 nights. Also a full bag of chips over that same time period. I don't know how those ended up in my shopping cart.

I've let the lack of progress along with being out of DCP / AMMO / to get me a bit lax and maybe a BIT discouraged.

I'm recommitting to getting my Brite and Epitome doses.
Click to expand...

Look at your avatar pic.
Do you know why you can't see a head? Because he is laughing at you.

We all fall of the horse at some point. Get back on track and do it right!

Right means: Cut the damn old eating garbage habits for good, #skittle-is-poison !
 
Seriously, it may have worked for you for awhile reducing the amount of "sweets" -and other "forbidden fruits".
Instead of reducing, please cut em out completely -or substitute with less damaging stuff.

When I'm driving the car, I always need something to chew on.
Now I'm stacked with "zero calories mint pearls" and alike, instead of sweets or nuts.
Sure, aspartame -and other substitutes are bad -but so is sugar.

I indulge in carbs occasionally. When I do, I do it after a hard workout, when it's most beneficial.
If an eating attack strikes at night, I boil me 4-6 eggs, peel them and eat them in front of the PC, good way to get some protein before bed and keeps the hands busy while peeling.

I'm telling you all that to show you, you are not alone. We chubby dudes must keep fighting -or we'll blow up again.
 
Since it's been a while since I did a leg workout and I haven't been feeling any discomfort in my calf for a few days (and since my last jog went well), I decided to push a bit harder on my jog, today.

That didn't work out so well. At the half mile mark, my calf started warning me. I then switched to a slower pace and I walked up the hills rather than jogging. That helped, but by the end, my calf was causing me to limp, again. I never got to an actual twang or pull, but it's definitely a bit sore.

This is so frustrating

1/4 mile walk to and from the park.
2.31 miles in 28:02
for a 12:9 min/mile pace

I had a protein shake, this morning - 1 sc Combat Protein in 1.5 cups whole milk.

A Pure Protein bar after running.

It's 5pm right now and that's all I've consumed.

I just started ECA, yesterday.

I have a product called Burn Xtreme coming, soon. This is a highly potent (almost frighteningly so) fat burner. A generous forum member, here, actually sent me a small sample to try -- not a rep from the company. Just a super nice guy. He said he had amazing results from it.

The first few days I tried it, had energy, but it was crazy nervous energy. Jittery. It actually made it hard to concentrate on my work. But, I have to take some blame for that because he warned me to take it with food and I forgot to do that.

The harsh response did diminish when taken with food, but really, it took about 3 days for it to stop being distracting.

BTW, that was the week I lost 4 pounds.

My sample ran out. I ordered my own bottle, but the company was very unprofessional. No email confirmation. No confirmation when I filled out their Contact form to ask about it. I contacted one of their reps on this forum and even he was unable to get an answer for me for several days.

Finally, I got an email (after about 2 weeks) that my order was being shipped. And still no contact or apology or anything.

If the product hadn't come so highly recommended (and if my own experience with the sample hadn't been so good) I'd have issued a charge back.

I don't know if I'll reorder. Their lack of customer service is concerning.

So, my plan once that arrives is:

BurnX in the morning
ECA in the mid afternoon
Iron Legion's Invictus
Thermogum as needed
Finish up my supply of Epitome / Brite

We'll see if that kick my progress back in gear.

I've been hovering at 240 for the past 3 weeks. (My goal is 215. That's 25 pounds. Conservatively (I hope), at 5 pounds a month, I should hit my goal in April. I'm hopeful to do it sooner than that, though.

I've also not been being very careful with my eating at night.
 
Good to see you with new enthusiasm ! Burn Xtreme is too much for me to handle, I'm glad you can!
 
hairygrandpa said:
Good to see you with new enthusiasm ! Burn Xtreme is too much for me to handle, I'm glad you can!
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My enthusiasm has not waned at all since starting this long.

I've simply reported progress and expressed periodic frustrations. But, I have and do remain optimistic, enthusiastic, and committed to reaching my goal.

I'm just not overly concerned about doing it super fast and in a way that makes me miserable every day.

I'll admit BurnX was truly extreme and not at all enjoyable. But, I'm told it tapers off. And if it works as well as folks like thebigt say it does, I'm willing to put up it.

I've been very consistent in my workouts and MOSTLY good with my eating. Got some tweaks to make there, though.

BurnX and ECA appear to be very effective appetite suppressants along with a bit of boost to metabolism and apparently some good fat burning.

And Invictus has a ton of raving reviews and some impressive logs.

The other supp thebigt had such great success with is 11kt-spray. But, I'm not going there, yet. Maybe as I get within 10 pounds of my goal. We'll see.

Once I hit my goal, I'm considering giving Iron Legion's Virtus a try, too. It's supposed to be a great Test builder and Estrogen reducer. I imagine I could use both, but I'm not going to do that at my current BF%.
 
I hear your frustrations. They will only get worse as you get leaner....BUT...if you keep working you will have more and more control. Keep up the good work....

Although I do somewhat agree with HGP. A lot of times we believe things about dieting that aren't true because they are nice to believe and give us comfort.

I got fat because I had bad habits. At first, I told myself I didn't have to change those habits. At first, it worked and I lost 20 pounds. Then habits prevailed and I got it all packed back on. Then I changed workout habits and didn't change my diet and I lost 40 pounds. Finally I decided I had to change my diet. We all want to keep the habits we are comfortable with. Of course. But those habits get is what we have.

I think. Creating a structure to your diet that is livable is important...but it is a tough thing to put into practice without going back to habits. The more you change those habits, the easier it will be to maintain change - which is counter intuitive - once those new habits take hold.

But, to your credit, my new plan is a little in your direction too...I hope you can learn from my attempts like I have learned from yours.
 
burn xtreme and invictus worked xtremely well for me....save virtus for after the burn xtreme/invictus...running invictus and virtus together COULD cause joint issues.....I would definitely keep invictus in mind though, by your being overweight for such a long time the chances of your estrogen being on the high side are pretty darned good, imo.

btw-ever had test level checked??? I would suggest you get a hormonal test done if you can.
 
HIT4ME said:
We all want to keep the habits we are comfortable with. Of course. But those habits get is what we have.
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I think you're confused. I DID change my eating habits about 6 weeks prior to starting this log. I drastically improved what and how much I eat.

Now we're just talking about tweaks. I haven't fallen off any wagon. I don't consider my few days of enjoying skittles to be a failure or a problem. I just consider it something to not do on a regular basis.
 
thebigt said:
btw-ever had test level checked??? I would suggest you get a hormonal test done if you can.
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I don't recall ever having my test or estrogen checked. In anticipation of starting this log, I did do a DEXA scan for body fat / lean body mass measurements.

That's a good idea, though. I'll do that prior to any decision to start on Virtus. Because I agree I'm likely low on T and high on E.
 
Kaprice said:
I've gone back to bad eating habits at night. Ate a few handfuls of skittles every night for the past 3 nights. Also a full bag of chips over that same time period. I don't know how those ended up in my shopping cart.

.
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Kaprice said:
I think you're confused. I DID change my eating habits about 6 weeks prior to starting this log. I drastically improved what and how much I eat.

Now we're just talking about tweaks. I haven't fallen off any wagon. I don't consider my few days of enjoying skittles to be a failure or a problem. I just consider it something to not do on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

I didn't say you never changed your eating. I said you never changed you old "habits". You said you have gone "back" to your habits. What HGP is saying is that you haven't really changed them. And I am saying that takes a lot more change than we want to believe and a lot more time. You are doing great man, and I know you are eating pretty well, but it isn't habit...and old habits are like Einstein's version of gravity...You will end up getting pulled back into your old ways. Not a criticism at all, because you can see in my log I am fighting a lot of the same stuff, and I've been doing this pretty consistently for a little over 2 years now and I still catch myself making the same mistakes in various ways.

And if course, 3 days where you ate some shuttles and a bag of chips isn't so bad...it happens. If you are "on" 90% of the time, then that isn't the end of the world at all. I am just pointing out a mentality/philosophy/behavioral observation that is more general and we all do to varying degrees.
 
HIT4ME said:
I didn't say you never changed your eating. I said you never changed you old "habits". You said you have gone "back" to your habits. What HGP is saying is that you haven't really changed them. And I am saying that takes a lot more change than we want to believe and a lot more time. You are doing great man, and I know you are eating pretty well, but it isn't habit...and old habits are like Einstein's version of gravity...You will end up getting pulled back into your old ways. Not a criticism at all, because you can see in my log I am fighting a lot of the same stuff, and I've been doing this pretty consistently for a little over 2 years now and I still catch myself making the same mistakes in various ways.

And if course, 3 days where you ate some shuttles and a bag of chips isn't so bad...it happens. If you are "on" 90% of the time, then that isn't the end of the world at all. I am just pointing out a mentality/philosophy/behavioral observation that is more general and we all do to varying degrees.
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Ahh, you're right. I did say back to bad habits -- for eating at night.

But, overall, I do feel like I've changed my habits. Or, at least my attachment to certain foods.

It used to be I had to fight myself to avoid pulling into a fast food joint whenever I passed one -- even if I wasn't that hungry. I seldom get that urge, anymore.

I used to eat a whole bag of chips or candy in one sitting. Now I'm generally satisfied with a handful.

In general, I'm hardly ever having to "resist" anything. It feels natural.

I think where people get into trouble is when their diet is based on willpower. It's like holding a 10 pound dumbbell straight out in front of you. Or even a 5 pounder. No problem for 10 seconds. Maybe even a minute. But, the longer you hold it out there, the heavier it feels. Eventually, you're going to have to drop it.

But, if you pick up a dumbell and set it on the table, it can stay there indefinitely. No fatigue.

That's where I feel I am in my relationship with food.
 
Kaprice said:
Ahh, you're right. I did say back to bad habits -- for eating at night.

But, overall, I do feel like I've changed my habits. Or, at least my attachment to certain foods.

It used to be I had to fight myself to avoid pulling into a fast food joint whenever I passed one -- even if I wasn't that hungry. I seldom get that urge, anymore.

I used to eat a whole bag of chips or candy in one sitting. Now I'm generally satisfied with a handful.

In general, I'm hardly ever having to "resist" anything. It feels natural.

I think where people get into trouble is when their diet is based on willpower. It's like holding a 10 pound dumbbell straight out in front of you. Or even a 5 pounder. No problem for 10 seconds. Maybe even a minute. But, the longer you hold it out there, the heavier it feels. Eventually, you're going to have to drop it.

But, if you pick up a dumbell and set it on the table, it can stay there indefinitely. No fatigue.

That's where I feel I am in my relationship with food.
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Well...You have made progress and done a good job of changing some habits. Some habits are easier to change than others. That's life for all of us.

And you are 100% right, will power is like a muscle. The harder you have to fight against the gravity of a habit, the more likely you will fail when you come across a moment where you aren't as strong. But if you practice using will power, You get better and better at it.

Most people fail because they believe they just need will power, and will power has a smaller impact than one would think...it has more to do with our environment and habits. On the other hand not practicing will power at all is the opposite extreme...although one that far fewer people fail at.

Your fast food example is a great example. You used to love it and associate things with it - and looking back, if I can extrapolate from what you said - you probably almost think some of those associations were foolish and you are happier without them now that you have arrived at "the other side". If you were to have a conversation with someone who is just beginning to diet, they would probably tell you how hard it is to avoid Wendy's or Dunkin Donuts. And you, from your new mentality, would listen I bet and think to yourself, "Why can't they see that they can give that up and still be perfectly happy? How do I get them to see there is a better way to be happy?"

It is all part of the journey and like I said ...no criticism from me - I am in the exact same boat. Just observing. I think you are doing awesome. I know you've made a lot of wins and only had a few set backs. I mean you are running past the young guys, hitting the sled, deadlifting, doing dips, etc. And working toward the goals consistently. You have way more wins than losses. That's as good as any of us can do. In another year you will be out benching me, doing squats and pull ups and running for miles. It will be here faster than it seems.

Sorry for the user long rant...
 
Chest today.

Prior to workout, I had 1 sc Combat Protein in 1.5 cups whole milk.

I forgot to take Epitome and Brite. I'll take both in 30 minutes (over 3 hours after my lifting).

I did take ECA around 10a and again around 4:30p

Barbell Flat Bench Press
1. 165lbs 8x
2. 165lbs 9x -- one rep improvement

Bar Dips, Bent Over
1. 0lbs 8x -- 2 better than last time.
2. 0lbs 4x -- 4 worse than last time!

Dumbbell Flat Bench Flys
1. 35lbs 12x -- 5lb improvement from last time
2. 35lbs 12x

Decline Dumbell Press
1. 45lbs 10x -- 2 rep improvement
2. 45lbs 8x

Barbell Bench Press (incline)
1. 105lbs 8x -- up 10 pounds, but down 4 reps
2. 105lbs 4x -- short rest and then 4 more.

Leg Raise (hanging) -- I tried a couple of different ways of adding weights to my legs and nothing worked out.
1. 0lbs 12x
2. 6lbs 5x - medicine ball. Bad idea.

After that I was exhausted and discontinued abs. 10 mins on hydrabed. Done.


1 sc Gold Standard whey in water with some fruit.

It's 5p and that's all I've consumed, so far. The ECA does seem to be doing its job as an appetite suppressant. Good clean energy, too.

Not sure what we're having for dinner.
 
HIT4ME said:
In another year you will be out benching me, doing squats and pull ups and running for miles.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I doubt it. Not if you keep up your own commitment. Once you go back to maintenance or even a slight surplus and keep hitting the gym hard, I think you'll be hard to keep up with. But, it's a good motivator.

I also have to be careful about going too heavy and risking injuries to my old, degrading body! :)
 
hairygrandpa said:
Seriously, it may have worked for you for awhile reducing the amount of "sweets" -and other "forbidden fruits".
Instead of reducing, please cut em out completely -or substitute with less damaging stuff.

When I'm driving the car, I always need something to chew on.
Now I'm stacked with "zero calories mint pearls" and alike, instead of sweets or nuts.
Sure, aspartame -and other substitutes are bad -but so is sugar.

I indulge in carbs occasionally. When I do, I do it after a hard workout, when it's most beneficial.
If an eating attack strikes at night, I boil me 4-6 eggs, peel them and eat them in front of the PC, good way to get some protein before bed and keeps the hands busy while peeling.

I'm telling you all that to show you, you are not alone. We chubby dudes must keep fighting -or we'll blow up again.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much what I do re: carbs, sweet, etc. I use them as a reward for that bit of extra effort at the gym.
 
Kaprice said:
Yeah, I doubt it. Not if you keep up your own commitment. Once you go back to maintenance or even a slight surplus and keep hitting the gym hard, I think you'll be hard to keep up with. But, it's a good motivator.

I also have to be careful about going too heavy and risking injuries to my old, degrading body! :)
Click to expand...

Brother, I don't think you realize the path before you yet. You want to look like that avatar? Just keep going and always be improving and little by little you will be so much further than you think.

I think you can catch me for sure. You are only getting 3 reps less on the bench with 165 than I am. You are close.

But stop letting fear and old age excuses keep you from improving. I am not saying to be stupid, but you aren't falling apart. Don't look to people in society in general for your beliefs. You keep on your path and you will be 75 and jacked.

Look at this guy...88 and doing pull ups:

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You are in a lifelong journey, as you said, and with consistent improvement and time and belief that you are capable of MORE, you will do so much more than you think.

Most people over estimate what they can do in one year, but greatly underestimate what they can do in 10 years. In 10 years you could be putting that avatar to shame.
 
I don't know where you got the idea that I was letting fear keep me from improving. I've been very consistent with my gym schedule and making some sort of gain every week or two. All I said was if you keep hitting it as hard as you have been, you'll be improving, too, and thus it will be hard for me to surpass you.

HIT4ME said:
Brother, I don't think you realize the path before you yet. You want to look like that avatar? Just keep going and always be improving and little by little you will be so much further than you think.

I think you can catch me for sure. You are only getting 3 reps less on the bench with 165 than I am. You are close.

But stop letting fear and old age excuses keep you from improving. I am not saying to be stupid, but you aren't falling apart. Don't look to people in society in general for your beliefs. You keep on your path and you will be 75 and jacked.

Look at this guy...88 and doing pull ups:

Invalid Link Removed

You are in a lifelong journey, as you said, and with consistent improvement and time and belief that you are capable of MORE, you will do so much more than you think.

Most people over estimate what they can do in one year, but greatly underestimate what they can do in 10 years. In 10 years you could be putting that avatar to shame.
Click to expand...
 
Kaprice said:
I also have to be careful about going too heavy and risking injuries to my old, degrading body! :)
Click to expand...

It isn't a put down. I KNOW you are improving. That is my point. And if you keep it up, you will be in better shape at 65 than you can probably imagine. Maybe even better than you were at 35, I don't know. I'm saying don't let age or the fear of injury hold you back. Just keep improving like you are.

And I appreciate your faith in me ...I have the same faith in you.
 
I missed Monday's workout.

Today was legs. But, my hamstring was giving me slight warnings and I don't yet trust my calf, so I skipped a couple of exercises.

Given how my hamstring feels right now (sore, but not injured), I feel that was a good choice.

Barbell Squats (standing) -- I didn't go to full squat position to protect hamstring. As it was, it felt it could snap at any moment.
1. 185lbs 8x -- last time was 180 x 12
2. 185lbs 8x

Leg Press Machine (incline) -- The empty bar and plate is 118 lbs. Previous reportings didn't include that.
-- From this point forward, I'll include it (rounded to 100 because math!)
1. 460lbs 10x -- last time was 370 x 12
2. 480lbs 10x -- last time was 370 x 12

Barbell Deadlift - stiff leg -- skipped to protect hamstring
1. 145lbs 0x
2. 145lbs 0x

Machine Leg Extension (seated)
1. 145lbs 12x -- last time was 145 x 10
2. 145lbs 10x -- last time was 145 x 12

Machine Leg Curl (seated) -- I didn't do full range to protect hamstring
1. 120lbs 12x - last time was 115 x 12
2. 125lbs 9x -- last time was 120 x 10

Barbell Calf Raise (seated) -- skipped due to calf pull
1. 205lbs 0x
2. 235lbs 0x
3. 235lbs 0x
 
Well, I must have done something right, yesterday, because right now my legs are KILLING me! :D
 
Tricep / Bicep day: (I put weight x reps of the previous workout in parenthesis after each set)

Pulley Machine Robe Triceps Press (standing)
1. 80lbs 10x (77.5 x 10)
2. 80lbs 8x (77.5 x 8)
3. 80lbs 8x (77.5 x 6)

So, really good improvement on the rope pull.

Cable Kneeling Tricep Head Ext
1. 57.5lbs 9x (57.5 x 8)
2. 57.5lbs 8x (57.5 x 6)
3. 52.5lbs 7x (57.5 x 8)

More reps in sets 1 and 2. 1 less in set 3.

EZ-Bar Triceps French Press (incline)
1. 50lbs 12x (40 x 12)
2. 50lbs 10x (40 x 8)

Good improvement.

Cable Preacher Curls
1. 47.5lbs 10x (47.5 x 9)
2. 47.5lbs 8x (47.5 x 6)
3. 42.5lbs 7x (42.5 x 8)

Improvement on the first 2 sets.

Dumbbell Biceps Curl (incline) Face Up
1. 30lbs 9x (30 x 8)
2. 30lbs 8x (30 x 8)
3. 30lbs 8x (30 x 8)

By this time, I was pretty wiped out and arms feeling like mush.

Concentration Curls
1. 25lbs 4x (25 x 8)
2. 20lbs 8x (25 x 8)

Barbell Forearm Wrist Curl (seated) Palm up
1. 30lbs 12x (25 x 8)
2. 30lbs 8x (25 x 8)

Barbell Forearm Wrist Curl (seated) Palm down
1. 30lbs 12x
2. 30lbs 8x

Totally wiped out at this point. It was difficult to drive home. Arms were shaking when I washed my hair in the shower.

It's 9p now and my arms are feeling fine.

Felt like a really good workout.
 
It's interesting how different parts of the body grow or shrink at different times.

I haven't been particularly careful with my macros over the past month, but I'm been pretty consistent at the gym, steadily making gains.

I'm 3 pounds above my my low from 3 weeks ago and feeling ready to start watching what I eat, again.

Here are my body measurements.

Biggest improvement was in my chest, where I lost an inch when relaxed but gained a 1/4 inch when flexed. And in my mid chest (that's just below the pecks), I lost about 2 inches from 2 weeks ago (but it's just a half inch from a 4 weeks ago) and gained 1.25 inches from 2 weeks ago (.25 inches from 4 week ago).

The flexed bicep is improving nicely, too -- 1.75 inch difference between relaxed and flexed. (And just 2.25 inches to catch up to HarryGrandpa -- LOL, might as well be 8 inches!) So, feeling pretty good. My last arm workout was on Friday, and today (Sunday) they're still sore, so I probably did good on Friday!

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Kaprice said:
It's interesting how different parts of the body grow or shrink at different times.

I haven't been particularly careful with my macros over the past month, but I'm been pretty consistent at the gym, steadily making gains.

I'm 3 pounds above my my low from 3 weeks ago and feeling ready to start watching what I eat, again.

Here are my body measurements.

Biggest improvement was in my chest, where I lost an inch when relaxed but gained a 1/4 inch when flexed. And in my mid chest (that's just below the pecks), I lost about 2 inches from 2 weeks ago (but it's just a half inch from a 4 weeks ago) and gained 1.25 inches from 2 weeks ago (.25 inches from 4 week ago).

The flexed bicep is improving nicely, too -- 1.75 inch difference between relaxed and flexed. (And just 2.25 inches to catch up to HarryGrandpa -- LOL, might as well be 8 inches!) So, feeling pretty good. My last arm workout was on Friday, and today (Sunday) they're still sore, so I probably did good on Friday!

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Click to expand...

As you like to play the long game (like Warren Buffett) - look at the progress over the past 6 months man. Every single measurement has decreased. In some cases you've lost 4+ inches off your beginning measurements. I know the idea is to get bigger muscles - but that is a slooooowwww process. We often don't realize just how much fat we carry on our pecks, arms, etc. - you've lost significant levels of fat. The fact you're 3 pounds above your low is meaningless. It happens. It seems whenever I get excited about a new low, it is followed by a rebound that can be disappointing, but it's just how it is and you ignore it and keep going, which I know you already know. Keep up the good work.
 
Due to a great suggestion by someone, I dug out my oldest belt. You can see the notch that I wore it at for a good 2 years and, like tree rings, the new holes i need to make starting from when BRITE and Epitome were released.

That's the kind of long game that really sets it for me. I was stuck at the one belt notch for so long that the belt was almost worn through - the first smaller belt hole I made looks like it only got about 2 weeks worth of us before I had to punch in another one - and even then that one is loose on me.
 
Yesterday was BACK day. For so few exercises, I'm always amazed at how exhausted I am after Back day. In fact, I was THIS close to vomiting.

Previous workout is in parentheses.

Barbell Deadlift - stiff leg
1. 145lbs 12x (145x10)
2. 145lbs 11x (145x10)
3. 145lbs 10x (145x8)

Pulley Machine Row (seated)
1. 97.5lbs 12x (97.5x12)
2. 102.5lbs 12x (100 x 12)
3. 102.5lbs 11x (100 x 12)

One Arm Bench Bent Over Row
1. 50lbs 12x (50 x 10)
2. 50lbs 12x (50 x 10)
 
HIT4ME said:
As you like to play the long game (like Warren Buffett) - look at the progress over the past 6 months man.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yeah, especially since I'm not killing myself on my diet, I'm quite happy with my progress.
 
Today was Chest day.

Previous workout is in parenthesis to show progress.
Improvements in either weight or reps in each group!

Barbell Flat Bench Press
1. 165lbs 10x (165x8)
2. 165lbs 9x (165x9)

Bar Dips, Bent Over
1. 0lbs 8x (0x8)
2. 0lbs 6x (0x6)

Dumbbell Flat Bench Flys
1. 40lbs 9x (35x12)
2. 40lbs 7x (35x12)

Decline Dumbell Press
1. 45lbs 12x (45x10)
2. 45lbs 9x (45x8)

Barbell Bench Press (incline) -- The incline bench was taken and I got tired of waiting so I subbed incline DumbBell
-- So, the 55 is each arm, which is 110 total, which is more total weight than last time's bar. But, fewer reps.
1. 55lbs 6x (105x8)
2. 50lbs 6x (95x4)

For some reason, my workout plan adds abs to Chest Day, but I was wiped out after the last Chest exercise and decided I'll do some ab work tomorrow instead.
 
Decline dumbbell press is my second favorite exercise next in line to the simple bicep curl or preacher curl. I like what I'm seeing in here great job and keep up the good work my man.
 
Kaprice said:
Today was Chest day.

Previous workout is in parenthesis to show progress.
Improvements in either weight or reps in each group!

Barbell Flat Bench Press
1. 165lbs 10x (165x8)
2. 165lbs 9x (165x9)

Bar Dips, Bent Over
1. 0lbs 8x (0x8)
2. 0lbs 6x (0x6)

Dumbbell Flat Bench Flys
1. 40lbs 9x (35x12)
2. 40lbs 7x (35x12)

Decline Dumbell Press
1. 45lbs 12x (45x10)
2. 45lbs 9x (45x8)

Barbell Bench Press (incline) -- The incline bench was taken and I got tired of waiting so I subbed incline DumbBell
-- So, the 55 is each arm, which is 110 total, which is more total weight than last time's bar. But, fewer reps.
1. 55lbs 6x (105x8)
2. 50lbs 6x (95x4)

For some reason, my workout plan adds abs to Chest Day, but I was wiped out after the last Chest exercise and decided I'll do some ab work tomorrow instead.
Click to expand...

Niiice work man. Got the 10 on 165!

On the dumbbells....You probably realize that using dumbbells requires more muscle involvement to stabilize each arm individually vs. A barbell. Most of the time your dumbbell press will be considerable less than your barbell press. You used 5 pounds more so the drop in reps is no big deal, IMO. Good progress. Seems like everything is going in the right direction.
 
I'm stoked. I just bought 5 fat loss products from bighulksmash at a crazy good discount. Thanks so much for that, Hulk.
 
Leg day. Improvements in reps and/or weight in each group. BUT, my recovery period after each set was crazy long. I was huffing and puffing for way too long after each set. And I chose to wait until I'd mostly recovered before moving on.

When I got to the deadlifts, I had to lie down after the first set. It must have taken around 5 minutes before I could do the second set. I tried a few times to stand up and got nausious each time.

After the 2nd set of deadlifts, I almost threw up. I realized there was no way I could finish the next three exercises, so I did a hydrabed massage and went home. It took a nap, a shower, and about an hour before I stopped feeling sick.

It's strange because WHILE lifting, I felt good and strong. But as soon as I put the weight down, I felt like I'd run a marathon. I don't know if it's because I thew more weight around or if I'm getting sick. I hope it's the former.

Previous numbers are in parenthesis.

Leg Press Machine (incline) (weight does not include bar or plate)
1. 360lbs 12x (360 x 10)
2. 380lbs 14x (380 x 10)

Barbell Squats (standing) -- I'm not going as low as I should because I'm still worried about my hamstring. When I do go low, I'll have to lower the weight.
1. 185lbs 9x (185 x 8)
2. 185lbs 10x (185 x 8)

Barbell Deadlift -- I skipped this last round due to a sore/weak hamstring. The numbers in parenths are from the one prior to that.
1. 150lbs 12x (145 x 8)
2. 150lbs 12x (145 x 8

SKIPPED:
Machine Leg Extension (seated)

Machine Leg Curl (seated)

Barbell Calf Raise (seated)

I've been careful with my eating during the day. Reasonable for dinner. And then somewhat snacky after dinner. Working on it.

My new stack is:

Nutra Innovations Burn Xtreme in the morning
ECA in the afternoon
Epitome twice a day -- when I remember
1 or two ThermoGums
1 or two Nicorrette
Invictus morning and night
Brite 2 or 3 times a day -- but I keep forgetting to do this one, too.
Gut Health 1 / day

Scale Weight has been pretty steady around 240 for a few weeks. But, I do feel my muscles are growing and I can pinch less fat -- especially in the chest/ lat area, but even in the gut/love handle area.

I'm sure the main reason I haven't been dropping though is the after dinner snacking. That said, I'm not unhappy that I've been maintaining at 240 while improving in the gym literally every session.
 
Not sure how many are still following this log -- I'm sure it's gotten boring since I started getting casual in my night time eating habits and stalled at 240 lbs.

I'm just posting to heap praises on Evolutionary Muse owner, dsade. (Matt Pearson)

First, I'm immensely grateful to him for the products he gave me to start this log. When I had the full stack and was being consistent on my macros, I had amazing results. His products not only helped me physically, it was a big emotional boost of confidence and motivation.

Second, I found him to be an absolute inspiration.

He's shown an insane commitment to cutting edge research and transparency as he's worked to build a business that actually cares about the quality, purity, and effectiveness of his products. David against an army of Golliaths.

He's had debilitating health problem, betrayals by partners, dishonesty and incompetence by suppliers, and absolute rip offs by competetors -- and through it all, he kept his customers informed. Warts and all. And kept a good attitude throughout.

A lesser man would have either given up, jacked up prices, or compromised on the quality of his products. He's done none of those things.

Please keep a good thought / prayer for Matt as he deals with his latest health and betrayal challenges.
 
Kaprice said:
Not sure how many are still following this log -- I'm sure it's gotten boring since I started getting casual in my night time eating habits and stalled at 240 lbs.

I'm just posting to heap praises on Evolutionary Muse owner, dsade. (Matt Pearson)

First, I'm immensely grateful to him for the products he gave me to start this log. When I had the full stack and was being consistent on my macros, I had amazing results. His products not only helped me physically, it was a big emotional boost of confidence and motivation.

Second, I found him to be an absolute inspiration.

He's shown an insane commitment to cutting edge research and transparency as he's worked to build a business that actually cares about the quality, purity, and effectiveness of his products. David against an army of Golliaths.

He's had debilitating health problem, betrayals by partners, dishonesty and incompetence by suppliers, and absolute rip offs by competetors -- and through it all, he kept his customers informed. Warts and all. And kept a good attitude throughout.

I lesser man would have either given up, jacked up prices, or compromised on the quality of his products. He's done none of those things.

Please keep a good thought / prayer for Matt as he deals with his latest health and betrayal challenges.
Click to expand...

Still following. I've had less and less time for these boards lately as work has been busy. Just how it goes. But your log is one of the main threads I look for, even if I don't respond. I really want to see you get to your "destination" and your journey is very interesting to me - there are similarities to what I've gone through (some you may not even realize at this point) and some big differences - and the big differences are what make it all so interesting. It goes to show that HOW isn't all that important. There are so many ways to get there. It is just going on the journey and doing it that counts.

You have made tremendous efforts in the gym too - I see great improvements. Not just in how much you lift, but what you are willing to do. I mean, DEADLIFTS!!??? I know you didn't just decide to lift weights and start doing deadlifts immediately. I know you had concerns and discomfort in just the IDEA of doing them - and now, you're doing it and making it happen! And ...honestly, I have A LOT of workouts where deadlifts leave me winded for a solid 5-10 minutes. Same with squats. They will ALWAYS be a challenge, but that is what makes them so great.

And as far as Matt and Evomuse - Matt is a great guy with a big heart who tries to do things right. I have a feeling this is just the beginning for him and he is going to start kicking some butt REAL soon.
 
Quick word on Nutra Innovations Burn Xtreme.

This is a Stim fat burner and I'm about a week into it. Scale hasn't changed -- but again, my night time eating is probably the culprit -- but I do think I'm reducing fat, based on informatl pinch tests.

A lot of the reviews about BurnX refer to the "clean" energy. For me, while I don't have the jitters and no "crash" at the end, I'm finding it's not a very USEFUL energy at the desk.

It's probably ideal for being out and about -- doing physical stuff, whether it's chores or workouts. But, I find it VERY hard, so far, to concentrate and get any work done for the first 3 or 4 hours after taking it. Not good.

I've got Evo Muse Clear Edge coming and I'm hoping that will offset the lack of focus I experience on BurnX.

I'm also not sure that BurnX is reducing my appetite. I find I'm wanting a salad for lunch, where I used to have only protein shakes and green drink during the day. But, I can say I don't feel snacky during the day -- just after dinner.

Note: I also take ECA mid afternoon, early evening. I've been staying up late, again, so I'm not sure, yet, if that will negatively impact my sleep. I'm going to try to get myself back to a pre-midnight sleep schedule. (Shut up Yoda! I KNOW!)
 
Arms day

I was given a sample of DynaDrene, so instead of BurnX, this morning, I took DynaDrene as my Pre Workout Drink.

I can't say I noticed any difference in energy, focus, or pump, but I did make improvements in every group; I finished the workout, whereas last time I couldn't keep going; and I felt great when I got home, whereas I'm normally useless for 1 to 2 hours afterwards.

Previous numbers (Weight x Reps) are in parenthesis after each set.

Pulley Machine Triceps Press (standing)
1. 80lbs 12x (80x10)
2. 80lbs 10x (80x8)
3. 80lbs 7x (80x8)

Cable Kneeling Tricep Head Ext
-- funny thing: I THOUGHT I was doing the same weight as last time and pushing for higher reps
-- but I forgot about the 2.5 lb slider from the previous group. I was bummed that I wasn't getting more reps and then I realized it was more weight.
1. 60lbs 9x (57.5x9)
2. 60lbs 8x (57.5x8
3. 52.5lbs 12x (52.5x7)

EZ-Bar Triceps French Press (incline)
1. 60lbs 8x (50x12)
2. 50lbs 12x (50x10)

Cable Preacher Curls
1. 47.5lbs 12x (47.5x10)
2. 47.5lbs 9x (47.5x8)
3. 47.5lbs 7x (42.5x7)

Dumbbell Biceps Curl (incline) Face Up
-- I was pretty tired by this point
-- Each arm
1. 30lbs 10x (30x9)
2. 30lbs 5x (30x8)
3. 25lbs 8x (30x8)

Concentration Curls
1. 25lbs 4x (25x4)
2. 20lbs 8x (20x8)

Dumbell Forearm Wrist Curl (seated)
-- Skipped last time
-- Each hand
1. 25lbs 12x -- palms up
15lbs 12x -- palms down
2. 25lbs 12x -- palms up
15lbx 12x -- palms down
 
About half way through my workout, I got a great pump and rock solid biceps and triceps.

Then when I do a few more exercises, my muscles deflate and get all mushy.

(I push every set to failure or very near failure)

Why do they do that? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
 
Kaprice said:
About half way through my workout, I got a great pump and rock solid biceps and triceps.

Then when I do a few more exercises, my muscles deflate and get all mushy.

(I push every set to failure or very near failure)

Why do they do that? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
Click to expand...

From my experience:
I do warm-up sets until I feel a pump. After a short break I go full in and the pump may diminish a bit- but never goes into "mushy-mode".
I take BCAA's intra workout, do you?
 
I think there are BCAAs in my pre workout shake. But I take nothing during my workout.
 
BTW, I just did a quick Google and there are a lot of people experiencing the softness during or after a workout.

Sadly, most of the answers I saw were sarcastic, non responsive, or mean.

But a few answers seemed to suggest the muscles got worked past a certain point. One suggestion was depleted glycogen.

Nothing definitive. But, as long as I keep making gains, I'm not going to worry about it. I just thought it was interesting.
 
Kaprice said:
BTW, I just did a quick Google and there are a lot of people experiencing the softness during or after a workout.

Sadly, most of the answers I saw were sarcastic, non responsive, or mean.

But a few answers seemed to suggest the muscles got worked past a certain point. One suggestion was depleted glycogen.

Nothing definitive. But, as long as I keep making gains, I'm not going to worry about it. I just thought it was interesting.
Click to expand...

As many others do, I'm chasing the pump. Can't wrap my head around it. Sometimes my pump is beyond comfort level, sometimes no pump at all -no matter how hard I try. Switched ingredients of my pre- and intra shakes, changed my workouts.... same result: you never know if a good pump hits you.

Now I got always a pump since pinning IGF, well, that doesn't count, I guess.
 
I'd say , run those blood tests we talked about. What's your carb intake throughout the day? Are you doing any pre-workout supplements? How long before you workout was your last meal?
 
I honestly don't even pay attention to the pump. It may play a role to some degree in growth...but it doesn't concern me all that much.

Add in some resveratrol and/or norvaline and/or Ornithine and see if that helps.
 
Kaprice said:
BTW, I just did a quick Google and there are a lot of people experiencing the softness during or after a workout.

Sadly, most of the answers I saw were sarcastic, non responsive, or mean.

But a few answers seemed to suggest the muscles got worked past a certain point. One suggestion was depleted glycogen.

Nothing definitive. But, as long as I keep making gains, I'm not going to worry about it. I just thought it was interesting.
Click to expand...
Its the decrease in muscle glycogen. Intra workout carbs will keep the pump
 
mechka_grizli said:
Its the decrease in muscle glycogen. Intra workout carbs will keep the pump
Click to expand...

Is it really that important to keep the pump going throughout the entire workout? I experience DOMs for 2 to 3 days after each workout and I'm making gains each workout, so would taking carbs intra make a significant difference?
 
bighulksmash said:
I'd say , run those blood tests we talked about. What's your carb intake throughout the day? Are you doing any pre-workout supplements? How long before you workout was your last meal?
Click to expand...

Last meal is previous day's dinner (plus after dinner snacking).

Workout is at 1:00 and prior to that, all I have is protein shake -- usually Combat Protein -- in milk.

I just received JPX8 standard and Nos Ether and will start taking those pre workout and NE after. I'll report my experience and results with that.

My new stack is now:

Brite
Epitome
BurnX
ECA
Invictus
11K Test Spray
JPX8/Nos Ether
1 Andro
 
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