KLEEN LIVING - A log about Life, Training, and Nutrition.

I could take a crap in a box and throw a guarantee on it and you got a guaranteed POS! Sucks they don’t make em like they used to
Dude, I love this movie, we really lost a great talent when he passed. Definitely going to look it up and find somewhere they are streaming it on Roku now.
man 80-85 in vegas last week was so perfect. it was cool and dry enough for a hoodie, but also comfortable for an evening walk in a tshirt. this morning, 50F here at hom in the Tacoma area is already starting to chill to my bones.


this is a weirdly important thing to me. towards the end of my gear cream run (maybe I was easily irritated?) my step daughter and her boyfriend who had stayed with us for 2 weeks (now pushing 4 months) had all their hippy soy $hit in my fridge and I told my wife that the straw that broke the back for me was my brand new expensive fridge that I bought (ding and dent though, I am a value shopper after all) was filled with a bunch of crap and I didn't know which food I was "allowed" to eat in my own fridge! 😅 😅
Yeah 50's with high humidity and a breeze is no joke. Especially when you are not used to it after the warm season.

I don't find that weird at all man. If you are staying in my home and buy food then tell me I am not welcome to it expect a problem real quick. Especially if I am helping you out, and you want to be selfish with your things while I am sharing my home with you. However, yeah even when it is just someone visiting who is willing to share I don't like it when there is a bunch of crap I don't like or want in my fridge. I hate having to dig through to find what I need.
faaat guy in a little cooooat

View attachment 246459
I think my favorite scene is the one after he hits him with the 2x4.
Yeah here in Georgia we were in the 80s this past weekend, and by Wednesday morning it’s supposed to get down to 38.
Here you can almost experience all four seasons within a two week period.😎

Man talk about when it rains it pours…..they definitely don’t make appliances like they used to. We’ve bought a new fridge and washer within the last year, both were under 10 years old. Yeah the prices keep going up and longevity keeps going down.
Not at all, but the warranty business is such a racket. It was a good deal a few years back when we got it but then they started breaking all the different types of appliances up and making them a different warranty package and covering this and not that blah, blah, blah...
This! it shocks me that our TV is over 10 years old! (knock on wood)
TV's seem to last a long while, I think they just keep making newer models to get them replaced similar to a phone. I swear 85-90% of people who get a new phone don't wait until their old one is broken, messing up or becoming obsolete. I use my phones until they start dying, then buy the top of the line and wait another 3-4 years.
Congrats, you just killed your TV.
BOOM!
I forget what movie this is from but he is so funny!

Had a good chest and biceps workout yesterday. Worked things nice and hard, enjoyed the session.


Chest and Biceps

Incline Bench Machine 3 work sets 8-20 reps @1-2RIR

Vertical Chest Press 4 work sets 7-15 reps @1-2RIR

Straight Arm Pec Fly - 3 sets 10 Full ROM/10 stretched partials - reached failure on set 3

DB Spider Curls 3 sets 8-15 reps @1-2RIR

Alternating DB Curls - 2 Sets 8-15 reps @1-2RIR
 
I think they just keep making newer models to get them replaced similar to a phone. I swear 85-90% of people who get a new phone don't wait until their old one is broken, messing up or becoming obsolete. I use my phones until they start dying, then buy the top of the line and wait another 3-4 years.

I am the same way. My old phone just turned 3 and the previous few updates have had random "racing stripes" as I call them, running down the screen. finally got bad enough to where the random digitized purple lines on my screen were blocking words on emails, texts, duolingo etc but I'm too stubborn to just buy a new phone when this one worked so well. I swear they intentionally crash your phones with updates. I spent january - Sept researching carriers and phones before I finally just moved our lines over to a new carrier altogether and got them to basically give me the new phone for free with the same monthly rate. But there was no way I was going to just let Verizon or someone increase my monthly bill $50 for a phone technology I dn't even know that I truly want, lol.

enjoyed the session.

That's the good life 🔥
 
Dude, I love this movie, we really lost a great talent when he passed. Definitely going to look it up and find somewhere they are streaming it on Roku now.

Yeah 50's with high humidity and a breeze is no joke. Especially when you are not used to it after the warm season.

I don't find that weird at all man. If you are staying in my home and buy food then tell me I am not welcome to it expect a problem real quick. Especially if I am helping you out, and you want to be selfish with your things while I am sharing my home with you. However, yeah even when it is just someone visiting who is willing to share I don't like it when there is a bunch of crap I don't like or want in my fridge. I hate having to dig through to find what I need.

I think my favorite scene is the one after he hits him with the 2x4.

Not at all, but the warranty business is such a racket. It was a good deal a few years back when we got it but then they started breaking all the different types of appliances up and making them a different warranty package and covering this and not that blah, blah, blah...

TV's seem to last a long while, I think they just keep making newer models to get them replaced similar to a phone. I swear 85-90% of people who get a new phone don't wait until their old one is broken, messing up or becoming obsolete. I use my phones until they start dying, then buy the top of the line and wait another 3-4 years.

BOOM!

I forget what movie this is from but he is so funny!

Had a good chest and biceps workout yesterday. Worked things nice and hard, enjoyed the session.


Chest and Biceps

Incline Bench Machine 3 work sets 8-20 reps @1-2RIR

Vertical Chest Press 4 work sets 7-15 reps @1-2RIR

Straight Arm Pec Fly - 3 sets 10 Full ROM/10 stretched partials - reached failure on set 3

DB Spider Curls 3 sets 8-15 reps @1-2RIR

Alternating DB Curls - 2 Sets 8-15 reps @1-2RIR
That looks like a great session!
 
That looks like a great session!
It definitely did the trick.

10/16/24 - Lower Body - 1-2RIR

Leg Press - 480x16, 590x12, 680x8, 590x11, 590x9

Seated Hack Squats - 135x17, 180x9, 90x14

DB RDL's - 55x20, 55x17, 55x14

Glute Ham Raise - 11, 7 - 0RIR on both sets

=====================================================

10/17/24 - Shoulders and Triceps 1-2RIR

DB Shoulder Press - 55x15, 55x13, 55x11

DB Lateral Raise (Wycked Style) 25x15, 25x13, 25x12

DB Rear Delt Raise (Wycked Style) 20x20, 20x20, 20x17

Cross Cable Triceps Extension - 50x15, 50x11, 45x11, 45x9

Assisted Dip Machine - BW-60 x18, BW-80 x12, BW-80x9


====================================================

My legs are still sore from Wednesday, both quads and hamstrings. Triceps and shoulders are feeling worked. All is good.

In other news, due to some recent developments, I am officially coaching myself now. I am going to write up my new training plan this week, and then adjust my meal plan for a little slower rate of gain. I want to keep my waist relatively small this year to give my skin a chance to tighten up a little. I am hoping it might having not being stretched out with a hard bulk.
 
It definitely did the trick.

10/16/24 - Lower Body - 1-2RIR

Leg Press - 480x16, 590x12, 680x8, 590x11, 590x9

Seated Hack Squats - 135x17, 180x9, 90x14

DB RDL's - 55x20, 55x17, 55x14

Glute Ham Raise - 11, 7 - 0RIR on both sets

=====================================================

10/17/24 - Shoulders and Triceps 1-2RIR

DB Shoulder Press - 55x15, 55x13, 55x11

DB Lateral Raise (Wycked Style) 25x15, 25x13, 25x12

DB Rear Delt Raise (Wycked Style) 20x20, 20x20, 20x17

Cross Cable Triceps Extension - 50x15, 50x11, 45x11, 45x9

Assisted Dip Machine - BW-60 x18, BW-80 x12, BW-80x9


====================================================

My legs are still sore from Wednesday, both quads and hamstrings. Triceps and shoulders are feeling worked. All is good.

In other news, due to some recent developments, I am officially coaching myself now. I am going to write up my new training plan this week, and then adjust my meal plan for a little slower rate of gain. I want to keep my waist relatively small this year to give my skin a chance to tighten up a little. I am hoping it might having not being stretched out with a hard bulk.
Blasting those Quads 👍Got to feed that Quadzilla beast within 💪
 
It definitely did the trick.

10/16/24 - Lower Body - 1-2RIR

Leg Press - 480x16, 590x12, 680x8, 590x11, 590x9

Seated Hack Squats - 135x17, 180x9, 90x14

DB RDL's - 55x20, 55x17, 55x14

Glute Ham Raise - 11, 7 - 0RIR on both sets

=====================================================

10/17/24 - Shoulders and Triceps 1-2RIR

DB Shoulder Press - 55x15, 55x13, 55x11

DB Lateral Raise (Wycked Style) 25x15, 25x13, 25x12

DB Rear Delt Raise (Wycked Style) 20x20, 20x20, 20x17

Cross Cable Triceps Extension - 50x15, 50x11, 45x11, 45x9

Assisted Dip Machine - BW-60 x18, BW-80 x12, BW-80x9


====================================================

My legs are still sore from Wednesday, both quads and hamstrings. Triceps and shoulders are feeling worked. All is good.

In other news, due to some recent developments, I am officially coaching myself now. I am going to write up my new training plan this week, and then adjust my meal plan for a little slower rate of gain. I want to keep my waist relatively small this year to give my skin a chance to tighten up a little. I am hoping it might having not being stretched out with a hard bulk.
Sweet sessions, killer leg day!

Well the good thing is you have been doing it for quite a while so you know your stuff! Hope all is well!
 
Blasting those Quads 👍Got to feed that Quadzilla beast within 💪
Absolutely, I had hamstrings and back on tap yesterday but my hamstrings were still very sore from Wednesday. I have a good mind muscle connection to my hamstrings, and they really don't take much to get them toasted. I am going to have one more meal and go get that one in.
Be your own bodybuilding coach! Dr. Scott Stevenson, baby!
Great Minds! I am reading it now, lots of cool insights. I mean it would have to from Dr. Stevenson.
Sweet sessions, killer leg day!

Well the good thing is you have been doing it for quite a while so you know your stuff! Hope all is well!
Agreed, I know what I need to do for my body better than most. Now I want to see if my approach is going to work out better for me or not regarding injury risk reduction, staying leaner throughout the year, and being in better condition for the show.
 
Absolutely, I had hamstrings and back on tap yesterday but my hamstrings were still very sore from Wednesday. I have a good mind muscle connection to my hamstrings, and they really don't take much to get them toasted. I am going to have one more meal and go get that one in.

Great Minds! I am reading it now, lots of cool insights. I mean it would have to from Dr. Stevenson.

Agreed, I know what I need to do for my body better than most. Now I want to see if my approach is going to work out better for me or not regarding injury risk reduction, staying leaner throughout the year, and being in better condition for the show.
Either way, there’s a lot of satisfaction in taking the reigns yourself IMO
 
Either way, there’s a lot of satisfaction in taking the reigns yourself IMO
I agree with this 100%…..nothing wrong having a coach, in fact most choose that when pursuing National comps., but man there really is something very satisfying about taking the reigns and accomplishing your goals on your own.💪🏆
 
I agree with this 100%…..nothing wrong having a coach, in fact most choose that when pursuing National comps., but man there really is something very satisfying about taking the reigns and accomplishing your goals on your own.💪🏆
It’s just a fact that having an outside perspective is ideal for a lot of reasons, but when it comes to training there’s nobody that knows your body better than you! Kleen doesn’t have incredibly weak areas or need to add a ton of size, so what he knows is obviously enough to handle his bodybuilding training details.
 
Either way, there’s a lot of satisfaction in taking the reigns yourself IMO
Agreed!
I agree with this 100%…..nothing wrong having a coach, in fact most choose that when pursuing National comps., but man there really is something very satisfying about taking the reigns and accomplishing your goals on your own.💪🏆
I agree, even though I did not win, and even messed up my peak week for my first show, I got more out of it because I prepped myself for it. Plus i did better on the national level than I did on this this time at a national level. Now I know a good bit better what I did wrong when I did it and feel confident I will do better this time around. Plus I am looking at shows to see if there is one I can do early enough that if peaking does not go well I can hire a different coach to help me with prep when I go for the nationals.

On another note, I will not be working with this coach again. Unfortunately he opted to become very unprofessional when I told him I was not going to work with him any longer due to some responsiveness issues. I ended up blocking him after he sent several negative messages insulting me, and trying to berate me as if I had somehow failed him or let him down. It is unfortunate because we had been friendly, and I tried to leave things amicably but it was apparently not in the cards.
It’s just a fact that having an outside perspective is ideal for a lot of reasons, but when it comes to training there’s nobody that knows your body better than you! Kleen doesn’t have incredibly weak areas or need to add a ton of size, so what he knows is obviously enough to handle his bodybuilding training details.
Facts, I think I have enough outside perspective here with our group of friends to have that covered. many of us are knowledgeable in gear, nutrition, and bodybuilding so I feel I have that covered.

As far as points that I think need addressing:
Glutes
Hamstrings
Adductors
Lower Lats
Erectors
Lateral Head of triceps
Core - I need to work my core more this year. I relied too much on my naturally good abs this year and did not train them enough to be conditioned for the longer posing required when things are competitive. I learned this year that just because you are gifted in an area does not mean it doesn't need attention.

I don't even know if I would call them weaknesses, so much as areas of priority. Since I feel I am pretty well developed overall. However, I think bigger hamstrings, and adductors will really fill my legs out more, and make the biggest difference in my physique if competing in BB as opposed to Classic.

I think most of the things on my posterior will fill right back out as I bring back in hinging movements which were kind of taken off of my plate the last 3-4 months due to injury going to failure on belt squats. I think these will rebound quite well, they were all a strength previously and just lost a step or two toward the end of prep with the injury and training adjustments I had to make to get through prep. Lower lats and Erectors will be addressed more with flexion rows, and triceps will be addressed with various movements keeping the arm away from the body.

In general I would like my upper body a little bigger all over, but not as a point of weakness so much as just an overall improvement.

If any of you have any other suggestions of what you think might need to come up let me know what you think. Your opinion is valued.

Now for the best part of my weekend! My son called me Friday and invited me over to his place Sunday. He was going to be smoking a WAGYU brisket. So yesterday was a planned free day. I adjusted things a bit and fasted the first part of the day to help manage the influx of calories. Allowing for pigging out on brisket, chicken legs, potato salad and a couple pieces of cake. Even had a few Apple Orchard Beers. It was just the day I needed and I really enjoyed myself. I woke up about 2lbs heavier and would say most of that has remedied itself already via restroom visits. LOL
 
On another note, I will not be working with this coach again. Unfortunately he opted to become very unprofessional when I told him I was not going to work with him any longer due to some responsiveness issues. I ended up blocking him after he sent several negative messages insulting me, and trying to berate me as if I had somehow failed him or let him down. It is unfortunate because we had been friendly, and I tried to leave things amicably but it was apparently not in the cards.

Man I'm sorry it didn't end well, but at least he made the decision easier for you!

Core - I need to work my core more this year. I relied too much on my naturally good abs this year and did not train them enough to be conditioned for the longer posing required when things are competitive. I learned this year that just because you are gifted in an area does not mean it doesn't need attention.

You had mentioned the difficulty in holding the post while on stage at one point, with quads flexed and feet "splitting the ground" IIRC? Is that kinda where you are at with your thoughts on abs, just the overall conditionining to hold the post?

Now for the best part of my weekend! My son called me Friday and invited me over to his place Sunday. He was going to be smoking a WAGYU brisket.

we did something similar yesterday, I enjoyed a fair amount of beef and woke up at 193 this morning 😅 😅
but damn that beef fat on a nice roast is just better than any candy you could offer me.
 
Agreed!

I agree, even though I did not win, and even messed up my peak week for my first show, I got more out of it because I prepped myself for it. Plus i did better on the national level than I did on this this time at a national level. Now I know a good bit better what I did wrong when I did it and feel confident I will do better this time around. Plus I am looking at shows to see if there is one I can do early enough that if peaking does not go well I can hire a different coach to help me with prep when I go for the nationals.

On another note, I will not be working with this coach again. Unfortunately he opted to become very unprofessional when I told him I was not going to work with him any longer due to some responsiveness issues. I ended up blocking him after he sent several negative messages insulting me, and trying to berate me as if I had somehow failed him or let him down. It is unfortunate because we had been friendly, and I tried to leave things amicably but it was apparently not in the cards.

Facts, I think I have enough outside perspective here with our group of friends to have that covered. many of us are knowledgeable in gear, nutrition, and bodybuilding so I feel I have that covered.

As far as points that I think need addressing:
Glutes
Hamstrings
Adductors
Lower Lats
Erectors
Lateral Head of triceps
Core - I need to work my core more this year. I relied too much on my naturally good abs this year and did not train them enough to be conditioned for the longer posing required when things are competitive. I learned this year that just because you are gifted in an area does not mean it doesn't need attention.

I don't even know if I would call them weaknesses, so much as areas of priority. Since I feel I am pretty well developed overall. However, I think bigger hamstrings, and adductors will really fill my legs out more, and make the biggest difference in my physique if competing in BB as opposed to Classic.

I think most of the things on my posterior will fill right back out as I bring back in hinging movements which were kind of taken off of my plate the last 3-4 months due to injury going to failure on belt squats. I think these will rebound quite well, they were all a strength previously and just lost a step or two toward the end of prep with the injury and training adjustments I had to make to get through prep. Lower lats and Erectors will be addressed more with flexion rows, and triceps will be addressed with various movements keeping the arm away from the body.

In general I would like my upper body a little bigger all over, but not as a point of weakness so much as just an overall improvement.

If any of you have any other suggestions of what you think might need to come up let me know what you think. Your opinion is valued.

Now for the best part of my weekend! My son called me Friday and invited me over to his place Sunday. He was going to be smoking a WAGYU brisket. So yesterday was a planned free day. I adjusted things a bit and fasted the first part of the day to help manage the influx of calories. Allowing for pigging out on brisket, chicken legs, potato salad and a couple pieces of cake. Even had a few Apple Orchard Beers. It was just the day I needed and I really enjoyed myself. I woke up about 2lbs heavier and would say most of that has remedied itself already via restroom visits. LOL
Man sorry to hear it ended like that. All that time and money into it you would have thought he would have been appreciative no matter the situation. Just goes to show how some people are though. Sounds like a badass day! Traditional stick smoker? Either way sounds freaking awesome
 
Man I'm sorry it didn't end well, but at least he made the decision easier for you!



You had mentioned the difficulty in holding the post while on stage at one point, with quads flexed and feet "splitting the ground" IIRC? Is that kinda where you are at with your thoughts on abs, just the overall conditionining to hold the post?



we did something similar yesterday, I enjoyed a fair amount of beef and woke up at 193 this morning 😅 😅
but damn that beef fat on a nice roast is just better than any candy you could offer me.
Eh, it is okay, I imagine he is going through something, and if not and that is normal for him then better to know now.

Yeah, that and abdominal control for holding the abs in tight cinching the waist in during posing, as well as being able to hold a solid vacuum. My vacuum used to be pretty damn good with this big ol ribcage of mine. I couldn't really hold one very well come show time this year. I simply did not focus enough and it would not have taken much to improve it IMHO.

Oh yeah, the fat on the brisket from the WAGYU was almost like putting grassfed butter in your mouth. It damn near melted.
Man sorry to hear it ended like that. All that time and money into it you would have thought he would have been appreciative no matter the situation. Just goes to show how some people are though. Sounds like a badass day! Traditional stick smoker? Either way sounds freaking awesome
No worries, it isn't like I didn't get anything out of it. I enjoyed the process, and learned a few things along the way. He was great with diet and macros. Plus, I was mostly paying for the extra accountability, and help with peak week more than anything. We had one good peak even if we didn't make it to the show on time to see it on the stage. So I learned from that, and the 2nd half peak where we didn't water cut all the way, I came out looking pretty good for not drying all the way out. I also came up with an idea of how to avoid spilling over from the last peak where we spilled over. I took my weight when I spilled over from the first peak, and if I had bothered to get on the scale during the last carb load I would have been able to simply tell him once we approached that weight that we have to be spilling over because I was heavier than when i spilled a month before when I had lost 2 more lbs. So now I have a little check and balance for that once I run my first practice run and then spill over the following day I can get a weight that tells me I am close to spilling over if I get close to it. So I will be weighing myself throughout my carb load next peaking process as a bit of insurance that spilling over does not happen again. I would rather be a little flat and still look in amazing condition than spilling over and looking like I am 10-12% on stage.

His does both, it is a pellet grill that burns sticks too. So he started it with sticks then went pellets during some of the night while he was passing in and out of sleep on the porch. LOL
 
Unfortunate about how things played out at the end. Good luck coaching yourself Kleen! Plus you've got folks in here you can always bounce ideas off of.
 
Agreed!

I agree, even though I did not win, and even messed up my peak week for my first show, I got more out of it because I prepped myself for it. Plus i did better on the national level than I did on this this time at a national level. Now I know a good bit better what I did wrong when I did it and feel confident I will do better this time around. Plus I am looking at shows to see if there is one I can do early enough that if peaking does not go well I can hire a different coach to help me with prep when I go for the nationals.

On another note, I will not be working with this coach again. Unfortunately he opted to become very unprofessional when I told him I was not going to work with him any longer due to some responsiveness issues. I ended up blocking him after he sent several negative messages insulting me, and trying to berate me as if I had somehow failed him or let him down. It is unfortunate because we had been friendly, and I tried to leave things amicably but it was apparently not in the cards.

Facts, I think I have enough outside perspective here with our group of friends to have that covered. many of us are knowledgeable in gear, nutrition, and bodybuilding so I feel I have that covered.

As far as points that I think need addressing:
Glutes
Hamstrings
Adductors
Lower Lats
Erectors
Lateral Head of triceps
Core - I need to work my core more this year. I relied too much on my naturally good abs this year and did not train them enough to be conditioned for the longer posing required when things are competitive. I learned this year that just because you are gifted in an area does not mean it doesn't need attention.

I don't even know if I would call them weaknesses, so much as areas of priority. Since I feel I am pretty well developed overall. However, I think bigger hamstrings, and adductors will really fill my legs out more, and make the biggest difference in my physique if competing in BB as opposed to Classic.

I think most of the things on my posterior will fill right back out as I bring back in hinging movements which were kind of taken off of my plate the last 3-4 months due to injury going to failure on belt squats. I think these will rebound quite well, they were all a strength previously and just lost a step or two toward the end of prep with the injury and training adjustments I had to make to get through prep. Lower lats and Erectors will be addressed more with flexion rows, and triceps will be addressed with various movements keeping the arm away from the body.

In general I would like my upper body a little bigger all over, but not as a point of weakness so much as just an overall improvement.

If any of you have any other suggestions of what you think might need to come up let me know what you think. Your opinion is valued.

Now for the best part of my weekend! My son called me Friday and invited me over to his place Sunday. He was going to be smoking a WAGYU brisket. So yesterday was a planned free day. I adjusted things a bit and fasted the first part of the day to help manage the influx of calories. Allowing for pigging out on brisket, chicken legs, potato salad and a couple pieces of cake. Even had a few Apple Orchard Beers. It was just the day I needed and I really enjoyed myself. I woke up about 2lbs heavier and would say most of that has remedied itself already via restroom visits. LOL

Fahk em. Don’t need his negativity and bitch-azz-ness jacking up your cortisol.

I use the block button in real life plenty lol.
 
Unfortunate about how things played out at the end. Good luck coaching yourself Kleen! Plus you've got folks in here you can always bounce ideas off of.
Agreed, I have such a good group of knowledgeable people in here we can make it happen!
Fahk em. Don’t need his negativity and bitch-azz-ness jacking up your cortisol.

I use the block button in real life plenty lol.
Yeah, I was surprised by the negativity there at the end.

BTW guys thanks for the comments on the situation. However, I don't want to beat a dead horse, and am moving on. No need to feel bad, chit happens and he may have just been having a day. Either way, it is over now and I am happy to be doing my own thing.

Yesterday I took and hour long walk at lunch, then opted for a full body deload workout. Super easy, got blood moving in my whole body with 2 pretty light sets for each body part. Got a little bit of a pump and got out of there.
 
Agreed, I have such a good group of knowledgeable people in here we can make it happen!

Yeah, I was surprised by the negativity there at the end.

BTW guys thanks for the comments on the situation. However, I don't want to beat a dead horse, and am moving on. No need to feel bad, chit happens and he may have just been having a day. Either way, it is over now and I am happy to be doing my own thing.

Yesterday I took and hour long walk at lunch, then opted for a full body deload workout. Super easy, got blood moving in my whole body with 2 pretty light sets for each body part. Got a little bit of a pump and got out of there.


So curious are you at a maintenance/ deficit/ surplus- phase? I know you are wanting to stay pretty lean this go around but just curious what your running currently.
 
awesome takeaways and insights

i have some questions for you about "the how" to bring up certain areas:

for example:

for abs - you mentioned this last comp season relying on good ab genetics- to make them pop are you going to be increasing volume/ progressive overloading on cable crunches or knee raises?

what are your thoughts on practicing vacuums throughout this off-season?

also for holding posses- are you going to increase posing training - from an endurance perspective- ex: holding poses more frequently throughout the day and holding them for a few seconds longer than what normally judges would ask for
~~~~~
even though i am not a BB by any means - im absorbing tons of knowledge from this thread and the anecdotes you share
 
Man Kleen, good to see you be able to put that negative situation behind you and see the good things gained take them and move on. No doubt you know your body and what works for you. I actually don’t see much if any weaknesses….of course it’s never perfect. I believe you have done a good job of identifying the few areas that might not be as strong as others, and sounds like a good plan work on bringing those along. I believe your overall symmetry and balance is really strong and just tweaking some things here and there through diet, training, and continuing practicing the art of posing, while still maintaining your obvious strengths will really payoff. I believe the knowledge you were able to gain in your prep and really jumping in the deep end so quickly with two shows back to back was really a springboard to show you what you were capable of. I think after that you have nailed it down as far as how your body responds to your diet and prep knowing what can cause you to be flat, spillover, or zaps your energy, and what brings you in peaking at just the right moment. I believe that prep knowledge along with how your posing is continually improving is really going to lead to success. One really good thing with your body is you seem to respond to adjustments quickly and given even more time in a prep you could compete in any class you want and do great. Actually you would have been right at the top in that National with a few minor adjustments…you definitely belonged.
 
One really good thing with your body is you seem to respond to adjustments quickly and given even more time in a prep you could compete in any class you want and do great. Actually you would have been right at the top in that National with a few minor adjustments…you definitely belonged.

agreed!
 
Fort Worth, let me know if you've got a good spot. Or alternatively just a good steak will do as well!
@Segansational - Whoops I went to answer this in another thread and it showed up here. Dayne's and Panther City seem to be the fan favorites there according to reddit. The Texas De Brazil there was also excellent the time I went. It was honestly my favorite Churrascaria, and I have been to many. So if they have the same chef it should be stellar.
So curious are you at a maintenance/ deficit/ surplus- phase? I know you are wanting to stay pretty lean this go around but just curious what your running currently.
I am still basically on the previous diet, it made shopping easier this week to just get what I was used to getting. Weekend was too busy to sit down and write up a new plan then a new shopping list as well.

I am going to be playing with my intake dropping it about 300 calories a day next week and see where that leaves me. I assume with slower gains but still in a small surplus. I am up in the 206-208 area now, and don't want overshoot on the gains. I also don't want to cut back too far and lose any forward momentum. I am already a tad bit softer than I wanted to be at this point but I m not going to stop the gain train, just slow it down. I likely still have some rebounding to do, and have time to clean up. Plus, once androgens are reintroduced I will lean up as I grow into the weight.
awesome takeaways and insights

i have some questions for you about "the how" to bring up certain areas:

for example:

for abs - you mentioned this last comp season relying on good ab genetics- to make them pop are you going to be increasing volume/ progressive overloading on cable crunches or knee raises?

what are your thoughts on practicing vacuums throughout this off-season?

also for holding posses- are you going to increase posing training - from an endurance perspective- ex: holding poses more frequently throughout the day and holding them for a few seconds longer than what normally judges would ask for
~~~~~
even though i am not a BB by any means - im absorbing tons of knowledge from this thread and the anecdotes you share
Abs - It wasn't that my abs needed work aesthetically to pop. I am gifted with excellent abs with deep lines between them. So not so much about making them pop as it will be training for abdominal control, and endurance. Adding things like planks for time, and vacuums will pretty much take care of what I need there. When I am trying to make them pop I do dragon flags, elbows to knees and hanging knee raises. I find those to be the most effective for me and in that order. Dragon flags are one of the few movements that make my abs sore.

Posing, - that is precisely the idea there. Work up to holding the poses longer than what would be needed. I will start focusing more on posing about 6 months out from the contest with a lot more focus on long holds and building up endurance. I also intend to add some posing in between sets during the offseason so i get used to posing when my muscles are already fatigued and challenged. I probably won't do too many actual full on posing practices during the off season as I only have so much recovery available and posing is very challenging.
Man Kleen, good to see you be able to put that negative situation behind you and see the good things gained take them and move on. No doubt you know your body and what works for you. I actually don’t see much if any weaknesses….of course it’s never perfect. I believe you have done a good job of identifying the few areas that might not be as strong as others, and sounds like a good plan work on bringing those along. I believe your overall symmetry and balance is really strong and just tweaking some things here and there through diet, training, and continuing practicing the art of posing, while still maintaining your obvious strengths will really payoff. I believe the knowledge you were able to gain in your prep and really jumping in the deep end so quickly with two shows back to back was really a springboard to show you what you were capable of. I think after that you have nailed it down as far as how your body responds to your diet and prep knowing what can cause you to be flat, spillover, or zaps your energy, and what brings you in peaking at just the right moment. I believe that prep knowledge along with how your posing is continually improving is really going to lead to success. One really good thing with your body is you seem to respond to adjustments quickly and given even more time in a prep you could compete in any class you want and do great. Actually you would have been right at the top in that National with a few minor adjustments…you definitely belonged.
Thank you Sir! Meh, I have been in arguments before, it is no big deal. I just thought it was unprofessional for a business owner to do that. The reality is that in life you will find whatever you are looking for. So if you are looking for the negative you are going to be able to find plenty. If you look for the positive you will find plenty of that. Might as well focus on the positive as much as humanly possible if a happy life is the goal. :)

Thanks on all of the other observations too! I agree there was a lot of learning this year. I also agree I have done a pretty decent job over the years of trying to maintain a balanced physique and luckily was gifted with pretty decent genetics not to have any glaring weaknesses that are hard to change. My body does tend to react quickly to changes too so getting an idea of how things are going to go with a change doesn't take to long so any wrong turns along the way can be corrected easily.

=========================================================

My wife and I were out running a bunch of errands last night, and I told her since I am about to buckle things down if you want to sneak a date night in while we are already out and away from the kids then lets do it. I told her next week I plan on locking things down for a few weeks so I know exactly what is going on with my nutritional adjustments. So she told me to surprise her. She has been talking about Turtle Cheesecake since her birthday when someone promised her one and then didn't manage to deliver. So I surprised her by taking her to House of Pies. I had the chicken fried chicken, and man was it good. She had a waffle breakfast, and then we both had a dessert. I got a slice of Carrot pecan Cake, and she had a big ol piece of Turtle Cheesecake. She told me I won the day on that one because even as we pulled into the driveway she thought we were going somewhere else. So she was completely surprised by me remembering she had been wanting turtle cheesecake and taking her there for it. Those are the kind of victories you have to savor. The little ones that make your loved ones feel special in a big way.

I am going to train during lunch today, run a quick light full body circuit in the gym across the street, then do a little cardio with whatever time I have left. I need to get it out of the way so I can prep food for the rest of the week tonight.
 
@Segansational - Whoops I went to answer this in another thread and it showed up here. Dayne's and Panther City seem to be the fan favorites there according to reddit. The Texas De Brazil there was also excellent the time I went. It was honestly my favorite Churrascaria, and I have been to many. So if they have the same chef it should be stellar.

I am still basically on the previous diet, it made shopping easier this week to just get what I was used to getting. Weekend was too busy to sit down and write up a new plan then a new shopping list as well.

I am going to be playing with my intake dropping it about 300 calories a day next week and see where that leaves me. I assume with slower gains but still in a small surplus. I am up in the 206-208 area now, and don't want overshoot on the gains. I also don't want to cut back too far and lose any forward momentum. I am already a tad bit softer than I wanted to be at this point but I m not going to stop the gain train, just slow it down. I likely still have some rebounding to do, and have time to clean up. Plus, once androgens are reintroduced I will lean up as I grow into the weight.

Abs - It wasn't that my abs needed work aesthetically to pop. I am gifted with excellent abs with deep lines between them. So not so much about making them pop as it will be training for abdominal control, and endurance. Adding things like planks for time, and vacuums will pretty much take care of what I need there. When I am trying to make them pop I do dragon flags, elbows to knees and hanging knee raises. I find those to be the most effective for me and in that order. Dragon flags are one of the few movements that make my abs sore.

Posing, - that is precisely the idea there. Work up to holding the poses longer than what would be needed. I will start focusing more on posing about 6 months out from the contest with a lot more focus on long holds and building up endurance. I also intend to add some posing in between sets during the offseason so i get used to posing when my muscles are already fatigued and challenged. I probably won't do too many actual full on posing practices during the off season as I only have so much recovery available and posing is very challenging.

Thank you Sir! Meh, I have been in arguments before, it is no big deal. I just thought it was unprofessional for a business owner to do that. The reality is that in life you will find whatever you are looking for. So if you are looking for the negative you are going to be able to find plenty. If you look for the positive you will find plenty of that. Might as well focus on the positive as much as humanly possible if a happy life is the goal. :)

Thanks on all of the other observations too! I agree there was a lot of learning this year. I also agree I have done a pretty decent job over the years of trying to maintain a balanced physique and luckily was gifted with pretty decent genetics not to have any glaring weaknesses that are hard to change. My body does tend to react quickly to changes too so getting an idea of how things are going to go with a change doesn't take to long so any wrong turns along the way can be corrected easily.

=========================================================

My wife and I were out running a bunch of errands last night, and I told her since I am about to buckle things down if you want to sneak a date night in while we are already out and away from the kids then lets do it. I told her next week I plan on locking things down for a few weeks so I know exactly what is going on with my nutritional adjustments. So she told me to surprise her. She has been talking about Turtle Cheesecake since her birthday when someone promised her one and then didn't manage to deliver. So I surprised her by taking her to House of Pies. I had the chicken fried chicken, and man was it good. She had a waffle breakfast, and then we both had a dessert. I got a slice of Carrot pecan Cake, and she had a big ol piece of Turtle Cheesecake. She told me I won the day on that one because even as we pulled into the driveway she thought we were going somewhere else. So she was completely surprised by me remembering she had been wanting turtle cheesecake and taking her there for it. Those are the kind of victories you have to savor. The little ones that make your loved ones feel special in a big way.

I am going to train during lunch today, run a quick light full body circuit in the gym across the street, then do a little cardio with whatever time I have left. I need to get it out of the way so I can prep food for the rest of the week tonight.
Glad you were able to do something special for your wife, and it sounds like she really appreciated it. All women, even when they’re on a diet, really appreciate a sweet treat, and if you get the right one that they are craving, it connects with their emotions and usually leads to “something” we are craving.😜
 
Glad you were able to do something special for your wife, and it sounds like she really appreciated it. All women, even when they’re on a diet, really appreciate a sweet treat, and if you get the right one that they are craving, it connects with their emotions and usually leads to “something” we are craving.😜
No doubt, we have got to work our angles! Something I think they enjoy even more than a good sweet treat is proof that you were listening to them. Add the 2 together and you have a winning combination.
 
Sounds like you are building some positive life momentum all around!

Glute Ham Raises, adding some back Extensions like you said, and using a wide stance on whatever lower movements you feel are safe (can’t recall if Legpress or Sumo pulls are a trigger for you). Tempo Sumo deadlifts could hit erectors, adductors and glutes pretty well with pretty low weight - if you can keep the back safe.
 
Sounds like you are building some positive life momentum all around!

Glute Ham Raises, adding some back Extensions like you said, and using a wide stance on whatever lower movements you feel are safe (can’t recall if Legpress or Sumo pulls are a trigger for you). Tempo Sumo deadlifts could hit erectors, adductors and glutes pretty well with pretty low weight - if you can keep the back safe.
Yes Sir, trying to! Trying to find the right balance between being disciplined, but not being more strict than I need to. That way I can both make great progress, and enjoy the process instead of creating unnecessary stress for me or my family.

Now we are talking, I can do leg press with no issue but will have to test out a wider stance. I would imagine it would be okay. Glute Ham Raises are definitely in the plan. I have reintroduced those lately, and they are just so effective for the glutes, hams and erectors. I get a different kind of feel and pump from them.

I think I can do lighter weight sumos too, I will have to give them a shot.

I forgot earlier this week that the wife and I already had a date night scheduled for tonight. We are going to see Breaking Benjamin, and STAIN'D!!! I have been waiting to see STAIN'D again since they reunited right before COVID. We had tickets in 2020 when COVID ruined everything and they had to cancel the tour. Then when things opened back up he already had a solo tour planned so this is the first time we have had the opportunity. It should really be an awesome concert and finally it won't be hot out!

Jo took off early at 3:00PM when I get off so we would have plenty of time to go get something to eat before the concert. So it looks like I am taking a bit of a diet deload this week with my training deload. Having a 2nd free meal will obviously skew my self check in this week, but that is okay. We are over a year out from the show I intend to do and the focus is gaining right now so it isn't really going to hurt at this point. Although, I may toss in a fast at some point this weekend just to clean things back up, and improve insulin response.
 
We are going to see Breaking Benjamin, and STAIN'D!!!
It’s been a while….since I saw Staind. First time was New Years Eve @ SmackFest 2000(not a heroin festival) in Boston. Godsmack headlined and Staind was on the second stage. How times have changed. Plus the world was supposed to end that night when all the computers didn’t stop working.

Enjoy the good times w your Lady!!!
 
Hope you have a blast! I really like Aaron Lewis; man’s got soul.

If you try the tempo sumo, remember to think like a bodybuilder! You might want to take more of a frog stance, like Ed Coan if you’re unfamiliar, than a traditional sumo width. That’s still a big shift in muscle emphasis to bring the adductors in more, while keeping greater ROM & erector involvement than toes out near the plates.
 
It’s been a while….since I saw Staind. First time was New Years Eve @ SmackFest 2000(not a heroin festival) in Boston. Godsmack headlined and Staind was on the second stage. How times have changed. Plus the world was supposed to end that night when all the computers didn’t stop working.

Enjoy the good times w your Lady!!!

Yeah, I saw them in the mid-2000s when they toured with Creed during their reunion tour. Aaron Lewis is a great live singer, and his country music is maybe better than his Staind discography.
 
Dude I love Aaron Lewis, that would be a great show. I've been really into his patriotic stuff the past few years, but I didn't realize the band was touring! I thought he was just running solo now.
 
That sounds like a great time…..enjoy the concert and the food.🤘😎👍
Oh we had a blast!
It’s been a while….since I saw Staind. First time was New Years Eve @ SmackFest 2000(not a heroin festival) in Boston. Godsmack headlined and Staind was on the second stage. How times have changed. Plus the world was supposed to end that night when all the computers didn’t stop working.

Enjoy the good times w your Lady!!!
I see what you did there! :)
Hope you have a blast! I really like Aaron Lewis; man’s got soul.

If you try the tempo sumo, remember to think like a bodybuilder! You might want to take more of a frog stance, like Ed Coan if you’re unfamiliar, than a traditional sumo width. That’s still a big shift in muscle emphasis to bring the adductors in more, while keeping greater ROM & erector involvement than toes out near the plates.
Yeah he can just wail! Great control and a distinct tone to his singing. How he switches from wailing to screaming in a split second and right back is impressive too. Lot's can do it but his vocal transitions are so fast it is very impressive.
Yeah, I saw them in the mid-2000s when they toured with Creed during their reunion tour. Aaron Lewis is a great live singer, and his country music is maybe better than his Staind discography.
He is damn good at both. I am a bit more of a metal guy than country but I love his particular type of country music too.
That show sounds sick! Hope you had a blast and some edibles
Oh yeah, I had to settle for THC-A/THC-P edibles this time around, I haven't been to a state I can get the real stuff recently.
No worries @MrKleen73 - they did have a nearby Texas de Brazil, but saw this too late. Maybe next time!

Enjoy the concert, that sounds like a great show!
It was an awesome show, all 3 bands killed it, I have to admit I am not a big Daughtry fan but I got exposed to some of their stuff that I actually liked. It is great background vibe music.
Dude I love Aaron Lewis, that would be a great show. I've been really into his patriotic stuff the past few years, but I didn't realize the band was touring! I thought he was just running solo now.
Yeah, they reunited in 2019 then COVID ruined that. After that he did a couple more solo tours, and FINALLY came back to do the STAIN'D tour!

I ended up back up in Dallas for work this week. Decided to extend my deload since I can't really set a baseline session at this gym. All of the machines here are cool but also pretty novel. So no way to set a performance benchmark for my planned lifts. I did another full body session last night, worked a tiny bit harder than last week but still did not push too hard.

Diet this week is kind of a trying to maintain situation. I do not have my meals prepped since I am covering for someone else up here in Dallas. So it was short notice again. I am just trying to do my best not to do much damage while up here on take out food. I fasted in the AM yesterday to keep calories down, and will likely continue to do the same the rest of the week. I may have to do some clean up after this week too because I can't do cardio, the insole of my shoe ripped loose yesterday and now it keeps floating under foot causing discomfort when walking for any distance. I doubt I will make it to buy shoes while up here so there won't be as much physical activity as usual.
 
Diet this week is kind of a trying to maintain situation. I do not have my meals prepped since I am covering for someone else up here in Dallas. So it was short notice again. I am just trying to do my best not to do much damage while up here on take out food. I fasted in the AM yesterday to keep calories down, and will likely continue to do the same the rest of the week.
If you are near a Chipotle you can order what they call a “3 pointer” in a bowl. It’s white rice and chicken(or protein of your choice) only. 390 cal, 11g fat, 36g protein, 40g carbs

I think the cal and carbs r a bit low but for $10 not too bad in a pinch.
 
If you are near a Chipotle you can order what they call a “3 pointer” in a bowl. It’s white rice and chicken(or protein of your choice) only. 390 cal, 11g fat, 36g protein, 40g carbs

I think the cal and carbs r a bit low but for $10 not too bad in a pinch.
For today I went and got a big roasted turkey breast from Tom Thumb grocery store, some Naan bread, hummus, greek yogurt and habanero hot sauce. Making that into 2 meals. Then will hit some other stuff tonight.

Estimating 12-14oz turkey breast, after skin and bone removed. With everything tallied up estimation is around 1600 calories 154p, 120c, and 47f leaving 1500+ calories for meals after work. Sounds like a lot but it is nothing when you think of how much fat is added to everything.

I think Chipotle is great but also way far off from what it says nutritionwise. They count a spoonful of chicken as a 1/4lb of meat and it is 2-3oz at best. So I am pretty sure the protein ends up being much lower, especially if you order online where they get super skimpy. I still think they are one of the better bodybuilder options but their protein estimations are way high for certain.
 
For today I went and got a big roasted turkey breast from Tom Thumb grocery store, some Naan bread, hummus, greek yogurt and habanero hot sauce. Making that into 2 meals. Then will hit some other stuff tonight.

Estimating 12-14oz turkey breast, after skin and bone removed. With everything tallied up estimation is around 1600 calories 154p, 120c, and 47f leaving 1500+ calories for meals after work. Sounds like a lot but it is nothing when you think of how much fat is added to everything.

I think Chipotle is great but also way far off from what it says nutritionwise. They count a spoonful of chicken as a 1/4lb of meat and it is 2-3oz at best. So I am pretty sure the protein ends up being much lower, especially if you order online where they get super skimpy. I still think they are one of the better bodybuilder options but their protein estimations are way high for certain.
I usually ask for double chicken which prob gives me 40g of protein. Not the 60 it says. And 100% agree that going into the store gives you a better product. They have 1 person putting up all the “to go” meals so between the chipotle app, grub hub, door dash etc I can see why there is a lack of due diligence.
 
I usually ask for double chicken which prob gives me 40g of protein. Not the 60 it says. And 100% agree that going into the store gives you a better product. They have 1 person putting up all the “to go” meals so between the chipotle app, grub hub, door dash etc I can see why there is a lack of due diligence.
Just imagine if you walked in there with your food scale and were like ok drop the bowl on this, let me tare the scale and now put my 2 scoops IE 8 oz of chicken in there. They would have to triple or quad scoop just to get you there.

Last night I just relaxed, and watched the Trump interview on Rogan, I thought it might have a little more pointed discussion, but it was a relatively light hearted interview. After that I just found a stand up comedy turned the lights off and fell asleep once I got relaxed enough. I think I actually got 8 hours of sleep last night, which isn't normal for a weekday.

Dietwise, I did good all day, fasted all morning, had turkey breast and Naan Bread for lunch and a snack, then had a protein shake, and a small pizza for dinner. Not really good diet food, lets be honest. However I knew my dinners won't be that healthy while I am up here. Just trying to enjoy myself this week, not do much damage and be ready to turn up the gas this coming week. I will run today's nutrition the same, lower calories all day making room for an enjoyable meal in the evening.

I honestly think having a 2nd deload week is exactly what I needed. I haven't had any major numbness the last few days, my neck is getting more relaxed, my knees are feeling better, just over all my body is feeling better than it has in months. Plus I am really hankering to get back in and push so this has made me hungry for some hard training.

Full body session on tap for tonight, looking forward to some movement and blood flow work followed up by a lil sauna time for relaxation.
 
I am feeling quite rested after 2 weeks of light sessions while remaining in a surplus. I went a little overboard this weekend on the last hoorah mentality with food. I had some crap I needed to get out of my system obviously, as any semblance of my normal healthy diet fell away Friday. I was hungry on the way home and stopped to get gas and saw a burger joint across the street that looked pretty decent and I had seen one of them n Dallas and thought they might be worth checking out. Then I noticed it said they only served Nolan Ryan Black Angus Beef so I knew they had good meat quality and that sealed the deal. Now, I could document this as a sad thing because it was the beginning of the temporary demise of my diet. However I really enjoyed this meal! So I am not looking for pity, nor harboring guilt over it. :)

The double cheeseburger was excellent, and they really understood what extra jalapenos meant. I didn't have to ask for more. There were so many they were falling off the burger, and the fries were like double crispy or something but they were good and had an extra crunch to them. On top of that to my delight they had a malt shop in there that only used Blue Bell Ice Cream! So I got myself a mint chocolate chip shake for a dessert and enjoyed the hell out of that on the way home. As awesome as this meal was, I do wish it was the last of the let go and enjoy myself meals of the weekend. Fortunately / Unfortunately, it was the meal that sent me into a weekend of eating whatever I wanted without remorse, or at least not much remorse during. LOL

Saturday I woke up at a relatively tight 208, with no complaints about how I was looking . However this morning I would guess I was tipping the scales closer to 210 maybe even 212. So time to get my diet back on point.

A list of the madness for your enjoyment - excluded the protein shakes I drank to increase protein intake for the days.
Friday Lunch - Double Cheese Burger, Fries and a shake
Friday Dinner - Beef Fajita, Tres Leches
Saturday Lunch -Double order of Blackened Shrimp, Sweet Potato Bread Pudding w/ rum sauce
Saturday Dinner - Pizza - Double Fudge Chocolate Mousse Cake
Sunday Lunch - Left Over Pizza
Sunday Dinner - Double Cheese Burger - Chili Cheese Fries - Split an order of Funnel Cake Fries with caramel sauce with the wife.

I think I am finally kind of having the actual wind down period that most take right after a show that I just kind of held off on, and now it just showed up instead of happening as part of the plan. Either way a slight mental break here. I am sure part of it is not having a coach to check into. This weekend I start doing check in's with myself. If I am going to coach myself I need to do my own check ins and just haven't started that yet. So feeling a little less urgency not checking in somewhere but the fix there is simple. I have to take and assess my own pics but have to do it like a requirement as if I were sending it to someone else.

We are going to get this train back on the tracks! My momentary meltdown has been recognized and will now be addressed. I am not going to apologize, or act like I did not enjoy the break. I am not even going to act like it was not a decision. It absolutely was a decision based on my wants, and not my goals. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and can't say that I regret it. However, now it is time to get back to the business of building a better body.

Fasted progress pics will pick back up Saturday morning, I should be settled back into my new nutrition plan by then and we can start getting an idea of how well that is going to work for me. I am going to be reintroducing some foods and changing prep up a little. See how well I can do with some of my casserole type of food preparations at least during the offseason. I also bought the RP Cookbook 5 pack, and am going to look through it and see what I can find there to add variety. Obviously having some repeated meals will make things more convenient, but having some variety will make it more enjoyable. So I want to figure out a way to do both.

Either way, I am ready to buckle back down, tighten everything back up and get on with the getting on.
 
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Sounds like a couple weeks of deload is just what the Doctor ordered to let everything heal up a little. That burger sounded delicious, you can’t beat a good burger if it’s good quality.😎
 
Sounds like a couple weeks of deload is just what the Doctor ordered to let everything heal up a little. That burger sounded delicious, you can’t beat a good burger if it’s good quality.😎
Yes Sir, I am motivated to train, and to lock the diet back down. Both the burgers I ended up having this weekend were very good. The 2nd one was from a place called The Neighborhood Scoop, I had never tried them before. I think they are a new place that opened just down the road. They appear to be an Ice cream / Dessert shop, that also specializes in burgers, dogs and other fun foods. The burger was high quality, and the chili cheese fries were off the chain. The funnel cake fries were a first for me, talk about an easier and more enjoyable way to have funnel cakes. Less messy, and more dippable. :) I think one day the wife and I will have to go up here and try some of their food and desserts freshly made.
 
Yes Sir, I am motivated to train, and to lock the diet back down. Both the burgers I ended up having this weekend were very good. The 2nd one was from a place called The Neighborhood Scoop, I had never tried them before. I think they are a new place that opened just down the road. They appear to be an Ice cream / Dessert shop, that also specializes in burgers, dogs and other fun foods. The burger was high quality, and the chili cheese fries were off the chain. The funnel cake fries were a first for me, talk about an easier and more enjoyable way to have funnel cakes. Less messy, and more dippable. :) I think one day the wife and I will have to go up here and try some of their food and desserts freshly made.
Who amongst us doesn’t LOVE a great burger and fries???🔥🔥🔥
 
Just imagine if you walked in there with your food scale and were like ok drop the bowl on this, let me tare the scale and now put my 2 scoops IE 8 oz of chicken in there. They would have to triple or quad scoop just to get you there.

Last night I just relaxed, and watched the Trump interview on Rogan, I thought it might have a little more pointed discussion, but it was a relatively light hearted interview. After that I just found a stand up comedy turned the lights off and fell asleep once I got relaxed enough. I think I actually got 8 hours of sleep last night, which isn't normal for a weekday.

Dietwise, I did good all day, fasted all morning, had turkey breast and Naan Bread for lunch and a snack, then had a protein shake, and a small pizza for dinner. Not really good diet food, lets be honest. However I knew my dinners won't be that healthy while I am up here. Just trying to enjoy myself this week, not do much damage and be ready to turn up the gas this coming week. I will run today's nutrition the same, lower calories all day making room for an enjoyable meal in the evening.

I honestly think having a 2nd deload week is exactly what I needed. I haven't had any major numbness the last few days, my neck is getting more relaxed, my knees are feeling better, just over all my body is feeling better than it has in months. Plus I am really hankering to get back in and push so this has made me hungry for some hard training.

Full body session on tap for tonight, looking forward to some movement and blood flow work followed up by a lil sauna time for relaxation.

Looks like some physical healing magic going on!
 
I am feeling quite rested after 2 weeks of light sessions while remaining in a surplus. I went a little overboard this weekend on the last hoorah mentality with food. I had some crap I needed to get out of my system obviously, as any semblance of my normal healthy diet fell away Friday. I was hungry on the way home and stopped to get gas and saw a burger joint across the street that looked pretty decent and I had seen one of them n Dallas and thought they might be worth checking out. Then I noticed it said they only served Nolan Ryan Black Angus Beef so I knew they had good meat quality and that sealed the deal. Now, I could document this as a sad thing because it was the beginning of the temporary demise of my diet. However I really enjoyed this meal! So I am not looking for pity, nor harboring guilt over it. :)

The double cheeseburger was excellent, and they really understood what extra jalapenos meant. I didn't have to ask for more. There were so many they were falling off the burger, and the fries were like double crispy or something but they were good and had an extra crunch to them. On top of that to my delight they had a malt shop in there that only used Blue Bell Ice Cream! So I got myself a mint chocolate chip shake for a dessert and enjoyed the hell out of that on the way home. As awesome as this meal was, I do wish it was the last of the let go and enjoy myself meals of the weekend. Fortunately / Unfortunately, it was the meal that sent me into a weekend of eating whatever I wanted without remorse, or at least not much remorse during. LOL

Saturday I woke up at a relatively tight 208, with no complaints about how I was looking . However this morning I would guess I was tipping the scales closer to 210 maybe even 212. So time to get my diet back on point.

A list of the madness for your enjoyment - excluded the protein shakes I drank to increase protein intake for the days.
Friday Lunch - Double Cheese Burger, Fries and a shake
Friday Dinner - Beef Fajita, Tres Leches
Saturday Lunch -Double order of Blackened Shrimp, Sweet Potato Bread Pudding w/ rum sauce
Saturday Dinner - Pizza - Double Fudge Chocolate Mousse Cake
Sunday Lunch - Left Over Pizza
Sunday Dinner - Double Cheese Burger - Chili Cheese Fries - Split an order of Funnel Cake Fries with caramel sauce with the wife.

I think I am finally kind of having the actual wind down period that most take right after a show that I just kind of held off on, and now it just showed up instead of happening as part of the plan. Either way a slight mental break here. I am sure part of it is not having a coach to check into. This weekend I start doing check in's with myself. If I am going to coach myself I need to do my own check ins and just haven't started that yet. So feeling a little less urgency not checking in somewhere but the fix there is simple. I have to take and assess my own pics but have to do it like a requirement as if I were sending it to someone else.

We are going to get this train back on the tracks! My momentary meltdown has been recognized and will now be addressed. I am not going to apologize, or act like I did not enjoy the break. I am not even going to act like it was not a decision. It absolutely was a decision based on my wants, and not my goals. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and can't say that I regret it. However, now it is time to get back to the business of building a better body.

Fasted progress pics will pick back up Saturday morning, I should be settled back into my new nutrition plan by then and we can start getting an idea of how well that is going to work for me. I am going to be reintroducing some foods and changing prep up a little. See how well I can do with some of my casserole type of food preparations at least during the offseason. I also bought the RP Cookbook 5 pack, and am going to look through it and see what I can find there to add variety. Obviously having some repeated meals will make things more convenient, but having some variety will make it more enjoyable. So I want to figure out a way to do both.

Either way, I am ready to buckle back down, tighten everything back up and get on with the getting on.

Of course TX has a Nolan Ryan meat company lol. That’s badass
 
Of course TX has a Nolan Ryan meat company lol. That’s badass
Yep he is actually from Alvin, just down the road from Houston. My son actually lives out by there. Nolan doesn't sell anything less than Choice beef, so you know if you are getting his you are getting at a minimum a Choice cut of beef. They only sell it at Kroger as far as I know. Of course he has some Prime too but that is more expensive obviously.

The place I tried out that had his burgers that were so good was called TX Burger if anyone ever wants to try it. I love that they have both Texas Beef, and Texas Ice Cream in Blue Bell which is one of the best Ice Creams available to man! Made right here in Texas too!
 
Not gonna lie, your cheat meal menu sounds like heaven!
Who amongst us doesn’t LOVE a great burger and fries???
A good burger and fries always hits the spot. Probably one of the few foods I actually do crave at times. Had a decent one the other day at our local pub, double patty style!
 
Not gonna lie, your cheat meal menu sounds like heaven! A good burger and fries always hits the spot. Probably one of the few foods I actually do crave at times. Had a decent one the other day at our local pub, double patty style!
Love a double patty!!! Local place called Granfanally’s make killer burgers w beef sourced from a local farm. Each one is a “heart stopper” in its own way. I love the pulled pork burger. It’s a burger w enough pulled pork for a sandwich by itself and drowned in bbq sauce
 
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