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My Adipose Attrition Chronicle

Total piss-poor night. I fell asleep about an hour into the Giants / Cowboys game, but only stayed asleep until a little after midnight. After getting up and drinking some water, and another scoop of Poseidon, I tried to fall back asleep. That was, maybe 1AM, and it became impossible because all of a sudden, the wind started gusting like mad, and this kept up for hours! I rolled around, trying to get sleep, but it was like I was perpetually stuck in the phase after a nightmare, with my heart beating kind of fast. I know I hadn't had any caffeine since 7:30pm or so, with my last Coke Zero. 5:45am rolled around and I wasn't having any of it, so I just killed the alarm. But at 7AM I still had to let dog chow out so she could drop some bombs. I went back to bed and stayed there until a little after 1PM. No walking today, needless to say, because I felt shot at and missed but **** on and hit. Thank goodness today is a Federal Holiday (no work).

Stat: Current (last week)
Scale Weight: 145.8 lb (146.2 lb), 14.0% (14.0%)
Waist at navel: 32.19 in (32.56 in)
Right Upper Leg, standing: 20.81 in (20.81 in)
Right Upper Arm, unflexed: 10.78 in (10.81 in)

Scale weirdness continues. I did this 4 times. The weights were 145.8, 146, 145.8, and 145.6, with percentages of 14, 14.1, 14, 13.9. It's not like I'm looking at a huge delta, and sure, I'd rather keep weight and lose fat mass. At the same time, I think it's evident that I'm losing fat, and the pics and myotape measurements vouch for it, but the scale just really likes 14%. Legs remain the same while negligible change occurred in my arm (1/2 of a 16th of an inch). I am otherwise content to see the very, very subtle beginning of abdominal definition in this round of pics.

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Yesterday's intake: ~1240.

2 Tbsp Chia Seeds: 120
1/2 cup sunflower seeds: 320
3 scoops MyoFusion Banana: 450
1 can High Seas gourmet albacore tuna: 350

This morning... temperature is 28, but winds are mostly constant 10-12mph. "Feels like 18", says weather.com. My hands and face would have to agree. Damn, that was something. Took 20mg astaxanthin this time, along with the usual B-Crazey. Did the 8.3 mile trek, but it took nearly 4 miles just to get warm. Worse yet, the muscles in my ankles were already pumped 20 minutes in. Once the effects of Craze finally kicked in, these annoyances subsided and the rest was pretty much golden.

Decided to also include some walking statistics. Over the course of this log, I've walked many, many miles. I was curious just how many it was.

Week 1: 19
Week 2: 10
Week 3: 25
Week 4: 37.8
Week 5: 55.2

Cumulative total, not counting today: 147. I'll definitely have to add this to my list of measurements on Mondays.

Anyway, it sucks to have to go back to the grind, but it is what it is.
 
Yesterday's intake: ~1220

2 tbsp chia seeds = 120
3 scoops ultra peptide = 540
1/2 cup sunflower seeds = 360
2 candy canes ~=200

Feeding window was ~2:30pm to 6pm

Today: WTF is with this cold wave? Today, it was straight up 13 degrees. I put on an extra jacket and doubled up on sweatpants, took 20mg astaxanthin with B-Crazey and headed out. Walked 8.3 miles, mostly because I had to. I could not get warm until I had completed the 5.6 mile portion of the trip, and that was when the sun was finally out.

Continued to have some sleep problems similar to those from the long weekend. After falling asleep at 8:30pm, I was up again at midnight. Took another 3/4-ish scoop of Poseidon NT, and before 1am decided to follow that with 3 scoops of Nitrean+ (330 cal). It seemed to work, as I managed to fall asleep again, all the way to the 5:45am alarm. Woke up as if I had gotten over a fever, because I was all sweaty. Hoping to extend today to 10-11pm so that I can reestablish normal sleep patterns.
 
Yesterday's intake: uncertain, but high. Other than 330 cals of Nitrean+ and 120 cals of chia seeds, I had most of a large, thin crust, multi-topping pizza. Feeding window, other than the protein at midnight, was 2-6pm.

Since I was home when I had the pizza, I remembered that I have all these useful supplements in my cabinet. Just before I dug in, I took:

1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract

Other than a brief nodding-off between 7-7:30pm, I was able to stay up until 11:30pm, at which time I took Poseidon NT and fell asleep.

Today: Got up at 5:55am because I was actually groggy and hit snooze. When I finally forced myself up, I took B-Crazey along with 20mg astaxanthin. Walked 8.3 miles once again. Let me tell you, walking in 30 degree weather is paradise compared to the torment of 13 degree weather. Realized another observation that I had made before: in the past, when taking something like melatonin or tryptophan, I often will wake up groggy and when I go outside first thing, my night vision seems enhanced. Not so much as detail, but there's more contrast and I can see farther into areas outside where, at other dark times, it's, well, just dark.

In recent days, I have been reading heavily about glucose disposal agents and this has made me ponder some approaches as I continue this journey. I think of it as "performance tuning" where I am not only attempting to enhance fat loss, but I want to avoid relying on Craze or other stimulant use in the late morning and early afternoon hours at work. If I can keep an edge, at least until 2pm, I will be in much better shape. At that time, it wouldn't be too late to take something and have it interfere with sleep later.

I departed a little bit from routine today and did the following immediately after getting home from my walk:

10 oz water
1 tbsp chia seeds (60 cal) [contains 3g ALA]
1 scoop BSN Syntha-6 (200 cal)
1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
1g Vitacost ultra DHA (1g DHA / 0.2g EPA)
500mg Healthy Origins Citicoline
1.6g Carlson Phosphatidyl Choline (from 4.8g complex)
500mg Swanson Naringin

This will probably vary over time, but I'm hoping I can dial something in that will be good in the long run.
 
MuscleGauge1 said:
Man you are really logging! Tons of info! Keep up the work. How do you like the BodPod?
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for stopping by. Yes, I plan to keep up the work, because I need to remain serious about reaching my goals. I hope that the details help, inspire, or stir others toward good things. Regarding the BodPod, I think it's an excellent tool, and I wish I could afford my own. We're lucky to have this guy who's accessible locally. He has a furnished trailer with his BodPod inside and he is quite busy visiting various gyms and making a good buck or two. Since I don't belong to a gym, I just wait until he makes it available at his house... it's a hell of a lot cheaper. It's quick, easy, and offers you the sobering reality of your lean and fat mass. As soon as he announces another home test date, I'm gonna hop on it and share the results.

Alright, so yesterday was a long, long day, so I've had some trouble recalling everything. There was about 300 cals in my post-walk shake/snack/gda mix, and then I had maybe 150 cals of some leftover holiday chocolate, and another 60 with a scoop of chia seeds. When I got home, I had the last slice of pizza (300?) and 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds (360). There was also my newly acquired Jarrow Creatine Surge (containing creatine, tarragon, wild bitter melon and BCAAs) at 120 cal, and right around 8pm, the last thing I had was a handful of some jelly beans that weren't too sweet... guessing 100 cals. So, a very rough estimate here of 1400-ish on the day.

Today, got up at 5:45am, but was ready to move, much unlike yesterday. Took astaxanthin (20mg) and B-Crazey, and walked 8.3 miles with dog chow. Something was in the air, because on the last 3 miles of the journey, suddenly all these people were out. I never, ever see that many people and I walk these paths quite a lot.

When I got back home, I immediately took:
3.4g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
500mg Swanson Naringin
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
2g Vitacost ultra DHA (2g DHA / 0.4g EPA)
1.6g Carlson Phosphatidyl Choline (from 4.8g complex)
250mg Healthy Origins Citicoline

15 minutes had passed, so in the midst of writing this, I mixed 1 scoop of Jarrow Creatine Surge in 20 oz water. It's actually a nice tasting fruit punch. Just about finished with it, now.

Ok, so one little report on differences between yesterday and today. Yesterday morning, I was dragging ass to get up, however, when I got moving, it seemed like it was much easier to walk at first. Usually, when I'm taking craze, I don't start to experience the deeper, controlled breathing effect and enhanced ability until maybe 40 minutes into the walk. I typically treat the time <40 minutes as time to be killed. The previous night, I had a meal that was high in calories and carbs, but I took some GDAs with it. This is supposed to ferry glucose toward the muscles, even if they might otherwise be reporting that they're not hungry, right? Would my experience vouch for this? I wonder. If my stores were topped off, and if they were at higher capacity after sleeping (compared to other mornings, during which I presume I was more 'discharged') does it not make sense that my muscles would be more able to move better because there was more in the tank, thanks to the GDA? Before Craze kicked in, I was really moving and I hardly felt like I was suffering. It's curious, because I've obviously had other days in the last few weeks where I've eaten somewhat excessively, and I wasn't really that sprightly for the first 40 minutes into the next morning walk.

Contrast with this morning - upon waking, I was active, ready to leave the hose. Walked the same as I did the last few days, but prior to Craze, things just weren't the same. Unlike the night before yesterday's meal, last night's last "snack" was some jelly beans that I was offered while I did my work. Didn't have GDA's at the time. I realize this wouldn't amount to much energy, anyway, but today I felt that the first 40 minutes were much more laboring. This is my experience, typically, every other morning. It never mattered what meals I ate the night before.

As far as yesterday's post walk snack/shake thing, it seemed to work, as I was able to function and not feel drowsy or have my energy sort of lull. In fact, that didn't happen until around 5:30pm. Going to see how today's post-walk drink compares to yesterday's.
 
Yesterday: After my last post, I wanted to take note of anything that I experienced, as far as energy and well-being. Well, maybe 30 minutes after I took the Creatine Surge + supplements, I felt like there was a burst of warmth and energy. This seemed to last between 30-60 minutes. However, once I got to work - guessing maybe 2 hours after the drink, I felt what I guess was a crash. No, it didn't knock me out, but it was pretty obvious. I remember when I was interacting with coworkers, my thinking was a little slow and my brain felt a little foggy. That hadn't been happening lately. BUT, until recently, I haven't been using any choline, either. That stuff's supposed to aid my thinking ability, but it wasn't helping. It's probably what caused the minor warm feeling from earlier, however.

Anyway, after that one interaction, I had a handful of chocolate covered coffee beans. Surprised that it was only about 60 calories. Damn, those were good. There may have been a little bit of caffeine in there, but not sure. After I got back to my desk, the next half hour was probably the bottom of the curve. I took a scoop of chia seeds and then headed to the lab area where we typically have baked goods out on Friday. Luckily, they had one sugar cookie - the very thing I wanted to eat after the chia seeds. Those two things were probably 300 calories, combined. But a little after that, I stabilized. Didn't feel as foggy, and I was able to focus on stuff I had to read for the remainder of the day.

I accomplished my goal - caffeine in the chocolate beans notwithstanding - I didn't have any extra Craze or, as it would turn out, any diet soda, either. 5pm would roll around, and I was hungry as hell. So, shoot me if you want, because I deliberately overate in the interest of science. I ordered another pizza, a large thin crust with meat toppings. Once I saw that it had left for delivery, I took:

3.4g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin

Then ate the whole thing. As it stood, I finished eating by 6:30pm. However, I just felt dead tired soon after and I think I just passed out in bed at 7:30pm. It would turn into a solid 4 hour nap, and I was up from midnight to 1:30am (took Poseidon NT in between) before I went back to bed.

Only other thing of note is that my shipment of raspberry ketones and BCAAs arrived. I didn't realize just how old my BCAAs were. We're talking, like, 2 years! Just had to err on the side of caution.

Today: Surprised I was able to go to sleep somewhat quickly despite yesterday's circumstances. Got up at 5:45am. Minor addition - got some Raspberry Ketone caps from Nutraplanet and wanted to add them to my morning mix. Now it is 8 oz of water, 20 mg astaxanthin, 500mg RK, 10g BCAAs, and 1 scoop of Craze.

Ok, so continuing the experiment. I guess, my energy level upon waking is irrelevant, because I wasn't groggy or dragging. Well, when I got started on my walk - 8.3 miles again - my ability to exert effort for the first 40 minutes was just as good as the last time I preceded pizza with GDAs. Going forward, I know I can't keep eating this meal, due to total calories... but I want to see what will happen on a lower calorie, carb-heavy meal.

Probably 10 minutes into my walk, there was a curious tingling sensation, and that's when I realized that the raspberry ketones had been assimilated. The nice part about this was the warmth I felt. Even though it was 34 degrees at the time, I really had to take my gloves off, because my hands were sweaty. I did not put them back on until around 7 miles into the walk.

Now, 5 miles into the walk (approximately 1 hour) something else happened. I don't know what to attribute this to, since it's never happened before. The effects of Craze had already kicked in, but wow, it was as if all of my pains disappeared. It was not a numbness or lack of feeling. It's just that I am so used to various little pains here and there, which practically mean little to me: achilles, knees, the feeling of my weight being returned to my heels as I take each step, etc. When Craze kicks in, I become "dialed-in" and basically set myself on cruise-control for the remainder of the walk. That, in turn, enables me to tolerate or ignore various pains. It's never made aches disappear. Could it have anything to do with new, "fresh" BCAAs? The best analogy I can make is this: ever had a headache where you feel your heartbeat pounding in your head? This feels painful, so you take an aspirin or ibuprofen. Moments later, the pain dissipates, yet you anticipate it for a little while because you can still perceive your heartbeat in your head. Then you feel relieved.

Anyway, this post's getting long, as I've not only consumed a Creatine Surge, but some drama has been dividing my attention. The recycle collecting truck came down and barfed a ton of something on the ground, right in front of my house. I mean, like, gallons of oil or hydraulic fluid. It sucks for those guys, not only because they had to wait for another truck, but now there's hazmat and they still have to move the dead truck.
 
Struggled to get up at 5:45am after watching my Lions succumb to the Saints. Intake was up a little thanks to being festive - after all, it's been AGES since my team has been in the playoffs.

Let's see if I can recall everything from yesterday
3 eggs, scrambled (270)
1 tbsp EVCO absorbed by the eggs (110)
2 scoops of chia seeds (120)
3 scoops of Protean (360)
Pepperoni slices (200)
Creatine Surge (120)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (360)
5 beers (probably 1000)

I had the first 2 beers spaced out. One early afternoon, another in the 1st quarter of the Bengals / Texans game. Didn't start the last 3 until the Lions game was underway, but today those 3 felt like 8. Surprised that I had a mild headache this morning. First one was an Oatmeal Stout, while the remainder were Guinness Extra Stout.

Today - naturally, this was a bit of a struggle. After taking B-Crazey + 20mg astaxanthin + 500mg raspberry ketones, I was just not ready to move. The first 40 minutes of the walk were a drag. However, everything kicked in like it always had before, and I got out of the funk. Walked 8.3 miles again. Upon returning, I just went and mixed Creatine Surge, and used it to take:

1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
2g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
1g NOW Holy Basil
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Here's to a nice, quiet, and easygoing day. Probably going to get some chores out of the way and do some online reading.
 
Yesterday was relatively quiet. The Giants/Falcons game was hardly worth watching, but then I ended up falling asleep before Tebowmania struck again. Intake on the day:

1 scoop Creatine Surge = 120
1 jar pasta sauce = 400
5 meatballs = 333
3 scoops Myofusion = 450
2 beers = 400

Since I passed out so damn early, I awakened in quite the scatterbrained fashion. Forgot about Monday and measuring, once again. Normally, I'd try to get up at 5:30am instead of 5:45, but forgot to set the proper alarm before I crashed. And, because I don't like leaving the house after 6am, my interest is in getting a move on, because the later I am out, the more distractions I run into on my walks.

I had bundled up and taken Craze, BCAAs, 500mg RK, 500mg Swanson Resveratrol, 300mg Swanson Na-R-ALA, and 1.7g Swanson Cinnamon. Before leaving, I decided to throw on my 30lb weight vest and do what I had yet to accomplish - walking the entire 8.3 miles with it. And, walk it, I did, albeit not without prolonged difficulty. Whatever muscle it is, right above where my foot and ankle meet, was pumped and aching for a long, long time. It took probably an hour before it went away. Once I got over that, I had the usual suppression of pains and was able to complete the walk without much hassle, other than a little extra exertion on the steeper hills.

Upon getting back I took:
1 scoop Creatine Surge
500mg RK
1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
1g NOW Holy Basil
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Have to get going, so until next time...
 
Stat: Current (last week)
Scale Weight: 144.2 lb (145.8 lb), 13.7% (14.0%)
Waist at navel: 32.19 in (32.56 in)
Right Upper Leg, standing: 20.81 in (20.81 in)
Right Upper Arm, unflexed: 10.69 in (10.78 in)

Miles walked last Monday through Sunday: 49.8

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Right now, I think these look worse than last week, even if I had a slightly smaller waist. Scale weight and percentage went down, and it might be a sign of some LBM erosion, given the lower leg and arm measurements. However, I also only slept for 4 hours. This probably didn't allow adequate time to get all water / gas out.

Yesterday, I had some high-priority work to do and to my surprise, my supplement regime from yesterday seemed to help greatly. Going to try it again to see if the effects are consistent. After I walked, took the Creatine Surge + supps, I had one Coke Zero around 11am, and had a "snack" of chocolates courtesy of a coworker at 3pm. Didn't seem to suffer a lull or brain fog for the whole day, and when I came home, I had to keep at the work. Didn't fall asleep (and it wasn't like I felt that run down, I HAD to stop) until almost 1AM. Eating had stopped by 9PM.

Intake: ~1420
Creatine Surge: 120
8 Hershey Dark Chocolate w/Almonds Nuggets: 440
4 scoops Dymatize Blueberry: 500
1/2 cup sunflower seeds: 360

Today:
Measured, took Craze, BCAAs, 20mg astaxanthin, 500mg RK, 500mg Swanson Resveratrol, 300mg Swanson Na-R-ALA, and 1.7g Swanson Cinnamon. Walked 8.3 miles, no vest. Got home, took the same stuff as yesterday:

1 scoop Creatine Surge
500mg RK
1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
1g NOW Holy Basil
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Then finished my high-priority work so I could post this. Hoping that this stack will work the same magic as yesterday, even if I have a little less on my plate at the moment.
 
Checking in earlier than usual. Took Craze, BCAAs, 20mg astaxanthin, 500mg RK, 500mg Swanson Resveratrol, 300mg Swanson Na-R-ALA, and 1.7g Swanson Cinnamon. Only walked 5.6 miles this time because I felt a slightly different sensation/pain in my left achilles this morning. When I got back home, dog chow was like, "WTF?" I certainly didn't want to stop, but I felt like I had to, as a precaution. This sucks, but the the 80 minutes I spent moving is a decent consolation. Going to take it easier on my feet, if possible, for the rest of the day.

When I got back, same as usual, though I had to open a new bottle of Holy Basil.
1 scoop Creatine Surge
500mg RK
1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Two days in a row I have been uncharacteristically resistant to tiredness. Not that I'm complaining - I haven't been like that since my teenage years. But even then, I was not disciplined enough to be getting up at 5:45am every day. I've been more alert and my mind has been less foggy. It feels almost like what I'd get when I used to take jittery stims, except I am not jittery. Granted, work may have been a catalyst, as I had to complete two important projects, but it's still odd that I haven't felt depleted upon getting home. Then, at midnight, sure, I feel a little tired, but I have had to tell myself, "hey, time to go to bed". The only caffeine I've taken in: 1 scoop of Craze, one can of Coke Zero, and maybe, the handful of dark chocolates I had on both days.

Today *should* be an easier work day, though. And, I know Friday will be easier, still.
 
It actually rained quite a bit yesterday and it continued into the hours that I usually wake up, so I did not go walking today. I got out of bed at 7am. Let's just say I was barely able function for much of today. I did not take anything - no craze, bcaas, gdas, supps, etc, since I didn't do any physical activities first thing.

I think the lesson I've learned is: never to do that again. At the very least, get up as usual, but either cycle on my stationary trainer or do weights, and then go about the rest of my day. Looks like I have another rearrangement project in my basement.

My ankle muscles are still a little sore despite the break, but I hope I'm good to go for at least 5 miles tomorrow.
 
Ok, back in the saddle again. Got up at 5:45am, took:

1 scoop DS Craze
10g Bulk 2:1:1 BCAAs
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
20mg NOW Astaxanthin
500mg Raspberry Ketones
1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Walked 8.3 miles. No unusual achilles issues, which was good, but again, front ankle muscles again remained pumped and made the first hour a real chore. I don't know why this keeps on happening, but it's getting annoying.

Upon getting back:
1 scoop Jarrow Creatine Surge
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
500mg RK
1.7g Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

In stark contrast to yesterday, I feel awake and ready to go, despite my crappy 5 hours of sleep.
 
Yesterday we had a party at work. Prior to it, I had a scoop of chia seeds. Once there, I ate some rice, beans, and tortillas, one spicy wing, a couple pieces of cake. Had 2 beers. That was all I ended up eating for the rest of the day. Berberine, Gymnema Sylvestre, and Garcinia Cambogia were the only supplemental additions. The last one, Garcinia Cambogia, is known to be an appetite suppressant; I guess it's really working. There were no hunger pains and hardly a craving that I could recall.

Slight departure from my usual - decided to take 10g BCAA's at night with Poseidon NT, with 400mg Swanson Berberine, 300mg Gymnema Sylvestre, and 400mg Garcinia Cambogia. Sleep wasn't much, and it was tough since I did have a nap yesterday between 6-8, but so far, so good. Woke up and took:

1 scoop DS Craze
20mg NOW Astaxanthin
500mg Raspberry Ketones
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Resveratrol 500
250mg Vitacost Quercetin (w/188mg Bromelain)
1/4 tsp Alpha-GPC 50% Powder (500mg)
1/4 tsp Aniracetam (600mg)

Walked 8.3 miles. Still had that issue with ankle muscles pumped, but today it seemed isolated to just my right leg. Just like before, it dissipated, but not for an hour. At the same time, I guess Craze and the Alpha-GPC kicked in, because suddenly I could exert more force in my steps. Any achilles related stuff was just noise in the background and even now, cooled off, I feel little discomfort.

Once in, I got about 10oz water and took:
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Since it's a 3 day weekend, got plenty of housekeeping chores to catch up on... not to mention NFL playoffs. The laundry won't do itself, nor will the vacuum run itself, so I have to get on that.
 
Well, there was one great game yesterday. Even though I care for neither team, 49ers pretty much said, "**** Dat" at the end and won. Glad I was able to witness that craziness.

I caught the last 2 quarters after spending some time rearranging and cleaning in the basement. My hope is that my effort wasn't wasted.

Did all my eating between 12:30pm to 9pm. So, hours after my last round of supplements, I began with Creatine Surge, plus one cap each of Gymnema, Garcinia, and Berberine. Didn't keep to close a count, but ate probably 12 chocolate chip cookies during that span, had 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and at the end, I took one scoop of Ultra Peptide 2.0, with one cap each of Gymnema, Garcinia, and Berberine. The Denver / New England game was pretty boring, but I was tired, so I killed the TV and fell asleep. Actually did alright, given that I didn't take my usual Poseidon NT.

Today - I forgot that I had to take dog chow to the vet at 9am, so I made a minor mod to my exercise. Got up at 5:45am, took:

1 scoop DS Craze
20mg NOW Astaxanthin
500mg Raspberry Ketones
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Resveratrol 500
250mg Vitacost Quercetin (w/188mg Bromelain)
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia

Decided to do one sorta high intensity interval using Tabata timing (20 seconds on / 10 off, 8 times). I chose a pair of 10lb dumbbells and proceeded to full squat and do a shoulder press when I got back to full height. Did at least 6 of these per interval, so at least 48 bodyweight + 20lb squats, and the presses. My heart was racing and breathing was up a bit, but I did back off a little just to be safe. The I got the dog and walked 5.4 miles.

Came back and took:
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Gonna grab a quick shower and take dog chow to get her checkup.
 
Woke up at 5AM today to take measurements.

Stat: Current (last week)
Scale Weight: 144.6 lb (144.2 lb), 13.7% (13.7%)
Waist at navel: 31.97 in (32.19 in)
Right Upper Leg, standing: 20.57 in (20.81 in)
Right Upper Arm, unflexed: 10.75 in (10.69 in)

Miles walked last Monday through Sunday: 44.2

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So begins the 8th week. Seems as if I have plateaued in some ways, but this is OK, because it's also, IMO, an appropriate time to make adjustments. Necessity is the mother of invention, right?

The scale stats are pretty much the same... again. Waist ever so slightly decreased, though I took like 5 measurements just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I'd relax, breathe out, measure. Everything was between 32 even and 31 15/16. So, I marked it down as 31 15.5/16.

Arm measurement had a subtle increase. I thought it looked different in the picture, but the appearance looks the same as the side picture from January 2nd. That's fine by me, however, since I've done practically no work here... this past Saturday, being the exception, where moving my lat station 20 feet was more or less a whole-body workout.

Now, my leg measurement was interesting. This measurement continues to decrease. Scale weight remains consistent, so I wonder if I'm actually removing more fat from here. These last couple weeks - though I've forgotten to mention it, I have stood in the shower and noticed subtle changes - basically a couple shallow dimples among the quad muscles. In light of this, I decided to take a couple of bonus pics.

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I'm actually flexing my quads in the front shot, while I'm relaxed on the side shot. All I can say is that they look better now than when I started, and it's unfortunate that I did not take a picture in week 1. Hmm, makes me wonder if I should have included this from the beginning. Perhaps I should add these? Any opinions out there?

Alright, good games yesterday - glad the local Ravens won, though sort of impressed with the Giants. If they, and the 49ers possess the same crazy magic that they had this weekend, that's gonna be some game. Baltimore's gonna be in a world of hurt if they can't defend OR offend next week.

Today - after I got up and measured, I took:
1 scoop DS Craze
20mg NOW Astaxanthin
500mg NutraPlanet Raspberry Ketones
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Resveratrol 500
250mg Vitacost Quercetin (w/188mg Bromelain)
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia

Went immediately downstairs and did Tabata timed intervals with 135lb deadlifts in my trap bar. Since I had done a squat movement yesterday, I wanted to do something else that wasn't as quad-centric, but still get my heart + breathing rate up. Reps would turn out something like this: 8, 7, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3. While still breathing a bit, I'd struggle up my 10 stairs, throw on my layers, get the dog and go walking. Did the 5.6 mile trek. That first mile sure was awkward, as my quads and glutes took turns destabilizing my stride. Craze would eventually kick in and after 4 miles in, I just felt supercharged. I had an instant energy surge and sustained a much faster cadence all the way home. Oh, and I had no issues with my ankle muscles feeling overly pumped and/or fatigued... same as yesterday. Achilles tendons did not ache any differently during the walk and remain slightly sore after it, as usual.

After writing that, I just finished:
1 scoop Jarrow Creatine Surge
1g NutraPlanet Raspberry Ketones
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol

Going to enjoy my day off and read more stuff. From this point, I will be implementing more interval work during the week. As for what that is and how I do it, that's a work in progress. Light squats, light deadlifts, pushups, pulldowns, shoulder presses, rows, stationary bike trainer, etc, are all on the table. If I have truly cleaned the funk out of the basement carpet, then resistance training will begin, focusing on "the big four" and a few assistance lifts. No matter what, I'm starting with light weights so that I don't kill my tendons. The walks will remain, but weekly mileage will decrease. It's just good for my health and the dog's sanity.

Nutrition will change a bit from what I intended in the beginning. Though I have sort of adjusted this on my own - after ramping up my activity quite a bit, I had raised the floor of my calorie intake. This has provided me with consistent weight and reduced fat. As I get to the resistance exercises, I'll have to be more conscious of macros. After weeks of consistent activity, only now might I believe that my TDEE could be 2200 calories. However, as I have learned, 1400-2000 calories provide me with plenty of satisfaction and satiety.

Alright, less writing, more resting and reading (and thawing out - it's been damn cold lately).
 
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Today was a day off. It was rainy in the morning so I wouldn't have walked anyway, but not only did I get piss-poor sleep, I had major DOMS. My quads, glutes, and to a lesser degree, the erector spinae. It was something else. I walk hundreds of miles in a month, but today I needed to help myself up stairs and just walking at work was a chore. Whatever, it'll be over soon and if I get a little bit of functionality back, I'm walking again.

Funny, all that soreness but none at all in my ankles or achilles. Anyway, gonna watch my Pistons probably lose to Houston tonight and bake 2lb of chicken... either with Jamaican Jerk seasoning or fiery hot pepper.
 
Yesterday's meals were two slices of thin crust pizza, 1.5lb chicken breasts, and 1 cup of mozzarella.

Alright, barely got sleep, so, naturally, I barely got up in time to take an uninterrupted walk. Not only did I have insomnia, but there was high wind slamming the house and that always disturbs me. I had the alarm set to 5:30am because I wanted to do a little lifting beforehand, but I fell asleep for an hour. Didn't get out of the house until about 6:40am. Walked 5.4 miles with dog chow. DOMS limited my movement a little, but this was nothing compared to yesterday's madness.

Took my Craze + supps just like two days ago. Once I got back, made a slight change. Added protein and nootropics to my post exercise elixir.

1 scoop Jarrow Creatine Surge
1 scoop 4EverFit Fruit Blast the Whey Mango
500mg NutraPlanet Raspberry Ketones
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol
800mg Swanson Mustard Seed Extract
2g Vitacost Ultra DHA
1/4 tsp Oxiracetam
1/4 tsp Alpha-GPC

My main objective today is to just stay awake until somewhat late, so that I get a more peaceful rest. Gotta put this train back on the tracks.
 
Trying to remember yesterday's intake. ~1840 calories.

240 cals in the whey and surge
360 in pumpkin seeds
360 in sunflower seeds
320 in mozzarella
180 in ultra peptide
400 in pasta sauce

Been doing lots of reading lately, and found some interesting nuggets. This not only led me to Invalid Link Removed but also another approach, called: Invalid Link Removed. With all of the thinking I've been doing lately with this stuff, the author basically summed up something I felt like I was gravitating toward. Not only that, the approach is actually convenient within the framework of my typical work day. Basically, right when I get up, I'd take a smidgen of WM-HDP, Craze, etc, then exercise. Upon coming back, a little bit more WM-HDP and Whey+BCAAs or a protein blend (preferred). Concentrate most of my fat intake in the meals from 10am to 4pm, with carbs low and protein = or > carbs. Not a problem, as I love cheese, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and they fit the profile. Meals after 5 - begin to elevate carbs, reduce the fats but make the last meal before bed the biggest. This would be carb heavy, 2:1 carb to protein, and a smidgen of healthy fats. At the end, oddly enough, macros ought to be nearly even across the board: 33-40% C, 33-40%P, 25-33% F.

Anyway, now that my brain is done hurting, here's today's stuff. I got up at 5:30am and took:

1 scoop Craze
1g NutraPlanet Raspberry Ketones
900mg Vitacost Bitter Melon Extract
500mg Vitacost Salacia Oblonga
20mg NOW Astaxanthin

Walked 8.3 miles. Learned that Na-R-ALA is responsible for my pumped ankle muscle problem. Nothing happened this time around without it in my pre-workout stack and I was able to keep a much faster pace as a result.

Once home, I took:

1 scoop Syntha-6
500mg NutraPlanet Raspberry Ketones
400mg Swanson Berberine
300mg Gymnema Sylvestre
400mg Garcinia Cambogia
850mg Swanson Cinnamon Bark
300mg Swanson R-Fraction Alpha-Lipoic Acid
500mg Swanson Naringin
1g Vitacost Blueberry Extract
1.8g Vitacost Turmeric Extract w/10mg Bioperine
0.9g Source Naturals Holy Basil (yields 18mg ursolic acid)
1g Swanson Fenugreek
200mg Swanson Ubiquinol
800mg Swanson Mustard Seed Extract
2g Vitacost Ultra DHA

Can't wait for a few more items to arrive in the mail today.
 
Yesterday's recap:

Long day - didn't fall asleep until 9:30pm. Got my Need2BuildMuscle WM-HDP in the mail, so I was happy about that. Meals on the day:

Item - cals - p/c/f in grams

1 scoop Syntha-6 - 200 - 22/14/6
1 cup mozzarella - 344 - 32/0/24
1/2 cup sunflower seeds - 358 - 12/10/30
1 can albacore tuna - 354 - 49/0/15
6 tbsp NTBM WM-HDP - 320 - 0/80/0
4 scoops Dymatize - 486 - 84/24/6

2062 and 199/128/81 38%/25%/35%

Will work on balancing this better. Anyway, had to try out my WM-HDP at the end of the night, not just because I am very curious about it, but also because I was getting pretty tired and didn't want to make a big production. This almost blew up in my face, though, as I didn't use enough water and ended up making what amounted to tapioca with Dymatize and WM-HDP. Oops. I probably didn't consume the actual calculated cals/macros, but oh, well.

Today - got up at 5:30am. Took:

1 scoop Craze
1 scoop NP bulk BCAAs
1 tbsp NTBM WM-HDP

Went downstairs and did:
Goblet Squats with 50lb db: 15 reps +5x5
Overhand Cable Pulldown with 50lb: 20 reps +5x5
(I'm learning Invalid Link Removed)

Then got dog chow and walked 5.6 miles. First couple miles was slightly awkward due to squats, but no major issues. May have overdressed a bit, but not sure if today's stack just makes me warmer or sweatier. Anyway, got back home and took:

1 scoop Nitrean+
2 tbsp NTBM WM-HDP

I chose not to take any extra supplements immediately pre/post workout; trying to make observations. Gonna get ready for work, leave early, and try to sneak in some shopping before the dumbasses around here start stripping the store shelves bare due to the threat of winter weather. I just want it to snow a ton, and as I grew up in the Great Lakes, it makes me smile when this place goes into chaos over it.
 
Preliminary findings from yesterday:

Around the time I finished my post, I noticed something unusual. This was the period of time after my exercise and after I had taken 2 scoops of WM-HDP and 1 scoop of AtLarge Nitrean+. I had an ammonia-ish taste/smell going on. Not that this hasn't happened before - especially if, for instance, I sat down and drank 16oz of water and 4 scoops of whey on an empty stomach. Same thing happens. But, only after 1 scoop (+ 2 scoops WM-HDP)? Odd.

Anyway, before I got on the road, I ate a cup of mozzarella cheese and grabbed a coke zero. Basically got to work and had to hit the ground running, as I had a lot of stuff lined up (non-physical labor). I consumed my post-workout drink back at 7:15am, and I continued having the ammonia sensation through the late morning hours, even after the mozzarella. I don't think it went away until after noon. It wasn't bothersome at all, but it was unique.

From the time I had gotten done with exercise, it seemed like I was warmer. Usually, once I get home from walking and sit down, I tend to just feel cold after an hour. Typically, I'd have to take a hotter shower to feel rejuvenated, then I'd leave for work. Didn't seem to have that issue yesterday, and I didn't feel cold at work, either. While I was at work, I also felt full of energy and my thinking was snappy. Craze usually does that for me, but considering that I take it at 5:30-ish in the AM, and that it was already 5+ hours later, I can't give it all the credit... especially now that I am sort of accustomed to it.

As I said I would, I left early so I could sneak in some shopping. Basically bought some cheese and carbs. Another bag of Mozzarella, a tub of store-baked chocolate chip cookies, 6 medium-large apples, and a small loaf of fiber-one cinnamon bread. Forgot to get Olive Oil.

My wakefulness started to dissipate by around 7pm, and though I nodded off for 20 minutes, I fought it off so I could watch some basketball and eat one last meal. Fell asleep probably around 11pm, though not entirely sure. Even though I haven't taken Poseidon NT in a few days, I still have some funny dreams, and even woke up thinking I had really messed up my right shoulder.

Intake: cals - p/c/f
3 tbsp NTBM WM-HDP - 160 - 0/40/0
1 scoop AtLarge Nitrean+ - 113 - 23/3/1
1 cup mozzarella - 344 - 32/0/24
1/2 cup sunflower seeds - 358 - 12/10/30
2 scoops Myofusion - 294 - 50/10/6
1 Apple - 100 - 0/25/0
3 chocolate chip cookies - 453 - 3/63/21
4 slices fiber one bread - 356 - 10/70/4
2 scoops Ultrapeptide 2 - 362 - 36/14/18

cals - grams pcf -- percentages pcf
2540 - 166g/235g/104g -- 26% / 36% / 36%

Today - yes, indeed, there was a little bit of snow. That made me pretty happy upon getting up. It was only an inch, though. Unlike yesterday, I just got my Craze + BCAA's + 1 scoop WM-HDP and took dog chow for a walk. Actually forgot just how exhausting it is to walk in the snow, especially at my normal pace. Did about 6 miles. I thought about trying for 8.3 miles but the sleet started to turn to freezing rain and I didn't want dog chow and myself getting entirely wet. Got home and at almost exactly the same time as yesterday (7:15am), took:

1 scoop Nitrean+
2 tbsp NTBM WM-HDP

Right before taking this, I noticed that I had a hint of ammonia taste/smell when taking in a full breath of air. An hour has passed since the post-workout stack but nothing else seems unusual. Good thing is, since it's not a work day, I can come back anytime and comment if things change.
 
Yesterday's intake calculations:

cals - c/p/f - %c/p/f
2151 - 188g/169g/58g - 34%/31%/24%

Miscellanea: I'm happy that my Pistons finally won a game, for starters. Also, I think my little ammonia issue was due to Leucine. Throughout this journey, I typically would only get it in my BCAA mix, with smaller amounts anytime I made a protein mix. The last couple days, I had taken BCAAs first thing (5g Leucine) and following my exercise, Nitrean Plus. Turns out, Nitrean Plus also contains 5g Leucine per scoop.

Ended up napping between 5-6:30pm, so sleep wasn't the best. Got up around 5:40am. This time, the paths were pretty much ice-caked snow. Once again, it was kind of a chore to walk through, despite my slower pace due to avoid slipping. Walked 5.4 miles, but it took 15 minutes longer than usual. Both myself and dog chow almost wiped out on one of the downhills. Got back and took 2 tbsp WM-HDP and mixed it with a scoop of Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex instead of Nitrean+.

Can't wait to see some football tonight, and to begin, hopefully, a consistent M-W-F resistance training regimen from here out. My basement seems to be free of strange odors, passing my sniff test all week long. Let's hope it stays that way. I will also experiment with WM-HDP in my late meals, hoping to take advantage of its positive effects on fat burning.
 
raulob72 said:
Good log keep at it!!
Click to expand...

Thanks! It's always good to know that others are dropping in. Indeed, I am keeping at it, with a newly refined focus. I can't believe it's the 9th week.

Woke up at 5:30am to take measurements.

Stat: Current (last week)
Scale Weight: 144.8 lb (144.6 lb), 13.8% (13.7%)
Waist at navel: 31.75 in (31.97 in)
Right Upper Leg, standing: 20.63 in (20.57 in)
Right Upper Arm, unflexed: 10.75 in (10.75 in)

Miles walked last Monday through Sunday: 36.3

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The last few weeks, it's like Groundhog Day with my pictures. I see changes with my eyes that don't seem apparent to the camera. Then again, this is my cell phone, not my professional DSLR. However, when we look at the tale of the (myo)tape, stats have been heading in the right direction. In fact, today, I had a nice improvement in my waist. Otherwise negligible scale and % differences, with arm and leg being consistent.

Yesterday: Well, the Ravens had their chances, but couldn't overcome the Patriots. I thought the Giants would prevail, too, but also thought it would've happened during regulation. It's going to be funny if Eli ends up with another ring... at Peyton's place!

Cals - c/p/f (g) - c/p/f (%)
2428 - 191/230/83 - 31%/37%/30%

I ate about 1.5lb of boneless/skinless chicken breast, inflating the protein quite a bit.

Today: After taking measurements:

Took Craze, BCAAs, WM-HDP and went downstairs to lift.

Trap Bar Deadlift: 185lb - 6 reps +3x3
Wide Overhand Grip Cable Pulldown: 70lb - 12 reps +4x3

Went outside to walk. Rain was in the forecast, but from inside it only looked foggy. Was kind of mad that it was a mist. I was going to do 5.4 miles, and I ended up cutting the 3 mile portion short because I thought it would become a full rain. Of course, I do this and the mist stops. Further annoyed, I walked the 2.5 miles once I got past my house. Guessing I got in about 4 miles of walking.

Once I got in, I mixed a scoop of Dymatize Elite with 2tbsp WM-HDP. Time to catch up on a few threads and do some work.
 
Not entirely certain of yesterday's intake. It definitely exceeded yesterday's total but I couldn't recall everything. Probably worked out to 40%/30%/30% c/p/f. Also put in an order for some Trutein and straight casein to diversify my selections.

Sleep wasn't too bad; got up at 5:30am today, took Craze, BCAA's and WM-HDP. Walked 8.3 miles today because it was warmer. It was also a relief that all of the snow and ice was melted away from yesterday's rain. The fog was pretty thick, but it went away too soon. No odd soreness or DOMS to report. Once I got back home, I slammed a scoop of Nitrean+ and 2 tbsp WM-HDP.
 
Last night - did a side job after work and was treated to some home cooking and then some. Macros were likely carb heavy and exceeded yesterday's total, for sure. Had a good two bowls of vegetable soup with lots of chicken bits, 2 Guinness Draughts, and a new form of crack, called Invalid Link Removed. These were the same people that had me over for Christmas. They live a mile from me, give or take, so I walked there with my dog. On the way back, I actually ran the last half mile. Probably doesn't make up for much, but the good part was that when I got home, I was able to make a 12 oz shake with 2 scoops of Casein, slam that, and quickly fall asleep.

Today, got up at 5:30am, but really had to fight to get out of bed. Once up, I took my usual Craze, BCAAs, and WM-HDP, and went to the basement.

Flat Bench Press: 90lb x 12 +5x3 +2
Upright DB Row: 15lb x 15 +6x4 (last set of 6 was done with 20lb DBs)

I knew I could go heavier on the bench but wanted to test for any joint / tendon issues. Ran it to failure without incident, which was nice. Felt charged up in my pecs and front delts, and then I finished up with some DB upright rows. Next time around, I'll be starting with 20's.

Got done with all that by about 6AM and then walked 5.6 miles. Getting the lifts in before the walk is nice - I get to feel Craze do its work sooner. As usual, I followed up my exercise immediately with a scoop of Nitrean+ and 2 tbsp WM-HDP. Now onto the rest of the day.
 
Yesterday: Got started with the refi I mentioned in the beginning of the log; things turned out better than I expected, which is awesome. Can't say the same for my Pistons - they should've beaten The Heat last night. Oh, and I like Trutein cinnabon and bb.com's vanilla casein. Additionally, my bench work seems to have gone well - I have complete DOMS coverage across my chest. Another odd milestone: On a belt that I wear now and then, I was able to use the 4th pinhole for the first time. Back in November, if I had used the 3rd pinhole, I'd have had some gut overhang while sitting. Now, the 3rd has room and the 4th isn't restrictive at all.

Intake was:
2437 cals - 217c/219p/77f - 35%/35%/28%

Today: Just got up at 5:30am and took the usual Craze, BCAAs and WM-HDP. Though I got up, was feeling really groggy, so it felt like I was sleepwalking for 2 miles, but I did 5.6 miles and called it a day. Normally, I'd have gone for 8.3, but I have some pressing matters to address at work, so I have to get started earlier. Came in and took a scoop of Trutein with 2 tbsp WM-HDP. Looks like today will be a busy day.
 
Alright, yesterday's stuff:

Cals - c/p/f (g) - %c/p/f
2054 - 190/171/68 - 36/33/29

Saved my most carb-heavy meal until the end of my night ~9pm, then promptly passed out. Actually got great sleep.

Today: Woke up at 5:30am, took Craze, 10g BCAAs, 2 tbsp WM-HDP

Lever Squat: 70lb x 15 +5x4
Chin-Up, underhand, shoulder width: BW x 3 +2x3

I have to find the proper footing for the base of my squat lever. Toward the end, while I started to weaken a little, the weight did not seem that heavy... but my lower back seemed like a limiting factor. The muscles keeping my back straight seemed to be taking a burden. The body weight chin-ups were more of a fitness test. I probably could have squeezed out one more set, but there was lingering DOMS from Wednesday's benching. It's still a little painful to hold my arms straight up in the air, but it was even worse at the bottom of the chin-up.

After that, went outside. WTF, it was 58 degrees!! Yesterday, it was 20 degrees colder. Wanted to walk 5.6 miles, but the ****ing rain came. I think I got right about 4 miles in, based on where I had to turn around. It was falling heavy enough & I didn't want to be completely soaked. Otherwise, it was pretty comfortable.

Got back, dried dog chow and put my sweats on a chair under the ceiling fan to do the same. Took 1 scoop of Trutein with 2 tbsp WM-HDP. Alright, I must say: this combination tastes really, really good! It was like liquid oatmeal, with the cinnamon really driving it home.

Other than that, I'm gonna do some reading and catch up with things. My commute's gonna be dorked up, anyway, so I might as well wait an extra hour or two so the rush can die down. I mean: so the parking lot can empty.
 
Don't have a good estimate on yesterday, but it was a lot. This was compounded by the fact I forgot to choose thin crust on the pizza I ordered, so there were even more carbs than usual, and that's with 7 toppings - 4 meats, 3 veggies. Add 4 beers over the course of the day, and another frustrating game that the Pistons should have won... but the NTBM Photoshop Contest made up for some of that. Passed out at 11:30.

Barely got up at 5:45am, attempted to take a walk with just WM-HDP and BCAAs mixed in water (no Craze). The 5.6 mile walk felt like a chore that I just needed to get out of the way. However, since all I could think of was napping again upon waking, I thought I'd forgo Craze so that I don't just end up crashing at 2pm, instead.

Once I got back, it was 2 tbsp WM-HDP and 1 scoop Trutein. I'll pretty much be relaxing for the rest of the day.
 
Yesterday, I did try to relax, but was surprised to get a phone call from the appraiser for my Refi. I thought there'd be more time to prepare, but there was an opening for Monday morning, so I took it. Unfortunately, that meant I had to start housecleaning. Only was in the mood to do 1/4 of it, but today I have to do the rest. Anything I can get to increase my home's value, I'll take it. Did not track macros today, but there was beer and pizza.

I also had to realize that my fondness for mozzarella cheese was killing me from the inside. Should've known better - both Vitamin D and Calcium, separately, or taken together, give me constipation. I wondered why this seemed to get progressively worse, until I looked at the bag of cheese. There's 20% of the RDA (2000 calories) for Calcium in just 1/4 cup; I was eating about 1 cup per day, for weeks. God damn, I'm not a ****ing cement mixer.

I'm switching to Olive Oil and Coconut (oil, butter, shaved meat) for the time being... and the relief can't come soon enough. Got 3 pounds of unsweetened, shaved coconut on the way, and will be getting some Olive Oil after I get done here. Also ordered 3 pounds of pumpkin seeds, since I like their macronutrient profile. Good on fats, and a 2:1 ratio of protein to carbs, which is perfect for my early meals.

And, I know my Pistons are terrible, so let's not rub it in.

Today - barely could get myself up, but managed to stand up at 5:55am. Took Craze, BCAAs, 2 tbsp WM-HDP and walked 6 miles. Ah, what a difference a day makes when Craze is added back in. Got back and took a scoop of Trutein and 2 tbsp WM-HDP.

I'm putting off measurements until Tuesday morning. I will still get up early tomorrow, but I want to focus on my lifts and a walk, first, then have adequate time to get ready for my home appraisal and work.
 
Yesterday: many hours spent house cleaning, washing clothes, etc. Watched the Pro Bowl (Human Tecmo Bowl) before falling asleep. Also worth noting, after largely laying off of cheese these past few days, 16 oz of Bush's baked beans was the perfect antidote for my digestive issues.

Anyway, intake was:
Cal - c/p/f (g) - c/p/f %
2255 - 236/202/56 - 41/35/22

It was probably a good thing I postponed the measurements. Not only did I look pretty bloated, but I sure as hell did not want to get up.

Nonetheless, I managed to get out of bed at 5:30am. Mixed Craze, 2 tbsp WM-HDP, and 10g BCAAs. Slammed it, then went downstairs.

Trap Bar Deadlift: 205lb x 6 + 4x3
Wide-Grip Cable Overhand Pulldown: 90lb x 6 + 4x2 + 2
Rear Delt Fly: 20lb peak resistance cable x 15 + 10x3

Despite my non-willingness to wake up, deadlifts went well. I'll shoot for 225 next week. The weight for the pulldowns was probably higher than it needed to be, but if I continue to do well, next week it'll probably be appropriate. Since I wanted to throw in a little extra work, I found my smaller resistance cables and rigged up something to imitate the pec deck/rear delt machine. Maybe I can throw up a picture later, but I attach the cables to two handles, then put my arms through the handles just above my elbows. Then stand and imitate the motion of the delt machine.

However, I think I can do one better than that. You know how you swing a bowling ball backward before you throw it down the lane? I can perform that movement with resistance cables as well, and I think it's more effective. Will give this a shot on Wednesday.

Anyway, got to grab a shower and be ready for the appraisal. Until next time.
 
Yesterday's intake:
Cals - c/p/f (g) - c/p/f %
2360 - 228/188/78 - 38/31/29

Today: Got up at 5:40am to take measurements.

Stat: Current (last week)
Scale Weight: 144.6 lb (144.8 lb), 13.7% (13.8%)
Waist at navel: 31.81 in (31.75 in)
Right Upper Leg, standing: 20.56 in (20.63 in)
Right Upper Arm, unflexed: 10.81 in (10.75 in)

Miles walked last Monday through Sunday: 39.1

Interesting turn of events. My intake probably averaged 2500+ calories over the last 7 days, though weight and measurement changes are almost negligible. The lowest day was just over 2050. Not certain what the high point was, but it's reasonable to think that there were two days where calories exceeded at least 1500 more than that. For the last 10 days, I have deliberately avoided GDAs (they would have been logged, anyway) and I've changed my intake patterns a bit. Now, I begin the mornings with BCAAs + WM-HDP and exercise, then immediately follow that with a protein blend and WM-HDP (with ~2x protein to carbs in grams). My eating window is now something like 5:45am to 9-10pm. Last week was also the first set of MWF resistance exercises, so that probably helps a bit.

While there was a nice drop in waist last week, I got an increase of 1/16 of an inch. Considering the variables, this ain't bad!

I am mostly used to the Biorhythm diet now, but I think I need to focus on having my last meal by 8pm. If I'm getting up around 5:30am every day, I think I need to allow more hours to pass between last and first meals. I bet that alone would reveal better results first thing in the morning. Probably should make use of WM-HDP late at night instead of just in the morning. So far, everything seems to be working together.

Alright, so after measurements, I took Craze, BCAAs, WM-HDP, and added 10mg LEF PQQ (new addition). Then went to walk 5.6 miles. Seemed like things "kicked in" 10 minutes sooner than they normally would, which was nice. Got back in and mixed 1 scoop of Trutein and 1 tbsp of WM-HDP.

For the sake of comparison - Left side is the picture during week 2, right side is today's picture (week 10)

Then vs. Now
Weight: 145.2lb vs. 144.6lb
Waist: 33.25" vs. 31.81"
Arm: 10.81" vs 10.81"
Leg: 20.81" vs 20.56"

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Week 2
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Week 10
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hunter121 said:
More than likely, I'll do partial daily postings... mostly just to check in and keep tabs on myself.
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Looks like this is out of context. Wrong thread, perhaps?

Yesterday's stuff:

Cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
2388 - 244/148/92 - 40/24/34

Couldn't eat for over 5 hours while working so I compromised and got 20 chicken tenders. Finished off everything right after 9pm with some baked beans. Was more carb heavy than I'd have liked, but at the end I got good sleep.

Today - Thought everything was good. Got up at 5:20am, took Craze, BCAAs, and WM-HDP. Went downstairs and did:

Bench Press: 110lb x 10 + 3x3
Pendlay Row: 85lb x 10 + 6x3
DB Upright Row: 20lb x 10 + 5x3

I came upstairs to get ready for my walk, then open the door.. WTF?!? There's rain! Nothing was in the forecast last night, and when I got up, weather.com on my phone said "cloudy", and I had every reason to believe that, since I heard no rain hitting the house... but I go out and it's wet and rainy. Oh, NOW it says rain shower. God damn it! So, I had to settle for my old mountain bike on the stationary trainer. Endured 15 minutes of boredom and disappointment at probably 130rpm. May walk 2.5 miles at 8am if it'll just go away.

Increased the bench over last week and just got weak sooner. Still a far cry from the 160 I did last year, but I'm not rushing. It's nicer without tendon and elbow issues. Added Pendlay Rows. First time doing them, so weight was comfortable, and I could practice form. I guess the pause at the bottom appeals to me just like it does with deadlifts. Then finished out with DB upright rows.

Going to make a shake and deal with the rest of the day.
 
Yesterday, I ended up getting in a 2.5 mile walk. Then ate a bit:

cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
2855 - 267/196/112 - 37/27/35

Carbs high thanks to whole wheat pasta, though I'm not entirely certain I counted exactly 2/7 of a box. Why can't they just use cups?

Today, got up at 6:20am because it said it would be rainy... and it wasn't. Since I wanted to get a move on, I just mixed a scoop of Craze and took 10mg of PQQ. Walked 3 miles, then consumed 1 scoop of Trutein with 1 tbsp WM-HDP.

I'll be enjoying some of my newly acquired shredded coconut and pumpkin seeds later on. Until next time.
 
Yesterday:
cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
2730 - 231/179/121 - 33/26/39

This week, I have been deliberately taking more carbs in the form of whole wheat pasta, whereas normally I'd just eat a jar of light sauce like a tomato soup. The cessation of eating mozzarella and the fiber from the grains has been helping with the digestive issues that lingered from last week.

Today:

Got up at 5:20am. Took Craze, BCAAs, WM-HDP, and 10mg PQQ.

Front Squat: 60lb x 15 +6x4
Chin-Up: Bodyweight x 6 + 3 + 2
Dips: Bodyweight x 6 + 3 + 2

I like the way goblet squats feel, but my dumbbells only go up to 50lb. However, I forgot that I had this tricep bar in my stash. Its handles put my hands in almost the same position in which they'd hold a dumbbell. Bar only weighs 10lb, so I added two 25lb plates and tried it. This worked quite well. Spent too much time dicking around while trying to set up a rear delt exercise, so I skipped that and decided to do chins. First set felt strong for the first 3 reps, then quickly deteriorated. Seemed barely able to complete the final 5 reps I tried. Then I added Dips, but was even weaker with that. The reps ended up being the same, but that's only because I had to end the exercise early; right tri suddenly got strained. I'll be working in a lighter triceps accessory lift next week.

Back to the grind.
 
There he is! Been a while, but I'm definitely familiar with that quote... back in the early 90's I had that as a sound clip (along with many others) when we used to think that wav file collections were awesome.

Alright, so yesterday it was nice to see the Pistons finally win. The intake:
cals - c/p/f grams - %
2707 - 216/210/112 - 31/30/37

Today: Got up at 5:45am, took Craze, BCAAs, and 10mg PQQ. Walked 5.6 miles, then took a scoop of Trutein upon getting in. Chores and periods of laziness to follow.
 
Yesterday was a big do-nothing day. Expected rain - and there was some, but it wasn't as much as was expected. I slept in, didn't walk.

Intake was:
cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %

1669 - 143/131/64 - 34/31/34 plus two beers

Today: I really did not want to get out of bed. Had crappy sleep and felt cheated when 5:20am came around. Drifted off for 10 minutes and finally moved. Stumbled out and mixed craze, BCAAs, and a teaspoon of WM-HDP. Ultimately thought it was better to get my workout underway just so I could shake the cobwebs. I can measure tomorrow, and probably do so more accurately.

So, went downstairs and did:

Trap Bar Deadlift: 225lb x 6 +3x3
Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 65lb x 15 +10x3 (at 85lb)
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown: 50lb x 15 +10x3

Despite my inability to get up, my deadlift went well. Decided over the weekend to incorporate Stiff-Legged deads afterward. Used "light" weights to get accustomed to the movement, but still didn't do it quite right. After watching a video just now, I see how I dorked it up, but I will have it fixed for next time. Also should've used heavier weight on the pulldowns. I did more volume to help get myself warmer, since it was a little cold outside. Thought I was going to be worn out, like Friday, but that didn't happen.

Walked 5.3 miles afterward. Mixed a scoop of Trutein with 1 tbsp WM-HDP. Working on easing my intake this week. Digestion has finally smoothed itself out, so I won't be eating as much fibrous, carb-heavy stuff.
 
Yesterday's intake:
Cals - c/p/f (g) - c/p/f %
2260 - 189/193/82 - 33/34/32

Today: Sleep was a little bit better, though still interrupted a bunch of times. Got up at 5:30am to take measurements.

Stat: Current (last week)
Scale Weight: 144.2 lb (144.6 lb), 13.7% (13.7%)
Waist at navel: 31.66 in (31.81 in)
Right Upper Leg, standing: 20.5 in (20.56 in)
Right Upper Arm, unflexed: 10.75 in (10.81 in)

Miles walked last Monday through Sunday: ~25

One small victory on the waist measurement. I have to break into the 30" threshold soon! Arm and leg differed by 1/16th while weight went slightly down. Average intake was north of 2500 calories per day. My recent change in tactics is paying off.

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After measurements and pics, I took Craze, BCAAs and 1 tsp WM-HDP. Walked 5.6 miles, then took 1 scoop Trutein with 2 tsp WM-HDP.
 
soontobbeast said:
awesome job , keep it up!
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Thanks, I appreciate it. Thank you for stopping in. I'm really looking forward to making changes in this next phase.

As for yesterday:

cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
2508 - 203/207/97 - 33/33/34

By chance, my meals' macro calories happened to balance out evenly.

Today: More sleep issues. I hate that whether I get good sleep or bad sleep, I'll only get about 3-4 hours of actual, solid sleep. Most days, I can reclaim a few more broken hours, but last night was not one of them. Slept great after my last meal around 8pm, but awakened at 1am; couldn't sleep, so I stayed up until 2:30am, then sort of napped until the alarm at 5:20am. Didn't get out until 5:40, however.

Once out, mixed Craze, BCAAs and 1 tsp WM-HDP, then went downstairs for my Wednesday lifts.

Bench Press: 110lb x 12 +3x5
Pendlay Row: 115lb x 10 +3x5
DB Lateral Raise: 10lb x 12 +3x5
DB Triceps Extension: 30lb x 12 +3x5

Like Jeckyll and Hyde, same as on Monday, I had a great workout despite the lack of willingness to get up. Bench is always weak (can't you tell from the pics?) but I hit my set goals. Nailed the Pendlay rows. Now I understand how the movement works and it felt great. Hadn't done lateral raises in ages, but the 10's were adequate to make sure I could perform proper ROM. Going to run out the triceps extensions until I max out DB weight.

Walked 3 miles afterward; mixed 2 tsp WM-HDP and 1 scoop Trutein when I got back. Lots of activity on the boards today. Hoping today's ****ty weather doesn't ruin the work day.
 
Yesterday:
cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
2753 - 237/205/110 - 35/30/35

Today: got up at 5:40, mixed craze, aminos, 1 tsp wm-hdp, then walked 5.6 miles. Took 2 scoops of Trutein this time, with 1 tbsp wm-hdp. Food, work, and rest to follow.
 
soontobbeast said:
did i miss somewhere why you decided to double your intake of calories? have you noticed better fatloss since ramping up to 2000+ cals?
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It's worth recapping, since all that was buried in the beginning of the log.

When I got started, I had issues with what appeared to be a mold problem in my basement. Problem is, all of my weights and stuff are down there, and the last thing I wanted to do was inhale that crap while breathing heavily. Instead, I chose to drop calories a lot, which is something I had success with last year, while making sure to walk a lot. I also employed 16 hour fast / 8 hour eating windows. The hope was to create a deficit but also set the table for a higher TDEE. I figured it'd take a few weeks of consistent activity to really achieve the TDEE that my BodPod reading claimed I could have. This was the first 7 weeks or so. It didn't matter what food or when, as long as it was in the feeding window and close to the cals I wanted.

By week 6, though, I was starting to get pretty annoyed with feeling cold quite often, and I felt like my tendons and joints seemed to ache a bit longer. Granted, I never really took too many days off of walking, but these issues seemed to get worse. Naturally, I seemed to want to eat more, though surprisingly, even to myself, I managed to keep away from many sweets.

Some time into that, I managed to clean up the mold issue. Inevitably, I was going to have to include resistance, but I had hoped to drop more fat, first. The idea being: less fat would be able to show up at the glucose trough to suck up nutrients. However, there were also a few moments here and there when I needed to summon strength, and I was like, "damn, I'm weak as ****!"

So, I had this conflict. I want fat loss, I want to feel less injured, I want to get stronger, I want to look better, and I want to eat more.

Near week 8, I found an interesting write-up at SuppVersity about WM-HDP (a carb source shown to burn fat), and thankfully, one of the sponsors here has it. It was in SuppVersity's comment section that I ran into another page, which led me to the BioRhythm Diet. Being analytically minded, I felt like the time was just right for a shift in strategy. A) I was lifting again, B) I was still walking, C) There might be reason to time certain macros, D) I don't have to skimp on macros, and E) I don't have to be cold and injured.

Hopefully that's the roundabout answer to question 1. Now, question 2: As to fat loss, and if it's "better" - it remains to be seen. I want to ride this for a few weeks to observe the results. In the couple weeks that I've changed, so far, I had a slight bump in waist circumference, but it also came back down. Interestingly, weight has not changed. Digestive issues were a confounding factor that one week, but the subsequent measurements were better. Future pictures and measurements will tell the tale, and I hope it turns out to be a good one.

Otherwise, since making the changes, my achilles tendons don't feel weird all day like they used to, I haven't had a recurrence of my cracking right elbow / odd-feeling tendon, and I'm not getting that cold feeling like I used to.
 
Gotta say your doing good man. Impressive and definetly something to be proud of! Hope its given you a nice confidience boost. In to see you get looking even better.
 
rossman84 said:
Gotta say your doing good man. Impressive and definetly something to be proud of! Hope its given you a nice confidience boost. In to see you get looking even better.
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Thanks, glad to have you aboard. I am definitely becoming more proud as this continues onward. There's a little bit of a confidence aspect, but it's tempered by the reality that there's still a long way to go.

Alright, let's get to some details. Yesterday, I had logged half a day's worth of intake. That was from post workout until 3pm:

cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
1217 - 59/110/60 - 20/37/44

However, I left work late and got into a pretty bad mood because it was like rush hour moved to 7:30pm (when it should've been clear) and people were driving like it was Sunday. Already kind of worn, I just said, "screw it" and ordered some pizza. Thin crust, meats + veggies. Probably was 3000 calories, and I vanquished that like a starved viking. Sounds bad, but there's a silver lining: I actually got excellent sleep. Fell asleep at about 9:15pm and woke up on my own at 4:50am.

So, today I was up early and got my workout started at 5:20am, immediately after taking craze, aminos, and a dash of WM-HDP.

Front Squat: 100lb x 8 +3x5
DB Shoulder Press: 25lb x 10 +3x5
Rear Delt Pull & Raise: 10lb band x 15 +10x5

Again, another session that felt great. Going to see how far I can take front squats before having to go back to the leverage system. I basically have to perform a clean to get the weight into position, and there's gonna be a limit to that. When performing the shoulder presses, I performed the movement with my chin tucked into my collarbone as I pushed the weight. The last two sets of 3 were tough. Then I tried out the rear delt exercise I thought up, with my resistance band. That turned out to be awesome. Looks like I'll have to order a couple intermediate strength resistance bands as I improve upon this.

After that, went out and walked 5.6 miles with dog chow, as always. This time, I mixed 2 scoops of Nitrean+ with 2 tablespoons of WM-HDP.

Before ending this post, I want to go back to something that I forgot to mention among soontobbeast's inquiries. Remember how I remarked about feeling cold? Well, the opposite has started to happen since my shift in calories and eating habits. As it is, I like to eat a ton of carbs, moderate protein, and low fat in my last meal of the day. Typically, I'd go to sleep, either because I was already worn, since I get up between 5-6am, or because the eating makes be groggy... which is fine, since I should be in bed, anyway. On many nights, I've awakened in the night to find myself really sweaty.

Last night was a typical cold day like most of the last month; thermostat is still set to the same 66 degrees as it has been, and in the midst of my deep pizza-influenced sleep I had awakened with my covers kicked off, and I was just warm. Not a sickly feeling like a fever, just warm like a smoldering ember. Even better, despite the lack of humidity at these times, I did not feel dehydrated at all. This means, its going to suck when it starts getting warm here.
 
Yesterday, I went high on intake. Had a good-sized, carb heavy meal and dessert, but also washed it down with some extra protein to balance the macros a little better.

cals - c/p/f g - c/p/f %
3303 - 295/254/123 - 36/31/33

Today, I got up at 5:45am and walked 5.6 miles after mixing Craze + aminos. Was surprised to see some snow, but it wasn't much. Going to hard boil a ton of eggs and just eat a few of them in a couple hours.
 
Yesterday:

2265 - 193/170/91 - 35/30/35

Today: Lazy day. Last night, it was cold, but really windy, and it continued into the hours I normally get up. Since I didn't want frost bite on either my, or my dog's face, I didn't go walking. Stayed in bed until like 11:45am. I guess I caught up on some of the sleep I missed during the week. Lifts resume tomorrow, and measurements will occur on Tuesdays.
 
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