Build Me - An Ongoing Journey

Tuesday 3/24/09
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Diet:
7:45am:
                2 medium Apples
                3/4 bowl Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Lettuce, Tomato, Salsa, Deli Turkey
                1 bowl Beef, Vegetable, and Rice Soup [extra beef, vegetables, and rice]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Beef, Vegetable, and Rice Soup
                1 plate Roasted Vegetables, Roast Beef, Smoked Sliced Turkey
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
    5min @ ~77rpm

3x5x145 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x155 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x10x25 DB Shoulder Press [failure on last rep]
30sec rest
3x10x25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
1x5x30 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
2x5x25 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x6 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x10 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Knee Raises
30sec rest
 
SOCCER:
    50min @ low intensity
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I first went into my workout thinking of lowering the weights and perfecting the moves.  I had the mindset that I wanted to really get that mind to muscle connection and really contract, squeeze, and isolate the target group for each movement.  After trying this out on various exercises I found it helped somewhat, but was nothing to the pump and burn I got from really pushing myself.  By the end of the workout my mindset changed back to its original position.  I decided to increase the weights back to normal on many of my lifts and found that this created a more intense workout than simply “focus”.  The only weight that didn’t go to a full increase was my deadlift which will be put on a higher level next week, but remain lower than previously because I feel like I really need to make sure my back is straight.
 
As for my actual performance, there were a few surprises.  The first was that I found myself failing on the dumbbell shoulder presses.  I couldn’t complete the last rep.  I think it was this idea of slowing down and squeezing the muscle at every push that caused the early failure.  I am not at all disappointed by this, in fact I welcome it, but it just was a little shocking to see happen.  That was my only decrease.  The rest of my lifts all showed signs of present or future benefits.  For example this coming Thursday I will be increasing my weight on squats.  And today I increased my weight on the bench press and increased the reps on my dips.  I pushed myself to new levels with both of those movements and am proud to say I completed all the sets with all the reps.
 
At the very end of the day I played a little soccer.  It was mostly very casual drills though and the intensity was hardly even worth being called exercise.  I would equate it a brisk walk with a jog every now and then.  I was hoping though that even this light form of movement would counteract what I believe to be a slight overeat during dinner.  Not by a lot, but I really got to watch myself.  I still think that bulking mentality is lingering inside of me and I must get rid of it.  I will get rid of it.  I trust myself completely in my ability to self control what I eat.  It’s just I have to remember my goals constantly, always keeping in my mind what I want and how to reach it.  And that means eating less.  I’ll have to do better.  And I will.
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #110.

a very casual suggestion... I have not read all of your entries, but I do check in time to time...

It tends to be counter productive to weigh and measure yourself every day. The human bodies weight fluctuates, greatly as you have observed. A better judge of progress is to weight and measure yourself once a week only, at the same time of day, consistently.

Sweating over a .4 lb gain or loss is just going to make you second guess your choices, when it could be nothing more than a little retained water... or you need a haircut. Know what I mean? Recording your progress weekly, allows you to accurately check your progress, while allowing your body to do what it does on a daily basis, which is fluctuate, with out you stressing about it.

Your doing fine!

Thanks for the suggestion.  Read entry 106 and the subsequent posts :D.

Wednesday 3/25/09
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Diet:
7:45am:
                2 small-medium Apples
                1 small Apple
                1 bowl Oatmeal [very runny, like soup]
                Liquid Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 small-medium Pear
                1/2 bowl Roasted Vegetables
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Split-Pea Soup with Ham
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:25pm:
                1 small plate Ham, a little Black Beans, a little Salsa, a little Lettuce
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Split-Pea Soup with Ham
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
    2 min @ 68-70rpm, level 1 resistance
    2 min @ 68-70rpm, level 2 resistance
    16 min @ 1:15 min 90-95rpm, 45 sec @ ~69rpm, level 3-10 resistance (increasing each interval)
TREADMILL:
    10 min @ 4mph, 6% incline

PUSHUPS:
    3x30 (1 min rest)
SITUPS:
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
This morning I had the most disgusting oatmeal.  It was a runny mess.  I really hate it that my dining hall just cannot get it together and cook a proper oatmeal.  Is it really that hard to get the water to oats ratio right?  They also ran out of whole eggs so I had to use this liquid junk.  It was a pretty disappointing breakfast.  I just hope tomorrows will be better.  It would be nice to have a decent meal in me before two big exams.
 
I was so close to breaking my record on the elliptical.  I stayed above 90rpm for every second of my sprints except for this one blink of an 89 on the LCD around midway through my HIIT session.  I didn’t let it discourage me though.  I plowed through the rest of the HIIT as if I never saw that 89.  By the end I burned 398 calories, my most ever in 20 minutes.  That was enough for me even if I didn’t break my record.  There’s always next Wednesday, and I’ll break it then.
 
Around an hour and a half before bed I did my pushups and sit-ups.  Normally I do them right before sleep but I was in the mood at that particular moment so I went ahead and did them early.  Even with being in the right mind set they were still very hard and I always seem to lose focus on my goals while pushing through the 30 reps.  I still was able to complete them all, but I just really wish my mind was trying just as hard as my body.  I almost feel like this is more of a mental game than a physical one.  Like all personal games though, eventually I’ll win.
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #111.

Thursday 3/26/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:40am:
                1 small-medium Pear
                1 medium Apple
                4/5 bowl Rolled Oats [medium consistency]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
1:45pm:
                1 bite Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, a little Kidney Beans and Garbanzo Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
3:15pm:
                1 small-medium Pear
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans, a little Cottage Cheese (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Italian Wedding Soup [broth only]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:25pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Italian Wedding Soup [broth only]
                1 bowl a little Beef, Mixed Vegetables, Ratatouille
                1 slice 12 Grain Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
TREADMILL
    5min @ 8.4mph
    5min @ 8.5mph
    ~3min @ 9.0mph
    last 0.2 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 10mph
    -> 2.0 mile in 13:53
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
    5min @ ~11-12calories per minute, 2resistance
    5min @ ~12-13cpm, 4resistance
    5min @ ~13cpm, 6resistance
    5min @ ~13-14cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
    10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I woke up pumped for the day.  I was in the mood for a nice hard workout before my exams and therefore did just that.  As you can see from the stats above I smashed my previous record on the 2 mile run.  I followed it up with an increased effort on the full range elliptical.  For some reason I was just in that right mentality and it helped guide my way along the 45 minutes in the gym.  It was a great session.
 
Sadly it didn’t help much with my exams.  Both were harder than expected and I feel like I could of planned more for them.  I failed myself in this way and I won’t let it happen again.  For the first time these last 2 weeks I felt myself slacking off in my schooling.  That will no longer be the case.  I got my first non-A exam of my college career in my elective Economics class, my easiest class, this week.  I will not let myself fall below a 4.0.  I demand perfection from myself in this area just as I demand it from my fitness regime.  And I will do just that.
 
Despite a faulty lunch schedule today which caused me to divide meals and adapt my diet was pretty much dead on.  I particularly enjoyed dinner where I felt like my portion sizes were perfect because I left satisfied but 2-3 hours later I had that nice feeling of wanting food.  I enjoy going to bed empty, so I relish that feeling when I get it just right.
 
That energetic mood didn’t leave me even with the disappointment of my exams.  At night I did my pushups and sit-ups the same way I do every night and performed around the same (though maybe slightly better).  But it was my head that was the difference.  I truly feel like it is my mental strength that is limiting my improvements for these two exercises.  I will continue to work myself in that area.  I have no doubt that eventually I will get it.  It is like everything else: practice makes perfect.  I look forward to the days where I can turn on my pumped “lets cause my body pain” mindset like a light switch.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #112.

Friday 3/27/09
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Diet:
7:15am:
                2 small-medium Apples
                1 bowl Cream of Wheat
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham, Onions (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1+ bowl Seafood Soup [a lot of extra seafood]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
                2 thin slices Turkey
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans, a little Cottage Cheese (low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1+ bowl Seafood Soup [extra seafood and vegetables]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
    5min @ ~77rpm, 1resistance
3x5x150 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x160 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x35 DB Shoulder Press
1min rest
3x5x40 Assisted Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x6 Dips(chest version, leaning forward)
1min rest
3x5x25 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x10 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I had a great lifting session today.  I found myself able to take the additional weight on my squat.  That was a huge satisfaction.  I am going to try to start increasing all my movements by 5 pounds if possible every week.  I’m tired of not progressing.  I want to get stronger and I feel like this is the way to do it.  I mean after all I’ll never know if I can lift the additional 5 pounds until I try.  Squats are a perfect example.  I thought I was stalling at 145; I felt like I was pushing myself to the edge on every rep.  And yet, it seems I could do 150 just as well.  My instinct tells me my other lifts may be the same.
 
There isn’t thing else to tell.  That is all.  Good night.
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #113.

Saturday 3/28/09
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Diet:
9:20am:
                1 medium Apple
                1 small Apple
                3/4 bowl Rolled Oats Oatmeal
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                2 small Apples
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1+ bowl Chicken Barley Soup [extra chicken]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:10pm:
                1 plate 2-3 small Hamburger Patties, 1 Vegan Hamburger Patty, 2-3 medium pieces Chicken Breast [slightly fatty], Cooked Beans
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
--
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I woke up sore today!  Yes, I say that with an exclamation mark.  I haven’t felt sore, and I mean really sore all over in a very long time.  I directly take this to be a result of the weight progression.  Man I just wish I had added weight earlier.  Now I know: just because I feel like my body can’t go further, doesn’t mean it can’t.  I can’t wait to keep pushing my boundaries!
 
I forgot to mention yesterday that I feel like I have found the culprit of my deadlift form troubles.  After careful examination it seems that my hips and lower back are moving before my upper back and shoulders.  For a split second this is causing my shoulders to stay low while my lower back comes up (that is creating a slight curveting).  It doesn’t stay this way though and as soon as the rest of my body plays catch-up my back becomes perfectly straight again.  Now that I know what is wrong, I have to figure out how to fix it.  Any recommendations?
 
I was fairly active today as the weather has finally improved to awesome conditions.  The only downside of this is that the dining hall decided to do an outdoor picnic and my food choices became severely limited.  I think I screwed up in my choices by eating hamburger patties.  I should have remembered my mantra that it is best when on a cut to not eat at all than eat unhealthily.  Oh well, it is just one meal.  I won’t stress over it; I know that in the future I will make the right choice.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #114.

Sunday 3/29/09
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Measurements:
 
                Body Weight:     150.4lb                  Change: -1.80lb
                Lean Mass:         136.56lb               Change: -2.09lb
                Percent Fat:       9.2%                      Change: +0.3%
                Body Fat:             13.84lb                  Change: +0.29lb
 
Progress Pictures:
               
               





 
Thoughts and Opinions:
 
                I am somewhat disappointed with my numbers today.  Not extremely so, but somewhat.  I felt like I did better than this and deserved more of a body fat percent drop (though my body weight did decrease).  The result of the week seemed to be that I lost muscle and gained fat; of course not at all what I wanted!  Now this could all be because of the screwup for dinner last night; that is possible.  But, I’m not going to play the guessing game.  I am going to restrict my diet further this coming week by making small changes here and there.  Most likely they won’t show up on my diet report because I generally find it hard to post portion sizes (as it is lots of guesswork).  But, hopefully the next Sunday Edition will have numbers that show my success.
 
                Regarding the images there really isn’t much to see.  I mean I feel leaner, but it doesn’t seem to be showing up.  I guess it takes a while for “feelings” to equate to a visual difference.  I did try and take some more poses this week to give you guys and myself a better idea for where I stand.  I’m having trouble getting the back pose correct though.  It seems I’m pushing my butt out and then shifting it to one side (no I don’t have any herniated disk it’s just me not knowing where to place my lower back).  If anyone has any recommendations for striking a good back pose, let me know.
 
                As always I will end with the standard request… Questions, comments, criticisms, critiques?
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #115 Sunday Morning Edition.

Sunday 3/29/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
9:15am:
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 small-medium Pear
                4/5 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Pear
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Chick Pea Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:25pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Green Pepper (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Chick Pea Vegetable Soup
                1 plate 1 small-medium piece Pork Chop [fat stripped off], Broccoli, Black Beans and Vegetables
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
PUSHUPS:
    1x67 (65 in 1min)
SITUPS:
    1x55 (41 in 1min)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
It was rainy out and I was mostly sedentary.  I had a big homework assignment so that occupied most of time.  My real news came at night.
 
I was able to use my camera as a video camera and took movies of me doing my pushups and sit-ups.  It is immediately evident as you will soon see that my pushup form is complete ****.  My back caving in as if it had a 200lb anvil on it.  I am going to focus heavily on fixing that.  My numbers themselves were also lower, but I think it was because, believe it or not, my focus on form.  I mean I was getting my elbows parallel on each rep.  At least I can go out saying that my sit-ups looked good: right?  If not let me know.  Anyway, here are the videos:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdQ1MNL0OT8
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQzWZuZa1hc
 
 
 
Thanks for watching and good night.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #115.

Monday 3/30/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:45am:
                1 small-medium Pear
                1 small-medium Apple
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
1:50pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, a little Kidney Beans, a little Garbanzo Beans, Cottage Cheese (Light Olive Oil Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Chicken Noodle Soup [extra chicken]
3:10pm:
                1 medium Apple
                1 bowl Chicken Noodle Soup [very little chicken and noodles]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [less than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:40pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans (Light Olive Oil Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Mushroom, Rice, and Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [less than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
TREADMILL
    5min @ 8.5mph
    5min @ 8.6mph
    ~3min @ 9.0mph
    last 0.2 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 10mph
    -> 2.0 mile in 13:46
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
    5min @ ~11calories per minute, 2resistance
    5min @ ~12.5-13.5cpm, 4resistance
    5min @ ~13.5cpm, 6resistance
    5min @ ~13.5-14.5cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
    10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
Besides a one fluke with my meals during lunch time (I had to split it into two quickly succeeding smaller meals) my day was pretty much perfect.  I had an excellent treadmill run as can be seen from yet another personal record.  At night I did my pushups and sit-ups.  I recorded my pushups (videos will be posted later, tomorrow most likely) and checked my form after ever set.  I am still sinking in my lower back horribly, but I think each set I got better.  I think with a little more practice I’ll get it perfect.  I didn’t take a video of my sit-ups though because from yesterday’s it didn’t seem like any changes needed to be made.  I can report though that they felt easier today which was a welcoming improvement as I thought I was stalling for a bit on them.
 
Tomorrow is a lifting day and I am looking forward to incorporating some new advice I have gotten from responses here and elsewhere to this journal.  The first is I am going to curl my toes on the squat to make sure that my weight is not rolling to the balls of my feet (note that I make sure to NEVER let it go on my toes themselves).  I also will really focus on perfecting my form with the deadlifts using my camera’s video capability as a guide.  I will be posting both squat and deadlift videos as long as my one’s from tonight tomorrow.  I look forward to any critiques you guys/gals may have when viewing them.  Until then, good night.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #116.

[font="verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; white-space: pre-wrap; "]Lots of questions that I receive revolve around my diet and making sure I get the adequate protein content. I always respond by saying that the written text is deceiving because I do not include portion sizes for some items (such as deli turkey on a sandwich). Today I decided to take a photo of an average lunch of mine so that you could get a better idea towards what I eat. Before I post it I do want to let you know I used slightly more deli turkey than normal since the soup of the day didn't contain any protein. And now, without further ado, my lunch (approximately 1/3 of my daily caloric intake).

I'll be posting these later as well in my journal entry along with a description, but I'm excited to hear what you guys have to say about them right now so here are the videos of today's lifts. Tell me what you think. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl6TRWpBfio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edWDfPYVu7Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zVSFvztHMIs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNpJT4Ycox0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQwjeLR89V
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbYfRrFTWmw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8ZP3xPRV7o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTn-ynqbExg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdUmy47bfAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy8h3wW2ufI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ2PuAa_QqQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNdkaYDoCg0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iotYH91IJWE 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFFLf1UbdnA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS8ErRniVb0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1t8WFbn0Hk

Tuesday 3/31/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:40am:
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 medium Apple
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                5 Pickle Spears
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Asian Vegetable Soup [extra vegetables]
                1 slice 12 Grain Bread with Deli Turkey [more than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Red Pepper, Carrots (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Asian Vegetable Soup
                1 plate Pot Roast [fat stripped off], a little Roasted Vegetable Salad (Ginger Soy Dressing)
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [a lot less than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
    5min @ ~77rpm

3x5x150 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x165 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x10x25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x10x25 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x5x25 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x6 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x10 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Knee Raises
30sec rest
 
SOCCER PRACTICE:
           80min @ moderate intensity
 
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I woke up today excited for my weight lifting session.  I took my video camera with me and recorded pretty much every lift.  I feel like my form was decent enough for everything and actually not even as bad as I thought for the deadlifts (I think the problem is rooted in the fact that I’m keeping my butt up too high in the starting position).  The workout itself was just average since some of my focus I felt was lost to me thinking about the camera and getting the video shots right.  Still though, it was a good day in the gym.  I should also note that I tried curling my toes during the squat motion and found that this just made everything worse.  It felt unnatural to have my feet in that position so I switched back to flat toes and just made sure I had my weight on my heels as much as possible (it still did shift to the balls of my feet once and awhile, but I don’t think that is a huge deal).  Anyway here are the videos and I’ll let you guys be the judge (I also included my pushups from last night).
 
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl6TRWpBfio 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edWDfPYVu7Q 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zVSFvztHMIs 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNpJT4Ycox0 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQwjeLR89V 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbYfRrFTWmw 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8ZP3xPRV7o 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTn-ynqbExg 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdUmy47bfAc 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy8h3wW2ufI 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ2PuAa_QqQ 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNdkaYDoCg0 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iotYH91IJWE  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFFLf1UbdnA 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS8ErRniVb0 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1t8WFbn0Hk 
 
My diet today was normal.  Taking the camera with me to the gym though inspired me to take it with me to the dining halls.  I snapped a photo of my lunch so you guys could get a better idea of what I meant by the “deli turkey” on my sandwiches.  Hopefully this will quench any arguments that I don’t get enough protein.
 

 
For the last few days (it started up Sunday) my left knee has been bothering me as well.  It’s mostly on the left more outside side of the knee and I can feel some slight pain when I press down on the area as well as some achy pain in general when moving it.  During running and squats and basically any movement the pain doesn’t get any worse and sometimes even goes away (or I just stop noticing it) so I don’t think those movements have anything to do with it.  Maybe I just slept on it wrong or banged it somehow without noticing.  Either way, I figured I should mention it just in case.
 
At night I had soccer practice for a little over an hour.  There were only four of us so we decided to do two on two for most of the time.  This lead to actually a decent workout and got me slightly winded and sweating by the end.  My only concern is that calluses started to form on certain areas of my foot because of it.  I hope that this will not come to affect me later on as part of my gym routine.  I doubt it will, but I’m just putting it out there.  Overall I had a good time as well as some extra exercise in (which was good since I think I had a slightly big dinner).
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #117.

Wednesday 4/01/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:45am:
                2 medium Apples
                4/5 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [slightly runny]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Mixed Beans (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Turkey and Rice Soup [a little extra turkey and rice]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Mixed Beans (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Turkey and Rice Soup [extra turkey and rice]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
    2 min @ ~68rpm, level 1 resistance
    2 min @ ~68rpm, level 2 resistance
    16 min @ 1:15 min 89-93rpm, 45 sec @ ~68rpm, level 3-10 resistance (increasing each interval)
TREADMILL:
    10 min @ 4mph, 6% incline

PUSHUPS:
    3x30 (1 min rest)
SITUPS:
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I am slightly disappointed today with my gym workout.  For the last few weeks I have been able to use the same elliptical machine and it has allowed me to keep track of my performance improvements.  Today I had to switch.  I still used the same model, but for some reason each of the 4 identical ellipticals behaves differently.  The one I used today didn’t necessarily provide more resistance (in fact it may have even been less) but for some reason I found it harder to move at higher RPMs.  This change prevented me from achieving my goal of 90+ rpm that I was so hoping for this week.  Oh well, there is always more weeks to come.  The machine also clocked me in at 364 calories compared to last week’s elliptical reporting of 398 calories.  Of course this is irrelevant.  In the end I worked out as hard as I could and I can’t ask for more than that.
 
At night I tried a different hand position with my pushups.  I found out that I was pointing my fingers upwards but actually the neutral position is to point your hands side to side so that the fingers point outward.  I did this and though it felt awkward (most likely because I was so used to the previous position) it made the entire movement somewhat easier.  I think eventually I’ll transition to this “normal” position entirely (including my knuckle pushups during my lifting sessions).  I also tried to keep my abs more tight to obtain better back posture during the motion.  I’m not sure how well it worked out though since I wasn’t able to record tonight (my dorm room was full with people while I was going through the movements).  Hopefully tomorrow night I will be able to get another video up so that I, as well as you, can critique the changes I have made to my pushups.
 
Afterwards I executed the sit-ups, which have definitely gotten easier.  I was watching this military video on sit-ups today and noticed that they keep their feet closer together (sometimes even touching).  I tried this out and I think it helped somewhat.  For some reason though my tailbone began to hurt again today.  It wasn’t too bad so I worked through it and finished up all my reps for each of the 3 sets.  I will watch for that in the future though.  I’ve rubbed it raw before and it cut out my sit-up routine for a week.  I don’t want to go through that again.
 
I will end the day with the fact that I had a perfect and delicious diet.  Check it out and good night.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #118            .

Thursday 4/2/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:45am:
                2 medium Apples
                1/2 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [contained some raisins, but I removed most]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
1:50am:
                1 bite Apple
                1/2 bowl Spanish Rice, Whole Wheat Pasta (Marinara Sauce)
                1 bowl Chicken Orzo Soup [extra chicken]
                1 large bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans, Cottage Cheese [more than usual] (Light Olive Oil Vinaigrette)
5:30pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, 3 Egg Whites (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Minestrone Soup [contained beans, pasta, and beef]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
TREADMILL
    5min @ 8.5mph
    4:30min @ 8.6mph
    ~3min @ 9.0mph
    last 0.2 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 10mph
    -> 2.0 mile in 13:45
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
    5min @ ~11-12calories per minute, 2resistance
    5min @ ~12-13cpm, 4resistance
    5min @ ~13cpm, 6resistance
    5min @ ~13-14cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
    10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
My workout today was nearly identical to Monday’s.  I decided not to increase my running speed (though I did start slightly earlier on my 9.0mph run) because I didn’t want to go forward on my progress too much that I plateau before I reach my true potential.  I will most likely increase it next week though.  I made strides in a different way instead.  For the full-motion elliptical I was able to break the 250 calorie mark in 20 minutes.  That is a new record and I left the gym happy for that.
 
My diet today was fairly good.  I am slightly concerned over lunch since I wasn’t able to find any pure sources of protein for my salad (such as hardboiled egg whites) and instead had to use pure cottage cheese.  The cottage cheese offered in the dining halls is 4% fat so my concern is over the fat intake since it could easily have raised my total calories eaten without me noticing.  Besides that though, it was decent enough.
 
At night I worked some more on my form.  I wasn’t in the mood to bother with filming, but I do feel like I made some improvements.  I tried to really focus on tightening my abs during the pushup movement as well as tucking my elbows in somewhat.  The reps felt harder and I hope it is because of these changes.  For my sit-ups I restricted some of my motion and didn’t come up quite as much as I usually do.  I mean I was still going up to maybe 90% so it was a good burn, but just not quite the same.  I didn’t do this just because I was lazy.  Like I mentioned last night my tailbone got slightly sore from the motion and I still felt it today.  I didn’t want to risk making it worse and hindering me from doing sit-ups entirely so I stopped moving before the pressure would orient itself on that area.  The sit-ups did end up being slightly easier than normal for this reason.  But, better being safe than sorry so I am happy with my decision. 
 
Tomorrow I won’t have time to lift and film so I’ll just be lifting.  I’m going to bring a sheet with me with all of the improvements and changes I should make for each lift.  I’ll let you know how it goes and hopefully next Tuesday I will have the additional minutes to include some videos as well.  Here is a copy of the sheet for those who are curious.  I also want to know if you think I left anything out.  Good night.
 
Squats:
·         Don't step back so far
·         Keep elbows vertical (elbows pointed down)
·         Don't let back round in hole (keep chest up)
·         Don't push hips forward at end to lockout, instead keep butt out like initial position
·         Don't go too far below parallel
·         Keep hands closer together to get a better shelf and to keep back tighter
·         Look straight ahead
·         Keep core tight
Deadlifts:
·         Bring chest up before butt
·         Lean back when pulling
·         Make sure to stay balanced
·         Keep chin more down
·         Narrower Stance
·         Starting position as if you are sitting down
·         Make sure to get a good grip once in starting position
·         Keep chest out and shoulders back
Bench:
·         Bench at nipple line or below
·         Arch back more and drive in through legs
·         Stay tight
Dumbbell Rows:
·         Go slower on the negatives
Pushups:
·         Keep elbows slightly tucked
 
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #119.

Friday 4/3/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:20am:
                1+ bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [slightly runny]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:25pm:
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Kidney Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Seafood Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [more than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:30pm:
                3/4 bowl Broccoli with a little Couscous and Eggplant Stew
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Kidney Beans (Low Calorie Light Italian Dressing)
                1 bowl Seafood Vegetable Soup [mostly broth]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~77rpm, 1resistance
3x5x150 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x165 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x125 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x35 DB Shoulder Press
1min rest
3x5x40 Assisted Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x6 Dips(chest version, leaning forward)
1min rest
3x5x25 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x10 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
30sec rest
 
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I’m not sure why but it must have just been one of those days.  I simply wasn’t feeling it in the gym.  It’s too bad too since this is the day I wanted to work on improving my form and yet I was struggling mentally in simply doing the lifts.  It could have been because of the lack of fruit in the morning (Sage Dining Hall that opens at 7:00am instead of Commons at 7:30am never has good apples), but that’s just a guess.  By the end I still did succeed in completing all the lifts, but I think my form worsened if anything.  I did try and implement the changes recommended, but some really didn’t work out.  For instance I tried narrowing my grip and keeping my elbows pointed down on the squats, that didn’t work.  I couldn’t find a comfortable position with the bar and it made the entire movement more awkward.  There are a few other examples as well.  Truly though today was not an accurate day to make any judgments.  Therefore I will try again fresh on Tuesday and hopefully with a camera as well.
 
My knee is still bothering me.  It’s getting annoying and I think when I come back home in a little over a month I’m going to get it checked out by a doctor.  It’s not that bad but I just want to make sure everything is OK.  I tried feeling around to see if anything seemed unusual.  The only thing abnormal was that on the top left of the knee cap if I pushed down where there is a soft spot right on top of the knee it feels like there is a bruise there.  I don’t see any bruise, but that is what it feels like.  Anyone have any idea of what all this could be?
 
I ended the day with a disappointing choice in diet.  I have no idea why but I made the impulsive decision to get some couscous and eggplant stew.  There was no call for it.  I mean it was a small mistake and won’t make much of a dent in my results, but I do regret it.  My focus is on not making those impulsive jumps in the future.
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #120.

Saturday 4/4/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
9:20am:
                2 medium Apples
                2/3 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                1 100 Calorie Instant Oatmeal Packet
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                2 small Hot Peppers
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1+ bowl Country Chicken Vegetable Soup [extra chicken and vegetables]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                5 Carrot Strips
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1+ bowl Country Chicken Vegetable Soup [extra chicken and vegetables]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
--
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
In the morning I decided to test out the instant oatmeal packets offered at my dining hall.  Sometimes the oatmeal quality is really bad and I was curious to see if I could use these packets as a replacement.  The additional benefit is that I could take them with me to the other dining hall on days that oatmeal is not even offered.  Disappointingly, it appears that this is not a decent enough solution.  The first problem is that the instant oatmeal packets are not pure oats and do have some sugar added (though from the nutrition facts it seems marginal).  The second problem is it tastes like ****.  Maybe not this semester, but possibly later on in college life I will just go out and buy a big tub of instant rolled oats and just bring packets of it with me to the dining halls.  For now though, I’ll just stick to what is offered.
 
I stayed in mostly today doing Data Structures and Algorithms lab homework.  I’m excited for tomorrow as I’ll be weighing myself and taking progress shots.  I hope to see improvements in both guides.  I also have a soccer game tomorrow so it will be nice to get out and play some ball as the weather starts to get warmer (though today was pretty dismal).  That’s all for today: good night.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #121.

Sunday 4/5/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measurements:
 
                Body Weight:     150.80lb               Change: +0.40lb
                Lean Mass:         137.98lb               Change: +1.42lb
                Percent Fat:       8.50%                    Change: -0.70%
                Body Fat:             12.82lb                  Change: -1.02lb
 
Progress Pictures:
               
               
 


Thoughts and Opinions:
 
                At first I was disappointed.  I wasn’t too happy with the fact that through my cut I somehow managed to gain weight.  But then I thought about it.  I gained a measly 0.4lb so it could have just been fluctuations of the daily variety instead of real weight gain.  And yet, I dropped a huge 0.7% body fat.  This is not something to be disappointed about!  When I took a few minutes to digest it all I realized I made the ideal transformation this week.  I shredded over a pound of pure fat and gained nearly a pound and a half of muscle.  Clearly I am doing the right thing.  And now I am very satisfied, very happy.  I will not be making any major changes to my lifestyle except for possibly eating slightly slightly less (I’m thinking about taking the calories out of my daily soup intake as well as some out of the salad toppings – less beans, less dressing, etc..).  But, overall, you won’t see many changes in my daily journal.  And why?  Because what I’m doing is working.  It’s working!
 
                As for my progress shots, I don’t see much change.  I may be a little leaner in my relaxed photo, but that could just be imagining things.  It could also be because I’m feeling leaner these days so I’m envisioning myself as looking leaner as well.  But hey, if I’m feeling leaner I can only assume that eventually that will translate to looking leaner as well, no?
 
                Overall it was a good morning.  I made substantial progress in my goals towards a mean lean fighting machine.  The key now is to keep with it.  And that… That is what I do best at!
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #122 Sunday Morning Edition.

Sunday 4/5/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
9:15am:
                1 small-medium Pear
                1 medium Apple
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Light Italian Dressing, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Lentil Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Lentil Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
PUSHUPS:
    1x70 (69 in 1min)
SIT-UPS:
    1x61 (45 in 1min)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
Like yesterday my diet was spot on today. 
 
At night I performed my pushups and sit-ups to test my new maximums and hopefully to break some records.  For pushups I filmed this procedure as well (though it seems I put the camera a tad too close).  And though I did perform better than last week I don’t feel like some of my last reps should count since I wasn’t going quite low enough.  I also tried to keep my abs tight and mentally push them against my back.  Most of the time I found myself losing focus on this though and thereby let my form suffer.  When I did get it right I could tell and that was a good feeling as it allowed me to get a better idea of what I should be striving for.  Overall I felt like my form did improve slightly.
 
Here’s the video:
 
 
Five minutes after I tested myself on the sit-ups.  In this case I did see a realistic improvement in my reps till failure (though my pace stayed the same clocking in a 45 in 1 minute).  At least I can happily say that if I’m not improving with the pushups I am improving with the sit-ups.
 
And I leave myself with that good thought, that nice improvement.  Good night.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #122.

Monday 4/6/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:40am:
                2 medium Apples
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [thick]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
1:45pm:
                1 bowl Chicken Rice Soup [extra chicken, a little extra rice]
                1+ large bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Kidney Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Grain Salad, Cottage Cheese, 6 Egg Whites (Various Dressings)
5:40pm:
                1 bowl Turkey Rice Soup [extra turkey and rice]
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber (Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
TREADMILL
    5min @ 8.5mph
    4:00min @ 8.6mph
    2.0min @ 9.0mph
~1.5min @ 9.5mph
    last 0.2 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 10mph
    -> 2.0 mile in 13:39
ELLIPTICAL
5min @ 70rpm, 1resistance
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
    5min @ ~12-12.5cpm, 4resistance
    5min @ ~12.5-13cpm, 6resistance
    4min @ ~13cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
    10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I felt good today.  First I woke up to the pleasure of no knee pain.  It seems that the symptoms have completely dissipated.  I also woke up to a feeling of excitement for cardio, which is rare.  I had a nice breakfast with some decent oatmeal for once.  Everything was just falling into place.
 
Following breakfast I had a really good workout where I broke my personal record yet again for the 2 mile run by making at most a 13:39 mile.  I say at most because actually I don’t quite remember if it was 13:35, 36, or 39.  I decided to play it safe and officially record 39, but it could in fact have been even faster.  The only annoying thing at the gym was that the full motion elliptical was occupied for the first 5 minutes after my run.  It wasn’t a big deal though as I just hopped on the one of the other elliptical machines until the occupant finished up.
 
At night I had a really nice pushup and sit-up session.  I found myself with more strength in both areas.  I focused on keeping my abs tight during the pushup as well.  With the help of my camera I think the change did give a noticeable benefit to my form, though it is still not ideal.  Tomorrow when I have more time I’ll post the videos.  As for tonight, I must go to sleep as the morning brings in two exams that require a nice night’s rest beforehand.  Good night.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #123.

Here the new pushup vids from yesterday. Tell me what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POk7oazXsT0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2zB_VQWlYg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDKUu1_gQsk

Tuesday 4/7/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:15am:
                1+ bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [slightly runny]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil)
                1 bowl Turkey Chili [extra turkey]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Turkey Chili [dry, extra turkey]
                1 small plate London Broil Steak, Black Bean Salad
                1 Slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [less than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
    5min @ ~77rpm

3x5x155 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x170 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x130 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x10x25 DB Shoulder Press
30sec rest
3x10x30 DB Bent-Over Rows
30sec rest
3x5x25 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
3x6 Dips (triceps version, straight)
1min rest
3x10 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
3x30sec Knee Raises
       30sec rest
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
Despite a fruit lacking breakfast I had a really nice workout today.  I increased by 5 pound increments almost all of my big compound movements as well as the DB Bent-Over Rows.  Surprisingly it was not in any of these motions that I failed in.  Instead it was the shoulder presses that ended up bringing me to the edge as I couldn’t complete the 8^th rep on the last set.  The knuckle pushups had a similar conclusion on the 9^th rep.  I take this as a message that I am seriously pushing myself with the other lifts.  I feel like I am getting stronger, and that is a good feeling.
 
 My form also improved somewhat.  For the deadlifts I finally think I’m getting somewhere as I really focused on lifting with my shoulders before my butt while also leaning back.  It’s still not perfect, but I think it’s getting there.  I just wish I had time to take some videos to get a more accurate means of measurement. 
 
The squats though for some reason had some form issues.  During the last set I couldn’t prevent myself from distributing a tad too much weight towards the front half of my feet.  I’ll have to carefully watch that from being taken too far.  Usually I am really good staying on my heels, but today it was tough.  Maybe it was the extra weight.
 
During the bench press I tried to push through my legs to drive some of the upward force.  This helped to lift the bigger weight.  I also focused hard on the idea of squeezing the pecs instead of simply lifting the bar upwards.  This helped to stimulate the muscles.  I am very happy with the strides I am making here as well since I always felt that the bench press was one of the few lifts that I could never get proper muscle stimulation in the right places.  This time I stood up after the 3^rd set and really felt it in my pecs.
 
For the rest of Tuesday I just took in my protein in its normal forms and went to class.  It was a good day.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #124.

Wednesday 4/8/09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diet:
7:45am:
                1 medium Apple
                1 small-medium Apple
                4/5 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [slightly runny]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                1 small cup Chicken and Onions
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Shaved Carrots (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Beef Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                5 Pickle Spears
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Beef Vegetable Soup
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [a little more than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
           ELLIPTICAL [Version 1]:
                2min @ 150-160stm, 1resistance
                2min @ 150-160stm, 2resisstance
           ELLITPICAL [Version 2]:
                1min @ 150-160stm, 2resistance
                6min @ 1:15min 200+stm, 45 sec @ 150-160stm, 3-5resistance (increasing each interval)
ELLIPTICAL [Version 3]:
    12 min @ 1:15 min 89-93rpm, 45 sec @ ~68rpm, level 5-10 resistance (increasing each interval)
TREADMILL:
    10 min @ 4mph, 6% incline

PUSHUPS:
    3x30 (1 min rest)
SITUPS:
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
My workout today was disappointing.  It was just a horrible chance of luck that on my HIIT day all the ellipticals that I normally use for HIIT were taken.  As you can see from the data above I tried various machines before finally being able to obtain my standard elliptical and complete the rest of my HIIT.  I did my best, but the entire time it was awkward to jump from machine to machine and I feel like my overall intensity suffered because of it (though my calories burned probably increased since I spent an extra 10 minutes just switching from elliptical to elliptical).  Still though, the differences between today and a normal Wednesday probably won’t affect me much and I am satisfied with myself that I completed the workout and more even with the obstacles in front of me.
 
I think I may be having a little too much deli turkey on my sandwiches.  For these last few lunches and dinners I felt like when the next meal came, or when sleep was right around the corner, I didn’t have any hunger in me.  My guess is the over abundant amount of turkey.  I’m going to try cutting back just a little bit and see how I feel as a result.
 
I really enjoyed my pushups today.  My form is definitely improving.  I filmed the movements yet again and when I post the updates tomorrow you will see what I mean.  For now though I can tell you with a good amount of certainty that my lower back is getting straighter and my shoulders are starting to trend away from that “shrug” feel.  I also had a nice 3 reps of sit-ups as I focused on my abs to up the intensity.  I’m happy the day ended like this after a rough start.  Good night.
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #125.

Thursday 4/9/09
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Diet:
7:40am:
                2 small-medium Apples
                1- bowl Cooked Rolled Oats [apple flavored, runny]
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
1:40pm:
                1 bowl Chicken Vegetable Soup [extra chicken]
                1+ large bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Cottage Cheese, 6 Egg Whites (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, a little Olive Oil, a little Red Wine Vinaigrette)
5:20pm:
                1 bowl Mushroom Barley Soup
                1 bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Bean Salad (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, a little Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
TREADMILL
    5min @ 8.6mph
    4:00min @ 8.7mph
    2.0min @ 9.0mph
~1.5min @ 9.5mph
    last 0.2 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 10mph
    -> 2.0 mile in 13:33
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~12cpm, 2resistance
    5min @ ~12-13cpm, 4resistance
    5min @ ~13cpm, 6resistance
    4min @ ~13-14cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
    10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
SIT-UPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
My morning started off with a disappointing breakfast.  I had the oatmeal like I always do, but I was in for quite the surprise.  I am not exaggerating when I say that it had both the consistency and flavor of microwaved applesauce.  It was absolutely, dreadfully, gross.  But, at least I can say that my diet for the rest of the day went well.  And so did my workout.
 
I wasn’t planning on breaking another personal record today, but I did anyway.  I thought my new standard was to run at 8.6 and then increase to 8.7 miles per hour.  Turns out I was off by .1 and I actually was supposed to run at 8.5 and 8.6.  Well, that didn’t seem to matter.  I plowed through the run and hit a nice 13:33 2 mile time.  Next week I’m going to try increasing this again to 8.7 and 8.8.  I truly want to push myself.
 
At night I videoed my pushups as it seems to be becoming part of my routine.  I know I said I would post the videos from last night, but I haven’t had the time today.  Tomorrow I should definitely be able to post those promised earlier and the ones taken today.  I focused on my depth for the 3 sets this night and did see some improvement (it was especially noticeable that the reps were more difficult because of this).  My lower back slouch seemed to show itself again though as my mind turned towards improving my downward motion.  I will keep cracking at this though.  The videos are really helping and I feel like I will have it down in no time.  My sit-ups went well as usual and I am still feeling a really nice burn with a near failure rep on the last set.  As long as I can keep that I don’t think I will be changing the intensity much besides maybe slowing my cadence down to get even more of that well-loved stomach contraction.  I am though still feeling some pain in my tailbone.  Sometimes it’s there, others it’s nonexistent.  I just wish I could find out what exactly is causing it.  Is it some certain position that I am in on only some of the reps?  It’s really annoying me since I want to fix it, but can’t figure out the source.  Any ideas?
 
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #126.

I made a stupid blunder today in managing my pushup videos and ended up deleting my ones from last night. I still do have the videos from Wednesday night though and that should help give you guys a gauge on my progress with form. Tell me what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSJlM7QxKMw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsFqXIgquq4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC_n1RNSFLA

Friday 4/10/09
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Diet:
7:15am:
                2 medium Apples
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham, Onions, Green Pepper (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Pear
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, a little Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Seafood and Vegetable Soup [extra seafood and vegetables]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1/2 bowl Lightly Crusted Tilapia
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, a little Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Seafood and Vegetable Soup [potatoes removed]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey [less than usual], Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
ELLIPTICAL:
5min @ ~77rpm, 1resistance
3x5x155 BB Squat
1min rest
3x5x170 BB Deadlift
1min rest
3x5x130 BB Bench Press
1min rest
3x5x35 DB Shoulder Press
1min rest
3x5x30 Assisted Pull-Ups
1min rest
3x6 Dips(chest version, leaning forward)
1min rest
3x5x25 Assisted Chin-Ups
1min rest
2x10 Knuckle Pushups
30sec rest
           1x4(failure) Knuckle Pushups
3x30secx Bicycle Crunches
       30sec rest
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I was happily surprised to see Sage Dining Hall have edible apples this morning.  Along with the fruit they actually had a decent consistency oatmeal and some extra side condiments such as onions and peppers for my eggs.  It all turned into a very nice and satisfying breakfast to preclude my workout.
 
I had an awesome workout today.  I pushed myself to the edge on pretty much every lift.  I just wish I had time to have filmed it all.  I tried to imagine myself pulling more back instead of up with the deadlift and I think this did help with my form some (though without a video it is tough to tell). 
 
As I said I did push myself to the edge on all my lifts and I even failed on one, the pushups.  For the
pushups I noticed after watching my videos why I can’t seem to mentally go lower.  It is because I am looking down and sticking my neck below my chest level.  This is causing the illusion of the ground being closer than it actually is.  At the gym today I looked straight ahead and this proved to make the lift incredibly more difficult (especially after destroying my chest on the bench press).  With this change I doubt I will be able to keep up my maximum on Sunday nor my 30 reps on cardio nights.  But, it isn’t about the numbers it’s about strength and performance, and for that reason I welcome this new hardship.
 
I also want to mention that I don’t think I will be increasing my lifts next week.  I have to recognize that I am cutting after all and can’t expect strength increases to be a regular occurrence (though I still strive for them).  Today I truly felt my limits and I am positive that adding extra weight will only cause serious form breakdowns or early failure.  Instead I will be keeping the lifts where they are at and focusing more on form.  Hopefully the week after I will be able to increase them yet again.
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #127.

Saturday 4/11/09
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Diet:
9:20am:
                1 Emergen-C Packet
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 medium Pear
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                5 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 small-medium Apple
                5 Pickle Spears
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Turkey Vegetable Soup [extra turkey and vegetables]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Kidney Beans, Black Beans, Garbanzo Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Turkey Noodle Soup [extra turkey and vegetables]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
--
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I woke up feeling sore and lean.  It was great.  I felt achy everywhere; my shoulders, my chest, my abs, my quads, my lower back.  Ah, it really is pure bliss to get that feeling (I’ve been sorely missing it for awhile now).  I also slightly decreased the size of my dinner last night which made me feel nice and lean this morning.  The combination is awesome.
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #128.

Sunday 4/12/09
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Measurements:
 
                Body Weight:     149.40lb               Change: -1.40lb
                Lean Mass:         137.45lb               Change: -0.53lb
                Percent Fat:       8.00%                    Change: -0.50%
                Body Fat:             11.95lb                  Change: -0.87lb
 
Progress Pictures:
               
               




 
Thoughts and Opinions:
 
                This is good.  This is very good.  I was excited for the picture-take today because I definitely knew that I looked leaner.  In my excitement I almost forgot about the weigh in.  And what a mistake that would have been!  I am official reporting a weekly drop of 0.5% body fat and 1.4 pounds!  I’m ecstatic!
 
                Not only is this seen through the quantitative measurements of a scale, but in my pictures I believe there is a definite increase in definition.  My stomach looks flatter and more defined.  My muscles seem to pop with more intensity when flexing.  Overall everything just looks better.  This really is the highlight of the week for me to see these results.  I am now more motivated than ever to keep going.  I can’t wait for next week’s weigh in!
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #129 Sunday Morning Edition.

Sunday 4/12/09
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Diet:
9:30am:
                1 small-medium Apple
                1 medium Pear
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                6 Egg Whites with Deli Ham (Mustard)
12:20pm:
                1 medium Apple
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Caribbean Jerk Pork Soup [extra pork]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
5:20pm:
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Mixed Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Caribbean Jerk Pork Soup [extra pork]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
PUSHUPS:
    1x53 [breaking parallel]
SIT-UPS:
    1x61
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
I had a perfect diet today and despite a overall trend of laziness and lethargic behavior I had a decent workout at night as well.  Of course you can’t really consider testing my maximum pushups and sit-ups a real workout, but I still felt like I made considerable strides. 
 
My sit-ups didn’t change much, but my pushups saw massive improvement.  The numbers obviously don’t show that.  But this video should http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4CI5eqKWKo.  As you can see, or at least I hope you can see or I’m becoming way too biased as a self-judge, my form has improved significantly.  By keeping my eyes looking straight ahead I was able to go further down and after examination of the video it seems that I successfully broke parallel with nearly every rep (my form did break down on some of the later movements).  I also have considerably straitened my slouching to where it is now near nonexistent (again except for the break downs as I approached failure).  The only thing that I think really still needs some considerable tweaking is I feel like my shoulders are shrugging slightly, which they shouldn’t do.  I still haven’t encountered a good method to prevent this, but I’ll keep trying.  Until tomorrow, good night.
 
 
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #129.

Monday 4/13/09
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Diet:
7:40am:
                1 medium Pear
                1 small-medium Apple
                3/4 bowl Cooked Rolled Oats
                1 plate Deli Ham (Mustard)
11:55am:
                1 small Apple
1:45pm:
                1 small Apple
                1 bowl Deli Ham
                1 bowl Vegetable Minestrone Soup [potatoes removed]
                1+ large bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Kidney Beans, Garbanzo Beans, a little Cottage Cheese (Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, a little Olive Oil)
5:20pm:
                3/4 bowl Okra, Tomatoes, Onions, and Broccoli
                1+ bowl Lettuce Salad with Cucumber, Green Pepper, Garbanzo Beans (Red Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, a little Light Red Wine Vinaigrette)
                1 bowl Turkey Rice Soup [a little extra turkey and rice]
                1 slice Whole Wheat Bread with Deli Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato (Mustard)
               
                That was my diet.
 
 
 
The Workout:
 
TREADMILL
    5min @ 8.6mph
    4:00min @ 8.7mph
    2.0min @ 9.0mph
~1.5min @ 9.5mph
    last 0.2 miles (until 2.0 mile) @ 10mph
    -> 2.0 mile in 13:33
ELLIPTICAL [full motion]
5min @ ~11.5-12cpm, 2resistance
    5min @ ~12.5-13cpm, 4resistance
    5min @ ~13cpm, 6resistance
    4min @ ~13.5-14cpm, 8resistance
1min @ ~15cpm, 8resistance
TREADMILL:
    10min @ 4.0mph, 6%incline

PUSHUPS
    2x30 (1min rest)
1x20 [failure]
SIT-UPS
    3x30 (1min rest)
 
 
 
That was the workout.
 
 
 
The Day:
 
There was an egg crisis this morning at the dining halls.  To compensate for my protein fix I just had some additional ham which I estimated would make up for the 80 calories from the egg whites.  Similarly a lack of hardboiled eggs occurred during lunch at Sage Dining Hall, where I was forced to eat due to time constraints and it is the dining hall that offers no self-serve deli section for sandwiches.  I compensated by using again deli ham that I could still get by the griddle.  Despite these setbacks I still think my diet was fairly good today.
 
I had to use a different model treadmill during my gym session today since the one I normally use was taken and the other of similar type was making a disturbing amount of noise.  Like I’ve said before I believe that my normal treadmill offers a slight slight decline so this new one gave me an equally slightly slightly harder workout.  I ended up having to breathe harder and thereby use my mouth, but that’s a good thing.  It just means I pushed myself harder.
 
I focused even more on pushup form today, but for some reason I couldn’t quite get my lower back right.  I think I was a little more than usual wiped out from the morning’s workout.  Either way I definitely know that I did improve my movement since I ended up failing on the last set on the 20^th rep.  I took a video of this all for both my critical thoughts and yours.  Tomorrow I will be posting it.
                                                  
 
That was the day.
 
 
 
 
This concludes Entry #130.