Sept 22nd-26th: Training Journal Series

Sept 22nd: Thursday

Today was a rest day. Also a fast day. Only went until about 3. Had Jiu Jitsu at 10:30 so I took BCAAs before and after (about 5g). By 4 I was dying (not literally of course). Ended the fast with a can of wild Alaskan pink salmon. Canned fish never tasted so good.

Date night brought Thai. Ordered the 1/2 BBQ chicken. Ate the brown rice because I felt depleted. Migh have overdone it on brown rice. Felt bloated almost immediately following.

Sept 23rd: Friday

Hard training session today. Took the P(3) supplement before my workout. It felt great. No jittery feeling. Just an intense focus.

Squat: 250x5 for 3 sets

Benc: 200x5 for 3 sets

Trap Bar Dead: 350x5 for 3 sets

(all with a few warmup sets as well. Going back to work on form. Feel like I'm starting over. Feels surprisngly awesome. Checking my ego at the door was the best move I've ever made. Practice what I preach, eh?

Finished this workout with a set of swings and snatches and heavy jump rope.

Killer workout. Called for killer eating. Turned today into a "cheat day." I hate the term cheat day. No one should ever binge during an entire day on shitty food. The reports and studies are grossly overdone in order to sell products. Sorry to burst any bubbles, but that's just the way it is.

With that said, I had a lot of almond butter today and definitely a few Micholob Ultras (gasp!)

Sept 24th: Saturday

Weight: 196. Aiming to get that down to 190 by late October (slow and steady)

Great workout in the morning. Worked on the Log Pres.

This thing is a killer tool.

Had a family get-together which normally brings tons of shitty food and alcohol. Not this time. The notion that someone "doens't have self-control" is a cop out and one that I used to make quite freely. I do. we all do. There's no excuse. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way.

Sept 25th: Sunday

Fasted today until 12:30. I've been following Martin Berkhan of Lean Gains for quite some time, over a year in fact. I've always been intrigued how his model (which resembles the Warrior Diet in some ways, but not all) is geared towards athletes.

While keeping with my gluten-free ways I am also going to be following a bit stricter/free-er diet. What does this mean?

Stricter:

Stick to a tighter macro schedule on lower calorie days.

Approximately 150g carbs, 180g protein, 120-150g fat (coming from all sources including saturated)

This comes out to about 2400 calories.

Stick to 3 meals in the "feast" time of the day (about 2-10pm)

Free-er:

Less concerned with what types of carbs make up my post-workout meal. Cereal, frozen yogurt? No problem. As long as it fits in the macros.

More info to come on how this goes. Next picture is coming soon as well.

Sept 26th: Monday

Fasted until 2:45 which was not quite the plan, but meetings and work got in the way. I was so uninterested in food (which is NOT like me) and was so productive it was very nice. I am nowhere near convinced to recommend this, yet but I really enjoy this style of eating. Measured out my food today (which I am determining is a MUST if you are sticking to strict macros.)

It's become so cliche and almost cheesey, but a diet must become a lifestyle in order to be stuck with. The BEST plan on paper is shit if you can't follow it for more than a month. That is what I'm going to determine (at least for my type) with this plan.

Today's training felt amazing.

2:45: Teriyaki bowl (no rice, extra veggies)

4:00 HPN Pre workout P(3)

4:20-5:30 Workout (with warmup and cooldown)

5:45: Biochem vanillla whey with water poured on Rice Chex cereal along with a large sweet potato.

8:00 pm: 10 oz ground beef (85/15) and large spinach salad

9: Michelob Ultra and watched the movie RED. Badass movie.

Workout today was high rep squats, good mornings, barbell curls, pullups and more.

Finished with 10 sets of 10 of ring push ups for an amazing chest and triceps workout.

Sweat like a banshee (if that makes any sense at all).

Finished the workout with a light kettlebell circuit.