Posting every 3 months

What more do you want? Sheesh, I'm a terrible blogger.

Work schedule changes and a bum shoulder have had me slogging through workouts. But I finally seem to have things on schedule now. I've accepted the fact that I do not want to give up 3x a week squatting and that I simply do not enjoy running around the gym over multiple stations to accomplish certain Crossfit workouts. So I'm still working on my modified routine. I might pick up some weights just so I can make 135 pound, 115 pound, 95 pound, and 45 pound barbells. That way I could workout in the backyard and not need bumpers (I'll just drop them in the grass).

I've also inadvertantly gone back to intermittent fasting (not really Warrior Diet). I no longer workout in the morning and never really ate breakfast anyway. I also never liked eating less than several hours before a workout. So, now that I workout at lunch, I'm not eating until later in the afternoon. Then I have a big dinner when I get home. I'm probably eating in a 5 hour window and fasting for the rest. It works for me. Got a squat PR and deadlift PR is right at all time high.

As far as the shoulder goes, I brokedown and went for diagnosis and therapy. I was worried I had torn something or had a separation since it's been hurting for several months. The doctor looked at it and manipulated it while stretching and pushing and asking me to move in certain direction. On one combination, something slid and shifted presumably back to the place it was supposed to be. It was pretty weird but the pain was considerably reduced. I was also glad to hear that the doctor didn't believe it was anything serious.

Finally, I saw Katie put up 135 pounds in the overhead squat. Seriously, someone from the Government needs to regulate that girl. My shoulder just siezed up again watching that.

Keeping at it

I've been keeping steady. I've taken to ending my workouts with a 500m row trying to beat my record everytime. Last week I got a 1:47.2, today I beat that with a 1:45.7.

I did the WOD with the 50 reps of all kinds of stuff this past week. It took my 43 minutes but I doubled up on the walking lunges (50 each leg) and there was a lot of walking between stations. Plus I was just plain tired and the burpees did not got fast at all.

I've been throwing 5x5 strength workouts in there as well, so instead of a push press workout that's 3x3x3x3x3, I'll do squats (or deadlifts), presses, and barbell rows.

I must still be in shape because today I did Fran in 8:54, as prescibed, and a new record for me. In fact, I shaved more than three minutes off my previous time of 12:36.

Still Here

Thanks for the worried comments but I'm still here, I'm just not having any motivation to post results. Getting a bit bored with that whole aspect.

I got a bad blister from under a callous on my left hand that slowed me down a bit.

But I did the 10k the other day in about 55 minutes. I did the press/push-press/push-jerk workout (minus the push-jerk). I did 115x5 for 5 sets of push-press and then I did 135x5 for two sets and 145 x 5 for 3 sets of push-press. I did some squats just because I felt like it using 135, 155, 175, 195 for a pyramid of 10-8-6-4-6-8-10. That was kind of fun since I hadn't done anything like that in a while. I did the 5x5 deadlift workout today doing 225, 300, 300, 300, 300x2, 225x3 plus some dips and pull-ups.

I'm a little pissed because I tried barbell thrusters the other day and still had sharp pains in my right shoulder.

So I've been working out, just not reporting.

Day Seventeen - Goal Update

I think I mentioned it yesterday but I've changed my goals for being on the Warrior Diet. Initially I wanted to focus on losing the stubborn fat around my midsection. When the first week went by and I lost almost six pounds and dropped 1.1% body fat, it was pretty obvious that this diet lends itself to accomplishing that goal. But a concern of mine at the beginning was timing. Why would I want to accomplish that by mid-March? That seemed something more suited to mid-May when the nice weather starts in. So right now I've been focusing on eating more calories and protein than I did during that first week and instead I'm going to focus on the muscle building aspect of the program. If the body fat drops, so much more the better but I'm really not looking to lose weight for the purpose of losing weight. I'd rather focus on gaining muscle over the next 2.5 months at which point I can up the cardio and do what I did during week 1 of this experiment. Don't get me wrong, I didn't starve myself during week 1, I ate about the same number of calories I had been eating previously, around 2200, but I've tried to get over 2500 since then. So we'll see how the next two weeks go. It was interesting that I dropped the 6 pounds, increased the calories and gained about 5 back but at a great muscle/fat ratio, for example, dropped 4 pounds of fat and 2 of muscle but gained back 3.5 pounds of muscle and 1.5 pounds of fat. I'll take that every week.

Day Sixteen - Update

I just thought I'd let everyone know that I'm back up to 177 pounds but my body fat measurement didn't increase accordingly, it's right around 17.3%. I must admit I got a little freaked out the first week when I dropped nearly six pounds and 1.1% body fat. That's a good chunk of fat but also some lean mass so I made an effort to eat more calories and it obviously worked. I don't want to lose any lean mass in the pursuit of stubborn fat loss, at least not at this point in winter. I may be willing to sacrifice 1 or 2 pounds of lean mass around May when shirtless weather starts coming. Maybe not, that seems pretty weak. I'd rather be stronger with a bit more fat. I've already got a wife. I want strength, not perfect form.

So basically I dropped 6 pounds and 1.1% body fat the first week and then gained about 5 pounds back but only ~.2% of body fat. That means lean mass gain. Too bad I haven't measured my waist yet because I can swear I've lost around my midsection too. I'll check that one of these days.

Complete Fast

I had no problems all day. I didn't eat a lick of anything. I had a couple cups of tea with a little bit of milk. There was no sleepiness or hunger pains at all. I felt a heightened state of awareness all day long. Taking a deep breath tasted good. I feel lean, and fast, and I would swear I can feel the fat leaving my midsection. I accomplished a lot of work today and the day flew by. I can understand why religions often incorporated fasting into part of the experience. It definitely transforms your perception. It seems like I focus intently on whatever task is at hand, save for that one craving for almonds earlier. Maybe we should put all our ADD kids on intermittent fasts. I had an idea yesterday that I was eating just because I hadn't eaten for a while and not because I felt like eating. I'm pretty sure that was the case. I had very few thoughts about food throughout the day and certainly wasn't struggling to get through the day. I am looking forward to the big evening meal though. However this turns out, there's definitely something to be said about actually being hungry when you eat and enjoying the experience of being hungry and the satiety that follows the big meal.

So far, so good...

Don't expect so many updates here. Today is the first day of this experiment and I am off work today. This morning I almost spoiled it by grabbing some cinnamon-sugar left in bowl left over from cinnamon muffins made yesterday. I put some in my mouth, realized it, then spit it out and washed my mouth out. I wasn't sure whether I'd try this experiment so soon but I noticed I've been eating more and more junk out of nothing but boredom over the blahs of being in "maintenance mode", i.e. no longer trying to lose weight. When you're trying to lose weight, there's a purpose for not eating junk. Last night I ate some candy and felt like crap, not mentally for eating candy, I'm not the type of person to beat myself up over things like that, but physically weak from the sugar rush and crash. That's what kick-started this blog to begin today. No time like the present.

This morning I had some coffee and a banana. I went for a two mile walk. Then I went to the grocery store and bought parsnips, carrots, spinach, spaghettis squash, almonds, walnuts, steel-cut oats, hamhocks (for bean soup to be made later), apples and blueberries. Warrior Diet is big on berries. the most expensive fruit in the store, sheesh. I ate a parsnip when I got back and I must admit it tasted good. I've always noticed how much better things taste when you're hungry and the Warrior Diet mentions this in the book. You develop a taste for the things you're body needs. I've got a craving for a carrot now and will get one after this post is done. Surprisingly, I've got quite a bit of energy now. I need to move my heavybag and pull-up bar and then I need to workout yet still today. That'll be a test, can I do an hour of intense exercises on veggies and fruits. I do plan to follow up the workout with a protein shake.

What the hell, I wasn't going to post again today but I might as well take the time off I have to do something with it.