9/29/09

My goal is to build muscle and burn belly fat. I am lifting M,W,F and doing abs T,R. I need to start doing Tae Bo during the day but I will have to make time. When Tracy goes back to work and Laura takes a nap I may be able to fit in a half hour of Tae Bo each day.

For now I am considering a diet like this:

Post workout 6:30 am 1 serving Cell Tech Hardcore creatine, 50 grams whey protein isolate

Meal 1, 8 am 4 whole eggs, 4 egg whites

Meal 2, 10 am 50 grams whey protein isolate, 1 tbsp peanut butter

Meal 3, 12 noon 8 oz chicken, 1 cup brown rice, 8 oz broccoli 

Meal 4, 3 pm 50 grams whey protein isolate, 1 tbsp peanut butter

Meal 5, 6 pm 10 oz tilapia, .5 cup brown rice, 8 oz broccoli

Meal 6, 9 pm 50 grams whey protein isolate, 1 tbsp peanut butter

This diet is about as "clean" as you can get. It supplies all the protein you need for muscle growth plus the right amount of slow and fast carbohydrates to fuel the body.

I am going to stick to what I am on now but if the waist expands any more or I start to go over 30% BF I will change to this strict diet.

235.0 lbs, 29.5% BF, 47" waist, 14.5" arms

9/27/09

Week 7

I am up 15 lbs since week 1 with 1 % BF gain. 

I am nervous about the weight gain, I want to build as much muscle as I can by March 1 st, but I don't want to become any fatter. With the lifting, the protein and creatine I am hopefully gaining muscle. I have only gone up 1 percentage of body fat. 

I will continue to eat the same diet but I will watch my waist (around the belly button) measurements. Right now it is 47" relaxed and 43" with flexed abs. I am going to start calling it 47" because I want it to be 34" relaxed and flexed. I do not mind gaining weight/bulk muscle if my waist does not grow, but if it starts to grow I will have to go on a pre-contest eating program to maintain/build muscle and loose fat. That is what I thought I was on now.

I have never eaten such a good diet while lifting, and the creatine (Cell Tech Hardcore) really seems to be working so it is possible I am just packing on muscle, I will think positive.

239.2 lbs, 30.1 % BF, 47" waist, 14.5" arms

9/26/09

Juicing

I am juicing every morning for my 10 am meal, using celery, carrots, beets, apples, parsley and spinach.

Juicing gives the benefit of eating all the vegetables without all the work of chewing all that roughage.

Today is a day of rest, so I will eat my 6 meals and take it easy.

235.6 lbs, 29.6 % BF, 43" waist, 14" arms

9/23/09

Can I add mass and burn fat at the same time?

I am thinking about adding running into the mix, here again it is more about when I can run while taking care of Laura. I am lucky to get my workouts in between 5:30 am - 6:30 am before I have Laura. Tracy gets home at 3:15 pm so I could run around 4 pm. Might try it and see.

My focus are arms and abs, not really fat reduction. I am eating 6 small meals a day with no "junk" so the weight I am gaining should be muscle. I will worry about fat reduction come March 1 st.

Right now the arms are slim and the belly is plump, and we need to turn that around by May 28, 2010.

234.8 lbs, 29.4% BF, 43" waist, 14.5" arms

9/21/09

As I post the Week 6 photos I am reminded that all I am looking for is muscle size growth and not definition. With all the ab work my belly should pull in over the next 5 months. I am at 30% body fat which covers all my muscle definition. When I do P90X for 90 days I will burn off the fat layer and drop down to about 10% bodyfat where the muscle mass I am building now will show.

Right now I am in the shape of an average 44.5 year old. I plan to be in the shape of a fit 24 year old. I would like to get back to a size 34" pants with an 18.5 x 34/35 shirt and 48 jacket. The hardest part is to estimate what I will weigh at 10% BF. 200 lbs is a good goal but I just don't know. My buddy is 6'2" and at 11% weighs 190 lbs after 90 days on P90X. He is a Marine and firefighter so he has to be fit at 44 years old.

I have gained 13 pounds since I started lifting, but only .7 % body fat - so I am not packing on fat. I am eating a clean diet with protein supplement and creatine. I have chosen not to take weight gainer shakes at 960 calories x 4 per day to build mass. I see no need to blow up to huge proportions when I take Whey protein isolate with 0 calories and 0 fats along with Cell Tech creatine to achieve the same muscle growth.

Patience is the key, it is hard to look at a fat covered body and imagine what it will look like at 10% BF in the summer, but fall and winter are the perfect time to build up the muscle and spring is the natural time to loose the fat!

237.0 lbs, 29.7 BF, 44" waist, 14" arms

Sixth Week Photos

9/20/09

Week 6

I have put on 12.6 lbs since week 1 and only .5% BF. I have lost 3" off my waist! I am happy with my progress. I have 20 more weeks of lifting and then 12 weeks of P90X until I want to be ready for summer.

It is said that it is 10% genetics, 10% training, and 80% nutrition. I am eating the best I can, and staying as strict as I can. I get one "junk" meal a week and last night I had sweet and sour shrimp with white rice and I only ate half a pint.

Will start working out with 25 lbs dumbells tomorrow and see how they feel. They may be right or I may have to go to 20 lbs or 30 lbs. It is all about getting 3 sets of 4 - 6 reps. It is much easier when you are in the gym and all the weights are there, I am trying to get a good workout in my living room with as few weights as possible.

I am getting a good workout and to blame the "no gym" thing is an excuse. I have to deal with what I have until I can get to the gym.

236.6 lbs, 29.5% BF, 43" waist, 14" arms

9/18/09

Arms are up to 15" post workout!

My goal is to have them at 16" before workout.

It is Friday

Arms workout is done, time for rest over the weekend.

I am now journaling my workouts so I will be able to chart my progress.

I also typed up two menu samples to show Dr. Hocutt. I will get bloodwork done and I see him in the beginning of October. I will also type up my workout samples to show him.

I am doing the best I can with dumbells at home, with the baby going to the Y is not an option.

I have been using 12 lbs and 15 lbs and I am buying 25 lbs and probably 35 lbs in a few weeks as I get stronger.

Week 6 is over, I will take pictures on Sunday.

233.4 lbs, 29.4 % BF, 44" waist, 15" arms

9/13/09

Week 5

I have put on 6.8 lbs since week 1 and only gained .5 % body fat. It seems the diet and training program are working. Now I just need to keep eating clean and lifting until March 1 st when I start 90 days of P90X. Still need to lose 30 lbs of fat and put on 20 lbs of muscle by May 28, 2010.

I bought Pumping Iron to keep me motivated at 5:30 am for training, will start to watch during work outs. With such small gains it would be easy just to give up, but I really believe that if I stick to my plan, I will be able to change my body, and it is starting to work. My arms are pumping up and filling out and even Tracy says they are getting harder.

231.2 lbs, 28.7 % BF, 44" waist, 14" arms

9/11/09

Another week of workouts and nutrition finished.

Going to move up to 15 lbs dumbells next week, feeling stronger.

Workouts take a half hour to forty five minutes.

It is hard because the dog and baby are sleeping and I am on baby duty. 

I was told I will have to take the baby monitor down with me in case she wakes up.

The dog usually wakes up and whimpers so I let her out of her crate.

If it is past 6:30 I take her out to potty and feed her.

I am on a 5 day split:

Monday full body lifting

Tuesday abs

Wednesday full body lifting

Thursday abs

Friday arms

Trying to stay motivated, ordered Pumping Iron to watch as I work out.

Will rest this weekend and hit it with 15 lbs dumbells on Monday.

232.4 lbs, 29.2 BF, 44" waist, 14" arms

9/05/09

Eating while away from home.

With this holiday weekend I find I will be going to lunch today at my sisters to celebrate my Mom's birthday and then tomorrow and Monday I will be going down to the beach to visit Grandmom Phile and Cousin Patty with Tracy, Laura and Summer.

So what do I do about eating?

I have decided to eat the best I can but to not make a big deal about it.

I will eat the foods I find to be the healthiest, avoid the junk, forgo the supplements and just move through it. I don't want to make a big fuss because then people will focus attention on me and my diet and that is no fun.  

I am starting to read The Eat-Clean Diet For Men by Robert Kennedy and Tosca Reno and I am hoping it helps me learn how to best make healthy choices when away from home.

This is the best I can do.

231.0 lbs, 28.9% BF, 44" waist, 14" arms

9/04/09

Arms 

My biggest insecurity are my arms. They are long and skinny. In grade school a bully on my baseball team once called me "spaghetti arms" and taunted me relentlessly about how skinny he thought I was. It hurts me to this day. For a boy to be called "skinny" is like a girl being called "fat", it is rude and hurtful. 

I can't help that I was born with a long, light frame. I am a natural swimmer and am not a natural bodybuilder. 

My arms are 14" at the mid bicep. Arnold Schwarzenegger's arms were 22.5". My arms should be 17". (My neck - 17", arms - 14" and calves - 15.5" should be the same size - the Grecian Ideal)

In my lifting my arms get Monday and Wednesday as a normal lifting day and Friday just arms. This keeps the muscles in constant tear and 48 hours repair and heavy tear on Friday with three days to repair. Repair and rest are most important to gaining size. Muscle is fiber and as they exert themselves they tear apart, as they are reconnected with protein they are bigger and stronger then before. A heavy workout rips and tears them, but it is rest and nutrition that builds them back. This is why diet and supplements are so important. Nitic oxide opens the arteries and vascular system that bring the nutrients, creatine opens the muscle cell membranes so the nutrients can enter and the proteins and branch chain amino acids rebuild the muscle.

After only 2 weeks of lifting my arms are pumping up with blood bringing nutrients to the muscles. I expect a 1/2" of growth in my arms any day. If I can get a 1/2" each month for 9 months that would get me to 17" by next June. I don't think I will get that much but I should get them up to a least 16" which would be an improvement. 

I plan to lift until I get them to 18" which would be my dream come true.

I bet the bully, who would now be 45, is fat and balding and looks 55... what goes around comes around.

231.2 lbs, 28.9% BF, 44" waist, 14" arms

9/03/09

Unrealistic Goals

I lost and inch off my waist - 45" to 44"!

I looked up the height and weight statistics on some of people who have bodies I admire to see were I need to be:

I assume these are all weights at about 10% body fat.

Lance Armstrong 5' 11" 174 lbs

Tiger Woods 6'1" 185 lbs

Hugh Jackman 6' 2" 220 lbs

Hank Baskett 6' 4" 220 lbs

Terrell Owens 6' 3" 224 lbs

Donavan McNabb 6'2" 240 lbs

Right now I would be 6' 2" 201 lbs

My goal is 6'2" 220 lbs

Simple. I have to loose 30 - 40 lbs of fat and put on 20 - 30 lbs of muscle.

Hard. Doing it.

Is this an unrealistic goal?

If I can gain 3 lbs of muscle a month while lifting and I am going to lift for 6 months, that is 18 lbs of muscle. It is said I may gain 5 lbs of muscle per month but that might be unrealistic.

If I can loose 19% body fat - 30 -40 lbs with tae bo and P90X, diet and a thermogenic supplement over 3 months. Unrealistic? My buddy lost 11% body fat on P90X in 90 days.

My goal deadline may be a little unrealistic but if I continue my eating clean as a lifestyle and I continue to workout I should reach my goal in a year or two. I just think based on what I am doing I can reach it by June '10.

229.0 lbs, 28.7 % BF, 44" waist, 14" arms

9/02/09

It is all a game in the mind.

It is 9 months out until I want to be "ready" but each day I look for some change to measure to see I am moving forward.

I step on the scale today and it says 231.8 lbs and 29.1 BF. That is almost 3 lbs heavier than yesterday and 7 lbs heavier then my lowest of 224.0 lbs on 8/18 when the BF was also 1% lower at 28.0%.

Cell Tech Hardcore put on 3 lbs in 7 days! 

I am eating the same today as I have everyday since 8/18.

My goal is to put on 5 lbs of lean muscle a month for 6 mos, so I might gain 30 lbs. I might get up to 254 lbs by March 1 st. Then I start P90X and drop 34 lbs of fat from March 1 st to June 1 st.

So I can't get all thrown out of shape by a higher weight and BF reading, it is all in the plan.

Off to lift!

231.8 lbs, 29.1% BF, 45" waist, 14" arms.

9/01/09

It is September 1 st,  to me the first day of Fall. It is a new beginning. 

A visually appealing body, size and weight are an interesting subject.

My role model is Hugh Jackman , Wolverine in X-men. Hugh is 6'2" and 220 lbs at, say 10% body fat. I am 6'2" and 228 lbs at 28.5% body fat. 

I need to loose about 30 lbs of fat (tae bo, P90X) and gain as much muscle as I can (lifting weights). If I can loose 30 lbs and put on 21 lbs of muscle it would put me right around my goal for June 1 st of 220 lbs at 10% BF. I don't know what weight I will be by the time I bulk up - 3.5 lbs of lean muscle a month and then burn the fat down to 10% from 28.5% which is about 30 lbs.

I am more concerned with looking pumped and a low body fat % than what I weigh.

It is funny, I was looking at a Muscle Mag and I was looking at this huge pro bodybuilder thinking he must be over 300 lbs. I read his stats and he was 220 lbs at 6% BF and ... get this... 5'6"! He is a fire plug. I am built more like a Lance Armstrong than a fire plug. My genes make it hard for me to get big, but Hugh Jackman looks fit and muscular at 6'2" 220 lbs so I can too.

I have a page from a Men's Health magazine hanging above my desk that shows the torso of a guy who is probably 10% BF and not huge like a pro bodybuilder but has nice muscle development. This is my inspiration!

Off to do abs.

228 lbs, 28.5%, 45" waist, 14" arms