Day 2 and 3 Of Week 5

I find myself neglecting writing down here what I really should be doing. Geez, just being lazy I guess. My energies are spent in the gym so when it comes to tracking this stuff I fall short. The only person that really hurts is me cause in all reality, the one who is following this program is myself, although I have really started to appreciate my outside driving force, you know who you are! Makes it better to know that I am not the only one living through the ins and outs of the gym and diet and life! Thanks! OK, so I am going to do both Tuesday and Wednesday here and will try not to leave anything out. And lately it has been harder to focus outside of the gym on keeping my mind in the game. But at the gym, whole other story! I have been waking up around 5am actually excited to get going on the day! It's fun when you start looking forward to kicking your own ass! Trust me, no other rush like it, well almost no other, lol! Still wishing I could get a coregasm as well, but I guess that is reserved for the fit women, not for us buff dudes, oh well! And I tried that leg lift machine, just makes my lower abs hurt! Screw that!

Tuesday Exercise Routine:
1. Wide Grip Seated Rows - 10x160, 10x180, 8x200
2. Smith Machine Shrugs - 15x200, 15x250, 15x250, 18x200, 20x160
3. Close Grip Lat Pulldowns - 12x140, 10x160, 12x160
4. Standing Cable Rows - 12x80, 12x95, 15x105
5. Rear Delt Free Plate Raise - 10x25x3 sets
6. Cable Single Side Oblique Crunches -  20x100, 25x100, 25x85
7. Low Back Machine Extensions - 20x170, 20x210, 25x230
8. Weighted Situps - 75 x 10lbs, 60x 20 lbs, 50 x 20lbs
9. Dumbell Shrugs - 20x65, 20x70, 15x75
10. Standing Inside/Outside Wrist Curls - 20x35, 15x45, 15x55


Wednesday Exercise Routine:
1. Close Grip Bench Press(Triceps) - 12x110, 12x160, 11x180, 12x120, 15x110
2. Machine Calf Raises - 15x270, 12x310, 10x350, 10x390(Racked this SOB!)
3. Wide Grip Triceps Pressdown - 12x65, 15x72.5, 12x87.5, 15x105
4. Behind Neck Cable Rope Extensions(Triceps) - 15x57.5, 12x65, 15x72.5
5. Smith Calf Raises(Under Toe Weights) - 12x110, 12x200, 15x250
6. Tricep Rope Burnout Drop Sets - 20x57.5, 20x42.5, 30x30, 20x20, 12x65, 12x50, 12x35, 12x25, 30x15
7. Bodyweight Bar Dips - 3 Sets of 30 Reps
8. Weighted Sit Ups - 3 Sets of 25 @ 20 lbs.


As for my diet for these two day, it was fairly standard for both. I do the same pre and post workout shakes every day that I work out. And for both days I ate a 6 egg white omelet with cheese and ham slices. Dinner on Tuesday was Stove Top Chicken Bake. Dinner on Wednesday was Beef Stroganoff. I ate on a salad size plate and took very little noodles, mostly just the proteins from the sauce. All in all, it has been a pretty good week diet wise, although I am trying to eat beef jerky as snacks but here is so much sodium in that stuff! Need to find a low sodium version of beef jerky and I would have the perfect snack!!

Day1 Week 5

As usual, Monday started off a little slow. Got up just a bit late but after my quick breakfast shake and vitamins/supplements, I was raring to go! Still took till 7am to get out of the house but I finally made the gym @ 7:15am. It surprises me how tired I can be when I get up, but be so ready to go when I walk in the gym. Really been pretty excited to get there everyday. 4 straight weeks I have not missed a single weekday workout! Very proud of myself. I believe it is because I am seeing some phenomenal results, and I have good friends that I enjoy shooting the crap with at the gym, while still getting in a good workout! I worked out from 7:15 to 9:00am. After I had a doctors appointment, have been worried I might have low oxygen from an infection or something, that was at 10am. Had x-rays and oxygen checked and everything is perfect! I was weighed while I was there and I came in at a BEAUTIFUL 244.2 pounds! I have really started packing on the muscle! YEAH! OK, so onto the routine for Monday that is helping me get there.

Exercise Routine:
1. Smith Bench Press Drop Sets - 4 sets of 10 @ 260, 210, 160, 110
                                                    3 Finish Sets @ 210, 160, 110
2. Incline Dumbell Press - 12x50, 12x60, 12x70, 15x60, 15x55
3. Lying Incline Cable Crossovers - 12x20, 12x25, 12x20, 20x15
4. Smith Shoulder Press Drop Sets - 3 Sets of 8 @ 170, 120, 70
                                                        3 Sets of 10 @ 140, 120, 70
5. Dumbell Lateral Raises - 10x35, 10x40, 14x35
6. Low Grip No Handle Cable Cross - 12x15, 10x20, 14x20
7. Flat Ab Sit up Machine - 20lbs x 3 sets of 50

Diet:
Pre and post workout consisted of my regular protein shakes. This constitutes my breakfast as well. Lunch I had 6 egg whites, beaten with 3 Banquet Lite Ready to Eat Sausages and a slice of cheese with a glass of milk. Dinner was Homemade Pot Roast with carrots, onions, and potatoes. I ate approximately 1.5 pounds of meat, and about 10 ounces of veggies. Not tracking my calories, only concerned I keep my fat and sodium intake low. My body is pretty in tune with what it needs as for nutrition. My biggest hurdle has been adding at least 300 grams of protein a day to my diet. Need to write Tuesday next, but I still need to remember what I ate that day.

My will is greater than my quit!

Weekends And My Training

I think I should mention that I do not train on the weekends, at all! I also tend to lack a little on my diet. This last weekend I did In And Out Burger and had 2 double-doubles with the works! But no french fries so I was kind of OK with that. I am truly not attempting to lose a lot of body fat right now, although it is happening. I am attempting to gain muscle while keeping my fat and carb intakes as low as possible. I have also cut as much sodium out as possible in an attempt to limit water weight gain. I have learned that salt is an acquired taste, and that most of us get it very young. But I have also realizes it is very easy to kick the habit as well. Actually easier than quitting smoking, which I managed to accomplish cold-turkey over 7 years ago! I guess removing one bad habit at a time and replacing it with something good is the best way to go. Thats my ramblings for this afternoon. I will post my workout and diet for the day later tonight.

Day 5 Week 4!

Made it a full 4 weeks! Have consistently made it to the gym every single day Monday through Friday! Very proud of myself! Not going to put my diet down in this one, well first off, because its barely after breakfast and I have had 2 shakes already. No idea what the rest of the day holds since I won't be home, going to look for a new couch! That means I will eat lunch out. And for me, I generally make wise choices when I eat out, for the most part! And to my follower, it was very nice to meet you. Although short and sweet it was a pleasure! You busted your ass today for sure! Don't know if it's cause it's Friday or what but I just was not 100% into my fitness today. Although, as you'll see, I maxed out on my shrugs!Another problem was another friend of mine wanted to work in on a few sets which really kind of slows things down. But I don't mind because I love to see people push themselves! I may repost my diet later today, then again I may not, who knows. But as for the exercises....
Exercise Routine:
1. Military Shoulder Press - 10x110, 10x160, 10x180, 8x190
2. Smith Shrugs - 10x290, 9x340, 3x390, 18x200
3. Reverse Grip Smith Shrugs - 12x200, 12x250, 10x250
4. Neutral Grip Cable Rows - 10x50, 12x60, 10x70
5. Cable Oblique Woodchops - 15x30, 15x35, 10x42.5
6. Seated Wrist Curls - 12x50, 12x55, 10x50
7. Standing Inner/Outer Forearm Curls - 15x25, 12x35, 18x40

And now for the moment we have all been waiting for....... the 4 week picture! Taken @ 9:40am 2/25/2011

Day 4 Week 4

Today was leg day! The day I dread more than anything. I would rather do 10,000 sit-ups than to torture myself through legs. But I can't forget that the quad is the largest muscle in the body, and also helps the body release the most natural growth hormone when it's worked. And boy did we start heavy today. Pretty much used machines for all the leg exercises as well. I will discuss my diet after I list the exercises I did today. Needless to say, I skipped breakfast and lunch and substituted both with protein shakes. Not the best idea when I am attempting to gain muscle, but I was a little busy to actually sit down and eat anything, now dinner was a beast of another color.
Exercise Routine:
1. Leg Press Sled - 10x298, 10x388, 10x478, 8x568
2. Smith Machine Calf Raises - 15x200, 15x250, 14x300
3. Reverse Leg Curl(Machine) - 15x90, 15x110, 12x130
4. One Leg @ Time Leg Extensions(Machine) - 12x30, 12x50, 12x70
5. Machine Calf Raises - 15x210, 15x250, 12x290, 10x330
6. Superset- Body Weight Bar Dips with Low Cable Chest Crossovers
                    3 Sets - 20 Dips each/ 15 Pounds x 15 Crossovers
7. Over Head Easy Grip Bar Triceps Extensions - 12x57.5, 12x65, 12x72.5, 15x80
8. V-Bar Triceps Extension - 12x85, 10x100, 8x115, 15x100, 18x85

Diet:
Breakfast and lunch both consisted of protein shakes with 52 grams of protein powder, 5 grams of creatine, 2 raw eggs, and no fat strawberry yogurt, used cranberry juice in both shakes as well as 1 tablespoon of metamucil fiber powder.

Dinner- Went out to PF Changs at the Gardenwalk. Ate an entire order of Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Main course was Mongollion Beef. Only ate half the cup of white rice, finished all the beef! Ate a half order of sweet and sour chicken as well. Drank 2 very tall Bud Lights. I call it carb loading! HA!

My will is greater than my quit!
One day left to finish the first 4 weeks!!
And thank you to my new follower! Makes putting this all in writing more fulfilling knowing someone actually reads it!

Supplemental- Supplements

OK, so I need to list the things I take every single day on the days I work out. Bear with me, is a little long. But I believe, through trial and error that I have found a really good combination that works well for keeping my testosterone levels high so that I can lift harder and burn more fat while doing it.
 First off, my protein shake-
Consists, normally, of 2 scoops of Body Fortress Strawberry Protein Powder (52 Grams of protein!), I also add N.O Fury by Six Star Pro Strength to my pre workout shake, along with 5-8 grams of EAS Creatine(powder). My post workout shake is very similar except I substitute the N.O. Fury for Elite Series Creatine X3 by Six Star Pro, and I add a low or no carb yogurt and 2-3 raw eggs(most shakes are egg whites, but for every 6 egg whites you eat you must eat one yolk to help with the good cholesterol!)
Supplements:
1. Maximum Formula One A Day Vitamin'
2. Universal Sterol Complex
3. Acai Berry Diet Capsules
4. Amino Burst 3000 Capsules
5. L-Glutamine Capsules
6. Beta- Alanine (this increases Creatines uptake in the body, also helps burn fat)
7. L-Arginine ( a pre-cursor to nitric oxide)
8. 1500mg Tribulus Terrestis (Natural Growth Hormone Booster)
9. 120mg Gingko Biloba ( Cause I forget lots of stuff!)
10. Co Q-10 100mg ( For heart health)
11. Metamucil Powder (helps flush fat from your digestive system)
12. Flaxseed Oil Capsule (just cause my doctor said so)
13. Fish Oil Capsules

So thats it in a nutshell. Works very well for me. Since beginning this supplement stack I have seen tremendous gains in strength and size while still losing body fat. This will change for the last 2 weeks of the 12 week program because I will attempt to hit a less than 4% body fat by the end of week 12!

Day 3 Week 4

OK, so here goes. This is my post for Wednesday the 23rd. Missed doing it last night because I can never pass up a good game of Call Of Duty: Black Ops. I guess I should also point out at this time that when I moved here to California 6 months ago, about a week after I got here I broke my left forearm on my skateboard(yes I love to skate!). At the time, and I was unaware of it, I tore a tendon and part of my forearm muscle. This has really hindered my progress, mostly on biceps, and mostly on my left arm. I tape it and wrap it as best I can and just work through the pain. No time to let it heal just yet. When I finish my 12 weeks I might let it rest. Have a doctors appointment on Monday the 28th to get it checked out again. OK, so on to the good stuff.
Was late to the gym by 20 minutes because a damn Anaheim cop decided to blow a stop sign and nearly t-bone me. Jerk-off! Shook me up a bit so I was late. Not to mention my kids were barely moving before school. Worked out from 7:20am to about 9:40am. Still got in a good one too! Being pissed can really help you with your drive!
Exercise Routine:
1. Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns - 10x120, 10x160, 8x200, 8x180
2. V-Bar Seated Rows - 10x160, 10x200, 6x260, 8x220
3.Reverse Grip Straight Bar Rows - 10x160, 10x200, 8x220
4. Dumbell Curls - 12x35, 12x40, 12x45
(This is where my forearm really hinders me, I used to curl the 65s and 70s)
5. Cable Rope Curls ( Forward Lean, W Curl)- 10x50, 10x50, 10x 62.5
6. Low Rope Cable Rows (upper back) - 15x80, 12x95, 12x105
7. Wide Grip Standing Lat Rows - 10x100, 10x120, 10x120
8. Preacher Machine One Arm Curls - 10x110, 10x130, 8x200

Diet:
PreWorkout - Protein Shake with 1 raw egg and 50 grams whey protein, cranberry juice, supplements
Post Workout- Protein Shake with 3 raw eggs, creatine, cranberry juice and no fat strawberry yogurt
Lunch- Ham, turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat flatbread, glass of milk, amino acid pills
Dinner- Soft beef tacos(3) with lettuce and cheese (over 1/2 pound of beef), lite sour cream
Amino acids (1000mg), Zinc/ Magnesium, Calcium Supplement

Need to post my supplement list sooner or later. Maybe I will go write them down and get that up here too!
My will is greater than my quit!