Monday, March 28, 2011

Day Three, Week Two: Bench Press

Monday bench presses.

Bench Press Day
Exercise3/21
2011
3/28
2011
Week
Three
Week
Four
Bench Press260x5300x5
260x5300x5
260x5300x5
260x5
260x5
 
Incline Bench Press185x15185x15
205x11205x12
225x4225x6
 
Bent-over Row165x15165x15
185x10185x11
185x9185x10
 

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Day 26 Weigh-In: 285.2

Well, the excitement from a couple of days ago has worn off; the next day I was 2 pounds heavier, and today I'm 2 pounds lighter again, but still slightly heavier than 2 days ago. It's quite the emotional roller coaster.

I've come to a conclusion that is disappointing but brings me a certain amount of relief: I probably won't make 242 by June 25th. It's disappointing because I've been trying so hard, and early on was so encouraged, only to have that work apparently not pay off as much as it ought to, and to have that encouragement disappear.

But it's relieving because, although I'm not going to try any less hard, accepting that I probably won't make it means my heart isn't going to drop as painfully as the blue line in the chart below creeps above the green one. And I've added the red line representing the weight loss necessary to make 275, the weight class I've been competing in, and I'm at least a little encouraged by the fact that it seems likely I'll make that weight by a mile.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Day Two, Week Two: Squats

Friday squats. You know, at 420 pounds per rep, 3 sets of 5 means I squatted over 3 tons!

Squat Day
Exercise3/18
2011
3/25
2011
Week
Three
Week
Four
Squat365x5420x5
365x5420x5
365x5420x5
365x5
365x5
 
Straight Leg Deadlift290x13290x15
290x10290x12
290x10290x10
 
Incline Twisting Situps0x12*0x12*
0x12**0x12**
0x10**0x10**
* Steepest incline
** Second steepest incline

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Day 24 Weigh-In: 285.0

Well, the scale FINALLY gave me reason to be encouraged this morning, telling me that at 285.0 I'm 1.6 pounds lighter than yesterday, and the lightest I've weighed since I started tracking again a little over 3 weeks ago. I'm not certain why I'm seeing results this morning, but I've got a suspicion.

During the first ten days I lost nearly 8 pounds, focusing only on the number of calories I was consuming each day. Then I started cutting back on carbohydrates as a result of a movie I had seen. That first day of low-carb I lost 2.4 pounds, and over the next week lost another 4.6 pounds. But then I plateaued and even gained weight, going from 285.6 to 286.6 over the course of 4 days. I began to wonder if, although low-carb diets certainly seem to work for many people, perhaps it isn't for me.

So yesterday I went back to eating a "normal" amount of carbs, and sure enough, I wake up this morning 1.6 pounds lighter than yesterday, and lighter than I've been since competing back in December. Of course one day isn't enough to be certain, so I'll go a few more days eating a normal amount of carbs before making up my mind, but boy I tell you, it feels good to be seemingly on-track again.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Day 23 Weigh-In: 286.6

I haven't posted my weight in a few days because I've been so very frustrated by what I've seen on the scale. Despite eating very healthfully and exercising vigorously, Monday morning I weighed in at 2 pounds heavier than the morning before, and yesterday I weighed in slightly lighter, but resulting in only a loss of 0.6 pounds in a week. And this morning I weighed in at 0.2 pounds heavier than that!

The first two weeks went so incredibly well, but the third week and this first day of week four has left me so terribly discouraged. Please keep me in your prayers. I'm not sure what's going on.

Day One, Week Two: Military Press

Wednesday military presses.

Military Press Day
Exercise3/16
2011
3/23
2011
Week
Three
Week
Four
Military Press145x5165x5
145x5165x5
145x5165x5
145x5 
145x5 
 
Dumbbell Triceps Extension45x13*45x15*
45x10*50x10*
45x8*50x7*
 
Wide Overhand Pulldown170x15 (P)170x15 (P)
180x12 (P)180x13 (P)
190x8 (P)190x9 (P)
* Weight per arm
(P) Machine used at the PRO Club

Day Four, Week One: Deadlifts

Tuesday deadlifts.

Deadlift Day
Exercise3/22
2011
Week
Two
Week
Three
Week
Four
Deadlift400x5
400x5
400x5
400x5
400x5
 
Dumbbell
Step-ups
55x14 (7)
55x14 (7)
55x14 (7)
 
Lying Hamstring Curl40x15
45x12
47.5x8
(#) Weight per arm, step-ups per leg