So that is what this post will be about, my pursuit of the Sword. The show is being held in Newburyport, Ma on July 26th, 2008. As of this writing I am currently 4 weeks away and holding at 5.6%. My goal would be to get into the very low 4's, a BF% that I tend to do well with. my weight is at 156, 2 more pounds and I will be at a weight that I am comfortable with.
Here are the currents stats:
Calorie intake: 2100 (45%P,40%C,15%F)
Weight: 156
BF%: 5.6
Energy Level: Very Good
Strength: Very Good
Current Diet:
- Breakfast: 1 Cup Oatmeal, 2 Scoops of Whey
- Morning Snack: Whole Wheat Muffin with 2 Slices FF Cheese and 2 slice of Lean Ham
- Morning Snack (2 hours later): Light Yogurt with half scoop of Whey Protein
- Lunch: 1 Cup of Pasta with 5-6 oz of Chicken Breast, 4 tbs of low fat Sauce
- Afternoon Snack: Light Yogurt with half scoop of Whey Protein
- Afternoon snack (2 hours later): 1 Oatmeal Cookie
- Dinner: Large Salad with 5-6 oz Chicken Breast, FF or LF Salad Dressing or 1 slice of Lavash bread with 1 can of tuna and 1 slice of LF Cheese
Current Workout:
Legs:
- Leverage Squats 6 sets 12-10-8-6-4-10
- Leg Curls 4 sets 8-8-8-8
- Leg Extensions 8-8-8-8
- 1 Legged Smith Squats 10-10-10
- Flat smith bench: 12-10-8-6
- Incline Bench: 10-8-6
- Decline Bench: 10-8-6
- Cable flies: 10-10-10-10
- Wide grip pull downs with "D" handle: 12-10-8-6-6
- Reverse Grip Pull downs: 10-8-6
- "V" grip horizontal cable rows: 19-8-6
- Dumbbell Rows: 8-8-8
- Leverage Shrugs: 14-12-10-8-6-10
- Overhead machine press: 12-10-8-6
- Cable upright rows: 10-10-10
- Standing Hammer Curls: 12-10-8-6
- Overhead Tricep Cable Extensions: 12-10-8-6
- Preacher curls, cam machine: 12-10-8-6
- Close Grip bench press: 12-10-8-6
- Incline dumbbell curls: 10-8-6
- Tricep Rope Extensions: 12-10-8
That's it for now, updates will be posted weekly or sooner....See Ya!
Saturday, June 26th 2008
I am a bit disappointed, my bodyfat (see the attached image) has gone down a bit since last weeks measurements but when I look back at past measurements 2-3 weeks before a show I find that I was 2-3 pounds heavier then than now. So, what to do? Could it be my carbs are too low...my protein, perhaps my workout is not geared for muscle mass.
So as you can see I am at 5.5% and need to drop another 1% before competing. My weight is currently at 154 which is about where I would normally compete at but at 4.5%. At this pace I will probably weigh close to 152....too low for me.I will be reassessing my workout and diet and I will post my new strategy soon.
See Ya
Monday, June 28th 2008
I had to write this even though only two days had passed since my last post. I had a terrible weekend eating wise and I wanted to see what effect it had on my body by taking a BF test on Monday morning. Before I tell you what my results were I will first list what my weekend eating was about.
Saturday started out real well with my usual morning breakfast and mid morning snack. Then all hell broke out, we went to my sons day care cookout! a couple of cheese burgers, hefty oatmeal cookies, cake, lemonade....and various other munchies. I ate so much that I skipped my afternoon snack and had dinner later in the evening which was a home made lean steak sandwich on Lavash bread...so this whole day was not the greatest.
The following day, Sunday, also started out well until we went visiting my brother-in-laws in the afternoon. Eight tuna sandwiches (made with finger rolls and real mayo) 5 beers, cupcakes salsa chips (lots of them!) and other various treats. This too was very uncharactertistic of me and I was sure that this would kill my chances of staying lean but all was not lost.
Monday morning I did my measurements. I had gained 2 pounds, 1.75 was lean mass and .25 was fat. Most people will say that was impossible but you have to remember that when you have as much carbs as I did the last two days that your muscles begin to fill up with water and glucose...this will equate to lean mass and not so much muscle tissue. Either way, my results for Monday morning made me a happy camper. Now, if I can contain myself this 4th of July weekend I will be all set but....my sister is getting married on the 4th, it is outside pool party cookout deal so I think you get the picture!
Wednesday, July 16th 2008
Well, I knew it was going to happen but I hoped it wouldn't...my persuit of the sword is coming to an end! I made that decision 2 weekends ago at my sisters wedding when I could not control my eating...spare ribs, meatballs and sauce, pasta sald, yummy desserts and of course beer. We all had a great time, even my wife Adelia had a great time (until the next morning). That whole day made me realize that dieting during the Summer months is impossible, at least on the weekends.
So even though my BF is still respectable (see the below measurements) and my diet is pretty damn strict during the week, I am starting to live for the weekends and enjoying my beer or two or three and an occasional couple of cheeseburgers on the grill. Not to mention cookouts and more cookouts just about every weekend this Summer. I guess with New England's Summers being relatively short, everyone has as many cookouts as possible in what appears to be the shortest 8 weeks of the year from July to August.
I will continue to train hard but will probably end this post and start a new one as I get ready for the Fall shows which start in late Spetember.
See Ya,
Steve
www.2-fit.com
