Day 13: Thurssday, January 13th, 2011

Today was E-Z!  The only thing that I found peculiar was that my appetite was more than usual today.  In the past I am either hungry right in time for my next shake or actually not wanting the next shake but more just drinking it because I had to.  Today was different, I was hungry within two hours.  Did my metabolism pick up?  I don't know.

Another thing I would love to do is get my body fat percentage checked out.  I have to be at 10 or lower percent right now.

Outside of all that nothing special, no workout today or anything.  I weighed in at 173 this morning and like lately just been hovering at this weight.

Last thing is what do I eat for my cheat meal tomorrow?  Do I have salmon with rice and a side salad or get a good sized chicken salad?  I don't know yet and probably won't know until dinner time.

Here are the pics for today:

Day 12: Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

Seriously this is actually becoming easier to do.  I have accepted the thought of drinking shakes for every meal and don't even question or crave things when it comes time.  So I am though debating about what to have on Friday night for my cheat meal, either, Chicken salad or Salmon rice and a vegetable.  Not sure exactly which one but that is because like I said I am not craving anything.

Test that is going to be hard is Saturday as I got invited to a BBQ.  Smelling and seeing food like that will suck because just like most people BBQ is hard to pass up.

Another thing that makes me wonder over and over is the whole eating healthy once I am done with this diet.  How slowly do I increase my calorie intake?  Do I, just go drastic or stay around 2000 calories.  It is going to depend how my body adapts to my future workout schedule:

Monday through Sunday in the morning will be the workout "Insanity".  It is P90X minus the douche guy and more cardio like.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be spin class at lunch.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday will also be kettlebell class which is a hell of a workout.  That will be after work and before school (if I have school that day).

Finally Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday will be a workout program that has lifting involved.

Yes my body will be hurting but hey you only live once.

So I assuming that this will actually push me over 3000 calories easily but I will start off lower and then work my way up if I feel like I am not seeing gains, and decrease calories if I start to put on weight.

So speaking of workouts here was mine today:

Front Squat - 135x5, 145x5, 145x5, 145x5, 145x5
Close-Grip Bench Press - 180x5, 180x5, 180x5, 180x5, 180x5
Chinups - 70x5, 70x5, 70x5, 70x5, 70x5
Push Press - 145x5, 145x5, 145x5, 145x5, 145x5

Finally here are today's morning pics (remember no flexing involved)

Day 11: Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

LIttle late on getting this up. But I will make it quick and short. I actually put on more weight. I went up to 174 pounds. I am assuming it is from muscle growth. Here is the pics:

Sorry not long today but was tired from school and wanted to go to bed

Day 10: Tuesday, January 10th, 2011

I hit double digits now.  I mean 10 days now.  I am shocked I have been doing this for 10 days.  It feels like it is going on forever but yet it just feels like I just started.  It is amazing the results already.  But I got 18 more days to go.

So I think I am hitting my low point in weight.  I weighed in today at 173.5.  It was actually half a pound more than yesterday.  I am thinking that my muscle is starting to catch up now and less fat is burning off (because there isn't much left).  Also I lost a lot of water weight at the beginning because of no salt in the system to hold it.

My workout today was great.  I did the following:

Lat Pulldown - 210x8, 210x8, 210x8, 210x8, 210x8
Romanian Deadlift - 205x8, 205x8, 205x8, 205x8, 205x8
Incline Dumbell Bench Press - Neutral Grip - 55x8, 55x8, 55x8, 55x8, 55x8
Barbell Curls - 115x8, 115x8, 115x8, 115x8, 120x8
Hanging Leg Raises - 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Great thing I read in the hints section today about the food was adding flavoring to the shakes.  So I bought a bunch of mixing flavors that are used for cooking cakes and pies.  It made the shakes AMAZING.  Finally a reason to like the vanilla powder.

Here is the pics from this morning:

Day 9: Tuesday, January 9th, 2011

I would like to laugh.  As expected I was questioned why I am doing this, why don't I just eat healthy and workout?  Ummm ... I pretty much do eat healthy, I love to workout... for those who don't understand why I am doing this, well because you only live once.  What I mean is that when I get told to truly get myself in great shape because metabolism has really slowed down, I don't recover as quick from workouts and my life is very busy, that I don't want to look back at when I had the opportunity to push myself and think I didn't.  This is for me, no one else.  This is to prove to myself that I can go this long on something this strict.

Now today was a non-lift day.  For some reason I just never really grew an appetite today.  It was mostly just drinking my shakes and waiting for it to digest.  I don't know why I felt this way but I did.  I had mostly banana cream today and it kind of made me nauseous after awhile.  I really wish I had gotten mostly chocolate now.

So really not much to discuss for today.  No lifting and no diet change.  Although I am now less than 20 days away from being done!

Here are my pics this morning, was in a rush and already had my Air Force uniform pants on when these were taken.

Day 8: Tuesday, January 8th, 2011

Back to no food and it sort of sucked.  No true cravings but more wanted to chew something.  Although how I knew I was good on food was I sat with a bunch of people today while they ate their lunch and I drank my shake.  It smelled good but I was okay and didn't need it.

I weighed in today at 173 the exact same as yesterday.  I am sort of shocked because I really thought i would have put a little bit of weight because of eating regular food and that had to increase my calorie take to above normal for a regular day.  I am thinking I will drop below 170 by Tuesday, that will be the first time since 2007 in which I get horribly sick for a 4-5 day period.

Nice thing also was my workout today was the second time through it.  It was easier this time.  I had more energy but I still admit the food intake I had the day before the workout last time probably caused some problems.  But I am noticing strength going up and muscle is continuing to build.

Here was my workout:

Bent-over Barbell Row - 215x4, 215x4, 215x4, 215x4, 215x4, 215x5
Overhead Barbell Squat - 105x4, 115x4, 115x4, 115x4, 115x4, 115x5
Dips - 70x4, 70x4, 70x4, 70x4, 70x4, 70x5
Ab wheel rollout - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Here are today's pics:

Just wanted to say I am not flexing or sucking in my gut or anything when I take these pictures.  I am just relaxed.

Day 7: Tuesday, January 7th, 2011

I LOVE FOOD!  Yeah today for dinner was my allowed once a week cheat meal.  Although still healthy it was far better than a shake!  I had a steak with baked potato and side garden salad.  Amazing tasting and I took my time eating it.  The site was right though my appetite has shrunk and although I ate it all the last part was for taste.  Also no cravings today at all.  The thought of having the dinner was sounding good but not craving.  So that is good.  We will see tomorrow how that goes after get a taste of food.  Will I be okay, or will it be like crack and you can't break the addiction only put into remission for a while.

The other thing that was new was the workout today!  Holy crap that was harder than it is read.  I had to do each exercise 10 reps at a time and 7 cycles of the workout.  So each workout consisted starting with:

Jumping Split Squat
Hand Walkout - from toes
Single Leg Deadlift - With twist and lateral arm
Pushup - Torso rotation
Jumping Jacks
Side Lunge Overhand Reach
Pike Pushup
Squat Thrust - Jump and Reach

Now I went down the line doing each set for a total of 10 reps per exercise with no rest between exercises.  Then took 2-3 minutes to start next cycle.  That hurt by the time I got to the Pike Pushup.  Speaking of that I was supposed to do Handstand Pushup.... ummm yeah ... a little harder than it sounds.  Stand on your head and then lift all your weight.  Go ahead and see how it is.

So I am officially one week down and three more primary weeks to go.  I am proud of what I have done and to all the haters out there just suck it up because you can't do it.

Last things, same food except replace my regular dinner with the cheat meal.  I woke up at 173 pounds this morning, meaning I have lost 7 pounds in six days.  I think that will change due to dinner.  Here are my pics: