BuckSpin - A Year Of Change

In replying to a thread in the O35 Forum I posted my daily nutrition with macros/etc. Someone correctly pointed out that I had miscalculated my macros due to not taking into account the cals in those macros. Upon recalculating them I was a bit stunned:

My Day:

Middle of the night snack (aka "when nature calls"):
1 scoop protein powder
2 cups skim milk

1st thing upon waking:
1 scoop protein powder
2 cups skim milk

Breakfast:
"fistful o’ pills" (will list upon request)
6 whole eggs
3/4 cup steel cut oats
8 almonds & 2 walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg
1 tbsp raw honey
1 stevia packet
1 medium grapefruit
2 cups water
22oz black coffee

Pre Training Meal: (4x week, 20-30 minutes before training)
8oz over baked sweet potato, peeled
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup water
1 scoop protein powder
5g creatine monohydrate
2g L-Arginine (on Leg or Back days I will add 2g Glutamine)
1 tsp non-akaline cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 stevia packet
1 tray ice cubes

All in blender. Drink up

Post Training Meal: (4x week, 10 minutes after training)
See Pre Training Meal

Lunch: (on training days, typically within 45-60 minutes of training)
12oz pre-cooked weight chicken breast
1 cup brown veggie rice
8oz fresh veggies
2 cups water
8 almonds & 2 walnuts (only on non-training days)

Snack: (on non-training days before Lunch, on training days after)
1 scoop protein powder
2 6oz FF plain yogurts
1 large apple
8 almonds & 2 walnuts (only on training days)

2nd Snack:
See Snack

Dinner:
See Non-Training LUNCH

Pre-Bed Meal: (right before bed)
1 cup FF no salt cottage cheese
2 tsps non-akaline cocoa powder
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 stevia packet
1g L-Arginine
500mg Glutamine

"Grazing": Who knows? Kids don’t finish a Eggo, a PB sandwich, bake sale at the school, occassional slice of thin crust cheese pizza, a bagel, granola bar, slice of banana bread, etc.

When I work I sip black coffee all day.

My Macros:

Non-Training Day:
CALS: 3726
CARBS: 408g/1632cal (43.8%)
PRO: 339g/1356cal (36.4%)
FAT: 82g/738cal (16g sat) (19.8%)

Training Days (combined total w/ above):
CALS: +963 (4814)
CARBS: +141g (559g/2236cal) (46.4%)
PRO: +92g (451g/1804cal) (37.5%)
FAT: +4g (2g sat) (86g/774cal - 18g sat) (16.1%)

Holy $#@! do I eat a LOT! LOL!!!

A good BB Friend of mine is going thru his Peak Week right now, a Peak Week unlike any other:

My Friend

If you get a chance, swing by his Bodyspace and send some good Mojo his way as he heads off to Nationals

These were waiting for me when I got home from last night’s wine tasting:

Monochrome Chuck Taylors bay-bee!

Up to now I had been wearing an oldddddddddddddd pair of Reebok hightops that have seen much better days. The sole of the right one has gone kablooey, so I am really looking forward to safely pulling some deads & doing some squats while stylin’!!!

In that I have had a few people at the fitness center mention that they thought I had gotten noticeably bigger since January, I took some measurements for the 1st time in a while today. I always do these 1st thing on a Sunday in that this is typically when I am at my "tightest", if you will.

To say I was stunned is an understatement. All measurements done via the BB protocol (same as last time):

To keep things in the big picture, I’m inlcuding my 1st measurements from last June 1st in ( ) when I started weight training:

Weight: 215lbs! (195.5") - Got as low as 186.5 last November. I’ve gained almost 30lbs since Thanksgiving!
BF: 15% - Got an electrostatic BMI & added 7% for variance
Chest: 45" (40.75") - Going on 10 months of 100% incline work
Arms: 16"!  (14.5") I have been at 15" FOREVER!!!! WOOHOO!!!
Hips: 37" (38.5") - This got as low as 34.5" last year, but this new booty can’t be denied!
Waist: 36" (34.75") - This got as low as 33.5" last year. Gotta have a lil’ fat to make gains
Thighs: 24" (22.25") - Hopefully these will go up big time soon
Calves: 17.25" (16") - They say these should be 1:1 with arms…I wish!
Forearms: 12" (9.75") - Ab wheel & planks
Shoulders: 51" (47.5") - Finally getting a lil’ width
Neck: 17" (14.75) - Shrugs? I dunno

This has really helped to re-ignite that fire that has been embers lately!

One of the 1st things I learned about bodybuilding is that, to me, the physical aspect (training) is by far the easiest aspect. Its the mental & spiritual that are by far the hardest on one’s self. That muscle between your ears & the inner energy/force residing in that one beating in your chest are, regardless of how you train, worked to failure over & over & over & over, day after day after day.

I am currently running on fumes spiritually. It happens from time to time. I often think of myself as an inspirational junkie, running from stories to movies to tunes, etc, to get a quick "fix" to get me thru that day’s training, that week’s efforts, etc. And, just like any other stimulant, you start to get acclimated to it & need bigger, stronger "doses", if you will.

So, what do you do to replenish the inner batteries, to keep the mind sharp & spirit soaring, to break a "plateau" of inspiration?

I debated over adding this to my online Workout Journal. But a good BB friend told me to “be myself”. This is me. If you are looking for reps, weights & sets, skip reading this.

I’m a very private person. I keep to myself. But every now & then something happens that I feel warrants sharing.

Last Saturday, after my 3rd training session in a row, I was driving to work afterwards. I had already awoken much earlier than I usually do on a Saturday to get everything done that was going to need to get done in order to allow me to train, clean up & change, eat & get to work by 9:30am.

I had just finished a huge Back Day. After 2 rough sessions I was still able to set a new PR for a weight lifted. I was physically beat up & tired, mentally worn down, sore all over, hungry & a lil’ anxious to keep ahead of the clock as I drove off.

I’m not sure if you believe in a higher presence, a guiding force, etc, or for that matter in angels. Not necessarily the halo/winged kind, but someone/something watching over you. I have come to, and whomever/whatever they are/were, they knew I needed a lil’ help at that moment.

Not a few seconds on the road this song came on. I channel flip a lot. The odds of my hitting this song just as it started at that moment….who knows.

But it hit me like a tidal wave. Time stood still. The lyrics just overwhelmed me. They summed up the past year of my life so eloquently, so deeply, so painfully. The beginning of the weight loss, all the effort, shame, hard work, sweat, it all came back. The rebirth, the start of a new life, the even harder work, focusing toward a goal of trading over 3 years of my life for 120 seconds on a stage.

I don’t remember the drive to work at all. All I know is that I got there & the song was over and I was a different person than I was a few minutes earlier.

These are the lyrics. I am sure he was singing about something other that what I went thru & what I am doing, but it summed up my journey so well:

Then the rainstorm came over me
And I felt my spirit break
I had lost all of my belief you see
And realize my mistake
But time threw a prayer to me
And all around me became still

Through the rainstorm came sanctuary
And I felt my spirit fly
I had found all of my reality
I realize what it takes  

Here is the official video. I can’t find it on YouTube.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/seal/33701/loves-divine.jhtml

Today was a big day for me. Did something that I literally have not done in a quarter century.

I did Back Squats.

I’ll type r-e-a-l s-l-o-w now to allow that to sink in (or give you time to wipe the spewed coffee off your monitor).

To put this in perspective, the last time I had a BB on my shoulders:
- M*A*S*H aired its final episode
- The song of the year was "Rosana" by Toto
- North Carolina State shocked the "Phi Slamma Jamma" Houston Cougars for the NCAA basketball championship
- Nintendo was brand new
- The FCC gave Motorola the OK to start testing these things called cell phones

I am now working with an online coach to help me get "da wheelz". Short n’ sweet, if you want the wheelz you gotta pay the band. I’ve been doing Front & Zerchers, Hacks & Leg Press. But today I started what I will call "Dime A Dance"  . In short, I replaced my current squat selection with these. The plan is to add a dime every session as long as I can move that load in GOOD form. It is the same routine my coach used, and if I can get the same results….

The load was very light, but that is by design. Learn good, controlled form, then up the tonnage.

Now, today gets even better. You may remember my mentioning previously that I found out that world class (and BP record holder at his weight & age) powerlifter Tony Petrino trains at the same fitness center I do.

He was there this AM. He’s NEVER there then! What are the odds that on the first day in 25 years I’m gonna do Back Squats a guy who can squat 900lbs is there????

So, I got a one on one training session with him.   He spotted me on my 2nd working set, critiqued my form (caught a mistake on knee flare which I fixed on the 3rd set), gave me a great 5-10 minute mini-clinic and then watched me do the entire 3rd set with more feedback. He saw immediately that my form suffered slightly around rep 7 or 8, and even in my uber-noobness I felt it & agreed 100%. Priceless. This will really help me a lot!

I’ll have to say a novenna to the patron saint of squats this evening. Someone was watching over me today.

Cool day….

TGIF everyone…

I hate the black flies up here in Maine. The only thing making these latest cold snaps (and I mean "snap" as in tree branches EXPLODING from the sap freezing) of -10s & -20s (I have the photo to prove that one) is that hopefully it will make Black Flies ‘09 short by serious putting a dent in their numbers. I mean if trees are exploding, how cold does it have to get to make a fly go kablooey?

Speaking of kablooey, that is what our BHDs band did when they fired him. He rebounded with one solid solo effort in 1993’s (late for hair bands but grunge was still very new then) "Exposed" featuring former Billy Idol guitar god Steve Stevens on lead axe. This song, the best single off that album, was featured in the movie "Encino Man" (remember Pauly Shore?). Its a great example of everything hair music was.

So sit back because "You’re Invited (But Your Friend Can’t Come"  by Motley Crue’s own Vince Neil  :

1 year ago today (February 4th, 2008) this was me. A burger shy of 270lbs and 43% BF built up over 2 decades of apathy:

This is my 1st "Rebirthday". I will celebrate this day every year. Thanks to all my BB Friends for all the help over the past year.

TGIF all…

I’ve just about had enough of the snow. I like snow. I like shoveling snow. But this is getting out of hand.

Speaking of out of hand, that is what BHD is now. I know I am far behind. I’ll make it up. I’ll blame it on the …..snow. Yeah. Thats it. Snow.

Tonight’s featured band is atypical as far as hair bands go in that they had a female lead singer but male band. Founded by their lead singer Lorraine Lewis in 1987 in that hot bed of hair bandism that was Albuquerque, they moved to (duh) LA, recorded one album in 1989, had some good MTV & teen flic soundtrack success, then……that was it. They never caught on nationally & disbanded when Lewis left.

These are their 2 best known tunes. I must admit I’m partial to the 2nd video in that any video where the lead female singer spanks herself while wearing Daisy Dukes is OK with me! So first enjoy "Waiting On The Big One   (no hidden meaning there, huh ladies?) and then "Falling In & Our Of Love"   with Femme Fatale  :

"Waiting On The Big One  

"Falling In & Our Of Love"