KASR5277’s BodyBlog

….it’s been having muscle twitching and spasms for the past two months and it’s driving me insane!!!!! At first, I thought it was just the nerves being compressed from the added muscle growth - but now I’m not so sure. It’s freaking me out…and lately, it’s been waking me up at night.

I mean, ok…once in a while for 5-15 minutes at a time: no problem. But this is CONSTANTLY, ALL DAY LONG, ALL NIGHT…it’s driving me absolutely batty!!! I did some reading on the net from medical sites…ranging from benign facilation (sp?) to ALS (Lou Gherigs Disease….not cool). But since I’m not showing any other symptoms of ALS, I began to look elsewhere, which yielded: caffeine, excessive exercise, stress, a diet deficiency.

Ok, that might be…I’ve been hitting the redbulls quite a bit lately, been under moderate stress, and just recently stopped taking any NO products (that typically have large doses of caffeine.

Anyone else have excessive muscle twitching? Mine is in my right arm between the triceps/biceps.

….it’s been having muscle twitching and spasms for the past two months and it’s driving me insane!!!!! At first, I thought it was just the nerves being compressed from the added muscle growth - but now I’m not so sure. It’s freaking me out…and lately, it’s been waking me up at night.

I mean, ok…once in a while for 5-15 minutes at a time: no problem. But this is CONSTANTLY, ALL DAY LONG, ALL NIGHT…it’s driving me absolutely batty!!! I did some reading on the net from medical sites…ranging from benign facilation (sp?) to ALS (Lou Gherigs Disease….not cool). But since I’m not showing any other symptoms of ALS, I began to look elsewhere, which yielded: caffeine, excessive exercise, stress, a diet deficiency.

Ok, that might be…I’ve been hitting the redbulls quite a bit lately, been under moderate stress, and just recently stopped taking any NO products (that typically have large doses of caffeine.

Anyone else have excessive muscle twitching? Mine is in my right arm between the triceps/biceps.

Yea, I hadn’t heard of it either…until yesterday when I friend asked me if I was going to participate…I was like: "Huh???"

You can check it out at www.movember.com - a group of guys in our marketing department (and hopefully beyond) are participating and with any luck, we’ll raise some awareness and possibly some monies for Prostate Cancer and Testicular Cancer research…things that are very relevant to us guys!!

This should be good, since I’m pretty certain that half of the guys participating couldn’t grow past peach fuzz - but it’s all in the spirit anyways!

What is Movember? I’m glad you asked!
The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia.  The guys behind it joked about 80s fashion and decided it was time to bring the moustache back.  In order to justify their Mos (Australian slang for moustache), they used their new looks to raise money for prostate cancer research… never dreaming that facial hair would ultimately lead to a global movement that would get men talking about a taboo subject – their health.

A Mo Bro starts Movember – the month formerly known as November – clean shaven, and grows a moustache all month long, garnering support from friends and family in the form of donations.  What’s more, a Mo Bro is a walking billboard for the cause as his new look opens the door for him to talk about cancers affecting men – making the moustache a symbol, much like the pink ribbon is for breast cancer.  Each Movember culminates in a Gala Partè in major cities around the globe where Mo Bros dress up to match their Mo, channeling the likes of Tom Selleck, Ghandi and Ron Burgandy, vying for the ultimate accolade:  Man of Movember.

While growing a Mo is left to the guys, Mo Sistas (women who support their guys) form an important part of Movember by recruiting Mo Bros, helping to raise funds and attending the highly anticipated Gala Partés.

This Movember, the money raised in the U.S. will be split between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer.  

The Lance Armstrong Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund:
•    the LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance program which has the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer between the ages of 15 and 40.
•    research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers.

To date, Movember has raised $47 million globally making it the world’s largest charity event for men. Significantly, awareness of men’s health issues has improved with Movember helping to spread important health messages directly to millions of Mo Bros & Sistas around the world.

We challenge you to join us in changing the face of men’s health.

Ok, it wasn’t that glamorous - but it was lunch! LOL!

Yea…eating for fitness isn’t glamorous, but atleast during the winter i don’t have to be as strict on the carbs. Here is my chopped chicken over 1/2 penne pasta and mushrooms. I found a packet of crushed red peppers from Pizza Hut, so i threw that it too….hmmmmmm…..yea…not so much.

But menu aside, I didn’t have a lifting partner last night - so I was accountable unto myself to grind out a pretty gruelling workout. Perhaps having the vidcam setup helped - cuz I got record a few of the exercises…none more exhaustive than the plyo-pushups while wearing a 25lb weight-vest….that was tough! but worth it! So with that said, I added up my first round of videos on to my profile page! Woohoo!

So I missed Friday’s workout - and we’re making up for it bigtime tonight. But aside from that, I’m definitely kicking it up a notch in intensity.

Tonights modified 5 x 5 routine will consist of Full Squat/Lunge supersets (do a full squat, then go right into a lunge for both legs using the same weight, then do another squat, etc.).

For chest, we’ll be doing an incline bench warmup and then right into plyo-pushups wearing the weightvest (I’m gonna try to max the weight on this one) gonna try to take progress pics for this one as well as maybe some video…but if I fall on my face after set 4, don’t expect me to be posting that! LOL!!!

Shoulders will be heavy dumbbell half-presses

Superset pullups/chinups….maybe I should warn Jason about the workout tonight………………nahhhhh!!! Buwahahahahaha!!

So as I stated in my previous blog entry, I’m attacking weak/soft spots in my physique - which prompted "OPERATION: TrapsStopSuckingAss" 

Well, as I’m writing this, my traps are sooooo sore right now - which is proof that I have been neglecting them! Well, I’m not quitting - it’s on like donkey kong!

Progress Pic #1 - starting point:

Ok, so a few things I’ve learned over the past 5 weeks…that when you cut your carbs down too low and do a massive increase on protein - not only do I feel shrunken, but I’m also a bit of a bitch to be around! HAHAH! Seriously, I think the lowered carbs and higher protein made me a total ass to be around - so I’m upping my carb intake, so I can regain some mass and then do a more focused/disciplined cut. I know I’ve been talking about the cut for a while, but with winter fast approaching, I prolly won’t need to show off the cuts anywhere other than the bedroom…and my progress pics I guess!

Secondly, if you notice this back picture I have uploaded - my traps are in serious need of attention - so over the next 5 weeks, they are gonna get it! I’ll be posting progress pics of the traps/transformation and with any luck there will be an increase in that area! Here goes!

Well, I guess I’m just not used to what the low carb, high protein diet is doing to me. A year ago, I wasn’t really disciplined on diet - I was taking in protein, but nowhere near what I should have been doing…and I was mostly carb loading throughout the entire workout. Amazingly, I was able to keep weight in check, but when I look back at the pics from that time (progress pics), my physique looks much more bulky…not like flab bulky…but just more substance.

Now that I’m on my 3-4 months of fairly strict diet, I can’t help but look at the progress pics now and think that I’m shrinking in size! I’ve even shaved off 10lbs in the last year and since i still can’t get an accurate body fat count just yet, it’s still make me wonder what the heck is going on. All my lifting stats point to the fact that indeed my muscles have gotten stronger….I guess I’m just not used to seeing the size come with the increase in strength.

I was overhearing a conversation between co-workers in the next office…they were discussing "Luncheable’s" that are available in our vending machine and how what a good and "nutritious" alternative they are to fast food.

BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!

Ok, so I stepped on the scale this morning to get some updated numbers. I’ve been watching my diet, trying to keep carbs down while maintaining a good balance with more protein. I’m down to 170.4lbs….ok….not bad….then the body fat count comes up: 24%!!! What the holy hell?!?!? 50 on the water composition…ok, something isn’t right dammit!

So I hit up my friend through email and ask her where her personal trainer measured her with the body fat calipers. Waist, quad and tricep.  Ok, so I give it try…. Ummmm…..what the hell again:  tricep (behind the arm): 2%, waist: 11% and quad (two inches above the knee, relaxed): 9%
Average those together and I get: 7.3??? That can’t be right….what the hell is going on?!?!?!?