PenteKing’s BodyBlog

…that is the question. After an uncharacteristically long silence, I feel compelled to jot down a few observations on my workouts in general and my body in particular. The main problem is that I really don’t feel like writing. Normally, when it comes to facing the blank white page, I can barely restrain myself from filling it with words. Not so today. Today, the blank page is a barrier - something to be feared and overcome; not a friend beckoning me to sully her pristine beauty with strange marks and cirliques. Still, although the task seems daunting, I throw off the shackles of my mind and spirit and take virtual pen in hand to commit this blog to the digital universe. If I don’t, what I am feeling and thinking today will be lost forever.

I am frustrated with my body. After losing all the bad weight I had put on over the course of a dozen years, my body is in stasis. Having reached the 195 - 200 pound range, my body stubbornly refuses to lose or gain any weight. Believe me, I’ve tried. I think that during the past year, I have tried every method recommended on this site. Nothing; nada; zip; zilch. The scale refuses to budge. This is extremely discouraging. I would dearly like to gain some quality muscle. I have dreams - visions, even! - of a 32 inch waist, topped with a chest straining the tape measure at 47 to 48 inches. I long to have thighs that are the envy of football offensive lineman. Nothing.

Am I getting stronger? You betcha. I can lift way more today than I could a year ago. My endurance has increased exponentially. I can run a 5K race and barely get my pulse rate over 120. I can ride my bike for 100 miles and not feel as though my legs will fall off. I can run the Convention Center stairs and not fall, gasping, to the ground.

Maybe this is it for me. Maybe the physique I have now is the one I am destined to carry to the grave with me. If that is the case, then woe is me! There goes my dream of competing on stage. There goes my desire to have the body I’ve always yearned for. What to do? Do I continue to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune? Or do I take up arms against my sea of troubles, and by so opposing, end them?

What, if anything, would you do in my place? Thoughts, comments and suggestions are not only welcomed, but are also warmly encouraged.

As a notoriously hard gainer, I have tried a variety of muscle-building products in my lifetime. I don’t claim to be an expert in the field, and don’t even claim to know any one product better than any other. What I do know is what works on my body and what doesn’t. Casein works. Other protein supplements do not.

Why this is so is a baffling mystery to me. I use whey and casein protein from the same company. By virtue of this, I think I have effectively ruled out any significant variation in the manufacturing process. By the same rationale, I believe this eliminates any difference in quality. The amount of each that I consume is the same, as is the time of day and the beverage with which I mix the ingredient (fat-free organic milk in both cases). So why does casein work and whey not?

Could it be the slow-digesting properties of casein? That may be, but I find it incredibly hard to believe. Why would the rate of digestion have that signficant an impact? To me, that explanation makes no rational sense. Yet, as Sherlock Holmes was so fond of pointing out, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever else remains, however improbable, must be the truth." I believe I have ruled out every other possibilty. Therefore, I am left with the sole fact that casein is slower-digesting than whey, and this, therefore, must be why I can gain muscle using casein.

Has anyone else experienced this, or am I the only nut job on the planet holding this cockamamie theory? Enquiring minds want to know. If anyone has a comment or thought on this, please let me know.

That cry for help, while hyperbolic, was nonetheless real. Those of you who have been perusing my blog know that I’ve been stuck (literally STUCK) at 195 pounds for close to six months. No amount of cardio/diet/supplement mix seems able to kick start my metabolism into losing this last stubborn five pounds. I’m doing an hour of cardio nearly every day, am watching what I eat (to the point where my friends are casting suspicious sidelong glances at me), and am getting the proper amount of rest.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???? (Excuse me while I wipe these tears from my eyes.)

Seriously - if there is anyone in the community who can offer me some pointers, you will earn my eternal gratitude and lasting friendship. I’d call Coach, but since the Athletic Center closed down, she’s been hors de combat. The other trainers at my new gym have no insights to offer me, except for offers to take me on as their client for prices that seem a trifle steep for what I’m looking to do.

Here’s the bottom line. I want to get down to 190 pounds of lean muscle, with approximately 9 - 10 percent bodyfat. I eat pretty much the same thing every day - 80 grams of oatmeal with raisins and honey; two poached eggs and toast; black cofee; protein shake; piece of fruit; spinach salad with 6 ounces of grilled chicken; Power Bar; piece of fruit; two servings of vegetables; lean meat or fish; Isopure Protein drink. If I vary (which I very rarely do), I substitute brown rice for the oatmeal in the morning. Aside from that, I’m a machine.

Thoughts and comments are not only welcomed, but encouraged.

I’m continually amazed at the things bodybuilders will do in pursuit of the perfect physique. They’ll get up at the ass-crack of dawn to go running in sub-zero weather. They’ll eat the same bland diet six weeks in a row in order to build muscle. They’ll wear hooded sweatshirts into the sauna in order to leach one last ounce of excess water from their frames. They’ll hit the gym first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. They’ll take supplements, protein powders, diuretics and herbs in quantities that would kill a lesser human being. They’ll sacrifice relationships, jobs and yes, even money, to chase their dreams.

Bodybuilders are a strange breed.

I’m proud to counted among their number.

I’ve been ruminating about this for the past few weeks because I’ve wondered how come I don’t seem to grow any bigger. I’m doing all the things recommended by the experts on this and other bodybuilding sites, yet my body measurements have stayed pretty much the same. (An obvious exception is my waist, which has shrunk nearly four inches!) Still, my chest, thighs and biceps haven’t shown much improvement.

Yet, I’m waaayyyy stronger than I was only four months ago. Not only can I lift more, but I can last longer. (God, that sounds like one of those cheap Vigara ads!) I feel and look better. I have more energy, and all in all, a much more positive outlook on life. So why am I obssessed with getting bigger? Isn’t the whole point of bodybuilding to be fit and healthy? If I’m achieving that goal, why should I fret and worry about gaining mass my body can’t support. I don’t have an answer to the question and so, I’m soliciting the opinions of the community.

What say you? Is bigger really better? Chip in with your two cents worth. I’m all attention.

It is always at this time of the season that one takes a moment to reflect on the successes and failures of the past twelve months.  And so, although this may not mean much to many of you, there are some who will understand perfectly the spirit in which this entry is written.

To Wanda - don’t be afraid of new experiences. These are the events that shape our character.

To ChickenTuna - thank you for being an inspiration to me. When my resolve flags, it is to her body space that I go to bolster my spirit.

To Katnap - a woman who is a truly beautiful human being, both inside and out. I only wish there were more people like her in this world.

To Trey - a great friend and another person with a beautiful, generous spirit. I hope you and Jessica can make your thing work, because never were there two people more suited to one another than you two.

To Russ - my friend - now and forever. We’ve shared a lot of laughs, a lot of confidences, and a lot of sorrow. It’s been great living in the world with you.

To my sons - I love and cherish you both, and only wish you lived closer so that we could see each other more frequently.

To Vince - hang in there, my brother. Life has dealt you some harsh body blows, but you’re getting your second wind and will be victorious in the end.

To Michele - who has been a rock and a comfort and a joy to me for twenty-one years. I couldn’t have made this journey without you.

It is my sincere hope that my presence in this plane of existence is a worthwhile one. I hope that my spirit positively influences everyone with whom I come in contact. In the spirit of this holiday spirit - for Christians and non-Christians alike…

…Peace, love and understanding.

So far, Isopure has taken the lead in this contest. The respondents have universally united behind Isopure not only for the superiority of its protein isolate, but also because of its great taste. It mixes well with both water and milk (and, I’m sure, although I’ve never tried it, with fruit juices). One person likened it to Gatorade in its ability to dissolve completely in liquid, leaving a potion that is potable and delicious.

I’ve already gone on record as an Isopure adherent. I use the powder every day. It is the cornerstone of my daily diet (along with my oatmeal). I also have a bottle of the Zero Carb liquid immediately after a workout and find that it refreshes and revitalizes my body. Because I like it so much, I’m also considering purchasing their meal supplement product to use as a mid-morning or late afternoon meal.

I think Isopure has made a difference in my body. I will post progress pictures soon so that you all can judge for yourself. In the meantime, I’ll continue to track responses to this post and update one and all on what I receive.

I trade dietary observations with a fellow gym-goer. Recently, we had this intense argument over whether Isopure or Muscle Milk was the superior protein drink. I favor Isopure; Bill favors Muscle Milk. I like Isopure not only for the taste, but also because it has less calories and contains zero carbs and zero fat. Muscle Milk, as I understand it, (I’ve never had it) has about double the calories, and contains 19% fat, and has fewer grams of protein than Isopure. My numbers may be a little off here because I’m quoting from memory, but I’m pretty certain that I’m close if not dead on accurate. I contend that the better protein supplement should not only increase muscle mass, but also work to reduce bodyfat. Isopure does this because it forces the body to feed on its internal fat stores. I believe Muscle Milk adds to one’s fat woes, especially if one is trying like the dickens to lose weight.

I’m sure both products had vociferous adherents. I’d like to hear opinions, pro and cons, for both products. Which one do you prefer - Isopure or Muscle Milk?

Is anyone else experiencing this problem? For the past two days, when I’ve used the Workout Tracker, I enter all of my information and then click "Save". The screen disappears and then I get a web page with the following error message: Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 83886080 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 79 bytes) in /mnt/www/bodybuilding/htdocs/workout/include/class.bwt_database.php on line 594
When I return to the Workout Tracker page, my information looks like it’s all there, but this is still weird behavior. I’ve reported it to the sysops, but was wondering if anyone else in the community is having the same troubles.

Had a long, serious talk with Coach today. As some of you may or may not know (it doesn’t matter), my measurements have stayed EXACTLY the same since July 25, 2007. This despite lifting heavy weights, cleaning up my diet and taking supplments. I’m talking ZERO increase.

In talking over this phenonmenon with Coach, she suggested that perhaps I have the type of body that will not readily grow muscle. Her thought is that my body has nothing but slow twitch muscle fiber (good for endurance; lousy for muscle growth). She suggests I re-focus my goals and concentrate on training for a triathalon or marathon or something similar, and that I give up the idea of having a Steve Reeves-type body. "If, after all this time, you have made NO progress," Coach said, "it ain’t going to happen."

I’m seriously bummed out about this. I suspect she may be right. I’ve been busting my a**, and have seen no progress. My strength and endurance have doubled (and this is an objective assessment), and my phyisque has changed (I’m smaller and tighter and my clothes no longer fit), but I’ve not increased in size. My weight hovers between 195 and 200 (depending upon how much food I eat) and that’s that.

What do you guys think? Is Coach right? Should I give myself some more time? Should I try something different? Enquiring minds WANT to know.