Ponyboy76’s BodyBlog

Today I officially start my 12 week program, changing everything, from the way I work out to what I eat following Hugo Rivera`s "Body Re-engineering transformation guide" I got my bodyfat measured on Saturday and it is 18.1% right now. I am hoping to get it down to 17.1% by the end of March and will get it measured once a month to check my progress. I will weigh myself every 2 weeks to see if I have lost or gained any weight so that I can adjust the program accordingly. I am also going to start taking a note of what I eat everyday to see where I`m going right or wrong. I always thought that was kind of a crazy thing to do, but I can see how it works so I`ll give it a try.  Wish me luck.

I`ll start here:  meal 1) 2 slices of toast 8:00 am
                      
           1 whole egg 2 egg whites
                      meal 2) 1/2 cup of oats 11:00am
                      
            1/2 of Banana
                      
            1/2 tbsp peanut butter
                      
             in a protein shake w/semi skimmed milk
                      
             1 plain wheat pita bread w/tbsp of Hummus
                      meal 3) tuna/broccoli pasta salad w/ 1 piece of steak 2:30pm
                      meal 4) tuna/broccoli pasta salad 5:00pm
                      meal 5) Muscle Milk Protein 1hr before workout
                      meal 6) Muscle Milk Protein w/ 1 cup of oats 1 tbsp of peanut butter
                    

In the passed couple months I had been doing so well. My motivation and positive energy was pretty high especially for me but this week, its been really rough. I look in the mirror and I swear I`m going backwards with my progress. I don`t even want to take pictures. I weighed myself on Saturday after a fasted cardio workout and was only 242lbs, which is just a 4.4lbs gain. I knew I`d gain weight with this 6 week bulking program and it did pay off because I gained size in my chest and shoulder. That`s great, but the midsection does not look how I want it to. There are only 5 months until Summer and if I`m going to realize my dream of being able to take off my shirt at the beach and being proud of what I look like, something drastic needs to happen. To top it off I seemed to have fatigued my delts which means I can`t really lift as well. I`m just kind of lost right now with what to do. I`m going to try and start on some Two a Days with cardio and see if that jumpstarts the fat burning process.

Well, I have about a week left before I finish my 6 week bulkin cycle. I’m hoping to see some positive results from this 20 -rep squat program I tried. I don`t really expect anything too substantial as far as muscle gain,  but I hope for some increase in muscle size. After this, I will do a 6 week cutting program consisting of lots of cardio, so at least 3 two-a-days a week. Not really looking forward to that but fasted cardio is the only sure way I know to burn the fat off. I am looking forward to trying this SuperPump and SizeOn stuff for a change of pace. I`m hoping to drop about 5 or 6lbs from whatever I am after I weigh myself next week. Then its another 6 week 20 rep squat bulking cycle which I think is where I will do most of my growing. By time that`s over I`ll cut until the Summer, in high hopes of finally throwing off the shirt at the beach, my ultimate goal.

I am in my 4th week of my Mass building program and I have to say while I enjoy the extra strength, I`m not a big fan of the excess fat I have put on. Its not all that much because I`ve still been doing a lot of cardio pretty muc everyday, but its enough thatI notice it. I wasn`t all that svelte to begin with and had only just gotten down to the weight I wanted to. I`m not feeling too bad that I gained weight because alot of it is muscle which is the whole point. I just don`t really like the look. Its okay for bodybuilders because they do it all the time. I think part of me is a little worried that I`m not going to get down to where I want to get down to by when I want to. My ultimate goal is to look good, in my eyes with my shirt off in the Summer, which means solid abs, slim waistline, and strong looking and feeling body. I won`t know if this bulking process was the right thing to do until I lose the excess bodyfat I gained. If it was I`ll probably do it again, but work better at keeping the fat gain down to a bare minimum.

Well, I`m back from my Xmas/New Years Holiday and its a New year. It is time to start eating fully clean again and take my body to a new level of awesome. I am currently about to begin my third week of my 6-week 20 rep squat program. Reading this sounds like I actually took a break from the gym but I didn’t. I was in there whenever it was open, which is a personal triumph for me considering last year I was just sitting around eating junk. So, the 1st 2 weeks of the program have been pretty good. I definitely see and feel like I put on some size. Its obviously not much, but this program seems to be slowly working. I started at 215lbs -20 rep squat and am up to 220lbs. I have also increased the weight in every other movement I have been doing. I would have made much more progress if I had managed to eat clean all through these passed 3 weeks, but that didn`t happen so its time to get back on the wagon and get it done. Funny enough, while I have definitely gained weight, I actually lost a half an inch in my waist. Go figure. What is clearly a first for me is that I`m not upset or worried that I have gained some weight. I would  be freaking out right now, but I see the weight gain now as a necessary thing in order for me to gain the muscle I want. I have a goal and in order for me to achieve that goal, certain things have to happen. If I have to gain a little weight in the process then so be it, but I know that I can and will lose the body fat. This year IS the year that the shirt comes off at the beach and pretty much any hot environment that I`m at. I WILL be able to look in the mirror and BE proud of what is staring back at me. I know its a process, but I have come this far and nothing short of death is going to stop me from going all the way.

Hope everyone at BodySpace is having a great New Years!

Stay Gold!

Its time for a change in my workout program. I`m taking the right supplements and protein. I am eating pretty decently, too. I just haven’t been able to make the gains I would like. My muscles are more solid and the veins are more pronounced which is awesome. I know it probably sounds stupid, but seeing the veins in my biceps show up in the mirror, really gives a great high. Anyway, its all coming together but I feel like I can make better gains with a new program. If anything it just makes sense to change up a workout program every few months. So, I have been looking for different workout programs that focus on gaininig muscle at a decent pace and every one I have talked to, and every article I have read brings me back to one program, which not only puts on slabs of lean muscle but helps with your overall strength too. "20 REP SQUAT program". Apparently, its a really tough program that you should only do for 6 -weeks, but in that time, I should see some great gains in muscle, if it doesn’t kill me first.   I am going to start it on Xmas Eve and see where it takes me. Wish me luck.

Later

So, I`m getting to where I want to be slowly but surely. I am now down to 235.4lbs. I was a little worried that once I started using Muscle Milk that I would gain weight, but I`m actually losing which is cool. I don`t seem to be losing much muscle either which is even better. If anything I feel more solid. I`m going to do some measurements and weigh myself just before Xmas, which should be my final talley for the year, because I know I`ll gain some weight during Xmas and New Years, but I`ll hopefully keep it to a minimum. I`ll still be in the gym everyday except for Xmas, Boxing Day, and New Years Day when unfortunately the gym is closed. The beginning of next year is all about gaining some more lean mass, then burning a decent amount of bodyfat off for the Summer. I really want to be shirtless by May.

These last 3 weeks has not gone very well. I have gained weight instead of lost it and looked in the mirror today and did not like what I saw one bit. It is really frustrating. I think I need to re-evaluate what I am doing. This kind of proves to me that I can`t become complacent during the holidays and just working out and doing cardio isn`t enough. I need to stick to my diet during these times and all the time if I want to hit my goals. It just feels like I am literally starting all over again.  To come so far and then to screw up my progress in the span of 2 weeks makes me feel sick and pretty low. I was hoping to feel alot better for my birthday.

So, this weekend I went away to hang out with a friend of mine. I had an awesome time, but ended up drinking. Not only that, but I also did not eat too well. So now, my stomach looks like I ate a baby. I wouldn`t feel to bad because I know I just have to eat cleanly and bust my ass at the gym, which is what I planned to do. I started off well yesterday, doing a 4 mile run in like 33 mins. Then worked on my legs and did some abs. I was feeling good and got up and ran this morning where is where is all went down hill. I was running really well on the treadmill for like 15mins at a pretty quick pace of 12.5 when I felt this sudden pain shoot through my lower back. It was really bad, but I was determined to keep going. After a few mintues the pain subsided enough for me to breathe normally again. I finished my 3 mile run in under 25 mins, which is okay. I got off the treadmill and tried to stretch the pain out, but I couldn`t really hit where it was. On the train to work the pain was so bad I thought I was going to pass out and almost got out before my stop, but I made it to work with the help of my Ipod. I sat down at work and could immeadiately feel the pain again. I have been getting up every 5 to 10 mins because I can`t sit in one spot for too long. What sucks is that standing up doesn`t really help too long either. I feel like I have a knife lodged in my lower back and when I sit down someone is twisting it, slowly. This is totally screwing up my workout this week. This is the second time that part of my back has betrayed me. Last time it went away in about a day of resting home and ibuprofen. I hope it doesn`t take any longer. My Birthday, Xmas, and New Years is coming up and I need to be in the gym. This is just most frustrating.

Okay, so I have gotten down to the weight I wanted to. Now, I thought I should start maybe building some more muscle, but the more and more I think about it. I still need to lower my bodyfat percentage. There is still that layer of fat in the stomach area that I really want to shrink. I am just not sure how to go about it. I do cardio at least 8 times a week. I try to stay away from alot of carbs. I work on my abs regularly and up until Monday when I ran out, I was taking a fat burner. Drink plenty of water. I`m just not sure what else there is to do. Am I on the right path and its just going to take awhile or is there some things that I could be doing more of or better to kick this whole thing into high gear? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Happy Turkey Day