TPower81’s BodyBlog

So…the biggest thing that I’ve been working on lately is my diet.  Putting together a plan etc, and one of the hardest things is working it into my dialy routine.  I’m an 8-5er with a desk job, and luckily my job right now has a microwave.  (Previously I had none!)  So now its easier to just bring food and warm it up.  Lets just say ziplock microwavable containers are my friend.  Anyways, I’ll post a completed diet soon…

 Diet isn’t too difficult.  I mean there are tons of them posted on the forums and you just need to read a bit to understand where to get your calories, which foods are cleaner than others, and how much of each to eat.  I also have been training mostly without any supplements for the past year, so its not like you can hide poor eating habits.  They will surely show on your body.  I think I’ve made good gains and progress so far, and now am looking to take it to the next level, add some supplements, and really stick to an eating plan rather than be as flexible as I’ve been before.  As the old saying goes, you are what you eat.  So eat well!

I love being sore!  I used to play a lot of soccer, year round growing up and I would love being sore and then stretching out.  Saturday I did Chest/Back and it felt like a pretty easy workout.  I didn’t start to get sore until sunday afternoon.  Today is monday and I can really feel it deep in my pecs and lats.  I hope my muscles understand that they need to grow back stronger and bigger than before.  

Today is an off day…just gotta keep the alcohol to a min tonight!  Happy New Years!

I had my first GVT workout yesterday and I guess it went well.  I think I chose a little too low of weight because I could get through all the sets without any problem really.  I did:

10 sets, 10 reps, 135lbs bench press

10 sets, 10 reps, 120lbs lat pulldown

3 sets, 8 reps, 35lbs dumbell flys

3 sets, 8 reps, 270lbs, Iso Rows

I kept my stopwatch handy to keep my rest periods between 1min-1:30.  Bench was easy enough and I’ll add 10 lbs next workout.  Lat pulldown I picked because I figured it would be easy on my back, (rather than the bent over barbell rows).  My grip and forearms got really pumped towards the end of those sets and I could barely hold on for the last reps.  I just started using the straps and am getting used to them so hopefully that will help my situation!

Today I’m sore but not like…super sore.  My back seems fine…mostly just sore at the edges of my chest.

Just got back from break with my family back in Portland.  I felt like we just sat around and ate all day!  Sucks trying to be happy and eat whats prepared but dang.  Needless to day I’m happy to be back and on detox from the holidays.  Cutting sugar out and starting to eat as clean as possible once again.

I also managed to throw my back out pretty bad over break.  I was trying to pull a seat up on a piece of workout equipment for my Mom and there went my back!  So I took it easy for two days and by saturday I felt good enough to go into the gym and do a Chest/Back workout.  Its continueing to get better, which is a good thing.  I really thought I was going to be sidelined for a while.

 It really puts in perspective how fragile I can still be without using good form when lifting things.  I mean I can squat 250 all day and not have a problem but can’t lift a stinkin little bench!  Blah!

I’m just an average dude trying to keep in shape.  I’ve never had a problem with weight and fitness until I sat around for a few years decaying away.  I’ve transformed my body in the past year and a half, following back surgery and if I can do it with a bad back, you can too (or without !

 So far I haven’t really seen significant weight loss or gains throughout the two years.  Initially before getting hurt I weighed about 200 lbs.  While I was injured and through surgery/recovery I dropped 10 lbs.  Once I hit the weights again I gained those 10 lbs back pretty quickly.  From then I went through slow weight loss until I am where I am today…around 187lbs. 

 Looking back at my pictures throughout the years I can’t believe what I used to look like, and what I do now.  This next year I look forward to building more muscle and looking even leaner during summer.  Good luck to you all in whatever your goals are, and drop me a line if you want to chat or exchange ideas.

 See ya in the gym!