2008 Transformation Contest

I just want to take a quick moment before I go workout to thank Bodybuilding.com for the opportunity that they gave me with this contest.  For some of us, this web-site means more than to others.  For the past two years since I became a member, Bodybuilding.com has become a tremendous part of my life.  

Many of us feel misunderstood at times, whether we are accused of overexercising, or of eating disorders.  In a world that values television over exercise, the french fry over good health, we are most definitely out of the norm.  Eating is social and to be different in one’s eating habits sets one up for ostracization.  It takes a strong mentality to be able to deal with this.

Looking at the bodies of those of us who choose to live this way, (at all the different levels we are at), I believe we should shoot for making this lifestyle the new normal.  Just because something is accepted doesn’t make it right.  

We do this not by preaching, or even with a single word.  We do it with our example.  Be healthy, be happy, be strong.  And others will want to know what you are up to.  Let them come to you.

Thanks again Bodybuilding.com for giving me a voice.  Thank you for giving us all a healthy community.

I have learned something important about myself.

It is the combination of hunger WITH restriction that causes binge behavior.

I can live with dietary restrictions.  There are a few times, (lol), I can even go hungry.

However…

I can not do these two things simultaneously.

There are times when one is dieting and feeling on top of the world.  Foods that would ordinarily knock you off that cloud do not even tempt you, because your hunger for success is greater.

Then there are times when one feels low and vulnerable.  Like a hungry little wounded woodland animal.  ANYTHING that crosses the path is liable to become dinner.

DEPRIVATION + HUNGER = RECIPE FOR DIETING DISASTER

Know your vulnerable moments.  When you are vulnerable, DO NOT allow yourself to become hungry.

It is a pacing.  

It is a self knowledge.

Tonight, I know I will be dealing with temptation of both pizza and cake.  Having been restricted from such things for 11 weeks now, I know I am vulnerable.  This means, I know that I cannot walk into the situation hungry.  

I will face this by eating a protein meal before I go, so that my belly is nice and full.  I will order a salad to eat while I am there and drink a large iced tea.  I will stop on my way there to buy a nice large protein bar to eat instead of cake.  I will not feel deprived when cake is being served.

I will leave feeling full and satiated.  

I will leave with the fullness and satisfaction that comes from the INCREDIBLY good feelings of goals accomplished.

I seem to be unable to move from the dead spot. I am holding the same wight entire week, and no obvious progress is made. I am a bit worried since I am not sure what is the problem. Right now I am trying to experiment with all sorts of stuff. Re-feeding helped with energy levels, but the weight stayed the same. I have also noticed some strength drop but I have so much work through out the day I hardly manage it.

I am currently trying to experiment how much does my blood type has effect on my diet. I found this place on the web that has a great source of info for the food types and what it does to a certain blood type (not a commercial):

click here

I found something about my self reading through all the sources on the subject. most of the food bad for my blood type I already hate to eat. LOL Aside from that I still try to find out how can I use it to my advantage and organize my diet according to my blood type. I think it is worth a shot. Remember I told you I feel bad after a week of eating oats? Well I found all sorts of wheat products are bad for my blood type.

I understand some people say blood type and diet are not that much connected and has too few researches behind it, but I think I will believe to my body. I eat those foods already and I feel if I try and eat only suggested foods and see success, great! Mission accomplished/ If not? Nothing lost nothing gained.

I will make sure I let you people know how it works out for me and remember one thing, not much is left till the end and what ever aces you have up your sleeve be ready to throw it down on the table soon!

The last week was rough.

You already heard about my diet problem, and I am now almost entirely sure it is the wheat oats I ate all the past week. My weight was not moving at all, just stood there at the same spot. I also experienced energy drop. It was hard for me to get up in the 05:30AM and do the morning workout. I was already afraid I was going to stop progressing, that I have reached some sort of plateau. I have experienced such things before and it takes some time to break out of it.

Today I feel much better. I got up and finished my workout as usual and doing just fine. I know I have lost a week and I will compensate for it this week. Now I understand much more was affecting my condition last week. Major factor is the stress. I am starting my own business venture. I will start my own on-line supplement store and I have so much to do about it. Yesterday I reached one milestone by actually registering my business and getting all the papers required for the business start. I can relax for a moment, but not for long. This week I have to work on my web site and scripts for on-line sales, plus I have to make contact with all the distributors in my country. I am very excited about this and I have such a positive vibrations I just know I will succeed!

Now I am still running on empty here, no supplements are used, but I feel strong and energized. I will double the boxing intensity for this week and lower the calories and hope for the best

That’s it from me for this call, keep your intensity high!

malibuilder

I live and train intuitively.  Even with this transformation contest, my diet is a mixture of KNOWLEDGE and BODY INTUITION.

I have found through lifelong experience, that the more I listen to that small quiet voice on the inside, the happier I will be.

We learn fairly young to ignore our bodies.  Depending upon parenting styles, it can begin as early as infancy.  My inner psychologist/sociologist often wonders about the link/connection between enforced infant feeding schedules and obesity.

If our parents do not squash our natural born instincts, soon enough the institution of school will.  What in the world can be the least bit natural about young, energetic 5 year olds sitting still at a desk all day?  And if you get hungry at that desk, there is no freedom to get up and satiate that hunger.  So you sit, and you wait.  You sit and you wait a little longer.  Until that hunger grawing at your stomache threatens to devour you.

This is the way of life for most of us.  A life long process of learning to ignore the natural.  A live long process of squashing our natural impulses.  Until at last, we are so out of touch with our bodies, that we do not realize we are stiff until our muscles pinch and freeze.  We do not realize we are fat until we can’t fit into the booth at Denny’s.  We do not realize we are unhappy until we walk out of the psychiatrist office with a prescription in our hands.  

I did LSD as a teenager.

Once, twice, perhaps three times. 

One of the greatest, long lasting memories I received from that experience was my experience with FOOD under it’s psychedelic influence.

I have always had a thing for CHIPS.  Crunchy, salty, full of flavor and MSG…what’s not to love?  I remember reaching for a bag of chips under the influence of LSD and tasting….ICK.  It was DEAD, LIFELESS, FOOD.  I could taste the artificialness of it.  The lack of nutrients, of quality, of anything which was real.

So I reached into the refrigerator, and after many years of not drinking milk, I reached for the carton.  

Ahhhhhhhhhh…..LIFE.  GOODNESS.  BLISS AND GRACE.  It was delightful, sweet,…nourishing.

I crunched into an apple.  Again,…the ALIVENESS of it was what struck me.  The inherent HEALTH.  The RIGHTNESS of it.

It has been over 2 decades since I tripped the light fantastic.  While I don’t recommend it, I certainly do not regret it.  

For I learned something I will never forget, and which I still return to daily.

IF YOU LISTEN…..YOUR BODY WILL TELL YOU THE ANSWERS.

I’ve been absent for a few days. That’s cause BLAWWWWOOO I got knocked the F’ out with a cold/flu.

My last posted I was in Rapid City, South Dakota. I enjoyed a nice trip on Friday and Saturday it was perfect weather. I was able to escape from the madness of work and a very busy upcoming schedule. I joined 5 college friends for a day of snowmobiling, all out for 7 hours, at speeds around 60mph all day. You want to talk about a workout! That was a total body workout and shook things I didn’t know existed. We rode close to a 100 miles through the Black Hills and over into Wyoming. I had packed water, some protein bars, jerky and nuts for the day. The most disturbing thing was when we rode to Wyoming and had a meal at "the Buckhorn". I asked for a plain chicken breast and a bowl of chili. You’d swear I asked for them to make me lobster and a chocolate cake. I never understand why it is so difficult that providing less equates to more work in the wait staff’s mind. PLAIN CHICKEN BREAST. The toothless man behind the counter repeats, "so you just want chicken". Yup - just the chicken sir and a cup a coffee. As I’m enjoying my coffee a portly little fellow yells out my number. I wave him over to the table to which he delivers my bowl of chili and what they consider a chicken breast. I have never seen anything more disturbing in my life. It was as thick as a piece of paper and greasier than a stack of fries.

The Buckhorn Saloon from the outside.

The Buckhorn from the inside.

My “grilled chicken breast”. Never before have you seen a more disturbing substance passed off as meat.

Long story short. I ended up spending too much time in a smoky Deadwood establishment combined with a walk in frigid temps and a trip to a nasty ass buffet. I had chicken, real chicken, and crab legs but this buffet place was bizarro world. Any whoo, all those things combined I got hit with a nasty flu bug or some type of whack South Dakota crippling bug. I’ve been hacking up a lung, sleeping and eating nothing but chicken noodle soup since Sunday. Yes, I’m drinking plenty of water, taking extra vitamin-c and glutamine. Fortunately, I’ve been able to sleep and slowly feeling better but this is the worst I’ve felt in years. The trip back took me eight hours between weather delay, icy road conditions, snowstorm, blah blah blah. I’m glad I went and enjoyed a nice day of being outdoors and in a cabin with great friends. Once I kick this cold I’ll be back in da gym busting it out.

Hence my song MOMMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT. That’s what happened to me but don’t count this old goat out yet, despite being out of the gym for a few days I’m down to 206. I’m aiming to get back in the gym tomorrow and find myself at the 203 mark next Friday.

"Paralyzed by Analysis" its happened and its happening to me right now. That saying comes from the Body for Life book I have sitting on my dresser, which also sits near the latest Muscle and Fitness, which lays on top of the Zone Diet book. WHich all sits within arm reaches of a person ( that person is me) surfing on Bodybuilding.com reading about nutrition, workouts plans…etc…

Its happened, I have read so much over the years…have read so much in the past few months, weeks, days…that I am officially "Paralyzed by Analysis" I’m trying to figure out why my body isnt responding to all the work, and nutrition I throw at it. And based on my current caluclations there about 1 bazillion ways to fix it…if I could just find the fix..but since I am "Paralyzed by Analysis" I’m overlooking something probably very simple.

This many weeks into the contest, I weighed in this morning I’ve lost…….hmmm lets see here.. 3.5Lbs…Oh sure I’ve added almost .5inch to my arms, .5 inch to my chest and lost 2.5 inches around my mid section but even so I dont get the weight loss, sure I know it isnt everything but with great fat loss comes great weight loss…and apparently I’ve got neither.

I’m currently in the state of "Paralyzed by Analysis" because I dont know where to go, I’m eating clean, and usually in the gym for 1-1.5 hours for 4-5 days a week sometimes more. Pushing myself to the limits each time, sprinting till my knees beg for mercy, riding a bike so fast although stationary it might actually start moving.

I’m wondering if I need to take a visit to the Dr? Maybe my body is insuling resistant, maybe like my grandfather did I’m becoming a diabetic early in life…geez who knows.

But I must say…………someone help!

I am cozied down for a nice, mellow, Friday night.  The kids are at grandma’s.  Hubbie is on his way.  Things are peaceful in the home.  

My favorite, and best looking, errand boy, is bringing me home a nice Low Carb Rock Star.  

Oh yeah,…and a pack of FRUITY SUGAR-FREE GUM. 

Hey!  It’s Friday!

I have ate well all day.  Now that I am in the zone, I am rather enjoying my diet!  What I am enjoying now more than ANYTHING, is the feeling of great health!  My body is entirely happy with life, and it is letting me know about it.  There is no food that could replace or substitute this fabulous feeling on the inside.

I find that I am eating all of the things that I always heard were ever good for me.  And I am eating them in abundance.

olive oil
dark green salads
brightly colored fruits and vegetables
herbs
spices
vinegars
green olives
onions
garlic
fish
eggs
green tea

You know what?  I’ve only eaten 1420 calories today.  With my choice in food selections, I have not felt hunger OR denial once.

I feel…full of life.  In tune.  In touch.

There is no greater feeling in the world than THIS feeling.

Good health.

Tonight my body feels…in perfect balance.

I’m in the Rapid City airport. I had to make a shake I had in my bag and settle for a pack of peanuts and water. I was running like made before I went to the airport and didn’t make breakfast. I managed to find place to give me a chicken breast with mushrooms. MMMMM. Gotta get creative in airports and plan accordingly. It will be a good challenge this year to travel and continue to eat healthy. I’ll check in more latah gang.

I’ve been in a Mary J Blige mode the past couple days. This woman has been through some shit in her life and it comes through in her music. She’s another signer I enjoy listening to because of the passion in her voice. This song has a great vibe to it and one I enjoy cranking up while I work. Yesterday was a stressful day of work and this song’s title reminds me to shut up and stop crying.

"It’s time to say bye bye bye it’s time to do something for me"

I’m saying bye bye for now and doing something for me this weekend. I’m heading back to the plains of South Dakota to go snowmobiling with a crew of college friends. We’ll be staying at a large cabin in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Tomorrow night we’ll watch the UFC fight and Sunday is the Super Bowl. I’ll be back in Denver on Monday afternoon. I already know I won’t be eating 100% healthy and that’s okay. I’ve gone weeks with eating chicken, rice, eggwhites and protein shakes. I’ll still watch my nutrition and I’ll plan accordingly. Like a squirrel I’ll pack some nuts and drink plenty of water. Sunday I will enjoy a beer or three because I need a break from work and from the diet. I’ll come back recharged and ready to rock. This month is very, very busy for me and I am on the road more than I am home. It will be a great challenge to eating healthy while traveling. Have a great weekend everyone and DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF this weekend.

I know what you’re thinking but no. Today is a busy day for me and I didn’t feel like cooking so I whipped what I call my Poo Bowl. Disturbed yet?

Poo Bowl Ingredients:
• 1 Large Bowl
• 1 cup of plain oatmeal
• 2 packets of splenda
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 2 scoops of MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hard Core Chocolate Protein Powder

• Mix it all up in the bowl dry.

• Add water. I like my consistency a little thicker but if you like a soupy bowl go for more water.

• Microwave it for about a minute.

• Mix it around and let cool.

Yes it may look like a bowl of poo but damn does it taste good. I’ve told a few friends about it and they we’re like WTF are you talking about? Until they tried it. Now, they are hooked.

ENJOY!

This morning I woke up feeling great. I’ve noticed that if I have a shake before bed I have a ton of energy in the morning. I’ve implemented SciFit Chocolate protein - 2 scoops of chocolate. This protein mixes better for me in a simple shaker and no nasty after-taste. I also use MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcode Chocolate Protein which also mixes well.

I normally head to the gym on an empty stomach and have been taking MuscleTech Gakic an hour before my workout as well as MuscleTech Nano Vapor about 15-20 minutes before my workouts. I will write more on these two products later but this morning I decided to mix things up a bit. I used to take Yoga 3-4x a week but I haven’t done it in about 2.5 years. I decided to take a yoga class this morning at Greenwood Athletic and Tennis Club. The room was heated and after getting used to the temp it was so relaxing. You’ve heard me babble about my friend Sara before and usually it is her kicking my ass in the weight room, but today it was in yoga. It was the first time I’d taken her class and certainly won’t be the last. It was humbling being in class and realizing I’m not quite as flexible and limber as I once was. So I’ve added a new goal within the next 6-8 weeks I will get more flexible and I will be able to do the yoga poses I did with ease a couple years ago.

Implementing yoga into my routines is not only physically beneficial but mentally as well. It teaches me to focus on me and block out distractions. It was an awesome class and I sweated my arse off. I probably lost a good 3lbs in water just from the class.

After class I downed some water and hammered out legs with Hurrle. We did a new, well new for me, excerscise at the end. Find a flight of stairs and do calf raises. Each stair you do the number you are on. So one calf raise for the first stair, two for the second and so on. It seemed pretty easy until about stair number 15 when you’re doing 15 reps and your calves are bellowing out STOOOOOOP MO FRO STOPPPP. It was good.

I’m off to check out a Sportsman’s Expo and Outdoor show which is fun to see the hunting crew and sea of camo. I attend these to check out the new spices and rubs along with jerky or various wild game meat. I’ll let ya know how it goes later tonight.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm OUT!

All good plays start with a good plan.  I whipped out my play book and began planning my strategic offense this weekend.  It takes me quite a bit of time but the outcome is worth the effort. I must say that this week isn’t as creative as my past four weeks and I know it will get less as the finish line approaches.  I will be cutting more calories and carbs from the diet as the weeks go by.  Just a little warning: this could make me crabby.  I know you have seen those t-shirt “Warning: Bodybuilder on a Diet.”  LOL  Here is  sample of my diet for this week.

Monday January 21, 2008

5:00 cardio cruise 48 minutes
6:15 meal 1: ½ cup yogurt, ½ cup blackberries (I picked these this summer),  ¼ cup Almonds, and a protein shake made with one scoop IntraPro (Cal 443, Protein 36, Fat 18.25, Carbs 38.5)
9:00 meal 2: Protein shake (2scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 5, carbs 9)
12:00 meal 3: 2 cups mixed greens, 3oz turkey, ½ apple, 1 TBSP chopped pecans, 1 ½ TBSP craisins, 1Tbsp feta cheese, and 1 cup tomato soup (Cal 385, Prot 18, fat 10, Carb 9)
2:30 meal 4: Protein shake (2 scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 5, carbs 9)
3:30 Weight training Legs, back, and calves (note: I posted my new program a few days ago)
6:30 meal 5: Grilled chicken breast and 1 cup broccoli (cal 172, pro 31.7, fat 1.7, carb 9.8)

Totals for Monday are Cal 1587  Protein 181.7, Fat 40, Carb 124.8  

Tuesday, January 22

5:00 cardio 52 minutes
6:15 meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein, ¼ cup raisins (Cal 348, Protein 30.6, Fat 4.8, Carbs 44.8)
9:00 meal 2: Protein shake with banana (2scoops) ( cal 386, pro 49, fat 5, carbs 38)
12:00 meal 3: Grilled chicken breast, 1 cups mixed greens, 1.4 cup chopped tomato, ¼ cup cucumber, (Cal 140.5, Prot 27.3, fat 1.7, Carb 4)
2:30 meal 4: Protein shake (2 scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 5, carbs 9)
3:30 Weight training Chest, Shoulders, Arms, and Abs.  I will also do 20 minutes HIIT
6:30 meal 5: Grilled turkey breast and 1 cup peppers and onions (cal 155, pro 17.87, fat 4.2, carb 11.9)

Totals for Tuesday: 1305.5 calories, 172.7 protein, 20.7 fat, 103.7 carbs

Wednesday, January 23
5:00 52 minutes of peak push cardio
6:15 meal 1: Protein shake (2scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 4.5, carbs 9)
9:00 meal 2: 3oz turkey, 1oz cheddar(low fat), and a pear ( cal 263, pro 19.2, fat 9.2, carbs 28.1)
12:00 meal 3: Grilled chicken breast and 2 cups mixed greens, 1.4 cup chopped tomato, ¼ cup cucumber, (Cal 287, Prot 22.9, fat 4.3, Carb 5.3)
2:30 meal 4: Protein shake (2 scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 5, carbs 9)
3:30 HIIT cardio 30 minutes
6:30 meal 5: Grilled turkey breast and 1 cup peppers and onions (cal 155, pro 17.87, fat 4.2, carb 11.9)

Total for Wednesday: 1292 calories, 155.9 protein, 27.7 fat, 63.3 carbs

Thursday January 24
5:00 50 minutes of steady moderate cardio
6:15 meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein, ¼ cup diced peach (cal 327, pro 28.5 fat 4.3 carbs 39.5)
9:00 meal 2: : Protein shake (2scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 4.5, carbs 9)
12:00 meal 3: Tropical tuna  (Cal 190, Prot 19, fat 2.5, Carb 24)
2:30 meal 4: Protein shake (2 scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 5, carbs 9)
3:30 Legs, back, and calves
6:30 meal 5: Lemon pepper salmon with 1 cup broccoli (cal 236, pro 30, fat 9.2, carb 4)

Totals for Thursday: 1340 calories, 173.5 protein, 26 fat, 85.5 carbs

Friday January 25
5:00 25 minutes of sprints
6:15 meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein, 1/3 cup craisins (cal 327, pro 28.5 fat 4.3 carbs 39.5)
9:00 meal 2: : Protein shake + pear (2scoops) ( cal 386, pro 49, fat 5, carbs 58)
12:00 meal 3: Salmon and 1 cup broccoli  (Cal 236, Prot 30, fat 9.2, Carb 4)
2:30 meal 4: Protein shake (2 scoops) ( cal 276, pro 48, fat 5, carbs 9)
3:30 Chest, Shoulders, Arms, and abs and 20 minutes of HIIT
6:30 meal 5: grilled burgers (93/7 ground beef) and 1 cup salad

Totals for Friday: 1461 calories, 167.50 protein, 32.7 fat, 149.5 carbs

Saturday January 26
6:30 45 minutes of Yoga, bellydancing, or bootcamp
7:30 meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein (cal 268, pro 27 fat 4 carbs 33.5)
10:30 meal 2: 1 cup cottage cheese ¼ cup pineapple ( cal 250, pro 26, fat 10, carbs 15)
1:30 meal 3: Homemade beef barley soup  (Cal 138, Prot 8.80, fat .72, Carb 22.5)
4:30 meal 4: Italian Tilipia and 1 cup broccoli ( cal 186, pro 24.9, fat 2.8, carbs 14.5)
7:30 meal 5: protein shake (138 cal, 24 pro, 2.5 fat, 4.5 carbs)

Totals for Saturday: 980 calories, 110.70 protein, 20.02 fat, 90 carbs)
Note: depending on how I feel, I may add an extra protein shake today.

Overall it doesn’t seem like a lot of food but I haven’t been hungry yet. I think the Cytolean helps a lot with that.  Feel free to state your opinion on the diet.  Oh and you may noticed that I have a lot of chicken in the beginning of the week. That’s because I have it on hand and refuse to go shopping again until Wednesday.  LOL   Beginning next week I will be adding more salads to help increase the fiber content without adding a lot of calories, carbs, and fats.  I am also working on increasing my water consumption.  Dean at Muscletech says I need more.  On another note I have not drank a soda since the start of this contest and I don’t miss them. Plus I don’t spend any money during the day now.  I save it to buy more Intrapro protein.  I seem to be going through a lot of it.  I am almost through the supply that Gaspari sent.  

I am very pleased with what I am doing and how it is working for me so far.  

Although I believe a keto diet is perhaps the greatest and best for extreme fast weight loss, I decided that it is not for me.  

I have also temporarily thrown out the carb cycling in the strictest sense of the word.  I am following more of what you could call a high protein, low fat, moderate carb diet.  Just basic healthy stuff.  

Here is my rough calorie count for the week.  Keeping in mind that I still estimate…ALOT.  What starts out as a measurable scoop often turns into a ‘’ooooh…that’s good….let us add a little more"…until in the the end I come out with a nice full belly, but nothing that can be measured.

Mon:  1150 calories, 115 protein

Sat:  1200 calories, 135 grams protein

I am on what you could call an "elimination" diet.  I am eliminating so many things I would ordinarily eat on my regular day to day "fit, plump, and healthy" diet.  

I have cut out;

all cheese and dairy (but whey)

all nuts and seeds

all protein bars (these used to be my staple)

all grains (including oatmeal…another previous staple)

While my main diet basically consists of Intra-Pro, Egg Beaters, Fish, & Various Salads, Oils, & Vinegars, I am still able to maintain certain freedoms.  

Like yesterday, my husband called me from the chinese restaurant and asked me if I wanted anything.  I was able to say, "Yes, bring me the chinese vegetable soup please".  

Broccoli, mushrooms, water Chestnuts, snowpeas, in a clear and tasty broth.

A whole quart of it.  lol

I need the unexpected.  I need the surprise.  This helps me psychologically.  

I am not one who thrives by knowing what I will be eating in advance.  I also do not time my meals.  I go by what my body tells me.  Usually I wait for signs of the second hunger.

My best advice to everybody out there would be this.  Do not follow your diet out of a can.  Take the best of advices and make them your own.  Know your own psychology and diet in a manner that follows along the lines of your mind.  Keeping yourself mentally satiated is half the game.  

I am ready to shock the muscles with a new routine in the gym.  I have been doing my current one for about 6 weeks now.  I have been at this long enough now to know I know I have to change things up to get continuous results.  So here is the new plan.

Monday and Thursday: Legs, back and calves
Leg extensions 12,10,10
Squats 12, 10, 10 drop set
leg press 10,10,8
leg curls 12,8,8 drop sets
DB rows 12,10,8
Seated cable rows 10,10 drop sets
back extensions 20,20
Pullups 3 sets to failure (that is like three attempts, LOL)
calf raises 15,15,15

Tuesday and Friday: Chest, shoulders, arms and abs
incline barbell press 15,10,8 forced reps
db press 10,10,10
Peck Dec Fly 15,15 partial reps
overhead press 15,10,8 drop sets
lateral raises 10,10 drop sets
reverse pec dec 10,10
bench dip 10,10,10
lying tricep extension 10,10
barbell curl 12,10,8
preacher curl 12,10 partials
knee raises 15,15,15
cable crunch 15,15,15

I will probably hit the flat bench now and then just to help maintain it. It has taken me a couple of years to get to 200+ on my bench and I don’t want to lose it.  LOL

I finally feel like I am getting control of the diet side of this lifestyle.  I think that has by far been my biggest obstacle.  I had to learn a lot by trail and error and read everything I could get my hands on as well as breaking bad habits.  I still need reassurance that I am doing things right and thankfully I have some great people to help me with that.  

I know I had successes before I even joined bb.com (64pound loss) but I had trouble pulling all aspects of this lifestyle together. (the mental game, diet, nutrition, etc.)   I could get one area right but not the others.  Between setting up my bodyspace and participating in this contest, the pieces are now falling into place.  What I didn’t know I am learning.   I am seeing more success and a great sense of satisfaction now and more importantly I am feeling it.