bigjeff0065’s BodyBlog

Every time I pass a mirror, I’m frustrated with my mini-bulk.  I have gained 3 lbs. of the 5 lbs. that I want to gain, but I hate it.  I feel so bloated and bulky.  Not so good.  Yet I will continue.  My dad always said, "Never resist a temporary inconvenience if it results in a permanent improvement."   So we’ll see.  As an added aid to my bulk, I have given up on most of my cardio, except for weekend games of tag in the yard with my son.  Yesterday was fun since I had just completed a gruesome leg workout.  Boy was I slow!  That’ll do your ego some good to get schooled in tag by a 6 year old!  Luck of the draw, I guess.

Anyway, had a great leg workout yesterday.  Taking today off, then back at it Tuesday.  Hoping to finish off my weight gain soon so I can drop this extra fat.  I guess I never realized how crappy 5 lbs can make one look.  So, extra eggs, chicken, and fish for me.  Maybe an extra cheat meal here and there since it’s getting cooler.

One other change that I have made is mixing my protein with skim milk instead of water.  It makes it richer, sure, but I was looking mostly for extra calories.  Maybe upgrade to 2% to get some added kick?  Thoughts?

As I mentioned yesterday, I found one of my fatty fat fatso pics from 2003.  For some reason I avoided cameras…

I’d upload it on the blog here, but that seems a little beyond my technological skills or my patience level this morning. 

Enjoy!!!

Ok folks, I found them yesterday.  Pictures from when I was at my heaviest @ 288 lbs or more.  They are brutal for me to look at.  I’ve got to scan them to get them into the computer, which I will need to bring them to work one day or does the drugstore offer something where they can digitize your photos? 

Anyway, all the pics I have up were probably around 250-260 lbs., but there is one from 2001  which scared me.  I’ve never been as lean as I am now, but holy snikeys!  Well stay tuned folks, because it’s coming. 

At my age, some days I hurt worse than others.  Yeah, 35 is still pretty young, but 12 years of football seems to be taking it’s toll on occasion.  So, I workout based upon how my shoulders feel on a given week.  The last week or so, they’ve been killing me, so I skipped shoulders this week.  I had been working them first, but just couldn’t get through the warmup yesterday, so I had to changeup my days. 

I could not decide which bodypart to work.  Should I do back or arms?  No chest with hurting shoulders, and legs was Saturday (still sore today!).  I went with arms.  Had a pretty good one too.  I am a little sore right now and it is coming a little more every hour. 

It is time to reformulate the arms workout as this one is now 4 weeks old.  I’m definitely going to come back to this one as it has worked fairly well.  Can’t decide if I’m going back to supersets (the workout posted on my page) or try something else.  I’ve got a week, so we’ll see.   Suggestions always welcome.  I’ve had some luck with finding some great ideas from workouts posted in the articles section of bb.com, and either going with those or simply creating my own with some stolen ideas.

As for everything going on in the world, you may not understand the mess, or maybe you do, but regardless of understanding it is happening and it is beyond our control.  Let it be what it is.  All you can do is focus on getting better every single day.  Physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially better every day.  If we all focused on these things, the bumps in the road seem that much smaller. 

Funny.  I finally decide to do a mini-bulk of between 5-10 lbs.  I have increased calories, but lost a pound.  Our bodies must be tuned in to the opposite of our desires.  We want to lose, we gain.  We want to gain we lose.  Temporary of course.  Feeling flabbier lately, probably just my imagination.  Having trouble with my shoulders again, so last week I took a 4 day rest.  Helped a little, but not enough.  Maybe it’s just the temperature change which has them acting up some. 

Proceeding with the mini-bulk despite the loss.  Had a pretty good leg workout yesterday.  Didn’t get as heavy as I wanted, for some reason my strength was lacking, but extra repped the slightly lighter weights and got sore quads today.  That’s good. 

Haven’t done anything but be lazy this morning, but I am admiring my calf veins.  If I was on anything but protein I’d chalk it up to the supp, but I guess I’m still very lean, though not happy with my abs as lean as I did manage to get.  That’s why the bulk and lean process now.  Anyway, happy Sunday to you folks.  Those of you who are off, enjoy a relaxing day.  Those who are hitting it, hit it hard!

Well, thanks to my new mentor I have decided to bulk at least a little.  Seems like the last few times I’ve found myself with a decision, she’s right there to give me some great advice.  Surf, if you are reading this, you are the greatest! Not to mention that you look great for your age !  Kidding aside, she is one fantastic looking lady, who also happens to be sweet and has done an awesome transformation.

So, now I am slowly adding some chicken here and an egg or two there.  What I’m doing is really a mini-bulk which Surf said really worked well for her. 

I still haven’t been able to log in as much as I’d like, but I’ll take busy at work.  It was so slow up until the 4th of July and it has picked up since.  Not as much as we’d like, but it is a positive sign. 

I’m a little pissed about the government spending $700 billion to get into the junk bond market or the bailout as everyone calls it.  I’m not sure why they need to buy these bonds which are backed by real property when the problem is a frozen market.  Why not drop the Sarbannes-Oxley "Mark it to Market" rule for subprimes then extend FHA insurance to these bundles of mortgages?  Not all of the mortgages are in default and the cost would probably be in the $40 billion range.  These securities would have some value again and trading would resume and the banks can sort out their own mess.  These bundles will have value again as housing regains its traction, and I really don’t think that the government is going to actually use the money that it could make to pay down the debt or shore up Social Security when they can spend it on some stupid earmark that will continue to insure their election.  Besides, it smacks of socialism. 

No matter what, everything will be O.K. in the end.  If it’s not O.K.  then it’s not the end.

Every day I think I should really get on here and update my page, but have just been so busy!  No excuses (I know, I know).  I have time to get on and read some blogs, which is my favorite during a meal break at work, but it’s been hectic despite being a subcontractor in the construction industry.  Of course most of what I’m working on is bidding projects that are coming up as soon as the banks let go of some money, but that is time consuming as I wade through page after page of blueprints.  I love it though, as I can get lost in it and spend hours on task with my door shut, tunes going, and the phone on Do Not Disturb. 

Anyway to get to the point, I’ve been getting some great workouts in with weights.  Cardio, not so much.  I did do HIT on the treadmill last night and will again tomorrow.  I’ve had more off diet foods this month than is usual for me.  I’ve been so hungry, which is no excuse.  That’s mainly why I don’t want to bulk, because I know I will eat everything in sight.  Pizza, wings, burgers, pasta, bacon, bbq, ribs, Reese’s, M&Ms, etc.  Anybody hungry yet?

The latest thing I’ve been doing is shaking up my workout.  I just go to the articles section on BB.com and type in a search for whatever bodypart I am going to be working that day and pick a random workout that someone has posted.  It’s pretty effective, and fun since I can get stuck in routine sometimes.  Some of you people are sick, by the way.  One guy’s back workout consisted of 10 supersets of pullups and chinups with as many reps as you could do.  I got all 10 sets in, but I was whooped and sore the next day, but that’s a good thing.

So, my goals remain unchanged.  I want to continue to build muscle and keep my bf low, and get more definition in my abs.  I also need to get back to cardio more than just every two weeks on Cardio Sunday.  And finally, I need to find a lady who doesn’t mind that I eat healthier than she does.  It isn’t easy, but with patience and desire I shall succeed.

I kept thinking over the summer that I was going to do a clean bulk for winter, but I just cannot seem to allow myself to do it.  I’m so close to my dream goal that I had two years ago that I just can’t let it go.  Even if I obtain a large improvement through a bulk for next year, I can’t let go.

My dad always said, "Never resist a temporary inconvenience if it results in a permanent improvement."  I use this saying every day to my coworkers and I follow it, but not this time.  I think it has a lot to do with fear.  Irrational fear, maybe.  I guess having been overweight to downright obese most of my life, I am scared to even allow a 10 lb gain even if it’s done clean.  I know deep down that I control my weight.  I control my diet.  I know I can work off the additional fat, as I have done it before.

So, knowing that my fear is irrational, I am going to proceed with an ultra-slow clean bulk.  At least at first.  A couple of changes here and there to kind of slowly acclimatize my mind to working with me.  Once I get my brain behind this, then I will up the pace slightly. 

Other than that, I have had some great workouts lately, but am not seeing much change, but I can feel some changes in the fit of my clothes, so far so good.

Not sure what to think about this one…

My son tells me that my ex had a picture of me working out (I am assuming it is one of my pics from this site) and pasted her boyfriend’s head on my body.  On the one hand, I think it’s funny because he resembles my starting progress pictures.  Another part of me knows her sense of humor and that she is somehow making fun of me, though I have no idea about what.  The third thing is that I’m proud to know that women are enjoying me from afar.  Now if I could just get them within arm’s reach…(but not her, of course).

It doesn’t bother me if she’s making fun of me somehow, I’m used to it, and I have no shame in where I’m at versus where I was.  As a matter of fact, I’m quite proud.  If she wants to show her picture to all her friends and laugh, well the joke is on me (even if I don’t understand it). 

A woman’s perspective on the subject might help, so feel free to offer opinions…

Workout wise it has been a good month!  Loving the SP250 and SizeOn from Gaspari.  Changed up my workouts almost every week this month to get some extra stimulation.  It seems to be working as I’m getting more sore than usual and hopefully some growth.  I decided to go to a workout 2 days, off 1, rinse and repeat schedule that seems to be working better than my old 5 on 1 off deal.  Looking forward to Sept. to see what I can accomplish with my body next month! 

Today was Cardio Sunday again.  Hit the rec and got a good warmup walk in to the first field area and the city decided to line the field for football, which is fantastic because I like to know exactly how far 40 yards is, and guessing works, but there’s just something about a finish line.  I guess they felt they should help me out, what with all the taxes I pay and everything.  So I hit 10 quick 40 yd sprints then back across the bridge and onto the trail for some running. 

I’m no distance runner.  Furthest I ever ran in my life was 3 miles.  That was back in college.  No, I was built for football back then and short work was key.  Lots of sprints.  I still find it difficult to run outside, as when I am off of my treadmill pace seems to elude me.  I’ve got to find a runner to help me learn pace and there’s probably some cool breathing trick I am unaware of as well.  Anyway, I was pretty satisfied with the running I did and then hit the field again for 5 or 6 more sprints.  I say 5 or 6 because I was all wrapped up in doing what I do and kind of forgot how many I had already done, but ran one more to be sure I got 5.

Now for the extraneous non-fitness stuff that permeates my blog.  I don’t care if you don’t read it, it’s healthy for me to put it in readable form.  My therapy.  So, I went on a 3rd date with a lady this weekend.  We have a lot in common, maybe too much, so that was a negative going in.  I don’t want to agree on everything.  Went to the comedy club and had a few laughs, but I got tired and wanted to end the evening early.  I kept thinking that I needed to get rested for Cardio Sunday.  I had an ok time, but I’m just not feeling any chemistry there, so another one down.  After my beach trip in June/July, I was feeling really ready to have someone in my life, so I guess I’m pleasantly surprised with myself for not settling.  I used to do that.  Maybe I ought to pull back and re-examine some things.  Is it too much to ask that I be wowed on the first date, still wowed on the second date, and actually be amazed on the third?  Patience.  Good things come to those who wait. 

So, ever upward and onward I go.  Laying the groundwork for some great things in the future, thanks to the stock market offering some value and a fat dividend at reduced prices.  I still have a weird dream of sitting in a hot tub full of cash…