STEAK!
Saturday, December 15th, 2007Continuing my sodium monitoring while maintaining my protein and calorie intake goals. But just look at the dip in sodium! From 4K to less than 2K. Zoinks! What made the difference?
Processed foods. A friend at work gave me one of those microwaveable sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits and instead of pitching it in the garbage I microwaved it and scarfed it down. Tastes great, but when I check the online calorie counter for a ballpark estimate of what those critters are packing nutritionally? YOWZA! Not good. Oh, sure, 18 grams of protein is nice, but at what cost? More than a thousand frigging milligrams of sodium! Not good at all!
And I stopped at a local gas ‘n go (Sheetz) and got a grilled chicken sandwich. Best guess for that particular sammich is a whopping 740mg sodium. Again, not good news.
Steak is reportedly (and surprisingly) low in sodium, especially related to its protein content. I had a 14 ounce NY strip steak tonight while watching some Bengals football at a restaurant just a block from my apartment. Only 270mg sodium in that near pound of meat!
Protein g, Kcal , Sodium mg
12/12: 213g 3012 3993mg
12/13: 224g 3022 4443mg
12/14: 224g 3042 4430mg
12/15: 210g 3012 1695mg
12/16: 255g 3015 5767mg
12/17: 211g 3372 4275mg
12/18: 240g 3338 4044mg
12/19: 246g 3046 3487mg
12/20: 221g 3082 3441mg
12/21: 217g 3300 3762mg
12/22: 350g 3148 3554mg
12/23: 222g 3952 2888mg
12/24: 237g 3005 2118mg
12/25: No clue, but I was eatin’!
12/26: Ditto.
12/27: And again.
12/28: 198g 1786 2472mg - Bah! Dropped the ball on protein and kcals!
12/29: 301g 3582 4469mg
12/30: 182g 1724 2798mg - Didn’t hit goal again. It’s so easy to skip meals.
12/31: 250g 4158 3891mg
This nutrition thing…
Saturday, December 15th, 2007Yadayadayada too much sodium in my diet (I think). I look down when I’m changing into my gym clothes and see monster feet. WHAAAAA??? WUZZAT?! and What chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I quickly ran across the possible scenarios or reasons for my dilemma in my mind:
a) demonic possession
b) ex girlfriend with one of those curse dolls
c) bee sting (but they administered a numbing agent first)
d) screwed up my diet
Immediately selecting option d), I reduced my calorie intake to 3000 per day from the previous week’s 5000 calories per day thus lowering my sodium at the same time. Probably.
My sodium tipping point was probably that entire medium meat lover’s pan pizza I ate by myself. (BURP!) Yeah, I’m guessing that’ll probably set off any sodium sensitive peeps. Duh!
I’ve started calculating my sodium intake by looking at packages and paying attention to the ballpark figures provided by my calorie counter dot com.
That seems to be working just fine. But with the reduction in water retention has also come a reduction in weight. I had been about 182 and today I stepped on the scale and it’s telling me 176! BAH!
Before (l) and After (r) monitoring my sodium intake
This link should take you to additional pics of my Stupid Human Trick! ;)
Yup. Scroll down if necessary.
Let’s try this again…
Thursday, December 13th, 2007Back to 3000 kcals and 200 grams of protein per day.
Protein g, Kcal , Sodium mg
12/12: 213g 3012 3993mg
12/13: 224g 3022 4443mg
12/14: 224g 3042 4430mg
12/15: 210g 3012 1695mg
WTF?: The Update
Wednesday, December 12th, 2007So, 5000 kcals with no consideration for quantity of sodium ingested was probably not such a great idea.
At least that’s what I’m pointing the finger at with regard to my recent cankles adventure. Stripped down yesterday to change into my workout shorts, t-shirt, etc. and saw some freaking swole lower legs. Unfortunately, they weren’t the massive calves of an Iris Kyle or a Lee Priest, but swollen around the tops of my adidas rather than nearer my kneecaps.
Bad, bad, bad.
So, with that image BURNED INTO MY BRAIN I abandoned my 5K-per-day experiment, trading it in for 3K and 200 grams of protein per day. I’ve also started counting my milligrams of sodium intake. 1500mg is the recommended daily allowance. I’m exceeding that but it must be significantly lower today than during the past week.
Food, Protein g, Kcal , Sodium mg
yogurt 6g 90 85mg
egg whites 48g 240 760mg
Healthy Choice dinners 30g 740 1120mg
milk 32g 600 500mg
bananas 3g 270 3mg
MET-Rx bar 32g 320 230mg
milk 8g 150 250mg
ON whey 48g 240 380mg
yogurt 6g 90 85mg
orange juice 0g 120 10mg
orange juice 0g 120 10mg
Gaspari Nutrition Lemon Burst SuperPump250 0g 32 180mg
Totals 213g 3012 3993mg
What? THE? @#$%?!
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007Ha! The joke’s on me. I wrote in my last blog: "My body has no choice but to grow."
Well, apparently my body had a few options I was unaware of up its sleeve. WATER RE-FRIGGING-TENTION! I’m at the gym and stripping off my street clothes and look down at my feet and was, like, "Huh?" I’ve got 9 1/2" ankles and though I didn’t measure them when I came home they were ballooned up pretty badly. Certainly beyond 10". Something I’d never witnessed before.
Of course, I’ve never eaten an entire 12" Meat Lover’s Pan Pizza before either. D’OH! Eat to grow? Yeah, but mmmaaaaaaaybe I got a leetle beet carried away, eh?
Date: calories, grams protein, hours sleep
12/05: 5065, 244g, 6 hrs.
12/06: 5070, 279g, 6 hrs.
12/07: 5305, 331g, 8 hrs.
12/08: 5047, 351g, 8 hrs.
12/09: 5026, 316g, 7 hrs.
12/10: 5150, 334g, 6 hrs.
12/11: 3165, 216g,
You’ll note that tonight’s entry is not topping 5000 kcals. All I can think is that the excess sodium in my various food choices has me holding tons of extra water. Well, not tons but certainly some that is poooooling around my ankles. Yeesh.
I’m returning to my previously scheduled 3000 kcals and 200 grams of protein per day. Still should be plenty to grow on. And, hey, I don’t REALLY want a 40" waist, right? Bah.
Eat like it’s your job!
Saturday, December 8th, 2007I’m watching Jay Cutler’s New, Improved and Beyond. He just pointed at his arm and said…
(looks at own 14 1/8" arm)
Bastard.
:)
Anyway.
When I was cutting my body didn’t do jack for the first few days. I’m starving and the scale’s not budging, but I refused to give up. I just kept cutting calories until my body had one choice, eat up something (hopefully fat) or go hungry. Now I’m sure it ate up some muscle, but the weight went down and that was the goal. The waist measurement shrank and that was the goal.
Here it is, a month and change since the end of my cut and my new goal is to pack on some size. No, my waist is no longer hovering near 31". Actually, at 35 1/2" it’s heading back to its previous 37", but that’s not a big deal for me. The Goal is to be able to make my body do what the hell I ask it to do. Demand it to do!
I suspect we all seek control in our lives, one way or another.
Date: calories, grams protein, hours sleep
12/05: 5065, 244g, 6 hrs.
12/06: 5070, 279g, 6 hrs.
12/07: 5305, 331g, 8 hrs.
12/08: 5047, 351g, 8 hrs.
12/09: 5026, 316g, 7 hrs.
12/10: 5150, 334g, 6 hrs.
12/11: 3165, 216g,
Tom Platz
Saturday, December 8th, 2007No offense to bodybuilding legend Tom Platz, but he was certainly known more for his impressive leg development than for his upper body.
Tom Platz
And not that my physique at all resembles Platz’s but the following two pics, positioned as they are, made me think of his leg development’s tendency to overshadow his upper body. Check this out:
heh :)
It looks like my legs are HYOOOG and my upper body is teenytiiiiny.
PBW ROX!
Friday, December 7th, 2007Pro Bodybuilding Weekly absolutely rocks for the bodybuilding fan. If you haven’t listened to this program and you consider yourself a true bodybuilding fan then you’re definitely missing out.
Rest In Peace: Reg Park
Monday, December 3rd, 2007I just read about the death of Reg Park, Arnold’s childhood hero, former Mr. Universe, father, husband, and mentor. Rest in peace, Reg Park!
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