fatdaddy67’s BodyBlog

I had some stomach cramps today driving home from work. This is unusual for me. In the past when I have been dieting I had cramps, and then flushed a ton of water.

Back, Workout A

Deadlifts - Speed (Dynamic Effect) - 8 sets of 225×3 reps

DB Rows - 90×10, 90×9, 90×8

BB Bicep Curls - 75×9, 75×7, 75×6
Good Mornings - 95×12 reps, 95×12, 95×12

I went up in weight or reps on every exercise. Progress feels good. I need some more good quality lower back exercises.

Today’s calories = 2,700

I am off to watch the 300.

I have some slight soreness in my chest and legs today. I like soreness. It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. It makes me feel good.

There is so much yet to do, and so much ground to cover in changing my physique…but the hard part is over. Nearly 40 pounds of fat is gone - 70 when I remind myself that I was once 310 pounds. How in the world did I get that heavy? It baffles me.

I was an active kid. Very active. Baseball. Basketball. Wrestling. Running. Tennis. I lived outside in Summer, and Winter. But one day you wake up and life has you by the short strings, yanking and twisting. Relationships twist and turn,people become something other, we grow up, and stress takes over.

Those of us who don’t turn to alcohol or drugs or sex, use food as our comfort. I did, without knowing it.

As a child we never had much food in the cupboard. I know this sounds dramatic in modern America, but it is true. We were poor. There was no soda, chips and candy. There was an occasional treat in between an endless string of bologna, sandwiches. (sometimes with cheese is we had the money)

So, as an adult - an adult with money - I bought all the things I didn’t have as a child, surrounding myself with sugar and junk, and didn’t know how to stop eating. When you never have food like this, you horde it; eat it all until there is no more. Somewhere deep within your brain you think, "I may not have this food again."

Then, years later and more mature, you outgrow this thinking. You realize it for what it is, and stare into the mirror in horror.

I was an athletic child who became a fat man. Success in life can make a poor child fat, but this poor child was lucky enough to remember the past, and lucky enough to fight it.

Onward, I push, one meal at a time.

Today’s calories = 2,600

Sore legs. My legs are very sore from my box squatting day. And today was an intense bench day. My chest, delts and tri’s are fried, in a good way.

So, my pig out day yesterday taste great. But…but, I woke up today feeling like crap. I feel dehydrated, and awoke with a runny nose and a non-stop sneezing fit. Next time I will tell my urge for a cheat to go take a hike.

Chest, Workout A

Bench Press - Speed (Dynamic Effort) - 8 sets of 115×3 reps, 4 sets extra wide grip, 4 sets normal grip

B Bench Press - 50×12, 55×12, 55×8

Seated Overhead BB Press - 75×12, 75×10, 95×7

Chair Dips - 12, 9, 6

I increased my weight or reps on nearly every set I performed today.

Today’s calories = 2,700

On a side note, the State of Wisconsin is about to tax our wages an additional 15% for "free health care." This will lay a big hit on hard working poor and lower class like me. My mother worked in a laundry room her whole life and paid off a house and car on lower than $8 an hour. Yes, that’s right. Now, because she lives in TAX HELL, she has to pay personal property taxes out the wazoo, AND a huge tax hike for free health care.

God help us.

07/29/2007: 241.2 pounds

A cheat day.

Yes, I broke down and cheated today. For the last two weeks I had nachos on the brain. Instead of going insane, I broke down and decided to allow myself a cheat day. I figure one bad day every 2 months is acceptable. I don’t know if I could have mentally survived another week thinking about nachos. My wife might have killed me.

Today’s calories = 4,500

So, the most I can gain from my cheat day is an extra half pound. God speed to me as I consume nachos like a buzz saw.

I saw a unique indie film this week called The Final Patient. It starts slow, but is a fun watch. Check it out.

Me Tube…I mean, I have my first video on You Tube. View it here.

Today was the first time in my life that I tried box squats. For those of you unfamiliar with the exercise, box squats require you to “take a seat” before rising with the weight. They are performed with a wider stance that standard deep squats, and help train a squatter to squat properly.

I love leg days. Woot, and double woot.

Legs, Workout C

Box Squats - 17″ Box - 185×12, 185×12, 225×8, 245×5

Hamstring Curls - 25×12, 50×12, 60×6

Single Leg Calf Raises - 45×12, 45×12

Side Bends - 45×12, 45×12

Leg Raises - 12, 10

Today’s calories = 2,700

Today, a look at my internal fitness.

3 years ago I weighed 310 pounds, and had 42% body fat and creeping blood pressure. Today I had a physical and blood work, and this is what I found:

Total Cholesterol (TC) = 148 (under 200 is optimal)
HDL (Healthy Cholesterol) = 38 (under 60 is optimal)

Non-HDL = 110 (under 130 is optimal)

TC/HDL = 3.9 (under 4.5 is optimal)

Glucose = 84 (under 140 is optimal)

My risk of heart disease, because of these numbers, is as low as possible, coming in at less than 1%.

I have high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and cancer very prevalent in my family, and I am damn happy to be where I am. 2 months of healthy eating and weightlifting did this for me. No miracles drugs needed. ‘Nuff said.

Today’s calories = 2,600

My slight headache continued today until…my workout, and now I feel 150% better. My grumpiness is gone, and my mood is now more joyous. It’s amazing how the body can turn on a dime.

Thank God for free weights.

Back, Workout C

Barbell Rows - 135×12 reps, 135×10, 135×10, 135×9

Yates Rows - 135×9 reps, 135×7, 135×6

Sumo Deadlifts - 185×10 reps, 185×8, 185×7 

Incline DB Curls - 35×9 reps, 35×7, 35×5

I may not have mentioned it, but I have 3 different workouts for each day. (legs, back, chest) I call these workouts A, B and C. Since I have not lifted in 10 years, most of the weight I use on the first day of an exercise has been a guess weight. I haven’t been killing myself on “first days”, but rather my goal was to get the feel for what weight I can handle. On each successive day I will make every attempt to keep great form and increase weight. My first cycle of my A,B C’s will conclude on Friday with legs.

Today’s calories = 2,700

Headache. Today was a headache day. And 6 Advil later, the headache is still there. I feel good, and I can notice my body mending from the years of lugging around excess weight, but I am still plagued by frequent bathroom breaks during the night. Oh, to sleep 8 straight hours just once this month.

Today’s calories = 2,600

Also, please check out my author page: I am giving away free books and holding a contest. No strings attached.

There is nothing worse then stepping on the scale and finding that you’ve gained weight, despite the fact that you are working out. Despite the fact that you are eating 100% healthy. Despite the fact that your caloric intake is much lower than your pre-diet intake.

Yes, the mind tries to tell me that the weight is a temporary water. And the mind tries to tell me that the weight gain is muscle, or from muscle memory. But, the bottom line is that any weight gain on a diet is a hard pill to swallow.

Every fiber in my body wants to pig out and say, forget this! But I won’t. I’ll eat my broccoli and chicken breasts with a whimper, and not a smile. I’ll push forward.

I did have sore hamstrings today - Romanian deadlifts did the trick. Those wacky Romanians sure know how to work the hams.

Chest, Workout C

Bench Press - 145×12 reps, 155×8, 155×7, 155×6

DB Incline Bench Press - 45×12 reps, 65×7, 65×5

Front Overhead BB Press - 95×6 reps, 95×4, 75×7

DB Kickbacks - 35×10 reps, 35×7, 35×6

Today’s calories = 2,700

I’m off to eat and re-read Titan.