fatdaddy67’s BodyBlog

I am feeling a mile high today. My bodyfat is the lowest it’s been in nearly 15 years, coming in near 27%, and I can smell 20% around the corner. It is hard to believe, but since I weighed in at 278, overall I haven’t lost a pound of muscle. Sure, I lost some the first month when I went gonzo dropping fat, but since then it has returned. God bless muscle memory.

Any of you ever conclude your leg workout feeling like you should have done more, and then reality sets in and you can barely crawl up the stairs, or climb into/out of your car? That was me tonight. Each step was like a dozen.

I improved again tonight.

Leg Workout

Squats, 275×6, 275×5, 275×5, 275×5

Double Leg Ham Curls, 60×10, 60×8, 60×6

Double Leg Calf Raises, 185×12, 185×12, 185×12

Have a great weekend!

Since August 10th, my bodyfat has dropped from 31.18% to 27.17%. In that time I have lost 11.21 pounds of fat and gained 5.25 pounds of muscle. It has been a good two weeks.

Today’s calories = 2,700

08/23/07 - 232.8 pounds

Body Fat % = 27.17

Fat = 63.25 (-5.66)

Muscle =  169.59 (-0.10)

08/16/07 - 238.8 pounds

Body Fat % = 29.10

Fat = 68.91 (-5.55)

Muscle =  169.69 (+5.35)

08/10/07 - 238.8 pounds

Body Fat % = 31.18

Fat = 74.46 (-1.28)

Muscle =  164.34 (-1.12)

Today was my worst workout. I felt good all day, but by the time I hit the basement, I was sweating from the humidity, and didn‘t feel much energy. In addition, by bicep tendinitis didn‘t like the BB rows. I might dump them, and replace them with a different back exercise. Any back exercise that I perform with my palms parallel to my body seems to cause discomfort. And lastly, I am still having a hard time finding a  deadlifting groove.

Back Workout

Deadlift, 345×5, 345×4, 345×4

BB Rows, 165×8, 165×7, 165×6

BB Curls, 85×8, 85×7, 85×6

Leg Lifts, 12, 12

Today’s calories = 2,800

Very tired tonight. The last 2 months have been tough in one sense: I am getting up 3-5 times a night to urinate. Last night we had a storm, in addition to my bathroom visits. I am planning on cutting down my water post-5 PM to virtually zip, zero, nada. I have always been a big water drinker, and have a tendency to go overboard without noticing it.

Today’s calories = 2,900

Another great workout tonight. I am now bench rep-ing with 195, when a couple short weeks ago my max was 185. My overhead press poundage is skyrocketing as well, and I also felt very strong during my DB bench presses.

I can see my strength returning ala my last lifting stint in 1997. During that time, I never had a period where my strength didn‘t continue to improve. At that time I was benching 375 for reps, squatting around 475 for reps, and my overhead BB press was 205 for reps.

Like I said, at that time I quit lifting while I was still making very quality gains in strength and muscle. Though I am ten years older, my body feels great. I may not experience the same lifting trends as I did ten years ago, but I am very confident that my body will come close.

My off paper goals are to rep with 400 on squat, 500 on deadlift, and 300 on bench by next year this time. I want to do this belt-less, wrap-less, etc. We’ll see.

Chest Workout

Bench Press, 195×6, 194×4, 195×3

DB Bench Press, 60×11, 60×7

Overhead BB Press, 95×12, 95×10, 95×6

Seated Tricep Extensions, 40×12, 40×12

Today’s calories = 2,850

I avoided muffins at work today, along with a company lunch featuring all the fixin’s and fried chicken. I ate the same old same old, and felt damn good about it. I am to the point where I love eating healthy, and breaking my meal plan is not an option. Temptation for crap food is all but gone.

Part of the fun of transforming your body is the process of discovery. When you begin exercising, or whatever level, you have no clue what awaits you on the other side. You might find that you’ve become a mountain biking fanatic, or that you are in love with weight training, or that your body was secretly a genetically gifted runner or swimmer.

You might also find that your new love is unconditional. Regardless of your success at the new fitness regimen you love, it is something you enjoy doing, and spend hours a day thinking about.

Lifting heavy weights does this for me.

As the fat peels off, and my muscles and strength grow, I have no clue whether it will lead me to serious bodybuilding or powerlifting, or if it will simply live to a healthier, more fulfilling life. But what I do know is this: I can’t wait for my next workout. I eat for it. I sleep for it. I dream of it.

So, where this blog once started as a journey to find myself, it has now become another entity. This is now a blog of a man who has found himself. In the last 80 days I have recovered my health, but moreso than that, I have discovered a part of me that I had forgotten about. Under my fat and behind my poor eating habits was a man who loved weightlifting. And one day at a time, this man was revealed.

What’s under your skin? What will you find at the end of your journey?

Today’s calories = 2,800

08/18/2007: 235.6 pounds

Note: My bodyfat continues to drop while my lean mass continues to rise. Since I have started lifting weights, I have gained over 6 pounds of muscle and lost 15 pounds of fat.

Another good workout. My deadlift went up 14 pounds from my previous best, and I also increased reps on DB rows, and increased weight on DB curls. My tendonitis seems to be getting better with each workout. Hopefully it will stay that way for a long while.

I can really feel my traps getting blasted from deadlift workouts. I had really only given traps a cursory workout in the past.

Back Workout

Deadlift, 365×4, 335×4, 315×5

DB Rows, 90×11, 90×10, 90×9

DB Curls, 50×6, 45×9, 45×7

Leg Lifts, 12, 9

Today’s calories = 2,800

Also, please view my previous post. I had some great personal news…and don’t forget my contest.

Just a short post today. I have a slight sore throat, no doubt caught from my sick daughter with the same symptoms. But, other than that I feel fine.

My bodyfat reading today is: 29.1%, another drop from my previous measurement.

This means that since I started lifting weights (about 45 days ago), I have lost about 15.07 pounds of fat, and gained 6.67 pounds of muscle.

Today’s calories = 2,700

Lastly, some great personal news…

A review of one of my books, Sherman Oak and the Magic Potato will appear in the August issue of Windows and Aisles, the inflight magazine of Paramount Airways. Deepa Kandaswamy is the reviewer.

Deepa is is an award-winning writer, political analyst, and engineer based in India. Her articles have been published in six continents and some of her writing credits include ABC News, Ms., Truth Out, Data Quest, and Middle East Policy. She is the founder–moderator of the International Gender Lobby, which is a global networking platform for individuals, organizations, and activists who are interested in working for human rights, peace, and development worldwide.

You can read the review by clicking this link.

…and don’t forget my contest.

Total destruction today. I absolutely destroyed my previous bench press mark. Not just destroyed, but annihilated. Previously, I had benched 185 for 3 reps. Today I hit 185 for 8 reps, and then followed up with 185 for 4 reps. I also crushed everything else from my last chest day workout.

Possibly my last chest workout, a Mentzer-esque HIT, worked as well as Mentzer claims? I don’t know for sure, but I’ll take all the progress I can get. By the time I started working my triceps, my strength was gone.

Who says you can’t gain strength while losing weight. I am, and honestly, It’s hard to believe.
Chest Day

BB Bench Press, 185×8, 185×4, 165×5

Incline BB Bench Press, 165×5, 145×7, 145×6
Overhead DB Press, 55×4, 45×8, 45×6

Close Grip Bench Press, 135×5, 115×9, 115×6

Today’s calories = 2,800