ssg23’s BodyBlog

Today I started weights…nothing huge and I stuck with the cable machines due in part because I don’t have a spotter and let’s face it, not being in a gym in over 6 months there’s no weight I need a spot for just yet.

Cable Flys: 60lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets

Cable Pull Down: 104.5lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets

Cable Incline Press: 49.5lbs, 10 reps, 2 sets

Punching Bag: 7 minutes
Not much I know…but it’s a start. I sure wish the lifting section would let you input something other than the workouts they have as default.

Oh crap! I cannot believe that I forgot rifle p.t…..HAHAHAHA well for tomorrow morning I will start that up for shoulders and continue push ups…….I might even get to bring home my pull up bar/dip machine tomorrow as well…..myes! I can’t believe I overlooked that! Oh wow…

So in doing my 1500 calorie diet and working 10 hours a day apparently works but not in the way I would hope. My overall weight has dropped yes but my waist hasn’t changed and I am feeling a bit lethargic while working this week, maybe because I can’t sleep or maybe like someone had told me in another post, that I needed more protein in my diet. (Oh and if anyone can explain why when I entered new info for today, it set it up as a new entry for the 18th that would be nice!) I will continue to monitor my intake of calories and work my butt off at work but I think I will add what protein I have left over from before going overseas. Is it going to be ok? I hope so I haven’t used it in a year. If anyone can answer that for me I’d appreciate it. And I will be using BSN’s Tru-Mass seen as I really like BSN products, it’s what I have left over before I went on my Middle East vacation and I am not financially able to purchase a new product until after Christmas. When that time comes I was thinking of BSN’s Synthasix…anyone care to comment on what they like or what I should try? I’m all ears.

I was informed that my nutrition intake was rather low in protein. I don’t claim to know everything so my question to you is if I am trying to lose fat, would it not be correct to limit my calories to under 2K a day until I met my goal? From what I was told is that I have good carb intake but low protein intake. Working 10 hours a day 6 days a week doing trim carpentry, I’m not too sure exactly how much calories I burn a day but I’m guessing around 2200. My calorie intake is around 15-2000 a day. Is this good or should I start with a protein shake a few times a day and stack it with a fat burner?

I’m posting this blog in the hopes that there is someone out there that is a better nutritionist than myself. I am using this site not only as motivation to transform myself back to what I once was and more, but to hopefully prove that even with a very limited financial arrangement geared towards supplements, gym memberships, nutrition etc…one can still see results through enough motivation and focus.

This is my usual daily intake. I do not count calories too much nor do I buy completely organic etc. This is a very middle class budget being used to support a very middle class family and a very middle class man using himself as the test subject.

Breakfast@0700: (1) bowl of Life Cinnamon Cereal [c=110/1 cup] with 2% milk [c=120/1 cup]
(1) cup of black Folgers coffee[c=20/1 cup]
Snack@1000: (1)  Natures Valley Trail Mix Bar fruit & nut [c=140/1 bar]

Lunch@1130: (1) baloney [c=90/1 slice] and American cheese [c=60/1 slice] sandwich with mustard [c=36/1oz] on wheat bread [c=120/2 slices]

(1) banana [c=121/1 banana]

(1) package of Austin brand cheddar cheese crackers [c=210/per pkg]

(10) baby carrots [c=40/per 10]

(1) water [c=0]
Dinner@1900: (this varies from home cooked to fast food please bear with)

(1) bowl of angel hair pasta with sauce (no meat) [c=210/2 oz]

(1) piece of toasted French bread [c=281/piece]

(1) water [c=0]

TOTAL AVERAGE DAILY CALORIC INTAKE: 1558

TOTAL AVERAGE DAILY ( 10 HOURS) CALORIC BURN FOR TRIM CARPENTRY PROFESSION: 2300

* all calorie info was derived from www.thedailyplate.com to figure estimated caloric intake and profession burn

With this information at hand, is there a nutritionist out there that can tell me if this is healthy enough for me to meet the goals I have? Keep in mind I have not started working out yet nor am I taking any supplements. Any feedback would be appreciated.

-The SSG

Ok so here I am! I am your average American, if a two time war vet who cares about his health and hates t.v. can be considered ‘an average American’. One of my construction buddies told me about this website a few weeks ago and I decided to give it a go. But first I have had to completely heal from having surgery (for two hernias sustained in Iraq). Since I have never set up anything like this for myself, I think it will be interesting to see the results. If I have done this right, then along with the nutrition, supplement and training blogs I will also post my motivators or other things that an average lower middle class married male may think or go through. I think this will help myself to understand if not compare the psychological side of weight training. I mean if your mind isn’t involved, then you’re really not giving it 100%.