taf1968’s BodyBlog

Well . . . I’ve been on Keto (TKD) since Jan 1st and I have made good progress.  Actually dipped below my target weight goal and have done pretty well on loweing bodyfat.  Still have a little more fat to lose before I’m happier all around.  I’ve decided to switch things up a little bit and try something new on the nutrition front just for a change of pace and "scenery".  Been reading up on carb cycling and I think it’s worth a try, so I’m going to give it a shot for a month or so and see how I respond. 

If anyone has any advice or thoughts on carb cycling, I’d welcome any feedback! 

Been fighting a head/chest cold for about a week . . . seems like it’s finally on the way "out" but it came at a really crappy time when I was trying to step things up.  I’ve had zero energy all week and just haven’t felt like lifting–plus tried some light cardio a couple times but that just made me feel worse.  Appetite has been bad, too.

Hope I feel better tomorrow so I can get to the gym and try to do something remotely productive.  This is making me nuts.  

Almost skipped my workout today . . . have been working crazy hours and absolutely getting killed at work with closing out the quarter.  Just could not get going this morning to hit the gym at 5am like I usually do.  Worked all day, non-stop–got home and ate dinner then just felt like crashing out for the night.  Had zero energy. 

But . . . I logged into Bodyspace, looked at my progress pics, and just HAD to get off my butt and get to the gym.  Went for an hour, did a pretty good back, bicep and abs session.  Much more satisfying than going to sleep, I must say.  Now I just need to get back to my regular routine in the morning.

I have been traveling for work and have not gotten in my typical workouts this week.  So this morning, I decided I would get "caught up" with more of a full-body lifting session.  Man . . . did I bonk hard at the end.  I was cranking through sets and feeling pretty good, but got really light headed on my last few tricep/bicep supersets.  Had to rest a little longer between sets–felt like passing out and felt like crap for about 20 minutes after I got home. 

Not sure what the deal was.  I drank my usual pre-workout shake (whey & maltodextrin) and started out great.  Maybe it was "just one of those days"?  Anyway, tomorrow will be cardio and then back on my normal split for the rest of the week.  As crappy as I felt . . . it was still great to get in the workout.  I hate missing them.

Started the day off with 2 hours of jujitsu . . . which was great, because I have been busy with work and other things and have been slacking with my martial arts training lately.  This was the first time in about a month that I have gotten to the dojo.  Great class . . . it’s always such a blast to go and train, so I need to stay committed to doing what it takes to get in there more consistently.  Have been good about getting in my morning training sessions at the gym, though.  So far so good there.

Spent the rest of the day doing yard work with my wife and kids.  It was a true "Chamber of Commerce Day" in Denver today.  Started off a little chilly, but it was awesome from mid-morning though evening.  Pulled out a bunch of crappy bushes, moved some river rock, planted some new bushes, plants and flowers.  I’m exhausted now, but it felt fantastic to burn all that energy today.  Have to hit the gym tomorrow morning for an hour of cardio.  Pretty sure I won’t have any trouble getting to sleep.

Well . . . we’re celebrating my 40th bday today (a week early).  I’ve been pretty good since Jan 1 with my diet and am actually slightly below the goal weight I set for June 1st.  So I’m going to go ahead and cheat a little today as a bit of a milestone birthday reward.  I was due to post some progress pics anyway, so figured I better do that before I have some cake & stuff this afternoon.

I kinda thought I’d look leaner at 185 lbs than I actually appear in the photos . . . but overall I gues I’m pretty happy with my progress.  You always wish it was more and I know it’s not an easy fix.  So today I’ll have some fun with family & friends, then I’ll be back on the diet and in the gym tomorrow.

Had the flu since Thursday night . . . feeling much better today (comparatively), but between being sick and not eating, I dropped about 3 pounds down to 182 lbs this morning.  Not exactly the way I envisioned to get below my goal weight when I started this trip. 

Hope to feel good enough to get back in the gym by Monday morning, but I am just totaly drained.  The only thing I have eaten in 2 days is about 10 crackers and some Powerade.  Ugh! 

Well, I posted Month 3 progress pics this morning . . . I’m a little disappointed.  I mean, I’m pretty happy with where I am at compared to where I started at the first of the year–but I am not very happy with my progress over the last 30 days.  I can’t frankly see much change from the pics I posted at the end of February.  Maybe it’s time for me to change up my diet and/or routine to jump start things again?

Weight has been stalled at 188 lbs for a couple weeks.  Bodyfat measurements with calipers are coming in right around 18% . . . but I don’t know if that is really accurate.  If it is, then I have dropped about 5% since Jan 1st.  In the end, I’m still very much on track to hit my June 1st goal of 185 lbs and 15% bf.  I just got a little excited when I saw where I was a month ago and thought I’d make a similar leap in progress last month.  Didn’t really happen from what I can see.

Oh, well . . . at least I didn’t regress.

Well, I have been stuck at the same weight for the last week . . . which in itself is not bad, since it’s within 3 lbs of my goal for June 1st.  So technically I am still well ahead of the game.  But wondering if maybe I need to change some things up in my diet or my routine?  I’m a week away from taking Month 3 progress pics, so I guess I will reserve judgement until then.  If it looks like I’m still headed in the right direction then I’ll keep at it.  Could be that I am just putting on or maintaining muscle mass and the weight is just nit telling the full story.

At any rate, I just got back from morning cardio . . . 30 minutes of intervals on the elliptical and then did a nice ab workout to finish off. 

As of this morning, I am down 12 lbs from January 1st . . . actually had to go out and buy a couple pairs of 34-inch waist jeans.  The last new pairs I bought were around Xmas, and I had to buy 36 waist back then because I had gotten too out of shape.  That was sort of the kickoff point of my effort to get rid of the fat again.  I was so pissed at myself for letting things get away from me.

So was pretty excited when I was able to fit back in the smaller pants comfortably . . . and needed to get more of ‘em.  I plan to take the old, bigger ones to Goodwill tomorrow and NEVER have to buy a bigger size again.