My Jettisoned Ponderings

Ok, so I got really piqued for trying out giant sets. Yes, this will require going to the gym quite late in the evening to be able to use all the machines and weights needed. However, I think it should do fantastically well to absolutely deplete GJ and just plain shock my muscles senseless. Its not about the weight lifted, its about how its lifted and getting that high amount of stimulation. So, with that, inspired by Milos Sarcev, here’s what’s on the plate for tomorrow:

Chest: Round 1
Cable Crab Flies 1×10
Dips (Elbows Wide) 1×10
DB Incline Flies 1×10
Flat BB Bench 1×10
Incline BB Bench 1×10
Decline BB Bench 1×10
Flat DB Flies (Slow) 1×10
Machine Incline Press/Fly 1×10
Low Incline Smith Press 1×10
Incline Smith/Rack Power Press 1×10

Round 2/3
Flat Negative BB Bench 1×10
DB Decline Around The World 1×10
Smith Incline Press (Touch Chest) 1×10
Machine Flat Bench 1×10
Hammer Decline Press 1×10
Hammer Flat Press 1×10
Hammer Incline Press 1×10
Flat DB Flies (Quick) 1×10
BB Press (Quick)  1x 20/Fail

Lemme know what you guys think, and check it out if you haven’t already. It helps when one of the fastest athletes in the world is backing you up, too!
http://juicin3sixty5wealth.com/

I’m always a fan for some good quotes and thought I’d share a one from my business mentor,

"For people who see and seize opportunity, there’s nothing you need to say. For those who do not see it, there’s nothing you can say."

He’s right, too. Opportunity hits people in the face every day. How many people recognize it and take it on, or blow it off only to later wish they’d acted on it before it passed? Its alright, though, because we need people to fail. Seriously, if everything was easy then what sort of recognition and accomplishment would there be for the people who do stand out and push ahead of the crowd? It doesn’t matter the context, there will always be a bridge that needs to be filled between failure and success. So I ask you, will you be one to stand out, or will you be one more who falls short and makes those who succeed that much more so? Just something to think about…

GJ just headed out to NE for the 4th to visit family. I’m still working tomorrow so no trip for me. At least I have some friends who are having a BBQ up at the drag strip to go see some of the races and hang out. Still sucks that I’m left here with just the cat as he’s pretty much useless as a spotter. I actually have not been to the gym at all this week. Wasn’t the plan, but GJ needed to let her mouth heal before doing anything to get her blood pressure up. Once she gets back though we’ll definitely be hitting the gym as the depletion will be starting soon. I started watching Dennis Wolf’s movie Hungry Like A Wolf and I have to admit that I’m gaining a new respect for Giant Sets watching it as he’s depleting just before his show. Everyone’s body is different and last time for GJ’s shoot we didn’t go that hard in the gym, but reflecting back she’s always responded better to the more fatigue-intense training like I have. The down side is that the only way we’d be able to pull those off is to go very late at night. No idea what next week will actually play out like, but it should be an exciting and educational time.

Just got home a little while ago from GJ getting a wisdom tooth extracted this morning. Everything went well as expected (I had all 4 of mine taken out at once from the same practice a couple years ago) and she was in and out in about half an hour. It does suck that its 2 weeks out from her show and she can’t do hard foods for a while or chew, but she should be alright still. Just wanted to let everyone know and I’m sure she’s love lots of loving comments should you guys wish to leave her some to read for when she’s up and about more.

I may as well post this. All shakes are with water and I get an additional 2 litres down daily:

Meal 1
Big Max 50 Gainer    3 scoops
Xango    1oz

Pre/During Workout
Full Blown Xtreme    1 scoop
GlycoMaize    1 scoop

Meal 2
Whole Eggs (AA Grade, Medium)    2
Egg Whites International    1 cup
Shredded Cheese    1/4 cup
Yogurt (Yoplait Original)    1 "Cup"

Meal 3
Big Max 50 Gainer    3 scoops

Meal 4
Raw Spinach    2 cups
Walnuts    1/4 cup
Tuna Packet    3oz
Shredded Cheese    1/4 cup
Kroger Light Asian Dressing    2 tbsp
Yogurt (Yoplait Original)    1 "Cup"

Meal 5
Chicken Breast (Grilled)    8oz
Asparagus (grilled w/VERY little extra virgin olive oil)    4 spears
Xango    1oz

Meal 6
MaxPro Chocolate    1 scoop

Totals: 2675 calories, 254g Protein, 286.5g Carbs, 56.5g Fat

Its been so long since I’ve really been on a hypocaloric diet for a cut that I forgot about a few of the annoying things that happen when doing so. The top of the list has to be tied in with the fact that I have never been one to sleep straight through the night unless I’m absolutely beat tired. Usually I’m woken because its too hot (common since I grew up in a home that didn’t have A/C). Now the problem is that the heat isn’t coming from the ambient temperature of the house, but my own body. So now I’m learning to keep a spare pillow by the bed since now when I get woken up I’m usually sweating a little bit and have a damp pillow. So I have to swap pillows, turn up the ceiling fan, and resume slumber. No big deal, just annoying. The other is that even in shorts and a T-shirt/polo at work I still get hot. Its worse doing massages since there is no circulation at all in the rooms except for maybe a small desktop fan in the corner that try as it may, still fails. Is it all worth it in the end? Heck yeah! I just don’t necessarily like feeling Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam when he said, "Its hot! Damn hot! Its so hot that today I saw a man in an orange robe just burst into flames!" Ok, well, maybe its not that bad even, but those random heat flushes do like to sneak up on me. Yay ephedra (for now…)! Next round I’ll be giving ACL’s "BRN-2 Xtreme" a go. Quite anxious to see how that one works out as I’ve heard quite a lot of good things about it.

This week has been a pretty good one overall as my energy has been back up and workouts are going great. I’ve backed my calories down to just over 2600 for the time being on a lifting day and around 2400 on an off day. I’m not sticking 100% to this, but its my baseline. If I start to crash I’ll add in an extra yogurt, some oats, etc. to get me through the next meal. I’m trying to find out where I feel the best overall and still maintain my weight since its a completely different game now with an extra 20+lbs. The upside of backing down the carbs, too, is that my appetite is back up and its easier to get the water in that I should be drinking. Carbs on a lifting day are around 250 and on an off day closer to 200. I’m still getting about 60g of good fats on both days for my sustained energy, mostly from whole eggs, ground flax seeds, and cheese. Whole milk is out for the time being to keep the sugars lower, but as I mentioned the yogurt is still on the table. Visually I’m looking a bit leaner and certainly feeling the thermogenic kicks throughout the day and I get much warmer in my workouts (all be it with the help of a little ephedra and evodiamine). I want to keep this up until GJ is done with her show then gradually bring the calories up a little more and see at what points I maintain and bulk. I think as PulgasStrongMan has reiterated a few times, I was probably throwing a wet log on the fire with too much protein, though I’m thinking it was just flat out too many calories and my body was spending most of its fuel just to try and digest everything I was feeding it. All part of the learning process, but I’m liking what I’m feeling thus far. Still keeping most of the carbs and fats earlier in the day, increased my greens, and avoiding many carbs after about 4pm in the day (more salads with tuna or chicken and broccoli). Time will tell as always.

Ninjabill recently made a comment, "This isn’t gonna make me grow like a squirrel is it?" Well, today I came across this and dang, if anything’s gonna make me look like this lil fella then get me some!

I’m sold, this stuff is great. The only soreness I’ve had at all is from injury or strains and recovery time from those has been quicker. Tuesday night things were going great training doing legs, which includes 3×8-10 of Romanian Deadlifts. Last set was 295×8 and I was getting tired. Couple exercises later on my last set of hack squats I had my upper back/shoulders arched a little as I was adjusting before the last couple reps. 2nd to last rep I felt a tweak in my erectors right along the mid thoracic. Of course about an hour later they were guarding and quite cranky in the morning. By the time I went to bed last night though I was almost good as new. Today they’re just a little stiff but no pinching or pain. Usually it would take me about 3 days to get to this point. I’ll gladly welcome cutting that time in half. I still have little or no DOMS in the muscles I work. I know they’re being worked plenty hard because I physically cannot push any more reps by the end of the workout with my usual weight and I’m still having strength gains being a little hypocaloric until GJ is done with her show.

So I know there are skeptics, and again, its a food product so there aren’t guarantees. For me, the aforementioned is the most noticeable improvement (taking 1oz 2x a day). My parents are also seeing positive results. My mom is a professional pianist and teacher and has noticed that the arthritic symptoms in some of her hand joints is gone. My dad had prostate cancer surgery a few years ago and since they had to remove some tissue in the bladder he’s had to get up at least once or twice a night and he’s now sleeping straight through the night without having to do so. I’m staying optimistic that he’ll see some improvements with his cholesterol and diabetic symptoms down the road at his next check-up he has every few months, too. So they’re both sold on it as well.

Of course, there’s a business perk, too, and I’m not complaining about the extra cash flow at all. Honestly, who would? Its also freed up some of the money I typically was spending on other supps, namely joint support (none of which really gave me any relief, I just was taking them to try and keep things from getting worse). I’ve noticed my joints pop about half as frequently as they used to as well, and the only ones that do it the most are my elbows and knuckles during massage because the tendons tighten up. That should improve also since I’m now doing massages 2 days less per week and work for Max Muscle on those days instead.

I can’t encourage you guys enough to at least give this product a try. If it sounds at all appealing let me know and I can show you how to get it much cheaper than retail. The way I see it, everyone is right for the juice but not everyone is right for the business. That’s fine. My first concern is helping people out. I wouldn’t be in the health and fitness industry if that wasn’t paramount. People say its too pricy at $1/oz (ironic I know most of these people pay $4/shot at the bars on the weekends…). Consider this: The average American drinks 1.6-3.2 cups of coffee a day. The average price for an espresso based drink is $2.45 or for brewed coffee is $1.38. Maybe go more health conscious and think of the wheat grass shots that’re still around $1.49/oz. I could keep going but I don’t need to. Point is that c’mon people, its plenty affordable. Personally, I’ll spend a little more now to save a lot later ’cause I dunno about you but I’m not holding my breath for "health care" to get any better anytime soon…