FrmrHoss on the Lifestyle Cut Diet/Program

[FrmrHoss]

A little bit about myself first I guess. I'm about 6'1 and have lifted weight pretty regularly since I started college in 2002 and was actually pretty heavy as a freshman in college (around 240 pounds at my peak). I'm currently a little under 194 and I would guess somewhere in the 17-18% bodyfat range. I put on around 10 pounds this summer while working for a law firm as I didn't get in the gym as often as I wanted and with all the lunches at steakhouses, etc, it was definitely hard to keep my diet on track. Now that I'm back at law school and would like to stay on track in the gym and the kitchen for until winter break or so. I've tried the Cut Diet in the past but it was a little too hardcore for my purposes. So, on to the current diet.

As far as my food goes, I don't follow the diet outlined to a T, but am just trying to eat clean and use a lot of their sample foods as guidelines. I am following their "advanced" exercise program and have been lifting weights 5x/week and doing cardio usually 4x/week since I've returned to law school (3 weeks ago). But, my weight hasn't been coming off as fast as I've wanted though I have dropped 3 pounds in those 3 weeks so I guess progress is progress.

As far as the workouts, my lower body is a lot weaker than my upper body. I tore my MCL playing rugby in college and then reinjured my knee playing basketball a little too soon before the knee was ready, apparently. The pain/inflexibility in my knee kept me from really lifting legs like I should have and I quit rugby after that so my squats/other associated lifts will probably be a lot lighter than they should be (especially compared to other things). I've also tried, in my recent years, to stick to very clean form rather than worrying about putting up big weight (for instance, when I squat now I make sure that I'm going to parallel, if not lower even if that means doing lighter weight). I wanted to keep the introductory post short, and I'll follow up this one with the stats on my lifts for the last three weeks and then I hope to put updates on here every other day, if not daily, complete with my diet as I hope to get good feedback from the many smarter/more experienced members of the forum than myself. And, I hope this journal helps out anyone else who might need it and I look forward to keeping everyone abreast of my progress.

[FrmrHoss]

I started Week 1 at 195.5 pounds (well, not actually at the start... I weigh myself daily but then take an average of 1 week's weight and then record that as my weight for that week). The Lifestyle workout advises basically a Chest, Legs, Back, off, Arms, Shoulders, off repeat split, but I end up travelling a good bit on the weekends so I have adjusted it to be Chest, Back, Legs, Arms, Shoulders, off, off to make sure I don't miss as many workouts. Week 1 is primarily 3 sets of 15 reps with 60 seconds of rest in between. In some workouts I went light to make sure I could finish the sets to get a good baseline.

Chest/Monday

Incline barbell bench - 115 lbs x 15 x 3
Flat barbell bench - 135 lbs x 15 x 3
Flat dumbbell flyes - 25 lbs x 15 x 3
3 sets of pushups to failure - I don't remember the exact reps, but it was something like 21, 13, 11.
3 sets of 25 reverse crunches
3 sets of crunches

Back/Tuesday

Bent over barbell rows - 85 lbs x 15 x 3
1 arm dumbbell rows - 45 lbs x 15 x 3
Wide grip (using the pulldown bar) pushdowns - 45lbs x 15 x 3
Lat pulldowns - 90 lbs x 15 x 3
Dumbbell shrugs - 65 lbs x 15 x 3
3 sets of 15 hyperextensions

Legs/Wednesday

Squats - 115 lbs x 15 x 3
Stiff leg dead lifts - 95 lbs x 15 x 3
Leg curls - 112.5 lbs x 15 x 3
Leg press - 190 lbs x 15 x 3
Leg extensions - 80 lbs x 15 x 3 (this was on a different machine that I typically use and I'm not sure the numbers on it were accurate, it said "8" on the plate but I can normally do more).
Standing Calf Raises - 255 lbs x 15 x 3
Seated Calf Raises - 90 lbs x 15 x 3

Arms/Thursday

Standing barbell curls - 50 lbs x 15 x 3
Preacher curls - 45 lbs x 15 x 3
Hammer Dumbbell curls - 20 lbs x 15 x 3
V-bar Pressdowns - 90 lbs x 15 x 3
Overhead rope extensions - 40 lbs x 15 x 3
Dips - Bodyweight x 15 x 3

Shoulders/Friday

Seated overhead dumbbell press (no back support) - 30 lbs x 15 x 3
Seated front dumbbell raise (no back support) - 15 lbs x 15 x 2, 15 lbs x 12
Standing lateral dumbbell raises - 10 lbs x 15; 8 lbs x 15 x 2
Bent over reverse dumbbell flyes - 10 lbs x 15 x 3
Standing calf raises - 255 lbs x 15 x 4
Seated calf raises - 90 lbs x 15 x 4

[FrmrHoss]

I guess instead of started, I should say I finished Week 2 @ 194.45 lbs. Week 2 called for 3 sets of 12 reps each and should be at a higher weight than week 1.

Chest/Monday

Incline barbell bench - 125 lbs x 12 x 3
Flat barbell bench - 145 lbs x 12 x 3
Flat dumbbell flyes - 30 lbs x 12 x 3
3 sets of pushups to failure
3 sets of 25 reverse crunches
3 sets of crunches

Back/Tuesday

Bent over barbell rows - 90 lbs x 12 x 3
1 arm dumbbell rows - 50 lbs x 12 x 3
Wide grip (using the pulldown bar) pushdowns - 50 lbs x 12 x 3
Lat pulldowns - 97.5 lbs x 12 x 3
Dumbbell shrugs - 70 lbs x 12 x 3
3 sets of 12 hyperextensions with 5 lb dumbbell

Legs/Wednesday

Squats - 135 lbs x 12 x 3
Stiff leg dead lifts - 105 lbs x 12 x 3
Leg curls - 120 lbs x 12 x 3
Leg press - 215 lbs x 12 x 3
Leg extensions - 135 lbs x 12 x 3 (this was on a different machine that I typically use and I'm not sure the numbers on it were accurate, it said "8" on the plate but I can normally do more).
Standing Calf Raises - 275 lbs x 12 x 3
Seated Calf Raises - 110 lbs x 12 x 3

Arms/Thursday

Standing barbell curls - 55 lbs x 12 x 3
Preacher curls - 50 lbs x 12 x 3
Hammer Dumbbell curls - 25 lbs x 12 x 3
V-bar Pressdowns - 110 lbs x 12 x 3
Overhead rope extensions - 47.5 lbs x 12 x 3
Dips - Bodyweight + 10 lbs x 12 x 3
30 seconds of leg raises
30 seconds of v-ups (forgot to put these in from Week 1, though they were done)

Shoulders/Friday

Seated overhead dumbbell press (no back support) - 35 lbs x 12 x 3
Seated front dumbbell raise (no back support) - 15 lbs x 12 x 3
Standing lateral dumbbell raises - 10 lbs x 12 x 3
Bent over reverse dumbbell flyes - 12 lbs x 12 x 3
Standing calf raises - 262.5 lbs x 15 x 4
Seated calf raises - 90 lbs x 15 x 4

[FrmrHoss]

Haven't finished the 7 days yet, obviously so I don't have my weekly average though I have weighed in the 193s all week and 192.8 one day (but that was after ultimate frisbee, so that is typically a little lower).

Week 3 is back to 3 sets of 15 reps and are supposed to go up in weight. My goal was to do the same weight that I did in week 2 for 12 reps for 15 reps.

Chest/Monday

Incline barbell bench - 125 lbs x 15 x 3 (+10 lbs from Week 1)
Flat barbell bench - 145 lbs x 15 x 2, 145 lbs x 10 (+10 lbs from Week 1, but couldn't finish out the 3rd set)
Flat dumbbell flyes - 30 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
3 sets of pushups to failure
3 sets of 25 reverse crunches
3 sets of crunches

Back/Tuesday

Bent over barbell rows - 90 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
1 arm dumbbell rows - 50 lbs x 15, 50 lbs x 13, 45 lbs x 15 (I knew this probably wouldn't happen since 50 lbs was pretty damn hard for 12 x 3, but I thought I'd give it a shot).
Wide grip (using the pulldown bar) pushdowns - 50 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
Lat pulldowns - 95 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
Dumbbell shrugs - 75 lbs x 15 x 3 (+10 lbs from Week 1)
3 sets of 15 hyperextensions

Legs/Wednesday

Squats - 135 lbs x 15 x 3 (+20 lbs from Week 1)
Stiff leg dead lifts - 105 lbs x 15 x 3 (+10 lbs from Week 1)
Leg curls - 120 lbs x 15 x 3 (+7.5 lbs from Week 1)
Leg press - 215 lbs x 15 x 3 (+25 lbs from Week 1)
Leg extensions - 135 lbs x 15 x 3
Standing Calf Raises - 275 lbs x 15 x 3 (+20 lbs from Week 1)
Seated Calf Raises - 90 lbs x 15 x 2 (no change)

Arms/Thursday

Standing barbell curls - 55 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
Preacher curls - 50 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
Hammer Dumbbell curls - 25 lbs x 15 x 2; 25 lbs x 9
V-bar Pressdowns - 110 lbs x 15 x 3 (+20 lbs from Week 1)
Overhead rope extensions - 47.5 lbs x 15 x 3 (+7.5 lbs from Week 1)
Dips - Bodyweight + 10 lbs x 15 x 2; BW + 10 x 11.

Shoulders/Friday

Seated overhead dumbbell press (no back support) - 35 lbs x 15 x 3 (+5 lbs from Week 1)
Seated front dumbbell raise (no back support) - 15 lbs x 15 x 3
Standing lateral dumbbell raises - 10 lbs x 15 x 3
Bent over reverse dumbbell flyes - 12 lbs x 15 x 3
Standing calf raises - 275 lbs x 15 x 3; 275 lbs x 13
Seated calf raises - 90 lbs x 15 x 4

Obviously not all of the gains were representative of actual strength gains from Week 1 and were more or less associated with getting my actual weights in check, but there were some exercises I couldn't complete in Week 1 that I did in Week 3 so that seems good.

[FrmrHoss]

I thought I'd post my diet from today too since it it's pretty representative of what I eat on a normal day, though my girlfriend is coming in from out of town tonight and we're planning on getting sushi later tonight and since I normally cut down on my carbs as the day ends, I cut some out of my last meal to account for that.

7:45 AM
5 egg whites
2 whole eggs
handful of spinach/mushrooms
1 grapefruit

During workout at 11 AM
1.5 scoops of ON Whey
4 scoops of Xtend

1 PM
1 Peanut butter/chocolate chip Tri-O-Plex Bar

4 PM
1 chicken breast
15 almonds

Hopefully off to sushi around 7-7:30. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

[FrmrHoss]

I think I might have found one of the bigger problems in my diet... I had been eating roughly the same calories over the weekend as I had during the week even though I don't workout on the weekends, other than maybe some basketball or something. My girlfriend was in town this weekend and I made a conscious effort to eat less. Workout went pretty well this morning and I weighed in at 192.4, will have to do the math later to see what the weekly average was.

As far as the workout went, I did:

Incline bench: 135 x 12 x 3
Flat bench: 155 x 12 x 3
DB Flyes: 35 x 11, 30 x 12 x 2
Pushups: 19, 16, 11
Reverse crunches: 3 x 25
Crunches: 3 x 25

Back to the grind of law school....

[FrmrHoss]

I don't have my little notebook with me so I don't have the weights that I lifted today, though I know I did move up on bent over barbell rows and lat pulldowns and completed those sets. In other news, I averaged my weight and I was down to 193.3 so I netted a little over 1 pound of weight loss last week. Tomorrow, legs day!

[FrmrHoss]

Alright, still trucking along. Here are the stats from the back workout on Tuesday:

Bent over barbell rows: 95lbs x 12 x 3
1 arm dumbbell rows: 55lbs x 12 x 2; 55lbs x 11
Cable pushdowns (widegrip): 55lbs x 12 x 3
Lat pulldowns: 100lbs x 12 x 3
Dumbbell shurgs: 75lbs x 12 x 2; 75lbs x 10


Legs today:

Squats: 150lbs x 12 x 3
Stiff legged dead lifts: 115lbs x 12 x 3
Leg curls: 125lbs x 12 x 3
Leg Press: 235lbs x 12 x 3
Leg extensions: 142.5lbs x 12 x 3
Standing calf: 282.5lbs x 12 x 3
Seated calf raises: 110lbs x 12 x 3

I've managed to stay on my diet pretty well for the past 4-5 weeks. Last night I had an extra meal late at night because I was hungry, but it was 2/3rds of a grilled chicken breast and 12 almonds, so I don't feel too bad about that one.

[FrmrHoss]

I'm sore as hell after legs yesterday but still managed to truck out a 2.5 mile run on the treadmill after lifting arms today. Helped that there were some cute girls next to me on both sides, so didn't really want to cut the run short. Here are the stats on Thursday:

Standing barbell curls - 60 lbs x 12 x 3 [+5 lbs from Week 2]
Preacher curls - 55 lbs x 12 x 3 [+5 lbs from Week 2]
Hammer Dumbbell curls - 30 lbs x 12; 30 x 9; 25 x 12
V-bar Pressdowns - 120 lbs x 12 x 3 [+10 lbs from Week 2]
Overhead rope extensions - 50 lbs x 12 x 3 [+2.5 lbs from Week 2] probably should have done more here
Dips - Bodyweight + 15 lbs x 12 x 3 [+5 lbs from Week 2]
30 seconds of leg raises
30 seconds of v-ups

[FrmrHoss]

Shoulders went pretty well on Friday, but my major complaint is more with the set up of our weight room. I feel like I could definitely go up in weight on a lot of exercises, but their dumbbells only go up in 5 lb increments for the most part. This normally isn't a problem, but going from 10 lbs to 15lbs or 15 to 20 is a pretty big jump. My old gym had DBs in 2.5 lb increments all the way up to the 30s so that would have been useful.

Seated overhead dumbbell press (no back support) - 40 lbs x 12 x 3 [+5lbs]
Seated front dumbbell raise (no back support) - 20 lbs x 12, 20 x 9 + 15 x 4; 15 lbs x 12
Standing lateral dumbbell raises - 12 lbs x 12 x 3 [+2 lbs]
Bent over reverse dumbbell flyes - 15 lbs x 12 x 3 [+3 lbs]
Standing calf raises - 275 lbs x 15 x 4 [+12.5 lbs]
Seated calf raises - 90 lbs x 15 x 4

I'm excited to start phase 2 of the work out and switch up the rep/sets. I also think that my changes in my diet are going pretty well. It's at the point where I either have no weight loss during the week, well, I guess I should say minimal, like somewhere in the 0.2-0.6 lb loss during the week, and then on the weekend I'll drop like a pound. I don't count calories at this point, but I'd have to guess that I'm somewhere around 2700-2900 calories on workout days, and 1700-2100 calories on non-workout days.

[FrmrHoss]

Weekly average was down to 191.8 so I lost around 1.5 lbs last week. That's the pace I've been aiming for, so hopefully that will continue on. I feel like my weight that I'm lifting could really sky rocket during this phase as my body has always been better conditioned to lift lower reps and more rest time, up to 90 seconds from 60 seconds in the first phase. That being said, here are the numbers from today.

Incline bench - 135 lbs x 10 x 5
Flat bench - 155 lbs x 10 x 5
Pec Deck - 120 lbs x 10; 120 lbs x 9; 105 lbs x 10
Push-ups to failure - 18; 14; 11
30 seconds leg raises
30 seconds v-ups

[tachyon99]

any update?