Eric's - no quitting journal

[EricF14]

I kind of let my old journal thread die but even though I keep a paper journal to record my progress I find that having a posted journal forces me to be more consistent in working out. So I hope you all don't mind if I start a new journal.

I lost a bit of weight over the holidays while gaining some fat. I just can't resist my Mom's christmas cookies when I visit.

Starting stats:
5'7" , 163lb, ~22%BF

Routine 2 Day split lifting, 4 days aerobic.

Day 1.

7 min warm-up on Nordic Trac (6.5mph).
Deadlift : 95x12, 110x12, 110x12
Chinups : 5, 4, 4
BB Row :100x12, 100x12, 100x12
DB Laterals: 10x12, 10x12, 10x12

I decided to go 10lb on the laterals so as not to aggrevate my shoulder problem and I didn't feel like changing around the weight setup. Even still I got a good burn going in my shoulder and I'm glad I didn't try 25 lb like I was thinking.
The good thing about working out at home is I don't feel embarrased about using such light weight. The bad part is you only have yourself for encouragement.

[joed]

Hi Eric: 3 sets of 12 with 10 lbs for the lateral raises is good considering a shoulder prob.

[EricF14]

Tues & Wed : Kung Fu Mostly foot work.
Thursday: Muscles too sore to go to Kung Fu.
Friday: Still feeling sore ...
Squats : 100x12, 3 sets
Leg curls : 70x10, 70x11, 70x12
Bench Press: 100x12, 3 sets
Bench Dips: BodyWeight x 12, 3 sets

My waist line has expanded but my diet is back on track (mostly*) after all the holiday temptations so that trend should start reversing.
(*I still have cravings for dark chocolate...tempted by the dark side am I.)

[EricF14]

Deadlift: 110x15, 110x15, 110x15
Chinups: 15 total (5,3,3,2,1,1)
BBRow: 100x12, 100x12, 100x13
DB Laterals: 10x15, 10x15, 10x15

I did better on chin-up last week and wanted to go for 25 total this week but by 15 I was only able to do 1 chinup per rest. I'm just not up to rep'ing my body weight yet (165#).

[EricF14]

My body comp is going the wrong direction what am I doing wrong?
I can see it in my face and feel it in the waist, this morning the scale said I was at 24% BF, two weeks ago it said I was at 22%, two months ago 20%.

my average food intake looks like the following on weekdays:

6am
Meal 1: 1 cup Groats (cooked), 1 cup "Silk" Soy Milk, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1Tbsp Udo's oil, 1 A Day Active multivitamin

9am Meal 2: 2 tbsp Adams all natural peanut butter, 2 slices sprouted wheat bread, 1 apple

11am Meal 3: 8 oz skinless chicken breast, 2 slices sprouted wheat bread

2pm Meal 4: 1 cup green beans, or other vegetables. 1 apple.

4pm Meal 5: varies, usually fish & rice or pasta.

---<weights or Martial arts practice usually here>

8pm Meal 6: 1/4 cup peanuts and or carrots.

9:30 pm : ZMA supplement

Weights M/F ~25 min each, Martial arts ~3 hrs / week.
I work a desk job about 9 hrs / day 5 days a week.

I feel tired all the time and most of the soreness recently is in my joints rather than the muscles. I figure the joint pain is mostly from the martial arts which challenges my range of motion a lot.

I have not been able to use my nordic trac, which has been my other source of cardio until now, because it's causing me pain in the hip and knees when I use it recently.

By my calculation I'm eating about 2500 calories per day. I have to assume I'm eating more and just not writing it down or that my BMR is lower than average. I'm thinking of cutting back portions to reduce calories by about 500 / day for the next 4 weeks.

[jaguarr]

A couple thoughts, man. That may not be enough caloric intake on a daily basis to sustain your activity and your metabolism is shutting down on you. Also, your 2pm meal needs some protein in it (you need about 170 grams of protein per day, going by your bodyweight) and you might seriously consider getting a casein protein mix to take before bedtime. The other thing you might think about is getting your bloodwork done if you haven't already and seeing what your hormonal profile looks like. The always tired and sore thing could possibly be an indicator that something is off there. So, there's a few things off the top of my head to look into. Hope it helps! :)

jag

[EricF14]

Hiya Jag, thanks for the response.

You may recall I did increase my calories from about 1800 to 2500 a few months back. At that time I was doing a 4 day split with about 2 hrs a week martial arts. Now I'm doing a lighter 2 day split with 3 hrs a week martial arts. I did gain some muscle after that change but now it seems I'm gaining mostly fat. With the exception of weightlifting and martial arts I'm not very active during winter months.

Right now my body composition is at an uncomforable level. It's driving me nuts which may seem odd, considering I was 20 lb heavier a year ago, but it does increase my stress level.

I've looked over the carb cycling link someone posted a while ago but I don't think I could be that meticulous. I might come close by adding a meal on work-out days as opposed to adjusting servings.


your metabolism is shutting down on you
Is there a reliable way to test this? I remember seeing some TV Diet show where they use a device you breath into for 10 min to calculate BMR; is that reliable? Who would you go to for that kind of test?

Anyway, if I were to increase calories I'm assuming they should be moslty protein calores right? I feel like I'm stuffing myself with the food I eat already. :) So maybe a protein drink at 2pm and one PWO?


The other thing you might think about is getting your bloodwork done if you haven't already and seeing what your hormonal profile looks like.

My doctor probably thinks I'm a hypochondriac already so why not confirm it, eh? ;) I did have some blood work done when I started lifting but I think it was just for cholesterol. I didn't know to ask about other stuff at the time.

[EricF14]

I had Kung Fu today, didn't get a chance to lift before class so I'm lifting after class. (is that bad?) KF class today did not seem as exhausting as it usually is.

Squats : 100x7, 120x7, 120x7, 120x7
Leg Curls : 75x10, 75x9 , 75x8
Bench Press : 120x7,120x7, 120x4.5
Bench Dips : 12, 15, 15

I feel like falling asleep but that's the way I've felt all day except during KF class, which is odd now that I think about it...

[jaguarr]

I vote you get the bloodwork done, man. Could reveal some info for you on why your body composition is not doing what you want it to, even when you do the right things. Your being tired all the time is a sign of something, though. Could be overtraining, could be hormonal, could just be stress, who knows. Why not eliminate the hormonal piece from the equation? :)

jag

[fitnessman]

I vote you get the bloodwork done, man. Could reveal some info for you on why your body composition is not doing what you want it to, even when you do the right things. Your being tired all the time is a sign of something, though. Could be overtraining, could be hormonal, could just be stress, who knows. Why not eliminate the hormonal piece from the equation? :)

jag

This is very good advice!

[EricF14]

I vote you get the bloodwork done, man.

I agree. Now if I could just remember to call when the Dr office is open. I always seem to remember stuff like that on the weekends or just before bed time. :/ I get that from my mother who calls it CRS disease (Can't remember sh*t) Doctors call it ADD.

I don't think it's over training because I feel more tired on days I don't get exercise. Blood pressure has gone down slightly from a few weeks ago but I've had lower. (just now: 95/65 @66, previous 2 weekends: ~107/66 @68)

Today I'm practicing KF moves, at a slow pace while I cook this weeks supply of chicken and wild rice. It's going to take a lot of work to loosen up my hips enough to do side kicks above the knee cap level. :)

[GSCampbell]

First trip to your journal. Looks like you're getting some sound advice, but I would expect nothing less from Jag and Fitty.

Welcome aboard. I'll stop in from time to time to make a smart a$$ comment :D

GSC

[jaguarr]

I agree. Now if I could just remember to call when the Dr office is open. I always seem to remember stuff like that on the weekends or just before bed time. :/ I get that from my mother who calls it CRS disease (Can't remember sh*t) Doctors call it ADD.

I don't think it's over training because I feel more tired on days I don't get exercise. Blood pressure has gone down slightly from a few weeks ago but I've had lower. (just now: 95/65 @66, previous 2 weekends: ~107/66 @68)

Today I'm practicing KF moves, at a slow pace while I cook this weeks supply of chicken and wild rice. It's going to take a lot of work to loosen up my hips enough to do side kicks above the knee cap level. :)


Bloodwork for sure. In the meantime, ever given thought to trying some Dessicated Liver Tabs? They've made a big difference for me in my energy levels. I like the NOW brand, not just because they're cheap, but because they're quality and work well for me; even better than some of the more expensive brands I have tried. I take three of 'em, three times a day with my major meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner), which seems to be the sweet spot for me (the bottle says to take five, but I found that was too much for me). Might be worth giving 'em a go. :)

jag

[Synicus]

Good luck/progress on your journal Eric.

[/quote]Blood pressure has gone down slightly from a few weeks... (just now: 95/65 @66, previous 2 weekends: ~107/66 @68)[/quote]

Wow, that seems really low. I also take the Liver Tabs, about 20 per day, 10 pre-workout, Beverly brand. Been doing so about a month, not sure how effective it's been yet.

[EricF14]

Just setup an appointment with the Doc to get some blood work done.

I was so tired yesterday I fell asleep during the Pittsburgh game.

[jaguarr]

Just setup an appointment with the Doc to get some blood work done.

I was so tired yesterday I fell asleep during the Pittsburgh game.

Smart man! Let us know how the results come out.

jag

[EricF14]

Bloodwork for sure. In the meantime, ever given thought to trying some Dessicated Liver Tabs?

Is there any difference between liver "tabs" and liver "powder" ?

[EricF14]

Lots of stress at work today, got started on lifting later than usual.

Deadlift: 110x15, 120x20, 120x20
Chinups: 5,5,5,5,3,1,1 (25 total)

Feeling like falling asleep at this point but the hardest parts are over...and I made that 25 I was trying for last week.

BBRow: 120x9, 120x11, 120x11

A bit shakey after finishing last set

DB Laterals: 10x20, 10x20*, 10x15*
* forced the last two reps, sacraficing form.
...My shoulders feel like lead now. I bet that's gonna hurt tomorrow. :)

Not a bad day considering I missed 2 meals due to being in meetings all day long.

[jaguarr]

Is there any difference between liver "tabs" and liver "powder" ?


I'd have to see the makeup on the liver powder, but my pseudo-educated guess has two parts; the first being that the absorption rate would be faster with the powder and the second being that you'd get to taste all the meaty nastiness of the liver with the powder that the tabs let you escape. Maybe someone who knows more about the powder can advise. Nice workout, by the way. It's good that you're keeping at it even when you don't even feel like staying awake. I've been there before and know what it's like, which is why I pushed you towards the bloodwork so hard. For me, it was definitely a hormonal imbalance and as it slowly gets better, so do all the issues I was suffering from. There's hope for you, man. Hang in there. :)

jag

[EricF14]

I'd have to see the makeup on the liver powder,

The two I'm looking at are the top two in this article:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/liver.html

Tabs have (per serving):

Calories 15
Calories from Fat 4
Total Fat 33mg 1%
Sodium 243mg 10%
Protein 710mg 2%
Vitamin A 117IU 2%
Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2) 207mcg 10%
Vitamin B-12 7mcg 120%
Zinc 644mcg 4%
Copper 45mcg 2%
Manganese 41mcg 2%
Liver Powder (Argentine, Low Heat) 3.4g (3,400 mg)

Powder has (per serving):
Calories 45
Calories from Fat 15
Total Fat 1.5 g 2%
Saturated fat 0 g 0%
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Sodium 30 mg 1%
Potassium 130 mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate <1 g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0.5 g 2%
Protein 7 g 14%
Vitamin A 20%
Riboflavin 35%
Niacin 60%
Vitamin B-12 460%
Iron 50%
Zinc 15%

[EricF14]

Went to see the Doc today. They took some blood and are going to run some tests for testosterone, thyroid function, and a few other things. He also referred me to a cardio clinic to get a "Stress echocardiogram" which will be next week. I won't get results from all this until Feb 13 when I have my follow up appointment.

BTW, I ordered some Liver Tabs and we'll see if that helps any...

[jaguarr]

Went to see the Doc today. They took some blood and are going to run some tests for testosterone, thyroid function, and a few other things. He also referred me to a cardio clinic to get a "Stress echocardiogram" which will be next week. I won't get results from all this until Feb 13 when I have my follow up appointment.

BTW, I ordered some Liver Tabs and we'll see if that helps any...

Good move, man. Keep us posted and make sure you ask your doc for a copy of your results or they won't give you one, most likely. And start off easy with the liver tabs. Take one with every major meal for a few days, then bump up to two, then three and so on. That should help your system adjust to them and keep you from encountering gastric distress. :D And see how you feel at certain dosages once you're used to them. For me with the NOW brand tabs, for example, three per meal is ideal even though the label recommends five. :)

jag

[EricF14]

Yesterday was Kung Fu. I was feeling good and energized last night in spite of pulling a muscle in my shoulder. But this morning I have a lot more bruises that usual. It makes me wonder if maybe I'm too old to be starting in a martial art. Still ... I'm stubborn so I'll stick with it.

[EricF14]

Weights today:

Squat: 120x10, 120x10, 120x10
Leg Curl: 75x8, 75x7, 75x7
Bench Press: 120x9, 120x8, 120x7
Dips: 12, 15, 15

I started using those Liver Tabs Wednesday. I have noticed a moderate improvement in my sleep and I feel a little different during workouts, or more accurately after working out. I don't have to breath as deeply to feel like I'm getting enough air and I didn't feel sleepy in the middle of my lifting today like I did last week. I also feel more calm. Could be placebo effect, but I don't care. :)

[EricF14]

Jeeze I'm ditzy today. I wrote down "chinups" in my exercise log and then proceeded to do leg curls...Doh!

Deadlift: 125x14, 125x15, 125x12
(Leg curl: 55x14)
Chin Up : 3, 6, 6, 5, 5
BB Row: 125x10, 125x10, 125x10
DB Laterals : 15x12, 15x14 ,15x14

Oy! my elbow aches. I got a big ol' nasty bruise where they took blood last Wednesday. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, it's about the size of my fist. (and no, I didn't punch myself :) )

My food intake wasn't that good today either. It started off ok with my usual oats and fruit but I ran out of sprouted wheat bread and missed my 2pm meal alltogether. Then when I got home I ate about half a bag of whole wheat pretzels my wife bought. (~500 cal)

(late addition: PWO Blood pressure: 97/59 @ 87bpm)

[EricF14]

I had my echocardiogram test today. My heart appears to be working fine with no indication of abnormality. I didn't expect any problem with my heart but it's good to get confirmation.

[jaguarr]

I had my echocardiogram test today. My heart appears to be working fine with no indication of abnormality. I didn't expect any problem with my heart but it's good to get confirmation.


Good news on that front! Any word on your bloodwork?

jag

[EricF14]

Good news on that front! Any word on your bloodwork?

jag

Not yet. It's probably already done but I could not fit a follow up appointment into my schedule until the 13th.

[jaguarr]

Not yet. It's probably already done but I could not fit a follow up appointment into my schedule until the 13th.


You might be able to call the doctor's office and have them send you a copy of your results now, so you'll have had a chance to look them over when you go in for your appointment. :)

jag

[EricF14]

Guess I assumed they wouldn't do that, but they did.

I'm not sure what all the abbreviations represent but I think these are the testosterone numbers:

T4 : 8.5 ug/dL
T3 uptake : 37 %
TSH: 1.28 ulU/mL
Testoster Tot: 552 ng/dL

The only thing outside the listed reference ranges listed is "UA Ketones".

[EricF14]

Searched around a bit; I guess T3,T4, and TSH are thyroid proteins and not related to testosterone. I found total testosterone I don't know if the report shows "free testosterone".

On the diet front: The liver tabs are really helping with energy, and my quality of sleep, when I remember to take them.

I ran out of chicken so I ate duck for dinner. A bit higher in fat but it sure was yummy. I stopped at the store on the way home from martial arts practice to get more chicken which I'm cooking now.
I slow cook the chicken in a big turkey cooker with a few Tbsp of lemon juice and smothered in crushed red pepper. Then I put them in individual plastic containers for quick transfer to my cooler to take to work each day. Good thing I like chicken.

[jaguarr]

Your test levels look okay, but if you have the reference scale that came with your results you might post that as well. Glad the liver tabs are helping. They've worked wonders for me!

jag

[EricF14]

The reference scale (range) on this report for testosterone total is 200 - 1100 ng/dL (nano-grams per deci-litre?)

Of course the depressing part of good test results is that it suggests a mental/motivation problem. Either I'm not pushing myself hard enough on the exercise or I'm not managing my diet as well as I need to get the results I want.

[jaguarr]

Yeah, you look to be smack in the middle of your test range. How about your estrogens and cortisols? Any idea what they looked like? Testosterone isn't the only thing that can be out of whack hormonally, you know. It's good to go through the elimination process to figure out what's going on with you, though. Your doc will be able to help you analyze some of this (if he's worth half a damn, anyway). So hang in there, bro. You'll figure out what's going on. Consider this the "testing phase" to find out what that is. :)

jag

[EricF14]

Cortisol (AM) : 10 ug/dL, Range: 5 - 25 ug/dL

That doesn't seem too high.

I can't find anything which looks like an abbreviation for Estrogen. I don't think they ran that test.

[jaguarr]

Hmmm...see any of these on there?: Estradiol, Estriol, Estrone? Also, did they run your DHEA-S? Progesterone?

jag

[EricF14]

No. I don't see any of those.

The test groups I see are :
CMP
Lipid Panel
Hemogram
Auto Diff
UA CIF
HS CRP
T4
T3 Update
TSH
CortisolAM
Testoster
Retic Count

[jaguarr]

Hmmm...still a possibilty then that your estrogens, DHEA-S or progesterone could be out of whack, then. Could definitely cause some of the issues you've been describing. Talk to your doc about 'em when you go for your visit on the 13th.

jag

[EricF14]

wouldn't increased estrogen levels cause a decrease in body hair? I have no lack of hair anywhere, unfortunately :}. Ahh well, I'll speak to my doc about it anyway.

[jaguarr]

wouldn't increased estrogen levels cause a decrease in body hair? I have no lack of hair anywhere, unfortunately :}. Ahh well, I'll speak to my doc about it anyway.

Wouldn't necessarily cause that. It can cause that, but it's not the only symptom to measure by. :) Might as well get the whole panel done so you will at least have a clear picture. If everything is in normal range for you, then you can start looking at other possible culprits. :)

jag

[EricF14]

I'm moving my second lifting day to Saturday. Fridays are too busy now with an added martial arts class every other Friday.

Martial arts today: 1.5 hr. I always dread going because it's so exhausting but I always feel great afterwards.

I'm short on calories today but at least I will get 1g protein per lb body weight once I eat my chicken sandwich.

[EricF14]

not feeling very energetic today. I didn't sleep well due to a wind storm making noise all night long.

Squat:
120x7, 110x10, 115x7
LegCurls:
65x12, 65x12, 65x9
Bench Press:
115x10, 115x10, 115x6
Dips:
bwx12, bw+10x15, bw+15x15

[jaguarr]

Nothing takes me down faster than lack of sleep, so I feel your pain. Looks like you had a pretty decent workout despite that, though!

jag

[EricF14]

Martial arts Monday and today. I've switched my weights days to Wednesday/Saturday to accomidate the change in my martial arts schedule.

I'm a bit dissapointed at the quality of the game in the super bowl. I expected better from both teams. The bad and missed calls were annoying but it was about the same as the ref'ing in the playoff games.

I ran short on chicken and forgot to take my liver tabs to work today. The local ATM was out of order and all I had was a gift card for the coffee shop, I ended up having a nasty tasting coffee and a slice of carrot cake for my 2pm meal. I probably would have been better off going hungry for a few hours. Sugary foods almost always give me a headache.

[EricF14]

Hmm,
I just read fitnessmans comments on ketosis diet in the nutrition forum. I think it might give a hint as to why I have been gaining fat and loosing muscle the previous two months. I have gradually cut back on the Fat in my diet for no particular reason. Although almost all the carbs in my diet are low GI carbs (groats, whole fruit, and veggies) they are still a majority of the calories I eat.
I think it would be worth while for me to swap out some of those carbs for more good fats.

[Synicus]

Hey Eric,

Good journal ya got going here, keep up the good work. Raise protein, I think. Put protein at about 40 or 50% and see how you respond to that, like 50p/25c/25f, or yes, lower carbs and raise fat if "cutting" bodyfat. I think the majority of your cals should be coming from protein not carbs.

hth

[EricF14]

Ok, I've been reading more on keto diets and I'm trying to work out a road map for daily intake. here's my current plan:

Maintain
Calories 2500/*ReFeed*
Protein 188 / 188
Fat 167 / 111
Carbo 63 / 188

Cut
Calories 2000/*ReFeed*
Protein 150 / 150
Fat 133 / 78
Carbo 50 / 175

Bulk
Calories 3000/*ReFeed*
Protein 225 / 225
Fat 200 / 144
Carbo 75 / 200

Split P:30%/F:60%/C:10%, All P/F/C values are in grams.

I'm currently 165# @ ~23%BF

Do these numbers look correct for Keto diet?

[EricF14]

A nice sunny day for a change. I did some yard work to warm up and take advantage of the good weather.

Deadlift
125x20, 165x10, 165x12, 165x10

Chin ups
7, 5, 3, 3, 3,

BB Row
145x7, 145x8, 145x8

DB Laterals
15x15, 15x15, 15x14

Deadlift at 125 seemed too easy today so I put on some extra weight. The lifting today felt much better, with the exception of chin-ups. I started out strong but ended a bit weak on the chinups.

Not sure if the improvement is due to diet or sunny weather. I dropped the morning carbs today opting for eggs instead of my usual oats and put off eating my daily fruit until an hour before leaving work.

[EricF14]

FWIW: Here's the macro nutrient breakout for today:

Total: 2456
Fat: 110 986 43%
Sat: 17 157 7%
Poly: 27 241 11%
Mono: 56 507 22%
Carbs: 154 443 19%
Fiber: 43 0 0%
Protein: 212 847 37%

[GSCampbell]

A nice sunny day for a change. I did some yard work to warm up and take advantage of the good weather.

There are some in this forum who might call that "yardio." :D

Workout looks good.

GSC

[jaguarr]

Ahhh, yes. Yardio is excellent exercise! :D Nice job on the back workout, Eric!

jag

[EricF14]

I like yardio but I don't get much opportunity in the winter months. :)

I had a follow up meeting with the physical therepist about my shoulder today. He says I need to do more to strengthen the tendons on the stabilizer muscles in the back so I'll be adding some light-weight shoulder exercises (prone abductions and external rotations) to my routine 3x per week. I figgure Mon,Wed,Sat will work best in my schedule.

[EricF14]

Martial arts: 1.5 hrs. I'm exhausted but feel great. The instructor had us doing a lot of spinning movements trying to get us dizzy and force us to focus on our center of gravity. It worked for me at least.

I picked up some KetoStix so I can tell if my diet is dialed in. I'll start that in ernest Sunday night. Since my last workout of the week is Saturday I plan to have my refeed start Saturday night and go through Sunday.

[EricF14]

Oh what a beautiful day today. what am I doing inside with all these dumb bells and dead weights? :)

Squat:
120x10, 120x10, 120x10

Leg Curls:
65x12, 65x12, 65x9

Bench Press:
120x9, 120x10, 120x8

2 Bench dips:
20, 20, 20

5 shoulder stabilizer exercises : 3 sets of 15 reps each side.
(1) Bent arm external rotation, (2) one arm horizontal abduction lying on side, (3) Prone bilateral arm raise on balance ball, (4) Prone horizontal abduction with internal rotation on ball, (5) Prone horizontal abduction with external rotation on ball.
So many shoulder exercises get a bit boring but I'm confident it's needed.

PWO shake : 2 scoops whey isolate in water + 1/2 cup pre cooked oats.

PWO blood pressure: 108/65 @81bpm. About 5 min after finish.

[jaguarr]

Okay, I'l bite. What the hell are KetoStix? Are they anything like Chick-O-Sticks (http://www.oldtimecandy.com/chick-o-sticks.htm). :D

Keep up the hard work, man! You're making good progress!

jag

[EricF14]

Okay, I'l bite. What the hell are KetoStix? Are they anything like Chick-O-Sticks (http://www.oldtimecandy.com/chick-o-sticks.htm). :D

Keep up the hard work, man! You're making good progress!

jag

Keto-Stix are a brand name urine analysis test for ketones. From what I read in the Nutrition\Keto sub folder it let's you know if your body is in ketosis.
I'm trying out a ketogenic diet. Since this is the first time I've tried this diet I want to have some way to monitor my body state.

[jaguarr]

Keto-Stix are a brand name urine analysis test for ketones. From what I read in the Nutrition\Keto sub folder it let's you know if your body is in ketosis.
I'm trying out a ketogenic diet. Since this is the first time I've tried this diet I want to have some way to monitor my body state.


Well, Chick-O-Sticks are a tasty treat you put in your mouth. I don't think KetoStix fall in the same category. :(

jag

[EricF14]

Well, Chick-O-Sticks are a tasty treat you put in your mouth. I don't think KetoStix fall in the same category. :(

jag

Only if you have a sick mind. ;)

[GREENFEATHER]

OK, I've been reading and here's what I see. You need to keep the fats up. The last thing ANY athelete, no matter who they are, wants to do is open up the pathways to make your body more efficient at burning protein for energy. Olive oil, sesame, coconut, flax and even butter are good choices, margarine be da debil ! You need a certain amount of fats and cholesterol to make testosterone and to use as fuel and lubrication for joints.

[EricF14]

OK, I've been reading and here's what I see. You need to keep the fats up. The last thing ANY athelete, no matter who they are, wants to do is open up the pathways to make your body more efficient at burning protein for energy. Olive oil, sesame, coconut, flax and even butter are good choices, margarine be da debil ! You need a certain amount of fats and cholesterol to make testosterone and to use as fuel and lubrication for joints.

Hey GREENFEATHER,
That was the conclusion I came to after reading the Keto threads which is why I switched to a Keto diet. My new macro nutrient target is something like: 50% Fats / 45% Protein / 5% Carbs. Most of the carbs come from high fiber food like veggies and whole oats.

My new meal plan is :

Meal 1: 2 whole eggs, 1tbsp udos oil

Meal 2: 2 tbsp all natural peanut butter on a celery stick.

Meal 3: 8 oz Chicken breast, 1 cup raw broccoli

Meal 4: 2 tbsp peanut butter on Sprouted wheat bread.

1 hr Pre Workout: 1 or 2 whole fruit. (usually an apple and/or an orange)

Post Workout: 2 scoops Whey protein isoalte + 1/2 cup oats + Phylum husk. (blended)

Meal 5: Udo's oil, + one of: 8oz Chicken, or 4 oz salmon, or 1 italian sausage.

[EricF14]

So I talked with my doctor about the test results. Heart looks good, cholesterol is outstanding, thyroid is good, no sign of anemia, testosterone looks good, basically everything looks good. He did say I should include more good fats in my diet, based on what I was eating a month ago.
He also said I should increase cardio to at least four 45 min sessions per week if I want to loose weight. Cortisol is very low, no sign of overtraining.

[EricF14]

Boy am I sore! 1 & 1/2 hours of martial arts today. And the instructor went easy on us today. At least half that time was in the 'horse stance'. If you don't know what horse stance is imaging sitting in a char backward then remove the char and stay in that position.

I feel almost as weak as I did after I missed two weeks worth of classes during the holidays.

On the bright side; I made it through and I'll be stronger because of it. :)

[joed]

That's good news from the doc.

[EricF14]

Joed: Thanks.


I have a bit of a sore spot in my back today from martial arts practice yesterday but it didn't seem to affect my deadlift any...

BP: 104/70 @ 65

Deadlift:
165x15, 170x15, 170x13

Chin-ups:
7, 6, 4, 5, 5, 3

BB Row:
140x10, 140x10, 140x10

DB Laterals:
15x15, 15x15, 15x15

BP: 102/68 @112 (~2 min after last set)

[EricF14]

I didn't mention it in my last post but Monday and today I did the 5 shoulder exercises on the exercise ball, as suggested by my physical therepist.

PWO shake: 2 scoop Whey isolate in water + 1/3 cup oats.
Followed by an apple.

It sure feels good to exercise. :)

[EricF14]

Two days a week seems to leave me with too big a gap between work-outs. I feel it's hard to keep the momentum going so I'm going to add a 3rd day a week (Monday)

I figgure I'll keep the current days the same and add Abs, Bicep, Tricep exercises on Monday. My centerline abs are ok but the obliques are really soft so I want to focus most of the ab exercise on the obliques. The Bicep / Tricep exercises are more for ego. I'll probably add a seated row also to make sure I'm some compound movement.

[EricF14]

I'm feeling really good today. In fact I've been feeling really good ever since I started this Ketogenic diet. I no longer feel like I need to take a nap in the afternoon. I'm sleeping better.

My deadlift has been much higher the previous two sessions than ever before although my other exercises have not made such big gains. I tried doing some squats with my olympic bar instead of the smith machine bar but went back to the safety bar, for my last set, after a couple close calls loosing balance. It's a real pitty because I found the unrestricted movement more natural and easier on my back.

Squat:
120x10, 120x10, 120x9

Leg Curls:
65x15, 65x12, 65x12

Bench Press:
120x10, 120x10, 120x9

Dips:
20, 20, 25

Shoulders blah...blahh..blah... same thing... it's not going to change for a few weeks.

And for lunch I'm having an old family recipie. pre-cook: Cabbage, brocolli, cauliflour, and chicken, cover with a white sauce made from the chicken broth, and smother with cheese. Put in the oven on low until the cheese melts. Add spice as appeals to your tastebuds. My dad used to use potato as the main filler but you can use any veggies as long as they don't turn to mush when you cook them.

[GREENFEATHER]

If it were me I's get rid of the apple and oats post workout and go with whey and a simple sugar like dextrose, maltodextrin or Vitargo. You want the fastest acting carbs here as you can get with nothing to interfere with their uptake like oats. The problem with the apple is it's manly fructose wich is processed by the liver, not what you are looking for. You're looking to force those nutrients out into the muscles as fast as you can.

[EricF14]

...go with whey and a simple sugar like dextrose, maltodextrin or Vitargo. You want the fastest acting carbs here as you can get with nothing to interfere with their uptake like oats. The problem with the apple is it's manly fructose wich is processed by the liver, not what you are looking for.


What are some good natural food sources for dextrose (aka glucose)? I see the sugar in honey is about 45% dextrose 50% fructose.

[EricF14]

A quick search seems to indicate prune juice has the best ratio at 2:1 dextrose:fructose, cranberry juice coctail comes in second at 3:2.

[EricF14]

I want to expand my routine to 3 days a week but I'm not too sure what to do on my new day so I'll just wing it for now. I know I want to hit my arms and abs but I need to find the right numbers to start at...

BB Preacher curls 30#x20, 50#x15, 60#x10, 50#x17

Feeling this more in the elbows than my biceps...I don't think preacher curls are for me. at least not with a straight bar.

Decline DB Tricep extensions: 15#x20, 25#x10, 20#x15, 20#x20

Oblique Crunches: 15 / side
Side Jack Knife: 15 / side
Cable Crunches: 83#x15

Hammer curls: 20#x15, 20#x15

[EricF14]

Yesterday was very stressful at work and it has a supprising impact on my physically. After getting home I was tired, I had craving carbs, and my hands and feet were tingling. Keto-stix showed no sign of ketones even though I had not had more that 20g carbs all day. I ate some fruit and a piece of dried sweetened coconut meat and took a little nap. A little later I had my Udo's oil and a few bites of chicken, I wasn't very hungry, nor did I wake up hungry.

[EricF14]

I tried starting where I was last week but my energy level is not as high this week. I had to back off on the deadlift and BB Rows.

Deadlift
170x5, 155x10, 155x15, 155x10

Chinups
8, 7,4,5,5

BBRow
120x12, 120x15, 120x15

DB Laterals
20x12 ,20x12, 20x10

[EricF14]

Martial arts yesterday seemed easier than normal, except for the 100 push-ups.
We did drills of some back fist styles. Even though we used thick target pads the back of my hands always end up bruised when I do back-hand strikes.
I'm trying a folk remedy that's supposed to clear up bruises faster called Sweedish Bitters. it has several hebs in an alchohol solution and a strong smell of witch hazel.

[EricF14]

I have a real problem doing ATG squats with the slide mounted lift bar I have. It's slightly angled backward making it awkward for any long movements. I can't figure out what the designers were thinking.

Squats: 120x10, 120x10, 120x12

Leg Curls: 70x12, 70x12, 70x11

Bench Press: 125x5, 125x11, 125x7

Dips: 25, 25, 25

I'm not sure what was going on in the bench press. Maybe my arms are still tired from thursday, but then ... I had no problem with the dips.

BP: 95/59 @ 103

[EricF14]

I've been out of action with a cold since Monday. No weights, no martial arts, just rest.

I'm not used to colds lasting this long but that last cold I caught did the same thing. There used to be a time when a cold would only last 2 days tops. Is the common cold getting stronger or is this just part of gettin older?

[EricF14]

I've mostly recovered from what ever bug I caught and I'm getting back into my routine.

Martial arts Monday and Tuesday, seems like the master was going easy on us this week. I was expecting to be much more worn out after missing a week.

Deadlift:
165x15, 165x13, 165x10

My right arm grip was the limiting factor today. I got a bit bruised up in martial arts yesterday on the inside fore-arm parcticing blocks.*

pull-ups:
10*, 7, 5, 8
Woo Hoo, probably my first "10 in a row" in 15 years. :) (Baby steps) Then I go and psych myself out... :/

BB Row:
125x9, 125x11, 125x11

Feeling a bit sick to my stomach after the first set. I missed my morning snack and lunch. Sucking on cough drops all day I forgot to eat until 3 pm but I also had a big breakfast. But still only about 650 calories so far not counting what-ever is in those cough drops.

DB Laterals:
20x12, 20x12, 20x12

BP: 110/63 @109bpm

Off to get some food...

-Eric.

[jaguarr]

Hey, glad you're feeling better, man. Ease back into those workouts and let your body get back in the groove! :)

jag

[EricF14]

Thanks jag. Lifting only 2 days a week doesn't feel like much of a groove to begin with. :)

Today:

Squat: 125x15, 125x15, 125x14
Leg Curls: 70x10, 70x10, 70x9
Bench: 125x10, 125x10, 125x7
Dips: 25, 25, 25

I'm not feeling very energetic this morning and my thinking is rather slow too. Probably due to a lack of carbs on this keto diet I'm doing.

[jaguarr]

I'm not feeling very energetic this morning and my thinking is rather slow too. Probably due to a lack of carbs on this keto diet I'm doing.

I think this is a fairly often reported side-effect from folks doing keto diets. Maybe one of our keto experts can answer whether that will subside with time or if you can just look forward to getting dumber as time goes on while you're on that diet. :D

jag

[EricF14]

The odd thing is that for the first week or so I felt great where as most poeple report feeling foggy and confused their first week.

The foggy feeling stayed with me through carb up this weekend and was still with me Monday when I went back to keto but seems to be gone today. Maybe it was a virus or something...

[EricF14]

My routine is all messed up at the moment. I've been feeling a bit queasy, like motion sickness, on and off, since Saturday. It has been making it difficult to eat enough food. Food seems to aggrevate the problem so I've been eating a small amount every hour or so.
Thinking it may be related to the keto diet I'm on I ate about 2 cups of pasta (cooked) last night but it didn't help.

Of course my martial arts instructor decided to do some equilibrium training Tueday which didn't help any either. :)

I skipped lifting last night and will probably skip martial arts tonight to do my lifting routine.

[EricF14]

ok, so I made up missing my lifting day:

Deadlift: 165x20, 175x14, 175x14
pull-ups: 10, 10, 10
BO Row: 125x10, 125x10, 125x10
DB Lateral: 20x15, 20x15 ,20x15

[EricF14]

I have not done any free weights since my last post. I had a martial arts class last Friday that was over 2 hours long and I was sore through to Monday.

This week I've been working late most every day although I was able to take off some time to get to martial arts class late Wednesday and last night.

I've lost about 7# since the last week in February, down to 158 from 165, and one pant size but I'm still no where near getting visible abs. :)

-Eric