vaBuckeye's Long Road to the Stage Starts

[vaBuckeye]

Goal:

Short term: I'm just looking to improve on a daily basis.
Long term: Don't laugh but some day I want to get up on a stage a compete. It may take many years but to do it would be the ultimate transformation from where I started.

Background: As a kid I was never overweight and participated in baseball, basketball and football all the way through high school. After high school I joined the Army and continued being physically fit throughout my career. It was never a problem for me to max out on my physical fitness tests. After leaving the Army I stayed somewhat in decent shape but becoming a civilian was slowly starting to make me lazy. Before I knew my weight would go up. I'd do cardio and weights for a little while and the weight would come off but then I'd give up and the weight went back up. Fast forward to November 11, 2012, my 50th birthday. That's when it hit me that I was a fat slob. I knew I had to do something but I was still unmotivated and did nothing. I finally decided in February of this year to get back in shape and I haven't looked back.

* February 2013 weight: 210 pounds.
* July 30, 2013 weight: 160 pounds.
* 50 pounds lost in 6 months.

Weight training is now a must in my life and it will forever always be. The info above has been posted before and many of you have seen it but to those new folks that may stumble upon this journal this is for you. This is to show you that you can succeed. I won't lie, its not easy. Eating less, cardio and weight training takes a commitment and you must have the mindset that nothing will stop you in your quest. Fat people have a million excuses for why they are out of shape. I know I did. I'll be frank, excuses are for losers. Don't be loser. Take control of your life because it's never to late.

I will make it a point to update this journal at least once a day. I'd love for new members to come here and see what's possible. I'm by no means the fittess person here nor the most knowledgable but perhaps I may have something to offer to someone. Questions? Ask away. My journey has just started and today is my next step on the road to success.

To finish this entry, I'll post some photos. Again many have seen them. The first 2 are from February 2013 of the fat @ss me. The rest are from July 28, 2013:

[vaBuckeye]

More photos from recent:

[vaBuckeye]

TODAY'S WORKOUT

At the gym this morning at 0600. The routine I'm currently using is Layne Norton's "PHAT" program. I picked this routine because it puts me in the gym 5 days a week, the minimum amount of days I wanted. I've completed 3 weeks on this program and I've been able to increase the poundage each week on most lifts on power days. For me this routine is intense. I will stick to this program for at least another 3 weeks and reevaluate whether to continue with it or move to something else. Below is today's workout with exercise, reps and poundage listed. The poundage may not be impressive to most but I'm happy with where I'm at.



Upper Body Power
PHAT Routine
Tue, Jul 30, 2013


T-Bar Row (Machine, Wide Grip)
1RM: 140.6
Ttl Weight: 1,775
Ttl Reps: 15
Avg Weight: 118.3
1. 125 × 5
2. 115 × 5
3. 115 × 5

Pull Ups Unassisted
Ttl Reps: 14
Avg Weight:
1. × 8
2. × 6

Chin Ups Unassisted
Ttl Reps: 22
Avg Weight:
1. × 12
2. × 10

Bench Press (Dumbbell)
1RM: 78.8×2
Ttl Weight: 2,100
Ttl Reps: 15
Avg Weight: 140
1. 70×2 × 5
2. 70×2 × 5
3. 70×2 × 5

5 Chest Dips (Parallel Bars)
Body Weight
1RM (1)
Ttl Weight: 3,888
Ttl Reps: 24
Avg Weight: 162
1. × 12
2. × 12

6 Shoulder Press (Dumbbell, Seated)
1RM (1)
5/12/13: 52.3×2
Ttl Weight: 2,160
Ttl Reps: 24
Avg Weight: 90
1. 45×2 × 8
2. 45×2 × 8
3. 45×2 × 8

7 Arm Curls (Barbell)
1RM: 92.7
Ttl Weight: 1,240
Ttl Reps: 16
Avg Weight: 77.5
1. 85 × 4
2. 75 × 6
3. 75 × 6

8 Triceps Extensions (Dumbbell)
1RM (1)
6/28/13: 90
Ttl Weight: 1,800
Ttl Reps: 26
Avg Weight: 69.2
1. 75 × 8
2. 75 × 8
3. 60 × 10


7/30/13 - All exercises (lb)
Total weight 12963 lb
Pecs 5988 lb
Front Delts 2160 lb
Triceps 1800 lb
Lats 1775 lb
Biceps 1240 lb

Other exercised muscles: Trapezius (Traps), Posterior Deltoids (Rear Delts), Lateral Deltoid (Side Delts), Erector spinae (Lower Back), Hamstrings (Rear Thighs), Gluteus maximus (Glutes), Forearm muscles (Forearms)

***Also did cardio for 40 minutes today.






Today's Nutrition:
Food Diary For: Tuesday July30, 2013

Pre Workout:
Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim), 1 cup
Muscle Tech - Whey Protein Plus Chocolate, 1 scoop

Meal 2:
2 whole Eggs
4oz. Ribeye Steak
1/2cup 2% Milkfat Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Meal 3:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 8 oz.

Meal 4:
Castle Wood Reserve - Angus Roast Beef (Variety Pack), 4 ounces
4 Large Eggs (Whole)
1 cup 2% Milkfat Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Meal 5:
Atlantic Salmon Frozen Center Cut Fillets, 6 oz (1 fillet)
Broccoli Florets, 1/2 bag

Totals:
Calories - 1801
Protein - 215 g.
Carbs - 53g.
Fat - 78g.

My goal is 2300 calories a day. I'm short by 499 calories. I'll make this up with peanut butter and Greek yogurt.

[HDStretchman]

In for sub. Looks good.

[vaBuckeye]

Time for a good nights sleep as tomorrow is leg day. Going for 250 pound squats for 5 reps. Would be my best so far.

[doughnutgut]

In on 1rd page.




Looks good Don.

Going to enjoy following the road to success....

[vaBuckeye]

In on 1rd page.




Looks good Don.

Going to enjoy following the road to success....

Thanks Lee. Can't wait to read yours when you start it.

[doughnutgut]

Thanks Lee. Can't wait to read yours when you start it.

Haha Don.

Don't build your hopes up. Today i pulled a pb squatting, still poverty squat weight doh .

Twas a breaking in 1st day back and sore sore sore already walking home.

Big DOMS on the way....

[vaBuckeye]

In the gym at 0600 this morning. Power lower body day and felt really good. Don't know if it's just a mental thing but I feel so much stronger now that I've been eating at maintenace for a while. Wanted to hit 250 pounds for 5 reps on my squats today but stayed at 245. I may have to lower that 245 because I found myself not quite going down to parellel. One thing I insist on is doing the exercises correctly. My routine today is at the bottom of the page.

I'm no longer going to list the things I eat throughout the day. I'm sure it is boring to read and plus I tend to eat pretty much the same stuff daily. My main food items are:
Chicken Breast
Beef
Fish
Cottage Chesse
Eggs (whole)
Milk
Canned Tuna
Sardines
Greek Yogurt
Almonds
Peanut Butter
Green Vegatables
Some Fruits
***Hot sauce is added to everything except sweets. YUM YUM!!!!

Supplements include the following:
Creatine
Whey Protein
Fish Oil
Multi Vitamin
Green Tea

My current maintenance level for calories are 2300 a day. I have all my daily meals planned out the night before and logged in to My Fitness Pal the night before. That way I'm able to adjust my calories either up or down. In most cases it's up. Today I already know my nutritional levels:
Calories - 1632
Protein - 218g
Fat - 55g
Carbs - 47g
By knowing this I see that I'm 668 calories short of my maintenance level. Sometime during the day or evening I'll consume maybe some peanut butter, almonds or whatever to get me up to 2300. This has worked out great for me. Another note on nutrition - Buying a digital food scale was one of the best decisions I ever made. If you are new to this I would highly recommend doing the same thing.




Today's Routine

Lower Body Power
PHAT Routine
Wed, Jul 31, 2013

Full Squats
225 × 5
245 × 5
245 × 5

Hack Squats
310 × 8
310 × 8
310 × 8

Leg Extensions
150 × 8
145 × 8

Stiff Leg Deadlifts
185 × 8
185 × 5
185 × 5

Lying Leg Curls
90 × 6
90 × 6

Standing Calf Raises (Machine)
195 × 8
195 × 8
195 × 8

Seated Calf Raises
170 × 8
170 × 8

[doughnutgut]

Big shooting there today buddy.

well done

[kendo]

Great stuff starting the Journal mate, I just found posts about an hour ago of mine from 2001 getting ready for my shows and don't even remember posting them! I could see what calories I was on supps, training everything lol.

Don't hold back on posting your foods, reps, supps whatever you feel, it will be good to look back on, you seem to be well motivated now and have caught the bug!

Looking forward to your journey!

Kendo

[doughnutgut]

Great stuff starting the Journal mate, I just found posts about an hour ago of mine from 2001 getting ready for my shows and don't even remember posting them! I could see what calories I was on supps, training everything lol.

Don't hold back on posting your foods, reps, supps whatever you feel, it will be good to look back on, you seem to be well motivated now and have caught the bug!

Looking forward to your journey!

Kendo

Exactly that.

I want to see what you put in your mouth daily, what you eat, sleep, think, errything.

Don't hold back. What you think is boring will motivate and assist others buddy.

Type away. Everyone is interested. Me especially.

[vaBuckeye]

Great stuff starting the Journal mate, I just found posts about an hour ago of mine from 2001 getting ready for my shows and don't even remember posting them! I could see what calories I was on supps, training everything lol.

Don't hold back on posting your foods, reps, supps whatever you feel, it will be good to look back on, you seem to be well motivated now and have caught the bug!

Looking forward to your journey!

Kendo

Thanks Kendo. You have been a big help. Would like to see your journal. Is it so far back I'd have to search for it? If so bump it.

[vaBuckeye]

Exactly that.

I want to see what you put in your mouth daily, what you eat, sleep, think, errything.

Don't hold back. What you think is boring will motivate and assist others buddy.

Type away. Everyone is interested. Me especially.

Will do Lee.

[vaBuckeye]

My Food Diary For:
Wednesday July 31, 2013

Meal 1, Pre-Workout:
Muscle Tech - Whey Protein Plus Chocolate, 1 scoop
Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim), 1 cup

Meal 2, Post Workout:
Original - Eggbeaters, 1 container (30 tbsp (46g) ea.)

Meal 3:
Breakstone's - 2% Milkfat Lowfat Cottage Cheese- Small Curd, 1 cup
Eggs - 4 Large Eggs (Whole), 4 egg


Meal 4:
Castle Wood Reserve - Angus Roast Beef (Variety Pack), 5.25 ounces
Tyson-(Sams Club) - Ice Glazed, Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 4.5 oz.


Meal 5:
Food Lion Microwave Steam-In-Bag - Broccoli Florets, 0.5 container (340 gs ea.)
Sam's Club - Atlantic Salmon Frozen Center Cut Fillets, 6 oz (1 fillet)

Calories Carbs Fat Protein

Totals 1,633 47 55 218

Again my daily goal for calories is 2300. Somewhere, somehow I need to find 668 calories to meet my goal. I will do this by consuming peanut butter and almonds later this evening.

[vaBuckeye]

One thing you will notice in my daily diet is cottage cheese and 4 whole eggs. Let me give you an awesome recipe that I invented:

* 4 Whole eggs smash up with a fork
* Mix in 1 cup of cottage cheese
* Drench thoroughly with the hot sauce of your choice

If I eat this at work I have to eat away from the office as my coworkers complain about the smell.

My wife and daughters say it's gross and I'm disgusting but hey, I like it so that's what matters

[kendo]

Thanks Kendo. You have been a big help. Would like to see your journal. Is it so far back I'd have to search for it? If so bump it.

Wasn't so much a journal but just postings ill bump a thread I had pics and comments on in over 35

[kendo]

My Food Diary For:
Wednesday July 31, 2013

Meal 1, Pre-Workout:
Muscle Tech - Whey Protein Plus Chocolate, 1 scoop
Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim), 1 cup

Meal 2, Post Workout:
Original - Eggbeaters, 1 container (30 tbsp (46g) ea.)

Meal 3:
Breakstone's - 2% Milkfat Lowfat Cottage Cheese- Small Curd, 1 cup
Eggs - 4 Large Eggs (Whole), 4 egg


Meal 4:
Castle Wood Reserve - Angus Roast Beef (Variety Pack), 5.25 ounces
Tyson-(Sams Club) - Ice Glazed, Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 4.5 oz.


Meal 5:
Food Lion Microwave Steam-In-Bag - Broccoli Florets, 0.5 container (340 gs ea.)
Sam's Club - Atlantic Salmon Frozen Center Cut Fillets, 6 oz (1 fillet)

Calories Carbs Fat Protein

Totals 1,633 47 55 218

Again my daily goal for calories is 2300. Somewhere, somehow I need to find 668 calories to meet my goal. I will do this by consuming peanut butter and almonds later this evening.

Is your post workout just protein?

I take a sports drink with whey and creatine poured in to the remainder of my workout bcaa and glutamine drink

The simple sugars will insulin spike and transport the amino's big window of opportunity and will pad out the extra cals you need

[kendo]

Bumped up my thread but it is in the my pictures category not sure if you would see it

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=421

[vaBuckeye]

Is your post workout just protein?

I take a sports drink with whey and creatine poured in to the remainder of my workout bcaa and glutamine drink

The simple sugars will insulin spike and transport the amino's big window of opportunity and will pad out the extra cals you need

Good catch Kendo. Actually on most occasions post workout is mostly and usually protein. I do always take creatine after my workout. I guess what you're getting at is I should have some carbs after my workout, yes?

I guess having this journal is more important than I thought.

[vaBuckeye]

Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day for me. I absolutely hate rest days. I always feel like I need to do something but common sense always prevails and I do take the rest days. I'm guessing the further I get in to this lifestyle the more I'll appreciate those days off. That when your muscles grow, correct?

[Bo_Flecks]

I guess what you're getting at is I should have some carbs after my workout, yes? .

A lot of guys will argue that as long as you hit your carb and protein macros sometime during the day, you don't NEED them post workout. From a completely nutritional standpoint there are studies that show that to be true. But from the perspective of how you FEEL after a workout, having a protein meal with some carbs can make a big difference.

If I don't have some protein and carbs within an hour of training, I turn into a real asshat.

[vaBuckeye]

A lot of guys will argue that as long as you hit your carb and protein macros sometime during the day, you don't NEED them post workout. From a completely nutritional standpoint there are studies that show that to be true. But from the perspective of how you FEEL after a workout, having a protein meal with some carbs can make a big difference.

If I don't have some protein and carbs within an hour of training, I turn into a real asshat.

Thanks for the info Bo. So perhaps fruit after a workout would be the way to go. Wife always has apples, grapefruits and bananas in the house.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Journal looks off to good start. Good stuff. Agree with Bo_Flecks. Never underestimate what works best for you on food stuff. Takes lots of systematic messing around lol.

Been enjoying following a few PHAT, journals lately, sure this will be no exception

[kendo]

A lot of guys will argue that as long as you hit your carb and protein macros sometime during the day, you don't NEED them post workout. From a completely nutritional standpoint there are studies that show that to be true. But from the perspective of how you FEEL after a workout, having a protein meal with some carbs can make a big difference.

If I don't have some protein and carbs within an hour of training, I turn into a real asshat.

)))

[Bo_Flecks]

Thanks for the info Bo. So perhaps fruit after a workout would be the way to go. Wife always has apples, grapefruits and bananas in the house.

I think whatever carbs you enjoy eating would be fine.

My post workout meal is usually comprised of 30 or so grams of protein and 30 to 40 grams of carbs. For carbs I usually have a potato, or rice, or bread, or some combination of those. Whether the carbs are considered simple or complex really doesn't make much a difference to me. Keeping it within my calorie and macro target is usually my biggest concern.

[vaBuckeye]

I think whatever carbs you enjoy eating would be fine.

My post workout meal is usually comprised of 30 or so grams of protein and 30 to 40 grams of carbs. For carbs I usually have a potato, or rice, or bread, or some combination of those. Whether the carbs are considered simple or complex really doesn't make much a difference to me. Keeping it within my calorie and macro target is usually my biggest concern.

Bo or anyone else who wants to chime in, I've read mixed reviews from posters concerning protein bars. I have a whole box of Cliff Builders Protein Bars sitting in my pantry right now. What would be your opinion of one of these post workout:


Cliff Builders - Protein Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter, 1 bar
Calories -270
Protein - 20 g
Carbs - 30 g
Fat -8 g

[doughnutgut]

Bo or anyone else who wants to chime in, I've read mixed reviews from posters concerning protein bars. I have a whole box of Cliff Builders Protein Bars sitting in my pantry right now. What would be your opinion of one of these post workout:


Cliff Builders - Protein Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter, 1 bar
Calories -270
Protein - 20 g
Carbs - 30 g
Fat -8 g

EAT it buddy. IIFYM..

Good post workout fix is anything with carbs... I smash anything that moves after a workout. Need to, got to or I am a grumple stiltskin..

[kendo]

Bo or anyone else who wants to chime in, I've read mixed reviews from posters concerning protein bars. I have a whole box of Cliff Builders Protein Bars sitting in my pantry right now. What would be your opinion of one of these post workout:


Cliff Builders - Protein Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter, 1 bar
Calories -270
Protein - 20 g
Carbs - 30 g
Fat -8 g

That's a really good idea post workout, but if you are in any way unsure I'll send you my address and you can post all those unwanted bars to me

[doughnutgut]

That's a really good idea post workout, but if you are in any way unsure I'll send you my address and you can post all those unwanted bars to me

Dang.

Why didn't i think of that kendo...