Time to re-focus and stay positive

[DanTheManB]

Decided on doing the NGA Natural Pittsburgh April 10th here at Franklin Regional Highschool. Was going to start the diet the day after my birthday December 29th. But after re-thinking and re-analyzing everything I feel it's best to begin this coming Sunday the 13th. This gives me 16 weeks to dial it in.

The rest of this week (including my work's X-mas Party on Friday) I will eat whatever I feel like...if it's clean it's clean, if it's wendy's then it's wendy's. Just until Sunday.
I'll start my more regimented structure with 281g Protein, 230g Carbs, and 55-60g Fats. Puts me between 2,539-2,600 calories (giving some room for leeway with things like XTEND)

My lifting schedule will be a bit different than most people's or even what I did in the past.

Sunday: Back/Calves
Monday: Shoulders/Traps
Tuesday: Bi's/Tri's/Abs
Wednesday: Cardio---To start only 15 minutes, and maybe abs
Thursday: Chest
Friday: Legs
Saturday: OFF though slowly introduce another 15 minute cardio session after a few weeks.

Also, the year anniversary of my g/f comitting suicide is coming up on my Birthday the 28th. I feel this structure will help to keep my mind off of things a bit and add a bit of positive energy in my life.

I just stopped Lexapro today as I don't need a hinderance on my mind ( superficial feelings and maybe a weight loss deterrent) ...

Supplementation will be either All The Whey Protein, Scivation Protein, XTEND, Beta- Alanine and Creatine, Glycobol, and starting the diet with Mitotropin while I have energy to spare.

Any thoughts or questions please feel free.

[bustasinclair]

I'd like to follow along.

Out of curosity, what kind of job do you do? I always wonder this when I see people's macros and compare to mine. I have a lame desk job btw.

[DanTheManB]

I'd like to follow along.

Out of curosity, what kind of job do you do? I always wonder this when I see people's macros and compare to mine. I have a lame desk job btw.

Work front desk at a hotel. One day I'll get a real job. Also don't have a car so I walk a LOT.....I'm on my feet at work also

[RichKnapp]

Work front desk at a hotel. One day I'll get a real job. Also don't have a car so I walk a LOT.....I'm on my feet at work also

Don't want to come across as a jurk. BUT the way the economy and uninployment is ANY job is not lame. Be proud you have one. Make the most of it till you move on.

Cool another log to follow. ^5

[bustasinclair]

Work front desk at a hotel. One day I'll get a real job. Also don't have a car so I walk a LOT.....I'm on my feet at work also

Heck, sounds better than my job.

I only ask cause you're starting at a higher calorie level than I did and now I know why. I started at 2200-2300 and slowly dropping from there. I use a 45p/30f/25c split until I find anything better.

You gonna do some starting pics next week?

[DanTheManB]

Heck, sounds better than my job.

I only ask cause you're starting at a higher calorie level than I did and now I know why. I started at 2200-2300 and slowly dropping from there. I use a 45p/30f/25c split until I find anything better.

You gonna do some starting pics next week?

maybe. they may be of the cell phone variety unless i can co-erce my buddy into taking a cple. stay posted. in fact, i may start everything on thursday...why wait lol

[DanTheManB]

Actually decided to start today....why wait? All clean today and did 3 sets of barbell curls, 3 sets of db curls, couple sets of cambered curls....and walked 2 miles to work....tomorrow goin to start cardio and hit some abs...first lifting session for real Thurs. I'll provide in depth on sets and reps

[Barn01]

You and me both bro ... I started cleaning up the food and cal intake yesterday

I wish I had the extra couple months you did to bulk, it looked like it served you well, but it is what it is. My comp would be the week before yours so it's on buddy!

I'll follow along and see if I can keep up haha!

[DanTheManB]

You and me both bro ... I started cleaning up the food and cal intake yesterday

I wish I had the extra couple months you did to bulk, it looked like it served you well, but it is what it is. My comp would be the week before yours so it's on buddy!

I'll follow along and see if I can keep up haha!

def. man! love your insights! are u starting a journal???

[AustrianOakJr]

Good luck with your prep....ill be watching to see how you do!

[DanTheManB]

Today's weight: 206.5lbs....insane that all I did the last couple days was clean everything up and dropped 4.5lbs of water! lol

Today Was Stair stepper for 15 minutes and ran thru a weighted ab circuit...tanned.

Diet is perfect.

Tomorrow is chest and a cple sets of crunches!

[Barn01]

def. man! love your insights! are u starting a journal???

Haha naw I don't write anything down so not really the journal kind of guy. I basically remember what weight and reps I do for my 3 working set of pretty much everything and just try and beat it when I hit it the following week. That's how I come up with my ORM numbers in my profile. They aren't actually ORM (one rep max).

Mind you I should get some pics this week for my own records. Ghost white with a hairy belly and a one pack sounds like fun!

But I'm into following along

Yeahhhh Buddy ..... light weight!!!!

[DanTheManB]

Haha naw I don't write anything down so not really the journal kind of guy. I basically remember what weight and reps I do for my 3 working set of pretty much everything and just try and beat it when I hit it the following week. That's how I come up with my ORM numbers in my profile. They aren't actually ORM (one rep max).

Mind you I should get some pics this week for my own records. Ghost white with a hairy belly and a one pack sounds like fun!

But I'm into following along

Yeahhhh Buddy ..... light weight!!!!

LOL! a "one pack"? WTF man?! we all hold fat differently i guess...oh i remember what i did the week prior i just like keeping a journal to stay on point!

[DanTheManB]

Bodyweight today was back up to 208lbs....kinda figured that would happen haha. Cool to see the fluctuations from day to day...

Chest Day!

Barbell Incline Presses:

135x10 (warmup)
185x10 (warmup)
225x8
250x8
250x8--Solid strong reps. Felt good

1 set Ball Crunches 30 reps

Dumbell Incline Presses:

90x10
100x10
110x8
110x8
120x4---if I would have started with this exercise probably would have done 2 sets here and gotten 8-10 reps...
90x10

Flat DB Presses:
85x10
90x8
95x8
100x8


1 set ball crunchesx30

Hammer Incline:

237lbsx10
277lbsx10
327lbsx8
367x5---really hit the wall here...drop to
327x5

3 sets low cablesx20 reps
3 sets high cablesx20 reps

3 mile walk home

Not a bad workout....felt a bit sluggish though...mental I suppose plus trying to get re-acclimated to less calories

[Barn01]

That's a boat load of incline and I like the 3 mile walk home haha!

[DanTheManB]

That's a boat load of incline and I like the 3 mile walk home haha!

can never over look the upper pecs. the shelf is whats impressive! and my lower chest is massive and it still gets work with inclines

[DanTheManB]

Figure I'd get into my current mindset. This is turning out to be a much much rougher month than I had figured. I've mentioned the reason why over and over though I wasn't aware almost a YEAR later it would affect me so devastatingly.

As the anniversary slowly approaches I'm literally feeling more and more down every day. It's not something I can help. It's not something I can "just get over".

Me making things more structured is my way of coping. And it comes at a good time in my training as I've broken PRs in both deadlift (525) and squat (475). I could easily get to 220-230 but that is not my priority right now.

I was prescribed Lexapro 3 weeks ago and I still take Trazodone to help with sleep once in a while. I recently just straight up took myself off of Lexapro. Made me feel too nonchalant. And the drive, focus and anger I need to lift and dominate my diet must be there. It's just how I operate.

Lifting is what keeps me sane though lately I've felt like taking a break. Energy down a bit I suppose with the upcoming anniversary. Once the day comes and I see her parents I'm sure my fury will be at an all time high. I'm coping with rum and diet coke here once in a while until the day after (the 29th). Self medication? Yeah. It helps me. As long as the rest of my diet is on point until then I won't worry about it.

[DanTheManB]

Leg Day. Today will be forever known as the day a one man war was partaken against the squat rack. And the man not only won but raped and pillaged their steel will.

Squats:
135x10 (warmup)
225x10 (warmup)
315x10---got a cell video of this...good set but nothing compared to what was to come
405x8--PR!!
405x6--extremely solid set...took a cell video of this also
425x5--PR!!
480x1--PR---took a video
315x8

Leg Press:

535lbsx10
625x8
715x8
805x8
900x8

Hack Squat:

150x8---feet high and narrow doing these
200x8
240x8

One Leg Leg Extension--3 sets of 8-10
Standing One leg leg curl 3 sets of 10
Hammer Strength seated Leg curl 3 sets of 8

3 Mile walk home...which sucked.

Best leg workout I've ever had. Feels amazing.

[RichKnapp]

3 Mile walk home...which sucked.

WOW you slammed it. ^5 I am amazed you could walk home.

[DanTheManB]

WOW you slammed it. ^5 I am amazed you could walk home.

thanks brother! yeah me too....tryin to figure out how to put these cell phone vids up lol

[RichKnapp]

thanks brother! yeah me too....tryin to figure out how to put these cell phone vids up lol

save someplace like photo-bucket then post the direct url .

[DanTheManB]

my buddy is tryin to put them on youtube so ill post the link when hes done

[DanTheManB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAFJe6VBerE

[DanTheManB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwbnlgLKnjg

[RichKnapp]

fixed it for ya. ^5

[DanTheManB]

thanks

[RichKnapp]

thanks

n/p

[DanTheManB]

Posting this entry from the hotel where I work at. At a Christmas party. Don't feel like drinking any rum tonight. Had one mixed with diet pepsi and I'm done. Diet is on point otherwise.

Trying hard to stay positive but I don't really feel like I'm much of a contributer to society right now. I despise my job. I'm grateful for it, don't get me wrong but I guess it's more the fact that it's not even a "real" job. I make $8.60 an hour to get yelled and screamed at by people who I'd choke slam in a f ucking second on the street. I check them in and that's about it. Like I seriously have 0 patience for almost anyone right now. I can't even smile at the desk. Lifting literally is ALL that I have right now. As long as I have that I'll be ok.

[Barn01]

480 full squat Dan? WTF? are you sure you only weighed 162lbs in the summer? That's it ... after this cut is over I'm getting my ass over 200lbs for the first time in my life!

I think most of us have had a job we hated at some point, I used to ask people if they wanted fries with that. Mind you I was the King of BK, I'd even wear the paper crown on occation!

When you have the time start setting yourself up for other job opportunities. It will come if you want it to. The mind is a VERY powerful thing. It doesn't matter if it's lifting or success in life. If you vision success, happiness, and you want something bad enough, life seems to find ways of making it happen.

My old boss used to say "Luck, is when preparation meets opportunity". So always be prepared!

[RichKnapp]

My old boss used to say "Luck, is when preparation meets opportunity". So always be prepared!

Very well said.