Turning into a meathead- mid life crisis

[coachcalande]

So far today, five meals, 2510 cals, 342 G protein. I’ll probably eat again before bed.

[coachcalande]

Weigh in 281 today. I’m in no hurry and am fine if this is a slow crawl in any direction.

I’m learning some things, for example, I want those real carbs early in the day and can tolerate near zero carb/fat meals later in this day. This is a huge moment as planning that can make this easier later.

Having lost weight fast, regained strength that I lost but not at that same weight is a helpful learning moment too…I think I’m looking at a two steps down, one step up, two steps down, one step up process here …

For example I’m shooting for 250 lbs but the process might look like this…

280- 265
Back up to 270

Down to 255
Back up to 260

Down to 250

Trying to spare both muscle mass and strength on the way. I think I’ll be stronger than if I just dive rapidly to 250 .

Diet fatigue and burnout will stall and lead to binging. Mini bulking will keep me interested and passionate about training hard.

Todays plan: 3000 cals (50% pro)

5 am whey coffee, Greek Yogurt, apple
8 am 4 eggs, cup whites, 1/2 cup oats
11 am 4 eggs, cup whites, 1/2 cup oats
2 pm 8 oz chicken, 1 cup rice, 1 cup broccoli
5 pm 10 oz tuna, 2 slices toast
8 pm 8 oz chicken, cup green beans.

[coachcalande]

Just finished my lift. Great lift!

Always worry about loss of training energy and desire as well as strength but everything was in Gainesville today.

Bench went better than last time
285x8-7-7-6-6

Incline was better too 205x9-9-9-8

Flyes were great , around 12 reps per set

Rows-300, pulldowns 200 , narrow pulldowns 200,all big and no issues

Showed big gains in db press with 14 reps, 12 ,12, 9

Staying light with upright rows, 75 lbs around 12 reps

Finished with shrugs in a pyramid.

I’m out of whey protein so we will see how the diet goes.

[coachcalande]

279.6 this am.

Yesterday I just couldn’t eat the full 3000 cals. Close but finished at 2850 and 387 G protein.

Today I am eating at 4 am which will be typical from here on out.

Time- meal

4am- 4 eggs, 1 cup whites, 1/2 cup oats
7 am- 4 eggs, 1 cup,whites, 1/2 cup oats
10am- 8 oz chicken, 1 cup rice
1 pm- 8 oz chicken, green beans
4- 10 oz tuna, two slices toast
7-4 eggs, 3 oz chicken, banana

[coachcalande]

Seem to really favor 50-55% protein. On my way there again today and generally split carbs/fats at 25% when I eat 8 whole eggs each day.

Anyhow, did some cleaning (and have more to do) in my wt room garage area.

[coachcalande]

Weigh in 276.6

First goal is 275, then 250.

Anyhow, I am eating my way thinner with 3000 cals at 50% protein.

Today is leg day and I’m looking forward to my SSB PIT set.

I did get a great start on cleaning out the garage yesterday, huge piles of junk in the driveway now. More to do. Will be nice to have more garage gym space. Not sure how fatigued my low back is from all the work but we will soon find out!


Noteworthy- my 16 year old son hit 225x5 smooth reps on bench. He’s got football now and will have to scratch and claw to keep that strength with all the running the team does. He’s taken to eating my chicken breasts now.

Todays meals will be similar to yesterday to the best of my ability but we are out of egg whites again! (Also out of whey)
Tuna and egg whites are 100% the key to a 50% protein approach. Without them, the % changes fast.

[coachcalande]

Excellent lift.

Round robin style legs and arms today.

Ssb
305x10* ties PR and at this body weight its a real plus!
Did five sets and worked bis/tris in between.

Front squats 185x6 I think, 10 is my best so that wasn’t great but the knee concerns have held me back there.

Leg ext, leg curls, calf raises, all done too.

Feel great.

[veggie530]

gjdm. dropping weight and lifting heavy chit

[coachcalande]

gjdm. dropping weight and lifting heavy chit

Thanks, that’s the goal. Joints feel better with 6-10 reps vs 3-5.

[coachcalande]

Todays meals:

1- 10 oz lean ground Turkey, 1 cup rice
2- 10 oz lean ground Turkey, 1 cup rice
3- 8 oz chicken breast, 1 cup rice, broccoli
4- 7 oz ground beef, 1 cup green beans
5- 7 oz ground beef, 1 cup green beans

* three slices ham, apple before bed 3060 cals.

[coachcalande]

Got up a bit later today so I’ll target 5 meals again today. Still no whey and no egg whites, no Greek Yogurt so probably going lower carb higher fat unfortunately. Usually fat creeps up around 100 g when there are no whites.

Possible (likely) choices today:

Meal #
1- eggs
2- chicken breast
3- tuna
4- chicken breast
5- ground beef

Carb choices…
Oats
Rice
Toast
Apple
Green beans or broccoli

[coachcalande]

277 today.

Still using 285
For my bench sets
And gained an additional rep.
Now up to 285x9

Smashed my incline at 215x9
After benching and
Rows

Also
Bumbed shoulder
Press up a few
Lbs and still got 11
Reps.

In all, at 3000 cals and 45-50% protein I am slowly losing wt and gaining reps.

For the moment i am
Choosing 5meals at 600 cals each

[coachcalande]

Todays planned meals - all targeted to be at least 50 G protein but 600 cals

6 am 4 eggs, cup whites, 1/2 cup oats, small apple cinnamon 600 cals
9 am two scoops whey, small banana, 6 oz Greek yogurt about 550 cals
12 8 oz chicken, 1 cup rice
3 pm 8 oz ground beef, 1 cup green beans
6 pm 8 oz chicken, 1 cup rice.

* if I have a few cals to spare I’ll add an apple or greens.

[coachcalande]

This week, with fewer egg whites and more beef, I have been hitting about 300-350 G protein, 175-200 g carbs and 75-100 g fat.

When I eat five meals a day, the target is 600 per meal. This is quite a bit more enjoyable than 6 meals, 500 cals each….but I hit a high % of protein easier with the 6 meals.

So …on days where I know I’ll up early I’ll plan six meals.

[Benefitsofa]

Monster day is right, nice 330x5 bench

[coachcalande]

2958 cals, 301 G protein.

Five meals.


Feel stuffed.

[coachcalande]

Todays plan, let’s see how it goes.
Weight 278 this am. Interesting that I hit a low of 276 at 6 meals a day, but 5 meals I’m back up. Watching this trend as the difference in the same 3000 cals is the total protein.

350 G protein and just about 2980 cals.

6 am- 4 eggs, 1 cup whites, 1/2 cup oats, apple, cinnamon

9 am- 2 scoops whey, 9 oz Greek yogurt, banana

Noon- 10 oz ground turkey, 1 cup rice, green beans

3- 10 oz tuna, 1 oz shredded cheese, baked potato

6- 8 oz chicken,1 cup rice

[coachcalande]

Watching this trend closely now.

Video these three lifts
Ssb squats
Smith bench
Row

Keeping video journal of reps and performance changes as scale changes.

Everything is being tracked here and on Twitter, not using YouTube as much due to time constraints

So far, this August, I have added reps to squats, bench, row (which I’ll track more closely) while dropping 7 pounds.

*going by heaviest weigh in 283 to lowest weigh in 276. I’m going to have to scroll through these notes to see if I was ever heavier than 283 this August.

[coachcalande]

I could feel the bloat on my body all night. Just a puffiness. I expected to see the scale up a bit and sure enough, 279 this am, which is still down 2 lbs from last Saturday.

I’ll say again that aim in no hurry, particularly if I’m making progress on strength without injury!

Five meals a day has been a bit more enjoyable for me as the meals are 100 cals larger, often that’s in the form of carbs. This could explain the weight climbing back up a few pounds even though the total cals (3000) are the same, the % carbs is up maybe 5-10%. We know carbs hold four times their weight in water.

So glycogen and water weight….worth feeling a bit more satisfied and meal prep is easier. It’s much easier to prepare these 600 cal meals so far.

In any case, I plan to eat the exact same stuff today as yesterday.

Meal 1- 4 eggs, 1 cup whites, 1/2 cup oats and a small apple. Cinnamon.

* this breakfast has the apple where the 6 meals a day plan would move it.

Meal 2 - building this one around whey as often this is my post lift meal. I am enjoying my “Powerbuilding pudding” which is a very high protein mixture…1 cup Non fat Greek Yogurt, two scoops whey and a banana all mixed up. I use alittle water to get the right texture. With the six meal plan, I’d normally have whey with coffee and end the day with a whey shake and apple. The whey takes care of sweets.

Meal 3,4,5 are usually meat, rice or potato…green beans or broccoli or a salad. Today I am planning tuna, a potato, reduced fat cheese (1 oz), jalapeños and mustard, hot sauce

Meal 4 -8 oz chicken, rice

Meal 5- 10 oz ground turkey, rice, beans


It’s leg day!

[coachcalande]

Finishing legs now.

Five sets of SSB squats.
310x8

Three sets fronts on machine
155x8

Four sets ext, four sets leg curls, 6 sets calves.

Arms later today.

[coachcalande]

278 this am.

Yesterday after some time at the beach, I put in some time and had a great arm workout.

Ez curls pyramid style, worked up over seven sets to 145 lbs. got about five.
Sup sets with pushdowns working up to maybe 110.

Then did hammer curls and skull crushers.

I’m up late…need to plan meals but more of the same.

[coachcalande]

279 this am. It certainly appears that 3000 cals, 5 meals a day at 45-50% protein is my maintenance between 276-278.

As long as weight room numbers are improving and I’m healthy and feel good this is PERFECT.

Soon, work will change and I’ll have longer days so spacing meals may be more challenging. I may try to stay at 5 meals but stretch them to about 4 hours apart. Most likely it’ll be more of a struggle to find time to eat …and I’ll graze.

This am is chest, back, shoulders.

[coachcalande]

Started of crummy with 285x7, a loss of two reps on bench…then 6,6,6,6 the rest of the way.

Inclines were however super easy as I threw 215 up 12 times, then 220x11 and 225x8. So I’ll start at 225 next time.

I also added weight on db shoulder press and still got 12. Seem to be making a comeback there. Every other lift was big and strong too. Weird how bench was lame. Happy with the work.

[coachcalande]

329 g pro
66 g fat
230 g carbs

Pretty much effortless at the moment. Gotta do something to improve eating well at work when it’s crazy.

Tomorrow will be very lean and clean now that I finished off the red meat. We also have eggs , whites and tuna. So it’s going to be a VERY HIGH protein day!

[coachcalande]

Planning two whey “meals” today

Other choices are eggs, whites, ground turkey and tuna. Should easily get 350 G protein and 200 g carbs at 3000 cals.

Weight back down to 276 this am. No changes as long as weight is stable and weight training is good. Physical activity is going to increase slightly soon.

[coachcalande]

I’ll be 56 soon.

Was thinking about the journey from 310-276. I’m not eating less, not eating less frequently, just different cals and macros. Zero suffering, no hunger…in fact I’m often forcing at least one meal down.

At 3000 cals and 45-55% protein, it’s the manipulation of fats/carbs the keep me satisfied that makes this much easier. In the end, I feel most happy with about 50% pro, 30% carbs, 20% fat.

It’s not all that difficult. I’m also going to have some days where it’s six meals vs five….

Training right now is very good. I might not be as strong as I was but no less passionate or energetic. Heck I feel like going running today.

[coachcalande]

Had a great arm blasting session early this am - 11/12 sets bis tris.

Ez curls/pushdowns pyramid
Hammer curls/skull crushers
Conc curls/more sc

Legs after work later on!

[coachcalande]

310 buried me this afternoon on SSBs. Long hot day, dehydrated and exhausted but did the whole workout anyways. Only managed 5-3-3-3-3 there…used 165 on smith fronts, that was fine, leg ext, leg curls and calf raises all fine.

Squats just felt like a ton. Got 8 , then 6 with that just four days ago.

[coachcalande]

Did good things nutrition wise again today.

3035 cals
Over 350 G protein
About 65 g fat
About 245 g carbs

Very close to my 50%-30%-20% macro targets again.

Really getting pretty good with it. The challenges however are kids eating all the food lol! Went to get a potato and they had cooked ten of them for mashed potatoes. Can’t win ha ha.

[coachcalande]

Body weight is holding steady*

I’m probably going to finish out August at 3000 cals, then in Sept, reduce target by about 10%. Let’s see how the next week goes with a slight bump in physical activity anticipated.

Todays meals

5:30 4 eggs, 1 cup,whites, 3 oz ground turkey, 1/2 cup oats
8:30 4 eggs, 1 cup,whites, 3 oz ground turkey, 1/2 cup oats
11:30 8 oz chicken breast, 1 cup rice, 1/4 cup green beans
2:30 protein shake, 1/2 cup oats, banana
5:30 tuna, potato