Laser Focus

[shesprints]

Nice work on the overhead squat. Betting if you worked on the pull up for a bit you'd be able to do one though surprised you can't do one now. I don't try though for a short bit I could do a chin-up or two. It's hard to reach the bars set up for that and the "assisted" doesn't go far enough up so when I try using it the weights clank before my head gets over the handles.

The hunger issue sounds rough. Though lately I've been hungry far more than before. Need to get back to deficit and hope it will calm down.

I think in my case I've just been in a deficit for awhile (since October 1st) and it's beginning to wear on me. Most days I feel fine, actually much less hungry than the first month or so of the cut... just a little tired of it and ready for a break.

Part of the reason I can't do a pullup now is an unspecified shoulder injury I've had for a couple of years. My left shoulder slides painfully out of place if I overexert pulls with it. I assume it'll sort of fix itself once I work on my shoulder strength and stability a bit more, but right now that's mostly what limits me on the movement. Core strength could also improve. I will get there!


I will respond to other people's logs soon. Drowning a bit this week and very fatigued from PMS/period stuff. Had a good day today, lot of work and dinner w parents. Food first then training.

Breakfast 8:20am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
8.6 oz asparagus
5 oz pineapple
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3.5 oz fat free Greek yogurt
3.74 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Pre/postworkout 11:00am + 2:00pm
12 oz potato

Lunch 3:00pm
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz t-bone steak

Dinner 8:00pm
6 oz green beans
18 oz onion/zucchini/eggplant/pepper/tomato stew
5 oz salmon
1 T teriyaki sauce
6 oz farro (cooked weight)
400mg magnesium

1965 cal, 237C/154P/53F



Training was good today. I enjoyed the lesson and mastered the moves moderately fast.

Advanced 1 gi
Single leg counters
1. Warmup for these with the same theory. Pass to side control but they get the underhook. Overhook grab arm and swing leg over to mount.
2. If you have front headlock, collect their FAR elbow by grabbing the tricep and bring that shoulder down to the floor. Bring your knee up to hit their other arm and push them over, while remaining balanced on your other knee. Then swing over to mount.
3. From front headlock position, if they duck under your arm and sit out, swing your leg across them at the waist and go to mount. (You'll have one of their arms trapped under your leg).

5 x 5 min regular training
Got an arm bar yay

Advanced 1 nogi
Escape from closed guard by standing up immediately on one of their biceps and levering their leg off by scooping deep under with your arms. Quickly high step leg out as they go to grab it with the arm that was stepped on, and step back again before reconfiguring to pass guard.

6 x 5 min regular training
Got an arm bar and also a straight footlock when I could not pass my friend's guard and went "whatever fine."

Also, funny story: there was this girl who got 4 stripes at promotions and I was really upset at first as I thought she'd been training for less time than I had. Turns out not to be the case--she started several months before, and got 4 stripes only because she had not gone to a previous promotion. I also fought her and dominated today and I no longer feel insecure about lagging behind anyone who started more recently than I did. Whew. I also did not beat her just through strength. I used technique.

I know this is not a great mindset, but... meh. I'm competitive. oh well.

[LunaLifts]

That's an ambitious present goal, but I do hope you can figure out how to get him one. Of course, with how video games change year to year, by next year it might be something else... oh noes. Thank you for Hannukkah wishes! It's not really a big holiday for us Jews, we just celebrate it extra to fit in with Christmas. :P

Lol!

And fortunately this game will stay the same, it was a special version only made for arcades, and Jay said the nintendo versions sucked. He's mentioned it quite a few times in the last ten years, so I'm sure if I can find it (well, I did, but if I can afford it) he'll still love it.

And if it's not as good as he remembered, he'll love it anyway, because if I pull that off he goddamn better! >.<

Getting a little ragged-feeling on a deficit I think, but we'll see. My acute hunger is less but my chronic hunger is ramped up, if that makes sense.

Thinking about taking a maintenance break? I've never done one, because I typically have more frequent high days. If I was consistent though, I'd definitely plan for a few days or a week at maintenance here and there, cutting for a long time can be grueling.

[shesprints]

Lol!

And fortunately this game will stay the same, it was a special version only made for arcades, and Jay said the nintendo versions sucked. He's mentioned it quite a few times in the last ten years, so I'm sure if I can find it (well, I did, but if I can afford it) he'll still love it.

And if it's not as good as he remembered, he'll love it anyway, because if I pull that off he goddamn better! >.<

Thinking about taking a maintenance break? I've never done one, because I typically have more frequent high days. If I was consistent though, I'd definitely plan for a few days or a week at maintenance here and there, cutting for a long time can be grueling.

Yeah, I absolutely never take high days when I'm being serious. It's a trait that carries over from when I was anorexic. Apparently, anorexic-inclined people have difficulty "set shifting," which means we're kind of all or nothing and have difficulty changing course. It has made me a successful endurance athlete, since I would just... refuse to stop no matter how painful a race was... and it's made me a consistent and effective athlete in the way that I train... but it's not always healthy for me either mentally or physically.

Right now I'm not sure if I truly need a diet break or if I am just overtired from not taking a rest day in 2 weeks. The last day off I had was the day before the December 1st tournament. Whoops. Talk about not switching off. :/

Either way I had planned on ending my cut in January. I only considered extending the cut when I was thinking about dropping down another full weight class by late February. Now I'm not sure that's realistic. I will talk to my nutritionist when I next see her too--that's next Thursday.

I like how I look right now OK but seeing myself get leaner is a little bit addictive. On the other hand, so would seeing myself recomp/build some muscle as I continue my lifting program. I suppose.

Good training today but again, exhausted due to no rest days.

BJJ--2 hours
Level 2 gi
Guard pass (circle pass--one hand on collar one on pant leg) to side control. They begin to roll out. Pull back collar and hips down and to the side to pull them back. They go again, slide near leg into the opening and begin to take mount.
If they block your far hook, go for bow and arrow:
1. Switch hand grip to over their arm and grab that far collar.
2. Stretch back and grab either under their knee or their pant leg.
3. Pass hooking leg across their body, swing far leg up over their shoulder, and forward roll pulling them into bow and arrow.

4 x 2:30 positional start from side control
3 x 5 min regular training
A purple belt allowed me to work arm bar from guard. His note: move grips up gradually. My note: remember foot on their hip!

Advanced 1 nogi
5 min takedown practice (low single, high-c to double, single to treetop)
Defense against deep half
If they go to underhook your leg, throw your hip back, block their head, and get far underhook. Then pass from half guard.
Second option: if you can't get that far underhook take the near underhook instead. Walk legs in so hip up. Turn their body away from their trapped head and arm. Try to escape knee and if you can't, step over with other foot first and then free trapped foot and move to side control (stay on toes until then).

6 x 5 min regular training
Worked on defense and staying on top. Passed guard and held side control and mount against a tough white belt guy who uses a lot of strength. Practiced sweeps from dlr. Got kimura and statue of liberty arm bar.

Note to drill these moves Saturday! (I'm drilling with a friend then and this week I want to practice the stuff we learned in classes)

Food was just... man, I was hungry again literally as soon as I finished every meal, like fukkkkk.

Breakfast 8:50am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
6 oz broc-co-li
3.7 oz onion
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4.8 oz pineapple
4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Intraworkout 11:30am + 12:30pm
12 oz potato

Lunch 3:00pm
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz steak

Dinner 7:30pm
6.7 oz red bell pepper
15.75 oz cauliflower
4 oz avocado
6 oz cod
1/4 c bulgur
400mg magnesium

1985 cal, 240C/156P/53F

[shesprints]

Ugh. I barely slept last night due to intense hunger that kept waking me up, but right now I'm having trouble allowing myself to eat over 2000 calories as that was the goal I set for this cut (until January). As a result, today was a complete waste. I got some of the things done that I needed to but I crashed after lunch and had a nap, and I feel logy and awful. I had some really intense urges to binge eat as well, which is something that I haven't done in many years. Or maybe not even binge eat but just eat a lot of food. Definitely need to talk to the nutritionist Thursday.

ETA I wound up eating over my calorie goal for the first time since I began this cut simply because I couldn't take the hunger and mental fog I've been in anymore. I felt bottomlessly starving all day and I can't go another night without sleep because of it.

Food today.

Breakfast 7:55am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
8.15 oz brussels sprouts
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4 oz pineapple
6 oz apple
4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Snack 11:00am
1 oz mixed nuts, unsalted

Lunch 2:00pm
2 cups vegetable soup
2 oz avocado
6 oz cod
2 x wasa crackers

Dinner 7:10pm
9.5 oz asparagus
15.7 oz cauliflower
6 oz sea bass
1 T teriyaki
2 oz avocado
1/4 c bulgur
4.5 oz peach
400mg magnesium

After-dinner snack because I was dying of hunger 9:40pm
3 oz whole wheat sourdough bread
6 oz turkey
3.2 oz tomato
2 oz avocado

2570 cal, 290C/215P/74F

I also think I need to consider where my body wants to be, weight-wise. I'm about at the goal that I originally set, and I don't know if it is indeed healthy for me to try to go lower. I look pretty good even to myself and I feel good at this size but I also feel lighter and more energetic than I did before I began cutting so I keep thinking if I continue I will only get better? Only that's not quite true, as I may sacrifice strength and, as I've seen, energy.


Meh. At least I hope to have decent energy at BJJ tomorrow; I'm doing 3 hours. And then I have work and then date night. I'm just... so physically drained and clearly in need of a diet break or something. I'm so glad I'm seeing the nutritionist soon.

[shesprints]

I texted with my friend who also used to be anorexic last night and he reassured me that I did what I was supposed to do and should just move on, not compensate or anything, and that it was probably a good idea to listen to what my body needed. I swear I felt like I was as hungry as when I tried eating only 1400 calories. I suppose ithe deficit had just crept too high for a too many days in a row.

Anyway, back to normal today. Oddly, I woke up still feeling fairly hungry and tired, and I feel I barely survived the usual Saturday training--which, to be fair, is quite intense (3 hours). So I'm glad I did eat last night.

BJJ--3 hours
Drill 1 hour
Guard pass from knee shield--mini leg drag passing their ankle and putting knee down a la Yuri Simoes
Closed guard arm bar both sides
Mount arm bar
Half guard lapel pass sweep
Spider guard scissor sweep

Open mat 1 hour
9 x 4-5 min rounds
Did well against a female purple. Got tips on keeping away guard pass by grabbing their sleeve as they come in, turning away, and creating distance like Marcos says.

Advanced 1 gi
Half guard sweep after being smashed
1. Make shield and escape
2. Fight for underhook until they grab collar instead
3. Break their grip fast
4. Stuff their hand down and come up to grab belt
5. If they are still pressuring you forward, roll them over
6. If they plant knee wide, kick it out like in scissor sweep

5 x 5 min regular training
Passed guard a lot and did back take to forward roll into bow and arrow sadly didn't quite finish. Also came close to arm bar from closed guard but lost it.

I got a lot of compliments on my passing and top game. Someone asked me if I had grappled prior to beginning BJJ (I think because I do a lot of wrestling-style moves) but I said I had not. Research for a writing project doesn't count :P. Someone else said that I learn very fast, "faster than most people." All of that helps me to feel better about having only 3 stripes. In fact, as I said earlier and truthfully, I genuinely am glad to have the chance to compete more! Next one is January 19th.


Food...

Breakfast 8:20am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
3.65 oz onion
4.8 oz broc****
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
3 oz pineapple
2.45 oz peach
3.8 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Intraworkout 12:00-2:00pm
11.6 oz potato

Lunch 2:30pm
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz steak

Dinner 8:30pm
4 g olive oil, 10 g balsamic, 5 g honey mustard
11.25 oz cucumber
5.5 oz tomato
13.23 oz cauliflower
4.7 oz sea bass
1 T teriyaki
2 oz avocado
1/4 c bulgur
400mg magnesium

1965 cal, 235C/154P/53F

I feel somewhat better today. I got to spend time with Rachel after jiu jitsu and then two students and that helped me feel better as well. Too much going on lately. My first application is due Tuesday, and I'm almost done with that. Just three more after that one, and a lot of the material is redundant.

[shesprints]

Still really tired, was out of it the whole first half of the day. Got to the gym for a workout and felt a bit better, and then chilled in the afternoon and watched IBJJF nogi worlds and took a brief nap. Then my appetite seemed calmer and I felt OK. We'll see how training goes tomorrow. I think it helps that my lifting program is lower volume to favor explosiveness now. It went well.

Weights--1 hour

Warmup:
5 min jog
5 x sun salutations
10 x stick overpass, alter overpass, frog stretch, overhead squat
3 x 3 hurdle hops

Cleans 75, 65, 70, 75, 70, 80 x 3
Power jerk 75, 65, 70, 75, 70, 80 x 3

BB reverse lunge 45, 55, 60, 65 x 6
Cable row 55, 60, 75, 90 x 8

Back extension 4 x 10
DB curls 22.5 4 x 10

Core:
Toe touches 3 x 20
Reverse crunch 3 x 20
Planks 3 x :45

Headstand 2 x :20, 1 x :30

Stretch

Food--

Breakfast 8:15am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
3.8 oz onion
7.8 oz broc-co-li
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3.5 oz fat free Greek yogurt
5 oz pineapple
5.4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Preworkout 10:00am
6 oz potato

Lunch 1:10pm
2 cups vegetable soup
4.94 oz cod
2.75 oz avocado
2 x wasa

Dinner 7:20pm
.9 oz lettuce
3 oz tomato
10 oz broc-co-li
3 oz avocado
6 oz turkey
3 oz whole wheat sourdough bread
400mg magnesium

1975 cal, 246C/159P/51F



Nogi worlds was mixed for our gym. One of our guys became Marcelo's first black belt world champion and two in the same bracket came incredibly close, both beaten by the same opponent in the semifinal and final respectively. Whew. A roller coaster and inspiring to watch. Makes me eager to get back to training tomorrow.

Also, my forearms are looking crazy vascular these days. Rachel says they look more muscular as well. (She's familiar with me bemoaning my scrawny forearms).

[LunaLifts]

I agree with your friend, having one day that's a bit above your goal is fine. There's no reason to compensate for it, one day won't throw you off the rails.

I know that mindset though, if I didn't just enjoy having a few drinks on the weekend I probably wouldn't have higher days from food alone. I also still have a bit of that competitive mindset too that I'm still working on. There's always going to be bad days, and things that poke at those ED thoughts, but recognizing it for what it is, and pushing back against those thoughts is what counts.

I'd definitely put a lot of thought into dropping another weight class. Even if your nutritionist says it's possible, just be mindful of how it may effect you mentally, and if you decide to try know that you can always change you mind if it's not what's best. You'll still be an amazing competitor at your current weight class.

[shesprints]

I agree with your friend, having one day that's a bit above your goal is fine. There's no reason to compensate for it, one day won't throw you off the rails.

I know that mindset though, if I didn't just enjoy having a few drinks on the weekend I probably wouldn't have higher days from food alone. I also still have a bit of that competitive mindset too that I'm still working on. There's always going to be bad days, and things that poke at those ED thoughts, but recognizing it for what it is, and pushing back against those thoughts is what counts.

I'd definitely put a lot of thought into dropping another weight class. Even if your nutritionist says it's possible, just be mindful of how it may effect you mentally, and if you decide to try know that you can always change you mind if it's not what's best. You'll still be an amazing competitor at your current weight class.

Yeah, now that I think about it and look at my body, I can see that I don't really have a ton more weight to lose. I'm starting to see the bones in my chest and my clavicle is bruising somewhat when I do certain lifts. I'm certainly not emaciated but I don't know that I NEED to lose more to perform well, like you said. I think I'll be comfortable at middleweight. A blue belt girl I fought today, about my size, was very easy to overpower and said that I was very strong. (That's not a compliment in jiu jitsu--she may have been implying I don't have technique--but maybe she was just embarrassed that a white belt beat her so soundly). Anyway, point is, I think my strength to size ratio is already favorable.

I think ED thoughts are hard to get rid of, but articulating them to others in my life helps. Including you <3

Decent training day today. Useful moves to chain together. I like seeing when we can connect different moves to each other! So helpful.

BJJ--2 hours
Level 2 nogi
Basic leg kick sweep. Can pull guard to sit or start sitting. Feet go inside your partners ankles and kick out while also pushing at their knees so they fall. Quickly come up to pass, ideally grabbing one ankle and pointing the sole of their foot to the ceiling.
Variations: if they managed to step one foot out, roll under to double or single leg x or come up on the single leg and go for a takedown.

4 x 3:00 positional start to sweep/pass/submit
2 x 5:00 starting in closed guard and going back and forth
Got one arm bar from closed guard, one omoplata, and a lot of guard passes/breaks. Nogi feeling good.

Advanced 1 gi
Tripod sweep counter. They sweep and you both come up. You want their hand off of your pant leg, so you cup underneath and pull up as you stand until it breaks. If they don't let go, keep your foot on the floor and force them to pull your pant leg up until you can go for the underhook and leverage more so the grip breaks.

6 x 5 min regular training
again, some guard passes and got to high mount a lot. One arm bar. Hooray!

After class: brief practice w/ takedowns
Worked on low single fake to duckunder to double leg or backwards clinch
Also a sweep from knees. Grab cross-collar and tricep and plant knee at their hip, then drive forward so they fall over your knee. This is similar to the move from standing where you get over-under and then outside trip.

Food was a little off the usual as my stomach has been hurting.

Breakfast 8:15am
8 oz fat free Greek yogurt
5.5 oz pineapple
4.8 oz peach
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
16g mixed nuts
3.67 oz almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Postworkout 2:00pm
12 oz potato

Lunch 3:15pm
6 oz steak
2 cups vegetable soup

Dinner 9:45pm
5.3 oz raspberries
15.45 oz cauliflower
6 oz cod
4 oz avocado
1/4 c bulgur
400mg magnesium

1995 cal, 247C/149P/56F

So yeah, mostly back on track but still not feeling that well physically. Tomorrow is weight lifting and wrestling!

I also finished and submitted by first grad school application, which is due tomorrow. WHEW. Just three more, and the material overlaps.

[Plateauplower]

I'm pretty much all or nothing, in everything, too. Its just how I'm wired not so good at moderation. I also struggle transitioning from a deficit to maintenance. Actually I find I'm actually slightly hungrier at maintenance than when in a deficit for some odd reason, likely just mental from not being so focused on meeting my deficit numbers IDK. Something that is pretty effective for me, if you were to want to try to take it further, is having one day per week at maintenance. Just one day per week does a lot for energy for me, it lasts 3-4 days I guess when I am toward the end of a cut. A diet break can be helpful too, and I have used those but its torture to get back to a deficit afterwards and I go through that same initial strength loss I feel about a week or two into a diet. If your forearms are getting vascular that's a pretty good indicator of being reasonably lean. That's my major factor in weight control right now is vascularity because I have visible abs while still carrying a good bit of body fat. I figure when I have visible veins in the tops of my forearms and delts I look good enough for winter mode. I'll still sharpen up a little for summer, but I'm not as concerned with strength to weight ratios at this point. I KNOW im stronger (even lb for lb) carrying some excess body fat. I'm strongest right around 195-205 range which includes some "fluff" around my lower waist and vascularity starts to go unless I have a pump.

I posted links to that BJJ vid and another guy in my journal. The other guy is better for showing the methods of various joint locks, but its a Korean art Junsado or something? Anyway, don't stress about dieting. If you like how you look right now just take it slow and start trying to eat for performance. That's the good thing about weighing yourself regularly now. Don't sweat the little bumps up and down, but on days you are hungrier eat a little more, days you are less hungry eat a little less, keep your rolling average somewhere within a range of where you want to be. Its not too bad if your weight creeps up, you already have your numbers and you can just run a week or two correction at a lower intake. I try to do this to some extent, but I'm being pretty loose with my intake until Jan 1st just to enjoy the Holidays without being so regimented about nutrition.

[shesprints]

I'm pretty much all or nothing, in everything, too. Its just how I'm wired not so good at moderation. I also struggle transitioning from a deficit to maintenance. Actually I find I'm actually slightly hungrier at maintenance than when in a deficit for some odd reason, likely just mental from not being so focused on meeting my deficit numbers IDK. Something that is pretty effective for me, if you were to want to try to take it further, is having one day per week at maintenance. Just one day per week does a lot for energy for me, it lasts 3-4 days I guess when I am toward the end of a cut. A diet break can be helpful too, and I have used those but its torture to get back to a deficit afterwards and I go through that same initial strength loss I feel about a week or two into a diet.

Yeah, all of that rings true for me. Getting back to a deficit after being in maintenance is very difficult, as my hunger has readjusted to maintenance so it feels just awful. I guess disrupting homeostasis is what makes that hard. Our bodies dislike change. I also know what you mean about being hungrier in maintenance. Perhaps not true hunger, but... when I'm in a deficit I accept the hunger as a background and don't question it. In maintenance I may resent a hungry day, or may want to eat something just because it tastes good instead of for satiety. It's also like "What do you mean I can't eat whatever I want? I'm on maintenance!" Or I resent being hungry and only maintaining my weight instead of losing. I don't know; I think my habit of eating whole foods will help this time around?

If your forearms are getting vascular that's a pretty good indicator of being reasonably lean. That's my major factor in weight control right now is vascularity because I have visible abs while still carrying a good bit of body fat. I figure when I have visible veins in the tops of my forearms and delts I look good enough for winter mode. I'll still sharpen up a little for summer, but I'm not as concerned with strength to weight ratios at this point. I KNOW im stronger (even lb for lb) carrying some excess body fat. I'm strongest right around 195-205 range which includes some "fluff" around my lower waist and vascularity starts to go unless I have a pump.

Yah, I'm sure I'd be stronger in absolute terms if I were heavier, but lb or lb I am probably still in a place where I could lose a bit more to optimize.

I posted links to that BJJ vid and another guy in my journal. The other guy is better for showing the methods of various joint locks, but its a Korean art Junsado or something? Anyway, don't stress about dieting. If you like how you look right now just take it slow and start trying to eat for performance. That's the good thing about weighing yourself regularly now. Don't sweat the little bumps up and down, but on days you are hungrier eat a little more, days you are less hungry eat a little less, keep your rolling average somewhere within a range of where you want to be. Its not too bad if your weight creeps up, you already have your numbers and you can just run a week or two correction at a lower intake. I try to do this to some extent, but I'm being pretty loose with my intake until Jan 1st just to enjoy the Holidays without being so regimented about nutrition.

I'll check those out when I get a moment to breathe. This week before Christmas break is murdering me. I admire that you can accept having periods of looser vs. stricter intake. I need to attempt that myself. I am lucky to have my nutritionist.

I also think I'm struggling lately because my body's fighting some sort of virus. I have a sore throat and my stomach has really hurt for several days now. It doesn't feel bad enough to skip working out but it's odd... it's also been way easier to keep my calories back down at cutting numbers because I feel stomach pain literally constantly, which dampens hunger somewhat, as you may imagine. It f*cking sucks and I hate it. I'm just run so ragged right now it's really, really hard.

On the bright side, I did a neutral grip pullup today! Actually I did 12 total, mostly as singles from dead hang but also 2 in a row at one point. Check it out:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BriKS34g...on_share_sheet

So, weights was super fun, worked with the trainer and we did things I enjoyed... well, apart from the leg press drop set that was rough. Then he had me do explosive stuff AFTERWARDS as he says that being fatigued while I do hurdle jumps makes me better. I accept that.

Weights--1 hour
Warm up:
5 min run
Sun salutations x 5
Stick overpass, alter overpass, frog stretch, overhead squat x 10
Hurdle hops 3 x 3

Leg press 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 x 8
Drop set of 8 x all weights down to 100 and then 100 x 25
Power jerk 45, 65, 75, 80, 85 x 4

Hurdle hops 3 x 3 increasing heights, 3 each leg x 4 with first two single leg and second 2 double leg hops
50 lb med ball over shoulder throws 2 x 5 each side

Pushup position plank on swiss ball 3 x 1 min
Med ball throws 12 and 16 lb 3 x 6

Med ball throws from bosu w legs up 2 x 15 regular, 6 x overhead

Neutral grip pullups 5 singles, 1 double, 3 singles, 2 singles

Stretch



And did wrestling in the evening

Wrestling--class choice
Duckunder finishes:
1. Tip for duckunder. Set it up when you're tied up both with a collar tie. Start by connecting to the collar tie with overhook. Switch legs so that your lead leg is under their collar tie. Then bring hand inside (under) the collar tie and hold it against your face. This can all be slow. The speed comes in when you bounce down to your knee and come back up to clear their tie.
2. KEEP YOUR COLLAR TIE. Come up behind and spin them down to the mat by pulling.
3. Drive arm up between their legs, twist, and dump them over.
4. Other option is reverse headlock. Lock hands in s-grip or whatever grip you can (Gable grip?) behind their head with arm in, and step behind (? or in front of, I forgot) their leg to trip them and pull them down.

Next was just double leg.
1. Set it up by blocking one arm and forcing them to post the other. C-cup that one and drop under for the shot.
2. We practiced scooting forward with knee and windshield wipering bottom leg to stay connected when they sprawl.
3. Then either use hand to buckle far leg or take a big step up while THROWING their legs past you as if throwing them through a cartwheel so you come down past the leg. I only nailed this once but I was glad I did.

Swing single to treetop:
1. Overtie on collar tie side, swing down to the OPPOSITE leg, come up on single.
2. Lunge forward to treeptop.
3. Clear their collar tie by pushing the back of their arm forward and blocking their foot with yours so they fall; come up with shoulder pressure under the butt to flatten them and take the back.
4. Or finish from single by grabbing their far thigh or knee from underneath and taking small steps backwards. To help with this bring your grip on their leg down toward the ankle and bend that knee, to help them land on their stomach.

Last technique was arm spin. A good last-resort way to get points if you're down at the end of a match. STRONG overtie on collar tie. Drop down and chop the bottom of their arm up and spin ALL the way around, basically 360 degrees +, throwing them over your body.

He let the class ask questions for the holiday, which was sweet. I didn't ask any as I am still a noob.

Food today...

Breakfast 7:45 am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
3.7 oz onion
3 oz broc****
5.25 oz pineapple
3.5 oz fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3.7 oz almond milk
1 x multi
2 x fish oil

Lunch/postworkout 12:20pm
2 cups vegetable soup
2.75 oz avocado
6 oz cod
2 x wasa crackers

Snack/preworkout 4:45pm
12 oz potato

Dinner/postworkout 8:30pm
13 oz cauliflower
4 oz avocado
5.89 oz cod
1/4 c bulgur
5 oz pineapple
400mg magnesium

1975 cal, 266C/140P/50F

Decent day, some good some bad. My stomach really, really hurts right now so I can't even get comfortable and I just don't feel well, which makes my brain confused and f*cks up my mood. Wrestling training also didn't feel great as I just am not physically sharp as well as being fatigued from all the leg stuff in the a.m. But that's OK, I practiced concepts and just going makes me feel better. I want to continue to improve and all the pieces are coming together. After I can master pullups I want to do towel grip ones for better grip strength for BJJ.

[shesprints]

Busy, lot of work. No hard training but did do an hour-long private lesson. Food was therefore easier, just three meals.

BJJ--1 hour
Private lesson
Entries into double leg x
From half guard, knee shield and frame
If they start to smash switch grip to near collar and come up on elbow to escape! Or get leg on hip and swing to closed guard.
To move to x guard, underhook their leg. Push them back w frame hand. When they respond by coming forward pull/push w collar hand diagonally across and up and come under them. Now it is ok to be flat on your back. Let go the collar grip yo control leg ABOVE the knee. Kick out w feet and come up to feet to finish.
Can also enter double x from butterfly overhead sweep w double collar grip.

Half guard variations
1. Get up on elbow at the SAME time as you go in for underhook. To do this first push against frames until they push back. Then when you have underhook push their leg out with your top foot and escape bottom foot. Go to knees then plant foot out and drive them onto their back. Come to mount.
2. Can lower your knee shield IF you connect your feet and brace knee on their hip. Also keep frame! From there connect feet first on top of their foot and then inside before switching feet and coming up to underhook.
3. Can also brace heel of knee shield leg on their hip bone.
4. To back take: get underhook and feet connected around their leg. Get outside foot over and begin to get your near k we out. Push OUT their far knee so they fall. Come up around. Grab their hand to get it out of the way so you can come over to seatbelt then fall toward the "over" side. To lock in the RNC think "ice cream scoop." Dig down then up and in.

Loop choke from open guard--kick out their far knee. Bring collar hand across. Put other hand over their neck and cross it under the loop hand. Fall to the side of that arm and can also use that side leg over shoulder to help finish.

Random note: keep your knees OUTSIDE of their arms when you open your guard. That way they can't stack pass.

Stomach's a bit better today, too.
Food--

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
7.9 oz broc****
2.5 oz pineapple
4.6 oz peach
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
4.13 oz almond milk
1 x multi
2 x fish oil

Lunch 1:10pm
2 cups vegetable soup
3 oz avocado
3 oz tomato
.9 oz lettuce
4 oz onion
5.3 oz 99% turkey
2.2 oz whole wheat sourdough bread

Dinnert 8:10pm
14.9 oz cauliflower
3.25 oz green beans
4 oz onion
4 oz avocado
5.3 oz 99% turkey
1/4 c bulgur
400mg magnesium

1990 cal, 235C/156P/56F


Throat still hurts and I'm going to try to get to bed early tonight, though I need to be a good girlfriend and visit her. I just can't stay that long. I'm physically and mentally wiped out as work's been insane lately on top of training and dieting. Less hungry, though. Nutritionist tomorrow.

[shesprints]

Today was a hard, sad day. I woke up to learn that one of my friends and training partners had passed away. The whole day was full of people posting ******** memories of him, and going to jiu jitsu was also kind of sad. I wanted to go, though, to check in with everyone, and of course they weren't going to cancel classes because one student had died... so far no one seems to know precisely what happened and so I'm waiting to hear that but in the meantime we've all donated to a memorial fund for his young son (4 months old, I believe). I donated $100 but nothing feels like enough. It's just an incredibly sad situation and I don't know what to say or think about it. He was a wonderful guy and everyone at the gym knew and loved him, including me.

Anyway.

I also went to the nutritionist and she said that the reason for my hunger is that my calories are too low, which is surprising. She said that on days that I work out for two hours, as I often do, I should eat 2200 for weight loss (2650ish to maintain). On days that I do three hours of jiu jitsu, she said my maintenance calories would be closer to 2900 and thus I should eat more like 2400-2500. She also said that it is OK to have a few days of higher intake in the coming weeks given my birthday. So that is the short-term plan: be more relaxed, basically, to avoid being so hungry and low-energy. She also recommends losing weight more slowly as I approach maintenance, which makes sense to me. Tapering up, essentially. So we'll see how that goes.

Training was kind of meh today. I wasn't feeling it, both due to grief and this lingering cold-ish type thing I've been fighting. I feel better but still not 100%. Tomorrow I"ll likely just lift, not train, then go back to BJJ Saturday.

BJJ--2 hours
Level 2 gi
Arm bar swing drill
Triangle drill
Arm bar from guard with tweaks
First get their elbow toward midline. Doesn't have to go far just don't let them pull it back or flare it out. Then grab SAME side collar to block their elbow more and step foot up to hip. Other foot over shoulder and lock to get position and control posture and THEN finish.

6 x 2:30 positional drill from closed guard
2 x 5 min regular training

Advanced 1 nogi
3 min drill guard putting from two on one to hug leg and put hand on near ribcage to push them away as they pass. Bottom foot goes to their far thigh to kick away abd come up on single
Alternating with pull them down and swing leg under to come up to single x.

6 x 5 min starting from standing guard pull only
Worked on defense and recovery. Need to work more on nogi arm bars. So slippery.

Food--reflecting the higher intake numbers

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
6 oz green beans
6.5 oz pineapple
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3.4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Preworkout 11:00am
12 oz potato

Postworkout/lunch 3:30pm
4 oz onion
5.3 oz 99% lean turkey
2.5 oz avocado
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz apple

Dinner 7:30pm
3.3 oz mushroom
4 oz green beans
12.2 oz cauliflower
1 oz fat free Greek yogurt
1.5 tsp olive oil
1 oz olives
1 oz prunes
6 oz chicken
6 oz wheat berries (cooked weight)
9 oz berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
6.25 oz unsweetened almond milk in decaf capuccino
400mg magnesium

2185 cal, 299C/159P/51F



Sad, difficult day. As you can see above from unusual food intake I had dinner with my parents, which helped, but I feel very drained.

[LunaLifts]

Today was a hard, sad day. I woke up to learn that one of my friends and training partners had passed away. The whole day was full of people posting ******** memories of him, and going to jiu jitsu was also kind of sad. I wanted to go, though, to check in with everyone, and of course they weren't going to cancel classes because one student had died... so far no one seems to know precisely what happened and so I'm waiting to hear that but in the meantime we've all donated to a memorial fund for his young son (4 months old, I believe). I donated $100 but nothing feels like enough. It's just an incredibly sad situation and I don't know what to say or think about it. He was a wonderful guy and everyone at the gym knew and loved him, including me.

My condolences, I'm very sorry to hear about that. My thoughts go out to you, his loved ones, and his young boy. It sounds like you have quite the support group already, but if you ever need an extra ear I'm here (use FB, I'll see it quicker). It was very sweet of you to donate to his memorial fund, you may not feel like its enough, but the collective generosity of all who miss him will be a tremendous help to his family.

I also went to the nutritionist and she said that the reason for my hunger is that my calories are too low, which is surprising. She said that on days that I work out for two hours, as I often do, I should eat 2200 for weight loss (2650ish to maintain). On days that I do three hours of jiu jitsu, she said my maintenance calories would be closer to 2900 and thus I should eat more like 2400-2500. She also said that it is OK to have a few days of higher intake in the coming weeks given my birthday. So that is the short-term plan: be more relaxed, basically, to avoid being so hungry and low-energy. She also recommends losing weight more slowly as I approach maintenance, which makes sense to me. Tapering up, essentially. So we'll see how that goes.

Damn girl, that's a high maintenance. Makes sense you'd need to bump it up on days you're doing so much BJJ. I agree that building up a bit is a good idea, they say the leaner you get the more subtle your deficits should get too. I hope you start feeling better with the diet adjustments.

[shesprints]

My condolences, I'm very sorry to hear about that. My thoughts go out to you, his loved ones, and his young boy. It sounds like you have quite the support group already, but if you ever need an extra ear I'm here (use FB, I'll see it quicker). It was very sweet of you to donate to his memorial fund, you may not feel like its enough, but the collective generosity of all who miss him will be a tremendous help to his family.

Thanks, Luna, I think it is. People have now raised closer to $45,000 for his family, which I think is a marker of how loved and respected he was in his communities.

Damn girl, that's a high maintenance. Makes sense you'd need to bump it up on days you're doing so much BJJ. I agree that building up a bit is a good idea, they say the leaner you get the more subtle your deficits should get too. I hope you start feeling better with the diet adjustments.

Yeah, it's a combination of my relatively high RMR and my high activity level, I think. Anyhow, it explains why I have been so hungry on this cut--which, granted, has been a very successful one. I also feel like I've built extremely solid eating habits and routines. I'm going to start being a bit more flexible mostly to have a better social life... go out to eat with the girlfriend more, have some unmeasured but still healthy holiday meals, and eat a few true treats (maybe some chocolate chip pancakes, even) around my birthday before returning to my stricter norm. I'm also highly motivated to continue a slight deficit as I can see that my mastery of my bodyweight has improved. Today I did an actual wide-grip pullup(!) which was AMAZING. I mean, I want to do more than one, but I'll get there. My trainer said that I can likely get to the point of doing towel pullups by the summer. Those are excellent for BJJ due to the carryover to gi grips.

Just weights today due to feeling cold-y with a sore throat. Was fine for lifting. BJJ tomorrow because after that they're closed for three days, so I don't want to miss too much.

Weights--1 hour
Warm up:
Run 5 min
Sun salutation x 5
Stick overpass, alter overpass, frog stretch, overhead squat x 10
Hurdle hops 3 x 3

Deadlift 125 x 6, 135, 155, 175 x 4 each
Wide grip pull up 3 sets of 5 with 1st 1-2 unassisted and 2nd 3-4 assisted

Backwards lunge 45, 75, 95, 115 x 8 each

Seated DB shoulder press 12lb 3 x 12
3 x DB 21s w 12lb: false grip curl then turn hands over and slowly lower for a 10-count x 7 followed immediately by 7 x hammer curls and 7 x regular curls
Pushup position plank on Swiss ball w feet elevated 3 x 1 min

Box jumps from seated x 3, jump down off one box and then up onto taller one x 3, regular x 3
2 sets: first set 30" box second set 33" box

Stretch

I worked with the trainer again as he's going to be away next week so we thought to get another session in. Turns out we can actually meet on Thursday too but so much the better. I have great momentum going with lifting and the plyos he has me do. I'm REALLY proud of those box jumps... I was jumping down off of one box and then immediately jumping up onto the other and it was not too hard. 33 inches doesn't even feel that high. The trainer said "You have some bunnies!" which is his way of saying that I have some talent at jumping. Yay.

Those 10-count reverse curls were also killer on the forearms. I really like them. I mean. I didn't enjoy doing them as they were painful but I definitely believe they will help make my forearms stronger for pullups.

The seated shoulder press was to isolate my relatively weak shoulders, which also hold me back on those pullups.

Food today... still pretty hungry but not too awful.

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
9 oz broc****
4.5 oz pineapple
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Lunch/postworkout 12:20pm
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz steak
15.5 oz cantaloupe

Snack 3:30pm
21g unsalted mixed nuts

Dinner 7:30pm
15.5 oz cauliflower
6 oz cod
4 oz avocado
1/4 c bulgur
7.5 oz raspberries
400mg magnesium

Snack 2:00am (woke up hungry argh)
4 oz cottage cheese
12 oz apple

2290 cal, 281C/172P/69F

[thehobbes]

Today was a hard, sad day. I woke up to learn that one of my friends and training partners had passed away. The whole day was full of people posting ******** memories of him, and going to jiu jitsu was also kind of sad. I wanted to go, though, to check in with everyone, and of course they weren't going to cancel classes because one student had died... so far no one seems to know precisely what happened and so I'm waiting to hear that but in the meantime we've all donated to a memorial fund for his young son (4 months old, I believe). I donated $100 but nothing feels like enough. It's just an incredibly sad situation and I don't know what to say or think about it. He was a wonderful guy and everyone at the gym knew and loved him, including me.

Jeez that's awful, especially leaving a young kid behind. :/ I assume this person was in his 20s or 30s, some kind of odd accident happened I guess. When an older family member passed last year I was looking through the obits for the other people at that funeral home and was amazed to see like half of them were young like that.

I also went to the nutritionist and she said that the reason for my hunger is that my calories are too low, which is surprising. She said that on days that I work out for two hours, as I often do, I should eat 2200 for weight loss (2650ish to maintain). On days that I do three hours of jiu jitsu, she said my maintenance calories would be closer to 2900 and thus I should eat more like 2400-2500. She also said that it is OK to have a few days of higher intake in the coming weeks given my birthday. So that is the short-term plan: be more relaxed, basically, to avoid being so hungry and low-energy. She also recommends losing weight more slowly as I approach maintenance, which makes sense to me. Tapering up, essentially. So we'll see how that goes.

Yessss, that sounds right! EAT MOAR It's crazy how many more calories you burn doing something, anything, like working out, walking, cleaning the house, compared to sitting doing nothing. For me I seem to get an automatic 100 calories per hour if I'm awake and not doing anything, add any activity and it goes up, add running/lifting and it goes WAY up. A lot of people burn 2k a day just by being alive, srs.

[shesprints]

Jeez that's awful, especially leaving a young kid behind. :/ I assume this person was in his 20s or 30s, some kind of odd accident happened I guess. When an older family member passed last year I was looking through the obits for the other people at that funeral home and was amazed to see like half of them were young like that.

It's sad AF, and I think a lot of it is because of the current opiate epidemic, too... which just sucks. But yeah. it's a tragic situation. I keep cycling in and out of anger and denial. Like I wish I had a time machine and could go back to when he was alive.

Yessss, that sounds right! EAT MOAR It's crazy how many more calories you burn doing something, anything, like working out, walking, cleaning the house, compared to sitting doing nothing. For me I seem to get an automatic 100 calories per hour if I'm awake and not doing anything, add any activity and it goes up, add running/lifting and it goes WAY up. A lot of people burn 2k a day just by being alive, srs.

Yeah, dude, I'm one of those people. My maintenance with zero activity is around 2k, because my RMR is around 1700. It's interesting, though. The numbers only work for me if I eat mostly whole foods. If I don't, my energy to work out tanks and I think my body burns fewer calories, while feeling hungrier. I don't know--it's weird.

Food today, higher end cals because of three hours of BJJ in the morning (plus a walking around date with Rachel this evening).

Breakfast--8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
3.8 oz onion
7 oz green beans
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4.5 oz pineapple
3 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Pre/postworkout 11:20am + 2:00pm
15.3 oz potato

Lunch 2:50pm
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz cod
2 oz avocado
2 x wasa

Dinner 9:20pm
2 cups vegetable soup
4.3 oz pink salmon
4 oz avocado
3.1 oz tomato
2.7 oz whole wheat sourdough bread
8.5 oz nectarine
1 oz unsalted mixed nuts
3.5 oz unsweetened almond milk
400mg magnesium

2415 cal, 326C/142P/73F

I was really craving nuts, so I had them after dinner. Fat still isn't too high percentage-wise, though I maintain I find it the least satiating of the macronutrients. Still, I suppose it's good to get the variety of kinds of fatty acids in there for recovery.

My cold/throat thing feels a bit better. Tomorrow's a day off working out, which I badly need. My whole body is sore! Those "bunnies" the trainer says I've got are hibernating. My legs are fried.

BJJ today went pretty decently considering I'm still on the tail end of the cold, though.

BJJ--3 hours
Drills--1 hour
Grip break to guard pull
Half guard sweeps
Half guard sweep to double leg x
Counter to backstep when in half guard --> back take or guard pass; block their legs with your legs OPEN and move to later phase of leg drag pass. Hold their collar and block hips w/ knees, bring other knee up behind their butt
Spider guard sweep to arm bar

Open mat--1 hour
10 x 4-5 min rounds
Got some arm bars and worked on guard retention and defense, recovering closed guard, spider guard, tried to get some x sweeps, tried to work from half guard. Need to do better or pick smaller opponents.

Advanced 1-- hour
Just rounds, about 8 x 4-5 min
Same thing! Getting to closed guard or mount but not always finishing, so work on that more. Work on speed of reactions from half guard. Did get some nice sweeps including sickle sweep and some basic feet on hips/hands on ankles


I mostly feel better after a nice long date with Rachel... she's going away to her parents so we carved out the whole day after jiu jitsu. I feel so calmed by her presence and like after we spend time together I have the energy to deal with things. I think we have a very healthy relationship that way as she says she feels the same.

[Fiction2Fitness]

Sorry to hear about the loss as well.

Nice on the workout and date. Glad your throat is feeling better. Judging by the posts it sounds like you two do have a great relationship. It's adorable.

[shesprints]

Sorry to hear about the loss as well.

Nice on the workout and date. Glad your throat is feeling better. Judging by the posts it sounds like you two do have a great relationship. It's adorable.

Thanks. Just found out there's a memorial get-together on January 5, so that's going to be closure hopefully and also nice for everyone who knew him.

I know I probably talk too much about Rachel on here but she's made me really happy. I think that's all that matters in a relationship, you know? Making each other happy. And yeah, personally I think we are adorable.

Day off working out today. All I did was tutor a student and see Aquaman, which is, uh, real bad. Sometimes I like to see terrible movies, and this was one of those times.

Breakfast--8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
2.68 oz onion
10.8 oz cucumber
6 oz green beans
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4.75 oz pineapple
3 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Snack 11:00am
4 oz cottage cheese
8.5 oz potato

Lunch 2:50pm
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz cod
2 oz avocado
2 x wasa

Dinner 7:30pm
6 oz cauliflower
6 oz broc****
6 oz eggplant
6 T breadcrumbs
6 oz tomato sauce
2 oz mozzarella
4 oz steak
8 oz cantaloupe
400mg magnesium

2075 cal, 270C/164P/50F

Lower fat today. My nutritionist says the bottom end of my range is 40-50 grams so it's fine.

Weights tomorrow and the next day. Jiu jitsu resumes Wednesday. I did feel I needed today off... my body's feeling beat up. At least I also feel less and less sick! I think by the time I'm back to BJJ I'll be better and thus sharper and more energetic in rolls. I'd been playing guard more due to feeling a bit under the weather.

[Fiction2Fitness]

I know I probably talk too much about Rachel on here but she's made me really happy. I think that's all that matters in a relationship, you know? Making each other happy. And yeah, personally I think we are adorable.

Day off working out today. All I did was tutor a student and see Aquaman, which is, uh, real bad. Sometimes I like to see terrible movies, and this was one of those times.

Lower fat today. My nutritionist says the bottom end of my range is 40-50 grams so it's fine.

Weights tomorrow and the next day. Jiu jitsu resumes Wednesday. I did feel I needed today off... my body's feeling beat up. At least I also feel less and less sick! I think by the time I'm back to BJJ I'll be better and thus sharper and more energetic in rolls. I'd been playing guard more due to feeling a bit under the weather.

Good for the day off. Keep yourself from burning out. I kinda wander what advice a nutritionist would give but I never go to any doctor or anything like that.

As for the gf, keep on posting. I'll read with a little bit of envy. Movies are one thing I'd like to have someone to go with though they are kinda pricey in LA, like most things. Aquaman hasn't really caught my attention. I want to see Mortal Engines though.

[shesprints]

Good for the day off. Keep yourself from burning out. I kinda wander what advice a nutritionist would give but I never go to any doctor or anything like that.

As for the gf, keep on posting. I'll read with a little bit of envy. Movies are one thing I'd like to have someone to go with though they are kinda pricey in LA, like most things. Aquaman hasn't really caught my attention. I want to see Mortal Engines though.

Yeah, if you ever get the chance to see a nutritionist I recommend it. Really helps me figure stuff out.

Definitely do not see Aquaman. It's awful. I'd like to see The Favourite and Into the Spiderverse right now.


So, still feeling run down today and ate more like maintenance calories... lifting was really good, though. I squatted 150 for 8 and felt the best I ever have despite the recent cut. I had worried that being lighter would make me weaker, but I seem to have held onto my muscle.

Weights--1 hour
Warmup:
5 min jog
5 x sun salutations
10 x stick overpass, alter overpass, frog stretch, overhead squat
3 x 3 hurdle hops

Snatch 45, 50, 55, 50, 55, 60 x 3 each

Snatch deadlift 65, 70, 75, 75, 80, 85 x 3 each
Swiss ball plank 6 x 1:00

Squat 85, 105, 130, 150 x 8
DB bench 20, 25, 30, 35 x 10

Lat pulldown 85 4 x 10
Tricep cable extension 20 3 x 20
Reverse crunch 3 x 20

Headstand 2 x 45 seconds
Box jumps 30" 3 x 3

Stretch
Foam roll


Food... I got to dinner and just couldn't get full, felt headachy and logy and empty despite eating a usual full meal. So I had another meal an hour later. Meh. Tomorrow's another day and I'm STILL kicking this cold. (Napped most of the afternoon).

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
4 oz onion
10.3 oz asparagus
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
5.5 oz pineapple
3 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Lunch/postworkout 1:20pm
2.26 oz lettuce
3.75 oz tomato
6 oz turkey
2 cups vegetable soup

Snack 4:30pm
8.25 oz nectarine
4 oz cottage cheese
14 g almonds

Dinner 7:30pm
16.3 oz cauliflower
4.75 oz green beans
4 oz avocado
6 oz cod
1/4 c bulgur
400mg magnesium

Snack/more dinner/idk 8:30pm
2.9 oz whole wheat sourdough
2.5 oz avocado
2 oz lettuce
3 oz tomato
4 oz cottage cheese

2450 cal, 289C/181P/75F

So yeah just a really hungry day, not sure. I bet it'll get better once I'm fully over the sickness, it's just taking its time. I'll feel energetic after some coffee and then my body goes NOPE and crashes later and I get that sore throat and headache and fogginess again. I also think I should've had a sandwich at lunch instead of just the turkey with lettuce on its own. I guess I felt too guilty doing that but duh that's why I was so hungry later.

I'm not going to beat myself up. I know I'll get back on track when I return to my usual busier routine too. Tomorrow I'm going over to eat at my cousins' but we're bringing healthy vegetables and all I'm going to eat of their stuff is some protein so it should be fine. I know I didn't GAIN weight from today.


Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!

[thehobbes]

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!

Merry Christmas! Yay, the annual day where I can eat Honeybaked ham and cookies as I sit back and watch my crazy family argue over random chit.

[Fiction2Fitness]

Nice workout. Have all of the proteins tomorrow, all of them! or okay, maybe just some, whatever. I find when lunch is salad, lettuce as a big part of the meal I'm hungry so much sooner compared to other options. Why I don't eat salads much at work, even if I have protein with it, just not quite a combination that works well for hunger. Plus, it's salad...

Merry Christmas to you too.

[shesprints]

Merry Christmas! Yay, the annual day where I can eat Honeybaked ham and cookies as I sit back and watch my crazy family argue over random chit.

Ham? I'd expect nothing less. :P I'm lucky, we had minimal argument this time. Thank goodness. My dad brought up Jordan Peterson once, but I shut that nonsense right down and simply refused to talk about it. The rest of the day was fun. Hope yours was as well.

Nice workout. Have all of the proteins tomorrow, all of them! or okay, maybe just some, whatever. I find when lunch is salad, lettuce as a big part of the meal I'm hungry so much sooner compared to other options. Why I don't eat salads much at work, even if I have protein with it, just not quite a combination that works well for hunger. Plus, it's salad...

Merry Christmas to you too.

We had a turkey, so that was some delicious protein right there. White meat and just a bite or two of dark was yummy.


Took the day off lifting since I just didn't feel that well still. I did do a bit of mobility and balance stuff (yoga poses) in my house before I showered. That felt really good and I actually worked up a sweat.

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
3 oz onion
7 oz broc-co-li
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4 oz pineapple
4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Snack 11:30am
2 cups vegetable soup

Christmas lunch 3:00pm
raw carrots, cucumber, peppers
about 10 grams of gouda
about 5 ounces of turkey
about 4 oz plain green beans
some brussels sprouts and beets
a bite of scalloped potatoes
1.5 cups of chickpea vegetable soup

Dessert 4:30pm
2 cups fruit salad (melon, pear, pineapple, berries)

Dinner 8:40pm
4.75 oz canned pink salmon
2.25 oz tomato
3 oz avocado
2 tsp mustard
3 oz whole wheat sourdough bread
400mg magnesium

2080 cal, 265C/151P/55F

Pretty decent day of eating. I stuck to my whole foods and lower-fat general plan and only went off course by eating more fruit than usual during the day. Finally feel good and satiated, though not overfull. Just eating to satiety is a "cheat meal" to me at this point tbh.

Back to BJJ tomorrow. I enjoy that more than I do food right now... it's interesting how that works.

[shesprints]

Getting a bit tired of logging all my food here as it's so repetitive, but it's OK really. Even though I keep a record on cronometer as well it's nice to write it out sometimes and troubleshoot.

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
4.4 oz onion
2.25 oz broc****
6 oz green beans
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4 oz pineapple
4 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Postworkout on the go/lunch 2:00pm
13 oz potato
8 oz 2% cottage cheese

Snack 5:15pm
28 g unsalted mixed nuts
2 cups vegetable soup

Dinner 8:30pm
12 oz apple
15.2 oz cauliflower
7 oz cod
4 oz avocado
1/4 c bulgur
400mg magnesium

2145 cal, 305C/134P/59F

Had some apples with dinner to meet my higher calorie target and also because I was really hungry. Now I finally feel full and like I can sleep through the night. Whew.


Training was good today, back to BJJ! OMG YAY. It was interesting how it seemed to take me longer than usual to warm up. I guess three days off will do that? I'm glad I didn't work out yesterday, because recovery from this cold is slooooow.

Level 2 gi
Mount to arm bar
1. After you grab for a cross-collar and then hold your arm without flaring their elbows, throw yourself DOWN on their body and put the weight of your lower/mid chest on their arm to SCRAPE it up their body and start to free it. Then put your hand across their face to hold their head still so they can't move. Then scoot forward and swing leg over, replacing your hand across their face, and finish arm bar.
2. If they cross their arms to protect their neck and you can't pry one arm free, grab their top arm sleeve with both hands (use illegal grip ahhhh) and punch it down then QUICKLY turn to pulling it up. Meanwhile jump leg forward and keep bottom leg straight with heel off the ground so your hamstring puts lots of pressure on their body and other arm. Get over leg around over their head and finish.

5 x 5 min regular training
Worked on escaping better and tried some x-guard sweeps but mostly gave up as partner (brown belt) had really good balance. Worked on passing guard and tried some arm bars.

Advanced 1 nogi
1. Knee on belly to north-south... wait until their hands are busy on your knee and their neck is exposed, and then dive forward/to the side while snaking arm around their neck. Put YOUR head on the ground and drop shoulder to finish, also think of using pressure of the top of your ribs/almost the lats.
2. Knee on belly to triangle. Do this if they're reaching to stuff your foot between their legs. When they bridge, grab their far arm and pull it over while scooting up/falling across to pull them into your triangle.

4 x 7:00, 1 x 3:00 regular training
Got some subs! Tried for arm bars, not sure I got any but I did get a triangle and an arm triangle that was pretty tight and also unexpected as I was in top half guard and just figured why not.

Really cool and useful moves, not too complicated and I like that they're counters to moves the opponent will make.

[Fiction2Fitness]

It can get tiresome posting all of the time. Took a break from my food journal over on the diet part of the forums for that and the other reasons. At times can even get tired of posting the similar workouts all of the time but they are good to have on somewhere like this. I've had to look up things before on my own journal, lol.

The counter moves do indeed sound like they would be useful.

[LunaLifts]

I also feel like I've built extremely solid eating habits and routines. I'm going to start being a bit more flexible mostly to have a better social life... go out to eat with the girlfriend more, have some unmeasured but still healthy holiday meals, and eat a few true treats (maybe some chocolate chip pancakes, even) around my birthday before returning to my stricter norm. I'm also highly motivated to continue a slight deficit as I can see that my mastery of my bodyweight has improved. Today I did an actual wide-grip pullup(!) which was AMAZING. I mean, I want to do more than one, but I'll get there. My trainer said that I can likely get to the point of doing towel pullups by the summer. Those are excellent for BJJ due to the carryover to gi grips.

It's all about balance, and it's great you're finding what that is for you. Between struggling with an ED, then moving into lifting which tends to be very focused on nutrition/eating it can be a bit of an issue finding out what works in a sustainable lifestyle way.


And great job on the pullup! I haven't tried in forever, I keep saying "after this cut" but I typically never have the chance to give it a go.

I know I probably talk too much about Rachel on here but she's made me really happy. I think that's all that matters in a relationship, you know? Making each other happy. And yeah, personally I think we are adorable.

Post away! Of course we're happy to hear about you being happy.

Weights tomorrow and the next day. Jiu jitsu resumes Wednesday. I did feel I needed today off... my body's feeling beat up. At least I also feel less and less sick! I think by the time I'm back to BJJ I'll be better and thus sharper and more energetic in rolls. I'd been playing guard more due to feeling a bit under the weather.

Yay, glad you're feeling better!

[shesprints]

It can get tiresome posting all of the time. Took a break from my food journal over on the diet part of the forums for that and the other reasons. At times can even get tired of posting the similar workouts all of the time but they are good to have on somewhere like this. I've had to look up things before on my own journal, lol.

The counter moves do indeed sound like they would be useful.

I didn't even know you had a food journal separate from your training one. I just put mine together in one giant hodgepodge of everything... obviously lol.

It's all about balance, and it's great you're finding what that is for you. Between struggling with an ED, then moving into lifting which tends to be very focused on nutrition/eating it can be a bit of an issue finding out what works in a sustainable lifestyle way.


And great job on the pullup! I haven't tried in forever, I keep saying "after this cut" but I typically never have the chance to give it a go.

Post away! Of course we're happy to hear about you being happy.

Yay, glad you're feeling better!

Yeah, dude, lifting culture is not the greatest for us past ED people, with its focus on aesthetics at all costs. I think it helps that I focus on performance, but I mean, jiu jitsu means wearing really tight clothing (rash guards and such) a lot of the time... incidentally, our photog got some really amazing pics of me training that I'll share here. I think they look good due to the fact that I was wearing a cool rash guard, but I also definitely fixated on critiquing my physique. :/

Speaking of which, here are those pics from my training yesterday! Isn't that rash guard awesome, though? It's perfect for me as a Marvel fan.







You should just try for the pullup now, you never know unless you go for it, right? There are also specific exercises to work up to it. Losing weight alone won't do it necessarily, you might need slow negatives or something as well. Or maybe you can do one now and just don't know.

Good training today. I think the cold's run its course, though I'm still more fatigued than usual.

BJJ--2 hours
Level 2 gi
Back take from closed guard
Take sleeve w arm across and then hand under to break grip. Pull arm across and hip escape out. Put your other arm over their back and grip gi across at their lat. Kick out their far knee and get your foot between their legs while they recover. Come up on back, seatbelt, and pull them over.

2 x 3 min from closed, 3 min from half, 2 x 5 regular training

Advanced 1 nogi
Back take from top half guard
If they get the underhook, underhook FAR side. Other hand goes down toward hip so you stretch them out. Escape your knee and keep walking up toward head, then pull them into back take or swing leg out for arm bar.

5 x 6 min regular training
3 x arm bars one from closed guard 2 from mount or top half (on visiting blue belt girls, 1 my size after a pass from top half to gift wrap attempt at back take then the arm bar)

So yeah, I beat up on some visiting blue belt women. I'm not sure they liked it. :/ But I did.
-_- -_- -__-

Food was pretty good today, I wasn't too hungry YAY.

Breakfast 8:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
3.5 oz onion
7 oz green beans
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4.3 oz pineapple
3.17 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Intra/postworkout 12:30 and 2:00pm
12 oz potato

Lunch
2 cups vegetable soup
6 oz cod
2 oz avocado
2 x wasa

Dinner 9:40pm
1.5 cups chickpea vegetable soup
6 oz broc****
5.3 oz 93% lean turkey
3 oz onion
2 oz tomato
2 oz avocado
1.87 oz whole wheat sourdough bread
400mg magnesium

2045 cal, 274C/137P/55F


Pretty good on macros today as well as satiety. I also enjoy the taste of 93% turkey a lot more than the 99% lean, but it is somewhat less protein so it's win some, lose some there. I bought it mostly as it was cheaper and my goal next year is to budget better. BJJ is a darn expensive hobby.

[LunaLifts]

Yeah, dude, lifting culture is not the greatest for us past ED people, with its focus on aesthetics at all costs. I think it helps that I focus on performance, but I mean, jiu jitsu means wearing really tight clothing (rash guards and such) a lot of the time... incidentally, our photog got some really amazing pics of me training that I'll share here. I think they look good due to the fact that I was wearing a cool rash guard, but I also definitely fixated on critiquing my physique. :/

Yes, having performance goals definitely helps. I don't have a sport or competition, but I at least have some personal strength goals that give me something else to focus on. I also want to be more physically capable for things that just happen to come up. Last time I rode a bike my legs were not keeping up the way I wanted them too, and it was kinda embarrassing. If I'm ever playing a sport, or hiking, biking etc, I want to be able to do it well.
Basically I don't just want to look fit, I want to be fit too. I mean, eventually that means getting serious about cardio, but you know, eventually... >.<

Speaking of which, here are those pics from my training yesterday! Isn't that rash guard awesome, though? It's perfect for me as a Marvel fan.

I might just cut you for that shirt. Bucky is bae.
Awesome pics though, looks like a very sweaty sport (i.e. looks like a sport you'd need a lot of endurance for). I don't know how you'd find much to critique physique-wise, you look great. I know we all have our own standards for ourselves though, just know that where you're at is good too, even if you want to improve.

You should just try for the pullup now, you never know unless you go for it, right? There are also specific exercises to work up to it. Losing weight alone won't do it necessarily, you might need slow negatives or something as well. Or maybe you can do one now and just don't know.

I would, but I don't have a bar. We have trees, but it's hard to find a branch that'll hold my weight that isn't super hard to grip lol. The reason I forget to try most of the time is because I have to remember when I have the chance. Like at a park or something. I'll have to start keeping an eye out for my chance to give it a go.

[Fiction2Fitness]

Sounds like a good day overall. I think often times with the meats 93 is going to taste a little better than 99, particular when eating like a burger or something, not mixed with a sauce due to the little bit more fats involved. So, hinders protein a tiny bit if going lower but get a little bit more of the fat macro and flavor so balance.

I would, but I don't have a bar. We have trees, but it's hard to find a branch that'll hold my weight that isn't super hard to grip lol. The reason I forget to try most of the time is because I have to remember when I have the chance. Like at a park or something. I'll have to start keeping an eye out for my chance to give it a go.

I so want to go find a tree limb now cause that sounds awesome. Randomly going up to a tree limb and doing pull ups or chin ups. Hard to find a branch I can reach that my tiny hands can handle though. And I'd then have the urge just to climb it. Still... tree pull ups, let's all do those.

[shesprints]

Yes, having performance goals definitely helps. I don't have a sport or competition, but I at least have some personal strength goals that give me something else to focus on. I also want to be more physically capable for things that just happen to come up. Last time I rode a bike my legs were not keeping up the way I wanted them too, and it was kinda embarrassing. If I'm ever playing a sport, or hiking, biking etc, I want to be able to do it well.
Basically I don't just want to look fit, I want to be fit too. I mean, eventually that means getting serious about cardio, but you know, eventually... >.<


I might just cut you for that shirt. Bucky is bae.
Awesome pics though, looks like a very sweaty sport (i.e. looks like a sport you'd need a lot of endurance for). I don't know how you'd find much to critique physique-wise, you look great. I know we all have our own standards for ourselves though, just know that where you're at is good too, even if you want to improve.

I would, but I don't have a bar. We have trees, but it's hard to find a branch that'll hold my weight that isn't super hard to grip lol. The reason I forget to try most of the time is because I have to remember when I have the chance. Like at a park or something. I'll have to start keeping an eye out for my chance to give it a go.

The rash guard is actually really cheap! You can find it here if you're interested. I use these to lift in sometimes, it's not like they're only for BJJ. I'm 5'6'' and currently 145 and a size medium, if that helps.

I think biking is very specific. I don't know if you can train for it with anything but biking... it was hard for me even when I was highly aerobically fit from running because the muscles are so different.

Please do find a tree. Even if there is no perfect pullup branch, I maintain tree-climbing is excellent exercise on its own.

Sounds like a good day overall. I think often times with the meats 93 is going to taste a little better than 99, particular when eating like a burger or something, not mixed with a sauce due to the little bit more fats involved. So, hinders protein a tiny bit if going lower but get a little bit more of the fat macro and flavor so balance.

I so want to go find a tree limb now cause that sounds awesome. Randomly going up to a tree limb and doing pull ups or chin ups. Hard to find a branch I can reach that my tiny hands can handle though. And I'd then have the urge just to climb it. Still... tree pull ups, let's all do those.

ITT we all have flashbacks to our evolutionary past as apes and decide to return to brachiating in the forest.

Re the food, I actually prefer the flavor of VERY lean meats and I don't know why. I just crave protein more than fat. More chewy or something? IDK! Weird!

Protein today was a bit low again but on the budget side I did great.

Breakfast 9:00am
1 egg, 3 egg whites
4.25 oz onion
2 oz bro-cco-li
6 oz green beans
1/4 c oats, 1/4 c pumpkin, 1/2 T cocoa
3 oz fat free Greek yogurt
4 oz pineapple
3.3 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 x fish oil
1 x multi

Lunch 1:00pm
2 cups vegetable soup
4.25 oz water-packed tuna
4.5 oz tomato
2.5 oz avocado
2.75 oz whole wheat sourdough bread

Snack 5:45pm
4 oz 2% cottage cheese
13 oz apple

Dinner 8:00pm
13.5 oz cauliflower
.5 cups chickpea vegetable soup
3.2 oz black beans
5.3 oz 93% lean turkey
3 oz onion
3.5 oz avocado
400mg magnesium

2145 cal, 277C/141P/64F


No potatoes today since no BJJ They'll be back tomorrow.

When I lifted today (with the trainer) he had me do Smith machine squats with my feet braced in front of me and kind of leaning BACK against the bar. It felt very interesting and challenging; I'd avoided the Smith machine in the past out of, I suppose, ego, but it's a useful auxiliary exercise. Basically, my trainer tells me that it will help with the smaller stabilizer muscles that have been lagging for me and improve my regular lifts. I trust him since he's already helped me make enormous improvements. He also told me that my goal of a 135 bench this year is very attainable considering I was doing sets of 6 at 95. That was good to hear.

Weights--1 hour
Warmup:
5 min jog down to 6:00 pace
5 x sun salutations
10 x stick overpass, alter overpass, frog stretch, overhead squat
3 x 3 hurdle hops

Deficit deadlift (standing on 45lb bumper plate) 135 4 x 4 paused at knee
Pause dip for clean jerk 95, 135, 145, 155 x 4 each

Power clean and jerk up to 85 3 x 2

Bench 95 4 x 6
Smith machine squat 135 4 x 6

Core:
Toe touch 3 x 20
Reverse crunch 3 x 20
Plank 3 x :45

Stretch

So yeah, progress with weights is slow but steady, and I'm pleased that I don't seem to have lost any strength on this cut! That's really good since if I had lost muscle there would have been basically no point... the whole idea was to go down to a weight class where I'm stronger, and if I had lost strength, it would mean nothing. I'm glad I have been so assiduous about lifting and plan to continue.

One annoying thing about the cut is when holding the bar in front squat or jerk position on my collarbone it hurts quite a bit--it's just bone there. But I should also work on supporting it more with my core and bracing so it doesn't weigh so heavily on me.