Old and little creaky, my accountability log, the journey continues

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

you've both got some t-shirt swagger haha

Where is yours?

(... and here comes Phoenix's second page of awesomeness... before we know it, she'll be on page 108)

[doievenlifttho]

(... and here comes Phoenix's second page of awesomeness... before we know it, she'll be on page 108)

agreed, you've called it haha

Where is yours?

All I have is a sweatshirt that says "champagne for breakfast" and shirt and pullover that say "diet coke" lol
Stepping up my game now though, will find one to match you both eventually

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

All I have is a sweatshirt that says "champagne for breakfast"

Ha Ha

[phoenix4444]

Where is yours?

(... and here comes Phoenix's second page of awesomeness... before we know it, she'll be on page 108)

agreed, you've called it haha

I am a chatty one.

All I have is a sweatshirt that says "champagne for breakfast"

Could relate to that slogan in my previous life.

Stepping up my game now though, will find one to match you both eventually

Do it!

[phoenix4444]

Taking a break from boxes of receipts.

Ate me some dinner.



And damn was it hot one! That feeling when that serrano pepper marinated chix thigh hit the pan I knew I was in for some that pepper pain. Didn't disappoint. Nose running freely. Sly little sucker way hotter than normal. I do like playing russian roulette with them there peppers.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

^^^ nice!!!
very nice indeed!

[cherrygarcia80]

I blink and you're on page 2 already...now I know how you got to 100+ pages in the previous log lol!

The food porn hnnngggg! Must be such a nice mental/physical break eating at maintenance for a nice long while! I'm thinking i may schedule a 2 week maintenance break in maybe a month's time or so as i feel like i'm running out of steam doing the everyday high cal day/ low cal day tight rope balance sigh! But i'm hanging in there for now.

[phoenix4444]

Cherry, I tell you it has only been a few days but the mentally has freed my stressed out brain. The long drawn out cut, the work stress it all got a little too much. The diet will be there when I am ready. Plus it will give me a chance to practice eating normally which I am not very good at. Been more or the norm for me the last couple of years to be in near constant cutting mode.

You may want to consider doing the same at some point.

[phoenix4444]

calories 1770
macros 97p-202c-55f, fiber 27 grams

100 generic calories not in macros

supps
creatine
black cohosh
glucosamine chondroitin
fish oil
calcium
magnesium
vitamin e
d3
5-http

meals
1-egg white omelet with scallion, hot turkey sausage, avocado, salsa, on hearty whole grain bread
365 calories, macros 22p-35c-17f, fiber 10 grams

2- reese's puffs, milk
343 calories, macros 9p-53c-11f, fiber 2 grams

3-chicken thigh marinated with soy, fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, scallion stirfried with snow peas, asparagus, onion, sweet peppers, spinach
389 calories, macros 38p-30c-14f, fiber 11 grams

4-fettuccine with ground beef and sauce
474 calories, macros 22p-78c-8f, fiber 7 grams

six cups of coffee with milk



Good day of eats, sorted through three boxes of receipts, it was a good day. I tell you though sitting for four hours entering data did not do my right shoulder any good. Going to do a little gaming and then call it a night.

[phoenix4444]

March 20th

Just got up , slug mode engaged. No agenda Sunday is sweet indeed.

Really though I do want to make an effort to get up out of my chair and get my lifting in. I have failed hard in this. The attraction to sit and game all day is a strong one. Gaming is my escape from the stresses of my world, most of my free time is spent in a different world.

So my only goal today today is to lift, I can take an hour out of my day and get it done. Bench and OHP today.

Ended up having some greek yogurt, raisins, granola before bed. It wasn't that I was hungry, I just wanted it. So calories were around 2000. I could make that 200 up today but probably wont. I am not going to make it an issue.

[shesprints]

Gaming is addictive indeed. I had to cut myself off it entirely--the way some people have 'trigger foods', I have video games. Then again, the tendency to get totally absorbed in something is probably what makes people successful: at fitness, for example, which is not unlike a video game in structure.

BTW you should know I read your ENTIRE old log just to look at the food porn (and to get faintly jealous of your strength). Seriously. It was open in a tab for like four days. Helping me get through this cut here.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Gaming is addictive indeed.

No kidding.
A few summers back I beat an entire tournament on FIFA11 and a couple summers later I beat Call of Duty Modern Warfare II on a all levels

I haven't played in a while though, except the occasional game when my son destroys me at whatever we play...

BTW you should know I read your ENTIRE old log just to look at the food porn (and to get faintly jealous of your strength). Seriously. It was open in a tab for like four days. Helping me get through this cut here.

I read it (or most of it) as it was happening, but in four days...

Educational/Inspirational indeed!

[jsari23]

March 19th

Feel a bit heavy headed and blurry eyed this morning. Lots of coffee will cure that fairly quickly.

On the agenda today is a overwhelming load of paperwork that I have to sort through. Tax time is approaching and I have been procrastinating. One of my less than productive traits. Anyway I am closing the restaurant so I can laser focus on task at hand. Sequester myself in my office, unplug the phone, and crank it out.

Restocked my cereal supply last night. Goal to eat my weight in cereal on my diet break. I get great joy perusing the cereal isle. These are pretty much my favorites.



There is much joy in that photo.

Goals
*1800 calories
*Get my veg in today. Can't be slacking too much in them micros. I prefer not to take a multi.
*don't overeat, work stress will be real. To easy to eat those feelings.

in for the cereal porn,... and liftin

[phoenix4444]

Gaming is addictive indeed. I had to cut myself off it entirely--the way some people have 'trigger foods', I have video games. Then again, the tendency to get totally absorbed in something is probably what makes people successful: at fitness, for example, which is not unlike a video game in structure.

BTW you should know I read your ENTIRE old log just to look at the food porn (and to get faintly jealous of your strength). Seriously. It was open in a tab for like four days. Helping me get through this cut here.

My man says here going to have to do an intervention I get fixated on a activity and its over I do agree that the single-mindedness is the key to success. As long as it does not take over ones life. A fine line sometimes

That is much reading! A lot of stuff in between the food and lifting. I am humbled that you made the time. I am glad that it helped you out. Though I do think my strength can use some work, lofty goals I have.

Took a bit of your advise, I got me some thinner sliced whole grain seedy bread, 80 calories a slice. More filling and much better flavor too.

No kidding.
A few summers back I beat an entire tournament on FIFA11 and a couple summers later I beat Call of Duty Modern Warfare II on a all levels

I haven't played in a while though, except the occasional game when my son destroys me at whatever we play...





I read it (or most of it) as it was happening, but in four days...

Educational/Inspirational indeed!

You don't have time to game anymore. Busy man is busy!
Us older folks can't compete with the children with their lightning fast reflexes.

I don't no about educational or inspirational, more like food obsessed and psychotic

in for the cereal porn,... and liftin

Welcome, There will be both

[phoenix4444]

calories 1731
macros 112p-189c-64f, fiber 32 grams

supps
creatine
black cohosh
glucosamine chondroitin
fish oil
multi
5-http

meals
1-greek yogurt, raisins, truvia, pumpkin flax seed granola
515 calories, macros 31p-64c-18f, fiber 4 grams

2-Two tuna salad sandwiches mixed with scallion, bread and butter pickles, avocado, miracle whip on whole grain and seed bread
645 calories, macros 38p-76c-25f, fiber 16 grams

3-pork loin chop with fried potatoes with ketchup, 1 can of green beans
517 calories, macros 40p-47c-19f, fiber

three cups of coffee with milk-44 calories



Stayed within my calories. A little micro deficient so multi today. Right now I am all about yogurt, raisins, granola.

Macros so far have been falling as I sort of expected on this diet break. Though I am surprised that I am still eating higher protein over carbs. I guess being fully charged now I don't feel the need for more than 200 grams.

averages for the week
*2084 calories
*52 minutes of treadmill
*three lifting days

Not bad considering that there was a 3000 and 4000 calorie day in there, This week my hope is not to have any really high days, just want a stable calorie week.




lifting

warm-up
*10 minutes on treadmill walking
*two circuits of the following-face pulls, band complexes for shoulders, band lat stretch chest stretch, lateral raises, hang for pull-up bar

bench
15 lbs 1x15
30 lbs 1x10
40 lbs 1x10
50 lbs 1x5
60 lbs 1x5
working sets 5/3/1
75 lbs 1x5
85 lbs 1x3
95 lbs 1x7 AMRAP
jokers
105 lb 1x1
115 lbs 1x1

OHP
15 lbs 1x10
working sets
45 lbs 1x5
52.5 lbs 1x3
57.5 lbs 1x5 AMRAP
jokers
62.5 lbs 1x1
67.5 lbs 1x1

Accessorizes
paused bench 75 lbs 3x5
overhead tri extension 20 lbs 3x15


My AMRAP set.


my last joker at 115 pounds. Was a super grinder.


Last year May I got 125 pounds for a rep, this year a super struggle rep at 115. It pisses me off some that I lost so much on my bench. I was about 10 pounds heavier at the time but still. Anyway my mission is to improve. That body weight bench seems so far away.

OHP felt good. And super set my accessories. Decided to do more bench of the paused variety.



Here is my PR squat for the other day day.

185 pounds 1x1


Think it could of been a tad deeper, but I will take it.

[phoenix4444]

March 21st

Slept a little late today. Had a hard time getting to sleep. Sleeping in until 11 yesterday, lifting day, and watching the frickin Walking Dead made me wide awake at midnight. And I woke up with a fiery hunger rumbling in my belly. So I decided to have a fiery themed burger. Sadly I left my camera at home so I cannot share the wonder that is the peanut butter, jelly, bacon burger.

It brought the fire with the heat is on peanut butter which played nicely with the salty bacon and sweet/hot jalapeno cherry butter. Lordy was it good. Fatty, savory, spicy, salty, sweet all in one bite, oh man I can barely get out the words.

Need to trudge through some more paperwork today. I am the only kitchen worker worker during the day so it hard for to balance all I need to get done. What I really need to do is come in super early so crank this paperwork out. Can only multitask so much before my brain shuts down.

Goals
*1800-1900 calories

[LunaLifts]

In!

Omg, I want Reese's Puffs now. lol. Nice work on the lifts in your vids, that squat looked brutal. Is that a home gym? If so it's an impressive set up.

[phoenix4444]

In!

Omg, I want Reese's Puffs now. lol. Nice work on the lifts in your vids, that squat looked brutal. Is that a home gym? If so it's an impressive set up.

YESSSS reese,s puffs, having some more of that today. My cereal goals will reached this week

Yes home basement gym. Built it up over the last four years. With my social anxiety it was too difficult to go out to a gym with people. So the money spent was worth it. Pretty much everything I could need. I say almost cause I have a equipment buying problem. I curse you amazon!

Happy with that squat, five pounds off my goal for the year. And it gave me a nice mental boost.

[LunaLifts]

YESSSS reese,s puffs, having some more of that today. My cereal goals will reached this week

Yes home basement gym. Built it up over the last four years. With my social anxiety it was too difficult to go out to a gym with people. So the money spent was worth it. Pretty much everything I could need. I say almost cause I have a equipment buying problem. I curse you amazon!

Happy with that squat, five pounds off my goal for the year. And it gave me a nice mental boost.

I have social anxiety too, I can go if I'm with someone, but not alone. The bigger issue not being able to afford it, or get there anyway. lol. I'm working on my plate collection for now. When we have room we're getting a rack, and will work on a decent DB collection. In the long run buying the essential equipment, and taking care of it is probably cheaper than year after year of gym memberships (depending on what's available, which around here isn't much).

[shesprints]

Dang, that is an awesome squat. I'd kill for a 185--quite possibly, I'd kill myself. It didn't look like your depth was lacking at all btw, and you came up really fast.

I'm surprised to hear you have social anxiety but own a restaurant! Not a lot of schmoozing to do? Anyway, I'm glad the whole grain bread is working for you.

[phoenix4444]

I have social anxiety too, I can go if I'm with someone, but not alone. The bigger issue not being able to afford it, or get there anyway. lol. I'm working on my plate collection for now. When we have room we're getting a rack, and will work on a decent DB collection. In the long run buying the essential equipment, and taking care of it is probably cheaper than year after year of gym memberships (depending on what's available, which around here isn't much).

Ridiculous how much plates and such cost. Little bit a time and you will get there. And yes get a power rack when you can. My first big purchase and a wise investment. I probably have around $3000-$4000 into my set-up but worth every penny.

Dang, that is an awesome squat. I'd kill for a 185--quite possibly, I'd kill myself. It didn't look like your depth was lacking at all btw, and you came up really fast.

I'm surprised to hear you have social anxiety but own a restaurant! Not a lot of schmoozing to do? Anyway, I'm glad the whole grain bread is working for you.

Thanks, been working hard on them squats four years in the making. I started with the bar like all. So you will get there.

Been at this restaurant since 1989. Its kind of my safe place. I don't do much of the schmoozing and only with some of our long time regulars. I pretty much stay behind enemy lines have front manager handle the customers and such. I do all the kitchen related tasks. Its a very small place. In fact I only have four employees and am related to two and one is my man. Still is fairly stressful when I have to put myself out there. This is why my Sundays are basically zone out down time.

[phoenix4444]

2500 calories

supps
creatine
black cohosh
glucosamine chondroitin
fish oil
magnesium
calcium
d3
multi
5-http

meals
1-burger with the heat is on peanut butter, jalapeno cherry butter, bacon on whole grain and seed bread
681 calories, macros 50p-45c-34f, fiber 7 grams

2-chili with saltines
438 calories, macros 29p-49c-15f, fiber 11 grams

3-reese's puffs, milk
397 calories, macros12p-57c-14f, fiber 2 grams

4-grilled chix breast with bbq, steamed cauliflower, spinach, curry with a little butter
226 calories, macros 27p-12c-10f, fiber 5 grams


Hungry today. Frickin hungry right now. The day after lifting my hunger is always amped up. Any of you ladies have the same issue?

I am hoping I can ride out the rest of the night. I really want to stick within my calorie goal for the day. I feel like if I give in it will open the floodgates and I wont stop. Doesn't help it was an extremely slow work day. Gonna try to keep myself occupied but not with paperwork. My brain has had enough of entering data today. Gonna zone on youtube and be totally unproductive

[DaveRVD]

You know phoenix is serious when she crosses in to the Bodybuilding section - Great stuff!

Love the shirts you both are rocking by the way!

You got this, phoenix!

[phoenix4444]

Dave!

Dude thanks for traveling over this way.

hopefully a change that will help me reset and finally get on the road to leanville.

[phoenix4444]

March 23rd.

Working on two hours of sleep today. And yes I fell off the wagon and went potato on yogurt, raisins, granola. That is not how the week was supposed to go. But it is what it is. I will shave some off my calorie total today but not going to low ball things too much. I don't really want to get into that excess/restrict cycle.

goals
*1500 calories
*hydrate
*make it through the day

[LunaLifts]

Ridiculous how much plates and such cost. Little bit a time and you will get there. And yes get a power rack when you can. My first big purchase and a wise investment. I probably have around $3000-$4000 into my set-up but worth every penny.

Well $1 a pound isn't a bad price, but when you the weights start going up it's one hell of an expense. A paiof full plates is ~$100. What's ridiculous is 2.5lb plates cost $3, instead of $2.50, and if you want fractional plates, pfft.

Dick's Sporting Goods has decently priced full, and half racks (like the half better, does most, if not all of the same things for a lower price), but all of their adjustable benches end up with a gap when used flat (if anyone has recommendations here that'd be great) so your butt sinks right in, and you can't get stable. We'd prefer adjustable so we don't need to buy too, but I'm not about to use one with a gap either. They also have a great deal on 300lbs of plates plus 7ft oly bar for $300, which is amazing considering the plates would cost that much alone. I just wish their active wear wasn't so pricey. Guess that's the brand's fault though.

What's black cohosh, and 5-http? The rest I at least heard of (even if I don't remember what glucosamine is for), but never heard of these two.

[phoenix4444]

Yeah I paid way too much for my 1.25 pound plates.

That is a great price on a bar with plates. Its that there 300 dollar investment right up front that hurts. And forget about active wear, 30 dollars for a tiny of materiel, frickin robbery.

As far as the adjustable bench, what I put a bar pad like this in the gap. It helps a bit. Or I have actually have used a foam yoga block too.


Black cohosh is to aid in my aging hormonal system. Helps with hot flashes and the crazy's a bit. Helps me some mostly with the craziness that the hormone swings cause but still a sweaty mess most of the time.
5-http is an amino acid that aids in helping serotonin levels. So mood enhancer, sleep aid, and to help anxiety.
The glucosamine is for joint health. But does not help my cranky ass elbows at all. After the bottle is done I wont be taking that anymore.

[phoenix4444]

So I decided to something different today. I decided not to count a damn calorie and just do me best to listen closer to body signals and eat sensibly. Now listening to those cues are difficult as I have a large appetite for a person of my stature. Its what what got me fat in the first place. Trying to decipher the physical cues from the emotional ones, the I need vs I want.

I have been fairly meticulous in counting for five years, I know portion sizes and weights pretty much by memory. So I think it is a worthy experiment to delve into for a brief time before I start my cut again.

We will see what happens.

[shesprints]

phoenix, I admire you trying to avoid calorie-counting! I basically did that while I was on vacation in Italy last year... while I didn't count calories, I did look at portion sizes and 'servings' as per my RD's recommendation. I was highly active (training a lot for triathlon and walking a lot) so she had me eating 10 starch servings a day, 4 protein servings, basically unlimited vegetables, and 5 'fats' plus 1 treat per day. I definitely don't eat 10 starches now that I'm cutting and my cardio is less. But it worked really well and it was still easy to plan my meals based on approximations, plus have more flexibility at restaurants. Honestly, even just splitting up food into three or four meals and eating until satisfied generally works for maintenance. It sounds like you're stressed around mealtimes a lot so many giving yourself more set times/breaks to really sit and eat could help? I know my mom gets super frazzled when recipe testing and around fod all day and will take conscious lunch and breakfast breaks away from what she's cooking to eat her own food and tune in to appetite.

Good luck with it, I think not counting works a lot better on maintenance than cutting for sure and could be a great way to help you trust yourself.

[cherrygarcia80]

So I decided to something different today. I decided not to count a damn calorie and just do me best to listen closer to body signals and eat sensibly. Now listening to those cues are difficult as I have a large appetite for a person of my stature. Its what what got me fat in the first place. Trying to decipher the physical cues from the emotional ones, the I need vs I want.

I have been fairly meticulous in counting for five years, I know portion sizes and weights pretty much by memory. So I think it is a worthy experiment to delve into for a brief time before I start my cut again.

We will see what happens.

Hey Phoenix, Wishing you all the best with the intuitive eating. I always envy NoCarbs log when he is able to do so for days at a time.

For me right now my intuitive eating system is still broken for sure. I think when i'm closer to goal I will definitely try it out to see if it works for me. But i get the feeling that i might have to be one of those who calorie counts for life sigh!

For all of you with equipment at home it's definitely a worthwhile lifetime investment, you are so right, gym memberships are expensive and they add up, plus even though i've been going for months i still get social anxiety there (but much better than when i started). Plus having to deal with a$$holes, equipment hoggers, dumbbell throwers, screamers/grunters etc and all sorts on the regular lol. It's a test in both physical and mental strength i tell ya lol.