My second major attempt

[rspinetti]

Hello!
Just keeping this for accountability purposes!

A little about me:

-I'm 33, work early mornings as a weather forecaster (sometimes as early as 3 AM!). Now doing much lifting atm due to Covid and my state/gym not exactly enforcing any mask or social distancing rules.
-Following a 16:8 intermittent fasting regimen, focusing on whole food only
-Height: 5'8 (174 cm)
-Starting weight: 235.8 lbs (107.18 kg)
-Starting waist circumference: 113 cm (44.8 in)
-Starting macros: 2400 calories, 80g fat, 240g carbs, 130g protein

Current exercise is currently non-existent, as I'm recovering from a grade 3 ankle sprain I sustained in early December. Prior to this I was running 3x a week about 3 miles each time. Hoping to get back into that fairly soon! Otherwise I'm just trying to get into a groove of counting calories/macros and seeing some consistent progress. Since I have quite a bit of weight to lose, I believe I'll start seeing some results (at least on the scale) from just dieting alone. I'm not TOO concerned about losing muscle mass for this first month -- I'm more concerned about seeing the scale go in the right direction.
I also do some pushups and situps occasionally, but hopefully I'll be able to start getting back in the gym to lift soon once I get my covid vaccines.

My main motivation/long term goal is to get in shape so that I can do physical activity with my kids, such as hiking, mountain climbing, rowing, etc. Ultimately I'd like to just look good, but I don't have any specific numbers in mind other than to get my body fat % below 10%. It'll take several series of cuts/bulks to get there.

Short term goal: Get weight under 225 lbs and keep it there.
Mid-range goal: Get to 180 lbs in time for family beach house vacation in mid-October 2021.

Unfortunately, I don't have any current pictures, and I may not post any anytime soon. I'm pretty ashamed/embarrassed about how I look.

Hoping to post 2-3 times a week. Let's see where this goes!

[rspinetti]

Things have gone pretty smoothly for the first few days. I'm weighing myself every day, but not too focused on the daily numbers, just going to take a weekly average and use that. Numbers have been coming down, but it's likely just water weight and glycogen as I transition into the diet. Have been feeling a bit of hunger, nothing too crazy. The worst thing has been craving all the bad foods -- yesterday I was craving tacos, burgers, chicken wings, and Chinese takeaway all at once.
Have been eating within my macros except for yesterday, when I ate close to or even slightly above maintenance. Went out with some friends last night to celebrate a friend's promotion at work, so had a few tacos and a couple of beers. Back on it today.

Decided I'm just going to get in the gym and start lifting, and hope double-masking is enough to prevent covid. I'll be following a P/P/L program, and my workouts will look something like this:

Tuesday: Push
3x8 Bench Press
3x8 Overhead Press
3x8 Dumbbell Fly
3x8 Side Delt Raise
3x8 Triceps Overhead Extension w/ Dumbbell

Thursday: Pull
2x5 Deadlift*
3x8 Barbell Row
3x8 Lat Pulldown
3x8 Hammer Curls

Saturday: Legs
3x8 Barbell Back Squats
3x8 Hamstring Curls**
3x8 Leg Extensions**
3x8 Standing Heel Raises w/ Barbell

*Due to a lower back injury, I'm taking it easy on Deadlifts, at least until form gets correct.
**I absolutely hate using machines, but I don't know of any other way to effectively work these muscle groups without repeating previous BB exercises. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

I'll also plan to go for a run on Wednesday, since it's my day off and it allows maximum distancing from my legs workout. Nothing crazy (yet), just a simple 5k run or something.

[rspinetti]

Just a quick update -- I need to be more diligent about updating on here!

Diet has been going well, with the exception of a couple of days. My 7-day average weight shows a loss of 1.6 lbs for the first week! It's probably a lot of water/glycogen/bloating that my body is getting rid of, but it's reassuring to see the scale moving in the right direction. This is about the rate of weight loss I need to maintain in order to be at my goal weight in time for the fall beach vacation.

I've decided to just go for it and hit the gym, since covid numbers are down in my city and I'm more than ready to start lifting again.
Not changing my macros unless weight loss rate gets too high, in which case I'll replace some of the carbs with more protein. 1.6 lbs/week is about as high as I'd want to go, and I can't afford to go any lower.

[rspinetti]

Diet has been a little bit hit-or-miss lately as I try to adjust to a new work schedule of coming in around 3-5 AM each day for 6-10 hours. I've been mostly eating within my diet, but haven't taken any weight measurements in several days. Finally starting to run again, so hopefully that will help. Looking forward to getting back in the gym!

[rspinetti]

After a bit of a hiatus involving the Covid vaccine and a changing work schedule, I'm back!!
Things have been going great! I'm down 8 lbs over the past 5 weeks and have started going back to the gym regularly. I actually met with a coach the other day and was able to get an accurate bodyfat measurement. It's disappointing, but let's be realistic. I'm 228 lbs (down from 236 on Mar. 4) and currently at 32% bodyfat.

So there's a lot of work to do! But I'm 100% motivated. Let's do this!

I've tweaked my diet just a little bit and seem to have finally found the "sweet spot." Current macros are 2050 calories, 65g fat, 210g carbs, 160g protein (actually comes out to 2065 calories, but close enough). I eat the same thing every single day, so it makes it easy to make adjustments to macros if necessary. I'll post my exact meals with measurements and macros if anyone is interested!

The first couple of times after going back to the gym, I way overdid it. The worst DOMS of my life for days. Even though I have a few years' experience of weightlifting (although admittedly not knowing what I was doing!) I thought I was taking it easy enough -- apparently not. I've done enough cycles to know that my muscles have "reawakened" and I can start working my way back up to good working weights. For now, weights are still laughably puny. Not for long!

I'm still following a Push/Pull/Legs routine. Complete workout is as follows, and will be a M/W/F routine. I'll keep the weights current as I progress!

Push Day:
Barbell Bench Press 3x5, 135 lbs
Barbell Incline Bench Press 2x5, 85 lbs
Lying Barbell Chest Pullover 3x5, 40 lbs (not sure what this exercise is officially called, and I've heard it's more of a back exercise, but I feel it more in my chest. May be a pull exercise?)
Barbell Overhead Press 3x5, 65 lbs
Dumbbell Seated Military Press 3x5, 25 lb dumbbells
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise 3x5, 15 lb dumbbells
Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension 3x5, 25 lbs
I may replace one of the shoulder exercises (maybe the seated military press) with another triceps exercise, as right now I'm only giving my tri's 3 sets/week. What do you guys think?

Pull Day:
Trap Bar Deadlifts 1x5, 135 lbs (I switched to these instead of regular deadlifts because I have a hard time getting form right on deadlifts even at very low weight, and have a lingering lower back injury. Also why it's only 1 set)
Bent-Over Lateral Barbell Rows 3x5, 105 lbs
Lat Pulldowns 3x5, 100 lbs
T-Bar Row 3x5, 90 lbs
Standing Lat Pushdown 3x5, 70 lbs (technically a push exercise, but targets lats which I work on pull days)
Hammer Curl 3x5, 30 lb dumbbells
Barbell Bicep Curl 3x5, 60 lbs

Leg Day:
Barbell Back Squat 3x5, 135 lbs
Barbell Lunge 2x5 each side, 50 lbs
Bulgarian Split Squat 2x5 each side, 30 lbs (keeping it light until I get used to this one!)
Hip Thrust 2x8, 25 lbs
Standing Calf Raise 3x5, 115 lbs
Turkish Get-Ups 2x10 each side, 10 lbs
Floor Wipers 2x12, 25 lb barbell

After each workout I do 30 mins cardio, plus a 1-hour cardio on Thursday. These are all on the elliptical. I also go for a run on Tuesdays and Sundays, about 5 km.

Overall I'm really pleased with the progress so far. Excited to see how high I can get on the weights during this cut. I promise, I'm going to be more diligent with updating this log!

[rspinetti]

Things have been going really well! 4/21 was push day, and I did the following:

BB Flat Bench Press 3x5 115 lbs (was easy, will up weight next week)
BB Incline Bench Press 3x5 95 lbs (medium difficulty, will keep this weight the same)
Lying BB Chest Pullover 1x5 -- Honestly going to scratch this exercise and replace it with skullcrushers so I have another exercise to hit my tri's
BB Overhead Press 3x5 75 lbs (was easy ish but will likely keep the weight the same for 1 more week)
DB Military Press 3x5 25 lbs (was pretty easy -- I initially tried with 30 lbs and failed, so will stick with 25 for another week)
DB Side Later Raise 3x5 15 lbs (moderate difficulty, will keep this weight the same)
DB Overhead Triceps Extension 3x5 30 lbs (was difficult)

Followed this up with 500 calories on the elliptical. That night was also date night with the wife and a cheat meal, so I definitely ate over maintenance.

Thursday I got back in the gym and did a long elliptical workout -- burned close to 1250 calories. It's now early morning on 4/23 with a pull day coming up, and I'm a little sore. Will power through the workout since this weekend will be rest days, other than perhaps a 30 minute job on Sunday. Overall feeling pretty good!

[rspinetti]

Had an overall awesome day at the gym, even though it was super crowded and I had to wait nearly 30 mins to do my trap bar sets. Did the following:

Trap Bar Deadlifts 1x5 135 lbs (was super easy, will definitely increase weight next time)
Lateral BB Rows 3x5 105 lbs (pretty easy, actually did 110 on the final set. These felt awesome. Was able to squeeze my shoulder blades at the top and just felt really good, love this exercise)
Lat Pulldown 3x5 100 lbs (was fairly easy, but felt my lats starting to give out on the last rep of the 3rd set. May have cheated with my arms a little. Will keep the same weight next time)
T Bar Row 3x5 60 lbs (this was my first time doing these. Felt different, had to double check form, just need to get used to the movement)
Standing Lat Pulldown 3x5 37.5 lbs (my first time doing these. Felt it in my triceps initially and got a few opinions on form. Maybe my lats or triceps are just really weak? I had a hard time feeling it in my lats. Tried to keep my arms straight throughout)
BB Bicep Curl 3x5 60 lbs (these went smoothly, a little difficult, will keep weight the same)
DB Hammer Curls 3x5, 30 lbs each (these were hard only because my biceps were still fried from the BB curls. Will keep the weight the same)

Finished up with 500 calories on the elliptical (35 minutes). Overall a great day at the gym.

Been dealing with some hunger today. Nothing major, just hungry. Also my food cravings have returned a bit. Definitely craving fattier food and carbs. I have a bowl of homemade ramen (most meat and veg) and a protein shake in front of me, so definitely not cheating! Will take another weight/waist/body fat % measurement on Sunday.

This weekend I’ll have a rest day on Saturday since I’ll be working all day. I have food prepped, so shouldn’t be an issue. Sunday I’ll try to get a run in after work.

The wife and I are going to Kansas City (3 hours away) next week to visit her family for a few days, so making sure I have enough food prepped to take with me is the key to making sure I keep the cut going smoothly!

[rspinetti]

Current bodyweight: 226.5 lbs
Change since last week: -1.5 lbs
Total Change since Mar. 15: -9.3 lbs
Average per week: -1.55 lbs
Starting waist size: 44.5 in
Current waist size: 43.5 in
Estimated starting bodyfat: 31.2%**
Estimated current bodyfat: 29.5%**
Estimated total fat loss: 7.5 lbs
Estimated total lean body mass lost: 1.8 lbs
Estimated fat poundage remaining: 66.8 lbs
Estimated lean body mass: 159.7 lbs

**Estimated using a calculator with height, age, weight, neck circumference, waist circumference measurements

Goals: 200 lbs by family reunion July 16-18
180 lbs by beach vacation Oct 16-28
Preserve muscle mass as much as possible

Overall was a bit worried about weight this week. During my mid-week weigh in I was at 231 lbs, but I thought it might be due to water retention as I've been following my diet pretty closely. Turns out it was either a build up of food in my intestines or water weight or a combination of both because the weight is continuing to drop. No real noticeable change in the mirror yet, except maybe I don't look as bloated.

Went for a run yesterday (Sunday), and was very pleased with it. Ran a total of 5 km (3.3 miles) in 40 minutes. While that's not a great time, it's the first time in years that I've been able to run a full 5k without stopping. Weight and waistline continue to go down, athletic performance both in cardio endurance and strength training continues to increase, so I'm very happy with the progress thus far.

Will be mixing up the order of my weightlifting this week since I'm going to KC with the wife. Normally I do legs on Monday, Push on Wednesday, and pull on Friday, since I have my long cardio session on Thursday and my run on Sunday. Having leg day on Monday helps keep my legs fresh for the extended cardio, plus I get the worst workout of the week done on the first day of the week But this week I'll be doing push today (Monday) in order to keep my legs fresh for running outside in KC (since I won't have access to a gym), and then I'll have my legs day on Friday and pull day on Saturday. Still going to attempt a run on Sunday, but with it only being 48 hours after legs workout, I'll have to see how my legs feel. In order to help offset the lack of an extended elliptical session on Thursday this week, I'll likely do slightly longer elliptical sessions today and Friday after the workouts.

Anyway, going to keep on keeping on! I can't wait to get in the gym later today for push day!

[rspinetti]

4/26: Push Day!

BB Bench Press: 3x5 110 lbs (+5 lbs from previous workout) -- These felt really good. Likely increasing weight again next workout.
BB Incline Bench Press: 3x5 95 lbs (no change from previous workout) -- Handled these better than last week, getting more familiar with the movement. Will keep it the same weight for one more workout.
BB OHP: 3x5 80 lbs (+5 lbs from previous workout) -- Feeling ok with this. Definitely not ready to up the weight again.
DB Military Press: 3x5 25 lbs (no change from previous workout) -- Didn't try for 30 lbs again. With weight on compound lifts going up, I'll keep this weight the same for now.
DB Lateral Raise: 3x5 15 lbs (no change from previous workout) -- I feel like I could get 20 lbs if I really pushed, but for now I'm content to stick with 15 lbs. It'd be a different story if I were bulking...
Skullcrushers 3x5 30 lbs (1st time doing exercise) -- These felt great. Was my 1st time doing these, so kept weight light to get form right. My tri's are STILL sore from these on Friday morning! Will definitely be doing more of these!
DB OH Triceps Extension 3x5 30 lbs (no change from previous workout) -- Not much to say about these, were slightly easier than last time but not upping the weight anytime soon.

Followed this up with 625 calories on the elliptical.

Tuesday - Thursday were spent in KC visiting in-laws, so I didn't have access to a gym. My wife has recently started doing Fit Body Boot Camp, and their workouts are online, so I joined her for a calisthenics workout on Wednesday. I thought it was pretty easy until I was super sore all over yesterday! I'm just glad I was able to get some kind of workout in while I was in KC.

Diet was generally good while in KC. My niece's 7th birthday party was on Wednesday night, so there was pizza and cake, grapes, and Doritos (the last one I managed to stay away from). Was also able to adjust my diet to eat higher protein and lower fat/carbs during the day, to account for the higher carbs/fat with the pizza and cake. Split a slice of cake with the wife and limited myself to 2 slices of pizza, so if I did exceed cutting calories on Wednesday, it wasn't by much. Was still probably at or slightly below maintenance.
Yesterday (Thursday) I followed my diet until we got back to our city and decided on the fly to have date-night dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Was definitely a cheat meal. Hopefully there won't be too much damage done from eating 1 day near maintenance followed by a definite cheat meal putting me way over maintenance calories on Thursday, but all I can do is get back on the fat burning wagon today.

Today I'll do leg day in the gym (everyone's favorite) after my shift at work. To be honest I'm not looking forward to it. Legs and core are still sore from the FBBC workout on Wednesday, and I'm tired after going out of town. The good thing is that I'm looking forward to getting back in the gym again.
Tomorrow will be working most of the day, but will make time to get in a pull day during the afternoon. As much as I'd love to go for a run on Sunday, I"m sure my legs will still be too sore from today's upcoming leg workout. I'll probably just do as much as I can on the elliptical instead.

Next weigh-in day will be Sunday!

[rspinetti]

4/30: Leg Day!

Was super pumped to get back into the gym again, and even though both my quads and my core were still a bit sore from doing the Fit Body workout with my wife, I had an amazing session! Did the following:
BB Back Squat: 3x5 140 lbs (+5 lbs from last session) -- Loved these. Good depth, good form. Will likely be upping the weight again.
BB Lunge 3x5 40 lbs each side (no change from last session) -- These felt better, now that I've gotten used to the movement and the weight again. Will likely keep this weight the same.
Bulgarian Split Squat 3x5 40 lbs each side (+10 lbs from last session) -- Now that I've got form down, these are coming nicely. They wear me out though! The hardest part for me is keeping my balance. Will keep the weight the same for a while.
Hip Thrust 2x10 10 lbs (+10 lbs from last session) -- Definitely felt these, especially the next day. Will keep the weight the same.
Standing Calf Raise 3x5 115 lbs (no change from last session) -- Still getting used to these again, will likely keep weight the same. Overall felt good though.
Turkish Get-Ups 2x10 10 lbs each side (no change from last session) -- Love these, really feel them in my abs and obliques.
Floor Wipers 2x10 25 lbs bag (no change from last session) -- I was wiped out with these. Had to take a couple of breaks mid-set. Will keep weight the same and try to get them again next time.
Followed this up with 700 calories on the elliptical.

5/1: Pull Day!
I feel like I can never get enough sets for my back. Decided to change some things up, and ultimately went the following, but I'd be interested to know what everyone else's pull day looks like!
Bent-Over Lateral BB Rows 3x5 110 lbs (+5 lbs from last session) -- Felt good. Had a bit of trouble squeezing my rhomboids at the top of the lifts on the third set, so will keep weight the same.
Lat Pulldowns 3x5 100 lbs (no change from last session) -- Loved these. Felt good, but the last couple of reps were hard, so I'll keep the weight the same.
Facepulls 3x5 60 lbs (new exercise) -- Really felt these in my rear delts moreso than in my upper back, but that's ok because I don't have any other exercise that hits those. Have to concentrate on form but overall will be keeping these.
Standing Lat Pushdown 3x5 40 lbs (+2.5 lbs from last session) -- Loved it. Form was good and definitely felt it in my lats rather than in my tri's. Will keep weight the same.
BB Bicep Curl 3x5 60 lbs (no change from last session) -- These felt decent. I know I'll fail on 70 lbs, so I'll keep the weight the same.
DB Hammer Curl 3x5 30 lbs each side (no change from last session) -- Felt good, was a bit tough on the last set. Will keep weight the same.
Followed this up with 700 calories on the elliptical.

Normally I don't do that much on the elliptical when lifting, but I was short one cardio session of 500 calories this week, so I wanted to make it up as much as I could.

5/2: Weigh-In Day!
Current Bodyweight: 224.90 lbs
Change since last week: -1.6 lbs
Total Change since Mar. 15: -10.9 lbs
Average per week: -1.55 lbs/week
Starting waist size: 44.5 inches
Current waist size: 43 inches
Estimated starting bodyfat: 31.2%
Estimated current bodyfat: 29.1%
Estimated fat loss: 8.8 lbs (-1.3 lbs since last week)
Estimated lean mass lost: 2.1 lbs (-0.3 lbs since last week)
Estimated fat poundage remaining: 65.5 lbs
Estimated lean body mass: 159.4 lbs

Loving that the scale is still moving in the right direction. Part of me wants to lose weight as fast as possible, but I know I can't do that. Honestly, I think I'm going to up my protein by 10g/day. I'll give it one more week before I implement the change, because I didn't want to do it until I got under 220 lbs, but I need to stop the lean mass loss. For now I won't touch fat or carbs, so it'll come with a 40 cal/day increase, but I think that's ok since I've averaged -1.55 lbs/week. Honestly the hardest part of this journey is realizing that it truly is a journey, and that I have to have patience. I'm definitely not a patient person lol.

Also, for accountability purposes, I have to admit that I had a cheat meal last night. I had every intention of going home and preparing my typical dinner after I got off from my second job yesterday evening, but then the wife called on the way home and asked me to stop by Wal-mart to pick up some things. By the time I left it was already late and I didn't feel like taking the time to cook (I typically am up at 4 AM for work, so getting home at 7:30 doesn't bode well for cooking). I wound up getting a Chinese take-away. I did try to make it slightly healthier by getting steamed rice instead of fried, and getting as many vegetables in as I could, but really it was too much food and likely went over on both my fat and carbs. Not sure if I exceeded maintenance, but it was definitely over my cutting numbers. Not sure how much water I'm retaining right now, but given my weigh-in this morning I'd say the damage is minimal. Still, I need to nip this in the bud right now.

Losing 1.5 lbs/week puts me right at about just under 4 months from being under 200 again for the first time since 2013, which would be late August. Unfortunately, this means I won't make my goal of reaching 200 lbs by July 25 (for the family reunion) feasible. Although it's disappointing, I'd rather accept sustained weight loss rather than rushing to complete it and risk doing more damage to my body. I'll be hard-pressed to reach my 180 lbs goal by mid-October, but there's still an outside chance that this one is doable.

Heading back to the gym again today to do a long cardio session to get me back on par with a "normal" week, as far as calories burned go. Monday will be another push day with 500 calories on the elliptical, followed by a much-needed rest day on Tuesday.

[RandyMcFlab]

Great work, dont worry about the odd cheat meal - honestly I think they help trick the body into dropping more weight or they seem to with me! Are you taking progress pics?

[rspinetti]

Great work, dont worry about the odd cheat meal - honestly I think they help trick the body into dropping more weight or they seem to with me! Are you taking progress pics?

Thanks! I took a "before" pic on March 15 from both the front and the side, but I haven't taken any pics since. Looking in the mirror, I don't see much difference in body shape, except I think I don't look as bloated/puffy. I was going to take pics in July and then again in October. Should I take them more frequently?
Also, I'll have to look into threads on how to upload pics to the forum, it's something I haven't done before!

[RandyMcFlab]

Thanks! I took a "before" pic on March 15 from both the front and the side, but I haven't taken any pics since. Looking in the mirror, I don't see much difference in body shape, except I think I don't look as bloated/puffy. I was going to take pics in July and then again in October. Should I take them more frequently?
Also, I'll have to look into threads on how to upload pics to the forum, it's something I haven't done before!

I found 12 week intervals was showing a noticeable difference in photos, but an extra month will show even more- one thing I would say is more important is be sure to take the photo in the same place, same distance, same lighting ect as thats what can really show progress the most honestly.

[rspinetti]

I've had a bit of trouble sticking to my diet lately -- I'm not sure if it's food cravings or redundancy, but I haven't been eating my strict cutting meals that I've meticulously planned out and counted all the macros for. That being said, I haven't exactly blown my diet out of proportion -- with the exception of my standard Wednesday night cheat meal with the wife for date night, my calories/macros have been fairly close to what they should be.

Yesterday was the first day I started noticing some minor changes in the mirror. My love handles aren't as bulky, and although my stomach still protrudes, it doesn't droop down my waistline like a useless sack of skin. I think I look noticeably thinner in my upper abdomen and across my chest. I apologize for not having any progress pics yet, but they will hopefully be coming soon (as well as a before pic)!

Monday, 5/3 was push day! Overall had a pretty good workout. About a third of the way through the workout I got a tremendous boost of energy, and I have no idea where it came from. Was awesome, though! Did the following:
BB Flat Bench Press 3x5 120 lbs (+5 lbs from previous workout): These felt good. Was pretty easy, will be upping the weight again.
BB Incline Bench Press 3x5 95 lbs (no change): These are getting easier, may try upping the weight next time.
BB OH Press 3x5 80 lbs (no change): These still require moderate effort, so will keep weight the same.
DB Military Press 3x5 25 lbs (no change): These are getting easier, I will likely keep weight the same, but may try to get 30 lbs on my last set next time.
DB Side Lateral Raise 3x5 25 lbs (no change): These are also getting easier, but will likely keep weight the same for at least 1-2 more workouts.
Skullcrushers 3x5 30 lbs (no change): They feel light, but my triceps are sore for days afterwards. I think it's because this movement is new for me. Will keep weight the same for 1 more week.
DB Overhead Triceps Extension 3x5 30 lbs (no change): These were pretty easy, will try upping the weight next session.
Followed this up with 500 calories on the elliptical.

Tuesday was pretty much a rest day, but I did go disc golfing with some friends from work. Walked 2.5 miles in the process, but it wasn't constant movement and only burned about 400 calories.

Wednesday, 5/5 was leg day! Did much better on this workout, with one caveat that I will cover below. Did the following:
BB Back Squat 3x5 145 lbs (+5 lbs from previous session): These felt good. Will likely up the weight again.
BB Lunge 3x5 each side, 40 lbs (no change from previous session): I've grown to like these, even though they make my quads super sore. Will keep weight the same for one more session.
Bulgarian Split Squat 3x5 each side, 40 lbs (no change from previous session): These are still my nemesis, my quads are still trashed from lunges, so I just slug these out. Will keep the weight the same.
Hip Thrust 2x10 10 lbs (no change from previous session): These felt pretty good. Will keep weight the same.
Standing Calf Raise 3x5 115 lbs (no change from previous session): So here's the caveat. Normally I do these with a barbell. But all 4 power racks were in use when I was ready to do these. I waited 5 minutes, still all in use by the same people. 3 of the 4 had people rotating in for sets, so I asked the fourth person if I could rotate in. He said no, that he only had a couple more sets. I waited 5 more mins, he was still using the rack. I was pressed for time so I wound up doing the calf raises on the machine. Overall they felt pretty good, though.
Turkish Get Ups 2x10 each side, 10 lbs (no change from previous session): These were slightly easier, but I probably won't up the weight yet.
Floor Wipers 2x10, 25 lbs bag (no change from previous session): Was finally able to complete these. Completely wore me out, I had to lay there and just breathe for a couple minutes afterwards, but I got them in. Will keep weight the same.
I was really pressed for time after this, so I just did 312 calories of a HIIT session (probably not ideal, as I'm still 29% body fat, but I just wanted to burn as many calories as I could in the limited time I had).

Thursday was my long cardio session. I definitely made up for the shortcomings of the past couple of weeks, at least as far as burning calories in the gym goes. I torched 1,364 calories on the elliptical. Solid.

I've re-examined my goals, watched a couple of motivational videos, and of course read through some of the fat loss logs on these forums, and my motivation is back to 100%. Ready to keep dropping that fat. Excited to do trap bar deadlifts again today for pull day!

[rspinetti]

I found 12 week intervals was showing a noticeable difference in photos, but an extra month will show even more- one thing I would say is more important is be sure to take the photo in the same place, same distance, same lighting ect as thats what can really show progress the most honestly.

For sure! I'll try to get some progress pics uploaded by this weekend.

[DoMoreWeighLess]

Yesterday was the first day I started noticing some minor changes in the mirror. My love handles aren't as bulky, and although my stomach still protrudes, it doesn't droop down my waistline like a useless sack of skin. I think I look noticeably thinner in my upper abdomen and across my chest.

That's ****ing awesome! Keep it going.

[rspinetti]

That's ****ing awesome! Keep it going.

Thanks man!

[rspinetti]

Friday May 7th: Pull Day!

Trap Bar Deadlifts: 1x5 145 lbs (+10 lbs from previous workout) Felt good. Definitely upping the weight again.
Bent-Over Lateral BB Rows 3x5 110 lbs (no change): Felt great. Was able to squeeze the rhomboids at the top of the lift. Will hit this weight once more before upping.
Lat Pulldowns 3x5 100 lbs (no change): These are getting easier, but going to stick with the same weight for now.
Facepulls 3x5 55 lbs (-5 lbs): Decided to drop the weight slightly and focus on form until I get more used to this movement.
Standing Lat Pushdown 3x5 45 lbs (+5 lbs): Felt good, going to repeat at this weight.
BB Bicep Curl 3x5 60 lbs (no change): Felt good, definitely can't do 70 lbs yet, will repeat.
Hammer Curl 3x5 30 lbs each side (no change): Noticed my elbows flaring outward a bit, so need to keep working at this weight.

Sunday = weigh-in day!

Current Weight = 223.9 lbs
Change from last week = -1.0 lbs
Total Change since Mar. 15 = -11.9 lbs
Average per week = -1.49 lbs/week
Starting Waist Size: 44.5 inches
Current Waist Size: 42.5 inches
Estimated Starting Bodyfat: 31.2%
Estimated Current Bodyfat: 28.8%
Estimated Total Fat Loss: 9.7 lbs (-0.9 lbs from last week)
Estimated Lean Body Mass Lost: 2.2 lbs (-0.1 lbs from last week)
Estimated Fat Poundage Remaining: 64.6 lbs
Estimated Lean Body Mass: 159.4 lbs

Numbers are still moving in the right direction. I'm going to go ahead and make the following changes to my macros:
Carbs: -10g
Protein: +10g

My new macros will be: 2065 calories, 65g fat, 200g carbs, 170g protein

Hopefully the lower carbs and higher protein will help increase the fat burning that happens, and maybe the weight on the scale will move a little faster. I know 1 lb/week is still decent progress, but I feel like at my weight and bodyfat % I should be losing closer to 2 lbs/week. I don't want to cut calories just yet, so we'll see if the macro adjustment changes anything.
Also got some new recipes in the kitchen that I'm ready to try!
Push day coming up today!

[rspinetti]

Had an epic push day at the gym! Lots of progress happening. Did the following:

BB Flat Bench Press: 3x5, 125 lbs (+5 lbs from last session). Was easy-ish, but will repeat this weight.
BB Incline Bench Press: 3x5, 100 lbs (+5 lbs from last session). Wasn't planning to increase the weight, but said farq it and went for it. Was hard, but got all the reps. Will keep this weight for a while.
BB Overhead Press: 3x5, 80 lbs (no change from last session). Was pretty easy, but will repeat one more time before I up the weight.
DB Military Press: 2x5, 25 lbs each side + 1x5, 30 lbs each side (+5 lbs on last set). 25 was super easy, so went 30 and I feel like it's a good weight for me. Will keep with the 30s.
DB Side Lateral Raise: 3x5, 15lbs each side (no change from last session). These are getting easy, will repeat once more before I try with 20s.
Skullcrushers 2x5 40 lbs (+10 lbs from last session). These felt great. Will keep this weight. Love feeling my tri's contract with this exercise.
DB Overhead Triceps Extension 3x5 (+5 lbs from last session). These were hard-ish after skullcrushers, but managed to crank them out. Will keep this weight for a bit.

Followed it up with 500 calories on the elliptical, which went by like a breeze.

When I woke up this morning (5/11) I looked in the mirror and I'm starting to get the "shrink-wrap" look that some people get when they lose a decent bit of fat in a short period of time. Overall my shape hasn't changed much, but I'm seeing results and loving it.
On a side note, there's a weight-loss competition at work that started Mar. 15, and ends June 30. It's being tracked by % of bodyweight lost. Currently I'm in 3rd place out of 10. I don't care if I don't win, because I know this is a marathon journey, and I'm not stopping after June 30. But it would be nice to win the prize money ($120).

Rest day today before leg day tomorrow!

[safcpaul]

Great stuff. Weight dropping consistently and your lifts going up. Will be following your progress

[rspinetti]

Great stuff. Weight dropping consistently and your lifts going up. Will be following your progress

Thanks! Yeah as long as the weight comes down and the lifts go up, everything is ticking along smoothly! The hard part will be when one or both of them stall, lol.

[rspinetti]

5/12: Leg Day :/

I never really look forward to leg day. Bulgarian Split Squats continue to trash my legs for days, but do them I must. Did the following:
BB Back Squat 3x5 145 lbs (no change) -- Decided to repeat this weight to make sure form was still good. Will be upping the weight next week.
BB Lunge 3x5 each side, 40 lbs (no change) -- These are getting easier, undecided if I want to try upping the weight. If I do I may just go with an empty olympic barbell to get 45 lbs.
Bulgarian Split Squat 3x5 each side, 40 lbs (no change) -- I absolutely hate this exercise, which means it's probably doing me the most good. Will keep weight the same.
Standing Calf Raises 3x5, 120 lbs (+5 lbs from last week) -- These felt really good. Will repeat this weight next week before upping it.
Hip Thrust 2x10 10 lbs (no change) -- These hit my glutes and hamstrings pretty good, will keep the weight the same.
Turkish Get Ups 2x10 10 lbs each side (no change) -- Felt pretty good. Love feeling my abs and obliques contract with this exercise.
Floor Wipers 2x10 w/ 25 lb bag (no change) -- My abs are on fire after these. Will keep weight the same.
Followed this up with 500 calories on the elliptical.

5/13, Thursday, I went into the gym for my long cardio session. I decided to mix things up and instead opted to go for 20 miles (32 km) on the bike. I actually had to work for it, but with it being the day after leg day, my legs were complete rubber afterwards. Followed it up with rowing for 1km on the row machine. I had never used a rowing machine before, so I wanted to try it out. Overall it was ok, but I definitely prefer the elliptical. Plus I didn't want to go too hard on it with the next day being pull day.

5/14, Pull Day!
For some reason I feel like I don't get as good of a workout on pull day as I do with my push day or leg day. I've looked up various programs, and it seems I've got a good mix of exercises, but for some reason I just don't feel like I trash my back enough. But I feel like I'm not strong enough to do more weight without sacrificing form. I guess I'll just keep grinding and trust that the progress is there as the lifts go up. The real telling point will come when I start bulking. Did the following:
Bent-Over Lateral BB Rows 3x5 110 lbs (no change from last week) -- Felt amazing. Only reason I'm not upping the weight is because I feel like I wouldn't be able to get a good squeeze at the top with heavier weight. I'll give it a try, though.
Lat Pulldowns 3x5, 110 lbs (+10 lbs from last week) -- Felt good. Last couple of reps were a struggle, but I really felt it in my lats. Will keep weight the same.
Facepulls 3x5, 55 lbs (no change from last week) -- Still making sure form is good. Will try to go for 60 lbs next week.
Standing Lat Pushdowns 3x5, 50 lbs (+5 lbs from last week) -- Felt amazing. Lats were fairly sore afterward.
BB Bicep Curl 3x5 60 lbs (no change) -- This felt easier this week. I use the EZ grip bar for these, so I'll try for 70 lbs next week.
Hammer Curl 3x5 30 lbs (no change) -- Made sure form was good, and definitely felt the burn. Will keep the weight the same and focus on form and tension for another week.
Followed this up with 550 calories on the elliptical.

Even though my weight has been (slowly) steadily coming down, I feel like I'm eating way too much fat. I was only losing about 1.4 lb/week, which is good progress, but at my bodyfat % it really should be closer to 2 lbs/week. Plus there's only 6 weeks left in the weight loss competition, so I need to step it up if I want to have a shot. So, I made the following changes to my macros:
Calories: 2065 --> 1900
Fat: 65g --> 54g
Carbs: 200g --> 185g
I know it's a big jump, so I'll see how I do. I enjoy having something sweet after I eat, even if it's just a couple of blackberries or one of my wife's no-bake cookies (they're about 100 calories each). That way I can indulge and still be in a solid deficit. Today was my first day eating the lower calories, and it was a little tough. The hunger definitely came back faster. If I need to up calories, I'll increase my protein. I hate having such a slow metabolism....224 lbs and 1900 calories/day, while lifting 3x/week and burning 2500 calories/week in the gym.

Current macros are now: Calories 1900, Fat 54g, Carbs 185g, Protein 170g
My plan was/is to gradually increase protein from 160g to 200g as I move from 235.8 lbs to 200 lbs. I estimate that I'll be around 23-24% body fat when I get down to 200 lbs, which just takes me out of the "obese" category. So it'll be time to have 1g/lb of protein then.

Tomorrow will be a rest day, then on Sunday I'll go for a run just prior to weighing in for the week!

[rspinetti]

5/12: Leg Day :/

I never really look forward to leg day. Bulgarian Split Squats continue to trash my legs for days, but do them I must. Did the following:
BB Back Squat 3x5 145 lbs (no change) -- Decided to repeat this weight to make sure form was still good. Will be upping the weight next week.
BB Lunge 3x5 each side, 40 lbs (no change) -- These are getting easier, undecided if I want to try upping the weight. If I do I may just go with an empty olympic barbell to get 45 lbs.
Bulgarian Split Squat 3x5 each side, 40 lbs (no change) -- I absolutely hate this exercise, which means it's probably doing me the most good. Will keep weight the same.
Standing Calf Raises 3x5, 120 lbs (+5 lbs from last week) -- These felt really good. Will repeat this weight next week before upping it.
Hip Thrust 2x10 10 lbs (no change) -- These hit my glutes and hamstrings pretty good, will keep the weight the same.
Turkish Get Ups 2x10 10 lbs each side (no change) -- Felt pretty good. Love feeling my abs and obliques contract with this exercise.
Floor Wipers 2x10 w/ 25 lb bag (no change) -- My abs are on fire after these. Will keep weight the same.
Followed this up with 500 calories on the elliptical.

5/13, Thursday, I went into the gym for my long cardio session. I decided to mix things up and instead opted to go for 20 miles (32 km) on the bike. I actually had to work for it, but with it being the day after leg day, my legs were complete rubber afterwards. Followed it up with rowing for 1km on the row machine. I had never used a rowing machine before, so I wanted to try it out. Overall it was ok, but I definitely prefer the elliptical. Plus I didn't want to go too hard on it with the next day being pull day.

5/14, Pull Day!
For some reason I feel like I don't get as good of a workout on pull day as I do with my push day or leg day. I've looked up various programs, and it seems I've got a good mix of exercises, but for some reason I just don't feel like I trash my back enough. But I feel like I'm not strong enough to do more weight without sacrificing form. I guess I'll just keep grinding and trust that the progress is there as the lifts go up. The real telling point will come when I start bulking. Did the following:
Bent-Over Lateral BB Rows 3x5 110 lbs (no change from last week) -- Felt amazing. Only reason I'm not upping the weight is because I feel like I wouldn't be able to get a good squeeze at the top with heavier weight. I'll give it a try, though.
Lat Pulldowns 3x5, 110 lbs (+10 lbs from last week) -- Felt good. Last couple of reps were a struggle, but I really felt it in my lats. Will keep weight the same.
Facepulls 3x5, 55 lbs (no change from last week) -- Still making sure form is good. Will try to go for 60 lbs next week.
Standing Lat Pushdowns 3x5, 50 lbs (+5 lbs from last week) -- Felt amazing. Lats were fairly sore afterward.
BB Bicep Curl 3x5 60 lbs (no change) -- This felt easier this week. I use the EZ grip bar for these, so I'll try for 70 lbs next week.
Hammer Curl 3x5 30 lbs (no change) -- Made sure form was good, and definitely felt the burn. Will keep the weight the same and focus on form and tension for another week.
Followed this up with 550 calories on the elliptical.

Even though my weight has been (slowly) steadily coming down, I feel like I'm eating way too much fat. I was only losing about 1.4 lb/week, which is good progress, but at my bodyfat % it really should be closer to 2 lbs/week. Plus there's only 6 weeks left in the weight loss competition, so I need to step it up if I want to have a shot. So, I made the following changes to my macros:
Calories: 2065 --> 1900
Fat: 65g --> 54g
Carbs: 200g --> 185g
I know it's a big jump, so I'll see how I do. I enjoy having something sweet after I eat, even if it's just a couple of blackberries or one of my wife's no-bake cookies (they're about 100 calories each). That way I can indulge and still be in a solid deficit. Today was my first day eating the lower calories, and it was a little tough. The hunger definitely came back faster. If I need to up calories, I'll increase my protein. I hate having such a slow metabolism....224 lbs and 1900 calories/day, while lifting 3x/week and burning 2500 calories/week in the gym.

Current macros are now: Calories 1900, Fat 54g, Carbs 185g, Protein 170g
My plan was/is to gradually increase protein from 160g to 200g as I move from 235.8 lbs to 200 lbs. I estimate that I'll be around 23-24% body fat when I get down to 200 lbs, which just takes me out of the "obese" category. So it'll be time to have 1g/lb of protein then.

Tomorrow will be a rest day, then on Sunday I'll go for a run just prior to weighing in for the week!

Sorry for the long delay in posting, things have been pretty busy especially at work lately. But I've managed to stick with my diet and keep it up at the gym! The new, lower calories don't seem to be having too much of an impact on my hunger or ability to stick to my diet, which I'm glad about!

Sunday, May 16 -- Weigh-In Day!

Current Weight: 222.3 lbs
Change from last Week: -1.6 lbs
Total Change Since Mar. 15: -13.5 lbs
Average per Week: -1.5 lbs/week
Starting Waist Size: 44.8 inches
Current Waist Size: 42.2 inches
Estimated Starting Bodyfat: 31.2%
Estimated Current Bodyfat: 28.3% (-0.5% from last week)
Estimated Total Fat Loss: 11.4 lbs (+1.7 lbs from last week)
Estimated Lean Body Mass Loss: 2.2 lbs (no change from last week)
Estimated Fat Poundage Remaining: 62.9 lbs
Estimated Lean Body Mass: 159.4

Loving it. Dropped 1.6 lbs last week on the lower macros, and all of it appeared to be fat. I actually think what happened was two weeks ago my body was going through a bit of a recomp phase, but I'm not sure. Anyway, as long as the bodyfat% is coming down and the numbers I'm hitting in the gym aren't, everything is working great. I'd love to be under 220 lbs by June 1, but we'll see!

Monday, 5/17: Push Day!

Overall wasn't feeling great, was tired after working a 10 hour shift on Sunday with a quick turnaround between shifts. Normally I go in at 5AM, but on Sundays I go in at 8AM, and with the 10 hour shift I had less than 11 hours between shifts, so it wasn't great. Still got into the gym and had a good session though! Did the following:

BB Bench Press: 3x5 125 lbs (no change) -- Was pretty easy, I wanted to hit this weight one more time before increasing. Will try 130 next workout.
BB Incline Bench Press: 3x5 100 lbs (no change) -- This was fairly difficult, as I just recently increased to this weight. Will be working with this weight again next week.
BB Overhead Press: 3x5 85 lbs (+5 lbs from last week) -- Upping the weight made it pretty difficult, so I will stick with this weight.
DB Military Press: 3x5 30 lbs (+5 lbs from last week) -- This was fairly difficult, as well. Will keep the same weight next week.
DB Side Lateral Raise: 3x5 15 lbs (no change) -- I almost wanted to try with 20s, but my shoulders were already trashed from the previous 2 exercises. Will see about it next week.
Skullcrushers 3x5 40 lbs (no change) -- I love this exercise. Feeling my triceps contract and then the soreness afterward, absolutely love it. Will keep weight the same.
DB Overhead Triceps Extension 3x5 35 lbs (no change) -- This was somewhat hard after skullcrushers. Will keep weight the same.
Followed this up with 575 calories on the elliptical.

A few hours after my workout, my wife asked me if I wanted to go with her and do one of her Fit Body Boot Camp workouts with her. I ultimately said yes and had another good workout that day. It's more of a calisthenics-type full-body workout of high intensity, and it left me completely gassed, but I'm glad I went. The one caveat is that my legs were still too sore from it yesterday (Wednesday) for me to do leg day. So as it stands, it's now early Thursday morning for me, and I'm about to head to the gym for leg day as soon as I finish breakfast. Still not sure whether I'll have my pull day tomorrow or Saturday, or when I'll get my long cardio session in. But I will get them in before Monday!

Also, another issue I've been having is that my entire upper back has been a giant knot the past few days. I think it has something to do with the way I'm sleeping, but I'm not sure. It's been insane, haven't been able to rotate my neck hardly at all. Been trying to keep it lose with a massage pillow but right now the idea of pull day makes me want to scream. I'll see if I can power through it.

Personal Accountability: On Tuesday, I worked another 10-hour shift with the result that I had to skip lunch that day. So between breakfast at 7AM and a protein shake around 3:30PM, I had only consumed about 500 calories. Dinner that night was only 685 calories, which put me over 700 calories short of my goal with about 115g protein consumed. So, I got a large order of fries from Five Guys, which I had been craving for a long while. I didn't eat the entire order, and I know I ate over 700 calories' worth, but I don't think I exceeded 1200, which would have put me at maintenance. If I did go over maintenance, it wasn't by a lot.
Yesterday was date day with the wife, and she planned an amazing date day to the local space museum. Unfortunately, she had planned for us to eat at the cafe there for lunch, thinking we could get sandwiches and wraps, but with it being a Wednesday it was basically a movie theater snack station. I almost decided to make it an IF day, but I did split an order of nachos with my wife and downed a pack of spicy pickles. I tried to make dinner somewhat of a diet-appropriate meal, but with my turkey breast being smothered in gravy and the restaurant featuring fresh strawberry pie for a limited time only, it probably qualified as a cheat meal.
So, diet hasn't been completely on point the past couple of days, but it was due to a couple of fluke circumstances. From now on, I'll make sure to bring lunch to work also, in case I get stuck for 9+ hours.

New Short-Term Goals:
<220 lbs by June 1
Waist Size = or <40 inches by Family Reunion (July 25)

Something else I've realized = my weight fluctuates a LOT (like 5 or more lbs) depending on whether I'm retaining water, sodium-loaded, dehydrated, had a BM, early morning vs evening, etc. I think I may drop my end-of-cut target from 180 to 175 to make sure I'm at the bodyfat% I expect to be at before I start a lean bulk. We'll see.

[DoMoreWeighLess]

Dude that 2 inches off the waist is nothing to scoff at. That's ****ing awesome. Do you always lose about 2 inches for every 13 lbs?

[rspinetti]

Dude that 2 inches off the waist is nothing to scoff at. That's ****ing awesome. Do you always lose about 2 inches for every 13 lbs?

Thanks, and thanks for checking in! To be honest, I have no idea. I seem to remember back around 2011 when I was 190 lbs that my waist was around 36-37 inches, though. Mathing it out does seem to support the idea that I'll be around 37 inches at 190 again, but I'll find out for sure when I get there!

[rspinetti]

(For some reason, it won't let me post a reply to the threat without quoting, so I'll try to quote the previous workout for comparison when I do post)

Thu May 20 -- Leg Day!

Definitely felt sodium-bloated and waterlogged, but got in the gym anyway. Leg day went by like a breeze! Proves that a good chunk of it is mental. Did the following:
BB Back Squats 3x5 150 lbs (+5 lbs from last workout) -- Pretty easy. Will up the weight again.
BB Lunges 3x5 40 lbs each side (no change) -- Continued to work with these, will try 50 lbs next week.
Bulgarian Split Squats 3x5 40 lbs each side (no change) -- My least favorite exercise. Will keep weight the same since I"m upping the squat and lunge weight.
Calf Raises 3x5 125 lbs (+5 lbs from last workout) -- Not much to say about these, coming along nicely. Will likely add weight.
Hip Thrusts 3x5 12.5 lbs (+2.5 lbs from last workout) -- These were moderately difficult, feeling some soreness today. Will keep weight the same.
Turkish Get Ups 2x10 10 lbs each side (no change) -- Love feeling my abs and obliques contract with these. Will probably keep weight the same.
Floor Wipers 2x10 25 lbs bag (no change) -- These still wipe me out, but I'm getting a bit better endurance. Will keep weight/reps the same.
Followed this up with 725 calories on the elliptical...yeah, I went a bit crazy.

Currently going on 5 hours of sleep, so not sure if I'll get in the gym today for pull day (I really want to!). Upper back/shoulder knots aren't as inflamed today, so it will probably be best to just get in the gym and get it done.

[DoMoreWeighLess]

Idk how you finished all that with elliptical

[safcpaul]

Great stuff. Loving your consistency and your work ethic

[rspinetti]

Idk how you finished all that with elliptical

Haha it's just putting my head down and doing it. It helps that we have a cardio theater in our gym, and there's usually a good movie on. When I did my post-leg workout elliptical they were showing Inception, which is my all-time favorite movie. Typically it's superhero movies, and with it being May they've been showing a lot of Star Wars. But even if the movie isn't one I like, I have a pretty good trance playlist on my phone that helps me power through!

[rspinetti]

Great stuff. Loving your consistency and your work ethic

Thanks! I just need to do better with patience lol. Process just takes too long. Looking forward to seeing your latest update!