Dave's Sponsored Sesamin/Melting Point Log

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Preface
I would like to thank the fine folk of Scivation and Designer Supplements for giving me the opportunity to log Sesamin and Melting Point. Thanks, guys!

My initial post to get into this sponsored log tells a bit about me--a little rough around the edges at times. If my humor offends anyone, I apologize in advance!


Goal
The American Dream--simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain.

"Impossible," you say! Well, we'll see. If it doesn't happen, it won't be for lack of trying


Additional Supplements

• NOW EcoGreen (2/day, one with breakfast, one with dinner)
  
• NOW Super EPA (4/day, two with breakfast, two with dinner)
  
• Designer Supplements Vigor (2/day, one with mid-morning meal, one with mid-afternoon meal)

Tentative Sesamin/Melting Point Dosing
This is my current plan, and will remain into effect unless I hear from one of the sponsors:

• Sesamin
  
  • Three/day (1 at breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
    
  
  
• Melting Point
  
  • Six/day (2 at mid-morning meal, 2 at mid-afternoon meal, 2 prior to cardio after dinner)
    

Workout Schedule
My Weights workout is somewhat abbreviated due to the early hour and having to get to work by 7/7:30 am; I typically take no more than 45 minutes of actual lifting, and usually less.

I do try to go heavy, but can't push myself as hard as I would like due to currently being prone to elbow/knee pain if I do push hard.

• Weights (at roughly 5:30 am weekday, 3 pm weekend)
  
  • Sunday - Upper Legs
    
  • Monday - Abs
    
  • Tuesday - Chest
    
  • Wednesday - Back
    
  • Thursday - Shoulders, Abs
    
  • Friday - Lower Legs, Tri, Traps
    
  • Saturday - Bi, Forearms
    
• Cardio
  
  • Upright stationary bike (about 7:30 pm)
    
    • Monday to Friday - 30-40 minutes moderate intensity
      
    • Saturday and Sunday - Off
      

Diet
My diet isn't 100% clean, isn't planned down to the tenth of a gram of fat, and isn't carved in stone; however, it is significantly better than it has been for the majority of my life. I figure there's (hopefully) a lot of life left ahead of me, and food gives me a little bit of pleasure. If my diet isn't maintainable (and after 40 years I know what's going to be maintainable), then any losses will be transient.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I'm shooting for the following:

• 2000 to 2500 calories
  
• Fat/Carb/Protein of 20/40/40

If I ever stray from this from time to time, please see the disclaimer. If I seem to be routinely straying from this, please feel free to give me a swift kick.


For those of you following this log, a big Hi! Hopefully you'll find that getting your life back on track, while not fun, is rewarding and definitely doable.

I will be posting new logs every night before I go to bed, and the posts will hopefully provide you all the info you're looking for.

My first actually logging post, due in tonight, will have my starting stats.

Hope you enjoy this, my first ever, log!

Dave.

[mommy*2*3]

Hi Dave Good luck!

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Thanks, and good luck to you, too.

The only thing I'm truly worried about is cramps, particularly on top of my elbow and knee aches. I know, wah, wah, wah

I'll just keep sucking down the water, and have a banana every once in a while, and see where the chips fall (mmmm, potato chips...).

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Stats
From the following, you'll get a pretty good idea of what I look like. If there's any interest (and for those with strong stomachs), pics will be available at the end of the log (both before and after).

I will be purchasing a hand-held body-fat analyzer. I've heard they're not the most accurate things, but it should give me a good relative number (%lost/gained).

Further, all future posts will also include amount lost/gained from the previous day's log, as well as from the first day's (this post's) log. That way you'll get a week-to-week overview of what's going on as well as a log-duration overview.

• Height: 6'2" (obviously won't be changing)
  
• Weight: 300.5 lbs
  
• Waist: 55.5"
  
• Oblique: 49.5"
  
• Neck: 18.5"

Workout
Upper-Leg Day

• Powertec Leverage Squat (#/reps): 10/10, 50/10, 70/8, 90/6 (in all fairness, think of the extra hundred friggin' pounds on top of that... ok, I have weak legs!)
  
• Leg Extensions: 75/10, 100/10, 100/10
  
• Leg Curls: not performed (until my belly has shrunk a bit)

Food

• Calories: 2192
  
• Fat: 73.4 g
  
• Carbs: 196.5 g
  
• Protein: 149 g

I was expecting to go over on Carbs--weekends are typically bad, particularly the closer I get to finals of this Godforsaken quarter. Luckily, I think all of my work-related travel is done for Spring/Summer, because that really screws things up.

And here's the foods eaten:

• Breakfast: 1 whole egg, 1/2 cup egg whites, 1 oz sharp cheddar
  
• Mid-morning: 1 svg Ranch Mini-rice cakes, 1 slice multi-grain bread, 1 Tblspn Nat P'nut Butter
  
• Lunch: 3 strips turkey bacon, 1 Light Flatout flat bread, 1 oz sharp cheddar, 10 green olives, 2 Tblspn fat-free Ranch dressing, 1/2 cup chopped tomato (note to self: only use 5 olives next time, and chop them smaller!)
  
• Mid-afternoon (and Pre-WO): 1 cup 2% milk, 1 scoop Matrix orange, 1/4 cup oats
  
• (During WO): 2 scoops Syntrax Nectar, 1 Tblspn lemon juice
  
• Dinner: 4 cups chaddar broc. soup (I know, damn silly of me)
  
• Post-dinner: 1 cup sugar free jello

Notes

• First day, and all that--nothing to report, other than a severe case of fatique about an after lunch. Man, it felt like I couldn't even make a fist!
  
• I'd forgotten to note on my intro post (1st post in this thread) that I do take caffeine pills in place of drinking coffee. 400 mg upon waking on weekdays, and 400 mg prior to workouts on weekends.

That's it for tonight. Everyone should have a good idea of me, what I have to lose, and how I'm going about it.

Take it easy, and good night.

[mike2858]

i am not affiliated with DS or Sci but id be weary of starting off with 6 MP and 3 Ses right away. why dont you try working yourself up to it instead.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

i am not affiliated with DS or Sci but id be weary of starting off with 6 MP and 3 Ses right away. why dont you try working yourself up to it instead.

Is there something that you've heard/know that would lead you to think that's best? Since I'm now taking these two supps, I'm definitely all ears

[mommy*2*3]

I will be purchasing a hand-held body-fat analyzer. I've heard they're not the most accurate things, but it should give me a good relative number (%lost/gained).

Are you getting the Omron?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/om/body.html

If you are, there are a few tricks to make it as accurate as possible. It's a good way to keep track of prograss though.

[*]First day, and all that--nothing to report, other than a severe case of fatique about an after lunch. Man, it felt like I couldn't even make a fist!
[*]I'd forgotten to note on my intro post (1st post in this thread) that I do take caffeine pills in place of drinking coffee. 400 mg upon waking on weekdays, and 400 mg prior to workouts on weekends.

Wow..that's a lot of caffeine. Do you think that maybe you're experiencing a "crash" from it later on in the afternoon?

I personally like to have coffee prior to cardio or workout too. It gives me a boost

[uhockey]

Nice Nice........clever with the tape measure.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Are you getting the Omron?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/om/body.html

If you are, there are a few tricks to make it as accurate as possible. It's a good way to keep track of prograss though.

Yup, that's the one. I really need something that helps track bf rather than weight, since I feel bf is a better thing to track, and combined with weight changes gives you a really, really good idea of what's going on with your body (i.e., decreasing bf, but no change in weight, etc.).

Wow..that's a lot of caffeine. Do you think that maybe you're experiencing a "crash" from it later on in the afternoon?

That could very well be--ever since the Army I've been a pretty heavy coffee drinker (in more ways than one, lol). But I usually don't crash quite that hard.

Nice Nice........clever with the tape measure.

Thanks; I just gotta be me


Has anyone noticed a diuretic effect with these supps? If not, has the ingredients changed even slightly to cause such an effect? Ever since last night I've been urinating a lot more frequently, and at about the same quantity.

[mike2858]

Is there something that you've heard/know that would lead you to think that's best? Since I'm now taking these two supps, I'm definitely all ears

i was taking MP for about 2 weeks and then added sesamin to it. i started off at 6 MP and 2 ses a day. the days following my first 2 days on that i started to cramp up a lot. cramping is one side of MP that people may experience. it was suggested by uhockey and 40 (DS guys) that i go down to 4MP and 2 ses to see how my body would react. the cramps went away and ive since bumped up to 5 MP and 2 ses. you may not experience cramps at all but i know some, including me, have (although mine werent as bad because i was supplementing with Magnesium and Potassium).
you can check out my log in my sig if you want.

goodluck.

[Rachel_n_SD]

hey good luck on your log. i havent received mine yet so mine is still pending.

i just wanted to say that so far, TTA hasnt given me cramps at all, im a really small person too, and i used the max doses of that and sesamin with no problems.

so you guys think the omron thing is worth it? i was gonna track my progress through measurements, since my weight fluctuates by 4 lbs or so on any given day.

[P01Shooter]

Best of luck! What are the chances of before and after pics?

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Hello, Rachel, and thanks! Shame you haven't received your products yet! And I'm really glad to hear that you haven't had the cramping that others have logged (though from what I can figure out, cramping isn't a sure thing--for whatever reason, some people get them, some people don't).

Hopefully Designer Supplements can figure out why some people get cramping while others do not (maybe they could add an anti-cramping ingredient to Melting Point if they can figure it out, that'd make it a lot more appealing to the general public).


I think I'm going to continue on at full dosage, and "learn my lesson" if cramping does happen.

Mike, thanks for bringing up the concern, though, I appreciate it.

The Omron, for me, will be a convenient way for me to easily keep my eye on things. I'll also be doing the scale and a couple of measurements, but everything wrapped up in a tidy little number just really appeals to me

It's not a necessary purchase, but I'm taking this opportunity to go ahead and buy it, especially since I've been thinking about it for awhile now anyway.

Good luck to you, and thanks for dropping by!

[uhockey]

Neither of these products should have a diuretic effect.

Regarding the cramps, we are fairly certain it has to do with effects at the Na/K ATPase as part of "energy wasting." This disruption may cause a net outflux of potassium leading to the cramping effects. Magnesium and Potassium appears to help, as do cell volumizers like Taurine and creatine. Primrose oil appears to have some effects as well.

As many are aware, Melting Point Revamped is due on the market soon and will address some of the issues that users have reported with MP.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Neither of these products should have a diuretic effect.

Figures, it's just me. Ok, thanks for the info.

Regarding the cramps, we are fairly certain it has to do with effects at the Na/K ATPase as part of "energy wasting." This disruption may cause a net outflux of potassium leading to the cramping effects. Magnesium and Potassium appears to help, as do cell volumizers like Taurine and creatine. Primrose oil appears to have some effects as well.

Is there a recommended dosage that you might recommend for Magnesium and Potassium if cramping does occur? Would a banana a day work, or would you recommend supplementation?

As many are aware, Melting Point Revamped is due on the market soon and will address some of the issues that users have reported with MP.

That's great news!

Thanks again for the info, uhockey.

[mike2858]

no problem dave-- good luck man the stuff works.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

no problem dave-- good luck man the stuff works.

Thanks, Mike. I still think of the post of the guy who was megadosing MP (but losing a friggin' pound a day!!). I probably don't have as much to worry about as him

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Stats
I'll be measuring myself every 2 days so I can make a nice graph or three; I like graphs, they're pretty.
Scheduled down time for Stats today

Workout
Abs/Cardio

• Crunches: body weight/25
  
• Side Pulls: 15/15
  
• Cardio: 20 minutes, Lvl 6, 133 calories

Food

• Calories: 2261
  
• Fat: 83 g
  
• Carbs: 151 g
  
• Protein: 241 g

And here's the foods eaten:

• Breakfast: 1 whole egg, 1/2 cup egg whites, 1 can mushrooms, 1 oz sharp cheddar
  
• Mid-morning: 1 scoop Syntrax Matrix, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Lunch: 2 slices multigrain bread, turkey-based lunch meat, 2 oz sharp cheddar, 2 tblspn light mayo
  
• Mid-afternoon: 1 scoop ON Pro Complex, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Dinner: 2 chicken breasts, 4 tblspn teriyaki, 1 cup mixed veggies, 2 svgs sugar free jello, 1 svg mini rice cakes
  
• Post-dinner: 1 large banana, 2 tblspn natural p'nut butter

Notes

• Not as tired today until after putting my daughter to bed--neat thing is, as soon as I started riding the bike the weariness just flew away
  
• Urinating like a Russian race horse (I'm not sure where that expression comes from... every time I say it, I wonder about it)
  
• Slight hunger at times, but nothing too noticeable--about what I'd expect from what I ate.
  
• Still haven't dialed in my diet to where I want it to be, but it's acceptable so far. I'll keep working on it.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Stats

• Weight: 298.5 lbs (-2.0 lbs/-2.0 lbs)
  
• Waist: 55.5"
  
• Oblique: 49.5"
  
• Neck: 18.0" (-0.5 lbs/-0.5 lbs) wtf?!

Workout
Chest/Cardio

• Flath Bench (BB): 100/10, 120/10, 140/8, 150/5
  
• Incline Bench (BB): 100/8, 110/7, 120/4
  
• Cardio: 20 minutes, Lvl 7, 144 calories

Food

• Calories: 2326
  
• Fat: 67 g
  
• Carbs: 202 g
  
• Protein: 230 g

And here's the foods eaten:

• Pre-WO: 1 scoop Syntrax Matrix, 1 cup 2% milk, 1/4 cup oats
  
• During-WO: 2 scoops Syntrax Nectar
  
• Breakfast: 2 slices turkey bacon, 2 slices multigrain bread, 1/2 cup egg whites, 1 oz sharp cheddar
  
• Mid-morning: 1 scoop Syntrax Matrix, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Lunch: 2 slices multigrain bread, 2 turkey hot dogs, 1 slice fat free cheese, 1 tblspn ketsup
  
• Mid-afternoon: 1 scoop ON Pro Complex, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Dinner: 3/4 cup Apricot chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 tblspn Teriyaki, 2 svg sugar free jello
  
• Post-dinner: 1 V8, 1 pickle, 1 oz Colby cheese

Notes

• Tiredness not really an issue today.
  
• Still urinating quite a bit, but not as often as yesterday, nor same quantity.
  
• Super hungry between mid-afternoon meal and dinner, and shortly after dinner.
  
• Ok, I've lost 2 pounds, but lost a half-inch from my neck and nothing anywhere else... wtf's up with that? If this keeps up I'm going to have the most shredded neck around, and this huge body around it; I'm gonna look like a frickin' Bobble Head doll.

[40-Yard Dash_2]

Notes

• Ok, I've lost 2 pounds, but lost a half-inch from my neck and nothing anywhere else... wtf's up with that? If this keeps up I'm going to have the most shredded neck around, and this huge body around it; I'm gonna look like a frickin' Bobble Head doll.

lol. Stay tuned!

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Stats
Scheduled down time for Stats today

Workout
Back

• Cable Rows: 100/10, 125/10, 150/10, 175/5
  
• Front Lat Pulldown (wide grip): 150/7, 150/5, 150/5
  
• Cardio: Cancelled - I've been way too lethargic, so I'm going down to 4 days of cardio per week

Food

• Calories: 2377
  
• Fat: 78 g
  
• Carbs: 170 g
  
• Protein: 260 g

And here's the foods eaten:

• Pre-WO: 1 Scoop ON Pro Complex, 1 cup 2% milk, 1/4 cup oats
  
• During-WO: 2 scoops Syntrax Nectar
  
• Breakfast: 1/2 cup egg whites, 1 oz sharp cheddar, 1 slice multigrain bread
  
• Mid-morning: 1 scoop Syntrax Matrix, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Lunch: 2 slices whole grain bread, turkey-based lunch meat, 2 oz sharp cheddar, 1 tblspn light mayo, 1 pickle, 1 tomato
  
• Mid-afternoon: 1 scoop ON Pro Complex, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Dinner: 1 chicken breast, 2 tblspn teriyaki, 1/2 cup brown rice
  
• Post-dinner: 1/4 cup peanuts

Opened up a different loaf of bread for lunch, and it has about 70 more calories per 2 slices of bread. Go figure!

Notes

• Still pretty tired throughout the day, but also still not as bad as my first post of this log
  
• Had absolutely no appetite today; had to force myself to eat, which probably means the world's coming to an end. Even worse, after eating I was slightly nauseous. Things are better right now as I type this.
  
• Looks like my daughter has caught a summer cold, so let's hope the Vigor I've been taking lends a helping hand!
  
• Looking forward to tomorrow's weigh-in and measurements! There's probably no effects yet from the supps, and I've probably gained back some of my water weight. We'll see
  
  
• Side note: spring storm's about to hit; severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes, oh my!

[mommy*2*3]

[
[*]Looks like my daughter has caught a summer cold, so let's hope the Vigor I've been taking lends a helping hand!
[*]Looking forward to tomorrow's weigh-in and measurements! There's probably no effects yet from the supps, and I've probably gained back some of my water weight. We'll see

[*]Side note: spring storm's about to hit; severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes, oh my![/list]

Yeah..we've all had this spring cold/flu thing here too. I'm still trying to get over the darn thing but it keeps hanging on.
Hope the weather isn't too bad for ya. What area of Wisc. are you in? We have spent many weekends in the Minoqua area...it's beautiful up there

[uhockey]

Sore one day, not the next.
Starving one day, no appetite the next.
Sounds more like the flu than any supplement related issue.
Great log so far.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Yeah..we've all had this spring cold/flu thing here too. I'm still trying to get over the darn thing but it keeps hanging on.
Hope the weather isn't too bad for ya. What area of Wisc. are you in? We have spent many weekends in the Minoqua area...it's beautiful up there

Thanks for dropping by

I live in Ozaukee county (just north of Milwaukee county). Luckily, the storms fizzled before hitting us For the most part, even when storms hit, they seem to part prior to hitting us (and hit north and south of us) so that we only get relatively minor intensity compared to the rest (which is the way I like it, as I have an irrational terror of tornadoes--lived in Kansas when I was a boy and spent many a night huddled in the closet listening to tornado reports on an AM radio!).

So far I just have no appetite and slight nausea after eating, no other symptoms. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Sore one day, not the next.
Starving one day, no appetite the next.
Sounds more like the flu than any supplement related issue.
Great log so far.

I wouldn't think the supps could be hitting me like that after just 4 days.



Good news! I'll be reporting more info on tonight's post, but I lost another 2 pounds! Woohoo!

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Stats
Differences before the "/" are changes from the previous Stats day, differences after the "/" are changes from the very first Stats day (first post of log).

• Weight: 296.5 lbs (-2.0 lbs/-4.0 lbs)
  
• Waist: 55" (-0.5"/-0.5")
  
• Oblique: 48.5" (-1.0"/-1.0")
  
• Neck: 18.0" (No change/-0.5")

Workout
Didn't get much sleep last night, so I slept in (somewhat), and worked out with weights and did cardio at night.

Shoulders/Cardio

• Seated Military (BB): 50/10, 70/10, 80/10, 90/6
  
• Side Raises (DB): 20/10, 20/9, 20/8
  
• Front Raises (DB): 15/10, 15/10, 15/8
  
• Bent over Ant. Delt Raises (DB): 8/10, 10/8, 10/8
  
• Cardio: 30 minutes, Lvl 7, 216 calories

Food

• Calories: 2395
  
• Fat: 77.5 g
  
• Carbs: 219 g
  
• Protein: 209 g

And here's the foods eaten:

• Breakfast: 2 oz Colby cheese, 1/2 cup brown rice, 2 whole eggs, 1/4 cup sugar free Syrup (yes, this was nasty, but seemed like it might be tasty--note to self, don't invent dishes when you wake up)
  
• Mid-morning: 1 scoop Syntrax Matrix, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Lunch: 2 slices multigrain bread, 2 turkey hot dogs, 1 slice fat free cheese, 1 tblspn ketsup
  
• Mid-afternoon: 1 scoop ON Pro Complex, 1/4 cup oats
  
• Dinner: 2 svg sugar free jello, 1 Ramen with 1 chicken bouillion extra and 1 tblspn soy sauce, V8
  
• Post-dinner: 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1 pickle
  
• Pre-WO: 1 scoop Syntrax Matrix, 1 cup 2% milk
  
• During-WO: 2 scoops Syntrax Nectar

Notes

• Tiredness comes and goes, but manageable. Last I'll mention it unless it becomes overwhelming again.
  
• Two more pounds, hurray for me!
  
• Hopefully, my body fat analyzer will be here shortly; looking forward to it.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

Stats
Scheduled down time for Stats today

Workout
Calves/Tri/Traps
I've changed around cardio a bit. Any day I do anything with my legs, I'm not doing cardio. And Saturdays. Why Saturdays? Just because.

• Standing Calf Raises: 30/15, 50/12, 70/10, 90/9
  
• Seated BB Tri Exention: 20/10, 40/10, 50/5
  
• Tri Cable Pushdown: 50/10, 60/10, 70/9, 80/6
  
• Shrugs (BB): 50/10, 100/10, 150/7

Food
I was afraid I'd already royally screwed up my diet for today. I'd forgotten to brink my mid-morning and mid-afternoon meals with me to work. When I got home, I ate like someone had a gun to my head and was forcing me to eat. I'm surprised neither my wife nor daughter stared at me with mouths agape in amazement that one human could suck down food that fast.

Anyway, the ratios aren't what I wanted, but I still pulled out of the nosedive pretty handily, but only because we don't have any truly horrible food at home. But what I did eat filled me up so darn much that I actually won't be making my lower calorie limit for today.

• Calories: 2002
  
• Fat: 97.5 g
  
• Carbs: 180 g
  
• Protein: 139 g

And here's the foods eaten:

• Breakfast: 1 svg mini Rice cakes, 4 slices Turkey bacon, 2 whole eggs, 1 slice provolone cheese, 1 slice multigrain bread
  
• Lunch: 2 slices potato bread, 4 slices Turkey bacon, 1 slice fat free cheese, 1 tblspn light mayo, 3 slices tomato
  
• Dinner: Chimichanga (crunchy yummy!): 1 light Flatout Flatbread (these things rock, and great calories!), 1/2 lb ground Turkey, packet taco seasoning, 1 cup cheddar, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 4 tblspn sour cream, 4 tblspn salsa; also had a small snack pack of mandarin oranges

Notes

• Still can't believe I forgot to bring my mid- meals to work; made it a long, long day!
  
• I don't know if it's my workout schedule, but my muscles have been really full recently. I'd scratch my arm and notice my bicep was pretty darn full, like I had a pump going on. Whatever the reason, pretty neat.
  
• Due to the salt content today, there's a good chance I'll have gained some water weight for tomorrow's weigh-in; I hope not, but based on calories taken in, if I do gain something (or fail to lose anything), I'm fairly confident that it's due to water retention.

[40-Yard Dash_2]

What brand of cheese do you eat?

[uhockey]

I like Helluva Good cheese simply because the name cracks me up.

[WorkingOnTheDream]

What brand of cheese do you eat?

Eh? For both fat free and normal, I use generic Walmart brand.

Oh, I did lose more weight in this morning's weigh-in, so all of the salt yesterday didn't effect me as much as I had thought it would (which is cool, since I'm a salt freak).


Weekends/away from work are really hard for me diet-wise, so this weekend will be the normal struggle for me (particularly since it's a 3-day weekend!).

[WorkingOnTheDream]

I like Helluva Good cheese simply because the name cracks me up.

Helluva Good cheese? That's too funny! Anything in particular that stands out other than the name?