It's that time of year again! Time to get lean for my birthday!
Last year, I turned 50 and I was seriously determined to see if I could get as lean and muscular as I was at 45!
Here is last year's Countdown to 50! (result pics at bottom)
Turning the Big 5-1 is not quite so traumatizing as the Big 5-0, so I don't feel nearly as driven this year.
It also helps that I stayed lean the whole year and did several mini cut-down phases throughout the year. It's only been a few months since I was pretty ripped anyway.
But, we all need goals, target dates, and accountability! So, I'm doing a countdown again this year!
Here are the things I will focus on:
Measure my waist each morning
Lift weights 6 days per week
Aim to get 160 grams of protein daily
Eat broccoli and cauliflower several times per week
Drink 1.5 gallons of water daily
Do cardio 3 times per week
Consume green/colorful veggies daily
Try to eat 3 dozen eggs per week
Eat green olives, crushed red pepper, and garlic several times per week
Minimize starchy carbs after 6:00 PM
Include healthy oils with my meals
Aim to fast 16 hours daily
Try to get as much quality sleep as possible
You may notice that counting calories is not on my list. I'm actually all for counting calories, but in this case it's just extra hassle I don't want. I definitely counted calories during my transformation 6 years ago. However, once you are lean and muscular and have experience with making healthy eating choices, it mostly isn't necessary to count calories.
I also don't plan to weigh myself. Measuring my waist tells me everything I need to know. I'm trying to get lean and muscular. In fact, if I had my druthers I would love to gain weight over the next 4 weeks! As long as my waist is decreasing and my strength is increasing or holding steady, I will be doing just fine. My weight is irrelevant.
OK, let the games begin! Well, tomorrow that is...
Monday, January 6th
Waist Measurement: 32.5"
I'm feeling really good today! I'm excited to get going. That's fairly normal when starting something new. Although, this process isn't new at all for me. I've done this so many times over the years. I'm glad to be back into my full time work schedule. I'm definitely a creature of habit. I do much better with a fairly consistent routine.
I still haven't decided on my daily eating/workout schedule yet. It will probably end up being kind of all over the place depending on what else is going on in life. Today, I'm leaning toward eating from noon to 8:00 PM with a workout around 3:00 PM.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
12:00 PM - First Meal Supplements:
Creatine (5 grams)
Betaine (1 gram)
Fish oil (1000 mg)
Flax oil (1000 mg)
Milk Thistle (1000 mg)
Saw Palmetto (450 mg)
CoQ10 (200 mg)
Potassium (90 mg)
DHEA (100 mg)
Beet Root (5 grams)
Listing my supplements every day will get old really quickly! I'll give all the details today, but going forward I will simply say whether I took them or not. This will apply to evening supplements and bedtime supplements as well. See My Supplements for even more details.
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
25 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1 scoop NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Shoulders / Chest / Triceps
Iso Shoulder Press Machine - Close Grip
Lateral Raise Machine
Dips
Standing Side Raises
Pushdowns with Rope
Overhead Pushdowns with Rope
The BFR with the bracket means I used Blood Flow Restriction straps for those two exercises. Here is what the straps look like. You can see it just below my shoulder around my upper arm:
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
Creatine (2 grams)
HMB (1 gram)
Alpha Lipoic Acid (200 mg)
Vitamin C (1 gram)
Chromium Picolinate (200 mcg)
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Brussels sprouts
Salmon salad (40 grams protein)
8 oz canned salmon
Red onions
Yellow peppers
Green olives
Garlic
Flax seeds
Crushed red pepper
Mustard
6:30 PM - Evening Supplements
Milk Thistle (1000 mg)
Saw Palmetto (450 mg)
Curcumin (500 mg)
DHEA (100 mg)
Folic Acid (800 mcg)
Fish oil (1000 mg)
Flax oil (1000 mg)
NAC (1000 mg)
Potassium (90 mg)
Niacinamide (500 mg)
Berberine (490 mg)
8:00 PM - Snack
3 hard boiled eggs (18 grams protein)
Protein Total ~ 133 grams
It was a good first day. I missed my protein target, but that happened a bunch last year as well. It's kind of hard to get all that protein in every day. The body can only process so much at a time, so it needs to be spread out. I can't just cram 80 grams in at the end of the day to hit my target.
There are two obvious places where I can bump up my protein intake. My workout shake should have more protein in it. I could also add a protein snack or shake after my workout and before dinner, or have dinner earlier and increase the protein in my snack at the end of my eating window.
10:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
GABA (2 grams)
Selenium (200 mcg)
Magnesium (250 mg)
Zinc (50 mg)
Melatonin (20 mg)
Tuesday, January 7th
Waist Measurement: 32.25"
If I remember correctly, last year I didn't record 1/4" changes in my waist. I waited until it was a 1/2" change before documenting it, but I'm going with a 1/4" this time around.
I take my waist measurements just below the belly button. I lightly tighten my abs and seem to get reliable measurements. If you have trouble getting consistent waist measurements, here is a trick I sometimes use. Push your stomach all the way out and take a measurement just below the belly button. Then suck your stomach all the way in and take another measurement. Halfway between the two measurements is what I call waist size.
For example, yesterday I lightly tightened my abs and measured 32.5" around my waist. Just to double check, I used my trick. I got a measurement of 34.5" when I pushed my stomach out all the way, and it was 30.5" when I sucked it in all the way. So, 32.5" is halfway.
I usually take 10 mg of Melatonin at night. I tried 20 mg last night and seemed to stay asleep better than most nights. I'll stick with the 20 mg dose for a while. I did this during parts of last year's Countdown, and it seemed to help then too.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Seated Row Machine - Horizontal Grip
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Iso High Row Alternating
Rear Delt Flyes on Pec Deck
Standing Rear Delt Cable High Row with Rope
Seated Row Machine - Row Grip
I got some liquid on my workout notebook and it bled through like 30 pages! This is going to drive me nuts for months every time I see the blotch! The alternative is to start a new notebook, but I don't know if I can bring myself to do that. I'm just a little bit compulsive with stuff like that!
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Scrambled Eggs with Broccoli (24 grams protein)
4 eggs
Broccoli
Green olives
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Olive oil
Flax seeds
6:30 PM - Evening Supplements
8:00 PM - Snack
Salmon salad (20 grams protein)
Protein Total ~ 144 grams
I had leftover salmon salad that had 40 grams of protein, but I only ate half of it. The point is, I could have easily eaten it all to hit my protein goal, but I just didn't feel like it. I felt like I had enough protein already in my system and I didn't want the extra calories. I wish all this stuff was an exact science. Sometimes, I just go with my instincts.
I absolutely believe there is science and research behind what I do and recommend. I know it works. Calorie deficits burn fat, strength training builds muscle, fasting has lots of healthy benefits, quality sleep is beneficial, certain foods and types of food can make us healthier, drinking lots of water is good, etc...
I have no doubt about those kind of things. But when it comes down to the subtle details like 144 grams of protein vs. 164 grams on a given day, I don't know! Sometimes I just guess or go with my instincts.
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Wednesday, January 8th
Waist Measurement: 32"
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Calf Raise on Leg Press
T-Bar Squat - Wide Stance
Hip Adduction Machine
Hip Abduction Machine
Single Calf Raise on Horizontal Leg Press Machine
Seated Leg Curls
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Egg Drop Chili (just made up that name) (44 grams protein)
1/2 can kidney beans
5 eggs
Yellow peppers
Green olives
Garlic
Flax seeds
Crushed red pepper
Red onions
Not that I expect anyone to ever try this, but just in case here are a few details on how I made it. I put everything, including liquid from the canned beans but not the flax seeds, in a small pot and cooked it over low heat while stirring. You just want to get it very warm, but not so hot that the eggs cook all the way. You want to leave them runny. You have to scrape the bottom of the pan almost continuously while stirring, otherwise there will be a layer of cooked eggs at the bottom. The flax seeds get mixed in after it's done, because the good oils in the flax can be broken down by the heat.
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 144 grams
Pretty much same as yesterday. I just felt like I'd already had enough protein and food for the day. I actually skipped an 8:00 PM snack. I just felt done eating, so I rolled with it.
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Thursday, January 9th
Waist Measurement: 31.75"
OK, so things are going a little too swimmingly so far! I haven't had any serious food cravings at night. That is usually the hardest time for me. Going to bed earlier is definitely helping in that area.
I've been losing 1/4" per day on my waist. That seems a little too convenient. Last year, there were a few times where my waist measurement leveled off for a few days before dropping again. I would expect that to happen again this year.
We'll see how things go. I usually snap after 7 to 10 days of really disciplined eating. However, that was my experience when my eating schedule was 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and also 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Maybe by pushing things back two more hours and having the option to eat as late as 8:00 PM, I have found a sweet spot for me.
Whatever it is, it's working for now. I'll just ride this wave as far as it takes me.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Low Incline DB Press
Iso Decline Press Machine
Super Set:
Nose Busters (Skull Crushers)
Close Grip Bench
Pushdowns w/ Triceps Handle
Lateral Raise Machine
Tri Ext Machine
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Leftover Egg Drop Chili (44 grams protein)
7:30 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 144 grams
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Friday, January 10th
Waist Measurement: 31.75"
OK, now that's more like it! My waist is the same as yesterday and last night I had some slightly severe cravings. That's how things are supposed to be, pain with no reward. I'm joking, but this is the reality of cutting calories. Whether you're going through a major transformation or just getting cut for your birthday like me, there are days where you feel the pain of the process without seeing any immediate change or benefit.
This is where I have to just trust the process. I'm on the right road. I will get where I want to go in time. Some days are harder than others. That's normal and should be expected.
That is not to say I'm doing every little thing perfectly to optimize fat loss and muscle retention (or hopefully gain, but unlikely). However, the big things are in place and I'm moving in the right direction. It is too early to panic.
If my waist stayed the same for 4 consecutive days, then maybe I would reevaluate things. The 4 days applies to me in this cutting phase, not transforming in general. If you're transforming from fat to fit, I recommend taking measurements once a week or even once a month, but never daily!
My energy is still good overall. My workouts are going pretty well. Leg day felt a little harder than usual this week. However, even before I started this cut down phase some leg days were harder than others. We'll see how the next leg day goes tomorrow.
Five more hours til my first meal. Mornings aren't usually a problem for me. It is those nighttime cravings that I struggle with. Although, I will say coffee definitely helps the morning go by quicker. It's nice to have something hot and flavorful with zero calories. The caffeine probably helps too.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Iso Seated Row Machine - Close Row Grip
1 Arm Rear Delt Flyes on Pec Deck
Wide Grip Pulldowns with Pro Handle
Straight Arm Pushdowns with Curl Handle
I only did 4 exercises today. I usually feel compelled to fill the whole page. I may be experiencing a drop off in energy. It's too early to say one way or the other. It could just be that is was Friday and I'm worn out from the week. I'll be able to judge better after my leg workout on Saturday.
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Scrambled Eggs with Broccoli (30 grams protein)
5 eggs
Broccoli
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Olive oil
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 130 grams
I had a 20 gram protein snack ready to go, but once again I just didn't feel like it. I will reevaluate next Monday. I might have to just make an executive decision ahead of time to increase my protein intake regardless of how I feel when it comes time to eat it.
I'm losing fat and things are going along pretty good right now, so I'll wait until Monday to change things if needed.
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Saturday, January 11th
Waist Measurement: 31.5"
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Calf Raise on Leg Press
Dead Lift with Hoop Bar
Seated Leg Curls
Hip Adduction Machine
Hip Abduction Machine
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Steak (~50 grams protein)
Cauliflower
Snow peas
Grape tomatoes
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
6:30 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 150 grams
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
My leg workout today was pretty good, but not great. Percentage-wise, it felt like maybe 85-90% of what I would classify as a great leg day. The lower carb intake is probably catching up to me, which is expected.
I'm going to try adding extra carbs before my leg workouts.
Two obvious ways to do that are:
Increase the carbs in my first meal on leg days
Add carbs to my evening meal on days before leg days
I will try the first meal increase first and see how it goes.
Sunday, January 12th
Waist Measurement: 31.25"
12:30 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
4:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
4:30 PM - Workout - Calves / Abs
Seated Calf Raise
Hanging Leg Raises
Decline Crunches
Plank
Even though today was a day off from lifting, it helps my routine if I go to the gym to do some miscellaneous stuff. You can pretty much never do enough calf work anyway, so I did some calves and abs.
My workout shake was just whey protein instead of my usual concoction which has more calories and carbs. I also skipped post workout supplements, not really intentionally but I just forgot to get them ready.
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Scrambled eggs with veggies (36 grams protein)
6 eggs
Broccoli
Yellow peppers
Grape tomatoes
Green olives
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Olive oil
Flax seeds
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 131 grams
My evening/nighttime cravings have been picking up intensity the past three nights. Still nothing really bad, but worse than the first 3 or 4 days.
Brushing my teeth after dinner helps. You can also brush your teeth again later when you start to get hungry again. It is a signal to your body that you're done eating for the day. It's also a little stimulation and flavorful treat for your mouth.
I've been getting through the mild hunger just by laying down and getting sleepy as early as possible. Also, focusing on measuring my waist the next morning and really wanting to see another 1/4" drop helps me stay disciplined.
I haven't had to do it yet, but a pot of hot tea has helped me in the past get through a rough evening of hunger pangs. So, I have that to fall back on if I need it.
Doing cardio, going for a walk, or doing an ab workout in the evening are some other really effective ways to get through rough hunger pangs. Exercise is a good appetite suppressant.
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Monday, January 13th
Waist Measurement: 31"
That is 1.5" off my waist in 7 days! Pretty cool. My 51st birthday is three weeks from tomorrow.
Not sure yet how I will approach these next three weeks? Getting my waist to 30" is as low as would go anyway. I might actually stop around 30.5" and try to maximize muscle mass rather than getting leaner.
Last year, I was pretty driven to get to 30" for my 50th. But I already know I could do it if I wanted to, so I would rather hang onto or even gain muscle!
OK, let's see how the first week went.
Week 1 Evaluation:
Measure my waist each morning (100%)
Lift weights 6 days per week (100%)
Aim to get 160 grams of protein daily (87%)
Eat broccoli and cauliflower several times per week (100%)
Drink 1.5 gallons of water daily (100%)
Do cardio 3 times per week (Complete Utter Pathetic Failure 0%)
Consume green/colorful veggies daily (100%)
Try to eat 3 dozen eggs per week (78%)
Eat green olives, crushed red pepper, and garlic several times per week (100%)
Minimize starchy carbs after 6:00 PM (100%)
Include healthy oils with my meals (100%)
Aim to fast 16 hours daily (100%)
Try to get as much quality sleep as possible (~80%)
If I could pick one thing to magically improve, it would be getting quality sleep. It's the least controllable thing on my list. Well actually, it's the only thing on my list I can't directly control.
My sleep wasn't bad. I had three really good nights, three decent nights, and one kind of bad night. The 20 mg of Melatonin helps, I think.
I am considering having a bedtime protein snack of roughly 40 grams of protein. It would reduce my overall fasting time. Not sure what it would do to my waist. It might help me gain/maintain muscle mass. And it might help my sleep. We'll see. No changes yet.
I am very curious to see how my strength is today compared to last week. I'm going to start my shoulder workout with the same two exercises to see how I'm doing. Obviously, I would love to beat or match what I did last week.
Cardio is something I would like to do more often just for overall health and conditioning. Clearly, I didn't need it for fat loss this past week.
I don't view cardio as a viable fat loss method. It can help. However, what you put, or don't put, in your mouth is far more important for fat loss than cardio. Check out My Cardio for more from that soap box.
This is stupid, but I'm really curious if I will get past the blotches in my workout notebook before my birthday! Of course I could just look ahead and count the pages, but that would ruin the suspense and the surprise!
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Shoulders / Chest / Triceps
Iso Shoulder Press Machine - Close Grip
Lateral Raise Machine
Pushdowns with Rope
New Chest Press Machine - Wide Grip
Dips
Shoulder Press Machine - Wide Grip
Standing Side Raises with Bands
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Steak and salmon salad with rice and veggies (60 grams protein)
6 oz steak
4 oz salmon
Rice
Carrots
Peas
Green olives
Yellow peppers
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
I was pretty bummed after my workout Monday. I was weaker than expected and on top of that I felt like my muscles looked depleted, for lack of a better term. I didn't get a good pump at all. My muscles looked flat.
So I kind of went off the rails a little. I had planned to try increasing my carbs, but I was going to start with bumping up my morning carbs on leg days first. However, after my crappy workout Monday I just said screw it! I dumped a big load of carbs in my evening meal. We'll see how it goes.
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 160 grams
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Tuesday, January 14th
Waist Measurement: 31"
I was really bummed after my workout Monday. I was weaker than I hoped and I didn't look or feel good afterwards. Hence, the carbs in my dinner last night.
But, now it is the next morning and I don't feel like carbs last night was the right move. It isn't sitting well. We'll see if it helps my workout later.
This is my coffee cup I use at work. Some mornings, coffee is more essential than others. Today, it was very essential! I was extra hungry late morning, way more so than usual. I'm guessing because of the extra carbs from dinner last night. Once I give my body some carbs, it just wants more and more. I do better if I front load my carbs and have most or all of them during the first 4 hours of my eating window.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Row Grip Chin Ups
Iso Lat Row - Horizontal Grip
Wide Grip Pulldowns
1 Arm Rear Delt Flye on Pec Deck
Totally ran out of steam during my workout today. So, carbs last night didn't seem to help any today. I also forgot to take my post workout supplements. I just spaced on them. Found them sitting in my console the next morning. Where was my head?
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Scrambled eggs with tuna and cauliflower (48 grams protein)
5 eggs
1 can tuna
Cauliflower
Green olives
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Garlic
Yellow peppers
6:30 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 148 grams
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Wednesday, January 15th
Waist Measurement: 31"
My waist staying the same is not unexpected. I'm currently more concerned with my last two workouts being not so good. I tried extra carbs Monday night. It didn't seem to help. I went back to my usual eating pattern yesterday.
Today, I will try extra carbs with my first meal and see if it helps with my leg workout later.
I know I can't change stuff one time and evaluate it immediately! I know I have to give things like this a few days, at least. Yeah, I know! But, I still get impatient and make hasty decisions sometimes regardless of what I preach.
11:00 AM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/2 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Calf Raise on Leg Press
T-Bar Squat - Wide Stance
Hip Adduction Machine
Hip Abduction Machine
Lying Bench Hip Thrusts
Leg Curls
Standing Single Calf Raise
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
Great workout today! Felt like 90-95% of what I would call a great workout before I started this cut phase. So, considering the calorie restriction I've been on the last 10 days, this was a great workout! I doubled the oatmeal in my first meal this morning. I'll keep that up and see how it goes over the next few days. I can reevaluate next Monday.
6:00 PM - Evening Meal
Tuna salad with veggies (46 grams protein)
2 cans of tuna
Green olives
Cucumber
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Mustard
10 grams collagen protein
I chose tuna for my evening meal protein because it has one of the best calorie to protein ratios available. I love getting eggs, salmon, mackerel, steak, etc... in my diet for the hormones and good oils, but they all come with a lot more calories per gram of protein than whey powder, collagen powder, or tuna.
6:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 146 grams
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Thursday, January 16th
Waist Measurement: 31"
I'm trying to hold my waist steady while figuring out how to maintain as much strength and energy in the gym. Monday and Tuesday were bad! But yesterday was really good when I doubled my first meal carbs. Hopefully that helps again today!
11:00 AM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/2 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
Crap! I just realized I changed two things at once! I doubled my carbs yesterday and today, but I also started taking beet root again yesterday too! I had cut it out since last Thursday to see if removing it helped my digestion. I didn't notice any change with my tummy and bowel movements.
It's possible the beet root is helping my energy too. Well, it's kind of too late now. I'm going to keep both in until next Monday. Then, I will cut my morning carbs back to 1/4 cup oatmeal while keeping the beet root. I still need to get a little leaner, so I will try going with my first week eating plan for all or most of next week.
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Low Incline DB Press
Iso Decline Press Machine - Close Grip
Pushdowns w/ Triceps Handle
Standing Side Raise
Seated Dip Machine
Incline Press Machine - Close Grip
Had a pretty good workout! My strength was very good. But my endurance was definitely down some.
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Turkey sandwich and chicken salad sandwich (~ 30 grams protein)
Worked late tonight. There were leftover catered boxed lunches from a GM customer visit, so I had two sandwiches and a bag of chips. Way more carbs than I probably should be doing in the evening, but it was yummy!
8:00 PM - Evening Supplements
8:30 PM - Snack
Rice cakes with natural peanut butter
Protein Total ~ 140 grams
11:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Friday, January 17th
Waist Measurement: 31"
Still holding steady at 31", which really is great considering Monday night and last night!
Skipped my usual first meal because of last night. Fasted until my workout shake today.
2:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
2:30 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Iso Lat Row - Horizontal Grip
1 Arm DB Bench Row
Rear Delt Flyes on Pec Deck
Standing Cable High Row with Rope
Assisted Mid Grip Chin Ups
Very good workout! Strength and endurance were really good! Gotta love carbs!
3:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
5:30 PM - Evening Meal
Veggie sandwich
Working late. Another leftover sandwich. Still need some more protein, which I'll get in a snack later.
8:00 PM - Snack
50 grams cassein protein
8:00 PM - Evening Supplements
10:00 PM - Snack
Chicken breast and low carb tortilla shells (50 grams protein)
Protein Total ~ 160 grams
11:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Saturday, January 18th
Waist Measurement: 31.25"
I've been carbing it up big time in the evenings the last three days, so a 1/4" gain on my waist is no surprise. I'm lucky it's not more!
I love the better workouts, but I will have to go back to restricting carbs to the first half of my day. I'm shooting to get my waist down to 30.5" or maybe even a little less for my birthday.
I think I'd rather just hit it early and try to hold it around there. We'll see!
Today is supposed to be leg day and tomorrow was going to be an off day. I might swap them. That way, I can do an extended fast today and get back on track with eating and working out tomorrow.
7:00 PM - Evening meal
Chicken breast (~50 grams protein)
Low carb tortillas
Green olives
Dessert
Pecans
Mini chocolate chips
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Sunday, January 19th
Waist Measurement: 31.25"
I've been going pretty crazy on the evening carbs four out of the last six nights. My workouts have definitely improved, so I'm happy about that part of it.
I need to get back on track with a lower carb intake for a few days to get my waist down to 30.5" and then I can ramp carbs back up again. However, I would still prefer to front load my carbs to the first half of my eating window.
12:30 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Calf Raise on Leg Press
T-Bar Squat - Wide Stance
Lying Bench Hip Thrusts
Single Calf Raise on Horizontal Calf Machine
My leg workout was awesome! I'm really happy about that! It is most likely the extra carbs, but like I mentioned a few days ago I did add beet root back in as well.
So, starting Monday I'm going back to my eating plan from the first week while keeping beet root in my diet. Once I get my waist to 30.5" I plan to increase my morning carbs again.
Well, that's my plan anyway! Stay tuned to see what really happens this week.
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Chicken breast (~50 grams protein)
Brussels sprouts
Green olives
Crushed red pepper
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 155 grams
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Did really good today on all fronts. Now I just need to fall asleep before I get hungry again!
Monday, January 20th
Waist Measurement: 31"
OK, time to see how the second week went.
Week 2 Evaluation:
Measure my waist each morning (100%)
Lift weights 6 days per week (100%)
Aim to get 160 grams of protein daily (86%)
Eat broccoli and cauliflower several times per week (100%)
Drink 1.5 gallons of water daily (100%)
Do cardio 3 times per week (Still a Complete Utter Pathetic Failure 0%)
Consume green/colorful veggies daily (43%)
Try to eat 3 dozen eggs per week (14%)
Eat green olives, crushed red pepper, and garlic several times per week (100%)
Minimize starchy carbs after 6:00 PM (43%)
Include healthy oils with my meals (100%)
Aim to fast 16 hours daily (100%)
Try to get as much quality sleep as possible (~80%)
Definitely a lot more red than last week! The lack of eggs was partly a conscious decision and partly a byproduct of the extra carb days.
I love eggs for their high quality protein and muscle building hormones! But, like I've mentioned before, they have a lot of calories compared to some other protein sources. So, I purposely chose some leaner protein sources this past week because I had gone a little overboard with extra carb calories.
The carb days were also to blame for the lower veggie intake. I worked late a few nights and had leftover catered boxed lunches for dinner. So I didn't make a meal when I got home those days.
Overall, I am lucky to end the week with my waist at 31", which is where I started the week.
I guess the takeaway is that carbs are good for my workouts, but I need to not have so much of them in the evening. I should consume them in the noon to roughly 5:00 PM range instead.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM - Workout - Shoulders / Chest / Triceps
Shoulder Press Machine - Close Grip
High Incline DB Press
Pushdowns with Tri Handle
Upright Rows with Curl Bar
Lateral Raise Machine
It was a pretty good workout today. Not quite as good as yesterday, but really good considering I've lowered my carbs again!
The blotches on my workout notebook are getting smaller each day! I still have hope I may get past them before my birthday!
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Scrambled eggs with tuna, broccoli, and sauerkraut (~42 grams protein)
4 eggs
1 can tuna
Broccoli
Garlic
Green olives
Crushed red pepper
Olive oil
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 142 grams
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Tuesday, January 21st
Waist Measurement: 31"
I was hoping to get below 31" today, but I have to be patient. It will take a few days and I may need to lower my calories a little. It was only a few days ago on Saturday that I had my last mini carb binge.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
I was planning to do an afternoon workout like usual. It didn't quite work out that way! (pun intended. Sorry, it's genetic!)
Today is back day. I don't usually work out at home, but I have a pretty decent set of weights, benches, DB's, and machines at home. I use them to train my son and also when I can't make it to the gym. I can get a really, really good back workout at home. The same cannot be said for legs, chest, or shoulders.
My wife and kids are away house/pet sitting for some friends. That leaves our dogs home in cages while I'm at work. So, my grand plan today was to get home early to let our dogs out. Then I would just do my back workout at home. No problem!
I had my workout shake with me and ready to go. I let the dogs out. I fed them. I played with them a little.
I'm not sure where things went sideways exactly, but somehow I ended up napping and then getting up and eating a bunch of food over the course of a few hours.
I think the initial logic was that if I'm sleepy, my body must need the rest. Then, when I woke up I thought maybe I need a whole rest day from lifting!
I thought I can bump my workouts ahead by one day and skip the built in rest day this coming weekend. I wouldn't miss any workouts. And I just did legs Sunday, so that gives them another day to rest because I'll do them Thursday instead of Wednesday this way!
After all that heavy rationalizing, I had worked up quite an appetite! So, then it was time for dinner. Which was actually a very healthy meal considering my state of mind at the time.
6:00 PM - Evening Meal
Chicken breast and broccoli (~50 grams protein)
Broccoli
Garlic
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
6:00 PM - Evening Supplements
This past Saturday, I discovered season 12 of Heartland is available on Amazon Prime with a trial subscription to the Up: faith & family channel. Well, heck yeah, sign me up for a free trial! I've been wanting to watch season 12 since early 2019 when I finished season 11 on Netflix (they still don't have 12 available on Netflix).
So, I've been watching that the last few days and I ate my dinner while watching an episode.
Then, when my dinner was gone I thought this sure has been fun watching TV and eating food at the same time! This is so much fun, it should be like a thing people do! I think I'd like to do more of this fun thing!
That is when the snacking kind of started. Really, in the grand scheme of things these snacks aren't bad at all, especially compared to some crap I could have eaten. It probably totaled around 900 calories and had lots of fiber and protein. But, it did derail any fat loss for today.
It's OK! I really enjoyed it! I gave myself a mental and physical break! And I'll be back at it hard tomorrow! No biggie!
7:30 PM - Snack
Low carb, high fiber tortillas
8:30 PM - Snack
Frozen chocolate banana treat (~30 grams protein)
Yogurt
Unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon
Protein Total ~ 130 grams
Skipped my bedtime supplements tonight.
Wednesday, January 22nd
Waist Measurement: 31"
Felt crappy after slacking off yesterday, so I fasted until workout time. I also made my workout shake just whey protein without the additional carbs and calories.
7:30 PM - Workout Shake
25 grams whey protein
7:30 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Iso Lat Row Machine - Horizontal Wide Grip
Incline Rear Delt Flyes
Row Grip Pulldowns
It was actually a really good workout! Especially for it being at home and later than usual. I would much rather stick to a regular schedule with my workouts in the afternoon and less eating in the evening. But for an irregular day, it went pretty well.
8:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
9:00 PM - Evening Meal
Garlic Broccoli
Chicken breast (~50 grams protein)
Crushed red pepper
I don't normally eat this much chicken! I made a big batch last Friday. My son usually ends up eating most of it, but they are away house sitting. I can't let it go bad, so I've been eating it this week. I would prefer more fish and eggs, and overall variety in my protein sources.
I am, however, genetically incapable of wasting food! There is an old saying that goes something like:
'The only thing worse than living through the Great Depression is being raised by someone who lived through the Great Depression!'
Well, I was raised by two people who both lived through the Great Depression AND were themselves raised by people who lived through the Great Depression!
I'm not totally clear on the math of it, but somewhere in there is a multiplier or exponential factor that makes it much worse for me!
I guess that's why my soul hurts when I see food (or pretty much anything else) being wasted!
9:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 75 grams
10:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Thursday, January 23rd
Waist Measurement: 31"
I'm getting really sick of seeing 31" on my tape measure in the morning! Hopefully, it will make me snap in a good way and get my ass back in gear on the right track!
It's doesn't help the situation that Star Trek: Picard debuts today! I'm really looking forward to sitting down tonight to watch it! And watching TV is always more fun with food! Maybe I can get by with a pot of Earl Grey instead of snacks.
I REALLY need to NOT snack tonight!
I'm not sure when my first meal will be and when I'll make it to the gym today. I would like to get back to noontime first meals and working out around 3:30ish. We'll see!
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:00 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
T-Bar Squat - Wide Stance
Lying Bench Hip Thrusts
Seated Calf Raise
Lying Leg Curls
4:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC workout today! Absolutely awesome! Felt strong with good endurance too! I'll take that any day!
I'm feeling really good. I want to thank JM in Louisville and Kevin from the gym! Just letting me know you've been following my progress was super helpful and motivating to me!
I had a rough time from Monday, the 13th through Tuesday, the 21st.
I was bummed about losing strength. I was craving carbs and snacks, especially in the late evening.
I have several urgent projects going on at work, so I've been working a bunch of overtime. I enjoy the work, but it tends to throw off my schedule and mess with my eating habits. I ended up eating leftover catered lunches a few nights at work.
My waist has been stuck around 31" since the 13th. It's obvious why it was stuck there and at the time I was more concerned with my crappy workouts, but still it got a little frustrating.
I've also been questioning why am I subjecting myself to this cut down phase? I wasn't fat or unhealthy. I don't need to get lean right now. I could just do it another time.
Well, forget all that crap! I'm over my pity party now! I'm back on track. The mission is a go!
I want to get lean NOW, not later! And I want to do it by my birthday!
7:30 PM - Evening Meal
Tuna-Egg-Broccoli Mash (50 grams protein)
2 cans tuna
2 eggs
Broccoli
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Green olives
7:30 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 150 grams
This was really yummy and I got to eat it while watching Star Trek: Picard, so it took the place of any snacks I might have craved while watching TV!
Made it through the rest of the night with pretty much no problem.
It helps that I am now totally pissed off! So my response to a rumbling tummy is something along the lines of 'shut up you whiny little entitled piece of crap! You're not running the show anymore! I'm in charge now!'
I am mad! I'm mad at myself for slacking off last week! I'm mad at biology because it's so much harder to lose fat and build muscle now that I'm older! I'm mad that none of this is ever going to get easier! In fact, it will just get harder! This sucks, and I don't like it!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not unhinged. I'm not into beating myself up over every little thing. I cut myself and everyone else plenty of slack.
But I also believe in embracing my inner angst and using it to motivate me!
'Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light'
- Dylan Thomas
If being pissed off helps get me where I want to go, then I say bring it on! I'll ride whatever wave I can catch!
I don't take my angst out on other people. And most of the time I don't even drive myself that hard. I get plenty of breaks, and overall my life is a piece of cake. I am totally blessed. And, of course, I know full well that having the means and the time to work out and take care of my health is a luxury most people on Earth don't have.
But, we all need a kick in the ass sometimes. If I can give myself one, why not!
10:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Friday, January 24th
Waist Measurement: 30.75"
Yes! I've broken through the 31" barrier! Just got to keep this train rolling. Need another good workout and some more healthy eating today!
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Low Incline DB Press
Super Set:
Nose Busters (Skull Crushers)
Close Grip Bench
Pushdowns w/ Triceps Handle
Tri Ext Machine
Iso Decline Press Machine
Lateral Raise Machine
This was another great workout! I was actually weaker than last week by one rep on my set of Incline Presses with the 85's, but I was OK with it.
I did a bunch of reps with the 75's and then did a drop set that felt really good. Even though I was a little weaker, my energy was really good throughout the workout.
Life is compromise, so I can live with being a little weaker to be more lean. I wish I didn't have to, but that's just the way it usually goes.
I felt like my muscles looked full, not depleted or flat. I had some decent vein poppage! Got a pretty good pump going! I'll take it.
I love bodybuilding! But it can be a truly frustrating pursuit! It has two seemingly diametrically opposed goals: to maximize muscle mass, while simultaneously minimizing body fat! What??
With power lifting or Olympic weightlifting, all that matters is how much weight you can move within the confines of proper form.
It doesn't matter one bit if you're fat! In fact, it usually helps to be fat! And on bench press, a larger torso actually decreases the distance you have to move the weight!
I don't want to be fat again! However, I do miss the simplicity of just being focused on getting bigger and stronger. At least they go hand in hand! I just wanted to be as huge and strong as possible! I didn't think much about my waist size.
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Sauerkraut
Chicken breast with crushed red pepper (50 grams protein)
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 150 grams
I didn't even feel like eating dinner tonight. I thought about skipping it, but then figured I should get some more protein in me. I was going to just do 50 grams of casein protein to minimize calories. But my tub of casein protein was empty! I forgot it was all gone!
It worked out good, because a real meal was the better way to go. The benefit off casein is that it digests more slowly than whey. But meat is even slower, so it kept my tummy busy for longer.
I threw in some sauerkraut because it's a good way to get some fiber, and what is technically a vegetable, without many calories. Sauerkraut doesn't have all the good stuff that more colorful veggies (Broccoli, spinach, kale, peppers, etc...) have.
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Saturday, January 25th
Waist Measurement: 30.5"
Oh yeah, baby!!! 30.5" has arrived! Not sure what I'll do from here. At the moment, my inclination is to take a little more off and then ramp up morning carbs again. I think I should keep evening carbs low or zero.
I'm kicking around the idea of doing a zero carb day like 2 or 3 days from my birthday, then carb loading for a day or two right before picture day???
I've never tried anything like this before. In the past, like last year and when I won the contest, I just ate the same thing everyday until picture day. Then, I just woke up and took pictures in the morning.
I probably shouldn't mess with stuff this time, or maybe try it after my birthday to see how it works on me. I guess the idea with carb depletion and loading is to refill the muscles right before a show or photo shoot so they look bigger and fuller and not flat.
Sounds good to me! I've just never tried it, and I know how my abs look the next day after too many carbs, so I worry what will happen to my abs if I try it.
Oh well, I'll read up on it some more and figure it out later. Today, I just need to get in another good workout and some more healthy eating.
12:00 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Seated Row Machine - Horizontal Grip
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Iso High Row Alternating
Rear Delt Flyes on Pec Deck
Seated Row Machine - Row Grip
Another good workout! I'm not crushing it on strength, but I'm hitting it hard and my energy was good throughout.
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Egg-Tuna-Broccoli Mash (46 grams protein)
4 eggs
1 can tuna
Broccoli
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Olive oil
Flax seeds
Green olives
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 146 grams
It was a really good day again. I slept well last night. Got up and cleaned the house to get ready for the family coming home. It's so much nicer to come back to a clean house after you've been away from home.
Went to work to put in some overtime. Had a great workout. Came home, did some laundry, made some brownies for the family, and then made a delicious dinner for me.
Just need to wrap it up with a good evening and a good night's sleep. Normally I would say we'll see how it goes, but I'm in such a zone I'm starting to get a little cocky! No guarantees beyond tonight, but I feel very confident I can finish off this day strong. We'll see how next week goes?
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Sunday, January 26th
Waist Measurement: 30.25"
I decided yesterday that when and if my waist gets to 30.25" or smaller, I would bump up my morning carbs. This morning, I decided to go even beyond that and break my first meal into two separate meals about two hours apart. This is something I did years ago when I was eating from 8 AM to 4 PM. I had a protein shake and oatmeal at 8 and then again at 10 each morning.
I'm going to try that today, except the first meal will be 10 or a little later. We'll see how it goes. I need to do something different (other than eating too much at night) or I will get too skinny!
10:30 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
12:30 PM - First Meal Part Deux
25 grams whey protein
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
I skipped the collagen protein, the psyllium husk, and my supplements the second time around.
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Calf Raise on Leg Press
Hip Adduction Machine
Hip Abduction Machine
Seated Leg Curls
Single Calf Raise on Horizontal Calf Machine
NO MORE BLOTCHES!! I made it past the blotches in my workout notebook! And, on top of that it was a really good workout!
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Bean and Egg Soup (56 grams protein)
1 can kidney beans
4 eggs
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Green olives
Flax seeds
I'm not sure why I bother telling you how I made this. I doubt anyone is coming here for recipe ideas, but whatever! I poured a can of beans including all the liquid in a pot, then added garlic, crushed red pepper, and chopped green olives. At this point you could add whatever else you want as well. When it was simmering, I cracked 4 eggs into the pan and broke the yokes while stirring for a minute or so. I left it on just long enough to heat up the eggs, but not cook them. I was going for soup consistency. Then I sprinkled flax seeds on top. I quite liked it!
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 171 grams
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
I did good today with working out and eating. I got a little hungry around bedtime, but I was able to relax and fall asleep without too much trouble.
I'm getting pretty lean. I have to be careful not to get too skinny! That's why I opted for beans and eggs for dinner. Plenty of extra calories in there. I also doubled my carbs in the morning. And by breaking my first meal into two meals, I got some extra protein in there as well, 60 grams vs. 45 grams.
I also have to be careful not to let my cravings take over in the evening. I haven't had to resort to any extreme calorie deficits throughout this process. It's mostly been fine tuning, cleaning up what I eat and when I eat it. I have not at all been starving myself! But when I get this lean (even though I did it fairly gradually and with lots of protein, hydration, and good nutrients), my body still wants to get back to its happier place, which includes a little more padding around the middle.
Monday, January 27th
Waist Measurement: 30.25"
Overall, things are going very well. I did have my first bad night of sleep since maybe two weeks ago. I'll try to do my usual evaluation sometime today. Not sure when.
Week 3 Evaluation:
Measure my waist each morning (100%)
Lift weights 6 days per week (100%)
Aim to get 160 grams of protein daily (86%)
Eat broccoli and cauliflower several times per week (100%)
Drink 1.5 gallons of water daily (100%)
Do cardio 3 times per week (This is really just silly at this point! 0%)
Consume green/colorful veggies daily (100%)
Try to eat 3 dozen eggs per week (39%)
Eat green olives, crushed red pepper, and garlic several times per week (100%)
Minimize starchy carbs after 6:00 PM (86%)
Include healthy oils with my meals (100%)
Aim to fast 16 hours daily (99%)
Try to get as much quality sleep as possible (~86%)
A lot less red than last week! My waist is down 3/4" from last week! I'm below my target of 30.5", but I have been known to change my mind about these kind of things. So, I can't really say what I will do this week and whether or not I will shoot to get even leaner.
I doubled my morning carbs starting yesterday. I plan to keep that up this week, unless something drastically changes.
The lack of eggs was a combination of opting for some lower calorie sources of protein and also being stuck with a big batch of chicken breast that I didn't want to go to waste.
I had just one bad night of sleep, which was last night. Overall, I'm doing good on every front except cardio. The reason I put it on the original list was mainly to kick start a habit I have been wanting to establish for quite some time.
I don't view cardio as a way to lose fat. I just want to get my cardiovascular system in better shape.
I am shifting my eating window to ~ 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM to get more carbs and protein earlier in the day.
11:00 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
1:00 PM - Second Meal
25 grams whey protein
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Shoulders / Chest / Triceps
Shoulder Press Machine - Close Grip
High Incline DB Press
Pushdowns with Rope
Lateral Raise Machine
Overhead Pushdowns with Rope
Standing Side Raises
It was a good workout. I was a little weaker than last week. I also kind of ran out of energy part way through, but kept going. I had a very bad night of sleep, so I'm chalking it up to that plus whatever strength I've lost from getting leaner.
5:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Broccoli
Chicken breast (~40 grams protein)
3 meatballs (~10 grams protein)
Green olives
Crushed red pepper
This was the last of the chicken breast! Now I can get back to more fish and eggs this week. Yay! What I choose for proteins with my dinners this week will depend a lot on whether I want to get a little leaner or just hold steady. We'll see?
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 165 grams
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
I got a little hungry near bedtime. I wouldn't even call it cravings or hunger pangs, but it was the worst it has been since last Tuesday. Fortunately, I was able to relax and fall asleep.
Tuesday, January 28th
Waist Measurement: 30.25"
I was actually a little leaner than yesterday. I was pushing 30" even, but decided to just round it up and keep it at 30.25".
Got a really good night of sleep! Hopefully, I can keep that up. I would like to finish strong on everything! (Well, except cardio! I mean, come on, I should just stop kidding myself! I probably won't do any this week either!)
11:00 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
1:00 PM - Second Meal
25 grams whey protein
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
4:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:30 PM - Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Iso Lat Row Machine - Horizontal Grip
1 Arm Rear Delt Flye on Pec Deck
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Standing Cable High Row with Rope
Straight Arm Pushdowns with Curl Handle
It was a decent workout, but not good and certainly not great. I felt rundown even before I started. It could be the poor sleep I had Sunday night still affecting me. And not to neglect the elephant in the room, it could be the lack of overall calories and lower carb intake. Even though I doubled my morning carbs, they are still pretty low relatively speaking.
5:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Broccoli
2 slices turkey bacon
Salmon salad (54 grams protein)
8 oz canned salmon
2 eggs scrambled
Olive oil
Green olives
Mustard
Crushed red pepper
Garlic
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
There was some extra turkey bacon sitting on the kitchen counter. I couldn't resist, so I added a few pieces to my meal.
Protein Total ~ 169 grams
Today was a little rough. I seriously considered making it an off day from lifting or just doing abs and calves instead of back. I decided to forge ahead anyway. I can always bump my leg workout tomorrow if I still feel rundown in the morning. I'm going to try to get to bed as early as possible. I had some mild cravings for carbs this evening, but nothing real bad.
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Wednesday, January 29th
Waist Measurement: 30"
Well, I hit 30" without really meaning to. I have upped my carbs and protein over the last three days, but I still lost another 1/4" off my waist.
It's not like I'm upset about it. A smaller waist looks better on me. My concern was having my muscles look depleted and flat by trying to get too lean. If I can avoid that pitfall while still getting leaner, that would be great. We'll see how it goes.
I'm adding more carbs to my morning meals and starting an hour earlier. Fasting 16 hours may have to be put on hold for a few days, but 14 or 15 hours is close enough to get many of the benefits of Intermittent Fasting.
10:00 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/2 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
12:00 PM - Second Meal
25 grams whey protein
1/2 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
4:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:00 PM - Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Single Calf Raise on Leg Press
Lying Bench Hip Thrusts
Leg Curls
T-Bar Squat - Wide Stance
Hip Abduction Machine
Hip Adduction Machine
Single Calf Raise on Horizontal Calf Machine
This was actually a really good workout, but not because I felt great or had lots of energy. My strength was good on Leg Press, but I basically had to will myself through the rest of the workout. It was more perseverance and taking extra rest time than anything else. I am definitely ready for a little break after my birthday!
5:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Green beans
Mackerel salad (~45 grams protein)
10 oz canned mackerel
Onions
Green olives
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Mustard
Flax seeds
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 160 grams
I am feeling exhausted today. I doubled my carbs starting Sunday, and then I doubled them again today. We'll see what my waist size is in the morning. If it's the same or smaller, then I can bump up calories even more.
I didn't sleep great last night. It definitely confounds things when you throw a few bad nights in the equation. It's hard to distinguish exactly what is most to blame for sub par performance in the gym; diet, stress, poor sleep, or something else?
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Thursday, January 30th
Waist Measurement: 30"
My waist is actually a little bigger today than yesterday, but it doesn't show up in my 'official' measurement due to rounding. I round to the nearest 1/4". Yesterday I was a hair below 30" and today I was a hair above 30". I can feel the difference in my waist. Not like with my hands, I mean just sitting here I can feel it.
I didn't do well with all the extra carbs from yesterday morning. I will dial it back today. If I had a killer workout yesterday, and felt energetic, and slept better, I might be tempted to keep the extra carbs even with my waist being a little bigger. It would be a small price to pay for feeling good.
But the thing is, I don't feel good! I feel bloated. I didn't sleep very well. I felt rundown yesterday! I only had a good workout because I forced myself to keep going. So, I'm going back to my lower carb morning routine, at least for today.
I haven't been counting calories through this cut-down phase. However, just as a quick check I counted all my calories from yesterday. I'm looking for clues as to why I feel so crappy today.
Here's what I did yesterday:
First Meal:
25 grams whey protein (~125 calories)
10 grams collagen protein (45 calories)
1/2 cup oatmeal (150 calories)
1/8 cup wheat bran (25 calories)
20 grams psylium husk (~60 calories)
Supplements:
1000 mg fish oil (10 calories)
1000 mg flax oil (10 calories)
Second Meal:
25 grams whey protein (~125 calories)
1/2 cup oatmeal (150 calories)
1/8 cup wheat bran (25 calories)
Workout Shake:
50 grams whey protein (~220 calories)
12.5 grams dextrose (50 calories)
12.5 grams maltodextrin (50 calories)
1.5 scoops NO Xplode (90 calories)
5 grams BCAA (20 calories)
Evening Meal:
Green beans (~60 calories)
10 oz mackerel (~350 calories)
Green olives (~60 calories)
Onions (~15 calories)
Supplements:
1000 mg fish oil (10 calories)
1000 mg flax oil (10 calories)
Total ~ 1615 calories
That doesn't sound like much, but I'm not a big guy anymore. My BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is probably somewhere in the 1600-1800 calorie range. I guess it could be even lower, considering that my waist 'seemed' to be bigger today than yesterday and that's all I ate. There are too many variables and not enough reliable data to say one way or the other. But my gut (pun absolutely intended) tells me to cut back a few hundred calories.
Now, back to today:
12:30 PM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
4:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
4:30 PM - Workout - Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Low Incline DB Press
Iso Decline Press Machine
Pushdowns w/ Rope
Tri Ext Machine
Standing Front Shoulder Press on Smith Machine
Dips
Lateral Raise Machine
Hanging Leg Raises
This was a pretty good workout. My strength was good enough, about the same as last week. I'll take it. The finish line is in site! I just need to make it through the next 4 days. Then I can fatten up a little and get back to having mostly great workouts on a regular basis!
6:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Spinach
Leftover salmon salad (~54 grams protein)
I was working at a school event, so dinner was on the go tonight. I brought some leftover salmon salad from Tuesday with some spinach thrown in. It was very tasty!
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 154 grams
For comparison, let's see what I did today calorie-wise:
First Meal:
35 grams whey protein (~190 calories)
10 grams collagen protein (45 calories)
1/4 cup oatmeal (75 calories)
1/8 cup wheat bran (25 calories)
20 grams psylium husk (~60 calories)
Supplements:
1000 mg fish oil (10 calories)
1000 mg flax oil (10 calories)
Workout Shake:
50 grams whey protein (~220 calories)
12.5 grams dextrose (50 calories)
12.5 grams maltodextrin (50 calories)
1.5 scoops NO Xplode (90 calories)
5 grams BCAA (20 calories)
Evening Meal:
Spinach (~10 calories)
8 oz salmon (~300 calories)
2 large eggs (~140 calories)
Green olives (~30 calories)
Supplements:
1000 mg fish oil (10 calories)
1000 mg flax oil (10 calories)
Total ~ 1345 calories
That should balance out the day before. I will likely bump things back up tomorrow, depending on how I feel in the morning.
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Tried 30 mg melatonin vs. my usual 20 mg
2:00 AM - Middle of the Night Supplements
10 mg melatonin
I woke up during the night, which is not unusual for me. I tried taking melatonin again to see if it could help me fall back asleep. I did eventually get back to sleep, but it wasn't obvious that the melatonin helped.
Friday, January 31st
Waist Measurement: 30"
Feeling so much better today! I would not have guessed increasing my total morning oatmeal from 1/2 cup to 1 cup (did that Wednesday) would have made such a difference in how I feel the next day.
I actually didn't even sleep all that great last night, but I still feel better by far than yesterday!
11:00 AM - First Meal
35 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
3:00 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:00 PM - Workout - Calves / Abs
Calf Raise on Hack Squat
Ab Crunch Machine
Hanging Leg Raises
Crunches with Feet on Floor
4:00 PM - Post Workout Supplements
Whoa! I just hit the proverbial wall, and hard!! It was back day, but all I could muster was some abs and calves. I'll move back to tomorrow. Hopefully, I will get a good night's sleep and be able to have a decent back workout!
I am exhausted! Between sets of crunches, I closed my eyes for a few seconds and almost fell asleep right there on the gym floor! I'm not exaggerating! If I hadn't caught myself drifting off and snapped out of it, I really could have fallen asleep! It would have felt so good too!
Under different circumstances, I would say it's time to go buy a nice thick steak and take a day or two off from lifting, and maybe even life in general!
But, I am so close to the end! I need to just drag myself over the finish line and then I'll get a nice, hard-earned break! It will feel so much better if I can hold out til them!
I know all this is self-inflicted and I guess in a way contrived as well. However, for the most part it's been enjoyable and good for me! It's just these last few days that are really hard, now that I'm so lean.
I really was feeling good this morning, but clearly the several poor nights of sleep I've had since Sunday have caught up with me this afternoon!
So, I will rest up as much as possible tonight and forge ahead tomorrow!
6:30 PM - Evening Meal
Spinach
Leftover mackerel salad (~20 grams protein)
4 eggs (~ 24 grams protein)
Dinner was on the go again tonight. I had some leftover mackerel salad from Wednesday. I added 4 eggs for some more protein and mixed it all with some spiach.
10:00 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Saturday, February 1st
Waist Measurement: 29.75"
Had a pretty decent night of sleep, which was desperately needed! I felt much better Saturday morning. Friday was rough!
11:00 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
1:00 PM - Second Meal
25 grams whey protein
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM -Workout - Back / Rear Delts
Row Grip Chin Ups
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Rear Delt Flyes on Pec Deck
Iso Lat Row Machine - Row Grip
Standing Cable Crossover Rear Delt Flyes
Row Grip Pulldowns
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
This was an awesome workout!!! What a difference a day and a good night's sleep can make!! I felt really good throughout!
7:00 PM Evening Meal
Spinach
Tuna salad (~36 grams protein)
2 cans tuna
Green olives
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Mustard
Flax seeds
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
Protein Total ~ 151 grams
This was a really good day! Workouts and eating went remarkably well. I was still tired at the end of the day, though. The cumulative stress of this cut-down process has definitely caught up to me over the last few days. I went to bed very early to try to get some extra rest and hopefully some extra sleep.
8:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Sunday, February 2nd
Waist Measurement: 29.75"
10:00 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
12:15 PM - Second Meal
25 grams whey protein
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM -Workout - Legs
Leg Press - Close Stance
Calf Raise on Leg Press
Hip Adduction Machine
Hip Abduction Machine
Leg Curls
This was an adequate workout, not terrible but not really good either. I hit my strength targets on Leg Press, which is good considering how exhausted I am. I was pretty much done after that, though. I just did a bunch of other 'easy' exercises using lighter weight than I usually do.
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
6:00 PM - Snack
Low carb, high fiber tortillas
I had two of these to get some more carbs in me. I love these stupid things! I eat them plain, just slowly peeling off layers, bit by bit. I'm a grown-ass man, so ain't nobody gonna tell me not to play with my food if I wanna! Ain't nobody learnin' me no good grammar neither!
7:00 PM - Evening Meal
Spinach
Tuna salad (~36 grams protein)
2 cans tuna
Green olives
Garlic
Crushed red pepper
Mustard
Flax seeds
Same meal, different day! Same as yesterday, but it's a new pic!
7:00 PM - Evening Supplements
It was a good day. It is all relative at this point. Sometime last week, probably Wednesday or Thursday, I crossed a threshhold where this process became much harder!
It could simply be that I am so lean and have been living on a lower calorie and carb intake for a while now.
It could also be that I haven't had any re-feed/cheat days since January 21st, which was 12 days ago.
I normally don't go more than 7 to 10 days without a little break from my disciplined eating. I usually give myself a treat, like air-popped popcorn, natural peanut butter on celery, some nuts, Frozen Chocolate Banana Treat, or something like those. Even if they are relatively low calorie and healthy, they are still a nice break and some extra calories.
I also started noticing that my throat is feeling a little funny, like I may be getting a cold, flu, or sore throat. That would also explain it if I were actually getting ill.
We'll know soon enough one way or the other. I will be taking a hard-earned break starting on my birthday! That is Tuesday, by the way! One more day to get through!
9:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Monday, February 3rd
Waist Measurement: 29.75"
It all makes a lot more sense now! I have a full blown cold or flu of some kind! I didn't know for sure until Monday night, when it really hit me hard. I've been incubating these little buggers probably since mid to late last week. The timing is perfect to explain my hitting a wall last Friday!
I made it through the day. I was able to eat and work out sort of normally. I cut way back on the weights I used at the gym. And when I got home, I didn't feel like eating dinner. I just laid down to rest.
10:00 AM - First Meal
25 grams whey protein
10 grams collagen protein
20 grams psyllium husk
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
First Meal Supplements
12:15 PM - Second Meal
25 grams whey protein
1/4 cup whole oats
1/8 cup wheat bran
3:30 PM - Workout Shake (sipped gradually during workout)
50 grams Whey protein
12.5 grams Maltodextrin
12.5 grams Dextrose
1 gram L-Citrulline
5 grams BCAA's
5 grams Beta Alanine
1.5 scoops NO Xplode
3:30 PM -Workout - Shoulders / Chest / Triceps
Iso Shoulder Press Machine - Close Grip
Chest Press Machine - Hammer Grip
Pushdowns with Rope
Seated Arnold Press Alternating
Chest Press Machine - Wide Grip
1 Arm Pushdowns - Underhand Grip
This was a pretty decent workout under the circumstances! And now looking back, it is pretty amazing I was able to hit my usual weights and reps on leg press yesterday!
It sucks to be sick, but looking on the bright side this really could have messed me up if it had hit me any sooner! Obviously, I would prefer not to be sick at all or have it start next week, but if it was going to come during the countdown this is about perfect!
4:30 PM - Post Workout Supplements
8:30 PM - Bedtime Supplements
Tuesday, February 4th!
Waist Measurement: 29.5"
Happy Birthday to me! I'm sick as a dog! I did not expect to be at 29.5" at the end of this cut-down phase! Things are really fuzzy right now!
I was able to get up and take some pictures this morning, but believe it or not I haven't looked at them. I went straight back to bed and have been crashed all day! I'm going back to bed any moment now! I just wanted to give a quick update.
Sorry, this illness is kicking my butt! I will post the pictures when I get a chance in the next day or so.
Monday, February 10th!
Wow! I'm really sorry for the long delay! Saying I got my butt kicked is an understatement! It is now Monday of the following week. My birthday was 6 days ago!
I can't recall the last time I opted for antibiotics. I try to avoid them whenever possible. I think the last time I used them was in the 20th century, but I could be wrong. My brain is pretty fuzzy these days. So, I broke down and got some antibiotics today. Hopefully, they kick in quickly.
I also have to apologize for the poor picture quality. They are stills taken from HD video, but they didn't come out very good.
Here are the results of my Countdown to 51!
Here's a little bonus video:
Thank you all for the well wishes! And thank you for your interest in my Countdown to 51. Even with the ups and downs, I mostly enjoyed the process. I just love this stuff!
As much as it has sucked being sick this past week, I'm glad that it turned out to be an illness rather than the process of getting lean that made me hit a wall right near the end. That had never been my experience in the past.
I'm very pleased with how lean I was able to get! As always, I still wish I could maintain more muscle mass in the process. I always crave more muscle mass! Hopefully, I'll be back in the gym in a few days to work on building some more!
I wish you all the best! Thank you again! And if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or send me an email.
Comments