7 Weeks Out!
These past few weeks have been a great learning experience for me. I have learned what it is like to be on a diet that has too little calories, and a diet that has too much calories. I feel that I didn't lose as much fat as I wanted to last week. There are two things that I can do from here: decrease calories or increase cardio.
I think that decreasing my calories slightly and increasing my cardio is the best option. I have usually been walking for 20 minutes before breakfast on every back/abs and triceps/biceps day. I will start walking 30 minutes on these days for now on.
Also, on rest days I have been walking 30 minutes during the time that I would normally be working out (if it wasn't rest day). I will bump this up to 40 minutes. The only thing that I am going to take out from my diet is one piece of brown bread from Meal 6.
I think this is all that needs to be taken out at the time. If my fat loss doesn't speed up after these changes, I will simply add in more cardio. I can't wait for my competition!
Note: For meal 1 I also take: multivitamin, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B. For meal 5 (post-workout) I also take: vitamin C.
Saturday, February 28
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum whey
Meal 2:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 2 slices wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 3:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Apple
- Water
Meal 4: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 4 tbsp dextrose
Meal 5:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 2 pieces of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 6:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
Workout
Did a 20 minute walk before breakfast.
Triceps/Biceps
- Skullcrushers: 95X10, 105X9, 105X8 superset with Close-grip bench for 105X12
- Overhead triceps extension: 80X9, 80X9, 80X8
- Pressdowns: 160X11, 160X10, 150X10
- EZ-bar curl: 75X12, 85X11, 95X9
- Incline dumbbell curls: 40X8, 35X8, 30X10
- Preacher curls: 75X10, 75X7, 65X8
Click here for a printable workout log!
Today was a decent workout. After I couldn't complete any more reps on my last set of skullcrushers, I did close grip bench with the EZ-bar. I am going to switch overhead extensions for another exercise next workout. They have been putting a lot of strain on my forearms and my joints. My biceps workout went great. The ez-bar curls felt the best out of the three exercises.
Sunday, February 29
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum Whey
Meal 2:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 2 slices wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 3:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Banana
- 10 oz orange juice
- Water
Meal 4: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 4 tbsp dextrose
- Water
Meal 5:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 2 pieces of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 6:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
Workout
Quads/Hamstrings (Leg Day)
- Barbell squat: 185X12, 215X12, 225X11, 205X10
- Leg press: 400X15, 495X12, 495X12, 495X10
- Leg extension: 130X12, 125X10, 120X9
- Seated leg curl: 150X12, 150X10, 145X8, 140X8
- Lying leg curl: 100X9, 90X10, 90X10, 90X9
Click here for a printable workout log!
Monday, March 1
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum Whey
Meal 2:
- Turkey
- Salad
- 2 slices wheat bread
Meal 3:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 1 slice wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 4:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Apple
- Water
Meal 5: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 2 tbsp dextrose
- Water
Meal 6:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 1 piece of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
I made some changes in my diet because I was losing weight way too fast. I am going to have 2 cups of shredded wheat for meal 1, add a piece of brown bread to meal 3, add two pieces of brown bread to meal 6, and add peanuts to every meal that I have almonds. I will see how this works and see if I need to make any further changes.
Workout
Rest (40 minute walk on the treadmill)
I took out a piece of wheat bread and 2 tbsp of dextrose today because I didn't do any weight training. All I did was 40 minutes of low intensity cardio.
Tuesday, March 2
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum Whey
Meal 2:
- Turkey
- 2 slices wheat bread
Meal 3:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 2 slices wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 4:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Apple
- Water
Meal 5: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 4 tbsp dextrose
- Water
Meal 6:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 1 piece of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
Workout
Calves/Chest
- Standing calf raise: 300X10, 280X8, 260X8
- Seated calf raise: 115X8 dropset to 70X8, 110X8 dropset to 65X8, 100X8 dropset to 55X8
- Dumbbell bench press: 80X10, 85X9, 80X8
- Incline dumbbell bench: 70X8, 70X7, 70X7 dropset to 50X5
- Weighted dips: 35X10, 45X8, 45X6
- Dumbbell flyes: 60X10, 60X10, 60X8
Click here for a printable workout log!
This workout was pretty decent. I am going to lighten up the weight on my last set of dumbbell flyes next time. My forearm was causing me pain and was giving out on me. I will ice it and hopefully it will heal soon. For calves today, I did my reps really slow.
I concentrated on the peak contraction and did a slow negative on each rep. I have been having trouble getting up high on my toes lately with my calf exercises, so I am going to lower the weight and continue to use this type of form. At the end of this workout, my calves were toasted.
Wednesday, March 3
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum Whey
Meal 2:
- Turkey
- 2 slices wheat bread
Meal 3:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 2 slices wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 4:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Apple
- 10 oz orange juice
- Water
Meal 5: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 4 tbsp dextrose
- Water
Meal 6:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 1 piece of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
Workout
Did a 30 minute walk before breakfast.
Back/Abs
- Barbell row: 185X10, 195X10, 205X10, 205X10
- Dumbbell row (really slow reps): 110X10, 110X10, 110X10
- Pull-downs: 140X8, 130X8
- Assisted Pull-ups: 30X10, 40X10, 40X10, 40X9
- Cable crunches: 160X15, 150X15, 150X15
- Leg raises: 25, 20, 16
Click here for a printable workout log!
Barbell rows were a lot harder this workout. I think it's because I had to use the skinny barbell. The powerlifters at my gym are bending all the good ones. Dumbbell rows felt really good. I used really slow form and made sure to concentrate on my back the whole time. This was a great back workout. I got a lot fewer reps on my cable crunches, but that's because I did leg raises first. I didn't think it would make that big of a difference, but it did.
Thursday, March 4
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum Whey
Meal 2:
- Turkey
- 2 slices wheat bread
Meal 3:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 2 slices wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 4:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Apple
- Water
Meal 5: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 4 tbsp dextrose
- Water
Meal 6:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 1 piece of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
Workout
Shoulders/Traps
- Military press: 125X9, 115X9, 115X9, 115X8
- Dumbbell press: 50X9, 50X8, 45X8
- Side-laterals: 25X10, 25X9, 20X11
- Bent-over laterals: 45X10, 45X10, 45X10
- Barbell shrugs: 235X10, 235X10, 235X10, 235X10
- Dumbbell shrugs: 110X10, 110X8, 110X7
Click here for a printable workout log!
This was a really great workout. Everything went smooth and my mind to muscle connection was intense. There's really not much else to say about the workout. I don't care if my weights are going up or down or if my reps are increasing or decreasing.
I can make a set work my muscles more with less reps and a greater muscle to mind connection than if I did a set with more reps and a weaker muscle to mind connection. When you do an exercise, don't concentrate on form. Form should already be imprinted in your brain. Concentrate on your muscles. This will make a hell of a difference.
Friday, March 5
Diet
Meal 1:
- 2 cups of shredded wheat bran
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 scoop Optimum Whey
Meal 2:
- Turkey
- 2 slices wheat bread
Meal 3:
- 8 oz chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- 2 slices wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
Meal 4:
- 1 can of tuna
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 1 large salad
- Apple
- Water
Meal 5: Post-workout
- 2 scoops Optimum Whey
- 4 tbsp dextrose
- Water
Meal 6:
- 1 egg yolks
- 10 egg whites
- 1 piece of wheat bread
- Water
- 1/2 cup of shredded wheat bran
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 7:
- 4 oz chicken breast
- Salad
- Water
- Almonds
- Peanuts
Meal 8:
- 1 scoop Casein
- Water
Workout
Triceps/Biceps
- Skullcrushers: 95X10, 105X9, 105X8
- Triceps Nautilus machine: 80X12, 85X12, 90X11
- Pressdowns: 160X12, 160X9, 150X11 dropset to 110X6
- EZ-bar curl: 75X12, 85X11, 95X9
- Incline dumbbell curls: 40X8, 35X8, 30X9
- Dumbbell preacher curls: 30X10, 25X10, 25X10
Click here for a printable workout log!
This was a great workout. I switched the overhead triceps extensions for the triceps Nautilus machine because my right forearm has been bothering me a lot. The machine was a lot easier on my forearm. For biceps, I am going to do alternate dumbbell curls instead of ez-bar curls because this exercise was also putting lots of stress on my right forearm. I will ice my forearm a lot and switch exercises that aggravate it. My forearm should be healed in no time.
I ended the week weighing 166 pounds. I seem to be maintaining at this weight. I feel that I am slowly gaining muscle and slowly losing fat right now. That's how I want it to be. I don't want to skinny out by losing too much weight too quickly. I am taking things slow. I don't have TOO much more fat to lose, so I don't have to do anything crazy with my diet.
Everything has been going great and I can't wait to show Wisconsin what I am made of!