Buckfever's Journey

1/6//2017

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 512

Notes:
Tweaked the thoracic spine just a bit, went to the chiro and he got it mobile, going to put the bench off till Sunday. I think I need a little more time between bench sessions anyway. I've completely eliminated alcohol consumption for now, not that I'm opposed to it and I wasn't much of a drinker to begin with, but I found that even half a drink was interfering with the quality of my sleep and as I'm slowly ramping up the workouts while tightening the meal plan I want to make sure I'm well rested. The meal plan is progressing nicely, but one of the biggest problems with indulging over the holidays, even if you don't overdo as far as weight gain, it is that you quickly get addicted to the crack(sugar). I find myself craving sweets even though ordinarily that's not big part of my diet. Slowly weaning myself off. I've been thinking more about why my increased interest in leaning up. I think it's age related. I see clients who at this age start slowing down and put on weight, or maybe it's the other way around they put on weight and slow down, but it's such a profound impact on their appearance, their function and health. So I think that's the driver, that I want to oppose that.

1/8/2016

45 minutes on the Elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, hardest level, highest incline, calories reported: 525

Notes:
Pretty good control of the meal plan right now. Nice structure just rotating the vegetables and protein sources. The tweak in the thoracic area is improving but now I've tweaked the lower right erector. Probably from activities better discussed in a more intimate setting. Not sure if I'm benching later or waiting till tomorrow.

1/8/17 pm

DB bench

60X10

80X10

100X6,4

90X3(stopped)

CG Pulldown

120X20,12

WG Pulldown

120X8,10

Notes:
Handling the 100lbers with a strained erector was the biggest challenge. I wasn't sure I was even going to go, but I have good momentum on the bench so I wanted to do just enough while the erector heals. Went ok.

1/10/2017

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 527

Notes:
Injuries are healing but slowly.

1/10/2017 p.m.

Db Bench

60X10

80X10

100X6,5,3X3

W.G Pulldown

120X20,12

C.G Pulldown

125X15,9


Notes:
I did 14 minutes of mobility work before the Bench session and I was able to "pop" the lower right erector area, so it's a lot better. Almost got 4 reps on the 3rd working set on the bench so I think I'm one workout away from being back to where I was before the deload. I am doing the Elliptical sessions fasted. Not something I've ever done before but hearing Rex advocate for it, I think it's worth giving it a go. It's certainly not affecting my performance that I can tell. Weight is stuck here around 192-192.2, but definitely less of a gut. Meal plan is good just got to stick with it. The elliptical sessions are getting easier and easier and I'm of a mind to keep them and see if I can find a way to eventually incorporate the Squat and the Deadlift in there too. Benching again on Friday and on Sunday I hope to put the accessory day back in.

1/13/2017

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 526


Notes:
Went to the gym to get a session in and somehow scraped my finger moving the bar off the bench, enough to cause bleeding. I guess we'll have to wait till Sunday.

1/15/2017

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 537

Notes:
This past Friday I attended an appreciation dinner, which was quite decadent. And with that I now I have clear sailing until the 2/4 Church Gala. Last night I mapped it all out, 21 days of renewed vigor and this morning a very nice start with a strong effort on the Elliptical. Here we go.

1/15/2017

DB Bench

60X10

80X10

100X6,5,4X3sets

W.G. Pulldowns

125X20,12

C.G. Pulldowns

130X14,10

Notes:
The first working set on the DB bench did not feel great, but I told myself to focus and see if I could at least get back to where I was at before the deload. On the 3rd working set when I got the extra rep, my head immediately went to rep PR and it really was no problem. Started my assault on the pulldowns.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buckfever

1/15/2017

DB Bench

60X10

80X10

100X6,5,4X3sets

W.G. Pulldowns

125X20,12

C.G. Pulldowns

130X14,10

Notes:
The first working set on the DB bench did not feel great, but I told myself to focus and see if I could at least get back to where I was at before the deload. On the 3rd working set when I got the extra rep, my head immediately went to rep PR and it really was no problem. Started my assault on the pulldowns.

---

way to push and focus

1/17/2017

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 539

Notes:
Wife is out of town for 8 days, after she left yesterday, I threw all of the junk food in the garbage.

1/17/2017

Machine Preacher curls

65X10

80X10

95X10,8,7,6

Siperset with:

Tricep Pressdowns

70X10X4sets,6


Barbell curls

60X8,10,10,8X4sets

Superset with

Lifefitness Tricep press

110X10

130X10

150X10,8,9,7

Weighted Incline Abs

25lbsX10,6,5,4,4

Superset with:

Calve press on leg press machine

190X10

210X10

230X10

250X9,9,6,6,6

Notes:
Decided to skip the shoulders because of the volume on the last bench session I wanted a little more recovery before the next bench session. Instead I did arms abs and calves which I've been neglecting. It was nice to get an extra workout in without impacting the rest of what I'm doing.

1/18/2017

Morning weight: 193.4

Notes:
Weight jumped for some reason up to 195.4, so I tightened the meal plan, yesterday I kept it right at 1800. I don't want to go lower than that. I think it's a combination of having high caloric foods in the house which are hard to estimate and also that I'm not active enough. I got rid of all the bad food the other day and have made 2 trips, stocking up with healthy choices mostly lean meats and fish and vegetables. That will take care of the meal plan issues, but I need to up the workouts and maybe add some treadmill walking to make up for the inactivity.

1/18/2017

~24.5 minute walk on the treadmill - 1 mile.

Notes:
Going to try and do something everyday that I can, even if it's small. Better than sitting.

1/19/2017

30 minutes on the treadmill 3%incline ~1.25 miles

Notes:
Morning weight 193.2, Yesterdays calories: 1840. I think 30 minutes walking is about all I'm going to do on the off days. I want to do it mostly with strength training and tweaking the meal plan. I'm only looking to supplement the activity level because I'm less active here in the winter. I'm actually pretty surprised by how much meat I've put on my thighs with the elliptical using the weighted vest. I think as long as I can gently increase the pace there I shouldn't lose too much leg size. I don't know what it is, still hell bent on leaning up.

1/20/2017

A.M.

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 548


P.M.

D.B Bench

60X10

80X10

100X6,5,5,4,3,3

C.G. Pulldown

130X20,11

Notes:
Morning weight:192.4
Yesterday I ate a lot of vegetables and held the calories @ 1634 which is lower than I wanted but I wasn't hungry, it's a lot of food when you're eating clean. Today I'm a little hungry. I'm starting to plateau on the bench, but I'm also getting a little bored. So either I'll restart the training cycle or switch to bodybuilding for a while to break it up, I'll decide by Sunday. Real happy with how the weighted elliptical workouts are going.

1/22/2017

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 551

Notes:
Drove out to Rockford to see my son yesterday after work, found a great Japanese restaurant which served grilled tenderloin Kabobs, with some white rice and a ginger salad. No excuses. Weight made a big drop but I'm not going to report it because it was a long drive and I slept in and I'm likely dehydrated. Continuing with the fasted cardio, I'm curious if over the long run it'll lean me up better.

Accessories later.

1/22/2017 p.m.

Overhead Press

45X10

55X10X10sets

Superset with:

Dumbell Shrugs

40X10

50X10,10

55X10X7sets


Machine Preacher Curls
80X10

90X10,10,10,8,8

Superset with:

Rope pressdowns

45X10X5sets


Barbell Curls
60X6

50X10,8,9,7

Superset with

Lifefitness Tricep press

110X10X5sets

Weighted incline situps

25X13,9,7,7,5

Lifefitness Calve Press

70X10

90X10

110X10

130X10X4sets, 20

Notes:
Had to go real light because I don't have the condition to handle volume, but that will come up. Hell bent on leaning up.

1/23/2017

Morning Weight: 189.6

Notes:
That's 2 days under 190, so I thought that might be legit. At 1800 calories the weight is stripping off, gradually but steadily. I've decided I'm taking it straight down to 182 and then I'll try to put on as much size and strength as I can at that weight.

That's the goal.

1/24/2017

A.M.

45 minutes on the elliptical with the 40lb weighted vest, highest incline, hardest level. Calories burned: 548

P.M.

DB Bench

60X10

80X10

100X7,5,5,4,3,3

C.G. Pulldowns

140X17,11,9,8

Lifefitness Calve Ext

110X10

130X10

150X10,12,10,20

Notes:
Meal plan is getting easier to adhere to, pretty much off the crack(sugar) now. As far as the Bench I'm actually surprised that I'm going up given the cut, so I welcome any progress even if it is small. For sure structurally I'm handling the 100s better. Truth is that I probably should have been using 95's but this gym past 60 goes up by
10lb increments so not much choice there. A little more focus on the ornaments. The weighted elliptical and the bench and pulldowns are keeping the mass on my thighs, chest and back but my calves and arms are lagging significantly, so I'm not going to neglect the accessory day anymore and I'm going to add calves to every upper body day to bring those up. Let's keep it going!!!

Those are some pretty heavy dumbbells! Nice work!