bstrong's log: cat 1, 42 yo F

[jineechung83]

Sounds like you got some great activity into your vacation. And a lil' cargo loading.

Knowing you from this forum, you'll be fine.

[bstrong]

Time to feed the log again.

The last week has been OK, workout-wise: since returning from vacation 10 days ago, I've had 5 lifting sessions, 1 cardio session as add-on to lifting, and 1 standalone cardio session. My strength seems to be pretty stable.

The sore ankles I picked up from running on sand seem to be healing. I still have what I suspect is mild plantar fasciatis, but it's also improving, albeit much slower than the ankles. Getting old sucks.

Diet-wise, though, it's been a pretty bad 10 days. I've been hungry or stress-hungry (deadlines at work) all the time, and indulged in way too much snacking and desserts. I'd guess at least 6 of the 10 days, I've been over maintenance.

I need to get this train back on the tracks before I regain all the fat that it took two+ months of hard dieting to lose. And, there's no time like the present to start, right?

//bstrong

[bstrong]

Last 10 days have been a disaster, pretty much. First 4 were ok with workouts, but then I got sick. Been sick with a cold for nearly a week. Zero energy to workout, although I did ride the bike a couple of times at barely a crawl. Otherwise, I pretty much haven't left the couch. Lots of snacking on junk, very few real meals.

The cold has moved into my chest today, which I guess is a good sign because that's the last stage. I'd rather deal with a cough than with the feeling that my sinuses are about to explode. Still not sure that I should work out, though, partly out of respect for my fellow gym rats.

//bstrong

[bstrong]

January wrap-up:

8 cardio-only sessions (5 runs, 3 bike)
6 lifting sessions, 2 with extra cardio at end

That was concentrated in 3 weeks, because of travel in early January and being sick all of last week. Still, I can do way better.

I don't even want to talk about my dietary habits. I'd guess I gained about 10 pounds. Feels like it, at least.

But, it's a new month, and a chance to correct course before I do any more damage.

wish me luck!

//bstrong

[Sassy_6]

Good luck and even better I'm wishing you heath and lack of hunger. ;-)

[bstrong]

thanks, sassy!

Feb 1

P 92 / F 17 / Cho 12
lower body workout
13,000 steps

Walked to and from the gym, to and from work, and to and from an evening meeting. It adds up.

Lower body workout was fine. Squats up a rep or two, weighted lunges hurt, isolation exercises were fine, ab work was fine. Way too many people in the gym still: you'd think the new years' resolution folks would have given up by now. Oh well, more power to 'em.

Food was 7 oz poached chicken breast, broccoli, a superlean boneless pork chop with every ounce of fat (and taste) trimmed off, and a handful of blueberries. And 1% milk in my coffee, which isn't included in the totals.

Feb 2 morning weigh-in
147

That's 4-5 pounds heavier than at the tail end of my pre-Christmas RFL run. The damage could have been a lot worse. But, some of my "thin pants" are more snug than they should be.

Onward.

//bstrong

[bstrong]

Feb 2

P 91 / F 15 / Cho 15
7700 steps

Legs were OK in the morning when I went for a brisk walk. By late afternoon the DOMS in my legs had hit with a force, and by early evening my cough, sniffles, and sinus pressure were back. After 10 hours at work, I decided to skip the gym and just call it a day.

Food was all C's: chobani (greek yogurt), celery, cauliflower, FF cheese, chicken breast, a super lean and fairly tasteless pork chop, coffee, and diet colas.

//bstrong

[bstrong]

Feb 3

P 115 / F 18 / Cho 22
upper body workout
5,300 steps (dumping rain --> I drove rather than walked to gym)

Not much to report. Bench steady at 135 lbs, pullups steady at BW+10lbs. I seemed to have less energy, though, perhaps it's the third day of low cals/low carbs.

So, yeah, I'm doing a short run (11 day) of RFL. I'm definitely cat 1 these days.

Feb 4 am weight: 145.8, but the number bounced around and the scale took a long time to settle on a single number. Scale probably needs new batteries.

Still, around 145-146 seems about right given my current level of lean-ness, visually. I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 pounds over my weight in the pic in my avatar.

//bstrong

[sfczarnecki]

Love your log!

I'm not a big person...I know that 7 pounds doesn't sound like much to many people but for me (and maybe for you, too), it is two months of slow, hard work. Keep at it! I love that your focus is lean and muscle.

Your profile pic is quite inspiring!

[bstrong]

Thanks, sfcarnecki! Yes, 7 pounds is months of work, assuming I want to maximize fat loss and not just weight loss. I'd have to look back over this log, but I think to get to my avatar weight & BF% I started about where I am now, did an 11-day cycle of RFL, then 7 weeks of UD2.0. Not an experiment I'd care to repeat.

//bstrong